Whether you travel overseas or just up the coast – a holiday is always something to which you  look forward. Of course, the trip you plan will depend on the type of holiday you want; for some, it is relaxing on a beach or poolside by a 5-star resort while others are looking for some adrenalin pumping action. Are you one to mingle with the locals or do you make fast friends with other travelers on your tour – what is your travel personality?

The Adventure Seeker: for you, a holiday is about new and extreme experiences, something to get the adrenalin pumping. Climb the highest mountain, ski the blackest runs, dive the deepest depths – you will go to any lengths for a new thrill. If you are an adventure seeker, consider river rafting in Zambia or bungee jumping in New Zealand. Meanwhile, if you are really looking for an experience that will have you on the edge of your seat, may we also suggest a harrowing motorcycle-taxi ride through the streets of Bangkok?

The one looking for a “True Local Experience”: forget the guidebooks with their tourist attractions and top restaurant recommendations – traveling is about the true local experience. You explore off the beaten track, lunch in hole-in-the-wall eateries and hire a local guide to show you the hidden side of your destination. You will go as far as learning the language before you arrive and we are not talking about those token phrases of “Where’s the toilet?”

For a truly unique cultural experience, fly into the heart of India on Delhi flights or learn about the rich Buddhist roots when you head to Sri Lanka.

The Luxury Traveler: it is time to indulge yourself – you deserve it. First class flights and 5-star hotels – you know how to travel in style. Or perhaps a leisurely cruise with drinks by the poolside is more up your alley. One of the greatest benefits about overseas travel is that the luxury experience does not have to cost an arm and a leg. A stay at the 5-star Bangkok Marriott Resort can be as little as $115 a night.

Want a taste of the good life? Consider the newest luxury destinations of Abu Dhabi or Dubai; with luxury hotel suites costing a mere $20,000 a night (private helicopter and chauffeur are extra). Otherwise, you can take advantage of great rates for luxury hotels in South East Asia – consider Thailand, Vietnam or the Philippines.

The Bargain Hunter: when it comes to holidaying on a budget, you are a champion at finding the latest deals, cheap flights and budget accommodation – after all, you will be having too much fun to care about where you tuck in for the night. Secret airline sales, price comparison and travel clubs – you know them all. After all, saving money on your trips means you can afford to travel more.

Students and backpackers, of course, are renowned for their ability to travel on a shoestring. Young travel communities are a great way to meet like minded travelers and new friends – and of course, a great way to save some moolah for that round the world trip you’re planning next.

The Family Holidaymaker: nowadays, holidays are all about spending quality time with the family. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to capture those special moments together – when the kids are not running off to soccer practice and Mum and Dad don’t have to stay late at the office. There are plenty of accommodation and family holiday packages that specifically cater to families – consider a trip to the Gold Coast or a drive through the breathtaking wilderness of Tasmania.

Courtesy of Flight Centre

Hurricane Alex Soaking Central Texas

If you are traveling this weekend, please check out your destination using some of the links below.  At this time, the flooding on the Guadalupe River is between Hueco Falls to the Comal River.  However, Canyon Dam is at over capacity and the water flow may increase from the current 284 cfs.

Flooding Below New Braunfels in June 2010

Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service from National Weather Service provides up to date and predicted water levels throughout river basins in Texas.

Real-Time Data for Texas: Streamflow from United State Geological Survey features data from actual gauges on Texas rivers. May be sorted by county. You may also This site includes coastal areas.

Real-Time Data for Texas: Lakes and reservoirs from United State Geological Survey. May be sorted by county.

Have a Happy and SAFE July 4, 2010

Real-Time Reservoir Information from Texas Water Development Board. Collated information from from USGS, IBWC, and USACE websites. View by state, river basin or individual reservoir.

Road Conditions Map from Texas Department of Transportation.  Zoom in on specific areas.

Weather Underground has many maps with current weather, temperature, heat index, windchill, humidity, radar, dew point, wind, visibility, visible satellite, fronts, snow depth, precipitation and jet stream. There is also online weather radio for some Texas cities.

AccuWeather is another great site for Texas weather, including radar, headlines, videos and alerts sent to your cell phone.

New Braunfels and Schlitterbahn flooded in June 2010

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of St Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches, Florida. All opinions are 100% mine.

New Day – Photo by AM Shehadeh

Ponce de Leon, who claimed Florida for Spain, first explored the area of Saint Augustine in 1513.  Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied European established city, and the oldest port, in the continental United States.

St Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches are on the eastern coast of Florida, either on the Atlantic, the intercoastal waterway or riverfront.  There are all types of lodging, from luxurious beach front suite to a cozy room in a bed and breakfast in a historic home in St. Augustine.  There are also state parks, where you may camp in a tent or RV or rent a cabin or a room in a lodge.

My choice of lodging would be to camp with our trailer in Anastasia State Park on the beach.  If that park were unavailable, I would camp in Faver-Dykes State Park, a park that is known as a birding hotspot and is only a short drive to the beaches.  If you want to be closer to the action, then I would suggest the Carriage Way Bed and Breakfast, which is located in the historic section of St. Augustine.  If you stay at the B&B, you are just steps away from sights, dining and shopping.

