Seniors Discover Another Riviera

Yes, the French Riviera is famous and popular, but having spent some time on the Mayan Riviera, I could go back tomorrow.  If senior travelers have not yet been to this area of Mexico, make it your next stop.  The entire coast is abundantly overflowing with amazing scenery and things to see and do.

The French Riviera (Côte d’Azur) is awesome, but so is the Mayan Riviera, where senior citizens could easily spend a week. You’ll escape deep into the heart of the Mexican jungle, where you will find a five-star collection of hotel resorts, surrounded by some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.


Once home to small fishing villages, the Riviera Maya coastline has since been developed into a modern tourist corridor offering the very best of high-end luxury resorts, fine dining, nightlife, spa retreats, shopping and golf in Mexico.

An ideal vacation destination for senior visitors, the Riviera Maya is home to some of the most stunningly beautiful beaches in all of Mexico with expansive stretches of powdery white sand lapped by the clear turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea.

So Much For Seniors To See and Do

Half way down the coast south from Cancun is Tulum, a well preserved Mayan temple and ruins that have been well restored. Tulum, built in the top of a cliff facing the marvelous caribbean waters, is the only known archaeological site located by the sea. Over sixty well-preserved structures can be observed within three massive walls which surround the site.

Ten things which are senior visitors ‘must do’s’ are each a site in itself.  Xcaret was once a Mayan port for departures to Cozumel, and is a destination attraction like no other. Senior visitors who come to learn about the area’s ecology and Mayan history, relax on the beach, float down one of two subterranean rivers, swim with dolphins, or wander jungle shrouded trails.

My wife and I plus two friends really enjoyed floating down that subterranean river.  It’s an eco-archaeological park and a place where you will want to spend an entire day, and into the night to enjoy the “Mexico Spectacular” show, which was highly entertaining. Both the Riviera Maya and Cozumel (a nearby island) are two of the world’s top destinations for scuba diving and snorkeling.

TripAdvisor is always a super means to discover not only great hotels and resorts, but photos and things to see and do. They got a little carried away this time and suggest 493 attractions. I know from personal experience that Riviera Maya is exceptionally full of sites.

The Mayan Ruins of Tulum are a spectacular site to behold. It’s a little distance over to Chitzen Itza but senior travelers will find it well worth your time. If you love Mexico and Mexicans like I do, you will find the Mayan Riviera safe, clean and inviting.  jeb

 

 

Seniors Dearly Love Louisville

Senior citizens, have you been to Louisville?  I dearly love the city motto: “It’s Possible Here” and full of facts like: home of the Louisville Slugger baseball bats, home to the most exciting two minutes in sports (Derby Time at Churchill Downs), a stunning waterfront, the largest Victorian neighborhood in the county, the nation’s largest urban forest, over 120 parks, 1/3 of the world’s bourbon and 90% of disco balls…all in Louisville.

But there’s more, much more. Old Louisville is an architectural treasure trove. Just south of downtown, it is the third largest National Preservation District in the country and the largest Victorian district in the United States.

Of course one of Louisville’s biggest draws is Churchill Downs always the first Saturday in May, but the city is making a concerted effort to draw tourists year round. The big horse race attracts over half a million fans to this cosmopolitan and well-diversified industrial city, which still bears the traces of the early French settlers who came upriver from New Orleans.

Trip Advisor offers 66 must sees in Louisville, beginning with the Louisville Mega Cavern is a major draw is huge with its 17 miles of corridors. The Derby Museum runs a close second and if you are “into horses” start off here. Being a former baseball player of sorts in highschool and college and later, a coach, I’d take in the Louisville Slugger Museum right away.  I broke a lot of their bats.

Seniors Enjoy America’s Most Livable Large City

I was impressed no end when I learned that Lonely Planet named Louisville the Top Travel Destination for 2013. It’s a city on the move, with major amenities like world-class performing arts, great sports and for you gourmets, incredible dining. And Louisville is home to the Cardinals at the Univ. of Louisville, famed for their baseball teams.

