Travel plan idea blog

Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives) & Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs) destination wedding gossip + Punta Cana resorts in Dominican Republic

Eva Longoria was apparently seen visiting the ancient French church of St Germain L'Aucerrois.

The gossip is that the wedding will take place in St Germain L'Aucerrois and the reception in the Chateau de Chantilly, a 16th-century castle seen in the James Bond movie A View To A Kill.

Obviously this coule doesn't need to worry about affording a big wedding and a nice honeymoon (although the honeymoon has to wait). After all, they are paying $30,000 for the wedding cake...

Here's an article on fancy honeymoon suites in various hotels but these $300+/night rooms are a bit more affordable then French castles...

One thing they mention are a pair of resorts in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic:

Excellence Punta Cana, formally Secrets Punta Cana, is a couples-only resort with a $562 a night honeymoon suite (ocean-view private terrace with indoor and outdoor private Jacuzzis). The resort has a pool that runs the entire length of the hotel but it can't possibly be as big as the lagoon in Plantation Bay.

Ocean Blue Golf and Beach Resort starts at $300/night for the honeymoon package (Dominican cigars, private dancing lessons, aromatherapy massages, private sailing lessons and romantic horseback riding). This one is all-inclusive.

I also have a friend who personally recommends Punta Cana Sunscape. This is what he writes:

Best all inclusive I've been to. People were very nice. Accomodations were excellent as was the weather. Went deep sea fishing and our boat with 7 passengers landed 2 marlin (one 240 blue, one 150 white) and a 75 lb. "cuda". Snorkeling about 35 yards from shore and saw a "ray".

Definitely a couples place or a honeymoon spot. In fact there were 44 weddings over a 6 day period.

There isn't a great selection of beer. They have Presidente and another beer. Presidente is a great beer, especially cold. I have found it in South Florida and it is always good. The other beer is nothing to write home about. It is Soberano and it tastes like moose piss... they try to pawn that off to you a lot.

There are plenty of activities for the kids. They have a daily schedule and when I was down there there were plenty of them.

The food wasn't bad. I actually liked it. There was a Japanese place which was good and grill place which was very good. Then there was a classy place, were you had to dress up which was great. I paid extra for the lobster. The room service food wasn't great. The pizza was okay. Just one word of advice, drink only beer and nothing with ice and coconut milk. They use goat cocoanut milk and the ice is not pure. I think that is how I got sick (Montezuma's revenge). I drank only beer and wine from then on.

It was one thousand per person. We stayed for 7 days. It was a great deal, in my eyes. I am not sure if I would go there again though. There just weren't enough different activities. Maybe when I have a family of my own.

I did blog about Punta Cana Sunscape once before.

Parrot Cay: exclusive Caribbean resort vacation experience

This author went to Parrot Cay where 2 people will spend over $5,000 for a 3 night package. I guess I should read the article carefully because it will be a while before I pay that much for a vacation...

Ever heard of Oceania Cruises

This is an interesting article on the business aspect of Oceania Cruises. They've been successful in finding a niche in the cruise industry providing luxury cruises from 10-35 days at a good value. They're doing so well that Royal Caribbean is entering the niche with their new brand called Azamara Cruises.

The ships we're tlaking about here are much smaller than Liberty of the Seas. Oceania has cruises in all major continents, but I chose one itinerary to give you an example:

1 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 10:00PM
2 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 10:00PM
3 Buzios, Brazil 8:00AM 6:00PM
3 Buzios, Brazil 8:00AM 6:00PM
4 Ilha Grande, Brazil 8:00AM 6:00PM
4 Ilha Grande, Brazil 8:00AM 6:00PM
5 Santos, Brazil 8:00AM
5 Santos, Brazil 8:00AM
6 Santos, Brazil 6:00PM
6 Santos, Brazil 6:00PM
7 Itajaí (Iguaçu Falls), Brazil 9:00AM
7 Itajaí (Iguaçu Falls), Brazil 9:00AM
8 Itajaí (Iguaçu Falls), Brazil 5:00AM
8 Itajaí (Iguaçu Falls), Brazil 5:00AM
8 Porto Belo, Brazil 8:00AM 4:00PM
8 Porto Belo, Brazil 8:00AM 4:00PM
9 At Sea, International Waters
9 At Sea, International Waters
10 Punta del Este, Uruguay 9:00AM 11:00PM
10 Punta del Este, Uruguay 9:00AM 11:00PM
11 Montevideo, Uruguay 8:00AM 6:00PM
11 Montevideo, Uruguay 8:00AM 6:00PM
12 Buenos Aires, Argentina 8:00AM
12 Buenos Aires, Argentina 8:00AM
13 Buenos Aires, Argentina

I think this shows that the itineraries are a little different with this comapny although they do have regular Caribbean tours.

Outdoor garden & living areas: worth the price of your next vacation?

A few weeks or so ago, I wrote about an article that talked about modeling your garden after what you see on vacation.

Well here's another similar article. They talk about "creating a 'chat pit' - the new buzzword for seating around a fire pit..." and various styles such as Spanish colonial or Japanese.

I guess the idea is that one vacation inspires you to create an outdoor living space modeled on whatever theme inspired you in the first place. Then you skip your next vacation paying for the expensive outdoor area. I hate the idea of skipping vacations, but it makes sense for some people considering that you use your home a lot more often than you travel. It's kind of like making your home a vacation spot.

Pirates of the Caribbean movie tourism

A recent Kayak.com newsletter recommended some spots in the Caribbean for pirate fans:

Port Royal, in Kingston Jamaica: a setting for the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy that has some real pirate history including St. Peter's Church, Fort Charles, Gallows Point (where pirates were hung), Grogge Shop (where you drink), and Montego Bay (for a Calico Pirates Cruise).

Pirates of the Caribbean II and III were filmed in the Bahamas. Tourists can take a 25-minute boat ride to Blackbeard's Cay, visit the "slightly cheesy but very entertaining Pirates of Nassau Museum", and see Fort Charlotte's underground passages and dungeons.

St. Lucia has the Brig Unicorn, an authentic 140-foot replica of an 18th century ship which was featured in The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Dominica has Shipwreck Cove and a cruise up Pantano River where the Black Pearl anchored.

