The New Museum presents the first major solo museum exhibition in the United States of the work of artist Chris Ofili.
Tag Archives: Sightseeing
New York Water Taxi
New York Water Taxi provides the most exciting & entertaining NYC boat tour. Tour NY, all while taking in skylines, bridges & lush waterfront parks.
Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo is located in the Bronx borough of New York City, within Bronx Park. It is the world’s largest metropolitan zoo, with some 6,000 animals representing about 650 species from around the world.
New Museum: Here and Elsewhere
The New Museum presents “Here and Elsewhere,” a major exhibition of contemporary art from and about the Arab world.
Saddle Shoe Tours
Discover a new and always evolving concrete canvas
“Lia’s tours are all about opening your eyes and discovering the impressive paintings, hidden sculpture, and stylized prints, right under your nose. Her tours are like urban scavenger hunts, and by the end you’ll be able to recognize Roa’s murals, Stickman’s Stickmen, and way more, which will earn you some serious cool points with your friends.”
– solifestyle.com
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
Come see Manhattan from a whole new perspective with the Circle Line Cruise!
Check Out Chicago From The Water Aboard Shoreline Sightseeing!
Sailing Chicago’s waterways since 1939, Shoreline has been family owned for three generations and today operates Chicago’s largest and most diverse boat touring fleet with nine major touring vessels and 11 water taxis.
We delight in showcasing Chicago’s vibrant history, famous architecture and breathtaking skyline on a variety of cruise and tour products. Shoreline offers classic Skyline Tours on Lake Michigan, guided Architecture Cruises on the Chicago River, dramatic Fireworks Cruises, guided River Ride/City Walk Architecture Tours and special events such as our popular Brew Cruises and Wine Tasting Cruises. Shoreline Water Taxis make fast, fun connections between Chicago’s major touring destinations including Navy Pier, the Michigan Avenue Bridge, Willis Tower/Union Station and Chicago’s Museum Campus. You can also call on Shoreline Charters for memorable events from casual get-togethers, to corporate meetings, to special celebrations for family and friends. We invite you to explore our website and we look forward to welcoming you on a Shoreline Sightseeing cruise or tour! Visit shorelinesightseeing.com for more information.
Skating in the Sky
Enjoy the gorgeous views of the John Hancock Observatory while skating to your heart’s content at Skating in the Sky. Overlooking picturesque Lake Michigan, this 99 square foot ice staking rink is a fantasy come true. Not only are the views spectacular but the temperatures are too! Loose your winter coat and skate in comfort.
The Margaret Mitchell House is Home to Everything Gone with the Wind
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Best known for housing the apartment where Margaret Mitchell wrote the classic Gone With the Wind, this turn of the century building is a haven for literary buffs. Where else can you feast your eyes on the very apartment where, ‘Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn!’ was conceived, during a guided tour, and check out a full GWTW movie exhibition, too?
Located in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, The Margaret Mitchell House offers a unique glimpse into the author’s Southern roots and everything GWTW. You can take a piece home with you, because it features a unique gift shop, including Gone With the Wind-inspired figurines from the San Francisco Music Box Company. Polonaise holiday ornaments of Scarlett, Rhett, Ashley, and other legendary characters are also available for purchase. The Literary Center offers, among others things, writing workshops for kids and adults. Special events are also held at the home, including weddings and corporate events.
Insider’s Tip: As an added bonus, purchase a Dual Ticket to the Margaret Mitchell House and the Atlanta History Center and save 25% when visiting these two must-see attractions for one low price. Go ahead, get your history on because as Scarlett so aptly said, ‘After all…tomorrow is another day.” Click here for more information.
Whales, Seahorses & Dolphins Oh Shedd!
Not only does the Shedd Aquarium play home to some of the most beautiful and exotic sea creatures humans could ever lay their eyes on, but it also is home to one of the best views you’ll find in the entire city of Chicago.
Located on a peninsula jutting out in Lake Michigan, from outside and within its dome-like windowed walls, the entire city of Chicago is laid out like a panoramic postcard from within the museum. The view aside however, kids and adults alike ooh and ahh over the amazing array of sea life. From teeny tiny seahorses of all colors and shapes majestically fanning around their world, to dolphins jumping and baby beluga whales being born, the Shedd Aquarium provides top notch entertainment day and night, all year round.
