The Travellers Warehouse

Sometimes one wants a vacation but needs to figure out where to go an a trip. Here are several points to consider when deciding where to travel.

1. How Long Can You Travel For? Often you have so much time for vacation and you want to get the most out of it. If you only have a three day weekend, you will most likely want to go somewhere that takes less than 5 hours of travel. While this is only a rule of thumb, consider that you want to have time to enjoy the place you are going as well as have enough time to really get your money’s worth. If you spend too much time actually getting there and back, your 3 day weekend ends up being a 1 day weekend. If you find you want to go somewhere further, consider extending your holiday if possible.

2. What Activities Do You Like Doing? Whether you are going to a golf resort or a beach in the tropics, you want your trip to have all the activities you desire. Taking the time to list what you are hoping for in advance may help your vacation be that much more enjoyable. By doing this, you can research possibilities in advance. Sandals Beaches and Resorts have all the activities any traveler could desire.Save 50% off Sandals Luxury Resorts, Click Here!

3. What Is Your Budget? Vacations can be expensive or inexpensive, depending on your planning and desires. However, when you know how much you want to spend, you can often make your decisions easier.

4. What is Your Preferred Weather Though you can not control the weather, knowing what normal conditions are helps. Additionally, you may choose a different destination if you find that the weather is too hot or too cold during the time period you want to travel.

5. What Do You Like to See Do you want a get away in the country or in a big city? Do you like to explore beaches, historical sites, mountain hikes or museums? Depending on what you want to see will further narrow your destinations. Alternatively, if you want some of everything, you may want to consider a tour or cruise.

6. Do You want to Visit Friends or Family? If you are going to visit family or friends, your destination will often be determined by their location unless you plan to do a multi-stop trip. One way around this can be doing a trip together. THis can be exciting but takes additional coordination.

7. Night Time Activities? Many people think of daytime activities and then are disappointed when their idea of nightlife and their destinations nightlife availability differ. Be sure that where you are going has the activities you desire.

8. Peak or Off-Peak? Off-Peak seasons are often much cheaper and less crowded – but sometimes you will find that many estbalishments are closed. Do your homework first so you don’t go to a beach town to find everything closed when you get there.

9. Events, Festivals, Shows, Exhibits Whether you are traveling to see the Superbowl or a movie festival, timing is everything. Know that during the even itself housing is often in short supply, so booking early is key. If you are staying extra time, you can stay in a different hotel to get a totally different feel of the city and the surrounding area if desired.

10. Stuff for the Kids, Adults, Seniors and Pets Of course when traveling, make sure there are activities for everyone in your group. If you are taking your pet, trip planning is essential. Often hotels will have activities for children, be certain to ask in advance.

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Shopping for bargain cruises is when all the fun really begins, and it is a good idea to continuously shop especially if you are avid traveler. Travelers need to keep a sharp lookout out for really good deals. More and more people will be seeking out other ways to take trip besides using air travel. Cruises are a lot more fun, and if the right company is used the service might be a lot better. Cruise lines could be entering a whole new phase of business navigating the high seas.

Cruise travel has been a luxury option for travelers in the past, but now it is becoming a more reasonable option. With a little time and effort, you can find yourself on bargain cruises that have all the amenities of a luxury cruise, but at a fraction of the cost. One cruise broker we can recommend is cruisedirect.com

To find a bargain cruise the traveler needs to spend some time learning just what a “bargain cruise” means. What should always be included in the definition of bargain cruises is the value you get for every dollar you spend. Surfing the internet is a good place to start, but good information can be found in travel magazines and publications. Taking small local cruises can also be helpful because of connections made with other travelers. Who knows who one might meet on a daily cruise between Los Angeles and Catalina Island. The idea is to focus and spend a while really researching your trip. These types of cruises are ideal for family outings so consider Family Cruises

Cruise Bargain Hunting Tips

1. Look for cruise specialists. They are really interested in finding the best deal, and help get the best value for the money. Use an agent that specializes in various types of cruises, for example: someone who does nothing but Mediterranean cruises, and then start narrowing the search down to those agents who are willing to help find bargain prices. They know exactly where to look.

2. A good agent will keep their eyes open for ships that have a lot of empty cabins, and often can get substantial discounts because the company wants to leave port with a full load of passengers.

