Yes, you read right - we’re giving away two free tickets on a San Francisco helicopter tour and two free tickets on a behind-the-scenes platinum tour of the California Academy of Sciences. No tricks, no funny stuff - we’re giving all of this away with no questions asked.

Well, that’s not quite true. We are asking everybody who enters the contest one simple question:

We want to know - in 10 words or less - why we should give YOU these free tickets. To enter our San Francisco giveaway you must tell us (in 10 words or less) why we should we send you on a SF helicopter tour and behind-the-scenes at the California Academy of Sciences. Leave your 10-word reply as a comment and we’ll select a winner by October 30.

SF Helicopter Tour? Yes!

Win 2 free tickets on a SF Buena Vista Helicopter Tour...

Some people don’t get too excited about helicopter tours. Fair enough, but this isn’t your typical helicopter tour. This is a tour of San Francisco, after all, which means you go under the Golden Gate Bridge at about 120mph, swooping down and around Alcatraz Island on a stunning aerial view of the city. It’s pretty amazing stuff (click here to read Scott’s review of his SF helicopter tour).

Oh, and did we mention it’s FREE!!! The winner of our contest wins 2 free tickets on an San Francisco Vista Grande helicopter tour.

California Academy of Sciences? Yes!

...and 2 free tickets on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Academy of Sciences

But wait! There’s more. We’re also giving away 2 free tickets on a behind-the-scenes platinum tour of the California Academy of Sciences. It’s the only place on the planet with an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum and four-story rain forest all under one roof! The Platinum Tour is the ultimate behind-the-scenes experience at the Academy, and you’ll get special access to staff-only areas, interaction with Academy researchers and a private viewing of some of the Academy’s secured collections including the aquarium.

A perfect weekend in San Francisco, in 10 words or less!

OK, just to repeat, all you need to do is tell us, in 10 words or less, why we should give you 2 free tickets on a SF Buena Vista Helicopter Tour and 2 free tickets on a Platinum Tour of the California Academy of Sciences. The tickets are valid for 6 months from the time we issue them. There are no blackout dates, though availability is subject to normal restrictions by our local suppliers

Not to get all legal on you, but here’s some additional fine print: It’s your responsibility to get yourself to San Francisco. We’re simply providing 2 free tickets on a SF helicopter tour and 2 free tickets on a Platinum Tour of the California Academy of Sciences. Any hotel, train, plane, or other expenses are solely your responsibility.

Good luck in the contest. Happy travels and enjoy San Francisco!

-Viator Travel Team

We’ve had a good run so far this year - both Viator.com and the Viator Blog have been nominated and won a handful of awards that make us feel proud (click here to see the list). Earlier this week we were extremely pleased to add another award to our trophy case - the 2009 Best Agent-Only Website from the UK travel site Travolution.

Two of Viator's London team, showing off our award

We’re not exactly certain what an “agent-only” website is. Some reference to James Bond? Maybe not. But with praise like this for Viator.com we’re not going to complain about the awkward name:

“Viator showed a clear love of its product, with design and functionality clearly executed and focused with a strong sense of community through user-generated content.”

We do love our products, even if we usually call them ‘travel tours and experiences’ instead of mere products. This ain’t your regular shopping site, friends - Viator.com is all about tours and travel experiences that are unforgettable. It’s all part of why we love to travel.

Thanks again for your support. We look forward to seeing you again in 2010 for more incredible travel experiences and - if we’re lucky - a few more awards to show off.

-Viator Travel Team

TRAVELtech honors the top travel websites in Australia. And yes, mate, Viator has Australian roots! Viator was founded and maintains a strong presence in Australia (along with our offices in San Francisco, Las Vegas and London). And we were honored to be on TRAVELtech’s shortlist of Australia’s top travel websites.

