Skiing on a budget

With snow conditions beyond good at most ski areas across North America this season, it would be a shame to sit this winter out due to expense. Yes, skiing and snowboarding are high-priced sports -- I won't argue. But there are ways to save on the slopes. Here are a few:

Drive

Ontario's ski resorts may be small but they're mighty. You don't have to hop a plane and jetset it across the country to access good skiing. Nor must you pay out huge lumps of dough to spend the night at a ski resort. There are at least 15 ski areas within a two-hour drive from the GTA -- resorts experiencing excellent snow conditions this season and exciting new "stuff" to check out.

Barrie's Mount St. Louis, for example, has a new easy-load lift on a recontoured slope designed specifically for beginners (mslm.on.ca). Sir Sam's in Haliburton has installed a new covered surface lift -- nicknamed The Tunnel -- for kids to protect them from the wind and cold. It's the first of its kind in North America (sirsams.com). Both Louis and Sir Sam's are easy drives from the GTA.

Ski midweek

If you can score a day off work to go skiing you may save yourself a bundle. Lift pass prices often dip by as much as $10 from Monday to Thursday, and lift lines are shorter, too. One of the best Ontario deals going is Blue Mountain's 5x7 Pass that offers five days of midweek skiing and seven nights of skiing per week all winter, all for $279 plus taxes. Purchase a 2012 Early Bird 5x7 Pass this spring or summer and save an extra $100 (bluemountain.ca).

Pack a Lunch

I've been floored by the astronomical cost to buy lunch at a ski area for my family of four. Food as simple as a grilled cheese with fries can ring in at $13 each. My advice: Avoid paying through the nose for lunch just because you're too distracted to pack one. Picnic lunches are fun for the whole family and a whole lot cheaper. Every Saturday I pack bread, cold cuts, tuna, soup, drinks, cheese, crackers, fruit and cookies in a soft-sided cooler bag, plunk a table cloth on top and haul it to the hill. (Skiers at Ontario and New York state private ski clubs have been spotted plugging in slow cookers, raclette warmers and panini toasters!)

Most ski areas have designated brown bag areas, some with microwaves and toaster ovens (ask ahead). In the spring, find a quiet spot slope-side -- the food tastes so much better.

Score a deal

The Canadian Ski Council (CSC) is pumping out programs designed to get people skiing and snowboarding and nearly all of them can save you money. The CSC's Snowpass for children in Grade 4 and Grade 5 is a no-brainer: A plastic card that can be swiped for three free lift passes at each participating ski area (94 in Eastern Canada), all for a $20 processing fee (snowpass.ca). The CSC's Discover Skiing and Snowboarding programs offer a beginner lesson, and lift and equipment rental packages starting from $35 at participating ski areas across the country (skicanada.org).

Follow Lori's adventures on snow at loriknowles.com or on Twitter @LoriExploring

High franc takes gleam off Swiss slopes

Burlington a great trip from Niagara

BURLINGTON, Ont. -- Quick now, what's the first thing you think about when someone from Niagara mentions they're going to Burlington? Chances are they'll say to shop -- at IKEA.

But Burlington is much more than this giant retailer. However, IKEA is one of the main reasons for visiting this city less than an hour drive from Niagara. The acronym IKEA is made up of the initials of the Swedish founder Ingvar Kamprad plus those of Elmtaryd, the family farm where he was born and the nearby village of Agunnaryd. Today at 95 years of age, Kamprad is listed by Forbes Magazine as the 11th richest person in the world with a net worth of $23 billion. IKEA is found in 40 countries around the globe, with one of the largest located in Burlington.

On a trip to pick up new furniture, I decided to explore more of this city of 165,000 nestled on the shore of Lake Ontario smack dab in the centre of the Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario.

Start your journey by visiting the downtown area of this lovely city.

But first a word of advice: Parking is limited here and you'll also need lots of change to feed the meters found on streets and in lots; however, it will be worth it.

Your first stop should be the Burlington Tourism Information Centre at 414 Locust St. (www.tourismburlington.com or 1-877-499-9989). You can park in the indoor parking garage next door where the first 20 minutes is free. Once I got my bearings, I headed out on a free self-guided heritage walking tour provided by the information centre.

