One of the best tropical vacation destinations for skaters to visit is Grand Cayman. This Caribbean island is easy to get to by plane or cruise ship. However, the biggest attraction for skaters is going to be the Black Pearl Skate and Surf Park. While this park offers some of the best surfing and skating options in the Caribbean, don't spend all your time at the park, because Grand Cayman offers amazing natural and cultural attractions. If you are ready for the vacation of a lifetime, pack your skateboarding shoes and head for Grand Cayman.

The Black Pearl Skate and Surf Park
The Black Pearl Skate and Surf Park is both the largest concrete skate park in the world as well as the home of one of the largest, artificially produced, standing waves in the world. If you are a skater then you will enjoy the 52,000 square feet of skating terrain offered by this park, as well as its great collection of beginner, intermediate and advanced skating features. The surfing section of this park offers a Wavelock Surf Machine, which is capable of producing standing waves up to eleven feet tall in a surfing area of over 1,200 square feet. Both sections of the park are serviced by a pro shop that offers equipment rentals and instruction in surfing and skateboarding.

Grand Cayman's Attractions
While you are in paradise, don't forget to try out some of the other tourist attractions. First of all, stop by the city of Hell and send a letter or postcard to your friends. The postmark will show that the letter was sent from Hell. The novelty postmark is about all that is offered by this little outpost, so you will need other plans to fill your day.

Stingray City is a must see attraction. You will need to charter a boat or guided tour to get to this attraction. However, the effort is well worth it, as the diving here is considered to be world class. Here, you will be able to interact with stingrays and other marine life. Plan this adventure on Monday, Wednesday or Friday to avoid cruise ship traffic and crowds.

Other attractions you won't want to miss include the Mastic Trail, the blowholes, the six beaches and Rum Point.

Baltimore County, Maryland is a great place for skateboarders to vacation. The county has a good selection of skate parks, a great selection of skate shops and a relatively pro-skater vibe. However, like any other destination you plan your vacation around, there are rules that you will need to follow, like skating only in designated areas, respecting others and keeping your body and board under control.

Baltimore Country Skate Parks You Can Visit
There are four main skate parks located in Baltimore County. The first park is Hannah More Skate Park. This park is found at 12035 Reisterstown Road, which is in Reisterstown. This is a 12,800 square foot skate park with launch ramps, grind rails, quarter pipes, drop-in combos, benches and other great skate features. The hours are 3:30 to dusk during the week and noon to dusk on the weekends.

The second skate park you can go to is the Sandy Hills Skate Park. It can be found at 3326 Bero Road. This park is open from 3 p.m. until dusk Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. until dusk Saturday and Sunday. The park has a bowl, a street course and a playground.

Cockeysville Skate Park is your third option. It is located at on Galloway Avenue in the township of Cockeysville. It is open 3:30 p.m. to dusk Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. to dusk on the weekends. This park offers 12,000 square feet of ramps, grinding rails and jumps.

The final skate park that you can go to is the Southeast Area Skate Park. This park is located at 4021 North Point Blvd. It offers a variety of skating features and is open to the public weekdays from 3 p.m. to dusk and 12:00 p.m. to dusk on the weekends.

Baltimore Country Skate Shops
When you aren't skating at local skate parks don't forget to get in a little shopping. Baltimore Country has a great selection of skate shops and sports shops. At these stores you will find custom boards and skate gear, as well as great deals on used and vintage items. Some of your options include:

The Sport Shop, 201 E. Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21202

Total Sport, Inc., 2401 Liberty Heights Ave, Ste 2079, Baltimore, MD 21215

Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and to avid surfers of all levels it offers some of the most memorable surf encounters.

Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and to avid surfers of all levels it offers some of the most memorable surf encounters. Known as one of the top surf destinations for many reasons, one of the most appealing characteristics (other than the incredible breaks) is the warm, inviting waters. Where this beautifully rich and lush country offers a wide array of the most incredible nature experiences to be had, one of the most appealing things about surfing in Costa Rica, in addition to the warm water, is the beautiful and expansive coastline, which offers approximately 700 miles of pristine beaches with an awesome opportunity to catch breaks year round.

