One of my favorite things to do when I visit a new city is to take a tour of the city, by someone who knows it a lot better than I do. I’ve taken tours in London, Paris, Dublin, New York, Toronto, and Montreal, and all of them gave me a great overview of the cities, and a quick glimpse of things I wanted to go back and visit more.

Trusted Tours and Attractions is one such tour company, and they offer tours and discounted tickets to attractions in Key West, San Diego, and Savannah. Enjoy a discounted admission ticket to the famous San Diego Zoo, or a fun Old Town Trolley tour. I love this type of tour, which allows you to hop on and hop off at 8 destinations. It’s like having a private driver to take you to all of the highlights of the city, but you get to see everything on YOUR schedule. The Old Town Trolley tour in San Diego stops at:

• Old Town
• Seaport Village
• Balboa Park
• Horton Plaza
• Coronado
• San Diego Zoo

If we went to San Diego, we’d have to pick a tour or tickets that included a stop at San Diego Legoland - my son wouldn’t have it any other way!

Right now, you can enter to win 4 free tickets to tours in the city of YOUR choice, just by signing up for the Trusted Tours and Attractions e-newsletter. Sign up by Friday, December 14th, 2007, because that’s when this contest official ends!

This summer we had the opportunity to take a family vacation to Canada. If you’ve been readin me since then, you already know that we flew into Detroit and rented a car. From there we drove to Toronto, then Montreal, and then to Niagara. The drive through Ontario on the first day was just fabulous - driving is absolutely the best way to see a new place. We navigated down the 401 through small towns, and once we hit Brampton, we knew we were getting close to Toronto. I’ve seen the town of Brampton on TV before, so I was funny for me to see it “in person”, too! The area, and Brampton real estate has been featured quite a bit on a show I watch on HGTV, due to the city’s proximity to Toronto. BramptonHouse.com is attempting to capitalize on Toronto being one of the largest cities in the world by offering great deals on real estate to those wishing to save money by moving to the suburbs. The site even offers real estate discounts for seniors, students & new immigrants, making it possible for anyone to buy a home and live the American Canadian dream.

In just two weeks, I’ll be in Las Vegas!

Originally, we planned to swing in a side trip to the Grand Canyon. Our plans have changed however, and the new plans require me to leave Vegas a bit earlier on Monday and head to California. That means no trip to Arizona for me! I’m a little bummed, since it would have been a great time to see the Canyon, but I guess this means we’ll need to plan another trip and take the kids, eh?

And trust me - the thing in California is JUST as exciting as the Grand Canyon, if not more so. The Grand Canyon will be there for years to come, but I’ve got a once in a lifetime opportunity to do something, and I’m taking my chance!

*Yes, I’m being extremely vague, but I don’t have a green light to talk about what I’ll be up to in Los Angeles!

I absolutely love going to North Carolina. So much so, that Jim and I would love to build a retirement home there someday! I spent quite a bit of time as a child driving up and down I-95 on my way in and out of my home state of Florida, and as an adult, I’ve made frequent trips to the mountains in the western part of the state. On several of my trips, we’ve made quick visits to Raleigh, and it’s a great “big” town that feels like a small town. Not a lot of people know about this little big town, so they’re missing out on all that Raleigh, NC has to offer, like the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, theater, concerts, BugFest, and the state fair. Or how about hiking, and parks, and exploring historic sites?

You can enter to win your very own FREE Raleigh Getaway online, which includes:

• One night accommodations for two at the Courtyard by Marriott Raleigh Crabtree Valley
• $25 gift certificate to Bloomsbury Bistro
• Free VIP admission for two to Rum Runners
• 2 tickets to the North Carolina Theatre
• 2 tickets to the N.C. Museum of Art’s Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism
• 2 tickets to Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences

This fall getaway package gives you the chance to visit a great town at a great time. Crisp, cool air, fall leaves, and the best this little big city has to offer, all in one trip!

With only 2 months until our trip to Las Vegas, I’m starting to take a look at some activities that Jim and I can do during our stay there, other than gamble. We’ve discussed renting a car and driving to the Grand Canyon, and Jim wants to take me to The Ghost Bar and the “old strip”. After a while though, I know I’ll be over bars and slots and the nightlife. After about 3 days, I’ll need some downtime. On of the activities I enjoy doing on vacation is horseback riding. We’ve been on trails in New Mexico, Tennessee, and most recently, North Carolina. Most of those have been short 1 or 2 hour trail rides, but this site I found with information on horseback riding in Las Vegas has 8 hour tours that include a meal, and even an overnight tour that allows you to sleep under the stars. I absolutely love the idea of riding a horse out in the country for a few hours, and seeing a side of Vegas that doesn’t have a slot machine or showgirl as far as the eye can see.

The Jesse James Sunset BBQ dinner ride in particular sounds like it’s for me - a long sunset ride followed by a steak dinner. A chance to see the Nevada desert, cowboys, and maybe even some varmits! This isn’t just a great activity for couples, but for families, business groups - even the locals can enjoy this.

