Making life a holiday with interesting vacation and adventure ideas.

Americans have been really creative in satisfying tourists' latest desire for culture tours. New York City, the city that already offers a 'Sex and the City' tour, takes tourists on a 'TV and movie' trek and provides the opportunity of a 'Harlem gospel' expedition, now offers the ultimate gourmet experience, the Pizza tour.

Learn more about these tours in the NY Daily News.

Labels: 2008, New York, tours, U.S.A.

Traditionally, this is the week that the major New York City department stores unveil their decorated holiday windows and such is their appeal that they draw an estimated 6,000 window gazers per hour at the season's peak. Read a nice review from Jennifer 8. Lee, in the New York Times Blog.

Labels: 2007, Christmas, holiday, New York, U.S.A.

My Urban Sherpa is a new website that encourages visitors to enjoy New York as a New Yorker. The site promotes neighborhoods without notable landmarks, suggests restaurants run by their proprietors, and encourages tourists to amble through the city making their own observations, adding reviews to the listings.

Visitors can search by seven categories: City, Cuisine, Self, Society, Sports, Travel, and Location; making this a handy resource for the independent traveller to the Big Apple.

Labels: Big Apple, New York, travel guide, USA

It spans five bridges and winds through some of the most beautiful parts of all five boroughs before finishing at Central Park's Tavern on the Green.

It draws more than 90,000 runners from all walks of life, and enthusiastic spectators line the race route.

One of the world's great races, it is the ING New York Marathon, which hits the Big Apple on November 4, 2007.

For non-Americans having to fulfill the new US entry requirements, getting there could be as big a challenge as the race itself.

Labels: marathon, New York, race, USA

Saturday, 22 September sees the start of this year's Oktoberfest in Munich, with the tapping of the first keg of Oktoberfest 2007 beer. Such is the popularity of the event that virtually every hotel bed in the city and its surrounds, is booked for months in advance; so if you haven't already booked a visit to Munich or have the fortune to live in Mingga, your best chance of getting to Oktoberfest is to plan on next year.

For beer lovers in New York, there is an alternative celebration of the golden nectar, the Fifth Annual Brewtopia, or Great World Beer Fest, featuring hundreds of international brews to taste. Craft beers from little-known labels or small producers, like Captain Lawrence Liquid Gold or Bethlehem Brew Works Rude Elf Reserve, and an international array of beer-friendly foods, like sausage and pretzels. The festival runs October 26 and 27, 2007.

We have some interesting Beer Tasting Holidays in our listings.

Labels: 2007, Beer Festival, Brewtopia, Munich, New York, Oktoberfest

It seems that California and New York remain the destination of choice for U.S. tourists seeking food and wine related travel themes.

Culinary activities participated in while traveling include cooking classes, dining out for a unique and memorable experience, visiting farmers markets, gourmet food shopping and attending food festivals. Wine activities included participating in winery tours, driving a wine trail, tasting locally made wines and attending wine festivals. Within the past three years, 17% of American leisure travelers (27 million travelers), engaged in culinary or wine-related activities while traveling; based on a new report from the Travel Industry Association (TIA), in partnership with Gourmet and the International Culinary Tourism Association.

The top 3 destinations for food-related travel were California (14%), Florida (10%) and New York (7%). While Florida barely makes a showing in the poll for wine-related travel, the top 2 destinations are again California out in front with 31% followed by New York with 10%. However, I bet Florida would fair better in a comparison of wine consumption!

Labels: California, culinary, Florida, food, New York, tours, travel, USA, vacations, wine