Visitors learn about sea creatures from every crevice of the world and can catch specially scheduled shows to see the dolphins and whales in action. After hours, the Shedd hosts plenty of parties and mixers so be sure to check their schedule to see if a cocktail hour at the Shedd is happening (always a blast!). Jazzin’ it at the Shedd happens Wednesday nights and serves as the perfect place to catch the nightly fireworks shooting from Navy Pier.
Segway to Me Baby
Yeah it’s true that Segways will never really look all that normal. See one cruising past at high speed and it’s hard not to have a chuckle. The thing is, they’re just so darn convenient. When it comes to touring Chi-town that is. Walking tours are great but to cover major space and fast, Segways do the trick. Pride aside of course.
If you just can’t handle the Segway, bikes are just as popular and Chi-town was actually voted the #1 bike-friendly city in the US by Bicycling Magazine! So strap on your helmet and get ready to ride!
Chicago Bike ‘n Roll Tours allow tourists to see the best the city has to offer without the restrictions of roadways (i.e. double decker bus tours), or swollen feet (i.e. walking tours).
Bikes for rent are Trek and come in every option you could prefer. Tours adventure through Millennium Park, the lakefront, charming neighborhoods, famous Buckingham Fountain, Navy Pier, Lincoln Park, and much more. In fact there are 9 tours to choose from so everybody leaves happy.
AIC Rocks Mummies to Matisse
Majestic lions guard the entrance where a slew of steps will pump up your heart rate and Greek columns will draw your eyes up toward the heavens: The Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) has an entrance that serves as its own destination. But inside, the museum guards treasures that could take weeks (or months) to truly appreciate. Yep, thousands of pieces to gawk over that span over 5,000 years of artistic creations from Africa to around the world, and back again.
This is the art museum for all personalities: classic, modern, kinky, crazy, beautiful and scary – it’s all here. From Van Gogh, Chagall, Matisse and Picasso – there’s enough European Impressionism to tempt the craziest of Thomas Crown affairs. Past Europe, dig into mummies and ancient Egyptian collections like the coffin and mummy of Paankhenamun – dating back from the Dynasty 22 (c. 945–715 B.C.) – no big deal. Far more than just framed pieces and mummies, African masks, Iranian tiles, statues, headbands, photography, jewelry – it’s all here.
Interior and furniture designers tend to freak over the miniature rooms which allow guests to geek out over period rooms from around the globe, like the French Provincial Bedroom of the Louis XV Period of the 18th century.
Bottom line: This is a must see – especially with the Modern Wing addition (only an extra 65,000 feet more to discover!)
Family Fun Aboard Boston Harbor Cruises’ Whale Watching Tours
Now that the warmer weather is finally here, it’s time to start planning some fun activities for the summer. What better way to explore the coastal region than with a trip aboard Boston Harbor Cruises’ whale watching tours. Board the three-hour cruise at Long Wharf located between The New England Aquarium and Marriott Hotel.
Once aboard the 400-passenger catamaran,
you can take in the view of humpbacks, minkes, finbacks and white-sided dolphins from one of three outside decks. Inside, there is a climate-controlled cabin with free WiFi, and a galley for food and beverage purchases. The tour guide from the Whale Center of New England will narrate the cruise where will point out everything from whale behavior and migration patterns to the local ecology. Whale sightings are guaranteed, but if you don’t see one, Boston Harbor Cruises will give you a free ticket for a future cruise.
Insider’s Tip: Don’t forget binoculars, sunglasses and sunscreen for this outdoor event. April through October is the best viewing season. Reservations are recommended and can be bought easily online.
3. Spring Comes Early at Macy’s Flower Show April 1-11
Macy’s is already a must-see when visiting New York City, but this month there’s more of a reason to visit the iconic store. The Macy’s Flower Show, this year titled Spring Is In The Air, is invading the 8 floors of the gigantic department store. Highlights include 10 different garden environments, 30,000 different exotic trees, flowers, and plants, and a hot air balloon centerpiece. But, this is a store after all, and many of the retailers are offering discounts, promotions and specialized gardens on nearly every single floor. This is one of the most beautiful flower displays, and it’s all in the heart of Manhattan.
