Happy Birthday Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower opened to the public on March 31, 1899, and 113 years later, still attracts long lines of visitors from all over the world. If you are planning a trip to Paris soon, be sure to plan your visit to the Eiffel Tower. The official website has information about tours, discounts, and how to avoid waiting in a long line. And if a visit isn't in your future, you can take a 360 tour on the website.

Photo credit: Schnuffel from morguefile.com

Celebrate President's Day with a Tour of Virginian Presidents

Photo credit:morguefile.com

I'll take any excuse to travel and President's Day, while being a little cold, is a great time to spend some time reflecting on U.S. Presidents with a trip to beautiful Virginia. Virginia's beauty and history is often overlooked by travelers who head for the big sites in Washington D.C.

My first visit to Mt. Vernon, the home of George Washington, was so inspiring that I bought a yearly pass.  And then moved 3,000 miles away. I've still gone back time and time again, and my husband wisely took me to dine at the fine restaurant there the night that he propose.

Virginia is one of few states which hasn't cut off its tourism office in the current economic crisis. And planning a visit is as easy as going to their website: www.virginia.org.

Virginia is the birthplace of 8 U.S. Presidents. Even if you just attempt to visit places associated with George Washington, you will have a hard time making it to all of them. If you do visit in February, be sure to check out the list of celebrations associated with President's Day, including free admission to Mt. Vernon.  And even if you are going to visit the area for other reasons, you can easily check out the nearby historical sites with the website's feature that allows you to search by city.

So beat the Spring Break rush. Take a President's Day getaway to Virginia.

Places: Jacksonville, Oregon

Jacksonville, OR

Few out of the way places are as quaint as Jacksonville, Oregon. Just a few miles out of Medford, Jacksonville was the place to shoot westerns in the 1980s. The town figured out that its western storefronts were a perfect place to shoot and took out the telephone wires so all that had to be done was to throw dirt down on the pavement. They don't make as many movies there these days but you can still wander Jacksonville's streets, visiting some great restaurants and getting your fill of antiques.

For a sit-down meal, check out the Bella Union. If you want a tasty sandwich and some amazing gelato, visit Mamma Mia Gelateria. Where else are you going to find a Proscuitto, Fig & Brie sandwich?

For a true Jacksonville lodging experience, check with the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce for a great bed and breakfast.

Where's Your Favorite Place to View Fall Colors?

Every fall, I long for New England. A former job took me to Maine during the last week of September three years in a row and I've never gotten over it. Each time, the locals told me I had missed "peak." But it was lovely.

So when fall rolls around I have a serious case of nostalgia for other places.

So it brought me up short to see that AAA's Top Ten Places to Enjoy Fall Colors included three Northwest spots: SunRiver, Oregon, Leavenworth, Washington, and Penticton, British Columbia. These three are wonderful places. But with all the buzz about New England fall colors, I have never given the Northwest its proper due in my rank of autumn leaves.

Where is your favorite spot to view fall colors?

Columbia Gorge Astronomy Night- September 30

So how is this for a romantic fall getaway?

Head to the Columbia Gorge and catch Columbia Gorge Astronomy Night at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum in The Dalles, Oregon. The event runs from 6-9pm on Friday, September 30th, 2011. Astronomer Dan Gerhards will lecture on the sky and space and show a slideshow. Participants can view the night sky through the museum telescope. For info go here.

Then stay at beautiful Skamania Lodge across the Columbia in Stevenson, Washington. Catch this special: for $169 you get a one-night stay, $25 resort credit, $30 breakfast credit and a bottle of wine. To learn more or to buy, go here.

Beautiful Crater Lake National Park

View of Wizard Island from the Rim

My family and I took a day to go to Crater Lake National Park in Oregon last week. I had been as a child but the wonder and grandeur hadn't diminished when I returned as an adult.

At 1,943 feet deep, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. It's high elevation makes most of it inaccessible year-round but when I talked with National Park staff last weekend, they were ready for visitors through this weekend. And then most will go elsewhere for the winter.

If you are going, be sure to plan your visit. You can take a boat-ride on the lake (after a vigorous climb down to the water) but you will need to plan in advance. There is still plenty of hiking opportunities but pack for winter weather. When we were there, it was bright and sunny and a chilly 55 degrees.

Crater Lake Lodge

Don't miss the Sinnott Memorial and a walk through the Lodge.

Stay in nearby Klamath Falls or go on to Medford. Both have outstanding deals on hotels right now.

