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Buena Park, California, just under seven (7) miles down the freeway from Disneyland in Anaheim, is a city of 80,000 plus people and is a tourist attraction city that is overlooked by many tourists. This city is home to Knotts Berry Farm, “With over 165 wild rides, shows and unique attractions just steps from Knott’s Resort Hotel, Knott’s Theme Park is the place to go for family fun and thrill seeking adventure!”, Knotts Soak City, “Knott’s Soak City Water Parks are acres of waterlogged fun for everyone.”, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, “A place where knights battle for their kingdom’s honor while an exceptional feast is served in a magnificent setting.”, Movieland Wax Museum, “Movieland Wax Museum is the most unique House of Wax and one of the world’s largest wax museums.” and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, “The museum houses hundreds of rare and unusual artifacts, some which are unavailable anywhere else in the world.”. All of these attractions are within walking distance of each other.

The city hosts a fair variety of inexpensive but good hotels including, Courtyard By Marriott, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn, Radisson, Red Roof Inn and more and a good selection of restaurants including, Claim Jumper, Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant, Hometown Buffet, Outbacks Steakhouse, Pat & Oscars, Ventanas and more.

Do you want something else to do, then try sportfishing, sailing, harbor cruises or whale watching in nearby Newport Beach, try shopping at the Fashion Island in Newport Beach or the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, visit the Aquarium Of The Pacific (one of the largest aquariums in the United States.) in close by Long Beach, spend a day at the beach in beautiful Laguna Beach or take a twenty two (22) mile drive up the freeway to Los Angeles.

For more information about the city of Buena Park, California see http://buenapark.usacitydirectories.com a directory of links to city of Buena Park, California guides and directories listing information, resources, services, things to do and places to go.

David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is a retired private investigator and is currently the publisher of several internet directories, including http://www.usacitydirectories.com a directory of national, state, county and city guides and directories listing local guides, directories, web sites and web pages providing resources, services and information about things to do and places to go.

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Going by air

Flying to Mexico is the most common way to go to the main resort and tourist destinations. Major U.S. airlines offer non-stop or direct flights to a wide variety of Mexican cities. You can work with a travel agent or you can book your flight over the internet. There is a tremendous variety in price, so it’s worth doing some homework. Booking way ahead sometimes gives you a bargain price — but you can also sometimes get very good prices if you have an impulse to go right away, or within a week or two. Look for U.S. or Mexican airlines.

Charter flights can offer rock bottom prices at times, but do be aware that the charter operator may have the right to cancel the flight if it doesn’t fill, and they can do this up to about 10 days before the flight. However, if you want to cancel your reservation with them it may not be possible.

Vacation packages to Mexico

Combined airfare and hotel packages can offer you very good value. The hotels may not be the best known, but sometimes they are. And in this internet era, it’s easy enough to do a search on the name of the hotel and town. Especially if you are traveling to Cancun, Acapulco, Ixtapa, or any of the many other vacation type destinations in Mexico, vacation package deals are well worth exploring.

Another kind of package is the guided tour, often of several cities and typically with hotels and transportation included. This can be very good for people who haven’t explored Mexico much or who speak little or no Spanish.

Cruises to Mexico

Cruises leave from both coasts of the U.S., and vary in how long they last. The shorter cruises can be very economical. Cruises will only give you a taste of Mexico compared to other vacation choices, but that might be just the thing to whet your appetite!

Mexican buses

Mexico has an incredibly good network of buses going between cities. Most foreign travelers prefer the deluxe buses or the first-class ones, which typically offer movies, comfortable seating, rest rooms, and an easy schedule of many departures a day. Between the smaller towns you may get retired school buses from the U.S. and more rigorous conditions.

Driving

Driving conditions vary considerably from one Mexican highway to another. Some are slow, while the relatively expensive toll roads usually have light traffic due to their prices. Don’t drive between Mexican cities at night. There are tales of robberies, but more common hazards include livestock lying on the road (enjoying the warmth of the pavement) and vehicles driving without good headlights.

