Are we there yet? Family Travel
Are we there yet? That familiar refrain is part of the cultural lexicon of the art and science of traveling with children. Being a good traveler is something best learned early in life, and parents can help ensure that children enjoy their family trips to the utmost with a little planning. |
5 Worldwide Christmas Markets to Visit
When you think of Christmas Markets the first place that comes to mind are the traditional ones located in Europe – specifically in Germany and Austria, where old cobbled streets decorated with stringed lights house wooden chalet stalls that sell everything festive. |
Rocking & Rolling Across Africa
Adventurers have found many ways of conquering the legendary Cape to Cairo route – by pedal bike, motorbike, battered Land Rover or fragile aircraft. But if you really want to travel this fabled journey in style, climb aboard the Rovos Rail. |
THE TRAVEL SECRET
It seems like every few months, a new travel app comes out, or some new website pops up promising the best deals ever.And while certainly technology can make many things about travel more organized, the secret to the best trip of your life has been around much longer than aggregate travel sites. Because the secret to an awesome trip isn’t an app — it’s a human being. |
60 SECOND GEOGRAPHY- EGYPT
Egypt’s antiquities have drawn visitors since classical Greek and Roman times. Four thousand years of history have done nothing to dim the sense of amazement a traveler experiences encountering Egypt for the first, or fiftieth time. A bewildering mix of medieval and modern, Egypt’s gritty realities are the stuff that stirs the imagination and fuels the desire for travel. |
CITY OF BATHS- BUDAPEST
Standing proudly at the centre of Eastern Europe’s cultural rebirth is Budapest, the city that drew back the iron curtain from Hungary in 1989, exposing one of the continent’s hottest travel destinations and one which frequently ranks as the best bargain. The one attraction that will surely draw you to Budapest are the bath houses. This is the richest capital in hot water springs in the world. |
OCEAN VS. RIVER CRUISING
When it comes to taking a cruise on river or ocean, it’s pretty tough to go wrong. Both offer incredible views, luxurious amenities, and the opportunity to explore interesting ports. But each one comes with its own unique perks, and depending on your specific needs for your next trip, you might find that one is a slightly better fit than the other. So what are the major differences? |
BEACHES TO BRAG ABOUT: CORNERS OF COASTLINE THAT DESERVE TO BE SEEN
Sand...sun...sea; the checklist to the perfect summer break. The trouble with settling on which beach to choose is that usually everyone else has discovered it as well. If you prefer your slice of sandy heaven to come without being sandwiched in by the sun lounger crowds, plan a beach break with a difference in one of the forgotten corners of coastline. |
NASSAU
The Bahamas are among some of the most beautiful islands on earth. The water ranges from pale aqua green to deep sapphire blue-all influenced by the bright sun that shines almost 365 days a year. Nassau, the country’s capital, is a bustling town on New Providence Island with shops, nightclubs, ritzy casinos, and a wealth of hotels and resorts. Even amidst the bustle, there are quiet byways and shady lanes where you can step away from civilization and the hustle and bustle of this tourist mecca. |
EUROPEAN RIVER CRUISING: UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
The rivers and canals of Europe are open for travel. As many as 20,000 total miles of inland waterways let travelers absorb European culture at a relaxed, leisurely and up-close pace. The waterways of Austria, The Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Russia and others now have many options to meet the growing demand for river cruising. |
60 SECOND GEOGRAPHY- ALASKA
Feeling adventurous? Then Alaska is the place for you. From guided tours, hiking on an ice glacier, going on a dog sled ride, riding in an airplane, rafting, kayaking, even a jet boat ride, your options in the great outdoors and beyond are endless. Even safari rides are available, riding in a sponsored vehicle and getting up-close-and-personal with the wildlife and other characters of nature. |
6 SPECTACULAR PLACES TO SPEND NEW YEAR’S EVE
Five, four, three, two, one…HAPPY NEW YEAR! Cue the traditional song of Auld Lang Syne to usher in the dawning of another New Year. From Times Square in New York to Trafalgar Square in London, voices ring out, accompanied by a spectacular fireworks display on the stroke of midnight. So, where should be heading this year for the most dazzling New Years Eve experiences? Here are some of the best free world-class events around the world. |
PUNTA CANA
Dominican Republic has in recent years become one of the Caribbean’s most sought after playgrounds. With hundreds of miles of beaches and reefs, there is no shortage of sand and sun for visitors to the Dominican Republic. Travelers there inevitably compare the sand texture to sugar, but the crystal blue waters are an equally attractive asset. The Dominican Republic’s pristine beaches are slowly becoming the destination of choice for leisure travelers from the United States and Canada looking for real value and extraordinary all-inclusive vacations. |
