America

Travel Plans for a Two-day Big Apple Experience

written by Mae

The sophistication of Broadway, impressive buildings, iconic landmarks, and the bustling people of New York are just some of the attractions that lure people to the Big Apple. Tourists who would like to make the most out of their short visit need to plan and prioritize their tours. Here are some suggestions for a two-day New York Vacation.

The first order of business whenever one is travelling long distance is to make sure that all the travel documents like insurance, passports or ID, etc., are in order and travel arrangements have been booked and confirmed. It would also help if tourists can familiarize themselves with the transportation and routes in New York so they can easily find their way around the city. A Big Apple vacation can start by taking a flight to JFK International Airport, the main airport in the city, followed by an AirTrain ride from JFK to Beach Subway Station, then transfer to an A-Train to Manhattan where you can find great lodgings for your visit. Before starting your tour, drop by the main tourist office where one can get a New York pass that gives access to popular attractions in the city as well as discounts in some of their dining establishments.

February 4, 2020 0 comment

America Beaches Maine

Scenery, Food, and Northern Culture: 5 Reasons You Should Make Maine Your Next Stop for Fun

written by Mae

It’s almost the end of 2017, and I’m sure you’re looking forward to another year of memorable experiences. And you might also be planning about when and where to go for those free weeks to spend your allotted vacation. Of all the vacations you may have considered, Maine could have made it to your list. And it’s rightly so. From the fantastic sceneries to the plenty of activities that characterize it, there’s never a sad moment in Maine. Here’s why you need to take a vacation in America’s northernmost state at one point in your life/Make Maine Your Next Stop.

The Weather

Maine’s weather is splendid. Compared to most east coast states, it is a bit farther north, so it’s a little breezier and cooler. This is excellent because it doesn’t get too humid or extremely hot while enjoying the attractions of the outdoor scenery. Even a small amount of rainfall looks pretty in Maine!

Autumn in Ogunquit..

The Wildlife

Wildlife is abundant in Maine. It is well-known for its moose which can be seen when traveling further inland. Although they are attractive to see, it’s advisable to keep away from the moose as they could get aggressive. In the coastal areas, there are some amazing sea creatures. Fresh lobsters can be seen everywhere, but dolphins, whales, harbor seals, and porpoises are in the actual sea. Additionally, there are so many beautiful birds in Maine such as the bald eagle that breeds in the tall pine trees which line the islands.

The coast of Maine near Acadia National Park

Parks

The parks in Maine offer everything an outdoor enthusiast would ever hope for. The oldest eastern park, Acadia, has bike paths for the adrenaline rush, hiking trails, large granite parks, the oldest historic carriage roads, and some of the tallest mountains on America’s Atlantic coast. This is certainly the right place for you to get a breath of perfectly clean mountain air.

Family Bonding

As mentioned, visiting Maine offers an excellent opportunity for people to take part in outdoor adventures, making it possible for families to bond. What better way to forget about technology and chatting than to hike for miles along the coastline of Maine or through its forest? There are numerous marked trails, and most of these trails are properly maintained to provide beautiful and attractive views as well as opportunities for families to take photos.

Wadsworth-Longfellow House, Portland, Maine

Wadsworth-Longfellow House for us, booklovers.

Hotels and Resorts

Apart from the outdoor experiences, Maine also allows for greater relaxation. The place has a lot of beautiful hotels and resorts that offer numerous packages for families and individuals. One of these hotels is the Fairfield Inn & Suites Brunswick Freeport that is located near the city of Bath. Some of the hotels and resorts in Maine have amazing amenities such as the swimming pools, world-class living rooms with 24-hour security, free Wi-Fi, among others.

In addition to the amenities, the resorts and hotels in Maine also offer the best cuisines you could hope for. Seafood lovers should visit Maine since fresh lobster among other fresh seafood can be found here.

Maine is known for its seafood cuisine, specifically clams and lobsters.

Make Maine Your Next Stop

With trips to other parts of the world – Europe, the Caribbean islands, and other exotic places – people tend to overlook the amazing places found right here in the United States. Maine, a beautiful state in America, is an excellent tourist location for both the locals and the foreigners. The aspects mentioned above are some of the factors that make it one of the most amazing places to be.

