Travel

#Testosterone-Fueled Travel: TripAdvisor Announces Top 10 - Mancations.

Man Up for Some Serious Male Bonding at These Dude-Friendly Destinations

NEWTON, Mass. March 8, /PRNewswire / --TripAdvisor®, the world's most popular and largest travel community, today announced the top ten "mancation" destinations in the U.S. according to TripAdvisor editors and travelers. From cutting loose with some wild nightlife to spending quality time getting back to nature, these cities offer a wide range of ways to bond with the boys on a guys-only getaway.

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Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: Gambling/Casinos

When it comes to breaking away for a journey filled with world class gambling, food and nightlife, nothing beats Vegas. Gents can also satisfy their need for speed at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway northeast of the city, before hitting the town for a flashy evening on the Strip. According to one TripAdvisor traveler, all this makes for "the quintessential guys Vegas weekend!"

Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: City Break

New York makes a great mancation destination for buddies looking to eat at a first-rate steakhouse, bar hop, hit the clubs and spend some very late nights in the city that never sleeps. And no mancation is complete without a stop at Grimaldi's or any number of world-famous pizza locations in the city. One TripAdvisor traveler said, "What we like most about NYC is the abundance of the things to do, and especially the nightlife. Tons of it."

Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: Nightlife

Miami has it all for guys looking to see and be seen at one of the most stylish hotspots in the country. Away from the city's trendy nightlife, the gang can take in the sun and the sights on South Beach, or go to Everglades National Park to enjoy spotting alligators, manatees and other wildlife. According to one TripAdvisor traveler, "South Beach has swanky places to chill, and beer and billiard places to hang out, too!"

4. Takin' It (Big) Easy: New Orleans, Louisiana

Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: Nightlife

Nightlife doesn't get much better than in New Orleans, with a hotter-than-ever music scene that has the city jiving at all hours, and cheap beer and food that can keep the guys sustained for days on end while enjoying airboat tours, jambalaya and even a little gambling. One TripAdvisor traveler pointed out, "You can stay entertained for an entire weekend on Bourbon Street."

5. High Alti-dude: Denver, Colorado

Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: Outdoor/Adventure

Denver is a perfect hub for a great guys' getaway, with super slopes in nearby Vail, caving opportunities in the Rockies, and the chance to be a cowboy at a true dude ranch. For beer drinkers, it is worth checking out the Great American Beer Fest in September. And according to one TripAdvisor traveler, "Denver has a lot of new and exciting bars and clubs opening all of the time."

6. Beach Boys: Kailua, Hawaii

Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: Outdoor/Adventure

On an island of public beaches featuring beautiful weather year-round along with amazing activities like shark diving, Kailua offers a once-in-a-lifetime exotic escape with the guys. One TripAdvisor traveler said, "After visiting Oahu last week, I returned home with only one thought in my mind: how do I figure out how to live in Oahu?"

7. Horsing Around: Louisville, Kentucky

Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: Great Food/Wine

Kentucky's Churchill Downs' year-round night horse races and music festivals make it a fantastic spot for the crew, but for a slower pace, guys can take a two-day ride along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail to sample at six historic bourbon distilleries. According to one TripAdvisor traveler, "The bars in Louisville stay open until 4am (every night) so pace yourself."

8. Mancationland: Portland, Maine

Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: Great Food/Wine

The Portland area is a terrific option for both enjoying a fun city while also getting back to nature on a green mancation in "vacationland," complete with kayaking, camping, and of course, amazing fresh Maine lobsters come suppertime. One TripAdvisor traveler said, "Portland has plenty to do, great restaurants, and can be a base for driving to coastal spots south or north."

9. A Ghastly Good Time: Savannah, Georgia

Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: Culture/Sightseeing

For a little southern comfort, gentlemen can head to Savannah for a weekend filled with golf, grog and ghosts. Aside from award-winning links and the enticing Tybee Island beach, guys can enjoy a historical haunted pub crawl and the Savannah night life. As one TripAdvisor traveler put it, "I wish we could have stayed longer, there was so much left to see and do."

10. Brewin' Mischief: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Recommended by TripAdvisor travelers for: Concerts

With its famous bratwurst, breweries and big league baseball, Milwaukee is an outstanding mancation spot. Not to mention the city is home of the Harley Davidson Museum, where it's "a fun game to decide which one you would want to own," said one TripAdvisor traveler.

"These beloved U.S. destinations offer a host of exciting activities and opportunities for a guys' getaway, from top notch nightlife to just getting back to nature with the boys," said Christine Petersen, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor.

About TripAdvisor Media Network

TripAdvisor® Media Network, operated by TripAdvisor, LLC, attracts 45 million monthly visitors* across 15 popular travel brands: TripAdvisor®, www.airfarewatchdog.com. www.bookingbuddy.com. www.cruisecritic.com. www.familyvacationcritic.com. www.flipkey.com. www.frequentflier.com. www.holidaywatchdog.com. www.independenttraveler.com. www.onetime.com. www.seatguru.com. www.smartertravel.com. www.travel-library.com. www.travelpod.com and www.virtualtourist.com. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 32 million monthly visitors*, 15 million registered members and 30 million reviews and opinions. Featuring real advice from real travelers, TripAdvisor-branded sites cover more than one million destinations, hotels, restaurants and attractions and operate in the U.S. (http://www.tripadvisor.com ), the U.K. (http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk ), Ireland (http://www.tripadvisor.ie ), France (http://www.tripadvisor.fr ), Germany (http://www.tripadvisor.de ), Italy (http://www.tripadvisor.it ), Spain (http://www.tripadvisor.es ), India (http://www.tripadvisor.in ), Japan (http://www.tripadvisor.jp ), Portugal and Brazil (http://www.tripadvisor.com.br ), Sweden (http://www.tripadvisor.se ), The Netherlands (http://nl.tripadvisor.com ), Canada (http://www.tripadvisor.ca ), Denmark (http://www.tripadvisor.dk ), Turkey (http://www.tripadvisor.com.tr ) and Mexico (http://www.tripadvisor.com.mx ). TripAdvisor also operates in China under the brand daodao.com (http://www.daodao.com ) and Kuxun.cn (http://www.kuxun.cn ). TripAdvisor® Media Network provides travel suppliers with graphical advertising opportunities and a cost-per-click marketing platform. Collectively, the sites comprising the TripAdvisor Media Network have won hundreds of awards and accolades from press and industry worldwide. TripAdvisor and the sites comprising the TripAdvisor Media Network are operating companies of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE).

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*Source: comScore Media Metrix, January 2010