Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Just 75 miles from the bustle of Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park is your escape to recreation and re-creation. Cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, quiet wooded hollows, plan a hike, a meander along Skyline Drive, or a picnic with the family. 200,000 acres of protected lands are haven to deer, songbirds, the night sky.

Shenandoah National Park is 105 miles long stretching from Front Royal, Virginia to the Waynesboro-Charlottesville area. Skyline Drive is the scenic roadway that takes you through the park.

The Skyline Drive runs 105 miles north and south along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park and is the only public road through the park. You can enter Shenandoah at four places: Front Royal near Rt. 66 and 340, Thornton Gap at Rt. 211, Swift Run Gap at Rt. 33, and Rockfish Gap at Rt. 64 and Rt. 250 (also the northern entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway). It takes about three hours to travel the entire length of the park on a clear day.

Deer, black bear, wild turkey, and a host of other woodland animals call Shenandoah home and regularly cross Skyline Drive in their daily travels. Watch carefully for these animals who may dart across your path without warning. At 35 mph, you’ll stand the best chance of a fun and exciting wildlife encounter rather than an unpleasant wildlife experience! If you want a closer look, be sure to pull completely off the Drive and stay in your vehicle. Remember it is unlawful to feed the wildlife.

In addition to a few stops along the way at your favorite overlooks, plan a stop at the visitor centers, bookstores, and exhibits. There are also lodges, restaurants, and gift shops. Big Meadows is a great place to spend some time and you will see hiking trailheads all along the Drive.

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com

Come Out and Support Ron

Kick off the day of the Big Game by getting your run in early.  Join the 2nd Annual Super Day 10K at Rio Vista Community Park or just come out and support Ron, owner of Rawhide Travel and Tours. Here is what Ron has to say:

Hey everyone, the old fool is at it again and running in "The City of Peoria Super Day 10k Run and Kids Mile Run" this Sunday February 03 and I sure would appreciate your support if ya want to come out and cheer me on? I'm now running a "ten minute mile" through all of my training so based on that, I should finish the 6.2 mile (10k) non-stop run in just a hair over an hour. You will be there to cheer me on as I cross the finish line, right? Seriously, would be great to have you there. It's at Rio Vista Community Park (88th Avenue and T-Bird). The run starts at 8:00am, I have to be there at 7:00am to register and I'd suggest you get there at 7:30am so we can talk and stuff before the big shove off. Also, there is a "kids run" that's one mile long so if you have kids that want to do this, there's still time to sign them up and it's only $10 and they will receive a t-shirt and some type of medal for participating. Fun. For more info, go to www.peoriaaz,gov/running and when it opens, just click on the February 03 race and all the info will pop up......even a map of the routing. This will be my fifth race over the past year, my longest being 10 miles non-stop. Hope to see you there.....

Good Luck Ron!!!


Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com

Spring Break: Jekyll Island, Georgia

Prefer to stay in the south this season? Make your way to Georgia to discover the treasures at Jekyll Island, a remote island that is famous for its rustic charm and relaxing setting. This is the Spring Break destination for anyone that wants to enjoy a paradise-like escape and avoid the buzzing nightlife scene. Spend your days picnicking on the beach, swimming in the calm waters and enjoying gorgeous sunsets night after night.

Jekyll Island is a barrier island on Georgia’s coast, midway between Jacksonville, Fla. and Savannah, Ga. Accessible by car just minutes from I-95, Jekyll Island offers a variety of amenities, including 10 miles of beach, four golf courses, a 250-acre Historic Landmark District, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Summer Waves Water Park, tennis center, an array of lodging options including hotels, cottages and campgrounds. Owned by the State of Georgia, and managed by the Jekyll Island State Park Authority, Jekyll Island has had development limited to just 35 percent of its available land area. This unique aspect of Jekyll Island serves to preserve the critical barrier island ecosystem, and provide guests with a unique escape from the crowds and complications of other beach resort destinations.

Jekyll Island Club Historic District 
Jekyll Island Club HotelIn the midsection of the river side of the island is a 240-acre Historic District where most of the buildings from the Jekyll Island Club era still stand, most in remarkable preservation. The centerpiece of the grounds is the enormous Jekyll Island Club Hotel, a two-winged structure that contains numerous suites for rental, including a beautiful presidential suite that contains the three-story turret on the front of the building. Thirty-three buildings from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries surround the hotel, with many being mansion-sized cottages. Rooms in some of these cottages are for rent, while others exist as museums, art galleries, or bookstores. The hotel is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The historic district itself has been listed as a National Historic Landmark District since 1978.

