Editor’s Note: This is the second in our “airport transport & airport shuttles” series. We’ve asked Viator’s own hardcore travelers — the people who travel month in, month out — to write brief insider guides to airport transportation at major airports around the world. The following is by Alesia Stochel, the manager of Viator’s Las Vegas office. Alesia, she knows Las Vegas, baby!

Fabulous Las Vegas Airport Transport

Welcome to Las Vegas, the beckoning of slot machines greeting you the moment you exit your flight. Now it’s time for more sensory overload as you make your way towards baggage claim, with ample time to take in the advertisements for the hottest Vegas shows, clubs, dining and tour experiences. But be warned: From the airport, it looks like the Vegas Strip is mere steps away, but it’s just far enough away to require an airport shuttle, taxi, limo or your own rental car. The good news is you have choice transportation for the most part 24-7-365! A few guidelines that should help you match your transportation with your Vegas style:

Las Vegas Airport Transport: Grab a Cab

Your average Las Vegas visitor simply grabs a cab. Queues for the cabs are located right outside of baggage area (directly past the car rental counters, and one last restroom stop). Cabs range from $12 to the south end of the Strip to $25 downtown. Usually queues move quite frequently — don’t be dismayed by the looks of the long line. Always good to have a map or an idea of where your hotel is located from the airport (south end, center, downtown, off-strip). No longer rides than necessary, right?!

Las Vegas Airport Transport: Show me the savings!

Save your money for a Vegas helicopter tour

Are you an “all About the value” kind of person? The type of person who would rather save money for a show, a great dinner, or may we humbly suggest a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon? Either way you’re in luck, pre-book your Las Vegas airport shuttle ahead of time and beat the crowds, beat the lines, and spend as little as $10 for Strip hotels and $15 for downtown hotels. This is especially useful if you are arriving on a Friday or Saturday evening, which are high traffic days. Cabs and limos can be costly during this tine.

Las Vegas Airport Transport: DIY Las Vegas

Are you an explorer? Or maybe you want to look good in a convertible? Either way all major car rental companies are available at the airport. Cost during the week starts around $65 per day, on weekends from $30 per day. There is often complimentary valet parking at the major hotels (don’t forget to tip), as well as plenty of free public parking available. You will definitley get your exercise from the hotel parking lot to check-in. Wear comfy shoes!

Las Vegas Airport Transport: Almost famous

For the party-until-you-drop people (don’t waste a minute – sleep is overrated) – private sedans are available at the airport for $40 per person. Not quite the high roller, but feeling extra special!

Las Vegas Airport Transport: Famous enough not to care

Welcome to Las Vegas, Mr & Mrs High Roller. You have two options in Las Vegas: a limo or a stretch limo. Both are readily available at the airport for walk-up customers (bottom level of the airport - ask information at the airport to direct you, or follow the signs). The cost is $50-$60.

Las Vegas Airport Transport: So famous…

… your personal assistant is reading this.

For the highest of high rollers you will need to reserve an H2 Hummer Stretch Limo ($100 - $125). You may want to keep it for 1-2 hours to show a VIP is on-board. This is always a great alternative when traveling with a small group of 6 to 8 people. Or maybe you’re what’s known as a “Whale” — one of those high-dollar gamblers who always travels free to / from by private sedan / limo / stretch (the best)… good for you, but remember that nothing is really free in Vegas, baby – but always a good time.

–Alesia Stochel

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Las Vegas tours & things to do in Las Vegas, from Vegas shows to helicopter tours from Las Vegas to Las Vegas airport transfers.

Editor’s Note: Viator’s founder, Rod Cuthbert, is a frequent traveller to London. He wrote the following after being asked (one too many times, apparently) how to navigate London Heathrow’s airport shuttles, trains and taxis. Airport transport to London? Rod has your answers below. So please stop pestering the man.

Getting to Heathrow? That’s the easy part.

Heading to London Heathrow? The easy part is finding a flight. The tricky bit is getting from Heathrow into London itself. That’s something we know a little bit about here at Viator, and we’ve decided to share it with you, unbiased, unvarnished, warts and all. Take a few minutes to check out the options.

Heathrow Airport Transport: Piccadilly Line

The London Underground (a.k.a. The Tube) is a good option if you’re comfortable with public transport. On the plus side it is cheap (about £4 per person). There are also a few negatives. First of all, check your hotel’s address and see if it’s near to a tube station, and if so, what line.

If you’re near the Piccadilly line that’s good, but you still need to deal with the fact that the Underground was designed for commuters with briefcases, not travellers with kids and two pull-along suitcases. If you’re arriving at peak time — i.e., 7 through 10am, or 4 through 7pm — be prepared for lots of crowds and jostling. That could be an unpleasant experience; if you have a family group with you, consider other options.