Louisville has been named America’s “Most Livable” large city and one of the top “Foodiest Cities” in the world. I loved the city. Where to go and what to do listings will get you on the road to the interior of the city. Dining, theater, movies, neighborhoods,  sports and more. Louisville offers an authentic taste of Kentucky history and culture, but in a thriving city scene.

jeb’s free rabbit trail today:

Wikitravel is also a great site with super information on the city. Incidentally, do you know where the word WIKI comes from? It’s Hawaiian for “quick” and “wiki wiki,” means “super fast.” Makes sense huh?

 I’ll be that you don’t know what Yahoo means either or what a Google is.  Your Average Hierarchial Officious Oracle = (YAHOO) and a Google is something like a one with a hundred zeros after it.  So stay tuned to seniorcitizen.travel and learn more and more.  Thanx and keep coming back. Nice to have you with us today.   jeb

 

 

Seniors Search For “Pearls”  in Manila

The Philippines, an archipelago in Southeast Asia, is made up of over 7000 islands. Beaches, volcanoes and wildlife are among the attractions that tempt senior tourists to the country. The most visited places include the urban sprawl of Manila, islands with exotic beaches and sites of outstanding natural beauty.

Under Spanish rule, Manila was known as ‘The Pearl of the Orient’ as a result of its central location in the vital sea trade routes and the jewel of Spain’s empire in the Pacific. Early tourists, like the 19th-century traveller Fedor Jagor, described it as a splendid, fortified city of wide, cobbled streets and regal townhouses. Sadly, little remains of that splendid city today. While Manila is the capital (1.65 million), Quezon City is #1 with over one million more citizens (2.75 million).

 Call it “Gumbo”

The city’s cultural gumbo of Malay, Spanish, American, Chinese and Arabic influences is heady and rich, and often takes first timers by surprise. Senior travelers will discover a city with a rich past, a vibrant lifestyle, and warm, hospitable people. 

As in many developing-world cities, the traffic is stifling, the poverty pervasive, the urban sprawl daunting and pollution reigns. Mexico City is like that and your’s truly loves Mexico City. Embrace its beautiful chaos, even for just a day, and senior travelers will be rewarded.

Tourism in Manila is an important contributor to the growing economy. As of 2010, Manila and its region remain the most popular tourist destination in the country with overseas visitors numbering 1,480,871.

Introducing Manila To Senior Citizens,  A Global City

Senior travelers will not be lacking for sights to see and things to do in Manila. Lonely Planet starts us off with Rizal Park and Fort Santiago. Rizal Park is spread out over some 60 hectares of open lawns, ornamental gardens, paved walks and wooded areas, dotted with monuments to almost every Filipino hero you care to mention.

Manila is one of remarkably few cities in Asia that looks out to the west over the sea. Throw in one of the few plus sides of the Filipino capital’s pollution problem — the smoggy clouds send light and color bouncing all over the place — and you’ve got a recipe for utterly spectacular sunsets.

Listed as a global city, Manila has its strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport making it the historical, cultural, political, economic and educational center of the Philippines.

This newspaper enjoys Manila and lists 20 good reasons why world travelers should not miss this city. They list Corregidor Island as a highly sought after day trip from Manila. For American tourists it is still called “The Rock” because it served as the major bastion of Philippine’s Allies during World War II.

 So do some digging, explore the many places to visit and enjoy your visit to Manila. jeb

Seniors Search Out the BIG ONES

The Grotta Gigante “Giant Cave” is a magnificent cave. Its central cavern, 351 ft high and 213 ft wide, makes it the world’s largest tourist cave. Perhaps you senior citizens have taken in some great caverns in your day, but this one, they say, tops them all. And get this, St Peter’s Basilica could fit inside. Many stalactites and stalagmites… the largest is 12 meters high.

Actually there is some debate today as to what “largest cave” means. The Han Son Goong cave, discovered in 1990 in Vietnam, is said to be much larger. Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is still the world’s longest at 390 miles in length and some say that it could be as long as 1,000 miles. Krubera Cave on the Black Sea coast is the deepest at 1.2 miles and may be even deeper.

