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Chicago’s Magnificent Mile shopping district, festive and snowy atmosphere, and friendly people make it an ideal place to visit for the holidays. The “Windy City” also hosts a number of annual events to celebrate the season.
Lesser known than their Colorado cousins, Utah ski resorts quietly boast some of the best skiing mountains in the United States. Less crowded than the Colorado and New England resorts, Utah ski resorts get a huge blanket of powdery snow each season–an average of 500 inches–and offer some of the most challenging skiing in the country. Plus, shared outdoor activities and cozy lodges make for a romantic getaway or a fun family vacation. Among the most popular Utah resorts are: Continue reading »
For more than 20 years now, the Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, WV has been hosting the Festival of Lights, a jolly way to kick off the holiday season, particularly if you live in the Pennsylvania/Ohio/West Virginia region.
Continue reading »
If you’re looking to add some twists and turns to your typical Saturday afternoon, talk your friends into signing up for an off-road driving course at a Land Rover Experience Driving School. Continue reading »
Up for a tourist stop that will keep you talking? How about a ventriloquist museum? Continue reading »
If you are planning a family vacation or family reunion, a great destination to consider is San Diego. It’s a terrific place for a family looking to see the sights, enjoy the beach, play golf or just relax and unwind. Continue reading »
With the presidential election in full swing, people are more interested than usual in what is going on with their country. And that goes for the country’s past as well. This makes it a perfect time to go on a group trip which touches on some of that history. Continue reading »
Memphis, located in eastern Tennessee along the Mississippi River, is home to Elvis and the Blues. It’s also filled with historic buildings, art galleries and a surprising number of free attractions. Below is a sampling. Continue reading »
You’ll need at least three months of lead time if you’re planning a group trip to Las Vegas. Continue reading »
The “City by the Bay” has a number of appealing aspects. The weather is temperate; the culture diverse; and the food always enjoyable. San Francisco also offers a wide range of free activities. Here are a few: Continue reading »
The Staten Island Ferry, which connects lower Manhattan with the borough of Staten Island, is one of the best free things to do in New York City. The ferry makes its 5.2-mile, 25-minute run from Manhattan’s Whitehall Ferry Terminal to Staten Island’s St. George Terminal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Continue reading »
Money magazine named Middleton, Wisconsin the number one place to live in the United States, but what is it about this town that earns it such high praise? Money cites economic opportunities, the quality of the schools, safety, the proximity to the state capitol and the amount of green space. Continue reading »
San Francisco is a great place for a weekend with the girls. Here are a few tips for enjoying a girls’ getaway in San Francisco: Continue reading »
Prices are going up at all of the country’s national parks. The plan is to raise the rates of all national park entrance fees to a minimum of $10 and a maximum of $25 over the next several years. After that, rate increases at each park should be expected every few years in accordance with inflation. Continue reading »
Between the Black Hills and the Badlands, South Dakota offers travelers unparalleled views and a variety of outdoor activities. But, wait, there’s more. Continue reading »
Disneyland, the original theme park in Anaheim, California, is always festive and entertaining, but during October, the park dresses itself up in Halloween and Fall finery, to spectacular effect. There are pumpkins galore, costumes, special events, and Halloween surprises and treats. Continue reading »
How about a vacation destination of a lifetime? If you’ve ever wanted to zip around a racetrack on a Porsche then the Porsche Sport Driving School is a vacation must. Continue reading »
The Getty Center offers a guaranteed good time for groups visiting Los Angeles. Not only is admission free, but the Getty caters to a range of interests: From paintings to architecture to gardens. Continue reading »
In a city with dozens of sensational attractions, New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art stands apart. Home to one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive art collections, the museum houses more than 2 million objects, spanning over 2,000 years of history and covering virtually every corner of the globe. Continue reading »
If you absolutely love theme parks and you also love the thrill of being safely terrified, you should probably start planning now to make it out to Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. Continue reading »
Men with a need for speed will enjoy the Richard Petty Driving Experience. The excursions are available to groups across the country, with 20 different tracks to choose from: in California, Florida, Kentucky, Kansas and more. There are a variety of options on offer: Visitors can sit shotgun in a two-seat stock car or drive a NASCAR-style racer themselves. Continue reading »
The crisp snap of autumn in the air draws many hearts to the gridiron. If you’ve got a group of football fans then the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a must-see destination. Continue reading »
Maine’s Acadia National Park was the first national park east of the Mississippi. Established in 1916, the 47,000+-acre park encompasses all of Mount Desert Island and some of the mainland, just outside of Bar Harbor. The topography ranges from mountains, to meadow, to white sand beaches. It’s beautiful any time of year, but the park sparkles in the fall when the leaves change to red, yellow, and orange.
