Travel Globally » USA

Holidays in the Virgin Islands

travel globally — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:35:20 +0000

Are you looking for a great getaway? The U.S. Virgin Islands have what you are looking for. However, a lot of people avoid this destination because of its high hotel fees. The good news is that you do not have to go to this kind of area for the perfect spot right on the beach.

Many places like the U.S. Virgin Islands and Hawaii have great spots along the beach that allow camping. These parks allows beach side camping and it’s only $20 per night. Now that is a deal that any hotel can’t beat. No matter how you look at it, camping is pretty much a very affordable alternative when you go to any destination. However, it’s nice to camp in Virgin Islands, because you are right there on the beach, enjoying a sunny holiday.

Of course, just because you are camping does not mean that you have to rough it. In fact, modern day camping gives you everything that you need to be pretty comfortable while you are outside. Most of the camp grounds offer things like showers and running water. Many of them will even let you stay in basic cabins. Although they may not be as nice as some hotels, they still get the job done pretty nicely. You can save even more money by travelling to this destination during the off season.

Romantic places in New York

travel globally — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:32:23 +0000

No matter where you live, for sure there are places nearby that are perfect for a romantic moment with your special one. New York is definitely no exception. Whether it’s a coffee shop, a hotel, a hotel or a museum, there’s definitely something about it that sparks romance and in New York, there are lots of those places.

The Empire State Building is one of the most romantic places in New York. If you ever watched Sleepless in Seattle then you know the drift. Go to the top of this building and you just smell the love in the air. No one can resist even the giant King Kong knew about the Empire State Building and wanted to make use of its love magic.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is another romantic place that you should not miss. Just being enveloped by these prized exhibits and beautiful infrastructure just makes you want to take the next step with your date!

Ooh, the carriage rides! It’s one of those popular attractions in New York. It’s for recreation purposes now but it really used to be the mode of transportation by people. Now, it’s fun and romantic. Just ride through the city of New York with this old yet ever so romantic ride!

Lastly, the River Café’. Coffee shops are just known to be somewhat romantic and this coffee shop is all about it! Why? Just check out the view from here! The River Café is located below Brooklyn’s Bridge! Amazing, isn’t it?

Global music festivals around the world

travel globally — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:17:57 +0000

Summer is one of the best seasons of the year to travel. Aside from festivities around the world, music festivals seem to be found in different places. Even without a musical background, you’ll surely enjoy the crowd as they enjoy the music.

The following are the music festivals you shouldn’t miss this year:

Bonnaroo Festival (Tennessee)

Starting from June 11th to 14th, the streets of Tennessee will be transformed into one big musical stage. The Bonnaroo Festival is a must-visit festival for those interested in hip-hop and other independent music. Stand-up comedians also visit the festival waiting for their turns to give everyone a good time. The featured activity: “Silent Disco” is a form of party wherein everyone wears their favorite headphones and dance in a tent. Prepare at least $235 to enjoy the activities.

Fuji Rock Festival (Naeba, Japan)

Japan is well known for their eclectic parties and this festival is no exemption. Located in the beautiful and scenic Mount Fuji; party with more than 100,000 people for three straight days (July 24-26). Pop and alternative rock music is usually featured in the festival. You’ll literally enjoy the scenery as the hills in the mountain offers a rare view.

Lollapalooza Music Festival (Chicago)

This year, the Lollapalooza will be from the 11th to the 13th of September and the party is set to be bigger than ever. Known as the biggest music festival for grunge rock, the festival started to feature musicians from other genres as well. The festival is held in Grant Park in Chicago so you’ll never miss the event.

Going to Miami

The island without cars: Mackinac Island

travel globally — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:26:02 +0000

There are a lot of places you need to go, but Mackinac Island, Michigan should be towards the top of your list. This is an island like no other. There are no cars on the island or big businesses. This is a place that is like a complete getaway from the busy city life. People can come to this island for the day, or they can come to stay at the hotel for as long as they like.

