• Pancake Breakfast- From 8:30 to 11 am there is a pancake breakfast at the Fire Hall.
• Parade- There will be a parade and live music starting at 1 pm.
• Independence Day Celebration- Directly after the parade, head to Nehalem Bay Winery for a BBQ and live music and dancing. There is no cover charge, and the whole family is invited to attend. Nehalem Bay Winery is on Highway 53 near Wheeler, one mile from the Highway 101 junction. For more information, call (888)368-9463, or check them out on the web.
• Fireworks-Fireworks will take over the skies at dusk. If you want a real treat, pack some food and head up early to the top of Neahkahnie Mountain north of Manzanita, and enjoy the fireworks displays from Seaside, Manzanita, and Rockaway Beach. Be sure to get there long before the show!

Rockaway Beach

• Parade-A Parade will march through Rockaway Beach starting at 11 am. It will start at the School Administration Building, and head down to Hwy 101 from Bank to Third.
• 4th of July Auction-Directly after the parade, there will be an auction hosted by the Rockaway Beach Chamber of Commerce at the Red Caboose at Wayside.
• Kids Fun Day on the Beach-The Lion's Club sponsors this annual event featuring games and excitement for children of all ages. The fun gets underway at 1pm.
• Fireworks Display-When the sun goes down, the fireworks will fly over the beach. It's truly a site to see.
• For more information call (503)355-2291

Oceanside

• Fireworks-The town of Oceanside, which is West of Tillamook, will be set at dusk. The display can be seen from Netarts.

Pacific City

• Pacific City's Independence Day celebration will coincide with the Clover Days celebration, and be on Saturday, the 5th of July rather than the traditional day, July 4th
• All-you-can-eat breakfast-7-10 am, the Lin's will be hosting a pancake all-you-can-eat breakfast at the VFW Hall. Prices are $6.00 for adults, and $3.00 for children under 12.
• Kid's Corner-From 10 am-3 pm, kids can enjoy a free surrey ride, free ice cream, a bouncy house, a Ferrier demonstration, art, food, and vendors.
• Parade-At 11 am, come see the 27th annual Clover's Day Parade.
• Free Concert-Immediately following the parade, there will be a free convert featuring the popular "Calamity Jazz" from Eugene, Oregon. Bridge street will be closed for the show.
• Fireworks-The fireworks will be set off on the beach at dark.
• Kiwanda Music Festival-At 2 pm, six bands from all over Oregon, with diverse styles of music will play at the southwest corner of the Cape Kiwanda parking lot. There will also be arts and craft vendors. For more information, call (541)996-7746.
• For all Clover's Day information, please contact the Pacific City-Nestucca Valley Chamber of Commerce at (503)392-4340, or email them at manager@pcnvchamber.org. For firework information, call (503)965-7102.

Heading out to the campground with friends and family can be loads of fun. You have time to just habg out with out worrying about work, chores, or anything else. Your biggest concern will be, who will light the fire tonight and what's for dinner? Take the horseshoes, the badminton set, and any other out door games you might enjoy. Plan on taking a hike around the area or if you're into it, go rafting or kayaking.

Camping is also a great way to make new friends. It's amazing how many new people you will meet, and how helpful your fellow campers are. So what are you waiting for? Pack the tent and the camping supplies and get out there!

You don't have to drive! Hah, sit back, enjoy that margarita while you take in the great music and the warm sun, and let someone else get you to your next destination! Your biggest concern will be which deck do you want to sit on and what will you have at the buffet this time!

Almost everything is included in the price! So, now you look at the price of your cruise, factor in the length of time you will be cruising, then realize that your price includes, your stateroom, your food, your entertainment, and well, except on some shore excursions, your transportation! All you have to pay for are drinks, any gambling you do in the Casino, items you purchase in the duty free shops, and if you have the children with you and you want a night alone, babysitting services and spa treatments. Most cruise lines have a kids camp that is free for everyone during the day but charges a babysitting fee from around 9 p.m. to as late (or early) as 3 a.m. You get excellent food, live entertainment, the chance to meet new people, and a comfortable room for the entire length of your stay!

