All About Travel and Vacation

When you see the number of parks and recreational areas in Phoenix, you start thinking that it’s the park capital of the US, if not the whole world. With over 140 parks you’ll definitely find a place to rest and have some fun. A large number of water parks surround Phoenix to help locals and visitors enjoy a refreshing afternoon in the water and cope with the desert heat in the summer. Some of the most popular water parks in Phoenix are Golfland SunSplash in Mesa, Big Surf in Tempe, Oasis Water Park at the Arizona (also known by its previous name, Pointe South Mountain Resort) and Grand Resort Waterworld Safari in Glendale. There’s also one amusement park called Castles N’ Coasters, located near the Metrocenter Mall in north Phoenix.

A large number of parks and recreational areas were established to protect the beautiful desert landscapes from being exploited and used for residential, agricultural and commercial purposes. Find hotels in Phoenix located to the most beautiful parks. The most notorious and popular park is South Mountain Park, which is the largest municipal park in the whole world, comprising 16,500 acres of desert and mountain landscapes. Other notable parks are Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park, Camelback Mountain and Sunnyslope Mountain (aka “S” Mountain). Will find a large variety of desert plants from all over the world in the Desert Botanical Garden. In a few minutes drive northwest of downtown Phoenix you will find the Encanto Park, which is the city’s main urban park and a popular place for family leisure. When you arrive to Papago Park in east Phoenix, you have several activities to choose. Its home to both the Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden. Here you can also find several golf courses.

When you have booked your hotels in Phoenix make sure to read the history of this beautiful city. What we know as the city of Phoenix today was once a large settlement of an advanced Native Americans, called Hohokam. They inhabited the area of Salt River from ancient times and have suddenly vanished around 1450 AD leaving an advanced system of water supply canals as evidence of their existence. The Pima tribes, which have settled in that very area, gave the name to Hohocam tribes, which in Pima literally means “those who have gone.” The Pima tribes were the ones to contact with the white settlers a couple of centuries later.

The first Europeans to arrive to the settlement where Hispanic conquistadors, which have led conquest to the whole state of Arizona in the 1500s. The Spanish brought new technology and agricultural methods to Indians, followed by farmers, miners and traders who have chosen to settle in the area. For centuries the Native American tribes were tolerant towards newcomers, until the 1850s when they finally realized that they are gradually driven out of their own lands. This led to clashes between the Indians and the settlers, with a consequent intervention by the US army, which has entirely driven the natives out of the settlement to reservations during the late 1860s.

In 1864 a supply camp for Camp McDowell was built on the Hohokam ruins, while in 1867 the sophisticated Indian irrigation canals were restored by settlers, who gave the place its modern name - “Phoenix.” They believed that following the myth of the bird rising from its ashes, the ancient ruins will give birth to a large and prosperous city. The prediction was very accurate, as with its incorporation in 1881 the city of Phoenix has rapidly grown into a major city in the entire state of Arizona, becoming its capital in 1912.

The city became widely famous for its wild western character and general outlaw atmosphere at the turn of the century. But later, with the establishment of the railroad and a steady growth of population the order was restored, making Phoenix a large transportation and commercial hub between the East and the West of the US. Population growth was steadily positive throughout the history of Phoenix with a major influx of new residents after World War II.

Today Phoenix is a large industrial and cultural center, supported by the technological advances of the Roosevelt Dam, the Southern Pacific Railroad the Central Arizona Project aqueduct system. It is considered as one of the best places to do business in America, still enjoying a rich cultural, sport and recreational life.

For avid shoppers the Walden Galleria is a true mecca in the whole Buffalo Niagara region. With 1,600,000 square feet there is plenty of room for over 200 stores, restaurants and services, where you will find everything you need. The expansion of the mall has seen a series of major retailers coming to the place such as Sephora, Lucky Brand Jeans, bebe, Coach and Urban Outfitters; restaurants Bravo! Cucina Italiana and The Cheesecake Factory and services such as EFX Currency Exchange. When the works will be finished, the mall will feature Hyde Park Steakhouse, Barnes & Noble bookstore a 3000-person Regal Cinemas movie theater and retailer Aerie… Book hotels in Buffalo NY online and you’ll get an unique shopping.

Other shopping destinations in Buffalo include Fashion Outlets of Niagara, where you will find over 150 well-known brands, the Boulevard Mall, McKinley Mall and Eastern Hills Mall. Each of these shopping centers will provide a wide selection of the best retailers and a shopping experience you will never forget.

