Weekend Getaway Ideas for Couples

Today, life is too busy to spend time with your partner. This is one of the reasons why several couples drift apart. However, you can bring back that closeness and romance into your relationship with just a little bit of effort.

If you have not thought of it as yet, then a romantic weekend is just the right medicine the doctor ordered. Spending couple of days alone can kindle the spark the once existed in your relationship. Remember, it does not have to be an expensive choice. Just a place for you and your partner to re-connect. Here are some romantic weekend getaway ideas that you plan for:

Check out some of the resorts that are located close to the city or town you are living in. Make sure that it is driving distance which will not tire you out. Book a room for the two of you and surprise your partner on Friday by taking him or her there. Spend time at the resort having candle lit dinners, getting a massage together or just spending the time walking around the resort de-stressing yourself. You will be amazed at the difference it will bring into your relationship.

If you do not want to be surrounded by people, then book a cottage where you can spend some romantic time in front of the fireplace. Take all the food you need for the weekend, so that you do not have to leave home. Spend time eating, talking, walking in the neighborhood to help you relax and have fun.

Weekend skiing trips are also great for spending time together and having some fun. After skiing, you can have a relaxed dinner in the restaurant or order room service if you are not in the mood to be surrounded by people. Of course, if you do not stay near a ski resort, it will require careful planning on your part. So, book your tickets and the resort carefully without spending too much money.

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Fear and Loathing Off the Beaten Path in Las Vegas

Just returned, as you know from an earlier post, from Las Vegas. The trip was part of a family friend kid's 21st birthday trip. The trip was not filled with the antics of "The Hangover", so do not get too excited. We are a tame bunch. But keep reading. You may pick up a few helpful information tidbits to consider when planning your next trip.

First, this was to be a cheap trip. Airline miles covered airfare, the selected hotel was to be very cheap based upon an offer extended to my wife's frequent card.
Imperial Palace was selected as it was to offer a rate of $94, for four nights, all taxes included. Well, it did not turn out that way. Since it was my wife's card, they would not honor my stay against it despite my trying aggressively. Total cost for what is basically a dumpy hotel: $320. Bad form Harrahs. Enough of the bad. We will devote this write up not on the typical Las Vegas, but some of the different things to do or see that is not gambling, excessive drinking, or others.....

Red Rocks. When it is 115 in central Las Vegas, head out west about 15 miles to Red Rocks park.. The elevation here is somewhere around 3-4K, and the temps are always about 15 degrees cooler. There is a long loop that leads through the foothills, with several parking areas that are trail heads with a variety of hiking trial difficulty. Bring a picnic lunch, feed the chipmunks, and enjoy a really relaxing time. Entry fee $5.

Bonnie Springs. Kids may like this as it is a old western town replica with a petting zoo. Not much interest for me, but then I know some have kiddies, and this would be decent place to take them. It is just beyond Red Rocks park. They have some kind of stage reenactment as well on schedule during weekends. Cheesy. Again, not for me, but someone may like it. It is not loosing your money in a slot machine.

Blue Diamond. This little post mining town is yet further west on the same road as Red Rocks. Population about 350, it is a little green oasis in the middle of dry. Wild Burros are this towns claim to fame, and they are usually feasting on the well manicured baseball diamond. They love to come up and stick their nose in your open window looking for a hand out. We always stop at the general store there. A Diet Mt Dew, and a few stories by the owner, and you are off. Each Saturday they gather around the store parking lot for a impromptu blues jam. I think its more on the weedy wacky side, if you know what I mean.

Lake Mead. In the other direction (that would be east for you geo challenged monkeys) is Lake Mead. A huge but disappearing body of water that is surrounded by what looks like the surface of the moon. Little vegetation. Go all the way down under Boulder City to a beach area, right around the corner from the Hoover Dam. There you can back your car up to the water's edge and enjoy the relatively clean, but really warm water. Usually a few strange sights here as well, like the time some chick in a bikini got her golf clubs out and analyzed her swing on the beach in the bikini...sorry, no pics, forgot my camera.

