Greetings, Fellow Adventure Lovers. Here are a few favorite travel tips to inspire you to get off the couch and head out for greener pastures Happy trails!

Bluegrass Festival

Get into the swing at the Wilmington Winter Bluegrass Festival March 16-18, 2012. This annual event at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Claymont, Delaware, features 30 bands including “Jimmy Sisk and Rambling Choice,” instrument workshops, two stages. and weekend jamming. For more information, visit www.VisitWilmingtonDE.com

2012 International Cougar Cruise

Cougars (women who are attracted to younger men) and Cubs (men who are attracted to older women) are invited to party non-stop on a five-night Western Caribbean Cougar Cruise, December 8-13, 2012, aboard Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas. The ship departs from Tampa and visits Key West and Cozumel, Mexico.

Prices begin at $448.47 per person, cruise only, inside cabin, based on double-occupancy, including government fees, taxes, and port charges. Cruise includes:

• 5 nights accommodation aboard ship

• All meals (14)

• Variety of clubs, bars, lounges, and lounge shows

• Live entertainment and comedy acts

• Fitness Center, rock climbing, basketball court, jogging track, and mini-golf course

• Pools, full casino, duty-free shopping

• Coordinated singles get-togethers

• Dancing and socializing every night

• Roommate matching for those who wish to avoid the single supplement.

Rich Gosse, executive producer of CougarEvents.com, will escort the cruise. “Our annual cougar cruise is the best way for younger men and older women to explore the extremely popular worldwide phenomenon of cougar dating,” says Mr. Gosse. The Cougar Cruise is co-sponsored by The Society of Single Professionals and The Singles Travel Company. Anyone wishing more information may visit www.cougarevents.com.

Culinary Trip to Cuba

This spring Chef-Partner Guillermo Pernot of D.C.’s Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar (801 9th Street, NW, 202-408-1600) will bring an intimate group of 15 travelers to Havana, Cuba, for a rare look at the island. The group will depart from Miami on April 20 for a five-day, four-night journey through Havana. The culinary tour is open to the public and costs $4,000 per person for double occupancy accommodations and $4,500 for single occupancy, which includes: round-trip airfare to Cuba from Miami; hotel accommodations; all meals; each day’s guided activities; an English-speaking tour guide; entrance fees; ground transportation; travel health insurance; an Insight Cuba Travel Handbook, and more. For more information, call 202-408-1600 or visit www.CubaLibreRestaurant.com.

Civil War Event

Kick off Civil War & Emancipation Day on April 14 at the new Civil War Gateway Visitor Center. Located on the Historic Tredegar campus in Richmond, the center serves as a starting point for travelers interested in Civil War and Emancipation history. This special day features free entry to many of the area’s sites and attractions. For more information, visit www.civilwar.emancipationday.net

Tuscan Cooking School Comes to Maine

A week of great food and great times awaits visitors to Hartstone Inn & Hideaway in Maine, June 4-8, 2012. The inn has partnered with Chef Benedetta Vitali of Florence, Italy who will share her Tuscan cooking heritage during an intensive five-day immersion cooking school. This one-of-a-kind cooking experience is only available to Hartstone Inn guests. The five-day cooking school, including accommodations and most meals, starts at just $1250 for a Traditional Room. The value-laden package includes:

• Five nights of deluxe accommodations

• Private Sunday welcome Maine lobster bake dinner on the beach

• Breakfast for two each morning and lunch each day

• Six cooking courses and two tastings

• Wine tasting and private tour of the Cellardoor Winery

Complete information is found at hartstoneinn.com or 800-788-4823.

The Inn at Onancock Honored as a Distinguished Inn

The Inn at Onancock is proud to announce it has been accepted into Select Registry, Distinguished Inns of North America.  The Inn at Onancock is located in the charming bayside town of Onancock on the Eastern Shore. Guests are invited to The Inn’s signature WineDown Hour each evening featuring select wines and decadent hors d’oeuvres. A full gourmet breakfast is offered daily. For more information, visit www.innatonancock.com or call 757-789-7711.

Yoga Retreats

Lifeline Power Yoga™is pleased to announce two all-inclusive adventure travel and yoga retreats in both Hawaii and Tuscany this season. Ramashala Retreat Center at Kehena Beach on the Big Island will host the retreat May 19-26, and Gabriella’s Borgo in Tuscany will be the retreat site June 2-9. Both all-inclusive retreats feature peaceful accommodations, three healthy meals per day, daily Yoga with Sid, meditations, journaling, and airport greeting and transfer. Visit www.lifelinepoweryoga.com to register online and for more information.