The Zoo is designed as a loop, with the Coral Café conveniently situated near the halfway mark, making it an ideal stop for lunch. Through the main entrance and left down the Top Terrace, your journey takes you first past the colorful flamingos, the majestic Asiatic lions, the red pandas, and the Livingstone fruit bats. The Twilight World on the Terrace is a fun display of nocturnal animals in their active nighttime environments.

Next along the path come the giant tortoise, the reptile house full of cold-blooded creatures of slime and scales, and the aquarium, loaded with fish. Then, just before the Coral Café is Bug World, home to most of the creepy-crawly invertebrates in the Zoo.

After lunch, take a jaunt past the children’s play area and spend some time in the Activity Centre at the middle of the Zoo, where Bristol offers face painting, brass rubbing, and crafts designed to educate children about animals and habitats. Then, a slight backtrack will put you back on the loop and take you to Gorilla Island.

Unique among Bristol’s breeding collection include the aye aye lemur native to Madagascar, the western lowland gorillas, and the unusual zebra-striped okapi with its stunning red coat, all in the vicinity of Gorilla Island. Just past the gorillas you’ll find the Pygmy Hippo House on your right,, and the Seal and Penguin Coasts tucked in the corner of the Zoo on your left. Take a WC break before winding your way through the last portion of the loop, including the aviaries, Smarty Plants display, and Butterfly Forest. Once again past the flamingos and you’re at the entrance, ready to relax in one of the many hotels Bristol has to offer.

One way to maximize your visit to Bristol Zoo is to review the Zoo map in advance. Many hotels in Bristol can help you find a map in advance, so that you and your family can plan your visit around the exhibits that interest you the most.

Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark’s Square, is referred to as the heart of Venice. Having long been a meeting place for city natives, it was referred to as the ‘drawing room of Europe’ by Napoleon. St. Mark’s Square is the quintessential postcard image, complete with thousands of pigeons dotting every visible surface, as well as the sky; and possibly housing half the population of Europe, too. Try to visit in the off-season to really have the opportunity to enjoy the majestic beauty of the square.

Sitting within the Piazza San Marco itself is St. Mark’s Basilica, or Basilica di San Marco a Venezia, which is the most recognizable and influential Catholic church in Venice. A masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, this cathedral dates to 1063 A.D. and purportedly houses at least some of the remains of its namesake. While visiting the basilica don’t miss a visit to Doge’s Palace, once the judicial and political hub of Venice, which is just adjacent to the church. Now an art museum unto itself, it’s worth a visit just to get a glimpse at the priceless collection within.

Given that Venice is quite literally a city built on water, plan to set aside time to see the series of breathtaking, expansive bridges over the canals that link the small island city together. Of particular interest are the Bridge of Sighs and the Rialto Bridge. Just adjacent to the canal, tiny artisanal shops sell everything from Murano’s famous glass to intricate hand-made lace. After a full day of shopping in Venice, visitors will be ready for a night in to relax in one of the many sumptuous Venice hotels and inns. Delightedly, there is no shortage of customer-appointed hotels in Venice and its surrounding villages so guests won’t be disappointed. If visiting Venice at the right time of year, after a good night’s rest, visitors can start a new day at Carnevale, which is Italy’s original version of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras pre-Lenten celebration.

1. Habana – This hip spot has appeared on several “best of” lists and is considered to be one of the very best gay pubs in the city of Edinburgh. An elegant glass brick bar and the patronage of young, hip, gay clubbers help lend Habana a distinctive and unforgettable air. Be sure to include it on your list of “must see” gay nightspots when in this exciting city.
2. CC Moons – Ask just about any gay or lesbian in Edinburgh where to go for gay-friendly nighttime fun, and they’re bound to recommend CC Moons. In general, it serves as a bar; however, it transforms into a nightclub for several nights each month. Its basement dance floor is something that you definitely don’t want to miss.
3. Claremont Bar – There are many loud, crowded and thrilling gay bars and clubs to visit when in Edinburgh. If you’re looking for something a bit more low-key, though, the Claremont Bar might be right for you. Its men-only nights – which are held on the first Saturday of each month – are tremendously popular. If you’re going to be in Edinburgh and are a gay man, try to visit the Claremont Bar on the first Saturday of the month – you won’t regret it.
4. Club Java – Gay people of all backgrounds and sensibilities will find plenty to do in Edinburgh. If you’re a lesbian, you should hit up Club Java when in this fast-paced city. Best known for its popular women-only nights, there’s never a dull moment at Club Java. Better still, it is quite close to many Edinburgh hotels.
5. Blue Moon Cafe – Start your night of clubbing off right by stopping in for a drink at the Blue Moon Cafe. Several hotels in Edinburgh are within walking distance of this popular Broughton Street institution, and its vibrant and fun ambiance will surely win you over.

