A resource for independent travelers
Ecologically-minded travelers hoping to keep it green on the road are often concerned about a potentially out-of-control price tag. Fortunately, it’s getting more affordable than ever to maintain your environmental priorities while on vacation. Here are a few of my favorite frugal tips. Food: Breakfast is one of the most affordable meals to enjoy while [...]
Hectic schedules and stressful careers make spa vacations a sought-after commodity for many travelers. Hot stone massages, seaweed wraps and sugar scrubs are among the more popular choices for vacationers, but facials and foot rubs receive high marks as well. With rates reaching as high as $500 or more for certain treatments however, it pays [...]
We packed up our snowshoe equipment along with our energetic Labrador, and drove off from our cabin on St. Froid Lake to enjoy the free community trails at the 10th Mountain Ski Club in Fort Kent, Maine. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other ideas and the previous day’s snowfall was still clogging the roads. As it [...]
While summer is the favored season for family reunions, they can be held successfully at any time of year. While people have always searched for strategies to keep them affordable, current gas prices are making frugality an even greater family travel priority. Follow these money-saving tips to maintain tradition while enjoying affordable family-reunion fun this [...]
Photo credit: nealaus New England is a great place to visit year round, depending on whether the tourist is looking for beach, skiing, sightseeing, history, or whatever. Autumn, however, is the natural tour de force up here. We do it really well, in many ways, and not like anywhere else. FOLIAGE Viewing autumn foliage in [...]
My sister Regina and I always spend a day together for our birthdays. Since mine is in July, the options are better for play. Hers is in January, and the best options — those involving sun and warmth — also involve substantial planning and cost. So, this year, she decided she wanted just to go [...]
There are several traditional Christmas events in Portland. I’ve been to all of them several times, but generally not all in the same year. They are all well done and worth the time to pursue.
Hiking Mt. Washington is a popular thing to do for outdoor enthusiasts visiting the Mt. Washington Valley. Getting to that summit is an attainable goal and the view from the summit is an apt reward. If, however, you happen not to want to execute that climb to get those views, there is an alternative. The [...]
As a person who lives near the White Mountains, I frequently like to combine a trip to Conway/No. Conway with a ride on the Kancamagus Highway (aka “The Kanc”). There are a few ways to do this for those ‘in the know’ without backtracking. My favorite is to connect from Rte. 302 in Bartlett to [...]
What a great way to finish a great day in Maine! Because of the more rural nature of Maine, the skies are dark and the fireworks are brilliant as a result. We love our fireworks up here, and there are many displays planned throughout the summer. The State Fire Marshall has conveniently provided a listing [...]
This annual event is the major fundraiser for the Scribner’s Mill Preservation group. They pull out all the stops and it is a great historical event. The Back to the Past celebration is always the first weekend in August. The efforts of dozens of volunteers and exhibitors help make this a great experience for the [...]
It’s July in Maine and time for the annual Yarmouth Clam Festival, an event which involves about 3000 volunteers united to earn funds for Yarmouth’s non-profit organizations, school groups, and churches. This event begins at 6 p.m. on Friday with a parade which is as much fun for spectators as it is for parade participants. [...]
I like car shows. Always have. It’s just really big fun to me to go and see old cars, new cars, foreign cars, stock cars, custom cars. It’s fun to talk with owners. It’s just fun. In Maine, there are several such shows throughout the summer. Some are based on a specific theme (e.g., antique) [...]
Krongut Bornstedt in Potsdam, Germany is one of those destinations that leaves you feeling like you stepped away from every day life. The grounds of Krongut Bornstedt are filled with beautiful flowers and plants and there’s a rose garden where weddings can be held. Krongut Bornstedt has a wonderful old world restaurant which serves good [...]
The old-fashioned charm of a roomy, plush home town movie theatre with hundreds of seats is the stuff of nostalgia for a lot of people. Those theatres often have been restored and used for different purposes or have been replaced with sterile, non-descript multiplexes that are synonymous with cinema to at least one or two [...]
This view was photographed from a castle wall near Bolzano, Italy. There are many castles in the area, as well as wineries, farm stays, ecological experiences and cultural performances. The area is also a popular destination for ski holidays in the winter.
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This Andean woman takes a break from selling her wares to socialize with tourists in Peru's Sacred Valley.
The ancient Nabatean city of Petra, Jordan provides a peek into ancient civilization and also into the local Bedouin culture, which values the social experience of drinking tea highly.
This stand of palm trees against a blue sky is located in Florida's Longboat Key, one of the islands of Sarasota. It's a popular getaway with tourists and Florida residents alike, when one wants a taste of forgotten Florida.
Exploring the world-famous archeological site of Machu Picchu takes some time. In order to make the most of your visit, it's best to arrive at Aguas Calientes an afternoon ahead of schedule and head up the mountain first thing the next morning.
This command module is part of the Saturn V rocket display at the Kennedy Space Center, which is a must-see exhibit if you only have one day at the KSC. The entire venue is right down the road from the Astronaut Hall of Fame, another fun family attraction on Florida's space coast.
This abandoned mosque in Israel lies along the shores of Lake Tiberius, otherwise known as the sea of Galilea. The view of the ancient stones and overgrown plants struck me as sort of an Indiana Jones image with a bit of Middle Eastern flair.
This resort cottage photograph was taken at the thermal hot springs resort of Papallacta, located in the mountains of Ecuador. The mist rising off of the thermal pools brings a bit of a mystical quality to the image.