One of the advantages to visiting Washington D.C. with a group, aside from being able to share the experience with your friends, is that you are able to apply for a visit to the White House. Groups of ten or more qualify to take a guided tour of many of the state rooms at the executive mansion.
Farmers’ markets have been growing in popularity throughout the United States over the past few years. This is because we are increasingly aware of the importance of organic farming, eating local foods, and supporting small artists and craft makers. We are also increasingly interested in developing a sense of community in our areas. But farmers’ markets aren’t a new thing. The Pike Place Market, one of Seattle’s biggest tourist destinations and the country’s longest-running farmers’ market, was set up 100 years ago. It is a destination which offers a great amount of history to visitors while also introducing them to the local community.
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are the embodiment of America’s field of dreams and a visit here can be a very special experience in the celebration of your American roots. Your visit here is all what you make it, whether it’s an hour or the whole day. The American Family Immigration History Center is the focal point of Ellis Island, and how amazing would it be to view immigration manifests of your ancestors or Bob Hope or Max Factor? This amazing database contains the records of some 25 million immigrants to the US. The Statue of Liberty is equally amazing and worthy of some attention. Reservations are not required to visit the Statue of Liberty, however if you plan on entering the monument itself, you will need a “Time Pass, which can be arranged in advance over the phone or online at www.statuecruises.com. Unfortunately, in the aftermath of 9/11, the crown is closed off to the public and it’s not possible to climb up there anymore since an immediate evacuation isn’t possible on an emergency basis. Nonetheless, the promenade offers a splendid view of the New York harbor and Lady Liberty herself. Here we’ve thought all of these years that the French didn’t like us!
Not only is it a National Historic Landmark, a visit to the Adler Planetarium in Chicago is quite simply a great day out. It’s one of the oldest planetariums still existing today and the only museum of any kind in the world to have two full-size planetarium theaters - you know, those dazzling, neck-craning ceilings full of even more than the sky usually seems to hold. The second theater is used to take you beyond the night sky and into the depths of outer space.
Austin, Texas is an incredibly diverse city in the heart of Texas, catering to the likes of almost everyone that steps foot within it borders. If you’re planning a group trip to this unique Texan city, be forewarned: the only problem you’re likely to encounter is finding enough time to squeeze into your schedule all the activities that your group has planned.
The winery tour at Robert Mondavi is consistently ranked the best among connoisseurs and tourists alike. Located in the heart of Napa in the quaint village of Oakville, Robert Mondavi Winery offers a variety of different tours with an effort to educate your wine palate. The To Kalon Tour and Tasting is quite popular, and the 75-minute tour shows you the full cycle process of wine making. The tour starts out in the vineyards where the grapes are harvested and continues to the cellars where the grapes are fermented to the bottling process. “A Guided Tasting” is another popular tour where a wine educator demonstrates the basics of wine tasting. Perhaps you think people are just being pompous by swirling the wine around the glass, but the reason for doing this is explained in the class, and they also go into discerning wine labels and describing wines. In addition to the tours, there are 2 tasting areas set up in the winery with a shop featuring the Robert Mondavi Wines and wine themed accessories. Robert Mondavi is located on Highway 29 in Oakville, the heart of Napa and is open daily from 10am to 5pm (closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.) For more information on Robert Mondavi wines, visit www.robertmondaviwinery.com.
The Alamo, located in the heart of San Antonio Texas, is one of the most popular of the city’s attractions. Originally named the Mission San Antonio de Valero, one of several 18th century Spanish missions in the area, the Alamo (along with four other San Antonio missions) were deeded to the area’s Native American residents in the late 18th century.
The Grand Canyon is one of those few things on earth that you just can’t fully appreciate from pictures. The enormity and the beauty of the Canyon has to be experienced in person. Luckily, the National Park Service makes it easy to groups to visit the Grand Canyon and enjoy its many wonders in a number of ways.
