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Cheap Weekend Getaway to Philadelphia

Love flowers?  Why not head to Philadelphia for the annual Philadelphia Flower Show for a cheap weekend getaway. The flower show runs for an entire week. This year it was scheduled to take place on March 2nd until March 9th.

The 2008 Philadelphia Flower Show takes place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. It is the oldest flower and garden show in the United States, and is said to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world. Admissions to this flower show ranges from $24 to $28 for adults and $13 to $17 for children.  Bonus:  A family or group package is also available for only $21.50. The exhibits all throughout the duration of the event teach spectators how to beautify their gardens with the usual as well as exotic plants. Apt to the event's theme this year, Jazz It Up!, the Pennsylvania Convention Center is decorated with large floating piano keys and musical notes. You are sure to enjoy yourselves in this cheap weekend getaway once you enter the Rhythm Rooms Jazz Club. The center is literally an indoor garden with a series of vines all around, floral chandeliers, palm trees and more.

Aside from the abundance of flowers and other plants, there is one more essential factor in this event that is present all week: music! In the parade, traditional street dancing from the Big Easy occurs. Other local musical acts are Big Sam, Hoppin' Jam Orchestra and UCC Brass Band. These acts all perform at the Bourbon Street Stage. If the street gets too crowded for you, you do not have to worry about not being able to enjoy some music for this cheap weekend getaway. Head to the Legends Stage where homegrown talents such as Sam Ruttenberg, Denise Bruckno, and the Crosstown Brass Quintet perform classical and contemporary jazz genres.

The Philadelphia Flower Show's Competitive Class division exhibits thousands of plants, collections and flower arrangements for hundreds of different categories. This competition is judged by hundreds of judges coming from all over the United States. On this cheap weekend getaway, you get to witness the announcement of winners and the awarding ceremonies during the Philadelphia Flower Show's last day on Sunday, March 9th.

This show is a haven for those people blessed with the green thumb, or those who are interested to learn some gardening. Special attractions at the show include lectures on flower arrangement, growing orchids, container gardening, landscaping, techniques on how to repel pests and more. Other things you might find interesting at the show are gardening information from experts, culinary artistry and shopping. At the shops, you will find unique gardening books and other reading materials that will help you "jazz up" your lawn.

Conclude your weekend getaway with a visit to the Marketplace. Enjoy good buys and good deals from over 150 quality vendors. At the Marketplace, you will find sculptures, gardening tools, plants, bonsai, orchids, artworks, garden decors and furniture, jewelry, handicrafts, birdhouses, glassware and more.

The experience at the Philadelphia Flower Show not only is a fun trip. It is also very informative, especially for those who love gardening and those who want to learn. With all the exhibits, the lectures and the great deals on tools and plants, this cheap weekend getaway offers long term rewards in terms of gardening.

Romantic Weekend Getaway to Washington, DC

Washington, DC and cherry blossom trees are the perfect ingredients for a romantic weekend getaway. Spring is finally on its way. After months of waiting for the sun to come out and the temperature to be warmer, it is finally here. Join the hundreds of thousands of other people and welcome spring will the blooming flowers at the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual event that commemorates the 1912 gift of Japanese cherry trees from Tokyo to Washington, DC to enhance the relationship between the United States and Japan. To accommodate all the prepared events, the festival has stretched into a 2-week event from March 29 until April 13 this year, scoping three weekends - that gives you three chances to go to Washington, D.C. and have your romantic weekend getaway while the festival takes place.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival takes place in the city, surrounding the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin. One of the first things you might want to do for your romantic weekend getaway is to go for an early morning walk and picnic on the Tidal Basin to avoid the rush of the crowd. You can bring your own breakfast and enjoy each other's company and the beautiful weather. After this, rent out a 2-passenger paddle boat for only $8 per hour and view the Jefferson Memorial and Japanese Cherry Trees from the water. Or, if you want to know more about the history of the cherry blossom trees and the festival, you can have a Cherry Blossom Tour with a National Park Service Ranger for free! If you still have enough time before the scheduled event in the morning commences, take the 3-hour City Scooter Tour to see the memorials and monuments along the Tidal Basin and National Mall.

