Amateur Traveler Video (large)

This video is taking during a jet boat ride up the Snake River through Hells Canyon on the border of Idaho, Washington and Oregon. We were with Snake Dancer Excursions and were guests of Visit Lewis Clark Valley. Read more about my trip here: https://amateurtraveler.com/things-to-do-in-lewiston-idaho/

The people who brought you the Skunk Train now bring you a different adventure where you can pedal a tandem bike on the railroad tracks from the town into the redwoods - RailBikes. See more at https://californiatravelmedia.com/things-to-do-in-mendocino-california-and-on-the-lost-coast/

This video accompanies the post 4 Days in Mexico City – The Wonderful Heart of Mexico https://amateurtraveler.com/4-days-in-mexico-city-the-wonderful-heart-of-mexico/ and shows some of the highlights of Mexico City

Checkout the blog post on day trips from Las Vegas including this helicopter flight, visiting Red Rocks and Valley of Fire at https://amateurtraveler.com/las-vegas-day-trips/

The Mori Building Digital Art Museum in Odaiba in Tokyo is an amazingly interactive museum where kids can draw a sea creature and then watch it swim along the museum walls. Read more at Things to do in Odaiba (Tokyo) – https://amateurtraveler.com/things-to-do-in-odaiba/

Varanasi India is colorful , chaotic city on the Ganges River that is a sacred place to Hindus. See its traffic, shoreline and religious ceremonies in this video from the Amateur Traveler trip to India. Read more about Varanasi at https://amateurtraveler.com/varanasi-india/

A Video of Česky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the country's 2nd most visited city. Read more at https://amateurtraveler.com/cesky-krumlov/

Durango Colorado is known for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad as well as for adventure travel excursions like the jeep tour I took up to 12,000 feet in the nearby San Juan Mountains. This video shows the train and the jeep tour. read more at: https://amateurtraveler.com/denver-to-mesa-verde-and-durango/

Mesa Verede National Park is both a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It preserves and interprets a large collection of ruins left by Ancestral Puebloans. The sites was occupied from 450-1300 A.D. The cliff dwellings that we know it for were only built in the last 100 years of that time period. This video shows a tour of Cliff Palace. For more information read https://amateurtraveler.com/denver-to-mesa-verde-and-durango/

The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs Colorado sits on a an active geothermal area with the deepest host springs in the world. This video shows the hot springs at the resort and then also shows nearby Chimney Rock National Monument which are ruins left by the Ancestral Puebloans on top of a mountain. Fr more information read: https://amateurtraveler.com/denver-to-mesa-verde-and-durango/

This video shows some of the history of Montgomery Alabama and also talks about the new Legacy Museum which presents the history of slavery, lynching, and civil rights. The video also shows the new National Memorial to Peace and Justice (also known as the Lynching Memorial). Read more https://amateurtraveler.com/montgomery-alabama-civil-rights/

A video of Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas National Park off the Floriday Keys near Key West. read more: Road Trip down the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas National Park (Videos #96 & #97)http://usa.amateurtraveler.com/road-trip-florida-keys/  

Taking a boat ride on the African Queen in Key Largo, Florida - for more info check out Road Trip down the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas National Park (Videos #96 & #97) http://usa.amateurtraveler.com/road-trip-florida-keys/

A video of how Universal's waterpark in Orlando, including how the tapu tapu waterproof wrist devise works to get reservations for attractions.

Each year in January there is a Harry Potter festival at Universal Orlando Resort called Celebration Harry Potter. This video is a peak into that magical world. Read more at http://usa.amateurtraveler.com/celebration-harry-potter/

A video of the 2017 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta including a balloon ride and a surprise ending for my iPhone. Read more at http://usa.amateurtraveler.com/albuquerque-international-balloon-fiesta/

The Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site outside of Boston was the place where America's Iron and Steel industry started. See how they turned the power of moving water into molten iron. read more http://usa.amateurtraveler.com/saugus-iron-works-nhs/

This video shows a flightseeing tour of the Hubbard Glacier and the largest non-polar icefields in the world, including landing on the glacier http://canada.amateurtraveler.com/yukon-cool-even-summer/

Teotihuacan is a large archeological sitenear Mexico City, featuring the largest stone pyramid in the Americas. This video shows visiting the site including the view from the top of the Pyramid of the Sun.