This visitor called Grotta Gigante “breathtaking”. He notes that, “It was not a first cave I had ever seen, but this one is the most spectacular underground view I have ever seen indeed. Not for the variety of natural phenomena which other caves may have, but for the sparsely lit dark volume that can be taken by a single sight. It was so unusual that I found myself thinking that I perceive what I see like a computer generated image, rather than as a work of nature. Truly breathtaking and definitely worth the visit.”

 Italian Cave Interests Senior Spelunkers

Another writes “The Grotta Gigante, combined with the wonderful ride on the Tram di Opicina, plus bus #42, was a great way to see a unique Italian sight without crowds. It was an active adventure with the 500 steps down, crossing the floor of the cave and the 500 steps up! The guide said he could only speak Italian and played an English tape at strategic points in the tour so we knew for sure what we were seeing.”

Italians knew about the cave long before there was an Italy. But there wasn’t much written about it until a series of explorations conducted in the 1800s. That’s probably because the cave wasn’t easy to explore until modern spelunking techniques and equipment were introduced.

Be prepared to get a bit of a workout –  500 steps down and another 500 back up. So you can skip the fitness area in your hotel and make up for it at Grotta Gigante. The tour takes 50 minutes and remember to bring a sweater to ward off the year-round chill.

The first exploration of Grotta Gigante goes back to 1840 and in 1890 a second entrance was discovered. The cave was developed for tourism in 1904. This Base Jump fellow made the first ever dive into the cave and it’s in slow motion so that you don’t miss a thing.  And he made it okay. Crazy huh? Let’s enjoy the cave together while we enjoy our coffee.  jeb

 

 

Seniors Discover The Dolomites

This senior is the world’s greatest fan for World Heritage Sites and the Dolomites rate right up there with the very best as one of those sites.  Also known as the Oriental Italian Alps, the Dolomites are a section of the Alps that are a part of Southern Limestone Alps.

Water, mountains, huge trees and deep blue lakes make this an unforgettable site for senior visitors.The name? The name “Dolomites” is derived from a rock called dolomite which is responsible for the characteristic shapes and color of these Italian mountains. Le Corbusier called  it “the most beautiful work of architecture ever seen.”

Just Made For You Senior Hikers

From short day hikes to long treks – the Dolomites have trails for every senior hiker interest and ability level. Wild alpine meadows, deciduous and evergreen woods, lunar landscapes, high altitude terrain, alpine lakes, soaring peaks, dramatic walls, and towering heights. Sound like your kind of place?

The mountains feature an infinite number of trails winding their way through these incredible landscapes, with breathtaking vistas adding to the drama. For true lovers of mountain scenery, the Dolomites has it all as a tourist mecca. Alpine grandeur and mountain meadows serve as a most dramatic backdrop for your visit through the heart of the Italian Dolomites or Dolomiti as they are known locally.

Cradled within the soaring peaks, the senior visitor will find enchanting villages replete with picturesque architecture, warm and welcoming hospitality and some of the most spectacular views of the mountains. Eighteen peaks in all, which are located at an altitude of over 3,000 meters. Too bad we don’t use the metric system.

The Dolomites are an appealing year-round destination. These mountains feature one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes with their vertical walls, long and deep valleys and sheer cliffs. While the Dolomites are visually stunning and internationally renown, the area is plagued by frequent landslides, avalanches and floods.

Most Attractive Mountain Landscape

The Dolomites are famous for skiing in the winter months and mountain climbing, hiking and Base Jumping, as well as paragliding and hang gliding in summer and late spring/early autumn. Senior citizens will find the Dolomites are widely regarded as being among the most attractive mountain landscapes in the world.

Their intrinsic beauty derives from a variety of spectacular vertical forms such as pinnacles, spires and towers, with contrasting horizontal surfaces including ledges, crags and plateaux, all of which rise abruptly above extensive talus deposits and more gentle foothills.

I really don’t know why I have not discovered this area in the past.  I’m glad to share it with senior readers. It’s gotta be on my travel bucket list now. The best time to visit — when everything is open and booming, but also at full-price and crowded — is from mid-July through September and during the ski season. Enjoy your every moment in the Dolomites. jeb

Seniors Discover Morro Bay

Morro Bay, California is a great place for seniors to spend some time. It’s a waterfront city in San Luis Obispo County with a population that runs just over 10,000. The town of Morro Baywas founded by Franklin Riley in 1870 as a port for the export of dairy and ranch products. He was instrumental in the building of a wharf which has now become the Embarcadero.