One of the best and least expensive ways to experience all that London has to offer is to purchase a travel package. There are numerous travel agencies that offer affordable packages that typically include transportation, hotel accommodations, dining, and access to various attractions. Some even include deluxe tours of one of the most famous cities in the world. These tours will typically take visitors to all the most famous sites around the city. Having an experienced tour guide rather than trying to see everything on your own can save time, and when the tour is booked with a travel package, it can also save money.

For those who prefer to have more control over the individual elements of their London holiday, it is also possible to save money while paying separately for each element. When it is necessary to fly, booking airfare as far in advance as possible can typically save a significant amount of money. Booking a flight during the late fall through early spring can also save travellers money because most airlines offer cheaper rates during the off season. Many hotels and attractions also offer lower rates to attract customers during the off season as well. No matter when you travel, careful research can lead you to cheap hotels in London, and there are plenty of inexpensive things to do in the city. Activities such as window shopping at the finest shops and studying the architecture of the city can even be completely free, and they can be part of a wonderful London experience.

No matter what your budget is, it is completely possible to do London on the cheap. Whether you choose money saving travel packages, travel in the off season, or do careful searching to find the best deals, you can enjoy a memorable holiday in London without breaking the bank.

A trip around the Norfolk Coast is both rejuvenating, scenic, and altogether delightful. The winding roads quickly give way to a series of nearly private beaches, whose uncorrupted, natural beauty will remain in your mind long after you’ve dusted the last bit of sand from your toes. If you prefer the deep calm of a woody glen, you’ll be happy to know that some of these beaches border beautiful forests and marshes. The local villages are bastions of fine English country living, with cottages, pubs, and one of a kind old fashioned shops, selling a wide variety of local arts and crafts.

When planning your road trip, you can find cheap hotels almost anywhere you look, although calling ahead never hurts, especially if you plan to travel from Leeds to the Yorkshire moors. This route, which combines the urban excitement of Leeds with the awe-inspiring, if somewhat chilly moors, is wonderful for those who wish to sample both sophistication and rustic beauty in the same trip. The moors, site of innumerable dramatic novels and plays, provide you with the perfect place in which to indulge your inner poet, while Leeds, with its pulsating nightlife, allows you to work on your dance moves.

If you want to experience one of the most beautiful places in the U.K., plan a trip through the Cotswalds. With a slew of vine-covered discount hotels, celebrity sightings, and legendary scenery, the Cotswalds is the perfect place for a leisurely drive of exploration. Explore the remarkable sights of Gloucester before making your way to the A429 road, a route that supposedly has been in existence since the days of the Romans. No matter where you end up traveling in Britain, enjoy the ride!

Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives

Although the famous Tate Britain and Tate Modern museums are located in London, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives are both very fine art museums that stand proudly on their own. The Tate Liverpool museum is well known for its collections of contemporary and modern art and frequently features exhibitions that are on tour from all over the world. The Tate St Ives museum, on the other hand, has more of a focus on contemporary art on display through the museums relationship with Cornwall. An excellent sculpture garden is one of the museums permanent installations, and themed collections from Tate rotate through the museum seasonally.

Royal Museum and Art Gallery

Located in Canterbury in south east England, the Royal Museum and Art Gallery has a stunning collection of top decorative arts and portraits primarily dedicated to collections of historical merit. The Royal Museum also features a permanent gallery dedicated to Thomas Sidney Cooper, an artist famous for his pastoral works.

Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum

For travelers who have an interest in furniture making and metalwork, the Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum deserves special interest. Large portions of this museum are dedicated to items created during the Arts and Crafts Movement, and these collections are considered to represent some of the finest creations of the movement in the world. Rare Dutch paintings and pottery from ancient China and early England are also on display.

Fitzwilliam Museum

Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum is the perfect destination for art lovers who are in search of a comprehensive collection of painting representing artistic movements ranging from early antiquities to Post-Impressionism. Some of most interesting works in the museum include paintings by William Blake, Titan, Ingres and Turner.

No matter where your travels take you in search of art in the United Kingdom, there are cheap hotels available throughout the country to suit tastes ranging from luxury accommodations to a modest hotel perfect for travelers on a budget.

Today, visitors to Amsterdam are enchanted by the larger canals—the Keizersgracht, the Herengracht, and the Prinsengracht—that lie at the heart of the city. These are broad and roomy, their embankments frequently lined with residential houseboats. However, numerous smaller canals provide additional dimension and texture for exploration. These include the Leidsegracht, Brouwersgracht, Bloemgracht, Egelantiergracht, Groenburgwal, Leliegracht, Oudezijds Achterburgwal, and Spiegelgracht. Tree-lined, the canals are tree-lined and offer a perfect counterfoil to ornate 17th century mansions and former warehouses now converted to flats.

