You cannot visit Southern California without stopping at one of its many wonderful beaches and dipping your toes in the Pacific Ocean. However, if you have a limited time on your visit and can only visit one beach, you may have a difficult time choosing. Which Southern California beach should top your list? Well, it depends on what you’re looking for:

Surfing:

Huntington Beach: With over 50 surfing competitions held each year in Huntington Beach, plus a Surfing Walk of Fame, Surfers’ Hall of Fame and International Surfing Museum, Huntington Beach, or “Surf City” as some call it, is the place you’ll want to visit to surf and watch surfers in action. Forget your surfboard or boogie board? No problem, you can also rent one in Huntington Beach. You’ll want to visit the pier at Huntington City Beach where you can watch the surfers as well as take in the views, which include Catalina Island, 22 miles away (check out the pay scopes for closer views).

Another reason to go to Huntington Beach is that all three of their beaches (Huntington City Beach, Huntington State Beach and Bolsa Chica State Beach) have concrete fire rings which allow you to have nightly bonfires and cookouts.

Swami’s Beach: Located in Encinitas below Seacliff Roadside Park, Swami’s Beach is also a great place to watch the surfers, as it is considered one of the best surfing spots along the San Diego County coastline.

Sitting in the Sand Relaxing:

Zuma/Point Dume: Of course, you can sit in the sand and relax at all the beaches in Southern California, but Point Dume and Zuma beaches, approximately 19 miles west of Malibu on Pacific Coast Highway, are the beaches to go to escape the crowded Los Angeles beaches. When driving west on PCH you’ll come to Point Dume first, then Zuma. Point Dume is a little quieter than Zuma, so if you want to lie in the sand and sleep, or read a good book, Point Dume is it. Of course, just because Point Dume and Zuma beaches are great for relaxing, that’s not all there is to do. Some consider Zuma beach one of the finest surfing beaches as well.

People Watching:

Venice City Beach: Want a quirky beach experience? Then you’ll have to visit Venice Beach, at the end of Washington Street in Venice. There you’ll find skaters, performers and those you’re not quite sure if they’re performing or not. On any given weekend you can be treated to musicians, acrobats, mimes, magicians and other assorted entertainers. You’ll also find restaurants and all sorts of shops along Ocean Front Walk, as well as Muscle Beach, where you can find bodybuilders pumping iron. If you like crowds, you’ll love Venice Beach on the weekend.

Fun Out of the Water:

Santa Monica State Beach: If you get tired of sunbathing or playing in the ocean, Santa Monica State Beach is great because you have Pacific Park at Santa Monica Pier with rides, games and restaurants. You have to really try hard to be bored at Santa Monica State Beach. Rides include a carousel, roller coaster, bumper cars, motion simulator and a nine-story Ferris wheel with spectacular views. You can also roller blade and ride bikes on the bike bath along the beach.

These are just a sampling of the great beach experiences you can have in Southern California. Just remember to bring and apply your sunscreen, drink plenty of water throughout the day, and enjoy your visit.

Chicago offers many free attractions for the frugal traveler. These free sights offset more costly splurges like deep dish pizza, the entrance to the famed Shedd Aquarium, and a trip up the Sears Tower.

Free Trolleys
From Memorial Day weekend through the Labor Day weekend, between 10am and 6pm, free trolleys operate every 20-30 minutes to Chicago’s most popular tourist destinations. There are stops along Museum Campus, Michigan Avenue (The Magnificent Mile) and Navy Pier. Do a few of the loops to get a sense of the city. Drivers often give out bits of information about landmarks.

Street parking downtown is often free on Sundays.

Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park, and Millennium Park
Buckingham Fountain (seen in the opening credits of the tv show Married With Children) in Grant Park, close to the waterfront, was designed to emulate the great fountains in the palace of Versailles. It consists of three basins, surrounded by four bronze seahorses.

More modern art can be found in the adjoining Millennium Park. The Crown Fountain has two giant glass towers with projections of faces on them. Water squirts out of the faces’ mouths, much to wading children’s delight. Cloud Gate resembles a giant stainless steel jellybean, warping the reflection of onlookers.

