About Susan J
Susan J., budget traveler extraordinaire, inherited her Yankee frugality from her mother and it has served her well on trips across the US and the UK. Whether scoping out the nightlife scene or searching for that perfect pair of shoes, Susan loves writing and travel. She has lived outside of Seattle, Washington, and in Boston, Massachusetts and Albuquerque, New Mexico. She recently returned from a trip to Hawaii, where she made full use of her Go Oahu Card!
Blog posts written by Susan J
December 12th, 2007 by susan j
Now is the season for list making to mark the end of the year. Children everywhere are hard at work on their wish lists for Santa. The New York Times recently published its list of .
There are plenty of travel-related lists floating around the blogosphere, too. Here are a couple of my faves…
Frommer’s includes some exotic locales like Tokyo and Zurich and a few home grown gems like Portland, Maine and Asheville, North Carolina.
IgoUgo’s is a virtual who’s who of travel blogging. I read several of the blogs listed daily, but a few of them were new discoveries that I’ll add to my bookmarks.
Times Online’s is neatly arranged by networking, multimedia, and so on.
Travel + Leisure’s lists the world’s best hotels, spas, cruises, and more.
Lonely Planet’s offers some offbeat suggestions for the adventurous explorer.
Planning a trip to
Orlando?
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December 5th, 2007 by susan j
Space Shuttle Atlantis mid-launch on mission STS-115
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This Friday, the Kennedy Space Center will be abuzz with excitement as the , the 24th U.S. mission to the International Space Station. If you’d like to see the launch from KSC’s main Visitor Complex, then you should plan to arrive before 10:30 am for the 4:30 pm launch. After 10:30, the Visitor Complex will only be accessible to those with pre-purchased tickets.
Kennedy Space Center has other launches scheduled for , , and . Of course, you can also experience the thrill of a shuttle launch in the new . Read first-hand accounts of this new attraction and . Happy travels!
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Orlando?
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December 4th, 2007 by susan j
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Budget Travel’s blog tipped us off to a cool feature on the Florida tourism office’s website (which is available in several different languages, by the way!). has an that shows where movies and TV shows were filmed in Florida. For instance, There’s Something About Mary was filmed in Miami and The Perfect Storm in Orlando. !
Planning a trip to
Orlando?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Orlando Card.
November 26th, 2007 by susan j
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Finding the time and space to exercise during vacation can be a real problem for a lot of travelers. There are ample opportunities to indulge with all-you-can-eat breakfast buffets and tropical drinks by the pool, but how will you burn off those extra calories and keep your energy up for sightseeing? We’ve rounded up a couple of tips for helping you stay active on your next trip to Orlando, Florida.
- Pack travel-friendly exercise equipment. A pair of good walking shoes are a must so that you can see and do everything Orlando has to offer. A lightweight resistance band is also a good idea, because it fits easily into any suitcase and means that you can do a few reps while your kids are watching TV or your travel companion is taking a shower. About.com’s Exercise Guide offers some suggestions on .
- Catch some sunrays. Orlando’s warm, sunny weather are ideal for outdoor activities. You could do a few laps in your hotel’s pool, challenge your family to a game of tag, or take a brisk walk before breakfast. Walking around attractions like Fun Spot Action Park or Gatorland also offer fun ways to exercise. Just be sure to slather on the sunscreen so you won’t get burned!
- Choose a fitness-friendly hotel. Nowadays most hotels offer a fitness room, but several have above and beyond the basic free weights and treadmill routine. For instance, the gives its guests free pedometers and offers group fitness classes. And the hosts an hour-long week each Saturday to help guests stay fit.
What’s your favorite stay fit strategy when you’re on vacation? Leave a comment and let us know!
Planning a trip to
Orlando?
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Go Orlando Card.
