Florida State Fair – Feb. 4-15 – Tampa Florida

The 106th annual Florida State Fair will take place on February 4-15, 2010.  The Florida State Fair – always in Tampa and always in February – is organized by the Florida State Fair Authority under the leadership of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson leads the Fair Authority, which oversees the Florida State Fairgrounds and the annual Florida State Fair.  For more information about visit the Florida State Fair or the Fairgrounds online , call toll-free (800) 345-FAIR or (813) 621-7821.

Some of the daily shows scheduled to take place include the following:

1. CIRCUS Hollywood Presented by Brandon Ford
Sun. – Thurs. 1:30, 3:30 & 5:30 pm
Fri. – Sat. 1:30, 3:30, 5:30 & 7:30 pm

2. Live Shark Encounter
Sun. – Thurs. 1, 3 & 5 pm
Fri. – Sat. 1, 3, 5 & 7 pm

3. Kachunga Alligator Show
Sun. – Thurs. 12, 2 & 4 pm
Fri. – Sat. 12, 2, 4 & 6 pm

4. Sea Lion Splash – Daily 3:30, 5:30 & 7:30 pm

5. Hollywood Racing Pigs Presented by GFS Gordon Food Services
Daily 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 pm

6. Welde Bears Show Presented by The New York Yankees
Daily 2, 4 & 7 pm (At 12 pm – Bears play in pool)

7. Family Theater Presented by Chevrolet – Stop by the Chevy display and check out the Safe Childrens Coalition activities and FWL Fishing Simulator
a. Dennis Lee – 11 am, 1 & 5 pm daily
Extra Show: Fri., Feb. 5 & Sat., Feb. 13 at 8 pm

b. Blues Brothers band – 12, 3 & 7 pm daily
Extra Show: Fri., Feb. 12 at 8 pm

c. Candy Coburn – 2, 4 & 6 pm daily
Extra Show: Sat., Feb. 6 at 8 pm

d. Everything Fitz – Fri, Feb. 5 & Mon., Feb. 15 at 3 pm

8. TECO Entertainment Area
a. Leon Jacobs – Daily 12, 2 & 4 pm
b. Spanish Lyric Theatre – Daily 6, 7 & 8 pm

9. Frog Jumping Show
Sun. – Thurs. 12, 2 & 4 pm
Fri. – Sat. 12, 2, 4 & 6 pm

10. Community & Children’s Stage Presented by BankAtlantic
Doggies of the Wild West – Daily 1, 3 & 5 pm

Other activities include the following:
- Celebrate! Show (3, 5 & 7 pm)
- Florida Art & Craft Showcase (Daily 9 am – 10 pm)
- Quinceañera casting call sponsored by Centro Tampa (3-6 pm)
- Everything Fitz – Canadian fiddlers (1 & 5 pm)
- Talent Competition (2 & 4 pm)
- PBS Kids cartoon character appearances: Super Why, Maya & Miguel (various times daily)
- Latin Connexions 2010 Latina Movers & Shakers Awards (6-9 pm)
- Wine & Grape Juice Competition (9 am – 5 pm) sponsored by Cabot Cheese
- Baking Sweepstakes Competition (9 am – 2 pm)
- Wood Carving & Craft Demos (10 am – 9 pm)
- Dairy Farmer Interaction (9 am to 12 pm)
- Make your own Domino’s Legend Pizza (1-4 pm)
- Kids Cookie Decorating (11 am – 2 pm) sponsored by Sweetbay Supermarket
- Purebred Dog Shows (Hourly from 11 am – 5 pm)
- Everything Fitz (3 pm). Stop by the Chevy display and check out the Safe Childrens Coalition
activities and FWL Fishing Simulator.
- Doggies of the Wild West (1, 3 & 5 pm) and performances every hour on the Community Stage

CRACKER COUNTRY (Daily from 9 am – 6 pm)
- Musical entertainment from the Sweeney Family Band and Pleasant Family Old Time String
Band.
- Hands-on Farm Site, Felting, Flax Processing, Lye Soap Making, Appalachian Style Pottery,
Open Fire Cooking, building a Log Corn Crib, Woodworking/Birdhouses, Spinning and Weaving,
Sewing, Doll Making and Honey/Beekeeping.

