Fact or Fiction? 3 Things You Need to Know About 'Dracula's Castle'
Before every travel destination had a ghost tour and haunted hotels, there was Dracula's Castle.Irish author Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel 'Dracula' popularized the vampire genre of fantasy fiction that today is more popular than ever.And although the character of the undead Transylvanian Count is fictional, the Romanian national monument known all over the world as 'Dracula's Castle' is real. 14th century Bran Castle is about a hundred miles from Bucharest and has long been considered the 'home' of...
Video Cruise Review: Tulips and Much More on an Avalon Spring Netherlands River Cruise
If you're a flower lover, a Tulip Time spring cruise in the Netherlands is already on your bucket list. If you're not a particular flower lover, it should still be on your bucket list.BestTrip sailed on the Avalon Vista and discovered there's so much more to a Tulip Time cruise than spring flowers.We'll never forget the incredible sights of fields of tulips and Europe's largest spring garden in full bloom. But also the sights and many different flavors of not just the...
5 Tips to Make a Cruise the Perfect Family Vacation
If you're trying to come up with the perfect family vacation for the holidays, time to think about cruising.Whether you are new to cruising or a seasoned sailing family, here are 5 tips to ensure every member of the family has a fun, memorable… and relaxing holiday.By: Lynn Elmhirst, Producer/ Host and cruise expert, BestTrip.TV1. Location, location, location. Pick your family cruise destination first, and make sure every family member will have something to be excited about. A cruise is...
5 Little-Known Facts about Africa's 'Big Five' Animals
'Safari'. It's a Swahili word simply meaning 'journey'. But for travel lovers, the word 'safari' ignites our imaginations of exploring vast Sub-Saharan landscapes and encountering majestic creatures in their natural environment .Africa's 'Big Five' list dates from a time when human/animal encounters ended badly for the animal. The Big Five were the hardest to hunt on foot and therefore the most valued trophies.Today, the Big Five remain essential African animal encounters on safari to capture through your camera lens. Here are some things you...
America's Tallest Monument Park Transformed in Time for One of Nation's Biggest 4th July Parties
The view 630 feet above St. Louis from the top of its defining monument has changed after an immense, multi-year, $380-million renovation to the city's Gateway Arch National Park .The 1965 Gateway Arch became a global architectural icon and helped cement Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen's position as one of the masters of American mid-century design. The striking, modernist monument to the westward expansion of the United States is the world's tallest stainless steel arch, the tallest man-made monument in the United...
Video: The World's Largest Spring Flower Garden - in Full Bloom on a Tulip-Time River Cruise!
They call it 'The Garden of Europe', and it's open for only 8 short weeks every spring. The spectacular Keukenhof garden in the Netherlands is said to be the largest spring flower garden in the world – and it's the highlight of our Avalon Tulip Time river cruise. BestTrip.TV filmed this once-a-year explosion of color of blooming tulips, surrounded by some of the famous Dutch tulip fields. We were there and even we thought it was too incredible to be real! Garden...
Video: Meet the Crazy 'Chicken Man' of the Avignon Market
Local markets are one of the greatest delights of trips to the South of France. The glorious town of Avignon (perhaps best known for the song about its famous bridge) also has a renowned market. In addition to exquisite regional foods and food products, the charming locals are out in full force. Particularly the character behind the chicken counter, who's known for breaking out into the French national anthem while plucking a chicken! Whether you visit Avignon by land or on...
Video: Germany's Most Romantic Christmas Market
A night time market in the grounds of a castle. Fires and torches and twinkling lights, the smell of evergreen boughs, the best German Christmas culinary treats and artisans selling authentic German arts and crafts, Christmas decorations and cozy winter woolens. Whether you're the person who always knows exactly how many days it is until Christmas, or the 'Bah, Humbug' type... Even a die-hard Scrooge gets into the spirit of Christmas at a traditional Christmas market in Germany. And Regensburg's...
Crystal Strikes a Chord with a New Rhine Class of River Cruise Ships
Instead of river cruises, they're calling them river yachts. Crystal has translated its uber-luxury sea experience to the rivers of Europe with a new, 'Rhine' class of river yachts, evoking the great music icons of the region.
5 Adventures in Antwerp
Belgium’s unique character and two-language culture makes it a must-see destination in Northern Europe.But go beyond Brussels. One of Europe's hidden gems is Belgium's second city.Just up the estuary from the North Sea, Antwerp's historic port became its claim to fame and source of wealth as a trading capital 500 years ago. The port is still the second largest in Europe. The wealth of this great trading city financed great art and artists, the world's oldest stock exchange, and an...