The Finale

Today I will discuss the twelfth and final place I think you should visit around the world. I recommend visiting Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

I was about 8 years old when my family took this trip and to this day it is still one of my favorite vacations. It’s a 16 hour drive from the south suburbs of Chicago. The flight would be approximately an hour and a half. My family decided to suck it up and drive.

Once you finally arrive, there is so much to do. The nice long beach was my number one priority. Take a walk down the board walk and stare in the distance. You will see ocean for as far as you can look. Nothing compares to sand between your toes and the warm sun on your skin. I would recommend going for the 30 mile long beach. If the beach scene isn’t for you, there are plenty of other activities to do for you and your family!

I will list a few attractions I recommend doing, but look here for more.

1.      Ripley's Attractions- Featuring five great attractions in the Myrtle Beach area including Ripley's Aquarium, Ripley's Haunted Adventure, Ripley's Believe It or Not, Ripley's 4-D Moving Theater and Ripley's Super Fun Zone.

2.      Splashes Oceanfront Water Park- Splash your way into fun at Myrtle Beach’s only Oceanfront Water Park. A new name for the Family Kingdom Water Park, Splashes is the perfect retreat from sun and sand. Enjoy wet and wild water flumes, exhilarating speed slides, relaxing lazy river, kiddie pools, and more.

3.      Wonderworks- an indoor amusement park for the mind, has 100 interactive exhibits for all ages. Experience 84mph hurricane force winds, lie on a bed of nails & ride a virtual roller coaster, climb an indoor ropes course, play a game of laser-tag, plus more!

New adventures are always fun. Myrtle Beach is extremely enjoyable. You will not regret going there for a family vacation. You can parasail, body board or just sit on the hotel balcony and look out at the sea. Every morning I would wake up to see the dolphins swimming. I personally came home with a new pet! My family drove the 16 hours back home with 2 new freshwater turtles! Talk about an interesting car ride… Who knows what you will come home with!

I hope you enjoyed reading my blog the last couple months about the places I think you should visit. I love vacationing and I know you will too! I highly recommend you visit all the places I have talked about at some point because they are all so different. However, it is not all about going to the most expensive places like Italy or Paris. It's about making memories with your kids that they will remember for the rest of their lives. No matter where you take them to vacation they will enjoy themselves, even if it is to a hotel two towns away from where you live. Vacationing is one of my favorite activities because each time is a new adventure and I love being able to get away from reality for a little bit to relax. Take some time off from your everyday life and see the world! You only live once; you might as well make the best of it. 

The Mile High City

Throughout this blog, I’ve been talking about places I recommend that you go visit. All the places I have talked about up till now have been warm places. Today, I want to talk about Colorado which is fun place to visit but can be a little chilly for parts of the year.

The great part about Colorado is the weather. Most of the year, you can walk outside with just a hoodie on and be comfortable. Denver is the main city that I would suggest you visit. It is known as the Mile High City because its elevation is one mile above sea level. This explains why the weather is so decent year round; the city is closer to the sun.

I recommend snowboarding or skiing if the weather is appropriate when you visit. I had never snowboarded before, so I rode the baby hills first. Now, after visiting the snowboarding in the Midwest will ever compare to the slopes in Colorado. You can rent gear if you don’t own any already at the resort where you are staying.

This website lists the top ten things to do while in Denver, but I will list 3 that I really think you should do. Feel free to check out the website and learn about the others!

Platte Valley Trolley in Confluence Park:

Do your sightseeing the old-fashioned way—hop on the Platte Valley Trolley. Known as “breezers” back in the day, the Denver Tramway Company’s open trolley cars were considered the most romantic way to see the sights of Denver in the first half of the 20th century. Today the Denver Rail Heritage Society operates a nostalgic replica that runs along two main routes from Thursday through Sunday in the summertime and Friday through Sunday in the fall. The Riverfront Ride departs REI/Confluence Park every half hour starting at noon, stopping at the Children’s Museum, the Downtown Aquarium, and Invesco Field along its southbound route and then returning nonstop to the confluence. The nostalgic hour-long Route 84 Excursion retraces a portion of the old interurban streetcar line route of the same name that ceased operation in 1950. It departs once daily at 12:30 from the confluence.

