Author: James Robinson

Top 6 Tips For Visiting Oakland, California

Top 6 Tips For Visiting Oakland, California

Share The Short article Very last Current 9 minutes back Involving sprawling San Francisco and charming Berkley, Oakland is a single of California’s underrated suburban incredibly hot places. Showcasing eclectic artwork, new music, character, and situations it is the great area for a weekend away. 

Islands in the stream: a guide to Venice’s neighborhoods

Islands in the stream: a guide to Venice’s neighborhoods

Venice is historically divided into 6 neighborhoods, acknowledged in Italian as sestieri. This division has lasted more or considerably less unchanged ever since the Romans arrived in the Lagoon to create 1 of their castrum there. It’s also the motive why the Venetian avenue number 

School holiday travel deal bonanza: There are still bargains to be had around New Zealand

School holiday travel deal bonanza: There are still bargains to be had around New Zealand

While many Auckland families seem to have given up on heading away these school holidays, those in other parts of the country are even more eager than they were this time last year to get away.

Figures from holiday home rental site Bachcare show bookings in destinations typically popular with Aucklanders are well down on the 2020 spring holidays.

Destinations typically popular with Aucklanders, such as the Coromandel, have seen significantly fewer accommodation bookings these school holidays, says Bachcare.

Stuff-co-nz

Destinations typically popular with Aucklanders, such as the Coromandel, have seen significantly fewer accommodation bookings these school holidays, says Bachcare.

Bookings in Northland are down 55 p​er cent year on year, while the Coromandel and Queenstown have also been impacted, with bookings down 40 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.

Bachcare spokesperson Matthew Clews said Aucklanders made 51 per cent fewer bookings in the first three weeks of September than they did during the first three weeks of July.

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“This data is showing us that Aucklanders are uncertain they will have a family break during these school holidays and have instead put their resources into booking accommodation for January.”

But as Aucklanders wait to find out whether their city will move to alert level 2, families in other parts of the country have been booking trips away.

Bookings from Wellington and Christchurch residents are about 24 per cent higher than they were during the 2020 spring school holidays, the data showed.

Hanmer Springs is almost at full capacity over weekends, with some 87 per cent of properties booked out, while bookings per property in Rotorua and Marlborough are 33 per cent higher than the same school holiday period last year. Hawke’s Bay is also proving popular, with bookings up 27 per cent.

With many tourism operators still struggling as a result of the lack of international tourists, there are bargains to be had up and down the country. Whether you’re an Aucklander with fingers crossed you’ll be able to get away these school holidays, or a level 2er who’s left things to the last minute, here are just a few ideas.

Go skydiving – Queenstown

If you and the kids are adventurous types, now could be the time to take on one of the greatest adventure activities of all. In the adventure capital of the world, no less.

supplied

If you and the kids are adventurous types, now could be the time to take on one of the greatest adventure activities of all. In the adventure capital of the world, no less.

If you’ve spawned a daredevil, now could be the perfect time to share what might just be the ultimate adrenaline rush.

New Zealand’s first tandem skydive operator NZONE Skydive has a half-price deal for kids until October 17. The catch: An adult has to take the plunge with them.

You and your kid will embark on a scenic flight which will see you ascend to 9000 feet before attaching yourselves to your qualified “jumpmasters” and free-falling over one of the most stunning landscapes in the country.

A comparatively relaxing parachute ride will see you float back down to earth, with serious bragging rights. The kids will be itching to get back to school just so they can show their mates the pics!

Deal: Each full-paying adult can take one child at half price. Children must be aged six or over, weigh at least 30kg and be at least 1.2 metres tall. The 9000-feet tandem skydive usually costs $299 per adult, but is on sale for $279 until November 30.

See: nzoneskydive.co.nz

Explore Hokitika Gorge – West Coast

The Hokitika Gorge: Yes, the water really is that blue.

Brook Sabin/Stuff

The Hokitika Gorge: Yes, the water really is that blue.

