May 01 2008
Crystal Lake Cave in Iowa - A Great Vacation and Travel Destination
Crystal Lake Cave in Iowa - A Great Vacation and Travel Destination
Iowa has some beautiful places that are wonderful vacation destinations. One of the must see places is Crystal Lake Cave. There is an interesting story behind this location. Back in 1868 lead miners were looking for a lead vein and they drilled 40 feet into the ground. And although they were not successful in finding the lead they had hoped for they did find something else even more amazing. What they found was Crystal Lake Cave. Although the cave was discovered for many years it was not open to the public until 1932. Bernard Markus, one of the original miners, played a role in getting the cave open to the public and it finally became so after his death. While the miners were digging they found quite a few different types of gems and minerals that are on display in the gift shop. There is no other show cavern like Crystal Lake Cave and this is the longest a cave has been “alive” in Iowa. The cave is underground and continues to be one of the most amazing places to visit in Iowa. The tour of the cave takes about half an hour to 45 minutes and it is an adventure like none other you have ever taken. A tour guide will lead you so that you get the most out of the adventure. Keep in mind that no matter what the temperature is outside it will be quite cool in Crystal Lake Cave and the year round temperature is usually around 52 degrees Fahrenheit. The cave is open from 9 am to 5 pm on weekends in May and daily in June, July and August from 9 am until 6 pm. In September the cave is open from 11 am until 5 pm on weekdays and 9 am until 5 pm on weekends. The cave is open through mid October from 11 am until 5 pm on weekdays and 9 am until 5 pm on weekends. The rest of the year the cave is closed for winter. Prices for adults are $10 and $5 for kids four to 11. Kids under four are free and senior citizens receive a 10% discount. Group pricing is available. The cave is located three miles south of Dubuque, Iowa and 20 minutes from Galena, Illinois. There is a website that has great information on USA Vacations and Unique Travel Spots Listed State By State and Season, the website is called: Seasonal Vacation Spots, and can be found at this url: http://www.seasonalvacationspots.com By Robert W. Benjamin Copyright © 2007 You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter, or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.
Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970's-80's. Get a Credit Card or Fast Cash Loan! http://www.rb59.com
Really cheap hotels in Paris or New York might be hard to come by. But outside of Europe and North America there are some great accommodation options on offer for the budget traveler looking for a bit of luxury.
And let s face it, traveling is pretty hard work. Although backpackers hostels might be the cheapest choice, there are times when you want to have a long shower all to yourself, put the air-conditioning on, and curl up in a beautifully made bed After attacking the mini-bar, that is!
When it comes to price, many people seem to stick to the rule of thumb that if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is . Hotels that offer a host of wonderful facilities, and are still really cheap, might cause a few alarm bells to ring. It can t be good if it s that cheap , people seem to say
But, if this might occasionally prove to be the case, then here are a few cheap hotels around the world that really are that good:
Siem Reap Riverside Hotel, Cambodia
With Angkor Wat, one of the world s most exquisite monuments on its doorstep, you d have thought that accommodation at the Siem Reap Riverside Hotel would be seriously expensive. It s not the case, however. This charming place offers double rooms from around 4 ($6) a night.
The hotel will even help arrange transport to the wonderful Khmer temples. And in the evenings after a long, hot day of sightseeing you can sit out and have a drink on their beautiful flowery terrace.
Villa Serena Margarita Island, Venezuela
Margarita is, generally speaking, the domain of large, expensive resort-style hotels. But the Villa Serena is a family-run place with a warm, comfortable vibe. And with prices from about 15 ($21) a night, it means you can spend a few extra days lounging around on the nearby beach.
Venus Hotel, Pamukkale, Turkey
At just a shade over 6 ($9), and with a pool thrown in, the Venus Hotel has got to be one of the best offers in Turkey. Everything is very carefully put together, and the place has an intimate feel. What s more, the word s beginning to get out about the homemade meals they provide to hungry guests.
Tibetan Lodge, Dali, Yunnan, China
There are cheap hotels, and then there s the Tibetan Lodge. Plenty of places in China fall under the budget category, but few are as beautiful and lavishly decorated (in traditional fashion) as the Tibetan Lodge. Most important of all, though, it s spotlessly clean. And from a trifling 4 ($6) a night, it s got all the luxury a footsore traveler could possibly need.
