How much spending money will I need when visiting Florida?|123757

I will be in Florida for 2 weeks and will not be renting a car, so will need to pay for taxi_s and public transport. I will also need to buy all my meals and would like to do a little bit of clothes shopping whilst i_m out there.

That is a really difficult question to answer!

You can use the LYNX public transport that is really cheap and you can get passes for 7 or 30days too. Information/Prices/Schedules here
http://www.golynx.com/?id=1155574


If you plan carefully you might be able to do everything on the LYNX.

I would take a credit card if you have one as you can pay with virtually everything on card.

The $64000 question is how much you will be spending and with all the shopping here
http://www.orlandotouristinformationbure��
you might need to budget for loads!!!!

If you are going to the Parks then most hotels will do a free shuttle bus for you too.

You will have a great time but you will need to travel lots to get the best out of the World_s greatest holiday destination.

You do not say where you are staying, what plans you have when you are there. as in are you going into disney or universal parks or neither. I never use a hire car and i find transport really cheap. Inside disney transport is free. Food is also cheap to eat out. But you may get into the shopping bug. It really cheap there. if you was going on a budget I am sure you could manage quite happily for 2 weeks and have a great time eating well on ��600 around $1200.

You will have a great time...

difficult to answer this without knowing what kind of things you_re planning to do. You write as though it_s only you going and have said nothing about accommodation while you_re there, so I have to assume you_re camping or staying with friends or are otherwise sorted and budgeted for. The budget is the other factor you make no mention of, but anyway here goes.
If you are mainly about shopping and eating but not too much in the way of theme parks then you would probably get away with about ��350-��500 as you can eat pretty cheaply, public transport is quite reasonable and there are lots of factory shops/malls where you can get all kinds of cheap clothing as well as fairly priced label stuff.
If you_re taking the Florida theme park route then invest in one of the multi-park deals such as a Hopper 7or 14 day pass. They give you more freedom in terms of spreading your visits which makes it less stressful as trying to do a whole theme park in one day is incredibly tiring. There is a great deal to see and do so a bit of research and decision making as to what you really want to see and do versus what you think you_d lilke to do will save a bit of time. If you_re looking to do this type of Florida holiday then I reckon you would need to up the budget to around ��800.
Keep a close eye on the dollar rate of exchange too, at the moment of course it is still pretty strong but if we hit any more Nothern Rock type scenarios it may have an impact on the the strenght of the pound.
I hope this helps a little. We went there last about 3 years ago, rented a lovely villa in Kissimmee and had the best holiday we_ve ever had, it was the last big family holiday with our 2 sons (they_re too _old_ now), and we had a fantastic time. If you_ve never been, I would recommend Sea World, Kennedy Space Centre and Gatorland as must sees along with Universal Studios (but I_m a big movie fan). Ripley_s Believe It Or Not is also an entertaining time, good for an afternoon or pre-shopping session. Florida Mall has great shopping and International Drive offers restaurants services to suit just about every taste and budget. Have a fab time, oh and don_t forget you don_t just need sun cream you_ll also need a brolly they have mega electrical storms with pounding rain and they have them pretty frequently. They are spectacular for their lightening displays but you will get wet (on a more positive note even their rain is warm).
Lol.

A lot!!

As much as possbile. Orlando is a fun town. You can do it on a budget. Just depends. Do some reading at places like
http://www.OrlandoFunTickets.com
and
http://www.MiceChat.com

Not as much as last year. What with the devalued dollar at 2 to the pound you are on a winner. Think what you would need in London for the same holiday and you will have some change.

me oh my that_s kinda a broad question cause i have NO idea how much shopping you will be doing or how often you use a taxi or what kind of restaurants you_lle be eating at. And so I won_t be able to tell you how much $$$$ to bring if i don_t know all that :-( sorry

It all depends on the area that you choose to travel in. In regards to dining and lodging, anywhere near the coast is much more expensive. Thankfully, there are plenty of lower end eateries and hotels/motels. In regards to shopping, look for the Outlet Malls if you can. I am quite sure these Outlet Malls are everywhere near any major city throughout the state. The ones in the Orlando area are surprisingly cheaper than going to the many malls that offer the same items. I take the 35 minute drive to Orlando_s Outlets anytime I go shopping, which is usually two to three times a year, as I do not enjoy shopping one bit. (Thank you retailers for offering on line accounts and deliveries) Hope you have a great, and safe time here filled with wonderful memories to take back with you dear. Jen

What is there to do between Arkansas and Arizona?|190065

Some friends and I are taking a _road trip_ to the Grand Canyon. We_ll be driving from NW AR through OK, TX and NM to AZ... We will have a few extra days to goof off a little. Any suggestions on what to do?

