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February 20, 2009

Mexico Vacations for Lovers

Filed under: Mexico Vacations — Tags: , , , , , , — myroadtotravel @ 6:22 am
Book your Mexico Vacation at myroadtotravel.com

Book your Mexico Vacation at myroadtotravel.com

No one is too old nor too young to enjoy a Mexico vacation.  Mexico vacations are ideal for solo travelers, honeymooners, married couples, and families.  While the world is full of romantic destinations, Mexico has much to recommend it as the place where you and your special someone should spend your next vacation.

Mexico’s romantic escapes have much to offer.  Their visitors can bask in the warm, balmy, tropical climate at almost any time of year.  The weather is what makes Mexico an ideal choice for those seeking to escape the cold northern winters, and her brilliant vegetation, sparkling white beaches, and turquoise seas create the perfect backdrop for a romantic interlude.

One of the most delightful aspects of a romantic Mexican getaway is that her seaside resorts, unlike many US hotels which are not directly on the beach, allow their guests direct beach access.  A stay at Zihuatenejo, for example, lets Mexican beachgoers experience the best in resort luxury combined with the serenity of a secluded beach village.  Nestled against the backdrop of the Sierra Madre, this small town on the Pacific Ocean offers a full slate of water sports, including scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, and cruises to more remote beaches.

Traveling as a family in Mexico need not eliminate the romance from Mexico vacations.  Children are considered a national treasure in Mexico, and your children will be greeted warmly wherever they go.  Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, and La Paz are all great Mexican vacation destinations for families.  Your children will need to carry adequate documentation, and you can learn exactly what is required by visiting the US State Department website at www.travel.state.gov and clicking on International Travel.

When selecting a destination for your romantic Mexican getaway, look for an area where you can enjoy your favorite activities.  The coastal resorts have many opportunities for Island cruising, scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, and even cliff diving for the very brave.  You can swim with the dolphins at Chakalal Bay, or for $20 enjoy an all day horseback ride to the crater of the Paricutin Volcano, where you will have to make the final 1 1/2 mile journey on foot.

If you want a permanent memento of your romantic stay in Mexico, visit Queretaro and shop for one of the locally mined opals.  Along with southern Australia, Queretaro is one of the two places in the world where opals are commercially mined. 

While you are in Queretaro, soak up its romantic atmosphere with a stroll around the historic center.  If you are staying there on a Sunday night, visit the Jardin Zenea, Queretaro’s most popular public square, where you and your sweetie can join the crowds dancing to live bands  playing music from the 40s, 50s, and 60s.

Romantic Mexico vacations can be as unique as the couples who plan them.  Whether you choose to enjoy a romantic getaway at a Mexico beach or you choose another location, you are sure you to enjoy your trip. With all that is has to offer, Mexico can easily be considered a lover’s paradise.

Remember to to book your Mexico vacation at myroadtotravel.com

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February 19, 2009

There’s No Vacation like a Jamaican Vacation

Filed under: Jamaica — Tags: , , , , , , — myroadtotravel @ 6:21 am

If you dream of a Caribbean vacation which offers more than sandy beaches, blue waters, whispering palms, and rum-based drinks at poolside, then a Jamaican vacation might be perfect for you.  Jamaica, the third-largest of the Caribbean islands, is a place of intense color and contrast, where jungle-covered mountains descend to unspoiled beaches, and where family-friendly resorts compete for business with adult-only hotels off-limits to the under-18 set for very good reasons.

Jamaica is a country where the all-inclusive resort began, and an all-inclusive Jamaican vacation will find you having your every whim catered to behind the guarded gates of a complex offering every conceivable vacation activity.  Your meals, drinks, entertainment, transportation, and outdoor activities will be included in the cost of your accommodations, and in most instances, you will be able to fill every minute of your vacation without ever having to leave your resort.  Should you venture out to shop or see the sights, you may be able to include the cost of your tour in your Jamaica vacation package.

