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Category Archives: Hotels

2015 Cycle North Carolina “Mountains to Coast” Ride Announces Waynesville as the Starting Host Town

 

Bicyclists can also enjoy the fly fishing trail through N.C. too!
Bicyclists can also enjoy the fly fishing trail through N.C. too! Bob E. Photo

APtravelnews-News Release from Waynesville, N.C-3/12/15—When Anna Smathers, Communications Manager for beautiful Haywood County, N.C. to tell me about her joy in having, after months of behind the scenes planning and coordinating, the North Carolina Amateur Sports organization and Cycle North Carolina recently announced that the Town of Waynesville has been named as the starting host town for the 2015 “Mountains to Coast” Bicycle Tour in September.  The organization made the official announcement on Sunday, March 8 at the opening reception of the North Carolina Governors Conference on Tourism in Pinehurst, NC. All participating municipalities and communities were announced and Waynesville received the distinguished title as the starting host town for the ride. “We are honored and excited to be selected as the host/start city for the event this year.  The tour will allow the 1000+ participants and their families to enjoy the mountains and scenic beauty of the area, and while they are here, gives Waynesville the opportunity to showcase its hospitality and charm,” said Marcy O’Neil, Town Manager for Waynesville.

Waynesville will serve as base camp for the initial kick-off and starting point for the cross state ride.  Participants are planned to arrive Saturday, September 26 or even earlier and will have free time to enjoy the local area.  They will begin their journey on Sunday, September 27 and travel 55 miles to neighboring Hendersonville, where they will spend the night before continuing on to Shelby.The “Mountains to Coast” ride provides participants with just enough introductions to each community to entice them to bring their families back for longer visits including vacations.

This event will bring One to two-night stays from 900+ participants, plus more than 4.6 million media/print impressions. ($250,000 value) benefits to the many communities that this event will be an Introduction of communities to participants throughout North Carolina, the U.S. and other countries. Additional revenues from concessions, catering, hotel stays, dining, shopping, attraction visits, etc. will accrue to participating businesses in this area of N.C.

The “Mountains to Coast” tour is major step in the right direction to grow this specific tourism market in Haywood County,” said Lynn Collins, Executive Director of the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority. For more information on the event, visit  http://cnc.ncsports.org/.
 Along with its picturesque beauty, Haywood County and its five towns of Maggie Valley, Waynesville, Lake Junaluska, Canton and Clyde offer year round activities and events centered around food, heritage, music, art and the outdoors. No matter what experience you choose, N.C. guarantees you will always experience Authentic Appalachian, Pure & Simple! For more information visit  www.visitncsmokies.com  or contact the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority at 800-334-9036. Note* Barb and I spent a week in this area and it was the best trip ever!!!!

To download a PDF click here: 2015 Cycle North Carolina “Mountains to Coast” Ride Announces Waynesville as the Starting Host Town

Florence, South Carolina Going North or South on I-95 A Travelers Terrific Stopover!

Love is in the air when Terry moves in!
Love is in the air when Terry moves in!

APtravelnews-January 25th, Frederick, MD.-“Bob and Barb on the Road Again-When we left our S. Florida home on the way to Frederick, MD to visit our sons new Market Street Fusion Restaurant, we again calculated that the half-way point for some rest, relaxation before heading another 500-miles was our favorite stopover; Florence, S. Carolina-this was not our first stopover there. Florence has one of the very best tourism representative in the Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau   in the person of Holly Beaumier. She told us that the very new Home 2 Suites by Hilton would be a great place for us to visit as they are very pet friendly, and Terry our “Critter” who loves and is loved by everyone he meets along with us, would be comfortable there. And we were! Dinner was a wonderful experience as well! We ate at Victors in downtown Florence, an area totally being revitalized into all manner of shops and restaurant locations. Victors was in Hotel Florence and the fare was quite excellent-this was no off the highway fast food joint! Barb and I along with Holly and her associate enjoyed fish and various seafood and meat dishes. We topped our dinner off with wonderful desserts with a few excellent quite home-made cheesecake offerings-very memorable all the way around!

 

"Modern and pretty" was our reaction when first entering our dog friendly hotel. Our suite was "sweet" and very comfortable bed too!
“Modern and pretty” was our reaction when first entering our dog friendly hotel. Our suite was “sweet” and very comfortable bed too!
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Breakfast had egg sandwiches and whole grain delicious waffles. The coffee tasted like “coffee!”

