Gourmet Travel

New York City has been one of the top destinations in the world since planes took to the skies. New York has it all, from wonderfully different suburbs, the arts, culture, music, night life, architecture you name it, New York has it. The five boroughs of New York all offer something different and sometimes the hardest thing about visiting New York is deciding where you are going to stay – and of course deciding when you are going to leave.

First of all, a mention has to go to Central Park. This has to be one of the most wonderful parks in the world, and in the fall, nothing comes close to replicating the beauty. When the leaves are turning and starting to land under foot, when the air steams in front of your face for the first few times in the year, Central park is the best place to be in the world to a lot of people. Characterised by wonderful shrubbery, flowers and trees, and of course joggers, this is a place that is iconic for all the right reasons.

One of the great things about New York is that there is so much to see. You can take any sort of approach to the place you like. You can have a scatter gun approach, look at the map each morning and find somewhere of interest to go, or you can focus on one particular area for the duration of your stay. Both approaches work, and it is of course largely down to your interests as to how you approach such a big place. There are some pretty famous landmarks that you might wish to take in, such as the Statue of Liberty, and the Empire State building, but there are some smaller things in New York that delight in equal measure. The Old World’s fair site in Queens is well worth a look, as is Brooklyn’s Coney island, and of course the free ferry ride to Staten Island are all well worth doing if you have the time.
One of the great things about New York city is the atmosphere of the place. Hustle and Bustle doesn’t come anywhere near to describing it – you truly have to experience it to understand it, and sometimes the best thing to do in New York is to just get yourself amongst the place and experience it. Sometimes you don’t have to do anything specific to get a real feel for New York. Just walk amongst the locals and find out what it feels to live New York city.

If you are planning to visit New York then you need to make sure you go online in order to find cheap flights New York City. You can really pay over the odds at times, but if you take the time to find the best deals then it doesn’t have to be prohibitively expensive. There are no real peak times during the year when flights are a lot cheaper, because people come out all of the year around, but if you search hard you are sure to come across some fairly well priced tickets.

Hawaii is rated one of the most popular vacation destination for American travelers by Ask Doc Travel. This destination is also popular with American Express Vacations. But why? What makes this destination so wonderful? For those of us who have traveled to Hawaii, there are so many reasons to visit that we become muddled, answering only “What do you mean what’s so great about Hawaii?” Well, here is some things to keep in mind when you speak of the many wonders which make Hawaii such a popular destination.

Hawaii is comprised of eight islands. These islands are natural wonders that were created in the middle of the ocean by underwater volcanoes. As the magma from these volcanoes cooled, they hardened into rocks. These rock formations became the Hawaiian Islands. The volcanic phenomenon created Hawaii’s famous black sand beaches and the rich soil from which springs the islands lush vegetation. These main islands are Niihau, Kauai , Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Maui, and Hawaii. The island Hawaii is the largest, and is sometimes called the “Big Island” or “Big Isle”. This phenomenon created Hawaii’s famous black sand beaches and the rich soil from which springs the islands lush vegetation.

The climate of Hawaii is one more reason why these islands remain a popular vacation destination. The weather is more moderate than typical tropical areas because of the cooling effect of the surrounding ocean. In layman’s terms, this means that temperatures and humidity tend to be less extreme than places such as the Caribbean or Mexico. In the tourist high season, summer, the high temperatures reaching the upper 80s °F, rarely going into the 90s°F . During the tourist low season of winter, temperatures at the lowest elevation average in the mid-60s. One more reason that Hawaii is preferred is because hurricanes are a rare occurrence compared to Mexico and the Caribbean.

Compared to other tropical paradises, Hawaii is monitored by American safety and health regulations. Yes, it’s ok to drink the tap water! Also, you still have all the rights and protections of a United States citizen. If you or someone you are traveling with should suddenly need medical attention, you have access to regulated and state of the art care. Hawaii can be a real home away from home.

When people think of Hawaii, they think of the aquamarine water and clean sandy beaches. But what else should one experience in Hawaii? Besides the amazingly pristine beach activities, Hawaii offers deluxe shopping that is reminiscent of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, including couture boutiques such as Coach, Gucci, Tiffany’s and more. The islands are also rich in culture and history. One way to experience the beauty of Hawaiian culture is to attend an old fashioned luau. One of the best traditional Luaus is Famous Germaine’s Luau in Kapolei Oahu. Take in some American History by visiting the infamous Pearl Harbor. With so much to see and do, you’ll never get bored.

There is one snag in this otherwise amazing destination: cost. Because Hawaii is an isolated island chain, everything is more expensive. And because Hawaii is the 50th American state, there is no lower currency exchange like in the Caribbean. Thankfully, there are a number of hotel and travel providers who offer different packages and accommodations. Although hotels and air flights can be on sale and are widely available, consumer products like food, souvenirs and sundries are expensive. Food for one person could cost between $50 to $100! One way to avoid expenses is by making sure you pack all the sundries you can think of, such as sunblock, ChapStick, sunglasses and such.

However, when all is said and done, Hawaii is a top destination for a number of good reasons. There is no better place to go for a tropical vacation.

The top three American Express cards are: Blue from American Express, Blue Cash and Blue Sky from American Express.

Blue from American Express

Blue from American Express has a 0% APR for up to fifteen months. Once the introductory APR period has expired, a regular APR of 11.99% is applied. Also, there is no annual fee.

There is a credit limit of up to One Hundred Thousand dollars. Grace period before penalties chip in is twenty days. Also great is the fact this card allows you to apply for additional cards for family members free of cost.

Card holders can also sign up for the Free Credit Reward Program. This program gives one point for every dollar spent, which can be redeemed for travel awards and other purchases.

Card members can transfer balances from other credit cards without having to pay a transaction fee. An added bonus is the fixed APR of 3.99% for the life of the balance.

Blue Cash from American Express

Offers card holders a 0% APR introductory rate for six months before the regular 12.99% chips in. Like most top credit cards, Blue Cash from American Express charges no annual fees.

Cash back rewards of five percent are possible on select purchases at supermarkets, gas stations and pharmacies; even paying your monthly bills with Blue cash allows you to earn.

Balance transfers do not attract any transaction fees.

Blue Sky from American Express

Designed with the travel in mind, Blue Sky offers great travel rewards. Customers with Blue Sky earn one point for every dollar while using the card. Points are redeemable to help defray hotel costs, airline tickets and car rentals; best of all there are no blackout dates during peak travel periods.

The card offers 0% APR for six months, then 12.99% regular after this period. Blue Sky allows balance transfers, and provides benefits such as travel insurance.

All three cards can be used in thousands of locations worldwide.