bnn.lv Latviski   bnn-news.com English   bnn-news.ru По-русски
Saturday 25.05.2013 | Name days: Junora, Anšlavs

Travelling to USA: 10 places every kid should see

FaceBook
Twitter
Draugiem
print
(No Ratings Yet)

Which is the best place for travelling with children? The portal Budget Travel did a survey to find out 10 best places in the United States of America to go to on a family trip.

1. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of those quintessential American icons, equal parts eye candy and engineering lesson. The famed bridge is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2012-there will be fireworks and a festival on Memorial Day weekend-and is expected to draw more than ten million visitors throughout the year.

2. Arches National Park, Utah

This national park is especially convenient for families whose kids may be too young for a strenuous hike. It only takes a couple hours to drive past many of the park’s 2,000 brawny, pink sandstone arches. Park entrance fee is $10 per vehicle; bike or foot entrance is $5.

3. The Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois

Across its nine acres of floor space, the Field showcases giant robot wolf spiders, 23 Egyptian mummies, and the biggest Tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever dug up, in one of the broadest arrays of natural wonders under one roof. The collection of dioramas hold a dizzying array of species, from African lions and giraffes to Arctic penguins and polar bears, and it’s a favorite childhood fantasy to slip inside one of the magical timeless worlds. Kids 12 and under can dress up like animals, dig up dinosaur bones, and explore a pueblo home at the Crown Family PlayLab. Adults from $15; kids 3-11, from $10.

4. SeaWorld San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas

SeaWorld has many hands-on programs, putting visitors up close and personal with some of the park’s inhabitants (including a behind-the-scenes tour with the penguins). In May 2012, the new water park Aquatica was opened with a set of educational thrill rides; expect rafts sailing through grottos with stingrays and a “zero gravity” area that simulates weightlessness. Other new attractions include Sesame Street Bay of Play (opened in 2011), a three-acre space with educational activities for young children, and the animal encounter show “One Ocean” in which orcas and trainers illustrate educational lessons about the fragility of the environment. Adults, from $59.99; Kids 3-9, from $49.99.

5. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

At this Hawaiian park, visitors watch—at a safe distance—as hot lava spills into the Pacific, where it bursts into particles later pulverized by the waves into black sand. The park is home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes, and rangers will bring you down into the lava tubes (subterranean caverns formed by hardened molten rock) and maybe even play you a tune on a ohe hano ihu, aka the Hawaiian nose flute. Park entrance fee is $10 per vehicle; bike or foot entrance starts at $5.

6. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham, Alabama

US civil rights history is chronicled at this Birmingham museum, which places the ’50s and ’60s in a context that today’s children can understand. There are compelling artifacts on display to illustrate segregation such as a set of “colored” and “white” drinking fountains. The exhibits don’t gloss over the tragedies of the civil rights’ era, and include the story of four young girls killed in a bombing at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, right across the street from the museum. The galleries do include hopeful notes, including a video recording of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.  Adults, $12; kids, grades 4-12, $3.

7. Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

At sunset, spectators gather at an amphitheater in this national park in southeastern New Mexico to wait for bats to fly. Predictably, a swirling dark cloud of the flying mammals funnels out the cavern and swoops above, where it splinters apart into groups heading to the nearby Pecos and Black River valleys. This rare natural show makes Carlsbad Caverns stand out from other national parks, especially to impress kids. Entry fee: Adults, $6; kids under 15, free

8. Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

Even the most jaded teen will be wowed by the colossal busts of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln at this national park in the Black Hills of Keystone. The visitors’ center has exhibits on the 14-year journey to complete the monument, which was finished in 1941 after 400 workers dynamite-blasted the granite peaks to carve the faces. There is also info on how the four great leaders depicted guided our nation through tricky times. Free; parking permit, $11.

9. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York

Where else in the U.S. can you see an ancient Egyptian temple, a Ming Dynasty garden, and one of the world’s largest collections of Vermeers all under one roof? The Met covers a 14-acre space in Central Park, yet this cavernous space is only large enough to show a sliver of its full collection of art and artifacts. Children can easily learn about our nation’s history from early colonial times through the Civil War and into the modern era via iconic paintings, including Emanuel Leutze’s famed depiction of General George Washington crossing a near-frozen Delaware River during the Revolutionary War. Adults, suggested donation of $25.

10. Hoover Dam, Nevada

An engineering wonder about 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, this dam supplies 20 million residents of California, Nevada, and Arizona with water and provides hydroelectricity to 1.3 million customers. No written description truly captures the visceral effect of peering out over the parapet at the top of the dam and looking down at the Colorado River, racing along 700 feet below. More than 1,200 feet wide at the top, this all-concrete wonder was the largest dam in the world when it was completed in 1936 (it was one of many public works projects intended to help lift the country out of the Great Depression). A bypass bridge opened in 2010 and provides fabulous photo opportunities for pedestrians. Experts lead walking tours that will thrill future engineers. Adults, $11, Kids 4-16, $9.

Ref: 110.110.110.1155


Leave a reply

CPCB requests permission to initiate criminal prosecution of bribery suspected official

The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (CPCB) has requested the Prosecutor General's office to prosecute former Riga City Council Housing and Environment Department Chief Arija Stabina for bribery and other crimes.

