Tag Archives: road trip

The Bus to Downtown Vegas

When someone says they are going to Las Vegas for a holiday, often people think of the bright lights, the never sleeping city, the flashy casinos and huge atmosphere that Las Vegas portrays in all the big films, right down to its 99c postcards. However there is a little place not far from the strip, between the Strip and downtown Vegas, which is so stark in its contrast it is a little scary.

ehtiopia Take a bus ride downtown and particularly in the evening, you’ll see a sight not far from the Strip, but with a very different atmosphere.

With its mish-mash of shingled roofs and flat roofs, metal fencing, whitewashed walls next to heavily graffiti-d walls downtown almost seems like a ghost town.

Many of the hotel and casino staff of the Strip live here and it is worth the trip to see just how strange the scenery of Las Vegas becomes once you leave the Strip.

Fairy Lights and stark white lights dot around the place but unlike the Strip’s huge flashing lights and billboards, the trip downtown seems almost empty and desolate. The houses are clustered together like a make-shift town and streetlights blink on and off like some apocalyptic future world.

Downtown Vegas itself is much more colourful, with large signs boasting deep fried Mars bars and drinks aplenty, it is hard to believe that in a simple bus ride between the main Vegas Strip and Downtown Vegas, such a desolate little land exists. It may sound creepy but after the vivid life pumping out from the Vegas Strip, this little stretch of land is eerie, fascinating and almost acts as a welcome break to the craziness of Vegas.

downstown If you happen to be visiting Las Vegas for a holiday in the near future, make sure to take a bus trip to downtown Vegas.

Downtown in itself has a fair few tourist attractions but the bus journey itself is an experience that is chilling, yet interesting.

With Penguin car hire you can choose from thousands of different companies at thousands of different locations to find the right hired car for you or your family while on holiday. We provide a huge database to ensure that you are never left in the lurch on holiday. With a number of different taxi and hired car points available throughout Las Vegas, book a hired car for your next holiday today!

Visit Las Vegas – Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam

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Although made famous by the thousands of casinos lurking in the giant hotels, bars and shops located across the strip, Las Vegas is a fantastic city with far more to offer than simply gambling all your holiday money away. The Strip is a section of the city that is larger than life, covered with huge structures, artistic portraits and happy-go-lucky costumed characters plus with miles and miles of entertainment lurking within every door; it is so easy to get lost in one of its many hotels.

Las Vegas is a city built in the desert, with sheer sand dunes and stark mountains rising all around it, it seems like a misplaced dot of light on an otherwise dark deserted crop of land. Surrounded by the Mojave Desert and with the Las Vegas Bay to the east, Las Vegas is full of both natural and manmade wonders. Two such wonders are the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam.

Grand Canyon

canyon Widely considered one of the wonders of the modern world, the Grand Canyon that stretches 277 river miles long, 18 miles wide and is a staggering 1 mile deep. The layers of rock shown through the Grand Canyon encompass almost 2 billion years of Earth’s geological history, slowly eroded by the Colorado River winding through the canyon.

The Grand Canyon was actually once home to a number of Native American families who built settlements in the canyon and lived inside its various cave systems. The Canyon is a sight to behold and helicopter rides are offered over the Canyon for a truly spellbinding experience. Taxi rides are available from Las Vegas itself to the Canyon, for a day trip to see the canyon and experience a number of Nevada’s other attractions.

Hoover Dam

Hoover_dam Originally known as the Boulder Dam, the Hoover Dam was controversially renamed after President Hoover as a symbol of his presidency as a ‘great engineer’. It was built over the course of five years during the Great Depression following the idea that building a dam would allow the population to control floods and use the water for hydroelectric power.

The Hoover Dam seals off Lake Mead which is the largest reservoir in America and is a staggering 725 feet high and 1,244 feet long. The dam’s generators now provide power for both public and private purposes in Nevada, Arizona and California and are visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year looking to see one of the largest human structures built to hold such an intense body of water.

The Hoover Dam can be reached by hire car from Las Vegas using one of Penguin’s thousands of hired car searches, or you can book a tour while you are out holidaying in Las Vegas.

