Drag out summer after Labor Day: 12 ideas

by Jamie Rhein on

So what if it’s almost the end of August, kids are heading back to school in droves, and Labor Day is almost here?

There are ways to drag out that summer feeling with easy-going, inexpensive travel. Pick places that you haven’t been to before to heighten a sense of adventure — something that summers are made for.

Here are 12 ideas to get you started into dragging out summer–at least until the leaves start to change color.

(This gorgeous shot of summer was taken in Ireland.)

1. Go to an old-fashioned ice-cream parlor or stand that you have not been to before and try a new flavor. As treats go, ice-cream is affordable and has nutritional value–if you ignore the sugar and fat. For example, at Tom’s Ice-Cream Bowl in Zanesville, Ohio, there’s a wonderful concoction made with coconut and chocolate chips. Tom’s Ice-Cream Bowl is one of my new favorite travel destinations and worth the drive. If you have a favorite parlor or stand, do tell. (Margot’s is in San Juan Bautista, CA.)

2. Go to a festival–any festival. Although Labor Day festivals abound, look for one that is after Labor Day. The Honeyfest in Lithopolis, Ohio fits that category. Held the first Saturday after Labor Day (this year, Sept. 12), this is a festival that blends music, honey, food and art into a lovely concoction with a summertime feel. I’m sure there are other festivals like this one that are organized by folks who hate to say good-bye to summer as well.

3. Get out that bicycle or the roller blades, strap on a helmet and head out to celebrate your inner child. If you don’t own a bicycle or roller blades, rent. One of my favorite places to rent roller blades is Santa Monica, California. Skate to Venice Beach to browse the craft tables that people set up on weekends. Also, at any given hour, there is someone doing entertainment for donations only. My favorite is the guy who juggles chain saws. (The photo of cyclists and roller bladers by Herkie was taken in Iowa.)

4. Find a historic home that has been turned into a museum. Often these museums are operated by volunteers who are passionate about history and what makes their house museum worth visiting. As a bonus, admission is generally inexpensive. Although hours often are cut back after Labor Day, many historic houses offer a weekend visit option. My favorite house museum is the Dinsmore Homestead near Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, about a half-hour from Cincinnati. Another fascinating home is the Copper King Mansion in Butte, Montana. Again, if you have a favorite historic home, pass along your suggestions.

5. Grab a fishing pole for a lazy hour or two of trying to catch a fish. Even if you end up with nada, watching the water ripple and the clouds move overhead is a cheap summer-like treat. Before you go, find out what the regulations are for a fishing license. In Ohio, people age 15 and under and age 60 and over don’t need a license. My son fished on the Smith River in Montana last summer using a friend’s borrowed pole. This summer was an evening visit to Sharon Woods Metro Park in Westerville, Ohio. Neither experience cost money. State parks are a good place to look for a free to inexpensive fishing location.

6. Take a merry-go-round ride, even if you don’t have a kid with you. Several parks and towns have merry-go-rounds as stand alone attractions. Last summer we took a spin on the merry-go-round in Saratoga, New York. The National Mall in Washington, D.C. also has a merry-go-round, as does Central Park in New York City. For two more carousel gems, check out the one in downtown Mansfield, Ohio, and my favorite, the merry-go-round in Missoula, Montana.

7. Rent a paddle boat for an hour. If you have more than two people who want to take a paddle boat ride, but you only want to rent for an hour, split the hour with the same boat. We did this in Sturbridge, Massachusetts one summer. Paddle boat rentals, I’ve found, are surprisingly cheap. A little over a week ago, the ONLY cheap thing we did in Greece was rent a paddle boat in Corfu.

8. Go tide-pooling to see what critters have become temporarily caught between the beach and the ocean. Once, near Thomaston, Maine, we spent hours walking along craggy rocks checking out the variety. Of course, Maine can feel nippy come September, but elsewhere, the temperatures are still comfortably summer.

9. It’s not too late to head to a swimming hole and float in an inner tube or swing off a rope to land in the water. The most memorable swimming hole I’ve been to is in New Braunfels, Texas between Austin and San Antonio.

10. Hike to a summit no matter how high the mountain. Getting to the top of a hill can also feel like an accomplishment. The trail to the top of the Sandia Mountains in Albuquerque, New Mexico offers a huge reward those who end up a mile higher than where they started at the parking lot where the trailhead begins. The view from the top is splendid. Look for Mt. Taylor near Grants, New Mexico in the distance.

