When you think of Santa Fe, you imagine the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, adobe architecture and Native American art. You imagine yourself walking the downtown plaza and visiting the numerous galleries the town has to offer. But now there is something new for the gastronomic traveler. A new culinary tour has been added to the list of activities.

Through The Insiders’ Culinary Adventure, The Santa Fe School of Cooking, plans to educate and entertain the uninitiated about the unique cuisine of Santa Fe. The tour starts at the school in downtown Santa Fe where you will be greeted by your tour leader, a chef/instructor from the school. Here you will discuss the New Mexican influence and you will have a taste of the traditional New Mexican Chile. The tour then proceeds on to an intimate walking tour of restaurants and a museum that illustrates the diversity of Santa Fe.

The stops on the tour include:

• Los Mayas Mexican Restaurant where you will meet owner Fernando Trillo and discuss the differences in New Mexican and Mexican cuisine.
• The Institute of American Indian Arts where Lois Ellen Frank, a James Beard award winning author will be sampling Native American food. A pass to the Institute of American Indian Arts is included with your registration fee.
• Amavi, the new restaurant of local celebrity chef, David Sellers.
• James Campbell Caruso’s La Boca which was the winner at Taste of Santa Fe 2007. The restaurant was honored with the Best In Show award!

The cost of the tour is $105 per person and includes admission to the Institute of American Indian Arts. The tour is limited to 16 people. Please check the schools website for more information - santafeschoolofcooking.com.

I usually don’t include my travel time as part of my vacation, no matter how long or short it may be. My vacation begins when I unlock the door of my vacation rental and ends when I lock the door of my vacation rental on the last day of my stay.

But Amtrak’s partnering with GrandLuxe to bring luxury rail service may change my opinion. Amtrak announced on 6/27/2007 that this fall they will team with GrandLuxe to launch a new luxury train service between Washington D.C. and Miami, Florida. Starting at $789 per person you can extend your vacation to include your travel plans.

According to their press release, the GrandLuxe rail service includes five-course dinners, luxurious suites and personal butler service. The service will utilize seven private and separate cars attached to Amtrak’s Silver Meteor train to transport passengers from D.C. to Miami.

This limited service will begin on November 6 with the inaugural departure from Union Station and continue through the holidays with the last train leaving from Miami on January 4, 2008.

Other GrandLuxe Limited routes are between Los Angeles and Chicago and between Chicago and San Francisco.

For more information visit www.GrandLuxeRail.com.

When people think of a Florida vacation, they first think of Disney World and the rest of the Orlando tourist attractions but there is a lot more to Central Florida than Mickey and Shamu.

Ocala

Ocala is 77 miles northwest from Orlando. Ocala has hills and sprawling horse and cattle ranches. There are many places to take trail rides. One such place is Young’s Paso Fino Ranch. You can take a tour of the ranch and facilities and also make arrangements to trail ride one of their beautiful Paso Fino horses. The guides are experienced and friendly. There were about 10 adults in our group with three children and we all had a good time.

Ocala is also the home to many fresh water springs that are great for kayaking and/or canoeing. We could not pass up the Silver River because we heard that there are Rhesus monkeys on the shores. The river is abounding in wildlife. In addition to the Rhesus monkeys, egret, heron, anhinga, ibis, snake, alligator and turtle can all be seen any day on Silver River.

Because the river is spring fed the water temperature remains cool even in the heat of Florida’s summers. The trip from the nearest boat launch at Ray Wayside Park up to the mouth of the springs is 5 miles. You are paddling against the current so the trip up stream is a challenge. The park service is supposed to start a canoe and kayak shuttle but that had not been in place on our visit. The trip is worth every once of energy.

The water is clear and you can see the sandy bottom and the canopy of trees makes it a very pleasant trip. You don’t have to travel very far up river before you see the Rhesus monkeys in the trees. At first they might escape your glance but soon enough you’ll see groups sitting on fallen trees watching you paddle up stream. It is against the law to feed the wildlife on the river and you don’t want to get too close to the monkeys as they will bite.

In the 1930’s, Colonel Tooey created an attraction on the river by bringing the Rhesus monkeys to a small island in the river. Unbeknownst to Tooey, Rhesus monkeys are extremely good swimmers and escaped to other parts of the river.

