Where To Stay When Traveling To The Gold Coast

Savvy world travelers know that the Gold Coast, the Queensland coastal city located between Brisbane and New South Wales, is one of the best tourist spots in Australia. Every year, visitors numbering in the hundreds of thousands flock to the Gold Coast, which is also Australia’s sixth largest city. If you are ever in the Gold Coast, the following are absolutely the very best places to stay in the area. Don’t fail to check them out. 1. Palazzo Versace This is the palace that Versace built and the influence of the world-renowned Versace signature label is evident everywhere around the hotel, which is situated at Sea World Drive along Main Beach. The hotel is distinctly Versace – elegant, luxurious and extraordinary. The rooms are stylishly furnished to allow you to luxuriate right in the lap of luxury. You can see the Versace touch in the walls and furnishings, the elegantly designed rooms and even in the bathrooms which are stocked with a host of Versace products. Even the crystal goblets and plates have the Versace emblem on them. The Superior room is top of the line in terms of upscale accommodations, oozing classic elegance through the lush fabrics and timber tones. The beds are unmistakably Versace, both king size and double beds. The Superior rooms come in two-bedroom and three-bedroom condominium suites and also have their own private balcony and well-stocked kitchen filled with all the modern appliances. 2. Ruffles Lodge The luxury five-star Ruffles Lodge is nestled at the scenic Gold Coast Hinterland between the mountains and the coast. It is a personal favorite of golfers who visit the Gold Coast especially since there are as many as 16 gold courses just 30 minutes away or less. The lodge itself has its own golf practice area. For nature lovers, the Lamington national park and the Binna Burra and O’Reillys rain forests are just a stone’s throw away. There are also several beaches and shopping centers located just 25 minutes away. 3. Esconder Mountain Lodge For couples searching for the ideal hideaway, the Esconder Mountain Lodge provides everything they could want. It is private, romantic and only has three luxurious guest suites located high in the hinterlands. The view of the nearby Tamborine mountain is spectacular, plus it is close enough to the Surfers Paradise should you need to get back to civilization.

The Oregon Tale: Traveling the State

Oregon is a place that isn’t known for vacations: it’s not a large tourist attraction or an ideal spring break destination. It, quite simply, isn’t famous. Because of this, it’s one of the most modest of regions. If someone were to ask Oregon if it was a nice state, in its own humble manner it would probably answer, “Well, I’m definitely top 50.” Despite not being known as a hot spot, Oregon is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Not only does it possess the naturalness of the Northwest - the land is paved with a tapestry of greens and browns - but it also maintains a sense of freshness, as if God is endlessly spraying it with Febreze. A place that quite simply has it all, Oregon is filled with mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, plains, and even an ocean. There are few places in Oregon where you won’t find beauty with the exception of the far eastern plains (Oregonians naturally refer to this area as “Idaho”). The state itself is filled with limitless majesty and endless things to do. The following is a list that will merely get you started. The Enchanted Forest - Just outside of Salem, the Enchanted Forest is one of the most unique amusement parks of all time. In an era where parks are trying to obtain the highest roller coaster or the fastest ride, The Enchanted Forest has stayed true to its roots. Located in an actual forest, this amusement park is perhaps one of the only ones around that is geared toward younger children: teenagers need not apply. It contains rides and attractions based on fantasy and storybook characters. Among some of the themes featured are Alice in Wonderland, Mother Goose, Humpty Dumpty, the Old Lady who Lived in the Shoe, and Hansel and Gretel. For kids who are a little older, there are also bobsled rides, a haunted house, bumper cars, and water rides. The Oregon Coast – The Oregon coast isn’t a place where you will find a slug of college party kids or girls aspiring to go wild; instead, this coast isn’t your typical coast. In lieu of beach volleyball and bikinis, this coast has bonfires and clam chowder. The waters are often cold, too cold for swimming on most occasions, and people are just as likely to wear a winter coat as they are a tank top. Because it is free of the typical coastal behavior, this coast evokes a sense of calmness and sereneness that other beaches can not possess. Going here for twenty minutes makes you feel as if your troubles could drift away, possibly carried off by a hungry seagull who mistook your worries for a piece of bread. Oregon’s coast stretches for almost 400 miles, from Astoria (oh yes people, home of the Goonies) to Brookings. This vastness provides people with several things to do. From looking at lighthouses to shopping in boutiques, from whale watching to deep sea fishing, the Oregon coast is perfect for those with eclectic tastes. People may find enjoyment taking a scenic drive or staying at a beachfront hotel. Others may find certain attractions - such as the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and the Sea Lion Caves in Florence - more appealing. No matter what you find to do, you’ll find that the Oregon Coast is a sure, or shore, bet. Mt. Hood - Mt. Hood might not be the Alps or the Rocky Mountains, but you probably won’t mind. Home to four ski areas - including the only ski area in North America that is open year round - Mt. Hood is filled with volcanic slopes, valleys, and rivers. Perhaps the furthest thing from skiing, fruit growing is also something this region is famous for. From grapes to apples, from blueberries to pears and apricots, the only thing you can’t grow here is bored. After a day on the slopes or a day of harvest, many travelers find their experience continues at the Columbia River Gorge, right nearby. This is arguably one of the most magnificent places in the nation: it’s as if verses of America the Beautiful were written with this gorge in mind. Containing Multnomah Falls, one of the 77 waterfalls in the area, visitors here can‘t help but ask, “Niagara who?” Six hundred and twenty feet high, there are only three other waterfalls in the country that are higher. The Willamette Valley - For people who like wine, otherwise known as people who are breathing, the Willamette Valley is a great place to visit. Located roughly 100 miles south of Portland, this valley is filled with rolling green hills, country lanes, and covered bridges. It reminds people of a simpler time of life, when neighbors said hello, people helped each other, and farmers' markets existed instead of Wal-Mart’s. Three quarters of Oregon’s wine comes from the Willamette Valley: this is a valley known not only for some of the best Oregonian wine, but some of the best wine everywhere. Over 200 wineries are located here, waiting to offer the thirsty traveler a little taste of Oregon in the form of Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Pinot Gris. The Shakespeare Festival - Where art thou Good Theater? Tis in Oregon. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, located in Southern Oregon, is one of the oldest and largest not-for-profit theaters in the country. Tony Award-winning, this festival operates on an eight and a half month basis, producing eleven shows at a time in three theaters. Annually, this theater is home to over 780 performances and 360,000 patrons. For those who like literature, there is no better place to see Shakespeare’s words come to life. Oregon is one of the best places to go for a laidback, unique vacation. It offers people a chance to experience a variety of things in an eclectic environment. Simply put, it is an Oregon trail of fun.

