Vikingsholm, Lake Tahoe 087

Vikingholm, Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay

Vikingsholm, Lake Tahoe 087
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay is one of the most scenic areas in California - some would say this is the prettiest place in the whole state. Vikingsholm is a nordic mansion built on the lake almost 100 years ago, now managed by the state park system. Inside the mansion is fully furnished with mostly original furniture and other historic artifacts, including a Steinway Rosewood Piano commissioned especially for Vikingsholm.

Frenchglen Hotel, Oregon

Southeastern Oregon is one of the American West's most wide open expanses of rangelands, forests, and high desert. Here, the counties are larger than many Eastern US states. Harney County, for example, is bigger than Connecticut.

Southeastern Oregon has only two cities with much of a population - Burns and Lakeview. Both offer the charm you find from a sparsely populated area where the folks in the cowboy hats are usually ... working cowboys and cowgirls.

About 60 miles south of Burns in the tiny town of Frenchglen is a treasure of the Oregon State Parks system - Frenchglen hotel. The rooms are not glamourous but are comfortable and historic. The meals - served family style at large tables - are delicious and harken back to the day when the journey itself was a more important part of the travel experience as it took days or even weeks to travel to final destinations.

Frenchglen Hotel (Part of Oregon's State Park System but run by a private concession)