Europe without the Euro!

Currency exchange rates mean traveling to Europe can be out of most people’s budget – especially for families, but you can experience a taste of Europe without the sting of the euro or the international price tag right here in the U.S. To hear the interivew, please click on the following link: https://videos.whiteblox.com/gnb/secure/player.aspx?sid=31522 Currency changes have meant traveling to Europe can be out of many people’s budget – especially for families. We reveal the best deals for the top destinations in the US and Canada where you can get a taste of Europe – without the sting of the euro. We compared the architecture, cuisine, history, scenery, language, culture and activities to reveal where travelers can find European flare right here at home. Las Vegas (Venice, Paris, Rome) There are three casinos that can really give you a taste of Europe without the Euro in fabulous Las Vegas. See a re-creation of the historic Piazza San Marco at The Venetian Resort complete with serenading gondoliers. Experience the passion, excitement and sophistication of the City of Light at Paris Las Vegas. They have even have an exact reproduction (at scale) of one of Europe’s most famous landmarks, the Eiffel Tower and a two-thirds replica of the original Arc de Triomphe is located right outside the hotel’s front entrance. The names and dates of Napoleon’s victories are inscribed on the monument. The casino also has a replica of the Louvre fa?ade, the Paris Opera House facade and the a replica of the Paris City Hall. Escape to Rome at Caesar’s Palace. The ancient Romans were known for their sumptuous public baths and at this hotel you can feel like a true Roman at the 4.5 acre Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis. Quebec City, Canada (France) Quebec City has the architecture, culture and history of France and has even been called “la Nouvelle France” (New France). Quebec’s Old Town itself is a work of art: Cobblestone walkways, well-preserved 17th century architecture, cafe culture and the only North American fortress walls that still exist north of Mexico. With more than 95% of its residents speaking french, Quebec City is the ultimate European experience. The city is served from the US by a number of major airlines, notably Air Canada, but in most cases travelers will connect through either Montreal or Toronto. Solvang, CA (Denmark) Located 40 minutes from Santa Barbara, CA, (or a 2 hour drive north of Los Angeles) Solvang is a quaint town that was founded by Danish settlers in 1911. Solvang’s architecture and activities is truly an authentic experience for visitors. You can see windmills, horse drawn carriages, Danish bakeries, authentic Danish costumes worn by some shop keepers, Danish smorgasbord restaurants. With great little inns and restaurants, this small town is like a visit to a small town in Denmark – right here in the US! Solvang’s Sister City is Aalborg, Denmark. Frankenmuth, MI (Germany) Known as Michigan’s “Little Bavaria”, Frankenmuth is located 1 1/2 hours drive from Detroit. The area was settled in 1845 by German immigrants from Bavaria, Germany. The German word “Franken” represents the Province of Franconia in the Kingdom of Bavaria, and the German word “Mut” means courage, thus the city name Frankenmuth means “courage of the Franconians”. The town’s architecture is just like you would see in Germany called Franconian-style. Most of the buildings as well as many homes are marked by the use of timber in the square or X-patterns you can see on the buildings. The town features dozens of great Bavarian-themed shops and restaurants including the Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland – the world’s largest Christmas store. People also come to Frankenmuth to see the many German festivals and other events throughout the year. Vail, CO (Innsbruck, Austria) Innsbruck is a fantastic alpine city in western Austria, located in a broad valley between some very high mountains. For a taste of Austria right here Vail, Colorado is the perfect getaway. Get you own alpine Austrian experience in any season. Seeing the stunning mountains vistas in any season will give you the sense of being in Europe. Vail has a pedestrian village that feels like a little European town. Experience skiing at some of America’s best resorts, or in summer hike through the mountains and you will feel like being in your own version of the Sound of Music. You can even stay at the Austria Haus Hotel, located in the heart of Vail Village which is a hotel & club where you will get the sense of Austria for scenery, architecture and great food. Vail is a 2 hour drive from Denver, or 45 minute drive from Eagle airport. Northern California Wine Country (Tuscany, Italy) Do you love great food and wine? For a superb Tuscan experience try Northern California’s wine country. Located less than an hour from San Francisco, the rolling hills with endless vineyards closely resemble the scenic Tuscan countryside. The region is scattered with small towns, just like in Italy, wine bars, wineries, fantastic restaurants and great cheese shops. Pass by dozens of small towns like St Helena, Healdsburg, Rutherford and Calistoga and you will get a real feel for the small towns you can discover during an Italian drive. Food and wine enthusiasts will love COPIA, the American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts and also The Culinary Institute of America at St Helena. If you are just starting out with wine or an expert don’t miss a visit to Niebaum Estate, the winery owned by Oscar winning director Francis Ford Coppola. Here you can really get a feel for what it might be like to visit an italian winery. Gabe Saglie is a leading expert on travel deals, travel tips and trends. Gabe has appeared on dozens of highly rated news programs on stations such as FOX Chicago, FOX and NBC Philadelphia, FOX Washington, D.C., FOX Atlanta, NBC Tampa and ABC Phoenix. He has uncovered hundreds of valuable travel deals and has become an authority on several topics of travel such as family travel, golf getaways, best food & wine travel, cruises, island getaways, gaming vacations and ski vacations. Gabe has an extensive journalistic background. He worked as a news writer and field producer for KGTV, the ABC affiliate in San Diego. His work was seen on the News10 at 5pm and 11pm. He then moved to Santa Barbara and worked as a producer on the 5pm News at KEYT, the ABC affiliate. Shortly after he was promoted to anchor and weathercaster for KEY News This Morning and executive producer and anchor of the popular Coastal Business Report. During Gabes career as an anchor, he has interviewed many prominent people including renowned culinary personality Wolfgang Puck, Fleetwood Mac drummer and founder, Mick Fleetwood, Olympic Gold Medalist Peggy Flemming, comedians John Cleese and Dennis Miller and Oscar winning actress Charlize Theron. Gabe has a Bachelor of Arts in English from UCLA and a Master of Arts in Broadcast Journalism from USC Los Angeles. Not only is Gabe well versed in journalism he also brings a wealth of knowledge to his reports through his personal travel experiences. He is a Chilean native born in Norway to active, globetrotting parents. He has traveled to over 20 countries and is fluent in three languages, Spanish, French and English. Gabes travel experiences allow him to be one of the industrys foremost consumer travel advocates. Gabe currently produces and hosts his own weekly food and wine radio show which airs three times a week on KZSB 1290AM (on Californias Central Coast) and online. Gabe resides with his wife Renee and son Gabriel in New York and Santa Barbara. http://www.travelzoo.com www.travelzoo.com https://videos.whiteblox.com/gnb/secure/player.aspx?sid=31522