DESTIN, Fla. -- As the sun set on the Emerald Coast, Bryan Sorte's feet merged with sugar-white sand as a wave receded back into the Gulf of Mexico. A slight, salty breeze fluffed his hair as he looked just beyond the surf at fishing boats wrapped by orange and pink hues.

"Even though I'm here for the Fishing Rodeo," he said, nodding to the scene and taking a drink of his pina colada. "This is the real reason I came to Destin, Florida."

Sorte's one of the lucky ones who's learned that Florida is not just about Miami, the Keys, Orlando and Walt Disney World. The snow-white beaches and clear water make the Panama City and Destin area a hidden paradise for sunbathers, snorkelers and boaters.

But there's more here than hanging out on beautiful see more... beaches. With world-class golfing, diving, myriad seafood restaurants, huge fishing tournaments and other events, visitors will be exhausted when they return to their vacation rental to sit back and watch legendary sunsets.

Events and activities
Year-round festivals and activities make this area a primetime playground. Stunning green golf courses line the coastline where shipwrecks and coral reefs lay submerged waiting to be discovered by scuba divers and snorkelers. Chamber/Bureaus in Panama City and Destin, respectively, say their towns are the "Shipwreck Capital of the South" and the "Billfishing capital of the Northern Gulf."

Florida State University's High Flying Circus brings "Circus by the Sea" to Frank Brown Park in Panama City. Its daily aerial and stage shows run June 13 to Aug. 22. Destin's Track Recreation Center offers family-oriented activities like roller coasters, bumper boats, glass-bottomed boat rides and dolphin cruises.

More than 25,000 people will pack HarborWalk Village for the 30th annual Destin Seafood Festival to enjoy fresh seafood, live entertainment, arts and crafts booths and children's activities. Condos, beach houses and cozy villas next to lush tropical gardens are the norm for Destin vacation rentals. Since Destin is located on a barrier island, most rentals have ocean views and easy access to beaches and entertainment.

Fishing
For the saltwater fisherman, this is the place to be whether you like to sight cast to tailing redfish in the shallows or lug a grouper from the depths. The area is known for its abundant fish and varied species.

Visit Panama City during the week of Aug. 20 and see, or join, the "Grand Lagoon National Fishing Tournament" where about 40,000 spectators are expected to watch more than 2,000 anglers compete for a $1 million prize in various divisions. Giant firework displays, parades, parties, tournament cruises and of course, tasty food will be there to welcome the tournament.

The "Destin Fishing Rodeo," runs throughout October. Destin boasts it as the "ultimate fishing tournament for anglers of all kinds" where roughly 30,000 anglers compete for more than $100,000 in prizes. Anglers of all ages can register for free.

Whether you want to play or unwind on Florida's white beaches, book a vacation rental in Destin or Panama City and discover the Emerald Coast.

PARK CITY, Utah - When hikers reach the crest of The Canyons' Fantasy Express Trail and stand atop Peak 9350, the panoramic summer splendor of this ski town is in full view. The gigantic peaks of the Wasatch and Uinta mountains cradle three ski resorts and a town where festivals and concerts buzz through the air.

And the best part is, it's only 36 miles from the Salt Lake International Airport.

The Park City Chamber/Bureau often says people come for the winter but stay for the summer. Summer's blue skies, mild temperatures and abundant activities are quickly rivaling the winter as the top playground season.

Activities
With three ski resorts, multiple golf courses, and more than a dozen nearby lakes and rivers, there's plenty of outdoor see more... recreation around the city. The resorts offer about 350 miles of maintained hiking and biking trails where you can also ride gondolas, chair lifts, alpine slides and zip lines.

The 2002 Winter Olympic spirit still lingers in Park City. Visitors can tour the Olympic Park, take a ride on a bobsled and watch Olympic hopefuls in weekly aerial freestyle shows.

Park City is more than just a ski town. There's an array of fine-dining, spas and night life options. Shoppers can spend all day checking out the town's unique gift shops and galleries, and daily tours at the Historical Museum showcase its vibrant mining history.

Festivals and Concerts
Mountain Town Stages and the Park City Performing Arts Foundation produce shows and concerts almost daily. Throughout the summer, renowned classical and jazz musicians can be heard at the Park City Jazz Festival and the Utah Symphony & Opera's Deer Valley Music Festival. In early August, the Kimball Arts Festival packs Main Street with paintings, photography, pottery, wood carvings and sculptures from all over the country.

