Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Educational Factory Tours For A Magical Family Vacation

By Elizabeth Ann Wares

When was the last time you saw the words "family fun", "educational", and "free" in the same sentence? You can find just that in Nottingham, PA, just outside Philadelphia, PA or Balitmore, MD. Whether you live near those areas and are looking for a family day trip, or want to have a unique experience while on vacation, this factory tour is a must.

When you go to visit the Herr's Snack Food Factory, you will get to experience a fun-filled (for the whole family) morning or afternoon of educational information, with a little bit of high tech thrown in... all for free. Before the tour begins you receive the behind-the-scenes history and background of Herr's. You will also be introduced to your "special and unique tour guides", who will be with you for your entire visit.

The tour is a fascinating and exciting experience for kids and adults alike. With your personal guides and the accompanying videos, this also makes it ideal for large groups.

In this state-of-the-art plant, you'll get the chance to watch as machines and ovens make thousands of snack foods, including their famous potato chips, pretzels, corn chips, cheese curls, popcorn, and much, much more. The tour starts with an award winning video in which the Herr's mascot, Chipper the Chipmunk takes you on a tour.

Next stop is the real factory, where you'll be able to actually see how snacks are made. Watch pretzel twists getting twisted and then baked in humongous ovens. You will learn how chips are made from start to finish. Get ready to be amazed as you watch the entire process. Beginning with the loading of the raw ingredients through slicing, cooking, seasoning and bagging, and how the chips end up in the stores. It's mesmerizing to watch the machines doing all the work, and to see how much work really goes into a potato chip, before it hits your tastebuds.

The best part about the entire tour is that you'll be able to taste potato chips hot and fresh off the conveyer belt. Keep in mind that you are experiencing the real deal here. This is the actual factory. You are seeing actual workers, do what they do best, making great tasting potato chips and other snacks perfectly. The tour will give you a front seat type of experience, which has been specially designed with methods and processes that's sure to impress kids and adults alike. You'll be able to impress your friends with trivia, like what the differences are between a "chip" potato and a regular potato. And how pretzels are "twisted."

When you plan your day, go in the morning and plan to stay for lunch. The menu is varied with enough choices to suit everyone's tastes, and the food is good. From small to big groups, the lunchroom is roomy enough to accommodate your needs. Call for tour schedule: (800) 284-7488 Age Limits: None. Cost: Free. Reservations are strongly suggested, but walk-ins will be accommodated if space permits.

About The Author
Elizabeth Ann Wares is an avid traveler and shares travel and vacation tips. She is the webmaster of Airfare X, a leading resource for discount airfare:
http://www.airfarex.com elizabeth@airfarex.com

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

For fun in the sun, take a Beach Vacation!

By Mike Yeager

A beach vacation is perfect for somebody who wants to relax, put their feet up, and soak up some rays. Sure, you could go to an amusement park, but you would spend most of your time standing in line.
Wouldn't it be more fun to have a day on the beach where you can soak up some rays, take a swim, or do whatever you want? In addition, most hotels by the beach are much cheaper than those by major amusement parks. When you add up the lower prices of hotels, cheaper food, and the lack of an entrance fee, it is easy to see how a beach vacation is much more economical than any other type of vacation.
While some of the more famous beaches, like a Myrtle Beach vacation rental, are costly most beaches provide fun in the sun for no charge.

Safety tips for a Beach Vacation.

If you don't know how to stay safe on a beach, it can be very dangerous. Here are some tips on how to stay safe on a beach vacation:
Know the tides.
Incoming tides separate rocks from headlands and the shore. Avoid the temptation of strolling out to an interesting rock without knowing when the tide rolls back in. Free tide tables are readily available at state park offices, information centers and many shops and motels.
Another safety tip is to be careful around high steep cliffs.
Many beaches have natural forming cliffs. Why these do make fine lookout points, be aware that the cliff edge may be unstable.

