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Earl Juanico - http://browardlimo.com
February 5, 2008
Sightseers beware; there is so much to take in during a visit to Cocoa Beach that the observant traveler risks being overloaded with incredible visions of space launchings, sea turtles, lovely beaches, and so much more. You?ll have so many things that you?ll want to see that it may be difficult to function, so just consider yourself warned; this is a fabulous destination jam-packed with delightful diversions.
Starting with the basics, Cocoa Beach is known for offering close contact with Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center as well as excellent views of space launches. Stand on the beach, feel the sand beneath your toes, and gaze to the North as man showcases his ability to master the intricacies of modern technology and scientific endeavors. If the goose bumps don?t rise on your skin, check your pulse.
Cocoa Beach exists on a barrier island, so it?s possible to dip your feet in both the Atlantic Ocean and the Banana River Lagoon. Experience two different facets of wildlife that belong to these varying habitats, relishing the ever-fine weather that will accompany you on any part of the island. Yes, this area is known for amazing and trustworthy temperatures that stay pretty steady. The air and water are welcoming more often than not, so come prepared to spend a lot of time in your swimsuit.
If you?d like to venture out a little, rent a kayak and go whale, dolphin, or bird-watching. Six miles of coastline means there?s plenty of space to frolic in the sea like you?re a kid again, and plenty of sand to set up an umbrella and towel on for an afternoon spent reading a book, taking a nap, or better yet, both alternately. Normally it might be considered disagreeable to float in and out of consciousness, but here it?s the order of the day.
Energy will soon return, and when it does you?ll find many active pursuits to take advantage of. For one, a golf course that probably puts your country club to shame will greet you with open arms and keep you nice and busy for a few hours. Or, if you fancy yourself a surfer, be aware that many consider Cocoa Beach to be the surfing capital of the East Coast. Rent a board to show off your skills or feel fry to try it out for the first time. As long as you embrace the spirit of the island and go with the flow, you?ll be just fine.
A beach trolley system will take you wherever it is you want to go that?s close by, be it one of the many restaurants, souvenir shops, nightclubs, or the lighted public tennis courts. If you?re interested in taking a day trip, there are several worthwhile destinations within 60 miles or so, so hop in the car if you want to experience popular Orlando attractions like Disney, Epcot, or MGM. Port Canaveral is just minutes away, and is the place to embark for a day cruise that will satisfy your need to gamble in a casino or engage in a nighttime affair that will offer a romantic candlelight dinner.
Closer yet are a number of parks, wildlife refuges, museums, art galleries, and special events and festivals all year round. You won?t really have to leave Cocoa Beach once you arrive here, so for an intimate and truly relaxing getaway kick off your shoes as soon as you get here and don?t give them another thought until it?s time to pack up and head home.
To truly accomplish this tactic of remaining in laid-back mode for your entire trip, rent a vacation home. Cocoa Beach Vacation Rentals have a way of allowing you some peace and quiet amidst the tourist comings and goings, and will keep you as comfortable as if you were in your own home. If you?ve never gone this route before, now is the time. Get ready for a fabulous trip, and don?t forget to prep yourself for all the leisurely escapes that you can handle. It?ll be rough, but someone has to do it.
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CyberRentals.com has all you need to plan your next vacation rental-accentuated getaway.
February 1, 2008
Cologne is the oldest city of Germany dating back to the times of the Romans and even got its name, Colonia, from them since it was a colony of Rome in 50 A.D. The Romans also brought christianity to Cologne and had been a residence to several bishops. Nowadays, you can still find some remains of Roman fortifications, churches and buildings all over the city like the Roman North Gate, the City Hall, the Roman tower and the City Gates. Though populated by several Roman churches like the Great St. Martin and St. Gereon churches, Cologne is more famous for its landmark, the Cathedral of Cologne, world heritage site since 1998. The gothic Cathedral was built in 1248 and finally completed in 1880. It houses the Relics of the Magi since the 13th century that made the city one of the famous pilgrim destinations.
