Holiday advisors are not exclusively for the rich and famous.
If you’re planning on going to a new destination, a holiday advisor can help save you precious time when you’re away. Listed below are just some of the ways they can help. read more
Holiday advisors are not exclusively for the rich and famous.
If you’re planning on going to a new destination, a holiday advisor can help save you precious time when you’re away. Listed below are just some of the ways they can help. read more
Spain is one of the most popular holiday hot spots with tourists from around the world. Graced with idyllic beaches and over 5,000 miles of coastline Spain is a convenient location that is home to a thriving tourist industry.
Situated on the border of Cumbria and Northumberland, Tantallon House bed and breakfast on Hadrian’s Wall overlooks one of the longest stretches of Roman Wall, which was built over 2000 years ago to protect the Roman troops against the Scottish tribes. Tantallon House itself is a stunning old Victorian building set on top of a hill, with a path leading you up through the beautiful gardens to the front door. The rooms are spacious and decorated in a style which matches the period of the house, whilst being comfortable and very easy to relax in after spending your day exploring the surrounding areas and attractions.
The accommodation has been graded as 4 star with silver accolade, and as a guest, you will quickly see why Tantallon House has earned it. The full english breakfast was delicious, and the second day it was great to have the option to a lighter start to the day – fresh fruit, creamy yogurts and hearty muesli. Tantallon House has wifi in every room, widescreen televisions, a lounge to relax in and full size snooker table.
The hosts are extremely welcoming, and provided me with afternoon tea on arrival. Their knowledge of the local area and Hadrian’s Wall helped me to plan my time I spent staying there, getting the most out of the surrounding area. Tantallon House has a large amount of resources to help guests, including maps for both walking and cycling on Hadrian’s Wall and in the surrounding areas of Cumbria and Northumberland. Some of the local places of interest include Biroswald Roman Fort which is especially close to Tantallon House, as well as Lanercost Priory and Carvoran Roman army museum.
Tantallon House deserves the high praise its guests have given it on Trip Advisor, from national newspapers including the Times Online and from the official tourist boards. The accommodation is an ideal spot to explore Hadrian’s Wall and well worth a visit.
Travellers are used to putting their guard up when it comes to visiting ‘suspicious’ unknown locations, but perhaps they should also be wary when it comes to simply booking their flights! Earlier this month, employees at Flyline, a British Airways (BA) operation in Bremen have been accused of misusing confidential credit card passed on to them through the booking process.
When it comes to booking flights, it’s not only these extreme security breaches that might end up hurting your finances. Many airline providers charge extra for credit cards bookings, such as British Airways and BMI, who add an additional charges on top of their fees. While these can easily be avoided by using a debit card, others are more churlish when it comes to any form of card spending. Monarch and Jet2 force customers to pay a 5% fee and a minimum of plus 2.25% for credit card, but don’t worry there is an escape clause…..
If you are worried about relying on your regular credit card to pay for your excursions, why not rely on a special pre-paid travel credit card? Especially for a small business, credit cards can be a luxury. A prepaid card can help curb extra expenses for you or your business. I know I can spend more than I can afford if it is handed to me, especially on holiday, so i have found one of the impulse spender who’s afraid of wasting a few dozen pounds on gaudy souvenirs; not for responsible users who don’t want to be tied down to a limited budget.
Peter Harrison, the travel-money expert at moneysavingsupermarket.com has some sobering words about the state of the industry: “Unfortunately there is no one product that ticks every box, so customers who are unhappy with their current provider need to understand their requirements and shop around to ensure they are using the most appropriate product.”
Droves of visitors come to Blackpool year round to sample some of the local delights and view the one-of-a-kind Blackpool Tower. Here is a brief guide to some of the must-see attractions currently on offer in Black-Vegas!
This famous family theme park will titillate the whole family for as many days as you care to spend there. The historic rollercoasters, including the Wild Mouse, the Revolution, the Big Dipper, Infusion, and the Pepsi Max Big One, will leave thrill-seekers of all ages thirsty for more! Popular for more than a century, the fun-filled atmosphere, the short lines, and the resonating sound of happy screaming have established Pleasure Beach as the premier theme park in England.
If you’re looking for an enormous tower and excellent views of the nearby area, you will love the fun-packed Blackpool Tower. Don your dancing shoes on and enjoy a slow waltz in the beautiful Ballroom, then unleash the kids in the generous Jungle Gym to burn off some energy. Before you leave, take a climb to the top of this magnificent tower, and scan the beaches, the people, and the coasters below.
Before you sample the local casinos, you might want to take a ride on one of the illuminated open buses or trams to view the spectacular illuminations. The glitz and glamour of over a mile of dazzling light shows will delight kids and adults alike. Especially around Christmas time, the lights are a popular attraction – just be sure to dress up warmly.
