Archive for the ‘Travel Destinations’ Category
Monday, March 10th, 2008
If you desperately need an escape from reality, and you will be traveling in the vicinity of New York City, then a visit to the New York Renaissance Faire could be the perfect fantasy tonic for you.
Located in Sterling Forest, Tuxedo (about an hour’s drive out of New York City), the Faire is one of those tourist-type memories that only get rosier with time.
Don’t think the fantasy aspect of the Faire is childish; it is not. This is adult entertainment, but kids will have a blast, too.
Read on . . .
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Tags:birds of prey, medieval fairs, New York renaissance faire, new york tourist attractions, NYC renaissance fair, short line bus, sterling forest, tuxedo new york
Posted in Adventure Travel, Family Vacations, New York, Travel - General Advice, Travel Destinations, Travel tips, United States, Variety | 1 Comment »
Monday, March 10th, 2008
New York City has an ample supply of police and security personnel; that’s commonly known. However, there is another type of policing official you might not know about: the “line-up police.”
If you are a theatre-lover, or a lover of the Bard’s works, and you plan to take in New York’s famous Shakespeare in the Park event, then you are guaranteed to meet the Big Apple’s line-up police.
Read on . . .
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Tags:central park free tickets, central park summer events, how to get free tickets for shakespeare in the park, new york city attractions, new york city theatre, shakespeare in the park central park, shakespeare in the park line ups
Posted in Budget Travel, Family Vacations, New York, Tourist attractions, Travel - General Advice, Travel Destinations, Travel tips, United States, Variety | Comments Closed
Monday, March 3rd, 2008
Are you wondering about the state of affairs in New Orleans? Has the “City That Care Forgot” managed to recover from the effects of Hurricane Katrina? Information on New Orleans recovery can now be easily accessed at the city’s brand new “Recovery Projects Information” site.
It’s been more than 2-1/2 years since the Big Easy was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The massive hurricane, complete with high winds and high waters, hit New Orleans on August, 29, 2005. Protective city levees broke, and the majority of the city was flooded. Luckily, one of New Orleans most popular historic areas, the French Quarter, was spared; that’s where I am headed in a couple of weeks.
According to the Bush administration, it’s expected that it will take a quarter century for New Orleans to fully recover from Katrina. But where tourism is concerned, it’s business as usual. Read on . . .
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Tags:Big Easy, browser windows, cemetary tours in new orleans, ghost tours in new orleans, hotel deals, hurrican katrina, N'awlins, New Orleans, recovery projects information, travel deals, travel planning, tripadvisor
Posted in New Orleans, Ports of call, Travel - General Advice, Travel Destinations, United States | 1 Comment »
Saturday, February 23rd, 2008
It wasn’t my first choice. It wasn’t even my second, third or fourth choice, but we are still bound for a place we’d never heard of before: Brownsville, Texas.
It’s a really nice place,” my travel advisor said.” But I merely shook my head.
“Where the heck is Brownsville? And why would anyone want to go there?” I asked.
“It’s right on the Gulf of Mexico just near South Padre Island,” she added. “It’s a really pretty place with Spanish influence. And the beaches are out of this world.”
“Yeah, but I’ve never even heard of Brownsville. Never mind South Padre Island.”
“Trust me,” she said. “The price is right, and you’ll love it.”
Yes, I never planned in my wildest dreams that I would be bound for Brownsville, Texas, but now I can hardly wait to get there.
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Tags:brownsville texas, civil war history in brownsville, crossing the mexican border, gladys porter zoo in brownsville, things to do in brownsville, things to do in matamoros mexico
Posted in Beach Vacations, Family Vacations, Tourist attractions, Travel - General Advice, Travel Destinations, Travel tips, Tropical Destinations, United States | 3 Comments »
Saturday, February 23rd, 2008
Is it hard for you or someone else you know to go traveling? Maybe you are a grandparent who would love to take a grandchild traveling, but can’t afford the expense. Or maybe you have some spare time; you like playing computer games, and you would like to explore some unfamiliar cities. Here’s a cheap solution; it’s called Big Fish Games.
The online games site offers a variety of “hidden object” games that take the player to well-known tourist spots in big metropolitan areas around the world, like Rome, Venice, Sydney, and San Francisco.
The site’s “Travelogue 360” games take players to Paris and Rome. Sydney, Australia, and San Francisco, California are featured in the site’s “Big City Adventures” games.
The games are challenging and can be easily understood by nearly any age of player. And best of all, they are fun!
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Tags:big fish games, cheap travel, exotic travel destinations, hidden object computer games, mystery computer games, San Francisco, sydney, tourist attractions in big cities, travel cheaply, traveling with children
Posted in Australia, Budget Travel, Family Vacations, Tourist attractions, Travel Destinations, United States | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
It’s that time again; I’ve resisted long enough. I must return to one of my favorite spots in the world: New York City. Besides the fact I am addicted to NYC, I made a personal promise to myself that I would visit the Big Apple on every major holiday. I’ve already done Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and St. Patrick’s Day. So, now it’s time for one of the biggest hooplas of all: Independence Day!
