

On Weekends
The Guide To Traveling and Dining
Archive for the 'Weekend Ideas' Category
May
10
What are you waiting if you’ve never been on a Caribbean cruise vacation? Imagine being served on hand and foot only to find you in the most tropical of lands, spending time in true paradise. This is how it’s like on a Caribbean cruise vacation. There’s nothing else like it in the world. When it comes to taking a Caribbean cruise vacation, there are all kinds of special deal. Look around for the best deals and either travel by yourself, bring your family or just have that special someone. There’s so much to do on a Caribbean cruise vacation that you’ll likely find that you don’t have enough time to do it all no matter who you’re with.
1. Go Ahead And Bring The Kids
Don’t worry about bringing the children on a Caribbean cruise vacation. There are activities for them, too. Your never have to worry about then being bored. To keep their overactive minds busy they have all kinds of activities while the adults do whatever they wish. The staff of the Caribbean cruise vacation employees will take good care of the kids so that you can do what you wish and be rest assured that they are properly occupied.
2. Couples Cruises
You won’t be disappointed if you are taking a Caribbean cruise vacation as part of a romantic getaway. The sunsets and sunrises that you’ll see over the ocean will be enough to take your breath away. And there’s nothing better than a tropical paradise, such as the one you’ll experience on your Caribbean cruise vacation, to bring two people closer together. To make your bond one that will stand the test of time, a romantic getaway may be just what you need.
3. You Can Even Bring The Entire Family
Whoever you wish you can even bring the whole family, aunts, uncles, grandma and grandpa. There’s something to do for everyone. Nobody will ever be bored, with shows and music and entertainment, plenty of food and drink as well as other activities aimed at every taste. You know that everyone will be pleased as a Caribbean cruise vacation is the perfect vacation to bring the family.
You are taken care of by the staff, well fed, and entertained. What else could you ask for in a Caribbean cruise vacation?
Guide to Choosing the Right Caribbean Holiday Cruise For You
In order to accommodate the large amount of people wishing to take a cruise, the cruise industry has expanded over the years. However, we are different and have different likes and dislikes which we usually want to take into consideration when taking a vacation because vacations are meant to relax, have fun and rejuvenate.
With that in mind, different cruise companies along the years targeted different group of people in order to make cruising more enjoyable achieve what we all want from a vacation. Every day there are no less than half a dozen ships leaving for the Caribbean. They are from different cruise companies with a completely different sort of crowd on each one of them; here is how you can learn which cruise ship is right for your Caribbean holiday prior to you getting on board.
Know A Bit About The Cruise Industry
In order to be able to provide the desired activities, food and entertainment for instance, each cruise line targets a different type of crowd. Carnival cruises are recognized as the ‘fun ships’ for the reason that they target the younger generation, teenagers and young families and for that reason, you will find many parties, 24 hour fast food counters and many reasonably priced cocktails.
Chat with your travel agent and let him or her know what your preferences are in order for him or her to suggest the perfect cruise ship for you, the best way to choose the right cruise ship company for you, which offers what you want from a Caribbean holiday cruise.
Caribbean holiday cruises travel on the eastern and western and southern Caribbean and each journey will differ greatly in prices depending on the ports of call and the time spent at sea. Caribbean holiday cruises are for 3, 5, 7 and at times even 10 days; the most popular Caribbean holiday cruise is seven days because it is made of the right sum of days in port and at sea in order for you to travel around and have fun as well as unwind and revitalize before getting back at work.
Helpful Tips
In order to find out which one will suit you and your requirements best or on the particular cruise liner’s website, you can do some research online and read passengers reviews and comments before picking a Caribbean holiday cruise. The only way to get the best deals for any cruise at any time of the year is to book your Caribbean holiday cruise through your travel agent.
read comments (1)May
9
America’s second oldest national park, the Sequoia National Park is a unique and unspoiled ecosystem having some of the most amazing views in the world. Towering sequoia trees, lofty mountain peaks, magnificent meadows and tumbling water falls make this park one of nature’s most brilliant artworks.
