Deep Sojourner

Summer is the perfect time to plan a family vacation because the weather is gorgeous and the kids are off school, but what kind of vacation suites your family?  There are several ideas out there,  it just depends on what you are in the mood for and what your budget is.

Maybe you are the type who likes a nice relaxing and stress-free vacation.  One where you can escape from everything work related and be free to do whatever you want.  If I were you I would consider looking into condo rentals along the beach or a scenic mountain setting.

If  you are tired of doing the same thing every vacation and want to do something new, I would look into adventurous activities such as river rafting, snorkeling, or backpacking in the wilderness.  These things can be fun for everyone and surely will be remembered by all.

You could be similar to my family and like to mix it up a bit throughout your vacation.  If that’s the case than look into finding a hotel on the beach that is within driving distance to an amusement park or book a cruise that combines plenty or rest and relaxation and adventure and sightseeing.

Maybe you want to go tropical and relax on the white sandy beaches while sipping on a refreshing cocktail and soaking up the sun.  There is nothing better than getting away from it all by taking a trip to Hawaii or the Caribbean Islands.

No matter where you go, just make sure you enjoy yourself and your family this summer vacation.

It’s difficult not to think of art and beautiful architecture when one considers the Italian city of Florence, and really, why should one even try to remove that association? It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and people are frequently amazed by the extent of it when they arrive there. And while it can be easy to get caught up in the beauty of the city and spend your time in a constant state of sight seeing awe, there are a lot of great cultural attractions and entertainment options in Florence that you won’t want to miss if you’re planning a trip there.

And with all of that in mind, visiting some of the city’s great museums is one of many tourists’ favorite things to do. Information on museums and other great cultural establishments will be available at most of the Florence resorts and hotels . And Galleria degli Uffizi and the Bargello are sure to be at the top of the list. The Galleria is not only one of the city’s greatest museums it is also one of the top attractions in Italy and a prime reason people visit Florence. It is recognized as the world’s leading museum of Renaissance art and its collection contains many pieces by Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Botticelli, Raphael and many others.

The Bargello was originally established in 1865 and remains one of the oldest continually functioning museums in Italy. It is one of the country’s premiere sculpture museums and represents some of the greatest works in that genre. The building itself has an interesting history and prior to existence as the museum was a prison and city hall before the Medici family turned it into the police headquarters. Many of the Renaissance’s great sculptors have works in the museum. Donatello, Verrochio and Michelangelo are just a few, though also some of the most famous, names that are represented by this museum. When you visit Florence you will definitely notice the beauty of the city and while it may seem curious as to why you should visit a museum when so much amazing art is all around, you will understand when you discover the important museums that exist there and the works they contain.

Technorati Tags: raphael

It was once a main producer of lemons for the world, and has even been featured in a video game, Grand Theft Auto . Today, Miami’s Little Haiti is a culturally rich and fascinating place, where residents celebrate and honor their Haitian heritage. It’s fairly close to the Miami Design District, which has caused a lot of gentrification in recent years, but it’s still a thriving place, and a lovely haunt for visitors with an interest in Haitian culture.

A local organization, Miami’s Cultural Community Tours , has it as one of their main spots for visitors interested in knowing more about the local scenes in the city. Food, art, and music are always a big draw for tourists in any area, and Haiti has rich traditions in all of these areas, making it a very worthwhile activity for an afternoon.

One of the spots not to be missed is the Little Miami Cultural Center . It opened last year, and is a 20 million dollar complex, complete with its own 270-seat theater, as well as a highly regarded art gallery. The work of Haitian artists has gotten a great deal of attention in the world art communities, but never as much as it truly deserves. The art here is work by 25 Caribbean artists, and the work is presented in a variety of media. Painting, sculpture, photography, and video are all included, to make a fantastic and complex interrogation of a cultural identity that is always in flux.

The cultural communities are some of the most exciting parts of the city. Many travelers opt to enjoy all the usual things that the city can offer, such as a wonderful night club scene, excellent world-class restaurants, and the legendary Miami five star hotels . All these things suggest many splendid reasons for visiting the city, where there is always more than meets the eye, and more than one can see with just one visit.

Technorati Tags: grand theft auto

There are few cities on the west coast more perfect for a family vacation than San Diego . It is well known for its sunny and pleasant weather year round and is full of places to entertain children of all ages whether they’re 5 or 25. There are museums, amusement parks and enough aquariums and zoological parks in the city and surrounding areas to satisfy everyone’s desire to see their favorite animal whether it live on land or in sea. You may want to book yourself at a five star hotel. San Diego has several hotels in the vicinity of Balboa park where most of your first trip is likely to be spent.

The San Diego Zoo is technically two parks in San Diego. Their more traditional zoo is located in Balboa Park. Also located in Balboa Park are the San Diego Natural History Museum, Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, San Diego Automotive Museum, San Diego Air & Space Museum, San Diego Hall of Champions , and the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. You’d have to dedicate full days to each of the parks if you had your heart set on both. The Wild Animal Park has a variety of special offers; provided your children are over 6 years old there is the Family Caravan Tours where safari guides take you in a safari truck into the field exhibits and let you feed a giraffe.

If your child it a budding marine biologist or just really likes the ocean you can take them to the La Jolla’s Birch Aquarium, where they learn about products made from things in the sea, explore a marine laboratory, and watch sea horses and leafy dragons floating in the water. If your child is old enough to remember the movie Free Willy they might find the San Diego Seaworld an interesting trip as part of the movie was filmed there. If not they’ll still enjoy the shows and seeing the many marine animals exhibited.

Tired of the animals? Would you rather play with one of the worlds most popular toys? Just outside San Diego is Legoland. This park has a variety of activities and areas from the Explore Village with boat ride and water play area to the U.S. landmarks built out of Legos at Miniland. There is even an area for kids to build and test designs. Plan to spend the whole day here because even if the kids finally get bored, not likely, you or your spouse might not. Even the aquarium next door has some Lego involved exhibits with their sharks prowling around Lego submarines.

Technorati Tags: legos

Life sometimes plays like a waltz, and sometimes it feels more like butoh. When things are really moving along, it’s always a tango, but behind it is the rhythms that infuse biology with spirit. That’s the dance, and when Chicago moves, there are multiple rhythms playing at once, and it takes a group like Mordine & Company Dance Theatre to track the speed of our lives.

It began in 1978 under the direction of Shirley Mordine, after she had earned degrees and pedigrees in San Francisco, Minnesota, and at Columbia. Her work in the field was already well-established, and she’s won a Ruth Page Award for artistic excellence in 1969. Ruth Page is another great leader in the Chicago dance scene, and is herself something of an icon in the city.

Today, the company under Mordine continues to work in many directions simultaneously, and it makes for some very exciting seasons every year. Their focus can’t be limited to one single form, but follows the tradition of most modern dance companies in applying multiple directions, based on their usefulness in expressing emotion and theme to the artistic material. The work is distinctive and engaging, reflecting a very discerning savvy on the part of the choreographers and the dancers. One of their most exciting areas of focus is in collaboration, with other dancers and other companies, to create work that interrogates the world as it is at the moment. The results are a fantastic vision of what’s happening in the city, as well as reflecting a global vision that gazes into the nature of the human spirit.

For visitors, there is a lot to see here, and the dance scene is still as thriving as it ever was. Fortunately, a 4 star hotel in Chicago can provide a great home base from which to see all the visions and rhythms that the city can offer.

Technorati Tags: 4 star hotel in chicago