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Its that time of year again, time to plan a family vacation. If gas prices haven’t put the squeeze on you, a car trip to a local “off beat” vacation destination may be just the vacation that you and your family are seeking.

Going for a lesser known destination can be better than following the heard in many ways. First off, food, lodging, and entertainment generally gets priced much higher in popular destinations. You will likely notice a cost savings by visiting a the off beat venues. Plus, if you are wary of large crowds, you will breathe a sigh of relief and maybe get to enjoy your vacation.

With that in mind, here are a few Unique Vacation Destinations…

Berkeley Springs, West Virginia

For a touch of nature steeped in history, Berkeley Springs in West Virginia just might be for you. Berkeley Springs is an historic spa and art-filled town in the stunning mountains of the Eastern West Virginian Panhandle. You will find warm mineral springs, world class dining, many unique and unusual shops, five full-service spas and vast choices in lodging from elegant B&B’s and historic inns, rental cabins and resorts.

You will enjoy golf, hiking and swimming. Year round, there are festivals of art, music and more. The entire area is deep in Civil war history and its just a short drive to visit the battle fields in close by Antietam Maryland.

Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

Billed the “Waterpark Capital of the world”, Wisconsin Dells is sure to delight anyone looking for a bit of sun and fun. You wont run out of things to do with shopping malls, spa villas and, of course, water rides.

You will notice the dome over the resorts outdoor Great Wave Pool and Dueling Mammoths family racing tube rides. This dome, when complete will be a unique a Foil Tec structure, the first of its kind in the United States, that lets through sunlight so plants can grow and guests can tan.

Moab, Utah

In the mood for some adventure? Moab, Utah may be the perfect place to visit. Definitely a place of extremes, with thousand foot canyons and snow capped peaks of 12,000 foot mountains. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy variety of activities and places to visit.

If you plan to visit Moab, you will enjoy hiking, biking, rock climbing, rafting, kayaking, four wheel adventures, and some of the most spectacular sight seeing in the country.

Nothing here sound appealing or feasible for you? Don’t hesitate to ask friends, research online, and pick up some ideas at your local state welcome center (you know, those hubs off the highways). You will get a wealth of ideas for some very interesting and uniquely memorable vacations.

For more information, visit Fun Vacations. Get more advice at these sites: Vacation Planning, Vacations Portal

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Because so much of Cyprus’s appeal is its natural beauty, traveling by car has long been the preferred method transportation for tourists. Many of the places travelers hope to visit in Cyprus aren’t accessible by public transportation, but are connected through well-paved, visitor friendly roads that wind though gorgeous Mediterranean scenery.

Finding the Best Car Hire Deal
When shopping for a rental car, it’s best to find an agency local to the area that offers rates and cars from 3-4 different rental companies. Local travel agencies know which car rental companies are most reputable and trustworthy in the area. By comparing several options for pricing and packages, you can find money-saving deals and make more educated decisions about the car you choose to hire.

Booking a Car for Hire in Cyprus
Car hire dealers often boast money saving discount packages via the Internet. To ensure that deals and reservations are valid once you arrive, book your car hire from a third party travel company within Cyprus who has first hand knowledge and direct access to the rental agencies.

Car Hire Age Requirements
To take a car for hire, a renter must be at least 21 years of age and have had a valid driver’s license in any country for at least 3 years. Those with children should reserve child safety seats online when booking their rentals. Children under the age of 5 are required by law to ride in a safety seat. Cypress car hire agencies can also impose a maximum age for rental eligibility for those between 65 and 75 years of age.

Driving in Cyprus
Reminiscent of its rule by the British until 1960, Cyprus driving rules follow the guidelines of those in the UK. The steering wheel is on the right side of the vehicle and driving is done on the left side of the road. Speed is measured in kilometers per hour with the maximum speed being about 100 km/h, or about 62 miles per hour.

Driver License
Visitors only need a valid driver’s license from their own country or an international driver’s license to hire and drive a car in Cyprus. The driver’s license must be valid for the same class of vehicle you wish to rent (such as a passenger car, motorcycle, etc).

Insurance
While many car insurance companies cover rental cars within the country where the policy is written, most insurance companies will not transfer the insurance coverage to a foreign country. In Cyprus, third party liability is mandatory up to $78,000 US dollars. When leaving the country, it’s best to take insurance with the car hire package instead of guessing about various requirements or missing details with extended international coverage.

