USA Travel Guide

We’ve featured some cool auto shows in the past, but not one that would transport you from venue to venue in pure gearhead style. Leave it to the folks in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to take it to the next level, and what’s more, to do it on water.

This is no auto show; this is the 2009 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. With 49 blockbuster events under its belt and the big five-oh coming up in just a couple months, what better time to start making plans to attend the largest public boat show in the world?

At the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, they go big, but they don’t go fancy. This thing is all about the boats. This year they’ve locked down six venues and 3 million square feet of show floor. Thousands of boats will be on display – yachts, super yachts, leisure boats – estimating a total value of more than 3 billion dollars. And while looking over the ladies, you can also stop by dozens of exhibitor and manufacturer booths talking and shopping engines, electronics and accessories.

Here’s one of my favorite parts: you can cruise from venue to venue without stepping anywhere near a car. Both a paid water shuttle and free riverboat are serving multiple stops along the waterfront, mostly with direct access to the show venue. It’s a fun, fast and in-the-spirit way to get around the show. As an added benefit, the sightseeing is fantastic, especially for Fort Lauderdale first-timers.

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2009 is a four-day event running October 30 through November 2, with a special preview night on Thursday, October 29. General admission tickets are $16 online and valid for one day’s admission. A two-day option is also available.

Learn more about the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2009.

Great place though it is, we rarely stay in Fort Lauderdale. Just a hop, skip and a jump away is the cozy beach community of Hollywood, Florida, and that’s where we’re headed this time.

For hotels near Ft. Lauderdale, consider the Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach Hotel. This stylish beachfront hotel is in the process of rolling out off-season rates, and you definitely stand to benefit. Stay more than comfortable, do it more affordably than ever, and have a great time at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

We’ve mentioned Santa Monica Pier a couple times in the past I think, but this was too cool to pass up. Here’s a short, fun post for Friday.

Cirque du Soleil, the world’s only “post-modern” circus, is coming to Santa Monica, California for an entire month of performances at the World Famous Santa Monica Pier. This is more than a great venue, this is great history. Cirque’s American debut took place at the Los Angeles Festival in Little Tokyo, and the troupe hasn’t been back to Santa Monica in over ten years. Don’t miss your chance to see a glorious return.

The ever-inventive troupe is brining one of its most personal shows yet: Kooza. A back-to-basics fantasy, Kooza emphasizes the true soul of a good circus – stunning acrobatics and whimsical clowning. Emotional, evocative, hilarious and often jaw-dropping, Kooza is Cirque du Soleil as its very best. Now doubt you’ve heard about this incredible group for years, but if you’ve never seen them, this is the time to do it.

Kooza will be held under the Grand Chapiteau at Santa Monica Pier, with performances almost daily from October 16 – November 15, 2009. These things will sell out, so get your tickets soon, and go ahead and make your hotel reservations along with.

Find tickets and learn more about Cirque du Soleil at Santa Monica Pier.

For hotels near Santa Monica Pier, we recommend the Holiday Inn Santa Monica Beach Hotel – At the Pier. Not only can you stay close to the Pier, you can afford to bring the whole family. The Holiday Inn offers competitive rates, free Internet, and the always handy Kids Eat Free program.

Have fun!

Welcome to another edition of The Cultured Commentator.

Here we eat foie gras and chili cheese fries. We read Pynchon and Brown. We play Go and Guitar Hero. And we watch A&E and American Idol.

Heck, we’ll even watch American Idol live!

That’s right, the American Idol Live Tour 2009 has less than a month left, but chances are tickets are still available for a show in your area, provided your area is the Northeast. So go ahead, give in to guilty temptation, get some use out of that “Adam Lambert 4 Life” tattoo, and get your tickets to American Idol Live.

As always, the tour cast includes the previous season’s top 10 contestants. That means this is your chance to hear the smoky tones of Allison Iraheta, the prog-rock wail of Adam Lambert, the surprising soul of Anoop Desai, the humble adequacy of Danny Gokey, the bring-more-originality-ness of Lil Rounds, the arm-flapping birdsong of Megan Joy and all the others.

Then of course there’s Scott MacIntyre, who I can only hope delivers another of his trademark dance numbers. (High Five! … Up top! … Don’t leave me hangin’!…)

Between now and the final show on September 15, American Idol Live will be hitting the North and Northeast pretty hard. They’ve got stops in Milwaukee, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Grand Rapids, Bridgeport, Providence, Manchester and others.

