Gobble, gobble.
Turkeys may not fly, but they’re arriving by the plate full. Also, tofurkey.
Speaking of turkeys, people are traveling in mass this weekend and into next week. No, I did not call you or your mother a turkey – just that one relative that you’ve called worse. Turkey. Read More »
Where lost luggage goes to die. Sacramento International's "Samson" uses real suitcases!
Remember when airports became shopping malls? Sure, I love browsing for iPhones and sweaters or a burger and a beer as much as the next guy, but it’s just so lowbrow. Finally, the latest phase in airports is upon us: the art gallery. Here are just a few examples of airport art springing up in a concourse near you.
For the record, I like beer with my art, too. Read More »
Are you cold and wanting to get away? Are there visions of beaches in your head – or maybe falling leaves and fresh snow? Also, turkey. Then read on, gentle reader, read on.
No booking fees and a $200 coupon to use on a later trip? It’s true. Merry holiday of your choice from Expedia.
Virgin America is having a huge 24-hour sale. Hurry! If you miss that there is still this: Virgin America is the first airline to offer fleetwide Wi-Fi and thanks to Google it’s free for the holidays! Read More »
Is Your Vacation Safe From Swine Flu?
It’s not just schools that are thinking about the spread of Swine Flu.
Travelers all over the world are talking about how safe their vacation plans are with the widespread H1N1 virus on the loose. Theme parks are of particular concern for families as they debate whether or not to cancel their trips to some of the happiest places on earth.
Places like Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida are known for their rides and attractions. But they are also home to thousands of international tourists, crowds and close encounters with other guests and costumed characters. In other words, it’s a potential gold mine for germs!
Rest assured, park officials at most major theme parks are taking extraordinary precautions to keep their tourist havens safe. Disney World has installed over 200,000 individual hand sanitizing stations across the parks. Employees are being vaccinated and taught to closely monitor whether guests they come in contact with show signs of illness, and how to respond accordingly with things like costume changes. (If you sneeze on Goofy, he’s going to be changing his shirt.)
Experts at the CDC say that theme parks aren’t necessarily any more dangerous than any place else, pointing out that there are numerous opportunities for people to catch the H1N1 virus during their normal day to day activities.
There are, of course, a few things you can do to help stay health while you travel.
Benson Park Sculpture Garden
Most families only visit Loveland, Colorado, because the town is the last stop on Highway 34 before you reach the gorgeous Rocky Mountain National Park, just 30 miles away.
Benson Park Sculpture Garden
But if you’re heading into the National Park, or simply driving through Colorado on Interstate 25, Loveland makes for an interesting stop along the way.
If for no other reason than to see the statues.
Loveland has nearly 300 pieces of public art, mostly sculptures, spread all over, in front of city buildings, dentist’s offices, schools, and private homes. You can drive around town, playing a game of spot the statues, but I don’t recommend it if you want to keep your insurance premiums down. Instead, go directly to where the bulk of the artwork is on permanent display, at the Benson Park Sculpture Garden. And it doesn’t cost a thing to enjoy.
The park is a dazzling site, with over 130 sculptures of all shapes and sizes placed around three large ponds. When I first took my kids there, their response was the usual, “Oh no, do we have to walk?” But once they meandered down the trail and spied their first statue, a boy playing marbles with a dinosaur, they were immediately hooked. Aching feet were completely forgotten as they discovered new surprises around ever corner.
Benson Park is in a quiet, residential area, so it feels peaceful and uncrowded. On the cold spring day we were there, it was certainly free of people. The morning snowfall added to the magical air of the place as we took our time walking the trails.
This is the kind of place you’ll want to have your camera ready for memorable poses of your kids with the various sculptures. They’ll plead with you to take a picture of them with every strange and whimsical creature they see.
There are picnic tables, benches, and bathrooms, so don’t worry about how much time you spend. We were surprised to find two hours gone by without even noticing.
Granted, we were not in any kind of hurry. Loveland was an overnight stop for us on our way through the state. I highly recommend the new Holiday Inn Express just off I-25, which features the usual indoor pool but with a kid-pleasing giant red water slide.
Colorado is an amazing state, with majestic mountains and stunning scenic vistas. It’s easy to overlook the little things. But, next time you’re traveling through the area, you’ll find it well worth your time to add Benson Park Sculpture Garden to your list of places to see.
Benson Park Sculpture Garden
Benson Park Sculpture Garden
Benson Park Sculpture Garden
Benson Park Sculpture Garden
All photos by Phil Corless
Lake Como, Switzerland
I was 16 years old when I visited Lake Como, Switzerland.
That was over *cough, cough* a lot of years ago, but it’s a place that instantly carved itself into my heart and I vowed before leaving to return someday. I have traveled to many places since then, and Lake Como remains one of my favorite locations on Earth.
Lake Como is located between Milan and Switzerland and my visit there was a short day trip in the middle of an Italian vacation. We made our way to the town of Como from Milan and spent time shopping in the village before touring the lake itself. Read More »
Until a few years back, a vacation meant piling the kids into the back and hitting the road. But times change, and now you have a whole new bunch of requirements to fulfill before you can even think about the beach, a cold beer and some peace and quiet.
Beach Vacation
If you don’t want your neighbors and colleagues to look down on you, follow this list of ’friendly’ things that your vacation has to be.
1. Environment-friendly:- It’s bad enough that your vacation destroys your entire year’s savings. Don’t let your vacation be blamed for the destruction of the earth. Find a destination which cares about their surroundings, get a green hotel, try to avoid trips by air and don’t do stuff which will be harmful to the environment – like wasting water, and leaving trash and beer cans in the outdoors or on the road. Read More »
This is an American Airlines gate in the Seattle-Tacoma airport that was hand-decorated by American Airlines employees on their own time. The gate is where one child’s dream vacation started earlier this month as they boarded their WishFlight. Read More »
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