10 Unique Montreal Tours

Looking for something different to do on your Montreal layover?

If you want to avoid the crowds, or have simply seen the big sights, it's easy to get off the beaten track in the city.

Here are some unique Montreal tour options to consider:
1. Quebec City and Montmorency Falls Day Trip from Montreal
2. Small-Group Quebec Wine Tour from Montreal with Optional Gourmet Lunch and Cheese Tasting
3. Main on a Plate: 375 years of Food and Culture
4. Montreal Rafting Trip on the Lachine Rapids
5. Professional Racing Simulation Experience
6. Old Montreal Discovery Tour
7. Downtown and Underground Montreal Walking Tour
8. 4-Hour Montreal Half-Day Bike Tour
9. Fashioning Expo 67
10. Montreal Mural Tour


Plus 3 great freebies!
FREE Things to Do in the Old Port - Old Port of Montreal
FREE Public Art in Montreal - Art Pubic Ville de Montreal
FREE Montreal Event Calendar - Montreal Mom


Related resources
10 Unique Paris Tours
10 Unique Chicago Tours
10 Unique NYC Tours
10 Unique Los Angeles Tours
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in Montreal
Montreal International Airport (YUL) transportation guide - IHateTaxis

10 Unique Hong Kong Layovers

Looking for something different to do on your Hong Kong layover?

If you want to avoid the crowds, or have simply seen the big sights, it's easy to get off the beaten track in the city.

Here are some unique Hong Kong tour options to consider:
1. Private Hong Kong Layover Tour: City Sightseeing with Round-Trip Airport Transport
2. Hong Kong Layover City Tour with 2-way Airport Shuttle Transfers
3. 4-Hour Private Hong Kong Layover Tour
4. Hong Kong Small-Group Hiking Tour: Life of Local Communities Beneath Kowloon Peak
5. 2-Hour Private Chinese Porcelain Masterclass
6. Fireflies Watching Tour at Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve
7. Lantau Island and Giant Buddha Day Trip from Hong Kong
8. Lantau Island Sunset Tour Plus Airport Express and MTR
9. Hong Kong Travel Pass: MTR and Airport Express Tickets
10. Café 100 Dining Package with Sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck Admission Ticket


If you stay at the airport:
Hong Kong International Airport Plaza Premium Lounge


Plus 3 great freebies!
Best FREE Things to Do in Hong Kong - Timeout
FREE Workouts in Hong Kong - Sassy Hong Kong
Top FREE Things to Do in Hong Kong - Ovolo Hotels


Related resources
Travel Fail: How not to visit Hong Kong - Glbetrottergrls
10 Unique Bangkok Tours
10 Unique Amsterdam Tours
10 Unique Rome Tours
Rock Your Layover Hong Kong
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in Hong Kong
Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) transportation guide - IHateTaxis

Do You URBEX? - USA Sites

Ruins in Jerome, Arizona (wikicommons)

Previous blog posts on the subject of urban exploration:
Do you URBEX? 1. Defined, Trends & Picks

With this post, we look at some of the more accessible sites popular with urban explorers in the United States. Plus we share USA-specific news, inspiration and resources.

In USA URBEX news

Matt Lambros' After the Final Curtain photographs show America's forgotten movie theatres - Denzeen
Urbex Photographer Discovers Eerie ‘Train Graveyard’ in North Carolina Forest - Petapixel
Urbex Instagram Photog Killed While Subway Surfing in NYC - Petapixel
‘Urban explorer’ arrested inside Niagara Falls church - Niagara Gazette

URBAN PHOTOGRAPHY INSPIRATION - USA

Liz's URBEX Photography Blog - Peeling Walls
Philip's URBEX Flickr Photos - DJ Philly GEE
Abandoned America: Dismantling the Dream - book by Matthew Christopher