And then just last week, we were even more honored for Viator.com to be named one of Australia’s Top 10 travel websites! Our friends at LonelyPlanet.com took top honors, so congrats to the LP team. Viator was among 8 other sites recognized for travel greatness, including Qantas.com, Worldnomads.com, Hotelscombined.com, Stayz.com.au and Flighcentre.com.au.

Congratulations to all the winners. While many of our businesses were ‘born’ Down Under, so to speak, it’s impressive how global and international Australia’s top travel sites have become.

Viator.com - a TRAVELtech Top 10 travel website!

-Viator Travel Team

Viator's Travel Blog wins gold!

Travel Weekly is one the travel industry’s top trade magazines. For a few years Travel Weekly has been honoring top travel companies as part of its Magellan Awards, which “honors the best in travel and salutes the outstanding travel professionals behind it all.”

I’m not sure I’d call us professionals! No quibbling, though, we’re thrilled to be the recipient of a 2009 Magellan award for the Viator Travel Blog! We took the gold in the Online Travel Services category, along with mass-market travel names such as TripAdvisor and The Travel Channel.

It’s been a good year for awards at Viator. We’re thrilled to have won TripBase and Chapeau awards for our blog, and for www.viator.com to have been nominated for TravelTECH, British Travel, and Travolution awards this year. Hooray for us, and for all of our travel compatriots who have been nominated for awards this year.

Happy travels, and thanks for your ongoing support. It means the world to us.

-Viator Travel Team

Haven’t heard of Viva la Summer? Here’s the deal - as part of Viator’s celebration of summer 2009, we’re pointing a spotlight at top summer destinations around the world. This week’s featured destination is San Francisco (see below for some of our favorite things to do in San Francisco).

As always our first order of business: we’re pleased to honor our Viva la Summer traveler of the week. This week it’s Eduardo S. from the USA. He submitted a photo of himself and his daughter taken on a Muir Woods & Sausalito day trip from San Francisco. We love the smiles and the tall trees - the redwoods of Northern California are truly amazing if you’ve never seen them up close.

For being selected as Viator’s Viva la Summer traveler of the week, we’re sending Eduardo a $50 Viator Gift Certificate.

Eduardo S. and daughter, Viator's Travelers of the Week

Viva la summer, viva San Francisco

Your first time to San Francisco? Or maybe you have guests visiting from out of town. Either way the San Francisco City and Alcatraz Tour is a comprehensive guided experience that includes numerous stops in the city as well as a ferry trip to Sausalito and a visit to Alcatraz. Or shake it up a bit with a San Francisco Segway Tour, an eco-friendly way to cover a lot of ground quickly.

With the Bay itself a major attraction, the Golden Gate Bay Cruise gets travelers onto the water for a full Bay loop, sailing next to Alcatraz and under the Golden Gate Bridge. The GPS-guided Talking Tour Cars San Francisco puts the traveler in control with the assistance of the talking GPS guidance system taking travelers through the curves of Lombard Street to the Presidio and Golden Gate Park.

Or maybe you love wine? You’re in luck. San Francisco is known for its proximity to some of the world’s finest wine country - the Napa and Sonoma valleys. The Napa and Sonoma Wine Country Tour visits a mix of boutique and large-scale wineries including V. Sattui (Napa), Madonna Estate, Mt. St. John (Napa), Sutter Home (Napa) and Sonoma Square (Winery locations subject to change).

Love wine and trees? The Muir Woods and Wine Country Small Group Tour explores the spectacular redwood sequoia forest at Muir Woods then visits boutique Sonoma wineries for the travelers’ tasting pleasure.

Last and not at all least, Viator’s Skip the Line: California Academy of Sciences General Admission Ticket gives travelers access to the only place on earth with an aquarium, a planetarium, a natural history museum and a four-story rainforest all under one roof. The Skip the Line: California Academy of Sciences Behind the Scenes Platinum Tour includes special access to staff-only areas, interaction with Academy researchers and a private viewing of some of the Academy’s secured collections.

