Posted by David Porter on May 5, 2011 · 5 Comments
As I mentioned a few days ago, The Roaming Boomers® are sportin’ a new Apple iPad, and two new Apple iPhone 4’s.
Although we can’t profess to be experts with the thousands of available apps, we can share some of the travel apps that have instantly caught our attention.
Here’s our list of Top 10 Travel Apps for Baby Boomers:
- Google Maps with Navigation (free) – speak your destination into your phone and the app delivers turn-by-turn directions with maps. This never ceases to blow my mind!
- Google Translate (free) – speak a phrase in English and it will translate the phrase audibly in more than 50 languages. It will also audibly translate 50 spoken foreign language phrases into English. This way, you can ask for chocolate cake, and actually get chocolate cake!
- Kayak Pro ($.99) – Mrs. Roaming Boomer is a huge fan of Kayak. Search for airfare, hotels, rental cars, and even check your flight status.
- TripIt Pro ($3.99) – We are very excited about this program. We do a LOT of traveling and this program will take our travel itineraries from a spread sheet to a very cool program on our iPhones. The features are too numerous to mention here, but check it out. If you travel much, you will love this program.
- Yelp (free) – using your phone GPS device, Yelp will deliver nearby restaurants, attractions, gas stations, and even reviews from past customers. We love it!
- Gate Guru (free) – the most comprehensive and accurate listing of airport amenities (sortable by Food, Shops and Services) with real-time ratings, and photographs.
- Airline Seat Guide ($1.99) – find the best seat on over 100 airlines and 1200 airplanes.
- Wi-Fi Finder (free) – find free or paid wi-fi when you travel.
- Netflix (free download/paid monthly subscription) – watch movies from a list of thousands!
- iMedJet (free) – a comprehensive first-aid guide for travelers. It has everything from bee stings to setting a bone fracture.
This could have very easily been a list of the top 20 travel apps. The travel apps space is booming right now, and many are providing wonderful services to baby boomer travelers.
To help you find your own favorites, check out appolicious . They have a directory of apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android.
Note: if you enjoyed this article, please consider a free subscription to our online travel magazine. Simply “Follow Us” or “Join Us” in the right-hand column of this website. Thanks!
Posted by David Porter on May 5, 2011 · 4 Comments
Each year, the folks at TripAdvisor poll their legions of members to create a number of Top 25 travel destination lists for geographic areas all over the world.
Here are the Top 10 US Travel Destinations from their Top 25 list:
- New York City, New York
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- San Francisco, California
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Lahaina, Hawaii
- Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- San Diego, California
- Sedona, Arizona
- Seattle, Washington
The four linked cities above highlight the cities that we have already scouted on your behalf. Rest assured that the other six are on our bucket list, and will soon be roamed for you as well.
To keep abreast of our baby boomer scouting trips, make certain that you use one of the “Follow Us” features in the right hand column of this website. This way, you will never miss one of our adventures.
Posted by David Porter on May 4, 2011 · 8 Comments
Lihue, Kauai – 22ºNorth is Lihue’s first true locavore restaurant, and is located at the historic Kilohana plantation.
Those who are interested in eating food that is locally produced, not moved long distances to market, are called “locavores.”
As we have been roaming about, we have noticed that locavore has become a movement in the United States, with its proponents very interested in sustainability and eco-consciousness.
22ºNorth is a true locavore restaurant as they feature Kauai-grown meats, fish and produce, including items from its own 1-1/2 acre garden and the 60 acre Kilohana orchard and agricultural park!
As they say at 22ºNorth, “your dinner is grown on the farm, and eaten there too“!
Leading the culinary team is Chef de Cuisine Aaron Leikam. Aaron studied under such notable chefs as Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill and Cafe? Topolobambo, and Chef Melissa Kelly, the James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of Primo in Rockland Maine. Aaron’s soulful treatment of estate-grown, up-to-the-minute seasonal ingredients, served in a warm, comfortable setting are not to be missed.
When we arrived at 22ºNorth, we were seated in a romantic outdoor table where we could watch the sun set over the mountains, and further enjoy the never ending show from the farm cats playing with the island chickens in front of the distant 22ºNorth gardens.
Our waiter was one who loved to put on a show, and kept us in stitches as he brought out our first entree: Fried Green Tomatoes (local green tomatoes, cornmeal crust, field greens and cherry tomatoes, red onions, buttermilk-chive dressing). YUM!
Our next “little bite” had Carol smilin’: Olive Poppers (kauai kunana chevre olives, house smoked bacon-tomato vinaigrette). Carol loves food with “poppers” in their name. 🙂
Our third appetizer taste was ‘Quick’ Opakapaka Ceviche (cara cara orange, avocado, alae salt and olive oil). Wowza! Most excellent!
Fourth, on our appetizer tasting journey was Spiced Pork and Cabbage Bundles (rice, ground pork, cinnamon, raisins, fresh tomato sauce). It’s lunch-time as I’m writing this. This appetizer would make a wonderful lunch. I wonder if they deliver from Kauai to Arizona? Probably not, but healthy and wonderful, it was!
Now, it’s time for our entrees. Carol is a raving fan of beef shortribs, and by golly, A’akukui Ranch Braised Beef Shortib (oregano soft polenta, crispy onions, petite greens) was next. Holy jump-up-and-down Batman! That was good! Perfectly prepared with the most wonderful creamy polenta. Mr. Roaming Boomer LOVES polenta.
