Order the 2010 Virginia is for Lovers Travel Guide

Visit Virginia in 2010 and celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of the most famous scenic roadways in America.

Inside the guide, readers will learn about the parkway and a year-long sweepstakes that promises a one-of-a-kind trip for four to attractions near the parkway such as Wintergreen Resort, Roanoke and Staunton. Order your copy today.

Travel Guide Highlights:
• 2010 Events Sampler
• Regional Lodging, Dining & Attractions
• Family Fun
• Get Outdoors
• National and State Parks Info
• Music and Culture

Winter fun is easy to find in North Carolina

NC’s mountains are home to the East Coast’s highest ski slopes and its biggest snow tubing park, and there are plenty of places to go sledding, skating and even ice climbing. If you’re ready to hit the slopes, go to www.goskinc.com for the latest ski and snow conditions.

Looking for something a little less snowy? North Carolina has that covered, too. Hiking, fishing, kayaking, and bird watching are popular winter activities at many of our coastal state parks, and three of our piedmont cities offer fast-paced professional hockey action for sports fans of all ages. NC has something for everyone… even in the colder months!

Explore more winter fun ideas at VisitNC.com

The Blue Ridge Parkway 'Ultimate Road Trip' Sweepstakes

It is America’s Favorite Drive, and in 2010, the Blue Ridge Parkway celebrates 75 years of guiding motorists through hundreds of miles of natural wonders and spectacular views. Along its 252 miles in North Carolina, the Parkway meanders from the beautiful NC High Country through the Pisgah National Forest to the eclectic mountain city of Asheville and finally into the ancient land of the Cherokee at the doorstep of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A majestic Parkway scene is featured as one of the two covers on the 2010 North Carolina Travel Guide.

Now, you can enter to win a week-long road trip that will guide you through everything this amazing byway has to offer. The lucky entrant receives two nights at the Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock, two nights at the Brookstone Lodge in Asheville, two nights in Cherokee, and a host of passes and certificates for restaurants, attractions, and shopping along the way! You’ll also get a subscription to Our State magazine as a memento of your journey to North Carolina.

Hurry! The sweepstakes ends January 31, 2010.

Enter to Win from VisitNC.com

Special Rate at Hidden Creek Cabins in Bryson City!

A Smoky Mountain vacation awaits you in Bryson City, North Carolina. Hidden Creek Cabin rentals provides cabins and cottages for your family and friends with many nearby attractions and a cozy cabin to relax in at the end of the day. We have plenty of Smoky Mountain cabin rentals to choose from. Amenities range from well-equipped kitchens, decks, fireplaces, hot tubs, grills and much more.

Locales include babbling creeks, peaceful mountain settings, on a mountain top, or in the quiet woods. The nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Deep Creek, Fontana Lake or the Nantahala River Gorge provide plenty of outdoor activities and plenty to do.
All remaining weeknights on select cabins are just 69.00 per night when staying at least 2 nights between now and February 28th, 2010.  Call Kevin for details at 1-888-333-5881

Learn more

Hoot Like an Owl, Take a Hike at Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge

Salute to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is January 9-16

PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (January 2010) – More than 230 programs, almost 60 hikes, more than 150 expert presenters and dozens of volunteers are ready for outdoor enthusiasts to arrive for the 20th presentation of Wilderness Wildlife Week, Jan. 9-16, in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Wilderness Wildlife Week is an eight-day extravaganza of talks, demonstrations, presentations and hands-on classes about Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other outdoor topics. Some people attend just for the opportunity to hoot like an owl on an “owl prowl.”

The City of Pigeon Forge stages the event, and all activities are free.

Indoor programs are at the Music Road Hotel and Convention Center. Transportation to and from all hikes and excursions is from the convention center, too.

The first day’s schedule of 27 programs includes a four-hour nature photography workshop, a talk about the history of LeConte Lodge, a session about fishing in the Smokies and a special children’s program about comparing human senses and abilities to those of wild animals. Almost 20 programs designed for children are spread through the week.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson is scheduled to give opening remarks, and the first day will end with a photography show from Ken Jenkins, the originator of the idea for Wilderness Wildlife Week.

A new program for 2010 is the Listening Post, a project of the Smoky Mountain Storytellers Association. Wilderness Wildlife Week guests are invited to share a story with a storyteller and receive a free recording of that tale. The Listening Post will be open from 2-4 p.m. daily.

Details of Wilderness Wildlife Week are available online at www.MyPigeonForge.com/wildlife or by calling 1-800-251-9100.