TRAVEL Archives | TRAVELS WITH TAM

Make Your Quick Getaway to the Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival Now!

April 24, 2016 By Tam Warner 17 Comments

Nassau, Bahamas, Junkanoo — Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival in Nassau May 5-7, 2016!

Ready for a quick getaway? Head on over to Nassau, Bahamas for the Junkanoo Carnival!

What is the Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival? It is a destination event for Bahamians and visitors to immerse themselves in the music and culture of The Bahamas! Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival is not a single event: it is a collection of celebrations, concerts, cultural shows and street parades that pull from all aspects of Bahamian culture and heritage, bundled together over one epic season. If you love music, dancing, festivals….this is it! You can even order your costume ahead of time by clicking this link http://bahamasjunkanoocarnival.com/.

Opening Series and Junkamania, May 5: The festivities begin at the Da Cultural Village for the Opening Ceremony, which will be followed by Junkamania – a concert of Junkanoo orchestras – and the Genesis Concert, featuring home grown Bahamian talent, Elon Moxey, Willis & the Illest and Qpid; and international performers, Kerwin Dubois, Farmer Nappy, Rupee, Fada Fox and Ricardo Dru.

Music Masters, May 5: Music Masters is not only a concert, but a journey. It starts almost a year before, when Bahamian musicians are invited to submit original songs for the Music Masters Song Competition. The top 20 songs are selected, mastered and released on the official Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival Compilation Album

Road Fever, May 6: For the party animal in you, we’ve planned a series of all-star concerts, street parades and Junkanoo parties for you to let loose on the streets of Nassau and across our islands. Road Fever is the original Bahamian masquerade street party that closes out the annual Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival. It is a costume parade incorporating a unique mix of live and recorded music with masses of people “Shaking up the Streets”.

Ready to book? With direct flights on American Airlines from DFW to Nassau, it couldn’t be easier!

Expedia.com https://www.expedia.com/g/pt/ms-dest-bahamas?langid=1033&

American Airlines https://book.aavacations.com/travel/landing_page_hotels.cfm?searchkey=Bahamasministry

Hurry up and make reservations for your quick getaway to the Bahamas! Be sure and post your photos when you are there, and use the hashtag #TravelTamStyle!

How to Savor Laguna while you are in Orange County!

April 15, 2016 By Tam Warner 8 Comments

A guest post from Suzanne Stavert of Adventures of Empty Nesters! A dream come true, a foodie walking tour in Laguna Beach!

The view from the deck of the Wyland Gallery, downtown Laguna Beach, CA.

Our fun group of foodie travel bloggers standing in front of an amazing Wyland tile painting.

While attending the Women in Travel Summit, we were invited by Savor Laguna to experience one of their super-fun, guided walking food tours in downtown Laguna Beach. The Women in Travel Summit is the first and only travel blogging event by and for women, organized by Wanderful.

The iconic Hotel Laguna was the first hotel in Laguna and the first substantial business building.

We began the tour at the historic Hotel Laguna and finished about 3 hours later smiling ear to ear with happy memories of the delectable local food we had just tasted! It began with pizza on the beach and ended with divine gelato… with a sassy margarita and authentic Mexican food in the middle. We managed to enjoy a fabulous sampling of some of the tastiest foodie finds of Laguna Beach. Thank goodness we were walking, it did help us digest a bit before the next stop!

Here is Jeanne, sharing all of her great stories. She is so friendly and knowledgable and makes the tour extra enjoyable!

It was so enjoyable and easy to let Jeanne take us through the idyllic downtown streets, pointing out important landmarks, exquisite views, unique shops and some innovative bites of food! So yummy!

No trip is complete without a local Laguna Beach t-shirt or sweatshirt!

Our first stop was the Pizza Lounge where we sat just a block from the beach enjoying a slice of fresh pizza made especially for us! For all of their customers they are happy to deliver right to the sand! Just imagine chillin’ on your beach chair waiting for your delicious Pizza Lounge pie to arrive! Love it!

There was a lot of ground to cover so we quickly moved on the to next stop on our tour, the beautiful Wyland Gallery where we were captivated by Wyland’s extraordinary vision and talent. Since 1978, Wyland Galleries has been the art community’s preeminent showcase for the finest in marine life paintings, sculpture and photography. We also had a chance to walk by the famous Main Beach of Laguna with picturesque views and the charming lifeguard tower. A perfect stop for a group photo!

Have you ever heard of Clam Chowder Fries with Bacon?? Oh my goodness! “SLAPFISH brings you real American seafood, redefined with simple flavors and a healthy slap of FRESH. No white tablecloths or fancy silverware, just a boatload of deliciousness in a fast-casual setting.”

