Top 5 Travel Tweeters on Twitter

The 5 Best Travel Tweeters to Twitter

Twitter is more
than just a website, it is a lifestyle. It seems that everyone has a Twitter
account these days, and although at first it seemed like a passing phase for
social networking enthusiasts, the micro-blogging site has taken off. Speaking
of taking off, if you are a travel enthusiast, here are the top 5 travel
tweeters that you should be following:



@travolution: Travolution discusses the integration of technology and travel and
offers news from the world of travel. There are some pretty interesting travel
gadgets out there, check them out here!



@worldreviewer James Dunford Wood offers news blurbs from the world of travel
and reviews of some pretty interesting destinations.



@nytimestravel: The New York times travel writers provide excellent travel
reviews, advice and recommendations. Following them will enable you to know what
the stories are before release!



@NewYorkOlogy: NewYorkOlog keeps travelers to New York City up to date with the
city's current happenings.



@Seatguru: The SeatGuru has the inside tips you are looking for when it comes to
finding the best seat on the plane and learning how to take advantage of airline
deals.



When you are looking for great travel deals, you must turn to the experts. And
thanks to Twitter, most of the experts are now right at your fingertips. If you
do not already have a Twitter account, you should get one right away. Follow
these top five tweeters today and you will immediately begin learning about new
destinations and how to locate the right deal for your next getaway.

5 Most Popular Travel Bloggers on the Web

Once upon a time, travelers were pretty much on their own in regard to booking travel and learning through personal experience whether their destination or services of choice were worth time and money invested. Trip reviews were either by paid (and sometimes influenced) media professionals or your neighbor's boring photo slide show on their living room wall.

Then came the World Wide Web and travel blogging. Often humorous, sometimes sad, generally informative, and always opinionated, travel blogs have become a major facet of both entertainment and the travel industry, and they offer a personal, firsthand glimpse into what one can expect from travel, before even packing a suitcase.

There are five travel blogs that have been awarded prestigious awards for their excellence and quality by some of the most renowned travel blog awarding organizations:

Tripbase, Lonely Planet, the Blogger's Choice Awards, Chapeau Awards, and the Weblogs.

They are:
Budget Travel Category (Tripbase) - vagablogging.net
Best Consumer Travel (Lonely Planet) -blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel
Best Travel Blog (Blogger's Choice) - cooltribes.blogspot.com
Travel and Leisure (Chapeau) - travelblog.viator.com
Travel (Weblog Bloggies) - camelsandchocolate.com.
Discount Deals - reservevacations.com/articles/

As one of the most popular and entertaining subject matters for writers and readers alike, travelogues and reviews abound in blog form on the Internet. These glimpses into the experiences of customers have even provided a much needed system of checks and balances for quality control of travel providers. The shear number of travel blogs to read is endless and can be overwhelming. But, consider these five and you will be well on your way to armchair navigating amongst the best virtual travel writers in Cyberspace.

Take a Holiday in Warm Sunny Orlando, Florida

Get away from the cold Winter weather and visit one of the many Orlando hotels for the Holidays. You can stay in a discounted hotel room while spending a day at the beach, visiting one of the many nearby theme parks, or just enjoying the pool near your room. Many of these hotels offer special rates and promotions during the Winter months for the Holiday travellers.

Most of the hotels in Orlando offer competitive deals and low rates all year long, such as the buy 4 nights get 3 free at Disney Resorts. However, some offer extra special deals during the Holiday season, such as 25% off a 4 night stay at the Marriott World Center or 30% off at the Hyatt. Others, such as the Holiday Inn and Suites at Universal or Holiday Inn Hotel International Drive are offering 4 day theme park packages to Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World, or Sea World with a stay at the hotel.

One of the well known and largest Orlando hotels, the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center, offers an annual Winter production, "ICE", where snow and ice is brought into the convention center and sculpted into beautiful ice sculptures to be enjoyed by hotel guests. Packages to this hotel include visits to this wonderous event. Whether you are getting away from the cold, or just enjoying an amazing Winter family adventure, spend some time in one of the affordable Orlando hotels for the Holidays. A good time will be enjoyed by all.

Is Renting a Convertible Worth the Money?

Top Down, Let's Ride!

If you have ever rented a convertible car on vacation, chances are you have experienced the thrill of the wind whistling in your ear, your hair flowing like water waves (whether long or short) and the feel of being free. Or you have the unfortunate opportunity of a "technical difficulty" in trying to re-connect the top unsuccessfully just before the bottom falls out of the sky. Regardless of one's individual experiences, there are still pros AND cons to renting a convertible vehicle.

We all know and enjoy the pros when it comes to renting a convertible, such as the sporty look, the breeze on our face, ect. But, what about the price? The size of a convertible vehicle is usually about the size of a regular mid-size car. So what are you really paying for? Is it just the fact that your top can fold back and mine can't? And unless you just run across a "steal" deal, there aren't any discounts on convertibles. So you are already paying more for a sporty look and most people on vacation are renting from an airport which tacks on additional fees for the airport and the convenience so you will definitely pay more renting from and airport.

Enjoying a lifelong dream to visit Orlando or Myrtle Beach is beyond important. Yeah, I know, it can be so romantic just the two of you in the car with the top back looking like you just won the lottery. If you have the money then it wouldn't matter one way or the other, but if you are a penny pincher like myself, go with a less expensive car such as an economy or midsize class, roll the windows down, and call it a day!

Improvements in In-Flight Entertainment

In-flight entertainment has seen some revolutionary advances in the past few years. According to Aircell, the firm that installs Wi-Fi in airplanes, nearly 1000 domestic carriers will provide their customers with Wi-Fi service in 2009. They project that by 2010, double that number of domestic carriers will provide Wi-Fi services. That leaves only about a fourth of domestic carriers who will not provide Wi-Fi services.Wi-Fi is not free. You pay to use Wi-Fi. Some airlines are planning to give users a lower price like Delta Air Lines which has over 300 planes switched to Aircell's Gogo Wi-Fi.

Ranjan Goswami, director of customer relations at Delta has stated that customers using smart phones or satellite phones can use Wi-Fi for a nominal charge regardless of the length of the flight. Currently, planes that have Wi-Fi installed provide Internet service for their customers which means that they can access their emails. Some airlines are thinking about switching all of their in-flight entertainment to Wi-Fi service because they are cheaper to install and weigh less than their conventional entertainment systems. Aircell costs 100,000 dollars to install in a plan and weighs only 300 pounds.

Jack W. Blumenstein, the owner of Aircell plans to install movies and other entertainment packages that can be arranged before flight by flyers that bring systems that require Wi-Fi connectivity. Southwest Airlines is testing a back of the seat entertainment system that most customers like better than screens in the middle of the airplane. Another airline that has installed Wi-Fi system is Virgin America. Their head executive, David Cush, says that 26 of their A320s and A319s have Wi-Fi systems installed.

The entertainment system using Wi-Fi connections is called seatback because the back of the seat in front of you is now offering more than telephone service but videos and live satellite television. JetBlue started offering live satellite television as a frontrunner in the new airline entertainment business. They are not planning to add seatback video. You might not have enough time on your trip to make use of all the seatback entertainment that will be available. There has never been a more entertaining time to fly.

Portland's Hip Dining Spots

Portland's Hip Dining Spots

At the smooth and cool speak-easy lounge of Hobo's, there is a great lounge menu, and the food is excellent. This restaurant works well for large parties, and the dining room is best for romantic dining. A large-party gratuity is added for parties of five or more. It's a highlight of Portland's gay culture scene.

Pok Pok is a personal favorite of Portland locals, and they feel very strongly about it. Serving authentic Thai food, it’s the top-rated restaurant in the city. Expect more than the standard chicken curry and pad Thai. Go with a friend or two and order the wings.
The festive Red Star Tavern and Roast House is part-fancy dining room and part-busy bar. The mahagony walls are off-set by an open kitchen decorated with 1930’s décor. The food is serious stuff and you better not leave hungry. You can walk to downtown from here, but you might pay a bit more for the location.

The Portland Spirit is a dinner cruise down the Willamette River offering not only excellent river and city views, but meal specialties like crab and lobster, of course. Order a local wine while you watch the stars go by.

Or, take some time to visit the Woodstock District, which is right by East Moreland. This is an out-of-the-way area, but Tani's Sushi, The Delta Café, and Otto's Sausage are top-notch.

Great Hostels in Rome

Great Hostels in Rome
Ask anyone about the best hostel in Rome, and they’ll tell you it’s The Beehive. Imagine if your really tidy (but somewhat chic) aunt built a hostel. This is that hostel. It’s got a nice private sitting area outside, as well as friendly staff and clean (!!) rooms. What more can you ask for in a hostel?

If you want to party because you’re in town with the boys for a nice, civilized rugby game, stay at Yellow, located near the main train station. It’s only for 18-39 year olds, and they serve a lot of alcohol at their in-house bar. That’s either exactly what you’re looking for, or exactly not!
If you want the personal hospitality and good breakfasts offered by a downtown B&B, consider the Bobby B&B, which is near the center of Rome. The rooms are uniquely decorated and, most importantly in that part of town, sound-proof! This is only for the ultra-feminine travelers!
For something cheap but still offering a more comfortable hotel feel, there is Hotel Romae, located just a few blocks from the main train station. There are several room sizes to choose from, and they have a good selection of breakfast, though you may have to trek across the street to their sister hostel, Yellow. For all standard Rome Hotels check out Travelape.

