Travel plan idea blog

Disney Marathon: advice on where to stay and how to make the most of the experience

Question: I've signed up for the DisneyWorld Marathon in January. I was wondering if any of you have been...where you stayed, if you have any suggestions. Right now I have some stuff from AAA and it looks like some pretty decent deals. Luckily now with Jet Blue having a direct flight from Syracuse to Orlando, my travel got a bit easier. Anybody have any tips?

From me: Previous Disney advice, Eating at Disney, Port Orleans or Caribbean Beach, Disney World comments

Answer 1: Running the marathon will be cake compared to figuring out where to stay. I was in Disney 16 years ago, but since it has blossomed. Do you have any experiences with the ALL STAR resorts? Those are certainly the cheapest. Speaking of cheap, the best deal is the disney meal plan - you save tons of money. It is a 37$ a day service that entitles you to one snack, one counter service (a sandwich, burger, pizza, etc) (including food courts) and one table service dinner. These can be in the park you are in or any of the hotels. We grabbed water and an orange slush as snacks, had sandwiches at the Pinochio (sp.) Village Hause and a fabulous dinner at Ohana. I would say we saved at least $30 a day.

ALL STAR Rooms are smaller, but we found that we're in our room so little it doesn't matter too much. But it depends on what you want to do. If you want a bigger room, move up to moderate. More expensive, but bigger room. I'd suggest Port Orleans French Quarter. great atmosphere, great food court, nice pool, boat ride away from Downtown Disney, not far from much.

Answer 2: Stay outside the Disney property if money is an issue. There are some nice, less expensive places in the immediate area. If you don't mind spending more, stay at the Grand Floridian in the park. It's magnificent though very pricey. There are many more moderately priced places in the park as well.

Answer 3: I've been there about 20 or so times. I've stayed at mostly all of the resorts. If you're looking at the Value resorts, I'd recommend Pop Century over any of the All-Star
resorts. It is newer, cleaner and has its own bus for transportation to the parks. The 3 All-Star resorts share buses most of the time. Lots of stops before you get off.

Answer 4: Just got back about a month ago and here are my tips:

- Take advantage of the "Magic Your Way" package - much quicker through the airport.

- Stay for AT LEAST 10 days - you can do one park per day in a week, but you'll regret it. Spreading it out to 1/2 park per day makes it much easier, and gives you a chance to enjoy your resort.

- Disney is MUCH MUCH bigger than it looks on any map. 45 square miles serviced by 300+ busses - it's a small city and those bus stops can resemble city bus stops at rush hour, so expect that. Still - I remember thousands of people trying to get the monorail at the same time back when I was a kid. I think there was one instance where we had to wait over a half hour to get loaded on a bus. Again - be ready for it - if you're bringing kids, make sure you've got plenty of snacks on hand.

- Bring one backpack to load up with water, snacks, extra clothes etc. If you've got a kid under 6, grab a stroller.

- We stayed onsite at Port Orleans. Stunningly beautiful resort, but it was COLLOSSAL. A good 10+ minute walk to the office from our room. All of the resorts are big, and one way to save time is to find out where the busses pick up FIRST. If you're at one of the last bus stops at your resort, you may wait a looooooong time for a pick up.

- PLAN. Have a plan every day. What attractions do you want to hit? Check for show schedules - ESPECIALLY in MGM - half that park runs on schedules. If you can, plan your day around the extended days for resort guests - that saved us a ton of time.

- Animal Kingdom was my favorite - but watch those park hours - that one closes up super early.

Answer 4: Regarding the meal plan, we didn't get it. The food portions are gigantic. My wife and I split entrees much of the week, and we definitely came in lower $$$ than the meal plans, and we still ate at all the nice restaurants - even the expensive one's aren't that bad at lunchtime. (I heavily suggest the Cobb Salad at the Brown Derby in MGM). When we got there, we purchased cereal, milk and oatmeal. Breakfast in room before we'd leave for the day. (fridge in room)

Don't miss Tower of Terror or the Aerosmith Coaster in that park either. If needed - use the 'childswap' feature.

Answer 5: Active duty or retired military: If you qualify, check out the Armys self supporting resort (R&R type) on the fringe of Disney World. Shades of Green. If I recall a PFC last year paid about $37 for a room and a Major paid $180 for the same room. Full resort, 36 holes, transportation links, etc.

Answer 6: While you are at Disney, don't forget to take advantage of FastPass. FastPass allows you to ride the rides on a shorter line. You don't need to sign up for Fastpass. All tickets can use the Fastpass system. Basically the most popular rides have ticket machines that give you a ticket with a one hour window during which you can return for the ride. You get to go in the Fastpass line, which bypasses almost everyone on the normal line. You just insert your park ticket into the machine near the attraction entrance.
My best advice is to buy the "Unofficial Guide to Disneyworld" by Bob Sehlinger. It has answers to every question imaginable, and the best advice for navigating the parks and avoiding lines.

Posted by James Trotta at 5:48 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Opinions needed on Giants away game trip

Question: The last 2 years my buddies and I have done a Giant away game and made a long a weekend out of it. We've done Buffalo and Pittsburgh, both great games in not so entertaining cities. This year Denver was the clear favorite, till the game was picked up on Thanksgiving. Now the group is split between Kansas City and New Orleans. The guys who want a great game day experience are in favor of KC, but the ones who want more to do in the city like New Orleans. Personally, I'm in favor of KC. Cost is a factor. Where would you most like to go?

My answer: I was in New Orleans in 2000 for Mardi Gras and it was awesome. Post-Katrina, reports have been mixed with some people loving it and some people saying it's dangerous. One of the people saying it's dangerous is a friend who lives in the French Quarter. I haven't talked to her in 2 years but 2 years ago (almost exactly) she said she didn't feel safe at all in the French Quarter and she would go outside for a smoke without her porch light on to avoid attention. Gunshots were not common but not unheard of. I mentioned this was keeping me from seriously considering a return to NO a while back.

A big group of guys not looking for trouble might be OK though and the food is said to be good (I couldn't afford any of it back in 2000). Also in favor of New Orleans is they should be better than the Chiefs so that could be the more entertaining game. Maybe.

I would go to Kansas City. I love BBQ, especially pulled pork. Plus I've never been there. People say KC has one of the best crowds in the NFL. Tailgating there is great as the Chiefs fans are friendly to anyone not wearing a Raiders jersey.

Downtown KC is now the Power and Light District. They say it's pretty hip. You can take a trip to the Negro League Museum - said to be very nice, but a little small. The Jazz museum is right there with it, should be worth a visit.

Anyway, if you're reading this please help so we don't have another repeat of this embarrassment the last time someone asked about a mancation.

Posted by James Trotta at 11:21 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Help a reader with a European vacation plan: Barcelona to Milan and lots in between!

Here's a question that I'm sure someone here can help with:

I am an avid reader of your blog. I asked you for some help two years ago for a vacation to Vieques. I am writing again to ask for some advice on a trip to Europe. We(two people) will be traveling into Barcelona and departing from Milan. We will be there for two weeks. We will stay in Barcelona for a few days and then move on the southern France (esp. Nice, Cannes, Marseilles, etc.) then make our way to Milan. Particularly, I would like to get some recommendations for traveling between the cities.Here are some options:

Buying a 3 country Eurail pass with 5 times use.

Renting a car when leaving Barcelona (would need automatic transmission; also, is a US license ok?)

Taking a plane from Barcelona to Nice. Then another plane to Milan a few days later.

We will be traveling the last week of August through the first week of September.

Any other hotel, restaurant recommendations would also be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Janak

By the way, Janak, I've been to both Spain and Italy but not to Barcelona or Milan. I'm a bit jealous of your next trip. I'm sure it will be awesome!

Posted by James Trotta at 12:03 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Grand Canyon tour ideas

I just received a nice compliment and an email from Louise:

I love the variety of issue you get into on your blog. I have a question for you - my husband and I would like to visit the Grand Canyon this fall. We live in Michigan, so we prefer to fly somewhere and then rent a car or connect with a tour - do you have any ideas?

I have some research on the Grand Canyon somewhere. I read that most tourists go to either the south or north but for some reason I wanted to go to the other side. I'll hvae to look for my notes to figure out if it was north or south. Also, I remember reading about different kinds of tours: you can ride a mule down, raft for a few days, take a bus that stops at a few scenic overlooks, etc.

I'll ask Louise to talk about what kind of tour would be best but if anyone has some ideas, please share.

Edit: Louise told me this...

My husband is handicapped and cannot do a lot of walking, so we were thinking of a tour that would take us on a driving tour around the sights of the park. Is that feasible? Should we fly into Las Vegas or Phoenix? Should we rent a car and drive to the park and then stay there a few nights? Recommendations of places to stay would be helpful, too.

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How much money does it cost to travel and stay in the UK for a week?

Reader submitted question:

How much money does it cost to travel and stay in the UK for a week? I have been thinking about this for a while and was hoping you might be able to shed some light on the subject. Any help would be appreciated.
yours truly,
John

Well John, I might be able to help you some since I did spend a week in London (for New Year's 2009). But I definitely can't help you when it comes to traveling to London as I have no idea where you're traveling from. Flying from New York is probably cheaper than any other city in North America but that could be untrue depending on regional sales.

So you can go to Kayak.com or something to get get an idea of flight costs. Regarding a place to stay, I spent about 90 or 100 GBP a night I think staying in Central London at an illegal Korean B&B. I never did get around to telling that story but there was some drama involved. We did hear about cheaper (legal) B&Bs as well. A friend of mine stayed in a flat in Swiss Cottage for about 45 GBP a night - he had longer subway journeys and stuff but London is big and even though I was downtown in Victoria Station I still pretty much took the subway everywhere.

