Going places: U.S. travel industry re-emerges with focus on well-being

Karen Rubin
The Breakers, Vanderbilt’s summer “cottage,” is one of the Newport Mansions that is reopening to visitors with new health protocols. The Newport Mansions, a window into the Gilded Age, are must-sees when visiting Newport, Rhode Island © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

By Karen Rubin
Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

Like flowers that bud in spring and just in time to lock in your summer vacation, resorts, attractions and tour companies are beginning to reopen after mandatory lockdowns with scrupulous health and well-being measures and protocols. Here’s a sampling of reopenings that give some sense of what will likely be in full swing by July and the protocols that will likely be in place at hotels, resorts, attractions and tours:

Topnotch Resort, Stowe, Vt., Reopens

Topnotch Resort in Stowe, Vt. is accepting reservations for guests from outside of Vermont starting June 15.

The 120-acre, 68-room property with expansive views of Mount Mansfield will resume operations of its on-property amenities, while following all required health and safety protocols as directed by the CDC, the state of Vermont, and the American Hotel and Lodging Association. Resort guests will have access to the outdoor pool as well as the outdoor tennis facilities, on-property hiking trails, and direct access to the Stowe recreation path.

Additional amenities and guest services will resume on a gradual basis throughout June, including indoor fitness, the indoor pool, additional spa services, and food and beverage operations in The Roost Restaurant.

The Spa at Topnotch has reopened for guests in need of a post-lockdown haircut, color and/or style, manicure or pedicure. Reservations must be made in advance either online or by calling (802) 253-6463. Massage services and indoor fitness are resuming June 18.

Tennis at Topnotch has resumed for outdoor play. Pros are available for private and semi-private lessons. Reservations must be made in advance by emailing tennis@topnotch.com or calling (802) 253-6463.

The Roost Restaurant is resuming operations June 18 for Thursday-Sunday dining with take-out service and outdoor seating. The restaurant will feature breakfast daily and an all-day menu with The Roost favorites, including Smoked Duck Flatbread and the Roost Burger, as well as special dinner options. Indoor service will resume in July, pending state guidance.

Mountain Ops Outdoor Gear, located on property, will clean, disinfect and deliver any rental equipment guests may need during their stay, from fishing poles and bait to mountain bikes and helmets.

For more information, call 800-451-8686 or visit www.topnotchresort.com

Southampton Inn Reopens for Long Island Beach Vacation

The Southampton Inn, on the East End of Long Island, is welcoming guests with all the amenities of a Hamptons beach vacation:

Coopers Beach is open and available for Southampton Inn guests to use. While there is no day parking this year (to prevent the beaches from becoming too crowded), the inn is running its polka-dotted shuttle van, bikes will be rented as usual, and the walk is just over one mile to the No. 1 rated “Best Beach.”  You can pick up [sanitized] beach chairs, umbrellas and towels at the front desk.

The swimming pool is now open to guests of the Southampton Inn. As with so many protocol changes for this year, there is a limit of 10 people at a time in the pool. Lounge chairs and umbrellas are set up on the lawns outside the pool gates for safe distancing and relaxation. Pool towels are available at the pool to cover the chairs and, yes, they are sanitized frequently between guests.

Restaurants are now opening in Phase 2! Within Southampton Village and while maintaining distancing, restaurants will be able to offer outside dining. We are very much looking forward to this…

Claude’s is presenting its Great American Picnic with outside dining spots on the pool patio, lawns, ballroom or enjoy a picnic in the parks, at the beach, or in your guest room.

Shopping: The boutiques in Southampton Village are opening and likely include sidewalk shopping for comfort, safety and fun. Many stores will have hand sanitizer, most are requiring masks.

Historic Southampton Village: Explore local history like the natives, see
buildings built during the 1600s, 1700s.

Nature Trails: Go off the beaten path by exploring Southampton’s pristine nature preserves like Wolf Hollow Swamp, Emma Rose Elliston Park and Tuckahoe Woods Preserve.

Pets: A limited number of rooms are pet friendly and must be reserved in advance (pet fee).

