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Travel In Style for Your Honeymoon

By Ken Morris | August 21, 2008

by Ken Morris

An area unmated to scientific rhyme or reason is the venue of honeymoon travel planning. Usually the parameters for wedding planning are fairly clear: you need the location, minister, dress, invites, and decorations. Yet when it comes to making honeymoon travel plans, you may find that there is very little in the way of requirements and must haves. As a matter of fact, within the confines of your budget, the sky is the limit for your planning detail!

In many ways a honeymoon serves a dual purpose: it provides an unmated opportunity to bring both spouses closer together and allow them to begin making some beautiful memories that will cement their relationship, yet it will also provide the very first litmus test with respect to negotiation, ability and willingness to compromise, and communication. There have been the odd couples who have chosen to honeymoon separately as a means of relaxing from their stressful wedding extravaganza, but the odds of this being the last wedding for either party are slim. Other couples may do a little bit of a his and hers honeymoon by first going to a venue she enjoys and then traveling to a venue the groom would like. The jury is still out on whether or not these couples have much of a future.

It is vital to remember that a honeymoon is more than just some time off work or the occasion to relax after the stress of the pre-wedding months. In a very real way it permits you to set the tone for major future decisions and how they will be made in your household.

Another fact is that honeymoon planning is important in that the best deals will not simply be offered to you but instead need to be sought out and uncovered. Enjoy the special treatment you may receive from the airlines and also hotels when you identify yourself as a honeymooning couple and take advantage of each and every little perk you may be able to qualify for.

Savvy couples know that planning a wedding, reception and then also a honeymoon is too much to handle, and thus wedding planners and travel agents are usually the ones entrusted with this kind of planning. Unless you have a lot of experience in the planning department, the details may begin to overwhelm you and nothing is worse than sitting at the airport and realizing that you forgot your passport or car rental confirmation. With a travel agent on your side you can relax, snuggle up to your new spouse and enjoy just being close to one another. All the pesky little details will all have been taken care of by a seasoned professional who ensured that all you need to do is show up!

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Things To Do When You’re Camping

By Gray Rollins | August 21, 2008

by Gray Rollins

Very few people go camping because they have to. For most people who make camping part of their family life, you develop camping skills for fun and to have a family activity that is healthy, wholesome and educational. So in a sense, camping itself is a great recreational outing all by itself.

From finding a camp spot to laying out the camp grounds, to gathering fire wood to having that first night’s camp fire with hot dogs or marshmallows over the fire with scary stories and seeing more stars in the sky than you thought existed, just the camp site itself is a source of endless fun for everyone in the family.

However, the campground is just the beginning of the allure of camping. National parks and state parks are full of free or inexpensive activities which are sure to create fond memories for your kids for the rest of their lives. Let’s take hiking as an example. Really, it doesn’t sound like it’s that cool since you’re pretty much just walking around. However, getting to hike across streams, play on scenic outlooks and climbing on rocks will make what sounded at first like a simple walk a great adventure.

Most camp grounds are built on or near some well maintained and stocked lake. So that one opportunity offers recreational activities of swimming, boating and fishing. If the weather permits, swimming in a natural setting like a lake will make any swimming pool seem tame and boring. When the kids can jump off docks into lakes that may be brimming with living things, their imaginations alone will keep them full of fun for hours.

You don’t have to own a boat to enjoy getting out on the water and enjoying seeing lots of natural spots along the lake shore. A boat can usually be rented for reasonable rates and with a small amount of knowledge or training in how to use an outboard motor, you can be cruising along like an old pro in no time. And boating is a great sport to combine with fishing. The fun thing about fishing is even if you never get a bite, everybody has fun getting out there and trying. And when your young son or daughter catches their first fish on your camping trip, that squeal of delight will be one of those memories that you will be thinking about during your retirement years.

And if water isn’t your thing, then take a trip down to the visitor’s center of your park. You can learn a lot about where you’re visiting since there are usually a lot of maps, pictures, etc.

Before you leave the Visitor’s Center, find out if the park rangers are conducing any nature walks, lectures, or tours anytime soon. If they are, make sure to find out how you can sign up. A tour with a park ranger can be a lot of fun since they’re certain to point out things you would have otherwise missed had you gone on an unguided tour.

