Even During the Dog Days of Summer, It is Possible to Stay Cool in Texas
25/11/2008 ·
While Glen Rose, Texas may be best known as America's Dream Town 2004 and the Dinosaur Capitol of Texas, it is also an excellent place to visit to beat the Texas heat. This time of year vacationers are looking for the best ways to enjoy the summer, while staying cool at the same time. A combination of water fun, nighttime entertainment and luxurious accommodations is an excellent way see Glen Rose and to beat the Texas heat.
Spending time in the two beautiful rivers in Glen Rose, the Brazos and Paluxy, can mean hours of cool enjoyment. The Brazos River is one of the most popular canoeing and tubing rivers in Texas and offers miles of cool water relaxation. The folks at Low Water Bridge Canoe Rentals offers guests float trips of 3, 7, 10, 14, 24 and 31 miles. The Brazos also has many sand bars and sandy beaches that make for great picnic spots or swim areas. While drifting down the river, it is not uncommon to see all types of wildlife like goats, deer, armadillos, foxes and even a rare glimpse of a Bald Eagle.
For travelers looking for something a little less exerting than canoeing and tubing, a visit down to the Paluxy River may be in order. A local hotspot, but not widely known by travelers, is Big Rock Park. The park derives its name from the multitude of large rocks and boulders that have been cut out by years of flowing water from the river. These rocks provide excellent sunbathing opportunities and access to the crystal clear water of the Paluxy for swimming and wading. Big Rock Park is located just outside of downtown Glen Rose. The Paluxy River also runs through Dinosaur Valley State Park and is home to some of the best-preserved dinosaur tracks in the world, not to mention clear blue swimming holes and tall rock bluffs. Dinosaur Valley State Park is located just south of Glen Rose off Hwy 67.
Another outstanding way to relax and stay cool is by taking in a performance by Warm Country Heart at the Warm Country Heart Theatre (www.warmcountryhearttheatre.com) on the historic square in downtown Glen Rose. This is a band of highly trained musicians who perform Branson-style music. Warm Country Heart produces a show that pays tribute to the Masters Festival of Music Greats: Floyd Cramer, Chet Atkins, and Boots Randolph. They perform the instrumental magic of the legendary "Masters Three" vocal arrangements of Classic Country Hits of the 50's, 60's and 70's and a little bit of humor. The shows run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 PM and Saturday afternoons at 1:00 PM.
After playing in the rivers and experiencing first class music, its time to check in at the Best Western Dinosaur Valley Inn and Suites (www.dinosaurvalleyinn.com) for top-notch accommodations. Guests at this nationally recognized hotel will enjoy the outdoor amenities such as the large swimming pool, 15-person spa, kiddie pool with waterfall covered by a pergola (to keep the kids protected from the sun), cool misters that drop the temperature up to 20 degrees and the exotic fish pond stocked with Japanese koi fish.
If the heat outside becomes too much, then Best Western Dinosaur Valley Inn and Suites guests will enjoy taking advantage of the indoor amenities such as the exercise room, game room, dinosaur artifacts display and gallery, large comfortable sitting area and coloring books for the children.
As always, guests are welcome to help themselves to the Texas-sized deluxe continental breakfast each morning, 24-hour beverage service and the evening snacks, which consists of popcorn, nachos and the summer time special navy beans and rice.
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Kauai - One of Hawaii 's Best Kept Vacations Secrets
24/11/2008 ·
Kauai is indeed an island that can take your breath
away even at a glance. The everyday hustles and bustles
of life can drain every ounce of energy that we have.
There are various concerns that desperately calls for
our attention and time which can mess up our thinking
and everyday existence in this big world. That is why
there is a need for us to at least stop from our usual
routine and take time to enjoy and be free. Of course
there are lots of activities that can soothe our pains
and longings but the most effective of which, as
supported by studies and researches, is through nature.
Our mother nature has its own power to heal and regain
the lost energy of its vital components which include
man. That is why a break from the everyday monotonous
tasks can help a lot to refresh and remove the toxins
that can engulf our minds and bodies. There are
thousands of places to visit from all over the world
and one of that is the lush, alive and stunning island
of Kauai, Hawaii.
You can’t help but be mesmerized by the sparkling blue
oceans that stretch along the stately mountains and
hills that stood proudly on almost all sides of the
island. Freely flowing from the elevated areas are
gushing waterfalls that can truly refresh the tired and
weary mind. There are so many breath-taking places
waiting to be explored. It may appear to be a small
Kauai island but on almost all sides and corners are
landscapes and locations that can one’s attention and
interest. On the North shore of Kauai is the
spectacular Na Pali Kauai coast which was featured on
the movie South Pacific. On the heart of Kauai North
shore is the alluring Hanalei bay that flows to almost
30 miles areas of hills and bays. On the South area of
Kauai shore are the superb beaches and waterfalls which
also include the magnificent National Tropical Garden,
the product of Congress legislations. The natural
result of lava formation in Spouting Horn is also found
on the Southern Kauai shore.
