USA Travel Guide

Last year we ran a poll of favorite Spring Break destinations – mountains, golf resorts, big cities, that kind of thing – and the overwhelming winner was beaches. Like turkey on Thanksgiving, I guess there are times when the oldies really are the goldies.

Then again, there are some places you can keep a tradition alive and still do something new. Tell your friends you’re going to North Carolina for Spring Break, and what’s more, you’re still going to the beach, and you might attract a few raised eyebrows. Not to worry, though, you know you made the right decision.

Spring Break Beaches near Wilmington, North Carolina
The call it Cape Fear, but there’s nothing scary about miles of soft sandy beach, old soul attitude and authentic, of-the-land atmosphere. Put more simply, the beaches of North Carolina feel real in way that a lot of resort destinations don’t. Let’s look at our favorites:

• Carolina Beach – Often frenetic during the late Spring Break season, Carolina Beach brings a cosmopolitan energy to Cape Fear that you won’t find anywhere else. Surfers and scuba divers love Carolina Beach, as does anyone who looks for as much personality as things to do.
• Kure Beach – nearby Kure Beach couldn’t be more different from its neighbor. Come to Kure Beach for a calmer, quieter atmosphere ideal for afternoons of relaxation. The main attraction, the Kure Beach Fishing Pier, is a popular choice for anglers any time.
• Wrightsville Beach – And then there’s Wrightsville, our favorite. The quality of the beach itself (the sand and the surf) is unmatched in the area, and the whole coast has a village atmosphere that manages to charm without being stuffy. Sailing is a popular activity near Wrightsville Beach.

You can learn more about beaches in North Carolina and order a free brochure and area guide at http://www.gocapefearcoast.com/

All three of these beaches are within 18 miles of one of our favorite East coast cities, Wilmington, North Carolina. For exciting days of the beach and fulfilling nights back in town, we recommend a stay in Wilmington.

Have a blast on Spring Break 2010 among the beaches of North Carolina.

Welcome back to USA Travel Guide. Two opening thoughts:

1. Can you believe that hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, of all people, was the first to break the news?
2. I love John Cena. The man can wrestle, he can act, he can crack a joke … he’s the muscle-head version of a triple-threat.

It’s time for “Destruction in the Desert” as WrestleMania XXVI comes to the University of Phoenix Stadium in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. Although the action is still more than a month out – the rumble kicks off on March 28, 2010 – the bill is already jam-packed with titanic matches and lots more fun to go with.

Some of the biggest names in the game will be there, shirts thoroughly removed, to settle some scores:

• Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho vs. Edge
• The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
• WWE Champion Batista vs. John Cena
• 8-Person Ladder Match Starring Christian

For the trouble of your trip, you’ll certainly get more than one day of bone-breaking action. There’s a full week of WrestleMania XXVI activities leading up to the big night. They’re brining back the charity art showcase, WrestleMania Art, as well as WrestleMania Axxess, a massive fan event with your opportunity to meet the wrestlers, the WWE Divas and even a few legends. See the schedule.

Live music always plays a big part of WrestleMania, but if they’ve released the schedule, I can’t find it. Anyway, last year it was Kidd Rock and one of the Pussycat Dolls, so expect something like that, and if you really want to know, stay glued to the official Web site. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

The University of Phoenix Stadium is located slightly out of the way in Glendale, Arizona, but we’re going to stay cozy in Phoenix at one of our favorite. A couple recommendations for you:

• Crowne Plaza Phoenix – this stylish North Phoenix hotel offers discount rates for guests attend events at University of Phoenix Stadium. Since the offer ends April, this is great timing.
• Hotel Highland at Biltmore – a little boutique flavor awaits you at this charming Phoenix, AZ hotel in the Biltmore district. Amazingly, the only thing that isn’t “upscale” about this joint is the price.

Have fun this March 28, 2010 at WrestleMania XXVI in Phoenix!

Let’s face it: we are a sports worshiping country. We watch’em every Sunday, we dress up in special attire, and we celebrate in some of the most famous churches in the world: Wrigley Field, Soldier Field, Fenway Park … … … TD Garden? Okay, so the Garden might not be the most famous arena we could feature today, but that’s the power of Celts fans.

