Posts Tagged ‘Enjoy’

Campers, boaters enjoy Bay City Fireworks Festival atmosphere

Campers, boaters enjoy Bay City Fireworks Festival atmosphere
The annual Bay City Fireworks Festival began Thursday and continues through Saturday. The three-day event features live music, carnival rides and three fireworks shows.

Read more on The Bay City Times

Spanish Holiday Islands Enjoy Hot 2007 Tourist Summer

In the early summer months the outlook for many European holiday destinations wasn’t looking good, and hundreds of thousands of holidays were being heavily discounted to tempt Brits to take a holiday in Spain.

But British travel agents saw a sharp turnaround in their summer season fortunes, as people fed up with weeks of rain and the heaviest flooding in living memory ditched home holidays in favour of an overseas trip.

The top destination was Spain, with the Balearic islands of Menorca, and in particular Majorca, heading the list. The Spanish mainland’s Costa Blanca and Portugal’s Algarve were also popular choices for families wishing to get away from it all.

With a rush for the sun, low prices and good deals were becoming hard to come by, and many holidays were selling at full price, with some companies even being able to increase their original prices with demand so high.

The general advice seemed to be to get a low price holiday holidaymakers needed to be at a travel agents as soon as they opened as there were so few about, or to regularly check internet sites for holiday companies like Thomas Cook and Thomson Holidays in the hope that they might bag a bargain.

‘It was good news for the travel industry’, commented one Menorca travel guide, ‘it looked like there would be plenty of availability and prices would have to be slashed to lure people into a summer holiday abroad. But then with higher prices and strong demand hotels and the holiday industry in general benefitted from an unexpectedly good year.’

A spokesman for ABTA, the association of British travel agents, commented that April was so warm that everyone expected summer to be a scorcher and a lot of people decided not to go abroad. But then there was a rush to book a holiday.

The floods affected large parts of England and claimed four lives, and left a hundred thousand homes without water for two weeks in parts of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Insurance companies warned that the floods will ultimately cost small businesses millions, and insurers have been receiving tens of millions in claims from homeowners. The British government offered emergency aid to the worst affected areas to help with the cost of the clear-up. Yorkshire in the north of England saw some of the heaviest flooding, with thousands of homes left without power and three people dying.

The surge in holiday bookings came at a particularly opportune time for the three Balearic islands of Menorca, Majorca and Ibiza, who were doing better than many holiday areas before the British floods.

Clubbers from around Europe, and especially from the UK, descend upon Ibiza in the summer months for a week – and often two – of non stop partying.

Ibiza runs second only to the UK’s main cities of London, Manchester and Liverpool in terms of popularity for clubbers, and some of the Ibiza clubs are as well known as any in the UK.

The three Balearic Islands of Menorca, Majorca and Ibiza might be close to each other, but they are all different in character and the type of tourist they typically attract.

A surprise is that the amount of time spent on Ibiza by each tourist is longer than on Menorca and Majorca – destroying the myth that Ibiza is primarily for long weekends or short trips for a couple of nights in the club.

Recent findings by the Balearics Tourist Authority show that after Ibiza, Menorca visitors stay on average for 11 days, with Majorca just behind. And the same pattern emerges for spending per day, with Ibiza top, Majorca second, and Menorca last.

The amount spent by Ibiza tourists averaged 94 Euros a day – a huge contribution to the island’s economy, looked on enviously by Majorca and Menorca.

Enjoy Deep Sea Fishing at Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is indeed a paradise with perfect climate, inviting shoreline and abundance of world class fishing activities. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is located in the center of the Mexican Riviera. The place is captivating and offers one of the best deep sea fishing facilities in the world.

Nothing compares the day when you are out with your best fishing buddy under the deep blue sky enjoying a pleasant weather. While gazing across the water, you can easily spot thousands of small fish. Lovers of dolphins can get to see happy dolphins playing, flipping, twisting around and searching for their food. Stop thinking now and take actions. Fishing in Puerto Vallarta can be the perfect activity to unwind with your family this summer.

Puerto Vallarta is the ultimate fishing hub for all angling enthusiasts. The place gives a great time to catch fish in the deep waters of the 40-mile-wide Banderas Bay. In November an International Sailfish and Marlin Tournament is organized every year in Puerto Vallarta where, well-known professionals as well as amateurs take part. People from all over the world come to Puerto Vallarta to enjoy a great fishing experience and compete with best fishing professionals. During that time, people can catch several types of sport fish from sailfish, giant yellow fin tuna, blue marlin and swordfish.

Take a ride on a luxury yacht for hire or engage charter boats to locate your spot and enjoy all day fishing pleasure. One of the interesting things about deep sea fishing at Puerto Vallarta is ‘catch and release’ mantra which is followed by the locals. It simply means you won’t get the chance to eat what you catch. Almost all well-known companies of the region practice this policy. You will sure to get satisfaction by releasing fish on your rod and reel.

