Category Archives: Senior Travel

Transat Discoveries Unveils its 2012/2013 Brochure

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Transat DiscoveriesNearing its first anniversary (October), Transat Discoveries unveiled its 2012/2013 brochure during a press luncheon yesterday afternoon in Toronto. The new and improved brochure, which will be distributed to Ontario travel agencies beginning in September, features exotic escorted tours in Thailand, Tanzania, South Africa, Laos, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey, as well as packages in Eastern Europe.

The company has also included:

  • Fly & Drive tours to explore Iceland and Scandinavia (12 days)
  • River cruising in Asia featuring a world-renowned Mekong river cruise
  • Add-ons such as mini tours and beach stays, allowing travellers to build their own itinerary.

Some of the new and exciting itineraries highlighted during the presentation included:

  • 12-day Colours of Brazil tour, which now includes Iguazu Falls
  • 13-day Enchanting Thailand
  • 13-day Charming Vietnam
  • 16-day Turkey: Ottoman Discoveries tour
  • 8-day Johannesburg to Cape Town honeymoon mini tour

Everything in the brochure can be customized, which gives travellers lots of freedom to build their own itineraries. “It is very unique to anything our sister brand (Transat Holidays) is doing,” said Dan Prior, the company’s sales director, when speaking about the Turkey tour. Also unique to Transat Discoveries are its early booking promos:

  • Save up to $400 per couple
  • Save up to an additional $120 with the repeat traveller discount
  • Book before November 30, 2012 to pay half the deposit — $250 instead of $500

Transat Discoveries’ best-selling tours of 2012 included:

  • 12-day Magical Morocco
  • 13-say Mysteries of Peru
  • 12-day Kenya & Tanzania: The Call of the Wild

…each of which remains available in 2013.

Most of these are small exclusive groups — in fact, on some tours the maximum is 10 people, so you really get a personalized experience! I think these are some pretty phenomenal packages, so I’ll be talking about them in greater detail in upcoming posts. Stay tuned for more info!

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Top 10 Free Things to Do & See in NYC

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Statue of Liberty
Planning a trip to New York City can be expensive at the best of times. Especially if you’ve never been, or are travelling with someone who’s never been. It means you’ll do all the touristy stuff, including the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, the Met, a Broadway show, to name just a few. Twenty-five bucks here, fourteen bucks there, $100+ for show tickets, it all adds up pretty quickly.

The good news is that there is a ton of cool stuff to do and see in New York City that doesn’t cost a dime. Since I was just there last week, I wanted to share some of my personal faves.

Central Park offers all kinds of free events, cool statues and sites like Strawberry Fields, an ‘Imagine’ mosaic, where John Lennon was killed in 1980, ‘the Pond,’ (from “The Catcher in the Rye”). Or, you can just sit and people watch all day.
Times Square, baby! There’s nothing quite like the big city lights of Times Square at night. Plus, you never know who (or what) you’ll see!

The Naked Cowboy, NYC, NY

Chelsea is home to a mecca of galleries nestled mostly in the 20s Streets between 10th & 11th Aves. Rumour has it that lots of galleries offer wine and cheese openings on Thursdays.

Brooklyn Brewery – any chance I get to go inside a brewery for a free tour and taste, I’m there!Tours run on the hour from 1-5 on Saturdays & 1-4 on Sundays.

New York Earth Room – what’s there, you ask? Dirt. 280,000 pounds of dirt. How often to you get to see a single room filled with that much dirt?

Rockefeller Center was built during the depression in the 1930s and spans an impressive 22-acres of the city. You’ve seen the giant Christmas tree in NYC, right? Well that’s Rockefeller Center, and it’s free to visit!

Bronx ZooBronx Zoo might be of interest if you’re travelling with kids – or even if you’re not! It’s the oldest and largest zoo in the entire US, occupying a whopping 265 acres and housing more than 4000 animals. The Bronx Zoo operates on a donation system on Wednesdays.

If the zoo isn’t your thing, maybe you’d rather peruse innovative art, lights shows and maybe take in a movie. If so, Socrates Sculpture Park offers all of the above on Wednesdays as well.

Everyone loves a botanical garden, and you can visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for free on Tuesdays, and from 10am to noon on Saturdays.

When it’s time to escape the chaos of the city streets, you can rent a kayak for free on the weekends and on some evenings from public boathouses along the Hudson River.

9/11 Memorial WaterfallSaving the very best for last … I know, how can you top the entertainment factor of the Naked Cowboy, right?

Well, back to reality. The best of all free sight to see in NYC is the 9/11 Memorial. Experience the magnificent waterfalls and reflecting pools set within the footprints of the North and South Towers.

Freedom Tower, NYC

 

While you’re there, look way up to see the new Freedom Towers currently being built! I speak from the heart when I tell you this was truly a magical experience not to be missed.

What are some of you favourite free things to do in New York City? Share them with us below!

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