Make Your Own Perfect Golf Vacation

The perfect golf vacation of you and your friends depend on you. So throw all the brochures of vacation packages and design your own vacation. This is the conclusion of all articles that will guide you and your friends towards a perfect vacation that you would like to have every year.

If you have followed our previous articles then you are at minus one month point now. This means that up till now you have gathered the group members, selected the dates of vacation and the golf courses and lodging place. Now you are in the final stage of preparation.

This is the time when you will be able to meet your friends at the airport baggage claim and see their smiling faces. The final preparation stage is very easy and will go on smoothly.

The toughest part of arranging this vacation was to agree your friends to buy the tickets for this event. Below are given few things that you should arrange before the aircraft of your friends land on the runway.

1. Transportation:

Here the problem that you will face is the arrival and departure from the airport due to club and suitcases. If you handle this thing then the upcoming week will be easy for you to handle.

From past experience you know that if you will pack four guys to go golfing locally, you will fill the trunk of a full sized car. Keeping this in mind, plan a full sized car for every three people. We always used a minivan/SUV for our vacations.

To avoid any mishaps, arrange these rental vehicles ahead of time but you can only drive one vehicle    by yourself. This is mandatory for minus one month point. First you should know that what type of vehicles you will need and the number of vehicles that would be required.

The next step is to contact the group members who can arrange the rental vehicles. There might be some people in your group who can arrange the vehicles at discounted rates which will help you to save a great deal of money. You can email this to your members. 

2. Entertainment:

Most probably you will have a rainy day unless you are going to the deserts of Arizona. After playing the golf you will have a lot of time at night. We used to spend this time by watching golf channel, ESPN, playing cards, telling tales or watching movies. Most of us liked to watch movies.

You can arrange the movies that you will watch ahead of time. Tell your friends to bring good movies. We had a friend who was very good at selecting movies and he also had a good collection of movies, so we used to tell him to bring movies to watch at night time during the vacation.

Movies like “miracle” and “gladiator” are always good to watch. Some of your group members might have adult movies that you would like to watch. On the rainy days, we used to tour the area or do a local movie theatre. 

3. Checklists:

I became very irritated when people asked me silly questions about twenty times per day. Questions like, where are we playing the next day or what we have for supper and who stole my teddy bear irritated me a lot. Since then I started to type these things.

Now I make a copy of the schedule and post it everywhere in the house. I started giving laminated cards to every golfer. Because of this the number of questions has reduced to half and even if somebody asks me, I tell them I don’t remember but I can read it for you if you want. The things for which you should prepare ahead of time are given below:

• Make a list of course, departure times, tee times, and course contact numbers. My departure timings are based on MapBlast directions.

• Make a list of menu for evening meals. It is better to keep the menu simple if you are doing it for the first time. Keep the recipes with you in hand. Remember that you should have one or two chefs with any size group. This is not a big deal.

• You should have multiple copies of order sheet for sandwiches. We used to prepare the gourmet sandwiches for our noon meals on the night before. As I have also mentioned in my previous articles that I always ask people about the sandwiches and food that they would like to have. The best way is to give sheets to the people where they can write down the type of sandwiches that they would like to eat the next day. Give the sheet to your chef every night. They will prepare the gourmet feast according to the requirements of people.

• We made a big mistake in the initial golf organizing years. The mistake was that we did not keep a record of our scores. It is better to keep a record of every year. Now I have made a hard copy sheet which I fill in every year. Take the records with you at home and post it on your golf website. This will also help to attract other people towards your golf vacations.

• I pay for almost everything. Now I have started using spread sheet to keep a record of my expenses and to manage my expenses. I would have provided you the spread sheet but the article format does not allow me to do that. Before I started using spread sheet, I kept a record of everything by simply using pen and paper. The message which I am trying to convey you here is that the minute when you start to plan your adventure, keep a record of every single penny that you have spent. If someone is making the contribution then record it immediately in your log book.

4. Things nobody else will bring but you:

• Cribbage boards

• Pliers and screw drivers (you might need this)

• Several decks of cards and poker chips

• Pencils, permanent markers and pens to keep a record of everything

• Band-Aids in case if someone gets injured

• Over the counter pain killers

• Games

5. Arrival:

This is the time when all your friends would be coming to the house that you have chosen. Do not indulge yourself in things like who got the master bed and who got the twin bed.

