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Category: United States

Ghostly fun in Gettysburg

Few places in the U.S. inspire as many ghostly tales as Gettysburg, Pa., where thousands of men in gray and blue were killed in one of the fiercest battles of the Civil War.

Apparitions have been spotted all over the battlefield and in countless homes and inns in this central Pennsylvania hamlet. Ghost tours are big business this time of year.

One of the most noteworthy haunted inns is the Farnsworth House Inn, where Rebel sharpshooters secured a strategic attic post during the three-day battle. Some believe the sharpshooters may have been responsible for the only civilian death during the battle. A young woman who lived down the road was killed by a stray bullet while making bread in her kitchen.

Spend a night at the Farnsworth House, a brick structure built in 1833, and see if you don't get spooked. You'll hear weird noises, for sure, and even feel an odd presence here day or night. But the Farnsworth also is a good stopover during a tour of Gettysburg. The dining room serves Civil War era fare ... game pie, spoon bread and sweet potato pudding are not to be missed.

Its tavern at the rear of the building is a favorite with re-enactors. During the filming of "Gettysburg," the actors and crew hung out here. Lots of memorablia from the movie is on display.

Ghosts or no ghosts, the Farnsworth House is great staging area for a visit to Gettysburg, and adds to the experience of exploring a Civil War battlefield.

Check out Farnsworth House Inn.

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Category: Celebrate Michigan

Pick a pile of pumpkins at Dexter farm pumpkin patch

What a find! My husband and I were out in Dexter recently for one of our daughter's cross country meets and decided to take a ride afterward along Washtenaw County's scenic country roads ablaze with fall color.

Coincidentally, we happened upon Jenny's Farm Market and decided we had to stop --- because our daughter's name is Jenny.

Frankly, our first impression of the place wasn't great because where we parked, in the lot out back, took us right past the pony ride area, where the sweet scent of fall leaves and apples was eclipsed by the heavy smell of pony pasture, if you get my drift.

The cider and apples we bought inside were fine, but we didn't hang around the busy market for long. Happily, the front view of the place, which we saw as we left, was much more appealing than the back forty.

Our second stop was a whole 'nother story. It was late on a Saturday afternoon when we found Berry Hill Farm, 12835 N. Territorial Road, and we had it almost to ourselves -- except for the baby pictured here and a few other families.

We spent nearly an hour walking through the sprawling pumpkin fields, past the raspberry bushes, trying to pick the perfect pumpkin. It was almost like buying a new car as we "kicked the tires," tested their heft and examined the amusing array of shapes and colors. Eventually, we ended up with three that we lifted into our iron wagon and carted back to the farmer's weigh station. At a reasonable 25 cents per ounce, we bought a trio of great pumpkins for under $8. We also got some exercise -- and rare bonding time -- in Michigan's lovely outdoors.

Call (734) 475-1516 for directions or other information about Berry Hill Farm.

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Category: Celebrate Michigan

Finding Up North close to home

Believe it or not, a few places in southeast Michigan offer outdoor enthusiasts an Up North experience ... as much as that's possible in a sprawling metropolitan area.

One of those is the north unit of the Bald Mountain Recreation Area in northern Oakland County. Several miles of trails criss-cross woods thick with maples and oaks, edge along wetlands and snake between lakes. These trails offer a chance to take long treks through woods with few, if any, modern intrusions. The park is home to some of the hilliest terrain in southeast Michigan and hikers will encounter more than a few steep slopes here.

For the most part, the trails there are well-marked, but there are few spots where sign posts have been moved or are missing maps. Stop by the park headquarters on Greenshield Road before you head out.

For more park information, visit Bald Mountain Recreation Area site.

Category: Sports

Follow Detroit Red Wings to Toronto and Hockey Hall of Fame festivities

For Detroit hockey fans, Toronto is the place to be Nov. 6-9 when the city's Hockey Hall of Fame honors legendary former Detroit Red Wings Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille and Steve Yzerman.

