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Celebrate the unofficial (ok, official) start of summer with a Memorial Day Weekend getaway. Whether you’d rather be hiking outside Jackson Hole or simply lounging on a sunny beach, here’s a few ideas to suit your long weekend needs. But next time, don’t be such a procrastinator….
Woodmark Yacht Club. Seattle, Washington.
In Seattle’s eastern suburb of Kirkland, this 100-room property is a crowd-pleaser and a classy affair all around. The only hotel on Lake Washington, the Woodmark Hotel has a special perk for guests: a taste of waterfront life, thanks to a temporary membership to the Woodmark Yacht Club. And during this Memorial Day stay, all of the lake’s charms will start to come alive.
Malibu Beach Inn. California.
Kick off the summer at the Malibu Beach Inn, a 47-room oceanfront property that puts Southern California’s fabled good life within reach. The inn has a studiously laid-back vibe, gorgeous Pacific views, stocked in-room wine coolers and a terrace or fireplace for the still-cool nights. And after a walk or two on the inn’s beach, you won’t blink an eye when you run into a celebrity — it’s practically a daily reality along Malibu’s 27 miles of sparkling coastline.
Forty 1 North. Rhode Island.
Narragansett Bay is your watery front yard at this new Newport boutique hotel. Since its opening in April 2010, Forty 1° North has made the most of its harborfront spot with floor-to-ceiling windows, large balconies and open-air restaurants where you can dine on fresh seafood while watching boats bob in the water and the sun sink behind the horizon.
Smith Fork Ranch. Colorado.
Get off the beaten path this Memorial Day with a trip to Smith Fork Ranch, in one of the country’s wildest locations abutting the Gunnison National Forest and West Elk Wilderness Area in western Colorado. A proud sense of heritage and down-home welcome runs through the meticulously restored buildings, which are filled with carefully curated antiques. It all adds up to one of the country’s most lovingly restored guest ranches — a place for trail rides on horseback, fly-fishing excursions, farm-to-table gourmet food and fine wine.
Cheeca Lodge. Florida Keys.
The Florida Keys’ come-as-you-are ideology and tropical simplicity have attracted travelers for many decades. In the heart of these iconoclastic islands, the historic Cheeca Lodge & Spa has evolved into a serene barefoot-luxe destination since its 1940s inception as an exclusive hideaway for the Washington elite. Renovated and reinvented over the past two years, this oceanfront retreat brings a new level of sophistication to the sport-fishing capital of the world while remaining true to the Keys’ renowned casual vibe.
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May 5, 2010: The 101st Semester at Sea voyage returned to the United States today after its 109-day journey to 10 international destinations. The voyage community of approximately 700 learners was greeted in Fort Lauderdale by hundreds of parents and friends. The voyage explored the academic theme of One Earth, One Future as it explored countries and cultures around the world. -