Island hop by ferry or rove on-island on a rented bike or scooter. One of the world’s longest coral reefs, 230 miles of white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and a bounty of dive spots lure visitors to the Turks and Caicos’ eight major islands, just east of the Bahamas. Bird sanctuary French Cay, underwater Columbus Landfall National Park and Caicos Conch Farm are among the major attractions of these legendarily friendly isles.

Turks and Caicos are a series of small islands in the Caribbean so any neighborhood affiliation would be primarily be by island. Grand Turk and Salt Clay make up the Turks portion, with Grand Turk being the capital island and Cockburn being the central town. This is the administrative and historical hub of the islands, with various museums and old buildings as attractions. It is also reputed to be the island on which Christopher Columbus set foot in 1492.

Providenciales known as Provo, is the most developed island for tourism, with the largest airport of all the islands, many hotels, golf club, and grocery stores. There are also large foreign minorities of Haitians, Dominicans, French, Canadians, Germans and Americans here.  The 12-mile beach at Grace Bay has been praised by Conde Nast and Island magazines, among others, for its exceptional beauty. North Caicos is the island with the most lush vegetation, and was formerly a plantation island. Today, it is home to large flocks of pink flamingos. Middle Caicos is the largest island, with limestone cliffs to the north and swampland to the south. There are also a few plantation ruins to be found here, as well as various wildlife. South Caicos is the fishing capital of the islands and home to the Commissioner’s House, where Queen Elizabeth stayed when she visited the islands in 1966.

East and West Caicos, the last two islands, are uninhabited. So come explore some of the freshest parts on the Caribbean! Enjoy and Relax!

After booking a night at a luxurious hotel in Athens, Greece, board your cruise ship, get settled in and start your relaxation!

Taking a cruise is the most luxurious and comfortable way to spend your holidays. You get on board, unpack your suitcases and act as if you are living in a luxurious hotel. Cabins are obviously smaller in size, but the other entire facilities make up for this inconvenience of space.

Many Greek cruises are organized at regular dates and include some Greek islands (it isn’t possible to include all of them, as Greece has 69 inhabited islands), usually the most popular ones and also some other Mediterranean destinations, such as Venice, Istanbul and the Turkish shores. Apart from the great Mediterranean cruises that make the tour of the Mediterranean Sea and include almost all Mediterranean countries in their schedule, there are also others cruises around Greece and the Greek Seas. These cruises are of shorter duration and depart from a Greek port or island.

Serbia

For many people, the very word ‘Serbia’ has taken on a pretty negative sound, one that evokes memories of wars and troubles dating back to the painful break-up of Yugoslavia in the early nineties. Things are far better there now though. The nation has opened up a fair bit to the EU and the wider world around them. This is probably the perfect time to visit – get in before everyone else does. Many have family trees that link back to here and we can’t help but wonder what adventures a quest to rediscover long lost family would lead us to.

Mexico City, Mexico

Americans often tend to regard Mexico with more than a bit of suspicion. The motives are no doubt colored by violent movies and exclusive negative news flow; however, Mexico City is not a place to be missed. No matter what method you use to count, it is one of the biggest cities on earth, populated by more than 20 million people. We would love to explore what the mega city has to offer in terms of culture, food, and sights.

Romania

Allow me to casually drop one name on you: Transylvania. If you’re anything like us, that ought to evoke images of fortified castles sitting among dark and foreboding mountains; backwards villages where garlic-and-pitchfork toting locals are going about their days, always with one eye on the local lord and his late-night habits. Located in the Carpathian mountain range, this province was recently described to me as “what the Alps were like 100 years ago.” Apart from Transylvania, Romania also has a ton of interesting culture and sights, and it’s generally a lot cheaper than the rest of Europe. Spring in Bucharest, anyone?

