4th of July Photo Contest 2011

Here is our first ever 4th of July photo contest! For all you photographers and travelers out there, here is your chance to shine. Contest begins today, June 30th, and continues through Wednesday, July 6.

Contest Rules and Guidelines

•  Photos must be appropriate for all ages
• No Spam
• Original photos only
• Photos that include travel and/or destinations are highly encouraged
• Creativity is highly encouraged 
• All submissions must be made to the the link below  
• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners will have their photos displayed
• Have fun and celebrate America!

How to submit your photo

• Click on the link to submit your photo here. 
• In the subject line, enter "4th of July photo contest submission"
• Type a short 5-30 word description of the photo. You may include generally where it is taking place and what is happening if you wish. 
• End with your first name only and state you are from (optional).
• Attach photo, properly labeled.
• Send to contest! 

Submit your photo here.

Cheap hotels through bookingbuddy

One of the best ways to find a travel deal is to compare rates of several companies with a customized search of exactly what you are looking for. A site I found that allows you to do this is called bookingbuddy.

When you go on, just pick what you need to book, and compare. You can search everything from hotels to flights, cruises, vacation packages, and cars. Comparison offers are made through major travel sites such as Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, and hotels.com. Choose however many and which ones you want to compare, and check the rates. 

With summer in full swing, there are lots and lots of deals available. For example, there is a deal for a hotel in Las Vegas that starts at $47, and is a 4 star rating! 

So, get your travel on and check out Today's Top Hotel Deals!

Best places in Austin

When it comes to a big city like Austin, there is lots to do. From restaurants to live music, museums, parks, historical sites and vacation spots, there something for everyone. 

                                           Photo courtesy of linuslock.blogspot.com

Here are some of the most recommended tourist attractions to see (all family friendly):

• Austin Carriage
• Austin Nature and Science Center
• Main Event
• Volente Beach Waterpark
• Dinosaur Park
• Millenium Youth Entertainment Complex

Some of the best restaurants include:

• Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q
• El Meson
• Fricano's Deli
• Asia Cafe
• East Side Pies (pizza)
• Rio's Brazillian Cafe

When you go to Austin, check some of these places out. Also, feel free to add your comments of any experiences you've had already while in the capital city of Texas.

Happy Trippin'!

Austin, Texas: The Capitol

The city of Austin, Texas was named after Stephen Fuller Austin (1793-1836), a participant in the Texas Revolution, and known as the Father of Texas. He was a great leader and colonizer of Texas.

The capitol building, erected in 1888, is one of the "largest in gross square footage of all state capitols and is second in total size only to the National Capitol in Washington, D.C."(http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/spb/capitol/texcap.htm). The capitol won an architecture contest in 1888, and it's style is Renaissance Revival. It sits on one of the highest points in the city and above the Colorado River. The University of Texas at Austin is only 4 blocks away. 

                                             Photo courtesy of State Preservation Board      

Surrounding the Capitol Building are 22 acres of historic monuments.
These include:

• Heroes of the Alamo
• Volunteer Firemen
• Confederate Soldiers
• Terry's Texas Rangers
• Hood's Texas Brigade
• Texas Cowboy
• The Hiker
• Statue of Liberty Replica
• Veterans of the 36th Infantry

...and more. 
If you are interested in going inside the Capitol itself, self-guided tours are available during business hours. The Texas State Capitol is located at:

1100 Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701 

There is also a visitor's center nearby with more information about the Capitol as well as a gift shop.

In my next post, I will give you some of the most recommended sites to see in Austin!

The Kyss Security Tote

 The Keep Your Stuff Safe bag, as it denotes, is a one-of-a-kind bag, graced with security features. Features include: 

Easy-to-Use Integrated Safe Tote^TM Security System

Nickel-Plated Twist-Link Machine Security Chain

Convenient 3-Dial Combination Lock - You Set Your Own Combination.

Lock and Chain Store Away Virtually Out of Sight!

Light-Weight—SafeTote^TM Security System Weighs Less than 1/4 Bottle of Water!

This bag is ideal for traveling, as safety is just a chain-lock away! 
To find out more, GO HERE.

All about Texas: Did you know?

So, I'd like to start the tour of the country with Texas. Being my home state, I've come to love and appreciate all it has to offer. Before you go, here are some fun, and even useful, facts to gather:

Texas:

• is the Lone Star State. It's flag features the "Lone Star" overlaying the vertical column. If you turn the flag upside down, the "blood will run." That's why the white is always on top, and the red on bottom. Texas is the only state that can fly its flag at the level of the American flag. 
• in Spanish is Tejas, which means "friendly." Texas is true to this montra, as it is with its pride.
• people are friendly and courteous. Don't be suprised to see a gentleman open the door for you in a grocery store or gas station.
• has respectful drivers. If you are on the highway and are passing a vehicle on the left, the car you are passing may pull over onto the shoulder to let you pass. Where else do you see that?
• armadillos are "speed bumps." 
• stop signs are Dairy Queens. A town is not a town without a DQ. So, stop for some ice cream on your trip, especially in a town called Buffalo, where they have a slide for the kids.
• features the famous Blue Bell ice cream. Definitely worth it.
• is the 3rd largest state, following Alaska and Hawaii.
• features mountains, deserts, prairies, plains, hills, beaches, and everything in between. Climates vary as much as the landscape does. It may be snowing in Amarillo, but in Brownsville, it's beachtime! 

Now, here's a question: What do you love about your home state?

More on internet TV

This is a great deal. The original price of the internet TV was slashed in half from $49.95 to $27. You can download this program on as many computers as you like, plus get 6 free bonuses. This software allows you to have over 5000 channels including movies. Anywhere you have an internet connection, you can watch!

CLICK HERE to get it for yourself!

Travel with free live internet TV

Haven't got a satellite dish or cable box? No need to worry, now you can Watch TV on your PC with MyFreeiTV™. Watch over 5,000 Worldwide channels including news, movies, comedy, music, documentaries, and MUCH MORE. If your into sports, then you can watch Soccer, Football, Boxing, Formula One, WWE, Rally, Basketball, Cricket, Baseball, etc. With TV on PC™ watching TV online is simply a pleasure. It is the BIGGEST and BEST package available!!

PLEASE NOTE MyFreeiTV™ WORKS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!
To find out more, CLICK HERE. 

Welcome!

Hi, my name is Diane, and welcome to by blog. My love for travel began at the age of 7. My family and I would take road trips every summer, usually for 2-3 weeks at a time. I have visited many states, and the few I have not been to or through, I plan to travel to in the future.

However, in traveling, we always stayed within a budget. I still had the best time ever. So, my hope with this blog is to keep you informed on the best ways to do this, as well as add some fun anecdotes and games from my childhood.

Please feel free to add your own stories and tips from your life as well. Hopefully this will be a fun site where we can share our love of travel.