If, for example, you arrange your Jamaica vacation package at the Beaches Negril Resort and Spa,

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you will spend your days on 20 glorious acres along the widest stretch of Seven Mile Beach.  Just on the chance that you decide to get a taste of Jamaica beyond the gates of the resort, you can reserve a spot on the Black River Safari.  Perhaps you get a glimpse of one of the rivers rare crocodiles, or take a swim in one of its safer spots. 

Visit the Appleton Estatenear Negril, and sample some of their authentic Jamaican rum. Negril also has much to offer the shopper in you, with plenty of authentic Jamaican crafts and artifacts.  Be prepared to bargain for your purchases, and do not be intimidated by the aggressiveness of the Jamaican merchants.  Take the time to enjoy the colorful street performers and calypso bands which are a part of the Jamaican vacation shopping experience.

Perhaps you will be tempted to leave your Jamaica vacation resort for a trip to the Blue Mountains in central Jamaica, where Blue Mountain coffee is grown.  The mountains offer miles and miles of hiking trails, as well as miles and miles of rivers for rafting and some of the most spectacular scenery in all the Caribbean.

While you may assume that the best sunbathing during your Jamaica vacation will be what you do at your resort, do not overlook the chance to cool off in one of the rock pools formed at the base of the waterfalls along the mountain rivers.  Immerse yourself not only in the water, but in the sounds of the surrounding jungle.
Your entry point to the Blue Mountains will almost certainly be through the port city of Ocho Rios, where you should make time to visit Dunn’s River Falls.  The falls descend more than 600 feet where the river empties from the mountains into the ocean. 

If you find the tourist atmosphere at the falls unappealing, head 2 miles west of Ocho Rios to the Coyaba River Garden and Museum.  The museum displays trace the history of the island from the days of its pre-Columbia people to the days of the African slave trade and colonial times.  The gardens are a cool and quiet retreat on 4 1/2 acres of lush landscaping.

One of the things you are certain to learn during your first Jamaica vacation is that you will not want it to be your only one.  There is simply no where else on Earth like Jamaica.  So arrive there prepared for the vacation of a lifetime and remember to book your next Jamaica vacation at myroadtotravel.com

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February 18, 2009

Mexico Vacations: The Perfect Senior Escapes

Filed under: Mexico Vacations — Tags: , , , , , , — myroadtotravel @ 6:22 am
Find your escape at myroadtotravel.com

Find your escape at myroadtotravel.com

If you have entered your retirement years, and are finally enjoying the travels you have been promising yourself for a lifetime, one of your first destinations should be Mexico.  Mexico is a country in which you will be treated with warmth by a native population of innately happy and extraordinarily helpful people.  Politeness is as natural to Mexicans as breathing.  And one thing you will not experience during your Mexico vacation is the surliness which you may encounter in other popular vacation spot.

Mexico vacations offer you the chance to enjoy the vast desert expanses of Baja California, the lush density of the Yucatán rain forest, the bustle of the resort beach towns, or the serenity of more secluded coastal hideaways.  You will find all the excitement of the one of the world’s largest cities, along with all the charms of villages with cobblestone streets where the populations still gather on southern summer evenings to enjoy music in the towns’ Plazas

 Each of Mexico’s states has a unique character, and you can explore all of them during your Mexico vacation.  Mexico has far more to offer seniors than the tourist trade of Tijuana.  If your picture of Mexico has been formed from watching Western movies shot beneath unforgiving desert suns, where the only green in sight is that of cacti, you are in for a very pleasant surprise.  Mexico is the land of flowers, and you will find them everywhere.  Even the poorest homes will be brightened by carefully tended blooming plants.

Mexico vacations can take you to any of the country’s hundreds of valleys or plateaus, where for each 300 feet you climb above sea level, the temperature will drop one degree Fahrenheit.  Mexico’s higher altitudes have a spring-like feel all year long! 