Hoover Dam. All I will say here is expect an 45 minute queue on Sat and Sun. During the week, go, you can get there without too much wait. great marvel. But now, it is joined by another marvel we found nearly as interesting...a bypass highway is being completed to relieve the weekend traffic jam. The bridge is high above Hoover damn, and a frigin engineering marvel...This is worth seeing if you have not been to Hoover in a while.

Mount Charleston. This is northwest. This is basically a village of vacation homes about 8000 feet high above the valley. Here the temps are 25 degrees less than the valley. There is hiking and picnic areas. There is also a restaurant on the way to the ski area (yes, I said ski area) that has a beautiful balcony to lunch and drink at. OK. I knew you were missing the drinking thing. Food is good here, service, not so much. But it is a great place to call your Mt Charleston destination among which the village is basically a mecca of stunning log vacation home scattered in the hillsides. Stop for lunch, or hike then hang out and watch the humming birds do battle over the feeder...but, they are pretty tame up there, so they will buzz you.

Jay Tracy
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5 Tips For a Smooth First Business Travel Experience

Travel help from business travel experts is as good as meeting a business tycoon for management tips. Learning from them will bring smoothness in your trip.

In today's working world, business operations have become more global. There are many business travel opportunities for the newly hired or promoted employee. While grabbing these travel opportunities a must, first time business travellers like you should travel smarter.

Sort Things Out
For first timers, it is best to be aware that you have two major classifications of the things that you will be bringing. One is your work-related things and the other one is your personal stuff.

Therefore, while choosing a light carryon luggage, it is also suggested that it is multi pocketed so you can enjoy more spaces.

Be Organized
In order to have an organized business travel, create a travel checklist of the work-related things that you need like your laptop, flash drive, printed reports on folders, brochures, calculators and the like. This will protect you from forgetting important or urgent tasks that your boss asked from you.

Make sure that you brought a good number of your business cards. Businesses can start with your plane mate or some other people you have bumped in the airport lobby.

Also check the lifespan of the batteries of your communication device so you won't miss any important office correspondences and instructions.

Be Budget Conscious
If your office allows you to take care of your own transportation and reservation as part of your per diem during your business travel, the internet is your tool to check online for the best flight and hotel deals in Europe or Asia available.

Look for package deals, promo flights, and reasonably-priced business hotels or even nearby hostels. Tips would be to ask if the published rates are inclusive of applicable taxes. Also ask for the rates of late check-ins so you can include it in your travel budget.

Always Be Prepared
For your personal belongings particularly your clothing, it is best that you have brought clothes with business colors and shades like black, dark blue, brown, white and gray. This will allow you to be flexible in doing some mix and match so you maintain your being presentable as well.

In the business world, there are times that first impression lasts. As first time business travellers, you may not be familiar or accustomed to the foods of your destination, it is highly recommended to have anti-histamine with you all the time. This will help you stop allergic reactions instantly in order not to disrupt or disturb your meeting schedules and appointments.

Follow Airport Rules
Your liquids, including gels, in the array of your toiletries should be in zip-lock plastics as it is mandatory in any airports. It is also best to use slip-on shoes going to the airport so it would not be time consuming for you to untie and tie your shoelaces during security checks.

With these travel help gathered from seasoned business travellers, you will be ready for a remarkable business travel that will widen your perspective of the career you have chosen and loved. This might be the start of a series of world travel experience from work to leisure.

For many years, Victor A. Jauernik traveled the world and developed tailor-made technical solutions together with his customers. His travels took him many times to remote places and allowed him to open his horizons. Having witnessed and applied various travel tips, he has created a Homepage called Smarter Traveling - Tips for Hassle Free Journeys, where he shares his thoughts with business, family and backpacking travelers. Just take a look at http://www.SmarterTraveling.com.

Motion Sickness - Don't Let It Get In The Way of Travel

We've known of people putting off their dreams of travelling due to the problem of motion sickness. Some people are just more prone to it than others are, but there are ways one can lessen the condition and enjoy travels and holidays to faraway places! Don't let motion sickness hold you back - there are ways to address the problem so travelling can be a more pleasant experience.

