The days are getting shorter and the temperature a little colder: autumn has truly begun. Still there is enough natural splendour and activities to be found during this season, so here are few events from around the globe.
Germany Oktoberfest
In Munich the infamous Oktoberfest is currently in full swing. Last year it celebrated its 200th year anniversary and the beer festival is still going strong. Stroll along the Theresienwiese, visit the different beer tents and try local delicacies like the Weisswurst (veal sausage), Knödel (dumplings), enjoy a Mohrenkopf ( a chocolate covered cream cake) as desert. There are also rides to keep children of all ages entertained.
Tips:
- Go early, as you cannot reserve a place in a beer tent and you won’t be allowed in a tent when it’s considered full.
- Your pram and buggy might be refused on peaktimes and young children will have to leave after 8pm even when accompanied by their parents.
- Be prepared to dig deep: entry might be free
but a liter beer will cost you around the €9.
The Oktoberfest will last until the 3rd of October and will beer serving hours are 10am-10:30pm on weekdays and 9am-10:30pm on the weekends. If you can’t make it to the Oktoberfest now throughout the year you can still visit the Beer museum and go on a beer and food excursion in Munich.
USA Halloween
Halloween gains popularity in the UK but a very special place to celebrate Halloween is New Orleans, the most haunted city in America. In the run-up to Halloween you can visit haunted houses in the French quarter and learn more about the dark art of Voodoo.
Celebrations are held on Frenchmen street where everyone takes to the street in costume and you can enjoy the annual Halloween parade where Halloween royalty takes to the floats. The very brave book a cemetery tour in New Orleans. You will roam the St Louis Cemetery, learn about the evolution of voodoo and even visit the tomb of the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. Come along if you dare!
Canada Thanksgiving
Another very North American festival but Canada celebrates Thanksgiving earlier than the US: this year it will be on the 10th of Oct. Originating from the Harvest Festival in Europe and the first Thanksgiving celebration in North America actually took place in Canada when Martin Frobisher arrived from England to Newfoundland in 1578.
Canada famed for its spaciousness and nature is still very popular among the modern day explorers.
The Gatineau Park is a woodland and Lakeland district close to the capital city Ottawa. Every autumn the Canadian capital organizes Fall Rhapsody, an event that runs through the Gatineau Park and covers over 90km of trails. There are also activities planned to keep the children entertained, so it is perfect for the whole family. You can also take a tour in Gatineau Park with a guide who will expertly lead you to the most awe-inspiring places like the Mackenzie King Estate, the gorgeous country home of the 10th Prime minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King.
Whatever you do: keep exploring this autumn!
Photocredits: Flickr St Louis cemetery- Mark Gstohl/ Gatineau Park- Dionetian
JetBlue All You Can Jet
JetBlue is rolling out again their super duper All You Can Jet deal for 2010. In a nutshell: you buy a pass once, and then you can fly as much as you want for one month.
Yes. Unlimited flights, for one month.
JetBlue serves more than 60 destinations including major US cities (NYC, Chicago, Boston, LA, Miami, Orlando, Vegas….) and the Caribbeans, Mexico and Central American capitals.
So there is plenty of choice for seeing friends and family, taking a late vacation, city-hopping or even better – just fly somewhere, randomly!
This year we are proud to be part of JetBlue AYCJ travel partners and we will be offering exclusive special offers to AYCJ pass holders.
Considering you can fly around for free for one month, this is the unmissable time to experience unique activities – wherever they are, and at preferential rates.
How does it work? Pass holders will receive a welcome e-mail containing a link and special passcode to access the special offers page.
Even better: AYCJ special offers can be cumulated with our classic multiSave discount if you book any other product on isango! at the same time.
Useful links:
- All You Can Jet passpage on JetBlue
- All You Can Jet page on Facebook
isango!‘s German site isango.de has published two press releases about its special Easter offers. German isango! distributes discount codes, which enable the customers to get 10% off the original price. They simply mention the code in their booking and receive the discount automatically. The offers are an Easter present from the German isango! team.
One Easter bargain is the Alhambra in Granada, which is Spain’s most popular attraction and very popular among the German customers. The discount code CSCRUUJ can be used to book Alhambra tickets (Alhambra Eintrittskarten) for 10% less. The ticket gives visitors access to the Alhambra and includes a 2 ½ hours long guided tour of the Alhambra palace and its beautiful garden.
Alternatively isango.de offers cheap New York helicopter tours (New York Helicopter Touren). Any of the three helicopter tours can be purchased for 10% less with the code CSPBHP7. The flights are the perfect way to discover the Big Apple and guarantee tourists an unforgettable experience in New York.
Orlando Fireworks - d4rr3ll
N is for Nice, France: Ideally situated between vineyards, hills, and the hotspots of the French Riviera, Nice is, well, quite nice. With shopping, museums, Roman ruins, warm beaches, and plenty of nightlife, the city is a tourist’s paradise, without all of the crowds.
O is for Orlando, Florida: The ultimate family destination, Orlando is easy to navigate, and full of child-friendly destinations. Take the kids to Sea World or Universal Studios. Spend a day at the beach, and swim with the dolphins, or dine with a NASA astronaut. And, for kids of all ages, Walt Disney World is located just south of the city!
