Our destination hotel was as comfy as any we’ve ever stayed in.
WWW.AMERICANPRESSTRAVELNEWS.COM – August 2016, Wilmington, Delaware–Bob and Barb “On the Road Again.” There is so many wonderful things to do in Wilmington Delaware. After checking in to the Double Tree by Hilton, and only having two days, it was hard to pick the best most enjoyable things to do in such a short time. The first thing that we did was take a tour of the hotel. After looking at the beautiful swimming pool, we decided that no matter how
Summer or winter this pool is kept just at the right temperature!
busy we will be in the next couple of days, we must try out the pool. Of course they had an exercise room with upscale machines. Our room was clean and comfortable. In the mornings we enjoyed the breakfast buffet that had little omelets and very good coffee, the coffee makes a place.
The location was very easy to get to with ample parking. We immediately scheduled a time to shop next door at the mall to take advantage of the shopping without paying any sales tax. Please take a look at our next post that tells of the museums, the lucious and spectacular of Longwood Gardens ,Andrew Wyeth, The Brandywine River Museum and bunch more amazing places we were able to take in, in DE.
For more information go: delart.org, brandywine.org, and visitwilmingtonde.com
Easy breezy check-in and the front desk was very accommodating.Dinner was terrific at the hotel!
A common room at the Swag-ultra comfy and country gorgeous!Rough wood crafted gazebo fits the environs so nicely at the Swag Inn!
American Press Travel News, The Swag, 5000-feet up in Maggie Valley-makes a fine tale, if you will; “a tale of two mountains” would be appropriate to call our experiences at both the Cataloochee Ranch perched high atop Fie Top Mountain in Maggie Valley, where we lived, enjoyed ranch style breakfasts and wonderful barbecue dinners for 4-days as we visited and experienced the pleasures of Maggie Valley. We visited and had a wonderful al fresco lunch at the Swag Resort, high atop another mountain ridge also called Cataloochee. The views were astounding, witnessed and making for indelible memories as we lunched near a beautifully crafted gazebo by an esteemed New York Architect, who also did one in the most famous park in New York; Central Park. Everyone in the “know” would like to have their wedding at and in the forever views of the Smokies. We hear the regular sit down fare at the Swag is gourmet all the way, we looked over one of the rooms with copper bathtub on the porch with a view that was purely astounding from the giant bed, or anywhere else in the suite! We are looking forward to return and fully experience this special place in time and space, designed for hikers and trail blazers from around the world, as well as Americans.
Dan and Deena Mathews developed this property as a vacation home in 1971. They originally had no intentions of becoming owners of an Inn, but now and for the past several decades they have put together a treasured (cool low 60’s even in August) environment where things are low key, but always very special for their guests, their employees and for themselves as well!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ON A SCALE OF 1-10 THE SWAG IS AN 11! 800-789-7672 E CONNECT IS TheSwag.com
A crafted wood cut gazebo by the Architect who did the New York natural wood work in Central Park.So relaxing and beautiful a view from the gazebo at the Swag Inn!Barb looks over a map of the Cataloochee Mountain Range of the Smokies!
The views overlooking Lake Junaluska are quite spectacular.
All our meals were taken at the Terrace Hotel and the food was quite good!
APtravelnews-Lake Junaluska, in Haywood, N.C.—Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center, since 1913 (101 years) is located in Haywood County, it’s a place of Christian hospitality where the easy effort to transform lives through renewal of mind, soul and body. More of a summer place for families to enjoy a full range of outdoor, lakeside and in lake pleasures such as paddle boarding, canoeing, fishing even a labyrinth, a Biblical Garden Heritage Center & Museum to name just a few of the interesting places we visited. The huge open Stuart Auditorium and Memorial Chapel were truly magnificent.
More picturesque it would be hard to find. Lake at its fall best!
Author Bill Lowry spent years researching his new book “The Antechamber of Heaven” A History of Lake Junaluska Assembly. This 242 page book details everything anyone would enjoy knowing about the “Lake” Assembly!