Parking in Cyprus Cities
You’ll be able to navigate your way around some of the larger cities such as Lananca, Paphos, and Nicosia, by foot. However, since most hotels are located away from the city and require that you drive in, it’s important to remember to bring change for parking meters. Parking meters usually require one 20 cent coin per hour. Because of the low parking costs, choosing a car hire as opposed to a taxi or bus can be a smart choice economically when traveling around various cities in Cyprus.

Whether you’re planning a trip to Cyprus for its rich cultural landmarks or the gorgeous natural scenery, choosing a car hire for transportation is the preferred method among travelers. Finding the right Cyprus car hire deal can be simple and stress-free when you compare rates and packages through a local agency.

The author is a small business internet marketing consultant and the cofounder of nGenuity Solutions.

For further information on Cyprus car hire options, check out http://www.bookcyprus.com. You can also reserve Cyprus hotel room, villa, and even plan an excursion all in one place.

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Travellers visit Australia to see Sydney, the Rock, the Reef… and the Australian Outback.

To prepare a travel itinerary, make reservations for accommodations, book the flights and so on… well, you need to know where to fly to, don’t you?

Where exactly is this Australian Outback? Or what is it?

To understand the Australian Outback you need to know that Australia is one of the most urbanized countries in the world. Our population is concentrated in the cities along the southern and eastern coast, or not far from it.

We have historically been clinging to the greener fringes of this continent, and been somewhat afraid of the red and dry interior.

As a result the rest of the country is more or less empty: 6.5 million square kilometres (or 2.5 million square miles), inhabited by less than 60,000 people… That’s the Australian Outback.

“The Australian Outback” is not an exact location. The term Outback is used to describe the emptiness, remoteness, and the huge distances of inland Australia, and the fact that most people still don’t know much about it.

So maybe, rather than asking to “see the Outback”, investigate the different Outback attractions, or the different options to travel across part of the Australian Outback. Help your travel agent help you, by being more specific about what you want to see or do.

Here are some ideas:

Ayers Rock and Alice Springs

An obvious choice. The most popular Outback icon, and the town known as “the capital of the Outback”. Ayers Rock and Alice Springs are located in the middle of the Australian continent, a long drive from anywhere. Both have an airport, accommodations and many tour providers. Flying is recommended to save time. You will get to see the spectacular red interior. However, you will not really experience the vastness, the distances, the “feel” of the Outback. What you will experience are lots and lots of other tourists…

Coober Pedy

A surreal place. The South Australian opal mining town is one long day’s drive from Adelaide. Vast treeless plains continue forever…. If you’ve seen the movie Mad Max you’ve already seen them. The town and surrounds possess a desolate beauty that fascinates some, and appals others. But what sparks everybody’s curiosity is that a lot of the town is actually underground, a good way to escape the heat. Underground hotel, underground pool, underground shops and backpackers… and of course there are opals everywhere!

Stuart Highway

When people talk about driving through the Australian Outback they often mean the Stuart Highway. An excellent bitumen road with many services along the way, it will take you from Adelaide in the south, via Coober Pedy, Ayers Rock (on a detour), Alice Springs and Katherine, to Darwin in the north. The Katherine Gorge and Kakadu national parks can be visited on the way, too.) A great drive, period.

The Kimberley

The far north western corner of the Australian continent has been called the Outback of the Australian Outback, it’s so remote. Intense colours, stunning rock formations, spectacular gorges and waterfalls… The drive across the Kimberley, from Darwin in the north to Broome on the west coast, is the most beautiful drive in all of Australia. Bring some time!

The Deserts

Think Outback, think desert. Great Victorian Desert, Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert or Tanami to name a few. All of them can be traversed if you are adventurous, but you need to know what you are doing. Don’t be fooled by names like Tanami Highway or Gunbarrel Highway. These aren’t highways. To cross any of the Australian deserts is a serious four wheel drive adventure, unless you join a tour.

There are many more ways to experience a bit of Australian Outback: The Goldfields or the Pilbara in Western Australia, Bourke and Broken Hill in New South Wales, Mt. Isa in Queensland… No matter where you are, there will be some Outback attraction within reach.

And you don’t have to venture all that far to find Outback roads, Outback pubs, and Outback characters. Sometimes it’s as easy as NOT going where the tourism brochures are trying to lead you…

B. Bradtke is the founder and editor of the Outback Australia Travel Guide. Her site specializes in off beat travel away from the tourist crowds. Visit it to find detailed information, photos and insider tips for travel in the Australian Outback.

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