When Is the Best Time to Cruise in Alaska?

Although Alaska is a year round vacation destination, when is the best time to cruise in Alaska? Mid May to mid September are definitely the most popular times to go and the best times to go are in the shoulder season.

The shoulder season months in Alaska are May and September. In May, the weather is consistently good and is a drier time of year for the state. You'll have warm spring days and combined with the long daylight hours, Alaska's wildflowers come out in full bloom.

September is really one of the best times though that you could pick to cruise Alaska. Since fall comes early, the foliage and pure nature of Alaska really comes out. It offers such incredible beauty, particularly in Denali National Park. It's also a great time for viewing wildlife and because it gets dark enough in the interior of Alaska, you can see the Northern Lights! If you've not had a chance to experience the Northern Lights, then it's one that you want to because it is absolutely stunning.

Keep this in mind too when choosing your time, Alaska fills up a lot during the peak summer months and space is limited. So if you're planning to choose that time of year, book ahead as far as you can to ensure that you'll get a space!

By choosing May or September though, you'll beat the crowds, get the best deals and be witness to the incredible change of seasons that it has to offer and I believe that these months are the best time to cruise in Alaska!



Happy travels!

Diving in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Playa Del Carmen was once a small and sleepy little coastal town with spectacular beach views whose charms weren't discovered by mainstream travel, a true unspoiled gem. Over time though, more and more people were able to find this Yucatan Peninsula village and it's become less and less of a hidden treasure and more like a must see place for a great beach vacation.

Playa Del Carmen is located about 45 miles from Cancun and couldn't be more different! The heart of Mexico's Mayan Riviera, this tiny fishing village is now home to international restaurants, unique small hotels and vacation rental homes.

Playa del Carmen has fantastic weather year round and its world class diving brings tourists in from all around the world.

You'll find miles of white sand beaches with the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea to the west and lush green jungle to the east. There are so many watersports to do, lively nightlife, great restaurants and all sorts of jungle activities.

Known to locals just as "Playa", having a location along the second largest barrier reef in the world, this dive destination is fast becoming a popular spot for both beginner and experienced divers. There's more than 15 dive sites in a 6 km radius and the boat rides are short leaving tons of time for diving and relaxation.

What's really cool about diving in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico is the vast and various amount of sea life that live among the gardens of soft coral with visibility that can reach up to 30m/100ft.

If you want to try something really different, then try cave diving in one of the many cenotes in the jungle. Cenotes are the water-filled limestone sinkholes of the Yucatán. Playa is famous for its underwater cave system and is a mecca for the world's best cave divers.

One thing is for sure, diving in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico will be an experience never to be forgotten and if you'd like to discover the Cenotes, just click on the link above!





Happy travels!

Disneyland Fastpass Tips - How You Should Start the Day to Make the Most of It

One of the most popular areas to visit in Disneyland, Anaheim is Fantasyland. It doesn't have age or height requirements, except for the Matterhorn which has a 35 inch requirement and as the day progresses, this area is going to get consistently busier and busier. Also, there are no Fastpass attractions in Fantasyland which is one of the reasons why you want to do this area first and this is also where you want to get your fastpasses.

OK, so what exactly is a Fastpass and why do I want one?

A Fastpass basically lets you set up an 'appointment' to ride on certain rides, and you want one because it eliminates much of your waiting time.

Here are the 3 steps that you want to follow so that you can cover everything that you want to do, and be able to get your Disneyland Fastpasses.

Step 1
You need to do Fantasyland first, especially because you can't get fastpasses for these rides. Be an early riser and get there before the park opens so that you're one of the first ones there. Fantasyland fills up FAST...within a couple of hours, it is going to be just crammed with people! If you're there first, you can cover it all in about 2 or 3 hours without dealing with all the masses.

Step 2
While you're in Fantasyland, this is when you want to start collecting your fastpasses and the earlier the better. The longer that you wait, the longer it is for your scheduled appointed times because everything of course is dependant on how many fastpasses have been distributed for each ride. Since you're going to be one of the first in the park, you can be one of the first for fastpasses if you're on the ball about it.