With water so blue it looks like it was created by a camera phone filter, Hokitika Gorge is one of the West Coast’s star attractions.

A short, wheelchair-accessible walk through rimu and podacarp forest will take you to a viewing platform from which to admire the gorge, where glacier-ground ‘rock flour’ lends the water its intense hue.

From there you can continue over a swing bridge to a viewpoint with equally epic views of the Hokitika River as it snakes its way through the gorge.

The gorge is free to visit, but go with Explore West Coast, which has a ‘kids go free’ deal until December 20, and you’ll also get to check out the West Coast Treetop Walk – arguably one of the best short walks in Aotearoa.

You’ll follow a 20-metre-high, wheelchair-friendly platform through the canopy of giant rimu and kamahi to the tune of native birdsong. A spiral staircase up ‘Hokitika Tower’ leads to a 40-metre-high viewing platform, from which you can see all the way to Aoraki/Mount Cook on a clear day. The 45-minute walk also includes a bouncing platform extending out to Lake Mahinapua.

If time allows, you’ll also get to check out a pounamu (greenstone) factory on your return to Hokitika.

Deal: One child aged 14 or under goes free with a paying adult until December 20. The five-hour tour costs $190 per adult. Kids usually pay $85.

See: explorewestcoast.co.nz

Float through a famous glowworm cave – Waitomo

The Waitomo Glowworm Cave tour should be on every Kiwi’s bucket list.

Supplied

The Waitomo Glowworm Cave tour should be on every Kiwi’s bucket list.

Many a Kiwi has fond memories of visiting the Waitomo Glowworm cave as a kid, and it’s just as magical an experience as an adult.

These school holidays, one child goes free with a paying adult, saving you at least $25.

The guided Glowworm Cave tour will see you check out the sculpture-like stalactites and stalagmites of the well-named Cathedral cavern before boarding a boat that will return you to the visitor centre through what looks like a galaxy of glowworms.

Deal: One child goes free with a paying adult from October 1-17 when you use the code ‘KGFOCT21.

See: waitomo.com

Explore an island bird mecca – Wellington

Kākā are one of the many native bird species you could spot on a trip to Kapiti Island.

Ross Giblin/Stuff

Kākā are one of the many native bird species you could spot on a trip to Kapiti Island.

One of New Zealand’s oldest nature reserves, predator-free Kāpiti Island is a sanctuary for an astonishing array of birds, including rare little spotted kiwi, kākā and takahē.

Keep your eyes peeled for seals, dolphins and orca on the ferry ride to either Rangatira or the North End. From Rangatira, you can climb to the highest point on the island at 521 metres, Tuteremoana, while the North End offers gentler walks to viewpoints and around a lagoon.

The Kāpiti Island Nature Tours whānau first arrived at the island in 1820 and have been welcoming visitors for generations.

Their day trip package, on sale for $39.90 for weekdays and $49.90 for weekends, includes ferry tickets, an introductory talk and a Department of Conservation (DOC) permit. Pay $89.90 for a weekday tour or $99.90 for a weekend day tour and you’ll also get a one-hour guided walk taking in the island’s birdlife, seal colony, and history. Plus a cooked buffet lunch.

Deal: Save between 39 and 51 per cent on Kāpiti Island Nature Tours day trips and tours with GrabOne until December 19.

See: grabone.co.nz

Cruise to Milford Sound – Fiordland

Zofia Fastier gets a shower from the Sterling Falls at Milford Sound.

BRADEN FASTIER / STUFF

Zofia Fastier gets a shower from the Sterling Falls at Milford Sound.

Famously dubbed “the eighth wonder of the world” by The Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling, Milford Sound blows the minds of visitors of all ages.

Standing on the rooftop deck of the Milford Haven, you’ll be treated to up-close views of iconic Mitre Peak, gushing Stirling and Lady Bowen falls, and glacier-carved cliffs more than a millennium in the making. If you’re lucky, dolphins, seals and – in season – rare Fiordland crested penguins will put in an appearance.

