Picking Your North American Tour Destination Spots

North America is a huge geographic area. Once you've decided to spend your holiday in the region, you'll need to pin down locations for travel stops. Both the big and little sights should be included in your North American tour, no matter where you stop.

Las Vegas

Located in the state of Nevada in the United States, Las Vegas is home to some of the largest and most well-known casinos in the world. If your trip includes a Las Vegas stop, plan on spending at least one or two full days there so you can fully experience what the city has to offer.

Don't just limit yourself to the Las Vegas gambling and dining scene, as tempting as it may be on your Trek America trip. The city has many live acts, variety shows, magic shows and other entertainment to take in during your free time. Contact venues before you depart to arrange for tickets to a show you're interested in on a day you'll have free time. Shows often fill up quickly, so getting tickets beforehand will guarantee you a spot.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park, located in the United States state of Wyoming, is American's first national park. At three times the size of the state of Rhode Island, Yellowstone has a variety of geographic features to see, including geysers, hot springs and thermal pools.

Camping in Yellowstone is very popular and the park offers hiking and other outdoor activities for singles, groups and families. The wildlife in the park is protected from hunting. Various animals, including moose, elk, black bears, grizzly bears and mountain lions, make their home in the park.

San Francisco

The city of San Francisco is a popular tourist destination in the American state of California. San Francisco has a rich nightlife, with many restaurants and entertainment venues and a thriving arts community. If you're looking to find many things to see over a short distance, San Francisco might be the spot for you.

If you go to San Francisco, be sure to take a cable car ride. The city is known for its cable car system, first started in the late nineteenth century by the inventor, Andrew Hallidie. You can use the cable cars to get to many famous parts of the city.

Other famous landmarks in San Francisco you should plan to visit include the Golden Gate Bridge, the Fisherman's Wharf, the legendary Alcatraz prison and Chinatown. Boat cruises are also popular in the area and you can get a close view of the Golden Gate Bridge from the water.

Always review the complete tour itinerary, including optional activities and all stop listings, before signing on the dotted line. If you're not thrilled with some stops or main activities, you'll find yourself bored and waste time. Interesting optional activities are a must as well. If a main activity is canceled, you'll want something equally interesting to fall back on. Review optional activity listings for any extra fees so you can factor the expense into your budget.

AUTHOR BIO

Peter Smith writes regularly on Trek America trips and North American holidays for a range of travel websites and blogs. He's an experienced traveler in his own right, having flown solo and with his family.

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15 Kid Quotes -Someone Funny Once Said

Anyone can say something sweet and endearing about children, but only the brave call it like it is. Children are fun, messy, crazy and flat out a pain in the neck sometimes. No need to butter up something that is perfectly fine the way it is. 

My Niece

Here are 15 quotes that some of the greats have said about sweet brats in general:

1.  You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance. ~Franklin P. Jones

2.   A characteristic of the normal child is he doesn't act that way very often. ~Author Unknown

3.   Even when freshly washed and relieved of all obvious confections, children tend to be sticky.  ~Fran Lebowitz

4. Children are unpredictable.  You never know what inconsistency they're going to catch you in next.  ~Franklin P. Jones

5.   Boy, n.:  a noise with dirt on it.  ~Not Your Average Dictionary

6.  There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep.  ~Ralph Waldo

7.  Anyone who thinks the art of conversation is dead ought to tell a child to go to bed.  ~Robert GallagherEmerson

8.   Having a two-year-old is like having a blender that you don't have the top for.  ~Jerry Seinfeld

9.   Do your kids a favor - don't have any.  ~Robert Orben

10.There are only two things a child will share willingly - communicable diseases and his mother's age.  ~Benjamin Spock

11. The real menace in dealing with a five-year-old is that in no time at all you begin to sound like a five-year-old.  ~Joan Kerr,

12. Any kid will run any errand for you if you ask at bedtime.  ~Red Skelton

13.   A child is a curly dimpled lunatic.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

14.   What is a home without children?  Quiet.  ~Henny Youngman

15. In America there are two classes of travel - first class, and with children.  ~Robert Benchley

Author Bio:

Ken Myers is the founder and contributor for http://www.longhornleads.com/. He frequently researches and writes about a variety of topics like education, Technology, Health and many more.  

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How to Explain to Your Parents that They Need a Caregiver

 "Owning" one's independence is a very important and personal thing, and it's something most adults don't even think about.

"Of course I'm independent, and that's not going to change anytime soon," we think. It's inevitable at some point, though, that we're going to need help once we get older, and maybe that time is here for your parents. Maybe the house isn't clean, or they can't entirely take care of their own needs anymore. Today, it's entirely possible for many seniors to stay in their homes and simply have a home care service worker come in on a regular basis to help.

