I’ve written about Times Square quite a bit since working for a student travel company. New York City remains (and always will be, in my opinion) a favorite choice for students. And Times Square is a must for the New York City experience. Actually, that’s how I’ve always said it before, “a must,” as if whether you want to or not, whether you’ll like it or not, you just have to see crazy, brilliant, crowded, unique Times Square at least once.

The truth is, though, you probably will. Times Square is not just an intersection to make a point to visit. It’s the convergence of so many streets and the location for so many favorite NYC attractions that you’ll almost definitely end up basking in its modern glory at some point in your visit.

One of the many ways I’ve written about Times Square is to list its stores and museums as well as its prominence in the theater district. We found ourselves in Times Square several times on our recent visit. We ate there, toured its museums, returned to it for the evening’s broadway show, and even waved to our families on Times Square web cams.

As promised, I was overwhelmed by the mass of billboards, colors, information, and sights towering over us in each direction. I was fascinated by how many people crowded the sidewalks at any given time of the day. And I was amazed by the variety of shopping, food, and entertainment just in this little corner of the world.

But my favorite part, by far, was something I hadn’t known about before. I felt vindicated for every time I complained to myself about trying to write about a place I’d never been. If I hadn’t been there myself, I don’t know when I would have realized the recent (as in, over the last year or so) change in this famous intersection.

Once as crowded with vehicles as with people, Times Square now has a section blocked off for its pedestrian plaza. I loved it. The plaza began on a trial basis. Nearby business owners weren’t sure how how the change would affect their restaurants and shops. The city wondered how it would affect the overall flow of traffic. Since the plaza is permanent now, I guess all concerned decided it was a good idea.

And I have to agree. What a perfect meeting place for groups! Students on New York City graduation trips can spread out to shop and enjoy the sights for a couple of hours and meet again at the metal chairs and tables or in front of the ticket center or by the bleachers. I could imagine grabbing coffee and a snack and just sitting in the plaza for the ultimate people-watching adventure. I like to gain perspective by the ocean or under sturdy trees, but in the midst of a world that’s busy and eclectic and one exciting sight after another can be a great place for perspective as well.

The Times Square plaza has made this iconic intersection even more amazing than before. It’s symbolic of several efforts by this amazing city to open its arms to visitors and provide a safe and friendly place for them to be.

Where do I begin in order to explain to you that if I say a snorkel cruise is a great idea for group travel, you’ll believe me?

I think I’ll start with Shark Week. Oh how I love Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. My brother and I used to live for the dramatic commercials signaling that wonderful event. The scarier the sharks, the better. I love the mystery of this animal, the shiver of fear they elicit, their power. I love to think of the vast ocean and all the frightening, gigantic, exotic things that dwell there. If I want to scare myself, I imagine being dropped from a plane into the deepest, darkest part of any ocean. It scares the bejeebies out of me. And I love it. Because it’s very, very far from reality as I live in the northeast hills of Missouri, not an ocean in sight.

The second background thing I have to tell you, though, is that I was once diagnosed with cancer. And when that happened I failed to experience the seize-the-day mentality of that Tim McGraw song to live like you’re dying in which you can’t wait to jump out of planes, ride bulls, and otherwise try things many normal people are afraid to try. I felt like stopping instead and just taking stock of how great life had been to that point. I wanted to just soak in my family and my friends and take every moment to say a proper goodbye.

When I made it through the scare, however, and realized I was going to live as indefinitely as all the people who haven’t been diagnosed with cancer, my attitude shifted. I feel like I got this great opportunity to say thank you and to pause and just be grateful for the goodness of life. So now, I feel that if I were to face an early death again, I would totally ride the bull.

Thus, when we planned a recent beach-side vacation, I agreed to the snorkel cruise, somewhat aware that I might feel a bit squeamish of sharks, but not so terrified that I didn’t believe them when they said it would be amazing.

But then I got on the boat and it proceeded to drive us out into the Atlantic Ocean, into the ocean, and suddenly every Jaws scene in ALL FOUR of the movies came crashing into my head. All I could think or feel was sharks, sharks, sharks. I began to consider how ridiculous it is that we dare to enter the ocean with nothing but a snorkel mask and some flippers. THIS IS THE SHARK’S TURF, I thought. How do we know where they will be when? Why do we believe we have them figured out enough that they probably won’t be near by and that they don’t usually come near the reefs. WHATEVER. That is what I thought.

As the boat continued its course and I struggled to breathe from the fear of this excursion, “Just think of it as a big lake,” they told me. To which I responded, “Do you see me diving into a Missouri lake with a snorkel mask? NO. Because I don’t want to see what’s in there with me.”

But you know what? I did it. I knew I would all along even though I was terrified. I jumped in the water, which took my breath away a little bit, and I stuck my face in it, kind of defiantly, determined to know once and for all if this was worth my fear. And it so was.

In the end, I felt perfectly safe, ridiculously so. I became so confident over the reefs, which were far more like swimming at the top of a giant aquarium than in the ocean, that I even wanted to see a shark. Not a frightening one, of course, but just one of the little nurse sharks they had mentioned that swim along the bottom like Missouri catfish.

The water was beautifully clear. I could see colors and all kinds of unique fish and coral. Plus, I could see the scuba divers below me and fellow snorkelers all around. And I didn’t feel any fear at all.

