Nashville is the capitol of Tennessee and is surrounded by lush, rolling hills and sparkling lakes, which translates into a lot of outdoor fun for visitors. With great Nashville theme parks like Wave Country and Nashville Shores, as well as hiking trails, campsites, boat and Jet Ski rentals, visitors can have a lot of fun while discovering the natural beauty of the area. The outdoor activities alone could take up several days of one’s vacation.

Due to its strong cultural and traditional background and over 20 colleges and universities, Nashville has also evolved to become a popular metropolitan area that it is often referred to as the “Athens of the South”. It is fitting that the ‘Athens of the South’ is home to the world’s only full-size replica of the ancient Parthenon.

Originally built in 1897, the Parthenon stands proudly as the centerpiece of Centennial Park, Nashville’s premier urban park. The 42-foot statue Athena is the focus of the Parthenon and is the tallest indoor sculpture in the Western world. The basement galleries also serve as an art museum with permanent and revolving collections.

Despite its modern, urban feel, many people still visit Nashville just to come face-to-face with their favorite country music stars and tour the city’s famous publishing companies, record labels and Music Row recording studios. The 1950s-style RCA Studio B is said to have launched more hit records than any other recording studio in the country. If you catch a glimpse of someone on Music Row who looks an awful lot like Alan Jackson or another artist, it probably is. Many country stars have homes in Franklin and nearby Leiper’s Fork.

Visitors can also take bus tours of famous stars’ homes, catch a show at the Grand Ole Opry, and visit the beautiful Opryland Hotel. This great Nashville attraction boasts nine acres of lush indoor gardens and winding rivers where guests can take a tour on a Delta flatboat or enjoy a million twinkling lights during their Christmas Spectacular.

Located across from the Opryland Hotel is the loading platform for visitors to board and enjoy a cruise on the General Jackson Showboat. Live shows are performed during dinner in the beautiful two-story Victorian Theater located in the center of the boat. With four massive decks to take in the views, the 300- foot paddleboat takes guests down the Cumberland River to historic downtown Nashville.

The downtown area also features other Nashville attractions where visitors can enjoy the simple twang and narrative lyrics of country music. The popular Wildhorse Saloon sits on 2nd Avenue, and lying between 3rd and 4th streets lays Printer’s Alley, one of the top places to go for Nashville nightlife where visitors can walk through the alley and revel in the deep history it holds.

Another downtown Nashville attraction steeped in history is the world-famous Ryman Auditorium. During the daytime, visitors can tour the “Mother Church of Country Music” and stand on the stage to hear stories of when Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and other country legends performed there early in their careers. Memorabilia like stage outfits and guitars also are on display.

The Country Music Hall of Fame is nearby and features numerous exhibits on the history and impact of country music. The museum is the largest popular music museum in the world and features entertaining films, interactive displays, and an incredible array of costumes and instruments. From the early pioneers to the modern chart-toppers, you’ll find every era of country music well represented throughout.

During a trip downtown, visitors can buff up on history of a different sort and visit a replica of the original Fort Nashborough, which stands at the foot of Broadway. Fort Nashborough was the first permanent European settlement in the area and was built on the banks of the Cumberland River in 1779.

A list of Nashville attractions wouldn’t be complete without mentioning some of the great museums that are available. The Frist Center for the Visual Arts features some of the nation’s most cutting-edge masterpieces. Located downtown on Broadway, a visit to The Frist is a convenient and cultural experience where visitors also have the chance to express their creative side and create their own masterpiece in the Martin Artquest Gallery.

The Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art also features American and contemporary art while the Adventure Science Center can be an entertaining way to introduce children to science.  Kids of all ages can learn about technology, the environment, physics, and health as they roam the museum pushing buttons and turning knobs in the interactive exhibits. The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere is a zoo and historic plantation that is also a great place to spend the afternoon and learn a little something.