Remember to dress in layers, it's cold outside and you are near a lake.

The tour starts at the nearby Burlington Art Centre (www.thebac.ca or 905-632-7796). Admittance is free of charge and the centre is open seven days a week. Check out examples of original Canadian art and experience a bit of the tropics inside its mini greenhouse.

If you like old homes, walk Nelson, Burlington and Ontario streets to see lovely circa-1885 homes built by the city's earlier leading citizens.

Across from the art centre is one of the gems of Burlington -- The Waterfront Trail along the shoreline of Lake Ontario, where it is a hive of activity at any time of the year. Here I saw families taking advantage of the free outdoor Rotary Centennial Rink and playground found at the Discovery Landing.

I walked the waterfront Trail and was rewarded with a sighting of North America's largest birds, long-necked Trumpeter Swans swimming and feeding along the shoreline. At one time Trumpeter Swans were on the endangered list, but thanks to conservationists they once again flourish.

The Joseph Brant Museum (www.museumsofburlington.com) is another place to visit, except Saturdays and Mondays when the museum is closed. This museum at 1240 North Shore Boulevard beside the waterfront is housed in a replica home of Mohawk leader Joseph Brant, who built his home at this location in the 1830s. The museum highlights Burlington's rich cultural past. Adult admission is $4.50 and children 5 to 12 years of age $2.25. Until the end of February you can see a special exhibition of the fashions of the Roaring '20s.

Before you leave the downtown there are lots of great eateries to enjoy a meal. Two of my favourites are Benny's Deli and Siam Dish, where you can get authentic Thai cuisine. Both are located on Lakeshore Rd. across from the waterfront.

When you leave

If you took the QEW to Burlington, hug Lakeshore Rd. East beside Lake Ontario to get back to Niagara. It's a slower route, but if you're not in a hurry, who cares? Once you cross the old Lift Bridge, continue along Beach Boulevard to the end and turn left on Van Wagner's Beach Rd. You'll see old homes mingled with modern condos in the shadow of the Burlington Skyway.

If you're interested in nostalgia, plan to break at Hutch's Restaurant at 280 Van Wagner's Beach Rd. This classic diner has been around since 1946 and serves up some of the best fish and chips, hamburgers and hotdogs -- much like they did in the diner found in the 1950s television series Happy Days. You almost expect to find Fonzie sitting at one of the booths playing the Juke Box. Yes, the original Juke Boxes are still at the booths. An added bonus is that the restaurant has a majestic view of Lake Ontario from your booth.

Contact George Bailey at wonderful.life@sympatico.ca

Great beaches around Ottawa

Valentine's getaways perfect for two

West Coast wonderful

From Feb. 11-14, Sooke Harbour House -- a charming 28-room inn on Vancouver Island -- has a Romantic by Essence package that provides two nights' accommodations, a three-course gourmet dinner for two on the night of your choice, and two hot breakfasts for two.

Located on a scenic bluff at Whiffen Spit, each room at Sooke Harbour House is unique. Decorated with antiques and work by local artists, all rooms have water views and wood-burning fireplaces while many have deep soaker tubs, steam showers or balconies. Valentine packages start at $646.20 plus taxes. See sookeharbourhouse.com.

Romancing L.A.

Two boutique hotels in Los Angeles -- the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel, Bel Air and the Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel, Beverly Hills have romance packages.

Priced from $279 per night, the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel's Valentine's Package, available Feb. 11-15, offers suite accommodations, two glasses of sparkling rose, a $40 food and beverage credit, late check out and a 15% spa discount.

The Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel's "Love Me Lavish Me" deal is good through Dec. 30. Priced from $319, it offers accommodations, two glasses of sparkling rose and strawberries, continental breakfast for two, served in Cafe Rodeo or in-room, one complimentary in-room movie and bathtub turndown.

See luxehotelsunsetblvd.com and luxehotelrodeodrive.com. The booking code for both offers is LOVE.