The Elmwood Village, recently voted as one of ten best neighborhoods in the United States by the American Planning Association, is a beautiful and vibrant district just a few-minutes walk from downtown Buffalo with numerous boutiques, shops, bars and restaurants to spend a whole day at.

For a different kind of shopping visit the village of East Aurora with numerous art galleries, antique shops, toy stores and an atmosphere that takes you back to the times when pleasures were simple and charming in their unsophistication.

For avid treasure hunters the city’s Allentown neighborhood, Hertel Avenue and Main Street provide a great opportunity to find something really special from the past at their antique shops and furniture galleries.

The Broadway Market located on the Buffalo’s East Side is one of the oldest operating markets in the United States, offering a wide selection of ethnic cuisine and flavors from all around the world.

Before you start looking for hotels in Destin you may find it interesting to learn about the history of the city.

The city of Destin is located in North-West Florida, on the Emerald Coast in Okaloosa County and has a very rich and long culture. The region is known to be populated since 12,000 years before present and signs of intense agricultural activity have been observed throughout the area. The early American Indian population came to the region around the 7th century AD while the first Europeans arrived in 1538, when Spanish explorers have started to survey Florida. The first known map of the region was drawn in 1693 by Don Francisco Tapia, who was commissioned to explore the East Pass and its surrounding areas.

The immediate history of Destin traces back to Captain Leonard Destin, a fisherman who has settled in the area around 1845 and was a pioneer of the fishing industry for the region. His descendants were fishing in the waters around Destin for decades and maintained a rich heritage, which is well known to the present. With over 150 years of fishing history, the city of Destin was nicknamed as the «World’s Luckiest Fishing Village», having the largest and most equipped fishing fleet in the whole state of Florida.

Until 1984, Destin was a municipality but the tourist boom made the local government to overview the status of the settlement. Mainly known as a destination for good fishing, the city has faced a major inflow of tourist starting with the mid 80’s. Around that time Destin has undertaken an active construction to fulfill the needs of tourists in accommodation. With around 12,000 full-time residents the city accounts around 40,000 during the season, which undoubtedly requires adequate infrastructure. Today there are many hotels on Destin, from simple to luxurious; shopping malls, water-sport resorts and numerous possibilities for active leisure. The city aims at diversifying the distractions offered because more and more tourist from different social backgrounds visit Destin each year.

Phoenix has a very rich artistic and cultural life marked by numerous events throughout the city’s different locations. With a recent addition in the form of Herberger Theatre Center in 1989, located only a few minutes away from the Phoenix Civic Plaza Convention Center and Symphony Hall, the city has large selection of venues to enjoy all possible forms of art. The newest theater hosts dramatic performances, dance and music concerts and also has its own art gallery.

The Phoenix Center for the Arts is home to the Phoenix Children’s Chorus, the Phoenix Center Youth Theatre, Dance Phoenix and City. The center offers a wide spectrum of performance arts ranging from professional troupes to amateur and children plays. The Phoenix Theatre Little Theater, which was established in 1920, remains to be one of the oldest operating companies in the US. Phoenix-based Arizona Theatre Company, residing at the Herberger Theater Center, offers approximately 25 weeks of performances. Phoenix is also home to troupes such as Centre Dance Ensemble, Childsplay and Actors Theatre of Phoenix.

The Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, residing in Symphony Hall, offers numerous classic music performances as well as accompanies popular music artists during their shows. Phoenix is also home to Arizona’s professional ballet company as well as other international performance companies. Opera performances are frequently given by the Arizona Opera, also housed in Phoenix. The America West Arena, Gammage Auditorium, Celebrity Theatre, and the Cricket Pavilion are frequent venues for touring artists and bands.

With over 40 museums and 150 art galleries Phoenix is the largest cultural and educational center in the whole state of Arizona. The most exciting museums to visit are the Arizona Hall of Fame Museum, the Arizona Historical Society Museum, Shemer Art Center and Museum, Arizona Science Center, the Hall of Flame Fire Fighting Museum, the Heard Museum and many others, where you will find cultural artifacts, works of art and a lot more to satisfy your appetite for knowledge.

Choose your hotels in Phoenix and get ready for a spectacular vacation.

