Tomgirl’s Picks of the Week: April 20, 2010

Along with a love for adventure, part of being a Tomgirl is having a taste for life's luxuries--especially luxurious pampering. So, for our favorite things this week, we have spas on the brain! Here are a few amazing spots from Tomgirl's tour itineraries...

Places

Spa at the Essex is a gorgeous haven of relaxation at the Essex resort in Vermont, site of our Green Mountains Escape. Enjoy massages, body and facial treatments, salon services, an indoor lap pool, a fitness center, an outdoor hot tub, and too many other fabulous experiences for us to possibly name here!

Serenite, the spa at the Amara Resort is one of our favorite quiet places during our Red Rock Rendezvous tours in Sedona. The spa features the usual mix of services and packages, but with the added bonus of panoramic views of the Sedona horizon. We can't wait to visit again!

Media

In keeping with our theme, have you seen Spa magazine? A fabulous resource not only for spa information, but on how to bring those experiences home with you!

And, if after all this, you're on the hunt for the best local spa, SpaFinder is your go-to source.

From Tomgirl Tours

Join Tomgirl's Lori Carr tonight on Big Blend radio. Lori will be talking about the adventures to be found in New Hampshire. Click here to listen live at 7 pm!

Tomgirl’s Picks of the Week: March 23, 2010

Clearly, we love to explore so, since we aren’t out exploring the great outdoors at the moment, we’ve been doing some armchair exploring online. Here are some great new (and old) discoveries we’d like to share…

Media

Kelley Vick is a travel writer whose articles cover everything from specific destinations to insight on subjects like travel and your health.

A Road Retraveled is a great video resource for those days when you need a travel fix, but are stuck at the computer!

Places

We adore all our host hotels, but the blend of luxury accommodations, culinary exploration, gorgeous scenery and adventure opportunities make the Essex in Vermont extra special!

From Tomgirl Tours

If you missed Tomgirl’s Lori Carr’s expert insights into Vermont on Big Blend, you can still listen to her radio interview here, and read her article here. Don’t miss it!

Tomgirl’s Picks of the Week: January 26, 2010

Where did January go?! Well, to close the month, here are our favorites of the week, resources for travel lovers everywhere (and a special one for those in our home state of Rhode Island):

Media Resources

Wherever in the world you travel, radio host Stephanie Abrams is the go-to source you must know. Stephanie's syndicated radio show is a wealth of information, and can be heard across the country. Or check out her shows, archived, on her website. Thanks, Stephanie, for all your insight!

We're pretty sure most women out there already follow Daily Candy in their local cities. This daily newsletter for in-the-know women is not only a fun read, but also a gold mine of local resources and events. But do you also subscribe to their travel edition? Everything you love about the local editions, but all with a travel twist. Love it!

People and Places to Know

Because outdoor lovers are often also animal lovers, we understand that leaving a beloved four-legged friend behind during a vacation can be stressful. So, we are delighted to offer our travelers a fantastic resource here in Rhode Island: Furry Friends Pet Care Services. Furry Friends' Alysha Fraser provides pet care and is a great resource. Having our clients' pets cared for in the expert hands of Alysha, allows our Tomgirl guests to truly "let go" and relax.

As an avid traveler, I've had the opportunity to see amazing sights and wonderful hotels and resorts. But the Essex in Burlington, Vermont is truly one of a kind. Set on 18 acres and offering vistas of the Green Mountains and Lake Champlain, this hotel is a Tomgirl dream. From fresh air and outdoor activities, to a world-class spa, to out-of-this-world culinary experiences thanks to the New England Culinary Institute's on-site presence, we adore the Essex (no wonder we chose it for our Green Mountains Escape!) and our wonderful friend, the resort's Director of Business Development, Dave Hakins... a classy and knowledgeable guy who takes amazing care of every guest at the Essex!

From Tomgirl Tours

As we continue to bundle up on these New England winter days, can't help but daydream about our St. John Sojourn tour in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Seven days in the warm sunshine; enjoying snorkeling, swimming, kayaking and mountain hikes. Ahhh... heavenly! (Where are my goggles and fins, anyway?!)

It's Official! Tomgirl Has a New Tour Package for 2010: Gorgeous Vermont!

