Travel industry buzz and trends point to immersion in innovative local experiences. Apparently what bed and breakfasts have done for years - offering personalized concierge service that makes you feel like an area insider - is now the hot commodity in hospitality today. Want to stay ahead of the curve? Here are a few ways innkeepers continue to up the ante.
Lodge at Moosehead Lake, Greenville, ME/Robert Neebe
Lifestyle-oriented excursions. From outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers to artistic types and fans of other-worldly experiences, B&B's offer amenities that help you choose your adventure by catering to your passions. Dive into a white water rafting adventure on the American River in spectacular Northern California's Gold Country, which surrounds Eden Vale Inn in Placerville, CA. The inn will set you up with one of the many reputable rafting companies in the Coloma Valley. They offer a variety of trips for all experience levels, plus half-day or whole-day excursions based on your interests and abilities. Packages include an experienced rafting guide, rafting and safety equipment rental. When you stay two or more nights, you save 10% off your rafting package. (Must reserve at least 48 hours in advance.) Answer the call of the wild at Lodge at Moosehead Lake in Greenville, ME and spend a full afternoon with your own private Registered Maine guide. This eight-hour exploration leaves mid-day, and guests travel by vehicle to private and remote locations or include canoeing and/or hiking to areas frequented by the region's famous moose as well as other animals, terrain, rivers, lakes, flora, and natural grandeur. Enjoy dinner prepared over an open fire or camp stove. The package also includes a two-night stay in a Lodge room, two-course breakfast every morning, and North Woods animal checklist. (Available May - October.)
Channel your inner Ansel Adams via smartphone with a photo safari tour on Cape Cod at Woods Hole Inn in Woods Hole, MA. This one-hour walk is designed to help you take your photography to the next level while exploring the beautiful vistas and light of Woods Hole. Drawbridges, lighthouses, boat-filled harbors, and secret beaches await you. This package also includes two nights at the inn, a copy of "Lighthouses of Martha's Vineyard" as a keepsake, and all the tips you need to make your iPhoneography picture-perfect. (You can also use your SLR if you prefer.) If the paranormal intrigues you, check into 1851 Historic Maple Hill Manor B&B in Springfield, KY during October where annual ghost retreats are held during the weekends and include a ghost trek, ghost stories and dessert, paranormal team presentation, ghost investigation, tarot card and psychic readings, a cemetery tour, two breakfasts, and a pizza party. Other opportunities to connect with unknown apparitions are available year-round as well.
Arsenic & Old Lace B&B, Eureka Springs, AR/Jumping Rocks Photography
Amenities targeting your wants and needs. Yup, at B&B's it's all about you. Whether traveling with friends, family, or that special someone, inns offer incentives designed with you in mind. Guys can bond over craft beer brewing with a mancation package from the A G Thomson House Bed and Breakfast in Duluth, MN. The inn can arrange the "Duluth Experience" for your entourage that includes a behind-the-scenes tour of four different breweries where you'll meet brewers, learn how their systems work, sample their beer, and make a personal connection with the North Shore Craft Beer Scene. Travel aboard a 14-passenger bus and also enjoy an incredible meal at a locally owned restaurant. Ladies can gather their girlfriends and unwind by rejuvenating in the pool or hot tub and catching up on a girlfriends' getaway at Adobe Rose Inn in Tucson, AZ. The inn features -just for girlfriends - hors d'oeurves and a glass of complimentary champagne when guests arrive between 4 and 6PM. In the morning enjoy an amazing gourmet breakfast, which caters to all dietary needs. The inn will make reservations for dinner or arrange to have dinner delivered to your door.
Families can focus on fun at The Spencer Hotel in Chautauqua, NY. This historic inn provides a relaxing and memorable experience for every member of the family. Activities include hiking, horseback riding, biking, ice skating, sailing or ice fishing (weather dependent), art galleries, scenic drives and boat rides, and swimming. They also specialize in winery tours for adults (there are over 30 wineries in the region!) or visits for all ages to The Lucy - Desi Museum, The Roger Tory Peterson Institute, and The Robert H. Jackson Center. Accommodations are an education for every guest as they are literary-themed: each named for famous authors and include copies of their work. Couples in the mood for love will relish a romantic weekend away at Arsenic & Old Lace B&B in Eureka Springs, AR, complete with a two-night stay, gourmet chocolates in your room at check-in, gourmet breakfast each morning, homemade sweet treats daily, a bottle of champagne or sparkling cider, two signature champagne flutes, a set of the inn's luxurious sheets, a one-hour massage for two, and a $65 dinner voucher for 2 at one of six of Eureka's finest restaurants.
Inspired to make time for you to live your dream or to create one? If so, there is an innkeeper ready, willing, and able to help with a unique local experience.
To find your can't-miss trip, head to the BnBFinder Specials page. You can search by state or category, so finding your perfect inn is easy.
Be sure to tune in next month for more unique local experiences including food and beverage finds that will blow your mind and destinations that become a journey.