Start the day off with a round of golf at the riverside Rancho San Marcos Golf Club, a challenging and beautiful course that Golf Magazine has named one of the “Top Ten Courses You Can Play”. After that, sip some world-famous syrahs, sauvignon blancs and chardonnays in the winery-happy valley made famous by the hit Hollywood film, Sideways. Finally, end this perfect Santa Barbara County play day with a great meal at the Santa Ynez Valley’s most famous tavern, a 125-year-old former stage coach stop which is now home to a restaurant that serves up some of Central California Coast’s best prime rib and steaks–along with a predictably stellar wine list.

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This 120-mile Sunday Drive runs from the bright lights and big city attractions of Calgary, the capital of Canada’s ‘New West’, to the grandiose splendor of Banff National Park. Along the way, we take in one or two of Calgary’s attractions before enjoying a leisurely drive alongside the Bow River and heading into the Canadian Rockies. In pretty Banff, we stop for lunch, and then head out for a walk to the waterfalls of Johnston Canyon. We end the day with a beautiful drive along the Bow Valley parkway and up to Lake Louise, which is quite possibly the most photographed—and justifiably so–lake on the planet.

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Walk through downtown Staunton and it soon hits you that there is something different about this small Shenandoah Valley town. Not only is the skyline devoid of the visual jumble of cell phone towers and overhead power lines, but nearly every lovingly-preserved building looks like it was built well over 100 years ago. Turns out, they were. Staunton (pronounced STAN-ten) has the unique distinction among Virginia cities of being one of the few towns in the valley to have escaped the Civil War without a scratch. Add to that extremely strict building and design codes and the result is a historic destination filled with wonderful examples of Victorian Era architecture—so wonderful in fact that parts of Staunton have been used as a film sets for many period films over the years. Oh, and do not worry about your cell phone working in Staunton. Despite the lack of visible antennas, cell phones do work in historic Staunton. In fact, if you show your Sunday Drive iPhone app to the folks at the lovely and highly-rated Inn at Old Virginia, they will knock 10% off the cost of your stay at their wonderful English-style country inn.

This Sunday Drive Route is sponsored by Inn at Old Virginia

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Whether it is for Mardi Gras, Jazzfest, or just because you need a break, a trip to New Orleans is the kind of holiday that goes down as easily as a well-blended cocktail. Spectacular restaurants, scenic attractions and that world-class music scene meld with the town’s distinctive French flavor to create a special destination unlike any other. But first-time visitors to this great American city should know up front that New Orleans grabs hold of your heart quickly. All it takes is the sounds of a zydeco band wafting on the breeze as you take that first bite of a beignet and New Orleans has you in her embrace. After that, the toes start a-tappin, the cares slip away and soon you are nodding at the fellow with the trumpet who swings by and says with a grin, “Laissez les bon temps roulez!” (Note: Sunday Drivers who show the app at check-in at the Magnolia Mansion receive a special lagniappe. What is a lagniappe, you ask? Come visit and you will find out!

This drive is sponsored by Magnolia Mansion

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Route sponsored by

A quintessential Savannah byway, River Street is both scenic and historic. Home to countless festivals, this cobblestone lined street is home to many candy shops, art galleries and nautical-themed stores, as well as Inns and hotels. The scenery of the Savannah River, of course, is postcard perfect.