Airfares from Canada, especially if we fly on our own major holiday, Canada Day, are cheap, so now I must find a NYC hotel. My husband and I took a liking to the Helmsley Park Lane (we’ve stayed there 3 times before), so I pulled up the hotel’s website, input our travel dates, and voila. Yikes! So much for the high life.
Read on…
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Tags:airfare deals to New York City, cheap hotels in new york city, expedia deals, hotel deals on the internet, Independence Day in New York City, Miford Plaza in Times Square, New York City, New York Helmsley Park Lane Hotel, New York Plaza Hotel, travelocity deals
Posted in Airline Travel, Budget Travel, New York, Travel - General Advice, Travel Destinations, Travel tips, United States | 2 Comments »
Monday, February 11th, 2008
“Hey, did you guys take the Experience tour yet?”
“The what?” we responded. Doug was intense with excitement. He was one of our new cruise ship buddies who happened to be visiting the Old Melbourne Gaol (jail), too.
“You have to do it. It runs every half hour, but they only take 20 people,” he added. “There’re lining up right now in front of the building.”
“Okay, thanks.” We nodded and scurried out of the somber building.
But my stomach was feeling a little queasy; I was not sure if I was up for more of this gaol’s brand of “experiences.” I had already spent an hour inside the Old Melbourne Gaol; the death masks, the whipping frame, and the horrific correctional devices employed by the gaol in its early history were not for the faint-of-heart. And mine was feeling very faint.
So, it was with a fair level of trepidation that I followed Doug’s advice and joined the queue for the Melbourne Gaol’s “Watch House Experience.”
I began to regret my decision when I met the gaol’s intimidating desk sergeant…
Read on…
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Tags:cruise ship shore excursions in melbourne australia, melbourne australia tourist attractions, melbourne jail, old melbourne gaol, watch house experience, what to do in melbourne australia
Posted in Australia, Cruise Ship Travel, Family Vacations, Ports of call, Tourist attractions, Travel Destinations, Variety | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, February 5th, 2008
Sydney, Australia’s Powerhouse Museum and the dainty Princess of Wales don’t really seem to fit together. But then again, they really do. Up until early May 2008, the city of Sydney, is hosting a special exhibit dedicated to the late Princess Diana, one of the most influential and powerful women the world has ever known. So, in that sense, the Powerhouse Museum and the adored Princess are a perfect pairing.
I, as a fan of Diana, could have gone back through the exhibit again and again, but time was short, so an hour was all I could budget. Here are the hi-lights.
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Posted in Australia, Cruise Ship Travel, Ports of call, Tourist attractions, Travel Destinations | 1 Comment »
Friday, February 1st, 2008
Actually, it was more like 12 hours, but I had already experienced enough derision from my travel mates. So, I didn’t fess up to the real amount of time. But…
I had precious cargo to transport. And I wanted it to survive the ravages of airline luggage wranglers, airline conveyor belts, and airline scales.
I was not about to leave my hand-selected New Zealand wines behind; but neither did I want to ship the bottles only to have them broken in transit. And I didn’t want to pay an overweight baggage fee at the airport. So, logistical plans take awhile. Okay?
I have brought back many fragile things in my suitcases — with almost complete success. Especially wine. I haven’t lost a bottle, well, except one to an unscrupulous airport security inspector, but that’s another story…
A Quick and Easy Guide
Here is a quick and easy guide for the supplies you will need, and tips for how to pack your imported wine for safe and secure transport in your suitcase….
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Tags:can I bring back wine in my suitcase, can I import wine, how to pack a bottle in a suitcase, how to pack your suitcase, importing wine, packing wine for transit, safely packing wine in your suitcase
Posted in Airline Travel, Australia, Budget Travel, Cruise Ship Travel, Food and Wine, New Zealand, Ports of call, Travel - General Advice, Travel Destinations, Travel tips | 4 Comments »
Thursday, January 31st, 2008
“It’s just not fair,” I wailed.
I wailed because I saw buttery yellow sunlight creasing the clouds, and because it was disembarkation day for our 14-day cruise of New Zealand and Australia, and our last day in Sydney, Australia.
We had arrived in port two nights prior, but had only one rain-filled day to explore this massive port city, with its famous Opera House, gorgeous old heritage buildings, and infamous convict history.
But that’s beside the point ‘cause now I am just mad at you, Sydney. And that’s very strange since we (my husband and I) had vowed we had no interest in visiting Sydney. Ever. And that makes me even madder.
You could have told me sooner that I was going to love your harbour, that I was going to love your city streets and your people, that I was going to adore The Rocks, and that you had so much to offer. I would have made different plans.
And now it’s too late; we are leaving. (Or so I thought.)
Things are never as they seem…read on…
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Tags:aussies, australia, cruise ship vacation in australia, down under vacations, new zealand, powerhouse museum, sydney australia, the menzies, wynyard station
Posted in Airline Travel, Australia, Cruise Ship Travel, Ports of call, Travel - General Advice, Travel Destinations, Travel tips | 1 Comment »