6. When you have reached the location, this is the time to go on shopping. You have the list in your hands and you have books everything. Now the only thing that you have to do is to go and grab the things.

This is the conclusion of all my articles. I would recommend you to go for it. I have been doing this since 19 years and it has been fun for me. Give it a try and enjoy your golf vacations.

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Golf and Horseback Riding Vacations

Horseback riding vacations at Dude ranches:

Horseback riding is a favorite vacation for many people. People who are interested in horseback riding should consider following points before selecting the Dude ranch:

1. OWNER ATTITUDE:

It is important to see that whether the owners or managers participate in the horseback riding activities along with the guests or not. if they love the horseback riding then they would participate often. It is better to choose a Dude ranch that is working for many years rather than choosing a Dude ranch that has started working only few years ago.

2. THE HORSES:

Also see that whether the horses belong to the ranch or they are rented. Rented horses are mostly not of top quality. The ranches are mostly unfamiliar with these rented horses. It is good if the ranch have a broad variety of horses because can find the horse that suits you best.

3. CLIENT/HORSE RATIO:

This is also a vital factor to consider while selecting a Dude ranch. The horses will get exhausted if there is only one horse per client, so it is better that they have more than one horse for a client. A hard riding cowboy will probably need half a dozen of horses but the guests would only need two or three horses per client who rides seriously. 

4. TERRAIN AND LOCATION:

Different Dude ranches have different kinds of Terrain for horse riding. Some have rocky grounds whereas others have steep mountain valleys. Not all riders can ride in these types of terrains so before selecting dude ranches keep this thing in mind.

5. PACE OF RIDES:

There are only few ranches that allow riders to gallop around freely. Most ranches send the riders in a group of either twenty people or six people whose abilities to ride might not match with each other. Determining the abilities of a rider is very important for making groups. Dude ranches should evaluate the riders before making groups.  

6. TACK:

The tack is very important for rider as well as the horse. It should be comfortable. Also see that the saddles provided by Dude ranches are comfortable or not. A horse with an uncomfortable saddle will act strangely and will detract from the riding experience.

7. SAFETY:

This should be your main priority. You can minimize the risks of getting hurt by taking some simple measures. These include

• Never ride without a hard hat

• Always match the horse and the rider carefully

• The pace should be slow to match with the abilities of least skillful rider.

• A proper knowledge and instructions should be given to the rider about the horse he is riding.

• The trainers should be well qualified.

• Cinches should be properly tighten

8. ATTITUDE TO HORSE:

It is also important to see the attitude of ranches towards the horses. Some ranches treat their horses like motor bikes while others treat them in a very good manner.

Golf Vacations:

Before planning your golf vacations you should consider following things.

How much vacation money do you have saved?

You might not have been able to save so much money for your golf vacation but this doesn’t matter. You can have a great golf vacation even with small amount of money. If you have money to spend then you can visit places like southern United States, California, Virgin Islands and Hawaii. 

If you cannot spend too much money on your golf vacation then you can take a much cheaper vacation. you should have money to cover the expenses of hotel stay, food, transportation and other activities.

Are you bringing non-golfers on your trip?

Many people bring their friends or family members on golf vacation who might not know how to play golf. If you are planning to bring non golfers on the trip then choose a golf place that offer other activities along with golf or a golf place which is near to other attractions of the city. 

Is your potential vacation course challenging enough for you?

Many golf places offer different types of courses according to the capabilities of the player. Find out about these courses before going on a vacation so that you can select the right course for you.

Challenge:

The most important thing while selecting a destination and course for your golf vacation is the difficulty level of courses that you are considering. Many different courses are offered these days so you can select a course according to your capability. So selecting the right course is necessary rather than selecting a destination.

Weather, Seasons, and Related Concerns:

Most golfers like summer season for playing golf. They like to sit under the sun and enjoy the golfing and tea. Most people like to travel to UK during the summer season because the sun set occurs at around 10 or 11 p.m. and it rises by 4 or 5 a.m. so they can have thirty six holes a day. 

Off Season?

Travelling off-season is a great idea if you want to save money but this has some drawbacks. You might have to play in rain, heat or humidity during the off-season.

