Mobile, Alabama has never been a city on my “to visit” list, but sometimes life presents you with an opportunity, so you just go with the flow and enjoy the ride. Such an opportunity presented itself when I recently flew from Savannah to Atlanta to Mobile. I had one specific goal: obtain my Global Entry status. Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon … [Read more...]
The Legal Evolution of Online Gambling Across the World
Online gambling has been in the news a lot lately, as many countries around the planet have made moves to introduce new legislation that would create a legal and highly regulated betting market there. How quickly has this happened in some countries compared to others? The North American Gambling Market The US is one of the countries with the most activity in their online gambling market just now. This is because new laws are being … [Read more...]
A Piece of Hollywood in the Eastern Sierra
Quentin Tarantino shot there. So did Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, Kevin Costner and John Wayne. Robert Downey Jr. went on location there as the Iron Man. Whenever Hollywood is looking for a distant planet, or the long-gone Old West, or a rugged outdoors landscape for a Dodge Ram Tough truck commercial, there is one go-to location: Alabama Hills. The Alabama Hills are not, as you might think, in Birmingham or Mobile. Rather, they are in … [Read more...]
5 Cities To Visit In The American South
Tourism to the United States generally revolves around the biggest and most famous cities. New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Miami, Chicago.... These are the places you tend to read the most about, and they do indeed provide many of the highlights for international and domestic travelers alike. But the United States is a vast country filled with all kinds of unique destinations, and if you have the time or inclination it's a good idea … [Read more...]
Vibrant LaGrange: Embrace the Surprise of this Sweet Georgia Downtown
LAGRANGE, GEORGIA- 2018--Annually millions, of people travel Georgia's Interstate-85, crossing the Georgia/Alabama line with no idea they are minutes from LaGrange's vibrant downtown, which puts the spotlight on mouthwatering food, energetic entertainment and opportunities for memory-making. Music to the ears Live music can be found every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at a number of pubs or venues around town, including Wild Leap Brew … [Read more...]
Alabama’s Newest Summer Destination for Family Fun
In the summer of 2017, a new amusement park opened its doors in Foley, Alabama. OWA, pronounced like oh-wah, is located just 9 miles from Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama. It is the only park of its kind in the state of Alabama and the Gulf Coast as well, since Hurricane Katrina destroyed Six Flags New Orleans in 2005. OWA is the perfect destination for family summer fun along Alabama's Gulf Coast. The name OWA was inspired from the … [Read more...]
Where Should You Eat? Restaurants in Coastal Alabama
If you've never been on a beach vacation in Alabama, you are missing out. I had the opportunity to visit Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Alabama recently and what a treat it was. From the white sugar sand beaches to the deep sea fishing, the Alabama coast has it all. To me, the Alabama coast was a great beach vacation without the pretense of some other popular beach locations in the U.S. When you don't want to "keep up with the joneses" and just … [Read more...]
Naughty City Names
Sperling’s BestPlaces finds 13 real U.S. cities and towns with hilariously risqué names 1. Buttzville, New Jersey - Population 194 - Median Home Price $172,700 According to Wikipedia, the town was named after its founder, Michael Robert Buttz. Naturally, he wanted to spread his grief to future generations by naming a town Buttzville. Sure, he could've gone with Michael City but perhaps that sounded too cool. 2. Dick Johnson, … [Read more...]
Tasty Travel to Alabama, Florida Coasts
My love of the Mississippi Gulf Coast is unwavering. But every now and then I venture farther east to Alabama and Florida to enjoy their beautiful beaches. A few days with friends at Orange Beach’s Perdido Beach Resort was the perfect summer starter. New food finds took it to a near-heavenly level. Reality was left behind as we drove up the resort’s palm-tree-lined hill and entered terracotta stone walls. Ensconced in a glamorous cocoon of … [Read more...]
Planning a Sea, Sun and Sand Vacation in Panama City Beach
I have been fortunate to have visited Florida a number of times - sunshine, warm temperatures and the fact the state is ground zero for tropical fruit in the lower 48 has always appealed to me. My first Florida experience was perhaps not the norm - during college we transported a solar car we built in California to the East Coast for a race and then ultimately down to Florida. Camping in July in the middle of the Everglades surrounded by clouds … [Read more...]