Cologne’s old town, though destroyed during the war, is something worth to visit for its old and colorful houses, historical buildings and churches and narrow streets which give one the perfect nostalgia of the old Cologne. But not only that, most old houses or buildings have been used nowadays as restaurants, hotels and bars so you can roam around your way not getting hungry or thirsty. Especially, not thirsty because Cologne has its Koelsch - the Cologne beer. So for beer lovers, have fun!
There are so many things you can do in Cologne. Since it is the center of art in the country, you can visit several museums to your liking. A roundtrip boat tour on the Rhine is also something not to miss. Or a ride on the Rheinseilbahn, a hanging cable cars going across the river giving you an opportunity to see the beautiful panorama of Cologne from the top. There are also trolleys which are trying to look like trains bringing you to the Cologne Zoo or the Chocolate Museum. Though the zoo is not that far from the cathedral’s area, it’s a very nice experience especially for the children to have this ride. You can normally find these trolleys in front of the southern transept of the cathedral called Roncalliplatz.
Adjacent to the zoo are the Flora and the Botanical Garden. These beautifully landscaped gardens are homes to different species of plants, trees, flowers from different continents. Perfect time to visit is during spring, the color is just so beautiful. Another green area in Cologne is the Rheinpark. From the city center, you cross the river and walk to the left side of the bank. The park is well maintained, very clean and is perfect for family picnic. It even has a playground for kids so even the little ones won’t get bored. Close to the park is the Tanzbrunnen, it’s a fountain with a dancing area in the center thus the name Tanzbrunnen, fountain for dancing. This is used as an open-air stage and event hall for concerts.
Shopping in Cologne is something you don’t want to miss. The Hohe Strasse is the most famous street for shopping in the region and probably in the whole country. This is always full of shoppers no matter what the weather is. But there are also malls, shopping arcades and promenades if you don’t want to be outside all the time. Don’t forget to get yourself the famous souvenir, the Koelnischwasser - the original Eau-de-Cologne. Its formula has been produced in the place since 1709 and used by legendary people like Napoleon. Aside from the regular shopping, Cologne is also famous for the Christmas Markets. People tour here during cold season just for these markets. You’ll have an array of choices, from decorations to delicacies, plus a taste of gluehwein, a warm wine normally served in christmas mugs, to keep you warm.
Annual famous events in Cologne would include the Carnival - a very festive and colorful celebration which is normally held in February. Main highlight is the parade, people and even celebrities in colorful costumes and floats. Another famous event is the Koelner Lichter - Cologne Lights, a spectacular show of fireworks on the Rhine. This event is attracting up to more than 1 million visitors per year. Koelner Lichter is normally in summer, often in July.
So if you’re planning to visit Cologne, it’s ideal of course to visit in summer when you have more probability of having a nice weather. Have fun and enjoy your visit!
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View Cologne Picture Gallery at Capturedplaces.com.
January 31, 2008
Frankfurt is one of Germany’s important cities, being the biggest international financial and trade center of Europe. It’s famous for it’s skyline - a line of towering skyscrapers which is mostly consisting of banks and other financial institutions. Frankfurt is better known in the country as Frankfurt am Main, since there are 2 cities which are named the same. Main is the river which flows through the city thus the source for the city skyline’s nickname Mainhattan.
The metropolis of Frankfurt is not that big. You can easily tour the main attractions in 1 day. But as most cities in Germany, it’s normally divided into 2 attractions, the old and the new city. Unfortunately, due to the fact that Frankfurt was heavily bombed during WW2, there’s not much left of the old city, but still something worth seeing.
OLD CITY
The Roemer - Frankfurt’s city hall
One of the most important historical old buildings, housing the election of the former German kings and emperors during the early times. Since 1405, it has been used as the city hall. The area where the Roemer is, the Roemerberg, offers a surrounding of beautiful old houses, used nowadays as stores and restaurants.