-Viator Travel Team

Vote for Viator at the 2009 TRAVELtech Awards

2009 has been a good awards season for Viator, knock on wood. Our blog has been nominated (and won!) a handful of awards. And yesterday we learned that Viator.com has been nominated by TRAVELtech as one of Australia’s Top 25 travel websites.

What, you didn’t know we spoke Australian?

Well we do, mate. Don’t believe me? Then enjoy this stroll-down-memory lane with a 2007 post about not chucking a spaz.

I digress. What the award means is, Viator has a strong presence in the Australian travel industry and has been acknowledged as a leader in the Australia travel space along with companies such as Webjet, Virgin Blue, Lonely Planet and others. (In case you didn’t know, we have offices in Sydney, San Francisco, London and Las Vegas).

What can you do to help? Thanks for asking. You can go vote for us right now! The voting closes on August 24, so you only have a week to vote. Have you voted yet? No? Well now, let’s remedy that - go vote right now! Thanks.

In case you were wondering, here are the criteria for nominations. We’re very honored to have been selected as one of the Top 25, we feel very proud and humbled.

• Innovation (is the site, at the very least, moving with the times and wherever appropriate utilising things like social media and maps to interact and engage with their audience)

• Design and Usability (does it looks good, is the theme carried throughout the site, can it be easily navigated, is there always a logical click pathway)

• Meeting the Brief (Does this site achieve what it sets out to do, how well does it serve the target market – does it have a target market)

• Speed and Build (Do things happen quickly with no waiting around for images or information to download, does the site feel robust, well-built)

• Content (Does the site have good content, it is well laid and authoritative, are images used well both to inspire and educate, is there too little/too much)

-Scott McNeely

Haven’t heard of Viva la Summer? Here’s the deal - as part of Viator’s celebration of summer 2009, we’re pointing a spotlight at top summer destinations around the world. This week’s featured destination is Paris (see below for some of our favorite things to do in Paris).

As always our first order of business: we’re pleased to honor our Viva la Summer traveler of the week. This week it’s Keith N. from Ireland. He submitted a lovely photo of himself and the family taken on a Paris city tour, Seine River cruise, and Eiffel Tower tour. We love the smiles, the fun angle on the Eiffel Tower — really, doesn’t this photo make you want to take the whole family on a vacation to Paris?

For being selected as Viator’s Viva la Summer traveler of the week, we’re sending Keith a $50 Viator Gift Certificate.

Viva Summer, Viva Paris!

Paris, on the lovely river Seine, is one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations. From icons like the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Elysées; to the romance of a river cruise along the Seine; to the thrills of the cabaret at the Moulin Rouge - Paris is a destination well-adored by millions of visitors and well-explored. Here are some of our favorite ways to make the most of a trip to Paris in summer.

First Time Visitors - A first-time visitor to Paris can experience a great deal in a relatively small amount of time. A Viator top-seller, the Eiffel Tower Dinner, Paris Moulin Rouge Show and Seine River Cruise combines three Parisian iconic experiences into one evening. The Paris Pass, with the choice of two, four or six days provides free public transport plus skip the line and fast track entry to many of the featured sites and attractions which include the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Pantheon and Musee d’Orsay. Travelers should also consider the Paris Walking Tour: Classic Paris, the Heart of Paris Bike Tour and the Paris City Hop-on Hop-off Tour as a good start.

Pleasures of the French Palate - Visitors to Paris can treat themselves to some of the finest food and wine available with expert guides leading the way. The Paris Chocolate and Pastry Food Tour with local “foodie” guide visits at least three pastry shops, a bakery and three chocolate shops. The Paris Food Walking Tour: Gourmet French Food includes visits to a bakery, pastry shop, local caterer, wine shop and cheese shop while the Pastry and Dessert Course in Montmartre features recipes taught by a professional French chef. The French Wine Tasting in Paris led by a professional sommelier, sips a variety of wines from Alsace to Bordeaux, from Burgundy to Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The Champagne Tasting Cruise in Paris combines the beauty of the Seine river with the pleasure of tasting three Champagnes.

