Road & Travel Magazine's Blog

How Building a Blimp Blew Up Badly

 

by Alfonzo Smith

While traveling, I stopped at a Zany Brainy store and saw that they had a blimp for sale. It's called Airship Earth, and it's a great big balloon with a map of the Earth on it, and two propellers hanging from the bottom. You blow up the balloon with helium, put batteries in it, and voila, you have a radio control indoor blimp.

Last night my wife was playing tennis and it was just my daughter and me at home. I bought a small helium tank at a party store, and we put the blimp together. Let me tell you, it's quite a blimp. It's huge. The balloon has a 3-ft diameter. We blew it up with the tank, attached the gondola with the propellers, and put in batteries. Then we balanced the blimp for neutral buoyancy with this putty that came with it, so it hangs in the air by itself neither rising nor falling. It was easy and fun. Then I blew up another balloon and made Mickey Mouse helium voices for my daughter. My three year old loved it.

We flew the blimp all over the house, terrorized the dog and attacked the fish tank. The controls were so easy my three year old daughter could fly it. Let's face it, blimps are fun.

To read what happened next, The Adventures of a Blimp Gone Bad.

Click here to read about more Travel Adventures on Road & Travel Magazine. 

The Top 5 Most Romantic Scenic Drives

A romantic drive around some of the country’s most scenic settings is a great way to rev the engines of romance. Many states have designated stretches of road that have been deemed scenic, but these are the best of the best. Known for their striking beauty, these top five romantic drives are a great way to bring some romance to the road trip!   

  

1. The Pacific Coast Highway- Known for its graceful turns, seaside views and quirky small towns, driving along the edge of California is known to be one of the most beautiful drives in America.

 

2. Berkshires Foliage Drive-In the heart of Massachusetts, this drive is known not only for its gorgeous colors in the fall, but for the quaint New England towns it runs through.

 

3. Dutch Country- Wind along with Pennsylvania’s hills and dales as you explore a land populated by Amish crafts and homemade foods. Stop by the nation’s oldest continuously operating farmer’s market, and be sure to watch out for horse and buggies!

 

4. Southern Blue Ridge Parkway- This drive goes from the charming town of Asheville N.C. to deep within Tennessee’s Smokey Mountains. Here you’ll find breathtaking vistas, thick forests, and small towns filled with Appalachian handicrafts.  

 

5. Big Island Belt Road-If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Hawaii, add this drive to create a unique romantic experience. Stop by one of the many black sand beaches to see rare green sea turtles and other aquatic life. Finish the trip with a bang, stopping by Volcanoes National Park to see active volcanoes oozing magma.  

 

Source: Fineliving.com

 

Click here for more travel articles at Road & Travel Magazine

Adventure Travel for Kids: Most Family-Friendly Hotels

Of course kids will absolutely adore these themed hotels, but the biggest value is how they make vacationing a breeze for parents. When the hotel is a destination in itself it provides all the vacation entertainment the kids can handle!

Nickelodeon Family Suites: Florida, United States - This hotel's suites are outrageous and unique, providing excitement from sunrise to sunset. The 2-Bedroom Kidsuites are themed around some of the most popular Nickelodeon Characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and The Fairly OddParents. The integrated waterpark is sure to keep kids active all day.

Fantasyland Hotel: Edmonton, Canada - Each suite is themed after 1 of 11 different fantasies, like Hollywood, Roman, Polynesian, African or even Trucks - most of which have jacuzzis built into the themes. Located in the middle of an enormous mall and entertainment center, the only thing anyone won’t find here is boredom. There’s also the Galaxyland Amusement Park, World Waterpark, Professor Wem’s Miniature Golf, the Sea Life Caverns, the Ice Palace skating rink, movie theatres, arcades, cool stores and a Sony Playstation in every room.

Baumhaus Hotel: Neißeaue, Germany - This treehouse resort/adventure park is one of the craziest of the crazy hotels - but it's actually very kid-friendly. Choose 1 of the 5 rustic and oddly-formed 2-story treehouses, located about 20 to 30 feet up in a tree for a truly unforgettable family experience. How to climb to your bed? It's a secret.