Whether you want to leave the world behind or engage in adventures and fun activities, Key West gives you the opportunity to enjoy both extremes. This tropical paradise was created to fulfill your every wish and make your stay really memorable no matter what your vacation is all about. And because the place is quite small, there’s no need to travel much in order to see what the city has to offer. So it’s easy to choose hotels in Key West.

When you end up in a tropical paradise which is Key West, the first thing that comes to mind is of course the beaches. There several beaches, the majority of which are located on the south side of the island that will suit any tastes and preferences. If you love action, watersports, playing volley and enjoying music than Smathers Beach will be your place to stay for sure. If you prefer a calm and cozy atmosphere, than you’ll enjoy the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor. For those who want to have a rest from the sea, there are several parks throughout the city, which also fall into a wide spectrum of activities to enjoy. From tennis courts of Bayview Park to the historical ambience of the 19th century Fort Zachary Taylor park, you’ll find a place of your taste for sure.

Key West is full of history locations, museums and cultural places. So if you love learning more about the places you visit a cozy train or trolley ride through the city will provide you a great insight on the rich history of Key West. There are also many cultural events held by local and international artists often held in different locations.

The beauty of nature, which surrounds Key West is a must see, and there are numerous ways you can enjoy it. You can take a cruise out to the reefs, or take a flight to the Dry Tortugas National Park. You can go scuba diving or snorkeling in the waters around the island. For those who prefer to stay dry there are glass bottom boats, which will allow you to enjoy all the spectacular beauty of marine life without getting wet.

There are also many opportunities for fishing enthusiasts with the Florida Keys are being a great place to go fishing all year-round. Or if you’re are an ecotourist or kayaking lover - there are plenty of opportunities for you to enjoy your vacation.

It may as surprise to many visitors, but Buffalo has an abundance of art galleries to enjoy during your stay. One of the most spectacular places to get in touch with works of modern and contemporary art is the Albright Knox Art Gallery, which was described by Thomas Hoving, former Director of the New York Metropolitan Museum, as “an overwhelming art experience.” The Muse restaurant harmonically accompanies the gallery, providing a good repast after an intense art experience with a beautiful view on the unique sculpture garden.

Right across the street is the Burchfield-Penney Art Center, which is entirely devoted to pieces by Charles Burchfield, a visionary watercolorist, and his peers from the Buffalo State College. A new 84,000 square foot home to the gallery was completed in June 2008 by Gwathmey-Siegel Associates of New York, giving the visitors as spectacular setting to enjoy the eternal works of art.

The former windshield wiper factory only a few minutes away has become the Buffalo Arts Studio - a home to painters, photographers and potters, who now use the spacious hallways as their playground for exploring and creating contemporary in its every direction.

Find hotels in Buffalo NY and enjoy numerous art galleries that will deliver you the best of contemporary art.

The legendary Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, founded by Cindy Sherman and Robert Longo in 1970s, now resides in the new art center Babeville, in downtown Buffalo. The center still pushes the envelope of what it has become famous with - visual art in all of its forms and combinations.

For those who admire the beauty of a captured moment, the CEPA Gallery gives an exciting opportunity to explore the vision of the most talented photographers in the area. You will find any format in use and all the possibilities thinkable here. The Big Orbit Gallery on the West Side of Buffalo and Art Galleries at the University of Buffalo will also give you a breath of fresh air in forms of realization and inspiration by the most promising artist.

Destin has been a major destination for fishing enthusiasts throughout the years and the tradition lives on today. With the largest fishing fleet in the state of Florida, the city offers numerous opportunities to enjoy fishing both on the shore and in the sea. Here are some major activities a fisher can enjoy in Destin:

Jetty and Pier Fishing

Many sport fish species can be caught off the jetty or pier beach without using a boat. The best time for this type of fishing is between April and October, when there’s plenty of Pompano fish in the waters of the Emerald Coast. You can use artificial, frozen or live bait for catching fish like Spanish Mackerel, King Mackerel, Blue Runner, Sheepsheadr, Sail Cat, Whiting, Channel Bass, Cobia, Bonito, Jack Crevalle, Bluefish, Pompano.

You can also enjoy fishing all year-round in the Choctawhatchee Bay and its bayous. There’s plenty of Sheepshead, White Trout, Speckled Sea Trout, Channel Bass, Sail Cat, Red fish, Bluefish; as well as Blue Crabs to be found in the area.