A snorkel cruise is always a great idea for groups. Ours was in the Florida Keys, a perfect day trip from all kinds of beautiful spring break destinations in Florida. It was an amazing experience for us all and something I’d do again in a heartbeat. If you’ve wondered if a snorkel cruise should make your itinerary, wonder no more. There’s something in this experience for everyone, and it’s absolutely a must.

Photo by Dtraveller on Flickr.

I have a great idea for your next trip with friends; it’s the perfect ending to an international tour or just a trip across the country. And I can tell you from experience, it’s a wonderful choice for group travel tours of any kind.

We recently visited Washington D.C. with a group from work. The goal was sightseeing basically, and our itinerary was packed from morning to supper with as many museums, landmarks, and memorials as we could muster the time for (though not necessarily the energy). We wanted to have firsthand knowledge of some of the places most popular for our student groups, and that’s definitely what we got. I especially enjoyed every detail of our first impressions, our favorite places, and those that maybe didn’t live up to our expectations, because I write about these experiences on several blogs and websites. I couldn’t wait to capture these details for my writing.

Still, the packed itinerary sometimes exhausted us. And though I never felt so tired that I couldn’t enjoy our destination (I was pretty much happy about that from start to finish), the exhaustion did keep me from savoring long moments in any one place. It kept me from taking in as much as I would have liked at each exhibit and landmark. The wealth of information in each Washington D.C. museum became overwhelming. I would walk into the building and not know where to go first, whether to read or watch the video presentations. It was exhausting just to take stock of the numerous exhibits and try to figure out which ones to experience before we had to leave for the next attraction.

By the end of our time in D.C., we loved the city, but we were tired. Enter the Odyssey Dinner Cruise with Spirit Cruises of Washington D.C.

This experience, for which I can’t seem to upload a photograph right now, was just what any of us would have ordered if we’d had the sense to do so. The days in Washington D.C. had been long and hot with miles of walking. The dinner cruise was restful, air-conditioned, and absolutely beautiful out on the deck as the water cooled the air. As we walked on the deck and dined, our view included the beautiful city with its amazing monuments and memorials. We had seen them up close and fallen in love with them, and now we could take them in at a glance, relishing our last few minutes in this new and now-familiar city.

Sometimes our time together had been strained as we rushed from one attraction to the next, but now we sat for hours, enjoying the food and the service, celebrating with the live musicians, dancing, applauding various anniversaries, birthdays, and graduations. It was as if the entire trip came together on one delightful cruise.

I’ve written about water cruises a hundred times (maybe fewer). And I’ve always said things like, “It’s a refreshing break from the heat”, “A great way to take in all of the skyline at once”, and “A fun and exciting way to take in the city’s most popular sights.” And now I know for certain, I was right about all of it. A dinner cruise is the perfect choice for large groups or small. It’s the perfect ending to a wonderful tour, and something everyone should consider when they finally visit the city they have longed to see.

The thing about spring break is that it doesn’t really happen in the spring. It happens when winter is barely-to-not-really over and those of us in the mid to northern states are suffering if not clinically from seasonal affective disorder than definitely from sheer exhaustion at being so cold all the time.

And that’s why spring break trips tend to be at the beach. We pack a couple of swimming suits, a towel, and our winter frustration and get as quickly as possible to Florida’s gulf, Mexico, or Miami, and all we want is sun, sand, and the knowledge that there’s no way we’re going to wake up to snow.

Recently I visited New York City in June. It was my first time, something I’d dreamed about for years, and the weather was so perfect I could have sworn the city was opening its arms to me, wooing me to dig in my heels and just stay there forever. That’s about the time I realized there are better places to visit than the beach when the weather is truly, beautifully spring.

Spring is the perfect time to visit almost anywhere. In Manhattan in the spring I was perfectly happy just walking from one attraction to the next. The subway was, I imagine, much more manageable than in the hot summer months, and we found shade everywhere – from the tall buildings to the trees in Central Park and even from the metal awnings created by scaffolding throughout the city as buildings received their six-year inspections.

And since I’ve mentioned Central Park…Seriously, I can’t think of any place I’d rather be in the spring than there. To disappear into the walkways and quiet paths of that beautiful urban playground while the city bustles around you – there’s nothing better. The park was designed, you know, to gradually descend to the center. Thus the magic of walking in complete serenity only yards from honking cabs, gabbing tourists, and thousands of people on cell phones.

Other things I couldn’t imagine improved upon by the weather we experience in spring included the observation decks, both on the Empire State Building and at Top of the Rock, the water cruise to the Statue of Liberty, and our evening on the terrace of a local pub. New York City was simply amazing in every way. I cringed every time I had to be beneath it in the subway system or if I was trapped too long in its interiors. I wanted to be outside, taking in as much of it as possible, all the time. And spring was the perfect time to do that. (Although don’t get me started on how amazing it would be in the fall).

So although I know you’re going to spin a map and point to the nearest stretch of ocean shore the next time you plan a spring break trip, when actual spring comes around, promise me you’ll consider instead the cities, the mountains, the historical landmarks, and the classic American cultures you’ve always wanted to explore. There’s no better time for discovery.