The Grandeur Of The Russian Court Comes To Amsterdam

The Hermitage museum has reopened in Amsterdam featuring an extravagant exhibit entitled “At The Russian Court”. The elegant, newly restored, 17th century building hosts a dazzling display of over 1,800 treasurers from St. Petersburg including Faberge jewels, ornate thrones, lavish gowns and cultural riches of the Tsarist court. Don’t miss this opportunity for a glimpse into Royal life at the Russian court during it’s height of power in the 19th century. The exhibit is on display until January 31, 2010.

America’s #1 Bike Tour Company Introduces Walking Tours

Long considered the premier bike touring company based in the USA, Vermont Bike Tours has recently announced the addition of top quality walking tours. VBT has been named one of the top three adventure tour companies on Earth for the past three years by the National Geographic Society, and has been offering quality tours for over 39 years. We’re really excited about this development, because VBT is known for affordable pricing coupled with unsurpassed tour value for the small group travel market.

Walking tours enable participants to see intoxicating panoramas in high definition, with surround sound and aroma-vision. Instead of whizzing along (by car, bus or train) straining to see sights as they whoosh by, travelers on walking tours have the opportunity to savor a region on an intimate basis, taking the time to appreciate cultural nuances and regional insights. Experienced trip leaders open your eyes to local (often overlooked) discoveries. This is the essence of taking the road less traveled, exploring a region on a very personal basis, far from the major tourist routes.

You’ll be happy to know that taking a walking tour doesn’t mean you’ll be exhausting yourself each day, trudging along difficult paths hauling a heavy pack. VBT has chosen five of its most popular touring destinations and planned itineraries that are easy to traverse on foot. Read more

Tuesday Is Sale Day At Hotels.com

For the very best deals, log onto Hotels.com just after the calendar turns to Tuesday. The fine folks at Hotels.com add hundreds of new promotional packages into the system set to activate at 12:01 am each Tuesday. The sale prices stay on the site for just 24 hours, so the early birds (or is that night owls) get the deals. Offers include locations in the USA, Mexico, Caribbean and Canada.

New England Fall Foliage Trains – Scenic Views Without The Traffic

New England is blessed with some of the most spectacular fall foliage displays in the world.  The diverse variety of hardwood forests climbing dramatic mountainsides and reflected in shimmering lakes guarantee scenic overload.  This year skip the traffic jams on the highways and view the foliage on board one of New England’s scenic train tours.  Narrow track rail beds wind their way through deciduous forests, scenic villages, past covered bridges and mirrored lakes.  Here are New Englands most popular vintage scenic train journeys.

• Connecticut – The Essex Steam Train and Riverboat

• Maine – Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railway, Maine Eastern Railway,

• Massachusetts – Berkshire Scenic Railroad, Cape Cod Central Railway

• New Hampshire - Conway Scenic Railway, Mount Washington Cog Railway, Winnipesaukee Scenic Railway

• Vermont – Champlain Valley, Green Mountain & White River Flyer,

Dublin ‘On The Cheap’ Gets Easy!

If you’re heading over to the Emerald Isle, don’t go unless you’ve spent some time exploring VisitDublin.com. The site is loaded with tons of ways to save money and guarantee a fabulous visit.  The site is a prime example of a tourist bureau doing things right.

Let’s get our priorities straight right away and begin our search with where to find “A Great Pint At A Great Price“.  You’ll find reviews by other travelers, prices and a handy mapping feature.  If you have a favorite pub of your own, give a review and be entered to win a 2 night vacation break.

On to the sightseeing….  Dublin is best toured on foot and you’ll find the (free to download) Dublin iWalks invaluable.   There are topics like Castles and Cathedrals, Viking and Medieval Dublin, and of course, all things Guinness -  all narrated by renowned author, historian and artist, Pat Liddy.  Even if you don’t plan to walk these routes – they are wonderful to listen to before your journey.

