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The Bus to Downtown Vegas

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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

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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

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

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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.

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[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?

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_largeTowards 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_SnowCappedOr 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.

Valentines Resort and Marina

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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

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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.

 

50 States Road Trip – North Dakota

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North Dakota is a state often forgotten by most of America and the rest of the modern world. Nothing particularly life-changing or significant seems to happen there, it didn’t birth any global geniuses, and it hasn’t suffered any huge tragedies like earthquakes or hurricanes. But North Dakota is a pretty awesome state. Why? We will tell you.

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Teddy Roosevelt

When studying at Harvard University, Theodore Roosevelt was a frail, weak young man and was told by his personal physician that he didn’t have long to live. He spent three years living in North Dakota, where he gained weight, became stronger and got a fabulous tan. Later he was reported as looking as ‘hearty and strong enough to drive oxen’. So don’t sweat North Dakota, because it’s awesome!  It helped heal a future President of The United States of America!

National Park

As well as a number of national parks, make sure to visit the Teddy Roosevelt national park, if just for the Painted Canyon Overlook. The view is intensely beautiful, showing a stunning vista of the plains and the badlands of North Dakota. In contrast, The Teddy Roosevelt national park is also home to Peaceful Valley, a gorgeous valley filled with native wildflowers and butterflies. Previously a horse ranch, it is now one of the most scenic spots in the National park.

Fairs and Festivals

North Dakota is also known for taking great pride in its many Fairs and Festivals. North Dakota is home to countless Festivals and Fairs, from fairs about kites and polka dots to Mardi Gras to a 3 day long barbeque. One of the biggest festivals in North Dakota is the Scandinavian Norsk Hostfest. Held annually in the autumn season (or fall in the USA) it is the largest Scandinavian festival in North America, attracting tens of thousands of people from all over the world every year.

swedish-food-festivalFounded in 1978, Norsk Hostfest provides a host of world class entertainment, Scandinavian cuisine, handcrafted merchandise and bric-a-brac for sale and on display, plus a selection of purchasable foods inspired by the cultures of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Iceland among others.

The Festival occurs over 5 days from the 30th September to the 4th October 2014, and offers on site accommodation for those wishing to stay for more than one day or for the entire trip.  With a variety of accommodation to choose from, you can stay in a hotel, in a private house or even camp out for the full festival experience! The Norsk Hostfest is located along route 83, and is right next to Minot’s town centre.

Next on our 50 states road trip by hired car we will be visiting the state of Minnesota, humble home of the Green Giant, Scotch tape and masking tape! Ho ho ho!