Teotihuacan is a large archeological sitenear Mexico City, featuring the largest stone pyramid in the Americas. This video shows visiting the site including the view from the top of the Pyramid of the Sun.

This video shows a visit to the Safari West Wildlife Preserve which is located on 400 acres in the hills above Santa Rosa, California in the middle of the Sonoma wine country. The park has a large collection of animals, especially African herd animals, giraffes and rhinos. See more about my trip to Santa Rosa including the Charles M. Schulz Museum, restaurants, and wineries at http://usa.amateurtraveler.com/visit-santa-rosa-california/

I recently visited Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. We rode the 1/6 Gravity Simulator where you bound along the surface of "the moon". The Multi-Axis Trainer spins you in 3 different ways at once, but didn't make anyone in our group sick, although you might think it would. Space Camp runs programs for kids, adults, and families. See my entire article on Huntsville - The Rocket City

This video shows a visit to the UNESCO site, the Rice Terraces of Batad and Bangaan near Banaue in the Philippines. Getting there is half the fun, riding on top of a Jeepney.

Visit the old walled city in Manila which was mostly destroyed in World War 2 and reconstructed in the 1980s. A Horse drawn carriage tour, the city walls, Baluarte de San Diego, Casa Manila and San Agustin Church.

Outside of Battambang, Cambodia is a Rube Goldberg ramshackle train to nowhere called the bamboo train. It is little more than a bamboo platform and a small lawnmower type engine sitting on two steel train wheels. Run that over a bumpy warped set of rails. There is nothing else like it. This video was shot during the Amateur Traveler trip to Cambodia in 2016.

I had a chance to drive a Jucy RV camper van recently on a road trip in the central coast of California. This video reviews this flexible van that comes with sink, stove, fridge, table. The Jucy RV sleeps 1-4 people

Visit the Watkins Glen International Raceway with the Amateur Traveler: This video shows driving this Grand Prix NASCAR track as part of the "Drive the Glen" activity. You can pay $25 to drive your own car on this track. You do have to: Stay behind the pace car Not pass any other cars driving with your Stay under 55mph  

Visit a Floating Village in Cambodia with the Amateur Traveler: This video shows a tour to a village on Tonlé Sap (Great Lake). We took this tour as part of the recent Amateur Traveler trip to Cambodia.

Visit Phnom Penh in Cambodia with the Amateur Traveler: This video shows a cyclo (pedicab or bicycle rickshaw) tour of downtown. We took this ride through the streets of the city as part of the recent Amateur Traveler trip to Cambodia (http://amateurtraveler.com/cambodia-trip/).

See cruising Southeastern Alaska on Un-Cruise Adventures as the Amateur Traveler goes on a cruise where dressing for dinner and bingo are replaced with kayaking and bushwhacking. Chris and his wife explored with 84 other passengers on the Safari Endeavor the islands, inlets, and glaciers of the Alaskan panhandle.

Visit Oaxaca, Mexico and Monte Alban with the Amateur Traveler: This video shows some of the markets which are not just places to shop but also great places to eat. It also shows some of the night life in the zocalo or main town square.

Visit Oaxaca, Mexico and Monte Alban with the Amateur Traveler: This video shows the ruins of the Zapotec ruins of Monte Alban on the hills above Oaxaca, Mexico. Built 2500 years ago the Zapotec leveled off a mountain to build their city in the clouds. Only about 10% of their city has been uncovered.   

Visit Thailand with the Amateur Traveler: Explaining Thailand in 60 seconds with pictures and video. This video was shot during a press trip to Bangkok and Northern Thailand (from Chiang Mai to Nan). Temples, crafts, markets... and eating a worm.

Visit Death Valley with the Amateur Traveler: This video shows Death Valley National Park, the lowest and hottest spot in the United States.

Visit the bayou outside Lake Charles Louisiana with the Amateur Traveler. This video shows a trip with Grosse Savanne Eco-Tours as well as a visit to Airboats Rides and Alligators. Both are on the Creole Nature Trail.

As part of the 2014 Ford Trends Conference, I was able to visit the  Ford Design Center in Dearborn Michigan. What what Ford does to test their track designs with robots and test fixtures. ALso see how Ford let's designers try and be a drunk... without drinking, or feel what it is like to have parkinson's disease. See how they can visualize what a car will look like long before it rolls off the assembly line.

