Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for U.S. travel
Christkindlmarkt, Chicago Style
By Linda Tancs
Tomorrow marks Thanksgiving, but it’s also the start of another (adopted) American tradition in the Midwest. From 27 November to 24 December, the heart of Chicago will once again host a Christmas market. Celebrating its 13th anniversary, the market is the largest of its kind outside of Germany and welcomes more than 1 million visitors each year. Modeled after a traditional outdoor European holiday market, the festivities will include German baked goods, clothing, wooden toys, nutcrackers and cuckoo clocks.
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Pooches Pose for Charity
By Linda Tancs
It’s time to get those Fidos and Fluffys ready for their close-up. New Jersey’s Mall at Short Hills will again be offering Santa Paws, a photo op with Santa benefitting St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center. This year’s dates are 30 November and 7 December. If you hurry, you might get a booking with that groomer. Sounds like a doggone good holiday gift.
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Boston, Cradle of Liberty
By Linda Tancs
In the current edition of Travelrific® Travel Show, the topic is Boston, Massachusetts. Boston is known worldwide as the site of the Boston Tea Party, but that’s only one event in a long timeline of America’s revolutionary history. Experience colonial times along the Freedom Trail or enjoy more contemporary activities in this vibrant northeastern city where past meets present.
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A Costly Exit
By Linda Tancs
In a move surely not to surprise many, Singapore Airlines will now charge $50 for exit row seating in economy class. Sure, costs are skyrocketing and margins are plummeting. This, however, is not exactly a recent phenomenon. As early as March 2006, Northwest instituted a $15 charge for exit row seating, followed by AirTran in 2007. And back in December 2006 Virgin was asking $30 per seat. So what was the excuse back then? It pays to remember, though, that exit row seating is more than just a convenience. It’s a promise to act responsibly in the event of an emergency. Are you ready, willing and able to open a 50-pound hatch at the drop of a hat if necessary? Your cramped comrades sure hope so.
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Flamingo Hosts Brother-Sister Duo
By Linda Tancs
It Takes Two. Anytime Sunshine. Show Me. Sound familiar? It does if you’re an Osmond fan. Now you can hear Donny and Marie reprise their standards at the Flamingo in Las Vegas. Their singing, dancing and comedic twists have been renewed for two years. Will the headliners stay hot? It’s anyone’s guess. As the Osmonds sang, “It’s all been said before.”
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Cool Deals Sizzle Caribbean
By Linda Tancs
Perhaps it isn’t cold enough to think of island getaways, but it pays to plan ahead. The U.S. Virgin Islands “Winter Escape” promotion provides hot savings on vacations in St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John.
Book now at a participating hotel through October 31, 2008, for travel between January 1 and March 31, 2009, and receive a complimentary 5th night based on a five-night minimum stay, plus $300 in traveler’s checks and a coupon book with savings on activities and attractions. Participating hotels in St. Croix include The Palms at Pelican Cove, Chenay Bay Beach Resort, Carambola Beach Resort & Spa, Divi Carina Bay Resort, Hibiscus Beach Resort, Sand Castle on the Beach, The Buccaneer, Holger Danske Hotel, Club St. Croix, Colony Cove and Hotel Caravelle. Weekly events on the island include crab races, live jazz and a West Indian BBQ. In St. Thomas, stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Best Western Carib Beach, Best Western Emerald Beach, Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, Holiday Inn Windward Passage, Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort, Sapphire Beach Resort, Point Pleasant, Sapphire Village and the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa (check out the Big Screen on the Green. Even the Estate Concordia Campground in St. John is in on the deal. Book now. Play later.
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Oktoberfest at the Taj
By Linda Tancs
Get your oom-pah on this weekend at the Taj Mahal. No, not the one in India–the one in Atlantic City, New Jersey. From noon till 8 on Saturday and noon till 6 on Sunday there’ll be non-stop entertainment direct from Germany, along with traditional eats and a shopping marketplace filled with imported gifts, clothes and tableware. The festival is 15 years’ strong and a big draw in the area. Be there or be square.
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Ahoy, Santa Maria
By Linda Tancs
Repeat after me: in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue. That ship was the Santa Maria, a wooden cargo ship plying the waters in search of a direct trade route to the Indies. In honor of upcoming Columbus Day, why not visit its museum-quality replica in Columbus, Ohio? Tours last 45 minutes and the cost is under five dollars. The anniversary party is on the 10th, but the fun doesn’t stop there. You can even spend a night aboard the ship and experience the life of a 15th century sailor. You’ll get to know the ropes, by and large. Just don’t get pooped.
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Goodwill Traveling
By Linda Tancs
Voluntourism, or the combination of travel and volunteer work, is reportedly one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry. If the idea of being both a traveler and a change agent appeals to you, then maybe this is the gig for you. Some typical tours include teaching English to children in remote villages or building a home or school. There are lots of programs and organizations to choose from. Learn more here
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Days in Rodanthe
By Linda Tancs
So the movie Nights in Rodanthe got me thinking–what’s on in Rodanthe? Rodanthe, along Highway 12 at the northern reach of Hatteras Island, North Carolina, is a beach goer’s delight. The movie highlights Mirlo Beach (named for a tanker sunk during World War I) and the beach rental, Serendipity. Water sports abound here. There isn’t much else to do, really. Leave the laptop home as internet access is a bit spotty. With all the kayaking, fishing, surfing, and sailboarding that awaits, perhaps that’s by design.
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Travelrific® Travel Journal 