Motion sickness can be caused by stress and anxiety over a trip. So it would help to be well prepared so you can relax just before and during travel. Pack way ahead, begin to delegate the tasks you need to pass on while you're on holiday, settle all bills that have a deadline, and work out everything that will travel - not when you're already in the car, on a plane or ship. Also avoid alcohol beginning a few days before your trip and eat only a light meal prior to travelling. If you're taking a long flight or drive, keep your meals light, too, during the entire trip. Eating too heavy a meal will increase your chances of throwing up. Raw vegetables are said to help a lot, and some people will testify to the great effects of celery and carrots.

If you're travelling on a plane, request for the window seat, preferably in the area over the wings since there's more stability there. It helps a lot to look out the window to prevent motion sickness. Try to take the front seat when travelling on the road, but if you have to seat yourself in the rear portion, the middle seat where you get an unobstructed view of the road ahead is a good spot, while others find that being at the sides with an open window greatly helps. Being seated in the middle also causes less movements and sways. If travelling on a ship, go for the deck more often. Fresh air and the view of the horizon do wonders for those suffering from dizzy spells during travel.

Avoid focusing on objects near you while travelling on the road, so never read a book, work on your laptop or play a hand-held game or text while travelling. And if you can drive, offer to take the wheel during the trip. People who drive rarely suffer from motion sickness, probably because they're concentrating on the outside surroundings during the entire trip.

Keep all these travel tips at bay so you lessen your miseries over motion sickness. Using most or all of these tips can turn your travel fears into an enjoyable travel experience and pretty soon, you'll find yourself on the travel route more often!

Andrea has written articles on many aspects of life for over 3 years and recommends that you check out coupon organizer as well as marketing strategies!

The New Forest Offers Something For Everyone

There aren't many places in England that can offer the complete family experience in a historical setting that includes natural beauty and activities like The New Forest. With a bevy of attractions and locations, the New Forest has long been and continues to be a favoured holiday location for families or a retreat for couples and singles looking for a quieter and more natural type of vacation.

The reasons are simple and start with the many different picnic and walks that are offered in this centuries old place that was once used as a hunting ground for kings. The natural beauty has been an attraction for that long surprisingly and today's visitors will be treated to the convenience of the National Park's 137 car parks that offer a splendid starting point for a nature walk or cycle.

Expert Guides For Your Natural Walks

Of course you can drive through certain points in the forest, but then you'll miss all the natural beauty and local attractions like the Beaulieu Motor Museum or the nearby Rockbourne Roman Villa to name just a few. In fact there are so many different things to see and do in the New Forest guides website has conveniently classified them to make for easy planning.

For example, there are some outstanding picnics and walks that you can take including a trip to the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary. This is the place that offers a deer watching platform where you can take photos of the local fallow herd. Another walk here will take you through the Bolderwood Arboretum that was first started in the 1800s, and if you are nice and quiet you may stumble across roaming deer herds just off the beaten track.

When You're Looking for More Physical Activities.

Hiking and cycling is a great natural experience, but there are those who might want something of a more physical nature from their stay, and The New Forest offers that as well. The Calshot Spit offers a great location for those who are looking to try their hands at canoeing and even windsurfing and for those who don't really want to play on the liquid water, the Calshot Activities Centre offers snowboarding and skiing as well when things turn a little colder.

A Salute To The History Of The Forest

Of course there's a salute to The New Forest's history as well so that you can get a fully rounded idea of what the place is all about and how it has evolved over the years. Lyndhurst is the location for this stop and once at The New Forest Museum, you'll been treated to areas that have been rebuilt and refurbished so that everyone including classes of school children will find it rewarding and educational.

There's something for everyone here at The New Forest. With a host of natural trails and other wonders, architecture and many stimulating activities, you'll find something to enjoy regardless of whether you're traveling as a family on vacation or a smaller group out for a quiet and personal holiday.

Author Dave Talbot: The New Forest National Park is one of the newest National Parks in the world but its beauty has been admired for centuries. To find out more about The New Forest or New Forest Accommodation visit the newforestguides.com website.

Finding a Travel Agent

If you are trying to find a travel specialist in order to book a trip at one of the many top vacation destinations, then you are not alone. Each year, millions of people around the world begin their search months (sometimes years) in advance in order to reserve all inclusive vacation packages.