Since he had his own flat he was able to save money by cooking. Eating out in London is pretty expensive.

O2 Arena question.
My 6th day in London (check out the part about Wabamama for an idea of an "inexpensive" lunch).
Free attractions in London (museums are often free and this lists a few other things)

If anyone has more advice please share.

And John, if you're not staying in London, let us know what your plans are!

Posted by James Trotta at 9:06 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Vegas hotels for a traveler who is under 21?

Here's a reader submitted question on vegas hotel for someone who is not yet 21:

What hotels can I reserve in Las Vegas if I'm not 21? I am trying to figure out what is important. I was hoping you might be able to give me some insight. Any help appreciated. Thank you for your help.
Warmest Regards,
Peter

Posted by James Trotta at 9:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Anyone have a Manhattan Club Timeshare?

Reader submitted question: My mom bought into the Manhattan Club three years ago. She has been in not so great health in the last couple years so I've been trying to
help her out with anything I can.

Anyways, she asked me to call the Manhattan Club last week to try to book a room under our timeshare for a weekend in September. So I call and basically get laughed at, that we have to book our rooms NINE months in advance to get any type of room.

How is this possible? NINE MONTHS IN ADVANCE? We don't know what we're
doing 2 weeks from now, nevermind nine months in advance. We also have a Hilton Club timeshare in Manhattan and we can get a room there the night before we are going. It's friggin great.

But with Manhattan Club, we get 2 weeks during the year that can be used day by day, or week by week, whatever you choose. We wind up having to convert our weeks to RCI points and use them at other places. In three years, we've only been able to stay there once. It's ridiculous.

When my mom bought it, they told her she would only have to give a months notice during peak season (summer, christmas) and 2-3 weeks during off peak. Now it has suddenly turned into 9 months. I just talked to one of my friends whose dad has the same timeshare, he said he has this same problem, hasn't been able to get a room in 3 years. He's had it for 10 years. He called them last week to book a room 9 months in advance to the day, and he STILL couldn't get it. They said they were booked for the weekend he wanted already.

They must have way oversold the place. Anyone else have a timeshare there and have this exact same problem?

My answer: I don't have one, but I think it's pretty common in the "time share world"
to make those plans pretty far out in advance. Usually people have the same week every year and its locked up like that.

As you already know, however, the timeshares at the Manhattan Club are not locked in the same week every year. However you may want to consider choosing a time to go every year anyway so that you can make reservations 12 months in advance. If you're unable to do that it sounds like you're stuck with exchanging for RCI points because selling a timeshare is pretty tricky and you'll usually lose a good chunk of money.

Posted by James Trotta at 9:40 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Entry into Canada after DUI conviction?

Reader submitted question: Anyone know how closely they check for criminal inadmissibility? Anyone here have a DUI on their record and visit Canada? When they scan your passport does it show your criminal record???

My answer: I doubt anyone other than an immigration agent can answer with certainty, but I have heard of people being turned away at the Ontario border because of DUI on their record. I've also heard of Ontario immigration charging someone an extra $200 to enter at the airport because of a criminal record - I don't know exactly but it was a bar fight 15 years ago according to the guy I talked to.

I'm told that Quebec is less strict.

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Cheap apartment rental in Holland?

Here's a question I received via email:

We are planning to go to Europe for 6 weeks next year, staying in Holland as a base, traveling to Copenhagen, and then Budapest, Vienna and Romania. Do you have website pointers on the best way to select rail passes and inexpensive housing?

Posted by James Trotta at 7:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Prague Advice needed

Reader submitted question: I'm heading to Prague in about a week and a half. My girlfriend is playing for Team Canada in the Women's Lacrosse World Cup. Other than the games out at the stadium that I will be attending, I was hoping anybody who has been there could give me good recommendations on restaurants, pubs, sites to see, etc.
Also, if anybody has any advice on things and places to avoid that would also be great. I'm real excited, but I have very little idea of what to expect from Prague.

To do in Prague:

Check out the old town square, which has an open market every day. The John Lennon wall is kinda neat and easy to get to if you are interested. Definitely go to Prague Castle. You walk up to the top and can look out over the whole city. Walk across the Charles Bridge. They also have the biggest dance club in Europe too which might be worth checking out even if you aren't into dancing, just for the ridiculousness of it. Do a cruise on the Vlatava river. The Jewish cemetery is also a must.

Also, if you're interested in a day trip head to the Sedlec ossuary which is an hour train ride outside of Prague - pretty neat place with a chapel with structures inside made from human bones. Creepy too.

You must drink Kozel Dark, one of the greatest beers I have had in my entire life. I would say it somewhat resembles Guinness. Less creamy than Guinness, slightly sweeter, but also with a slight hint of coffee flavor. You have to try it.

Check out the Budvar Restaurant/Brewery - Home of the "real" Budweiser beer. Great brews, sausages, etc. Also U Fleku has had great beer since 1499. It's at Křemencova 11 in New Town.

A few things to consider:

Restaurants bring you bread then charge you for it. Unlicensed taxis might try to rip you off. Don't ride the trams without a ticket and just assume you'd get away with that. I was on a tram and this girl whips out a ticket and I start making fun of her, saying how easy it is to just ride it for free, and you'd have to be a huge pussy to buy a ticket. 30 seconds later, a plainclothes officer throws my friend and I off, and made us go to the nearest ATM and pay the fine.

Please note: these are not my personal stories - I've never been to Prague. I collected them people who have been there.

Posted by James Trotta at 10:54 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

O2 Arena and London accommodations question

Sister submitted question:

I'm toying with a crazy idea - I want to go see Nine Inch Nails July 15th at O2 (or July 14th in Manchester). I just saw them in Boston (where I live) this week, but I didn't realize this is their last tour. Or that for a $1000 donation (to help pay for a fan's heart transplant surgery) you can HANG OUT WITH THE BAND and watch the show FROM THE STAGE!!! They can't accommodate anymore of the VIP tickets on the North American tour, so I started looking into the overseas dates.

If I do this, I want to turn it into a trip and do some sightseeing with my husband (who will not be going to the concert with me). So I am wondering if anyone knows anything about how convenient the O2 Arena is to London area attractions. Alternatively, I could see the show in Manchester instead of London but I think I would prefer to visit London. I was there once in high school (1997) and don't remember too much. I have no idea where to stay, etc. Does anyone have any tips? I realize that is a rather vague request - sorry! I know London is expensive but I can get us there on frequent flier miles, so we really just have to worry about hotels and food, etc. And my $1000 concert ticket of course! Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

Cheers,
Julie

M personal response would be to just buy the ticket now if you're willing to spend $100-$150/night for a hotel in London or stay far away from the center and pay less. Obvisouly finding stuff to do will be no problem (go back from there to see my London experiences) and even if the O2 Arena is not central to the attractions, you wouldn't be doing anything else that night anyway.

Posted by James Trotta at 9:55 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Vacation question: California coast

Reader submitted question: I'm heading home from Iraq in 3 weeks and I'm trying to come up with a trip that will be fun for the family. It would be me and the wife, an 8 year old girl, a 2 year old boy, and a 1 year old boy. I was thinking that a nice trip along the California coast would be great for them, start in San Francisco. and work our way down to San Diego, stop at the big parks, sea towns, do hollywood, alcatraz, the zoo and sea world. take like 10 days to do it. Does this sound like a good trip for little kids?

Because of their age difference it's tough making them all happy, but they are fine driving in the car, and they all love to check out new things. Any other trip ideas?

A few ideas:

Northern CA has alot for families. Monterey, Bodega Bay, and Napa are fun, quiet places for a family to spend time together. I would start off in SF (ChinaTown, Pier 39, Ripleys Musuem, etc), travel to Monterey (golf and beaches) and then to Napa (wine country). Vallejo has a Marine World which can be a pit stop for the kids and Fairfield (where I lived) has the Jelly Belly Factory which is a very cool spot to take the kids while traveling around. From there, I would travel down the coastline and hit up all the attractions down to Disney World and finally to San Diego. Because of the kids, it will be hard to please them all the time, but remember its your vacation too.

Since you are starting in SF, make sure when you travel south, take Route 1 (aka Pacific Coast Highway). Along the way, you should stop off at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, take the 17 mile drive in Carmel, Big Sur, and Hearst Castle. If you are around San Luis Obispo on Thursdays, they have a street fair on the main drag. Further south, there is Universal Studios, Disneyland, Leggoland, San Diego Wild Animal Park, Seaworld, and San Diego Zoo.

Much better than the zoo is the San Diego Wild Animal Park - it's affiliated with the San Diego Zoo, but it's about 30 miles away in the northern part of the county. Absolutely blows any other normal zoo away. You get much closer to most of the animals than you would in a normal zoo, and they also have various areas where you can pet animals and feed birds, etc. The kids will absolutely love it. The best part is the huge (several hundred acre) open meadow where all of the animals (no predators obviously) live in the wild together - giraffes, rhinos, African deer, wildebeests - it's so awesome. If you really want to go all out, you can spend about $100 pp and take a safari ride through that open area - I didn't do it, but I wish I did, it looked like such an experience. Even if you don't do that, you can take a tram around the same area, and it's still awesome.

Related: LA to San Francisco, CA road trip, 17 mile drive in CA

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Vacation with the guys: ideas needed

Reader submitted travel question. If you have some mancation advice please leave a comment.

There are about 8-12 of us planning a trip. We party hard and we're all horny bastards. We're planning on the first week in October.

We have it down to the following:

Jaco, Costa Rica - Deep See fishing, Girls, Cheap Accommodations.
Las Vegas - The obvious plus you can get rooms for next to nothing.
Montreal - Save money on a flight, good strip clubs.
Rio - Pipedream, but could be a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Amsterdam / Munich - Another pipedream but if we could hit Amstersdam for a few days and then Oktoberfest in Munich...

