Archive for July, 2008
Family Fun in Vermont
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Known for its beautiful fall leaves, Vermont is one of the most scenic places to visit late summer and early fall. Say goodbye to summer with a family trip to wonderful Vermont!
All throughout the state of Vermont, there are attractions for the whole family! Stop by the American Precision Museum, which recognizes the achievements of America’s Industrial Revolution. The kids will love learning about inventions that changed history!
Have a sweet tooth? Take a tour of Ben and Jerry’s Factory in Waterbury! Get an up close look at the ice cream’s production and even taste a sample for yourself! Your kids won’t be able to get enough of this place!
In the mood for some outdoor fun? Take a hike in one of the state parks, including Molly Stark State Park and Elmore State Park. Don’t worry, these hikes are fairly short, so the kids can join in too! Enjoy the beauty that is Vermont!
RealTravelers Brian and Patty share their experience:
“Everything in Vermont seems ‘tamely wild’….not so rugged and rough as our west coast countryside, but still wild and beautiful. What really has struck us about Vermont is that EVERYTHING is small - Burlington is one of the larger (if not the largest) city, and it is probably on par with Eugene, Oregon or even Pullman, Washington…..more college town (UVA) then metropolis. Even the capital Montpelier has the feel of a New England Village rather than a political center. It’s all really cool, and you can understand where Vermonter’s independent spirit and pride comes from as you travel around the gorgeous countryside. (Once again, pix will have to wait until we are home!)” (more…)
RealTraveler kforecki describes Vermont:
“Vermont is, in a word, picturesque. From the lush green mountains in every direction to the small but cosmopolitan cities to the charming covered bridges and corner creameries, Vermont is just delightful.
We started our day at the Shelburne Museum, an outdoor museum filled with well-preserved or restored relics of old New England. I loved the 1920s carousel (interesting trivia: most carousels made at the turn of the century were in New York, which is why we’ve encountered two of them so recently) and the Ticonderoga steam paddle-boat, a luxury cruise-ship of sorts from 1906. (Yeah I definitely pretended that I was on the “Titanic” the whole time J) To my great surprise, the museum was actually worth the $16 (after AAA discount) admission fee. Chalk another one up to our “Let’s Go” guide book!
Then we took off for downtown Burlington, where we walked around College, Church, and Main Street areas. If you’re ever there, you must check out Zappy and Elf’s Stone Soup café — absolutely fabulous and extremely reasonably-priced soups, sandwiches, teas and desserts made with all organic ingredients and served with huge chunks of freshly baked bread. Delicious!” (more…)
Plan your trip to Vermont today!
Vermont Attractions
Vermont Flights
Vermont Hotels
Source: Teresa Nielsen
read comments (0)Canal Cruises in Amsterdam
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Welcome to amazing Amsterdam! From dusk to dawn your day will be packed with adventure as you tour through the city.
A rather popular tourist attraction, the canal cruise or “canal bikes” allow visitors to take in the splendor the city has to offer. If you don’t have time to hop on board the boat during the day, consider taking the sunset or nighttime cruise, which offers magnificent views of Amsterdam, as it is outlined with lights. During the day, be sure to go through the Van Gogh Museum, which holds the world’s largest collection of Van Gogh’s masterpieces. Finally, for a truly moving experience, take a tour of Anne Frank’s House where she and her family hid from the Nazis during World War II. Visitors to the house will never forget Anne Frank or her courageous story.
RealTraveler Lauren77 describes her trip to Amsterdam:
“On Saturday, we woke up and went to the Van Gogh museum. It is the largest Van Gogh museum in the world with over 200 of his paintings. It was very crowded, but the art work was spectacular. My favorite part was the pointilism. After that, we went on a canal tour to the old harbour and all around the city. The city of Amsterdam was built on water so there are canals everywhere. We got to sit at our own table on the boat and take pictures of the sites out the window. Amsterdam was freezing, but it was sunny everyday so that was good. After the boat tour, we headed to the Heineken Experience. The actual brewery doesn´t have tours so there is a special museum just to show tourists how the beer is made” (more…)
RealTravelers Dave & Nikki explore Amsterdam:
“We woke early the next day and headed straight for the Anne Frank House. You are able to walk through the annex were the family lived for two years. Such an emotional experience.
After we hopped on a canal boat tour on the canals. It was a great way to see the city. All the buildings lining the canals have such character. many in bright colors and leaning a bit too! It´s a uniquely beautiful city. I love it! We hopped off the boat and hit the Vincent Van Gogh museum. Dare I say Dave enjoyed it! We had lunch in the museum cafe before heading to the Heineken Brewery. We learned all about the green bottles and were given 3 glasses for sampling (licking lips)…..aaahhhh! So why stop there? Next we settling into a pub to watch Man Utd play Reading and have a few more. We finished our day at Wagamama´s for some spicy asian food.
One of the coolest things about Amsterdam is that everyone rides bikes. You have to be be on the look out at all times. The bicycles come at ya from every direction!” (more…)
Visit Amsterdam today!
Amsterdam Attractions
Amsterdam Hotels
Source: Teresa Nielsen
Another gem of Europe is the city of Munich, Germany. With a plethora of places to visit, you will never be bored in magnificent Munich.