Step 3
Since you've done Fantasyland and you've got your fastpasses, what you want to do is take advantage of the other attractions, shops or restaurants that you want to see during the time that you have before your first fastpass. Or you might just want to sit down and have a breather!

By following these 3 steps, you will maximize your time and be able to enjoy the most attractions while you're there. Oh and just one last thing...try not to be rigid about your schedule and run on such an itinerary that you forget to have fun! Do it just like I told you and you won't miss out on anything and you won't run yourself into the ground either; you'll get just what you were hoping for out of your Disneyland vacation.

Hopefully these Disneyland fastpass tips will help you on your journey and as always...



Happy travels!

The '07 Top 5 Summer Time Travel Deals

Well summer is FINALLY just around the corner! With summer comes vacation time from work and people are looking to travel. In fact, this summer will reach record breaking highs for travel and do you know what that means?

High prices.

But...there is good news.

Based on travel trends, industry news, and sale patterns; here are 5 summer time travel places that offer the best bargain value for the coming season.

1. Italy
2. San Francisco
3. The Bahamas
4. Atlanta
5. Hawaii

For a more in depth look at these destinations, their summer time travel deals and just exactly why they're going to be bargains, just take a look at the link above.

Happy travels!

Dominica Island In the Caribbean - An Introduction

Not to be confused with the Dominican Republic, Dominica (pronounced Dom-in-eek-a, is located in the eastern Caribbean, between the French Islands of Guadeloupe (which lies to the north) and Martinique (which lies to the south)and it's official name is the Commonwealth of Dominica.

The island is sparsely populated with around 70,000 people that inhabits its 289.5 square miles. The capitol of the Caribbean republic of Dominica is Roseau and that's where most of the population lives.

Dominica has a truly unspoiled nature, especially when you consider that 2/3's of the island is covered by tropical forests with over 1200 different plant species. The island has a really high annual rainfall which feeds the many rivers, lakes, streams, and waterfalls.

Dominica is also home to the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the eastern Caribbean, Morne Trois Pitons National Park and it's one of the very few Caribbean islands that still has populations of pre-Columbian Carib Indians.

English is the official language, but Creole is also largely spoken and about 80% of the inhabitants are roman catholic. Oh and here's something just for fun!

Dominica also served as the location of filming of pirates of the caribbean movies! At least for the 2nd and third Pirates of the Caribbean movies and it's also the filming location for the new reality tv show Pirate Master.




The capital of the Caribbean republic Dominica, Roseau

Happy travels!

El Yunque Rainforest Facts

The El Yunque rainforest in Puerto Rico, officially called the Caribbean National Forest, is an hour east of San Juan and is a spectacular site to see.

Here are some El Yunque Rainforest facts that you might just find interesting!

El Yunque is a 28,000 acre rainforest located in the Caribbean National Forest under the United States National Forest System. In fact, it is the only rainforest in the National Forest System.

The higher you are in the forest, the more it will rain. Yes, it's true...Depending on where you are in the forest, will determine how much it can rain. The forests' highest elevations have reached over 250 inches annually, while lower elevations receive about 50-60 inches.

There are snakes that live in the El Yunque rainforest. Though, there are only 5-6 types and they are non-poisonous and pose no threat to us humans! Oh, and they're very rarely seen!

There are more than 240 species of trees and plants grow in El Yunque, including 150 species of ferns and it's the lush vegetation that shelters much of the wildlife.

There are no large animals in the Caribbean rainforest.

The fact that it "rains frogs" in the Caribbean rainforest is a very interesting forest legend that's actually based on scientific fact! During the times of year when the humidity is high, the tiny Coquí frogs will climb to the forest canopy, sometimes as high as 100 feet (30 meters)and instead of returning to the ground by climbing back down beside their predators who anticipated their climb; the surviving frogs prefer to launch themselves into the air, and bypass their predators on the way down. The frogs are so tiny, that they're almost weightless, allowing them to float to the forest floor unscathed. If you are lucky enough to be sitting under a tree when this is happening, you will indeed be “rained upon” by tiny frogs!