USA-specific URBEX resources

10 Eerie, Awesome or Abandoned Places You Can LEGALLY Visit in the US - Architectural Afterlife
Abandoned America: An Autopsy of American Dreams - Matthew Christopher's blog, books, events
Abandoned America Photography Workshops - USA workshops by Matthew Christopher
After the final curtain - Matt Lambros' blog, events
URBEX Location List USA - Urban Exploration Resource
A listing of tunnels in Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia - Tunnels & Bridges

ALABAMA
Spectre from the film Big Fish - Millbrook, Alabama - Jackson Lake Island
Hollywood Built A Town Then Left It To Decay On An Island In Alabama - Only in your state

ARIZONA - JEROME
Gold King Mine Ghost Town - Jerome, Arizona - Exploration Project
Mining Towns, Jerome, Arizona - Ghosttownaz
Abandoned Jerome Post Office - Atlas Obscura
Historic Shuttle Tour in Jerome, Arizona
Ultimate Historic Jerome Tour
Step Through Time Historical Walking Tour in Jerome Arizona
Haunted History Tour from Jerome Arizona
Spirits of Jerome Tour
Classic Historic Tour of Jerome

ARIZONA - Elsewhere...
Gila River Airport (abandoned aircraft) - Urban Explorer Resource

CALIFORNIA - SAN FRANCISCO
Map Reveals Location of San Francisco’s Buried Ships - Urban Ghosts Media
Ghost Ships Under San Francisco - Archeopop
URBEX: Alcatraz - Urban Exploration Resource
San Francisco Urban Adventure and Alcatraz Tour
San Francisco Helicopter and Alcatraz Tour
San Francisco Hop-on Hop-off Ticket and Alcatraz Tour
Alcatraz Attraction Pass

CALIFORNIA - Elsewhere...
Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch - Urban Explorer Resource

HAWAII
Kaniakapupu Palace (Oahu) - Urban Explorer Resource

INDIANA - GARY
Gary URBEX Photography - Peeling Walls
Gary Indiana Ghost Town - No Future City? - Forbidden Places
The abandoned ruins of Gary, Indiana - Deserted Places Blog

KANSAS
Neosho Falls, Kansas - Architectural Afterlife
Exploring Neosho Falls, KS - Traversing Travy
Exploring Joyland Amusement Park in Wichita, Kansas - Traversing Travy

LOUISIANA - NEW ORLEANS
Abandoned New Orleans Retirement Community - Architectural Afterlife

MASSACHUSETTS - BOSTON
URBEX Boston - Fort Strong - Urban Explorer Resource

MICHIGAN - DETROIT
Detroit URBEX Locations - Detroit URBEX
Detroit URBEX Photography - Peeling Walls
Detroit, City in Decay - Deserted Places Blog
The Abandoned City of Detroit - Zach Fein Photography
Forgotten Detroit - David Kohrman
Detroit Urban Exploration and Photography Tour
Small Group Walking Tour Corktown is Popping in Detroits Oldest Neighborhood
Detroit's Rise Fall and Renewal

MICHIGAN - FLINT
Flint URBEX Photography - Peeling Walls

NEVADA - AREA 51
Often mentioned in the URBEX community, please heed the caution by StrangeThings: "AREA 51 IS NOT ABANDONED, DO NOT CROSS THE BORDER!"
Area 51: In the middle of an extremely unforgiving and desolate high desert is the most secret military facility in the world - Atlas Obscura
Area 51 Day Tour from Las Vegas
*See Las Vegas for tours to Area 51

NEVADA - LAS VEGAS
Area 51 Day Tour from Las Vegas
*Also see Area 51 (above) and Goodsprings

NEVADA - GOODSPRINGS
Ghost Hunt in Goodsprings from Las Vegas
Historical Tour of the Pioneer Saloon from Las Vegas
RZR Desert Adventure with Lunch at the Historic Pioneer Saloon
Haunted Lockdown at the Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings

NEW MEXICO
Cuervo, New Mexico: No Lodging but Plenty of Vacancies - Architectural Afterlife

NEW YORK - BUFFALO
Buffalo URBEX Photography - Peeling Walls

NEW YORK - NEW YORK CITY
10 Disused Staten Island Railway Stations - Urban Ghosts
An Opportunity to Rebuild Penn Station the Way it Was - Urban Ghosts Media
Tour of the Secrets of Grand Central Terminal
Tour of the Remnants of Penn Station
Tour of the Remnants of Dutch New Amsterdam in NYC
Guided Private Underground New York Subway Tour
Ruins of a Forgotten City: Historical Manhattan Walking Tour
Woolworth Building Lobby Tour

NEW YORK - Elsewhere...
Exploring an Abandoned Castle in Upstate NY (Roscoe) - Traversing Travy
Massive Abandoned Train Station - Architectural Afterlife

NORTH CAROLINA
Urbex Photographer Discovers Eerie ‘Train Graveyard’ in North Carolina Forest - Petapixel
Abandoned Nascar – The Wilkesboro Speedway - Architectural Afterlife
Stonewall Jackson Youth Development Center, North Carolina - Architectural Afterlife
The Land of Oz - Boone, North Carolina - Architectural Afterlife

OHIO - CINCINNATI
The Cincinnati Subway: an abandoned relic of the city's failed experiment with below ground transit - Atlas Obscura
Cincinnati Architecture - Zach Fein Photography

OHIO - CLEVELAND
Cleveland URBEX Photography - Peeling Walls
The Old Cleveland Aquarium - Architectural Afterlife
Sidaway Bridge: a ghost of racial prejudice – Cleveland, Ohio - Atlas Obscura
Exploring the Sidaway Footbridge - Bridges & Tunnels

OHIO - Elsewhere...
Ohio Ghost Towns Exploration Co.
Akron URBEX Photography - Peeling Walls
The Abandoned Dresden Suspension Bridge - Dresden, Ohio - Bridges & Tunnels
Hillandale Bridge – Euclid, Ohio - Cleveland Memory Project
The Abandoned Hillandale Bridge - Euclid, Ohio - scotdor on Urban Ohio
Spirits Held Prisoner: Mansfield Reformatory – Mansfield, Ohio - Architectural Afterlife
Toledo URBEX Photography - Peeling Walls

PENNSYLANIA - PHILADELPHIA
Explore an Abandoned Subway Station in Philadelphia - Urban Ghosts Media

PENNSYLANIA - PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh URBEX Photography - Peeling Walls

PENNSYLANIA - Elsewhere...
Urban Exploring – USA Pennsylvania Prison and its Hangman Trapdoor - Rebecca Bathory Blog
We will include the abandoned Williams Grove Amusement Park later in this series, in a post dedicated to abandoned theme parks.

RHODE ISLAND
We will include the abandoned Rocky Point Amusement Park later in this series, in a post dedicated to abandoned theme parks.

UTAH
We will include the abandoned The Harold Mill later in this series, in a post dedicated to abandoned theme parks.

VIRGINIA
Urban Exploring – USA Virginia Lunatic Asylum and the Search for a Magic Staircase - Rebecca Bathory Blog

WASHINGTON - PORT ANGELES
Port Angeles Underground Heritage Tour

WEST VIRGINIA
Lake Shawnee, the World - Architectural Afterlife


Related resources
Everything About Urban Exploration - Forbidden Places
Death by Selfie
Go Running on Your Layover
Carp Diem: Day Trips From Rome
10 Unique Paris Tours
10 Unique NYC Tours
10 Unique Los Angeles Tours

10 Unique Vancouver Tours

Walking the iconic seawall in Vancouver is free!

Looking for something different to do on your Vancouver layover?

If you want to avoid the crowds, or have simply seen the big sights, it's easy to get off the beaten track in the city.