We love New York

Here are some ideas for celebrating the weekend of love in the Big Apple from NYC & Co., the city's official tourism organization:

-- Spend a romantic weekend discovering Staten Island. On Feb. 12, spend the afternoon at the Second Saturday Arts Walk strolling between 16 participating galleries, restaurants and homes. See secondsaturdaystatenisland.com. Feb. 13 is Sweetheart Day at the Staten Island Zoo and admission will be two-for-one. See statenislandzoo.org. Enjoy a romantic evening -- or two -- at the Hilton Garden Inn Staten Island. Their Eat, Love, Stay special, Feb. 11-14, provides overnight lodging, in-room champagne and buffet breakfast for $179 per night. For $99 more, couples can add a romantic dinner at Lorenzo's Italian restaurant. See hiltongardeninn.hilton.com or lorenzosdining.com.

-- Nature lovers might like these events: On Feb. 12, there is a Cardinal Couples bird-watching walk to spot mated pairs in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. Gather at the Nature Center at 8 a.m. for the free event. See nycgovparks.org/events. On Feb. 13, visit Prospect Park Zoo in the Bronx for Animal Dating and Mating. Participants will learn about the courtship rituals, love lives and evolutionary biology of zoo animals, and create valentine treats for resident animal couples. You must be 21 or older to attend. Advance registration is required for the event, which runs from 2:30 to 4 p.m. and costs $20. Visit prospectparkzoo.com.

-- From Feb. 1-28, W Hotels in NYC are offering a Love Sick "cure-all." The "prescription" includes a Max Brenner Chocolate Syringe, Max Brenner Massage Oil, an in-room movie credit, breakfast in bed, a bottle of bubbly and late checkout. For additional information, visit starwoodhotels.com.

-- Apple Core Hotels' Roses and Rose package continues through Feb. 28 at its five budget-friendly properties -- Nyma, the Comfort Inn Times Square, The Hotel @ Times Square, La Quinta Manhattan and the Ramada Eastside. Along with accommodations, guests receive a bottle of sparkling rose and a dozen red roses. Packages begin at $204.99. See applecorehotels.com/promotions/roses.

-- For more ideas, see.

We love discounts

Looking for a little budget-friendly romance in NYC? Visitors who book a Gray Line New York's Night on the Town coach tour for Feb. 14 will save $20 off the regular $79 per person fare. The price includes a romantic dinner in Little Italy, a water taxi cruise with a Champagne toast and closeup view of Lady Liberty, a walking tour of the new Highline Park in the Meatpacking District, and a visit to Top of the Rock Observatory. See newyorksightseeing.com.

It's all about the chocolate

Barton Hill Hotel and Spa, in Lewiston, N.Y. has a Valentine's deal that's all about the chocolate. Prices for Feb. 12 start at $259 per room and include a room with a fireplace, a chocolate-souffle cooking class, a personally selected box of chocolates and breakfast for two. Contact 716-754-9070.

More chocolate indulgence

Mohonk Mountain House -- a historic Victorian castle resort near New Paltz, N.Y. -- has a delectable program Feb. 11-13.

During the Art of Chocolate weekend there will be cooking demonstrations (chocolate bread pudding, toasted chocolate brioche, creamy chocolate soup, etc.) chocolate sampling, chocolate and wine-pairing and a design-your-own-chocolate-bar workshop. Activities will be led by Mohonk's chefs and special guests -- Paris trained chocolatier Oliver Kita and cookbook author Lora Brody.

Rates -- from $217 per person, per night based on double occupancy -- include accommodations, three meals daily, afternoon tea and cookies and most activities. See mohonk.com.

Romancing Bermuda

Forget Valentine's Day, Bermuda's tourism department has declared February "Feel the Love Month." Events to mark the island-wide celebration will take place through Feb. 28. These include:

-- Wednesday afternoon Chocolate Tastings at the Gourmet Boutique in Hamilton.

-- The Love Train City Tour -- Wednesdays at 11 a.m. -- to showcase Hamimlton's romantic places and historic sites.

-- A Love Tales Walking Tour of historic St. George -- Saturdays at 11 a.m. -- to introduce visitors to Bermuda's greatest love stories and locally made products.

