The best way to get healthy while on holiday is to book one that requires you to get in shape ahead of time.

This summer the Berkeley, Calif., travel company Backroads will send about 100 cycling enthusiasts on a 260-mile trek through southern Oregon's wilderness. Over five days, they'll slowly climb high-desert mountains for a cumulative elevation gain of 19,000 feet.

The participants aren't extreme or professional athletes; this is a vacation itinerary for the moderately to vigorously active, and the mileage and elevation gain can be adjusted for those who want a less ambitious trip. They'll pay more than $2,000 for the experience, meals and lodging included.

In Depth: How To Get Fit On Vacation

It may not sound like the ideal way to enjoy a hard-earned break from the office, but Rich Snodsmith, sales and guest services manager for Backroads, says that several different types of people--with a wide range of fitness and ability--seek out active vacations like this one

Traveling is stressful. Most plans will go off without a hitch, but there's always a few who get the short end of the travel stick when their flights are canceled. Weather, mechanical problems, and shortage of crew are a few reasons why flights might be delayed or canceled altogether. The Associated Press prepared a tip sheet with what you can do if your flight is canceled. Familiarize yourself with the action plan before you leave for the airport.

• "Try to be rebooked. Some major airlines have interline agreements that allow them to easily rebook a passenger on another carrier." This option wouldn't lead to additional costs on your end.
• "Request a refund. Most airlines will refund the amount you paid for a ticket if they cancel your flight and can't accommodate you on another flight that gets you to your destination on the day you were expecting." If you take the refund route, the AP warns that the walk-up fare for purchasing a ticket from another airline may be much higher than

High thread count sheets are nice, but for a luxury hotel to really impress us at PointClickHome we want outrageous architecture, decadent decor, and edge-of-the-earth locations. It's a tall order, but with a search across the globe we've found the top hotels that shatter all expectation. So whether you're planning an escape for a few days or just want to take a virtual trip around the world, check out 11 hotels that bring the best in art, design, and adventure under one roof.

Barcelo Raval Hotel, Barcelona, Spain (above)

The sheer chance to chill in this lobby would be a vacation in and of itself. The flashy new Barcelo Raval in Barcelona is girly and enticing. In the lobby, the hot magenta seating dominates against the dazzling sparkles of the interior column and stark black and white. Rooms start at $139.

BarceloRaval.com

Nestled in the cerulean waters of a Fiji lagoon and accessible only by elevator are suites submerged a full 40 feet

One of my goals for my Happiness Project is to do a better job of learning from experience. How can I do things better, next time? One of my Twelve Commandments is to Identify the problem, so I'm trying to be more mindful as I have experiences, so I can take steps to make myself happier, in the moment.

Here are some tips from a recent family trip:

1. Start packing early. I made the odious task of packing for myself and my two daughters easier by starting a week in advance (my husband packed at 10 pm the night before we left). I brought the big suitcase into my bedroom, and whenever I thought of something (sunscreen, passports, adapter) I put it in. However, if you start packing early, you must…

2. Keep a list. I didn't, and that was a mistake. Because I was packing over the course of the week, by the end, I'd forgotten what I'd already put in. Had I packed the bathing suits, or not? In the end, I forgot to pack any socks for myself. I'd thought about doing it so many

Are you heading to the beach this weekend? We are! Will the rain let up long enough so we can get a drop of Vitamin D? Who knows? We're bringing Uno and an umbrella just in case, along with all of the stylish stuff in this slideshow.

Have a great July 4th, everybody!

At the forefront of fashion and design, these 10 spots beg to be visited.

Its streets produced haute couture, New Wave cinema and art nouveau. It continues to innovate with concept boutiques like Colette, which is so well-known for its avant-garde inventory that it has the power to make a little-known label an in-demand brand. Even the country's first lady, Carla Bruni Sarkozy, is known for her sense of style and often photographed in Dior suits, pillbox hats and demure flats.

Few would argue that Paris epitomizes chic. "It has a certain sense of natural style," says Michael Kazam, the business development director for Le Book, an international directory of creative professionals, founded in Paris in 1981. "It's a very [global] city with incredible charm and history worn on its shirtsleeve."

In Pictures: World's Most Stylish Cities

It comes as no surprise to Kazam that Paris was rated most stylish in the world in a recent survey that helped formulate the 2009

You can't wait for the family holiday, but you're dreading that four-hour flight with-gasp-no videos! Fear not-we've put together a veritable shopping list of travel activities to keep your kids busy throughout the flight. Rolling bag recommended; Dramamine not included.

by Sarah Welch and Alicia Rockmore

It's summer time and the living should be easy. Before the summer flies by, we encourage you to stop, breathe, and take the time to nurture yourself. It can be all too easy to forget. Work doesn't stop just because it's summer. And if you've got children, irregular schedules and the need for constant carpooling can be extra stressful. If you're taking a vacation this summer, that's fantastic, but it's not necessarily the same thing as finding me time.

Alicia on "The importance of Me Time"

"If you find taking "me time" to be a difficult, or even impossible, task, it's important to ask yourself why. Do you feel guilty or believe it's selfish? Many women we have spoken with fear that they're self-absorbed or letting others down if they switch off and take me time. Many men we have spoken with fear that they'll be perceived as 'slackers' at work and that taking 'me' time will affect their job performance negatively. In fact, taking care of