Here are some unique Vancouver tour options to consider:
1. Historic Gastown Photography Tour
2. Segway Tour of the Botanical Gardens at the University of British Columbia
3. Vancouver Trolley Hop-on Hop-off Tour, Lookout Observation Deck and Vancouver Aquarium Combo
4. Small-Group Granville Island Market Tour
5. Vancouver City Tour Including Capilano Suspension Bridge
6. Independent Bike Tour of Vancouver
7. Stanley Park and Downtown Vancouver Running Tour
8. Stanley Park First Nations Interpretive Walking Tour
9. Private Chauffeured Whistler Transfer from Vancouver with Sightseeing
10. Seaplane Flight to Victoria with Ground Transport and Butchart Gardens Admission


Plus 3 great freebies!
25 FREE Things to Do in Vancouver - Tourism Vancouver
Top Vancouver Gardens (mostly FREE) - Trip Savvy
The Best FREE Tours in Vancouver - Experience Vancouver Group


Related resources
10 Unique Paris Tours
10 Unique NYC Tours
10 Unique Los Angeles Tours
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in Vancouver
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) transportation guide - IHateTaxis

10 Unique Berlin Tours

Meta Trabant: Berlin Wall graffiti of the iconic Soviet-era car

Looking for something different to do on your Berlin layover?

If you want to avoid the crowds, or have simply seen the big sights, it's easy to get off the beaten track in the city.

Here are some unique Berlin tour options to consider:
1. Private Layover Tour: Berlin City Sightseeing with Airport Transport
2. Private Berlin David Bowie Walking Tour with a Historian Guide
3. 'An Evening at Charlottenburg Palace' Palace Tour, Dinner and Concert by the Berlin Residence Orchestra
4. Evening Berlin Food Tour by Bike
5. The Real Berlin Walking Tour: Art, Food and Counterculture
6. Private Half-Day Photo Shooting Tour With Local Photographer in Berlin
7. Private Tour: Berlin Art Galleries Walking Tour
8. Berlin Live-Guided Self-Drive Trabi Safari Tour
9. Private Tour: Berlin Architecture Tour
10. Berlin Street Art Tour and Graffiti Workshop


Plus 3 great freebies!
How to See the Best Views of Berlin for FREE - Travel Update
How to Enjoy Berlin for FREE - I Heart Berlin
Top FREE Things to Do in Berlin - Global Blue


Related resources
10 Unique Paris Tours
10 Unique NYC Tours
10 Unique Los Angeles Tours
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in Berlin
Berlin Schönefeld International Airport (SXF) transportation guide - IHateTaxis
Berlin Tegel International Airport (TXL) transportation guide - IHateTaxis

Do You URBEX?

Kolmanscop, Namibia - an urban explorer's paradise
creative commons image wikicommons

Urban exploration, or "URBEX", is the exploration of man-made structures, either abandoned ruins or normally unseen components of man-made environments. May also be referred to as dark tourism.

Unauthorized exploration involves all manner of risks associated with climbing derelict structures, entering dark tunnels, crawling into drains, breathing or coming into contact with toxins and so on. People have died pursuing this hobby. Yet the purists follow their own code of conduct of "leave everything as you found it" and "take nothing except pictures".

While exploring these structures may involve trespassing onto private property, this is not always the case. Some sites are open to the public, or are accessible on a tour. Still others have added methods such as mini-railways to take you through the site.

If your layover doesn't provide easy access to an abandoned site, you can easily pass hours exploring incredible photographs online. As many devotees don't even reveal the exact location of their finds, this is the only way you can see them.

In this, our first blog post on urban exploration, we introduce you to a sampling of popular sites.