In any case note that the Tube stops at all stations, and your ride into London will take an hour or so, depending on your exact destination. Transfers to other lines can be simple, just a few steps onto another platform, or excruciatingly long journeys down passages, along corridors, and up so many stairs you’ll think you’re in France.

Verdict: Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Heathrow Airport Transport: The Heathrow Express

The Heathrow Express is a superior public transport option, but a lot more expensive at £15.50 per person. You’re paying for a fast train that runs every 15 minutes, and takes only 15 minutes into Paddington Station. There are stops at Heathrow’s Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 5; and a quick connection is available from Terminal 4.

The Tube from Heathrow is cheap, but not fast

Once again you need to feel comfortable with public transport, but the upside here is that the whole service is designed for travellers, so there’s no worries about luggage or being jostled by crowds of commuters.

From Paddington you can walk to your hotel if it’s nearby, transfer to the Tube, or grab a taxi from the well-organised taxi stand at the station. Maybe I’ve always been lucky, but using Heathrow Express I generally find I can be at my hotel 45 minutes after I clear customs, at a cost around £25, including the cab.

Verdict: Fast, civilised, good value.

Heathrow Airport Transport: London Airport Taxi

This might be the best option for a group of three or four, but don’t forget you need to fit your luggage in there as well. The fare depends entirely on your hotel’s location and can run as much as £70, which might be a bit of a shock for your first expense on UK soil.

The benefit of this option is it’s door to door; the downside is you may hit traffic and sit on the motorway for an hour when you’d rather be in your room and taking a shower. There are well-managed taxi stands at each terminal, and cabs are plentiful so you’ll be off and going quickly without having to lug your bags and children up stairs and down passageways. Personally? I never take a taxi either to or from the airport because I’d rather just get into the city quickly, and you can’t beat Heathrow Express for that. But I can certainly see that a family group might have a different view.

Verdict: A good option for families and groups of three or four. Bring cash.

Heathrow Airport Transport: National Express Bus

It’s London, after all, of course there’s a bus. And if your hotel is near Victoria Station, maybe this is even the best option. The bus picks up from Terminals 1, 2 and 3; from Terminals 4 and 5 there’s a free train link. Three to six buses run every hour, it’s a cheap option at £4 per person, and the trip to Victoria takes about an hour. Some people can hack riding the bus, and some can’t. I can’t say much more; I’ve never tried this service and I never stay near Victoria, so that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

Verdict: Staying near Victoria? Like the bus? On a budget? This one’s for you.

Heathrow Airport Transport: Shared Airport Transfer Shuttles

A shared London airport transfer from Heathrow is a decent alternative to a London taxi and public transport options. It’s good value at around £19 per person, so it’s perfect for one or two people travelling together; three or four might be better off in a cab. You do have to put up with the annoyance of stopping at other people’s hotels. (I don’t know about you, but whenever I use services like Supershuttle I am always the last to get dropped off.) Of course another way to look at this is you get to see some more of London at no extra cost. There are well-located desks at Terminals 1, 3 and 4; and a meet and greet service at Terminal 2. Like the taxi option this will take about an hour, but then add the extra 15 to 30 minutes drop everyone else off.

Verdict: Good value door-to-door service for one or two.

Heathrow Airport Transport: Private Airport Transfer Services

If you’re envious of the people who are met on arrival by their own driver, holding a sign and carrying bags and so forth, a private London airport shuttle is for you. It’s pretty good value, too: £50 total for one, two or three people; £60 total for four to six people; and £78 total for seven or eight. It has all the benefits and shortcomings of a London taxi, but add the nice feeling associated with being met on arrival.

Verdict: For many travellers this is the best option, but it still may be slower than the Heathrow Express.

–Rod Cuthbert

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s London tours & things to do in London, including a range of private and shared London airport transportation from Heathrow and Gatwick.

Where have your itchy feet led you?

Where have your itchy feet led you?

That’s the question Viator, Lonely Planet, and STA Travel want to hear all about, right down to the last blister.

Lonely Planet is launching its annual Travellers’ Pulse survey of travel trends — what’s hot, what’s not, how you’re researching your next trip — and Viator is pleased once again to be a partner.

Click here to take the 2008 Travellers’ Pulse survey >>

And just to sweeten the offer, and to reward you for the 5 minutes or so it takes to complete the survey, you could score a free trip from STA Travel (worth USD $2,000, £1,000 or AUD $2,200) or a free Lonely Planet guidebook pack to help you live your next travel dream. Thanks in advance for taking the time to complete the survey. As always your opinions mean the world to us here at Viator.

