Archive for November, 2009

With over 350 fabulous beaches in the State of Florida, it’s almost impossible to choose a Best Florida Beach. City of Delray Beach, however, on the east coast, equidistant between West Palm and Fort Lauderdale is at the top of the list.

Delray Beach is fondly known as the Village by the Sea. It’s a first-class resort town in Palm Beach County next door to Boca Raton. Delray won the Centennial Medallion Award for its historic preservation efforts, joining New York’s Central Park and San Francisco’s Ghiradelli Square. It has a thriving downtown with Atlantic Avenue as the focal point, featuring shopping, galleries, dining and nightlife and even, the last time I checked, an excellent Elvis impersonator in one of the landmark outside bars!

Delray has three miles of award winning Blue Wave certified beaches and the largest beach in the County with plenty of parking on the street (angled in) and in lots. A short walk through the mangroves on narrow winding paths all along A1A brings you out on the other side to a wide expanse of beautiful sand. There are volleyball nets along the beach, and a nature trail and boardwalk in Atlantic Dunes Park. There are boating activities, you can rent a seadoo or sunfish. There are several open air restaurants on A1A and many more as you stroll down Atlantic Avenue from the beach.

Here are the particulars on the Delray Beaches:

Main

Location: Atlantic Avenue and A1A, Delray Beach

Hours: 5 AM to 11 PM

Parking: metered street and lot parking

Amenities: 2 miles of beach, lifeguards, restrooms, outdoor

showers, restaurants, handicapped accessible

Activities: swimming, volleyball, sunbathing, snorkeling, diving,

fishing and surfing outside guarded areas

Pets: no

Of Special Interest: 150 yards off the southern end of Delray’s

Bch 22 feet down, lies a steel hulled freighter that sank

in the 1920s. This is a first-class beach dive and excellent for

beginners, according to Dixie Divers.

Atlantic Dunes Park

Location: A1A, one block north of Linton Blvd., Delray Bch

Hours: 8 AM to dusk

Parking: metered/4 hours

Amenities: lifeguards, restrooms, outdoor showers, handicapped

accessible

Activities: swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, volleyball, surfing

& fishing outside of guarded areas

Pets: no

It’s not only the beach itself that makes Delray so appealing. The City’s Master Plan is a unified vision to create a thriving downtown that stretches all the way from I-95 to the beachfront. It is a national model on how to promote cultural and economic activity.

December is a fabulous time to visit Delray Bch as the City is more alive than ever with Holiday Spirit:

· 12/3 Art & Jazz on the Avenue – Open house for restaurants, art galleries and shops along Atlantic Avenue, live entertainment, 6-10 pm

· 12/3 Famous 100-Foot Tree Lighting Ceremony – Old School Square, 5 pm entertainment, 6 pm Santa arrives and official tree lighting

· 12/4 22nd Annual Chamber Golf Classic 7

· 12/12 Holiday Parade

· 12/12 Ride & Remember Trolley Tour -

· 12/12 Kids Day at the Tree – Old School Square, visit Santa and play in the snow, special surprises at the Famous 100-Foot Christmas Tree

· 12/12-13 Delray Art League Outdoor Art Show – Veterans Park

· 12/14-15 Santa’s Calling – Community Center

· 12/19 Breakfast with Santa – Join Santa for a special breakfast at the Delray Beach Marriott

· 12/19 Narrated Bus Tour of Historic Delray Beach

· 12/26-27 Howard Alan Craft Show – Delray Bch Tennis Center

· 12/31 First Night® 2010 New Year’s Eve Celebration – Bring the entire family to enjoy visual and performing arts in non-alcoholic venues at various locations downtown

Come and visit the Best Florida Beach – City of Delray Beach!

Maria Norton is the creator of Florida-Retirement.Net, a website designed for those who are considering retiring to Florida or buying second homes there. She is a licensed Real Estate Broker and a 20 year veteran of the Relocation Industry. She provides comprehensive, personalized & free, Florida Relocation Services. She has also published 4 eBooks: A Guide to Establishing Florida Residency, The FLORIDA BEACH BOOK, How to Create the Perfect Retirement & How to Buy a Second/Vacation Home in Florida. The FLORIDA BEACH BOOK is a Guide to over 350 Florida Beaches and the Best Restaurants On or Near Them, and includes OVER $750 in restaurant gift certificates, including city Oyster in Delray Beach. The Guide also contains Florida Beach Maps. The information in the article above is excerpted from The FLORIDA BEACH BOOK. TO GET YOUR COPY visit her website at http://www.florida-retirement.net.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/best-florida-beachcity-of-delray-beach-1519703.html

Jimbaran and The Bukit Peninsula located on bali’s west coast which once were a very quiet village area with small population but since rumours about their beautiful beaches and nature-carved cliffs spread among surfers and hippies make Jimbaran became very popular among tourists looking for a private break, away from the city rush.