Mustang, Nepal

Mustang is so rich in culture that it is often thought of at being more Tibet than Tibet itself. The thought of clearing that Kagbeni checkpoint and venturing into the kingdom itself is one we cannot get out of our head. Extreme remoteness combined with fees and the legal obligation to bring a liaison office along keeps most tourists at bay. And if Mustang seems to be too exploited there’s also the similarly alluring Doplo regions to explore to the west. You’ll be surrounded by 8000m peaks, all-world scenery and Dal Bhat Tarkari makes this a personal favorite.

The Aral Sea, Uzbekistan

A visit to this ecological disaster zone will definitely have to be filed under “adventure travel” rather than sunbathing or relaxing. The lake is located in Qaraqalpakistan, a remote region of Uzbekistan. Once you reach the towns around the lake shore, there are still 8 hours of dried up sea bed to traverse before you’re actually at the lake.

Pohutu Geyser Eruption

Rotorua is located in the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, and the tourism industry is at the heart of the “Second Lake” district. In 2010 Rotorua’s estimated population was 68,600 people, but 3.2 million people visited the region, showing in pure numbers that it is a very popular destination. So why do people flock to this district?

Hot Springs. Rotorua is known for its geothermal activity, and features geysers – notably the Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa (which spurts up to twenty times per day and can reach heights of up to 30 meters) – and hot mud pools. The city has earned the nickname Sulphur City, because of the hydrogen sulphide emissions, which gives the city a “rotten eggs” smell, but residents say that the smell is just one drawback to a city full of amazing sights and culture.

Champaign Pool

Wai-O-Tapu

Another main attraction at Wai-O-Tapu is the Lady Knox Geyser, which can be seen erupting daily at 10:15am. Eruptions produce a jet of water reaching up to 20m and can last for over an hour.

There are many more geothermal areas worth visiting than can be listed here, but be assured that there is something for everyone including private spas, waterfalls, warm footbaths, and tranquil gardens.

Pro Tip: residents of Rotorua are used to the sulfur smell and will tell you it doesn’t bother them, but for visitors it can be overwhelming at first. The best solution is to bring along some Vick’s Vapor Rub and smear a bit under your nose when arriving at the hot springs. You’ll be inhaling a cool, menthol-esque vapor instead of rotten eggs, and your nose will thank you for it.

Zorbing is a popular thrill-seekers activity for New Zealanders

Despite all the spas and relaxation pools you can find in Rotorua, the city is also a desirable destination for thrill seekers. You can find everything from skydiving and luging to zorbing and one of New Zealand’s best mountain bike circuits.

With such a successful tourism industry there is no shortage of places to stay while visiting Rotorua. Here are a few of the more popular (and extremely affordable) locations to rest your head after an adventurous day.

SilverOaks Hotel Geyserland

Sudima Hotel Lake Rotorua

Distinction Rotorua Hotel and Conference Centre

Have you been to Rotorua? Tell us about your stay and the highlights of your trip!

Unfinished Oktoberfest Beer Tent in Munich, Germany

Oktoberfest – from the humble beginnings of a Bavarian royal wedding has become the world’s largest fair. For 16-18 days each Fall, Munich, Germany is transformed into a boisterous city of beer “tents” (think temporary structures) big and small. Each tent serves only certified Oktoberfest Beers, which must be brewed within the city limits of Munich, and delicious Bavarian food. For the beer connoisseur in you this place is heaven, even the tents names are beautifully Bavarian!

The Café Kaiserschmarrn is the Oktoberfest-paradise for pastry-lovers, while the Münchner Knödelei serves an icon of Bavarian cuisine: the dumpling.

Another traditional meal you’ll find a lot of while strolling from tent to tent is roasted duck and chicken, Heimer’s is popular with the locals and we strongly suggest trying it.

Be sure to stay informed by stopping by the Schottenhamel tent, as all official Oktoberfest events are kicked off here.