There you have it, some El Yunque forest facts! It's a beautiful place to hike and is ideal if you're a fan of being up close and personal with nature. Here you can read a first hand account of an El Yunque forest trip, if you'd like to learn more about this amazing rainforest or if you're thinking about taking a trip there, we have an ideal 6.5 hour day tour that you definitely don't want to miss!

Oh and one last thing, just a tip if you are planning to visit...don't leave your house without your rain hat, umbrella and possibly even your slicker!



Happy travels!

All Inclusive Vacations to Negril, Jamaica

All inclusive vacations to Negril, Jamaica are an unbelievable treat! Negril is a very rare place indeed.

No where else in Jamaica, will you be able to find a place as relaxed and laid back as Negril. Dubbed the "capitol of casual," both business and pleasure are carried out with as little formality as possible. The history of Negril is what makes it the way it is today...

The first visitors to Negril in large numbers were hippies which helped to create its carefree atmosphere and now, it's STILL the ideal place to meet and make friends with Jamaicans.

When you visit this little piece of heaven, you can't help but feel completely and totally free. You feel like you've got no restrictions and that you can completely relax and that's why I think that all inclusive vacations to Negril, Jamaica are an ideal way to soak up the Jamaican culture and to let loose all the things we hold back in our day to day lives!

Here's a special link for you our readers, for some Caribbean Hot Deals
to check out, and just a quick head's up for you to know; the departure cities all leave from the US.

For some really cool sightseeing things to do though, AND available for everyone, then check this out!



Happy travels!

What's Fun About Cyprus?

So what's fun about Cyprus...well that's a good question so I thought that I would find the answer for you but first things first...where is Cyprus?

Cyprus is a Greek island that is located on the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey. It's the 3rd largest island on the Mediterranean and one of the most popular, attracting over 2.4 million visitors every year. A Eurasian island country, it's been a member of the EU since May '04.

On the south side of the island, you'll find that Greek is the predominant language while on the North side, Turkish is. The landscape is filled with a variety of contrasts from fertile plains, to vine clad foothills, to mile after mile of sandy shores and secluded beaches and there are literally hundreds of villages that you can explore that each has its own charms and traditions.

What's fun about Cyprus?

Cyprus is unique, it's history dates back over 9000 years! So not only do you have gorgeous beaches with water activities galore, you've got history and charm and traditions that won't be found elsewhere. You've got old mixed with new, you've got beauty and a wealth of ways to discover just what's fun in Cyprus for you!

If you'd like to learn more about Cyprus, just follow this link to the official tourism website.

Happy travels!

Disney World Hotels To Ban Smoking This Summer

According to CNN, as of June 1st, in smoking will be banned in every single Disney World hotel location around the world.

The ban permits smoking at designated outdoor areas. The transition to become smoke-free will allow Disney to better accommodate the increasing number of guests requesting nonsmoking hotel rooms, the theme park's spokesman Jacob DiPietre said.

If any guests are caught smoking on the property after the ban is enforced, they could get charged for cleaning surcharges as high as $500! Maybe vacation resort hotels near Disney World will take the same approach...

Until next time,
Happy Travels!

Fun Facts of Aruba...Just for Well, Fun!

Aruba is an island that is part of the A,B,C island chain and is a popular resort area, though not frequented by as many tourists as say one of its neighbor islands of the Caribbean; Aruba is much further south, closer to South America. In fact, it's 19 miles from the Venezuela coast in the Southern Caribbean.

Today I decided to go and learn a little bit more about this island, since I'm not as familiar with it as I am others and thought you might like to know a bit about it too! So here are some fun facts of Aruba for you:

Language - Dutch is the official language, followed by Papiamento (a language derived from many different languages such as Dutch, Portuguese, English, Spanish and many more) and is spoken in most homes, as is English and Spanish.

Population - approx. 95 000

Climate - about 77F and 85F degrees year round

The island is mostly desert with all the resorts on the southern beaches.

"Bon bini" means welcome.

"Masha danki" means thank you very much.

Currency - Aruban florin which is about 1.78 to the U.S. Dollar and 1.50 to the Canadian Dollar

Aruba is only 77 square miles in size, it stretches 19.6 miles long and 6 miles across.

Now we can all say that we know a little bit more about Aruba than what we did! If you liked these fun facts of Aruba, then just head on over to this site it's got lots more info!