The Sequoia is California’s first national park and receives more than a million visitors every year. It is most famous for its namesake, the giant redwood sequoias that grow thick and huge. These awe-inspiring trees are over 30 feet wide, 310 feet tall and may live for almost 3,000 years. With their near impossible breadth, going around one of them can literally take your breath away!
However, in spite of its name, sequoia groves in the Sequoia National Park are limited to small pockets. The rest of the area is covered by huge mountains, canyons, lakes and waterfalls.
The Sequoia offers a number of year-round fun activities for visitors and is seldom overcrowded. The park is famous for its hiking trails and picnic spots. The best time to enjoy sensational hiking is during the summer and spring.
You can’t make a visit to the Sequoia and miss out on Mount Whitney, can you? Agreed, the trail is overcrowded and you’re going to brush shoulders with more people than you like. But an alternative does exist, provided you have the time. The High Sierra Trail which starts at the Crescent Meadow and ends in the John Muir Trail is lengthier by 62 miles. You may take between 8 and 10 days to cover the trail, but if you want to avoid the press of humanity, this is your best bet. At an elevation of approximately 7,800 ft, the subalpine valley of the Mineral King is another rare treat for hikers.
Some of the other adventure activities you can enjoy here are cave tours, fishing and horseback riding.
If your idea of fun in the great parks is wildlife gazing, the Sequoia won’t disappoint. Keep your eyes peeled for mountain lions, marmots, bears, coyotes, raccoons, bobcats and ringtails. In the Rae Lakes area, you can sight bighorn sheep. Rattlesnakes are also abundant in the hills nearby; though this is one species you don’t want to run into. Read the rest of this entry »
May
9
Lately there have been lots of travel stories from people who have found huge bargains on hotel rooms at the last minute. Unfortunately, these stories fail to mention that most of these bargain prices are at second-rate hotels with limited options available. Experienced travelers know the advantages of booking hotels in advance include locking in the best price, a wider variety of options and peace of mind.

A simple search online will uncover many sites that offer discount travel services for the bargain hunter. There is even a wide variety of websites that specialize in finding you the best deal on your advance hotel bookings. It doesn’t hurt to ask directly of the desired hotel if they offer any sorts of discounts for booking in advance, either. Due to the popularity of the online services, many hotels are offering deals of their own for booking direct with their reservation desks.
Hotels generally set aside a certain number of rooms at the discount rate and they will most likely already be taken if you try to wait until the last minute. When you book your hotel in advance, you will be locking in the lowest available price for the time you need the room. Even if the prices go up at a later date, you will enjoy the low rate that you reserved when you booked the room. This can easily save hundreds of dollars over a week’s stay.
You will get the largest number of options for your stay when you reserve your room ahead of time. Options such as in-room kitchenettes, microwaves and other extras tend to be snapped up quickly by travelers who book early. If you want to get the best accommodation with all the extra features that you need or desire, you will have to book in advance. Otherwise, you could very well end up stuck with the leftover room on the inside corridor next to the vending machines!
The peace of mind you gain may well be the biggest benefit of booking your hotels in advance. There isn’t much worse than getting to your location at the end of a long day traveling and finding no room at the inn. The last thing you need is to spend hours running from hotel to hotel to find one that has a room. Booking hotels in advance will benefit you with guaranteed availability as well as the ability to plan your stay better.
The benefits of booking hotels in advance far outweigh the small chance that you will get a bargain price by waiting until the last minute. With being able to lock in the best price, a wider variety of options and peace of mind, most frequent travelers will recommend that you always book your hotels ahead. Why risk getting a lousy room or worse - not getting a room at all? Booking your hotels in advance will prevent you from ever hearing these dreaded words from the hotel desk clerk, “Sorry, no room at the inn!”
The Tranquil Waters Of Playa Del Carmen
By admin, filled in: Cities, Unforgettable Places, Weekend Ideas
May
8

Playa del Carmen is a peaceful city found right on the edge of the Caribbean Sea. There are several hotels there that are meant to help the guests enjoy their time in the sand and the surf.
On the border of the Caribbean Sea is a city called Playa del Carmen. Found at the north east side of Mexico, part of the state of Quintana Roo, the city is a haven of clean water, fine sand and picturesque shores. It has become known as a small and quaint city where travelers can frolic in the sea. Because of this, there are a number of hotels in the city for travelers who want to remain close to the sea.
