Tag - Vacations

Plan Your Next Trip With These Great Tips In Mind!

Road trip

Road trip

Dress in layers and you are sure to be ready for any weather. Weather can be unpredictable, especially if you are visiting an unfamiliar place. By having several layers of clothing, you can add or remove pieces depending on the temperature. This is especially useful for all day adventures which start in the cool morning but warm up later in the day.

Before you travel internationally, learn where your country’s embassies and consulates are in your destination country. These are not resources for the casual traveler. Hopefully you will never need them. If you find yourself in legal trouble, though, consulates and embassies can provide vital assistance in navigating unfamiliar and unfriendly legal waters.

When you plan a vacation trip, be flexible about your destination. While it can be fun to establish a routine by revisiting a favorite vacation spot, maintaining some variety in destinations makes your vacations more memorable and relaxing. Additionally, selecting a different destination can be key to saving a little money when the vacation budget is tight.

Take the first travel photo” of your luggage. If you do end up checking your luggage, take a picture of it before you turn it over to the airline. In case of a problem, this will document what the luggage looks like and its condition when you left it. Also keep your baggage claim ticket in a safe place or snap a picture of it, too, so you have all the information necessary in the event that your luggage is lost.

Having a small sewing kit and an eyeglass repair kit tucked away in your luggage can save the day! Whether you rip your clothing, need to remove a splinter, replace a button, or replace the tiny screws on the back of your child’s hand held video game these tools are great!

Always let someone know when you are planning to travel. While unexpected trips and spontaneous travel may seem like a good idea at the time, it is not so great if something goes awry. Letting a friend, family member or neighbor know you will be gone and where you are going is always a good idea. Contact that person as soon as you reach your destination. Let them know when you will be coming home. You will be glad you did.

Next time you’re out on the town and looking to grab a bite, consider chowing down at the nearest Japanese restaurant. Fresh sushi and sashimi are full of protein, very low in fat, and also incredibly delicious. Salmon, for instance, is amazingly rich in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.

When you’re visiting an unfamiliar city, make sure to spend a few minutes chatting with your hotel concierge. The concierge is an expert on the area and it is his or her job to ensure that you enjoy your stay. Ask your concierge to make restaurant reservations or reserve show tickets for you. Your concierge can often get you in to in-demand places.

As you can see from these tips, there are any number of things that can help your trip to go more smoothly. Whether all of these tips apply to your upcoming trip or just a few of them, they will help to keep inconvenient hiccups out of your travels.

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Vacation Homes for Nature Lovers: Five Great Ideas

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Vacation homes- Springdale, UT

When you think about owning a summer home, you usually imagine beaches, warm weather, and backyard barbecues with the kids. On CNBC’s list of the 12 best cities to buy a vacation home, eight of them were in Florida. But what if that’s just not you? What if sunshine, humidity, and tourist traps aren’t what you look for in a vacation? Barron’s list is more varied, and it proves you don’t have to stick to the typical summer vacation to get the most out of a second house or condo. If you love mountains, trees, lakes, and other natural wonders, you will enjoy investing in a hideaway surrounded by nature instead of theme parks. If your ideal home away from home involves majestic views and peace and quiet, here are some suggestions for places where a home will help you skip all the vacation stress and commune with nature the old-fashioned way.

1. Springdale, Utah

Located in the Southwest part of the state outside the borders of Zion National Park, Springdale is a minuscule town, clocking in at 529 residents in the 2010 census. Forbes has called Springdale one of America’s 20 prettiest towns, and if you’re willing to pay a median price of $850,000, you can own a home there. For the tiny community, Zion is their backyard, with its majestic Kolob Canyons, the scenic Virgin River, and amazing views from Lava Point. The 229-square foot park is rich with wildlife and every kind of natural rock formation there is, making it one of the most beautiful national parks the United States has to offer.

2. Durango, Colorado

Durango is a city of 16,000 people in Colorado’s La Plata County which is famous for its 32 parks over 839 acres and its proximity to many natural wonders. It’s located in the heart of the Animas River Valley, and the river itself lets visitors enjoy fly fishing, kayaking, and white water rafting. Durango is also nearby to five major mountain ski resorts and 36 miles from the majestic Mesa Verde National Park. Its rich cultural life and historic downtown area is a huge draw for residents all year long, and because it’s a slightly larger town, home prices have a nice range. You can invest in cabins, cottages, or condos from around $200,000 to well over $1 million.

