At the beginning of one new year or another, we’ve all vowed to take the plunge and get in shape, redefine our habits and get healthy. And, chances are, we’ve all failed a handful of times.

This year, shakes things up and stick your guns. Need a little help? Have we got the program for you.

Aimed at taking the stress out of planning a vacation, Escape to Shape boasts getaways that combine the best of luxury, culture and fitness, in destinations across the globe.

And in our opinion, what better way to relax then in a beachside paradise?

In this upcoming year, Escape to Shape is hosting trips to a variety of ocean locales. Our personals favorites include Indonesia, Mexico and Croatia. Here’s what each has to offer:

Escape to Bali, Indonesia: Coined “The Island of the Gods”, the exotic island of Bali offers a combination of eco-chic accommodations, rich Hindu traditions and temples, Balinese dance, music and art and a range of natural beauty. Guests that partake in this program will enjoy relaxing massages, surf lesion, and great shopping! Priced at $3,500 a person based on double occupancy, this 7-night March getaway includes three daily meals, yoga, Pilates and hikes, guided cultural tours, spa treatments and round trip transportation to and from the airpot. Visitors dwell in bungalows overlooking lush rice fields that are a mere ten minute walk to the beach.

Escape to Careyes, Mexico: Come to the adult playground of Mexico between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo: Careyes. With lodging in private villas, guests can experience the beauty of the Pacific ocean, while experiencing daily yoga, boot camp and hiking, yacht trips, Mexican cuisine and polo matches. Take a walk along the white sand teachers or traipse through the lush vegetation surrounding the cliff-side hotel. Priced at $4000 per person based on double occupancy, this April escape includes the amenities mentioned in the previous two, but only lasts 6 nights.

Escape to Dubrovnik, Croatia: Situated in the charming medieval city of Dubrovnik, Escape to Shape’s trip to Croatia is surrounded by amazing architecture, including churches, monasteries, fountains and public squares. Guests are encouraged to explore the Croatian coastline while they partake in daily Yoga, hikes, lessons on history and folklore, and traditional cuisine of the area. Visitors stay in a private villa on the waters edge, two miles outside the city. Also lasting 7-nights, this May program includes the same luxuries as the one to Bali, all with a backdrop of the turquoise waters of the mediterranean.

 
Working as a traveling spa, the locations change throughout the year, providing guests with the chance to explore the history, people, food and wonders of countries throughout the world, while focusing on shaping the body and mind.

Workout include yoga, Pilates, circuit training, hiking, kayaking and biking, paired with organic meals, spa treatments and cultural activities, such as dance classes, horseback riding and exploring local marketplaces.

This year’s designations also include Colombia, Cambodia, Morocco, Italy and more. Pick your favorite or pick a place you’ve never seen. Single occupancy is available for an additional fee. These programs admit a limited number of participants and fill up fast, so get your name on the list ASAP!

KAYAKING & CAMPING: Black Canyon/Colorado River
Kayak the Colorado River from Hoover Dam to Willow Beach. Trip includes Camping, Hot Springs, Sauna Cave, & Emerald Cave (pictured). – Easter Weekend – $100 per person

This is a Meet-Up event – you first join Meet-up and then add this group (LA Outdoor Adventures) to see all the details- great trip for solo as well as a few friends

I’ve never been one for camping, not because I’m high-maintenance (at least, I don’t think so…), but because a comfy bed is kind of a necessity in my book. That’s why I was so excited to hear that Western River Expeditions is launching three to four night lodge-to-lodge rafting trips on Oregon’s Rogue River this summer.

“Our lodge-to-lodge itinerary removes the camping equation, leaving guests to play like an otter on the river by day and hibernate like a bear in a private lodge room come twilight,” said Brandon Lake, vice president. He noted that most other Western River Expeditions are all-inclusive camping adventures, making this a unique package that offers lodges instead of tents.

The all-inclusive rate for three days per adult is $939, $879 for ages 5-16; for four days the rate is $1,245 adult, $1,165 ages 5-16 (plus tax). Trips begin and end at Morrison’s Lodge near Merlin, 43 miles from Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in Medford, OR.

The trips will run weekly through June 3 through Aug. 26, 2012.

The outdoors + clean sheets = a happy camper.

Photos courtesy of Western River Expeditions

This isn’t just any contest. You don’t have to spend an hour filling out all of your personal information or visit a sketchy website. All you have to do is sign up for a newsletter.

Ecuador’s leading hospitality company for active adventure, Red Mangrove Galapagos and Ecuador Lodges are running a contest for a five day tour for two entitled Darwin’s Triangle. The winners will be guests at three of Red Mangrove’s Galapagos lodges on Santa Cruz, Isabela and Floreana Islands. Activities include naturalist-led wildlife excursions by water and land, hikes, snorkeling, beach time and optional scuba diving.

To enter, all you have to do is sign up for Red Mangrove Galapagos Travel Blog’s newsletter, and you’re entered. Just like that.

The winner will be announced on Feb. 12. Now go sign up for that newsletter and cross your fingers!

For insights into Sheila’s recent Ecuadorian adventure read more

As the snow starts coming down and the weather gets colder with each day, all I want to do is curl up under a blanket with a cup of coffee and a good book in a five star luxury cabin. Too much to ask for? At The Resort at Paws Up Resort, they would say not at all. Paws Up Resort features a “Montana Christmas Vacation” option that includes staying in a rustically-chic cabin, excursions including snowmobiling or skiing to meet up with your own personal Santa, a Christmas Eve party, sleigh rides through the forest, and ice skating.

