Brooke Lorren's Travel Articles

If you're planning on traveling somewhere, you'll want to know a little bit about what you're up to. Here are some travel tips.

1. Learn some of the language. - It's helpful when you travel to learn a little bit of the language of the place that you're going to. You don't have to be an expert, but learn at least enough to get by. Learn the words for bathroom, learn food words, and learn some numbers and money words at the very least. I really LOVE Rosetta Stone, but it is a little expensive. Many libraries now have subscriptions to Tell Me More that you can use. There are also Instant Immersion software programs that are less expensive, or you can check out some audio cassettes from the library.
   
2. Learn about where you're going. - Whether you're going to Europe, Asia, South America, or anywhere in between, there is probably plenty of information about the place you're going out there. I really like Lonely Planet and Fodor's books, and I've used them in many of the places that I've gone. You can visit their web sites for information, or you can go to the library and check them out.
   
3. Learn about the history of where you're going. - If you're going to Rome, learn about some of the history of ancient Italy. When you actually get to the place where you're going, you'll feel more of the wonder of the place and be more interested.
   
4. Learn about the culture. - You'll probably learn about the culture as you're researching the city, but when you get to where you're going, try to blend in. You might look completely different just because you are a different skin color, but you don't have to purposely stand out. It's often rude.
   
5. Pack appropriately. - Make sure that you're wearing the right clothing for the weather conditions of where you're traveling to, as well as where you're planning on visiting. For example, if you want to visit St. Peter's Cathedral, you have to conform to their dress code, and not wear shorts or tank tops.
   

Photo by nkzs at sxc.hu

Australia is a wonderful place to visit. I had the chance to visit for five weeks, and I'd love to go again. One of the places that I got to spend some time in is Sydney. Sydney has quite a few museums, a great zoo, a beautiful aquarium, and of course, its opera house.

I wrote about some of my favorite places to see in Sydney. If you'd like to find out more about some of my favorite places in Sydney, Australia, check out my article on Associated Content.

Photo by deyna03 at sxc.hu.

I recently visited Olympic National Park. There is a wide variety of places that you can visit there, from the mountains to the Ocean. If you live in Washington or happen to be visiting, it is well worth a visit.

Some of my favorite places to visit at Olympic National Park include Staircase and Kalaloch.

Staircase is located near Lake Cushman, and the road is closed during the winter. You will have to pay a $25 fee to enter the park with a car. A recent storm caused the river to change course and a hillside to collapse, so if you haven't been there in a while, it has changed.

Kalaloch is located right on the ocean. There are plenty of places to camp, but you might want to make reservations if you're going during the summer season. If you can't get into Kalaloch, you might find a spot at South Beach, which is a relatively primitive campground, that has no running water. A short drive up highway 101 will bring you to Beach 4, which is a great place to look at tidal pools.

For more information about Olympic National Park, feel free to visit my Squidoo lens on the subject.

Photo copyright 2009 Brooke Lorren.

I lived in Italy for three years. My daughter was born in Naples. We had the chance to visit Rome, the Vatican, Venice, Pisa, and a few other places, but we spent the most time in Naples.

Visiting Naples, you will probably notice the traffic. They drive differently there. The food is definitely different. Even if you think that you know Italian food, if you live in the United States, you're probably used to the Americanized version.

Visit my Squidoo page on Naples, Italy for more information.

While not necessarily a top tourist destination, I lived in Belfair, Washington for 18 years, and I have relatives that still live here, so I can probably say that I know a lot about it. There are a few touristy destinations, although it is usually visited by local Washingtonians. Some of the top destinations here are the Theler Wetlands and Belfair State Park.

If you're going to be dropping by Western Washington and are looking for an out of the way, small-town, destination to spend a day, you might want to check out my lens on Belfair, Washington to find out more information.

Photo copyright 2009 Brookelorren (and was taken in Belfair).

If you have one day in Western Washington, and you want to spend it at the beach, drive on over to Ocean Shores. I prefer Kalaloch beach, but it is more remote. Ocean Shores is a lot more commercial, and there are lots of fun activities, like miniature golf, shopping, and horseback riding. You can even drive on the beach! But if you do drive on the beach, please be careful, because I almost lost my car out in the waves there.

Ocean Shores always has a great fourth of July display there, which I tried to see this year, but the mist was so heavy I couldn't see it. But there are fireworks all up and down the beach anyway.

For more information on Ocean Shores, visit my Squidoo lens.

Photograph copyright 2009 Brooke Lorren.

The Grand Canyon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Arizona. I visited once in the eighth grade, but then chose to take my kids to see it in 2009 when I took them on the Ultimate Road Trip. It had changed a lot since I was an eighth grader. I had the chance to visit both rims of the park this time, and got to drive down the Grand Staircase, which is an absolutely gorgeous drive.

To find out more information about the Grand Canyon, visit my Squidoo page.

Photo copyright 2009 Brooke Lorren.

United States

Arizona

The Arizona Science Center
Children's Activities at the Phoenix Zoo
The Star Trek Science Exhibit
Visit Fish Creek, Arizona

Washington

Belfair (Squidoo lens)
Top 3 Camping Spots in Western Washington

Australia

Places to See in Sydney Australia

Italy

Top Destinations in Naples, Italy
Driving in Naples and Southern Italy
Spring Break, Italian Style

Everywhere

Six Essential Camping Items
Don't Buy A Timeshare
How to Keep Healthy While Flying
How to Prevent Theft While Flying on a Plane

Photo by marganz at sxc.hu.