The American Southwest is rarely mentioned as an ideal vacation destination during the summer months, and Arizona has an especially poor reputation with its high temperatures.  However, there is a lovely place in the state that stays lively and much cooler than the rest - Sedona.  Mountains surround Sedona, Arizona, protecting it from much of the heat that makes other areas of the state much warmer. With national parks, festivals, and events throughout the summer months, Sedona is an excellent choice for a getaway spot.  Here are seven things to see in Sedona during the summer months.

1. Sedona offers miles and miles of beautiful trails for hiking and biking that are suitable for explorers of all skill levels.  There are flat trails that wind their way around the foot of hills, offering spectacular views of the landscape and rock formations that make up the Sedona desert - perfect for those with younger families.  There are also more difficult treks that climb up from the bottoms of canyons or reach the tops of the rocks, where hikers can enjoy the sprawling vistas beneath their feet; giving the teenager and thrill seekers in the family all the excitement desired!  These aren't just for human feet! Many of these trails are pet friendly, so bring your energetic dog along for the walk.

2. The Sedona Hummingbird Festival is truly a sight to behold.  Held this year from July 31 to August 2 when the population of hummingbirds is the highest and most diverse, these three days are always filled to the brim with free exhibits and special garden tours or breakfast with these colorful little birds. But hurry, tickets for special engagements go quickly: http://www.hummingbirdsociety.org/purchase-tickets-2015/

3. The artistic soul of Sedona thrives vibrantly in galleries, shops, and squares peppered throughout the town.  Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village offers frequent events, shows, and celebrations throughout the year, and summer is no exception. Also, the first Friday of each month, from 5:00pm until 8:00pm, the Sedona Gallery Association puts together a showcase to highlight artists, special exhibits, and events for locals and visitors alike - a great way to experience three of Sedona's biggest art locations - Tlaquepaque, Hillside Sedona, and Uptown Sedona.  So come and see talent and creativity can flourish in the beautiful desert. First Fridays are free and they include opening receptions. Ride the trolley for free between venues!

4. Don't leave the kids out! There are many state and national parks located close to Arizona, but the one with the biggest draw during the summer months is Slide Rock State Park.  It was named one of the top ten state parks in the country just last year! The smooth, slippery natural waterslide that ends in a swimming hole is a fun and cooling way to spend a day with the family. Red Rock State Park also has activities for the kiddos with Ranger programs, guided nature walks, and special guest speakers or presentations. One area not to be missed is The Crescent Moon Ranch Picnic Area at Red Rock Crossing. There's fishing, swimming, and lots of fun just wading in the creek; as well as a great picnic area and beautiful scenery to photograph.

5. If history and culture are more interesting than hiking and festivals, there are plenty of places where hours can be spent learning about the history of the Southwest.  Sedona has a Heritage Museum with exhibits featuring art from across the region and educational exhibits about everyday life in the town from the nineteenth century until present day.  Sedona is also the location of two Indian ruin sites - the Palatki and Honanki Heritage sites.  Take time to see Montezuma Castle and Well, a National Monument about 30 minutes from Sedona. The walks involved in any of these cultural experiences are minimal, making them an excellent way to spend a day without working too hard!

6. Sedona is also known as a peaceful and rejuvenating place, a spectacular and powerful place - attracting mediums, meditation experts, and many others. Some visitors come for a life-changing experience, rejuvenation of the spirit, or an energy specific vortex visit. Sedona offers numerous spiritual retreats, healing experiences, and psychic readings to choose from. If a life-changing or more spiritual experience is of interest, there are many retreats hosted throughout the year or energy vortex visits and tours visitors to choose between.

7. Of course, what kind of visit to Arizona, the "Grand Canyon State," would be complete without a trip to the Grand Canyon itself?  Sedona is located less than two hours away from one of the seven natural wonders of the world - there are many day tours offered that begin in Sedona, or visitors can drive themselves the short way up to the national park to enjoy the truly stunning views of the Grand Canyon and some of the walks around the rim. (Leashed pets are allowed on trails above the rim).

