Taking off Travel blog

This is a guest post by Jan Pagonis

With such a vast array of attractions and activities to select from in California, it can be challenging to select just a few of the ‘must sees’ there.

This California Top Pick list won’t disappoint you with everything including theme parks, wineries and forests to pique your interest.

Theme Parks

Firstly the perennial favorite – theme parks. A visit to California is not complete without being half frightened to death on the latest and greatest roller coaster and parks like Disneyland, Universal Studios and Six Flags Magic Mountain will give you all the thrills you could want. Whether you’re single or married, with children or not, become a child once more and enjoy every moment at these theme parks. There is of course more to these parks than exhilarating roller coaster rides, with shows, concerts, world class entertainment, magic stunts and special effects, parades plus so much more. Even if you’re short on time, make sure you devote at least 1 day per park – you too will become addicted!

Go to Hollywood

If the theme parks are just not enough excitement for you, Hollywood is definitely where the excitement is in Los Angeles. It’s the home of movie studios, night life and designer shops and boutiques. Take a walk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, visit Grauman’s Chinese Theater and the home of the Academy Awards – the Kodak Theatre. Stroll along Rodeo Drive for a bit of retail therapy. And don’t forget to snap your photo of the famous Hollywood sign in the hills.

Hit The Beach

Southern Californian beaches are often mentioned and indeed featured in many a movie. With Newport Beach, that’s ideal with 9 miles of just perfect sandy beach. It’s fabulous for swimming, body boarding, surfing, fishing, yachting, parasailing and snorkeling – and yes, sunbathing. Other beaches that also deserve a mention include Laguna Beach with its art galleries, Long Beach that’s just perfect for water sports and Venice Beach for its street entertainers, Boardwalk and endless opportunities to meet other people.

Park It!

Exploring the great outdoors in California is a sheer delight with Yosemite National Park’s famous rock formations and Lake Tahoe’s beaches, alpine golf courses and ski activities. Perhaps enjoy a romantic interlude and experience that step back in time with a visit to the Petrified Forest, northwest of the Napa Valley.

Quench Your Thirst

By now you will have worked up a thirst and luckily California boasts some diverse wine regions. If you can’t venture out on your own, jump on a wine tour, where you’ll meet lots of other people – particularly singles and discover some of the world’s finest wines. Two favorite Californian wine areas being the Sonoma Valley Wine Country reportedly the birthplace of California wine. It has some of the earliest vineyards and wineries in the State. Visit award winning wineries and enjoy the intense flavors of world class Chardonnay and Pinot Noirs. The other fabulous wine country is in the Napa Valley. Here you will find the both romantic and historic vineyards and wineries. Often recognized as one of the world’s premier wine growing regions you will find at least 250 award winning wineries to indulge at… Hic…

And Finally…

A visit to California is simply not complete without discovering a little of San Francisco. It’s icons of Fisherman’s Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge will captivate you with breathtaking views of the beautiful San Francisco Bay area. The Golden Gate Bridge connects San Francisco with Marin County and it’s the longest suspension bridge in the world at 4200 feet. A universal favorite is to eat, shop and be entertained at Fisherman’s Wharf with trendy restaurants, heaps of shops and street performers.

When you’ve seen these top picks in California, sit back and relax on one of those lovely warm evenings with a wine or two in the Napa Valley and plan your next trip back to California. There’s just so much more to see and do.

Visiting California is an exciting, action packed and interesting experience with so many diverse activities to enjoy. Jan Pagonis is Director for www.datingsymbol.com where you will find more great information on Travel, Dating & Relationships, Fashion, Finance, Food, Health, Entertainment plus much more.

Recently, I looked at some fab things to do in Oklahoma, focusing mainly on activities around the city. This week, I’m looking at activities in Tulsa, Oklahoma’s second city, which has its share of fun things to do. Here’s a selection:

1. Tulsa Zoo

Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum looks to be a good day out, though reviews from travelers have been mixed (according to Uptake). It seems that you can tour the zoo by camel, which is pretty unusual, or take the safari train when the weather permits. Check out the penguins, the Masai village, the tropical rain forest and the wide variety of animals on the 70-acre site. There are rare butterflies, a children’s zoo and a lot of educational activities too.

2. Enjoy Some Art

If you love art and architecture, then don’t miss the Philbrook Museum of Art. It’s housed in an Italian Renaissance-style villa and sits on a 23 acre site with exquisite grounds. Visitors rave about the peaceful atmosphere and the quality of the art exhibits, which come from around the world. It can be a bit of a trek during the height of summer because of the heat, but is well worth a visit if you’re in Tulsa. Read more »

The news that air travel from Oklahoma has been increasing in the last five months prompted me to take a closer look at that region to see if I should add it to my list of places to visit. First of all, I checked out the climate as I’m not a big fan of cold weather. It’s temperate, and there’s even a sub-tropical bit, so that works for me. Next, the attractions in Oklahoma, and it seems it’s got plenty to offer.

1. The National Memorial

Let’s start with Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum is a must-see and is one of the state’s top attractions. It commemorates the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal building and you will see video accounts, hear the explosion and follow the process as the city began to heal. No, this doesn’t count as fun, but it’s inspirational and is a must-see if you are visiting Oklahoma.

2. Explore Western Heritage

Want to explore the Old West? Then check out the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. One of the best bits looks to be the 14,000 square foot Western town, Prosperity Junction, but there are also lots of exhibits which celebrate everything from rodeos to Western performers. There are also works of art and sculpture by Western artists. Read more »

How are you planning to celebrate the Memorial Day weekend? Celebrated this year from May 28-31 the three day holiday has both a serious and a fun side. The serious of course is about commemorating the war dead, a practice that first started in 1868 following the Civil War. It was then known as Decoration Day. Memorial Day itself, celebrated on the last Monday in May, became a national holiday in 1971.

Flags-In at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia

For those looking to adhere to the spirit of the holiday then one of the best places to start is with a trip to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Activities there include wreath laying, a remembrance ceremony and a concert. There is also the Flags-In ceremony which sees a flag placed in front of the gravestones of each service member buried there. The flags are placed just before the weekend and removed just after.

If you don’t happen to be near Virginia then there are lots of other memorials you can visit to commemorate the occasion. Many of these are in Washington DC but there are a few others in other parts of the country. Here’s a list of some of those memorials, courtesy of Wikipedia.

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There’s a good chance I’ll be going to Las Vegas next year, so I thought I’d check up on airport amenities, off airport parking facilities and things to do around the airport. The McCarran International Airport (LAS), to give the Las Vegas airport its full name, is about a mile from the southern Las Vegas Strip. It’s got two terminals, with a third due to open in 2011.

The airport is easy to get to and has a full range of public transport options, with buses, taxis and limos making regular airport runs. There are also about ten care hire firms on site and, if you have your own car, lots of options for airport parking and off airport parking.

Las Vegas Airport has a full range of amenities, including a bureau de change and post office, shops, slot machines (of course), secure luggage lockers, a first aid clinic and medical centers. There’s also a children’s play area, fitness centers, massage and lots and lots of restaurants. There are many nearby hotels on the strip which are suitable for conferences, and the airport is fully accessible.

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