From the first to the very last day, the National Cherry Blossom Festival has special events for everyone to enjoy. The Opening Day Festivities is a day-long event with dozens of activities, special performances and ceremonial speeches by the city officials and other dignitaries. Other activities include sports competitions, tree planting, art shows, concerts and cultural performances, martial arts demonstrations, the Washington Savoyards' rendition of The Mikado, fireworks display on board the Spirit Cruises, marching bands, a Gala Dinner Cruise and more! Whatever weekend you choose to have your romantic getaway, you are both sure to find something interesting for you to do together.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade is the largest event of the year in Washington, D.C. It will be a great romantic weekend getaway to actually experience it. The parade consists of decorated floats, huge colorful balloons, clowns, antique vehicles, horses, marching bands from different schools across the nation and celebrity performances or appearances.

Experience a different kind of street party at the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival. It is one of the major events of the National Cherry Blossoms Festival, and the biggest Japanese street gathering in the whole country. Have a look at one-of-a-kind Japanese gardening display and floral arrangements from the exhibits of Japanese bonsai trees and more. Through this street festival, your romantic weekend getaway will allow you to learn some culinary techniques with a cooking demonstration of Japanese cuisine. Some highlights of the Sakura Matsuri are koto music, classical and folk dances and taiko drums performances, martial arts demonstrations of disciplines that originated or are developed in Japan, Japanese arts and crafts, Japanese Beer Gardens featuring the Kirin Ichiban beer and more.

Of course, romantic weekends are not complete without romantic dining.  Enjoy special meals at any of Washington's Cherry Picks, a number of restaurants around Washington, D.C. that add cherries to their menu and to their recipes during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Then, take your partner for a horse-drawn carriage ride.  A lot of couples specifically choose this romantic way to enjoy the cherry blossoms, that is why reservations are highly recommended for this.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an experience to remember. The scent of the cherry blossom trees and all of the other flowers that bloom in springtime are the kind of aroma perfect for a romantic weekend getaway.

Williamsburg, Virginia Family Vacation

A trip to Williamsburg, Virginia should be in your list of family vacation ideas. Williamsburg is one of the cities included in the Historic Triangle of Virgina, along with Jamestown and Yorktown. There are a lot of interesting sights that come with equally interesting facts in Williamsburg that will tickle the minds of both adults and children.

Going to Williamsburg is very easy to do. It is only a few hours away from Washington, DC, and certainly within driving distance for Atlanta and Jacksonville Florida.  Williamsburg is particularly known for Colonial Williamsburg. It is a 301-acre community of restored 18th century infrastructures. You will find yourself going back in time as you wander about the buildings, houses, shops, taverns, outbuildings and other structures in their original foundation. The highlights of Colonial Williamsburg are the historic sites - Governor's Palace, Capitol, Peyton Randolph, Releigh Tavern, George Wythe House and James Geddy House and Foundry - and the indoor museums - Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum and DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum.

A family vacation is not complete without spending a day at a theme park! Visit Williamsburg's Busch Gardens and experience thrilling rides. Get ready to have your heartbeat racing as you ride the Loch Ness Monster roller coaster and Griffon (the world's tallest and first floorless dive coaster). Also, if your family love scary stories and fright attractions, be sure to visit the theme park's Howl-O-Scream and scream all your lungs out!

Have a great family bonding time at Williamsburg's Go-Karts Plus. The attraction spans 8 acres with four tracks for the whole family to enjoy. Race around an oval track on a replica of your favorite NASCAR cars. There are other activities in Go-Karts Plus that promises loads of fun for the family such as the Kiddie Land, bumper cars, bumper boats, miniature golf course, arcade and other games with prizes.

