Monday, March 22, 2010

Best U.S Romantic Destinations - Six Places to Stir Up Romance


The top United States romantic vacation destinations and getaways are places where you will find scenic canyons, mountains, and ocean side lodging where you can revitalize your love life. These are destinations in a tranquil setting where you can roam the sights at your own pace doing some sightseeing, cycling, or taking a hot air balloon ride. Enjoy intimate romantic experiences where you can unwind and relax at a spa with a couples massage followed by an intimate, romantic dinner.

California

The Wine Country - This region of Napa and Sonoma Valley just north of San Francisco offers romantic couples a perfect combination A pitch-perfect mix of wineries, charming hotels and spas, and tranquil scenic beauty. Your romantic getaway can be enjoyed by a leisure car trip though the valley, or better yet by cycling through vast vineyards. Add a sunrise hot air balloon ride and you have the perfect romantic getaway. Where Napa Valley is smaller, it's also more commercial than the laid back Sonoma, whose vineyards cover far more acreage. Check in at Auberge du Soleil Spa situated on a picture-perfect 33-acre hillside olive grove, with made-for-couples rooms with a large stone fireplace and a private hot tub. Take in the sweeping views of the valley below, or take advantage of the relaxing 7,000-square-foot spa. Or check in at the intimate Poetry Inn and Spa perched on a hillside in the Stags Leap wine district offering staggering views on the Napa Valley. Guests can enjoy a massage in the open air, sip a cabernet on a private terrace, or simply lounging by the pool. The amenities include large rooms with private balconies, marble bathrooms with dual vanities, a large soaking tub, both an indoor and an outdoor shower with rain shower headset, and wood-burning fireplaces.

Big Sur - Two and half hours south of from San Francisco, you can get-away on a romantic journey with breathtaking views of rocky ocean cliffs hugged by pine and cypress trees. For the more active, you can enjoy the scenery by trekking to the McWay waterfalls by taking a short quarter mile long hike, 80 feet above sea level down the Overlook Trail in Julia Pfeiffer State Park. Check in at the Post Ranch Inn and Spa hugging the rugged cliffs of Big Sur. The accommodations are luxurious with a romantic setting that offers a choice of either an ocean or mountain-view, wood-burning fireplaces, indoor or outdoor spa tubs, and private decks. Couples messages are also available. Its located close to nature and the charming villages of Monterey and Carmel.

Santa Barbara - Often referred to as the "American Riviera" it boasts a perfect climate with plenty of sun, surf, fine dining, great wineries and a rich dose of Spanish heritage history. Downtown Santa Barbara is perfect for lazy strolls with a loved one. Pamper yourself and someone special in Santa Barbara. Give yourselves over to the care of luxurious spas, take a day trip though California's "other" wine country, taste the pleasures of world-class dining by candlelight or treat yourself to unique shopping experiences. Check in at the Simpson House Inn. This Southern California romantic getaway is an elegant 1874 Eastlake home, with period Victorian antiques. Secluded within an acre of tall hedges, stone walls, lawn and gardens, a five minute walk from downtown Santa Barbara, you can pamper yourself with one of their many in-room European spa services. For the more active, the inn provides bicycles to cruise around historic, beautiful Santa Barbara, or you can take a mountain hikes. For the less active, take a leisurely beach walk or just relax with a book in the garden.
Charleston, South Carolina is an historic a romantic destination at the waterfront of Charleston's Historic District, you will experience a profound sense of time and place. You'll glimpse the sails in Charleston Harbor and the Ashley River, and you might even detect the fragrant salt air of the Atlantic Ocean. Charleston is all about history. Cobblestone streets and walkways wind past architectural treasures and under moss-draped oaks. The cemeteries are particularly lovely and tell quite a tale on their own. Take a guided walking tour, the one that departs from Charleston Place hotel is led by a 40-year resident and history buff who is writing a book about the city's cemeteries. Or take a horse-drawn carriage ride, you'll hear more tales but you can just snuggle in the back and enjoy the views. Check in at Two Meeting Street Inn, An acclaimed, charming white Victorian mansion overlooking prestigious South Battery at White Point Gardens. Enjoy the sea breezes while gazing upon century-old live oaks and the Charleston Harbor beyond. The Inn's sweeping vista is perfect for an intimate conversation, a courtyard breakfast or sumptuous afternoon tea. Summertime is the ideal time to enjoy peach iced tea or lemonade and spend the day relaxing on the porch, watching the water. They offer a hot southern breakfast in their dining room, on the piazza or garden, or delivered to your suite.
Bar Harbor, Maine Located on Mount Desert Island, is a picturesque village along the rocky coast of Maine with charming shop, restaurants, and marinas with fishing and pleasure boats. For hiking and biking enthusiasts, the nearby Acadia National Park with its granite peaks, one of which is the tallest mountain on the East Coast and the first spot in the United States to see the sun rise. From Bar Harbor, there are many whale watching boast and a high-speed ferries to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in Canada. Although summer is the most popular time to visit, many people flock to the area in autumn to enjoy the brilliant colors of fall foliage and get a jump on Christmas gift purchasing. Check in at The Harbor side Hotel, Spa & Marina. This is a luxury resort facility nestled in downtown Bar Harbor, and just moments away from Acadia National Park. The Harbor side offers breathtaking views of Frenchman's Bay and ocean beyond is a perfect destination for a romantic getaways. Guests can enjoy the Dining & Spa amenities of the adjacent Bar Harbor Club
Sedona, Arizona The majestic red rock formations of Northern Arizona's Boynton Canyon are an impressive backdrop to any romantic getaway. Sedona also is known for its spiritual vortex, and its healing opportunities, and to experience sage clearings to release negativity or share spiritual ceremonies in the crystal grotto. For active romantics, the beautiful red landscape can be taken in by jeep tours, horseback riding, hot-air balloon rides, and hiking.
Check in at the Enchantment Resort set amongst the impressive red rock configurations of Boynton Canyon in Sedona, where solitude and colorful sun sets can be viewed amongst the area's famous red rocks. Romantics will experience the luxurious couples Ayurvedic treatments at the Mii amo Spa including massage therapy, spiritual healing treatments, and psychic massages. Or stay at The L'Auberge de Sedona, in Oak Creek Canyon, in the heart of Red Rock country, on the banks of Oak Creek. Enjoy a romantic brook side dinner for two, and a spa treatment to embrace your senses, relax tense muscles and give you a new outlook on your day. They offer services to create a unique sense of intimacy and offer very personalized attention. You can experience your treatment in your cottage or enjoy the Spa Cabana creek side.