Georgia Sea Turtle Center 
Through sea turtle rehabilitation, research and education programs, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center will increase awareness of habitat and wildlife conservation challenges, promote responsibility for ecosystem health and empower individuals to act locally, regionally, and globally to protect the environment. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is a hospital for ill and injured sea turtles. We are the only hospital of its kind in the state of Georgia. The Center is open to the general public and offers an interactive Exhibit Gallery and Rehabilitation Pavilion with a number of viewable sea turtle patients.

Driftwood Beach
Located on the north end of Jekyll Island, Driftwood Beach continually amazes guests with its beautiful driftwood and ocean views. Often cited as a Gothic tree graveyard, this stretch of beach is, at once, haunting and mesmerizing.  Throughout the year, Driftwood Beach an ideal location for photography, as well as a popular site for gorgeous island weddings.

Glory Beach
Famed as a location for the popular Civil War film “Glory,” this portion of Jekyll beach is located next to our Jekyll Island Soccer Complex. Along the Glory Boardwalk once walked some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities, including Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, who all starred in the classic 1989 movie.

Looking for a place that will make spring break special this year? Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com

Island of Palau, Western Pacific

The Republic of Palau, in Micronesia, is a spectacular 400-mile-long strand of volcanic islands & limestone coral islets strewn across the Pacific. Their bases, having been worn away by tidal action and grazing sea creatures, are narrower than their tops, causing some to compare them to giant mushrooms; others think they look like fuzzy green emeralds floating on a sapphire sea. Only 8 islands are inhabited, with the capital of Koror serving as the traveler's hub.

Most of Palau's hotels are on Koror (capital), which is connected to Babledaob, its larger sister island, by a bridge, so visitors have several well-appointed options, while the rest of the archipelago exists in a largely natural state. Stay at the Palau Pacific Resort, an all-inclusive wonder that has relaxed, rattan-filled suites with ocean views, a PADI dive center, kayaks, snorkel equipment and tennis courts. For a slightly quainter option, Carolines Resort has seven wooden bungalows and a hip boutique where you can grab a few trinkets to take home.

The more than 300 islets that make up the Rock Islands in Palau hold the promise of new discoveries in quiet outcroppings, lakes and snorkeling spots. Explore even more by taking an unusual tour around the Palau Mariculture Demonstration Center, which has a giant-clam hatchery. And make sure to visit the Airai Bai, a renovated ancient meeting house. Hikers can go to Palau's largest waterfall and highest peak, 713-foot-high Mount Ngerchelchuus, where you can see 70 species of orchids and a variety of wildlife. The adventure in Palau is not just limited to underwater activities, though. You can visit Dolphin Pacific in Koror, a research facility that is committed to studying the special intelligence possessed by dolphins. It provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn more about these enchanting sea creatures.

Looking for that uniquely different vacation destination. Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100 
rawhidetravel.com

Tip For a Safe Trip Abroad

Safety begins when you pack. To help avoid becoming a target, do not dress in a way that could mark you as an affluent tourist. Expensive-looking jewelry, for instance, can draw the wrong attention.

Always try to travel light. You can move more quickly and will be more likely to have a free hand. You will also be less tired and less likely to set your luggage down, leaving it unattended.

Carry the minimum number of valuables, and plan places to conceal them. Your passport, cash and credit cards are most secure when locked in a hotel safe. When you have to carry them on your person, you may wish to put them each in a different place rather than all in one wallet or pouch. Avoid handbags, fanny packs and outside pockets that are easy targets for thieves. Inside pockets and a sturdy shoulder bag with the strap worn across your chest are somewhat safer. One of the safest places to carry valuables is in a pouch or money belt worn under your clothing.

If you wear glasses, pack an extra pair. Pack them and any medicines you need in your carry-on luggage.

To avoid problems when passing through customs, keep medicines in their original, labeled containers. Bring copies of your prescriptions and the generic names for the drugs. If a medication is unusual or contains narcotics, carry a letter from your doctor attesting to your need to take the drug. If you have any doubt about the legality of carrying a certain drug into a country, consult the embassy or consulate of that country before you travel.

Bring travelers’ checks and one or two major credit cards instead of cash.

Pack an extra set of passport photos along with a photocopy of your passport’s information page to make replacement of your passport easier in the event it is lost or stolen.

Put your name, address and telephone numbers inside and outside of each piece of luggage. Use covered luggage tags to avoid casual observation of your identity or nationality. If possible, lock your luggage.

Don't bring anything you would hate to lose. Leave at home:

Valuable or expensive-looking jewelry
Irreplaceable family objects
All unnecessary credit cards
Your Social Security card, library card, and similar items you may routinely carry in your wallet.
Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home in case they need to contact you in an emergency.

Make two photocopies of your passport identification page, airline tickets, driver's license and the credit cards that you plan to bring with you. Leave one photocopy of this data with family or friends at home; pack the other in a place separate from where you carry the originals.