Every year, in September, divers and snorkelers flock to the Florida Keys to witness some sex on the reef, or the spawning of North America’s only living coral barrier reef. The reef breeds by an evolutionary method called broadcast spawning. Egg and sperm are ejected into the water and unite in the salty sea. There they form a planula, which is actually a larval form of coral. The planula swims or floats to the surface and then continues to ride the waves and grow for anywhere between two days to two months. Once it’s large enough the planula sinks to the bottom of the ocean and grows into a polyp where it continues growing and developing more polyps until it becomes a coral head. These bursts of spawning seem directly linked to astronomy as the late August full moon signals the frenetic breeding. Approximately three to five days after the full moon and two hours after sunset the branching corals begin mating. Star and boulder corals wait until about a week after the full moon and three hours after sunset. There is no guarantee that you’ll be able to catch sex on the reef but generally the local dive shops can narrow the window to about five days and many of them offer evening excursions for voyeuristic tourists.
The San Francisco Zoo is a terrific place to take a group. Any zoo is a great group outing because it’s fun for all ages and generally comes along with a built-in group discount. But the San Francisco Zoo is particularly great because of the variety of animals it has, the different interactive activities that happen there and the fact that the weather in the area is frequently good enough to enjoy the outdoors. Plus, the San Francisco Zoo is located right next to the ocean so there’s a free place to enjoy picnicking and other outdoor fun with your group either before or after the trip.
The Bronx Zoo in New York is the largest metropolitan zoo in the country, so you need to plan a full day to be able to get to everything that you really want to see. There are over 4000 animals so this really might not be easy! The thing I like about the Bronx Zoo is it was a bit of a pioneer in taking animals out of nasty steel cages and creating enclosures that better mimic the natural environment. Since then, many zoos around the world have followed suit, and that’s a great thing for these animals.
Niagara Falls is one of those rare tourist attractions that lands between two countries, the United States and Canada. It helps that this attraction is one of Mother Nature’s great beauties and not a typical theme park. Just about 12,000 years ago ice retreated from much of Canada and the Northern United States. The receding ice dug gouges and troughs through the earth and left the Great Lakes in its wake. Currently, the Falls straddle the Canadian/U.S. International Border and reside in both the Province of Ontario and the State of New York. Initially the Falls were about seven miles downstream from their current location and were eroding at approximately 3 feet a year until the 1950s, at which time some major water diversions were established which greatly slowed the progressions of the falls. There are basically three sets of falls but they are further categorized into the U.S. Falls and the Canadian Falls. The Canadian Falls are referred to as the Horseshoe Falls and are approximately 170 feet high. The depth of the river at the base of Horseshoe Falls is actually deeper than the falls themselves, coming in at an amazing 184 feet. A recent United States Geological Survey actually places about a third of the Canadian Falls in U.S. territory. The U.S. side consists of both the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls. The American Falls are slightly higher than their Canadian counterpart, reaching up to 180 feet. But the water diversions have lessened the amount of water that cascades over this section of Niagara. It’s estimated that only about 10% of total water flow falls over the American side. If you’ve ever heard tales about daredevils riding in barrels over falls it has happened, but only on the Canadian side, the American Falls do not have enough water flow and dangerous rocks line the bottom.
San Francisco is an impressive city with so much to do that you can be overwhelmed if you’re trying to figure out what to do with your group. For that reason, it’s a great city for taking organized group tours. These tours give you a chance to see all that San Francisco offers without having to do excessive planning about how you’re going to see it all.
Here are some of the group tours that you might want to check out for a trip to San Francisco:
• 5 Hour Shuttle Tour – Groups that want to try to hit all major tourist destinations in one day should take this tour.
• Bike the Golden Gate Bridge. This one isn’t actually a guided tour but it’s a standard planned route. You rent bikes at Fisherman’s Wharf from any of the available stands and then the group can bike across the bridge together.
• Ghost tours. There are two different ghost tours (as well as a vampire tour) in San Francisco. These show you haunted spots in the city but they also give you lots of information about the history of the area. They run regularly and offer group discounts.
• SF Heritage Walking Tours – A variety of guided walking tours are available to learn the history of the area.
• Stroll San Francisco - These are audio guided tours that you can download on to your mp3 player. Great for groups that need to stick to their own schedule.
• Victorian Home Walk – Travelers who love the Victorian architecture that the homes of San Francisco are known for will like what they see on this walking tour.
San Francisco is one of the few cities where it really is better to take advantage of the available group tours than to try to make plans with your group yourself. The tour guide can provide you with historical information, restaurant recommendations and insider tips about how to best see San Francisco. And if your group is big enough, you can probably get a discount on everything!
