Charter Bus: Washington, DC for a Tour of History

Washington, DC is the ultimate place for a tour of history where visitors can feel at one with the early beginnings of the United States by seeing and reading the original Constitution. One of the most notable memorials in Washington, DC is the 19-foot President Lincoln statue. Organize your group and travel by charter bus. Washington, DC is best seen with a large tour group, travelling together for glimpses of history.

Other Washington, DC memorials and museums include the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, National Museum of Natural History, National Air & Space Museum, National Museum of American History, National Zoological Park, Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, National Archives, the Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Capitol Building, all symbolic of significant events or persons in American history.

A tour of Washington, DC should start at the White House where there are lots of photo opportunities for visitors. Breakfast can be delightful at the White House Fresh Farm Market at Vermont Avenue where visitors can have a feast of fresh-baked breads and choices of healthy fruits. A visit to the Newseum should be next on the itinerary. This 250,000 sq.ft. museum is dedicated to news and its history. The Wolfgang Puck famous restaurant named The Source can be found next to the Newseum where visitors and tourists can have a sumptuous lunch. Another good place to have lunch is the Good Stuff Eatery, offering simple low-key burgers.

At the National Portrait Gallery, the famous Obama print by Shepart Fairey is on display, together with portraits of the previous presidents of the United States. From here, visitors can just walk to see Madame Tussauds’ The Presidents Gallery and pose with lifelike figures of the First Couple in wax. After this itinerary, the group can now choose to board the charter bus. Washington DCs sports teams including the Washington Wizards basketball team can be seen at play at the Verizon Center if members of the group are into sports.

The National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institute is another must-see in Washington, DC. Many of the First Ladies’ gowns are on exhibit here. There is also the American Presidency exhibition for viewing. Cedar Hill, the former residence of Frederick Douglass, one of America’s most gifted orator and statesmen is another place to visit. Its location on top of a hill will give visitors a breathtaking view of the surrounding city.

The Washington National Cathedral, the site of President Obama’s Inaugural Prayer Service is another landmark that is worth a visit. Nearby is the Equinox where Todd Gray serves farm-to-table food for lunch. The Restaurant Nora is another eating place nearby featuring organically grown food. Georgetown can be the next stop of the charter bus. Washington, DC retailers, shops and boutiques are located in Georgetown Park where many young designers feature their creations. Watching a performance at the Kennedy Center can be a fitting end to a busy sightseeing day. Citronelle by Michel Richard is a recommended place to have dinner. Another stop at the Abe Lincoln Memorial will be inspiring to see at day’s end when it is illuminated by moonlight.

by Kim

Super 8 Urbandale/ Des Moines Area

Close to Adventureland and Cownie Sports Complex with Indoor Pool and Hot Tub

Super 8 Urbandale / Des Moines Area hotel offers value and conveniences to help you refuel for your travels. Our Urbandale, Iowa, hotel is located off Interstate 35 / 80 with easy access to bustling downtown Des Moines and scenic Saylorville Lake. Take advantage of handy amenities like free Wi-Fi, guest laundry, microwave, refrigerator and ample parking for any size vehicle. Wake up each morning to free SuperStart continental breakfast, then hit the road to enjoy our proximity to key attractions like Wells Fargo Arena, Adventureland Amusement Park and Des Moines International Airport. Unwind with a workout in the gym or a soak in the heated indoor pool and hot tub. Non-smoking and handicapped-accessible rooms are available, and kids 17 and under stay free with an adult at our pet-friendly hotel.

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

Shop until you drop at Merle Hay Mall, or step back in time at Living History Farms. If you brought your clubs, hit the greens at Waveland Golf Course. When you travel with kids, take them to Blank Park Zoo or Adventureland Amusement Park. Attend a concert or live event at Iowa Events Center, like an Iowa Barnstormers football game or a Des Moines Dragons basketball game. Let loose at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino. Head into downtown Des Moines, or get away from it all at Saylorville Lake. You can find something every traveler will enjoy near our Urbandale, Iowa, hotel.

DINING OPTIONS

Try Midwest favorites like Pagliai’s Pizza and Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Cafe, both within a half mile. Try the finger-licking ribs at When Pigs Fly BBQ, or stick to a familiar favorite like Bennigan’s, Perkins or Applebee’s, all within walking distance of our Urbandale, IA, hotel.

BUSINESS AND EVENT FACILITIES

Our Urbandale, IA, hotel offers free Wi-Fi as well as copy and fax services to help you stay connected to work.