Tourism in North Korea & happy Memorial Day

Here's a rare topic for you, the travel appeal (and lack thereof) of North Korea. It talks about how fewer and fewer Chinese tourists are visiting Kim Jong Il's Hermit Kingdom although that does give it a certain appeal to travelers who want to do something different:

A Chinese travel agent says North Korea’s poverty is part of its off-beat appeal. If North Korea were to become richer, she says, it would lose its competitive tourism advantage. Not that it is a huge draw, even when it does welcome tourists. The Arirang performance, originally due to last for a month, ended several days early because of insufficient paying visitors.

I personally found this comment kind of funny because my wife was harassed by police in Beijing when trying to take a picture in Tieneman Square: "Chinese tourists are given warning, before leaving, to avoid commenting on North Korean politics and to be careful where they point their cameras. China was once as prickly."

China still can be somewhat prickly (as my wife learned in Beijing), but certainly not like North Korea. I remember watching a documentary on travel in North Korea a year ago where a British guy (after leaving North Korea) was cursing because he'd just spent a week in prison for asking why Kim Jong Il was chubby when all his people are so skinny.

He was probably lucky it was only a week. And I guess he got that unique travel experience he was after.

With Memorial Day coming up it reminds us to appreciate the sacrifices of US military. My grandfathers and some of my current friends have served and while some people complain about different militray actions or strategies we can at least all be grateful that we don't have to worry about a lot of the things that people in North Korea worry about.

Watching people body surf at Newport Beach's the Wedge?

I wonder how many of us have watched surfing while on vacation.

I have a friend taking a business trip to California's Newport Beach. When he asked for suggestions on what to do in his free time someone recommended the Wedge (the "body surfing mecca"):

Is it just me or would most of us actually find this fairly stressful (the longer you watch the crazier it gets)? I hate watching people almost (or really) get hurt. Then again, I think I am getting more squeamish since my surgery. For example today I had no interest in watching K1 or UFC or any of those other fighting shows but normally when I'm flipping channels I'll stop and watch...

Anyway, I'm home from the hospital. Thank you to everyone who wished me luck. Everything has gone well so far and I just have to finish recovering.

Why do we never hear anything about Luxembourg?

By chance, I visited the country of Luxembourg a few years ago. Its one of those places that you just don’t hear much about – not a lot of people ever seems to go there, which is surprising as Luxembourg is a fascinating country. Many people don’t know exactly where it is – in fact it’s almost in the center of Europe – tucked away between Germany, Belgium and France.

Admittedly, Luxembourg is really small – around 1000 square miles, which makes it just over half the size of America’s smallest state, Rhode Island. Although, it isn’t the smallest country in the world by far – there are at least a dozen smaller states and countries, including five in Europe. (The world’s smallest country is Vatican City).

Luxembourg – whose full name is the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg – includes some beautiful scenery in the north of the country. This part of the country contains the wooded Ardennes region, which also spreads into neighboring countries. The so-called Battle of the Bulge was fought in this area during World War II.

But it’s probably true that the most popular destination in this tiny country is the capital city, Luxembourg City. Despite being a small capital with a population of around 120,000, the city is home to the European Investment Bank and European Court of Justice. Impressive, for a city that has the feel of a provincial town.

Luxembourg City is split into two – the old town and the new town – by a spectacular chasm called the Petrusse Valley and spanned by the equally impressive Adolphe Bridge. The new town contains more modern buildings, banks, the larger hotels and the railway station.

On the other side of the chasm, the old town is a great area for strolling and shopping. This area is surrounded by the thick stone city walls and is a warren of winding cobbled streets, medieval houses and at its center, the tree-shaded square known as Place d’Armes.

Luxembourg boasts many cozy bars and cafes, some offering excellent views over the valley and the city also has more Michelin star restaurants per capita than any other country in the world. And recently opened in 2006 is a museum of modern art, designed by the distinguished architect, I.M Pei.

Luxembourg is easy to get to by train - just over two hours from Paris, even less from Brussels. There are flights from over 20 European cities, including London, but no direct flights from the United States. For more information on Luxembourg, visit http://www.visitluxembourg.com/index.htm

Guest entry by Mancunian

Minor surgery - wish me luck

I may be blogging from the hospital for the next few days or I may take a break. I'm having an infected sweat gland removed from my lower back but because of the infection, they can't stitch me up after the surgery.

I'll be in the hospital three days with internet access thanks to a new Macbook (bought it yesterday) and a wirless connection. I'll either have lots of free time to blog or not feel up to it...

Don't worry though. My wife is taking excellent care of me so I'll be back soon enough.

Corporations trying to reduce travel expenses

I liked this article but let me warn you that it's not the type I usually recommend. It discusses business travel from the corporate point of view, how Mike Hall has lowered costs for Johnson Controls travel program. He has:

reduced the number of preferred suppliers

driven down costs through integrated reporting tools

delivered online booking solutions on a market-specific basis to efficiently manage the corporation's 20,000 travelers.

Sounds like a tough job but if he's saving the company millions of dollars I'd think he has more job security than most of us...

Baseball road trip - Alon and Neal pull off a dream vacation & raise money for charity

Two guys named Alon Yishai Mass and Neal Ryan Koral are currently in the early stages of an awesome summer-long baseball road trip which will probably raise a good amount of money for charity. I've pledged $1 for every homerun they see at the games they attend. This is the "home run fund" if you're interested in doing something for charity.

This appealed to me because I love road trips and this one is truly a dream vacation that these guys have been working on for a very long time. This blog is all about travel dreams and sometimes their realization. I also like that it dwarfs our 2006 baseball road trip, and reminds me of our road trip in Jamaica or from the movie Elizabethtown.

The two guys on this dream road trip - did I mention they are visiting all 30 MLB baseball parks in the US and Canada? - were kind enough to answer a few interview questions for us:

Travel-plan-idea.com: How did you choose hotels / camp sites?

Alon: We only have 4 hotels booked so far. Yosemite Bug in Yosemite. A camp ground near Jasper, WY. A shack outside of Yellowstone w/no water or electricity. A camp ground near Kings Canyon, Ca. They were chosen based on proximity and cost.

Travel-plan-idea.com: How did you choose which non-baseball attractions to visit?

Alon: I extensively looked at websites, and got advice from family [a lot from my Dad] about the national parks. They were the most obvious choices... we're going to many of the most beautiful places in America. As well, these places are located near cities with baseball parks, or are obvious in between points.

