Destination Archives - Page 15 of 44

October 20, 2015 by Jeremy

3 Unique Times Square Stays

Times Square is home to one of the most electrifying atmospheres not only in the USA, but the entire world, with countless attractions and points of interest within a few minutes’ walk, and that means hotel rooms near this iconic landmark are some of the most desirable in the city. Travelers who do splurge on these premium stays expect unique amenities to distinguish their stay from a night anywhere else in the world, and these 3 options let visitors experience New York from an entirely unique angle. Here’s where to stay in Times Square for a the most memorable experience.

Langham Place

This Midtown Manhattan NYC hotel is situated on Fifth Avenue, making it convenient to Times Square as well as the legendary shopping district. Its fully appointed rooms feature espresso makers, iPod docking stations and mirror-mounted TVs as well as available in-room spa treatments, but the Langham’s most famous feature is Al Fiori, a restaurant known for its world-class Italian cuisine. Guests can also enjoy complimentary transport in a Maserati luxury car during their stay.

Kitano New York

The strong Japanese influence of this beautiful New York hotel is its most distinguishing feature, with its onsite gourmet restaurant Hakubai serving Japanese cuisine to travelers at lunch and dinner. Guests are greeted for their stay with traditional dressing gowns and slippers, and the hotel also offers a range of guest services from car rental to a babysitting service. Indeed, every aspect of the guest experience has been thoroughly considered, from the custom Eastern decor that graces each room to the heated Japanese-style toilets that ensure every moment at the hotel is spent in the utmost comfort.

Tryp Times Square

Tryp Times Square was once a humble Best Western hotel, undergoing a full scale renovation in early fall 2009 to become one of the trendiest hotels in Times Square. This hotel is known as much for its relatively low prices as its eclectic décor, boasting some of the most updated amenities and lowest prices in the area, and every room features a new flat-screen TV and other appliances to reflect its recent rebirth. Tryp even features a rooftop terrace to allow guest to take in the sights and sounds of the city from above.

Many visitors to New York fail to even consider the Times Square area as a possibility for accommodation, fearing the overly loud presentation might drown out the local culture. However, the boutique hotel revolution gives travelers options beyond the chain hotel, making their stay inside the room almost as compelling as their stay outside of it.

August 4, 2015 by Jeremy

How to make the best out of your weekend trip to Prague

The former Eastern Bloc city of Prague has come out of its shell in recent years since 1989’s Velvet Revolution, and the locals have learned how to party – and party hard, making Prague a great holiday destination. This uniquely preserved capital of the Czech Republic boasts a place on UNESCO World Heritage List, and is a great holiday destination for the whole family.

Amazing Architecture

Prague’s architecture has been almost perfectly preserved over the years, and exhibits varied influences from many schools of architecture, including Renaissance, Gothic, Art Nouveau, Neo-classical and ultra-modern. Enjoy the Baroque splendour of Saint Nicholas Church, the Gothic stylings of the Powder Tower and the Old Town Square, and visit the Mucha museum to get your Art Nouveau fix.

Photo: Roman Boed

Visit the zoo

The Prague zoo, which was opened in 1931, is home to about 4,800 animals from more than 690 species, including 133 species listed as critically endangered – Prague zoo was shortlisted in the top 10 best zoos in the world by Forbes. It was the first zoo to successfully breed many animals in captivity, including the Komodo dragon and the first Western gorilla. Prague zoo continues to expand and showcase more rare and endangered animals, and in 2014 opened a large pavilion to house 33 specimens of the critically endangered Chinese salamander. You could spend a whole day at Prague zoo, and visit some of their amazing exhibits, including the gorilla pavilion, elephant valley and the hippo house! Perfect for family fun.

Check out the National Gallery

If you want to see some amazing works of art, Prague has you covered – the National Gallery was founded in 1796 by the Academy of Fine Arts, and features work by a range of famous European artists, from artists such as Picasso, Monet, Van Gogh, Rodin, Gauguin, Cézanne, Renoir, Schiele, Munch, Miró and Klimt. Picasso even has a whole room to himself, showcasing some of his iconic Cubist work as well some self-portraits and nude studies. The National Gallery is not just a single building, it includes several locations in the city, such as Veletržní Palác, which is home to the gallery’s extensive collection of modern art. See http://www.ngprague.cz/ for info on the latest exhibitions.

Indulge in some retail therapy

If you want to do a little shopping while you are in Prague, the Nový Smíchov is a shopping mall located in the west of the city and is one of the biggest shopping malls in the Czech Republic. Over the centre’s three floors, you can enjoy a film at a multiplex cinema, sample various dishes at the food court, or browse one of the many chain stores and independent retailers that Nový Smíchov has to offer. There are also many special events, including music performances, fashion shows and rock climbing at different times throughout the year.