-- SalsaMania nights create some sizzle three times a week with choreographed routines, couples' instruction and Latin cuisine. Venues include the Fairmont Southampton (Thursdays), the Lido Complex, Elbow Beach Bermuda (Fridays), and Muse, 17 Front St., Hamilton (Saturdays).

-- Feel the Love Fridays at the Bermuda National Gallery in Hamilton combine performances of love songs (5:30 p.m. to 7) and complimentary wine tasting.

In addition, travellers booking a minimum three-night stay at 16 participating resorts can also receive the third night free as part of the "Compliments of Bermuda" promotion. Accommodations range from luxury resorts and boutique hotels to beach clubs and historic properties. For more, see bermudatourism.com.

More than kiss and tell

Looking for a memorable way to pop the question? Vancouver's Fairmont Waterfront has a Marry Me By The Mountains And The Sea romance package packed with experiences that won't soon be forgotten. Highlights include:

-- Flightseeing with Helijet and a landing on Grouse Mountain to pop the big question followed by ice-skating on the pond, wilderness snowshoeing or a sleigh ride.

-- A ruby red KHS Tandemania Cross tandem bike, cycling gear and a picnic basket for a romantic ride along the Seawall.

-- One night's accommodation in the royal suite with welcome Dom Perignon and canapes, and breakfast in bed for two.

-- Valentine's Day dinner for two with chocolate fondue in the private diningroom of Herons Restaurant.

-- Wedding consultation for The Fairmont Waterfront.

Available Feb. 11-14, the package is priced from $7,999 and must be booked five days in advance. For reservations or information, call the reservations manager, Sophie Mon-Kau at 604-691-1822 or e-mail sophie.mon-kau@fairmont.com.

Who ya gonna call?

Need help planning an unforgettable proposal? Starting on the Valentine's Day weekend, guests of Woodlands Inn can consult the "Betrothal Butler."

It's only fitting that Woodlands would provide help in the love department: The five-star five-diamond property near Charleston, S.C., is considered one of the most romantic hotels in the U.S.

The Betrothal Butler will give expert advice on all aspects of proposal planning, arrange delivery of the ring at the right moment, create a romantic dinner menu and capture the big moment on camera. After Valentine's Day, the complimentary service will be available year-round but guests must request the butler when booking.

The atmospheric inn, which is set in 17 hectares of parkland and listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, also has a Valentine's deal starting at $599 per night for one night's accommodation, Champagne and chocolate upon arrival, three-course dinner for two with wine, and breakfast for two the next morning (either in the restaurant or room service). The package is valid from Feb. 11-14 with special rates for additional nights, starting at $350.

Romance down on the farm

From Feb. 13-20, the five-star Farm at Cape Kidnappers in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, has a luxury Valentine's escape. Priced from $1,380 per night, the deal provides a one-night stay in a hilltop suite with views of the Pacific Ocean, welcome Champagne, a five-course dinner for two and full breakfast. Visit capekidnappers.com.

A weekend in Seattle

More Britons going abroad to get married

Prince William and Kate Middleton may have decided on a traditional British wedding but nearly a fifth of their compatriots prefer to get married abroad, according to new research.

A study by consumer research group Mintel showed on Tuesday that 18% of Britons chose to tie the knot abroad last year, a rise in the number of such marriages of 27% between 2005 and 2010.

The rise has taken place at a time when overseas travel is cheaper and as the number of weddings at home continues to fall as the price for getting married in Britain remains substantially higher than elsewhere.

An estimated 266,000 UK weddings took place in 2010 marking a 7% drop over the five years since 2005. In 2010, the average wedding abroad cost 6,585 pounds ($10,580), while the average British wedding costs just below 20,000 pounds.

"The lower costs of overseas weddings are an important factor for many, with cost concerns influencing the whole market," said Mintel Senior Travel and Tourism Analyst Tom Rees.

"However the various desires to do something different, seek out better weather than can be expected in the UK and to avoid overblown, too-many-guest affairs are attracting more and more couples to the weddings abroad market."