–The Viator Team

Are you planning a trip to Australia from the United States, or vice versa?

Here’s some good news. On February 15 the two nations signed an open skies agreement that deregulates air traffic between all airports in both countries. In a nutshell, it means that any certified air carrier can now fly between Australia and the United States. They simply must pay a fee to do so. Historically these routes have been locked up (some would say unfairly monopolized, but monopoly is such an ugly word) by United Airlines and Qantas.

These two airlines will not be pleased with the new open-skies agreement. For the first time Qantas and United will be forced to compete — gasp, it’s true — on price! No more overpriced tickets, no more lackluster service, no more being locked into a single carrier. At least that’s the hope.

An open skies agreement between the United Stated and the United Kingdom has revolutionized air travel between these two countries. Prices have fallen, new carriers have been created, and the “old” carriers have upgraded their planes, services and attitudes!

An advertisement for the new V Australia airline. United & Qantas will not be impressed.

Already we’re seeing something similar happening in Australia. A new airline called V Australia (part of the Virgin Blue group of airlines) has announced it will start flying brand-new planes at the end of 2008. No doubt other airlines will get into the action (please please please, Singapore Air, with your wonderful reclining seats and excellent in-flight service, please start flying between SFO and SYD, please please please).

All in all this agreement is a good thing for travelers flying between Australia and the United States. Qantas and United may be annoyed, but a little competition is always a healthy thing. Bring it on!

–Scott McNeely

At Viator we’re constantly searching for new ways to experience destinations like a traveler, not just a tourist. Which is why we are pleased to offer the ground breaking, cutting edge, and profoundly yellow GPS-guided Storytelling GoCars for city touring over on the Viator website.

Huh? What’s that? What in the world are we talking about???

GPS GoCars in San Francisco

Let’s start at the beginning. Once upon time a man named Nathan Withrington (along with his business partner Alasdair Clements) had a vision. What if visitors to a city could drive around in miniature cars with the latest GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) technology, with an audio tour that was “smart” like a local? Their idea was to allow visitors to leave their guidebooks behind and instead discover a city with clever talking cars that navigate and narrate as you drive. An on-board computer and a GPS-system do the thinking so travelers can sit back and explore the destination from a completely personalized perspective.

Fast-forward to 2004, and Nathan and Alasdair offer the first-ever GoCar GPS car rentals in San Francisco and San Diego. Since then their idea has really taken off. If you live on San Francisco or San Diego, you’ve probably seen these bright-yellow minicars navigating the streets, going places that most tourists never go.

We recently caught up with Nathan and asked him a few question about tourism, GPS technology and the growing popularity of GPS GoCars.

GPS GoCars: Interview with Nathan Withrington

Viator: So Nathan, what exactly is a GoCar?

Nathan: The GoCar is a new concept in tourism. We were the first company in the world that, through GPS technology, empowered sightseers to take themselves on a guided tour. Our little cars have a personality and are you tour guide. As you drive, they navigate like a traditional GPS, but that is not all. They will crack jokes with you, recommend restaurants and tell you the stories that bring the city to life. As you drive, the car give you options of places to go and things to see. The more options you take, the longer your tour. So for the first time in history, they can not only take themselves on a guided tour, they can choose when they leave, how long they go for, where they go, when to stop and the language the tour is given in.

Viator: I live in San Francisco, and I’ve been seeing more of these GPS-enabled cars on the streets. It sounds like your idea has really caught hold and taken off.

Nathan: It all started a few weeks after we opened our doors for business. The San Francisco Chronicle wrote a full-page article on us and put it on the front page of their technology section. Before you know it, Time magazine nominated us for “one of the most amazing inventions of the year.” From that point the press has just not stopped, from Today show, Travel Channel, BBC, New York Times, USA Today… and it just keeps coming.

Viator: OK, be straight with me here. Are GoCars safe? Has anybody ever driven one into the bay?

Nathan: Occasionally, some people are intimidated by the vehicle’s small size and the fact that they are driving on city streets. The vehicles are registered as mopeds but the fact that you have three wheels, not two, makes them much more stable. Thankfully to date, with over 65,000 happy customers, we have not had any serious incidents. We take safety very seriously and make sure everyone that drives a GoCar is given a thorough safety briefing on how to operate the vehicle. With regards to driving one in to the bay, you never know, maybe we will come out with an amphibious GoCar one day!

Viator: Do you need a special license? Special training?

