Hilton Head Island

On my never ending search for perfect vacation getaways, I have stumbled across Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. This place is a pack up the whole family and go.

Beautiful sand packed beaches, gorgeous sun sets, and luxury accommodations. What more could you ask for?

Hilton Head has become a popular worldwide destination.There is plenty to do on the island. Everything for your pleasure is there. Golf courses, impeccable tennis courts, exquisite restaurants and shopping, biking, swimming, boating, and the list is endless.

Whether you are looking for a place to rest and relax, or a fun action packed vacation,
Hilton Head Vacation Rentals will have a place to suit your needs.

For me, it is important to find a place that is high quality where I can take the whole family and not go broke in the process. Hilton Head Island sounds like it is one of those vacation places that will give long lasting wonderul memories for many years to come.

First Class

I recently traveled to MI to visit my family. I had a late night flight from Phoenix. That was great. I put one of those half moon shape pillows behind my head and slept the whole way. My upgrade to an aisle seat though was 30.00. Getting expensive for sure
On the way home I was standing in line to board the plane and I heard my name called from the desk. I got out of line and went up there. The lady said, "We are going to move you up front." Wow, what a nice surprise. She gave me a new boarding pass and I walked right on the plane. My seat was in the very first row and next to the window. In first class there is only 2 seats to an aisle instead of 3 like in the back. And the seats are much bigger.
I couldn't figure out why they upgraded me like that, but someone told me that I probably had the most miles that day. I guess it pays to have World Perks. So even though I had paid another 30.00 for an aisle seat, the trade off was well worth it.
The flight was awesome. Flight Attendants wait on your every need.
The only thing I could complain about was that my iPod died right near the end of my movie before the flight was over.

Goldfield Ghost Town, Goldfield, AZ

I just recently moved to AZ so I think that means I can also be a tourist for awhile. My daughter and her step-sister drove my car out here from MI and brought our 2 dogs with them. We took them to the Goldfield Ghost Town while they were here. That was fun. Actually it is a true tourist trap. Lots of little shops, a Mine tour, A place where they had snakes and spiders, a train to ride on, jeep tours of the mountains, a bakery, ice cream shop, and restaurant. The girls went horseback riding while we walked around and waited for them to get back. Many people in the town were dressed like cowboys and saloon girls. They even have a staged shoot out. People gather on the sidewalks to watch. When the first guy was shot and fell to the ground I heard several children start crying loudly. I guess they should have prepared them better. This town is the gateway to the Superstition Mountains. The picture here is part of the mountain. I heard a tour guide say this section was formed from volcanic activity. This is one of those places where you can say 'been there, done that'. The mountain view though, is awesome. If you click on the title it will take you to their website.

Arizona

I just recently moved from MI to Arizona. We left MI with 17 inches of snow and 20 degress and arrived in AZ to sunny skies and 80 degrees. Paradise. I had been to AZ a few times before the big move. Once we went to Wickenburg to visit an old gold mine. That was pretty cool. We did get to pan for gold, and I got a few flakes. Not enough to get gold fever though.
The views here are incredible with all the mountains and giant Saguaro cactus everywhere. The Saguaro Cactus is the AZ state flower.The largest plants, with more than 5 arms, are estimated to be 200 years old. I learned that they are endangered and that if you cut one down it is a felony. If you want to have one on your property you have to get a permit.

Airplanes in general

I have traveled with most of the airlines. Spirit was nice with their big front seat, sort of like first class. Now it is just that, a big front seat. You pay for your drinks, period. I have only been in first class once and that was with US Airways. That was awesome. The flight attendant constantly asks you if you want something. The food isn't the greatest but at least that is free. Most times I wait until 24 hours before flight to pick my seat and I will upgrade to either exit or aisle. I just have to get up too much to be sitting in the middle or window. US Airway used to let you see a movie but with the cut backs that has changed.
I always hope not to sit near children. Not that I don't like kids, I love them. But not on airplanes. More than once I have had children sitting behind me either kicking the seat or crying continuously. One time on my way back from Vegas a little girl, about 2 years old, kicked and cried for 4 hours. I thought I would lose my mind. The parents just ignored this and let her keep kicking my seat. People just don't care sometimes. Oh, another obnoxious thing are people bringing their luggage on board to avoid paying the extra. Their luggage is too big, then we have to wait while they find places for it. People, just pay the extra.
I am thankful for the ipod. I download a movie or two depending on how long my flight is, then hibernate until the flight is over. Flying still seems the best way to travel. As long as I am going somewhere, I am happy.

How do you get there?

Since my blog is about travel I thought I should take a moment and discuss 'getting there' My travels are mostly by air but some have been by car and once by train. Car trips, if short enough can be pleasant. However, I just recently traveled from MI to AZ by car and it took 3 days. We stayed in a hotel 2 nights, which was our saving grace. My butt was so tired from sitting. The view was great. The closer we got to AZ, the more beautiful it became. You could see forever. The snow capped mountains in the distance were truly amazing.
We took a train from MI to Chicago. A short 4.5 hour trip turned into 6. After riding for about an hour we had to stop and wait while they removed a fallen tree from the tracks. It seemed we could never pick up any real speed for all the stops the train had to make. The seats were sort of comfortable. Not much of a view out the window, mostly streets and cars sitting waiting for us to pass. I know how they felt. Waiting seems forever when you are stuck by a train. I will talk about airplanes later since that is an article by itself.

Baltimore Maryland

My husband was working for a few months last year in Baltimore so we rented a condo in Fells Point. I got to fly out there about every month for a week at a time. Flights were nice and short, only an hour each way. Our condo was on the waterfront and we had a nice balcony with a great view. The sunsets were awesome! Fells Point is a quaint little historic town with a tavern every few feet, lots of shops and restaurants. Speaking of restaurants, every place has their own take on crab cakes. They are gigantic and very tasty. All were good. There is always something to do or go watch. We were within walking distance of the Inner Harbor. Lots to do there. The picture above is a light house that sits on the pier.We went to the Science and Discovery Museum to see the Human Body. That was fascinating. They have an aquarium there too, which if I am not mistaken is ranked number two in the US. We wanted to go but never got around to it. We did however get to "ride the ducks" which is a bus and boat in one (amphibious vehicle). I guess these were made and used during WW11 and carried ammunition from ship to shore. We were driven around various places while the driver talked about points of interest and then into the water we went. I was afraid we would sink at first, but all went well and it was fun. One weekend they had something called Privateer Day and the towns people, including children, were dressed up like pirates. You can see a short video about it by going here http://fellspoint.us/content/view/99/26/ and clicking on the picture. People are very friendly there too, especially considering it is a big city. I felt more than welcome and would've stayed longer if I could have. I didn't get to see everything I wanted to, but what I did see and do was fantastic. I will always miss Baltimore and would go back in a heartbeat.