Neal: Just to answer some of your questions, we basically wanted to go to as many places as humanly possible on this trip. If there's a unique attraction in this country, we want to see it. Also, the national parks offer some of the most beautiful views in the world and we wanted to see those with our own eyes.

We also have looked into getting a motel/hotel/camp site near the Grand Canyon. We have not booked anything yet but the only place where we found something at a reasonable price is in Flagstaff, AZ and that's about 60 miles away from the South rim. Do you have any advice or suggestions as to where we can stay around there?

Travel-plan-idea.com: What parts of the trip are you purposely leaving unplanned?

Alon: We haven't planned anything besides the schedule [games and national parks] and who we are staying with. Everything is left to the unknown... a lot of the motels will be just "places along the way," as we drive a lot at night after games.

Travel-plan-idea.com: Are there any more dream vacations in the works?

Alon: YES!!! I am applying to medical school this summer. I plan on taking a year off in between college and med school, and working... trying to make money, so I can travel around the world. My plan is to spend about a week in each of the following cities: Panama City, Rio, Buenos Aires, Aukland, Sydney, Thailand, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, Kakmandu, Bombay, Cairo, Addis Ababa, Vienna, Moscow [this is absolutely not set in stone, but as you can see, I will make it happen].

Neal: I don't know if I'll be able to travel as extensively as Alon after this because I just graduated from Indiana University and I will begin working for Ernst & Young after the conclusion of the trip. Since they are a global company, maybe I'll have the opportunity to live and work for them in Europe or East Asia one day.

Thank you Alon and Neal for the interview, for sharing a travel-inspiring story, and for raising money for some excellent charities. I hope that everyone who reads this blog (not to mention the guy who writes it) recognizes their passion(s) and does something memorable, like this baseball roadtrip of a lifetime.

Ajijic: Recommended Village in Mexico to Visit

A few years ago, I discovered the tiny village of Ajijic (Ah-jee-jeek), on the shores of Lake Chapala in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. This discovery was not entirely by accident, however, as my parents had spent six months in the past in the nearby village of Chapala. Ajijic, or "The Place Where The Water Springs Forth," was first settled by the Nahuatl Indians around 1400 A.D., followed by the Franciscan missionaries and the Spanish conquistadors. The influence of all three cultures are still evident throughout the village. Ajijic is small, last estimate of population around 15,000, but that’s not counting the several thousand more "snowbirds," the Canadians, Europeans, and other North Americans who come here on vacation or set up residence for several months each year.

Since I live in the state of eternal summer, Texas, (or so it seems), I was pleasantly surprised on my first visit to Ajijic. I was able to sleep comfortably with windows and doors open and awake to a cool breeze and the fresh scent of mangoes, tangerines, and limes. At an altitude of some 5,000+ feet, the moderate climate is as close to perfect as you’ll get for most of the year. The summer rains that cascade down the mountainsides just after the sun sets are gone before dawn, leaving a fresh new world. The beauty of Ajijic lies in the gardens, the courtyards, and the patios, where even the humblest home has its own yard filled with flowers. Orchids, jacaranda, and bougainvillea spill over the high stone walls and wrought iron gates that enclose beautiful homes and outdoor restaurants.

The accommodations in Ajijic are, for the most part, quaint B&B’s such as the Nueva Posada, the Villa Eucaliptos, Hotel Casa Blanca, and La Paloma. Travelers can expect to find large, airy rooms, balconies, and lovely surroundings, as well as many of the modern amenities of home, with rates ranging from $55 to $95.00/night, including breakfast. The Quinta Quetzalcoatl in Chapala is a bit more expensive, but here you have a choice of rooms or suites, each appropriately named after D.H. Lawrence who stayed in this same villa in 1923, while writing "The Plumed Serpent". Fully furnished homes near the lake or on the hillsides are also available for extended vacations, with weekly and monthly rates from $700/month and up, depending upon location and size. Restaurants, offering a variety of food and beverages, are reasonably priced from $10.00 to $25.00 for a full-course meal.

There are art galleries and boutiques to visit, as well as many outdoor activities in and around the village such as golf, tennis, horseback riding, hiking, and boating. If you’re looking for more attractions and excitement, Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco and the second largest city in Mexico, is less than an hour’s drive from Ajijic. This historic colonial city offers a variety of things to do and see including the Ballet Folklorico in the Degollado Theater, the museums, churches, parks, and six of the largest shopping plazas in the country. Other inexpensive side trips for a day or a weekend include Manzanillo, the sailfish capital of the world, Tequila, and Puerto Vallarta. If you prefer not to pay for a rental car or drive yourself, consider taking the bus. The buses in Mexico are far superior to those in other countries, at least in the U.S., and bus tours can be easily arranged by your hosts at the B&B to many points of interest nearby.

The people in Mexico love music and fiestas, celebrating holidays, birthdays, and weddings throughout the year. Wednesdays and Saturdays are market days, where you can find just about anything for sale in Ajijic and along the Carretera (main road around the lake shore). El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is celebrated in October, the Northern Lights Music Festival in February, and the 3-day Maestros del Arte show is held in November. For a few pesos, you can catch a local bus about every hour from the Carretera to visit the other small villages along the lakeshore.

Ajijic is a place where people go to relax, to gain inspiration, and to enjoy the simpler things in life - the sound of church bells from the tiny chapel on the hillside, the children’s laughter across the plaza on their way to school, the small boy leading a donkey with a load of firewood down 16th century cobblestone streets, and the early morning fisherman on the lake. I don’t believe you have to be a writer, an artist, or even a historian to enjoy a visit to Ajijic. It holds a certain fascination and appeal that is difficult to describe, and one you must discover for yourself.

Airlines: Many major airlines have frequent flights to Guadalajara from all major cities in the U.S., as well as flights to Mexico City, but this can get complicated. Taxis are readily available from the airport to Ajijic; however, many of the B&Bs provide transportation to and from the village.

This guest article was written by Sharon Slayton.

Buying airline tickets & figuring out extra charges

By the way, there’s an extra charge for reading this.

Most of us are confused of course, by airline fares and pricing structure – it has been complicated for so long that it just wouldn’t be the same if it were any other way. But recently, the airlines seem to have introduced a lot of extra charges and fees – designed, of course to make some much needed extra money – but with the inevitable result of confusing the rest of us.