Nathan: All you need is a standard drivers license. The vehicles are operated 100% with hand controls very similar to a bicycle. They are fully automatic, so there is no clutch or gears to worry about. After the safety briefing, most people take to it like a duck to water. The GPS will keep people of the busy streets for the most part and will even warn you when you are entering areas where you need to be cautious.

Viator: I’ve heard the GoCar audio tours as people drive by my house. Do you offer custom voices? Can I select John Wayne to give me a tour of SF?

Yes, that really is Conan O’Brien next to a GPS GoCar in San Francisco

Nathan: We do offer custom themes. My favorite is the “MisterSF tour,” written and narrated by Mister San Francisco (of MisterSF.com) himself. This is a great tour for people that think they already know San Francisco. It does not take you to the obvious places like the Golden Gate Bridge and Lombard St, but rather it shows you the more notorious side of San Francisco, such as where a serial killer lived, where notorious murders happened and buildings that were destroyed in the 1989 earthquake.

Viator: Who’s the most famous person who’s rented a GoCar?

Nathan: You would be surprised at how many we have had. Just last week we had Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia, A Year of Wishful Drinking). We’ve also had the lead singer of Iron Maiden (Bruce Dickenson) rent one while he was here for OZ fest, Conan O’Brien and Tim Matheson to name a few. The most amazing person that rented from us may not be the most famous but I think it has to be Antonio “Tintín” Vizintín. If you don’t recognize his name, you have most likely heard his story as it was told in the 1993 movie Alive where the Uruguay rugby teams aircraft crashed in the Andes mountains. They were presumed dead but, some of them had actually survived and were forced to survive for 72 days without supplies by eating their expired team mates. Meeting someone with that amount of courage was just amazing.

Viator: Has anybody ever stolen a GoCar? Is it even possible to steal one?

Nathan: The great thing about the GoCar is that it is not exactly an inconspicuous vehicle! And it also has GPS tracking. We did have one incident where a couple stopped to have lunch and when they came out the car had gone. They called us to tell us the car had been stolen. All it took was one call to the police to say, “Yellow GoCar with the number 11 on it,” and 10 minutes later the car was recovered, given back to the customers and they were on their way!

Viator: OK, last question: What’s the fastest you’ve ever driven a GoCar?

Nathan: The fastest I’ve ever driven a GoCar? Well, firstly I need to say the cars are only designed to do 30 to 35mph. Having said that, being an engineer, I did modify one of the cars for my personal use to go faster. Much faster. I put an engine three times the size of a regular GoCar engine in it, and that particular GoCar would go over 60mph… for my personal enjoyment only.

Check it out for yourself. Rent a GPS GoCar in San Francisco or San Diego the next time you’re visiting. Or if you live in one of these cities, take your next out-of-town guests on a GPS GoCar tour.

–Scott McNeely

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s tours and things to do in San Francisco, San Diego and coastal California.

Editor’s Note: We are pleased to announce the winners of our NYC Rock ‘n’ Roll contest: Beth Dekoker (her entry: “Over 40, a mom and still rockin!”) and Peter Randell (his entry: “My old punk tee is used to wash the car”). Just to recap, we are giving away 2 free T-shirts for answering one simple question in 10 words or less: Why should we give YOU a free rock ‘n’ roll T-shirt? Congratulations Beth & Peter.

Once upon a time rock ‘n’ roll was king. Rock conquered everything in its musical path, from schmaltzy folk ballads to lightweight pop. Rock’s lethal instrument was the electric guitar. Its warriors wore long hair (if you were into Led Zeppelin) or short hair (if you were a punk). It was sweaty, smelled like cheap beer and urine, and it was loud.

One constant in the ever-changing world of rock is New York City. It’s the home of a dozen seminal bands. Which is where Ron Colinear (a.k.a. Bobby Pinn) comes in. He’s the chief guide and founder of Rock Junket, a company on a mission to celebrate, preserve and expose New York’s great (and too often neglected) music and pop culture history.

NYC Rock n Roll Founder, Ron Colinear (Bobby Pinn)

Bobby Pinn covers New York City’s music-related landmarks and lore on his acclaimed Rock Junket: New York City Rock ‘n’ Roll Walking Tour. Pinn eagerly and enthusiastically walks his rock flock past where Blondie, the Velvet Underground, Television, the Ramones, New York Dolls and Patti Smith lived and played, where Andy Warhol plied his rough trade in his “Factories,” where the Beatles roosted while in the city, and where they riled up millions with their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. Charlie Parker’s Alphabet City pad, Johnny Thunders den of iniquity, Madonna’s first New York City apartment, CBGB’s (the birth place of punk rock), Max’s Kansas City, Andy Warhol’s Exploding Plastic Inevitable parties, Led Zeppelin’s album cover, the Rolling Stones video shoot.