Besides, the TD Garden proves that when it comes to stadiums, age isn’t everything. Since it opened in 1995, the Garden has been a major stage for professional and college sports, and not just because it’s home to two titanic teams. While both the NBA’s Boston Celtics and NHL’s Boston Bruins bring illustrious histories to the Garden, the stadium is fast building a legacy of interest all its own.

In 2004, the Democratic National Convention at the then-named FleetCenter introduced the nation to a handsome, charismatic, big-eared nobody that just four years later became President Barack Obama. As a concert stage, the Garden has seen some of the world’s biggest acts – The Who, Genesis, Bruce Springsteen, Celine Dion, Madonna and even the bad boys from Boston themselves, Aerosmith.

The Garden is still known best for sports, though. Along with the Bruins and Celts, the arena is the yearly home of the Beanpot, a college hockey square-off between the major Boston area schools – Harvard, Northeastern, Boston College and Boston University. In its time, Boston has also hosted the Women’s Final Four and several NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball regionals. Add WBA boxing and WWE exhibitions, Smackdown and Raw, and the TD Garden event schedule is always packed.

So it’s busy, and those events are top notch, but that’s not why we love the TD Garden. We chose it today, because it managed to replace its predecessor, the Boston Garden, gracefully. It pushed ahead into the world of modern stadia, but retained some of that old-school flavor. For Celts fans especially, the Garden feels like home with the incorporation of the unusual parquet floor that the Celtics have played on since 1946. It’s not the exact same floor, but original pieces from the Garden floor we’re “stitched” into the geometric patterns that give the new court its one-of-a-kind look. It’s the little things like this that give TD Garden its soul, under any name.

Want to go see it? This is the time to do it! Both the Celtics and Bruins are looking at a busy schedule over the next month, so if you don’t have tickets already, it’s time to start looking. Recommendations include:

Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens, March 2
Boston Bruins vs. New York Rangers, March 21

Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks, March 17
Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, April 4

Learn more about the TD Garden and purchase tickets here.

If you’re traveling in to the game, our choice of Boston hotels near TD Garden is the Holiday Inn Boston at Beacon Hill. At less than half a mile from the arena, you can literally walk to your seat (and save big time on parking by doing so). On top of that, the hotel is quick from the airport and offers free high-speed Internet.

Have fun at the TD Garden, one of America’s Stadiums.

If the wilds of central Texas don’t inspire your desire, what about the mountains of Southern California? It’s the peak of ski season in Big Bear Lake, CA, and Valentine’s Day sounds like the perfect excuse to grab your alpines, and your loved one, and hit the slopes.

Valentine’s Day Specials in Big Bear Lake, California
Big Bear Lake, California is really an all-seasons destination, but you can bet that mid-February, it’s all about the skiing. Avid skiers and snowboards drive in from all over California and Nevada to cut some powder at the Bear Mountain and Snow Summit ski resorts. Only 3 hours out of Los Angeles, it’s always worth that drive. Learn about Big Bear Lake ski resorts.

Big Bear Vacation at Northwoods Resort
With ski slopes come ski resorts, and for your Valentine’s Day getaway, we like the Northwoods Resort. The Adirondack-inspired lodge hotel has great dining, charming décor and affordable rates, not to mention one rather unusual feature: the outdoor pool is open year-round. Heated, of course, you can take a dip even with snow falling all around. Kind of cool. The package is kind of cool, too:

All-Inclusive Romance Package
This package has midweek and weekend rates, so if you can’t make Valentine’s Day proper, don’t stress.

• Deluxe king room
• Complimentary bottle of house champagne
• Chocolate-covered strawberries
• Fruit and cheese tray
• Breakfast for two ($25.00 value)
• Optional fee: Upgrade to junior suite

This package actually runs through April 15, 2010, so again, no rush!

Learn more about a Big Bear romantic getaway at Northwoods Resort.

Ski vacations in Big Bear Lake not your thing? We have plenty more Valentine’s Day getaway ideas. Check’em out at the Valentine’s Day Getaways and Packages Portal.

After two weeks of hearts, roses and other frou-frou crap, I’ve got a hunger for big slabs of slow-cooked meat and voluntarily broken bones. The only place I know to get all that action at once is the 2010 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest.

Actually, these two major Houston events don’t occur simultaneously, but they do run back to back and all the reason you need to head to Space City this February or March. Question is: which do you choose?

