Family 国产吃瓜黑料 Travel Deals of the Week: Nicaragua & Jackson Hole

Published: Feb 8, 2012

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Beach bliss, off the beaten path: San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

It's about this time each winter that I start fantasizing about getting out of town. The holidays are long gone, spring break is still six weeks out, and The New York Times travel section is plastered with agonizing pictures of empty white-sand beaches and untracked powder. Good news is, there are deals out there if you know where to look.

Namely, Nicaragua. After violence and unrest in the eighties, the Central American country just north of Costa Rica has cleaned up its act to attract adventure tourists and retirees scouting second homes. Anecdotally speaking at least, the strategy seems to be working: Friends of mine honeymooned at Morgan鈥檚 Rock Ecolodge and raved about it, and my intrepid pal Steph Pearson recently reported a story about the country's revamped image in the聽November 2011 issue of 国产吃瓜黑料. But you know we're having a full-blown Nicaragua Moment when gets in on the action!

The offer, three or five nights at the in San Juan del Sur, is family- and wallet-friendly from the get-go:聽 $580 for three nights in a styley two-bedroom casa overlooking the Pacific, two and a half hours from the airport in Managua. With three pools, free breakfast, and a casual menu poolside at Bistro La Canoa means you and the kids can keep a low profile鈥攁nd room tab. Mellow surf breaks nearby, canopy tours with howler monkeys, and days trips to Lake Nicaragua (30 miles away) keep little travelers from getting antsy, and for parents who need a break, there鈥檚 a spa onsite and two open-air yoga classes daily. (Buyer beware: Recent TripAdvisor reviews warn of so-so food and steep climbs to the some rooms.)聽

$580 for a three-night stay for four; $1380 for a five-night stay for four, with zipline tours and daily surf shuttles.

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su casa @ Pelican Eyes

Also on Groupon this week: a three-bedroom ski cabin 鈥渘ear鈥� Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Admittedly, the isn鈥檛 in Wyoming鈥攊t鈥檚 just over the border in Victor, Idaho, about 25 miles from Jackson. Still, if you don鈥檛 mind driving to the fun鈥�4,100 feet of vertical at , cross-country skiing in Grand Teton National Park, and uncrowded slopes and cat skiing at low key (20 miles north), this may be the spot for you. The luxury cabins sleep eight, and come with a full kitchen plus access to a heated pool, fitness center, spa, and basketball court. $1989 for a five-night stay for eight.

Jackson powder

See you there?

鈥擪atie Arnold

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