Happy travels!

Getting the Best Key West Snorkel Trips

Ah...Key West Florida, a little bit of paradise. That's definitely how you'll feel when you snorkel through the gulf of Mexico, experiencing the underwater beauty of the ocean world.

If you've not experienced an underwater adventure like this, then I recommend that you do! It's such an awesome experience and if you're looking for the best key west snorkel trips, I've got a really cool day long adventure for you to look at.

Not only are you going to snorkel but you're going to set sail on a catamaran, you'll have a lunch buffet, you're going to go para-sailing and you're definitely going to soak up some sun!

This is a 6 hour adventure and it includes just about everything that you would want out of a water adventure. Here's what you'll find included:

* Tour Guide / Group Leader
* Snorkeling Gear
* Use of Kayak
* Parasailing
* Use of Waverunners
* Water Toys
* Buffet Lunch including fruit platters
* Beer, wine and sodas

In my opinion, this is one of the best Key West snorkel trips that you can take,especially given the price tag, it's definitely a steal and well worth taking a peak at if you're looking for adventures in Key West.

Happy travels!

The Best Spas in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is a warm and inviting destination that welcomes many tourists every year. One of the best things about travel to Buenos Aires is that it can be done for really cheap.

It's one of those destinations that is able to offer everything that you could want out of a vacation, including being able to say what a chance of a lifetime it is to visit there and it's affordable!

Since it is that affordable, you might even want to consider a spa vacation. The best spas in Buenos Aires offer you the all the luxury and pampering that you're looking for.

The city is one of culture and vibrance and it's so pretty. If you're looking for a guide to the best spas in Buenos Aires, try having a look here.

Happy travels!

Holiday Destination Weather Forecasts, How to Know the Best Time to Travel

Knowing you want to travel to a particular destination is one thing, knowing the best time for you to visit is another. There are many things that factor into a person's decision as to when the best time to travel is but one of the main factors in that decision could be the weather.

The quickest and easiest way for you to get holiday destination weather forecasts is by visiting whentotravel.net, a website that offers a new weather engine that's designed to assist travelers select the best time to visit a particular destination. It provides you with graphs to display the best time of year to go, min/max temperatures, sea temperatures, precipitation days per month, and the amount of sunshine.

Just select a country at a time, or even 2 and that way you can compare them at the same time. What I like about this site is that it's so easy to get holiday destination weather forecasts, you just pick a place, click draw graph and there you have it!

Happy travels!

Can't Miss Things to do in Las Vegas for Less!

Going to Las Vegas and looking for some ways to save? You can get massive savings and discounts all over the city with a Las Vegas Bite Card. It gives you discounts and savings for all the can't miss things to do in Las Vegas!

Whether you're on the strip or off, there's something there for everyone and the best thing about it is that it's not like a coupon at all, just a card that you carry to always give you discounts for things like restaurants, attractions and it's good for a whole year!

Right now, the card is on sale for even less than it normally is, actually it's half price and that's good news for you because that means that it's only $10 and that'll get you over $800 worth of savings! I think it's a great deal for all those can't miss things to do in Las Vegas!

If you're headed for Vegas anytime this year, a Las Vegas Bite Card might just be worth picking up!

Are Oil Prices Ethical? Prices Expected to Soar This Summer

Oil prices are on the move again, and people are expecting it. In an short article on About.com A survey commissioned by the Civil Society Institute, 72% of Americans expect to pay at least $3.50 USD for a gallon of gasoline this summer. Another 28% surveyed predicted $4/gallon.

This has been an on-going problem for as long as I can remember. I feel like I am old, saying "when I started driving, gas prices were 1/3rd of what they are now"! The funny (or not so funny) part, is that I am only 26. So in less than a decade, the prices have tripled. It's incredible, but they know they have you when majority of the population has a car. Besides, what choice do we have? It is very difficult in certain cities to even survive without a car. A lot of other towns and cities require one because the public transportation is so poor.

The worst part about this is, it effects everyone. It doesn't matter if you drive a car, heat your home, or want to travel. Everyone suffers... This will also increase things like ticket prices, because the airplanes will require more fuel, so the airlines will charge even more. Public transportation ticket prices could also take a rise, like it did in my city only a month ago. The people loose, and the companies win! I will ask again, are oil prices ethical?