Mintel also discovered that the number of guests who preferred to attend British weddings has fallen and the number of those who say "the cost and time required in attending a wedding abroad puts relatives and friends in an awkward position" has also fallen to nearer one in seven (15%) in 2010 from about one in five (19%) in 2008.

The desire for a honeymoon abroad has also risen significantly in the last two years, to 70 percent in 2010 from 57% in 2008, according to Mintel.

Despite the pressure of getting married, the cost of the ceremony, the wrangles over the guest lists, menu and flowers, 13 percent of people said they would like to "do something extraordinary" although 28% said they wanted to "just relax."

UK tourists have to wait for wax Kate

High franc takes gleam off Swiss slopes

Switzerland's shimmering ski slopes, luxurious hotels, and breathtaking vistas have always come at a price -- too high a price for many holidaymakers this year as the Swiss franc reaches peaks of its own.

The country's strong currency is making mainland Europeans, Brits and Americans, who'd love to cut through the virgin snow of the Swiss Alps, think twice about spending their holidays and hard-earned cash in its ski resorts.

For one skier from Britain, combining a business trip with some sport with an old friend was one way to see how feasible a family holiday would be in Switzerland, which is this week hosting the World Economic Forum in the ski resort of Davos.

"It is lovely here, but it is just too expensive. The strong Swiss franc does take the shine off things," said London-based tax advisor Bernard Finity after skiing down to the Swiss village of Engelberg, at the foot of the Engelberg-Titlis ski resort, one the largest skiing areas in central Switzerland.

"The currency is just a deal breaker," said Finity, wrapped up in a black ski outfit, goggles and hat to protect himself from the freezing conditions.

The franc has surged to record levels against the euro, dollar and British pound, making holidays in the Swiss Alps some 10 percent more expensive than a year ago.

A large beer in Engelberg will set you back 6.20 Swiss francs ($6.56), around 4.80 euros compared with 4.50 euros ($6.17) in the Austrian skiing town of St. Anton.

The Swiss government is now looking into ways of easing the pain for Switzerland's tourism industry as fewer people travel to the Alpine country, while some ski resorts are coming up with their own promotions.

At Engelberg, tourists can take advantage of an offer for a return ticket for the Fueranalp-Engelberg cablecar for only 5 francs on Fridays, instead of the usual 16 francs, while many hotels are offering top deals for guests paying in euros.

The number of guests coming from key European countries such as Germany fell more than 2 percent in the first 11 months of 2010 compared to a year earlier, Veronique Kanel, spokeswoman for tourism body MySwitzerland said.

"We are definitely seeing a negative impact of the strong Swiss franc versus the weak euro," she said.

"It is difficult to say how things will develop should the euro stay at its current level all year long. What we can probably expect is to see hotel overnight stays overall fall by between 2 and 3 percent for the whole of 2011 compared to 2010 and for the euro countries this drop could be between 3 and 5 percent," Kanel said.

"The mid-price segment is being hardest hit," said Jeane Grundmann, who works as a receptionist at a three star hotel in Engelberg, which was eerily quiet on Saturday afternoon.

"Those going for the four or five star hotels are much less affected by the strong Swiss franc," Grundmann said.

Switzerland, which prides itself on its reputation for producing quality goods, has long catered for high-end markets, helping it to partially offset the impact of the strong franc.

"Clients (in this segment) aren't so sensitive. That's true for tourism as well as the pharma sector and machinery-makers who are leaders in their respective areas. That could be one reason the blow's being a bit softened," said Jan Poser, Chief Economist at Sarasin in Zurich.

But even resorts which attract the wealthy, such as Zermatt where the car-free village streets are lined with exclusive jewellers and watch boutiques, have noticed a slowdown.

"We have noticed that we have fewer holidaymakers from both abroad and from within Switzerland as places like Austria are of course also cheaper for the Swiss now," Christen Baumann, chief executive of Zermatt Bergbahnen said.

Mecca hopes to revive pilgrim tourism during haj

Unrest empties desert of tourists at Pyramids

At the pyramids, something is wrong with the picture. The Sphinx is still there, gazing out inscrutably over the sands of Giza on the outskirts of Cairo.

