Archive for June, 2008



Williamsburg, Virginia: Amazing Family Vacation Idea

Saturday 28 June 2008 @ 11:18 am

A trip to Williamsburg, Virginia should be in your list of family vacation ideas. Williamsburg is one of the cities included in the Historic Triangle of Virgina, along with Jamestown and Yorktown. There are a lot of interesting sights that come with equally interesting facts in Williamsburg that will tickle the minds of parents, teens and younger children.

Going to Williamsburg is very convenient. It is only a few hours away from Washington, DC, and certainly within driving distance for Atlanta and Jacksonville, Florida. Williamsburg is particularly known for Colonial Williamsburg. It is a 301-acre community of restored 18th century infrastructures. You will find yourself going back in time as you wander about the buildings, houses, shops, taverns, outbuildings and other structures in their original foundation. The highlights of Colonial Williamsburg are the historic sites - Governor’s Palace, Capitol, Peyton Randolph, Releigh Tavern, George Wythe House and James Geddy House and Foundry - and the indoor museums - Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum and DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum.

A family vacation is not complete without spending a day at a theme park! Visit Williamsburg’s Busch Gardens and experience thrilling rides. Get ready to have your heartbeat racing as you ride the Loch Ness Monster roller coaster and Griffon (the world’s tallest and first floorless dive coaster). Also, if your family love scary stories and fright attractions, be sure to visit the theme park’s Howl-O-Scream and scream all your lungs out!

Have a great family bonding time at Williamsburg’s Go-Karts Plus. The attraction spans eight acres with four tracks for the whole family to enjoy. Race around an oval track on a replica of your favorite NASCAR automobiles. There are other activities in Go-Karts Plus that promise loads of fun for the family such as the Kiddie Land, bumper cars, bumper boats, miniature golf course, arcade and other games with prizes.

Visit Historic Yorktown, Historic Jamestown and President’s Park and learn history with your children while exploring the different sights, studios, galleries and museums dedicated to preserving the American heritage. From these attractions, you will also get the chance to learn about the early permanent English settlements in the country. Do not forget to spend some time learning about the Native American heritage and visit the Powhatan Indian Village nearby, which was home to Pocahontas.

Weird mind-boggling facts are what Ripley’s Believe It Or Not is known for. Take your kids to see exhibits of over 300 unusual artifacts Robert Ripley has gathered from his travels around the world, if you wish to see more of interesting global facts. The best part of this experience is that, no matter how odd the things you see are, they are all real! Believe it!

The idea of going on a family vacation is to discover as much as you can about the place you visit. These are just some of the things you can do in Williamsburg, Virginia. Nearby cities in Williamsburg also offer a different set of attractions and activities for the family that you might want to check out. The Virginia Arts Festival in Norfolk, Virginia coming on the 23rd until the 25th of May this year, for instance, promises participants and spectators a fun time of great music and other things. It will be the ultimate weekend in one of the country’s most historic settings.

The museums, other historical sights and the more energy-required attractions like the Busch Gardens and the Go-Kart Plus really make the trip to Williamsburg, Virginia a complete package for family fun. No doubt, you can count on this as one of the best family vacation ideas you have ever had.


To plan your next great family vacation idea please use our road trip planner, which leverages the collective wisdom of thousands of users worldwide, and makes road trip planning interactive and enjoyable.   

Luggage Online - The Source For People Who Travel!




Ten Great Things To Do When You Visit Albania

Sunday 22 June 2008 @ 9:37 pm

By Jonathan Williams

Albania is a great place to visit in Europe as it is very rich in history and culture, and in fact, some archeological attractions in Albania are as old as the Stone Age era. Not only that, Albania has also served as a crossroads for some of the world’s greatest armies and civilizations so it is rich in historical monuments and archaeological sites. Albania literally means “the land of the eagles,” and this meaning can be seen in their national flag, so here are 10 places you can visit when you visit Albania:

1.) The Fortress of Gjirokastra

Otherwise called the “Silver Fortress,” the 4th century fortress is the biggest as well as the one of the most preserved constructions in Albania. The Fortress has an amazing view of the countryside. You can also see the Drinos Valley when you visit this historical site.

2.) The National Museum of Weapons and the Museum of Folk Culture

These are must see attractions inside the above mentioned fortress. Here, you will find weapons and arms displayed dating from World War II to as far back as the Neolithic era. You will also find artifacts such as clothing, utensils and others in the Museum of Folk Culture showcasing how the people lived in earlier times.

3.) The Butrint Archaeological Site

Located at the southwest coast of Albania, Butrint is included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO. It serves as a testament to the place’s beauty and history. Here, you will see glimpses of the cultures of the Bronze Age, Roman, Greek, Ottoman, Venetian and Byzantine Periods.

4.) The Rozafa Castle

The Rozafa Castle is one of the most famous castles of Alabania. It has existed since the lllyrian times and was used as a base for attacking Rome during historical times. This castle’s name arises from a legend about one of the builder’s wife being sacrificed so as to appease the god’s and make the castle walls stand.

5.) The Theatre of Butrint

The Theatre of Butrint is yet another one of the sites you will see in Albania dating back to the Roman Period. This well preserved theatre is one of the most famous as well as the most preserved sites in Albania. Of course, this is a favorite tourist spot that is a must-see.

6.) The National Museum of Medieval Art

This museum is located in Korca. The National Museum of Medieval Art showcases over seven thousand cult and art items. Here, you will see medieval works on art ranging from sculptures, metal works, textiles and others.