50 States Road Trip – Massachusetts

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Massachusetts is the 3^rd most densely populated states in the USA. The state has played a significant role in shaping American History. Plymouth was the site of the colony founded by the pilgrim passengers of the Mayflower in 1620 and the oldest institute of higher learning in the entire 50 states; Harvard University was founded in Massachusetts in 1636. Massachusetts was also the first U.S state to legally recognise same-sex marriage, in 2004. A leader in higher education, healthcare technology and financial services, Massachusetts has a lot for tourists to offer.

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Salem

Famous (or is that infamous?) for its Witch trials, take a step into the history books as you learn about the historic importance of this city, and its connections with the witch trials of 1692.

A lot of Salem associates with the witch trials of 1692; police cars have witch logos on them, an elementary school is named Witchcraft Heights and most of the athletics teams in the schools are known as the Witches.

Salem is also home to a number of quaint New Age and Wiccan boutiques, as well as being a popular location for holidaymakers around Halloween!

Cape Cod

For the chance to see some extreme weather, head on over to Cape Cod. It is a beautiful cape that, due to its location, receives slightly colder winters and slightly warmer summers. Consisting of 15 distinctive towns each sporting their own unique charm, Cape Cods beautiful beaches that attract hundreds of tourists and honeymooners in the summer months.

If you are planning on visiting Cape Cod on your holidays, make sure to check the local weather report, as every five-six years a tropical storm accompanied by high winds tends to hit the Cape, so take care!

Nantucket

A beautifully quaint little island located to the south of Cape Cod, Nantucket is well known for its sparkling beaches and iconic home designs. Nantucket’s beaches are known to be some of the most pristine and beautiful beaches in the world. Littering is strictly prohibited and punishable, as it could damage the fragile ecosystem of the island.

Plus with houses, cottages and time share rentals available, you can own your own little piece of paradise during the holiday season.

Next Stop

Our next state is the state of Rhode Island. Why not hire a car in Providence, Rhode Island’s capital city by using Penguin’s Car Hire service?

50 States Road Trip – Maine

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Maine is the most north easternmost state in the province of New England and is well known for its rocky mountains and jagged coastline. With dense forests and awe-inspiring waterfalls, its natural beauty rivals that of countries such as Norway and Scandinavia. The state experiences a range of weathers, from cold and brisk in the winter to fairly warm and humid in the summer. current state

Puffins

There are a number of Puffin nesting places along the coast of Maine, as well as on various smaller islands just off the Maine Coastline, including Western Egg Rock and Seal Island. However by the early 1990’s, these numbers had dwindled to just a single pair of puffins living south of the Canadian borders.

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Local lighthouse keepers made efforts to preserve these birds and now there are around 150 pairs of puffins living on the Matinicus Rock Island, and the number is still growing. Take a trip out to the coastline of Maine to catch a glimpse of these beautiful birds.

Eartha

Maine is also home to the world’s largest 3D scale model of our revolving earth. A massive 41.5 feet in diameter, it was given the title of the ‘World’s Largest Revolving/Rotating Globe’ by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1999 and still holds the title to this day. It took two years to build and represents the Earth as we would see it from space.

Stephen King

The world famous horror, sci-fi and fantasy novelist Stephen King was born and grew up in Scarborough in Maine, and many of his horror novels and short stories revolve around various towns in the state. A special tour guide SK-tours will provide a tour around all the sites in and around the city of Bangor which feature in the author’s many horror stories.

Bangor is better known in the Stephen King world as its fictional name; Derry, and the tour visits up to 30 sites including places where Stephen King used to live and work, as well as various sights and informational spots that inspired him to create various stories. The tour lasts around 3 hours. Alternatively you can always hire a car in Bangor and make your own way around the various sites.

Next Stop

We head south in continuing our road trip to the state of Massachusetts, well known for Cape Cod and the city of Salem, known for its infamous Witch hunts.