Yes, you cover a lot of rock when you take a NYC rock ‘n’ roll walking tour with Bobby Pin.

Interview with Bobby Pinn: Are you ready to rock in NYC?

At Viator we’re proud to offer Bobby’s NYC rock walk. (Yes, even at Viator, we love to rock.) So we tracked down Rock Junket’s founder and asked him a few questions about New York City, its music, and the bands that have made the city (in)famous.

Viator: What’s the most underrated band you cover on your tour?

Bobby Pin: The Dictators. They were a punk band that formed in New York City in the early 1970s and had their first album released in 1975. They didn’t enjoy a lot of commercial success but they certainly were admired by other bands of that era. Little Steven, of Springsteen’s E Street Band and the Sopranos, referred to them “as the connective tissue between the era’s of The MC5, The Stooges, New York Dolls and the punk explosion of the mid to late 1970’s”.

Viator: OK, so what’s the cheesiest band you cover on your tour?

Bobby Pin: No cheese on my rock tours, baby. I save it for my burgers.

Viator: What’s the best place to see live rock music in NYC these days?

Former NYC Rock Landmark: CBGBs

Bobby Pin: The NYC music has changed over the years. CBGB’s closed in 2006 and The Continental stopped hosting live bands that same year. However Mercury Lounge, Arlenes Grocery, Pianos, Fillmore at Irving Plaza, Bowery Ballroom, and Warsaw in Brooklyn are all great venues.

Viator: Who’s the most famous person / musician you’ve ever taken on a tour?

Bobby Pin: Johnny Rotten! No, not really. But I did meet him once at the Chelsea Hotel and he was cool, took a picture with me and signed an autograph. However I had Roberta Bayley, who is a very famous photographer. Roberta shot the debut cover for the Ramones and she did the back cover shot of the Dolls debut. Also Rebecca Rankin from VH1. But the cool thing about my walks are that we bump into people on the streets. Richard Hell, Lou Reed, Ric Ocasek, Debbie Harry, Handsome Dick Manitoba, my groups have been lucky some days.

Viator: Are there any good up-and-coming NYC bands people should listen for?

Bobby Pin: The days of bands moving to New York City are slim because of the high cost of living. In the 1970s, ’80s and even part of the ’90s you could have a band, share a pad and practice and get gigs and still survive. But the cost of living is so high nowadays that many musicians and artists live on the outskirts of NYC. I also believe we will never see an era like 1964-1979. That was 15 years of unbelievable music, fashion and art. However there are a few bands from NYC that are making some strides. I like The Black Hollies and EL-P from Brooklyn.

Viator: Who’s more rock n’ roll: The Ramones or New York Dolls?

Bobby Pin: Wow, that is a tough one. I believe The Dolls, The Velvet Underground and The Stooges were the punk rock foundation. The Dolls did have Johnny Thunders, who was pretty damn rock n roll. But I would say the Ramones as they jump started the whole punk rock scene and they had Dee Dee who also was pretty damn rock n roll. But then again I have a Dolls tattoo.

Viator: If you could, what other city would you want to do a Rock n’ Roll tour in — London? Los Angeles? Seattle?

Bobby Pin: I have plans to branch out to other cities. London, Chicago, LA, SF are on my radar so look out rock n roll fans. Rock Junket is coming to your town, so get ready to rock.

Contest: Free NYC Rock ‘n’ Roll T-Shirt Alert!

What better way to say “I Luv Rock ‘n’ Roll” than with a free Rock Junket T-shirt, featuring the cool logo above. These ain’t shabby Tees, neither. We’re talking about high-quality, black American Apparel T-shirts. We have 2 T-shirts to give away, one for a woman and one for a man.

So what’s the deal?

In 10 words or less (yes, we will count them) answer the following question: Why should we give YOU a free rock ‘n’ roll T-shirt? That’s right, simply answer the question “why should we give YOU a free rock ‘n’ roll T-shirt?” in 10 words or less, and we will chose the best 2 entries (1 female, 1 male) to win a free Rock Junket NYC Rock ‘n’ Roll T-shirt. The contest closes February 29. (Please note, the contest is now closed, see below for the winners.)

Good luck. And for those about to rock in NYC, we salute you.

–Scott McNeely

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s tours & things to do in New York City, from the Rock ‘n’ Roll Walking Tour to a Hip Hop NYC Tour and dozens more off-beat and unique NYC travel ideas.