Next visit Historic Yorktown, Historic Jamestown and President's Park and learn history with your children while exploring the different sights, studios, galleries and museums dedicated to preserving the American heritage. From these attractions, you will also get the chance to learn about the early permanent English settlements in the country.  Don't forget to spend some time learning about the  Native American heritage and visit the Powhatan Indian Village nearby, which was home to Pocahontas.

The idea of going on a family vacation is to discover as much as you can about the place you visit. These are just some of the things you can do in Williamsburg, Virginia. Nearby cities in Williamsburg also offer a different set of attractions and activities for the family that you might want to check out. The Virginia Arts Festival in Norfolk, Virginia coming on the 23rd until the 25th of May this year, for instance, promises participants and spectators a fun time of great music and other things. It will be the ultimate weekend in one of the country's most historic settings.

The museums, other historical sights and the more energy-required attractions like the Busch Gardens and the Go-Kart Plus really made the trip to Williamsburg, Virginia a complete package for family fun. No doubt, you can count on this as one of the best family vacation ideas you have ever had.

Guided Alaska Family Vacation

The best way to fully grasp the things you hear and read about the hypnotizing beauty of Alaska is to have an Alaska family vacation yourself. A state so big and full of wonderful sights and sounds, it will take an entire lifetime to discover everything that Alaska contributes to the world. Taking a guided Alaska vacation with a reputable company like All Alaska Tours provides you more than just a handful once-in-a-lifetime experiences as there are so many things to explore in Alaska that you can rarely find anywhere else in the world - fjords, glaciers, flight-seeing and flight-fishing, sled dog races, grizzly bears, orcas and moose.

Listening to stories and looking into the itineraries of travelers who have visited Alaska would only give you an idea of what Alaska really is, and would make you yearn to be able to describe it using your own words as seen by your own eyes. So you plan your Alaska family vacation as carefully as possible, making sure the only thing you worry about when you get there is to absorb and enjoy everything. Going to unfamiliar places can be quite stressful and dreadful. That is why there is nothing more relieving than knowing that there are two friendly long time Alaskans, Bob and Carolyn of All Alaska Tours, to show you around the place they know by heart. With sets of fun-filled activities included in their itineraries, discovering Alaska with Bob and Carolyn will guarantee you a family vacation that will certainly be carved in your memory and your children's as well.

Get ready to know Alaska the way you should through this 11 days-10 nights itinerary that All Alaska Tours prepared for you. Well-experienced in handling group tours, Bob and Carolyn will let you enjoy Alaska as if it were your family's playground with activities that will allow you to discover the natural world, participate in outdoor activities, meet new people - locals and fellow travelers alike, and, most of all, have a fun Alaska vacation with your family.

All Alaska Tours promises that your family vacation to Alaska starts as soon as you step foot on Alaskan soil, Anchorage, to be precise as they take care of your transfer from the airport to the very reputable Hotel Alyeska in Girdwood. The Hotel Alyeska has amenities you would want any hotel to have and more. More being the aerial tram ride, which is something the children would really want to do, and the Seven Glaciers Restaurant that sits a good 2,300 feet above the Hotel Alyeska on a mountain ridge accessible only through, you guessed it, the aerial tram!

The entirety of this Alaska family vacation offers you everything but the ordinary. You get to experience not the usual relaxation as you share tables with fellow Alaska adventurers for meals, gold panning at the Crow Creek gold mine where you keep all the gold you find, cruising through Prince William Sound via the Alaska Ferry, island hopping to Cordova that brims with wildlife and a very hospitable lodge affiliated with All Alaska Tours, informative glacier excursions where a naturalist specifically points out the effects of global warming to the glaciers, park visits to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Denali National Park and a dog race popularly known as the Iditarod Sled Dog Race.

