USA Destinations

67 Days of Smiles in Orlando

grahamapop — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:40:24 GMT

Hey! Have you heard about the 67 Days of Smiles in Orlando? I'm working with the Orlando CVB to get the word out about an event where two Orlando Smile Ambassadors, Kyle & Stacey, will be experiencing all of Orlando's more than 100 attractions in just 67 days! These two lucky winners were selected to document and blog about their adventures on 67 Days of Smiles. Just last week, they experienced the Fantasy of Flight, went to see the Blue Man Group, scoped out Ming Court on International Drive, and met a Beluga whale at Sea World!

Check out this video for more back-story on how Kyle and Stacey earned the best social media job on the planet: YouTube - Meet Kyle and Stacey

By the way, fans of the Visit Orlando Facebook page have the opportunity to win all kinds of Orlando-themed prizes like attraction tickets, gift certificates to restaurants, or even a free smile-filled vacation to Orlando! You can also stay up-to-date with the latest on Kyle & Stacey via Twitter @67Days.

What are some of your favorite things to do and see in Orlando? Be sure to let Kyle & Stacey know what you think are the best attractions to experience!

Antique truck museum in eastern Iowa is fun and free

goanddo — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:25:34 GMT

There’s a great family tourist destination in eastern Iowa. It’s the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum (iowa80truckingmuseum.com) at the Walcott interchange, mile marker 284, along Interstate 80. That’s about 10 miles west of Davenport and the Quad-Cities area. My wife and I took our grandson and granddaughter there, and they both loved the display of old trucks. There's a theater with continuous videos about trucking, lots of gas station signs and other trucking memorabilia. I particularly liked the collection of restored antique gas pumps. The Iowa 80 Trucking Museum also has a visitor center with clean rest rooms and a gift shop. The place is open daily Wednesdays through Sundays, but here’s the best part: Admission is FREE! The museum is right next to the world’s largest truck stop, Iowa 80 Truckstop, and there are three hotels and a bunch of restaurants at the interchange. Take your camera!

Aussies visiting the West Coast with kids

kjctiger — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 06:03:49 GMT

Hi we're Aussies stopping either San Fran or LA (haven't decided yet) for about 10 days on a round-the-world ticket in July 2010. Would love to hear any recommendations on locations to visit that both the kids and adults would enjoy. Thinking out loud .... how far away is Disneyland from LA/San Fran? Can you visit the big naval ships in San Diego? What's the best way to travel around the West Coast? Many thanks in advance to anyone who responds :-)

Where to go in the beginning of November ?

roman1239 — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:34:02 GMT

Hello, I will come to the USA in the end of october 2009. I will stay in Ralleigh North Carolina for 2 weeks because of training for my job. Then from 1 untill 14 of november I take holidays. I am alone. Could somebody advise me any destinations . I will probably not go to the west coast I am not interested in seeng big cities and museums. I would like to watch beutiful nature ,wonderful views,great landscapes .I also want to swim in the ocean. Is this real on the east coast in november? I can drive but do not want to spend a lot of time driving. Thanks

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina is Fine

tuzywal — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:05:23 GMT

All the weather reporters lump "The Carolinas" together when they talk about inclement weather or impending hurricanes. Just wanted folks who are considering traveling to Hilton Head Island in the fall and winter to know that there really is "nothing finer than to be in (South) Carolina" in the morning, noon and night! Crowds are gone, beaches are wide and beautiful, people are friendly and prices are right. Lots of shopping, dining and accommodations to suit everyone's budget. Golf, tennis, fishing, bike trails galore. Come on down, we enjoy the company!

Please help San francisco - Las Vegas in 5 days ( drive / fly)?!

claire — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:43:37 GMT

Hi everyone,
Going to Las Vegas for my brothers wedding! So excitied! We arrive in Vegas on 29.03.10. Planning on spending three nights there and then moving on.

Want to end up in San fransisco as our flight home is from there on 6.04.10. I have never been to USA and therefore would like to make most of trip and take in as many sights as possible without overdoing it on the driving / travelling etc, want some chill out / beach time also! I have 5 nights to play with! my two options are obviously driving myself and stopping off at various locations along way. Another option is flying to San Francisco and then use it as my base.
Please help, any suggestions would be very much appreciated, especially from anyone who has done a similar trip before.
Many thanks in advance!

