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Monthly Archives: January 2014

Chicago Auditorium Theatre

Chicago Auditorium Theatre

Credit Chicago Auditorium Theatre

The Chicago Auditorium Theatre is a miraculous building complete with large murals above the stage and on the ceiling, and the architecture is simply amazing. This auditorium is a large one, it seats 3,553 people and is seven stories tall, and more than half a city block wide. You’ll sure get some exercise finding your seat here! The walking is well worth it, each seat has a fantastic view of a different angle of the performance. This artistic building was the first large and lavish movie palace in America and soon became the prototype for all others. Construction cost nearly four million dollars for this beautiful jewel of a building. Since then it has been leaving visitors breathless with every entry and is called “the Wonder Theatre of the World”. Everything in this building is awe-inspiring, whether you come for the performance or just to look at the building, you are sure to leave pleased with your experience at the Chicago Auditorium Theatre! Visiting this building will be an experience like no other! Rarely are we presented with a building of such magnitude of attractiveness and grace such as this. This is a perfect place for anyone interested in the arts or in architecture to see a real life application of a person’s hard work and dedication, paired up with another person’s willingness to fund such a splendid building! A beautiful building wrapped up in a beautiful city with all kinds of fun and educational opportunities waiting around every corner! What’s not to love?

Millennium Park

Millenium Park and Cloud Gate at Night

Credit City of Chicago

Architecture, landscape design, and art combine together to create a wonderful display of art exhibitions in Millennium Park. Beauty is found in every glance when your educational group tour comes to visit this amazing and infamous show of creativity in the human spirit. Millennium Park has many astounding aspects and has won many awards for the innovative features, and it’s no surprise, this park is well known for its beautiful design. While visiting this amazing park, your travel group will have the wonderful opportunity to see the Pritzker Pavilion, which is the centerpiece of the park. This is contemporary outdoor concert venue that seats 4,000 and has room for an additional 7,000 on the lawn. Concerts and other events are held at the Pritzker Pavilion once a week. You may also get to see the Harris Theatre, which is fantastic for indoor concerts and theatre such as ballet or chamber choir music. The Cloud Gate is perhaps one of the most famous pieces of art in the Millennium Park. This is the bean-shaped structure that was inspired by liquid mercury. It is one of the largest of its kind of sculpture in the world. It weighs 100 tons and measures 66 feet long and 33 feet high. Visitors are welcomed to walk under and touch this beautiful piece of art that reflects a warped image of the Chicago Skyline. There are tons of beautiful attractions to see in this amazing park! Your tour group is sure to love a visit as unique and remarkable as this.

Adler Planetarium

Adler Planetarium Display with Planets

Credit City of Chicago

The Alder Planetarium has all kinds of fun space learning activities for your group to enjoy. Planetary Explorers is a fun exhibit that is sure to excite all visitors. This exhibit has three subsections, Exploring Earth, Exploring Space, and Exploring Planet X. Exploring Earth allows families to explore a home and backyard using electronic magnifying lenses that zoom in and display details on TV monitors. Exploring Space gives children the chance to role play as members of the Mission Control ground team. Families can conduct planetary research by operating rovers and space orbiters. Exploring Planet X lets young adventurers become explorers and research the surface of another planet far away. Caves and tunnels can be explored in search of water and other life. A trip to this planetarium will provide kids with all sorts of fun and factual activities they can participate in to further understand every aspect of space exploration! There is even a virtual exhibit of the universe and how we believe it has evolved over 13.7 billon years, all the way from the Big Bang to modern day. The display of our solar system will put any kid into a state of awe as they study the planets, moons, comets, and asteroids that orbit our source of life, the sun. When you visit the Alder Planetarium, you should prepare for a fun and educational experience that all kids will love. Don’t forget to take pictures! You’ll want to remember a time when your group is as happy as they will be when you visit this planetarium.

Field Museum

field museumThe Field Museum has many astounding attractions! Some of the permanent attractions include SUE the T. rex, the largest, best preserved, and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex ever found. She measures 42 feet long and has 58 lengthy teeth and is a great choice to take a selfie with! Another exhibit is “the Evolving Planet” which showcases four billion years of life on Earth and allows your educational travel group a chance to journey to the dinosaurs. While at the Field Museum, your educational tour group will get the outstanding opportunity to descend into an ancient Egyptian tomb and stare in awe at the Midwest’s largest collection of mummies! You can enter a Maori Meeting House in which actual sacred and religious rituals occurred in the New Zealand and Maori cultures, you can see ceremonial masks and treasures collected a century ago, and you can discover the workings of our human DNA! Your educational travel group will never be faced with the challenge of boredom when you visit a museum as unique and art filled as this! While at this wonderful museum, your travel group may even get the chance to see a 3D movie! Educational movies like Tiny Giants, and Titans of the Ice Age will let your feet rest while your mind runs! The Field Museum is a fantastic museum with all kinds of information to leave your head buzzing with thoughts! Your educational group tour will never forget the time they saw a real mummy and a gigantic dinosaur! If you want a museum that will force smile on a face and a fact into a mind, this is the museum for you!