With so many activities, events, spas and dining options, Park City is not only a ski destination but a summer vacation for everyone.

CRESTED BUTTE Colo. -- The seclusion sets it apart from other Colorado ski resort towns.

The small town of about 1,500 people is 224 miles from Denver and about 30 miles from Gunnison - that's a good thing for those who want a mountain vacation without the crowds. Bikers, hikers, fisherman, golfers and other outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy the great outdoors the way it should be: in solitude.

Mountain bikers, in particular, will enjoy the Crested Butte area. It's known as the birthplace of Mountain Biking and home to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and Museum and the Fat Tire Festival. The 401 Trail, Paradise Divide, Poverty Gulch are world-renowned trails that traverse through wildflower fields and around alpine lakes. The 12,705 foot Pearl see more... Pass takes riders from Crested Butte through forests, waterfalls and panoramic views all the way to Aspen.

The Gunnison National Forest (which surrounds the town) may be the highlight of a Crested Butte vacation. The area is ideal for river runners, climbers, hikers and bikers. Visitors can see historic mining sites, thick forests and an array of wildlife. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Forest is about a two-hour drive from Crested Butte, but it's worth the trip. With sheer cliffs that jut 2,000 feet into an abyss of shadow, it rivals the Grand Canyon in scope and awe-inspiring views.

Campers, hikers and fisherman can explore a number of lakes and rivers like Sheep Lake, Coal Creek, Anthracite Creek, Taylor Reservoir, Texas Creek, Willow Creek, Lake Irwin, Cimarron River and Silver Jack Reservoir.

Despite the town's small size, it also boasts unique festivals and various restaurants, boutiques and spas. Some of the summer festivals visitors should plan for include: Alplenglow, the Crested Butte Music Festival, the Wildflower Festival, Reel Fest film festival, Wild Mushroom Festival, Mountain Biking Festival, Festival of the Arts and Cattleman's Days.

A stay in Crested Butte gives visitors good access to the Gunnison National Forest while also being able to take advantage of resort activities and amenities. Don't miss out on what could be Colorado's secret getaway.

SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. - Swollen clouds loomed heavy above Vail. I hunched over the steering wheel, peering through a rain-streaked windshield at lush green slopes and towering peaks engulfed in mist.

I hit the windshield wipers. While rubber squealed against glass, I imagined those rain clouds pounding the mountains with powder and knew I needed to come back in a few months for some epic skiing.

As eastbound Interstate 70 climbed over Vail, a bowl opened up revealing Copper Mountain Resort. After a few miles, my wife and I reached the towns of Frisco and Dillon. I-70 snaked around Lake Dillon toward our destination in Keystone.

We unpacked our bags in a vacation condo in Keystone's River Run Village then found a bite to eat. The clouds see more... dissipated and we ate a buffalo steak while a rainbow formed above the mountains. After dinner, we walked to a jewelry shop and talked to the owner who said the area has ambitions to bring the whole world to Colorado.

"We want to have the Olympics come here someday, in Summit County," he said, referring to all the resorts in the area. "That's why we're all trying to have something different for everyone."

Well, if it continues as it is, the Olympic Committee should take notice. There may not be such a concentration of diverse world-class ski resorts anywhere else in the country. From Beaver Creek on the west to Breckenridge and Arapahoe Basin on the east, six Colorado ski areas and a handful of ski towns pack the borders of Summit County.

Summit County's variety lends itself well to people of all tastes and interests. Destinations like Keystone, Copper Mountain, Beaver Creek and Avon offer relative solitude while Breckenridge and Vail have more nightlife, restaurants and a variety of shopping.

To get the best of both worlds without traveling much, book a vacation rental in Dillon, Frisco or Keystone and Breckenridge. These locations are close together and would be a good base to play in the mountains or in town. You can purchase a lift ticket good for Keystone, Breckenridge and the high-elevation ski area of Arapahoe Basin. Also, centrally-located is Lake Dillon, a beautiful reservoir with two marinas equipped with boats and other rentals. The surrounding mountains and blue water has made it one of the country's best sailing destinations.

Each day of your Summit County, Colorado vacation can be a unique experience any time of the year. In the winter, you could ski or snowboard a different resort each day. In the fall and spring, you could ski one day, golf the next day and fish for trout on the Blue, Eagle, Snake or Colorado rivers. With all the warm weather activities, summers are quickly rivaling winter as the top destination season.

