RSSAug|29|2008
Still More Stay-cation Ideas
Posted by Noemi as Family, Festivals, Tips
In my quest to look for more stay-cation ideas, I ran across a lot of web sites and blogs which provided tons and tons of information. One of the best sites that I visited is called (you guessed it) Staycation Idea. Here are some of the ideas I picked up from there.
County Fair Time
From the blog:
“The Austin Daily Herald and the Mower County Fair Board has introduced a new term “Fair-cation”. Which, you guessed it, means going on a vacation at the county fair.”
Though the county fair featured in the blog has ended, I am sure that there are countless fairs going on all over the country all year round. Just look and see if you can find one around the time that you are going to have your stay-cation. I think this …
Aug|26|2008
More Stay-cation Ideas
Posted by Noemi as Travelogger
Did the stay-cation ideas I presented the last time appeal to you? If not, here are several more which you can consider.
Book a night or two at a local hotel
This option may still cost you a bit of money but not as much as if you were to go on a vacation in a far away destination. What I like about staying in a hotel for a couple of nights, even if it’s in my home city, is that you can relax more than you can at home. You do not have to clean up and the amenities are really nice. You can frolic in the pool, exercise in the gym, soak in the tub, and so on. You can even use the day to walk around the city as if you were tourists – this can be so much fun!
Camp …
Aug|24|2008
Ideas For A Great Stay-cation
Posted by Noemi as Family, Health & Wellness, Spa, Tips
In the previous post, we were introduced to the idea of a stay-cation – at least I was. Anyhow, I got into this whole stay-cation mode and did some thinking to come up with some ideas for a great stay-cation. Here are some of those things.
Create a home spa
If you have lots of girls in the home, then this would be a perfect thing to do. Trust me, even fathers would love the idea once they have experienced pampering. So anyway, you could set up a home spa in one room in the house. Build up the mood and ambiance by decorating the room. Get some cheap scented candles and oil burners, put on nice relaxing music. You can give each other foot scrubs and massages. Of course, you might want to take …
Aug|20|2008
Finances Tight? Go On A Stay-cation
Posted by Noemi as Family, Tips
Yes, you read that right – a staycation. This is the new buzzword that is going around in the hospitality and travel industry. So what is a staycation? I think the name is pretty much self-explanatory. To give you something “official,” though, here is the definition from the Urban Dictionary:
A vacation that is spent at one’s home enjoying all that home and one’s home environs have to offer.
Even though I live and work in New York, I don’t always get to enjoy all it has to offer, what with my work commitments, but I sure did have an awesome time here during my spring staycation.
Clear enough? I know a lot of families who have opted to go on staycations this summer because of the crazy economic situation these days. And what’s …
Aug|16|2008
Car Rental Tips
Posted by Noemi as Tips, Transport
Not too many people have great stories to tell when it comes to car rentals. With the way gas prices are today, it might not really be a good idea to drive around on your vacation. Still, if you must have a car then you might as well rent one. Here are some tips to help you save when renting a car.
Book as early as you can.
Just like with plane fares and hotel accommodations, the earlier you book, the better chances of getting a good deal. This is especially true if you are planning on traveling during peak season. The nearer your date of travel is, the higher the demand will be, and the prices will probably shoot up.
Try booking for more than a day.
Car rental companies normally give better rates for extended rental …
Aug|14|2008
Destination: Chicken, Alaska
Posted by Noemi as Americas, Destinations
Yes, that is the real name of the place: Chicken, Alaska. It may sound funny but I think that it would be worth a short visit – even if it is just to say that you’ve been to a place named Chicken. So how come the town got this name?
I got this from the town’s web site:
In the late 1800’s, early miners traveled far in search of gold. Food was sometimes scarce, but a particular area near the South Fork of the 40-Mile River was abundant in Ptarmigan, now the state bird which bears a resemblance to a chicken (Ah the foreshadowing is thicker than steel.) The miners kept themselves alive with the help of the Ptarmigan (if you consider being eaten as helping.)
In 1902, Chicken was to become incorporated, the second town in Alaska …
Aug|12|2008
Top Getaways For Girls (Part 2)
Posted by Noemi as Destinations, Health & Wellness, Shopping, Spa, Tips
We took a look at two vacation ideas that girls (or women, if you prefer) can enjoy. Here are a couple more ideas.
Shopping
Now I know this is really a stereotype but women love shopping – at least most women do. So, if you and your girl friends love to shop as a means of relaxation, why not go on a shopping vacation? In every country, even city, there is always one district where shopping is at its best. Why not plan a day or two with your friends to visit this area? You actually have two options – high class shopping or budget shopping. Whether you like one or the other, I am sure that you will be able to find something to suit your preferences.
Spa and wellness centers
There is a proliferation of …
Aug|10|2008
Top Getaways For Girls
Posted by Noemi as Arts & Culture, Tips
I might get in trouble for using such a biased title but I couldn’t help it – an article I read at MSN really inspired me to write about it. You know how sometimes, you just need to get away from the mundane things in your life and the best thing to do would be to go out with your girl friends? Well how about taking it one step further and going away on vacation with them? Of course, mothers might find this a bit difficult to arrange but it is not impossible! Here are some ideas for you.
Go on a cooking class vacation.
The MSN article suggested taking cooking classes in Provence in France. While that would be a dream come true for many women, it might also be unrealistic for some. …
Aug|04|2008
Pensacola Naval Air Museum
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Cities, Destinations, Education, Family, Historical
I know a lot of people who hate airplanes because they are (maybe secretly) scared of the idea of being locked up in a “death tube.” Then again, there are more people who avoid airplanes (and prefer other modes of transportation) these days for a totally different reason – increasing airfares and additional charges. But of course, there are those people who are quite fascinated with these flying contraptions.
If you are one of them, then you might want to visit the Pensacola Naval Air Museum where rare airplanes which have been restored are on display. I think that this is going to be a big treat for airplane enthusiasts as they feature some planes which have changed the course of history.
MSN Travel writes:
Located at Pensacola Naval Air Station, the museum has:
- A seven-story atrium that …
Aug|02|2008
More Of Bangkok On A Shoestring Budget
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Backpacking & Budget, Food and Drink, Tips
We have talked about going around Bangkok and sleeping in the city on a shoestring budget. Now how about going to the best part of all – FOOD.
When we went to Bangkok, trying all the different food available was the best part for me. We arrived at the hotel around 4 am and we were starving. It was a good thing that we saw a long line of food stores right beside the hotel. It seemed that they were open all night and there were a lot of people eating and drinking so we decided to check in and then find something to eat. Most of the people were Thai so of course, we got weird looks but I supposed they are quite used to tourists walking the streets of Bangkok.
Anyway, I remembering ordering a bowl of glass noodle soup and a squid dish. …