Water Country USA

Busch Gardens Water Slides

Credit Water Country USA Busch Gardens

Water Country USA is a water park, located just around the corner from Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia. This destination is perfect for cooling off and taking a break from the southern summer heat. For a splashing good time, the group will enjoy various options. Examples include the following: several water slides, the rambling river, the largest wave pool in Virginia, and many other fun watery rides. If you enjoy interactive rides, your tour may want to compete with your friends on the Nitro Racer. Or, Experience the Exhilarating thrill of the twists, turns, and plummets on Big Daddy Falls! If you choose Big Daddy falls, the group will experience a white water rafting adventure of a lifetime! You will tackle curves, tunnels, drops, and cannon blasters. There are 670 feet of flumes and tunnels, making the ride live up to its name. Your group tour may want to visit Busch Gardens as well as Water country USA. If desired, the tour can obtain a pass that will include admission to both parks for the day! Or, you may purchase a ticket to gain access to the water park by itself as well. Call today and make reservations!

Historic Jamestowne

You probably know the story of Jamestowne, that it was the first permanent English settlement in the new world and that life for these early settlers was as much of a struggle as it was adventure. In Historic Jamestowne, you’ll understand their story like never before.  Historic Jamestowne includes both the original site for the settlement and a museum devoted to it. At the historic site you’ll see ruins of actual structures from the original Jamestowne. In the midst of them, there is an active archeological dig as more authentic structures are uncovered. Next to this site, you’ll find replicas of the three ships that brought the settlers to the New World as well as a recreated Powhatan Village, which was home to the natives already here. Your tour in historic Jamestown will help you understand the relationship between these cultures as you embrace their intense New World experience.

Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial home 3Colonial Williamsburg is a revolutionary city that is fascinating. The location has many options to consider. Featured options include the following: Evening Events, Dining, Shopping, and Recreation. Featured dining options include: Historic Taverns, Contemporary Cuisine, and other restaurants. The group can experience the intimate candlelight and have savory Contemporary Cuisine prepared by the Master Chefs. However, if you want tavern food, eat at one of George Washington’s favorite taverns. Recreational options include: Golf, theatrical performances, museums, and guided tours of original 18th century buildings. The city also has beautiful gardens for visitors to observe during your trip. There are plenty of stores and gift shops for your group to browse. Featured options include: Historic Shops, Gift and Museum Shops, Merchants Square and Williamsburg Stores. Historic Shops include the following: Silversmith’s Shop, Colonial Nursery, the John Greenhow Store, the Mary Dickinson Shop, Colonial Williamsburg Market Square, the Prentis Store, Tarpley’s Store, and the Post Office. Whether your group wants some recreation, guided tours or shopping Colonial Williamsburg has it all!

Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens Ride

Credit Busch Gardens

Busch Gardens Williamsburg fits in beautifully with the charm and culture of Williamsburg Virginia.  At this park you can walk straight from American history into fascinating European culture.  Each section of the park is themed after a different country – France, England and Scotland, Italy, Ireland, and Germany.  The story of each of these cultures is then told through musical performances, dining, and amazing rides.  Busch Gardens has massive, exciting roller coasters named for legendary creatures.  The Griffon was a mythical bird that was part eagle and part lion.  The coaster of the same name throws you down a 70 mph drop at a 90-degree angle. Apollo’s Chariot is consistently voted in top 10 steel coaster lists with 9 amazing plummets of its own.  And Busch Gardens also boasts the Big Bad Wolf and the Loch Ness Monster, which flings you 13 stories in the air and 114 feet down.  With all that and so much more, Busch Gardens Williamsburg is sure to become one of your favorite theme parks in the country.

Beach and Boardwalk

The Virginia Beach Boardwalk is bustling with activity. Your group will never have a dull moment when visiting this fun destination. The boardwalk features a variety of attractions for visitors to experience. The boardwalk has amusement attractions, museums, live stages, restaurants, and a resort area. You can also learn about some of the famous citizens who have lived in the area such as Thomas Jefferson, Robert E. Lee, and Edgar Allen Poe at the Virginia Legends Walk. Take time to enjoy the scenery around you and have fun! If you enjoy museums, the boardwalk has several to visit. Featured museums include the following: Virginia Air and Space Center, Nauticus, USS Wisconsin, Wallops Flight Facility, The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Chrysler Museum of Art, The Casemate Museum, and Virginia Living Museum. The Museum of Contemporary Art contains displays of unique artwork. If you enjoy different types of food, the Virginia Beach boardwalk has plenty of choices. Featured Restaurants include: Chix Sea Grill and Bar, Surf Club Ocean Grill, Sweet Frog, the 501 City Grill, Beach Pub, Tripps Restaurant, and Maverick Mystery Dinner Theater. Come with your group and enjoy all the Virginia Beach boardwalk has to offer!

Exploring America > U.S. Cities > Virginia Beach Tours

Motor World

Motor World is full of some of the highest thrills in Virginia Beach. Devoted especially to the thrill of racing, Motor World has all kinds of other excitement too. Their specialty is their racetracks, and there are several to choose from with different styles of twists and turns and different car designs. There is definitely a racetrack for everyone here. Besides the track though, Motor World also has bumper cars, miniature golf, and a climbing wall. For the really daring, they offer a 1, 2, or 3-person flight on Skycoaster, the sling-like ride that takes you 130 feet in the air before releasing you to your 70 mph flight. And Splat Zone is their paintball field with 2 different courses for ultimate paint war fun.

Exploring America > U.S. Cities > Virginia Beach Tours