Prices are very down during the off-season in Florida and Palm Springs. This is mostly the summer time. So people who can withstand heat and humidity can have vacation during off-season.

Other Activities:

While selecting a golf place, you should look that whether that place offers any other activities besides golf or not. This is very important because you might be travelling with people who are not interested in playing golf or you may not be able to play golf of because of bad weather.

How Many Courses Do You Need?

You should also consider the amount of time that you want to spent on playing golf. Select the number of courses that you would like to play. 

Plan your vacation while keeping all these things in mind so that you can have a great golf vacation.

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Picking the Perfect Destination And Planning For Your Vacation

Choosing the right place for vacation is always very hard to do especially when you have to plan a vacation for all your family members. Below are given some tips that will make this less stressful.

The first and the most important thing is that you should know what you and your family would like to do.

Before planning the vacation ask yourself the following questions:

1. Whether you like indoor activities or outdoor activities?

2. In what season you would like to go on a vacation?

3. You enjoy ruggedness or you like comfort?

4. Do you like hiking, rock climbing, fishing, camping, wildlife viewing, swimming, sailing, photography, scuba diving, boating, rafting, hunting, horseback writing etc?

The other thing that you should consider while planning a vacation is that how much time and money you can spend on the vacation. if you don’t want to spend too much money than you can visit the national parks and monuments that are not so expensive. If you can spend money than the exciting wilderness areas in Alaska can be a good option.

After considering all the above mentioned points pick your destination. If you are planning to go to a national park then you have plenty of things to do besides sitting by a campfire. You can do hiking, fishing, climbing, water sports etc.

Camping is considered to be the cheapest type of vacation. you just have to buy the initial camping supplies and then you can enjoy camping for many years. The camping fees at the parks are also cheaper. The campgrounds are usually situated in the gorgeous surroundings so you can enjoy the beautiful scenery.

There are plenty of park options for the people who live in the Midwest. They are located at driving distances but you can also fly if you want.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park situated in the Midwest is one of the best parks for the family. This park falls within the states of Tennessee and North Carolina. You can either camp out in the campgrounds or you can stay in the hotels nearby Gatlinburg and Pigeon. You can visit the museums or go for white water rafting and fly fishing.

Another good park that you can visit is Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and State Park. Here you can go for camping, wildlife viewing especially bird watching, swimming in Lake Michigan and walking on the beach. You can also go for horse riding.

In the Midwest there are several places where you can enjoy boating. You can go to Voyageurs National Park or Isle Royale National Park. Voyageur is situated in Minnesota and Isle Royale is situated in northern coast of Michigan.

At both of these parks you can enjoy canoeing, motor boating, kayaking and fishing. For going to the Voyageur you will have to boat over because it is a water park. Here you can camp out or stay in the lodges. At Isle Royale you can enjoy kayaking, backpacking, fishing, scuba diving and wildlife.

On the western part there are many parks to visit. You can visit Yellowstone located on the border of Wyoming and Montana. This is a good place to see grizzly bears and you can also do kayaking, climbing and backpacking.  Another biggie is Grand Canyon National Park situated in Arizona. Here you can go for camping, backpacking, day hiking, whitewater rafting, and plenty of photography.

Other good parks are Yosemite, Channel Islands, Grand Teton, Canyon lands, Redwood, Arches, Olympic Rocky Mountain, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, Crater Lake, Mt. Rainier, and Sequoia.

In Florida the most famous park is Everglades. Here you will get the chance to see a phenomenal wildlife. You can also do canoeing, fishing, airboat rides, hiking, and rare as well as beautiful flora.

Biscayne National Park is also a great park to visit. They have the world’s longest coral reef tract. Here you will get the opportunity for kayaking, sailing, scuba diving, swimming, snorkeling etc.

When you have selected your destination for the vacation then make your trip relaxing and stress free by doing the things mentioned below:

1. Plan Activities Prior To Travel: it is good to plan the activities before the start of vacations. This will help you to enjoy each and every moment of your vacation and you can spend time on these activities.

2. Mommy’s Little Helpers: involve your kids in planning the activities. Ask your kids to search on the internet about the activities that they would like to do. Tell them to make a list of top 9 activities that they would like to do. In this way your time will be saved.

