COMBINE VINTAGE SPAS & SHOWS NEAR CANADIAN NIAGRA FALLS

Niagara Falls conjures visions of honeymooners and thundering water. But the Canadian side of the Falls draws spagoers and theater buffs.

Three spas and an equal number of theaters enliven the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, where the annual Shaw Festival is in full swing through October. A more relaxing combination of shows and spas is hard to imagine. Morning walks, winery visits, lunch lakeside at the golf course, a matinee performance or spa treatment, evening show or concert.

Matters of the heart figure prominently in the Shaw playbill this summer. In a few days we had a choice of six productions, including "Wonderful Town," a musical about New York in the 1950s by Leonard Bernstein. The great playwright George Bernard Shaw is represented by his provocative comedy "Getting Married."

A romantic spirit pervades the town's leafy streets. Many homes preserve the high Victorian style of the mid-19th century when Niagara-on-the-Lake was reborn. The Oban Inn dates from that period, but its chic OSpa is new. Staying overnight, you enjoy a choice of treatments, free breakfast, and show tickets, from $215 (Canadian) per person, double occupancy. The two-night OSpa "Tour de Niagara" package includes an escorted bicycle tour (bikes provided) to four wineries, plus dinner for two, from $460 per person, with choice of spa services.

Sipping tea in the spa conservatory, we chatted with innkeeper Si Wai Lai. Born in China, she became a local legend, renovating several hotels. Si Wai built the town's first spa, and the Shaw Café & Wine Bar in the heart of town. The historic Oban Inn has a comfy, residential look, and adjoins a 9-hole golf course on the shore of Lake Ontario. So you don't expect a state-of-the-art spa.

Set in Oban Inn's gardens, Ospa combines Asian art, Canadian brick ceiling, wood floors in a cool hideaway. There is a tiny sauna, as well as outdoor lap pool. A former garage now houses exercise equipment. But the 26 period bedrooms are unique: "Romantic couples particularly enjoy them," innkeeper Si Wai tells me.

Romantic spirit abounds at three Vintage Hotels in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Try the vinotherapy spa package at their 100 Fountains Spa.

Staying at a Vintage period gem, The Queen's Landing, we walked to festival theaters and concerts as well the waterfront and downtown shops and restaurants. The hotel van was on call for a short ride to the rustic Pillar and Post Inn, where 100 Fountains Spa offers vinotherapy treatments with grape seed oil from local vineyards.

It's hard to imagine this pretty inn as a fruit packing facility, but there are relics of its early days. The Spa occupies a new garden wing. A warm waterfall cascades into a rocky grotto and indoor swimming pool. The sleek salon is staffed by certified therapists. You can join aquatic exercise groups or yoga in the garden.

Pillar & Post Inn is in a residential neighborhood of big Heritage homes. At the intersection of Queen and Picton steets, shops and pubs neighbor Victorian gardens and homes. Drop in at Vintage Hotels' Prince of Wales Inn for tea or lunch amid Victorian elegance. Strolling nearby, you can attend concerts in a Victorian church or jazz evenings on Queen street as an alternative to theater.

Golfers might prefer staying at White Oaks Resort on the edge of town. This big, modern conference center has a full-service spa, offers hydrotherapy, mud treatments, and facials. Special weekend packages for two start at $723 (Canadian) with accommodation for 3 nights, breakfast, and gratuities included.

Along the Niagara River, 16 wineries offer tours and tastings. We visited a premier vineyard named Inniskillen, which produces a premium ice wine from late-harvest grapes that are lusciously sweet. Take the self-guided tour to learn about the Ice Age cliffs and environment that formed the Niagara enscarpment. Just nine miles downriver, the view of Niagara Falls is mesmerizing. Another wet and wild adventure into the river canyon was aboard the Whirlpool Jet Boat, boarded steps from Queen's Landing.

Founded by Loyalists sympathetic to the British monarchy, the town was a haven for slaves fleeing southern states via the "Underground Railroad." Renamed Niagara-on-the-Lake, it gained fame as the home of a theater festival dedicated to British playwright George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries. Great hospitality and shows.

For show calendar: www.shawfest.com; call 1-800/511-SHAW.
Vintage Hotels' S.O.S package (Stay Overnight & Spa) from $215 (Canadian) per person includes $100 allowance for spa service, gift, accommodation and breakfast. www.vintage-hotels.com; 905/468-2195 or toll-free1-800/669-5566.

The Oban Inn & Ospa, 905/468-2165, 1-866-359-6226; www.obaninn.ca
White Oaks Resort & Spa, 1-800/263-5766 or 905/688-2558; www.whiteoaksresort.com

The visitor center beneath the Courthouse Theatre on Queen Street provides information on lodging, events, and a brief history of the town. www.niagaraonthelake.com; 905/468-1950. Go by VIA Rail from Toronto (about 2 hours); drive across the border near Buffalo, NY.

