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Archive for the ‘Family Vacation’ Category
3 nights hotel with air and all taxes in the Bahamas
from just $535.
It’s the Big Apple, baby, and all roads eventually lead – or cross – in its streets. But you won’t be doing your sightseeing there, because it’s too expensive…right? If you’re resourceful, there are many free and/or inexpensive tourist destinations in New York City. Below are but a few – including well-known sites, food, and New York’s art scene.
THE SITES
- Central Park – Stretch your legs and see the world’s most famous park without spending a dime. Enjoy just walking around the 800 + acres, or visit one of the park’s many famous sites for reasonable prices, including the Central Park Zoo, take your kids to one of the 21 playgrounds, or enjoy one of their many tours.
- Ground Zero – Many New York visitors want to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the terrible events of September 11, 2001. Today, you can take a guided tour of the site for around $20, or visit it on your own for less. While you’re there, you might want to visit St. Paul’s Chapel on Broadway and Fulton Streets near the area. An impromptu memorial has grown there, with messages from visitors in many languages.
- Many birds, one stone – A variety of tours exist for a variety of budgets, ranging from the all-day $75 tour including Ellis Island, the United Nations, and many others, to a few hours’ $35 tour including visits to famous New York neighborhoods and museums. For a mere $20, you can take a Harbor Cruise to the Statue of Liberty.
THE FOOD
- Ethnic Delights – While you’re in New York, don’t pass up the opportunity to sample the flavors in the world’s biggest melting pot. Whether you stop for a slice of pizza in Little Italy, or grab some Dim Sum in Chinatown, New York’s diverse residents have brought their recipes with them from their home countries and they are ready to share them with you. A unique dining experience in New York can be had for under $10.
- Union Square Greenmarket – At Union Square, vendors sell fresh produce, homemade breads, homemade drinks, and even homemade cheese – and they are willing to share. They often offer free samples. The Greenmarket is a project by the Council on the Environment of NYC, and they’ve managed the open-air farmers’ markets in New York since 1976.
THE ARTS
- Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway – So you want to see one of New York’s famous Broadway shows, but you don’t want to break your budget? Consider one of the Off-Broadway or even Off-Off-Broadway theatres, where you will pay only 25% - 50% of what you would pay to see it on Broadway. There are numerous sites advertising discounted Broadway and Off-Broadway tickets; if you plan in advance, you can easily budget a show into your trip.
- Museums – There’s MOMA, the Met, the Guggenheim, the Whitney, the Natural History Museum, and many other world-famous New York City museums. Visiting all of them would cost a fortune, right? Not necessarily. There are several options for the cash-poor here. First, you could arrange to take a tour – for around $50, you can visit most of New York’s most famous museums. But there are plenty of free museums, too – including the American Folk Art Museum, urban art particular to New York at the Urban Center Gallery, and the National Museum of the American Indian, which has the largest collection in the world devoted solely to Native American culture and history. But if you don’t feel a visit to New York is complete without a tour of some of the famous museums mentioned above, then go see them on a “pay what you wish†night – MOMA’s, the Whitney, and the Guggenheim are all “pay what you wish†Friday evenings, and although not everyone is aware of it, the Met and the Brookly!
n Museum of Art has a suggested admission, but is “pay what you wish†everyday!
Remember, you can find a vacation that matches your budget as long as you’re willing to be flexible and creative – even in New York. There are many online resources you can use to plan an exciting but realistic vacation to the Big Apple. Have fun, and good luck!
Save up to 25% on hotels in New York City
About The Author
Rachel Medlock owns and operates the informational site, MyVacationInfo.com.
If you’re anything like me, you like to have a great time skiing or snowboarding. I’m more into snowboarding, and as quite a few other people, I enjoy going to resorts where there are less people, and the site is less commercialized. Among the few places which still remain this way, you can count the Alaska skiing and snowboarding resorts. Most people don’t think about going to Alaska because there are so many ski resorts in North America, so why travel so far? That leaves you with opened slopes and half empty lift lines.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the best of Alaska’s skiing or snowboarding resorts:
1. Moose mountain, Alaska ski resort - Moose mountain is over 1250 ft feet of vertical, and has both beginner slopes as well as advanced slops. Due to the mountain’s southern exposure, the area is shielded from the prevailing Northeasterly winds, and thus receives hours of sun each day. This makes the mountain 20-30 degrees warmer than the nearby city.
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• Base Elevation: 680 ft
• Summit Elevation: 1,987 ft
• Vertical Drop: 1,307 ft
• Skiable Area: 200 acres
• Annual Snowfall: 70 in
• Longest Run: 7,920 ft
• Snowmaking: 0 %
• Number of Lifts: 14
2. Eaglecrest Ski Area - the Eaglecrest ski resort is a community-owned ski resort that is located 12 miles from downtown Juneau on Douglas island. The ski and snowboard season at Eaglecrest runs from early December through mid-April. Most of the terrain is suitable for beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders
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• Base Elevation: 1,200 ft
• Summit Elevation: 2,600 ft
• Vertical Drop: 1,400 ft
• Skiable Area: 640 acres
• Annual Snowfall: 300 in
• Longest Run: 10,560 ft
• Snowmaking: 6 %
• Number of Lifts: 4
• Uphill Lift Capacity: 2,600 per hour
• Types of Lifts: 1 Tubing Lift, 1 Surface Lift, 2 Double Chairs
• Number of Trails: 31
3. Alyeska Resort - The Alyeska was voted one of the best ski resorts in the world by the ski magazine. This resprt has a great snowboarding park, and it’s also very suitable for families.
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• Vertical drop:2,500 feet
• Summit:3,939 feet
• Lifts: 9
• Trails:68
• Longest run:10,560 feet
• Annual snowfall:720 inches
• snowmaking:37%
• skiable area:1,000 acres
About The Author
Gill Reese is the owner of http://alaska-fun.info. You may visit the site and learn all about Alaska ski, Alaska vecations, Alaska Snowboarding and more.
Book a 3+ night flight & hotel package and save $100 on select ski destinations.
Expires November 12, 2006 for travel from Nov 1 thru March 31, 2007.
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