This episode of Road Gear looks at two different bluetooth portable speaker solutions:   Logitech UE Mobile Boombox Bluetooth Speaker http://bit.ly/mobile-boombox   Waterproof Wireless Bluetooth Shower Speaker http://bit.ly/bluetooth-shower-speaker

Visit the Ford Motor Company Truck Plant in Dearborn, Michigan with the Amateur Traveler. This video shows the Ford Truck assembly line which I visited as part of the Ford Trends conference. While you won't be allowed to take pictures, you can also tour the Ford plant on your next trip to Michigan.

The Shavetech USB Rechargeable Travel Razor is a small electric razor that will fit easily in your day bag. When it runs out of charge just pop out the USB dongle from the bottom of the razor and recharge it in any USB plug, including off the side of your laptop. buy it: http://bit.ly/shavetech

Visit the Laws Railroad Museum in Laws, California with the Amateur Traveler: This video shows the small out of the way Laws Railroad Museum which has collected trains, farm equipment, artifacts and even buildings from around the Owens Valley area in the Eastern Sierras of California. The museum has a working train from the Death Valley Railroad which runs on a very short track. 

Visit Xi'an China with the Amateur Traveler: This video shows the famous Terracotta Warriors. Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China, had this army of figures created for his tomb. Shortly after his death the peasants revolted and smashed all but one of the warriors into pieces. This is basically the worlds largest jigsaw puzzle.

The Camelbak All Clear is a water bottle with a built in water purifier. The CamelBak uses UV light to effectively neutralize viruses, bacteria and protozoa. Bring this water bottle on your trip to help avoid water born diseases. buy a Camelback Allclear - http://bit.ly/cballclear  

The Mophie Juice Pack is a case that both protects your iPhone and also more than doubles the battery live of your phone. You can still use your camera. It does change the external port on your iPhone to be a standard USB port. • Rechargeable 2100mAh lithium ion polymer battery and protective case in one. • Talk Time Up to additional 10 hours on 3G, internet Use Up to additional 10 hours on 3G, up to additional 10 hours on LTE, up to additional 12 hours on Wi-Fi, audio Playback Up to 50 hours and Video Playback Up to 12 hours Buy Mophie Juice Pack Plus Case for iPhone 5s/5 - Red http://bit.ly/juicepack

FreedomPop is an interesting solution for a Portable Internet Wi-Fi Router. If you need the internet outside of your home and office you can buy a FreedomPop router and then get 500Mb of free internet per month. If you need more than 500Mb then you can buy plans for only $17.99 per month (2Gb). Than plan is currently selling for half that on a special. The FreedomPop uses the Sprint cell system so it will work better in regions with good Sprint coverage. Buy a Freedom Spot Photon 4G Mobile Hotspot (Platinum) http://freedompop.7eer.net/c/93069/72977/1792

Visit Sonoma Canopy Tours with the Amateur Traveler. This video shows ziplining in the California Wine Country among the redwoods and fir trees. The Russian River area has had numerous camps for years and many of them have had a difficult time making ends meet in recent years but one clever camp set up a wonderful zipline course. My wife had visited Sonoma Canopy Tours last year with some girlfriends and gave this trip to me for Christmas. The course includes 8 ziplines, 2 rope bridges and rappelling down from a redwood tree. 

Ride the night train from Beijing to Xi'an with the Amateur Traveler: This video shows the somewhat claustrophobic quarters that you get when you put some 60 bunk beds in an open rail car. 

This video shows a visit to Beijing. It shows Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, Yonghe Temple and the Great Wall I traveled to Beijing on a tour with Intrepid Travels - http://AmateurTraveler.com/intrepid

This video shows the Nautilus Semi-Submercible on the Island of Santa Catalina off the coast of California. This video was shot as part of a longer trip to the island.

Each year since 1959 Virginia City has held Camel Races. This video is from the 2013 Virginia City Camel Races and features a camel race, a zebra race and an ostrich race.

At Mutianyu, China near Beijing you can take a toboggan down from the Great Wall of China. This is a video of the ride.

I shot this video in San Francisco for the Ford Escape Routes campaign. This is what it is like to drive down the "crookedest street in the world"