The Kaiserdom - Emperor’s Cathedral
As the name says, the Emperor’s Cathedral. This church was used as the venue of the coronation of the new emperor or king. In front of this church is an archaeological finding of an ancient sauna used by the Romans when they were colonizing the area.
Paulskirche - Paul’s Church
This church was built during the end of the 18th century. From damages during the war, it was rebuilt in the mid 20th century and considered one important attraction of the old city.
Goethe’s House
Frankfurt is the home of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, one of the world’s most famous poets. The house of Goethe is located in the inner city and is open for public viewing. The Goethe Museum is just right next to it, housing a very rich Goethe collection.
A Walk Crossing the River Main
From the old city, you can walk down to the river then cross a pedestrian bridge called Eiserner Steg (iron bridge). From the other side of the bridge, you can properly see the skyline. The road parallel to the river is called Museumufer - Museums on the river bank - lining up a variety of museums. You can walk more until you arrive at another pedestrian bridge called Holbeinsteg. After crossing that bridge, look for the Nizza Garden. This garden is unique because it contains tropical plants and palms in an open German climate.
The NEW CITY
This won’t be that difficult to find, just follow the new buildings. Towering banks and offices is a sight you won’t miss in Frankfurt. Some bank buildings are combining both new and old architecture. You would see for example Dresdner Bank having an old building and two skyscrapers next to it.
Around the new city, you can see modern arts like the hammering man and the inverted necktie, representing the city’s trademarks, banking and trading.
Shopping in Frankfurt
There are several good shopping opportunities in Frankfurt but probably the most famous area to shop is the Zeil. If you’re going for posh shopping then Goethestrasse is the right one for you. This street is lined up with boutiques from Chanel to Tifanny & Co.
Enjoy your stay in Frankfurt!
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View Frankfurt Picture Gallery at Capturedplaces.com.
With its historical monuments and rich cultural heritage, Hannover is one of the beautiful and charming cities in the north. The city was a former royal capital even having its prince until these days. It’s also widely famous for hosting international exhibitions, having here the Expo in 2000. Many facilities and attractions were added, restored and renovated before that year as preparations for the big event.
The attractions…
Inner city
One can start in the Kroepcke, where you can find the famous Kroepcke clock. From there, there are a lot of ways to go - shopping, shopping and more shopping. The area is obviously the center for shopping. You can go into the direction of the Main Train Station by going under a very nice shopping promenade, Niki-de-Saint-Phalle. Most shops here are open till late in the evening.
If you see a church or something which belongs to the old city, go there and you should find a red line on the ground. This red line is used as a guide for tours. It should bring you to the famous attractions of the inner city. Like for example the beautiful old timbered houses in the old town, the Leibniz house, the old and new city hall or the opera.
Activities
Hannover Zoo
For families, the Hannover zoo is an ideal destination. The zoo was very well designed and landscaped, giving you the feeling (and probably the animals too) that you’re in the wild.
Maschsee
It’s a beautiful and relaxing place to stroll, but not just that, you can also rent sailing or paddling boats to enjoy more of the lake’s calm water. If you’re lazy to paddle, then you can take boat tours. This lake hosts to numerous big parties of the city.
Herrenhausergaerten - Royal Gardens
This is a huge collection of gardens. You probably need one day to walk around the area. Aside from being huge, it’s also very impressive so something to see and experience definitely. The garden design is a copy of the Versailles. When this was made, that was the time when the Versailles garden got really famous and everyone wanted to have a copy of it.
Have fun and enjoy your stay in Hannover!
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View Hannover Picture Gallery at Capturedplaces.com.
If you’re visiting Cologne, Germany, it might also be a great idea to allocate 1 day for a boat tour from there all the way to Koenigswinter. The ticket office is located in front of the boats’ port near Cologne’s old town. This tour is daily and takes 4 hours forth and due to downstream current, 3 hours back. Just sit back and relax while enjoying smaller town views south of Cologne. The boat docks in four ports before reaching Koenigswinter but you don’t have to do something, just stay on your seat so new passengers won’t get yours.
