When you come to Nashville, you’ll want to split your time between the Opryland area and downtown. The Gaylord Opryland Resort is always a magnificent place to stay with over 2800 rooms, but if you visit over the Christmas and New Years season, you’ll be treated to an amazing experience for the entire family. 
It’s been called one of the “Ten Great Places to catch up with Santa” by USA today and named one of the top ten places in the world to spend Christmas by Travel and Leisure Magazine. A Country Christmas features more than 2 million lights and more than a dozen shows and attractions including, ICE featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schulz and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Radio city Rockettes, plus Louise Mandrall’s Joy to the World Christmas dinner and show, and A Country Christmas on the Cumberland. In addition to the Christmas themed attractions and shows, you’ll want to see a performance at the legendary Grand Ole Opry, which is held at its original Ryman Auditorium location during the holidays, line dance at the Wildhorse Saloon, and board the General Jackson Showboat. On board the world’s largest showboat, you’ll be treated to a four course dinner and fantastic show taking you through the history of country music in the glittering two-story Victorian theater. The 
Gaylord Opryland makes getting around really easy with a shuttle to the Grand Ole Opry, Opry Mills, the General Jackson Showboat, and downtown to the Wildhorse Saloon as well as to and from the airport.
For New Years Eve, after our phenomenal dinner at The Capitol Grille inside the Hermitage Hotel, (I’ll tell you about it in my next entry) we split our time between downtown and the Opryland. The Wildhorse Saloon featured live music by Ira Dean and J.C. Anderson, silk aerialist performers, a strolling magician, and stilt walkers. 
There was so much more to do downtown at all of the bars and clubs, even a free concert outside the Hard Rock Café with a guitar drop at midnight, but we decided to head back to the warm Gaylord Opryland and hit the party at Fuse, Nashville’s only Vegas-style nightclub and the Triple Dance Party which was held in their large ballroom and featured a dance floor surrounded by three stages of non-stop music including an 80’s band, country band and Top 40 dance band. For the families with children, there were free activities at the Delta Island Party, including face painting, music, and the Brightest Star Fountain Show. After a night full of entertainment and partying, what could be better than New 
Years Day brunch at the Waters Edge buffet in the Delta Atrium? The buffet, which is open year round, had an omelet station, oatmeal, a selection of fresh fruit and pastries, a carving station, and many other treats to ensure no one left hungry.
So while the Gaylord Opryland is extra special around the holiday season, it should be a definite anytime of the year if you’ve never been.
I’m always looking for great places to visit within driving distance, especially during the summer when there is so much to do in the Northeast. This past weekend I took a trip to Montauk, which took us two and a half hours from NYC, leaving on Friday around 9pm and coming back Sunday around the same time. We really lucked out and did not hit any traffic, so if you hate sitting in a parking lot, you may want to leave at those times.
They also offer larger suites for families or friends who want to getaway together. We overlooked the pool which was a nice size for swimming laps or just hanging out and not feeling overcrowded. The resort has two tennis courts, but probably the most appealing feature is its 400 foot private beach. The waves were really high and there was a rip current, but we still enjoyed throwing the frisbee around and swimming for a little while. 
The food at St. Peter’s was delicious and they have a great lobster lunch special for $15.99. Another great restaurant was the Fishbar, but the wait can be really long, so if you have a lot of time, you’ll appreciate the good food, but if you are not in the mood to wait for over an hour, there are other good restaurants as well. Gosmans Dock is a popular one on the harbor, but we didn’t eat there. In town, Shagwong has been a staple with locals and tourists for over 40 years and John’s Drive-In has great homemade ice cream! Fudge n’ Stuff has 30 flavors of homemade fudge and fresh chocolates made daily on the premises, so of course, I had to sample some of their specialties as well.
If you’re looking for a fun, romantic, or family weekend getaway, Montauk is the perfect beach town with a mixture of great restaurants, excellent homemade fudge and ice cream! After all, what else do you really need? You may want to visit in the fall, as it’s still beautiful and the resort rates drop, so you can find yourself an excellent deal.