5 WORLDWIDE CHRISTMAS MARKETS TO VISIT
The allure of Christmas markets are growing and being developed across the world, allowing more people to engage in a cheerful festival unmatched by indoor malls or retail shops. The sights, sounds and smells of the markets attract growing crowds who delight in outdoor shopping under the stars with a cold nip in the air buying gifts, food and drink with special holiday cheer. |
ROME AT YOUR OWN PACE
Rome can not be seen in a day, a week or a year. No, a city with this much history takes centuries to get to know. It is literally a city of layers, one generation, one millennium building on top of the next. It is the “Eternal City”, and we are mortals. Since time is not on our side, consider moving Rome higher on your list of places to visit, and start planning now. With a little organization and a good travel consultant, your trip to Rome can be not only fun, but even deeply rewarding. |
5 CHARMING CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN GERMANY
No part of this article may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.Germany has hundreds of Christmas markets - Munich alone has twenty four. Contrary to what many visitors believe, the most charming Christmas markets in Germany are not always the well known ones, but the smaller ones that often have a unique theme. These are often the Christmas markets that are most popular with locals as well. |
HALLOWEEN AROUND THE WORLD
Americans mark autumn with two major holidays: Thanksgiving in late November, and Halloween on Oct. 31. The latter is a personal favorite: Ever since I watched It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! as a child, Halloween has been one of my anchor points for the fall season. Halloween as we know it, with the trick-or-treating and funny costumes, is for all intents and purposes a strictly Western practice. Though it has in recent years spread to South America, the Far East and Eastern Europe, some of these places have their own traditions which resemble our own Halloween. |
BAVARIA
Bavaria is Germany’s biggest state with an area of 27,000 square miles accounting for about a fifth of Germany’s total area. It’s in Germany’s south-eastern quarter and has a population of about 12.5 million people. Munich is the capital city of Bavaria and is the third largest city in Germany. Munich was the host city of the 1972 Summer Olympics and is a candidate city for the 2018 Winter Olympics. There’s much more to Bavaria, Germany than just the capital city. The region begs to be explored and there are ten other cities most definitely worth a visit-each complete with an ornate castle, palace, or city hall, or sometimes all three! |
THE MOTHER OF ALL PARTIES – THE OKTOBERFEST
That tall, blond Germanic look can quiver my heart even when it’s perfectly sober. Yet perhaps sinking a bottle and a half of wine single-handedly was bordering on the excessive. But what’s a girl to do when the waiter refuses to prance around delivering one pathetic glass of wine at a time because his hands are more useful carrying 12 litres of beer —up twisting stairs, through boisterous crowds, and without spilling a drop. So he plonked a bottle in front of me and told me to yell when it was empty. |
WINE TOURS
A tour of any of the great wine country regions of the world is an opportunity to explore culture, history, cuisine and wine in a single trip. Without exception, the scenery is beautiful, the people passionate, and the wine - nothing short of phenomenal. What is a wine tour? It’s a tour through a region that has developed a substantial vineyard and winery presence. Usually, a wine tour consists of visiting the wineries and tasting rooms to sample their current wines, often paired with food. Sometimes, a tour of the winery itself is included, and visitors can see where the wine is grown, processed, barreled, aged and eventually bottled. |
ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL
Travel is about access to new and different possibilities. To those individuals with physical or medical disabilities, however, the word "access" takes on an a multi-dimensional meaning. Accessible travel is a goal, an adventure, a state of mind. Increasingly, accessible travel is a concern for the tens of thousands of senior adults that are now seeking new experiences in all corners of the globe. As used here, "accessible travel" means travel that takes into consideration both the physical and cost hurdles that often face those with physical or mental impairment. |
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR LUGGAGE
It's the night before your plane departs for some wonderful and exotic vacation locale. A suitcase sits splayed open on the floor and scattered across the bed are heaps of shirts, socks, an assortment of trousers, maybe an evening gown. A small pile of electronics sits in the corner of the room, and adjacent, about eight pairs of shoes taunting you. Panic sets in and you wonder what on earth you are really supposed to be taking on this trip and how you will ever fit it all in. |
ALOHA FAMILIES!