Koenigswinter is a town part of Nordrhein-Westfalen region located on the foot of the Siebengebirge, a mountain and hill range. It’s famous for its small town charm, having a lovely promenade consisting of hotels, restaurants, cafes, old houses directly facing the river. Also experience its shopping - you can buy some souvenirs from the place. Go walk to its narrow old town streets, you can find some old wine houses and stores that might be of interest. But Koenigswinter is mostly famous for the Drachenfels Burg (dragon’s rock castle) which is located on the tip of the Drachenfels, accessible by the Drachenfels Railway. Legend says that a dragon on this rock was slain by Siegfried, a German epic hero.
On the way down from the Drachenfels, you can visit the Drachenburg (castle). This castle was built in 1882 by Baron Stephan von Starter, a successful stock trader but he actually never lived here. From the castle, prefer to walk on your way down, stop by the Winzerhaeuschen and get yourself some refreshing drinks. From there, continue walking down to the Honighaeuschen, the honey houses, don’t just get too near to it. If you still have time, visit the Nibelungenhalle, a reptile zoo, just right next to the honey houses.
For families with children who want to visit the place, there’s a SeaLife in Koenigswinter. It’s a sea aquarium where you can experience the creatures up close. It’s located directly in front of the river port. Aside from that, there’s also an open-air swimming pool and fun area called Lemmerzbad located in a nature park below the castle.
Don’t forget to be at the port on time so not to miss your boat back to Cologne. Have a nice trip!
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View Koenigswinter Picture Gallery at Capturedplaces.com
January 30, 2008
Sabre and competitors Cendant and Expedia, owned by Barry Diller’s IAC/InterActiveCorp, are carving up the Internet travel industry as more people buy airline tickets and hotel rooms over the Web. A third of bookings may be made on line by 2009 compared with 23 percent in 2004, according to forecasts by JupiterMedia Corp. [Bloomberg.com]
Expedia Overview
Expedia is the most popular website brand in the Internet travel marketplace. Expedia.com is the 245th most popular website in the world, Expedia.co.uk is the 1981st most popular website in the world ? whilst Expedia.ca is the 4361st most popular. [Alexa.com ? September 2006]
Offering services such as fare tracker and fare compare, Expedia encourages its customers to focus on cost and at least offer then the perception that they are getting the best deal.
Founded in 1994 as a division of Microsoft, Expedia was ?spun off? on 1999 and purchased by IAC / InterActiveCorp in 2001. The brand itself hasn?t changed a great deal since 2000 which is unusual with a website led business. This emphasises that Expedia focus on efficiency rather than image.
Expedia Position
An efficient, logical, knowledgeable yet cold looking website and brand, Expedia focus on offering best value Internet travel deals.
Expedia’s $50 coupon for all-inclusive bookings and its recent focus on all-inclusive getaways ? is the thinly veiled fear among online agencies that consumers will shop around. [USAToday.com]
Whilst focusing on the all-inclusive travel deal, Expedia have decided to use this method to try and ensure that customers stay with them. Diminishing airline ticket margins have encouraged them to focus on the ?bundle?.
Expedia?s strengths include its history of operating underneath the Microsoft ?net?. This has not only enabled Expedia to maximise its technological know-how, but also offered it the opportunity to capitalise being part of one of the most trustworthy software brands in the world. Although efficient in manner, because Expedia hasn?t undergone any image reinvention since 2000, it could be argued that it has allowed Travelocity to overtake it in terms of being visually appealing.
The fact however remains that Expedia have now held the number one position in the online travel marketplace for a number of years? Will this change in the near future? It doesn?t look too likely.
Expedia Core Competences
Expedia?s core competency is the superior understanding of technology within the Internet travel marketplace. This has enabled for them to gain first mover advantage in the sector by forming appropriate strategic alliances.
