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While you're checking off "fireplace in room" and "spa services" in your Web search for that perfect bed and breakfast, take time to remember the most important amenities of all: our natural resources. Many inns are energy efficient and designed to fit the surrounding landscape. Their proximity to national parks and wildlife sanctuaries remind us that traveling is neither decadent nor a luxury - it's a reality check. A person who has spotted a whale breaching the surface of the ocean or looked at a bird's nest from the foot of an ancient Redwood tree is more likely to be mindful of other habitats that go unseen from an office window. Surrounded by more than 40 acres of wilderness, you will literally bask in the beauty of nature at Huckleberry Tent and Breakfast in Sandpoint, Idaho. You read it correctly, it's a tent. But these tents won't remind you of roughing it at scout camp. Think Ernest Hemingway or Theodore Roosevelt minus the big game hunting. The luxurious canvas tents have floors made of wooden planks and soft, comfortable beds. There is even a kitchen and wood stove. Each morning the innkeepers serve a hot breakfast, as well. You can pick wild berries, hike along nature trails or just relax and enjoy mountain views at your campsite. Lake Pend Oreille is nearby and offer swimming, boating and fishing. The Arbor House, An Environmental Inn in Madison, Wisconsin, was drawn, built and maintained to sustain. The architects planned around the root system of surrounding trees and the contractors used non-toxic lumber cut from sustainable forests. Light shines on the solar-powered roof and through the recycled glass windows, while heat and cold stay out of the well-insulated walls. The beds are made with organic, unbleached cotton linens and washed with biodegradable cleaners. Here a return visit is considered recycling. For a different eco-friendly experience, try the Mast Farm Inn in Banner Elk, North Carolina, where fresh, organically grown vegetables find their way into the salads and seasonal dishes. The on-site organic gardens are designed to encourage animal and plant diversity and maintained without the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. Have a sniffle-free vacation at Natural Bed & Breakfast in Tucson, Arizona. The innkeeper is especially sensitive to the needs of his guests, offering as allergen-free an environment as possible. Pets and smoking are banned at this Arizona bed and breakfast, and guests are asked to remove their street shoes after entering the inn, as well. Air purifiers are used throughout, but chemicals are not used either on the grounds or inside the inn. Breakfasts feature healthy foods, many of which are made from organic ingredients. Saving energy is easy in California, where there's no shortage of sunshine. The Melitta Station Inn, a Santa Rosa, California, bed and breakfast, has run on solar power since 2006 with the aid of a 6-kilowatt solar array and daylight pipes that reduce the need for artificial lighting. For eco-friendly fun, take an organic wine tram tour through Sonoma Valley wine country or a whale watching day cruise along the Sonoma Coast. Enjoying a green vacation was never easier than at these eco-friendly inns. Not only will your bed and breakfast stay be environmentally friendly, you can renew your appreciation for nature and be inspired to continue preserving our precious resources.
Article Source: http://www.rightarticle.com
Jane Leisteiner enjoys writing and likes visiting B&Bs. For more details about Wisconsin bed and breakfast inns or Arizona bed and breakfasts, search the iLoveInns website.
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