Attractive Destinations

New York City is a favorite for travelers from the United States and for visitors from around the world.  It’s one of those must see cities right up there with London, Paris and Rome. 

So where do you start with a city that offers so much?  Well, any self-respecting tourist has to hit the tourist highlights, so unless you have a particular agenda, you’ll probably want to visit this short list.

You can certainly see New York City on your own, but if your time is short or you’d like a quick overview, you might want to consider a city tour.   Another option is to check into one of the sightseeing city passes that are available; they can save you time and money. 

To start with you’ll probably want to visit the Statue of Liberty.  There is no admission fee for the island that she stands on, but you must buy a ferry ticket to get there for about $12 for adults.  If you want to go into the Statue of Liberty, you must reserve a free "Monument Pass".  These passes are time specific, meaning you have to go in at the time you have reserved. 

Security onto Liberty Island is as serious as it is for getting onto an airliner these days.  You will have to clear a security screening before boarding the ferry.  There will be a second security screening if you have a Monument Pass for entering the Statue of Liberty.  Allow plenty of time… probably 2-3 hours.

You can also visit Ellis Island.  Again there is no admission fee, but you must pay for the ferry.  Both of these attractions are only a short ferry ride from Battery Park.  The ferry circles from the Statue of Liberty to Ellis Island and back to the city.  Check the ferry schedule for details. 

If you just want to see the Statue of Liberty from the harbor, you could take the free Staten Island Ferry from Lower Manhattan over and back for great photo opportunities. 

See the Empire State Building.  Take the elevator to the observation platform for a great view of the city.  There is an admission fee, and often a long line. 

Take a walk in Central Park.  There are lakes and open spaces right there in the middle of the city.  It’s a great place to get away from the hubbub of the city and maybe have a picnic.

Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art with it’s extensive collections of painting and ancient art.  It is located on the east side of Central Park at Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street.  The American Museum of Natural History is on the other side of the Park at Central Park West at 79th Street.

See the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum.  Or try the Frick Collection to see stunning art and get a peek at what a New York mansion from the early 1900s looked like. 

And if you’re ready to get back outside, how about a little shopping or at least window shopping?  Take a stroll down Fifth Avenue.  Or see Times Square where New Yorkers and visitors celebrate New Year’s Eve, and where you can find out more about Broadway plays.

And all this is just for starters, so bring good walking shoes and enjoy New York City.

Real Madrid Stadium Tour

A ‘must do’ for all football fans, explore the famous Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, home of Real Madrid Football Club, the most successful European team of the 20th Century.

Grand Canal Boat Tour

What better way to experience the beauty of this city built on water than a fascinating cruise along the Grand Canal and a labyrinth of minor canals aboard a luxurious motor launch? This leisurely cruise is an absolute must for first time visitors to Venice.

Imperial Cheng Ho Singapore Harbour Dinner Cruise

Enjoy wonderful views of Singapore Harbour and Sentosa Island in all their evening glory as you gently cruise aboard a spectacular replica of the famous Imperior Vessel of the Ming Dynasty, the Da Fu.

London is expensive, so how can you save money?  Look for things to enjoy in London for free!  Those ticket prices add up in a hurry when you have to pay admission.

Remember whenever it costs you 10 Pounds, that’s really about 14.00 US Dollars and 11 Euros — give or take — with today’s exchange rate…. And you’ll find plenty of admissions that are 10 or 15 Pounds and more.  You will want to see the Tower of London… and you should, but the admission fee is 17 Pounds… that’s $25.00 or 20 Euros!

So what can you see in London for free?  Lots of things.  First of all think museums.  Almost all of the museums in London are free.  The British Museum, the Tate Britain, and the Tate Modern.  Also the National Galley in Trafalgar Square.  It’s full of old master’s paintings.

See Trafalgar Square itself with its column monument to Lord Nelson.  St. Martin-in-the-Fields church is in one corner of Trafalgar Square.  Admiralty Arch marks the entrance to the square.  If you go through Admiralty Arch you end up on the Mall.

Walk down The Mall to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.  Join the crowds at the fence.  The ceremony takes place at 11:30, but to get a good vantage point you’ll want to arrive earlier.  If there isn’t a crowd, you’ll know you’re there on the wrong day.  They don’t preform the ceremony everyday.  Check the schedule before you go and stand around.

