The USS Midway and San Diego waterfront

As of the end of 2011, all remaining US troops in Iraq will have been brought home. (If only the same were true of our troops in Afghanistan.) Remember the old slogan for Navy recruiters that went “Join the Navy, see the world?” Yeah, well, the men and women of our military branches get to see the world, all right, but not really in the way most of us travelers would want to.

We go lay on beaches, take photos of ourselves in front of famous monuments, get our thrills from things like ziplining or bungee jumping, and stroll through museums learning about history from photos and objects and art. They go into war-torn countries in full combat gear, get shot at by snipers and dodge land mines, and create history—all while being kept away from their families for long stretches of time. While I sometimes have mixed feelings about the US government’s involvement in conflicts, I never have mixed feelings about the men and women who serve: I admire them, and I am grateful to them. So when I was in San Diego, one of my priorities was to visit the USS Midway, a former aircraft carrier-turned-museum at the Navy Pier on the waterfront. Continue reading →

Would you give up a traditional Christmas to travel?

Just when I started to love the opportunity to travel during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, it’s going buh-bye. For several years now, the university where I work has given us the week off between Christmas and New Year’s as a holiday. It started because we got no raises that year. No raise = grumpy employees. Free week off = happy employees. Well played, UVM; well played. It went over so well, it became an annual thing. (Getting the week off, that is; getting no raises is just a semi-annual thing.)

The first year, I stayed home. For ten long days. I was bored out of my freaking mind. Unless you like being outside in below freezing temperatures (in which case you’re probably part polar bear), there is not a hell of a lot to do for singles in Vermont between Christmas and New Year’s. All my married friends are busy doing family stuff. My family who lives locally gets together for a meal, and then we go our separate ways. I kill about four hours on that, max.

In 2008, I decided to save my sanity and take advantage of the free time off to travel. It was a stroke of genius!

Continue reading →

‘Tis the season when thoughts start drifting toward holiday events and foods and shopping. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit the Christmas Markets in Europe? Wonder no more. Today’s guest blogger, Andrea, describes Manchester’s Christmas Markets (in the UK) for us.

Manchester Christmas markets

Living in Manchester, something has to make up for the dark nights and dreary rain that blights us come December. Luckily for me, my city has earned a well-deserved reputation for having some of the world’s best Christmas markets, which have won several tourism awards.

Their existence means the cold weather is worthwhile – because without the need to warm up, steaming mugs of Glühwein (German mulled wine) would be completely unnecessary. And this is my favourite part of a visit to the Manchester Christmas Markets. That and the fact that for a mere £2 of deposit forfeited, I can keep my mug as a souvenir (their design changes each year).

There are several markets scattered throughout the centre (for example, the French Market on King Street, the Arts & Crafts Market on Exchange Street, and the World Market on Brazennose Street) but the main one is the Manchester European Christmas Market on Albert Square, where the huge, lighted Santa looks down on the crowds below from his prime position on the Town Hall. Continue reading →

Sloppy Joey's in the Gaslamp Quarter

If there’s one thing I really love when I travel, it’s being pleasantly surprised. (Better than the other way around, don’t you think?) I had a morning like that in San Diego. I knew I wanted to spend the morning touring around the Gaslamp Quarter, and I wanted to try breakfast somewhere outside my hotel. (Not that I didn’t love my breakfast in the hotel the previous day, but I wanted to sample as many different restaurants as I could in 48 hours).

The problem was that I had no idea where I wanted to go, and time was of the essence. I had wanted to get some work done in my room before I had to check out, which meant I’d put off breakfast too long. I was ravenous when I stepped outside the hotel, which, to anyone who knows me, means we were at DEFCON 1:  If I didn’t get some food in me immediately, there would be a COMPLETE NUCLEAR DISASTER. So naturally, I turned to a source of local knowledge: The valet. I asked him where I could get  a good breakfast close to the hotel. His reply? Richard’s Pancake House on Front Street.