Anyone had any experience with any of these places or could suggest something we haven't thought of? Thanks gents!

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I don't want to be Generation Y

I was reading this article, which was on Yahoo's front page, about how people are finding vacations stressful these days thanks to the bad economy and America's nearly 9% unemployment. Then they said that generation Y found it most stressful to leave work and go on vacation. The big problem I have with that is they say I am Generation Y (between 18 and 34).

I always thought I was Generation X - that's what I remember everyone talking about when I was in high school and university. What happened?

Back on topic though - if not working is too stressful how about learning some kind of skill on vacation? And if I find working more stressful than vacation can I be tossed from Generation Y?

Posted by James Trotta at 7:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Scalping Red Sox tickets - any tips?

Reader submitted question: Heading up to Boston this weekend for the Lacrosse Final 4 at Foxboro because Lacrosse is one of the best sports to watch live.

Was going to try to scalp for the Sox/Mets game sat night. Never been up there, are there reasonable scalpers around compared to Stub Hub? Stub wants like $70 for bleachers..

My answer: From what I hear it would be pretty hard to fail at scalping. There are always regular folks at the game with extra seats they are selling for face value and their are always scalpers. You might pay a little over face 30 minutes before the game but if you wait until the second inning you'll find discounts. Lansdowne St. is the best for that.

Plus if you do somehow fail to scalp tickets, there are plenty of bars for watching the game nearby. Across from Fenway is the Cask'n Flagon. It's the most famous but lines are very long if you don't go early and other than going to say you've been it's not better than the 30 or so other bars in the Fenway area.

Check out this blog entry for a few other Boston things to do. Also, one of my favorite restaurants is Antico Forno at 93 Salem Street. Excellent Italian style pizza, wonderful gnocchi.

Posted by James Trotta at 9:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

What to do in San Diego?

Question: I am heading out to San Diego this weekend with my girlfriend for a week...staying in the Mission Bay area. Anyone have any suggestions on things to do, places to eat, and anything else I need to know? Thanks in advance.

Assorted answers I was able to collect:

SD Zoo is cool. SeaWorld is a nice visit also. So is the aquarium. And the wild animal park (up towards Escondido) is also pretty darn good.

As for food, visit their Gaslamp district. TONS of great resturants there to choose from. Plus it's a nice area to walk around at night, so usually you just stroll through the area until you find something you like. I think there are around 150 something different resturants in that area, so you definitly have alot of options.

Finally if you want to spend a "cheap" afternoon, they have a pretty nice huge Mall they're proud of downtown. Just be careful of the parking at the mall. Each level is a different fruit or veggie and alot of times they look alike. LOL - Horton Plaza!...I've been lost plenty of times there. Make sure u mark down the fruit/vegetable area you parked at on your validation ticket. Even more important is making sure you take note of which store you walked by coming from the lot into the mall.

Old Town Mexican Cafe in the "Old Town" area. Fun/casual- good for any age group. Best Mexican food I've ever had. And I've had alot living in CA for the past 23 years. Go for the Seafood Tacos.

For fast food: Hodad's in Ocean Beach or find a Rubio's somewhere and get a fish taco. or Da Kine's Plate Lunches, if they are still around. IN-N-Out Burger.

Buffet Food: Onami's at Fashion Valley Mall

Eye Candy - Whiplash: Fashion Valley Mall, Pacific Beach or pretty much anywhere in SD

Piercings: Dr. Jefe's in OB

Picnic/JetSkiing/Boat Rentals: Mission Bay

Day at the Beach: Coronado

Gambling/Shopping: Viejas Casino and Outlets

If you go to La Jolla get a reservation at George's on the Cove Saturday night. Great fresh seafood, sit on the roof for awesome sunsets (don't worry, they have heatlamps) - it's a must do. Also, for pre-dinner beers, check out the Karl Strauss brewpub - great beers, nice ambiance. Can't recommend La Jolla more highly - however, it's 20 minutes away with some highway driving, so make sure one of you stays sober.

If you have car, I recommend driving down Sunset Cliffs (literally a road that goes along the cliffs after you get through the downtown) then drive out to Cabrillo Point. It's a National Monument so you need to pay or have a park pass.

If you and your gf play golf, Torrey Pines is amazing. Again, you'll pay - but well worth a look. If you want to play Torrey, you'll need to camp out overnight, and put your name in first thing when the pro shop opens. Otherwise, you have NO SHOT at playing Torrey.

Make sure that you take a game in at PETCO! That's a beautiful ballpark. The Padres are atrocious but what can you do?

Posted by James Trotta at 11:54 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Vacation ideas with a Toddler

Question: The wife and I are looking to take our first "real" vacation with our 15 month old daughter, and I wanted some takes on what vacations "work" with a small child of that age. Thus far, every trip has been to visit family, even if we stayed in a hotel. I have no doubt that my daughter would love a beach trip, so it's really about finding a place which will have a couple of fun things to do aside from playing on the beach/pool, preferably a place that has some babysitting services, and ideally a place that allows us to prepare SOME of her food in the room - really all we need for that is a fridge. Things like costumed characters (like in Disney) are a bonus, but I suspect she's really too young to enjoy a "theme park" type of vacation.

I've started looking around - I know the "beaches" chain caters to families, and Atlantis in the Bahamas seems to offer certain accommodations targeted at families as well. Since we are looking to go before the summer, I don't think a domestic beach trip would really be warm enough.

Also, how big a pain is it to get a passport for a toddler? I'm dreading forcing her to sit still while we wait in line at our local passport office.

Anyway, thanks for any advice you can offer. I know there are a lot of parents on this site, and a lot of travel gurus, so I thought I'd benefit from your collective insights.

1. I would tell you to take lollipops on the flight, and a laptop so she can watch Sesame Street, or whatever you think she would like to watch. Read this.

2. As far as the passport - It's really easy. We had our toddler get one, we got it done at the post office. Very easy.

I know people get scared off w/ kids but we went to Punta Cana, DR with a 1 and 4 year old. A lot of positives, the hotel was only 15 minutes from the airport which helps a lot with the kids. Most resorts have a ton of kid themed activities.

The hotel we went to = Melia Caribe. Great place. Has a Flinstone's land. Prices good. Food very good. Beach is amazing. Can't recommend it enough. The kids loved it. All the rooms are suites w/ refrigerators, etc.

3. Don't discount the Disney trip - 15 months might seem too young, but I did it with my son at that age (and my daughter at 3 years old) and they both loved it. He still remembers it to this day, 4 years later.

4. We went to Vermont when my oldest daughter was around 15 mos. and walked the historical villages/outlets while adding things like train rides and sightseeing tours. We were also able to get her naps in while driving between destinations - planned to do something in the morning and later in the afternoon.

Maybe I'm not the norm, but I never really enjoyed vacations when the girls were toddlers because most of what we did had to accommodate their needs. Now that they're older, vacations are a lot more enjoyable.

I sort of loathe taking the little one away from the child-protected house! I'm a freak about her safety admittedly.

5. For the passport, you can get the picture done anywhere and just bring the paperwork to a local Post Office that has a passport window. We got the picture at CVS in about 5 minutes and waited about 10 minutes at the Post Office.

We have taken our son out of the country twice and he's 4. We went to Aruba and Grand Cayman. Aruba when he was younger was easier and more enjoyable.

We were looking into Beaches for our next trip, but got the impression it caters more to slightly older children.

Consider length of flights and direct flights into the equation.

6. Think about looking into cruises if you don't want to be stuck at one place and I like to see a bunch of places, I highly recommend cruises if you have young ones. For example, we've taken two cruises with Norwegian Cruise Lines, one to Europe and one to South America. The boats have a day care center on the boat so you can spend time with the kids, pools, etc and also have them babysit, etc if you want to do a dinner for two in one of the restaurants. Look at it like a 'moving hotel'. The other plus is they have day tours at each spot (strollers are fine as well) and many of the tours are very kid friendly. Something to consider.

We are considering doing a Disney cruise which we've heard are fantastic for families and for young children which is no surprise. They have top notch daycare on a Disney Cruise.

7. Too young for DisneyWorld. You have to push them around everywhere at that age. They can't ride on hardly anything - which also means YOU can't And they'll never remember it. Age 4-5, depending on maturity is generally ideal for a first Disney trip.

Rent a house at the beach. Kids love playing in sand, and it's easy to pop back inside for a nap.

8. Having been there and done that my only suggestion is that where ever you go find a place that rents strollers,cribs etc. Packing all that stuff for a road trip is a mess. Also suggest you stay in a condo or similiar that includes laundry facilities.

9. Cape May, NJ: went with my son last September when he was a year and a half. Perfect for a 4-day weekend kind of thing. We stayed in Cape May, walked around the town and went to the Cape May Zoo. We also spent a day in Wildwood, which is about 15 minutes away and features a HUGE boardwalk/amusement park. My son had a fantastic time on all the kiddie rides. We're thinking about going again this year.

Posted by James Trotta at 7:26 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Disney travel advice needed

Question: I'm planning on heading down to Orlando sometime in late-September/early-October for about five days and plan on focusing the major portion of the trip on the Disney parks. I haven't been in nearly 15 years and, last time I did go, I was getting carted around with my parents. I've punched up a few websites and have found the discrepancy in prices quite alarming, as I can get a full trip at a Disney hotel for a large chunk of change, a stay at a top-tier hotel located in Downtown Disney for quite a bit less or go to a hotel further offsite for significantly less than both. I'd like to make the trip without having to rent a car, as most places advertise the fact they have shuttle services to and from the park and even Orlando International.

