Sundance Mountain Resort - Provo Utah

Sundance Mountain Resort

Located at the base of the stunning Mt. Timpanogos (described by many as the US equivalent of the Matterhorn) this special resort deserves a place of honor in the collection of True Places.  Owned by Robert Redford since 1969, Sundance Mountain Resort is a year-round mountain escape dedicated to preserving its natural surroundings and delivering transformational experiences to its guests. The 100 cottages offer unbeatable access to downhill and cross-country skiing and snowboarding in the wintertime and mountain biking, fly-fishing, horseback riding, art classes and, as of recent, the third-longest zip-line in the country during the spring, summer and fall. The award winning restaurants and spa contribute to the diverse amenities of this quiet mountain village and resort.

We were very lucky to arrive at the right time to take advantage of the fabulous Sunday buffet brunch at the Foundry Grill...part of the Virtuoso amenity for those staying over a weekend.....

For Virtuoso guests booking with True Places Travels the following amenities are complimentary:

Exclusively for Virtuoso guests:

For 2016
• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily full breakfast, for up to two in room guests
• Early check-in/late check-out subject to availability
• A three course dinner for 2 one evening in our award winning restaurant, the Foundry Grill

The St Regis Deer Valley

The St. Regis - uber sophistication

Located on its own mountain sitting high atop Park City...access to this special place is accomplished via the funicular and gives the visitor a really unique experience to start the visit.

A fabulous local art collection, stunning appointments and a sophisticated color palette characterize this property.  Though the vibe is ultra classy, it never feels stuffy or pretentious.  

This is one of my personal favorites...with everything one would expect from the best of the best with Virtuoso.  Your amenities include the following, if booked through True Places Travels:

Exclusively for Virtuoso guests:

For 2016
• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Daily full breakfast, for up to two in room guests served in restaurant
• Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
• $100 USD Equivalent Spa Services credit, to be utilized during stay (not combinable, no cash value if not redeemed in full)

Stein Eriksen Lodge - Deer Valley

Stein Eriksen - steeped in history

It doesn't get more real and local than the Stein Eriksen Lodge - a recent and very well qualified entry to the Virtuoso family.  Here Deer Valley history comes alive as the visionary Olympic medalist, Stein Eriksen himself, was honored by having this historic hotel named after him.  This hotel qualifies as a one of the best True Places....with a Forbes 5 star spa and ski in/ski out right from the stunning setting.....

Booking through True Places Travels gets you instant VIP status and the following amenities:

Exclusively for Virtuoso guests:

For 2016:

• Upgrade at time of arrival, subject to availability
• Complimentary Buffet Breakfast in Winter and Ala Carte Breakfast in Summer for two daily for duration of the stay
• $100 USD equivalent Spa Services credit to be utilized during stay (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full)
• Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

The Stunning Montage Deer Valley

Sophisticated but relaxed - Montage Deer Valley

A longish day of driving from Boise Idaho into the heart of one of Utah's best ski destinations, the lovely Montage Deer Valley provided a warm welcome...a sophisticated but unpretentious and relaxed atmosphere awaits the tired traveler.

The following amenities are available if booked through True Places Travels: 

Exclusively for Virtuoso guests:

For 2016
• Upgrade at time of booking, subject to availability (view catagory & applicable to hotel inventory only. Residences are eligible for an upgrade at time of arrival, based on availability)
• A daily breakfast credit up to US $60 (per room, per night for breakfast in restaurant)
• $100 USD Equivalent Spa Services credit, (not combinable, not valid on room rate, no cash value if not redeemed in full, not valid towards retail purchases)
• Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

True Places - Best of the West Road Trip is about to begin!

From Oregon to Colorado and Back

The best thing about road trips? No long TSA lines...see this recent article about the upcoming summer slog through airports around the country and you might be tempted to just take a road trip!    Misery at US airports predicted this summer

But, doesn't this look better?....

This trip is not designed to avoid airports necessarily, but to celebrate the 100th anniversary of our National Parks, and to scout out new territory for my avid ski/mountain lover clients.  

The itinerary is ambitious and includes Deer Valley UT,  Vail CO, Estes Park CO, Jackson Hole WY, Yellowstone Park and some of Montana's iconic Big Sky territory.  Places we will visit and/or stay include Montage Deer Valley, St. Regis Deer Valley, Stein Eriksen Lodge, Four Seasons Vail, Four Seasons Jackson Hole, and Lone Mountain Ranch.  Click on any link above to see more about these fabulous destinations.

Stay tuned for trip reports from each destination as they happen...thanks for joining us on the journey!  And, if any of these areas or properties look of interest to you, please don't hesitate to reach out to True Places Travels...you can visit our website here....How will you find your True Places? or call 541-791-6331.

