{"id":80,"date":"2009-09-01T11:07:31","date_gmt":"2009-09-01T15:07:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bellwether-asicentral.com\/bellblog\/2009\/09\/01\/guest-blog-my-top-5-summer-escapes-by-jake-krolick\/"},"modified":"2009-09-01T15:32:41","modified_gmt":"2009-09-01T19:32:41","slug":"guest-blog-my-top-5-summer-escapes-by-jake-krolick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bellwether-asicentral.com\/bellblog\/2009\/09\/01\/guest-blog-my-top-5-summer-escapes-by-jake-krolick\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Blog: My Top 5 Summer Escapes, by Jake Krolick"},"content":{"rendered":"

So my buddy \u201cBell\u201d asked me to guest blog for her while she is out of the office this week. We tend to think on the same page, get into the same type of shenanigans, and share a mutual respect for each other’s ability to incite a crowd to riot – or at least lead a gaggle of folks on an evening of unadulterated fun.\u00a0Since it\u2019s the last day of August, it seemed fitting that I send out the industry’s favorite vacation month by paying homage to my top 5 favorite summer escapes.\u00a0Bell asked that I tie the post into the promo industry, and so I\u2019ve included a promotional product that one would find most useful on each of these escapes.\u00a0Please share your favorite vacation escapes in the comments, and let me know which promotional product you found useful to have along for the ride.<\/p>\n

Cheers,
\nJake Krolick<\/p>\n

5. Chicago<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

I love getting away from people, but I can recognize a good city when I see one.\u00a0 I would have placed Philly here, but most readers wouldn\u2019t get why.\u00a0Chicago in the summer is another story, and one that won\u2019t spark as much question.\u00a0Plain and simple during the months of June, July, and August, it\u2019s just gorgeous.\u00a0It\u2019s all about being lazy between the Zoo and the Conservatory in Lincoln Park, or playing volleyball until dusk on the lake. Stumbling around wrigglyville or the Viagra Triangle or snagging music at Free Festivals in Wicker Park or hanging out with Perry Ferrell at Lollapalooza in Grant Park \u2013 Chicago in the summer is on like Donkey Kong!<\/p>\n

For information about Chicago’s Park District, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Promo Product that you will find useful: Frisbee (175 grams, people – none of those wimpy disks) \u2013 yep, simple and still fun.<\/p>\n

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4. High Sierra Music Festival<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Ever since I stopped attending and working at summer camps, I missed them.\u00a0The closest thing I\u2019ve found to summer camp for adults is the summer music festival.\u00a0No festival in the country is as pro as the intimate offering in Quincy, CA known as High Sierra.\u00a0Do you love live music?\u00a0Want to smell the California pines, and sample some of the bay area’s finest wines?\u00a0Want to catch music from 2- 5 am and then play kickball at 6:00 am with a few hundred others?\u00a0Cool \u2013 me too!<\/p>\n

For information on the High Sierra Music Festival, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Promo Product that you will find useful: Double-wide Collapsible Chair w\/ Beverage Holders in the center \u2013 because your legs will be tired, and it\u2019s always nice to have room for friends.<\/p>\n

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3. Zion National Park<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s not as off the beaten path as it once was, but thru-hike the narrows in Zion on a couple hot days in July or August \u2013 you\u2019ll thank me for changing your life later.<\/p>\n

For information on Zion National Park, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Promo Product that you will find useful: Nalgene Water Bottles \u2013 rehydration is key, even though you\u2019re wet most of the hike.<\/p>\n

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2. Summit County, Colorado<\/strong><\/p>\n

Get in 18 holes at the Ranch course at Keystone<\/a>, drop the clubs at the pad, jump on the bike and ride around Lake Dillon, stop for a light lunch and rum runners at the Tiki Bar at the Lake Dillon Marina while you watch the J-class boats race.\u00a0\u00a0 Then ride your bike back to Frisco<\/a> in time to catch the tail end of the Frisco BBQ challenge.\u00a0Then snooze until dusk and jump back on the mountain bike to snag a 5- to 10-mile ride.\u00a0Finish the night at the Moose Jaw<\/a> or the Backcountry Brewery, but call it at midnight because tomorrow you’re going kayaking on a run from Pumphouse<\/a> to Radium on the Colorado River.\u00a0I could go on, but the list of outdoor activities, arts, and fun would just make your head spin, and yes, the winter has even more.<\/p>\n

For information on Keystone, click here<\/a>.
\nFor information on Frisco, click here<\/a>.
\nFor information on Moose Jaw, click here<\/a>.
\nFor information on the Pumphouse Run, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Promo Product that you will find useful: an extra sleeve of golf balls \u2013 because you\u2019re going to need them for holes 5 and 16.<\/p>\n

1. Maine<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have an unfair advantage, because I grew up in the state of Maine and almost always feel the need to escape to the foothills of the White Mountains or do dawn patrol surfing the 3- to 4-foot slabs of glass on Higgins Beach<\/a>.\u00a0Maine\u2019s license plate motto says it best: \u201cVacationland,\u201d and it\u2019s called that for good reason.\u00a0Send the kiddos up to summer camp in the lakes region and stay on Sebago Lake for a week.\u00a0Then sample the 20+ microbrews in Portland (Gritty McDuff\u2019s<\/a> is a sure bet).\u00a0Personally, I recommend a good hang in southern Maine.\u00a0Take the Casco Bay Ferry lines to Peaks Island<\/a> for reggae Sundays, or head up to Backcountry Bike Excursions<\/a> for some of the east\u2019s sickest mountain bike trails.\u00a0Maine is one of the best family vacation spots in the world, so do yourself a favor and visit soon.<\/p>\n

For information on Higgins Beach, click here<\/a>.
\nFor information on Backcountry Bike Excursions, click here<\/a>.
\nFor information on Gritty McDuff’s, click here<\/a>.
\nFor information on Jones Landing, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Promo Product that you will find useful: Lobster Bibs \u2013 because you\u2019re going to eat more than a few of these tasty crustaceans.<\/p>\n

Again, please comment and share your favorite vacation escapes, and let me know which promotional product you found useful to have along for the ride.<\/p>\n

Jake Krolick, online marketing manager at ASI, also writes freelance for the music industry, specializing in live show reviews, photo journalism and video mash-ups.\u00a0 He has been known to enjoy long walks on the beach, skiing, biking, surfing, cooking, and travel.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So my buddy \u201cBell\u201d asked me to guest blog for her while she is out of the office this week. We tend to think on the same page, get into the same type of shenanigans, and share a mutual respect for each other’s ability to incite a crowd to riot – or at least lead […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-80","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellwether-asicentral.com\/bellblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellwether-asicentral.com\/bellblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellwether-asicentral.com\/bellblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellwether-asicentral.com\/bellblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellwether-asicentral.com\/bellblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bellwether-asicentral.com\/bellblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bellwether-asicentral.com\/bellblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellwether-asicentral.com\/bellblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bellwether-asicentral.com\/bellblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}