It’s Not 1993 Anymore – Ditch the Timeshare!

crappy timeshare

Living in Florida is something I don’t take for granted, and especially every time I head back north to visit family and friends during the winter time. People migrate here like birds when temperatures plummet in their homelands and a little sun and relaxation is more alluring than scarves and 4 PM sunsets. Back in the day when I still lived in the City of Brotherly Love, you’d always hear about somebody heading to Orlando to stay at their family’s “timeshare” for the week.  You don’t hear much about timeshares anymore, maybe because our grandparents who paid for them are…

An Interview with Fellow Travel Blogger – Brendan Van Son

The following is an interview with Brendan Van Son of Brendan’s Adventures, one of the most popular Travel blogs/resources out there (yea, even more so than mine).  I asked him a few a questions about traveling and how he supports his never ending sojourns, read on my friends and learn how to change your life according to your own terms. 1. Where did you grow up? I actually grew up in a small town called Rocky Mountain House in Alberta, Canada.  Rocky, as we call it, only has about 6,000 people living there but it is an oil town and…

Picture of the Week: The Beach in Thailand!

Growing up, I went to the Jersey Shore for summer vacations. No no no, not Seaside Heights with Snookie and The Situation, South Jersey, where good homely people from Philly escape for a little fun in the sun. While the sand was pretty nice, the water looked pretty much like diarrhea, and I’m sure there was actually plenty of it in there too. The picture of the week for this semana is compliments of a childhood friend of mine, Andrew Goodwin, who I actually spent plenty of time with at the Jersey Shore kissing girls on the boardwalk and stealing our…

Dropping pounds is for dieting, not vacation! – 5 things to do on the cheap in Londontown

Londoners know their city is an expensive place to live – but they’re used to it. Visitors to the British capital, however, are often astonished by the prices of everything. Hotel rooms, theatre tickets and public transport can all combine to clean out a tourist’s pockets faster than an alumnus of the School of Seven Bells in Bogota (An actual school for pickpocketers!). What you may not know, though, is that there is a side to London that is free. Here’s a guide to seeing London on the cheap that won’t send you off to the Old Bailey to watch…

The coolest Island you’ve never heard of: Lanzarote!

Cactus in Lanzarote

Headed to the Canary Islands? You’ve got to check out the island of Lanzarote.  This little isla is a gem and not so well known the world over.  It’s located in the Atlantic Ocean off of the coast of Morocco but is actually a part of Spain. We’ll tell you what you gotta see, but first, let’s have a little history lesson.  Lanzarote was named for Lanzarote de Framqua, who captained a ship from Lisbon, Portugal in 1336.  You are going to sound so smart when you tell your friends that! Lanzarote is actually a volcanic island. That means it…

The Best Event in Miami – South Beach Wine and Food Festival!

View from my stand

So I once again had the pleasure of working at the Food Network’s South Beach Wine and Food Festival.  They put on the event annually and it attracts foodies, winos and everyone in between who loves to feast and drink. There is a remarkably high number of beautiful women in attendance as the event checks off everything in most girls’ “best day ever” list- gourmet food, premium wine, the beach and a venue to show off their clothes, fake tits and bonnets. For me, the event offers a well paying job, a VIP pass to the event (tickets cost $250/day!),…

To Hire a Guide or not to Hire a Guide, That is the Question

The Following is a guest post by Tatiana Christian When people travel abroad, they usually like to know what “must” be seen and done before even setting foot in their destination of choice – what they HAVE to see before they leave, the best places to do x, y, and z, etc. My idea of traveling is more, “let’s walk around and see what we discover!” because it feels more authentic and the touristy sites are always packed to the brim. So when I went to Cairo, Egypt with a family friend, I was fascinated to hear that she had…

3 Books that Changed The World for Travelers

On The Road by Jack Keroac

In my opinion, books are dying.  Yea we’ve got the Kindle, but still, I don’t read “real” books much anymore, and I don’t know many others my age who still do either (wrong group of friends?).  It’s because were flooded with info and quick reads on the web, ahemm, just like this blog.  If I can’t breeze through something in less than 5 minutes, then chances are, it ain’t being read.  It’s just how things are these days. But, I have been thinking recently about a few books that have completely inspired and actually made myself and others travel, and…

Photo of the Week – Mauna Kea Observatories

This picture is from the summit of Mauna Kea on the big island of Hawaii.  Mauna Kea is a volcano, and if measured from its oceanic base, is significantly taller than Mt. Everest!  The summit rises to 13,796 ft but from the sea floor, measures 33,500 ft. The observatories were created in the 1960’s on Mauna Kea because of its idyllic situation for star gazing. If you visit the observatories at night, you will be amazed at how many stars you can see (ya, not to many visible from downtown Miami), so look for cheap flights to Hawaii and and check…

Best European City Break Destinations in the Spring!

