Biltmore Estate is more than just stuff for the girls. In fact, this place is a hidden gem for those of us seeking some outdoor adventure while exploring how the "other half" lived. Even better is that it is located in one of the BEST mancation destinations in the United States - Asheville, NC.

Most guests to Hawaii probably are thinking about beaches, flowers, and volcanoes, but the Equus Hotel in Waikiki Beach is promoting its equestrian theme with  Complimentary Polo Tickets and the Option to Take an Oceanside Horseback Ride or Polo Lesson on Oahu's North Shore. If this sounds like a fun Hawaiian mancation then check it out...

Last month, Heather and I had a chance to visit Haywood County, NC and stayed at Boyd Mountain Cabins. For those of you who have never heard of Haywood County, it is located in North Carolina's Smoky Mountains, just off of I-40 and only a few hours from all the major cities of the South East. It is also a very easy drive from most places in the Midwest. The collection of seven different cabins plucked from locations all over North Carolina, have been restored, refined, and brought up to date will all the modern conveniences you would expect for a romantic weekend together - including a full kitchen, heat and central air, comfortable beds, rocking chairs on the porches and more.

This isn't a "luxury cabin rental", but it had everything we were looking for. If you are looking to get away from it all by relaxing in the middle of North Carolina's Smoky Mountains, there aren't many better ways to do it!

For most Man Tripping readers, your idea of an awesome mancation destination is probably somewhere in the United States, possibly backpacking through Europe, or maybe a motorcycle tour across Australia. How about heading to Africa and helping people?

Tucked away in the Smoky Mountains of south western, North Carolina is a fantastic mancation destination just waiting for you to explore it.

Haywood County is located just south of Asheville and has pretty much everything for a fantastic mancation - great fly fishing, awesome mountain roads that are perfect for driving a bike or a car, great food, awesome hiking trails, a casino, and even a chance to test your luck while gemstone mining.

When most people think of touring Civil War battlefields, they think of the south and Mid-Atlantic, but the war made its way out west to Missouri too. As I learned last week, there are a lot of things that Missouri offers for a great guys weekend - stay tuned for more!

A casino opening is almost always a big event (after all they want to do whatever they can to attract you and your money!). Today's opening at the River City Casino in St. Louis looks to be no different.

They are doing it St. Louis style, with Clydesdales, baseball stars, vintage cars, and what is being described as St. Louis' Largest Slot Pull.

Think that you have to be an Olympian to try the bobsled? Guess again! At the Lake Placid Bobsled Experience, you can try Skeleton or Bobsled and experience the thrill while staying safe because of the professional driver and brakeman.

I had the chance to visit this place with my dad a few years ago and had a blast. This is absolutely one of the coolest things to do in Lake Placid. While it isn't the cheapest mancation adventure, I would totally recommend it to anyone looking for a once in a lifetime experience.

Just got word from the Creek Ranch in central Florida that they have just opened what sounds like a fantastic opportunity to play cowboy.

Plus they have a bunch of other activities including 4x4 tours and it is only an hour away from the attractions in Orlando.

This story was sent into us by Bud, Bill, and Jim who just came back from an Italian Vacation and a visit to the La Tavola Marche Cooking School. This is a perfect example of how you can always find time for a guys weekend or mini mancation - even exploring a part of the world with other couples.

There are lots of great ski resort towns that offer a chance to rub elbows with celebrities, enjoy great steaks, drink a few locally brewed beers, and enjoy fantastic powder, but one in particular that stands out is Park City, Utah. Park City might be best known for the Park City Mountain Resort ski area, but the town also features two others - Deer Valley and The Canyons Resort.

Combined, the three resorts plus downtown Park City offers a fantastic destination for your next ski mancation.

Today, Squaw still features some of the best skiing that Tahoe can offer, but also stands out as a fantastic spring skiing destination.

Grandeur of the Seas is an older ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet of cruise ships, but it still packs a lot of great opportunities for guys looking for inexpensive mancation options.