Boston on a Budget

Boston on a Budget
If the weather is nice, take a lengthy stroll through Hyde Park, right next to the Capitol Building. This is the place you see in the movies with the swan boat rides. The original Cheers is nearby, but don’t go in just to take pictures.

Be sure to visit the historical Copley Square; though the shopping there is fairly mainstream, it is still a really nice place to walk around in. Nearby is today’s Boston city center, including the Hancock Tower and the site of the Boston Massacre, which is now a giant bank. And you haven’t been to Boston without getting a crab cake at Quincy Market.

The Samuel Adams Brewery tour is perfect for those museum-phobes that just want a museum to serve a free pint, darn it! After a fairly brief tour through their facilities (where you’ll gain mad respect for Sam and friends), your tour group will take a seat to taste the fine brews they offer, including some test types or seasonal ones you’ve been craving.

For meals, visit the Italian District in the North End. You could sit down and pig out in one place, but consider a walking buffet. Discover the world’s best manicotti at La Summa, where you’ll be surrounded not by tourists, but by other Italians.Before or after dinner, take a self-guided walking tour through Boston’s historyon the Freedom Trail, such as the Old North Church (Remember? ‘Two if by sea…’), Paul Revere House, Copp's Burying Ground, and the Bunker Hill Monument.

Summer Festivals in Chicago

Summer Festivals in Chicago

The free parties get started the last weekend in May. Mayfest Chicago is the region’s annual German festival, so you know what that means. Get ready for lots of loud music, plates of Wiener schnitzel and other heavy foods, plus an offering of the finest brews the Germans have to offer. For more culture, try the many foreign fests in August: Armenian, Croatian, Korean, Belize, and Greek!

On June 5-6, visit the family-friendly 57th Street Art Fair, the Midwest’s oldest juried art show. The displays are everything from glass to printmaking to ceramics to jewelry to fiber and more. There is plenty of opportunity to entertain the kids at this alcohol-free event, whether its hands-on, kid-friendly crafts or the many nearby parks. For more artsy fun from July 14- August 25, watch a movie with your family in Hyde Park for absolutely free each Tuesday night. Watch the classics under the stars.

Of course, just one week later you have the largest outdoor blues festival in the world, the 26th Annual Chicago Blues Festival. There are many stages with all of the modern legends helping you soak up that summer sun. If you’re into down-home music, visit the Chicago Ribs’n’Soul Festival from August 14-16. Speaking of ribs, you do not want to miss the world-famous Taste of Chicago on August 29-30.

Where to Walk with Only 24 Hours in Paris

With so little time, you won’t have any to spare for the Eiffel Tower line, but don’t worry—you’ll get even better pictures away from all those stuffy tourists. Take the metro to Trocadero for fantastic Tower pics.

Take the Metro Line 2 to “Blance” and check out the Moulin Rouge. Hang onto your purse and walk to the base of the Sacre Coeur, which is on your left. Climb the stairs and pay 5 Euros and go to the crypt where you can climb the stairs to the dome of the church. Not many people do it, so you get one of Paris’ best views and some privacy.

Walk the famous Champs-Elysée towards the Place de La Concorde. You’re nearing the high-class shopping area of Place Vendome, Rue de Rivoli, etc. Hop the Line 1 to St. Paul and you’ll land in the heart of Le Marais. Take a Metro is St. Michel to see Notre Dame, the Seine River, and the Latin Quarter. Check out the famous Shakespeare and Co. bookshop. Then walk along the Seine to Odeon. Near the metro stop there is a little pink-and-green stand where a happy French man serves France’ best crepes. Walk down San André Des Arts and find the Pont Des Arts bridge. End your day with a wine and cheese picnic on Paris’ only bridge without cars.

Embrace Life !! Walk Across Active Volcanoes in Hawaii.

If I'm correct the majority of people who read this blog are from affluent countries if not all from the United States. Sure the United States has areas that are questionable and dangerous, but hardly for most areas that are real dangers in terms of nature. Yes, there is Death Valley, and sure part of the North West is still considered to be uncharted, but how about walking near the lava of a live volcano?

Well you can live

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of the most exciting and unique parks in the entire world. It's an experience rich in geologic and natural Hawaiian history and culture. This expansive park is home of Pele, the Hawaiian fire goddess, as well as many native Hawaiian flora and fauna, wildlife and some of the world's most active volcanoes. The park encompasses several climatic regions that range from the cool snow-capped Mauna Loa to the desolate, sunbaked and barren lava covered shoreline at Kalapana.

Golf in Holland? The Hampshire Golfhotel Waterland Amsterdam will Convince You.

When visions of Golf dance in the avid golfer's head, I'm sure most would agree they see images of sun kissed courses bordered by palm trees or maybe a blustery scene of links on the British Isles. How about Holland or the Netherlands? Sure I guess the concept isn't that insane, since any major destination probably has some form of upscale golf or country club available, but I bet I'm safe to say that golf isn't the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions, Holland or Amsterdam.

Well do we have a treat for you. The Hampshire Golfhotel Waterland Amsterdam is world class. We mean WORLD CLASS !! You'll find yourself in the lap of luxury in any one of the approximately 100 rooms and or deluxe rooms. Every room has a great view of the incredible golf course, offers well appointed furniture and comes complete with every convenience you'd expect in a top rate hotel like hair dryers, bathrooms with showers and baths and big color televisions. The hotel itself offers a fantastic bar and restaurant known as the Plaza serving up big frothing glasses of beer and bar food favorites.

Let's not forget about the big draw and reason for this post in the first place. Be ready to enjoy several rounds of golf at the Hampshire Golfhotel Waterland Amsterdam 45 hole golf complex. Fantastic views, incredible layout of the links and greens and a world class experience waiting for any avid golfer.

So if you had been thinking about making the move to take a trip to Amsterdam and happen to love golf the Hampshire Golfhotel Waterland Amsterdam is a must for your travel plans.

June Really Makes Atlanta "Hot"-Lanta - Check Out these Up Coming Events

Atlanta is a shining city of the south and maybe one of the crown Jewels of the big American Metropolis with it's culture, commerce and progressive nature. The weather has turned to warm as Spring offers an incredible respite from Winters cold, but the Summer is very close. 

After taking a look at the upcoming events for the next few months in and around the city of Atlanta, the month of June holds a lot of options. If you take a look at Travel Ape's Atlanta Travel Guide you can see complete information about reviews and other important information about these events, but here's a summary of some featured happenings for Atlanta in June. 

On June 10th the soulful sounds of Al Green come to Atlanta to perform at the Chastain Park Amphitheatre. Green is best known for some great hits such as "Let's Stay Together" and "Love and Happiness". Enjoy a medley of pop, gospel and R&B with Al Green

Also performing at the Chastain Park Ampitheatre is Pink Martini. Founded in 1994 by a Harvard graduate that was classically trained as a pianist, the band follows a sound close to the sound of big band 1940's and 1950's. Pink Martini is scheduled to perform on June 5th, 2006.

For those of you that really love classic rock Bad Company will be coming to Atlanta on June 19th 2009 to perform also at the Chastain Park Ampitheatre. 

In the spirit of making your trip a little easier a few suggestions for hotels are the Buckhead Inn Atlanta, Wingate by Wyndham Buckhead and the Springhill Suites Buckhead. 

The Far East is Calling - Travel Ape Welcomes Tokyo Japan

Speeding ahead with the growth of its travel guide section and the destinations it covers, Travel Ape is proud to announce the inclusion of the travel guide dedicated to the city of Tokyo Japan. This is the first of the great cities of the Far East to fall into the Travel Ape family and we couldn't be prouder. Travel Ape recently did a huge tour of the western cities of the United States with coverage of Portland Oregon and decided to take a jaunt across the great Pacific Blue. What he came back with was an excellent story and we now have the Tokyo Travel Guide. 

We start a great day in Tokyo with some fantastic ideas to see and do. So here's a little bit of advice on what to do if you happen to make the great journey to the Far East and enjoy the wonders and magic of Tokyo. Let's begin our day with any number of Tokyo Attractions, but we'll offer up a great featured attraction the Shinjuku Garden located at 11 Naito-Cho. This fantastic Tokyo attraction is world class all the way, with 144 acres of the most magnificent garden area you'll ever see. Once a private area for the elite of Tokyo government it is now a public attraction that is a must see.  Take your day to a new height with any number of Tokyo Restaurants but here's our pick. Nobu Restaurant is a new style restaurant that infuses great historic Japanese Fare with new style continental cuisine. It's perfect. Finally hit the Tokyo Night Life scene and check out the hot sizzling action of New Lex Edo. Tokyo is known for its hot nightlife and this place embodies it all the way. 

So we welcome the best that Tokyo offers here at Travel Ape. Enjoy this gem from the Far East.

Austin Texas Welcome to TravelApe.com

Travel Ape welcomes one of the newest cities to our family of travel guides...Austin Texas is now a proud member of the Travel Ape Clan bringing to you all the information we offer about destinations you've come to expect. So please take a look at the Austin Travel Guide. 

