World Travel and Tourist Destinations

Most people think of Alaska as the coldest, most barren part of the United States; this reputation is entirely inaccurate. The best way to see just how wrong this impression is, consider taking a vacation on an Alaskan cruise. Several cruise liners offer exceptional service as passengers marvel at the wonders of the Pacific Ocean and experience life in the cities and towns up the Alaskan coast. It is not your typical cruise vacation. After the first day, you will feel a much more natural, less tamed sense of freedom.

Alaskan cruises guarantee experiences you will not have on a stereo-typical cruise. While most cruises take tourists to tropical locations that are over-crowded and often uncomfortably warm, a cruise up the Alaskan coast provides a unique experience. If you want to explore the cities and town during the port visits, you will witness the bustling existence of America’s coldest state, with less of a touristy feel. Only a trip to Alaska can offer visitors the chance to hike along a glacier or take a helicopter ride to get some amazing pictures. If you are a fan of Call of the Wild, you can take the opportunity to see this world first hand on one of the dog sled excursions. During most of the tourist season you can see whale, sea lions, seals, and other wildlife enjoying the colder Pacific waters.

Of course, it is not the type of trip where you will be packing bikinis and shorts. It is recommended that passengers bring warmer clothes and coats, even in the summer, because of the cooler ocean breezes and higher latitudinal location. This means you will not be compelled to go on a crash diet before your vacation begins. Many cruise liners do have pools, so if you really want a bit of the bathing suit experience it is still an option.

Watching Pirates of the Caribbean will make anyone marvel at the sheer beauty of that area. With its sparkling blue water and remote appearance, it is easy to decide to escape to the Caribbean for vacation. Generally cruises are determined by the location where you want to travel: the Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, or Southern Caribbean. Each section of this gorgeous spans of water and islands has its own charms and cities to recommend it.

A cruise around the Eastern Caribbean is probably a good first time trip if you are not at all familiar with this part of the world. A cruise will take you ports like Barbados, Key West, St. Croix, and St. Kitts. Some of the places where you will stop are larger towns and cities where you explore different markets and shop for souveniers. Others ports are smaller and provide more of an escape from the crowd.

The Western Caribbean ports are more along the lines of what people imagine when they think of the Caribbean. From the Bahams and Grand Cayman, to Jamaica, the ports of call are the ones you would expect. Widely known for the outstanding beaches and numerous off boat activities, these ports of call will keep you exploring for the entirety of the port call.

The Southern Caribbean has more exotic, remote locations. With normal stops in Antigua, Aruba, Quadeloupe, and St. Luca, this trip will be unlike the other two. When you depart the ship, you will have more of a chance to escape from the crowds and experience more of a native Caribbean feel.

Some activities are universal, regardless of where you go. No trip to the Caribbean would be complete without a snorkeling excursion. You can play on vast stretches of phenomenal beaches and enjoy the beauty immortalized in so many movies and songs.

Largely gone are the days where people will pack up an elephant gun and attempt to bring home animal trophies from the largely untamed African wilds. Instead safari travelers can become closer to nature and gain a new respect for the gentle giants roam the continent, as well as many of the other unique, indigenous animals. Landlocked tours are no longer the only way to safari either. Several Southern Africa safaris focus on the ocean and beach life exclusive to this magnificent area.

Something you don’t encounter, or even think about, often is the chance to feed wildlife from a car, most of the time you aren’t even allowed to feed animals anywhere you go outside your home. Africa has an amazing Wildlife Park that gives tourists the opportunity to feed animals like elk and bison from their cars. Naturally, you must drive safely, but it is a great way to start to warm up to some less familiar animals. Don’t expect to see any of the fiercer African animals roaming so freely; the best way to check out the more typically imagined African animals is to schedule a safari out on the Savannah. From a more comfortably safe distance, you can watch the world’s largest cats in action, or inaction if you choose the wrong part of the day.

Between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, South Africa is teeming with aquatic wildlife. After checking out some of the most successful hunters on land, watch some of the world’s best predators of the ocean. You can even plan to take a swim with some of the less fierce sharks. For the sports enthusiast there are different kayaking safaris that take tourists around some of the more remote islands. These trips include other water activities, like snorkeling and fishing.

From its rich history to the modern creations that keep this city very much alive, London is one of the most fascinating and accommodating cities to visit. One of the first places to start is with a trip on the breath taking London Eye. In the time it takes to make one revolution, any tourist will have seen during this phenomenal view of much of London a number of landmarks and buildings to spark interest. Overlooking the Thames River, the London Eye is a large Ferris wheel with glass capsules to allow the riders to have an optimal view of London.

With thousands of years of history, there are few places in London that are not inundated with the feel and atmosphere of the thousands of years this marvelous city has existed. From the broken portion of a Roman wall to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, London has enough tours and buildings to keep any history buff happy or inform those who are curious to learn more about this ancient city. There are even darker tours for more adult audiences, like the Jack the Ripper Tour. There are also places that are old but kept up to modern standards, like Buckingham Palace, and the famous changing of the guards.

But London is does not rely on its wealth of history and accomplishments. The city is lively and energetic with many modern marvels. With many internet cafes and an efficient tube system, London provides many conveniences to the tourist. This unique city has shops and stores to keep shoppers happily occupied, both during rainy times when you can shop inside and during sunny periods at the outdoor markets. Camden Market is one such place that can provide hours of delightful perusal of a wide array of items. It is also a prime stop for concert stops, so it would be wise to check future concerts and plays when planning a trip to this noble city.