Destination America
Welcome
Friday, March 11, 2011
Bike Week 2011 - Day Three
Back on the bike and off to the speedway. This is where we stayed for the rest of the day. Tons of vendors, bike races and live entertainment. We met a neat couple from Tampa and spoke with them for about an hour. We had a great day. Tomorrow Destination Daytona.
Bike Week 2011 - Day Two
Stopped just west of Jacksonville for you guessed it, gas. 3.50 a gallon.
Finally got to Daytona and there are not as many bikes as Biketoberfest. Could be because its so flippin cold. After we got the bike, trailer and hummer all parked we headed out for a ride.
First trip was to Ponce Inlet. Nice drive past some very unique and eclectic homes. Got to the end looked at a lighthouse and rode back. We parked the bike and spent the rest of the evening on Main Street with thousands of bikes. We spent most if it at Dirty Harry's where we witnessed two wet t-shirt contests. Neither of them had contest who should have ever considered ever being in a wet anything contest. Grandmothers are amazing women but should not be in wet t-shirt contests.
The evening got VERY VERY cold so we headed back to the hotel around 11pm. More tomorrow.
Bike Week 2011 - Day One
Our first stop as at 9:30am at the gas station. We drive a hummer so that is bound to happen a few times on this trip. Krogers in Hendersonville 3.39 a gal. Stop two food at Arbys. They have an amazing new sandwich. Great quick stop.
Oh look another gas stop this time Kangaroos on ext 350 on 1:75 in Georgia. 3.43 gal. oops put 93 octant in the tank at 3.75 gal. bummer.
Rained almost all day. Hope this storm passes soon.
Made it to Valdosta GA and stopped for the night. I-75 exit 16 we ate dinner at Austins. If you get a chance to stop there I highly recommend it. We have eaten there before and again were not disappointed.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Top 41 Place To Go In 2011
Undaunted by an earthquake, a city embraces modern culture.
Bold-face restaurateurs vie with unspoiled nature. Nature wins.
A toned-down version of Phuket, heavy on wellness and food.
Where a country’s hardships are a visitor’s gain.
A reborn cathedral joins fashion-forward galleries and hotels.
A rustic ski wonderland on the verge of discovery.
Anticipating the 2012 Olympics, a slew of new hotels and restaurants.
A beach hideaway with sport fishing gets a luxury resort.
Beyond the film festival, a growing group of top-tier resorts.
Cafe culture is on the rise while salsa fuels the night life.
From Budapest to the Black Sea, new cruises on a storied river.
An Aspen emerges in Asia, with luxury to spare.
Hawaii’s most developed island adds resorts and attractions.
A new breed of boutiques have made it a fashionista’s paradise.
New hotels plus big-name chefs put Sydney on notice.
An ancient Islamic city dresses up for a gala year.
Poland’s Baltic coast welcomes party hoppers and soccer fans.
Skiing in Turkey? A winter sports capital emerges in Anatolia.
Dynastic grandeur in the heart of modern India.
An industrial city reinvents its famed musical past.
The beautiful capital city aims to shed its stag-party past.
With new resorts and casinos, the city lets its hair down.
A low-key beach escape with clear water and sea creatures.
The Olympians are gone. Now it’s your turn.
A city of youth is fired up by its art scene.
Bad weather is good for skiers and storm-watchers.
A new museum leads the way to a historic city’s future.
On a Moroccan lagoon, oysters, flamingoes and no crowds.
On an African isle, luxury lures the après safari set.
The ranches beyond a historic village offer a dose of rural chic.
Camel racing, souks and eco-lodging in a Saharan oasis.
An hour from Shanghai, a historic jewel goes five-star.
Safety, history and a warm welcome in a stable corner of Iraq.
A downtown turnaround means food worth a trip.
Mountains, medieval architecture and unexpected night life.
Ming architecture is intact as contemporary culture takes root.
Out of the country’s economic woes, a new wave of artists.
A ‘Japanese Amazon’ with some luxury thrown in.
A scene pops up in abandoned buildings, and glamour rises.
Big-time music arrives in a town known for beaches and art.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Upcoming Trips
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Indianapolis – A sports lover’s dream
By Cindy Bolton – Freelance Writer
Drivers start your engines. For every race fan those are the words we long to hear. The fans at the Indianapolis 500 are no different. Every May 250,000 fans converge into the 253 acre track to cheer on their favorite driver. This is one of those events that is a must do. You can purchase a seat around the track or you can bring a blanket and lawn chair and sit in the middle of the track. This is an event that the average Joe can take his family to. While in Indianapolis for the race make a point of attending the Indy 500 parade which takes place through downtown. Another stop that should be on your to-do list is the NCAA Hall of Champions on Washington Street. This is a great way to spend the day and test your skills. Then first floor you will find displays of the top schools and athletes in every NCAA sport. Upstairs is where the fun begins. They have agility tests, trivia games and a basketball court where you can play a game of horse with your family. Bottom line Indianapolis is a great vacation destination for all sports lover’s young and old alike.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Destination America
By: Cindy Bolton
My husband and I had a dream to retire before we were 40. He had a very good job in an industry that he has been a dominate force for twenty years. We had two young children and wanted to be able to show them all this country has to offer. Six years ago we did just that. We did a lot of research as to the best places to move to within the United States, taking into consideration taxes, education as well as recreation. After narrowing down our choices to Texas, Tennessee or Florida we ventured out on our first trip to see where we were being called to go. Our first stop was Tennessee; it was also our only stop. We fell in love with the people, the culture and the location. Our desire to travel the country made Middle Tennessee a perfect place to live, and that is just what we did. After a whirlwind tour of the Nashville area we found a church and we found the house. We flew back to California and sold everything, house, cars the works and took off across our great nation to explore and see as many sites as we could see. That was the beginning of our travel bug. Since then we have spent six to eight weeks every summer traveling across America with our children in a 37 foot RV. If you want to bring your family together as a cohesive group, stick them in a tin can on wheels for the summer. The kids become best friends, because they either talk and play with each other or have to hang out with mom and dad. You also really get to appreciate each other as a family. Discovering who you are as a family helps to everyone to become closer as a family unit. It has a way of teaching everyone the art of compromise. There is only so much time in a day and only so many places to visit before everyone is ready to drop
Thinking of vacation destinations your mind can go to the ends of the earth and back. There are so many places near and far that you can visit. There are tropical islands, mountain hideaways, big cities and small towns. There is something for everyone. For those lucky enough to live in the United States we have all of those locations right here in our own backyards. We have the tropical islands of Hawaii and mountain hideaways of Lake Tahoe in northern California. We have the big cities like New York and Chicago, not to mention Los Angeles and San Francisco. There are the small towns like Bird-in-Hand Pennsylvania in the heart of Amish country and Key West at the tip of the Florida Keys. There is something and someplace for everyone
For the past six years we have traveled as a family visiting, witnessing the sights and sounds that make this nation so great. We have seen the sun rise on the coast of Maine and the sun set from the tip of the Florida Keys. We have been fly fishing in the mountain streams of Montana and watched a rodeo championship in San Antonio. Big and small, exciting and relaxing you can do it, see it, and experience it right here in this great nation of ours.
Stay tuned as I take you on an adventure across America discovering places and sites you have never known about. I hope it gives you a desire to step out of your comfort zone and experience what this great country has to offer. It doesn’t take an extraordinary amount of money just some planning and a desire to travel. Come with me as we discover the back roads and the hot spots of America.