The Green One » Travel

The JFK Library in Boston

Ryan — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Across the United States, from California to Massachusetts, there are currently thirteen Presidential Libraries run by the National Archives in which you may visit and learn about various presidents. While other libraries and museums exist for presidents (such as the libraries for William McKinley, Rutherford Hayes, Calvin Coolidge, Woodrow Wilson, and Abraham Lincoln), they’re not a part of the National Archives but operated instead by state governments, or historical societies and other private foundations. In California, you’ll find libraries dedicated to Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. In Massachusetts, amid top Boston hotels and historic homes, you’ll find the Presidential Library of John F. Kennedy.

Visitors may tour the museum at the JFK Library and learn about the Kennedy years in the United States. Events of the early 1960s will be on display through three theatres and 25 multi media exhibits, recreating the Kennedy Presidency and the turbulent early years of that decade.

The library and museum are within a 9.5 acre park on Columbia Point, surrounded by shrubs, pine trees, and wild roses. During the summer months, from May until September, it’s possible to see President Kennedy’s sailboat, Victura, 26 feet long, at the edge of Boston Harbor.

Admission to these experiences is just 12 dollars for adults, ten dollars for those who are students or over the age of 62. If you’re in your teens, from 13 to 17, it’s only nine dollars, while if you’re still fortunate enough to be 12 or under, you can find out for free about a President who was in office 35 years before you were born.

The JFK Library in Boston is a post from: The Green One

It’s never the wrong season to visit Boston

Ryan — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Autumn is fast approaching and most of us are mistaken in thinking the best time to travel has passed. This is the time of year airlines are cutting fares to drum up business between the summer travel boom and the family holidays.

Boston is an excellent place to visit for Autumn. The leaves are changing the amazing hues that many have only seen on television and the sights aren’t crowded but the usual throngs of tourists. It’s a sham most only think to travel for business. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, you could easily get a deal at one of many of Boston business hotels and sneak out to take a peak at the historical land marks while you’re there.

Just one of the amazing places in American history you shouldn’t miss while in Boston is the Old State house . It may seem dwarfed by the skyscrapers next to it but this brick building is where the Boston Massacre occurred, one of the events that sparked the American Revolution started just outside it’s walls. The first reading of the Declaration of Independence in Boston was read here on July 18, 1776. If that’s not enough history for you it’s also where the protesters that led the Boston Tea Party met and decided to sneak onto the British merchant ships, dressed as Native Americans, and toss tea into the harbor.

It’s never the wrong season to visit Boston is a post from: The Green One

Learn to Surf in Honolulu

Ryan — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 01:10:00 +0000

So, you want to learn how to surf but you live in the Arizona desert or the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Of course there are numerous other places you could live in the interior United States that might create a challenge to surf lesson availability as well as appropriate practice spaces. However, if you live in Honolulu, Hawaii you won’t have this problem and this is precisely why so many people choose to visit this incredible island city. Of course there are numerous other reasons people visit Honolulu, though the majority of them have something to do with the beaches and coastal waters that surround the island.

And if you have an interest in learning to surf there are some excellent opportunities to do so on the shores outside of Honolulu. In fact, the island is known for having some of the best wave potential and there are various professional surfing events that take place there every year. And many of the surf lessons and training programs are conducted by these professionals who are of the highest quality education status. And not only can they teach the rudimentary basics, but also have the best inside information on tips and tricks that can completely change the way you surf and heighten your experience.

Hedemann Surf School is one of the top options for lessons and it has been in existence for over seventeen years. They offer a guarantee that their lessons will get you up on the board navigating the waves. In addition to the basics of surfing techniques the school also teaches students about the different wave types and water conditions they will face while they are out there. The Hawaiian Fire Surf School is another great option and provides students a lot of individual attention and in addition to learning the sport they make the experience extremely fun. Surf Faith School is yet another option and provides an extremely professional approach to the sport. There are endless lesson opportunities for learning to surf near Honolulu, which makes your vacation in one of the best Honolulu hotels that much more exciting.

Learn to Surf in Honolulu is a post from: The Green One

Fun Times in Akron

Ryan — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:32:23 +0000

There’s nothing better than the summertime in Akron, Ohio, especially if you go to the Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens . It’s one of the finest representations of a Tudor Revival Architecture in the entire United States. The mansion consists of 65 rooms, each decorated with treasures from all over the world. Located at 714 N. Partage Path, on 70 beautifully landscaped acres, including a fully-restored English Garden, Lagoon, Japanese garden, vistas, scenic alleys and more, such as Yoga and a Farmers Market.