Editor’s Note: Jenny is the person at Viator who finds all of the cool, fun and unique things to do in Orlando (and Florida). She’s just back from Orlando and wanted to share a few experiences from her trip.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I love my job (for the most part), and this past week reminded me of another reason why.

I have been down in Orlando discovering all the things to do aside from the ‘Big 3’ (Disney, Universal Studios and Seaworld). Whilst I love these parks (and yes, I know they are some of the best theme parks on the planet) that doesn’t mean I think you should spend 100% of your Orlando vacation visiting them. Orlando has a whole lot more to offer.

Top Things to Do in Orlando: Alligator Wrestling at Gatorland

Florida is know for their alligators, so where better to start than at Gatorland? I had the unique pleasure of going ‘behind the scenes’ where regular guests can’t go, but even the guest areas are full of interesting (porcupines), cute (a black bear), scaly (snakes, gators, lizards etc) and somewhat scary animals (no, I am not a fan of spiders and scorpions!).

There is one behind the scenes tour you can do which is really cool – be a Gator Trainer for a Day. Every day the tasks you do are different – one day it could be collecting gator eggs, the next it could be helping with the shows. And don’t worry you’ll still have plenty of time to visit the Big 3; a half day at Gatorland is all you need to explore this gem in the heart of Orlando. (Update: There was a fire here at the front entrance in 2006, and I’m happy to advise this is almost completely rebuilt. The current construction has no effect on the rest of the park.)

Next I was off to the coast (about 45 minutes by car) for the Daytona 500 Experience, part of our broader collection of NASCAR racing tours and ride-alongs in Orlando. If you’re a fan of racing you will love the Daytona 500 Experience: two IMAX movies (one in 3-D), a simulator ride that is too real for words, and the actual winning car from the Daytona 500 every year, scratches, dents and all! To be honest, I’m not a big NASCAR fan, but it was extremely impressive to see the racetrack on the “Speedway Tour”. It’s hard to comprehend how huge this track is and you can only imagine what it must be like to have every seat filled and engines roaring around the track. This is definitely worth a day trip to the coast to check it all out.

Top Things to Do in Orlando: Swimming with Manatees

So then it was back to nature – swimming with manatees. I was picked up from my hotel and taken out to Crystal River, where I went diving with these gentle creatures. It wasn’t actually ‘manatee’ season, but there were still plenty to see. I’ve swum with dolphins before and had a blast – this was equally impressive.

All the food served on the tour was excellent and it is obvious that the manatees and the preservation of the native Florida wildlife is paramount in the mind of the operators of this tour. After the swim, we headed to our airboat ride – such fun!

Finally, it was over to the Homossassa State Wildlife Park. This is where they bring the manatees to rehabilitate them, but honestly just seeing the manatees here would have been enough for me - swimming with them was an added bonus.

Kennedy Space Center is another great day trip from Orlando and can be purchased either with or without transport and a variety of upgrades to choose from. Kennedy Space Center is one place that has a lot to see and do. You don’t have to be a space junkie to enjoy it all and be amazed by the sheer magnitude of the shuttles. There are hands-on exhibits, IMAX movies, you can have lunch with an astronaut, and much more. This really is a must-do in Orlando.

Then there was Cypress Gardens, a 1-hour drive from Orlando. This park was in its heyday a number of years ago and they have recently done a lot of work to attract visitors again. Thrill rides and a water park have been added, there’s good food, and the gardens are simply amazing. They also have free outdoor concerts featuring acts like the Beach Boys. The park is renowned for its waterski show (which runs year round) and the southern belles that wander the park adding a touch of southern hospitality and charm. The park is constantly undergoing improvements, but nothing that will detract from the experience

Finally, there are all the shows in Orlando. Orlando is a haven for families and these shows make for a perfect end to the day. From pirates and knights to Arabian horses, Blue Man Group and Disney characters, you can combine good food and first class entertainment in one place!

Keep an eye on our Orlando offerings however – we have some new and unique experiences coming up. It’s all part of my job, to find amazing adventures for travelers like you to experience.

–Jenny Crossling

Planning a trip? Check out Viator’s complete list of Orlando tours and things to do. Or consider extending your stay in the Sunshine State and check out the colorful Art Deco District and Little Havana neighborhoods in Miami, or partake in a smorgasbord of water activities in the gorgeous environs of Key West.

It’s not every day that your website is honored by a major media outlet. And when it does happen, well, hopefully you’ll forgive us for trumpeting the news.

In Sunday’s Washington Post, as part of its “Best of the Web” series, Viator.com was listed as one of the 54 Online Travel Sites to Bookmark Now. As in, bookmark us now, please!

