Category: Travel & Destinations

Washington; the nation’s capital. The seat of power, prestige, and privilege. But there is more to Washington than politics. It is a lively, vibrant, and colorful city that offers its visitors a gala good time. Of course, being the capital city many of its attractions revolve around patriotism and politics but there are many more. Let’s take a look at some of the star attractions of this wonderful city.

Take a Limo Tour to Tour Washington D.C.

We highly recommend that you hire a limo and tour the city in a presidential way. It will save your time, energy, and save you from a lot of hassle. Parking is extremely limited on the streets and the garages are very expensive. You will not only save time and aggravation, but save enough on parking to cover a portion of the limo fee.

An Extraordinar Limousine does a great job with tours of Washington. Their limos are in top condition and they observe all the Covid-19 related safety protocols regarding their limos and the drivers. Definitely check them out.

Museums

Washington is a haven for museum lovers and has some of the best museums in the world because they are paid for by the national government. There are museums on different and varied themes. You can take your pick.

The notable museums include; National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of American History, International Spy Museum, Newseum, National Museum of African American History and Culture, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, National Archives Museum, American Art Museum, and National Building Museum. 

Historical Monuments

Being the capital city, Washington boasts of several sites that resonate with history, nationalism, and patriotic sentiment. Chief among those are; The US Capitol Hill, The White House, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, National Mall, and Veterans Memorial, Jefferson Memorial and Tidal Basin, Arlington National Cemetery, Georgetown Historic District, Vietnam Veterans, and Korean War Veterans Memorials, World War II Memorial, Library of Congress, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and Fredrick Douglass National Historic Site. We can add more to the list but these are some of the most famous landmarks of the city.

Washington National Cathedral

A grand imposing structure with intricate architectural details to discover and relish. It is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world and it was completed between 1907 to 1990. The cathedral was constructed in gothic style on which gargoyles and grotesques abound. The colorfully-stained windows are an attraction in themselves. One window even has a moon rock incorporated into it and celebrates space exploration. The cathedral is also the burial site of President Woodrow Wilson and Helen Keller. You can also partake in the Sunday morning and evening recitals. For a more guided tour of this majestic building, contact its administration and reserve a tour in advance. 

For Art Lovers

Washington has much to offer for the art-lovers too. There is the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur. M. Sackler Gallery. Both these galleries house important paintings showcasing art from different American eras as well as from other countries. Then there is the National Gallery of Art, one of the largest in the world and probably the most famous in the US although the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York might give a run for the money. Housed in two large buildings with a tunnel linking them, this art gallery houses thousands of artifacts. For performing arts lovers, the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts promises enough action. It showcases the National Symphony Orchestra, the Suzanne Farrell Ballet, and the Washington National Opera. There are enough theatre and music performances taking place all through the year to keep you entertained and busy. 

The city of Atlanta has so much to offer, it gives experiences to a wide variety of outstanding attractions and memorable activities. Below we shall compile a list of the most popular places to ensure your itinerary is full and the whole family is covered. Be sure to have fun and create the most memorable memories out of your vacation in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Atlanta History Center

It was founded in 1926 and it’s located in Buckhead.  It has woodland areas, different wildlife and it sits on 33 acres of garden area. The museum brings back history to the present through various activities like summer camps, annual festivals, lectures from award-winning authors, music series among others.

It offers exhibitions on different topics like the civil war, southern folk art and African American Heritage. It has a wing exclusive for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. In Midtown is the Margret Mitchell House, a two-acre campus that showcases where she wrote the award-winning novel Gone With the Wind. It also has a movie exhibit about the making of the movie from the movel and showings of the movie. Also, don’t forget the gift shop.

Atlanta Botanical Garden

It is located in Midtown near Piedmont Park. It is composed of well designed and manicured gardens that spread over 30 acres. Over 50 different upgrades and updates have been made since it was opened more than 3 decades ago. It has a sunflower fountain dedicated to kids’ swimming.

It boasts of rare collections of orchids never grown in the southeast before in the Fuqua Orchid Center. It offers holiday nights with garden lights (1 million led lights) and visitors can explore the exciting Venus Fly Trap and learn about honeybees. It also offers weekly shows, different classes and yoga exercises in the very garden.

Inside Tour of the CNN Studio

The Cable News Network located right in Atlanta offers a 50 minute walking tour through the different rooms including the control and newsroom among many others in the facility. The inside tour begins on the world’s largest escalator that is 8 storeys high and 196 ft long. The current newsroom used to be a Human Pinball Machine.