3. Prince Edward Island, Canada

Just 200 kilometers off the coast of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island is one of the most beautiful places in Canada and also one of the smallest – you can tour the entire island by car in less than a day. Still, its lush coasts, lighthouses, old rustic farms, and cherry blossom woods attract hundreds of visitors. The province offers sandstone cliffs, rolling hills, and the amazing foliage of Prince Edward Island National Park. And it’s remarkably cheap to buy real estate there, with Kanetix comparisons now available in PEI. The average home is around $190,000, which can include restored cottages and beautiful rustic houses in many different areas of the island.

Prince Edward Island Route 6

Route to price Edward island

4. Gatlinburg, Tennessee

A rustic, mountain town near the Great Smokies, Gatlinburg is a popular tourist spot in the state if you’re looking for a quieter, more rural alternative to Dollywood’s Pigeon Forge. It’s bordered by mountains on every side and offers breathtaking forests and access to the only ski resort in Tennessee. The Gatlinburg Trolley takes visitors through neighborhoods filled with comedy and musical theater shows, even a famous haunted house. There is some surprisingly affordable real estate available, too. A 2-bedroom house can cost you less than $90,000, though there are plenty of options for large mountain cabins closer to the $1 million range. All in all, this corner of Appalachia offers quite a deal.

5. Braceridge, Ontario

Built around a waterfall on the Muskoka River, Bracebridge is a popular town of 15,000 residents in the idyllic Muskoka Province. The region is often referred to as “cottage country” and is home to lakes, farming villages, country clubs, and scenic vistas. Bracebridge is one of six townships in Muskoka, and it offers a railway station, historic buildings, and the famous Santa’s Village, a Christmas theme park which attracts thousands of visitors a year. The area is so beautiful that many celebrities purchase vacation homes in the vicinity, where they can easily hide away from urban life. Some of the homes are pricey, but you can find a good deal for $400,000 or less in many areas of town.

If you’ve ever experienced rural life, you know how much it can reduce stress and leave you rejuvenated before you have to return to the hectic schedule of your daily life. When you’re planning to invest in a vacation home, you want to aim for that level of stress-reduction, especially if the beauty of nature appeals to you much more than a tourist-packed beach in Florida or California. Outside the box, your options are always many.

Tips On How To Maximize Your Travel

Maximize Your Travel

Maximize Your Travel

To really get a feel for where you are vacationing, follow the locals. Many top vacation spots start to feel very generic and touristy. By asking around and finding where the people who live there hang out, you will get a more authentic feel for the area, and as a bonus, avoid the price markups that plague tourist hot spots.

In order to get the most out of your trip with a toddler, when choosing a hotel, you should make sure that you have either another room or a balcony. Since toddlers take frequent naps and also go to bed early, this will ensure that you will be able to occupy yourself while your little one sleeps. No one really wants to call it a night at eight in the evening when they are on vacation.

Purchase a travel dress, which is a garment that can be worn multiple ways. It can be worn as a dress, skirt, shirt and wrap. You can then pack a few other accessories and accompanying items, which will save lots of space in your suitcase for all the souvenirs you wish to bring home.

When you take your pet on the road you have to think in advance about how you will take care of them. One of the most basic needs is exercise. Most everyone takes along a lead but taking along a stake out line and pully is a consideration as well.

If you’re going on a cruise, you should arrive a day in advance. This will stop those close calls of getting stuck in traffic or having your flight delayed and causing you to miss your trip. The stress of almost missing the ship is not how you want to start your trip.

If you’re going on a cruise with your family, pack along some Walkie-talkies. Cruise ships are basically floating cities and it’s very easy to get separated. Walkie-talkies can help everyone keep in touch, especially if you don’t get cell phone reception or if you’re out of the country and don’t want to pay heavy international charges.

