Upper Falls, Yellowstone National Park

I’ve been thinking about the lessons I’ve learned while traveling throughout the United States during my adult life. In this article I offer the first three, in what will probably become a series of observations that I have collected along the way. Some of them are more helpful than others. None of them are particularly profound.

One – I never, EVER need as much as I’ve packed. I have yet to master the art of light packing, because I have yet to even try mastering the art of light packing. I find comfort in lugging around at least half of the clothing I posses, even coughing up overweight fees at the counter. Fifty pounds of clothing is A LOT OF CLOTHING. What’s even more ridiculous is the fact that I always do laundry while on a vacation that lasts for more than a few days. I freely admit to washing and re-wearing clothes, while leaving a huge amount of unworn clothing untouched in the suitcase for the entire trip. Clearly, there is something wrong with me. Maybe I’ll buy a smaller suitcase and force myself to pack only what will fit in it.

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Hey, kids! Where do you want to go? Around the world(wide web)! You’re on. This is the time on the UpTake show where we link to a bunch of doings in the online travel biz and then you click on them and say nice things about us. Sometimes you send us flowers.

Buckle up, it’s go time:

Enter the Great Kiwi Adventure to win a trip for 4 to New Zealand!

The classic Italian coffee house (and its impressive guests).

Thinking about checking out the National Parks of France? Here’s a list of the top ten.

Taste Napa Valley at Rubicon Estate.

Mexico is looking for Arizona tourists… to have a good time.

TripAdvisor announces an iPhone app.

Enjoy Cancun in a boutique hotel.

Snorkel and explore off Maui’s coast.

The Top 5 places to eat ice cream at Walt Disney World (you know you want to know this).

KLM offers a new à la carte menu.

BP keeps Florida beaches off the best lists.

The untouched(ish) Society Island of Hauhine.

Cancun’s underwater museum rocks!

Check out the New England Aquarium package in Boston.

ABC presents Summer Travel Planning 101 (video opens automatically).

USA Today offers some tips on pet travel safety.

The Millennium Hotel in NYC is celebrating 20 years with a giveaway per day.

Hike Israel’s National Trail, it’s the destination and the journey.

The first Toy Story meet-up at Disneyland is FULL.

Looking to keep the romance alive while on the road? It can happen.

Are smartphones the new room key?

Win a trip to San Luis Obispo — sign up for the newsletter and you’re entered!

The 10 Best Amusement Parks (this list could use a good shuffle).

National Geographic on U.S. National Parks and travel.

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That just happened. Another rousing round of online travel tidbits for your consumption.

You’re welcome. Contact us via email or Twitter to get your link included next week!

That's a Big Beach!

Makena State Park on the island of Maui near Kihei is comprised of three beaches. There is Big beach, Little beach and Black Sand beach. Black Sand beach is one of the most unused beaches on Maui, a fact I find hard to fathom. Two of the  beaches are also known by their Hawaiian names which are far prettier and much more interesting than their Haole names. Little Beach is also known as Pu’u Ola’i and Black Sand Beach is Naupaka Beach. They are both named after either the lava or the bushes that make up their landscape. Read More »

A stargazer silhouetted against the night sky.

I live in the suburbs, where the city lights block out all but the most determinedly bright stars and celestial objects. A few nights ago the sky was particularly clear, and my husband and I stood in our front yard finding satellites and identifying planets. That got me to thinking about how significant stargazing used to be for me, in my home town in Maine. I’ve never seen stars so bright, since I moved away. I’ve really stopped looking up as much as I used to – a fact which I hope to rectify in the very near future.

Here are a handful of excellent locations from which to gaze at the stars.

1. Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada. Rent a houseboat for a week, and spend your evenings floating along, laying on a blanket or lounge chair on the roof, and gazing up at the unrestricted view, free from the dampening of city lights.

2. Haleakala National Park, Maui. The summit of Haleakala Mountain is the highest point on Maui and brings you above the cloud level and close to the night sky. The clear air has been washed clean by Pacific winds and rain, and the unrestricted view is glorious.

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