San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) has a long history of encouraging and displaying 20th century art. In fact, the museum, founded in 1935, was the first west coast museum to be devoted solely to that period.
About the Museum
Since 1995, SFMOMA has been located in the city’s “South of Market” (SOMA) district in a dramatic building designed by Mario Botto. Highlights of the museum’s collection include works by Paul Klee, Ansel Adams, Jackson Pollack, and Marcel DuChamp.
Temporary Exhibits
The museum augments its permanent collection with regular traveling exhibits. Recent shows have included “Matisse: Painter as Sculptor” and “The Surreal Calder.”
Hours and Admission
SFMOMA is open Thursdays through Tuesdays, except for New Years Day, the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. The museum is open late on Thursdays and closed on Wednesdays. Admission is $12.50 for adults, $8 for those 62 and older, and $7 for students with ID. The museum is half price on Thursday evenings from 6pm to 9pm and free to all on the first Tuesday of the month.
SFMOMA is located at 151 Third Street in San Francisco, between Mission and Howard Streets. The museum is adjacent to the Yerba Buena Garden cultural center.
(photo credit: Flickr user: Sp8254/cc license)
The mission of the Missouri Botanical Gardens, “To discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment, in order to preserve and enrich life.” is actually a very lofty goal but one the facility accomplishes with great vim and vigor.
Established in 1859 the Missouri Botanical Gardens are a National Historical Landmark and a must-see if you’re traveling in the area. Amidst the hustle and bustle of downtown St. Louis, this is 79-acre wonderland feels like a magical world.
Founder Henry Shaw’s 1850 estate, Tower Grove House, underwent a 2-year, $1 million restoration and reopened to the public in 2005. The Italianate-style home is surrounded by reflecting pools and stately sculptures, not to mention the delicate blossoms and sometime riotous blooms that decorate the grounds.
The 14-acre Japanese strolling garden, Seiwa-en, is the largest traditional Japanese Garden in North America and embraces a beautiful 4.5-acre lake. Using the ideas and principals of Zen Buddhist monks, the garden encourages visitors to slow down, contemplate and observe. Traditional Japanese aesthetic principals wind through and around the garden, intertwining beautifully with each other. Another delightful feature of the Gardens is the Climatron Conservatory, which brings an actual rainforest to the center of St. Louis. The native animals run (and fly) wild through the Conservatory and may grace visitors with a brief glimpse as they carom about, darting behind waterfalls, playing in the native hut and racing through lush foliage. St. Louis may not seem like the ultimate get away but a visit to the Missouri Botanical Gardens is sure to enrich your life.
Would you be interested in taking your group to a dynamic museum where history comes alive? If so, The Field Museum in Chicago could be a great destination for you. First opened over 100 years ago, The Field Museum itself is a historical landmark. Featuring exhibits related to archaeology, art and science, it also explores various aspects of history in a fun setting where people of any age can have a great learning experience. Continue reading »
2 years and $109 million later, the renovation of the Liberty Science Museum is now complete, and it’s open to the public. Located in Jersey City, NJ, the Liberty Science Museums has added 100,000 square feet of exhibit space to the science museum as well as the nation’s largest IMAX Dome Theater. The goal in mind was to reshape how people interpret science museums. The museum is changing gears from focusing on the past to highlight the effects of modern day living impact the scientific world. Continue reading »
The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is a great destination for a group excursion, whether you’re taking a bunch of kids, a group of colleagues or just a large gang of your friends. Who can resist seeing a cuddly koala, the chimpanzees or those fascinating zebras? But for those with different tastes, there’s always the Madagascan hissing cockroach, the desert tarantula or the Chinese alligator.
The Hayden Planetarium, located in New York City’s Central Park West, adjacent to the American Museum of Natural History is a fun and educational destination for visitors of all ages.
The Building
The building, completed in 2000, is a dome inside a glass cube. The upper half of the dome houses the Star Theater, a facility that uses full dome video technology to project “Space Shows.” The bottom half of the dome is home to the Big Bang Theater, which features a continuously running four-minute film about the birth of the universe.
Exhibits
Additional exhibits at the Planetarium include “Sonic Vision,” an exhibit that illustrates visual images created by the sound waves generated by your favorite pop songs.
Hours and Admission
The Hayden Planetarium is open every day, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, from 10am to 545pm. Admission, which includes entance to the American Museum of Natural History next door, is $15 for adults, $11 for students and seniors, and $8.50 for those under 12. The “Space Shows” carry an additional admission charge.
