Travel digest || Pennsylvania resort builds gingerbread village

Pennsylvania resort builds gingerbread village

NEMACOLIN, Pa. — Nevermind a gingerbread house — a gingerbread village is on display at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in southwestern Pennsylvania.

More than a half-dozen gingerbread structures are on display, made from 100 pounds of gingerbread, 200 pounds of powdered sugar, 40 pounds of egg whites, 5,000 jelly beans and hundreds of peppermints, gumballs, candy canes, chocolates, marshmallows and pretzels.

This is the 10th year the hotel has created the gingerbread village, which will remain on view through Jan. 6.

Nemacolin is 70 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Facilities include an adult spa, a children’s spa, and Wooflands Spa, with condos for dogs. (Pets under 30 pounds can stay in guest rooms.)

The resort’s ski mountain opens Friday with 10 trails for skiing and snowboarding. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snow- tubing are also available, and there is dogsledding nearby. Daily ski passes range from $20 for kids under 5 years to $38 for adults. Equipment rentals are available.

Rates start at $229 during December, with a variety of packages that offer resort credit.

For more information, visit www.nemacolin.com.

Utah’s Zion forms sister relationship in China

ZION NATIONAL PARK, Utah — Zion National Park is establishing a sister relationship with a national park in China.

Officials say Danxiashan National Park is Zion’s first sister park in China, according to The Spectrum, a newspaper based in St. George, Utah.

Zion Superintendent Jock Whitworth says the agreement between the parks will involve sharing ideas, staff and research to better understand both parks and cultures.

Danxiashan’s director says his park contacted Zion about a possible relationship because the two locations share a similar formation of red rocks.

A Zion Park ranger says the two parks are very similar. The big difference is that the climate near China’s south coast, where Danxiashan is located, is much wetter.

Water park expanding

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Nashville water park is doubling its size next year.

Nashville Shores along J. Percy Priest Lake is adding a 25,000-square-foot wave pool and 1,000-foot lazy river float ride.

Additionally, existing facilities will be renovated.

The new attractions will be in an undeveloped area of the 385-acre park east of Nashville.

The privately owned park, with nine waterslides and three pools, is the major water park in Nashville.

New casino to open in St. Louis area

ST. LOUIS — The seventh casino in the St. Louis area and the 13th in Missouri is scheduled to open in early March.

Las Vegas-based Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. said that its new River City casino in south St. Louis County will open a bit earlier than anticipated, pending final regulatory approval from the Missouri Gaming Commission.

The casino was originally scheduled to open in the spring.

River City will include a 90,000-square foot gambling area with more than 2,000 slot machines and about 55 table games. The complex will include restaurants and a bar.

Travel survey shows more last-minute bookings

NEW YORK — Travelers are taking shorter holiday vacations this year, selecting less-expensive destinations, and staying in the U.S. or taking vacations that only involve short flights, according to a survey of American Express Travel agents.

The survey was conducted in November among more than 460 American Express Travel specialists, and about three-fourths of them reported noticing the moneysaving vacation trends among their agents.

Agents also reported more last-minute bookings and more inquiries from travelers who want to use credit-card benefits and rewards to save money or get more value from their vacations.

About 40 percent of the agents said that more travelers are choosing cruises and all-inclusive vacations.

Associated Press