3. A lot of times travelers can find space at the last minute if the ship is not filled to capacity, and either the traveler or the agent can barter a very good trip. Look at favorite internet sites on a regular basis to keep abreast of new developments.

Travelers who do not mind some inconvenience, freighter ships can certainly be considered bargain cruises. These types of cruises are definitely not luxury trips but are a lot cheaper, and might stop in ports that are skirted by more expensive cruise lines.

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When booking a trip across the country with 7 weeks notice, I found prices were much more than expected. For my preferred flights (non-stop, daytime, etc), it was going to be $660 per person. That was much more than I wanted to spend. Then I found Travelocity Trip Packages! I managed to get BOTH my preferred flights and my 3 night hotel stay for $605 per person. That is a HUGE vacation savings! Here is how I proved I was really getting a deal:

First I compared the price of my desired flight on Travelocity, Orbitz, Cheap Tickets, and the actual airline. All were within $5-10 depending on how they showed booking fees/taxes.

Then, I noticed that Travelocity had a button next to my desired flight saying book with hotel stay for as little as $583/person. I figured that was in addition to my cost — but it wasn’t! I looked at over 125 hotel choices. I found the hotel I was wanting to stay in before booking the flight. So, I chose that hotel. Total cost for flight and hotel was $606 per person.

So if you are needing both airline tickets and a hotel stay, consider this amazing vacation package deal. Know Travelocity SAVES You 20% or MORE on Air Fares and save hundreds of dollars!

Technorati Tags: HUGE vacation savings, vacation package deal

In today’s internet world the traveler has a virtual smorgasbord when it comes to booking travel. Travelers have a variety of ways to secure tickets more cheaply. The airlines, cruise lines, car rental companies and hotels all have lower on line fares, and then there are independent websites like Expedia that can offer some trips even cheaper. The travel shopper has a lot of choices.

However, there are times when it is better to use a travel agent even though it might be more costly. A lot of agents today work on line, but there is nothing like talking to a real live person when booking a complicated trip. They can answer all your questions, and they will look for the best deals. For example if I am going to visit family or friends in Denver I might book my reservation on line, but what if I want to book a three week vacation to Las Vegas or Paris. For example, Paris City Sightseeing Tours if you don’t know where to get them. You might need to talk to an agent to get the best deal. It is also probably better to book a cruise through an agent because they know the best cruise ship lines, and can get you the right accommodations, however you can save money by looking on line at cruisedirect.com.

A good agent will go the extra mile to find the best deal, and a lot of agents have contracts with consolidators who do not have their agendas posted publicly. A travel agent will have surcharges for such services, but it might save the traveler money in the long run.

Some airlines sell only through travel agents. Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines are two carriers who sell air passes through travel agents. Also, if the traveler has special needs it is good to work with an agent. Senior citizens who might be traveling to Thailand to get a cheaper medical procedure should consider working with a real live agent.

Working with an agent can also save a lot of time for travelers who are taking a luxury cruise, or being brave enough to go on a safari.

If someone is going on a world tour or an extended vacation an agent can arrange a complete itinerary. They will know whether a hotel has a shuttle service that goes to downtown Paris, or if you have to us the Paris Metro. I was fortunate enough to be meeting up with a friend in Japan who understood how to get around. Getting from the Tokyo airport to a hotel can be a major undertaking. That type of information may not be available on a website. I had a friend in Japan, but an agent would certainly have been the next best selection.

An agent can also help you get a visa if necessary. This is real important in today’s world. Americans are not particularly liked in some parts of the world. An agent can be a big help for the person traveling to “difficult” countries like Russia or China. They will work out a deal where a single payment can be made instead of paying for the trip as you go.

A travel agent will be needed if you are traveling to a remote or unfrequented destination. More than likely they will try to book a charter package. Charter packages can end up being cheaper because hotels and airport transfers are included in the price. If a flight has been canceled, and you find yourself stranded call your agent immediately and they will help book the next available flight for you.

Because of the competition in the travel industry travel agents will do their very best to give good service. That is a rare commodity these days.

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I remember the time that a group of my friends and I were traveling in Europe when one of the troop fell and hurt themselves. We were in Holland, and while they had very good hospitals and medical facilities there this individual would have been in a very difficult situation if he had not had some type of travel insurance. He made sure that prior to leaving he was covered in the event of any mishap or illness that might happen.