So what do we have from the capital of the biggest state in the Continental United States? Just about everything you'd need to learn and enjoy a stay or a trip to Austin. From the Austin Dining Guide you'll learn about the best and some of the most heralded restaurants in and around town, to even some of the little known places, to the Austin Nightlife guide that let's you know about the fun and excitement of the night. Of course for the tourists out there Travel Ape offers complete attractions and landmark guides.

So let's start with a little brief overview of the Austin Restaurant Guide. We have to begin with the featured restaurant of Chuy's. Chuy's is located at 1728 Barton Springs Boulevard in Austin and is the very first Chuy's restaurant. So this is the landmark. This is all Tex Mex and quality. The next restaurant is Vespaio located at 1610 South Congress Avenue. Texas may not be the first place you think about when you think of pizza or Italian food, but Vespaio is a mainstay worth seeing.

Heading out for the night check out the Austin Nightlife Guide. The Mean Eyed Cat is the place to be to have fun in a comfortable and relaxed setting. But not to relaxed. Some hot nights go down at the Mean Eyed Cat.

Take a look at the entire section of information with the Austin Travel Guide at Travel Ape. There is a lot to see and do if you pan a trip. 

Atlantic City Hotels - Getting Ready for Summer

Spring is here. Yes not the proverbial it seems nice out there, but it's spring as of March 20th 2009. There is a lot to see and do with the weather getting warmer, but as we do so often we like to make suggestions on the featured fun stuff out there in the world. Our thoughts today aren't necessarily for this spring, but to give you a little time to organize yourself to get out for a trip this coming summer. Sure times are tight, but if you live on the east coast we have a few suggestions. To that end how about considering a trip to Atlantic City New Jersey.

There is no doubt that if you know anything about Atlantic City the news hasn't been good. The casino industry is embattled with fierce competition, legislation and poor performance as of late. That's why you may be in for some great deals if you head there the deals are great, not to mention there are several events planned that you may find of interest.

Take a look at the wide array of Atlantic City hotels and the Atlantic City casinos section offered here. You won't believe some of the deals they are offering. Here are some great events

In Boxing area favorite, although he's not from Atlantic City, Kelly Pavlick is scheduled to fight Sergio Mora on July 15th or 18th.

In May Jerry Seinfeld is making his way to the Boardwall City to share some of his inane observations. 

Finally because Travel Ape is a fan of the 1980's Loverboy is performing in Atlantic City at the Hilton on August 18th.

Find out more information about other Atlantic City events with Travelape.com's complete event and ticket section. 

Vacation Packages - Many Cities You'd Never Think About

A few months ago we did a post about vacation packages to some unknown cities. The point was that for most we think about going away to exotic ports of call such as Hawaii, Florida and maybe the South Seas. The point, to get to the point for God's sake, is that there are many other great destinations and cities to consider. Let's take a glance.

Let's start as obscure and out of left field as we can. Biloxi Mississippi is a great place to check out. It's a Gulf Coast destination so you're going to find beaches. Yes beaches. There's more. There's the great Biloxi Casinos and other local entertainment.  If we had to make a pick we'd probably lean towards the Grand Casino Biloxi as a choice to check out.  Check out our complete section on Biloxi Travel at Travel Ape. 

Next how about a Trip to Dallas Texas. Yes things are bigger in Texas and for the upper crust Dallas has it all.  One great up and coming event is Andrea Bocelli appearing in Dallas June 3rd of this year. Talk about Big Time entertainment !!! Why not try out a Dallas Vacation package centered around this event. Yahoo offers a list of great tour operators with Dallas vacation packages.

Finally as spring is finally upon us why not enjoy the great outdoors.  Fishing in any number of the fresh water hot spots in America is just fantastic. Pigeon Forge is just such a place to embrace the greatness of these times. 

With so much to see and do across the country these are just a few of the off beat places, for lack of a better term, where a vacation would be fantastic. Check back often for more ideas on vacations and vacation packages soon. 

A Birthday Wish for a Special Friend of Travel Ape

It's hard to think back so far, but way before the days of 9/11, before the bubble really burst on Wall Street with the first Tech boom, before computers were almost as pervasive an appliance in every home as the stove there wasn't a Travel Ape. At least Travel Ape wasn't famous. Well to a special person who will remain nameless for the sake of anonymity, to Travel Ape there is no one more important person...Bar None !!! This person discovered, cultivated and made Travel Ape who he is today and has done the same for the website that shares Travel Ape's name, of course that is TravelApe.com. Today is this person's birthday, and straight from the Ape himself came a decree that special note be made in this person's honor. 

To many people the world is a non-stop tread mill of family, work, responsibilities that repeat and repeat. Not to say in any way that this is not a noble way to live, on the contrary, special commendations need to be made to honor the true heroes that live on these front lines. They make life in the world. To a select few a far greater burden falls upon them. To many these people live in the shadows, in the background and believe it or not are not in the limelight. These are visionaries. Whether it be artists, musicians or, yes, entrepreneurs, something pushes these people to a different path. This path is far from easy, although the pay out to the laymen observer seems like a life pitched from God above...It isn't. No better example exists, at least in the mind of Travel Ape and the rest of us here, than in the life of this person. Half self tortured and equally self driven, he's done what most people could only hope to accomplish. He's created and developed multiple and successful enterprises. He's provided jobs, opportunity and possibility for countless others. He's successfully grown his business enterprises for over 15 years...a feat not easily achieved. 

There is so much more. This man has ventured beyond the world of mere business and has excelled. He's participated in the World Series of Poker and although far from winning it, made money. He's produced video features doing so by intertwining his own special brand of personality with great professionalism.

For all of this Travel Ape wishes this great man a good day. A hearty Birthday Wish to a special friend for whom had they never met, Travel Ape surely admits his life would have been emptier and less fulfilling for the loss. 

Traveling to Florida by Car - An Ode to a Special Friend

Recently a near and dear friend to Travel Ape had mentioned that he was going to travel to the Sunshine State, that is Florida for those of you who may not know that, and do so by car. This friend lives in the North East and decided that he'd like to make the trip a little more than a short vacation so having the car with him made sense. Not to mention being a veteran in the travel business the friend felt he'd get some kind of needed bit of inspiration that comes along with a long traveled pilgrimage such as doing so by auto. 

A car ride from New Jersey to the Miami and Fort Lauderdale Florida area is about 1,200 to 1,250 miles and if you drove in one straight shot would take a little over 20 hours. Do do it in one straight shot though, that is if you have the time, is a complete waste. Over that 1,200 miles exists a treasure trove of destinations, stops and attractions to fill up a lifetime of memories. 

Today's Interstate System makes a trip like this a no brainer, but it takes you through Washington DC, Maryland, the Carolina's, Georgia and a good portion of Florida. Why not try this. On the first portion of the journey get to the District of Columbia area and take a break to see all that is available to see. The Washington DC area has too much to offer to laser in on any few suggestions and to be honest just being in the area serendipity will take over. After a few hours of soaking in DC you can head back on the road till you get to Richmond Virginia. Staying overnight to recharge the batteries is advisable so here is a link to some great Richmond hotels.  Start the next day by driving until you come to the incredible town of Savannah Georgia. Savannah may very well be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Check out the official Savannah Tourism Website for more information. From Savannah to Fort Lauderdale is just another 7 hours of driving. 

There are hundreds of variations and options to see and do but we just wanted to show you one way to enjoy a trip like this. 

To Travel Ape's friend, he hopes for him the best if and when he takes his journey. 

House of Blues is Rocking the USA - Turn Great Events into a Vacation

The House of Blues has risen to an iconic level over the last 15 years and for good reason. The commitment to excellent entertainment and events and the locations of their various venues makes it a great place to visit while on vacation. The House of Blues brand has venues in great cities such as Atlantic City, New Orleans, Anaheim, Boston, Chicago, San Diego and of course Myrtle Beach. So planning a vacation around an event at a House of Blues venue is obviously very easy. 

So the best way to start this little conversation is to provide some feedback on what and who are playing where. 

First off at the Las Vegas House of Blues coming up March 27th is Daniel Tosh. Flat out just plain funny, and Travel Ape has Daniel Tosh Tickets available for the dates. Prices range from about $110 to $350 a piece.

Second, why not head east and get in a round of golf for a Myrtle Beach Vacation and a Mystery Dinner Show at the House of Blues Myrtle Beach. On March 28th HOB Myrtle Beach will be showcasing it's comedy murder mystery show that is a laugh a riot. The event is interactive so if you're not into being part of the show this isn't for you.

There are plenty of other destinations to choose from so look at the HOB's main site link offered above to see who is playing and when. For a full list of great hotels and discount rates check out the Hotels page provided by Travel Ape. It offers links to each of the cities that The House of Blues is located and the fun never stops. 

Hotel Ratings - Making Sense of What a Rating Really Means

The advent of the internet has no doubt brought efficiencies to the retail market place. Consumers have no doubt benefited from how the internet works, how information is disseminated and how quickly they can compare prices for comparable products ensuring, in large part, that large differences in price offerings for the same products are negligible. That being said the flip side is that information found on the internet has no real way of certifying if the information is accurate or standardized. This is most glaringly obvious when it comes to hotel rating systems.