The Hayden Planetarium is located at Central Park West at W. 79th Street in New York City. For more information, see the Planetarium’s Web site.
(photo credit: Flickr user: Mr. V/cc license)
When you’re planning a group trip, you have to take into consideration the likes and dislikes of your travel companions. This can be a difficult task, largely depending on the size and type of group with which you are traveling. Pleasing everyone hardly seems possible. To this I say, “Consider Maine.”
One of the most naturally beautiful states in our country, Maine offers nearly everything a visitor could want. Miles and miles of beautiful coastline can be just steps from your front door, catering to shellers, boaters, crabbers, and those that simply like to sightsee. There’s bound to be an activity or two to please every member of your group, no matter how picky they may be. Continue reading »
A group trip to The Alamo can be a terrific experience. It’s a place where all ages can enjoy an experience steeped in the history of Old West. And it’s located right in San Antonio, a city that has something to offer to everyone. You’ll probably want to take your trip to The Alamo during the spring or fall since these are the most moderate seasons in the area in terms of temperature, but The Alamo is a place that can be visited all year round. Continue reading »
There’s just a little over a month left for regular season baseball, but that’s still plenty of time to reward your little league team or bowling league with an afternoon out at the ballpark. Many major league teams offer special rates and attractive perks for groups attending a game. To make the most of your outing, consider the following:
1. Plan ahead. Yes, it’s August, but even a few weeks advance planning can make your event go more smoothly. Plus, giving the participants a little notice will help increase your turn-out. Some ball clubs require five to seven days notice in order to qualify for a group discount.
2. Check with the team’s group or event office. Most major and minor league teams offer discounts and other perks to groups, usually starting at 20 to 25 members. For instance, Yankee Stadium offers discounts for groups with as few as 20 members plus free tickets based on the size of the group for weekday games. Most group policies are outlined on the individual team Web sites.
3. Don’t forget the Minor Leagues. AA and AAA teams can offer a fun — and affordable — alternative to big league prices. For instance, the Akron Aeros, the AA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians offers $6 tickets for group events with a minimum number of 25 participants. That compares to $10 to $85 at the Cleveland Indians’ Jacob’s Field (pictured above). Plus, your group will be mentioned on the Aeros scoreboard. Attending a AAA or AA game is also a great way to see young ball players before they make it big.
4. Enjoy. Win or lose, few things beat watching a fall ball game with your friends.
(photo of Cleveland’s Jacob’s Field; credit: Ohio Dept. of Travel and Tourism)
Since 1956, the Washington National Opera has been dazzling locals and DC visitors alike. And one of the world’s most famous opera singers, Placido Domingo, has been the General Director of the WNO for over ten years, which seems to lend it a greater chunk of credibility.
So why not take your DC group trip out for a night at the opera? With shows like La Bohème, Don Giovanni and Rigoletto programmed for the coming season, there are plenty of chances to make a fantastic evening of it and bring a bit of a spark to your group’s time in the capital.
The key to planning a Washington National Opera night with your group is to plan ahead. They consider a group to be a minimum of 10 people, if you attend on one of their designated “group priority nights”, or at other times a group is considered to be 25 or more people.
The usual deal is $10 off the cost of each ticket, and a further tip is to try to plan your outing for a weeknight. On these days, you can usually pay even less for a ticket, as well as getting better seats for your group. There are other benefits available for groups, including special costume studio tours and various lectures put on by the company.
A day trip to the Napa/Sonoma region is a popular choice for Bay Area residents and most tourists that visit San Francisco. The wine industry is big business in California; in fact it represents more than $50 billion in revenue for the state and $125 billion in revenue for the nation. With that being said, there are hundreds of wineries in the Napa/Sonoma region so choosing a winery for a group outing can be an overwhelming decision.
If you’re an art buff, looking for a reason to take off to Los Angeles then I’ve got your answer. LA is full of every art genre imaginable. All modern and visually splendid – here are two of my absolute favorite Los Angeles art hot spots:
You’ve done the hard part already. You’ve gotten your group together and settled on a destination – Myrtle Beach. And you’ve even picked your main activity – golf. But there’s still a lot of planning left to do before it’s tee time on the South Carolina coast. You need to pick your golf courses, find accommodations and get everyone packed and ready to go.
