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By Roger Munns

 Residents of the UK who chose to vacation in the United States this year were pleasantly surprised at how cheap it was due to the weakness of the U.S. dollar. For the most part British tourists were getting close to two dollars for each British pound. Even with the increased cost of gasoline, tourists in the U.S. were able to get pretty good deals.

Though air fares are going up and some transatlantic flights may be cut back, it is still possible to take advantage of the weak dollar. If you are planning to book a holiday in the U.S. later this year or in 2009, keep in mind that the dollar has begun to climb a bit and may continue to do so.

Don’t be put off, however. The U.S. continues to be a great holiday destination. There is so much to see and do in the States. Cities from New York to San Francisco offer enormous variety. If it is culture you want, New York has great museums, including the Metropolitan and the MOMA. Broadway’s theaters offer something for everybody. Even off-Broadway is a mecca for cutting edge entertainment. Shopping in New York is legendary. From Saks Fifth Avenue to Bloomingdales and from Macy’s to Century 21, New York is unparalleled.

On the west coast take your pick. Los Angeles with its movie culture and San Francisco featuring Nob Hill and cable cars and the stunning Bay vistas greet residents and tourists alike. A few miles to the north and you are in the wine country of Napa and Sonoma.

Don’t overlook what falls between the coasts. The Grand Canyon will take your breath away, as will Monument Valley and the Painted Desert. Nestled in the Sierras is the famed Lake Tahoe. Tahoe is the skiing destination on the west coast, and the view of the lake from the slopes of Heavenly Valley is stunning. In the summer the gondolas ferry tourists to the top of the mountain where they can spend a day or several hours taking on spectacular sights.

Don’t forget Las Vegas with its over-the-top casinos and hotels. You can spend days taking in a dizzying array of luxury hotels like the Bellagio and Circus Circus, which features its own amusement park.

Speaking of amusement parks, the two most visited parks in the world are in the U.S.: Disneyland in Anaheim and Disney World in Florida. As always, Disney has new and more exciting attractions in the works at any given time. Whether you stay at a Disney hotel located within the parks or a nearby hotel, the Disney experience is not soon forgotten. If that is your preference, be sure to check out whatever special deals the parks are offering. You may be surprised at how affordable a Disney vacation can be.

Though Disney is still the leader of the pack, other amusement parks are worth visiting as well. Universal Studios and MGM Studios both feature Hollywood extravaganzas. You can find yourself in the middle of a Spiderman episode or an Indiana Jones adventure.

The real drawing card for any number of amusement parks are the death-defying roller coasters. With their incredible loops and twists and 360 degree spins, roller coaster rides are the thrill seekers ultimate thrill. Knots Berry Farm in Southern California has some of the best thrill rides going.

The U.S. is such an expansive and diverse experience that just traveling from region to region illustrates this better than anything else. From the Old South to the Yankee Northeast and from the Midwest to the Northwest, the differences are both noticeable and distinct. Regional differences are pretty much defined by geography. The geography within U.S. boundaries runs the gamut from lush green forests to deserts, to endless plains and mountain ranges.

So if you are contemplating a holiday and deciding where to spend it, give the U.S. a good bit of thought. Even with a strengthening dollar it may still be well within your budget. Take out the calculator and do some Internet surfing to get the latest deals in all the areas you find attractive. If you plan ahead and book early, you may still come out way ahead.

Information about hotels and airfares for the USA from the UK can be found at expedia hotels

More information about travelling in the US can often be found on the most popular blogs for travel, and other free articles

Take A Trip To Bogota!
By Gaizka Pujana

 Located 2,547 meters above sea level, with the stunning grandeur of the Cordillera mountain range visible from many parts of the city towards the East, Bogota is truly a breathtaking spectacle of a city in more ways than one.

If you are planning to visit the city for the first time, you will probably want to know what hotel accommodations are like. The good news is that Bogota is great place to find accommodations on a budget. Numerous lodging houses, pensions, backpacker hotels and budget hotels can be found, with most of them offering superb value for the money.