The URBEX Trend

Generation urbex: The extreme urban adventurers risking all for the right to roam - The Independent
Urbex: Is It Really Abandoned? - Darbian's Photography
When Time is the Architect: Urban Exploration by Photographer Tekprod - Wix Blog
Discover the Compelling World of Urban Ghosts: 20 Top Articles to get You Started - Urban Ghosts Media
Here's why I won't share locations locations - The Bohemian Blog
How Photographing an Abandoned Hotel Cost Me $2,800 - Petapixel
Stories Like This are Why Urbex Photogs are So Secretive About Where They Shoot - Petapixel

URBEX OBSESSIONS

This photographer is taking jaw-dropping photos of Europe’s abandoned buildings (Christian Richter) - The Independent
Matt Van der Velde photographs abandoned insane asylums (Matt Van der Velde) - Dezeen
Josef Schulz documents abandoned checkpoint architecture across Europe (Josef Schulz) - Dezeen
Abandoned Soviet architecture photographed by Rebecca Litchfield (Rebecca Bathory) - Dezeen

URBEX PHOTOGRAPHY

How To Photograph Models in Abandoned Buildings - Contrastly
The Underworld: Princess of Darkness & the Importance of Teamwork - Rebecca Bathory Blog
Urban Exploration Photography Blog - blog dedicated to taking great URBEX pictures
An Introduction to Urban Exploration - Digital Photography School
Finding Your Way Around Urban Decay Photography - Contrastly

URBEX RESOURCES

Everything About Urban Exploration - Forbidden Places
A Brief Introduction to Urban Exploration - Urban Ghosts Media
Urban Exploration Location List - Urban Exploration Resource
URBEX: Enter at Your Own Risk - Red Bull TV
Reddit URBEX Forum (specific locations not revealed)
The Bohemian Blog
Ancient Origins
Urban Ghosts Media

PICKS

The train cemetery in Uyuni, Bolivia
The Train Cemetery in Uyuni, Bolivia - URBEX Playground
Private visit to the train cemetery from Uyuni

An eerie Communist relic in Bulgaria
Exploring the Iconic Buzludzha Communist Building in Bulgaria - PetaPixel
One Day Private Tour By Car From Varna or Sofia To Buzludzha Monument

A Cold War spy station in Berlin, Germany
Field Station Berlin Teufelsberg: NSA spy station on buried Nazi college - Abandoned Berlin
Berlin Half-Day Cold War Tour to Teufelsberg

The compelling encroaching sand in Kolmanskop, Namibia
Kolmanskop, the ghost town of the desert - Deserted Places Blog
Full-Day Kolmanskuppe and Luderitz Private Tour from Swakopmund

Riding old Kiwi rails in Taumarunui, New Zealand
New Zealand tour will take you down an abandoned rail line in a golf cart - The Star
10-Tunnel Rail Bike Tour from Taumarunui

The buried streets of black death in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Mary King's Close: 17th century streets hidden under Edinburgh were once a breeding ground for the black death - Atlas Obscura
The Real Mary King's Close Underground Guided Tour

Feeding speculation in the Nevada desert, USA
Often mentioned in the URBEX community, please heed the caution by StrangeThings: "AREA 51 IS NOT ABANDONED, DO NOT CROSS THE BORDER!"
Area 51: In the middle of an extremely unforgiving and desolate high desert is the most secret military facility in the world - Atlas Obscura
Area 51 Day Tour from Las Vegas

Making the most out of urban decay in Detroit, Illinois, USA
Detroit, City in Decay - Deserted Places Blog
Detroit Urban Exploration and Photography Tour

Related resources
Death by Selfie - IHateTaxis blog
Go Running on Your Layover
Memorial sites near Paris Beauvais Airport
Bucketlist: Downton Abbey
Layover Ideas for the World's Worst Airports
Spot the deadly fake taxi on your international travels! - IHateTaxis blog

10 Unique Tokyo Tours

Enjoy the best views of Tokyo free at the TMG towers!

Looking for something different to do on your Tokyo layover?

If you want to avoid the crowds, or have simply seen the big sights, it's easy to get off the beaten track in the city.

