Travel Blog

Cleveland is a city that’s been the butt of jokes for decades, but the reality is that Cleveland is a thriving city with a population that makes up the 33rd largest city in the United States and contains some unique attractions including the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

Cleveland, which sits on Lake Erie, is a city that had problems in the past. Their population is almost half of what it was back in 1950′s due to economic factors. But by diversifying from manufacturing to services, the city has shown a bit of a reverse.

Discount Hotels in Cleveland Book Between February 1, 2010 and February 31, 2010 for Only $60 per Night!

Cleveland is a city with a lot of sports teams that haven’t had much success over the years. The last championship in Cleveland, with the football team the Browns, was in 1964. Still, it’s a city that has a major sports team in three sports, which includes the Cleveland Indians in baseball and the Cleveland Cavaliers in basketball. The opportunity to see Lebron James in his prime is enough to come to town for a Cleveland Cavaliers game.

But Cleveland has a lot of things offer. For instance, we’ve already mentioned the rock ‘n roll Hall of Fame and Museum. It’s located downtown Cleveland on the shores of Lake Erie, and every year has one of the best induction ceremonies in the country. There’s also The Playhouse Square Center, which is the second-largest performing arts center in the country.

The Cleveland Museum of Art has more than 40,000 works and covers art throughout history as well as art from the Cleveland area. It’s located in the area known as University Circle, which also includes places such as the Cleveland Botanical Garden and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. There’s also the Great Lakes Science Center, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the African American Museum, and International Women’s Air and Space Museum. There’s even a large sculptured stamp with the word “free” on it that sits in Willard Park, which is near City Hall.

A lot of things do in Cleveland, and if you include both ferry tours and trolley tours, you can book a very nice visit to Cleveland and have enough to do to keep you entertained for week or two.

See more:
Anthony Bourdain’s Guide to Cleveland
Cleveland Magazine – Your Guide to Cleveland
Cleveland Museum of Natural History

A lot of people enjoy ski vacations. Not everybody who has ever thought about a ski vacation has been skiing, so those people might not have a real sense of what this type of vacation will entail or what they need to know before they embark on such a journey. Here are four things for those people who might not have any idea of what to expect or what to hope for on their next skiing vacation.

1. It’s going to be cold. For snow to be in existence, the temperatures have to be below freezing. In the United States that means 32°F, everywhere else that mean 0°C. At temperatures below these levels, if you’re not used to it, it’s easy to get frostbitten, or at least very cold very quickly. They need to make sure that you bring outerwear to protect yourself, because there are some things you can buy at ski lodges and some things you can’t buy a ski lodge, but you can guarantee that most things you do purchase will cost you more money than if you get them somewhere else. Since its skiing, this means heavy winter gloves, parkas, and skiing outfits to help fight off the effects that the air will have on your skin while you’re moving. You might even want to think about some kind of mask to cover your face if you’ve never been exposed to these kinds of temperatures before.

2. Not all ski lodges are warm. Everybody had this image of ski lodges with warm fires, maybe a bear’s head hangs over the fireplace, a place with lots of hot coffee or hot cocoa, and tales of people and their most positive skiing experiences. While the majority of quality slopes are like this, it’s just not this way everywhere you go. You need to call ahead and ask every skiing destination exactly what comprises their ski lodge so that you’ll know if you need to make reservations at a hotel instead.

3. Skiing lifts don’t stop. This is probably the first shocking thing someone new to skiing will notice. Ski lifts are always moving, so when you’re on the bottom they will scoop you up, which means you have to make sure you’re in the right position. Sometimes there will be someone to help you, but not always. At the same time, when you get to the top it’s not going to stop to let you get off all that easily, so you have to be ready to jump off at the appropriate time. That can be a little scary and unnerving as well, which is why it’s something you need to know before you go skiing for the first time. Of course, there are many places that won’t start you at a level where you have to get on a ski lift if it’s your first time skiing, but there many people who think skiing looks easy and won’t work their way up.

