A brief tour of California

Is going solo in an unknown area the right way to go, or are you wanting a tour guide to show you the highlights? I believe that you can blend the 2 ways in one trip and have the best of two worlds.
One trip we took a while back was to Washington D.C. We knew [...]

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Car Travel Games

Having a way to pass the time is integral, especially when you have children traveling with you.  The invention of games is possible as well as the use of traditional games which have been redesigned for travel with magnetic boards that hold down the pieces.  The selection of car travel games available is shockingly huge [...]

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Who Has the Cheapest Car Rental?

Cash is king and when you are searching for the cheapest car rental, keeping most of your cash in your pocket is forefront on your mind. Car rental agencies are fighting tooth and nail for your business. And not just your current business, but they want to entice you to look to them for future [...]

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Breaking News

Car Travel with Cats

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One of the most important things that you need to remember when traveling with cats is the fact that cats need special care during travel.  Cats are some of the animals that are not comfortable with travel and may not be able to cope with the stresses of travel, especially when you are traveling by car.  It is not impossible to travel with cats, but it is slightly more difficult that if you were taking a canine friend along for the trip.

One of the major disadvantages of traveling with cats is the fact that they usually need to use a litter box to relieve themselves.  If you do not have a litter box available to them it puts extra stress on their bladder and gut and can cause damage to them as well as the vehicle when they finally release their bowel movements and urine and they will run away if you attempt to let them go outside.

Male cats that are not neutered will tend to spray (scent mark) in unfamiliar territory and they will do so in cars which could be very harsh on the olfactory nerves of humans.  Although males are often the ones which can best cope with car travel, they are also difficult to deal with when they wish to move about.

Female cats are often very reluctant to travel and may make noise the entire way.  It is important to invest in a possible cat carrier or kennel which can incorporate a small disposable litter box for them to relieve themselves.  It is not mandatory, but it is recommended that you also clip the nails of the females so they do not do damage to the vehicle.

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admin @ May 18, 2010

Car Travel Accessories

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One of the best things to do when traveling is to ensure that you have the appropriate car travel accessories.  When you leave without them your travel can be very difficult to deal with and you can even become tired and cranky while driving, impeding your ability to drive well.  These are the best options available to you for car accessories that you should look into:

Portable GPS – GPS is important in helping you receive the appropriate directions for your travel.  These GPS devices also help you see where you are on the map.  There are plenty of ways to get directions mapped directly on screen and the helpful announced voice of the GPS system will help you keep your eyes on the road.  These are special options that are battery operated or simply hook into the car cigarette lighter port.

Chargers – various chargers for your portable devices such as cellular phones, cameras and MP3 players are a great way to ensure that you do not run out of battery juice while on the road.  These chargers are available in many varieties and you can even purchase an outlet converter which turns the cigarette lighter into an outlet where you can connect nearly any device to the battery output of the vehicle.

Wireless MP3 Connectors – one of the best options for those who love to listen to music is an MP3 wireless transmitter.  These transmitters allow you to broadcast over the radio waves to any station you like and listen to it through your car radio.  This will not affect others around you because the range is so short.  This is the perfect option for those who do not want to complicate matters with tape deck converters and the like.

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admin @ April 20, 2010

A brief tour of California

California Comments (1)

Is going solo in an unknown area the right way to go, or are you wanting a tour guide to show you the highlights? I believe that you can blend the 2 ways in one trip and have the best of two worlds.

One trip we took a while back was to Washington D.C. We knew beforehand which Smithsonian building we would have liked to see, if the Washington Monument was open to visitors and if you wished to get an advance ticket to take a tour of the government or visit the Capital Building. It permitted us to plan our 3 days in the town and see all that we would have liked to see. Individual tours to such landmarks as Ford’s Theater and Arlington Graveyard were tours we were happy we acquired. The tour guides for these locations knew titbits and items of interest that we wouldn’t ever have found out on our own.

Let’s take a look at the San Francisco Bay Area which is another one of my favourite holiday spots and my folks have many pleasing and chuffed memories of many trips there after their short flights to los angeles. Some areas are so familiar to travellers that it is definitely possible to view the attractions on your own. That lets you take some time and go at your own speed. Fisherman’s Quay and Pier39 are good examples. Just by walking one or two blocks you can tour Aquarium of the Bay, take a cruise of San Francisco Bay, visit the famous Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum and spend some down time at the Riptide Arcade on Pier 39. The antique carousel is a gorgeous site and an attraction for every age. This special buy will give you tickets to 5 attractions, unlimited rides on the Wire Vehicles and a choice ticket to use at the Legion of Honour or Academy of Science & Steinhart Aquarium.

You are authorized 9 days from when you first begin to use your CityPass to go to each attraction and a week for limitless Wire Vehicle rides. I’d advocate the live tour guides. I have gone all 3 ways, and I received more delight by somebody telling me items of interest I know that I had missed on prior tours.

