49 Inspirational Travel Secrets from the Top Travel Bloggers on the Internet Today
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2010 49 Inspirational Travel Secrets From the Top Travel Bloggers on the Internet Today www.tripbase.com Front Cover Main Index Foreword Congratulations on downloading your Best Kept Travel Secrets eBook. You're now part of a unique collaborative charity project, the first of its kind to take place on the Internet! The Best Kept Travel Secrets project was initiated with just one blog post back in November 2009. Since then, over 200 of the most talented travel bloggers and writers across the globe have contributed more than 500 inspirational travel secrets. These phenomenal travel gems have now been compiled into a series of travel eBooks. Awe-inspiring places, insider info and expert tips... you'll find 49 amazing travel secrets within this eBook. The best part about this is that you've helped contribute to a great cause. About Tripbase Founded in May 2007, Tripbase pioneered the Internet's first "destination discovery engine". Tripbase saves you from the time-consuming and frustrating online travel search by matching you up with your ideal vacation destination. Tripbase was named Top Travel Website for Destination Ideas by Travel and Leisure magazine in November 2008. www.tripbase.com Copyright / Terms of Use: US eBook - 49 secrets - Release 1.02 (May 24th, 2010) | Use of this ebook subject to these terms and conditions. Tripbase Travel Secrets E-books are free to be shared and distributed according to this creative commons copyright . All text and images within the e-books, however, are subject to the copyright of their respective owners. Best Kept Travel Secrets 2010 Tripbase.com 2 Front Cover Main Index These Secrets Make Dirty Water Clean Right now, almost one billion people in the world don't have access to clean drinking water. That's one in eight of us. For every person that downloads an eBook Tripbase will make a $1 donation to the fantastic cause, clean drinking water for people in developing nations. 100% of these donations will be used to directly fund clean water solutions. Our mission: to help bring clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. Our campaign target: to build 4 freshwater wells, providing clean water for an entire school for the next 20 years. Photo by:albertopveiga Join the Campaign Use these travel secrets to make dirty water clean and forward a link to our eBook Homepage to help us reach our goals. Publicize your support of this fantastic cause and become a Campaign Ambassador. Make your own personal donation. Just $20 can give one person clean drinking water for 20 years. Give one person clean water. Got your own blog/site? Join our community of Travel Secrets Authors. Photo by:khym54 Best Kept Travel Secrets 2010 Tripbase.com 3 Front Cover Main Index Main Index Alaska 5 27 Minnesota Arizona 6 28 Montana Arkansas 8 31 Nevada California 9 34 New York Colorado 17 35 North Carolina Florida 18 36 Oregon Hawaii 20 39 South Dakota Illinois 23 40 Washington Contributing Louisiana 24 41 Authors Massachusetts 26 Best Kept Travel Secrets 2010 Tripbase.com 4 What impressed me so much about the Arctic tundra was the very fact that it challenged so many facts I've always revolved my life around Photo by: Trodel Main Index Alaska The Arctic Tundra, Alaska I've tried to put my finger on exactly what I liked so much about the tundra, but that's hard to do. Was it the herds of caribou grazing in the swampy fields filled with arctic grasses swaying in the wind? Or the mile upon mile of unbroken tundra stretching as far as the eye can see? Or the sun shining relentlessly upon our tent at 2:00 in the morning? Or the musk ox wandering slowly? Or the spectacular Brooks Range rising dramatically before us? I think what impressed me so much about the Arctic tundra was the very fact that it challenged so many facts I've always revolved my life around. Every single day of my life, I knew the sun would come up in the morning and set at night. But in the Photo by: Nancy arctic, that's not necessarily true. In the summer (when we were there) the sun never leaves the sky. In the winter, the sun never rises. That's a whole new set of facts thrown at me, and one that left my brain all topsy-turvy and spun around. In the tundra trees never grow. The four of us have grown so accustomed to camping hidden amongst a grove of trees that the tundra took us by surprise. There was not a single one - seriously! Not even one tree! When we were tired and ready to set up our tent, we simply pulled off the side of the road and camped. We made no effort to hide. We couldn't have even if we had wanted to. And then