Does your idea of a super summer vacation include posing by a huge ball of twine or touring a collection of hand painted toilet bowl covers? Not everyone’s ideal vacation spot features palm trees, cobalt blue water and powder soft sand. Rather, some travelers go to great lengths to visit the nation’s most unusual and wacky pit stops. If you are looking to spice up your summer road adventure consider checking out these odd places: World’s Largest Ball of Twine: Located in Darwin, Minnesota, the eye-popping attraction is the perfect spot to take a family photo that will be remembered … Continue reading →

If you haven’t already booked your summer flight to London to witness sports history unfold before your eyes, you may be out of luck. According to travel experts, despite fares increasing nearly 20 percent over last year, flights to England are being snatched up by travelers attending the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, which run July 27 to August 12. The U.S. Commerce Department’s Office of Travel and Tourism Industries’ website notes that nearly 13 million Americans visited Europe in 2009. That number is estimated to increase by at least 35 percent in 2012 thanks to the Olympics and the Diamond … Continue reading →

College basketball survived Kentucky, but can you survive spending spring break in the “Bluegrass State”? Popular to contrary belief, Kentucky is not only for sports fans. The state is filled with natural wonders, historical landmarks and quirky travel attractions. Exploring all of Kentucky’s recreational opportunities may be a bit much if you are planning to stay for just a week; however, that shouldn’t stop you from soaking up as much of the surroundings as possible. Don’t miss: Mammoth Cave National Park: Even if you are not a nature lover, you will be duly impressed with Mammoth Cave National Park. Categorized … Continue reading →

When you think of spring break what immediately comes to mind? Most people typically think South Padre, Fort Lauderdale, and Lake Havasu. However, if you are trying to avoid half-naked, drunk college coeds partying it up next to your sand castle-making kid, then you might consider heading south, minus the mayhem. South Carolina is an amazing spring break destination for families. The state is home to Myrtle Beach and miles of pristine shoreline. From para-sailing and jet-skiing to kayaking and surfing, the area’s waterways and ocean access are hard to beat. South Carolina also offers a plethora of land-based attractions, … Continue reading →

With the price of gas soaring like a bar-headed goose on the loose, you might consider sticking closer to home this spring break. Of course, hanging around in your own neck of the woods doesn’t have to be a death sentence. After all, the United States offers a slew of exciting travel attractions during the first season of the year that your entire family will love attending. For example: Chicago: During the city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration the local plumber’s union dyes the Chicago River green. The event is followed by the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade through Grant Park. … Continue reading →

The Pro Bowl is on right now. A bunch of NFL all-stars are soaking up the sun in Hawaii… in 80-degree temps, under blue skies, with moderate trade winds and the Pacific crashing on the powder soft sands of Waikiki. WAH! I should be there. I could care less about watching insanely rich football players tiptoe around Aloha Stadium trying to avoid injuries. I just want to be baking under the warm Hawaiian sun. If you are sick of Old Man Winter’s brutal chill and are looking to escape to warmer climates, now is the time to plan your getaway. … Continue reading →

I grew up just steps away from a black sand beach on the Big Island of Hawaii. Needless to say, there are very few Memorial Day holidays that I have not spent soaking up the sun on a stretch of sand somewhere in the world. Old habits die hard. Whereas I hold the beaches of Hawaii near to my heart, I have spent many summers sprawled out on other sandy spots that you too might consider exploring in the coming months: The Hamptons: If you can’t escape the East Coast this summer, then at least get your tan on somewhere … Continue reading →

This mama would love a spring getaway to the Bahamas! Of course, watching TV doesn’t help cure my wanderlust. If I had a dime for every time I’ve seen a commercial for the Atlantis resort in Nassau, I would have more than enough money to take my entire family on a trip there. What’s more, the Paradise Island mega-property is offering a spring deal that’s almost too hard to pass up. It includes a fourth-night free starting at $499 per person, including two passes to swim with the resort’s dolphins, plus kids 11 and under stay and eat free, as … Continue reading →

Last year my family spent the Chinese New Year in Hawaii. My then 5-year-old shimmied in the streets at a local New Year’s festival while feeding dollar bills to colorful dancing lions and dragons. This year Chinese New Year falls on February 3rd and we’ll be roughly 5,000 miles away from the sunny streets of Hawaii where we enjoyed phenomenal parades, a fantastic fireworks show and some of the best homemade Chinese food outside of China. Sadly, we won’t be spending the kick-off to the Year of the Rabbit in my hometown. However, there are many cities across the country … Continue reading →

Florida’s pushing hard for you to spend your travel dollar in its neck of the woods. And who can really blame the state given the recent oil spill and the impending storms? Frankly, I find it hard to believe that the state is actively seeking out visitors, given that it is home to some of the largest and most popular tourist attractions on Earth. Some rodent named Mickey… ahem… Mouse. Still, in a previous blog I promised that I would spotlight some of the state’s non-over-commercialized hot spots, so here we go: MIAMI Not the Kardashian sisters’ Miami; rather, the … Continue reading →