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World's Largest Ice Rink Now Open In Mexico

December 4, 2008 at 12:17 PM | 0 Comments

For the second year in a row, Mexico City is home to the world's biggest ice rink. Set in the heart of town--in the Zócalo--the ice spans more than 300,000 square feet, making it about 20 times bigger than an NHL hockey rink.

The five-hour opening ceremony Saturday included Mexican pop stars, pro skaters inaugurating the ice and the lighting of Christmas decorations--including a 163-foot tree--in the square. There were even some mountains of snow for kids to enjoy.

While it's not exactly sweltering in Mexico City right now, the weather is far from frightful: Highs above 70 are forecast for this weekend. The rink will be open until January 10, and admission is free.

Related Stories:
· Mexico City Opens World's Largest Ice Rink [EFE, via MarketWatch]
· Where to Ice Skate... In Mexico City? [Jaunted]

[Photo of the 2007 fun: El Fotopakismo]

Advertisers Heating Up Chicago, We Don't Mind

December 2, 2008 at 10:05 AM | 2 Comments

Except in a few forward-thinking cities, advertising eyesores are as much a part of the urban fabric as cabs and skyscrapers. But we'd be happy to tolerate the newest marketing in Chicago, where today's high is forecast to be 34: Stove Top Stuffing will be blasting hot air into 10 bus shelters until the end of the month.

Kraft, the company that makes Stove Top, has hired the advertising agency that controls bus stops in the city to add heat-channeling metal plates to the roofs of shelters in downtown Chicago, though we're still trying to figure out exactly where all the hot spots are. (At least a couple are along Michigan Avenue and along State Street.)

The idea behind the so-called experiential ads is that you'll feel warm and fuzzy when waiting for your bus, just like you do when you're gobbling down holiday fixin's. Kraft also plans to hand out sample size cups of stuffing this month to drive home the connection. Whatever: We're just trying to warm up, thanks!

Related Stories:
· Hot Food, and Air, at Bus Stops [NYT]
· Three Is a Trend: Billboard-Free Cities [Jaunted]

[Photo: arekd]

Praying For Snow Proven Effective As Another Resort Opens

November 6, 2008 at 11:30 AM | 0 Comments

We already know how things are going in Colorado, and apparently our snow dance has worked. Snowbird Resort in Utah is set to open up the lifts tomorrow. They’ve already had three feet of snow this month and, with the help of a little grooming, they're ready to go.

The main tram as well as the Gadzoom and Mid-Gad lifts will be working out the kinks beginning at 9 am. This is the second-earliest opening in the mountain’s history, and Snowbird appears to be offering a better experience than some of the more forced openings at other mountains.

Even though it’s early in the season, an all-day lift ticket is still going to set you back $62. At least you’ll be enjoying the snow instead of shoveling it off the driveway.

Related Stories:
· Snowbird Opens for Skiing Friday [Salt Lake Tribune]
· Snowbird Resort [Official Site]
· Skiing coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: vice48sr5005]

VIA Rail Canada's Enticing Winter Fare Sale

November 5, 2008 at 12:00 PM | 0 Comments

America isn't the only country where an extended train trip can help you recapture "the pleasure of simply moving." VIA Rail Canada, that country's answer to Amtrak, has just announced it's halving fares on its Toronto-Jasper-Vancouver Canadian as long as you leave before January 6.

How swanky are these trains?

The promotion is valid in all classes of service, including Silver & Blue, the Canadian’s premier class of service with cozy, comfortable sleeping compartments complete with duvet bedding and regional Canadian cuisine--included in the ticket price--served in an elegant dining car. Customers traveling on the Canadian train also enjoy exclusive access to a domed observation car featuring 360-degree panoramic viewing of the impressive passing landscape.

A three-day trip with a multi-night stopover permitted--in case you want to stretch the legs for a night in Jasper, say--starts at C$1,048 ($910) one-way, including taxes. That may seem like a lot, but if you figure the cost of three hotel nights, nine meals and all-day entertainment for your whole trip, it starts to look like a bargain. You'll need to book by December 11 to lock in the lower rate.

