Top Spot Travel

November 10, 2016 by Jeremy

Exciting attractions at Walt Disney World that you can’t afford to miss

Space Mountain is one of the most Exciting attractions at Walt Disney World

Photo by CC user WillMcC on Wikimedia Commons

Heading out on holiday to Walt Disney World? While it is a dream destination for families everywhere, thrill seekers needn’t feel left out either, as there are plenty of rides that will feed their hunger for living on the edge.

So, if you are about to go on a once in a lifetime trip to Walt Disney World, here are some exciting attractions that you can’t afford to miss when you are down there…

1) Magic Kingdom – Space Mountain

Of the multiple parks that make up Walt Disney World, the Magic Kingdom is unquestionably the most popular, as it contains dozens of iconic experiences within its borders.

If you are looking for exciting though, no ride will trigger your adrenal glands quite like Space Mountain. Located in Tomorrowland, this thrilling roller coaster is contained within a futuristic dome that simulates what flying outer space would be like.

Complete with trippy lights and crazy sound effects, the speed of this ride is only enhanced by their presence, making this attraction one of the most popular at Walt Disney World.

2) EPCOT – World Showcase

Wonder how people live on the other side of the world? Find out without blowing thousands of dollars on plane tickets by visiting the pavilions of 11 countries at World Showcase.

Experience each of these nations through rides, immersive IMAX movies, and living history actors. Eat their food at themed restaurants, and buy their handicrafts that are representative of their culture in shops on site.

Each pavilion is distinct from the others, as its architecture and design does their part of the world justice.

3) Disney Hollywood Studios – The Great Movie Ride

If you can’t get enough of the movies, take things to the next level by immersing yourself within them. At Disney Hollywood Studios, you can do just that by buying a ticket for The Great Movie Ride.

Situated within a replica of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, this ride takes you within scenes from various film genres as you pass through a 1930’s era sound stage.

From Sigourney Weaver killing aliens to Chicago mobsters facing off against each other, you’ll never have such an in-your-face cinematic experience quite like this in your life.

4) Blizzard Beach – Summit Plummet

The blistering Florida sun can punish visitors to Walt Disney World from mid-spring to mid-fall, which will make you long for the blissful waters of your hotel pool halfway through the day.

Combine the pursuit of fun at Walt Disney World with cooling off by spending a day at Blizzard Beach. Adrenaline addicts will want to tick Summit Plummet off their list, as this extremely steep slide was the fastest one in the world when it opened in the 1990’s, so don’t chicken out.

Get it done and you can brag about it to your friends back home (you can even buy a shirt saying that you survived it).

November 9, 2016 by Jeremy

The Most Interesting Things to See in Perth

Photo by CC user Richard Giles on Flickr.

Thinking about planning a trip to Perth, Australia? Then you’re not alone! With tourism growing more each and every year, Perth showcases itself as a great vacation destination with beautiful coastlines, good food and a plentiful amount of fun activities alongside great cultural experiences. With so much to do and see, you might find yourself tight on time. An easy way to make sure you have enough time to explore as much as possible during your trip is to hire a car in Perth. This way you’ll be able to zip around without having to try to figure out how to get from street A to street B.

During your planning process you’ll find lots of different activities and things to both see and do, but which ones should you pick? To help you out, here’s a list of some of the most interesting things to see while in Perth.

St Mary’s Cathedral

A beautiful cathedral church, St Mary’s Cathedral is both awe inspiring and picture perfect. A visit here will allow you to get up close and personal as you take in both the design and the history of the church. As you learn about its importance, you’ll also learn of how it was constructed in three different phases, with the last phase being completed in the 2000s.

Indigenous Heritage Tour In Kings Park

If you’re interested in a little culture and history mixed together, you’ll find the Indigenous Heritage Tour in Kings Park to be a great choice. This tour lasts about 90 minutes or so and is lead by an Aboriginal guide. During the tour you’ll learn about the Wadjuk people and the use of local plants for both food and medicine.

Perth Royal Show

Only available as an attraction during the end of September, the Perth Royal Show is a great choice if you love animals, free things to do and lots of different shows. If you’re interested in agricultural experiences, you’ll find lots of them here, all of which are fun for all members of your family or group. You’ll also find lots of different food options each and every day of the show, making it a great experience all around. Wondering how you’ll get to the show? That’s easy as you’ll find both buses and trains making regular stops at the showgrounds during the duration of the show.