Extra fees and taxes are not uncommon. The price of your plane ticket contains all sorts of taxes – security, customs, agricultural, etc. Most of us don’t notice or care – after all, we all have to pay taxes. But some airlines have started to quietly add on extra charges for checking more than one bag, for buying alcoholic drinks in the main cabin, for having a ticket mailed rather than sent by e-mail. What next, I wonder - extra charges for pillows, a glass of water or a magazine?

One of the biggest changes in the last decade or so has been the increase in customers booking and paying for plane tickets on line. The airlines want us to book our tickets on line, rather than with a real live person over the phone – obviously costs are a lot less that way. The service fee or phone booking fee can add up quite a bit – typically, its $10 a person, so for a family of four, that’s $40 on top of your ticket price.

There are several problems with this system. While most of us are used to the internet, there are those of us who still don’t feel comfortable giving our credit card or other personal information on line. And – perhaps hard to believe – but not everybody has a computer, especially the elderly.

Booking on line is all very well if you are doing something simple – traveling from point A to point B and back again. But many business trips are more complicated than that, of course. You can book a so-called “open jaw” (flying into and out of two different airports) on most airline web sites, but not a trip that involves several stopovers.

And mileage tickets involving partner airlines cannot be booked on airlines’ web sites – which means a call to the airline and a booking fee. Speaking of mileage tickets – book yours with at least several weeks notice, otherwise you will be faced with yet more charges for booking late.

American for example charges $100 for the first ticket and $25 for each additional ticket if mileage tickets are booked within a week of travel. That’s assuming the tickets all come from one mileage account – it’s even more if they come from different accounts.

Several of the airlines also now impose a charge to make changes to an existing ticket if that ticket was issued by an outside source or a travel agency. So if you book and pay for your ticket on Expedia, Travelocity or Priceline – to get it for a cheaper price – you may pay $15 per person if you then call the airline to change it.

And recently, at least one major airline has imposed the $15 fee to make a change to the seat assignment. That’s causing quite a few problems as often, travel agents don’t have access to exit row seats or other “blocked seats”. It seems the trend towards extra or service fees is only going to continue.

Thanks for reading; please let us know if you come across any other annoying little extra charges.

Guest blog entry written by Mancunian

Help plan a vacation for a loyal reader

I recently received a request from a reader who needs help planning a vacation. It's not that she hasn't tried or thought about it. She writes:

I have piles of magazines and I read your blog and the New York Times travel religiously but I am stumped. That's why I need direction. I have visited NYC several times...

That's actually why my blog entries have been fairly short recently - I've been trying to some up with some ideas for this loyal reader who needs a little help.

Then I finally realized that I don't have to do it alone. I can enlist the help of my kind and knowledgable readers. Are you willing to be part of the process?

This female traveler is single and will be traveling alone. She is:

looking forward to a small adventure. I am fit and love to meander and wander [and wonder]. I would love to be part of something but yet not overly organized. The woods and green always energize me. My home is northeastern PA. and I am figuring on a budget of $1200. I am looking to travel during the week of July 8th to the 15th and thinking of 3-5 days. What do you think? I can drive or fly. James thanks so much for your time.

The part that has me stumped is being part of something that's not too organized. The best idea I have so far is Ely Minnesota & the International Wolf Center there. I did a quick blog about the wolf center a while back as well as wolf howl canoe trips in Canada a very long time ago.

The Wolf Center has some group activities like their "Wolf Tracking Adventure":

Travel through the Superior National Forest trying to locate a wild radio-collared wolf, with telemetry equipment and old fashioned tracking – just like the researchers do! After an introduction to current tracking methods, we will travel into the field to look and listen for wolf signs.

There are also "wolf communication" classes followed by treks into the forest to listen for one of my favorite sounds as well as the "wolf howl" where you howl to the resident wolf pack. I'm sure that sometimes the people howls interfere with your enjoyment of the wolf howls, but what can you do?

Well that's my idea. Like I said, I'm looking for you to be part of this effort and feed me some ideas for a $1200 vacation of 3-5 days between July 8 and 15. If you have an idea please leave us a comment.

Genealogy Travel: The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in downtown Cincinnati

I think it's important to acknowledge history as you travel. When I travel outside the US I want to learn something about the country I'm traveling in. When I'm in the US I often forget to keep learning, but this article on the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in downtown Cincinnati reminded me how important it is to travel and learn at the same time even if this destination is said to be emotionally disturbing:

The Freedom Center’s second-floor hall is a place of both strong images and quiet reflection. The towering presence of an authentic slave pen, moved from a farm in nearby Kentucky, elicits a stark, emotional response that is softened by the beauty of the surrounding original artwork, created by such artists as Carolyn Mazloomi, Michael Cummings, and Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson. The exhibits about the slave trade, the American Civil War, and the failure of Reconstruction are disturbing and weighty...

The museum also has a Family Search Center with librarians helping people with ancestral searches through various genealogy databases (U.S. censuses, Social Security death indexes, ships' manifests, and Ellis Island rosters).

I think our National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is going near the top of my list of places to visit.

New travel TV show: Christopher Elliott's What You Get for the Money: Vacations

I recently mentioned the new Disney video on demand and fairly recently we talked about not having enough good travel shows.

Maybe this new travel show will be worth watching. "What You Get for the Money: Vacations" from the Fine Living TV network will be on Saturday at noon. It will feature Christopher Elliott's (he is a travel columnist ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine) tips for cheaper travel.

There will also be giveaways - vacations featured on the show will be awarded to sweepstakes winners.

GenXers cruise vacation preferences

This cruise article is a few days old but I think it's interesting. It talks about how the younger generation - GenXers - is looking for different types of cruises than their parents.

Some popular cruises involve:

Antarctica, wedding cruises, the eastern Mediterranean, the western Mediterranean, the Baltic, Croatia's Dalmatian Coast, Alaska, shorter Panama Canal cruises, and New England and eastern Canada.

By the way, parents of GenXers will still get the cruises they want since the average age of an American taking a cruise vacation is 50.

Alaskan cruise travel plan from last year and news + a travel deal today

On this day last year, I published a contest entry: Voyage of the Glaciers Alaskan cruise on the Sapphire Princess. I decided to do a news search today to see what's going on.