Less than two miles from Playa del Carmen, the Iberostar Quetzal hotel stands on the fine sand of Playacar. Travelers coming in from a flight will take 50 minutes to get to the hotel from the International Airport of Cancun. The 700 rooms and suites of the Iberostar are split evenly between the Hotel Iberostar Tucan and the Hotel Iberostar Quetzal. The hotel is designed to merge with the lush surroundings of verdant green trees and the blue of the sky and ocean.
The grounds of the Iberostar Quetzal are filled with amenities and facilities that were designed to keep tourists busy and happy. The hotel is surrounded with lush gardens filled with tropical foliage. A lobby with a bar dominates the reception area, while a lounge bar, main restaurant and specialty restaurants are also found in the vicinity. Within the pool area, there is a separate kiddie pool, a pool for adults with a swim-up bar, a lagoon and an activities pool. Lounge chairs, beach towels and umbrellas surround the pool area. The hotel also features a nightclub and entertainment center, various shops and a beach club with a restaurant. Guests can also avail of Internet access and room service from 11am to 11pm.
Guests can engage in several sporting activities within the Iberostar Quetzal like billiards, aerobics, catamaran-sailing, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, windsurfing and group exercise classes. They can also use the steam bath and Jacuzzi that are adjacent to the fitness room. Trained instructors also offer scuba tutorials.
Seven minutes from downtown Playa del Carmen, one can find the all-inclusive resort called The Royal Hideaway Playacar. Situated right in the heart of Playacar, and about 45 minutes from the Cancun International Airport, the hotel has a prime spot due to it proximity to Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue, the hub of Playa del Carmen’s social life.
Built in 1998, the hotel has 200 rooms and suites and 3 floors. The Royal Hideaway Playacar offers free wireless Internet connection, 24 hour room service and nightly entertainment. Guests who want to play water sports will surely love the resorts various options like kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, water polo, snorkeling, boogie board and aqua aerobics. There are also facilities that can accommodate other sports, the compound is equipped with a tennis court a basketball court and a fitness center. Board games, card games, beach soccer and bicycling are also allowed and encouraged within the premises.
The Royal Hideaway Playacar offers and all-inclusive program that includes all the major amenities offered by the hotel such as champagne, all meals and snacks, tennis lessons, daily activities programs by the beach, unlimited natural juices, soft drinks and premium alcoholic beverages and three swimming pools and three relaxation pools.
Other hotels found on the beach of Playa del Carmen are the All Riviera Resort, Costa del Mar, Grand Coco Bay All Inclusive Resort, Occidental allegro Playacar, Playa Palms, Riu Palace Mexico, Viva Wyndham Maya and the Blue Parrot Suites.
May
8

Usually when families take vacations to the Northeast, they will take in all the beautiful countryside and as many historical sites as they can. These are two of things that attract visitors the most to this area.
This is the region where our country was first settled and Philadelphia was a large part of that settlement. There are the usual attractions like The Liberty Bell, the home of Betsy Ross, and Independence Hall, but there are many more interesting places to see in and around Philadelphia that many will miss.
The Philadelphia zoo is a great place to spend a day with the kids if you have them. There are zoos all over the country, but each one is uniquely different so why miss this one? The Philadelphia Zoo was established in the 1800’s. It is the first like it in the country. They have rare animals such as white lions and pandas.
The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul is the oldest structure on the Parkway and it was built in the mid 1800’s. It has beautiful architecture and is done in the Italian style. Whether you are of the Catholic faith or not, you might wish to attend one of the beautiful Mass services that they have here. Read the rest of this entry »
May
5
HotelREZ is soon to launch online hotel booking website, which is very useful for our customers as HotelREZ is always at your doorstep to meet the requirements. With the newly launched website, it will be easier for you to find your perfect hotel at the possible rates.
Whether you are looking for a luxury hotel for that vital weekend break, or a cheap hotel in a great city location, HotelREZ will have hotels offering great value, and promotional prices.
If you are bewildered by too many hotels in a particular destination, (for example we will be able to offer you hundreds of hotels in London alone), then we will provide help for you to narrow down your search using parameters such as price, star rating, style of hotel, type of hotel and facilities offered.
