Candyce H. Stapen

Nothing makes travel sweeter than a great deal on a resort you’ve wanted to visit. Take advantage of the following Cyber Monday deals to plan your next vacation. Before booking, be sure to read the fine print, note any blackout dates, and understand the cancellation policy as well as the types of rooms discounted.

Travel Deals: Hotels.com Black Friday to Cyber Monday

: At this sailing-oriented resort in the British Virgin Islands, families receive a second room at 50 percent savings for children up to 25-years-old for travel between January 2 through March 31, 2017. Blackout dates apply and reservations can be made through December 31, 2016. Contact 

 and use promotion code BVI Cyber Monday offer. 

Peter Island Resort & Spa, Peter Island, BVI

: With the Cyber Monday deal from luxury property Peter Island Resort & Spa, new reservations in any category receive a 4

 night free. The bookings must be made at rack rates for stays January 4 through May 31, 2017. Contact 

net and use the booking code “BVI Cyber Monday Offer.”

: Beaches’ Resorts, a family-friendly all-inclusive, that charms kids with imaginative children’s programs and waterparks, promotes a saving package at three properties—Beaches Turks & Caicos, Beaches Ocho Rios, and Beaches Negril. Families receive an air credit of up to $355, and early booking bonus of up to $750; a free catamaran cruise for a family of 5 up to $625, plus a $35 online booking savings for a total savings of up to $1765. In addition, receive a savings of up to 65% with a minimum 3-night stay. Blackout dates and other restrictions apply. Book travel by November 29 for stays through December 20, 2018.

Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, Aruba

: Aruba’s steady trade winds create ideal conditions for kite surfing. Located beachfront on popular Palm Beach, the Aruba Marriott Resort is an upmarket property that contains the Tradewinds Club. Rooms on these floors have access to a concierge service, private beach area and lounge that serves breakfast and snacks. Marriott Rewards Members receive up to a 20 percent discount off the best available rates and non-members receive up to 15 percent off. Book online using promo code 444 by November 28 for travel between December 9, 2016 and January 16, 2017. Blackout dates are December 23, 2016 through January 4, 2017.

: An all-inclusive on the south coast of Barbados, Turtle Beach Resort offers 161 junior and one-bedroom suites, a children’s program for ages 3 through 12, plus complimentary windsurfing, boogie boarding and kayaking. Book through November 28 to receive up to 45% off rates for travel between November 28, 2016 through October 31, 2017. To book visit the resort’s site, 

Articles

With these deals in hand, now is the perfect time to book your resort vacation. Just make sure you read the fine print first.

Cyber Monday: Take Advantage of These Resort Deals

The U.S. State Department issued a Travel Alert on November 21 for travel to Europe. The alert expires February 21, 2017.

The alert warns that “Credible information indicates the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Da’esh), al Qa’ida, and their affiliates continue to plan terrorist attacks in Europe, with a focus on the upcoming holiday season and associated events.”

The advisory warns US citizens “… to be alert to the possibility that extremist sympathizers or self-radicalized extremists may conduct attacks during this period with little or no warning.” The State Department advises Americans to “exercise vigilance when attending large holiday events, visiting tourist sites, using public transportation and frequenting places of worship, restaurants, hotels, etc.”

Terrorism, unfortunately, is a real threat, within the US and abroad. Whether you decide to travel to a particular area is a personal decision based on many factors. Be aware of the warnings, assess the situation, maintain a perspective, and make the right decision for you and your family.

What You Can Do To Keep Safe When Traveling 

Plan to depart and arrive at times when the airports are less busy. 

 Know where you are going and be aware of your surroundings. That means spending less time staring at your cell phone or tablet.

Avoid booking rooms at big international hotels that cater to US tourists, say some experts. Instead, choose smaller boutique properties.

 (STEP), administered by the US State Department. Before your trip, you provide information about your travels as well as whom to contact in case of emergency.

“Enrolling a trip will provide you not only with Travel Alerts and Warnings but also specific, local safety and security information from the Embassy,” states the website.

Tell your family and friends how to reach you and create a plan for keeping in touch in case of emergency.

Along with receiving updates from the US government, register for travel warnings from the government of the country you are visiting. Of course, this presumes that you either know the language or that the warnings can be translated into English. 

 In an emergency, the local Internet is likely to be down or excruciatingly slow. Before you leave home, consider downloading FireChat, a free messaging app that works without Internet access, or download a similar app. FireChat, which, in layperson’s terms, creates its own person-to-person “network”  has been an essential tool in crises, although it was initially designed as a social networking app.