The first thing I found was unfortunate, a cruise ship run aground. There are a billion stories on this cluttering up my search results but I'm only linking to this one.

I needed to find some better news so I kept searching. Even though stories about the troubled cruise ship dominated the results I was able to find this blog entry on an Alskan cruise for seniors (55+) at a discounted price.

There's also an article on the fairly new law that Alaskan voters passed to curb the environmental impact of the cruise ships.

New marketing technique at Disney includes travel VOD

I thought that this article on Disney's new travel-focused, video-on-demand programming was timely considering our recent discussion of travel TV shows.

According to the article, "Disney's channel, called Travel on Demand, will be available to 9 million Time Warner Cable Inc. and Cablevision Systems Corp. digital customers starting later this month." When watchers see something inspiring, they can press a button on their remotes to prompt a call from a Disney travel agent.

I like this kind of innovative advertising and it makes perfect sense for both Disney and the cable companies. Disney creates the content and pays the cable companies to show it - cable companies make money. Disney gets access to people who are asking for more information on their products - the most likely customers. And since these people watching Disney's "Travel on Demand" are giving their attention willingly they pay only for the people who hear their message.

10 adventurous summer vacation ideas

This Forbes article is an interesting introduction to their 10 pictures of adventurous summer vacation spots.

This one sounds like my favorite:

That’s the case at The Tu Tu Tun Lodge in Gold Beach, Ore. It welcomes both serious and casual kayakers alike. Book a stay and you can take rigorous half-day trips down the Rogue River on one of the lodge’s 12 sea kayaks or stick to a leisurely half-hour ride. Either way, you'll likely see beaver dens and families of otters. The owners pack box lunches for kayakers taking the longer trips, which can be enjoyed on one of the many sandy beaches on the river.

I'd better take a few kayaking lessons as I'm not sure I have the skill to enjoy myself on a "rigorous" trip.

The 10 spots were:

1. Surfing
Four Seasons Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo

2. Sailing
Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort in St. John

3. Swimming With Dolphins
The Cove Atlantis in Paradise Island, Bahamas

4. Skiing
Llao Llao Hotel and Resort, Golf-Spa in Bariloche, Argentina

5. Scuba Diving
Four Seasons in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

6. Wilderness Travel
Hotel de Larche in Atacama Desert, Chili

7. Mountaineering
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in Jasper, Canada

8. Off-Road Biking
Westin Resort & Spa in Whistler, Canada

9. Kayaking
Tu Tu Tun Lodge in Gold Beach, Oregon

10. Whitewater Rafting
Upper Yangtze River, Tibet

Follow the pictures link above to see them and read a quick blurb about each. The photo of Atacama Desert, Chili is especially awesome.

Virtual vacations or fantasy vacations with Second Life computer software

I suppose people are becoming too addicted to computers when they go on virtual vacations like the one in this article where people would rather watch their avatar lay out on a beach then do it themselves:

Visitors need only download a free program, then log in. With the help of elaborate 3-D locales designed and built by the world's residents, tourists can watch their online embodiments -- known as their avatars -- lounge at the beach, dine at a romantic restaurant, or go out dancing at a crowded nightclub.

Now I love looking at pictures and reading about vacation experiences - I think the internet is great for that stuff. But that's about as vicarious as I want to get. When it comes to shopping for culturally significant souvenirs and dancing with scantily clad women (or my wife as the case may be) I think I prefer the real world to the online one.

This very similar article (some parts are the same) calls them fantasy vacations. However some people treat them as if they were quite real:

Like in the real world, it's easy to get lost. Longtime inhabitants of "Second Life" are creating automated tours, opening virtual travel agencies and even publishing travel guidebooks modeled after those seen in the hands of confused tourists.

"There are sections on how to fly and how to hover," said co-writer Paul Carr. But despite such necessary adjustments, he said, "it's very much like going to a foreign country."

It's probably not entirely fair for me to judge something I've never tried, but here I go anyway. The only possibly good thing about this is meeting people from other countries on your virtual vacation. Americans are only 25% of the virtual vacation population it seems. Online translators are supposed to allow people to communicate, but those things are never 100% accurate. Actually, as a linguist interested in computer moderated communication and translation this seems much more interesting to me than virtual dancing on a fantasy beach...

Has anyone tried this free program (at least you don't have to pay to not go on vacation) called Second Life?

10 free things to do in London not including museums

London is expensive as everyone knows – the 5th most expensive city in the world, according to the information I just looked up. And especially at the moment, with the exchange rate hovering around $2 to the pound. A decent hotel room in London costs around $150 a night, and the “tube” – London's beloved but overcrowded subway system - is now the most expensive mass transit system in the world. With that in mind, here are 10 free things to do in London (not including major museums – many of which are still free)

1) Speaker’s Corner
At the corner Hyde Park near Marble Arch. A royal decree of 1855 guaranteed the right of free speech on this spot, to anyone. Go on a Sunday morning to see people lecture on just about anything they like. The hecklers in the crowd are all part of the fun. Past speakers here include Karl Marx and George Orwell.

2) London’s churches
There are many historic churches hidden away all over London, some by the famous architects Wren and Hawksmoor. Many offer free lunchtime concerts. Two of the most famous churches are St. Martin’s in the Fields, in Trafalgar Square – the model for many US colonial churches; and St. Paul’s Church in Covent Garden. This church is known as the actor’s church and has memorials to Noel Coward and Vivien Leigh, among others.

3) Highgate Cemetery
The most famous and picturesque of London’s several picturesque Victorian cemeteries. The eastern cemetery, containing the grave of Karl Marx is free to visit; the western part can be visited only on a guided tour. If Highgate cemetery looks familiar – it has featured in dozens of horror films.

4) Old Bailey
Anybody can come in here to see proceedings at what is probably the most famous court in the world. Admission is on a first come, first served basis. The building stands on the site of the infamous Newgate Prison and has featured in many books and movies – notably "A Tale of Two Cities" and "V for Vendetta".

5) Burlington Arcade
This beautiful Victorian shopping arcade just off Piccadilly offers some of London’s most delightful small specialist shops. (It costs nothing to window shop!) Burlington Arcade has its own rules – no running or whistling allowed. And at 5:30 pm every day, you can watch members of London’s oldest police force – the Beadles – ceremoniously ring a bell to close the stores.

