Travlang Travel Guide

Travlang's Guide to International Travel

Sights of the American West

Sights of the American West

If you've been in the habit of traveling abroad on vacation, it can be all too easy to forget how many amazing things there are to see right here in America. From natural wonders to historical sites, amazing industrial achievements and cultural monuments, there are fascinating places that can help you better understand your heritage as well as providing a great holiday experience. Take your children to encourage their love of discovery, or go with friends and get into the spirit of adventure.

The Grand Canyon

The most impressive natural phenomenon in North America, the Grand Canyon is 277 miles long and a mile deep, with spectacular rock formations along much of its length. You can travel to it from Phoenix or Las Vegas – either way, the southern side offers most of the best views and has well developed facilities for visitors, which you'll really appreciate in the desert heat. For a truly spectacular perspective on it, consider a helicopter tour, or get really up close and personal with a rafting trip. There are gentler versions of this available for beginners, but if you're feeling up to it, white-water rafting in the Grand Canyon is the ultimate thrill.

Hollywood

There's so much to see in Hollywood that it's hard to know where to begin. Even before you arrive, you'll see the famous sign shining in the hills. Hit the Hollywood Walk of Fame and look out for your favorite stars' stars embedded in the ground, or visit Grauman's Chinese Theater where you can see their preserved handprints. You can take an open-top bus tour around famous locations and celebrity homes, visit the Dolby Theater where the Academy Awards are presented, or tour Universal Studios, whose theme park is great fun for kids and adults alike. There's plenty of good hotel accommodation to be found in Los Angeles and you might consider renting an apartment to share with friends or family during your stay.

Taos Pueblo

Just outside Taos in New Mexico, you can find one of America's most intriguing historical sites, thought to have been built around 1,000 years ago, with impressive multi-story dwellings. It's still inhabited today but parts of it can be explored by visitors and it offers the chance to see first-hand some of the ways that people lived in the Americas before Columbus. You can buy examples of traditional arts and crafts, including silver jewelry, pottery and musical instruments. Taos Pueblo is celebrated by the World Heritage Organization as one of the most important cultural landmarks in the US.

The Hoover Dam

Built between 1931 and 1936, the Hoover Dam was astonishingly ambitious for its time and still looks stunning today. Providing power, controlling floods and making it possible to irrigate land in the area, the dam came to symbolize America's recovery from the Great Depression. It has also appeared in several iconic movies and is a magnet for movie fans. As it's just a short drive away from Las Vegas, you can stay there in style when you visit. Hotel owner Stephen A Wynn has reinvented the city's approach to accommodation and you'll find every luxury on hand. The billionaire developer has business interests all over the world but this is the city where his heart is, and no expense has been spared.

Giant sequoias

After glittering cities and stunning geological wonders, you might feel strange traveling across country just to look at some trees, but the giant sequoias of the West Coast will truly astound you. The biggest of them all is the General Sherman in Sequoia National Park, which is over 2,000 years old. Standing next to its roots will make you feel like a mouse. Nearby you'll find the Tunnel Tree, which fell and was cut through so that cars can drive under it, like toys driving under a regular fallen tree. While you're in the area, you can also explore the spectacular Crystal Cave. Although it's up in the Sierra Nevada mountains and some distance from the nearest city, you'll find great hotels within the park itself.
Taking an American vacation makes the trip shorter, is usually cheaper and means no messing around with visas or special driving licenses. It means you have more time, money and energy to spend on enjoying yourself. These great sites are just a handful of the many exciting places you can find in the West, so why not follow in the spirit of the old frontiersmen and head out there to see what you can find?

How to Keep Your Family Safe On Vacation Travels

This guest post is contributed by Teri Storms who loves to spread the travel news. While she travels she blogs and does freelance writing and editing.

When you went on a vacation in the old days, you needed to make sure your camera wasn’t stolen, your passport and documents weren’t swiped and that your suitcase came equipped with a heavy-duty lock. While those are still viable threats facing any tourist who is traveling across country or abroad, they pale in comparison to identity theft, which is the number-one danger that unsuspecting vacationers face today. Thievery has gone wireless and high-tech, and the last thing you want when you’re visiting Rome, London, or Disney World with the family is to find out that your credit card numbers have been stolen and your bank account drained. There are several precautions you can take to keep your family and your finances safe during a vacation.

Safety Measures That Go the Extra Mile

Taking traditional safety measures when you go on vacation is important, but it’s no longer enough today. While some of us have an obsessive attachment to our smartphones, tablet and laptops, the best way to avoid theft is to leave these gadgets at home. Internet cafe’s and free Wi-Fi facilities often have easily compromised security systems. Identity thieves prowl these areas just like old time robbers staked out ATM machines. User names, passwords and bank account numbers can be compromised when you plug in at these places. Identity theft protection companies like Lifelock can provide another layer of security and defense when you’re on vacation. Lifelock’s identity alert system will notify you if your personal information has been comprised.

 

Hacker and businessman in one person working on a laptop computer

It’s not just about staying safe while on vacation, but keeping your home safe when you’re gone. Have a friend or neighbor check on the house while you’re away. Some towns and cities across the country even offer vacation patrols. Before you leave, call the police department and see if these services are being offered in your area.

A vacation is a time to relax and unwind, and in order to do that you’re going to need to take some precautions. Remember: hyper-vigilance is not paranoia. Having your bank account drained by identity thieves isn’t something you want to write a postcard about.

Traditional Safety Measures

Common sense goes a long way when you’re on vacation, and some of the things you do when you’re home need to be altered when you go on vacation. Most of us are accustomed to using debit cards and credit cards for every transaction we make. However, when you’re on vacation, good old fashion traveler checks are a safer way to go. The more electronic transactions you make, the greater the chance there are for thieves to hack the system and steal information. Traveler checks are also safer than carrying around large sums of cash. Not only does every check need to be signed, but they have tracking numbers. If the checks are stolen, chances are the thief will not be able to use them, and the tracking number ensures that you will be reimbursed.

Vacationing with travelers checks, minimal cash and one credit card is the safest way to travel. Today, most hotels have safes. It’s a good idea to lock up your valuables; from passports and visas to flight itineraries that have personal information displayed- all of it should be locked up at the hotel. Your valuables are safer locked in the hotel room than they are carried in a purse or a knapsack, as that is the first place a thief is going to look if you run into trouble on the street.