7.) The Ionian Coast

Here, tourists can lie down on the beach, explore underwater life through diving, take part of speedboat tours or eco tours, hike, etc. Famous spots for diving are the Cape of Rodon and Cape of Lagji. The beach of Dhermi also offers sites like wrecked ships, corals as well as a rich flora and fauna.

8.) The City of Berat

Berat City lies at the banks of the Osum River. It is considered a museum city of Albania for its wealth of historical buildings and diverse architecture. In this city, you will find the Berat Castle, the Onufri museum, the ethnographic museum as well as the Medieval Center.

9.) The Lekures Castle

It is a castle located along the Ionian coast. This impressive monument has a great view of the Saranda Harbor and has two round towers along the north-west and southeast corners. You will also find in this castle a famous restaurant that serves local cuisine.

10.) The White Spring

This spring is located between the mountains of Didha and Kunora. This spring is said to have curative properties for such ailments in the kidneys, urinary tract, larynx, stomach, and thyroid glands. This place is also a great eco-tourist attraction.

About the Author: Jonathan Williams is the travel writer for Destination Guide TV - the place to share travel videos. Visit http://www.destinationguide.tv/albania to view or share Albania travel videos.

Luggage Online - The Source For People Who Travel!




Egypt Holidays - The Architectural Wonder

Sunday 22 June 2008 @ 9:30 pm

Luki Johnson
Known for its architectural and cultural treasure, Egypt is a land of mystifying pyramids and amazing sand dunes and deserts. Situated in the North Africa, Egypt touches the Mediterranean Sea and is sited between the Gaza strip and Libya. Egypt is one of the most favorable destinations among tourist across the world and reason why Egypt sees so many people packing their bag to its direction is that this land of mummies has lots more to offer to its tourists.

Following are some of the Egyptian attractions and interesting sites which you can always visit during your holiday in Egypt.

Cairo

The capital city of Egypt is known for its renowned ‘Cairo museum”, a building that is collection of startling antiques and historical treasures as well as a building that gives a breathtaking view to the city. You can also visit the old Cairo if you are someone interested in going through region embedded with Christianity and Judaism; also a visit to red sea is possible by visiting Cairo. The Egyptian museum in Cairo should also be visited for it’s the treasures of great Tutankhamen as well as for the thousands and thousands years old mummies, after all Egypt is called the land of mummies.

Red Sea Coast

Holiday in Egypt can be made more exciting by visiting the red sea coast. The site has various resorts that have scuba diving offers, which take you through breathtaking experience of underwater life in Egyptian coastline.

Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx

When holidaying in Egypt you can not afford to miss the great pyramids of Giza and Sphinx, these artifacts are quite popular not just for being largest monuments in the world but for there mysterious architecture and thus are also a part of the seven wonders of the world. When holidaying in Egypt, one can not simply resist experiencing the beauty of these 4000 years old structures and their dazzling light and sound show.

The Nile River

It is hard to ignore the longest and most beautiful river of all, The Nile River, which has a history that goes as far as 5000 years and has been a witness to various rulers and pharaohs of the Egyptian land. The best way and most appropriate mode of enjoying your holiday in Egypt with Nile is to take a cruise that will take you down the ancient land, mysterious coastline of Egypt as well as make you see the amazing scenery with leisure.

Siwa Oasis

Known as a major tourist spots in Egypt, Siwa Oasis is renowned for its richness of olives and dates. Surrounded with hot springs, the Siwa Oasis has its won culture called the Siwan culture which separates it from other tourist spots in Egypt, as Egypt follows Arabian culture on large basis. The oasis has an amazing and startling beauty to it that is worth experiencing, when touring Egypt.

Abu Simbel

This amazing site in Egypt is worth visiting because of the famous rock temples situated at its land. These rock temples are among the most beautiful and stunning structures in the world and are standing tall as a memorial to great pharaohs Ramses II and Queen Nefertari. The temples also have huge and striking statues beautifying them from the outside; due to their massive size they are also visible even from a great distance.

The Valley of the Kings

The valley of kings is a burial land of many great Egyptian kings who now lay buried their. This place is situated across the Luxor at the west bank of Nile.

Hurghada

This is one of the major Egyptian attractions and is situated near the red sea. This city is great way to add fun and entertainment to your holiday in Egypt, as the city is quite famous for its nightlife, bars and clubs. Hurghada makes holidaying in Egypt a remarkable experience with its water sports, water activities, aquatic facilities and ‘glass boat ride’ to aquatic life under sea. The city also has an amazing shopping bazaar to make your Egypt tour a enjoyable.

Luxor

Luxor has lot to offer to you when holidaying in Egypt or touring the land of mummies, such as the famous archeological rich Luxor temple, Karnak temple. The city also has amazing mummification museum for al those who are curious to know about the land of mummies. The city is also quite near to the burial land of great kings, known as valley of kings.

Best time to holiday in Egypt Egypt is a land of sun and heat, thus it is always better to visit Egypt for its archeological treasures in the winter time, while if you are someone interested in Egyptian holiday for the water activities the best time to visit would be the summer or the months from may to October. Due to its mild temperature these months are also idle for family holiday in Egypt. 


If you found this information useful you can find out more at http://www.direct-holidays.me.uk/. You will be able to watch holiday videos as well as find out more about holiday destinations and browse Direct Holidays. Please feel free to republish this article provided a working hyperlink remains to our website - Luki Johnson

Luggage Online - The Source For People Who Travel!




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