Posts under ‘USA’

The burnt orange Golden Gate Bridge is San Francisco’s best known and loved icon. Spanning 4200 feet across San Francisco Bay the bridge built in 1937 carries six lanes of US 101, 67 metres above the water. Construction started in January of 1935 and cost 35 million dollars to complete, taking just over four years to complete and it remained the longest suspension bridge until 1964 when it was surpassed by the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge which links Brooklyn with Staten Island. The bridge colour is officially called International Orange and was painted this colour to stand out in the thick fog which San Francisco harbor readily sees. Around 120,000 vehicles use the bridge on any given day which is controlled by a toll. Pedestrians and cyclists are permitted to use the bridge on the eastern side which faces the city during daylight hours. The walk is about 1.7 miles long and can get busy especially on sunny weekends when it is a very popular pastime. Just remember it might be a nice day but it’s sure to be windy crossing the bay and the fog can roll in very quick. Many tourists visit the historic Roundhouse which houses a giftshop and historical information centre. There are a wealth of books, memorabilia and other interesting items on the Golden Gate Bridge which make great souvenirs. The Roundhouse can be found on the southern side of the bridge. The northern side of the bridge also has a popular and moving tribute, The Loan Sailor Memorial located near the Vista Point parking lot is an important US Navy Memorial.

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Well we think of Orlando, Florida as being home to the huge Walt Disney Resort, Universal Studios and Sea World but did you know that Orlando is also the Alligator capital of the world. Well Gatorland on the Orange Blossom Trail in Kissimmee not far from Mickey and his friends is home to 110 acres of Alligators, crocs and other leathery reptiles. The park dates back to 1949 and was founded by Owen Godwin who’s family still run the park today.  The park is great fun and the kid’s really love getting up close to some of the huge reptiles and there’s nothing like feeding time. The park is also an important learning and conservation area and home to many rare and threatened animals- not just reptiles but birds, amphibians and mammals.  The park takes about half a day to cover and is a great way to kick back and enjoy a little quieter pace in between the queueing and hustle and bustle of Orlando’s huge theme parks.

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Well when we think of travelling to LA you usually plan a trip to Disneyland, Universal Studios and a look around Hollywood and Rodeo Drive, but high on the list of many visitors it to check out Venice Beach. Especially on the weekends Venice Beach’s beautiful boardwalk is a colourful collection of sites from the weird to the sometimes unimaginable. There’s art and craft, music, people of all types- and I mean all types and a non stop well lets face it freak show. There’s the muscle beach enclosure as one example, where the ”beautifully fit’ exercise for not only for fitness but to be seen. There’s the freaky post modern hippies with their Rasta clothing, and of course the perfectly toned, manicured and (nipped and tucked) on show for all to see. Venice Beach is fantastic for a walk or even a bike ride along the wide paths. There’s plenty of places to stop for a eat or drink and soak up the unique atmosphere and step away into a weird world of sun and fun.
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The Roosevelt Hotel is a luxury hotel that first opened for business in 1927. built in a Spanish style the hotel is named after the 26th President of the USA, Theodore Roosavelt and has been the place to stay for Hollywood’s A list since it opened and even hosted the 1st Academy Awards Ceremony back in 1929.  Some of its more longer term residents include Clark Gable and Carole Lombard who’s old penthouse is now named in their honor. Marilyn Monroe also spent some a lot of time at the hotel as well as Montgomery Clift, both stars are said to haunt the hotel to this day with sightings of Montgomery wandering the 8th floor hall and Marilyn dancing in the ballroom. Read the rest of this entry »