First, you have to check out Fort Mackinac. This was a fort that was built back in 1780, and was closed from being a fort in 1895. The reason why it has been closed from being a fort is because it no longer has any strategic purpose for being a fort. It has now been resorted and is able to be viewed.

If you will be saying on Mackinac Island, then you will have to stay at the Grand Hotel, which is the only hotel on the island. However, this is fine for most people since this hotel has a great Victorian Style structure. The hotel was opened in 1887 and became well known after being shown in the 1980’s film, Somewhere in Time.

There are tons of great things to see on Mackinac Island, so be sure to have a whole day to spend there. The island is full of cute mom and pop shops, as well as some of the best ice cream you will ever have.

Going to Miami

travel globally — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:07:42 +0000

Miami is where the party is. Just like Will Smith’s song, in Miami you just can’t help but stay and have more fun. Enjoy their beautiful beaches and great lifestyle. Everybody’s happy here and if you need to find some happiness, go to Miami! Even at just $90 a day you can already find a suitable place to stay and have meals and transport as well. Meet new people, party with the hot ladies and you never know, you may end up finding the woman of your dreams here.

If you’ve never been to Miami yet then you have to go now! You’re missing out on a lot of fun and parties that Miami is always so bountiful with. Miami means party and you can’t leave Miami without a tan. It’s so irresistible to swim and get a tan when everybody else is doing it. Get a henna tattoo as well. It’s cool and it’s not expensive!

Miami is not just all beach. You can actually find galleries and museums here too as well as recreation parks. There are lotsa places to go in Miami that spending a week here is simply not enough. There’s just so much to do here! Sightseeing and pigging out in their great restaurants are the most popular here aside from swimming of course. Go to azul and enjoy their décor, the view and their great menu. Big Fish is a Mediterranean-inspired resto and you can feast on their fresh and delicious sea food dishes!

Have fun in Miami. The party does not end here.

Homeland Security implement online registration

travel globally — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:25:33 +0000

In the efforts to further improve border security, the DHS or Department of Homeland Security will be requiring online registration for citizens in 35 countries before they board the aircraft. The Electronic System of Travel Authorization (ESTA) is an online registration system required for citizens from countries who are under the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. This system was fully implemented on January 19, 2009.

The ESTA is practically an online version of I-94W, a form that needs to be filled out before the flight by any citizen the said countries. But what makes ESTA different is that citizens could use the online program today and the validity of the data will be good for two years. Even if they don’t have any travel plans or destinations yet, they can still use ESTA and expect the same validity.

The ESTA will check the person’s records against the DHS and will prompt the user if he or she is allowed to enter the country in a matter of minutes. If the ESTA denies the user, they can still enter the country by applying for a Visa. Those who are unable to use the computer or access the internet can ask friends, relatives or the travel agent for assistance.

Although this could provide great convenience for travellers from these countries, the system has been under criticism lately. Obviously, information dissemination is has been very lacking from the DHS which could delay flights and transactions. For example, a person who is not aware of the procedure still has to go online hours before the flight and would be greatly disappointed if he or she finds out that his application has been denied.

Travel globally with Virgin Atlantic

travel globally — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:22:55 +0000

Virgin Atlantic, like most airline companies in the world, is being affected by recession. With this worldwide economic problem coming into full swing, airline companies opted to cut jobs, drop routes and even sell some of their assets just to survive the current year. Virgin Atlantic, like its billionaire owner Richard Branson, has other plans: celebrate its 25th year of its maiden voyage.

The plan sounds ridiculous but if you take a look at it closely, the company exactly has the right plan to ride out recession. Instead of jacking up prices to drive away travellers, they are cutting down costs on airline tickets. These prices are not just on small flights but long haul flights that will bring travellers from key cities in the US to different destinations in Europe. No routes will be dropped as the company aggressively advertises for more travel not just for businesses but for tourists as well.

The aggressive pricing of Virgin Atlantic also comes from the fact that they are one of the few airline companies in the world that didn’t have to cope up with fuel price through hedging. However, the company is still preparing for a new price hike as most experts agree that a new price hike is expected this year.

