Disneyland Vacation cannot be complete without a Disneyland tour – especially if it is your first trip to Disneyland. There are currently four different tours to choose from, and Disneyland park admission is required for all tours. It is strongly advised that you make a reservation for the tours that you wish to go on.

Disneyland’s Discover the Magic Tour may be the most popular of the four. This tour will have you and your family working with Disneyland characters to find clues and hunt for treasure. You can literally live out a Disneyland fantasy with your family and lovable characters, outsmarting the Disney bad guys! This tour includes lunch and an exclusive gift that can only be obtained on this tour.

The Discover the Magic Tour lasts for about three hours. There is a two ticket minimum, and the cost is $49 each of the first two tickets, with additional tickets costing $39. The tour is appropriate for the 5 – 9 year old age group, and adults. The tour is not really suitable for children under the age of five, or for children who need strollers.

The VIP Tour lasts for about four hours, and costs $75 per hour for a party of up to ten people. You must book this tour well in advance, or there will be an additional twenty dollar fee. The tour is not recommended for children, but is designed more for people who have a true love and interest in Disney and Disneyland history.

The Welcome to Disneyland Tour is absolutely perfect for first timers. There are many benefits to this tour, including priority seating at one of the stage shows, tips and suggestions for getting the most out of your Disneyland vacation, a brief history of the park, priority seating at one of the many restaurants, instruction in using FastPass, two bonus FastPass tickets, and much more. This tour lasts about two and a half hours, and costs $25 per person.

A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps focuses on the vision of Walt Whitman, and is not really suitable for small children. Filled with history and trivia about the park, this tour lasts for more than three hours, and costs $49 per person. The main feature of this tour is your peek at the exclusive Club 33.

Again, you should definitely consider making one of these tours part of your Disneyland experience – especially if this will be your first trip to Disneyland. You may see things and learn things that you would not see or learn without the benefit of the tour!

Celebrate Birthdays At Disneyland

If you want to celebrate your birthday, or the birthday of a child at Disneyland, you can easily do this – and it doesn’t even have to be done on the exact date of birth! Start celebrating by going to City Hall, which is located in Town Square, upon your arrival to Disneyland. Here, you will receive a Birthday Sticker or button. This sticker tells everyone on at Disneyland that you are to receive special treatment.

On your birthday celebration day, make sure that you eat in one of the full service restaurants, and that you order the Birthday Bucket. It will be full of Disney treats, and it includes a cake. This costs around twenty dollars. Eat breakfast at Goofy’s Kitchen and you can get a Birthday Bag for five dollars.

There are many ways to enjoy your birthday at Disneyland. You will receive special treatment from all of the Disney Characters in the park. This can be a memorable birthday celebration for you or your child – so make sure you take lots of pictures, and don’t be shy about telling people who work at the park that it is your birthday – if they don’t notice your sticker!

Christmas at Disneyland

Christmas is one of the happiest times of the year for a child. Spending the happiest time of the year, at the happiest place on earth, could be a dream that comes true for many children and adults. Christmas at Disneyland is an experience that will never be forgotten, and can never be matched.

Disneyland works to make Christmas very special. Santa’s Reindeer Roundup is especially fun, allowing children to decorate Christmas cookies with Mrs. Clause, play Reindeer Games, and make holiday souvenirs. Between seeing all of the characters dressed up in their holiday costumes and enjoying the ‘snow’ after the Fireworks, Christmas at Disneyland cannot be topped!

Make sure that you visit the Christmas Shoppe and buy a special holiday ornament. Also, take part in all of the special holiday rides. Visiting Disneyland at Christmas time is unlike any other Disneyland vacation you will ever take. Make sure you get a picture of the Christmas tree!

Even though Christmas is considered to be ‘off-season’ you should be prepared for crowds. Christmas is a very popular time to visit Disneyland. Make reservations well in advance.

Perfectly situated midway between Los Angeles and San Diego in southern Orange County, Laguna Beach is a popular weekend vacation in Southern California.  Offering seven miles of coastline with sandy beaches and palm trees, Laguna Beach is the perfect beach vacation getaway.

There are 30 beaches and coves that visitors can explore either on foot or by kayak.  The activities here include sailing, bird watching, beach volleyball, surfing, and even scuba diving.

The Laguna Beach also enjoys warm weather year round with an average high of 69 degrees in January and 77 degrees in July.  Popular activities for the outdoors here include romantic picnics, hiking, cycling, tennis, golf, and even botanical garden tours.

