How To Eat Your Way Across America With Coastal Vacations Club

How To Eat Your Way Across America With Coastal Vacations Club

By Dean Marino

Tip! The USA has much more to offer the tourist than guaranteed sunshine and bargain shopping, and there's a relatively unknown way to discover what this country is really all about. Most people think of travelling by car or plane but you should certainly investigate America's wonderful trains - perhaps the last means of luxury transport available to everyone.

Joining Coastal Vacations Club has made it affordable for me to travel on a whim---even just for a good meal. I simply wouldn't dream of visiting certain places without partaking in that town's specialty foods. I couldn't write this as a top 10 list as I originally intended. The flavors and foods are all wonderful and unique so we'll just eat our way west to east.

In Alaska, salmon is the specialty. I had my first salmon in an Alaska Railroad dining car, but now I head for the more stationary Phylis's Cafe and Salmon Bake in downtown Anchorage. Outdoor patio dining is the way to go here to enjoy the midnight sun in Summer.

Much of the southwest was once part of Mexico and the foods of that country are still the specialty there. In Tucson, you don't even have to leave the airport to get some of the best Mexican food in town. El Charro Cafe is located upstairs near ticketing. I recommend the tortilla soup, and all the meals are authentic Mexican here.

Tip! Before you visit the mall you need to make some plans. Log onto the Mall of America Home Page for maps, directions, a store directory, a list of special attractions, an events calendar, and a restaurant directory.

Kansas City is BBQ country and Arthur Bryant's is arguably the best in town. It's not fancy, but you'll find pictures of presidents, and the rich and famous chowing down, hanging on the walls. It's a short walk from the original 18th and Brooklyn location to the Negro League Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum. Don't miss them.

Speaking of Jazz, You can't go to New Orleans without sampling Cajun food in the French Quarter while taking in the live music. It's an experience for all the senses. Don't forget to cap it off (or start your morning) with hot begnets and cafe ole at Cafe du Monde.

Florida is a favorite destination of mine, so we'll make two stops there. I haven't found bad Cuban food yet exploring the restaurants in Little Havana near Miami International Airport. Meals usually include rice, black beans and fried plantains with the main dish. Up the coast, Cocoa Beach brings memories of long walks on the shore, shuttle launches, and rock shrimp. I really dig in hear. Florida's Seafood is "where shrimp happens" and they serve it by the pound.

Tip! First, you need to understand that the Mall of America is city within a city and employs almost 12,000 people. During the summer months and holidays this number swells to 13,000 employees.

As a huge baseball fan, Chicago is Wrigley Field, and of course a Chicago dog off the cart behind home plate. In New York, it's a different kind of hot dog at Nathan's Famous in Coney Island. I couldn't visit the big apple without having a few sauerkraut and mustard dogs. Take in a minor league Brooklyn Cyclones game while you're here.

Boston has great pizza and chowder, but we need to get to Maine for lobster. Boston residents don't think twice about taking a two hour drive for that state's specialty. If you're flying into Logan Airport and don't want to rent a car, Concord Trailways offers express bus service to Portland. Lobster doesn't get any fresher than the many restaurants along the waterfront in Portland. If you found the ferry terminal, you're in the right neighborhood. Work off dinner with a long walk through the dock area.

Tip! Chance encounters are a vital part of what makes American train journeys such a rewarding experience. One day it may be a group of Italian schoolgirls heading for Niagara Falls, the next it is Australian backpackers in Texas.

If you've taken the entire trip with me, your cloths are a little tight now. Venture up the road another 15 miles to Freeport and the L L Bean flagship store. We need some loose fitting threads so we can eat our way back out west.

Dean Marino is now a full time Internet entrepreneur, author, and sales consultant, after 22 years in the auto finance business. He has traveled extensively and has aligned himself with the Coastal Vacations Club after an exhaustive search. Learn more about it at http://www.passivecoastalincome.com.

