Visited the Hello Kitty Cafe Las vegas

We were visiting Las Vegas, staying at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino. I heard about the Hello Kitty Cafe located just outside the hotel. We were there too early and so we decided to take photos before they open.  If you are a fan of hello kitty;  finding this cafe was a plus for your trip in Vegas.

 

The Hello Kitty Cafe is a fun little spot in Las Vegas. It’s basically a food truck. You can get hot or cold beverages and a sweet treats. They also sell shirts and other merchandise.  They have an area to seat on and its decorated as well so you can enjoy your treats.

 

Hello Kitty Cafe - a fun little place in the heart of Vegas.

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17 comments Cabin and Hotel Reviews, Cities and Towns, Family Attractions, Las Vegas, Nevada, Places to Eat and Shop, Summer Getaway, United States

Visit Santa Barbara Art Chromatic Gate Installation

Have you ever wanted to just walk under the rainbow?  How about actually touching it?!  Why not when visiting Santa Barbara's beaches. Designed by famed Herbert Bayer, an artist and architect who lived and created around the globe.  This structure is especially fun to look at as you stand at the beach and watch the clouds pass over the mountains to the east of Chromatic Gate.

This massive piece of work with Unicorn colors is very intriguing with the way the arches are in 90 degree angles.  One of my favorite spots for any photo ops since it's literally across the street from the beach, you get an awesome sunset view as well. Enjoy what this piece of art has to offer on a breathtaking beautiful weather of California. There's lots to do here.

The gate looks great from either side for pictures. Some people can really spend a lot of time taking pictures there. It's really quite photogenic on a clear blue sky day.

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21 comments Beaches and Islands, California, Family Attractions, Historic Landmarks, Santa Barbara, United States

Visiting Crater Lake National Park in Oregon | Part 1

I am one of those people who loves National Parks.  That is why I've always wanted to see this magnificent lake in Oregon and we finally made it. Picture perfect lake. No doubt about it. You will be amazed when you see this lake. It's a long drive in the wilderness no matter where you'll come from.

The drive here was scenic and when you get to the lake you'll forget the long drive that you just did.  The lake was still a few miles after the National Park sign there's a ($15/car) entrance fee  to  enter the park .

The road trip to Crater Lake is nothing short of spectacular.  As we approached the rim, the beauty of the lake literally took my breath away. I gasped because it was as they say, picture perfect. The water was so blue and the surrounding mountains were reflecting off making it all more magical. In late May the ground still has snow and the mountains were snow capped -- it added to the beauty of the lake.

If you love photography, this is definitely the place to go.

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39 comments Crater Lake, Crater Lake National Park, Family Attractions, Mountain, Oregon, Oregon State National Park, Outdoor Activities and Adventures, United States, US National Park

Visit Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park

We like to visit State Parks and  recently we made a trip to Homosassa Springs State Park at Crystal River, Florida.  This park is a true crown jewel in the collection of Florida state parks. Homosassa and Weeki Wachee and Silver Springs are the three parks that are much more than a nature center and playground. Homosassa is a tourist destination and basically a mini theme park for rehabilitative native Florida species.

I am not a big fan of zoo's.  I feel like animals should not be taken from their natural environment to begin with, made it perform, and then confined to a tiny space. Animals deserve to be in their natural habitat.  However, I support sanctuaries and wildlife preserves just like this park.  It is created to rehabilitate and heal animals. Most of them are unable to survive on their own in the wild. So they are given a comfortable and safe environment at Homosassa Springs. Also they have Underwater Observatory, allows visitors to “walk underwater” beneath the spring’s surface and watch the various fish and manatees swim about.

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27 comments Aquarium and Zoo, Crystal River, Family Attractions, Florida, State Parks, United States

Visit the Whispering Winds Covered Bridge and Lost Mine Falls

Everyone is familiar with theme parks or amusement parks, but have you ever heard of an adventure park? Adventure park is a place where family can come to explore and discover the outdoors. The  Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park is famous for that, located 12 miles outside the city limits of Gatlinburg , Sevierville or Pigeon Forge.

It is a family oriented adventure park that has beautiful easy to moderate trails. This trails will lead you across multiple unique bridges from log to covered and cable  bridges, including America’s Longest Swinging Bridge with gorgeous vistas and awesome waterfalls.

"Whispering Winds Covered Bridge",  is home to thousands of wishes where you can hang a wish to blow in the winds of prosperity. 

