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Movie Fun Savings for Families

February 6, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

A night at the movies can be a great get-together for the entire family whether at the theater or at home. Hollywood is getting more family conscious and producing more movies for general audiences so the selection is better than in times past.

If you’re not sure about a certain movie’s content, go online and do your research. You can’t always go by the rating but that’s a good place to start. You might wonder sometimes how a movie got a PG rating.

Movies, like most everything else in life, are not as affordable as they used to be. Depending on what city you live in you can expect to spend $7 to $10 or more for an adult ticket and about $2 less for children under 12. Discounts are available for students who provide a valid school ID. [Read more…] about Movie Fun Savings for Families

Mediterranean or Caribbean Cruising

February 6, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

So, your dream of taking a cruise has finally come true. You can picture yourself on a gleaming ship’s deck soaking up the sunny rays beside a glittering pool. As you look out you see well, is your dream to be in the Mediterranean, possibly cruising the Greek Islands, or do you see yourself gazing appreciatively over at one of the Caribbean Islands? The choice is yours, and the dream is yours. Whether you choose to cruise the Mediterranean Sea or the Caribbean, you won’t go wrong. You are bound to have an exciting and fascinating cruise adventure.

Cruising the Mediterranean Sea can include stunning beaches and thousands of years of history to explore. While taking in the pleasant Mediterranean climate you can visit unique places like Venice, explore the treasures of Rome or take a voyage of discovery to Athens. You can taste world-famous wines and the cuisine of the French Riviera. Or, you can visit the casinos of Monte Carlo. There is Spain, Portugal, Tunisia, Morocco or Monaco to discover. There are also exotic lands to the east, like Turkey, Croatia, Bulgaria or the Ukraine. Or you can take a cruise and visit the Holy Land at the same time. [Read more…] about Mediterranean or Caribbean Cruising

How to Get a Good Travel Deal on Hotel, Car, and Airfare

February 6, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

When looking for the best travel deal possible, don’t risk it. Never cross your fingers and hope for the best – research your options and get the vacation you deserve when you’re spending your hard-earned money.

The more time you book in advance, the more time you have to keep a close eye on hotel prices and airfare and make exchanges wherever applicable. If you’ve been searching for a long time now, and you see something that looks like a good deal – it probably is!

Try to look online for various travel deals. Booking online is probably one of the most cost-cutting and valuable methods of making reservations somewhere. Simply checking websites that claim the lowest prices isn’t enough anymore. Compare prices everywhere in order to get a good travel deal. Orange County Truck Accident Attorney helps you in the truck accident attorney.

If you’re a generally a spur-of-the-moment type person, always be sure to check for last minute deals on flights that still have empty seats a few hours before boarding. This could cut costs by a lot since airlines want your business. Atlanta working on a popular Personal injury lawyer notes at Angell Law Firm.

When searching for a good travel deal, make sure to look and see if the price of the ticket includes taxes and all applicable fees. If not, you may be tacking an additional hundred dollars onto your price.

When searching for hotels, similar to airfare, try not to settle for the first rate you’re offered. Ask about military, corporate, senior, or any other special rates you might qualify for. Selecting a hotel just outside the major city you’re visiting tends to be cheaper as well – which allows for a better travel deal. Ask for an upgrade to a suite because many companies will do it for free if the room is empty.

Getting a great travel deal on a rental car is easy if you ask for upgrades. Generally, it’s less expensive to rent using the online service rather than walking in and renting a full week is often cheaper than a daily rate. Don’t forget to add taxes to whatever rate you’re being offered.

Check with your auto-insurance agent from truckinsurancecomparison.co.uk to make sure that you’re covered in case an accident occurs while in a rental car. Before leaving the lot, be sure to make note of any dents, scratches, stains, or other damages in order to avoid taking the bill for someone else’s carelessness.

A final good travel deal tip is to try walking from your hotel or hostel to a local restaurant. This will eliminate cab costs and will make you feel better gaining some fresh air and being able to take in all of the local scenery.

Travel to Panama

February 6, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

There are many exotic vacation spots in the Caribbean that almost everyone is aware of, like Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Aruba, etc.-just to mention a few. Not many think of Panama as a warm beach spot to visit. But, it is a very exciting and memorable spot for a great vacation.

First and foremost, the history of Panama and the Panama Canal is fascinating, even though we won’t get into a big history lesson here, the Panama Canal is a marvel in engineering and one of the most significant waterways in the world.

The canal stretches from Panama City on the Pacific coast to Colon on the Atlantic side, and is 80 km (or 50 miles) in length. Over 12,000 ocean-going vessels use the canal per year, nudging their way through the narrow canal and rising up and down in the various locks to compensate for the difference in elevation between the two oceans. There are vast tracts of virgin jungle on both sides of the canal. It is truly an unforgettable sight to see the huge ships pass through the locks. It is a must-see when visiting Panama.

The Mira Flores, Locks, located on the Pacific coast, is on the northeastern fringe of Panama City. A platform offers visitors a good view of the locks in operation and has a very interesting museum attached.

