Any classical musician or lover of classical music will
tell you that Europe was the birth place to most of the
classical greats we know and appreciate today.

It can be a great treat to drive at night. The air smells
different. The roads look alien. The ease with which one
can spot another car.

Everything that makes driving at night fun can make it
dangerous. The fresh air could be the start of frost on the
roads. The lights could blind you and if you miss a clue
about the road.

It is a shame that very few learners get to drive at night.
I am concerned that so few driving school let their clients
drive at night. There is a bit to learn about driving at
night. How to avoid being blinded by lights. The
importance of shadows in the town.

Nighttime driving includes nighttime, dawn or dusk.
Nighttime driving skills start as soon as the light changes
for any reason.

It is essential that your car is fit to be out at night. Do
all the lights and indicators work? Is the screen clean
inside and out? Make sure that you are fit to be on the
road. Make sure that you are not too tired or have had any
alcohol.

Some night time survival tips - Other drivers can see your
lights, just as you can see theirs. - Make sure that you
can stop in the distance that you can see. - Dark cars tend
to vanish into the gloom. - Silver cars are harder to see
at dawn, or dusk. - You must make sure that your lights are
clean and in working order. - The range and quality of your
vision is reduced at night. - So reduce your speed and
increase your hazard awareness. - Give your eyes time to
adjust to the low light levels. - Use main beam on unlit
roads, but do not dazzle other drivers. - Avoid being
dazzled by looking well ahead and slightly to the right.

Parking at night If you can you should avoid parking on the
road at might. If you have to then there are strict rules
about parking at night. If you are in a well lit road with a
speed limit of less than 30, you may be safe turning your
lights off. Do not park near or opposite a junction at
night. Make sure that you park in the left. If you are
parking on busier roads leave your lights on and park with
the rear of the car facing the traffic. Try to park in a
well-lit area with lots of people passing by. Your car will
be harder to damage or steal.

The biggest problem any traveler could face when picking a
destination in Italy is that there are too many great
places to visit, especially beaches.

Italy offers a lot of great locations to visit along its
coastline that combine culture with fun in the sun.

Italian Beach #10: Posada, Italy

Posada is located in Nuoro, an ancient town and the main
center in the historical district. The 14th century castles
are enough to bring any tourist to their knees. The culture
in this coastal city is breathtaking and overwhelmingly
beautiful. There are plenty of sights to see in Posada, and
especially the beaches where you can relax after seeing all
that Posada has to offer.

Italian Beach #9: Vendicari, Italy

At the costal paradise of Vendicari in Syracuse you can get
in touch with nature. This gorgeous beach gives people the
opportunity to walk along unpolluted and untouched beaches,
this is the beach where you can see turtles lay their eggs
and many different breeds of birds navigate to this coastal
city, probably for the same reason tourists do. Its lush
climate is a big plus for vacation goers.

Italian Beach #8: Salina, Italy

On the Aeolian Islands there is an island called Salina,
above the sea with beach access. Volcanoes can be seen from
every end of this city. In Salina, water sports are
abundant; from water skiing to scuba diving, this city has
plenty to offer. Water sports combined with Salina's great
selection of hotels and restaurants make this city an
excellent vacation spot.

Italian Beach #7: Domus de Maria, Italy

In Domus de Maria,a popular attraction that brings tourists
into Cagliari is the camping. In this city you will be able
to camp on the beach in a tent, Vendors are everywhere so
there is no need to bring your own camping supplies, just
rent it at one of the many affordable vendors. Camping here
hardly feels like camping, with crystal blue water and
white sandy beaches you may never want to go back home.

Italian Beach #6: Castilglione della Pescaia, Italy

A beach in the Maremma countryside is Castilglione della
Pescaia. This beach is a touch of old world living. A
beautiful countryside surrounded by blue waters and
gorgeous architecture is most famous for its untouched and
unrivaled surroundings. In this coastal city you will be
amazed by what you see, it is almost too much for the eyes
to take. The Medieval castle located on the coast is a
popular tourist destination and should be on everyone's
list of things to see.

