2010 › May

Daily gear deals – $84 Garmin GPS, $13 MP3 player and more

by Scott Carmichael on

Here are the hottest gear deals for today, Monday, May 10th 2010. Remember, these deals are often valid for just one day, so act fast before they are gone.

Today’s first deal is for a refurbished Garmin Nuvi 255. This unit features turn by turn directions and 6.5 million points of interest. On sale for $83.50 – but be sure to check out the free products on offer with this purchase. Click here for this deal.

Next up is a great deal on a GPS windshield mounting system. The kit comes with a variety of mounting adapters, and a high quality suction cup. On sale for just $2.99 over at 1saleaday.

Our third deal for today is for a 2GB Sandisk Sansa Clip player. At just $12.99, this beats the price of most brand name MP3 players, plus this player features an FM radio and voice recorder. Click here for this deal.

And finally in today’s lineup, if you are looking for a pair of noise isolating headphones, check out this lineup. The assortment has something for every budget – from just under $10 up to $200.

Explore the Tuman Triangle

by Tom Johansmeyer on

If you’re going to travel all the way across the Pacific, you want to make your trip to Asia worth it. The latest package from Koryo Tours is designed to do this, exposing you to three countries, three cultures and three time zones in one shot. From June 30 to July 10, 2010, a small group (only 20 spots are available) will be able to explore the “Tuman” Triangle.”

From Beijing, you’ll head out for Yanji in northeastern China, your gateway to North Korea. Across the river, you’ll visit the Rajin-Sonbong free trade zone before crossing into the North Korean city of Chongin and the nearby Chilbo mountains. Your next stop is Russia, to which you’ll travel by train, followed by a boat trip to Vladivostok. Finally, the trip ends with a flight back to Beijing, which you’ll tour your for a while (details are available at Koryo Tours).

Need to experience a new side of Asia? This is the way to do it: three unique cultures in one amazing trip.

Brooklyn Bridge Park: The Best New NYC Park

by Amy Chen on

As the weather warms up, New York City’s parks offer some of the best places to picnic. Central Park’s Sheep Meadow is a no-brainer, but Brooklyn Bridge Park may actually be my new favorite place.

The first section of the park opened in March on Pier 1, but only now has the weather cooperated enough to warrant a visit. I checked out the park on a blustery Saturday. Though the wind thwarted my plan to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (something I try to do at least once a year), it was warm enough to linger on a bench and admire the skyline.

The Pier 1 section includes a playground and a waterfront walkway that rivals the nearby Brooklyn Heights promenade. Best of all, if you don’t feel like packing your own picnic, the park is close to the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory and Grimaldi’s Pizzeria.

Once completed, the waterfront park is expected to cover 85 acres of prime real estate from Atlantic Avenue to Jay Street just north of the Manhattan Bridge. All in all, this addition to the city’s park system serves as yet another pleasant reminder that some of the best things in NYC are still free.

Details: The Brooklyn Bridge Park is a quick walk from the A/C subway station at High Street.

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Holiday World ‘auctions’ staff members for charity

by Leigh Caldwell on

You can learn what it takes to maintain a roller coaster or make perfect cotton candy if you place the winning bid in one of 15 auctions to benefit flood relief efforts in Nashville. Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari theme park in Southern Indiana has launched the auction packages, with bids open through Monday, May 17.

Each of the packages gets you four (and in some cases, more) tickets to the Southern Indiana theme park, $20 in “Holibucks” to spend in the park and two hours with a park executive, along with activities related to the executive’s job. The auctions include:

  • Two hours with Director of Entertainment Sandi Fortune, who promises audition coaching for aspiring performers, including feedback over Skype from producers in Nashville and New York City.
  • Two hours with Director of Training and Development Samantha Ramsey, who is offering a behind-the-scenes look at the coaster maintenance routines at the theme park.
  • Two hours with Director of Values Pat Koch, the matriarch of the family-owned park, who promises lunch and a personal tour.
  • Two hours with Director of Food and Beverage Jason Martin, who is offering a behind-the-scenes tour and a cotton-candy making lesson.

You can bid on the auctions online now through May 17. Holiday World says all of the proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross for Nashville flood relief.

Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari will be open daily for the season starting May 14.

Bring a bike on your next road trip – Road trip tip

by Gadling Staff on

It might be a simple suggestion, but… bringing a bike (or two) on your next road trip will yield rich rewards.

Not only does a bike ride stretch your legs after hours in the car, it helps provide a lay of the land when you make a pitstop. Further, you’ll absorb more local flavor (markets, parks, impromptu street performances) than is possible solely on foot. Finally, riding a bike is good exercise! (And who among us didn’t eat just a little too much on our last vacation?)

Bike racks conserve trunk space but if you manage to fit the bike inside your vehicle you’ll have less logistical hassle. Pro tip: Folding bikes like those made by Bike Friday take up less space.

See also: 20 great bike rides