Tagged With "Visitor Center"
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Who Is Puerto Rico's Artisanal Ice Cream King?
That's a tough question...and can only really be decided by tasting and tasting and tasting and...well, we couldn't spend all our time at it, could we? So, intrigued in advance by tales of great ice cream and unusual flavors, we identified...
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Road Trip, Day 5: My Birthday in Chinatown
March 13, 2015 I was born in San Francisco and it was the only place I wanted to be on this ending-in-zero birthday. More specifically, in Chinatown, like China, but better in some ways. I’ve loved it for as long...
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Enjoying the Wonderful Sites in Zacatecas, Mexico
Millions of tourists visit Mexico every year, mostly in the winter as people like to get away from the freezing temperatures and snow in the north. Almost all of these people visit the tourist cities of Cancun, Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas,...
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Marriott on track to reduce water consumption by 2020
Marriott hotels has set a corporate goal to reduce it's water consumption significantly. Year 2014 over 2013 saw the giant hotelier reduce water use by 5.3%, and 16% since 2007. The company set a target in 2007 to reduce its water...
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Road Trip, Day 3: A Sunny Day in Sonoma
March 11, 2015 The drive down California Highway 1, along the Mendocino and Sonoma County coast, was a bit of a bust. It started to rain as I arrived at Point Arena and Fort Ross was closed, it turned out, on weekdays, so I...
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Orlando Breaks 62 Million Visitor Mark
Wikimedia Commons: Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida/Author Visitor7 Visit Orlando, announced today that Orlando ,had more than 62 million visitors in 2014....
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National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta (Where Gumbo Was #109)
Exterior Albert Vecerka-Esto & The Freelon Group-HOK We had some good guesses for this week's Where in the World is TravelGumbo, but believe it or not, no one offered the correct guess. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights opened on Monday, June 23rd 2014 in Pemberton Place, adjacent to the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola. This area is in Downtown Atlanta, just north of Centennial Olympic Park. The Center links the American Civil Rights...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, May 27, 2015: Grapevine, Texas, Urban Wine Trail
Grapevine, Texas, is just north of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and a world away from what you would imagine a community this close to a major metropolitan area would be like. What you’ll find is Main Street lined...
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Brooklyn's Spectacular Botanic Garden (Where Gumbo Was #112)
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a pint-size treasure that always seems bigger than it is (and which occupies an outsize place in botanical research) was this week's answer to Where in the World is TravelGumbo? Because the Garden presents an array...
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The Stravinsky Fountain, Paris
I have quite a few favorite places in Paris, but I think the Stravinsky Fountain is the only one I've gotten to on every visit. I never get tired of it, or of watching children marvel at it, or of the whole idea of this wonderful whimsical...
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Volendam and Edam, the Netherlands: A Historic Riverfront Adventure
AmaWaterways river cruise ship AmaCerto leaves Amsterdam heading for Volendam and Edam. Gliding north along the Markermeer and Ijsselmeer rivers, the ship arrives just after lunch for a tour of the towns now united under one municipality. ...
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A Brief Visit to Avignon
The center of Avignon with the Rhône and l'Île Piot in the distance. The purpose of my stop in Avignon was a pause in a pleasant small city, between arriving in France and the week I planned to spend in Uzes. I recalled...
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Int'l travelers spent $222.3 billion in U.S. last year
Last year set a new record for overseas visitor spending on travel to and in the U.S.—$222.3 billion. About $43 billion was spent on getting here, while the other $179 billion paid for hotels, in-U.S. travel, admissions, meals, etc. That's up...
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JetBlue's boutique hotel: Sorry! No vacancy for you!
JetBlue, which has its training center ("JetBlue University") in Orlando, along with some operations and maintenance centers, has now opened its own 196-room boutique hotel with all the amenities, from pool to gym to good food. But it's not...
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Nashville, Tennessee.....the Elvis tour continues!
Until I attended my first medical meeting in Nashville, I'd never thought much about visiting this mid-sized city, an oversight on my part. Nashville's a fun destination in many ways, especially if you're a fan of Country music. I...