Navy Pier
Navy Pier hosts a street carnival type of environment. There is a classic styled 148 ft Ferris Wheel, a musical carousel with painted animals, a children’s museum, a museum of stained glass, and a funhouse maze. Add seasonal street performers, food vendors, and face painters, and travelers can people watch for hours.

The Old Water Tower
The Old Water Tower, situated on the famed Michigan Avenue near the John Hancock Center, is one of the most famous survivors of the Great Fire. Designed to resemble a tiny European castle, the Old Water Tower is now a visitors center.

The Art Institute Of Chicago
With great American masterpieces like Grant Wood’s American Gothic, the Art Institute Of Chicago is a must see for art lovers and a freebie for the savvy traveler. From May 31st to August 31st, admission is free after 5pm on Thursday’s and Friday’s.

There are many other free or frugal attractions in the Windy City, window shopping on the Magnificent Mile, facades such as Dearborn Street Station and others.

I’ve been tasked with the job of finding a suitable accommodation venue for a large famiy holiday.  It’s my parents 50th wedding anniversary and family reunion.  We have family across the US and Canada so it was good to find a site where they offer affordable accommodation across the United States.  South and North Carolina, Georgia are the main places we are looking as a lot of family on both sides live in both places.

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Did you ever sit down with your family to plan your next vacation and then realize that you just couldn’t find that special somewhere where the parents and the kids, and perhaps another relative or 2, could all find something interesting to do?

And on top of that, maybe you’ve been to all the interesting places within your travel budget anyway? Well then you probably haven’t been to Orlando, Florida. Otherwise you’d realize that even Orlando ‘V-V’s’ (Vacation Veterans) can always find something to see and do in Orlando that they didn’t do the last time they were here, or even the time before that.

I’ve long wondered what it is about Orlando that draws so many people to this, the sixth largest city in Florida. Well, a city of less than 200,000 people that draws about 52,000,000 (yes, Million!) tourists a year must be doing something right.

It’s almost an understatement to say that the good people of the city want to give you the chance to see and do something new and fun (or even something old and fun, because many of the city’s attractions do bear repeated visits).

This attitude, and the countless opportunities for the fun-loving and health-loving and education-loving visitor, is one reason that Orlando is called ‘the amusement capital of the world’, as well as ‘the city beautiful’.

Step by step I’ll take you through a lot of the city’s tourist attractions (not the least of which are the fine accommodations for visitors, from hotel rooms to fully equipped apartments). In this article I’ll start with some of the more famous attractions, since these are what many people are initially interested in. Not that you’re unfamiliar with Disney World. We may safely label it as the world’s favorite children’s theme park.

This grand creation has 4 different theme parks full of shows, rides and other attractions. As well it provides plenty of shopping and eating opportunities for those who may be ‘themed’ out for awhile. The first park is Magic Kingdom, Disney’s first theme park. Second is Animal Kingdom Park, combining an animal experience with classic rides, attractions and shows. Epcot Park takes you into the future, cleverly combining fun and learning. The MGM Studios contains among many other things, a tower of terror which is pleasant looking from outside but may, once you’re inside, frighten your heart out.

Another famous tourist haven in Orlando is Universal Orlando Resort, which has five theme parks, including the Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios Florida, Wet ‘n Wild Water Park, Sea World, and Busch Gardens. Add to this the dining, nightlife and shopping venues and you may just find the ideal place for at least one full vacation. The resort also contains the Universal Studios where you can enjoy the ride while watching movies. If you have a budding Hollywood star in your brood they can learn how movies are made and the secrets behind some movie effects.

Within this resort each theme park stands alone.

Perhaps two of them at this resort are most famous One is The Islands of Adventure, which certainly live up to their name, with wild rides and roller coasters in this quite new park in Orlando. There is also Sea World, a well known aquatic park, which offers breath-taking rides as well as animal shows where you can see smart animals doing their amazing stunts.

We are just scratching the surface of this amazing town. We’ll follow up with more on Orlando in future articles and I won’t be surprised if you write me sometime to say you’ve planned several vacations there for the near future.

Heres a few pointers every person going to Las Vegas should be aware of.