You can view the schedule, read fan reviews and get your tickets here.

I thought I’d dip into our past hotel recommendations and pair them with some upcoming shows, just to beef up the post.

On September 1, the show comes to the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In the Twin Cities, we like the Crowne Plaza St. Paul. It’s an affordable, comfortable, well-rounded kind of stay.

On September 10, the show comes to the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Nearby we’re big fans of the Holiday Inn Express Shelton, CT Hotel. If you time it right, the hotel offers a free shuttle to the Arena, and the rooms are always clean and inviting in our experience.

Have fun!

There are few places in the United States more densely-packed with visual wonderment and historical fascination as Chicago. You can pick your favorite: Buckingham Fountain, Sears Tower, The Mart, Shedd Aquarium, Wrigley Field. But for my wife and me, it has to be the original Second City in Chicago.

The quintessential comedy troupe, Second City is both inspiration and aspiration for my wife, herself a stand-up comedian and improv actress. It’s like our own comedy Mecca. A journey to Second City Chicago is, simply, a part of one’s life.

I suppose I could have done a piece on Second City Chicago any time, but it was actually a short-season summer attraction that just caught my eye: The Second City’s Neighborhood Tour.

How refreshing it is! Take a top-notch tour of Old Town Chicago with the whiplash humor of the Second City as your guide. There’s no better tour guide, and there’s no better back drop than the rich history of Chicago.

The tour sticks to Old Town with a strong focus on the Second City theatre and past players. You’ll learn a little about the history of the neighborhood and a lot about the people that used to work and live there. Find out what Second City alumni like Harold Ramis, John Belushi, Bill Murray, Mike Myers, Chris Farley, Steve Carrell, Tina Fey and others did with their time off-stage.

It’s like a history and celebrity tour all rolled into two hilarious hours. It is, however, a limited time engagement. Second City Neighborhood Tours are held Sundays and Wednesdays through October 4^th, and with only 15 per group, they will sell out. Order your tickets here.

The tour ends in The Second City’s main theatre, so why not synergize your night and follow the tour up with a show. The Second City performs every day but Wednesday and almost always has a couple of shows going (between the two theatres). The current headline production, America: All Better!, has raked in glowing reviews.

View schedules, pricing and more.

Whenever talking history and Chicago, we always recommend the Silversmith Hotel & Suites. Located in the historic Silversmith Building on Jeweler’s Row, the Silversmith hits just the right spot. It’s affordably luxurious, not extravagant, and the beautiful building and location are second to none.

Have fun!

The Vanishing Texas River Cruise by Canyon of the Eagles is a Texas Hill Country institution. Residents of the area, even those who’ve never been, have likely heard of it, and heard good things, too. We’ve mentioned it in passing in a previous post, but I think it’s high time we head back for a closer look.

Canyon of the Eagles is a rustic lodge and nature park set on 940 acres of untamed Texas Hill Country. There are attractions aplenty, from exploring the wilderness to fishing Lake Buchanan, but no doubt the star of any Texas Hill Country vacation is a Vanishing Texas River Cruise.

A year-round treat that truly changes with the seasons, the Vanishing Texas River Cruise takes guests on a 2 to 4-hour cruise over Lake Buchanan and up the calm Colorado River for incredible nature and wildlife sightings. And if you time it right, you can see a whole lot more, too.

Your options depend on the season:

• Scenic Wilderness Cruise – March to October – this classic cruise covers 22 miles of scenic goodness; waterfalls, cliffs, birds and more.
• Fall Foliage Cruise – September – November – It’s not just for the Northeast any more. See the leaves in turn on this remarkable cruise, offered just two and a half month of the year.
• Sunset Dinner Cruise – May – October – Live music and a delicious meal help “flavor” this evening cruise up the Colorado.
• Winery Tour & Cruise – Year-round – An epicurean favorite, this cruise includes a tour and tasting at the Fall Creek Vineyards.

That’s just a sample. There are also bald eagle cruises, fishing charters and special cruises for droughts/low water conditions. You can even rent the boat and host events. Even weddings!

The Vanishing Texas River Cruise Company stresses time and again that their cruises sell out. So, they recommend you make your reservations early. Just after you make your reservations at Canyon of the Eagles would be best. Learn more about this attraction.

