10 Tips For Visiting A National Park This Summer

Above, Yosemite National Park's North Dome. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Heading out to a national park this summer? If so, you may want to do a few things in preparation for the trip.

CNET has posted 10 tips for visiting a national park (or several of them) this summer.

They begin with:

I recently finished a 5-week, 9,900 mile road trip where I visited 9 National Parks. Last year, I did a 10,000 mile road trip and visited four others. All told, I've been to 23 out of the 63 National Parks in the United States. I hope you're planning on seeing at least one this summer, because they're all amazing. 

Below are a few tips I'd give to those headed to a park (or parks!) this summer. It's also worth checking each park's respective website. Every park has one and they're filled with maps, things to do and see, and most importantly, if there are any road closures or other important info.

To read more, go here. 

Travel To See Bond Movie Locations

Above, MI6 boss M confronts Bond at this spot at Hemingway House in
 Key West, Florida in Licence To Kill (1989). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of my favorite movie franchises (since 1963 when my parents took me to see a double bill of Dr. No and From Russia With Love) has been the James Bond series.

Over the years, exotic locations were used in the movies and many fans love to travel to see them. I've seen some of the ones used in Diamonds Are Forever in Las Vegas, one in Tokyo used in You Only Live Twice and, most recently, one used in Licence To Kill in Key West.

CNET has an article listing some of them.

It begins with:

It's been a tough year for 007 fans. First scheduled for a release in March 2020 but delayed repeatedly by the coronavirus pandemic, No Time to Die is now set to premiere Oct. 8. The next James Bond installment will be the 25th film in the 007 franchise and the fifth and final (so he says) starring Daniel Craig as the British secret agent. 

Like every Bond movie, No Time to Die will span the globe, showing viewers not just London, but also far-flung locations like Italy, Jamaica, Norway and Scotland. From Dr. No to Spectre, each Bond flick is enough to give you the serious travel bug, even if you can't afford the luxury hotels someone on a government payroll seems to be able to manage. 

As a Bond fan, I try to seek out sights shown in the series when I travel. Here are a few incredible places I've been so far and one I can't wait to to see in person. Keep them in mind for when you can freely travel the world again -- many borders are still closed, but that should change soon -- and hope that the businesses I mention will still be open. 

A word of warning, though: Abundant spoilers below.

To read more, go here. 

Everything You Need To Know About Pop-Up Campers

Above, the Starcraft pop-camper I bought in 1985. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first RV I ever purchased was a Starcraft tent trailer, which is called a pop-up camper today. I bought it new in 1985 and had it for six years before trading up to a micro-mini Class C motorhome.

Many people who love to camp, but want a little more comfort than what a regular tent and sleeping on the ground provides, a pop-up camper may be just the thing. Plus, they are a lot more affordable to buy.

CNET has an article on everything you'll need to know about pop-up campers.

They begin with:

The world of recreational vehicles is an expansive one that caters to many different types of adventurers, from those who prefer the comfort of home while spending a weekend in the woods, to those who want to spend their life on the road. 

As such, RVs come in a handful of different styles. The term "recreational vehicle" covered everything from your multimillion dollar Class A mansions on wheels all the way down to converted Sprinter vans conversions from all the #vanlife accounts you follow in Instagram and everything in-between. 

Of all the RVs available, some of the most affordable are travel trailers and pop-up campers. If you're in the market for the latter, there are some things you should know first.

To read more, go here. 

Yokosuka: Godzilla Slide and the Battleship Mikasa

Above, the Godzilla slide at Kurihama Flower World. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For Godzilla fans, a visit to the Kurihama Flower World in Yokosuka to see the Godzilla slide is one of those "must-do" things while in Japan. But there's something more to see while in Yokosuka.

Along with the Godzilla slide, Yokosuka is the home of the only remaining pre-dreadnought battleship surviving in the world. It is also worth a visit while in Yokosuka.

According to CNET:

An hour south of Tokyo, on the edge of the bay is a piece of history unique in the world. Embedded in concrete just a few feet from the water is the 114-year-old battleship Mikasa. It's the only surviving pre-dreadnought battleship, not to mention one of the only Imperial navy vessels still intact from that era. 

After 21 years in service, the Mikasa was decommissioned, but not scrapped. Instead she was preserved at the request of the Japanese government, with her engines and armament removed, and her hull encased in concrete. 

After several extensive restorations, the Mikasa today is a museum ship, and a fascinating look back into turn-of-the-last century naval design.

The Godzilla slide is spotlighted on page 32 of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

To read more, go here.