Well, you could do worse than following in the footsteps of an American President. Vacations are front and center these days with the summer travel season about to wind down so now would be the time to take a unique vacation. Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, on Hawaii’s island of Oahu, in 1961.You can go on a self-guided tour where President Obama was born, his schools, his childhood homes in Hawaii, places he worked and played as a teenager and young man. Barack Obama’s life was spent in half a dozen residences, primarily in Honolulu’s Makiki neighborhood. You’ll have the chance to see the sights that shaped the President.

Obama’s father grew up in Nyanza Province, Kenya. He started off life as a goat herder before leaving to study in Hawaii and Harvard. Many of Obama’s family still live there, including his grandma, Mama Sarah. The last time Obama visited the country in 2006 he also spent time in Nairobi, where you too can experience the trip of a lifetime. You will be able to experience visiting Mount Kenya and seeing the legendary majesty of the Masai Mara where you’ll be able to see the “Big Five” which includes lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos and rhinos.

Chicago is one of the towns that represents Obama since 1985. Visitors in Chicago can get up close and personal with some of the sites around town that now have presidential significance. You can take guided tours of “Obama sites” or visit them on your own. Some of the places will be happy to feed you. There’s no shortage of restaurants pointing out that President Obama has eaten there. Tour guides will point out quite a few Obama sites as they drive through the Kenwood and Hyde Park neighborhoods: the blocks where Obama lived and the building at the University of Chicago where he taught law classes, to name a few.

Take the Amtrak tour exploring New York, Philadelphia and Washington! Before his inauguration Obama retraced the steps of Lincoln, traveling from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. by train and so can you. You can enjoy staying in New York where Obama studied at Columbia University before traveling to Philadelphia for a couple nights where the Declaration of Independence was signed. Next, you can travel to Washington D.C. where the Obama family will be spending the next few years. You will be able to experience the beautiful scenery because traveling by Amtrak is a great way to see the country and meet new people. This vacation is definitely one you’ve never experienced before and will be an exciting adventure for the whole family!

Make a full weekend out of it and camp out at one of the nearby campgrounds.  There are several available but be sure to arrive early as they are on a first come first serve basis and can fill up quickly, especially during the summer months.  Check out www.recreation.gov to find nearby campgrounds and details.  One popular site is Indian Cove, located right next to Joshua Tree National Park,  provides sweeping views and some of the most spectacular and surreal night skies you could imagine.  Also nearby is the Joshua Tree Lake that has a campground of its own and boasts some solid fishing  for Catsfish, Bluegill and Bass.

 Most cruises offer awesome packages that give you all-inclusive options, or a la carte service. When you decide on a cruise for your vacation you have the opportunity to visit many different countries and experience the different cultures and various activities in these countries - all within the same vacation transport. This also makes for a wonderful vacation idea because modern day cruise ships are like floating five-star resorts. The ships have spa services, gym facilities, pools, miniature golf, water parks, shopping, casinos, night clubs, kids activities for all ages, adults-only pools, stage shows, movie theater, art auctions, some of the best food you’ll ever taste and the list just goes on and on.

So for your next vacation we recommend sailing to an undiscovered destination to experience a luxurious vacation for a minimal price. Our best recommendation to get the cheapest cruise fares is greatcruises.com. They offer a price match guarantee and have some of the best customer service around so you’ll be satisfied with your experience from time of booking and all through your sailing. Also, you can find the cheapest fares by booking your cruise at least 6 months in advance, or a few weeks before the sailing since cruise lines just want to fill up their ships at that point. Do your price shopping and book your next great cruise!