LIVESTOCK EVENTS
Institute of Food & Agricultural Science Day sponsored by University of Florida
- Youth Beef Showmanship/Show (9 am), Southeastern Miniature Zebu Classic (6 pm), and Milking Parlor (11 am, 1, 3 , 5 & 7 pm)-
- Open Junior & Senior Goat Show (9 am)
- Salute to Ag/Mooternity Ward (various times)
- Ag Cooking Demos (various times starting at 11 am)
- Purebred Poultry Judging (9 am) / Youth Rabbit Judging (10 am)
- Ag Venture (Daily 9 am – 6 pm)

EQUESTRIAN EVENTS
- Equine Encounter (Daily 11 am – 3 pm)
- All Breed Gaited Horse Show (8 am)
- Carriage & Driving Horse Show (10 am)

MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT…More music performers are listed on the Fair MAP page.
- Johnny Lowery – Steel Drums (Daily 12, 2, 4 & 6 pm)
- Runa Pacha – musical flutes (Daily 11 am – 5 pm)
- High School Jazz Festival (8 am – 8 pm)

Getting Around Chicago Sights

Chicago Shoreline Tours

Chicago is a big city and even people who have lived here their entire lives sometime have trouble finding the local sights when visitors come to town. So we made a tour of some of the Best Sights of Chicago and posted links to maps where they are located and views of what is near by.

Let’s start with a boat tour of the famous Chicago shoreline.  Here is a map where you catch the boat.  You can choose a tour that goes along the Chicago River or one that goes along the lakefront. Either way, you get to see Chicago buildings in new ways by world-famous architects including Mies van der Rohe, Skidmore Owings & Merrill and Helmut Jahn. If you are in the mood for a dinner cruise, you can find one here.

Chicago architecture tours

If you are still interested in finding more about Chicago buildings, the Chicago Architecture Foundation offers many tours: Historic Downtown (south) - Rise of the Skyscraper; Historic Downtown (north) – Treasures of Culture & Commerce; Modern Skyscrapers Walking Tour; Downtown Deco Walking Tour; Millennium Park Revealed Walking Tour; Chicago Old and New and Intersections Walking Tour.

Medieval Times Schaumburg

Two more buildings you will want to locate. One is an 11th century, European-style castle where there is a display of medieval artifacts, four-course dinner, served sans silverware during a live show of equestrian skills and medieval pageantry at Medieval Times Schaumburg.

The other is the Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) where The Ledge’s glass boxes extend out 4.3 feet from the skyscraper’s Skydeck on the 103rd floor.

Out in Schaumburg you can also visit the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Chicago billed as America’s first ever indoor LEGOLAND.  See how the famous little bricks are made, then build your own models, explore a lost jungle city and ride the Fire Dragon & meet the knights and maidens in the royal court of a magnificent medieval castle.

City Segway Tours

When feet are about to fail you, hop on a Segway and continue your tour on wheels to cruise along Lake Michigan, through Grant Park and the Museum Campus. Starts out near Butler Field. See:

The Field Museum

Shedd Aquarium and Oceanarium

Adler Planetarium

Grant Park

Millennium Park

The Lakefront/Monroe Harbor.

Chicago’s Skyscrapers

When you’ve finally had enough, find a nearby Chicago hotel. You may want to do this before you go there.

Las Vegas Power Pass

Las Vegas Power Pass Deal

For the first time traveler and especially for Las Vegas regulars, the Las Vegas Power Pass is the best deal going. It gives you the edge for finding and going to places you might not otherwise consider and if you know your way around, you can squeeze more into your stay in this 7/24 city with a 1, 2, 3 or 5-day pass.

You can order your pass online here and save a few bucks. We picked up our passes at the Planet Hollywood Retail Shop, but you can also pick up your passes in the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace.  Right away you get free admission to 20 Las Vegas attractions, “Fast Tracking” at many attractions, discounts at well-known restaurants, retailers and a pocket-sized guide with information about attractions and street maps. We figure we saved about $500 with all the things we did.

 Of course we did the Eiffel Tower Experience at Paris Las Vegas, the Stratosphere Tower Observation Deck and rode the Roller Coaster at NY NY, but new this time for us was the 2-hour Hoover Dam Bus Tour from our hotel. What an amazing place and we didn’t have to drive!

Looking for more information about visiting Las Vegas? Visit GoThere Las Vegas to find hotel, tour and attraction information.

Singapore Flyer Sky Dining

Singapore Flyer Sky Dining

 At over 540 feet high, the Singapore Flyer has got to be the greatest place in the world for dining.   Twice each night, at 7:30 and 8:30 they transform the observation cars into mini dining salons seating up to 10 people. Each dining room has its own butler to serve and take care of you. When you get on they serve a refreshing fruit and ginger ale drink followed by appetizers. Wine was extra but well worth it.

The view at night

Dinner lasts about an hour which is two times around the great circle. (be sure you make a stop at the WC before you get on)  We chose the duck and the fish dinners but you can also get chicken and a vegetarian menu. What we got was very good and the presentation was well done. You would think that being that high up at night and trying to enjoy your meal would be difficult, but the Flyer turns so slowly that you don’t  even notice the movement. The view however is totally distracting.   

Below is a pretty good YouTube video we found and here is more information about getting tickets to the Singapore Flyer Sky Dining. 

