RSSSightseeing in Cleveland
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Cleveland, Ohio might not be the first place you think of for a summer vacation, but think again. The city, located along the shores of Lake Erie is home to a wealth of attractions as well as delightful, temperate summer temperatures and gentle lake breezes. Below is just a sampling of what the “North Coast” has to offer. (more…)
Welcome to our site. If you like what you see why not subscribe to our RSS feed. You can also help us by bookmarking this page with the Share This icon on the right hand side of each post post. Follow us on Twitter for deals and related items. Thanks for visiting!
Cleveland, Ohio might not be the first place you think of for a summer vacation, but think again. The city, located along the shores of Lake Erie is home to a wealth of attractions as well as delightful, temperate summer temperatures and gentle lake breezes. Below is just a sampling of what the “North Coast” has to offer. (more…)
Best Places to Shop in Toronto
Toronto Skyline
Toronto, the largest city in Canada and its economic and financial center, is a very international city. In fact, almost half of the city’s population was born outside of Canada. The diversity gives Toronto a very cosmopolitan flair. It was makes for some interesting shopping. Below are just a few of the best places to shop in Toronto. (more…)
Toronto Skyline
Toronto, the largest city in Canada and its economic and financial center, is a very international city. In fact, almost half of the city’s population was born outside of Canada. The diversity gives Toronto a very cosmopolitan flair. It was makes for some interesting shopping. Below are just a few of the best places to shop in Toronto. (more…)
Explore the Mexican Riviera
A sunset in Acapulco .
The cruise industry dubbed Mexico’s Pacific Coast the Mexican Riviera–a name whose glamor was bolstered by its prominence in the 1970s TV show “The Loveboat,” where Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta were often featured as ports of call. The area, which stretches from Baja, California to Mexico’s border with Guatemala, offers a little bit of everything, depending on where you touch down.
Acapulco
John Wayne slept here. So did Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra. Acapulco was Mexico’s first world-class resort, a transformation made possible when the Mexican government built a highway connecting the town with Mexico City in 1927. By the 1960s, it was a playground for what used to be known as the international jet set. But over the years, Acapulco’s glamor faded and its beaches became polluted.
Now it’s coming back, thanks to an effort to rehabilitate its glitzy high-rise hotels and clean up the area’s polluted waters.
One of Acapulco’s most famous attractions is the cliff diving at La Quebrada. From morning to evening evening, bronzed young men make breathtaking dives from a steep cliff into a small cove of water below as passing tourists gasp in astonishment. There are four beaches in Acapulco proper and a number nearby. There you can just sit back and relax or go scuba diving, snorkeling or fishing. Adventurous sorts can take in a bullfight.
But Acapulco’s nightlife is the city’s main attraction. Much of the entertainment revolves around nightclubs and most don’t get really going until after midnight.
Cabo San Lucas
Los Arcos, Cabo San Lucas
Once a rustic fishing village, you may think of Cabo as another hard partying destination for college kids on spring break, but the area boasts other attractions.
Beaches: From the buzzing Playa El Médano in Cabo San Lucas to the isolated Playa El Faro Viejo, Cabo is a mecca for beachcombers. In addition to swimming, you can snorkel, jetski or parasail at El Médano, the area’s main beach. Other, more remote beaches aren’t safe for swimming but their pristine condition make them ideal for a relaxing day of sunbathing.
Fishing: Angling remains popular and the fishing is good. Depending upon the time of year, you can hunt for tuna, yellowtail, sailfish or marlin.
Golf: Duffers have several first-class courses to choose from, starting with Palmilla, Mexico’s first Jack Nicklaus Signature course. Greens fees are pricey, $200 and up, though you may be able to get a discount if you play after 2 pm.
Whale watching: Depending on the time of year, you can spot blue whales or California gray whales. The prime whale watching areas are in the coves and lagoons north of Cabo–a good side trip.
Ixtapa & Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo
The first is a modern luxury resort with white sand beaches and high-rise hotels offering all the amenities. The second is a quiet beach village where none of the buildings are more than four-stories tall.
Ixtapa is where the action is, with four-star restaurants, nightclubs and a variety of activities and attractions:
Delfiniti Dolphinarium is the place to go to swim with the dolphins. But it doesn’t come cheap: a 20-minute “encounter” costs $75 per person while a 45-minute swim goes for $130.
Magic World aquatic park has rides, wave pools and a pirate ship with water slides.
Club de Golf Marina Ixtapa offers tennis and features an 18-hole course designed by Robert Von Hagge.
The Palma Real Golf Club is an 18-hole, championship course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Laid back Zihuatanejo, Zihua for short, is the place the jailbirds in The Shawshank Redemption fantasized about as their dream getaway. The town boasts five main beaches where you can fish, sail or just relax:
- La Playa Principal, located in the town center
- Playa La Madera, a five-minute walk from town
- Playa La Ropa, a 20-minute walk
- Playa Las Gatas at the extreme southern end of the bay
- Playa Contramar, at the northern end of the bay: accessible by boat or footpath
The town has a number of other attractions and activities:
- Mercado de los Artisans: An open market with hundreds of stalls.