3. Integrate Child Care: child care services are available in many resorts and hotels. Look for these services when you are shopping for the vacation package. Some hotels also organize dynamic day camps for the children where they offer exciting activities for the children. Some moms have concerns about handling their baby to some strangers, so they can bring a babysitter who can monitor their child.

4. Create A Daily Agenda: it is better to create a daily agenda for your trip. This will save your time of planning things at the time of vacation. Avoid confusions and find out solutions of the problem.

5. Set A Budget: budgeting is a very important part of planning a vacation. Prepare a budget for your food items, entertainment, living etc. this will save you from throwing too much money on things that are not necessary.

6. Shop Around On the Web: use the web to find out information about vacation packages. Many online websites offer discount opportunities for travelers. 

7. Coordinate With Another Family: planning a vacation together with other families can help you to save a lot of money on housing, food and entertainment. 

8. Pack Light: don’t carry too much stuff with you at the airport. This will make your vacation stress full. if you have too much stuff then you can log on to websites such as www.babysaway.com. They will deliver everything to your hotel at low costs. 

9. Hide-And-Sneak: take out some time for yourself when nobody is around you.

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Tips For Choosing The Right Ship And Packing For Your Cruise Vacation

If you are planning to go on a cruise vacation with your family then the first thing that you should do as a cruise planner is to look for different types of ships.

Different ships are available, from small yacht like ships to mega-liners. keep the following things in mind while planning a cruise vacation.

A small ship can accommodate an average of 500 passengers. Small ships have fewer programs for entertainment so you will be have more free time. It is good for those who want to spent time with their loved ones.

A mid size ship can accommodate 500 to 1000 passengers. The local groups and piano player come to play on these ships. One advantage of going to vacation on mid size ship is that the lines seldom forms.

The mega liners ships have many different entertainment activities that are going on all the time. If you are going on this ship then make sure that you have pocket size layout of the ship so that you are not lost. One disadvantage of going on mega-liners ship is that they are crowded and you might have to stand in long lines. The other thing is that you will have to go in tenders from the ship to the shore. Tenders are small life boats. 

Cruise Tip: make sure that you are going on the tender that goes to your ship. There may be many tenders on the shore, so you might get confused and make a mistake. This will ruin your trip so always check that you are going in the right tender.

When planning a cruise vacation ask yourself different questions. Check that whether the ship has all the facilities that are necessary for you like healthy exercise, spa packages etc.

Cruise Tip: it is better to book a mega-liner if you are seasick. While traveling on big ships you will hardly notice that you are moving.

Before booking the ship keep in mind to book ship on which you can have maximum enjoyment. It is obvious that the larger ships will have more facilities and the smaller ones will have fewer facilities and are more personalized.  On smaller ships you will have more time to spend with your loved ones.

The other thing that you should consider before hiring a ship is the number of ports that you will visit. If you hire a ship that stops at the port every day, then this can be tiring for you.

If you are going on the port that you have visited before then the best option is to stay on the ship. In this way you can spent some time in the gym or spa treatment. This can be very relaxing If the trip is longer than the possibility is that older people are on that ship because they have more time to spend. Going on a cruise vacation is different experience.

With all this information you will surely be able to pick an ideal ship for your vacation. so don’t waste time and book the right ship for your vacation. When you are done with the booking, the time has now come to pack for your cruise vacation.

The cruise will give you guidelines for packing at the time of booking. Seven day cruises usually have two formal nights. You will need a tuxedo for gentlemen and a cocktail dress or gown for ladies. Most ships have tuxedo rentals but it is better that you buy your own tuxedo. Ten day cruise have three formal nights.

On the informal days you will have to wear a jacket and a tie, and a dress or pants suit. The remaining days on the cruise will be resort casual. You cannot wear jeans, tee shirts or shorts in the dining room at the dinner time. Some people also wear kilts and sporran on the cruise.

Some cruise lines do not have formal lines, so if you are not in the mood of dressing up then tell your agent to hire a ship that does not have formal nights. Some cruise lines have theme nights. Make sure that your agent informs you of all such activities that will happen on cruise before time so that you can prepare for it.

If you are planning to go to a warm climate area then it is better to keep two bathing suits. If you have two suits then you will not have to wear the wet suit when you are going to swimming for the second time.

