US Travel

Grand Canyon Walkway

September 9, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Grand Canyon West, an attraction owned by the Hualapai Indian tribe 120 miles east of Las Vegas, is also known as the grand canyon walkway, has a new visitors center and air terminal, which opened Saturday.

The site is best known for its 3-year-old Sky walk, a $30 million glass-and-steel platform that juts 65 feet off the canyon’s rim, enabling a bird’s-eye view of the canyon 4,000 feet below.

Exciting View of the Grand Canyon

The 22-year-old tribal tourist enterprise also sports reproduction Indian dwellings, an Old West town with Western entertainment (think cowboy shootouts — ironically, sans Indians) and Hummer tours alongside the grand canyon walkway..

But its remote location has limited visitation, at least compared to the Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim tourist hub, which lies about 250 road miles east of the attraction.

The tribe says it will open a wider runway by the end of 2010 year, making air tours from Southern California possible.

As you can see from the picture to the side here, the grand canyon walkway looks like it is just suspended in midair and from people I have talked to in the past it was pretty short of amenities so these additions are very welcome indeed.

Seaworld Orlando

August 29, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

Seaworld Orlando was one of the highlights of our trip to Orlando and the reason really was because of not only the sea life and learning about the animals but also because there were some great roller coasters that my don just loved. If you have already been to Seaworld, then I recommend checking out these Family Amusement Parks for some new adventures.

Seaworld Orlando Shamu Show

The big show of course is the Shamu show in the Shamu Stadium amphitheater, we saw the show in San Diego last year but this one seemed to be on a much bigger scale even though the San Diego show was already a huge attraction.

We were lucky enough to sit right near the front in the Splash Zone.

Of course the adults never want to sit in the splash zone but every kid sure does. I can tell you that water is very very salty and sticky like the ocean after you dry off 🙂

Another thing we really liked at Seaworld Orlando was the dolphin show.

The show is as much about the dancing and acrobatics of the performers as much as it is about the dolphins. It really is a spectacle and in some ways we liked it a lot better than the Shamu show.

Manta Roller Coaster

This was the first time that my son really had the nerve to go on a roller coaster and every park brought him to a bigger an better one. The biggest coaster in Seaworld is the Kraken but it was a little too big for a 10 year old.

Instead we went on the Manta Roller coaster. It was awesome as instead of sitting in a car you actually hang in the ride (very well bolted in) and we spun around at high speeds. My son said that the Manta was the best Roller Coaster he ever went on.

Lots Of Fish To Learn About And See

Seaworld Orlando has lot of exhibits and lots of opportunities to learn bout fish and their habitats.

We all learned a lot and the kids are like little sponges, they now have a much better understanding of the ocean, the habitat of different fish, and what it takes to sustain the ecosystem that the fish live in.

I was surprised and really happy to see that instead of only having rides and shows that Seaworld will also teach us all about animals and sustaining sealife.

Antarctica: Empire of the Penguins

This is a new exhibit and there is quite the lineup for this. Really, how often do you get to see penguins up close. There is a ride that starts you off with a little story about a little penguin and then when you get off the ride you are inside the area with the penguins and get to see and hear them.

Fantastic for a few minutes and as much as we loved seeing it the lineup was a little too long for young kids that just want to see a penguin and move on.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

November 19, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Aside from the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park is the best place in San Diego to see animals. Over the spread of 1,800 acres, the animal park gives animals the room they need to roam and play.

The animals here play just like they do in the wild, which almost makes you feel as if you are in their native of Africa and Asia.

Throughout the 30 year history of the animal park, the Noah’s Ark symbol of endangered species has grown to dozens upon dozens of animals.

Now, every Arabian Oryx found in the wild is the descendant stock from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

What do see in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

In the park, there are many different paths you can take to visit the smaller animal exhibits. Although the smaller animals are a sight to see, the main thing to see is the hour long trip on the Bush Line Railway.

Along the railway, you’ll see animals that you’d never get the chance of seeing anywhere else, such as the white rhino and the rhinoceros.

If you plan to visit the park in the summer, it’s always a good idea to visit early. On a normal summer day, ten – fifteen thousand people will visit the park. During the winter, the ratio is down as normally 2,000 people will visit.

Although it’s much colder in the winter, the park is less frequent with people looking to see the animals the park offers.

