[Guest Content] Brits and Their Holidays - InfoGraphic

[Guest Content] Thanks to Amber for emailing me this guest content today! 

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Interested in contributing your holiday knowledge and experience to this blog? Get in touch!

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This infographic has been created for Voyager using information from several sources, including Direct Travel Insurance, the Office for National Statistics, The Telegraph the Association of British Insurers. This infographic in particular depicts key stats and information on British holiday goers, including some facts about staycations, most visited countries and trip costs.

Brits and Their Holidays

55.7 MILLION Holidays Booked in 2011 by  People from the UK!

Discovering the Magic and Adventure Behind the 49th State

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 AUTHOR BIO:

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Alaska holidays and family adventure holidays are just a few of the many types of travel options that Idania Silvia has written about on blogs and websites. It is Sue's sincerest desire to help travelers step out of their comfort zones without any significant risk.

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Vacationers are likely to rediscover their love and passion for traveling once they sign up for the best Alaska tours. Alaska is a perfect destination for adventure holidays because of its eclectic mix of natural and man-made attractions. Most of these activities are something even kids will enjoy.

Do's and Don'ts for Traveling to Alaska

Before anything else, make sure you remember the following when preparing for a trip to Alaska:

1. The weeks between mid-May and mid-September are the best time to visit Alaska.

2. Layered outfits are the best things to pack for Alaska tours. Make sure your outermost layer is something both breathable and waterproof to keep you sufficiently protected from the state's typical weather, which ranges from rainy to chilly.

3. Alaska is a state in which you will frequently have to travel by water, going on board cruise ships or riding small boats and everything in between. If you are the type to get seasick, make sure you have medication for motion sickness ready. For overnight journeys by water, choose the cabin you will be most comfortable in and one that is designed to reduce the chances of passengers suffering from seasickness.

4. Prepare extra money to try out at least one sightseeing tour by plane. Many consider it the best way of exploring Alaska.

5. Bring mosquito repellent if your tour includes traveling by water or tours to the wilderness in the summer.
  

What to Enjoy from Alaskan Family Adventure Holidays

Now that you know how to effectively prepare for an Alaskan tour, here are some of the most popular activities that typically make it to an itinerary for this type of travel package.

1. Water Activities: Your choice of water craft is almost as extensive as what you would expect with land-based vehicles. Aside from the usual cruise ships gliding past enormous and majestic-looking fords, in addition to charming ferries taking you for a ride on picturesque lakes, you are usually given the option to enjoy sea kayaking amidst glaciers, taking a water taxi in Kenai Peninsula and having a whitewater rafting adventure if the season allows it. Canoeing is also a popular choice.

2. Land Activities: There is much to do once you are on land again. In Alaska, some of the most popular land-based activities include taking the aerial tramway in Alyeska Mountain, going mountain biking and maybe watching a demo for dog sledding and trying it if you wish.

3. Parks: If it is the natural beauty of Alaska you wish to see, its parks are the best places to catch more than a glimpse of it. You get to stay in the likes of Denali and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and also enjoy scenic hikes and nature walks in a Great National Park.
  

Other Activities to Enjoy in Alaska

If you have the time and budget to spare for family adventure holidays

, you should also consider trying optional but fun activities such as a float plane trip and ice climbing. Even if you are not much of an outdoor person, try camping in highly recommended sites. In such cases, meals are usually inclusive with your tour package for Alaska holidays.

Since Alaska is not part of continental U.S., it is not surprising that only a few Americans ever have the chance to visit the 49th state. Even so, that does not mean the country's "last frontier" is not worth exploring. In fact, you will probably find yourself suitably surprised once you see the heavily packed itinerary this particular state alone has to offer.

What Takes Your Accommodation Fancy? From Tents to Castles…

Once you’ve decided where to go and what to do on your summer holiday, the next choice to make is where you’re going to stay. Fortunately, you’re not short of options these days, with places out there to suit all budgets and requirements. Here we’ve summed up some of the most interesting and obscure holiday accommodation available for you to choose from on your hols, from bargain basement to luxurious magnificence…

Campervan
The unassuming campervan is an excellent option for people on a budget who plan on travelling around a lot. It is often the choice for backpackers when moving around, particularly when doing farm work in Australia and then moving around to other destinations.

Bedouin Tent
Venture out on a trip into the Sahara Desert in Morocco and you will find your accommodation will most likely be a large Bedouin tent, with plenty of space in the camel car park alongside! Whilst not the most luxurious of places, it’s certainly a step above the usual British image of a tent on a campsite! 