The trio, along with Brian Leetch and Lou Lamoriello, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame museum, and the induction weekend activities include a

* "Meet the Detroit Red Wings" free team autograph signing

* A Hockey Hall of Fame game at Air Canada Centre between the Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs

* A "Legends Classic" hockey game between Canadian and World hockey legends

* The Induction Ceremony Gala . Check here for ticket information . Weekend hotel packages start at $99 Canadian per night at www.SeeTorontoNow.com (check here)

Through Jan. 15, the Hockey Hall of Fame features the first North American showing of a comprehensive collection of Olympic Medals --- 137 from 46 Olympic Games dating back to 1896.

Even without tickets to the Induction weekend games, Red Wings fans may catch the hockey action at the city's top sports restaurant and bars, recommended by Toronto tourism representatives:

* Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant: This upscale sports bar and restaurant doubles as a museum-like tribute to number 99, Canada's living hockey legend. www.gretzkys.com

* Harbour Sports Grille: With more than 50 TVs and two big screens, this sports bar is a magnet for ardent Toronto sports fans. www.harboursportsgrille.com

* Loose Moose Tap & Grill: Located steps away from Air Canada Centre, the Loose Moose is always packed on hockey night. www.theloosemoose.ca

* Shoeless Joes, Harbourfront: This sports-themed, casual dining restaurant is located on Toronto's waterfront. www.shoelessjoes.ca

* The Bottom Line Restaurant & Bar: Steps away from the Hockey Hall of Fame and Air Canada Centre, this bar is ground zero for downtown sports action. www.bottomlinerestaurant.com

* Grace O'Malley's Restaurant and Bar: Serves up globally-influence pub fare and offers visitors a chance to experience the Canadian obsession with hockey. www.gracies.ca

* Irish Embassy Pub & Grill: Catch the game on four plasma screens in an imposing 19th-century bank building located in Toronto's central finance district. www.irishembassypub.com

* Madison Avenue Pub: Locally referred to as 'The Maddy', this iconic Toronto pub is the latest spot to catch the game with a spectacular new sports lounge. www.madisonavenuepub.com

* The Foxes Den Bar and Grill: Tucked in among high-end boutiques, museums and galleries, this spot caters to Toronto's more laidback sports fans. www.foxesdenbar.com

* The Keating Channel Pub & Grill: Take in the game on the pub's giant screen satellite system; www.keatingchannelpub.com

Category: Air Travel

AMEX wants your business ... bad

And the credit card issuer is offering a ton of Delta SkyMiles to get it.

American Express is now giving away hundreds of thousands of frequent flier miles to customers who use their Delta SkyMiles-branded credit cards at thousands of shops in the Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Memphis areas.

Those cities are all former Northwest Airlines hubs, and AMEX is vying hard to switch all of the former WorldPerks Visa cardholders who used US Bank to switch to American Express.

The new promotion, running through Nov. 23, enters customers into a contest to win 100,000 miles for paying for transactions with their AMEX card at any of a few thousand participating merchants in each of the three cities. Detroiters can find a list of local ones here.

There'll be one winner each week.

And for an idea of where you could go with all those miles, check here.

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Colorful trail at Wolcott Mill Metropark

Just when I think I've hiked the best of the trails at our Metroparks, I stumble upon another one that captures the beauty - and even tranquility - of southeast Michigan.

The Settlers Trail at Wolcott Mill Metropark is one of those. The trail hugs a long stretch of the Clinton River, occasionally rising high above the waterway as it snakes through woods exploding in hues of yellow, red and orange. The trail also cuts through expansive fields before making its way back to the parking lot at the Historic Center.

It's not a long trail, for sure - just 2 miles. But the blend of fall colors and solitude - I only passed one other hiker - made for an enjoyable afternoon escape.

Wolcott Mill, named after a mill that operated from 1847 until 1967 and still stands, adds to the seasonal enjoyment with fall events, including wagon rides to a pumpkin patch and Halloween activities. Those events are held at the Farm Center.