Sports fans can also get their fill during a Nashville vacation with Nashville Sounds baseball, Nashville Predators hockey and Tennessee Titans football. For those looking for some fast-paced fun, the Nashville Superspeedway is located just outside of town in Lebanon. If shopping is your sport of choice, the Opry Mills Mall is filled with dozens of brand name stores, like Saks Fifth Avenue, Old Navy and Bass Pro Shop. You can also take in a meal at The Aquarium Restaurant and watch dozens of sea creatures swim by in the huge 150, 000 gallon aquarium.

As you can see, Music City has a lot to offer its visitors no matter what they’re into. With more than 40 centralized attractions in the Nashville area, the city offers excitement and fun for every member of the family. Whether you’d like to sample music, sports, outdoors or history, there’s a Nashville attraction that is sure to entertain you on your next Tennessee vacation.

Today’s couples are more educated, sophisticated, and better traveled than couples of past generations. More affluent than past marrying couples, 27% of these Generation Y couples ( children of the baby boomers and twice the numbers ) will pay for their entire wedding, and they want something different for themselves and their guests; they want to be pampered and taken seriously.

In the year 2006, nine percent of weddings in the United States were destination weddings, which is a 200% increase in the last ten years. Generation Y couples are tired of the “themed” weddings that became so prevalent and overused in the past. They want to experience different cultures and real settings rather than a “staged” wedding.

“Although women are still the primary decision makers of the wedding plans, men are more involved today than couples of the generation that preceded them, 83% of today’s couples are employed full time; they work hard (they are paying a mortgage and own one or two automobiles between them). Equally, they want to play hard; realizing that they are together rarely, they want to plan events that will bring them closer. As well, they want to create deep and meaningful memories for the family and friends. Since most couples are not getting married in the areas where they grew up, their time with family and friends is all the more precious and important to them. If they can do this in a unique or even an exotic setting, all the more enticing,” Ernst adds.

St Barthelemy, located in the French West Indies, is that exotic setting today’s bride is looking for. It is the Monte Carlo of the Caribbean, without the traffic jams but with the added advantage of flawless beaches. Shortened to Saint Barth in French and St Barts in English it is an exclusive eight square mile (21 sq km) embodiment of 24-carat French chic. It attracts millionaires on luxury yachts, movie stars and French expatriates fleeing the European winter. It is a Caribbean island where relaxation and Gallic style under a tropical sun have been refined to perfection.

Few islands worldwide, can match the unique blend of style, nature and history that is St. Barts. This tiny island has significant appeal where ‘quality’ is most certainly more important than ‘quantity’… an island far away from the normality of life, making it the perfect wedding destination.

St. Barts is surrounded with turquoise waters, situated near the northern end of the Lesser Antilles group in the French West Indies. At a distance of 200 kms from the island of Guadeloupe and 25 kms from Saint-Martin. It is a mountainous island whose only flat area is occupied by the airport’s runway. As the climate is rather dry, agriculture has never been developed, thus throughout history few slaves had ever been employed. For the most part, St. Bartians are descendants of Breton and Norman fisher folk. Many are of French and Swedish ancestry, the latter evident in their fair skin, blond hair, and blue eyes.

St. Barts’ beaches are renowned for being some of the most beautiful and pristine in the world. Many are found in small coves, which have been protected from development by strict environmentally friendly zoning. Unlike many of its neighboring Caribbean islands, it has not been overrun with prefab condos and large chain hotels. There are six 4 star hotels all featuring romance packages for the wedding or honeymoon couple. All are of single story design, some as one building and others as separate single bedroom villas. Four are located on the beach (perfect for reading-of-the-vows ceremony) the other two are high on the hills with magnificent views of the island and setting sun. Each hotel has been uniquely designed, blending into the surrounding terrain. Luxury and elegance is felt in each environment.

St. Barts features some of the best cuisine in the Caribbean. The island has over eighty restaurants featuring culinary styles ranging from classic French to Asian to West Indian.

Many of the restaurants attract gourmet chefs trained in France to oversee their kitchens. These chefs can also be reserved to serve guests in the intimate privacy of their own villa for any special event or treasured evening. Villas on the island offer breath taking views and the perfect setting for your reception, especially with your own private French chef.

