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Have you noticed there’s no other place for teenagers to talk about travel?
Here you can read what other teenagers have to say about travel – from day trips to journeys abroad, shopping, eating, coasting, and other activities on vacation. Also, parents can read what teenagers like and dislike about family vacations and destinations so that they can plan a family trip that YOU will enjoy.
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A Classic Week in Europe
May 22nd, 2013
Europe is the dream destination for many teenagers. Why wouldn’t it be? Teens dream of standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, or seeing gondolas go by out their hotel window. Gratefully, last summer I got to experience this. For one week in July I went with my grandma to Paris, France, and Venice, Italy. We packed all we could into that fun-filled week.
We went during one of the busiest times. In the middle of the summer there are usually a lot of tourists, but that never gets in the way of what you are actually experiencing. The weather is pretty hot so you have to be sure to pack all summer clothes. The first day we landed in Venice, Italy. We got onto a taxi boat with a few other passengers and were dropped off at our hotel, the very famous, Hotel Rialto. It is situated next to the Rialto Bridge, which we could see right out our window. The hotel rooms are very quaint and well decorated. At night it was fun to just stare out the window and see the canal with gondolas and millions of boats and all different kinds of people, local or not, stroll by.
While we were there we bought boat taxi tickets to take you to neighboring islands. On these islands you can go to see old churches and the famous glass-making factories of Italy. My grandma and I went to a glass-making factory. It was really fascinating to see all the work that goes into the beautiful artwork. The island of Mirano was full of glass shops. You can’t leave Italy without buying something made of glass. The second night we were there, we went to another island on the boat taxi to go see an opera. It was entertaining but sometimes hard to understand the music.
Italy also has many restaurants. Since I’m a vegetarian, we found a great vegetarian restaurant called “La Pucca” or “The Pumpkin.” When you go to Italy you have to try their famous gelato. They come in so many flavors and aren’t too big. It makes you realize how overly big American food portions are. My grandma and I had a lot of fun there, but the next day we were headed to Paris, France!
We left to the airport in the morning and flew about an hour and a half to Paris. When we first got there we were running around the city trying to find our hotel because most of the taxis were pretty full (it’s a busy time). We finally found it and settled in for the rest of the week. After that we wandered around the city and went shopping. We had lunch at the top of a big shopping department store. You could see the Eiffel Tower from the top! The next night we actually went to the Eiffel Tower and had dinner in it. When we got there we took some pictures under it. It was pretty amazing. The Eiffel Tower is huge. My grandma and I walked up the stairs to the middle part of it, not the tippy top; we took the elevator from there to the restaurant up top. We were with a group of other people because you have to make reservations for it. The food was very good and the view was awesome. I also tried French coffee, which was the strongest coffee I ever tasted. After dinner, we got to go on a small cruise boat down a river. It was relaxing because you really got to take in your surroundings. From the boat we could also see that the Eiffel Tower had lit up! It was amazing.
A little later during the week, we went to The Louvre. The Louvre is a huge famous museum. Tourists mostly go there to see The Mona Lisa. The Mona Lisa is actually smaller than you think. It is in a glass case and you can’t get very close to it, but you can still take pictures. It is the most popular and crowded painting.
Paris also has a lot of great restaurants. My grandma and I went to quite a few. We had a great rest of the week.
On the last day, we were sad to leave. It was an experience I will never forget. You learn a lot about the world around you and how other people live their daily lives. I would definitely recommend going there if you ever get the chance. If you ever find yourself in Europe, you are in for a huge cultural experience!
View in Venice
- The beautiful Eiffel Tower
- Art in Venice
- The Louvre in Paris
~Katie Slickman
Move over Coney Island – New Jersey has Steel Pier in Atlantic City
May 16th, 2013
With Hurricane Sandy hitting much of New Jersey this past winter, many are probably wondering what’s left of Steel Pier. The answer: the Steel is still here to stay! Enjoy the family amusement in Atlantic City, New Jersey filled with rides, games and attractions for the whole family. As they say on their website, they have a seat waiting for you.
In 1993, Atlantic City’s famous Steel Pier resumed its rightful position as the centerpiece of family entertainment on the great wooden way. After years of neglect and ultimately the devastation of a 1982 fire, Donald Trump’s Taj Mahal rebuilt the Atlantic City icon making it a viable amusement pier once again.
Perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway, visitors come for the nostalgia and modern day amusements and thrills. With 24 rides, games and prize wheels, a food court and free admission, the Steel Pier is successfully luring families together to a town that had become a one – dimensional casino resort. Everyone in the family will find something to do to enjoy themselves – even the ‘not so thrill rider’ you may have in your family, because you pay only for the rides and attractions you want to do. You can enjoy the screams while a parent can hold all the prizes you’ve won!
GO AHEAD…MAKE MY TRIP!
May 10th, 2013
Planning a trip to India but not sure where to start? Then visit MakeMyTrip.com to easily search for deals on airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals and more. Whether you live in the USA, Canada, UAE, Singapore, or in India itself, MakeMyTrip.com is unique because its primary focus is to provide a variety of options to anyone interested in creating vacation memories in one of most diverse and fascinating countries in the world: India.
Looking for an affordable flight to India? Then check out MakeMyTrip.com’s homepage. What makes this particular travel company stand out is that they are specialists in travel to and from within India, with links to book travel packages for families that can include train, bus, air, car rentals, hotels, and airfare. The most popular Indian holiday packages are those to South India, Goa, and the Golden Triangle, which consists of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra (the home of the Taj Mahal) in North India. MakeMyTrip.com also offers themed vacation packages, such as family oriented tours to explore temples, caves, palaces, beaches and other areas of interest. All tours include English speaking guides, cars to get around in, breakfast at the hotels, and the hotel accommodations themselves.