Italian Beach #5: Capalbio, Italy

A beach well known for not being well known is Capalbio. It
is an ancient village surrounded by Maremma countryside
that has stayed just how it was for years. It is visited by
many important people throughout the year because it is so
private and has an atmosphere that is rich with the past.
It is also a city famous for its hunting opportunities. It
may be more expensive than other beaches but definitely
worth the visit.

Italian Beach #4: Isola del Giglio, Italy

If you are looking for a great beach with a beautifully
rich underwater life a truly natural selection for your
beach destination is the Isola del Giglio, located on the
Tuscany Coast. With its beautiful sandy beaches and
surprisingly blue coves, it is just the place to relax on
your next vacation. This beach is a popular tourist
attraction but overwhelmingly popular, no floods of
tourists.

Italian Beach #3: Taormina, Italy

Taormina is another beach in Sicily, well not just another
beach but THE beach. The Italian North Beach Taormina is
referred to as the jewel of Sicily and Italy and rightfully
so. With the picturesque beaches and diverse activities
happening all the time it really has something to offer
everyone. From beaches to windsurfing with some wine
tasting on the way, this coastal jewel is a right choice
for any person.

Italian Beach #2: Mondello, Italy

If you're looking for a coastal village where you can go to
the beach during the day and then visit an array of
restaurants, bars, and other unique shops then Mondello, in
southern Italy right next to Palermo (One of Sicily's
largest cities), is an excellent choice. Mondello is very
popular during the summer months because of its famous
sporting events and excellent restaurants.

Italian Beach #1: San Vito Lo Capo, Italy

A good place to start for a blend of culture and fun in the
sun is San Vito lo Capo, a beach that sits in the western
coast of Sicily in Trapani. This island by the Sea is most
famous for its national park called "the Zingaro", host to
beautiful secluded beach. It is also well known for the
houses right on the beach so fishermen can fish for tuna.
This small coastal village is a beautiful place to visit to
enjoy the surf and some turf. This is arguable the Best
Italian Beach.

Picking a beach in Italian Coast can be somewhat difficult,
so many to choose and so little time. With 90% of Italy
being coast there is an endless array of beaches, each
having something different to offer to tourists and local
natives. If you have a desire, one of these beaches could
fill it.

Whether you're planning a family friendly vacation, looking into weddings in Virginia Beach or planning a weekend getaway with your girlfriends, you're sure to find plenty to do. The hardest part will be trying to decide which vacation you want to plan. Sun and sand await, but that's not all there is to do on Virginia Beach vacations.

 

Virginia Beach Family Vacations

 

There are plenty of fun family friendly activities in Virginia Beach. The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center is packed with more than 700,000 gallons of water filled with marine life. Kids will love touching horseshoe crabs and stingrays in the special aquarium touch tank, as well as seeing seahorses, harbor seals, loggerhead turtles and sand tiger sharks. After visiting the aquarium, take in one of the 3D movies at the aquarium's IMAX Theater.

 

When it's time to eat, you'll find plenty of family friendly restaurants serving coastal Virginia Beach fare. From pizza to local soup and sandwich cafes to BBQ, you're sure to find food the entire family can enjoy.

 

Weddings In Virginia Beach

 

For those seeking a romantic setting for their special day, the rustic coast of Virginia Beach makes a stunning backdrop. There's a reason why so many plan weddings in Virginia Beach! Whether you live nearby or are planning a destination wedding, coastal weddings in Virginia Beach create rich and exciting memories the happy couple and the guests won’t soon forget.

 

One of the most popular wedding choices is a sunset ceremony followed by a fun-filled reception at one of the many Virginia Beach resorts. These Virginia Beach resorts specialize in planning a beautiful, memorable wedding for both the couple and their guests.

 

Before the wedding, guests will be able to spend a relaxing vacation and enjoy the many attractions in the area, including three different comedy clubs, outdoor stages offering live music and, of course, the beach! With so much to do, your guests are sure to enjoy themselves on your big day.

