Tag Archives: sun

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.

ehtiopiaTake 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.

downstownIf 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

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

canyonWidely 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_damOriginally 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

Massachusetts is the 3rd 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.

current state

[penguin] witch salem blogSalem

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!

[penguin] nantucket blogNantucket

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?

Beautiful Hotels and Resorts – The Manta Resort

Here at Penguin we love holidays. Who doesn’t love holidays? Holidays are the only way to take a step back from everything, relax and see the sights at a leisurely pace. However a crucial part of the holiday is where you choose to spend it. Some people may enjoy a holiday in the sun with an all-inclusive hotel, allowing for just a little spending money to get you by on market days. Other people will save as much money as possible on the hotel by just going for the basics, and then splashing out on informative tours and trips out.

Whether you are a sunbather or a sight-seer, certain hotels and locations are simply too stunning to pass up and they are guaranteed to make the experience of a lifetime. They may cost a pound or two more than a normal 3 star hotel or all-inclusive holiday package deal, but the memories created by staying in these gorgeous locations are well worth the hefty price tag. 

The Manta Resort

Imagine waking up after a long luxurious nights rest, and rolling over in your bed to see…the sea. The Manta Resort, located in the sunny tropics of Zanzibar is a resort like no other in that it has a specially designed underwater room. The entrance to the room is above sea level, with a beautiful wooden chalet standing atop wooden stilts and the iconic underwater room built underneath which is also anchored to the sea bottom by thick chains.

5956802620_bb66ded10a_zThe bedroom floats four metres below the surface of the sea, where you can take a look out into the murky depths, keeping your eyes out for the beautiful tropical fish that can be seen, right from your bed! Plus the view from the top veranda at night is breathtaking, with the unhindered sight of a million bright stars, where you will honestly feel as if you are miles away on your own private island.

Currently there is only one underwater room available at the Manta Resort in Zanzibar, but there have been plans for extra rooms to be added in the future. Why not splash out for a few nights of pure wonderment as you enjoy the beautiful sights of the deep sea without ever having to get your feet wet!

At Penguin we understand how important reliable transport can be, and that it can make or break your holiday, particularly after a long flight that leaves you wanting to simply flop down onto the hotel bed. We provide an easy to search hired car directory anywhere in the world, simply type in your location and go!

 

Valentines Resort and Marina

It’s the 14th of February, and that means that it is Valentine’s day! One of the most celebrated and dreaded days of the modern year. Are you spending it with someone special, are you planning on confessing to someone today or are you just looking to spend a quiet day in alone? Whatever your plans for today, why not have a look at your next possible holiday destination!

Valentines Resort and Marina

Well known as being the most vibrant and engaging luxury resort in Harbour Island and also voted as ‘Best Island in the Caribbean’ by Travel and Leisure Magazine, the Resort boasts beautiful views, gorgeous beaches and huge luxury suites fit for a king. Plus because it is a smaller resort, there is no overcrowding that you would get at certain other resorts, and you’ll always have a place by the pool.

Facilities

The resort has a number of stunning restaurants including the Boat House restaurant which overlooks the bay, and a gift shop where you can buy a variety of snack, beverages and souvenirs for friends and family back home. Valentines Resort also boasts high speed wireless internet, as well as their own Dive shop, where you can purchase various packages in order to go diving in the beautiful reefs around the coast of Harbour Island.

Weddings

valentine

Valentines Resort is the ideal place to host your wedding, and the resort even offers a number of wedding packages for prospective couples, as well as having their own private wedding consultant on hand for all the wedding packages.

With all the awful weather and rain occurring in the UK in the recent weeks, it is not surprising that many people have decided to take a sudden early 2014 holiday, and now with regular flights across the world, it is even easier to go on an impulse holiday. Valentines Resort is incredibly popular all year round due to the peaceful atmosphere and beautiful weather, so why not enjoy it while you wait for the rain to end?

Take a relaxing trip away to Valentines resort and marina and enjoy the beautiful sun and sea air while relaxing in one of the Caribbean’s most luxurious resorts. Harbour Island can be reached by taking a taxi or a hired car from the North Eleuthera airport, and then taking a short, 5 minute ferryboat to the island. Before you travel to Harbour Island, ensure that your passport allows you to travel legally to the United States.

 

Visiting Tunisia – Your Wife for 2 Camels

One year I was holidaying with my family in Tunisia, when a shady looking man standing by a sign that read ‘Camel Rides – 30 Dinar’ sidled up to my father, scratched his nose and muttered “2 Camels for your wife”. He simply laughed and we continued our way through crowded market stalls.  A little worrying but nothing out of the ordinary; the locals were always scaring us like that, using funny jokes and phrases in an attempt to coax us over to their stalls.

Tunisia is a very interesting country.  The vendors there are hilarious, using jokes and English phrases to sell their wares, which makes it a fun country. Hundreds and thousands of tiny markets spring up everywhere, and hotel complexes normally have one or two of their own as you walk down the hallway to just get your breakfast. They sell a huge range of things including fake ‘real’ Prada bags, sandals, pottery, glassware, children’s swimwear and naturally a plush animal or two.

Meester Camel

Visiting Tunisia is an experience in itself. You need to keep your wits about you as there are always people trying to sell you things. Try not to look too interested in anything if you don’t like talking to people, as they love tourists. However Tunisia has a vast range of fantastic activities for anyone looking for a culturally rich holiday.

From visiting carpet factories to camel rides to vast animal reservations, Tunisia is a great country to holiday in, as there is something for everyone. Camel rides are a highlight of Tunisian holidays as the camel is such a strange animal, it is almost impossible to sit on it comfortably without fear of falling off. Either you feel way too high for comfort, or your seat is actually placed to the side of the camel, like a strange human seesaw, and you sway precariously left and right with each step the camel takes. Still it is a fantastic, breathtaking experience.

The zoos and reservations of Tunisia are not to miss, the most iconic being Friguia Animal Park. The park is easy to get to, a mere 15 minute drive by hired car from Sousse city centre, Friguia has a huge collection of animals with a number of activities, including dolphin swimming, available to those daring holidaymakers. Plus Friguia offers an evening of entertainment with a traditional Zulu three course meal followed by dancing and singing.

For the more casual tourists, a simple walk along the beach is relaxing and beautiful. Many of the larger hotels in Tunisia are located along the coast, with the swimming pool and relaxation areas normally backing onto the beach itself, so it doesn’t take long at all to get to the sea.

The locals are generally very friendly, and the stunning desert vistas you will experience both through camel rides and through simply driving around are surprisingly beautiful in their bleakness. If you are looking for a different destination from Hawaii or Ibiza, but still want the fun and the sun, Tunisia is the place to go.