December 13, 2017 0 comment

America Beaches San Francisco

Enjoy the City by the Bay through Baker Beach

written by Marie

Tony Bennett may have been to Paris where the loveliness of the country seemed sadly gay, to Rome, and to Manhattan where he felt terribly alone and forgotten. Yet, he still chose to go back home to his “city by the bay” because that’s where he left his heart at.

Of course, if you know your geography, then you’re well aware that there’s no other ‘city by the bay’ except San Francisco. It’s forever etched in history because of the Gold Rush in 1849. It’s also one of the most culturally diverse cities in the United States, and in fact, this diversity makes the city overwhelmingly charming and beautiful.

When you go to San Francisco, you’ll find yourself with plenty of things to do and many places to visit. Because of the mild climate that permeates the city, you wouldn’t mind traversing up and down its streets and rolling hills to absorb the sights that lend the city its unique and breathtaking panorama.

Given that there are so many places to visit, there won’t be any shortage of activities while you’re in San Francisco. After all, it’s home to the Golden Gate Bridge, the Golden Gate Park, Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, Union Square, and “The Rock” itself, Alcatraz, to name a few. Of course, shopping malls and other cultural and entertainment spots are aplenty, too.

June 16, 2017 9 comments

America Hawaii

Why Visit Hawaii in 2014?

written by Marie

There’s no place on earth quite like Hawaii. Made up entirely of islands, Hawaii is the most recent addition to the US states and boasts a beautiful setting in the Pacific Ocean and offers a wealth of attractions to visitors from all over the world. With gorgeous beaches, fascinating culture and stunning natural beauty, it’s sure to be a holiday you’ll never forget.

Just in case you need any more reason to visit Hawaii in 2014, here’s a round-up of some of the best attractions.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Big Island

With around three million visitors annually, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the state’s most-visited attraction and it’s not hard to see why! The park is home to the summit of the world’s most active volcano, Kilauea as well as the biggest, Mauna Loa. With so much to see here and lots of unique hiking routes, many people opt to camp here to explore all of it.
If you only have one day, the Carter Rim Drive will take you on an 11-mile tour of the park’s highlights including the East Rift and the coastal area where lava flowed into the ocean in 2003. Volcanic activity is ever-changing, but if you’re lucky you might even be able to see some of the lava flow in action!

Waimea Canyon, Hawaii

Waimea Canyon, Kauai

Nicknamed the ‘Grand Canyon of the Pacific’ by Mark Twain, the breath-taking Waimea Canyon is 10 miles long and over 3,600 feet deep! You’ll be lost for words when you see the colourful striated layers of rock illuminated by natural light and shadow shows.

Some of Hawaii’s most spectacular waterfalls are waiting for you along the hiking paths, and be sure to go to the top of the canyon or incredible views of the Na Pali coastline at the Kalalau Valley Lookout. You’ll also find the Kokee Museum which has plenty of information and history for you to discover as well as maps.

The Panaewa Rainforest Zoo, Big Island

Panaewa is the only tropical zoo in the USA, and it’s a real must-see! Home to more than 80 species of rainforest animals, you’ll also find endangered species including a white Bengal tiger, spider monkeys, lemurs, nene geese – the state bird of Hawaii. The Panaewa Rainforest Zoo is also a botanical garden and is covered with beautiful bamboos, orchids, a water garden and more than 100 varieties of palm tree. Best of all, admission is completely free! Go to Cheapflights.com.au to compare prices and save even more on your holiday.

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Oahu

The beautiful and sheltered bay at Hanauma was once unrecognisable from what it is today. Damaged by years of overuse and neglect, the City and County of Honolulu began restoration work on the bay in 1990 and now, after more than a decade of meticulous restoration, it is once again a pristine marine ecosystem, with a reduced number of visitors and an established education program. Snorkelling here is a great experience, so pick up a fish ID card from the education centre before you take to the water.

Nā Pali Coast State Park

December 8, 2013 4 comments

America Hawaii

Marvel at the Sheer, Breathtaking Beauty of Hanalei Bay

written by Marie

Hawaii is the only known U.S. state that is entirely made up of islands. Its oceanic surroundings, warm tropical climate, public beaches, active volcanoes, and natural scenery laid out for all and sundry make it a popular tourist destination. People from all over the world visit the island state just to enjoy its lush environment.