The World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest kicks off a month of entertainment with a 3-day run of slow-smoked competition. Pitmasters come from all over the country to slice, pull and plate some of the best smoked sausage, brisket and baby back ribs you’ll have in your life. Don’t be alarmed if the pits seem a little loony – there’s an award for that, too! This Houston Bar-B-Que contest runs at the Reliant Center February 25-7, 2010.

It’s all a smoky, meaty warm-up, however. Starting March 2 all the way through March 21, 2010, the Reliant Center is given over to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, one of the biggest Houston events of the year. All the traditional rodeo sports – bronc and bull riding, barrel racing, roping – earn the brave riders over a million dollars in prize money. For the fans, the prize is dangerous competition and a relentless concert schedule of country music superstars. Throughout the three weeks you can see Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley (personal fav) and Keith Urban.

So, that’s the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest from February 25-27, 2010. Learn more.

Or the 2010 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo from March 2 – 21, 2010. Learn more.

Choose one, choose both, and don’t overspend doing it by staying at one of our favorites hotels in downtown Houston, the Crowne Plaza Houston Downtown. The hotel is offering cheap rates during both events through a duo of packages. Both the “BBQ Cook-Off Weekend Package” and the “Houston Rodeo Package” will get you a nice room (and they are!), breakfast buffet for two, free valet parking and transportation to the LightRail Station. Learn about these Houston Bar-B-Que and Rodeo packages here.

Have fun!

The 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series hasn’t even started yet, and already some folks around the office have the got the craving for cold beer and warm exhaust. We’re especially excited about the Shelby 427 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway at the tail end of February. Why?

Can’t you read? It’s in Vegas!

The most prestigious stock car racing series in the world might start doling out the points in Daytona on Valentine’s Day, but between you and us, we’ll wait for the glittering lights of Sin City and the 2010 NASCAR Weekend, Friday February 26 through Sunday February 28, 2010.

Last year, Las Vegas native Kyle Busch stomped eleven years of American-made dominance by gunning his Toyota Camry past the checkered flag into a first place finish. Fresh off his Nationwide Series championship victory back in November, you can bet he’ll be bringing it to the Spring Cup even harder this season. Keep your eyes on #18 on race day.

One of the really cool things about the Shelby 427, or really any race held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, is the Neon Garage. This one of the kind facility, located at the speedway’s infield, gives ticketholders an unprecedented vantage on the drivers, their teams and their stock cars, both pre and post-race. What’s more, the Garage hosts live entertainment, everything from tribute performers to the Blue Man Group, on major race weekends. (And the Sprint Cup definitely makes for a major race weekend).

Neon Garage admission may be purchased separately or as part of a package, and sure it’s a little more expensive, but there’s no denying the thrill for real NASCAR fans. You simply can’t get this anywhere else.

2010 NASCAR Weekend includes the qualifying events on Friday, Sam’s Town 300 (Nationwide) on Saturday, and finally the Shelby 427 American (Sprint) on Sunday. Expects the stands packed every single day. Learn more.

Here at USA Travel Guide, we can never go to Vegas for just one thing. We simply don’t have the willpower. So, stay close to the Speedway, but stay even closer to the Las Vegas Strip. A brand new Las Vegas hotel just a minute from the Strip, the Holiday Inn Las Vegas, is even offering a NASCAR Spring Cup package. You can get three nights’ accommodations, free transportation to the racetrack and tickets for two to Sunday’s big race. Check it out.

Have fun at the Shelby 427 NASCAR Sprint Cup Race in Las Vegas!

At USA Travel Guide, we’ve perhaps been a little extravagant with our L.A. advice: fifty-eight dollar bus tours, holidays at Disneyland, a British film festival. So today, we’re going simple and inexpensive.

Which isn’t to say we’re going small. In fact, you can explore a huge chunk of Los Angeles, California coastline for the cost of only a few thousand calories when you grab your two-wheeled ride and hit the South Bay Bicycle Trail. It’s good for the body, and as many fascinating sights as you’re like to see along the way, it’s good for the mind as well.

Considered the longest beach path in the nation, the South Bay Bicycle Trail is a 22-mile paved path that starts at Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades, north of Santa Monica, and continues southbound all the way to Torrance County Beach, south of Redondo. Though paved, the trail sits on the beach for almost its entire length, with only one or two pesky detours that you may actually find well worth the effort.

