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Seven reasons to go to Liverpool

May 3, 2013 By admin 1 Comment

Rainbow over the Liverpool waterfront by William Starkey (creative Commons)

More and more, former industrial cities of the UK are building profiles for themselves as major tourist destinations, and Liverpool is an excellent example of such a city. Once a major port, tourism now forms a major part of the city’s economy. Here are seven reasons to visit Liverpool.

It’s the home of the Beatles

Yes, this is one of Liverpool’s major attractions. The world’s most famous band originated in Liverpool, and the town hasn’t forgotten it. There are several well-regarded tours available around the city, or you can form one yourself. The Guinness World Records named Liverpool the World Capital City of Pop: Liverpudlian artists have produced more number one singles than any other city.

It’s conveniently situated

If you are travelling from Ireland, Wales, the Isle of Man, the north of England, Scotland or the capital, Liverpool is in a central location with an airport servicing many major destinations. It’s also got excellent train and ferry connections.

It’s brimming with arts and culture

With a thriving student population, music and arts festivals, a great live music scene, Liverpool is a great place to experience either up and coming artists or established ones. There are a number of galleries and museums, including the Tate Liverpool and the International Slavery Museum.

It’s got a growing food culture

Eating well is a growing part of the UK lifestyle – following the trend of popular food shows on TV, many are now factoring fine dining into their entertainment budgets, and Liverpool is a great place to experience innovative dining. There is also a thriving multicultural aspect to Liverpool – it’s got the UK’s oldest African community and Europe’s oldest Chinese community, due to its history as a port city – there is plenty of variety available in dining.

Liverpool city centre by LivingOS (Creative Commons)

It has great entertainment

Albert Dock is the entertainment and nightlife hub, with bars, clubs and restaurants. In the daytime, this precinct also has great shopping and sightseeing, so it’s well worth a look.

It’s a sporting capital

Boasting two Premier League Football clubs, Liverpool FC and Everton FC, Liverpool is a major destination for football enthusiasts. The Grand National horse race is also held at its Aintree Racecourse.

It has World Heritage status

UNESCO named several areas of the city World Heritage Sites due to its impressive architectural heritage. Sites like Pier Head, Albert Dock and William Brown Street are some of the most famous landmarks.

Vivienne Egan writes for FHR who provide Liverpool Airport Parking.

Family Walking Holiday in Spain

April 24, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

Every once in a while it’s very important to spend some quality time on your holiday with your family. The loved ones are essential to a beautiful vacation and some wonderful memories. And trying to keep your entire family fit and energetic is the best deal ever. Activity holidays are meant to improve the communication between family members while keeping their health on top.

Walking in Andalucia (creative commons)

Spain is one of the most important European holiday destinations. This delightful location is perfect for a family journey and, one important thing, it has so many places to see that you might try to plan a vacation for a longer period. Just to enjoy all Spain’s natural landscapes and beauty! From Andalucia to Valencia, walking holidays are a fun way of learning facts about the Spanish culture and lifestyle.

Depending on the number of family members, the groups are usually consisted around a maximum of 8 to ten persons. This is actually quite a good way of interacting with other people and letting your kids make new friends. Despite the “walking” description, these holidays are very well planned and you get a five star treatment and sublime accommodations.

Camino de Santiago (creative commons)

Top destinations in Spain for walking are Catalonia, Andalucia and Santiago. Spain is filled with gorgeous places where you can admire the natural beauty and the historical sights. Sometimes you have to take a nice walk in order to have time to delight your eyes and senses with everything that this place has to offer. And the Spanish display is gigantic: the Southern Spain has the stunning Sierra Nevada, the whitewashed villages of Andalucia along with the beautiful cities of Granada and Seville. The North shouldn’t be missed either; this is where you will find the fascinating ‘Camino de Santiago’, one of the world’s oldest historical routes. In fact, the word “Camino” is Spanish for “walk” . All trips to Spain offer amazing scenery, great walking trips and delicious food prepared with fresh local ingredients and served with hospitality and good thoughts.

You have quite a range of activities that you can do if you choose walking holidays in Spain. Sightseeing activities, tasting delicious wines at local vineyards, trying foods at the best restaurants and simply connect with the peace and tranquillity that nature involves, are all in fact great experiences that will make you get closer to your family and be fully energized when you return back home.

