Posts Tagged ‘resorts’

Encinitas has a different vibe than any of the beach towns north of San Diego – but what is it that makes it so captivating, so special? Many feel its because Encinitas is still lost in time back in the 1960s when California was a much simpler place with small roadside motels along Highway 101. Encinitas hotels didn’t exist back in the 60s, nor were there any Encinitas Bed and Breakfasts or hotels in Del Mar or the Cardiff Lodge.

Encinitas is home to romantic bed and breakfasts, Stone Steps Beach, The Roxy Restaurant where you can buy a glass of rum and an ice cream cone, cute boutiques, funky old hotels on the historic Pacific Coast Highway, Moonlight beach, the La Paloma theater (still featuring weekly surf movies) and romantic Encinitas bed and breakfasts. Encinitas is so laid back that it is often referred to as “San Diego’s Sleepy Surf Town.”

Students, tourists and surfers jam Karina’s Mexican Restaurant for lunch and dinner. The wide sidewalks along the old historic Pacific Coast Highway through “downtown” Encinitas are lined with outdoor restaurants, a seaside “bazaar” and boutique shops. No other beach town in the San Diego area has such a great selection of restaurants – from Mexican take-out to fine Italian dining. If you come to visit, make a reservation at an Encinitas B&B or Carlsbad Bed and Breakfast and bring your appetite!

Moonlight Beach has the best of San Diego beaches and is an easy walk from the Inn At Moonlight Beach Bed and Breakfast Inn. It’s a great spot to soak up some sun, enjoy a game of pickup volleyball, have a picnic or cookout at the big fire-rings, try your hand at surfing or boogie-boarding, body surf, read a book, people watch or just kick back and “chill.” You won’t find a better beach in Encinitas to work on your tan.

Ann Dunham owns and operates an intimate, romantic Encinitas Bed and Breakfast just off the Pacific Coast Highway. Her lovely boutique inn is often called the San Diego Beach Bed and Breakfast said to be more romantic than Del Mar Hotels and more lovely than the Carlsbad Bed and Breakfasts.

The four suites at the romantic Inn At Moonlight Beach are decorated like a Spanish seaside resort. All rooms have coffee maker with Starbucks coffee, refrigerators, wireless internet, color televisions and a private bath. What makes Ann’s Encinitas bed & breakfast so very special is that the hostess, Ann Dunham, bakes delicious breads and muffins for your breakfast every morning.

Terry Hunefeld retired as President of a California coaching company to follow his love of exploring the ocean to monitor birds, dolphins and whales. Hunefeld and his wife Ann Dunham own the Inn At Moonlight Beach in Encinitas near Del Mar and San Diego. For more information visit: Solana Beach Bed and Breakfasts or Carlsbad Bed and Breakfasts.

Imagine a romantic vacation getaway to a quiet, relaxing and scenic village on the beautiful Pacific Ocean. This getaway has charming hotels and Inns, phenomenal restaurants and miles of gorgeous beaches. It’s just those elements that make up the gem that is called Del Mar, California.

Del Mar is Spanish for “of the sea” or “by the sea”, because it is located near the Pacific Ocean and is one of the most beautiful and romantic resort beach towns in the world. It’s here you find world-class restaurants, romantic bed and breakfasts, exotic hiking trails, delightful beaches and a world famous horse racing track

Del Mar has been home to celebrities ever since the 1940’s when Bing Crosby, Pat O’Brien and Jimmy Durante helped turn the Del Mar Race Track Thoroughbred Club into one of the most beautiful and prestigious organizations in the entire racing world. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez were regulars at the track in those days, and Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickenson also had residences in Del Mar. Brad Pitt purchased a home here recently – an $18 million dollar beachfront home – so now Brad Pitt sightings are the new sport in town.

Del Mar isn’t very large, just two square miles along the Northern San Diego County coast between Solana Beach on the north and Torrey Pines State Reserve on the south. Del Mar has a population of 4000 to 5000 Del-Marians (depending on who is counting) who live among the beautiful sandstone canyons interspersed with hillsides or perched on bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, all of them enjoying beautiful sunsets.