Don’t forget to take sun block, a hat and a pair of glasses with you. these things will save your skin from the sun rays and the harsh weather of that area. I always take several pairs of prescription glasses with me in case if one gets lost.

It is a good idea to keep the bathing suit and cover on the top of the luggage so that you can easily take them out when you get on the cruise without wasting any time.

Cruise Tip: always pack a light sweater for day time and a shawl for evening so that you can wear it whenever you feel cold. At night you might feel cold because of the cold wind that blows at night.

If you are travelling on the cruise for the first time then after dropping the luggage to your room, go to the buffet and then have a short tour of your ship so that you can have an idea about the ship.

This is very important if you are travelling on a mega-liner. Some cruise lines give a tour of the ship on the first day, so don’t miss this opportunity. Check your daily sheet for the time so that you can be aware of what is going on in the ship.

The day you arrive at the ship, after you’ve gotten the layout, make any appointments you want; hair, nails, or massages, appointments sell out very quickly for formal nights and days at sea. If you are using the traditional dining option make sure it is correct, if it isn’t go see the Maitre d’.  He will try very hard to accommodate you. Keep these points in mind

1. Don’t over pack

2. Bring one pair of casual shoes and one pair of dressy shoes.

3. Buy travel size appliances i.e., curlers, irons and blow dryers .

4. Tape a copy of your itinerary on the inside of your suitcase so if it gets lost the airline will know where to send it.

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Two Great Places To Spend Your Summer Vacations

There are many places where you go for your summer vacations but Tucson Arizona and Wisconsin dells are very good places to visit especially if you are a nature loving person.

Tucson Arizona:

This place is a great vacation destination because of its warm temperature, less rain and abundant sunshine.

Even during the winter the temperature remains in a range of 50 degrees to 60 degrees. Rainfall is also very rare and occurs mostly in the months of June and July. 

The geographical location of this place is also very good. You can see the mountain ranges from anywhere but you can only reach the mountains if you pass through the deserts. Twenty minutes drive through the desert will take you to the base of the mountains. Mount Lemmon is one of the mountain ranges. By driving up the twisting roads of Mount Lemmon you can see the unique flora, geology and ecosystems.

If you are planning to go to Tucson Arizona then below are given some useful tips that will make your vacation much easier.

Sunscreen:

It is very important to apply sunscreen if you are going out for more than thirty minutes. Apply it to the exposed areas of skin. This is necessary because the UV index in Arizona rarely drops below maximum, so your skin can burn in ten to fifteen minutes.

Outerwear:

Although the temperature is quite warm in the morning, it gets colder at the night time. So it is better to take a light jacket with you which can protect you from the chills at night. 

Water:

People who are planning to visit deserts in Arizona should take abundant quantities of water or any other fluids with them along with the sunscreen. This will prevent you from getting dehydrated. When you are in the desert, drink water at regular intervals.  This can save you from many problems.

Camera:

Almost every tourist brings cameras with them. Camera is very important if you are going to Tucson for vacation. This is because at this place you will get to see some exciting sceneries which you cannot see in any other part of the world. Make sure that you bring enough films or adequate digital storage with you.

Desert Walking Footwear:

If you are planning to visit the Sonora Deserts around Tucson then bring good footwear with you. many people bring tennis shoes which are not good to wear in the deserts because the spines of cactus can easily pierce the shoes and can hurt your foot.

Know The Animals:

There are some plants and animals that can be dangerous for you. Make sure that you familiarize yourself with these plants and animals that can ruin your vacation. These include rattle snake, spiders, scorpions and several types of cactus.

Some Places Not To Miss:

There are many things that you can do in Arizona besides golf, spas and resorts. Below are given some places where you can visit and have fun:

Biodome II, Kitt peak, Flandreau Planetarium, Old Tucson Movie Studio, 4th Avenue, Agua Caliente Park, The Desert Museum, Gate's Pass

Wisconsin Dells:

This has become a very important destination for spending the summer vacations. This is a good place to visit for people who live in Midwest because they can easily reach here. Recently many water parks have been built which has made this a popular place.

Here you can enjoy the beautiful scenery and sandstone rock formations. You can tour the sandstone rock formations either through a “boat” tour or a “duck” tour. Small children’s mostly enjoy “duck” tour. 