Hotel Kaoba, Cabarete, Dominican Republic
At the Hotel Kaoba, in the paradisiacal country of the Dominican Republic, 12 ( 17) goes a long way. In fact, you get a lovely two person bungalow set amidst a tropical garden. Not that you ll spend much time in it! The beach town of Cabarete is full of great restaurants and bars. And during the day there are fantastic opportunities for kitesurfing and windsurfing.
Before settling down and becoming a copywriter for http://www.HostelBookers.com, Ben Cooper stayed in <a href="http://www.hostelbookers.com/">Cheap Hotels</a> all over the world.
Indonesian Surf Travel - Mentawai Islands Boat Trip
In April of 2006 I set off on a 16 day trip with a couple of friends to the Mentawai Islands off the west coast of Sumatra. Leading up to the trip I did alot of research on how to prepare for the unknown. The trip was virtually charter boat based with only a couple days on land at the beginning and end of the trip. Granted, on-board accomodations were plush by local standards. Still, I wanted to be prepared.
Some important things to pack are light cotton long sleeve shirts and pants, a couple wide brim hats (the sun is intense along the equator). Plenty of waterproof sunblock; 50 spf would be recommended. Take along reef booties, the low cut, split toe kind work great. Powdered vitamin packets that dissolve in water, energy bars and sea sick aids would be a good idea if you are prone to motion sickness.
Mosquito repellant with Deet! This is a must, especially if you will be on land in the evenings. The mosqitoes are relentless at dusk and dawn. The main concern is in populated areas where mosquitoes can easily feed from one person to another possibly spreading malaria along the way. While on the boat you still need to be vigilant, wear your long clothes and lather up with repellant, but you can relax a bit. Make sure you have some lights on to keep an eye out for mosquitoes. The main ones to watch out for have the ‘tiger stripes” on the wings. At dusk you will notice campfire smoke wafting up through the trees along from the island villages. The locals do this to keep the “mozzies” at bay. Do some research on anti-malarial drugs and consult your doctor.
Bring along a first aid kit. If you travel with someone who works in the healthcare industry have them bring sutures, anesthetic, etc… If not get ahold of some if you can, there is bound to be someone on the boat who is experienced in stitching. Take butterfly bandages to help close up any cuts from the reef while out of the water.
Speaking of the water (from the hotel or restaurant plumbing). Don’t drink it. Go bottled. Period. End of topic.
For the start of your trip you may want to consider a sleep aid depending how far you are traveling. I flew out of San Diego stopping in Japan, Singapore and Central Sumatra before landing in Padang. It was just about 24 hours worth of flying over about a couple day period. The flight was long and almost unbareable toward the end. Consider taking along something such as Ambien or go natural with Melatonin. Remember not to drink alcohol while taking a sleep aid. Consult with your doctor.
So to recap on first aid supplies and other suggestions keep the following on your list:
Quality Cloth Medical Tape, Bandages & Latex Band Aids, Second Skin, Sleeping Pills, Betadine, Hydrogen Peroxide, Lomotil or other Anti-Diarrhea, Anti-Biotic Ointment, Anti-Fungal Powder, Aspirin, Sun Block & Lip Block and Sunburn Lotion.
When traveling to this region of the world along the equator, it is very important to research and prepare for the climate and local customs. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world and their religious customs run deep. You will most likely not run into fanitical Muslims who harbor great resentment for Westerners. You may want to avoid areas in Jakarta, Timor though. The Indonesian people are largely warm and welcoming; the epitome of happiness and a great many of them are dirt poor! We could learn alot from them.
When in public it is considered respectful to wear long pants as exposing alot of skin, even for men, is considered somewhat inappropriate. If you are a surfer and want to wear shorts in the high, heat high humidity. Go ahead, they will usually understand however; do not enter into any religous site or otheriwise religously significant location in your baggies.