Maui’s 5 “Must See” Attractions

April 20, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

Haleakala

Haleakala

The island of Maui was created by volcanic activity millions of years ago. Two volcanoes contributed to the formation of the island. The first is Haleakala, a huge shield volcano that rises to an elevation of 10,000ft. The top of Haleakala features an otherworldly landscape that resembles a colorful moonscape. A popular tourist activity is watching the sun rise from the top of the crater.

Iao Valley State Park

Separated from Haleakala by a valley are the West Maui Mountains – the other volcano that contributed to the islands’ formation. Near the center is Iao Valley state park, perhaps the most visited park on the island. Rainfall and erosion have carved up the mountains, the result is a stunning valley surrounded by jagged peaks.

The Road to Hana

The road to Hana is the most famous scenic drive in Hawaii. A 68 mile long highway takes you on a coastal journey along Maui’s wet southeast coast where you’ll see lush tropical forests, waterfalls and a number of other interesting attractions like ancient Hawaiian temples and botanical gardens. The snaking highway features over 50 one lane bridges and at least 600 curves.

Molokini

Molokini is a partially submerged volcanic crater about 2.5 miles off the coast of South Maui. The tiny island is a bird sanctuary, but the attraction for tourists is the snorkeling and scuba diving around the crater.

Beaches

Maui’s beaches are among the best in the state and a big draw for tourists. Maui has more than two dozen great beaches, exploring the possibilities is half the fun. One of the most unique beaches on the island is Red Sand Beach in Hana. This is the only beach in Hawaii that has red sand. Other interesting beaches include little beach – the only beach in Hawaii where nudity is tolerated, and Makena Black Sand beach.

Amazing Destinations for an Adventurous Trip

April 17, 2013 By admin 1 Comment

If you want to stay away from the mainstream ‘adventure’ holidays, there are super cool places that you can visit instead. There are plenty of destinations ideal for those of you who want to have a unique, unforgettable experience in an awesome country.

No one can defy gravity right? Wrong! The genius architects who designed the sky scraper Capital Gate in Abu Dhabi have done that by creating a 520 foot, 35 stories building with an insane 18 degree tilt. The “Leaning tower of Abu Dhabi” has entered the Guinness records as the “World’s furthest leaning man-made tower”. All you engineer lovers will find this simply unbelievably awesome.

Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi (creative commons)

You may think roller coaster rides are not the perfect ingredients of an adventure. But how about if you are jettisoned from 0 to 60 mph and then corkscrewed up 100 feet and then being dropped on a figure 8 element and weaved through series of helixes and finally dropping into a 130 feet trench? And that’s only the first part. That’s the heart pumping Cheetah Hunt Roller Coaster ride in Busch Gardens Tampa Florida- a uniquely cool and undoubtedly adventurous destination.

Alice must have enjoyed her adventure in wonderland and you too can get a little taste of what that might have felt like-though it may sound weird. The Metropol Parasol in Seville Spain is a wooden structure with dimensions 490 by 230 ft and height of 85 feet. It consists of six parasols that look like ‘giant mushrooms’ and it has four levels. Each level has a new adventure to offer such as a little bit of archaeology, socializing area and terraces. It is something that you have to experience in order to understand it.

Metropol Parasol (creative commons)

Scuba diving takes you to the flora and fauna of the Ocean but how about a little change of scenery? The Cancun’s Underwater Museum in Mexico is the largest underwater museum in the world. A series of around 400 life size sculptures by Jason de Caires Taylor have become home to a myriad of corals and other aquatic species. There’s a cool addition to your boring scuba diving itinerary.

The Harp concert hall in Iceland is sure to give you a unique experience. The hall is surrounded by a framework of irregularly shaped class that forms a kaleidoscopic view. Designed by Olafur Eliasson, it is now venue to performances of some of the big names in the music industry.

Brood II – the Countdown

April 17, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

Off-the-beaten track almost universally means a place and activity too far or too difficult or dangerous or damp to appeal to the middle-class, two-weeks-in-July-and-a-week-at-Christmas traveler.

But on rare occasions it can mean a particular slice of time and place that occurs only every 17 years and on the east coast of the United States from New York down to the Carolinas and involves a billion horny flying insects humming in harmony an uncanny impersonation of a subway train passing at close proximity.