This seaside village is get a getaway for senior travelers seeking outdoor adventures in a gorgeous natural setting. Located along scenic Highway 1 midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Morro Bay is easy to reach and hard to leave. And the famed Avocado – Margherita Festival, in September, packs in tourists from around the country. Do you enjoy eating avocados? Just imagine winning a Year’s Supply. Wow!

Morro Bay in 60 seconds? Yes, you can visit Morro Bay here in 60 seconds, but in person, you will need quite a bit longer. The Bay is located near Hearst Castle and the Big Sur Coast.

Its famous landmark, Morro Rock, was named by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo when he first charted this coast during his 16th century voyage of discovery.

Morro Rock is a 581-foot volcanic plug located just offshore from Morro Bay at the entrance to Morro Bay Harbor. That’s one big volcanic rock folks.

Senior Birders, Golfers, Hikers Welcome

Senior citizens will find the town to be a pleasant tourist destination with mild weather all year long. The Visitor’s Center invites birders to enjoy the over 200 species that gather in the area. For many years, the town was focused completely on the commercial fishing fleet that harbored in the sheltered waters of the Morro Bay estuary, but today it has much more to see and so.

So bring along those golf clubs if you are a golfer. Senior visitors can enjoy nature hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, bicycling, camping, sport fishing, whale watching & sailboarding. Pick up some picnic supplies at the weekly Farmers’ Market; rent a bike, hike, eat, golf, take a boat trip or just walk around the town. It will all be memorable in Morro Bay.

TripAdvisor has a vacation all planned out for you including some top notch B&Bs, restaurants and a beautiful beach. Wikitravel will fill up your itinerary with lots to do that includes an aquarium, a state park and the Embarcadero, the main tourist area and lines the east side of the bay. It is a great walking experience along a working port and eco-tourist destination.

A variety of marine life is found in Morro Bay, from sea otters to sea lions, and the town is a declared bird sanctuary. Excellent deep sea fishing originates at the north end of the Embarcadero. Morro Bay is not to be missed on your journey up the Californis coast. Enjoy the Bay and all it has to offer.

I’ll meet all you seniors at the Avocado-Margherita Festival in September!   jeb

 

 

Seniors Are Off to Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Today we visit Garmisch-Partenkirchen in beautiful Bavaria. Garmisch (in the west) and Partenkirchen (in the east) were separate towns for many centuries, and still maintain quite separate identities. It is said that it’s here that you Discover Your True Nature, so seniors, let’s be off to do precisely that.This motto is the central philosophy encompassing the year-round tourist attractions offered at the renowned holiday destination of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, located one hour south of Munich.

In the midst of beautiful mountain views, the most famous town of the Bavarian Alps offers a wide variety of unique experiences. At the foot of Mount Zugspitze, nature is splendid and mighty and the memories made here between the mountains, valleys, water and sky are simply unparalleled. The town of 30,000 inhabitants is situated at the northern end of the European Alps near the borders of Austria & Switzerland.

Together they form the number one winter sports venue in Germany, one of the most visited destinations in Europe. Thousands of skiing enthusiasts descend on the town during the winter months and even a greater number of senior tourists jam the local hotels and pensions during the warm summer months.

Seniors Attracted to Beautiful Bavarian Alps

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a great spot for seniors to spend a few days exploring the wintry beauty of the Bavarian Alps. The two sides of town have distinct personalities, best sampled on foot. Partenkirchen is the older of the two, dating to A.D. 15, when it was a Roman town called Partanum.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen will move senior visitors – with its unspoiled nature, vibrancy and Bavarian charm. You’ll be overwhelmed by the mountains, nature and the breathtaking panorama.  And the local people will win senior visitors over with their kindness, openness and honesty.

