For the more adventurous, those looking to find a natural, unspoilt country, you would do well to consider Romania.At present, life outside of the big cities remains much as it always done. The pace is slow, the people just go about their daily lives as their forefathers did. It?s a very common site to see, horse drawn carts, carrying all sorts of basic essentials or even taking the family out for the day!

The rural infrastructure and road systems does, to be honest, need quite a bit of attention, but its getting there. New motorways are being built on a huge scale, and within a year or two it will be possible to travel from the Hungarian border to the Black Sea, on the same motorway link. However, using the motorways will only lessen your chances of seeing the real Romania, and the majestic beauty that the Carpathean and Faragas mountain ranges have to offer. The scenery is truly stunning.

An ideal tour would be from Bucharest through Ploiesti, and to Sinaia a most beautiful and ancient town set at 1055 metres. The town offers visitors plenty of choices, including a ski resort/cable car and some of the best preserved ancient monasteries and holy places to be found in Romania. It caters for all age groups and physical abilities.

Onwards from there, take a drive over the mountains towards Bran, and visit the famous castle, once the historic home of Count Vlad Tepes (in the 16th century), the inspiration to Bram Stoker?s legend of Dracula.

Although there are signs of commercialisation creeping in, it?s still pretty much just a rural town. surrounded by beautiful scenery.

For a truly spectacular journey: take the Transfagarasan Pass, with its winding roads, reaching to a height of 2,040 metres, at the top there is Lake Balea ,.where you will find both modern and traditional guest houses. Along the route, view huge waterfalls, mountain streams and vast pine forests. From there follow the mountain road to Lake Vidaru, an immense natural phenomena, which supplies water and hydro electric power to much of the region. On the way back, call at Curtea de Arges, visit the unique Abbey and enjoy local food at most reasonable prices from a plentiful selection of bistro?s, caf??s and restaurants. Prices can of course vary, but usually well below what you will expect to pay in Western Europe (the exception to this is Brasov,,and Bucharest where prices equal the West)?so don?t go there?find the real rural Romania.!!!!

For example a cup of coffee in our home town of Campulung_Muscel , still only costs 20 pence and 2 people can have a good meal for less than ?5! Guest house and pensiunes are in abundance, from the basic and simple up to 5 star quality. The Mayor and local parliament in Campulung have huge development plans for tourism, including a ski and Winter/Summer sports centre, a complete makeover of many historic buildings along with massive redevelopment of the road and transport systems. The same applies for many of the rural areas in Arges County.

Romania will rapidly become an extremely popular and developed for tourism?come and see it now, along with its unspoilt natural beauty and charm. Have a look at http://www.visionsofromania.com There really isn?t enough space to describe all that is on offer in Romania, it is unique, it is a special place, that is quickly developing. It will change within a few years, especially once it enters the EU. Our advice is to come soon, see it as it really is. There are plenty of flights direct from Heathrow, BA are now offering 2 flights each day, Tarom the state airline have daily flights.

There are strong rumours that the ?discount/budget? airlines are coming here next year from springtime. With lots of interesting places to stay , Romania is well worth a visit.

Escapes are great way to escape the stress of daily life. Lake Powell escapes give you the opportunity to get out in the fresh air and experience a huge lake with stunning canyon views.

Lake Powell is a man-made water construction located on the Colorado River in between the states of Utah and Arizona. This reservoir, which was created by the flooding of the Glen Canyon by the erection of the Glen Canyon Dam, is a popular summer destination within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Surrounded by beautiful red rock formations along a total of 1900 miles of coastline, Lake Powell has become a great place to take vacations with families and friends. Lake Powell escapes are perfect for rediscovering a sense of family, fun and nature.

One of the more unique Lake Powell escapes comes in the form of staying on a houseboat on the lake. The Lake Powell Resort, which offers traditional lodging as well, rents houseboats to vacationers who want the experience of putting up and down the lake and finding their own spots to anchor each evening. Houseboats range from ?standard? to ?luxury? and cost between $1500 and $10,000 per seven day rental. Most of these boats can sleep between eight and 12 people, making them a great choice for those with big or extended families. Houseboats offer different amenities depending on the type, and also come in different sizes. The most luxurious boat, named the Odyssey, offers such amenities as six state rooms with queen size beds, three in-suite bathrooms, hot tub, fireplace, satellite TV (on the water! Truly a home away from home, this houseboat has it all.

For those families who would rather have more modest Lake Powell escapes, there are also houseboats that will meet your needs. The most inexpensive houseboat, the Explorer, offers families all of the basic needs to stay on board, while costing about a tenth of the luxury price. This boat still has the ability to sleep ten people, but also allows a family to ?rough? it a bit more with a feel more like an RV than a luxury home.

Of course, not all Lake Powell escapes involve staying on a houseboat, and for those land-lubbers who’d rather stay in a traditional room, the Lake Powell Resort has those too. Also available is the Defiance House Lodge on Bullfrog Marina across from the Lake Powell Resort. Be sure to rent one of the many types of watercraft available for day rental, and enjoy all the lake has to offer.

While lodging is available on the shore, you really want to go with a houseboat. The lake is incredibly large, but also offers little nooks and crannies in majestic red rock canyons where you can take in serene silence and do a bit of fishing!

Washington DC is the place to go if you want to have fun yet you don’t want to put your mind on idle the whole trip. Or if you want your kids to learn something, not just ride roller coasters and eat cotton candy. And you don’t want to max out all your credit cards to do it.

Best Time to Go
If your schedule permits, the best time to visit Washington is either the spring or the fall. Springtime is especially inviting as you may get to experience the annual Cherry Blossom Festival an April tradition which draws thousands of happy tourists in often beautiful weather.

Things to Do
From the Capitol to the White House to the Supreme Court to the Smithsonian there’s all kinds of ways to stimulate your mind and help your kids learn things the could never learn in a classroom. From the National Zoo to the International Spy Museum there are more fun things for both adults and children to do than it seems possible to pack into just one city.

First stop, the National Mall. You won’t find a Gap or an overpriced cookie store in this Mall. This is where all of Washington’s famous monuments reside such The Washington Monument, The Lincoln Memorial and The Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial.

Not to mention the nearby Smithsonian Institute. You could spend weeks just browsing through it’s various museums. I almost forgot the best part. Most of this stuff you can see for free. Gratis. No charge. Complimentary. In other words, you ain’t gotta pay nothing.

For after dark fun you can see a show at the Kennedy Center, check out some basketball, hockey, or music at the MCI Center, or dance the night away at one or more of Washington’s many sizzling nightspots.

Others
For more ideas on hotels and restaurants in Washington DC, check out Last-Minute-Vacation-Guide.com for more ideas and deals on last minute getaways for the weekend!