Traveling Usa – The Grand Canyon

Annually, hundreds of thousands of people flock to a feat of nature, the Grand Canyon, in Arizona. No one can help but marvel when they look upon the cut in the earth a mile deep, 18 miles wide, and 277 miles long. If you are planning traveling to this very popular spot in the USA, here are a few things you need to think of before starting your adventure. 1. If you have a lot of time to research and sort out your trip to the Grand Canyon, great! If not, you may want to consider a travel agent, to make sure you are learning about all the fun and interesting things to do on your trip. 2. How are you getting there? Some like to take a road trip to the Grand Canyon and experience other locations along the way. Before you try to go this route, you may want to take a few things into consideration including the condition of your vehicle, and the rising price of gasoline. 3. Make sure you have the clothes you need with you. Some people pack the wrong clothes for a trip. Remember where you are going and consider clothes that would be good for hiking, as well as something in case it rains. Also keep in mind the temperatures can drop substantially at night in this area, so you should pack something to keep warm. 4. In addition to clothes there are a lot of other items you need to remember to pack when heading out on this kind of adventure. If you are going hiking make sure to have things such as water bottles, a compass, map, and some supplies incase you happen to get lost. Also remember first aid items and sunscreen to avoid getting a sunburn. Don’t forget to pack any of the toiletries you would use at home. This includes toothbrush and toothpaste, sanitary supplies, and other items you may use with your daily shower. 5. If the kids are going with you, it is important to check ahead with the resort or hotel you are going to stay at to see if there are options of things for the kids to do, or babysitting services if they get tired and the adults would still like to go out. 6. Many people take their pets on vacation these days. While it’s great to have these furry members of your family with you, make sure to check ahead with your lodging destination to see if pets are allowed, and if they have accommodations for the animals when you visit attractions that don’t allow them. 7. Don’t set yourself up to be a victim. When you travel, you should try to not have a lot of cash on you at any point in time. Someone might see it and consider you an easy target. The best form of money for a trip is traveler’s checks that can be quickly cancelled if they are stolen. Also don’t carry all of your credit cards at once. That way, were the worst to happen, you would still have access to some money to take care of your family.

Traveling in fast forward – Bangkok, Thailand in 24 hours

After arriving in Bangkok at around 3am, I found that my room was unavailable due to it being flooded, not the best way to start my 24 hour adventure but not enough to slow me down. After a power cut and a couple of hours waiting I finally got my room, I didn’t really have enough time to sleep much after the delay, so I had to settle for just a couple of hours. I got up at 8.30am and felt surprisingly refreshed, it’s not often you have to survive on only 2 hours sleep but at the same time it’s not often you get the opportunity to explore an environment and culture that’s completely new to you. I took a look out the window and just gazed at the concrete jungle that is Bangkok. For the troubles of the night before, the hotel graciously gave me a free breakfast and a few other nice treats. I enjoyed a few fruits that I’d never had before; I’m quite the food lover so even simple things like that were interesting to me. It’s amazingly humid and very hot, 30 degrees at just 9am in the morning. Luckily for me and the other Hotel guests having breakfast, there are half a dozen huge fans cooling the area. After finishing up my breakfast I head out into the unknown. I have no idea where I’m going or what I want to do which is part of the fun, it’s sometimes nice to have no plans or schedule, just the freedom to do whatever crosses your path. It doesn’t take much time for me to meet some of the locals, there are street vendors everywhere and they can be very persistent, with an emphasis on very. It’s a little intimidating at first but after a good 5 hours of shopping I was a pro. The Pantip Plaza was the first real building I stumbled into, it was full of cheap gadgets and huge amounts of DVD’s (all no doubt perfectly legal). I moved onto Siam Square next and watched a game of street football which was cool. The temperature was edging 35 degrees at this stage and this seemed even more surprising when I looked up and spotted a huge dark cloud forming right above me. It didn’t take long for the rain to come and what a display it was. I’ve never encountered such a massive display of thunder and lightening in my life. Everyone scurried through the shop awnings and backstreets to take cover, it was impressive watching the speed at which the street vendors set up protection from the rain, this was obviously something they had learned to put up with. It felt like I was wading through millions of people as I made my way back to the hotel, it was cramped before the rain arrived but now it was just crazy. After a nice dinner, I did some more looking around. I found some cool t-shirts and plenty of great presents for when I eventually got back home to New Zealand. While haggling over prices was new definitely new to me, I ended up enjoying it. It’s not something I could really be bothered with all the time but for that one day it was really fun. My 24 hours in Bangkok was nearly over. I had to get some sleep before my early flight to London, especially after missing out the night before. It was a shame I had to leave so soon but I’m looking forward to coming back another time and exploring more of Bangkok, especially their many beautiful temples and other tourist attractions. 24 hours certainly wasn’t long but it was enough to give me a taste for Thailand and all the fun and excitement it offers.