Years before the internet became the place to find information only a handful of names in the industry stood out as the "word" trusted to provide ratings and reviews for hotels and accommodations. These include AAA (the Automobile Association of America), Zagat's Travel Guide and other guides such as Frommers and Fodor's. For anyone that is even slightly familiar with the internet can attest that the number today is in the 100's. The issue is who do you trust and what can you do to ensure you get the most of the ratings you use. 

First and foremost we at Travel Ape are firm believers in the criteria and review system utilized by AAA. Another veteran group that provides the Mobil Travel Guide is a close second. Reason being, these companies/groups have inspectors that take their time and administer an excruciating level of detailed analysis on each and every hotel they review. They measure televisions in hotel rooms, inspect bathrooms, test concierge service and do so much more. Further, AAA for example only awards the very top award, which is called the Five Diamonds designation, to only five hotels world wide. So it's not even so much that hotels offer a level of service, the rating system is also done on a comparable level across the industry.

So if you're looking for ratings use the AAA guide to ratings as the gold standard and make your decisions from there. 

Spirit Air Web Site Wrought with Problems

The time has come to make public a nagging issue that has consumed our Ape friend for almost a year. As many of you who know Travel Ape he is a mild mannered, laid back, fun kind of guy that doesn't like to make waves. Most of all he hardly ever gets stressed out about the small things in life. Things like heavy traffic on the highway, the dollar bill that just wont seem to be accepted at the vending machine when buying a soda, or when the browser on the computer freezes up, all meaningless to a fella that takes life smiling along. Well today I saw his breaking point and to that end a discussion must be had.

Most of the travel that Travel Ape does on the east coast of the US is done through Spirit Airlines. The convenience, pricing, etc have always seemed to be perfect. Well in the last 12 months or so it seems that almost every time our Purple Ape friend has used the Spirit Air website some issue pops up. Whether it be the slow response of the web site, growing trend in confusion for navigation, and the big kicker, the seating chart utility has become the equivalent to a master puzzle to be solved. What's even worse is each and every time he ran into an issue and tried to contact customer service he got the same response..."Sorry, we are unable to assist you with issues relating to the website".

So what's the issue Spirit? Why does it seem that each and every day the navigation, functionality, and user experience degrades on your website? Travel Ape has been a big fan for some time of your airline and your company. What's the issue?

With that being said we'd like to maybe suggest to all of you to check out Travel Ape's Discount Airfare section. Why not right. No doubt we've been fans of Spirit for some time, but drastic times call for drastic actions. 

Hopefully Spirit Airlines will see this post and take heed. We certainly hope so.

Make Room for Basketball and a Vacation - Atlatnic City is the City to Do So

March Madness is in full bloom. The crazies are out and about flaunting their school colors and mascots as teams make their bid for conference Championships and the ultimate bid to the "Big Dance". For those of you who may not know about all of the little idioms of which I speak, this time of year ushers in the Men's Collegiate Basketball Championships of the NCAA. Our featured tournament of course is the Men's Atlantic 10 Conference that is hosting their conference tournament at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City New Jersey from today, March 11th till March 14th culminating with a Champion to be crowned and an open bid to be won with a a free entry into the NCAA National Tournament starting in a few weeks.

So to the Atlantic 10 Tournament. We at Travel Ape are in the area as of late and the tourney officials have set up some very accommodating packages to get people in the door and have fun. One such package, which we think is awesome, is if you're from the local area, that is, from the counties of Atlantic, Ocean or Cape May Counties, and you come to any of the sessions you will be afforded a special two for special. That is show your identification, such as a driver's license with proof of residency and another person can enter the session with you for free.

There are plenty of great Atlantic City Hotels and packages being offered by the local hotel association and some of the third party hotel companies so check them out.

Which ever your team whether it be Temple, St. Joseph's of Philadelphia, Xavier, Dayton or any number of other teams, the event is sure to be fun and the action hot. So don't miss out on this event this year. Atlantic City got an extension last year, but five other cities are bidding to host the event next year so this may be its last in the area.

Tampa Florida - Sun, Fun and Great Restaurants

There is so much to report about a city here and there that it almost becomes impossible to cover it all in one post. We recently received an email from a user of the Travel Ape site that wanted to know a little more about Tampa and it's restaurants. We know doubt have a Tampa Restaurants guide and reviews section, but I guess here and there we like to personalize our attention to questions and this one seems like as good as any.

To that end, SummerBum49, we have a bit of selection to offer you in the way of Tampa and it's dining. Tampa, like many other great cities has a vast array of dining to offer the inhabitants of the city in addition to the visitors and vacationers that come through the town each and every day. No Doubt that seafood would have to be our very first feature because Tampa is a port town and the catch of the day was actually caught that day. We bring you Catch Twenty Three located at 10103 Montague St, West Park Village, Tampa. Catch Twenty Three quite simply is an unassuming restaurant that brings the eater dishes that offer a combo of Latin and Caribbean style. The setting is tropical and what's best are the prices at an average of $25 per plate this is a steal. The second would have to be the famed steakhouse known as Bern's. Bern's Steakhouse is a Tampa staple that's been around since 1956. Bern's is known for superb service and one of the largest wine collections a restaurant could offer. The prices there are a little high though, where you're looking at an average plate of about $45 and that's not counting the wine you'll most assuredly want.

We have a few more choices to let you see, but we'll wait for another day. Enjoy a great meal in Tampa and if you have any more questions please let the Ape know.

Pigeon Forge Dollywood - Enjoy KidFest This August.

With many trying to find ways to stretch their vacation budget dollars we've done a little bit of researching for you. Why not a trip to Pigeon Forge. This is a charming little spot in the Smoky Mountains filled with things to do like hiking, biking, nature walks and just enjoying a destination that isn't filled with the hustle and bustle you might find in a big time destination or vacation spot. 

Well one of the top attractions in Pigeon Forge is Dollywood. Dollywood is an amusement park named after the founder of this great place, Dolly Parton. There are actually a few of these parks through out the lower southern United States, but we'll focus on the Dollywood Pigeon Forge for the moment because this park just opened it's newest attraction as she does every year, Dollywood is planning it's annual Kidsfest Celebration. 

The KidsFest Celebration at Dollywood is a great way for the family to enjoy a good, budget oriented vacation. It's just a lot of fun that offers a full docket of family fun, craft seminars and explanations by experts of the local wildlife. 

If you're interested in  planning a simple and budget oriented family vacation check out the links from above. 

Spring Weather in Atlantic City Today - Book an Atlantic City Hotel While They are Cheap

Well we woke up today at the Travel Ape compound, located in an undisclosed location, but somewhere in the North East, to unseasonably warm weather. Actually, weather that is quite bewildering, considering not more than five days ago a snow storm hit the Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey areas with more than 8 inches and up to a foot in other locations. 

So with a fat budget and our Travel Ape mobile we got up early and found our way to the Atlantic City Boardwalk (Remember, you may think you caught us on where the Travel Ape compound is, but the vehicle we speak about could very well be a private jet...so there) to see spring fighting to bust out. Let me tell you something, it's doing more than trying to bust out, it's taken residence and giving Old Man Winter a noogie that would make any school yard bully proud.

Atlantic City is currently about 60 degrees and the sun is beaming. So the four of us that made a pilgrimage to the sea side town have booked a few rooms at the Borgata Resort and Casino. I'll tell you one thing, when we get back to the hotel in a few hours I'm surely going to take a restful stop at the Borgata's famous spa. Last time I was there I spent about 20 minute under the hot springs water fall. 

Well why we're on the subject and seeing that Atlantic City is a personal favorite of the big ape, we'd like to take some time to maybe suggest a stay at any number of great Atlantic City Hotels. Next weekend are some great rates at some incredible hotels. At Harrah's Atlantic City a stay from March 13th to the 15th is $515.00, head to the Showboat Casino Atlantic City and you're rate for a full weekend goes to $439 and if you're interested in trying out a whole new hotel experience in Atlantic City try the Chelsea Hotel where a full weekend is going for $327.

Spring is here and the Boardwalk is hopping. Come out and enjoy Atlantic City, you may see us at one of the Craps Tables or buffets. 

Branson Hotels - Charming Accommodations in the Ozark Mountains

A Branson Missouri vacation is the perfect idea for the over stressed, over worked, over stimulated person. Branson is known the world around for it's incredible entertainment. The city offers over 50 individual venues that feature shows and events almost every night. Of course it has other great attractions and is probably know best for good old wholesome family fun or a quiet romantic getaway.

Well with all the hub bub what are some of the featured places we'd recommend for your stay in Branson? I mean, we've certainly put ourselves on the line here. Well here are a few of some suggested Branson Hotels.

One would be remiss if in making a suggestion for a Branson Hotel that the very first place to be mentioned should be the Chateau on the Lake Branson. Imagine a castle coming out of the hills and that is all I can say to properly describe the Chateau as you drive up to it. Set against the Ozarks this is a fantastic resort. The property offers five star hotel rooms, award winning dining at the Chateau Grille and to unwind an on site spa known quite simply as the Spa Chateau. The next hotel suggested would have to be the Grand Victorian Hotel Branson. Located at 2325 West Highway 76 in Branson, the Grand Victorian is no Chateau on the Lake but the quality is very, very high. Last, but certainly not least, for a no frills but charming stay in Branson we suggest Old Matt's Guest House Inn Branson. Visitors have access to a quiet secluded pool, well appointed guest rooms free breakfast.