Classic, unassuming and utterly charming, the Southampton Inn is set on five acres and offers the personal attention of a bed & breakfast with the services of a hotel. The 90-guest rooms are outfitted with refrigerators, and complimentary WiFi. The grounds consist of several acres of manicured lawns and gardens, with 50-foot heated outdoor pool, all-weather tennis court, croquet and volleyball, Game Room for all ages, and Claude’s Restaurant.

Southampton Inn & Claude’s Restaurant, 91 Hill Street, Southampton, NY 11968, 631-283-6500, reservations@southhamptoninn.com, https://southamptoninn.com/

Famed Newport Mansions, The Breakers, The Elms Reopen with Health Precautions

NEWPORT, R.I. – The Preservation Society of Newport County has received final state approval to reopen the Newport Mansions to visitors under strict health precautions.
The Breakers is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day with the last tour admission at 5 p.m.
The Elms is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day with a final tour admission at 4 p.m. The Servant Life Tour will be available during that same time.

“By reopening The Breakers and The Elms, we will bring in revenue we need to survive, and our visitors will help to jump-start Newport’s economy and support local businesses,” said Trudy Coxe, executive director and CEO of the Preservation Society. “With so many events canceled this summer, the economic stimulus of the Newport Mansions on the city and the state will be greater than ever.”

The Preservation Society hopes to reopen Marble House (one of my favorites among the Newport Mansions) and Rosecliff later in the season.

The Preservation Society has prepared the following measures to help protect the health and safety of visitors:

• Audio tour equipment will no longer be distributed. Audio tours of The Elms or The Breakers can be downloaded onto smartphones and visitors can use their own earbuds to listen. The download is free and available through the Newport Mansions app.
• Tickets will be sold only online at NewportMansions.org. Ticket buyers can download and print their ticket at home or show their ticket on their smartphone when they arrive on site. Tickets will be for a specific day and time. Visitors will get to choose when they prefer to visit, subject to availability.
• Preservation Society members will continue to enjoy free admission but must make reservations through NewportMansions.org using their email address and ZIP code.
• A limited number of visitors will be allowed in each house at one time, as determined by state COVID-19 regulations. Staff members will wear face masks and guests will be required to wear masks, too.
• As always, guests will not be allowed to touch any objects or surfaces inside the house except as necessary, such as stair handrails. Staff will wipe down the handrails and any other surfaces visitors might touch throughout the day.
• Restroom attendants will make sure the number of people in each bathroom does not exceed the limit and will clean throughout the day.
• Visitors will be required to maintain a safe distance from each other. Lines on the floors of some rooms will show visitors where to stand until the next spot is available. All tours will be one-directional.
• Because the elevators in The Breakers and The Elms, which require a staff operator, are too small to accommodate people while practicing social distancing, they will not be in operation during the initial phase of reopening.
• The Preservation Society is also working with state officials to devise a plan so guests can purchase sandwiches and snacks from the Welcome Center at The Breakers and enjoy seating on the lawn.

The Preservation Society, which owns and operates 11 historic properties, hosted more than 1 million tours for the fourth straight year in 2019; in July, it delivered the 40 millionth tour since the organization’s founding in 1945.

The Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2020, is a nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes, decorative arts and social history. Its 11 historic properties – seven of them National Historic Landmarks – span more than 250 years of American architectural and social development.

For more information, visit NewportMansions.org.

Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society Reopens

Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society has reopened for visits daily from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (last ticket sale is at 4:15 p.m.) and will be operating normally with a few notable exceptions:

• Capacity will be limited and carefully monitored to allow for physical distancing.
• All visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance at palmbeachzoo.org.
• A one-way path will be designated throughout the Zoo in the Florida Wetlands, Tropics of the Americas and The Islands.
• Certain exhibits will be closed or roped off including the carousel, train, observatory, cafe, aviary, butterfly garden and bronze statues.
• Food service is available at the concessions window and kiosks in Fountain Plaza.
• Hand-sanitizer stations will be available throughout the Zoo.
• Animal talks and animal experiences will not take place at this time.
• Strollers and wheelchair rentals are not available and guests are encouraged to bring their own.
• Guests to the zoo are asked to refrain from visiting if they are in a high-risk category for COVID-19 complications, are not feeling well or have a fever. Guests are also highly encouraged to wear masks, utilize hand-sanitizing stations, and maintain a six-foot distance from other groups.