Grotto of the Redemption

Nestled in the rural Iowa community of West Bend, the Grotto of Redemption is Father Paul Dobberstein’s geological tribute to God, which portrays the story of redemption through Christ.  The nine grottoes that tell the story represent one of the largest collections of precious stones and gems in the world, and is valued between $4 and $5 Million.  During the winter months if the pond freezes there is ice skating to be had.  There is also a suggested donation of $5 to help fund maintenance.

westbendgrotto.com

Illinois:

World’s Largest Catsup Bottle

Standing proudly next to Route 159, just south of downtown Collinsville, Illinois, is The World’s Largest Catsup Bottle.  This massive landmark of true classic Americana is the remnants of what was once the most popular, and best selling Catsup brand in America – Brook’s Old and Tangy Catsup.  12 miles east of St. Louis, the 170 ft. bottle is actually a water tower -  but catsup or ketchup, is 68% water, so do with that what you will.

catsupbottle.com

Missouri:

Forest Park, St. Louis

Host to a variety of free attractions including the St. Louis Zoo, Missouri History Museum, St. Louis Art Museum and St. Louis Science Center – Forest Park is a premier destination for locals and visitors alike.  Larger than New York’s Central Park, this sprawling green space also has a shuttle bus that connects many of the parks museums and attractions.

Missouri:

State Parks

Want to know something awesome?  All Missouri State Parks are FREE!  Be sure to check out the massive granite formations at Elephant Rocks State Park.  Over a billion years old, these boulders stand end-to-end like a train of granite stone circus elephants.  You can take the self-guided trail and wind throughout the geological wonders, or even stop for a pleasant picnic while you marvel at the sheer mass of mother nature.  A great pit-stop for you road trippers.

Indiana:

Free Art in Indianapolis

Northwest of downtown Indianapolis is the home of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.  With a collection of over 50,000 pieces of art on display, museum goers are offered works from a variety of cultures and periods in history.  The newly opened Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park - “100 Acres” adjacent to the Museum includes woodlands, wetlands, meadows and a 35 acre lake.  One of the largest museum art parks in the country, “100 Acres,” presents art projects, exhibitions, and discussions designed to strengthen the publics understanding of the unique, reciprocal relationships between art and the natural world.

imamuseum.org

Ohio:

Hocking Hills State Park

With gorgeous sandstone caves and hollows, Hocking Hills State Park rests approximately 55 miles southeast of Columbus, Ohio.  9 different hiking trails of varying difficulties, along with 2 biking trails wind throughout the park passing over streams and providing sweeping views of the forest and its caves.  There are also several different picnic areas complete with grills, restrooms and drinking water at the recess of the caves surrounded by natural shelters, making this particular stop an excellent free day use park.  Swimming and fishing are also available along with a visitor center, with more things to do like archery, rock climbing and special events.

Hocking Hill State Park

66 Drive-In Theater:

Old school charm with contemporary entertainment this Drive-In Movie Theater located off the old 66 offers movies for the price of one.  Bring the family and check out a double feature at half the price of a standard indoor theater.  Bring a chair and enjoy the outdoors while you watch a newly released blockbuster in the former Americana staple. 66drivein.com

Holbrook, AZ

Wigwam Hotels:

If you are looking for a unique place to lay your head then the Wigwam Village #6 in Holbrook, Arizona is the place for you.  Renovated and reopened in 1988 this Wigwam Village stays true to the original designs by Frank A. Redford with fifteen concrete and steel tepees arranged in a square with one edge missing where the main office is located.  Family ran, and operated, and recently listed in the National Register of Historical Places, this unique slice of throw back is a must see little venture.

Arizona

Petrified Forest National Park:

A U.S. National Park along Interstate 40 between Holbrook and Navajo, Arizona features on of the world’s largest, and most gorgeous, variety of petrified wood. Consisting of two large areas connected by a North and South corridor the upper part is home to the multicolored badlands of the Painted Desert while the Southern portion includes colorful terrain and several concentrations of petrified wood.  Be sure to check out Puerco Pueblo – an Indian ruin originally a collection of 76 rooms and a kiva – which is toured by a 0.3 mile loop trail.

Rogers County, Oklahoma

Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park:

Eleven objects and one building on 14 acres; this park claims to be home to the “Worlds Largest Concrete Totem Pole” – created by Ed Galloway in 1948.  The totem pole took six tons of steel, 28 tons of cement and 100 tons of sand and rock.  Also home to the “Fiddle House” Museum and Gift Shop- an eleven sided structure supported inside and out by 25 concrete totem poles.