6) Changing of the Guard
Takes place outside Buckingham Palace, daily from April to July at 11:30 am, otherwise on alternate days. Sometimes canceled due to bad weather or special events – and you have to arrive really early for a vantage point. Try watching the guards on Horseguard's Parade, where there are fewer crowds.

7) Ceremony of the Keys, Tower of London
A centuries old tradition – the nightly and ceremonial locking up of the tower by a Beefeater. To obtain free tickets for this event, you must apply in writing to the tower several weeks ahead of time.

8) Hampstead Heath
This huge expanse of parkland to the north of central London is popular with locals and tourists alike. The heath offers miles of trails, kite flying, picnic spots and a small boating pond – as well as excellent views over London. And you may see a celebrity or two – many famous people live in Hampstead.

9) Recordings at the BBC
It’s possible to get free tickets to see all sorts of shows being taped at the BBC TV centre in west London, and other venues throughout London. Check the BBC web site for details.

10) London’s Blue Plaques
They are everywhere in London – over 800 of them, and trying to spot them can be addictive. Distinctive blue plaques on many buildings indicate which famous person lived there at one time or another. The composer Handel and the rock musician Jimi Hendrix lived next door to each other in Brook Street, Mayfair – just not at the same time.

Check with the official London tourist board for details of these and other free things to do. Also, Time Out magazine has many listings for free events, etc.

Written by guest travel blogger, Mancunian

If you want to read some old blog entries on London, here you go: Sherlock Holmes' London, DaVinci Code tourism, London & Amsterdam travel plan, England travel plan, Harry Potter's England.

Upgrades, honeymoons, celebrity vacations, and a little extra

I travel fairly often and have never gotten an upgrade so I thought this article on how to position yourself for possible upgrades was an interesting one. I had a male colleague once who claimed he had never flown without getting an upgrade because he was always able to charm the ticketing agent and ask for an upgrade. Then again he was also a professional French horn player, ran a free homestay for missionaries, and trained Navy SEALs on silent assassination techniques. Pretty good for an English teacher in Korea but I'm not entirely sure that everything he said was true...

The upgrades thing reminds me of the Friends sitcom where Chandler and Monica on their honeymoon see the couple in front of them (also honeymooners) getting upgraded. I've read that honeymooners should let everyone know that they are on a honeymoon as this increases the chances of getting an upgrade.

I did find a fellow blogger who chose Puerto Rico over Hawaii for her honeymoon: Travels of Lizzie Bean: Puerto Rico Honeymoon!. Speaking of Hawaii, it is still on the top of the list for Americans looking to get married somewhere special, but fewer people are actually choosing Hawaii. I think the blogger above is a perfect example of that. Hawaii was their first thought but Puerto Rico won in the end.

By the way, to really go all out on your honeymoon you can go wherever the celebrities go (if you have the money to follow them). This article talks about some popular celebrity travel spots. This article for Indian travelers talks about some off the beaten path options. Interesting (it makes perfect sense of course) that Canada and Alaskan cruises are exotic destinations from an Indian perspective.

Not every marriage produces babies, but it's common enough for me to link to this New York Times article on babymoons next. I've written about babymoons before and even taken some criticism for my opinions but I still think a lot of babymoons are silly - especially ones that include free gifts like photo albums. Don't people want to choose their own?

The last article I have for you is this one titled "Vacation trend: immersing yourself in a different culture". It also devotes a good chunk of space to discussing why the internet has not put travel agents out of business yet, although their numbers are decreasing.

Liberty of the Seas cruise experience & review day 2

On Day 2 (have you read about day 1 yet?), Royal Caribbean had a meeting to provide more information about Liberty of the Seas and to get feedback as well. One of the programs being introduced by Royal Caribbean is their ‘Vitality’ program, which makes it easier for passengers to integrate their personal wellness regimes into the cruise experience. For example, the menus have low fat selections marked with the ‘Vitality’ symbol (including vegetarian but not vegan selections), as well as the more traditional cruise fare.

This talk about ‘Vitality’ was inspiring, so we took off for the fitness center. There you can watch TV while you work out, or just look out at the ocean. Naturally, all the equipment was brand new and there was plenty of it. Liberty of the Seas even has a boxing ring in the Fitness Center!

Of course, the virtuous feeling you get in the Fitness Center can be offset if you stop at the Sprinkles soft ice cream machines near the H2O Zone water spray ground. The H2O Zone is very colorful, with fountains, spray characters, waterfalls, and a designated family swimming pool.

For this preinaugural cruise, Liberty of the Seas had opened several types of staterooms for us to see, and Royal Caribbean personnel were on hand to answer questions. The rooms were all beautiful. There was a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom (like ours); an aft Family Suite with a master bedroom, a 2nd bedroom with pull down bunk beds, and a living room with sofa bed; a Family Stateroom with a bunk bed alcove and porthole style windows; a Junior Suite with a big balcony; a Grand Suite with a bigger balcony and a good size bar; an Interior Stateroom which is wheelchair accessible; an interior Promenade Stateroom and an interior Promenade Family Stateroom both with the views of the Royal Promenade; an Oceanview Stateroom, the elegant Owners Suite, and the very elegant Royal Suite and Presidential Family Suite with their own hot tubs on their balconies!

Since Liberty of the Seas is the biggest ship on the sea, walking around to all the open staterooms made us hungry. Lunch was being served so that was our next stop. There were several choices for lunch including the vegetarian & Vitality choices. There was one choice we didn’t recognize - Nasing Goreng - slightly spicy fried rice with a soft egg and skewered chicken. It was good! Our waiter told us it was an Indonesian dish.

We like T-shirts and always check out the gift shops, so that was our first after-lunch activity. No matter how old our children get, we still like to get them souvenirs and we found just what we wanted on the Royal Promenade.

Then on to RoyalCaribbean Online, the Internet Café. The computers were all in use and we hadn’t brought our laptops so we decided to try later.

We did look at some of the art that is all around the ship. For Liberty of the Seas, Royal Caribbean introduced the ‘Illusion or Reality’ art platform where what you see is not always what you think. Throughout the ship, there are pictures, sculptures, sculptural pieces which are transformed by a series of virtual animations, light as art, and even a classic Morgan sports car.

There was still plenty we had not seen yet. The Flow Rider water feature was a bit beyond our abilities, but it was fun watching some of the younger generation surfing right on board.