Take some time to see if a trip or vacation to Branson makes sense to you. I'm sure you'll find a gem of a deal today.

San Francisco Chef Food and Wine Event - A Great Time Planned for August 2009

San Francisco is by far one of the most chic cities in the entire world. Isn't it fitting that the debut of an annual festival that embraces all that is chic be hosted in this great American Town? I say yes.

Well coming to San Francisco is the San Francisco Chefs Food and Wine Festival planned to take place the weekend of August 6th to August 9th 2009 and is being presented by the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, a 70 year old organization with over 900 independently owned and operated restaurants within the San Francisco Bay area. The event itself and the events that make up this major event feature some of the best in local talent from the Bay Area, with a focus on dishes and preparation of culinary presentations using ingredients from the local area including spins on locally noted cuisine. Attendees to this event will be exposed to an entire weekend of fun, flair and festivities that include sample tasting sessions, dinner events, classes and instructional seminars by well known professionals and much more. The majority of the individual events are scheduled to take place in and around historic Union Square, while indoor classes, cocktail parties and other events are planned to be held at the Westin St. Francis Hotel.
Officially the event begins on Thursday August 6th and closes on Sunday August 9th, with a possible extension through to Monday August 10th for tours to wine country and getaway tours.

Tickets and other packages available for attending this event will go live sometime by the middle of April 2009. For more information check the official web site at the SF Chef Food and Wine Festival.

Charlotte North Carolina - The Bell of the Travel Ape Ball

I do declare that Travel Ape is a true gentleman, and why not? He's invited one of the most beautiful cities in the country to the Travel Ape family....Charlotte North Carolina. 

Steaming ahead with his aggressive push towards adding cities and destinations to the library of travel guides, Travel Ape and his signature site TravelApe.com are pleased to be bringing online live the Charlotte Travel Guide.  Now this is just one beautiful city that happens to be one of those gems you have to see. Not to mention, Wow, the woman of Charlotte North Carolina are phenomenal. If you didn't know, Travel Ape is somewhat of a ladies man.

Our symian friend got back into the North East to catch the great snow fall, but he spent some time in the Charlotte area for a few weeks. Here are some featured attractions and places that are just great in the Charlotte area. Of course when it comes to Travel Ape, he loves visiting his friends at the zoo and Charlotte is home to the North Carolina Zoo. Located at 4401 Zoo Parkway, the North Caroline Zoo is home to some of the best animals you'll see at the zoo. Oh, yes, the lions, tigers and bears. Check out the official site for the Zoo here.  Go get yourself some great seafood at Upstream located at 6902 Phillips Place in Charlotte. Fine food and casual atmosphere. Last but not least enjoy a night out on the town in Charlotte at Crush located at 300 East Stonewall Street. This is the newest hot spot in a town that is constantly on the rise. 

We welcome all that Charlotte has to offer today and we'll keep you updated on more as it comes online. 

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss - Celebrate at Universal Studios

Can't You See? Can't You See? A Celebration is to Be !!! A Celebration is to Be !!! Is the Celebration for You? Or Is the Celebration for Me?

Well that seems to be the best we at Travel Ape can do to pay homage for one of the greatest Children's Authors in the History of Mankind. The famed and beloved author of great books such as "Green Eggs and Ham", "Oh the Places You'll Go", "The Cat in the Hat" and of course one of the all time Christmas Favorites "The Grinch that Stole Christmas", officially known as Mr. Theodor Suess Geisel, but known to most as Dr. Suess celebrates what would have been his 105th Birthday, today, March 2nd. What better a way to pay homage to this author that is credited with inspiring reading in children and parents that learned to love reading to their children than to highlight THE theme park attraction ride that shares the name of one of his greatest book titles. We bring you the "Cat in the Hat Ride" of Universal Studios Florida.

In classic fashion that has come to be known so well, Universal Studios Orlando Theme Park brings to life, what may be known as it's signature ride, the Cat in the Hat Ride. Quite simply the ride brings to life the beloved world and characters of Dr. Seuss in grand fashion. Visitors to the Cat in the Hat Ride enjoy the experience from the very beginning as they are loaded into the ride cars that are decorated as couches colored in blue and orange and can hold six people. The ride follows the story in perfect form and intertwines the Thing-1 and Thing-2 insanity all the way up to the resolution of the beloved Cat. Enjoy a full narrative of the story that you've come to love as you ride through the visual bonanza.

If that's not enough to give you your complete and full Dr. Seuss fix than enjoy the entire world of Suess with Seuss Landing. The extravaganza and homage to all that is fun, whacky and forever child like. 

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss. From children who grew to love you and for all those that will enjoy you for years to come. 

Kansas City - A Place for Jazz

Kansas City Missouri is known around the world as one of the classic cities of Jazz. Yep, it's right up there with New Orleans when it comes to the genre of jazz and blues. So many greats in the world of jazz have come through Kanas City over the years it's almost impossible to even put together a short list that truly captures the essence of each and every entertainer.

Today, visitors as well as those that call Kansas City home can enjoy jazz and blues performances in venues, clubs, entertainment halls and festivals across the city and local area.

A little known fact but Travel Ape is an avid jazz enthusiast. From the legends and trailblazers such as John Coltrane, George Benson, David Sanborn and Miles Davis, to names that may not be well known such as Stan Getz and Fred Stone Travel Ape loves to chill out, sit back and listen for hours.

So to the point, if you love jazz, I mean truly love it, then a trip to Kansas City is a must. Upcoming performances include Marilyn Maye performing at Jaradine's Restaurant and Jazz Club from March 22nd to March 25th, Lisa Henry and the UMKC Jazz Band appearing at the Blue Room on March 2nd and internationally recognized jazz performer Joe Cartwright also appearing at the Blue Room on March 12th. For other Kansas City Jazz performances check this link.

Check out rates for Kansas City hotels for any of the dates of interest. If you do plan on visiting be sure to make time to check out other great Kansas City attractions such as the Kansas City Zoo and the Grand Street Cafe.

Boston - St. Patty's Day Celebration

A few posts ago we did an excerpt on a St. Patty’s Day Celebration in a city that, for most, wouldn’t otherwise be associated with the holiday that pays homage to the great patron saint of Ireland. That city was Dallas. This post and the post to come will focus and feature two cities that are probably synonymous with the holiday of St. Patty’s Day than any thing else, and for that matter, than any other cities world wide save Dublin Ireland itself. These are the cities of Boston and Chicago. Today’s featured post will be about the great St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in the historic town of Boston Mass. So for all you Celtic fans you’re in for a treat.

The official celebration of St. Patrick’s Day in Boston is taking place Sunday March 15th, 2009 starting at 1pm, but the entire week leading up to the Holiday Date has all kinds of events scheduled. Throughout the metro Boston area St. Patrick’s Day events are scheduled and begin as early as March 7th. One such parade is the Cape Cod St. Patrick’s Day Parade slated for March 7th 2009 to begin at 11am. Then on March 8th 2009 two additional parades are scheduled. The first in Lawrence MA and the second, in Worcestor MA both slated to begin at 12 noon. Check out our featured pick for accommodations for the Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Sheraton Boston located at 39 Dalton Street. It’s perfectly located and priced at $279 per night if you were to check in March 14th and check out on the 15th of March and head to the parade. The location puts you within walking distance to the parade route and you won’t have to fight with all the traffic.

There still is plenty of time to book and plan for a great St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Boston if you get on it today.

New Orleans and Mardi Gras

Today is Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but for millions of Christians around the world, and especially the United States this is Carnivale or Fat Tuesday. The day before the first day of lent which is commenced with Ash Wednesday tomorrow.

A little history of the event and where Mardi Gras came from is a neat way to start a homage to this celebration that is synonomous with New Orleans. To begin, just like most celebrations that were brought over from the proverbial “old world”, so was Mardi Gras. Just like the feast of Christmas, if we look to history, incorporated the holiday of Satranella with the Birth of Jesus Christ when the Emporer Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the empire, so to became Mardi Gras. The roman celebration of Lupercalia was combined with the feast before the lenten period. Well as time went on, the celebration of Mardi Gras became a grand festival each year in Paris. The fact that the New Orleans area was settled by the French we can all see how logic dictates the progression of this great celebration.


The first document Mardi Gras parade was in 1837, under the United States rule. The celebration evolved to the grand spectatcular that it is today.

Each year millions of people descend on the New Orleans area to celebrate this festival born in antiquity. New Orleans has certainly seen some tough times as of late, and the hope is to get people interested in visiting this wonderful city and their unique festival today and into the future.

For everyone out there, on behalf of Travel Ape and all of his friends, have a happy and safe Mardi Gras celebration.

Attractions in Venice Italy - Enjoy All There is to See and Do

Whether you're 100% Italian and you love the meatballs and pasta your grandmother made when you were a child, or just an avid traveler that enjoys all that an adventure and trip to a new place can bring, a trip to Venice Italy satisfies both. Yep, if you are a second generation or greater Italian American the city of Venice encompasses all you could want to enjoy on a trip to Italy. If you love to travel, a trip to Venice Italy is a must for your travels.

Why you might ask, would Venice be on the top of anyone's list for travel? Venice, quite simply is one of the most beautiful cities and destinations in the world, steep in history and embracing the tourism city it has become. With so much to see and do on a trip to Venice we've decided to highlight a few of the great attractions you could enjoy.