Immerse in Gas-Free Getaway at MGM Grand Detroit

Check in for a spa getaway at the MGM Grand Detroit and get $50 credit for free gas. Plus $100 off spa or salon services.

To ease the pain of travelers, some hotels and hotel reservation companies have programs to help offset costs of gas. But the classy new MGM Grand Detroit is the first to combine spa and hotel accommodation with free gas in an affordable destination package.

Priced $349 for a couple or single occupancy, the Destination Package includes a $100 credit for spa or salon services.

Arriving at the hotel's dedicated driveway, an attendant parks the car while you register. When you depart, a credit card worth $50 at gas stations is presented.

• Schedule a spa treatment and the facility fee is waived.
• Get full use of facilities with a $50 day pass.

The first resort-style spa in southeast Michigan, IMMERSE features a full range of services, plus the Detroit debut of Sonya Dakar, famed for botanical skin care. Signature treatments include red flower organics and Phytomer marine skin care from the sea.

The two-level facility is a total escape from the city. Lulled by the sound of a waterfall, you sense the Great Lakes nearby. Amenities in locker rooms include shaving kits as well as tooth brush. There's a state-of-the-art workout studio with TechnoGym equipment, personal trainers, and scheduled sessions of yoga and meditation.

Six treatment rooms are set amidst a tranquil rock garden. Special hydrotherapy equipment includes Vichy shower and whirlpool bath. My therapist, Colleen recommended a calming massage called Sento that incorporates shiatsu-like pressure point work. The spa specialty is a Four x Two massage by two therapists simultaneously performing a choreographed Swedish massage, said to induce a state of profound relaxation.

A new experience awaited in the award-winning Salon Six. Facial specialist Libby analyzed my skin, suggested a combination of products to cleanse and smooth my complexion. After Phytomer's marine masque for men, a botanical and aromatherapy-based Sonya Dakar soother left me glowing. Libby cleared unflattering breakouts, repaired sun damage and smoothed fine lines. Named Detroit's "Best Salon" for the past four years by Real Detroit Weekly, "North American Salon of the Year" by the North American Hairstyling Awards and "Salon of the Year" by Salon Today, Salon Six services range from manicure/pedicure to hair and make-up.

To continue the spa journey at home, some of the world's most exclusive spa and beauty products are available for purchase at the spa boutique.

Discovering this sparkling new spa hideaway in the center of Detroit highlighted my weekend visit to a town that needs a new image. With a championship hockey team and downtown sports arenas, plus theaters, concert hall, and opera house, plenty of entertainment is on tap. For art lovers, the recently restored Detroit Institute of the Arts is a visual feast. Ensconced in the glass-walled MGM Grand, my spacious hotel room featured plasma-screen TV, high-tech lighting, and whirlpool bathtub.

It's the best of town and country.

MGM Grand Detroit: Spa, Boutique and Salon open daily 8 a.m.- 8 p.m.; Fitness Center and Indoor Pool open daily 6 a.m.-10 p.m. To book an appointment, call (313) 465-1656. Hotel reservation: 1-888-646-3387; www.mgmgranddetroit.com. Destination Package can be reserved any day or weekend through Dec. 31, 2008. Price is $349 with room for double or single occupancy, per night. Tax (15%) additional; gratuities not included.

Native American Sweat Lodge Cleanses Body and Soul at Turning Stone Resort in New York

- by Bernard Burt

Flames leap from rocks heating for the sweat lodge experience at Turning Stone, an upstate New York resort owned by the Oneida Nation. Dressed in tribal regalia, a young warrior named Kakwiranoron greets me. We strip to bare minimum, preparing to cleanse body and soul.

Set in a grove of trees, the traditional Native American sweat lodge recalls ancient healing rituals. Romans sweated in thermae; Finnish families gather in wooden saunas; Russian's beat each other with tree branches in the banya; the Turkish hammam experience is mild and cleansing; Mexican temazcal rituals superheat an adobe dome.

Turning Stone's sweat lodge is interactive, awakening the senses in an earthy structure made of buffalo hides and tree branches. Kakwiranoron drums and chants, invites me to enter. Slipping onto a wooden platform around a firepit, my young guide directs me to clear my mind and let the heat open thoughts of the past and future.

Intense heat washes over my body, releasing toxins. Sweet smoke from grass and sage fills the air, summoning visions. Our circle seems to glow organically, connecting us to mother nature. For several hours we talk about life, hopes, dreams. And sweat. I admire Kakwiranoron's body art; he responds with an Oneida blessing: "Asehsi' - you will reawaken.

Emerging for a refreshing dip in the pool, Kakwiranoron tells me his family gathers in the sweat lodge at their South Dakota home on a Lakota Sioux reservation. He worked in Hawaii as a massage therapist, now shares his heritage at Skana´ Spa created by the Oneida Nation at Turning Stone Resort & Casino.