: Look for police stations, hospitals, and other buildings on your walks that could serve as emergency shelters.

 Experts advise that if caught in an attack, you should run if you can, hide if you cannot run and, as a last resort, fight. 

The alert warns that Credible information indicates the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Daesh), al Qaida, and their affiliates continue to plan terrorist attacks in Europe, with a focus on the upcoming holiday season and associated events.

State Department Issues Travel Alert for Europe

Everyone likes a good deal, especially on travel, and especially if you save money on a place you want to visit. From Black Friday--November 25, the Friday after Thanksgiving—through Cyber Monday, November 28, Hotels.com touts deals of 50% or more on 300-plus hotels.

In addition, the site promises additional discounts of up to 30% off the reduced rates to those who subscribe to Secret Prices, emails sent to consumers by Hotels.com. Another offer: on Black Friday use a “mystery coupon,” available on Hotels.com’s site, and receive up to “an additional 99% off.”

So while your relatives and friends may be lining up for cut-rate televisions and T-shirts at the local chain store, you, a savvy traveler, can pocket deep discounts from the comfort of your living room.

But be smart. First, make sure you really want to travel to the destination. Then, consider the room being offered. Does the discount apply only to the “garden room” that faces the noisy parking lot or can you get the discount on a luxury room with a city view or on a suite?  Also, before you click “book,” read the fine print. Find out about the allowed travel period, the blackout dates, the cancellation and refund policies, and exactly what else your deal includes or does not include.

Most of Hotels.com’s deals during the 2016 Black Friday through Cyber Monday period cover US travel because during the same timeframe in 2015, only 8% of the site’s users perused international destinations. The top 10 destinations searched for in 2015 were, starting with number 1 and descending: Las Vegas, New York, Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, Orange County, Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco and New Orleans. 

Sample Hotels.com Deals in Top U.S. Destinations 

Available to be booked during the November 25 through Monday, November 28, the rates below, according to Hotels.com, reflect a 50% discount. Prices quoted include taxes and fees.

Grandview at Las Vegas, rooms from $322 per night

Iberostar 70 Park Avenue, from $129 per night

Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa Universal Studios Area, from $60 per night

Grand Beach Hotel Surfside, from $143 per night

 Hotel Huntington Beach, from $81 per night

, Carlsbad by The Sea, from $67 per night

Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer savvy travelers the opportunity to save on upcoming trips. However, it's important that you read the fine print to discover exactly what you're getting.

New York, the city that never sleeps, pulses with activity. If you’re traveling to the city for the 

 from abroad or far-flung parts of the US, you’ll probably want to make some time to take in the best of what the city has to offer. Follow this guide for tips on getting last-minute tickets to Broadway shows, including $10 seats to 

 recently released blocks of seats for August through November 2017. If you want to see the show without paying $500 a seat and without waiting 9 to 12 months, all you need is luck. For every 

 performance, 21 front-row seats for same-day performances go to winners of the digital daily lottery. Those tickets sell for $10 each. For matinees, enter online between 9 a.m to 11 a.m., for evening performances on matinee days, enter between noon and 4 p.m., and for days without matinees, register between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Being first to register does not help your chances. Winners, selected at random, are notified and have 60 minutes to pick up their tickets at the Richard Rodgers Theatre box office.  

For same-day and discounted tickets to select performances of Broadway shows, check TKTS Ticket Booths, New York Show Tickets, and other companies.

The venerable Manhattan facility’s stages come alive with a variety of dance, music, and theater. The New York City Ballet presents 

 through December 31; the Rose Theater, the Appel Room, and Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola showcase jazz performances; and the Atrium hosts free dance, song, and spoken presentations. “Curtain Up: Celebrating 40 Years of Theatre in New York and London,” an exhibit, presents film clips, costumes, and scripts of award-winning shows.

This addition to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which opened in March 2016, provides additional space for the museum’s modern and contemporary art. A retrospective of American artist Kerry James Marshall, a chronicler of African American experience, is on view through January 29, 2017. A collection of Paul Klee works focusing on the artist’s humor and fantasy is on view through January 2, 2017.

The International Center of Photography debuted its new space in June 2016. “Public, Private, Secret” explores the concept of privacy and its relationship to public visibility in current society. Through January 8, 2017. 