4. Ski lift are sometimes really high over the snow. You will think about this all that much until the first time you’re in a ski lift, but you could literally be 100 feet or more above the slope on the ski lift. And since most ski lifts do not have seatbelts or arm bars for you to hold onto, this means you’re pretty much dangling over a very high drop only holding on to the cable that’s holding the chair on the list. If you’re afraid of heights you’re going to have to get over that really quick, or make sure not to look down. Of course, that will make it a little difficult when you get to the top and have to jump off the ski lift. Hopefully, you had a skiing location where there’s someone at the top will help you get off, but that’s not always the case.

See more:
Discount Ski Vacations
Ski Resorts in Canada
The 10 Best Ski Resorts for People Who Don’t Ski

Photo Credit: www.destination360.com

If you’re looking for something different in a cruise, taking an Alaskan Cruise might be just the thing you looking for. True, it’s not a warm tropical cruise, but that’s probably the only difference between an Alaskan cruise and a cruise to, or from, somewhere else.

One of the more interesting things about an Alaskan cruise is that you will probably always see land or ice of some sort. It brings a lot of comfort to those people who might panic being out in the middle of an ocean and not seeing land anywhere. And being able to get close enough to see glaciers either in the waters are bordering the waters that are clear and pristine, possibly see herds of humpback whales, and, if you pick the right time of the year, being able to be on your cruise and enjoy nearly 24 hours of sunlight is something you just can’t get anywhere else.

Alaskan cruises also make stops in different ports and areas within Alaska. For instance, one of the stops that you can make is in Juneau, where you can get out and see some of the rain forests that most people didn’t even know existed in Alaska. There’s a railway tour of certain areas of Alaska also that one can book as part of their cruise. And something some cruises offer at the right time of the year is an opportunity for people to actually see parts of the Iditarod dog races.

This isn’t a Caribbean cruise however, so even though at times a year you could possibly get enough sun to get a suntan, most of the time you’re probably going to be judging to stay a little bit warmer than the norm. Sweaters are something you will take on your cruise along with long sleeve shirts. You definitely going to want to make sure you bring a coat, and possibly a parka. But, like other cruises, there’s nothing saying you have to leave the ship. If that’s your choice, then you can enjoy the same types of things that you will on Caribbean cruise, such as lots of food and entertainment, gambling, and even some swimming. Many of the Alaskan cruise ships have multiple pools and even set up things such as wall climbing.

So if you’re looking for something that’s a little bit different and still keep you within the United States, a cruise to Alaska just might be what you looking for. They’re very popular, so you might have to book way in advance because there aren’t as many options as there would be if you are taking a Caribbean cruise.

Photo Credit: www.nscjets.com

Bangkok is the capital and largest city in Thailand. It’s a prime vacation spot these days for travelers looking to not only partake in a lot of Asian history, but a fun spot for a great nightlife experience. It’s also a prime cultural center for fashion and entertainment, and with a population of more than 6 million people, you know there’s always something to do.

Bangkok feels like a city of water. It sits on the banks of the Chao Phraya River but actually has canals that go through the city. This means they have plenty of water taxis, boating, and boat tours that you can take to destinations both new and old. Dinner cruises are quite popular because the city is beautiful when it’s lit up at night. And, because temperatures are relatively warm all year round, rarely dropping below 50F, you can enjoy the waterways any time of the year.

No trip to Bangkok is complete without a quick tour of the old River Kwai railway system that was made famous by the movie Bridge on the River Kwai. Though most of it has been destroyed there is still 80 miles of track that are in use on a daily basis, and a tour of the area will show you some remaining artifacts from World War II.

Bangkok also has a long history of religion, which means you must visit the Grand Palace and Temple of Wat Phra Kaew, or the Emerald Buddha. This was where most Thai kings lived and prayed, and there are a lot of gold pagodas and sculptures throughout the palace. Next door is the Temple of Wat Pho, or the Reclining Buddha. It’s still regarded as a special religious icon, which means they have a dress code to go inside.

Shopping, restaurants, nightclubs, parties; Bangkok can turn things around quickly and become the place to be to find fun and relaxation. If you want golf, there are many golf courses in the area. If you want spas, Bangkok has plenty of them. If you want to participate in a vibrant nightlife Bangkok has 6 different areas where you can find what you’re looking for. There are shows of all types as well, and Bangkok is gay friendly, which means no one will be hassled for any lifestyle they choose to have.