(Clinton Steeds took this shot on Ryan Mountain at Joshua Tree.)

11. Drive out of town or the city, if that’s where you happen to live,and find a field. Once found, spread out a blanket, lie down and look up at the stars. Find the Big Dipper if nothing else. This summer, in addition to the Big Dipper, I was lucky enough to see shooting stars one night near Telluride, Colorado.

12. Baseball season is not over yet. For a down-home version of baseball, head to a minor league game. Those teams are still into crowd pleasing and involve spectators in the fun of the sport. When we were at an Isotope’s game this summer in Albuquerque, the excitement and fun of spectator participation, turned the kids of friends of ours into baseball fans.

And, one more thing. Wherever you go, wear white. The adage that you aren’t supposed to wear white after Labor Day is made to ignore, particularly by anyone who wants a summery feel.

Fire Island: An eco-friendly paradise close to Manhattan

by Jamie Rhein on

As close as Fire Island is to New York City, my family and I felt like we were setting off on a grand adventure when we arrived at Sayville, Long Island to buy ferry tickets for the journey to The Pines, a hamlet of Fire Island.

The diving and squawking sea gulls added to the aura of our three-day, two-night getaway. So did the anticipation of the ferry’s arrival and the chug chug chug of the motor when it left the shore..

We watched our car in the ferry’s parking lot become a dot in one direction, while in the other, the island I had heard about as the magical place that my uncle went to as a young man came into view.

Fire Island, a barrier island off Long Island, is part of the National Seashore and highly protected in order to nurture the diverse plant and animal life and keep the waters pristine. The result is a haven to escape from busyness, noise and almost every other activity humans have been known to do to wreck havoc on the environment. That doesn’t mean that people are not part of the habitat. They are. However, the people are the ones asked to adapt. I suggest the trip for anyone looking to beat the heat of a New York summer and mindful slow down.

When the ferry docked and we stepped of the boat, I was struck by the care that was being given to this fragile ecosystem. At The Pines, wooden boardwalks lead everywhere creating walkways between the buildings of weathered wood, sand and vegetation. Walking off the boardwalk, or outside the bounds of a public access to the beach, or any other designated areas are forbidden.

Because there are not any cars on most of the island, the aura of quiet and calm permeates. In the middle of the week when we were there, many of the houses were vacant which added to the allure of the habitat.

The wooden walkways aren’t all that protect the environment. As we headed to the beach, we passed by the slim wooden slat fences that protect the sand dunes and the birds’ nests hidden from view by the tall grasses.

Although we spent most of our time hanging out near where we stayed, a humble beach house of sun-roughened wood that belonged to a friend of a friend of my brother’s, we did go, via water taxi, to Cherry Grove one afternoon. Cherry Grove is another hamlet community of Fire Island.

Water taxis on Fire Island are not particularly cheap, but they do go to each of Fire Island’s sections. The fare depends upon how far you go. Because our son was small, I took the taxi both ways, but my daughter and brother walked along the beach back to The Pines. It’s not particularly close, but doable.

At Cherry Grove, besides visiting art galleries, one of its signature features, we wandered along the maze of walkways to take in the variety of private homes. No, we weren’t peeping Toms, just casual admirers.

Staying on Fire Island is not generally budget travel by a long shot, but you can reduce the sting if you can share the cost of a hotel room with someone or rent a house with several people. If you wait until fall, prices go down. The middle of the week has less expensive options.

I did look for a hotel room for this summer using the info on this link, but plans changed so I gave up. Many people who own homes do rent them out on short term basis because most folks only come out on weekends.

If you rent a house similar to where we stayed, there are places to buy groceries. Cooking your own food, also what we did, is one way to cut down on costs. Also consider bringing food to prepare with you to trim costs further. The store at the harbor has what you might need for most any meal, but everything costs more than if you bought it elsewhere.

For the cheapest option of enjoying the ecological balance of Fire Island, take a day trip there. Jeremy mentioned a visit to Robert Moses State Park in his post on New York beaches. It’s possible to drive to it via the Robert Moses Causeway.

Because part of Fire Island is a National Park there are many free programs that highlight aspects of the environment to take in. Here’s a link to those happening in August.