I hope this has been of value, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Greg
Greg Campbell is a San Diego based entrepreneur, surfer and father of 2. He focuses on wealth creating through personal business training and marketing. http://www.megamoneymentor.com
Cheap Galveston Hotels
Cheap Galveston Hotels Galveston nicknamed as The Oleander City having strong historical background. It is the county seat of Galveston County, situated by the side of Gulf Coast in Texas. Its actual growth started in the of end of nineteenth century when it bagged the position of natural harbor and became the trade center of Texas. During the same period a natural calamity in the form of Hurricane struck the place taking toll of more than 12,000.soon after this many defense mechanisms were raised to combat with if any such calamity again raises its head. Galveston suffered a major setback after this but regained some of its glory with the passage of time. A ten mile long Sea well designed to barricade the city from floods is well known in Galveston. From clean beaches to historical buildings, gardens, museums, restaurants providing sumptuous and mouth watering seafood, Galveston has it all. Today Galveston holds the picture of major tourist attraction for the people from all over the world. Mostly famous for its clean beaches, Galveston proves to be environment friendly place showing great concern for Nature. People can enjoy and spend quality time in those sun-filled beaches along with parks. They can involve themselves in beach parties, fishing. Some family beach parks gives you opportunity to do things along with you family, you can enjoy some delicate moments followed by get-togethers and various tournaments which could be played on beaches. Some of the Galveston beach Parks offer luxuriant greenery beautiful landscapes and waterfalls. We find many major famous tourists attraction and the city invites many to make this place as their second home. People coming from around the world find this place immensely beautiful and buy beach homes to experience heavenly abode of the city. The port of Galveston known as Galveston Wharves serves as a trading post which is a hub of many trading activities, also works as servicing center for cargo ships with the constant flow of Cruise Ship from various destinations to various destinations. When we move on from beaches to explore new avenues we come across many historical buildings in downtown district which survived the disaster. Moody Gardens which has IMAX theaters, rainforest number of aquariums which are an eye catcher for the visitors. We keep continue with Moody Mansion represent Victorian Architecture, Mardi Grass museums having different costumes dating back to 1876. Pier 21 Theater an old historic theater which shows movies of past. Galveston Cruises Schlitterbahn Galveston Island has a unique feature which offers Convertible Water Park Due to such flamboyance of Galveston thousands of tourists are attracted towards it every year. To manage such inflow of new populace in a well manner there are many hotels in the city which provide accommodations which can suit every budget. One common factor which you will notice in the hotels in Galveston is the exceptional service they provide along with the finest food so that you can cherish every moment of your stay in the city. Most of the hotels in Galveston are budget friendly but prior reservations are essential.
Looking for more information on Cheap Galveston Hotels check out <a href= www.Galveston-hotels.net >www.Galveston-hotels.net</a> your guide to Cheap Galveston Hotels.
Yoregon Coast
One of the most beautiful and relaxing tourist spots in the United States, coastal Oregon remains one of the undiscovered treasures of the great Northwest. Oregon coast vacations offer activities to suit a multitude of vacation needs. Over 300 miles of the coast of Oregon has been officially declared a recreation national park by the federal government. Oregon coast lodging and Oregon coast vacation rentals are available for every type of recreation and budget concerns. Whether salmon fishing on the coast of Oregon, deep-sea fishing for halibut off the Oregon coast, swimming in the Oregon Crater Lake, horse-back riding on the Oregon Coast, camping on the Oregon coast, or checking out the famous Oregon sand dunes, no vacation to the Oregon coast is ever boring! THINGS TO DO ON THE OREGON COAST The Oregon coast offers many entertainment options at almost every conceivable budget. For the landlubber vacationers, the Central Oregon coast offers hiking, horseback riding, camping along the Oregon coast, Oregon coast golf courses, and riding though the Oregon Coast Dunes. For those looking for an aquatic adventure, the Oregon coast offers world-class fly-fishing, salmon fishing, white-water rafting, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and deep-sea fishing. Enjoy the intensity of the salmon runs on the Oregon Rogue River and white-water rafting down the Umpqua River. Fish for halibut off the coast of Oregon, or enjoy the wildlife in an Oregon State Park. The Oregon coast also offers many other types of deep-sea fishing, including tuna fishing, salt-water salmon