By Maryann Hammers

 

California

 

South Coast Winery Resort in Temecula Wine Country offers active duty servicemembers an R & R All-In-One package. It includes wine tasting for two, a bottle of wine, and a mimosa breakfast for two. The military price starts at $199 (weekends priced higher). Call (951) 587-9463 to learn more.

 

New York

 

Throughout August and September, servicemembers and anyone over age 65 get a free night at the 1802 historic Caldwell House in Salisbury Mills in the scenic Hudson Valley (one hour from New York City and near the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.). There’s a catch: You have to book Tuesday and Wednesday to get Monday night free. You also get a homemade picnic basket, private transportation to and from a nearby winery, and a three-course breakfast each morning. Rooms have private porches or balconies, Jacuzzi tubs, flat-screen TVs in the bedrooms and bathrooms, and use of an iPad during your stay. And you know how some hotels leave a mint on your pillow? Starting Sept. 1, Caldwell House will leave an irresistible miniature pie on your pillow. Price is $800 for the three-night package. The offer is valid through Sept. 30, 2014. Call (800) 210-5565, and use booking code “military.”

 

North Carolina

 

Image courtesy of Chalet Inn and Chalet Suites.

Like mountains? The Chalet Inn and Chalet Suites are located in a forested cove where the Blue Ridge Mountains meet the Smokies. Ranked as an AAA 3-diamond lodging, it’s in the town of Dillsboro — the closest B&B to the main entrance of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Chalet Inn offers a special September deal just for MOAA members: Make an advance reservation for a three-day stay any Sunday through Thursday from Sept. 1-25 and get the third night free. Regular rates start at $96, and breakfast is included. Call (800) 789-8024 for more information.

West Virginia

 

Do you wake up hungry? That’s a good thing at Gillum House, a bed and breakfast in Shinnston, near a rail-trail, covered bridges, and the birthplace and boyhood home of Stonewall Jackson. “Many guests return from their day’s outing to say they did not need lunch after our family-style breakfast,” owner Kathleen Panek says. Have special requests? Panek cheerfully accommodates dietary needs, from gluten-free to fat-free, from vegetarian to lactose intolerant. “We offer about 100 varieties of tea for tea drinkers and between 16 to 20 countries of origin of green coffee beans that we roast, grind, and perk fresh in the morning,” says Panek. The inn offers a year-round 15-percent military discount (regular rates range from $99 to $135, so your price starts at around $84.) If you book two or more nights, Panek will donate $25 to Wounded Warriors or Operation Second Chance (be sure to mention the organization when making your reservation). Plan and call ahead: From Nov. 9-11, Panek gives two servicemembers a free queen bed room with private bath for two nights. Call (304) 592-0177.