Atlanta is the capital city of the state of Georgia in the United States of America. With a population of 419,122, the city is the most populous in the state and the economic heart of the Southern United States. The city was settled on territory belonging to the Cherokee and Creek Native Americans, and the area originally had the very pretty title of ?Standing Peachtree?. Atlanta rests on the ridge of the Chattahoochee River and it is treated to a pleasant, subtropical climate. During the summer, the city receives hot, humid weather, while the winters are generally mild.

The city boasts a large number of attractions to suit all tastes. For visitors interested in Atlanta?s rich history, a good place to start is a visit to the Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Site. The political activist was born and raised in Atlanta and the site surrounds his boyhood home. The site was declared a National Historic Site on October 10th, 1980. Other historical attractions within the city include the Atlanta History Centre, the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum and the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum.

For nature-lovers, Atlanta is home to the massive, Georgia Aquarium, which is occupied by over 100,000 animals. The city also boasts the wonderful Zoo Atlanta, which has been involved in a large number of conservation and research projects. Atlanta is home to the beautiful Piedmont Park, which stretches across 189 acres and is similar to New York?s Central Park. For those interested in travelling further a field, the picturesque Appalachian Mountain range is just sixty miles north of the city. The city of Atlanta boasts a rich history, beautiful scenery and warm and welcoming inhabitants ? the perfect recipe for a relaxing break.

Dara Ward manages over 20 Irish websites including Hotels in Dublin On a more global scale he operates over 150 top hotel and car rental sites including Hotels in Atlanta a site that allows guests book all the best hotels in Atlanta. He is also responsible for Hotels in Miami

A wide variety of hotels are available in city of Austin to suit the needs of all those who are looking for hotel accommodations. The list of these hotels is available online also. One can search for a good hotel from these lists. The search can be done on the basis of availability, quality, and rates or even name. There are a number of hotels which provide other facilities which can help you to organize a conference or a sports event there.

Groups of tourists are also accommodated in these hotels on the basis of bulk bookings. The rooms in these hotels can be booked well in advance. Options for current bookings are also available in most of hotels, subject to the availability of rooms. Reservations can be done online or on the telephone. Some hotels provide you a free breakfast if you have booked a room for at least one night, but not all hotels have such offers.

There are a number of hotels which provide free shuttle services from the airport. In some hotels there are no charges for parking, while in many others parking fees are also charged. If you are less than 18 years of age you might find it difficult to book a room on your own, as most of the hotels require the guests to be at least 18 years of age if they are not accompanied by an elder person. Some hotels have kept this minimum age requirement at 21.

All hotels make these rules available on their information brochure. Generally, most of the hotels update their information sheets regularly to provide accurate information to the guests about the status of various services provided by them. The average nightly rate in Austin hotels is somewhere from $50 to $90.

Austin Hotels provides detailed information on Austin Hotels, Downtown Austin Hotels, Discount Austin Hotels, Luxury Austin Hotels and more. Austin Hotels is affiliated with Seattle Airport Hotels.

Antwerp is a city in the north of Belgium. The city is home to a population of 457,749 inhabitants and it is thought to date back to Gallo-Roman times. Antwerp became extremely prosperous in the 15th century, as foreign trade guilds began settling in the area. During World War II, the German army occupied the city and much of Antwerp?s original architecture was destroyed. Following the liberation of the city on September 4th, 1944, the German army attempted to destroy Antwerp?s port ? one of the biggest in the world.

Today, Antwerp remains a prosperous city and it is one of the three chief centres for the global diamond industry. Although much of the city?s historical architecture has been destroyed, some stunning examples do remain, not least the Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady, the Baroque St. Carolus Borromeus Church and St Andrew?s Church built by Saxon Augustinian monks in 1529. One of Antwerp?s most popular attractions is Antwerp Zoo ? the oldest zoo in the world. The zoo has been in the centre of the city for over 160 years and despite its age, it boasts an extremely progressive attitude and is part of many international breeding programmes. The city is also home to the very modern Aquatopia aquarium, boasting a range landscapes such as rainforests, underwater caves and coral reefs.

Antwerp has been renowned for its shopping opportunities since the 16th century, and today, the city does not disappoint. The Central Station area is famed for its stunning diamond trade, while the Meir district is the perfect destination for high street clothes shopping. The area around Nationalestraat is a must for shoppers looking for unique fashion designed by Belgian artists.