If your aim is to find an area that is the least tamed, the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness is where to head. It’s the only protected wilderness in New York state. Camping is permitted, and permits can be obtained at the Watch Hill Visitor Center. According to the national park Website, late fall and early spring are the best times to camp. Summer, frankly, sounds dreadful. Mosquitoes and ticks in droves don’t sound like relaxing company.

As a note: Although The Pines and Cherry Grove are considered to be the predominately the gay sections of Fire Island, I found both to be both straight people and family-friendly. Again, we were there during the week. On weekends, both The Pines and Cherry Grove are more of a party scene. However, according to my brother, the hoopla is mostly at the bars and restaurants.

There are other Fire Island communities to consider, although I didn’t go any further than Cherry Grove. Here’s a link to a list and their descriptions. From what I can tell, some of those communities are not as open as The Pines and Cherry Grove are to outsiders –meaning people who don’t own property there. Others are. Some options also turn into party scenes so consider what will suit you best when making a decision.

By the way, the Sayville Ferry is the one that goes to Cherry Grove and The Pines. If you’re planning to head to other sections, here’s a link to a Website with a comprehensive overview of options.

When I left The Pines I knew exactly why my uncle was so happy there. It’s a paradise that’s close to one of the most exciting cities in the world.

[My uncle is on the book cover.]

Gadlinks for Monday 8.24.09

by Brenda Yun on


One of summer´s last weekends has come and gone. Enjoy the warm sun while it lasts! … and take some time to enjoy these travel tales as well.

‘Til tomorrow, have a great evening!

More Gadlinks HERE.

“Celebrities talk travel” worth the click

by Jamie Rhein on

My initial thought about the celebrity travel interviews at travel.aol.com was “Oh, great. More celebrity gossip. Who cares?” But, after reading “Jonathan Bennet Talks Travel,” I read another interview– and another and another. I found each interview engaging and useful for picking up a tip or two.

What makes these interviews worthwhile and different from other celebrity interviews is that the celebrities are not firmly on the A-list. Their tone does not suggest that if one were a celebrity one could have a truly great life. You know–if you were Brad and Angelina. Or Tom and Katie. Or Oprah. These interviews are not about how much money one can spend for deluxe experiences, but what people do to optimize their travel success.

Even though the celebrities interviewed have had opportunities to see the world at a higher level than most of us, the interviews reflect their sense of wonder at the world and that they are figuring out how to travel with aplomb just like anybody else. After each read, I was left with the feeling of wanting to hit the road or buy an airline ticket myself.

Here are five celebrities and five travel tips.

  • Jonathan Bennet–Take a shower first thing when you arrive in your hotel room. (That’s the first thing he always does.)
  • Antonio Sabato Jr.–Wear comfortable clothing on an airplane or during a long car trip. (He wears sweats.)
  • Kim Wayans–Bring your own sheets and pillow (I often bring my own pillow case and sometimes a pillow depending on the circumstance and location.)
  • Criss Angel (a video interview)–Know about your destination’s climate so you don’t over-pack. (When going to Cabo, his favorite destination, he only brings a few pairs of shorts and leaves the shaving cream at home.) On the flip side of temperatures, know if you’ll need a sweater or a jacket– or both.
  • Bode Miller–Stay positive and be aware that delays and the unexpected may happen.

Ten musical destinations that will rock your world

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Music has a way of taking you on a journey. Like any great trip, the songs that inspire us are filled with joyous highs and sobering lows, unexpected revelations and exotic uncertainties. It’s only natural then that each of us seeks out music during our travels. Whether it’s a CD stand in a bustling market in Morocco or a classically-trained violinist playing on a street corner in Paris, music offers travelers a visceral way to cut through the confusion of language and custom, revealing the true essence of a destination.

Wherever we go, melodies both familiar and exotic burst out of speakers, vibrate in concert halls, groove around city streets and drip off the walls in sweaty dance clubs. Yet it’s only in a few select spots around the world that the culture of music becomes a truly tangible attraction. These are the special places where a unique confluence of cultural cross-pollination, inherent creativity and a critical mass of kick-ass musicianship coalesces to create something truly special.

In the course of our journeys here at Gadling, we’ve uncovered some of the world’s most unique and memorable destinations for music. The following list is by no means the end-all-be-all of musical places to visit, but each of the ten spots we’ve chosen is without a doubt one-of-a-kind and a true musical hotspot. Did we choose any of your favorites? Click below for our picks…
Number 10 – Mali’s Festival in the Desert
At first glance, it would be easy to mistake Mali’s Festival in the Desert as a cruel mirage. Yet every year this wind-swept country in Northwestern Africa puts on one of the continent’s best musical events, featuring traditional Tuareg tunes as well as music from around the globe.

