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Travel
Aug 17, 2008
Record on the Road: Lana'i, Hawaii
My husband and I went to Hawaii for our honeymoon, where we spent five nights on the island of Lana'i followed by five nights on the island of Maui. This photo was taken in Lana'i at the Four Seasons Resort at Manele Bay after playing a round of golf on the Challenge at Manele course. In the background is the sweetheart rock, a historical landmark of the island. While every inch of both islands was absolutely breathtaking, the story behind this rock was memorable, so we couldn't resist the photo op!
U.S. travelers in Europe test hostel environment
The tumbling U.S. dollar is forcing a new experience on many Americans traveling through Europe: a stay in a youth hostel.
A guidebook online: Thrillist.com
If reading a guidebook to find the trendiest restaurants and nightclubs is too archaic for you, Thrillist.com can help you maintain your hipster image.
Philly, San Fran and Moroccan deals
- The deal: Friday Night on the Town package at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue. This downtown hotel's overnight package lets you party like a rock star for one night with VIP access to one of the newest lounges in town, G.
Nothing is hotter than music-themed cruises
Somewhere in the Caribbean between Mexico and Grand Cayman, folk and country stars Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin sing backup vocals for singer and guitarist Buddy Miller.
Record on the Road: South Africa
Here we are at the Cradle of Humankind, a world heritage site in Johannesburg, South Africa. We visited Drimolen, an internationally famous fossil site which is the third richest hominid site in Southern Africa. Here they have unearthed more than 79 hominid fossils as well as the most complete female. As the site is being excavated all year round, we were able to see the excavation in progress, and have a private tour and talk by one of the scientists.
Record on the Road: Singapore
In October, we sailed on a Princess cruise from Bangkok to Beijing. One of the ports we stopped at was Singapore, the commercial center of Southeast Asia, where we visited the National Orchid Garden. Over 1,000 species and 2,000 hybrids are found in the garden's stunning collection. This permanent showcase features the largest display of orchids in the world.
Passport to Adventure: Twin Lights of Navesink
Discovering New Jersey's beauty and history is easier than ever thanks to the Passport to Adventure, a free passport-style guide to 36 of the state's parks, forests and historic sites. Each site has "Fast Facts," "Things to Do" and room to fill in your observations, accompanied by a photo of the site. Visitors can collect full-color stickers at each site to place in the guide.
Balanzza luggage weigher
I get to see a lot of gadgets, and very often they come with a press release, which says it's the most useful item someone can own.
Record on the Road: Iguazu Falls
Here we are, standing in front of the Dos Hermanos section of Iguazu Falls. Upon seeing Iguazu, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly exclaimed, "Poor Niagara!" Considered to be rivaled only by Africa's Victoria Falls, Iguazu is made up of about 270 falls and islands. We made a day trip from Buenos Aires to Iguazu, which is on the border of Argentina and Brazil, before boarding our cruise ship to travel to Uruguay and Brazil. Compared to the excursion offered by the cruise line, we saved over $2,000 per couple (although the cruise's excursion included an overnight stay).
Record on the Road: Aruba
Aruba was one of the stops on our November 2007 cruise. This photo was taken at the famous California Lighthouse, near a rest stop.
Delaware market has values close to home
"Are you a mushroom person?" ask the ladies of the Historic Lewes Farmers Market as we walk past Davidson Exotic Mushrooms.
DeMarrais: Frequent fliers feel pain of fee rise
Two years ago, my wife and I cashed in frequent flier miles for a trip to Italy, and it cost a grand total of $96 round trip for the two of us.
Record on the Road: Versailles
Here are Marianne Jordan of Washington Township, Ellen Finley of Hackensack and Nancy Blumenthal of Emerson in front of the Palace of Versailles on a recent trip to France. We are great friends, all nurses who have worked together in Bergen County.
Aug 12, 2008
D.C. offers lots |of wallet-friendly attractions
There are so many free and cheap things to do in Washington that the biggest challenge is carving out enough time to take advantage of them. Many museums, monuments and other institutions — from the zoo to the botanic garden — that are run by the federal government charge no admission. But even if you’ve been here, done that 15 times over, the capital is packed with new and overlooked attractions.
Aug 10, 2008
D.C. offers lots of wallet-friendly attractions
There are so many free and cheap things to do in Washington that the biggest challenge is carving out enough time to take advantage of them. Many museums, monuments and other institutions - from the zoo to the botanic garden - that are run by the federal government charge no admission. But even if you've been here, done that 15 times over, the capital is packed with new and overlooked attractions.