Cornish Miners Brought More to America Mining than Mining Skills

Cornish Miners Brought More to America Mining than Mining Skills

By Sally Taylor

Tip! First, you need to understand that the Mall of America is city within a city and employs almost 12,000 people. During the summer months and holidays this number swells to 13,000 employees.

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Mining skills are not the only thing brought to America by Cornish miners. It seems that the Tommyknockers hitched a ride over with their mining pals.

A Tommyknocker is a little elf-like creature, who lives in mines. They have the
ability to walk though walls and disappear at will. While they may be
mischievous, stealing miners belongings and such prankishness, they are
basically benevolent to miners and, while a bit spooky, are welcome guests in
the mines.

It has long been thought that the tappings and other such noises on mine walls,
on beams, and in shafts are due to the Tommyknockes. Miners have long
recognized these noises as the Tommyknocker's way of signaling impending
danger to the miners. There are few, if any, mining areas which are free from
legends of Miners who have heeded these warnings and been saved from
disaster. Some legends go even further and recant instances in which miners in
trouble have actually been saved by the Tommyknockers.

Tip! Railroads opened up America more than a century ago and some of today's long-distance trains still follow the original pioneering routes. They also use many of the great stations built during the golden age of passenger travel.

If you are ever wandering around in mining territory, and hear rapping coming
from inside of a mine tunnel or shaft, you don't need to be scared of the little
fellows. It is a good idea, however, to vacate the area you hear the rapping
coming from immediately as they might be trying to send you a warning.

�2005 Sally Taylor: Sal is an avid gem and treasure hunter, explorer, writer, and is the owner of http://www.rockhoundstation1.com

See America by Train

See America by Train

By John Pitt

Tip! Railroads opened up America more than a century ago and some of today's long-distance trains still follow the original pioneering routes. They also use many of the great stations built during the golden age of passenger travel.

All aboard!

The USA has much more to offer the tourist than guaranteed sunshine and bargain shopping, and there's a relatively unknown way to discover what this country is really all about. Most people think of travelling by car or plane but you should certainly investigate America's wonderful trains - perhaps the last means of luxury transport available to everyone. The 25,000 mile Amtrak rail network takes in almost all states, giving a choice of 500 destinations and access to such tourist essentials as San Francisco, the Rocky Mountains and the Grand Canyon.

The Iron Horse

Railroads opened up America more than a century ago and some of today's long-distance trains still follow the original pioneering routes. They also use many of the great stations built during the golden age of passenger travel. An impressive example stands in Washington, DC, decorated in gold leaf and restored to its original grandeur with dozens of shops, restaurants and a multi-screen cinema. Chicago's Union Station features a marble and brass waiting room as large as many a cathedral. It's said that Al Capone used to stop by for his daily shoeshine in the shower room below.

Hotels on wheels

US trains are like mobile hotels, boasting gleaming aluminium twin-decked coaches, air-conditioning, observation cars and uniformed attendants who make you feel you have stepped into a 1930s Hollywood movie. Reclining seats are thick and soft, with comfortable leg-rests so that you can snooze after a meal or sleep through the night (a good way to save on hotel bills). Pillows and subdued lighting are provided by the attendant.
Trains also have traditional sleeping cars with cosy bedrooms ranging from single 'roomettes' to family size affairs for those travelling with children. Accommodation includes breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining car, as well as complimentary tea or coffee and a newspaper delivered each morning. Meals are of a high standard, including regional specials such as freshly caught trout or barbecued spare ribs. Video films of recent vintage are shown in the lounge bar during the evenings, when the place becomes lively with impromptu parties and poker games.

Tip! The USA has much more to offer the tourist than guaranteed sunshine and bargain shopping, and there's a relatively unknown way to discover what this country is really all about. Most people think of travelling by car or plane but you should certainly investigate America's wonderful trains - perhaps the last means of luxury transport available to everyone.