 

Girls' Getaway Weekends

 

A hectic life can wear a gal down -- and a girls' getaway weekend is often just the cure to revitalize. Getaway Virginia Beach vacations can include shopping at the areas most popular malls and shopping centers such as La Promenade, Regency Hilltop, and Hilltop Square.

 

After shopping 'til you drop, check out one of the area's many spas for a little pampering. Spa services offer manicures, pedicures, facials and massages and leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. After dinner, hit up one of the many nightclubs for an evening of dancing and live music. After a relaxing girls' getaway, you'll feel ready to get back to the daily grind.

 

There are Virginia Beach vacations sure to please anyone. From family friendly beach vacations, to romantic destination weddings, to fun and exciting girls' getaways, Virginia Beach has something for everyone.

There is an art to getting that cheap holiday, whenever you
speak to someone about their holiday they always love to
tell you what a bargain it was and how little they paid or
how clever they were at booking it. Well here are ten top
tips on how to book that cheap holiday;

1) Always be flexible about the date you can travel. Don't
restrict yourself to going on one date. Be able to travel
two or three days either side of your first choice of date

2) If you can avoid peak season dates such as Christmas &
New Year, Easter, the start of school holidays and half
terms. These dates are popular and a holiday is sold like
any other commodity the more in demand it is the more
expensive it will be

3) If you can book at the last minute. Operators, hotels
and airlines become keener to sell space that is left at
the last minute and one of the only ways to achieve this is
by reducing the price

4) Book an all-inclusive deal. Although they may seem a
little more expensive than the half board option initially,
you can get so much more for your money that your total
holiday costs can be significantly reduced. Often these
holidays, if booked at the last minute can be great value.
If you enjoy eating drinking and water sports it makes
sense to go all-inclusive

5) Avoid travelling to places with the Euro. If you live in
a sterling based economy you will find visiting a Euro
based Country expensive due to the current rates of
exchange. Visit Turkey, Tunisia or Croatia

6) If you have to travel to Europe avoid some of the
traditional Countries like Spain and Greece regardless of
the Euro the prices of things like drink and food has shot
up in the last couple of years. If you have to go there go
all-inclusive. Think Bulgaria, Portugal or France

7) If there is a choice of flights choose the night flight
these will be cheaper than the day flights

8) Share a room with a friend this means the cost of the
room is split two ways not one. If you travel with children
have them in the same room as you

9) Use the regional airports they are cheaper to fly from
than the main ones and also to park your car is often a lot
less and so are things at the airport

10) Collect points and miles with loyalty schemes and
redeem these against the cost of your flights or hotels -
don't forget you have them keep a record of them

If you are looking for a cheap holiday follow this advice
and it could be you telling someone about the bargain you
have got.

Country inns and lodgings of all kinds are working overtime
nowadays coming up with marketing ideas to call more
attention to their offerings, but one combination in
particular really caught our eye: outdoor concerts at a
historic inn just a half hour from one of the nation's
premiere national parks, Yosemite.

If there's a getaway that seems to hit all the buttons,
this one is it. Outdoor concerts are fun anytime, but
combine that with a unique lodging experience and
unforgettable scenery and you have one of those getaways
that people will travel some distance to experience.

The Groveland Hotel is located in the small town of
Groveland, California, and offers something they call the
Yosemite Courtyard Theatre in which they take their outdoor
patio and convert it to a concert venue a half-dozen or
more times each summer. Over the past few years the
concerts have been so successful that the hotel now has a
big-time venue seating chart on its website where you can
choose exactly which of the 100 available seats you will
occupy.

Yes, it's an intimate setting - but that makes it even
better.

The artists tend to be tribute bands - groups that copy the
appearance and sound of famous bands like the Beatles, the
Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones and, of course, Elvis.
Tickets are reasonably priced, ranging from $15 to $35 a
seat.