Laguna Beach is also home to an active artist community with almost 100 galleries that showcase art pieces by local and international artists.  There are many festivals here in the summer, some of which are known around the world.

For those who enjoy shopping, Laguna Beach offers a wide selection of unique shops that sell hand crafted jewelry, antiques, and other things that you won’t find anywhere else.

With the perfect weather year round, Laguna Beach in California offers you the perfect location for your beach vacation.  Kids enjoy playing in the sand at one of the several beaches, while parents enjoy sun bathing and taking in the views that Laguna Beach is very well known for.

If you’ve thought about taking a beach vacation in the near future, Laguna Beach is perfect.  There are several hotels for you to choose from, many of which offer discounts during the year, depending on when you visit.  There’s something for everyone here, even if your family is hard to please.

No matter what season it may be, taking a beach vacation is both fun and relaxing.  There are many beaches all over the world to pick from.  You can choose from  a white sandy beach, lava rock beach, secluded beach, or a popular beach - as the choice is entirely up to you.

1.  Polo Beach - Hawaii

The Polo Beach of Hawaii is a sandy beach with clear water, making it ideal for swimming and also snorkeling.  It’s located in South Maui and fronted by the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, which is a luxury beach vacation resort.

2.  Seven Mile Beach - Jamaica

The Seven Mile Beach of Negril is the longest stretch of white sand in Jamaica.  Located near Negril on the western tip of Jamaica, this beach is truly an awesome sight to behold.  Here, you can find your favorite stretch of the beach and coconut palm tree and just relax near the ocean.  You can also stay at the Caves, which is located very close to the beach.

3.  Atlantis Paradise - Bahamas

Here, you can experience the white sandy beaches of the Caribbean.  Atlantis Paradise gives you long romantic walks on the beach or the chance to play in the water at the resort.  This paradise offers you tropical climate with your own personal slice of heaven - something every beach lover will truly appreciate.

4.  Heron Island - Australia

Located on the Great Barrier Reef, Heron Island beaches offer excellent swimming and snorkeling with truly amazing marine life.  The tropical island of Heron offers scuba divers over 20 different diving sites.  You can forget the stress of everyday life here and just immerse yourself in wonder.

5.  Madeira - Portugal

The beach here at Reid’s Palace Hotel is quite the rocky beach, with sharp black rocks.  You can spend time lounging by the pool taking in the views, or swimming in the ocean.  The weather here is pleasant most of the time, making your beach vacation something you’ll remember for a long time to come.

6.  Miami Beach

A great spot for movie stars and fashion models, Miami Beach offers plenty of sandy beaches, several restaurants, and night long parties at one of the local nightclubs.  If you are looking for the ideal place to stay, The Tides is a luxurious hotel with many spectacular views.  Miami Beach is also popular in the United States - one of the best beach vacations out there.

About Cyprus

Cyprus is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea. It is inhabited with mountains on the north and south and the south coast is covered with plains. The temperatures are really hot indicating Mediterranean climate. Winters are cooler. Nicosia is the capital city of Cyprus. The currency used here is Cypriot Pound.

Culture

Greek, English and Turkish are the languages spoken here. There is a mixed culture of Greek and Middle East. The locals are very friendly and welcome outsiders with an open heart and make them feel at home by offering them with something to drink. To greet someone a handshake will do. It is customary to offer the guest a small gift when invited for dinner. One can dress casually, but the swimsuits must be confined to the beaches only. Social functions call for formal dressing.

Site Seeing

The country is full of vineyards, 12th century buildings, orchards and monasteries. Be careful when photographing outside. It is forbidden in military areas and special permission must be taken for taking pictures in places like museums and art galleries. Most of them do not allow flash photography. Taxis can be hired to move around the big towns in Cyprus, which charge according the government regulated meters. Tipping the drivers is customary.

Electricity

240 V, 50 Hz

Getting There

Port of Famagusta at  Ammochostos and Port of Kyrenia, and airport of Ercan, have been declared as illegal ‘ports of entry’, so check it out while planning to get there.

The national airline is Cyprus Airways. It connects most of the major cities of Europe. Other forty airlines, too, serve at the airport of Larnaca, which are 5 km away from Larnaka and 50km away from Nicosia. Taxis can be hired to reach any destination from there as there is lack of buses and trains services at the airport. The other services that are offered at this airport is duty-free shops, bank, tourism and hotels information, restaurants, car hire, post office and reservation office. The other airport, Pafos, is 15km away from the city and it takes about 35 minutes to reach the city from the airport. It provides the same facilities like the Larnaca airport.