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado is a large 1909 built Georgian Hotel. Built by Freelan Oscar Stanley, the man behind the Stanley Steamer, (a popular car before those new fangled internal combustion engine cars come along) the hotel has had plenty of famous guests over the years including Steven King who got the inspiration to write “The Shining” there. The hotel was even used in the 1997 TV mini series adaptation of the novel, as well as TV shows “Most Haunted”, “Ghost Hunters” and the film “Dumb and Dumber”. Many of the hotels staff and previous guests claim to have heard plenty of noises from empty rooms, as well as see things move by themselves or of other apparitions that come and go. The piano in the lobby is also often heard playing a tune despite no one being at it, staff think this may be F.O. Stanley’s late wife who did play the piano. Today the Stanley Hotel is still open as a luxury resort and also operates history and ghost tours of the building. The Stanley is situated about an hour from Denver, in front of the Rocky Mountains. Read the rest of this entry »

The Golden Nugget is the largest of the Las Vegas Downtown casinos consisting of just over 1900 guest rooms and 3500 square metres of gaming space. The casino is currently undergoing a major expansion to increase the hotel space by 500 rooms. The Golden Nugget opened in August of 1946 and is famous for its huge gold nuggets on display including the worlds largest, called the Hand of Faith it weighs in at a whopping 27.21 kilograms and was found in Australia. The Golden Nugget has some great dining options including a branch of the world famous Houston steak house Vic & Anthonys. There is also one of the best buffets downtown with live cooking stations and a huge array of tasty foods.

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The Wynn is one of the most beautiful and luxurious of the Las Vegas casino resort complexes. Located on the Las Vegas Boulevard between Riviera and Spanish styled Palazzo and opposite the Fashion Show Mall the hotel has over 2700 rooms, 10300 square metres of gaming space, and huge conference, theatre and convention facilities. It is sister to the adjacent Encore which has just been completed and doubles the facility. The complex features some amazing shopping and even is home to a Ferrari dealership- very handy after a huge win. The gardens are spectacular and grounds make up the Wynn Golf Club. For partygoers there are several great nightclubs including Tryst which includes a 90ft waterfall and lake in the centre of the club- it is quiet spectacular. For diners there is no better in Vegas, with choices like Ristorante di Mare, Bartolotta and the world famous French Alex which holds two Michelin Stars and is the restaurant of Iron Chef USA Alessandra Stratta.

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Bills Gamblin Hall and Saloon is one of the smaller entertainment complexes on the Las Vegas Boulevard and doesn’t have the glitz and glamour of the big resorts but has a great old time charm which makes it very popular with the young and elderly. Their signature attraction is one of the Strips ‘best’ Big Elvis yes you heard it right, he is a 500 plus pound impersonator of Elvis Presley and boy is he talented. The casino features just under 200 rooms and has around 1600 square metres of gaming space with all the favorites including slots, poker and a race room. There is plenty of free entertainment in the gaming rooms and drinks and food are very reasonable.

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The Aladdin was one of the first of the theme resorts on the Vegas strip, but that has made way for one of the most exciting Planet Hollywood Las Vegas. This 2600 room resort has 9300 square metres of gaming and huge show rooms and shopping strips. Just renovated the resort has one of the freshest looks on the strip. A drink or two at the Mezzanine is a must for any visitor it has spectacular views of the video walls and neon of the gaming lounge and a great way to escape the Vegas heat. Planet Hollywood has some great dining too, the Spice Market Buffet is a must for anyone hungry with an international selection of dishes. For fine Japanese its hard to go past KOI it has an amazing candle lit atmosphere and for steak lovers the Strip House offers some of Vegas’ juiciest steaks.

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The medieval themed Excalibur opened in 1990 and has been a favorite on the Las Vegas Strip. Having just over 4000 rooms and over 9300 metres of beautifully themed gaming space the casino is a treat for young and old alike. The hotel was the worlds biggest hotel at opening but many more Vegas mega hotels have claimed that title since. The resort features one of Las Vegas’ longest running and most popular shows THE Tournament of Kings. This amazing show features medieval jousting and is a lot of fun and can be done as a medieval dinner show. For the ladies there’s plenty of buff action with the Thunder from Downunder show and there is always some entertainment playing around the complex. Being a family hotel the kids haven’t been forgotten either underwater legend Sponge Bob Square Pants features in an incredible 4D adventure ride and the huge pool is one of Vegas’s best.

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