For my entree, I selected Pan-Roasted Snapper (green papaya remoulade, garden parsley, fennel, meyer lemon and crimson quinoa). A fresh fish is always first on my agenda when we dine at a gourmet restaurant, and this was absolutely delightful in every way. In fact, I kinda wish Arizona bordered an ocean so that we always had fresh day-caught fish at our disposal.
Ah, but that’s why we should frequent the island of Kauai. Right?
Just look at that. Don’t YOU want some?
Well, the sun had set. The distant cats and chickens had finished their dance and retired, and it was time for just a little taste of dessert chased by a wonderfully bitter double-espresso. Such a wonderful thing: sweet and bitter.
For that, 22ºNorth brought us these wonderful French Beignets. Wow!
We like to let our photographs do the heavy lifting when we are describing our dining experiences. A great imagination is a wonderful thing, but how would you possibly imagine these perfectly crafted farm-to-table dishes?
22ºNorth is a fabulous example of what a gourmet, farm-to-table dining experience can be like. We highly recommend them, and further feel a little jealous of the folks who live on the island of Kauai.
Disclosure: Our wonderful dining experience was provided by the kind folks at 22ºNorth. Thanks! Further, a portion of our travel expenses were provided by the kind people of the State of Hawaii through their Visitors and Conventions Bureau. Thanks Hawaii!
Posted by David Porter on May 3, 2011 · Leave a Comment
If you have ever had your luggage misplaced by the airlines, then you know what a complete and utter drag this can be to your dream vacation
I distinctly remember a time when my dear wife put her make-up materials in our checked luggage, and then suffered two whole days without her very special beauty tonics as the airlines took her luggage off because there was too much weight on the plane.
Let’s just say that mama was an unhappy camper, and it put a damper on the first two days of our 25th wedding anniversary Caribbean resort tour.
Here are 10 tips from Travel Insurance Direct to help you prevent such a disaster:
- Tags – Ensure all items have clear, sturdy luggage tags that won’t tear off. Record your phone numbers for both home and destination. Some travelers prefer to list their office address to avoid suggesting their home is vacant.Itinerary – Place your contact details and itinerary inside your luggage, so you can still be located if external tags are lost and your luggage is opened for inspection.
- Lock up – Locks and straps provide a deterrent to theft, but remember some destinations like the US only allow TSA-approved locks that can be opened by customs inspectors.
- Stand out – A brightly colored bag, luggage tag or strap reduces the risk of your luggage being mistakenly claimed by another passenger on arrival.
- Timing – Arrive at the airport with plenty of time for check-in. A last-minute check-in or tight connection increases the chance of your bags missing the flight.
- At check-in – Ensure all old destination stickers have been removed from your luggage and that staff affix the correct destination stickers at check-in. Be sure to keep your portion of the luggage sticker provided at check-in (usually affixed to your boarding pass).
- Connections – Don’t book tight connections. Ask at check-in whether your luggage is checked through to your final destination or whether you’ll need to collect your luggage and re-check while in transit at another airport (especially if you booked flight sectors separately).
- Carry on – For short journeys, consider traveling with carry-on luggage only. This is especially worthwhile with airlines that charge for checked luggage. Even if you check in your main bags, place valuables and a few essentials items of clothing in your hand luggage, just in case.
- Pick-up – Ignore other distractions at the airport and go straight to the luggage carousel once you’ve arrived and cleared customs, keeping a close eye on bags as they emerge. Keep bags close to you and never leave them unattended.
- Travel insurance – Always have adequate travel insurance, even if traveling for short periods or domestically. Insurance covers not only loss and theft, but can also provide a clothing allowance if luggage is delayed. Keep receipts for your possessions where possible or consider making a photographic record of luggage contents, in case you need to make a claim.
Great suggestions! Now implement. 🙂
Posted by David Porter on May 3, 2011 · 2 Comments
Technology has long been a significant part of the travel experience. Empty the pockets, purses, and backpacks of a roaming baby boomer, and you will find digital cameras, cell phones, gps devices, portable video devices, iPods, and now iPads.
With the wild success of the iPhone and iPad, the travel industry has been salivating to find ways to reach critical eyeballs through these new technologies.
The Roaming Boomers® are no exception.
It was just a short time ago that I professed that I would not be switching from my Android based cell phone, and therefore, not using an iPad.
I was wrong! I am composing this very post on a new Apple iPad 2.
Why the switch of mind? Everything else I use in the computing world is Apple based, and it was getting to seem silly to be constantly looking for work-arounds to interface with my iMac.
Furthermore, the app market for the iPad/iPhone is currently significantly larger than the ever growing android app market, and many of the cool travel apps are currently found in Apple’s application marketplace.
Furthermore, we continue to see travel destinations using the iPad to provide creative information tools, and some even lend out an iPad upon your arrival.
For this, and many more reasons, we have now jumped aboard the iPad revolution and look forward to sharing how these incredible tools might enrich your travel experience.
Stay tuned!
The Roaming Boomers
As I mentioned a few days ago, The Roaming Boomers® are sportin’ a new Apple iPad, and two new Apple iPhone 4’s.