 Adolf Hitler persuaded the mayors of Garmisch and Partenkirchen to combine the two villages in 1935 in anticipation of the 1936 winter Olympic games. Remember Jesse Owens? The towns remain united and are casually known as “Garmisch” much to the dismay of the residents of Partenkirchen.

When people in Germany think of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the first thing that springs to mind is winter sports: seven months of snow, 60 kilometers of pistes, pristine slopes and Germany’s only glacial ski area – the resort offers the very best conditions for winter sports enthusiasts.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen is Absolutely Unique

Absolutely unique: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, at the foot of Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze (2962 m), is the epitome of vast and pristine alpine nature. It is a unique place in an awesome setting where outdoor activities are extraordinary experiences.

Senior visitors will still find typical Bavarian traditions in their original form.  You can’t go wrong.  Put it on your “bucket list” and enjoy the entire Garmisch-Partenkirchen area. jeb

 

 

Seniors Have Discovered  the English Riviera

As I was viewing dozens of great photos on Budget Travel’s website, I came across a scene on Torquay Beach in England, called the ‘English Riviera’ and when senior travelers see photos of Torquay, you’ll see why.

Torquay is a seaside town with just over 60,000 population, so you will find a town teeming with plenty to see and do.  Torquay, originally a fishing port and a local hangout for Royal Navy personnel, was named after a rocky outcrop (Tor) which once dominated the area.

Blessed with a mild climate, gorgeous sandy beaches, beautiful coastal views, rocky coves and picturesque harbors, Torquay attracts senior visitors from all over Europe. Stretching along 35 kilometers of stunning South Devon coastline, this popular coastal resort is famous for healthy climate.

Because the wind is never from the north or west, the climate is very mild, quite dry and rarely foggy. Since the beginning of the 19th Century, people with respiratory diseases have been taking their lungs on vacation to Torquay as a revitalizing resource.

Seniors Meet Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie lives in Torquay and in fact has spent most of her life there.  She could have chosen just about anywhere in the world for her home, but she loves her town. A number of sketches for the Monty Python’s Flying Circus television show (1969–73) were filmed on location in and around both Torquay and neighboring Paignton.

Torquay has numerous tourist attractions, including Kents Cavern that is Britain’s most important Stone Age site. TripAdvisor calls Torquay ‘the most beautiful seaside town in England‘ and always has a good list of things to see and do. The Babbacombe Theatre is rated #1 followed by Cockington Country Park known as “the Best in the Country.”

The historic medieval Torre Abbey has been well-preserved and is particularly known for its formal gardens. It now houses an art gallery with one of the largest collections in Devon.

I like Virtual Tourist’s suggestions of things to see, for the information they include. You sun and sea lovers can select between some twenty beaches along the coast.

South Devon’s Beautiful Bay

The English Riviera has more attractions than any other resort area in the UK and is also a Global Geopark (look that one up). Getting out on the water is what many visitors love to do, and there is a great selection of boat trips and tasty local food and fresh fish to enjoy. Seniors, you are invited to take in one of their Regattas or an Agatha Christie Festival.  

As a travel blog writer I just keep on discovering travel sites, links, URLs and aids for senior travelers that I have never seen before. I enjoy that. Look up GO TORBAY.

Well folks, it’s another ‘bucket list’ item for  Jim and Jeannine.  See you on the English Riviera?  jeb

 

 

Seniors Find Treasures on Zealand

Researchers have made a huge discovery on an island called Zealand in Denmark with a rare find of Viking Jewelry. Several pieces, some of which contain gold, have been uncovered at a farm site that dates as far back as 1,300 years. They discovered the pieces using a metal detector. This senior owns a White’s Metal Detector and enjoys the value of a detector.It’s a total buzz finding coins, rings, gold and lots of other valuable items. I know this a “plug”, but look into it. Finding ‘treasures’ is a great hobby. I have several quart fruit jars full of old coins and other “finds.”

Senior visitors are discovering that the Zealand is a great place to discover other treasures and amenities. This island, also called Seeland, is the largest and most populated island in Denmark with almost 2.5 million inhabitants. It is connected to the mainland by the Great Belt Bridge.