 

 

 

 

Appetizing foreplay! this scallop wrapped in bacon on grits from the Gods was spectacular!
Appetizing foreplay! Victors
scallops wrapped in bacon on “grits from the Gods” was spectacular!
The filet on a rice pillow surrounded by tasty grilled shrimp and scallops "gave me a "buzz." It was "Oh, so good!" Barb and our table mates also fared very nicely with fish, chicken and a N.Y.strip steak.
The filet on a rice pillow surrounded by tasty grilled shrimp and scallops “gave me a “buzz.” It was “Oh, so good!” Barb and our table mates also fared very nicely with fish, chicken and a N.Y.strip steak.

www.visitflo.com

A Victors cheesecake to remember!
A Victors cheesecake to remember!
Over dessert. Barb and the fine ladies from Florence relaxed with some of the best desserts in the South!
Over dessert. Barb and the fine ladies from Florence relaxed with some of the best desserts in the South!

Note***Look for upcoming articles on Florence, showcasing “dog-friendly kayaking, a museum for all ages, the Florence Hotel story, equestrian events and a whole lot more!!!!!

MOVING TO ST. PETERSBURG-THE UN-TOURIST GUIDE-136-PAGES OF KNOWLEDGE FOR NEW RESIDENTS AND OLD ONES TOO!

Moving To St. Petersburg book offers the info. you'd need to transition from anywhere to Gorgeous St. Petersburg!
Moving To St. Petersburg book offers the info. you’d need to transition from anywhere to Gorgeous St. Petersburg!

APtravelnews-Dec. 21st- Book review from Bob and Barb–Cindy Dobyns  book: “Moving To St. Petersburg-The UN-Tourist Guide” is just that! The 136-page book lets every reader know all about the “real” St. Petersburg from the generally, non-tourist paradigm. The book offers all types of information and non-static, statistics in an interesting format for anyone considering a move to St. Petersburg.

Just a few of the informational things a potential new resident would love to know about are: Cost of living-real estate-Art, music and other cultural amenities-all about the enjoyment of the outdoors-shopping-schools-finding jobs-property taxes-History of St. Petersburg-Boating and beaches- media-Fishing-Sport teams and just about everything else you would want to know. In pictures and words, this is a must have book if your considering a move or even for locals who really do not know much about the many things available to them would like this book. Barb and I are happy where we are now, but after looking over this book we’d certainly consider St. Petersburg as the next best place we’d move to in our retirement years!

The book is published by the Voyager Media, Inc. Copyright in 2014 by Cindy Dobyns. We met her and received our signed copy. Yes, after review we can highly recommend this book-Period! Check the book out on Google! Or go: ISBN-978-0-9899523-3-0 in soft cover. The book is also available as an e-book.

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Fishermen’s Village 30 Shops, Great Seafood, a Quality Resort and Marina=Valhalla!!!

Fishermen's Village has the best candy and chocolate shop, ever! The Village was all dressed up in their holiday lights and "festive" is the word! We loved it!
Fishermen’s Village has the best candy and chocolate shop, ever! The Village was all dressed up in their holiday lights and “festive” is the word! We loved it!

APtravelnews-Dec. 19th,-Bob and Barb writing from Fishermen’s Village, Punta Gorda, FL.–Its really hard to say anything else then; Barb and I really loved this place. So many animated and excited folks-from children to old timers really having a ball, looking at the lighting, meeting Santa, tasting chocolates, buying gifts, visiting a real Military Museum with hero Veterans talking about past wars and their recollections and through it all; friendly shop-keepers and visitors! We ate seafoods, destroyed sumptious desserts, a few cocktails and after dinner libations as well. We stopped to listen to chorals of the season, popped into the Village Fish Market (www.village-fish-market.com) for the aforementioned seafoods such as the ubiquitous shrimp done many ways, crab cakes, scallops, fish dishes, delicious’ too! Our dinner was hosted by owner Sue Randall.

We ended off the evening with a Christmas Canal Cruise through Punta Gorda’s canals with the Kingfisher Fleets excursion boat loaded with all kinds of appetizers-we sure do travel on our stomachs too! www.kingfisherfleet.com  Stay tuned! Much more coming of our trip to Punta Gorda!  Go for some great info: www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com

Scallops and very tasty side dishes we all love! Fabulous meals all around!
Scallops and very tasty side dishes we all love!
Fabulous meals all around!
The Military Museum had wonderful Veterans who we stand with anytime of the year, described the realities of their times in the past war theaters!
The Military Museum had wonderful Veterans who we stand with anytime of the year, described the realities of their times in past war theaters!
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The way it used to be. Local Indians coming in to trade in the “Islands” depicted in this giant mural at Fishermen’s Village! The old mingled nicely with the new!
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The whole town and dozens of waterfront homes seen on a Kingfisher Charter, all decked out in Christmas Lights WOW’d everyone in the Holiday frame of mind!
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Tasting goodies at the Simply Sweet, A Confectionary Cafe’. Homemade fudge, flavored popcorn, a great sweet note that we experienced and will not forget! https.//facebook.com/simplysweetaconfectionarycafe