Category: Travel & Destinations

I know what you are thinking, the usual Florida destinations; like Disney World, or the Beach, right? Well… not exactly. I want to share with you some of the most amazing and off the regular beaten path destinations in Florida.

I have compiled a list of 7 of my all-time favorite destinations, while some include the beach and beauty of Florida, you will be surprised at how affordable and fun these destinations are!

1. So, let us start with one of my favorites of all-time beaches. Caladesi Island. This beach although gorgeous in and of itself, it is also the most amazing place to search for and find sharks teeth. This beach is so calming and off the grid you will be amazed. Three miles of beaches not compromised by too many people, and fun weather you just dig your toes in the sand or want to walk the beach.
2. Yet another beach destination we do have several you know… is Destin FL. This is a sleepy little fishing village so quaint and fun to explore. Get there and visit some of the shops and local businesses, try your hand at some fishing, or slide down one of the slides at Crab Island Water Park.
3. Located in the middle of the state is Mt. Dora. This is such fun to strap on those walking shoes and go visit 19^th century homes, and don’t forget to look up some of the famous antique shops. Several fares go on at different times of the year here, look into attending one of those.
4. Yes, another fun beach you must visit is both family friendly, and beautiful, it is Hollywood Beach. It too is quaint lots of local fun places to visit, and a two and a-half mile boardwalk. There is much to explore at the Anne Kolb nature center.
5. Tarpon Springs will have you loving the Greek flare for life. The Sponge Docks being the centerpiece of this destination. Great food, great shops, great atmosphere. Certainly, something to do or see for everyone in the family.
6. Love seafood? The destination for you would be Apalachicola. While this cities name is a mouthful, you will not be disappointed with a mouthful of wonderful seafood. Known for seafood, they provide 90% of Florida’s oysters. There are also over 900 historic sites to visit here. Strap on the old walking shoes, visit the historic sites, and then get your grub on with some amazing and fresh seafood.
7. Discover the old City of Cortez. This destination will transport you to a time long ago. No traffic or hustle and bustle. If it is rest relaxation and enjoying great food. This stop is sure to hit all the hot buttons for you.

In conclusion, get out there and enjoy Florida! Soon hopefully the weather will be just cool enough to enjoy, and travel will be better off the regular beaten path. Just take the back roads!…

Why traveling within the U.S. during Covid-19 may be your best option.

National parks across the country are in the process of reopening, with incredible destinations like the Grand Canyon and Old Faithful that are already accessible to visitors. National parks are such a great place to head to, and get outdoors!

In 2019, the National Park Service system received more than 327.5 million visitors.  More recent travel data shows that these parks could be even more ideal for a visit this summer, as people want to get away after dealing with weeks and or months of stay-at-home orders. 

Heading to destinations near national parks have recently trended on many of the online travel booking sites. Like Flagstaff, Arizona, which is close to the Grand Canyon, and Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee, which are located by Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

The trips that require van passage, or you to be motored to another destination in the park, should not cause any worry, as all parks have taken great care to keep up with cleaning, and making sure to have proper signage, and social distancing, to keep their guests who visit safe and free from Covid-19.

The national park system is actually working on getting testing available for Covid-19, not just temperature checks, as they move to being committed to keeping everyone safe during their travels.

Even though the pandemic has currently put a damper on travel, many people looking for something fun to do with their family, they can stay in the US, and get outdoors.

Check online resources for towns and areas that are just outside of the park you are looking to visit. As stated earlier, it is great to get bargains, and looking online for help with booking for places just outside the park you would like to visit. It makes it easy to enjoy both the national park, and enjoy some small towns, and small businesses, as you enjoy your vacation.

“People are drawn to being outside,” It has been such a long time for everyone to be home, or inside. “Now, more than ever, people need nature.” Get out and enjoy! See all the great National parks!…

Why travel Abroad?

Would you love to travel, now even though Covid- 19 has taken its toll on us lately? When considering where you would like to go, and what you would like to see, why not dial it back a bit and stay in the good old USA?

I have had many travel destinations; many outside the US and inside the US. Although it is fun to dream and plan an overseas adventure, it would be fantastic to see the sites in the US. There are so many exciting things to do, and you do not have to spend a fortune, or go far, (unless you want to.)