Bed and Breakfasts
The archetypal accommodation choice in the UK, bed and breakfasts continue to draw in travellers around the country. Offering a huge range in themselves (you can find luxury B&Bs with all the trimmings all the way down to people’s spare room) B&Bs can cater to any need. If you’re holidaying in the UK, there’s no doubt a B&B will be on your radar when looking for somewhere to stay, whether you’re looking for a cheap bed and breakfast in Scarborough or boutique B and B in Weymouth. 

Boutique Hotel
If you’re feeling a little flusher when you go on your holidays, you might consider a more unique type of hotel which offers unique quirky features in addition to your usual fare at everyday hotels. Boutique hotels are a great way to stay somewhere individual whilst still getting all the fantastic service you’d expect from a top end hotel.

Water Villas
For those at the top end of the social scale, luxury water villas are the perfect place to spend a relaxing holiday soaking up the sun. These stunning bungalows which sit on stilts above beautiful blue waters really are the epitome of luxury and, for those that can afford it, there’s nowhere better to spend a holiday.

Take a Different Approach to Your Summer Holiday

When summer comes around, we usually reach for the same travel brochure or website and look for something similar to what we did the year before. A holiday on the beach in Spain, lying by the pool in Portugal or wandering in the hills of France are usually on the menu for the summer holidays, but why not try something different?

Below are a few options to consider if you fancy a slightly different break for this year’s holidays:

Trekking in the Himalayas

For the more adventurous out there, a trekking holiday in the Himalayas is a fantastic way to get away from it all, see beautiful sights and experience one of the world’s most incredible creations. Trekking in Nepal has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many people doing the hikes to raise money for their chosen charity. It won’t be the easiest, most relaxing holiday you’ve ever had, but it could well be the most rewarding…

Golfing in Dubai

As with most things, Dubai has become one of the premiere places to go on a golfing holiday. With guaranteed weather, some of the best courses in the world and all the luxury you could ask for, golf holidays in Dubai really do have it all. The best thing is that it also has plenty to entertain the rest of the family who aren’t golf enthusiasts. With beaches, breathtaking architecture, trips into the desert just some of the things to do, the non-golfers won’t find themselves bored whilst you work your way around the back 9.

Travel Through Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is a beautiful collection of countries with loads to see and do. And the best thing is that it is all so close and so well connected, so it’s easy to hop between countries and see an amazing amount in just a week or two. If you get an interrail ticket you can hop on and off most trains, though it might be just as cheap to pay individually depending on what route you take. With the opportunity to see stunning places like Budapest, Lake Bled and Dubrovnik, it’s no surprise this is such a popular choice. So there you go, rip up your ticket to a holiday by the pool this year and try something a little different, it could be the best thing you ever did… This is a guest post from Tom at Navigator Travel who offer great value world travel insurance, perfect wherever you choose to go…

Why a UK Break Beats Going Abroad

With so much excitement around the Olympics this summer, there’s no better time to be exploring the UK and sampling the fantastic places to see and things to do. Olympic fever put the spotlight of the world on the UK and everyone rose to the challenge, with events, celebrations and parties happening up and down the country. So when better to explore your homeland then when it is reaching for the stars to impress the world?

Here’s why you should be staying at home this summer:

Fantastic Destinations

The UK is packed full of fantastic places. From the cosmopolitan capital of London, to rural magnificence in the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District, from historic cities like York to gorgeous beaches in Cornwall, the UK has the lot. Outside of England, Wales boasts the stunning Snowdonia National Park and glorious north coast to explore. With luxury self catering in North Wales easy to come by, it’s a perfect place to mix the outdoors with some creature comforts! Venture up to Scotland and you’ll find more stunning cities in Edinburgh and Glasgow which will provide enough entertainment themselves. Keep heading north though and you’ll find some of the world’s greatest coastline which will take your breath away. Just pray for some sunshine…

Stunning Accommodation

The UK is packed with beautiful accommodation which spreads from budget B&Bs to luxury group accommodation in holiday homes up and down the country. Wherever you are visiting, whatever your budget constraints, you will be able to find somewhere quintessentially English to enjoy your stay. Hanging out with local B&B owners and learning about the area might be your idea of a fantastic domicile, though you might prefer a luxury stay in one of London’s most elite hotels. Whatever you’re looking for, you can find it here on UK shores.