Real or Wax at The Hollywood Wax Museum
While you can spot celebrities on the street or dining at their favorite digs, nothing really beats a photo op with one of your favorite stars. The Hollywood Wax Museum, situated on the famous Hollywood Boulevard, is the only place where no matter what time of day, you can be face-to-face with Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Elvis Presley and even Judy Garland. The Hollywood Wax Museum is the longest running wax museum and the only one devoted entirely to famous faces in the United States.
Even though posing and snapping photographs is all the fun, the
true beauty behind this museum is how long it takes to bring these stars to life. Careful planning and authentic design go into each creation giving each wax figure a real presence- taking a team of 7 artists three months to make! The museum is constantly changing to allow for new, popular stars to be immortalized for fans in the life-like wax. This museum is perfect for the City of Stars, because it gives museum goers a chance to pose with a celebrity without having to chase them down.
Insider’s Tip: Open 365 days a year, a visit to this museum is probably best accompanied by other spots such as the Guinness World Records Museum or Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Thanks to multiple ticket packages that the museum offers, you can visit all three and get a true taste of Hollywood celebrities, world records and unbelievable sightings.
French Charm in the Heart of Union Square at Petit Auberge
Luxury, exceptional customer service and convenience don’t have to come from a big corporate hotel. Look past the over-starched bellhops and stay at Union Square’s Petit Auberge, ranked one of the top 75 hotels in the US by Conde Naste Traveler.
Like a French B&B you might discover 
down a back alley in Paris, Petit Auberge’s tucked away, downtown location is convenient for all the sightseeing San Francisco has to offer all while acting as a peaceful escape from the high-traffic city scene. Anyone who’s ever gone out for a day of sightseeing in San Francisco knows that it’s also like spending a full day with Jillian Michaels; the hills and excitement will surely leave you exhausted, and you’ll look forward to the crackling fire, wine and hors d’evoures that await you back at Petit Auberge.
Even honeymooners searching for joie de vivre can find it in the hotel’s luxury Petit Suite with a private entrance and deck, hand-painted French king bed, and champagne and chocolates. In the morning, enjoy a fully stocked gourmet breakfast, and out the beveled glass French doors are only two blocks from Chinatown, Union Square shopping and the Nob Hill cable cars.
Controversial De Young Museum Shines
Unless you’re a local who knows its history, visitors who pass by the De Young Museum might think an abstract spaceship had crash-landed into Golden Gate Park. Providing San Franciscans with a never-ending debate over aesthetics, the building is intended to unify modern art and architecture with the natural landscape. Meant to oxidize and turn pale green the way the Statue of Liberty has done, the museum’s copper mesh exterior will eventually blend in with the surrounding eucalyptus trees.
Before you even enter the De Young Museum, explore over five acres of native landscaping, in which you can wanarden, koi ponds, waterfalls, and the Andy Goldsworthy “Faultline” installation in the courtyard.
Like any great museum, the De Young features an impressive permanent collection: Ancient Teotihuacan stone murals from Mexico, the finest collection of American paintings, African and Oceanic art, and The Anderson Graphics Art Collection. Great exhibitions have included Yves Saint Laurent, Andy Warhol, Chihuly, and most recently King Tutankhamun. You can also explore the 144 ft. observation tower that provides views of the park, the new California Academy of Sciences building across the lawn, the Golden Gate Bridge, and downtown.
Whether you love the building and what it contains, or hate its aesthetics, the architects and curators have obviously done their jobs – eliciting reactions.
Dallas Does Art… Finally!
The long anticipated and well publicized Dallas Arts District is finally open! As one of the largest- if not THE largest- urban arts districts in the nation, it has put the Big D on the map as a major player in the art scene. The new Dallas Arts District in downtown Dallas is a sprawling 68-acre, 19-block area of performing and visual art utopia that brings an imaginative world of art this city has craved for for decades.
Incorporating over a dozen venues, the Dallas Arts District crosses all genres and functions to create a city within a city. From One Arts Plaza, where you’ll find a dynamic mix of corporate, residential, and retail space featuring some of Dallas’ hippest restaurants and bars to the Nasher Sculpture Center, highly regarded as one of the foremost collections of modern and contemporary sculptures in the world to the internationally renowned Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, where some of the world’s finest acts have performed. With a massive collection of new and old, classic and modern, the buildings themselves are masterful works of art.
And don’t forget the new ‘kids’ on the art block, the Margot & Bill Winspear Opera House and the Dee & Charles Wyly Theater, as they don’t mess around… unless, of course, it’s comedy.