If you’re a visitor staying at one of the hotels Akron offers and it’s a Thursday night, swing on by for a Yoga class; from now until August 26, 2010, at the Great Garden, Yoga classes will be given on Thursday nights from 6pm to 7pm. This is the first time Yoga has been taught in the most perfect of settings. Classes are $12 per person, and only $10 for Stan Hywet members. Drop-ins are welcome, and it will cost a few dollars more, but a yoga mat will be provided.

If Yoga isn’t your type of thing, The Countryside Farmers’ Market , is also on Thursdays, from 4pm to 7pm and runs till September 23, 2010, consists of 30 local vendors selling locally grown and organic fruits and vegetables; locally raised and hormone/antibiotic-free, grass fed beef, pork and chicken; certified organic cheese made from grass fed cows; farm fresh eggs; artisan baked goods; gourmet chicken patties; ready to eat foods; knife sharpening service; cut flowers and hand-crafted arts. There’s no admission, and you’ll be able to walk the beautiful gardens.

If you’re in Akron with with your children, then swing on by Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens on a Wednesday from 10am to 4pm for ‘Fun Days’. You’re invited for fun and games including access to the Garden and Grounds. Fun Days consist of rotating activities and games including: Ultimate Frisbee, Croquet, Bocce Ball, Clock Golf, Kickball, Horseshoes, Relay Races, Scavenger Hunts, Beanbag Toss, Parachutes, Guided trail walks and Giant play balls – 4ft and 6th in diameter. Plus, on any given day, you can play a game of chess or checkers on the Great Meadow, which is not a teeny tiny board, but on a giant board also located in the Great Garden. The chess piece will be taller than you, but very easy to move about the board. You and your family will have a great time, no matter what you choose to do.

Fun Times in Akron is a post from: The Green One

Miami’s Beacon of Freedom

Ryan — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 01:10:00 +0000

If you’re an international visitor to Miami, Florida and staying at a hotel Miami, USA , then you must make it to the Freedom Tower located in the center of Miami at 600 Biscayne Blvd. This important landmark building was the processing center for almost half a million Cuban refugees during the 60s. Before that, the Freedom Tower was home to the Miami News, presently, the first floor is a public museum that details life in pre-and-post Castro’s Cuba and the advances made by Cuban Americans in the USA.

You can’t miss the Freedom Towers distinctive part of Miami’s skyline. It was built in the style of the Mediterranean Revival period of the mid-1920s. Giralda Tower in Seville was the inspiration when the Miami News and Metropolis commissioned the structure to be built, which also installed in the cupola tower a beacon light to shine over the Miami Bay, not only as a practical acting lighthouse, but as a symbolic announcement of enlightenment brought by the Miami News and Metropolis to the rest of the world.

Only 30 years later, the newspaper went out of business, and the building remained vacant from quite some time. The the Castro regime came into power and South Florida became the home for political refugees hoping to find a new start in the USA. The Freedom Tower was taken over the the U.S. government in order to provide services to the flood of immigrants. It contained a processing service, medical and dental services, kept records of relatives already living in the US, plus gave relief aid for those starting a new life. For hundreds of thousands of immigrants, the Freedom tower provided nothing less than their freedom from Castro and the hardships Cuba had begun to dole out.

There’s also a library containing an exhaustive and comprehensive collection of books written about the Cuban refugees and their new life in America. The Cuban American National Foundation has converted many of the rooms into offices and holds meetings, events, conferences and parties. The spectacular rooftop terrace can be rented and is ideal for receptions. So, don’t miss the opportunity to see what makes the USA a great place for all immigrants in need of a safe place to live.

Miami’s Beacon of Freedom is a post from: The Green One

The Museum of History in Hong Kong

Ryan — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Imagine you’ve found your hotel in Hong Kong and you’re ready to explore the city, but you haven’t studied up on the place in which you’ve just arrived. What’s the solution? Where do you go to find out more about the historical side of this Chinese city which was once under British rule? It may be easier than you think by visiting Hong Kong’s Museum of History , where you can learn a good deal in three or four hours if you take your time, or in two hours, if you’re rushed.