Antwerp is famed for its cultural output and the South District is home to an abundance of galleries, museums, unique shops and charming cafes. Some museums in the area include: MUHKA, the Museum of Modern Art and the Zuiderpershuis centre for intercultural art. The district is also home to Het Muntplein, an area where graffiti artists are encouraged to display their work.

Dara Ward manages over 150 travel websites. These include Hotels in Antwerp and Dublin Hotels in Dublin He is based in Wexford Ireland.

Travelling north from Nanaimo on the Inland Island Highway, there’s a stretch of wilderness before you reach the Comox Valley. It’s so easy to tell when you arrive in the first metropolitan area on the northern part of Vancouver Island. On your left are the snow-capped Beaufort Mountains and the Comox Glacier defining the western edge of the valley. The salty sea of the Georgia Strait to your right defines the eastern edge of the valley. Rocky snow covered peaks roll gently down to the valleys below.

Forests, alpine meadows, crystal clear rivers, sandy beaches and bucolic farmland make up the beautiful Comox Valley. The Comox Valley extends from Fanny Bay in the South to Saratoga Beach in the North, a distance of about 30 miles or 50 kilometers. It is the Recreation Capital of Vancouver Island. Only in the Comox Valley can you ski, golf, fish, kayak and scuba dive all on the same day. Choose a vacation filled with outdoor adventures or check out the incredible artistic and cultural community – the four museums, the live theatre performances, the many local festivals and attractions – or you can go shopping in the many boutique-style stores.

We arrived at our beautiful accommodations at the historic Ship’s Point Inn near Fanny Bay. This distinguished Inn is a serene Bed and Breakfast nestled on the shore of Ships Point. The manicured gardens and flower-covered arbour entry greet you as you drive into the parking area. The Inn has a garden gazebo, a covered hot tub and a deck overlooking miles of ocean scenery. In the distance you can hear the sea lions discussing their day.

The Inn has six elegantly appointed rooms, with views of the Baynes Sound and Georgia Strait.

The Inn is at the end of Ships Point Road and is well away from the Oceanside Route Highway into Courtenay and Comox. From the spacious deck you can see snow-capped mountains, sea lions, eagles, the Denman Island ferry dock and ocean cruise ships traveling to and from to Alaska.

It’s so peaceful and the sunsets are very special indeed. This 4 Star Inn is a great romantic retreat or just a great place to get away and relax. The area is perfect for antiquing, visiting art galleries, beach-walking, cycling, bird- watching, fishing, golfing, hiking and kayaking.

Check out the Comox Vacation Deals

Fanny Bay is home of the world famous Fanny Bay Oysters. Check with the Inn staff and they will tell you where to get a feed of these great oysters. Fanny Bay is also the gateway to Denman and Hornby Islands with regular BC Ferry service. To get to Hornby Island you must first take the ferry to Denman, drive across the island and the take a well-timed ferry to Hornby.

Once we checked in, we were off to have some lunch. One of our local friends recommended the Monte Cristo. This restaurant is situated on the Courtenay River and the deck hangs over a tributary. The meal was excellent and since we were celebrating a birthday, the staff responded by bringing the birthday girl a special cake. This restaurant has been recommended by a number of people and is one of the best in Courtenay.

After lunch we decided to visit the world’s best little tourist trap, the Coombs Country market. This gem of a country store is famous for the goats that live on the grass roof above the store. The owner shops the world and fills the store with unique gifts and specialty food items. Coombs is not in the Comox Valley, but being in Fanny Bay makes so many things central. Coombs is only a 30 minute drive south and west of Fanny Bay. The Coombs Country Market has a deli, a produce section, bakery, and incredible crafts from around the world and probably the best ice cream bar on Vancouver Island. The 40-foot ice cream bar offers over 30 flavors of ice cream as well as sorbet and gelato (Italian ice cream). The Coombs Country Market has spawned a village of other establishments that thrive because of the draw of the market. On the return trip to Fanny Bay, we followed the scenic Oceanside Route (Highway19a). It travels through Qualicum Beach, Bowser, Lighthouse, and other communities.

Ron Kirstein is the owner of a Canadian Travel & Tourism Web site (since 1995). Ron has traveled the length and breadth of Vancouver Island BC Canada in search of adventures; see http://tourismmall.victoria.bc.ca/travelmagazine

A state, where country music style was born, the second biggest state in area and the third in population Texas has a lot to offer and is surely worth visiting.

