| Today's Travel News |
|
|
| · Tuesday, August 5, 2003 · |
|
Whoa, Nellie! Sport of Kings meets Nevis, Queen of the Caribees
Runaway best seller "Seabiscuit," a kind of quadruple biography about three men and a horse, is now a near standing-room-only movie about an amazing little horse and how he became America's darling in the late 1930s. Horse racing, driven by the phenomenal popularity of Seabiscuit, became a national passion, the "Sport of Kings" made everyone at the tracks feel like royalty.
That was 60 years ago, but almost 400 years earlier, the "Sport of Kings" was reigning supreme on the "Queen of the Caribees," the idyllic little Caribbean island of Nevis where riding has always been part of the island's lifestyle. In fact, today horseracing rivals cricket as the island's favorite sport - and one of its most popular tourist attractions. Every month hometown favorites vie for victory and fame at the spectacular oceanfront Indian Castle Race Track, continuing a tradition dating back to the 1600s. Prefer to "saddle up" your own horse for a ride? Since 1996, the island's Equestrian Centre has been offering horseback riding to visitors such as TV's Tracey Ullman, NFL's Dan Marino, NBA's Charles Smith and Hootie & The Blowfish's Soni. Rides start along the beach, then wend past the island's 350 year old fort and a lovely lagoon where clipper ships once filled up with fresh water. Wooded trails lead up cool mountain slopes past the Four Seasons Resort to the village of Cotton Ground and a return walk (or canter) through a coconut grove, ending with a tropical drink for the riders and a cooling bath for their mounts. High above the track and sea in the historic Gingerland district, the Hermitage Plantation Inn, a former sugar plantation, offers an even slower equestrian experience. Here guests or visitors can ride in authentic Creole adaptations of 19th century Victorian carriages pulled by the largest horses in the Eastern Caribbean, two great Belgians, through the back road heart of the countryside, recreating the simplicity and romance of a bygone era. On Nevis, man's best friend may well be his horse. A nice four-century-long tradition. Learn more at www.nevisisland.com (just follow the butterfly!) - Rich Steck and Judi Janofsky  |
· transportation Delta Connection will offer customers the convenience of seasonal weekend non-stop jet service between New York's LaGuardia Airport and the cities of Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Savannah, Ga., effective Sept. 6 through Dec. 27. For More... Delta Connection will offer customers the convenience of seasonal weekend non-stop jet service between Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Delta Air Lines' hub at Dallas/Fort Worth effective Sept. 6 through Dec. 27. For More... ATA Vacations is joining Walt Disney World Resort, Alamo Car Rental and Planet Hollywood so that when purchasing an ATA Vacations Orlando getaway, which includes Walt Disney World Theme Park tickets, kids ages 2-11 fly free. For More... Alaska Airlines announced today that it will launch non-stop service between Seattle and Long Beach, beginning Dec. 14 with three daily flights. For More... US Airways Shuttle will introduce First Class seating for customers flying into and out of New York's LaGuardia airport, beginning Oct. 6 and on Sept. 8, an additional Boston-Washington roundtrip and an additional Boston-New York flight will begin. For More... · accommodations Migis Lodge, located on Sebago Lake in South Casco, Maine announced a new and redesigned Web site, www.migis.com, created in collaboration with flyte new media (www.flyte.biz). For More... · events Emirates Airline had a double inaugural celebration in Auckland today and arriving on the first inaugural flight from Sydney, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Emirates and his VIP delegation were greeted by the New Zealand Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Helen Clark. For More... During the first fifteen weeks of ticket sales for the First Flight Centennial Celebration, Thursday, April 24 - Friday, August 1, there were 68,196 tickets sold. For More... From Nov. 21 - Jan. 4, visitors are invited to drive along the Virginia Beach Boardwalk amid more than half a million twinkling bulbs - it is the only time of year vehicles are permitted on the Boardwalk. For More... · destinations America West Vacations announces that it is offering vacation packages up to 30 percent off its already low-priced Las Vegas packages through Aug. 7, where customers can take advantage of promotional prices starting as low as $71 for two-night hotel and air-inclusive packages. For More... From biking or hiking to driving or riding by train, there are many ways to experience the explosion of color this fall. Locals know exactly where to go for the best bursts of gold and red, here are just a few of their suggestions. For More... During Funjet Vacations' Fall Into Savings sale, travelers can save up to $320 per couple on complete vacations to Mexico and $230 to Las Vegas for travel in August, September and October. For More... |
| Produced by Judi Janofsky, Rich Steck and the Golf Press Association |