The famous cicadas of the Eastern Seaboard mate every year in Spring and the show is an annual aerial spectacle of males of the species emerging from their nymphal stage and underground lair to molt and mature in the sun before soaring to the trees and producing their unique mating call. Soon enough, hopefully, they attract their soulmate and pick out names, find a little privacy, and set about the business of fertilising about 600 eggs, after which the male duly dies.

However each subspecies of this bizarre creature have varying life-cycles and the Magicicada breed every 13 or 17 years. Brood II, though it sounds like a delightfully bad sequel to an even worse horror movie, is the most numerous and densely populous variation for whom this ritual occurs once every 17 years. It’s breathtaking and terrifying and unique and unlike any other vacation activity you may be considering this Spring.

Unfortunately, it’s also tremendously difficult to predict. The cicada begin tunneling to the surface when the ground temperature reaches 20°C (68°F) and so they tend to start as early as the end of April in the more southern habitats and as late as the end of June in New York state. So planning a trip around the magicicada’s brief mating cycle is going to be an adventure in itself. There are, naturally, cicada fancier organisations to help you with an educated guess, particularly this handy historical database which will at least give you the best known previous sightings. Possibly even more helpful is this map of predicted occurrences colour-coded by likelihood.

Once you’ve selected your destination or, ideally, destinations, you might consider camping in a tent to get the full effect. You might also want to educate yourself about what you’re witnessing and, for full immersion, learn some simple cicada recipes like cicada enchilada and cicada stir fry.

If it needs to be said, placing oneself among hundreds of thousands of swarming insects isn’t to everyone’s taste and many locals plan their vacations to escape the cacophony and the rotting corpses and general ickiness of the otherwise completely harmless little bug. But if you’re not squeamish and you’re serious about your unique vacation this is an opportunity that can’t be repeated anywhere else on earth and not again for another 17 years.

Queenstown: the adventure capital of the world

April 14, 2013 By admin 6 Comments

Lake Wakatipu in New Zealand Creative Commons- Christopher Schoenbohm, 2010 Source- Flickr

Lake Wakatipu in New Zealand by Christopher Schoenbohm (Creative Commons)

Queenstown is situated in the South Island of New Zealand; being on the shores of the stunning Wakatipu Lake it makes a great vacation destination. The beautiful setting of this resort town, positioned between the lake and The Remarkables, a spectacular mountain range that zigzags across the horizon, has long attracted visitors. As a beautiful playground this area of New Zealand is unmatched. The wild and mountainous terrain is not only easy on the eye it is also fantastic for outdoor sports of all kinds.

Bungee thrills

This town’s reputation as a thrill seeker’s paradise is something that has steadily evolved over recent years. One of Queenstown’s most famous claims to fame is that the very first commercial bungee jump took place off the Kawarau Bridge back in the 1980s.

These days there is no shortage of visitors to Queenstown taking advantage of cheap hotel deals whilst being extremely keen to hurl themselves from great heights supported only by a piece of elastic rope. The original commercial bungee jump in Queenstown has spawned many imitators the world over, but for purists who want to jump from where it all began, this is the place to be.

Skiing

Of course bungee jumping is not for everyone, and if it is a leap too far, there are other adrenaline inducing sports to choose from in Queenstown and the surrounding area.

Since the late 1940s the ski fields around Queenstown have attracted snow sports enthusiasts. Today in Queenstown, adrenaline seekers choose from a wide variety of high-octane snow sports including heli-skiing, luge, snowboarding and skiing on some of the most challenging, exciting and least crowded pistes on earth.

Off piste

Away from the ski slopes there are other physical activities to test the nerves and fitness of the brave. Jet-boating, river boarding, para-sailing, skydiving, kite surfing and zip-lining to name but a few. No matter what particular adventure sport is required, it can almost certainly be arranged in Queenstown.

Queenstown by Law Murray (Creative Commons)

Nightlife

When the sun has set and the time comes for a little relaxation, Queenstown has a great network of bars, restaurants and clubs to help maintain the high levels of thrill seeking purely on a social level. With over a hundred such establishments there are many places to take a tipple, and most stay open until 4am, so after the frantic activities of the day things can be taken real slow.

The downtown area of Queenstown is the best bet for a few beers and a laugh and the atmosphere is usually pretty chilled. Many round the world travelers have Queenstown on their itinerary, so be prepared to encounter a variety of transitory types from gap year teens through to silver haired travelers spending their kid’s inheritance.