Time to unwind

The atmosphere on board is invariably relaxed and the modest speed perfect for sightseeing, so this is a great way to explore the landscape and meet the natives. You have room to stretch out or walk around and instead of racing above the clouds you can watch an entire continent unroll outside the wraparound windows. Even occasional glimpses of city backyards can be fascinating, although trains are scheduled to pass through the less prepossessing areas by night. Children are particularly well catered for with games and other amusements and rarely become bored with the thrill of riding the tracks and making new friends.

Chance encounters are a vital part of what makes American train journeys such a rewarding experience. One day it may be a group of Italian schoolgirls heading for Niagara Falls, the next it is Australian backpackers in Texas. US trains are friendly places and you're sure to run into someone interesting. You can learn a lot by sitting next to a Kansas City mortician or a drag artist on her way to entertain the troops in San Diego. Between small towns and big cities you also experience the country's sheer size and variety, getting a feel for what this land must have been like before the days of McDonalds and Coca Cola.

Tip! First, you need to understand that the Mall of America is city within a city and employs almost 12,000 people. During the summer months and holidays this number swells to 13,000 employees.

Low prices

Best of all, ticket prices are amazingly low and visitors from overseas benefit from an array of passes that make this one of the world's great travel bargains. You can stop off en route as often as you wish and for any length of time, so given a little planning you should find a train to take you almost everywhere you want to go, and perhaps to a few places you hadn't expected. It's easy to work out an itinerary that lets you see more of this diverse country in a short time than is possible any other way. And as the bell clangs and the conductor calls out 'All aboard!' you soon discover why the railroad experience is so delightfully addictive.

John Pitt is author of USA by Rail, the definitive guide book to the USA and Canada http://www.usa-by-rail.com New Classics for free CDs & DVDs http://www.new-classics.co.uk Tip! Chance encounters are a vital part of what makes American train journeys such a rewarding experience. One day it may be a group of Italian schoolgirls heading for Niagara Falls, the next it is Australian backpackers in Texas.

Hookah's Coming Of Age in America

Hookah's Coming Of Age in America

By Mark Nader

Tip! First, you need to understand that the Mall of America is city within a city and employs almost 12,000 people. During the summer months and holidays this number swells to 13,000 employees.

A hookah is an elaborate and extravagant water pipe. At its barest, a hookah consists of a base, stem, hose and clay bowl. A hookah is used to smoke Shisha: flavored tobacco mixed with molasses. After securing the stem into the base as well as the hose and clay bowl into place, shisha is packed into the clay bowl with a lit coal atop it, the hose is then used to pull and taste the flavorful shisha.

The water pipe (hookah) idea originated in India. But not fully developed, then it was only made of coconut shells. When the concept of hookah was fully developed it branched off to Iran, where it then spread fast throughout the entire Arabian region. Finally reaching Turkey, the hookah took off like a wild fire. There, the Nargila (as they call it) became one of the oldest and deeply rooted traditions in Turkey, hitting its highest point of popularity during the time of Murat II.

Tip! Before you visit the mall you need to make some plans. Log onto the Mall of America Home Page for maps, directions, a store directory, a list of special attractions, an events calendar, and a restaurant directory.

It was found fashionable for upper class women of the 19th and early 20th century to smoke hookah, many even had themselves photographed with it. Hookah was used as a social activity, much like alcohol or food in other cultures; hookah was their social environment creator and enhancer. With time, however, Hookah became less popular as cigarettes and cigars became more accommodating.

Now as the evils of cigarettes are more apparent, the hookah is becoming more and more popular due to its complete lack of tar, water filtration and several other suspected health advantages over cigarettes. Today hookah is smoked in groups usually no less than 2 at hookah bars, lounges, at home, or even on the beach. The recent popularity has caught on like a wild fire to the college community. Students find the social environmental advantages of hookah to be more attractive than alcohol or cigarettes previously favored advantages, with fewer disadvantages e.g. hangover, harsh cigarette smoke.

With the increase in demand, hookahs which aside for the 70's had never infiltrated the American culture now had to be supplied not only to immigrants from Middle Eastern countries but to Americans as well. Over 300 hookah bars have opened up in the past 5 years in the United States.

