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Las Vegas, more commonly known as Sin City, is a high rollers paradise that not only accommodates the rich and famous but is a fun place for anyone to come and relax or play.  Win big at one of the hundreds of casinos that line the Las Vegas Strip or just cruise around town and witness the spectacle of light shows or fountain displays that keep the town buzzing 24/7.

Many people come to Las Vegas for its world renowned shows or exotic nightlife.  Head to the top of the Palms Hotel and see Las Vegas in all it’s splendor from the GHOSTBAR.  Located 55 stories above the ground it offers panoramic views of the town from one of the trendiest spots in Vegas.  Visit at night to really appreciate the amazing sea of lights and sounds that you can only witness from the bird’s eye view that the GHOSTBAR offers.

The casinos/hotels are a big draw to Las Vegas and it’s no surprise why.  These self contained architectural marvels are basically a city within themselves.  One could easily get lost or spend countless hours cruising around the MGM Grand or Luxor Hotel and take part in any number of gambling games, gourmet buffets or local shows held by the casinos/hotels.  Each hotel is sure to have an extravagant pool where visitors can waste the day away in style and experience pure relaxation.  Keeping the relaxation theme going, each hotel offers its own unique, high end spa that will take all your cares away and make you forget that you’re in the party capital of the world!

Las Vegas is known for its nightlife but has plenty of entertainment to offer during the day.  Head off the beaten path and find world class golf courses that will challenge any level, take a helicopter ride over the city or hop in a limo to an elegant spa.  Activities are abundant in Las Vegas whether you want to be pampered or experience the thrill of a lifetime.  Find an all inclusive vacation package to best suit your needs then head to Las Vegas for pure fun and entertainment.

If you’ve never been to Hawaii it is truly the trip of a lifetime.  One of the best parts of the island chain of Hawaii is that each island has something unique and exciting to offer.  If you want to experience the night life and shopping then Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, is where you’ll want to go.  Don’t spend too much time in the shops though, you have a whole island to explore!

From Waikiki to the North Shore there is an abundance of activities to occupy your day.  World famous Waikiki beach should be your first stop and maybe your first surf lesson to experience the thrill of riding a wave!  Catch some rays on the gorgeous beach or hit the water and feel the magic of surfing.  If your skills are better than beginner status then head to the North Shore, the surfing capital of the world!  Hit the water or just hang out in historic Haleiwa town and beat the heat with some shave ice, a local favorite.

If you’re looking for something a little more off the beaten path then check out Kauai.  Plenty of hiking trails for the active traveler and a jungle zip line tour that will take your breath away!  Truly paradise on earth with lush rainforests and dramatic cliffs, one of natures true wonders.

Too slow paced for you?  Take a short jump over to Maui.  The road to Hana will take you back in time to old Hawaii.  Experience what life used to be like before the condos and hotels took over.  Or rise and shine, literally, at Haleakala!  People come from all over the world to travel before the sun rises up to 7000 feet on the Haleakala Crater and witness the breathtaking beauty of the sun coming up in the middle of the ocean.  Take a tour on a bike or drive your car to the top of the crater, and dress warm, it’s cold up there!!

So you’re in the middle of the ocean, what about scuba diving and fishing!!  Head over to the Big Island of Hawaii.  The biggest of all the islands in the chain and also home to the largest volcano on earth!  Be sure to check out Volcano National Park and take the trail down to the lava tubes.  Bring a flashlight and explore the depths of the earth from a once actively flowing lava tube.  And if you want the real thing take the short drive over to the active lava flow outside of Volcano Village.  Be sure to go at either dawn or dusk to fully experience the glow and magic of an active lava flow.  Surely something you will never forget.  Next, head to the other side of the island to Kailua Kona which proudly boasts some of the worlds best scuba diving, snorkeling and sport fishing.  A guided tour is the best way to go if you’re a diver as the vast coastline can get confusing so let the local guides take you by boat to the best spots on the island.

Not SCUBA certified?  Then visit one of the many rental shops, rent some snorkel gear and head to Kealakekua Bay.  Either rent a kayak or go by boat over to the Captain Cook monument and witness the tranquility of snorkeling the amazing reefs that this area has to offer.

Want to stay above water?  Head to Honokohau Harbor and either charter a boat or rent your own and head out to catch your trophy fish!  The Kona coastline is home to some of the best Marlin fishing in the world and summertime is the best time of year to go and maybe enter a tournament or just cruise and catch some dinner.  Mahi Mahi and Ono are plentiful and so yummy!!  So pack up your sunblock and leave the blackberry behind.  Hawaii will take you away from the daily grind and into another world of Mai Tai’s, warm breezes and pure relaxation.  One more thing, be sure to ask the locals about Aloha, it’s much more than a “hello” and “goodbye”, it’s a way of life.

March 8, 2009: Anchorage, Alaska – 7:00am

This morning I’m enjoying a hot cup of coffee and the Sunday paper, but just 80 miles away, a frozen lake in nearby Willow, Alaska, has become a menagerie that I’ll be joining in a couple of hours. Excited, bundled spectators will all converge here to watch more than 800 dogs and 67 men and women take off on the Last Great Race, the Iditarod.

The fun begins in Anchorage, Alaska, which serves as the starting line of this taxing race. The people brave enough to run this course will travel across 1,150 miles of some of Alaska’s wildest, most rugged and untraveled terrain – frozen rivers, mountain passes and pristine fields of ice. Racers must make their way through well-known areas and destinations such as the Yentna Roadhouse Station, the Alaska Range, Rohn Roadhouse and all the way through the scenic Yukon. The race ends in Nome, where the participants are anxiously welcomed by Alaska natives and spectators who have gathered to witness the racers in their full glory.

Beyond the challenge of pushing oneself to the limits for sport, the Iditarod is a commemoration of the 1925 trek that teams of dogs and mushers took from Anchorage to Nome in order to deliver an epidemic-curing serum to the isolated town. More than 80 years later, watching sled dogs run is still nothing like watching your family’s Fido play fetch or run after an unfortunate squirrel. As they yelp and strain against their harnesses, it might seem that they’re panicked or scared. Soon enough, though, it becomes clear that these dogs love to run – love it so much that they take their mushers all the way across Alaska in an average time of around two weeks.

Of course, this is all taking place in March, when the days aren’t warm, sunny and marked by 20 hours of daylight – and cruise ships are far from Alaska’s shores. Fortunately, mushers and their dogs love to run in any season. In ports like Juneau and Skagway, you can book excursions that will take you out of the norm and onto a sled – letting you be a musher for an hour or two.

Whether in a wheeled cart for a trip through a wooded, former Gold Rush camp or on an authentic sled cruising atop Denver Glacier, these tours give summertime travelers one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that Alaska is famous for. Visits to kennels and training facilities help us feel the passion of Alaskan mushers and their dogs, and even just an hour spent on a sled lets us imagine the thrill of experiencing Alaska’s majesty on the Iditarod Trail.

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