It gives you a backstage look of colourful Chinatown.

The tour covers, history, traditions of the area folk and culture that you almost certainly would not know or see by traveling by yourself. The lions at the entrance of Chinatown are amazing to see! San Francisco also offers over thirty fun and free walking tours of San Francisco. For more info on these free tours, go to www.sfcityguides.org.

The same applies with Napa valley tours. It is definitely possible to get some cheap airfares and drive to the area and go solo, but you will need to take steered tours of some of the vineyards and wine tasting rooms. If you’re driving and just taking your relaxed time, I’d suggest this way to see the stunning sights of the wine country. Another driving tour that’s preferred is the 17-mile drive down the coast. It winds around giving you glances of gorgeous mansions and impressive perspectives. It’s found in San Jose, a simple drive from San Francisco and Oakland and is actually worth the ticket cost. This weird house can be toured many times and with each tour guide, you’ll learn something new about the eccentric Mrs. Winchester who thought the spirits told her to have the sound of continuing construction happening in her home to avoid death. This led straight to many affectations and funny sights in the house since Mrs. Winchester served as her very own designer. She kept crews busy twenty-four hours per day, 365 days a year for several years. I liked the steps leading to nowhere, and the built in magnifying glass in the window looking out over the garden. I have seen it 4 times, and will often go back. Rumour has it, there had been a wine basement that was boarded up and sealed away. I suggest both.

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admin @ April 16, 2010

Car Travel Games

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Having a way to pass the time is integral, especially when you have children traveling with you.  The invention of games is possible as well as the use of traditional games which have been redesigned for travel with magnetic boards that hold down the pieces.  The selection of car travel games available is shockingly huge and can be taken advantage of by anyone who needs to pass time while traveling by car.  The following
are the most common options to choose from:

Magnetic Checkers – One of the most commonly played games in the world is checkers.  Magnetic boards are available for very cheap prices and can usually be found at dollar stores.  The game is very popular with children and the magnetic board prevents spilling of the game pieces to be lost in the car, especially if it is a car rental.

Magnetic Chess – Very similar to checkers, chess uses strategy in the board game.  The pieces are meant to represent different aspects of a kingdom which must overpower the other player’s kingdom.  The magnetic board keeps game pieces in place.

Tic Tac Toe – Tic tac toe is a popular game which is played by people of all ages.  The object of the game is to get three of the player’s markers in a row on a 3×3 grid.  Each player takes a turn and there can be either a draw game or winning/losing game.

Alphabet Find – One of the popular games that can be done with children is to ask them to think of things that start with certain letters.  This helps to stimulate their minds during long trips and can also be combines with an “I Spy” play style.

Mind Puzzles – Mind puzzles can come in books or physical puzzle options
which are very popular for road trips.

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admin @ April 16, 2010

Who Has the Cheapest Car Rental?

Airport, Avis, Budget, Car Rental USA, Car rental London, Florida, General, Guide, London, London Heathrow Airport, Miami, Reviews, Tips Comments (3)

Cash is king and when you are searching for the cheapest car rental, keeping most of your cash in your pocket is forefront on your mind. Car rental agencies are fighting tooth and nail for your business. And not just your current business, but they want to entice you to look to them for future rentals as well. By spending a few minutes comparing the prices between different car rental companies, you’ll come across a price you can live with. There’s no need to put all your eggs in one basket, so listen closely to how to snag a bargain car rental.

A smart option is to use “name your own price” websites like Priceline and Hotwire. They do the work for you. With the site Priceline you’ll have a couple of options for finding the cheapest car rental rate. The first choice is to enter they size of the vehicle you want and where you will be picking the car up from. The site will match your needs with
available offers. Option number two is to tell the system what you’d like to pay for your rental car. In essence you make an offer and wait to see if it is accepted.

Hotwire is just as simple and easy to use. It allows you a certain level of flexibility. You’ll get several options all ranging in price, terms and conditions. The thing with Hotwire is that you won’t know the name of the car rental agency you’ll be renting from until after you’ve paid for it. Make no mistake about it, getting the cheapest car rental rate
is about taking the road less traveled, so give these two options a try to see which one gives you the most bang for you buck.

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admin @ April 16, 2010

What Rental Car Companies Accept Debit Cards?

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The subject of which rental car companies accept debit cards is no longer as much of a concern.  The problems in the past were simply because debit was a model that was structured after how much money you had in the bank.  This was variable and not set like the balance with a credit card, which is universally accepted by car rental companies.
Renting at a physical car desk will usually call for several checks of identity and credit history to help screen out candidates which are not ideal for their services.

