World Trip Planner

The Blue Ridge Parkways is the longest rural parkway in the United States. It runs 469 miles, connecting the Great Smoky Mountains in southern North Carolina to Shenandoah National Park in northern Virginia and stretches across the southern Appalachian Mountains. That fact alone promises a very scenic ride. So why don’t you give yourself a break and on a motorcycle road trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway!

If you want to get the most out of the beauty of Blue Ridge Parkway, you will need to allot four days for this motorcycle road trip. Take the time to stop and explore nearby towns that have existed since the first settlements in America.

Starting from North Carolina, the beginning of your road trip is kicked off with a movie-like dramatic setting as the from the Smoky Mountains is so visible. Ride to Boone, the Firefly Capital of the World. If you are feeling like being a child again, stop by at Boone’s major attraction, the Tweetsie Railroad. Moving along to Asheville, treat yourself with cultural and historic attractions. Ride to Asheville and find the Biltmore Estate. The Estate was the most technologically-adnvanced home during its time. You might want to spend the night at Biltmore Estate for their wine and experience the life of the rich and famous.

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If you are a fun of the Wild West, you might want to go on your motorcycle road trip with a stop at Maggie Valley. In Maggie, there’s the Ghost Town in the Sky theme park. Relax and enjoy staged gunfights. Explore more of Blue Ridge as you head to Humpback Mountain. Deep inside, you will find Linville Caverns. Be sure to look around Linville Caverns and brace yourself to see oddities after oddities in each room.

Leaving North Carolina, you get a chance to see Native American culture manifested in such towns as Cherokee where the Cherokee Indians settles. From another group, however, the Oconaluftee Indian Village, you can even learn words from their native tongue and participate in some of their activities like mask carving and canoe hauling. Reaching Virginia, stop by for a live entertainment with local actors giving life to the 1800′s Appalachian skills, customs and traditions, all complete with costumes and other props. This performance is held at the Humpback Rocks. At Mabry Mill, you will also find yourself watching the same kind of entertainment as actors also perform old Appalachian lifestyle and livelihood. While relaxing in Mabry Mill, grab a bite of the town’s specialty, the fresh apple butter. A taste alone will make you feel that this motorcycle road trip is all worth it.

As dramatic as the Smoky Mountains mist has provided for the beginning of your motorcycle road trip, so does the roaring sound of the Crabtree Falls for the ending. Take one more stop before finally concluding your trip at the Blue Ridge Music Center and listen to some old folk songs dating back from the time of the early settlers.

A four-day excursion via Blue Ridge Parkway will make you realize that there are really so many beautiful places in the United States. Looking back at the journey that has just transpired, you get encouraged to explore more of the beauty of the country’s four corners with a motorcycle road trip.

Originally published here.

Whether you have a job or whether you are a student fresh out of college, an RTW trip is feasible for anyone. Time and finances are probably your primary concerns when thinking about or beginning to plan an RTW trip. Money is usually a concern for new graduates, and time is usually a concern for those in the work force. If you work, you’ll need to decide whether to take a break in your career or go on sabbatical, and this isn’t necessarily an easy decision.

A RTW trip generally lasts for about 1 year or more, so a lot of planning is required beforehand. Airline and travel agencies often offer deals for RTW trips. There are several airline alliances, including the major alliances of Star Alliance and OneWorld, which offer RTW flights. They provide schedules of stops in locations usually spanning over at least 3 continents, and include several intercontinental flights. You should set aside about $5,000 USD if you are planning on purchasing a pre-scheduled RTW trip, because tickets range anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000.

There are also extensive recommendations for RTW trips, from places to stop to which backpack to travel with. The best places to visit are those that you want to visit, not necessarily where others say to go, but recommendations are good to reference. One of the most popular places to go is Thailand. Its beaches are renowned for their clean, white sands and clear blue water.

