Durango (Durango Mountain Resort) Long term ski town living takes more than just access to pow and a few cheap bars. Which is why we think we could settle down in Durango for a while. By most ski town standards, Durango, Colorado, doesn’t hold up to the dramatic proximity of, say, an Aspen or Telluride, where slopes stare you in the face just leaving the grocery store. But what makes this southwestern town (pop.16,000) so dreamy is what it’s not....

Coffee Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, BC, has few lifts, and it's not known for nightlife, lodging, shopping or even ease of access. What it is known for is a lot of dramatic, serious terrain. A few tips to maximize your trip. There's caffeine and inspiration at Jita's Cafe on 11th Avenue every morning. A mix of professional ski guides, ice climbers, ski bums, and other ski town characters come by for the best coffee, espresso drinks, baked treats...

1. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia You've picked 'em: the best resorts for nightlife. Here's where to drink, dance, and celebrate the ski season. Many good restaurants in Whistler offer a place to settle in for the evening. 2. Aspen Mountain, Colorado The bustling town of Aspen keeps things rowdy all night long. 3. Vail, Colorado Vail Village and Lionshead offer many apres spots: try Garfinkel's for cheap drinks and dancing. 4. Park City, Utah The nearby town of Park City...

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...