November 19th, 2007 by susan j
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With Thanksgiving coming up on Thursday, this week is one of the craziest of the year to travel. If you’re among the who plan to fly this week, then you’ll want to read Peter Greenberg’s . Greenberg is a Today Show contributor and his suggestions includes checking in online the night before and shipping luggage in advance (good advice for other times of the year, too) To relieve airplane gridlock, President Bush recently approved a and added additional measures to avoid delays. Happy travels!
Planning a trip to
Orlando?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Orlando Card.
November 15th, 2007 by susan j
Whether you’re traveling with your significant other, your kids, or a group of friends, planning a trip that will please everyone can be tricky. Where should you stay? What should you do with the kids when you and the S.O. want to hit the town on Friday night? What’s the best place for a spa getaway with your girlfriends?
We want to put the fun back into traveling and that’s why we’re introducing a new feature on this blog called “Ask a Travel Expert.” If you have a travel-related question you’d like to see answered, then leave a comment and our team of experts will be sure to discuss it in a future blog post. Happy Travels!
Planning a trip to
Orlando?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Orlando Card.
November 6th, 2007 by susan j
Located a short drive from Orlando in Daytona Beach, the Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS) has an impressive collection with nine permanent exhibits, as well as a 90-acre nature preserve. They also plan to add a in the fall of 2008. Here are some of the new exhibits coming up at the MOAS:
November 2, 2007 - January 20, 2008
Paintings by Kevin McNamara
December 7, 2007 - April 27, 2008
Great Masters of Cuban Art: 1800 to 1958
March 14, 2008 - TBD
The Classical World: From the Collection of the Tampa Museum of Art
Click to read more about MOAS’ upcoming exhibits.
Planning a trip to
Orlando?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Orlando Card.
November 1st, 2007 by susan j
Cypress Gardens
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Thousands of travelers head to Florida each year to meet America’s most famous mouse, but Orlando has many more fun activities besides Mickey and friends. Here are some of our picks for active adventures in the area:
- Cypress Gardens Adventure Garden is Florida’s first theme park. With 39 thrilling rides, including five roller coasters and Splash Island water park, Cypress Gardens entertains visitors of all ages.
- Gatorland combines classic Florida charm with modern excitement and adventure. Known as the Alligator Capital of the World, this 110-acre theme park lets visitors get up close and personal with reptiles and other animals.
- Boggy Creek Airboat Rides takes travelers into the Everglades to discover Florida’s wilderness. This half hour ride often includes sightings of wildlife including alligators, turtles, birds, and more.
- Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour covers 12 miles of Winter Park’s serene lakes and canals. Riders enjoy views of swaying palms, lush ferns, and colorful sub-tropical flowers.
- Green Meadows Petting Farm offers a 2 hour guided farm tour that lets visitors touch the pigs, chickens, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and more. Kids can even their hand at milking a cow!
If you’ve visited any of these attraction, leave us a comment and let me know how you enjoyed it!
Planning a trip to
Orlando?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Orlando Card.
October 25th, 2007 by susan j
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If you’re anything like me, then your computer probably gets bounced around a lot as you go from airport to car to hotel to coffee shop and so on (in fact, my last laptop met with early retirement after an unfortunate Starbucks incident - don’t try this at home).
Sound familiar? Then check out the ’s tips for . Independent Traveler also offers some good suggestions for taking your computer on the road, including updating virus protection and carrying your laptop in a bag that doesn’t scream “expensive electronics inside!”
While we’re on the topic of computers, you’ll be pleased to hear that Orlando International Airport offers free wifi. i. Happy travels!
Planning a trip to
Orlando?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Orlando Card.
October 23rd, 2007 by susan j
As many parents can attest, feeding growing kids can get pretty pricey. Which is why we were so excited to discover the Kids Eat Free Card.
The card is valid for one free kids meal with the purchase of an adult meal (one per family) at over 50 Orlando area restaurants, including Baskin Robbins, Sizzler, and CiCi’s Pizza. Available as part of the Go Orlando Card, the Kids Eat Free Card has an estimated potential savings around $350.
Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch?
Planning a trip to
Orlando?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Orlando Card.
