There are so many world class museums that it would take your entire vacation to see them.  The Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay, the Musee Rodin and the Musee Picasso to name some of the most obvious.  Museums can make your head spin after a few hours.  To avoid being overwhelmed by them, get a museum card.  They are available for 1, 3 and 5 days.  Read more

First thing, be sure to bring good walking shoes.  You will be doing lots of walking… with the sights and the atmosphere of Paris, you'll be looking around thinking, "This is Paris… I'm here!" 

But you don't want to walk aimlessly, so let's look at the geography of Paris.  Many Paris locations are described as being either left-bank‚ or right bank.   What does that mean?  To get real basic… the River Seine cuts Paris pretty much in half.  So the Left Bank is more or less to the south of the River Seine. (Look at a map of Paris… it's mostly the bottom half.)  The Right Bank is to the north of the river. (So, the top half of the map.. right?) Read more

Isn't it hard navigating Paris on your own?  You've heard that they won't speak anything but French, that the waiters are rude, and the shopkeepers are impolite.  It's really not true.  Paris is a big city, and its citizens sometimes have that "big city attitude"....  people are hurried and may seem a bit brusque, but if you remember some of the simple rules of travel, you'll do fine. Read more

Most "must see" places have fees to visit.  Besides  visiting Big Ben, here are 6 great options worth considering.

Tour the Houses of Parliament.  Have you ever watched BBC news and seen the Members of Parliament banging on that podium?  You can see it on the tour. 

See Westminster Abby.  It's across the street and through Parliament Square from the Palace of Westminster.  This historic church is the place where England's Kings and Queens have been crowned and buried for centuries.  There are tombs of some of those Kings and Queens, and also about 3000 tombs of famous people in history.  Wander around and find their names along the walls and under stone slabs in the floor.

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Many Americans and other native English speaking travelers choose London as one of their first destinations abroad.  While the majority of Americans no longer claim English ancestry, there is no doubt that the history of the United States is closely tied to England.  Combine that with the fact that you don't have to deal with a foreign language, and it's an appealing destination.

If you're not an American or a native English speaker, this grand old city still is a great place to visit.  So if you want to go to London what can you expect to see?  What should you do?   Let me see…where shall we begin? Read more

Should you consider another season?  Maybe you need to go in summer because of your school or work schedule.  Summer brings lots of traveling students as well as all the other tourists.  Prices will be at their highest, and the lines will be at their longest.  It's probably a good idea to book flights and rooms early to try and get good deals in this popular season.  The weather is nice with temperatures in the high 70s F (24 C).

July draws crowds because of Bastille Day, July 14, and the Tour de France bicycle race that ends up in Paris.  During August, most Parisians take a month long vacation… usually out of the city.  So some restaurants and businesses might be closed. Read more

Most people plan to visit Paris in April… Is that when you should visit?  Well that notion may be tremendously romantic, but the truth of the matter is that you have a pretty good chance of running into cold and rainy weather, so just be prepared.  It's further north than you think! 

That's not to say you shouldn't go in April.  The weather in Spring may give you a taste of both sun and showers.  The temperatures should average in the high 50's F (14 C). Read more

So, you've decided it's time to take your first trip to Europe.  For many Americans it seems like a rite of passage.  It doesn't matter if you're young or old.  It's something special that first trip to Europe.  You've finally arrived somehow. 

You've saved the money, you've applied for the passport… wow, you're practically ready to pack.  But wait… just having made the decision to get a passport and go to Europe is only the first step.  There are more decisions to make.  Let's think through some of this.

How much time do you have?  One week will have you concentrating on an area or a city… two or more weeks lets you tour around a bit more. Read more

Anyone interested in seeing more of the five missions beyond the Alamo MUST  see San Antonio Missions National Historic Park.  It will take you to the other four missions.  You can travel from mission to mission on the eight mile Missions Bike and Hike Trail.  A real treat for those interested in the history of San Antonio.

There is a map of downtown San Antonio posted every few blocks on the sidewalks making it easy to explore the Alamo and the River Walk.

The River Walk or Paseo del Rio is also downtown.  Twenty feet below the hustle and bustle of downtown streets, the River Walk follows the San Antonio River's gentle bends.  Along it you will find restaurants, hotels, museums and historic sites.  You can walk along the banks, or you can take a cruise on the river which goes on for a couple of miles while a tour guide gives you fun filled facts. Read more

Planning a trip to San Antonio?  It  may not have the big tourist ring of New York City or San Francisco, but if you enjoy learning about American heritage and history, then you are surely going to enjoy visiting this great little city.  The history of San Antonio is rich and diverse. It's one of America's oldest cities. 

To start with, it was colonized by Spain in the early 1700's and since then Native Americans, Old Mexico and the deep South have mixed and blended to make for an interesting city.   But there is much more to the history of San Antonia.

Start your visit to San Antonio with a little history…. the Alamo.  It's undoubtedly the number one tourist attraction in all the state of Texas.  It was  built in the 18th century as one of San Antonio's five Spanish colonial missions.  Later it gained fame as the site of an epic 1836 battle during the Texas Revolution.  Read more