These hot new vacations are not just in America, they are also being offered at Romania’s Bran Castle – a.k.a. Dracula’s Castle. This destination is reserved for the true vampire fan since guests will explore, and learn all about this castle in Transylvania that was home to Vlad the Impaler, the true inspiration for Dracula. Most tours include historical sites like Sighisoara (birthplace of Dracula), and Dracula’s Tomb, supposedly on Snagov Island and only accessible by boat. This tour also hosts a vampire-themed costume party at the Count Dracula Club in Bucharest. One of the best times, and also the most crowded, is around Halloween since the holiday inspires people to see the origins of Dracula for themselves.

A city hosting vampire vacations that is less-known is San Francisco. Kitty Burns, Vampire Tour of San Francisco creator, leads a tour around Knob Hill and beyond. Burns says, “The tour is not dark and gothic, it is even funny, but the places we visit are seriously haunted.” Burns also believes vampires have remained popular throughout the years because “they are not only scary, but also romantic and classic.”

New Orleans Vampire Club Open Midnight - 6A.M.

New Orleans is home to Vampire Tours catering to the Anne Rice’s “Vampire Chronicles.” Sidney Smith created the Haunted History Tours that takes people to real, and fictional, vampire sites through the Big Easy. One of the most popular places on this tour is a house in the French Quarter where two brothers were murdered and drained of their blood in the 1930’s. (Does Anne Rice’s Interview With A Vampire ring any bells?) It has been documented that the ghosts of the boys have been spotted more than 30 times.

Last, but not least, is every Twihard’s fantasy. Forks, Washington is giving tours including stops at Charlie and Bella Swan’s house. Even though the house in the movie is a prop, residents of Forks have offered up their private residence since it shares almost identical features to the house in the book series. The tour is also said to stop at the hospital (with a parking spot reserved for Dr. Cullen), Jacob’s home of Quileute, and La Push (not just where Bella cliff dives, but well worth the drive for the breathtaking views). And if this tour is not enough to feed your craving, you can go aboard the TwiCruise. You can embark on a week long cruise to Alaska along with cast members that will have autograph sessions, movie viewings, trivia contests, vendors and a costume ball! Book your Vampire Tour now!

Children in Haiti

Voluntourism is a new vacationing trend that has been up-and-coming for the past fifteen years, but has really started to to take off this past year with Haiti relief efforts. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line is offering a “voluncruise” called Cruise4Haiti on November 14, 2010 on the Liberty of the Seas ship out of Miami. The cruise line is offering fares as low as $634 per person, including taxes and fees, and $75 of your fare will be donated to non-profit organizations: Airline Ambassadors, For Haiti With Love and Together For Good to help fund the journey and supplies being donated. While on the cruise you’ll meet with the non-profit organizers and then be part of delivering pallets of food, medical supplies and monetary aid to those in desperate need of assistance. This Cruise4Haiti is ideal for anyone who wants to be part of continuing relief efforts. Even if you’ve never cruised before, or if you’re a veteran cruiser, this is a great vacation that will allow you take a wonderful vacation because you’ll be having fun while making a difference in people’s lives.

Elevate Destinations Build Site

If you’re looking for a more hands-on approach to helping then check out Elevate Destinations. They are offering vacations for volunteers to come rebuild an orphanage in Port-au-Prince and a school just outside the seaport of Jacmel. This work is physically, and in most cases, emotionally demanding, but at the same time rewarding. They are offering two week-long trips – August 15-23 and November 21-29 -  to help rebuild St. Joseph’s Home For Boysthat takes in abandoned and disabled boys, but was demolished in the earthquake. You’ll work alongside architects, builders and Haitian workers to rebuild the orphanage. These trips are not all work though, you’ll get to play with the children, meet the locals and travel to popular tourist destinations outside the city. This voluntourism vacation is relatively cheap, too. For $500 (not including airfare) you can have a rustic stay at the work site, or for $1500 per person you can stay in an air-conditioned hotel – and the price includes food. Groups are limited to about 20 and day-by-day itineraries are available here. So count your blessings and give back on your next vacation.