Wonderful destinations! This is an excellent opportunity to see places in the world that you might never see otherwise. Want to see Alaska? The Bahamas? The Mexican Riviera? How about Europe? Or, what the heck, take a world cruise! Okay, so the world cruise is a little excessive, unless of course you can get a whole year off of work. “Bye guys! I'm on vacation! See you in a year! I'll send you a post card from Italy!” I wish! Anyway, taking a cruise vacation gives you the chance to see areas of the world without the worry about international flights, car rentals, and everything else. Unless you are taking a European cruise, most cruises leave from ports right here in the United States. Go ahead, search for cruises online, you will find a large number of cruise lines and destinations that might even leave from your own backyard! So far I have been to Baja Mexico and the Mexican Riviera. We plan to go to Alaska in the next few years and I would love to take a Caribbean cruise sometime too.

Great for the whole family! It used to be when you thought of taking a cruise, you would think of shuffleboard, and sitting around doing very little. Well, not anymore. Cruise ships have developed some of the most exciting activities for the whole family. You can climb a rock wall, go down a waterslide, try out a surfing pool ( yes, you can actually surf in this awesome new pool!), play golf, tennis, run the track, play fun games with an activities director, and lots more! The funniest game I think I've ever watched on board was the men's hairiest leg competition! And that's only outside! Inside, you've got the Casino, karaoke, dance clubs, card rooms, internet cafes, forum shops, game shows that you can watch or participate in, live music, and more. Got the kids? Check out the arcade, the kids camps, some cruise lines even have a movie theater, for teens there are teen only dance clubs where no adults except the staff are allowed. You can rent Gameboys and strollers as well. Oh yeah, and then there is the spa. You can get your hair done, get a facial, get a massage, get your teeth whitened, or you can exercise in the sports club! Want to see some of these activities for yourself? Carnival Cruise Lines has a fun virtual website you can check out called Funship Island.

Last but not least, Towel Animals! You can have so much fun with these towel animals! Leave a pair of sunglasses in your stateroom in the evening and just see what those creative people with do with them! Have a favorite animal you want to see? Just ask your room steward, you just might be surprised when you turn in for the night.

Each night you cruise you get a different animal! We have had, elephants, snakes, dogs, cats, monkeys, and more! They even made a cow for our relatives staying next door at our request! Have fun with it but remember to leave out a pair of sunglasses and maybe even a hat.

Still not sure? Well, I guess you will just have to go on one. Take a short 3 or 4 day cruise for your first time just in case you don't like it. Remember though, if you do like it, go again and again and again. A little secret, repeat cruisers get higher status each time they cruise. With Carnival, when you get to Platinum status, you get priority everything! They also have this fun thing for repeat Carnival cruisers called a repeaters party. Free drinks, as many as you want, for a half an hour plus great entertainment! So what are you waiting for? Get out there and have fun! Maybe we'll run into each other sometime!

Cachuma Lake Campground

Cachuma Lake Campground is a county owned park in Santa Barbara. It is located on Highway 154 between Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley. This is a wonderful campground that has a large number of RV and tent camping sites. The lake offers fishing, boat rentals, and wildlife tours. There is no swimming or skiing in the lake but there is a pool, plenty of bike and hiking trails, as well as a nature center, general store, bait shop, and small restaurant on the docks.

Casini Ranch Family Campground

Camping with friends or family? Prefer to camp alone? No matter, check out Casini Ranch! Stunning views and friendly people await you at this family owned campground nestled on the Russian River in Duncans Mills California. They offer swimming, fishing, paddle boat and kayak rentals, a general store, snack shop, Saturday Night hay rides, ice cream socials, and a great time!

Richardson's Grove State Park

This campground is located near the Avenue Of The Giants along the north western side of the state. Richardson's Grove State Park offers a variety of campsites from shaded in the redwood trees to sunny along the Eel River under oak trees. As a state park there are no hook ups for RV's but they do accommodate them. Check ahead for length limits on your RV before you go.

Giant Redwoods RV and Camp

This is a wonderful campground located along the Avenue Of The Giants in Meyers Flat. If you are looking for a great place to stay that offers you sites along the Eel River and a variety of family activities this is it. Not all sites are along the river and if you are camping in an RV, you would be better off with a partial hook-up site, as the full hook-up sites are rather narrow. The campground offers swimming, horseshoes, a playground for the kids, movies, and is close to all attractions along the Avenue Of The Giants.