Boulder Outdoor Cinema:

Catch a Flick under the Stars -pack a picnic, grab a blanket or folding chair, kick back, and enjoy a leisurely evening of outdoor cinema. A new twist on the drive-in and a vast improvement over renting a DVD at home, this is a pleasant way to see some of your favorite old movies in a unique outdoor setting.

City Park Jazz at the Bandstand and Denver Botanic Gardens:

Groove to Live Music in the Great Outdoors- from classical to jazz to reggae to rock, Denver is alive with the sound of music all summer long. Take your pick from an outstanding lineup of summer music festivals and outdoor concerts in a wide variety of venues, from the city streets, grassy parks, and glorious gardens of Denver to the grandeur of the surrounding foothills.

There is so much to do in Denver alone. Colorado is an amazing state to visit especially if you don’t want to leave the country.

Check back next week when I talk about the twelfth and final place I think you should visit! You don’t want to miss out! 

The City of Love

Getting to Europe takes a long plane ride, but how often are you really going to visit a European country? It’s worth the trip. Sit back, enjoy the flight, and get yourself to Paris, France!

Paris is known as the city of love because of its romantic atmosphere. Lovers can walk around at night and enjoy the mesmerizing lights.

The Eiffel Tower is an icon of Paris. This is the number one attraction people want to see when visiting, I completely agree. Seeing the Eiffel tower in person is a million times better than seeing it in a movie or photograph.

There is one thing I always wanted to do when I visited Paris. Put a lock on the famous bridge. However, when I was there I learned that there are 2 different bridges. Pont des Arts is for your committed love, while Pont de l'Archevêché is for your lover. Pont de l'Archevêché is packed full of love padlocks where the other bridge is not. You put the lock on the bridge and then throw the key into the river. This was on my bucket list, and I highly suggest you do it with your loved one. It doesn’t have to be someone you’re dating, it can be your best friend if you prefer.  It is an experience that will bond you together forever.

According to the following website www.thingstodoinparis.com these are the top 10 things to do while in Paris.

1. The Palaces of Versailles is one of the largest and most opulent castles in the world. This stunning historic castle with its beautiful architecture and gardens, and deep history makes it a place you must visit on a sightseeing trip to Paris.

2. Take a relaxing trip down the River Seine onboard the Bateaux Parisiens River Cruise. A river cruise is a great way to see many of Paris’ famous landmarks and sights.

3. The Arc De Triomphe is one of the most iconic monuments in Paris and must for any visitor to Paris.

4. The Louvre Museum is home to some of the finest artwork in the world. Home to thousands of classic and modern masterpieces, the Louvre Museum is the jewel in the crown of French culture.

5. A very popular attraction in Paris is the Cathedral of Notre Dame, with a Paris Pass you can take a visit to the top of the Towers of Notre Dame for free.

6. Fancy trying some French wine? Then take a trip to O Chateau Wine Tasting where you can sample some exquisite wines from the vineyards of France.

7. The Orsay Museum exhibits work by Delacroix, Manet, Guaguin, Cézanne, Monet, Renoir, Sisley, van Gogh and many more great artists.

8. Discover Paris from the 56th observation floor of the Montparnasse Tower which offers visitors a stunning view of the city in all directions.

9. Palais Garnier has been home to Opera de Paris since the 1600’s and is also home to a small gallery which hosts exhibitions as well as a permanent exhibition of the sets of operas from its history.

10. Grevin Wax Museum features over 300 wax figures of the world’s most famous people dramatically posed in amazing scenes.

This is a place I recommend visiting, but leave the children at home. Take a getaway from your life and enjoy some quality time with your loved one. You won’t regret it!

If you think traveling to Europe is too far, check back next week and learn about somewhere closer to home.