Kerala, which is located in the south-west region of India, is considered one of the most popular travel destinations for domestic and foreign travelers, and MakeMyTrip.com offers several inclusive packages that capitalize on the state’s attractions. Kerala God’s Own Country package includes visiting and exploring the scenic backwaters in Kumarakom and Alleppey by motorboat and houseboat, the tea gardens in the mountainous hill station of Munnar, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Thekkady, known for its tiger and elephant populations, and the Jewish, Christian, Chinese, Hindu, and European aspects of Kochi (known previously as Cochin), Kerala’s capital city. The day in Kochi includes visits to the Jewish synagogue built in 1568, St. Francis Church where Vasco da Gama was originally buried, and the Chinese Fishing Nets on the beach in Fort Kochi, to name a few.
MakeMyTrip.com also provides air, hotel, and more travel deals beyond India to locations such as France, Italy, Mauritius, Dubai, Malaysia, and Nepal. Their Swiss Paris Italy Delight-Summer 2013 package is currently running a special offer for a second person to pay half the total price and provide a travel voucher worth $150. A number of MakeMyTrip.com’s international vacation packages are offering limited time special offers that involve discounts and travel vouchers, which are worth checking out, especially for those interested in package tours that have the most valuable inclusions.
To make reservations for flights, hotels, and more using MakeMyTrip.com, or to learn more about what India’s largest online travel company can offer, please visit their website or call 1-800 INDIA 10 for flights or 1-800 INDIA 16 for holidays.
Life is a Highway – I want to ride it All Night Long
May 7th, 2013
Cruisin’ down the highway… heading for your next vacation… stuck in a car all night long… I’ve taken my fair share of road trips. Sitting in the back seat of a van for 10 hours while driving down Interstate 77, I’ve learned a few lessons on how to handle being in a car with my family and want to share it with fellow road trippers.
BEFORE YOU HIT THE ROAD plan ahead to prepare yourself for what’s to come. Exactly HOW many hours will you be in the car? The difference between a 4-hour and 8-hour car ride could mean packing different snacks, entertainment and wearing different clothes.
DRESS COMFORTABLY. Nothing is worse than being pitched everywhere as you sit for hours. Flip flops or shoes that can slip on and off easily are best for when you want to relax your feet but have to fill up the gas tank and put shoes on quickly. Sweatshirts or jackets are good when you have a car full of family members and there isn’t an agreement on if the AC should be blasted or windows rolled down.
HOURS on the road can seem loooooong when you’re passing tree, tree, yellow line, yellow line, tree, tree… Plan ahead to keep yourself entertained. Pack a good book, magazine, school work (because if your text book is with you maybe you’ll actually take a peek) or electronic device. Use the sun to your advantage – read your books while the sun is shining and save your electronics (which you can see in the dark) when the sun goes down.
WHEN THERE”S MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN THE CAR you can use each other to help pass the time. First, when possible, rotate drivers. As soon as we turned 16 we were excited to get miles in behind the wheel – and my parents were excited to spend less time driving.
Secondly, PLAY WORD GAMES with everyone in the car. Here’s a list of some easy games that anyone can play:
- Would You Rather – take turns coming up with 2 weird, bizarre or fun scenarios and make everyone choose which one (out of the 2) they would rather do or have. For example: “Would You Rather Have 12 inch thumbs or 12 inch big toe?” Then ask them why they chose that answer.
- Category Game – take turns coming up with a category (for example: items found in a kitchen, flavors of ice cream, Disney movies) then everyone goes around and lists an item that fits the category without repeating what someone has already said. Last person who did not repeat himself wins.
- ABC category – similar to the category game, name a generic category and go around and name items in ABC order. For example: Places in USA – Arizona, Baltimore, Cedar Point, Denver, etc.
How to Enjoy a Peaceful, Affordable Day in Traverse City
May 6th, 2013
I currently live in a little vacation town in northern Michigan called Traverse City. During the winter, many come for skiing and other winter sports, but Traverse blows up in the summer. Traverse City is known for their abundance of cherries, vineyards, beaches, and festivals, such as the Traverse City Film Festival, run by Michael Moore. There are attractions everywhere and there always is something to do. As a local, though, I am not too interested in a lot of the tourist attractions. I have seen them and have had enough but I still want to experience the beauty of the area. I want to have a fun, relaxing time without having to throw down too much money. If you are in the area, I recommend doing what I do:
- Go to the beach. There are plenty of beaches, and Traverse beaches are beautiful. Yes, they are on the lake, which may be odd for those who are used to beaches on the ocean, but the beach experience is very much the same. It may even be better since the water is clear and blue
- Go hiking. There are plenty of places to go hiking. I did quite a bit of hiking in the winter, which could be rough, but being out in nature, away from noise and business, was worth it. And as the summer comes along, I know it will be even more worth it, with the vegetation coming to life and the snow not being something to worry about. Forests surround the Traverse City area and Northern Michigan has all sorts of terrains and landscapes to enjoy an awesome hike.
- Enjoy the sand dunes. Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes are an awesome place to hang out, soak up sun, and it is simply a beautiful view. The 35-mile park that contains the sand dunes is but a short distance from Traverse City. The park never gets too crowded and will surely provide a sweet, tranquil afternoon.
- Take a bike ride. Whenever I get bored, I always find somewhere to bike, whether it is the 10.5 mile TART trail, the 15.5 mile Leelanau trail, or another awesome trail in the region, I can only say good things about the biking trails in the area. Also, there are plenty of quiet roads besides the farms that can be a sweet workout or a fun ride.