Record on the Road: Hawaii's Mauna Kea
We left the tropical beaches of Hawaii's Big Island behind us as we ascended 13,796 feet above the clouds and timberline to the frigid summit of Mauna Kea, home to the W.M. Keck Observatory. Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world: 33,000 feet when measured from its base on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. After watching a magnificent sunset, we were treated to a "star show" featuring the Milky Way and other magical vistas.
Handy gadgets to make traveling fun
Who can say what the best travel gadgets are, especially since we all have different iPods and cameras?
Briefs: Mahwah's Les Paul honored; N.H.'s Clough State Park reopens
Guitar legend, innovator and Mahwah resident Les Paul is credited with developing revolutionary engineering techniques like close miking, echo delay and multitracking.
Travel Q-and-A: Where to stay in Belize City
Q. We'll be flying into Belize City in early January for a week. Not sure if we want to stay at an all-inclusive or a more eclectic resort. Any suggestions?
Record on the Road: Egypt
After Israel, Greece, Italy and China, among others, I thought I had seen the most ancient civilizations. Then, there was incredible, mysterious and exotic Egypt. Everywhere else seems almost modern by comparison. We traveled by plane, sleeper train, river boat, felucca, horse-drawn carriage and camel, and at no time felt threatened or unsafe.
Make and send your own postcards online
Don't like your postcard options when you travel? Make and send your own online at zoomandgo.com.
Record on the Road: Quebec
If we had the time and the money, we probably would have chosen Paris for Ramsey High School's French Club trip, but traveling to Quebec City and Montreal was still fabulous. We attended the winter carnival, watched a parade, ate croque monsieurs and visited the Biodôme, one of Montreal's Olympic sites.
Zakopane often hailed as a ‘Polish Aspen’
If you look up, you'll see him.
Berkshires offer a host of activities, from rugged to refined
Care for some art with your quiet forest scenery? Maybe a little hiking or fishing before you tackle restaurants and shopping? Take a drive to western Massachusetts and see what the Berkshire hills have to offer for relaxation and fun.
Deals in Manhattan, New Orleans and Prague
- The deal: "Game, Set, Match" U.S. Open tennis package at The Muse New York, Manhattan. Make this midtown hotel your base as you see Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal renew their rivalry at the National Tennis Center in Queens.
Record on the Road: Grand Canyon
After seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time a few years ago, it was my parents' dream to show the incredible spectacle to their grandchildren. Our final destination was the breathtaking vistas of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We started out early in the day, which is the best time to avoid the inevitable lunchtime and afternoon crowds. We lunched at the El Tovar hotel, which offered a wonderfully cool respite and generous portions. My parents are very active senior citizens, so they enjoyed all the activities and views as much as the kids!
Record on the Road: Canada
To celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, we recently took a cruise to Canada, stopping at ports along the way. We sailed on the Queen Mary 2, leaving from Brooklyn on a glorious day. We were among 13 couples who renewed their wedding vows onboard in a beautiful ceremony followed by a formal evening and celebration.
Record on the Road: Grenada
This photo was taken at Belmont Estate on the island of Grenada (pronounced Gren-ay-da), where we learned how pure chocolate is made. Here we are standing among the millions of cocoa beans drying in the sun, which is the final step before being processed into chocolate.
Aug 09, 2008
Sweet escape
How could I resist the chance to lick my chocolate-covered arms during the Chocolate Fondue Wrap or drink what is essentially hot chocolate as I soak in the Whipped Cocoa Bath?
Aug 03, 2008
South Jersey forest offers a Mongolian camping experience
Evicted from a yurt in South Jersey - how embarrassing. At least I wasn't traveling by yak.
Broad shoulders and wide beaches
Chicagoans are a little like Northern Europeans: After the snow melts and the sun comes out, they go outside and stay there all summer.
Themecruisefinder.com
ThemeCruiseFinder.com can help you locate a cruise themed on whatever interests you. There are cruises dedicated to golf, cruises about religion, and cruises featuring performances and concerts from rock and the blues to country and gospel.
Record on the Road: Dominican Republic
If you love baseball, then you may want to extend the season by visiting the Dominican Republic to watch Winter League baseball. The winter season runs from October to February and includes a six-team league, complete with a national championship and an international tournament.
Travel warnings
The U.S. State Department issues travel warnings when it recommends Americans avoid a certain country because of potential dangers. |
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