There really isn’t a whole lot that is more fun than just going out in nature and hiking and camping. You’ll probably be amazed at how economical your camping activities are - most of them will be free. And the memories from those trips will last a lifetime.

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Frequent Fliers Can Learn To Live With Jet Lag

By Donald Saunders | August 21, 2008

by Donald Saunders

Dealing with jet lag is quite simple for people who only fly once in a while, perhaps just a couple of times a year on vacation or for the odd business trip, but for aircrews and regular long-haul fliers, jet lag frequently brings in its wake several health problems that can become more or less permanent.

Long-haul travelers will be familiar with the disturbance to their sleep pattern and the insomnia which can result from a long trip, in addition to such things as changes in mood, irritability, stomach problems and difficulty in dealing with information. But, for the very frequent flier these often transient symptoms become a part of everyday life and are frequently joined by menstrual cycle problems for women and even by short-term psychiatric problems for a number of individuals.

The main factors in influencing the degree of jet lag which you experience, apart from how frequently you travel, are the distances involved, the direction of travel and your age.

If you are regularly traveling across just two or three world time zones then any affects will probably be very mild. But, as soon as you start to cross more than three world time zones, and particularly when you get up to frequently traveling over six or more time zones, jet lag symptoms start to increase significantly.

The symptoms of jet lag are also much more apparent if you are traveling east and affect you less if you fly west. For example, if you are traveling from London to Singapore on vacation you will experience greater jet lag when you arrive in Singapore at the beginning of your holiday than you will in London when you return.

Generally when you fly east you can expect that jet lag will last for several days and a good guide is roughly two thirds of the number of time zones traveled across. For instance, if you fly across six time zones you might expect jet lag to affect you for approximately four days. When flying west jet lag should be expected to last about half this time.

Age is also an important factor when it comes to jet lag and, as you age, you will find that you are increasingly affected by jet lag.

A true jet lag cure does not exist but there is a lot that can be done to assist in reducing the symptoms of jet lag.

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CEO Boomers Bank IRA-401K Real Estate Investing

By john krol | August 20, 2008

by john krol

Boomers-Bank The Investor’s Guide to Commercial Real Estate and Retirement Planning How to Invest In Commercial Real Estate Using Your IRA or 401(k)Maximize Your Profitand Save For Retirement

Boomers-Bank Introduction Why invest in real estate using your retirement plan? In this book, we’re going to discuss several concepts for buying real estate using IRAs and 401(k)s; the socalled nontraditional investments. Let’s start by asking what advantage is there to all of this? Why not just let your IRAs and 401(k)s sit around and do whatever it is they’ve always done? Well, you can secure tax-deferred or tax-free income for one thing. Anytime you have a profit or a gain, either you are not paying taxes on the gains until you start using the money, or if it is in a ROTH IRA, you aren’t paying taxes at all. By having real estate in a retirement plan, you are also avoiding what’s known as capital gains every time you sell property. Your money is allowed to accumulate and your interest will compound. Moreover, you can put all of the money back into your next deal. However, you’ve got to bear in mind the current state of the economy. Money doesn’t just sit around these days. In most parts of the world, the dollar is losing value at a pretty alarming rate. The United States is a country at the edge of a financial and economic precipice, owing trillions of dollars to other countries and borrowing money against, well, the value of its existing borrowed money (we’ll talk about this later). The infrastructure of the United States is at present rather unorganized. We aren’t producing much and so we’re importing more than we’re exporting. It’s basic mathematics. Notice how the prices of food and gas have been rising recently. That should give you a pretty clear idea of what’s going on and what is likely to continue to happen (we’ll also talk about this a little later on). The main focus of this book, however, is to demonstrate the value of nontraditional investment choices for 401Ks. Our goal is not only to introduce you to the reasons why these choices are advantageous, but it is also to explain the particulars of the related processes. For the sake of helping you confront your financial advisor or accountant, we’ll discuss the various strategies for undertaking this type of investment. We also plan to take you through the processes for finding appropriate real estate to undertake the actual investment. Since the property market can be a bit difficult to navigate, particularly if you’re a beginner, we’ll allow you to benefit from our wealth of experience and wisdom on the subject.