The best way to do it

Regina — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:06:01 GMT

Hello,

We are going to Florida in November. We booked a cruise around the Caribbean and we think to spend the last ten days of our hollidays in New York but the first ten days we want to travel around Florida. We bought our fly tickets to Orlando and the cruise departs is the 14 of November but we don´t know what is the best way to do it.

At the beginning we tought to spend some days in Disney World and after that travel by train to Miami to spend some days visiting the city and also the Everglades National Park, but looking for some information we saw some places as Tampa, Cabo Cañaveral,.. that we really want to visit.

One of our options is to rent a car and drive to some of that places but we don´t know too much about the roads or the best routes to use our time in a right way. May be you can help us with a itinerary or places that we should visit in Florida. We don´t need too much information about car rentals or hotels but for sure we need a good guide to plan our third trip to USA.

We have been in USA twice and we had great experiences but know we are looking for a different way to discover the country.

Thanks so much

Napa Valley

LocalWally — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:06:56 GMT

I've spent a lot of time in Napa, going once or twice a year since the early 80's. I just finished a website on Napa called Local Wally's Guide to Napa and posted it at www.NapaTouristGuide.com. I think you'll like it if you're trying to figure out what to do, where to go, what restaurants, etc. It's been a labor of love for me, taking abobut 15 months to write, and don't worry, it's not-for-profit so this is not a spam post! If you're planning a trip to Napa, go check out my site. Thanks!

Travelling to US in February 2010 for 1 month

Mel1 — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:07:19 GMT

Hi My husband and I are from Sydney and planning to visit US for a month in February 2010. We will be arriving in New York, and the trips will be start from there. So, we're planning to visit: New York, San Fransisco, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. We're looking at driving from San Fransisco - Las Vegas - and Los Angeles, and fly back to New York. Do you guys think 1 month is enough? I suppose we are looking at any travelling suggestions ( i.e must see attractions ), car hires, accomodations, route to take and stopping for sight seeing along the way. Also, what the weather would be like in February? winter, or autumn? cold, and snowy? Just FYI, we've been to Disneyworld, so disneyland is not a must-see attraction for us :) Many Thanks Guys ....

New Orleans in October?

Kim — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:05:23 GMT

My boyfriend and I would like to visit New Orleans. Right now seems our only free time is October. Can someone tell us if this is a good/not good time of year to visit? I guess my main concern is the stormy weather.. Thanks!

Jacksonville Beach, FL

harrybear — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:32:45 GMT

Jacksonville itself is huge. I think it actually is the biggest city in size in the US. but anyways weve been staying in a condo in Jax Beach and its pretty cool. theres a lot to do. We got here on the 4 of July and watched the fireworks from the beach and from then on we just been going from bar to bar on 1st street. THe night life here is really cool and so is the city. Jacksonville beach is a seprate city from jacksonville and lets say jacksonville the city isn't the greatest place. Everyone is rude and you just feel so misplaced.. then you go to Jax Beach and your just astonished on how different the culture is. It must be the cannabis culture and surfing bras...haaha anyone Jax beach awesome!! Jacksonville cough worst place ever cough.

thats my blog if you guys wanna check it out that would be cool

http://dontgothere.org/submit-a-place-not-to-visit

harry

Charlottesville, Virginia

maxtonio — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 01:24:58 GMT

Charlottesville, Virginia with its historical attractions, wineries, and downtown shopping district is a great place for a weekend visit. The historical attractions are within a few miles of each other and include Monticello, Michie Tavern, and Ash-Lawn. Monticello is Jefferson’s magnificent home and tours of the mansion and grounds are offered daily. Michie Tavern Museum takes you back in time to when stagecoach travelers stopped at the inn for food, drink and lodging. The Tavern dining room (the Ordinary restaurant), serves a daily buffet lunch and the wait staff is dressed in period clothing. There’s also some outbuildings, small shops (one’s an interesting clothing store), and the General Store. A few miles down the road is Ash Lawn-Highland, the plantation home of the nation’s fifth president, James Monroe. It’s a nice, quiet tour -- compared to the crowds at Monticello – and provides a good glimpse of 19^th century life. You can purchase a “President’s Pass” - a discount combination ticket that includes admission to all three sites – at http://www.monticello.org/visit/pres_pass.html