That said, I was wondering if any has had any recent experience with a trip to Disney World and can provide any feedback to their experience or overall suggestions. I'd like to make this as cost-effective as possible, but also don't want to deal with the headaches of getting stranded at certain places and unable to get to where I want to go (which is likely only Disney, as I have no real interest in going to anywhere else in Orlando). No children involved, only myself and my fiance and was wondering if anyone could provide information as to where to stay and whether we'll need that car or not.

Thanks in advance.

First, I'll point out a few older entries:

Disney meal plan and restaurants
5 day Disney travel plan advice
Disney honeymoon discussion
Disney & Universal
Port Orleans or Caribbean Beach?
Disney resort experiences & suggestions

And now a few comments I've collected:

Comment #1: Was down there about a month ago. We stayed at the Caribe Royale which is around 10 minutes from the Disney parks. We had a 2 bedroom villa and it was great. They also have 1 bedroom villas as well as the regular hotel & suite buildings. Our stay included the daily breakfast buffet whch was very good. Park tickets were available through the hotel as they have a desk in the lobby to purchase them. We did tickets for the 4 Disney parks(Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney Studios & Animal Kingdom) as well as Universal (w/Isles of Adventure) & Sea World. We got the park hopper options which were great but we couldn't take as much advantage as we wanted due to weather(we kept dodging thunderstorms). We lost somewhere between a day & a day and a half due to the storms. We drove ourselves everywhere but like most if not all places down there they had shuttles to all the parks. As for the cost I wish I had good info for you but I joined into my friend's vacation so they handled the reservations and bills with me just paying towards everything to cover myself.

Comment #2: Staying on Disney property is ideal for convenience, but not as important if you don't have kids. Late Sept. is a good time to go; since the kids are in school the parks are less busy and hotel rates are lower. There are 2 major upsides to staying on Disney property. First, you get to use Disney trasportation to get to/from your hotel, which will be faster and most convenient. And second you get to take advantage of early park openings and late closings; this lets you tour the parks with low crowds.

Check out Mousesavers.com. They have all the latest discount information for Disney hotels and for other hotels nearby. Also buy the "Unoffical Guide to DisneyWorld". That book is the bible - has great info on choosing hotels and getting good deals. And once your booked, great info on how to best tour the parks to avoid crowds.

Comment 3: We Stayed at the Beach Club at Magic Kingdom...it was great, and we enjoyed the extra hours at the parks, being 25 feet from the golf course, terrific access to the parks, the pools, service, etc but not sure it was worth the extra money.

It was a family trip with 30 of us too...oy vey!

Comment 4: Even though its the most expensive you would never be disappointed at one of the Deluxe Resorts (Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary). They have monorail service to the parks so travel is extremely easy and the resorts are great.

Comment 5: Disney - vs - Universal. It depends on what you are looking for & the age of those doing it. I loved Islands of Adventure for the big rides...and love Kraken at Sea World but I also don't regret a minute spent at the Disney parks. The Disney parks have alot of great 3D rides/shows & are really fun places to be.

One big tip...while down there consider it a MUST DO to see the Fantasmic show at Disney Hollywood Studios. It's a nightly show that combines live action, great water effects(including movies projected on the water, some pyro & music. It's a great show. We got rained out the 1st night we went to see it & went back the next night to watch it. Children & Adults love the show. Just be sure to get in the amphitheater early as the seats fill fast.

Comment 6: My wife and I have been to Disney every year for a while now (also no children). Make sure that you buy a 5 day park hopper...you can go to whatever parks you want each day (i.e., hop parks). If you're going in a warm month (which most are), take a day off and go to either Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach. Disney's waterparks are A LOT of fun.

We usually drive there, or rent a car. The one time we didn't rent a car we had a bad experience. It's true that everyone offers free transportation, but it's a major pain b/c you end up waiting a lot (which is a waste of time/money) and you end up planning your days around some courtesy transportation. Renting a car in the Orlando area isn't that bad b/c there's so many of them. Staying in Disney is great, but it really is WAY over-hyped, -rated, -expensive. The Downtown Disney hotels are in a good location, but I think that they're almost as expensive as some of the lower Disney hotels. The Hilton in DD gives you the extra magic hours (which is the only non-Disney hotel to do so). Also, look into time-share condo reservations...sometimes you can get great deals and all you have to do is sit through some mindless pitch.

Here are some tips/suggestions:
- in the Magic Kingdom, the Tommorrowland Noodle Station and the Columbia Harbor House(by Haunted Mansion - excellent Clam Chowder) have excellent food for cheap.
- In Animal Kingdom, go to Everest immediately and get a fast pass, then ride it again. Get first row...it's fun.
- In Hollywood Studios, do the same with Toy Story Mania.
- In Epcot, do the same with Soarin.
- In Animal Kingdom, make sure you ride Primeval Whirl...it looks like a dinky little kids ride, but I think it's one of the most fun rides in Disney.
- When it's really hot (we go in July usually), we make sure that we're the first people in the park, and the last to leave. We take a 3-4 hour break back at our hotel to swim, shower, nap, whatever, and it makes the rest of the day 1000% better.

Posted by James Trotta at 10:24 PM | Comments (10) | TrackBack

Advice needed for a family holiday with some nature and a Starwood Hotel

Reader submitted question: We are a family of 4 - a 13 year old daughter, 18 year old son. We only have 4-5 days, and we would love to go tubing down a river, easy hiking, easy mountain or trail biking. An area with nice, upscale/current restaurants available, and be able to use our free hotel points at Starwood Hotels.

We were thinking of Aspen, or Tahoe, or Oregon as possibilities, but was wondering if anyone could give us some ideas that would help us formulate some concrete plans off of these thoughts. It would be so great to find an outdoor concert or music festival for us as well.

We went to Pac. Northwest last year - Whistler, Vancouver, Seattle Snoqualmie Falls, and had a great time.

Thanks!!
Alyson

Posted by James Trotta at 7:03 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack

The Outer Banks, NC advice

Question: Can anyone give me any feedback on summer vacations they have taken in the Outer Banks area? I am not looking for night life or busy towns... more like a nice home on the beach with lots of space within a car or bike ride to a small town.

Thanks in advance for the assistance!

My answer:

I know someone who has gone there 7 times, specifically to Kelly's Gaff. He recommends Twiddy for rentals as well as Carolinadesigns.com and
Karichele.com. I honestly don't know which is better -I've never used any of them but my friend says all 3 are good.

Another friend has used ResortQuest (if you can swing it, choose the Gold or Platinum level homes) and Village Realty. He says both are highly recommended.

If you're not looking for night life, one of the 4X4 beaches, where you can only get to the home by driving up the beach would be great. I'm told they have wild horses. You can go up to the northern shore (one person mentioned Duck and Coralla) for the best beaches, the best houses, and the fewest crowds.

By the way, I'm told that in Duck, Elizabeth's Cafe and Winery is a must-visit.

Instead of getting a house on the beach, another person said when they stayed in Corolla, they liked all of the ammenities (Shuttle service to beach, community pools, fitness centers, BBall, tennis, etc.) that are offered in Corolla Light and Currituck Club. It seems to be much quieter, laid back than at the Jersey Shore or Myrtle Beach. You can get way more value in terms of rental properties in that area. With the shuttle service to the beach, he recommended renting houses on the sound for the fishing, crabbing, and sunsets.

Keep in mind that you pay twice or three times as much during the summer and you have to be careful about the weather if you want to save money by going in September or something.

If you can add something about North Carolina's Outer Banks, please do.

Posted by James Trotta at 5:22 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

Mardi Gras Tips or Advice? New Orleans restaurants?

Traveler's question: I'm heading down to Mardi Gras tomorrow. I've never been to New Orleans and I've done no research whatsoever. Anybody have any specific recommendations to share?

1) Wear old, sturdy shoes. They will get very dirty and your feet will get stepped on. For bars, if you get out of the quarter (you should) Igor's, on St. Charles around Louisiana, is a great spot from 4 to 6 a.m. You can even do your laundry. Cooter Brown's, near the intersection of St. Charles and N. Carollton, is a fun bar, too.

Walk over to Frenchman street and drop into Snug Harbor - maybe the best jazz club in town. Go late. House of Blues is good. Go to their website and see who's playing.

2) K-Paul was a great restaurant. A real casual place called Rita's Olde French Quarter had real good food. It's cliche by now, but you should get beignets and coffee at Cafe du monde one morning (or late night). Those things are delicious. And try a muffaletta. Central Grocer is considered the best, but I actually liked the place next door even better.

Visit Galatoire's. It's pricey and you need a jacket but you won't understand the city until you go there. No reservations. They'll ask you who your waiter is. Wing it.

3) Don't get arrested. Don't piss in the street or get into a fight or flash while standing next to a cop or touch a NOPD horse. The rest is cream cheese. You can't screw this up. Get some beads, get drunk, hook up if you want and go nuts. It's a fun time.

4) Watch your wallet and don't carry all your money around with you. (I did that). Staying safe also means not going into cemeteries without a group or tour guide. If you're drinking alcohol, you should be drinking water as well.

5) Get a good cheap lunch at Johnny Po' Boys. (Which is on my list from a long time ago). Also, Domilise's Po-Boys for great fried shrimp po boys and frozen goblets of beer.

6) Get to the parade routes early, the side streets are often less crowded. You might need a mask if you get queasy from car/truck fumes. (I didn't have the fume problem). Canvas bags are better than plastic, if you need a bag for carrying souvenirs like the coins, cups, and beads they toss from floats.