Make Possible an Adventure Travel in Cape Town


Have an adventure weekend in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Cape Town in South Africa. No doubt about it, this city is now one of the most favorite in terms of a vacation spot. Maybe, the weekend will not be enough. Some who visited even opted to live in this city due to its sheer beauty. Still others visit the city for the various adventure travel tours it can provide. This includes many types of sports and activities provided by this city to many tourists, one of them being the Cape Town cycling trips.
Another good reason for visiting is the tours held in many of its vineyards that have already become famous the world over. You can feast your eyes on the view and enjoy the free wine tastes given to busloads and shiploads of visitors. Of course, there is the safari which Africa has been known for. You can have a walking safari or be on a vehicle, whichever makes you feel safer or more comfortable.
What you may not know however is that Cape Town also is home to various heart-pounding activities like swimming with the sharks, that is, if you have the heart for it. No need to worry since you will be in a safe metal scuba gear that is shark-teeth resistant and will be placed in a cage that the shark is not supposed to access. You can just see it eye to eye. The whole exercise is safe though with a company that ensures your protection and safety despite the seemingly dangerous activity. You will have your adrenaline pumping and your heart jumping but you will surely not forget such an experience.

If you prefer to be on the safer side, you can opt to do other things. However, you will not be able to do everything that is done in Cape Town in just one visit. There are too many things you can do, e.g., sports, recreation, site-seeing, nature loving, the list never ends.
To make sure that you will be able to visit all the best spots and do all the fun activities during you visit, it is best to plan ahead and get information of the city. The data is readily available online. You can also prefer to give all the planning in the hands of an expert, particularly Cape Town travel consultants who will be able to show you how to have a good time in South Africa. They will be the one to present to you the possibilities and adapt it according to your preference and your budget. They can offer you a ready made package or have it custom made according to your requirements. They can give you a list of all you will need, provide you with the tickets and accommodations, even the equipment you will use if you prefer to join some of the sports events.

Best Travel planning vacation to Spain, France and Italy

If you are planning to go on a vacation, you may wish to consider countries like Spain, France or Italy. In each of these countries, there are beautiful cities, towns and settlements. Each city has its own heritage, history, and story to tell. It's easy to fall in love with the destinations once you get to know the place, the people, and the culture. Here are some highlights of the 3 countries.

-Traveling in Spain.

Spain has many major cities that you can consider visiting. Some must see cities include Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville or Costa Blanca. Compared to other major cities, Madrid may not have the same beautiful architecture. However, it is rich in art culture, and is endowed with beautiful natural scenery.

If you would like to visit magnificent churches and cathedrals, Barcelona would be a better option. This city started off as a tiny settlement surrounded by a defensive wall. It has evolved into a city that is bustling with activity.

-Traveling in France.

When you think about France, you can't help but think about Paris. Paris is the capital of France, and it's also the largest city in France. This city is well known for the artwork that is produced by numerous famous artists. You must have heard of the famous landmarks - Eiffel Tower, the Cathedral of Notre Dame and the Louvre Museum.

The Eiffel Tower is perhaps the most well known among the three. It is often seen in movies, magazines, and books. Everyone is saying that if you haven't seen the Eiffel Tower, you haven't been to Paris.
If you are into musical performances and plays, France has Moulin Rouge to offer. This is a world renowned venue for top class musical performances. Every night, two performances are scheduled. Be sure to book your tickets early so as to avoid disappointment!