The limpid beauty of the waterways, interrupted at intervals by picturesque locks, is at the heart of this attraction. Many scenic humpbacked bridges span the canals and add their unique charm. Bookstores, restaurants, taverns, cafes, and boutiques dot the margins of the canals like so many glittering gems awaiting discovery.

Visitors can explore Amsterdam’s canals on foot, by bicycle, and by boat. No matter the means of locomotion, it is wise to carry a detailed map of Amsterdam. The first-time visitor can get turned around by the city’s charming, twisting streets and canals. However, lost and disoriented or not, the traveler is sure to enjoy the experience. Seasoned visitors comment consistently on the vibrant buzz of the canal-side cafes.

Many Amsterdam hotels are located on or near the Western Ring and Central Ring of canals, making daily excursions into the city very convenient. In addition to offering a range of prices to suit every purse, the hotels’ coffeehouses and cafes are frequently tourist destinations in their own right.

Hotels in Amsterdam are often situated in converted historic mansions and former public buildings, usually of 17th and 19th century vintage. Hotel guests will enjoy the ornate surroundings of a by-gone time augmented by modern amenities. Visitors looking for a truly unique experience may find lodging in a floating hotel aboard one of the numerous houseboats on the canal margins. Whatever the personal preference, a charming and memorable stay is nearly ensured.

Historic and scenic, an Amsterdam canal excursion harks back to another time without a hint of stodginess. An apt juxtaposition of the quaint with the avant garde makes a trip to the city a very attractive travel choice.

On the North Sea

Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, with nearby shopping centers, a factory shopping village, and two theatres combines the casual tourist area with possibilities for more fast-paced activities. The West Cliff Theatre still presents an old fashioned summer show. Hotels, guest houses and caravan parks provide nearby access to the pleasure pier with a helter-skelter, and arcades. There is an annual Airshow and carnival in August.

Skegness, Lincolnshire, the first of Billy Butlin’s Holiday Camps (1936), retains Butlins with shops, sports, restaurants and lodgings. It is also known as a premier retirement spot. It’s most familiar landmark is the clock tower, built through public subscription in the late 1800s. Along the beach are arcades, fish & chips shops, crazy golf, slot machines and more.

Scarborough, North Yorkshire, is a large and bustling modern resort. A high rocky promontory holds the remains of Scarborough Castle and splits the beach into North and South Bays. Transportation services, shopping and nightlife are higher than the beach, where there is a lighted pedestrian pomenade and seating. North Bay features a Japanese park, the re-enactment of a naval battle in the summer months and a miniature railway.

Whitby, North Yorkshire, is known worldwide for mineralized jet, black fossilized wood. One can comb the beach for bits of jet, once popularly used in mourning jewelry. Whitby was featured in Bram Stoker’s Dracula and now boasts a museum of Dracula memorabilia. A unique whalebone arch is worth a visit. Annual celebrations include the Whitby Regatta, Folk Week, a Gothic Weekend and music spectacular called “Whitby Now.” The Blue Flag beach at Whitby is known for cleanliness and being family friendly.

On Bristol Channel

Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, is home to a geological wonder, the tidal rise and fall in the Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel can be as much as 15 m, second only to the Bay of Fundy in Canada. Nearby is a safer sandy beach and a large helicopter museum. A miniature railway and putting green are also popular pastimes. In October the Weston Beach Race Motocross, and West Country Carnival in November are held annually. Many local attractions are undergoing redevelopment.

On the English Channel

Bognor Regis, West Sussex, is home to one of the remaining Butlins with several hotels. The Bognor Rox music festival is held annually, and the Alexandra Theatre offers a wide variety of performance styles.

Torquay, Devon, is one of the most popular seaside resorts in England. Nine nearby beaches, a microclimate which provides more sunlight than usual in England, and palm-like cabbage trees from New Zealand, have resulted in Torquay being nicknamed the English Riviera. From first-class accommodations to discount hotels, there is no dearth of lodgings in the area. Good water quality and clean beaches have resulted in three Blue Flags for Torquay. Mystery writer, Agatha Christie, spent most of her life there, and one can visit an extensive museum dedicated to her.

On the Atlantic

Newquay, Cornwall, is known for over ten miles of beaches, including the most famous surfing location in England at Fistral. Other beaches are ideal for exploration with rock pools and caves. It is another highly popular summer destination and the population quadruples during holiday season. The Trenance Leisure Gardens offers walking paths, tennis courts and bowling greens. Family attractions include a zoo, miniature railway, mini golf and swimming pool. The Run to the Sun occurs each May. The 1000 km South West Coast Path, Britain’s longest footpath, passes through Newquay.

