Dreaming of Italy Vacations

Come to think of it, Italy does sound like a good place to go on vacation. Everything about Italy just exudes relaxation (though it also screams “glorious food,” “great wine,” and “art,” sometimes) that Italy as a vacation destination is a no brainer. Planning Italy vacations are quite fun as well.

Perhaps the best thing about going to Italy on vacation is the never-ending list of activities that you can do. Whether you’re backpacking alone, bringing your significant other with you for a romantic vacation, or hauling the entire family to let them experience a truly wonderful European city, Italy has accommodations and activities – at the risk of sounding like an infomercial for Italy – for every budget.

Want to eat great food and experience something not quite ordinary? Why not try a cooking vacation in Italy? You enroll in a cooking class in Italy, go to market to buy fresh ingredients, learn how to cook them, and you eat the results for lunch or dinner. You eat, you go around the city, you learn a bit about the culture – isn’t that the reason why you go to a foreign country? Some even have kid’s programs so you can take your kids with you.

And if cooking vacations are not for you and art and history are more your cup of tea, fret not because as you may well know, Italy has tons of museums. Italy is art country. You can spend your entire vacation visiting one or two museums a day and you will still not be finished. In Rome alone, your itinerary is filled. You can give the National Museum and Vatican Museum a big chunk of your vacation time because these places are huge. Apart from those there are also other museums, catacombs, ruins, you name it. I’ve always felt the entire city is a museum and I mean it in the best way possible. You may also want to drop a coin at the Trevi Fountain to ensure that you will one day return to Rome. And that’s just Rome. One cannot miss Florence, or Venice, or Naples and all the museums, architecture, and history that they have.

Perhaps you simply want to immerse yourself with the Italian lifestyle and have a “real” vacation. You can rent a villa, interact with the locals, and simply live the life they live, bike around if want to go somewhere. You can have food, culture, and the good life that you expect while being immersed in the Italian way. Many people have done this and loved it. Careful though, you may never want to leave.

Cruisin’ with the Kids

Family cruise vacations are great ways for a family to bond and have fun together while still being able to do the things they want to do. Parents love cruises because virtually the only thing you have to do is enjoy the ride. With kids, it becomes a teeny bit challenging. The secret is to finding a kid-friendly cruise that has activities for the little ones but still have stuff lined up for the adults of the ship as well.

Fortunately, cruise ship companies have seen the potential of keeping children in mind when forming their cruise packages. From there, the kid-friendly cruise was born. Looking for a cruise to spend your family vacation in? Check out these cruise packages from several well-known cruise companies:

Disney Cruises

Surely this must have crossed your mind somewhat when you thought of going on a family vacation cruise. If anything is synonymous with kids and their dreams, Disney is it. They offer two cruise ships with different itineraries:

o Disney Magic – 7-night cruise along the eastern and western Caribbean ($799 per person)

o Disney Wonder – 3 to 4 day cruise in the Bahamas ($349 per person)

While on the cruise ship you and your kids can enjoy musicals, parties, fireworks displays, restaurants, and so much more. Bonus points for the fact that your children are being entertained by Pluto (yes, Mickey’s dog). Both cruise ships stop on the privately owned Castaway Cay, which offers passengers plenty of recreational beach activities.

Carnival Cruises

Carnival certainly live up to their name when it comes to the fun that people of ages can have while staying with them. Everyone from the parents, to the kids, to the teens (we all know how difficult teens are, right?) can enjoy the facilities and activities available for them. The kids can spend their days doing arts and crafts and playing educational games supervised by adult hosts. Your teens will surely enjoy the mocktail lounge and dance club that is especially for them. At the end of each day, the entire family can lounge by the pool and sip drinks, telling each other what fun they had that day.

A 7-day cruise with Carnival Cruises starts at $449.

Princess Cruises

If there’s any cruise line that has perfected the family cruise vacation, they say that Princess Cruises has perfected it. 7- or 9-day cruises surely offer a lot of time for families to bond and catch up, while still allowing them to spend their days with activities. Children and teens will enjoy crafts, disco nights, talent shows, movie showings, and more. They also have a fun way to have the young passengers mix and mingle through their “kids only” dinners featuring pizza and mocktails.

