iSawNEWS » Travel

Watch That First Step, It’s a Doozy

Admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:36:53 +0000

Ronda, Spain lives on the edge.

Yes, this is the real deal. Welcome to Spain, watch your step. Not since the daunting Cliffs of Insanity have I seen such an imposing sight.

See? The city of Ronda, Spain does not mess around. Nor does the Dread Pirate Roberts for that matter.

This post is a Wordless Wednesday entry, but you’d never know it.

Photo by Bert K. via Flickr.

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La Grande Cantoria Features Spacious, Airy, Newly Renovated Rooms At The Most Affordable Prices

Admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:36:37 +0000

La Grande Cantoria is one of the best accommodation options in Florence for visitors that are looking for comfortable accommodation at an affordable price.
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Hang Glide Over Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

Admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:36:37 +0000

A Hang Glide preparing to take off

I’m the adventurous type but I don’t think I’ve ever done anything as exhilarating as flying through the sky on a tandem hang glide. Just outside Chattanooga, in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, is the largest hang gliding school in the country, aptly called Lookout Mountain Hang Gliding. The mountains supply a majestic backdrop as you swoop over treetops and float through the sky. Despite how scary it sounds, hang gliding really felt like catching a ride on a big old kite and I never felt an ounce of fear.

After watching a 20-minute training video and signing various liability forms, I was strapped into a hang glide with my gregarious instructor Eric. We were pulled through a field by a small plain and quickly breezed through the air. Gazing at mountains and soaring like a bird is the most intoxicating experience imaginable. We flew to 2,000 feet for about 20 minutes. The only regret I ever felt during the flight were that grass stains covered my knees as we landed. Grab another essential Tennessee experience and stay at the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel. The lobby of the hotel is the original train station and you can elect to sleep in an actual Victorian train car.

Photo courtesy of Rosalind Cummings-Yeates

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A Wedgie To Remember: Raging Waters in San Dimas, CA

Admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:35:53 +0000

Trade comfort for speed

Famous for being the location of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, nestled at the armpit of the San Gabriel Valley, San Dimas, CA is also home to one of the area’s famous water parks, Raging Waters. Since Southern California is so prone to heatwaves, one should always have a water park in one’s back pocket as an alternate activity for the children. (Also, children are a good thing to have when you just want to go to a water park but you feel ridiculous going without them).

Far less pricey than other famous area amusement parks, a day ticket to Raging Waters (also with locations in Sacramento and San Jose – only “S” towns allowed) is only $36.99 for adults and lower prices with online discounts or for kids. As with any tourist-attraction type of place, you get all types there, so no worries about exposing the fleshy parts of you that are normally covered – chances are you are not the least attractive person in sight.

If you’re a water park newbie, make sure you read the company’s very comprehensive information page – there are things to remember that you don’t have to worry about at a different kind of park. And like any good advertiser, Raging Waters is all social-media’ed up with a Facebook page and a Twitter account so you can study up real nice before you go.

This is my kind of ride

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Avillion Port Dickson Offers Five Best Resort Deals to Its Customers

Admin — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 06:35:36 +0000

Avillion Port Dickson announces its five latest promotional offerings for families on vacation as well as leisure travelers.
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Summer Destinations: Mount Rushmore

Admin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 07:35:27 +0000

The Presidents of Rock

It seems that someone should say something here about how far-fetched National Treasure 2 was, but I’m going to let it slide. You probably didn’t see it.

Mount Rushmore, on the other hand has seen a lot. Located near Keystone, South Dakota, the National Park and memorial are visited by over 2 million tourists per year. That’s a lot of souvenirs.

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

Photo by Mike Tigas via Flickr

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How to Find an Alligator on Your Florida Vacation

Admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:33:48 +0000

The two animals most commonly associated with Florida are:

Mickey Mouse
Alligators

Hunting down the world’s happiest rodent is a breeze. You’ll begin to see the telltale ears long before you arrive at the gates of Walt Disney World, with observant tourists noticing that even nearby electrical posts are topped with the iconic logo.

But where, oh where, do the alligators roam?

Headed for an alligator nest by airboat

Actually spotting an alligator in Florida can be trickier than you’d think. On one hand, it’s rumored that there is at least one alligator living in every body of water in Florida (excluding most pools, of course). On the other hand, alligators aren’t exactly eager to make friends with humans. They spend most of their time trying not to be seen, and with their natural camouflage, they do a pretty good job of staying hidden.

In other words, chances are you’ll swim with alligators if you hit a Florida lake, but you’ll never even know.

(I still haven’t decide if that’s good or bad.)

If you’re dying to see an alligator, you can buy a ticket for a place like Gatorland in Orlando or the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine. You’re guaranteed to see alligators here, but they aren’t exactly in their natural habitat.

(I still haven’t decide if that’s good or bad.)

If you want to see an alligator in the wild, your best bet might be to take an airboat tour. I went on an airboat ride recently and did, technically see alligators in the water, but they were still very difficult to spot. Your best chances of seeing an alligator during an airboat tour is to visit in the cooler months or during the coldest parts of day during the summer. When it’s cold outside, the gators have to get out into the open to soak up warmth from the sun.