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A Day in Caguas
Caguas is a late-comer by some standards; San Juan, 30 miles away, was already 250 years old when Caguas was settled by Spain—and yet it proudly calls itself “La Ciudad Criolla” and “El Corazon de Borinquen,” the Creole...
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Amtrak's Auto Train - Relax your way to Sunshine
There is a rhythm to train travel that is different. This is especially true when you are taking a train for a long distance. I recently took a round trip excursion on Amtrak’s Auto Train. And it immediately reminded me why I enjoy train travel...
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Las Vegas -- last stop of the Elvis tour
This post marks the end of our journey to see sites related to Elvis Presley's life. So far we've visited Elvis' birth home in Tupelo , his mansion, Graceland , its car museum , and we've toured Memphis ...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, March 12, 2015: King Kamehameha Statue, Kapaau, Hawaii Island, Hawaii
King Kamehameha I (1758 - 1819) conquered the Hawaiian Islands and united them to formally establish the Kingdom of Hawai ʻ i in 1810, thus founding the Kamehameha Dynasty. By developing alliances with the major Pacific colonial powers, Kamehameha...
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Hackescher Markt and Hofe, Berlin: Where Gumbo Was #72
The Gumbo Guessers have done their best with this week's puzzle, but it has defied solution, although Jonathan L got the right city. It's Berlin, alright, a city with two rail transit systems (U-Bahn and S-Bahn) and where poor maintenance caused a...
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Gallery: Signs of Toronto -- the City at Large
Toronto is one of Canada's great cities. Often called the "New York of the North" (I presume as a complement), it's a fun place to visit. There's lots to see and do in Toronto, from the amazing CN Tower which soars 1815 ft (553 m) into the...
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Gallery: Signs of Toronto -- Queen West
Previously I've presented a overview of Toronto featuring its signage, which you can see at this link . Today's post focuses on a very colorful region of the city, the western end of Queen Street (often just referred to as "Queen West")....
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Historic Route 66 (pt 2) - Needles CA to Flagstaff AZ
Leaving Needles CA, I drove a route that is a MUST DRIVE if you are the kind of person that loves road trips. The main portion of my day was spent on the longest continuous stretch of the original Route 66 that is still in place - From Topock AZ to...
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Jerez Cathedral and Neighbors: Where Gumbo Was (#75)
Frequent-solver Roderick Simpson identified Gumbo's locale as the Cathedral of Jerez, in Spain. Another frequent contributor to the solutions spotted lots of clues: Spanish garb of non-angel statues, size not huge and cathedral not wealthy...
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Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, Toronto
One of Toronto’s newest big attractions is Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada , with underwater creatures and habitats from across the globe. It's in a fabulous location, on the harborfront adjoining the CN Tower, Rogers Center and...
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A Place of Fairy Tales & Magic – The Biltmore Estate
By JP Chartier NUZZLED SNUGLY, DEEP WITHIN THE PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST AND ENCIRCLED BY MOUNTAINS THAT BREATHE BLUE SMOKE IS WHERE YOU CAN FIND THIS PLACE OF FAIRY TALES AND MAGIC. The opulent and somewhat imposing French Renaissance,...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 12, 2014: Paris Compressed
Taken with 18x telephoto lens from the top of the Arc de Triomphe, this shot squeezes in a lot of familiar Paris, with even more suggested here and there in the middle. There's a corner of the Louvre, the dome of Invalides, Notre Dame at...
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A Busy Weekend in Philadelphia
A few weekends ago, my fiancé, my best friend and I decided to go to Philly for an overnight trip. Our goal for the weekend was to see all the touristy parts of Philadelphia. When we got to Philly from NYC, we headed straight for the L...
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Historic Route 66 (pt 3) - Flagstaff to Gallup
The next leg of my trip was the shortest distance I had to drive, but it took the longest time. There was a lot to see along the way. Flagstaff AZ I was last in Flagstaff 20 years ago. It was a dismal depressed town in which nothing was...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Mar. 1, 2014: Details, Charleston P.O.