Sightseeing

Whatever happens, don’t leave Queenstown without checking out the local beauty spots. Adventure and adrenaline sports are fantastic ways to spend time, but don’t go so fast that the surroundings become a blur. Hop onto a mountain bike and explore The Queenstown Trail or take a more sedate view on the Skyline Gondola for impressive sights of Coronet Peak – there really is so much to see as well as do in Queenstown, so plan on staying a while.

Adventure Holidays for Couples

April 10, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

Romantic holidays may get boring after a couple of years. Why not try out an adventure with the one you love for a change? Explore and overcome your fears together by engaging in some of the most heart throbbing adventures out there. Create new memories with the one you love and try out these fantastic destinations.

The small South American country of Chile is an awe inspiring place to visit. The 4,300 km long and 175 km wide country is perfect for couples of all ages. The capital, Santiago is home to some of the best ski centres. For those who love nature, the Lake District will give you the beautiful surroundings with pristine lakes and rivers, inspiring mountain ranges and even volcanoes. Other tourist attractions for couples include the Atacama Desert in the North and in the South Mountains, glaciers; fjords and ice-fields can be found.

Atacama Desert (creative commons)

For those who want to enjoy some of the rarest creatures in the world, a journey to the Galapagos Islands is a great idea. Famous as the place where Charles Darwin explored his theory in evolution, the island is home to unique tortoises, sea lions and more. The island is unique straddling the Equator; there is no better place for you and your loved one to explore than this island. One can enjoy boat rides to the small islets that grace the island. The isolated Espanola Island, Floreana Island and others are great spots for snorkelling and diving enthusiasts.

African Safaris are another ideal place to fall in love with each other all over again. What more adventure would you ask for than a Safari trip to the plains of Africa will be the makings of a second honeymoon for you. African Safaris are known to also come complete with beautiful sunrises and sunsets that you and your loved one can enjoy. Animals that can be spotted include lions, elephants, leopards and other wonderful creatures that will take your breath away on your journey.

Borneo is another fascinating destination for couples who are after some adventure with its unique diverse wildlife. Orang-utans, elephants, and other exotic animals can be found in this area. Get chills down your spine as you and your partner track these “Wild men of Borneo” through the lush Borneo Rainforest while over 275 avian species fly above you and 110 mammals roam around you.

Borneo (creative commons)

Couples will have the time of their lives while taking these wild adventures. Make unforgettable memories with your loved one on these dramatic holidays.

Famous and historic Australian casinos

April 9, 2013 By admin 2 Comments

Wrest Point Hotel Casino (creative-commons)

Legal casino gambling in Australia has a relatively short history, as the industry did not become legal there until 1972, but nowadays Australia has a thriving land-based and online casino industry, just like so many other parts of the world. Gambling at casinos is a hugely popular activity and this means that many travelling to Australia will want to pay a visit to notable ones in this country.

When it comes to historically significant casinos in Australia, the most notable one is clearly the Wrest Point Hotel Casino. This is located in Hobart, Tasmania, in the Sandy Bay area and its location overlooking the Derwent River means that it offers perhaps the most scenic experience of any casino in the country. However its historical significance lies in the fact that it was the first legal casino to open in Australia back in February 1973. This, combined with the fact that it is located in such a beautiful part of the country makes it a notable tourist attraction, for those who love gaming, but also anyone interested in the country in general.

Adelaide (creative commons)

Another casino which has considerable historic interest for visitors to Australia is the Adelaide Casino, which can be found in the centre of that city. What makes this of historic interest is the fact that the casino building is a part of Adelaide Railway Station ñ a building which has been heritage listed due to its architectural importance. Again this is a landmark that anyone visiting that particular area of Australia will probably want to take in at some point during there visit, making a trip to the casino at the same time, something those with any interest in gaming at all will find virtually impossible to resist, and it provides a nice break from staring at the screen for fans of online gambling at sites like www.luckynuggetcasino.com. These are certainly not the only notable casinos you can find in Australia, but they are two of the key ones anyone planning to travel there may want to check out.