- Ron Burgundy

America’s favorite anchorman got it right (aside from San Diego being discovered by the Germans in 1904) – San Diego is a beautiful city full of lush beaches, a vibrant city scape and world-class attractions.  A city that offers such a veritable cornucopia of destination driven excitement, adventure, class and so forth begs quite the quandary: “Where do I stay?” In order to best answer this philosophical inquiry of wanderlust the traveler must first look inward and ask themselves a tough question – “What do I want to do?”  San Diego offers such a wide spectrum of possibilities that it helps to have a solid grasp on the type of travel it is that you’ll be doing.

If your traveling with the little ones you may want to consider a hotel or resort closer to some of the more popular attractions like the San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park, Sea World or LEGO Land.  To get the most bang for your buck find a beach resort nearby.  That way you get instant access to those relaxing beach days while being just a hop, skip and a jump from other major attractions.

If you are looking for more of the city vibe and being near the nightlife hot spots then you will want to stay in the Gaslamp Quarter.  Here is where you will find some of the top restaurants, bars and nightclubs to satisfy your classy, or possibly more debaucherous side.  There are many great hotels in this area but one you must check out is the new Marriott in Gaslamp Quarter.  With 2 lounges, the Soleil @K restaurant, rated one of the top 3 restaurants in San Diego, has gorgeous views of the harbor and unbeatable access to downtown San Diego. This hotel is a hip change of pace for a Marriott.

Camp Creek Golf Club– Tom Fazio designed this spectacular course – it’s located just east of Destin in Seagrove Beach. There are some great hotels there as well. Camp Creek is billed as a “water and sand experience” – those who haven’t played there will be alarmed by this, but there really isn’t much to worry about, the golfing isn’t really that hard. The course, which opened in 2001, has been ranked in the top 10 public golf courses in Florida by Golfweek magazine. This course is a par-72 and truly is a place you should go if you love to golf.

Regatta Bay– Regatta Bay is regarded as one of the best courses in the region. The course was designed by Robert Walker and is one of Okaloosa County’s original “upscale” courses. Walker wanted this course to be “unique, challenging and dramatic” for the guests. So you can expect that no two holes will be the same at this resort. Do look out for bunkers here though! The natural water hazards also offer a unique challenge for golfer’s of all skill levels. Of the 18 holes at this course 9 of them are affected by the wetlands, especially off the tee. Water comes in to play on the other 9 holes along with  free-form bunkers and fingers to ensure an interesting game. This course is not for the faint of heart though, you’ll need to be able to drive the ball accurately and play conservatively. This upscale course can be a little pricey, but this unique lush course will make for a memorable experience which, in our opinion, can be well worth the price.  

Kelly Plantation– A little farther down Highway 98 is Kelly Plantation, another fine course. It has been classified as a 4 ½ star course by Golf Digest. This course is a little more navigable for the average golf and is also at the forefront of the catering movement . Kelly Plantation strives to deliver the highest level of attention to their patrons, often times striving to exceed those expectations, all while paving th future for the sports future experience. This course is a must-play if you want to be catered to. Another benefit to the exceptional attention is that this course does not just aim appease you personally, their course will appease your golf skills as well.

Shalimar Pointe– This is one of the (relatively) older courses in the area and is located on the western shore of Choctawhatchee Bay. Shalimar Pointe was redesigned by Joe Finger and Ken Dye in 1986 and still looks very modern. This course was also given 3.5 stars by Golf Digest for its challenging, but fair layout. This course offers five sets of tees so anyone, at any level, can enjoy a day of golf here. They are even offering lower prices to be competitive in today’s economy.

Sandestine Resort– The Sandestine Resort is 2,400 acres in all and is situated in between the Gulf and the Choctawhatchee Bay. This behemoth has four 18-hole courses and rivals any, and all, courses in the South. This resort has won over 30 awards from reputable golf organizations and publications for its four championship courses that have the prefect blend of challenge and fun equated in them.