Unlike many surf resorts, Costa Rica is relatively inexpensive and offers a wide array of surf packages from which to select in some of the most popular regions. Among the top locations to surf in Costa Rica for surfers of all levels of expertise is the region of Hermosa Beach and Jaco which is famous for breaks such as Terrazo, Backyard, Almendro, Tulin, Corners, Bejuco, Esterillos, Playa Escadilla, Playa Tivives, Playa Valor, Caldera, Boca Barranca and more.

Make it a surf vacation and take advantage of the many packages that are offered to surfers. Choose from anywhere from a seven day package up to a 15-day surf package, which includes accommodations, limited meals, car rental or 4 X 4 rentals, side trips (depending on the package) and more. Package prices range anywhere from $1,087 up to approximately $2,000 per person based on double occupancy and including locations such as Puerto Viejo East, Matapalo, Domical, Nosara, Avellanes/ Negra, Pavones, Manuel Antonio, Playa Hermosa/Jaco, Mal Pais, Tamarindo, Arenal, San Jose, Monteverde and more .

Surfers planning a surf vacation to Costa Rica can expect to take a major air carrier for travel directly into the major city of San Jose, which is where the one and only international airport is located in the country. For more information on experiencing the best surfing in the world available in Costa Rica visit the Website for Surf Costa Rica today.

Explore what Houston, Texas has to offer skaters. This is an up-and-coming vacation destination for skateboarders.

Houston, Texas is an up-and-coming vacation destination for skaters. This city is investing a lot of money to create state of the art skateparks for locals and visitors. In the first half of 2008 two new skateparks were opened. If you are looking for a great place to visit on your next vacation, and are a skater, then add Houston, Texas to your short list of possibilities.

Houston Skateparks

Houston is home to numerous privately owned and city owned skateparks. They offer in ground and above ground parks, as well as indoor and outdoor parks. As you can see, you have a lot of great skateboard park options to choose from. Here is a short list of the skateparks you can try out while on vacation:

Dex Skate Park, located at 10327 Lake Road and Dirtwood Ramppark, located at 948 Wakefield, are both private skateparks that are open to the public.

The city of Houston also supports seven great skateparks located throughout the city. The newest skatepark opened in Houston is the Lee and Joe Jamil Skatepark, located at 103 Sabine Street, Houston, Texas. This in ground skatepark just opened on June 1, 2008. Another skatepark opened this year is the Cliff Tuttle Park, located at 6200 Lyons, Houston, Texas. It opened on January 18, 2008 and is an above ground park.

Dyland Duncan Skate Park, a.k.a. Kingwood Skatepark, is another option that you have. It is located at 3950 Rustic Woods, Houston, Texas. If you are interested in a concrete park, then Eastwood Skate Park is a good option, and it is located at 5020 Harrisburg. If you are interested in a small skatepark, then go to Linkwood Skate Park located at 3699 Noris. Your final options are Watonga Skate Park, located at 4100 Watonga Blvd, and Clinton Skate Park, located at 200 Mississippi.

Houston Skate Events

In addition to being the home of several varieties of skateparks, Houston is also the home of several skating events. This year, in fact, Houston will be the host venue for the 12th Annual Texas Skate Jam. This even is scheduled for November 8, 2008, and will feature the nation's top skaters and tricksters.

Houston is a great city to visit if you enjoy skating. However, its efforts to cater to skaters are still in their infancy. This means that there are really few, if any, annual skating events that you can count on. Instead skating events are going to be introduced to the public through on-the-spot announcements. For example, local reading programs hosted by the city's public library include skateboard demonstrations. The best way to find skating events that are scheduled during your vacation time is to check out the local newspapers and media sources for PSA and other announcements.

Houston Skate Equipment and Shopping

What would any vacation be without shopping at local specialty stores. You can find skating equipment at several local stores including:

Cylcone Cycles, 1525 W. 18th Street, Houston, Texas 77008-1533

Kingpinz, 8584 Westheimer Road, Houston, Texas

Southside Indoor Skate Park, 510 Iowa Pasadena, Texas 77501

The Source Board Shop, 2511 Rice Blvd, Houston, Texas 77005-3220

In addition to the above stores, you can also find pro shops located at many of the larger local skateparks.