Your Vacation in Paris

The very name Paris France is one that brings to mind visions of crowded streets, elegant sidewalk cafes, amazing food and ancient architecture but even these things are not all there is to see and do. A vacation to Paris offers elegant accommodations, amazing cuisine and thrilling bits of history.
Forever linked to great art, culture and music, your vacation in Paris will offer you a veritable treasure trove of things to see and to do, many of them costing little or nothing even in pricey Paris. Things to do in Paris are as diverse as the citizens and the city itself, and seemingly endless for those who want to view it all.

The hotels of Paris are of course among the most elegant in the world, while Paris’ entertainment is again, world class. Everything, so they say, is more elegant in Paris.

You can take the time out of your explorations of the area to explore what are the impressionism’s most famous artists in a small art museum that once was a train station when you visit the Musee d’Ornay, one of the attractions of Paris, and view paintings by world class artists such as Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Dega and Van Gogh if you are of an artistic bent.

Bicycles, the always popular mode of transport in Paris, are rented on the streets of the city, where you can hire one for the day and traverse the streets and view some of the most amazing architecture in the world today.

The interesting and sometimes quirky Stravinsky Fountain is one of Paris hot spots for tourists who just want to take in the passers by and soak up a little of the city’s atmosphere and culture without expending a great deal of energy.

Paris is virtually teeming with young artists who are thrilled to offer you the chance to view their works in both a street venue as well as in the lovely galleries of art. You need look no further than the street in front of you to find some of the best artwork in the city.

As if those were not enough to convince you that a vacation in Paris is a necessity, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc du Triomphe, Catherine de Medici’s gardens, and the open air markets that dot the landscape, as well as the Seine River are all can’t miss parts of Paris that deserve a look during your stay in the romantic City of Lights.

Flights to Paris are accomplished more quickly than you can imagine and hotels in Paris are top notch, providing you with just one more reason why a vacation in Paris is an absolute must on your list of places to go and things to see.

Hawaii Vacations or Destination Weddings

Let your imagination soar and dream up a Hawaii vacation that will give you memories to last a lifetime. Better yet, imagine your honeymoon, or wedding in Hawaii.

Destination weddings seem to be all the rage in the past few seasons and what better place for your wedding than Hawaii. Picture yourself surrounded by traditions as ancient as the islands and amenities as modern as any in today’s world.
Hawaii hotels will make anyone feel pampered, but lovers get top billing on the islands and the beaches of Hawaii, white sands and crystal blue sparkling waters, the lush rain forest atmosphere and the incredible flowers that go along with it are something that could make a wedding in Hawaii really sparkle.

The options for planning a wedding here are virtually unlimited. You could trade your vows while barefoot on the beach at sunset, with exotic orchids gracing the flowers of your bouquet, or wait until the beach is graced by the breath taking sunset hour, letting the deep orange glow of the sun wash your wedding site with its own spectacular decorations. That’s only one of your options for the wedding of a lifetime in Hawaii

The resort hotels in Hawaii all feature incredible ballrooms that alternatively could serve as the wedding venue of your dreams. If you daydream of a romantic wedding replete with flowers seen only in a vision and the kind of backdrop that such daydreams are made of, consider a wedding in a Hawaii hotel ballroom, where you can exchange your vows and then dance the evening away in the same venue.

Once the ceremony is over, what could be more fun than a honeymoon vacation in Hawaii, with family and friends to share it with you.
Hawaii vacations offer a multitude of things to see and do, from the beaches to the rain forests, to the amazing animal and plant life that is waiting for you on your vacation to Hawaii.
There are a multitude of reasons why Hawaii beaches and resorts are among the most popular destinations in the world.
There are a million more reasons why Hawaii hotels are talked about world wide.
The wide array of things to see and do on your vacation in Hawaii will keep you well supplied with entertainment until the evening, when you’ll spend the magic evenings together in one of the most romantic places on earth.

MasterCard Tour Visits Yankee Stadium

With New York City's famed Yankee Stadium down to its last few weeks, MasterCard recently sponsored a trip to the Yankees Game for the winners of a recent MasterCard promotion in Latin America.

