Shurr Adventures is a great kayaking company in the Everglades National Park close to Naples and Fort Myers. They offer guided trips through the Everglades and big cypress area. We learned a lot about the flora and fauna of the area and got to paddle through the mangroves and in the ten thousand island. It was the best part of our vacation and we are going back to do it again.
Everglades City, Fl www.shurradventures.net
Afairly basic bar about 10 minutes by taxi from downtown (and don't walk back to your hotel), this is THE place to go for bluegrass. We were just about the only members of the audience who weren't musicians, as most people got up and did a turn at some point in the evening. A couple of guys from the Del McCoury Band were there. I told them I'd seen them on UK TV, on the Jules Holland show, and they signed their latest (at the time) CD.This was the highlight of our trip to Tennessee.No entry fee.
402 12th Avenue South
Unexpectedly good Middle-Eastern restaurant. A great combination of flavors create really super dishes. Friendly staff and good decor, but the food is really the star here. Not cheap, but definitely worth a visit.
123 3rd Street North
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 746-5533
www.saffronmpls.com/
Google map: tinyurl.com/yb8hs9r
New super-cool home of the Guthrie Theater. I hear the plays are great, but the building is something special. Architect is Jean Nouvel. An endless bridge points over the Mississippi and the building sits beautifully within this newly renovated mill-working area. Stunning and serene. (And there's a fab seafood restaurant there too.)
818 South 2nd Street
Minneapolis, MN 55415
www.guthrietheater.org/
Google map: tinyurl.com/ybnv6fe
Trendy hotel for budget travellers. Designy, but not expensive. Cool location, just round the corner from the excellent Guthrie Theater. Friendly staff, but really the design's the star.
Metrodome station, 2 stops from down-town. 900 Washington Av South. 2 blocks from the mighty Mississippi.
www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels
Google map: tinyurl.com/yhhpy62
It's a proper pub (an American one, not a faux Brit pub). It's been on Mercer Island since 1914 (apparently popular during prohibition.) It is still locally owned and is a real institution.
1825 72nd Ave SE, Mercer Island, WA, 98040, USA
(206)-232-0800
Google map: tinyurl.com/ycgrf4u
www.facebook.com/pages/Mercer-Island-WA/Roanoke-Inn-Tavern/43012503868
This is a tour of the old city which is now underground. Great, interesting and fun tour.
Bicycle - this is one of the best ways to see NYC. There are a lot of bike friendly areas, like Central Park, Hudson River Park bicycle path, Brooklyn Bridge. These company offers nice bicycles for hire. We chose a bike tour in NYC. These guys showed us best places in New York and it was a lot of fun. So for those who like cycling - i strongly recommend this company, they located just one block from Central Park.
Usually, alot of limousine companies in Chicago offering airport transportation, charge more to tourists or visitors from other countries, but I had a great experience with Chicago Limo Service. They charge what their rate is their drivers guide you to really interesting tourist spots.
www.chicago-wedding-limo.com
773-237-5466
3138 N Austin Ave, Chicago, IL 60634
Google map: tinyurl.com/ya3ktcm
Southern cusine is America's most distinctive. I've found few better places in Dixie than Arnolds to experience the genuine article. The mystery of all those obese folks you've observed will be solved.
605 8th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203
+1 (615) 256-4455
Google map: tinyurl.com/ybgqesu
Monument Valley in the Four Corners area is great for hiking and just taking in the beauty of the west as it must have been! It was also the setting for more Western movies than any other location. You can watch some of the old westerns filmed here online. Start out with "John Ford's American West"
www.utah.com/monumentvalley/
www.westernmania.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/ybep5vv
I tried public tours and while they are cheaper, a private tour is much more personalised and inclusive. The group size is small and limited to friends (or family). Their New York City walking tours are pretty comprehensive yet leisurely.
How you get there (to Yosemite) is important. If you have the time and some patience come by way of Maripossa. Entering from the south west. Follow route 41 north. As you wind your way towards the park the mountains are beautiful. But really "you ain't seen nuttin yet". There's a tunnel you will drive through. As you exit it turn left into the parking lot and walk to the edge. Just trust me, the miles you have travelled to get there will be forgoten. Make sure you have your camera, and good luck not looking like a total goof as your jaw hits the pavement "not literally please".