The tour is tailored with an easy schedule to allow you to enjoy this vacation to Alaska stress-free and more alone-time with your family compared to any other tours in the world. You get to enjoy outdoor activities such as sea kayaking, biking or just walking around and exploring the vicinity on your own. There are still some more activities not included in the tour that you might want to do with your family that Bob and Carolyn will be most happy to organize for you like bear viewing and guided salmon fishing. In addition to that, if you wish to spice up your Alaska family vacation with something cultural and historical, your tour guides will not only organize a walking tour for you, but also lead the tour to the accessible shops, restaurants and trail systems in Anchorage, and also a visit to the Anchorage Museum of History and Art.

As warm the welcome was, so is the farewell. Allow Bob and Carolyn to indulge your family and the rest of your Alaska vacation group with a very sumptuous farewell dinner. Take this opportunity to take in all of Alaska that you have seen and experienced during your stay. More importantly, reflect on how your relationship with, not only your family but your fellow travelers and tour guides as well, flourished into a new level of friendship. Still with enough time to spare before your flight the next day, you have a choice to conclude your Alaska family vacation to explore Anchorage by yourselves or with one last activity with your tour guides.

Discovering Alaska with the help of All Alaska Tours will definitely make your family vacation such a breeze. Your memories of this Alaska family vacation will not only be filled with all things Alaska, but also with the new friends who shared the experience with you.

Louisiana: Baton Rouge, Family Vacation Ideas – Stargazing, Bayou Adventures, and Beignets

Imagine a family vacation spot with beignets, caf au lait, and etouffe, plus Zydeco, Blues and Cajun music – a place where having fun is easy. Days include spotting alligators, living history, water rides and sky watching; nights include music, theatre, delicious menus and maybe a fais do do.  You are imagining Baton Rouge - a place where it is easy to create your own Cajun family vacation and share joie de vivre (zhwah duh viv-re) with your kids.

Remember using a hoe? Maybe not but, The LSU Rural Life Museum docents demonstrate rural life and make it look easy. The museum is divided into three sections: The Louisiana Folk Architecture features seven buildings showing divergent construction traits and cultural influences of Louisiana settlers. The second section, entitled the Barn, displays hundreds of artifacts associated with everyday rural life from prehistoric times up to the early 20th century. The third section, the Working Plantation, features a complex of buildings which have been authentically furnished to reconstruct all the major activities of daily life on a typical 19th century working plantation. Bonus points: Annual events created for children are held in October and December featuring living history demonstrations, storytelling, music, food and fun. 

Get creative, feel the fun. The Louisiana Arts and Science Museum has something to inspire everyone, from art exhibitions and workshops to hands-on science exhibits and treasures from eastern Egypt. Discovery Depot is a creative, interactive area that teaches basic art concepts while another area of the museum, Science Station Gallery & Lab, demonstrates scientific concepts. The planetarium shows make the night sky and distant galaxies come alive. Bonus points: For a surreal sensory experience take in one of the high energy multimedia light shows complete with surround sound and music. Pink Floyd has never sounded so good. Need to know: From March to June the LASM is hosting “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World” offers a rare peek into the imagination and creative genius of Jim Henson (1963-1990), creator of Sesame Street, the Muppets, Fraggle Rock, and more.

Cast your vote. Standing on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River is Louisiana’s Old State Capital, one of the state’s greatest Gothic architectural structures. The building is now the Museum of Political History. Rewarding for kids as well as adults, the facility features many interactive exhibits and hands-on activities designed to teach children voting process, Louisiana history and heritage. Bonus points: The museum offers a special tour book for children: “Check out the OSC.”  Need to know: Children six years of age and younger are admitted free of charge.

