Rocking out at Top Music Fests that Cannot Be Missed
December 26, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Music is a huge part of our lives, and it dominates both underground and mainstream pop culture. To commemorate the amazing talent of the United States’ most popular music artists, there are music fests that allow for music lovers to enjoy some of their favorite music from all over the country in just a weekend.
These festivals allow for indie fans to enjoy their favorite artists, and for pop lovers to flock together to dance to their favorite artists. No matter the genre of music, or the lifestyle of the fan, there is a music festival to go to. If you are planning on going this year, make sure to book a comfortable neighborhood hotel room well in advance, as neighboring hotels tend to run out of vacancy quickly.
1. Nerdapalooza – Orlando, Florida
All things nerd and musical can be found at this festival. The nerd culture has a strong following, and visual and digital artists from around the world come together with performers such as I Fight Dragons and Metroid Metal. Everything from nerdcore hip hop to video game music is featured at this festival.
2. SXSW – Austin, Texas
This is one of the biggest festivals in the country, and it has been a leading music event for a quarter of a century. This is also a trade show, so musicians can come and see some of the most legendary musicians, such as Bruce Springsteen, talk about what has helped them be successful.
3. Joshua Tree Music Festival – Joshua Tree, California
This festival, held at beautiful Joshua Tree, was created by a group of family and friends for the sole reason that they love music. Because this festival is in the middle of the desert, it’s important to pack a good amount of food for the duration of the festival, unless you plan on making the 8-mile trek to the nearest civilization. Some of the festival’s more recent artists include Dubconscious, Afromotive and Flowmotion, who love having their audience join in on the musical celebration.
4. Wakarusa – Mulberry Mountain, Arkansas
Wakarusa is held in one of the most unique spots in the world, the Ozarks, near the Mulberry River. Thievery Corporation, Mumford and Sons, Reelfoot and James and the Devil have performed at this festival. Unlike other festivals, Wakarusa offers yoga, Frisbee golf and other fun activities in between the performances. This is a perfect festival for those who love music and the great outdoors. This is the perfect destination after a road trip, and it will sure to be a festival that you will want to attend again.
5. Outside Lands – San Francisco, California
This isn’t just a music festival; this is a food, wine, arts and music festival. There are a plethora of stages, with artists such as Muse, Arcade Fire, Foster the People, Deadmau5 and OK Go being just a few of the big names that have graced the stages here. One of the top features of the festival is the food, which is not the standard festival fair—organic food and wine are the fare to be enjoyed.
Ringing in 2012 in Style: Top New Year’s Eve Destinations
December 23, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
As 2011 winds down, people around the world have already begun planning where they want to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Some prefer to do it quietly, with a glass of wine on their couches, while others prefer to do so with their friends and family at a house party. Others choose to find the biggest, wildest and most exciting spot possible to bring in the new year. The U.S. has quite a few spots that are ideal for celebrating the new year, but depending on what you enjoy, you will want to plan trips to different parts of the country to celebrate. Once you have made your choice on where you want to go, make sure you book a nearby hotel as soon as possible since they will fill up fast!
1. Las Vegas, Nevada—Perfect for Partiers
There’s a party in Las Vegas every weekend, but for New Year’s Eve, the celebration reaches a whole new level of fun, excitement and insanity. The midnight fireworks display is not just shot off one of the hotels on the Las Vegas Strip; the impressive fireworks display is shot off from the roofs of various hotels and casinos for everyone to see. Obviously, you want to get into the hottest Las Vegas club events if you can, as there are top-rated artists and musicians at each event. However, if you cannot get onto the VIP list, take to the streets. One of the biggest parties of the year is right on the strip itself, which is littered with beer stands for those who are looking for the perfect view of the fireworks.
2. New York City, New York—Perfect for Couples
No New Year’s Eve celebration list would be complete without the Big Apple’s New Year’s Celebration in Times Square. The event always has big name celebrities hosting the celebration, and the Times Square ball drop is always televised around the country. People from all over the world come to join in the festivities, though it can be frigid outdoors. To make this celebration complete, make sure that you have a special someone to kiss as you ring in the New Year. The entire square celebrates without alcohol, so if you are hoping to celebrate with a large glass in hand, you might want to book a table at a nearby hotel for some pre-celebratory drinks.