While there were the expected bars, nightclub, pools etc. what really impressed me was that Royal Caribbean is actively marketing their spa services to us guys! Heather from Chick Vacations was disappointed though because the special "men's package" was actually significantly cheaper than the individual services that she was offered off the menu.

If you haven't been here before, St. Pete Beach is located just south of Tampa and St. Petersburg and has a ton of great stuff for guys looking for a quick escape. While suprisingly winter is a slow time down here, I had a great time and would absolutely recommend that you consider it for your next guys weekend too!

While sipping a Miami Vice at one of Tradewinds's several pool-side bars, I had a chance to chat with bartender Garrick Roe and some of the guys about their favorite places to go and things to do.

If you are considering a visit to Nashville for your next guys weekend, there is a good chance that you are a country music fan. Make sure that the Grand Ole Opry is on your list of things to do!

Man Tripping just got back from a tour of not just the current Grand Ole Opry House, but also the Ryman Auditorium (former home of the Opry), Bluebird Cafe, Country Music Hall of Fame, and we even recorded a song at the historic RCA Studio B where Elvis and tons of others have recorded songs.

Cruise ships offer a fantastic opportunity for men looking for anything from a basic lay back and enjoy the ride to the pinnacle of adventure travel excitement. Unfortunately it seems that this form of vacation has been ignored by many guys in favor of more land-based destinations such as all-inclusive resorts and places like Vegas.

Today though, with the economy the way it is, there really isn't a better, more cost effective way to do a mancation or even an extended guys weekend with a 3-4 day cruise.

Think of it, you have bars, transportation, casinos, food, entertainment, extreme sports, even fitness activities, and seminars like beer and wine tastings on board - and often at only $100 per day!

While this is obviously a site for guys looking for mancation ideas, those of us who are married know it is also VERY important to not forget about your wife too!

That's why I wanted to share that Gaylord Hotels has announced a very cool promotion to help you celebrate your anniversary this year. Essentially the promotion is a buy-one-get-one deal where you get a free second night at any of their properties with the first night at the normal price.

Man Tripping is going down to Nashville and the Gaylord Opryland next week to check out that location, but they are also in Dallas, Orlando, and a brand new one in Washington, DC.

The promotion is good through August 2010 and is good during the month of your anniversary, each location may have slightly different terms, but here is the link for the Gaylord OpryLand's Anniversary Package.

Things have changed a lot in the past 20 years since I first stepped onto a cruise ship and now with the December 2009 launch of Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas the industry is about to change again.

Oasis of the Seas will be sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL starting in December 2009, with 5 and 7 day itineraries in the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

So why does Oasis represent the Ultimate Floating Mancation?

Some Facts about Oasis of the Seas:

When it launches, Oasis of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship ever made, 220,000 Gross Tons. It will feature 16 decks, 17 bars, 2,700 staterooms, 37 cabin classes, and able to carry 5,700 guests at double occupancy.

To put this in comparison, Titanic was only 46,000 tons and could carry 2,500 passengers!

Dining Options

Not looking for a stodgy dining experience sitting at a table with a bunch of people celebrating honeymoons or even worse - families on vacation? Well Oasis of the Seas has the most specialty restaurants on board of any other cruise ship.

This includes Johnny Rockets, Seafood Shack, Boardwalk Bar, Sorrento's Pizzeria, Chops Grille (great steaks!), 150 Central Park - upscale dining, and an Italian trattoria, Giovanni's Table.

That all being said however, Royal Carribbean does also feature wonderful food at the main dining room and also at the buffets as well. It is all up to you and how you want to spend your trip!

Entertainment

Oasis will feature a wide variety of entertainment venues from Boleros - a Latin dance club, Blaze nightclub, Jazz on 4, Comedy Live featuring family friendly shows during the day and lake-night adult comedy in the evenings, the sing-along piano bar, Schooner Bar, and even the On Air Club featuring karaoke and "interactive music gaming".