If you choose a boat tour then you can take a tour of “upper Dells” , “lower Dells” or both of them. The tour of upper dells is about two hours and that of lower dells is about one hour.

The “duck” tour includes land as well as water tour. In this tour you can see the beautiful sceneries on land as well as water. This tour is liked by kids of all ages. The tour begins on the dry land and then they will take you to the down streets of Wisconsin Dells. You can also view the wild life in this tour.

While driving in the water the driver will ask whether you want to go into the water slow or fast. Going fast is usually more fun to do. After the water tour is complete the driver will take you to the land and the tour will be complete. During the whole tour the driver will entertain you by narrating funny and informative stories regarding the place. 

Wisconsin Dells has indoor as well as outdoor water parks. Noah’s Ark is a famous outdoor water park. Below are given some tips that will help you to cut down the cost and to make the trip enjoyable.

1. It is better not to buy the tickets on the day when you want to visit the park. Look for discounted tickets. 

You may get them online or from the local parks and recreation department. Other thing that you can do is go to the downtown Wisconsin Dells. Here the discounted tickets are mostly available especially if you are planning to do more than one activity. 

2. Take waterproof sunscreen to protect your skin.

3. Take towels with you rather than buying from the park because they can be quite expensive.

4. Try renting a locker in the park so that you don’t have to carry your stuff everywhere. 

5. Don’t forget to take plastic bags for your wet swimsuits and towels. 

6. Take a small waterproof container for extra money. 

7. It is better to bring your own lunch. 

8. Bring water shoes. 

9. The lines for slides are shortest in the early morning and in the evening so it is better to go on slides at these times.

The other things that you can do are horseback riding, shopping, take in the Tommy Bartlet water show, go-carting, rent a boat and go fishing, canoeing, enjoy a movie at the drive-in movie theater, rent a jet-ski, play regular golf on one of the golf courses, visit the railway museum, visit the history center, play paintball, etc.

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Athens & Turkey, The Unforgetable Vacations

ATHENS:

Athens is a great place to visit. There are many things to see in Athens. The best way to get around in Athens is by bus or trolley. Below are mentioned some of the places that you should visit while vacationing in Athens.

Acropolis:

It is a name of a hill on which three temples are present: Temple of Athena Nike, Parthenon and Erechteion. An Acropolis museum is also present there. It was built 2500 years ago. Acropolis is a steep hill so make sure that you wear good quality walking shoes.

Temple of Olympian Zeus:

It is an ideal site to visit. The construction of this temple begun in 515 BC by Peristratos  and was completed in 125 AD by Roman Emperor. So it took 700 years to complete. Amalias Avenue is present close to the temple. It is also a good place to see. Hadrian’s Arch is present here which was built by the same emperor.

The Agoras - Ancient and Roman:

The ancient Athenians used to gather at Ancient Agora. Temple of Hephastos is the best conserved of all the Greek temples. Roman Agora is situated near Ancient Agora. It is smaller than Ancient Agora. The places that you can visit here are Fethiye Djami, aTurkish mosque and the Tower of winds.

Panathenaic Stadium:

This is the site of first modern Olympic games in 1896. The word panathinaikon means “all Athenians stadium”. A statue of Discus Thrower is present at the front of the stadium.

The Ruins of Delphi:

The main attraction of this site is temple of Apollo. This was the place where Pythia was asked to predict the future. The Theatre of the sanctuary and The Stadium are present near the temple of Delphi. This place is not that much interesting to visit Archaeological Museum of Delphi is a great place to visit here. It is not too far from here.

Plaka:

This is a great place if you want to buy souvenir. Here you will find souvenir stores, liquor stores, taverns, small churches and open air stands. From these stores you can get almost everything. You will also find many good restaurants here where you can dine in.

National Archaeological Museum of Athens:

This is the largest museum in Greece. This is an inspiring Archeological museum and it exhibits the Greek pottery and sculpture as well as prehistoric and bronze age artifacts. This is a great place to visit for people who love art, history and culture.

National Gardens:

This is a good place to hang out with friends and family. You can take a walk here and have lunch. Zappion is present in the heart of the park. It is used for important political and cultural events.

