sk yourself this question....Does being cooped up inside for so many long hours in the winter because of the rain or snow make you and your children feel like going stir crazy like the mad hares in March? We have the antidote, a quick weekend getaway!
Many hotels and resorts are running fantastic specials this winter with occupancy down and the need to fill rooms ever present; they are offering some terrific deals which can be snatched up at bargain prices. Here are some great ideas: why not visit an upscale hotel that normally caters to businessmen during the week and at the weekend you might find their glorious indoor-pools all to yourself. Alternatively, why not visit a cultural hotspot such as Monterey, CA featuring the world-famous Sea Aquarium where you might not be able to get a room at the price you can afford during the high season and take in those galleries, theatre performances, and some much needed therapy shopping for an ultra sophisticated and also educational getaway. Perhaps city living has got you down? Head for the hills and rediscover the fun of a cozy fire in a country inn while sipping hot drinks and toasting marshmallows with the children (such as the Poconos in Pennsylvania). Feeling the need to exercise and get your family outdoors,, then why not check out a new winter sport, such as cross-country skiing, snowboarding, or even ice fishing (check out the Forest Suites Resort in Lake Tahoe, CA, a wonderful family getaway with specials for longer stays from 15% off 2 nights, 20% off 3 nights, or 25% off 4 nights). For some summer weather in the middle of winter head to Florida for a seaside family vacation. The Renaissance Festival in Deerfield Beach is a wonderful day’s activity for your family and available in winter months!
Many inns and bed and breakfasts cater specifically to sports aficionados and you can easily find the one just right for you by entering the key word in our amenity search at www.LanierBB.com. The best antidote to feeling homebound is a quick mid-winter getaway. Maximize your time by perhaps packing on Friday, getting up early on Saturday and getting on the road to make the most of the next two days, catch dinner on the way home Sunday and then fall exhausted, but happy, in your bed feeling like you’ve had a real vacation and escaped those dreary winter blues while the price is right!
However, there are some other color combinations that I think work beautifully on doors as well. Amongst them, you can try deeper shades of red such as cinnabar, evoking a Chinese lacquer box look, or Moroccan red, warm and earthy like a top quality paprika. Also one way to draw people like bees to a flower is a rich tulip red. Maybe your house is grey and white and just calling out for a lighter toned punch of pizzazz. In that case, a warm or lemony yellow would do the trick perfectly! Check out interesting new colors like sunburst, beeswax, daffodil, all of which look extra sharp in a home with a charcoal trim. In many Italianate homes and resort bed and breakfasts the world over, you might very well be welcomed by a beautiful turquoise blue. While on a silvery shingled home, an inky dark blue reminiscent of the late evening sky would look very rich. Greens have long been a favorite for bed and breakfast front doors, whether the ubiquitous bottle green, or something a little more contemporary, perhaps a deep dark blue green or teal or a subtler olive or a soft wet moss. The beauty of changing your door color is that it changes the whole outward appearance of your home and can be done in minimal expense and completed in just a few hours. If you are feeling like adding more, why not flank the door with some brass sconces and then center it with a big brass door knocker and emphasize the structural element by adding a brass kick plate. Wow, what a difference! You’ll be welcoming new and impressed guests into your home in no time at all, giving our bed and breakfasts a run for their money!