3. New Orleans, Louisiana—Perfect for Music Lovers
If you feel like big jazz and holiday swing are the perfect way to ring in the New Year, then plan a Mardi Gras-style New Year’s Eve celebration in the French Quarter. The New Year’s Eve celebration in New Orleans is produced by the Crescent City Countdown Club, which is dedicated to helping Jackson Square become the most beautiful place to enjoy the New Year. The Brass Band will play all the New Year’s favorites as fireworks illuminate the sky and reflect in the waters of the Mississippi.
4. Key West, Florida—Perfect for the Fabulous
If you don’t feel like dancing down Bourbon Street in New Orleans, then check out the 801 Bourbon Bar on Duval Street in Key West. This pub, located on the main party strip of the city, has a giant red high heel drop down at the stroke of midnight. Seconds before midnight, a drag queen is lowered in the shoe and pops the cork from a ceremonial champagne bottle to drink in the new year.
Discovering a New-Old Trend in Long Beach’s Retro Row
November 14, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Vintage shopping and “antiquing” are the rage right now, especially with a topsy-turvy economy. Reusing furniture and clothing and purchasing secondhand products is not only better for the environment, but it’s also a quick way to save money, all while being on trend.
The city of Long Beach has made a lifestyle out of buying second hand, and there are literal streets of shops and special events dedicated to selling previously loved furniture, art and clothes. The following are some of the best spots for purchasing your new favorites.
Retro Row
The intersection of Cherry Street and E. 4th Street in Long Beach is the beginning of a strip of street that is affectionately dubbed ‘Retro Row’ by locals. This unique, funky and vibrant part of town has vintage, artistic, musical and contemporary elements fused together. Literally everything from new roller skates to old record players can be purchased on this street.
Some of the funniest and kitschiest items are available at Lil Devils Boutique, which is a rockabilly and vintage store, designed specifically for dressing children in the trendiest attire available. If you want your toddler in Chuck Taylors, band t-shirts and sporting a mini pomp, this is the shop for you. There are also some great gag t-shirts available as well, in addition to pretty and creative diaper bags meant to accessorize Mom’s style, instead of detracting from it.
There are events for every interest going on year-round on 4th Street, with many occurring at the same time. This means it’s best to make plans to stay for a great long weekend to appreciate a little of each event.
Long Beach Antique Market
This isn’t your average flea market. Hipsters, bargain hunters and antique shoppers converge to find their latest steal at this market, which is considered to be one of the best swap meets in the Los Angeles area. Home décor, antiques and vintage pieces are just a few of the items found on the third Sunday of every month at the Veterans Stadium, rain or shine. Admission is affordable, and with a few hundred dollars in cash, you could leave with one-of-a-kind items that would cost double or triple at a retail or antique shop. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and arrive early, as the “best” items for sale usually disappear within a few hours.
The Long Beach Antique Market is also unique in the fact that the items sold cannot be “new;” they have to be considered vintage or antique. The 20-plus acres of shops each have unique curios to make your home or wardrobe more distinguished. Another bonus; the prices set by the vendors are not always firm, so don’t be afraid to haggle to make your purchase a steal.
The Queen Mary
The Queen Mary, though old, isn’t the first place people think of for purchasing antique or vintage items. However, the Queen has its own vintage shop on board: Queen Mary Couture. Found on a ship that pays homage to an era when art deco reigned, it seems fitting to find 40s and 50s-inspired clothing and trinkets for sale within the shop’s walls.
The wares for sale at these shops are constantly replenished, so it may be best to make seasonal trips. These Long Beach hot spots are great alternatives to traditional shopping, and require at least a day dedicated to each area. Make sure to plan accordingly so that you have plenty of time to enjoy each of them with time to spare.
Who Doesn’t Dig Dinosaurs?
November 4, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
From Barney and Baby Bop to Bob, Dawn and Rex (of Dilbert fame), Jurassic Park to Bedrock, children and adults alike find dinosaurs fascinating—and just plain fun. Even officialdom is into the prehistoric game. All but eight U.S. states have official state fossils, and six states plus Washington, D.C. even have official state dinosaurs. While dinosaurs (their remains or recreations) may be seen in almost all the states, Colorado may claim the title of Dinosaur Central.
