New Yorkers in the know take advantage of many great free cultural offerings around town when they want a low cost night of fun. Budget conscious travelers may want to check out what these great cultural institutions have to offer as well.

Every Thursday of the year you can find free performances at the Lincoln Center. Target® Free Thursdays at the Lincoln Center’s new David Rubenstein Atrium will feature national and international tourist artists as well as local featured artists from groups like The Juilliard School. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Check out the calendar of free performances.

In the summer there is often a free performance in Central Park no matter what day you’re in town. SummerStage and the city parks foundation website will shortly have their summer schedules up.

Groups with young children, or the young at heart, may enjoy the The Forbes Galleries located in the heart of Greenwich Village. The Galleries feature unique collections of toys and trophies. The exhibits includes a rare look at the evolution of the Monopoly board game. Open free to the public 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays. Please note that Thursdays are reserved for group tours and advance reservations are required.

Last Minute Travel has just refreshed its list of New York hotels and has lowered its prices on 15 of our best value properties. That makes now the perfect time to make plans for your vacation to the Big Apple.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/listenmissy / CC BY-ND 2.0

JFrost Destinations, Tips Central Park, Lincoln Center, New York, New York City, new york hotels

Websites where most of the content is user generated, like Yelp.com, Citysearch.com, Chowhound.com, are all good for getting several opinions about a restaurant, nightlife, shopping, etc., but these sites don’t ensure a local experience. As an Orlando local, I use sites like those to plan vacations – not to plan my Saturday in Orlando. Instead, if you want to paint your next trip to Orlando with a non-touristy brush, head to sites that locals actually use.

Here are a few of my suggestions:

• Metromix: This site covers multiple cities with the claim, “Your one-stop local entertainment guide on where to go and what to do, from the hottest restaurants and bars, to the latest in music, movies, and entertainment.”
• Convention & Visitors Bureau Websites: This seems like the ultimate “Don’t” when you are trying to have a local experience, but when I want to mix things up, I head to my Orlando CVB’s site- they usually feature activities that I wouldn’t immediately think of and feature events in areas of the city I don’t frequent. Bottom line – the people maintaining and updating these sites live in that city – they are locals.
• Restaurant.com: Here you can get “gift certificates” (more like coupons) worth $10, $25, $50 for a fraction of the price. Be sure to read the restrictions of each coupon. Sign up for their emails and you will never pay over $2. This won’t tell you which restaurants are local favorites, but it will save you some money.

Orlando specifically
It’s easy to tell you where the locals hang out, but I prefer to share local resources– you know the “teach a man to fish” saying. You can either check out their websites, or follow them on Facebook in the weeks leading up to your trip – you can always de-friend when you get back

ScottJosephOrlando.com: a guide to Orlando restaurants from someone who is paid to know. Scott Joseph is the former restaurant critic for the Orlando Sentinel. He’s since hung out his own shingle and hosts an active forum with news you can use about the Orlando dining scene.

Guyswithties.org: This philanthropic organization has chapters in 3 cities: Jacksonville, Orlando and Charlotte. They run everything from happy hours to full out parties. Most events require a donation, cash or toy, etc to enter. Some highlights include The Disco Ball, Annual White Party, Costumes for a Cause.

OrlandoEventSeries.com: This site host events around Orlando most of which raise money for charity. They have run everything from Wine-Walks, to Casino Nights, to an annual Bachelorette/Bachelor Action auction – all for charity. Typically these events have an upfront cost, $20 gets you a free drink and raffle ticket.

OTownHappyHour.com: Promotes special events in conjunction with local bars and restaurants. Typically, there is no cover or cost for OTown events – instead each event offers discounted drinks and food. Most recently the site is promoting a happy hour with a free buffet and drink specials.

I hope next time you’re in Orlando you take some time to escape the theme parks and see The City Beautiful like a local does. I’ll see you there.

lvolcheff Destinations local tips, Orlando, ourlando, Tips, Travel, vacation

2009 saw many hotel companies open new properties or relaunch remodeled ones. With more than 100 hotels from major brands scheduled to open across the United States, 2010 looks to be an even stronger year for openings. For the traveler this is good news as a surplus of room inventory will keep prices down. That’s not such a good thing for the hotels. So why would they want to open so many hotels right now?

The answer, according to Mark Lomanno, president of Smith Travel Research, is that “hotel building cycles rarely mesh just right with economic cycles.” Planning a new hotel can take two to four years, and construction an additional one to four years. Most of the hotels getting ready to open were on the drawing boards several years ago, when the economy was healthy, demand for rooms was strong and room rates were rising quickly.