But as Daniel Tham from Malaysia pointed his camera to take some souvenir snaps on Wednesday, something was missing from the much photographed view of the Great Pyramids — the people.

Instead of the thousands of foreign visitors who normally flock by the busload, Tham and his friend were alone, and could take only long-distance shots of this wonder of the world, kept out by gates locked after the outbreak of unrest across Egypt.

“A lot is closed,” Tham said. “A lot of tours are not able to carry us and there are no trains.” He had been able to see only a fraction of the sights he planned to visit on his trip.

Most foreigners have not been so intrepid. They have flocked to airports trying to get out of the country, cancelled holidays if they had not yet arrived, and in doing so they have delivered a heavy blow to the Egyptian economy and its tourism industry.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, sympathy for the pro-democracy demonstrators who have tried to unseat President Hosni Mubarak is in short supply among the guides and stallholders of Giza.

“We need peace,” said Fouad Hassan, 63, as he stood outside his locked souvenir store. “People now are flying back home. How long will it take for these people to come back?”

SECURITY

In central Cairo, street clashes surged back and forth around the Egyptian Museum, home to mummies and a treasure trove of antiquities from the time of the pharaohs which is another major focus of tourist activity in normal times.

Giza’s pyramids, 15 km from Tahrir Square downtown, was much too quiet for the liking of the locals, some of whom felt Mubarak, in promising to stand down later in the year, had done the right thing and that protests should now end.

“He has done his best, you know,” said Abdullah, 35, a tour guide with no tourists to guide. “He changed almost 90% or 95% of what they were looking for.”

The dusty streets near the pyramids, usually bustling with camels, perfume vendors and sunburned visitors, were mostly deserted. Shopkeepers sitting by their shuttered storefronts complained that unrest had strangled their business and many echoed vigorous support for Mubarak, crediting him for security they said helped draw millions of tourists to Egypt a year.

Mubarak, dubbed “Pharaoh” by some Egyptians, has portrayed himself to Western allies and his own people as a bulwark of stability — an image many have accepted in return for a government criticised as repressive, brutal and corrupt.

Mubarak’s forces fought a violent Islamist insurgency in Egypt’s south in the 1990s that included a bloody attack on tourists in Luxor, home to the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple. Soldiers guard tourist trains and man desert checkpoints around beach resorts and major attractions. It seemed to work.

“It’s safe, it’s very, very safe with Mubarak,” said Ayman, a 25-year-old souvenir vendor, sitting outside a shop filled with postcards, papyrus, ceramic scarabs and alabaster pyramids.

The tourism industry has grown steadily over the last decade, weathering bomb attacks on resorts in the Sinai peninsula. Over 12 million tourists visited in Egypt in 2009, earning the country nearly $11 billion in revenue.

On a normal day, said Ayman, he might see 200 to 300 customers, mostly from Europe, at his store near the Sphinx. But on Wednesday, he said, he had just three.

Yet his neighbour Gouda Fayed, 55, put the troubles into perspective as he drank tea by his empty souvenir store close by the monuments which have symbolised Egypt for 4,500 years.

He said: “I’m sure when everything settles down, it will all go back to normal.”

Crush on Cairo

Riding the desert roads of Arizona

There are dream vacations, and then there are the vacations you dream about, long after the trip is over.

Consider Arizona, on a motorcycle, in the middle of a grim Canadian winter.

I certainly do, every time the cold murk of an approaching February gets me down.

What better time to take a daydream detour back to those glorious days, just weeks ago, when the only thing separating this writer from Arizona was the tires of a 2009 BMW R1200 GS.

It was a rental: My own bike, like so many north of the border, is a prisoner to icy streets and foul weather.

A rotten summer followed by an early winter was all the convincing needed for migration south, seeking a motorcycle holiday at a time when Harleys and Hondas are in cold storage back home.

Twenty-five minutes and one twisty road out of Phoenix later and I must have looked like a complete madman on the big Beemer, laughing out loud with glee.