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30 comments Bridges and Sights, Family Attractions, FoxFire Mountain, Outdoor Activities and Adventures, Sevierville, Tennessee, Theme Parks, United States, Waterfalls

Discover Foxfire Mountain Swinging Bridge

Those visiting to Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge must check out Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park.  If you and your family are looking for a great place to spend a day; visit Foxfire Mountain located at:  3757 Thomas Ln, Sevierville, TN 37876.   They are a little off the beaten path, but its completely worth it.  This park is perfect for family adventure with a  short hike and  breathtaking waterfalls.

Did you know  that the longest "Swinging Bridge" in United States is located right here in East Tennessee?

From FoxFire Mountain entrance  you can cross The Bridge to Prosperity towards the hiking trail and waterfalls. Heights might not be your thing, but this bridge is safe, sturdy and has amazing views. These bridges are made of steel cable, wood and rock , fun thing about it is that they really do swing.

The park features a rock climbing wall, ATV tours, the longest swinging bridge in America, and two zip line courses -- there’s no shortage of adventures here!

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26 comments Bridges and Sights, Family Attractions, FoxFire Mountain, Outdoor Activities and Adventures, Sevierville, Tennessee, Theme Parks, United States

Visit Wynwood Art Walls in Miami

This is a very unique part of Miami you should visit. Wynwood Walls is located a few minutes away from downtown. Wynwood Walls has been described as an walkable, outdoor museum. It is a fun filled environment with some of the best collections of hand painted art/murals. The entire neighborhood hosts a truly amazing set of public art work. The murals are vivid, striking, and passionate and create great opportunity for taking photos. Sometimes you will even see one under development when the artist is currently working on a wall.

For the record there are over 70 different paintings and murals made by over 50 artists all over the world (over 16 countries). Aside from all the many artistic walls around this area, there is actually a good amount of history and stories behind the Wynwood walls. You can actually take a walking tour of this place if you are interested. You can also read some tidbit information about some of the artists.

When we enter at the gate in Wynwood,  I was not expecting to see so much art everywhere. Amazing work done by talented artists.

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26 comments Family Attractions, Florida, Miami, Museum and Exhibits, United States

Visit the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach

On our most recent trip to Miami Beach I recognized this colorful stacked up rocks.  Have you heard  the Seven Magic Mountains art installation in Las Vegas?  It's same , except you will only see one tower. The genius man behind this beautiful art is the Swiss artist  Ugo Rondinone. Ugo Rondinone is an internationally-renowned artist. His works range from neon signs to paintings to eerily realistic life-sized clown figures, sitting slumped over on the floor of a gallery. All of his works mesh everyday experiences and objects with colorful, fantastical, and often-strange elements. Seven Magic Mountains in ( Las Vegas, Nevada) is one of his first forays outside of a gallery and into land art.

It is  such a beautiful part of Miami Beach, where you can relax outside under the palm trees and scenic lawn park, or walk over to the beach.  Located on the corner of 21st Street and Collins Avenue. 

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26 comments Family Attractions, Florida, Miami, Museum and Exhibits, United States

Visit Everglades National Park

One of America's most fascinating national parks,  is the Everglades. This park was created to protect native species of plants, animals and a rare Eco-system that doesn't exist anywhere else on the planet. There are few different endangered animals that call the Everglades home along with many plants.

The moment we drive past the  Everglades entrance gate, we've witness miles of emptiness in every direction, a river of grass stretching to the treeless horizon. Every National Park has something to offer, but this one was so different. Wetlands, as far as your eyes could see and instead of black bears in  Tennessee we had our eyes peeled for alligators.

1. See and learn about Alligator 

Don't let the gators scare you--  it is safe.

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24 comments Aquarium and Zoo, Everglades National Park, Family Attractions, Florida, Florida State National Park, Miami, Outdoor Activities and Adventures, United States

6 Fun Things to Do in Pigeon Forge

Pigeon Forge is a charming town surrounded by the Great Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee. There are so many things to do in Pigeon Forge, including some of the best attractions in the entire Smoky Mountain area. From fun attractions to restaurants and relaxing places to stay, there is no shortage of fun things to do here. Bring along your entire family and sure to have the time of their lives while on vacation in Pigeon Forge.

Here are some of my favorite attractions in Pigeon Forge:

1. Visit the Titanic Museum Attraction

If you are a huge Titanic movie fan you will really enjoy this museum. The Titanic Museum is shaped like a replica of the ship. When you first check in you will receive a boarding pass of a real Titanic passenger and experience what it was like to sail on the RMS Titanic while surrounded by more than 400 artifacts. Touch a real iceberg, walk the Grand Staircase and third class hallways, feel it with  your own hands the 28-degree water, and try to stand on the sloping decks. At the end of the tour you can see whether or not the person on your card survived. Give yourself a good 2 hrs to go through this exhibit.  It is definitely a walk through history and very informative.