      

San Diego Whale Watching Tour

Whale off San Diego

The  Whales are now off the coast of San Diego.  Each year about 28,000 whales pass by. We took the  Hornblower whale watching yacht that leaves from the foot of Broadway in downtown San Diego. (MAP) This is a 3 1/2 hour tour that only happens from December through April each year. This is such a deal because you get a boat tour of San Diego harbor that includes the Navy Air Station, Point Loma Light House and the Submarine base as well as a look at other sea creatures like dolphins, sea lions, Brown Pelicans and Blue Herons.

Hornblower tour boat

 The boat we went on gave us good views from outside as well as comfortable seating inside, out of the wind. It can get pretty breezy out there in the winter, so dress warmly. My video didn’t turn out well, but I found this YouTube video that pretty much shows what we saw that day:

 

Avoid sold out tours. Get advanced  tickets for whale watching and for other San Diego boat tours.

Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa

Busch Gardens Tampa

 Busch Gardens in Tampa has some pretty good discount tickets right now that include extra days and/or tickets to SeaWorld Orlando.

Map to Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa

Maps to Busch area hotels

We had not visited Busch Gardens for a while so there were some new things to see and do, as well as some old favorites.

Jungala

The newest addition to Busch Gardens,  set in the lush Congo area, Jungala is four acres with up-close animal interactions, a three-story maze of rope bridges and nets for kids to climb, two new rides and live entertainment.
A walking safari through Edge of Africa and offers exotic African animals in naturalistic habitats, including hippos, lions, hyenas, lemurs, meerkats, crocodiles and lappet-faced vultures. You can spend as much time as you want while you walk around and visit  an abandoned African fishing village.

The Serengeti Express Railway is a fun way to ride through much of the park and see the animals. We always like to ride the Skyride and get up into the tree tops to see the park and animals below. The truck tour on the Serengeti Safari gets out into the outback to see where the animals live.  There are also many scenic walkways to view the rolling landscapes, high-ground vistas and lush vegetation all reflecting the natural beauty of the wide open African wilderness.

Bolingo

The Myombe Reserve is a forested habitat where gorillas and chimpanzees  live and play in a natural environment.  Look them right in the eye and see if you don’t connect.

KaTonga is a 35 minute live show show that would be home in Las Vegas, with songs and a rich tapestry of color and sound. KaTonga takes you on a journey to the heart of Africa in a musical celebration of animal folklore. It follows a day in the lives of aspiring storytellers, called Griots, as they strive to become masters of this ancient art. To accomplish this rite of passage, the performers evoke traditional African stories that mesmerize and entertain. I provides a nice break in the day to sit, relax and be entertained.

Another place to sit in the dark and relax is Pirates 4-D. No, this is not an apartment number, it is a 3-D comedy film about pirates that includes some mist and wind effects that make the on-screen action come to life. You can duck, but you can’t run.

SheiKra

After a 200 foot climb, the SheiKra coaster takes you just over the edge of a true 90-degree drop. And stops. For 4 seconds, you find yourself looking down – straight down – at the ground below as you’re held suspended above it.  Then, like the sub-Saharan bird of prey for which it’s named, you plunge straight toward the ground, racing at speeds of more than 70 miles per hour. An Immelmann loop and a second vertical dive into an underground tunnel end with a surprise twist for those who look on – because with SheiKra, even they cannot escape.

A colossal coaster with a record-breaking six fly-bys, Gwazi still reigns as one of the largest and fastest wooden double roller coasters on the planet and one of the favorites at Busch Gardens.   With crossing speeds of 100 miles an hour, it’s easy to see why this legendary coaster has been recognized with so many consecutive awards by coaster enthusiasts.

Hop aboard the Rhino Rally for a wild jeep tour that takes you through the wilds of Africa. It’s an off-road adventure that combines the thrill of an African safari with the exhilaration and drama of an amazing water adventure, Rhino Rally takes you up-close to exotic animals and to the edge of your seat as you trek across the wide open veldt, then race to cross a rising river.

If you’re crazy about coasters, Montu has your lucky number: 7. That’s the number of insane inversions you’ll do on this monster coaster – one of the tallest and longest inverted coasters in the world.   Named for an ancient Egyptian god of war, conquering this coaster is a challenge that will test your courage at every turn.   Consistently rated as one of the top steel coasters in the world for its unique Batwing inversion and the intense 3.85 Gs you’ll feel blazing through this thrilling track, it’s easy to see what keeps this beast on the coaster enthusiasts’ favorites list year after year.

Travel to Timbuktu and you’ll find young kids’ favorite ride in the park, Cheetah Chase. This fun-filled family coaster is inspired by the playful side of one of the coolest and the fastest cats on the planet.  This wild ride zips, zooms and climbs five stories into the air before bringing riders back down in a roar of laughter.