Deal: One child aged 5-15 goes free with a fare-paying adult from October 2-17. Adults pay $79 and kids ages 4 and under are always free.

See: realnz.com

Find your way through a maze – Rotorua

Deceptively difficult, the 1.4km hedge maze at aMAZEme could keep you and the kids occupied for far longer than you expect.

If you’re up for a family challenge, you could turn it into your own version of the amazing race, the winner being the one who discovers what lies at the centre first.

Giant board games, giant Jenga and swing ball sets, stilts, and a Peter Rabbit-style garden with a small animal enclosure, butterfly house and beds full of fruit, veggies and flowers add to the old-fashioned fun. You’re welcome to bring a picnic too.

Deal: Get a family pass for two adults and two children for $50. Additional adults are $17 each, and additional children $12.

See: amazeme.co.nz

Be a prince or princess for the day – Dunedin

Lorde was right, most of us will never be royals. But we can get an inkling of what it’s like at Larnach Castle.

Brook Sabin/Stuff

Lorde was right, most of us will never be royals. But we can get an inkling of what it’s like at Larnach Castle.

Step into a fairytale kingdom at New Zealand’s only castle.

Sitting pretty on a hill overlooking the Otago Peninsular, Larnach Castle is filled with antique furnishings that will have the kids feeling like Kiwi versions of Prince George or Princess Charlotte.

The spiral staircase to the turret is a highlight, as are the gardens, which have been designated a Garden of International Significance.

Deal: Kids 14 and under go free when accompanied by a paying adult from October 1-18. The adult fee is $37 and there is no limit on the number of children they can bring (you pay $37 whether you’re bringing one kid or four).

See: larnachcastle.co.nz

See dolphins – Akaroa

Information on a Hector’s dolphin killed in a fishing net last year wasn’t released for five months (file photo).

Genevieve Robinson/Supplied

Information on a Hector’s dolphin killed in a fishing net last year wasn’t released for five months (file photo).

Spot one of the world’s smallest and rarest dolphins in the water-filled extinct volcanic crater that is Akaroa Harbour.

Sightings of Hector’s dolphins are so common on Black Cat cruises, you can cruise again for free if you don’t see any.

Deal: Two kids aged 5-15 cruise for free with a paying adult in the October school holidays. Adults pay $95 and kids four and under always cruise for free.

See: blackcat.co.nz

EOS Investors forms partnership with Brittain Hotels & Resorts

EOS Investors forms partnership with Brittain Hotels & Resorts

EOS Traders LLC, a privately held hospitality investment decision company, has formed a partnership with Brittain Resorts & Resorts involving seven oceanfront resorts in Myrtle Beach, SC, and an growth of its Myrtle Seashore portfolio subsequent EOS’s 2019 acquisition of Kingston Resorts, Myrtle Seaside. “We 

Danish Citizens Are Now Allowed to Travel to Most World Countries

Danish Citizens Are Now Allowed to Travel to Most World Countries

In line with the updated journey pointers for the European Union and Schengen Space countries, the Danish authorities have declared that the citizens of the nation can now vacation to most countries and areas all over the world. By a press release that has been 

Unusual city breaks for an interesting autumn – Kiwi.com

Unusual city breaks for an interesting autumn – Kiwi.com

Want to use up individuals holidays you’ve bought still left about? Countrywide vacations coming up? Treat by yourself to a cheap metropolis split this autumn!

All over autumn, Kiwi.com the natural way has amazing promotions to classic town split places — Barcelona, Berlin, Amsterdam, Lisbon, and the like — but it’s possible you would fancy someplace a tiny bit distinct? Here’s our select of some of the lesser-recognized spots you can investigate this autumn.

