Grogan Travel

Where to Wednesday! With year round sunshine, Dubai is a city where old meets new. This contrast gives Dubai its uniqueness and personality. From its white sandy beaches to its championship golf courses, desert safaris and duty free shopping Dubai has something for everyone. With direct flights all year round from Dublin with Emirates Airlines it has become a popular choice for a short break or a family holiday. With accommodation ranging from self catering to the 7 Star Burj Al Arab, it offers something for every budget.

Where to Wednesday! New York New York – a place so great they named it twice! New York is the largest city in the United States with over 8.5 million residents & is made up of five boroughs: Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn & Staten Island. New York welcomed 65.2 million tourists in 2019 alone and its easy to see why this amazing city welcomes so many visitors. Its iconic sites include skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building and sprawling Central Park. Broadway theater is staged in neon-lit Times Square & is home to some world famous museums. With thousands of hotels and restaurants to choose from New York offers something for everyone and every budget so whether it’s a shopping trip, sightseeing or a romantic getaway, New York has it all.

Where to Wednesday! We often get asked where the most popular destination is. Lanzarote has remained a firm favourite for year round sunshine and appeals to couples, families & single people looking for great beaches, amazing restaurants and most importantly glorious sunshine. It offers endless possibilities when it comes to sport too with deep sea fishing, surfing and diving on the beautiful sea bed. Located 125km off the coast of Africa, this beautiful island is just a four hour flight which can be assessed from Shannon, Dublin & Cork airports direct into its capital Arrecife. Lanzarote is a volcanic island and one of the main attractions is Timanfaya National Park where you can even get your dinner cooked over the volcano. The best way to see the island is to drive it – the longest distance between any two points is only 71 kilometres. The four main resorts are Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise, Matagorda & Playa Blanca who offer accommodation ranging from self catering apartments to some of the best five star hotels, it is easy to see why Lanzarote will remain a favourite for many years to come.

Where to Wednesday! With United Airlines announcing a new year round service to San Francisco before Christmas, it is now easier than ever to visit this beautiful city. San Francisco is located on the West coast of America and welcomes millions of tourists every year Some of the top attractions to see include Alcatraz which was the site of the first lighthouse in the Western United States but became a federal penitentiary from 1934-1963, housing famous convicts such as Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly. Now, this once infamous prison island is part of the Bay Area’s 80,000-acre Golden Gate National Recreation Area. A visit to the island includes a tour of the cell house where visitors can see where the prisoners lived. Prebooking is highly recommended prior to travel. Another highlight of the city is the Golden Gate Bridge once called "the bridge that couldn't be built," today it is one the seven wonders of the modern world. This magnificent bridge, perhaps San Francisco's most famous landmark, opened in 1937 after a four-year struggle against relentless winds, fog, rocks and treacherous tides. The Golden Gate Bridge is the best-known symbol of San Francisco, and has been a scene for at least one hundred movies. The bridge has its own website and page. No trip to San Francisco would be complete without a trip to Pier 39 , from amazing views and a sea of sea lions to chowder bread bowls and California wines, your visit to San Francisco starts at PIER 39. The most visited destination in San Francisco—offers two levels of dining, entertainment, shopping and attractions, all surrounded by unbeatable views of the city and the bay. Located along the historic San Francisco waterfront, PIER 39’s location provides the picture perfect backdrop for postcard views of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, Alcatraz, Angel Island and the famous city skyline. Aquarium of the Bay* at the entrance of The PIER, offers an astonishing view of life teeming under t

Where to Wednesday Looking for citybreak with a difference? Why not check out the beautiful city of Helsinki. Helsinki is the Capital of Finland and the centre of the Helsinki Region. With direct flights from Dublin six times a week operated by Finnair it has never been easier to visit this beautiful city. Helsinki (capital) is a modern, pocket-sized European city known for design and high technology whose unique character comes from its proximity to the sea. The rhythm of the city is laid-back and quiet with a public transportation system which is one of the best in the world. It is a city which is buzzing with happy energy ! Transfer time from the airport is 30 minutes with connections by train, bus or taxi. There are comfortable yellow city-bikes for rent and ferries will take you out to some of the 330 nearby islands. Navigating the city on foot is easy too – it only takes 40 minutes to get from one side of the city to the other which boasts plenty of shops, bars and restaurants which are all conveniently located. The impressive sea fortress of Suomenlinna which is a Unesco world heritage site, is spread across six islands and dates back to the mid 18th century and just a short ferry ride from Market Square has a network of walking trails and a great place to experience Helsinki’s coastal attractions. “24 hours in Helsinki is just enough to get into the mood of this easy-going capital that you might not want to leave” – words by Milla Visuri

Travel Advent Calendar Day 7 Avril from our office is just back from Lapland. Here's how she got on: My husband and I took our two daughters on the 1 night Santa Sleepover trip to Lapland with Sunway Holidays The excitement began at the airport where the elves greeted us with goody bags at the check in desk. The airport staff were fantastic playing xmas music and singing songs with all the children while the display board read “The North Pole”. The fun didn’t stop on the plane either with plenty of fun and games along with some storytelling and some jokes thrown in too! On arrival into Roveimini Airport, we were collected by our elf “Snowflake” and taken to an outlet centre where we were provided with Snowsuits, Hats, Gloves, & Shoes. We then made our way to the magical winter wonderland where we had the opportunity to go on a reindeer safari, husky dog ride, snowmobiling not to mention the cookie decorating and snowball fights. We were then taken to our hotel the Scandic City for our overnight stay to have a well needed rest after our busy day. The next morning we were transferred to the Santa Claus Village where we met the main man. We then did a bit of souvenir shopping and posted our all important cards home with the official Santa Claus Stamp. There is loads to do in the Santa Claus Village from tobogganing to snow mobiling there was something for everyone. Sadly we had to bid farewell to the snow & to Lapland. A truly magical experience and one we will never forget.

