Gobble Up - Planning the perfect Thanksgiving dinner takes a lot of time and effort!  Thank goodness there are bed and breakfasts than offer Thanksgiving specials so you don’t have to worry about a thing besides showing up.  Sit down to a traditional Thanksgiving meal at Holly Court Inn in Washington, Georgia.  The inn offers a full four course gourmet meal starting with oven roasted shrimp, apple and walnut salad, black pepper-pomegranate molasses glazed turkey with familiar favorite side dishes like mashed potatoes with mascarpone cheese and cranberry fruit conserve.  Make room for dessert which includes pumpkin pie and chocolate bourbon pecan pie.  Lounge about in the library after dinner or sip an after dinner drink in the parlor.  The inn has a wide selection of movies and reading materials and a 24 hour complementary snack and drink bar, in case you get the munchies again.  Wake up to a post Thanksgiving champagne brunch which features a full country breakfast and mimosas. 

Looking to spend family time this Thanksgiving without any interruptions?  Make it a family affair and spend Thanksgiving at Sorensen’s Resort in Hope Valley, California.  The inn has no TV, telephones or distractions so you can actually spend quality time with your family.  Spend the day hiking or biking along one of the many nearby trails before sitting down for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  The inn will serve delicious appetizers, turkey, stuffed mashed potato, wine and of course, pumpkin pie. 

Stuff yourself this Thanksgiving and find more specials at a Georgia Bed and Breakfast or at a California Bed and Breakfast.  You can also find more Thanksgiving ideas under Holiday Bed & Breakfast Specials. 

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Honor Code - Did you know that a shoe store owner helped turn Veteran’s Day into what it is today?  In the early 1950’s, Al King started a campaign to change Armistice Day, (a day of remembrance to honor those who served in World War I) into a holiday for all war veterans.  Eventually, Congress signed a bill for the amended holiday in 1954 and officially changed Armistice Day to Veteran’s Day.  Active military and veterans can enjoy a B&B break anytime of the year at House of 1833 Bed and Breakfast Resort in Mystic, Connecticut.  As a thank you to all service personnel, the 10% discount also applies to law enforcement officers and firefighters.  Ask about the in-room massage service or socialize by an open fire in the sitting area and grab a handful of the inn’s signature chocolate chip cookies.

Appreciation extends to the south at Catherine Ward House Inn in Savannah, Georgia.  Active and inactive military service officers can receive a 10% discount any time of the year between Sunday through Thursday.  The inn gladly welcomes and offers the same discount to police and firefighters.  This Victorian inn is rich in American history.  Take a stroll through Forsyth Park and visit civil war monuments or ask the innkeeper to direct you to the historic district for shopping, dining and nearest museums. 

Look for more B&Bs that show their gratitude to all war veterans at a Connecticut Bed and Breakfast or at a Georgia Bed and Breakfast.  You can also use the advanced search box to find more special discounts. 

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Birthday Blowout - Remember when you were a kid and actually looked forward to your birthday?  Somehow as we get older, we tend to worry more about our actual age, instead of just enjoying and celebrating the day.  Give yourself a break and party it up at The Mast Farm Inn in Valle Crucis, North Carolina.  The “Birthday Celebration Packages” lets you decide the type of party that you want.  Guests can choose from five different birthday packages.  If you’re looking for a casual and informal celebration, ask for the “Wine and Cheese Birthday Reception,” good for 8 to 24 guests, complete with snacks, beverage, birthday cake and a custom and personalized gift mementos for your guests.  Or you can go all out and request “This Is Your Life,” a deluxe package that includes a four course dinner for 8-24 guests, wine and drinks, champagne, birthday cake, personalized embroidered birthday shirts and framed photo montage for guests and professional photography services. 

If you prefer a quieter, more intimate celebration, surprise your loved one with a “Birthday Celebration Package” at Stephanie Inn in Cannon Beach, Oregon.  The inn will surprise your birthday honey with a chilled bottle of champagne, wine or cider in an ice bucket and a small, locally made birthday cake in chocolate or vanilla.  You can even add a 50 minute Swedish body massage for the birthday guy or gal and make dinner reservations for a four-course gourmet meal at the inn. 

Make all your birthday wishes come true at a North Carolina Bed and Breakfast or at an Oregon Bed and Breakfast. 

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Ghostly Love - Halloween doesn’t have to be typical fright fest.  Make the scariest time of the year, a night you’ll always remember with a spooky, candlelit wedding at Canyon Ferry Mansion in Townsend, Montana.  The haunted inn provides a perfect setting for gothic lovebirds who want a mix of Victorian romance and the dark side.  The “Halloween Ghost Town Gothic Elopement” includes a two night stay, a wedding ceremony at the Midnight Haunted Chapel complete with gothic décor and candlelight, 25 orb glow wedding photos, mini red velvet wedding cake, dried black rose bouquet for the bride and free incense and potion gift casket basket.  Innkeeper can even provide vintage wedding gowns for bride or find a last minute tux for the groom.  The newlyweds can then return to the inn and hear true tales of the inn’s haunted past, including chilling details about a past owner who was murdered and now resides at the inn as a ghost.  The couple may even witness paranormal activities back in their honeymoon suite, ranging from unusual sounds, flickering lights and missing objects. 