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Another one of the recommended places to include on your RTW trip is the city of Johannesburg in South Africa. Its extensive subway system makes traveling within the city easier. Even though the safety of Johannesburg is questionable, you can enjoy yourself and stay safe by following some safety precautions while traveling there. Johannesburg is a lively, fun city.

If you are planning on traveling around the world, you’ll need a lightweight, sturdy backpack. Backpacks are often the last thing new travelers consider when planning a trip, when really it should be one of the first things to consider. The RTW backpacks available all range from a variety of features, options, sizes, and prices. Along with durability and comfort, these are all important to keep in mind when buying a backpack.

It is useful to think about airline regulations on carry-on luggage when considering a given backpack. If you are limiting yourself to just a carry-on, a 50 liter backpack can usually be used as a carry-on. Backpack sizes are measured in liters, so you can get an idea of how much volume a backpack can hold. Keep in mind that backpacks from about 40 liters to 65 liters are good if you are looking to travel with just one bag. Backpacks are also divided into the sizes small, medium, and large. For example, the REI Ridgeline 65L backpack is one of several recommended packs, despite it being a top loading (rather than front loading) backpack. It is lightweight with a hip belt, and has 2 side pockets.

Planning an RTW trip requires you to think about several things, but you don’t have to do it all at once. Give yourself ample time to plan flights, cities, and what you’re going to take!

Originally published here.

Within the Canadian Rockies are five national parks that each offer impeccable sights and activities for everyone taking the road trip this summer. Four of the five national parks interlock with each other and are collectively known as the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site. These are Jasper, Banff, Kootenay and Yoho. The national park that does not interlock with the other four, Waterton, is situated along the international US border.

Wherever you are coming from, it is best make your way through your Rockies summer road trip with Jasper as the starting point. Being the largest among the five national parks in the Canadian Rockies, Jasper National Park is abundant of things to see and do. The Maligne Canyon, the Pyramid and Patricia Lakes, and the Athabasca Falls are some of Jasper’s most spectacular gifts. Guided sightseeing tours are available. Between May and October, Pyramid Lake offers an extraordinary Canoe Experience that will give you a chance to witness the mesmerizing beauty of nature. There are a lot of accommodation options in Jasper like the Lobstick Lodge that has kid-friendly facilities, perfect for people traveling with children.

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Continue your summer road trip to Banff where you will find the large, highly popular Jewel of the Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise, known for its natural beauty. Discover Lake Louise and the world renowned Moraine Lake with the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Summer Tour that will not only allow you to explore the two lakes’ shorelines and take photographs, but also educated you about the mountaineering history in the area and the events that helped shape Canadian mountaineering culture. Other attractions in Banff are the Bow Falls, the Cave and Basin Center, and the Banff Gondola. Banff National Park offers a lot of recreational activities such as soaking yourself up in the pool at Upper Hot Springs, nature hiking on mountain trails, cruising on Lake Minnewanka and swinging your clubs on a golf game.

Yoho National Park sits between Banff and Kootenay National Parks. Maximize your Yoho experience by visiting the Spiral Tunnel Viewpoints, the Emerald Lake and the Kicking Horse Pass. Yoho Valley offers a day hike that will definitely test your endurance. Visit the last of the interlocking national parks, the Kootenay National Park, next. Explore the park’s Radium Hot Springs, Marble Canyon, Redwall Fault and more!

Carry on with your road trip by driving yourself to the only park that does not interlock with the first four: Waterton National Park. It is located in the farther south that borders Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. The park offers lots of fun summer activities that you can do during your vacation. You can go horseback riding, boating or canoing over the Cameron Lake, and hiking to one of Canada’s top rated hiking trail, the Crypt Lake.

Making your way through the Canadian Rockies brings you closer and closer to nature. With all the bodies of water you get to encounter along the way, and the numerous opportunities for wildlife sighting, this summer road trip will definitely be etched in your memory for a very long time.

Originally published here.