Expedia Competitive Advantage
Expedia have decided to go down a dangerous route by choosing a cost advantage as their competitive advantage. They have chosen to do this because they know that they already have the most popular Internet travel portal. Time will tell whether or not other companies such as Travelocity will be able to ensure that online travel customers are willing to spend more to receive greater service, facilities or perceived brand value.
However, in addition, Expedia have an extensive affiliate marketing portfolio of partners. Through CJ.com (Commission Junction) Expedia are continually offering other websites the opportunity to market their services in exchange for a percentage of the final booking fee. (Commonly around 5%) Compared with their nearest competitor, Travelocity, Expedia have been much more aggressive with their use of affiliate marketing.
Travel eBusiness Models ? Travelocity
Travelocity.com / Travelocity.co.uk is owned and operated by Sabre Holdings ? a products, distribution and technology solutions company focused on the travel industry. Their consumer direct and business direct side of the business is Travelocity. Travelocity has several million registered users and booked $4.9 billion worth of travel business in 2004. [Sabre-Holdings.com]
At the time of writing, Travelocity is the second most popular brand in the world in the Internet travel marketplace. Travelocity.com is also the 386th most popular website in the world, whilst the British version, Travelocity.co.uk is the 4884th most popular. [Ranking.com]
Travelocity was established in 1996 as a subsidiary or Sabre Holdings and was the first travel website that allowed users to browse, reserve and book travel-related products online. [Answers.com]
Initially Travelocity appeared to be extremely ?community orientated? ? regularly arranging offline meetings and presentations for ?do-it-yourself travellers?.
In 1998 Travelocity changed direction and became more ?travel deals orientated?. They did this by incorporating the availability to book flights, hotels and car hire directly from their home page. [Archive.org]
In 2000 Travelocity became more aware of the need to market themselves as a brand. This resulted in 2002 with a complete re-design of the website to make it more user-friendly and encourage return visitors.
Travelocity?s present day website (designed in 2004) ?look and feel? is starting to rely more on a higher percentage of graphics. This offers website users a more visually appealing experience, although it does rely on the user being more likely to have a slightly faster Internet connection than they used to. [Archive.org]
Travelocity Position
Travelocity.com is a fun, friendly, informative, useful and easy to use website. In addition to this it is professional and reliable. This demonstrates that Travelocity is comfortable to try and be a ?love all, serve all? Internet Travel Portal.
Travelocity is however a company with an aggressive stance. It does not form strategic alliances with other companies in order to promote affiliate-marketing programmes. In addition, it regularly seeks out potential competitors to buy.
In 2000, Travelocity purchased another early web travel company, Preview Travel, [Answers.com] whilst in 2002 it purchased Site59.com ? a New York based travel business that specialise in late bookings.
On 12th May 2005 it was announced that Travelocity had agreed to buy lastminute.com for ?577m ? creating Europe’s biggest online travel retailer. [Silicon.com] Part of the reason why Travelocity wants to gain dominance quickly in the Internet Travel Marketplace and grow by acquisition is that it understands that the market is growing and evolving quickly.
It wants to be the first choice in the majority of consumers? minds for future travel purchases. This is therefore one of their major strengths. Whether or not their decision not to evolve by forming strategic alliances may thwart this aggressive growth strategy is yet to be seen.
To a certain degree, opportunities within the Internet travel marketplace for Travelocity are still limitless. They can still expand to cover more countries Internationally, they can still improve upon their overall marketshare and they can still expect both Internet users and the amount of Internet users willing to book online to increase significantly.
Travelocity Core Competences
Travelocity are striving towards ensuring that their brand is the most recognised and trusted available in the Internet Travel marketplace. Their most important core competency is to offer an integrated, easy-to-use and intuitive website that keeps people wanting to come back to it much more that any competitor in the field.
Travelocity Competitive Advantage
Travelocity have recently introduced their Bill of Rights onto their website:
Customers have the right to?