Travel is supposed to fun and enjoyable, however in today’s world it pays make sure that there is something to back you up in case of an emergency. Some people call it “peace of mind” while others call it travel insurance.

All kinds of things can crop up—such as my friend’s unexpected medical emergency or less serious things like lost baggage or travel delays. In our complex world the traveler needs to think about serious political problems that may occur especially when traveling to the Middle East, South America, some parts of Africa and Asia. In some cases no amount of travel insurance is going to make a difference, but it is still good to be prepared.

Travel insurance is supposed to provide protection for the traveler from the time they leave home until they return. A lot of other types of insurance do not have clauses in the policies that cover travel. Some companies may include provisions for medical emergencies at an additional cost. Prior to embarking on a trip one should check with their insurance company to see if they have any travel coverage. Don’t just assume that you have coverage.

Good travel insurance policies will cover financial as well as medical expenses either domestically or internationally. If you use a travel agent to book a trip they usually have pretty good information about travel insurance and you can purchase the insurance directly from the agent, cruise line or tour company. Travel insurance needs to be purchased through an insurance company directly if an agent or other travel company is not used to secure the coverage.

The most common risks that are covered by travel insurance are:

• Cancellation
• Curtailment
• Delayed departure
• Loss, theft or damage to personal possessions and money (including travel documents)
• Delayed baggage (and emergency replacement of essential items)
• Medical expenses
• Emergency evacuation/repatriation
• Overseas funeral expenses
• Accidental death, injury or disablement benefit
• Legal assistance
• Personal liability and rental car damage excess

Some companies carry coverage where additional costs may be forthcoming while others do not.

Separate insurance can be purchased for:

• high risk sports (e.g. skiing, scuba-diving)
• travel to high risk countries (e.g. due to war or natural disasters or acts of terrorism)
• pre-existing medical conditions (e.g. asthma, diabetes)

Most companies may exclude certain conditions or situations. A few of them are listed below. Check and see what is not covered in the policy. Take time to read the fine print.

• pre-existing medical conditions
• war or terrorism – but some plans may cover this risk
• pregnancy related expenses
• injury or illness caused by alcohol or drug use

Travel insurance may provide other services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These services may include concierge services and emergency travel assistance. The best place to start looking for travel insurance is by looking at an existing health policy which may cover expenses for domestic travel emergencies. The insurance carrier may cover an international trip for an additional cost. If they cannot do it the agent may know where and how it can be purchased. For business travel the company you work for might already have coverage for you, or know where good insurance can be bought, and they will probably help to defray the costs. Talk with friends who have done a lot of traveling. The may or may not have some good information. I traveled for years without travel insurance and had a few close calls. Today, I would probably look into some type of travel insurance prior to any extended trip.

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When thinking about travel, we often want to include our whole family — even our pets. Cats and dogs can travel easily if you are well prepared. You can even take other types of pets too. Yet, sometimes the task seems daunting — how does one go about traveling with pets on a family vacation?

Considerations For Traveling With Pets

* Will Your Pet Be Welcome?

When flying to Hawaii or destinations outside the US, often a pet needs to be held to guarantee that the pet does not have rabies or infectious diseases. For Hawaii, the minimum quarantine is 5 days and can last up to 120 days. So before embarking on a trip, be certain to make sure you can actually have your pet be able to stay there. As laws change, verify current restrictions before traveling anywhere with your pet.

* Flying With Pets

Most airlines will take at least some pets. However, the rules are different for each airline. In general, it costs extra to bring your pet. One consistent theme is that smaller cats and dogs are easier. Some require that they are brought on as air cargo, others will let smaller animals be stowed under your seat. Be sure you have a Airline Certified Pet Carrier that fits your pet according to the airline’s requirements. If you have a large pet (like a large dog over 100 pounds), you may need to drive if you want your dog to be with you.

* Staying In A Hotel With Your Pet

More and more hotels are allowing their guests bring along their pet. To find such a place go to: Hotels.com and click on the search for Amenity and Landmark. Choose the pets allowed option. Doing this search is an easy way to compare hotels that accept pets.

* Are There Things To Do With Your Pet?

Now that you have arrived at your destination, you will want to make sure you can actually do something with your pet. Just because you can fly and sleep at your desired destination, doesn’t mean that you can do everything you want to do with your pet.

