Short Vacation Ideas

I am sure you are not the only one finding yourself thinking about spending few days in a luxurious Las Vegas hotel, gambling in one of its numerous casinos, watching a show or a musical, or just simply shopping around.

Most people think of Vegas as a bunch of casinos put together in the middle of the desert and nothing else. The fact is there are much more to Vegas than just gambling. The night life in Vegas is amazing starting from the night clubs and ending with the many great shows available to everyone. Whether you are into watching magic shows, musicals, plays, or variety shows, you can see your favorite show almost daily and most of the time for half the price. You can purchase your tickets at one of the many half price ticket booths located all around the strip.

If you are planning a Vegas trip for you and the family, keep one thing in mind, most of the strip hotels charge extra for kids sharing the parents room, even if they are under 17 years of age. One more thing to know about picking a hotel for your stay, try to stay away from the pet friendly hotels, as you might find yourself in your room trying to get some rest, but can't because of the non-stop barking of the dog staying in the adjacent room.

Whenever i visit Vegas i stay away from the strip hotels, as they are overpriced, and mostly noisy as many of the party freaks stay in them. I always pick a hotel about 15 to 20 minutes away from the strip, where i can pay less for the stay and enjoy peaceful and quiet nights. You can use the money you save by doing so to rent a vehicle which will in turn help you save money by not using cabs to go where ever you want to go.

You can also, watch the Bellagio Fountains show free of charge from 3:00 in the afternoon until midnight every 15 minutes or half hour depending on what time of the day or night it is. You can also take your kids to the Shark Reef at the Mandalay Bay hotel where they'll enjoy watching many of the sea creators on display, this one is not free however, there is an admission fee of about 15 or16 dollars if i remember correctly.

If you are into the night clubs thing, you can enjoy a different one every night you stay in Vegas as most of the hotels on the strip got them, from Caesars, to MGM and the Venetian. Your kids might enjoy a Gondola ride at the Venetian as well.

If money is not a issue, you can always take a plane or a helicopter Grand Canyon tours. These can run you any where from 200 to 350 dollars a person or so. You can find the exact prices and times online. Again, if money is not an issue, you can enjoy dining at the many luxurious restaurants scattered all over.

If you did all the above and still have some time to kill, you can always go to a chapel and renew your vows if you are married, or marry a total stranger if you are single.

How To Plan Vacation

Have you ever thought about going hiking with your loved ones? Hiking journeys are wonderful simply because they're great for almost all people, as well as pretty much any special occasion.

Among the numerous reasons why hiking is ideal for both romantic vacations and loved ones outings is mainly because hiking trials are available in many different formats. In the United States, you can find tracks that are designed for first-timers, hiking trails that are designed for professionals, in addition to the ones that are at the intermediate hiking level. This can be excellent if you are intending to hike with your kids, because you will be able to locate numerous tracks that might be easy for them to hike.

As for romantic trips, among several other reasons why hiking is great for a romantic getaway is because of the panorama. The scenery is amongst the numerous reasons why hiking is really a hot activity. Regardless of what hiking path you decide to hike, you can be assured that you would run into a variety of scenery. Several tracks are positioned alongside rivers; consequently, there is certainly a strong possibility that you will come across some waterfalls. The waterfalls, together with the other surroundings and scenery types that you could encounter are ideal for romantic getaways.

In line with romantic destinations, hiking activities may last as little as a couple of hours or as long as an entire week. A lot of people who go hiking tend to keep on location, usually at an onsite camping area. This is certainly wonderful, as when you find yourself camping out you happen to be one with mother nature. This environment is ideal for solitude, along with romantic endeavors. As for family getaways, camping outdoors overnight at a hiking recreation area is likewise awesome, mainly because it provides an additional entertaining activity for family and friends to enjoy. If you are planning on hiking together with your youngsters, there is a strong possibility that they might find the outdoor camping aspect equally as thrilling as the hike itself.

When you go hiking, in all probability you'll find yourself going to a hiking park. Hiking parks in many cases are the place to find many different hiking tracks. On top of being the location of several hiking trails, as well as a campground, you will also most likely discover a great many other things to do for you and your family or you and your loving companion to participate in. For example, it is not unheard of for any hiking park to have a recreation space or even a swimming pool area. Which means that you and whomever else you happen to be with could enjoy playing a couple of outdoor games or taking a swim. In today's modern society, hiking isn't just about hiking anymore.

As you can observe, from being outlined previously, hiking is a brilliant way to spend your upcoming family holiday as well as your future romantic vacation. If you are interested in having a hiking experience, you might want to consider making your bookings ahead of time. Even though you might not actually require a booking to simply go hiking, you might need one if you have an interest in camping outdoors overnight. Making your bookings before hand will assist you to make sure that your subsequent hiking and camping experience will be as unforgettable as possible.

