A Blog On Steroids

Archive for March, 2009

Santa Monica, a well known city of California, U.S.A located in western Los Angeles County.This has an agreeable climate which has made it world renowned resort.Today Santa Monica has got excellent boom in both job growth and tourism. Santa Monica is considered one of the best vacation spots with 310 days of sunshine.There are many tourist attractions in this beautiful city of California including Pier, Hippodrome, Majestic Theater, Civic Auditorium, Museum of Art, Palisades Park Film Festival etc. Though this is mainly a tourist destination, thousands of visitors visit this city for business purposes too.There are many normal and chain hotels ranging from cheap to luxury in the city.

Luxury Hotels

Lodging into one of the luxury hotels is the best way to enrich a tour.Those, who wish to spend lavishly on their vacation mostly, prefer luxury accommodation.If you are one of them and looking for luxury hotels in Santa Monica, then just give up all worries because there are many full service star hotels in this city to choose from such as Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, Loews Beach Hotel, Huntley Santa Monica, the Georgian, Doubletree Guest Suites, the Viceroy and Sheraton Delfina etc.

The Fairmont

This is only super luxury hotel of the city located at 101 Wilshire Blvd in the Beach Cities.This luxury hotel is famous for offering world class services and royal treatment to its guests.Whether you are on vacation here or for some business meeting, the Fairmont would be the perfect lodging option for you.The finest features of the Fairmont include spa tub, restaurant and beach-club shuttle etc.

Cheap Hotels

Always lodge into one of the cheap hotels for reducing your tour expenditures, does not matter whether you are going for vacation or for some business meeting.

While on tour to Santa Monica, you will find plenty of cheap lodging options, but some the finest ones include – Best Western Gateway, Travelodge Pico Blvd, Holiday Inn at the Pier, Santa Monica Motel, Pacific Sands Motel, Comfort Inn and Days Inn etc.

Days Inn

Days Inn is one of the cheapest places for lodging in the city, offering excellent services with comfort of luxury hotel at the most affordable price which suits all budgets.This 2 star property is conveniently located near 3rd Street Promenade.This is the best place for both business travelers and vacationers.

Besides, this city offers accommodation in its every corner, whether it is downtown or near airport.

Downtown Hotels

Downtown is full of exclusive retail stores, first-rate entertainment venues, casual and fine dining establishments and many major attractions.Hence, every visitor to Santa Monica wishes to stay here.If you are also looking for downtown accommodation while here then need not trouble much.There are many lodging options ranging from pet friendly hotels to spa, beachfront and casino hotels.

Find hotels by checking online for detailed information.Choose lodgings as per your budget.Search discount hotel-deals for economy-accommodations.Many affordable motels and hotels are spread all over.Santa Monica Motel is just seven blocks from Santa Monica Beach.Pacific Sands Motel is the perfect economy motel in the heart of Santa Monica’s entertainment district.Located directly across the street from Santa Monica Pier and beach is Travelodge Santa Monica for budget tourists.

For more information on Santa Monica Discount and Budget Hotelsplease visit our website.

Treat Yourself to Number One Attraction Discovery Cove

If you had to guess what is the number one attraction in Orlando you would probably say Disney World or Universal Studios, but you would be wrong. According to a respected source of travel information, the attraction with the most appeal is Discovery Cove, an ocean theme park that will let you get up close to dolphins, tropical birds and other exotic creatures.

Discovery Cove offers a variety of activities including snorkeling on a coral reef and getting safely up close to sharks and barracudas, but the standout attraction at this park is the chance that it offers you to wade or swim with bottleneck dolphins. The park, which is located right next to the more famous Sea World, features 30 bottleneck dolphins and you don’t just look at them through a plexi-glass wall, you can hug, kiss and swim with them one-to-one in a special dolphin swim.

Here is how it works. First you watch a video which explains what you need to know about dolphins and how to communicate with them through hand signals. You learn how to give them positive reinforcement and you get acquainted with safety procedures too. After the orientation video, you get a chance to get wet and meet the dolphins “in person.” Groups of 6-8 people wade into a lagoon where they play with a dolphin for thirty minutes. You can pet them, stroke them and get to know them, but the highlight of the encounter is when you go on a one-on-one swim with a dolphin through the lagoon.

The second biggest attraction at Discovery Cove is the snorkeling experience. Instead of watching a film or movie about tropical fish, you can put on a snorkel and fins and swim over a tropical reef, past shipwrecks and grottos and view all sorts of tropical fish as well as sharks and barracudas. You don’t have to worry about the sharks and the barracudas, they are kept safely away from you in a glass enclosed area of the lagoon.

You swim with a dolphin and then snorkel up close to sharks. Is there anything else that can top this? Well, at Discovery Cove you can also go for a trip up a tropical river and experience what it is like to visit a tropical rainforest. The rainforest at Discovery Cove has waterfalls, a freshwater lagoon and underground caves, and 250 tropical birds. The birds are quite tame and will even eat out of your hand.

If all that is not enough, you can get your snorkel and fins on again and go into the ray lagoon and get up close to the very gentle cow nose rays. Visitors to the popular website Trip Advisor voted Discovery Cove as the most popular attraction in Orlando, and as can be expected it is not so easy to visit the park.

You definitely have to reserve in advance and be prepared to pay a rather substantial price. An admission with a dolphin experience costs $289 and admission without a close-up with the dolphins costs $189. But, if you want the ocean adventure of a lifetime, then don’t let these obstacles get in your way and go find out why this is the most popular attraction in the Orlando area.

Janice McSherry is an Orlando vacations specialist. Visit her website for great deals on Orlando Vacation Homes