SLAPFISH offers a new perspective on “boat to plate” dining by serving the freshest fish and shellfish sourced from well-managed, responsible suppliers of sustainable seafood. This type of careful attention to the ocean and sea life is quite admirable and I am happy to support restaurants like this!

Clam Chowder Fries with Bacon from Slapfish – So innovative and delicious!

The “Lumberyard” contains some of the oldest buildings in Laguna Beach. Check out the artistic brick patterns.

If you are not familiar with the artist and sculptor, Richard MacDonald, a visit to the Dawson Cole Gallery and sculpture garden will take your breath away. His genius and masterful techniques are unparalleled. How lucky were we to be able to spend time enjoying the sculptures as well as the paintings and sculptures inside the gallery as well. This is a wonderful addition to the food tour. Savor Laguna captures the essence of Laguna Beach and offers rich history and access to art that tourists may not be aware.

This piece is a smaller version of one he created for the Olympics in Atlanta. The detail is unbelievable.

Authentic, warm pita bread and three kinds of hummus from GG Cafe And Bistro – So Good!

Time for a libation… at Tortilla Republic!

Authentic Mexican food and a fine margarita!

Tortilla Republic sets the bar very high by serving bold, fresh flavors of updated and modern Mexican cantina fare. The House Made Margaritas are made with freshly squeezed juices – Cheers!

Sweets for the sweet! It was nearly impossible to choose from these flavors of Italian Gelato from Gelato Paradiso. These were only HALF of the options in the case!

I opted for my two favorites: Double Chocolate and Stracciatella (Chocolate chip with vanilla)

Although I was quite full from tasting the menus of these fantastic local restaurants, there is always room for gelato!

Savor Laguna offers great tours that will please the locals from Orange County and tourists from around the world. Check out their schedule and register early, summer is coming and Laguna Beach is the happening spot.

Thank you to Jeanne Lange and Savor Laguna for your generosity. I had a blast learning more about a city I have visited for years and tasting some great food! It is such a fun and delicious way to spend an afternoon.

The next time you are in Orange County I recommend you take in Laguna Beach! Your tummy will thank you!

Globetrotting: 5 Secrets for Getting Cheaper Flights

April 8, 2016 By Tam Warner 7 Comments

Article by: April Greene, Guest Post.

The idea of traveling the world has always had this glamorous glow around it. Unfortunately, the glow usually has an expensive golden lining. Chuck that thought right out of your mind, though — with these tips and tricks you can give in to your wanderlust without breaking the bank.

Book your flights early

A bit of an obvious tip, but do you know exactly how early you should book your flights? Skyscanner crunched the numbers and came up with the following: 7 weeks in advance for short flights and 18 weeks for long haul destinations. Check out Skyscanner!

Buy tickets on a Tuesday

Research from FareCompare has found that Tuesdays are more often than not the cheapest days to buy tickets. Tuesdays at 3PM Eastern, more specifically. Major airlines typically announce the most sales around this time, and as their competition scrambles to match the low sale prices you can pick and choose from a larger amount of deals.

Pack light

Yeah, a cheap flight on a budget airline might save you a bit of money, but you better beware if you’re carrying a lot of luggage. Parking4Less, a parking aggregator that focuses on UK airports in one of its blog posts, lists baggage fees among the top 3 hidden costs when traveling with budget airline flights, so ditch the checked-in bags and stick with carry-ons as much as possible instead.

Fly on slow days and times

When you buy a ticket isn’t the only important timing consideration; you also have to think about when you’ll be flying. Stay away from Friday and Sunday flights and try to fly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Flying at dawn, around dinnertime, or on a red-eye flight will also help keep your ticket price down.

Split flights up between carriers

Not only do you get more competitive prices when you stick to one-way flights from different carriers, you also stand to get in on better — i.e. cheaper — flight times. Be warned, though: one-way tickets can be more expensive when you’re traveling to or from smaller airports, so you may want to drive to a larger city with more competition between the airlines.

How to Destroy those Nasty Germs While You Are Traveling!

April 3, 2016 By Tam Warner 23 Comments

destroy those nasty germs, how to destroy germs while traveling, antibacterial wipes, destroy germs, traveling

All posts may include affiliate links at no cost to you, but I get a commission which helps support my mission of traveling the world and making a difference. Thanks for supporting Travels with Tam!

Destroy those Nasty Germs while you are traveling! I hate getting sick while I’m on a trip. Do you get sick when you travel? I used to. Almost every single time. I’d come to think of it as just an unhappy consequence of traveling, but after my husband, Randy, had to have a double lung transplant (a very unexpected journey) five years ago I started to look at it differently. Viruses and infections are extremely hazardous to anyone with a suppressed immune system, to everyone, so every precaution has to be taken. We must destroy those nasty germs while traveling!

