Seductive Savannah–quintessential Southern Belle

Author: Ann Lombardi
For a free-spirited all-American getaway, head to seductive Savannah, mystical epitome of the Old South. Serving up heaps of charm & history, this laid-back Georgia “must-see” town quickly casts its magic spell. Start your visit with a stay at one of the Riverfront hotels. The Doubletree, steps away from the City Market & River Street, tempts with its cozy lobby, huge beds (each crowned with five fluffy pillows) & trademark walnut chocolate chip cookies. Be extra nice to cheery Cynthia at the front desk. She just might slip you an extra cookie or two!

TOP SIGHTSEEING TIPS

Call 1-877-SAVANNAH, or check out these websites visitsavannah.com, savcvb.com, & savannahpackages.com when planning your escape. Along Savannah’s Riverfront at 1 River Street, pop into the busy Hospitality Center. Marion, lively “grande dame” of Savannah hospitality, loads up visitors with helpful brochures & regales with insider tales only a local could know.

The Telfair Museum of Art (one the South’s oldest) and the Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum are Savannah’s gifts to art and history buffs. Tour the beautifully-restored antebellum mansions. The Juliette Gordon Low & Andrew Lowe homes, Owen-Thomas House, & Davenport House are best bets.

Fans of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil have their pick of tours highlighting sites from the famous John Berendt best-selling book. It single-handedly boosted Savannah’s tourism by at least 50%.

Info: savannahnow.goodandevil.com

Visit Bonaventure Cemetery & the Mercer House, where the sister of infamous Jim Williams still resides.

Snap pictures of the live oaks draped with Spanish moss, bustling harbor, horse-drawn carriages, & friendly locals with endearing Savannah drawls. Really MAH-vuh-lus! The town boasts native children Johnny Mercer, Girl Scout Founder Juliette Gordon Low, writers Conrad Aiken & Flannery O’Connor, Southern cooking diva Paula Deen, & “Life is like a box of chocolates” Forrest Gump! Strike up conversations with Savannah’s gracious residents.

Hop aboard one of Savannah’s free CAT trolleys for an overview of the town. Then buy a trolley ticket on a tourist line (i.e. Gray Line or Old Town Trolley Tours) with live commentary. A one day pass actually covers two full days of trolley rides. Take the 90-minute ride all the way to the end of the route & then backtrack to explore favorite stops. The home-grown tourist bus drivers are very entertaining & well-versed in juicy local lore.

Don’t miss a “Ghost Walk.” Savannah is said to have more haunted houses than any other U.S. city! A handful of companies offer ghostly options each evening. Hunky Shannon Scott, owner of Sixth Sense (1-866-666-DEAD), gives spooky adult nightly tours guaranteed to induce a serious case of goosebumps. Catch him now because he’s rumored to be moving away soon to write his first book.

Dine at famous Savannah restaurants off-peak before crowds hit. Sample delicious home-style fare at Paula Deen’s The Lady & Sons, Mrs.Wilkes’ Dining Room, & Clary’s Cafe. The City Market Cafe, on West Julian Street, makes yummy thin-crust pizza starting at $2 per monster slice. Dive into tasty, affordable seafood at the Shrimp Factory. For a sinful treat, top off dinner with a scrumptious chocolate basket at Garibaldi’s, local Italian eatery. Filled with caramelised berries & ice cream, the divine dessert is a chocolate-lover’s dream come true.

Take the free ferry from the Riverfront. Just show a Savannah hotel room key before boarding the boat for the 15-minute scenic ride to the other side of the river. Wave to huge freighters plying the waters & later book a relaxing Riverboat dinner cruise.

Tour historic First African Baptist Church, the very first black church in America. Peek inside the Catholic Cathedral, St. John the Baptist, & marvel at the wooden Stations of the Cross carved in Bavaria. The stunning stained glass windows were made in Austria. Visit Mickve Israel, the old synagogue founded in 1733 by Portuguese Jewish immigrants to the new colony.