According to Front Desk Manager and Event Coordinator Jim
Novak, concert-goers are about evenly divided between
visitors and local residents. Lodging packages are
available if you're staying at the Groveland Hotel, which
has 17 uniquely decorated rooms. The historic inn features
Victorian furniture, plush featherbeds, private baths, a
full-service saloon and free wifi/internet access for all
rooms. This is a bed-and-breakfast inn so, included in your
stay, will be a breakfast that includes a variety of
fresh-baked goods, egg dishes, cereals, yogurt, coffee,
tea, juices and fruits.

The Groveland Inn also has received excellent reviews for
the "California- fresh cuisine" served in its restaurant,
which has also been recognized by Wine Spectator Magazine
for its extensive wine list. The menu includes sales, fish,
pasta and steaks all prepared with seasonal ingredients.

The tiny town of Groveland is on the most direct, scenic
route to Yosemite from the San Francisco Bay area - Highway
120. Drive another 26 miles and you come to the north
entrance of Yosemite National Park.

Another great accommodation in Groveland is the Hotel
Charlotte, also a historic property that was purchased a
few years ago by Lynn Upthagrove and her husband, Victor.
Lynn says they did extensive renovations and that most
everything in the hotel was replaced. The result is a
charming Old West kind of hotel layout that is more
bed-and-breakfast than it is hotel. We enjoyed a stay at
the hotel, where the accommodations were small, but quite
comfortable.

The breakfast that is included with the room at Hotel
Charlotte features pancakes and eggs and several other
items such as cereals and pastries. At night, the breakfast
area becomes a gourmet restaurant where Victor cooks up a
variety of dishes he has mastered while working with
various specialty chefs and by growing up in a restaurateur
family.

The town of Groveland is one of several former Gold Rush
towns in this part of the state and it still has that
Western Main Street feel to it. Across the street from
Hotel Charlotte is the Iron Door Saloon, where it feels
like a bar out of your favorite Western - and where they
serve surprisingly good food. Up the street a piece is the
old Town Jail that has been lovingly restored just for the
tourists to come and view what Frontier Justice was really
like.

On our trip to Groveland, we found it to be a quick and
scenic climb from there into Yosemite National Park. The
Sequoia forests and scenery didn't just start at the
entrance to the park - these special vistas were evident
well before we approached the park boundaries and visible
in every direction.

It's not far from the Highway 120 entrance to the Yosemite
Valley where we soon were enjoying grand views of the rock
walls that have made Yosemite so famous. It's not hard to
see why Yosemite is considered to be the "Crown Jewel" of
the National Park System - the towering granite cliffs are
the result of earthquakes, glaciers and other forces that
have been at work here for millions of years. In all, the
park encompasses about 1,170 square miles of pristine
forests, waterfalls, and alpine lakes, but visitors are
most awe-struck by these walls of granite that dwarf their
surroundings.

Soon after entering the Valley we encountered Bridal Veil
Falls, one of the park's most famous sights and easily
visible after an easy 10-minute walk from the parking lot.
The runoff during the fall season undoubtedly is less than
in the springtime, but even the relative trickle of water
cascading down the sheer rock cliff was impressive.
Visitors couldn't help but be tempted by the stair-step
rocks leading to a closer view of the falls - even though a
sign offers a stern warning that "fatalities have occurred"
climbing on these sometimes slippery rocks.

Further down the road, there it was - El Capitan - perhaps
the most famous of the park landmarks, and a stunner the
first time you view it up close. Even during our off-season
visit, dozens of cars were parked alongside of the road
while their occupants stood by staring upward at this
4,000-foot rock wall. It was difficult to imagine people
actually climbing El Capitan, but they do. As they say,
each to his own.

And so it goes when you're visiting Yosemite - a different
spectacular sight every few minutes as you drive through
stands of Sequoia or Pine trees, stopping at trailheads to
walk even further into the wilderness where you cross
babbling brooks and enjoy numerous sightings of wildlife
such as the Western Gray Squirrels, Golden Eagles or
Peregrine Falcons. Combine that with a historic inn and a
fun outdoor concert and you have the makings for a
memorable California getaway.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: Yosemite National Park is in Northern California,
about 90 miles east of Fresno and is accessible from
Highway 99 by taking Highway 120, Highway 140 or Highway
41. You'll find Groveland on Highway 120, about 26 miles
west of the north entrance to Yosemite National Park.