Discount Hotels in Bangkok Book Between February 1, 2010 and February 31, 2010 for Only $32 per Night!

And if you’re looking for a luxurious place to stay, there’s the Lebua at State Tower, and 5-star hotel only 3 miles from the Grand Palace, very affordable for American travelers, and even more so if booked through a site like DiscountHotels.com, where you could save as much as 30 to 35% on rooms as opposed to booking your room at the hotel’s site. You can also book tours through the site that will save you money as well.

See more:
Best in Bangkok (Find Local Deals)
Official Website for Tourism in Thailand
Sightseeing in Bangkok

Photo credit: www.independent.co.uk

Budapest is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe. The capital of Hungary, it’s a city with a population just short of 2 million that generates more than 20 million visitors a year. It sits on the banks of the Danube River, and though it doesn’t offer traditionally summer types of attractions such as beaches, it’s known as a city of spas because of its numerous thermal springs, more than 100 in all.

Budapest is also at the top or near the top in multiple other categories. The thermal waters and cave system is the largest in the world. It has the second oldest rail system in the world with the Millennium Underground Railway. It’s ranked number one in Eastern Europe for quality of life, and number three as an emerging financial market. It has the second largest synagogue in the world, the Dohány Street Synagogue, and its Parliament Building is the third largest in the world.

Discount Hotels in Budapest Book Between February 1, 2010 and February 31, 2010 for Only $50 per Night!

The first place to visit is the Castle District, which is a major historic area of the city. It was built back up in the 13th century after having been razed by the Mongol Invasion. Within the area is the Royal Castle, which is being rebuilt, and the Fisherman’s Bastion, from where you can get a panoramic view of the entire city.

There’s also the Church of our Lady, where the last two kings of Hungary were crowned. There are many statues in the area, such as the status of János Hunyadi, one of the kings of Hungary who was also a military leader that staved off an attack by Turkey in the 15th century, and museums, including the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Fine Arts.

With all the historic sites in Budapest, you might not think there’s anything new to see, but there is. You have the National Theater, which was completed in 2002. There’s the beautiful Palace of Arts, which sits on the banks of the Danube River and houses the National Philharmonic Orchestra. There’s Orco Palace, which is actually a major shopping mall in Vorosmarty Square. And, as a tribute to its significant Jewish population, there’s the Shoes on the Danube display that was set up in 2005, with 60 pairs of metal shoes set in concrete.

A mix of old and new, Budapest is definitely a prime vacation spot for anyone looking to glean a lot from European history.

See more:
Budapest Calendar of Events
Budapest Restaurant Reviews
A Quick Introduction to Budapest History

Photo credit: www.stratospherehotel.com

There are few places in the world where you can book a discount vacation and spend as little money as possible for spectacular shows, good food, and visiting attractions. Las Vegas is one of those places.

How cost effective is it? Depending on the time of year you go, you could book a Las Vegas discount vacation for literally less than $500 for 5 days and 4 nights, and that includes the flight. These days, Las Vegas isn’t doing as well because of the economy, so they’re trying to get bodies to the city and hope that they’ll gamble away some of the money they’ll save by getting there.

Discount Hotels in Las Vegas Book Between February 1, 2010 and February 31, 2010 for Only $46 per Night!

And what would you potentially get for your money? It depends on where you stay, of course, but many Las Vegas vacation packages will include the flight, a simple hotel room, so much a day in free chips or spending money, tickets to the buffet either a couple of times or once a day, and either a free show or a discounted rate towards a show. Sometimes you might even get to purchase a free or discounted tour of the city, which is mainly the strip.

And, you can bet that if you stay at a casino hotel, you will be offered many other opportunities to save. For instance, if you decide to allow yourself to lose about 90 minutes going to look at a timeshare, even if you’re not interested in purchasing, you can earn a free show, more meal tickets, and maybe a trip to the Stratosphere Hotel, where you can allow yourself to be dropped over the side of a 1,149 foot building and view parts of the city unencumbered.