As I’m sure you could tell from all our posts about the trip to Vermont, we absolutely loved the Essex resort, the area, and, especially, the adventure experiences. So, I’m happy to announce that Tomgirl Tours has officially included a Green Mountains Getaway to our 2010 menu of tours (check out our website for details on this and all our 2009 and 2010 tours)! We hope you’ll join us for the ropes course, the zip-line, the hot air ballooning, the Segway experience, the phenomenal New England scenery and, of course (this is a Tomgirl tour, afterall!): the amazing culinary experiences, top-flight spa pampering, and immersion into the local culture. Speaking of those last items, here’s a few photos from our trip last week—both of the incredible spa at the Essex and of the postcard-perfect villages and countryside in the area.

First, the spa at the Essex: the décor sets the immediate tone for this relaxing and luxurious environment, providing the perfect end to a perfect few adventure-filled days at the Essex. The colors, the aromas of the incredible products and relaxing music put me into the right frame of mind for a great signature massage... My only complaint? That the 80 minutes flew by like 10! (I definitely plan to spend more time in the spa during my next trip!)

Now onto the other gems we discovered (and will share with our Tomgirl guests on the Green Mountain Getaway tours): Shelburne Farm, a beautiful and historic former Vanderbilt estate, is situated on Lake Champlain and serves as the home of our wine and cheese tastings during the Green Mountain Getaway tours in 2010.

Finally, on the leisurely drive back to my home in Rhode Island, we had the good fortune of traveling through gorgeous Woodstock, Vt. The incredible two lane roads with picturesque views were like stepping back to a simpler time - this beautiful, quaint covered bridge punctuated the area’s charm.

As we drove through the center of Woodstock, I had to stop and photograph this quaint building with their fences covered in beautifully blooming flowers of all colors.

Indeed, the drive was almost as much fun as the adventure tour... almost.

Videos from Vermont... Check Out the Action!

We've returned from our fabulous Vermont adventure (and are still savoring the fun!). Here's a peek at Carol and I in action the past few days at the Essex in Burlington...

My Segway trip through the park near Lake Champlain, what a great way to enjoy a fantastic day in beautiful downtown Burlington Vt.

Carol rope climbing and making her way to the top platform at Northern Lights (no easy task!)

Carol takes a break and bursts out laughing – she is so happy to be back on stable ground (42 feet in the air on a platform, that is)!

Then it was on to the next part of the adventure, where Carol took her first zip line to the base.

Lori makes her way to the top on the ropes while posing for photos for Charlie King, the summer resident photographer at The Essex.

Update from Vermont! On the Ropes and Climbing the Wall

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I agree! So, what better way to explain the adventures Tomgirl is enjoying at the Essex in Vermont than with these photos... (more to come later!)

Our wonderful guides, Tommy and Frank

Carol and I climbing

Me, flying!

Here I am on the ropes

Greetings from Gorgeous Vermont and the Essex Resort!

What a beautiful summer day in gorgeous northern New England! Today, I traveled with friend and tour operator Carol Conley from Rhode Island to Vermont to check out a possible 2010 Tomgirl tour at the Essex resort and spa, in the Burlington area. The scenery along the way was amazing. (check out the Vermont countryside we witnessed along the way):

At our destination, the Essex, we were warmly greeted by business development director at the resort, Dave Hakins. Here are some pictures of the resort (though, really, photos don't do justice to the experience of generous hospitality and an utterly relaxing vibe at this resort):

Soon, we met Christine, the owner of Northern Lights Rock and Ice, and were whisked away by Tommy and Frank, our guides for the afternoon "ropes" adventure. (Below: Carol with our guides):

What a wonderful day! Stay tuned tomorrow for more from the rope and wall climb, hot air balloon photos and vids, and more!

Join Me in Vermont to Check Out a Possible 2010 Tomgirl Tour!

We've been busy planning our 2010 tours and tomorrow I'm off to Vermont for a few days to investigate the Essex, a culinary resort and spa in lovely Burlington, Vt. On my itinerary as possible elements of a 2010 Tomgirl tour: a ropes and rock climbing course, a tour of Lake Champlain, a hot air balloon ride and a sampling of the resort's spa offerings. The mix is right up our alley: outdoor adventure, fine cuisine (the Essex is home to the New England Culinary Institute), upscale accommodations, beautiful surroundings, and a touch of girly pampering.

Stay tuned for some action blogs the next few days as I report back on this possible tour. If you have any thoughts, do share; as always, I love hearing from you!