The South Bay Bicycle Trail is an easy ride except for its length, fourteen feet wide and fairly flat most of the way down. The challenges you face will have nothing to do with the path, and everything to do with the folks on top of it. With such beautiful scenery (both left and right), the trail attracts thousands of walkers, runners, riders and wheelers every day. It’s not like trying to ride a bike through downtown Tokyo, but it’s a not a secluded mountain trail either. Always ride carefully and courteously, and be prepared to hop off and walk your bike maybe once or twice each way.

That’s not all a bad thing, though. More people means more people to watch, which should be every bit a part of the fun. Unless all you care about is sustaining that heart rate, we’re not actually recommending you tackle the trail in a straight shot. Park it from time to time, lock it up and see the sights. Don’t think of it as exercise. Think of it as a DIY tour of all the famous Los Angeles beach communities.

Along the way you’ll have opportunities to stop in Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Marina del Ray, El Porto and the big three: Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach. If there’s a downside, it’s that the most interesting stretch of the trail, the famous boardwalk of Venice Beach, comes along so early. After an easy, scenic ride along the coast of Santa Monica, take a break in Venice and watch the street performers, chat with the sidewalk vendors and maybe even grab a snack at any of the charming little shops.

Don’t stay too long though, because you’ve got another 14 miles to go, and 36 to go if you plan to make the return trek (otherwise you can rely on public transportation to get back to wherever you need to be. Most L.A. bus routes offer racks.)

The South Bay Bicycle Trail is completely free, of course, making it altogether one of the best and cheapest tours of Los Angeles. No Web site for this one, but you can learn a little more about traffic hazards and view the map here.

Completists will force themselves to ride from Will Rogers State Park, but truth is we like to take a little bit of a head start by launching in Santa Monica. For one thing, that’s often where our hotel is. For Santa Monica hotels, we’re fans of the Holiday Inn Santa Monica Beach Hotel – At the Pier. This is a timely choice, actually, because the hotel actually rents bikes, and it’s located more or less on the trail. We always find it a little silly to drive to a bike trail, so it makes us happy that when we stay here, we don’t have to.

Have some heart-healthy fun with the South Bay Bicycle Trail!

The tickets are gone, but it’s not too late to get your hotel rooms in Phoenix, Arizona for the 2010 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium.*

I let on in the past that I’m no college football expert (or in fact, an expert of any sport unless you count competitive Call of Duty), so we haven’t featured every match in the BCS on the blog. However, I have been taking time to mention the ones that arouse my interest.

For the diehard fans, and I know there are a lot of you, the line-up at the 2010 Fiesta Bowl may strike a sour note. Both TCU and Boise State have fine teams, but nothing really to prove against each other. Since both teams are “non-BCS” (a first), there are few bragging rights up for grabs.

For the casual observer like me, it’s a whole other story. See, both the Horned Frogs and the Broncos are undefeated, with 12-0 and 13-0 records respectively. This match up assures that only one team will walk away with a perfect record. You diehards can have your backdoor bowl game politics and economic implications; a fight for the perfect record is the kind of drama I can get behind.

This year the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl returns to the University of Phoenix Stadium in the North Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. The game will be played on January 4, 2010, kickoff at 6:00 p.m. MST.  Tickets are officially sold out, so you’re relying on scalped merch at this point, which I can’t legally recommend.

However, I can recommend a couple hotels in Phoenix, Arizona you might choose to stay when you head in for the game. These aren’t the closest options, but we’re fond of them and always enjoy a satisfying stay.

• Crowne Plaza Phoenix, for a moderate upscale stay, we’re fans of the Crowne Plaza brand, and this North Phoenix hotel brings a boutique sensibility to the scene
• Hotel Highland at Biltmore – this snazzy spot in Phoenix’s famous Biltmore District has a chic veneer that’s at once modern and so appropriate for Phoenix.

Have fun at the 2010 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona.

*Probably the last Bowl Game we’ll mention this month (probably).

I can’t believe we skipped right to January’s Rose Bowl and almost missed two eagerly-anticipated bowl games that’ll be tearing up the turf even sooner. Both the Poinsettia Bowl and Holiday Bowl headed for San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium in the next few weeks, and tickets are still available.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Despite the least catchiest name in sports, the relatively young SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl continues to draw more and more college football fans every year. The timing couldn’t be better. Hosted yearly in the days just before the Christmas holiday, attending the Poinsettia Bowl is the perfect way to kick start a lot of people’s vacations.