As soon as he named it, I recalled having read about Richard’s Pancake House during my research for my trip. Some guidebook or other had recommended it as well. Satisfied that this was the right choice, I followed his directions, and it was an easy walk from the Manchester Grand Hyatt up Market Street. I recognized the restaurant as soon as I saw it. . .because of the long line of people waiting to get inside. It stretched all the way down the block. Ugh. I hate standing in long lines. I also knew there was no way I could wait that long before eating. I’d pass out from hunger first. So I kept walking, hoping I’d run across another diner soon. Very soon. Continue reading →

Books by jlz

Books. Glorious books. They take us places when our circumstances cannot, at least in our minds. They inspire us, teach us, open new worlds to us, provide us with countless hours of entertainment. What would we do without them? When I imagine a world without books, without reading, without stories, the world I imagine is a very bleak place.  And that’s just from the perspective of entertainment value. Consider basic literacy and how critical it is to lift a person out of poverty and into a better life. Without reading skills, it’s nearly impossible to make a decent living. The sad truth is, some people have to do without books, because they don’t have access to them.

Passports with Purpose is an annual charitable fundraiser by travel bloggers to do some good around the world. Last year’s Passports with Purpose raised $65,000 which is being used to build 25 houses in an impoverished village in South India. This year’s fundraiser centers around books and access to them. From now through December 16, you have the opportunity to help build two libraries in Zambia as well as possibly win some very cool prizes like travel gear, hotel stays, and more. These prizes were solicited by travel bloggers and donated by generous companies to the cause. Continue reading →

Hogwarts Castle at Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter

If you’re a fan of the Harry Potter books and films, raise your hand. Me too! (I’m raising my hand right now.) I’ve read all the books, seen all the movies (some more than once) and when I heard that Universal Orlando was creating a theme park for the Harry Potter series, I thought it was the most brilliant idea I’ve heard in a long time. (Except for maybe that Star Trek theme park they’re building in Jordan.) Naturally, I knew I had to visit it. I finally had my chance during my trip to Orlando at the beginning of November. Continue reading →

Dan Austin, CEO of Austin-Lehman Adventures

If you read my early October post, “Would you like to interview a tourism industry CEO?”, you’ve probably been wondering “Hey, where’s that interview?” Sorry for the delay, but I was out of town. For those of you who didn’t read that post, I had been given the opportunity to interview Dan Austin, CEO of Austin-Lehman Adventures, on pretty much any topics we wanted to come up with pertaining to travel. In that earlier post, I put out a call for questions from readers of this blog. While I wouldn’t say I had an avalanche of responses, I did receive enough questions that I felt I could pull together a worthwhile interview.

I was inclined to go ahead with the interview because I feel it’s important to raise the issue of solo travel with industry insiders whenever the opportunity arises–to keep us in their frontal lobes, so to speak. My conversation with Dan turned out to be a wide-ranging and interesting one. Dan is thoroughly engaging and truly enthusiastic about the tourism industry and customer experiences. In this interview, you will hear his insights and responses to questions such as why single supplements exist, what happens when a roommate match goes bad, how he feels solo travel has evolved over the past 20 years, and his thoughts on emerging travel markets. Continue reading →

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:41 — 35.4MB)

Manchester Grand Hyatt lobby

In 48 Hours in San Diego, I mentioned that the smartest thing I did in San Diego was to stay at a centrally-located hotel near the waterfront and the Gaslamp Quarter, which made getting around to the tourist locations I wanted to see much easier. Better yet, I was hosted by The Manchester Grand Hyatt, a luxury hotel located at One Market Place, right next to the über-cute Seaport Village.

Seaport Village

Just walk out the back door of the Hyatt (past Lael’s buffet restaurant in the Harbor Tower), and you’re there, right on the gorgeous waterfront boardwalk. Within walking distance are the Embarcadero Marine Park, the USS Midway, and the Maritime Museum, and if your legs quit on you before you can walk back, there are scads of pedicabs operating along the waterfront for $5/ride. The Gaslamp Quarter and Petco Park are also an easy walk away (though maybe not in high heels). In short, I can’t think of a better location for a hotel in San Diego.

Manchester Grand Hyatt lobby

The Property

On the outside, the Grand Hyatt looks like any other high rise hotel with two towers. But on the inside. . .it’s nothing short of grand, like its name. The entrance is three stories high, with chandeliers above. Throughout the ground floor, you’ll see gorgeous woodwork and European iron panels that evoke the grandeur of 18th Century France. When I first walked into the hotel, I felt as though I’d stepped back in time. Continue reading →