Make sure to see Nevada Nature, Red Rock, Lake Mead. Nevada has great scenery. Mountains, lakes, rivers. The strip is not the oly thing to see in vegas. Valet Parking is Free at all hotels. Just tips the person $2 when he gives you the care back.

Buy your tickets from tix 4 tonight (1/2 price). This is a great service, you buy tickets on the same day of the show for half price. Half is better than full. Don’t be scared of Timeshare people. They gave away free show tickets, dinners and more. All they ask is for you to visit their resort. Not a bad exchange.

I know people who have been getting free things for years.

Cheap Internet Access, www.cyberstopinc.com This is the best way to get online in Las Vegas. They have a great service with great rates.

Buy your Souvenirs on the Strip, not hotels. You’ll save about 80% on the price tag. Use your coupons, it adds up. Many magazines and websites post coupons. At the end of your trip you can save upwards of $100.

Make Dinner Reservations 2-3 weeks in advance for upscale dining. Vegas Clubbing Tip: Show up at 10pm, no line. You don’t need to tip the bouncer $50, you don’t need to wait in line for hours. Just show up at 10pm, when doors open and walk right in. Don’t try to hail a cab on Las Vegas Blvd, its against the law for them to stop. Go to the nearest hotel.

The newest Ripley’s Believe it or Not Odditorium (in Manhattan, 42nd Street between 7th & 8th Ave.) in their roster of museums opened to the public on Friday, June 22. I arrived in the evening - about 9pm - surprised to find that the attraction was not crowded. I suspect this is because either (1) the word has not yet gotten out, or (2) the crowds had not yet dispersed from the nearby Broadway theaters. The exterior is a kind of crazy theater marquee, which fits its 42nd Street location. I paid my admission and spent the next hour or so wandering through the halls.

Having been to so many different Ripley’s attractions, it is becoming difficult for me to differentiate between them, so instead I’ll point out the highlights:

The holographic “skit” near the beginning seems very crowd-pleasing. Behind a pane of glass, a tiny holographic man welcomes visitors to the museum by singing a “Welcome to Ripley’s World” ditty that I still have stuck in my head. Very cute but not terribly informative.

A collection of Ripley’s masks dance to generic tribal music beind their glass showcases. I’m sure the masks themselves are genuine, but they sure put on a nice show. Similarly, a room full of shrunken heads (also behind glass) is a bit chilling.

The room filled with prison and/or items of torture is particularly interesting. Torture masks and contraptions line the brick-walled room, including a “working” electric chair. Photo opportunities abound here.

A nautical-themed room has a small Titanic exhibition, and a glass floor allows visitors to walk on top of a collection of oceanic vessels.

The theater (a small room with a rear-projection television showing clips from the Ripley’s television show), is filled with baseball uniforms that have the team name “The Believe It or Nots.” The video clip is short, but there are seats so it was a pleasant place for me to rest for a moment.

Many of the classic exhibits are there, such as the 2-way mirror, the 2-headed animals, headless chickens, etc. I was disappointed that their staple “bigfoot” illusion was nowhere to be found, but that cool “spinning room” was there.

This Ripley’s didn’t have the kind of envrionments that other Ripleys have; it reminded me more of a legitimate museum than of a theme park attraction. Overall, it wasn’t as dark or dreary as other similar attractions (Madam Tussaud’s next door has a cheesy haunted house.) This is very fitting to Times Square and the upscale ticket prices (about $25), which suggest - and delivered - a more upscale Odditorium.

Dallas, Texas is the third largest city in Texas so there is plenty of fun to be found. Dallas has plenty of historical content for those of you who enjoy your history. The Sixth Floor Museum has a full tribute to President Kennedy as well as full information on his assassination.

Fair Park in Dallas is a hub full of different things to see and do. Some of the various sites include 9 museums, 6 areas for performing arts, and a beautiful ice skating rink. It is considered to be a National Historic Landmark. It is also home to the largest collection of 1930’s architecture you will find in the United States. The State Fair of Texas takes place here annually as well.