1) Get what you booked
2) The best overall value in travel
3) Accurate and objective information upfront
4) Find what you?re looking for quickly and easily
5) A straightforward presentation of your options
6) Speak with someone and get help anytime
7) Be inspired by your travel company
[Travelocity.com]
These seven key customer issues have been highlighted to demonstrate why Travelocity believe that they are better than the competition. Travelocity want their brand to represent trust, reliability and service and therefore define what they believe their competitive advantage to be.
The Merchant Model Conclusion
The merchant model is without doubt the most competitive Internet business model for the travel industry. The two main worldwide competitors ? Expedia and Travelocity have chosen to focus upon price and service level differentiation respectively. It could be argued that Expedia however focus on their value-adding activities ? their existing infrastructure in order to derive their core competencies of efficiency and price. Travelocity on the other hand rely upon their ?bill of rights? core competency in order to drive their ?value adding activities?.
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David Bain is founder of the UK travel website http://www.TREKtheUK.com. TREKtheUK is a comprehensive UK travel guide featuring lots of places to go and things to do.
January 26, 2008
Nestled between Rapid City and the western border of South Dakota, the Black Hills are an island of beautiful mountains and trees that rise up among prairies and rolling hills. This area first came to life around the 1870’s when early-day prospectors discovered gold while panning in nearby streams.
The Black Hills offers something for literally everyone. There are probably well over one hundred attractions in the vicinity of the Black Hills. Choose from hiking, fishing, horseback riding, mine tours, panning for gold, rock hunting, exploring caves, scenic drives, beautiful parks, national monuments, and much more.
If the Old West interests you, be sure and visit Deadwood to experience some authentic Old West history. Later on, board the 1880 train in Hill City and take a two hour round trip journey back in time.
No trip to the Black Hills is complete without experiencing a chuckwagon supper and show. There are several places to choose from. We’ve been to the Circle B Ranch Chuckwagon Supper and Music Show, and had a wonderful time. The food was good and so was the entertainment. Plus, there were pony rides, gold panning, and other fun for the entire family.
Of course, the top attraction in the Black Hills is visiting Mount Rushmore. This stunning monument is a ‘must see’ for every family. Carved out of 5725 foot Mount Rushmore are images of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. This magnificent work of art took many years to finish and was completed in 1941. Be sure and visit Mount Rushmore, and while you are there stop by the sculptor’s studio to see some of the models and tools that were used during the carving process.
All and all, the Black Hills is a great choice for any family vacation. The area has so much to see and do, that everyone will have fun, and most of the attractions are very reasonably priced. Have a safe trip, and create some great memories that will last a lifetime!
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About the author:
Rich Herman loves the outdoors and travels extensively with his family. He specializes in family-friendly websites: www.FavoriteFamilyVacations.com; www.FamilyBooksandCDs.com
January 20, 2008
What is it about water vacations that fascinate people so much? Perhaps it’s the feeling of openness and connection with nature. Then again, it could be the sounds of playful laughter of families having fun in the sun. Maybe it’s the tranquil surroundings of a secluded fishing trip on a lonely lake, or it could simply be the excitable and care-free splashing around and frolicsome behavior that can only be had around water? Who know, and who really cares to analyze it! Whatever it is, it seems that water holds an enchanting grasp on holiday makers the world over and that includes me and my family.
We’ve had some of the most wonderful vacations around the most beautiful lakes over the years, and the lake rentals of today really are equipped to make any stay a memorable and joyful occasion.
More than ever before, families, groups of friends, and happy couples are all choosing to take a vacation where there is water. Lake rentals, in particular, seem to be the new beach. Maybe this is because most of the more popular coastlines are becoming so overcrowded these days, therefore it’s all the more harder to relax, and relaxation and de-stressing is what a holiday is all about ? right?