Nykøbing Sjælland is one of the oldest market towns on Zealand, first mentioned in the last part of the 13th century, although the local church dates from the first half of the 13th century. 6,000 people live in this highly popular seaside resort. Selund (Seeland) means place with seals. The later name, Sjóland, changed the meaning to “sea-land”.

A new link for senior visitors to check out, Zoover, notes 109 sights in Seeland. The island is flat, its highest point is only 400 feet (120 meters) above sea level, which makes Zealand great for bicycling and walking. Senior visitors enjoy a vibrant city atmosphere, interesting sights, and impressive parks. 

Seniors Discover a Danish Riviera

North Zealand is one of the country’s most affluent areas, with large parts of the population commuting to the capital every day for work. North Zealand is also known as The Danish Riviera. Just a short drive from Copenhagen and lined with lovely, calm beaches, the region lives up to its name. The famous Coast Road winds north from the capital past beach after beach on the way to some of Denmark’s most popular holidays destinations.

North Zealand has everything for the nature enthusiast, deep woodlands, open landscapes and varied coastlines. Senior travelers will discover that North Zealand is a picturesque area surrounded by water and dotted with lakes and forests and where majestic castles take center stage.

Denmark is a long country that runs all the way to the Arctic Circle and Lapland. Travelingcolors will perk up your interests with some great photos of Denmark. Google Denmark kicks in with additional fjords and scenery. I had some difficulty with this blog… when I attempted to search Zealand, they kept kicking me back to New Zealand way down south in the Pacific. But I won out. I spent a lot of time translating Danish into English so that you might enjoy the senior travel blog today on Zealand.

 Enjoy Zealand and all of Denmark.  jeb

Betcha Haven’t Heard of Kelleys Island!

Kelleys Island is both a village in Erie County, Ohio and an island in Lake Erie. Originally known simply as Island Number 6 and later Cunningham Island, it was renamed in 1840 for brothers Datus and Irad Kelley, who were largely responsible for cultivating the island’s quarrying, logging and winemaking industries. Today, Kelleys Island is primarily a vacation destination, and sees thousands of senior visitors each summer.

It’s not large… as of the most recent census, there were 367 people, 183 households, and 112 families residing in the village. Although it is only a short drive from many large metropolitan areas, this largest American island in Lake Erie is almost within sight of the Canadian border. Its year-round population swells up to 5,000 from June to August.

Seniors Go To Lake Erie

Kelleys Island is located in the western basin of Lake Erie about four miles north of Marblehead and twelve miles from Sandusky on the Ohio mainland. The entire island measures little more than four square miles and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Seniors can tour the island by bicycle, golf cart, or stroll through historic neighborhoods and view restored architectural styles, scenic treasures and natural wonders.

Considered the Walleye Fishing Destination of the world, I’m ready to go! Kelleys Island State Park, on the northern shores, takes up much of the island. It’s a fascinating destination for nature enthusiasts, and a relaxing retreat for senior vacationers.

The island is renowned for its unique geological, ecological, and archaeological features, and popular for its recreational offerings and picturesque landscapes. Kelleys Island Ferry offers the only daily auto/passenger ferry service to the Island with a short enjoyable 20 minute boat ride from Marblehead Ohio.

The ride offers seniors great views of the Marblehead Lighthouse, Put-in-Bay, Cedar Point and the Lake Erie Islands along the way.

Small As It Be, Seniors Love It

The Glacial Grooves State Memorial on the north side of the Island contains the largest easily accessible deep glacial grooves in the world. They were scoured into solid limestone bedrock about 18,000 years ago by the great ice sheet which covered part of North America. The Grooves are the #1 site for visitors.

First settled by the Erie Indians nearly a millennium ago, its first Anglo-American settlers arrived during the first decade of the 19th Century. However, the “Historic” era did not begin until the 1830s when the entire island was purchased by Datus and Irad Kelley (two brothers from the Cleveland area).

In the 19th century, Kelleys was filled with limestone quarries and became the leading producer of limestone and lime products in the world. The businessmen of the era built grand Victorian homes on the island, many of which still remain. Tourism began to develop on the island in the mid-1950s.

I think you will really enjoy your visit there.  jeb