If you make it to the top of the springs, you will be inside the Silver Springs attractions. Watch for the glass bottom boats. Although they are difficult not to notice, they run on electric and can sneak up behind you rather quickly.

Silver Springs, the headwaters of the river, is the largest artesian spring formation in the world. At certain locations the springs can reach depths of up to 80 feet and they are 99.8% pure. The main spring created a cavern 200 feet wide and 30 feet deep. The water flows from this spring with such force that you can see the sand and shells being tossed around at the inlets. The theme park does feed the wildlife up at the springs. So you will be sure to see gators, gar and other fish.

The total trip is 10 miles. Bring plenty of sunscreen, water and snacks so that you can enjoy a wonderful day on Silver River.

Directions to the boat ramp: At the junction of I-75 and SR 40 (exit 352, old #69) in Ocala, turn east (right) on SR 40 and go 9 miles to the Silver Springs attraction. Continue past the theme park on SR 40 for 3 miles to Ray Wayside Park. The park is 1/4 mile west of Delks Bluff Bridge. A canoe launch is located at the far end of the park just past the boat ramps. We paid a small usage fee of $3.00 at the time of our visit.

St. Petersburg

Just 120 miles southwest of Orlando is the City of St. Petersburg. St. Pete has that old reputation of elderly people sitting on green benches on Central Avenue in downtown. St. Pete has grown up quite a bit. Many of the folks who visited it in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s would be surprised to see the downtown skyline filled with tall condos. It is a terrific little city. If you plan your trip for a weekend, you’ll be pleasantly surprised as there is plenty to keep the gay couple or the gay family busy.

Every Friday night from 7-11 pm is the St. Pete Shuffle. This is not your grandmother’s shuffleboard! Each week there is a local band or DJ playing music. Beverages are usually available for a small donation but everyone is encouraged to bring their own snack and drinks. Someone is always available to explain the rules and the techniques of the game. This is a great place to meet new friends and everyone of every age and athletic ability enjoys themselves. Everyone is welcome here. St. Pete Shuffle is located at the historic St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Courts – 559 Mirror Lake Drive (directions).

Looking for a place to eat before going over to St. Pete Shuffle, you can try Ratchada’s, Café Alma, Ceviche Tapas. These and other restaurant addresses can be found in http://www.stpete.org/pdf/restaurantguide.pdf.

Saturday Morning Market is also a happening place from October through May. You can buy a coffee and a breakfast crepe. Sit and listen to some great local music. Shop for fresh fruit and veggies and then buy a soft drink and sandwich for lunch and you never would have left Central Avenue. The Market boasts homemade cakes, pies, gourmet coffees, arts and crafts. The Saturday Morning Market is one of the finest, most organized and most enjoyable open air markets we have visited it is a perfect place to enjoy the best St. Pete has to offer.

Once your stomach and palate is satiated, it is time to move on to the beach. At the southern tip of Treasure Island on Sunset Beach is ‘Bedrocks Beach.’ A gay bar named Bedrocks sat on this site for a number of years. While the site is now a city park, many gays and lesbians still frequent the beach. If you are unable to find parking here, I suggest a ride down to Passe Grille Beach which is one of the nicest in the area. It has that quaint island feel and lots of white powder soft sand.

If you are looking for a more remote beach, try Fort DeSoto Park. The park is at the southern-most tip of Pinellas County. It has been named one of America’s top beaches by Dr. Beach. Follow I-275 to the Pinellas Bayway exit (#4) and proceed west, following signs to Ft. DeSoto Park. Once in the park, follow signs to the North Beach and park in the last parking lot. Then walk a short distance, crossing the “rainbow bridge” and wading across a shallow lagoon. You will find yourself at a breathtakingly beautiful beach! Continue to your right (north) to the end of the island which is where gays and lesbians will congregate.

So, you have had all the sun you can stand and now you are ready to go dancing. Georgie’s Alibi is the most popular gay club in town.

Sunday morning brunch at the Vinoy is always special but if you prefer to have your brunch poolside at your vacation rental, we understand completely. If you are looking for an artsy afternoon stroll, head back downtown and visit the Arts Center and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Other ongoing events in St. Petersburg

The Downtown Arts Association schedules on the second Saturday of each month a Gallery Walk from 5:30 – 9:00pm. The galleries are open to the public and many offer special presentations and provide refreshments.

