TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel community, today announced the top 10 attractions in the U.S. according to traveler popularity and TripAdvisor editors.

1. Magical Mecca: Orlando, Florida
2. Circus Atmosphere: Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas, Nevada
3. Hawaii 6-0: Hana Highway, Maui, Hawaii
4. Grand Plans: Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
5. Park Place: Central Park, New York City, New York
6. Rock Show: Alcatraz, San Francisco, California
7. Perch Above the Peacock: Top of the Rock Observation Deck, New York, New York
8. Seaing is Believing: Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey Bay, California
9. Water-ful: Bellagio Fountains, Las Vegas, Nevada
10. Animal Kingdom: San Diego Zoo, San Diego, California

Do you really think Ohio is a place where you can’t really hang around? Then I think you should brush aside your thought.

I got an article which has the list of 101 interesting things you can do in Ohio.

Read it here.

Enjoy the ride

China is likely to replace the United States as the world’s third most popular tourism destination next year, a United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) official said. At present, China ranks fourth, after France, Spain and the United States.

Last year, China accounted for 5.8 percent of the global tourism market, a growth of 0.3 percent compared with two years ago.

Twenty-nine percent of tourists who traveled to Asia and the Pacific last year also visited China.

Xu Jing, regional representative for Asia and the Pacific of UNWTO, said the market share percentages of China and the U.S. last year were very close.

“I am confident China will overtake the US next year,” he said at the 2007 China (Qingdao) International Olympics & Tourism Forum, which concluded on Friday.

Source:ChinaDaily

Dog Friendly has recently released its 2007 list of the Top Dog Friendly Vacation Destinations in the U.S. and Canada.

Boston - Take a boat or whale watching cruise. Walk the Freedom Trail, visit Salem and explore history at Minute Man Park. Your leashed dog is also welcome on the subway.

Vancouver – Walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge and park. Take a walking tour of Historic Gastown. Take the ferry and visit nearby Victoria and beautiful Butchart Gardens.

New York – Stay in luxury at many fine hotels. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge. Take a walking tour of lower Manhattan. Ride the carriages. Watch a morning show. Shop in many famous stores.

San Francisco – Luxurious hotels, outdoor dining, the Golden Gate Bridge, Baker Beach and many off-leash areas. Ride the cable car to the Fisherman’s Wharf area and stroll with your dog.

Austin – Visit Zilker Botanical Gardens, catch a horse and carriage ride, dine in outdoor cafes. See the bats leave the Congress St Bridge at dusk. Use the city’s many parks.

Portland – Enjoy over 20 off-leash areas, an amusement park and the famous Rose Gardens. Dine at the Lucky Lab. Visit the Saturday Outdoor Market and hike in the Colombia River Gorge.

Northern Virginia – Dine or enjoy happy hour in dog-friendly Alexandria. Take the Canine Cruise on the Potomac. Visit outdoor monuments in Washington and Virginia.

Orlando – Stay at resorts such as the Portofino Bay and Sheraton World. Take a boat cruise, shop Winter Park, and dine at Sam Snead’s where Jeb Bush signed the doggy dining law.

San Diego - Off-leash dog beaches. Stay at Loews Coronado Resort. Shop at dog-friendly Otay Ranch Shopping Center complete with a dog park. Dine outdoors. Visit nearby Julian.

Dallas/Fort Worth - Ride a carriage, visit Pioneer Plaza, take a walking tour. Visit Fort Woof dog park and the Stockyard in Fort Worth. Dine on Texas BBQ at outdoor restaurants.

Once when people were asked – IS IT POSSIBLE TO BITE YOUR NOSE?

Every body thought it was impossible.. ……..
Until this guy came along, just watch how he makes the impossible possible…

According to BITKOM, 35.1 million vacations were booked online by Germans. That’s nearly one vacation booked online for every two Germans. The country’s total population was 82.4 million in July 2006, according to the US Census Bureau. Germans average 35 vacation days per year, compared with 13 in the US, according to the World Tourism Organization.

eMarketer Senior Analyst Jeffrey Grau said, “German leisure travelers are booking vacations online at strong rates that are allowing this market to close in on second place, behind the UK, in European online travel sales.”