So many of us are looking for that perfect getaway, but can’t afford the time or airfare to go anywhere far away and if it’s going to be just for a weekend, we don’t want to spend several hours on the road. Well, I found the perfect family getaway just over two hours from NYC, Philly, and NJ, maybe less, depending on where you live in New Jersey. The 
There are over 30 miles of hiking trails and three waterfalls around the lake and throughout the resort, and they offer guided hikes as well as mountain bike rentals and tours. There is also a shooting center, indoor and outdoor pool, archery, fitness center, various fitness classes, guided yoga walks, tennis courts, a meditation garden, and an adventure center featuring paintball, rock climbing, geo caching, mountain bike courses, and wilderness survival classes. Most of the activities are included in the price, but some carry a minimal additional fee. Be sure you pick up your skylights sheet at the front desk which lists all of the day’s organized activities.
The next day, my cousin and his son joined me at Skytop. My cousin’s son is 8 and he had a blast paddleboating, shooting paintball targets, and building a turtle sand castle by the lake. The resort also offers Camp in the Clouds for kids ages 3-12 with plenty of activities such as hayrides, scavenger hunts, and water and land sports, for those parents who would like to have some alone time. 
the lodge. There is a game room downstairs with three ping pong tables, two pool tables, air hockey, mini golf, and video games. Also on that level is a tea shop which serves tea, coffee, and desserts, and a tap room for causal food and drinks.
The treatments themselves were also amazing. I chose a facial and my mom, a massage. We arrived at the spa a half an hour before our appointments, changed into our robes, and had the opportunity to enjoy the steam room, an antioxidant drink, or champagne and truffles in the lounge. During my facial with Debbie, she looked over my skin, discussed my questions, and then chose the perfect blend of antioxidant products. The combination of massage and steam was so relaxing and helped my face and body feel completely rejuvenated. My mom chose the Chardonnay Vinotherapy Massage, which was just one of the many creative treatments offered. Afterward, we met in a common area where we rubbed our feet in salt and then spun our chairs around and soaked them in warm water, while sipping more champagne and indulging in truffles!
In the afternoon, my brother and I took the free shuttle over to the family friendly Minerals Resort and Spa, also part of the Crystal Springs Resort, which caters to families, and has a large gym, tennis, basketball, and racquetball quarts, and seven indoor and outdoor heated pools. Although I’m more of a pilates than a yoga girl, I decided to check out the yoga class, which catered to all levels. 
We then came back to the Grand Cascades Lodge and met my parents at the Biosphere, and spent some time in the indoor and outdoor heated pool, jacuzzi, steam room, and sauna. I almost had to remind myself that I was in NJ, as the biosphere gives off a Caribbean resort vibe, as everyone was having fun and sipping frozen drinks prepared poolside.
As I mentioned in my last blog entry, I love finding escapes close to home, so I was looking forward to coming to the Crystal Springs Resort this weekend. In beautiful Sussex County, it is the perfect escape, easily accessible from all regions of the state. It really is a hidden jewel. I arrived in the mid afternoon and driving into the property was a truly spectacular scene. The interior of the Grand Cascades Lodge proves to be just as breathtaking as the nature that surrounds it. The majestic Adirondack style lodge is a 4-Star property and has only been opened since July 2007.
There is a fireplace in the living room and a spacious terrace overlooking the mountains. 
The bathroom is the suite is huge, with a shower and a separate jacuzzi tub. And the best part about the rooms? They have Tempurpedic mattresses! I am so excited to go to sleep tonight!
drinks were out of this world.
crisp duck confit, radicchio, roasted cashews, 
and honey-sherry vinaigrette. I was very impressed with the larger than expected size of the salad and the perfect combination of ingredients. For entrees, my family was split between the Seared Sea Scallops and the King Salmon. The scallops, which were enhanced with a maderira-mirin glaze, capers, shallots, almonds; and accompanied by a cauliflower purée and Israeli couscous, did not disappoint. The scallops were remarkably satisfying, some of the best I have had in my life.
The mixed drinks were just as creative, infused with fruits such as pomegranate, kiwi, and guava.