A Princess Cruise holiday start at $1,119 per person (double occupancy; third and fourth passengers are $599 each) for the Caribbean Princess (9-day cruise). Prices for the Ruby Princess (7-day cruise) start at $599 per person (double occupancy; $249 each for third and fourth passengers).

A Family Vacation for ALL

“You’re going on a vacation with your little children? Are you insane?”

That’s probably one of the things you’re going to hear when you start asking about good family vacation spots and activities. You can’t blame them. Traveling with children can be quite a challenging feat. The good news, however, is that it’s not impossible and your options are many and varied.

My family traveled a lot when my siblings and I were little, so there were like three children to look after and keep entertained. I believe the secret to having a family vacation that both kids and adults can enjoy is to find places where activities appeal to both parties. My parents achieved that. Among places I can suggest (it’s a pretty unusual list) are:

Disneyland/Disneyworld – Even if you are a cynical adult, you have to admit that you have a soft spot for the Magic Kingdom. It’s because the memories you forged there as a child were so good it’s ingrained in you forever. Why not do it for your kids? You can ride the teacups, the cable cars, Magic Mountain, among others. The “It’s A Small World” ride still appeals to me even as an adult. Older children may like the thrill (or mini heart attack) that the Twilight Zone ride gives. You can watch the parade on Main Street and then the light and fireworks show later on. It’s reliving your childhood while sharing it with your children. Win-win.

Universal Studios – I’d go have a future family vacation in Universal if only to hear E.T. say my name once again (note: The E.T. ride is now only available in Universal Studios Florida). Any of the Universal Studios locations are good picks. You can interact with your children and explain to them what that talking car was about or why there is a giant shark with its mouth open. If you are a movie-watching family, this place will really keep kids entertained.

Las Vegas – Yes, you read that right. As a child, I loved Las Vegas. I loved seeing the lights. I loved eating as much mashed potatoes as I wanted. I loved winning tickets and exchanging them for prizes. My parents utilized the Midway to keep kids happy while they sat on slots. Of course it wasn’t all about fun and games. Las Vegas has a lot of shows and I’ve watched many great magic shows and circus acts as a child. Cirque du Soleil is breathtaking to watch no matter what age you are.

Historic Places – Personally I think these are great places for kids to visit because they’ll actually be in places most people would only read about in books. It also helps that you are interested in things like that because children will ask questions. My parents took us to the Statue of Liberty and I never saw it the same way again. My parents took us to see the pyramids up close, which would mean I was horseback riding in the Sahara. How many children can say they’ve been to Egypt. These kinds of places are a great way to teach your kids something else aside from the usual school stuff.

The Beach – Come on, you’re going on a vacation, might as well go to the beach right? The beach is all kinds of perfect, and resorts have all sorts of activities planned for both adults and kids, or even the family as a whole. The children can play on the sand while you relax and sip your drink. You can try something new and get surfing lessons and what-not.

See? A family vacation isn’t that hard to plan. You don’t need to stress about it. Just remember, enjoy yourself and take photos. Take lots of photos.

Weekend Getaways on the Cheap

Trust me there are days when the city can be too much. There’s too much noise, there’s too much smoke, there’s too much stress, there’s too much work, there’s too much of things that are too much. And of course, you deserve that break and it’s always a great idea to have weekend getaways twice a month or so to keep you from killing everyone in your path. And no, it doesn’t have to be expensive.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be in a relationship to enjoy these weekend getaways. Bring a friend along, particularly one that’s as stressed as you are or heartbroken. They will benefit the most from such a weekend. If you can muster it, you can even have a getaway alone. It doesn’t have to be in a faraway place, nor does it have to be expensive. Cheap weekend getaways are possibly the best ones you can have.

Check into a hotel. I have a friend who has these weekend getaways by herself every so often. We all know she’s taking one because she just couldn’t be reached, but at the same time we know where she is. This friend checks in to a hotel, runs a bubble bath, gets a massage and facial, basically pampering herself. Then she gets up in the morning has breakfast in the hotel. She comes back to work on Monday as though she’d been somewhere exotic because she’s glowing when in truth she was just at a hotel several blocks away from where we worked. Perhaps it’s how being in a hotel makes you feel you’re in an instant vacation.

