Travel Ideas! - Theme Trip

Brokechilla- April 18-19th, 2015

4/2/2015

Looking for a concert-among-concerts, on a budget? Join the fun at Brokechella in San Francisco on April 18-19, 2015 with an awesome lineup of bands to check out.

Brokechilla was created in response to the frustration on crazy, out-of-control priced concerts. While some single artist concerts are running a minimum of $100.00 for a nose bled seat, Brokechilla is charging $10-$20 for admission to the event. What? Yes, a whole day event! Brokechilla started out in a coffee house and now has outgrown its first venue and has taken over the music scene in size and popularity.

Brokechella is the considered to be the concert that is gentle on your pocketbook. The experience offers a great lineup of bands at rock bottom prices.

Info according to their website: This year, BROKECHELLA is back to 590 Santa Fe Ave, in the heart of Downtown. We’ve got 4 stages, a World Initiative, comedy and variety stage, a bigger than ever vendor fair, more puppychella, giant jenga puzzles, and so much more.

Escape the Rat Race to These Top Northeast US Wilderness Campsites

3/31/2014

Guest post written by Darren Davis.

In today’s non-stop, helter-skelter world, it can be difficult to catch a break from the stress to quiet the mind. However, the northeast of the United States offers some great wilderness camping areas where you can escape the rat race and get a little R&R.

Following are several of the top wilderness campsites located in the northeast US.

Lake Parlin Lodge – Maine
An unforgettable wilderness vacation spot awaits you at Lake Parlin Lodge located in the center of the gorgeous western Maine Mountains. The Lodge is situated overlooking tranquil Lake Parlin and contains guest rooms along with a wonderful restaurant. For a bit more seclusion, you might also
choose to stay in one of their newly constructed cabins for rent.

Visitors staying at Lake Parlin Lodge or in its cabins can enjoy the early morning Loon calls and perhaps catch a glimpse of a moose milling about the forested area. The woodland surrounding Lake Parlin consists of hundreds of miles of scenic trails that can be enjoyed on summer hikes or winter
treks. This area also sits in the midst of some of the best snowmobiling country in New England with Interconnected Trail System 87 easily accessible from the Lodge’s direct location on ITS 89.

George Washington Management Areas – Rhode Island
Here is another wilderness camping area that is best suited for those wanting to rough it a bit more than the average Joe. The park consists of 4,000 acres of prime forests, lakes, streams and fields. Those desiring more conveniences such as bathrooms can hook up at one of the 45 campsites or 45 sites designed for RVs only. Shelters also exist throughout the park for groups of up to 20 to camp (reservations required). Park activities include miles of scenic hiking trails, fishing, biking, kayaking and canoeing. The park is open from April through October.

Woodford State Park –Vermont
This park is a favorite for hikers due to its accessibility to both the Green Mountain National Forest and George Aiken Wilderness Area. The 103 multipurpose site campground located in Woodford State Park has a hiking trail 2.7 miles in length that exits the camp and encompasses Adams Reservoir which hosts a variety of fun water sports such as boating, fishing and swimming.

Pine Acres Family Resort - Massachusetts
When you want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life with the entire family, the Pine Acres Family Resort is a top choice. This fun family-owned resort is located in Oakham in central Massachusetts and has everything desirable for a family retreat.

Not only are there plenty of campsites containing fire rings and picnic tables, but the property also hosts showers and restrooms, a miniature golf course, tennis court, volleyball area, pool, spa, dog park and more. Nearby Lake Dean also hosts some excellent boating and fishing opportunities and long,
scenic hikes can be taken on its numerous surrounding trails. Winter getaways are also enjoyable with plenty of space to snow-shoe and cross-country ski.

Darren Davis is a trucking instructor and lover of camping from Tucson, Arizona.

Texas Hunting Ranches

2/24/2014

Guest post written by Martha Gail-Moore. Martha currently resides in Texas.