Of course, the opposite will also be true. Not a lot of hotels are being planned during the recession. So everything should start to balance out in three to four years. But in the meantime, now is your chance to get out there and experience some amazing savings as these new hotels fight for market share.

Where to go? The article in the NY Times says that the largest portion of the hotels, nearly half, will be opening in the New York area with another 30 opening in Houston. Other cities with large expansion include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, and Washington DC. Popular family destination Orlando experienced large growth in 2009, so don’t forget them either.

JFrost Destinations, Hotels Hotel, Houston, los angeles, New York, Travel

superstructure for “World of Color”

The rains that have been drenching Southern California will eventually clear and perfect weather for visiting the region’s many tourist attractions will return. The biggest attraction coming to Anaheim this year is a spectacular nighttime water show at Disney’s California Adventure, the second gate at the Disneyland Resort. “World of Color” will bring Disney animation to life with powerful fountains, lights, and special effects that will change the way you think about water shows.

Extensive testing of the fountains and special effects is now being conducted at Paradise Bay where “World of Color” is nearly complete. After draining the bay, teams of Disney workers built nearly an acre of superstructure to support the complex production. Walt Disney Imagineering installed the massive infrastructure and advanced technology that creates the stage for this extraordinary combination of music, animation and stunning water effects.

Here’s a great video showing construction and some of the testing:

Unofficially, the premier of “World of Color” is set for this May at Disney’s California Adventure. Plan your travel and find great deals at Disneyland Resort area hotels via LastMinuteTravel.com.

Many more details about World of Color below the jump:

Read more…

JFrost Destinations Anaheim, Disney's California Adventure, disneyland, Paradise Bay, The Walt Disney Company, World of Color

This week marks the 75th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s birth. Known as the “King of Rock N Roll” or simply “The King”, Elvis put Rock and Roll on the map, but also was quite the movie star as this LA Times article remembers. I mention that because children entering high school this year were born 20 years after Elvis’ tragic death. So familiarity might be weak.

Elvis’ legion of fans still make the trip to Memphis, Tennessee every year to visit the Graceland Estate. But there’s a lot more to Memphis than just Rock’n’Roll. Blues for one. Beale Street is the home to many music halls and produced more famous songs than you can shake a stick at. While you’re there check out the Walk of Fame, sort of the honor roll of Memphis musicians.

Then there’s the food. Many travel to Memphis for the barbeque alone. You’ll find everything from tip to tail smothered in the delicious sweet and tangy BBQ sauce that’s unique to Memphis. If you’re brave enough there’s even the world famous bar-b-q spaghetti at the Interstate Bar-B-Q on Third Street.

Also Memphis is square in the middle of the south’s rich history. From its days as a cotton and lumber busiiness center to its monuments of the civil rights movement, including the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, to its rich arts offerings, Memphis is a great place to soak up some of what it means to be an American.

When you’re in Memphis, enjoy the southern hospitality offered by a four star resort for less than $100 a night. This Best Value! partner of LastMinuteTravel.com is centrally located downtown with most Memphis entertainment within walking distance.

Photo Credits:

JFrost Destinations Beale Street, Elvis Presley, Food, Interstate Bar, Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee, The King

We knew when we added the attractions and activities tab to LastMinuteTravel.com, that we’d have the opportunity to offer some amazing deals to the winter traveler. All those deals are now assembled on one page to be your base camp for ski savings.

One of our best values is the “Colorado Ticket.” An all access ski pass to 5 Vail Ski Resorts.

Not convinced you want to strap on those skis or snowboards? I’ve embedded a video below taken just a few days ago in Vail, CO so you can see what you’re missing.

JFrost Destinations, Ski colorado, resort, Ski, snow, snowboard, vail

2010 is shaping up to be a New Year’s Eve like no other! It’s not too late to book a trip and get in on the fun. To help you decide, LastMinuteTravel.com presents North America’s most-popular destinations for ringing in the New Year!

Using our proprietary technology, we’ve collected destination data from our website to find out where North Americans are going to celebrate this New Year’s Eve. The top 5 are:

Orlando
Nobody parties like Mickey and Minnie – and recently Shamu and Spiderman have been getting in on the act too! The Orlando parks go all out for the important night with special fireworks spectaculars and great food and dancing. If crowding into the theme parks will thousands of your closest friends isn’t your thing, there are plenty of fabulous New Year’s parties all across central Florida. Right now flights to Orlando are very affordable, so why not experience some of Disney’s magic for yourself.

