Places

Alternatives to Traditional Vacations

August 18, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

You are probably sitting at your computer right now daydreaming about the next time you can leave the shackles of your office and take a long overdue vacation. You are searching websites as you read this and the time can’t come soon enough. But let’s face it, when the time comes you are going to be poised to take the same run of the mill vacation you always do. Some boring plan ride into a boring, albeit beautiful setting. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can take a vacation that is a bit off the beaten path and have the time of your life doing it. So here are a few vacations that might be worth exploring.

Road Trip – This is the way people used to see America. Not from a plane ride but through the eyes of the car and an amazing time. They used to experience the wonder that the country holds. So now is the time for you to do it too. Get yourself a road map and a chunk of time and plan on seeing the sights of the countryside. This is a great alternative and it will cost you less than what you are paying for a traditional vacation.

Staycation – This might seem like a boring way to spend your vacation but if you live in a city like Chicago or New York then a staycation would be the perfect opportunity to enjoy your own city. Living and working in you home city doesn’t give you a lot of time for you to enjoy the things that makes your city the wonderful place it is. So save yourself some money and some travel time and explore your own hometown.

Camping Vacation – Instead of spending your time in doors, spend that time outdoors. Camping in a great place like Yellowstone or Yosemite could be a great way to get in touch with nature and have some of the best memories of your life. Rough it and find yourself talking about the experience for years. Either way it beats the traditional.

Filed Under: Places, Travel, Vacation Tagged With: Camping, Travel, United States

Two Must see Attractions in Rio de Janeiro

August 17, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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Rio de Janeiro is one of the most visually spectacular cities in the world. When looking at Rio from above it looks almost like a fake city created for a Sci-Fi movie. It is no surprise that Rio de Janeiro will be the first city in South America to host the Olympic Games. It is a developed first-world city with amazing beaches, great nightlife, tremendous cultural offerings, spectacular sights, and beautiful people.

Sugar Loaf

Sugar Loaf is one of the many must see tourist attractions in Rio de Janeiro. Despite what part of the world you are from and natural beauty you enjoy close to home Sugar Loaf will “wow” you. It is essentially two enormous rocks jutting out of the earth the size of cargo ships. An enormous gondola takes you from the posh neighborhood of Urca to the first level of Sugar Loaf and another gondola takes you all the way to the top. Each round-trip gondola jaunt costs 12.50 USD, but you can save money by hiking to the first level and only paying for the second gondola. It is only about a 10-15 minute climb and engaging small monkeys along the way in common. Once at the top you can see tremendous views of Rio de Janeiro and the city of Niteroi.

Christ the Redeemer – Corcovado

This may be Rio de Janeiro’s quintessential tourist attraction. One of the highest points that can be reached in Rio atop Corcovado Mountain, Christ the Redeemer provides 360 degree views of Rio de Janeiro. The gigantic Christ statue is also amazing to see up close. You can reach the top on foot (which make take 2 hours), by train (20 minutes, or van (10-15 minutes). The best option is the train; however, it has limited capacity and only departs twice per hour. When purchasing the entrance fee and the train ride together it is a few bucks cheaper than taking a van and paying the entrance separately. The train is the most sought after option hence you must be prepared to get there early or endure a line.

Filed Under: Places, Travel Tagged With: Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, South America, Travel and Tourism

Traveling During Hurricane Season

August 12, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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Hurricane season is from June 1 – November 30 each year although storms can form earlier or later than the designated dates. This can mean that travel to Atlantic areas during this time can be disrupted. If you plan to vacation or travel to the southern states of America or the Caribbean area during this time of year you should keep a few things in mind.

Travel insurance is an excellent resource to have in case your vacation plans are disrupted due to a hurricane or tropical storm. Most will offer reimbursement so that you do not lose your money. Cruise ships, for example, will have to make detours or go to different ports in case of a hurricane and offer travel insurance as well. Although it can be pricey at times, it’s in your best interest to be covered since a hurricane can pop up unexpectedly. Also, if you have travel plans booked months in advance, there is no way to tell if a storm may hit during that time period so again, you are covered in case of bad weather that would otherwise ruin your plans.

You can keep up with weather in the tropics by visiting the National Hurricane Center website. Not only can you view storm activity but you can look weeks in advance leading up to your trip to monitor any storm activity. Storms can still form without warning but most of them are usually known about in advance. Keep in mind that during a major storm air flights can be canceled, hotels can be evacuated and cruises can be detoured, canceled or have itinerary changes.

Most likely a storm will not interfere with your travel plans but it is a good idea to be proactive in having travel insurance and keeping up with any storm activity during hurricane season. Some seasons are more active than others but you never know when one can hit and wreak havoc on your vacation.

Filed Under: Adventure, Places, Vacation Tagged With: Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Earth Sciences, National Hurricane Center

Summer Road Trip Ideas

August 11, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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Road trips can be an exciting way to experience your vacation and there are more ways than one to explore this type of vacation.

One exciting road trip is to revisit a childhood journey. Perhaps your family drove to upstate New York one summer and you can recall some of the places you stopped at. Reliving that journey can be self fulfilling as well as fun for the entire family. Map out where you and your family would like to visit, eat and stay and try to have an end result in mind such as visiting the grandparents or stopping at a theme park once you arrive.