From the midnight tapping of the first keg by the mayor of Munich until the traditional closing ceremonies Oktoberfest is a world-class party, so it naturally attracts some of the worlds most recognizable people. Everyone who is anyone is likely to be there, from sports stars to actors and actresses,

producers, models, and you can even expect to see a few modern members of Europe’s royalty.

Munich mayor taps the first keg of Oktoberfest

Long before the American release of Beerfest in 2006 Oktoberfest tents have been popping up across the United States. Many of the nations best festivals form in cities big and small.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Columbus, Ohio
Dever, Colorado
And several in California – San Fransisco, Bear Lake, Los Angeles

Whichever Oktoberfest you decide to attend you are sure you have a wonderful time. The atmosphere is welcoming and electric with everyone having a good time, but of course when large crowds and approximately 7,100,000 liters of beer are served there is bound to be a few dust-ups. We would like to remind you that these disagreements can often be defused before they get rowdy with a little bit of common courtesy (you’ll be amazed how fair saying, “I’m sorry, can I buy you a new stein?” will go). Besides, everyone is there for one reason – to have the time of their lives!

The State Fair of Texas is the largest state fair in the country by attendance – estimates consistently put the number above 3 million annually. Fair Park, Dallas (where the fair is held) is itself home to nine museums, six performance facilities (including the Cotton Bowl), a lagoon, and the largest Ferris wheel in North America.

Although the fair has been held at the historic Fair Park since 1886, in 1952 the official mascot was introduced. Meet Big Tex, a 52 ft tall cowboy who wears size 70 boots, a 75 gallon hat, and 284W/185L XXXXXL pair of Dickies! Expect Big Tex to greet you with a warm, “Howdy, folks!” when you enter, and he even speaks the fair’s announcements.

State Fair of Texas Sept. 30 – Oct. 23, 2011. Fair Park, Dallas, TX www.bigtex.com

The list of attractions at the fair is far to long to itemize here, but you can be sure to find all of your fair favorites you’ve come to expect from Texas. The park grounds are populated by mechanical bull rides, livestock exhibits, performances from local musicians, and a plethora of food venders plus much, much more. This year’s featured deep fried item: bubblegum! Make sure to check the calendar of events before heading over so you can make the most of your trip.

State Fair of Texas Daily Calendar

(click for full size)

There is ample parking if you and your family decide to drive, but we suggest taking public transportation. Here’s the information you’ll need, via Dallas Area Rapid Transit:

Passengers riding DART Rail and the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) to downtown Dallas can transfer easily to the Green Line:

• Southbound Red and Blue Line passengers transfer to the Green Line at Pearl or St. Paul stations.
• Northbound Red and Blue Line passengers transfer to the Green Line at Akard Station.
• TRE passengers transfer to the Green Line at Victory Station.
  Departure times of the last TRE train to Fort Worth: Monday-Friday: 9:20 p.m. from Union Station and 9:24 p.m. from Victory Station. Saturdays and Sundays: 11:07 p.m. from Union Station and 11:12 p.m. from Victory Station.
• When you are ready to leave the fair, get back on the train or bus wherever you got off. Just put your trip in reverse and have a safe ride home.

Today Toronto is admired for its combination of natural and man-made beauty. Here we will explore both types of attractions this dazzling city has to offer.

The Hockey Hall of Fame

Dedicated to the sport of hockey the downtown Toronto shine serves both as a museum as well as a hall of fame building. It has 15 exhibit areas covering 57,000 square feet where visitors can view trophies, memorabilia and equipment worn by their favorite players. The NHL Legends area features rotating exhibits focusing on honored members of hockey’s greatest. The interactive exhibits alone provide more than enough reason to pay a visit to this unique Hall of Fame.  Ever want to take shot on one of hockey’s greatest goalies? In the NHLPA Be A Player Zone you get your chance as guests square off against a computer simulated version of goalie great Ed Belfour with a real puck.  Awesome? Most definitely.

