From May 23rd through August 16th, 2009, the Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame (EMP|SFM) will be hosting an amazing exhibit and a number of accompanying events on the magical work of the late Jim Henson. Jim Henson's Fantastic World is a deep dive into the work of the man behind the Muppets of “The Muppet Show,” “Sesame Street,” and “Fraggle Rock.” The exhibit features artifacts ranging from puppets to cartoons and storyboards to movie props as well as photographs of Henson at work. There is even a hands-on puppet theatre. In addition to his iconic Muppets, Henson's creativity encompassed music, multimedia, and all the components of story-telling that have made his creations into such a compelling and beloved legacy. While best known for characters like Kermit the Frog, Henson also branched out in a variety of other directions, … [Read more...]
Ghost Town In The Sky’s “Cliffhanger Rollercoaster” Opens for Memorial Day
Ghost Town in the Sky, North Carolina’s mountaintop family theme park, will open for the 2009 season May 22nd along with the much-anticipated and long-awaited Cliffhanger Rollercoaster! Originally built in 1985 and located literally on the side of Buck Mountain, the Cliffhanger underwent a complete overhaul and promises a thrill each moment. Ghost Town representatives say that The Cliffhanger has several qualities that set it apart to make it a unique experience. First, it has a top speed of 56 miles per hour. As a rider leaves the terminal, the illusion is given that you are going to fall off the mountain! Next, an exciting loop generates three g-forces of pressure as riders travel 2,063 feet along the fun-filled ride. And perhaps most importantly, the cars are uniquely engineered to create an open atmosphere in which to enjoy the stunning views. Apparently, there are only … [Read more...]
Looking for a Car Rental on your next trip to Boston?
Driving; Image taken by Flickr user Peter Gorges There are many components to a successful visit to Boston. Where to stay, what to see, how to get around. We've always been of some help on where to stay and the Go Boston Card has what to see nicely covered. But on how to get around, we traditionally haven't offered as much. So here's a tip for a handy way to get a good deal on car rentals when visiting Boston. Its called Vroom Vroom Vroom, and they have a dedicated Boston page on their site that will let you shop across all the top car rental companies. While new to the U.S., Vroom Vroom Vroom has been around since 2002, when they were founded in Australia. They are the top online site for car rentals there, and in addition to their expansion into the U.S. in 2008, they also cover Canada, the U.K. and New Zealand. They also have embraced the Green movement by paying more than … [Read more...]
New Modern Wing Opens at Art Institiute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago. Griffin Court, Photo credit: Charles G. Young, Interactive Design Architects The Art Institute of Chicago just got bigger. A lot bigger. With the May 16th opening of the 264,000 square foot Modern Wing, the museum is now over a million square feet. The new wing is dedicated to the display of the Institutes's collection of 20th and 21st century works. The area devoted to modern European painting and sculpture features works by Matisse, Klee, Kandinsky, and Picasso to name a few, while the Contemporary Galleries boast works from Jasper Johns, Jackson Pollock, and Ellsworth Kelly as well as many others. In addition, the museum's architecture and design collection has been given a vastly expanded space and the wing's displays of modern and contemporary photography compliment its existing displays that trace photographic art from its beginnings. The design of … [Read more...]
Gatorland adds Giant White Alligators for a Limited Time Engagement
Orlando's popular Gatorland has always drawn visitors to its 110 acre site with the promise of up close encounters with its primary inhabitants. Now there are four more reasons to spend some time at the "Alligator Capital of the World" -- four of the world's largest white leucistic alligators. These striking blue-eyed creatures are each over 10 feet in length and weigh over 800 pounds. They are on display in a special exhibit space that allows visitors to (safely) get within a few feet for an unbelievable view of these extremely rare animals. Originally discovered in a Louisiana swamp, the white alligators were collected as babies before the liability of their lack of pigment caught up with them. In addition to its newest residents, Gatorland has thousands of alligators and crocodiles. It also features an aviary, a nature walk, a petting zoo, rides, a restaurant, a Gator Wrestlin' … [Read more...]