Why choose London?
London city breaks offer an extraordinary wealth of famous sights among a vibrant, multi-cultural atmosphere. Few destinations are able to compete with London in terms of the wealth of sightseeing available.
London’s best attractions
From Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London to Westminster Abbey and Trafalgar Square, London offers attractions for […]

Travel Package Deals: Are You Really Saving?

From http://www.expedia.ca/Punta-Cana-Hotels-Paradisus-Palma-Real-Golf-Spa-Resort.h1348106.Hotel-Information#

You can book each part of a trip separately or you can purchase a travel package deal. The idea of all inclusive vacation packages is to save both time and money. Everything you need is in a single package, meaning that you book one thing and then you are done. Travel agencies find the best […]

5 Ways Your Life is Telling You it’s Time to Travel!

Guest Post From Jenna Hall If you’re a travel enthusiast, it’s hard to avoid scratching the the ‘travel itch’-and I am not talking about the rash you got on your last overseas adventure. It’s the subtle and blatant clues that life gives you when it’s time to hit the road again and explore. Monotony and giant leather planners are great for some, but not for those with nomadic feet. I have found that people who have an eager passion for travel need to get their regular ‘fix’ in order to maintain their sanity levels- believe me I know. Therefore, I…

Mountain Biking in the Flattest Place on Earth

If you were asked to define Miami in three words, you would probably say Beach, Boobs and Booze.  While Miami is surely all of those three things, it is also a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts.  There is every sort of water sport you can imagine from kite surfing to para sailing, but what people don’t usually know about are the melange of land activities at your disposal.  With the topography of a 10 year old girl’s chest (don’t report me) running, power walking, road biking and a slew of other sports are great ways to enjoy South Florida’s flatness and…

Photo of the Week – One World Trade Center Rises

One World Trade Center in NYC

This past week, I was in NYC for work.  One of my friends who owns Victory Marketing flew me up to help manage JC Penny’s rebranding event.  They hired some high up people from Apple and Target to come in and give the once low-end clothing retailer a new look and feel, and they did a pretty amazing job of portraying that sentiment at the event as well.  I felt like I was at an Apple store, Target and a Ted Conference all wrapped into one. I was staying at the Hotel Indigo in Chelsea for less than $150 a night…

Miami Before Miami – The Buildings You’ve Never Seen…

Miami Dad courthouse building

Miami is a new city.  With virtually nothing  older than a 100 years, the rather impressive skyline is punctuated by soaring glass skyscrapers that exude a modern and fast-paced ambiance. But before all the glitz and glam which The Magic City has become known for, Miami was the end of the line, literally.
Miami’s first boom came after […]

How to Choose a Study Abroad Program

Studying Abroad in Barcelona

So you’re toying with the idea that you might want to take your academic (or lack thereof) endeavors overseas.  Maybe you’re looking for an excuse to get to travel on the dime of your parentals or student loans or just want your coveted picture pushing up the Leaning Tower of Pisa like all your friends have on Facebook from their study abroad experience, regardless of your motive, you’ve come to the right post! Studying abroad was one of the main catalysts for change in my life, and in retrospect, I wish I had done a year rather than a semester,…

What is Flashpacking?

Netbook, Camera, Tripod and Headphones

I’d imagine that most people reading this blog have traveled and/or backpacked on a tight budget at some point in their life, maybe on a semester abroad, extended vacation, great escape, etc.  The reason most of us can travel is because we do so intelligently, with research and finances in mind.  In my view, spending hours to save a few bucks off of an airfare by scouring search engines, researching hostels and hotels, etc. adds a fun aspect to the planning process of any trip, and seeing how far the dollar (pound, euro, yen, wampum, w/e you use) can truly…