7) Try to get on a balcony at one of the bars and stay up there. I enjoyed watching Bourbon Street from above far more than wandering the street. The "Cats Meow" will give you a great view of the corner of Bourbon and St. Pete's which is probably the busiest area.

There is a bathroom and bar upstairs there. I went in 1999 and spent most of the weekend up there watching the madness down below. (I was there for about a week before Mardi Gras - Bourbon Street was fine until Fri. or Sat. night before Fat Tuesday. Then it got crazy crowded).

8) Take a tour or two. Go up the Mississippi on a steamboat (drink beer on deck to sober up from the night before and get a muffaletta from central grocery to eat on board). Take a swamp tour - byob.

9) Casamento's on Magazine Street has really good seafood. Fried oysters are the best in the city. Definitely not fancy. Higher up the food (and price) chain is Cochon. very good food, excellent martinis. you can always take the street car up Charles st., past Loyola and Tulane in the Garden District, to Brigtsen's. This place will cost you but it's worth it. Reservations required. Exact change only on the street car!

10) You might consider saving come money by getting your beads in advance. The ones in demand (and if you want to trade beads for pictures of the opposite sex flashing this is important) can cost $5-10 each so if you're gonna go through 20 or 50 bead necklaces you're talking about real money. Marijuana leaves, flashing lights, glow-in-the-dark bones, etc. Also, if you're taking pictures you might want to risk bringing a decent camera - disposables aren't always that great for night photography. Also, flashing is not a one-sided thing. Men can flash for beads as well as women - it's just a little less common.

Posted by James Trotta at 11:12 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Going to Romania

Reader submitted question:

This may be a longshot. I am going to Romania next month, not for any reason, just wanted to visit someplace I haven't been to before. I have several questions about what I should do, I am landing in Bucharest so I will definitely spend some time there, but I am not sure the merits and/or difficulty of trying to go somewhere in Transylvania.

Also, does anyone know about the discount airlines for travel within Europe? I was considering making a side trip to Budapest, but I haven't found any reasonable flight prices. I have found reasonable flights to Vienna, but I have to believe there is a way to get to Budapest by plane fairly cheap. And don't tell me about taking the train there, that is not something I want to do.

Thanks.

I’ll try to help but I’ve never been to Romainia or Hungary so this is all second-hand. If you can help feel free to comment below.

Flights:

Try Wizzair, a Hungarian discount airline based in Budapest so they've got flights just about everywhere for pretty good fares.

Bucharest:

Go to Cismegu Park and then check out the big parliament building. Otherwise walk around, that's the best thing to do. Spend 1 day there max honestly and then go to countryside.

The rest of Romania:

Check out Peles Castle in Sinaia if you can (the town is 70 miles north of Bucharest, so you might have a problem getting there). It is said to be one of the nicer castles in Europe.

Although the painted monasteries in Jassy are very attractive. Jassy has two important sites for Catholics: the church of the Three Saints and the monastery of the Three Hierarchs.

Budapest:

Most people seem to recommend Budapest over Bucharest so plan to spend more time there. Budapest is far more attractive and Romania is more for the hard core traveler interested in Eastern Europe.

Bucharest is somewhat up and coming, still pretty cheap, etc. Bucharest has a very good subway system as well which is a plus. However there just is not much to do. One day is plenty probably to see the main sites before making your way out to the countryside. On the other hand, Budapest is amazing with a great transportation system, tons to do, etc. Romania is cool if you’re feeling adventurous but go in with the proper expectation and don’t spend too much time in Bucharest.

Posted by James Trotta at 2:15 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Any questions for Park West?

Someone from Park West (the art dealer running auctions on most cruise ships) saw one of my previous blog entries, probably either this one about the art dealer who told me Park West didn't have any good deals or this one about how I wasn't buying some of the complaints I read online.

The Park West people are willing to open a kind of dialogue with us so I'm going to collect any questions you may have (leave a comment below) and in about a week I will send the questions to my contact at Park West. Park West will then hopefully come back with the information you're looking for.

Posted by James Trotta at 2:22 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Savannah, Georgia restaurant and tourist recommendations needed

I just got this question from Peggy about Savannah, GA. I don't suppose we'll get as many responses as the Europe question, but I hope some of us can help:

Hi James,
I enjoy the blog! I was wondering if you'd post an inquiry to your readers about dinner dining suggestions and tourist activities in Savannah, GA. I'll be traveling there on business in February and will be dining with colleagues one night and I'm in charge of choosing a restaurant. I should also have a few hours on a couple of different days to do some tourist stuff so I'm looking for suggestions. I'll be staying near the riverfront and will have a rental car.

Posted by James Trotta at 11:37 AM | Comments (18) | TrackBack

If you could go anywhere in the European region?

Here's a friend's travel question:

If you could go anywhere in the european region for between 7 and 14 days, where would you go? My parents are offering me one of their expiring timeshare weeks, so I can transfer it pretty much anywhere I want. on top of that, I'm thinking of using hotel points (Hilton and/or Marriott) and taking a bunch of nights elsewhere. I should be able to use my car rental points and get a free rental for a while, and i'm going to use my Delta miles for a free flight. Pretty much, my options are wide open. I just dont know what to go with. I was thinking of doing rome for 4-5 nights and then using the timeshare in the middle portion of Italy, where I can take day trips and drive around. I did this with my parents and grandparents in high school, but it'd be nice to do it on my own too.

Anyone have any other suggestions?

Here's what I said. Feel free to offer your own advice in the comment section.

Having been to Italy for 9 weeks on my honeymoon and having taken two other trips to Europe since then, I can share a few thoughts and tell you what I would do and why.

Italy - I love Italy and want to retire there. On my honeymoon we spent 4 weeks in Rome, 4 weeks in Assisi, and 1 week in Naples and Capri. We took day trips to Venice, Florence, Perugia, and Santa Maria I think. I liked walking around and admiring the cities and I loved the food.

London - Just went for New Year. Took a day trip to Canterbury but spent 7 days doing London stuff. I feel like I got a pretty good experience even though I obviously didn't finish London in 7 days. Still I felt like I'd seen plenty of London. I'm glad I did but I think Rome is more beautiful and has better food.

Munich - Spent a week there for a Christmas Market. It was enough time for Munich but not enough time to explore Bavaria. We did get to do day trips to Salzburg and Neuschwanstein castle which might be spelled differently. I really enjoyed the bierhaus food and drink.

Zurich - Great pedestrian only shopping streets. Crazy expensive restaurants. Food was nothing special. A week was more than enough for my wife and I.

Madrid - We didn't like the Spanish food here but the Italian was good - just not as good as Italy. The city is pretty, but like London it just didn't have Rome's charm for me. We were there for about 2 weeks and did a day trip to Toledo which I found pretty forgettable.

So what would I do if I were going to Europe alone? I would pick a couple of cities, spend a week in each, and do a few day trips. I'd pick cities that had good hostels and I'd stay there to meet people. Since you said you'd be timesharing I'm not sure but I guess I would look at the individual properties and find one that had a good social scene to find people who would take day trips with me and stuff like that. I'd be especially looking for Rome, Amsterdam, and Istanbul. A week in Istanbul and a week exploring Cappadocia sounds awesome right around now.

Posted by James Trotta at 7:22 AM | Comments (20) | TrackBack

Where to watch London's New Year's fireworks?

So we're trying to decide what to do about Fireworks in London for New Year's. I've gotten some good advice but not on where to watch London's fireworks.

We don't want to wait around in the cold for hours and we don't want to deal with big crowds. Last year we were in Zurich for New Year's and it was cold but we didn't start waiting until 11:00 or so and the crowds were not bad at all. Of course I expect London's fireworks to be better - as I wrote last year I want to see fireworks with old European stuff in the background.

London, I hear, is different than Zurich in terms of crowds:

From View London:

Thanks to having an enormous height advantage, the London Eye New Years Eve fireworks display will be able to be viewed throughout London. And if you are lucky enough to get into one of the viewing areas, you will be treated to s specially mixed soundtrack from Radio 1 as you wait for the fireworks to start. If you can’t get down to watch the event from along the Thames, head to high ground like Hampstead Heath for some spectacular views. Residents who have high balconies or roofs can also experience the fireworks from their own homes, which might be just the excuse you need to host a New Years Eve party.

From Phoenix Fireworks:

Finding the best place to see the london new years fireworks display is important as people will start arriving at 8.00pm. It will start getting crowded from 9.30pm onwards, so best to get there for 9.00pm. Westminster bridge and the North embankment, opposite the London Eye, are the best places to see the display. The display lasts 15 minutes from midnight and will be visible from many parts of London and will also be on television.

So anyone have advice for me? Maybe a good restaurant or bar to watch from or some other private thing?

Posted by James Trotta at 9:42 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

It's official: London for New Year!

My New Year plan is really taking shape now! I just bought tickets to get from JFK to London and back. I ended up paying $500 each leaving Dec. 27th (arriving in London on the 28th) and leaving London Jan. 5th. Interestingly, leaving a day earlier and coming back 2 days earlier (like I had planned originally) was going to cost about $650 each.

I'm going to miss a dinner with some friends on Jan. 4th but I couldn't bring myself to pay all that extra money. If you're curious I used ebookers, a British website and am flying Virgin Atlantic. I found them through Mobissimo. The Virgin Atlantic site was about $70 per ticket more expensive.

Now I have to decide what to do In London. One thing is set: we're having dinner on Dec. 31st at Rules. They say it's the oldest restaurant in London. I won't decide until that day, but the "Breast of Wild Duck with Jerusalem Artichoke & Black Cherry Sauce" sounds pretty good. So does the "Apple & Blackberry Crumble with Custard."