50 States Road Trip – New Hampshire

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Located in the New England region of the United States, New Hampshire was named after the southern English country of Hampshire and is the 5^th smallest of the 50 states of America. As one of the 13 founding states of the original United States of America, New Hampshire’s history is vast and long. However for tourists visiting the state, New Hampshire is more famous for its large ski mountains and recreational activities.

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Winter Sports

New Hampshire is well known for its many different winter sports, including skiing, snowmobiling, hiking and mountaineering, as well as its beautiful sea coast. A number of hiking trails are available on its large ski mountains, and fans of snowboarding will find New Hampshire a great place to go to practise in the winter.

Isle of Shoals

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Hop aboard for a unique cruise around this cluster of 9 tiny islands located just off the New Hampshire coast. The tiny islands are just picturesque as you cruise around them on a guided tour, plus some of the larger islands such as Star island even have accommodation available for those wishing to live their own isolated paradise for a day or two.

Chutters Candy Store

Who doesn’t love sweets? With the world’s longest candy counter and a huge selection of both traditional sweets and the latest trending flavours, Chutters candy store in Littleton will have anyone feeling like a kid again.

With 112 feet of large glass jars with a huge range of flavours from everyday to those exotic, limited edition flavours, you’ll find something for everyone in Chutters.

Whale Watching

whale-watch During the warmer months, visitors to New Hampshire and the locals get the exciting opportunity to be able to see various different species of whales as they migrate to the coast of New Hampshire and Maine in order to head out to the major feeding grounds along these coasts. Keep your wits about you as you try to identify Humpback whales, Finback and Minke whales swimming and playing about the water. You can try to see them from the coast or head out on a whale watching tour where you can get closer to the action.

Next Stop

We grab a hired car Maine to head slightly north onto the next state in our 50 states road trip, to the state of Maine, which is the home state of esteemed horror writer Stephen King, where many of his novels and short stories actually take place.

Quick Games for a Long Trip

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We all know that a long car journey can be both stressful and boring, particularly with young children and particularly if you’re travelling down a long set of awkward windy roads that require your full concentration just to stop yourselves from getting lost. At times like this the voices on the radio only serve to increase your annoyance and your children have long worn out the ‘red car yellow car’ game. So what else can you do to help keep your concentration levels up and distract the kids so that you don’t end up careening off the end off a cliff?

One sentence story challenge

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Start up a story and say one sentence of it. The next person has to continue the story by adding their sentence, trying to keep the story going for as long as possible. You are only allowed one sentence before you have to pass the story onto the next person, and you have to try and keep to a reasonably plotline (which can be hard for the younger passengers!)

If your kids are artsy, why not ask them to draw the main character from the story at their favourite point in the story? It will get their imagination working hard, and if they know they have to draw it beforehand they will put more effort into creating a believable story.

Alphabet Challenge

Pick a topic and challenge everyone to come up with an item from that topic that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Once you’ve completed the alphabet, move onto the next topic.

The Twenty Question Game

Again pick a topic and think of one thing in relation to that topic (i.e Robin Williams for famous film stars). Write the item or person down – ask a friend if you are the designated driver – and then give it to someone else. They cannot look at the piece of paper, but must hold it in a way so that everybody else can see it.

PostItNotePad The aim of the game is to then guess what the item is that is on your piece of paper. You are allowed 20 questions which will help you to figure out what is on your paper, and the other players can answer yes or no to those questions. Each player asks one question, where the answer is yes or no, and then the next player asks their question. Once 20 questions is up, you have to guess what you are. You can guess beforehand if you have a clue, but sometimes it can be quite hard!

Staying on the road for long periods of time can be hard. But if you remember to take plenty of breaks and stop as soon as you start to feel tired, you should reach your destination without a hitch!

50 States Road Trip – Vermont

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State number 9 on our Road Trip across the USA is Vermont, well known for producing that all important pancake topper; maple syrup.

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Maple Syrup

Syrup_grades_large Towards the end of March 2014, Vermont is hosting a Maple Open House weekend, where you can take a tour of the state, visiting various Vermont sugar houses across the state to find out just how maple syrup is made. Some sugar houses even have small gift shops that allow you to purchase your very own jar of delicious syrup to take home! Used as a sweetener, as an ingredient in baking or to top oatmeal, French toast, porridge, waffles and a variety of other sweet snacks, maple syrup is essential to making a delicious, sweet meal! Book your tour today by having a look at which sugar houses are open around Vermont!