About the author:Mike Yeager Publisher http://www.a1-vacations-4u.com/

Monday, April 28, 2008

Australia Vacation

By Beth Gabriel

Australia Vacation - Walk on the Wild Side! Travel is great isn't it? And when you get home you organize all your pictures and souvenirs. And you think, "wouldn't it be great if I could find a beautiful Australian Flag to remember my vacation by that doesn't cost too much to add to my whole vacation experience?" Well, I've found a great site that sells great looking flags for not a lot of money and their shipping is super fast - www.FlagWave.com . Now, for vacation ideas, I highly recommend Australia! Here are a few tips and facts to help you on your way to this vacation paradise. Money You should not carry too much cash on you when you travel here. That said, you are not going to be able to use a credit card or write a check when you are visiting Australia. A sensible way to make sure that you have enough money is to get travelers checks. This is a way that you will be able to get what you need and then some and also have the added security of knowing that you are covered if they are lost or stolen. Australian currency is decimal with the dollar as the basic unit. There are exchange shops where you can cash in and get the local currency that you will need. Climate The climate is moderate and there is not as hot as some people might thing. The temperate will depend on what time of the year you are there. Usually you will find nice temperatures and a great weather pattern. You will want to bring lightweight clothing for your trip and a couple of sweaters or sweat shirts just in case. Customs Laws prohibit any drugs, firearms, or any other foreign objects. They have these laws to protect the wildlife and citizens of their country. Unlike some foreign countries, there is not limit on the amount of Australian cash that may be brought into or taken out of Australia. Tipping Unlike the United States, tipping is not expected and services charges are not automatically added to hotel and restaurants. For any special services, a tip of ten percent is good. Taxi drivers do not expect a tip, but will appreciate anything that is offered to them. Feel free to tip when you feel you've had great service. Information centers You will find local tourist information and free advice in most places in Australia. Look for the signs that have an "I" on them. This will guide you to get the information that you need. Have a great vacation!

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Going on vacation?

by Michael McBee

Is your home safe?In the hustle and bustle of getting ready to go on vacation we prepare for many things. But for many of us we forget about protecting our home while we travel. I have compiled a few tips about what to do about the place you will be leaving behind, your home. If you are able to do just a few of them there is a better likelihood your home will be just the way you left it.One of the times your home is most vulnerable is when it is left empty for an extended period of time. Darkened windows, unretrieved mail or newspapers and closed windows in hotter weather all advertise your absence to a potential burglar.The best protection for your home during your absence is to have a house sitter. A friend you trust staying at your house can take care of your pets and/or plants in addition to making sure the house is inhabited. Have a neighbor check on your home while you're away turning on lights, radios or TVs and opening and closing curtains will give your apartment the appearance that someone is home.If you don't have a friend or neighbor to housesit or check your home while you're away -- perhaps even if you do - you should keep not only lights but also a TV or radio on a timer. If you're like me and have your TV on almost all the time you're home (NOTE: I don't watch it, it's just background noise while I work), the absence of the sound and that bluish light in the windows announces that you're not there (besides it keeps my pets company as well).Make sure whoever is checking your home while you're away knows how to work your alarm system and who to call in case of a problem or emergency. Additionally be sure to leave contact numbers on how you can be reached as well. Unless you have a house sitter, stop your mail and any newspaper or other delivery. Nothing announces an empty home better than a stack of newspapers or an overflowing mailbox. Ask a nearby neighbor to pick up any packages delivered while you're gone.If you have a garden or plants on your balcony like many apartment complexes do, make sure someone is watering the plants regularly or put the plants where they can't be seen. Plants slowly dying due to lack of water may announce your absence.If you live in an apartment, check your lease. Many landlords require that you notify them if your apartment is going to be left empty for any period of time (this is so they can enter in case of emergency even if they can't reach you). If you've got a house sitter this normally isn't necessary.Above is just some common sense tips, maybe they can help you jog you mind and you will think of a few others. There is nothing worse than coming home from a wonderful time on vacation to find that your home has been violated.
About the Author
Michael McBee is the owner of http://www.nonlethaldefense.com/ Self-Defense is not just about your personal security, it's also about everything around you.