Enjoy the Friendly Street Fair Style Ribfest & Wings in Gatlinburg!

Barbecue lovers can eat to their heart’s content at the Gatlinburg – Pigeon Forge area’s annual Ribfest & Wings in Gatlinburg on April 28. The festival will allow visitors to sample tender ribs and wings from various barbecue cookers all over the city’s parkway until they food is gone. The delicious setup will include a full stage with music from talented song artists. If visitors are up for it, they can even participate in some of the challenges provided for them, including a hot wing tasting in which the wings are dipped in steaming sauces like the “Scorching Screaming” and the “Treacherous Tongue!” Make sure you mark Ribfest & Wings on your calendar, and check out options for Gatlinburg hotel reservations for your upcoming vacation.

Other delicious cuisine is readily available in the Gatlinburg – Pigeon Forge area, and you can head to fun places like the Dixie Stampede – Pigeon Forge, TN, for another hearty meal. This exciting show will feature several top performances of the rodeo genre, including several types of racing, from barrel racing to ostrich racing. Enjoy a delicious four course meal consisting of hickory smoked barbecued pork loin, rotisserie chicken, herb-based potato and a fluffy biscuit. Come hungry and walk away full as you enjoy an entertaining, comedic performance that includes the highlighted 32 show horses and their riders.

Great American food and rock star legends are featured inside the Hard Rock Cafe – Gatlinburg, and you can discover it all with the amazing memorabilia of such recognizable names as Buck Owens, The Grateful Dead and Tom Petty. Several classic instruments, clothing and recordings rest in their cases for restaurant goers to admire. You’ll be able to hear your favorite songs from the classic rock genre as you chow down on delicious options such as a bacon cheeseburger, grilled chicken sandwich, fries or salad.

Sightsee the Savannah Outdoors on your Winter Vacation!

During your time in the southern city of Savannah, you won’t want to spend all of your time cooped up indoors. Don’t worry, there are plenty of outdoor activities available for you to participate in to breathe in the fresh air all day long. Learn about some of the highlighted landmarks in the area, and discover historic artifacts and old southern architecture for the first time. Whether you’re planning a trip coming up this winter or in the spring, you’re sure to enjoy the beautiful city. Reserve your spot in one or all of these outdoor activities while you’re in the area.

GreenFeet Walkabouts Garden Walking Tour

Fulfill your dream of nature sightseeing by spending time in one of Savannah’s luscious gardens, where you can walk along much of the historic district accompanied by a knowledgeable tour guide who will give you facts and stories about each place that you walk by. Take a look at some of the colorful flowers and tall plants up close, and ask questions you may have to the Certified Plant Professional who will travel alongside your group.

Savannah Historic Overview Trolley Tour

Watch for small wildlife and remember to take a few pictures of the tour highlights while you’re riding around the historic district. Your trolley will head to the locations that are most popular among the visitors, including the Historic Squares, River Street and the bustling City Market. Your tour will last approximately an hour and a half, and you can spend the rest of the day browsing each historic area and interacting with city locals.

Savannah Historical Experience Tour

Take in the sites with transportation via mini bus and explore some of the oldest parts of the city, including the Victorian District, Thomas Square, and the Historic District. The tour represents 250 years of history, working backward to the very first settlements in the area. View the steep columns and intricate details transposed into every house and old southern mansion as you ride by them.

Capitalize on the Arlington County Fair Near Washington DC!

Plan a late summer getaway in the Washington DC area from August 18-22 to participate in enjoyable arts and crafts at the Arlington County Fair. It’s a unique experience, complete with an environmentally-friendly “Rainforest Rescue” show, kids zone, and even racing piglets. The fair includes amusement rides like an enormous Ferris wheel and fun carousel. Reserve your nightly lodging near the fair today.

During your DC vacation, you may want to try out the Six Flags America, located near the edge of the nation’s capital. You’ll delight in the fabulous range of rides and attractions available including the leg dangling Mind Eraser and the 140-foot-tall Tower of Doom. There’s also plenty of water rides if you want to cool off, and each one is wildly different from the next. Live shows are also available to watch.

For a little variety, hop aboard the DC Ducks for a comprehensive tour of the city on both land and water. The duck will take you to all the highlights of DC, including the National Mall, Washington Monument, the Korean War Memorial, and plenty of other sights. Learn and laugh with your tour guide as he / she shares pertinent information while telling a few jokes.

August is just around the bend, so be sure to plan your summer activities ahead of time. See what makes Washington DC such a great place to live!

