River cruising has become a popular option with cruise lovers, offering a smaller, more intimate experience, as well as the opportunity to visit destination not otherwise accessible by larger ships. It’s also a way many novice travelers choose to visit more exotic locations, providing them with the security and comfort of luxury holidays while still allowing them a bit of adventure. A little taste of a destination on a cruise often leads to a return visit. A cruise in Egypt has become a popular choice, giving travelers an opportunity to see an ancient country fully engaged in modern day. It doesn’t hurt that it has nearly year round sunny weather, either! And seeing the country on a cruise gives travelers the security of fresh drinkable water, ice, and safe food. When most people think of Egypt they think of the […]
Read MoreCategory Archive: Themes
10 Essentials to Pack for Your Beach Vacation
Beach vacations are a popular choice, whether you’re flying to an exotic location or hitting the shore close to home. But you can’t just head out to the beach — it can actually be one of the vacation destinations that is complicated to pack for. Here are 10 items that I consider essential for a beach vacation: Swim suit and cover up – whether you’ll be walking to the beach from your hotel room or out the door of your cabin, a swimsuit is the essential item of beach clothing. You’ll also want a cover up for walking through a hotel lobby, or when it’s time to cut back on your sun exposure. If you’ll be at the beach for more than a day or two consider packing additional swimsuits. Sunscreen – it seems like this is a no brainer, […]
Read MoreLas Vegas Predators at Shark Reef Aquarium
For the price of a hand of blackjack or a roll of the dice, you can spend some time with predators of a different kind — at Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef Aquarium. The only predator-based aquarium in the United States calls the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino (3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, map) home. What predators lurk here? Tigers Sharks. The second deadliest specie behind the Great White, these two females are quickly becoming the prima donnas of the aquarium, and it’s the only place tiger sharks are available for viewing in the US. You’ll be able to spot them easily with their tiger-striped markings and sharp-serrated teeth. Komodo Dragon. What they lack in looks, they make up for in speed, and the world’s largest lizard uses both its speed, cunning and power to track and kills it’s […]
Read MoreHotel Reviews: What They Mean
It seems like it’s feast or famine when it comes to visiting hotels and resorts, and I have a lot of reviews that I’m working on right now. To make sure that you know what your getting when you read my reviews, I’m going to spell out my process, what I look for at a hotel, the standards I use, and my thought process. I’ll also spill my personal biases because, after all, preferences are a very personal thing. When I visit a hotel, I take down lots of details. I write notes, record audio and video, and take lots of photos. I ask questions sometimes, and other times I sit back and observe. Both levels of involvement tell you different things. I wander the hotel at different hours of the day and night, call the front desk at various […]
Read MoreBackpacks & Airplanes: Code of Conduct
Backpacks, once the “luggage” of choice for college-aged travelers, have become mainstream, with travelers of all ages preferring to travel light, with everything they need literally on their back. It’s simple, avoids checked bag fees and waiting time, and forces travelers to pack light. When carrying a backpack onto an airplane, however, there are inherent dangers. After traveling millions of miles, and seeing backpacks in varying sizes and design, I’ve seen far too many people injured by backpacks. So, how about we all adopt the following Backpackers Code of Conduct for Air Travel: I will walk straight down the airplane aisle, knowing that when I turn from side-to-side someone sitting or standing behind me may inadvertently get thumped by my backpack. I will turn my head to look behind me before stepping back, knowing that the person behind me may […]
Read MoreBottoms Up: Grappa in Italy
Everywhere you turn in Italy you’ll find grappa, a clear alcoholic beverage sure to knock your socks off. Grappa is made from the grape residue left over from the crush of grapes during the winemaking process, and includes the grape skins, stems, seeds, and everything else. Like many food items in Italy, the beverage originally began as a way of reducing waste and using everything up. Today, however, grappa stands on its own. Like wine, the flavor of grappa will depend on the type of grapes, growing conditions, and terroir. But grappa isn’t wine. It;s a clear liquide, with an alcohol content ranging from 35-60%, and is thick in taste and feel like Brandy. In fact, you’ll often hear it referred to as Italian Brandy. Production is a strictly regulated process, and for a liquor to be called grappa it […]
Read MoreThis Summer Send the Kids to Jail
If the kids tell you that the house rules make them feel like their in prison, put the Old Idaho Penitentiary on your vacation stop. No commission of a crime required, just stop by their location in Boise, Idaho. The Old Idaho Penitentiary State Historic Site was used as Idaho’s prison between 1870-1973. The prison was originally a single building, but the growing population brought a need for a growing prison, and several additional buildings were added, all surrounded by a high sandstone wall. These additions to the prison complex were constructed with sandstone that the prisoners quarried and cut, back at a time when hard labor was a part of prison life. As happened at many prisons in the 1970’s, the over-crowded conditions led to a prison riot, occurring here in Boise both 1971 and again in 1973. As […]
Read More5 Extras for Your Beach Hotel
If you’re a sun-loving vacationer, you probably pay attention to weather reports, predictions, and warming trends at the destination where you’ll be. In fact, that information may be critical in deciding whether you’ll be going to a particular destination and a particular time. If you idea of a vacation paradise is to spend your time by the pool, on the beach, or picnicking in the warm sunshine, you still need plan for the possibility that it might — gulp — rain. Or be cloudy, or cold, or worse. And that means you’ve got to have plans for some indoor activities. Even if the weather is outstanding, you’re going to have to come out of the sun at some point. I hear many people say that they don’t want to spend much money on their beach hotel because they’re never going […]
Read MoreThe Desert Comes Alive in Palm Desert California
Over the past decade or so, Palm Springs and the surrounding desert communities have been working hard to change the stuffy image that they have long suffered from. No longer just a haven for the retired, blue-haired geriatric set, the Coachella Valley has broadened its appeal and you’ll now see families and couples of all ages and genders. One of the great spots to visit in the area is The Living Desert in Palm Desert. Founded in 1970, it is a zoo and botanical garden based entirely on the ecosystem of the desert. The Living Desert currently occupies about 1,200 acres of land, is a pioneer in environmental education and native wildlife rehabilitation, is active in captive breeding and plant propagation programs, and sustains itself through an aggressive membership and volunteer program. When you walk around the facility it is […]
Read MoreNetherlands Carillon Rings Out Over DC
Located on the Virginia shore of the Potomac River, opposite the District of Columbia and bordering the northern end of Arlington National Cemetery, the Netherlands Carillon is adjacent to the Unites States Marine Corps War Memorial. The site is park of the National Park System. Set among thousands of tulips in a park setting, the 127-foot high tower was a gift to the American people from the Dutch. It was a symbol of friendship characterized by a common allegiance to the principles of freedom, justice, and democracy that has weathered temporary differences. The bell carillon was originally installed in a temporary tower in 1954, and was then moved to its current location in 1960. It was officially dedicated on May 5th, 1960, the anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands from the Nazis, meaning the 50th anniversary is nearly upon […]
Read More