The magnificence of Blackpool’s luxurious casinos certainly rivals anything Las Vegas has to offer. The Circus Casino, the Paris Casino, and the G Casino are easy to access from town and make for an enjoyable evening. If you’ve spent the day negotiating Pleasure Beach theme park, there is no better way to wind down than by hearing the ching-ching of the jackpot!
Blackpool offers a vast array of activities, ranging from the serenity of the beaches to the non-stop thrills of the rollercoasters. Be sure to budget your time wisely or even consider an extended stay to allow you ample time to fully appreciate the attractions of this Vegas-like party city!
Here is a list of some of Blackpool’s most exciting must-do activities:
1. Visit Blackpool Pleasure Beach Theme Park – Pleasure Beach, Blackpool is an innovative family theme park that offers an adrenalin-pumping good time for people of all ages. Whether you aim to conquer the Pepsi Max Big One, or simply to enjoy the unique Wild Mouse rollercoaster, theme parks don’t come much bigger, better, or faster than this one!
2. Dance in the Ballroom – If you fantasize about donning your ball gown and taking a slow-waltz around a decadent ballroom, you will find dancing heaven at Blackpool Tower. The little people will enjoy playing in the Jungle Gym, and the whole family will marvel at the sights from the top of the tower itself.
3. Improve Your Poker Game – Blackpool’s casinos are among the most popular in Europe. There is nothing quite likes ending your evening with a fuller wallet, and you may want to take a chance with these luxurious nightspots that might make you a millionaire.
4. Look at the Lights – Blackpool Illuminations 2009 is even bigger and better than ever before. Six miles of light show await the whole family if you visit between September and November. Be sure to watch out for the fantastic firework displays and the late night openings at Pleasure Beach family theme park too!
5. Take a Dip – If the ocean is a little too cold for you, consider traversing your way down some seriously thrilling water slides at Sandcastle Water Park. There are 18 different adventures to choose from, making it England’s largest indoor water park.
6. Tour the Sea Life Center – If you want to meet a true blue-blooded creature, you will be amazed to see the color-changing octopus at this educational center. Slender pipefish, cuckoo wrasse, rays of several different varieties, and starfish all adorn the spacious tanks. Blackpool’s Sea Life Center offers a fabulous experience for visitors of all ages.
7. Wander Around the Waxworks – Celebrities aplenty can be found at Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks, located opposite Blackpool’s Central Pier. If you’ve ever wanted to get your picture with an A-list star, you can choose from hundreds of models in nine enormous themed rooms!
Whatever you do in Blackpool this year, you are certain to enjoy excitement and quality family time in this stunning English city!
Here is a guide to the top ten thrill seeking activities that you can enjoy right outside your own doorstep!
1. Ghyll Scrambling, Derwent Water– If the name doesn’t ring any bells, Ghyll scrambling is also k
nown as gorge scrambling. Basically, you get to scramble into, out of, and through the middle of a river. Don your wetsuit and helmet, and enjoy the natural waterslides!
2. Mountain Climbing, Lake District – Scafell Pike, England’s tallest mountain offers a challenging climb for most enthusiasts. There are plenty of technical rock surfaces to cut your climbing teeth on, and the scenery from the top is amazing!
3. Rollercoaster Riding, Blackpool Pleasure Beach Theme Park – If you’ve never heard of the Pepsi Max Big One, you’re seriously missing an adrenaline rush. Europe’s tallest rollercoaster is nestled into this fantastic family theme park, and it stands at a whopping 235ft high. The three-minute ride will feel like a lifetime as your heart races to keep up with the speed.
4. Paragliding, Lake District – There are an increasing amount of venues available for paragliding in England, but the Lake District is best. The peaks are higher, and you get the added excitement of climbing to the top of a mountain before launching yourself off (with wings attached!)
5. Kite Surfing, Lancashire – The expansive beaches of Lancashire are home to this fantastic water-borne activity. You get to surf at great speeds across the ocean, then defy gravity as the wind thrusts you into the air! This is not at all for the faint-hearted!
6. Laser Combat, Manchester – If you like the idea of paintballing, but hate the bruises the day afterward, laser combat offers an awesome similar alternative. You get the thrill of the chase – without getting bruised every two seconds by exploding paint.
7. Drag Racing, Wellingborough – If you fancy reaching speeds in excess of 170mph in just 8-seconds, you will love riding the “two-seater†dragster. This is the experience of a lifetime!
8. White Water Rafting, Various Locations – There is nothing quite like the thrill of conquering a loud, gushing river in a rubber tube. You will be holding onto the rubber handles for dear life as the river shows you no mercy!
9. Bungee Jumping, Various Locations – Leaping from enormous heights connected to what, in essence, is a giant elastic band is an immensely scary proposition. When you reach the summit, you’ll be wondering what you were ever thinking, but the thrills on the way down will make it well worth your while!