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26 comments Family Attractions, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, Travel Tips, United States

The Magical time at Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center is a national historic landmark in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Right up there with Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. It is amazing to see during Christmas time. I love watching people ice skate on the rink. It just pits a smile on your face. There is also an observatory at the top of the building, which we didn't visit this time.

Since this place is so well known in NYC, the place is very crowded. There are so many visitors/tourists at times, it will be a short wait to take photos so that not many people are around you in the photo. Luckily, there are many benches around the area that you can sit on to rest at. The area is very well maintained and clean. Lots of stores to check out in the area and across the street is Saks on Fifth Avenue if you want to do some shopping. Regardless of your feelings about the big crowd, this building is a must when visiting the Big Apple.

The Rockefeller Center is beautifully decorated walkway, gaze at the ice skaters below, and watch the light display across street at Saks 5th avenue.

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27 comments Cities and Towns, Family Attractions, Historic Landmarks, New York, New York City, United States

The Island of Pigeon Forge TN

This our annual tradition of going to the Island during Christmas. The lights and decorations here were outstanding. It's so relaxing and festive, it quickly became my favorite place in Pigeon Forge. The Island is the central gathering point in the Pigeon Forge approx. 25 minutes away from Gatlinburg. With great shopping, restaurants of all atmospheres, sight seeing and attractions, there’s something for everybody. Take a ride on the giant Ferris Wheel to catch a view of the mountains and lights, enjoy the fountain that plays music with light shows, stop for a moonshine sample or eat to your hearts content at any number of delicious restaurants.

Some tips:

• 1. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes (it can be quite a hike from the far end of the parking lot). But the tram is available for those who don't want to walk.
• 2. Be sure to check out Pigeon Forge Attractions website on coupons for shops and rides.
• 3. Get to restaurants like Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville or Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen early on the weekends.

Located at: 131 The Island Dr, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863

Peace, Love and Joy for a wonderful holiday season - from The Island Pigeon Forge

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12 comments Family Attractions, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States

Elvis Presley's Graceland Mansion

Going to Graceland was a labor of love. I had to make an arrangements to get my parent's to Graceland. They are a big fan of Elvis Presley. I purchased  our tickets online  ahead of time,  which it help us to avoid the long line upfront.

There are few different tour packages available with different prices and levels of access based on the price. I choose the  Graceland Tour, Automobile Museum and Elvis Presley's custom Airplanes. It includes hotel pick-up and drop off  for $68/person.

After you check in, you are given a headset and an ipad which is your  interactive self-guided tour for Graceland. Everyone boards a shuttle that takes you through the front gate to the front door of the mansion. Flash photography is discouraged and filming is not permitted.

As the front door swings open, visitors are able to enter the private world of a rock legend.

Elvis Presley,  Graceland Mansion in Memphis is the second most-visited house in America.

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9 comments Castles and Mansions, Family Attractions, Memphis, Tennessee, United States

The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel

We love the Smoky Mountains! We visit the area several times a year. It is a nice touristy destination and the mountain scenes are beautiful, no matter what time of the year you visit.  It was my birthday  (16th of July) I ask my husband and my parent's to ride the Wheel with me. I found $2 off coupons for tickets, yet I think the $12/person is still pretty expensive for an 8-minute ride. It's located in Pigeon Forge, TN. You can park in the new parking lot and then get on a tram to get to this Margaritaville Island.  

It's a smooth ride giving you a great view of the Smokies and of course the sights below - the goings on at the Island in Pigeon Forge, the dancing waters, and families strolling about like little ants. The gondola can fit 4-5 people comfortably . There's an 'emergency red button' to push if there's an emergency.

Towering 200 feet-tall, the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel sits at the foot of Great Smoky Mountain National Park. As the centerpiece to the Island in Pigeon Forge, it stands as one of the tallest attractions in the Southeast.

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52 comments Family Attractions, Outdoor Activities and Adventures, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States

The Fruit and Berry Patch in Knoxville

📌  Parent's Visit America

After looking for pick your own crops farm on the Knoxville area we came across the Fruit and Berry Patch. Located in 4407 McCloud Rd. Knoxville, TN 37938. Early summer starts the pick your own schedule. Blueberries, Raspberries, blackberries, grapes, peaches then apples galore. The whole farm wasn't so big and not too commercialized but we all having a great time.

Fruits may be picked from daylight to dark most of the summer. You pick the fruit  your desired then weigh it at the posted price.  There's a store where you can buy homemade jellies from their berries and the fresh pick sweetcorn is my favorite.

 It was berry season so you could go pick your own berries

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22 comments Family Attractions, Fruit Farm, Knoxville, Outdoor Activities and Adventures, Summer Getaway, Tennessee, United States

Grand Canyon National Park | South Rim

📌 Part Two of this Amazing Journey to the Canyon. Bucket list ✔ check off!

