Julia’s Top 10 Hottest Travel Destinations in 2010
The Philippines
All the big boys do it. Conde Nast, Lonely Planet, Frommers. It’s an annual travel industry tradition (much like the Academy Awards minus the emaciated actresses) to select hot destinations for the new year.
When considering such a big endeavor, one must look at several factors: pop culture events on the calendar, value for your dollar, under-appreciated cities, up-and-comers and general awesomeness.
Between research, real-life experience and peering into my travel crystal ball, I offer up my personal picks for the Top 10 hottest travel destinations in 2010.
British Columbia, Canada:
Brace your bobsled, the 2010 Winter Olympics will be held in Vancouver, Canada from February 12-28. With over 97 nations qualifying for such sports as alpine skiing, curling, figure skating, luge and ski jumping, the world’s eyeballs (and tourists in turn) will look to British Columbia. Beyond the Okanagan wine tours and great surfing, it’s a province famous for its ski resorts, rugged coast line, temperate rainforests and – as it is affectionately called by local pot heads – “BC bud.” Grab a Canadian flag and get “Out and About.”
Quick Tip: For a cheaper way to get to Vancouver, fly to Seattle, rent a car, then drive a few hours over the Canadian border.
Philippines:
If you’re looking for more bang for your buck, Philippines is an affordable option for an exotic retreat. With over 7,000 islands in the archipelago, Philippines offers world-class diving, snorkeling, whitewater rafting and some of the world’s most pristine wilderness. Check out Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a 5 mile river on the west (Keep reading.)
Is the cold weather getting to you? Try a GPS tour of South Beach, Miami
Cruising the palm-tree lined strip of South Beach Miami, I felt a little like David Hasselhoff from Knight Rider. Like his crime-fighting car companion Kitt, my ride also talked, cracked the occasional joke and advised me about where to turn left. But unlike Hasselholf’ s pimp Pontiac Trans Am, my car came in the form of a three-wheeled yellow GoCar. A GoCar is a two passenger, “storytelling” car that offers tours of famous South Beach, home of luxury lifestyles, reality-TV tattoo shops and the no-carb diet. Complete with GPS, it’s both navigator and audio guide for visitors who want to drive through Miami’s hot spots.
Puttering around in this lemon yellow mobile, I took in the sites, from the famous Miami Beach hotels along Collins Ave. to quaint Espanola way, a strip of restaurants in historic 1920s buildings. Against a backdrop of pastel-colored Art Deco edifices, I drove around the celebrity playground of restaurants, bars, salsa clubs and Miami vices. I traveled from the Botanical Gardens to the Holocaust Museum, from the Venetian Causeway to downtown Miami.
“Go left onto 15th street,” the computerized female voice commanded. I touched the scooter-like hand-breaks and slowed down to turn. “Continue straight” the voice told me. Beyond the (Keep reading.)
Happy new year! Here are my top 5 adrenaline rushes for 2010
Attention thrill-seekers! Find yourself bored by lazy beach life at all-inclusive resorts? Do you dream of pushing the limits, testing your nerves and your bladder control? For the brave and ballsy, here are five adrenaline-pumping activities that will rock your next vacation:
1) Race Car Driving School in Arizona:
Those with a need for speed will love the Bob Bondurant High Performance Driving School, where students learn to drive like the pros. Located in Arizona, this 60-acre racing facility offers four hour to four day courses specializing in racing techniques, car control and accident avoidance on an open track. Under the supervision of top instructors, you can take a Corvette Z51 Coupe for a spin around the block for some Grand Prix goodness. http://www.bondurant.com/
2) Macau Sky Jump in Hong Kong:
Imagine yourself standing on the edge of the Macau Tower, preparing to plummet 233 meters toward the Earth. For Superman wanabees, the Macau Tower offers the world’s highest SkyJump where you “fly through air at 46 mph in 20 seconds before decelerating to a comfortable landing speed.” According to the Guinness World Records, it’s the world’s highest commercial decelerator (Keep reading.)
Strange Places to Sleep Around The World
Photo credit: www.UnusualHotelsoftheWorld.com
Traveling over the holidays? Ditch the family futon and rest your weary head somewhere a little more….unusual. From hemp hotels in Amsterdam to dog-themed motels in Idaho, there are tons of strange places to catch some shut-eye.
Here’s a list of cool and quirky hotels around the world; weird pads to check out next time you’re sleeping around.
