FEATURE/Healthful Living Key Factor in Family Summer Vacation Planning, According to Spa Finder; Parents Infuse Vacations with Healthy and Fun Activities Offered by Resort Spas.

Lifestyle & Travel Editors

FEATURE...

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--April 25, 2002

As America's children become more sedentary, exercising their fingers on video games and eating junk food instead of pursuing healthy activities, an increasing number of parents are choosing more active spa vacations this summer, says Spa Finder (www.spafinder.com), the leading spa travel company.

According to a recent report by the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity is out of control in America, affecting nearly one in five children, with lack of activity cited as a major factor. The report also states that many health problems in adulthood begin in childhood.

"By choosing a spa vacation, parents are instilling a lifelong love of health and fitness in their children," says Susie Ellis of Spa Finder, the number one spa travel reservation company in the U.S. "Resort spas have always courted family business, but now more and more of them are offering a variety of activities that promote physical fitness and well being for the entire family and even more so show them how much fun it is get out from in front of the television."

Ellis mentioned that many resort spas not only offer deep discounts on children's room rates (some are even free), but also offer a variety of programs designed to entertain and educate kids while giving parents a chance to indulge themselves at the resort's spa, play golf or just have some alone time together. "These aren't just babysitting programs, but a chance for parents and kids to design their own vacation and decide how much time they'll spend together and how much time they'll spend pursuing activities that are of interest to each individual," says Ellis.

For example, Camp Grande at Spa Grande at the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui, HI, offers family workshops in hula dancing, lei-making and ukelele; Marriott's Spa at Camelback Inn in Arizona offers "camel hunts" and Indian story-telling to kids attending their "Hopalong College"; and kids and parents alike who go spa-ing at Topnotch at Stowe or Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa can tour the Ben & Jerry's factory or the granite quarries of Vermont. At the Sea Island Spa at the Cloister in Georgia there are crabbing parties, kayaking tours and ropes courses offered in the Teens Too! Program, while kids ages 3 to 11 can go for supervised loggerhead turtle walks or storytelling sessions.

If you're looking for a way to spend quality -- and healthful -- time with the family while getting de-stressed instead of stressed, call 1-800-ALL-SPAS or visit www.spafinder.com and let the expert at Spa Finder help you get there.

Spa Finder's Top Family-Friendly Spas:

Anara Spa at Hyatt Regency, HI

Boca Raton Resort & Club, FL

The Broadmoor, CO

The Cliff Spa at Snowbird, UT

Domaine du Royal Club, France

Grove Park Inn, NC

Amelia Island Plantation, FL

La Costa Resort & Spa, CA

Marriott's Spa at Camelback Inn, AZ

Nemacolin Woodlands Spa, PA

Paradise Village Resort, Mexico

The Phoenician, AZ

Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa, FL

Sea Island Spa at the Cloister, GA

Spa Grande at the Grand Wailea Resort, HI

Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa, VT

Topnotch at Stowe Resort & Spa, VT

Wyndham Peaks Resort & Golden Door Spa, CO

Note to editors: The following are available for interviews:

-- Susie Ellis, Vice President of Industry Relations for Spa Finder

-- Medical expert from Yale University School of Medicine

-- Parents who have taken family vacations at spas

About Spa Finder

As the world's leading spa publisher, spa travel reservation service and spa marketing company, Spa Finder is considered the authority on all things spa-related. In fact, The New York Times recently cited the 1986 founding of Spa Finder as a milestone in the growth of the worldwide spa industry. Having assembled the world's largest and finest network of spas and the world's largest spa consumer database, Spa Finder connects consumers with their ideal spa experiences -- whether they are looking to visit a local day spa or to embark on a vacation or retreat at a stay spa. Spa Finder, with offices in New York and San Francisco, publishes Spa Finder Magazine, the leading publication devoted to spa travel and healthy lifestyles. The company operates Spa Finder Travel, which handles requests and reservations for a quarter-million spa vacations annually, Spa Finder Gift Certificates, and www.spafinder.com, the most complete Internet source and free reservation service for the spa experience.