Beaches. Forests. Mountain villages. Casinos. Lake Tahoe has it all. And if you go this summer, you can have it all for under $500. With flights taking up only about half the budget, those departing from the West can rejoice, as well as some other folks as far-flung as Chicago. But no matter where you're from, comfy lodge-style inns come at comfortable prices, and you can even tote your furry friends for a complete family vacation.

via smartertravel.com

You know that every time you are planning to go for a family vacation, there is always the daunting task of where to go because each member desires to impose his or her own ideas. It is good to listen to everyone so you can factor in their sentiments. Whether you want to have an indoor vacation or outdoor activity, there are many spots to pick from.

via eastandard.net

There are few childhood memories as distinct as those of family road trips. In her new book “Are We There Yet? The Golden Age of American Family Vacations,” Susan Sessions Rugh explains how the prosperous period between the end of World War II and the gas crisis of the 1970s gave Americans the unprecedented opportunity to see the country by car. What’s more, she uses the subject as a vehicle to explore American social norms and racial tensions of the time.

via worldhum.com

The biggest tourist attraction in Samut Prakan now is undoubtedly the Erawan Museum (Chang Erawan). This giant three-headed elephant is an incredible 29 metres high and 39 metres long. If you count the building it stands on, then the height is 43.6 metres. A small window in the belly of the elephant gives you some fine views of the surrounding area.

via thaitravelblogs.com

Here are some pictures for you of the temple fair in Samut Prakan. It was raining for most of the evening so I wasn’t able to go out until after 10 p.m. I took these pictures about an hour ago and despite the late hour there were still quite a few people around.

via thaitravelblogs.com

Long before Pattaya became a famous destination – Jomtien Beach had already carved a niche of its own, at least among the local beachgoers who adored it for its pearly white sands and long straight beach. Albeit a little late, there’s a renewed tourist interest in Jomtien from around the World. On an ordinary day, the resort looks like a busy carnival ground with colorful umbrellas dotting the whole stretch of the beach and sun worshippers in all kinds of swimwear-spicing up the scene.

via blogs.bootsnall.com

This private and personalized guided tour is the most fun and relaxing way to see Victoria. Treat yourself and forget about the crowded bus tours, just relax and enjoy. Victoria, often called the garden city, is full of history, old world charm and elegance. Drive from downtown Vancouver to the ferry terminal for priority boarding on the British Columbia Ferry service.

via viator.com

Experience Vancouver's beautiful surroundings on this 5.5-hour North Shore tour. After crossing Vancouver harbor via the landmark Lions Gate Bridge, you'll cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge – the world's longest suspension footbridge – take a ride on the Grouse Mountain Skyride and see grizzly bears in the Refuge for Endangered Wildlife.

via viator.com

Come fall, will you be ready for a beach vacation away from it all? If so, have a look at what American Airlines has going for its sale to a number of destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean. Deal: The “Caribbean and Mexico Sale” features low fares to a handful of popular locales bearing cabana-shaded sands aplenty.

via travel.latimes.com

Chicago... Chicago... was not at all what any of us expected. For one, the city seems so clean! It is so shinny and city like yet there are so many trees and parks and I know we didn't find every area there was to find... but we did a pretty good job at seeing as much as we could. When we first landed we did a river boat tour which was really interesting to learn about the architecture and just see the city.

via travelblog.org

So it has been about 3 months since I last updated this blog. I will try to keep it short because the internet connection I’m on keeps failing me. At the end of April was mid-semester break (aka a random week off) so Eve and I rented a car and drove up to the north part of the south island. We spent a few days hiking the Able Tasman great walk and afterwards slowly made our way back down the east coast.

via travelblog.org

After having a blast at the family reunion, we left Flat Head Lake on Monday and headed towards Glacier National Park in northern Montana with Bird and Bob and the Tabor family (Patty's sister). We traveled on the "highway to the sun" (which just opened a few weeks ago because of snow) through the park and we stopped at Logan Pass for a hike. The hike was 90% on the snow and we saw some great wildlife (see pics).

via travelblog.org

After seven weeks in China, my VISA had all but expired, so I head for a small city called Kaifeng, a four hour bus-ride from Luoyang, in hopes of getting an extension.
Unfortunately, because of the Olympics, 2008 is China's 'Special Year' and VISAs are hard to come by. In Kaifeng they could only give me a 10 day extension from that day - not much point when I still had 13 days left on the current one.

via travelblog.org

We got to the ferry at 10 in order to insure a spot on the 12:45 ferry to Victoria. We walked around the town and had lunch at Rick's American Cafe. The ferry ride was about an hour and half and was very scenic. Arriving at Victoria we found our hotel, The Delta, another Priceline find and very, very nice. We walked over the draw bridge to the main part of the city. First stop was the Parliament House.

via travelblog.org

Hacienda San Jose appeared to be away from any towns. It was a sugar plantation but the buildings had fallen into disrepair. Their reconstruction is shown in photos in the reading room. There are extensive gardens, aqueducts and facilities that suggest the hacienda's former glory. Some of the footpaths were made of slabs of limestone with gaps in between them. Since they were not smooth they were difficult to walk on, especially at night.

via travelblog.org