The major ports of Cyprus are the Limassol port and Larnaca port which connect other ports of Middle East and Greek. Not only ferry services are provided here, even cruise services are provided here.

Cyprus Island is not connected by roads to other countries, but roads run across Cyprus connecting all the cities and villages. Buses run on roads except on Sunday but they run late in the mid-night during summers. Tourists can get on to rural buses to surf through the remote villages, but they are very slow. If planning to hire car, advanced booking is recommended, especially in summer as the booking is full most of the times. Do remember to carry a National driving license or International driving permit.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
2. 1l of spirits (over 22 per cent volume) or 2l of fortified wine or sparkling wine
3. 2l of still wine; 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette
4. 800 cigarettes or 200 cigars or 1kg of tobacco
5. 10l of spirits, 20l of fortified wine, 90l wine, 110l beer

Most of the food items and items relating to agriculture are prohibited. Explosives and fire arms are a strict no-no.

Albania is a mountainous country and the one of the smallest countries of Europe. The residents supposedly descended from ancient Illyrians.

Culture

The culture of Albania is majorly influenced by that of the mainland Greeks especially in the urban locality; nodding one’s head means ‘no’ where as shaking the head means ‘yes’. To greet someone, handshaking is preferred, though Shoku (Comrade) was used before, which has been long forgotten now. People dress informally here. Swim suits are meant for the beaches, otherwise women are expected not to dress in a revealing outfit. When addressing someone prefix Zoti(Mr) or Zonja(Mrs) before the name and always remember to carry some gifts when visiting someone, although flowers aren’t much acceptable. The guests are served with coffee, raki or sweets. Smokers don’t have to worry much, but they should avoid it where they see a sign of Ndalohet Duhani or Ndalohet pirja e duhanit.

Traveling within the Albania

Buses with relatively cheap fares operate in the main cities of the country or taxis are another choice which provided service for some main hotels.

Visit Dajti Mountain and experience Dajti Ekspres Cable car for an unforgettable 15 minute ride passing through Dajt Oark to reach Tirana. The route is about 4.2 km long and the ride costs €6.5.Alpha Yachting provides crewed yacht which is a luxury in itself. Tirana Bank is the best place for withdrawing money as it allows access to Visa cards.

Eating Out

Restaurants are not always sufficiently heated, so always wear warm clothes if out in the night during winters. Foreigners are charged more than the locals. Both the entry fees as well as any merchandise will be on a higher scale, so it’s better not to reveal the fact that you are a foreigner when out on the streets.

Accommodation

If you want a 5-Star ambience, try The Sheraton Tirana Hotel and Towers, which is situated in the middle of a shopping and entertainment center. There are about 151 rooms and 56 suites. So, along with the comfort, one can shop at once convenience here. Another hotel which provides all modern facilities is Hotel Mondial. It is located 1000 m away from the city and is also a good example of traditional architecture.

Site Seeing

If you enjoy canoeing, this is the right place to be. There are places right outside Tirana which is an amazing site for not just canoeing, but also rock climbing, hiking, and camping.

How to Get There

One of the best and the easiest means is to go by air. Albanian Airlines is the national airline which works in collaboration with Tyrolean Airways, and provides service to almost all the big European cities. The airport, Mother Teresa, is 16 miles or 26 km away from the capital. A tourist bus is available every 3 hrs to get to the city center and takes about 30 minutes to get there. Taxis are available round the clock. While waiting for any transport service, tourists can check out the duty free shops, bank, eateries and car hire at the airport. A departure tax of $10 USD is imposed on all foreign nationals. Check out www.flyalbanian .com for flight times and offers.

If trying to get there by sea, try the ferry services which are provided by Adriatic Line and Agoudimos. The main ports are Durres (has ferry connection to Italy, Bari, Brindisi, Trieste, and Ancona), Vlora (has ferry connection to Bari, and Brindisi), Saranda (has connection to Corfu), Shen Gjini (has ferry connection to Bari). Check out www.adriatica.it and www.aqoudimos-lines.com for more information.

Bus is another option. Buses start from Istanbul, Athens and Sofia. Internal passengers have lots of options with bus services provided. If traveling by road in a private car, there is road network to the Kosovo region, but they are too dangerous to use because of the political tensions within the region. Crossings at Hani I Hotit, Bllata, Oafa e Thaes, Tushemisht, Gorica, Kapshtica, and kakavija can be taken. If tired one can take halts at hotels or other designated areas. There is a network of 18,000 km, out of which only 7450 km are main roads, for local travelers. About 2138km stretch of these roads is in poor condition and has pot holes, and utmost safety precautions should be taken when driving on such roads. Speed limit should be strictly followed on highways as well as within towns. Driving at night should be better avoided because of the absence of street lights on the road except for urban areas. Traffic should drive on the right-hand. There is a shortage of gas stations in the countryside, so filling the gas tank completely when passing through urban area is recommended and since there is lack of national recovery system; travelers should be prepared for an emergency or breakdown before hand. One should carry necessary documents like International Driving Permit and national driving license.