If you know where to look, Mexico vacations can be remarkably affordable.  One of the secrets to vacationing in Mexico for seniors on a budget is to avoid the luxury resorts.  One thing most travelers to Mexico do not realize is that the vast majority of Mexican tourists are the Mexicans themselves, whose annual income does not permit them to pay the prices normally charged to foreign tourists.  So begin your Mexico vacation by getting a low-cost travel guide to Mexico, which will explain the secrets of seeing the country on a budget.

You may be concerned that taking Mexican vacations will expose you to the “tourists disease.”  Turista is a very real problem in Mexico, and as a senior citizen, you might be especially vulnerable to its miseries.  Avoid the issue entirely by drinking either boiled or bottled water throughout your stay.  Also, be wary of raw vegetables washed in un-purified water.

You will never run out of things to do during your Mexico vacations.  From Guadalahara’s eight golf courses, marvelous art museums, and countless restaurants, to the Mayan ruins, tropical rain forest, and calm Caribbean waters of Cozumel, Mexico is a cultural, historical, and environmental treasure trove.

You can choose Mexico vacations which you plan yourself, or you could choose Mexico vacations arranged with the help of a travel agency.  A travel agency can book guided tours to the Mexico destinations of your choice, which include not only walking tours but bus, ATV, and boat travel.  Your travel agent will be the best one to find a tour suitable for your level of fitness.

Your senior years can be the best years of your life, offering the opportunity to see the world for the first time.  So why not research Mexico vacations, and choose one which can be the beginning of an entirely new series of adventures?

Remember to book your Mexico vacation at myroadtotravel.com

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February 17, 2009

Jamaican Vacation Resorts: Unparalleled Family Fun

Filed under: Jamaica — Tags: , , , , , , , — myroadtotravel @ 6:21 am
Book your Jamaican Vacation at myroadtotravel.com

Book your Jamaican Vacation at myroadtotravel.com

Regardless of your budget, you will not have to worry about finding accommodations in Jamaica.  Jamaican accommodations range from clean, safe guesthouses priced at between $10 and $20 a night to $300 per night resort suites with full maid service.  Of all the Caribbean islands, however, Jamaica is the one on which you are most likely to find all-inclusive resorts.

By booking your reservations at one of the all-inclusive Jamaican vacation resorts, you will not only have a comfortable room, but you will receive all your meals and snacks, airport transfers, drinks, gratuities, the use of all the resort’s facilities, and water sports if it is a beach resort.  If you stay at one of the all inclusive Jamaica vacation resorts, the only money you will need to carry is what you intend to spend while shopping.  You will even be provided with a bus for your shopping expeditions!

The one catch to choosing one of the all inclusive Jamaican vacation resorts is that many of them will not accept children.  So before you book one, find out what its policy on children is.  If you are traveling with your family to Jamaica, do not worry.  Some first class all-inclusive Jamaican vacation resorts accept kids, and we’ve listed just two of them:

The Beaches Boscobel Spa Resort at Ocho Rios has plenty to keep every member of your family busy.  For the adults, there is the fun of a swim-up bar, and the kids will love the free pools and the enormous water slide.  Kids can also enjoy face painting, treasure hunts, arts and crafts classes, as well as the presence of Sesame Street Elmo and the gang.

Your all inclusive Beaches Boscobel vacation will let you try your hand at windsurfing, sail boating, scuba diving, and hydrobiking.  The family can marvel at the Caribbean marine life with a trip on the resort’s glass bottom boat.  The resorts five restaurants are certain to have food to please palates young and old, and do not forget that the cost of your meals is included!

Your all-inclusive Beaches Boscobel stay will entitle you to play to your heart’s content at the nearby Sandals Golf and Country Club, widely regarded as one of the best in the Caribbean.  Even the kids are welcome, as long as the little ones under 10 tee off after noon.  Your greens fees and transportation to the golf course are included, but you will have to pay for the mandatory caddy. 

The Beaches Negril Resort and Spa is another of Jamaica’s outstanding family-friendly vacation resorts.  Located on 20 acres along the widest stretch of Negril’s famous Seven Mile Beach, the Beaches Negril Resort has accommodations to suit everyone from solo travelers to families with toddlers.  All its rooms or villas have patios or balconies with ocean or garden views.