P is for Pamplona, Spain: In need of a little adrenaline boost? Come to Pamplona for the San Fermín festival. Running each summer from July 6-14, this festival hosts the “running of the bulls”. Though you can catch a bullfight almost anywhere in Spain, only in Pamplona do you actually get the chance to hop the fence and run along with them. Think you can handle it? continue reading
Red Square, Moscow - yeowatzup
G is for Galway, Ireland: If you’re looking for great tourism, go to Dublin, but for a real look at Irish culture, try the smaller, more Northern town of Galway. The city has been nicknamed “Croí Cultúrtha na hÉireann”, Ireland’s Cultural Heart, and is known best for throwing the Galway Arts Festival and Macnas Parade every July.
H is for Helsinki, Finland: Located on the shores of the Baltic Sea and is the Finish capital, and transportation hub of the country. Helsinki is an ideal place for walkers, bikers, and even paddlers, plus once you’ve spent a day out in the sun, you can relax in a traditional Baltic sauna.
I is for Istanbul, Turkey: As the second largest metropolitan area in Europe, there is no shortage of things to do in Istanbul. From belly dancing to St. Sophia’s Church, the Blue Mosque to the Topkapi Palace, there are plenty of reasons why Istanbul has been named as one of the EU’s “Capital of Culture” for 2010. continue reading
If you’ve missed the introduction to this series, click here. For part 2, click here. For part 3, click here. For part 4, click here.
Jackson Square, the French Quarter - paparutzi
New Orleans may not be one of the typical “Top 5” tourist destinations, but its status as one of the states’ most underrated vacation spots makes it all the more interesting to visit. Don’t expect to find the star maps, tourist crowds, and “authentic” souvenir shops of other popular destinations, this city has a cool, cozy vibe all its own (which, to be honest, can sometimes be a bit hard to find in the states!).
Famous for its music scene, Mardi Gras celebration (February 7th-24th), fantastic nighttime scene, and great flea markets and antique shopping, New Orleans is a vibrant city with loads to explore. Due to a difficult history, and most recently, of course, to the plague of catastrophic hurricanes, New Orleans is also a city that is constantly changing. Repairing, reworking, and rebuilding has become the a part of the fiber of the city, and the city’s ability to recover is a thing to behold (or, even, get involved with). continue reading
A road trip across America always sounds so idyllic; nothing but the open road, endless diners and Jack Kerouac in the back seat. Unfortunately, unless the world’s biggest ball of string is your cup of tea (yes it does exist in Branson Missouri) there isn’t much to do on that eternal roadway. The city stops along the way are the highlights, so plan with care.
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Film, Art, Theatre, Music & Dance, Food, Pubs & Nightlife, Sightseeing & Culture, Things to do in Los Angeles, Things to do in New York, Things to do in North America, Things to do in San Francisco
People with an interest in contemporary photography should be sure to fit a visit to the Museum of the City of New York into their New York tours this summer.
From June 10th to August 16th, the cultural institution will present the exhibition Dutch Seen, which has been guest-curated by Kathy Ryan, photo editor of the New York Times Magazine.
The showcase features a variety of contemporary images captured by Dutch artists currently working in New York City.
Many of the photographs were specially commissioned to mark the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s exploration of New York and look at themes including diversity, tolerance and humanism.
Through portraits, landscapes, still lives, conceptual pieces and other works, the exhibition will delve into the aesthetic traditions of Dutch art from the era of the old masters to contemporary figures.
People taking New York tours this year will also be able to visit the Museum of the City of New York to see Mannahatta/Manhattan, a display that will explore the natural history of the Big Apple.
New York – From the dizzy heights of the Empire State Building to the serene Central Park, New York has it all!
Celebrate Easter with New American Traditions
Easter brings with it the promise of springtime and holiday fun, making it the perfect time to travel and indulge. It is Australia’s most popular time to fly and why not with the excess of events happening world-wide? The Easter Bunny certainly gains a few frequent flyer miles on his tour of the United States. Every year he visits almost every shopping mall in the country to meet his fans! Take a break from a shopping tour to snap a picture with the big bunny and tell him what you hope will be in your basket.
If touring Washington DC, visit the White House and get access to the South Lawn for an Easter Egg Roll. You must have a child under age 10 to attend but children of all ages can buy the souvenir eggs, given free at the event, online. These hand painted eggs will be signed by President Obama and the First Lady!
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Art lovers should remember to fit a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art into their New York tours this summer to see an exhibition of work by Francis Bacon.
The major retrospective will be open from May 20th until August 16th at the famous museum on the eastern edge of Central Park.
Arranged to mark the 100th anniversary of Bacon’s birth, the exhibition will be the first major showcase in New York dedicated to the artist in 20 years.
Now recognised as one of the most influential and important painters of the 20th century, Bacon was known for creating bold and expressive pieces of art that often featured nightmarish imagery.
Some 130 works will feature in the Met Museum exhibition – 65 paintings and 65 archival items – spanning the entirety of his career.
Until May 24th this year, the New York museum will present a display of French sculpture from the Renaissance era to the rime of the revolution, featuring pieces by Germain Pilon, Michel Anguier and others.
New York – From the dizzy heights of the Empire State Building to the serene Central Park, New York has it all!
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