A River Runs Through It

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many wonders of traveling that can only be experienced from beyond the banks of a river. After all, it is the great tributaries of the world that have given birth to commerce, culture and even entire civilizations. From the Nile to the Yangtze, the Amazon to the Mississippi, rivers are what have forged the paths for life as we know it.

A river cruise allows you an inside look at the cities and landscape that dot the shores. It’s this change of perspective that gives you a more up-close and intimate experience. Think of it this way, it’s the difference between standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon and taking a helicopter ride across it. You are afforded views and experiences you simply couldn’t have any other way. Continue reading

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See America on a US National Parks Tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“In the Grand Canyon, Arizona has a natural wonder which is in kind absolutely unparalleled throughout the rest of the world… You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt was one of the biggest advocates for preserving the National Parks in America and the natural treasures that the United States contains. From the Grand Canyon to Bryce Canyon, the golden west is full of natural wonders. A National Parks tour showcases the true riches of this great nation and the lasting heritage we are wise to preserve. Continue reading

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The Rock of Ages

Legend has it, the Rock of Cashel originally lay 20 miles north of Cashel in a cave called the Devil’s Bit. When St. Patrick faced off with Satan and banished him from the cave, the rock landed in its current location on a jagged hilltop that rises up from a grassy, Irish plain.

In truth, the ancient stone ruins are what remains of the seat of the Munster kings prior to the Norman Invasion which drove them out. Also known as the Cashel of Kings or St. Patrick’s rock, the site is the reputed location of the conversion of the King of Munster by St. Patrick himself in the 5th century. Upon his coming to faith, the king supposably bequeathed the castle fortress to the church. Continue reading

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Big Savings on our European River Cruise Tours

As a travel writer for YMT Vacations, I get to visit some of the most awe-inspiring places on earth and share the sights and experiences of these destinations on YMT’s travel blog.

Although I write about the vast majority of YMT Vacation’s tour offerings, I do have my favorite group travel experiences and tour destinations. Without a doubt, two of my all-time favorite cruise packages are the Elegant Danube River Cruise and Romantic Rhine River Cruise tours of Europe. In my humble travel opinion, these are two of the most expertly-crafted, all-inclusive vacations available today. Continue reading

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Smooth Sailing

The recent capsizing of the Costa Concordia may have you second-guessing your next cruise vacation. If you are less than enthusiastic to set sail, perhaps you should consider this: Last year more than 19 million people took to the seas on cruises worldwide. Of that number, there were less than 10 cruise-related deaths. If you compare that to car accidents, which take the lives of someone every 13 minutes, boarding a cruise may be one of the safest forms of transportation. With the technology and advancement of today’s cruising vessels, even disasters as tragic as the Concordia still result in far less deaths and injury than multi-car pile-ups which take place almost daily on our country’s interstate system. Continue reading

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Travel Brochure – YMT Vacations Releases Their Most Popular Vacations of 2012!

“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J. R. R. Tolkien
YMT Vacations’ Most Popular Vacations brochure has arrived! This is not just any travel brochure; this is 48 pages of the most expertly crafted, all inclusive vacations on the market for 2012. YMT Vacations’ free travel brochure provides both summarized tour highlights and daily itineraries of YMT’s 2012 vacation packages while giving you all the cost upfront! There is definitely no easier way to plan your escorted vacation than checking out the stunning imagery, detailed itineraries, and cost associated with each group tour, all in one easy-to-flip-through tour catalog. Continue reading

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Bull riders, Crazy Horse and a Highway to the Sky

In my day the mere mention of the Wild West conjured up images of gallant, self-made men who rode the range and righted every wrong. Rugged figures like John Wayne, Roy Rogers and “Buffalo Bill” were brought to life in dime store novels and Saturday afternoon matinees.  Perhaps it was just the collective imagination of my generation but for me, and just about every boy my age, the West was the final frontier and only a cowboy was capable of conquering it. Continue reading

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All Aboard the Coast Starlight Train!

Feed your wanderlust on a leisure locomotive journey from the Pacific Northwest to Napa Valley! The Coast Starlight train connects the Pacific coastal cities of Seattle and San Francisco, offering stupendous views of mountains through floor-to-ceiling windows in its Sightseer Cars, and tastes of the bounty of wine country in its first-class Pacific Parlor Cars. Now on its fourth decade of service, this scenic railroad tour follows the tracks laid a century ago in the times of gold rushes, and the adventure and romance of train travel will be rekindled from your youth on this scenic train ride making you long for the call, all aboard! Continue reading

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Glaciers, Wildlife and Other Reasons to Visit America’s Last Frontier

From the bow of the ship you can hear the sound of thunder carried across the cold waters. A bellowing made all the louder because of the silence that proceeded it. This is the sound of a glacier calving in Alaska’s Glacier Bay. As the massive piece of ice hits the surface, the impact shoots water hundreds of feet into the air. You catch your breath at the sight and pray for it to happen again. And it always does. In Glacier Bay, there are more active, calving glaciers than anywhere else in the world. Continue reading

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Europe Tours – Marian Pilgrimages to Fatima, Lourdes, and Paris

To devout Catholics, taking a Vatican tour to see the Basilicas and Papal Chapels is a fulfilling religious pilgrimage on its own, but the divine majesty of taking part in an audience with the Pope and the opportunity to attend Mass at three renowned sites of approved Marian apparitions, is a Catholic pilgrimage of sacred splendor. Beginning in Rome with a once-in-a-lifetime audience with Pope Benedict XVI, this Marian pilgrimage will take you to three locations where apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary have been deemed “worthy of belief” by The Holy See, including Fátima, Lourdes, and Paris. Continue reading

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