Duty Free Items

Following are the items that can be carried without customs duty being levied on them:
1. 1liter of spirits or 2liter of wine
2. 250ml of eau de toilette
3. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
4. 50ml of perfume.

Prohibited Items

Things that are prohibited to carry are firearms, narcotics and ammunitions. Special export permission should be taken for precious metals, books, antiques, work of art, or material of national or historic value.

If you’re thinking about a Vegas Vacation you are probably thinking about casinos. Most people who have ever gambled harbor no fantasies of striking it rich when going and playing in casinos. Most of us know the ultimate goal is to go in, play a while, have some fun, get some comps, and go home with about what you walked in with.

Many who gamble on a regular basis no to only bring in a certain amount of money and to not mix gambling money with money that is earmarked for other things. There are a few things that those who are new to the world of gambling can do in order to avoid spending more than you intended. Anyone who has spent much time in a casino will tell you that it is easy to get your money mixed up and end up spending every dime you walked in with thinking you had more money hidden elsewhere.

That being said there is a profound difference in a casual gambler and someone that is willing and expecting to come in and make a hefty investment in the casino. These investments sometimes pay off big time for those who can afford to lose the money. They also can end up costing them big time and taking a while to recover. I recommend starting light.

Hopefully these tips will help you go home with a little money in your pocket.

1) Set a spending limit for each day and night of your stay. This sounds simple enough but it you’d be surprised at how difficult this bargain you’ve made with yourself can be to keep.

2) Bring only that amount of money into the casino with you and bring it in cash.

3) Lock all other ATM, Debit, and credit cards in your room safe along with any traveler’s checks and other cash that you have. This prevents the temptation to get one more twenty or fifty until they are all gone. This sounds like a little bit of overkill and people often think they have plenty of self control but there is something about a casino, I swear you sometimes loose every bit of common sense you had when you walk in the door. This prevents you from getting in over your head and taking desperate measures.

4) Set a time limit for your casino fun and when that time limit is up for the evening/day get up from the table and leave the casino whether you are on the hottest winning streak of your life or not. Winning streak ultimately end at some point it is better to leave on a high note and have a little extra money to play with the next night (or better yet to take home with you). Leaving at a set time prevents you from getting over tired and making poor decisions based on the altered state of being sleep deprived.

5) Win and lose graciously. It will earn you a lot more respect from staff and the other players and you may find them wishing you luck because of your graciousness. In Vegas you can never have too much luck but woe to those whose luck has run out.

Believe it or not, these five things can save your more money and win you more friends than almost anything other than a super hot winning streak.

The first thing most people think of when thinking of Las Vegas is the strip. Bright blinking neon lights, loud music, and spotlights are more of what people envision in Vegas than wide open spaces, natural park like settings, nature watches, and the beauty of the desert at sunset. Of course that is if you can get a little ways out of Vegas otherwise you’ll never notice the sun going down for all the bright lights.

Granted most of these beautiful places to visit are fair distances from Vegas but if you are this close to them it would be a shame to miss out on their beauty for the sake of a car ride. The first one is Bryce Canyon National Park. It is actually in Utah and about 270 miles from Vegas. The fee to enter is $20 per vehicle but the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. The views you will see are worth every mile and every penny. You should also be on the lookout for some of the wildlife particularly the Great Basin Rattlesnake, bald eagles, and golden eagles. There are beautiful flowers that often bloom in the spring and early summer months if you happen to be visiting at this time it’s worth keeping an eye out.

The Grand Canyon is about 300 miles southeast of Vegas. This is another beauty that is well worth seeing if you have a day free or even really to make a priority of. There is a fee to bring your car into the park and you should check to see exactly what the current rate is before making the drive. For most people any fee is well worth experiencing this piece of American legend and lore. You can also opt to take one of many tours that will take you around the canyon and some that will take you to the bottom and back up again. If you are truly brave you should also consider one of the helicopter tours.