Dinos in Denver
Even if you’re only in the Mile-High City for a brief business trip, you can say hey to a few prehistoric reptiles. Denver’s Museum of Nature and Science provides plenty of chills and thrills in the interactive Prehistoric Journey exhibit, complete with battles between flying dinosaurs overhead. Another must-see is the new robotics exhibit, T. Rex Encounter: You vs. Sue, where dinosaurs “react to your every move, sizing you up as friend, foe or their next meal.”
Just thirty miles southwest of Denver, near Morrison, is Dinosaur Ridge, where you can actually walk past footprints left by the huge creatures millions of years ago. On some of the trails, you can view naturally formed 3-D sandcast tracks of Triceratops and other dinosaurs, plus imprints of insects and plants that filled the landscape eons ago. Younger members in your group can take a turn at being junior paleontologists in the Cretaceous Crime Scene sand pit, and if you’re there November 11th, you can take in the annual dinner and silent auction fundraiser, Rock Out for the Ridge.
Forests and Ferocious Beasts
For outdoorsy travelers, the Colorado Springs area can’t be beat—with an average of 300 sunny days per year, the Pike National Forest (and Pike’s Peak, of course), the thriving nightlife—and dinosaurs, too! The small town of Woodland Park, less than thirty minutes outside Colorado Springs, is home to the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center. Among the Center’s many dinosaurs is a cast replica of an armored Denversaurus and one of the largest skeletons ever found of its arch-enemy: T-Rex. Other exhibits include marine reptiles and prehistoric fish, plus hands-on activities at the Children’s Learning Center. At Halloween, Veteran’s Day and during the Thanksgiving-Christmas season, you can catch puppet shows and story times with holiday-themed activities.
To round-out your view of the prehistoric era, about thirty miles west of Colorado Springs is the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, “one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world” for petrified trees and other vegetation that fed and sheltered creatures roaming through the Eocene era.
Tracks of Time
Further afield, on the Colorado-Utah border, is the Dinosaur National Monument in (you guessed it) Dinosaur, Colorado (though portions of the park are actually in Utah). Along the half-mile Fossil Discovery Trail or the Quarry Wall in the indoor Quarry Center, you can view over 1,500 fossils embedded in the mountainside. The brand new Center and Exhibit Hall also includes a life-sized Stegosaurus model. At the other side of the state, Picketwire Canyonlands in Southeastern Colorado is the site of the longest trail of dinosaur tracks ever discovered. Along the roughly quarter-mile trail, you can view 1300+ tracks; some were made by carnivorous Allosaurus dinosaurs and some by what scientists believe may have been a group of young and old Brontosaurus traveling together.
Whether you want to view the creatures up close and personal (in recreated or fossilized forms) or follow in their footsteps, Colorado is only one of the many states in which to “dig dinos.” The U.S. government has a great downloadable pamphlet on dinosaurs, and dino fans of all ages can use the Dino Database to plan their next road trip.
Top Haunted Spots in the US to Scare Your Pants Off
October 31, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Fall’s weather and atmosphere offer a chance for people to enjoy the thrill of going home and enjoying time with family or enjoying traditional excursions to local areas of interest. For some, fall is also the perfect time to discover some amazingly spooky and haunted spots throughout the United States. These are not just Halloween spots; they are really haunted and can give you the creeps any time of the year.
Here are a few of our frightening finds.
- The Whaley House – San Diego, California
This old home is believed to have been built on an old cemetery, and it has been called the “most haunted house in the US” by many. Tourists and individuals working in Old Town San Diego, where the home is located, have had ghostly encounters during tours of the home. The home was built in 1857, and it served as the county court house, the area’s first commercial theater, a general store, school and ballroom. With the violent suicide of Violet Whaley in 1885 and other deaths that occurred on the premises during the house’s time as a courthouse, a dark reputation has developed.
- The White House – Washington, D.C.
If you’re visiting the District of Columbia, you might actually have a chance to see Andrew Jackson in his bedroom or Abraham Lincoln pensively standing in the Oval Office. These are just a few of the White House ghosts that occasionally make their presence known in their former home. Many, including First Lady Michelle Obama, have reported strange things occurring around the Presidential Estate. When you schedule a tour, be sure to keep an eye out for presidents of eras past.