WHAT: Yosemite National Park is considered the "Crown
Jewel" of the National Park System and is one of
California's most popular tourist attractions. The variety
of scenery and numerous natural attractions can be explored
for days, even weeks. Add to that an outdoor concert and
you have a getaway experience that is quite unique.

WHEN: Year-round, although some lodgings are closed in
winter, and roads can be treacherous. If you're bothered by
crowds, consider visiting in fall and spring when there are
fewer visitors, yet natural beauty abounds. The Groveland
concerts, however, are only offered during the summer
season.

WHY: Yosemite National Park offers a wide variety of scenic
and natural attractions for all ages. The concerts at the
Groveland Hotel are fun, and the town itself is a charming
place to stay that is a little bit away from the crowds of
Yosemite.

HOW: For more information on the concerts at the Groveland
Hotel, phone 1-800-273-3314 or visit www.groveland.com.

There are many possibilities for night time entertainment
in Orlando. Over the years dinner shows have proven to be
very popular with Orlando vacationers, and one of the best
is Sleuths Mystery Dinner Shows which provides two and a
half hours of scripted mystery, improvisation, audience
participation and dinner. Let's take a look at what you can
expect to experience at these shows.

Comedy and mystery are the themes that run through the
shows presented at Sleuths. The website for the theater
lists 14 different shows, which are rotated with about five
different shows being performed on different nights each
week.

What are the shows all about? Without revealing "who did
it," here are some of the plots of the shows. In "Iron
Mansfield's Fox Hunt Banquet" you and other nobles are
invited by Lord Mansfield for a fox hunt banquet in his
mansion. The butler brings you into a lavish banquet room
and amidst the "feast" one of the characters meets a sad
fate, and it is your job to solve the mystery.

In "Squires Inn" you are in a bus that has been touring in
the north of England but your bus breaks down in a remote
country village. You enter the Squires Inn for food and
lodging and get involved in a mystery that involves an old
pensioner who is hiding a treasure. It is done in a
hilarious way and once again you have to use your skills of
deduction to solve the crime. The other shows combine the
same ingredients, a far away place, funny characters,
mayhem and a mystery that must be solved. After you
witness the "crime" you get to enjoy you dinner with
unlimited drinks. While you are dining you can think about
the evidence, analyze and then ask questions to the
suspects and finally you can make your "accusation. " If you
successfully find the culprit you will be given a prize. It
is a format that is a lot of fun and has proven popular
with theater goers for close to thirty years.

For your dinner you will be served hors d'oeuvres, green
salad, dinner rolls and crackers with a special cheese
spread. The menu choices include prime ribs, Cornish hen
and cheese lasagna. There is also a vegetarian meal
available, and all of the meals are served with unlimited
wine, beer and soft drinks.

Dinner shows in general and Sleuths in particular are good
places for group outings. Sleuths offers special group
rates for parties of 15 or more. Sleuths also offers
birthday parties for kids with a special show designed for
children aged 6-12. The kids become the investigators in
their own detective agency. The detective agency is named
for the birthday child and they are all treated to a dinner
of pizza, ice cream and unlimited drinks.

The restaurant is handicapped accessible. If you need to
make a reservation you or find out about show times then
call 407-363-1985 or 800-393-1985. Sleuths is located at
8267 International Drive right next to "Ripley's Believe It
or Not."

If you want to enjoy your Disney vacation to its maximum,
consider Orlando vacation villas as your choice of
accommodation rather than a hotel. This is particularly
true if you have a few children with you and you would like
a bit of peace and quiet now and again.

In order to explain that, just consider a hotel for a
while. You have booked yourself, your partner and the kids
into a lovely hotel for a couple of weeks, and are looking
forward to a great holiday in Orlando, visiting Disney and
also many of the other attractions that this part of
Florida has to offer.