Burnt Pine  and The Raven – These two courses were designed by brothers Rees and Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Both courses rank among the highest in the Panhandle region. Burnt Pine is better known for its scenic nature while The Raven offers a wider array of heroic shots and has large format bunkers.

Where to stay: look for hotel rooms, vacation rentals, and other property types at www.hotelreservations.com

Where to eat:There are more than 400 restaurants in the Greater Destin Area, so you can pick and choose as you like. Most restaurants have between 10 and 50 tables and specialize in local food. Noted eateries include the Back Porch and The Crab Traps (there are two of them). For a more unique dining experience, consider The Red Bar, a cultural landmark.

Hogwarts Castle Entrance

What’s not to love about theme parks? Crazy roller coasters, great food, bountiful amounts of collectibles and souvenirs and the ambiance of the well manicured shrubbery for your viewing pleasure. Despite the sometimes hefty price of admission, long lines and screaming children running around they’re still enjoyable. On June 18, 2010 Universal Studios in Orlando will unveil their newest theme park, Harry Potter Land. You can expect all the Harry Potter junkies to be there in groves, but this park is truly a work of art that needs to be seen.

Hogsmeade Village

Universal said that the park will not be based on any one book or film, but will be a collective of the entire Potter world. Just like Disneyland, there will be the Hogwarts Castle towering high in the sky as you enter the park. You’ll walk down familiar hallways to see Dumbeldore’s office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts, the Room of Requirement and more.  The park will also have Hogsmeade Village, a snow-covered village that will be home to the Hogsmeade Express train that will transport you all across the park. 

One of the rides you must experience is the Dragon Challenge. You’ll get to choose your “dragon,” either a aggressive Hungarian Horntail or a ferocious Chinese Fireball. These dragons will twist, turn and almost collide in this intertwined roller coaster. Do be sure to ride both “dragons” though, because each is its own unique experience.   The Flight of the Hippogriff is another must-ride attraction. You’ll learn how to approach a Hippogriff and then confront one later in the ride as you spiral and dive through the pumpkin patch and swooping past Hagrid’s hut. There will be rides to satisfy the thrill-seekers as well as the non-roller coaster enthusiasts.

Ollivanders Wand Shop

Besides the rides, this park is going to boast some unique shopping. If you’re a Harry Potter fan then expect to spend tons of money on souvenirs in Filcher’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods. This shop has the usual t-shirts, sweaters, hats and bags, but it also has authentic movie prop replicas including character walking sticks, Death Eater masks and film-based chess sets. If you prefer edible souvenirs then make sure to stop at HoneyDukes for homemade sweets. You can get your hands on Acid pops, Exploding Bonbons, Fizzing Whizzbees and Chocolate Frogs, which have a unique wizard trading card in each box. Another interesting shop is Ollivanders, “Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 B.C.” This small dusty shop has countless wand boxes lining each wall and stacked high to the ceiling. This is an interactive experience as a “Wandkeeper can help a wand choose you.” You can purchase the wand that “chooses you,” or you can select from an array of other wands, as well as collectible sets.

Three Broomsticks Tavern

Another theme park staple – food. You’ll have plenty of different options for dining, but each eatery will have its own unique theme. If you visit Three Broomsticks you’ll experience a dusty tavern serving Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice as well as regular tavern staples like fish and chips, chicken fingers and Shepard’s pie. This pub also has an adults-only selection of imported and domestic beers, specialty drinks and wine.

Wondering where to stay when you visit the park? Some hotels are offering 4-Night Vacations starting from only $285* per adult. This promotion offers early park admission, breakfast at the Three Broomsticks (for one person), commemorative ticket (for one person), hotel accomodations, 3-day base ticket to both Universal Orlando theme parks (one theme park, per day) and access to live entertainment at Universal City Walk. The Quality Inn International is offering this promotion, or if you want to skip the promotion you can still find great nightly rates here. Run, don’t walk, to this amazing new theme park.