- Moon River Brewing Company – Savannah, Georgia
This former hotel was known for being the ultimate in high-class living. However, the hotel also had a violent past as well; it was near the epicenter of the Civil War, and had its fair share of violent skirmishes. Confederate loyalists beat a Unionist to death in the bar, and today, some patrons see bottles fly through the air on their own during particularly rowdy nights. Funnily enough, banquets and meals can still be enjoyed at the brewery. If you choose to dine within, just be aware that you might not be eating alone.
4. The Copper Queen Hotel – Bisbee, Arizona
Having run since opening in 1902, the Copper Queen Hotel is Arizona’s oldest continually running hotel. Located in a quaint town just outside of Tucson, this old hotel tries to transport its guests and visitors back to the early 1900s. However, there are at least three resident ghosts that make sure patrons know there is more than just meets the eye:
· Julia Lowell, a woman who committed suicide in the hotel;
· A gentleman in a top hat that is surrounded with the wafting smell of cigar smoke; and
· A naughty young boy whose giggle is occasionally heard by guests.
These places may be historical, or perhaps they have tragic stories that tie them to the ominous. Though some of the most haunted spots in the US are hotels, you more than likely won’t want to stay in them, so make sure you find a reservation at one of the nearby Extended Stay Hotels for a good night’s sleep, without the ghosts.
Seeing More than Potter and Mickey Around Orlando
October 3, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Odds are, either for business or vacation (especially if you have kids), Orlando, Florida may be on your travel list. Not only is it home to Disney, Epcot, Potter World and much more, but it’s become a top business convention and trade show destination. However, whether you’ll be in the area for business or pleasure (or both), with kids or without, there are a number of lesser-known attractions in the area that are well worth your time—and that can get you away from the big crowds. Plus, with daytime temperatures back down in the comfortable range (upper 70s-low 80s), late fall is an especially great time to visit.
Strolling Downtown
When most folks think of Orlando, old-time charm, gracious homes and cobblestone streets don’t come to mind, but that’s exactly what you’ll find through the Thornton Park neighborhood. Several outdoor cafes and restaurants dot the area, as well as specialty shops for great window-shopping.
Only about a mile in circumference, Lake Eola in downtown Orlando is a great site for a relaxing walk through the encircling park or a paddleboat ride on the lake itself. The lake is home to swans and dozens of other colorful birds, and the huge lighted fountain in the center is magical at night. You can also often catch free concerts at the park band shell.
Florida’s Nature Scene
Want something a bit more stimulating? Well, how about ‘gators? Okay, maybe you don’t want to run into one on the sidewalk (though that’s been known to happen…), but from a safe distance, those prehistoric-looking creatures are pretty fascinating. Gatorland offers you literally thousands of the scaly guys (and gals), as well as other reptiles and even some touchable critters in the petting zoo. Add in the breeding marsh, nature walk and rookery, plus the splash park and zipline for those wanting more adventure, and you’ve got a day’s outing to please all ages.
For even more variety in animals, you can head just a half hour north to Sandord to visit the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Here, too, you can cool off in a water park area and get your thrill on zip lines and treetop rope bridges at the ZOOm Air Adventure Park.
Late Fall Specials
Floridians may be acclimated to the summer heat, but they also seem ready to break out and celebrate as things begin to cool down a bit by late fall. You’ll have your choice of any number of arts, sports and other events during this time. At the end of October (23rd), downtown Orlando holds a ten-block wide Hispanic festival, Calle Orange, with traditional foods, music and entertainment from Latin America and the Caribbean.
For more music and a chance to do some ice skating at an outdoor rink, you can take in the University of Central Florida’s Light Up UCF: 50 Nights of Music, Lights and Ice, from November 12 through January 2.
Want something more competitive? The annual Pop Warner Youth Football Super Bowl will be held in Orlando December 10th-12th, along with concurrent national cheer and dance championships.
A Side Trip Worth the Drive
Orlando’s nearest beaches are less than an hour southeast, along the famed Space Coast, which is home to Kennedy Space Center. This stretch of Florida coast features what many consider the finest surfing spots in the East, not to mention the world famous Ron and Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach. Near the Kennedy Space Center is the Merritt National Wildlife Refuge, where kayaking and nature trails hikes may let you catch a glimpse of a bald eagle, bobcat, manatee or armadillo.