Only in Paris - Paris has its icons, but it also has more intimate and unique aspects to explore. The Perfume Workshop in Paris studies its history and current trends with a top Paris “nose,” then travelers can create their own exclusive scent to take home. Paris is synonymous with style, and the Teen Shopping and Fashion Accessories Tour in Paris turns the trends to the teens focusing on the hippest and funkiest French brands. And, a quintessential symbol of the Parisian lifestyle is experienced first-hand during the Viator Exclusive: Private Paris Tour by Citroen 2CV. Thanks to the convertible soft top roof of this emblematic car and an expert chauffeur and guide, this largely customizable private tour offers a magnificent panoramic and insider’s view of the city. Other 2CV excursions include Essential Paris and Secret Paris.

Culture and History - A trip to Paris must include the Louvre and the Skip the Line: Paris Louvre Museum Guided Tour offers a prioritized tour featuring the Venus de Milo, the Victory of Samothrace and Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. The Monet’s Garden at Giverny and American Art Museum Afternoon Tour by Minivan visits the beautiful home and garden that inspired the master of Impressionism, Claude Monet. A trip to Versailles in the summer (until Oct. 26), like the Versailles Guided Tour with Optional Fountain Show, features the option of enjoying a magnificent fountain display revealing the skill and artistry of three centuries of French garden design and engineering. The Loire Valley Castles Day Trip: Chambord, Cheverny and Chenonceau visits the three most famous chateaux of the Loire Valley: Chenonceau Castle, Chateau de Cheverny and Chateau de Chambord. Spend a special day traveling to Normandy during the D-Day Tour: Normandy Battlefields and Landing Beaches by Minivan and visit the American Cemetery in Coleville, Arromanches and the beaches of Omaha and Juno.

-Viator Travel Team

Haven’t heard of Viva la Summer? Here’s the deal - as part of Viator’s celebration of summer 2009, we’re pointing a spotlight at top summer destinations around the world. This week’s featured destination is New York City (see below for some of our favorite things to do in New York).

As always our first order of business: we’re pleased to honor our Viva la Summer traveler of the week. This week it’s Jim F. from the USA. He just submitted a few superb photos taken on a New York dinning cruise, part of Viator’s collection of New York City water cruises. We’re attracted to Jim’s photos becasue they show two of New York’s iconic attractions - the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge - from angles you don’t normally get to see. And the summer sunset lighting, well Jim, what can we say, we think your photos are great.

For being selected as Viator’s Viva la Summer traveler of the week, we’re sending Jim a $50 Viator Gift Certificate.

Passing under the Brooklyn Bridge on a NYC dining cruise. Photo by Jim F.

Passing by the Statue of Liberty on a NYC dining cruise. Photo by Jim F.

Viva la Summer, Viva New York City

New York City for the first time? We’ve got you covered. The New York in One Day Sightseeing Tour is a guided tour covering the major sites including Times Square, the World Trade Center Site, Empire State Building, Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, Central Park and the Statue of Liberty (on a ferry ride). The New York City Hop-on Hop-off Tour lets travelers explore at their own pace with stops at over 50 sites; the New York Pass, good for one, two, three or seven days, includes access to more than 40 attractions around the city; and the Empire State Building Tickets - Observatory and Skip the Line Tickets allows visitors to save as much as three hours typically associated with waiting in line in summer.

Not in the mood for a big group experience? No problem. Viator’s private NYC tours are an ideal way to get below the surface in New York. The Private New York Walking Tour with a Personal Photographer explores New York’s various neighborhoods with the goal of capturing an unforgettable travel photograph. Other private tours include the New York City by Chauffeured Classic Convertible, exploring neighborhoods from Greenwich Village to Brooklyn Heights in a 1975 Chevrolet Caprice; and the Private Tour: New York City by Limousine with an experienced, knowledgeable native New Yorker guiding a ride through Lower Manhattan neighborhoods like Little Italy, SoHo and TriBeCa.