Anyone interested to know the cultural and historical
landmarks of Kauai can go to the West Kauai area. The
historical captain Cook monument can be found on this
Kauai area which serves as the mark for the landing of
British Captain James Cook in the island of Hawaii in
the year 1778. The place where the souls of Kauai
inhabitants rest is said to be found in the sanctified
Polihale heiau. Known as the Coconut Coast is the
Eastern area of Kauai Island. A visit to Kauai shores
will not be complete without exploring this area. East
Kauai is also notable for their beachfronts which made
it a favorite among visitors and tourists for kayaking
or boating although it may have trick currents for
adrenaline rushing adventures.
Warm accommodation is given by various establishments
and companies ready to give their optimum services.
Kauai Island has wide arrays of rooms given by famous
hotels, condos and resorts to make your stay truly a
remarkable and unforgotten one. The rates vary to suit
the budget of visitors and tourists. There are lots of
varieties of services to choose from. On the northern
Kauai shores are vacation rentals that can provide a
good view of the ocean and other landmarks. Furniture,
home accessories and other stuff are also available to
make you feel at home. Beach houses situated near the
road, shops and grocery stores are also available for
the visitors to easily have access to other amenities
that they may need and want.
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Travel Connections - Stay in Touch
24/11/2008 ·
Travel connections with home are easier than ever. New calling cards, cell-phones, e-mail, satelite phones, and better phone lines everywhere are making it a smaller world. Here are some suggestions on how you can stay in touch - when you want to.
E-Mail: The Travel Connections Champ
Most libraries in the United States now have internet access. When traveling the country, we often stop in small towns to use this free service. We check e-mail and even check our bank accounts. In other countries, finding internet accesss is even easier. When computers are too expensive for most people, there's demand for cheap internet access. The result is that, in places like Quito, Ecuador, there's an internet cafe on almost every corner.
Hotmail and Yahoo still offer free e-mail accounts. Sign up now, if you haven't already. Then, wherever you are in the world, your friends and family have a way to contact you and you have a way to contact them. For some reason, even though the internet largely operates by way of the same phone lines, it's more reliable than phone service in many countries.
Snail Mail
You'll may still use the Post Office when you travel. Pre-address and stamp your envelopes if you'll be writing family, friends, or whoever. Usually, it's easy to find a mail box, but a hassle to find stamps and envelopes. When you need something sent to you while on a trip (in the U.S.) have it addressed to your name, then "general delivery," and the city and zip code where you'll be in a few days. The package should be waiting at the post office when you arrive.
Phone Cards
Phone cards are a great help when traveling in the United States. The best are not even cards, but accounts that you recharge on the internet. The one we use costs just 2.9 cents per minute to call anywhere in the U.S., with no connection charge. It's only 15 cents to call my wife's family in Ecuador (It cost me over $2 per minute just 4 years ago). The only extra charge is 50 cents for pay phone use, which is mandated by law for all cards now.
You use these accounts by funding them on the internet, using any credit card. With most, you can open an account for $20. You get a toll-free number to call, an account number (usually your home phone number), and a 4-digit PIN. To place a call, you dial the toll free number, then enter your account number, PIN, and number you're calling. Many buttons to push, but then you can call Paris, France for 3 cents per minute. That's cheap! Recharge your account from anywhere there is internet access, and you'll never have a phone bill, since you pay in advance.
Other Travel Connections Tips
E-mail a list of important information and numbers to yourself, like the one to call if your credit card is stolen, or the number of the U.S. Embassy where you're going. E-mail yourself a copy of your passport, and other important documents. When you need these things, they'll be available in any internet cafe in the world.
Staying in touch is a mixed blessing. I find it less than comforting to have the protection of a cell phone when my brothers and I go into the Canadian wilderness. It means constant calls, and worries that could have been forgotten until the trip was over. My final tip then, is to call friends and family when they're not home, and leave nice messages on their machines. Then they'll know you're okay, and if they need to contact you, they can e-mail you.
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Ultralight Backpacking - Testing Skills
24/11/2008 ·
On Lake Michigan, at the end of the Stonington Peninsula, there's a stretch of empty beach. Part of the Hiawatha National Forest, it's framed on either side by private property, with no easy access. To walk on the beach, however, is legal. Past the last cabin, the public land starts, and goes for six or seven miles. This is where I would test my ultralight backpacking skills and gear.