Whether it's hiking, biking, skiing, sailing, boating, sightseeing, horseback riding, taking photos, wandering the downtown shops, or eating a buffalo steak underneath a rainbow, Summit County truly is Colorado's eclectic mountain amusement park.

PARK CITY, Utah - For skiers and riders, there's one good thing about a huge, salty lake: Lake-effect snow. Loads and loads of it.

Winter clouds seem to slurp up the Great Salt Lake on their way to the Wasatch Mountains. When the engorged clouds slam into the fabled peaks, they erupt, spewing dry snow across the range.

Located on the backside of the Wasatch Range, an old mining town gets the brunt of this weather phenomenon. But no one in Park City complains about getting buried in the light, fluffy powder.

"Given the amount of terrain and the access and the quality of the snow, it's strange that more skiers and riders don't know about Park City," said Anna Bloom, a former Park City journalist for the local paper, The Park Record.

Bloom see more... says, until recently, the state has been relatively quiet about its exceptional skiing.

"That's changing now, but I suppose originally, most folks from Utah wanted to keep it for themselves," Bloom said. "Who wouldn't?"

It's getting harder to keep Park City - and its three ski resorts with a combined 8,750 ski-able acres - a secret, however. The lingering ripple effect of the 2002 Winter Olympics and continued tourism marketing draws more skiers and riders into Park City each year.

And everyone's starting to find out one thing in particular: Accessibility. Unlike many ski towns, it's incredibly easy to get here. The Salt Lake International Airport is about 30 minutes from Park City. You can easily take a direct flight from almost anywhere in the country, and even parts of Europe, and be on the slopes within minutes. There are plenty of shuttles, taxis and other services that can take you directly from the airport to your vacation rental.

Combined with the easy access, the winter activities are equally as impressive. Each of the resorts (Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley and The Canyons) have something different to offer and are consistently ranked among the top ski resorts in North America each year. Park City Mountain Resort might have the most diverse terrain with terrain parks and the Eagle Superpipe on its 3,300 acres. Deer Valley is known for its groomed trails, fine-dining and overall service while The Canyons is the largest mountain resort in the state.

Visitors can explore the surrounding areas on snowmobiles, snowshoes, miles of cross-country ski trails or take a helicopter or snowcat into the backcountry. Families can tour the Olympic Park and ride bobsleds and the luge, or ride horse drawn sleighs and snow tube at Gorgoza Park.

"I think the best way to experience Park City is to take advantage of its access to the natural world - on a hike, on skis, on a board, whatever," Bloom said. "I think it's a good idea to explore town, too, its galleries and restaurants. See a film at the library or take in a play at the Egyptian."

And don't forget the Sundance Film Festival, which usually takes place from January into February and brings Hollywood to Robert Redford's world-renowned independent movie festival.

With great access, excellent terrain, world-class resorts, more than 100 restaurants and bars, great shopping and the array of activities, Park City is a must see/must ski/must play winter destination.

VAIL, Colo. - It all starts early in America's largest ski resort - and it doesn't stop until the snow melts. From "Vail Snow Daze" in early December to "Spring Back to Vail" in April, each wintry month is packed with festivals and activities.

If you book a five-night stay over Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day or Easter Sunday, we'll get you an extra free night stay through Vail Resorts. So, when you plan your trip to ski more than 5,000 acres of epic runs, make sure you book your trip around these events below:

Vail Events Schedule for Winter of 2008-09

Nov. 21, Opening Day!
Carve the first tracks at Vail and have the resort mostly to yourself.

Dec. 8-14, Vail Snow Daze
Kick-off the see more... winter ski season at Vail Snow Daze, a week long event with on-mountain activities, village parties and three huge concerts.

Dec. 31, New Year's Eve Extravaganza
Start the new year the way it should be: on the slopes with fireworks, music and great food and drinks.

Feb. 6-8, Honda Session
Vail claims it is "the world's most progressive snowboard competition" that brings elite competitors to Vail for a weekend of rail grinds
and big air.

Feb. 22-24, CarniVail
It's Mardi Gras in the mountains with three days of festivities with street parties, parades, and the "World's Highest Low Country
Crawfish Boil."

March 18-22, American Ski Classic
Skiing legends, sports and entertainment celebrities and corporate America join together in professional and amateur ski races.

April 1-4, Taste of Vail
This premier spring food and wine festival features food and wine tastings, interactive seminars and a huge mountain top picnic.

April 2-5, Vail Film Festival
Vail Film Festival is a platform for independent filmmakers to screen their productions in an incredible atmosphere.