Before leaving for an overseas vacation, create a copy of your travel itinerary to leave with a friend or a family member. This ensures that someone else knows where you should be and when. It can also assist you if your luggage is lost, since you will have a domestic contact who can confirm your whereabouts.

When you arrive at your hotel location, check out the local brochures. A lot of brochures offer fun and affordable activities within the area. Some travel pamphlets even offer coupons for more than one person and have little maps to guide you in the right direction. Local brochures can be a fun way to explore a new area.

When traveling with a bag that has to be checked, snap a digital photo of it. If it gets lost, the picture will help you describe the item to the airline. It is also important to take a clear shot of the baggage tag that the airline puts on your luggage. This gives you the routing information for the airline and will help them locate your bag quicker if it is misplaced.

When visiting America’s National Parks, don’t just drive around the park. Get out and explore by foot. It is a great experience to visit the park, and see all that it has to offer. The only way to do that is to find a hiking trail and explore the area.

While traveling is entirely a personal activity for everyone, it does share the main goal of seeing a new place, either for business, family, or to fulfill a dream. As you have seen in these tips, there are various plans, but they are all created around the idea of making your trip better.

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Mendocino Village Provides a Scenic Trip Back in Time

With its very well preserved 19th century New England-style Victorian buildings Mendocino looks like we had just stepped into a page in a history book.

Just a three hour drive north from San Francisco through some of the most diverse landscape including gnarled oak trees, vineyards, rustic farmhouses, the most beautiful large Redwoods and some of the best ocean views on the west coast is Mendocino, California  the beautiful, serene village that dates back to the California gold rush days.

Mendocino Village-Photo by Gary Steman

Mendocino Village-Photo by Gary Steman

One look at The Sea Rock Inn a Bed and Breakfast on the north end of town and it is clear they are the ultimate romantic getaway that they promise to be on their website; what may not be as clear at first glance is how much more this sea-side village has to offer its visitors.

Headland State Park And Its Path System Allowed Us To Explore the Rugged Headlands

The cozy cottage inn is surrounded in the great smells of wide green lawns and beautifully landscaped flower gardens that were contrasted by the backdrop of ancient cypress trees. The view from the suites looks across the street to the spectacular panoramic view of the rugged cliffs of the Mendocino Headlands that drop over 45 meters or 150 feet to the Pacific Ocean below. The scene has inspired many filmmakers and can be spotted in movies and television programs including “The Russians Are Coming”, “The Summer of ’42”, “Same Time Next Year”, “Dying Young”, “Overboard” and “The Majestic”. The television series “Murder, She Wrote” was filmed in the town of Mendocino and one of the homes on Little Lake Street was used as Jessica Fletcher’s Cabot Cove home.

After a relaxing continental breakfast, included in the price of the room and served in the main area at a very casual, romantic table that looked out over the headlands and the ocean below, the intricate path system of the Headlands State Park is waiting to be discovered. You could spend hours winding your way through the beautiful wildflowers of the Park across the top of the great cliffs, where the ocean crashing and throwing itself over the top of the rocks provides great photo opportunities.

The History of this Logging Community That Looks Like A Page Out Of The History Books Dates Back to 1850

Mendocino Village, by G sterman

Mendocino Village, by G sterman

When you’re ready for a break from the fresh air and exercise a walk into town is a must.  Mendocino was once a prosperous logging community founded in 1850 and originally named Meiggsville after entrepreneur Henry Meiggs who sold lumber to several businesses along the pacific coast from his home in Catskill, New York.  Meiggs relocated to San Francisco when he discovered gold on one of his lumber delivery trips. The town’s name was later changed to Mendocino in honour of Don Antonio de Mendoza, the patron saint of the voyageur and the first Viceroy of New Spain or Mexico.

This eclectic village features some great artisan stores, art galleries, a haunted hotel, some of the best restaurants and the local watering hole, Dick’s on the beach, a great little pub full of photos and collectables that told the history of this great town.

The Mendocino Hotel is the only hotel that remains from a time when Mendocino was a booming port full of lodgings for the workers in the logging trade. The original structure dates back to 1878 and was originally opened as a “Temperance House” in a time when the town reportedly had 19 saloons.