Local Attractions
• Merle Hay Mall - 1 mi
• Living History Farms - 2 mi
• Waveland Golf Course - 3 mi
• Drake Relays - 4 mi
• Des Moines Art Center - 5 mi
• Dragons IBA - 5 mi
• Des Moines Botanical Center - 5 mi
• Convention Center - 5 mi
• Iowa Barnstormers AFL - 5 mi
• State Capital - 5 mi
• Valley Junction Collectables - 5 mi
• Veterans Memorial Auditorium - 5 mi
• World Pork Expo - 6 mi
• Blank Park Zoo - 9 mi
• Adventureland Park - 10 mi
• Iowa State Fairgrounds - 10 mi
• Saylorville Lake - 11 mi

by Representative

Applaud Your Beach Vacation Rental On Beautiful Shores Of Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, noted for its pristine beaches and world class surfing is an appealing vacation destination, with fascinating attractions and soothing atmosphere. Santa Cruz Beach Broadwalk is a famous oceanfront amusement park which sits on the coastline of the beautiful Pacific Ocean, with exciting and enthralling rides, making your getaway a real fun. Travelers from all over the world love to spend their vacations in this beautiful part of California, endeavoring one of the best vacation rentals with full comfort and leisure.

Santa Cruz is also known for its majestic giant redwood forest, which is now listed amongst the rarest flora in the world. There are number of ancient museums to make research about the history and cultural heritage of the place. The Santa Cruz City Museum of Natural History highlights some of the unique and rarest flora and fauna of the area. These museums have plenty of archaeological attractions that allures to adults, and is the perfect place to take children for some knowledge, giving a break from the beach.

Santa Cruz boasts some well known venues for all tastes, and for any age group. You will love to enjoy over 40 superb wineries, number of breweries, fine and awesome dining style of the area, and its lively and active night life. Nearby shops, restaurants, and entertaining venues along its historic Pacific Avenue are also great places to explore. Santa Cruz is an entertaining piece of land for outdoor enthusiasts who like to participate in enthralling water sports and activities like swimming, paddling, diving, sailing, mountain biking, hiking and many more. Santa Cruz is a perfect picturesque for spending one of the best beach side vacation with excellent beach rentals.

The city is brimming with places of historic significance, particularly the Glen Canyon Covered Bridge, the Octagon Building, Lime Kiln State Park, the Allan Brown Site and the Veterans Memorial Building. You can get an easy access to all these locations from your beach rentals along with fun on the beach. Travelers can also plan to make a romantic trip to the beautiful city of Monterey which attracts visitors from around the world. You can book one of the SC vacation rentals as your base to explore the outstanding beauty that this angelic city holds. 'Shakespeare Santa Cruz' is amongst the most awaited events, which presents wonderful plays from Shakespeare's collection along with other fascinating plays.

The Santa Cruz beach rentals are hence an ideal hideaway, close to shopping, restaurants along with unlimited fun on the sea shores. With AlwaysOnVacation you can plan your dream vacation and enjoy some lifetime moments with your loved ones. AlwaysOnVacation is a premiere online vacation rental marketplaces and distribution networks with more than 50,000 rentals listed in 120 countries.

AlwaysOnVacation features an extensive search technology, which searches out your dream vacation home from its database matching exactly to your requirements, making your getaway further memorable. So you can choose your vacation getaway at any of your favorite destinations across the globe, either it's your dream beachfront house, or cabin rentals, or any other lodging option. Search for vacation rental properties with deep discounts for last minute bookings, long stays, and early bird bookings

by Denis.walter

The Great Road Links of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is home to 121,770 miles (195,970 km) of roadway, with 39,861 miles (64,150 km) of it owned by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, (PennDOT) making it the fifth largest state highway system in the United States.

You’ll have a lot to see while on Charter Bus PA as the Pennsylvania Turnpike system (America’s first super highway) is 535 miles (861 km) long, with the mainline portion stretching from Ohio to Philadelphia and New Jersey. Driving around can be tiring so, instead of driving the distance on your own, give Cus a call to see if we can find you the charter bus, party bus, coach bus, mini bus, school us or entertainer coaches that is perfect for your trip.

The Allegheny Mountain Tunnel which carries traffic from the Pennsylvania Turnpike through the Allegheny Mountains is the longest of the five tunnels on the Pennsylvania Turnpike carrying interstate 70 and 76 consists of two tunnels that are approximately 6,070 feet (1,850 m) in length and are the longest tunnels still utilized by the turnpike. Our bus drivers know the routes like the back of their hands, just point them in the right direction and you will be well on your way.

Charter Bus PA customers may not know this but, the first tunnel was built in the 1930s at the cost of $2,672,188 while the second tunnel, which was necessary due to increasing traffic was built in the late 1950s at the cost of $8,237,272

Interstate 80, an major east - west route that runs from Ohio to New Jersey at the Delaware Water Gap while Interstate 90 links Ohio and New York through Erie County. Interstate 79 runs north-south from its terminus in Erie through Pittsburgh to West Virginia while Interstate 81 runs from New York through Scranton, Lackawanna County and Harrisburg to Maryland.