Restaurants and parks are getting to be more pet friendly. Disneyland allows you to keep your non-poisonous pet at their daytime pet care kennel but not in the park itself. Other places are getting more friendly towards pets, but be certain to check before you head off.

* Is it Within Your Budget?

Just because there are amenities to accommodate your pet, doesn’t mean it won’t cost extra. Make sure to calculate the differences in price to make certain that it is worth the extra effort you will be expending.

Once you decide your pet is going with you, all it takes is some planning — and you are on your way to a fabulous trip.

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Generally speaking a vacation will be what you make it, and there is no reason why booking a budget vacation means that you cannot have the kind of vacation that you want.

The most common way of finding a budget vacation is by looking on the Internet or in agencies for last minute deals. I’ve found that www.lastminute.com is a good place to start. Sometimes you can get an excellent package deal at last minute that you would NOT have found earlier.

Many people think that by booking a last minute budget vacation, they will be limited on choice and location. In some cases this can be true, but not always. It is worth thinking about the vacation that you want before you look at the vacations available. That way you are less likely to be disappointed.

You can often set your mind at rest by doing some of your own research on the area before you book. There are many online reviews written by people who have stayed in the resort that you will be staying at. One thing to bear in mind when reading some of the reviews, is that while they can be a useful way of knowing where not to go, people often do not write about vacations that they have enjoyed. However, this can be very useful if you are looking for something specific. For example, you may not want a busy club resort for a romantic getaway for two.

When you are booking your vacation, make sure that you know exactly what is included in the price. If you will be staying in a hotel, see if it includes breakfast and if so, what kind. Some resorts even include all meals. Check before you go if it is important to you.

Check if transfers are included. If they are not included, you will need to look into the cost and availability of either taxis, limo service or a rental car.

When you are booking any budget vacation, create realistic expectations. Many people are disappointed with their vacations simply because they put too high and unrealistic demands on them. You may have saved hard for this vacation, but you need to be realistic in what the purpose of the trip is. If it is for a week or two of total relaxation, then make sure that you choose a quiet resort. Again, research the area well before you book.

One of the benefits of booking a budget vacation is that it is often possible to stay at hotels that you normally would not be able to afford to stay in, at a knock down price. A typical 2 week stay at a four star hotel may be on sale on a budget vacation website for the normal price of a stay in a three star hotel. To get these deals you often need to be flexible on dates and resort, but they are worth pursuing if you like a bit of luxury at a budget price.

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Sometimes, people skip taking a much needed vacation out of fear for how much it will cost. However, a vacation doesn’t need to be pricey. By following some simple guidelines, you can save money with a little planning ahead.

This doesn’t mean you need to go camping (unless you want to) or stay at a hostel. You can save money even if you want to stay at 4 star hotels or play at a fancy gold resort.

A common tip is, if possible, schedule your vacation at least 2 weeks in advance, preferably a month as generally prices will be lower. Though this isn’t always true, it is true more often than not. Additionally, if you can leave and/or return on a Tuesday or Wednesday, travel costs are often priced less.

Saving Money on Lodging Tips

Simple planning can make a huge difference on how much you pay for your lodging. The first step in saving money on lodging is to compare hotel rates. Is there a hotel down the street that has better room rates for the same features that you want? Comparison shopping over several sites can help. One of my favorites is Hotels.com as it compares many hotels at once. I’ve gotten great deals there.

Once you choose your hotel, you will want to compare rates within that hotel. Are you really going to looking at the beach from your room — or are you going to be spending time on the beach instead? Pay premiums only for features you will actually use. If you aren’t going to look at the beach from your room, you could use that money for something else.

Saving Money on Dining Tips

Eating out for every meal and every snack can be very expensive. You can lessen this expense with planning:

(1) Research Restaurants before you leave on your trip. By knowing price ranges you can budget or plan appropriately. If you know certain restaurants are out of your price range, skip going to them — or see if you can get a coupon before hand. Most cities will mail you a free visitors guide that contains useful information on what to see and do. Often these also contain money saving coupons. As the restaurants are putting them in the magazine to encourage you to visit them, it is recommended to use these free gifts if you would go to the restaurant anyways. It will give you money for other things.

