With the holiday eating spree just about over, it`s time to think about another yearly ritual–maybe it`s even a New Year`s resolution? We`re talking about going on a diet.
If this fits into your plans, there are plenty of places that want to see you. One is The Spa at Fontainebleau Hilton Resort in Miami Beach. You have your pick of two kinds of spa packages there.
A three-day/two-night ”spa refresher” package includes an oceanview room, a fitness consultation with an exercise physiologist, a personal workout, two mineral baths, two half-hour massages, one herbal wrap and unlimited fitness classes. Participants also get use of the spa`s facilities
–steam, sauna, solarium, jacuzzi and Nautilus equipment. Price is $249 a person, double occupancy.
The ”health and beauty spa week” is a seven-day/six-night package and features an oceanview room and personal fitness consultation with an excercise physiologist and a supervised workout. Other features include massages, mineral baths, an herbal wrap, a manicure and pedicure, cosmetic makeover and use of the spa`s facilities. Cost is $575 a person, double occupancy.
Air fare to Miami is not included. For more information, contact The Spa at Fontainebleau Hilton Resort, 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, Fla. 33140, 305-538-7600.
SKINNY SKIS
Here`s a trip guaranteed to burn off the calories: a ski trek to Lapland. It`s one of many cross-country ski adventures available from Worldwide Nordic USA in Hartland, Wis.
The Lapland trip is designed for skiers at the intermediate or advanced level. A maximum of six people will take the trip and stay in log cabins or campsites. The trip departs New York via Finnair on March 28 and returns April 10. Cost is $1,949 (per person, double occupancy) from New York. Air fare to New York is not included.
Other skinny ski adventures include trips to Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Japan and Russia.
For more information, contact Worldwide Nordic USA, P.O. Box 185, Hartland, Wis. 53029, 414-367-7227.
REINDEER SAFARI
A less physically demanding trip to Lapland comes from Holiday Tours of America. It`s a reindeer safari. That`s right. You`re pulled along in your own sleigh through Lapland`s forests and fells (hills) by a reindeer.
At some point during the trip, you can take a test to get your reindeer
”driver`s license” and have a go at the reins. At various junctions you`ll also get a chance to do some cross-country skiing.
Guests stay in log cabins in Holiday Village in Kakslauttanen, near the Urho Kekkonen National Park above the Arctic Circle. A genuine Lapp dinner in a Lapp teepee is also on the agenda.
The seven-day/six-night trip departs from New York and heads to Helsinki for an overnight stay before flying to Ivalo, 185 miles above the Arctic Circle.
Price is $1,590 a person, double occupancy. The cost includes the round-trip trans-Atlantic flight and domestic Finland flights to and from Lapland. Single supplement is $175.
Tour dates are Jan. 25-31, Feb. 15-21, March 8-14, 15-21 and 22-28 and March 29-April 4, April 5-11 and 12-18.
For more information, contact Holiday Tours of America, 40 E. 49th St., New York, N.Y. 10017, 800-223-0567.
FRENCH B&BS
France has joined the ranks of countries with bed and breakfast accommodations. More than 1,500 guest rooms are available–including about 250 in Paris–through The French Experience and Cafe-Couette (translation: coffee and quilt). Not all hosts speak English.
Guests might stay in a room in a private chateau or in a villa with a private pool or in a chalet near a ski area. Many accommodations are available in popular vacation spots such as Provence, Brittany, the Riviera, Dordogne and the Loire Valley.
Prices, which include daily continental breakfast, are $19.50-$39, a person double occupancy. Single occupany rates start at $26 a night.
For more information, contact The French Experience, Suite 1505, 171 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016, 212-683-2445. The company also handles the Gite program for rental homes in France. A catalogue is $5.
EUROPEAN TRAINS
If you`re planning a trip to Europe and you`re trying to save money, the Eurailpass might be the way to go. Just published is a handy–and free–12-page pocket-size brochure about the 16-country Eurail system.
The brochure, ”See Europe by Train–Eurail `87,” details travel possibilities on the 100,000 miles of rails in countries such as Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Switzerland.
Complementing the rail system is Europabus, which offers 46 tours throughout 16 countries.
For a copy of the free rail brochure, write to Eurailpass, P.O. Box 325, Old Greenwich, Conn. 06870-0325. A copy of the Europabus tour program is available through the same office.
SKIER ALERT
Skiers headed to Wisconsin and Michigan can find out ski and snow conditions at the state`s resorts by calling several numbers for the weekly report.
The Wisconsin numbers are 608-266-2161 or 800-ESCAPES. In Chicago, the number is 332-7274.
For ski information about Michigan resorts, call 800-248-5708.
Speaking of skiing, Jan. 9 has been designated at the U.S.`s first free National Learn-to-Ski Day. Ski areas will offer various free ski incentives for beginners.
Those participating in the Chicagoland area are Alpine Valley Resort
(East Troy, Wis.), Americana Ski Area (Lake Geneva, Wis.), Four Lakes Ski Area (Lisle), Holiday Park (Ingleside), Majestic Ski Area (Lake Geneva), Villa Olivia Ski Area (Bartlett) and Wilmot Mountain (Wilmot, Wis.).
FREE FOR THE WRITING
The 1987 Pennsylvania Calendar of Events brochure is available by writing to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Travel Department, 416 Forum Building, Dept. SXD, Harrisburg, Pa., 17120, 800-VISIT-PA, ext. 274. . . . Information about year-round programs and classes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is available by writing to the Northwoods Audubon Center, Rt. 1, Box 288, Sandstone, Minn. 55072, 612-245-2648. . . . The Official Alaska Vacation Planner is available by writing to the Alaska Division of Tourism, P.O. Box E- 006, Juneau, Alaska 99811.