of course there were the caribou. Or reindeer as I preferred to call them. This is Santa's playground, and I kept an eye out for Rudolf. Unfortunately, I never saw him. I think Santa may have had him hidden away. Nancy, Family on Bikes Know a travel secret about Alaska? Become an Author Best Kept Travel Secrets 2010 Want to contribute? Tripbase.com 5 Join the Charity Project In lieu of fresh water and a seat to "do your business," you're rewarded with an open beach of sand to pitch your tent wherever you'd like Photo by: (matt) Main Index Arizona Hermit Rapids, Grand Canyon, Arizona Along with the corridor trails, the most popular set of campsites in the Grand Canyon are known as the "corridor" campsites. Teeming with people, these are the sites with clearly-marked campsites, actual toilets (though not flushable) and water. The ones that are hard to get backcountry permits for. The next level of Grand Canyon-hiking glory are the threshold campsites. I assume this means it's on the threshold of flat-out insanity. Ha! The Hermit Rapids campsite is one of these sites -- no water (gotta filter it yourself from the river), no toilet (trowel anyone?) and no numbered campsites. In lieu of fresh water and a seat to "do your business," you're rewarded with an open beach of sand to pitch your tent Photo by: Melissa wherever you'd like. Three Tips if You Plan to Go Here: 1. Don't underestimate the Grand Canyon. I've seen marathon runners struggle in the Canyon because they had no idea what a soul-stealer the climate can be. It's dry so you get dehydrated WAY before you ever would in any place with normal levels of humidity. Carry lots of sunscreen and wear a hat. And pace yourself (especially on the way back up) with frequent breaks, water and salty snacks, even when you don't think you're hungry. This hike is for the experienced. Bonus points? Bring hiking poles. 2. Cool off in Hermit Creek. On the way down, you'll hike alongside Hermit Creek, a wee strip of water that leads to the Colorado. Since we had no plans to be swept away by the raging waters of Hermit Rapids, we opted for cooling off in the calmer, shallow creek. 3. Beware of Cliff-bar stealing crows. Call me bitter, but we lost four Clif bars AT ONCE to those flying beasties. And our food was in a sealed baggie inside our tent. Persistent little buggers. Melissa, Adventuroo Know a travel secret about Arizona? Become an Author Best Kept Travel Secrets 2010 Want to contribute? Tripbase.com 6 Join the Charity Project We even have city and county ordinances about night lighting to protect our starry view Photo by: (matt) Main Index Arizona Exceptional Night Sky Viewing, Tuscon, Arizona Did you know that Tucson offers exceptional night sky viewing? We even have city and county ordinances about night lighting to protect our starry view. That's because several mountaintop observatories are located in the area, like the National Optical Astronomy Observatory on Kitt Peak or the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory on Mount Hopkins. Come here, lean in a little closer. Let me tell you about Mt Lemmon SkyCenter, operated by the University of Arizona. Situated on Mt. Lemmon in the Catalina Mountains, it's the closest observatory to Tucson. On a visit, not only do you get to look through a telescope at the night sky, you also view Adam Block's (Program Coordinator) extraordinary Photo by: Donna Hull astrophotography. Sky night programs ($48) include an expansive night view from a mountaintop, a light dinner and the enthusiasm of Adam Block as he shares his love of observing the universe with you - it's a secret worth knowing. Donna, My Itchy Travel Feet Amerind Museum, Tscon, Arizona About an hour southeast of Tucson there is a great museum filled with Native American history and culture. Located among the boulders of Texas Canyon, Amerind Museum houses the largest private collection of Native American artifacts and art in the country. Travel from Alaska to South America as you wander through the exhibits of archaeological finds. When it's time for lunch, enjoy a picnic on the grounds before exploring Cochise Stronghold. Now that's a real journey to the Old West! Photo by: SearchNetMedia . Donna, My Itchy Travel Feet Best Kept Travel Secrets 2010 Want to contribute? Tripbase.com 7 Join the Charity Project Crater of Diamonds State Park is the only place where you can search for diamonds and other gems - and, better still, keep what you find Photo by: photogg19 Main Index Arkansas Dig for Diamonds, Arkansas With my husband - a treasure hunter to the core - I've panned for gold in northern California, searched for shipwrecks on South Padre Island, and dug for diamonds in southwestern Arkansas.