If You Stop In Maybe You Will Get A Visit From The Hotel’s Ghost

R.O. Peterson purchased the run-down hotel in 1975, and with the assistance of brilliant designers and local artisans and craftsmen he had it authentically restored to include period wallpaper by Schumacher, a rug custom designed and woven to simulate a piece from the era, period mirrors, original oil paintings an enormous sideboard purchased in England, and a 1920s coffee machine. There are rumors that the Hotel has a ghost, a Victorian lady who haunts tables number six and eight in the dining room and has been seen in one of the lobby mirrors. Front Desk workers have also apparently heard their names being spoken in the middle of the night and when they turn around to answer… no one is there.

Both the economy and the population of Mendocino declined after 1940, and it became a somewhat isolated village until artist Bill Zacha founded the Mendocino Art Center and revitalized it in the 1950s. Today, the vibrant town’s calendar of events is limited only by visitors’ imaginations. The Arts and Crafts Fair, held in July each year hosts more than sixty arts and crafts booths with unique handmade artwork. The annual Mendocino Whale Festival allows visitors in the first week of March to watch as some 20,000 gray whales make their way north from Mexico to their Alaskan summer home.  In June, The Mendocino Film Festival showcases independent filmmakers and their work and the Music Festival, a musically diverse concert series held through two weeks in July on Main Street in the Mendocino Headlands State Park.

I have no doubt that your stay in this beautiful village, like the two days I spent there, will be a rare experience and a cherished memory to hold forever.

Resources:

The facts that helped me tell this story of a beautiful Pacific Ocean Village were found using the following resources:

  • Information about the beautiful Sea Rock Inn on their website searock.com,
  • Information on the scenic area of Mendocino County found in the Mendocino Coast and Wine Country Guide published by the Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce,
  • Information on Mendocino found at “Sally’s Place” on her website sallybernstein.com
  • Information about the attractions in and around the village at the website mendocino.com
  • Information on the history of the Mendocino Hotel found at www.menocinohotel.com

Jordan Petra Holidays Vacations and Holidays Tours

by Lily Candice,

Jordan Petra Holidays Vacations

Jordan Petra Holidays Vacations

Before moving out from your home to enjoyable Holidays Vacations or Holidays Tours, you would always like to make your tour memorable. It is quite possible while you take care of few factors and make your tour enjoyable and memorable.

Planning with Trustworthy Tours Companies Online planning for Vacations and Holidays Tours has become more popular. Increasing popularity of the travel websites has made Vacations and Holidays Tours possible for people to book trips to Jordan just a matter of few minutes. Experts advice to employ set of measures to check if the travel company you are planning with should trustworthy one. Check for sign of “authenticity” in website, such as anti-hacker seals, the use of encryption technology, prominent display of security and quality seals, money-back guarantee and client testimonials.

Hassle free Holidays Vacations and Holidays Tours If you wish to everything done at single place about your Holidays Vacations and Holidays Tours for reservations and appointments. Take experts important advice, you should ask to travel company to do these arrangements for you. The travel company will take care of everything for you to make your Holidays Vacations and Holidays Tours enjoyable. For example, when you are on tour with your family, your travel company can offer best and affordable accommodations in Jordan Petra for your vacation holidays. Since tours are pre-planned and arranged by travel companies, you could enjoy and relax with your family while everything is planned by your hired travel company.

Discounted Packages for Holidays Vacations and Holidays Tours
While enjoying the vacation tours, discounted packages is the first and most factor you would always like to consider. Travel experts say and agree – who are looking for discounts on their holidays tours. You should also take care for several factors like in order to avoid the high budget; you should plan the vacations during off-peak seasons. If you are on a budget and would prefer to have the vacation with your family, in this case you contact the travel agent and get important advice to plan your vacation holidays without having a high budget. If you are planning to make your tour in Jordan Petra, “Red Rock” is the ever best travel planner for you. Lots of attractions are in Jordan Petra Tours, Petra Jordan Holidays and Jordan Vacations. Go ahead and take initiative while calling the “Red Rock”, your Jordan Vacations Planner.

About the Author: Lily Candice is content writer at Red Rock. Travel company in Jordan for Jordan Petra Tours and Petra Jordan Holidays.