Island Park

Home to four main islands and containing trails, beaches and children’s amusement rides – Island Park is one of the best places to spend your day in Toronto. For the kids there is the Franklins Children’s Garden (What’s that, your kids aren’t into gardens? Don’t worry, there is plenty of space for them to run around and safe equipment to play on). The rest of the park features beautiful bike paths, paddleboat rentals, illuminated tennis courts, softball diamonds, volleyball courts and much, much more.

Culture

A major part of Toronto’s identity is in the theater and performing arts scene. With more than fifty ballet and dance companies, six opera companies, two symphony orchestras and a host of theaters, Toronto is one of the World’s premier cities for the arts. Don’t leave without visiting the beautifully maintained and equally historic Royal Alexandra Theater.   Built in 1907 the Royal Alexandra is it the oldest continuously operating theater in North America.

Located just 47 miles outside of the busy San Francisco, you’ll find luscious fields of trees, grapes growing on the vine and overall pure bliss in the city of Napa Valley. With a view nothing short of spectacular, to start the weekend off right stop by Caviar and Sparkling Wine Tasting at Domaine Carneros for a sampling of different Sparkling Wines. The views will leave you breathless and the wine will leave you wanting to stay all day. For $20 a person you receive a “Sparkling Sampler” with 3 different types of sparkling wine to sample. Also, the sparkling wine “Dream” is one of the best on the coast, it sells for $100.00 a bottle, but you cannot leave without trying it.

When feeling a little hungry head over to Rutherford Grill (menu); however, be prepared to wait at least 40 minutes. Whether you arrive at 11:00 A.M. when they open or 9:00 P.M. when you think you’ve beet the crowd, there is always a wait. Coming from an impatient person, the wait is well worth it. Although, the good thing about Rutherford Grill is that while waiting you can head over to the amazing winery next door: Beaulieu Vineyard.

Beaulieu Vineyard is filled with amazing people and even better wines. Upon walking in you’re greeted with a complimentary glass of wine and immediately feel at ease and ready to try what the winery has to offer. Whether you’re looking to live lavishly and have your own private room for tasting, our traveling in a group, or just looking for an affordable tasting, Beaulieu Vineyard has it all.

After having your wine tasting at Beaulieu Vineyard head on back to Rutherford Grill to see if your table is ready. If you’re feeling a little hungry before the meal start off with the Rosemary Ciabatta and Olive Plate to hold you over until the entrees arrive. Their Hacked Chicken Salad combines fresh flavors that combine to make an exquisite salad, or if you’re more of a carnivore lover the Rutherford Rib-Eye leaves your mouth watering the whole evening. Leaving here without trying dessert would be silly. Whether you opt for true Key lime pie that’s yellow and not green like the one you pick up from the supermarket, or the ice cream Oreo cookie sandwich served in a pool of chocolate syrup, dessert is an absolute must.

So what do you say you ditch the boring weekend plans and escape to Napa Valley, California? There is no other place where the wine flows like water!

Ever feel like dancing for hours on end while pressing up against thousands of fellow sweaty, smiling revelers?  Perhaps you picture flashing green and purple lasers overhead, or fog machines blotting out the stars above?  Is the music playing a combination of sidechains and 808s, evolving pads and LFO wobbles?  If your ears just perked up, then look into Electric Daisy Carnival, an electronic music festival series with dates across America.

What?:

Electric Daisy Carnival is a family of annual electronic music festivals that take place in multiple locations across the United States and Puerto Rico.  The most prominent of the 2011 fests takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a venue with a capacity over 140,000.  Since 1997, Insomniac Events, a Los Angeles based promoter, has held an EDC at a variety of southern California venues, including the Shrine Auditorium and the Los Angeles Coliseum, and 2011 is the first year that Vegas will play host.  The festival features DJs and live bands playing cutting edge electronic music of all genres, and always attracts the top international talent.

Who?