You can find the animal park 32 miles north of Escondido in San Diego. The park is in a peaceful area, which makes things a lot better for the animals that live there.

When visiting in the summer, it’s a great idea to walk a while, then take the railway. After you have took the railway a bit, you can walk some more.

It’s also good to take plenty of sunscreen with you as well, as summer at the park can get very hot. Water is great as well, simply because the summer in California can be a bit of a scorcher.

Who runs the San Diego Zoo Safari Park?

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is ran by the San Diego Zoological Society.

The society also runs the San Diego Zoo, which is one of the most popular animal parks in the entire world.

With the park and the zoo, the society does more than its part to bring the best of seeing the animals to you.

The next time you are in San Diego or if you are visiting for the first time, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park is a great place to visit.

You can check out some truly endangered species and learn more about the types of animals that you’ll see in this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Balboa Pier In Newport Beach

March 17, 2015 by admin 2 Comments

A pier can be one of the most romantic places to go in the world. If you doubt that, take a trip to the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach and you’ll see first hand just how great a pier can be. On any given summer night, this pier is enveloped in darkness by 10 PM.

While the average fisherman heads home when the pier is dark, life continues. All along the pier, darkness does nothing but add to the atmosphere. Towards the end of the pier, you can see the neon lights of Ruby’s Diner lighting up the sky, calling out to those on the pier.

Balboa Pavillion at Balboa Pier

Balboa Pier Walking along the pier you can see many different lights illuminating the sky. The Balboa Pavilion can be seen as well, adding to the already magical time that the lights help to add to the pier.

In many ways, the Balboa Pavilion is a sister attraction to the pier. They were both built in 1906 and designed to attract people to the Newport area. Even in those times, the pier and the pavilion helped to bring travelers to the area.

Down the peninsula from the pier, the area has a feeling that rivals days gone by. For fishermen and those that enjoy fishing, the Balboa Pier is simply heaven on earth if you plan to go i recommend you this 5 Wt Fly Rod Reviews.

Looking to the south of the pier, you’ll see the Newport Jetty and the bay entrance. Main Street is right around the corner, adding a wealth of things to do to the pier.

Even though some consider fishing to be secondary on the pier, it gives fisherman that are there more room to fish. For many residents of the area, the pier is where they began their life of fishing.

Seawell

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Crасkѕ or fаіlіng jоіntѕ in a ѕеаwаll саn саuѕе erosion bеhіnd thе wall, compromising the іntеgrіtу of thе ѕtruсturе

These symptoms аrе caused bу еrоѕіоn оf thе grоund bеhіnd the wall. Tурісаllу, this іѕ саuѕеd bу lеаkѕ іn thе wall, improper drаіnаgе of lаnd-ѕіdе runоff, оr grоund bеhіnd thе wаll thаt wаѕ not sufficiently compacted durіng соnѕtruсtіоn. Thе lаttеr саn hарреn whеn thе оrіgіnаl соntrасtоr worries about рuttіng too muсh force аgаіnѕt thе wаll and consequently dоеѕn’t tamp the еаrth hаrd еnоugh. Ovеr tіmе that grоund wіll settle оr wіll get ѕаturаtеd and mushy. Eіthеr will rеѕult in voids аnd erosion, undеrmіnіng thе integrity аnd effectiveness оf thе wall.

Balboa Pier Is a Great Attraction

When standing on at the end looking down the Balboa Pier you’ll probably be amazed. The 920 foot pier is simply incredible to look at. Walking down it is great any time of year, especially at night when taking a moonlit stroll. For honeymooners or married couples, the pier beckons out for romance.

The Balboa Pier is open from 5 AM until midnight. There are restrooms located near the entrance, with lights and fish cleaning stations located on the pier. At the end of the pier, there is even a small restaurant.

Located in the city of Newport Beach, the Balboa Pier is a must visit for anyone who loves fishing. Even if you don’t like fishing, the pier is great to walk at night or during the day. If you want to see what piers are all about, make sure you check out the beauty and splendor that the Balboa Pier will provide you with.

Best Oahu beaches for kids

November 12, 2014 by admin 2 Comments

This post started out as a warning. while in Hawaii and Waikiki we found that some of the beaches were terrible for kids and others were really good.