Want to take your baseball or softball team on the most perfect trip ever? Then get them along to Pennsylvania for a visit to the Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum in South Williamsport. It traces the history and excitement of the Little League since it began back in 1939. Continue reading »
“Surfers in California take vacations too” is one of the witty slogans that the official tourism uses to tempt visitors to this gorgeous Canadian coastline. And they seem to be able to leave the wetsuits back home! Besides the water activities, more than 700 festivals and events are thrown over the course of the year throughout the province. More than 500 of them occur in the summer months alone. Nova Scotia is a melting pot of cultures from various parts of Europe and North America so tracing your genealogy is unique vacation activity. If you and your group of friends enjoy camping, Nova Scotia is the perfect place. There are full service campsites for tents or trailers running to the gamut of campsites that you can only access by canoe. How exotic is that? Traveling to Nova Scotia and not dining on lobster at least once on your vacation would be a travesty. That is, unless, you’re allergic to shellfish. What would be a more delicious meal for your group of friends or family then to buy a bucket of fresh lobsters from the wharf and have a lobster boil at the beach? Winemaking is a surprising enterprise for an area that is not to be considered as a hospitable region for growing grapes; however the valleys are very fertile and there are 8 successful wineries in the region. The spring and summer seasons provide the most idyllic weather conditions for getting the most of the region; however there is fun to be had year round in Nova Scotia. To request a vacation planner, please visit www.novascotia.com.
Branson Missouri packs a huge entertainment punch. Whether you’re coming with a small group of friends for a bachelor/bachelorette party or if you’ve got a huge, all-age church group that needs a place for meetings and entertainment, Branson is your vacation location.
The town thrives on its group tours and has discounts available across all areas of entertainment. With a resident population of only 3,750 people tourism is the key money maker for this music Mecca tucked into the Ozark Mountains. Continue reading »
If your travels bring you to the “Gateway City to the West,” St. Louis the weekend of August 17th-18th and you get a hankering for some good ole fashioned down home music and barbeque, consider taking a drive over to the town of Pacific, Missouri to attend the 2nd Annual Great Pacific Missouri BBQ & Bluegrass Festival. Pacific is located on Historic Route 66 and is 30 miles southwest of St. Louis and gives off a small town vibe with the amenities and conveniences of city life close at hand. The Festival is truly a family oriented event as children are encouraged to attend, and there is even a play area set up for the little tykes. There are at least 20+BBQ teams from various parts of the state of Missouri competing for the $7500 in prizes. You can assume that a team named Fat Boys Backyard Barbeque knows a thing or 2 about tasty BBQ, but it sounds like the team “Pigs Gone Wild” out of Rosebud, MS has been around the BBQ block a few times. In addition to the sounds of lips smacking on BBQ will be the sounds of bluegrass music. From 6pm on Friday to 10pm on Saturday, there is a full line up of regional bluegrass acts. Advance tickets can be purchased by calling 636.271.7880, or they can be purchased at the door for $28 for the full day or $20 for after 6 pm admission. Children’s tickets vary in price according to age and range from $5-$10. To view the schedule for the bands or to get a detailed list of the BBQ competitors, please visit www.pacificmobbg.com.
New York’s Long Island was rather late discovering that the temperate seaside climate and rich soil there work together to provide an excellent growing environment for wine grapes.
The first Long Island winery was formed in 1973, over a century after the wine industry began in California. However, the region has made up for lost time. Today, there are 76 wineries and over 4000 acres of vineyards. There are three distinct wine-growing regions on Long Island, each with their own appellation: North Fork of Long Island, The Hamptons, and Long Island.
(photo credit: Flickr user: WallyG/cc license)
Looking for a great place to travel with your group? Look no further than Mystic Connecticut.
When you live in the Bay Area, you are truly blessed with having limitless possibilities for destinations offering rest and relaxation within a few hours drive. The Napa wine country is an obvious choice, but very few make it up to the tippy-top of the Napa Valley to the town of Calistoga. With all the wineries that you pass on Route, 29, it’s quite easy to get distracted. However, driving the few extra miles is well worth the trip. Calistoga is the perfect destination to celebrate a special occasion with your favorite gal pals. The town has proclaimed itself as the “Spa Capital” of North California and there are more than 2-dozen spas to choose from. In fact, the Golden Haven Hot Springs & Resort offers a Girlfriends Spa Special that includes a room’s lodging for as little as $205 a night pp and also includes things like a massage and a complimentary facial product. Or, if you want to get more in tune with nature, try out the natural hot spring spas. Spending a day or 2 days in the Napa Valley almost mandates that you tour a few of the wineries. What’s great about Calistoga is that the area is rather compact and you can visit many of the wineries on foot. Hence, a designated driver isn’t necessary. No girl’s weekend is complete without a bit of shopping and Lincoln Avenue features some of the best shopping in Napa. Another item that makes Calistoga unique is that one of the few geysers in the world that erupts on a regular basis. Gathering together for a group picture in front of the geyser in action will make for a memorable photo and a grand way to top off the weekend.