“Rendering the Unthinkable: Artists Respond to 9/11”, which opened on September 12, showcases how 13 artists responded to the attacks of 9/11 through paintings, sculptures, videos, and other works of art.

Discover the link between birds and dinosaurs at “Dinosaurs Among Us,” the museum’s new exhibit, available through January 2. The exhibition explores topics ranging from flight to feathers, nests to wishbones, and brains to lungs, and features ancient, rarely seen fossils, and life-like models, including a 23-foot-long feathered tyrannosaur and a small four-winged dromaeosaur.

With the New York C3® from CityPASS, a new mobile pass, customize your New York City visit by selecting 3 attractions from a list of 10. Possibilities include the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock Observation Deck, American Museum of Natural History, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Guggenheim Museum, and Hornblower Sightseeing Cruises.

If you're heading to the Greater New York Dental Meeting this week, here's how to score cheap tickets to Broadway shows, along with some fascinating new museum exhibits worth seeing.

Take in New York City's Shows and Museums

Food is part of the fun of a New York City visit. From the bagels, which some rate as world’s best, to the bustling food halls, bars, bistros and big-name restaurants, New York serves up a brilliant buffet of culinary experiences.

 this week, you’re sure to work up an appetite. The following Manhattan eateries, bistros, wine bars and top-end dining venues cover a range of tastes as well as styles and prices from inexpensive grab-and-go, to casual, plus top-rated and pricey. The mix includes places in the vicinity of the Javits Center, as well as new dining establishments and city favorites.

: A great place to grab lunch or dinner to go or to eat on site, Gotham West Market dishes out New York City’s diverse flavors. Zagat rates the place as one of the US’s must-visit food halls. Corner Slice serves up pizza and pastry. Indie Fresh’s food ranges from all-day breakfast to protein bowls of quinoa and lamb; as well as vegan bean burgers, turkey meatballs and salads. Genuine Roadside reincarnates the every town roadside stand by adding tuna tacos, fried green tomato sandwiches and cider braised pulled pork to menu standards such as burgers, shakes and fries. Uma Temakeria creates made-to-order sushi hand rolls and has NYC’s first sushi burrito. Gotham West Market, 600 11

: Fish Bar, located on a barge at Pier 81, combines views of the Statue of Liberty and the New York Harbor with cocktails and small plates of Mediterranean-style fare. Savor the scene and the scenery while sharing charred octopus, avocado toast, Prince Edward Island mussels, jumbo lump crab salad and more. Fish Bar opened May 2016. Pier 81, West 42

 Located in the InterContinental New York Times Square Hotel, Stinger Cocktail Bar & Kitchen, which opened October 2016, is award-winning chef Todd English’s first cocktail-focused concept. Pair the cocktails with salmon poke, shrimp dumplings, mini lobster rolls and BBQ chicken nachos. 300 West 44

 Helmed by Michelin-starred French Chef Antonine Westermann, Le Coq Rio, the Manhattan sister to the chef’s popular Montmarte bistro, serves tasty hen, squab, duck, and other poultry dishes plus thick-cut fries and macaroni au gratin. The Flatiron District eatery opened in March 2016. 30 East 20

Favorites of Foodies, Condé Nast Traveler Magazine 

 Manhattan: Rates as a top cheese-centric wine bar. Try the Pig’s Ass Sandwich, a panino with brined ham and roasted pork, cheddar and sweet pickles. 401 West 52

, Manhattan: Recently ranks at # 44 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. In a simple setting, chef-owner Ignacio Mattos serves memorable Mediterranean small plates. 50 Best calls out Mattos’ beef tartare with sunchoke. 47 East Houston Street.

: Anthony Bourdain praises Masa, a three Michelin-starred establishment, as serving the best sushi rice in the world. Bring awe and a bundle of money. The $595 per person dinner includes the tip but not taxes or beverages.  

New Yorkers differ on the best bagelry, but these three Manhattan shops produce some of the tastiest. 

 170 Elizabeth Street; 176 First Avenue; 200 Vesey Street.

If you're attending the Greater New York Dental Meeting this week, you'll probably work up an appetite. The following options cover all budgets and tastes. 

Manhattan Food Finds: More than Conventional Eats

Consider Québec for a great winter getaway. Québec is affordable--the US dollar gets you about $1.34 in Canadian money. Québec is easy to get to—several airlines offer service. And the city’s inhabitants know how to enjoy the cold weather by tobogganing, ice canoeing, skating and cross-country skiing, all within the city. Après your sports activities, enjoy strolling Old Québec, a UNESCO world heritage site that’s Instagram-pretty in the snow.