Of course, these are not the only ways to spend your summer days in Sedona.  There are wine tours, jeep excursions, horseback riding, golf, shopping, and plenty of other things to fill up the day when you come and visit.  One question remaining is where to stay while you experience all of them?  El Portal Sedona Hotel is truly the place to stay - pet friendly, and located just steps away from Tlaquepaque Square and the heart of the town.  El Portal offers a unique lodging experience. It isn't a typical bed and breakfast, nor is it your big resort.  It is a twelve-suite boutique hotel offering unpretentious luxury. Each suite is distinctively decorated, includes a private entrance, patio, fireplace, whirlpool bath and Wi-Fi; featherweight cashmere blankets, luxury Egyptian cotton sheets, bath towels, premium down pillows and comforters for the ultimate in restful comfort. El Portal offers pet friendly Sedona accommodations with fenced pet patios, and no pet fees, making it an ideal place to put your feet up at the end of a long day of exploring.

Contact Information:

El Portal Sedona Hotel

95 Portal Lane, Sedona, AZ 86336

928-203-9405

800-313-0017

Fax: 928-203-9401

info@ElPortalSedona.com

www.ElPortalSedona.com

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Jan McInnis

LuCorp Marketing, LLC

Grand Canyon National Park - less than 2 hours from Sedona, AZ

El Portal Sedona Hotel

El Portal's The Molesworth Suite for designer Thomas Molesworth

West Fork Hiking Trail

Perhaps more than ever, women are willing to ditch their traveling companions and go solo when it comes time to hit the road and see the world.

A survey by Small Luxury Hotels of the World, for example, revealed that between 2011 and 2012 there was a 53 percent increase in the demand for rooms by women traveling alone.

The London Daily Mail also reports that some hotels have taken steps to make their accommodations more appealing to women traveling on their own, with such features as women-only floors.

Still, despite the trend, many women may worry that such solitary excursions carry too many risks, making them a target for thieves, kidnappers and other criminals.

But one woman who has logged endless miles exploring the world and finding romance says it doesn't have to be that way.

"There is no reason to let your fears keep you from the adventures you can experience," says Barbara Foster, a veteran globetrotter and author of the book "The Confessions of a Librarian: A Memoir of Loves." (www.threelovestory.com)

"Sure, there are risky places and bad types out there. But with the right precautions, women can travel solo with confidence, visiting the places and meeting the people they always dreamed of and returning home with wonderful stories and memories."

Foster speaks from experience. Her travels have taken her across the country and around the world, with stops in Istanbul, Bombay, Buenos Aires, Jerusalem and other locales.

As an adventurer, Foster is something of a contradiction. She describes herself as a librarian who has difficulty reading flight schedules, and suspects a haggling merchant in an Arab bazaar would view her as easy pickings.

He would be mistaken.

While Foster has spent a professional lifetime in academia, and co-authored books on such esoteric subjects as Tibetan Buddhism, she also is steeped in real-life experience.

Foster, who says solo trips can be deeply rewarding for women, offers five tips for traveling boldly while staying safe.

•  Steer clear of the most dangerous locales. Simply put, some places just aren't worth the risk, so avoid "no go" neighborhoods, cities and countries. For example, if you feel compelled to go to the Middle East, visit Israel, which is the safest Middle Eastern country. Still, if the destination is truly important to you, go ahead and take the risk. India can be dangerous and Foster says she was nearly kidnapped there, saved only by the intervention of a librarian friend. At the same time, she says, the country offers a once in a lifetime experience.

•  Connect with friendly contacts. Make yourself known not only to the U.S. embassy or consul, but also to people in your field, Foster says. During her travels, Foster wrote articles about libraries she visited. Her fellow librarians were a protective group.

•  Learn the language or at least useful phrases. Even if it's just a few key words, speaking the language can come in handy if you need to seek assistance. Understanding what others are saying also can alert you to potential dangers.

•  Dress wisely, pay attention to manners and spend money in moderation. Essentially, don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself. In her book, Foster recounts a visit to Istanbul where she watched horror-struck as two Turkish men slapped a young British woman for wearing a miniskirt on the street. For added protection against thieves, Foster recommends carrying money and identification in a pouch under your shirt.

•  Travel in the USA. You will miss many of the world's must-see places, but if the thought of traveling abroad holds too much stress for you, it might be better to stick closer to home. Foster says two of her favorite U.S. cities are New York and New Orleans, both great places to explore.

About Barbara Foster

Barbara Foster has worked as a college librarian and as an associate professor specializing in Women's Studies at the City University of New York. She has published numerous articles on education and travel, as well as more than 200 poems in literary journals under the name Belladonna. Her latest book is "The Confessions of a Librarian: A Memoir of Loves." (www.threelovestory.com)

Quad Cities - 100 Branch College Campus Administrators are coming from across the country to the Quad Cities this week for their annual conference.