Weekend Getaways in Australia With Discount Coupons Making it Sweeter

April 7, 2013 By admin Leave a Comment

Wineglass Bay, Tasmania by spin spin (Creative Commons)

If you are looking for weekend getaways, even romantic ones, Australia has no dearth of destinations. Pick the Coral Coast, the North West, Perth, the South West region in Western Australia and you will find affordable, cosily charming retreats to make your weekend a memorable one. Go to Queensland or hire a cottage nestling in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. Pick a retreat in the Outback or visit the Yarra Valley in Victoria or Phillip Island. If you are in Tasmania the Derwent Valley, East Coast, South Coast, Hobart and Launceston all offer equally romantic and charming locations for a perfectly pleasant weekend. The great thing about Australia is its vastness and range of attractions ranging from the Great Barrier Reef and hours of sunshine to cool mountains or windy deserts. Travel blogs online are a great way to find those hidden and enchanting places, off the beaten track.

If you are in quaint Tasmania, you will find weekend retreats not far from where you live. The

is idyllic as is the Launceston and Tamar Valley. It is just as easy in New South Wales. You can find self contained apartments, houses and cute cottages on rent for the weekend. A typical cottage in Blue Mountains, just two hours from Sydney, amid sprawling lush greenery gives you plenty of privacy and serenity while a short trip takes you on a trek to view the local wildlife. You do not have to rough it up. Each such cottage has TV, DVD, fireplace and kitchen.

If finding a cottage and making travel arrangements is not your forte you can simply have a travel agent make arrangements for cheap getaways for two. It is like transitioning from one time-space continuum to another for the weekend and all at a discounted rate if you search for the right deals. Ask for a retreat in a valley or along the Gold Coast and you can spend the weekend soaking in the Sun, taking a dip or a dive to shake fins with a shark. With Cairns as the central point you can just as well take a trip to the Daintree National Park or the Kuranda rainforest. A weekend, as you will find, is simply not enough and probably you will make plans to return and do a lot more.

A trip, however short it is, entails expenses by way of travel, accommodation and food. The experience, however, more than makes up for it and if you have chosen Magnet Island, it gets as near perfect a weekend trip as is possible. The island is a natural paradise, the National Park its chief attraction. You can stay at a caravan park or a camping ground, have fun with other revellers till late at night and rub shoulders with koalas. It is a 20 minute ride on the ferry from Townsville and there you are ready to swim the crystal clear waters. Just make sure you have the best travel coupons from an online discount voucher website to make your stay sweet.

Adventure holidays for Singles in Croatia

April 3, 2013 By admin 1 Comment

There are so many great things about being single. For one, you have absolutely no obligations, which brings us to the second point namely the freedom that you have when you travel. So before you get all those ‘burdens’ , why not make the most of your singleness and travel to your heart’s delight. Adventure trips with other fellow single folks will make absolutely awesome memories.

Visit Croatia and enjoy activities like canoeing, mountain biking, rafting, walking, and kayaking. The canoe journey down the Cetina River is a nice and smooth ride allowing you to enjoy the peace and serenity of the banks. Once you get to the end of your trip, take a walk through the old uninhabited villages and meadows and gaze at the graceful mountains above.

Cetina River (creative commons)

Mountain biking is another exciting activity for singles in Croatia. A 50km track is an awesome experience which takes you through villages and farms where you can stop by for a rest. The great thing about this is that you can do it at your own pace and don’t have to race with anyone and stop by picturesque villages like Grab or enjoy a drink at the local bar whenever you want.

To take your adventure to a totally different level, go kayaking through one of the most beautiful and yet least visited canyons in Europe. Make sure you bring along your cameras because there aren’t very many photos of this unique yet beautiful place.

Kayaking (creative commons)

Rafting will be next on your itinerary as you go to the village of Pensic along the Cetina River. Share this exhilarating ride with others for three and a half hours and you just might run out of adrenaline! This pure adventure treat is perfect for the carefree singles out there.

To end your trip in a fantastic way, hit Sinj province and join the thousands of travellers who take pilgrimage here on Assumption day to pay respects due to the allegedly ‘miraculous’ painting of the Virgin Mary. Take your time to reflect on your journey, discover new ideas and simply let the beauty of the place delight you.

An adventure holiday for singles like this is the perfect chance to meet and make new friends. It is during these trips that you can really discover yourself and make changes for the future. So, to all our single buddies out there, male or female, make a visit to Croatia before it’s too late.