April 13-19, Spring Back to Vail
Vail claims this is "The biggest end-of-season bash in the Rocky Mountains." Spring Back to Vail is a week of fun in the sun, huge concerts and the World Pond Skimming Championships.

April 19, Closing Day.

ASPEN, Colo. - It's been about 60 years since the first ski lift lugged riders up the slopes in the Aspen/Snowmass area. Since then it has become one of the world's top ski destinations with a combined 46 lifts and 5,303 acres of prime skiing.

Each year Aspen Skiing Company continues improving the slopes, lifts, terrain, lodging, facilities and other amenities. In the last two years, Snowmass itself has undergone more than $45 million in improvements.

"We are entering this season stronger than ever, having invested over $70 million in capital over the last two years," said Mike Kaplan, CEO of Aspen Skiing Company. "Our strategy is simple and enduring; it is all about total devotion to the customer and delivering on our promise of high quality see more... every single day."

That number is highlighted by the $17 million Treehouse Kids' Adventure Center at Snowmass base village, the largest capital project ever developed.

The Adventure Center is a huge, two-story, 25,000-square-foot structure - all for kids young and old. All day kids can play on a family-friendly climbing gym, kids' retail and themed rooms for ages eight weeks through teenagers. The main purpose of the project is to "give kids a one-of-a-kind journey while offering parents convenience and ease," said David Perry, senior vice president of Aspen Skiing Company. "

The Treehouse Kids' Adventure Center in Snowmass is the centerpiece of the renaissance of Snowmass and will take the family experience to an entirely new level," Perry said. "This interactive facility will combine the award-winning Ski and Snowboard Schools of Aspen/Snowmass with a children's museum-like playground."

The facility, Perry said, is linked to a system of seven new lifts, including kid-friendly gondolas and magic carpets. The Treehouse is accessible from anywhere in Snowmass with short-term and underground parking, free shuttle buses, ski-in/ski-out access on Fanny Hill and service to the upper slopes, lodges and Snowmass Village Mall via the Sky Cab gondola.

"With The Treehouse, Aspen/Snowmass has an opportunity to provide incredible guest service and top-notch programs for kids that are second to none in the industry's best environment," said Sue Way, director of children's programming for Aspen Skiing Company. "The facility incorporates safety, learning and fun while supporting the company's core values of rejuvenating the mind, body and spirit."

The base village will also feature a 15,000-square-foot conference space, 64,000-square feet of new shops and restaurants, a community aquatic center, a 246-unit conference hotel, The Little Nell at Snowmass, and 359 condominiums.

BIG SKY, Mont. – Everything’s big here – big snow, big terrain, big mountains, big runs and big fun – everything, except for the lift lines. That’s what Big Sky is all about: the entire mountain without the crowds.

Big Sky is located in an untamed backdrop just north of Yellowstone National Park. With some of the country’s most technical terrain, nearly 4,000 acres, a vertical drop of more than 4,300 feet, 85 miles of runs and 400 inches of snow each year, it’s the perfect spot for skiers and boarders who want the ultimate outdoor experience.

Big Sky has filled its ski season with music, events and new programs and activities. There’s an improved Family Fun Zone that offers tubing and terrain features in the base area. New this year, Big see more... Sky will offer Sunset Saturdays, with an extra hour of operations, and new women and telemark camps run by Big Sky Snowsports School.

The events kick off on Dec. 20 with the Rails Under the Stars (RUST) rail jam. RUST is an invite-only, nighttime rail jam featuring local pro and amateur boarders and skiers. It will take place in the plaza, punctuated by fireworks, film premieres and music.

“We are excited to offer such an assortment of different events and activities for the public,” said Dax Schieffer, Big Sky’s director of public relations. “These were established to celebrate winter and the community of skiers and riders that make Big Sky so great, we just want to do something for them.”


Make sure to plan your Big Sky trip around this year’s events:

•RUST – Dec. 20, 2008. Rails Under the Stars. The big kick-off party with fireworks, music, film premiers and professional boarders and skiers.

•Sno-Ball and Sno-Bar – Jan. 17 and 24, 2009. The Sno-Ball is a free day of family fun. There will be a bouncer house, slide, kid’s activities, ice-sculpting and a DJ rocking the plaza. At night, the party moves to the Sno-Bar, a 21 and over party in a bar made completely out of snow. The Sno-Bar returns Jan. 24.