The National Association of Branch Campus Administrators (NABCA) Annual Conference takes place at the Hotel Blackhawk in Davenport on April 15-18, 2015, with events at the Figge Art Museum and the WIU-QC Riverfront Campus.

"The NABCA Site Selection Committee chose the Quad Cities based on the hospitality from the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau and Western Illinois University-Quad Cities," says NABCA Executive Director Joyce Gillie Gossom, EdD.

"WIU-QC is a wonderful example of an institution experiencing phenomenal growing as a direct result of strong community partnerships.  Overall, the central-geographic location, WIU-QC Campus as Host, support from the Quad Cities CVB, and multiple hotel options combined with the warmth and hospitality of everyone they met, convinced the committee that the Quad Cities was the only choice for our 2015 Conference."

According to Gossom, the NABCA Annual Conference provides an opportunity to connect directly with other higher education administrators who operate multiple campus locations.  Each year, attendees travel to the Site Campus where they have the opportunity to network, see products, technology, and furniture from selected partners and sponsors in use.  No other event in the U.S. draws as many Branch, Regional, and Satellite Campus higher education administrators, scholars, faculty, and student service professionals.

The Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau estimates that this conference will have a $75,000 local economic impact.

WASHINGTON -U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced today $500 million will be made available for transportation projects across the country under a seventh round of the highly successful Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) competitive grant program.  Mississippi State Senator Albert Butler and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett joined Secretary Foxx to highlight how essential federal funding is to transportation projects in their states and communities.

"The TIGER program has funded innovative projects, sparked new partnerships, created intermodal connections and enabled hard-to-fund projects that are changing the face of communities all across the country," said Secretary Foxx. "We are excited to kick off this year's competition."

TIGER 2015 discretionary grants will fund capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure and will be awarded on a competitive basis to projects that will have a significant impact on the nation, a region or metropolitan area.

The TIGER 2015 grant program will continue to make transformative surface transportation investments by providing significant and measurable improvements over existing conditions.  The grant program will focus on capital projects that generate economic development and improve access to reliable, safe and affordable transportation for communities, both urban and rural.

The FY 2015 Appropriations Act does not provide dedicated funding for the planning, preparation, or design of capital projects; however, these activities may be eligible to the extent that they are part of an overall construction project. A minimum of 20 percent of funds will fund projects in rural areas.

Since 2009, the TIGER grant program has provided a combined $4.1 billion to 342 projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.  Demand has been overwhelming, and during the previous six rounds, the Department received more than 6,000 applications requesting more than $124 billion for transportation projects across the country.

"The consistent number of high quality projects we're unable to fund through TIGER every year demonstrates the need for Congress to act to give more communities access to this vital lifeline," Secretary Foxx said. "That is why we proposed doubling TIGER in the GROW AMERICA Act."

Earlier this week, the Department reintroduced an improved surface transportation reauthorization bill, the GROW AMERICA Act.  The bill would provide $7.5 billion in funding over six years for the TIGER grant program. Under the GROW AMERICA Act, the TIGER grant program will be available for another six years, extending a proven track record of helping communities coordinate innovative, multi-modal transportation projects that serve the movement of goods and diverse travel needs of their residents and businesses in the 21st Century.

"The TIGER grant enabled the City of Oklahoma City to leverage existing state and local funding to create a long-range vision for multi-modal transportation in OKC," said Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. "The grant allowed us to extend our vision of public transit in a way that will benefit our residents for decades to come."

"A brighter economic future tomorrow starts with making smart investments in transportation today. States across the country are recognizing that updating our infrastructure now is a down-payment on our future, and in Connecticut, we're working towards transformative, long-term initiative to make our system best-in-class, but it cannot be done without our federal partners," said Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy. "These funds are invaluable to our growth as a state and as a nation, and I would like to thank Secretary Foxx and the U.S Department of Transportation for making these funds available."

"TIGER grants have helped my district get the funds we needed to improve transportation so our kids can get to school faster, our crops can get to market, and overall provide a better quality of life for the citizens in our area," said Senator Butler.

The highly competitive TIGER grant program supports innovative projects, including multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional projects, which are difficult to fund through traditional federal programs.  These federal funds leverage money from private sector partners, states, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations and transit agencies.  The 2014 TIGER round alone is leveraging $600 million in federal investment to support $1.9 billion in overall transportation investments.

TIGER funding is provided in the FY 2015 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, signed by President Obama on December 16, 2014.  Pre-Applications are due on May 4, 2015.  Final applications are due June 5, 2015.  For more information on how to apply, please visit www.dot.gov/TIGER.

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