In fact, you might even be able to make those reservations at the same time. As the official hotel of Vanishing Texas River Cruises, the Canyon of the Eagles Lodge often features specials including cruises and discounts. View their current Texas Hill County vacation packages.

Have fun!

I think only the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky has suffered more peripheral gobbledygook than the Newseum in Washington, D.C. Is it a welcome tribute to the thought-waning practice of journalism, or is it a self-important theme park parading as a museum? Is it a further credit to the rich landscape of D.C., or is it a goliath eyesore?

You know what? I don’t know, and I don’t care. Cheeky name aside, the Newseum is a one-of-a-kind pleasure, a modern history and interactive science museum all rolled into one. We don’t care if it looks like a building Jason Bourne would infiltrate, the Newseum is cool way to kill an afternoon.

The Newseum is an interactive museum that studies the past, present and future of the news and journalism. The wide array of galleries discuss the history of news, the business of news today, important moments in journalism and also the gauntlet of ethical, financial and practical challenges that face journalism today and in the future. Most regular exhibits are spiced up with interactive elements – from simple to complex – and optional short film presentations.

One of the simplest galleries is a personal favorite: The Story of News. The main history exhibit at the Newseum, The Story of News features an unmatched collection of historic newspapers, magazines and publications. With hindsight in our pockets, we think we know the past pretty well, but it’s all the more fascinating to see how the papers covered the most iconic events the day after.

If you’re looking for something less traditional, head to the NBC News Room. Here you can step in front of the camera and learn what it takes to be a live reporter. Turns out, talking is difficult. Kids love this one, by the way.

The Berlin Wall Gallery is another historical highlight. Eight 12-foot sections of the Berlin Wall, the largest collection outside of Germany, are displayed for all to see. The exhibit is small, but the impact is not.

The Press Freedoms around the World exhibit is more pressing now than ever before. In light of events in Iran and North Korea, this photo-driven study of the lives and freedoms of journalists the world over casts a fascinating and gracious light on how powerful freedom of the press truly can be.

Listen to me, going on and on. If I don’t be careful I’m going to spoil the ending. In short, there’s lots and lots more: a collection a Pulitzer-winning photos, an exhibit on the attacks of 9/11 and the super-cool Today’s Front Pages exhibit. See how the day’s news is reported in papers all over the country. Check out the online version of this exhibit here.

This plus 15 film theatres and several temporary exhibits and the Newseum is a full afternoon, make no mistake.

The Newseum is located in Washington, D.C. on Pennsylvania Avenue. General admission is $20; the Newseum is open 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily. Learn more.

A trip to one of our favorite museums in Washington, D.C. deserves a stay at one of our favorite hotels in Washington, D.C.: the Phoenix Park Hotel. Located on Capitol Hill, the Phoenix Park is basically the perfect choice for any D.C. vacation, business trip, or what have you.

Have fun!

If you plan to be one of the million-plus attending the L.A. County Fair this year, it’s time to start thinking about your hotel reservations. Hotels near the Fairplex may sell out multiple times during the extravaganza, and I can’t bear to think of one of our readers caught unawares.

(By-the-by, we recommend the Radisson Suites Covina Hotel, scroll down for more.)

With more than fifty years of million-visitor events under its belt, the L.A. County Fair is one of the largest events in California. Expanding bigger than ever before, this year’s fair runs for an entire month, kicking off this Labor Day, September 5, and running all the way October 4.

What do they have? Man, with events on this scale, it’s also easier to list off what they don’t!

Concerts and live horse racing are always the headline events, and the lineup is good as ever. This year the “End of Summer” Concert Series will feature Al Green, Peter Frampton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Leann Rimes, Pat Benatar, Donna Summer, the Beach Boys and Charlie Wilson. View schedules and buy tickets.

Live Horse Racing at Fairplex Park is another L.A. County Fair favorite, so much so that the Park can become a bit of a madhouse. Make reservations or arrive early. The schedule is a bit wonky, so follow close: live racing featured September 10-28, dark the 14^th and 21^st and every Tuesday. Learn more.

Depending on the day you show up, there are many other events to enjoy. The High School Band Marching Competition offers than chance to win a spot in the Tournament of Roses Parade. You can meet the Budweiser Clydesdales at their shows. Every weekday during the fair features a new parade. There’s a health fair. And finally, they’ve been known to host raffles for cool prizes like classic sports cars and other awesomeness.

