Destinations

Camping Tricks to Keep You Safe

What’s not to love about camping: nature, sleeping under the stars, campfires, swimming in rivers/lakes and good old-fashioned fun?

Published

6 months ago

December 10, 2022

Loren Thorn

It’s Camping Season! As I Yell This from a Mountaintop!

Outdoors enthusiasts and weekend warriors are all getting jazzed up for another camping season. What’s not to love: nature, sleeping under the stars, campfires, swimming in rivers/lakes and good old-fashioned fun? Sure camping is fun but it can also be dangerous, so keep you and your loved ones safe with this handy camping safety guide.

Know your lightning facts

Lightning kills more people every year than bears so pay attention to lightning and thunder. One important rule that you should know: if you hear thunder, you are within 10 miles of a storm, so head for shelter.

All shelter s are not created equally, so stay out of your tent and tall trees, instead get into a building or your car. The rubber tires are perfect for grounding you incase of a strike. If you are away form a vehicle or building get to an open field, you may get wet but you’ll be safe.

Fire safety

Don’t play around with fire, it cannot only hurt you but can easily start a fire that gets out of hand. Make fires in designated areas only and follow all posted signs about fires. If there are no fire rings, make a safety ring out of rocks and clear all debris that could catch on fire. Some areas during certain times a year don’t allow fires because of forest fire risks, so don’t be the asshole that starts a forest fire.

Animals and Insects

You are going into nature, where animals and bugs live, so expect to deal with them. You may encounter bees, snakes, bears, and coyotes or worse, so it’s important to know what to do, just in case.

Bears

Bears will come to food, so if you are in an area with bears, keep your food safe either in a bear box or hung up in a tree. Bears have incredible senses of smell and can find even a small candy bar hidden in you tent, so never keep food where you sleep. If you see a bear, slowly get out of there, don’t run, they will catch your butt.

Bees – Wasps – Hornets – Ants

When choosing the perfect place for your campsite and tent, look around for nests and hives before you set up. Nobody wants to be woken up by a thousand ants in their tent or wasps attacking from above. If anyone in your group is allergic to any kind of stings or bites, they should have an Epipen handy, because help isn’t close in the wilderness. If someone is bitten or stung, keep an eye on the wound and look for signs of an allergic reaction, like sudden swelling or breathing issues.

Snakes

Snakes are all over the place so it’s best to know what kind of snakes are native to the area you are camping. Watch out for Rattlers out west and Diamond Backs and Water Moccasins in the East and South. Snakes like to hide in dark holes and underneath rocks, so be careful where you reach and step.

Coyotes/wolves

These guys will look for scraps, garbage and small dogs, so keep an eye on your little puppies. They are usually scared of people and noises.

Big cats

Big cats are all over the country from bobcats to mountain lions, they are out there. Rarely seen around people, these silent hunters see you ten times before you see them once. Just be aware that if you see one, act big and slowly walk away, never turning your back on them.

Moose

Moose kill more people than bears so be aware of these big old goofs.

Don’t get disoriented

Don’t get lost but if you do, stay calm dude. Always keep a map, a compass and a mirror or shiny object used for long distance visibility to a search party. If you do get lost, look for some simple signs to find your way. Look for your own footprints and back track. Look for moss on trees; it always grows on the North side of trees. Tell someone where you are going, before you go.

Hydrate

You will be exerting yourself more than usual so it’s important to drink plenty of water.

Heights can kill

Climbing things seems like a fun idea but heights kill in the wilderness. Be careful on rocks, trees and the dreaded rope swing. More people are hurt on these three simple activities than by animal attacks each year.

Don’t be dumb

Seriously, don’t do dumb stuff; you are way too far from a hospital. Don’t be stupid with an axe while chopping wood and don’t jump into bodies of water without knowing how deep it is.

Destinations

All-Inclusive Resorts Outside The Caribbean!

Published

11 hours ago

June 5, 2023

Owen Gardocki

When you think of all-inclusive resorts you automatically think of the Caribbean and Mexico, which makes sense. Most of the all-inclusive resorts are centrally populated in the Caribbean and Mexico, but there are some other regions that offer excellent resort experiences in less than ordinary places.

All-inclusive resorts are great if you want to stay on a budget, be completely pampered and have a low-stress vacation. Why not veer off the beaten path and try one of these less than ordinary resort locations and expand your vacation portfolio.

Morocco

When you think of Morocco, you don’t necessarily think of all-inclusive resorts but this area is a hotbed for these luxury resorts. Check out the incredible deals offered up at resorts in Marrakech and Agadir, some featuring fun activities like water parks. Many of these resorts don’t offer alcohol since they are located in an Islamic country. You can have plenty of fun without booze, so give the magical country of Morocco a chance.

Arizona

Arizona is the destination of dude ranches and wellness retreats, so find your happiness in the desert. Surrounded by sand is the norm for all-inclusive resorts but most of these have an ocean with the sand, not Arizona. The desert makes an incredible backdrop for some of the world’s best dude ranch experiences. Come to Arizona dude ranches to ride horses, hike and enjoy nature while relaxing on a ranch.

Arizona is also famous for its wide variety of wellness resorts that range from spas to yoga retreats. Let your mind and body enjoy a vacation while you spend a week on a wellness retreat.

Brazil

Brazil has enough coastline for all the world’s resorts but they keep there’s more spread out. These resorts are very similar to the ones you would find in the Caribbean but these are often more remote. The average guests at these resorts are Brazilian families as it’s harder for foreigners to reach remote locations. Check out the Northeastern region of Bahia for the most spectacular resorts.

Tennessee

When you think of luxury all-inclusive resorts, that last place you think of is Tennessee, but this landlocked state has one of the world’s top resorts, the Blackberry Farm. The 4,000-plus acre farm is the ultimate luxurious resort where all the meals are cooked using ingredients from the far and are masterfully prepared by the top shelf chefs. Enjoy horseback riding and hiking in the glorious backwoods of rural Tennessee. Who knew that Tennessee had such class?

Texas

Much like Arizona, Texas has plenty of dude ranches and wellness retreats, but they also have some fun ones on the coast. These resorts tend to shy away from the all-you-can-drink party vibes and lend themselves to the tranquil, relaxing vibes instead. You may not find unlimited booze here but you will find peace and quiet, which are often harder to obtain than adult beverages.

Explore your world and find where you are happiest, and revisit that place as often as possible. Everyone has his or her own idea of a perfect vacation, just make yours a reality.

Destinations

Where To Stay In Paris

Published

1 day ago

June 4, 2023

Owen Gardocki

Paris is known as the most romantic city in the world. But Paris is also a very large city, so if you bought the plane tickets then you may still be wondering where you should stay. The Eiffel Tower is not a hotel, so you probably need to do some more research to learn where you should stay in this beautiful city.

We talked to our colleagues and, of course, if you’re a traveler like we are then you should know this beautiful city. This is one city that is quickly crossed off any European traveler’s list. We have visited Paris countless times and so we know the best neighborhoods for you to stay in to make the most of your amazing Paris vacation.

MONTMARTRE

Montmartre is one of the most special neighborhoods Paris has to offer. Tons of tourists flock here daily, but thankfully they have had no effect on the wonderful charm this neighborhood has to offer. Montmartre is hilly and the locals love this place of residence.

You will be charmed by the beautiful streets, shops, and restaurants around here and you can learn about the amazing history Montmartre has in the art world. Staying in Montmartre is a great way to fall in love with beautiful Paris.

SOUTH PIGALLE

Paris has a wild nightlife and South Pigalle is a neighborhood that proves it. You will find tons of trendy bars and it seems like new ones are added each and every day. But there aren’t just bars here, there are also plenty of wonderful restaurants too.

French food is some of the best food on the planet and you can happily pig out at the many delectable dining options that South Pigalle has to offer. If you are tired of eating heavy foods and need something fresh to clean your system then head to the organic market that takes place every Friday at Place Anvers.

BELLEVILLE-MENILMONTANT

Belleville-Menilmontant is home to a bunch of hip new art galleries. Check this place out if you want to see the emerging art scene that Paris has to offer. There are a lot of bars too because artists love to drink, so don’t worry, you can still get a taste of Paris’s thriving nightlife as well.

This is a great neighborhood if you want to experience just how multicultural Paris really is. You can find Brazilian food, Sicilian food, and even Rwandan food in this wonderful neighborhood.

OBERKAMPF

Oberkampf is right next to Menilmontant and is where West-African food reigns supreme. Once you’re done eating some tasty treats, then you can go check out some live music at the many live music venues around here. Then hop into a cocktail bar and drink some delicious cocktails and then get some more late night eats.

This is one more neighborhood in Paris that has tons of bars and clubs, they seem to flood every neighborhood all over Paris, which is a good thing. But partying shouldn’t be your top priority in Paris, eating should.

Destinations

Where to Stay In Barcelona

Published

2 days ago

June 3, 2023

Owen Gardocki

Barcelona is an absolutely incredible city and should be on the top of everyone’s travel list. There are breathtaking beaches, delectable dining, and a non-stop nightlife. No matter how you have fun, Barcelona offers it in spades. But where should you stay?

We talked to our worldly staff, and when we brought up that we were writing an article about Barcelona, they’re eyes lit up.They were practically frothing at the mouth and shoving each other out of the way just to chime in with their favorite neighborhoods and why.

After strenuous research, here are some of our absolute favorite neighborhoods to stay when visiting beautiful Barcelona.

El Born

El Born is located right in the center of the old city. This makes it very convenient to get around to the many other neighborhoods, so you can walk to the beach or the Gothic Quarter or even the metro stops.

But it’s not just the location that makes El Born the top of our list. This neighborhood is known for its amazing artisan shops and hip restaurants. Prepare to blow up your Instagram if you stay here because there are tons of alleyways covered in graffiti and street art that are perfect for some cool photos so that you can brag to your friends and make them all super jealous.

Oh, also, did we mention the Picasso Museum? Yeah, that Picasso. You can see some of his most famous paintings along with his early work. Now that’s a neighborhood.

Barceloneta

If beach vibes are totally what you’re feeling, shaka bro, then Barceloneta is for you. You can walk along the beach and see all the different ways the Barcelonians enjoy the sunshine from rollerblading and biking to swimming or just relaxing.

There really isn’t too much to say as to why this neighborhood is great, I mean you’re in the Mediterranean on a beach. Do we really need to give you much more info than that?

El Raval

If you’re a Hemingway fan then you’ve probably heard of this neighborhood. In Hemingway’s days it was a pretty rough neighborhood, but not anymore. Now El Raval is delightful for everyone to stay.

You will see more diversity here than in any other neighborhood in Barcelona. People from all over the world seem to flock to this neighborhood when looking for a place to live which creates a very diverse scene.

That means there’s a lot of great food and of course, great bars. But don’t blame us if you find yourself awake at four AM dancing in the streets. You won’t stick out if you’re doing that, by the way, you’ll fit right in.

Poble See

If staying out until the wee hours of the morning isn’t your thing, but eating is your thing then Poble See is for you. This place isn’t known for its nightlife but it is known for its tapas bars.

You might not be too close to major tourist attractions in this district, but you will be close to the metro system which can get you there quickly and efficiently.

One thing is for sure, no matter where you stay, you will love Barcelona.