Mark writes for Hookah Buzz. If you are in the market for hookahs or flavored tobacco, please visit Hookahtown.com. Tip! The USA has much more to offer the tourist than guaranteed sunshine and bargain shopping, and there's a relatively unknown way to discover what this country is really all about. Most people think of travelling by car or plane but you should certainly investigate America's wonderful trains - perhaps the last means of luxury transport available to everyone.

Roadtripping Across America

Roadtripping Across America

By Charles Brown

Tip! Railroads opened up America more than a century ago and some of today's long-distance trains still follow the original pioneering routes. They also use many of the great stations built during the golden age of passenger travel.

Right now I am reading a truly wonderful book that I highly recommend. It is Reader's Digest Most Scenic Drives in America (from now on I'll be calling it RDMSDIA because I'm way too lazy to type that long a title every time).

As you might have already imagined, RDMSDIA portrays over 120 extremely beautiful road trips, and after reading this book, I want to take every single one of them.

So let's see, where would I start? Maybe I could begin on the west coast where I could take the North Cascades Loop, a 400 miles circular trek that takes Hwy 20 through te North Cascade Mountains National Park, the Wanatchee National Forest and back up along the Puget Sound.

Much of this road trip was not even possible until 1972, when a highway was finally built through the rugged Northern Cascades.

Next, I might take the Big Sur road trip along the northern coast of California. This road trip has long been on my to-do list, and after reading this book I have to wonder why I have been putting it off for so long.

Tip! Before you visit the mall you need to make some plans. Log onto the Mall of America Home Page for maps, directions, a store directory, a list of special attractions, an events calendar, and a restaurant directory.

This trip, which runs from Monteray to San Luis Obispo along Hwy 101 has long been considered one of America's most breathtakingly beautiful scenic highways.

Another California road trip that cannot be missed is the Redwood Highway, which runs from the California-Oregon border down through the giant Redwood National Park. From there it continues on through some of California's historic gold rush towns like Eureka, where I may stop to see some of the historic old mansions the tycoons of that era built and lived in. The Redwood Highway ends in the town of Leggett, home of the famous Drive Thru Tree Park.

Another road trip I now feel my life would be incomplete without is the Upper Peninsula Drive through Michigan's (you guessed it) Upper Peninsula. Of course once you get to Mackinac Island, you really can't drive anymore because the island's jurisdiction forbids the operation of a motor vehicle.

So you will have to park your car and take a ferry across to the island. But it is well worth it because once on the island you step back in time to the 19th century. When the ferry docks, you can then take a horse-and-buggy taxi, visit any number of the quaint shops and even witness reenactments of the island's historic past.

Tip! Chance encounters are a vital part of what makes American train journeys such a rewarding experience. One day it may be a group of Italian schoolgirls heading for Niagara Falls, the next it is Australian backpackers in Texas.

I am running out of space here, but I just have to include a short mention of the Hudson Valley road trip. This trek begins in New York City and follows the Hudson River north. Along the way you will pass through Rip Van Winkle country, see innumerable Revolutionary War sites, pass the United States Military Academy at West Point and circle back once you get to the bridges at Newburgh and Beacon.

But make sure you get back before dark or you just might see the headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow.

The Reader's Digest Most Scenic Drives in America is a great, beautiful book. But be warned that if your travel lust is easily aroused (like mine) it might also turn out to be the most expensive book you ever buy.

In the meantime, I have to go put gasoline in my car. I feel like driving.

Tip! First, you need to understand that the Mall of America is city within a city and employs almost 12,000 people. During the summer months and holidays this number swells to 13,000 employees.

COPYRIGHT � 2005, Charles Brown

Think budget travel equals boring travel? Think again! Learn the Guerrilla Traveler's insider secrets to budget adventure travel to the world's most exciting places and experience the coolest travel adventures without spending a bundle. Charles Brown is a former attorney who now spends his time indulging his passion for travel and shares the unique travel destinations and adventure travel bargains he uncovers on his blog, Guerrilla Traveler - Adventure on a Budget, http://www.guerrillatraveler.blogspot.com.