Whether searching for a different kind of cold weather vacation or fantasizing about relocating to Canada, experiencing Québec in winter is a good first step and a great plan.

Zoom down the more than 100-year-old toboggan run at speeds up to 40 mph. The classic winter ride is located at Dufferin Terrace close to the iconic Château Frontenac hotel. A good choice: the combination ticket for a slide and a hot chocolate. 

When the St. Lawrence River freezes, locals go ice canoeing, a special Québec activity. On a guided outing, you row through the open patches and push the canoe through the frozen areas as you walk on the thick ice.

Parc des Champs-de-Bataille (Battlefields Park), a prominent city park, is the site of the Plains of Abraham where the British and the French clashed in 1759. Fight for your balance as you practice your spins and toe loops at the park’s free ice rink.

Try cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. 

In the Parc des Champs-de-Bataille (Battlefields Park), you can also cross-country ski on more than 11 km of groomed trails. Walk through the park on snowshoes or stick to the groomed 3.8 km trail. Along the way, catch glimpses of the sparkling St. Lawrence River.

 An outdoor winter activities park, Village Nordik at the Port of Québec lets visitors sample ice fishing in a heated igloo as well as ice skating and sledding. The Village operates from January 19 to March 17, 2017.   

. Québec hosts one of the largest annual winter carnivals. The street party features evening parades and plenty of daytime activities, including snow slides, sleigh rides, ice skating, admiring snow sculptures and cheering on the ice canoe racers. The Winter Carnival takes place from January 27 to February 12, 2017.   

A grande dame and city icon, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, located inside the Old City wall, overlooks Dufferin Terrace and the St. Lawrence River. The property was named one of the top 10 hotels in Canada by Condé Nast Traveler Magazine’s Reader’s Choice Awards 2016.

With a favorable currency exchange rate for American travelers, Québec is an attractive destination, featuring many outdoor recreation options.

6 Reasons to See Québec City This Winter

Cruises offer a sea of possibilities for travelers. The lines entice passengers with varied dining, a range of entertainment, specialty sailings, thrill rides, private beach oases and increased luxury. Use these updates to help you find the ship of your dreams.

 which debuted May 2016, features some 30 dining and bar venues. For thrills, pedal across the deck while suspended high in the air on SkyRide, watch an IMAX movie or experience images jumping off the screen at you in the 3-D Thrill Theater.

 features updated suites, a rooftop terrace with a large movie screen, the anchor for “A Taste of Film,” a program that pairs movies evocative of a specific destination with a multi-course meal from that region.

 An award-winning luxury brand, Crystal launched 

their first river ship in July 2016. Much wider than traditional river ships, the 

 which sails the Danube River, affords passengers the luxury of spacious public rooms and good food. Crystal will also debut four river yachts in 2017.

 features new children’s spaces, and Tiana’s Place Restaurant, a new eatery with southern-style cuisine.

Visit three ports in Cuba aboard Fathom’s 7-day people-to-people voyages from South Florida.

which debuted April 2016, features an expanded Culinary Arts Center with individual cooking stations, and the line’s first purpose-built staterooms for families. With Music Walk, a program of music on three stages, listen to live chamber music at Lincoln Center Stage, Memphis-style blues, soul and funk at B.B. King’s Blues Club, and get into the act with sing-alongs at Billboard Onboard, a mix of live musicians audience participation.

: Norwegian welcomes passengers to Harvest Caye, the line’s new, 75-acre island experience in Belize that comes with 7-acres of white sands overlooking the Caribbean Sea and a 15,000-square-foot pool. You can paddleboard and kayak in a saltwater lagoon, glide on a zipline, walk across suspension bridges and view exotic birds as you stroll through an aviary. The 

 debuted in October 2015, offering more than 20 venues for dining, including a few upscale choices. The 

, slated to debut summer 2017, is targeted to Chinese travelers.  

 to launch April 2017, will service the Chinese market.

The luxury line recently launched the $450 million, 750-passenger 

 The deep-pocketed can relax in the Regent Suite, whose 3,875-feet include two bedrooms, a living room, two-and-a half bathrooms and a wraparound balcony.  

: Swirl down the Ultimate Abyss, a 10-deck dry slide on 

or get wet on the ship’s trio of 5-deck high waterslides. 

 launches April 2017. The ship features eight specialty restaurants.