Gulfport is a small town just south of St. Petersburg that is home to many lesbian and gay residents. It hosts an art walk each month on the first Friday and third Saturday (http://www.gulfportchamberofcommerce.com/artwalk.htm).

There is an Italian market on 22nd Ave in St. Pete right off of I-275 called Mazzaro’s. They have a terrific assortment of meats, cheeses, desserts and prepared foods. On Saturdays, they have live music which makes the shopping pleasant and keeps the espresso bar crowded. For more information go to their website.

San Diego is the perfect destination for families where you can easily mix a day in the great outdoors and still take in a museum or two. It is known for its beautiful year round weather where the average daily temperature is 70.5 degrees Fahrenheit (21.4 degrees Celsius). What makes San Diego an even more perfect vacation destination is, that within a very short traveling distance, you can enjoy coastal, mountain and desert environments all in the space of one day.

What better way to unwind and relax than on the San Diego beaches? San Diego boasts 70 miles of beach where families can swim, surf, snorkel, play volleyball, or just lie in the sun, a perfect spot for both parents and kids to enjoy a vacation day.

However, if the beach is too low key for you, San Diego has many other attractions to choose from.

LEGOLAND California, is a 128-acre theme park featuring more than 50 interactive attractions and rides that kids can push, pull, steer, pedal, squirt, climb, or build their way through a wonderland of activities.

SeaWorld San Diego, located on Mission Bay, is a 189-acre park featuring six major shows, fascinating attractions and dozens of exhibits containing marine life from around the globe.

San Diego’s Balboa Park is the largest urban cultural park in the United States. It has been referred to as the “Smithsonian of the West.” The park is the home to 85 cultural attractions, including 15 museums, 8 gardens and the San Diego Zoo. The Old Globe Theatre, modeled after Shakespeare’s Old Globe in London, is located within the park. The theatre has 3 stages, including an outdoor theater, where 15 plays and musicals are presented each year including its highly-regarded Shakespeare festival.

Also inside Balboa Park you will find The San Diego Zoo. The zoo is a world-famous 100-acre tropical garden that houses 4,000 animals of 800 rare and exotic species. Popular zoo activities include a three-mile guided bus tour, sky tram, children’s petting zoo, and baby animal nursery.

Parking at Balboa Park is free, but space fills quickly on weekends and during the summer. Overflow parking can be found on the streets surrounding the heart of Balboa Park on Park Blvd and Sixth Avenue. No matter where you park, the walk to the park is great but if you prefer to ride, free shuttles are available, just look for the signs.

Hillcrest, the Gay Heart of San Diego, is only minutes from Balboa Park with just a short drive from the downtown area. Also downtown is the Historic Heart of San Diego, the Gaslamp Quarter. Here you will find Petco Park which is the home of the San Diego Padres. This area is primarily straight, but gays feel welcome.

Located 30 miles northeast of downtown San Diego, the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park is a 1,800-acre preserve where wild animals roam free over vast expanses as they would in their native habitats of Africa and Asia.

If shopping is your form of entertainment, you will not be disappointed. Fashion Valley is the best, with Mission Valley only a few miles away. Horton Plaza (The heart of downtown) is a must see for the architecture. Also, there is the Las Americas Outlet mall located right next to the border of US and Mexico, and outlet malls at Vejas casino.

For all you Wizard of Oz fans, L. Frank Baum, who was the author of the book, did much of his writing at the Hotel Del Coronado. It is said that he based his designs for the Emerald City on the hotel. Baum is also credited with designing the crown chandeliers that hang in the Crown Room of the hotel.

Other must sees: the small “island” town of Coronado and La Jolla. In La Jolla you will find the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Main Gallery, upscale shopping and restaurants, and the seal pool which is a cove where seals nurse their pups.

Ready to plan your trip? Browse Pink Pavilions vacation rentals by owner in San Diego

SanDiego.org is offering discount coupons so that you can enjoy more of what San Diego has to offer for the gay family friendly vacation:

• SeaWorld - 2 days of fun for the price of 1
• $5 off up to six one-day adult or child admissions - LEGOLAND California
• Rent 2 kayaks, get the 3rd FREE! - San Diego Bike & Kayak Tours Inc.