Nightlife of St. Barts is diverse as well. Visitors looking for late-night pleasures can listen to live jazz at a café or dance the night away at one of the local discos or after hours clubs.

St. Barts is also a duty-free port, rated as one of the premier shopping destinations in the Caribbean. The capital Gustavia is the principal shopping area of the island. There are boutiques and emporiums for the most sophisticated shoppers, featuring luxury brands such as Cartier, Hermes, Dior to name a few. The island hosts numerous health and beauty clinics and fitness centers catering to the island’s upscale clientele.

It is important to realize that planning a wedding in a foreign country still has the usual concerns and worries of any home based event; there is the additional stress that something could go wrong in a different location. Aside from making travel reservations for the group, a couple needs to consider local legal issues. For instance, marriage in St Barts is not a legal ceremony, rather it is viewed as a spiritual ceremony. For this reason and others, travelers planning to marry in any foreign country should give serious consideration to hiring a local, home based Wedding Consultant for guidance and advice as well as an on-site Wedding Consultant at the particular destination. .The on-site Consultant will insure that the hosts of the event have all the required documentation, that every detail is planned long before arrival and that only the most competent, professional and expert wedding vendors with proper contracts will provide their services . These on-site Consultants can also provide any needed assistance if the couple chooses to bring along some of their own vendors (e.g. the photographer, floral designer, videographer, etc.). They will check that each client and guest is properly retrieved at the airport, that they are provided with the planned-for-accommodations, and that they are well rested from travel before beginning the schedule of any local tours and sightseeing prepared for in advance. Moreover, the on-site consultant can also suggest local customs that will make the wedding truly unique, one that family and friends alike will talk about for a very long time.

“Premium IV is truly one of the foremost on-site specialists. Located on St Barts they are members of AFWPI (Association for Wedding Professionals International) and JWI (June Wedding, Inc®). The management team of Premium IV is made up of three experts in service: a successful Canadian entrepreneur, an English expert in receptive tourism and a French restaurateur who have provided magnificent service in the best restaurants and hotels in France, the UK, USA, and St Barts. Additionally, the highly qualified and bilingual staff (French and English) have many years of experience in the island way of life.

They will provide the ultimate in V.I.P. services. Premium IV has brought together, under one umbrella, only the best that St Barts has to offer. With over 120 contracted partners providing approximately 450 products and services. There is virtually no request that Premium IV cannot arrange,” says International Travel Writer, Jesse Nash.

Any special event wedding, honeymoon or other special event that takes place on St. Barts is special and memorable simply due to the Island’s own enchanted ambiance and unique hospitality. The St. Barts experience is all the more enhanced when it is under the direction of a competent Consultant and Director, at home and on the Island. A Consultant or Director who leaves nothing to chance, who sees to it that not only is the St. Barts experience itself magical, but also one that will be treasured forever in the hearts and memories of the travelers. The staff of Premium IV takes the added steps of communicating with the client and/or their home-based Consultant before arrival on St. Barts so that every detail is discussed and decisions are determined and firmed up in writing. From the moment the client and guests set foot on St. Barts, they enter into a well-scripted, stress-free atmosphere in which they will be completely at ease and confident that all the planning will play out like as closely as possible to their dreams.

Fishing vacations can be as simple or as challenging as one chooses. You can call a travel agent or a professional fishing guide, or one can plan it themselves and pack fishing gear and sleeping bags into the car and take off.

Sport fishing trips can be taken at any time of the year, and are a great way for families to share their time together, creating wonderful memories, and enjoying the outdoors together at the same time. The only essential purchase is a fishing license because it is very possible that one can rent almost anything else that may be needed. These items include a boat and crew, a rod and reel, and even a catered lunch. If a fishing vacation is properly planned the novice fisherman can have as much fun as the more serious minded fisherman. Fishing is a sport in which one does not need to be good at in order to enjoy it. As a matter of fact, a beginner can sometimes be more successful at fishing then a seasoned professional. Catch and release techniques can be used for those who are vegetarians. The fisherman gets to experience the thrill of reeling in a fish and the fish gets the worm or other bait, and everyone wins.

