Travelrific® Travel Journal

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Archive for July, 2011

A Mistletoe for Any Season

By Linda Tancs

There’s no need to hold out until the Christmas season to fall under the amorous spell of the mistletoe.  At the Mistletoe Lodge outside England’s Amberley Castle in West Sussex, summer is the perfect time to play Cupid.  Perched upon the beautiful sycamore trees by the Castle’s main entrance, the lodge is a tree house reached by a rope bridge and walkway, offering spectacular views of the 900-year-old Sussex castle and its lakes and grounds.  The tree house is available for rental for a ‘dîner à deux’ from May to September (weather permitting), offering up seasonal fare and a floral ambience custom crafted to your liking.  No wonder the luxury retreat is a favorite for marriage proposals.

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Gluten Free Travel

By Linda Tancs

Those with celiac disease or wheat allergies know the special challenges that travel can pose.  Rest assured, you needn’t be an armchair traveler.  Information sites like Gluten Free On the Go compile lists of places where dietary needs can be met.  Where to eat, stay and shop on a gluten-free or restricted diet is just a click away. 

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Chicken and a Movie

By Linda Tancs

Forget the poppycock.  In Wayne, Nebraska, it’s all about chickens.  The Wayne Chicken Show takes place from 8 -10 July this year at various downtown venues accessible by shuttles.  Complete with cluck-tible souvenirs and hot wings, the festival includes a rooster crowing counting contest, quilt show, parade and the world’s largest chicken dance.  Now that should put some pluck in your cluck.

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National Cherry Festival

By Linda Tancs

The Grand Traverse region of Michigan is known for its world-record tart cherry harvest.  So, of course, where else would you expect to find the nation’s preeminent cherry festival?  This year’s event, from 2 – 9 July, has been named one of USA Today’s top ten festivals for several years.  Promising more than 150 events along the shores of Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay, the festival features an air show on 3 July over West Grand Traverse Bay–the location for Cherries D’Vine, where cherry creations from starters and entrees to cherry blended desserts will be paired with award winning wines from both the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas.  Songbirds can vie for top honors in the Cherry Idol competition, a contest for all ages.  For a bird’s-eye view of the festivities, consider an EasyRotor helicopter tour.  It all sounds so cherry good.

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Running with the Fishes

By Linda Tancs

It’s not every day that humans compete with dolphins and sharks for good eats.  But ’tis the season off South Africa’s east coast for locals and tourists to rush after massive schools of sardines off Durban, South Africa during their annual migration.  Consider a sardine run expedition fit for divers and snorkelers alike for an underwater extravaganza of a lifetime.

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