Virgin Atlantic is also reaching out to other airlines in Europe particularly BMI so that they could reach an agreement for their flights. Through these agreements they may be able to expand more to other cities in Europe and reach more customers.

Good travel idea: the Federal Reserve

travel globally — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:24:25 +0000

The financial district in New York is often seen as a businessman’s world – a district that only talks about money. The financial jargons alone will get you dizzy that you’ll never be able to understand any of these unless you sit down and research about it for a day or two.

But somewhere in the financial district lies a good idea to experience New York – the Federal Reserve. Unknown to most travellers to New York, the Federal Reserve actually offers a free, 30-minute guided tour around the building. In this place you won’t see the boring facts about your finances but you’ll see where money starts and ends.

The Federal Reserve will show you a lot of things. Among them is a freely displayed gold bars in the lobby. But they are actually just holograms which is a little bit disappointing and amusing at the same time. On the tour you will also see millions of shredded dollars placed in one of the rooms as they try to dispose more than $100 worth of paper money everyday.

For security purposes, no one is allowed to take pictures or even bring notes when you visit the Federal Reserve especially in the vault.

There are two highlights of your tour to the New York Federal Reserve. The first highlight is the coin museum that features some of the world’s most expensive coins such as the 109 BC shekel. The second highlight is the actual gold vault. The New York Federal Reserve stores at least $180 Billion worth of gold bars in its vault.

After the tour, you will be given a souvenir bag. Inside it are shredded dollars – a smart way to dispose those unwanted money.

In and out the US borders

travel globally — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:30:14 +0000

One of the biggest challenges for the US today is in the protection of its borders. This responsibility was given to the USCBP or the US Customs and Border Patrol. They are in charge of both the northern border in Canada and the southern border in Mexico. With millions of citizens and non-citizens crossing these borders; the department always find themselves busy in protecting the country.

To address this problem the Global Entry System was established. This system is geared towards US citizens who have been proven to be low risk for the country. Instead of going through rigorous inspection by the border patrol, they just have to go through the Global System with their credentials to gain entrance to US.

This was even improved when the Global Entry expanded its acceptance to other forms of border documentation. Those who are frequently crossing Canada could expedite their re-entry to US with the use of their NEXUS membership. On the other hand, the frequent travellers in the south could experience the same comfort if they are a member of SENTRI or Secure Electronic Network for Travellers Rapid Inspection.

Because of this integration, travellers who frequently cross either border could choose Global Entry, Nexus or SENTRI. The application process is almost the same as the travellers who wish to gain these certifications would have to agree to rigorous background check by the government.

A separate certification exists specifically for drivers that cross the US-Mexican Border called FAST or Free and Secure Trade. Although they are not members of Global Entry, they also have the same rigorous background check before approval.

Prop 8 could backlash the tourism

travel globally — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:59:07 +0000

With millions of dollars spent, the campaign for and against Proposition 8 became a record breaking spending spree. Those who are for Proposition 8 (or Prop have spent more than $35 million while those against Prop 8 have spent more than $37 million. Because of the spending and the effort, the losing end after the voting will be very angry at the result. 52.3% have voted Yes while 47.7% voted No.

Those against Prop 8 have pointed to Utah as the major reason of their loss. Utah is one, if not the most conservative state in the country and some businessmen in Utah have donated considerable amount in support for Prop 8.

As a way of showing their disappointment to Utah, the leaders against the Prop 8 are encouraging a boycott for Utah’s tourism. Tourism is one of the major sources of income in Utah because of their natural setting and different activities such as the Sundance Film Festival. John Aravosis, one of the leaders of the group against Prop 8 is now headlining the proposed boycott.
Some have seen this as a little bit unfair since the tourism industry is not openly supporting Proposition 8 and only a handful of businesses have donated to Prop 8. There are even well known families in Utah that are also Mormons that have openly supported No to Prop 8. But the organizer is hoping to send a message and a very strong one. According to John Aravosis, “We need to send a message to Utah that they need to stop trying to inflict their way of life on every other state.”