•Dummy Jump – Feb. 7, 2009. The fan favorite Dummy Jump where competitors construct mannequins to hurl off of a huge jump to a flat landing and are judged on best crash, biggest explosion and numerous other categories. Dummy Jump is a memorable event, even receiving an honorable mention in the Oct. issue of SKIING’s “Best Festivals” category.

•Friday Night Quarter Pipe – March 13, 2009. Scheduled on Friday the 13th, the quarter-pipe is a high-flying, nighttime freestyle contest where local invited riders and skiers compete for a cash purse of $2,000 to the cheers of a crowd.

•Spring Run-Off – April 11, 2009. Big Sky’s final event of the winter season. The bouncer room is inflated and the DJ spins tracks, the DJ moves up the hill and the skimmers drop in. Nearly 70 competitors attempt to slide across the top of an icy, cold pond and avoid swimming in the frigid water.


Big Sky Ski Resort Statistics
Vertical drop: 4,350 feet
Summit: 11,150 feet
Ski-able Acres: 3,812
Annual Snowfall: 400 inches
Base: 7,500 feet
Lifts: 17
Trails: 150
Longest run: 31,680 feet

Big Sky Winter Activities
•Skiing
•Snowboarding
•Cross Country Skiing
•Sleigh rides
•Snowshoeing
•Snowmobiling
•Yellowstone Park tours

WHISTLER, British Columbia - Dismiss the hyperbole. Whistler doesn't need it this year.

The PEAK-2-PEAK Gondola and the 2010 Olympic Games countdown speak for themselves. Add in the combined value of great deals and the U.S. exchange rate, and the stage is set for an unprecedented winter in British Columbia.

As if Whistler needs anything more to lure people to its slopes. It's already the king of North America, sporting the highest vertical, biggest acreage, most glaciers, tons of glades, a renowned terrain park and the longest winter season in this hemisphere. But with that said, here are the other reasons to haul your skis to Canada this year:

PEAK-2-PEAK Gondola
This is what everyone is talking about. Two giant mountains - Whistler see more... and Blackcomb mountains - were linked by the PEAK-2-PEAK Gondola on Dec. 12. What does this mean?

"It will change the way people ski Whistler and Blackcomb. With the PEAK-2-PEAK, it will take only 11 minutes to go from the Roundhouse on Whistler to Rendez-Vous on Blackcomb - making it easier to move around the mountains to meet friends or to find fresh powder," said Sébastien Dubois, sales manager at Tourism Whistler.

The size of this world-record-breaking gondola is the first lift of its kind in North America. It spans almost three miles (4.4 kilometers) in total distance from mountain to mountain. The tri-cable gondola boasts the world's longest unsupported span of nearly two miles (3.024 kilometers), as well as the world's highest lift of its kind at 1,427 feet (436 meters) above the valley floor.

Olympic Countdown - Construction is complete!
Get in the Olympic spirit early and experience what the world will see in 2010. If you're worried about wading through any Olympic construction this year, forget about it! It's all done. No closures, no hassles. Both the sliding center and the Whistler Olympic Park are ready to go and are being used this year for many World Cup events.

"I would really encourage the traveler to include some of the World Cup events to their ski holidays if possible," said Dubois. "We are ready for the February 2010 games. Come and experience it first."

Exchange Rate - The US dollar is worth more in Canada
The rates are: $1 USD = $1.22 CAD, which is nearly 25 percent lower than last year. So compared with other U.S. ski resorts, this means that your entire Whistler trip - in a sense - is automatically discounted over 20 percent! Plus, we've also got a bunch of deals with free nights in Whistler. Combined, that's a lot of savings.

Really, there's never been a better time to visit Whistler. Experience the PEAK-2-PEAK, see where the Olympics are heading and do it all for less money. Give us a call at 1-800-976-8016 to book your Whistler vacation today.

2009 World Cup Events:
FIS Nordic Combined World Cup
Jan. 15-18

FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Cup
Jan. 15-18

FIS Ski Jumping World Cup
Jan. 23-24

FIBT Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Cup
Feb. 2-8

FIL Luge World Cup
Feb. 16-22

BU Biathlon World Cup
March 5-8

IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals
March 9-14

IPC Cross-Country and Biathlon World Cup Finals
March 12-15

Whistler Blackcomb Combined Stats:
Average Snowfall: 33.5 feet
Acres: 8,171 acres
Trails: 200
Highest Lift Access: 7,494 feet
Longest Run: 7 miles (11 km)
Vertical Rise: 5,735 feet
Number of Lifts: 38
Hourly Lift Capacity: 65,507 skiers per hour