Germany reports sluggish first-quarter growth of 0.1%

Germany's economy barely grew in the first quarter of 2013 as exports and investment shrank, figures show.

Google might be considering purchase of Waze

Google Inc., author of the Android operating system, is said to be considering the purchase map-software provider Waze. Facebook has also expressed interest in buying Waze.

World Bank: Latvian experts need to be more involved in other countries' development

Latvia should send its specialists to different projects, so that they would share their knowledge and experience with other countries, especially countries of the former Soviet Union. This was agreed upon by Latvian Finance Minister Andris Vilks and World Bank (WB) Nordic Baltic Group CEO Satu Santala.

Barroso to be involved in Estonian-Finnish LNG terminal dispute

Following the meeting with Prime Minister Andrus Ansip this week, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has agreed to provide neutral assessment whether the LNG terminal should be in Estonia or Finland.

Aldaris and Latvenergo at the top of sustainability index

In this year's Sustainability Index 13 companies received the bronze category certificate. Silver certificate was given to 24 Latvian companies. 12 participants were included in the gold category. Platinum category was awarded to two companies – Latvenergo and Aldaris.

Tourists from Belarus stay the longest at Latvian hotels

The number of visitors in hotels and other accommodation establishments in Q1 of this year comprised 301.3 thousand people. That is 5.9% more than in Q1 of 2012.Of which 34.3% were residents of Latvia and 65.7% – foreign tourists. Previously share of visitors was similar.

U.S. boy scouts allow gay members to participate

In the U.S., organisation the Boy Scouts of America has voted to allow gay boys to participate in scouting. Supporters of the ban on gay members, however, consider that the scout oath is against homosexual scouts.

Voluntary car insurance is now more popular in Latvia

In Q1 of 2013, compared to Q1 of 2012, the number of clients that chose voluntary car insurance (KASKO) doubled.

Powerful earthquake strikes eastern Russia

A powerful earthquake on Friday, May 24, hit Russia's Far East with tremors felt as far away as Moscow, about 7,000 kilometers west of the epicenter.

Latvian government plans to increase school coaches' salaries

Latvian Education and Science Ministry (ESM) plans to allocate an additional 2.3 million LVL for salaries of school coaches.

Additional experts attracted to the Liepājas metalurgs drama

In order to resolve the Liepājas metalurgs (LM) crisis, not only was Prudentia attracted without contest, but other specialists as well. Their attraction, which is expected to cost 100 000 LVL to the state budget, has been entrusted to Prudentia.

Germany – the most popular country in the world

Germany is the most positively viewed nation in the world in this year's annual Country Ratings Poll for the BBC World Service.

Road bridge collapses into river in U.S.

In state of Washington, a section of a road bridge has collapsed into the Skagit river.

Fuel contraband steals millions from Latvia

The state of Latvia annually loses up to 100 million LVL due to fuel contraband. This money could be potentially gained from excise tax on oil products, industry representatives note. According to them, the problem of fuel contraband is still notable in Latvia.

U.S. General: Latvia is a leader in creating the “New Silk Road”

Latvia is a leader in the creation of a “New silk road”, which could be used after the end of the mission in Afghanistan, notes U.S. transportation command Commander Gen. William Fraser. He highly praised Latvia's contribution to the function of the Northern Distribution Network.

Court in France questions Head of IMF

Christine Lagarde, the Head of the International Monetary Fund, has been summoned to a court in Paris for questioning about a payout to a business magnate taken place at her time as French Finance Minister.

Moscow police: Cars with Baltic license plates often used in criminal activities

Moscow traffic police pay more attention to cars with foreign license plates because such vehicles are often used in crimes, according to the press office of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate for Moscow.

12 million LVL overpaid for expensive compensated medications

Latvian residents overpaid a total of 12 million LVL when purchasing expensive compensated medications last year, as reported by the director of the National Health Service Maris Taube at the opening of the “Ārstējies nepārmaksājot” (Don't overpay for treatment) informative campaign.

10 million of Samsung Galaxy S4 sold in «record» time

Sales of the Galaxy S4 smartphone have reached 10 million in «record» time, Samsung announced on May 23.

Latvia's producer prices up by 1.4%

Compared to March, the overall level of producer prices in Latvian industry in April 2013 increased by 0.1%. The producer prices of products sold on the domestic market rose by 1.1%, whereas prices of exported products reduced by 0.9%.

Latvia: one car per three residents

Estonia has the largest proportion of cars per capita among other Baltic States – 0.51. Lithuania's index reached 0.40 this year. That of Latvia is 0.33, according to the latest barometer survey data of Autoplius.

Japanese climber, 80, becomes oldest atop Everest

An 80-year-old Japanese mountaineer became the oldest person to reach the top of Mount Everest on Thursday — although his record may last only a few days. An 81-year-old Nepalese man, who held the previous record, plans his own ascent next week.

Wife of Latvian official denies claims about his attempts to hide from the law

I deny the information that the whereabouts of the suspended director of the Customs Criminal Office of the State Revenue Service Vladimir Vaskevics are unknown, says his wife business woman Inara Vilkaste.

Lembergs' cheap shopping spree abroad

It's a waste of money – to buy clothing, footwear and cosmetics in Latvia, says criminally accused Latvia politician Aivars Lembergs.