Make fast plans to return to this beguiling Southern belle…Savannah!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/seductive-savannahquintessential-southern-belle-79904.html

About the Author

Ann Lombardi, one of The Trip Chicks® of Atlanta’s Passport to Adventure Inc., is a veteran travel agent and tour escort. She is a travel talk show radio host and budding travel writer. With 60+ countries under her belt, Ann enjoys sharing her top vacation secrets and teaching people the art of smart travel. You can contact Ann Lombardi at TheTripChicks@mindspring.com.

www.TheTripChicks.com

www.AskTheTripChicks.com

10 Reasons to Vacation in Florida

Author: Philip Cornish

Theme Parks – Many individuals would say this is their number one reason for taking a vacation Florida. Theme park fanatics, most especially Disney fans, often head to The Sunshine State every year to get their dose of magic. Orlando, of course, is at the center of the theme park kingdom, with the four parks of the Walt Disney World complex, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, and SeaWorld Orlando. However do not forget about Tampa’s Busch Gardens Africa, which is also an excellent amusement park, almost always landing on annual top 10 lists for theme park enthusiasts.

Beaches, beaches and more beaches – according to many people, this is the number one reason for coming to Florida. The ability to sit on The Sunshine State’s incredible beaches and enjoy the soft sand, warm water, and beautiful sunsets you will find there. Florida has thousands of miles of coastline and the beaches are many and quite varied in their type. Choose your favorite, from Tony South Beach in Miami, the place to see and be seen, to the white sanded family oriented beaches of Siesta Key, near Sarasota. There are also the Panhandle beaches like popular Destin or the beaches of the northeast, including Fernandina and Ponte Vedra, as well as the beaches of the Keys and those in the southwest, like Sanibel and Marco Islands. Wherever you go, you will find a Florida beach where you can sun, swim, and enjoy the view.

Sports – Major league sports are a very important part of life in Florida. With teams like the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays calling Florida home, it is no wonder some visitors head to The Sunshine State annually just to enjoy the sports that take place there all year round. From NFL football to NHL hockey to pre-season and regular season baseball. Add to that all the wonderful college teams in the state and it’s easy to understand why Florida is a sportsman’s mecca.

Nightlife – Nightlife sizzles in many parts of the Sunshine State. On the east coast, the most popular nightlife spots are Miami Beach, Ft. Lauderdale (especially during Spring Break), West Palm Beach, and the other towns in that area. In central Florida, the Walt Disney World complex has its Pleasure Island area 9currently being refurbished), where adults can party as if it is New Year’s Eve each and every night. Universal’s City Walk appeals to nighttime revelers as well, with its many restaurants and bars. On the west coast, Tampa’s lively Ybor City area is a favorite with the under 30 crowd, but the remainder of Gulf Coast beach towns also offer a good collection of nightclubs and other popular party spots geared towards various age groups.

National Parks/Natural Sites – Florida is home to about a dozen national parks, monuments, and seashores, all of which are a joy for the visitor to explore. A must see is expansive Everglades National Park, which occupies much of the southwest portion of the state. The largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S., the Everglades is home to many rare species of animals, birds, and plants, and an airboat ride to view them is a must. State Parks throughout Florida are excellent as well, like Sarasota’s Myakka River Park where guests can experience a diverse natural area of wetlands, prairies, hammocks, and pinelands; or the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, where visitors can take a prairie buggy ride along one of Florida’s largest stretches of dry prairie.

Watersports – Florida is a state surrounded by water and for this reason you will no doubt want to take advantage of the many watersports available there. You can take your pick, from calm water related pursuits like fishing or sailing to more exciting adventures, such as jet skiing, SCUBA diving, kite or wind surfing, wake boarding, parasailing, and more. With 8,500 miles of shoreline, 7,800 lakes, 320 springs and 35 rivers, the possibilities are endless! Many beach hotels offer free use of non motorized watercraft and outfitters throughout the state peddle charter fishing cruises, dive lessons, and other opportunities which enable you to enjoy Florida’s beautifully warm waters.

Shopping – Every good vacation has a little shopping time built in (and why not). In Florida, the shopping options are many and varied, ranging from upscale shops in ritzy South Beach, Miami and beautiful St. Armand’s Circle near Sarasota to popular outlets in Ellenton (near Tampa), St. Augustine, Naples, Florida City, and Orlando. You’ll also find everything in between at the many malls that dot the Florida landscape. For real bargains also try the Farmers Markets and Flea Markets dotted all around the state.