There are over 20 wineries in the area. Most have Tasting Rooms and some offer tours. Here’s a good website with different area “wine trails” and a map: http://www.monticellowinetrail.com/sections/winetrails.html

Historic Downtown Charlottesville is a pedestrian walking mall. It’s closed to traffic and has 9 blocks of more than 100 unique, locally owned shops and about 30 restaurants and sidewalk cafes. The Omni Hotel anchors one end of the promenade and the Virginia Discovery Museum is on the other. There’s a good mix of street vendors selling handbags, jewelry, and clothing. You won’t see any chain stores or restaurants downtown. It’s a great place to spend an afternoon or evening.

A few miles from Downtown Charlottesville is the University of Virginia, which was designed and founded by Thomas Jefferson. Guided tours of the Rotunda and grounds are free and available every day: http://www.virginia.edu/uvatours/rotunda/

Charlottesville has a variety of lodging options – from resorts to inexpensive, budget hotels -- plus lots of good, local restaurants.

It’s about 100 miles southwest of Washington DC.

places I want to visit.:

jct40s — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 02:08:42 GMT

in the east:

Charlottesville Virginia: mainly because I've wanted to see Monticello for many years.

Thomas Jefferson is one of my favorite founding fathers and former president of the usa.

Orlando Florida: mainly because of Epcot Center which I've wanted to see for about 20 years.

I may also spend a day or two or so revisiting Disney World and other nearby attractions

and maybe one or two that I didn't see when I was there as a teen with my family in 1981.

Nashville TN: particularly in late spring or early summer next year during what was once called Fan Fair,

that I think is now called the CMT music fest or something like that.

in mid usa:

Cleveland Ohio: because I want to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and maybe other things nearby.

maybe chicago.

maybe other places in the mid usa, I used to read the Little House books avidly as a kid, so maybe something to do with them.

in the west:

Mount Rushmore which I've wanted to see for some time.

the Rocky Mountains (that I grew up hearing John Denver sing about) and Red Rocks

(where my current favorite singer-Stevie Nicks sometimes performs and others do too.)

in the southwest:

Arizona: I've visited here 4 times previously, am doing so again just after christmas this year and will do so just about any chance I get, the desert has it's own unique beauty and I love visiting Sedona when I can.

I also hope to visit the Grand Canyon which I've never visited before when out there.

Utah: from what I saw at least once or twice from tv/good morning america weekend: weekend window

there are some beautiful places here that are much like the colors and scenery that I love Sedona Arizona for.

I've never been to California, or the midwest, or northern west usa coast.

I've never really seen much of Texas other than spending about 6 weeks in Dallas.

I've never seen Lubbock Texas the birthplace of Buddy Holly.

I also have some friends in Texas. I have some friends in Tennessee too.

Since there are a number of places that I know I want to see, I think a bus or train trip (or one of each) would be a good idea.

what do people here think?

and are there any places that I haven't mentioned that people wish to suggest that I visit?

thanks.:)

Top 10 Great Things to Do in Seattle When It Rains

mksweeny — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:44:32 GMT

Hello All, I found this on the Washington State Tourism site and its great! Top ten things to do in Seattle when it rains.

Really terrific ideas and most are within walking distance of downtown. Seattle is such a great city!

planing a cross country trip

iammalak — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:36:59 GMT

Planing a cross country trip from phoenix to Orlando in an RV with kids. Any suggestions on good places to stop, and or sites to see, please let me know. We are planing to go through Utah, Kansas etc......not the south route through Texas. Would appreciate any suggestion. Thanks.

Orlando Vacation, the ultimate destination for luxury

Peter010 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:09:49 GMT

The home is beautiful, and very family friendly. We spent hours in the game room, and grilling out by the pool. The kitchen is fully equiped with all appliances, dinnerware, and utensils. Each bedroom is equiped with television, and one has PS2 for the kids. This villa will provide all the comforts of home, and is a place you will want to return to. The location is 10 to 15 minutes to all the Orlando attractions. My family would like to thank the owners Martin & Penny for opening their home to us, and providing a wonderful vacation setting. Extremely pleased with this place. The Condo was great, the location was excellent and the service from your guys was first class, thank you so much for making our honeymoon so special for me and the wife. I earned many brownie points! Would love to come back in the summer. I can highly recommend your company and the properties you have. I have never bothered to fill in one of these before so it must be good. For more information on orlando vacation visit http://www.easychoicepropertymanagement.com.

