Budget Sightseeing on a New Orleans Double Decker Bus Tour

The multiple districts of New Orleans, Louisiana can complicate travel to the "Crescent City". Visiting Jackson Square, the French Quarter, Garden District, and more essential hot spots require knowledge of New Orleans known only by the residents themselves. As a sightseeing traveler, I was not looking forward to navigating unfamiliar streets by rental car to reach the destinations on my list. From prior experience I knew that in any major city driving is disastrous, parking is expensive, and time is always of the essence, so for my trip to New Orleans I purchased a ticket on a New Orleans Hop On Hop Off Double Decker Bus Tour. (read more...)

Mardi Gras World - New Orleans, LA

Premier Shopping, Dining, and Nightlife at the Village of Baytowne Wharf

Courtesy of baytownewharf.com

Visiting the Emerald Coast and looking for a fun, family-friendly destination with a rockin after hours scene? The Village of Baytowne Wharf has a little bit of everything for even the most skeptical of travelers. This massive beach community located within Sandestin Resort in Miramar Beach, Florida, offers activities for all ages; games, toys, sweet shops, and extreme attractions for the children, and dining, drinks, entertainment, events, and night clubs for the grown-ups! Enjoy a day with family and friends at the waterfront shops of The Village of Baytowne Wharf, and find out why millions of beach vacationers choose to include this exciting destination in their beach vacation plans. (read more...)

7 Must-Meet Guests of Pensacola Pensacon 2015

The 2015 Pensacola Comic Con, known widely as "Pensacon", is right around the corner. From February 27th - March 1, thousands upon thousands of guests will stream into Pensacola for what could be the largest event of it's kind in the region. In only it's second year, Pensacon organizers have managed to wrangle some of the biggest names of the sci fi, action, and comic book world! Over 100 celebrity guests will offer autographs, photo ops, and one-on-one time to eager attendees at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, FL. With so much amazing talent, it was very difficult to narrow down a list of 7 must-meet guests. This list was compiled based on work resume, popularity, and a little personal preference. (read more...)

Planning a Day at the Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island

Okaloosa Island, a dividing plot of land between Fort Walton Beach and Destin, Florida, is home to beautiful natural beaches, dunes, beachfront lodging, family activities, and the popular Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island. The Boardwalk offers eclectic shopping, fresh seafood dining, exciting entertainment, stunning ocean pier views, and public beach access and amenities. A historic landmark, the Boardwalk was constructed in the 1930's as a resort destination with restaurants, gambling, and an amusement park. A decade later, the original Boardwalk (then named "Tower Beach") was destroyed in a massive fire. The resulting reconstruction provided a more tame destination, focused on public use with the option for dining, shopping, and entertainment. There are plenty of things to do at the Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island, so let me help you plan a day at this famous Fort Walton Beach hot spot! (read more...)

4 Most Popular New Orleans Plantations Featured in Film

New Orleans, Louisiana is home to some of the most spectacular displays of art, architecture, and design the modern world has to offer. Paired with a stunning countryside, one part rolling hills and one part swampland, the scenic beauty of the "Crescent City" is unmistakable. Perhaps the most intriguing element of the New Orleans is the historic "Plantation Country". Situated west of the city along the Mighty Mississippi River, Plantation Country is home to some of the nation's only remaining pre-industrial Plantation estates. Revered for their beauty, elegance, and historical value, these properties have become key destinations for travelers, historians, and perhaps most interestingly, the film industry. Dozens of popular films have been shot utilizing the sights and sounds of the Plantation's for both historical legitimacy and down-home elegance. Below I have compiled a list of the 4 Most Popular New Orleans Plantations Featured in Film! Discover if any of your favorite pictures were filmed at one of these four Plantation homes! (read more...)

7 Rainy Day Activities for your 30A Vacation

Santa Rosa Beach and neighboring Seaside, FL, known collectively as "30A", is the perfect location for a sunny beach-side vacation. Pristine white-sand beaches, emerald waters, fresh Gulf seafood dining, and family-fun events are some of the reasons why visitors flock from across the country to spend coveted family vacation time down 30A. But what happens when the weather doesn't cooperate? It is typical to find whole families confined to their rental hotel or condo playing board games and watching movies for days on end while waiting out the rain, but grey clouds are no longer a vacation death sentence! Over the years, businesses in 30A and surrounding areas have developed plenty of fun rainy-day escapes for the whole family, read below for the top 7 rainy day activities for your 30A vacation! (read more...)

4 Best Parties of Panama City Beach College Spring Break 2015

Want to get crazy at the biggest and best parties of Panama City Beach Spring Break 2015!? Save your braincells (you're going to need them for finals ;)) and let Tripshock.com, the top source in the Gulf Coast for activity, event, and hotel booking, tell you the best 4 Spring Break Bashes for 2015! Handpicked by Tripshock writers and employees, these 4 parties are known far and wide for good ole' fashioned college fun, sans the academia. (read more...)

Do's and Don'ts for a Successful 2015 Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras 2015 is right around the corner, and for many novice parade-goers, the famous New Orleans event can appear overwhelming. Where to go? What to do? Preparing for this widely loved event can prove difficult without the proper knowledge. With traveler safety and satisfaction in mind, Tripshock.com, an online lodging and activity booking service that concentrates on popular Gulf Coast destinations, has prepared the Do's and Don'ts for a successful Mardi Gras. (read more...)

Family Fun at New Orleans Family Gras 2015

Find all the fun of Mardi Gras in a family-friendly atmosphere at New Orleans "Family Gras". Family Gras takes place in Metairie, just a short distance from downtown New Orleans hotels, restaurants, and shopping. This event offers food, games, parades, and entertainment for the whole family! (read more...)

What's in the Destin Harbor?

The Destin Harbor overlooks the Gulf of Mexico on the west end of Destin, Florida. Built to accommodate a bustling fishing industry, the Harbor is home to the finest dining, most exciting activities, and rockin' nightlife on the Emerald Coast! See what fun there is to experience in the Destin Harbor! (read more...)