The Grand Canyon is in every traveler's bucket list. The one great sight which each person should see . You can hike , rent a bicycle or take a scenic drive through the park. If you can appreciate nature and its beauty this is the real deal.

Coming on a road trip to see the Grand Canyon was everything and more we expected. Words can't put into words the beauty of how magnificent and huge this Canyon is. It is so big that you think you've seen it all but you haven't but there's so much to the Grand Canyon you don't see. This is a must see once in a life time. Not in pictures but in person.

Nature's always wear the colors of the spirit.

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23 comments Arizona, Arizona State National Park, Family Attractions, Grand Canyon National Park, Outdoor Activities and Adventures, United States, US National Park

Titanic Museum at Pigeon Forge Tennessee

📌  Parent's Visit America

Ever since I moved to the United States. I always wanted to bring my parents to this country. Imagine the feeling seeing your mom and dad enjoy like kids traveling in US and you overlooking them. Just like how they would, when you played in your childhood. Amazing feeling, isn’t it? Well I decided to bring my parents to US on a visitors visa. They've been here for almost two months now (Whew! time move so fast)  and we all are having a blast!

We took them one time at Titanic Museum Pigeon Forge. Fantastic place to visit and who knew the Titanic made it to Tennessee! Great artifacts and other things to see it makes for a good hour of fun. To immerse you in the titanic story you are given a boarding pass with a passengers name on it. Through the tour you are looking to see if you survived.

Another cool part of the museum is that they have a small pool of water that is chilled to the same temperature as the ocean was where the Titanic sank that night, and you can put your hand in and time yourself to see how long you last before you take your hand out! It makes you really feel for the passengers bobbing around in that freezing water.

Only complaint is that they do not allow you to take pictures inside that's the backdrop. The tickets are pricey at $20 per adult, but you can bundle them with other attractions like WonderWorks and Hatfield McCoy Dinner Show (which I highly recommend) and save $5-10 off. Groupon  is also offers a discounted price. 

Directions:
The Titanic Museum is located between lights 0 and 1 on the main Parkway in Pigeon Forge (2134 Pkwy Pigeon Forge, TN 37863) . The Museum is located next door to the Dinner Show Theater and WonderWorks.

The Titanic Museum - a two story museum designed in the shaped of the  RMS Titanic .

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11 comments Entertainment, Family Attractions, Historic Landmarks, Outdoor Activities and Adventures, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States

Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show

📌  Parent's Visit America

This unique design of theater/restaurant is one of a popular attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  Family, Food, Feudin’, and Fun- that’s the theme of The Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show. If you like watching American history about Family Feud you will have a blast here. You will  also enjoy Granny's country cookin'. Come hungry, because it's "all you can eat" served family style.

Directions:
The Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show is located between lights 0 and 1 on the main Parkway in Pigeon Forge. The dinner theater is located next door to the Titanic Museum.

The front Entrance of the theater.

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11 comments Entertainment, Family Attractions, Outdoor Activities and Adventures, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States

WonderWorks at Pigeon Forge Tennessee

📌  Parent's Visit America

Exploring the Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in a day with family is not enough. So many tourist attraction to choose from and delicious Southern food to try on. Today we decided to bring my parent's from Philippines in Pigeon Forge to experience the Southern hospitality. 

Our first stop the WonderWorks: I'm amaze on this architecture very catchy.  If you are looking for adventure you can come inside and lay on the bed of nails, experience an earthquake and learn about optical illusion. Although my parent's think that they are  a little too old for this stuff. They still had a great time admiring the beauty of this building from the outside. 

On pick season expect the big crowd as this attraction is very popular for all ages. Be prepared to stand in long lines and spend most of the day here. A bonus is that you can leave and return later in the day. Located at: 100 Music Rd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863-4972

From the Entrance building

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27 comments Entertainment, Family Attractions, Outdoor Activities and Adventures, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States

A day trip to Downtown Nashville

Located on the Cumberland River, Nashville is a small town in a big city — Nashville, TN is famous for being the home of country music. Plenty of bars with live music are everywhere as well and the cowboy greeters are full of personality. Restaurants featuring great brisket and ribs are easy to find along with more sophisticated restaurants at street level and in the high rises. It is fun to walk along downtown, but you can take a horse drawn carriage or even pedal a beer bike around.

If you haven’t visited  the Music City recently I suggest you should, wear your cowboy boots and head to Tennessee’s capital city.

Stunning Nashville downtowm

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5 comments Bridges and Sights, Downtown, Family Attractions, Nashville, Outdoor Activities and Adventures, Summer Getaway, Tennessee, United States