Del Mar is home to the endangered Torrey Pine, the rarest species of pine tree in the United States. Only two populations of this endangered species exist – one in Torrey Pines State Reserve the other in Del Mar proper.

Each summer Del Mar plays host to the San Diego County Fair at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The fair originally opened in 1936, the site selected because it was the perfect spot just off the main highways – while still being near the ocean’s cooling breezes on hot summer days. Selection of a fair queen – Fairest of the Fair – is still a fail highlight each summer.

It was Bing Crosby who took a leading role to ensure that the now-world-famous Del Mar Race Track became reality. Del Mar Race Track opened in 1937 with newspapers dubbing the track “Bing’s Baby.” The next year Bing recorded a song that would eventually open each day of the racing season since those early days – Where The Turf Meets the Surf.

Terry Hunefeld gave up his position as a corporate CEO in 2007 to spend more time at sea. He now volunteers his time on the board of directors of the Audubon Society and leads charter voyages to sea to observe and count seabirds and marine mammals. To learn more, click San Diego B&Bs or Encinitas Beach Hotels.

The holiday season is well upon us again, but a lot of people will be staying here for their UK family holidays this year due to the economical downturn and credit crisis. But not all is doom and gloom, there are some fabulous places that that you can visit and take the kids out in the United kingdom, so lets have a look at a few.

Cornwall and Devon

Cornwall and Devon are probably one of the best places to visit in the UK. If you are looking for some nice sun, sea and sand then this could be the ultimate choice for you. The beaches in Cornwall are lovely and sandy and if the weather is nice it can actually feel like you are abroad.

Theme Park

If you are staying in England this year, then visiting the theme park is a must. The UK houses some of the best theme parks, the whole world visit places such as Chessington and Alton Towers.

Tourist Destinations

Once again if you are going to the UK then there are some great attractions that you would be crazy to miss out on such as the millenium dome. If you are a great football fan then the UK houses some on the best football clubs in the world.

Museums

The UK is well known for museums such as the Natural History Museum in London, so if you are a historian then this will definitely be a place that you do not want to miss. Even if you are interested in things such as dinosaurs.

There are so many destinations here in the UK to visit that you really do not need to go abroad, except for if you are only going abroad to catch up on some sun.

For the ultimate Dancing Holidays and Bowls Holidays

Puerto Rico is a friendly place on the Eastern Caribbean, appealing to travelers for many reasons. Its a USA territory so it does not require a passport or visa for US citizens. Others may arrive to the island as if they were arriving to any US Port. Puerto Rico is the most visited place in the Caribbean, and also the easiest one to get to. Flights arrive in San Juan from all over the United States, Canada, Europe, as well as from Central and S. America and the Caribbean Islands. Puerto Rico resorts are a popular vacation option. These resorts in Puerto Rico offer the best value for the vacation dollar.

You will find not only white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, but also lots of shade under the coconut palm trees and all the facilities required for a great day at the beach like Showers, bathrooms, food stands, drinks and more. The other area of beaches that have become a must for visitors is the west coast called Porta del Sol. Here the main attraction is the beaches of Rincon where the Caribbean meets the Atlantic are rough and idyllic for Surfing. Surfers from all over the world come to Porta del Sol for the greatest surfing in the Caribbean. These activities drive loads of visitors to choose Puerto Rico vacations each year.

Puerto Rico has special events all year long. The most popular events are held during the Patron Saint Festivals or Fiestas Patronales, in honor of the patron saint of each municipality. They include religious processions that have originated as a Catholic tradition. Held in the town square, the festivals offer colorful displays of pride and joy, featuring parades, games, rides, regional food and live entertainment. The island offers a wide variety of sports including golf, tennis and hiking. For the water sports lover, scuba diving, snorkeling and deep sea fishing off San Juan’s coast could be an experience of a lifetime. 