Summer Vacation USA 2012

Finding the perfect summer vacation can be challenging, especially if you are looking for a family friendly destination. Florida is one of the top family friendly destinations in the USA, if not the world, but going there in the summer time is advisable as the temperature is usually very high there in the summer season. If you are planning to visit the Orlando Theme parks, prepare for long waits in lines for the rides in the sweltering heat. The high humidity just helps in making things much more uncomfortable. That is the main reason i would advice against visiting Florida in the summer, unless you are a beach freak, then i guess the hotter the weather the better for you.

One hot spot to visit in the summer season is Maine, as the temperature is moderate in the summer, and there are plenty of activities to participate in. Most of Maine's attractions are family friendly, from the outdoor activities to the sight seeing tours, or the whale watching boat rides. Maine is considered one of the best nature lovers destination in the USA, for its magnificent rivers, beautiful scenic mountains and its coastal islands.

Exploring the beauty of mother nature is one of many things you can do in Maine, but the state features many more attractions for the entire family especially kids with its vast variety of amusement parks and water parks where kids as well as grown-ups can have an adventurous day full of fun. The crowds are way much smaller than the ones in Orlando's parks, and the wait time for the rides is not even close to that of Florida's amusement parks.

There are nearly fifty parks and historic sites in Maine for out-door entertainment and sightseeing tours. You can visit a living history museum, take guided tours to capture photos of all kinds of birds and other wildlife creatures , or go horse-back riding through the forest, and mountainsides. You can also take the kids for a ride on one of the many whale watching boats that sail about twenty miles of the coast where you can see the huge whales along with the humongous white sharks swimming alongside the boat. Try not to eat right before boarding the boat as that might cause you to get sea-sick, and prevent you from enjoying the trip. 

Maine is considered vacationland for its unique natural beauty, densely wooded mountains, fabulous coastline, along with its state and national parks, such as Baxter State Park, White Mountains National Forest, and the crown jewel of the nation's parks: The Acadia National Park. People visiting will find countless variety of activities, most will probably run out of time before having a chance to explore everything the state has to offer.

Southern Maine is known for its cosmopolitan cities and beautiful shorelines, while the North is famous for its magnificent forests and farmland. Maine is also famous for its delicious seafood, especially lobsters. You can enjoy eating a variety of fresh seafood meals at many of the eateries scattered all over the coastal cities. Whether you visit Northern or Southern Maine you will have a very fun-filled time along with your children.

For more information visit: www.visitmaine.com

For more travel planning articles visit: www.PlanaVacation.blogspot.com 

The Redneck Riviera: A Great Vacation Spot

France and Spain have the Costa Del Sol and Riviera. America have the Emerald Coast and the Redneck Riviera, stretching around to arguably the sexiest city in America, New Orleans. Starting from the Apalachicola area in Florida (that's the bump between the Panhandle and the bend toward the south on the Gulf Coast) and wrapping around to the Louisiana shores, the Redneck Riviera boasts every imaginable playground for country boys and girls. Described by some as Mardi Gras with a beach, the Redneck Riviera is a great place to vacation, bikini-watch, surf, or just watch the sunset in a beach chair.

A small taste: deep-sea fishing, shallow river fishing (boat or fly or whatever you love), every imaginable watersport, gambling, military museums and the Blue Angels precision flying team, white sand beaches lined with fantastic bars and nightclubs, and tons of historical spots, good golf, and nearby attractions like Disneyworld. Some of the best places along the Redneck Riviera to stay include:

Destin, Florida, is the premier Florida destination for Spring Breakers, and it should be. A combination of incredible beaches and excellent bars and hangouts provide the best beach singles strip for hundreds of miles, and you're guaranteed in the non-Spring Break season to find good deals on beachfront condos as well as lots of great restaurants with world-class food priced for your wallet. Just a few miles away, Sandestin provides a more upscale vacation experience, including a world-class golf course. Oh, and did I mention Destin is called the World's Luckiest Fishing Village? Destin is renowned for its great deep-sea fishing, and you'll find it easy to charter a boat to go out and catch that marlin.

Pensacola Beach is built on the barrier island off Pensacola, a military town. Because the community is designed to appeal to tourists and young military personnel (Navy and Air Force), you'll find lots of singles hangouts, mostly filled with other tourists (the locals generally go over to nearby Navarre or to Gulf Breeze for bar crawling). The Blue Angels put on regular air shows here as well as impromptu practices, and the naval aviation museum is unbeatable if you love military aircraft. The Pensacola area is also great for blackwater canoeing, where tea-colored rivers flow gently out into the Gulf. Don't trust maps here; ask a local. Hurricane Ivan a few years ago tore up parts of the island, and not all roads go where they claim.