We need to establish here why most people don’t invest their 401K, despite the fact that it is a very sound financial move. Firstly, what most average Americans do not understand is that you and your IRA/401K are two separate entities. Repeat: you are not one and the same, nor are you in any way, shape or form joined at the hip. You will need to absorb this fact so you can begin to understand how to actually structure a deal with your IRA. If you don’t take the time to learn the difference between you and your retirement plan, you’re going to spend a lot of time wondering, “is it me, or is it this plan that owes this money and needs to pay this bill?”. Let’s avoid confusion. Depending on the particulars of the loan you broker, the answer to this question, who owes the money, will be quite different. The next concept you need to bear in mind is that you and your IRA/401K, being two separate entities, have a third-party administrator for all of your deals. All deals involving your IRA or 401K will thus have a third party acting as a recordkeeper, administrator and a custodian or trustee. They will be the entity that is actually holding the money as well as the person who must meet government guidelines and regulations to be able to hold your retirement money. That said, let’s move onto the specifics of IRAs and 401Ks. We’re going to mention these entities quite a bit throughout the book, so it pays to be clear now. An IRA is a place where you can keep your assets for retirement, basically all the money that will see you through when you are no longer working. What most people don’t understand, however, is that you can pour into your IRA whatever type of investments you want, while your assets can take any one of a number of forms. It is important to note though that your IRA is not an investment in itself. Next, let’s take a look at non-traditional investments. Of course, retirement planning is a big issue for a lot of people. Most people, when they think about it, consider themselves limited to stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and the like. There’s a general consensus that these are the types of things that we should be investing our money in so that it will grow in the years that we’re working, giving us something to fall back on when the time comes. What a lot of people don’t know, however, is that these investment types are not necessarily the best option. They certainly aren’t’ the only option.

Non-traditional investments such as real estate, notes, foreclosure properties, rehab properties, and other things along these lines, may actually be much more viable investments for the baby boomer generation. In this book, we’re going to explore the ways you can go about investing in real estate for maximum efficiency and return. By law, there are only two things you cannot put in a retirement plan: you can’t use retirement money to buy life insurance and you can’t put collectibles, such as art work or antiques, into your plan, not that most of us have to worry about these types of things. Long story short, the IRS gives you a pretty free rein. They let you be your own advisor and best financial friend when it comes to retirement. Many people believe that they already have a self-directed plan for their retirement, particularly if they are working with a brokerage firm. There is some truth to this. While you select your own mutual funds and stocks in many cases, most brokerage firms won’t allow you to invest in real estate or notes. Thus, they usually have a limiting plan for investment. Unless you take something of a do-it-yourself route, real estate investment options using your 401k or IRAs are actually quite limited. To purchase such nontraditional types of investments within your retirement plan, you need to be allowed to self-direct. The person or entity holding your money, the custodian, must allow you to self-direct. One of the perceived disadvantages to self-direction, of course, is that you are assuming responsibility for how well your retirement plan actually does. You can, for example, pick the wrong stocks and bonds and hence secure nothing but financial losses. Thus, you can end up jeopardizing your future if you don’t take the right approach. On the other hand - and let’s now consider an example - you can save yourself a lot of money by acting in a financially sensible and knowledgeable way. Consider the case of Ms. X. Working as an investment advisor, Ms. X has been investing stocks and bonds for many years in her retirement plan. Her plan, like most of her contemporaries, is driven by traditional types of investments. During her working life, Ms. X has invested a good deal of money in real estate. In fact, it’s become something of a hobby to her. However, one of the problems with such an approach is that she had to pay taxes on the profits she made from her real estate investments. Using her retirement plan to make the investment, however, Ms. X discovered a way of avoiding these issues, as a number of other savvy individuals have done before. Real estate investing is nothing new as a means of acquiring wealth; it is a practice that has been popular since the beginning of recorded history. Most of the wealthiest people in history have either secured or built the bulk of their wealth using real estate. Land had always been the defining possession of the nobility in the vast majority of early socio-economic systems. Even during times of war and economic depression, land and property have tended to hold up as strong sources of wealth. Hence, it is safe to say that things are unlikely to be much different these days. However, despite the popularity of real estate and the many centuries of experienced buying and selling, even some of the most savvy investors are still unaware that they can use their retirement plans to invest and thereby save themselves from capital-gains’ taxes and other such annoyances. Although many people claim to feel ‘trapped’ by traditional investment options, the vast majority of them are totally oblivious to the fact that real estate is available to serve as one rather convenient nontraditional investment commodity for use in individual retirement plans (IRAs) and 401(k)s.