In a permanent exhibition, the museum presents “The Hong Kong Story,” which is composed of eight galleries and takes up two floors. In the display, there are 4,000 exhibits that includes 750 graphic panels, many dioramas, multi-media programs, and special lighting effects. It traces the natural environment of Hong Kong, its folk culture and development, beginning 400 million years ago in the Devonian period, and concludes with Hong Kong’s reunification with China in 1997. There are altogether 53 multi-media programs in “The Hong Kong Story,” in addition to theatre shows and interactive booths; if you plan to stop at each one, the entire experience will last as much as three to four hours.

Look also for special exhibits at the museum, like the display that ended in June, called “Memories We Share: Hong Kong in the 1960s and 1970s,” or the special exhibit that will continue running until September, called “The Evergreen Classic — Transformation of the Qipao.” This latter exhibit features 270 qipao, a type of dress once used as a daily garment for women. The exhibit tracks its origins and transformation from the 1920s to the 1960s, examining how the qipao changed as the society and culture changed. The garment itself has been retired as a daily garment in the 1970s; however contemporary designers continue to work with the clothing item, including modern elements and fashion styles, so that the piece constantly transforms. The teaching staff of the Institute of Textiles & Clothing at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University designed some of the qipao on display in the exhibit, showing how a modern training institute of fashion design might interpret the qipao today.

Armed with 400 millions years of information about the area, you’ll be more than prepared to venture out into Hong Kong and explore, whether or not you’re wearing a qipao.

The Museum of History in Hong Kong is a post from: The Green One

Las Vegas is the Place to Get Married

Ryan — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 01:10:00 +0000

The marriage capital of the world is Las Vegas, Nevada. Not because of the ease in acquiring a marriage license, or the minimal cost, or the wide array of types of weddings available, but because it’s extremely fun for everyone involved.

Las Vegas has a very simple process for acquiring a marriage license; there’s no blood test or a required waiting period. All that’s needed is $60 in cash, filling out a short form to be submitted to the Bureau and a government issued photo ID, that’s all it take to obtain a marriage license, plus a marriage license can be acquired up til midnight everyday. However, there is a small catch, but one that’s easily taken care of, within one year of receipt of the marriage license, a wedding ceremony must be performed in order for the union to be legal; easily taken care of in Las Vegas.

Once a couple checks into one of the thousands of Las Vegas hotels , they won’t have to travel far to have a wedding ceremony performed. There are numerous options when it comes to wedding ceremonies in Vegas, for instance, at the Marriage Commission of Las Vegas, it only costs $50, this is what’s referred to as a ‘desk’ wedding, which can be either a civil or a religious service. Many chapels, like the Viva Las Vegas wedding chapel, offers themed weddings; the Hawaiian is popular, along with the fairy tale, Gothic, Star Trek, pirates or the always popular Elvis impersonator wedding ceremony, plus all of these can be civil or religious as well.

Las Vegas averages 120,000 weddings per year, which is 5.4% of all the wedding in the United States. The Las Vegas wedding industry is highly competitive and there are a variety of ceremony locations, like at a church, a golf course, or at a free standing wedding chapel, there’s even a ‘Drive-Thru’ wedding chapel , all of which is to the benefit to the pre-marriage couple.

Las Vegas is the Place to Get Married is a post from: The Green One

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Miami Zoo and Aquarium

Ryan — Mon, 24 May 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Now the you have spent a few days hanging out on the beach, soaking up the sun and sipping on some nice fruity drinks, maybe it is time to spend a little time with some land and sea animals. The Miami Metro Zoo has become one of the best zoos in the country. It has the perfect climate to accommodate a large variety of animals. This zoo has more animals from Africa, Australia and Asia than any other zoo in the U.S.. They have created the trend of having free range exhibits were the animals are set free from any cages and are able to roam the grounds that are replicas of their native habitats. This is were visitors can really see how they would be out in the wild. At least in a peaceful sense. They don’t put natural predators in with their pray but they do put animals together that live peacefully. Now everyone is able to celebrate their beauty with out feeling guilty about the environment they live in. Have your Miami hotel get you a ride to this wonderful afternoon of animal fun.

Any time of year you visit Miami, there will be a show of sea animals waiting for you at the Seaquarium . Now that you have tried to swim with the Dolphins from the beach or boat off the coast, and have had no luck, you can get acquainted with them here. They have friendly Dolphins ready to swim with you and your family. You can also get in and play with the sing rays. They are always offering up some interesting programs for your everyone in the family to learn more about hundreds of sea animals. They even have over night programs so visitors can see how the sea creatures conduct themselves at night. It makes for a very unusual camp out.

