Month: September 2018

5 Alaska Destinations That Will Blow Your Mind

By Nikki Spitzer

A vacation to Alaska is one you will never forget! There is so much to see that will ultimately astound you, but I would like to share my favorite 5 Alaska Destinations That Will Blow Your Mind!

1. Juneau

Famous for being the state capitol, Juneau has much more to see than the small and not so typical capital building. Juneau is unique because is only reachable by boat or seaplane.
Mount Roberts towers over town and you can take the tramway up for beautiful views. Once at the top, you can choose to take the tramway back or hike down.
Juneau Icefield above the city contributes to the areas many glaciers, but Mendenhall Glacier is the big attraction here. My favorite, and the best way to see Mendenhall Glacier in my opinion would be the “Paddle & Trek” excursion. Start out paddling across Mendenhall Lake, explore the glacier’s gorgeous ice caves and then trek up the glacier with crampons on your boots. Quite the adventure!

2. Hubbard Glacier

Most cruises include Hubbard Glacier on their itinerary and it is a sight to see. As you sail past small icebergs in the water a massive 400-foot-tall wall of ice awaits. The glacier spreads more than six miles where it meets the ocean. The best part is the calving. Once you hear a crack, look for a large piece of ice to tremble and listen for the coming thunderous roar. It is incredible!

3. Talkeetna

Along the way to Denali, this tiny town at its base is what you would think of as an idyllic small Alaskan town. It is filled with art, yummy food and fun outdoorsy adventure opportunities. Being close to Denali, flightseeing is popular. Float trips and fishing are also options since Talkeetna is located where three rivers meet.
Eat a delicious lunch or dinner at Wildflower Café and visit Nagley’s Store, established in 1921. Besides being part of Talkeetna’s history, Nagley’s was also home to Mayor Stubbs, a famous cat who was named Mayor in 1998 and remained mayor for 20 years!

4. Denali National Park

Denali National Park is a must see on any visit to Alaska. Mount Denali is the tallest mountain in North America at 20,310 feet. Appropriately, the meaning of the Athabascan word Denali is “The Tall One” and it is an amazing sight to see. The park itself consists of 160 miles of a beautiful landscape consisting of mountains, valleys and rivers. This is an incredible background for wildlife viewing with over 37 species of mammals and 130 bird species. There is definitely a lot to see here!

5. Anchorage

This is Alaska’s big city complete with its own Hard Rock Cafe. Although to most of us, it isn’t so large but just big enough for a wide variety of cultural, entertainment, food and adventure options. Anchorage is a perfect Alaska “base camp” and was named one of “The 10 Hottest U.S. Destinations for Summer 2018” by TripAdvisor.
Within walking distance is Ship Creek where you can rent fishing equipment and fish for Salmon right there in the city. There are over 135 miles of paved trails for walkers and bikers. For hiking, horseback riding and even dog sledding there are more than 300 miles of unpaved trails. All sorts of daily excursions are possible as Anchorage is a short drive, boat or plane ride to many wilderness adventures including fly-fishing, gold panning, ice climbing, glacier exploring and much more.
Anchorage is also home of the starting line of the “Last Great Race on Earth” – the famous Iditarod, dogsledding at its best. The race is scheduled for March 2, 2019 and making it a fun time to visit. While in town, be sure to kiss the statue of Balto the famous sled dog for good luck!

For more on Alaska and other travel destinations, please visit my blog at www.travelalatteblog.com

About Author

Nikki Spitzer is Travel Agent specializing in Alaska, Hawaii and Europe. Her love of travel began when she was small and since then she has been totally addicted! She and her family value travel and vacation time together and she is always planning their next adventure. Nikki especially enjoys working with families and groups to create personalized itineraries that exceed their expectations. By taking care of all details, she saves clients time and stress so that they can enjoy their time together.
To discover more about Alaska and other travel tidbits, check out her website at https://www.magicalmomentsvacations-nikkispitzer.com

Best Ideas For Camping in The US

Camping is a fun and exciting recreational activity. There are multiple ways that you can enjoy camping, depending on your level of comfort and outdoor experience. Here are some of our favorites.

State parks are ideal for camping. Because the state manages them, they are generally well maintained and easily accessible. You do have to pay to enter a state park, but the price of admission is well worth it. In addition to camping, many state parks are near natural wonders such as lakes, mountains, or rivers. Your list of activities will often include hiking, fishing, swimming or learning about new wildlife. Don’t forget to stop by the gift shop and pick up a souvenir!

Campground parks are another camping option. Many are run by a national for-profit organization, so they are interested in your repeat business. That means they’re usually well maintained and staffed by knowledgeable people able to help direct you to any fun events or don’t-miss activities in the area. Campground parks typically have more amenities than state parks, with showers, laundry rooms, and cooking areas. Some may have pools and places where you can connect to the internet or play games.

While most of us imagine camping to be something that you do out in the woods, many camping areas are located near beaches or in areas where you can enjoy the natural scenery. Some of these camping areas may be privately owned, and you should plan ahead of time to see if reservations are necessary and space is available.