Wonderful Tours

If you’re not the kind of person who wants to walk down the road and not know where they’re heading, then a tour might be a better idea for you. And fear not, there are plenty of fantastic tour operators in the UK who can take you around every conceivable destination in exactly the way you want to go. They will tell you everything you need to know about everything you want to see and all the history behind it. Us Brits are pretty keen on stuff like that you see… If that’s not good enough reason to drop everything and start exploring the UK now then I don’t know what is. Stop worrying about the good old British weather and pack everything you need to cope with any eventuality. No weather should be bad enough it stops you seeing all this country’s got to offer. And, if you’re lucky, the sun might just shine and you’ll find yourself on the west coast of Scotland thinking you must be in the Caribbean!

This is a guest post from Tom at Top Backpacking Destinations

Guest Post: Top Five New England Inns

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This is a Guest post from Noella Schink - who is a travel writer from Portland, Maine, a New England city she wouldn’t trade for the world. She loves to get away from it all with a night at a luxury hotel, inn or B&B whenever she can, and then delights in writing about her experiences!

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Nowhere else in the country ~ 

                           Offers the idyllic charm of a New England Inn:

Personalized service, thoughtful amenities and small town quiet await you at these classic northern escapes.

Maple Hill Farm Inn —11 Inn Road, Hallowell, Maine This renovated farm house just outside of Augusta boasts a working farm, hundreds of acres of nature trails and the biggest solar array in the state!

You’ll love the outdoor Jacuzzi and sauna after a “tough day” of relaxing in your plush room (outfitted with flat screen TV, DVD player and artfully chosen antiques).

There is a common kitchen area where you’ll always be greeted with fresh baked goods and coffee, as well as “the pub,” a cozy nook perfect for a nightcap, chatting with new friends or watching the Red Sox game. Touted as the one of the best inns in Maine many years running, owners Scott Cowger and Vince Hannan really go above and beyond in their attention to detail. Maple Hill Farm is a welcome relief from the chaos and bustle that takes over the coastal region every summer.

The Wentworth Inn —1 Carter Notch Road, Jackson Village, New Hampshire An impeccable example of the heyday of New England resorts, the Wentworth Inn is truly grand, in traditional European style. There are smoking and billiard saloons, a gilded ballroom and luxuriously appointed bedrooms with cozy crackling fireplaces, all tucked in the picturesque White Mountains of New Hampshire. Wildcat Ski area is right down the road for the adventuresome types, or if it’s summertime, you can make use of the miles of serene, wooded hiking trails around Jackson village or the award winning 18 hole golf course. Dinner at the onsite restaurant will tickle even the most discerning palate, as Chef Brian Gazda is prestigiously trained and focused on locally sourcing almost all of his ingredients.

Three Stanley Avenue —3 Stanley Avenue, Kingfield, Maine Perfect for a quaint, romantic escape, Three Stanley Avenue will transport you back to a simpler time. Built in 1900 by the younger brother of the Stanley Steamer twins, the inn has simple Victorian décor, luxurious clawfoot tubs but no televisions! Stroll down the charming Main Street of Kingfield, relax in the gazebo or enjoy a world class “Maine Cuisine” meal at the restaurant next door, aptly named One Stanley Avenue. Tucked in the shadow of Sugarloaf Mountain, it’s the perfect accommodation if you want to ski during the day and then come home to peace and quiet at night. You’ll love the unfussy attitude of the locals and the warm hospitality of owner Dan Davis, who has worked as executive chef and innkeeper since 1972.

Captain’s House Inn —369-377 Old Harbor Road, Chatham, Massachusetts Built in 1839, this famous B&B is a Cape Cod staple. Touted as one of the top ten most romantic inns in the country, its luxe amenities and impeccable service are second to none. The Greek revival style house is surrounded by peaceful gardens, winding walking trails and that sought after fresh sea air. You’ll be charmed by the quaint furnishings, working fireplaces, flowery wallpaper and old-school atmosphere within. Lounge in an Adirondack chair in the sunny yard, challenge your companions to a game of croquet or make for the waterfront where scenic cruises along the coast are the perfect vantage point for admiring Cape Cod. Just make sure you’re back in time for full English tea in the afternoon!

The Mayflower Inn —118 Woodbury Road, Washington, Connecticut This seemingly idyllic country inn offers more than meets the eye. Pamper yourself with a full menu of decadent spa treatments, dine in elegance worthy of the Hamptons yet still enjoy the tranquil New England location. The property’s guest suites offer four poster beds, cushy lounges and even an al fresco terrace overlooking the garden. The nearby Steep Rock Nature Preserve is a beautiful area of walking trails, bird watching and natural serenity, or if you prefer more active days, you can kayak or canoe along the Shepaug River. End your day with an artfully crafted meal of fresh local produce and even fresher seafood in the award winning dining room.

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