You could go in another direction from Trafalgar Square and walk down Whitehall Street.  Stop in a pub for a pint… you’ll have to pay for that, but you do have to eat, and Whitehall connects Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square.  Pause to peer through the fence at Downing Street, see if you can catch a glimpse of 10 Downing Street where the Prime Minister lives. 

The Bobbies probably won’t let you pause for long though.  At Parliament Square you can see the outside of the Parliament Building, take pictures of Big Ben, and walk the Westminster Bridge for free.

Westminster Abbey is across the street from Parliament.  There is an admission fee… they need it to maintain the building, but the Abbey says they will never turn away worshipers.  There are free organ recitals on Sundays, check their website to see details.

You can wander around in any of the London Parks and Gardens.  St. James Park offers some of the best views of Buckingham Palace in London.  Enjoy the show as speakers get up on their soapbox at Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park.  Free speech is alive and well, and some of it may sound a little tedious, but there will be plenty of hecklers to spice up that action.  The Diana Memorial Statue is also in Hyde Park.

Another fun thing to do is to walk the Victoria Embankment along the River Thames and take pictures of all the famous sights along the river.  Take in the shops and theaters around Piccadilly Circus. 

Use your walking tour and your time seeing London for free to choose what you want to spend your hard earned vacation money on.

Disney VIP Character Breakfast

Relax and enjoy star treatment as your luxury stretched limousine whisks you in style to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa for a magical buffet breakfast hosted by a cast of your Disney favourites.

Hong Kong Helicopter Tour – Helicopter Charter

An exhilarating adventure affording spectacular views of the dramatic Hong Kong skyline and harbour, a helicopter tour is a unique way to see the city and offers an unrivalled and memorable experience.

Morning City Tour with Rocks Walking Tour

The perfect introduction to this most multicultural, vibrant and beautiful of cities, the Sydney City Tour gives you a flavour of the culture and major attractions.

When you’re packing and choosing your clothes, it pays to think about security at the airport as well as what you’ll be doing on your trip. 

You need to decide if you’re going to carry everything on or if you’ll be checking luggage.  It will make a difference as to how you pack…. and how you pack can make a difference when you are trying to go through security lines at the airport.

If you will be traveling with carry-on only, then you need to prepare your one quart/one liter-sized, clear plastic zip-top bag.  Have it ready ahead of time… you don’t want to be throwing out liquids at the checkpoint or trying to cram some 3 ounce/100ml bottles into a plastic bag at the last minute.  All of your carry-on liquids, gels and creams must go into one bag, and they must all be 3 ounces/100ml or less.

If you will be checking luggage, you can put liquids into those bags.  You are not limited to the 3 ounces or 100ml, but can carry as much as you want.

Try to pack your carry-on bag in an orderly fashion.  It may seem easiest to just throw everything into a backpack, but things that are jumbled up together are hard to make out on the x-ray screen, and that may cause you to be delayed at screening or even be pulled aside for an extra bag search.

If you’re planning to take a laptop computer or other large electronics, it’s safer to pack them in your carry-on bag.  You’ll have to take these large electronic items out of your bag for screening.  (The exception here is if you have one of the newly approved laptop bags that allows the computer to be screened without removing it.  Check with airline or government websites for more information).

Small electronics like iPods, cameras, curling irons, and shavers can stay in your carry-on during screening.  If you still carry film for a camera, it will go through screening just fine unless it is faster than 800-speed.  (You’ll have to ask for an officer to hand inspect fast film to avoid x-rays.)

If you’re carrying gifts, don’t wrap them until you get to your destination in case they need extra screening.  You don’t want to have to wrap them twice.

Think about what you’re wearing too.  Anything you have on that is metal is apt to set off alarms.   Leave the heavy jewelry home or pack it in your carry-on bag.  Are you into body piercing?  You may want to remove those for the flight.  Even hair barrettes and clothing with big metal buttons can set off metal detectors that are very sensitive.  You’ll get through security with any of these things eventually, but you’ll get through faster if you’re not wearing them.

Have your boarding pass and identification available for the officers.  Get to the airport early enough so you won’t be rushed.  Know what airline cut-off times are for check in.  You must generally check in earlier for international flights than you do for domestic flights.  And remember it can take a while to get through those security checkpoints even if you’ve packed and dressed for it.

Palma Aquarium with Transfers

Head to the world class aquarium in Palma where you will discover the wonders of the ocean including living coral reefs , hidden jungle streams and Europe’s deepest Aquarium which is home to many species of shark.