Past headliners include trance luminaries Above & Beyond, Ferry Corsten and Armin van Buuren and prominent acts from other genres, such as Pendulum (Drum and Bass), Benny Benassi (House), David Guetta (House) and Infected Mushroom (Psytrance).  This year, the festival will be headlined by the king of trance, DJ Tiesto, along with Euro-house super group Swedish House Mafia, minimal mastermind Plastikman, dance-hall party boys Major Lazer and electro-indie rockers Empire of the Sun.  They are joined by a host of additional acts performing on six stages over three days.  For those not well versed in the whose-who of electronic music, I must remark that this list is truly impressive.  Van Buuren and Tiesto have held the title of #1 DJ in the world (bestowed by DJ Magazine, the accepted authority on the matter) a combined eight times and are major draws individually.  Plastikman is an alter-ego of famed minimal pioneer Ritchie Hawtin, and all of his rare performances include a cutting edge visual display.  I could go into detail about all of the groups and individuals performing this year, but instead I suggest heading to your favorite music source to check them out for yourself.  My fav? Pendulum, who combine heavy D&B beats with soaring vocals and metal guitar riffs.

Why?:

Electric Daisy Carnival began as a fairly niche event, catering to a small selection of American electronic music fans.  However, as electronic music’s popularity has exploded in the US, EDC and other large-scale rave events have become major destinations for enthusiasts the world over.  Fans pack shoulder to shoulder (and often closer) to dance the night away and take in fantastic light and laser shows accompanying the throbbing basses and ripping snares.  Contrary to popular media images, ravers come from all backgrounds and are a very diverse group, sharing love of music and the principle of PLUR (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect).  While it is true that many attendees use illegal substances to augment their experiences, the vast majority come to enjoy the show safely and responsibly.

How?:

The 2011 festival takes place from June 24^th-26^th at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with music running from 8pm to 6am.  Tickets for all three days can be purchased here and hotel reservations can be booked here.  The event is expected to sell out, so it is advisable to purchase tickets ASAP!

Follow our advice and you’ll be a ninja through the airport.

Before You Check In
You can start before you even get to the airport. Take a moment out of the days prior to your departure to check in online (if your airline offers such a service). Then print your boarding pass form home. Do this early because the sooner you check in and print, the earlier you’ll end up on the plane.

Arrive at the airport early. Reduce stress by having ample time to deal any issues that may arise, such as overweight baggage or security lines. You’ll also have time to explore the airport, which is a lot cooler than it sounds because many  have awesome museums and other hidden treasures.

If you’re going on a weekend getaway and planning on checking a bag, perhaps you should reconsider the amount of clothes you really need. By only bringing a carry-on, you can cut baggage fees and a lot of time at the check-in desk and baggage carousel.

Book an early flight if you can. Early flights have the best chances of leaving on time with no delays. This is because there are less flights ahead of them to cause problems, which can be especially useful in cases of bad weather.

At the Airport
Be ready for the security check-point. Do this by following all of the required TSA Security Guidelines.

Look for other professional travelers, and get behind them in line. They might be a businesswoman, or a composed man with no bags, jacket, jewelry, or shoes with strings. Avoid at all costs the family way too excited to start their tropical getaway or the two ladies who have been best friends for 60 years. It’s cruel, but they will only slow you down.

Use your early boarding status to secure your overhead bin real-estate.

Keep a positive attitude. You are participating in the miracle of flight, enjoy yourself! Agents will be more helpful if you are nice to them, and it is only polite to do so.

240 Rule
If you believe the delay is due to something other than weather or air traffic problems, mention your suspicion and ask the airline agent to book you on the next available flight, either on the same airline or a competing one. This is called “Rule 240″, and all airlines are required to conform to it. Use the lingo; ask, “Can you 240 me?”. They will know what you mean.

Extra Tip
If you’re booking from Europe, consider using a European carrier, as they are required by law to pay for expenses passengers incur due to canceled flights.