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About Matt Long
06 July 2011 8:08 PM | No CommentsWho am I? I am a typical Gen-X professional who has a passion for all things travel. My site brings a unique perspective that is hard to find online. I am not a backpacker, nor am I living off of a trust fund. I am...
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Five Reasons to Stop Dreaming and Travel Now
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So What’s Reykjavik Really Like?
28 February 2012 11:55 PM | 12 Comments -
Top Five Travel iPad Apps
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Vatican City Scavi Tour
09 September 2010 2:59 AM | 14 Comments -
Don’t Be a Touron
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As Seen In:
North America Archive
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Three Interesting Cities That Surprised Me
Posted on August 15, 2011 | 8 CommentsThere are few places in the world to which I don’t want to travel. Afghanistan, Somalia and Iran pretty much top that list. But then there’s another tier of cities that while I don’t have a problem visiting, they don’t really get me excited to... -
Travel Spotlight – Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver
Posted on August 15, 2011 | 2 CommentsThe Capilano Suspension Bridge is one of Vancouver’s oldest tourist attractions. The original bridge was completed in 1889 and was a modest effort made of hemp rope and wood planks set perilously high over the Capilano River. The bridge was replaced with a more sturdy... -
Kentucky Rushmore – Massive Project to Honor Colonel Sanders, Hunter S. Thompson, others
Posted on August 14, 2011 | No CommentsI have a lot of ties to the great Commonwealth of Kentucky, so seeing news about the Bluegrass state pop up on my Facebook timeline isn’t unusual. What was unusual was a web site someone shared touting the impending Kentucky Rushmore. That’s right, a larger... -
Dreaming of the Island Life – It’s All Buffett’s Fault
Posted on July 24, 2011 | 5 CommentsAddicts feel certain compulsions, it’s the nature of the beast. As a travel addict I go through bouts of longing, that’s really the best term. My schedule usually assuages this primal urge to be in motion, but sometimes it doesn’t satisfy the itch. It’s not... -
Summer Getaways in the Mid-Atlantic
Posted on July 14, 2011 | 4 CommentsThe Mid-Atlantic region of the United States is a treasure trove of great weekend summer getaways. Whether you live in the region, or are just visiting, these are fun, budget friendly travel adventures that every member of the family will love. Eastern Shore, Maryland One... -
Zip Lining in the Snow – How I Lost My Zip Line Virginity
Posted on June 21, 2011 | 5 CommentsI recently attended a conference in Vancouver that was, in part, sponsored by Tourism Vancouver. They were also good enough to offer a variety of complimentary day tours before the start of the conference, including the one I chose, the North Shore Combo with the... -
Four Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Vancouver
Posted on June 15, 2011 | 8 CommentsI recently spent a few days exploring the great city of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. I instantly fell in love with the beauty of it all, the harbor on which the city rests and the snow covered mountains in the distance. As I... -
Celebrating Memorial Day – Favorite War Memorials From Around the Country
Posted on May 30, 2011 | No CommentsToday is Memorial Day in the United States, a day to reflect upon and honor all those who lost their lives in service to their country. While many simply use the day as time off from work and the official start of the summer vacation... -
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the Art of Tequila Tasting in the Yucatan
Posted on May 4, 2011 | 2 CommentsI have a rocky relationship with tequila, it’s not a potent potable known for engendering long friendships. In college I found a bottle of Dos Dedos: Two Fingers Tequila at a party (retail value: $1.99) and for a long time that ended my friendship with... -