Number 9 – Pitch-perfect karaoke in Manila
Love it or hate it, Karaoke has spread its melodies around the world, from the drinking dens of Tokyo to the back streets of New York. But to truly experience Karaoke talent, head to Manila. Filipino cover bands are legendary for their pitch-perfect renditions of Western pop songs. In fact, if you closed your eyes, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference from the originals.

Number 8 – Concert hopping in Austin, TX
They like to say everything is bigger in Texas, and Austin’s annual South by Southwest music festival certainly doesn’t disappoint. Each March, over a thousand bands from around the world descend on the state’s capital for four days of drinking, dancing and music industry schmoozing. If you’re hoping to catch rock’s next great thing or simply looking for a good time, South by Southwest is definitely one of the USA’s best music events.

Number 7 – Tokyo Record Collecting
Tokyo, Japan is one of the world’s great cultural epicenters, consuming and re-creating pop culture trends at a furious pace. This intense consumption is particularly true of music, where the Japanese excel as the world’s consummate music collectors. If you need proof of Tokyo’s status as the crown jewel for record shopping, one need only stroll the back alleyways of Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district. Along the narrow side streets you’ll stumble upon hidden second floor record shops packed floor to ceiling with obscure vinyl and out-of-print rarities.

Number 6 – New Orleans gets Jazzed

New Orleans is known as the birthplace of Jazz music. It was the city’s unique mixture of French, Spanish and African traditions that allowed the city to develop this particularly unique musical heritage, one that is evident even today. One of the best ways to experience the Big Easy’s Jazz culture is the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, perhaps the world’s best showcase of this distinctly southern-tinged style.

Number 5 – The London Remix
London has a reputation as a musical chameleon, a city that takes on the world’s constantly evolving musical styles, remixing and reinterpreting in a uniquely British way. Whether it’s Punk or Techno, Indie Rock or Dubstep, London has something to suit the tastes of about every music lover. Check out this list of London music venues, this rundown of record stores, or top-notch dance clubs like Fabric if you’re looking to jump along to the beat.


Number 4 – Kingston sound system parties
Jamaica holds an outsize reputation in the world’s musical lore, having birthed world-famous artists like Bob Marley along with hundreds of other equally talented Jamaican singers, producers and musicians. Though the laid-back vibe of Tuff Gong has long-since morphed into the raw sounds of Dancehall and Ragga, you can still experience Jamaican music at its finest at some of Kingston’s weekly sound system parties like Passa Passa and Weddy Weddy Wednesday. These rough and tumble affairs take over Kingston’s parks and streets with huge speakers, raucous dancing and plenty of fun.


Number 3 – All night techno in Berlin
Something happened when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. As a divided city was slowly mended together, music fans began to take over the city’s abandoned buildings and spaces for semi-legal dance parties. It was the beginning of Techno, a music scene that would soon sweep the capital and most of Europe. Berlin today is ground zero for electronic music fans, with some of the world’s best DJ’s playing parties that can last all night and into the next day and beyond. Check out the events list at Resident Advisor for a good listing of what’s happening.

Number 2 – Shake to the rhythm of Brazilian Carnival
Much like New Orleans and Jamaica, Brazil is the product of a unique confluence of cultures, bringing together Portuguese, African and indigenous influences. Nowhere does this unique cultural history make itself better felt than during Brazil’s annual Carnival festivities, when cities across the country like Rio de Janeiro and Salvador erupt in wild displays of samba dancing and furious drumming. Check out this Rio Carnival guide to get started.



Number 1 – Find what’s new in New York City
It’s hard to even describe how important New York has been to 20th Century musical innovation. Jazz. Punk. Disco. Hip hop. Whatever your preferred style of music, you can find it here…whether its an Indie Rock show at the Bowery Ballroom or killer night of Jazz over at Blue Note, New York’s got it all. Spend a day browsing through record stores like Other Music and A-1 Records before catching a show at Mercury Lounge, S.O.B.’s or Lincoln Center.

Did we pick your favorite musical destination? Think we forgot one of the best? Leave us a comment below to continue to the debate.