Our members have real time (Next Generation Seamless) access to approaching one million travel agencies, corporate locations, MICE providers and literally thousands of web sites across the globe. Our members are represented globally on the HO chain code or sub, allowing agency CRS to both recognize and positively bias them. Access is granted through our tailored membership portal where members are able to manage inventory from a single point of control. The web based user interface allows you to access the system easily, without the need for additional software from anywhere in the world. Read the rest of this entry »
May
5
Evidently you can go on a fitness holiday and come back even fitter than you were before. Yes, holidays are not always just for gaining weight anymore! This year I decided to go on fitness retreat vacation and will post more details when I am back, however, I can tell you with full confidence that it’s going to be an unforgettable experience. This vacation will teach me the code values of the anti aging program from healthy nutrition program to Personalized sleep/wake cycles management. Sounds like a hard task to you? It’s not, believe me. Anyone who goes on such a vacation comes back a freshes and younger person. So, don’t envy me, just go on a retreats holiday yourself too!
May
1
One of the memorable occasions for the newly wed couple is a honeymoon vacation. Heavy preparation and planning are required for a wedding. The ideal way to relax and enjoy is to go for a honeymoon trip. A major decision is to be taken to choose an appropriate honeymoon destination. Your honeymoon must have full of love and romance and so you must look for a romantic honeymoon destination. Spain is a great place for making a honeymoon trip. You can enjoy the scenic beauty of Spain by going to a National Park, hiking trails, walking and motor excursions. Such things are ideal for exploring the beauty of the marshes, wetlands, mountain peaks, coastal dunes and the Atlantic beaches.
The Canary Islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean under the Kingdom of Spain with seven islands of volcanic origin. The Canary Islands are located in the northwestern African coast and were formed due to the past volcanic activities. The Canary Islands have always offered the
newly wed couples an ultimate romantic honeymoon experience. The Canary Islands are called as Spain’s paradise. The weather is generally sunny and warm round the year. This is the best place if you hate winter.
You can visit Lanzarote, Tenerife and Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. The best way to visit the Canary Islands is by air. These places have good airports and receive a lot of international flights. You can also take a flight from any of the European cities, apart from Spain.
A trip to the Canary Islands is a real getaway for newly wed couples who want to strengthen their marital bond by tasting the three ‘S’s: the sea, the sand and the sun.
Here are a few tips to locate a honeymoon venue in the Canary Islands:
Step One: Research on your own. Identify the spots that you wish to visit and want to know more details about them. You can do this online by any search engine.
Step Two: You can visit online travel sites, which offer honeymoon vacation packages. You can compare the amenities, prices etc. here. Read the rest of this entry »
Jan
15
Employers are increasingly inclined to allow employees of long standing to take a sabbatical over and above the annual holiday allowance. This can amount to a year’s unpaid leave but is often less. Some companies would offer paid leave but typically they would want something in return; perhaps an understanding that at least some of the time would be spent doing something with a direct relevance to the day job. The willingness on the part of employers to offer this opportunity (even if is not always well publicised) is driven by an increasing tendency to take a career break at some point anyway: this way experienced staff are retained.
Broadly, there are three options for those planning some time out. The simplest idea, and the one that comes most readily to most people, is to travel the world. The options here are boundless and hinge wholly on the traveller’s preferences. Some providers of gap year travel arrange whole itineraries. Others simply put the traveller in touch with third party providers of travel services. Online, gap year travel sites can offer advice through articles and forums (as well as the opportunity to meet up with fellow travellers).
Secondly, some people want to use their time away to learn something new. Typically projects might involve learning Spanish in South America. Others might want to develop a passion for a sport like scuba diving. Travel blogs are full of interesting stories in this direction and can be a source of inspiration for those wanting to take the plunge. Anything is possible: one person went out on a limb in Thailand and spent a year training intensively at kick-boxing.
Finally there are those who want to use their gap year to work on a charitable project. Restoration projects of one type or another are well favoured. Suitability generally depends on the particular skills the applicant can bring to bear but there are enough options to ensure that nobody willing need be excluded