This is the nation’s largest county fair, after all, so there’s just as much to do as to see. This year’s attractions include the brand new Jurassic Planet, an adventure featuring 19 animatronic dinosaurs from around the planet. Not your scene? Just head to the humongous Carnival and Midway, starring more than 70 rides, 40 games and all your carnival food favorites. View all the attractions.

Unfortunately, they haven’t updated the fair food pages yet, so I can’t regale you with this year’s deep-fried tales of exuberant excess, but I can tell you that last year they had deep-fried White Castles. You read that right.

And there’s really nothing else I can write to top that, so I won’t try. The 2009 L.A. County Fair comes to the Pomona Fairplex September 5 – October 4, open the 5^th – 7^th special, then reopening on the 9^th for a regular Wednesday – Sunday schedule. Presale tickets are available online for $10. Learn more.

For hotels near Pomona Fairplex, we recommend the Radisson Suites Covina Hotel. They’re located a quick trip from the Fairplex and feature the kind of plush, hibernation-ready suites that you need after a long day at the Fair. Good rates, too.

Have fun at the 2009 L.A. County Fair!

Now that’s more like it. Last Friday we took a look at San Diego’s two-month long Fleet Week extravaganza, and I admit it left me a little fatigued. Really, San Diego? Two months? Fleet Week?

Well, now we’re heading 500 miles up the coast to a place where they can count: San Francisco.

San Francisco Fleet Week 2009 will take place the second week in October, starting Thursday, October 8^th, and entertaining guests through the following Tuesday, the 13^th. They’re still rolling out the final schedule (you can sign up to have it emailed to you), but there’s plenty of classic Fleet Week fun that you can expect.

Headlining the event as always is the dazzling Fleet Week Air Show starring the Blue Angels. The first two hours is all opening act, as celebrated flight teams including Team Oracle and the Patriots as well as individual stunt maniacs like Tim Weber and Michael Wiskus treat gravity like their plaything. The audience thoroughly warmed up, the Navy’s Blue Angels finally take to the sky around 2:30 for precision acrobatics that only the best of the best can deliver.

No matter where they host it, you can bet that Navy Ship Tours are on the Fleet Week register, and Fleet Week San Francisco is no different. So far, a roster of four incredible ships is scheduled to dock, including the HMCS Edmonton, the CGC Bertholf, the USS New Orleans and my first stop for sure, the D-Day veteran, the SS Jeremiah O’Brien. Tours of each amazing ship are offered free on the last three days of the event (10/11-10/13).

Because Fleet Week tends to absorb the local flavor faster than a gelatinous cube (D&D humor), organizers are throwing the Italian Heritage Day Parade into the mix. The long-running annual parade winds through Fisherman’s wharf and takes place at exactly the same time as Sunday’s air show, so if you want to do both, be sure to catch the air show on Saturday.

San Francisco Fleet Week 2009 will be hosted on the San Francisco waterfront October 8-13. The event is technically free; you don’t have to pay for a thing if you don’t want to, but select and premium air show seating is available for an advanced charge. And remember, there are still plenty of entertainment announcements to come. There will be plenty more to do. Learn about tickets and more here.

Searching hotels for San Francisco Fleet Week? Stay in comfort and close to the action in Fisherman’s Wharf. Once again, we recommend our favorites: 

• Holiday Inn Fisherman’s Wharf Hotel
• Holiday Inn Express Fisherman’s Wharf Hotel

Whether Express or traditional, you stand to enjoy a great, affordable stay. Have fun at Fleet Week San Francisco 2009!

Feels like forever ago we did a piece about the Charleston Food + Wine Festival, resulting in one of our most successful posts. And why not? The festival is a big dot on the culinary map, visited by hundreds of thousands every year. What I mean to say is: it didn’t really need our encouragement.

Today we’re getting behind a brand new festival hosted in another of our favorite cities. Start your travel planning today and let’s help make the Old Town Food & Wine Festival in Alexandria, Virginia another epicurean smash.

From October 9-11, the Old Town Food & Wine Festival will take over Alexandria’s historic Old Town along King Street for a three-day exaltation of Virginia’s steadily growing culinary prominence.

This is a fest with a mission. Virginia wines have been gathering a lot of critical acclaim in the past few years, and the organizers want people to know it. From pairing dinners to street-side tasting to the grand tasting rooms, you’ll have every opportunity to discover why Wine Spectator Magazine named Virginia “America’s most promising emerging wine region.”

