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Warm Escapes Fly Your Bird South For The Winter
by Jan Gerner
 LaPlaya Beach
and Golf Resort,
Naples, Florida
If soaking in your private Jacuzzi tub while looking out floor-to-ceiling windows at the Gulf of Mexico's blue waters sounds good to you, then you may want to check into the LaPlaya Beach and Golf Resort. This award-winning resort is ten miles from the Naples Airport (KAPF) and easy to get to by cab or rental car.
For the second year in a row, Condé Nast readers have voted the LaPlaya as one of the top 100 golf resorts in the country; this is resort golfing at its best. Sign up for the David Leadbetter Golf Academy to improve your game and analyze your swing with the latest in golf-computer technology.
Private cabañas are available for lounging poolside. Need a towel, sunscreen, or a tall Mojito? Your own personal beach butler is ready, willing, and eager to serve. If you want to play in the Gulf, a variety of water toys are available for rent. Try kayaking, body boarding, or parasailing for a bird's eye view of Naples.
An exotic spa treatment at SpaTerre is a great way to end a long, hard day of working on your tan. The tropical-essence massage and fruit-and-flower facial will smooth and soften dry, winter skin.
Choose where you want to dine at this full service boutique resort — on the beach, in your private cabaña, in your room, the outdoor Tiki Bar, or Baleen Naples, which has been voted the best oceanfront dining by Gulfstream Life for the past two years. Whichever dining venue you decide on, expect personal attention and an exceptional menu.
If time allows, take a tour of the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary located in the Big Cypress Swamp. The 11,000 acre preserve is owned by the National Audubon Society. Meander along the two miles of boardwalk through the country's oldest and largest forest of cypress trees. Keep your eyes open for tropical ferns, wild flowers, orchids, alligators, and wood nesting storks. This unique landscape is considered one of Naples finest and famous attractions.
Radisson Resort,
South Padre Island, Texas
Guests at the Radisson Resort can enjoy sun, sand, two swimming pools, three whirlpools, the Gulf of Mexico, and a big dose of tropical Texas hospitality. Pilots have a choice of airports here. Land at the Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport (KBRO) and you'll be about 20 miles from the resort. The Port Isabel Cameron City Airport (KPIL) is about 12 miles from the resort. Rental cars and cabs are available at both.
Not surprisingly, Tex-Mex cuisine and fresh gulf seafood are in high demand here. The Windjammer Beachfront Café and the more casual Hammerhead Deck offer resort guests eclectic menus and good food.
You will find activities and attractions to please all age groups here. Live entertainment will please night owls. And racing enthusiasts will enjoy the Wednesday night crab races. Pick your hermit crab, place your bet, and cheer the critter to victory. The first to skitter over the circular finish line is the winner and, if it's your crab, you'll receive "Rad" dollars to spend at the resort.
Wind surfing has become a very popular water sport, and the island now boasts the fastest speed record in the United States. If you'd rather ride the breeze, wind surfing lessons are available.
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