There can be a lot of time wasted looking for beaches that are great for kids when in reality probably the best beach on the island is within walking distance from your hotel.

Best Oahu beaches for kids

The beach that I find the best first of all is the stretch of beach in front of the big pink hotel. The hotel is the Royal Hawaiian and in front of the hotel is a busy but pretty stretch of beach that is perfect for kids.

The reason that the beach here is perfect is that the waves are smaller but are still exciting for the little ones and in walking out the water gets about five feet deep and then gets shallow again around 200 feet from the beach.

I would walk with my four year old son out to the slightly deep water and then carry him for a bit and then I could put him back down to run around in water that was only a foot or two deep.

Going further down to the east on Waikiki beach will take you to the wading area of Waikiki beach. This area is great as there is a big cement wall that works as a wave break, the water is a little cloudy but it is a great place to watch the kids as there are no waves and it is contained so you do not lose the kids too easily.

This beach gets no surf and the water is shallow. There is some coral around so it is best to reign in the little ones and the oder kids can just swim around for hours (remember to cover everyones backs with lots of suntan lotion..even when they fight it) and the only real drawback is that there is an entrance fee to get in.

On the other hand there are some other beaches that you may want to stay away from.

North of Hanauma Bay is a beach called Sandy Beach, nice name but huge waves.

When we were at Sandy Beach the waves were enough to drown me and the kids were not able to go swimming at all as the waves broke right at shore. The kids both liked watching the waves crashing but after an hour of not being able to go into the water the became bored and we had to move on.

Having a list of engaging ideas in your back pocket might mean the difference between them wanting to pack it in after only an hour at the beach and not being able to drag them home after several.

The following activities are fun and also help kids develop their basic movement skills.

1. How Low Can You Go?

Nothing beats good-old digging in the sand. Get your kids to see how deep of a hole they can dig and when they’ve dug as far as they can, see if an adult can fit in the hole or see how long it takes to fill the hole with water. Please remember to fill in any holes you dig in the sand when you’re done playing for the safety of other people using the beach.

Required: shovels and varying levels of attention span

Skills developed: lifting and lowering objects

2. Beach Frisbee Golf

Substitute a plain old game of frisbee with frisbee golf. Set up targets using items you brought to the beach (could be a picnic blanket, an umbrella, a towel, or you could even dig a hole in the sand to aim at). Take turns trying to throw your frisbee as close to the target as you can. Make sure smaller kids are allowed to stand closer to the target than the bigger ones to keep frustration levels to a minimum.

Required: at least one frisbee

Skills developed: throwing

3. Let’s Go Fly A Kite

I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a child who doesn’t love to fly a kite. Even if there isn’t a lot of wind, kids can run with kites and have a great time watching them fly behind them. Kites can be purchased in toy stores, dollar stores, or made by kids before the beach visit.

Required: a store-bought or home-made kite

Skills developed: running

4. Beach Volleyball

Depending on the ages of the kids playing, a real volleyball and net can be set up. For the smaller set, a beach ball and a towel are great substitutes. Try to count the number of times you can get the ball back and forth.

Required: a ball (some beaches have nets set up)

Skills developed: volleying, throwing

5. Treasure Hunting

When looking for metal detectors for kids (or even for adults), the task at hand may falsely appear simple when in actual sense is a bit nerve-wrecking and confusing. There are very many devices out there and as you may have noticed, election is not always easy, getting some guidance from metaldetectordirect.com is always a secure option.

Required: beginner metal detector

Skills developed: patience, attention

The North Shore is famous for waves and is mostly not at all good for kids because of this excerpt for one tucked in spot Waimea Bay.

Waimea Bay is great as the cove keeps the biggest of the waves at bay.

You need to get to Waimea bay early though as the parking lot is a bit small and there is not a lot of other parking areas available.

Kailua is another spot on the north east of Oahu that has great beaches and seems to be good. Because of the spot on the island it can be a little windy and as a really long beach in spots it can be steep to the water.

The waves can be bigger which is fun and most older kids would have a great time in the water.

So my best advice to anyone is to start at the pink hotel and the beach in front of it. As you are going down the alleyway between hotels to get to the beach it is really hard to turn down the shaved ice vendor sitting there, I know my daughter never let us get by there without us buying her and her brother a shaved ice.