People who love surfing on the water can enjoy at Punta Mita on the Banderas Bay, the world’s largest bay in the world. Even UNESCO has recognized Punta Mita as one of the most beautiful islands in the world. Enjoy Punta Mita Surfing with beautiful natural scenery, a diversity of water animals and birds and breathtaking beaches and tropical surroundings.

Enjoy The Canary Islands Winter Sun

Which holiday destination in Europe enjoys sunshine all year round? It’s a bit of a trick question, as the seven Canary Islands are in fact located off the coast of Morocco in West Africa, hundreds of miles south of the mainland – but still part of Spain and therefore within the EU. Creating a twelve month holiday season.

As a result of this great climate the Canaries have become the second most visited region in Spain after Catalunya (with its star attraction of Barcelona) attracting over 9 million visitors a year. So despite the current economic climate thousands of travellers will still be booking holidays in Lanzarote and the Canaries this autumn.

The journey time to the islands is also an important plus factor. With flights at a bearable four hours. Shorter than any competing mid-haul destination such as Egypt. And usually at much cheaper prices too – thanks to growing completion on the route between low cost flight operators such as Ryanair and easyJet. With both airlines offering cheap flights to Lanzarote this winter from all major airports in Britain.

So for those who have never enjoyed a winter sun holiday in this part of the world before what can they expect? The temperatures will certainly be warm enough for plenty of days on the beach or by the pool. With the mercury rising into the early 20´s Celsius throughout December and January. Whilst the sun never sets much before 6pm – in contrast to the dark afternoons prevalent in Britain at that time. Rainfall is also very low.

Accommodation standards are high – as the island has been welcoming tourists for over forty years. Choose from chic rural hotels, budget apartments and luxury villas in Lanzarote. With the bulk of holidays now booked direct on online thanks to the growth in internet usage over the last five years.

Which is the best resort on the island during the winter months? That title has to go to Playa Blanca – located right at the southern tip of Lanzarote. Which enjoys the best microclimate on the island – whilst also boasting a great selection of beaches, such as Papagayo which is just a fifteen minute walk from the centre of the resort.

Playa Blanca has rapidly evolved over the last decade to become the second most popular destination on the island. With a wide range of villas in Playa Blanca available for rental with prices starting from around £400 per week, as well as a fine selection of good quality four star hotels lining the shoreline such as the Princesa Yaiza and the Timanfaya Palace, playa Blanca is an ideal year round holiday destination.

Not everyone is attracted by the lure of beautiful sun kissed beaches however so if sun sea and sand are not your thing and you prefer to see the real Lanzarote, then a holiday in one of the rural villas may be more to your liking.

Enjoy The Beautiful Outdoors In California

California is an excellent visitors destination since it extends along the majority of the Pacific coastline of the United States. There are a number of national parks and outdoor activities to keep travelers occupied with in California. There is the Sequoia National Parks, the High Sierras, the beauty of Lake Tahoe and the big cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles among others. In southern California there is no shortage of wonderful beach options if you prefer to spend your vacation relaxing on the beach.

The fifth largest city in California is Long Beach and it is one of the busiest seaports in the entire world. With many attractions to decide from, Long Beach has become a premier seaside resort for travelers. For those who like to shop on their vacations there is the Queen’s Market Place which is designed to look like an open English Village. For the animal lovers there is the Aquarium of the Pacific which has over ten thousand different animals to view. In mid April sports fans can enjoy the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

In central California there is Napa which offers an excellent choice of accommodations, restaurants and shops for travelers of all types. Many travelers choose to come to the Napa Valley region of California to enjoy the scenic views it has to offer. There is plenty of outdoor activities in Napa including biking trails and a wide selection of parks.

Perhaps the most popular of all California cities is San Francisco. There are numerous attractions to choose from here and it is a destination known throughout the world. Some of the more popular attractions include the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and Fisherman’s Wharf. For the move buff there is the San Francisco International Film Festival in April that features over two hundred top films from around the world.

If you are traveling to Lake Tahoe then an excellent accommodation option is the River Ranch Lodge. It is a beautiful rustic mountain lodge with a large outdoor deck that overlooks the river. It is also one of the cheaper accommodation options in the Lake Tahoe area.

If Yosemite is more of your outdoor experience then you should try the Evergreen Lodge. This is located right at the entrance to the Yosemite National Park and offers a variety of rustic cabins and access to many outdoor activity choices. The Evergreen Lodge is an excellent choice for those who want the ultimate outdoor experience and easy access to it.

For a true bed and breakfast experience there is St. Orres in Gualala. This is a Russian style hotel that offers excellent secluded accommodations that have river, meadow and forest options. On California’s North Coast this is an excellent option to choose.