Travel by Car Across America

Travel by Car Across America

By Elizebeth Richards

Tip! Before you visit the mall you need to make some plans. Log onto the Mall of America Home Page for maps, directions, a store directory, a list of special attractions, an events calendar, and a restaurant directory.

More and more people are getting in their cars and driving across the USA or across Canada on a vacation trip that they may have planned on doing for years. The price of gas has been somewhat of a deterrent, however the price of fuel is going up regardless of whether you drive, fly, take the train or the bus! Traveling by car allows you to see so much more that we are convinced that this is the best and the only way to travel and see the various sites across America. One of the things we discovered is that there are so many different interesting things to see and do, that we are already planning to do this same trip all over again.

We started from eastern Canada and traveled through Windsor and Detroit and headed towards St Louis. Everyone should see the beautiful arch that marks the entrance to St Louis at least once! Next we traveled further south towards Texas. We bypassed a lot of states since we had a plan in mind. We wanted to see the Texas panhandle and into Amarillo, Texas. What we got was miles and miles of scorched earth! The fires that spread across Texas have to be really seen to be believed. Miles and miles of blackened grass really tells you just how immense these fires can be. We were a bit disappointed in Amarillo, so we moved on to Roswell, New Mexico.

Tip! First, you need to understand that the Mall of America is city within a city and employs almost 12,000 people. During the summer months and holidays this number swells to 13,000 employees.

Roswell, New Mexico, of course is home to the Roswell UFO museum. This museum got its start with the cover-up of the crash of a UFO in 1947 by the US military or so it is claimed. This is a must see stop if you are interested at all in UFO's.

Next on our itinerary was the White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. With over 250 square miles of gypsum sand, so white it is blinding and the kids toboggan down the 60-foot sand dunes as if they were huge snowdrifts. This is another must see adventure.

There are many things to see in Arizona. We chose the Tucson area for this trip and spent time around Sabino Canyon, Tubac, Nogales, and Bensen. A combination of hiking, shopping for arts and crafts and a little star gazing at Mount Kitts kept us busy for over five days. The last part of our trip heading south west was a stay in Laughlin, Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada and Palm Springs.

Laughlin, Nevada is on the Colorado River and we took advantage of the water taxis that will take you along the river to the various casino hotels. There are boat cruises and a line up of great entertainment. This area of Nevada is definitely a good deal. Prices for rooms are reasonable as are the meals.

Next we visited Las Vegas. Las Vegas is a gambling mecca with over 100,000 rooms available and millions of people visiting every year for a combination of good times, great food and entertainment and of course a little gambling.

Tip! The USA has much more to offer the tourist than guaranteed sunshine and bargain shopping, and there's a relatively unknown way to discover what this country is really all about. Most people think of travelling by car or plane but you should certainly investigate America's wonderful trains - perhaps the last means of luxury transport available to everyone.

Palm Springs is a gem in the California desert. Nestled in a valley, protected from the wind and rain, you can count on great weather over 300 days a year.

We spent over a month traveling throughout the US, concentrating on the southwest. The only reservations we made were in Las Vegas and Palm Springs. As seasoned travelers we find that a cross-country car trip such as this is best done in the spring or in the fall when all of the kids are in school and lineups are relatively short.

Next year we plan to do it all again, traveling to the north west of the USA and then head south to California.

Elizebeth Richards is a successful writer and publisher of travel related reviews, for more informative articles go to http://www.gccihome.com/travelamerica06/index.htm All written materials copyrighted, can be redistributed if article and resource box unchanged. Tip! Chance encounters are a vital part of what makes American train journeys such a rewarding experience. One day it may be a group of Italian schoolgirls heading for Niagara Falls, the next it is Australian backpackers in Texas.