Solaris, Vail's new development that almost didn't come to fruition, shines. It’s Thursday night in February and, despite the lack of snow outside, Bol, an upscale bar, restaurant, and bowling alley located in Vail Village, is packed. Patrons lounge in comfy leather chairs, watch sports on up to 15 different televisions, and roll down 12-pin alleys fit for the White House. But mostly they eat. They chow on everything from gourmet pizza with speck and figs to grilled calamari to...

The best lodging and dining at Big Sky, plus the terrain you wont want to miss. Best Ski Run: Elk Park Ridge and Elk Park Meadow are 1600 vertical feet of wide-open groomer that let’s you cruise. If you get bored, drop right into the meadow for a sun softened south-facing slope that’s killer on powder days and spring conditions. Best Après-ski Haunt: Whiskey Jaques. While there are not many on-hill options at Big Sky, Whiskeys remains the best. Lots...

Killington Resort’s Fall Foliage & Gondola Package (Vermont Tourism) Fall in Vermont is the perfect time to enjoy mountain biking, golf, spa retreats, and more. Here are the best steals and deals for a leaf-peeping getaway. Take a roundtrip gondola ride to the top of Killington Peak for long-range views of five surrounding states, and Canada. Discounted lodging and gondola tickets are available with packages starting at $38 per person, per night. Available for the weekend of Sept. 23-25, and...

(Photo credit: John Churchman/Corbis) America is the home of several haunted lighthouses. CoastalLiving.com put together a list of the Top Haunted Lighthouses in the United States. See the pictures and read the stories of these lighthouses that play host to ghosts. Owls Head Light, Owls Head, Maine Owls Head Light State Park, open year-round, provides lovely views of Penobscot Bay. The pretty little lighthouse and keeper'sresidence are part of the park but not accessible, though that doesn't prevent a ghost...

More and more women are discovering the adventure and excitement of traveling solo. Traveling alone provides the opportunity to see things and meet people you may never meet when traveling in a group. Traveling alone is also a thrill, a rush of excitement and empowerment of being completely independent and in control of one's own situation. However, there are still some important considerations and issues to be aware of for a woman traveling alone. Although more widely accepted than in...

Rabbit Island, HI (iWitness contributor linben_2) Male, Maldives Relaxing towards the ocean... (iWitness contributor revdin) Tahiti/Papeete, French Polynesia Hiva Oa in The Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia. The city of Atuona in the foreground. (iWitness contributor wzzhaw) Oranjestad, Aruba Some strange weather is brewing off the coast of Aruba. (iWitness contributor Johgal) Oranjestad, Aruba A beautiful little boat sways on a pristine ocean. (iWitness contributor jachen) Heredia, Costa One of the beautiful and amazing waterfalls that you can find inside...

Tribune Media Services - Taking The Kids, Apr 26, 2012 How quickly could you decode an iceberg warning? The kids at the Mystic Aquarium's new "Titanic, 12,450 Feet Below" permanent exhibit (www.mysticaquarium.org), the cornerstone of the newly renamed Ocean Exploration Center, aren't having any trouble. They're also busy and boisterously challenging each other at the touch-table electronic game that has adults like me stymied. Speed is essential. The first to answer the most questions correctly, wins. How long can someone...

Tribune Media Services - May 03, 2012 We're walking past groves of soaring redwood "families," some with their innards carved out as the result of forest fires. But we're not in a crowded national park. In fact, we've pretty much got the hiking trail to ourselves in Butano State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains, midway between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay and only a little more than an hour from San Francisco. Butano State Park -- one of...

(Lester Lefkowitz) Keep Your Valuables Secure When I recently asked my Twitter followers for examples of looted luggage, I didn’t expect the results would be quite so personal: an oil painting that an artist was carrying home to Chicago; a favorite Swiss Army knife that had traveled the world with its owner until it was stolen on a flight from Mexico to Panama; some fake pearls (and a box of condoms) from a bag at Newark-Liberty International. Beyond the anger...

Burlington, Vt. While there are many more cities that will enjoy fantastic weather this weekend, here are our five picks for the weekend ahead beginning with Burlington, Vt. (FORECAST: Sat | Sun) High pressure is large and in charge for this city located on Lake Champlain. With sunny skies and high temperatures rising well above average into the 80s Saturday and Sunday, it's an ideal weekend to visit the lake. Mornings will be refreshing with lows in the upper 40s...

Skip the elevator: these unique staircases take cool to new heights. (Davide Cazzola) It looks like any old roller coaster, with curves and heart-stopping loops. But instead of zooming by, people are walking—on inclines fitted with steps. This creation in Germany’s Rhine Valley is an interactive sculpture, but it’s also one of the world’s most unique staircases. While staircases are fundamentally a means to get from one point to another, they become cool—and worth seeking out—when the form is made...

Few things compare to staying in a beautiful Autumn-themed hotel room while traveling to view fall foliage. (Photo courtesy of Ashby Inn) Chebeague Island is a short ferry ride from the hipster scene in Portland, ME, but it still moves to a 19th-century tempo. So you can take your time walking among the brilliant fall colors and, when the evening turns cool, cozy up to the fireplace of the Chebeague Island Inn.That crispness in the air is a sure sign...

(Working Mother) You’ll soak up Native-American culture -- not to mention the ubiquitous Arizona sun -- in every corner of this family-friendly “GeoGreen” resort owned and corun with the Sheraton by the local Pima and Maricopa tribes. Tucked between two mountain ranges, the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa in Chandler, Ariz., features a splendid 17,500-square-foot spa, fine restaurants and world-class golf. Cool for kids Swimmers will delight in the 111-foot water slide at one of the resort’s four...