Galveston
Galveston is a tremendous city with a ton of sights, restaurants, and locations to keep you busy for days. This is a closely packed cultural center with numerous attractions. Everyone who goes to Galveston has a fantastic time; the only thing you have to watch out for is the heat in the summertime. Other than that, this is a truly remarkable part of the country, and should be visited by all who get the opportunity. The museums here are fabulous, and the Ocean Star and County Historical Museum, in particular, are real standouts. Some of the architecture is from the early 1900?s and complements the newer facilities perfectly. The combination gives you a perfect blend of nostalgia and excitement, and the result is marvelous. The Moody Gardens is literally one of the most exhilarating and enjoyable man-made environments anywhere. The number of extraordinary features inside this one facility are more than they have in some entire countries!
Not surprisingly, Galveston has great shopping and nightlife, as well. There are couple of bars that are quite fun, and if you like dancing, you don't need to look any further, because there are plenty of clubs and dance spots. Many of the stores in Galveston are of the peculiar variety, but this is all the more enjoyable for us tourists, who simply hate to see the same old thing when traveling around the country. If you like to eat (and who doesn't?), then Galveston certainly is for you. There are so many wonderful dining venues that it becomes nearly impossible to choose where to eat for any given meal. Luckily, you have us to guide you, and rest assured that there are some real winners in Galveston. A couple of the seafood and barbeque spots are so good they'll make you holler for joy! Galveston, Texas is a rip-roaring ride of sights and splendor; the kind of place that you wish you could visit all the time. This region is especially good when traveled to by cruise ship, because you land right in the heart of the Texas excitement.
Roatan
In the dazzling Caribbean, 40 miles northeast of beautiful Honduras, you will encounter spectacular Roatan Island. Roatan is an island dedicated to the senses, with palm trees, shimmering sand beaches, and picturesque sunsets. Known best for its wonderful sportfishing and incredible scuba diving, Roatan is becoming more popular with tourists with each passing year. The landscape is quite diverse, ranging from dense tropical jungle to vacant white-sand beaches. Roatan is the most developed and modernized island in the Bay Islands chain, and the culture is a mixture of Spanish, British, Paya Indian, and African. The great majority of the citizens on Roatan speak fluent English, making traveling around the island convenient and simple.
The Paya Indians inhabited Roatan for centuries, until the Spanish raided the island in the 16th century. Henry Morgan and a band of over 5,000 pirates invaded Roatan and soon took control. When the slave trade was at its highest, rebellious British slaves were sent to Roatan. Today the descendants from this group of people are called Maroons, after marooned slave. Also known as Garifuna, they reside near Punta Gorda.
There are a number of splendid outdoor museums on the island, and one of the best is the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences. Multiple hands-on learning facilities make this scientific complex fascinating. Sherman Arch's Iguana Farm and The Bird Park are two more great outdoor adventures, and believe me; you will be disappointed if you forget to bring your camera with you to the Iguana Farm! Several of the restaurants on the island are spectacular, and there are quite a few enjoyable clusters of shops and boutiques.
Cozumel
If you're looking for a beautiful Caribbean style vacation
within Mexico, then look no further than Cozumel, Mexico. This lovely hideaway
is Mexico's largest island, yet remains somewhat undiscovered by Mexico's 20
million annual visitors. Cozumel is located 12 miles offshore of the city of Playa del Carmen. Yet
only 3 percent of its land has been developed, making it an ideal place to
explore the region in its pristine and nearly unaltered state.
Cozumel's history is centered on its importance to the
Mayan culture as one of three ceremonial centers in the region, and this link to
the past can be further explored by paying a visit to one of 40 archeological
sites still present on the island. When the Spanish took over the island in
1519, Cozumel became a pivotal trading center in salt and honey. The collapse of
the Spanish Empire in the late 16th century ushered in nearly 300
years of obscurity to this Caribbean land, yet it has recently flourished as a
popular cruise and travel destination; luring people from across the globe to
bask in its wonderful weather, amazing diving locations, and friendly people.
Cozumel, although not nearly as developed as its northern
neighbor Cancun, still contains all the resources necessary for the ultimate
cruise destination. Shopping is prevalent, and duty-free stores, selling
everything under the tropical sun, invite the seasoned bargain hunter. Cozumel
has been consistently rated the best spot in the world for scuba diving
and snorkeling. Restaurants on the island are world-class as well as affordable.
Finally, its proximity to the popular excursions of Xel-Ha Lagoons, the Mayan
ruins at Tulum, and Playa del Carmen solidify its position as one of the top
cruise destinations in the Caribbean.
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