Inshore Trolling

The season for inshore trolling starts in March and ends in November with the first runs of Cobia (Ling) opening the trolling season. It is regarded as the most spectacular types of fishing with large fish being caught using an ordinary spinning tackle. You will find plenty of fishing boats offering half day or all day fishing trips at the docks. A great way to spend some time in the sea and catch fish like Mackerel, Cobia or Bonito.

Deep Sea Bottom Fishing

The most popular type of fishing offered by the Destin fleet is deep sea bottom fishing. There are half day, all day and overnight fishing trips available, which result in great catches of Scamp, Trigger fish, Grouper, Amber jack, Cobia and Snapper. Deep sea bottom fish is good all year around.

Offshore Trolling

Probably the most exciting types of fishing in the area, where you can easily catch a 400lb fish. Offshore trolling is usually done in about 27 mile southwest of Destin past the 50 fathom curve (300 feet). The most productive moths for this type of fishing are August through October, with great chances of catching White and Blue Marlin, Sailfish, Wahoo and Billfish.

Party boats

There’s also a fleet of party boats in Destin. You can buy a ticket or charter a boat for you and your friends at most hotels in Destin or directly at the pier.

The area, which is now known as Buffalo, was populated by Indian tribes long before the European came to America. There were several tribes known as Ongiara living around Buffalo Creek and Niagara Falls, when the first French explorers came to the region in 1758. They established a small settlement at the mouth of the Buffalo Creek, which was later destroyed during the French Indian War with the British that took over the region in 1763. The area was consequently bought from the Seneca Indians by the Dutch, which have established a parcel production here in 1801. The name of the settlement was changed several times from Lake Erie to Buffalo Creek, and then shortened to simply Buffalo.

There are many hotels in Buffalo NY that will tell you the stories of this beautiful city.

The 19th century has marked the Golden Age for the City of Buffalo, with the completion of Erie Canal in 1825, which made Buffalo its terminus point. The city has become one of the major transportation hubs in the country, with West explorers coming to the place from the East Coast in order to continue their journey by rail or river. This made Buffalo a prosperous city with a steadily increasing population and intensely developing industry. Its advantageous location in the mouth of Buffalo Creek and the four Grand Lakes made it a big production center and distribution point, connecting the East side of the United States with the Central and Western parts of the country. With years, Buffalo has also become the major railroad hub in the region, making it even more important.

In the 20th century, Buffalo was nicknamed «the City of Light» because it was the first city in the United States with widespread electric illumination. The electricity was produced by the local hydroelectric power station that was using the energy of Niagara Falls. But in the second half of the century the city’s importance faced a decline, mainly caused by the completion of St. Lawrence Seaway in 1957, which made the Erie Canal less useful. The trend of de-urbanization during the 60’s and the 70’s made the city’s population figures to fall back to those of the 19th century, and the decline of the production in the Rust Belt region has also contributed to the diminishing of Buffalo’s national importance.

Key West is known to be one of the most popular destinations for ecotourism, hotels in Key West are full of ecotourist all the year round. With over 70 miles of amazing coral formations, uninhabited sands spits and small islands the Dry Tortugas National Park is a vast playground for those who love nature as it is. This area provides a great selection of activities to enjoy: from catamaran sailing to kayaking or scuba diving. Referred to as The Lakes by locals the National Park is raw nature as it was thousands of years before the region was inhabited. Some tours will offer you a ride to Boca Grande Key, a beautiful uninhabited island with white sand beaches and coral patch reef. Another destination of ecotours lays in the opposite direction, northeast of Key West, to behold the beautiful mangrove backcountry.

If you love to go with the birds and appreciate the marvels of nature from the air, Key West gives you this spectacular opportunity. You can catch up a small seaplane leaving several times a day from the airport for an exciting trip to Fort Jefferson, a fortress in the Dry Tortugas National Park built during the Civil War.

The planes usually fly at a small altitude of about 500 feet to give the tourists a spectacular view on the rich and abundant marine life of the Keys. You’ll have plenty of time to behold the amazing Marquesas Keys, a chain of small islands, as well as Quicksands, an area full underwater sand dunes, which is the exact place where the famous treasure hunter Mel Fisher found the bounty of the Spanish galleon Atocha.

If you prefer to go by sea, the Dry Tortugas can be easily visited with a motor boat, catamaran or high-speed ferry. Maybe it’s not the fastest way to reach the fortress, but it sure is an unforgettable on with all the beauties of nature just a few feet away from you. And while you’re sailing, the crew will definitely have some interesting stories to tell.