Stay Overnight in a Docked Boat: In its statement announcing its Sleep Aboard product, GetMyBoat, a company that lists and rents boats online, the company offering it, says: “There is nothing like the rock of a boat to fall asleep to — especially when it is half the price of a hotel room and packs a one-of-a-kind experience.” Sleep Aboard is a boat-and-breakfast-type experience where travelers can stay aboard owners’ boats without leaving the dock.” It also offers boat owners an opportunity to let travelers sleep aboard in a controlled environment. In the first two weeks since the launch of Sleep Aboard, the company says that nearly 1,000 boats were been added to its online marketplace. GetMyBoat has a global inventory that comprises 35,000 boats listed in 143 countries. It points out that, with the addition of Sleep Aboard, GetMyBoat aims to provide additional accommodations during events that lock up a destination’s city-wide hotel inventory. For more information, visit www.getmyboat.com, or call 415.365.6382.
Kansas Farm Operated by Nuns Offers Stayover Packages for Small Groups: The Dominican Sisters of Peace is a small order of Catholic nuns better known within religious circles for its work in education, health care, pastoral care, prison ministry and the arts. They are active in a number of U.S. states, Honduras, Peru and Nigeria. But now, they are getting attention as operators of a registered agritourism attraction—Heartland Farm, an 80-acre farm near Great Bend in south-central Kansas, where the nuns grow crops, shear alpacas and feed their guests, all of whom take part in some activity—spiritual activities, too, if they choose—when they are there. The order describes itself as “a ministry … a Christian community committed to working for the healing and care of the Earth and its inhabitants.”
The farm, its guest house, its facilities and activities and the peace of mind it offers are available for overnight stays. Heartland also offers a weekend retreat package for small groups for $225 a person. It costs less during the week. For more information on both the Dominican Sisters and Heartland Farm, visit: www.heartlandfarm-ks.org, or call 620.923.4585.
Toronto “Rage Room” Allows You to Bash Things to Smitherines: Already a place where groups can attack one another with foam-tipped arrows while carrying on in an indoor archery range, Battle Sports in Toronto has opened its Rage Room, where, for $20, customers can take an oversized bat and smash objects from a “rage menu” for a half-hour. Before they actually grab a bat and smash objects, participants are equipped with protective gear, including work gloves and a paintball mask, and offered a room full of breakable items. After destroying a several complimentary items, they have their choice of things to destroy from a menu that includes the following: plate, $2; picture; $2; vase, $5; chair, $20. Other items involve custom pricing. Video “product demos” are available viewing at the Battle Sports website. For more information, visit: www.battlesports.ca, or call 647.406.2927.
Bullets and Burgers Expands Product Line: Well known among visitors to Las Vegas who enjoy the experience of shooting firearms of all sizes at a remote location in bordering Arizona—about 25 miles south of The Las Vegas Strip—Bullets and Burgers is adding a new product to its basic “ultimate outdoor machine gun adventure” which includes of a shooting range experience followed by a burger meal just before heading back to Las Vegas. Now, the company is offering an ATV tour that includes a swimming stop at the Colorado River. Featuring a six-passenger ATV, the new tour includes:
—Complimentary round trip (shuttle) transportation from any Las Vegas hotel;
—Photo opportunity stop at the Hoover Dam as a guide gives passengers the history behind the making of the world famous dam;
—A presentation that will provide guests with the facts and history of Lake Mead National Park and Colorado River;
—Three-hour ATV motorized tour through Lake Mead National Park;
—15 minute photo opportunity at the Colorado River, as well as time to take a quick swim in the river; and
—The “World Famous Burger,” fresh cut fries and a soft drink at the company’s on-site restaurant.
The ATV tour retails for $199. All ATV scenic motorized tours can be combined with shooting packages and with transportation of choice: i.e., helicopter, Harley, muscle car or with private shuttle.) For more information, visit www.bulletsandburgers.com, or call 702.825.1411.
: One of the most popular tourist shopping attractions in the U.S. Midwest just had its grand opening for the 250,000-square-foot expansion of the Chicago Premium Outlets mall in Aurora. It is operated by the Simon Property Group, which is the largest shopping center operator in the world. The expansion includes 30 new or expanded stores, two new restaurants, 2,200 more parking spaces, fireplaces, new pieces of public art and a large pond. The expansion brings the size of the entire outlet to about 688,000 square feet. New anchors include Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Clarins and Robert Graham, both with their first Midwest stores, and Wellensteyn, its first Midwest store and only its second in the U.S. Most of the new stores have opened, while some will open by early 2016. For more information, visit: www.premiumoutlets.com/chicago/ 630.585.2200.