Here’s an excerpt from the Washington Post article:

“Given the weak economy, we’ve focused our Best of the Web list this year on travel sites that can save you money — such as the newly merged meta-search team of Kayak.com and SideStep.com. But even if they’re not budget-oriented, our picks can help you make the most of that other valuable commodity, your precious vacation time, by helping you find the right destination, activities, lodgings and cruises for your next trip. Here are our top choices for your travel tool kit.”

“Destination Guides: Viator.com. Many travelers spend hours researching airfares and hotels but don’t plan what to do once they get there. Viator solves that problem by showing dozens of activities for popular destinations. The site can help you avoid getting shut out of must-sees and can save you time by helping you skip the long lines. Choose a destination, such as France, and see top picks, deals and tips for what to do, including a Versailles bicycle jaunt and a Paris pastry- and chocolate-tasting tour.”

Thanks for the endorsement, Washington Post. We’re much obliged.

–Scott McNeely

If you’ve got a thing about flowers, colour, beauty, history, and/or sweet smelling air, Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands is the place for you. It’s gorgeous. So gorgeous, in fact, that no-one has ever taken a bad photograph there. Well, not of the flowers anyway.

The tulips at Keukenhof Gardens

Keukenhof is the world’s largest flower garden, over 70 acres (around 32 hectares) of parkland filled with more than 7 million bulbs - tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, narcissi, gladioli. But mainly it’s the tulips - of course, since this is the Netherlands. Located near Haarlem, just outside Amsterdam, it’s easy to get to by train and bus or car, even bicycle – this is the Netherlands. There’s even a bus that goes there direct from Schipol Airport. And once you get there, you can’t get lost in the gardens because there is one big landmark to guide your way - yep, it’s a windmill; after all, this is the Netherlands.

Tulips, tick. Bicycles, tick. Windmills, tick. I haven’t got to clogs yet, but I will…

Keukenhof Garden Tours: Plan Ahead

The most important thing to remember about Keukenhof Gardens is that it’s only open in spring, when the bulbs are flowering. That’s about 8 weeks of the year. In 2008, they are open from 20 March to 18 May. The rest of the year, the bulbs sleep - not a bad gig. But during those 8 weeks, the flowers really deliver: over 800,000 people visited the gardens last spring.

Keukenhof Gardens: So pretty it almost hurts

The flower gardens at Keukenhof were established in 1949, the idea of Mr W J H Lambooy, the then mayor of the nearby town of Lisse. He and a few other local identities thought that an annual open-air flower exhibition would be a good thing - largely for the local growers of bulbs to be able to exhibit and sell their wares. They decided on the Keukenhof Estate, using the former herb and vegetable garden area of the 15th-century Countess of Holland, Jacoba van Beieren. Hence the name of the place: Keukenhof literally means ‘kitchen garden’.

These days the park includes 7 inspiration gardens (ideas for you to try in you own, somewhat smaller, plot at home!); bronze sculptures by Dutch artists scattered around the place; changing exhibitions of flowers; and tents or kiosks from local bulb growers where you can order your favourites, which will then be delivered around September when the bulbs are in their deepest hibernation, gathering strength for next year. Every year about three billion (that’s 3,000,000,000!!) tulip bulbs are produced in Holland.

Tulips for Beginners

One of the most amazing things about tulips is the variety and colour. Every year Dutch growers breed new strains of the flower. Which brings me to more history and the most amazing thing I discovered in my investigations of Keukenhof: tulips are not Dutch at all! Well, they are now, about 500th generation (if every year is a generation for bulb?). But they do not grow wild in the Netherlands and never have. In fact, the natural habitat of the tulip is the rocky, dry mountainous regions near the border of China and Russia. The kind of flat, below sea-level, damp earth of the Netherlands is their least favourite environment, although I’m sure by now they have adapted. And the Dutch are very good at draining soil, let’s face it.

So how did tulips get to the Netherlands? And why did they become such a national symbol?

A botanist called Carolus Clusius who worked in Vienna, met with the Austrian Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, A. G. Busbequius. Busbeq gave him some tulip bulbs, a flower he had first seen in the gardens of Constantinople (now Istanbul). In fact, they are thought to be called tulips after the Persian word for turban (toliban, which when changed into Latin became tulipa) because there was a visual similarity between the hat and the flower. Clusius then took a job at the University of Leiden in Holland and planted his tulip bulbs.

From there, tulips became the new black. Tulipmania followed, with speculation in tulips reaching such dizzy heights (and losing so many Dutch their fortunes, houses and piece of mind) that the government stepped in during 1637 to stop the tulipwindhandel (literally ‘tulip wind trade’). I’m envisaging it as a vegetarian form of the pork bellies mayhem that occurs on Wall Street these days.