But like I said, I need more stuff to do. I'm going to look over the London stuff on this blog:

Thanksgiving & Christmas in London (I'll be there around New Year so I can check out the tree and the store windows)
James Bond travel ideas (not sure about a James Bond walking tour if London is as cold as I think it will be)
London is expensive (The $142 Heathrow Express has me wondering how I'll get to and from the airport - any ideas?)
Free stuff in London (The Burlington Arcade off Piccadilly sounds like the best one on that list for my wife and I)
Sherlock Holmes travel ideas
Da Vinci Code tourism
London & Amsterdam travel plan (this is where I first heard about Evensong at Westminster Abbey)

But if you know of anything special, please let me know. I'd especially appreciate ideas for good live music (folk, jazz, rock, classical in that order) and info on Evensong at Westminster Abbey (which strangely is not in my wife's old London Lonely Planet (it's about 10 years old so we're not relying on it).

No hotel yet. I thought I had booked a package on Priceline that had us staying at the Landmark (a famous 5 star hotel) - 6 nights there (average price on tripadvisor was $500/night) and airfare for 2 was $2700. So I entered my credit card info and filled in all the other stuff. Then the Priceline system told me to wait a few minutes. I started getting some info on the Landmark ready for my wife to give to her as a birthday present (coming up this weekend). Then Priceline told me that the Landmark had no rooms for me. I was pretty mad and felt like I'd been misled - I wish they had checked before I did all that.

That London & Amsterdam travel plan recommends Crowne Plaza London St James. Seems to be 107 GBP a night or 119 with breakfast. I must admit I like breakfast but I don't know if I like it enough to pay 12 GBP per day. Maybe it's not so bad since it's breakfast for 2 but still we're going to be in London for 8 nights - I have to figure out a way to save some money...

Posted by James Trotta at 10:24 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

Need help with New Year in Europe plan

So my birthday trip to Amsterdam got canceled but my wife then had the brilliant idea of going there for New Year's Eve instead. My original plan was to just spend a week in Amsterdam but a friend of mine (one of my best friends) is also planning a trip to Europe so I have been thinking about trying to match his plan.

The only problem is that he confused me. First his plan was to Fly into Amsterdam and out from Brussels with a stop in Ghent in between (his brother, also a very good friend of mine is in Ghent). I said sure - sounds good.

Now he's flying into London and staying there for new Year's Eve. Then he's going to Amsterdam (kind of like this travel plan) and then Ghent. I'm pretty sure I don't have time for that but my wife really wants to go to London. I could do only London and Amsterdam (I think his brother would meet me us in Amsterdam so we could all be together for at least a few days).

So anyway, I guess my question is where should I do New Year's? Should I just do the simple 1 week in Amsterdam or should I try to complicate things some? I guess I'm leading toward Amsterdam and possibly Ghent and maybe Brussels (about 2 days in each) or just spending all my time in Amsterdam. But London and Amsterdam is also possible...

Posted by James Trotta at 9:35 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Should a reader give Belize a second chance?

Got the following question from a reader who may or may not go to Belize in the future:

Belize was one of the stops on a cruise that I went on a few years ago. The cruise stopped in Cozumel, Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, and Belize. I think Belize was my least favorite stop on the trip. The bugs were terrible, it was the only place that I was wishing that I had some insect repellant, and for some reason the locals seemed really shady to me. We went out on a snorkeling excursion there, and I can remember the whole time feeling like they were taking us out to some remote place to rob us and dump us in the ocean. I dunno, we only spent a day there so maybe I am wrong about the place, but I didnt really like it.

Now I have to decide if I should give Belize a second chance. Anyone have similar or better experiences?

Posted by James Trotta at 8:17 AM | Comments (25) | TrackBack

Anyone here flown on Sun Country Airlines?

I've got a friend who is flying from New York to Minnesota. Sun Country Airlines had by far the cheapest flights around compared to the "major" airlines. Even though he had never heard of them, he booked the flight. Now he's looking from some reassurance from people who have flown with them.

After asking around, I have heard good things about Sun Country. Their airplanes, 737-800s, are relatively new (late 1990s/early 2000s) and they do a decent job in terms of customer service.

At least that's what I heard. But no investigation is thorough until I post the question here...

Here you can see their route map. Their hub is Minneapolis / St. Paul so if that's where you're going, there's a good chance Sun Country will be the cheapest.

I'm interested in this not only for my friend, but also since one day I plan to head to Minneapolis / St. Paul and the International Wolf Center.

Posted by James Trotta at 10:14 PM | Comments (11) | TrackBack

Help choosing a restaurant in NYC

Here we have a request for help. Where do you take your parents in NYC when they are coming to meet your significant other for the first time?

Alright, so, here's the deal:

My parents are arriving to visit me in New York next week and I'm having a hard time finding restaurants that I would like to take them to. They both enjoy dining out and I want to take them to a few places that will give that "wow" factor (whether it be in food, decor, service, or preferably, all three!) and will remain in their memories as a great New York experience.
A few places I had in mind were 1) The House 2) Spice Market 3) Perilla.

Now, the second thing is:

They are meeting my boyfriend for the first time everrrrr! AHHHHHHH!

They want to take us both to lunch to, you know, drill him with various horrible questions like "Have you had sexual relations with my daughter?" and to see if they approve of my choice! Either way, I'm kind of nervous about the whole ordeal, so a nice place to relax and eat would take some pressure off.

I want to take them to a nice restaurant for lunch on the weekend, a place that's got ambiance and taste. Not Bubba Gump Shrimp or Olive Garden, although those are fun on specific occasions :)

Any suggestions, por favor????

I appreciate it!! Thanks.

Grimaldi's in Brooklyn. It's in a scenic area, amazing views, best ice cream, great chocolate store right near there, one of the top 3 pizzerias in NYC and honestly, if its lunch and you want to relax the mood, taking them to a really serious place isn't going to help that.

Barolo's, on West Broadway (downtown in Soho). Great area, atmosphere, food, and an outside garden which is amazing to eat in when the weather is nice.

Mary's Fish Camp on Cornelia. Great mussels in wine/garlic sauce, terrific lobster rolls with vinegar drenched fries. Good wine selection. It's a tiny place, so go early if you try it, otherwise you'll have a 40 min wait for a table.

Posted by James Trotta at 10:23 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

Help Chris choose a good spot to snorkel

I recently received a very kind email from Chris so I hope we have some good ideas for him:

I love your blog. Very great to hear your travel experiences and it is very valuable to hear other readers' comments. Maybe you can share some more of that knowledge. I'm trying to find the perfect place to go snorkeling in mid-June. We don't want to scuba, but we thought it would be nice to fine a place that we can relax at and snorkel for 3-5 days. We were looking at places from Cozumel, St Lucia, St Croix, or Belize. Do you have any suggestions or thoughts?

Cheers,
Chris

Posted by James Trotta at 10:47 PM | Comments (14) | TrackBack

Reader needs 5 day Disney travel plan - ideas?

So first the question and then my answer. Then you can leave some advice.

Going down to Disney for 4 or 5 days with the family - any suggestions on ticket packages, etc.? We want to do the main parks, Seaworld, Universal, etc., but want to be efficient about it. I don't need lodging suggestions (already set up).Two kids (9 and 11) and their mom. We have the weekend and Mon - Wed. I don't need to do it all, just want to hit the "must see" stuff that's the best for their ages.

Now I have a little Disney vacation plan of my own but I haven’t been there in 10 years or so – if anyone has suggestions please comment!

Day 1: When you land there, hit Universal's Islands of Adventure for day one.

Day 2: You'll need a full day at Magic Kingdom. It's a huge park with rides/events for everyone in the family.

Day 3: Use day three as a time to relax, you don't want to get burnt out by 5 straight days in the theme parks. Maybe spend this day at Universal's Citywalk or Downtown Disney to hit their shopping districts. If you want to do a park, visit a water park on this 3rd day.

Day 4: Seaworld is cool to visit on the 4th day. You can spend a lot of time here.

Day 5: You can wrap up your 5th and final day at Disney's Animal Kingdom before you head out. That park only needs 6-7 hours and you'll be able to see all the main attractions.

Parks not on this itinerary: Epcot and Disney Studios. Epcot is large and usually takes 2 days to visit. I don’t know which two days you’d take away from my plan in order to fit in Epcot. Disney Studios isn't that large but outside of a few rides, isn't worth visiting on a short trip like this. The parks I chose should have plenty of rides anyway.

Good Luck!

Posted by James Trotta at 10:01 PM | Comments (13) | TrackBack

Know any good adult only resorts in Mexico?

I have a big pile of papers to read for various classes so for today let me ask you to do all the work by answering this question from Cathy:

I have your site on my yahoo home page and frequently read the articles. I am looking for suggestions for an adult only resort in Mexico for our 10th anniversary. We have traveled to Mexico a few times and have stayed at Spa Palace twice. We are looking for a different resort of the same quality. Any and all suggestions are wonderfully welcome. Thank you so much.

Posted by James Trotta at 3:12 PM | Comments (14) | TrackBack

Reader submitted question about Atlantis Coral Tower Paradise

My fiancé and I are trying to book a vacation in the Caribbean for about 4-5 days flying from NYC. I'm looking at waterview room for 2 of us Atlantis Coral Tower Paradise Island at the end of May for 4 nights for a total of $1960 (fees/taxes included).

I was there a few years ago and stayed at the Royal Towers. They area bit nicer and newer, but Coral Towers are nice too. The whole place is great. Expensive, but worth it.

Does anyone have experience at Coral Tower? How does it compare with the Royal Tower? Do we have access to all the amenities that those that stay at Royal Tower have?

I’m thinking about the cheaper rooms since I probably won't be in the room much except to go to sleep, the beauty of the resort is the resort itself.