Interactive Travel Guide – What to do in New York City
Posted on April 27, 2011 | 3 CommentsA regular feature on LandLopers is the Interactive Travel Guide. The idea is to highlight one city or country every week and then get the best recommendations from you all. By the end of the week, we hopefully will have created the best tips not... -
Rolling Cigars Badly in the Bahamas
Posted on April 20, 2011 | 8 CommentsI sat in the elaborately decorated great room in the Graycliff Hotel in Nassau, playing with my iPhone and glancing at my watch. Even though we were in the heart of the Bahamian port city, the only sound was a bird in the distance and... -
Travel and the U.S. Federal Government Shutdown
Posted on April 6, 2011 | 3 CommentsTension on Capitol Hill has been increasing all year, and it looks like we may see the peak this weekend if Congress fails to pass a new budget or continuing resolution by Friday, April 8. The differences between the Republicans and Democrats may be ideological... -
Three Ways to See the Washington, D.C. Cherry Blossoms and Avoid the Crowds
Posted on March 22, 2011 | 7 CommentsIt’s that time of year again. The days are longer, the birds are chirping and the Washington, D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival is almost upon us. This is a favorite season for almost all Washingtonians, but it’s also the beginning of a busy tourist season. The... -
Travel Discoveries and the National World War I Museum
Posted on March 20, 2011 | 8 CommentsI travel fairly often for work, and usually not to the most glamorous of locales. Business travel though can be a great opportunity for exploration and I’m always surprised at some of the amazing things I find in the least likely of places. Such was... -
Palm Tree, Happy Tree
Posted on March 3, 2011 | 6 CommentsWhen people are asked to name a dream travel destination, a majority usually select fantastic tropical locales featuring swaying palms. Work, family obligations and the general routine of normal life makes many of us dream about exotic travel; windy beaches, margaritas by the pool and... -
Las Vegas on a Budget – Fun and Affordable
Posted on March 1, 2011 | 13 CommentsToday I am thrilled to share with you a guest post from a great travel writer and blogger, Gray Cargill of the site Solo Friendly. Gray’s expertise doesn’t stop at solo travel, she is also an expert on all things Vegas, as she proves on... -
Exploring America’s History – Presidential Tourism
Posted on February 20, 2011 | 1 CommentIt was a cold, bright day in January when we left Charlottesville and made the short drive back to Washington. Along the way, for no other reason than it was there, we decided to stop at the home of James Madison, Montpelier. The first part... -
M is for Museum: New Sesame Street Museum to Open in DC
Posted on February 15, 2011 | 3 CommentsThe new National Children’s Museum, which is slated to open in 2013 at the National Harbor complex, has signed a new partner – Sesame Street. Under the agreement, the Sesame Workshop will work closely with the new Museum in developing programs, exhibits and acting as... -
The Morality of Dog Sled Tours and Responsible Travel
Posted on February 6, 2011 | 21 CommentsIn my post, To Zoo or Not to Zoo, I discussed animal welfare and the responsibility of the traveler when taking part in animal related activities around the world. In that post I showed my true colors as a bleeding-heart animal lover, a title from... -
Top Romantic Travel Moments – Valentine’s Day Travel Ideas
Posted on February 6, 2011 | 2 CommentsI have mixed feelings about Valentine’s Day. It has always seemed so contrived and artificial, why do we need a day to tell our significant others that we love them? On a personal level, throughout our nearly decade long relationship, my partner and I... -
Interactive Travel Guide – Washington, D.C.
