During this pandemic, not a few people have asked themselves where to get away from it all. With a virus running rampant, many are looking to go on safe holidays away from crowds and cities. Well, the AAA Four Diamond Vista Verde Ranch in Colorado is probably the best place to get away from it all.  

NOTHING ELSE AROUND BUT A LUXURY RANCH

This family run ranch with a million acres is about 25 miles from the nearest traffic light. It has a herd of 100 horses so you might say that it’s a traditional ranch. However, it’s also a luxury resort. There is a staff guest ratio of over 1 to 1, and distinct adult or family times during the year. Vista Verde Ranch is also a great favorite forsolo travelers searching for a wide-open space and an escape to nature.

WHAT TO DO IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS

The ranch has many outstanding riding experiences. Beginners can take a trek through the incredible Rocky Mountains. Meanwhile, the more experienced can participate in the full cattle round up every September. Vista Verde Ranch invites guests to head out and help round up the cattle before the snow arrives. There’s a lot of ground to cover, too. 16,000 acres of forested land in total. This high adrenalin activity is definitely a bucket list activity with a difference. However, it’s not for the faint hearted.

WHAT IS SNOGA

The ranch is also introducing SNOGA this winter. This is really a trek and a yoga session combined. Guests snowshoe out to a rustic cabin for a yoga class by a cozy fire. All levels are welcome and the teacher adjusts the session to the level of the guests. After yoga, the guests snowshoe back to their own private cabins.

Vista Verde is quite unlike the usual trekking ranches. They take great pride in helping guests with all levels of riding abilities to improve their skills and enjoy the experience. In fact, Vista Verde’s “horse program” kicks off with an orientation that works from the ground up.

HOW TO DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH A HORSE

The staff first teach guests how to communicate with their assigned horse and understand the language of equines. The ranch wranglers take time and care to pair each guest with the horse most appropriate for them, and this will be their “own horse” for the week. This allows riders to develop a unique and special relationship with their horse during their stay. And it makes all the difference in the ranch experience.

HORSEBACK RIDING A LA CARTE

After that, each guest can create what they want. They can go on leisurely and scenic trail rides through the Aspens or attend specific clinics in the arena. The ranch also offers small group lessons or instructional trail rides for guests who want to learn specific riding techniques for real time situations. Each rider can choose how much they want to put into or get out of the time they are on horseback. 

For the chillier months there is an indoor heated arena for winter riding. Furthermore, lessons and clinics are available for all riding levels. For those who simply wish to enjoy the mountains, there is something magical about trekking with a blanket of fresh snow under hoof. Then there’s also the opportunity to head out on one of the ranches very own horse sleighs. The latter is a great favorite among guests.

OTHER ACTIVITIES AT VISTA VERDE RANCH

Although the Vista Verde Ranch is famous for all things equine, they also provide diverse activities. Guests can enjoy everything from cross country skiing and sleigh rides to photography and wine tasting courses. The ranch is well known for its wine collection, having received the coveted Award of Excellence by the Wine Spectator.

The ranch has 15 private log cabins with hot tubs on each deck and three lodge rooms. Each of the cabins is named after the local mountains. They are rustic on the outside but cozy and luxurious inside. Most are spacious, with a sitting area for relaxing with a favorite book while keeping warm around the wood-burning stove under the star lit sky.

Read more about the best travel experiences in the world in Travelife Magazine.

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But over 3 million people visit each year from all over the United States and the world. So it’s not unusual to hear a variety of languages and accents when you’re walking around town.

VISITING GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

Visitors flock here because of its history. It’s connected to the fierce 1863 battle of the American Civil War that left over 50,000 casualties and tore the country in two. Gettysburg has become a symbol of both tragedy and hope.

THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS

That hope came in the form of Abraham Lincoln, who chose this Pennsylvania town as a place to reunite the country through his immortal words. The Gettysburg Address is a simple, two-minute speech that has become one of the world’s most remembered speeches.

HOW TO GET TO THERE

It’s best to rent a car from Washington, Philadelphia or New York and then to drive across rural Pennsylvania. Along the way you will see bank barns, corn fields and a unique culture.

WHAT TO DO 

Visitors will find a town steeped in history, with an authentic American experience: cozy inns, historic restaurants, ice cream parlors and boutiques. Most of the establishments are owned and run by locals.  There are many tours to choose from – both historic tours and haunted tours. Meanwhile, museums welcome visitors eager to learn about the tragedy and triumph that happened in here.

North of the town are 20,000 acres of apple trees. This is one of the largest apple-growing regions in the United States. Farmers’ markets, orchards and wineries are drawing visitors from the town and bringing them out into the hills for a unique blend of Pennsylvania culinary experiences.

This great combination of history, culture, charm, food and nature makes this a wonderful destination.

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TRAVELING AROUND NORWAY

But perhaps it’s best to just visit these countries in Scandinavia and experience them up close and personal to see exactly what makes their people smile. Here are some travel suggestions for Norway, the 2nd happiest country in the world.

This is a good place to start discovering Scandinavia. You can see the fjords at their very best via Best Served Scandinavia’s Sognefjord, Nordfjord and Geirangerfjord itinerary, which takes in three of the Norway’s best destinations, as well as a ride on the new Loen Skylift which takes guests from sea level to 1011 meters to the summit of Mount Hoven – described as the roof of Norway.

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE IN SCANDINAVIA

Enjoy the incredible natural beauty of the fjords with plenty of time en route for hiking and bike rides. After a night in historic Bergen, with its colourful timber buildings and meandering alleyways, travel to Sogndal on a scenic cruise before turning inland along the mighty Sognefjord.

The journey continues through the Norway’s UNESCO listed scenery before arriving at Loen for a ride on the newly opened Loen Skylift. The spectacular Loen Skylift cable car climbs 1,000 metres to the summit of Mt. Hoven, offering truly dramatic views over glaciers and forested fjords.

THE FJORDS OF NORWAY

Recommended accommodations in Loen are at the fjordside Hotel Alexandra with its superb spa, pools and massage rooms. Travel from Loen onto Geiranger – home to what is often considered the best of Norway’s fjords, with deep blue waters, lush green vegetation and clifftops etched with waterfalls — before making a stop for a final night in the art nouveau port town of Alesund. Best Served Scandinavia 

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