The daunting task of finding the bike rental place, then navigating freeways out of the city turned out to be easy indeed. Now, all that remained was a week of sun, warmth and adventure.

I was laughing then and it still brings a smile to my face now -- it's probably a nice place by car, but from the saddle of a bike, southern Arizona is a paradise.

Sweet, fresh air opens your eyes to scenery rich with copper-stained cliffs and cactus straight from a Hollywood western. The rugged landscape is laced with perfect roads -- smooth, serpentine and virtually empty.

Those who've ridden great asphalt know the feeling. Every corner brings a new thrill at the adventure ahead, but every road holds a hint of regret because it will soon be in the past.

One could wax poetic for days about the soul-stirring aura of excellent roads, warm weather and a willing bike -- but eventually, the ride has to end somewhere.

In southern Arizona, those somewheres happen to be pretty impressive, too.

You could do a lot worse than following my lead south, to the same Tucson hotel where Public Enemy No. 1, bank bandit John Dillinger, was arrested in 1934.

Until that fateful January night, the Hotel Congress had three floors -- but a fire forced Dillinger to evacuate and a bribe to firefighters to rescue his guns soon attracted the law.

Now just two storeys tall, the Congress makes up for it by being larger than life with period-acurate rooms and a boisterous music club billed as the hippest bar in Tucson.

One very late night later, it was south towards the Mexican border and Bisbee, a once-booming copper town somehow overlooked by the wrecking ball of progress.

It seemed Bisbee could never compete with the splendour of the highway, but with the town in sight, views of hazy desert and majestic mountains were forgotten.

Here was a tiny city, caught in the 1800s -- but an 1800s where Dr. Seuss was the civic planner and no hill was an obstacle to his vision.

From a winding main street caught in a 150-year-old time warp to homes clinging to impossibly steep cliffs, Bisbee is an artsy clutter linked by a maze of stairs and tiny roads.

You can easily lose a day here browsing strange antique stores, museums and shops such as the Killer Bee Guy, who sells honey made by the nastiest of bees.

Restaurants, saloons and cafes pepper Bisbee, while the streets buzz with a relaxed population of artists, old hippies and young student types.

After checking into the plush Copper City Inn, a blend of historic decor and modern luxury, I hiked over to the Queen Mine Tour, which leads head-lamped tourists 1,500 feet underground.

If you're claustrophobic, steer clear.

But those who can stomach utter darkness and a mountain of rock overhead are in for a fascinating glimpse of life in the mines.

Copper fuelled Bisbee's boom, just as silver was responsible for the birth of neighbouring Tombstone, a place I rode into with a mix-t ure of anticipation and dread.

Loving real history, I feared this most legendary of Old West towns would be looted of any actual past in the name of a cheesy, over-the-top tourism industry.

Such a relief then to find a place embracing tourism, without surrendering the soul of its bloody past.

There's some cheese, such as the animatronic cowboys at the OK Corral -- but a balance is found in sites like the Bird Cage Theatre, a ragged and bullet-riddled time capsule of rowdy history.

From Earp-era graffiti to the actual faro table used by Doc Holliday, the theatre was shut down in 1889 and not reopened for 50 years when it was found to be untouched.

Boothill Cemetery is another must-see, full of grim reminders this was a real frontier town where folk died in droves, often with a bullet in the guts or a rope around the neck.

Of course, that's all modern history, compared to the ancient past Arizona offers.

To the north, Tonto National Monument features cliff dwellings established by Salado Indians about 700 years ago.

A trek to the remote eastern edge of the state brings the BMW to Chiricahua National Monument, a Native spiritual site full of surreal volcanic hoodoos.

It's about 600 years newer, but a similar sense of peace can be found nearby at the Dos Cabezas Spirit and Nature Retreat, where you are greeted like family, bike and all.

Guests at the handsome and isolated acreage stay in an adobe guest house built of mud in the 1800s -- and in the morning, owner Charmayne cooks possibly the tastiest breakfast in Arizona.

A full stomach and a head full of motorcycling memories for the trip home.

Arizona dreaming -- it's where I'll be this winter.

michael.platt@sunmedia.ca

Teeing off in Vegas