Yosemite Pines RV Resort

Heading to Yosemite? Prefer a campground outside the park that offers spacious sites and other amenities? Check out Yosemite Pines. While it is about a 30 minute drive to the park itself, this is a wonderful campground to stay at. They have a pool, gold panning, petting zoo, store, and a game room. While campgrounds inside Yosemite do not offer hook-ups for RV's, you can get them at Yosemite Pines and enjoy the beautiful drive up to the park.

Gardens

The park is set in acres of beautifully tended mature gardens and for anyone with green fingers, the quality and variety of plant life is breath taking.

No matter how busy the park gets, you can always find a pretty secluded area in the gardens to eat lunch and enjoy the views.

So even if you have no interest in theme park rides, Alton Towers is still a wonderful place for a visit.

The Tower

The tower (which dates back to the 8 th century) looms impressively in the distance as you enter the park, it remains a semi ruin with the “Hex” ride being located in part of the ruin.

Top 10 Rides

1. Oblivion

   This is the most terrifying ride with a colossal vertical drop. Strapped in, you ascend the track slowly, the car then dangles you face first over the vertical drop before letting you go. I have never managed to keep my eyes open on this ride - the terror is just too great

2. Rita Queen of Speed

   A short ride with a long queue - but worth the wait with an indescribable buzz as the car reaches speeds of 100mph in 2.5 seconds. Tip - check your eye makeup when you get off this ride, it is likely to end up somewhere around your ears.

3. Air

   The most genuinely enjoyable experience - Strapped, and tipped forward to face the ground, the ride glides at high speed around the track - taking you high into the air, giving you the sensation of free flying. You cannot fail to feel exhilarated on this ride.

4. Nemesis

   Just a top class roller coaster - surrounded by imaginative, eye-catching enhancements, as you are swooped over the river of blood.

5. Duel

   Not the fastest of rides, but you are driven through a haunted house, full of creepy creatures, armed with a light gun which keeps score of your hits - enabling you to compete with your family and friends. Top fun.

6. Runaway Mine Train

   Fast, furious and great fun rollercoaster, fabulously adorned to inspire the imagination.

7. Congo River Rapids

   In a round boat, you are sent careering down the river, bashing the sides, spinning beneath waterfalls. Prepare to get wet.

8. Ug Swing

   A great favourite for the children. Individual swings which rotate and rise high into the air.

9. Hex

   This ride takes advantage of the towers history and genuinely spooky décor. Hex relates the tale of the curse of the old oak and you experience a disorientating and stomach churning ride at the end.

10. Submission

    A swinging boat which takes you that little bit further - before you know it, you are dangling upside down. Tip - Women in low cut tops - beware, you may expose more than you want to.

 

I challenge anyone not to enjoy a day out at Alton Towers!

• Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
• BCC Planetarium and Observatory
• Enchanted Forest
• Brevard Zoo (which we have a membership too)
• U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum
• Brevard Museum of Art and Science
• MOVIES

These are just a few examples. There is also stuff outside of Brevard county, but close enough for a day trip. One that we went to last year for Fathers day was Lion Country Safari. This place is great. Basically you drive through a zoo, you can see all the animals up close and learn about them from a CD you play your car. Once you're done you park and they have an amusement park with lots of fun stuff for the whole family. They have a Safari Splash, which is an interactive water playground. They also have a train, miniature golf, a boat ride and many more other fun things.

Movies are a great thing for summer and our local theaters offer kids day, they play moves that are already on video but it's free. One thing that we do every summer is water day at home. Basically, we set up the backyard like a water park with slip and slides, a small inflatable pool, sprinklers, anything that we can find that's fun. We invite over friend and cook out and spend the day at home having a blast.

First, there are the usual airline carriers. They are fast, safe, and reliable. But they are also pricey and may not always be an option. The second choice would be to go with a budget airline, but their reliability is often in question and in order to get the best deal you may have to fly on dates that do not cohere with your long anticipated travel plans. Fortunately, there are two other very good options to keep your plans afloat without sinking your wallet.

Trains

Fast, safe, and often less expensive than traditional airline carriers trains are how Europeans travel within Europe - and who better to learn from than Europeans themselves? Trains are a great option because not only do they provide an affordable way between almost all cities, but they run more frequently than planes and afford you the opportunity to see more of the countries you are visiting. In fact, an entire trip can revolve around a train trip. Perhaps you wish to retrace the path of the Orient Express. By train it's easy to get off at any stop and stay for a few hours, then hop on the next train to wherever you were going. Non-reserved tickets can be purchased for almost all trains giving the bearer an option of several months within which to travel. The flexibility and affordability are hard to beat!