Love the great outdoors, but prefer less rustic accommodations than tents and campfire cooking for your hunting trips? Texas has several five-star hunting ranches to suit your needs. Whitetail deer hunting is one of the most popular animals to hunt in North America. And Texas has the largest population of whitetail deer in the U.S. and Canada with about four million animals. Texas’ five-star hunting lodges have become big business as people are taking hunting to a whole new level.

They offer gourmet dining and guestrooms that include private baths and showers. Rooms are furnished with lustrous fabrics, leather upholstery, and elegant artwork to match. Some hunting ranches offer clay targets, bird hunting, and exotic animal hunting as well. For anglers, there’s ponds filled with fish and evenings can be spent playing billiards or black jack at the casino accommodations. Many Texas hunting ranches have rooms that can lodge large corporate events or private groups besides individual hunting adventures.

Whitetail deer like brushy, wooded areas and the Texas Hill Country provides excellent terrain to camouflage their grayish-brown coat in winter. The Hill Country also offers abundant food sources such as shrubs, fruit, and woody plants. The deer get their name from the white underside of their tails that they hold upright when running. The male buck deer grows new antlers every year and have one main beam per antler. In more mature bucks, they can have three or more points sprouting from the beam. After the breeding season, which is called the rut, they shed their antlers. Texas hunting ranches have both trophy and guided hunts. Many ranches feature whitetail deer from the best genetic breeder bucks in the U.S. such as Diablo, The President, Bam Bam, 44 Mag, Blue Diamond, and Highway 10. Stone Creek Hunting Ranch near Gatesville, Texas offers not only whitetail deer hunts but also a wide variety of exotic animal hunts. Since the land is hilly, and not cavernous, getting the deer out is not problematic and the guides and staff of the ranches are available to help with tagging, field dressing, and trophy processing.

Look no further than the Texas Hill Country for your next whitetail deer hunting adventure and be sure to check out Stone Creek Hunting Ranch.

Martha Gail-Moore is a web content manager and copywriter. She's interested in children, art, and healthcare for everyone. Follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/playfulworkswebcontentmgmt.

Sports and Tailgating Road Trip

11/18/2013

If you are an avid sports fan, a traveling tailgate trip might be for you. Even if you are not a "crazy" fan, you may find you not only enjoyed your adventure, but came away with a new appreciation for a sport. This trip can be taken as a road trip for state to state games or can be a great opportunity to take in the local talent in the city you live. You can hit up the Pro games or just check out the college games that are often less expensive but still high energy.
Begin by searching out the college and professional team schedules in the places you want to go, and mapping your destination based on the games. You can cross sporting games from hockey, baseball, soccer, hockey, or football (to name a few and of course based by what is actually in season) or make it a one-sport adventure.

Be a Fan! No, you do not have to even know the team to pick up a shirt and paint yourself up to cheer for your pick. Sometimes, the less you know, the more fun it can be cheering teams on. Don’t forget to pack some sports related items like peanuts, a football to toss around in the parking lots, and bench seat covers if you are hitting the stadium style seating. For the days where you have no games scheduled find a fun sports bar to hang out in.

Bar Crawling

9/4/2013

Trying to think up a plan for a friend's get-a-way or birthday celebration? Most big cities have bar-hop tours that are geared to the young adults, but there are a few that are for all ages. Check the tours in the city you will be visiting and look at the bars on their list.
Most are pretty inexpensive for what you get and offer one drink coupon per stop. The majority are walking tours where multiple bars are close by, and if you do it early in your vacation trip, you know where to go the rest of the vacation on your nights out.

This is the type of tour where everyone is quiet in the beginning and fast friends by the end. If you are traveling in a group with married and single people this is the perfect night activity since there are usually both married and singles on the tour to mix with. This way the singles will find like minded new "friends" and not feel like the odd man/woman out.
Cannot find what you are looking for? How about make your own. You can always make a theme around your favorite beverages in search of the "perfect drink". Make a plan and theme it around that beverage. Like Tequila? Consider a margarita crawl and sample the tequilas on your adventure. The important thing to remember on this type of themed vacation idea is to stay in the thick of things and don't get stuck in one place too long. Place a time frame on each location and do your best to get everyone to stick with the plan. Make sure your hotel is close by to the bar and restaurant areas so your taxi time is limited or you can walk.

To stay in the theme of your vacation, pack fun emergency hang over kits with caffeine, hot sauce, Tylenol, Mylanta, and other hang over helpers. Collect shot glasses along the way. For the singles groups, pack a pair of “beer goggles” for fun. Many breweries and bottling plants have tours so make sure you put one on your list.

Check out these tour companies:
Pub Crawl Rome
Real London Bus
Pub Crawl New York

Lake Tahoe: Fishing and Gambling

8/23/2013

When you ask some men what their idea of a dream vacation or theme trip idea is, fishing and gambling seem to soar to the top. So, how about putting them together for a weekend get- away or bachelor-party idea. Lake Tahoe is a great spot to consider for both. Flying in is not as easy as you have to fly into Reno and then drive to Lake Tahoe, which is a little under an hour depending on weather and traffic, but it is a gorgeous drive and the highlight is when you peak over the mountain and see the crystal-clear blue waters of the lake.

Lake Tahoe is known for the Mackinaw, also known as lake trout. It is the most popular fish in Lake Tahoe and the average catch is between 3-10lbs but some have caught a whooping 20 lbs plus!

There are several good fishing companies in the area but South Lake Tahoe is where you can blend the fishing-in-the-day-and-casino-at-night theme. Right on the border from Lake Tahoe and Nevada there are several hotels at which to stay and play. The Harvey, Harrahs, Montibleu, and Lakeside Inn and Casino. Since there are many tour companies that charter for fishing, you can have your pick or just rent a boat and go out on your own. The calm water and breathtaking scenery make it a once in a lifetime adventure.

White Water Rafting

8/20/2013

Considering an thrilling outdoor adventure but have no experience with rafting? Luckily for you, there are many reputable companies that host rafting trips from 1 to 14 days. Choose from tours rafting through Vegas, Arizona, and Utah.

Most rafting companies suggests tours for your group based on age, experience, duration and location you wish to go. The best part about the rafting experience with a reputable tour company is that they have it all handled. From the experienced private guides, to the chefs that cook, knowledge of the surrounding areas, and providing transportation in and out of the rivers. Many rafting outfitters will just provide you with a packing list along with where to meet, and then they do all the rest. Their crews will pitch the tents, prepare the food, and in some cases depending on the style of tour, offer you a cold beer.

These tours can be basic and bare boned style rafting to an elite tour including being flown in by helicopter and catered to from start to finish. Some tours are motor-driven and others are powered only by your oars. In the same day you can shoot the rapids as well as just float along enjoying the scenery.

Spend your days sleeping under the stars and waking up to the brisk outdoor fresh air. Always double check the tour company you wish to travel with for their safety records and have fun!

Survival Skills or Crossbow Training

8/12/2013

Survival-training weekends are a great guys' bonding time. The chance to get outdoors and learn a few survival skills can be a very memorable theme vacation. It is also a great idea for a bachelor party as well as a father-son bonding time.

There are several companies that provide these trips from weekend get-a-ways to week long full immersion. You can easily find companies that cater from beginners to the more hearty advanced camps. Some companies are based on true outdoor survival and others to teach the art of skills such as crossbow clinics or archery.

If you cannot get away from home, this theme would make a fun guys day or night get together. Start by having survival themed foods such as grains and nuts, wild-game meats, and maybe a wildness berry fruit pie for dessert. Have everyone dress in their survival gear, throw in a few drinks and you have a party that the guys will all want to attend.

If you want to add in games, plan on something like the picture below where each person picks a random bag. Some guests become survivors, Others get attacked, (think zombie or something far-fetched so it stays lighthearted and fun) and two become the new-world President and Vice-President and win a prize.