October 2009 Archives

Last Wednesday we received this note from a customer named Sandra, "We started a B&B group when a friend arranged a group trip to San Diego to celebrate her husband's 40th birthday.  We all paid for our own rooms and food,  We had such a great time that we decided we wanted to do this again... and again. We tried to go away every 3-4 months for 2 nights and we stayed within ~2 hours driving time.
 
Whoever wanted to organize the trip got first choice of the rooms and then made arrangements for a nice dinner one of the nights.  We had an inexpensive dinner the other night. It was nice having things planned ahead of time so there were no long discussions about where we were going to eat. There were 4 couples and we drove in 2 cars. Some would play golf and the others would read, sleep, go antiquing or shopping, or just hang around the B&B and chat. We just had a great time!!" 
 
We think friendships are worth guarding and nourishing and wanted to share this way of traveling with friends.  
 

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Deborah Sakach

B&B writers drool every day. Yes, unfortunately it's true. All the writers we've ever had, in the 28 years of writing about B&Bs for our guidebooks and website, say the same thing. It's torture to stare at the computer screen and write about these one of a kind inns and not want to get out of your seat and GO. So just for a moment I want to share my current longings:

Elephants Roam California B&B Acres

One of my most avid desires is to visit Vision Quest in Salinas where romantic is defined as having an elephant - yes a real elephant - perhaps retired, meander up to your cabin and offer you your "Breakfast in a Basket". He's carrying it to you on his trunk. In my way of thinking, this is a great way to save $8,000 for two on a trip to the Masa Mari. Spend a few days here then hop over to Yosemite's southern gate or do it in reverse and stay at the Tin Lizzie Inn where you can drive a Model T through the park. Sounds like a wonderful second honeymoon for one of those big numbered anniversaries or for an extra special adventure with the kids. Even if your next getaway checklist doesn't have an elephant or a classic car on it, just getting AWAY and settling into an inn anywhere in the country is such an easy adventure. And adventure and comfort seem to mingle in most Bed and Breakfast inns - there is comfort -- The comfort of dropping busyness, of going slooooow, of gentle listening to nature, to others, to yourself. It's an adventure just to see yourself in a context that is reality, but someone else's reality. It reminds you that sometimes there are life choices that need to be made. Maybe one of those is choosing to travel more, choosing to pull away from your daily life to take advantage of one of life's most precious choices - travel. All of this contributes to your physical and mental health and according to some of my favorite Framington Heart research findings - makes your heart last longer. Deborah Sakach