Search Results for: blog rev up your vacation in the motor city

Summer Travel: Michigan and Miami

I live in Wisconsin so it’s no surprise that our airwaves have been saturated with summer tourism ads heralding Michigan’s incredible natural wonders. From its spectacular lakes to its amazing waterfalls and beautiful beaches the state is well displayed in the new 2008 Pure Michigan advertising campaign. Tourism officials are hoping the award-winning campaign will draw people like me (who live in nearby states and Canada) to enjoy the state’s beaches, golf courses, fishing spots and bike trails. If you live in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana or Ohio be prepared to be inundated with TV, radio and print ads boasting of … Continue reading →

Should You Rent a Vehicle in a Foreign Country?

In a previous blog I noted that motor vehicle crashes – not crime or terrorism – are the No. 1 killer of healthy Americans in foreign countries. That blog certainly didn’t make a very good argument in support of getting behind the wheel of a car when traveling abroad. And I didn’t even touch on the financial pitfalls associated with renting a vehicle in foreign land. For example, the car and gas will cost more than in the United States. Also, you may need to purchase additional insurance since the chances of something going wrong are much higher than they … Continue reading →

Hotel Furnishings Go High-Tech

By now I’m sure you are familiar with Westin’s signature Heavenly Bed. The pillow top-mattress bed, introduced almost a decade ago, became an instant hit and is credited with starting a revolution in hotel bedding. (You can now buy your own Heavenly Bed at Nordstrom stores.) The mega-popular bed set off a hotel furnishing war of sorts and Wyndham Hotels fired back with a “Smart Chair” aimed to do for comfortable multi-tasking what the Heavenly Bed did for sleeping. For those of you who don’t frequent Wyndham Hotels the “Smart Chair” is a high-tech furnishing that has integrated pivoting tables, … Continue reading →

Travel Tidbits: Hot Hotel Happenings

TRUMP HOTELS GOING GLOBAL Donald Trump is taking a break from bad-mouthing Rosie O’Donnell to concentrate on his hotel empire. The real estate mogul just announced he is creating a new Trump Hotel Collection (an offshoot of an existing Trump project) that will cater to travelers seeking luxury accommodations. The new collection will include the yet to be complete Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago (due in December) and Trump International Hotel & Tower Las Vegas (due in early 2008) along with new properties in Dubai, Fort Lauderdale, Manhattan’s SoHo district, Waikiki and Cap Cana, Dominican Republic. Some of the … Continue reading →

A Swampy Good Time

It’s not everyday that you hear a neighbor say they are headed to a swamp for a vacation. But, that’s exactly where the couple that lives across from us is headed for the next 10 days–the Okefenokee Swamp. Sounds romantic, right? Truth be told, the swamp, located in Southeast Georgia, is a popular tourist destination. It is technically a scenic wetland and at 403,000 acres, the swamp is one of the largest wildernesses in the eastern United States. Some guidebooks say there are places in the swamp that have yet to be explored. (With that much space I’m not surprised.) … Continue reading →

Rev Up Your Vacation In The Motor City

In just a few days Midwesterners (like me) won’t have to travel to Las Vegas to get a taste of what life is like at a splashy, ultra-luxury resort. Next week, the long awaited, hotly-anticipated $800 million MGM Grand Detroit will open its doors to the public. The resort is the sister property to the famous Las Vegas venue and the first MGM Grand hotel outside of Nevada. The hotel is like nothing we have here in these parts. We’re talking 400 state-of-the-art rooms and suites, celebrity-chef restaurants, a massive casino, and a 20,000-square-foot spa. The new MGM Grand Detroit … Continue reading →