When speaking about Venice Italy I would gather that one thought would have to be fostered in most people's minds...the Grand Canals. The Grand Canals of Venice are incredible and offer those that live and work in the area a breathtaking natural back splash unlike anything anyone has ever seen in the world.  Take time to enjoy a gondola ride in any number of privately run tours, and you'll be off to a great start. While your in the Grand Canals one place you must try and see is the Palazzo Grassi, a grand structure that belonged to the famed Bolognese Grassi family of Venice and masterminded by Giorgio Massari. Words cannot do this place justice, so seeing it live is the only way to appreciate it.

Of course although we produce, create, write and edit our own content Travel Ape is a big fan of offering information provided by the insiders of a city or destination. That being said, we strongly recommend a visit to the Official Venice Italy Tourism site to find out more info about great places to visit. 

Travel To Milan with Travel Ape

Recently Travel Ape put out a press release about the web site that shares his name, www.TravelApe.com, and it's entry into another fold of european cities. Our featured city for this post is the destination of Milan Italy. 

The fact that it took so long to get content for the city of Milan and deliver it as a travel guide for our visitors is just ridiculous. Milan Italy is the second largest metropolitan city in the historic country and has about 1.3 Million people that call it home. Milan is unlike many of the other destinations that you'd visit in Italy in that it is more known for it's current effect on the world than a place to visit for it's rich history and pristine upkeep of it's riches of antiquity such as Rome, Venice and other great Italian cities. Milan is known as a mecca in Europe for fashion, design and even high finance. The city is so highly regarded as a modern renaissance city that it will be hosting the Universal Expo in 2015, the modern equivalent to what was called the World's Fair in the past century. 

If you are interested in enjoying Milan Italy today, we have complete coverage with our Milan Travel Guide.  Take our que and get reservations for one of the world's most famous hotels the AC Milan located at Via Tazzoli 2 in the city of Milan. Elegant decor and location makes the AC Milan a fabulous place to root oneself to begin what will be a memorable trip. Once you've got your proverbial and temporary roots down, where should you start? There are so many options, but my feeling is to begin with a trip to the Piazza Duomo located in, well the Pizza del Duomo Central Square. This will put you in the heart of "fun" as you begin your travels in and around the city. When you enter the square you will be in front of the Milan Cathedral. All points from there head you towards fun.

The nightlife of Milan is legendary and if we had to choose one place to visit it would have to be Milan's signature Absolut Icebar located at Piazza Gerusallemme 12. What makes this incredible Milan Nightclub and nightlife spot so hot? Well it's the ice...Yes, the bar is made of ice..the walls, the ceilings, the fixtures all ice and the inside stands at -2 celsius. The Absolut Icebar does provide boots and a complimentary cloak when you visit, but it's advised to dress warmly before you get there. They just serve vodka with fruit drinks, but visiting this place is an experience that will stay with you about your travels to Milan.

So we welcome the city of Milan to the Travel Ape family and we hope you enjoy it too. 

Kansas City - Travel to the Heart of America

Kansas City Missouri is steep with history and it's own sense panache. So we are proud to welcome one of the newest cities to our travel guide list, the great city of Kansas City. We have spent some time gathering and organizing the information to reflect all that is fun and exciting to do in this great United States metropolis. Also please be sure to check out the the Official Travel Source for Kansas City provided by the Kansas City council on tourism. 

Start your trip with a search of great potential hotels and accommodations. A little tip, if you can pull it off, mid week is usually the best time to check in and check out, as the weekends are almost double in rates. We have some great hotels that we'd recommend. The Double Tree Overland Park Kansas City is pure class. The hotel offers great hotel rooms, but the property is fantastic. You'll get a complete upgraded fitness center, dry cleaning service and onsite restaurants. Another great choice would be for it's value. Harrah's Hotel North Kansas City has rates at about $117 a night. With a brand like Harrah's you know you're getting quality.

When you arrive in town there is no shortage of attractions in Kansas City to visit. From the American Jazz Museum located at 1616 East 18th Street to the centralized collection of the best stores, boutiques and restaurants found at Country Club Plaza, you'll have a lot to do on your visit. 

Cap off your nights with some hot dancing or some quiet cocktails in any number of Kansas City Night Clubs and Nightlife spots. Davey's Uptown Ramblers Club located at 3101 Gillham fits the bill for hot dancing and the Velvet Dog located at 400 East 31st Street is a great martini lounge.

Check out our complete Kansas City travel guide for more great deals and ideas to do on your visit. 

Ohio Hotels - Find Great Hotels in the State of Ohio

The state of Ohio is a central fixture in the United States. No doubt for the educated out there that Ohio has been synonymous as a battle ground state for the past few presidential elections. Well there's a reason for that. Ohio is a state diverse with great places to visit and geat people to see. So why not take a vacation or a trip to the great state of Ohio.

So let's talk about all there is to do in the state of Ohio. Well that's a difficult thing to try and figure out with all there is to do in a state so vast. You have everything from great hiking, fishing and outdoor activities, to the fun and excitement of two major metrolopolis cities, Cleveland and Cincinnati.

There are endless possibilities of outdoor places to visit in Ohio, but if we're to make a suggestion Logan Ohio is fantastic. Logan has several great outdoor activities to choose from including fishing and canoeing. Sure going to visit one of the great campgrounds in the area might have some excitement, but if you're looking for some comfort there's a whole list of Logan Ohio Hotels to choose from including the Baymont Logan Hotel and the Inn at Cedar Fall Bed and Breadfast.

If fighting the wild outdoors doesn't sound like fun to you how about a trip to Canton Ohio and the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Check out a whole selection of great places to stay with Canton Hotels including the Canton Hampton Inn, the McKinley Grand Hotel and the Residence in Canton.

There are lots places and cities to visit in Ohio, so be sure to check out the complete list of State of Ohio Hotels to see all the great and wonderful destinations you can enjoy. 

Celebrity Cruises - Available on TravelApe.com

Did you ever wish you could be on the open sea, enjoying the gala affairs of a top notch cruise? Well TravelApe.com is here to bring this into reality for you. TravelApe.com offers a selection of cruises from major providers and one of them is a well known brand...the Celebrity Cruises. 

Travel Ape offers two notable cruise ships from Celebrity Cruises, the Constellation and the Zenith.  

The Constellation is a 965 foot vessel registered in the Bahamas, and was completed on May 1st, 2002. The Constellation can also hold up to 2034 people and features 853 outside rooms, 206 inside rooms, 11 passenger decks and 10 elevators. It also has great features such as shops that include well known names like DKNY and just about every kind of entertainment you'd want. The Constellation offers 10 and 11 day cruises mainly through the Caribbean and Bermuda. 

The Zenith is a 682 foot vessel that also has it's ship registry in the Bahamas. The vessel was completed in January of 1992 and refurbished in 1999. The maximum capacity of guests the Zenith can hold is 1368. Additionally the vessel features 525 outside rooms and 148 interior rooms. Just like the Constellation, the Zenith has it's own wonderful unique features that include gourmet dining and the famed AquaSpa, a spa that enriches the senses with the various therapies offered as well as the incredible architectural design. The Zenith offers cruises of 11 to 15 days in length, and destinations include the Caribbean and Bermuda. 

So get your "cruise" on and head out on the high seas with Celebrity Cruises. 

Nashville Travel Guide

Welcome to Nashville. The home of country music and the prototypical city of country western entertainment. I know, I know, making such drastic generalizations isn't the politically correct way to do things these days, however, come on people, this is Nashville, and Travel Ape has been torturing us with his new found love of the banjo since he's come back from collecting any and all of the information that we're providing to all of you on the web site.

So what does the new Nashville Travel Guide have to offer? Like any major city or metropolis Nashville has the arts and entertainment, the dining, the nightlife and the local attractions. That being said, however, Nashville also has it's own brand associated with each of the categories I just mentioned.

When it comes to the arts Nashville is very unique. Just check out the complete Nashville Arts and Entertainment section we provide. At the apex of the Nashville arts and entertainment scene is the Ryman Auditorium, donned the Mother Church of Country Music. The Ryman Auditorium is located at 116 Fifth North in Nashville and offers entertainment of such caliber as Olivia Newton John.

How about getting a great meal in Nashville? Sure every major city has good steak, seafood and Italian restaurants, but how about something that is indicative of the city itself? Check out the complete list of Nashville Restaurants, but if we may make a selection for you Restaurant Zola is an excellent choice. In fact it was voted the most romantic restaurant in the Nashville area.

There's lot's more to see and do in Nashville and we'll be sure to come back to report on more, but for now take a look at the new Nashville Travel Guide section at Travel Ape to see all the city has to offer.

Portland Oregon Travel Guide

Ok, sure we'd all like to go to some of the more glamorous places in the world. The places with Tiki Huts and Palm Trees. That seems to be the consensus. Well in a time of economic downturn, we sometimes have to make due with a little less than what we want. What if I told you about a place where you may not have thought about, but still is wonderful. Do you think you have a clue to where I refer? Well you better, it's in the title of this blog for goodness sake. It's Portland Oregon.

We're pleased to offer the newest arrival of the Travel Ape Travel guides, the Portland Travel Guide. Why Portland? Well we want the best information about the most diverse cities and destinations and yes, Portland Oregon has it.