Depends how much time you have...
Arkansas has the diamond mines (where you can mine your own diamonds)
There_s Hot Springs.
Oklahoma has Arbuckle Wilderness
You can stop at the border or Ark/Tex (Texarkana) for a picture (see link below)
Oklahoma has a lot of native american places/museums and a nice Art musuem.
New Mexico has Taos and Santa Fe and Alburqueque which are all really nice. There are the sandhills over there too.
When you_re at the grand canyon, you can take tours down inside. (take a peak at google earth for a tour)
Kinda out-of-the-way north of the canyon is the meteor crater.
I_ve been on this trip several times - it_s pretty long but easy to be spontaneous.

i dont know what there is to do really but dont speed through West TX or you WILL get a ticket

Check out Santa Fe and Taos N. M. Lot_s of scenery, great food, and loads of history. Also a couple of nice casinos in the area if you are interested in those. You will have a great trip !!

Best way to travel from Chicago to Boston and New York?|126134

I_m from Brazil, but I_m going to take a training session at Chicago (St. Charles actually) and 1 week vacation right after it.
I really would like to go to Boston (Red Sox fan) and them to New York. I need some advice for what are the best way to go from one place to another in 1 week, and them return to Chicago so I can get my flight back to Brazil.
Plus, any suggestion for best places to visit or things to do in each city would be highly appreciated. Another point, I_ll be going with my girlfriend!

Thanks!

Here_s the right way to do this
Get your Red Sox tickets first
Then fly ORD_BOS as a round trip bc airlines will charge you ridiculous amounts of money for one -way flights
Once in Boston you can get public transportation that will easily take you into the city and of course Fenway
From Boston to NYC take Amtrak as round trip

http://ticketsamtrak.com

Returning to South Station Boston from NYC assume you_ll be 30 minutes late and coordinate connecting flight schedules accordingly
In Amtrak code NYC is NYP _New York Penn and South Station Boston is BOS
The secret to doing NYC is to take advantage of the fact that it wakes up very early and goes to bed very late.Your basic strategy therefore is to do the things that can only be done before 5:00PM before 5:00 PM return to your hotel sleep for a couple of hours and then go out and find dinner and explore the city until midnight or thereabouts
I_ll finish this in a day or so
Btw Just so you know cars are more of a hassle than they_re worth in both NYC and Boston but especially NYC .Both cities can be easily and most efficiently navigated using public transportation

First response is reasonable. Driving time from Chicago to either is about 19 hours; it_s about 1000 miles.

Airplane to Boston and take the train from Boston to NY or vice versa.

How long does it take to get a letter to Canada from North Carolina?|177065

I send a letter to Canada and was wondering how long will it take to get there

Depends on the Canadian Province that is it_s destination. Normal time = 4 days but it could take as much as 8 if its in a distant western province.

depends where in canada and how you sent it (ups dhl ect)

Allow a week by regular mail

What are the main attractions in Oahu, Honolulu and how could can i plan for a 2 day tour program?|186803

We are a family of 4 with 2 kids touring Oahu, Honululu for 2 days. Could you please advise the cheap and best mode of transportation to those places?

I used to live there. Cheapest way would be a rental car. You can go where you want - when you want. Places to see... I would go to Diamond Head volcano (You can drive in via a tunnel), The Honolulu Zoo (right next to the volcano at the East end of Kalakaua Blvd.), Hanauma Bay (East of the volcano going towards Kailua/Kaneohe), Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie (Getting closer to the North Shore), Sunset Beach (be careful of the undertow and coral DO NOT let the kids in those waters!! It_s dangerous), Haleiwa and head South down H2 through the Dole Plantation and Fort Shafter toward Pearl Harbor. Once at Pearl Harbor you can visit the Arizona Memorial, The Battleship Missouri and the Pompanito submarine.
Check out this route against a map for better accuracy of the route. Start at Waikiki then head East around the Island.Once at the Northern part of the Island, you_ll be heading South toward Pearl Harbor.Have fun!! There_s more to do of course.

Well, if you are only gonna be on Oahu around Honolulu area for two days, I would suggest renting a vehicle. I was gonna say get a four day Discovery Thebus bus pass, but it is $20.00 pp.

You really should get a rental car (go to Costco.com) then to Alamo Car rental. the cheapest is not that bad, you don_t have much time. Go to Pearl Harbor_s Arizona memorial tour--free. Go to any beach on the east or south shore. Sea Life park for the dolphin show, a luau but don_t go cheap, go to Paradise cove. Walk on Waikiki beach, and look at Diamond Head. Go up to the Pali look out, take Nuuanu Pali Hywy. Ride/paddle a canoe for a life time memory at Waikiki Beach. The absolutely best entertainment but expensive is the Polynesian Cultural Center at Laie, North shore. Also, Waimea Bay, Pipeline for surfer watching.
If you want to go around the island, catch THEBUS. You can get off anywhere, and get back on on the half-hour for another fare.

Rent a Car is best when you travel with kids AND planning to travel far.

The rental car web-site should give some great value if travel at off peak season.