Sit there, try to grasp for the words to describe this vision. Good luck with that one, i couldn't. Make reservations well in advance to stay at Camp Curry and leave nothing in your car with an aroma. BEARS! If you really want to splurge. Stay at the Ahwahnee hotel on the valley floor and ask Kathy the Concierge for the best views and hikes. Tell her Matt say's "hey". Enjoy, slow down get out there, walk, climb or sit and watch the Merced river race away through the valley. Trust me you will never see the world the same. The place stays with you. Peace, Matt.
www.yosemite.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/y9jnnuh
The best place to see the Northern Lights is Chena Hot Springs, in the middle of an Alaskan winter. During the day you can explore the Alaskan wilderness by cross country skis, snowmobile or dog sled (why not learn to mush your own dog team?). To appreciate the scale of the vast empty space you can even take to the air in the ski plane. Nearby is the city of Fairbanks and the downhill ski-resort at Moose Mountain.
Night time, however, is set aside for one thing only – the Northern lights. The purpose built viewing room is ideal to enjoy the light show in comfort, but to get the best views you can take a snow-cat tour which provides ideal opportunities for taking some stunning photographs.
Finally, the ultimate experience, absolutely the best way to experience the surreal phenomena that is the Northern Lights, is to run through the snow at -40oC, plunge into the warm outdoor spring pool and admire their ethereal beauty while floating in the healing waters – Incredible!
www.chenahotsprings.com
Chena Hot Springs Resort
P.O.Box 58740
Fairbanks, AK
99711
Phone: 907-451-8104
Google map: tinyurl.com/ydolx6p
Yukon territory is a spectacular place to view the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. Located on the border of Alaska and British Columbia in the Canadian Northwest Territories, its population of 31,000 has remained constant since 1900. The capital, Whitehorse, is a welcoming yet remote destination that is the best place to view the lights. Warm your cockles by a log fire with a steaming cup of tea in preparation for sunset. Once the sun goes down, the bright stars come out, and during August and September, so do the ripples of green sulfurous gases and oxygen emissions that form the Northern Lights. The impressive sight illuminates the sky in dancing patterns on certain nights of the year. So wrap up warm and head to Yukon to catch a sight you will never forget.
Fly to Vancouver, Edmonton or Calgary from London Heathrow then get a connecting flight to Whitehorse International Airport.
www.auroraborealisyukon.com/
Google map: tinyurl.com/yayzn8t
It's in an excellent location not far from Union Square with trendy cafes within 100 meters. Rooms are ensuite and a lot more effort put in to the overall quality of the hostel than you will generally find in all of NYC hostels.
27 East 7th St
New York City
(212) 228-0828 Phone
reservations@villageinnhostel.com
www.villageinnhostel.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/yb87vtj
Every room has been painted to a high standard by a local artist. Excellent service. They also won Best Hostel USA 2008.
2327 2ND AVE .
SEATTLE WA 98121
1-206-706-3255
reservations@hostelseattle.com
www.hostelseattle.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/yeqpgea
We recommend the Grand Canyon's South Rim in winter, even if you haven't got the time to hike down and stay at Phantom Ranch. Once you get away from the village you lose the people and there is lots of good flat walking along the canyon edge. It is worth staying overnight so that you can see the sunset and/or sunrise from the various vantage points. Bright Angel and El Tovar are good places to stay but the best Bright Angel cabins have canyon views and fireplaces. We stayed in one of the other lodges - not as attractive (look a bit like motels) but we had a great view over the canyon. You can book all of the accommodation online, but we arrived early afternoon and were able to find a room during half term. You can also eat at El Tovar even if you are not staying and it is a worthwhile experience. There is also a free bus which connects the central viewpoints. The western part of the rim trail is accessible by car/foot in winter whereas in summer this road is closed but served by park bus. We walked along the rim around Hermit's Rest and saw hardly anyone.
National Park Service has a very good website and the section on the Grand Canyon NP is one of the best (webcams etc). Grand Canyon in the snow is definitely not to be missed. Relatively few people, especially if you get away from the village in the middle of the day when the tourbuses and train arrive.
www.grandcanyonlodges.com/bright-angel-lodge-408.html
www.grandcanyonlodges.com/
www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm
Google map: tinyurl.com/y95ams7
Amuse is an upscale wine bar located in the Honolulu Design Center. They offer a wide variety of wines from all over the world. Perhaps more interesting than what they offer is how they offer it. When you arrive at Amuse you can purchase a charge card, which you then use to sample the wines from thier high tech bottle racks. each botttle is tapped and dispense wine in 1oz increments.
HONOLULU DESIGN CENTER
On Kapiolani between Pensacola &
Piikoi St. 1250 Kapiolani Blvd.
www.honoluludesigncenter.com/
www.amusewinebar.com/
Google map: tinyurl.com/ydg685y
A welcoming theme-park cultural centre introducing the diverse takes across the Pacific of being Polynesian as a pan-global cultural phenomenon without boundaries.