And, even if you don’t earn meal packages, it costs almost nothing to eat at certain times in Las Vegas, and you can get any type of food you want 24/7. After all, they want to keep you gambling. And did anyone happen to mention that as long as you’re gambling you drink for free?

A Las Vegas vacation might be just what you need for a quick pick-me-up before getting back to your daily grind.

See more:
Las Vegas Tourism Features
The Best Las Vegas Hotels
Best of Las Vegas

Photo Credit: www.southernliving.com

Why do some people go back to Disneyworld, in Orlando Florida, over and over?

Disneyworld is one of those places where there never seems to be enough time to take it all in, even if you go more than once.  And it’s no wonder, as they always seem to be adding something new, even if it’s just updating something old.

For instance, just talking about one thing, Main Street U.S.A., could fill an entire page on its own.  Representing the best that the past days of the United States had to offer, it all starts out with the Celebrate A Dream Come True parade.  This is a parade where all of the top Disney characters, and a few minor ones as well, come out daily and wave to the crowd, giving something to everyone who’s ever enjoyed a Disney production.  It’s colorful, musical, and funny; even if you don’t like parades, you’ll enjoy this one.

Once that’s over, you can get on one of Main Street’s vehicles and take a tour of the area.  If you’ve ever wanted to ride in a fire engine, here’s where you’ll get your chance.  There are other vehicles as well, including the standard tour bus.  If that’s too slow for you, take a ride on the Walt Disney World railroad, a 20-minute trek around the entire Magic Kingdom theme park.

When night comes, there’s a second parade, the SpectroMagic Parade, although this one doesn’t happen every night, so it’s a special treat if you get to see it.  Once that’s done, it’s time for the Wishes Nighttime Spectacular fireworks show, which can be seen throughout the entire park, yet can be seen best from Main Street U.S.A.

As you can see, we’ve come to the last part of this article and we’ve barely scratched the surface.  There’s actually 7 main attractions, or as Disney likes to call them, “whimsical lands”, and each one contains dozens of things to do and see.  Some are only for kids, such as the “It’s A Small World” exhibit, while others can be for adults and older kids, like the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad rollercoaster.

You can’t do Disneyworld justice in a short paragraph, and think of it this way; there’s 4 other Disney theme parks in the world, Anaheim, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong, and a 5th on the way in Shanghia.  Let the inner child in you out to play.

See more:
10 Things to Do In Orlando
Orlando’s Restaurants
Orlando Adventure Vacations

Photo Credit: www.iloveny.com

These days, there are more gay and lesbian trips planned so that those who are gay or lesbian, which usually denotes men and women, can go on a trip and know that they will be free from possible derision and people generally getting into their business.  Outside of that, the trips and vacation destinations are pretty much the same as vacations for straight people.

Fort Lauderdale is considered a favorite vacation spot for many gay and lesbian travelers.  For men, a favorite place is the Orton Terrace Gay Guesthouse, located within a gay housing district right next to the beach.  It only has 14 rooms, including a hospitality room where everyone can get together in the evenings for parties or just to sit around and talk with each other.  There’s also La Casa Del Mar, which is for both men and women, considered as the only gay bed and breakfast on Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Las Vegas is also a popular destination for gay and lesbian couples.  Though none of the casinos on the strip are particularly for these couples, there is the Blue Moon Resort in the city, which opened in 2006, and the Mandalay Bay, which is on the strip, is known as one of the most gay friendly hotels in town.  You can also get some great rates at hotels in Las Vegas, such as a night at the Fremont Hotel and Casino for as low as $36 a night.  There are also some gay bars in town, but across the board, Las Vegas has become very gay friendly.

And of course there’s San Francisco, which many people see as the most gay friendly city in the United States.  There are plenty of places there where gays and lesbians will feel comfortable.  There’s the Parker House, with 21 rooms located in the Castro District.  There’s also the popular Diva Hotel, with 115 guestrooms which has been a popular place for gay celebrities to stay while they’re in town.