For more family travel adventure ideas, visit RTM's Adventure Travel or Family Travel Sections.

 

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Why Visit Europe this Winter? Here's 9 Reasons

It’s no secret that winter in Europe is stunning, and the key to ensuring the most memorable experience is to let the best people plan your trip. Here are several reasons why you should jump out of  hibernation and head to Europe on a Contiki tour this winter, along with a few tour suggestions:

1. Crowds - The summer crowds are gone.  Fewer tourists mean you will get to experience cities as the locals do.  No standing in long lines to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris, or the Roman Forum and Colosseum in Rome.
2. Authentic Experiences - You can’t get more authentic than the Christmas markets, festivals and carnivals that take place all around Denmark, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Austria.
3. Entertainment - Opera, theater, and symphony seasons are in full effect.
4. Adventure - For winter sports enthusiasts, it is prime snow season! Contiki offers seven and 14 day vacation packages to Hopfgarten, Austria where you can ski, snowboard, ice skate or take a sleigh ride through the beautiful countryside. 
5. Hofbräuhaus - So, you couldn’t make it to Oktoberfest, but you can still enjoy the beer, the food and the Bavarian oompah band.  Munich is one of the many exciting stops on Contiki’s European Inspiration tour.
6. Spanish Beauty - Spain comes alive in September.  From Barcelona, to Madrid, to Seville, winter is the best time for shopping and exploring.  If you’re looking to get a little spicy this winter, check out Contiki’s Spanish Spree tour.
7. Time to Break Tradition - Dick Clark will be around for a few more years, so why not party it up with the locals in Dam Square in Amsterdam for New Year’s Eve!?  It is as big a celebration as Times Square in New York with the addition of fireworks.
8. A Little Romance - Paris on Valentine’s Day- how much more romantic can you get!?
9. The Shopping - Italy is always top of mind when it comes to shopping.  Milan is world renowned for design and fashion, and the entire area surrounding the famous Spanish Steps in Rome is a shopper’s dream come true.
10. Packages - deals are a steal during this season.

Source: Contiki Vacations, the worldwide leader in unique travel packages for 18 to 35-year-olds. View Contiki’s Europe Winter 2009-2010 brochure here.

 

For more travel ideas from RTM, visit our Travel Channel.

 

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Autumn Specials at the Finest Western Dude Ranches

The golden leaves of aspens aren’t the first to fall when autumn arrives in the Western mountains. The rates at Rocky Mountain dude ranches take a dip as early as mid-August. When kids return to school, and demand from families’ decreases, member ranches of the Dude Ranchers’ Association offer lower rates, shorter stays, and special weeks. Many ranchers reserve their western retreats for adults only, for time to kick back with no meetings, no schedules, and no worries.

At Southwest Colorado’s Wilderness Trails Ranch where the schedule of activities is same as summers, yet reservations are limited to 25 adults each week up until September 26th. Special weeks during October include “Ride the Colors of Fall Week,” September 27-October 6th, and Durango’s annual “Cowboy Gathering,” October 1st-4^th.

"Cowgirl Up" is an all-inclusive woman's adventure presented in the simple yet elegant style of NW Montana’s Bar W Ranch. A horsemanship clinic for riders of all levels kicks off the getaways September 27th – October 3rd and October 11th – 17th. Girls let their hair down at night with cocktail receptions or a little “two-stepping” at the Blue Moon. Or, they may submit to the ultimate in pampering with spa treatments followed by stargazing from the hot tub.

Idaho’s Red Horse Mountain Ranch brings together unattached men and women September 27- October 3. During Single’s Week, folks can meet others who enjoy outdoor adventure in tranquil surroundings. The remote setting near the eastern shores of Coeur d'Alene Lake is a recreational nirvana for riding, swimming, kayaking and fly-fishing.

Culinary arts are the focus at Alberta’s Homeplace Ranch September 27-October 5, dates for the annual and ever-popular “Taste of Alberta.” All the meals this week feature the ranches own recipes using only Alberta grown and created ingredients, including the Big Rock Beer, Alberta’s finest adult beverage. The foothills of the Rockies locale provide a feast for the spirit while the menu serves up a feast for the body.