Meanwhile, Interstate 476, begins 7 miles (11 km) north of the Delaware border, in Chester, Delaware County and travels 132 miles (212 km) to Clarks Summit, Lackawanna County, where it joins Interstate 81. Just imagine yourself cruising along with your friends and family members, relaxing in the charter, coach, party, or passenger sleeper coaches provided by Charter Bus PA...it is simply luxurious.

PA is charming in a very personal and friendly level. The next time you’re traveling by coach with us on the highway south of the main line of the Pennsylvania Turnpike do take a look out of the window and take in the view as the stretch is officially called the "Veterans Memorial Highway", commonly known to by locals as the "Blue Route". Such an unforgettable road trip can last you for a long time to come.

by Bus Rental PA

Live your astronaut dreams at Kennedy Space Center

If you have ever dreamed of becoming an astronaut, why not bring that dream to life by visiting Kennedy Space Center in central Florida.

Just a short drive from Orlando, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers a unique opportunity for you to tour launch areas, meet a veteran astronaut, see actual rockets, train in a spaceflight simulator, or even view an actual rocket or shuttle launch. It's all part of the amazing adventure that awaits you.

The Shuttle Launch Experience provides an exciting journey that allows you to feel what it's like to launch yourself toward space. Strap yourself in and experience the sights, sounds and sensations of a real Space Shuttle launch.

After entering the heart of Space Shuttle operations for a pre-launch briefing, you'll be guided by veteran Space Shuttle Commander Charlie Bolden as he you step-by-step through the shuttle launch sequence. Brilliant video screens spring to life on shuttle-like robotic arms. Anxious moments arise as atmospheric sound and lighting effects dramatize the moments before your space shuttle launch. Then hold on and enjoy the ride!

You can also travel back in time and history with a visit to the NASA Rocket Garden. Dramatic lighting brings historic NASA rockets back to life, including the Redstone, Atlas and Titan rockets that first put NASA astronauts in space. You can climb aboard Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules - and get an idea of the cramped quarters America's astronaut pioneers endured.

Then return to today's space age and climb aboard the International Space Station. This fascinating attraction gives you an up-close glimpse inside the actual facility where NASA prepares the real components of the International Space Station - the largest, most complex structure ever to be placed into orbit.

In an elevated observation room, you'll see the actual processing bay where each Space Station component is checked out, processed and readied for its trip into orbit.

After the observation room, you can enter a full-scale mock-up of the Habitation Module and see how Space Station crew members live, sleep and work.

In Space Shuttle Plaza, you'll find a full-sized NASA Space Shuttle replica - Explorer. See for yourself how astronauts live and work aboard real Space Shuttles. You'll also find other components needed to launch NASA Space Shuttles such as a huge external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters.
Next to the Space Shuttle Explorer is the Launch Status Center, where visitors receive live briefings on NASA's ongoing launch and space flight activity.

On a more somber note, the Space Mirror Memorial, designated as a national memorial by Congress and President George Bush and dedicated in 1991, honors the 24 U.S. astronauts who gave their lives for space exploration.

The names of the fallen astronauts from the Space Shuttle Columbia, the Space Shuttle Challenger and Apollo 1, as well as the astronauts from training and commercial airplane accidents are emblazoned on the monument's 42-1/2-foot-high-by-50-foot-wide black granite surface as if to be projected into the heavens.

For more information about Kennedy Space Center and all of the Orlando area theme parks and attractions, please visit http://www.OrlandoThemeParkVacations.com. For discount Orlando hotel and resort accommodations or discount Orlando vacation packages, go to http://www.WestgateReservations.com/sweepstakes.cfm.

by Gregory J Nelson

Top 5 Tourist Destinations in US You Must Visit

1. Times Square, N.Y.

Times Square in New York City attracts tourists from all over the world for its broadway theatre, cinemas and super signs. This community place in NY has been witness to a variety of fun activities over the decades--food festivals, water tours, ethnic programs, cultural events and other entertainment. A fantastic thing that attracts tourists to this well recognized site of the world is its electric billboards along with digital and animated advertisements. Times Square is the most bustling area of the city and is also the hub of the New Year's ball. New York City is the most popular urban area in the world that is well-connected by flights, buses, cars and metros. The city has a range of hotels, motels, resorts, privately owned cabins and campgrounds for tourists. iXiGO.com provides all the information on cheap flights and hotels rates.



2. National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington D.C.


Tourists are attracted towards the National Mall and Memorial Parks at Washington D.C. for its public landmarks. Tourists visiting the place are allowed to honour the courage and sacrifice of famous presidents and war veterans within the National Mall. Icons one can visit here include Washington monument, Lincoln memorial, Jefferson memorials, and Franklin Roosevelt memorials. Washington D.C. is well connected with flights, trains and roads. They offer accommodation in five star hotels as well as one and two star hotels, motels and dormitories. For cheap flight rates and best accommodations, log on to iXiGO.com.



3. Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista, FL


Disney World is a family destination theme park that attracts children as well as adults. It is a magical theme park full of fantasy and imagination. The Disney Park captures the enchantment of fairy tales with exciting Disney characters such as Cinderella, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Aladdin and others along with entertainment and backstage tours. One of the most popular attractions for tourists, Disney Land is situated in Florida, USA. Florida is well connected with flights, trains and roads. There are various low and high budget hotels situated near Lake Buena. For more information on cheap flights and hotels log onto iXiGO.com.



4. Niagara Falls, N.Y.


The famously famous Niagara Falls are a popular tourist destination located on the US-Canada border. These massive and beautiful falls attract tourists from all over the world. There are various low and high budget hotels around this great geographic wonder of the world. This makes it easy for tourists to plan their holiday. When visiting this top tourist destination of the US, one must take the Maid of Mist boat ride that takes the tourists on a half an hour journey over the mystic waters of the river. New York is well connected with air routes, buses, cars and trains. iXiGO.com has all the information on cheap flights and hotels.



5. Grand Canyon, Arizona



One of the Seven Wonders of the World, Great Canyon is the most popular tourist destination situated in the United States of America. It is a steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River and is contained within the Great Canyon National Park. Tourists can book low and high budget hotels that are situated within the National Park. Attractions here include helicopter tours, Colorado River rafting, skywalks, the Grand Canyon railway and SUV and motor coach tours. A visit to these parks requires pre booking of vehicles because of its remote location. For more details and information on flights and hotel bookings, log on to iXiGO.com.

by iXiGO

Amazing Family Yoga in India

Ever thought about doing yoga with your kids? In addition to family meals and bedtime rituals, more and more families are adding yoga to their daily routines. If you have yet to establish a home practice with your kids, the benefits might surprise you. "Family yoga can become a way of life," says Amy Gabrielle Witmyer, owner of the Sacred Space Yoga and Wellness Center of West Orange, New Jersey, who has been practicing with her husband and their son, Juaquin, since the 9-year-old was in uterus.

In a world where cooking has become a once in a blue moon event and where fast food has dominated weekly meals, gaining weight has become an issue now more than ever. Kids are becoming over weight and obese, just as their parents are gaining weight as well.

Children of today would rather spend their time on the internet, their video games, and watch TV than go outside and play. Because lifestyles have changed over the years, weight gain and weight loss needs have changed too. Here is where amazing yoga may be of help.

The rewards of a family practice are long-lasting, including not only well-documented benefits like weight loss, increased concentration, muscle tone, and better school performance, but also stronger bonds among family members and better social skills in the world at large. If you have a good practice, you can't help but take it off the mat.

Remember though, if you really want family yoga to work for you, you also have to match it up with other important factors such as eating right, living healthy, doing your yoga routines regularly, maintaining positivism and enjoying your time on your mat - your sacred space. That brings up a key question: How can yoga compete against other enticements for children's attention? How do we keep from having to insist our kids practice with us? The answer, veterans agree, is modeling.

Practice yourself. Then yoga becomes part of the furniture for the kids. When the household is studying something deeply, the walls are vibrating with that knowledge.

So whenever people begin to practice yoga, all the people in the household are going to absorb some of that.
Stories, games, partner poses and massage are all likely elements in a family yoga class. Unlike adult classes that may include slow and sleepy sequences, too many props or sweaty aerobics, these classes are child-centered and built for fun.

Variations are given for each pose or activity to accommodate the students in class. For example, parents stand steady in tree pose (vrksasana), while children dance like the wind. Or, parents line up in downward-facing dog (adho mukha svanasana) to make a tunnel for the children to crawl through.

As the concept of Family Yoga gains popularity, it's not unusual for families to complement a family vacation with Yoga classes. What better place to learn and practice these wellness therapies than the land of its origin - India (where it originated more than 5000 years ago)? Yoga and Ayurveda are the most renowned therapies of India that have gained international popularity and repute.

Considering the growing demand of Spiritual Tourism in India and to cater to the specialized needs of discerning Spiritual travellers to India, Travel Spiritual India was established as a Strategic Business Unit of Pioneer Journeys Pvt. Ltd.

Travel Spiritual India specializes in ground arrangements for Yoga tours to India, Ayurveda Spa India, Meditation tours and vacations to Luxury Spa Retreats. Travel Spiritual India provides rejuvenating Yoga & Ayurveda tours, Customized Spa Vacation packages which help you restore balance into your life and take back more than just memories from your yoga Vacation India.

by Aman Sharma