We were also in spectator mode for the Rock Climbing Wall which really looked high from up close. Liberty of the Seas also has a miniature golf course which was more our speed!

We wanted to stop at Johnny Rockets for a soda, but it was too windy for the tables outside and there was a wait to get inside, so that was a pass. There was loads of room at the Windjammer Café’s Afternoon Tea.

Dinner on Day 2 was formal and a lot of people were stopping by the Photo Gallery for portraits. By now, we knew the food would be excellent and it was. The specialty of the evening was Beef Fillet. The service continued to impress.

After dinner, the internet café had emptied out so we caught up on email before going to the evening’s main entertainment – Micky Dolenz.

Micky Dolenz was formerly with the Monkees and he put on a tremendous show. The Monkees had so many hits that we all know the music, and he also did some non-Monkees songs. The people with Micky Dolenz, including his sister Coco, were also very good, as were the Royal Caribbean Orchestra members who accompanied them.

Now we were getting tired, so we went back to our lovely stateroom and discovered two nice things. There were chocolates on our pillows and we could watch the Royal Promenade’s Dancing in the Streets live on TV.

The next morning disembarking was easy. We had only carry-on luggage and there was no customs procedure. Everyone was allowed to leave as soon as they were ready; no waiting for your floor to be called. It may be different when the ship leaves America for longer cruises.

We’d seen and done so much in our short two days and nights on Liberty of the Seas, and yet there was so much more to do. We needed more time to get to the On Air Club karaoke bar and the unusually decorated Catacombs bar (and many of the other bars). We needed more time to get to the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers show ‘EverAfter’. We needed more time for the seminars and classes that sounded like fun. We needed more time for the whirlpools and swimming pools. We needed more time for a whole list of other activities. A week might not be long enough to try all that Liberty of the Seas has to offer.

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would highly recommend Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas to anyone considering a cruise vacation.

Day 1: Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas experience and review

Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas is new and big! It’s the largest cruise ship at sea. This preinaugural trip for travel agents, writers & multiple support service people left from Bayonne NJ at 5:00 PM May 7th 2007. We sailed from May 7th to May 9th. The ship was very impressive as we approached, although we were wishing we’d used a car service instead of driving ourselves.

The boarding process started at noon, and it took a little time to go through the security procedures, which included getting a room key card which can bring up your picture on security computers. This was all fine as we are in favor of tight security.

Once on board, we found we had a beautiful room, a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom, on deck 9. There was a sliding glass door to a balcony with 2 chairs and a small table, and privacy glass on each side. Since Liberty of the Seas is a new ship, everything sparkled! The blackout curtains & bedspread were in a very pretty fabric. The bed was king sized and there was a plush sofa, plus a closet and a dresser with a neat design for opening without knobs. The room had a small safe and a very pretty bathroom with a shower. The swivel TV had regular programming as well as channels devoted to the ship for safety and other information. We liked everything about the room!

We’d seen some info on line and were looking forward to seeing the whirlpools that overhung the sides of the ship, the FlowRider surfing simulator, the huge Rock Climbing Wall, and other attractions - but first – lunch.

The buffet was open and so were the pools and whirlpools. As soon as we ate a very nice lunch, complete with strawberry daiquiris, we headed for the whirlpools. We wanted one of the cantilevered whirlpools that overhang each side of the ship. Since we were still in port, we made sure we went into the one on the water side. There were 10 people in it and still room for more. It was very relaxing.

Next, everyone congregated on the top decks to celebrate departure. The captain took us close to the Statue of Liberty as we left, and that was an exciting sight. Then under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and off to sea. The Captain said that the top of the ship cleared the bridge by approximately 8 feet.

There were some private cocktail parties for different groups, and we were invited to the one for Royal Champions - aka internet partners. Live music, an ice sculpture, canapés, drinks, a goody bag, and chats with Royal Caribbean International personnel made for a pleasant time.

We were in the early seating for dinner. The dining room is enormous, but the design still made it seem cozy. It’s a magnificent 3 decks high with a grand staircase, live music, a huge chandelier, delicious food and impeccable service.

By the time we finished a sumptuous dessert – raspberry panna cotta (Italian pudding) - the casino was open. We had a few tries at the slot machines before moving on to the Ice Show.

Yes, Liberty of the Seas has an ice skating rink! This show was called “Encore! an Ice Spectacular” and it was very enjoyable. The skaters went all out to entertain. This is not the place to see Olympic type jumps, but just to enjoy the talent, choreography and costumes of the international ice cast and special guest stars.

There were many activities to choose from, and after the Ice Show we opted to hear the Swingin’ High Quartet at The Sphinx Lounge. We also made it to the 1970’s Street Party in the Royal Promenade. The Royal Promenade has shops, Seattle Coffee, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, Sorrento’s Pizza and more. It runs through the center of the ship with plenty of horizontal room for dancing in the street and plenty of vertical space above for banners and platforms. It was like walking down a busy city street lined with shops. There are many interior staterooms that have bay window views down onto the Promenade.

Next we went to the well appointed arcade. Unfortunately the Ferrari F355 ride simulator was not working, but the Taxi Driver game was loads of fun. The arcade was one of many activities geared to young passengers. While there were not many kids on this preinaugural trip, we could see there were plenty of play areas and computer stations designed for younger guests.

Our last stop for Day 1 was the piano bar at Olive or Twist. A very pleasant way to wind down.

Stay tuned for day 2 experiences and more pictures!

Debate: traditional wedding vs. extravagant honeymoon

This is actually a homework assignment for students in my debate class, but regular readers are welcome to play.

The topic is eloping and splurging on a honeymoon (this includes destination weddings) vs. spending a bunch of money on a traditional wedding and spending comparatively less money on the honeymoon.

For example, my sister was talking to me about her wedding ceremony and reception in Boston for 150 or guests. It's going to cost a lot of money. I told her to forget about the reception, spend as little as possible on the wedding, and spend as much as possible on the honeymoon.

That's my honest advice because I barely remember my wedding reception - it was fine but nothing special compared to my 9 week honeymoon in Italy. I'll remember those 2 months in Italy forever.

However my sister went for the big wedding reception because she wants to share her wedding day with as many friends and family members as possible.

So enough about me and my sister. What do you think is better between:

a) a traditional wedding (expensive) and a normal honeymoon OR
b) a cheapo wedding (with only a few guests like immediate family) and an extra expensive honeymoon?