Many visitors to New York want to visit the site of the events of September 11 to pay their respects to those who lost their lives and support those who aided in the recovery efforts. The Ground Zero Museum Workshop Tour with Skip the Line access from Viator.com provides a respectful experience with displays that include photographs, rare video and actual items from the recovery, each with an eyewitness story or personal account told by tour guides who participated in the recovery. The Harlem Sunday-Morning Gospel Tour includes a visit to a local church congregation to experience the soul-stirring power of gospel music and if selected, a soul food brunch. The New York City Original Rock ‘n’ Roll Walking Tour explores musical culture during the years of rock, punk and glam featuring stories about Joey Ramone, Iggy Pop and Andy Warhol. The Best of Brooklyn Sightseeing, Food and Culture Tour, just a short trip over a small bridge is a look at a completely different side of the city rich in its own varied culture.

To see the city from a different perspective, travelers can choose from among a selection of helicopter flights over New York, from the Manhattan Sky Tour: New York Helicopter Flight to the Big Apple Helicopter Tour of New York.

A trip to New York isn’t complete without a Broadway Show and Viator has a variety of tickets available to help avoid sold-out performances or long waits in line. Shows currently on sale include Mamma Mia!, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Shrek the Musical, Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, and Jersey Boys.

-Viator Travel Team

Haven’t heard of Viva la Summer? Here’s the deal - as part of Viator’s celebration of summer 2009, we’re pointing a spotlight at top summer destinations around the world. This week’s featured destination is London (see below for some of our favorite things to do in London).

The first order of business: we’re pleased to honor our Viva la Summer traveler of the week. This week it’s David C. from the USA. He just submitted this photo taken on a Private Viewing of Stonehenge on a Stonehenge day trip from London. Do we love the photo? Yes! Do we love the fact that David is standing alone amongst the stones at Stonehenge? Yes! For being selected as Viator’s Viva la Summer traveler of the week, we’re sending David a $50 Viator Gift Certificate.

David among the stones, on a Private Stonehenge tour from London.

Viva la Summer, Viva London!

London is just about perfect in summer - not too cold, not too wet, not too crowded (at least compared to mainland Europe). Plus the dollar has strengthened against the pound, making London more affordable for Americans (and Canadians, and Australians, and Kiwis…) to enjoy the sights of London without completely breaking the bank. Viator has more than 100 tours and things to do in London to help you make the most of a trip to England’s political and cultural capital. Here are some of our favorites:

• Travelers can experience a great deal in one day in London with tours like the London Full-Day Sightseeing Tour including a private tour of the Tower of London and the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Other activities that help travelers explore many of the elements that make London such a popular destination include The Original London Sightseeing Tour: Hop-on Hop-off and the London Morning Tour including Changing of the Guard; and the Skip the Line: Buckingham Palace Tour, during which, for a limited time the Palace’s state rooms are open for viewing while The Queen makes her annual visit to Scotland. For travelers exploring beyond the borders of the city, the 12-hour England in One Day Trip includes visits to Stonehenge, Bath, the Cotswolds and Stratford upon Avon.

• Stonehenge Experiences - An excursion from London that shouldn’t be missed is a trip to view the ancient monoliths that date back more than 5,000 years and hold as much mystery and intrigue as the Royal family. An experience reserved for the summer months is entree inside the “inner circle of stones” - a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that takes place either during sunrise or sunset, available from Viator.com during the Private Viewing of Stonehenge including Bath (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and Lacock. Other excursions guarantee small groups or additional visits to important sites like Windsor Castle, Oxford and Lacock, the setting for many movies and television dramas, including Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

• Soar the Skies on the London Eye - A strong complement to the historic and classic architecture of London is the modern and sleek London Eye that takes its passengers more than 443 off the ground to take in views that stretch to more than 20 miles of landscape and include Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Experiences available through Viator.com include London Eye: Skip the Line Tickets; the London Eye: Champagne Experience; and London Eye: Romantic Private Capsule for Two with Champagne.