Wacky, Wild and Wonderful Car Collections
August 15, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
For true auto aficionados, the big (and big-name) car museums like the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, the Harrah Collection National Automobile Museum in Reno, Charlotte’s Nascar Hall and the Henry Ford Museum in Deerfield, Michigan, are prime travel destinations. However, even those who don’t live and breathe struts, camshafts, and rpms will find plenty of entertainment in some of the smaller, specialty tributes to motorized travel. In fact, these museums are filled with unusual, quirky and nostalgic exhibits.
Famous Folk, Famous Cars
In Roscoe, Illinois, just ninety miles from Chicago is Historic Auto Attractions. Owner Wayne Lensing has spent years assembling a collection of more than seventy vehicles, as well as celebrity memorabilia, that includes a Grateful Dead tour bus, Stalin’s 1937 Packard, several of U.S. presidential limos and items from Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and others. When you’re there, check out the Famous Stars & Cars, Legends of Racing, Movieland and TV Land exhibit rooms.
Another collection of Hollywood-themed vehicles—and the biggest collection of muscle cars in the world—is down the road in Volo, Illinois. The 50-plus-year-old Volo Auto Museum houses the George Barris TV & Movie Car Collection, with dozens of cars from such movies and TV shows as Dukes of Hazard, Batman Returns and The Cat in the Hat. There are also creations designed by Hollywood auto artist Jay Ohrberg (designer of such icons as the Back to the Future and Knight Rider cars).
Automotive Art
Auto as art and individual expression is the focus of the Art Car Museum (called by some the “Garage Mahal”) in Houston, Texas, the “Art Car Capital.” These cars, according to curator James Harithas’ “Art Car Manifesto,” transform the “automobile into a potent new personal symbol” that is “subversive,” and “revolutionary in the sense that it reclaims the vehicle for the individual and proclaims an independence and diversity” that often has “an earthiness, a witty or exotic appearance” through which an artist can “express either political, social, personal or purely decorative objectives.” Yep. If that piques your curiosity, visit this free, non-profit museum Wednesdays through Sundays between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Weird and Wonderful
If odd auto stuff grabs you, you can hardly do better than the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. Featuring the largest American collection of European vehicles, the real attention-grabbers are one-of-a-kind vehicles that fold in half, go on land and in water, and are even propeller-driven. Lane’s also has on display the smallest street-legal car (just over four feet long and tall, and only 39 inches wide) and a French fire and rescue vehicle designed for tight spots that can drive forward no matter what direction it’s facing because it has no back end—just two front ends with an engine in each.
Playtime
While youngsters (and the young-at-heart) can enjoy all of these unusual car museums, for pure kid-appeal, Elmer’s Car and Toy Museum in Fountain City, Wisconsin, is a great stop. While the museum does have hundreds of cars, trucks and motorcycles on exhibit (oldies and classics), Elmer’s five buildings also include rooms filled with hundreds of antique pedal cars and other kids riding toys, as well as antique and wind-up toys of all kinds. The location itself, on Eagle Bluff along the Mississippi River, is worth a visit just for the gorgeous view.
Regardless of the level of interest in the nuts and bolts of cars, these museums are just about guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of just about any Road Warrior.
Hot? Head for the Slopes
July 28, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Ski slopes in summer? Yep. Top skiing sites are spots of spectacular year-round beauty, much of it inaccessible or unnoticed when everything’s covered in snow and ice. Ski areas also have increasingly made the most of their locations to develop year-round recreation opportunities, and, of course, their mountain locations mean the days are comfortable and evenings are beautifully cool.
Enchantment in Western New York
As most New Englanders know, the Holiday Valley-Enchanted Mountains area has fantastic skiing and winter sports. It’s also a great cool-off destination in the summer. Holiday Valley is just an hour from Buffalo in Ellicottville, where average summer temps in the 70s make wandering through the laid back village a relaxation delight. The eight-acre Nannen Arboretum, with its flowers and Japanese Meditation Garden, will help complete your chill-out experience.