Take A Day Trip To Virginia Beach

Williamsburg is home to many unique attractions, however, if you’re seeking something a little different for your family vacation to the Williamsburg area there are options. One of the many alternatives is a day trip to Virginia Beach. It is a bit of a drive, but if you plan ahead the trip will make up for every time you had to answer the question ‘Are we there yet?’

Just a few hours drive on US Highway 64 takes you straight into the heart of Virginia Beach. The drive will lead to a perfect day trip, if you don’t mind the time in the car. Once in Virginia Beach, there are endless things to do including shopping, visiting the beach, or enjoy a tour of the area. While all of these are great, there is one activity that must not be missed.

The Virginia Air & Space Center is an expansive museum, measuring in at more than 110,000 square feet! This center stands as a tribute to the scientific progression that mankind has made in aeronautics and the advances in the exploration of the infinite spaces beyond our atmosphere. Housing exhibits from a true-to-life replica of the Wright brothers’ plane to displays of Moon rocks and meteorites from Mars. The Virginia Air & Space Center is an interactive opportunity that the whole family will love, and that is worth the trip.

However, if your family just isn’t up to the drive, there are plenty of things to do in Williamsburg. Browse our list of activities and plan the perfect vacation for your family. To find activity  options for Williamsburg, visit our activity page!

Branson Gets New Attraction In Early 2010

If you’ve been following our blog then you know there is a new attraction coming to Branson! The Branson Zipline is a one-of-a-kind attraction that is currently under construction in the Ozark mountains. If you didn’t know about this incredible addition to the Branson entertainment scene, then you’re sure in for a treat.

Construction on the Branson Zipline began on December 1 and is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2010. Currently, the platforms are being fabricated but the inclement weather has slowed the progress of the construction crew. So what’s the good news? Installation on the mailbox is complete!

Vacations Made Easy will be the premier company offering tours and activities for the Branson Zipline once it opens in early 2010. We already have the tour set up and ready, we’re just waiting for the go-ahead from Branson Zipline. The Branson Zipline and Canopy Tour will be a 2.5 hour eco-tour that shows visitors the best of the Ozark Mountain landscape while providing interesting information about the local ecosystem. Be warned, this is an adventure tour to the core. Those partaking in the tour will be zipping down lines and cables (hence the name zip-line) through the forests surrounding Branson.

If you want to check out the tour, or read more about what to expect from the Branson Zipline, the activity page on our website!

If the idea of a zipline in Branson has intrigued you, you can read more about the zipline and the progress of construction on Vacations Made Easy’s sister website, BransonZiplineBlog.com. Check it out to read more about the zipline and what visitors can expect. Check back often, as we will be providing weekly updates until construction is complete!

Adventure Awaits In Nashville

Everyone needs a little adventure once in a while, and if you’re looking for your little adventure there are two perfect opportunities in Nashville. Whether you want to plan your vacation around these activities or simply include them in your itinerary, we’re happy to help you out!

The first activity you should consider is the Eco Adventure Canopy Zipline Tour. This one-hour adventure is a totally safe way to get a unique bird’s-eye view of the landscape of Nashville. While riding the zipline, you’ll soar through the trees in your safety harness and feel an adrenaline rush like no other you have ever felt before! During the tour your guide will highlight various aspects of Nashville’s unique ecosystem and point out native plants and animals.

If flying through the trees doesn’t sound like your kind of adventure, you should consider the Canopy Challenge Course. This course is designed for a couple or a group of people and the goal is to promote teamwork and creative thinking with challenging ropes courses. While some of the courses are only a few feet off the ground, others are suspended forty feet in the air. These incredible ropes courses are designed to be both physically and mentally challenging, but you’re sure to have some fun, too!

Zzzoofari Slumber Offers Nashville Visitors Unique Experience Under the Stars

On April 19, the Nashville Zoo will be holding its always popular Zzzoofari Slumber, and as the name implies visitors will have the chance to camp inside the zoo. Throughout the course of the night special activities including twilight tours, hayrides, crafts, animal presentations and various games will be held to ensure that there’s something to keep the crowd busy. Special reservations are required to attend the event, so those interested are advised to look into details as soon as possible.

For those that plan on visiting the Nashville Zoo, but don’t want to take part in the sleep over, there are a wide range of lodging options offered throughout downtown Nashville as well as the Music Valley area. Whether looking to spend the night at a quaint motel or hoping to be indulged with the grandeur of the Gaylord Opryland, there’s a stay to find nearly every traveler in Nashville.