Long known for its river ships, Viking’s ocean going vessels are gaining praise for their destination-focused experiences come with overnights in some ports and shore excursions that, according to Viking, emphasize a destination’s “food, culture, countryside and customs.” 

 forgo casinos, using the space for additional lounges and dining.

Make sure the money you put down on a cruise this year or next year is money well spent. These lines have added additional attractions that are worth your consideration.

New, Enticing Cruise Amenities for 2017

Expect crowded airports and roads for holiday trips, especially on Thanksgiving. This year, more than 27 million people will fly US airlines between November 18 and November 29, an increase of 2.5% according to Airlines for America, a trade group representing most US airlines. In addition, nearly 50 million Americans traveled more than 50 miles from their homes for Thanksgiving 2015, noted the American Automobile Association. While statistics are not yet available for 2016, the roads are expected to be crowded. 

Here are some tips designed to ease the stress of  holiday travel during Thanksgiving and Christmas/Chanukah.

Lessen your luggage load by shipping gifts ahead of time. This gives you more space in the car if driving and cuts down on possible excess baggage fees when flying.

Obtain insurance and notarized permission documents

. If your son’s friend is part of your ski trip, be sure to have a copy of his insurance card plus a notarized statement from his parents authorizing you to obtain medical help for him in case of an emergency. Otherwise, if he breaks his leg skiing, the hospital might only make him comfortable, delaying treatment until his parents are contacted for their consent. 

With babies on board, pack extra diapers, changes of clothing, food and bottles. Be sure that this bag is easily accessible in the car’s front seat (not the trunk) or as an airline carry-on (not as checked luggage). Keep extra batteries and electronic chargers handy so that your computers, video games, and cell phones will last as long as your road trip or flight.

 Like armies, families travel on their stomachs. Healthy snacks and bottles of water and juice go a long way toward quashing the crankies. When flying, allow additional time in the terminal to purchase sandwiches and drinks to take onboard.

. With toddlers in tow, make sure that grandma’s guest room and the rest of the house are kid-safe. Consider bringing electrical outlet covers, baby gates to block stairs plus night lights for bedrooms and bathrooms and any other items the host family may not have. Several hotel chains offer complimentary child-proofing kits that contain outlet covers, corner guards for tables and toilet bowl locks. 

Plan some time without the relatives. When the gathering begins to get on your nerves, do something that allows you to recharge. Take a walk (dogs are good excuses), find a quiet spot to sit or volunteer for a quick run to the store.

Try to overlook the long trek as well as your family’s foibles. If in the past, a seat at the table came with repeated stories, dry turkey and too many personal questions, then be realistic: This season is likely to be much the same. Instead of getting angry or sad, work with your children to find a creative solution and be sure to focus on the good stuff. That goes a long way toward making the holidays fun for you and your family.

Tips designed to ease the stress of holiday travel during Thanksgiving and Christmas/Chanukah.

Holiday Travel Tips, Part 2: How to Ease Holiday Travel Stress

Paddling through a swamp may seem more like penance for bad behavior than the particularly fun part of a vacation, but that’s because you may not be thinking of canoeing through the 

. As you glide along some of the 120-miles of water trails, you enter a magical world where the bulging eyes of alligators peer out at you from the dark water and thick swaths of Spanish moss dangling from branches move in the wind with a ghostly flutter.

In fall and spring, the weather remains mostly temperate and the refuge offers an enthralling wildlife adventure. In spring the swamp resounds with the bellowing of breeding gators and the exuberant trilling of frogs, plus hundreds of yellow and white waterlily flowers line the trails.

Dream Trips: Galapagos Adventures, How to Choose 

A Tourist’s Guide to Exploring Yellowstone National Park 

The Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia covers 438,000 acres and within it the wildlife refuge, in Georgia and Florida, consists of 402,000-acres. The largest national wildlife refuge in the eastern United States, the Okefenokee is a slow-moving river of water that comprises lakes, marsh-like prairies, and islands. 

As we paddle the headwaters of the Suwannee River, we pass thickets of cypress trees that float almost magically on dense beds of peat, called "houses." Walk on them, and the land "quivers," a phenomenon that led the Native Americans to call this place "Okefenokee," or "the land of the trembling earth." 

The Okefenokee harbors water fowl, wading birds, as well as gators, black bears and river otters.