Despite the fact that the economy is in a slump in the United States, it has not stopped families from seeking out great deals on family vacation destinations. In fact, the experience of trying to find a bargain deal for a vacation or getaway can be an extremely fun thing for some couples to do. However, for other couples, trying to plan out a vacation is one of the last things on their list of a million other things to do.

Between kids, work and other extracurricular activities that you may have to chase after your kids in, it often leaves you little time to try to sit down and figure out where to even begin. However, if you at least have a general idea of where it is you would like to go or what your family would definitely NOT enjoy, then it may be time to seek out the assistance of a travel agent or travel professional.

Travel specialist are a dime a dozen, which makes finding one yet another task in and of itself at times. You might begin your search for a travel agent through regular old word-of-mouth. Ask around to other parents and friends to see what kinds of vacations they have gone on in the past and to where. How much did it cost? Did they use a travel pro? How did they go about finding their dream vacation? These are all things that you'll want to keep in mind when you are trying to plan out your own destination vacation.

Don't let rumors sway you into thinking that you won't be able to afford a nice vacation. Contrary to popular belief, often times, those who book their vacations through a travel agent actually wind up saving more money in the long run. Just make sure that you do your research ahead of time in order to figure out which travel agent to go through. As you will find out, there are numerous travel specialists out there with varying areas of expertise. For instance, if you are interested in booking a honeymoon getaway, then look for the travel professional who has the most experience in booking honeymoon getaways. What sorts of memberships and affiliations does your travel agent have to add to their credibility?

Find A Travel Agent and Top Vacation Destinations

Stop Worrying and Just Enjoy Travel

Have you went on a trip recently, or enjoy to travel? You'll no doubt then spot from a mile away the conventional tourist "experience." It goes something like this:

• Wake up prematurely and race through the accommodation's brekkie.
• Go, Go, Go Go and see as many stops as possible until it is dark.
• Drop in a heap in your hotel room with a sore back, blisters, and totally exhausted.
• Do it again tomorrow.

The following are some traveling ideas to make your next journey adventure more enjoyable, less rushed, and more what you had in mind when you booked it in the first place. Do one, do all of them, but at least one to make your trip a little more special for you - you've earned it.

Start with Organization

I see a lot of the trek strain people bring upon themselves is mostly due to a lack of organization. Where is your passport - it should always go in a good spot. How about making a list of the stuff you need to take - and check things off the list before you go? The fact is that in most situations, you can leave whatever you are missing behind. Only your personal health and safety and your documents are the things that cannot straightforwardly be replaced. Make sure those two things are accounted for and stop freaking out about the rest.

On a similar note, a little bit of planning goes a long way. Regardless if it's the Capital Building or just a scenic view sure to know when to go/how to get there and mark it in your diary. With the abundance of journey planning sites, travel books, and other resources, you have no excuse for not arriving in a alien location informed of pretty much everything except that new shop that opened just last month.

Appreciate Your Traveling Personality

Any idea what sort of traveler you are like? Do you like museums and exhibits, or would you rather be outside in the drizzle looking at the flowers and walking the streets? How about your voyage partner - are you cozy companions or polar opposites? Same goes for eating out - do you like adventurous options, or would you prefer something a little 'normal' (from your world view) and safer. Also consider your abilities: museums that do not have signs in your local speech probably will not be as much fun, nor will that palace that you don't have the physical stamina to climb the stairs to. You should really be realistic on what you can't do and what you can. You are you who you are, so just do what you can do and forget the rest.

Relax and Appreciate Where You Are

Maybe you can sleep in for a change.

Maybe you can enjoy that second cup of coffee.

Just sit in the gardens with your feet in the fountain, enjoying the fresh air, and skip that twelfth museum.

The best tour experiences sometimes come through serendipity. So slow down, relax, and let those experiences find you. pick one or two absolute must-see places, check the opening hours, and go. Otherwise, just see how the rest unfolds. In other words: get your nose out of the guide and appreciate where you are.

Aidan Jones writes for Sharing Travel Experiences, a travel lifestyle magazine featuring articles about experiential travel.