There may be no more diverse destination on the planet than Hawaii. Not only is the terrain amazingly varied – deserts, beaches and lush rainforests, mountains and oceans, deep valleys and soaring volcanoes – but the climates there range from sub-arctic to tropical. The available activities are almost without end. The culture is a mix of Polynesian, Asian, European and American. But perhaps the most varied aspect of the Islands is the way that this tremendous confluence appeals to so many different types of people – young, old, active and beach lovers, there is something for everyone in Hawaii. |
HOW TO SNOOZE ON A PLANE
As passengers on a plane, we are all aware of the length of time it takes to get from the start of the journey to fastening that seat-belt on the plane. It’s a challenge you have to endure from time spent in traffic to get to the airport, then to join the endless lines to check in, then to get through customs and then to shuffle through the line that boards the plane. By the time you finally drop into your seat, it feels like you have already been traveling for 24 hours! Once seated, another challenge begins – the one to unwind, relax and fall asleep. |
THE INS AND OUTS OF WORKING WITH A TRAVEL AGENT
As an avid traveler and a specialized travel agent, I have played the role of both consumer and supplier. Throughout my professional career, I have spoken to many people who just don't know how to effectively utilize the services of a travel agent. Some prefer the internet as a booking and informational resource while others are unsure or uncomfortable seeking out a qualified professional. What are the successful tools for working with a travel agent? I call it my 4-step CITE program: Communication, Information, Trust, and Expectations. |
HAWAII ON A BUDGET
Here’s a great secret – you don’t have to spend a fortune to spend time in Hawaii. Don’t get me wrong – if you want to stay at first class properties, fly in the front of the plane and eat at some of the world’s finest restaurants, Hawaii will certainly afford you the opportunity. However, it is also possible to visit Hawaii, see the sites, eat well and experience the Islands up close and personal without breaking the bank. |
ECO-TOURISM
Green or Sustainable Tourism has been described as managing tourism’s impact on the environment, communities and the economy to make sure that the effects are positive rather than negative for the benefit of future generations (English Tourism Council, 2003). The costs of traditional tourism are rising, and we are not just talking about the price of airfare and hotel rooms. |
CAPPUCCINO AFTER LUNCH AND OTHER ITALY FOOD NO-NO'S
Many tourists in Italy make the fatal faux pas of ordering a cappuccino at the end of a meal, like after a pizza at lunchtime (a bit of a no-no in itself). A good waiter will swallow his pride and allow the tourist to swallow all that frothy milk on a full stomach, but as you have likely read elsewhere, it is considered a "rule" in Italy not to have a cappuccino after a certain hour. |
FRANCE- BOULOGNE'S BEST
A seven a.m. departure from Dover, a UK sea port, will have you across the English Channel in France’s Boulogne just over an hour later, giving us just sufficient time to freshen up, take in a coffee (and a patisserie) and plan our morning. This ferry service is run by LD Lines which delivers its passengers to the quay at the foot of Boulogne’s town centre in just over an hour. |
PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS
If you are an avid photographer, and your local neighborhood is starting to be a bit too familiar for you and your camera, it just might be time to consider a photography tour. A truly one-of-a-kind experience, photography tours give you a hands-on opportunity to develop or refine your skills as a photographer while traveling to some of the most amazing destinations across the globe. |
ELEPHANT ADVENTURES
At least 100 elephant are slowly shuffling past our vehicle. They come pouring into the dry riverbed towards us, first appearing over the left bank, then over the right. An elephant traffic jam forms as they filter together, greeting each other, gathering in small social clusters, kicking up dust, then trudging in unison up the dry river. We sit open-mouthed, awed by the immensity of the herd passing within meters of us. |
PASSPORT OR DRIVER'S LICENSE AT THE AIRPORT?
Do you need a passport or a driver's license to fly at the airport? Pretty soon, your current driver's license may not be enough to get you through security at the airport: As of October 1, 2020, every air traveler 18 or older will need a Real ID-compliant driver's license or another accepted form of ID to fly within the United States. |
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL TRIP TO YELLOWSTONE
Location is the most important factor when you’re looking to buy real estate. But when you’re looking to visit Yellowstone National Park, one of the most popular chunks of real estate on earth, timing is critical. As the world’s oldest and most-loved national park, Yellowstone attracts millions of visitors every year. |
CASTLE VISITS AND STAYS
Who has not been captivated by tales of knights and dragons, of medieval feuds, battles and betrayals? Serving as the backdrop for each of these stories is a castle. Visiting a castle can provide a playground for the imagination, allowing the mind to revel in legend and lore. Walking through grand halls past suits of armor, torches and tapestries, one cannot fathom so many stories embedded in stone. |
5 CHOCOLATE LOVER'S DESTINATIONS
Nothing says love more than chocolate – well, at least for most people. Why not plan a getaway to a destination known for chocolate? Go to a far flung part of the world where the heavenly creation of sweetened food made from cocoa beans excites your taste buds. What could be better than combining your love for travel with your love for chocolate? |
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