First stop, visit The Munich English Gardens. Here you can relax and take in the beautiful surrounding gardens. If you are in the mood for outdoor activity, rent a boat and ride on the Isar River that makes its way through the gardens. Next, visit the Frauenkirche Church. Known for its famous devil’s footprint, this legendary place will leave you intrigued. Be sure to glance up at The Munich Glockenspiel, or the world’s largest cuckoo clock! We also recommend a visit to the Munich Olympic Park, which is especially popular for its festivities during the summer months. In town late September or early October? Plan on stopping by the world-famous Oktoberfest. Known for its beer and sausages galore, this 200 year-old celebration draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world!
RealTravelers Rich & Kara share:
“We then drove down from Munich to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp and Memorial site. It was a reflective time. Our Munich hotel is ½ block from the Munich October festival grounds. (good thing Oct. fest is over!) We bounced around leisurely through downtown Munich, seeing many of the cathedrals, and climbing up 306 stairs to the top of St. Peter’s bell tower. The view was spectacular….Rich even went out on the outside walkway…very hesitantly! The cathedrals are great architecturally and are museum like with all the artwork and icons.” (more…)
RealTravelers Matt & Sara tell of their Oktoberfest adventures:
“After our whirlwind escapade to get onto the train headed for Munich, we got a taste of what Oktoberfest was going to be like. About an hour outside of Munich, the train filled up with men, women, and children all dressed up in traditional German attire: lederhosen. The train was so packed that it was standing room only. However, no one seemed to mind. Everyone was in high spirits as they were sipping their beers, warming up for the festival to come.” (more…)
To plan your trip to Munich, visit:
Munich Attractions
Munich Hotels
Source: Teresa Nielsen
Summer in St. Petersburg, Russia
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Looking for the perfect end-of-summer vacation? This week we will explore several locations that are ideal destinations during the months of August and September!
In need of the ultimate summer getaway? Visit historic St. Petersburg, Russia, located on the Gulf of Finland.
You will need several days to take in the beauty of this great city, as there are so many sights to see. From the Smolny Cathedral to the St. Peter and St. Paul Fortress and Cathedral, the stories behind these great holy sites will leave your awestruck! Be sure to visit the lovely Hermitage Museum, which was once a private art gallery for Catherine the Great or see a show at the famous The Mariinsky Theatre.
RealTravelers Elena and Richard best describe their trip to St. Petersburg:
“On our second day, we went back to some of the sites we had seen the day before for a closer look - namely St Isaacs Cathedral, where we climbed to the top of the dome and saw a beautiful view of St Petersburg, and the Peter and Paul Fortress, where the city was founded by Peter the Great and later used as a prison. The Cathedral of St Peter and Paul is also situated here, where most of the Romanov tsars are buried. We saw the last Romanovs’ tombs, which was quite sad. Actually, when we were in Russia the Romanovs were in the news a lot, because they think they have discovered the remains of the 2 Romanov children that were never found, Alexei and Maria.
We also visited Peterhof, Peter the Great’s beautiful summer palace on the Gulf of Finland. The gardens here were amazing, with many beautiful fountains - including a trick fountain that sprays you if you walk past it! The Peterhof gardens are often compared to those at Versailles and they were definitely spectacular.” (more…)
Plan your trip today! Visit:
St. Petersburg Attractions
St. Petersburg Hotels
Source: Teresa Nielsen
Sunbathing in Santorini, Greece
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Continuing this week’s romantic getaways, Santorini, Greece is the perfect place for leisure!
Get swept away by breath-taking views, as the whitewashed buildings with bright blue rooftops sit softly on the island’s cliffs. The island itself is actually the rim of a volcano!
Known for its many vineyards, a trip to a winery is a must! The most famous winery, the Boutari Winery, offers a tour of the grounds, as well as a taste of its renown white wine!
Don’t forget to bring your camera as you explore the beach and take in magnificent sunsets. Beautiful beaches of white, black, and red sand create an unreal atmosphere, as this island is unlike any other. If you are feeling adventurous you can explore the cities by bicycle or even rent mopeds or ATV’s to take you around. Visit the most popular cities of Fira and Ia, both of which are known for their spectacular views.
RealTraveler Aaron&Katy detail their adventures in Santorini:
“Not far from Perissa’s black sand beaches are the red sand and white sand beaches of the island. The interesting colors of the beaches come from chemical makeup of the underlying volcanic rock. The beaches don’t see big waves so the erosion of the rocks is minimal and the “sands” are small pebbles rather than fine grains. Another interesting thing we found out: the black and red sand beaches heat up so much in the sun that there is straw on the beach to make it safe to walk on – very strange!
An hour’s drive away we reached the town of Oia famed for beautiful sunsets, and stunning views of classic Greek homes. The town is set on the very peak of a hill with a switchback walkway that leads down to a nearby harbor. It was beautiful to explore and take photographs of, but unfortunately was also packed with touristy shops and expensive restaurants. A favorite spot for artists, we saw many painters and beautiful galleries filled with their interpretations. The area is breathtaking and inspires with ease. Mesmerized by the beauty of the area, we found a balcony with a view and toasted with Santorini Wine as we watched the sun go down.” (more…)
To plan your trip to Santorini, visit:
Santorini Attractions
Santorini Hotels
Source: Teresa Nielsen