So why chose anything other than trains for travel within Europe? Well, when trains are an option, you shouldn't! But sometimes towns are too small or too remote for train stations. In that case, take the bus!

Bus 

Often regarded as unsafe travel in Eastern European countries, busses - minibuses included - are safe ways to travel to areas where trains don't go. Busses are ultra affordable and occasionally good alternatives to trains when traveling on a really tight budget. Busses run very frequently and offer smooth traveling - most busses are well designed for comfort, even during extended trips. In fact, many conclude on the end of their bus journey that even Polish minibuses are superior to the Greyhound services available in the United States! The one drawback to busses is that bus drivers rarely speak English and stops are usually announced only in the native language so riding prepared is a must!

For great places to travel by train or bus within Europe check out this list of undiscovered travel destinations.

Whether by plane, train, or bus, happy travels!

First, the dealership where you purchased your RV should have done a walk through with you to show you how everything works and where everything is. You should do it again on your own just to make sure you remember everything. I always double check everything before setting out for the first time as well. Make sure you write down anything you see that is not working properly or shows damage. You can take your new RV back to the dealership for repairs after your first trip and they will usually address everything on your list.

Second, Do you have everything you will need? Before loading your RV for the first trip, make a list of the items that you will need for the length of time you are gone, then make sure you got everything. I have forgotten stuff even when I had a list. Some of the things you will want are toilet paper, pillows, extra blankets, chairs, food (obviously), dishes, hoses for water hook-up, water pressure regulator, electrical cord adapter, drain hose for holding tank, mosquito repellent, a door mat and a large carpet for outside the RV. You might also want to invest in some throw away latex gloves for when you are draining your holding tanks. Make sure you have the obvious things like toothbrushes etc. It is okay to forget things now and then. Most items can be purchased at a store near the campground. I have made the horrible mistake of forgetting pillows before, luckily we were camping fairly close to home so I didn't have to buy more! Also you might want to take some indoor entertainment in case of bad weather.

Third, consider the length of your RV when making reservations. Many parks have limits on the length of RV they can fit. Many state parks can not handle longer RVs because the roads leading to the park as well as inside the campground are too winding or narrow. One example is Richardson Grove State Park in Northern California. To get to one area of the campground you have to go through a narrow S that is lined with huge redwood trees. Check ahead before you go to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

Last and most important, take your patience. You will need it. If you've never backed a trailer or motorhome into a campsite or helped somebody back up you could get very frustrated very fast. Remember that you are new to this and once you have done it a few times you will get a routine down. Work out the hand signals ahead of time or get radios to talk to each other so that nothing is missed. For the person helping back up, always remember, if you can't see the driver in the mirror or otherwise, they can't see you! No point in doing hand signals if you can't be seen right? Get parked and set up then sit back relax and enjoy the rest of your vacation!

You're planning a family trip to Seattle and you want the most entertainment for your dollar. Who do you ask for ideas? Locals, of course. Here's a local's list of fun things to do and ways to travel that won't break the bank.

• Take a ride on a Washington State Ferry

   Leave your car behind and walk on at Pier 52 and ride for $6.70 round-trip ($5.40 for youth/$3.35 for seniors) to Bainbridge Island (30 minutes each way) or Bremerton (60 minutes each way). The scenery as you cross the Puget (pronounced pyu'jet) Sound is breathtaking, and if you choose to de-bark at either destination and walk a few blocks you'll find quaint shops and parks. For a sailing schedule check here.

• Check out the world-famous flying fish at the Pike Place Market

   Vendors sell everything from fresh flower bouquets to kitsch in three floors of possibilities. Don't miss the fresh doughnuts on the street level and many delicious restaurants peppered throughout the marketplace. Fresh seafood can even be packed up to take home with you or send to your favorite people.

• Forget the Space Needle where you'll pay $16 for an elevator ticket

   The Bank of America Tower (known to locals as the Columbia Tower) is 76 floors high (almost 100 meters higher than the Space Needle), and you'll pay about $5 to get to the observation deck on the 73rd floor. The only drawback is you'll have to go on a weekday during business hours to take the tour. You can call 1.206.386.5151 for tour schedules.