Planning a trip in jun first week of westcoast from Las vegas to san francisco .via Grand Canyon ,San Diego Zoo,Los angeles,Monterey Bay, San Francisco, Yosemite Natl Pk ,Sequoia and Kings Canyon and then back to San Francisco.

swati — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:37:07 GMT

Me and my husband are planning a trip in jun first week of westcoast from Las vegas to san francisco .via Grand Canyon ,San Diego Zoo,Los angeles,Monterey Bay, San Francisco, Yosemite Natl Pk ,Sequoia and Kings Canyon and then back to San Francisco.

Any suggestion on

The must see or do things,

Hotels resonably priced and comfortbale to sleep and good shower (neat and clean) with free parking.

Car hire ..(as we plan to hire a car in Las vegas and dirve all the way.)

Where its worth giving more time and what can be avoided ..please share your experince and your suggestions are more then welcomed.

Regards

Swati

Proposed visit

Alex Richmond — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:24:56 GMT

My wife and I propose to visit in October. Landing in Boston we wish to see Plimouth Plantation, the Adams family home and Mayflower, spending up to 3 days in the area.

W then intend to travel to friends in Avondale PA, and from there would like to visit Monticello in Virginia, Philadelphia, and the early settlement in Jamestown Virginia. If time allows, a trip to Williamsburgh would be welcome.

In view of the distances involved, we need help in setting up a route plan, with accommodations as required, and whether we should travel by train or plane.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Many thanks

Alex Richmond

Miami Florida

Mike Leco — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 21:50:46 GMT

Miami, Florida is the southernmost city on the eastern coast of the USA. Its beautiful broad sand beaches are located on the adjacent barrier island known as Miami Beach. This has long been the most famous winter vacation refuge in Eastern USA. At the beginning of January, just after the Christmas holidays, tens of thousands of retired folks depart from their homes and extended families in the cold northern cities and migrate south to their vacation homes and apartments in Miami Beach. They are know locally as "the snow birds".

Many cruise ships depart from the harbor of the Miami seaport. International tourists, cruise ship passengers, snow birds and local residents combine to create a vibant nightlife in this city. It has a large population of Cuban refuges and immigrants from many South American and Central American countries as well as from the various Carribean Isles. The Hispanic culture combines with the cuban rhythims and Island music to create the "Miami sound". This pulsating Latin beat can be heard in bars and dance clubs all over the city.

South Beach, as the southern end of Miami Beach is called, is famous for its art deco architecture, its upscale boutiques and its trendy restaurants and bars. It is a favored vacation destination for many gay tourists. Many rich and famous celebraties from around the world can be seen drinking and dining in the posh South Beach hangouts during the winter vacation season. Their lavish yachts and expensive powerboats are parked in the back waters of the Intercoastal Waterway.

South Dakota

Horst — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:11:45 GMT

After a "music-trip" to New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville we´d like to visit South Dakota. Especially the region around Rapid City is what we are interesseted in. Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse monument, the Blackhills, the Badlands, Wind Cave N.P. and so on.

Is it enough, to stay 4 or 5 days? Wich season would be best? May or September? Is it necessary to reserve a hotel room or are there motels, where we can find a room? Is there nearby a car rental station of ALAMO CAR Rental?

Afterwards we want to go to Yellowstone N.P. and Salt Lake City.

Thanks a lot for any tipps.

Horst

Facts about San Diego

donald08 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 06:39:19 GMT

San Diego is the second largest city in California and the eight largest city in USA, with approximately 2.9 million residents. Here are few general facts about San Diego which travelers might be interested to know:

San Diego was earlier named San Miguel by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo; the first Portuguese explorer to land here. But it was renamed San Diego by Sebastian Vizcaino.

Hua Mei, the first baby panda was born in San Diego's Zoo to a pair of giant pandas. She was the first baby panda to be born in the Western Hemisphere since 1990.