 You can travel now as many bans have been lifted. Many health experts agree that as long as you are diligent to take the needed precautions, and visit relatively uncrowded areas, it is a fairly low risk. Do keep in mind that city or state travel restrictions will vary widely and change frequently. Keeping up with the latest rules can be a challenge.   For instance, Airport travelers arriving to New York from other U.S. states that are on New York’s quarantine list are required to fill out detailed contact forms upon landing, with fines for noncompliance. New Mexico requires visitors to quarantine for two weeks, as does Hawaii, where violators of the order incur a $5,000 fine. The state’s “Pre-Travel Testing Program,” which lets travelers skip the quarantine if they show proof of a recent negative Covid-19 test, has been delayed to October 1, at the earliest.

So, first things first, check all of the parameters for where you want to travel to. Then make a plan and execute it. Look for your best least crowded options in hotels, staying in a small B&B or a smaller setting for instance, somewhere that does not give you a lot of exposure. Drive yourself or rent a car, rather that looking to public modes of transportation. Instead of looking at places where there will be large crowds, for instance like Theme Parks, or where lots of people may congregate. Perhaps head to a mountain resort, or a hiking trail, or a National Park.

To be sure there are so many amazing places to see in the US! So, go and enjoy the amazing wonders here, and plan that overseas trip at a later date!…

1. Consider Your Budget.

We all have destinations we would LOVE to go to, but getting to Austrailia from the United States can be quite expensive. Money is a determining factor for many people when it comes to travel, especially when choosing a vacation destination. You don’t want to cash in on your kids college fund or your 401k just for one vacation. So considering and looking at how much you are willing to spend and making a budget is good to do before you start looking at travel destinations. It is important to decide on a budget BEFORE you start looking, otherwise you could very well be lured into a destination you think you just cant pass up and you will begin to justify the trip. So its best to decide on an amount to can afford or want to spend before you start looking into your next trip. Doing some research online will help you find destinations that suit your budget.

2. Check out travel package sites before you book.

Booking a flight, hotel, and rental car together doesn’t just save you time—it can often save you money! But before you make such a large investment, it’s good to find the best travel package sites for booking your next destination. My favorite place to search online for my next trip is Expedia and I love their commercials too.

It’s also wise to compare the price of a vacation booked as a bundle to that same trip booked as separate components. Booking a package isn’t always cheaper, and sometimes you’ll get better air-flight options to choose from if you search for your airfare separately.

Lastly, it is good to know that some of the best sites for vacation packages are owned by the same company, so you’ll often find the same packages and prices from one to the next. Knowing which sites are most interchangeable can save you some time on the computer doing research instead of being out on the open roads!

3. Consider your interest and who is going? I know that is technicially two things to consider, but hey, this is my travel blog. And besides, who doesn’t want an extra tip?

So considering who is going and what you enjoy doing is really one of the most important things. If you are traveling with your grandmother who doesn’t like walking too much then a hiking trip is probably not a good idea. On the other hand if its you and your buds and you all love to surf, well than that easy, a surf trip a premo idea!

If you want to learn more about travel check out why I love to travel on my other recent blog post What I love about travel and learning.

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One of the things I love about traveling is how I always get to learn new things about different aspects of our culture and how we are influenced here in America by different cultures around the world, and actually how we all of us all around the world, how we are all influenced by each other now matter where we live.

I recently came back from a trip to China and I was surprised by all the clay tile roofing that is used in their building construction and architecture.

I knew Clay Roofing Tiles are widely used in Central and South America but did not realize they were used in China and other places in the world.

When I got back to the states I was talking to a friend of mine who owns Fortress Roofing and he explained to me that China is where many people believe Clay tiles were first used as a type of roofing material.

He also explained to me that the origin of clay roofing tile can be traced back independently to two different parts of the world. Beginning around 10,000 B.C in China, during the Neolithic Age, and the Middle East, a short time later. From these regions, the use of clay tile spread throughout Asia and Europe. I was very surprised to find this out. I thought it was first made and used in South American Countries like Brazil and Mexico or even from the Mayan culture.