Try out great arts and culture. Currently the Portland Jazz Festival is in play. This is an annual event that you must see if you ever are out on the Portland area during February.

How about great dining in a top notch Metropolis? Well Portland Oregon has just that. We'd certainly have you check out the complete Portland Restaurants guide, but are Featured Restaurant would have to be Hobo's Restaurant of Portland located at 120 North West 3rd Avenue is the epitome of class on the water. A glitzy jazz atmosphere with incredible food is all I have to say.

Then there's the arts and culture that any major city has. Check out the complete Portland Attractions section, but our featured attraction after much thought has to be the Oregon Zoo.

Well we thank you for reviewing the newest destination to the Travel Ape stable of destinations, Portland Oregon. Keep your eyes open for more destinations coming on board very soon.

Miami Beach Vacation Rentals

Finding the best value when traveling can be a huge obstacle to over come during these economic hard times. One strategy, for lack of a better term, is to look for vacation rentals, as opposed to getting a hotel room. On the surface vacation rentals may be a little pricer than a hotel room, however, if you get creative the value and discounts you can achieve are pretty substantial.

Our focus for this post will be finding Miami Beach Vacation Rentals. What better an example than planning for a vacation in a great destination resort like Miami and the surrounding area. The key here is stepping outside the proverbial box. Why not plan a vacation or trip with a group or some friends? That's exactly what you can do when you opt for a vacation rental over a hotel room. Now all of the sudden you spread the cost over many people. Let me tell you too, a vacation rental offers individual rooms, kitchen areas, living room areas, etc, so you can even knock off a chunk of the costs when it comes to meals. Sure when you're on vacation, at least for many of us, part of the fun is going out to eat. Take a second to think about the cost associated with 5 days of breakfasts and lunches going out to eat versus eating in. The comparison from eating in to eating out is fractional. That means more money for fun and visiting other attractions. How about a 5 day vacation rental to Miami Beach and getting a vacation rental at the New Casablanca on the Ocean. You get two bedrooms, kitchenette and not to mention a property centrally located to all that is fun in Miami Beach. A trip for March 22nd to March 26th is $143.00 per night. Split that between two couples comes out to be $357.50 for the 5 days !!!

There is no lack of events and activities for one to enjoy while in Miami Beach, but why not consider, especially taking into account the dates we used, visiting the Coral Gables Wine and Food Festival taking place on March 26th. There is much more. Visit the official Miami Beach Tourism Site to see what might tickle your fancy and plan a trip around that.

Vacation Rentals are just one more option at your disposal to still be able to travel and enjoy yourself. Travel Ape is here to make sure everyone has fun. 

Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts

If you have been lucky enough to travel to many places and often, hopefully the area of Naples Florida has been one of the places you've been able to see. Found on the gulf coast and south west region of Florida, Naples is a combination of sleepy quiet town and excitement rolled into one. Yes a very unique place indeed.

Naples Florida has long been known as a place for the blue hairs to reside and the snow birds to flock come winter, but many are probably aware that Naples Florida also has some great hot spots. One such area is Fifth Avenue, a place of chique shops, trendy restaurants and great bars. That being said, there is also the classy side of Naples if you're looking for world class entertainment or a show. You'll find that at the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts located at 5833 Pelican Bay Boulevard.  You may sneeze at what you may think is world class but check out some of these great artists that play the Philharmonic Center for the arts...They include notables such as Tom Jones, Queen Latifah, Oletta Adams and the world renowned River Dance Show, just to name a few. There are so many more. That being said here's some great up coming shows at the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts with dates and ticket prices.

Tom Jones will be appearing on Wednesday April 22nd at 8pm. Tickets range from $79 to $100. Check out the Spiritually uplifting gospel sounds of Oleta Adams on February 17th and February 18th where all tickets cost $45, first come first serve for the tickets of your choice. Finally, if classical music is your fancy, from February 26th to March 1st the group Classical No. 4 will be performing where tickets cost $25 for students and $55 for all others.

There's much to see and enjoy at the Naples Philharmonic Center. Call today for tickets and other information 1-(800) 597-1900.

Tampa Travel Guide

Most recently the host city for the Super Bowl, Tampa is now an official part of the Travel Ape team. Boy oh boy did the big Ape have fun down in Tampa getting the information to form the new Tampa Travel Guide. There's no doubt about it , I think our symian friend has a great affinity for the Sunshine State, although he never likes to play favorites publicly.

So what made Tampa such an appealing place to cover, at least, go to the extent of gathering up all the juicy bits and pieces to make a Travel Ape branded travel guide for the city? Quite simple. Tampa is all about fun. It's a big city, but the city embraces fun in almost everything it does. From the business district area to the marinas the people of Tampa want to have fun.

There are so many great things to do in Tampa and something for any one to enjoy. Let's start with Busch Gardens Tampa. This theme park is flat out a perfect excursion for the entire family, and excursion is the perfect word to define Busch Gardens of Tampa because its over all theme reflects the adventure of Africa. For the adults Tampa has a hot nightlife. If we had to choose one place to see on a visit, the Hyde Park Cafe is a must. Hyde Park Cafe offers three diverse areas in one establishment. Last, but not least, if you have a refined palette the restaurant of choice would have to be Fetishes Restaurant located at 6690 Gulf Street in St. Petersburg.

So we welcome Tampa to the Travel Ape Family. Currently Spirit Airlines has some great deals from several destinations to Tampa. Check them out today.

Pittsburgh Pennsylvania - A Place for Lovers.

Ok before you make yourself take a second look the title of this blog is exactly what you read...Pittsburgh Pennsylvania has been ranked,  according to an online poll, as the Number One city in the United States for romance to bloom. Now to the fine print. The poll actually is ranking the number one city for baby boomer romance to bloom. Regardless, Travel Ape found this poll to be interesting enough to look into just a little. 

How about some of these statistics about the Steel City. Pittsburgh, at least for boomer marriages, is ranked 8th in marriage rates among the top 50 metro areas in the United States.  On top of that, again among boomers, Pittsburgh has the 2nd lowest rate of those divorced and separated.  Is it something in the water? The air? Most would think that a tropical paradise would be where love would bloom. Who knew?

Why get into all this lovey dovey talk? Well it's almost Valentine's Day, and if you didn't know Travel Ape has a soft spot for love. With that being said, Travel Ape went out and looked for the top romantic things to do for your romantic trip to Pittsburgh. First check out any number of potential Pittsburgh Hotels. Then get your reservations at one of Pittsburgh's most romantic restaurants the Hyeholde Restaurant located at 190 Hyeholde Dr., Moon Township, PA. Just take a look at the link to the site provided. I can't do it justice by writing about it here. Here's the number for reservations too, 412-264-3116. What wold be a romantic night without a limo to drive you so call Excpetional Limo at 412-956-2697.

Where ever you decide to enjoy your night of romance enjoy. That's from the big old Ape himself.

Alaska 24 Hours of Sunlight - Travel for the Thrill of a Lifetime

There are many different things in the world that to many the live on this relatively tiny blue marble in the Universe that are obscure, unknown or unexperienced. In Alaska, the phenomenon of 24 hours of sunlight, or on a daily level close to that many hours, where the sun never seems to set.

Imagine traveling to a land where at midnight the sun shines as if you were sitting down for a late lunch. Alaska is no doubt considered and categorized for travel and the avid traveler as adventure travel and for good reason. Many of the state of Alaska's regions are still uncharted and hardly ever traveled by human beings. Many of the cities and even their largest cities are very tough to travel to especially during the winter months. If one were to travel to Alaska, it is said that the best times to enjoy this wonderful land of dense forests, untamed wildlife and majestic mountain ranges is around late May through June. Why? Because the days are longest, meaning the number of hours of sunlight, the skies are usually very clear and blue and the late morning to afternoon hours are warm and comfortable.

There are so many things to see and enjoy in Alaska should you wish to travel and vacation there. Visit old gold rush towns, visit villages of the indigenous people of Alaska, go skiing or do some of the best fresh water fishing that you could do anywhere on the globe.

There aren't a whole heck of a lot of hotels and formal accommodations, but you can make your start by heading to Anchorage. We have a list of Anchorage Hotels to choose from, so check out availability for this coming late May through June.

2009 Mens Basketball Big East Conference Championships.

The 2008-2009 NCAA Men’s College Basketball season is far from over, but it never is too early to prepare for the post season. Especially when you may be a die hard fan of any number of colleges.

Today’s post is about one of the biggest conference championships in Men’s NCAA Basketball, the Big East Championship. For over 30 years now, teams from the Big East Conference descend upon the city of New York to battle it out for the championship that gives the winner a direct bid into the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The venue, none other than one of the most famous sports venues in the world Madison Square Garden. The excitement each year is palpable.

This year the Big East Conference Championship has a slightly different format than it has in many years mainly because the number of teams that participate in the conference have increased to 16 from what I believe was about 10 teams just a few short years ago. Back to the format, the two top teams will get double byes for the first two rounds, as the remaining teams will begin play on Tuesday on March 10th, 2009.

It's not too early at all to try and search for New York City Hotels in and around the Manhattan area where Madison Square Garden is located. If you are really a fan of college basketball this may be one of the finest tournaments in the country. Also, on a personal note Travel Ape has predicted the winner to be the Villanova Men's Basketball Team. We'll see.