Gulf Shores, Alabama is as far west as you can go and see those wide, protected beaches. Beyond here, the barrier islands that surround and protect Florida's coast end are washed away by the wide Mississipi delta. This is a great golfing destination, but is also perfect for just relaxing and sitting in the sun with a margarita listening to some Jimmy Buffett.

Dauphin Island is just off Gulf Shores, and is filled with stilt-constructed homes designed to avoid storm surges that come every year during hurricane season. Like Pensacola, Dauphin Island has taken a beating from recent hurricanes, but it is still beautiful. It may be more family-oriented than a single redneck looking for company would like, but it's a great place to go for a quiet weekend to explore a new relationship.

Need a little more? The Redneck Riviera is only a little distance from New Orleans on the Gulf Shores end, and not too far from Orlando on the Destin side, where Downtown Disney and other hangouts are increasingly attracting young singles to the region. And small ocean-going casinos set out regularly from Mobile for gambling cruises. You will find just about anything you're interested in down in the Redneck Riviera.


Plan a Vacation

Plan a Disneyland Vacation

Going to Orlando, Florida, for a vacation is a good idea for those looking to get away from work and the hassles of their daily life. Not only is Orlando home to Disney World, but it is also ranked high on the top lists of places to go to for vacation. As such, there are numerous Orlando vacation resorts that cater to tourists and provide places to reside in during vacations.

Orlando receives over 40 million tourists every year, and it's no wonder why. With great theme parks, tourist sites, and luxurious hotels, Orlando is truly one of the nicest places to go on vacation.

Plan For Your Family Vacation

There are many ways for a family to save when trying to book a vacation. Try to book your flights for off-peak times, avoid booking flights on weekends as the prices are way cheaper during the week days. The real early or real late flights are usually cheaper than midday flights. Book your flights at least a month in advance as the prices are typically high if the booking and travel time are pretty close.

Rent a car, you will save lots of money if you do, public transportation is very limited in Orlando, and taking cabs every where you want to go can add a lot of cost to your trip. Renting  a car can also get you a better hotel for less money as you don't have to stay right in the center of where all the action is, if you stay at a hotel that is about  20 to 30  minutes away from the attractions you get a better resort at lower rates.

Buy your theme park tickets online before leaving, they are offered at a little lower prices online, try to get the multi-days ticket as they are cheaper than buying individual day tickets.

Get your rain gear, batteries, and accessories for your cameras before you head to the parks.

Vacation Packages

Keep a watch for vacation package deals, a lot of times airlines and travel agencies offer good deals if you bundle your flight and hotel stay together.

Time-share Condos

Be aware of the "get your theme park tickets for half the price" , that usually means you'll have to attend a time-share seminar that lasts about 90 minutes, and most of the sales people are really pushy. Unless you are in the market to buy a time-share, steer away from those seminars, saving a hundred dollars or so is not worth the hassle.


Disney

If you don't want to deal with the driving back and forth from and to the Disney parks, you might consider staying at one of the fine Disney resorts where you'd be right in the middle of it all and where the packages are built around the plan of touring Disney. There are numerous resorts to choose from, and like the theme parks themselves, are also catered to different tastes. So when going there, you can choose to go wherever your child, or the child in you wants to go., but be ware those resorts are not cheap at all.
Children Bed Stories

The Fabulous Las Vegas

It seems as though there are a million activities to do when visiting Las Vegas, especially when you read about all the attractions before you arrive in the city. However, after many people finally arrive to the great Las Vegas city they oftentimes find that there are millions of more things that can be done around Las Vegas. Whether it's gambling at the famous scenes of the Las Vegas casinos or its simply relaxing to enjoy your stay at the world-class hotel that you've made reservations at, or enjoy one of the money shows and plays that uyou can get for half the price at the half price tickets booth available at different location throughout the strip. There is always going to be plenty to do and see in Las Vegas. Here are some major attractions that you don't want to miss while planning your trip to Las Vegas:

Eifel Tower, The Ride

Enjoy the spectacular view from one of the highest points in all of Las Vegas. The Eiffel Tower Ride is positioned in the center of the Vegas Strip, 46 stories high.

A signature of the Las Vegas skyline, The Eiffel Tower Ride at Paris Las Vegas is a duplicate of one of the most famous attractionsin Europe.

 As soon as you get to the observation deck, you will encounter an amazing 360 view of the Las Vegas Valley.