It is particularly exciting time to visit because in May, Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society announced that beloved Malayan tiger Api gave birth to three healthy cubs. Api and her mate Kadar, are part of the Association of Zoo and Aquarium’s (AZA’s) Malayan Tiger Species Survival Plan® (SSP). The SSP® is a cooperative reproduction program that serves as an important backup population for critically endangered Malayan tigers in the wild.

“This is a tremendous milestone for Api, Kadar, Palm Beach Zoo and the Malayan tiger subspecies. It is cause for a global celebration,” said Margo McKnight, president and CEO of Palm Beach Zoo. “Malayan tigers are critically endangered and number fewer than 200 in the wild. Having a secure backup population at AZA institutions like ours may be the only safeguard for the future of these magnificent creatures.”

A critically endangered status means Malayan tigers will go extinct in the near future if illegal hunting and habitat destruction are not curtailed. Tigers at Palm Beach Zoo also have an important role to play as ambassadors for the greater tiger species. “The tigers inspire the zoo’s visitors to act on behalf of wildlife,” McKnight said.

Tiger cubs are born blind and they don’t gain sight for the first few weeks. They spend the first month or so in the den with their mother and will not venture far for several months. The cubs will be viewable to guests in the Tiger River habitat sponsored by Braman Motorcars in late summer. (Palm Beach Zoo will continue to provide updates on the cubs via their Facebook, Instagram and Youtube channels, @palmbeachzoo).

For more than 50 years, Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society has provided visitors with up-close and personal animal encounters that connect people to wildlife. Palm Beach Zoo guests explore a WILD ecosystem thriving on 23 lush, tropical acres while discovering hundreds of exotic animals. Visitors enjoy interactive animal experiences, nature and water play and a lakeside cafe. Palm Beach Zoo participates in AZA Species Survival Plan® programs, ensuring healthy animal populations for rare and endangered species. The impact of a visit to Palm Beach Zoo extends beyond the gates, inspiring people to take action and save wildlife in wild places.

For more information, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org.

Western River Expeditions Re-opens with Limited Availability on Previously Sold-Out 2020 Grand Canyon Rafting Trips

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – With the official announcement from Grand Canyon authorities that river operations will again resume June 14, many are looking to get a spot on an epic outdoor adventure this summer.

Snagging seats on 2020 Grand Canyon rafting trips was impossible just a few months ago. However, pandemic-driven cancellations by international travelers has opened up seats for some of Western River Expeditions’ 2020 departures.

“Select departures June through September of 2020 now have limited availability,” said Brandon Lake, company CMO. “Normally last-minute inquiries would be directed to 2021 or even 2022 selections. This is an incredible opportunity for those who are making last-minute plans and feel like an outdoor adventure may be the best choice for a summer adventure this year.”

Vacations that embrace fresh air and the healing powers of nature can work wonders on pandemic-driven nerves. “On these iconic expeditions our guests immerse themselves in a remote world that provides a much-needed escape from civilization,” explains Lake. “A trip through the Grand Canyon becomes not only a celebration of the river and its untamed surroundings, but of life, providing a way to reconnect and refresh.”

Western River Expeditions’ 6 or 7 Day Grand Canyon Rafting Vacation carries guests 188 river miles in custom-designed J-Rig rafts, maneuvering Class III-V rapids and each day descending deeper into geologic time, before a helicopter transports them back to the rim.

Their Grand Canyon 4 Day River & Ranch Tour and Grand Canyon 3 Day Lower Canyon Trip brings visitors down 100 river miles over Class II and III rapids. But first there’s a scenic helicopter ride to access the put-in. Guests on the 4-Day tour enjoy a pre-excursion overnight at Bar 10 Ranch on the North Rim of the Canyon, complete with horseback riding and optional ATV adventures.

Western River Expeditions has operated five-star-quality river rafting vacations for nearly 60 years. This year they are also applying their decades of professionalism to pandemic-related challenges. (For more details on Western River Expeditions’ protocols see https://www.westernriver.com/covid-19.)

Contact Western River Expeditions: 866-904-1160 (Local: 801-942-6669) or visit https://www.westernriver.com/.

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