Plan on spending the afternoon at the sweat lodge to learn about Native American healing traditions. The one-on-one experience costs $300 by advance reservation, can include families, not advised for persons with a heart condition.

Blazing a new trail amid the region's historic spas, Skaná Spa blends tradition and technology. After decompressing in the mineral pool, I was coated with purifying oils. Warm towels saturated with sage and white pine essence calmed aching muscles. The finishing touch was a massage with Naturopathica products.

Skaná means "peace" in the Oneida language. Each of the spa treatment rooms reflects this theme through handwoven sculpture, called dreamcatchers. After a refreshing Kerstin Florian facial, my therapist left me with a token stone.

Secluded within the 5-star Lodge at Turning Stone, Skaná has all the features of a destination spa, plus lots of options for sports, dining, and entertainment. Three championship golf courses adjoin the Lodge, and weatherproof practice links are on property. Tennis courts have been added, both indoor and open-air. Action in the casino is non-stop, plus headliners in the showroom, food court and specialty restaurants, shops, and day spa. (But no bar service; bring your own wine.)

Spa guests have direct access to the indoor swimming pool, fitness center, and movement studio. For gourmet dining at the Lodge, reserve a table with garden view at Wildflowers, or try the spa café. Suites at The Lodge combine comfort and luxury. Curl up in a robe while enjoying flat-screen TV in your living room, enjoy Jacuzzi bath, hot tub on your balcony with the best view of this trendy Native American resort.

A two-night stay starts at $787 per person, double occupancy in a Lodge suite. Included are meal and spa allowances, airport or train transfers, and taxes, worth $600. This value-added package midweek gets you deluxe lodging for about $90 per night, access to all resort facilities and spa programs.

Getting There: Syracuse International Airport for shuttle van and limo service to Turning Stone Resort; Amtrak trains from New York City to Albany. By car, I-81 to Verona exit, an easy drive from the Canadian border.

Contact: 315/361-8200 or (800) 771-7711; www.skanaspa.com or www.thelodge.travel

HIKE TO WEDDING WELLNESS AT CANADIAN BRIDAL BOOT CAMP

Everyone wants to look and feel radiant for the 'big day' - whether bride, maid of honor, mother of the bride, or guest. At Coastal Trek Health & Fitness Resort on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, the new Bridal Boot Camp features three or seven days of carefully tailored hiking, strength training, yoga and nutrition, designed to boost your fitness level and set you on the path to an enriched lifestyle.

Kick-start married life together. Activities and balanced nutrition boost the feeling of well-being. Andrea Stuchbery, resort co-owner, says "Wedding planning can be a stressful time, and our schedule of daily hikes, fitness sessions, and yoga practice gives guests the tools to deal with the hectic schedule ahead, and has them looking and feeling fabulous to start married life."

The only Destination Spa Group member on Vancouver Island and one of only five in Canada, Coastal Trek Resort perches atop Vancouver Island's Comox Valley. From your wooden deck, views of forested mountains and the dauntingly named Forbidden Plateau make this a real 'getting away from it all.' Guests come to escape contemporary pressures, connect with nature and embrace a brighter future that includes fitness, balance and nutritional awareness.

Days start out with yoga and stretching in preparation for hikes into the rugged and remote alpine area surrounding the Comox Valley. Blissful massages are your reward. Meals created from the cornucopia of local meats, cheeses and produce ensure that guests are constantly cosseted.

Bridal Boot Camp also equips guests with recipes, nutritional know-how, cooking tips and exercise routines to help build and maintain the Coastal Trek lifestyle into daily life at home.

The three-night rate for the Bridal Boot Camp is $1399 for the bride, or $995 per person for a bridal party of bride and bridesmaids. Bridal perks include a photo disc, great for the slide show on the big day, and a Coastal Trek T-shirt with personalized moniker. The seven-night rate is $2595 for the bride, and $2095 per person for the bridal group. Of course, the groom-to-be is also welcome to join the party! Save 10% through the end of June.

For more details on Coastal Trek Resort, visit www.coastaltrekresort.com or call (250) 897-TREK (8735).

SPLASHY NEW QUA BATHS AT CEASARS ATLANTIC CITY

Opening this summer at Caesars Atlantic City, a resplendent oasis for relaxation and renewal is modeled after the original Qua Baths at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The new 16,000 square-foot spa features 14 treatment studios including an extravagant Couple's Studio and two wet rooms with Vichy hydrotherapy showers. Enticing Qua Signature Roman Baths create a soothing hideaway, and treatments include the signature Dieci Mani treatment. Inspired by ancient worship ceremonies in honor of Venus, Dieci Mani means "ten hands," because guests will enjoy the healing touch of four artisans and one esthetician. In New Jersey, ten is a winner.