Additionally, lake rentals offer more than just a place to stay around a huge pond. Lakes themselves have a whole range of water activities to pursue, from swimming, fishing, kayaking, boating, and hiking in the surrounding areas. What’s great about lake rentals is that there are places to suit all budgets depending on what type of get-away you’re looking for. Personally, we have always found lake rentals a very affordable and relaxing choice to hotels and up market guest houses.
What we really like about lake rentals in particular, is the option to rent a whole house if you so wish. We did this last year and it was an absolutely fantastic experience. After just a couple of days of adjustment, it was like we had moved out of the big city into a dream home of our own, amid the most amazing setting on the planet. It actually felt quite surreal. From the soft light and early morning mists rolling over the water, and the long shadows which come with sunrise, to the shady protection of the mid day sun, just whow! We had an ever-changing and picturesque front seat view of this fascinating landscape. And sun sets, well I don’t have the writing skills to express how awesome and colorful these magical moments were.
I can honestly say with hand on heart that lake rentals have proved to be the best family vacations we’ve ever had. Sure, we’ve done the Disney thing, and a few enjoyable trips to the coast, but as a family, there has never been any vacation which unites us and provides us with so much fun and activity, along with peace and tranquility, as the lakes and lake rental accommodations found around the beautiful lakes of North America.
Maybe the lake rentals have not been on your shortlist of holiday hopefuls, but I would urge anyone to try it at least once. You could start with a long weekend break, just to test the water so to speak. I think anyone who has tried a vacation around a lake will say that it was more fun than they could have ever imagined possible. And remember, lake rentals can actually be an affordable and relaxing alternative to renting rooms in hotels and motels, but that’s just an added bonus.
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Andy Maingam is a proficient writer and webmaster for Journey Extra dot com where he has articles on Finding Cheap Air Travel and Mexico Vacation Packages. He also has many other travel related pieces on the site.
January 19, 2008
Perhaps you yearn for a beach vacation but find yourself on a tight budget. In reality, by taking advantage of last minute beach vacations opportunities, you very well may be able to take a trip to the shore and save money in the process. There are a number of wonderful destinations in the United States that can handle your desire for 11th hour getaways.
Young At Heart
If you are young, or young at heart, you will want to take a close look at South Miami Beach, Florida. South Beach is part of what has become known as the American Riviera. Indeed, the whole of South West Florida, including South Beach and the rest of Miami Beach, has a most cosmopolitan flare and feel.
Many of the art deco styled South Beach hotels offer cheap beach packages for a person in your shoes who would like to venture to Florida and save a bit of money in the process. Bookings are a bit more difficult to obtain during the South Florida ?season.? (Generally, the peak of the Floridian tourist season runs from Thanksgiving through about mid-April.)
If you are willing to brave a bit more heat and humidity (which really is not all that bad when you are ocean side), you can find some absolutely spectacular beach getaways to South Beach from the late Spring through Autumn.
West Coast
If you are more interested in West Coast beach vacations, the shoreline in and around the Los Angeles metro-plex in California is a perfect choice. Not only is there a wide array of different types of beach vacations available including hotel and air travel packages, on such a trip you can enjoy the wonderful Pacific beaches by day and imbibe in the fantastic L.A. nightlife.
Finally, two other popular destinations for beach getaways are Ocean City, Maryland and Virginia Beach, Virginia. These two settings offer a bit slower paced holiday and include a number of quaint bistros along the shore that boast some of the most delightful seafood anywhere in North America.
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Copyright Statement
This article was written by Jonathan Tan and may be reproduced on any travel-related website provided this copyright statement is displayed unedited in its entirety at the foot of the article and you use the exact same HTML code to ensure a clickable link back to the author’s site. Further articles are also available. Contact the author for more information.
Cheap Beach Vacations
If you are looking for beach vacations close to home, be sure to check out our last minute beach vacations located at Last-Minute-Vacation-Guide.com. Prices start from $200 per person for an all inclusive package!
Copyright ? http://www.last-minute-vacation-guide.com
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