Visitors are privileged to see how the teleprompter and weather map works. They can watch live action in the largest CNN studio (studio 7) and get a demonstration of how John King the newsman moves stuff around the touch screen on election nights.

The Georgia Aquarium

Located in downtown Atlanta, it is one of the largest aquariums in the world and home to a variety of animals. It offers over 60 different habitats and more the 500 animal species. It exhibits different features like River Scout, Tropical Diver, Ocean Voyager and the Cold Water Quest. Its largest exhibit in the aquarium has 4 whale sharks and manta rays while the second largest is home to 4 beluga whales and many other aquatic creatures. It also offers a dolphin exhibition and there are shows that include a spectacular music performance that depicts the dolphin-human bond.

Other places include The Stone Park Mountain, Zoo Atlanta, High Museum of Art, among others.

Traveling around the world gives people that feeling of freedom. After all, seeing the world personally instead of just reading about it on books and the Internet is a very different experience. However, what if you want to find something new because some places you’ve visited feel like the same as the previous one you ventured to? This is definitely the best time to check out Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island.

These places would surely quench your thirst for adventure, culture, food, history and music. In fact, just the sheer beauty of these locations would leave you breathless. Before embarking on this trip, here are some things that you need to know about these places. After reading, you should have basic information on what to expect from these locations.

The Best Time to Make the Trip to Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island

Any tourists’ spots have specific times where your visit would become worthwhile. In this case, you should go and visit these locations between May and October. Aside from the fact that most festivities in the area happen during October, some restaurants and hotels are closed in the winter months, plus it is cold! Nevertheless, these celebrations would make the trip interesting and fun. You will not have a shortage of food festivals and music celebrations during this time.

How to Get Around in Nova Scotia?

Whether you visit this place alone or accompanied by friends and family members, renting a car is the best choice. Although you can also use a motorcycle to travel to Nova Scotia’s hotspots, using a car is much simpler given the fact that you have things to carry with you. However, if you are a minimalist and fully contented with the idea of just bringing a few clothes and cameras within your backpack, then using a motorcycle is fine.

Never Leave Cape Breton Island Without Attending a Ceilidh

If you revel in watching and partying at the same time, then attending a Ceilidh is a must. Ceilidh is a Gaelic word meaning “Social event”. You will get to know more about the people around this area through their music, folk dances, and histories. In this constantly modernizing world, the Ceilidh is the Bretons way to preserve their culture and serves as their way to share their history with the rest of the world.

You will never miss any of these celebrations because a lot of restaurants in this area perform the Ceilidh during lunch and dinner. The performance would normally take at least an hour or two and during this time, not only are you able to eat a hearty meal, but you get to experience and know the Bretons’ heritage and culture. These performances are done not only by the elders but by young people as well.

Mountains and Whales

You don’t go to Cape Breton Island for urban activities. You are looking for outdoor activities and scenery. For scenery, a great start is the Cabot Trail which goes around Cape Breton Highlands Park. At times it goes along cliffs overlooking the water and can match the famous Highway 1 in California for views.  Another option it to take a whale watching cruise. Hopefully you get lucky and see all 3 types of whales that migrate through the area, humpback, fin and minke.

Quaint Towns

The largest town is Halifax. You can enjoy the restaurants, bars, shops and other entertainment. Or you could watch the bustle in the harbor with the fishing and tourist boats. Lunenberg is an old town and looks a bit like Scandinavia. It too has a harbor and has brightly colored houses.

High Tides

The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world. The tide can change by 20 feet. And, unlike most places where it changes gradually, it comes in a rush called a tidal bore. You can go white water rafting on an 8 to 20-foot wave. But it’s a bit backwards. Normally with white water rafting you are going down stream. With riding the tidal bore, you are riding the “tidal” wave upstream. This actually is a tidal wave unlike a tsunami which has a different cause. Tsunamis are much more dangerous.

History and Pomp and Circumstance

You can also visit the Halifax Citadel which was built to protect from invaders and pirates. Then there is the Fortress of Louisbourg which was a French colonial fort. Both have people dressed in regalia and reenactments including the firing of cannons and muskets.

The Bottom Line

Those are just a few of what to do and expect while visiting Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. Plan your trips early by booking your hotel accommodations and means of travel early so that when October comes, you would not experience any hassles during your visit. So, ready to make that trip now?