Travel Industry Leaders Get a Handle on Go Miami Cards
Smart Destinations, the company behind Go Cards and Explorer Passes, along with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors bureau are promoting the wide variety of things to do in Miami by distributing Go Miami Cards to international buyers and travel media at TIA’s International POW WOW May 16th – 20th. The annual event draws over 1500 buyers from 70 countries and over 450 travel journalists from 40 countries to conduct business negotiations that result in an estimated $3.5 Billion in future USA travel. This year, TIA’s POW WOW will be held in the host city of Miami, Florida. Through the efforts of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Smart Destinations Inc, in partnership with over 25 Miami attractions, all International Buyers and media will be hosted to a complimentary VIP Go Miami Card which they can use to visit attractions during or after the … [Read more...]
Empire State Building Joins Explorer Pass
The Empire State Building Observatory is now part of the NYC Explorer Pass. The newly-renovated visitor's area at the Empire State Building Observatory is one of the most visited attractions for visitors to New York City and represents an important addition to the popular NY attraction pass. The NYC Explorer Pass offers the ultimate in convenience, cost savings and flexibility for visitors to the city. Customers choose three, five or seven attractions at a low, pre-paid price. The pass serves as a ticket to any of the 40 participating NY attractions. Customers have the freedom to use the pass at anytime of the day or night and can take up to 30 days to use the admissions on the pass, making it ideal for out-of-towners and locals alike. The pass also provides discounts at popular restaurants and shops and the ability to skip the lines at many attractions. Each Explorer Pass also comes … [Read more...]
California Academy of Sciences Joins Go San Francisco Card
California Academy of Sciences is now part of the Go San Francisco Card. Holders of San Francisco's best attraction pass now get free entry to the Academy along with 50 more of the Bay Area's best things to see and do. After nine years of planning, four years of construction and $488 million, the new California Academy of Sciences recently opened its doors to the world. The new Platinum LEED certified museum is the only place on the planet to combine an aquarium, natural history museum, the world's largest all-digital planetarium, and a rain forest dome under a 2.5-acre living roof. With the addition of the California Academy of Sciences, the Go San Francisco Card's convenience, cost savings and flexibility for visitors to the city is now that much better. Customers choose one, two, three, five or seven day cards at a low, pre-paid price. Customers have the ability to use the card to … [Read more...]
San Diego Zoo’s Elephant Odyssey: A Colossal New Experience!
The San Diego Zoo’s brand-new Elephant Odyssey exhibit is fun in mammoth proportions! Opening on May 23rd, 2009, this new exhibit takes people on a progression through the evolution of the Elephant. The new exhibit starts with a blast to the past and discover extinct animals from 12,000 years ago, then meet their relatives living today. Watch keepers caring for elephants, meet a camel, and have your picture taken beside life-size statues of extinct animals. Asian elephants, jaguars, lions, condors, sloths, pronghorn, tapirs, and more show off in this 7.5-acre exhibit packed with activities and close-up animal encounters! The San Diego Zoo is included in the cost of a Go San Diego Card. For the latest and on this exciting addition to one of the world's greatest zoos, see the Elephant Odyssey site. … [Read more...]
Go Boston Card Reviews
Companies typically think highly of their own products. If it were left to them, most companies would give all their products a five star review all the time. That's why most people thinking about buying something tend to trust what customers say about a product. Increasingly, companies are following suit. Last Summer, Smart Destinations hired KRC Research to interview over 1,300 people who had bought and used Go Cards and Explorer Passes. The customers were asked a variety of questions about their experiences with the cards and what they thoughts about the product. The results that came back were overwhelmingly positive. 94% of the customers said they were either "satisfied" or "extremely satisfied" with the product (with most selecting "extremely satisfied"). Perhaps even more impressively, Smart Destinations "Net Promoter Score" came in at 8 given that 91% of the … [Read more...]