(2) Save Money on Snacks and Drinks: At the beginning of your stay, see if you can stop by a grocery or convenience store for snacks, drinks, and things you have forgotten. If you go to one outside your hotel it is usually much less expensive. Having some nuts and drinks on hand, often is both more convenient and less expensive.

(3) Usually Avoid Room Service. Room service tends to often have a large added fee. If you really want to eat in the room, often you can order from local restaurants with free delivery for much less. Of course, you’ll want to compare prices, but I have found this to be much more affordable.

(4) Make your Own Breakfast? If you aren’t a big breakfast eater, you may want to buy fruit and cereal and eat them in your room. Consider bringing a hot pot if your room doesn’t come with a coffee pot, so you can make coffee, tea, and possibly hot cereal.

(5) Eat Before The Airport. If your schedule allows it, often you will get higher quality food for less, if you eat before going to the airport.

Saving Money On Rental Car

First, decide if you need a rental car. If you are only going to and from the airport, paying for parking is not as economical as taking a taxi. On the other hand, a rental car is often key to seeing everything. If you really want a rental car, compare rates. Often rates vary widely. Occasionally they are even higher rates with a coupon! Consider rental cars that are not on the airport property as they often are much less a day. If you are staying a week or longer, this can save you lots of money. Fox Rent A Car car is one such company.

Possible Package Deals

When traveling, especially last minute, using a package deal can be cheaper. But again, you have to compare prices of the options individually AND if you will use all options. If the package includes a rental car and you won’t use one, it may actually be more expensive. One place to price is www.lastminute.com They usually have extremely competitive prices. Save money on travel while going where you love!

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Th reasons I decided to set up a site for people who love to travel as much as I do is because there is so much to share, and so much to learn from others.

There has never been a time in my life when my feet did not have the itch to travel. When I was small I kept my mother busy looking all over for me. The world was a big place and I wanted to see it all. It was always a challenge to see what was over the next mountain or beyond the next horizon.

It is no wonder that my favorite magazine was the National Geographic. I used to read all of the wonderful articles that told about world cultures and famous landmarks. I could actually see myself standing in front of Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace or St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. Everything interested me. At that time I did not realize that all my daydreaming would actually come true. My family didn’t have a lot of money. My father was a miner with six children, and my mother an average American housewife. Dreams do come true.

Then in a college marketing class students were supposed to put together a whole publicity campaign, and present it to the class. My subject was Travellers Warehouse. This happened before the Internet explosion where so much data was literally available to everyone. So, now I can carry that vision into reality. I don’t have to open up a store, or pay for expensive advertising to get my points across. This is a much better way of presenting pertinent travel information, and a whole lot quicker.

There are a number of things I would like this website to do.

1. Provide information about up-to-date travel changes that affect all of us who get on a plane, train, boat, or decide to drive in order to arrive at a distant location.

2. Education. It is good to learn as much as possible about the areas to be visited. I do a good amount of research before going to a another country. It helps a person fit into the local surroundings better, and makes any visit in another part of the world more enjoyable. So, on this website there will probably be some book and article reviews with tips on how to learn more.

3. Provide tips to make a trip easier. How does a family travel together? What can be done to make the trip easier?

4. Furnish links for all types of travel information. This can save a lot of time for the trip planner. It takes a good deal of time to surf the Internet. It would be nice if a lot of information could be accessed from one place.

5. I hope to furnish links to various sites where someone can buy travel supplies at a discount. Perhaps a budding hiker is going on a trip with a group of more experienced outdoorsmen. The group may have some good leads for equipment purchases, but it would be nice to check out other avenues without having to surf the whole web.

The other day after having breakfast with a friend, we went into the hotel gift shop, and picked up a little book called The Itty Bitty Guide to Business Travel. This book can fit nicely into a purse or a traveler’s pocket. It is ideal for the young person embarking on a corporate career after finishing college. There is a whole section in this little gem of a book on “How to Pack Like You Mean Business.” This section would help any traveler. It covers how to pack various types of bags: roller bags, duffle bags and garment bags. This little book would be a great tool for new travelers. There is an old saying, “Great things come in small packages.” There is a lot of information really jam packed into a small space.

I always look for more information that I can pass on to people about the wonderful world of travel. That is the heart of this website.

References:

The Itty Bitty Guide to Business Travel by Stacie Krajchir and Carrie Rosten.