Jimbaran most famous tourist destinations is the Uluwatu temple, a cliff-edge temple high above the sea. Uluwatu is one of nine main temples in Bali, which according to Balinese Hinduism were built to guard the land from southward threats. Uluwatu Temple is also home to dozens of monkeys – some even consider them sacred. Some of the best beach in Jimbaran also famous for surfing like the famous Dreamland beach. Dreamland Beach was one of the Bukit’s most secluded areas for years until a property developer decided to open the 400 hectares around the beach to the public, in the form of residences, a golf course, an international school, a hospital, an upper-class resort and a brand new name.

Aside from the beautifully carved limestone cliff and beautiful white sandy beaches, Jimbaran also well known for is Luxury Bali villas. A Bali villa in Jimbaran offer various facilities from stunning beach view to luxurious private Bali villas. Enjoy 6-star villa accommodation if you booked villas in Jimbaran, outstanding cuisine and the state-of-the-art spa are waiting to pampers you and your family. Most villas in Jimbaran equipped with private car with or without driver so it easy for you to go around. Although distance to various places from Jimbaran is not far but by having private car waiting at your disposal is another private villas advantage.locals and visitors.

Dharma serves as online marketing consultant of Jimbaran Villas and Jimbaran Villa

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/jimbaran-village-with-most-the-villas-are-beach-view-1516901.html

Strangely, Windermere [town] used to be called Winandermere and before that there were actually three small hamlets [Applethwaite, Birththwaite and Heathwaite] which were combined in the 1800’s when there was a greater attempt to encourage people to visit the area.

The railway arrived in 1857, making the area much more accessible to visitors and with this demand grew a wealth of Lake District Hotels. The railway still exists today and brings people from all over the world to this special area of the Lake District National Park. As well as being a sustainable way to travel, most of the Windermere hotels are only a short walk from the station, or at worst a five minute taxi ride.

Lake Windermere is well known as England’s largest Lake at over 10 miles long and is also the deepest at 65 metres. There are numerous outstanding viewing points within easy reach either by car, or by short walk. Gummer’s Howe is probably the most famous being situated at the south end of Lake Windermere. You can drive most of the way, leaving only a 30 minute walk to marvel at the panoramic views over Lake Windermere and across to Morecambe Bay. To see the Lakes from a different perspective, Arnside Knott rewards those who take this gentle climb with stunning views of the Kent Estuary and Morecambe Bay; simply head for the viewpoint. For a more challenging, but still enjoyable walk for most, take the 2 hour round trip to Brantfell and Post Knott. Take the camera, as there are wonderful views of Windermere, the stunning Langdales and maybe even the Lake District Hotel you’ve chosen. Hope for a clear day and always check the weather forecasts before heading out. Suitable footwear is always important, even on these more leisurely walks.

Around Lake Windermere you’ll find an array of villages and hamlets to enjoy. While the drive will be slow around the twisting back roads, you’ll discover Fell Foot Park [National Trust] where you can enjoy an ice cream and hire a boat; Aquarium of the Lakes and the Lakeside and Haverthwaite railway at Lakeside, both being attractions you can enjoy on a sunny or rainy day; at Graythwaite you can enjoy Graythwaite Hall Gardens, which are particularly impressive in the Spring; head up towards Sawrey and visit ‘Hill Top’, a 17th century farmhouse where Beatrix Potter weaved her lyrical magic. At the north end of Lake Windermere, Ambleside is a Mecca for walking enthusiasts and you can take a lake cruise back to your hotel in Bowness-on-Windermere.

If the Lake District becomes your world for a short break, then coming over the hill and down into Windermere is the start of an incredible romantic adventure. Book a luxury Windermere hotel, unpack and if the weather is fine take the 3 mile stroll to Orrest Head, starting opposite the TIC. The reward for your hand holding efforts will be as breathtaking as that first kiss. Remember to compare the beauty of the views with that of your partner and you can be sure of another breathtaking kiss, or maybe just a sly smile.  

To compensate your partner for the effort, treat them to a hot cappuccino or cocktail back at your hotel in Windermere, then change for the evening’s entertainment. A candlelit dinner on a lake cruise is a wonderful way to charm your companion, while enjoying the many sights around Lake Windermere. Marvel at the lakeside houses and envy those with moorings and motor yachts, but enjoy the smooth jazz of the onboard live band and the amaretto that’s helping the shared indulgent chocolate dessert go down.

Hillthwaite House Hotel, one of the finest Lake District hotels, situated between Windermere and Bowness. Enjoy high quality hotels in the Lake District accommodation and fine food.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/windermere-the-heart-of-the-lakes-1515997.html

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