Little more than a thousand miles off the shores of Portugal, nine tiny islands form a gorgeous archipelago called the Azores.

Often called the Hawaii of Europe due to all the volcanic activity around it, the Azores is an ideal destination for travelers who might enjoy a remote yet lovely scenic getaway in a remote region. Luis Nunes of Azores Getaways describes visiting the Azores to be an experience akin to reconnecting with nature.

For some good travel deals to Azores or anywhere else, we have had good success with this website compared to the better known ones: http://bit.ly/VivTravelDeals. For another interesting place to visit, try Montenegro.

How to Get to the Azores

Although situated in the center of the Atlantic, all the Azorean islands are surprisingly accessible by plane or by boat. From Boston, one can get to the Azores in just four hours. In Europe, it takes two hours from Lisbon to get to São Miguel Island’s Ponta Delgada International Airport.

There are airports on each of the islands and travel between each of them is pretty straightforward. In fact, driving or swimming would be just about the only ways you can’t reach the islands, so put the water wings away unless you plan to dip in the shallows when you get there.

Best Time to Visit the Azores

Summer is the most popular time to visit the islands but it all depends on which activities you want to experience when visiting.

The islands usually experience maximum rainfall and lower temperatures from November to March. These months are not a good time to go visit if you don’t want to get soaked in the rain. However, the cold weather is perfect to take a dip in the thermal springs.

For a whale of a good time, you should visit from April to September, which is the season for whale-watching. This is also the summer months so if you want to visit those golden Azores beaches, this is the time to go. The summer months also make it accessible to outdoor activities such as surfing, hiking, or paragliding.

Tour All Nine Azorean Islands – if possible!

In terms of landscape, outdoor events, culture, and traditions, each island is stunning in its own way and has its distinct features to be proud of.

Three of the Azorean islands, Corvo, Flores, and Graciosa are a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. That alone is a reason to visit these islands. But on to the details of each.

The tiniest Azorean island, Corvo, is an extinct volcano island. Diving and snorkeling are popular activities. Birdwatching is also one of the reasons people visit but simply the joy of exploring something remote and tiny is reason enough for most tourists.

Flores takes pride in its bounty of lakes, waterfalls, and stunning rock formations. The island’s top attraction is Poço da Alagoinha, which will take your breath away with its large waterfalls, lush greenery, and rock formations.

If you want to get away from the crowds and experience the authentic Azores, visit Graciosa. Its top attraction is Carapacho, a modern thermal spa that offers a natural therapeutic experience. The island is roughly the Manhattan’s size, so it would be smart to visit the other islands before this.

São Miguel and Terceira are the most populous of the islands.

Terceira’s capital, Angra do Heroismo is a colorful port city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Terceira also boasts of colorful architecture and gorgeous scenic views. It also offers an opportunity to dive and explore the ancient shipwrecks found around the island.

São Miguel and Pico Islands

Meanwhile, São Miguel has a little bit of everything each island offers. Sceneries range from magnificent lakes to volcanic sandy beaches and hot springs. The island also offers terrain of all kinds for hikers both experienced and beginners.

Speaking of hikers, Pico’s landscape is dominated by the highest peak in Portugal, Mount Pico. The climb to the top takes a total of five hours and is deceivingly tricky. But hikers will be rewarded with amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean and the neighboring islands. Pico is also a world-famous destination for whale-watching.

Santa Maria and São Jorge Islands

When it comes to beautiful golden beaches, be sure to visit Santa Maria. Praia Formosa, one of Azores’ best beaches offers a scenic bay with crystal clear waters. The island also highlights tidal pools, which are great for swimming above various sea life, and Gruta Azul, a world-famed diving spot.

São Jorge is a pretty small island but it encapsulates an incredible diversity of sceneries. Its main features are the fajãs, small plains shaped by lava flows. It’s also known for its pastures which gave birth to the famous, must-try unpasteurized cheese, Queijo de São Jorge.

Faial Island

Lastly, Faial offers diverse views of volcanic terrain. The maritime town of Horta on the east coast has been a focal hub for sailboats and yachts which sail across the Atlantic. Pay a visit here to see the displays of many sailors’ insignias in all shapes and formats. It’s like a sailor’s guestbook!