• London for the Family - Most activities in London suit even the youngest visitors quite well but there are a few special experiences particularly geared to the younger set. The Private Tour: Harry Potter Black Taxi Tour of London takes travelers from Diagon Alley to the Leaky Cauldron in one of London’s famous black taxis with room for five wizards or Muggles. Other sources of excitement for the kids include the Medieval Banquet and Merriment by Torchlight; the London Rock Legends Small Group Tour by Minivan; Horse Riding in Hyde Park; and the London Duck Tour.

-Viator Travel Team

Haven’t heard of Viva la Summer? Here’s the deal - as part of Viator’s celebration of summer 2009, we’re pointing a spotlight at top summer destinations around the world. This week’s featured destination is Rome, Italy (see below for some of our favorite things to do in Rome).

The first order of business: we’re pleased to honor our Viva la Summer traveler of the week. This week it’s Mike and Natalie from the USA. They just submitted this photo taken on a Rome Segway tour outside the Roman Forum. We love the photo, we love the idea of roaming the streets of Rome on a Segway (terrible traffic in Rome? not on a Segway!!) and, yes, we do love their smiling faces. For being selected as Viator’s Viva la Summer traveler of the week, we’re sending Mike and Natalie a $50 Viator Gift Certificate.

Mike & Natalie on a Rome Segway tour

Viva la Summer, Viva Rome!

Rome is a year-round favorite among travelers, and Viator has more than 75 tours and things to do in Rome to help you make the most of a trip to Italy’s political and cultural capital. Here are some of our favorites:

• Vatican Tours - The Holy See, central authority of the Roman Catholic Church, and The Vatican City (home to the Pope since 1929) create the foundation of this cultural and religious mecca. With its popularity, an opportunity to gain entry before the public during the Vatican Museums Walking Tour including Sistine Chapel, Raphael’s Rooms and St Peter’s (8:10am departure only) is access nearly impossible to come by. Comments submitted by 1,300+ travelers illustrate why this experience sits at the top of Viator’s top-rated experiences list in Rome!

• A selection of additional special Vatican Skip-the-Line experiences include the Private Tour: Vatican Museums Walking Tour; St. Peter’s Basilica and Thrones of the Pope Tour; and Vatican Museums Tickets (for those who like to explore on their own). For those lucky enough to plan their vacation around one of the Vatican private viewings - this isn’t a skip-the-line experience but rather a special invitation to visit the Vatican behind-the-scenes, after hours.

• Ancient culture and history ooze from the cracks in the cobblestones throughout Rome. Suggestions for experiences that take travelers beyond the guidebook include the Rome by Night Tour and the Ancient Rome Half-Day Walking Tour. More off-the-beaten-path experiences in Rome include Skip the Line: Crypts and Roman Catacombs Small Group Walking Tour; Rome Angels and Demons Half-Day Tour (based on the Dan Brown novel and recent motion picture adaptation); Roman Gladiator School: Learn How to Become a Gladiator; and the Ghost and Mystery Walking Tour of Rome.

• It is easy to explore much Italy has to offer just beyond Rome’s borders on a day trip from Rome. Destinations and combinations easily explored from Rome include Florence; Capri; Naples and Pompeii; Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast; and Assisi and Orvieto. For longer excursions, Rome is a perfect point of departure for multi-day adventures including the 5-day Best of Italy Trip: Assisi, Siena, Florence, Padua, and Venice; the 3-Day Italy Trip: Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri; and the 5-Day Italy Trip: Florence, Pisa and Venice.

-Viator Travel Team