Taking off Travel blog

On the Road is the name of one of novelist Jack Kerouac’s most notable works. A largely autobiographical work, On the Road is heavily based upon Kerouac’s real life road trips that he and his friends took across the United States in the 1950s. The two most important characters in the book, Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty, are based upon Jack Kerouac and his good friend Neal Cassady respectively.

Many people have read On the Road and have been greatly inspired by it to take their own road trips. You may go so far as to base your road trip on the book, taking destinations and trip ideas from Sal and Dean. However, there’s no need to go all the way – Sal and Dean aren’t exactly the greatest role models all the time. Here are some tips on how to choose your road trip inspiration from On the Road carefully.

One thing that you definitely want to snag from the book is the enthusiasm for the road trip. Wanderlust is the name of the game and Dean’s definitely got the right attitude when he says, “I just wanta ride, man! I gotta go!” Your motivation for taking a road trip should stem from a desire to travel and see the world, to stretch out restless legs and spread your wings. You should not be embarking upon a road trip like Dean because you stole five hundred cars and desperately need to get out of town.

As Sal and Dean discover, a great way to save money on a road trip is to drive a car cross country for another person. In the book, that’s how Sal and Dean come to drive a ’47 Cadillac limousine from Denver to Chicago. However, let that be the extent of your inspiration – Sal and Dean mess up the Cadillac so badly that by the time they arrive at their destination, the car cannot be recognized by its owner.

Unless you want to drive on an empty stomach, you’ll need to stock up on food for your road trip. A law abiding individual will pay for said food, while people like Sal grab the food and run out the grocery store door while the owners are looking the other way. Maybe Sal could get away with that sort of thing in the 1950s, but today everything would be captured on closed-circuit cameras and the odds of you making a clean getaway are slim.

Even if you’re in the middle of nowhere, it’s a good idea to maintain a legal speed. First of all, you never know where a cop may be lurking, just waiting to give you a ticket. More importantly, keeping to posted speed limits will increase your chances of coming out of this road trip alive. Dean chose to live on the wild side and drive so fast that he ended up driving into a ditch and wrecking his fender.

Tom Calver is from the website Car Rental Express. Book a cheap car rental with CarRentalExpress.com today.

There is definitely a wealth of attractions to visit when you are in New York; so many in fact that you might have a difficult time in deciding exactly which sights you should see during your visit. While it can be a challenge to choose from the many exciting sights and attractions, the following destinations should be at the top of your ‘must see’ list.

Empire State Building

There is simply no other location in New York where you can get a better view of the Big Apple. Located on 34th Street and 5th Avenue, the Empire State Building can be seen from a variety of points in the city. While at one time you could only travel up to the Observatory located on the 86th floor, you can now journey all the way up to the 102nd floor Observatory; providing an even greater view. Tickets can be purchased online as well as at the kiosk located on the 86th floor and the regular ticket booth at the Empire State Building.

Statue of Liberty

Presented to the United States as a gift from the people of France, the Statue of Liberty remains as a symbol of the friendship between the two countries as well as freedom and democracy. The trek to the crown is an astounding 354 steps, but it is definitely well worth it. The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island. To get there you will need to take the ferry either from Battery Park City or from New Jersey.

Central Park

Spanning some 843 acres, Central Park is comprised of paths, open spaces and lakes. Beyond simply wandering around the park and viewing its impressive size and beauty, there are also many things to, including taking a guided tour. Other popular activities in the Park include riding the Carousel, taking a walking tour, enjoying a picnic on the Great Lawn or in Sheep Meadow, renting a boat from Loeb Boathouse and rowing around the lake or taking in one of the many musical events and concerts frequently hosted in the Park. Central Park can be accessed by foot or by the subway. The park is bounded by 59th Street, 110th Street, 5th Avenue and Central Park West on the West.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ranked as one of the most popular attractions in New York, the Met features an extensive collection as well as special exhibits. There is truly something for everyone here, including a collection of Rembrandt paintings, Tiffany stained glass and ancient Egyptian artifacts. The museum is located at 1000 Fifth Avenue and can be reached by taking the 4, 5 or 6 trains to 86th Street and then walking west to the museum’s location at 5th and 82^nd.

Broadway

No visit to New York would be complete without taking in a show on Broadway. No matter what your taste might happen to be, you will be certain to find a production that appeals to you. There are currently more than 40 different theatres on Broadway. The theatres are located in the Theatre District in midtown, which can be reached by taking one of several subway lines.

Ryan Clark is a travel blogger and online copywriter. He prides himself in his ability to find the best hotel deals online. His best travel tip for his readers is to check on the quality of your accommodation through sites like Tripadvisor before you book. Cheap doesn’t always mean good! (Photo: AJP79)

Beach season is officially open and even if you didn’t hit the beach over Memorial Day weekend, there’s still plenty of time for summer splashes. Here are some beaches for you to enjoy:

1. Chimney Beach, East Shore Lake Tahoe, NV (Photo: chucklepix (Steve)

2. Penascola Beach (Photo: Innisfree Hotels)

Read more »

Happy Memorial Day! For many people, especially in the warmer states, this weekend is a great opportunity to hit the beach and enjoy the outdoors, especially if you’re in a region where the weather’s looking good. If you’re planning a beach trip, you’re in luck, because Dr Beach (Dr Stephen P Leatherman) has released his annual update on the country’s best beaches. This is the 21st year that Dr Beach has chosen the beaches, based on a long list of criteria. Last year’s best beach was Cooper’s Beach in Long Island, but for 2011 that accolade has gone to Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida. Here are some of the features that make this America’s best beach for 2011:

the powdery sand is nearly pure quartz crystal.  The beautiful blue-colored water is clean and clear, making it so inviting to bathers and swimmers.  The beach is hundreds of yards wide …

And here are the other beaches on the list:

2.  Coronado Beach in San Diego, California
3.  Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
4.  Main Beach in East Hampton, New York
5.  Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina
6.  St. George Island State Park, Florida panhandle
7.  Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island, South Carolina
8.  Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
9.  Waimanalo Bay Beach Park on Oahu, Hawaii
10. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida

(Photo: Betty B)

When I was making a lot of business trips a couple of years ago, I turned up to a few conferences where people had brought their children. It had never occurred to me to do that, but I can see why it might be a good idea. After all, sometimes you can go to interesting places that your kids would never see otherwise, and adding on the price of a couple of flights and paying a supplement for your room won’t be as costly as planning a trip to the same destination from scratch.

Of course, there are a few things you have to do to make it work, as this post from On the Go with Amy, points out. These include:

• upgrading your room to a suite so you can have privacy when you need to work
• letting your kids know it’s a work trip
• planning for play and leisure
• including a free day

Follow these tips and both you and your kids will be happy.

One key thing to do is to bring along another adult who can spend time with the kids while you’re in meetings – or hire a local sitter if that isn’t possible (thanks to the SCORE blog for this tip).

There’s one more thing to think about, though – is every business trip location a good one for your kids? Ken Walker suggests a list of places that your child must see – so if you have a business trip there, then be sure to take them along. These include the Rockies, Yellowstone, Niagara and the Kennedy Space Center (one of the best things to do in Florida, in my book).

Which business trips would you take your kids on? Please share in the comments.