There is no need
for you to forego a family summer vacation, romantic
get away or self discovery adventure just because
the experts say we are in a recession. Gas prices
are soaring, food just might follow. Your home is
worthless, your stocks are down and there is little
any of us can do to fix the big picture. So we might
as well just continue moving forward as best we
can and by all means take a Vacation, To get more
bang for your deflated dollar, consider a trip in
the U.S.
What does an American
vacation look like? There are far more options than
the usual trips to Disney, Time Square and the monuments
of D.C. And they range from five star luxury to
roughing it in eco outposts.
The new buzz word
in travel is Amtrak. Go to www.Amtrak.com and be
amazed at how they are realizing their star potential.
There is now a department called Amtrak
Vacations. They have regional tours, cross
country treks, cars that will carry your car to
your destination, overnight entertainment, and weekly
specials.
“No
need to forego a vacation this summer just because
the experts say we're in a recession.
America is overflowing with destinations to satisfy
any travel desires.”
For luxury travel
visit www.AmericanRail.com. They specialize in nostalgic
North American private rail tours. And www.GrandluxRail.com
is what is left of the American Orient Express .
Luxury cars are attached to the back of Amtrak's
regular trains. They are separate experiences with
five course dining, 500 thread count sheets and
piano bars.
If you want to be
on the water, every major lake and river in the
US has barges and mini cruise ships ready to show
you an American experience. There are riverboat
ports all over inland America from Little Rock AR
to St Paul, MN. Check out www.RiverCruiseTours.com
to get ideas.
America is overflowing
with destinations to satisfy any travel desires.
Need some ideas? Here are a few:
Santa
Fe, New Mexico:
Start
with the natural beauty -- landscapes that inspired
Georgia O'Keeffe. Enjoy unique settings and
sweeping vistas as you hike in the high desert.
Add a history and multicultural aspect -- from
ancient Anasazi ruins, to living history at
Taos Pueblo, to isolated Spanish towns founded
centuries ago. Throw in some cool adventures!
Want to climb ladders to an ancient cliffside
cave dwelling? Go whitewater rafting on the
Rio Grande? Ride horseback across the desert?
Sounds like you could be in Mexico or Spain.
Napa
Valley & San Francisco, California:
Sipping fine wines while chatting with experts,
musty cellars stacked high with oak barrels,
outdoor dining under the warm California sun,
and acres of trellised vineyards stretching
out before you. . . Feeling the wind in your
hair as you sail across San Francisco Bay as
the sun sets behind the world-famous Golden
Gate Bridge. . . No you are not in Italy.
Alaska
& Yukon:
From Glacier Bay's icy spectacles and migrating
whales to Dawson City, destination of many a
Klondike gold seeker - Alaska and its Canadian
neighbor, the Yukon, are still largely untamed
wilderness. Explore their natural beauty, and
meet the people who call this wild, challenging
place home. No it's not the Arctic Circle.
San Juan Islands:
As your boat heads out toward the islands, you
can feel the worries slip away... Between the
Washington mainland and Vancouver Island, lie
the unspoiled San Juan Islands. A visit is like
stepping back in time, with no high-rises, freeways
or fast-food chains. It's a nature-lover's paradise,
with hundreds of islands, 200 species of birds,
and the most bald eagles outside Alaska. The
waters are famous for killer whales (orcas),
and abundant with porpoises and seals. Like
the U.K.?
The
Berkshires:
When
Daniel Chester French, who carved Abraham Lincoln's
figure for the Lincoln Memorial, was asked about
his home in the Berkshires, he replied: "I
live here six months of the year-in heaven.
The other six months I live-well, in New York."
The Berkshire Hills, on the New York/Massachusetts
border, stretch for about fifty miles north
to south, encompassing several little villages
from Williamstown in the north to Sheffield
in the south. Shop at antiques shops, crafts
stores, and farmers markets. Indulge in amazing
food and settle into welcoming inns and resorts.
Don't give up on
your vacation this year. Discover America's charm,
beauty, raw nature and vast variety. Spend your
money here where it can help our economy and our
people recover and prosper. Viva Americana !