If saying “I Do” sounds way too scary, how about a spending a night with a few ghosts instead?  At Inn at Jim Thorpe in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, ghosts are no laughing matter.  Sign up for the “Ghost Hunters Halloween Weekend” taking place Oct. 30 – Nov. 1 and attend three seminars led by the Philadelphia Ghost Hunters Alliance where you can learn about real ghost hunting techniques.  You will then take a chilling ghost hunt through the famous Old Jail where the Molly Maguires (a secret Irish organization) were hanged.  The two night special also includes a ghost walking tour through the old district.  A guide will lead through the night using a lantern and reveal the history and whereabouts of some famous, local ghosts. 

If you dare, look for more paranormal activity at a Montana Bed and Breakfast or at a Pennsylvania Bed and Breakfast. 

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Giddyup -  It takes more than a pair of boots, a hat and some chaps to be a real cowgirl.  Saddle up and learn what it’s all about by signing up for “Cowgirl Camp” at BlissWood Bed and Breakfast in Cat Spring, Texas.  The weekend special lets girls live the life of a cowgirl with horseback rides, campfire cookouts, horse games, horse meditation and even lessons on how to effectively communicate with your horse with the help of a professional horse whisperer.  When you’re done horsing around, take it easy with a massage or facial, unwind with complimentary wine & cheese in the evening followed by a night of stargazing.  By the time you wake up, a chuck wagon breakfast will be ready for you.  Take the horses for a ride and sit down to a picnic lunch in the Gazebo by the Enchanted Lake. 

If you think the life of a cowboy or cowgirl is incomplete without real cowboy stories, gather around the fire and let cowboy Keith share his tales on the farm at Valle Crucis Bed & Breakfast in Valle Crucis, North Carolina.  Pick up some riding tips and take a one hour ride through wooded trails, farm fields along Dutch Creek.  Return to the mountain retreat and warm up your bones by a toasty fire or jump in a hot Jacuzzi tub.  A full country breakfast will get you going again in the morning. 

Find the inner cowboy or cowgirl in you at a Texas Bed and Breakfast or at a North Carolina Bed and Breakfast.   

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Cookie Monster - Why wait until Halloween to satisfy your sweet tooth when you can get a head start this month and snack on cookies all month long?  October is national cookie month and cookies reign supreme at The Beechmont Inn in Hanover, Pennsylvania where Kathryn, the innkeeper bakes a fresh batch of cookies daily ranging from lemon, ginger snaps, chocolate chips, white chip, mint chip to oatmeal raisins.  Guests can even make special requests for their favorite cookies in the morning and look forward to a sweet surprise by mid-afternoon.  Don’t be surprised if you find the cookie jar empty in the morning, just put in your request again the next morning while sitting down to a gourmet breakfast of spice pancakes with lemon sauce, bacon, fresh fruit and homemade bread and muffins. 

If traditional cookies seem like a bore, stop by The Artist’s Inn and Gallery in Terre Hill, Pennsylvania and let Jan, the innkeeper impress you with unique cookie recipes ranging from sour cream chocolate chip, coconut oatmeal to the inn’s signature raspberry chocolate chip.  Guests don’t have to look very hard to find the never-ending cookie jar as the aroma of fresh-baked cookies permeates throughout the inn.  Sit down on the porch and have your cookies with hot cider, hot chocolate, tea or wine.  Don’t forget to ask the innkeeper for your favorite cookie recipe and be sure to sample some local Amish fare while you’re in town.

Find the cookie monster in you at a Pennsylvania bed and breakfast or use the keyword search box to find an inn near you.  You can also find innkeeper approved cookie recipes to try at home on our recipes page.

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Float Inn - Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang never really believed in “The Great Pumpkin” like Linus, but they might have had more faith had they seen giant pumpkins like the ones at Windsor-West Hants Pumpkin Festival in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada. Visitors from around the world make an annual trip to view pumpkins of mammoth proportions in this community known as “The Little Town of Big Firsts.” The town was also the first to start a national pumpkin craze with their annual pumpkin race. Cheer on all the racers this weekend on October 11 and watch paddlers use their floating pumpkins as their PVC (personal vegetable crafts). The all day festival will also feature music, games, parade and local vendors. When you’re ready to call it a day, check in at The Clockmaker’s Inn in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Ask the innkeeper how she did in the race and take it easy with a relaxing goat milk bath or play a game of horseshoes in the garden, board games in the sunroom or read a book in a quiet corner in the library.

photo courtesy of Windsor-West Hants Pumpkin Festival

If you’re looking for a pumpkin festival in the states, look no further than Maine. Check into Newcastle Inn in Newcastle, Maine and take in the beautiful view of the Damariscotta River, raid the bottomless cookie jar for homemade goodies and then ask the innkeeper to direct you to the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest. The third annual fest will feature a traditional pumpkin paddleboat race as well as the popular motorized giant pumpkin regatta on October 11. Various other gourd activities will be taking place through October 12 including underwater pumpkin carving, pumpkin catapault & “chunkin,” pumpkin pie eating contests and pumpkin drops.