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15 Photos to Make You Want to go to Cozumel!

March 28, 2016 By Tam Warner 4 Comments

The Mexican Caribbean is stunningly beautiful, and nowhere will you find more colors of blue than Cozumel! Cozumel’s blue waters are often referred to as the seven colors, or Cozumel de Siete Colores. I find the blues and greens on the island to be mesmerizing. Check out these photos and you will be ready to make a reservation!

Cozumel, Villa — Hammocks on the roof of Villa Coronado, our vacation home on Cozumel. The view of the blue waters and skies is incredible. Click Here for Availability!

Cozumel, Cozumel Blue — Cozumel Blue. Looking up at a snorkeler while on a dive.

cozumel, diving — The diving is fantastic.

cozumel, east side — Cozumel has different ecosystems…the East Side of the Island is beautiful with strong waves, blow holes, and sandy beaches.

Cozumel, snorkeling — Cushion Sea Stars abound at Cielo, a favorite snorkeling spot toward the southern point.

Cozumel, queen angel — The Queen Angelfish on Paradise Reef, Cozumel

cozumel, cozumel diving — Cozumel’s dive spots have mountains of coral structures and walls.

15 tam and margarita — The margaritas are available everywhere!

cozumel, la cocay restaurant — Of course, Cozumel has world class dining as well!

cozumel, la cocay — My favorite Chocolate Torte at La Cocay. Each plate is a different piece of art!

15 sunset stunning — Cozumel’s sunsets have to be seen to be believed. I took this photo while I was snorkeling.

2015 sunset at Villa coronado — Villa Coronado is an amazing spot to watch sunsets! I took this photo from the pool deck.

So…ready to make your reservation? Head on over to Skyscanner and check airfares! Skyscanner is a great tool to use to find the best fares! See you there!

You Will Find that the OC is Spectacular!

March 27, 2016 By Tam Warner 21 Comments

laguna, theoc, california — Laguna Beach from Heisler Park

I spent last week in theoc. What is theoc? Orange County California! Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Crystal Cove, Balboa Island, Irvine, Orange, Anaheim…so much to see and do! Shopping, beaching, whale watching, eating, kayaking, paddleboarding, and a million other activities await you in Orange County. There is something for everyone.

Staying at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach was a good decision, not only did I love everything about the iconic hotel, but the location was perfect. On my first day I headed over to Balboa Island (it is walking distance from the Hyatt) and decided to either paddle board or kayak. I chose a sit on top kayak at Island Paddleboard for a specific reason. Next January I am headed to Antarctica, and there will be a lot of kayaking and walking. My spine, which is fused from L-2 through the sacrum complete with titanium rods and eight pedicle screws, does not like kayaks very much, so I have to get comfortable with kayaking prior to my trip. The sweet folks at Island Paddleboard set me up and set me loose. I wish I had seen a sea lion, but alas, they just weren’t around that day. I spent two hours paddling around the island, and enjoyed every moment of it. I did have to lie back once in a while, and switch leg positions, but all in all it went very well. I paddled against the wind for ninety minutes, so I certainly had a great workout.

paddle, theoc, Balboa Island — Trying to paddle and take photos or movies did not work out too well!

kayaking, balboa island, theoc — My selfie with my gopro stick. Check out my muscles, thanks to Pilates!

The next morning I was up bright and early to go Whale Watching with Captain Dave’s Dana Point Whale Watching. When you are in California, you have to go whale watching. I went on the early morning cruise, hoping to see the animals active. I was not disappointed. Gray Whales were in season, and these animals very rarely breach. We saw two breaches from a momma Gray Whale! There were many bottlenose and common dolphins along with sea lions and plenty of birds. The most exciting animal was a Fin Whale! Fin Whales are baleen whales, and are second in size only to the Blue Whale. They can grow up to 90 ft in length…a huge animal. It came close to the boat, but did not breach (I’m not sure it could it is so huge!). The Fin was an amazing sight.

whale watching, sea lion, california — Sea Lions were out and active

gray whale, breach, whale watching — The Gray Whale breaching!

gray whale, whale watching, captain dave's Dana Point Whale Watching — They make a large splash!

16 lb heli — Helicopters were overhead, an exercise! Camp Pendleton isn’t far away.

These two days, spent in Orange County, were incredibly fun. As everyone knows by now, I love water, so two days spent on the ocean was marvelous, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I highly recommend the tour companies mentioned, and of course, the wonderful Hyatt Regency Newport Beach!

Have you ever been to Orange County, California? What activities did you enjoy?

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