-Traveling in Italy.

There are many cities in Italy that are worth visiting. Some examples are Venice, Rome and Florence. Powerful citizens once lived in Rome. In ancient times, it was a city that was without electricity or cars. Because many affluent families live in Rome, slaves were a common sight. Today, many of the magnificent manors, villas and sculptures still remain. The slaves are long gone though.

In Florence, the highlights are the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia. These places are usually flocked with visitors though. You may have to make reservations to ensure that you are granted permission to enter. Tourists visiting Florence like to visit the museums as well as the town center and markets.
Venice is relatively small compared with the other major cities. St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace are usually crowded by mid day. When in Venice, you can choose to explore the city in a tour boat.
To get around these cities and visit more destinations, you may wish to hire a car. Car rental services are available at the airport. You can hire a car way in advance so that upon arrival, a rented car would be waiting for you.

Finding The Very Best Tourist Rates Of Exchange


If you're traveling, you need to take a moment to make sure that you're getting an excellent deal on your tourist rates of exchange. When you're clear on the other side of the world, you really do not want to be stuck somewhere without enough money to get what you need while you're there. If you're not careful with your money exchange, you may wind up losing a bit of money in the long run and having far less to spend when you get where you're going. You need to make sure that the deal you're getting on your exchange is one of the best available because you really don't want to wind up with less money than you need when you get where you're going. Here's what to keep in mind in order to make sure that you're getting a good exchange rate.

-Do Your Homework

You should know the actual exchange rate before spending a single dollar switching your currency over. Look online at one of those financial news websites. They usually have charts to tell you how Yen stack up to dollars and dollars to pounds, so you can check any currency in the entire world against your own to make sure that the prices you're paying at the exchange companies are fair prices. Simply put: Know what the actual world average is in terms of exchange rates so as to make one hundred percent certain that you can't get ripped off, since you'll know exactly what you SHOULD be paying.

-Shop Every Where

Look at everyone's rates, don't just settle for the first people you find. Look everywhere, make them compete for your business. This way you can find the lowest rates and get the most money back for your travel money purchase. It's a competitive market so make sure you take advantage of that and make them compete for your business. Check out everyone, not just the first two companies you can find.

-Use the Web

The internet is what it's all about in this day and age, of course, as it really ties the world together and lets you have access to the entire industry when it comes to money exchange. You can swap any currency for any currency, and at any exchange rate. If you're using the phone book or, even worse, just hoping to find a place fresh out of the airport upon arrival, you're stuck paying whatever they want to ask you for. However, if you use the web, you can really find some of the best exchange rates in the world for any currency you could possibly hope to exchange.

How to buy cheap airline tickets?


If you are planning these holidays to some exotic destination, then you need to reserve air tickets for you and your family for a safe and comfortable journey. Though, you have made enough to help make your family vacation a marvelous one still you may still search for inexpensive air tickets in order to feel fulfilled that you have thought everything correctly and still ended up saving a large amount of income. Today everyone saves money for enjoying their lives. Almost all people like to go by air , rather than spend time in travelling by railways or roadways. Moreover, the discounted fare for air tickets has attracted millions of tourists worldwide as these tickets save good amount of money as well as save time. This way they enjoy more because they have enough time to spend to explore impressive sites while they are on their vacation. But the biggest question while booking your airline tickets is looking around for best possible deal to book cheap air tickets. Now how will you book inexpensive flight tickets easily and quickly? These are some essential tips with which you can easily book cheap airline tickets anywhere in the world.
- Stay away from booking flight tickets during the best time: Mostly, tourists love to plan their vacations when they are enjoying their holidays. However, even you would love to enjoy travelling during your breaks only. If you want a good deal, you should book your cheap air flight tickets either in the beginning of your holidays or during the end of your holidays. Lots of the people love to enjoy through mid-vacation and that is the best season for air travel industry. During this period, the air tickets are surely going to be higher. So prevent venturing during this best period because you will find flight tickets at very increased fees. It will be sensible to re-organize your trip to book cheap air tickets. Furthermore, the crowd won't permit you to take pleasure in your holiday place just like you might enjoy it in relaxing environment.

- Try to book your air tickets in advance: You know that these summers you are certainly going for holiday place. So if you plan an exotic holiday destination in advance, you can book your air tickets well in advance. This will allow you save income because majority of the on-line travel firms offer you savings for advance bookings. Now you can always grab this wonderful opportunity to book cheap air tickets.
- Prevent reserving air tickets during the weekends: The flight tickets during the weekends are quite costlier, so plan to book your tickets during weekdays. So you have to be aware that while arranging airplane tickets, schedule your excursion in the starting of the week or in mid-week. You can easily buy air tickets at discounted rates.
- Try on-line travel agencies: Though there may be many nearest travel services in your area, but you should always search for a dependable on-line travel agency. You can compare the prices offered by your online travel agent for different flights. You can easily decide on an flight journey that costs you minimum air fares. Moreover, booking air tickets through online travel agents not only help you save money, but you can book it quickly and easily.