If you want to see an alligator while spending as little money as possible, head to a state park and hope for the best. My closest and most extended encounter with an alligator actually occured during a visit to Blue Springs State Park. We had just finished swimming when we noticed three very large alligators lounging in the water a few feet away.

(I still haven’t decide if that’s good or bad.)

Photo by Britt Reints

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Outdoor Activities With Wyedean Canoe Hire – More Than Just Canoes

Admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:33:47 +0000

Wyedean Canoe Hire and Adventure Centre are now offering a massive range of new things for you to do, making a day pass quicker than you could ever imagine.
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New Zealand’s Shotover River Canyons With Fast Boat

Admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:33:27 +0000

No paddles needed up this creek.

The Shotover River Canyons in Queenstown, New Zealand, appear to be wet, wild and incredibly beautiful. Apparently, they’re also a big blur as the boats take the twists and turns at high speed. Sounds dangerous, but in an awesome sort of way.

This post is a Wordless Wednesday entry which I decorated with a bunch of words. It’s like art, hence the pretentious post title.

Photo by Alex E. Proimos via Flickr.

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6 Cheap Things To Do In Orlando Other Than Disney

Admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:27:46 +0000

Orlando is known for many things, but being an inexpensive place to visit is not one of them. And yet, the number one question I get from family, friends and random strangers planning a visit to the area is “what are some cheap things to do in Orlando?“

First of all, “cheap” doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone. Cheap to someone who lives in Orlando is definitely different than cheap to someone who is here on vacation. I am probably not spending hundreds of dollars a weekend to entertain my children, and you probably aren’t either – unless you’re on vacation. But, I get it. What most people mean is “what can I do in Orlando that is cheaper than Disney World?”

6 Things To Do In Orlando That Are Cheap(er Than Disney World)

1. Downtown Disney

"To infinity, and beyond!!"

If you’re visiting the area and want a taste of Disney without paying for the whole experience, Downtown Disney is a great option. It’s basically a shopping, dining and bar district, but it’s Disney, so there’s plenty to see without spending a dime. Your kids can play at LEGO Imagination Center without technically buying anything. You can take pictures with Buzz and Mr. Potato Head and Disney Princesses without technically buying anything. And if you do buy something, you’ll probably find it slightly less expensive here than at the parks. Pro tip: if you do eat while you’re here, Earl of Sandwich is the best bang for your buck with $6 really good sandwiches.

2. Swim at your hotel

Lazy River – cheap entertainment at Orlando hotel

To put it mildly, there is a lot of competition among hotels in the Orlando area. And many hotels here have become places of amusement in their own right. The Hilton Bonnett Creek, which is very reasonably priced and not over-the-top themed at all, has a lazy river! Other hotels feature full-scale water parks, multiple pools and man-made beaches. I am the last person to advocate spending your vacation inside a hotel room, but, well, the hotel rooms here are different.

3. Hit the beach

It amazes me how many people forget that Florida is surrounded on three sides by beaches. Yes, Orlando is pretty much dead smack in the middle of the state, but there are still beaches relatively close by. Cocoa Beach and Daytona Beach are about an hour drive from Orlando, and even the Gulf of Mexico is only about an hour and a half from the Disney area. This is inexpensive and something that definitely falls in the “things we can’t do at home” category for many visitors. If you’ve never seen the ocean, make this a priority on your trip to Orlando.

4. SeaWorld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens

elephants at Busch Gardens

OK, going to an amusement park is not cheap. But going to SeaWorld, Aquatica and Busch Gardens is cheaper than buying 3 days admission to Disney World. For about $110 per person, you can visit all three parks as much as you want during your vacation (or rather, for 2 weeks beginning the first day you use it). This includes a free shuttle to take you between the Orlando area and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. That’s a little less than half of what you’d pay for a three day ticket to Disney without a park hopper option.

5. Gatorland

Gatorland best way to see lots of gators in Orlando

If you want an up close and personal look at gators (and really, you shouldn’t come to Florida and not see gators!), Gatorland is your best bet. Tickets are about $20 for entrance into this cheesy but gator and croc-filled park. While you might see alligators elsewhere, you’re guaranteed a photo opp here.

6. Visit a state park

Orlando State Parks – yes, there are gators in that water

Most locals will tell you that Gatorland is an overpriced tourist trap (but locals are cranky, so take what we say with a grain of salt). That’s mainly because you can see gators in just about every body of water in Florida. A cheaper and more authentic way to see alligators is to visit one of the local state parks, like Wekiva Springs State Park in Apopka (about 30 minutes north of Orlando proper). In addition to possibly seeing alligators, you can also experience the natural springs, one of Florida’s coolest natural resources.

Florida is a great place to visit (and live, in my opinion), even if you find yourself (and your wallet) needing a break from all things Disney. Take advantage of our weather and general obsession with entertaining tourists and you may even have a little money left over to buy souvenirs!

All photos by Britt Reints

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