Once you have checked into your lodgings, look at the area map and mark points of interest to you.  Inlets, barrier islands, bays and estuaries segment the coastline, so you will want to plan your trip.  Spend one or more days exploring the historic town of  St. Augustine.  You may explore St. Augustine on foot or take a scenic boat ride, a fishing trip or an eco-tour.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse was built in 1874 on the north end of Anastasia Island.  The view from the 165 foot tower is wonderful and not to be replicated anywhere else in the area. Although the view of the inlet and harbor from the rampart of the Castillo de San Marcos is inspiring. The inlet is best seen from the north side at Vilano Beach.

Castillo de San Marcos has daily interpretive programs by the National Park Service feature authentically uniformed soldiers from the 18th century.  Live cannon firings and discussion of colonial Spanish military life are included. .

Drive to Fort Matanzas National Monument, located 15 miles south of the city on Anastasia Island.  Pack a picnic, swimsuits and towels.  A free ferry takes you to Rattlesnake Island where you will view a historic reenactment of Spanish soldiers stationed at this remote outpost.

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1 -  get maps and brochures from CVB, check into accommodations, swim and plan your days.

Day 2 – spend the day exploring historic St. Augustine, including Castillo de San Marcos, if possible.

Day 3 – take a ride to Fort Manatazas National Monument, catch the ferry to the original site.

Day 4 – cruise to Anastasia State Park, where you can rents bicycles, beach chairs, ocean toys and umbrellas!

Day 5 – explore the beaches north and south of where you are staying

Day 6 – schedule a day for an airboat ride or leisurely cruise to view alligators in the wild. Pack up.

Day 7 -Sit back and relax as you are chauffeured in an horse-drawn carriage.

All photographs courtesy of the Florida Division of Historical Resources.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Kissimmee Tourism. All opinions are 100% mine.

Kissimmee

Most people think of Orlando when they plan their trip to Disney World and Epcot Center. However, Kissimmee is just minutes south of the city of Orlando and the Orlando International Airport.

Kissimmee is close to all of the central Florida attractions and the price of accommodations  and meals in Kissimmee are less expensive than those at the Disney resorts.

I would love to stay at Tropical Fun RV Park in our travel trailer.  In addition to RV sites, Tropical Fun RV Park offers home rentals and furnished vacation cottages. Amenities include a heated outdoor pool, kiddie pool, playground, volleyball court, basketball court, shuffleboard courts, nine-hole mini-golf course, a nature area and biking and walking trails.

Activities

There are enough activities to keep you busy at the RV park for a day or two, but you must explore the surrounding area.

Spend at least one day at the Alligator Chain of Lakes.  Kissimmee and the nearby towns of St. Cloud and Celebration have lake front parks to explore.

For some excitement, take an airboat ride, hot air balloon trip or whiz through the trees on a zipline. All of these modes of transportation will allow you to see the real Florida.

Take a trip back in time by spending an afternoon or evening in Old Town (just down the street from Tropical Palms) and enjoy the classic car parades, rock n’ roll music, thrill rides and boardwalk.  This is a great place to purchase souvenirs.

Do not forget to save one or more day to explore Magic Kingdom® Park, Epcot®, Animal Kingdom® or Disney’s Hollywood Studios™.

There are freshwater springs at Silver Spring State Park and Blue Spring State Park. If you have time, do not miss the mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.

You might also want to visit the beaches of the Gulf Coast or the Atlantic shore or the Kennedy Space Center.

I have just touched on the many activities, parks and events in and around Kissimmee.  Below is a sample itinerary to try and put things in perspective.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 – Check into RV park or hotel, go swimming and pick up maps and literature.  Purchase tickets for Disney parks you wish to visit.

Day 2 – Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the day at one of the chain of lakes.  Look into making reservations for a boat ride, balloon ride or zipline experience for the next day

Day 3 – Boat ride, balloon ride or zipline.  Visit Old Town in the afternoon/evening.

Day 4 – Disney

Day 5 – Disney

Day 6 – Visit Weeki Wachee Spring State Park. Take your swimsuit and enjoy Buccaneer Bay water park, located right next door to Weeki Wachee SP. Drop off your film to be developed on the way home.

Day 7 – Relax, pack and pick up your photographs.  Return home.

On the way to Florida, we had stayed at Fontainebleau State Park on Lake Pontchartrain for one night in the rain.  We wanted to return and explore the park in better weather.  We were rewarded with two days of sunshine on the return trip.

The park is surrounded on three sides by water (Lake Pontchartrain, Bayou Cane and Bayou Castine). The Tammany Trace, a 31-mile scenic trail, forms the other boundary of park.  The paved hiking/cycling trail with a parallel equestrian trail is the first of the Rails to Trails program in Louisiana.

The size of the lake and the sandy beach were surprising, as were the huge pavilion and an even larger fishing pier on the shore.  The power of hurricanes was demonstrated by a portion of a brick wall lying on the beach, part of the ruins of the sugar plantation that once stood nearby.

At the interpretative center, we met a ranger who asked if we wanted to see Bald Eagle hatchlings.  She met us outside and set up a spotting scope.  There is a photograph of the nest above, taken through the scope.  If you can spot the hatchlings, you have better eyes than mine.

This park has everything a RVer or camper might want.  There are 23 camp sites with full hookups, 103 with electric and water, 37 unimproved sites, 10 cabins, a lodge and group camping areas.  Add playgrounds, trees with grape vines large enough to swing, lots of shade and picnic areas and you have everything needed for family fun.