You’ve found that special someone. You’ve said your ‘I dos’. You’ve proclaimed your love for one another and walked down the aisle before your friends and family. Now you’re ready to have a special getaway, just for the two of you! One that includes sandy beaches, warm breezes, and gorgeous horizons! If sand and waves are what you seek to have your once in a lifetime escape with your sweetheart, look no further than the Caribbean islands!

Though in recent years the word has been synonymous with movie pirates, the Caribbean is a travel destination for people all over the world, renowned for its large tourist industry and beach resort getaways. Part of the Americas, this group of islands south of the Gulf of Mexico creates the Caribbean Sea, separating it from the Atlantic Ocean and consists of over 700 islands. Many of which have their own tourist economies and boast some of the most desirable beaches on Earth. With so many different places to choose from, there’s an island destined for you and your sweetheart’s happily ever after celebration.

British Virgin Islands

If the idea of sailing with your sweetheart upon the bay to the horizon at sunrise on a bright, clear day is your fantasy, or you don’t want to go your entire life without learning to sail, the British Virgin Islands are the destination for your honeymoon. Called the sailing capital of the world by the locals, the calm seas and gentle breeze are a perfect combination for the nautical journeyman in every couple, who seek to learn something new together, or embrace one another upon the glistening waves. It’s also home to the famous Sandcastle Hotel, an experience straight out of a song about piña coladas and getting caught in the rain, with hammocks bound between palm trees and white sand to walk upon.

Jamaica

Happen to be a fan of Reggae music and crystal-clear waters? Jamaica might be where you and your sweetheart’s honeymoon can be one to talk about for years to come. Take a tour through the St. Ann countryside through Chukka Caribbean Adventures, or go snorkeling in the glass-clear shallows. If you’re looking for a resort that will make your friends and family jealous, try the Sandals Royal Caribbean resort, located in Montego Bay. The rooms at this resort are inside gorgeous wooden villas upon stilts in the emerald shallows of the bay, with comfort and serenity in abundance for your blissful romantic getaway.

St. Kitts

If you still love the tropics, but are looking for a less sand-oriented destination for your nuptial vacation, the isle of St. Kitts might be for you. An independent island that retained a lot of its English inspiration, there are so many things for couples to do together that involve exploration. Cliffs that overlook the beautiful island horizon, distant mountains draped in layers of white mists, green fields of palm trees that bask in the warmth of the sun, there is no shortage of nature here. Walk hand in hand through the rain forests upon the island, and at the end of the day, return from your couple’s hike to a British Colonial style resort, of which there is no shortage of. For couples who want an intimate, uncrowded honeymoon, St. Kitts is the Caribbean’s hidden gem.

With hundreds of islands to choose from to fit any couple’s vision of a perfect honeymoon, there is no shortage of options! So, talk to a travel agent and book those tickets before you tie the knot. No matter where you choose in the Caribbean, you and your sweetheart will remember it fondly for years to come.

America is the most popular tourist attraction. Each season makes it special in America. The best time to visit America is throughout the whole year. On the northern side have different temperatures than the southern side. Some season is great for some attractions. To visit attractions, you have to come that specific season that is meant to go and to experience. 

Spring   

Spring last between March and May. Mostly in springtime, it gets greener and it rains. You must consider visiting the southern part of America because most wildlife is getting greener and the flown is growing. In springtime, it is when tourist considers visiting America. The north-east side has the most rainfall. On Sunday’s ester to go on an ester hunt.

Summer 

the summer seasons are the most popular time to visit America because of it the hottest time of the year and then is the time when most of the public attractions are open. The hottest place is in Texas. The summer is from June to Augustus. The northern side has a warm day and cool nights and southern is very hot so the tip doesn’t really go there despite the fact that it is very hot.  In the summer most of the water parks are open and tourist are everywhere and enjoying the hot summer 

Autumn 

 Autumn is between September to November. Have you ever pictures of the autumn in the USA, the leaves turning a red and yellow or orange color and it couldn’t look more beautiful. Some cities prepare for the upcoming winter. Some people visit the autumn seasons because of the color change and the best time to go and hike. 

Winter

Winter lasts from October to February. In December it is Christmas. The reason most tourist can and visits because of the snow and some cities have Christmas festivals and people from far away visits their families in America and some counties can’t get snow so they visit America to experience the snow and play in it. 

If you love America and you like to visit it in different seasons. It would be better to visit a season that you like. If you haven’t visited is in a different season, want is holding you back to try and go visit it. And, if you haven’t been to America before the best time is in the winter and summer.