Fly somewhere. The main thing about weekend getaways is getting away from it all right, so do go away then. Lucky for you there are cheap tickets for traveling to key destinations around the country. Perhaps this is also the best time to go somewhere you haven’t been before. You can book your hotel online, which usually offer discounts and freebies when you book through them.

Bed and breakfast. It’s like checking into a hotel, only more homey. These quaint places have a way of transporting you back to your childhood when mommy made breakfast and you can still stay in bed all day. Most bed and breakfasts are also located in towns as quaint as they are, so there could be some things worth exploring in a town not as big and busy as yours.

The beach. Of course. This last one could be a combination of the previous ones listed. You could check into a hotel or resort that has a beach, fly to somewhere that has a beach, or find a bed and breakfast that is near one. Whatever you choose, a weekend spent at the beach is always glorious.

Stay in. If cheap weekend getaways are what we are talking about, then what’s cheaper than staying in? It helps if you set up your home where you can be assured a peaceful and restful weekend. Clear out the clutter. Light some candles. Try to relax just for once.

Whatever of these weekend getaways you choose, I’m hoping you come out of it refreshed, happy, and ready to take on another killer week at work. And remember, Mondays mean that the weekend is only days away.

Going on a Vacation with Kids

Planning a vacation with kids in tow, or at least planning a vacation that involves kids is definitely one very challenging task. For one thing, kids can be quite picky, and they also get bored really fast so you have to make sure that you have tons of activities for them to do. Of course, you must also not forget that this is a vacation so you must find some things to do for yourself to help you relax. But is it really possible to have a real vacation with kids in tow?

As you know, it is possible. Many families have done it before – have successful, enjoyable, yet relaxing family vacations with kids. It all comes down to the destination. You want a place where there is something for everyone.

Luckily a lot of the big-name and popular resorts have thought of including activities for kids that are separate from adults, this way the parents could also enjoy their own activities. These are usually part of family vacation packages. The kids go off to do their activities for the day (supervised by qualified adults, of course) and the parents also have their own sets of activities. At the end of the day, you can all gather and tell stories about how your day went. There are also family activities that these hotels and resorts can arrange for you that offer fun for everyone. It also serves as a great bonding time as you spend the day with your kids. Beach resorts often have family beach vacation packages that you should check out.

Another thing you can do is to go to places you loved as a child. Surely Disneyland ranks high among these spots. You could also try to go to some other places you loved and enjoyed as a kid. You will get to relive your experiences and then get to show your kids the things you used to do when you were like them. Win-win for everyone!

Enjoy Colorado Even if You’re Not a Ski Bunny

People often flock to Colorado to ski. We all know that much of Colorado tourism involves skiing and some other form of snow activity. Colorado boasts of 26 ski resorts, so you’ll definitely never run out of skiing venues there. It’s also great to know that in these environmentally conscious times, Colorado ski resorts continue efforts to protect the environment and maintain their ski resorts using a healthy environmental plan.

But of course there’s definitely more to Colorado than skiing. Colorado tourism has generally taken a step up with providing other tourists more attractions even when snow season is over. The tourist attractions in Colorado are so diverse that even if you stick to its major cities (Denver and Boulder in this example) you’d still have plenty to do, whatever season you decide to visit.

Denver Attractions

Denver Microbrew Tour – if you’re a self-confessed microbrew connoisseur then you’ll surely enjoy a pleasant afternoon touring Denver and its microbreweries, sampling more than 10 beers, and learning a bit more about beer and Denver’s history.

Denver Zoo – bringing your kids along? The Denver Zoo is a must-see stop. Home to 4000 animals encompassing more than 700 species, the Denver Zoo is one Colorado attraction that features a large indoor tropical forest, marine and freshwater aquariums, and an area called Predator ridge where you can observe lions and hyenas “talk” to each other. Your kids will love it and you will too.

Mount Evans – Colorado is a very mountainous state and here in Colorado, mountains are not just for skiing or snowboarding. It is a bit of a drive from Denver but totally worth it once you see the majestic panoramic views and natural wildlife that make the mountain their home.

Boulder Attractions

Leanin’ Tree Museum of Western Art – if you want to see the art of the old West, the wild West, then make sure you make a pit stop to this museum. Beautiful paintings and sculpture, plus a free gallery tour.