However, for the most independent of folks, even considering having a caregiver can be difficult. How do you explain to your parents that they need a caregiver? How do you do so in a way that's entirely respectful and yet firm enough that your parents won't try to refuse?

Make it about the tasks that need to be done, not them. If your parents are having physical difficulty taking care of themselves or completing chores around the house but are mentally sharp, simply sit down and talk to them about how you know it's important to them to keep up their home. Tell them that you are going to hire a home health service to come in once or twice a week to help with cooking or laundry or cleaning, medication organization, etc., so that they'll have an easier time of it.

Be gentle. Again, if your parents are mentally sharp, they will know that things have begun to slide. They know that their hygiene may not be what it once was, or that they're not able to cook or clean adequately. Don't "guilt" your parents into accepting caregiver help. Instead, simply tell them that you know their home's appearance (and theirs) is important to them and you can help them see to it that things are kept up just as they always have been.

Emphasize that this is about maintaining independence, not losing it. Most seniors are terrified at the thought of going to a nursing home, and will do anything to maintain their independence. DON'T threaten your parents with a move to a nursing home in order to get them to do what you want them to do, but do emphasize that a home care service can help them keep their independence and stay in their home.

Let them be in charge. Again, if your parents are sharp mentally, let them be in charge of managing the home care service workers who come to their home. While you may manage things peripherally and will be onsite occasionally to make sure things are going well, your parents are the ones who should be seen as "in charge" of the care workers who see to their needs. (That is, unless your parents are suffering from dementia or something similar where they don't have the ability to be in control.)

Once your parents see that hiring a caregiver service simply gives them the assistance necessary to take care of required tasks, and once they see that they are in charge of the caregivers who are helping them take care of themselves and remain independent, they should feel much better about the need to have a service like this come to their home.

Max Miller is a writer on a variety of topics, including homecare. He has recently helped his parents adjust to getting older and the loss of control that comes along with that. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and sports such as basketball.

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The Benefits of Using a Taxi Transfer from London to Heathrow when Going on Vacation

There is nothing more exciting than going away on vacation. Nevertheless, the day of travelling itself can be an extremely stressful one. After all, there is so much that you need to do and think about. One of the main things you need consider is how you are going to get to the airport. There are several options at your disposal; public transport, taxi transfers and taking your own vehicle and leaving it at the airport.

If you are travelling to and from Heathrow Airport then it is highly beneficial that you seek a taxi transfer. There are several reasons as to why this is the case. Heathrow is the busiest and the biggest airport in the UK. This can be an extremely daunting and confusing place to get to by yourself, especially if it is the first time you are going to the airport.

The option of a transfer from London to Heathrow will give you peace of mind. This will give you a lot less to worry about on departure and return. After all, all you need to do is wait for the driver to arrive at your home and then he will drive you literallyto the airport doors. Upon return most transfer services operate by the process of their driver waiting outside arrivals with a sign with your name on it. This makes everything much easier and ensures that you do not have any panic on the day.

In addition to this, transfers tend to be a lot cheaper in comparison to the other options that are available. Parking your car at the airport can be exceedingly expensive. Moreover, public transport is a lot more costly than it used to be. In addition to this, public transport becomes more expensive per head because you pay via individual ticket. This is the opposite to taxis which become cheaper per head because you simply pay for the vehicle use as a whole.

With further regards to costs and convenience, it is also worth noting the fact that taxi transfers do not charge you anymore when your flight is delayed, furthermore they will keep a check on this so that you do not need to inform them. This is highly beneficial. If you leave your vehicle at the airport then it is likely that you will face extortionate costs if your flight has been delayed and thus you have overstayed your parking limit. In addition to this, whilst public transport may not become more expensive you may find yourself waiting around for hours if you land in the middle of the night. Most trains and buses do not run in the early hours of the day, and thus you could find yourself waiting around for four or five hours.

It is not hard to see why so many people prefer the option of a taxi from London to Heathrow rather than the others choices available. Nevertheless, when selecting a transfer service there are several things you need to consider. First and foremost, make sure that the price of the service is low in cost and fixed in cost. Furthermore, ensure that they have the greeting service as mentioned. And it is also wise to have a look online and see if they have a good reputation.

All in all, opting for a taxi to Heathrow rather than public transport or taking your own car is highly recommended. Not only will it give you peace of mind but it is a cheaper option too.

 Author bio – Peter Smith is a freelance journalist. He used Airport Pickups London as a resource tool on transfers from London to Heathrow. Thus, if you need more information it is advisable that you visit their website.

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