Poitiers, France

View on the city of Poitiers in France. There is a staircase. Someone goes down and walks his dog.It’s not all sleepy and silent in Poitiers, there’s a scholar population of all-around 30,000 that shake this medieval town up — Shutterstock

A metropolis in western-central France, Poitiers is identified for the glory of its mighty cathedral, the gorgeous Église Notre-Dame la Grande, with its intricate 12th-century facade a single of the jewels of medieval France. Exceptionally, there are lots of buildings in the metropolis older than this, with the St. John baptistry relationship again to the 4th century! The aged city, with its correctly preserved lanes of 50 {e9f0aada585b9d73d0d08d3c277fd760092386ec23cac37d50f4b8cd792b062a}-timbered houses and quiet squares, is beautifully calming.

It’s not all sleepy and quiet even though, as, with a student populace of all around 30,000, there is daily life in Poitiers as effectively. Le Pince Oreille is a bar and cafe that has nightly performances ranging from cabaret to Brazilian folk tunes. Le Confort Moderne hosts bands and DJs and frequently doesn’t even demand an entry rate. Wallaby’s is, as you can almost certainly guess, an Aussie pub, whilst Le Palais de la Bière has an surprisingly different collection of… nicely, you can most likely guess that a person as well. Let it be explained again: even though you can conveniently consider life in Poitiers 800 many years back, it is received as significantly get-up-and-go as you could want from a metropolis split.

Friedrichshafen, Germany

Pier of Friedrichshafen, GermanyThe lakefront promenade in Friedrichshafen is the place you will come across numerous of the city’s cafes and bars — Shutterstock

In the incredibly south-west of Germany lies Friedrichshafen, nestled on the shores of Lake Constance (or Obersee if you come to feel like remaining less passionate). It’s usually identified for a person issue: the creation and development of the zeppelin, the art deco wonders of the German air field in the inter-war period. This legacy stays solid right now, with the Zeppelin Museum on the waterfront, and the chance to book a flight on an (admittedly smaller sized) airship for sightseeing excursions over the lake and the city itself.

The lake is inescapable, as a great deal a section of the town as the properties and the individuals. The lakefront promenade is where by you will locate lots of of the city’s cafes and bars, and in which people today come to sit in the autumn sunshine and listen to the gentle lapping of the h2o concerning trendy-on the lookout beverages and tasty bites to try to eat. If you are wanting for a stress-free, sophisticated way to spend a couple of times, Friedrichshafen could possibly be great.

Pardubice, Czech Republic

Renaissance castle in town PardubiceA walk down the aspect streets gets you to the zámek, the castle — Shutterstock

Wherever? You most likely don’t know the town of Pardubice, but it is little by little turning into a far more preferred route thanks to its locale. It is smack in the center of the Czech Republic, all-around an hour and a quarter from Prague and just over two hours in the reverse way to Brno. But if you’re heading to possibly of these towns or over and above, Pardubice is worth your time as it stands.

The main sq. is your traditional Central European screen of gothic church, plague column, crimson-tiled roofs, and bell towers, with a few of eating places serving hearty Czech fare of the meat-beer-and-dumplings assortment. A wander down the side streets will get you to the zámek, the castle/stately property which William of Pernštejn chose as his house in Central Bohemia, turning Pardubice from a small town into the heart of a present day royal estate. It survives now as a great spot to stroll, averting the peacocks for a watch above the city. So head on to Prague, positive, but give Pardubice a bit of the really like it justifies.

Durham, England

Captured some great reflections in the River Wear in Durham City.Just like Poitier, sleepy Durham is also college city with an fantastic status — Shutterstock

It’d be understandable if you wished to head somewhere south to get some sun on your autumn city break, but even even though the temperature on the north-east coastline of England might not exactly be tropical, you will be certain of a heat welcome in Durham. It is a college town with an great popularity (together with Oxford and Cambridge, it is continually in the prime three in the nation), and has that similar air of gentility and studiousness coupled with a lively environment.