After enjoying the astonishing views at the top of the Eiffel Tower, don’t forget about  stopping by the Wonderful Photos kiosk to buy a commemorative picture of your journey into the sky! It is the ideal souvenir for a memorable time.

The Adventuredome

When thinking about your trip to Las Vegas one of the words that probably came to mind was "adventure." However, you can also experience a real adventure by going to the Adventuredome in the Las Vegas Strip. Not many people realize that this attraction is in Las Vegas until they actually arrive, but the Adventuredome is made to attract all sorts of people even though families, kids, and teenagers are the ones who you'll see hanging out here the most. However, there is a lot to do within this 5-acre building. Whether you want to ride on the many rides that are available or play games throughout the Midway Game portion of Adventuredome, the possibilities are literally endless.

Some of the interesting rides and attractions that are located inside the Adventuredome in Las Vegas include the Canyon Blaster Roller Coaster, the Xtreme Zone, plenty of clown shows, as well as plenty of arcade games to choose from. There is also a putt-putt golf course, as well as a rock climbing wall for all to enjoy!

The Fashion Show Mall

If you thought that your trip to the mall ended with your local mini-mall then you may just want to check again. In Las Vegas, the awesome Fashion Show mall has plenty of opportunities to shop at the over-200 stores and restaurants available. This mall is so named, though, because the many fashion shows that take place here are usually regular occurrences. Some of the major stores that sit in the Fashion Show Mall include Bloomingdales, Dillard's, Macy's, Abercrombie and Fitch, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Ann Taylor, as well as a whole host of other ones that are just too numerous to name!

The M&M World

This is a really interesting and creative Las Vegas store, but the M&M World incorporates everything M&M related into their store, and actually contains two huge floors that are fully devoted to the chocolate candies that many people in America love!

All in all, it is really possible to easily find something that one can enjoy while planning a vacation to Las Vegas. These are some of the more interesting attractions that are still equally as popular as the many casinos in Las Vegas. All of these attractions, though, offer the excitement of a lifetime for any and all who choose to come!

Jamaica Sailing Cruise Vacation

Jamaica sailing cruise vacation offers you all the beauty the place has to offer. Since it is one of the most popular West Indies' island, Jamaica is quite famous not only for unique gastronomic selections, wide array of music selection to choose from, but also for its magnificent beaches.

If you ask people who have been to a Jamaica sailing cruise vacation, they would tell you not to miss out on its beaches. This is because the majority of tourists who go there love the Jamaican beaches among other attractions. The most famous beaches to visit include the Negril, the Montego Bay, and the Ocho Rios. These three are the most beautiful beaches Jamaica has to offer.

Aside from skinny-dipping in the wonderful sands and clear waters of any of these beaches, there are so many water activities you can choose from. With its calm waves, sailing is the most famous sport in the place-both for foreigners and locals. And since the water is lukewarm , many people can't get enough of swimming in the beaches.

For visitors who are into sailing, visiting Negril is a must. Located 50 miles at the west side of Montego Bay, Negril is a superb beach that is ideal for almost all kinds of water sports and activities.

Ocho Rios, on the other hand, is also among the most visited places in Jamaica, especially its Blue Mountains that is filled with wide variety and selection of fauna and flora. This is the most ideal place to stay in especially to those who can't live without the comforts of commercialization because almost all amenities are available at the hotels nearby.

Among the three beaches mentioned, the most popular is the Montego Bay wherein you can find three of the most sought-after beaches in the world-the Doctor's Cave Beach that has a five-mile stretch of white sand and has peaceful waves perfect for cruise sailing, the Cornwall Beach that has smooth and white sand and the Walter Fletcher Beach with clear and warm water also ideal for sailing.

What you need to know before leaving 

Once you have decided to go on a Jamaican sailing cruise vacation, you should consider not only your destination experience but also a list of things that will ensure the success of the trip including:

1. Peak seasons. The peak season for tourists start from January until March because this is the most ideal time to arrange Jamaica sailing cruise vacation. People who are planning to cruise should remember not to arrange their sailing vacations from the month of July until November. This is because these months are cyclone season in Jamaica.

2. Type of ship to be used. When planning a Jamaica sailing cruise vacation, you can choose from three types of ships. These include the skippered bareboat, the crewed charter, and the bareboat.

3. Legalities. Aside from choosing the right boat that will cater to your needs, always bear in mind some legalities and confirmations for your Jamaica sailing cruise vacation. These include informing the customs of Jamaica about your arrival in the territory and your intention to stay for a couple of days or weeks.

Here, the officials from customs will conduct an inspection in your ship and will ask you to fill up necessary documents such as ship registration, affirmation, permission for departure and a list where the stores of the ships are recorded.