Until next time,

Lightspeed Twister Devastates Small Town in Kansas

A new wave of tornado's ran through the southern-west part of Kansas today, destroying towns, killing 9 people and injuring at least a dozen more.

Among these lightspeed Twisters were a series of half-mile (kilometer) wide wedge’ tornadoes _ similar to the one that devastated Greensburg on Friday night, meteorologist Mike Umscheid said.

City Administrator Steve Hewitt estimated 95 percent of the town's 1,500 were destroyed and rescue efforts could take days.

I am sure this has to be a Kansas tornado record breaking month.

Our deepest sympathy's to the families that lost their homes and lives by this horrible tragedy.

Khaleej Times has the complete story.

Fun Things to do in Chicago for Free or As Close As You Can Get!

Chicago is a great city that can offer a lot whether you're looking to shop till ya drop or just spend some quality time with the family, there are just tons of options!

If you're looking for fun things to do in Chicago for free, my best advice would be to buy the Go Chicago Card for a one time fee that will in turn give you access to all the major attractions and it has some really cool things to try all for FREE.

Here are some of the things that you would get for free, that I think would be pretty fun!

Adler Planetarium
Shedd Aquarium
Hancock Observatory
Brookfield Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo Train Ride
2 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Pass (closed Monday and Tuesday)
Gray Line Grand Chicago Tour/North Side Tour/South Shore Tour (It's a jump on/jump off bus line to see the sights in your own time!)
Shoreline Sightseeing Skyline Cruise
Navy Pier Imax – Traditional Films
Navy Pier Ferris Wheel
Navy Pier Adventure Golf
Navy Pier Rock Climbing Wall Navy Pier Wave Swinger Ride Navy Pier Carousel

Those are just some of the fun things to do in Chicago for free, plus it'll also give you discounts for lots of other things too, like restaurants, retailers and you'll also get a guide book.

It's by far, one of the cheapest ways to see Chicago if you're looking really take in some sights!

If you'd like to read more about Chicago and it's attractions, you can read my article here and if you're going to be in the Chicago area and you'd like to read more about the Chicago Go Card, we've got that here for you too!

Greatest Castle Hotels - Top 10 Nice European Castle Stays

Hasn't everybody at one point or another dreamed of staying in one of the greatest castle hotels? OK, well i certainly have! I would LOVE a nice European castle stay!

I've visited a few European castles, which are always amazing in their own right and filled with history. In North America, we don't have the same kind of historical background that you find in Europe. That's one of the things that is always so prevalent when we travel outside of NA and I always come home richer than what I was, at least in the knowledge area! ;)

The greatest castle hotels offer you memories that you won't soon forget! For a nice European castle stay, here's a look at the top ten from traveler popularity and the tripadvisor.com editors, along with average nightly rates:

1. Ashford Castle, Cong, Ireland ($362)

2. Thornbury Castle, Thornbury, England ($409)

3. Chateau de Bagnols, Lyon, France ($663)

4. Inverlochy Castle, Ft. William, Scotland ($932)

5. Castle Hotel Auf Schoenburg, Oberwesel, Germany ($240)

6. Parador de Cardona, Cardona, Spain ($166)

7. Swinton Park, Masham, North Yorkshire, England ($463)

8. Castle Stuart, Inverness, Scotland ($475)

9. Castelletto de Montebenichi, Arezzo, Italy ($242)

10. Castle ten Berghe, Brugge, Belgium ($177)

Happy travels!

Hawaii Superferry Arrival!

Starting in July '07, the Hawaii Superferry arrival makes inter island travel a breeze!

The Hawaii Superferry will bring daily service from Honolulu to Kahului, Maui and between Honolulu and Nāwiliwili, Kauai and will take about 3 hours.

Hawaii ferry prices start at $44 one-way, a car $59. The boat can hold over 850 people and about 300 vehicles.

You can start to make reservations for the Hawaii superferry arrival in May and you can expect to see service beginning to the Big Island of Hawaii somewhere in '09.

Happy travels!