Barb and I stopped by for a couple of days last week. Even the rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the many folks from around the country who came to the Lake and stayed at the Terrace Hotel. They as we did used this location as a jumping off point for the wonders of the lake properties and also the surrounding communities of Waynesville and their fine restaurants and antiques shops, the Biltmore properties, the Blue Ridge Parkway and it’s many vistas over 650 miles. Take a look at their website: www.LakeJunaluska.com
A scene from 1920’s in Janaluska, the Terrace Hotel in the background is where we stayed during a special event.An easy ride over to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park can be done from the Lake!Out the window photo of a young bull elk in the Cataloochie Valley! Just one of the interesting areas easily accessible from the Lake!
Barb looking out at the lake from the Terrace Dining Room where we took all our fine, buffet meals. The views made us hungry for more!A gorgeous view from the Blue Ridge Parkway of the Smokie Mountains.
AMERICAN PRESS TRAVELNEWS, Bob, Barb & Terry, “On the Road Again” and “Stopping to Smell the Roses” this time in New Smyrna Beach, FL. When we popped off I-95, heading for New Smyrna Beach, that the National Geographic Magazine folks voted as “the Worlds Top Surf Towns” and Dr. Beach rated New Smyrna as “Florida’s Top 10-Beach Towns” ,we knew that we’d be on the Intracoastal Waterway with dolphins feeding and playing, just about 200 feet away from our lagoon view window. We weren’t wrong! We enjoyed the frolicking marine mammals seen from our Manatee Viewing Suite, at the Night Swan Bed and Breakfast, before heading to the beach, after lunch with Terry at the Dolphin View Seafood Restaurant. Night Swan Owners, Matt and Betsy Baker, bought the business in 2013 and lovingly placed their experience and tastes in all upgrades, and you will see this in everything about the B&B, that consists of twin vintage, but thoroughly updated houses, 16 room, with 6 rooms dedicated to be dog friendly and a dog friendly cottage too! On a historical note; “Smyrna” comes from the word purported to be Myrrh, one of the special fragrances brought to the manger by one of the 3-wise men during the time of Jesus’s birth! There are other thoughts on the name, but from a historical prospective we are offering this theory! The other side of the B&B besides the bed, you also get the breakfast. We enjoyed the fruit, blueberries and seasonal strawberries. The scones, and the really great waffle, with real maple syrup and sausages. The coffee, tasted like coffee! Its not every place you go that you run into the real thing, “baby.” So many times, at too many other locations I have had dishwater called coffee, not at the Night Swan, it was real and good! There was all Breyers ice creams, cookies and drinks anytime you were in the mood for a snack, and we met some fine folks visiting from all parts of the east coast! The one thing that stands out for a great B&B is that the personalities and conviviality you find at a high quality B&B, is found no where else in the accommodations business, with the exception of cruising the oceans of the world! Some of the items and amenities found at the Night Swan: no charge boat dock, flat screen TV’s, private baths, elevated dock (we even watched a NASA launch from it on our last day at the B&B) lovely front porch, free WiFi, all kinds of meeting space for up to 40, great family reunion location, and wedding receptions in the great outdoors and so much, much more! You can come by boat, auto or any way you wish to this B&B—-Go: www.nightswan.com or call 386-423-4940 Check out the myriad of events you can attend weekly, for months in New Smyrna Beach and surrounding enclaves by going: www.nsbfla.com
Stay tuned 3 more posts coming at you from Smyrna Beach, trips, restaurants and a nature boat excursion as well.
Water to land view of the Night Swan B&B with the sailing charter double mast schooner on their end dock!
Bob and Barb with Terry at the Dolphin View Seafood Restaurant located at 107 N. Riverside Drive on the Mosquito Lagoon. One of the many pet friendly restaurants in New Smyrna Beach! We saw sea food and we all enjoyed it!Just one of Dolphin’s treats for lunch; stuffed mahi mahi with shrimp and crabmeat, oh, what a luncheon treat!