Review of Traveler's Joy honemoon registry web site

The following is a paid review:

I've blogged a few times about Honeymoon registries so when I was contacted about reviewing Traveler's Joy honeymoon registry web site, I decided to do it.

A honeymoon registry is similar to a regular wedding registry but the gifts are different. Instead of blenders and things you get stuff for your honeymoon: plane tickets, hotel rooms, spa treatments, etc. I love the idea. My honeymoon was a 9 week trip to Italy and I recently recommended that my sister skip the wedding reception and spend the money on honeymoon travel instead (she didn't listen to me).

So I love the idea of a honeymoon registry, the question is how do I like the Traveler's Joy honeymoon registry web site. Traveler's Joy is not a travel agency and the couples themselves decide when and where to book their honeymoon. However they do make a few suggestions. After each suggestion they link to Travelocity.com deals and Amazon.com books. As regular readers here will know, several people have had problems with Travelocity and if there's one time you don't want a problem it's on your honeymoon. Still I can't knock them too much for promoting Travelocity - a lot of people use them happily.

Traveler's Joy makes money by charging a service fee of 7.5% of the total gifts received. That seemed steep to me but then I read their explanation (accepting credit cards online is expensive) and I also realized I have no idea what a normal wedding registry costs.

I didn't sign up for an account although I did try to. After wasting a few minutes filling everything in with my Korean address, I realized that your address has to be in one of a handful of countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Ireland, South Africa). I do have a US address but I wasn't ready for a second try. Still if you live in one of those countries registration looks to be pretty easy.

My conclusion: Honeymoon registries are way better than wedding registries because traveling is way better than house stuff. Your honeymoon is something you remember forever but that blender you got will be forgotten when it gets replaced in a few years...

So about the web site? If you've decided on a honeymoon registry you have to consider Traveler's Joy.com but you should also shop around to see if 7.5% is the best you can do in terms of fees.

Sawadee Spa Cebu travel tip

Here's a little Cebu travel tip on the Sawadee Spa near Plantation Bay. My wife and I went there on a Saturday night because the Kilimanjaro Springs Spa at Plantation Bay couldn't accommodate my wife and I at the same time.

When we got to Sawadee, we asked them if they could give us massages at the same time. If we waited an hour then they could. They showed us the massage price list in US dollars and we were surprised to see the prices were about the same as in the resort (though they had more massage choices). The prices started at $25 for an hour-long massage.

My wife insisted on seeing the price sheet for locals, in pesos. At first they pretended not to know what she was talking about but when my wife insisted they gave us another price sheet. Here the $25 massage was 550 pesos, about $11.50. This is the first travel tip: insist on paying in pesos and make sure you see the peso price list.

We chose Shiatsu massages but still had to wait an hour. We asked them where we could pass the time and the recommended the bar downstairs. My wife and I knew the only other option was to walk around the area sweating our butts off because it was so hot. We would have seen real Filipino life since there were lots of natives out and about. But we would have gotten hot and sweaty (no fun for the masseuse) and the area was a little depressing because it looked so poor.

We went to the bar downstairs and saw posters of women on the way. My wife started wondering what kind of bar this was. Before entering you had to pay the cover (100 pesos that included a drink) for the show. There was an opaque door with a picture of a woman with large breasts painted on it. My wife asked what kind of show we’d be seeing. The woman said it was kind of a comedy show. We didn't believe her but we paid and went in.

The place was empty; we were the only customers. There were a few waiters and some women in tight dresses walking around. We sat down at a table not to close to the bar and a waiter brought us some menus and told us which drinks we could get in exchange for the cover we'd paid. As we were ordering two ladies in fancy dresses came over, sat down with us, and said hi.

When my wife saw their faces and heard them say hi she was quite relieved because she realized they were (or at least had been) male. I didn't share her relief. Male or female, my wife didn't want to buy them drinks so she told them we didn't want any company and they left. An hour later (at 9:30) the show (which was supposed to start at 9:00) still hadn't started. We left and got our shiatsu massages at Sawadee – these were very good.

We could have gone back downstairs to see some of the "comedy" transvestite show, but we decided to go back to Plantation Bay to do some night swimming instead.

Interestingly, the taxi driver that had taken us there was waiting for us when we got out. Apparently he had waited 2 hours even though we told him not to wait (we saw him waiting on our way to the transvestite bar and told him we'd be a while so he shouldn’t wait). I’m not quite sure why he decided to wait. Maybe he knew that we'd feel obligated to give him a nice tip on the way back to the resort. On the way there the meter came to 67 pesos (about $1.40, the price of 4 mangos in the supermarket) and we’d tipped an extra 20 pesos. I don’t remember what the meter was on the way back, but thinking we didn’t need any more Filipino money we gave him most of ours.

Of course the next day we'd be looking for an ATM to pay the exit fee we didn't know about, but that’s another story. I'll blog about Cebu’s terrible airport in a few days.

Speaking of future blog entries, I'll soon begin talking about and sharing pictures of Royal Carribean’s new Liberty of the Seas. Royal Caribbean sure knows how to impress travel agents and writers – it was a wonderful experience and everything was free. Thank you again for reading this blog. If I didn't have lots of readers I never would have gotten to experience the new Royal Caribbean ship.

Delaware vacation: Rehoboth Beach or Bethany Beach & hotel recommendations please

I recently received this question: I have a wife and 2 small kids. Has anyone stayed at a place in either Rehoboth Beach or Bethany Beach that they could recommend to a family with small kids. Thanks...

I've compiled a few answers. Please leave a comment below if you can add something.

Answer #1: Henlopen Hotel is oceanfront but pretty reasonably priced.

Answer #2: Thos are pretty nice beaches. Rehoboth Beach is known as the gay beech town though. Don't know if that would bother you with the kids. I would stay in Bethany Beech instead.

Answer #3: Didn't stay there, but passed on my way up from Ocean City. Very nice town with a lot of places to eat and shop and looked like nice beaches. They make excellent beer there also, DogFish Head...

Answer #4: I stayed in nearby Bethany Beach a few years back and liked it a lot. It's a little more laid back but still plenty close enough to Rehoboth or Ocean City, MD. We stayed at Sea Colony, a high rise complex. It was very nice so I can recommend it. Dewey beach nearby is good times.