Walk on the wild side. More than 1800 animals reside at beautiful Baton Rouge Zoo. The zoo is divided into many different zones: The Otter Pond features a replicated fishing cabin with underwater viewing of the otters, while L’aquarium de Louisiane features the fish, reptile and amphibians of Louisiana, rare and colorful birds from the tropics can be found in “Parrot Paradise”. The zoo also has a live animal show with Asian elephants, and a narrated tour of the zoo on the White Tiger Train. Bonus points: The zoo even has specific zone for youngsters – the Safari Playground and the KidsZoo where kids can have hands-on encounters with farm animals.

Have some Southern fun. Dixie Landin’ Amusement Park is fun at its best. There are twenty-six rides, ten games, retail shopping, and of course fair food. The special Kiddie Section of the park features small-scale rides for the young ones including: “The Delta Crop Dusters,” “Gasoline Alley” and the spectacular “Grand Carousel.” Several of the rides at the park are designed to be enjoyed as a family – the Iron Horse Train travels over ½ a mile around the park perimeter, while the “Gilbeau Galaxi” is a family roller coaster and both the “Giant Wheel” and the “Grand Carousel” are meant to be enjoyed by everyone. Need to know: Partnered with Dixie Landin’ is the Blue Bayou Waterpark (open for the summer season), offering families a way to stay cool while having fun. Bonus points: Tickets for Dixie Landin’ and Blue Bayou give visitors two great parks for the price of just one.

Explore small town history. Sharing living history with your kids is always rewarding and Zachary Historic Village makes the sharing easy with three 1900-era homes. Miss Sis’ Magic House makes connection with early school days. The Victorian McHugh House showcases the richness of an earlier time. And the Allison Farm House where docents demonstrate daily life in early 20th century Zachary. Bonus points: Recently The Village has expanded to include the Barn and a Native American settlement with lots of hands-on activities for children and adults. Need to know: Alongside the historic buildings there is a picturesque nature trail – great for burning energy.

Walk on the wild side. The Global Wildlife Center located in Folsom is the largest free-roaming wildlife preserve in the country – the 900 acre reserve is home to more than 3,000 exotic, endangered, and threatened animals from all around the world. A standard tour of the reserve in covered wagons takes roughly an hour and a half and there are several opportunities to feed and interact with the animals. Bring your camera.  Bonus points: The reserve welcomed two new baby giraffes this past summer and kids can submit ideas for baby names on the website.

Face down a gator in the bayou. One of the highlights of travel to Louisiana is exploring the majestic wonder of the Louisiana bayou. Alligator Bayou, located only 15 minutes from Baton Rouge, offers families tours of the wild and beautiful wilderness of the Spanish Lake Basin, home to alligators, birds, cultural history and the Cajun joie de vivre. Cajun culture has thrived in and around the swamps, bayous and lakes of Louisiana for almost 300 years. Alligator Bayou invites families to laugh and learn during their entertaining eco-swamp tour. For an up-close look at the native gators check out the Alligator Bayou 15-acre eco-habitat, the spot to see a  gator show and watch the giant alligator snapping turtles in the freshwater pond. Bonus points: To extend the experience, stay overnight in one of Alligator Bayou’s one-of-a-kind Cajun cottages.

Sharing a sense of place can’t be beat when it comes to making memories and Baton Rouge is authentic Louisiana. Create your own Cajun family vacation and share joie de vivre (zhwah duh viv-re) with your kids. Baton Rouge Area CVB 730 North Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. Toll-free 1-800-LA ROUGE (1-800-527-6843), (225)838-1825 or www.bracvb.com

Planning Details
Louisiana Arts and Science Center 100 South River Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802. 1(225) 344-5242 or www.lasm.org

Louisiana’s Old State Capitol 100 North Boulevard at River Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70801. 1(225) 342-0500 or www.sos.louisiana.gov

LSU Rural Life Museum 4650 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809. 1(225) 765-2437 or www.rurallife.lsu.edu    

Blue Bayou Waterpark & Dixie Landin’ Amusement Park 1942 Perkins Road,
1842 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810. 1(225) 753-3333 or www.bluebayou.com