The family will be enchanted with Beaches Negril Resort‘s Pirates Island, with its own river, to dizzying water slides, a pool bar, and a snack and soda bar to keep both parents and kids relaxed and refreshed.   The self-serve ice cream machine may be the hit of your family’s entire Jamaican resort vacation!

Beaches Negril  has its own tennis court, open-air fitness center, and Xbox 360 Game Garage, and five world-class restaurants offering cuisine from Tex-Mex to Japanese to the International buffet where the kids can munch on fish fingers, to the Café Carnival with its fresh made-to-order pizzas.  Snacks and drinks are available around the clock.

 Remember to book your next vacation at myroadtotravel.com

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February 16, 2009

Preserving the Memories of Your Mexico Vacation

Filed under: Mexico Vacations — Tags: , , , , , , — myroadtotravel @ 6:23 am

Mexico is a land of contrasts, where the warmth of the sunny beaches offers a sharp counterpoint to its cool mountain valleys.  But the most delightful aspect of vacationing in Mexico will be your encounters with the Mexican people who see life as a celebration.

From their love of spicy food and invigorating drinks, to their enjoyment of exuberant music and dance and their bold approach to art and architecture, the Mexican people live in a world which makes other cultures seem dull by comparison.  With your first Mexico vacation, you will be exposed to a way of life which will remain with you forever, and make it very hard to leave.

One of the ways you could bring a bit of Mexico home with you is through photographs.  Carefully select the camera you will use to commemorate your Mexico vacation, because you will need one which can take great quality photos in a wide range of environments.  You might automatically assume that your best choice of cameras will be a digital camera, because of its ease of use and the fact that using a digital camera relieves you of having to cart around several roles of film.

Road through Sierra Juarez (CC photo by phylevn courtesy of Flickr)

Road through Sierra Juarez (CC photo by phylevn courtesy of Flickr)

One of the disadvantages, however, of bringing a digital camera on a Mexico vacation, is that the cost of a good digital camera makes it an attractive target for thieves.  So if you are traveling with one, you must be sure to leave it locked up or keep it in your possession at all times.  You should also protect your camera whenever you are in environment where it might get wet. 

A much cheaper yet still convenient alternative to a digital camera is a disposable camera.  Anyone who knows how to use a 35mm camera can use a disposable camera.  The major difference is that you must turn in the disposable camera in order to get your photos developed, and the camera will not be returned to you.  Using a digital camera, however, will have the advantage of letting you transfer your Mexico vacation photographs onto a CD.  Most photo centers offer this service, and they will also let you customize your pictures by cropping them, reducing the “red eye” effect, and making other changes.

You should take care to keep a disposable camera dry if you are visiting a beach or participating in a water activity.  If you intend to do snorkeling or scuba diving, you might bring an underwater camera along on your Mexico vacation.  Underwater cameras are also sold in disposable form, and you can even waterproof a traditional camera by purchasing a waterproof casing for it.

You won’t have any trouble finding a camera in Mexico if you forget to bring one.  Mexico has many retailers who sell digital, 35mm, and disposable cameras.  The only disadvantage you face in purchasing a camera in Mexico is that it may be overpriced if you buy it from a retailer in a popular resort area.
If you do not want to carry a camera on your Mexico vacation, but you have a cell phone, you may be able to use it to take pictures.  Having a camera cell phone will enable you not only to store your vacation pictures, but to share them immediately with the friends and family back home, and to transfer them to your PC on your return.  Why you cannot expect the sharpest quality in the pictures you take on your cell phone, they will still help you capture your Mexico vacation memories.

Using a video camera to record your Mexico vacation adventures is another great way to keep your memories alive.  Look for a camcorder which will let you record your video footage to a DVD, because you may have trouble finding a VHS recorder on which to play them back.

Your Mexico vacation is sure to provide you with photo opportunities at every turn.  Having a way of recording them in photographs will let you hang onto your memories for a lifetime!  Remember to book your Mexico vacation at myroadtotravel.com

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