One of Hawaii’s most sought-after vacation spots is the island of Kauai. This 550 square mile island was formed due to volcanic eruptions roughly six million years ago. Obviously, it is one of the oldest islands that make up Hawaii, and it is located at the northernmost part of the island state.

hanalei bay, hawaii

Locals and tourists refer to Kauai as the Garden Isle for all the right reasons. Its natural beauty alone makes it worth visiting. Tourists who love snapping pictures will have a field day in this island, as everything there is photo-worthy. The entire island serves as a perfect backdrop for any activity you have in mind, from the time the sun rises, and up to the time it sets.

While the main attractions in Kauai are the beaches that are nestled in the sunny blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, there are other places worth visiting there. One of these is Waimea Canyon, which the great Mark Twain described as ‘the Grand Canyon of the Pacific’ for its size and utter beauty. Another one is Fern Grotto, which you can reach by booking a boat tour up the Wailua River. It got its name from the fact that the ferns grow upside down from the roof of the grotto. This attraction was proudly featured in the movie “Blue Hawaii” that starred no less than the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.

July 14, 2013 4 comments

America

Top Tourist Destinations in the Bahamas

written by Marie

Just by hearing the word Bahamas, I start to imagine beaches and natural wonders that are great for travelers. This is simply because Bahamas is perfect for vacation and travel destinations. Having a vacation in Bahamas means sipping natural drinks produced from the place rich source of tropical fruits or diving to explore the beaches and abundant marine life. Here are some of the places you can go to Bahamas and to spend great time with your loved ones, family and friends.

image via http://telegraph.co.uk

Beautiful Bahamas Beaches

Two of the most popular beaches in Bahamas are Cabbage beach and Paradise beach. Stretched as long as two miles is what is called the Cabbage beach. One of the most remarkable things in this beach is that it has many coconut trees, sea grapes and casuarinas. On the other hand, Paradise beach is best because this beach is near hotels and it’s also near the Atlantis resort. Remember, Bahamas beaches are waiting for you and they have prepared great and fun water activity that are best for everyone.

The Andros Island

Get close to nature and beautiful marine life by snorkeling and diving in the Andros Islands. This island is also regarded as one of those with large barrier reef where you can find Elkhorn corals because it’s one of those kinds of corals found in the 100 mile stretch of corals in the island. So, are you ready to have an adventure with the coral reefs and fishes that swims around the place?

Blue Lagoon Island

The Blue Lagoon Island

If you have seen this place on television, then you are lucky, if not, you should prepare your next vacation to Blue Lagoon Island so that you can enjoy playing and swimming with dolphins, playing and riding with them. (Please do not do this without supervision of professionals!) Do not worry, if you prefer to just watch these beautiful and friendly dolphins, there are docks waiting for you to stay while watching them.

Pirates of Nassau Museum

If you think that watching pirate movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Pirates of Nassau is a place where you can tour and get education about pirates. You will never go wrong by finding this museum at the heart of the downtown. Get yourself involved with the interactive activities to learn the life of pirates, I assure you, you will learn more than you are expecting in this museum.

Crystal Cay

You can imagine a huge tank made into an aquarium and that would be the perfect description of Crystal Cay. Crystal Cay is laid out within the whole New Providence Island. There are two options for you to experience the majestic adventure in Crystal Cay. First is to go up to 100-foot observation towers or go below to watch sponges, fishes and other marine lives.

The Bahamas have been featured on television, been used as location for shootings on movie and TV shows, and have been vacation destination on many movie personalities locally and abroad so there is no doubt that the place is good. Developers never stopped improving everything in the Bahamas so you can expect that there are always something new when you visit and another new thing on your next visit.

I can suggest this is the best place to go on vacation if you want feel like a movie star or something. So what are you waiting for, plan now and bring all your family and friends to the Bahamas.

image via http://marinas.com/

April 18, 2013 3 comments

America

Best Reasons to Travel to Belize

written by Marie

Going to a visit to Belize is something for a traveler with a taste or should we say choosy. Because this place cannot be simply described as beautiful you have to find another word superior than beautiful to describe it. Personally, I can’t find the right and exact word to describe this place. All I know is I love to visit the place.