Las Vegas
One of the most exciting and colorful places to celebrate New Year’s, Las Vegas attracts the wildest people to their growing number of clubs. There are so many options for the New Year in Vegas; toast the “nouvelle année” from the top of the replica Eiffel Tower, party with thousands of others on the Strip as midnight approaches, or watch the festivities from a private suite in your favorite resort. Any are great locations to watch the massive fireworks show that will launch from the rooftops of seven hotels along the Strip.

New York City
The traditional place to ring in the New Year is Times Square. The Big Apple is the center of attention if you want to experience the festive throng and the famed “ball drop”. If being outside in NYC’s winter weather isn’t your thing, there are thousands of great parties to join after you take in a Broadway show or catch the Radio City Rockettes.

Chicago
New Year’s revelers flock to Chicago for the great food and the fun parties. Whether its luxury you want or a party in a penthouse club, you’ll find it in the windy city. Just bundle up as it can get a bit chilly out there. Other popular parties include a river cruise or a concert at Grant’s park. Both provide you with a front-row view of the fireworks.

Los Angeles
Westcoasters in the know flock to the city of fun and sun for one last fling before the New Year begins. Popular places to party include Disneyland in Anaheim, the Together As One festival to dance into the next decade, and any of the hundreds of trendy clubs in Santa Monica or Beverly Hills where you can see or be seen. My favorite LA parties let you ring in the New Year twice, once at 9pm when NYC drops the ball and again at Midnight west coast time.

Other hot party cities include Miami, San Diego, New Orleans, Myrtle Beach, and San Francisco.

JFrost Destinations, Events Anaheim, Anaheim California, Chicago, chicago illinois, Eiffel, Eiffel Tower, Florida, Florida United States, Food, Grant’s park, las vegas, Las Vegas Nevada, los angeles, Los Angeles California, Miami, Myrtle Beach, New Orleans, New Year's Day, New York City, New York City New York, North America, Orlando, Orlando Florida, Radio City, San Diego, San Francisco, San Francisco California, the Together As One festival, Times Square, United States

If you are a savvy traveler and you know that there is more to Europe than London, Paris and Rome why not including one of the more exotic European capitals in your next trip in Europe? Helsinki – the capital of Finland – will definitely have a top ranking on this list.

There is a lot to explore although the city is only a fraction of the size of Paris or Berlin. Luckily most of Helsinki’s people speak English very well otherwise you would have problems. Unlike a trip to France or Germany you will not be able to pick up a few catchy phrases from a guide book during your flight time. Street names and words with seven “i”s will make you look into your guidebook or on the map the same number of times before you memorize the words. This makes a taxi ride as exotic as in Japan so you better point on the map or on the street name in a book. Otherwise it may happen you land in a totally different neighbourhood. Speaking of taxis: the basic starting fare when you board a taxi at Helsinki’s Vantaa airport is EUR 6.80 (and you are not gone any mile for this)…

The number of typical sightseeing targets (think: mum is standing with hanging arms in front of Eiffel Tower) in Helsinki is not high. That does not mean you cannot spend 4 or 5 days for a visit. It’s more about the full picture of Helsinki and Finland: what are the people like, what are their habits, what is the fashion, what are they interested in, where do they go for their weekend, what is the food like…

Hotel Kämp

So while you visit you may include classic spots like the Senate Square with its neo-classical Cathedral; Esplanade Park with elegant shops and the posh Hotel Kämp; the “Rock” church with modern architecture, quarried out of the natural bedrock with excellent acoustics for concerts; the orthodox church with its golden cupolas showing the Russian impact of former times.

During a summer trip you can enjoy long days and a 20 minute ferry ride to Suomenlinna, an island with a maritime fortress and beautiful views of other sides of the city at the sea.

If you travel in winter time you should not miss a visit to your hotel’s sauna (you do not need to stay in a spa hotel to have that) or much better: to Yrjönkatu, an amazingly restored swimming hall from the 1920s.

A cheap and fun way to see different neighbourhoods is to jump on a tram. One of the most interesting neighbourhoods you will see then is the Design District with many shops, galleries, design hotel Klaus K and the Design Forum Finland showing most of the country’s big names in design and art. You will find all the classic top-class brands and trend-setting young designers for objects and furniture.

