If you’re a geologist, a naturalist, or just someone that’s interested in a place a bit off the beaten track, then The Badlands, South Dakota is the place for you.

A mixture of spires, valleys, buttes and sharply eroded sandstone, this mixed prairie grass preserve is a great place to go whether you’re a fossil hunter, or just interested in natural beauty.

Badlands National park is a gorgeous place – with unique and unusual sandstone rock that layers in ways that has to be seen to be believed.  The spires, and erosions formed over several thousand millenia make for a unique skyline.  Vegetation and fauna sprinkle crevices and valleys, making for interesting walks, and of course, the badlands are home to all kinds of wild animals, from Bison that graze by the side of the road as you’re driving through, to Prairie dogs, Elk, Coyotes, and wild Horses.

Many interesting fossils have been found there, since the interest in paleontology kicked up in 1840 or so.  Several species of fossils have since been discovered in the White River area of the Badlands – more than 3/4s of the total found by 1854 had come from that one area. Read more »

Converted from a military installation to a federal prison in 1934, Alcatraz is one of America’s foremost notorious prisons.  Despite the fact it was only used as a prison for 29 years, it’s probably the most famous.  There are two main reasons for its being so well known; firstly the notability of prisoner which were housed there, and secondly, its image recorded by Hollywood’s moviemakers.

By current standards, the prison wasn’t large, housing only 250 inmates, but because of its island location, there were never any escapes recorded from it – thus adding fuel for entertainment industry to create movies such as “Escape from Alcatraz” where real life escape attempts were transposed into movies for the big screen.  TV’s “Mythbusters” have since proved that escape was in fact a possibility, despite Alcatraz’s reputation to the contrary.

Today Alcatraz, known also as the Rock, is overseen by the National Parks Service who have representatives on the island.  Visitors will be able to ask NPS staff any questions they have, but there are no formal tours around the prison.  There are self-guided tours – including the cellhouse audio tour - however, which together with videos and exhibits make for an interesting trip around this famous building.  Read more »

Have you ever been to Las Vegas?  Vegas is much more than gambling, as I recently discovered when I visited the EarlyVegas.com site.  Ont he site I discovered the huge range of shows and other attractions that Las Vagas can offer.  Currently, Criss Angel is running.. and you can get a 40% discount from the EarlyVegas.com site!  They have many discounts available, you really can’t go wrong with the range of  Las Vegas Specials they offer.

Vegas such as the Lion Habitat, King Tut’s Tomb, and Shark Reef.. just to name a few. This makes Vegas much more family friendly than I could ever have imagined! Of course, all of the gambling, partying and general revelry is still there, it wouldn’t be Vegas without it! But Vegas certainly has matured over the years to encompas much more than that.

The EarlyVegas site will give you a real head start in organizing your visit to this remarkable city.. everything from car hire to the best Las Vegas Hotels are right there at your fingertips! Check it out for ag reat fun filled holiday.

If you have ever considered Alaska Travel, then I have found the perfect site for you!  Alaska Denali Tours currently have a sale on, and you can save over $1000 on your package trip.  honestly, packages are the way to go.. you get all of the expertise of the travel agent, and often at a price that you couldn’t put together on your own.  (Agents can often get you to places that you couldn’t get to on your own.. either!)

So why not Travel Alaska for your next holiday?  Alaska Denali Tours actually offer the service of fully customizable Alaska tours in their flexible packages in which you can put together your own itinerary. This gives you endless options so you can customize your vacation to suit your needs and your budget, which of course can range from from economical to luxurious.   You can buy the travel components you’d like to have.

Of course, a trip to Alaska wouldn’t be the same without a trip to the famous Denali Park.  Alaska Denali Tours are unique because they own and operate their own Denali lodges and Denali tour buses into Denali National Park, giving you amuch better holiday experience.

Get in quick while the sale lasts.. there has never been a better time to see Alaska!

Even the word “Gettysburg” is evocative of strong images, images of Lincoln delivering his famous address, and of confederates and yankies in their uniforms. Gettysburg is steeped in a history so unique, it is the place where legends and myths are created. What better place to take your family than the Battlefield Resort in Gettysburg?

gettysburg camping is also a great idea, with the resort offering FREE camping trips.. all you need to do is call them! rv camping gettysburg is also available, which is a great option for folks like us that like to travel around, but really don’t want the hassle of having to pack and unpack at every destination. The resort has all of the facilities you could wish for as an RV owner. Pa rv camping is definitely a great option for your upcoming vacation, being conveniently located close to other really popular and important historic attractions. For the nature lovers, there is tho option of walking sections of the Appalachian Trail and the hisorians amongst us will enjoy spending time at the Soldier’s National Monument (erected where President Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address.)