Celestial Seasonings Tea Factory – factories are fun to visit because it allows you to take a peak on how everyday staples such as tea are manufactured. A visit to the tea factory includes free tea samples, a walk through the Celestial Herb Garden, a sinus-clearing visit to the mint room, and a tour of tea bag factory. This tour is one of the most popular attractions in Boulder. Do not miss it.

Chautauqua - a park, a historic site, a picnic place, a music event venue – these all describe Chautauqua perfectly well. Relax and enjoy a picnic at the park, perhaps before or after your hike. In the summer, enjoy music from different performers. You may also want to try your hand at rock climbing while you’re there.

Colorado certainly offers more attractions than what these two cities can offer, but it goes to show that it’s not only the ski bunnies that get to enjoy Colorado. Colorado is for everyone.

Planning a Budget Adventure

These are probably great times to travel. Well, with the volcano and other natural disasters, maybe you’d second guess your decision, but barring that (as there are many more places to go on this earth), these are perfect times to travel or at least plan an adventure for the near future. Transportation has become so accessible and there are hundreds of ways to get a particular destination, with modes of transport to fit any budget.

Depending on the type of traveling that you’d want to do (Luxury? Backpacking adventure?), you can at least map out routes and canvass accommodations as early as now so you could have a better, more efficient travel itinerary that will suit your needs. The internet is a great tool for would-be travelers as it enables you to access a ton of information while staying rooted on your seat.

The trick to having a budget friendly adventure is to check out packages or better yet, go in the off-season. That could be loads better than going during peak season as you won’t have to compete with throngs of people but you have to know why certain times are off-seasons or peak seasons. For example, you want to go surfing. Surf season are usually times when wind speeds are high, usually around the time monsoon season is in tropical countries. During the off-season, waves may still be present of course, but they may not be as big as you would want them to be. Same with destinations where their attractions are dependent on the season — sometimes it pays to be there for the very thing you came there for.

But there are also some places that are just as beautiful and just as exciting even during the off season. Hotels and airlines are always willing to have guests and passengers no matter what time of the year so they often offer discounts and other amazing deals, so these are also worth checking out especially if you are working on a tight budget.

Top 10 Must-See European Vacation Destinations

Europe is such a vast and diverse place that reducing all its wonders in order to come up with a list of its top 10 vacation destinations seems to difficult. What criteria will you use exactly? How do you include one and exclude others? I might as well list them all down, but that’s quite impossible.

As a vacation destination, Europe has countless places to offer no matter what your vacation preferences are. A European vacation doesn’t mean you have to spend big bucks to fully enjoy a city or country. For this list, I decided to go the way of must-see destinations in Europe. If you haven’t been to Europe yet, it’s a great way to start in these places.

London, England - A perfect springboard for any European vacation. Its historic locations, backstreets, and castles are something that most of us have only previously read in books. Culture and great entertainment are also big draws for London. From London you can also visit other English cities such as Bristol, which is known as an art hub, or spend a day at the English or Welsh countryside.

Paris, France – Paris is one of those places that is just so quintessentially European. The architecture, the food, the people, and the way of life are just so European that you just know that you’re in this very different yet very special place. Paris is home to fashion, art, and good food in Europe so expect a beautiful good time exploring the sites and absorbing as much of the city as you can.

Amsterdam, Holland - I have a feeling that Amsterdam would most likely appeal to the younger set because of its liberal reputation, but I have to say that Amsterdam is a very beautiful place to visit no matter what age you are. The cheeses alone are worth a visit, as well as walking around the city so flat it won’t be so tiring. You can also make Amsterdam a starting point for seeing the rest of Holland where you can see tulip fields and the famous windmills.

Venice, Italy – the City of Canals is one unusual city. First of all, there are no motor vehicles and trucks. Second of all, water covers almost every part of the city and transportation mostly takes on gondolas and ferries. Visiting Venice is truly an experience, couple that with breathtaking architecture and good food and wine, and you have yourself a memorable European vacation.

Barcelona, Spain – Barcelona lies by the sea, so expect a lot of great seafood meals during your stay there, as well as some fun in the sun. Take time to drop by the street markets and don’t forget to check out the Sagrada Familia, that still unfinished church in the city. The city itself is also home to a lot of street art and unusual architecture so be sure not to miss that.