In the towns you will experience 400 years of Spanish heritage seen in the architecture and the beautiful Town Plazas that you can find in each town without exceptions. Old San Juan, the walled city has been maintained and refurbished to look exactly as it was built by the Spanish, the British and others that left their mark on the city. Old San Juan is a peninsula and to get there you have to border the Atlantic Ocean, which is a great experience. This is one of the most beautiful colonial cities in the Americas.

Resorts in the Poconos are available for families and couples. For couples, there are resorts that are poised to make your stay a memorable one. Families on the other hand can put together reunions at one of these family-oriented resorts.

The Poconos resorts history started when Rudolf Von Hoevenberg opened “The Farm on the Hill”, a resort for honeymooners in 1945. Soon, other honeymoon resort owners followed and by the 1950’s, resorts in the Poconos became a lucrative business. There are so many resorts to choose from that one would have to make a decision to ensure that it caters to the needs of all involved.

Now each year, thousands upon thousands of people visit the Poconos to relax and vacation. Over 200,000 of them are honeymooners to the place that was once dubbed “The Honeymoon Capital of the World.” Visitors can either stay in a time-share house, which consists of mountain or lakefronts or at one of the popular hotels or resorts. Costs of these resorts range from $250 to $600 per night. But those who have experienced a Poconos honeymoon will tell you that it is money well spent. You end up paying for a resort equipped with heart-shaped bathtubs, whirlpools, fireplace and round, king-sized beds.
Some of the prices are inclusive of two meals, activities and entertainment. A well known resort is the Caesars Pocono Resort.

Poconos Resort accomodations

Open in the Poconos for many years, the entrance of Caesars has welcomed many honeymoon couples. This luxury establishment has 4 levels of pleasure waiting for you and your loved one. And they go all-out to pamper couples: dry sauna, steam shower, massage table with heat lamp, and breakfast in bed. A honeymoon concierge is also on hand at the resort to give you information that will make your vacation run more smoothly. They include transportation and can assist with information about resort activities.

Resorts offer activities such as water-skiing, golf, indoor and outdoor tennis, paddle boating, snow skiing and snowmobiling. You can explore your own activities away from the resort. After all, in the Poconos, there is really never a dull moment. Go sailing, or take a walk on one of the beaches. You’ll have a romantic time in the park or by the lake. Whatever you do, ensure that you get back to your room just in time for nightly entertainment, which some Poconos hotels include as part of your all-inclusive package.  

Saving some cash when visiting to DisneyWorld probably seems to be a contradiction, but with a little planning and preparation, visitors can have a great visit to Florida without running up a huge bill.

The Walt Disney World Resort is definitely huge, covering almost 46 total miles just outside Kissimmee, Florida. There are four gigantic theme areas, Epcot, MGM, the Animal Kingdom, and the Magic Kingdom. With so much to see, visitors almost always spend at least 7 days or more just to take it all in. Disney World has constructed more than a dozen resorts just to take care of everyone visiting the parks.

Of course, Disney executives recognize that folks are searching for different options when visiting the area. For this reason, they have resorts that fit everyone’s budget. Hotels are separated into Value, Moderate, and Deluxe classifications. Value is sort of the Walt Disney way of saying cheap, but you will not be disappointed, as the Disney Value hotels are clean and comfortable. Moderate hotels are definitely nicer, offering bigger rooms and full service dining on the property.

Deluxe hotels at Disney World are full service accommodations built to satisfy and pamper any tourist. Many of the hotels such as the Grand Floridian and Polynesian are on the elevated train, so guests can easily ride to Epcot without having a rental car or taking a bus. Guest accommodations are much bigger, and the Disney World environment is always magical.

How should you go about picking a Disney Hotel? Well would you rather use your money on souvenirs or pamper yourself with the best, after all you are on holiday? Value rooms like the Pop Century can cost somewhere from $70 to $110 per night, while top end Hotel start from $250 and go up from there. As you can see, if you extrapolate that by 6 to 10 days, you could end up spending thousands extra just for a better place.

The option is yours, but whatever you pick, tourists can be sure Disney World employees will do their best to make sure you and your family have a good visit on your trip away from home.