Here are some unique Tokyo tour options to consider:
1. Private Custom Tour: Tokyo in a Day
2. Tokyo Local Food and Drink Experience with a Bar Hopping Master
3. Authentic Geisha Performance and Entertainment including a Kaiseki Course Dinner
4. Kimono Shopping Tour in Tokyo
5. Tokyo Metropolis Photography Tour
6. Half-Day Tokyo Architecture Walking Tour
7. Japanese Bookbinding Lesson
8. Kintsugi Experience in Tokyo
9. Hands-on Ninja Experience in Tokyo
10. Challenge Sumo Wrestlers and Enjoy a Chanko Lunch


Plus 3 great freebies!
FREE Tokyo Walking Tour
FREE Tokyo Views from TMG Observation Deck
Top 10 FREE Things to Do in Tokyo


Related resources
10 Unique Paris Tours
10 Unique NYC Tours
10 Unique Los Angeles Tours
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in Tokyo
Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT) transportation guide - IHateTaxis
Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND) transportation guide - IHateTaxis

10 Unique Barcelona Tours

View from Gaudi's Park Güell

Looking for something different to do on your Barcelona layover?

If you want to avoid the crowds, or have simply seen the big sights, it's easy to get off the beaten track in the city.

Here are some unique Barcelona tour options to consider:
1. Gaudi in a Day Guided Private Tour
2. Barcelona FC Football Game or Camp Nou Tour
3. Sagrada Familia Facades Private Tour with Independent Interior Visit
4. 4-Hour Gaudi Mosaic Workshop in Barcelona
5. Tapas and Wine Experience Small-Group Walking Tour
6. Gaudí’s La Pedrera at Night: A Behind-Closed-Doors Tour in Barcelona
7. Parasailing Experience in Barcelona
8. Private Bike Tour around Art Galleries in Monjuic Barcelona
9. Barcelona Private Tour to Tibidabo Mountain and Horta Labyrinth Park
10. Flamenco Night at Tablao Cordobes


Plus 3 great freebies!
FREE Barcelona Gothic Quarter Walking Tour
10 FREE Things to Do in Barcelona
ForFree: Your Guide to Barcelona's FREE Events


Related resources
10 Unique Paris Tours
10 Unique NYC Tours
10 Unique Los Angeles Tours
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in Barcelona
Barcelona International Airport (BCN) transportation guide - IHateTaxis

Layover prayers

A priest and a rabbi walk into an airport bar... or maybe not!

Beyond chapels, multi-faith prayer rooms are a more common sight in airports around the world. But what if you could really use solace, specific to your faith, and in your own language?

For the next 3 months, travelers at Germany's Stuttgart Airport, can step into the "Gebetomat" and choose from 300+ prayers offered in 65+ languages.

The Gebetomat is the brainchild of Oliver Sturm. The Stuttgart installation is just latest version of Sturm's Pray-O-Matic booth, which the Berlin artist designed in 2008.

In 2012, Sturm's prayer booth popped up at Manchester University as part of a 3-year research project on multi faith spaces and prayer rooms worldwide.

Look for the brightly coloured converted photo booth at Stuttgart Airport in Terminal 3, near gate 310. Prayers are free.

Related resources
German airport offers prayer booth in 65 languages - NY Daily News
Pray-o-mat is UK's first - University of Manchester
Interfaith Airport Chapels in The US: Tranquility on The Fly - Vane Airport Magazine


More resources
Hell Will Be an Airport (A Layover Story) - John Pavlovitz
Stuttgart Airport (STR) Transportation Guide - IHateTaxis

10 Unique Bangkok Tours

Looking for something different to do on your Bangkok layover?

If you want to avoid the crowds, or have simply seen the big sights, it's easy to get off the beaten track in the city.