Zachary Historic Village 4524 Virginia Street, Zachary, Louisiana 70791. 1(226) 654-1912 or www.zachary.la.nww.net/historical

Global Wildlife Center 26389 Highway 40, Folsom, Louisiana 70437. 1(504) 624-WILD or www.globalwildlife.com

Baton Rouge Zoo 3601 Thomas Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70807. 1(225) 642-8297 or www.brzoo.org

Alligator Bayou Swamp Tours 3509 Alligator Bayou Road, Prairieville, Louisiana 70769. 1(225) 642-8297 or www.alligatorbayou.com

Content created by FamilyTravelFiles.com. Images provided by Baton Rouge CVB. Copyright 2008.

Glacier Family Expeditions In Alaska

The desire to see the glaciers in Alaska is one of the reasons why people take their Alaska family vacations. In Alaska, there are many ways to see the glaciers up-close. All you have to do is choose one that will fit your interest and travel budget.

Numerous day cruises set off everyday to cater to families vacationing in Alaska. These cruises include sailing past the glaciers in very close proximity. All Alaska Tours is a great company that can take you through the Glacier Bay. Some take you past the Hubbard Glacier. Be sure to charge your digital cameras because you would not want to leave the cruise without taking pictures. Making your way past the glaciers, you will see many of the glaciers calving, which is a process of breaking at an edge so that a portion of the glacier separates. Although calving is a normal process for glaciers, it has been alarmingly accelerated due to the drastic climate change the whole world is experiencing right now. A naturalist is usually on board the cruise to guide you through the things you will encounter, and will educate on the issue of global warming and the impact on the glaciers.

Flight seeing is another way to see glaciers. Being on board a small plane or a helicopter would most likely be the highlight of your Alaska family vacation, especially for the kids. These flight seeing tours usually fly you over the glaciers allowing you to have the best bird's-eye view. The craft then lands on the glacier itself. Thanks to the special anti-slip boots, you get to set foot on a glacier! Picture taking is most definitely allowed, so click your cameras to your heart's content.

Notes: Flight seeing is a very popular activity in Alaska and thousands of people visiting the state choose to do this for the very same reason you would. Be sure to book your family for this activity well ahead. Bear in mind that flight seeing tours are canceled on bad weather conditions upon the discretion of the tour operators.

Glacier expeditions are also possible via kayak, canoe or a catamaran. The kayak or canoe ride from Juneau will get you within a mile to the Mendenhall Glacier. If you are traveling big, 10-person canoes are available for your family. Coming from Anchorage, you can take a train ride to Spencer Lake and have a canoe adventure to Spencer Glacier where you are allowed to walk on it. Or if you want a faster ride, travel 90 miles from Anchorage to Whittier and rent out a high-speed catamaran. This ride will take you to the glaciers in Prince William Sound.

Another glacier encounter option that is easy on the pockets is hiking. Aside from it being a good recreational activity and opportunity to exercise during your vacation in Alaska with your family, hiking can also provide you the opportunity to see some glaciers. From Downtown Juneau, you can drive 12 miles to Mendenhall Glacier. Aside from Mendnhall, you may also hike to Portage Glacier just south of Anchorage. Two hours from Anchorage is the Glenn Highway where Matanuksa Glacier is just around the corner. In Seward, head to the Kenai Fjords National Park to hike to Exit Glacier.

While you are at Seward, warm up with a hot cocoa and treat the children some more to the the major attractions in the city - the Alaska SeaLife Center and the Mitch Seavey's Dog Kennel Tour. The Alaska SeaLife Center houses nautical animals your kids will sure love to see and interact with. The Dog Kennel Tour allows you to experience a two-mile dog sled ride to give you an idea of what the very famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog feels like. In this tour, you will also get to meet the very huskies that compete in the race and cuddle their adorable puppies.

Whatever your choice of glacier expedition is, your family will sure have a blast. The unmatched glacier experience will make this Alaska family vacation something your family will always remember.