Here in the United States Archeologists have recovered specimens of clay roofing tiles from the settlements of Roanoke Island in North Carolina in around the early 1500’s. Clay tiles were also used in the early English settlement towns in Jamestown, Virginia, and in other towns like St. Mary’s Maryland. Clay roofing tiles were also found to have been used in the Spanish settlements of St. Augustine Florida.

All of this made me so aware of all the different influences we have in America. I know some countries don’t have the large diverse background that we have here in America but if you look back far enough you will find that every country and culture has been effected by others. I learn so much by visiting places with a different culture than my own, I also find that by understanding the culture you can understand why the people are the way they are – on such a deep level.

All of this reinforces my belief in how traveling helps me to learn new things, and gain insight and respect for other countries and other people. Traveling makes me appreciate all the great things we have in my home country while gaining respect and understanding of others in different countries. I think it is important to travel and if you have the means and opportunity you should make it a priority to travel. In addition to learning and growing traveling id filled with fun and excitement. You never know what new adventure awaits you the next day.

Traveling can also be a great way to spend time with friends and family and share new experiences together. If you don’t mind traveling alone, traveling by yourself can be a great way to spend time reflecting and thinking.

I hope you have gained some new insights about travel and all the benefits that traveling has to offer.

And as always I hope you found something encouraging to help inspire you to get out on your next travel adventure!…

Why I decide to start a travel blog.

I was in the auto glass business for many years and after being in that business for so long i realized one day that i just didn’t want to do it anymore. I had been doing auto glass since I was a kid about 15 years old. My dad had an auto glass shop that I started working in when I was in high school. When I got older and after i graduated college I went back to working at my dads business. Eventually I ended up taking over my dads business. It went very well and I made quite a lot on money too. But after doing it for over ten years I realized one day that i wanted to travel and see the world. My whole life I lived in the same town and worked at the same job. Every day that I worked in the shop I dreamed of all the places I wanted to see and go. One day I was talking to a customer and he told me how much he admired me and my business. He said he would love to settle down and have a business like mine. I asked him what he did and he told me he travels all over the world and write about his experiences. He said he had a travel blog and it became very popular and he got paid from advertisers who wanted to be on his blog. As soon as he said that, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

Well the rest of the story is that he ended up running my auto glass shop and I have started traveling and this is my journey to start my own travel blog.

I hope you enjoy it and I hope it inspires you to follow your dream, wherever it takes you!…

There are many reasons why tourists are visiting Pakistan. You might think that this is a country that is full of dangers and that you won’t be safe in. This is true in some parts of the country. There are some areas in Pakistan that are safe for tourists. However, these are the risks that you need to consider when you are visiting Pakistan.

Because of terrorism, only certain parts of Pakistan are safe to visit

The number one risk in Pakistan is terrorism. You won’t really know when a Pakistani is a terrorist or when they are just a normal person trying to make a living. 

The problem is that with all the other risks in Pakistan, it all starts with terrorists. This is why you should make sure that you are doing your homework and that you know for sure in what part of Pakistan you will have a higher risk of terrorism. 

Kidnappings do happen in Pakistan, even with tourists

In the media, we hear about kidnappings in Pakistan. This is really true. There are many kidnappings in the country, because of poverty. And, the scary part is that most of them are kidnapping tourists for ransom. 

This is one of the reasons why you should make sure that you are dressing accordingly. You need to make sure that you aren’t dressed like a tourist. Especially if you are a woman that is going to Pakistan. And, you need to make sure that you are staying out of the dangerous parts of Pakistan. 

Violence in the street is a reality

We all know that violence can be found everywhere. In some countries, we are used to violence and we are just making sure that we are staying out of it when it happens.

In Pakistan, there is also violence in the streets. But, at a completely different level. And, you need to make sure that you don’t only stay out of the fight, but you need to get out of the area as soon as possible. Shooting can happen at any moment and they don’t really care about who is going to get hurt in the process. 

Pakistan is known as one of the more dangerous countries in the world. And, that you need to be really careful when you decide to visit this country. These are the most common dangers that you can find when you are visiting the country. Knowing these will make it easier for you to stay safe and to enjoy your trip to Pakistan. 

If you want to learn more about travel check out why I love to travel on my other recent blog post What I love about travel and learning.

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