But one of my favourite things to do in Helsinki is: checking out restaurants ! I do not speak of traditional so-called-typical Finnish food like elk. Not that it’s bad but admit it: it is rather to show off next time when your friends compare what exotic meat everybody ate on his trips than to enjoy a fantastic dinner. There has been a development in Helsinki’s restaurant scene that brings very creative chefs from all around the world into this city’s kitchens. The food is very fresh and of high quality, the meals are creative and restaurants offer various atmospheres. Try “Sasso”, a Tuscan restaurant with fantastic food and an exceptional wine list. The service is outstanding and you can dare to ask for details of a wine and you will get the full story including who created the label on the bottle. Similar situation at “Fishmarket” , situated below “Sasso” in the same building and has the same owner but different approach and style. Despite its location in a cellar it is very bright and crisp in style. The fish is a well. Both restaurants can be found at the end of Esplanade street towards the port.

Another favourite is “Mecca”, a cool lounge/club goes restaurant goes club. The atmosphere is as you would expect it from a stylish club. Regular guests match this style – without the attitude you know from New York or Paris.

Mecca

For another Mediterranean top restaurant I recommend “La Cucina”

with Catalonian and Basque cuisine. Located at the Palace Hotel’s second floor directly at the port. The restaurant welcomes guests with dark black and red design, stylish, modern but cozy. They offer pintxos (tapas) and main dishes of great variety and combinations. Fantastic dark blood coloured red match perfectly. I had my best deserts at this restaurant (chocolate varieties with sea salt) and would not fly Helsinki if I knew this restaurant was closed during that time (almost…).

La Cucina

I did not expect the great food and sophisticated interest for architecture and design before I came to Helsinki for the first time. Be surprised if you are going.

carsteng Destinations, Travel, Travel Guide Helsinki, Travel in Helsinki

Pink’s Hot Dogs

Founded in 1939, Pink’s Hot Dogs is one of the most famous hot dog stands in the country. Located on the corner of Melrose and La Bera Ave in Los Angeles, local hot dog lovers and celebrities gather a Pink’s regularly for their famous chili dogs.

Pink’s Hot Dog Menu

• Chili Dog
• 10″ Stretch Chili Dog
• Chili Cheese Dog
• Bacon Chili Cheese Dog
• Guadalajara Dog
• Chili Dog with Suaerkraut
• Mild or Spicy Polish Dog
• Chicago Polish Dog
• New York Dog
• Coleslaw Dog
• Polish Pastrami – Swiss Cheese Dog
• Nacho Cheese Dog
• Turkey Dog

To see pictures of celebrities who have visited Pink’s Hot Dogs before click here to go to the Official Pink’s Hot Dogs website.

LMT Clock Destinations, Dining Reviews, Travel los angeles, pink's hot dogs

Cruising around the Caribbean Island is the easier, fun and cheaper getaway. My family and I love cruising in Paradise. We call it Paradise because at the moment we step down onto the Caribbean we enter a state of true bliss; over and above we can listen to the tropical breeze swinging the tall and skinny palms as if they were dancing along with.

We do recommend bringing with you sunscreen lotion because the bright sun gets really intense in anticipation of the stunning sunset.

Easier, Fun and Cheaper

It’s easier because a Cruise Ship provides:

• Exciting Alternative Itineraries.
• Selection of Food and Beverage 24/7.
• Beauty salon, Shops and Spas.
• Bilingual Staff and Knowledgeable Concierge expert.
• Safety ambiance and Medical Assistance if needed.

It’s fun because:

• You meet new people and no hassles of getting lost. (Depends how big is the cruise ship)
• Activities and Entertainment inside the cruise and Shore Excursion outside the cruise ship.
• Fun if you travel with kids or with a big group.
• Great weather.

It’s Cheaper because:

• All above are included in one time price per person.
• Duty-Free Allowance: Ship itineraries that include any of U.S Virgin Islands: St. Thomas; St. Croix; St. John.

Tips

I recommend Carnival Cruise line for young crowd.

For honeymooners or in a romantic trip I recommend The Royal Caribbean Int’l.

Upon shipping make sure you wear a bathing suit and have the essential items, since the luggage wouldn’t be available for hours.

Be aware that “Hurricane Season” is defined as June 10th through November 10^th.

And one last tip: At Departure time take your luggage with you instead of waiting for the bellman to bringing down and prevent waiting time waiting for your luggage.

francesr Cruises, Destinations Caribbean cruise