National Public Lands Day - September 24

National Public Lands Day is September 24, 2011, and National Public Parks around the country will be waiving entrance fees in its honor.

September is a wonderful time to visit national parks. The summer crowds are diminished, the heat has subsided, and you might see some amazing fall colors. Saving yourself a little money is just a bonus.

For a list of parks waiving fees, go here.

Aviation Day: The Wonder of Air Travel

August 19 is Aviation Day.

Even with the rising costs of air travel, fees, and long waits on the tarmac, most of us have to admit we are pretty grateful that Orville & Wilbur Wright kept trying until they made it happen.

I grew up flying. My grandfather had his pilot's license and until a heart condition made him give it up, I had the joy of flying in a little Cessna 210. I will never forget hitting air pockets and having my breath taken away as we dropped. And one of my best childhood memories is flying to attend an air show in a different part of our state.

September 11, 2001, changed air travel in ways I wish it hadn't. My children will never know the joy of seeing off someone at the gate, one of my favorite memories.  We no longer get to welcome travelers as they deplane.

But when my 20-month old points to the sky and says "airplane," my heart still thrills at the wonder of it.

Google City Tours

Remember the old days when you had to plan a trip before you left? Those days are gone. If you are vacationing or have a few hours on a business trip, check out Google City Guides.

Simply enter your starting address and Google will show you all the available tours, when they are offered and for how long, and show you a star rating. And it is done in real time so you can know you have 23 minutes to catch the next tour. Check it out at http://citytours.googlelabs.com/.

Charming Astoria: Pier 39

There are a lot of reasons why I love Astoria, the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies. This little Oregon town sits on the beautiful Columbia River and is full of history (Lewis and Clark made camp for the winter at the end of their journey to the Pacific here), culture, and beauty. I made a recent visit to the historic Pier 39, the site of the old Bumblebee Cannery.

When the Cannery was shut down a few years back, creativity took over and a suite of offices, a museum, a coffee shop and a restaurant and brewery moved in. Here are some photos. Next time you make it to Oregon, don't miss it.

Coffee Girl

Rogue Ale House

Pier 39 Bumblebee Cannery Museum

Ship in Columbia River, Astoria, OR

Bumblebee Cannery Wall of Fame, Pier 39, Astoria, OR

Affordability: Best and Worse Destinations for Travel Taxes

Not too long ago, I sat down to figure out a way to get my family to either Disneyworld or Disneyland on vacation. The idea has been postponed for now, but I learned an interesting fact in the process. It is cheaper for my Seattle-area family to take a family vacation to Disneyworld in Florida than to Disneyland in California. (If we fly; driving would flip it.) Why? Taxes.

Some locations work harder to keep taxes down and thus, attract more travelers; others are trying to make more revenue and not really factoring in affordability for tourists. Sometimes, that's because a location doesn't have to. New York (2) and Boston (4) rank in the top five for the highest total taxes on travelers. People will still visit those places anyway. But Chicago (1) and Kansas City (5) might want to rethink that. And Seattle (3) might consider that nearby Portland, ranked 5th in cities with the least overall tax burden for travelers (with much the same travel culture) is a much-better buy for tourists.

So, where should you look for cities with cheaper tax burdens for travelers? Florida. Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, and West Palm Beach take the top three spots. But I'm still not sure that the 4th place ranking is enough to draw a crowd of tourists to Detroit. 

Source: GBTA Reveals Best and Worst Travel Taxes in Top 50 U.S. Locations

Last Minute Fourth of July Weekend Deals on Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals

The high price of fuel has many staying home this Independence Day holiday weekend. (Source: USA Today) The result: A lot of open vacation rentals.

Oregon vacation home communities Bella Beach and Olivia Beach are offering 10% off with only a 2-night minimum. To take advantage of this offer, you must call 855-238-0184.

Other last minute vacation rentals can be found on Lickety Trip where you can find homes in a particular area that are available in the next two weeks. Then contact the owner and make a deal. And maybe you won't be home for the 4th after all.

Places Every American Should See

Photo: Ground Zero, www.glasscityconnect.com

A couple of years ago, Budget Travel put together a list of 8 Places Every American Should See. It's a great list but Graceland? Really? Graceland is one of the two I've not made it to so perhaps I shouldn't judge. Pearl Harbor is the other and on my short list of places to see. If the list were mine, I would add Ground Zero, Philadelphia's Independence and Constitution Halls, the U.S. Capitol, White House, and U.S. Supreme Court Building, along with the Memorials of Washington D.C.

What's on your list?