Posted by James Trotta at 4:55 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

San Juan or Culebra in Puerto Rico? (reader needs advice)

There are a lot of questions in here from a reader who got conflicting advice. If you can answer only one, even that would help I'm sure.

I'm gonna go to Puerto Rico next week with my girlfriend for a short vacation. I've been to PR a bunch of times but never stayed in San Juan. For sake of convenience, it'd be nice to stay in San Juan, but as of now we're gonna stay in Culebra. I heard that San Juan is ok, but Culebra is the place to be. Let me say what I heard and then ask for advice.

I’ve heard to stay at Flamenco Beach in Culebra because you get the beach to yourself, but is that true any time? Anyway, they say you won't need to leave Culebra. If you do, you'll take the ferry to Fajardo and then drive 60 minutes to San Juan. Would I really be better off not even visiting San Juan? Wouldn’t San Juan give easier access to El Yunque (the rainforest), the Cumuy caverns, and other attractions?

Cause one guy recommended San Juan and another guy Culebra. LOL. Old San Juan is supposed to be great. He stayed at Ocean Park (gated community). The beach is public and is known as "G-string beach" to the locals. Sounds good...heh, heh. The locals supposedly come to the beach in thongs but don’t want to get myself in trouble looking since my girlfriend will be there!

The guy telling me Culbra stayed at Numero Uno guesthouse. If you do go to San Juan, you must eat at Pamela's, which is in the Numero Uno guesthouse. It's expensive, but well worth it. He said to go to Flamenco Beach. Supposedly if I walk around enough I can find some old Sherman tanks abandoned there – anyone know about this?

I also need advice on islands around Culebra. Some are nature preserves. If you can get on a sail boat trip, or small boat trip you can visit several, snorkel and scuba, and hang on empty beaches. The two I have been on are Monkey Island-(used to be a govt preserve for apes, and you could only swim in the surf because of the animals) and Viequez (about 10 miles away fro Culebra) I believe there is a phosphorus beach on Viequez. There are countless others including Saint Thomas which is close too. So where do I go? LOL!

And he also said the beaches in San Juan are just OK, and a bit touristy because of the strip of hotels there. Lots of NYers on the beach. He also said watch out for the undertoe. Even near the shoreline it can pull you out but is it worse in San Juan or Culebra?

And what’s the deal – I don’t need a passport, right?

And isn’t it much harder to get to Culebra? My friend had to rent a car and drive to Fajardo. (60 min from San Juan). Take the Ferry to Culebra ($2.25 each for the ferry, $5.00 for parking) The ferry leaves at 9AM sharp. Ferry ride is about 70 minutes.

Once on Culebra, you'll take a taxi/van ($2.00) to Flamenco Beach. (10 min drive) They do not sell beer at the beach, if you want some, bring it. They have food, drinks & nic-nacks all in kiosks. Then he said bring cash, only one of the kiosks takes a card, the others are simply grilling shark, chicken & plantain as well as rice and beans.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:27 AM | Comments (13) | TrackBack

Orlando hotel advice for one of our own

Jill has been an important part of our community for a long time and now she could use our help.

She has tickets to the Police/Elvis Costello concert in Orlando in May and they need a hotel. It's the weekend before their 20th anniversary, so a splurge would be appropriate. One possibility is a savannah-view room at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Can anyone else recommend a nice hotel?

They are also considering a suit-and-tie, no-kids-allowed dinner at Victor and Albert's. Can anyone comment on this or another nice restaurant in Orlando?

Posted by James Trotta at 7:32 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Brazil fact guide / travel article

From what I understand the writer of this article has been living in Brazil for a while. I thought this was interesting because I mentioned recently that a friend and I might start a travel business where we do tours of Brazil's less touristy (not Rio) carnavals.

Now I've never been to Brazil but I have a friend who has lived in Brazil for 5 or so years who would be designing the tours. He speaks Portuguese and answers all my questions about Brazil. However, for those of you who want to know something about Brazil and don't know where to ask - follow the link at the end of the article for a Q&A with the author.

Posted by James Trotta at 11:18 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Khon Kaen, Thailand: advice please

I have a conference in Khon Kaen in January but have never really heard of it before. I know the name of the hotel where the conference is but I'm not sure if that's where I want to stay:

Sofitel Raja Orchid Khon Kaen Thailand
9/9 Prachasamran Road, Nai Muang,
Muang, Khon Kaen 40000 Thailand

And a few web searches revealed that there isn't too much on Khon Kaen but that some of the main attractions are:

Khon Kaen National Museum
Kaen Nakhon Lake and Wat That
Tortoise Village 50 km south of Khon Kaen
Cobra Village (not sure if I want to go there and not sure where it is)

So what, if anything, can you tell me about Khon Kaen?

Posted by James Trotta at 6:53 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Vacation Advice on St. Croix (Virgin Islands) please

Here's a question from Larry - let's see if we can help him out. I've also collected replies from some travelers and included them after the question:

Our vacation plans fell through so me and the wife are scrambling trying to find somewhere to go starting on Friday. I know it's short notice but we both need a break from the office so rather then give the days back we are looking for somewhere to go. I've found a good deal on a couple places at St Croix, but having never been to the Virgin Isles I wanted to know if anyone had any opinions on the island in general.

Or any suggestions for another secluded place with more of an emphasis on nature than nightlife, and no passport required. Thanks

1. The Virgin Islands are wonderful. I haven't been to St. Croix, but St. John was fantastic. The perfect vacation. A much quieter island than the main one, St. Thomas, we found secluded beaches where we were the only ones there and if you do feel like going out there's a small downtown with restaurants and bars.

2. Have a great time w/ whatever you choose. I can second St. John - beautiful beaches and a low key night life if you are looking just to take a break from everyday life. Everything from 1st rate accommodations to eco-tourism.

3. St.Croix is not St John. There is a big difference. St John is a much smaller island of which about 80% is a national park. It is not very populated. Because of this it is very expensive. I think there is only one hotel on the island. Most of the rentals are private houses. It is however, a great place to vacation.

That being said, I am not familiar with St Croix. I just would not assume they are similar.
I've spent a lot of time on St John and HIGHLY suggest you trying to go there...Haven't been to St Croix.

4. I have lived in STX for 21 years and it is one of the most underated and beautiful places in the world. The big Island is not a huge tourist destination as most people got to St. John or St. Thomas, that said there are good hotels here, great places to eat, and beautiful beaches.

If you tell me which places your thinking of staying I will give you the skinny on them. Bucaneer is probably the most complete place and great for kids. We also have great golf here, and a casino.

5. I used to live on St. Croix for about 2 years when Marilyn decided to change my vocation. I worked for Miles and Mark Sperber of Dive St. Croix. I called the top of Strand St. my home in Christiansted.

St. Croix is a big island. Plenty to do and see. North end of the island has a rainforest while the East end is a desert. Great diving, golf, lounging on the beach, etc. Cruz Bay is a definite. Swim out from the beach, and you are over one of the deepest walls in the Caribbean. Excellent restaurants also. And like Big VI said, they have gaming also. St. Croix is a killer spot for scuba diving...

6. St. John is wonderful! Relaxtion, Beaches, Quiet! St. Croix is nice as well but a little more commercialized and NOT as laid back. Good Luck! I worked at the Hess refinery on St. Croix for a couple of months. It's very nice but I prefer St Thomas or St Johns.

7. Great snorkeling in both places.. St. Croix has an underwater national park at Buck Island. Chenay Bay is a little guest house type hotel. pretty beach, close to town, ok bar food but clean rooms with their own kitchen. You can probably get a better deal at Carambola but 20 minutes from town... great beaches, pools, rooms all 1st class... close to golf and everything if its just you and the wife carambola is very romantic and used to be a Rock Resort back in the day.. also just redid all the rooms.. carambola is also right by the rain forest very tropical...

8. Maho Bay on St. Johns is where I honeymooned. Excellent, "eco-resort." Right on the beach. Snorkeling in Waterlemon Key and exploring the old Sugar Plantations is a blast. St. Croix, I don't know about. But St. Thomas looked like a zoo to me from the ferry to St. Johns...

9. I would second the Carambola. It is on the north shore so it is tropical and lush as it is in/near the rainforest. Also, the proximity to Cruz Bay is ideal for you and your significant other to do some snorkeling/scuba diving. There is a watersports business called Cruz Bay Watersports. They can outfit you for some snorkeling or instruct you with a resort course certification in diving. You don't want to miss seeing the East or West wall. In all my years of diving, it is in the top 5 of wall dives in the world. I also worked in Grand Cayman and San Salvador, Bahamas so I do know my wall diving.

Buck Island National park with underwater snorkeling trail. Makes a nice day. The botanical garden is also nice to stroll through. There used to be (I'm not sure if they are still in business) a concession that would arrange horseback riding on the beach near Carambola. Perhaps Big VI knows the name. Also, be sure to head to Christiansted for some shopping and dining.

10. Take an island safari tour one day. there individual open jeeps with a driver/guide you get to see a little bit of everything and some stuff you wont see unless with them. Carambola can arrange for you. Have a great time you won't be sorry.

Posted by James Trotta at 12:03 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Reader needs ideas for a one-night weekend getaway to PA or upstaet NY for fall foliage

I recently heard from Gerry who needs ideas for weekend getaway with the wife:

I'm looking for ideas for a single weekend night getaway (kid-free) with my wife (Saturday night only) for sometime in Oct. I'm in the north Jersey area and probably would head off to PA or upstate NY for fall foliage and hiking, but can only do one night, so that rules out all the nice B&B's which require a two night stay this time of year. Any thoughts on a reasonably priced getaway?