If you are interested in getting tickets you have to go to one of the individual colleges or schools ticket offices. Check out the official Big East Men's Basketball site to see the teams. 

Boston Harbor Hotel - Boston Hotels

The Boston Harbor Hotel one of the only Five Star Hotel located on the Water Front in Boston. The location might be what makes this hotel a must to stay at if you have the means and funds, while visiting Boston. It is uniquely positioned as it has views of the ocean on one side and a clear view of the city of Boston on the other. What's more visitors are greeted by a story book like winding green parkway on another side. The long and short is the Boston Harbor Hotel is all about luxury and an upscale experience for visitors. Which, might I add, visitors can reach the hotel by car or by boat should you be out on the open seas and want to come to land to be pampered for a spell.

The hotel features 230 guest rooms which have been recently renovated and updated to capture a more modern, yet elegant decor.

Rooms and accommodations at the Boston Harbor Hotel feature all the trimmings of luxury including big comfy beds and hand crafted and carved furniture and Italian Marble. How about the fact that you also can relax in your room while enjoying television on a flat screen plasma television? Talk about class and luxury, the Boston Harbor Hotel has it all.

The hotel and property are great for staying over and also for hosting events. The event room can handle both small intimate gatherings and meetings, to large events such as weddings where attendance can reach up to 350 people.

Find out more about the Boston Harbor Hotel by visiting their official website. Why not also check out the local events calendar for the Boston area to see if some event , show or anything is happening and plan a trip. You can't lose.

NBA Tickets.

The NBA or National Basketball Association is very hot right now, and believe it or not, it's coming to it's mid way point in just a few weeks. That point culminates on February 15th 2009 for the NBA's All Star Game. 

Why are things so hot? The NBA is experiencing a resurgence of interest mainly due to the achievement of the USA Basketball team during the 2008 Summer Games in China where USA won gold. The team was made up of great players from the USA that are all excelling for their respective NBA teams, of which two of Team USA's premiere players are caught in a grudge match for potential 2008-2009 MVP NBA Honors...You might have heard of them both..A Mr. Lebron James and a Mr. Kobe Bryant.

So don't miss either of them if you can. Check out both player's teams schedule and available tickets by going to www.TravelApe.com Cleveland Cavalier's Tickets and the Los Angeles Laker's Tickets sections provided.

Should some other form of entertainment strike some interest in you TravelApe.com has a complete event tickets sections. Check it out. 

Cancun Hotels and Cancun Vacation Packages.

I think the cold and snow have finally gotten to most of us here in Travel Ape nation. I know Travel Ape himself has taken excursions to Florida several times in the past few months, but he's even complaining today about the wintery weather.  In his mind Florida isn't tropical or south enough, he's thinking about Mexico.

Well one of the most famous destination resorts in Mexico is of course Cancun. We've stumbled upon several Cancun Vacation Packages through some of our alliances, and they really are great. Obviously being a great destination like Cancun is, the hotels in the area are quality. One such Cancun hotel that features multiple packages is the Laguna Suites Spa and Golf Resort Cancun. In general the Laguna Suites Spa and Golf Resort has a whole bunch to offer. First and foremost like the name of the property indicates it sits on site with a golf course. The Pok Ta Pok Golf Club to be specific offering 18 holes of majestic play in Mexico. Also you'll find the full service Namaste Spa. Other perks include full access to two other local sister resorts, free airport transfers to and from the hotel and a free shuttle to the Ocean Spa Resort Cancun. 

The suites at the Laguna Suites Spa and Golf Resort are just fantastic. They are fully air-conditioned, equipped with cable television a sofa bed and are handicap accessible. 

Packages for the Laguna Suites and Golf Resort range from $199 to $549 depending on the number of days and nights spent and the premiums offered. 

The $199 package is called the Sweet Suite Cancun Getaway and offers accommodations for 4 days and 3 nights in a junior suite plus 2 $30 Spa Gift Certificates.  For $429 they have what is called the Cancun 5 Night Getaway. This is basically the same package as in the Sweet Suite Cancun Getaway but you get 6 Days at the resort. Finally is the Cancun Super Getaway which offers 7 Days and 6 Nights for $549. As with all packages this one comes with accommodations in a junior suite plus 2 $30 gift certificates to the spa.

If you're really interested in pursuing one of these packages you can go directly to the web site links offered above or call 1-800-675-8399 for a customer  service representative. Also why not plan your vacation around events happening around the calendar in Cancun. Check out the Official Cancun Visitors Bureau Website. 

Getting Ready for the Pro Bowl after a Crazy NFL Season...

As I stated in my previous post congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers the 2009 NFL's Super Bowl Champions !!! Again what a crazy season and a fitting crazy end to the years most anticipated sporting event. 

To that end we now set our sights on the some what anticlimactic game of the NFl's Pro Bowl to be played on February 8th 2009 in Hawaii.  To most of you out there traveling to the Hawaii, or better yet, making plans to take a vacation to go to Honolulu is at this point on the calendar may not be financially and practical for many. That doesn't mean that for those lucky few that are may be able to find time, money and whatever else is necessary to get to the game, or for those of you that are interested in the game itself, that we at Travel Ape can't help but build up a little excitement. 

The game is played at Aloha Stadium and has been for many years. If you go to Wikipedia it has some great information that not many know about relating to the evolution and history of the Pro Bowl, one little fact of which, it was played at Texas Stadium in 1973. One additional fact that I'm not sure a lot of people know is that there are plans to have the Pro Bowl Played the week between the Conference Championship Games and the Super Bowl. The times they are a changing.

If you are still thinking about finding a hotel room for the game check out our complete listings of potential vacant hotels in Hawaii and the surrounding area for this coming weekend. Just so you know we've seen rates for as low as $92 a night to as high as $400 a night for premium hotel locations. The big rate deal on the $92 a night price can be found at the Waikiki Sand Villa Hotel and for a 2.5 Star Rated hotel it's quite a bargain and relatively near the stadium. 

Go Back to the 70's and Dance Your Disco at Boogie Nights in Atlantic City.

For some the 1970's meant high gas prices and long lines at the pump. To others it was a weird time between the 1960's and 1980's. Well whatever it meant to you if you were there, or if you wanted to experience it for yourself, there's a club in Atlantic City at Resorts Casino called Boogie Nights. 

As the song that carries the same moniker of the club "Ain't no Doubt we are here to Party" and the fun is hot in this throwback of a dance club on the boardwalk.  Resorts Atlantic City Hotel Casino dubs the club as the "ultimate 70's and 80's dance club" where patrons can find great specials on Friday and Saturday Nights. 

The club gets grooving at 9pm and admission is $10 regular and free for Elite and Ultra Members. You can also get reservations for a table at Boogie Nights for a VIP Table. Call 609-340-7698.

Get your polyester shirts out and go have some fun in Atlantic City with Boogie Nights.

Spring Training is Just around the Corner. Why not catch the Action in Florida.

It seems just like last week that Travel Ape's beloved Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball won the World Series. Well as quick as the time has passed since that rainy week in October of 2008, the new MLB Season is almost upon us as teams prepare to organize for spring training.

Few places capture the esssence of spring training like that of the state of Florida. Cities from across the state of Florida have clamored and held their fingers in hopes of being chosen as a spot for a Major League team to host their spring training. Here's a few place and cities across Florida that might be worth checking out if you are also interested in taking a vacation to escape the cold of winter. Spring Training for all teams begins officially February 25th, 2009.

There are about 14 teams in the MLB that have a city in Florida be there home away from home during spring training. We'll highlight some of the top teams and provide links for checking out prices and rates on hotels for the cities that the teams are located during spring training. Trust me, if you've never thought about it, mixing in a trip to Florida with sping training is one of those little thought of ideas that are golden. The tickets for exhibition games are a fraction of the price for games during the regular season. So we'll let you know where the teams train and give you links for checking out hotel rates in those areas.

First to the defending World Series Champions, the Fighting Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies have been training in Clearwater Florida for some time. There should be some extra excitement around camp this year due to the World Series victory. Check out rates for Clearwater Hotels for the end of February.

Next we have the New York Yankees. Sure the Bronx Bombers had a disappointing season last year, but the Yanks are still a major brand in sports recongnized world wide. The New York Yankees train up and around the Tampa Florida area. We just checked and it looks like there are some great deals for Tampa Hotels around the time that spring training begins. It also might be a good strategy to check out dates the few weeks following the beginning of spring break for even better deals.

Last on this list we decided to go with the Boston Red Sox. Yeah, we know, another team that came up a little short, but come on, they almost made it back to the fall classic. And yes, we're fully aware that we have two American League teams featured. Not done on purpose. To that end the Boston Red Sox have been training in and around the Fort Myers Florida area for many years now. There has been some talk about the team moving to another location in the state of Florida, but for now they are staying put. The Fort Myers area is actually unique because it's located around several other key tourist destinations including Naples, Cape Coral and Port Charlotte. All are located along the gulf coast and make for great places to stay and visit. Palm trees abound. Check out complete Fort Myers hotels with this link including rates, reviews and maps.

We're doing our homework about the teams that use Arizona as their homes during spring break and will have info about them in our next post. Until then, for all you hardcore baseball fans only 25 days and counting till spring break begins.