After checking in comes the first problem. Who sleeps
where? Unless you have booked a family room, with everybody
spending the vacation in the same room, either the children
have to be given their own room, or you and your partner
have to split, each sharing the children between you. A lot
depends upon how many you have.

However, in the final analysis it doesn't matter if you
have two children or four or even six. You either enjoy
your vacation with just the two of you in your own room,
and the children in theirs or you don't. Even now, you can
see where Orlando vacation villas are suddenly beginning to
look attractive.

No matter how well behaved your kids are, you will always
be wondering what they are getting up to, and that isn't
your only problem with a hotel. If your children have
reached that age when they must have their own bedrooms,
particularly if you have boys and girls, then the hotel
costs are going to be pretty steep.

There are more problems, but let's forget them all, because
Disney vacation should not involve problems of any kind.
Let's stop for a minute and look at how a Disney vacation
villa can solve all of these problems.

First the rooms: you can rent an Orlando vacation villa
with up to six bedrooms, and you need to have an awful lot
of kids to fill that. Likely a three bedroom villa would
suit you, where two children can have their own rooms, or
up to two boys and two girls can share, each of the four
having their own bed. They share rooms, but no need to
share beds.

Each has its own TV and DVD player and is also en suite.
Some even have a games console in the rooms, so nobody is
going to get bored. A family of six can live in one of
these vacation villas in Orlando vary comfortably, with its
own pool for just a little extra, spa, games room and even
the kitchen where you can rustle up some breakfast or
supper, and still eat out for lunch and dinner if your
prefer - you can't cook in a hotel!

But that must cost a fortune, mustn't it! No way can you
afford that. Well, yes, there is way you can do that.
Consider the relative costs. First the hotel. What do you
need? A room for you two, one for the boys and one for the
girls. Three hotel rooms close to Disney World. Cheap?
Absolutely - not!!

Now check the three-bedroom Orlando villa rental. Set in a
great resort with a private pool and spa, you pay $160 a
night. That's for all of you! That equates to three
double hotel rooms at $54 a night. It's a no-brainer.
It's £27 a person! You won't find a hotel anywhere
for that price unless you take your own bedbug catcher. But
that's not all: you can get a four bedroom villa with more
amenities for just under $200 a night - that's $50 a room.
There is nothing a hotel can offer that you won't get
either in your own villa or offered in one of the many
restaurants and amenity centers that are everywhere in
Orlando. And you are only 15 minutes from Disney! You have
your own DVD player to play your own videos, or rent one
for the night. That will be a lot less expensive that
watching hotel movies!

Your kids can go to bed any time they like, and watch the
movies they want to watch, or view their own TV programs.
Perhaps play with the Playstation, but the main thing is
that you know they are safe in the same house as you.

Compare that to a hotel: you are continually worried about
your children in the rooms next door - are they slipping
out without you knowing, are they breaking anything, are
the movies suitable. In fact, how much are they running up
on the bill by watching these late-night TV movies?

If it has a pool it is shared with the entire hotel, you
can't cook your own food if you feel like it and your
drinks will be at hotel bar prices compared to drinking
your own home-made cocktails by your own private pool while
you cook up some steaks and mushrooms. That's a vacation!

Jobs on cruise ships are available throughout the year.
However, during certain times of the year employers have to
be a bit more selective in who they employ. You may not
know it but you actually stand more chance of getting a job
at certain times of the year than at others.

But no matter what time you choose to apply for a job, the
truth is that the 'perfect' time does not really exist.
Sure, there are some times that are better than others, but
the most important thing that you can do is to start your
application process right now, because cruise line
companies are employing throughout the year.

Sitting around waiting for the best time to apply is a
high-risk strategy. What if it never arrives? If you
continue to wait then you'll miss opportunities. The most
important thing is to just get started, even if you don't
think you're quite ready. You never really know until you
try! This will allow you to get started and then when the
right job turns up you'll be ready for it.

Everyone makes excuses, but you have to get past these.
It's not easy to do, but don't become one of those people
who's always saying they're going to do something and then
never get around to it.