Ever taken this trip or a different VIA Rail ride? How was it?

Related Stories:
· VIA Rail Canada's Long Haul Deals [Official Site]
· Fifteen Hours on Amtrak: Our Recession Confession [Jaunted]

[Photo: abdallahh]

Bring On The Snow

October 31, 2008 at 2:30 PM | 0 Comments

Time to put fall festivals and Halloween to bed. Screw the cornucopias, pumpkins and earth tones--let's carve through the white stuff!

Just a quick ride from Denver, Loveland Ski Area kicked off the season in late September by firing up the snow making guns. A little warm spell in early October slowed them down, but the weather lately has been wintry, and they've got one lift running and three beginner trails where you can shake out the off-season.

Only about ten minutes away, machine-made groomed snow is also what's available at Arapahoe Basin. They only have a sliver of the action open so far, but one lift is running and there are a couple trails to navigate. Conditions may not be ideal, but where else can you find a resort that's open from October until early June? We'll regret saying this later, but winter can't come soon enough!

Related Stories:
· Loveland Ski Area [Official Site]
· Arapahoe Basin Ski Area [Official Site]
· Skiing coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of Loveland: andrewparnell]

Outdoor Stadium Hockey Coming To Chicago

October 31, 2008 at 10:05 AM | 0 Comments

The end of the World Series always marks a tough time for American sports fans, with baseball over, football not entirely interesting yet and basketball and hockey barely getting started.

But there's one upcoming event this winter that any sports fan should be able to appreciate: The NHL Winter Classic. Held on New Year's Day, it pits two of hockey's greatest rivals, playing outdoors, in a baseball stadium, in the middle of winter. Now there's a sporting event only America could be crazy enough to dream up.

The game, which began as an experiment last year, when Buffalo hosted Pittsburgh at Ralph Wilson Stadium, will move to a (slightly) less snowy environment, with Chicago's Wrigley Field getting made over into an ice rink; the Chicago Blackhawks will host the Detroit Redwings. Pack a coat!

Related Stories:
· NHL Winter Classic [Official Site]
· Philly Announces World Series Victory Parade [Jaunted]
· Sports Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Wikimedia]

New York Breaks Out the Zambonis

October 23, 2008 at 1:16 PM | 0 Comments

Hey, speaking of Zambonis, New York's Wollman Rink opened today. Most recently the site of David Blaine's hang-upside-down "trick," it's probably the city's second-most famous skating venue.

The ice at Rockefeller Center is already open, though we tend to avoid it thanks to the public humiliation potential of wiping out in front of busloads of European tourists. Bryant Park is scheduled to open its rink tomorrow; admission is free but skate rental runs $12 a pair.

We'd rather lace up our blades at Lasker Rink on the north end of Central Park, where the scene is a bit more calm. Also worth checking out next month is the new rink the American Museum of Natural History is setting up behind its HQ on Central Park West.

Related Stories:
· Today in NY: Central Park Skating [NewYorkology]
· Museum of Natural History Opening Rink [NY1]
· Where to Skate in Manhattan [Jaunted]

[Photo: pbb]

Warm up for Winter Travel: Touch Screen Gloves

September 18, 2008 at 1:35 PM | 0 Comments

Heads up, iPhone lovers. Winter is coming soon in the Northern Hemisphere, and you need to remember two things: You'll want to stay warm, and you'll want to figure out a way to keep using your touch screen gadget as much as humanly possible.

Dots Gloves will help to enable your tech habit when the cold weather hits. These hand protectors come in two warm fabrics and have tiny metal dots on the fingertips that keep you in contact with your touchscreen.

Don't worry, the dots are ice-smooth and won't scratch the screen. A simple add on yes, but a very cool design innovation.

Related Stories:
· Touch Screen Friendly Gloves [Core 77]
· Dots Gloves [Official Site]
· Winter Travel coverage [Jaunted]

Winter in July: Ride a Suitcase at the Queenstown Festival

July 1, 2008 at 9:15 AM | 0 Comments

Down in New Zealand the Queenstown Winter Festival is on again, with ten days of craziness to mark the start of the winter ski season in the southern hemisphere.