Vermont is a mountainous state, and is famous for a number of great hiking locations suitable for hikers of all levels, from beginner to expert. The central and southern Green Mountain range make up the oldest rocks in Vermont, formed over 1 billion years ago in the first ‘mountain building period’. The mountains produce a certain type of granite which has been used to build several buildings worldwide in places such as Germany and Hong Kong, making it a very popular form of granite.

Mount Snow

MtShasta_SnowCapped Or if you are a fan of snow sports, Mount Snow is one of Vermont’s largest major resorts that offer a range of activities including skiing, snowboarding and even hiking up the mountain trails. Plus as Mount Snow is located near the town of Dover, a mere seven minute drive by hired car will see you flying down the slopes or enjoying the view on one of Mount Snow’s three different ski lifts. There is also accommodation available on the resort, if Dover town is too far away for you! With a number of Bed and Breakfasts, traditional inns and classy hotels located throughout the Mount Snow Valley, you will be spoilt for choice.

Plus there are a number of different restaurants, cafes and bars in the valley, all which benefit from the stunning views of Mount Snow. Take a few hours out to relax in one of the first class restaurants around Mount Snow Valley, before taking a dive down one of the slopes on your snowboard or skis!

Next Stop

Named after the English county of Hampshire, New Hampshire was one of the first British North American colonies to break away from Great Britain in early 1776 and was one of the original 13 states that founded America. It is also home to a large number of granite formations and quarries.

50 States Road Trip; New York

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New York State is home to the infamous NYC, a landmark in itself, with its countless coffee shops, high rise buildings, stock market and the Statue of Liberty herself, but this iconic state has so much more to offer than its capital city. That is not to say that you shouldn’t check out some of the fantastic haunts located in New York City, but there are a couple of other stops along the way before we get there.

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Niagara Falls

Consisting of three giant overlapping waterfalls; the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls, the Niagara Falls are located along the Niagara river and are situated on the international border between Canada and the United States. They can be reached by a hired car in Niagara or by tour bus.

Niagara Falls

Formed at the end of the last ice age, Niagara Falls are a valuable source of hydroelectric power as over six million cubic feet of water falls over the edge of the Falls every minute. This stunning set of waterfalls is incredibly popular with tourists and receives thousands of visitors every year.

The Falls are even famous with daredevils, and several people have attempted the Falls in various flotation devices, while in June 2012, high wire performer Nik Wallenda actually tightroped over the horshoe falls, where he had to present his passport to officials on entering the Canadian side of the falls once he reached solid ground again.

Roosevelt Baths and Spa

Located at the Gideon Putnam Resort, Roosevelt Baths and Spa is a luxury spa house like no others. With a huge variety of different treatments on offer, this spa house has everything you could possibly want for an evening or even a weekend of pampering. Plus with on site accommodation at Gideon Putnam Resort, it is easy to book a holiday weekend there. Roosevelt Baths and Spa has been listed in the Top 10 New York State Green Destinations, and so is the perfect place for a spot of relaxation on a stressful and busy road trip.

New York City

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Home to Lady Liberty and the Empire State Building, New York City has huge skyscrapers that will rival the tallest buildings in many great global cities. Both the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building are open to the public and you can purchase tickets to go up onto special observation decks. Take a look out into New York City, but be careful not to get vertigo!

Next Stop

We take a look at a couple of America’s smaller states next time, dropping off in Vermont, the current leading producer of maple syrup in the United States.

50 States Road Trip – Michigan

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With a population of around 9.9 million, Michigan is the 9^th most populous of the 50 United States and has gained several nicknames over its lifetime, examples being ‘The Great Lakes State’ and ‘The Wolverine State’. One of Michigan’s most famous landmarks, and one of the most easily recognised, is the beautiful and vast Lake Michigan. It is one of five Great Lakes of North American and the only lake that is entirely located within the United States.