The first known settlement was founded in this place in 1682 by the Spanish. Originally Texas was a part of Mexico. In 1836 after the notorious battle near Alamo Texas received its independence but in 1845 joined the United States of America.

The main cities of the state ? Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso, Fort Worth, Austin and Corpus Christie.

Texas is not a resort destination, but as a part of it lies on the shores of the Mexican Gulf, I has some pleasant places to have a rest. Other interesting sights are the National Reserve of Padre Island, national parks of Big Bend and Guadelupe Mountains, Alamo mission in San Antonio, Capitol in Austin etc.

The biggest and the main cities in Texas are Houston and Dallas and in this article we take look at them.

Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States. Like in all the big cities skyscrapers here dominate the panorama, but like the city with the rich history counting more than 150 years, it has a lot of attractions and interesting museums. National Museum of Funeral History and Museum of Fine Arts are just some of them. Texas is known as the state of cowboys, so different cowboys shows and rodeos are still common here.

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is one of the major events of the year in the city. It begins in late February lasts for about a month. Besides riders competing in traditional rodeo events, visitor can watch national and international superstar musical entertainers performance.

Those who are fond of nature can be interested in visiting Downtown Aquarium and Houston Zoo. Aquarium is great place for family walk and the home to sea creatures of every shape and size. Houston Zoo represents more than 500 species, from the winged inhabitants of the Tropical Bird House to the slithering reptiles in one of the nation’s largest collections of venomous snakes.

Houston is often mentioned in connection with space and especially ISS. It?s Houston where Space Center is located.

Dallas is mainly known for its oil derricks and for the soap opera ?Dallas?. It is almost as old as Houston (founded in 1841) but also looks very contemporary.

Dallas is the third-most-populous city in the state and the epicenter of the North Texas region’s art scene. Notable art venues include the Dallas Museum of Art, the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, The Trammell & Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center.

For booking a hotel in Houston, please, go to Houston hotels page.

For booking a hotel in Dallas, please, go to Dallas hotels page.

Dubai is a prosperous and cosmopolitan city. It mixes old town mosques and souks alongside modern high rise skyscrapers. The majority of this wealthy city has been built in the last 20 years and incorporates much in the way of futuristic architecture.

Construction is a feature of the city and there is constant building activity. The Dubai Waterfront project will add 500 miles of man-made waterfront to the city. These artificial islands will add up to a space roughly 7 times the size of Manhattan!!

Situated on the south sore of the Arabian Gulf, Dubai is one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. The population of Dubai City is over 1 million. The majority of the city?s population (80%) is made up of expatriates the majority of whom are from South Asia. The city is split in two by the Dubai Creek. Trade, oil and tourism all play a major part in Dubai?s economy and have taken over the traditional occupations of fishing, pearl diving and camel breeding. The area around Dubai City is desert and sparsely populated.

The weather is Dubai is extremely hot during the summer months so the best time to visit is during the winter months. During Ramadan it is illegal to publicly eat or drink and so this time is unpopular with tourists. Dubai is a liberal tourist destination and tolerant and safe to visit. However women are advised to dress conservatively when amongst locals.

Visitors are attracted to Dubai by the world class sports events and air shows as well as the fantastic shopping attractions and air conditioned malls. Dubai claims to be the shopping center of the world. The shopping attractions range from traditional crafts and arts to ultra modern designer fashions and electronics. The Dubai Shopping Festival is a yearly event held during January and February. The Dubai Summer Surprises is a summer month shopping spectacular which makes the most of the cheap hotel rates.

There are vast contrasts in the different types of restaurants brought about by the different mix of cultures. Asian, European and Arabic restaurants abound and range in price from budget to five-star.

There is an extensive range of high class hotels and resorts in Dubai. These places offer enticing discounts when the weather gets hot and during Ramadan. There is also a plethora of world class entertainment offerings which includes something for everyone?s taste. Fabulous nightclubs abound.

Dubai is a shinning jewel in the Middle East and a fabulous place to visit and offers beach resorts amidst traditional buildings and mosques and high rise skyscrapers. The city is popular with tourists because there are a wide variety of things to do and interesting places to see.

Stan Smith writes for Four Corners Hotels http://www.fourcornershotels.com/index.php/AE?Dubai which offers hotels in cities around the world including hotels located in Dubai.