Assistance with planning your ideal fall dude ranch adventure is just a click away by going to the DRA website, or by phoning the organization to request a free catalog at 866-399-2339.

For more vacation ideas from RTM, visit our Adventure Travel section.

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Adventures for the Ladies! Canyon Calling

Looking for some all-girls adventure? Maybe you need an idea for a girlfriends getaway, or a mother and daughter bonding trip? Canyon Calling Adventures for Women offers multi-activity adventure trips that are perfect for the explorative nature in us women. Canyon Calling guides groups of female travelers for the trip of a lifetime offered all over the world, including Arizona, Utah, Canada, Peru, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand. There’s a different dynamic when a group is all women. Strangers to each other just two hours early, women bond easily, bridging generation gaps while making friends and encouraging each other.

“Non-selfish or non self-focused people of generous hearts are ideal in a group situation in the outdoors,” Cheryl Fleet, founder of Canyon Calling, advises. “I have women on my trips who often speak about the miserable experience of hiking with their husbands. They tell me he just charges ahead missing the bird on the trail or the waterfall splashing nearby.”

Canyon Calling trips aren’t boot camps, but are appropriate for all moderately fit women. When women travel together, they are extremely forgiving of a slower hiker as long as she’s trying. They are very inclusive and vested in the success of the group. Pick one out of many upcoming trips, and register on the Canyon Calling website if you’re an adventurous lady looking for an escape.

For more ideas, visit RTM's Adventure Travel section.

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Discover More of the World: Explore Asia

We all want to try it - a travel adventure that's genuinely a cultural immersion in a foreign country. To have experiences completely different than we've ever had, to see sights beyond what we could ever imagine, and to connect with people from entirely different backgrounds, why not get lost in Asia?

Discoverasianow.com provides all the inspiration you could possibly need to book your flight to the Thailand, Singapore, The Phillipines, Macau, Korea, Japan, India, Hong Kong, or China. It's such a note-worthy resource, we had to highlight it despite the economic downturn - an excursion to an Asian beach or metropolis is more affordable and easier to plan when you have a tool this convenient. The packages, which include land and air, are an incredible, truly all-inclusive deal.  

The site provides a myriad of important information about each of the 8 regions it covers, but I think it's worth a visit just for the mesmerizing photos.  

For more travel ideas, check out RTM's Travel Channel.

Best Adventure Travel Spots

This summer take an adventure, either with your family or by yourself, to explore the top vacations spots for leisure and adventure around the world. Below are two of the top adventure travel spots you are guaranteed to love.

Australia
From the tropical rainforests of Queensland to a trip out west to Australia’s most famous landmark, Ayers Rock, adventure travelers can have it all. Leisure travelers can shop in Sydney and Melbourne, relax on the beaches of Surfer’s Paradise, or visit one of Australia ’s crocodile farms.

Brazil

Adventure travelers can trek along the jungles and rivers of the Amazon and see the spectacular thunder of Iguacu Falls. For a more relaxed experience, travelers can soak up sun on the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, or learn to samba while enjoying the nightlife of Rio de Janeiro.

Click here fore more of Road & Travel’s best adventure travel spots.

Best Outdoor Winter Activities

From California's rugged snowcaps to the smooth snowmobile trails of the Wyoming, we've compiled a list of the best and most outrageous winter adventures offered across the United States.

·         The Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail runs from Wyoming to Montana and through some of the most majestic and wildlife-rich terrain in America. Excellent food and lodging options, snowmobile rentals, guide services and shuttles make this trail widely coveted by avid riders.

·         Colorado’s vast open bowls and steep chutes are only yours to enjoy when you take on the spectacular San Juan range of the Rockies with Telluride Helitrax, offering the highest helicopter-accessed terrain in North America. Various terrains suit beginners and advanced skiers and professional guides ensure a safe and secure experience.

·      Pennsylvania offers some true die-hard winter time activities, and there is nothing that warms up the wintertime blues like iceboating. Pennsylvania is home to plenty of frozen-solid lakes in the winter and offers up its smooth, crystal clear glass for all levels of enthusiasts.

Click here to view a complete list of outdoor wintertime activities.