San Diego enjoys beautiful weather throughout the year with an average daily temperature of 70.5 degrees Fahrenheit (21.4 degrees Celsius). At times, you can experience mountain, coastal, and desert environments all in one day.

Legal drinking age in San Diego is 21.

San Diego is home to seventy miles of quaint and picturesque beaches.

USA’s largest wooden structure; the Hotel Del Coronado is in San Diego on Coronado island.

And you need not to shell out huge bucks to find an affordable accommodation in San Diego. You can easily avail economical vacation packages in San Diego and have the experience of a lifetime.

Positively Cleveland

Carrie.Rocks — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:41:02 GMT

Hey everyone! How's it going? I'm working on behalf of Positively Cleveland (http://www.positivelycleveland.com) so residents and travelers are in-the-know about the best of Cleveland, Ohio! I'm starting this thread as a place to share all the local hotspots with you, from events to museums to food, the list goes on! We're home to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Browns, and University Circle. If you're considering a vacation soon, here's the place to get all your questions about Cleveland answered. And if you're currently living in the area, we'll help you find cool events! On a sidenote, I tried contacting Michelle Leco to see if it's okay to post here, but never heard back, so hope this is alright!

--

The Cleveland Museum of Art will be premiering many eye-opening films throughout next month. Attendees of Doctoberfest have a chance to see some of the latest critically acclaimed documentaries covering a variety of controversial and intriguing subjects! Showtimes and prices here: http://www.clevelandart.org/events/film.aspx#Doctoberfest

Venue
The Cleveland Museum of Art
11150 East Blvd
Cleveland, Ohio 44106

Be sure to check back once in awhile for the latest on what's going on in Cleveland - see you around! :)

-Carrie

Route 66

mariskr — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:58:21 GMT

Hello ! Tell me please, what is ROUTE 66 ??? Big parking place or older biggest highway in USA ??? THANKS !

Las Vegas Discount Show Tickets

vegasdaisy — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:25:37 GMT

Hi! I know a lot of people who are interested in seeing shows and have heard about the 1/2 ticket booths. I am friends with box office agents all over town, so I wanted to give you some info so you know what you're getting into. They are legitimate, what happens is that the day of each show (for most shows in town), if there are a lot of tickets available, they will release a certain number of tickets to that company. The number of tickets and the availability isn't guaranteed until that morning, which is generally why the company can't tell which tickets they have. If there are any ladies in town, I strongly suggest seeing the Chippendales! My friends and I go all the time (we're locals), it's a great production and very tasteful. It's really a lot of fun for a special occasion or just a night out with the girls. There's an awesome bar attached where the guys go after the show so if you're looking for a fun night out where you can sit down, relax, have a few drinks, and look at some gorgeous guys, this is the place to be!

Plan a trip to West coast of USA

Camille Pang — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:51:29 GMT

I am from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and planning to go to various part of west coast USA with my sister and 2 sons (10 & 14) in from 19 Nov to 11 Dec. Need help/ advice to decide the best places to visit. We will depend a lot on tour/ escorted tours which we have found out that no escorted tours to especially the Utah canyons. Listed below is our trip agenda:

Part 1 of our trip is to go to Anaheim to hav fun filled time at Disneyland/ DCA and San Diego Seaworld. (about 3 days) - this one I think it can be easily arranged thru net.

Part 2: Anaheim to LA to go to Universal Studio, city walk and attraction of Hollywood. Intend to take escorted tour from LA-Carmel-17 Miles-Monterey-San Francisco - Yosemite- Fresno-Vegas - Grand Canyon- Monument Valley - page - Lake Powell - Bryce--ZIon - Vegas (about 10 days). Question here is: is it worthwhile visiting Lake Powell, Bryce and Zion during end November (end of fall season?); which seem no tour operators seem to offer this kind of tour during Nov/Dec)

Part 3: Fly from Vegas to Denver - want to spend about 9 days here with 2 days of snow activities (beginner skiing, dog sled, sleigh, etc) plus hot air balloon, and then visit places of interest (Need your help to suggest). We'll fly back to Los Angeles on 10 Dec to catch our flight the next day at 11pm.

Hope you can help and also we are not sure whether it is safe to book thru internet - any tips on how to check whether they are genuine tour operators. We do not want to end up stranded after paying up front!

Thank you.

Camille