If you want more giant orange action, look for alternate pumpkin options at a Nova Scotia Bed and Breakfast or at a Maine Bed and Breakfast. You can also use the keyword search box to find more local fall activities.

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Great Scot!  Do you ever wonder what your great-great-great grandfather was like?  Or what town and country your great-great-great-great grandmother grew up in?  Tracing your family roots may not be as hard as you think.  If you know of any relatives that settled in Southernmost Illinois, chances are you’ve got a wee bit of Irish in you, Scots-Irish that is.  At The Irish Inn in Ozark, Illinois, innkeeper Lynn Moore McCreery can help you rebuild your family tree and look up burial records, deeds and search through reference books from the inn’s own genealogical library.  The “Genealogy Holiday” special lets curious guests on a family quest discover who they are and where they come from.  According to Lynn, many of the early settlers in the area typically have Ulster Scottish roots along with a Cherokee Indian background.  Print out your individualized ancestor chart at the inn and look for more clues at nearby libraries and research centers.  Feel free to ask innkeeper any questions about the results over a full Irish breakfast that includes Irish sausages (bangers), fried tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms and a strong cup of Irish tea. 

If you think you have ancestral ties in New York, make your way to Rufus Tanner House Bed & Breakfast in Pine City, New York.  The inn is located less than 10 minutes away from The Booth Library which houses an extensive selection of records inlcuding books, manuscripts, photographic images, maps and architectural records.  The library has been collecting and preserving documents since 1923.  When you’re ready to take a break, head back to the inn and ask for the “Settle In and Relax” special.  Sit by a hearty fire and grab a bowl of homemade soup cooked on an anitque cookstove.  The special also includes gourmet breakfast for two, complimentary snacks and beverages.

Try to find a family connection at an Illinois Bed and Breakfast or at a New York Bed and Breakfast to search for your family roots elsewhere. 

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Mushroom-inn - Magic mushrooms came in handy for Alice in Wonderland when she was in a jam.  She could either grow or shrink at will.  Although we can’t promise you’ll find any of the mushrooms that Alice nibbled on her adventure, we can tell you that if you love this edible fungus, you won’t want to miss out on the Wild Mushroom Celebration at Boreas Bed & Breakfast Inn in Long Beach, Washington.  Starting October 30 through November 1, mushroom fans can get their fill of fleshy spores with an epicurean three course dinner at a nearby fine restaurant.  Guests will start off with sherried chanterelle mushrooms and goat cheese crostini followed by a main course of king salmon or filet mignon on wild mushroom risotto with chanterelle mushroom cream.  Dessert is a decadent chocolate truffle tart with truffle honey whip cream.  More mushroom delight awaits on Sunday morning.  The inn will serve breakfast entrees featuring six different wild mushrooms in season like triple mushroom frittata, mushroom pate and sausage gravy with mushrooms.  A professional forager will be present at breakfast to share her knowledge about mushrooms.  Mycophagist guests are invited to mushroom hunt with the expert following breakfast.

You can also have a gastronomical mushroom experience at The Shelburne Inn in Long Beach, Washington.  The inn will host a Wild Mushroom Celebration all month long in October.  On October 16, a visiting guest chef will whip up a wild mushroom dinner.  On October 20, guests will enjoy an Italian take on mushrooms with a respected guest chef who will serve a gourmet Italian meal with mushrooms.  On October 30, the inn’s resident chefs will make a special wild mushroom dinner.  If dinner seems too long to wait, satisfy your fungal craving earlier in the day.  The inn will serve a variety of wild mushrooms for guests to sample during breakfast, lunch and/or dinner.  Don’t miss out on the wild mushroom omelette with pesto cream sauce. 

Find more spore-rific B&Bs at a Washington Bed and Breakfast or use the keyword search box to find a mushroom-tastic stay. 

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Recycled Goods - You’ve probably heard the saying, “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.”  Find out for yourself at Dobson House Bed & Breakfast in El Prado, New Mexico, an eco-friendly inn that was built using 2,000 tires and 20,000 cans. The solar powered B&B is a natural adobe and sits 7,000 feet on a 100 foot hill. It’s conveniently located near the natural hot springs and overlooks the Rio Grande Gorge. Nature lovers seeking a little outdoor adventure can ask innkeeper to arrange llama expeditions, rock climbing, white water rafting, hiking and finish off the night star gazing. Don’t forget to get a taste of the southwest with a full breakfast that ranges from Mexican baked eggs with chicken apple sausage to Texas pecan biscuits followed by peach muffins, sweet potato pone and ricotta cheese pancakes.

You can find more green inns with a southwestern flair by searching New Mexico Bed and Breakfasts or using the keyword search box to find a B&B near you.

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