Visit a giant, functional metronome

Photo: Ulf Liljankoski

Yes, really. How can you resist?! The metronome, housed in Prague’s Letná Park, which overlooks the picturesque Vltava River, was erected in 1991, on a vacant plinth which formerly held an enormous statue of Joseph Stalin, communist leader, until it was destroyed in 1962. The 23-metre tall metronome, which symbolises the struggle against Soviet control is now a popular meeting place for young people in Prague, and a great place to enjoy a cool, frosty one in the nearby beer garden. Around the back of the metronome is a popular skate park, where skateboarders from all over the world congregate to skate, hang out and make videos.

March 5, 2015 by Jeremy

Exploring Houston, Texas

From Hollywood’s space movies, we often hear the statement, “Houston, we have a problem…” to denote some serious issues on a particular space mission. In real life, Houston is indeed the home of NASA which has sent the very first men on the moon.

Space may soon become your average backyard reachable by your personal car, but before we get there, we can still be thrilled by seeing the breathtaking technology on display at the Space Center Houston.

This is where you see classic space adventure relics like the Mercury 9 capsule, Gemini 5 capsule, Apollo 17, and the famous lunar rover.

Aside from the space galleries, there are other stuff to see in Houston too. Allow me to introduce to you the real Houston, Texas.

If you like perfection that is often captured in the form of art, head straight to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. This museum is reminiscent of the lavish French impressionism, the likes of Picasso and Rembrandt with their magical touches.

Just on the next street is the breathtaking Cullen Sculpture Garden designed by the luminaries Rodin and Matisse. Note that these art exhibits are really old dating as far back as 1945.

For children, nothing beats going to the fascinating Discovery Green, a fantastic playground complete with a lake and fountains too. This is a popular spot so expect large crowd most of the time; but the fun activities will simply delight you so it’s a destination that you must not miss.

When the festivities begin, you’ll simply have the best fun of your life. There are plenty of stuff to do; watch movies, shop on nighttime flea markets, and also frolic on an ice skating rink.

For a romantic take, perhaps the Alley Theatre will inspire you. This is very famous and offers shows from the classical to the contemporary ones; certainly there are plenty for everybody’s taste.

And when you get the urge to eat, why not try the fantastic Treebeards. This is where you can buy the world’s best gumbos and jambalaya including chicken jerkies and stuffed pork chops too.

For a little bit of party with a history twist, Houston got it too. The Old Town Houston Historic Pub Tour offers a glimpse into Houston’s past whilst allowing you to drink and mingle with the rest of the crowd. Frankly saying, this is the best or perhaps the most lame way of picking up potential dates. Nonetheless, it sure is fun.

Another way to discover Houston more intimately is by going through its maze of underground tunnels that connect Chase Bank Building, One Shell Plaza, and Pennzoil Place.

If you try to understand the tunnels, it kind of becomes boring so just listen to the friendly guide to tell you everything about its history; it may not be because the downtown workers wanted to escape the extreme at that time.

You’ll also be surprised that from the very bottom (air-conditioned tunnels), you can easily reach the ceiling of Houston at Chase Tower where you can see the city in a wider perspective.

On your way home, don’t forget to have a taste of Chuy’s scrumptious burritos; they’re huge, very popular, and oversized too.

If you’re planning to visit Houston now, please prepare your ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) Visa with you for a smooth travel, as it is required for expedited passage in the USA for those that hail from countries covered under this agreement (UK included).

March 1, 2015 by Jeremy

4 of the Coolest Spots to Check Out in Rochester

Boasting museums, parks, theaters, and sporting arenas, you can always find something fun to do in Rochester, New York. For example, here are four of the coolest spots that both locals and visitors should check out.

1. The Strong National Museum of Play

At the time of this article, if you were to Google search, “why should I visit Rochester, NY?” Google’s #1 answer would be: The Strong National Museum of Play.

Boasting overwhelmingly positive reviews, The Strong Museum is a fantastically interactive experience devoted to the exploration and history of play. The museum has more than 400,000 objects related to play, including massive collections of toys, dolls, games, and video games.

Exhibit highlights include “American Comic Book Heroes: The Battle of Good vs. Evil” and “Reading Adventureland.” In American Comic Book Heroes, explore the history of American comic books, then become a hero yourself at the Super Powers School. Reading Adventureland brings a new physicality to reading with life-sized pop-up books.

2. The Eastman Theatre

Visiting music lovers must check out the Eastman Theatre, the performance space for the Eastman School of Music.

Opened in 1922, this magnificent theater can seat over 3,000 people and has played host to some of the world’s most renowned musical talent. Eastman students have shared the stage with conductors Leonard Slatkin, Christoph von Dohnányi, and Sir Georg Solti. Be sure to check the Eastman concert calendar for upcoming performance dates.