Traditional travel agencies and tour operators have done well online in the UK. In Germany and France, however, travelers tend to go straight to online travel suppliers, according to Euromonitor International.

May is National Bike Month, a great time for a family ride. Michael Frank, executive editor of Mountain Bike, shares his recommendations for car-free, scenic and relatively flat trails with Kathy Baruffi for USA TODAY

Forest Park -Portland, Ore.

Forest Park is true to its name — and at 5,161 acres, it’s the largest fully forested natural inner city park in the USA. “Enter and you’d swear you’re very far from civilization,” Frank says. “The niftiest way to see the park is via Leif Erikson Drive, an 11.2-mile, relatively flat dirt road that bisects the greenbelt and is shared by joggers, hikers, and cyclists.” 503-823-2223; www.portlandparks.org

Burke-Gilman Trail – Seattle

“The 27-mile Burke-Gilman Trail goes along scenic Lake Washington, and rolls by wineries (Columbia, Chateau Ste. Michelle) and excellent restaurants such as the Herbfarm in Woodinville, ultimately linking up to the East Lake Sammamish River Trail,” Frank says. “The newly opened 11-mile addition offers stunning views of Mount Rainier.” 206-684-4075.

Griffith Park – Los Angeles

This urban park in the heart of the city, home to the L.A. Zoo and the Griffith Observatory, is also rugged enough to harbor wildlife like foxes and deer. “While this isn’t a cyclist’s paradise, it’s a great place for families to ride from attraction to attraction, including several playgrounds, a bird sanctuary, and a merry-go-round,” Frank says. “The best loop runs along Crystal Springs Drive and Zoo Drive, then rolls back along the Los Angeles River and ends on Los Feliz Boulevard near the main entrance.” 323-913-4688.

Lost Prospector Trail – Park City, Utah

Known as a skier’s paradise and home of the Sundance Film Festival, Park City is also a mountain biker’s nirvana. “On the 7-mile route called Lost Prospector, you can spy natural attractions, including lovely stands of aspen and frequent views of the epic Wasatch Crest peaks and a bird’s-eye view of Park City,” Frank says. Want completely flat? Hit the less-taxing 28-mile Union Pacific Rail Trail, he advises. 435-649-6839; mountaintrails.org

Charles River Bike Path – Boston

“Beantown’s bike scene is vibrant, and its path network is huge,” Frank says. “One of the friendliest places to ride is along the 17-mile paved Charles River Bike Path, rolling by Harvard, the Museum of Science and the Charles River Esplanade. Watch crew teams practicing, sailors racing and kayakers enjoying the water.” Rent a boat and join the fun, he suggests, or stop for a family picnic by the riverside and watch. 617-626-4973.

Summit County Recreational Path – Colorado

Summit County is interconnected with a 55-mile network of asphalt, non-motorized pathways that link towns and resorts such as Breckenridge, Dillon and Copper. “Most climb and descend gently,” Frank says, “and the Breckenridge area has an entire network of new, family-friendly, single-track dirt trails that use pre-existing mining paths that date to the Colorado gold rush.” 877-864-0868; gobreck.com

Mohonk Preserve – New Paltz, N.Y.

This 6,500-acre nature preserve in the Shawangunk Mountains is about 90 miles hours north of New York City. “Miles of rolling carriage roads weave throughout the beautiful woodland and link to those at the adjacent Minnewaska State Park Preserve,” Frank says. “Enjoy the mountain air and cliff views, and if you head out at dawn or dusk, you might be lucky enough to spot wildlife, including porcupines and owls.” 845-255-0919; mohonkpreserve.org/index.php?bike

Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail – Key Largo

Old railways make perfect bicycle routes because they never climb or descend too steeply. “In Florida, which already is relatively flat, Henry Flagler’s rail line, which linked the Keys to the mainland at the end of the 19th century, is being converted into a 106-mile path connecting the islands,” Frank says. “Some of the existing sections go through Key Largo, Tavernier, Long Key Big Pine and Stock Island, and side trips on county road shoulders make for beautiful riding.” 305-853-3571.