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Lake Michigan

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Thought to have been named from the Ojibwa word ‘mishigami’ which means ‘great water’, Lake Michigan borders a total of four different states, and is 307 miles at its maximum length and 118 miles at its maximum width.

The shores of Lake Michigan are home to over 12 million people, with a number of cities, towns and small villages setting up shop by its sandy waters. Seasonal residents may even have summer homes around the lake, with homes they can return to in the colder winter weather.

Mackinac Island

Said to be one of the top 10 islands in the world, Mackinac Island is an Island frozen in time, where you can spend a few relaxing nights taking in the sites, and engaging in calming activities such as carriage tours and walks along the beach. For the more adventurous out there you can also go horseback riding and hiking.

The use of automobiles is banned at Mackinac Island, excluding emergency vehicles, so the air feels fresher and cleaner, and it is a great way to get yourself out and enjoying the world at a leisurely pace, instead of trying to whizz past it from the seat of your car.

Grand Rapids

Heritage_Hill_2 Between the cities of Chicago and Cleveland is a small urban city intermixed with a natural beauty. The Grand Rapids is built next to Lake Michigan and is known as ‘River City’ because of its location. It is home to a number of different theatres and stages, and is also the home of ‘Heritage Hill’ the country’s largest historic urban area, and contains over 1300 homes dating from 1848. Homes created from a variety of over 60 architectural styles, Heritage Hill is definitely a site to see.

Hire a Car for our Next Stop – NY or Bust

We travel way East to one of the most populous and famous states in America; New York. Famous for its landmarks and the bustling atmosphere of its token city, NYC, New York is a state that is steeped in its own traditional and cultural history.

50 States Road Trip – Wisconsin

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Pack your travel bag, because Wisconsin is a relative treasure trove of hiking trails, adventure parks and fantastic locations ideal for fishing and camping holidays. Whether you love living in the great outdoors, or you just like visiting it on occasion, Wisconsin has so much to offer. Aside from the numerous hiking trails and camping locations, Wisconsin has a couple of other gems for those travellers looking for something a little different.

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Cave of the Mounds

One of the most famous caves of America, Cave of the Mounds is a National Natural Landmark, created over hundreds of thousands of years to become the natural wonder you can go and see today. It is referred to as the ‘jewel box of America’ out of the major natural caves, due to its intricate and unique formations.

cave-mounds Guided tours of the cave are available all year round, and because the interior of the cave is always warm, the cave is a popular destination to take the family in the winter. Guests can wander around the intricate butterfly and prairie gardens, as well as participating in their own fossil dig. The gift shop of Cave of the Mounds contains rock and fossil specimens from all over the world, making it an essential tour stop.

Cheese and Wine

Wisconsin is a state famous for its dairy produce, its cheese in particular. With over 100 cheese factories, visitors are truly spoilt for choice when it comes to eating delicious cheese. For a unique experience, try the Cedar Valley Cheese Store where you can sample some 300 varieties of Wisconsin cheese.

Hire a car and drive south for around 20 miles where you will find the Cedar Creek Winery, a historic mill built in the 1860’s. This mill creates several award winning wines, made with a variety of spices and fragrances, ideal as an accompaniment to the beautiful cheeses of the Cedar Valley Cheese store, or on its own.

Milwaukee Art Museum

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A giant art museum that holds over 30,000 stunning pieces of art. Located by Lake Michigan in Milwaukee this art museum is visited by over 350,000 people a year, and has a self states mission to ‘collect and preserve art, presenting it to the community as a vital source of inspiration and education’. The museum has also been praised for its extensive collection of individual architecture.

Various pieces of historical architecture include the 1957 War Memorial Centre by finnish-american architect Eero Saarinen and the Quadracci Pavilion created by Santiago Calatrava in 2001, a Spanish architect.

Next Stop…

Still heading East on our journey through the 50 states of America, we travel into Michigan next time, home to the largest crucifix in the world. Detroit, which is the state of Michigan’s most populous city, is also known as the car capital of the world.