Posted on February 3, 2011 | 2 CommentsI recently started a new series on LandLopers, the Interactive Travel Guide. The idea is to highlight one city or country every week and then get the best recommendations from you all. By the end of the week, we hopefully will have created the best... -
Sampling Virginia’s Winery Tours
Posted on February 3, 2011 | 4 CommentsMany people may not realize that Virginia is one of the top wine producing states in the country, home to more than 160 wineries located in all areas of the state. Virginia wine has matured a lot in the past decade, expanding throughout the state... -
Travel Rules – Popularity is Bad
Posted on February 1, 2011 | 9 CommentsLife is a popularity contest. You spend your early years trying to get noticed so that one day, you too, will be able to sit at the cool kids’ table. Then once you enter the work world you realize that it too is all about... -
Higher Ed Travel: Colleges and Universities as Tourist Sites
Posted on January 19, 2011 | 4 CommentsFor many people, the thought of their alma mater brings back a flood of memories, hopefully most of them good. In addition to being bastions of learning though, many are also a great place to tour. When you’re visiting a new city or region,... -
Travel Details – James Madison’s Temple
Posted on January 17, 2011 | No CommentsOne of my favorite aspects of travel is discovering the little nooks and crannies of history that most people overlook. At even the most famous of sites and landmarks there are almost always tiny details that go unnoticed by the average traveler. I came... -
America’s Spirit – Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Posted on January 5, 2011 | 3 CommentsWhiskey has been around for almost as long as there has been corn, barely and pristine water with which to make it. Not unlike many other foods and libations though, America has put its unique stamp on this mother of all spirits. I discovered the... -
World’s Oldest Bottle of Wine
Posted on January 3, 2011 | 5 CommentsOn a visit to the Bahamas, which was orchestrated by Bahamas Tourism, I had the opportunity to stay in one of the most unique hotels in the world, the Graycliff in Nassau. The history in this old school hotel is palpable, but never more so... -
LandLopers Photo Contest Winner
Posted on January 2, 2011 | 1 CommentStarting on November 1, 2010, LandLopers held a photo contest on our Facebook page. We wanted to find the best travel photo from our readers and we succeeded. We had 24 photos entered and hundreds of votes were cast. I am pleased to say though... -
Lopers Award for Favorite Experience of 2010
Posted on December 28, 2010 | No CommentsEvery day this week I will be highlighting a favorite travel experience from 2010 with something I call the Lopers Awards. Today I want to share with you two of my favorite travel experiences from the year. I love anything to do with the water,... -
Favorite 2010 Travel Photos: Day 3 – Bahamas Storm
Posted on December 28, 2010 | 1 CommentThe third choice in my collection of favorite 2010 travel photos was taken in the Bahamas, not far from Rose Island. We were out on a boat, exploring the area and hoping to snorkel, but the weather was entirely uncooperative. Not even bad weather can... -
Union Station’s Norwegian Christmas
Posted on December 22, 2010 | 2 CommentsWashington, D.C. is a city of small details. All over town there are tiny monuments, statues and recognitions that most people don’t realize even exist. I’m also continuously amazed at the linkages between our nation and other countries found throughout town. One of the... -
Washington, DC Travel – How To Tour the White House and U.S. Capitol
Posted on December 21, 2010 | 2 CommentsI’ve lived in Washington, D.C. for more than a decade and still find the city a great place to call home. Having a restless personality, I never thought that I would be able to live in one place for so long, but D.C. is dynamic... -
Canada is Hard to Visit
Posted on December 13, 2010 | 17 CommentsTwice in the past few months Scott and I have tried, unsuccessfully, to plan a long weekend in Canada. Our first idea was to visit Montreal over Thanksgiving. The second trip idea was to travel to Banff over a long weekend in January. In both... -
Heart of the Bahamas
Posted on December 2, 2010 | 5 CommentsWater is not only featured in the national flag of the Bahamas, but the presence of the soft azure waters of the Caribbean is the life-force of the island-nation, felt everywhere you go. On a trip to Nassau sponsored by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism,... -
Gilded Age in St. Augustine
Posted on November 23, 2010 | No CommentsEarlier this year we discovered that the ancient (by US standards) city of St. Augustine makes for a great long-weekend escape. We had spent a couple of days meandering around the European style town and even though the heat was stifling, we had found many... -
American 2010 Elections and the Impact on Travel
Posted on November 7, 2010 | 1 CommentI am sure the fact the we had midterm elections here in the U.S. last week has escaped the notice of very few people. I am always amazed at the level of American political knowledge I find around the world, particularly when so few Americans... -
Bahamian Obsession: Conch Fritters
Posted on November 4, 2010 | 4 CommentsOn a recent trip to the Bahamas, sponsored by Bahamas Tourism, I had the opportunity to sample the best of Bahamian cuisine. One theme though kept surfacing throughout all of my culinary adventures: Bahamians like conch – a lot. Not unlike Bubba from Forrest Gump,... -
LandLopers Photo Contest – Win a Trip to Cancun!