Key Lime Pie – Okay, you can get this pie in some other parts of the South too but this delightful confection originally had its start in the Florida Keys. In fact, nearly every restaurant in the Keys, especially in Key West, serves this dessert. The key lime tree arrived in Florida in the 1500s and recipes for the pie began appearing as early as the late 1800s, though it became really popular in the 1930s. Some restaurants make it with graham cracker crust, others with pastry crust. Either way, it’s a Florida must have several times over.

History – While most people tend to visit Florida for the recreation, the state’s interesting history is one of those side perks visitors can experience while exploring the region. From the Spanish style architecture of St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied European established city in the U.S., to Tampa and its ties to the cigar industry, to the rich military history of the Panhandle, Florida excites and educates visitors who enjoy gaining a little knowledge while on vacation.

Arts and Culture – Florida is filled with museums and entertainment venues both up and down both the East and West coasts and everywhere in between. Visitors can buy tickets for rock concerts, Broadway style shows, dinner theatre, and much more, in major cities like Tampa, Sarasota, Miami, Orlando, Tallahassee, Jacksonville etc. Other cultural sites include incredible art museums (check out the Ringling Museum in Sarasota), history museums (found in nearly every county), aviation museums (like the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola), and science museums (including Tampa’s excellent Museum of Science and Industry).

This article was written by Phil Cornish. Designer and owner of Orlando Florida private vacation villas and Disney World rental homes web sites http://www.floridasuntime.com and also http://www.simply-florida.com where you can get great deals on Florida vacation villas

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/10-reasons-to-vacation-in-florida-1003659.html

About the Author

This article was written by Phil Cornish. Designer and owner of Disney villas and villas in Florida FloridaSunTime , DisneyvillasinFlorida and Simply-Florida where you can get great deals on Florida vacation villas

Pensacola Beach for Your Amazing Vacation

Author: Andri R

Pensacola Beach is an unincorporated community located on Santa Rosa Island, a barrier island in Escambia County, Florida, U.S. It’s placed south of Pensacola, linked through bridges spanning to the Fairpoint Peninsula then to the island, on the Gulf of Mexico. As of the 2000 census, the community had a total population of 2,738.

Pensacola Beach occupies land bound by a 1947 deed from the U.S. Department of Interior that is administrated in the public interest by the county or leased, but never “disposed”; it is businesses and residents are thus long-term leaseholders and not property owners.

Pensacola Beach Florida waits for meeting all of your vacation expectations. No matter where you stay, a hotel, motel, bed & breakfast, campground or condominium, you are sure to find the perfect accommodations.

Whether you are seeking activities like, charter boat fishing, sailing, golfing or parasailing, cycling, jogging, and walking on the beach before the sunrise and taking pictures of the sunrise, Pensacola Beach Florida area has a lot to offer.

Beaches consist of Casino Beach, the geographic core of Pensacola Beach, where many gather for swimming and fun, and Quietwater Beach near the commercial core of the beach, and many un-crowded areas where only a few congregate to unwind.

Perhaps you would wish to dropping by the several stores, boutiques, galleries and specially shops for your shopping. For family time, there are amusement parks, miniature golf and water parks to round out your daily itinerary. Our most sought after attraction, fresh local seafood, is available at our one of kind restaurants.

If you want to look a place for families to picnic and let the children play in the water without having to worry about them, being carried away by the surf. You can stay in Quietwater Beach. It is located just past the Bob Sikes Bridge toll booth on the left side of the street.

You can always visit casino beach, the most populated beach area in the town of Pensacola Beach. Casino Beach is also home to the gulf coast’s longest pier, which is 1,471-foot long. You can either go fishing on the pier, or just watch for dolphins, stingrays, or other sea life. There is also snack and refreshments for sale at the pier entrance. The pier is also a great place to watch the surf on stormy days

If you want to go to camp you can always visit Fort Pickens, it has Campground Loop A is now open and is available on a first-come-first-serve basis. The cost for a camp site is $10.00 per night with a 50% discount for Golden Age/Interagency Senior and Golden access/Interagency Access Pass holders.