On the afternoon I visited, the mill, which houses exhibits and displays of grain-grinding machinery, was serving cider and donuts. Not a bad way to end a fall afternoon in the woods.

For information, check out Wolcott Mill Metropark.

Category: Air Travel

Delta makes up for long delay on tarmac with gift of bonus miles

What a pleasant surprise! I just opened a letter from Delta Air Lines that had been sitting on my desk for a while(I thought it was just another credit card solicitation) giving me 2,500 bonus SkyMiles to make up for my recent Northwest flight to Chicago that was delayed for a very long time at Detroit Metro Airport.

The letter from Elizabeth Reed, Delta's customer care general manager, read in part: "In this competitive airline industry, travelers expect the best value for their travel dollar. The best value is a complicated mix of safety, on-time operations, courteous efficient service, as well as a wide range of destination options. Occasionally, we must compromise on-time operations to guarantee safe travel. Unfortunately, this was one of those times."

Fortunately, extra frequent flier miles are always welcome in this traveling household. Thanks, Delta!

Category: Air Travel

Two new shops offer coffee break stops at DTW

The delicious aromas of coffee and tea are greeting travelers in two new spots in the McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metro Airport.

Called The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and part of a southern California-based chain of specialty shops, the new pit-stops are located in Concourse A (near gate A60) and in the domestic baggage claim area, pre-security.

"We are thrilled to offer ... this exciting new food and beverage option both to travelers on the concourse and customers waiting for arriving travelers in the McNamara baggage claim area," said Lester Robinson, CEO of the Wayne County Airport Authority.

Three similar coffee shops are located in the Ontario International Airport in Ontario, Calif., and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Category: Air Travel

With recovery, expect more delays

Here's a downside to the budding economic turnaround, one frequent fliers aren't going to like much at all: flight delays are likely going to get worse as passengers loosen the iron grip on their wallets and take to the skies again.

That's the word from the Brookings Institution, a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington, D.C.

Brookings released a major report on air traffic congestion and delays this week; researchers had good things to say about Detroit and Metro Airport out in Romulus.

But the report also pointed out a number of snags in the nation's air transit system that are continuing to delay passengers and waste fuel, even with fewer planes taking to the skies because of the recession. Among the biggest problems, the folks at Brookings say:

-- Short-haul flights are becoming increasingly common and cause many delays, especially when they're clogging up capacity at big city hubs.

-- Federal investment in an improved air traffic control system has been slow to materialize.

-- Big city hubs like those in New York, Miami and San Francisco are at or over capacity, and likely to see traffic grow quickly in a post-recession era.

While the report points to a bleak outlook for travelers already frustrated by air delay hassles, there is a bit of a bright side: at least there's talk of an economic recovery, even if it's not quite here yet.

Category: Celebrate Michigan

Crystal Mountain Resort named a 'Top 10' winter resort for families

Celebrating the 2010 winter Olympics, Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa added a paintball biathlon (Jan. 16) to its roster of winter activities.

Such creative programming helps explain how the Thompsonville resort was named one of the "Ten Best Winter Resorts for Families" by Parents magazine.

Featured in the November issue, soon to hit news stands, Crystal was the only Midwest resort, ranking #8 on a list that includes such high-profile winter destinations as Beaver Creek and Telluride, Colo., and Park City, Utah.

The magazine said it narrowed the field from more than 100 contenders, evaluating these areas: family activities on site, quality of ski lessons for young children, standard room size and amenities, child care services, kids' clubs or supervised play areas, and pricetag.

"The 10 affordable resorts on our list have thought of absolutely everything families could want while on vacation," says Dana Points, editor-in-chief of Parents. "Whether you're interested in skiing or s'more-making, an ice rink or a heated pool, there is something for everyone at Parents' top picks."

You can learn more about Michigan's winning Crystal Mountain Resort here on its Web site