Posted on October 31, 2010 | No CommentsRULES CHANGE: Due to a mishap with Facebook, I am tweaking the rules. My apologies to everyone for the difficulties, but ultimately I think this will make the contest easier to enter. To enter, please email your favorite vacation photo to me at Matt@LandLopers.com. I... -
Sandy Toes Bar & Grill – Bahamas Boat-Only Restaurant
Posted on October 13, 2010 | 6 CommentsOn a trip to the Bahamas sponsored by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, we had the opportunity to go boating around the Nassau and Rose Island areas. A brief stop on our water tour was at the Sandy Toes Beach Bar for a great island... -
First Thoughts – The Bahamas
Posted on October 6, 2010 | 4 CommentsLocated just 50 miles off the Eastern Coast of the United States, the islands that comprise the Bahamian archipelago seem like they’re a million miles away. I was invited for a brief visit to the Bahamas by the Ministry of Tourism, along with several other... -
Bahamas Photos – Nassau and Rose Island
Posted on October 3, 2010 | 3 Comments -
ArtPrize – Grand Rapids’ Great Gamble
Posted on September 28, 2010 | 2 CommentsIt was pure coincidence that a business trip to the great city of Grand Rapids, Michigan was also to occur during one of the biggest community events of the year – ArtPrize. ArtPrize is an international art competition held in Grand Rapids, which first took... -
Travel Photo: Three Perspectives of the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Posted on September 23, 2010 | 8 CommentsVisiting the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial in Hawaii was an incredibly moving and emotional experience; much more so than I had anticipated. Here are three entirely different views of the Memorial which I think capture the spirit of the site. All three photos are striking,... -
Mexican Temazcal – Kicking My Inner Child out of the Hut
Posted on September 6, 2010 | 4 CommentsTemazcal A few weeks ago I was invited down to the Hacienda Tres Rios Resort, along with several other travel bloggers and writers, to kick the proverbial tires of this sustainable all-inclusive in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Part of our experience included the totally... -
Five Washington DC Activities Off the Beaten Path
Posted on August 31, 2010 | 4 CommentsWashington, DC is famous for its monuments, memorials and Smithsonian Museums. However, there are many things to do and see in the District that few tourists know about, much less visit. Here are my top five favorite off the beaten path DC attractions. 1. Longest... -
True Meaning of Sustainable Tourism – A Case Study
Posted on August 30, 2010 | 6 CommentsWhat is Ecotourism? In a recent post, I discussed the popularity of the terms “sustainable tourism” and “ecotourism” and how they have expertly infiltrated travel marketing. I went on to lament the fact that many of these properties and services are eco-travel imposters, thus... -
Ancient Art of Lentil Torture in Mexico’s Riviera Maya
Posted on August 23, 2010 | 15 CommentsHacienda Tres Rios I didn’t really know what most of the activities planned for us in Mexico actually were. I, along with several other travel bloggers, had been invited down for a long weekend as guests of the Hacienda Tres Rios Resort. Tres Rios... -
Water Angels and the Mystical Cenotes of the Yucatan
Posted on August 18, 2010 | 21 CommentsI recently had the opportunity to visit the Riviera Maya, located in the beautiful Yucatan Peninsula, thanks to a trip sponsored by Tres Rios Resort. During my stay, I participated in a wide variety of experiences, some good and some not as good. The one... -
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument – St. Augustine, Florida
Posted on August 17, 2010 | No CommentsIt was one of those hot summer days in Florida when you start sweating even before you wake up. By mid-morning, the heat and humidity had become a force to be reckoned with. It was in this climate that we made our way to the... -
The Strange Tale of Vilano Beach
Posted on August 8, 2010 | 11 CommentsBefore leaving on a recent trip to the St. Augustine, Florida area, a family member gave us a tip for what was promised to be a fantastic Italian restaurant. According to this family member, the restaurant, Benito’s Pizza & Pastabilities, had Northern New Jersey and...