- Museo Arqueologico de la Costa Grande: This museum houses artifacts from as early as 3000 B.C.
- Sportsfishing: Marlin and sailfish are plentiful.
Mazatlan
Mazatlan
The Pearl of the Pacific is Mexico’s largest Pacific port and a haven for water sports and sports fishing. Surfers will revel in the big waves of Olas Altas. Los Pinos, north of the fort, is also known for its waves. Playa Los Gaviota, Playa Los Sabalos, Cerritos, Isla de la Piedra, and El Camaron also offer good surfing.
The Zona Dorada, or Golden Zone, is the place to go for shopping, nightlife and deluxe hotels.
How about some free beer? Mazatlan is home to Pacifico, one of the largest breweries in Mexico. The brewery offers free tours–with samples–five days a week.
Machado Plaza, the city’s historic center, is another attraction with buildings like the recently restored Angela Peralta Theater, the oldest theater in Mazatlan.
The Archaeological Museum of Mazatlan houses pre-Columbian relics and admission is fee.
Acuario Mazatlán features 200 species of marine life. And when your done take your kids to the playground, botanic garden and aviary next door.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta by boat
Cobblestone streets, old world charm, teeming nightlife and gorgeous beaches–they’re all part of the Puerto Vallarta experience. Whimsical sculptures, said to bring good luck if you touch them line the malecón, or boardwalk, which is surrounded by restaurants, shops, and bars.
Take the 45-minute boat ride across the Bay of Banderas to Yelapa Beach, which is tucked at the base of a jungle-covered mountain. A short hike takes you through lush tropical vegetation to a 35-meter waterfall.
The Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens feature over 3,000 different species of plants in a tropical forest 1,300 feet above sea level. Among the sights to see are the Palm Gardens, Rose Garden, Tree Fern Grotto, Orchid House, Jungle Trails, Agave Garden and the Carnivorous Plant Collection.
Dive or snorkel in the waters of Bahía de Banderas.
“Blue Chairs,” the most popular gay beach in Puerto Vallarta is located on the southern end of Playa Los Muertos.
Golfers will find a variety of world class courses designed by luminaries such as Jack Nicklaus, Robert Von Hagge and Tom Weiskopf.
A sunset in Acapulco .
The cruise industry dubbed Mexico’s Pacific Coast the Mexican Riviera–a name whose glamor was bolstered by its prominence in the 1970s TV show “The Loveboat,” where Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta were often featured as ports of call. The area, which stretches from Baja, California to Mexico’s border with Guatemala, offers a little bit of everything, depending on where you touch down.
Acapulco
John Wayne slept here. So did Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra. Acapulco was Mexico’s first world-class resort, a transformation made possible when the Mexican government built a highway connecting the town with Mexico City in 1927. By the 1960s, it was a playground for what used to be known as the international jet set. But over the years, Acapulco’s glamor faded and its beaches became polluted.
Now it’s coming back, thanks to an effort to rehabilitate its glitzy high-rise hotels and clean up the area’s polluted waters.
One of Acapulco’s most famous attractions is the cliff diving at La Quebrada. From morning to evening evening, bronzed young men make breathtaking dives from a steep cliff into a small cove of water below as passing tourists gasp in astonishment. There are four beaches in Acapulco proper and a number nearby. There you can just sit back and relax or go scuba diving, snorkeling or fishing. Adventurous sorts can take in a bullfight.
But Acapulco’s nightlife is the city’s main attraction. Much of the entertainment revolves around nightclubs and most don’t get really going until after midnight.
Cabo San Lucas
Los Arcos, Cabo San Lucas
Once a rustic fishing village, you may think of Cabo as another hard partying destination for college kids on spring break, but the area boasts other attractions.
Beaches: From the buzzing Playa El Médano in Cabo San Lucas to the isolated Playa El Faro Viejo, Cabo is a mecca for beachcombers. In addition to swimming, you can snorkel, jetski or parasail at El Médano, the area’s main beach. Other, more remote beaches aren’t safe for swimming but their pristine condition make them ideal for a relaxing day of sunbathing.
Fishing: Angling remains popular and the fishing is good. Depending upon the time of year, you can hunt for tuna, yellowtail, sailfish or marlin.
Golf: Duffers have several first-class courses to choose from, starting with Palmilla, Mexico’s first Jack Nicklaus Signature course. Greens fees are pricey, $200 and up, though you may be able to get a discount if you play after 2 pm.
Whale watching: Depending on the time of year, you can spot blue whales or California gray whales. The prime whale watching areas are in the coves and lagoons north of Cabo–a good side trip.