After visiting Montreal this summer, my son has decided that our next big family vacation should be to Paris. Apparently he was quite taken with the language and the croissants. I’m all for another trip to Paris - Jim and I went in 1995 together, and it was just a quick 3 night stay. I was 5 months pregnant and miserable in the heat and humidity, so I’d like to take another trip back where we can take our time and enjoy the city a bit more.

Having been to the city one, I know exactly where I’d like to stay, should we return, and it’s a charming area down a side street, within walking distance from the Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe. You can find reasonable priced Paris hotels if you’re willing to make a few small concessions, like perhaps going without air conditioning, or an elevator, or sharing a bathroom with other travelers. (Our room had a/c, but it died during our stay!) Otherwise, you’ll probably find that hotels with larger rooms and more amenities run closer to $150 - $200 USD. It’s an expensive city to eat in as well, so plan accordingly - when you see a small grocery store near your hotel, buy food for lunch and breakfast there. Dinner can easily run $100 USD a night!

The listings at HotelClub.com offer a range of hotels in Paris, from the budget to the high end. Each offers reviews from other travelers, so you can see for yourself what the pros and cons of each location and hotel offer. Landmarks are listed with each hotel, so it’s easy to determine where your hotel is for easy access to sightseeing.

I booked our airfare and hotel for Las Vegas yesterday!

I’m going to be doing a lot of traveling over the next few weeks. I’ve got Boston next week, then the 3-Day in Tampa in October, and then in November, we’re off to Las Vegas for 5 nights. Jim and I paid a little more for direct flights on Southwest, and we’re staying at one of the older hotels on the strip. He’s already talking about the places he wants to take me once we get to Las Vegas - to check out the shops at The Forum, to Ellis Island, to see a show - I’m excited!

My husband dreams of going to Spain someday, so that he can participate in the running of the bulls. Me, I just dream of going to Spain. I have no intention of showing how out of shape I am by letting myself get gored by a bull! I prefer my vacations to be injury free. Should you be level headed traveler, like myself, you’re probably less interested in the running of the bulls, and more interested in seeing the sights and history of Spain, especially it’s capital city - Madrid. This is one place in Europe where you won’t find a bevy of bilingual residents, so it’s a good idea to learn a few simple Spanish phrases before you go, or purchase an English to Spanish dictionary to carry along with you.

Madrid has a long history, both religious and royal, and no trip is complete without stops at two important destinations. The first is the Royal Palace, which is a the largest in Europe, and the second is the Catedral de la Almudena, located across the street from the palace. You can easily find Madrid hotels located with walking distance of major attractions on HotelClub.com, and the site offers both cheap hotels for the budget traveler, and 5 star hotels going for as much as 419 Euros per night.

We had a bunch of my husband’s buddies over this weekend, and of course, the talk turned to their next “guy trip”. They’re thinking, Costa Rica. I’m thinking, with what money? HA! I’d be al for it if I were going too! These are the same guys my husband went to Amsterdam with back in 1999. They flew into Amsterdam, spent a few days seeing the sites, and then bought rail passes to travel through the rest of Europe. Nice, huh? Of course these guys did a lot of sleeping in train stations and hostels. They’re not exactly the type who would use an Amsterdam hotel guide to plan out anything in advance. Me? I’m exactly that type. When I plan my next trip to London, I also plan on pouring over a London hotel guide for several weeks before making my hotel selection. Where you stay, as far as location, is VERY important to me. I’ll stay at a hotel with fewer amenities, or pay a little more, simply for having a great location. The last time we visited London, we stayed in a great hotel down a side street, which happened to end at Buckingham Palace. Talk about a fabulous location! Quiet, but literally close to EVERYTHING. It was called Buckingham Palace Road for heavens sake, and in a lovely area called Westminster.

Maybe my next trip won’t be to London. No worries - there’s a Europe hotels guide to give me information on any city I could hope to ever visit!

This is a sponsored review.

I absolutely love London. I’ve been there twice (with my mom in 1995, and again with my mom and husband-to-be in 1996) and found it to be delightful both times. It’s rich in history, which I so appreciate, and a very hip, fun city to visit. We enjoyed seeing the Tower of London, and a play in the theater district, and touring Buckingham Castle. Something that wasn’t there when I visited is the London Eye - you may know it as the big ferris wheel. The London Eye gives you a birds eye view of all the city has to offer, and on clear days, you can see as far as Windsor Castle, located 25 miles away. (Been there, toured that!) The eye is 135 meters high, and overlooks the banks of the Thames River, which I’ve enjoyed a river cruise on. Over 3.5 million people visit the London Eye each year, and should you wish to see it, you can easily find a London hotel within close proximity to the eye. Did you know, you can even get MARRIED on the London Eye? It’s true! Wouldn’t that be something to tell the grandkids?