Rome, Italy – Another Italian city makes it on the list. Rome is one of Europe’s largest cities, a culturally rich one that has a lot of historical sites for visitors to enjoy. Tucked in the middle of Rome is Vatican City, technically another country, and the seat of the Roman Catholic Church. Even if you’re not the religious type, be sure to check the art and architecture around you.

Berlin, Germany – A modern yet cultured city, Berlin offers you historical palaces, museums, and a fantastic nightlife. Another great reason to visit Berlin is to see where the Berlin wall once stood, a reminder of the issues that once split the country in half.

Vienna, Austria – the Austrian capital has plenty to offer in terms of history, culture, culinary delights, and even shopping. Classical music fans will love visiting Beethoven’s various residences, as well as Mozart’s memorial. It has consistently ranked surveys with regards to the quality of life, and a visit to the city will surely allow you to have a taste of it.

Athens, Greece – even if you go to Athens to see the ruins of the ancient Acropolis alone, the trip would be all worth it. But it isn’t the only thing that Athens has to offer. Great food and friendly people are nothing short of willing in helping you explore the city see its riches.

Brussels, Belgium – Brussels used to be overshadowed by Europe’s bigger, better-known cities but it is now starting to emerge as a top European vacation destination. Rich architecture, fabulous culture, a great night life, sumptuous food, and friendly people all make Brussels a top destination.

Planning a Cheap International Weekend Getaway

There are just some days that I feel like getting out of here, even for a weekend. Yes, a weekend getaway sounds nice, somewhere very far, somewhere where a passport is required. One of these days I just might.

Now if you’re like me and want to have that weekend getaway like right now, fret not, because it is possible even if it’s last minute or don’t have much of a budget. Believe it or not, it is possible to plan a last minute thing and it would actually be better to do so.

The internet is your savior when it comes to things like this, as you may well know. Everything from cheap international flights to deals and inexpensive hotels, the internet can help you plan your last minute weekend getaway. Certain airlines offer cheap international tickets at regular intervals and mostly these are offered to people who subscribe to their newsletters and such, so it would help to be part of these groups if only to be the first to know about ticket sales.

As for your accommodations, travel sites such as TripAdvisor.com have chockfull of information coming from travelers themselves, including lesser-known deals and which inexpensive hotels are best. And since these are coming from unpaid sources, the reviews on this site are some of the most honest and helpful I have seen. They also tell you the must-see attractions in certain locations and will tell you in all honesty what each place or attraction is like. That site is definitely worth a visit.

Wherever you plan to go this weekend, or if you’re just planning that trip for someday, keep in mind the resources that are available online and you could really have that cheap international weekend getaway you have been dreaming of.

Vacations for Beach Lovers

Although there are many wonderful vacation destinations, one of the most popular is a vacation at the beach. If your perfect vacation includes water, sand and sun, you’re probably likely to choose a beach as your next vacation, however, there are some factors that you should consider before embarking on a beach vacation.

Oftimes, when people decide to stay at a beach, they choose the “hottest” or most popular beaches, and, while that can be fun, there are some disadvantages to visiting such a popular place.

First of all, since it’s popular, that means that a huge number of people also will be visiting along with you. This means that thousands of people will also be overcrowding the beaches along with you. This leads to traffic jams, little or no parking, lack of bathroom facilities, and an increase in crime. Also, if you are vacationing with young children an overcrowded beach might not be in your family’s best interests.

If you’re searching for a more secluded, private or romantic beach, you might want to try a beach resort. There are also inland beaches such a rivers or lakes you can visit. Many of these offer the same activities and even more.

When you’re choosing which beach you’ll vacation at, make sure that you also determine which accommodations you’ll be making. Often beaches have large hotels nearby or you can also look into staying in a B&B. Make sure you ask how far from the beach you’ll be so you can determine if it’s within walking distance.

Since many beach resorts have onsite hotels, the developers have often included additional features and services. They include room service, spas, restaurants and internet. They also offer tours, swimming pools and more.

There are a lot of options when determining where to vacation. There are popular coastal beaches in California, Florida and Texas however you might also want to consider less crowded areas such as South Carolina, Virginia, Oregon and Washington. And you could also consider a vacation to a lake such as those found in New York, Utah, Michigan and Wisconsin.

When starting to make your travel plans, it’s important to start as far in advance as possible. Check to see if you can make your reservations online. Then use your charge or debit card to book your accommodations and relax.

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