Not all rental companies will accept debit or cash as a payment option.  Those that do will often require additional steps to allow a rental with the company.  Taking in identification and valid information to do a credit check is required.  Foreigners will often be required to supply their passport and other documents.  Along with all of these checks, an additional deposit which could easily reach or pass $500 is required and could be held up to two weeks after the return of the vehicle is made to the location.  This could seem extreme, but it is required to prevent vehicle loss which is usually charged to a credit card on file.

An easy way to avoid this whole ordeal is to rent your car online.  Those who own debit cards that are issued with a major credit card logo such as Visa or MasterCard are always accepted online.  These can be used just like a credit card providing that you have the right amount of money available on your account at the time of the vehicle reservations
are made.  Of course with all online rentals, the proper identification is still required to pick up the vehicle!

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admin @ April 16, 2010

How to Get the Best Deals On a Car Rental

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When it comes to car travel and renting cars you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg. If you are worried about your budget and how much you will spend then you may want to listen to this message. Some car rentals even for 2 days can cost you up to $300 and that is just for a basic rental. You have to be prudent in how you look for car specials and we
are going to make sure that you are.

Make sure that whatever you do try to get your rental car far enough in advance so that you can get a far price. You can find good last minute deals on rental cars however, it can be very difficult and you cannot always bank on finding them. Next, try to look on the internet, newspaper, and even call car rental companies to see if they have any in house specials for you. Depending on whom you talk to and what branch of the rental car company you talk to, you may be able to get an in house special or manager’s special.

If you have a membership that you are part of make sure that you ask the rental car company if they honor them for a discount. Just being part of AAA car club can get you at least a 15% discount on a car in most places so it is indeed worth a try. Students are also encouraged to ask for discounts to at some agencies. So don’t be afraid to ask for as many discounts that you can get because the only thing that matters in the end is your pockets.

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admin @ April 16, 2010

Why should you drive when you can fly? Here’s why!

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Over the last 30 years, there have been fewer and fewer people taking the family car for their out of state vacations. What was once the iconic image of a family piling into their station wagon, coolers and walkmans in tow has made room for long lines at the airport security station, duty-free shops and mp3 players. For decades people were deciding to fly rather than driving. However in this recession more and more people are heading back out on the road for their vacations. Here is a short list of advantages driving has over flying on your next vacation.

Cost

Although many people think that gas prices are more expensive than a plane ticket, the average price per barrel of gas has actually decreased over one hundred and fifty percent over the last 2 years. It is actually much cheaper to drive cross country than it is to fly. If you are factoring in more than 1 person, the savings are more than significant.

Safety

Cars care still the safest form of transportation in the world. Airport security has been heightened in light of the increased security risks associated with airplanes. Outside of this, more deaths are caused every year from flight-related accidents than driving on the interstate.

When deciding on a family vacation this year, don’t immediately turn down the idea of driving. Not only is it still the safest mode of transportation in the world, its also one of the cheapest.

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admin @ February 18, 2010

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Rental Car

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The decision whether to hire a car from your holiday or business trip can be a tricky one to make. Often it can prove costly if not thought out properly, so there are several steps you can take that will help you get the most out of your hire car.

The first thing to do is choose the length of time you are hiring your car for wisely, sometimes is is not even necessary to hire one for the duration of your trip. Sometimes it is nice to just relax at the hotel pool for a few days, in that case you wont be needing a car and you can simply hire for the specific days you choose. If you need a car for a very short period of time they you may want to consider the relatively new car sharing scheme, whereby you can hire a car for just a couple of hours if need be.

Also make sure you pick your car wisely, if you are on a budget then you will want to choose something that is economic and doesn’t guzzle the gas. If you are travelling with a big family then you will need something spacious and don’t forget extra room for luggage and shopping. Picking the right car for you can be easy with the simple search feature
which will give you a list of options of the different cars available.

Watch out for parking costs, many hotels offer free parking, but if you are out and about you will need to consider where you are going to park your car. Check online for car parks to get the best deals and save yourself some money. Enjoy your trip!

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admin @ February 18, 2010

Traveling The World By Car

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If you are looking to get away from everything for a while, why not take a trip in a car. Think about it, no one to tell you that you have to sit in a specific seat and no time limits that you have to abide by. You get the freedom to go where you want and the freedom to stay as long as you want. No guided tours and no public transportation that can slow you
down. You are in control of everything and where and what you see. There are many benefits of taking a trip in your car and here are some of them.

Tired of being rushed at a site that you really want to see and learn more about? If you are, a guided tour is not for you because they are timed and only have a certain amount of time to give the tour. They have more tours to give so they have a certain amount of time to tell you about the main points of interest. If you are on your own, you have all the time in the world because ours. You have until the sites closes for the day.

Another thing is that you can plan a trip and go only to the sites you want to see instead of visiting sites you really care nothing about.  On a guided tour, you can get a lot of sites that are just put into the tour to kill some time, not really interesting.

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admin @ February 18, 2010