• Downtown buses are free to ride within the "Free-Ride" Zone

  This is basically all of the main downtown area. To find out how to get around on the bus you can go here and enter your current and destination locations and you'll get detailed instructions where to go and which bus(es) to ride. You can also ride the Seattle Street Car, a light rail that goes from the shopping district to east Lake Union, or the Monorail from the shopping district to the Seattle Center.

• Seattle Center Fountain

  On a sunny summer day you can't beat it. Set between the performing arts halls and the Pacific Science Center, the fountain shoots water from hundreds of jets, sometimes choreographed to music. Are you thinking, “I've seen that at the Bellagio in Las Vegas?” This is different- you can descend the steep concrete embankment and cool off in the spray of the fountain. Hours of entertainment for the kids-and it's free. But bring a change of clothes.

• Ye Olde Curiosity Shop on Pier 54 (1001 Alaskan Way)

  The coolest gross stuff in the city resides in this shop, including Sylvia and Sylvester, the mummies (yes, real mummies) that guard the back of the store, two-headed pigs in jars and an African voo-doo monkey wearing its intestines on its head. A few steps further is Ye Olde Curiosity Shop Too, a continuation of the first. You can just look around or find some very unique souvenirs.

• Lunch

  While you're down at the piers checking out the Curiosity Shop, head over to Anthony's Fish Bar for amazing fish tacos (it's a Seattle thing) or clam chowder. Or, for the best fish "n chips in town, go to Ivar"s. Nothing at Ivar's tastes bad, and their tartar sauce is arguably the best in the world. Not to mention they've been a Seattle institution for 70 years.

• Travel to Ballard and tour the Hiram M. Chittenden locks and the fish ladder

  The locks make it possible for boats to pass from Lake Washington to the Puget Sound and back. Boats enter a chamber that seals on either end and raises or lowers the water level to meet the level of the body of water they're heading toward. It's fun to watch and it's free entertainment. Be sure to cross over and check out the fish ladder. During peak salmon season you can peer through windows and watch hundreds of fish as they make their climb to the spawning grounds.

• Pacific Science Center

  It's a bit of a splurge, but if your kids love to see how things work it's worth the price. Depending on the size of your family it might be less expensive to buy a family season pass than to pay the entrance fee for one day, and you often get passes to the Imax Theater with your pass. Check before you buy.

• Experience Music Project

  Skip it. It's not worth the entrance fee-you'll be bored within 30 minutes. Trust us on this. No really. Don't do it.

• Alki Beach in West Seattle is Prime People-Watching Real Estate

  Take a picnic lunch and a blanket. The beach is sandy; there are several restaurants along Alki Avenue and lots of interesting people. If you stay until dusk you're in for an amazing sunset and view of the Seattle Skyline, so don't forget your camera!

• Tacoma

  If you've seen enough of Seattle you could take a day-trip about an hour to the south to Tacoma and check out the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium or watch some glass blowing at the Museum of Glass. You might even catch Dale Chihuly doing his thing.

When you travel to Seattle bring a variety of clothing. If it's the middle of summer you'll still need a jacket for the cool evenings and possibly even the days. Seattle natives know to dress in layers-you'll see a lot of Capri pants, t-shirts, hoodies and wind/rain resistant lightweight jackets. Bring your sandals, but also your socks. It's not a fashion faux pas to wear your wool socks with your Birkenstocks in Seattle. We recommend you also bring or plan to buy an umbrella, even in the summer. We can't keep our beautiful city green without a little rain, now can we?

We had a lanai, a back porch, and we ate out there almost every night. When the weather was nice we had some company, geckos. Outside of our house we had a play set and down by the water we had stones which we called a wall. Me, my sister, brother, and some friends made a fort by the water near the trees. We also went fishing a lot by the wall and one time I caught a baby ell. Also in the water were these things called sea anemones and when you poked them they closed up, it was even cooler to poke them with your toes and watch them close up. Another thing our family did together was go to a playground that was just down the street. There were swings and sea saws to play on and my dad used to do under dogs on the swings with us. He also used to do spider with us.

Our family did a lot of active things together one of the things was going to the Mini Mart that was half a mile away from our house. We would stop there and my dad would treat us all to ice-cream. Umm! Last thing is that our family loved to go camping, whether or not it was with our church or by ourselves. I think the best camping trips were those when we went with our church. We all had a great time doing a bunching of things. One of those things was swimming over to this little island that was about a quarter of a mile away. We would stay there for a while and swim and hike all around the little island. That was the best part of the whole camping trip.