So far people are recommending Niagra Falls, which is a bit too far from here for a one night stay. People also recommended Mohonk Mountain House. Mohonk Mountain House looks nice, but has that two-night minimum which is the problem I keep running into. Too bad since I hear they are really good for foliage and hiking, you probably won't find anything much nicer, plus the advantage that if the weather is crappy, they have a great sports facility/spa. Disadvantage = price. Plus the two night minimum stay...

One friend said I could always do the Finger Lakes for a Wine Tour. Good idea, but still a bit far for a single night stay. I'm probably only looking for a 2.5 hour drive from Manhattan max. New Paltz was a good idea, but the single night requirement is killing me...

The Finger lakes B&Bs all have a minimum 2 night stay. I've been through that looking for a one night stay.

I was told to think about the Delaware Water Gap. There is the Shepard House B&B, and the Deer Head Inn. The Deer Head is a great place for jazz. About a 1/4 mile down the 611 or up Mountain Road, is trail access to the Water Gap recreational area. There also is a B&B located on Mountain Road directly across from the trail access. My friend can't remember the name, but he stayed there and it was great. He also said there was no minimum stay!

He said it's 5 minutes further up to the Appalachian Trail. He said to avoid the famous Bushkill Falls. Too hard on your calves and it's so overcrowded and they charge you 9 or 10 bucks or something like that. If you're lucky to know the area well enough, you can find Jacobs Ladder water falls.

William Penn falls is another one no one knows of, a secluded spot where you can have a picnic. This is all according to my friend though. Brownie's is located right across the street from the Deer Head is a great restaurant/watering hole. Plenty of antique shops if you don't feel like hiking and you always have the Crossings Outlets in Tannersville about a 15-20 min. drive west down 80. Or you could head a little further north to the Milford, PA area.

Another beautiful hiking area in the Water Gap is Worthington State Forest on the Jersey side (1st exit). Crater lake which is a glacial lake is a must see.

The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Mass is supposed to be a good bet. My friends stayed there earlier this month and really enjoyed it. The food is very good and the facilities are exceptionally relaxing. Rates this time of year are quite reasonable and it's a really easy drive. Either take I-87 up to I-90 or, for a nicer drive, take I-84 across to route 7 and go up through Connecticut to Stockbridge, MA. Is Stockbridge good for Autumn leaves?

Also, what about Cooperstown? Is it more than the baseball Hall of Fame? I heard about the Otesaga Resort in Cooperstown right on the lake. Or drive a little further and hit Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid or the Sagamore in Lake George.

And if anyone has heard about Journey Inn, they are in Hyde Park, across the street from the Vanderbilt mansion. Never been there - is it any good?

I also wanted to check out New Hope, PA - LOTS of B&B's and tons of restaurants all with their own themes and twists. I have a friend who stayed at the Porches on the Tow Path B&B which was very affordable and the location right in the middle of the shopping/railroad/tow path was good.

But another person told me to go to the Lambertville inn in Lambertsville NJ where all rooms are suites with fireplaces, supposedly reasonable priced and include room service breakfast, it is also right across from New Hope.

So anyway, I've talked to too many people and gotten so much advice I have no idea what to do. So I figure I'll ask everyone for more advice so I can be even more confused. LOL. If I have to get away from Fall foliage, Cape May is still quite nice this time of year. Plus it is now technically off season and might be cheaper.

Well, that's the email. Can anyone tell Gerry what to do?

Posted by James Trotta at 8:00 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

How do I get my passport in time for vacation?

The government or at least one person in the government is apologizing for the passport delays that have ruined so many travel plans.

Meanwhile, I've heard from a few people about how to get your passport in time: talk to your congress person.

Here are some quotes:

My wife, daugter and I went to a local post office and handed in our passport applications. 12 weeks later we are still waiting and we are supposed to leave for Italy in 2 weeks (all booked and paid for). When we tracked it online, all it said was "currently being processed". We were told at the post office it would take 8-10 weeks and we did not need to pay extra to expedite.

We are really getting worried. We do have insurance with the tour company, but I do not think the airline tickets are covered because we booked seperately to save money. Anybody have an idea on what I could do to get my damn passports!

Answer 1: This worked well for a friend of mine - they called their local congressman's office and they were able to expedite the inquiry process. Contact your local congressman quickly. His office can definitely help.

Answer 2: There's a hotline you can call... My father actually works for them. I wouldn't expect great things.

Answer 3: Go with your Congressmans office. With all the recent inquiries into passports, they have to give it so many days before they can start calling on your passport. With two weeks to go, I have absolutely no doubt that you will get yours in time. Just stick with your Congressman's office. Trust me, I work for one.

Answer 4: I went to my congressman last week and three of the four of my family members passports arrived this week, it would have taken less time if that didn't have to correct the spelling of our last names...I'm still holding out for the last one but I am confident it will get here in time...I also applied on March 17th.

Posted by James Trotta at 1:54 PM | Comments (19) | TrackBack

Do you have any questions about traveling in Rome with kids?

I don't have kids, but I do think everyone should spend some time walking around Rome, even if Rome's hotels are expensive. The city is just too romantic (yes also busy, noisey, and polluted) thanks to all the wonderful things to see.

However, there must be people with kids wondering how to make sure the whole family enjoys this must-see city.

If you're one of those people then this is your lucky day! I've arranged an interview with the author of Rome with Kids, J.M. Pasquesi.

But, like I said, I don't have kids. So instead of doing a normal interview, I'm going to let you ask the questions. If there's something you want me to ask, leave your question in the comments area below. Here are some possible topics Pasquesi can discuss:

- Introducing your children to art, culture and foreign food
- Top 10 things no one told you about traveling abroad with kids
- Tips for traveling safely in Europe with small children
- How to plan tours and itineraries to keep your kids from burning out
- How young is too young: Can a child really enjoy and remember a trip abroad?
- Games, stories and scavenger hunts to keep your kids engaged
- Finding family-friendly accommodations and restaurants abroad
- How and when to start planning your European family vacation

The following comes from a press release:

J.M. Pasquesi, Rome travel expert and writer, makes Italy's capital even more accessible for parents and children with her new, one-of-a-kind book Rome with Kids: An Insider's Guide (Synergy Books, July 2007), providing entertaining itineraries that reveal Rome's history and culture, along with step-by-step tours and tips to save families valuable time. Rome with Kids combines an adult's desire to become immersed in the glories of Rome with a child's desire to run, play and explore.

"Rome is largely an outdoor interactive museum," says Pasquesi. "Classical ruins are ideal for touring with children because they are so accessible."

Posted by James Trotta at 12:50 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

Reader question: how to get from New York to Vieques in Puerto Rico

Let me first say that I really enjoy your blog/. I travel a lot for work, but hardly take vacations. Your blog lets me see what it is like to have fun when you travel.

I am planning on taking a summer vacation to the Puerto Rican island of Vieques. Could someone give me some advice about going there from New York. I would like to spend more money on activities and food, than I would on the actual travel.

This question was submitted by JB - can anyone help out?

Posted by James Trotta at 11:43 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack

Reader needs advice on Sweden: weather, anti-Americanism, food and nightlife

One of us needs some advice on Sweden. We do have one Sweden vacation plan, but if anyone can share some more information on Sweden that would be great. I've collected some answers already:

Question: I may have the opportunity to go to Sweden for a month this summer to learn the language and history/ culture. I am a teacher and my school has a non-profit foundation that would foot the bill for my trip. I would be going to a school about 40 minutes north of Stockholm. My questions are:

1. What is Sweden like in the summer (mid-July to mid-August)?
2. What are the people like? I've heard they can be a little tough to get to know. Is there any anti-Americanism?
3. Recommendations on food/ drink there?

Answer #1: Stockholm is beautiful but expensive. It has bodies of water and Islands as part of the city and you would think you are in the middle of nowhere. It's only dark for a couple of hours that time of year. You can golf to 11:30 at night. Head north for midnight golf:) Pleasantly cool in the summer - 70ish.

Answer #2: Great weather, people speak English, get used to eating fish. Sweden has an interesting history and culture and Stockholm is very pleasant town. The stereotype of a blond blue eyed Nordic is found imho more in northern Norway or Denmark and parts of Germany and Iceland and the Baltic States like Estonia and Latvia so you'll meet lots of brunettes.

Answer #3: Den Gildene Freden is a restaurant in Gamla Stan, which is the old part of the city. I'm not positive I spelled the restaurant right, but it translates to "The Golden Peace". It has the best Swedish meatballs you will ever eat.

Answer #4: The booze tax takes the fun out of it. Sweden is a funny place; everyone is very serious. The people are stunning. "Even the ugly ones" as one of my more outgoing colleagues said. The length of day thing swings both ways. You also get 19hrs of night during the winter so be warned. The real positive about having the opportunity to be anywhere in Europe is the ability to travel to the rest of Europe. Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo are all under 2 hr flights. Copenhagen is definitely worth the trip but there is plenty to see both in the Scandinavian countries & the rest of Europe that make it well worth your while if you have the freedom to experience it. However, I'm serious about the booze tax, its prohibitive. All the Swedes go to Copenhagen for fun so make sure you get going there. Try the reindeer.

Answer #5: I didn't experience anti-Americanism in Sweden when I was there and Copenhagen was pro-American if anything. A majority of the people speak English in Denmark (90%) & Sweden (80%+) & your going to learn the language anyway.

Generally speaking, regarding anti-Americanism, if you are a gracious guest, Europe is a gracious host. I'm a conservative & an outspoken one at that but I behaved as I would if I were a guest in someone's house & rarely had issues. I would suggest not engaging in any political discussions if it sets you off. You'll want to go to Copenhagen for the nightlife.

Posted by James Trotta at 6:28 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack