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REPOST: 4 Ways to Take a Frozen-Inspired Vacation This Winter

There's no questioning that Frozen took the world by storm even after over a year of its release, many kids (and kids at heart) are still in love with Elsa, Anna and the rest of the characters. This Time article shares travel destinations that will help you channel your inner Elsa this winter.

Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, Alta, Norway | Image Source: time.com

We already know the science of why you can’t resist Frozen. So if you’re looking for another reason to revisit the magical kingdom of Arendelle, there’s no need to let go of that fairy tale idea just yet. Here are four snowy European getaways that will help you channel your inner Elsa.

1. Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel in Alta, Norway. Every year, this frosty palace is remade entirely from snow, complete with an ice chapel for memorable wedding receptions. Visitors can warm up in the outdoor hot tubs (although the cold never bothered you anyway, right?).

2. Igloo Village Kakslauttanen in Saariselka, Finland.Spend a night in Kakslauttanen’s glass igloo pods and view the Northern Lights from the comfort of your bed. Guests brave enough to venture into the elements may try ice swimming, ice fishing or a reindeer safari fit for Kristoff and Sven.

3. Balea Ice Hotel in Cîrţişoara, Romania. A visit to southeastern Europe’s first ice hotel will have you dining on ice plates at ice tables while sitting on ice chairs. Pass the time with traditional winter activities like sledding, ice skating and a snowman-building contest where you can attempt to recreate Olaf.

4. Det Hanseatiske Hotel in Bergen, Norway. This real-life city inspired Arendelle, the movie’s fictional setting. The hotel is situated a short distance from old-world attractions like a fish market, museum and a cable car that takes tourists up Bergen’s highest mountain.

Discover more beautiful destinations to add to your travel bucket list by subscribing to this Smoky Mountain Getaways blog.

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Planes are expected to be crowded, so finding low fares will take some work and advance planning.

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Walking around with a map and camera screams tourist, but there are some not-so-obvious ways you can also give away you aren't from around here.

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Every trip taken by President Obama in 2014.

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Update your travel bucket list: Top destinations for 2015

Image Source: alexinwanderland.com

What are your travel plans for 2015? It's time to update your travel bucket list and include some of this year's up-and-coming vacation destinations. It might be tempting to revisit old favorites like Paris or New York but there's always a sense of excitement and adventure in going somewhere new. Below are just some of the underrated destinations you should consider adding to your travel bucket list for 2015: New Zealand Fans of “The Lord of the Rings” franchise definitely have New Zealand as their number one dream destination. And who can blame them? We’ve seen how much beauty there is to see in NZ. With its untouched wilderness, NZ is a top pick for hikers and nature lovers. Zermatt, Switzerland Zermatt gained travelers' interests after Edward Whymper made the first ascent to the peaks of Matterhorn. It may not be the highest in the Swiss Alps but it became popular because of its nearly perfect triangular shape. And you don't have to be a hiker to enjoy Zermatt because you can fly close to the summit on a helicopter from Air Zermatt to take in the stunning sight.

Image Source: worldfortravel.com

Washington, D.C. You don't have to go out of the country for a travel experience worth mentioning. The U.S. capital is voted as the number one city to visit in 2015 by Lonely Planet. Visit museums and monuments around the city, check out the urban landscapes, experience the vibrant bar scenes, or have a taste of its renowned ethnic eats – whatever you prefer, you can never go wrong in Washington, D.C. Tasmania, Australia Tasmania or "Tassie" as the locals call it, was ranked fourth best region to visit in Lonely Planet's top destinations for 2015 and with good reason. Tassie hosts some of the best hiking trails and the beauty of the untamed wilderness will leave travelers in awe. Madagascar Madagascar is home to over a thousand unique endemic animal species and untouched rainforests. Visit the Tsingy de Bamaraha, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to marvel at the geologic formations found there. With its natural beauty and diverse culture, you wouldn't think twice about visiting Madagascar.

Image Source: walkaboutagain.com Visit this Smoky Mountain Getaways Google+ page for more unique travel destinations.

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Most people want to go on a tropical getaway this winter but some people want to spend their time in Christmas-y destinations. This Mancunian Matters article enumerates some of its staff's picks on...

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Travel Channel personality Samantha Brown has made a career doing what most can only dream of: exploring the world and experiencing just about everything that travel has to offer. She has spent the last 14 years out of a suitcase in airports and hote...

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REPOST: City breaks, romantic destinations and beaches: The 10 holiday hotspots in 2015

Be the first to find out the hottest destinations for 2015. Anne Gorringe of Express.co.uk enumerates ten hotspots for travelers for the next year in the article below.

Gasp at the Northern Lights and take a dip in the warm waters of the famous Blue Lagoon Spa | Image Source: express.co.uk

1. Gasp at the Northern Lights and take a dip in the warm waters of the famous Blue Lagoon Spa near Reykjavik Airport, Iceland. In a survey carried by Secret Escapes, Iceland has so far attracted four times the number of bookings than Spain and six times more than Italy, putting it firmly in the number one slot. Amazing volcanic landscapes, as seen in the Game of Thrones series, have added to its appeal. visiticeland.com

2. Sign up for a top city break in Spain. It’s one of the top city-break destinations, offering a choice of Barcelona, Granada and Bilbao. The guaranteed heat of Canaries and the island of Mallorca helps Spain get the number two slot with travellers looking for a top hotel.secretescapes.com

3. Spark romance in Italy. Loved-up couples love this country, which continues to be one of the more ‘romantic’ destinations. Rome, Venice and Florence remain at the top of people’s wish-lists for 2015 while the beautiful Tuscany countryside and Sorrento continue to prove popular.

Spark romance in Florence, Italy | Image Source: express.co.uk

4. Snap up a luxurious break on your doorstep. Holidays in London, Cornwall, the Lake District and Oxfordshire have helped put England into a solid position as the fourth most popular destination for travellers. visitengland.com

5. Guaranteed heat make Sharm el Sheikh a top choice for travellers longing for winter sun. Egypt also promises mesmerising views of the Nile which make Luxor a key location for holiday-makers. en.egypt.travel

6. Beautiful beaches, elephant trekking and city breaks in Bangkok, make Thailand popular next year. Travellers opt for Phuket and its surrounding islands if a beach is top priority while Chiang Mai, in the north, is perfect for a more ‘cultural’ experience such as a jungle trip on an elephant.

Snap up a luxurious break in Cornwall | Image Source: express.co.uk

7. The dramatic St Arthur’s Seat in the middle of Edinburgh together with great hotels help put Scotland at number seven on the tourists’ wish list. It’s ideal for a short city-break away near to home and particularly attractive to anyone looking for an affordable five-star breaks – ranging from a spa retreat to country house stay. visitscotland.com

8. Cobblestone streets, fantastic architecture and a wonderful castle make Prague, in the Czech Republic a great destination.The beautiful city is the hot destination for a stylish city break. prague-guide.co.uk

9. History and a cosmopolitan vibe are set to bring travellers to Berlin and Munich in 2015. Germany comes in at number nine on the holiday-makers hit list and Munich is the city that those looking for authentic German charm are signing up for.

10. Enjoy spectacular views in Anglesey. Spectacular views and a beautiful coastline keep North Wales in the top 10 for holiday bookings for 2015. Anglesey itself promises breath-taking views in a secluded setting. visitwales.com

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"Travel is not going to be a lot of fun"

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REPOST: 16 Apps That Make Holiday Travel Easier

Traveling during the holidays can be extremely stressful. This article compiled a list applications to minimize the headaches for a more enjoyable getaway.

Image Source: cntraveler.com Whether it’s the stress of family, traffic or flights, there are apps that can help you solve problems and find peace. That being said, it’s good to remember that apps, and access to all the information they provide, have only been around for a few years. The key to a better travel experience this holiday is to remain flexible and remember that things don’t always go as planned—sometimes all you can do is wait it out. But it never hurts to be proactive, which is where these apps come in. Let’s start with one that can help before you even leave the house. Given the potential stress of holiday travel, don’t let confusion about your trip make things worse. You can put all your documentation in one place with TripIt (free). Just forward your confirmation emails and it creates a comprehensive itinerary with offline access to your information. Whether you’re headed to the airport or driving to your destination, a good weather app can help you decide if you should leave extra time for your journey. Try Yahoo Weather (free). It’s clean, simple to navigate, and has cool little windmills to suggest wind speed. If you want more details, use Dark Sky for iOS ($3.99) or AccuWeather Platinum for Android ($2.99). Both offer up-to-the-minute forecasts and pinpoint predictions. The day before Thanksgiving isn’t just a busy day to fly, it’s also one of the busiest driving days of the year. Waze (free) can help you navigate with real-time traffic and route updates augmented by users. Need information, but can’t get a signal? Use WiFi Finder (free) to locate Wi-Fi hotspots in your area. Flight cancelled? Stuck in a snowstorm? Haven’t slept in two days due to Uncle Fred’s snoring? HotelTonight (free) specializes in last-minute hotel bookings. If your flight is cancelled, delayed, you’re bumped or there’s a problem with your luggage, know what you’re due and what assistance the airline must provide. There used to be a Flyers Rights app for iOS, but it seems to be gone. As an alternative, go to the DOT Fly Rights page, copy it and create a PDF file, and load it onto your phone. You now have your own personal Flyers Rights app, albeit one that’s a bit rudimentary. With GateGuru (free), you can track flights and gates, but you also have access to all kinds of information related to your itinerary, from where to check in, to weather at the airport, to amenities near your gate and in far-flung concourses—very helpful if you’re delayed and want to find good food or a massage bar (someone has to work the knot out of your right shoulder from Uncle Fred’s overzealous hug). For even more detail about flight status, try FlightTrack 5 ($4.99). If you want to know more about the airport itself, download iFly Airport Guide (free). My TSA (free) can tell you whether you can bring an item with you, what airports are experiencing delays, where to find pre-check, security wait times, and even offers a guide to appropriate procedures, packing and documentation. Delayed and have time to kill? Pocket Casts ($4.99 iOS, $3.99 Android) downloads your favorite podcasts automatically and stores them on your phone. Fire up a story about David Sedaris’s dysfunctional family and feel better about your own place in the world. Given the personal details and financial information that can be accessed through your phone, it’s best to guard it like your wallet, but if you do lose it—perhaps after one of those sibling arguments that sends you into a dither—be ready. You can find it and/or wipe it clean with Find My Phone (free) or Android Device Manager (free). Last, but not least, if you parked your car at the airport and you were running late, you may have forgotten whether its in B3 or E6. The last thing you need after five hours sitting next to Johnny Drinksalot is to wander the parking garage aimlessly, while keening for your bed. Before you go, download Dude Where’s My Car (free) for iOS or Find My Car (free) for Android. You’ll find your car quickly and plunk your head on your own sweet pillow long before Uncle Fred finds his. Find out how  you can experience a stress-free getaway by visiting this Smoky Mountain Getaways Facebook page.