Constitution Square:

The tomb of the Unknown Soldier is the site of attraction for many tourists. Here you can watch the changing of the guards on Sunday. This is a great ceremony to watch.

TURKEY:

Anyone who likes to go on vacation and wants to experience an unforgettable vacation then they should visit turkey.

Whoever visits turkey, wants to go there over and over again. So after visiting turkey, most probably you will also like to go there again. Before visiting turkey you should gather some information. Below are given some important information related to turkey:

Turkey is a beautiful land surrounded by water on three sides. It is a connecting bridge between Asia and Europe.

Istanbul is a great place to visit. It is situated on the north western corner of the country.  Istanbul is a place with natural beauty. It is a modern city as well as it shows the remains of history. Istanbul is a famous city which extends on the two sides of Bosphorous Strait and it was the capital city of the Ottoman Empire for hundreds of years.

North western part of the turkey also has internal Marmara Sea, and the Uludag Mountain. They are popular ski center.

Aegean Sea lies along the western coast of Turkey and on the sea-coast of this sea is situated the largest city called Izmir.

Kusadasi and Bodrum are the peaceful bays and modern holiday resorts, also located on this coastline.

There was a famous ancient city called Troy. The remains of this city are still found along the northern and central areas of this Aegean region.

There are 9 Troys which were built on top of each other at different periods of history. The Troys reminds us of the famous love story of Helen and Paris and their wooden horse. They lived in the troy.

Because of them, wars happened in this region during the ancient times. A replica of the wooden horse is present here. On the high mounts of this region, pergamon is present.

Ephesus is also a great place to visit. Many people visit this place every year to see the enormous open-air theatre, the gorgeous library, houses, harbor and other remains. Last home of Virgin Mary is present on Bulbul Dagi.

Bulbul Dagi located in this region is a holy shrine visited by tens of thousands of christians and muslims every year. This is an important site to visit. Visitors who are interested to know about this shrine can consult the nuns serving there.

The grave of St. John is also located in this region, few kilometers away from St. Mary's last home. St. John came to Ephesus with St. Mary in her last years.

Another good location to visit of ancient times is the remains of Priene. This place is also visited by thousands of people each year.

The turquoise coast is present on the south western part of Turkey. This coast streches up to the Aegean sea. The name Turquoise is given because of the mixing of green pine forests with the beautiful bright blue color of the sea.

This coast is ideal for sailing and yachting because of numerous small islands, coves and pristine sandy beaches. People who are interested in sailing and yachting can contact with numerous yacht charter bureaus. They offer crewed yachts and yacht vacations along the charming Turquoise Coast.

At the centre of the Turquoise Coast is located the historic city of Antalya. it is situated on a hill top overlooking a busy harbor.  It is a good place to visit because in the morning you can ski on mountain tops and in the afternoon you can swim in the Turquoise water.

Remains of an ancient city called Perge is located 18km away from Antalya towards east. Perge was an important city in Pamphylia, a Hittite city around 1,500 B.C. Some people say that St. Paul stopped here on his way to Rome in 46 A.D.

The remains of a Roman theatre called Aspendos has been restored. It is situated near Antalya and it was built by the renowned Roman architect Xenon in the 2nd Century, A.D.

This theatre has a capacity of 15,000 people and it is still known for its outstanding acoustics, hosting opera and ballet festivals, and similar performances every year. It is an interesting place to visit.

About a decade ago Verdi's opera AIDA was organized in this Aspendos theatre. It was a beautiful performance and people who watched it, remember it till this day.

If you missed this performance, then there is no need to worry because this performance of opera and ballet festivals are held in the month of june every year in Aspendos theatre. You can watch it and enjoy.if you get a chance to visit there, then do visit the small museum next to the stage.

Here you can see some of the masks and clay tickets used in the Roman times. Nearby also stand the ruins of a basilica, an agora and the largest aqueducts in Anatolia, built by Romans.

7 Days Turkey

Tips For Vacationing In Las Vegas and Costa Rica

Las Vegas Travel Tips:

One of the biggest mistakes made by travelers is that they book the hotels with cheapest fare without considering the location and services provided by the hotel.