A Few Thoughts on Safety

If you travel in Mexico, do be aware of safety and theft issues. If you carry a purse, think about how easily it could be snatched and perhaps carry your passport and credit cards in your clothing close to your body, even in a pouch under your clothes.

There is much publicity in the U.S. about the occasional dramatic crimes that happen to tourists abroad. If you keep in mind that people are poorer and that you appear wealthy to them (even if that idea is laughable to you), you will make the best choices.

As for health concerns, Mexico is much improved from the past, but do be prudent about what you eat. Most drinking water you will be served is purified now, but it does no harm to ask. Other factors under your control are how much alcohol you drink and how long you stay out in the tropical sun.

Use common sense, and be aware that common sense is different from one country to another. Don’t worry too much. The vast majority of travelers to Mexico have a safe and delightful trip.

Rosana Hart has traveled to Mexico many times. Her website, www.mexico-with-heart.com, contains the full text of a book she wrote about traveling in Mexico, as well as information and travel tips

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Looking for a great place to visit on a budget? Denver just might be your answer. It can be expensive but, if you play your cards right, you can have a great time without spending an arm and a leg.

First, sleep cheap. This means you probably won’t want to stay in a downtown hotel. For example, a one-night stay for a family of four at a typical downtown Denver hotel such as the Tabor Center Westin will set you back about $259 per night. In comparison, your family can stay at a Comfort Inn in Aurora for about $80 or at the Four Seasons by Sheraton Cherry Creek for around $85 a night.

Denver’s Zoo, the Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Botanic Gardens, and the Denver Art Museum are all reasonably priced. If you hit on the right day, you can even get into these city-supported attractions free. Otherwise, the Zoo will cost you about $36 for a family of four, and the Museum around $42. The museum has a great planetarium and, for a few dollars extra, you can watch a film in its IMAX Theater.

Denver’s 17th Street Mall is a great place to people watch. You can usually catch some street entertainers and, if you hit the mall the right week, you’ll find a fun event called Buskerfest.

Another great place to stroll and people watch is Larimer Square. One hundred years ago, it was Denver’s red light district. The historical feeling has been preserved but where ladies of the night once hung out, you’ll now find some fun, interesting shops.

Tours of the Denver Mint and Coors Brewery are free. After the Coors tour, you’ll even be invited to sample some of the company’s products.

If you like picnicking and associated outdoor recreation such as hiking, Denver has parks aplenty. Two of he most popular are Washington Park and Cheesman Park. If you don’t mind driving a bit, be sure to take in Red Rocks Park southwest of Denver between I-70 and US 285.The Red Rocks natural amphitheater is totally one of a kind. Musicians love to play there and once you see it, you’ll know why. There are also a group of mountain parks owned by the City of Denver. Some of the most popular of these include Cub Creek and Dillon Park, Daniels Park, Echo Lake Park, and Lookout Mountain Park. Use of all these parks is free and they are great places to hike around and see some beautiful mountain scenery. These parks are all west of Denver and are easy to find. Don’t miss Genesee Park. It’s only about 30 minutes west of Denver and is home to an honest-to-goodness buffalo herd.

Fishing and other forms of water sports can be found at our two metropolitan lakes - Cherry Creek and Chatfield Reservoirs. Cherry Creek Reservoir is about 25 minutes southeast of downtown Denver via Parker Road. Chatfield can be reached by driving south to C-470 and then west to Wadsworth Blvd.

Finally, try to drive up to Evergreen, CO via I-70 or Colorado #73. If you take Colorado #73, you’ll go through a couple of fun, small towns - Morrison and Kittridge — and drive a beautiful canyon. Evergreen itself hosts many small shops, excellent restaurants and even a Denver Public Golf Course where you get to drive over one of the largest boulders you’ll ever see.

You can learn more of what you need to know for a great Denver vacation at my web site. Just go to http://www.best-denver-vacation.com

Douglas Hanna is a 30-plus year resident of Denver and an expert on Denver and travel in Colorado. He is also the author of more than 100 ezine articles.

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