So in terms of what times of year jobs on cruise ships are
easier to get than other times, when should you apply? One
answer is just before Christmas in the months from
September to November.

There are a few reasons for this. The first is that world
cruises usually begin in January, so most cruise lines look
to fill their vacancies right away. Also, winter is
generally the busiest time of year. This means that there
is simply more work going. And on top of that, a lot of the
more experienced crew want to spend Christmas with their
families, leaving more openings available for you.

This should convince you not to wait until December to get
your applications in, but to get up and get sorted as soon
as you can!

But there is another time of year when jobs on cruise ships
are easier to find, and that is just before the summer peak
season which starts in May. Boats are usually fully booked
during this time, but there will still be experienced crew
who decide to go home for the summer rather than at
Christmas. This means more jobs on cruise ships will be
going, and why shouldn't you be the one to get the position?

Jobs on cruise ships are going throughout the year. Sure,
there are two times of the year when you might stand a
better chance of getting a job because there are more
positions going, and if you can time your application to
coincide with these times then that's great.

But don't let the time of year stop you from applying for
the best jobs on cruise ships. The truth is that there are
jobs going throughout the year, and if you wait too long
then you're going to miss out. Begin your search for a job
right now, start the ball rolling today, and you are much
more likely to get hired.

If you are looking for an adventurous time and great wine,
Sunshine Coast holidays in Queensland Australia make the
perfect experience.

The area is very diverse and growing quickly, you can find
wineries and vineyards all over the Sunshine Coast and even
in the nearby hills. The beautiful Queensland coastline is
just an added bonus to the opportunity for sampling wines
from many promising vineyards.

There are three main wine regions on the Sunshine Coast
that you can visit: Kenilworth, Traveston and Blackall
Range. Each of these areas is different from the other and
produces wines with unique flavors.

One hour north of Brisbane is the Maleny Mountain Wines,
winery. The vineyard boasts rich volcanic soil that is
perfect for growing the Chambourcin grapes. Using a blend
of these grapes and others grown locally the vineyard makes
a lovely range of wines. In fact, their list of wines is so
extensive that there is sure to be a variety that will suit
any taste bud. Maleny Mountain Wines has bus tours, group
wine tastings and will serve you a tasty lunch on the
weekends.

Make Dingo Creek Vineyard the next stop on your Sunshine
Coast holiday itinerary. It lies about a half hour drive
further north and is in the Cooloola region. Here they have
been producing their own Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay since the late 90's. This
vineyard is capable of handling large groups of people and
is open to bus groups every day of the week. Up to 60
people can enjoy lunch, tea and or wine tastings on the
lovely covered deck. If you would like to add to the whole
Australian adventure, you simply must try their bush
tucker, a regional dish. One impressive fact about this
vineyard is the work that they do to practice sustainable
agriculture, this means the land will be capable of
producing for several generations. Dingo Creek has worked
diligently to establish their reputation and if the wine is
any indicator, they will succeed.

Robinsons Family Vineyard is the next winery on the list
and one of the oldest in the area. The vineyard was opened
in 1969 in Ballandean on the Granite Belt. This area has a
unique blend of soil and climate that has yielded some
award winning wines. Ballendean National Park is the view
below the vineyard and it is fantastic. Robinsons was one
of the first vineyards to diversify their vines, along with
the native Shiraz vines the vineyard also plants Pinot
Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Recently they have
added Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Beaujolais and
Merlot. This brings them to a grand total of 30 acres of
vines to harvest. In 1975, the vineyard took a gold medal
for a blended wine that included Cabernet, Shiraz and Pinot
Noir. The contest was held in Brisbane and the vineyard has
continued to win awards ever since.

Time spent in Europe by the vineyard owners has allowed
them to bring back a rich tradition to the land of
Australia. You can enjoy them all on your next Sunshine
Coast holiday.

The above vineyards and wineries are just a sampling of the
dozen or more that you can visit in the Sunshine Coast
area. Along with spectacular wines, you will also find a
countryside that is as beautiful as it is exotic. You will
not soon forget your Sunshine Coast holiday, of that you
can be certain.