Here are some unique Bangkok tour options to consider:
1. Private Tour: Full-Day Customizable Tour of Bangkok City
2. Airport Departure Fast track Services - with VIP lounge access
3. Bangkok Stopover Package
4. Baipai Thai Cooking School Class in Bangkok
5. Tai-Chi in Lumpini Park Bangkok
6. Thai Boxing Match including Tickets and Transfer in Bangkok
7. Evening Siam Niramit Show with Thai Dinner
8. Colors of Bangkok
9. 3-Hour Handbag Making Class
10. Fore! Play Golf in Bangkok


Plus 3 great freebies!
20 FREE things to do in Bangkok - The Culture Trip
FREE things to do in Bangkok - Trip Savvy
10 FREE things to do in Bangkok - Lash World Tour


Related resources
10 Unique Paris Tours
10 Unique NYC Tours
10 Unique Los Angeles Tours
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in Bangkok
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) transportation guide - IHateTaxis
Bangkok Don Muang International Airport (DMK) transportation guide - IHateTaxis

10 Unique Amsterdam Tours

The Westerkerk Church and Amsterdam canal houses

Looking for something different to do on your Amsterdam layover?

If you want to avoid the crowds, or have simply seen the big sights, it's easy to get off the beaten track in the city.

Here are some unique Amsterdam tour options to consider:
1. Amsterdam Layover Tour: Private City Sightseeing with Round-Trip Airport Transfer
2. Private Transit Tour: Amsterdam City Tour with Luxury Vehicle
3. Keukenhof Gardens and Tulip Fields Tour from Amsterdam
4. Amsterdam Hop-on Hop-off Boat Day Pass and Heineken Experience
5. Private Guided Bike Tour to the Dutch Windmills
6. Private Amsterdam Coffeeshop Culture and Food Tour
7. Private Gourmet Dining with a Michelin Star Chef in Amsterdam
8. 3-Course Dinner at Dining in the Dark Restaurant in Amsterdam
9. Luxurious Party Bike Tour With Private Chauffeur
10. Amsterdam Guided Tour of United East India Company and Maritime Museum with Art Historian


Plus 3 great freebies!
FreeDam FREE Amsterdam Walking Tour
FREE Amsterdam Floating Flower Market: What to Expect
50 FREE Things to Do in Amsterdam


Related resources
10 Unique Paris Tours
10 Unique NYC Tours
10 Unique Los Angeles Tours
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in Amsterdam
Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport (AMS) transportation guide - IHateTaxis

10 Unique Milan Tours

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in the evening

Looking for something different to do on your Milan layover?

If you want to avoid the crowds, or have simply seen the big sights, it's easy to get off the beaten track in the city.

Here are some unique Milan tour options to consider:
1. Art and History of Playing Cards and Tarots in Milan
2. History of Paper Guided Tour in Milan with Visit to the Biblioteca Ambrosiana
3. Historical and Precious Leathers Guided Tour in Milan
4. Private Tour: the Ancient and Noble Art of Metal Guided Tour
5. Private Tour: the Museum of Musical Instruments Guided Tour with Visit to a Local Liuteria
6. 1-Day Personal Fashion Styling Course for Women (Course for Men)
7. Private Tour: Milan Half-Day Shopping Tour
8. 1-Hour Rooftop Tour of Milan's Duomo
9. Evening Cooking Lesson with Dinner in Milan
10. After-Hours Last Supper Tour with Ultimate Dinner Experience


Plus 3 great freebies!
FREE Milan Walking Tours
FREE Museums in Milan
10 Best Things to Do in Milan for FREE


Related resources
10 Unique Paris Tours
10 Unique NYC Tours
10 Unique Los Angeles Tours
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in Milan
Milan Bergamo International Airport (BGY) transportation guide - IHateTaxis
Milan Linate International Airport (LIN) transportation guide - IHateTaxis
Milan Malpensa International Airport (MXP) transportation guide - IHateTaxis

They fell in love on a layover

What if you fell in love here on a layover?