Arrive early and try to make time for everything. The main attraction is the two Grand Tasting Rooms, hosted at the Holiday Inn Alexandria – Historic District and the Crowne Plaza Alexandria Old Town. This is your chance to meet the winemakers, taste artisan wines and sample gourmet accompaniments until you’re stuffed or plastered, whichever comes first. The Holiday Inn also hosts several seminars, from wine tasting classes to cooking demonstrations. View schedule.

Variety is great, but nobody wants to stay cooped up in a ballroom all day. Hit the (Old) Town for the King Street Sip’n Stroll. In this unique attraction, the wine tasting continues all up and down historic King Street. Restaurants, boutiques and art galleries will host short sessions from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Finally comes the Vintner Dinners. Several Old Town restaurants have prepared special wine pairing menus showcasing the best of their kitchens and, of course, exquisite Virginia wines. You’ll need advance reservations for these dinners, and price varies by the venue. View the restaurant list here (we like Bistro on First).

And even after all that, if you still need more, well, you’re in Alexandria, Virginia. There’s so much to see and do: Mount Vernon, the Torpedo Factory Art, the Alexandria Ghost Tour. Not to mention, Washington D.C. is only a few miles away.

The Old Town Food & Wine Festival runs October 9-11, 2009 in downtown Alexandria, Virginia. Learn more here.

The good tickets cost $35, but you’d be a sucker to pay it. Instead, take advantage of the awesome specials at the host hotels. Both the Holiday Inn Alexandria – Historic District and the Crowne Plaza Alexandria Old Town are offering a festival package including accommodations and two tickets to the festival. I’ve confirmed that rooms are still open, but I’m not sure for how long, so act on this soon. Just click on the hotel names for a direct link to the package.

Have fun at the Old Town Food & Wine Festival!

I’m not sure anything could compete with Hampton, Virginia’s way awesome Blackbeard Pirate Festival, where the whole downtown is overrun by hard-bit buccaneers looking for a fight and maybe the chance to tell a tale or two. What I am sure of is that any festival involving pirates, on any scale, stands to get mentioned on this blog.

Start making your plans for the fast approaching Wilmington Riverfest, a raucous Cape Fear celebration dedicated to fun, family and fortifying the strength of the Cape Fear region as a whole. Oh, and show up at the right time and you just might see a pirate.

The 31^st Annual Wilmington Riverfest takes over Wilmington, North Carolina’s historic downtown October 3 and 4 for a weekend of food, arts and crafts, friendly competitions, health runs, races, dance offs, car shows, live music, fundraising and good old-fashioned piracy. Over the two days you’ll enjoy a non-stop roster of events hosted free for the public. You really can’t beat that price.

You can have a great time either day or both, but if I may suggest, stick around Saturday evening for the “Invasion of the Pirates”. A 2005 addition aimed at putting a little more “river” in Riverfest, this sweet evening kick-off stars a host of costumed performers arrive by river in a replica Spanish galleon. In the past they’ve even hosted swashbuckling demonstrations, but no word yet on whether such displays will return this year. On Sunday, visitors are invited onto the galleon for cool sightseeing and prime photo opportunities.

What else? You mean pirates aren’t enough? Ok, also on the bill is the annual Shag Dance competition, which pays out cash prizes. There’s also a duo of car shows, classics and antiques, hosted downtown at Market St. A massive Kids Zone offers classic fair entertainment like bouncy castles and small rides, free of charge. And if you need to relax, just head to the main stage at Riverfront Park and catch a live music act (performers still TBD).

It’s free to enter. Most events have registration fees to participate but are free to watch, so the only thing you’ll have to pay for is food and vendor items as you like. Don’t fret though, all proceeds go to the benefits of the local area and the Riverfest Endowment Fund, which awards scholarships based on achievements and the desire to help the Cape Fear area.

Wilmington Riverfest will be held in downtown Wilmington on October 3 and 4. Learn more.

The official Riverfest hotels, the Hilton Wilmington Riverside and the Riverview Suites at Water Street Center, still have rooms open and they are definitely where you want to stay. The location is choice – literally take a step outside the front door and you’re at Riverfest. No driving, no parking, no hassle. The Hilton even hosts an event or two.

Have fun at Wilmington Riverfest!