San Diego, California! It’s my town! Well-known because it is the jumping off point into Mexico and the Baja Peninsula, the town is home to the famous San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Lego Land, The Wild Animal Park and the lodging of Presidents and Kings, The Hotel Del Coronado on the island on the southwest side of San Diego Harbor. In addition to all of that San Diego has one of the most congenial climates in the world. Normally, it doesn’t get too hot or too cold. The city lays about 100 miles south of Los Angeles, and Disneyland in Orange County is approximately 45-50 miles away. In addition, San Diego is home to most of the United States Military Pacific fleet.

The Port of San Diego has a huge repair facility for the ships that can be viewed from the Coronado Bridge, and Cabrillo National Monument. Coronado island is where naval recruits are trained for duty. Today, a good portion of San Diego’s military personnel is serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Camp Pendleton is one of the largest military training areas in the United States.

So, how did it all happen?

Just north of the city is La Jolla, California, one of the most elite and exclusive communities in the Western United States. A little further north on Torrey Pines road (which becomes Highway 101) is the famous stretch of beach known as Torrey Pines State Park. Besides sporting some of the most beaches in California the Park is full of hiking trails for outdoor enthusiasts.

East of San Diego the old mining town of Julian is located in the Desert Mountains that separate San Diego from Palm Springs, California. Julian is known for its’ unique shops, and its wonderful homemade apple pie.

Escondido, which is North of San Diego just off of Highway 15 is the site of the Lawrence Welk theme park.

Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo discovered San Diego in 1542. He was an interesting character. No one knows for sure where he was actually born, or where he is buried. He was a wealthy landowner and shipbuilder who also loved the art of discovery. After landing at San Diego, and doing some exploration, he and his crew continued up the California coast. He sustained an injury on the voyage, and died January 3, 1543. His crew went ahead and finished his work by exploring the whole coastal regions all the way up into modern day Oregon.

San Diego was an area that had only a few houses until 1790 when the population jumped to 200 people. At that time the remained small and there were no homes on the present day site of Old Town. Settlers did not settle in this particular area until 1820.

San Diego struggled as a community, and did not really start to grow until after the Mexican-American War when California was ceded to the United States in the final treaty signed by both U.S. and Mexican leaders. In 1846 the American military moved into San Diego, followed by the Mormon Battalion in 1847. Then in 1848 gold was discovered in Northern California, and the gold rush that followed caused a marked increase in the population all over the state.

San Diego struggled as a community, and did not really start to grow until after the Mexican-American War when California was ceded to the United States in the final treaty signed by both the U.S. and Mexican leaders. In 1846 the American military moved into San Diego, followed by the Mormon Battalion in 1847. Then in 1848 gold was discovered in Northern California, and the gold rush that followed caused a marked increase in the population all over the state.

Today San Diego is the 7th largest city in the United States. Lindbergh Field, the international airport is located on the bay near the downtown area. It is named after Charles A. Lindbergh because the first leg of his historical trans-Atlantic flight originated on North Island on May 9, 1927. He flew from San Diego to New York before making his epic journey to Paris. Palomar Mountain in North San Diego County is home to the famous Hale telescope, and is one of the finest astronomical locations in the Western Hemisphere. Old Town remains a unique shopping and business district visited by many thousands of people each year, The original San Diego Presidio which lies just above Old Town has been turned into a public park, and all along the main waterfront area several historic ships have found their final resting place. This collection is one of the worlds’ finest with The Star of India as the center of attention. The exhibit is hosted and maintained by the San Diego Maritime Museum.

A quick 30 minute drive south is Mexico. Tourists can take also take the San Diego Trolley down to the border. A special pass is needed to cross over into Mexico. By the end of 2008 anyone returning from Mexico will need a passport or special documentation Keep in mind that border regulations are must stricter today than they were a few years ago.

A nice way to see the whole west coast is to ride the train. The Amtrak train station is in downtown San Diego, and has rail service all the way to Seattle, Washington. Travelers would probably need to transfer somewhere on the route in to travel further than Northern California. Amtrak has several different service routes, but there are two that are the most popular. The Pacific Surfliner service goes as far north as San Luis Obispo. The Coast Starlight Service goes from Los Angeles to Seattle.

There is plenty do in San Diego and, for the most part, doing it in beautiful weather. Surf, hike, see the giant pandas and enjoy the easy life of San Diegans for a while.

San Diego! My home turf.