True Cruising

48 Hours with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic

The experience aboard Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic is hard to put into words....how many ways can one quantify how very different this type of cruising is from that which most of us picture in our minds?  The typical image is of enormous ships, crowds of people, endless buffets of questionable food, expensive excursions that often involve crowded tourist towns or being herded like cattle from ship to bus and back.  Not a pretty picture...which is why many people write off cruising as not their "cup of tea".

Small ship/expedition cruising (also known as discovery cruising) is different...on every level.  And, Lindblad Expeditions is the pioneer in this kind of journey.  Fifty years ago, Lars-Eric Lindblad was a travel visionary and set into motion the very first concept of eco-tourism by taking a small team of intrepid travelers to Antarctica. Today, this type of tourism exists and is well worth the investment.

Our short but wonderful journey began in Seattle aboard the good ship, Sea Bird....carrying only 62 guests, the Sea Bird plies the waters between Baja California and Alaska.  Click here for more about this ship.

Seattle's iconic Pike Place Market

The Sea Bird awaits at Pier 69

After boarding the ship and having a sumptuous dinner, we bid Seattle goodbye and set sail for the San Juan Islands...our playground for the next 48 hours.

The next day started out with a bit of typical Pacific Northwest drizzle, but the skies quickly cleared and we readied ourselves for our hiking and kayaking excursion on Sucia Island.  Forget crowded buses and tourist towns...our shore trip involved a very comfortable ride in the inflatable boat, a fun hop ashore, a brilliant hike with the fascinating and knowledgeable Sharon Grainger (one of Lindblad's sensational expedition team...click here for Sharon's bio), and a fabulous kayak jaunt in a gorgeous protected bay.

Sharon pointed out endless tiny treasures which we would probably never had noticed on our own, and told us the engaging stories of the native plants - and how they have been used by countless generations of native people.  

Sharon explains the medicinal uses of a native plant

Sharon spots a tiny subject for macro photography

Seeing our ship from the island was a special treat....framed by one of the island's lovely madrone trees....another native species and called, aptly, "the painted ladies" as they show off their richly colored bark.

Later that day, we pulled anchor to begin our cruise of the waters in search of the killer whale.  Our excitement grew as we spotted the Orca pods in the distance.  All cameras were clicking as we eased close enough to take some amazing photographs, but at a distance that respected the space of these magnificent creatures.

A curious Orca checks us out with a "spy hopping" behavior

Magnificent scenery stretched out in every direction as the captain skillfully navigated around the stunning island chain for the balance of the afternoon and evening.  At dinner, we compared photographs, got to know our traveling companions better, and enjoyed world class table service and cuisine.

After a calm night cruising back to Seattle, the day dawned sunny and brilliant as the skyline came into view.

What makes this experience unique and special? Lindblad Expeditions sums it up well on their website:

Expeditions are extraordinary experiences—designed with curious, intelligent people in mind. There are opportunities:

• To go to the planet’s exceptional places, many of which are either otherwise inaccessible (e.g. Antarctica) or best accessed by a ship (e.g. Galápagos, Alaska, Baja’s Sea of Cortez, Costa Rica & Panama, to name only a few)

• To have privileged, personal encounters with the world’s wonders

• To travel accompanied by veteran expedition teams with the expertise to ensure you see all the facets, and contribute insight along the way

• To share the experience with like-minded others

• To have incredible stories to share, a priceless stock of memories, and perhaps, even the best photos of your life

I couldn't agree more! Bravo Lindblad Expeditions for creating these extraordinary experiences with the utmost integrity and inspiring travelers to care deeply about exploring and caring for our amazing world!

For more about how to get yourself aboard one of Lindblad's amazing cruises, please click here to visit True Places Travels.

Another fine garden...

My dear friend, Annie Kendrick, just gave me this delightful and completely enthralling book, aptly titled The Garden Book, for me to research some of the gardens on my upcoming trip.... and in addition to Gravetye Manor and Barnesly House noted in this book, I found another garden that is on our schedule, Rodmarton House and Garden. 

This will be a stop on our way from Gravetye in Sussex, to the Cotswolds, and is nestled in the little town of Cirencester, Gloucestershire. It is notable as the creation of the famous Arts and Crafts movement architect, Ernest Barnsley, in the early part of the 20th century.

To quote Tim Richardson (English Gardens in the Twentieth Century-Aurum Press 2005) “Hidcote and Sissinghurst may have emerged as indisputably the most influential English gardens of the twentieth century... but perhaps Rodmarton should be up there with them... Hidcote has its unique ‘otherness’, Sissinghurst its irresistible biographical appeal, but Rodmarton is possessed of an intense and sequestered atmosphere that is all its own, and even now retains a strong sense of its original integrity.”

It will be interesting to see how the "intense and sequestered atmosphere" unfolds in this quiet part of the country. 

Thanks for stopping by....and remember, by clicking on the BOLD BLUE text you will open up a webpage that provides details about the item.