Tag: Gondola

Tremblant In Canada

Tremblant is based in Canada and has over 90 runs servicing millions of skiers each year. With 13 state-of-the-art ski lifts and a selection of choices for both snowboarders and skiers Tremblant attained its reputation through daring, varied runs catering for a selection of abilities and preferences. With its longest run being 6km long, you cannot help but picture Tremblant as the skiing capital of Canada.

Tremblant has also recently had 18 acres of quality, freestyle snowboarding playground custom built. With jumps, rails, ramps and half-pipes those who are familiar with this should be sure to check it out should the visit. With 94 slaloms, the Tremblant management team have been sure to cater for all levels with 31 intermediate slopes, 17 slopes for novices and mountains worth of expert, countered terrain.

Standing 870 metres tall, and with snowboarding and skiing facilities on all four faces, it is no wonder the 628 acre facility is considered the home to Skiing in the area. The facility allows for natural snow between November and April however this does not set anyone back for the other months of the year. The revolutionary Avalanche system actually turns water into snow in an instant.

So how does the system work? In Tremblant there are 885 guns, that spray a cooling gassy chemical onto the snow and the coverage is able to not only turn water into snow in minutes, but also maintain organic snow forever. The amazing system ensures that the temperature is just right: not turning the snow to ice. The revolutionary system is also used to alter the temperature of snow for big events, however its main advantage is 365 day snow, for the people of Tremblant.

The Tremblant Lift system can carry over 27,000 snowboarders and skiers per hour, whilst the Gondola and quads also aid the in the massive effort of lifting millions of people up the mountain each day.

For those of you who get hungry there are also great accessible eateries available at the top of the 870 metre mountain. Whilst most holiday makers will experience the Tremblant as experienced skiers, there are also many options available to the beginners and intermediates choosing to visit Tremblant. With over 40 beginner slopes and over 50 multi-lingual skiing instructors you really have to visit Tremblant to understand its sheer scale. Learning to ski in Tremblant is not only a great idea because of the experience of the instructors, but also because your choices are not restricted at all.

During my first visit to Tremblant I was a keen skier but I had never had the opportunity to snowboard before. During my time in Tremblant I was taught how to snowboard in one day, and by the end of the vacation I was able to attempt challenging runs on the intermediate circuits. Although my experience in skiing was helpful, I felt a lot of this came down to the dexterity of the instructors.

The accommodation in Tremblant is amazing, with 6 hotels all with excellent service and offering amazing luxury to their guests. In a hotel, where you see amazing views onto the massive mountain, you also see firework displays that they put on for the tourists each evening. In case that puts you off, I was assured the fireworks do not make any noise, apart from at the weekends. The amazing Tremblant skiing resort has never hosted a large event, and is firmly known for its ability to cater for tourists, however that has not stopped it, in its quest to host the 2009 open. Having placed a bid, we can all wait and see if Tremblant is successful.

Ski Press Weekly voted Tremlant the best skiing facility for tourists in North America and this is hardly a surprise. With accessible pricing, a massive selection of runs and a lift that can carry over 25,000 people an hour it is hardly surprising.

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Spending Your Lake Tahoe Vacation in the Northstar Resort

If you are planning to spend a Lake Tahoe vacation with your family, there are many places to choose from and one of these which happen to be by the slopes is Northstar Resort.

Northstar Resort boasts that it has a lot to offer to its guests. Depending on your budget, you can stay in a hotel room, a family friendly condominium or a 5 star bedroom mountain home.

Just six miles from the lake itself, you can go from one side of the mountain to the other by riding one of the lifts. The resort has a total of 16 lifts. There is the express gondola, quad chairlift, triple chairlift, double chairlift, surface lift and the magic carpet. While the rates of the lifts vary, you can get discount coupons so you dont have to pay the full amount.

One of the most popular activities that people do up here is skiing and you can do that over a 40 kilometer scenic trail. You can rent equipment if you did not bring your own and even sign up for a lesson if you want to learn how to do it.

A lot of people who were surveyed have said that skiing in Northstar is the best because the backside has plenty of challenging blacks, while the front side is well-protected from the wind. While other ski resorts in the area may have to close due to bad weather, surprisingly this place is still open.

If you dont want to ski, you can try some other activities like snowboarding, tubing, geocaching, joining a mountain tour and a lot more. For those who want to be alone, they can go for a hike as there are over 70 hiking trails to choose from.

When you get hungry, there are dining facilities and restaurants nearby so you dont have to go very far. These restaurants are namely Martis Valley Grille, True North, Chilly Peppers Cantina, The Lodge at Big Springs and the Summit Deck Grille. Here, you can have something as simple as a burger or hotdog to something juicier like a well done steak.

For those who want to warm themselves up, they can drink some free wine as there is a tasting activity done every Saturday during the winter season served with some appetizers.

The Northstar Resort is open all year round so you can come here anytime you want. In fact, some people dont just come here to relax but also to have special events like anniversaries, conferences, seminars, trainings and weddings.

If you want to know more about what Northstar has to offer, check out their website. If what you see is worth seeing for yourself, you can let your travel agent make a reservation or do this on our own.

A Lake Tahoe vacation is truly something you should try out with your entire family. While some can drive there, there is an airport nearby and a shuttle waiting once you get off the plane.

If you look at the rates posted on their various services, the price difference is not that far during the regular season and the peak season. In most cases, the rate is the same or it is higher by only $2. So what are you waiting for? Make Lake Tahoe vacation the next place to visit this holiday season.

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Visiting Venice for your Italy Vacation

If you go on a vacation in Italy it is almost necessary that you visit Venice. Everyone who has ever been to Italy has an almost classic picture of them in a “vaporetti” or a “gondola” with a canal for a backdrop. This famous Italian city found in the north is also sometimes known as the city of water, the city of bridges and the city of lights. Vaporetti are motorized buses used by Venetians for transportation around the city’s canals while the gondola is a Venetian boat that is now used mostly by tourists and sometimes for weddings or funerals. The city is made up of several small islands, 118 to be exact hence the need for water transportation and the many bridges.

There are 150 canals and 400 bridges. There are also several art galleries and all together these make for an exciting experience when you are on an Italy vacation.

You can get a Venice card which allows you free access for seven days into the museums and casinos. You will also get free waterbus or vaporetti services plus a free boat trip from the airport with this card. The airport in Venice is on the main land and is newly renovated. You can go to the train station from here to get to other parts of Venice. If you are driving on your Italy vacation you can also get to Venice by car but you will need to take a Ferry boat. The least expensive garage in Venice is the Tronchetta garage so you can park there and take a public boat or hire a private water taxi which can be expensive. You will be able to get one way vaporetti tickets, all day passes or if you are spending more time here for your Italy vacation you could also get a 72 hour pass.

If you are in Venice you must tour the city by a gondola. There are several tours available. For something really different during your Italy vacation in Venice and if you are really in the mood for it, perhaps you can even take what is called a serenade tour. The tour is accompanied by a singer (usually a baritone) and a guitarist or someone playing the accordion. Several of these tours leave from piers near hotels in Venice. Your trip will probably be a little under an hour and you may see landmarks such as the Church of Santa Maria Formosa and the Bridge of Sighs.

This bridge received it name because it is said that prisoners would get their last view of the City of Venice from here when on their way to confinement. If you are in Venice for your Italy vacation with a significant other make sure you take a gondola trip that will be going under this bridge under sunset. Legend says that lovers will be assured eternal love if they kiss under this bridge at sunset.

Venice is usually crowded with tourists in the summer months so if you can, visit during the off season. Or you can simply opt for a private gondola tour which may be more expensive but will be away from all the crowds.

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