3. Frontier Field

Frontier Field is the perfect place for minor league baseball fans, or families, to spend the day. Opened in 1996, Frontier Field quickly became the home of the Rochester Redwings. Field visitors enjoy a beautiful field, a great game, plenty of street parking, and a variety of food options including hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream, roast beef, and local beer.

If you’re worried about things getting a little too rowdy for your children, ask about the Family Section (section 217) which is a designated alcohol-free zone. Also, the entire seating area is a smoke-free zone. There is a designated smoking zone on the third base side of the ballpark near the firehouse building. See who the Redwings are playing on the Frontier Field calendar.

4. Casa Lagra Vineyard

Located just outside Rochester, in the Finger Lakes Wine Region, Casa Lagra has consistently produced award-winning wine since its founding in 1974.

Casa Lagra holds public wine tastings every day during their shop hours. For $2 per person you’ll try five wines and learn how to best appreciate the “4 S’s” of wine tasting (Seeing, Swirling, Smelling, and Sipping). You can also pair wine with chocolate or cheese during your tasting for $7 per person, or have an ice wine tasting for $5 per person (a fantastic option on a hot summer day).

Casa Lagra is also a wonderful place to hold special events, like weddings and family reunions. Surrounded by the beautiful vineyard, the Rochester skyline in sight, and 5-star culinary experts on staff, you’ll have everything you need to make your event memorable.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and explore the coolest spots in Rochester! Just make sure you don’t need an ESTA visa to visit the states, and if you do, make sure to organize it all before entering the country.

Author Bio:

Zachary Katz-Stein graduated from Kenyon College in 2012. He now writes fantasy novels and works as a freelance writer when he’s not teaching yoga classes.

February 22, 2015 by Jeremy

4 Picture Perfect Beach Attractions in St. Petersburg, FL

Whether you have your sights set on the world-renowned beaches or you’re just looking for a little outdoor excitement, St. Petersburg has something to offer every traveler. Not only does St. Pete have miles of sandy beachfront hotspots and barrier islands, it also offers plenty of natural attractions and outdoor activities. With sun and fun in mind, here are four attractions in St. Petersburg that are the epitome of beach perfection.

1. St. Pete Beach

The city of St. Petersburg averages 360 days of sunshine a year, so it’s no surprise that St. Pete Beach is one of the most popular attractions of the beachside city. The Gulf side of the beach offers sandy spots for sunbathing and just about every water activity under the sun.

If you’ve gotten your fill of sand and surf, the bay side of St. Pete Beach is a nature-lover’s paradise, complete with pristine views of the calm waters and countless marinas. McPherson Bayou on the southern bay side of the beach is also a great spot for sightseeing tarpon and beautiful waterfront homes.

2. Fort De Soto Park

At the southernmost point of Pinellas County, just a short drive from St. Petersburg’s city center, is Fort De Soto Park. The historic park is over 1,100 acres and includes Madelaine Key, St. Christopher Key, Bonne Fortune Key, St. Jean Key, and Mullet Key, which is the park’s main island.

Fort De Soto Park derives its name from Hernando De Soto, a Spanish explorer who came ashore in the St. Petersburg area in 1539. The park features remnants of the fort, including replica canons and original embankment walls. Whether you want to fish, hike, or discover the historical sites, Fort De Soto Park is the perfect spot.

3. Pass-a-Grille

The name alone makes you want to check it out, right? Pass-a-Grille is a historic neighborhood at the southern tip of St. Pete Beach. The name Pass-a-Grille, or Passe Aux Grilleurs, is French for “the passageway of grillers,” which honors the fishermen who called the island-like neighborhood home in the 1500s.

Today, the Pass-a-Grille neighborhood is filled with boutique hotels, local art vendors, and eclectic restaurants that are sure to satisfy any traveler’s appetite. Although the historic beachfront district is an attraction in itself, the beautiful Merry Pier at the south end of the Pass-a-Grille neighborhood is an ideal spot to watch the sunset over the Gulf.

4. Shell Key Preserve

With spectacular views of the Gulf of Mexico to the west and Tampa Bay to the east, Shell Key Preserve is a perfect spot to spend an afternoon. The preserve has a massive bird preservation area, which means you can bird watch from sunrise to sunset.

There are also a number of unique ecosystems within the preserve, from saltwater marshes to sandy seaside dunes. If you simply can’t get enough of the nature and serenity that Shell Key Preserve provides, overnight campsites are also available in the heart of the island.

When you’re ready to soak up the sun in St. Petersburg, keep in mind the perfect beach attractions above and make the most of your trip.

Author Bio:

Adam Groff is a freelance writer and creator of content. He writes on a variety of topics including travel and the environment.