On the Irish Sea

Morecambe Bay is the largest intertidal mudflat in the UK. Five rivers drain into the bay creating interesting peninsulas. Morecambe is a centre for bird watchers and is just south of the Lake District National Park. The “Catch The Wind” Kite Festival, a jazz festival, and 1950s “Tutti Frutti” Festival are annual events. The art deco luxury hotel, Midland Hotel, has an indoor pool. Plenty of cheap hotels, self-catering lodgings, guest houses, and camping parks also serve the area. Tourism is the base of its economy with many caterers and shops along the seafront. Potted shrimps are a local sensation.

Whichever coast of England you prefer, there are bound to be traditional attractions, large modern venues and activities, and an endless variety of sights and opportunities to be discovered. A holiday at a seaside resort can be a quiet getaway, a high-energy festival experience, or an exploration of some new ecosystem.

The sophisticated Ciel Bleu serves exotic delicacies and incredible views of the city. Located on the twenty-third floor of the Hotel Okura, Ciel Bleu will give you and your significant other the chance to marvel in the beauty of the city while sampling some of Amsterdam’s finest cuisines. If you prefer outdoor dining, the Café de Prins, located along the infamously scenic canal, offers the perfect locale for a light apertif to a full-blown meal.

If you want to spend some quality time together without the hassle of crowds, why not book a salon boat and take a privately guided tour of the canals? On warm summer nights, passing under the immaculate masonry of bridges and the elegantly strewn lights without the noise of a boisterous tour group is the way to experience the romantic heart of the city. Some boat tours come with a dinner included.

Of course, the hotels in Amsterdam offer plenty of romantic refuges for those who wish to spend the majority of their time indoors. Hotel 717, with only eight rooms, promises guests that they will be well looked after, without having to worry about intrusions on their privacy. For those who are looking to honeymoon in style, the Hotel Toren offers a Garden Cottage just for the two of you. For five star adventurers, the Hotel de l’Europe combines the grandeur of luxury with the gorgeous, dreamy romanticism of the waterbourne city.

Once you’ve secured your Amsterdam hotel, you can also simply enjoy the natural splendour of the city, with its numerous parks and bike paths. Cycling is a major past time of the natives, contributing to an overall sense of romanticism and a place apart from the rigorous demands of modern life. Allow yourself a relaxing stroll as you take in the local shops and hole in the wall eateries. Whatever you do, be sure to revel in the beauty of your surroundings, and the quirky freedom of the citizenry. Nothing is as romantic as the ability to leave behind your worries—Amsterdam is the place to do it!

The Theatre Royal in Brighton not only puts on a variety of fully staged classic plays throughout the year, but has a gorgeous interior, with a regency auditorium. The theatre itself, which dates back to 1806, is located in a cluster of historical buildings which add to the ambiance of the productions. The consistently high quality of the productions staged here attracted considerable talent. Most of the 19th and 20th century’s most famous actors either took up residency in the theatre, or made a point of striding across its boards at least once. Sarah Bernhardt and John Gielgud are both alumni of the theatre. In the twenty-first century, the Theatre Royal regularly stages popular dramas and musicals, including “The Lion King,” “Peter Pan,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “The History Boys.”

For those with tastes for slightly more adventuresome fare, Brighton’s Little Theatre offers twelve plays during its yearly season, which can range from the comedic to the downright gothic. The Theatre does not shy away from nudity on the stage, nor resurrecting contemporary classics such as Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull,” or the American play “Steel Magnolias.” The theatre itself is located at the base of Clarence Gardens, right in the middle of town, near several Brighton hotels. There’s also the New Venue Theatre, which delights in showcasing new and upcoming talent.

No visit to the Brighton theatre scene would be complete without a journey to the Brighton Dome, an enormous, newly restored centre of arts and culture that hosts the domed Pavilion concert hall. The hall was converted from its original purpose as royal riding stables into a theatre venue in 1866. As the venue for a variety of show-stopping theatre, including the play “Something Else” and the touring act “The Circus Project,” you will be thoroughly entertained while inside the Pavilion.

Whether you’re drawn to the stage lights or the softly elucidated pathos of a professionally trained actor, Brighton’s incredible array of theatre, with its rich history and vibrant embrace of contemporary drama, offers visitors an unrivaled experience. Located in a district with dozens of hotels, Brighton’s theatre scene is both easily accessible and riotously entertaining. Avid theatre-goers will attest that you can spend weeks taking in all of Brighton’s performances.