This is just one of the options at Paws Up Resort. They also have one of my favorite accommodations sensations, glamping, as well as luxury estates and lodges. There are also girlfriend getaway packages including the “Cowgirl Up” package.

The Westin Verasa Napa is offering room upgrades for just $11 per night on top of the best available room rate; representing up to $60 savings! As an added bonus, guests who are members of the Starwood Preferred Guest® program will receive an additional 1,111 Starpoints per stay when booking this offer.

Booking from now until November 21, 2011 for stays from November 11, 2011 – January 31, 2012. Room rates begin at $180 per night and can be reserved by visiting, http://deals.westin.com/Westin-Verasa-Napa-Hotel-1997/so.htm or by calling the hotel at (707) 257-1800.

The “11-11-11 Room Rate” is available on weekends and select holidays based on availability.

Ideally located in downtown Napa, The Westin Verasa features 180 rooms and the full suite of Westin signature amenities and services designed to inspire wellbeing. The Westin Verasa Napa is positioned on the bank of the Napa River and across the street from the Napa Valley Wine Train. Additionally, The Westin Verasa Napa is adjacent to the Oxbow Public Market, a short stroll from the heart of Napa’s vibrant downtown retail and dining district, blocks from the famed Silverado Trail, and within walking distance of 15 of the Valley’s tasting rooms.

All guestrooms feature the world-renowned Westin Heavenly Bed featuring lush sheets, down cushioning and a patented pillow-top mattress that cradles and contours to the body for complete comfort. Another industry first, the Heavenly Bath, creates an invigorating spa-like experience, enhanced with the brand’s Heavenly Shower® Heavenly® Robe and exclusive White Tea Aloe bath amenities. In-room, high-speed Internet access and an ergonomic work space offer travelers convenience and productivity in a tranquil setting.

The best time of the year is fast approaching and this holiday season is looking especially sweet for those of you who are setting your sights on the Bay Area. The Hyatt Regency San Francisco has bundled up some wonderful presents for you in four different packages. These are definitely something you want underneath your tree.

Home for the Holidays: Who says you can’t have a white Christmas in San Francisco? Not the Hyatt. The Hyatt Regency San Francisco will expect snow every day in the dramatic atrium lobby. Complementing thousands of cascading lights and the 45-foot tree, snow will fall three times a day in the hotel’s lobby, from Nov. 18 through Dec. 31, 2011. Other festivities include breakfast with Santa, a signature Christmas tree and a lighting ceremony.

Ice Skating Package: With a premier ice skating rink right outside of The Hyatt’s back door, they are offering the beloved ice skating package with rates starting at $179 for two people. In addition to a premium room, guests booking this package will receive two ice rink tickets as well, so you can skate themselves into the holiday mood.

Red and White Fleet: For those that want to celebrate the coming holiday season with a festive, city lights-inspired bay tour, Red and White Fleet has packaged up San Francisco’s only “Holiday Twilight Cruise,” available from Nov. 10 through Dec. 31.

Holiday Season Symphony Amour Package: In celebration of the San Francisco Symphony’s 100th anniversary, the four Hyatt Hotels of San Francisco are offering a 25 percent discount on holiday season symphony concert tickets Nov. 25 through Dec. 31.

The ice skating rink at the Hyatt Recency San Francisco 

Traveling has been a part of my life since I was a small child and that is all thanks to one woman, my grandma. From an early age she toted me along with her, a tiny toddler, adventuring in the English countryside. My grandma has been an inspiration to me my whole life and has fueled some of my greatest passions. It is because of the spark she started when I was just a mere child that my lifelong obsession with and constant trips to England and the United Kingdom began.

My grandma has played a pivotal role in my life and National Grandparents Day provides the perfect opportunity to give something back and celebrate all she has done for me. National Grandparents Day, which was founded in 1978 by Marian McQuade, falls on the first Sunday after Labor Day.

In celebration of National Grandparents Day, Ashford Castle, set in the village of Cong on the West of Ireland, is pulling out all the stops to provide grandparents and their grandchildren with the royal treatment. Throughout the month of September a special Grandparents Package will be available and will include:

• One night’s accommodation in a deluxe room for four
• Full Irish breakfast for four
• Table d’Hote dinner for four (with special children’s menu for the grandchildren)
• One-hour falconry lesson for our
• Afternoon Tea for four in the Drawing Room

Listen up Bay Area: we have good news! The Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Hotel is offering a deal that we just had to share with you. The Park, Stay ‘n Fly Package makes flying a breeze.

This is ideal for those who have an early morning flight. If you have to fly for hours, why not get a great sleep in a comfy bed and let the hotel staff worry about getting you to and from the airport? With Park, Stay ‘n Fly Package, you are free to leave your car in the secure hotel parking lot for 10 days at no charge. Airport parking is steep, and with this, you get a night a fancy hotel rather than paying for your car to sit in a lot at the airport.

For this deal you must book before March 24, 2012. Rates start at $129 and the package is valid through March 31, 2012.

With the very intriguing name of The Adventure School, this event planning committee lives up to its name and does it big. With the motto “Take it to the Limit Every Time” they work with businesses and individuals to “create visionary spaces, legendary parties and happiness.” Their most recent endeavor was a Bastille Day themed party featuring goat starting, chicken races, henna tattoos, magic, a photo booth, and more.

With a focus on innovation and attention to detail, they work to “blur the line between art and life.”

In addition to their enchanting parties, they also plan expeditions such as weddings, staff retreats and honeymoons around the world.

Also check out their store which features themed jewelry, decorations and posters.