To find more friendly gay and lesbian vacation destinations, it wouldn’t hurt look into an organization called the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association, whose ultimate goal is to find and recommend friendly locations for gay and lesbian singles and couples to vacation in peace.

See more:
Top Lesbian Vacation Spots
Gay & Lesbian Vacation Spots
Gay Getaways

Photo Credit: www.petside.com

Ever since Oprah Winfrey declared that she would never stay at a hotel that didn’t allow pets, more hotels around the world have learned that some patrons are not only ready to skip their accommodations, no matter how lavish, but are willing to pay a little bit more to bring a little bit of furry love with them.

Pet friendly hotels are everywhere, but not all hotels are pet friendly.  So, the first order of business for travelers is to scope out all hotels to find the ones that will allow them to bring their pets.  They’ll need to verify which types of pets they can bring, because some hotels are exclusive to one or two types of pets while others are a bit more open.

After that, it’s time to figure out what hotels will do for you.  Some hotels will offer special rooms designed for pets, with built in litter boxes, pet furniture, and all that you’ll need to feed your pets.  Other hotels will allow you to bring those things with you, or will have them in case you need them, but won’t segregate the rooms.  Many of these hotels will also have areas where you can walk your pet or let them run around in a caged area for a little while.

There will be rules for you and your pets as well.  Your pet will need to be trained, so don’t even think about bringing puppies.  There will be a noise ordinance, so don’t bring a pet that’s going to bark all night or do a lot of moaning.  If you have a pet that’s going to scratch up the furniture, be prepared to pay for that.  As it is, you’ll probably be paying at least a $15 fee to have your pet in the room with you, which isn’t that bad.

Still other hotels offer many more amenities for pets and their owners, so it’s good to look around through a site like Discounthotels.com to see what hotels around the world have to offer you.

See more:
A Guide for Travelling with Pets
Who Let the Dogs Inn? Upscale Pet-Friendly Hotels
Are Pets Allowed on Board

Homewood Suites by Hilton

If you’re a business traveler, or are visiting a city and will be staying for awhile, you might do yourself well to try to stay at a Homewood Suites by Hilton. It’s a national chain of hotels that offers the opportunity to stay in a room that will remind you of home if you live in an apartment, and, depending on which city you’re in, might offer some other amenities that you may not have at home.

The first thing you notice about the rooms in a Homewood Suites is how big they are. All of them have at least one bedroom, though there are some that have two. The living room area is always fairly large and spacious, with very comfortable furniture. Some of the rooms will have couches that can fold out into another bed. Each city will try to design the rooms to match the feeling of the community you’re in. For instance, in Reno, NV, all the rooms have a southwestern feel and color, with bright oranges and muted browns, whereas in Syracuse, NY, the rooms are blue with hints of green and brown.

The next thing you’ll notice is there’s a kitchen. It’s not a full sized kitchen like in a house, but it is a full sized kitchen like what you’d have in a small apartment. This will allow you to prepare your own meals, or store items in a full sized refrigerator. All the utensils and cooking materials you would ever need are already in the cabinets, along with soap for both the dishwasher and to clean up your plates and the like. If you’re not in the mood to clean up after yourself, don’t worry about it; the people who clean the rooms every day will take care of it for you.

The bedrooms are large enough to hold a king-sized bed or two twin beds and still give you room to walk around. There is a flat screen TV in both the bedroom and the living room, with a separate vanity and bathroom area. There’s also a large closet in the bedroom, the only closet in the room.

Homewood Suites also has a buffet breakfast and dinner, in case you’re not in the mood to go buy food yourself or go to a restaurant. They serve breakfast every day, but in some Homewood Suites, may not have dinner over the weekend. They all have workout rooms, a pool, a laundry area and multiple meeting rooms. And, if you want to sit out in the lounge, it’s usually a large area with a large flat screen TV, in case you’re there on a Sunday and want to watch shows, including sporting events, outside of your room.

All this, including Wi-Fi access, for a very reasonable price. The Hilton name usually means quality, and the Homewood Suites will make you feel right at home.

See more:
Discount Hotels in Las Vegas
Wikipedia – Hilton Hotels
Newly Opened Homewood Suites