Our favorite part of the festival is Mountain Mayhem day on Saturday. All kinds of weird stuff happens here, including the Dash for Cash which involves a ski race and an obstacle course in pursuit of a $500 prize.

But the best part of the day is the Suitcase Race, in which contestants toboggan down the mountain on suitcases. The rules say you should bring your own suitcase, although they apparently do have a few spares if, say, you're traveling with a lightweight backpack that might not make it down the mountain.

Related Stories:
· Queenstown Winter Festival [Official Site]
· Mountain Mayhem as Queenstown Gets Piste [news.com.au]
· Good News for Lovers of Winter [Jaunted]

[Photo: Str1ke]

What Will You Break on a Ski Break?

March 11, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments

Skiing might sound like an invigorating winter vacation pastime, but some think it's got a dangerous side. Judging by the photos in a Times report out of the UK over the weekend, it's true. They put together a special about ski breaks of a different sort: those in holidaymakers bones.

As well as showing a neat collection of x-rays, the newspaper drew on the info at a website called ski-injury.com, which collates data about ski accidents in Scotland. What worried us the most was that it's not those risk-taking advanced skiers that are most likely to break a bone--it's beginners.

For skiers, the most common damage to do to yourself is injuring a knee, with the head and shoulders also taking a beating. Snowboarders face different dangers, with 25 percent of their injuries being to wrists.

On an across-the-world basis, winter sport enthusiasts will be happy to hear that skiing and snowboarding are really relatively safe. A skier would have to ride for around 1,000 days--nearly three years non-stop--to guarantee an injury, and snowboarders--depending on whose stats you believe--can go 500 days between incidents. The good news is that whichever stats you manipulate, it sure ain't as dangerous as Mom said, so get out there and hit the slopes.

Related Stories:
· Ski Breaks: The X-Ray Stories [UK Times]
· Skiing coverage [Jaunted]
· Ski Areas Near Airports Map [Jaunted]

[Photo: gojumeister]

Svalbard Prepping for Fun in the Sun

March 3, 2008 at 11:38 AM | 0 Comments

Last summer, we tracked down Svalbard, Norway, "The North Pole's nearest neighbor." But you've probably been putting your trip north of the Arctic Circle off, since there's literally no sunlight up there all winter long. But that'll change on March 8, when the sun will rise over the islands for the first time since October.

Glacier tours and cruises are the things to do around Svalbard. Arctic Adventures can hook you up with a trip into the wild. You can do a bit of movie set travel too, as "The Golden Compass" was filmed around the islands.

Svalbard is also home to that doomsday seed vault that's been all over the news lately. It's not exactly a tourist destination, but we've embedded a map with its coordinates after the jump, if you wanna check it out.

more ›

Near-Record Snowfall at Tahoe

February 26, 2008 at 10:00 AM | 0 Comments

We really like skiing and boarding. But that doesn't mean we want to spend our whole vacation just getting to the mountain. Our Ski Areas Near Airports Map will help you maximize your time on the slopes.

While the rest of the country slogs its way through a long and merciless winter, Lake Tahoe's ski resorts are getting pounded with near-record snowfall. Weekend storms dumped an extra three feet of fresh powder on top of an already high base level--over 12 feet at some spots!

Spring skiing has always been popular at Tahoe, and every year some lifts stay open until May despite balmy temperatures. With the snowpack at the highest its been in decades and La Nina likely to bring abnormally cooler weather, this year looks to be even better.

The North Lake Tahoe Express will get you from the airport to the slopes in about an hour, so those looking for a quick weekend jaunt need not involve an automobile; it'll keep your carbon footprint small, too. Then again, with snow like this, we 're starting to wonder what the hell Al Gore was so worried about.

Related Stories:
· Lake Tahoe Snow Conditions [Official Site]
· Easy-to-Reach Skiing: Squaw Valley [Jaunted]
· Easy-to-Reach Skiing: Northstar-at-Tahoe [Jaunted]
· Skiing coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Telstar Logistics]