Pensacola Beach doesn’t only offer beach but also offers an array of shopping, lodging, restaurants, bars and entertainment – all with minimum travel, traffic and cost.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/pensacola-beach-for-your-amazing-vacation-767572.html

About the Author

You can find more information about Pensacola Beach at Pensacolabeach.me, this website also provides information of Perfect Hotel and Pensacola Beach Restaurants

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Kissimmee Florida Hotels Near Disney World

Author: David H. Urmann

Florida is a year round well-loved vacation destination in the US, Aside from its long stretch of beaches; Florida has theme parks nestled in its Orlando-Kissimmee region. Hence, there are a lot of hotels near Disney World you can choose from.

Kissimmee Florida is a well loved tourist destination in the US. It is not just popular because of Florida’s stretch of fascinating beaches; it also has a lot of theme parks and natural landscapes to boast of. Popular attractions in Florida include Disney World, EPCOT, Sea World and Universal Studios among others.

When planning on a trip to either Orlando or Kissimmee in Florida, it is best to prepare months in advance and to make the necessary arrangements in the hotel. This is because hotels get fully booked during holiday seasons. Here are some of the finest hotels in Kissimmee Florida that are near the famous Disney World Theme Park:

Vacation Village at Parkway

Known as Oprah’s favorite resort-hotel, Vacation Village at Parkway is located at 2949 Arabian Nights Boulevard Kissimmee, Florida. Aside from a Disney ticketing booth, this is just a few minutes away from Disney World. The hotel offers handicap facilities, free parking and a 24hr front desk.

Each room at this hotel is equipped with AM/FM alarm clocks, coffee makers, sofa sleepers, air conditioners and kitchenettes among others. Some rooms even have Jacuzzi tubs along with very large TVs, and furnishings. The hotel also has a pool, shuttle services to the major theme parks, restaurants, business center and exercise facilities as well as Wi-Fi, in-room washer and dryers.

Other facilities and amenities include a full-sized fridge, large bathroom, cleaning services, free local calls, hair dryers and safe deposit boxes; plus Cable TVs and parking areas.

Wyndham Palms Resort and Country Club

This hotel is situated at 7900 Mystic Dunes Lane Kissimmee, Florida. It is located with more than 600 acres of amazing tropical Florida landscapes. The hotels features a game room, shuttle services to the airport and area attractions as well as bath amenities, banquet facilities, bike rentals, concierge services and Color TVs with VCRs. They also guarantee meeting facilities, parking areas, daily newspaper, express check-out and a fitness facility along with full kitchens, dining areas, whirlpools and game rooms among others.

Onsite restaurants include Clubhouse Bar & Grille, The Caddyshack Bar & Grille and Pizza Hut Express. This is the ideal place for social events, gatherings and wedding celebrations.

Best Western Lakeside

This hotel is situated at 7769 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway Kissimmee, Florida. It is just outside Walt Disney World, featuring Mediterranean-styled settings. Set up with 15  2-storey buildings along with 24 tropically landscaped areas, Best Western is really the ideal destination for those who want a taste of the real action in Kissimmee, Florida.

This very spacious landscaped hotel assures its guests with a relaxing stay. Aside from Walt Disney World, it is also near various other well-loved theme parks like Universal Studios and Sea World. For those who want to experience the beach, it is just 20-30 minutes away.

Amenities and facilities include free parking, a fitness center, babysitting services, 24hr front desk, lounge and bar as well as alarm clocks, coffee makers, a Business Center, express check out and free local calls. They also provide handicap accessible facilities, non-smoking rooms, onsite restaurants, safe deposit boxes and a pool. This is along with their banquet and meeting rooms, modems, hair dryers and very helpful staff.

Kissimmee is truly the heart of everything Florida can offer. It is not just a haven for kids but for couples as well. From its many theme parks to luxurious hotel accommodations, Kissimmee can promote lasting memories for the whole family.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/kissimmee-florida-hotels-near-disney-world-891236.html

About the Author

For more information on Florida Hotels and Florida Vacation Rentalsplease visit our website.