I’ve always wanted to go to San Francisco. I even considered walking the 3-Day there, when I saw it would be returning to the bay area next year, but then realized walking 60 miles around the city for 3 days wouldn’t be the relaxing vacation I had in mind. No sir, the kind of vacation I want includes plenty of time for San Francisco sightseeing tours. You see, when I travel to a major city - be it San Francisco, London, or Paris - I want to see all of the things I’ve only read about, or seen on TV. The Golden Gate Bridge (which I see in the Full House reruns my kids watch nonstop), or Alcatraz. I always like taking a guide tour in a major city, like the ones that Trusted Tours offers, so that I can see all of the highlights without driving myself to and from and paying admission fees at various locations. I’d rather just pay one all inclusive tour price that provides me with a hassle free way to see the sites. You want to tour the city of San Francisco on a Segway? No problem. How about a lunch cruise that takes you past Alcatraz? Trusted Tours can hook you on on that too. You want to hop a trolley and pretend you’re in a Rice-A-Roni advertisement? Sure! Visit the Trusted Tours eNewsletter for more great tours and tips in cities around the USA!

I had the pleasure of making my first and only trip (so far) to Utah a few years ago to visit a friend. Though my time in Salt Lake City was short, I did get a trip up the mountain to one of the local ski resorts for a day of pampering at the spa. Had I been able to spend more time in Utah, I would have liked to see some of the other cities I’ve heard about, like Park City, home of the Winter Olympics in 2002. Park City is home to the Sundance Film Festival and the United States Ski Team, and it is also a vacation destinations for people who love to ski. This Park City hotel website will help you to find the perfect resort for your stay in Park City. I really liked the April Inn, located right on Main Street downtown. The building looks like something right out of the 1800’s - based on that, I can only imagine how picturesque the town of Park City is!

When choosing a hotel in an unfamiliar city, my mantra is always location, location, location!

Learn where the landmarks and attractions are that you wish to see on your vacation, and look for hotels that are close to those places, or close to public transportation. For instance, I’ve never been to Florence, Italy, but I know from my research on Wikipedia that should I ever get to Florence, I want to see:

• Piazza della Repubblica
• Ponte Vecchio and the River Arno
• Santa Maria del Fiore at Duomo Square
• Bartolomeo Ammanati’s Fountain of Neptune

A quick glance at HotelClub.com and their list of Florence hotels, and I can see that several are in what appears to be the heart of the city - close to Duomo Square, or in the historic center. Perfect for a first timer! The Fenice Palace Hotel Florence in particular is just 100 meters from Duomo Square, next to the Medici Chapels, and close to Giotto’s bell tower. The location is also close to museums and dining. Perfecto!

This is a sponsored review.

You can forget about good surfing where I live. The Gulf of Mexico has wimpy waves, so you can boogie board, and you can wind surf, but you can’t actually surf on a surf board. (Except for those few times when a hurricane is coming and the wind is kicking up huge waves!)

If you want to do serious surfing, you head for the big waves of Hawaii. Poipu, Hawaii is one of the neatest places you can go. The small town boast a population of just over 1,000 people. In fact, at any given time, they’ve probably got more vacationers staying in Poipu condos and hotels than they do residents! But the lack of residents translates into a quiet, picture perfect place to relax in one of these beautiful Poipu vacation homes and find some great waves. The town features several posh high end resorts, as well as many Poipu vacation rentals to choose from. Once you’re settled into your room, had out to the local beaches and catch a wave. Poipu is located on the south side of Kauai (also known as Kaua’i) which is the leeward side, meaning sunnier and drier weather for tourists. You’ll enjoyed the laid back feeling that Poipu has to offer, as well as great beaches (Poipu Beach was named the #1 beach in the world by National Geographic Traveler!) and waves.

This is a sponsored review.

Why can’t I go somewhere really fantastic on a business trip? I went to Pittsburgh last week, and my next trips will be to Dallas, and possibly Boston. We’ve got an office in Australia - why can’t they send me there? Coincidentally, after I posted about wishing I could go down under someday, a coworker of mine mentioned that someone in our division IS being sent there. Sweet! Today I’m continuing my short series on Asia hotels and Australia hotels by filling you in on a town called Cairns. This town is considered to be the gateway to north Queensland, and if you plan on visiting the Great Barrier Reef, you’ll have to go through Cairns to get there. The city is lovely, with part of the city being located on Trinity Bay, and beautiful mountains around the rest of town, and the proximity to the reef (only an hour away) makes this city the 4th visited town in Australia. Should you need to locate hotels in Cairns, never fear - you can do so easily online, with the rating and price noted right on the main page, as well as easy access to information on the city, what to see and what to do while you’re there.

Walking around a city is the best way to see it, so when I arrived in Pittsburgh this week, that’s just what I did! I was picked up at the airport by Marisa, and we drove off towards the city. My friends had said that entering Pittsburgh at night was spectacular, and Marisa agreed, saying that coming through the tunnel and seeing the city in front of you was like coming through the front door of Pittsburgh. I couldn’t agree more.

Until we entered the Fort Pitt tunnel, the landscape was mostly nothing but trees, but wow - once we came through the tunnel, the city lay before us, all lit up. There were rivers to in front of us, and beautiful homes on the mountain behind and above us. Pittsburgh doesn’t pimp out the view enough!

Once we deposited our things in my hotel room, we walked from my hotel (located next to PNC Park) over the Sixth Street Bridge into downtown, up a few blocks, and back over the bridge. I oohed and aahed over the city - the old buildings, and bridges on every block crossing the river, and the lights up on the mountain. It really is a beautiful place that doesn’t get enough credit!