Its outstanding cathedral sits high atop a rocky crag earlier mentioned a bend in the River Use, accompanied by Durham Castle and a couple of the college colleges. This lazy U-shape is with no a question one of the best places of architectural perfection in the nation, and you’d do nicely not to commit your entire time merely sitting down and staring. Getting out of town, the surrounding countryside of wind-swept moors and miles of beaches gives bracing strolling beneath big skies right before fulfilling oneself with delicious goodies and artisan souvenirs from the Farmer’s Sector or the city’s Arts Quarter.

Turin, Italy

Historical tram stops in Piazza Castello, main square of Turin (Italy)Turin is a combination of Parisian grandeur and fin-de-siècle finery in its boulevards and architecture — Shutterstock

Turin may have turn into Italy’s industrial powerhouse many thanks to the gargantuan Fiat motor vehicle group, but don’t be fooled into contemplating it is that straightforward. There’s a mixture of Parisian grandeur and fin-de-siècle finery in its boulevards and espresso stores, and combine this with a love of twisting the regular into fascinating designs, you will obtain some of the country’s most fascinating foodstuff, forward-looking fashion, and daring style and design.

At any time considering that its main clear-up and revitalization in 2006 when it hosted the Winter Olympics, Turin has received its satisfaction back again. Generally a proud metropolis, it’s now additional than very pleased to exhibit the world what it is about. New pedestrian spots, renovated squares, and galleries and museums packed with interesting collections are all causes to come, as is its signature products: chocolate. Considering that 1560, Turin has been Italy’s chocolate capital, and the total of chocolate retailers, chocolatiers, and its use in just about all the things means your mouth will be watering just before you even arrive.

Gdańsk, Poland

Mariacka street in Gdańsk The architecture of Mariacka street in Gdańsk is 1 of the most noteworthy tourist points of interest — Shutterstock

From time to time missed for the charms of Krakow, the student vibe of Poznan, or the nightlife of Warsaw, Gdańsk is seriously coming into its possess as a city split spot. And why not? It’s a superb metropolis, with a difficult history nearly completely intertwined with the destiny of Poland alone. A former metropolis-condition and element of the Hanseatic League, its prosperity and position as a big heart of trade built the city you can see currently: streets and squares of good, handsome merchants properties, unpretentious churches and marketplaces, all of which seem to be to say: here’s a metropolis that gets factors performed.

And get matters completed it did. Its shipyards gave birth to the Solidarity trade union movement which was a significant component in the toppling of the Communist authorities in 1989, and since then it has rebuilt alone and concentrated on tourism and exhibiting people today its battered record. The Historic Museum in the City Corridor does a superb occupation of this, showing images of the city’s destruction in Earth War Two and subsequent rebuilding. Strolling about this outstanding city with these images in your head, you’ll be all set to be impressed all over once more.

Poprad, Slovakia

 Poprad lake in autumn with peaks and forests in High Tatras National Park, SlovakiaPoprad is a stunning locale, with the Tatra mountains increasing from the back of every single picture you’ll consider — Shutterstock

Sitting at the foot of the Higher Tatras in northern Slovakia, Poprad may not imply a lot to you ideal now, but it’s a good autumn getaway selection. It’s not way too major, this means you get to know the picturesque center easily. It’s cozy, so even if the weather’s a little bit chilly, you’ll normally obtain somewhere to put your feet up for a though. It is in a spectacular spot, with the Tatra mountains climbing from the again of every image you are going to choose, and if you are emotion adventurous, they’re quick to get to as very well.

The Tatra Electric Railway is the finest process of discovering exterior the town, a slender-gauge tram-sort method that connects central Poprad to mountain resorts in the area. As a base for climbing, cycling, horse driving, and a great deal extra, Poprad is a wonderful locale. If all that seems like a little bit way too a great deal, the city has enjoyable spas, aged, wood-panelled pubs, and a range of curious museums you can even get a balloon trip about the town and up into the mountains! Just remember to pack a pair of layers for that one…!

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