Waiting for warmer weather to plan week­end get­aways with fam­ily and kids? Just because winter’s here doesn’t mean you and yours can’t strike out on a week­end get­away or snow day vaca­tion and ward off cabin fever. Kentucky has so many des­ti­na­tions that fit the bill even bet­ter dur­ing win­ter months so you can save all those spring and sum­mer breaks to get out­side! Roads are cleared so unplug the TV or com­puter and get on the road to plenty of indoor fun and enter­tain­ment for the whole gang.

Holiday hus­tle and bus­tle can pile on the stress from burn­ing that insid­i­ous can­dle at both ends–particularly for the women in your life. Treat her to some R&R and qual­ity time with friends before sea­sonal hap­pen­ings shift to high gear or for a post New Year’s break. Suggest that she grab some girl­friends and get away from year-end fran­tic social and busi­ness prepa­ra­tions and events. From spa treat­ments in Harrodsburg to arts adven­tures in Paducah, “Girlfriends Getaways” in Kentucky come in a vari­ety of set­tings and ameni­ties away from it all.

Kentucky’s dis­til­leries are ramp­ing up their activ­i­ties for the hol­i­days, adding win­ter plea­sures to their offer­ings with hol­i­day cheer. Tours for hol­i­day guests, gift shops with ideas for dis­cern­ing shop­pers, home­made eggnog, and tast­ings for those over 21 are just some of the fes­tive activ­i­ties on the dis­til­leries’ agenda this time of year.

The upcom­ing hol­i­days are sure to mean that fam­ily and friends are com­ing to visit from far flung places. There’s no bet­ter time to go sight­see­ing or take in one of many attrac­tions that occur all over Kentucky as the year draws to a close rather than turn into couch pota­toes. Grab your coat and grab your guests and expe­ri­ence the twin­kle and magic of the sea­son hap­pen­ing every­where in the commonwealth.

Good news, Midwest trav­el­ers! This week United Airlines announced that they are launch­ing new ser­vice begin­ning in early 2010 from the airline’s Chicago hub to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Hancock/Houghton, Michigan, Muskegon, Michigan, and Paducah, Kentucky.