Dog Bark Park Inn: Pit stops to kitschy roadside attractions are a staple of any family car trip across the country. So, if you find yourself passing through Cottonwood, Idaho be sure to stay at the Dog Bark Park Inn, a B & B guesthouse inside the World’s Biggest Beagle. This 2-story wooden structure, built to look like a big dog, offers simple accommodations at $92/night (including breakfast which thankfully isn’t kibble). For a lasting souvenir, check out the gift shop’s ‘chainsaw art,’ a collection of painted wooden beagle carvings. http://dogbarkparkinn.com
The Capsule Inn: If you’re claustrophobic, Japan’s Capsule Inn may not be for you. Located in Akihabara, an electronics district of Tokyo, the hotel has ten floors offering space-efficient sleeps in coffin-like suites. The rooms are (Keep reading.)
Julia’s Traveler’s Holiday Gift Guide
Looking for that perfect holiday gift for the globetrotter in your life? Here are eight ideas on what to get for your jet setting buddies.
For the Book Worm Traveler:
When you’re stuck in an airport, or dealing with those pesky travel delays, the Kindle, a wireless reading device which holds up to 1500 e-books, can be a life-saver. At $259 a pop, the Kindle isn’t cheap but downloading bestselling books wirelessly sure is easier than lugging them in your carry-on luggage. For those long road trips, there’s even a ‘read-to-me’ feature, where newspapers, magazines or blogs are read out loud. Compact, lightweight and eco-friendly, it’s a great gift for the voracious readers and frequent flyers in your life. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015T963C
For the Nervous Traveler:
“The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook – Travel” offers cheeky advice on such travel nightmares as: runaway camels, UFO abductions, plane crash landings on water, hostage situations, volcanic eruption and crossing piranha infested waters. $10.17 at Amazon.com
For the Gadget Geek:
You can now charge your iPhone, Blackberry, mP3 player, digital cameras and other tech gear all (Keep reading.)
Julia’s Top 10 Holiday Travel Survival Tips
Traveling around the holidays can be very stressful. Long line ups, delayed flights, crowds of irritated people…holiday travel can be a nightmare! Having traveling around the world four times, to over 80 countries, across five continents, and hundreds of flights, I’ve picked up a few tips along the way.
Here are my Top 10 Holiday Travel Survival Tips:
1. The #1 Rule of Survival – Give Yourself Enough Time: This rule applies across the board, from booking to connecting flights. When first selecting your flight, remember to book in advance for better prices and bigger selection of dates and routes. When browsing for flight, hotel and car options, a great travel tool is www.kayak.com – an online travel search engine that compares hundreds of flight options in one simple search.
Using Kayak Trips www.kayak.com/trips is a great way to organize your travel itineraries and set up alerts for delays, cancellations, and gate changes. Trip alerts can be sent directly to your mobile device so you can stay informed before and while you are at the airport.
Kayak also has a newly updated Kayak iPhone app which offers a quick directory to all airlines. You can forward all of your different booking receipts from airlines, hotels and car rentals, and get an integrated itinerary on the trips tool on the iPhone. Handy!
2. Book a direct flight to avoid getting stuck somewhere due to weather. It will cost more than connecting flights but may save you hours in layovers. If budget is more your concern, then connecting flights are your best financial bet, but be aware of potential delays and give yourself a good buffer zone between flight connections. (Keep reading.)
When in Rome… Fight Like a Gladiator
Smash. Our swords collide with a colossal metal clang. Lifting my shield above my head, I manage to avoid a lethal blow before narrowly dodging a trident aimed for my stomach.
This is an average day at Scuola Gladiatori, a school just outside downtown Rome, which trains students to fight like gladiators. Using authentic weapons dating back to ancient Rome, instructors take tourist beyond the crowds and kitsch of the Coliseum. It’s a two-hour, hands-on history lesson that encourages learning through active participation.
As the saying goes: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” so I sign up for a private lesson to learn how to rumble like a real gladiator. (Keep reading.)
Quirky Things to Do in NYC This Thanksgiving Weekend
Photo Credit: MoMa.org
Succulent roasted turkeys, buttery pumpkin pies and Rockwell family portraits may be how most people aim to experience Thanksgiving, but when visiting the Big Apple this weekend, there are some travelers who crave something a little more… alternative.
Quit tradition cold turkey. Ditch the Donald Duck balloons at the annual Macy Thanksgiving Day’s parade for these five outrageous and totally unconventional New York City activities. (Keep reading.)