For those who want a traditional day of shopping, eating, and enjoying the sites Grapevine Mills has it all. There is more than 200 retail shops, plenty of great restaurants, an arcade, and various types of entertainment taking place daily. If you want to go back in time consider shopping in the West End Marketplace. The streets are lined with brick and you can take a horse drawn carriage down the Victorian Era.

The Dallas Zoo offers 95 acres of animals to observe, some of them traditional and some of them exotic. The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens offers acres of beautiful scenery to enjoy on a nice afternoon. You can take a walk, have a picnic, or just relax in the outdoors for a while.

If you plan to visit Dallas, Texas you will find it has something to offer for everyone. Regardless of your interests you will find plenty of places you want to explore. The hard part is going to be narrowing down your selections to fit the amount of time you have while you are in Dallas to enjoy them.

Check out these Hawaii travel tips and see if you get excited like we did.

Are you a little adventurous? Do you enjoy a bargain when it comes to travel?

This is how we travel and it has always worked out great for us. Try it at your own risk, but if you love travel bargains, you’ll love the way this works.

We like to travel in the off season and see Hawaii when it isn’t so crowded. Off season travel has its benefits and drawbacks.

The weather isn’t always the most ideal, yet, it can be every bit as good as the peak season.

We’ve gone in peak season and had crummy weather and we’ve traveled in the off season and had great weather, it’s always a crap shoot any way so we take the chance.

Normally, we get awesome air travel rates in the off season to start of the trip.

We usually only book the first night or maybe the second and then we hit the streets and the hotel lobbies searching for the booklets, newspapers and coupon guide books.

Last time we did this, it was in January, right after the new year and everything was dead.

Hawaii was like a ghost town and we were able to find some of the most incredible deals you could imagine.

We got a flight to Oahu, with a three night stay in a luxury hotel complete with a rental car for just a little more than the normal price of the inter-island flight.

Another time, while on the island of Maui, we called a hotel on Oahu and asked for the price of a suite we had stayed in on a previous trip.

For the price of a normal room, we got a 2 bedroom penthouse suite overlooking Waikiki Beach and facing Diamond Head. This was a corner room with four 10 foot sliding glass doors so it was like having glass walls and you could see everything. It had every amenity and our kids almost went nuts using Jacuzzi tubs, making meals in the kitchen and sitting on the two verandas overlooking the beach. There was a special elevator that only went from the lobby level to the tenth floor.

These are just some of the Hawaii travel tips that we’ve accumulated. We think you might like traveling by the seat of your pants as much as we do. It gives us braging rights with the relatives also.

Next time you visit Hawaii, throw caution to the wind and give it a try. I’ll bet it will be the most exciting and value packed vacation you’ve ever experienced.

Located in a string of islands known as the Florida Keys, Key West is the last Florida key.  Due to its location in the southernmost point of mainland U.S. it is sometimes referred to as ‘The Last Key’.  Be sure to visit the monument to the southern most point.

The Florida Keys seceded from the United States became the “Conch Republic”? This secession began in 1982 in response to a U.S. Border Patrol Blockade, which basically cut off Florida Keys residents from the mainland.

Resiedents of the Florida Keys are likely to consider themselves Americans as well as ‘Conch’.  Try and catch the a week long celebration that takes place every April to celebrate their Independence.

The Florida Keys are their own country, with their own laws apply. They have their own governing body, Navy, and passport. Key West residents are passionate about their independence but they are also passionate about having a good time

Key West is one of the most exotic and beautiful places on the planet with approximately 27,000 inhabitants. 

If you’ve never been to Key West, do a little research, learn about the history, and consider a visit. Be sure to take the Conch train when you arrive for a tour of the island. Rent a moped, and travel all over. Sip a Margarita, enjoy the sunset, and have fun!

As Key West is an island, most homes are beach houses and are beautifully decorated in the bright and spicy colors of the Caribbean. You can view historic homes, cozy cottages, tropical estates, and even private island homes!

Key West offers an abundance of restaurants, unique boutiques, entertainment, and outdoor recreation. It is also a fabulous location to simply relax. Jimmy Buffet wrote many songs about kicking back in Key West – there’s a reason for that!