It is said that if you can hear the roar of a lion in the distance, you have crossed into his territory.  And have been warned.  The natives call his roar the Kumba. And you’ll feel his breath on the back of your neck from the moment you step aboard the mighty coaster that earned his name.  Consistently voted one of the world’s top roller coasters by enthusiasts around the world, this legendary beast takes you from hair-raising heights to absolute weightlessness through seven inversions, all with the grace and speed of this magnificent predator.

Map to Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa
Maps to Busch area hotels

Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower)

Skydeck Chicago

The Skydeck opens at 10am daily.

April – September open until 10pm.
October – March until 8pm.

The Ledge is 1,353 feet up and The Ledge’s glass boxes extend out 4.3 feet from the skyscraper’s Skydeck on the 103rd floor, providing heart-stopping view. 

Also on in the Tower are  interactive and educational attractions that not only highlight the iconic landmark, but also celebrate Chicago’s sports, architecture, pop-culture, history, food, music and people.

Catch the breathtaking views of Chicago from the Western Hemisphere’s Tallest Building. Start your adventure with a nine minute excerpt of the History’s Channel Modern Marvels:  Tower presentation. You’ll come away knowing the hows and whys of the  Tower. Map to Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) - More things to see and do in Chicago

Celebrate the magic of the season during Holidays at the Disneyland® Resort

Holidays at Disneyland® California

Now through January 3, 2010 save up to $45 on a 2 to 5 day Park Hopper® Bonus Ticket. Enjoy the magic of  the season with unlimited access to all the resort attractions.

Walk to the park and save by staying at a nearby hotel. Special rates for the season.

•Snow on Main Street:

•Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle:

•Main Street Christmas Tree:

• “it’s a small world”

•Mickey’s Toontown:

•Disney’s Electrical Parade:

•Santa’s Seaside Pavilion:

•“a bug’s land”:

•Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life.”
•Paradise Pier:

•Main Entrance Plaza:  

•Kitson Kids.

•LittleMissMatchedTM.

•The LEGO® Imagination Center.

•Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen®:

•House of Blues® Stage:

•ESPN Zone®:

•Rainforest Café®:

Walk to the park and save by staying at a nearby hotel. Special rates for the season.

Now through January 3, 2010 save up to $45 on a 2 to 5 day Park Hopper® Bonus Ticket. Enjoy the magic of  the season with unlimited access to all the resort attractions.

Ghost Tours of San Diego

Ghostly Tours in History

We took two ghost tours of San Diego recently, in part to compare the $50  3-hour city limo tour with the $10  1-hour walking tour of the Gaslamp Quarter. Each had its advantages, you decide which is for you.

The Gaslamp Quarter tour meets at the haunted William Heath Davis House Fridays and weekends just as the city is getting dark. Our favorite story here is about the tourists who start to follow a “guide” upstairs and half way up are greeted by the real guide at the bottom of the stairs. There were no guides upstairs at the time.

Upstairs - no one there!

Walking around the Gaslamp Quarter at night is quite pleasurable, especially in the company of others and with someone who knows their way around. Not only did we see a restaurant in a former mortuary, we passed by several historic brothels and a haunted hotel. We also noted an interesting new restaurant that we later returned to for a late night snack.

Old Town Cemetery

The evening limo picked us up at an the Living Room Cafe and Bistro in Old Town.  Great place to arrive early, enjoy the food (and have your check paid) so that you are relaxed and ready to go. Door-to-gate service brings you to a cemetary that dates back 200 years and is located very near the very haunted Whaley House. Many violent deaths in San Diego’s history led to burials here. In the darkness you can feel some spirits. Many have seen figures drifting near the surrounding walls, but none seen this night.

Captain's quarters

The highlight was the Star of India sailing ship. Several deaths there have left wandering spirits above and below decks. With the other stops along the way we felt we had a pretty good introduction to San Diego, and a very enjoyable story time to boot. We were able to go to 5 different locations and the story for each one worth the time, trip and money. Tour more online at GoThere San Diego Haunted Places.

 

San Diego Wine Rave

 

Wine Rave November 18 2009

The San Diego Wine Rave is the opening event of the 2009 San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival. Test drive more than two dozen cutting edge wines and specialty spirits. Not only drink, but food will be offered that is guaranteed to knock your socks off, if you come wearing any.  In previous years this has really been the highlight of the week-long event. 

The “Big Event” of the entire Wine & Food Festival is the Grand Tasting at Embarcadero Park North behind Seaport Village. In our experience this is simply too many people trying to sample too many wines and foods. Stick to the more intimate Wine Rave.

This year the Wine Rave is in the San Diego W Hotel which, if you stay there, makes getting home after the event a much safer alternative. Tickets online now, only $45.

Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Location: W Hotel
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

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