The dual advantages of real estate and IRA/401(k) investments are overlooked. The only requirement of the IRS is that you have a custodian for your IRA or other retirement plan, which we will review. Beyond that, you are free to use your IRA or other qualified retirement plan to invest in real estate. You can also use your plan to keep your real estate investment, earning money and limiting what you have to pay in taxes. Since 1975, one has been able to use Keogh plans, now known as qualified plans, to purchase real estate as a tax-deferred investment option. With the increase to allowable contributions, simple employee retirement plans have become popular as well. In 1997, Roth IRAs further enhanced the popularity of tax-free investments. In 2006, the establishment of Roth 401(k)s made it possible for deferrals to be made regardless of salary amounts. At this point in time, the long and the short of it is that investment options are phenomenal and as we shall explore soon, the need for making sensible investments has never been greater. Whether you currently have retirement funds or you’re looking to set up funds for investment purposes, the time is right for you to make an investment in real estate using your IRA or qualified retirement plan. This book will show you how. This unque book has a retail value of $35,000. When included with our one on one coaching program–so enjoy and If it were me I would the entier book as this will be the only time this marketing promotion will happen… The book will continue with he next post you can go to http://blog.IRA-401K-RealEstate.com and request the entire ebook with all the charts pictures and examples.

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Boomers Bank IRA-401K Real Estate Investing for Cash-Flow

By john krol | August 20, 2008

by john krol

John Krol

By Jeff Shariff

The answer is simple; use, use and use. Use is possibly the most important factor in terms of the property?s value. For your investment to be a success, you need to think of the building?s use for you as well as for your tenants. Hence, you need to also put yourself in the shoes of your customers, i.e. your tenants. To kick start things, first attain information on the demographics of the area in which you want to invest in. This should give you a basic idea of who your target audience is and will also allow you to build a general profile of your typical tenant.

With that profile in mind, think then of what the average tenant would need if he/she lives in your building. For starters, regardless of who you rent out to, people will always need basic amenities near by. Thus, you have to ensure that the apartment building you buy is located near a grocery store, entertainment facilities, medical facilities and the like. You should note that although people might have cars, they won?t like driving for more than 10 minutes to get the basic necessities. For example, in an emergency situation, no person would like to drive more than 10 minutes to get to a hospital.

Following the universal needs, you need to look a little more closely into the profile you have outlined. The more you breakdown this profile, the greater will be chances for success. For instance, if currently you feel that your building will primarily be occupied by families, then you should study the demographic data carefully to figure out what kind of families are we talking about. Will the families be newly married couples or families with school-going children? If it?s the former of the two cases, then your building should ideally be located near a good quality daycare center. Meanwhile, if it?s the latter of the two cases, then you will be best positioned if the building is a near a good quality school.

Following the universal needs, you need to look a little more closely into the profile you have outlined. The more you breakdown this profile, the greater will be chances for success. For instance, if currently you feel that your building will primarily be occupied by families, then you should study the demographic data carefully to figure out what kind of families are we talking about. Will the families be newly married couples or families with school-going children? If it?s the former of the two cases, then your building should ideally be located near a good quality daycare center. Meanwhile, if it?s the latter of the two cases, then you will be best positioned if the building is a near a good quality school.

Is anyone coming to help? or will you need to take the action Yes No

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M.O.R. Vacations: Take More Vacations

By Matt Willis | August 20, 2008

by Matt Willis

There are few niches of Internet Marketing that allow for the level of growth as much as this one niche: Travel. Travel is one field that may never run out of room for growth and room for industry upstarts.

There’s a new addition to the travel opportunity world. This time, this new opportunity makes things more affordable for everyone, increasing your chances of actually being able to get clients, signups, and customers that matter: customers that return to you over time, customers who will refer others.

If you want to take more vacations, if you want the opportunity to travel more, without needing to pay more, then this offer is for you.

More Vacations are dreams turned into reality with M.O.R. Vacations. An opportunity like this may be just like the other income opportunities that have already been established. However, M.O.R. Vacations’ memberships are bigger and badder: it’s lighter on your pocket, so we believe that these memberships will sell like hotcakes, and help YOU sell memberships like hotcakes, too!

If you sign up by the 31st of August, 2008, you get to pay only $498, letting you take more vacations, to your heart’s desire!

To sweeten the deal, how would a financing plan sound to you? If you want to take advantage of 100% financing, just make sure that you have a FICO score of 449 and above, and that you can pay us on time, every time, and the company we are signing you up with will evaluate if you are eligible for this plan of financing.

Take hold of this amazing income opportunity and the chance to take more vacations! Sign up with M.O.R. Vacations today!

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Insider Access to Canada Real Estate Pre-Foreclosures Homes

By Canada Foreclosure List | August 20, 2008

by Canada Foreclosure List

Insider Access to Canada Real Estate Pre-Foreclosures Alberta B.C. Site Promotion Blog Article. There is a tremendous opportunity for people to make a good living. Tired of your nine to five job? This could be your chance to be your own boss. Click Here! to visit the official website.

Get this program and Discover The Secret Way aSmall Group Of ‘Insiders’ In B.C. & Alberta Make huge Profits By Getting Foreclosures Before The Public Knows About Them. Even get foreclosures before the realtors. My family lives in Canada. It is really beautiful there. You could use this foreclosure program to buy your dream house or just buy and sell for a huge profit.

The Canada Foreclosure List Web site has videos, testimonies,and tips. It is exciting to read how ordinary folks like us are turning great profits by purchasing Canadien Foreclosures at great prices. It is easy to find foreclosures in Canada when you have a list.

That’s what this exciting program offers. You get the list before everyone else. You get the first crack. Jump ahead of the competition. The Canada Foreclosure List helps you find premium homes at discounts up to 50% off. You can’t beat a deal like that!

This foreclosure system shows How You Can Make Serious Cash in Foreclosures. Canadien Foreclosures. The profits that others have made is profiled at the Click Here!to view the checks some of these folks are getting. All I can say is Wow. Let me in on the secret to securing foreclosures in Canada.

I hope you enjoyed this Canadien Foreclosure List blog post. I hope you get the list and start securing foreclosures. Homes you never would have found without this Canada Foreclosure List. To top it off a program like this is worth thousands of dollars in my opinion. The price they are charging for this program is unbelievable. It is way under my initial estimate. I’m sure you will be pleasantly surprised. All I can say is jump in and make some serious cash.

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Christmas Cruises: Getting the Best Deal

By Amy Nutt | August 20, 2008

by Amy Nutt

If you feel the need for a break from the cold and snow, then a Christmas cruise may be exactly what the doctor ordered. Because these cruises are in the winter, some of the best deals can be found for you and your family. With such deals, you can plan the perfect cruise in order to escape the depressing cold weather.

Affordable winter cruises are made possible because the major cruise lines frequently offer winter cruises for ridiculously low rates. You can travel to places such as the Caribbean and South America for lower rates than in the summer. You can also take cruises to such locations as Australia and Asia. Perhaps you might want to see the Northern Lights. They are only visible between the months of November and March, so there are some great winter cruises that make seeing them quite possible. It is true that it is a bit cold when you move to the north, but getting there consists of warm climates and beautiful sights.

Saving More Money

There are also deals that include roundtrip airfare, so look for these bundled deals to see how much money you can save on getting to your launch location. This is a lot better than having to buy all of your plane tickets separately from your cruise tickets. The airlines and the cruise lines work out deals together to give you the best rates possible. By giving you the best rates possible, it makes it more likely that you?re going to take your family on a Christmas cruise.

Another way to get the best deal on your Christmas cruise is to look for certain dates that offer 2-for-1 cruise fares. These dates are frequently found between November and the second week of December. It is true that two weeks before Christmas hardly qualifies as Christmas, but you can find some of the best deals during this period since Christmas cruises are becoming more and more popular. Consider it an early Christmas present to your family. You can also think of the fact that you will be home in time for everyone to have family time and for the kids to be home to open their gifts from Santa on Christmas morning.

Then again, you can take your family on a cruise after Christmas because the rates tend to drop right after the holiday is over. You can take that Christmas money that was given to you by relatives and invest in cruise tickets for the family. This also means that a winter cruise may make a great gift for that special couple in your family. The possibilities are literally endless. And if you want to celebrate the Christmas holiday on a cruise ship, you can do that as well. By taking advantage of bundled deals and discount coupons that can be found on the internet and various travel sites, you can still take a Christmas cruise on a budget.

A Great Idea

So if you?re looking for that perfect winter vacation and you want to do something different and really special for you and your family, this is a great way to go. It has only been in recent times that individuals have realized the uniqueness and the fun that is associated with a winter cruise. It helps get rid of those winter blues in ways you could not imagine. What?s even better is that you?ll come home renewed and refreshed from fun in the sun and beautiful sites. That may cause your friends and family to start gathering up Christmas cruise tickets of their own for the next year.

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Discover California’s Best Hotels, Bed and Breakfasts, and Inns

By Tess Kirkpatrick | August 19, 2008

by Tess Kirkpatrick

Whether you are looking to spend your next vacation sipping fine wines and sampling gourmet cuisine, relaxing on the beach with a good book, or visiting some of the nation’s top tourist attractions, you’ll find it all in California. But, the Golden State is filled with diversity, so it’s best to plan a trip to one area at a time and explore.

From the North to the South

One way to hit a lot of major attractions is to plan a coastal trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles; you’ll be amazed at the scenery and the myriad of places to visit. You’ll want to spend at least two or three days exploring San Francisco, hitting the big sites such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf and maybe Alcatraz and Chinatown. From San Francisco, head south toward Monterey and Big Sur, where you’ll find some of the best views on Earth, as well as some of the best bed and breakfasts.

If budget is an issue, the Sea View Inn in Carmel (winner of the Karen Brown Readers’ Choice Award for Greatest Value in California) offers the best location with the best rates. The charming historic Victorian is within walking distance to Carmel’s beautiful beaches, and the home’s third story offers a peak view of the sea. Continental breakfast is served, as well as afternoon tea and evening wine and sherry. If it’s romance you seek, the Tickle Pink Inn is ideal for couples. Many of the rooms boast stunning ocean views, and guests can enjoy a soak in the ocean-view spa. Several rooms have wood-burning fireplaces and balconies. The Deluxe Ocean View Suites include the aforementioned, as well as a whirlpool tub and wet bar. Upon arrival, guests are treated to a glass of champagne, and each night there is a wine and cheese reception. The Tickle Pink Inn won the Karen Brown Readers’ Choice Award for Most Romantic in California.

After your stop in Carmel, head south to Hearst Castle and on to Santa Barbara, where you’ll find plenty of shops and restaurants. After that, it’s just over an hour’s drive to the edge of Los Angeles, where you’ll find everything from the finest shopping to art galleries to museums to amusement parks to spectacular sunsets at the beach. Head into Orange County for a trip to Disneyland or the art Mecca of Laguna Beach.

Take a Leisurely Loop Around Southern California

With its sun-drenched beaches and near-perfect weather is it any wonder that millions of visitors flock to Southern California? You can enjoy high-end shops of Newport Beach and Rodeo Drive, take a surfing lesson, or perhaps visit one of the many amusement parks. Los Angeles also offers a variety of museums, from art to natural history. In Orange County, you’ll find Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm, as well as a historic mission dating back to 1776. San Diego offers sun-kissed beaches, historic sites and Sea World. Its world-famous zoo is located in Balboa Park, which also features a variety of interesting museums.

Santa Monica, just a few miles west of the downtown Los Angeles, offers several places to stay and is still close to all the city’s attractions. The Channel Road Inn, located in a restored historic building, offers a variety of well-appointed rooms just a few blocks from the ocean. In Orange County, try the Blue Lantern Inn which overlooks the Dana Point Harbor. The inn is about midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, a half-hour from Disneyland and just a few minutes from the artist colony of Laguna Beach. In La Jolla, a stunning seaside village just north of San Diego, you’ll find the historic La Valencia Hotel. After spending some time in San Diego, head east and visit the Gold Rush town of Julian, now famous for its apples and apple pies. Keep going north, and your last stop will be Palm Springs, an oasis of shopping, spas, golf and relaxation.

From San Francisco to Points North

This itinerary begins in the “City by the Bay” and ends up toward the Oregon border. Spend the first few days exploring San Francisco. Ride a cable car, shop along Fisherman’s Wharf, explore Chinatown and take a tour of Alcatraz. From there, head north up to the Point Reyes National Seashore, where you’ll enjoy great views and a picturesque lighthouse. From there it’s on to Mendocino, a charming seaside village, and then keep going to points north, such as the Avenue of the Giants, California’s famous towering redwood trees.

Splurge a little, or maybe a lot, with a stay at the Inn Above Tide. Located across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco in nearby Sausalito, this exclusive inn boasts some of the best views around and won the Karen Brown Readers’ Choice Award for Splendid Splurge. Most of the rooms have private balconies that look out to the city and bay. The rooms are lavishly appointed, and range from stylish rooms with two queen beds to an opulent penthouse fit for a queen.

Explore California’s Famed Wine Country

Napa and Sonoma counties offer more than 200 wineries, and you can take tours and sample different vintages to your heart’s content. There are plenty of other fun activities, from hot-air balloon rides to antiquing to enjoying a variety of outdoor activities. Pamper yourself with a stay in Calistoga where you can enjoy the famous hot springs and spend some time at one of the area’s many spas. Be sure to book a room at Chateau de Vie, a charming bed and breakfast surrounded by vineyards and the Karen Brown Readers’ Choice selection for Warmest Welcome in California. You can relax in the inn’s garden hot tub or take a leisurely stroll through the vineyard and soak up a little Napa County atmosphere.

Whatever itinerary you choose, your California trip will be full of fun and surprises. With so much diversity, you’ll be amazed that it’s all captured in one state.

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Why Chose a Britax Car Seat?

By Shakyla Blum | August 19, 2008

by Paris Reinholt

For the parent that seriously considers safety as a priority in car travel, a Britax car seat will be one of the first car seat brands to come to mind. Britax has been an innovator in making some of the best and safest car seats in the industry for well over thirty years! In fact, the seats are manufactured in the USA to high safety standards using components built specially for them from around the world.

Britax has many popular models including the Companion, Roundabout, Marathon, Boulavard, Regent, and others.

If you have an infant, you may consider the Britax Companion rear facing car seat. This seat is made for babies with a maximum height of 30 inches and weighing from 4 to 22 pounds. It features an anti-rebound bar that is revolutionary in the world of car seat safety.

Another car seat offered by Britax is the Roundabout. This seat is stylish and safe for your infant while also being easy to install. It is a forward facing car seat with a 40 inch height limit and a 33 lb weight limit. It has some EPS impact foam and the LATCH system for the best safety.

Britax Marathon convertible car seat caters the needs of higher weight range. Though it shares the features of Britax Roundabout, it allows a weight limit of 65 pounds with height of 49″. Though you can fit the Marathon in most of the cars, you may feel difficulty in rear facing installation in smaller vehicles.

In Britax Boulavar you can find torso safety wings for protecting your child in case of an accident. The angle making strap makes it easy for your child to look around while being protected.

You’ll find that with Britax, you get incredible safety and comfort for vehicle travel. These seats have features that few other car seat companies include in their models. At Britax, everything is designed to keep your child very comfortable and exceedingly safe beyond the minimum requirements.

A lot of parents have traded in their lesser quality car seats for a Britax because they feel safer knowing their child is in one of the best car seats on the market should an accident happen. The extra dollars don’t matter in a head-on collision. What matters is that your child was safe and not in a car seat that malfunctioned at a critical moment. Britax offers that kind of safety.

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