SciTech

With over 200 interactive exhibits to view, you’ll find yourself both educated and inspired at the same time. SciTech is also a great stop for those traveling with children as they’ll find lots to do and see that are both fun and age appropriate. The main themes that you’ll find here are technology, mathematics and engineering. If you’ve got a family member who is thinking about entertaining one of those three fields, make sure to take them here!

As you can see above, there are lots of great attractions in Perth that you’ll want to make sure you add to your itinerary. If you’re staying for longer than a week, you’ll find a lot of other great activities to add to your list, making each and every day of your visit full of excitement.

August 17, 2016 by Jeremy

Travel to the Internet for Great Trip Ideas

Recife in Brazil is one of many Great Trip Ideas the internet can clue you in on

Photo by CC user rds_sp on Flickr

If you have a trip somewhere other than the local camping resort and bed and breakfast planned soon, how will you get the bulk of your travel information?

For many travelers, a sizable portion of that information is coming via the Internet.

In the event you need to study up on where you may be ahead around the globe anytime soon, turning to the worldwide web certainly can’t hurt you. In fact, you may learn so much that it will take you a bit of time to digest everything.

So, are you headed over to the Internet for great trip ideas?

Research and Learn

In order to educate yourself as much as possible about where you may be headed start by looking to see which travel companies have websites.

Given today’s tech-driven world, it is almost business suicide not to have a decent presence on the worldwide web.

For example, if you know or think you know that ABC Travel arranges trips to Europe, South America, Africa, Asia etc. plan on visiting their website.

By doing so, you can study up on a Brazil trip, journey to the Far East, perhaps a visit to Australia, maybe a cruise to Italy or Greece and much more.

Such websites typically offer not only what kinds of travel packages they offer, but also loads of information about how to get there, pricing, any specials needs as far as medical assistance (shots etc.) before arriving there and much more.

More and more travel sites are allowing you to “chat” with a company rep before you ever do any pertinent searching of the website. This allows you to talk to someone about what you are interested in, saving you time. Instead of having to surf a travel website in vain, you can be directed right to the spot you want, be it a vacation rental in some country or perhaps the best touristy things to do.

Meantime, if Brazil and/or other parts of South America are on your mind, watching the recent 2016 Summer Olympics would have certainly educated you on the country and some of what it has to offer.

Along with showing or describing to you much of the sporting action, media outlets have been busy with packages on Rio and other parts of Brazil during the Olympics. This gives the upcoming traveler more information about what he or she is most interested in when it comes to visiting this country of more than 200 million people.

Whether it is some nightlife in Rio, attending the famed Brazilian Carnival for a week in February, or perhaps a trip down the Amazon, there is plenty to learn about along the way.

Get Social in Your Planning

Another advantage of turning to the Internet is using social media to help guide you with a big upcoming trip.

There are countless consumers on social networking sites talking about where they have been or where they are headed, so there is much to learn from them.

For example, there are groups on Facebook and other social sites that oftentimes sit around and talk simply about traveling.

The benefit for you is that you can either sit back to take in all the information, or you can even contribute (if you can gain membership to the respective club) to the conversation. Either way, it can be a great learning experience before you take off on your journey.

You can also view YouTube videos, videos which can prove quite informative in your choice of destinations.

The videos will typically not be all that long, so you could likely watch a number of them either on a lunch break from work or when you are off work.

Finally, think about starting your own travel blog over time.

Yes, you will have to set aside some time to write and post pictures, but the benefits can certainly add up.

The goal is of course to get other travel enthusiasts reading your blog, commenting on your blog, and of course helping to promote your blog via their social connections.

In the end, you make some more travel connections along the way, giving you more resources to tap when you have another upcoming trip planned around the globe.

August 10, 2016 by Jeremy

Top 5 Spanish Destinations

Spain has long been one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations, cheap flights, beautiful weather, rich culture, fantastic food, beaches and warm people have made Spain a tourist paradise. There is a huge range of places to visit in Spain depending on what it is that you are after and here are our top 5 Spanish destinations that we think you should be heading to this year.

Barcelona

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is not only a great Spanish city but a great European city, this artistically designed city is filled with winding streets that hide away local shops, beautiful restaurants, and lively bars and some of the most luxury houses in Spain. The main attractions in the city are the Nou Camp stadium, home of Barcelona FC, the yet unfinished but none the less stunning Sagrada Familia cathedral and the museum of Pablo Picasso. The city sits on the coast and has a stunning harbor that is adorned with multi-million dollar yachts, a great city and one that you need to visit.