When the sun comes out, it transforms the park. The alligators appear and so do birds and turtles. We spot a bony four-foot stretch of crooked mouth and tail basking in the sudden warmth. We see hawks, herons and hear a wood-pecker. The sun brings out hundreds of slider turtles, who living up to their names, splash from the shore into the water. The sun also transforms the black water into a mirror-like surface that creates upside reflections of the trees along the banks.  

Just as we near Billy's Island, 15 miles into the heart of the swamp, and about two miles from our put-in site at 

, the sky grows gray again. In a soft drizzle, we hike through the island's pine forest. Although the air in this spot once buzzed with loggers’ saws, we hear only the wind in the pines. 

Next, we navigate Minnie's Lake Run. Even in the rain, this narrow, curvy trail becomes our favorite. The green patches of lichen add color to the fluted gray trunks of the cypress trees. We maneuver around knobby cypress stumps, called “knees.”

We are thankful that we booked a cabin within the refuge at Stephen C. Foster State Park.  After a day of paddling, often in the rain, we reward ourselves with hot chocolate, hot showers, and hot food. It’s been a memorable trip through the remarkable Okefenokee. 

: You can access the Okefenokee through several entrances. The Suwannee Canal Recreation Area, a main entrance, is located 11 miles southwest of Folkston, GA. The Stephen C. Foster State Park, the west entrance, lies 17 miles east of Fargo, GA.

Stephen C. Foster State Park offers cabins and camping.

, among the outfitters offering tours, offers guided 90-minute pontoon boat outings, sunset tours, 4-hour canoe, kayak or motorized boat tour as well as multi-day and overnight trips.

The Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia covers 438,000 acres and within it the wildlife refuge, in Georgia and Florida, consists of 402,000-acres.

Wildlife Adventures: Explore the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

State parks offer fishing, boating, golfing, horseback riding, hiking and other resort amenities in scenic settings across the US, all at budget prices. Although it’s barely Thanksgiving, now is the time to book Bruneau Dunes State Park, Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, Fort Robinson State Park, Sequoyah State Park, Cacapon Resort State Park and the other gems.

Book Resort State Parks Now for Spring and Summer

Hike, sand board (boards can be rented) or simply admire North America's tallest single sand dune, a mound rising a commanding 470-feet high. NASA came to the site to study the theoretically similar topographical conditions on Mars. A 5-mile self-guided nature trail around the dunes explains the habitat. At the park’s two lakes, fish for bass and bluegill and at the onsite observatory, savor a close encounter with the night sky. Cabins and camp sites are available. Bruneau Dunes is located 64 miles south of Boise.

The 50,000-plus acre lake forms the heart of Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, unofficially nicknamed “The houseboat capital of the world.” Along with 100 open slips, the marina rents fishing, pontoon and houseboats. In season, anglers can hope to catch bass, bluegill, crappie, rockfish and walleye. You can also ride horses as well as play disc golf, miniature golf, and tennis. Lodge rooms, cabins and campsites are available. The park is situated in Jamestown, Kentucky.

Fort Robinson State Park, a former military base, sprawls on 22,000-acres that include pastures, pine ridges and sandy colored buttes. In summer sign-up for Jeep rides into the Cheyenne Outbreak Buttes, named for the route the Indians used to escape from the Fort in 1879; go horseback riding; tour the park by stagecoach or wagon; watch the weekly rodeo; gather for chuck wagon cook-outs, and hike to catch sight of the buffalo herd. The park, located in Crawford, offers hotel rooms, cabins and camping.

Situated in eastern Oklahoma on opposite shores of 19,000-acre Fort Gibson Lake, the parks draw water-lovers for boating, sailing, fishing and swimming. At Sequoyah State Park, you can also golf on an 18-hole course, horseback ride and bike part of the way around the lake. Sequoyah State Park offers lodge rooms, cabins and campsites while Sequoyah Bay State Park, near Wagoner, offers cabins and camping. Sequoyah State Park, near Hulbert, is situated 45 minutes southeast of Tulsa.

Cacapon State Park’s 6,000 acres offers golf, horseback riding, tennis and fishing in the reservoir or the lake plus swimming. The park is minutes from the historic mineral waters of Berkeley Springs where George Washington reputedly enjoyed the healing waters. The town is still known for its therapeutic soaks and its relatively inexpensive massages. Choose from lodge rooms or cabins. 

Act now to get the best deals at prime state park locations this summer.