Have you ever wondered what could happen to you on a layover? What could really happen? What if you fell in love? If you think it couldn't happen, read on. It happened to them:

A layover at Qatar airport brought this Swedish-Kenyan couple together - now they're heading for marriage - Mwita and Emma

It is a state of intimacy that we relish living, but due to its abstract nature we rarely pay attention to it. We may not understand love, but we know very well that it “conquers all.” For the 32-year-old Kenyan Justus Mwita, he never expected to be caught by his then Swedish girlfriend’s unblinking eyes, which left him both taken aback and pleased while he was waiting for his next flight to Nairobi at Doha’s international airport (Qatar)... [read their story]

IT HAPPENED TO ME: I Fell In Love With A Guy I Met At The Airport and Starting Dating Long-Distance - anonymous

That first plane ride was 12 hours, until Abu Dhabi, where I was stuck for 14 hours and he was stuck for three. I was a bright-eyed twenty-year-old, fresh out of my sophomore year of college. I was off to spend three months in Kenya -- not my first abroad trip, but certainly my first (and longest) solo trip. I was overwhelmed, excited, apprehensive, sad, anxious, and nervous. In the airport, all of these feelings culminated in certain scatter-brained behavior, like continually losing my passport. While I was waiting to board my plane, I dropped my passport... [read her story].

xoJane - Read more stories on the xoJane blog

Related resources
MeetAtTheAirport.com - yes, it's what it sounds like
Taxi to Petra: a love story
Looking for love on a layover
Romantic layover ideas
Private Tour to Tunnel of Love from Kiev

10 Unique Boston Tours

Play Ball! Here's a fun idea: take a
Tour of Historic Fenway Park, America's Most Beloved Ballpark

Looking for something different to do on your Boston layover?

If you want to avoid the crowds, or have simply seen the big sights, it's easy to get off the beaten track in the city.

Here are some unique Boston tour options to consider:
1. Fall Foliage Sightseeing Tour from Boston
2. Private Boston Freedom Trail Tour with Driver
3. PhotoWalks Freedom Trail Tour
4. Museum of Fine Arts Small-Group Tour with Art Historian
5. Boston Pizza and Taverns Tour
6. North End Pizza Tour
7. Tour of Historic Fenway Park, America's Most Beloved Ballpark
8. Boston Movie Mile Walking Tour
9. Salem Witch City Day Trip From Boston
10. Admission to Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum


Plus 3 great freebies!
FREE Things to Do in Boston - Boston on Budget
FREE Events in Boston - The Boston Calendar
What to Do in Boston for FREE - Boston Discovery Guide


Related resources
10 Unique Paris Tours
10 Unique NYC Tours
10 Unique Los Angeles Tours
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in Boston
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) transportation guide - IHateTaxis

10 unique San Francisco tours

Golden Gate Bridge at sunsaet

Looking for something different to do on your San Francisco layover?

If you want to avoid the crowds, or have simply seen the big sights, it's easy to get off the beaten track in the city.

Here are some unique San Francisco tour options to consider:
1. Harley-Davidson Rental in San Francisco
2. San Francisco Urban Hike: Hills and Hidden Gems
3. San Francisco's Spectacular Lands End
4. 90-Minute Wine Therapy Daytime Wine Tasting Cruise
5. America's Cup Sailing Adventure on San Francisco Bay: America's Cup Sail
6. Film Photography Crash Course and Walking Tour
7. Private Tour: Personal Travel Photographer Tour in San Francisco
8. San Francisco Scavenger Hunt Adventure
9. San Francisco's Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill Walking Tour
10. Beginner Surfing 1-Day - Pacifica


Plus 3 great freebies!
24 FREE Things to do in San Francisco - Lonely Planet
FREE Museum Days in San Francisco - Free Museum Day
7 FREE San Francisco walking tours - Free Tours by Foot


Related reources
10 Unique Paris Tours
10 Unique NYC Tours
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in San Francisco
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) transportation guide - IHateTaxis