The Poinsettia Bowl is a NCAA Division I-A bowl game matching the Mountain West Conference against the PAC-10, depending of eligibility. Especially cool, both the Army and Navy have secured berths in the bowl game whenever they are eligible. We’ve seen the Navy twice … still waiting on the Army.

This year pits the MWC Utah Utes against the PAC-10 California Golden Bears. A tight game anyway you look at it, but the Utes in particular have glory on the line, having found victory in their last eight bowl appearances. No doubt the Golden Bears are looking to stop that record to be.

The San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl will be played on December 23, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are still available through Ticketmaster.

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
The longer-running Pacific Life Holiday Bowl is altogether a larger event. Bigger teams, bigger crowds, bigger stories. The who’s and why’s have changed over the years, but through 2013 the Holiday Bowl will be played by 3^rd choice from the PAC-10 and 5^th choice from Big 12. In more localized terms, that means the Arizona Wildcats versus the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2009.

Coming in with strong records on both sides and no heavy weighting either way, this year isn’t likely to add to the Holiday Bowl’s reputation for stunning upsets. Nothing like when Texas Tech decimated the nearly-undefeated California back in ‘04. Our best to both teams.

The Pacific Life Holiday Bowl will be played on December 30, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are still available through Ticketmaster.

Qualcomm Stadium Hotels
San Diego is an easy drive, so proximity usually isn’t the first thing on our list. At least, not proximity to the stadium. In San Diego we like to stay downtown or along the coast near the airport. The views are gorgeous, there are fine restaurants everywhere, and we dig the vibe of the area. Here are a couple options for San Diego hotels near Qualcomm Stadium and the airport: 

• Holiday Inn San Diego Hotel on the Bay
• Doubletree Downtown San Diego Hotel 

Have a great time at either the Poinsettia Bowl or Holiday Bowl (or both)!

Here we are going on and on about New Year’s Eve when there are hundreds of thousands of frenzied football fans who actually look forward New Year’s Day even more. With the Ducks’ victory over Oregon State yesterday, the teams are finally decided and the granddaddy of all bowl games is less than a month away.

Attend the biggest college football game of the year, the 2010 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes will square off for a year’s worth of bragging rights at Pasadena’s aptly named Rose Bowl starting at 2:10 p.m. All 64,000 seats will be filled with blustery fans, and believe it or not, you can still be one of them.

2010 Rose Bowl Tickets go on sell to the general public on December 8^th at 8:00 a.m. PST through Ticketmaster. All tickets cost $145. Needless to say, these things sell out faster than Preparation H at a Bon Jovi concert, so you’ll want to have your Internet browser ready right on time. Learn more and buy 2010 Rose Bowl tickets here.

Of course, it’s not just the game. The famous Pasadena Rose Parade, also called the Tournament of Roses Parade, actually predates the bowl game by more than a decade and year after year commands way more viewers. Bands, promoters, sponsors and performers come from all over the nation to participate in this awesome spectacle of a New Year’s Day celebration.

The Rose Parade is all about flowers, floats and flugelhorns (well, the rest of the band can come to). As a former band nerd myself, the marching bands always grab my attention. This year the parade host bands from Texas, Missouri, Washington, Massachusetts, Georgia and even Japan.

The parade is free to watch, though you have to buy tickets to most reserved seats. The 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade starts at 8:00 a.m. on January 1. The route runs along Colorado Boulevard. Grandstands at Colorado and South Orange Grove. Learn more.

All festivities take place in Pasadena, California, located a short trip northeast of Los Angeles. Head in for the Rose Bowl and stay simply. For quick trips in and out of the LA area, we like the Holiday Inn LAX Airport Hotel. It’s got a convenient location next to the airport (free shuttle, too), it’s always affordable, high-speed wireless, and an activities concierge to help you find a little New Year’s Eve fun the night before.

We’re also newly fond of the Holiday Inn Express Century City, a west Los Angeles hotel not too far from Pasadena and the Rose Bowl. If you want to enjoy the city as well as the January 1 festivities, it’s a good choice with rooms available. 

Don’t miss the 2010 Rose Bowl and Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena.