Alaska's Alyeska Resort - Family And Ski Vacation Extraordinaire

The "Land of the Midnight Sun" has always been an amazing source of raw, rugged beauty and many think of Alaska only as a great summertime vacation destination. On the other hand, if you like to ski you may want to consider Alaska when planning your next ski vacation because it has some of the best skiing in the world.

And one of the top resorts in all of Alaska is the Alyeska Resort. Alyeska has a top elevation slightly above 2,700 feet, a vertical drop of 2,500 and the area gets an average annual snowfall of 631 inches.

In addition to offering some of the best skiing in the world, another nice benefit of Alyeska is that you won't run into long lift lines or overly crowded slopes. There are nine lifts, including six chair lifts, two surface lifts and one cable car line. The majority of their trails are designed for the intermediate skier but with 68 trails they also have countless runs for both the beginner and expert.

Night skiing is not only allowed but it may be one of most awe inspiring ski experiences you'll ever have. Snow capped mountains, hanging glaciers and the infamous Northern Lights are just a few of the visual bonuses of night skiing at Alyeska. It was ranked number nine in Skiing Magazine's annual top twenty-five killer ski trip reviews.

The season begins in mid November and runs through mid April at Alyeska and with close to sixteen hours of daylight each day during April, this area of Alaska boasts the longest period of daylight anywhere in the United States. On the other hand, in December, there are only about seven hours of daylight but with their fabulous night time skiing it's really not an issue.

The Alyeska Prince Hotel is the wonderful place to stay. You'll enjoy elegant rooms, fine dining and nightly entertainment is also available. In addition, there are other nightlife watering holes in the area that are not associated with the hotel.

If tubing interests you, then visiting the Glacier Tubing Park is an absolute must. It features two lanes of terrain and a surface lift and everyone in the family will enjoy spending time at the tubing park. The Alyeska Terrain Park is a must for snowboarding enthusiasts. Other winter activities that can be enjoyed in and around the Alyeska Resort include flight seeing, heliskiing, ocean cruising tours, dog sledding, ice climbing, back country skiing, mountaineering and polar bear watching tours.

The Alyeska Resort not only offers some of the best skiing on the continent but when you consider the broad range of available winter activities that can be enjoyed by the entire family, it represents one of the best winter vacation destinations in the world - bar none.

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Air Travel And Luxury Vacations: How Airlines Work

In this new age of information, the concept of people being able to book their own luxury vacations has permeated the mindset of many travelers. These new trends began when airlines made air tickets available for purchase over the Internet. This truly revolutionized the travel industry. But buyer beware, the truth is hidden! When you think you are getting the best air deal available, you may not get the whole story. Take a look behind the scenes on how airline ticketing works.

The Airline’s Goal

When the time comes for you to buy your airline ticket, whether it’s airfare for the beginning of a luxury world cruise or for a quick trip to visit out of state relatives, keep in mind that the airline’s goal is to make people pay in a hurry. By changing prices on a daily basis, airlines attempt to pressure travelers into buying the ticket at that moment. They wish to take you for as much as possible as soon as possible. To enforce this attitude, airlines also charge huge premiums for last minute tickets. Why? Because they can, and because the desperate traveler will pay for it.

Air Tickets and Travel Agents


Now more than ever, airlines are making tickets available online. Keep in mind; though airlines promise the best ticket price, they are talking about for that particular flight. This does not mean that all flights are made available for purchase. If you are dedicated to finding the best price on your own, you should call the airlines directly. But the best choice for all luxury travel vacations and airline tickets is to call your local travel agency. You will probably be charged a small service fee for air tickets, but may still end up paying less than you would online. They will save you the time and hassle of calling the airline yourself. But there are some key terms you need to keep in mind. You can “reserve” a seat with an airline, meaning it is placed on hold and you must pay for it one week before you depart. The only way to reserve is directly with the airlines, and some big name travel agencies like American Express Travel.

Airlines spend millions of marketing dollars to convince you to go to their website to book air tickets. For some travelers interested in purchasing cheap airfare to add on to their luxury travel vacation, the Internet may be a good place to begin. But airlines keep the pressure on by changing prices and holding the threat of selling out to attempt to make travelers pay the most money as quickly as possible. Use all resources available and call a travel agency or the airline direct. Don’t let anyone bully you into paying more!

A Fiji Vacation Package To The Matangi Island Resort

A Fiji Vacation package to a Fijian island sounds like a dream, but the island you select is vitally important. The Matangi Island resort is the perfect solution and in fact is also an ideal place for a Fiji honeymoon. Matangi is like having your own private Fijian Island, and it is a very exclusive small resort, combining privacy, lovely beaches, great staff to guest ratio, good snorkeling, scuba diving, and superb food.

Matangi is a 240 acre island which is privately owned in Fiji’s northern group of islands. It has 11 beachfront bures, and 3 tree house suites; all built traditionally, and each with superb views. The beachfront bures are under the palm trees, and well spaced out for privacy. Each bure has king sized beds in the very spacious sleeping area. There is a good size living area, good en-suite facilities and a verandah. In fact exactly the facilities you would expect to find in a first class luxury hotel, except it looks like a traditional Fijian village where you don’t have to wear shoes!!

It is all to easy to take a Fijian vacation Package and never quite see the real Fiji, the kind of Fiji island vacation where you abandon your watch, your laptop, your television viewing schedule and get the chance to see life Fiji style.

You can do this at Matangi, where meals are announced by the traditional Fijian Lali Drum, and you very quickly begin to live your life not by the clock but by the drum.

Meals are served in the Dining Bure or on the Deck which sits out over the water with wonderful views over the neighboring islands. All three meals plus snacks are included in the daily rate.

The food here is excellent. For breakfast there is a hot menu and a fruit and cereal buffet style selection.

Lunch and Dinner has the choice of salad or soup, a main course and sweet. Add to this afternoon tea and cakes and evening appetizers.

The only things you have to pay for are alcohol, because water, tea, coffee and breakfast juices are included in the daily rate. The menu changes every day and the service is excellent.

One of the best opportunities given whilst staying on Matangi is to be around the local islanders, and the resort ensures you have the chance of doing just this.

There are weekly trips to a traditional Fijian village on the neighboring island of Qama, and if you possibly can then ask to go to the Fijian mass at the Catholic church on Taveuni. Take a picnic on honeymoon cove, and go to the waterfalls.

It is very true to say that Matangi isn’t just for a vacation. Many visitors come to get married, and many many more for the perfect Fiji honeymoon vacation, resort or package. This is a truly romantic spot in a very romantic part of the world. It is the perfect place to relax after all the excitement of organizing and actually getting married!!

A few final points to make. Remoteness has its slight drawbacks, and one of them is the price of alcoholic drinks which have to be imported.

Also you need to be prepared for the flight from Nadi/Suva to Taveuni, as the aircraft is only a fifteen seater.

This is small, so if you don’t enjoy flying, it will be an experience worth relating when you get home.

Matangi doesn’t take credit cards, but again you’ll only need to worry about your drinks bill because you’ll have paid the rest up front. In addition there seems to be no tipping, although you can make a contribution to the staff fund

Matangi is worth it, and finally the cream on the cake is the exquisite snorkeling on unspoilt reefs. Just go, and enjoy your own best Fiji resort.

A Relaxing Vacation In Altea, Spain

Altea, Spain is a small town in the Costa Blanca and is located roughly nine miles north of Benidorm, a popular Costa Blanca city. Altea is one of the few villages in the region that has maintained the atmosphere of a fishing village, creating a tourist area without sacrificing its natural beauty. This small village offers its visitor an atmosphere much more peaceful and quiet than the larger cities. The mountains surrounding the village keep the climate comfortable in the summer months as well as the winter months when the mountains help protect the village from cold winds.

Most visitors to the village fly into the Alicante airport located about an hours drive from the town. There are buses and trains available at the airport to take you to the village, or you can rent a car from one of the car hire companies at the airport. With real estate growing in Altea, you will find many new hotels and apartments in which you can stay.

Altea is the perfect destination for a quiet, relaxing vacation in one of the most beautifully landscaped areas in the Costa Blanca region. Many writers and painters come to the village for its tranquility and beautiful surroundings. The length of stay varies, but most visiting writers and painters stay in the area surrounding the old church, Nuestra Senora Del Conseulo. This church was built in 1910 and has a beautiful Mediterranean style design with its hand-painted tiles and blue dome roof. In fact, the church’s roof is a landmark in the area.

Walking tours are the best way to experience Altea and are available in the town or the surrounding mountains. You can take a private tour or a guided tour of the trails around the village. If you enjoy nature, the mountain walking tours are a great way to enjoy the beautiful surroundings in a tranquil environment.

A short distance from the beach and harbor area is a selection of small stores for shopping. Many stores break for an afternoon siesta from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 or 5:00 p.m., but the stores are generally open from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Larger stores may stay open all day. There is also a craft market open from Easter through September, offering another opportunity for shopping. You can find a wide variety of reasonably priced handmade items for sale at the market. The market is near the harbor area.

Despite its small size, golfers will still be in luck with the Altea Golf Club offering a great course for visitors to the area. The beautiful climate in the area is great for golfing, especially with the comfortable summers and mild winters. Finally, for some nightlife or more popular tourist attractions, you can take a trip to the nearby city of Benidorm where you will find vibrant nightlife, theme parks and water parks. You can travel to Benidorm by car or by train.