The City and Canal tour offered by local tour companies is a wonderful tour of Panama City as well as the Mira Flores Locks in action. There are also Partial Transit Tours of about four hours in length which start in Gamboa, located at the north end of the Gaillard Cut where the Chagres River flows into the Canal. Your vessel would pass through the Pedro Miguel Locks and the Mara Flores Locks, where the vessel is lowered 18 metres in two steps, and your voyage would end at the beautiful Flamenco Marina.

There is also a full canal tour onboard the Pacific Queen, where you can experience the canal in close operation. This would be a once in a lifetime adventure where you could feel the sensation of going up or down in the locks in order to get from one ocean to the other. A visitor can also take a rail adventure where you tour along-side the Canal while sitting comfortably on a train.

Panama City is also worth visiting. The city is split between the modern, thriving commercial center stretching 10 km (6 miles) along the Pacific coast and the old district of San Felipe, an area of decaying colonial grandeur. San Felipe juts into the sea on the southwestern side of town, and represents replicas of houses of the three most important cultures of the country: the Spanish, the Indian and the Afro-Antillan. The old-world architecture is beautiful and in many places is being restored to its original grandeur. The tour of the old district should not be missed.

Located in the modern part of Panama City is the Multicentro, Central America’s largest shopping mall with over 250 stores. Panama City is famous for its shopping and offers a wide variety of merchandise including shoes, purses, sports articles, souvenirs, clothes, china, etc. There is also a large casino located directly inside the mall.

Panama boasts some of the greatest ‘eco’ sightseeing in the world with the Panamanian Rainforest. Over 300 species of birds have been seen in a day, and Panama offers terrific bird-watching with species such as the iris-beaked toucan, the tangara and the white-tailed sparrow hawk to mention a few. According to studies by the National Panamanian University and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, the mountains of basaltic rock at altitude contribute to the rich diversity of species.

Panama also offers a two-centre holiday option-for a one week vacation you stay five nights at the Royal Decameron Beach Resort and two nights at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. That would gives the vacationer both a beach holiday and the ‘eco’ experience. This two-centre option is only offered at certain times of the year.

Other tours that may be of interest are the Jungle Boat Tour, the Canopy Adventure Tour (where you can ride the treetops in an eco adventure), or the Anton Valley Adventure where you visit an extinct volcano, a zoo and botanical garden, and a crafts market offering handmade crafts by local villagers.

Other parts of Panama offers deep-sea fishing, sunset sailboat cruises, Panama Express train to Colon, or scuba diving. In short, there are endless possibilities for adventure and fun in Panama and at fairly reasonable rates too.

The people of Panama are very pleasant and companionable. Although Spanish is the official language, English is widely spoken. Often times the local people speak English so well it is hard to tell if they are locals or not.

Panama has two seasons, the dry season (January to mid-April) and the rainy season (mid-April to December). It is best to keep these seasons in mind when planning your vacation. It may also be advisable to take a small traveling umbrella just in case. They don’t call it the rain forest for nothing!

Temperatures are around 80-90? F (25-30? C) and are fairly consistent year-round, although nights are usually cooler. The equatorial sun is intense in Panama and care should be taken to use sunscreen. It is even possible to get a sunburn sitting under the canopy on the beach.
Visiting Panama is really an enjoyable experience, especially when you take into account the history of Panama City and the Canal. A vacationer visiting here will not be disappointed.

Finding a Reputable Travel Agency

February 5, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

Hiring a travel agency to take care of all your travel planning needs can take all the headaches and time consuming work out of it for you, but how do you really know the travel agency you want to hire is a reputable one? Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a travel agency for your upcoming vacation

Make sure they’re associated with ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) organization. This means that the traveling agency has strict rules and regulations they have to adhere to. It makes it easier for you to file a complaint against an agency in case you need to.

Be sure they don’t over exaggerate their deals. Every travel agency would like to get your business, but some will try to get you the best deal and won’t tell you everything you need to hear.

Make sure you have their contact information. If you go through an online travel agency, be sure they have their contact information clearly visible. There should be a phone number, address and an email address.

If all you’re presented with is an email address, move on to another agency. A reputable agency will have no problem showing their contact information. It also doesn’t hurt to try calling their phone number to talk to a live person and see if the number is for real.

Watch for hidden fees. Reputable agencies will lay out the deals exactly as they are. The ones that aren’t legit tend to promise low rates and then charge you for extra fees once they’ve reeled you into their trap. Get every fee in writing.

Reputable agencies will go out of their way to make your trip as pleasant as possible. If you need handicap-accessible items, they’ll go out of their way to make sure you’re well taken care of. The ones that aren’t good are only interested in getting your money and not your return business.

Reputable agencies are there for you even when you’re on your trip and come across a problem. They work with you before, during and even after your trip to ensure everything goes smoothly. Bad ones tend to disappear after you’ve paid them for their services.

A reputable agency will offer some tips for your travel plans and let you know about a country’s culture so you can play it safe while on your vacation. They’re always on the lookout for any dangers that may occur in the country you want to visit and will alert you if there’s a problem.

Some sell you their package and disappear after that, leaving you on your own. Travel agencies do all of the work for you so that all you have to worry about is having fun on your vacation.