It is good to spend less money on vacation but this does not mean that you get whatever is cheaper without looking at the services. In every hotel there are different rooms having different prices. So before making your bookings, search for the hotels that provide better rooms and services at low prices. There is no need of booking the expensive rooms. Book the one that offers you maximum facilities at lower prices.

It is better to book the hotel in advance because Las Vegas is booked up an average of 94% year round. 

Booking before the day of arrival will save your money and time.

When you are done with the booking of hotel then do the booking for shows that you would like to watch. You can book them online. Also book your Las Vegas tour. You can have a daytime trip to the Boulder Dam and Grand Canyon or you can have a helicopter ride over Glitter Gulch and Downtown. These tour programs are not that expensive. You can check online for the prices and timings of the tour. 

Las Vegas Gambling Tips:

Las Vegas is very popular for its gambling. Make a budget for daily gambling and stick to it. You have a chance of winning because thousands of jackpots are paid every day. Remember not to spend more money than you have planned to spend.

Don’t forget to take the players card everywhere you go. In this way they will be able to track you and they can offer you free stuff like meals, clothing, limos, cash etc.

Don’t shoe off with your money and handle it carefully because there might be thieves who are keeping an eye on your money.

Las Vegas Security:

All ladies should bring a small purse or a bag with neck strap or waste pouch. Keep your money inside and don’t show it off. Don’t leave your purse on the table or anywhere else because they can be easily stolen by the thieves. Always keep the strap around your neck.

Thieves mostly work in pairs. One of them will distract your attention and the other will try to steal the purse. They can distract you by throwing some money or bill near you and will ask you if this belongs to you or not. they might also grab your attention by talking to you continuously about things and in the mean time the other partner will steal your stuff and will runaway. This has happened to many people so be careful with your money and stuff. Don’t leave your stuff unattended.

When you have won couple of winning tickets then keep them in your purse of wallet and don’t take it out until you are about to cash it.

Men:

Men should keep their bills, tickets and money in the front pocket so that if the thieve pickpocket your wallet then you don’t loose your money.

The security in the casinos have become very good these days. There are cameras all over which keeps an eye on everyone.

Follow these Las Vegas Travel Tips and make your Las Vegas Vacation a lifetime memory.

Tips for vacationing and rentals in Costa Rica:

Costa Rica is one of the best places to visit. Here you can enjoy the jungles, secluded beaches and friendly people. You can enjoy all the activities at very reasonable price. One thing about which everyone should think of before going for vacation is selecting the best Costa Rica holiday rentals. This is important because having a good place to stay can make your vacation a memorable experience.

Some people give little importance to the place where they will stay and so they book any available place. But this is also an important part of a good vacation because this is the place where you will be coming for sleeping, eating and rest. This will be like a home away from home.

Below are given some tips that will help you to select the perfect Costa Rica holiday rental:

1. Look at the pictures of holiday rentals on the website or on the brochures. This is necessary because it will give an idea that how your holiday rentals looks like. Prepare a list of things that you think is necessary to be present in the holiday rentals.

This includes the number of bedrooms & bathrooms, type kitchen, water, private pools, outdoor seating areas, outdoor amenities such as decks & BBQ grills, ocean views, tennis courts & other items important to you.

2. Make a list of things that are not necessary but they are lovely to have.

3. List the activities that you would like to do during your vacation. Activities like canopy, scuba diving and snorkeling are always good to do.

a. It is also important that the holiday rentals should not be very far away from the airport. It should take a minimum of twenty minutes to drive to the holiday rentals.

b. Things like pool waterfall, hammock, exterior stereo speakers, ice makers etc are always good to have on a vacation so that you can enjoy your vacation.

c. You should also select your holiday rentals while keeping in mind that how far is it from all the attractions.

4. Decide dates for renting the villas. It is better that you at least keep three choices of dates for renting the holiday rental.

5. When you have chosen a holiday rental for your vacation, call the rental and ask the questions that you want to ask.

6. Ask what amenities are included. You might come to know about    things that are not on your list but you think that they are perfect for you. Also see if the rentals have maid service or not.

7. Inquire about restaurants, events & activities & other forms of   local entertainment that is close by.

8. Do your rentals have a management team to help you?

9. How long has the owner been renting holiday rentals?

10. Do you think that you will have a great time here?

Planet Explorers Las Vegas 2012: A Travel Guide for Kids