Around the world there are hundreds of excellent locations to take and enjoy a fishing vacation. The spring and fall are great if going to Manitoba, Canada for example. This area is known as the Land of Lakes, and they produce many trophy fish. You can catch some of the best Northern Pike here, and they will put up a good fight too. In the United States, The Florida Keys offers a wide range of fishing opportunities. Blue Marlin, King Mackerel, Sailfish, and Tarpin are among the many varieties that can be caught in these beautiful waters.  The Ozark Mountains of Missouri allow you to catch more fish then anywhere else in the United States.

Some tips when planning a fishing vacation no matter where you are going are; do not take all of your equipment with you unless you really want to. You can always find guide services that can provide everything you need. They can also provide any necessary fishing licenses needed. If you plan to fish out of the country make sure you are allowed to export and import the fish.

One of the best ways to find good fishing spots is to ask other fishermen where they like to fish. These small hideouts are sometimes the best fishing locations around.

Options Abound In Hawaii for Beach Rentals

Your options are, perhaps, the greatest reason you should stay along the beach. Did you know that Hawaii beach accommodations come in a number of different formats? They do. For example, you can book at stay at a beachfront vacation resort, a Hawaii beach front cottage, a beachfront vacation home, a beach front vacation villa, a beachfront condo rental, and a beachfront apartment rental. This means no matter what your needs, in terms of vacation rental type and size, you should be able to find accommodations along the beach that are perfect for you!

The Ocean View Just Can’t Be Beat

As you likely already know, Hawaii beach rentals provide you with a front row seat of the ocean. This view is absolutely breathtaking. In fact, it is an experience that you will likely never forget. Many tourists come to Hawaii just for the beautiful beaches. If you are one of those vacationers, how would you feel waking up to that beauty each and everyday? As previously stated, it is an experience that you will likely never forget.

Affordable Rates For What You Receive

You will find that Hawaii beach front rentals are more than affordable for what you receive. This is just another one of the many reasons why you should give Hawaii beach rentals a close look. Yes, you will find some Hawaii beach front rentals, like a Hawaii beach house, that is out of your price range, but with a little bit of research, you should be able to find affordable accommodations.

In keeping with the cost of Hawaii beach accommodations, it is also important to remember what you are receiving. Many say that the cost of a Hawaii beach home or another beach front rental is more than worth it. This is particularly true for those who are visiting Hawaii for the first time.

A Great Experience for Everyone

Beach accommodations make for a great experience for everyone. Hawaii beach front rentals are perfect for romantic getaways. The beach and the view helps to create a romantic environment, which is perfect for traditional romantic getaways and honeymoons. With that in mind, it is also important to mention that Hawaii beach rentals and beach homes, are perfect for family vacations as well. You can give your child or children the experience of a lifetime. If they are never able to visit Hawaii again, you can know that you gave them that chance and not just any chance, a front row seat!

Conveniently Located to the Beach

Interested in spending your Hawaii vacation enjoying beach related activities, like swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, boating, fishing, or surfing, you may enjoy the convenience of Hawaii beach accommodations. These accommodations get you right next to the ocean and many of the activities it holds. When you rent a beach front home in Hawaii or another beachfront rental, you may find yourself traveling less to your destination. This can give you more time to enjoy yourself and the activities that you love.

Great Photo Opportunities

When on your next vacation in Hawaii, there is a good chance that you will bring a camera or even a camcorder with you. After all, you may want to have long lasting memories of your dream vacation. That is another one of the many reasons you should at least examine booking a stay at a beachfront rental. Hawaii and its beaches are picture perfect. These pictures are not only ones that you can use for yourself and your own personal pleasure, but they are pictures that can be shown off, with great pride, to your friends and family, for years to come.

The above mentioned reasons are just a few of the many reasons why you should at least consider staying along the beach for your next Hawaii vacation. As a reminder, Hawaii beach accommodations come in a number of different formats, including Hawaii beach front homes. Also, Hawaii is filled with beach rentals; therefore, no matter which Hawaiian Island you choose to visit, you should be able to find a rental that is perfect for your vacation needs.