Gettysburg has something for everyone, and being only 1.5 hour drive from the capitol, the area is sure to delight young and old alike.

Orlando, Florida’s Epcot is a tourist attraction that will take a full day to explore, but if you want to sample all of the rides and exhibits, you have a multi-park ticket and find a spare half-day on your hands, then you may find you need to come back to Epcot to “finish off” what you don’t manage to see the first time – this is especially true in summer where queues for some exhibits can be quite long.

Split into two main sections Epcot consists of “Future World” and “World Showcase”.  These two sections are then fragmented into different individual exhibits on all a theme which fits the overall theme of the section.

Future World is divided up into sections such as Spaceship Earth which is about the history of communication and technologies, Innovations with its interactive technological exhibits, Test Track a high speed ride on an automotive factory testing grounds, Universe of Energy which shows how to generate energy and the Land and Seas Exhibitions where the attractions give fun ways of learning about our natural environment both on land and in the sea.  Space enthusiasts will love with Mission: SPACE ride which simulates space program training! Read more »

Myrtle Beach Resort have a great selection of holiday packages.  (Currently these really appeal to me.. with a small child, anything I can do that takes the least amount of preparation is a beautiful thing!)  For golfers, there are numerous courses across beautiful maritime landscapes. Let them know your choices in time/date, slope, and rating.  Their golfing professionals can match you and your foursome or group with courses you will enjoy to play.  This takes a huge amount of hassle out of planning your trip.. me likey!

Myrtle Beach Resorts have more than just facilities for golfers, of course.  You can savour what most only dream about by taking an exciting look at the Myrtle Beach area from the other side!  The Seaside package will have you out on a luxury 44-foot Caribbean Sailing Yacht. Experience first hand the excitement and adventure of sailing the open seas, and take a trip to Bird Island to collect shells.

All in all, Myrtle Beach Hotels offera huge range of options for those looking for a romanitc get-away right through to the perfect fun filled family vacation.

Family vacations are times for bonding and memory building.  They’re also a time when dreams of exotic locations, or one in a lifetime opportunities/challenges are realized.   All of these are possible at Discovery Cove, Florida.  Situated beside the more typical theme park of SeaWorld, in Orlando, this isn’t a cheap excursion, nor is it a park full of rides, shows and tours.  Instead, here you will experience something that you won’t find in many other places.  You’ll get to swim with dolphins.

Another contrast to the larger parks is that at Discovery Coves visitors are put into small groups, each with its own staff member to lead it around the park.  There’s an age limit to the dolphin swim so if you’ve got under 6’s you’ll need to consider that before deciding on a visit to this park.  Another “housekeeping” tip is that trips to Discovery Cove must be pre-booked, and lunch is included – as is all of the equipment hire such as wet suit, snorkel and even a towel if required.

Apart from being taught how to communicate with the dolphins and being allowed to swim with them in your small group, you will be able to spend the rest of the day enjoying the birds that fly over beautiful beaches on the property, together with snorkeling off the various reefs packed with marine life, and exploring hidden grottos.  It’s an unforgettable experience! Read more »

Situated at 350 Fifth Avenue is one of the most famous of New York’s impressive buildings.  Instantly recognizable from such movies as King Kong, An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle, the Empire State Building stands as one of the most well known skyscrapers in the world.

With its art deco architecture, the Empire State Building’s observation deck on the 80^th Floor is where most visitors head.  There’s a charge to enter the observation deck but it’s not too expensive, especially considering the unique view of New York and the surrounding area you’ll get from the top.  There are 73 elevators in the building – these can take you from ground level to the 80^th floor in a matter of seconds - but those who are more active, or like a challenge, the alternative is a 1,575 step climb – of course you could just take the elevator up and walk down if you prefer! Read more »

California is usually synonymous with beautiful beaches, beautiful people and the glitter and glitz surrounding the movie world, but there’s another side to this beautiful state, a gentler more natural side.  The Napa Valley is within easy driving distance of San Francisco and offers a tranquil alternative to the bustle of the city. 

One of the fun things to do in the Napa Valley is to take a ride on the Napa Valley Wine Train.  As one of the top train rides in the world, you’ll enjoy a relaxing journey in lovingly restored carriages all dated pre-1950.  Whether you enjoy a romantic evening meal in the dining car as you travel through the valley’s beautiful countryside, or you take the daily tour that allows a stop at two of the local vineyards, this is a local “attraction” that shouldn’t be missed. Read more »