When my sister-in-law first suggested New Hampshire for a summer vacation, I looked at her quite quizzically. I had only been to New Hampshire for skiing. I had not thought much about a summer vacation but there was an appeal to the idea.

The thought of leaving the humidity of Florida in the middle of August to go to the mountains of New Hampshire was very appealing indeed. The house we rented was a 2 ½ hour drive from Logan International Airport in Boston. The time went quickly as the scenery grew more and more beautiful as we progressed north on the interstate. When we finally arrived in town, the afternoon sun was washing the mountains with it warm rays and the sight was spectacular and worth every minute of our travels.

My partner and I were joining my family for a gay family vacation. We settled into our rental house and got the barbeque going right away for dinner. We had snacked a lot in the car but we all were looking forward to some barbequed chicken and fresh corn and vegetables that we bought at a farm stand nearby.

The next day we took off for the Basin and Cascades of the Pemigawasset River. The basin was carved by glacial waters thousands of years ago. A small waterfall spills into the basin and passes over a rock formation nick named “The Old Man’s Foot.”

The trail continues past the basin and down along the river where you can watch it run over the large granite rocks in the river’s path and on to Kinsman Cascades.

This inaugural day was for easy hiking and little discoveries. On our second day, we took on the Flume. The Flume is a natural gorge 800 feet wide with walls of granite rising 70 to 90 feet. Over the years, steps and boardwalks have been constructed to enable visitors to reach the falls easily. The trail is classified as a walk but the climb is strenuous at times. The walls of the flume are slippery and covered in moss where the water continuously rolls down the rock. At times the passage is only 4 to 6 feet wide and voices echo off the walls. The trail back down the mountain is much wider and twists around with a wonderful covered bridge takes you back over the falls. We were up and back in two hours with lots of stops for photos and appreciating the scenery.

The following day we made the mistake of taking the Mount Washington Cog Railway. It was very expensive with tickets priced at $55 per adult. I thought my nephews would enjoy the experience but it was definitely not worth the price. The ride to the top of the mountain was unpleasantly smelly, noisy, slow and sooty. The train has a coal burning engine and you are covered in soot by the time you reach the top where you are given only a half hour to take in the sights before you have to return to the base. I would never do this again.

We ventured over to Meredith for a day trip. Meredith sits on Lake Winnipesaukee. There are a few public beaches in and around Meredith. One of which is Weirs Beach that has a large sandy beach with shops and restaurants nearby. My nephews liked the arcades in particular.

The next day we hiked up to Lonesome Lake. The lake is a 1.5 mile hike up from the trail head by Lafayette Campground. This was a challenging climb over very steep slopes and rocks. By the time we reached the lake, some of our hikers had sore thighs and aching knees and looked forward to a rest at the Lonesome Lake hut. The lake did look inviting but it had gotten cloudy and cooler and we decided against a swim.

We took a ride over to North Conway for another day trip. The town is quaint with lots of shopping and a park in the middle of town. We strolled around the shops and had a nice lunch. My nephew is a die hard Yankee fan and got a lot of ribbing by the wait staff in the restaurant for wearing his Yankee baseball cap. Needless to say, they are all Red Sox fans.

On the way home we stopped along Route 302 and took an easy hike to Ripley Falls. The boys enjoyed rock hopping but neither was hot enough to get into the cold water.

To get a little historical perspective on the area we headed this day to the Robert Frost Museum in Franconia. The Frost family lived on the property full time from 1915 to 1920 but spent 19 summers here. The house is open to visitors and in the barn is a small TV to watch a 20 minute video of Frost’s life and accomplishments. There is a short hiking trail at the back of the property. At various points on the trail are Frost’s poems posted on display panels. It was a very nice way to spend a relaxing afternoon.

New Hampshire is a beautiful state and the White Mountains offer swimming, biking, hiking and relaxation. We hope we get to see the moose on our next visit!

Two very good books to use for selecting your hikes in the White Montains are:

• Waterfalls of the White Mountains: 30 Hikes to 100 Waterfalls
• Foghorn Outdoors New Hampshire Hiking