Particularly worthy of mention is the amusingly named Cranky Croc Hostel, which is built into a 19th century colonial structure. An ideal place for those traveling with everything they can carry in a backpack, the hostel offers comfort and tastefully appointed surroundings that belie its very affordable rates.

Another one of the better budget hotels in Bogota is Platypus Hostel. This place is perfect for backpackers that want to socialize with travelers from all over the world or simply enjoy a good night’s rest in comfortably spacious surroundings.

With your hotel accommodations taken care of, you will probably want to know what there is to do and see in Bogota and the city will surely not disappoint. If a bit of history is what you are after, head straight to the center of town where impressive displays of the city’s architectural marvels await. The La Candelaria district is particularly noteworthy, since it is where many of the city’s most majestic buildings are located, among them the Catedral Primada, the Luis Angel Arango Library, which covers a whole city block, and the El Museo del Oro, which is a popular tourist destination housing some truly spectacular collections of gold artifacts.

Bogota is a city that takes its libraries very seriously, and some of the most renowned ones are just as impressive for the books that they contain as for their architectural design. El Tunal, and Virgilio Barco Vargas are only two of the most impressive ones and they are well worth visiting if only to catch a glimpse of their majestic facades.

Bogota is also a place where you can totally forget about culture and simply party the night away. With scores of clubs, bars and assorted nightspots that are filled to the rafters with hordes of beautiful people, there is usually something going on in the Bogota nocturnal scene most nights of the week. Among the bars and clubs that you should not miss out on are Mister Babilla with its unique brand of music, Salome, which is very popular with the local residents of the city, and the appropriately named Tropical Cocktails where you can sample from the extensive menu of drinks.

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You Must Visit Granada South Spain
By Gaizka Pujana

 Although not quite a household name among more casual tourists yet, the city has long been a well-kept secret by the world’s most seasoned and jaded travelers. This secret is not expected to last much longer however, as word about the unique treasures and characteristics of this charming city is bound to get out sooner than later!

Granada sets itself apart from other more popular tourist destinations with its gorgeous natural features, its rich cultural heritage, and the distinctive charm of its local residents. In addition to these attractions, Granada can also boast of an active social scene characterized by vibrant bars and clubs that cater to the younger crowds, and beach parties that last until dawn. There are plenty of venues that offer live entertainment as well, and drinks are inexpensively priced.

Before you head out to check out what Granada’s nightlife has to offer however, you will want to make sure that you have a place to rest when all that partying is done. Thankfully the city has loads of options in hotel accommodations ranging from picturesque villas and holiday apartments, to budget hotels that are ideal accommodations for students and back packers. Check out Cortijo la Loma Granero for a very reasonably priced lodging house that offers a private pool and tastefully appointed rooms. Another lodging house worth checking out is Cortijo la Loma Villa, which is set amidst the lush green of olive trees.

Being an internationally known tourist destination, Granada of course has enough gustatory treasures to satisfy the palettes of an international clientele. If you want to have your fill of some familiar dish from back home, you will probably find something in the many restaurants to please your palate. That being said, you would be missing out if you didn’t at least try out that most delectable of Spanish culinary contributions called the tapas bar. Meson del Jambon is one these places, and it is well known in the city for its delectable Cerano ham. Other restaurants that are worthy of mention are Mirador de Morayma, which offers traditional Spanish cuisine, Lago di Como with its distinctly Italian flavor, and Bar Kiki for its superb summer lunch menu and its extensive wine selection.

Granada has plenty to offer with regard to natural and cultural attractions as well. The stunning Royal Chapel is a must-see for the grandeur of its architecture as well as for being the burial place of Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. Granada’s Arabic heritage is also well evident in the awe-inspiring Alhambra palace. Impressive Moorish architectural touches combined with quaint gardens scattered throughout the palace make this one of the most stunning man made sights in the city.

These are only a few of the sights and treasures that await the traveler to Granada. Suffice to say that there remains a lot more to be discovered in this fabulous city.

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