Anyway, now the tulip is no less desired, or valuable, but it is more even-tempered in its trade. It is also now firmly a Dutch symbol and foundation of their economy, it’s roots in the east largely faded into history.

Keukenhof: Don’t come if you don’t like tulips

Tulips + Ukulele = Tiny Tim

But not only have tulips been so important to one country, they were crucial in the life of one short man with a high voice: Tiny Tim. His 1968 hit song, ‘Tiptoe through the Tulips’, made him a worldwide star. ,It was not an original but a cover of the song written in 1929 by Nick Lucas (the song had four other incarnations on the pop charts through the 20th century).

I think Tiny Tim was the only one to add ukulele, though, and that made him a standout! Married live on The Tonight Show surrounded by 10,000 tulips, naming his daughter Tulip, and finally being buried in a coffin full of tulips, no-one could say Tiny Tim was not grateful for the leg-up tulips gave him in life.

(A useless but fascinating fact: Tiny Tim’s televised wedding to Miss Vicky in 1969 attracted 84% of the American TV audience, coming second only to the moon landing in ratings during the 1960s. I bet producers these days wish they could match that. Perhaps if Britney surrounded herself with tulips and… but back to Keukenhof.)

So, this humble flower has an incredible history. It has made people rich and lost them their houses, it has been a basis of its adopted country’s economy, it has brought joy and been cut from its bulb to be given with love, it has inspired song and television history.

Keukenhof Garden Tours: Remember, it’s March to May Only

Keukenhof Gardens is truly beautiful. The sheer scale immerses you in colour and fragrance. But I think my favourite thing about it is that it’s only open for 8 weeks each year. There’s no theme-park style manipulation of nature here. No hothouses tricking the bulbs into thinking it’s spring all year around. The flowers bloom from March to May, so that’s when you can go and see them.

Perfect.

One final word of advice: Keukenhof Gardens is a big place. You’ll be doing a lot of walking. You probably shouldn’t wear clogs. (And you thought I’d forgotten…)

–Philippa Burne

Book a Keukenhof Garden Tour over on the Viator site, or read more than 70 reviews of the Keukenhof Garden tours. Also check out Viator’s complete list of things to do in Amsterdam and the Netherlands. Still with us? Good, then browse photos of the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens in bloom on the Viator Flickr site.

Someone said the great thing about travel is the journey, not the destination. At Viator we take issue with that for about 5,000 different reasons — as in the 5,000 tours and things to do you can book in hundreds of destinations worldwide at viator.com. For us travel is all about the destination, and certainly not about the journey.

But that’s not to say we don’t think getting there can be a lot of fun. With that in mind I accepted an invitation to fly with our new partner, Silverjet, who operate one of the new all-business-class services between London and New York. OK, it wasn’t a difficult decision, given I had to fly from London back to San Francisco anyway. Why not see what all the fuss is about, and pick up a commuter flight from NYC to SF the next day?

Silverjet: Big comfy seats, less stress all round…

The Silverjet difference starts at the check-in terminal. Based at one of London’s smaller airports, Luton, Silverjet have their own separate building and a process that looks nothing like a regular check-in. Walk in and you’re met by one of their staff who relieves you of your burden; you take a seat, grab a drink, a snack, have a shower or generally just chill out in luxury. A staff member will appear at some stage to check your passport and hand you a boarding pass, but you never have to wait in line or anything déclassé like that.

The Silverjet departure lounge at Luton

Boarding is similarly low-key: the security is tight but friendly, everything flows smoothly, and things happen on time. The planes are nice big Boeing 767s, lots of room, all one class and all comfortable sleeper seats. Personal video and all that stuff goes without saying. Service on board is attentive without being overpowering and the food is exactly as it should be for an up-market carrier.

But the thing I liked best about Silverjet is not something you can see or even describe very easily: it’s the lack of pressure, the total absence of having to worry about the mundane elements of travel like checking in, lining up, getting a good seat, whether the meal will be edible, who you’ll be sitting next to, and so on. Put simply, flying with Silverjet is a relaxing experience, and sort of fun. This is probably what air travel was like on those early trans-Atlantic flights, when everyone dressed up and it was a social event.

Anyway, I’m happy to add my voice to the many reviews I’ve read in praise of this new class of airline. If you’re planning to fly across the pond anytime soon, do yourself a favour* and try Silverjet.

–Rod Cuthbert

* Apologies to my countryman Ian “Molly” Meldrum for use of his trademark line. And click here to read a previous Viator Blog post about Silverjet.