10. Extreme Mountain Biking, Derbyshire – Look out for scary trails, rocky scrambles, and unchartered territory – it’s just you and your bike now! You will love this adventure, and it will also keep you in great shape!
Get your thrills on ten different ways in sunny England this year, and enjoy the thrill of mastery and accomplishment! Pleasure Beach family theme parkis THE place for extreme coaster sports, but the great outdoors offers just as many exciting options!
The word Geocaching is two parts, with the Geo meaning “geography” and Caching “hiding cache”. As a part of geocaching, there are wonderful camping and hiking adventures as people search for the hidden treasure. The first thing you need to do is purchase your GPS and then learn how to operate it, paying specific attention to the method of entering waypoints.
As far as the rules for geocaching holidays, while traveling, items are hidden so other people traveling can go to your hidden location and find the treasure. Every cache would also have a logbook, which would include your information and small notes of friendship. You will also find that as different people find the treasure, they would also sign into the logbook, leaving their information so you end up with names, contact information, and notes left by people from all over the world.
The exciting part of taking geocaching holidays is that you never know what treasure you will find. Of course, food would never be a good cache item but you could leave a book, photographs, toys, and souvenirs from the state or country where you live, or even more expensive items.
Each geocaching holiday will be unique, taking you to a new location and connecting you to new items. Additionally, many wonderful friendships have been formed from geocaching holidays. Keep in mind, caches can be placed in the mountains, under water, in prairies, and virtually any wilderness or urban environment you want. Once the cache has been found, it is important that if an item is taken, the log be completed and a new item of equal or greater value be left for the next treasure hunter.
The great thing about geocaching holidays is that entire families can experience the adventure together. If you want a vacation like none other, something where you can get outdoors and do something unique, a geocaching holiday is an excellent option. This activity is constantly, evolving and therefore, always open to new interpretations of the game.
To get started, you would need to visit geocaching.com where you learn about the rules and post your cache. With this, people interested in geocaching holidays can choose the locations where they want to travel and the game begins. Because it would be impossible for every posted cache to be verified, this community relies on trust. Unfortunately, some people will find upon arrival that a cache is not there. In this case, the cache would be logged on the website so other people do not go to that location.
First, traveling to Europe by car can be safer and more enjoyable during certain times of the year. Remember, while Americans drive on the right side of the road, Europeans drive on the left. Therefore, if visiting a busy city where everything is new, to include which side of the road to stay on, you would have an easier time when visiting during off-peak tourist seasons. Now, if you want to plan your trip in the summer, you can but we recommend going during the early part of the summer season.
Second, it is important to choose the right destination for a European road trip. For instance, some of the easier cities in Europe to drive around include Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. The streets of cities such as these are extremely easy to navigate whereas cities to include London, Paris, and Berlin are more challenging. The key is to take time to learn the different rules of driving in a particular city.
Third, you want to learn all you can about the requirements for renting a car in a European country. Every country will have different types of automobiles, different currency, and different regulations. This type of information can be researched online or you can talk to a professional travel agent that can provided all the inside tips to make renting a car an easier experience.
Fourth, you also need to understand the laws for driving in any city you plan to visit. For instance, in the United States, you know that you will get a ticket for speeding, not wearing a seat belt, and making inappropriate lane changes but European laws will often differ. Therefore, spend time before heading to Europe to read about the different regulations and laws so you do not end up in trouble.
Taking a road trip to different European cities is an excellent way to experience history and culture in a more personal way. With good planning and research, you can be sure that every trip will be everything you wanted and more.
Today, a number of cruise lines will take tourists from one destination to another, docking at each so people can go on land and walk through castles or other impressive buildings. The best thing a person can do before making any final choices is to work with a reputable cruise line, looking at the various itineraries available. That way, tourists can get the most for the money.
Additionally, people should find out the time spent at each destination. For instance, many of the better cruise lines will provide a ten-hour layover, which gives people amble time to explore the city. Although not a significant amount of time, these companies will provide every traveler with a list of the most impressive sites so they can determine ahead of time the way they will spend their docked time.
Some of the most popular destinations when seeing Europe via cruise include Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Helsinki, and Bergen although there are many more. Take Helsinki as a prime example. This particular city is known for its amazing museums and art galleries. Therefore, people who have an appreciation for Fine Arts and architecture would fall in love with the cathedrals and historic buildings.
Another city that is perfect for a cruise is Oslo. Diverse, people can reach the heart of the city within ten to fifteen minutes by foot. This allows more sightseeing but of course, other opportunities include boat tours, incredible nature hikes, and more. Other things worth seeing while in Oslo include the Medieval Quarter, the home of “old†Oslo. There, a number of ancient fortresses and castles are found, revealing the true heart and soul of the city.
Many advantages are connected with a cruise to various European cities. However, the only real downside is that with limited time at each city, being able to mingle with the locals is a challenge. However, for people who want something different and a way of seeing things that any other type of tour would not provide, a European cruise is an excellent consideration.