The Blue Hole

Here are few reasons I’d like to share to make you feel like going to Belize as soon as possible.

Few Reasons That You Should Visit Belize

Belize is not Crowded

The place isn’t much populated, if you will compare it to many other tourist spots in the world. I bet there are not more than 500,000 visitors that arrive in Belize in a year’s time. This means that everyone has a great chance for their visits to Belize to be approved and that is a great opportunity a traveler should take advantage of.

Chance to Visit Maya Ruins

If you have a heart for world history, visiting Belize means becoming more exposed with the Maya world by looking at their ruins just around the places. That means education while having fun.

Great Place for Diving and Snorkeling

Whether you are good or slightly good in snorkeling and diving, Belize always has a reserved mask for you. This is because Belize would love to make you experience how snorkeling and diving in the place is so much different compared to other places that offers water activity. Diving here is often regarded as world-class especially around the places of Stann Creek and Toledo not to mention seeing and experiencing the place in Ambergris Caye. Snorkeling is a much more fun activity however there are other places like Tobacco, English and Goff that will require a short boat ride to be able to reach the fun place to snorkel. Isn’t really that bad, especially if you are the type who would love to take a short boat ride for a few minutes.

Paradise on its own

Belize is a Paradise Place

Since I’ve mentioned earlier that Belize is not over populated, you can imagine how much virgin forests they have in the place. Many parts of Belize remain unpopulated, uninhibited and never touched by developers at all. Having all these would mean paradise to many kinds of birds and animals such as critters and the likes. You will be surprised by how Belizeans are committed in protecting their environment.

The Place for Adventurers

You will never go wrong if you will look for adventures in Belize. Would you like to explore the unexplored Maya mountains? Take your pick if you’d like soft kind of adventures or the other way around. Having a visit in Belize would mean going for hiking, canoeing, windsurfing, kayaking and caving. You can think of your most adventurous activity in Belize and you will never think twice of coming back again.

The Culture

If you will take a closer look at the culture of Belize, you will find that their culture is a mixture of many kinds. People in Belize are multiracial, multilingual and multicultural. Having a visit in Belize you will experience how they have mixed up everything and molded all of it into a great and Belizean culture.

Final Words

Taking a look in everything, we can say that visiting Belize is not only time to relax and unwind with your family, most of all, having a tour in this place is fun and educational in so many ways. Coming to Belize with an open eyes, open mind and positive perspective is perfect to make your stay worthwhile.

“El Castillo” at Xunantunich

April 14, 2013 3 comments

Accommodation California Hotel San Francisco

A brief introduction about different hotels in San Francisco

written by Mae

San Francisco is a popular destination that presents its tourist with a fascinating and diverse experience who visits this amazing place. It’s perfect combination of old world charm with the most modern-day exuberance is a special feature that makes San Francisco unique from all other places. Planning for a holiday on this spectacular place is becoming popular and one of the main reasons behind this is regarding the best accommodation option the place offers. Right from budget hotels to luxury hotels all are available in numerous numbers that makes everyone confused due to the many options they have to choose from. A wise step to be followed at the time of searching for best hotels in San Francisco would be by following certain guidelines.

A diverse range of accommodation choices

There is nothing wrong in saying that San Francisco is the home of almost all type of accommodation that a person can imagine. The budget guesthouses and boutique hotels, the classy sport Victorian style façade create a charming atmosphere for guests that would be never found at any other place. In addition, the travelers requiring modern accommodation are offered with the more contemporary hotel buildings. 5-star hotels among the grand locations close to the city centre, like those situated near to the Union Square are the most luxurious option with extremely spacious rooms and suites with finest personalized services like in-room spa services and many more. Even the most affordable type of accommodation that is the bed and breakfast option are even comfortable and cozy, but are located at a distance from the city centre like in Golden Gate park which is a less central area. The additional information regarding the hotels in city is that they charge 14% extra as room tax so they are comparatively costlier.

San Francisco bay

November 26, 2012 0 comment