Ixtapa & Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo
The first is a modern luxury resort with white sand beaches and high-rise hotels offering all the amenities. The second is a quiet beach village where none of the buildings are more than four-stories tall.
Ixtapa is where the action is, with four-star restaurants, nightclubs and a variety of activities and attractions:
Delfiniti Dolphinarium is the place to go to swim with the dolphins. But it doesn’t come cheap: a 20-minute “encounter” costs $75 per person while a 45-minute swim goes for $130.
Magic World aquatic park has rides, wave pools and a pirate ship with water slides.
Club de Golf Marina Ixtapa offers tennis and features an 18-hole course designed by Robert Von Hagge.
The Palma Real Golf Club is an 18-hole, championship course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Laid back Zihuatanejo, Zihua for short, is the place the jailbirds in The Shawshank Redemption fantasized about as their dream getaway. The town boasts five main beaches where you can fish, sail or just relax:
- La Playa Principal, located in the town center
- Playa La Madera, a five-minute walk from town
- Playa La Ropa, a 20-minute walk
- Playa Las Gatas at the extreme southern end of the bay
- Playa Contramar, at the northern end of the bay: accessible by boat or footpath
The town has a number of other attractions and activities:
- Mercado de los Artisans: An open market with hundreds of stalls.
- Museo Arqueologico de la Costa Grande: This museum houses artifacts from as early as 3000 B.C.
- Sportsfishing: Marlin and sailfish are plentiful.
Mazatlan
Mazatlan
The Pearl of the Pacific is Mexico’s largest Pacific port and a haven for water sports and sports fishing. Surfers will revel in the big waves of Olas Altas. Los Pinos, north of the fort, is also known for its waves. Playa Los Gaviota, Playa Los Sabalos, Cerritos, Isla de la Piedra, and El Camaron also offer good surfing.
The Zona Dorada, or Golden Zone, is the place to go for shopping, nightlife and deluxe hotels.
How about some free beer? Mazatlan is home to Pacifico, one of the largest breweries in Mexico. The brewery offers free tours–with samples–five days a week.
Machado Plaza, the city’s historic center, is another attraction with buildings like the recently restored Angela Peralta Theater, the oldest theater in Mazatlan.
The Archaeological Museum of Mazatlan houses pre-Columbian relics and admission is fee.
Acuario Mazatlán features 200 species of marine life. And when your done take your kids to the playground, botanic garden and aviary next door.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta by boat
Cobblestone streets, old world charm, teeming nightlife and gorgeous beaches–they’re all part of the Puerto Vallarta experience. Whimsical sculptures, said to bring good luck if you touch them line the malecón, or boardwalk, which is surrounded by restaurants, shops, and bars.
Take the 45-minute boat ride across the Bay of Banderas to Yelapa Beach, which is tucked at the base of a jungle-covered mountain. A short hike takes you through lush tropical vegetation to a 35-meter waterfall.
The Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens feature over 3,000 different species of plants in a tropical forest 1,300 feet above sea level. Among the sights to see are the Palm Gardens, Rose Garden, Tree Fern Grotto, Orchid House, Jungle Trails, Agave Garden and the Carnivorous Plant Collection.
Dive or snorkel in the waters of Bahía de Banderas.
“Blue Chairs,” the most popular gay beach in Puerto Vallarta is located on the southern end of Playa Los Muertos.
Golfers will find a variety of world class courses designed by luminaries such as Jack Nicklaus, Robert Von Hagge and Tom Weiskopf.
Top Beaches in Cancun
A hotel beach in Cancun Mexico.
Cancun, on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, is blessed with sunny weather more than 10 months out of the year, a casual and friendly lifestyle, and plenty of world-class beaches. The resort area is surrounded by water, on the Caribbean side and the lagoon side, getting visitors a wealth of bathing options. Our choices for the best beaches in Cancun are: (Playa means beach in Spanish.)
A hotel beach in Cancun Mexico.
Cancun, on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, is blessed with sunny weather more than 10 months out of the year, a casual and friendly lifestyle, and plenty of world-class beaches. The resort area is surrounded by water, on the Caribbean side and the lagoon side, getting visitors a wealth of bathing options. Our choices for the best beaches in Cancun are: (Playa means beach in Spanish.)
GrandLuxe Rail Journeys
GrandLuxe Rail Journeys
Do you want to go on a vacation but want a new and unique experience? Tired of driving or flying to get where you want to go? If you want to see North America in a whole new light while enjoying a fun adventure, consider traveling by train with a trip from GrandLuxe Rail Journeys.
(more…)
GrandLuxe Rail Journeys
Do you want to go on a vacation but want a new and unique experience? Tired of driving or flying to get where you want to go? If you want to see North America in a whole new light while enjoying a fun adventure, consider traveling by train with a trip from GrandLuxe Rail Journeys.