Marbella

Marbella is situated in Spain’s Costa del Sol, it has long been considered to be somewhere that only the wealthy go but in recent years it has become far easier for anyone to visit regardless of their budget. Marbella does offer some of the most luxury houses Spain has to offer but holidaying there can be very reasonable. The beaches in Marbella are arguably the most beautiful in Spain and it makes for the perfect sun kissed holiday. Marbella is also a great place to party, it features the ‘Golden Mile’ a mile long stretch of trendy nightclubs and bars. If you are looking for sun, sea and sand then Marbella is where you should be heading.

Seville

The capital of Andalucia and the home of the famous Flamenco dancing, Sevilla is a beautiful place to spend your vacations. The city is massively influenced by its Moorish past and features architecture that has been influenced by Christians, Jewish and Muslim occupancy in the city. Sevilla is situated on the beautiful River Guadalquivir and its old town is filled with beautiful relics from the past and several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. If history is your thing then you will love Sevilla, a relaxed city filled with culture and offers tourists beauty and history.

Madrid

Spain’s capital is an artistic paradise, a beautiful city with huge boulevard style streets, hundreds of open green spaces with beautiful statues and incredible architecture, a prime example being the sprawling Buen Retiro Park with its beautiful fountains. Madrid is a city that it is renowned for its museums of modern and classic art and you should see as much as you can when you’re there. Other places of interest include the Temple of Debod, a reconstructed Egyptian temple, the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, home of Real Madrid FC and the amazing market El Rastro where you can buy amazing local food and crafts. Madrid is definitely worth the visit when you go to Spain and it makes for a great city break if you are short on time.

Figueres

Located in the extreme northeast of Spain, Figures rests in the Catalonia province. Catalonia has long been a quasi-autonomous region of Spain that has been fighting for its independence for hundreds of years. The native language is actually Catalan although everyone speaks Spanish as well. What makes Figueres special is it plays home to the biggest Dali museum in the world. Salvador Dali is probably the most famous surrealist artist in the world.

June 20, 2016 by Jeremy

So You’re in LA for Just One Day…

You could fill an entire shelf with Los Angeles guidebooks, and spend countless hours reading blogs telling you what to see and do in Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and the surrounding area. And if you’ve got a week or two to work with, that can be pretty helpful—but what if you’re only in LA for just one day? What if you essentially just have 24 hours to burn, perhaps between meetings or before jumping onto a plane to head somewhere else?

There’s obviously no shortage of attractions in the City of Angels. Your ideal day may not look much like the next person’s—but nevertheless, these quick suggestions may help you to make those 24 hours count.

Get Some Good—and Quick—Food

First, let’s get the culinary stuff out of the way. L.A. is one of the great food cities in the country, but if you’re just there for a day you may not want to spend two or three hours in a restaurant. Fortunately, the creativity of the L.A. food scene is by no means confined to five-star restaurants. Actually, some of the best food in town can be found from food trucks and in hole-in-the-wall restaurants.

Indeed, the L.A. food scene is as much about ethnic eccentricities, mini pizzas, and gourmet burger joints as anything elegant or fancy. Just spend some time on the streets seeking out a quick and creative venue with a decent-sized line, and you’ll probably be just fine.

Hollywood Staples

From there, you may be tempted to visit a museum or some other cultural spot—but really, if you’re just in L.A. for the day, you may be better off doing some of the fun Hollywood stuff you always see on TV. Start with the Walk of Fame, a great way to celebrate the city’s showbiz legacy and get an up-close-and-personal experience with a true L.A. landmark.

You can also take a trek up to the famous Hollywood sign, and perhaps even get a picture snapped in front of it. Griffith Park is probably the best way to get some good views, so try heading there.

Seeing Sights

If you want to condense the whole L.A. experience into just an hour or so, try taking a drive up Sunset Boulevard and Sunset Strip—a great way to see seedy old-time Hollywood, new Hollywood, lavish Beverly Hills homes, and basically everything else that makes L.A. what it is. It’s a fun and breezy drive that’s arguably more revealing than any historic tour you could take. You might even end your day at Santa Monica Pier—a lovely and culturally rich site in its own right, and a perfect capper to your day in L.A.