Of course, that's just the beginning as Oasis also features a casino with 27 table games, a poker room, an entire theater dedicated just to ice shows, a traditional theater with Broadway-style shows.

Of course, that says nothing about the amazing sounding new AquaTheather that features acrobatics, synchronized swimming, light shows, and a fountain similar to what you might find at the Bellagio in Vegas.

Rooms

Most cruise ships are limited to either inside cabins, balconies, ocean view, or suites, on Oasis there will be 37 different categories of rooms!

Since Oasis of the Seas features the central boardwalk, they actually offer balconies on the inside as well as ones facing the ocean directly. I am told that these inside balconies can all still view the ocean as well, but obviously you would see it through the ends of the ship instead of just by looking down at the water.

For the budget conscious, Oasis still offers the traditional "no windows" inside cabins, but I am told that even these are among the largest afloat.

Additionally, they are introducing a new suite type, Loft Suites that actually have two levels, 2,000 feet of space, and feature a "spa like" feel in the bathrooms. While this is probably not in the budget of most of you, it is nice to know that if you were planning a bachelor party that this might be a great option compared to getting an expensive suite in Vegas at the Palms or something like that.

Bars

Among other "firsts" Oasis of the Seas will also feature the first bar at sea that is also actually an elevator!

The Rising Tide bar will actually move up and down between three decks, including outside and inside the ship. Vegas has nothing on Oasis as far as this bar is concerned!

Of course, there are other bars on board, 17 in total, including a Latin bar, champagne bar, pool bar, and others.

Enjoy the Beach at Sea

Despite the fact that you are in the middle of the Caribbean, surrounded by and visiting ports with fantastic beaches, you no longer need to get off the boat to experience the beach (sorta).

While Oasis of the Seas features the first "beach pool" it is more of a zero-depth entry type pool styled like a beach than the sandy ones you will find on land. Even so, this means you can literally spend every day of your trip relaxing in the sun at the beach.

Extreme Sports at Sea

If your idea of a great mancation is to go rock climbing, zip-line down the middle of a cruise ship, and then go surfing then this is your ship! While others have a rock wall, no-one else can boast of a zip line and certainly not one where you can fly over the heads of people below on the Boardwalk.

Also, Oasis actually has two flow riders and is designed with plenty of spectator room so you can watch your buddies. There is even a Flow Rider bar where you can sit, sip a margarita, and watch others wipe-out and fall on their asses surf.

Don't worry, if you aren't into extreme, there is a 9-hole mini-golf course on the sports deck too!

The Bourbon Festival is held each year in Bardstown, KY and if you are looking for the ultimate mancation this destination comes pretty darn close. While flying to Louisville isn't quite as convenient as flights to New York or LA, Bardstown is located right in the heard of central Kentucky and is very close to some of the greatest distilleries in the world, including Maker's Mark and Jim Beam, and only an hour or so drive to all of the names you are familiar with. When you combine that close proximity of the Bourbon Trail with the activities of the Bourbon Festival itself and of course, the Southern Hospitality it makes for a great place to visit.

This year we attended as guests of Beam Global Spirits to learn about bourbon, taste bourbon and to celebrate this magical drink that unfortunately too few people really understand - including myself prior to the trip.

To many Americans, the only Mexican resorts they think of are the overly commercialized parts of the Yucatan around Cozemel and Cancun, but shocking as it may seem, there is another side to Mexico. Rancho Buena Vista is located less than an hour north of Los Cabos airport and is situated right on the beach, originally founded as a fishing resort in 1952.

Rancho Buena Vista represents a much classier side of Mexico, off the mainland and at the tip of Baja California, Los Cabos is surrounded by fantastic fishing, gorgeous water, white sandy beaches, great food, and wonderful Mexican beer. At Rancho Buena Vista, you will be surrounded by history as the resort has hosted such Hollywood celebrities as Bing Crosby, Desi Arnez, and even John Wayne.