Tag Archives: water

Swim with Sharks at the Georgia Aquarium

Only one place can boast as the world’s largest aquarium and have a months-long waiting list for one of its exhibits- and that’s the Georgia Aquarium. Safe to say it’s one of Atlanta’s most popular destinations, pulling in millions of sightseers from around the world, and drawing even the likes of celebrities to its 550,000 square feet facility. It boasts a whopping eight million gallons of aquatic life, including over 100,000 exotic mammals from 500 different species.

Local visitors and tourists alike are overcome with wonder and excitement when exploring the scenic paths of more than 60 exhibits – with the main attraction being the Ocean Voyager. The Ocean Voyager exhibit houses thousands of fish including whale sharks, zebra sharks, sawfish, bowmouth guitarfish and humphead wrasses. Offering a swim and dive program, novice guests can take a dip with these gentle giants as their voyage with the largest fish in the world comes complete with mask, fins, booties and wet suit to round out your scuba gear. Skilled water enthusiasts can take an even bigger plunge as certified divers can journey underwater. If being hands-on isn’t your thing, watch all the action through a picturesque window.

Such an adventure is bound to work up an appetite for Café Aquaria – the resident eatery – which serves up traditional classics like burgers and fries, pizza and ice cream, or onsite catering from Wolfgang Puck, where you can gaze into an eye-popping backdrop of fish. It also hosts special events from weddings to Mother’s Day brunches. What other restaurant allows you to swim or just eat Wolfgang Puck in the company of sharks?

The America’s Cup Comes To San Francisco This Summer

The 34th AMERICA’S CUP will be contested in San Francisco Bay this summer!

The America’s Cup is oldest trophy in international sport, first contested in 1851.
The 34th America’s Cup is an umbrella term that covers several events: the 2013 America’s Cup Finals, the Louis Vuitton Cup, the America’s Cup Challenger Series, the America’s Cup World Series and the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup.

The 2013 America’s Cup Final is scheduled Sept. 7-21, 2013, in San Francisco. The final, also known as the Match, will feature the defender, ORACLE TEAM USA, against a challenger that will have won the Louis Vuitton Cup which goes to the winner of the America’s Cup Challenger Series. The Louis Vuitton Cup series to determint the challenger, begins on July 4, 2013 and runs until August 30.

The America’s Cup is the most difficult trophy in sport to win. In the more than 150 years since that first race off England, only four nations have won the coveted trophy.

Throughout its history the America’s Cup has attracted the tycoons of business and industry, flamboyant, outspoken and demanding characters who are often successful in their career, but rarely successful in the America’s Cup. They’re attracted to the Cup because of the demands required to win the trophy, but only four nations have hosted the trophy: the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland.
Come see sports history in San Francisco this summer! Visit americascup.com for more information.

Dive right in! Penguins, otters, whales & more at the Shedd Aquarium!

The John G. Shedd Aquarium, a not-for-profit institution dedicated to public education and conservation, cares for more than 32,500 animals representing nearly 1,500 species from around the world. Beautifully situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, Shedd Aquarium welcomes more than 2 million guests annually.

Animals connect you to the living world, inspiring you to make a difference. From whales to snails, tarantulas to turtles, you’ll meet creatures from aquatic habitats around the world. Explore Shedd’s Abbott Oceanarium, where you can get face to face with beluga whales, dolphins, sea otters, sea lions and penguins. Polar Play Zone is a permanent exhibit where kids and their families can play, pretend and discover through hands-on activities. See the aquatic show, starring the dolphins, belugas and more, and don’t miss the “Jellies” special exhibit. Then meet some of Shedd’s critters up close during live animal encounters in the Waters of the World galleries, talk to a diver in the 90,000-gallon Caribbean Reef, take a walk through a flooded forest in Amazon Rising and watch sharks overhead in Wild Reef. And visit Granddad, the oldest fish in any aquarium or zoo! Two million annual visitors can’t be wrong: Shedd Aquarium is the “must-sea” destination in Chicago! Click sheddaquarium.org for more information.

Stiltsville Tours: Homes on water evoke old Miami

The 1920s and 30s may have been the heyday boom in Florida. The time Art Deco got famous, when Flagler’s railroad was chug-chugging and visits to Miami were about sun and fun.

It was also the time when a little place called Stiltsville on Biscayne Bay emerged. Today, there are a mere three or four “shack” homes built either on wood or reinforced concrete pilings ten feet above the shallow water. They’re situated one mile south of Key Biscayne’s Cape Florida.

There are several tour companies that make trips out to Stiltsville and recount the story of how the houses were built and the transformation of its heyday to the few that still stand.

Island Queen Cruises does their tours through History Miami. Miami historian Dr. Paul George conducts the tours. Call 305-379-5119 for reservations. www.islandqueencruises.com

Buckingham Fountain

The fountain was commisioned in 1927 by Kate Buckingham to honor her late brother Clarence. She had frequently traveled to Europe, where she admired the huge public fountains and wanted to bring some of Europe’s monumentality to Chicago.

One of the largest fountains in the world, the Buckingham Fountain measures 85m/280ft in diameter. It features 134 jets powered by 3 pumps.

The fountain’s hourly 20 minute water display starts with small sprays. While the basins are filled, more and more jets are activated until it reaches its climax when the central jet pushes water up to a height of 46m/150ft. The animation is best seen at dusk – after 8 pm – when it is accompanied with music and beautifully animated with a now computerized choreography of color spotlights.

Jungle Island: Paradise attraction on Watson Island

Waterskiing Santa on the Potomac River

Santa likes to have fun just like everyone else and this Christmas is no exception. Head over to the National Harbor to see Santa water-ski, his kneeboarding reindeer, flying Elves, the jet-skiing Grinch and Frosty the Snowman perform on the water. This is a Christmas show unlike any other; even if you don’t celebrate the holiday, it’s worth seeing a waterskiing show in December on the Potomac…

www.waterskiingsanta.com

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