To travel in peak season, go for some travel agents web-sites. They might have contracted rate from the rental car companies. Thus, rates are less than the web-site.

The bus will cost you $2 one way per person for adult and children $1 one way. You can get a transfer (free with one purchase per person). But it takes a long time to trave from one place to another. And the schedule is less frequent during off-school hours.

Day 1:
Off to the beaches - Ala Moana Magic Island (in Ala Moana beach park) is an idea place, especially for younger kid. It is an enclosed swimming lagoon, just out-skirt of Waikiki. you probably can spend some hours there. Pack some water _ food for a great pinic there too.

Opposite of Ala Moana Beach park is Ala Moana Shopping Center. You can go there before or after the beach.

If you like hiking, you can either go to Diamond Head (famous tourist area) for a paved hike. Fee required. Car driving need.

For a free city view, go to Punchbowl Cemetery. It is a National Cemetery with a open area for GREAT city view. It is also a tourist area with war display on the wall. Driving required. It is like 10-15 min drive from Waikiki.

Or go to Tantalus Montain in the night for city night view. Driving require.

Day 2: (if this day is a Wed or Sat or Sun)
Go to Aloha Stadium in the morning for swap meat. Lots of stuff to buy. Bargain skill required for a cheaper rate!

Opposite is the famous Pearl Harbor/Arizona Memorial. Get a ticket and go to the 20 min documentary film. Follow by a free boat ride to the memorial. Walk around the displays of history in the visitor center after the boat ride back.

If you have more than 2 hours of wait time for the documentary, go to Pearlridge shopping Center (a 5 min drive away) for lunch or a quick shopping.

If you have more than 4 hours of wait time for the documentary, go to the Battleship (ticket _ trolley ride next door). Be sure to join their guide tour, very informative!

There are a lots of things to do. I think this is not so hectic for younger kids and for a 2 day tour. If you like, do a search for my full recommended 7 days tour in YahooAnswer, for more option on where to go.

Your going to take 4 people on a minimum 5 hour flight (from the West Coast) _ only stay 2 days ?

I would seriously recommend 4-5 days minimum. If you go to Oahu, there lots of action from Waikiki - each hotel has it_s activities desk _ can book you on pretty much any trip you_d like to try (circle Island tour is a standard rite of passage). If you book in Waikiki - try to avoid hotels that back onto the canal - it does tend to stink a bit.

If you_ve got the money, the Turtle Bay Hilton is great if you don_t want to put up with all the noise _ traffic in Waikiki.

MAUI - my favourite island. I end up on Kaanapali beach. First time I went I got a deal at the Royal Lahaina hotel - it llooked like the cheapest place. BUT, with a group, the ResortQuest Kaanapali Shores Resort could (surprisingly) work out cheaper. THey do have condos with fully equipped kitchens. There is a supermarket just across the road _ that saved me as much as $50 a day on food - and getting breakfast in the codno is so much less stressful, than eating out. WHen I went, the hotel gave me coupons for the hotel resaurant and I also got a free day, booking via Expedia.

NOTE : there are direct flights to Maui from places like my home town - Phoenix, as well as the more congested West coast airports like SFO _ LAX.

Hawaii always looks expensive. But there_s lots of competition, so deals can be found. And finally, I stayed in Tahiti last New Year _ that was even more expensive than Hawaii !

How can I rent a house for two weeks in DC?|159847

hey

me and family are planning to go to Washington DC this end of december for two weeks.
instead of staying at a hotel.. we_d like to rent a house in those nice neighborhoods.

can you help me out?
how to do that?
i_ve googled and looked around but not quite getting the right thing

thank you in advance

You are much better off staying in a hotel. there are quite a few sites that you can search that will likely show you great hotels at the best prices available. check out the website BookMe and you will be able to compare prices on all the reputable travel sites in just a couple minutes. it_s very convenient and will save you a bunch of time and money. Also, make sure you buy them online... otherwise they charge much higher fees for phone orders. good luck.

Try www.vrbo.com - it means _Vacation Rentals By Owner_, and you can find a house or condo to rent on that site. They have pictures and prices and everything, and you can email or call the owner to see if it_s available during the days you want it. Good luck and have fun!

Another couple of sites to try: airbnb.com and craigslist.

Does anyone know of anywhere to take engagement pictures in phoenix?|172847

Me and my fiance are planning on taking our engagement pictures next weekend but i have no idea where to go. Does anyone know of anywhere we can go? I want somewhere that has nice scenery.

Sedona is about the most beautiful place in the state. It_s a 2 hour drive but you only get one chance at great engagement pics. It_s worth it.

I have the perfect place for you!!
The Farm at South Mountain

Its beautiful
they have orange trees and pecan trees
they senery is geoorgous
its all outside

there is a little resturaunt but you dont have to eat there!

i went here to take my graduation pictures
they turned out amazing!!

a lot of people get married here!!

hope this place works!