Speaking of theme parks, how about a theme park trip? Take the number of days you are traveling and try to visit a theme park or attraction every day or every other day. A good place to take this type of trip is in Central Florida where you can find Disney World, Busch Gardens, Sea World, Universal Studios and a host of other attractions that can only be found in that area.

Plan a staycation near to home. If you’re on a budget or don’t have enough days off from work to take a long trip, you can plan things to do near home. Find attractions, places to eat and places to visit within a 100-200 mile radius. Not only will you save on money by being able to come home each night but you can invest your money into your own local economy and enjoy adventures you may not have considered before. You can always rent a motel or hotel room if you want but have the option of driving home as well.

No matter what type of road trip you want to take, treat it just like you would a four star vacation. It doesn’t have to be complicated to have one of the best trips of your life.

Filed Under: Adventure, Places, Tourism Tagged With: Amusement park, roadtrip, SeaWorld

What to Do About Lost Items on Your Vacation

August 10, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

It’s no fun at all to go on a wonderful trip only to realize you are missing something. Whether it’s a piece of jewelry or electronic equipment, sometimes you have already traveled hundreds of miles before you realize it. No matter where you may have lost your item there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure the chances of a safe return.

If you lost your item at a motel or hotel call them and tell them as soon as you realize your item is missing. Most motels and hotels have a policy that they are not responsible for lost items but every one of them will have a lost and found area so talk to someone in charge who can ask housekeeping if the item was found. You may have to pay shipping costs if they have indeed found your missing item but the sooner you call, the better chance you’ll have of getting it back and always remember to use the motel safe if possible if it is available. That way you’ll have a much easier time remembering to check it before you leave.

If your item was lost on a cruise ship call the customer service number to the company you used and be ready to give out your name, cabin number and the date of your sailing. Cabins are cleaned immediately after each disembarkation so chances are you item has been moved to the lost and found area. It’s best to call as soon as you realize it so that there is a possibility the ship has not sailed again and can be double checked if lost and found has no record of your item.

No matter what type of trip you took or where you stayed, each will have different policies and different chances of you getting your item back safe and sound. However, if you start the process as soon as possible the chances are greater of a safe return of your belongings.

Filed Under: Places, Travel, Vacation Tagged With: Customer service, Hotel, Lost

How to Determine the Best Time of Year to Take a Vacation

August 6, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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If you are lucky enough to be able to take a vacation any time of year then there are a few things to consider on when it is the best time to take your trip. A lot of different factors can depend on when it’s the best time to go on vacation.

If you have children in school you may want to plan your vacation around the summer holiday or Christmas break. If you are going to a warm climate such as the Caribbean or a place that is particularly hot, you may want to go during the winter months. Areas in the Caribbean can have temperatures close to 100 degrees during the summer with very high humidity. If you visit in the winter months not only will there be less crowds on average but the temperatures can range in the 70′s and 80′s Fahrenheit for a much more pleasant vacation.

If you plan to enjoy winter adventures such as skiing or snowboarding then a call ahead to your destination can let you know when they are the least busy and when the best weeks are for that perfect snowfall.

When planning a trip to a theme park keep in mind that summer months and holidays are the busiest times of year. The same can be said for cruises. Even a trip to Las Vegas can be more crowded during these times. While none of the above mentioned trips have off times for business, there are certain times of the year where you can find it less crowded than usual. Just before the holidays, fall and winter can be best for certain theme parks and October and the day of major holidays is your best bet for Las Vegas.

Make sure to check with the venue you plan to visit for off-season rates. You may save more money but be sure to ask about specific closing times on theme parks since many have winter hours that differ from the rest of the year.

Filed Under: Places, Tourism, Vacation Tagged With: Amusement park, Recreation, Travel and Tourism

How to Keep in Touch with Home While on Vacation

July 30, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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With so much technology to be utilized, it’s easier than ever to stay in touch with friends and family while on a vacation no matter how far away you travel. From Smart Phones to computer programs, there’s something for everyone to use to be able to stay in touch and it’s easy and fun to use. Even if you’re on a cruise in the middle of the ocean you can still stay in touch with technology on board that allows you to access the Internet and a cell phone tower. Be sure to know the costs involved first since cell phone service is higher on board than with your normal plan and Internet access can be costly as well.

Sign up for instant messengers or utilize their texting service if you own a smart phone. There are various forms of instant messengers that are compatible with smart phones. Just be sure the other party has the ability to use the same service. Texting can be even easier since the other party does not have to be signed in to a third party application in order to get your message. While there are costs involved with texting depending on what type of cell phone plan you have, it is still an affordable way of staying in touch and keeping up with what is going on back home.

Smart phones also allow you to check into popular social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. As long as you have a data plan (Internet access) you can access all of your favorite sites and share some of the fun you’re having. Again, if you are in a foreign country be sure you are fully aware of any rate increases. Some carriers may charge for International roaming and Internet while others allow texting for free as long as you are texting to another person with the same type of phone such as two Blackberry phones using a Blackberry PIN.

Filed Under: Places, Vacation Tagged With: Cell Phones, Mobile phone, Text messaging