If you want more active adventures (now that you’re actually cool enough to enjoy them), head just 12 miles south to Allegany Park’s gorgeous hiking, biking and blading trails (home of the 3rd largest skate park in the U.S.). Newly opened midsummer 2011, The Sky High Adventure Park’s Aerial Park at Holiday Valley is part Ewok village and climbing course, with eight series of platforms connected by swaying bridges, coded to different skills levels.
Ellicottville holds several weekend events, too. True road warriors will want to be in town September 16th-18th for the Rock ‘n Roll Weekend, featuring classic old cars, as well as oldies performances in the town’s pubs and on the Main Street stage.
Rocky Mountain Cool
Within 1-2 hours of Denver, you can find several popular Rocky Mountain skiing spots—notably Vail and Breckenridge. Both of these spots offer a full range of outdoor activities during summer, including mountain-biking, hiking, rafting and kayaking, rollerblading and golf.Classic music enthusiasts can enjoy Vail’s many music festivals, including the August Soul Festival (19th-20th) and the Summer Jazz Series (June through Labor Day. Another top winter skiing spot, Breckenridge, is a historian and shopper’s delight, with specialty stores and historic Victorian buildings lining Main Street. And both towns include gourmet restaurants, day spas and other pampering spots for a bit of indulgence.
Other nearby ski parks that offer great summer activities include Copper Mountain (check out the climbing wall, bungee jump and bumper and paddle boats) and Beaver Creek (great golfing, rafting, fly fishing and more).
Sierra Summer Scene
You might not think of Nevada as a get-out-of-the-heat location, but Reno (summer high 80s-low 90s) is within an hour or less of a number of Sierra ski parks, many of which (e.g., Northstar, Heavenly Valley, Diamond Peak) are open for summer hiking, biking, boating and horseback riding. The Truckee River is also nearby and great for fishing and kayaking, and the entire river basin is beautiful for walking, picnicking and hiking. Lake Tahoe, one of the most beautiful spots in the country, is only a 30-minute drive with all its outdoor—and evening—activities.
Cool and Affordable
Of course, popular ski resorts—even in the off-season—can be very pricey. To make these mountain getaways affordable, be sure to check out the Extended Stay Hotels within easy reach. The roomy suites make a great “home base” for daytrips up into the cool green hills without having to schlep along all your belongings. Because they are located in major cities, the hotels also give you more dining options than you’ll find in most of the charming but small ski-towns. Additionally, with a fully-equipped kitchen, you’ll always have the option of staying at the hotel, relaxing on the sofa, eating in and reliving the day’s highlights.
Locals’ Picks in Chicago
July 22, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Chicago is up at the top of travel destinations for business and for families, and for many obvious reasons: the Field Museum, baseball (White Sox and Cubs!), Millennium Park and much more. You certainly don’t want to miss those highlights, but there’s more to what makes Chicago a great place to visit than what is obvious and in the guidebooks. Whether you’re there for only a day or for longer, here are some off-the-beaten-path suggestions from those who know and live in the Windy City.
Get a Little Playtime
Did we mention Da Bears? Baseball? Of course, the Cubs’ Wrigley Field—whether you’re a baseball fan or not—is such an American classic that you don’t want to miss visiting it. But Chicago is also a great city for those who just like to be active themselves, and when locals aren’t vigorously cheering on (or bewailing) one of their teams, one of the great activities is bike rides. Even though you might not think of Chicago as a cyclists’ town, it’s become a popular pastime, both for weekend afternoon jaunts and for serious cyclists. The Chainlink is a locally run resource for biking enthusiasts, and it provides information and links for routes, themed rides and other resources. The site offers an iPhone interface, too.
Get a Little Nature
You’ll naturally want to visit both Lincoln and Millennium Parks, as well as the Field Museum of Natural History and the Shedd Aquarium, but for a more community-centered focus on nature, take a stroll through some of the community gardens, like those in the Prairie District, on Ravenswood near Foster and off Sacramento and Logan Blvd. In summer and early fall, these hidden gems are filled with vegetables and flowers, and they often have benches where you can just relax and watch the lazy butterflies and bumblebees.
And if conservation and sustainability is part of your nature appreciation, take a stroll by the Helenowski Residence on Chicago’s northwest side (corner of Ravenswood and Ainsle). The owner-remodeled home was awarded the most LEED points ever given (119.5 out of 136).