In San Francisco, hanging out with your group of friends on the weekends is a run of the mill activity. Most of the time one weekend doesn’t look any different than the next. Perhaps you venture to the newest and hottest restaurant for dinner and then you wind up at your favorite neighborhood watering hole. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but why not mix things up a bit and throw some cultural activities into the mix? San Franciscans are blessed with so many things, including a strong cultural presence with the San Francisco Opera, the San Francisco Symphony, and then the San Francisco Ballet among many more theater companies. Why not spend your next Saturday night attending a performance of the San Francisco Symphony? Actually, there is an incentive to go with a group of people, for parties of 10 or more the ticket prices are discounted by 20%. The regular season opens up on September 19th and wraps up in June 2008. If you and your friends have never been to the Symphony before, why not use it as an opportunity to make it a big night on the town? Leave the jeans at home and throw on a skirt or a tie, or both. After all, it is San Francisco! To get the most out of your first symphony, attend a performance that features one of the more popular composers such as Beethoven or Mozart. There is nothing more exciting during a performance than identifying a piece of music from one of your favorite commercials or movies. Prior to the concert, it’s a good idea to visit the “First Timers Guide” under the How to Prepare tab on the SF Symphony website www.sfsymphony.org. Also the website features the entire 2007-2008 performance schedule complete with sample audio clips.
Looking for a girls’ night on the town? Raleigh, North Carolina is the perfect vacation spot for you and your gal pals. Weekend vacations include happy hour and fondue, shopping and spa treatments, Broadway shows and a street party. Continue reading »
The Millennium Park in Chicago Illinois is one of the top places to visit when in Chicago. Since its opening in July of 2004 millions of guests have visited Millennium Park for its amazing art and architecture and critically acclaimed free events and concerts. It makes a great travel location for choral and church groups and any music lovers.
If you like the soft, soulful beats of reggae, mized with the bubbling of crystal clear water and sun beating down on your skin - then the Rising Music Festival should be on your vacation adgenda this coming August 3rd, 4th, 5th, 2007. Continue reading »
Amtrak, America’s passenger rail carrier, connects over 500 communities in 46 states and transported over 25 million passengers in 2006. Popular Amtrak routes include the line that connects New York and Boston with Chicago and points west as well as the one that runs along the east coast, connecting New England with Florida .
In addition to being a unique way to see the United States, Amtrak offers extra incentives for passengers traveling in a group of 20 or more. These include:
Riding the rails on Amtrak is an unhurried way to see the American countryside. What’s more, unlike hectic airports, many U.S. train stations, such as Washington’s Union Station or Grand Central Station in New York, are historic landmarks in themselves.
For more information, visit the Amtrak Web site.
(photo credit: istockphoto)
Would you like re-unite your friends and family in a beach house for a week or 2 on the East Coast this summer, but you aren’t quite at the level of owning 2 homes? Are you tired of the over development of beach cities like Ocean City and Myrtle Beach and you would like to go somewhere that is a bit more sedated, but still shows some signs of life? The Outer Banks of North Carolina is the perfect choice for a multi-family vacation, and it’s easily less than a day’s drive from many of the key cities in the eastern US. The Outer Banks stretch approximately 70 miles down the Atlantic coast, and blue sunny skies prevail from May-September. As far as beach vacations go, renting a house is the most logical way to go, as there are literally thousands of choices of homes and it’s the most economical choice. Most of the rental houses are managed by local realty companies and are cleaned weekly and are stocked as if they are your home away from home. Amenities vary with each house, but there are properties that have private swimming pools, walkways to the beach, state of the art technology and then there are simpler properties that take you back to a time where the Internet wasn’t such a part of everyday life. No matter where you decide to rent, the beach will be close in addition to all of the activities that are synonymous with the beach vacation, like surfing, boogie boarding, kayaking, just to name a few. There are lots of great restaurants in the area ranging from BBQ shacks to casually elegant seafood restaurants so it’s nice to take a few nights off from cooking/grilling to enjoy some of the local eateries that feature the catch of the day. To plan your Outer Banks vacation, visit www.outerbanks.org to get acquainted with each of the towns and to locate current vacancies.