Battle Creek Regional Park – St. Paul

This large county park, with nearly 8 miles of single track, arcs along its namesake tributary of the Mississippi River. “The riding can be challenging, but there are also mellower, wide dirt paths, and you can even ride from downtown St. Paul along a paved bike path that runs directly to the park,” Frank says. 651-748-2500.

Cape Fear River Trail – Fayetteville, N.C.

The largest of all bike paths in the nation will be the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile-long, car-free route that will stretch from northern Maine to southern Florida when it’s completed decades from now. About 20% of the city-to-city system has been opened, and perhaps no segment is more typical than the Cape Fear River Trail, Frank says. The 3.7-mile paved path features wooden walkways and bluebird houses. 910-433-1547.

I just saw a post in TravelPost.com which has the list of best Rose Gardens to visit in United States.

Flowers are something which excites everyone. This is something which I can not afford to miss. I will surely visit all these places mentioned.

Here’s the details.

1. International Rose Test Garden Washington Park – Portland, Oregon
2. Rose Garden in Woodland Park Zoo – Seattle, Washington
3. Lyndale Park Rose Garden – Minneapolis, Minnesota
4. McKinley Park Rose Garden – Sacramento, California
5. The Centennial Rose Garden, Schmidt Mansion – Tumwater, Washington
6. Elizabeth Park Rose Garden – Hartford, Connecticut
7. Mesa Community College Rose Garden – Mesa, Arizona
8. Chicago Botanic Gardens – Glencoe, Illinios – north of Chicago, Illinois
9. The John E. Voight Trial Garden – Hales Corners, Wisconsin
10. Tyler Rose Garden – Tyler, Texas

Enjoy!

The 166-room St. Regis Resort Fort Lauderdale has opened on Florida’s Gold Coast. Located on the beachfront promenade, the resort features a 5,000-bottle wine room with a separate cellar that can be reserved for private events. Each room and suite offers a view of either the Atlantic Ocean or the Intracoastal Waterway and features leather furnishings, 1940s-era black and white photographs on the walls, wi-fi, DVD players, second TVs in the bathrooms, silk robes, Pratesi linens and Remede bath amenities.

The property is offering several specials to celebrate its grand opening. With the Luxury Has a New Address package, guests will receive a complimentary upgrade to a higher room category, a Remede Complete Treatment Spa Gift and a $50 food and beverage credit. The Magic of Four package offers guests who stay three nights a fourth night for free.

Do you plan to visit the St. Regis Resort, Fort Lauderdale? When you get back, review it for us!

The Chicago Tribune’s Cost of Canceling is in the Fine Print highlights cancellation policies at Expedia and other sites. The story reminded me of some basics hotel travelers should keep in mind when making and canceling hotel reservations.

Know the cancellation policy before you book. When you make your reservation, whether by phone or online, make sure to hunt down the hotel or web site’s cancellation policy. And remember that cancellation policies may vary depending on the rate you choose. For example, super-cheap Internet rates can have no-cancellation rules written right into the fine print. Paying slightly more for the same room might give you more flexibility.

Call the vendor first. If you have to cancel your reservation, your first point of contact should be the company through which you made your reservation. If you made a reservation through Travelocity and you discover you have to cancel it at the last minute (say, because your flight got delayed or canceled), call Travelocity’s customer service before contacting the hotel directly.

Keep important customer service numbers on hand. When traveling, it can be a big help to have customer service phone numbers for airlines, hotels and online travel agents. If you get stranded at the airport, you can get help with your contingent travel plans and reservations as efficiently as possible.

Cancel the whole reservation. When you cancel a hotel reservation for multiple days or with multiple rooms, make sure to confirm with the company that you’ve actually canceled everything associated with the reservation and not just part of the trip.

Ask for a cancellation confirmation. When you do cancel a hotel reservation, print out the cancellation confirmation you receive online or ask the customer service representative to send you a copy via email or regular mail. This will be helpful if charges still end up on your credit card.

Lastly, my advice when canceling a reservation is to do it over the phone. I find that making reservations is easiest online, but I have less confidence in canceling them that way. I’d rather speak to a person who can tell me what, if any, cancellation penalty charges I am responsible for and when they will appear on my credit card.