I hiked a few miles the first day and explored the woods, where I ate wild blueberries for an hour. Then I set up camp behind a small ridge on the beach. I collected dry grass along the edge of the forest, which made a nice mattress. I pitched my backpacking tarp fairly high, so the breeze would keep out the mosquitos. When camp was set, I went for a swim.
This area has many crayfish, which look and taste just like miniature lobsters. After swimming I caught a dozen under the rocks in shallow water, and carried them back to camp in a whipped-cream container I found. You never know what will wash up on a beach.
I boiled them with some cattail hearts and evening primrose roots, in my cheap three ounce pan. It made a good meal with the crackers I brought. (You remove the meat from the tail of the crayfish, after cooking.)
It was summer, so I hadn't brought a sleeping bag. At seventeen ounces, my bag wouldn't have added much to my packweight of eight pounds. I just wanted to try using a nylon sleeping bag liner I had recently sewn (5 ounces). I wore my clothes to bed, including a hat I made from the sleeve of an old thermal shirt (1 ounce). I slept well, and ate granola bars for breakfast.
Water was all around, so I only had a 16-ounce plastic pop bottle (1 ounce) and a few iodine tablets for purification. I took a good drink before I packed up.
I found fresh bear tracks on the beach. The bear had walked within 60 yards of where I slept. I had a freon horn (2 ounces) that I'd bought after reading that people have used it's high-decible shriek to scare off bears. I pulled it out. I followed the tracks for an hour, but only because I was going in that direction.
I had two old cabins to explore, another patch of berries I knew about, and a beach full things to check out. The strangest item that regularly washes up is light bulbs. I take them home to use them. After years of finding these, a sailor finally told me that they throw them off the ships to shoot at them in the water. I was finding the ones they missed.
The next day I headed back. The rain I expected never came, so I didn't get to test my garbage bag rainsuit (2 ounces), but I had used a similar one with success before. Overall, I was happy with my ultralight backpacking "test." Of course, you can get by with fragile clothing and gear when you're hiking an open beach. Oh, and I never did see the bear.
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Cruise the Caribbean
24/11/2008 ·
Vacationing in the Caribbean is something that
everyone should experience at least once in a
lifetime. From beautiful Belize to the truly
amazing St.Barts, the Caribbean islands have
tons to offer in terms of rest and relaxation.
Whether you are traveling with the entire
family or are planning a romantic vacation
with your special someone, you can rest
assured there is an island resort guaranteed
to meet your every need.
When planning your Caribbean vacation, the
first thing you must do is determine which
island you'd like to visit. While this might
seem a grueling decision, you can take comfort
in the fact that when it comes to the Caribbean
islands, you really can't make a wrong choice.
With crystal clear water on all sides and
delicious sunshine bathing each one in warmth
and luxury, the Caribbean islands are a
wonderful place to spend any vacation.
Caribbean vacations can generally fit just
about any budget. Whether you have several
hundred or several thousand dollars to spend
on your holiday, you can find several Caribbean
travel packages to suit your budget. When
searching for reasonable travel packages to
the Caribbean, the best place to look is the
Internet. Conduct a search and you'll see:
there are literally thousands of options from
which to choose.
Caribbean vacations are a wonderful experience
for people of all ages and cruises are the best
way to truly experience everything the
Caribbean has to offer. You can find the best
deals via the Internet but read on below to
find out more.
An Eastern Caribbean cruise is the perfect
option for both first-time cruisers and
experienced travelers looking for a slow and
relaxing pace in comfortable surroundings.
They are also ideal for people who have never
been to the Caribbean before. Eastern
Caribbean cruises are great for families
because they visit only a small number of
ports, so most of the cruise time is actually
spent on board the ship and often with two
consecutive days as sea.
There is plenty to do on the islands of the
Eastern Caribbean. You can visit the famous
beaches and try snorkeling, sailing, and or
even golf. Shop for souvenirs and luxury goods
imported from around the world including
jewelry, perfumes, crystal, porcelain, cameras,
electronics and more at tax-free prices at the
extensive array of shops. And don’t forget to
have a cooling drink at one of the many cafes
and restaurants. And if you are a gambler then
you don’t get left out either because the
islands have the largest casinos in the Caribbean.
There is no doubt that the world's most popular
cruising destination is the Caribbean and one
of the most in demand tours includes the Bahamas
and the eastern islands that define the border
between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
During an Eastern Caribbean Cruise you will
probably visit three or four of the following
islands:
- Nassau
- St. Thomas, USVI
- St. John, USVI
- St. Maarten
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Tortola, BVI
- Virgin Gorda, BVI
- Cruise Line Private Islands
Eastern Caribbean cruises are very affordable
and available year-round for 7 nights. Longer
itineraries from 10-12 nights are available
during the winter months.
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