The concept of the “girls’ getaway weekends” has been gaining popularity in recent years. Regardless if you are married, single, or shall we say “in between relationships, “ it’s always a good idea to squeeze some special bonding time with your gal pals. Palm Springs, CA provides the perfect getaway weekend during the summer months, and visiting there then versus the winter time or peak season can save you as much as 50%. If intense heat bothers you, then it may not be as idyllic. However the dry heat can be very refreshing when you are poolside, and an air-conditioned room is never far away. Although Palm Springs is considered to be a desert, it’s provides an oasis for those retail parched souls. Isn’t it refreshing to shop here knowing that a disgruntled partner isn’t pacing outside! Whether you are shopping for designer apparel on El Paseo or some kitschy home décor items on Palm Canyon Drive, your retail needs will be met in this resort town. If some R&R is more your thing, the spa deals are plentiful. For example, the Viceroy Palm Springs, one of the most luxurious hotels in the region offers a room for less than $250 a night that includes a $40 breakfast credit in addition to a $110 spa credit at the Estrella Spa. The Joshua Tree National Park is also a short drive away, and what would be more memorable than driving through the desert singing along with Bono to the Joshua Tree album? Summer will be over before you know it so it’s time to gather a few of the gals together for a sojourn to Palm Springs. The Bureau of Tourism website www.palm-springs.org links you to all of the area resorts in addition to having a schedule of events.
Camping is a great American pastime, especially during the summer months, and it’s an excellent way to gather a bunch of your friends together for a laid back weekend at a price that won’t break the bank. Cape Cod, MA is a popular weekend getaway for many New Englanders, but hotel deals tend to be far and few between during the peak summer months. Why not mix camping and Cape Cod to create the perfect weekend budget getaway this summer? Cape Cod is a haven for nature enthusiasts, no matter what your pleasure is. Start the day off with a brisk morning swim in the Atlantic, and spend the after hiking or biking the numerous trails through the dunes and pines. Half the fun of visiting Cape Cod is spending time on the water. Whale watching cruises run from May-October, and most companies guarantee a whale sighting, and if you don’t you are issued a rain check. Chartering a boat for a saltwater fishing excursion can bring out the competitive streak in your crew. Or if your group is more of the artistic type, Provincetown is a world-renowned artistic community and features many galleries and shops. End each night with a bonfire on the beach (get your permit through the National Park Service) and let the gentle roar of the ocean lull you and your rowdy to group. To locate campgrounds and more information on the suggested activities, visit www.capecod.com.
Las Vegas? But I don’t want to gamble. She won’t like the desert. He likes museums. We want to shop. What will we do all day? Anything you want to do. That is the beauty of Las Vegas. That lone strip of hotels in the middle of the desert is just a memory. If you haven’t been to Las Vegas in the last few years then you haven’t been to Las Vegas.
If you’re part of a group looking for a get away this could be the ideal solution. There is something for everyone. You can satisfy the shopper, the gambler, the gourmet, the tourist even the museum and art lover.
Including outdoor activities and unique shopping and dining opportunities. Travel to Atlantic City with your next group trip - it is perfect for clubs/group that are traveling together, family reunions or groups celebrating together. Continue reading »
A group travel trip to New York City is a great idea for family trips, celebration type trips or any groups looking for a great tourist attraction city. With so much to do in NYC you will find something for everyone in your group. From Broadway plays to great shopping opportunities to fabulous dining you can find it all in this city.
Looking for a group travel idea for you and few of your buddies this summer, can we suggest fly fishing in Montana.
Looking for a great travel destination for you church group or religious retreat? St. Mary’s Basilica in Phoenix Arizona is the oldest standing church in the Phoenix area. Erected in 1881 and completed in 1914, this Franciscan Catholic Community Church is located at 3rd and Monroe Street in downtown Phoenix.
Looking for a once in a lifetime spot to travel with a group of friends or parents and children from your neighborhood, why not visit the King Tut Tour now in Philadelphia.
If you’re looking for a historic destination for your travel group this summer, you might want to look at Jamestown Virginia.
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