(more…)
Free Things to Do in Montreal
A shot of downtown Montreal Canada
Montreal, founded in 1642, is one of the oldest cities in North America. The French-Canadian city of over 1.6 million residents combines a Gallic flair and history with modern conveniences and style. French is the official language there, making it the second largest French-speaking city in the world (behind Paris, of course). Don’t worry that they won’t understand you. Virtually all citizens are bilingual.
A shot of downtown Montreal Canada
Montreal, founded in 1642, is one of the oldest cities in North America. The French-Canadian city of over 1.6 million residents combines a Gallic flair and history with modern conveniences and style. French is the official language there, making it the second largest French-speaking city in the world (behind Paris, of course). Don’t worry that they won’t understand you. Virtually all citizens are bilingual.
Family Restaurants in Orlando
Orlando seems like it would be an easy place to find food for kids. After all, it’s where Disney World is located. And that’s true – there are many terrific restaurants all throughout the city that offer food for children. The problem is that most adults don’t want to eat at those places. It’s not that the food isn’t good; it’s that it’s not great. It’s made for kids, designed to be cheap and lacks the traditional taste that adults want when dining out.
Orlando seems like it would be an easy place to find food for kids. After all, it’s where Disney World is located. And that’s true – there are many terrific restaurants all throughout the city that offer food for children. The problem is that most adults don’t want to eat at those places. It’s not that the food isn’t good; it’s that it’s not great. It’s made for kids, designed to be cheap and lacks the traditional taste that adults want when dining out.
Free Things to Do in San Antonio
San Antonio has temperate weather year-round, is easy to navigate, is steeped in history, and offers a number of free things to do–including two of the city’s top attractions. Below are just a few of the many free things to do in San Antonio.
Alamo. The Mission San Antonio de Valero, better known as the Alamo, is best remembered as the site of the valiant effort in 1836 by a handful of Texans, including Davy Crockett, to defend the city from the Mexican army. Today, the site, in the heart of downtown, is open to the public every day except for Christmas Eve and Christmas. Admission is free.
La Villita. The “Little Village” is located along the banks of the San Antonio River. This artist market is filled with art galleries, artisan workshops, restaurants, and colorful displays. It’s a great place for an afternoon walk.
Strolling the Riverwalk. Dining and shopping in the stylish Riverwalk restaurants and boutiques may not be free, but walking along the historic promenade in the center of downtown doesn’t cost a dime.
McNay Art Museum. The McNay Art Museum, located in upscale Alamo Heights, is set on 23 acres of manicured grounds. The museum specializes in 19th and 20th century American and European art. Admission is free.
San Antonio has temperate weather year-round, is easy to navigate, is steeped in history, and offers a number of free things to do–including two of the city’s top attractions. Below are just a few of the many free things to do in San Antonio.
Alamo. The Mission San Antonio de Valero, better known as the Alamo, is best remembered as the site of the valiant effort in 1836 by a handful of Texans, including Davy Crockett, to defend the city from the Mexican army. Today, the site, in the heart of downtown, is open to the public every day except for Christmas Eve and Christmas. Admission is free.
La Villita. The “Little Village” is located along the banks of the San Antonio River. This artist market is filled with art galleries, artisan workshops, restaurants, and colorful displays. It’s a great place for an afternoon walk.
Strolling the Riverwalk. Dining and shopping in the stylish Riverwalk restaurants and boutiques may not be free, but walking along the historic promenade in the center of downtown doesn’t cost a dime.
McNay Art Museum. The McNay Art Museum, located in upscale Alamo Heights, is set on 23 acres of manicured grounds. The museum specializes in 19th and 20th century American and European art. Admission is free.
Brick-or-Treat, LEGOLAND California
This year, celebrate Halloween with a treat your kids will never forget. Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND California celebrates its ninth year with daily costume contests, safe trick-or-treating, a Brick-or-Treat Trail, ghoulish entertainment by the Boo Crew and, to top off the day, a LEGO Candy Corn Scavenger Hunt at the Haunted Hideaway.
This year, celebrate Halloween with a treat your kids will never forget. Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND California celebrates its ninth year with daily costume contests, safe trick-or-treating, a Brick-or-Treat Trail, ghoulish entertainment by the Boo Crew and, to top off the day, a LEGO Candy Corn Scavenger Hunt at the Haunted Hideaway.
Scuba Diving in Hawaii
If you enjoy scuba diving, Hawaii is a fantastic destination that offers great diversity for scuba divers. Hawaii is made up of over 100 individual islands, with scuba diving locations positioned most prominently on six of those islands.
If you enjoy scuba diving, Hawaii is a fantastic destination that offers great diversity for scuba divers. Hawaii is made up of over 100 individual islands, with scuba diving locations positioned most prominently on six of those islands.
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