I hadn't even gotten in the door of Charleston, SC's historic post office and Federal courthouse when I was caught by this doorknob. And that was only the beginning of the gorgeous details, as you can see. Sometimes, I find...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Feb. 15, 2015: Sweetgrass Baskets
Among the many traditions of the Lowcountry around Charleston SC few are as fascinating or as rich in history as basketweaving using sweetgrass—native bulrush. These baskets are displayed for sale by their makers on the steps of the...
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Observatory of New York's One World Trade Center to Open May 29th
The observatory of the new World Trade Center, One World Observatory, will open to the public on May 29. The main viewing area will be on the 100th floor. The 101st floor features a cafe and restaurant and the 102nd floor features a 3D...
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Smithsonian reopens historic D.C. building
The Smithsonian Institution is reopening its historic 1881 Arts and Industries Building, at least for special events. Not the famous "Smithsonian Castle," but similar in style and almost as old, Arts and Industries closed for renovation in 2004....
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In-flight refueling for airliners? Worth a look!
It's long been routine for heavy bombers and other military aircraft, and researchers are now looking at the possibility of in-flight refueling for passenger liners. Pluses cited are the ability to cover greater distances without having to haul huge...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Apr. 29, 2015: L'Écoute at Les Halles
Listening ( L'Écoute ) by Henry Miller (the French sculptor, not the American author) was commissioned in 1986 for a plaza in the area once occupied by the central markets—Les Halles. It's directly in front of the Saint-Eustache...
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Fort Barrancas Has it All: Cannons, Gun Turrets,Tunnels and Great Views
Fort Barrancas is located within the Naval Air Station in Pensacola. You have to show your drivers license, or other ID, to enter the base. It sits on the barranca ,or bluff, overlooking the entrance to Pensacola Bay. This National Historic Landmark...
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Where Was Gumbo? Paris. Where's the Statue? Everywhere!
Where in the World was TravelGumbo? If we simply said "At the Statue of Liberty," it wouldn't have been a very precise identification, because, as I found and you shall see, the iconic statue is everywhere and in so many forms! In today's blog, I'm...
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Gold Country, California: Auburn
Auburn is a town at a crossroads. Interstate 80 passes through from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the desert of the Great Basin and the nation eastward, and west to San Francisco. It was the main route migrants traveled coming west,...
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Disneyland Shanghai Delays Opening
It was announced by Disney's CEO that the 5.5 billion dollar Disneyland Shanghai will now open Spring of 2016. It was scheduled to open late 2015. Disneyland Shanghai is a joint venture between the Chinese State owned Shanghai...
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Yellowstone National Park in Winter
Seeing all fifty-nine national parks was never a dream of ours--especially not in fifty-nine weeks. We'd call it more of a whim, an impulse or an inspiration. Going to Yellowstone National Park in the winter was something we had...
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Airport updates: Welcome to Pittsburgh; Boston not so much
Pittsburgh and Boston try new airport ideas: one to welcome more non-flying visitors, the other to charge a toll for dropping off passengers.
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San Francisco Museum of Modern Art: Where Gumbo was #233
Jonathan L reveals a museum whose architecture and its collections both qualify as modern art.
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Artful exhibits lined up for Italy's museums
Four outstanding exhibitions that highlight the fall art season in Italy, along with many others.
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Hiking Angel's Landing in Zion National Park
Nate shares one of his favorite hikes, the famous Angel's Landing trail in beautiful Zion National Park.
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Museums of Buffalo and Corning, New York
At the end of Jonathan L's recent trip along the Erie Canal, he found time to take in a selection of upstate museums, and he shares them here.
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Eye on the Sky is China's new attraction
A huge Chinese radio-telescope has become a tourism attraction as well as a center for research. But no photos, please!
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Paris starts to build its Eiffel Tower wall
Paris has begun work on a glass security wall for the Eiffel Tower, but city authorities promise it won't spoil the experience.
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A Tale of Two Cathedrals - Palermo Italy
Palermo, Sicily has two beautiful cathedrals, less than three miles apart. Jonathan L explores them both and explains their history.
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Sicilian town bans pushy waiters after brawl
After a street brawl between rival waiters last month, Taormina is sending them inside to keep the streets peaceful.
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Back to Oaxaca: The Textile Museum
Join PortMoresby on a visit to her current favorite museum in Mexico, the Museo Textil de Oaxaca.