Miami Zoo and Aquarium is a post from: The Green One

July Fun for Fans in San Diego

Ryan — Fri, 14 May 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Sorry, to those of you who were planning to attend this year’s Comics Arts Conference in San Diego ( better known as San Diego Comic-Con ) July 22 through 25; the convention memberships have completely sold out and there won’t be at the door badges available. Comic Con is a huge event, obviously, it hosts famous guests, a film festival, shopping, and is affiliated with several San Diego hotels since there are frequently more guests than the actual center of the convention can handle.

Comic-Con’s program slate is the largest in the nation With more than 400 events spanning four days. You won’t have a chance to see everything you’re going to want to. Despite its name the San Diego Comic Con isn’t limited to just comics, though they play a large role, it also hosts movie and TV premiers and is the place to go if you want to see the next big blockbuster or show before your friends have even heard of it yet. Though, if you’re going I’m sure you probably have more than a little familiarity with the vast variety of drawn media classified as “comics” from the American classics we grew up with to webcomics, editorial cartoons, comic strips, manga, and graphic novels, and more are represented. There are even award ceremonies and costume events to attend all weekend like Thursday night, the Star Wars Fan Film Awards; on Friday night, the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards which is the comic book industry’s version of the Oscars; and on Saturday night, don’t miss the Comic-Con Masquerade. The complete schedule for the convention will unfortunately only be available two weeks out from the convention on their website.

Bummed at missing this event or maybe you want something a bit more elegant? July 16th and July 17th is the Labyrinth of Jareth Masquerade Ball , an event that is rapidly growing in popularity as people are rediscovering a love of costume events not limited to Halloween. This year, much like many years, they have lined up stunning stage performances to captivate you if you aren’t sufficiently mesmerized by the costumed crowd dancing around you. This years performers are: Brother, an Aborigine-Celtic style influenced band; Stellamara; Sylphirance an alliance of sculptors, dancers, composers, actors, dreamers and builders who return each year to make this event memorable; Tresk; and visual stage performances by Wandering Marionettes and the Stilt Circus.

July Fun for Fans in San Diego is a post from: The Green One

Dallas-Fort Worth area Rodeos

Ryan — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 01:10:00 +0000

The Dallas and Fort Worth metropolitan areas have some of the best rodeo action anywhere in the world hosting events throughout most months of the year. Whether you go to the Cowtown Coliseum to the west, or the Mesquite Rodeo Arena to the east, you are bound to find that special rodeo venue in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

The Cowtown Coliseum, located in the heart of the Fort Worth stockyards, was the world’s first indoor rodeo. The Cowtown is a historic site but has been updated with many modern comforts since it’s beginning, spectators can sit in air conditioned comfort and watch some of the best in rodeo and western events available. In 1986 the Cowtown Coliseum was totally remodeled and brought up to modern day standards including installing new the heating and air conditioning systems along with production lighting and sound systems. This coliseum was the site of a number of rodeo firsts in history including several first indoor livestock competitions, the world’s first live rodeo broadcast, and officially introducing the sport of bull riding.

Built in 1986, the Mesquite Rodeo Arena has a seating capacity of 5,000 seats and is considered one of the best indoor arenas in the Dallas and Fort Worth metropolitan areas. This arena’s rodeo season is from April to October. Presidents and royalty from around the world have come to this arena to attend events and performances. They are conveniently located about 15 minutes east of Downtown Dallas in Mesquite Texas if you’re visiting the region and want to catch an event that’s been part of the local history for the better part of a century.

If you’re planning to be in the area early in the year, the Fort Worth livestock show and Rodeo is held every year in late January. In 1944 The show had moved from the north side to the west side of Fort Worth, originally having to house the live stock in brightly colored tents since barns for the official showing had yet to be built. The Stock Show celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1946. Well worth time you’ll take to visit them.

The last weekend of June every year the Botaga Rodeo Association hosts their annual event. Thursday through Saturday night, full of Rodeo action and attractions. A wonderful place to find family entertainment that can’t be beat including two parades in it’s event list. It’s a big three day event you won’t want to miss out on. Not to mention, countless other smaller rodeos hosted throughout the year in this region

Dallas-Fort Worth area Rodeos is a post from: The Green One