Archive for the ‘Variety’ Category
Thursday, July 31st, 2008
I rode the Las Vegas monorail today; it runs along the backyards of Vegas’s giant hotels, all the way from the MGM to the Safari.
From its windows, you can see things you wouldn’t ordinarily glimpse from the Strip, like pools, and lounge chairs, and tanned bodies in tiny swimsuits, and white towels, and — wait a minute! — why are so many of those lounge chairs EMPTY?
Come to think of it, the traffic on the strip seems much lighter than I remember. The casinos seem quieter and less crammed. And the buffet restaurant lines are shorter, or even non-existent.
Where are the people? It’s the middle of summer. Shouldn’t this top American vacation destination be overflowing with visitors? I am curious, so I ask around.
Read on . . .
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Tags:best hotel deals in vegas, free things in vegas, how to save money in vegas, las vegas monorail, las vegas nevada, slot machines in vegas, tourist numbers are down in las vegas, vegas deals
Posted in Adventure Travel, Airline Fees, Airline Travel, Budget Travel, Las Vegas, Travel tips, United States, Variety | Comments Closed
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
Are you planning a trip to that Mecca of Nevada: Las Vegas? Maybe you have never visited this city of bright lights and money-grabbing slots, or maybe you haven’t been there in awhile.
The good news? Many things haven’t changed.
The better news? Many things have changed. Especially at the airport and at the car rental building.
Read on . . .
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Tags:best buys in vegas, best margarita in vegas, best show in vegas, how to get to your rental car from the las vegas airpor, las vegas nevada, mccarran airport in vegas, vegas strip
Posted in Adventure Travel, Las Vegas, Photography tips, Tourist attractions, Travel tips, United States, Variety | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008
There is a place in Las Vegas that very few visitors know about. Even fewer will ever see it. It is a place called, “The Boneyard,” and it is a photographer’s dream, even if all you can get is a glimpse through the thick mesh and wire fence surrounding the compound.
The Boneyard is aptly named as it is a sanctuary for old Las Vegas neon signs – the bones of historic Vegas, if you will.
Read on . . .
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Tags:americana, las vegas history, neon musum in las vegas, old neon signs
Posted in Family Vacations, Las Vegas, Tourist attractions, Travel photography, United States, Variety | 3 Comments »
Friday, July 11th, 2008
Planning our next trip is nearly as much fun as taking the trip itself. Well, nearly.
My husband and I are bound for one of our favorite hot spots, and I mean, hot! Las Vegas, Nevada. But we aren’t really into the Strip; we tend to tool around in other parts of Vegas, spending most of our time off the Strip, visiting spots like the Nevada Atomic Testing Museum.
But we have gotten the Route 66 bug, so we’ll go further afield this time. Also, known as the “Mother Road,” Route 66 is just barely visible on modern maps, but a little research shows parts of the roadway can be reached in just under a two-hour drive from Vegas. But it’ll be one hot drive, since we’ll be headed right into the Mojave Desert, at the height of summer heat. But the photo opportunities are just too hard to resist.
Read on . . .
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Tags:adobe photoshop techniques, atomic testing museum, ben willmore, chloride arizona, great american history photographs, kingman arizona, las vegas day trips, las vegas nevada, las vegas strip, Route 66, the mother road
Posted in Adventure Travel, Travel Destinations, Travel photography, United States, Variety | Comments Closed
Thursday, July 10th, 2008
If you have never taken the train, or you haven’t ridden the rails in some time, then check out the nearest Amtrak station. Especially when exploring a new city. That’s the Philadelphia Amtrak station showing above.
With the high cost of rental cars, gasoline, insurance, and with the irritation of battling traffic in a strange city, travel by Amtrak train is like a gift from heaven.
My husband and I have just decided to include at least one Amtrak day trip while traveling, and we are very glad we did. We took the Amtrak between New York City and Philadelphia, and loved the trip.
Read on . . .
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Tags:Amtrak train options, catching a train in the United States, taking a trip on Amtrak, travel by train across North America
Posted in Adventure Travel, Canada, Family Vacations, Train Travel, Travel - General Advice, Travel photography, Travel tips, Travel with kids, United States, Variety | Comments Closed
Saturday, July 5th, 2008
Tags:independence day in new york, macys fourth of july fireworks, new york city fourth of july, roosevelt island, watching fireworks from roosevelt island
Posted in Adventure Travel, Family Vacations, Holiday Celebrations, New York, Travel with kids, United States, Variety | Comments Closed
Thursday, June 26th, 2008
No, not all the airlines are charging for the first checked bag, but will they hold out for much longer? We may as well get used to traveling lighter now in anticipation of even higher fees down the road.
Those fees will really add up at $15-$25 per checked bag EACH way when flying to that dream destination.
But do you really need the extra baggage? Probably not. If you choose an appropriate carry-on bag and pack more efficiently, you’re likely to find that you don’t miss hauling around all those extra suitcases.
There are great travel sites with clever tips designed to help you beat the airlines at their own game.
Read on . . .
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Tags:Airline Fees, carry on bags, checked baggage fees, fodor's, packing your carry-on bags, smarter travel, traveling with luggage on a plane
Posted in Airline Fees, Airline Travel, Beach Vacations, Budget Travel, Family Vacations, Travel - General Advice, Travel Products, Travel tips, Travel with kids, Variety | Comments Closed
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008
It’s all over the news. Increases in airline tickets. Increases in airline handling fees.
In Europe, Ryanair is charging for everything from booking your ticket with a credit card to simply showing up at the airport. Cruise lines are upping their prices, too, and all in an attempt to offset the rising price of fuel.
But should the increased fees mean less travel? Or maybe it’s just time to get really creative when booking or packing for our travel adventures?
Read on . . .
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Tags:airline handling charges, how to beat the high costs of travel, increase in fuel costs, increased airline ticket prices, packing lighter for airline travel, Train Travel
Posted in Adventure Travel, Airline Travel, Budget Travel, Cruise Ship Travel, Family Vacations, Travel - General Advice, Travel tips, Variety | Comments Closed
Saturday, June 14th, 2008
This is a typical sight from an Alberta highway. A quiet little pond, so innocuous, so charming. But many countries, many lands have similar vistas – sights which look perfectly safe, including those sights in some of the more questionable areas of the world like Egypt and Africa.
How can a traveler know if a decision to explore a new world is a smart decision?
Luckily, there are many web sites that can help you make an informed decision. Some even have links to other travel tools (like currency conversion charts) that make travel to a foreign land a whole lot easier.
Read on . . .
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Tags:diseases in other countries, safe travel, travel advisories, travel alerts, travel reports, travel safely to another country, world currency converter
Posted in Adventure Travel, Family Vacations, Travel - General Advice, Travel Destinations, Travel safety, Travel tips, Travel with kids, Tropical Destinations, Variety | No Comments »
Friday, June 13th, 2008
There’s “adventurous” travel and then there is “dangerous” travel. Since neither my husband nor I are members of the CIA, nor are we navy seals, we have placed limitations on our travel experiences. Those limitations recently affected one of our travel decisions: an end-of-summer trip to Belize.
Having reviewed a recent Canadian foreign affairs travel report, we have decided that Belize is not the place for us – at least not this year.
Read on . . .
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Tags:Adventure Travel, canada travel advisories, caye caulker belize, crime in belize city, dangerous travel, government travel reports, how to travel safely, tropical storm arthur
Posted in Adventure Travel, Beach Vacations, Belize, Caribbean, Family Vacations, Ports of call, Texas, Travel - General Advice, Travel Destinations, Travel safety, Tropical Destinations, United States, Variety | Comments Closed