For beautiful sunsets and evening views, the city of Chicago has many harbors along Lake Michigan, especially Montrose Harbor. Regardless of where you choose to view them, Chicago’s sunsets will take your breath away as you capture images in your mind when both the city and the sky collide.
Get a Bite to Eat
Of course, the culinary part of any visit to Chicago has to include a big slice of deep-dish pizza and an Italian beef sandwich. For brunches, two local recommendations are Broadway Grill and M Henry (Argyle Street). Like most major cities, Chicago also has little gems of international cuisine, like Pho Viet and Tank in Little Vietnam (in Uptown). Lulu’s (actually just a few miles north, in Evanston, near Northwestern University) has a fantastic dim sum brunch. For your sweet tooth, try out the Guatemalan pastries at Markello’s Bakery in Albany Park. A small neighborhood shop that is open 24 hours, they make it easy to just give in to temptation. Just grab one of the metal baskets, and fill ‘er up with authentic, fresh churros, empanadas and sweet Guatemalan bread. But be warned: the challenge will be making it back to your hotel with any leftover for breakfast the next morning.
Vacation Fireworks
June 29, 2011 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
With the Fourth of July falling on a Monday this year, the resulting long weekend provides just the excuse to get away for a few days. What better vacation is there than a full-out Independence Day extravaganza with fireworks, parades and more? The only question is where to head...
Big Cities, Big Shows
All the major cities across the country put on Fourth of July celebrations, complete with fireworks displays, street fairs, parades and all sorts of other treats. For the ultimate in a patriotic settings, Washington, D.C.’s festivities, centered around the National Mall, are tops. You can take in the parade down Constitutional Avenue, plus there are concerts and special events at the White House, the Smithsonian, the Capitol and the National Archives. The fireworks display itself, launched over the Washington and Lincoln Monuments, is likely to bring a lump to your throat (as well as rousing “ooohs” and “aaahhs”).
Other traveler-favorite sites for big city celebrations and fireworks shows are in San Francisco at Pier 39 (beautiful display over the Bay), Boston (with the traditional Boston Pops Concert), Chicago (get there a few days early to take in the huge “Taste of Chicago” culinary festival June 24-July 3), Las Vegas (check out the public pool parties!) and, of course, New York City. Since staying in the heart of any big city over a holiday weekend can be very expensive, be sure to book at one of the many conveniently-located Extended Stay Hotels—so that you have more left in your wallet for the great food, concerts and other attractions.
Big Shows in Small Towns
If the thought of traffic and craziness of the big city isn’t what you want, but you’re still looking for the full show, many smaller cities and towns have great event schedules planned. New Castle, Pennsylvania, just an hour northwest of Pittsburg, calls itself the “fireworks capital of America,” in part because two large pyrotechnic manufacturers are based there. Not only is the fireworks display fantastic, but the town puts together over one week of activities for kids and adults, such as music (including the “Rocket to the Stars” competition—a sort of regional American Idol contest) and games. While you’re in the area, you can also spend an afternoon driving through the scenic hills, sharing the road with Amish buggies.
Other small towns offering big-town Fourth of July celebrations include California’s South Lake Tahoe (rated one of the top five displays in the country by the American Pyrotechnics Association) and another lake community, Palmer Lake, Colorado. Palmer calls its Fourth of July revelry “the best small town celebration in America,” and it certainly has the activities to back it up—from the tractor pull to barn dance, along with concerts, parades and, of course, a spectacular fireworks display.
Or Maybe… Canada?
If it’s spectacular fireworks displays you’re after, you can’t do better than the world’s largest display and competition, the Montreal International Fireworks Competition (L'International des Feux Loto-Québec)takes place Saturdays and some Wednesdays, June 25- July 30. Countries from around the world compete during the month-long event, setting off thirty-minute “pyromusical” displays over Dolphin Lake. This year the U.S. is scheduled for Wednesday, July 20, and for rock-and-roll fans, July 30th’s schedule includes a Beatles tribute. The shows are actually sited in La Ronde amusement park, although you can get a great view of just the fireworks themselves from the nearby Jacques-Cartier Bridge.
Seeing the sky lit up with brilliant fireworks displays is a great part of any vacation, and whether you prefer big city excitement or small town charm, you have plenty of options.
