Travel Deals

Hot deals on the cold slopes of Santa Fe make for quick and affordable skigetaways

Fresh powder awaits you on the slopes in Santa Fe.
Although the holidays are over, Santa Fe still glistens with magical touches.
Santa Fe's varied landscape is great for winter skiing, hiking or simplyshopping in the downtown areas.

Just because the holidays are over doesn’t have to mean the vacation has to end. Winter made a pit stop in Dallas during Christmas, but the light snowfall likely left you wanting more.

Luckily, it’s a new year, and your vacation days have instantly recharged. Sure, you could save them for a beach trip in the summer. But that is months away — and it requires a swimsuit-ready body. If you’'re more comfortable bundling up than stripping down, then Santa Fe, New Mexico is just your style.

Yes, a January vacation is a bit unconventional, but you always were a free spirit. Plus, the lower demand means better deals. Santa Fe is only 45 minutes by plane from Dallas, making it a closer choice than Colorado hot spots. Plus it is less crowded.

The proximity doesn't mean less snow, though. With an average of 300 inches of snow a year and more than 300 sunny days a year to enjoy them, Santa Fe is the perfect place to get away for the weekend for a quick, luxurious stay at a cozy ski resort so you can come back to the office refreshed and reenergized.

The interwebs can be a mighty fortress, so we’ve sought out the season’s best specials, all good until March 2013:

The Inn & Spa at Loretto offers two packages for guests looking to hit the slopes. The Buenos Dias Bed and Breakfast Package gives guests a hearty, gourmet start before heading down the mountain, while the Santa Fe Ski Package includes accommodations, a neck warmer, $25 per day hotel credit, and recommended options for skiing and snowboarding.

Santa Fe Sage Inn is offering a guests free skiing at Ski Santa Fe when they book a two-night, double occupancy room starting at $239.

Hotel Chimayo de Santa Fe includes a made-to-order breakfast for two with a deluxe room or suite for stays between Sunday and Thursday. The Get Out and Ski Santa Fe Package includes breakfast to go in a charming room or suite.

The Lodge at Santa Fe has a Ski Santa Fe and Save Package with great room rates plus a grab-and-go breakfast and hot cocoa to get skiers and boarders on the slopes first thing in the morning. The Lodge is also promoting a Third Night Free Package that includes 20 percent off at the hotel’s restaurant or bar.

The Inn at Santa Fe is currently running a 2013 Ski Package that includes one night’s accommodation, breakfast and two lift tickets to Ski Santa Fe for only $195.

Bishop’s Lodge Ranch Resort & Spa has a special incentive for booking a private villa, starting at $399. It comes with a $100 resort credit, a bottle of wine, and chocolate-covered strawberries. The Ski Santa Fe Package lets guests enjoy all the winter activities on the property — hiking, hot tubbing, snowshoeing and sledding on more than 450 acres of forested land — and comes with breakfast and ski packages for two from $149.

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GHOSTLY GETAWAYS

9 spooky Texas road trips to historic and haunted destinations

Photo by Digi Dream Grafix

The USS Lexington in Corpus Christi brings a spooky twist to its WWII history with ghost tours, paranormal investigations and other Halloween experiences.

If local pumpkin patches and haunted houses aren't quite scary enough, it is time to plan a Halloween-themed road trip. The brave can explore everything from haunted hotels and cemeteries to ghostly aircraft carriers, and even ride in a decked-out hearse. No plane tickets are required; just round up some brave friends, pack snacks, and hit the road for a weekend of one or more of these creepy thrills.

Austin

Driskill Hotel
After more than 100 years, the Driskill is one of Austin's oldest operating hotels and has plenty of ghostly lore. One of its most famous stories involves the spirit of Sam Houston's 5-year-old granddaughter, who sadly died at the bottom of the hotel's grand staircase and is said to still make an appearance periodically, especially on the hotel's 5th floor. Visitors can hear the tale for themselves on daily history tours at the hotel.

Haunted ATX
This tour takes customers to some of Austin's most haunted spots in a Cadillac limousine hearse. The tour makes stops around the city, where adventure-seekers even get out and explore the scary establishments for themselves.

Corpus Christi

USS Lexington
Known as the "Blue Ghost" because it served during WWII, the USS Lexington Museum is said to be one of the most haunted attractions on the Texas Gulf Coast. During Halloween season, visitors can take ghost tours, try their hands at paranormal investigations, or take on one of the country's only escape rooms located on a WWII aircraft carrier.

Galveston

Historic Galveston Ghost Tour
Galveston has no shortage of ghost stories, but one is getting national attention. Recently, a study by Magic Hour used TripAdvisor data to rank the Historic Galveston Ghost Tour as one of the top 15 ghost tours in the country, the only Texas tour mentioned on the list. The 90-minute experience tells stories of pirates, ghosts, historic buildings, and the natural disasters that have shaped Galveston.

Grand Galvez
One of the oldest beachfront hotels in the state is not only known for its luxury accommodations, but also for its resident spirits. The Grand Galvez, originally opened in 1911, has since gained a reputation for its most famous ghost, Audra, who took her own life after she learned her fiancé’s ship had sunk at sea. Today, guests can take a tour to learn about the hotel's paranormal activities, including mysterious apparitions and mischievous spirits.

Houston

Glenwood Cemetery
Over 60 acres of treelined grounds are dotted with elaborate mausoleums and monuments of some of Houston's most notable figures, but the serene cemetery is also said to have a darker side. The unsolved murder of the cemetery's owner and unusual EMF activity reported by ghost hunters add to the lore. The cemetery is open daily and free to explore, and Preservation Houston leads historical guided tours.

La Carafe
In downtown Houston, La Carafe still pours drinks in one of the city's oldest commercial buildings, which has operated since 1866. The dimly lit bar is known for its candlelit rooms, wooden floors, and antique charm, but it also has its fair share of spooky happenings, including unexplained noises, cold spots, and the occasional sighting of Carl, a former bartender whose spirit is said to hang around upstairs after dark.

San Antonio

Six Flags Fiesta Texas
This San Antonio theme park is going all out this year with the biggest Halloween celebration in its history. Through November 1, attendees can enjoy an all-new The Conjuring Universe maze, "Return of Saw: Legacy of Terror," seven scare zones, 25 interactive lantern points with hidden effects, and live entertainment. After dark, the park will transform with fog, mood lighting, and eerie music for a fully immersive experience.

Victoria's Black Swan Inn
This San Antonio hotel has earned its place on the list of the most haunted places in the country. Not only is it located on the grounds of a Native American encampment, but it was a part of the 1842 Battle of Salado. Over the years, people have reportedly seen the ghostly spirits of women, soldiers, and children on the property. Visitors can learn about the inn's haunted history on regularly scheduled tours.

Photo by Digi Dream Grafix

The USS Lexington in Corpus Christi brings a spooky twist to its WWII history with ghost tours, paranormal investigations and other Halloween experiences.

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