Floyd Lamb Park is open each day from 6 in the morning until 7 at night. This park is located about 20 miles from the strip in Vegas. It also has four fully stocked ponds, a barbecue area, and is home to some very interesting fossils and remains. The fossils and remains that have been identified here include the following: bison, mammoths, camels, giant sloths, and horse among other animals. This area became a state park in 1977 and visitors who have a fishing license for Nevada may fish in any of the park’s ponds but there is a limit of three fish per person.

Lake Mead is another great area nearby in which to enjoy the great outdoors of the Nevada desert. Lake Mead is a man-made lake and the 16th largest of its kind in this hemisphere. This lake was created by the Colorado River and the Hoover Dam and is about 1.5 million acres (I don’t know about you but that figure to me is actually staggering). This area is a very popular area for boating, swimming, and as wildlife observation area.

If you love the great outdoors there are plenty of places to get out there and enjoy nature in and around the Las Vegas area. You can do a lot more than view wildlife in any of these parks and each one offers something special to those that visit.

Everyone looks forward to family reunions – and who doesn’t love Disneyland? You can bring the two together by having your family reunion at the happiest place on earth. It is really easier than you might think to arrange this!

Start by calling the Disneyland Vacation Planning Services Department. Let them help you book rooms at the Resort hotels, and admission tickets to the park. You should be able to get discounts on the tickets by purchasing them in bulk.

The specific service that you need to accommodate all of your family members is the ‘Happiest Place on Earth Picnic.’ This service is offered year round, and includes admission to the park for your entire party.

You also get a choice of fully catered meals for the event. For 100 – 300 people, your event can be held at Big Thunder Ranch. For 300 – 1000 people, the event will be held at the Festival Arena.

If there are less than 100 people in your party, you may not be eligible for the catering services. This is at the sole discretion of Disneyland, and you will need to discuss this with Guest Services or the Planning Services Departments. If catering is not available, reservations in the many restaurants can be made instead.

You may be able to get a discount on your family member’s rooms at the Resorts as well, if you book well in advance, hold your event during the off-season, and book a block of rooms. Airline tickets for those who will need to fly to Disneyland should also be purchased well in advance, and in bulk for additional discounts.

Again, allow Disneyland Vacation Planning Services to help you with the arrangements, and use a travel agent to handle any arrangements that planning services doesn’t cover. For best results, choose one family member to work with the planning services and the travel agent, and relay information back and forth between the services and the family members. Having one person collecting and sharing information will cut down on a great deal of confusion and misinformation when you are trying to make travel arrangements for a large number of people.

It may take work and planning, but in the end, this will be one family reunion that will never be forgotten. Talk with the Vacation Planning Services Department to find out what other services are available to make this an even more special experience for you and your family members. The Surprise services would be a nice touch!

Located near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Ober Gatlinburg is the only ski resort in the state. It is more than just a ski resort, however. It is a complete family vacation spot with an amusement park, indoor ice skating, a bungee tower, an alpine slide, and many other activities and attractions – there is something to please everyone.

With an elevation of 3301 feet, and a vertical drop of 600 feet, Ober Gatlinburg features eight trails: two beginner trails, four intermediate trails, and two advanced trails. There are three lifts, including two quad lifts, one double lift, and one surface lift. The season runs from the middle of December through early March, and night skiing is allowed on all trails except the Grizzly trail.

Rentals are available for both ski equipment and snowboarding equipment. Private and group lessons for skiing and snowboarding are also available through the Smokey Mountain Snow Sport School. You can also easily find food at the many snack bars, food carts, the café, the restaurant, or in the lounge.

You must not miss the longest chair lift ride in the south! You will see awesome views of the Great Smoky Mountains. You will also get a bird’s eye view of some of the slopes, and you can have your picture taken on top of the mountain. If you don’t ski, don’t worry! You can ride back down the mountain on the chair lift as well. Don’t forget the Tramway. The tramway departs from downtown Gatlinburg and takes you to the ski resort and the amusement park.

Even if you don’t ski, you can still explore the thrill of flying down a mountain at a high speed – or a slow speed if you choose. This is possible with the Alpine Slide. The slide is approximately 1800 feet long, and takes you down a winding wooded slope.

You have total control over your speed with the use of a braking device on each sled. Other attractions at the amusement park include the Black Bear Habitat, a bungee jump, a water race, go karts, indoor ice skating, kiddie land, an arcade, miniature golf, a Spider Web Velcro Wall Jump, water rides, and a shooting range.

No matter what type of fun or adventure you are seeking, there is something to satisfy everyone in the family at Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort and Amusement Park. This is definitely a trip worth taking – especially if you have younger kids or senior citizens traveling with you.