Read more

Club Med Jumps On The Discount Bandwagon – $799 pp for 7 Nights!

Club Med, long known for providing it’s guests with 24 hours of fun, and the first resorts to offer all inclusive vacation pricing, is making a big splash this fall with its “7 day Weekend” promotion.  Stay 7 nights for the price of 3 – that’s $799 per person all-inclusive, whether you’re traveling as a couple, a family, OR AS A SINGLE (meaning no dreaded single supplement!). The promotion is valid at it’s resorts in the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico and Florida and runs from now right through the winter months until April 30, 2010, and you must book your travel by October 31, 2009.  Visit the ClubMed website for all the great details. Sounds like a whole week of great activities, food, friends, and fun at a lower price than we’ve seen in years at Club Med!!

50% Off Top Restaurants in Europe

TopTable.com takes top honors for finding great restaurants in Europe, but more importantly this is where you’ll find tons of special promotions and many 50% off dining offers.  In addition to current discounts, you can search your favorite city by Most Booked, Top Rated or Best For (an occassion).  Once you’ve found your perfect choice you can, of course, make your reservation right on the site.  Top Table is a terrific resource for hungry travelers looking for a great deal at popular restaurants.

$99 Coast to Coast Flights On Virgin America – Wow

If you haven’t had the great pleasure of flying Virgin America yet (best inflight amenities in the industry), there’s no better time to start planning a trip.  Virgin America has announced a fantastic sale for tickets purchased by October 6, 2009.  Prices for travel between east coast cities (New York,  Boston, DC, Ft. Lauderdale) and west coast cities (Los Angeles, San Francisco) are just $99 each way.  And if you’re on the west coast, you can fly between LAX, SFO, SEA or to Vegas for a mere $39!  Travel must be completed by November 18, 2009.  What  perfect timing for a fall getaway to Sonoma or Napa to stomp a grape or two!!!  Visit Virgin America, Fares To Fly By for all the details, rules and restrictions.  Thanks Virgin America for helping to keep flying fun and affordable!!!

It’s Harvest Time – Visit A Nearby Vineyard and Do The Stomp!

What could be more sensuous and hilarious than participating in the age old tradition of crushing grapes in your bare feet – doing the squishy grape stomp?  Lucy loved it, and so may you.  It’s time to let your gypsy soul dance at one of the wonderful Wine Harvest Festivals across the country in September and October.  Here’s a listing of wineries that hold Fall Harvest Grape Stomps:

California – Sonoma County Grape Camp
White Crane Winery Grape Stomp – Livermore
St. Supery Winery, Napa Valley
Schramsberg Vineyard, Napa Valley – Camp Schramsberg
Calaveras Grape Stomp, Sierra Foothills

Maine – Vin Fest at Cellardoor Vineyards, Lincolnville

Minnesota - Midwest Weekends (9 Great Grape Stomps)
Morgan Creek Vineyards – Annual Great Grape Stomp, near Mankato MN

New York – Crush on Niagara Wine Tours
Brotherhood Vineyards – Hudson Valley (Oldest continually operating vineyard in USA)

North Carolina – Duplin Winery Annual Grape Stomp, Rose Hill

Texas – Vintage Oaks, Texas Grape Stomp Championship, near San Antonio & Austin

Washington – Columbia Valley Winery Association
11 Vineyards including Columbia Crest and Oakwood Cellars

Don’t Pay A Baggage Fee Because Of A Faulty Scale

When was the last time the baggage scale at the airport was calibrated for accuracy? – They can be off by a pound or two and no one notices.  If your luggage weight is ‘just over’ the allowed limit, challenge the calibration and get a second opinion (by weighing your bag on a second scale) before agreeing to pay an excess baggage fee.

Also when you’re flying internationally and connecting to Inter-Europe flights, be sure to check the baggage limits on the European carrier.  You may find that their limit is up to 10 pounds less per bag than your international flight.

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