Travel Advent Calander Day 4 Riona from our office is just back from Disneyland Paris. Check out some of her amazing pics! Keep an eye on our page throughout the month for some great deals to Disneyland.

Looking for an autumn getaway? Why not Choose Chicago Last autumn Avril from our office travelled to Chicago with her husband for a weekend getaway. We flew with United Airlines direct from Dublin to Chicago. United is proud to have the world's most comprehensive route network, including U.S mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. United operates 788 mainline aircraft and the airline's United Express partners operate 560 regional aircraft. United is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 195 countries via 26-member airlines. When we arrived into Chicago we caught the L Train which takes 45 minutes from the airport to the city and only cost $5.00 per person. We stayed three nights in the Kinzie Hotel a fabulous boutique style hotel located downtown at River North. The hotel offers a free buffet breakfast and a two hour drinks reception in the evening time, a fantastic way to unwind after a busy day of sightseeing. There is so much to see and do in Chicago and the best way to see the city is to do the open top bus which goes to all the major attractions and sights including the John Hancock Center, Solider Field, Magnificent Mile and Navy Pier and many more. It is a great way to get to see the beautiful city and allows you to get off at the various sights. No visit to Chicago would be complete without trying out some of the local food including their famous deep dish pizza. There are literally thousands of restaurants in the city so there is something for everyone. I would highly recommend Chicago as a city break destination. It offers culture, shopping & some of the best food I have ever had. The locals are extremely friendly and very welcoming too.

Riona from the office is just back from a family holiday to South Africa with Travel Focus Here's how she got on. My husband, 4 year old & myself spent 5 nights in Capetown & 2 nights in the Aquilla Games Reserve. Firstly we noticed how friendly & welcoming everyone is. Some of the hotels have children stay free once sharing a room with two adults. The main area to head to with families is the V&A Waterfront & most hotels will offer complementary shuttles to & from here numerous times a day. There were loads of amenities here for families playgrounds, supervised play areas, the famous Ferris Wheel & the amazing two Oceans Aquarium to suit children of all ages!!! Hamley’s Express Train, City sightseeing boat & bus rides start & finish here. Family friendly restaurants are not of short supply, A restaurant we ate in more than once even provided dough to make her own pizza shapes & then cooked them. The street entertainers were amazing our lady especially enjoyed the music & dance. The beaches are stunning great places to spend time on the sand & a swim even in the Atlantic. Sun Screen is always needed in SouthAfrica.!! Boulders Beach (approx. 1 hour from Capetown ) even have the famous African Penquins & the water is slightly warmer!!! No trip is complete without heading to Table Mountain & taking the cable car. The views are spectacular ! (advance purchase on ticket & go up first thing is highly recommended) Aquilla Game Reserve is a two hour drive from CAPETOWN, making it convenient for a family safari experience and is Malaria free. Aquilla offer the Big 5 and we were very fortunate for see Buffalo, Rhino, Elephant, Lion & Leopard. The safari is not complete without seeing the Zebra, Springbok,hippos, & Wilderbeest They offer dawn, afternoon & Sunset game drives. For anyone over 16yrs you can do your safari by horseback. Overnight stays include accommodation, all your meals (Buffet style) 2 games, your first one is at 4pm & your morning one is at 7am.

Toronto is a spectacular multi-cultural cosmopolitan city and the largest in Canada with a wide range of tourist attractions. It has a good diverse selection of shopping malls and also equally diverse selection of restaurants to suit numerous taste and budgets. Niagara falls is a must and is only a short hop from Toronto and is a once in a lifetime tourist attraction easily visited on a daily return trip.

Check out this offer for Abu Dhabi. It is a great alternative for a bit of winter sun. Call us on 093-24116 for more information. 4* Le Meridian Abu Dhabi 4 nights B&B from €899pp Travel November 2019 Upgrade to Business Class for €2330 per person Offer subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.

Three Centre in Thailand from €1995pp Khao Lak – Chiang Mai - Bangkok Call us on 093-24116 for more info Includes: Return flights & all transfers 5 nights in the Ramada Khao Lak in a Deluxe Oasis Room 3 nights in the X2 Riverside Chiang Mai in a Tamarind Suite 2 nights in the Chatrium Riverside Bangkok in a Grand Room City View 1 x excursion to James Bond Island 1 x excursion to Chiang Mai Elephant Jungle Safari 1 x excursion Bangkok City, Temples and Grand Palace Subject to availabilty. Terms and conditions apply. Valid for travel in May & June.