Leave a copy of the serial numbers of your travelers' checks with a friend or relative at home. Carry your copy with you in a separate place and, as you cash the checks, cross them off the list.

Find out if your personal property insurance covers you for loss or theft abroad. Also, check on whether your health insurance covers you abroad. Medicare and Medicaid do not provide payment for medical care outside the United States. Even if your health insurance will reimburse you for medical care that you pay for abroad, health insurance usually does not pay for medical evacuation from a remote area or from a country where medical facilities are inadequate. Consider purchasing a policy designed for travelers, and covering short-term health and emergency assistance, as well as medical evacuation in the event of an accident or serious illness.

Call us and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com 

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, West Virginia

A visit to this quaint, historic community, at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, is like stepping into the past.  Stroll the picturesque streets, visit exhibits and museums, or hike the trails and battlefields. Spend a day or a weekend.  There is something for everyone, so come and discover Harpers Ferry!

Harpers Ferry offers a variety of things to do. Join a guided ranger tour, visit the exhibits and museums, hike the many trails, buy a book at the Historical Association's bookshop or just explore on your own. A short walk takes you into the town of Harpers Ferry where you will find restaurants and shops.

 The history of Harpers Ferry has few parallels in the American drama. It is more than one event, one date, or one individual. It is multi-layered - involving a diverse number of people and events that influenced the course of our nation's history. Harpers Ferry witnessed the first successful application of interchangeable manufacture, the arrival of the first successful American railroad, John Brown's attack on slavery, the largest surrender of Federal troops during the Civil War, and the education of former slaves in one of the earliest integrated schools in the United States.

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
 rawhidetravel.com

Ocean’s 13 Caribbean Super Cruise

“Ocean’s 13 Caribbean Super Cruise and San Juan Sleepover”

October 3-12, 2013

Only $2499 per person (based on double occupancy)

Think you've seen the Caribbean before? Unless you've been with Rawhide Travel and Tours, better think again! If you're looking for that "different vacation" mixed with warm turquoise lagoons, exotic tropical scenery, breathtaking beauty along with relaxation and luxury, then this is your ticket to see and experience some of the most sought after destinations in the Caribbean! 

Join us as we discover the grandeur of the sizzling Caribbean on Royal Caribbean's 90,000 ton superstar - the M/S Jewel of the Seas! This spectacular "floating resort" has the entire cruise industry talking. Sailing from San Juan, you'll first visit Saint Thomas in the Virgin Islands, the Duty Free Shopping Capitol Of The Caribbean! 

Here you'll experience magnificent sun drenched beaches with emerald colored lagoons, secluded coves, pristine coral reefs, untouched rain forests and spectacular world renowned shopping! 

Next, Saint Kitts, located in the West Indies, a tropical paradise set amidst unspoiled secluded white sand beaches, aqua lagoons and intoxicating natural beauty making it one of the most seductive spots in the entire Caribbean with its British influence. 

Next stop - Aruba! If the palm fringed white sand beaches and turquoise lagoons don't get your heart pounding, the dazzling casinos and magnificent architecture will. This "Dutch paradise" is located in the Netherland Antilles, and its brightly painted buildings are as neat and trim as any on the canals of Amsterdam. Last stop  - Curacao! This yummy exotic destination, also located in the Netherland Antilles, leaves nothing to the imagination.

 It's truly a "secluded slice of paradise" with its exquisite and vibrant colored colonial buildings. From national parks to water sports, and from old pirate forts to the underwater sea life, this is one tropical paradise you'll never forget. 

And, as if this magnificent luxury cruise weren't enough, the price includes everything but the kitchen sink! A spacious category El Balconied Stateroom including seven meals per day, nightly "Las Vegas style" entertainment, round trip air from Phoenix to San Juan (air also available from 171 other U.S. cities including Honolulu, Anchorage and 18 Canadian towns but air price may vary depending on your actual departure city other than Phoenix), all foreign and U.S. taxes, all security, government and airport fees, all port taxes, all transfers, resort overnight stay in San Juan including all hotel taxes and services fees, several gala parties during the cruise, even cancellation insurance and ship tips! 

So what are you waiting for? Some people wait a lifetime for their ship to come in , you only have to wait until October 03, 2013.  

WARNING: This cruise may cause thrill-related injuries. Eyes in the back of your head recommended. Experience life without a ripcord and call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100! Limited space. 

Happy "Caribbean sailing" trails to you......

To find out more about this once in a lifetime Cruise or help with any other travel needs, call Rawhide Travel and Tours at 602-843-5100 or 888-222-7594 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We will be happy to guide you through all your vacation planning.

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100 
rawhidetravel.com