Of course, if you’re just starting out on your camping adventures, you may want to start in your own backyard. Having adventures in your backyard is a great way to introduce kids to camping, and provides you with the opportunity to test your gear. Trust me-you don’t want to realize you need a hammer for your tent stakes at 8:30 in the evening while it’s raining and the kids are crying. When you’re camping in the back yard, you’ve got a failsafe ‘Plan B’ in place in case your equipment fails or someone isn’t comfortable. For some families, they camped in the backyard for about three months before the younger kids could make it all the way through the night. Their first night could almost be called a disaster, as they had crying and scared kiddos who almost didn’t want to give it a second chance the following weekend!

Camping gives you the opportunity to be out experiencing nature. While the location is important, finding the perfect spot isn’t always about the beautiful scenery or the amenities to be found at the campground. Sometimes, the perfect spot is just about where you can enjoy each other’s company while you’re looking at the stars!

5 Places In Malta That Will Make You Travel

By Lily In The World

1. Valletta

The capital of Malta, Valletta, is one of the most beautiful capitals I’ve ever seen! Old buildings and new buildings are composing this amazing city. In 2018, Valletta was European Capital of Culture. Film festivals, theatre, music, live show… the city was never sleeping. Visit the Upper Barrakka Gardens, you will have a stunning view of the “3 cities” of Malta (Birgu, Senglea, and Kalkara) and of the Grand Harbour. Have a walk in the cute tiny streets and don’t forget to look up. All the houses have these typical colorful Maltese windows, called the bow windows. The city is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, which offers very nice views everywhere. If you’d like to know more about the country and its history, stop at Malta Experience. A short movie will explain you the roots of this incredible country.

2. Birgu

Birgu is one of the 3 cities and it’s the most important one. It’s a very important city in the Maltese culture. Indeed, during the Great Siege of Malta in the 16th century, it’s there that the knights were based. They were sleeping in hostels that you can still visit nowadays. You can also visit the Fort St Angelo, a very important place. You will learn more about Malta.

3. Mdina

Mdina is the ancient capital of Malta. It is called the “silent city” because it’s very quiet. Only 294 people live there. In the city, there are just a few bars, restaurants and souvenir shops. And of course, a beautiful cathedral. Nowadays, lots of people visit Mdina to see Mdina Gate, the main entrance of the city. Why? Because some scenes of Games of Thrones were filmed there, the Mdina Gate was used as the entrance of King’s landing.

4. Marsaxlokk

Marsaxlokk is totally different from the 3 other places. It’s the fisher village of Malta. The bay is full of “Luzzu”, the typical Maltese fisher boats. Every Sunday, there is the fish market. For lunch, stop in a restaurant and try the fish of the day, or a seafood platter. Delicious!

5. Gozo

Maltese people often go on holiday to Gozo, the 2nd biggest island of the Maltese archipelago. Gozo it’s a paradise for nature lovers. You can do a lot of activities there: diving, snorkeling, climbing, hiking, cycling… You can reach Gozo by ferry from Malta in 30 minutes and the ticket costs €4.65 back and forth.
Now I bet you want to book a flight to Malta, right?

About Author

Behind Lily in the world, there is Linda, a young woman of 25 years old. Born in Belgium and raised by Italian and Moroccan parents, she lives now in Malta. She traveled a lot (Italy, France, UK, Hungary, Sweden, USA, Ireland, Spain…) and her travel wish list is still super long!

Links
Blog: http://www.lilyintheworld.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lilyintheworldblog
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/lilyintheworldblog

Top 5 Places To Visit In London For Family Travellers

London is one of the favourite cities in the world. It has so many options for tourists to visit, you have no idea where to start! Below are some guide to the top 5 places to visit for family travellers while you’re in London.

1. Piccadilly Circus

As you can see in the picture, Piccadilly Circus is a busy meeting place, and a famous tourist attraction. The place is famous for its video display and neon signs, which are displayed on its buildings.

From this location, you can easily walk to Piccadilly, Leicester Square, Shaftesbury Avenue or Regent Street. Piccadilly circus can be accessed via the Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines.

2. London Paddington

Welcome to the town of the famous Paddington Bear! For the fans of the movie & books, you will love the Paddington Station. There is a bronze statue of Paddington Bear under the clock on Platform 1. Looking for Paddington Bear souvenirs? Head over to the Paddington Bear Shop in the station!

Paddington station is the London terminus for the Heathrow Express train to London Heathrow airport. It also has two separate tube stations providing connections to the Bakerloo, Circle, District, and Hammersmith & City Lines.

3. Coca Cola London Eye

Looking for a great overview scenery of London? Head over to the Coca Cola London Eye! The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel, on the South Bank of the River Thames in London.

You can buy the ticket on the spot, or you can buy it online, and save 10% off the price. There is also a combination package with other London attractions, so you may want to check their official website: https://www.londoneye.com/tickets-and-prices/

The nearest London Underground station is Waterloo. It is also within walking distance from Charing Cross, Embankment and Westminster.

4. South Bank

South Bank is situated just beside the River Thames. There are usually events and street shows happening in the area, so the walk is very lively! From here, it is walking distance to the iconic landmarks of London, such as Big Ben and Coca Cola London Eye.

5. M&M World London

If you are the type of person who likes cute colourful things, selfie at instagrammable spots and happen to have a sweet tooth, M&M World London will be the perfect place to visit!

Situated in Leicester Square, it is spread across 4 floors, with exclusive M&M’s chocolates and merchandise. If you have a London Pass, show it in-store and enjoy 15% off all purchases made at M&M world London.

These are the top 5 places that are fantastic for family travellers. Enjoy your stay in London!