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Anyone visiting California who is even remotely interested in movies and celebrities can’t fail include a visit to Hollywood Boulevard on their itinerary of holiday activities.  But the reality of what Hollywood Boulevard falls quite a long way short of most people’s expectations.  The main problem is that when people think about this famous location, they immediately associate it with the glamour of the celebrities whose stars adorn the footpath. 

They don’t associate the area with the movie industry work place where make up, costumes and scenery take shape.  That’s not to say that you won’t bump into a celebrity on the Boulevard, it’s just that if they are in their “street” clothes as opposed to their celebrity uniform that adorns magazine covers, you might not recognize them!

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Most of us have heard of Puerto Vallarta and it may bring images to our minds of tropical scenes and exotic travels. Maybe we remember that this was where the Love Boat made a stop once a week. But there may be a question as to what attractions and activities can be found in this coastal Mexican city.

Puerto Vallarta is located on the West Coast of Mexico, south of the Baja Peninsula. The weather all year round is beautiful and the cost of living is low, which may be why over 20,000 Americans own vacation homes there.

Puerto Vallarta may be best know as the location for the 1963 movie “Night of the Iguana” starring Richard Burton and Ava Gardner. Actually, most of it was filmed a few minutes drive down the coast in Mismayola, but walking tours can point out buildings in town where Burton stayed and had his affair (or one of his marriages with Elizabeth Taylor. - Who can keep track?) The U.S. media gave a lot of attention to the couple and to all the infighting among director John Huston and the film’s stars and the publicity put Puerto Vallarta on the map. Today, most bus and walking tours will make some mention of the film and point out applicable sights of interest.

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Family vacations are times for bonding and memory building.  They’re also a time when dreams of exotic locations, or one in a lifetime opportunities/challenges are realized.   All of these are possible at Discovery Cove, Florida.  Situated beside the more typical theme park of SeaWorld, in Orlando, this isn’t a cheap excursion, nor is it a park full of rides, shows and tours.  Instead, here you will experience something that you won’t find in many other places.  You’ll get to swim with dolphins.

Another contrast to the larger parks is that at Discovery Coves visitors are put into small groups, each with its own staff member to lead it around the park.  There’s an age limit to the dolphin swim so if you’ve got under 6’s you’ll need to consider that before deciding on a visit to this park.  Another “housekeeping” tip is that trips to Discovery Cove must be pre-booked, and lunch is included – as is all of the equipment hire such as wet suit, snorkel and even a towel if required.

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If you are thinking about planning a golf vacation to Mexico you are not alone. Mexico is the world’s number two golf destination for U.S. golfers. And Mexico is planning on taking the number one spot away from Hawaii as soon as it can. At the rate they are going it probably won’t be too long before they realize their goal. The country is diverse geographically and there are gorgeous courses located throughout Mexico.

The best time to visit might be before or after the rainy season, which is from June through September. Nevertheless, most of the courses you will encounter are well made and will drain quite well. And since it usually rains in the afternoon you can avoid the heavy downpours by booking morning tee times. Mornings are the best time to golf in Mexico anyway because of the heat. Additionally, if you travel during the low season you can save hundreds in lower hotel rates and greens fees.

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