fishing, and crabbing. Bird watching is also a popular pastime in some of the National and State Parks, especially around the Oregon sand dunes. The diversity of the landscape provides sanctuary to many varieties of rare and endangered birds. Many seasonal festivals and celebrations are offered throughout the year. For example, the annual Dune Fest takes place during the first week of August and features many types of ATV racing and showmanship. The annual Dune Fest offers both day entertainment and evening concert schedules. The festival caters to all ages and genders. Check the local calendar events before your trip and enjoy the local color. PLACES TO STAY ON THE OREGON COAST The Coast of Oregon offers many choices of lodging. Oregon coast hotels cater to all varieties of interests and budgets. Hotels can be found all up the Oregon coast from the Florence Oregon coast in the north, to the southern Oregon coast at Coos Bay Oregon. Other lodging options include bed and breakfast, Oregon RV parks, Oregon coast rentals, and Oregon coast beach houses. Outdoor lodging is another option. Many of the National and State parks offer camping facilities for tents, RVs or trailers. The Oregon coast offers several full-service and full hookup RV camping grounds. Many Oregon hotels, bed and breakfasts, motels, and camping sites are pet friendly. Oregon coast accommodations can be found to suit all vacation desires, from those desiring the Oregon coast luxury hotels, to the vacationer looking to spend the night in an old covered wagon. Camping accommodations can be found in the coastal areas, in the local towns, and on the sand dunes. Check on the Internet for the offerings of each campsite, as well as availability, amenities, pricing, and any special accommodations you are looking for to complete your vacation. OREGON WHALE WATCHING Oregon whale watching can be one of the highlights of any Oregon vacation. Grey whales, humpback whales, and sperm whales migrate though the Oregon coastal waters during the early winter months. Sometimes, the watchful vacationer can catch a glimpse of these beautiful and elusive animals. Watch for the spray caused by air expelling from the whale s blowhole, or watch for the rare breech where the whale leaps out the water headfirst. Oregon whale watching can be done from the shore or can be experienced on a boat in the open water. An experienced guide can often direct you to likely spots and increase your chances of viewing whales. Whale watching can also provide you with the opportunity of view other types of aquatic wildlife that you wouldn t often have the chance to see. Check the Internet for the local guides and marine wildlife tours offered by locals on the Oregon coast. OREGON CRATER LAKE Crater Lake is located near the south central Oregon coast. Crater Lake is famous for its twenty foot-cliffs and deep crystal blue water. Crater Lake is six miles wide and was formed by the eruption and subsequent collapse of Mt. Mazama approximately seven thousand years ago. Boat tours and lake guides are available to travel out onto the lake during the summer months. Crater lake is surrounded by an extensive amount of hiking trails and rock formations suitable for climbing. Although Crater Lake is over seven thousand years old it was officially discovered by white settlers in 1853. The three men who discovered it were prospecting for gold along the Oregon coast. Crater Lake was officially named a National Park by Teddy Roosevelt in 1902. Thousands of vacationers flock to Crater Lake annually to enjoy its natural splendor. OREGON COAST BEACHES With over 350 miles of coastline, Oregon lays claim to some of the best and most beautiful beaches in the United States. Fringed by the rainforests, the Oregon coast sand dunes, and the plethora of lakes, rivers, and streams, the Oregon coastline offers a unique juxtaposition of natural splendor. Oregon coast weather is more temperate than other locations in Oregon. Some beaches never drop below freezing even during the cold winter months. Many beaches along the Oregon coast offer camping or RV accommodations. Oregon has many beaches adorned with beautiful lighthouses. Oregon coast lighthouses are some of the most well known in the United States. The most famous lighthouse on the Oregon coast is called the Umpqua River Lighthouse and is located on the Umpqua River just six miles from Reedsport. Known for its red revolving light, the lighthouse is one of the most recognizable manmade landmarks in Oregon. No Oregon vacation is complete without a tour of the beautiful Oregon coast lighthouses. David Nool, a proficient Oregon outdoors writer. He has vast knowledge of the area and is often asked for advice for vacationing in the area. Visit his site http://www.loonlakerv.com/ for information and advice on camping and traveling the Oregon Coast.
David Nool, a proficient writer, writes articles for <a href=http://www.loonlakerv.com>www.loonlakerv.com</a> Supplementary editorials that were written by David Nool about <a href=http://www.loonlakerv.com>Oregon Camping</a>, Oregon Campgrounds, Camping Oregon, <a href=http://www.loonlakerv.com>Oregon Coast Camping</a>are accessible on the internet.