During their time in New York City, the contest winners enjoyed the superior service of the Madison Avenue Limousine transportation company madisonavenuelimo.com. Madison Avenue Limousine has a wide variety of limos, sedans, SUVs, passenger vans and buses that can accommodate any transportation needs for business, leisure or entertaining in the New York City metropolitan area. Madison Avenue Limousine's fleet also includes the Luxury Collection, with chauffeured transportation in a Rolls Royce, Bentley, or even a classic 1936 Packard.

With the Yankee Stadium era coming to a close, MasterCard offered contest winners the trip of a lifetime.

Chicago Landmarks

Chicago Landmarks not to miss

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Hemsley Hotel in New York

Chicago Landmarks

Chicago has a number of landmarks that have come to symbolize both the economic prosperity and cultural heritage of a city that is rich in history. Chicago’s architecture has long been a source of civic pride—the Windy City is the birthplace of the skyscraper—and the Sears Tower currently holds the record as the tallest building in North America. Other famous examples of Chicago architecture include the neo-Gothic Wrigley Building and Chicago Tribune Tower, nestled on either side of Michigan Avenue up against the Chicago River.

Public artwork plays an important role in Chicago landmarks. In 1967, artist Pablo Picasso created an unnamed sculpture for Chicago’s Daley Plaza (the same Daley Plaza that Jake and Elwood Blues sped through in a famous scene from The Blues Brothers). Nicknamed “The Picasso” by Chicagoans, the city’s signature sculpture now has competition from the Cloud Gate sculpture at Millennium Park. Nicknamed “The Silver Bean,” this huge, mirror-like structure is surrounded by hundreds of visitors at any given time of the day.

One of the most important landmarks in Chicago represents the determination of the city’s residents to overcome the devastating Great Chicago Fire that leveled four square miles of the city in 1871. The stalwart Water Tower and nearby pumping station survived the blaze, and it remains an important reminder of Chicago’s colorful past in the midst of the very modern Magnificent Mile shopping district on Michigan Avenue.
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A Vacation in Belgium

Your visit to Belgium will begin with a plane flight that lasts about seven hours from Washington D.C and lands you directly in the heart of what you will believe to be one of the slowest places on earth.
Belgium, as a vacation spot is rarely targeted on the Euro stage, perhaps because its people are not of the loud variety, yet this small European community has so much to offer it that you will be amazed at the depths of the country.
This back burner country has far more history art, culture and incredible cuisine, as well as amazing architecture than you have ever seen packed into one place.
A rich and diverse history and a colorful past, a bubbling cauldron of diverse cultures, Belgium is a veritable tapestry of differences that are all something special. First glance can’t begin to show you all that this small country has to offer you in the way of arts and entertainment. Tour a medieval castle and visit a pub for music the same evening in this seemingly endless array of things to see and places to go.
Belgium, first of all is home to one of the biggest and most important ways to a lady’s heart. For this reason alone a trip to Belgium is one of the things a lady should not miss in her lifetime.
The country of Belgium makes and exports over 720,000 tons of chocolate each year, and not just any chocolate, but some of the best that the world has to offer. In every small town or village you will find at least one chocolatier, which certainly tells us that Belgium knows what is important to the cultured traveler.
It is also home to many thousand different beers, and beer tastings are common there. The teas and coffees, produced here are of the highest quality, and are consumed and sold to countries overseas; a plethora of wines and some amazing art will round out your trip to Belgium.
Antwerp is a must see part of your trip to Belgium, it is home to some of the more typical attractions such as the Brabo fountain that is commemorative of the citys origins, while Bruges a UNESCO World Heritage City has pieces of history such as the 14th century town hall and the Holy Saviour Cathedral.

No trip to Belgium should bypass Ghent, which is a living history in and of its self features medieval and historical buildings that include no less than three abbeys, a castle or two and some of the best of the entertainment that Belgium has to offer.
Every small town has a gourmet chocolate shop and every tiny hamlet boasts something new to offer you.
Hotels in Belgium are notoriously inexpensive and incredibly eager to please, leaving you feeling welcomed, pampered and pleased with your trip to Belgium

Puerto Rico Vacations

Puerto Rico is an easy trip from the east coast of the United States, meaning it could be a weekend getaway or a week long vacation spot.
Puerto Rico, from its natural attractions to its breath taking night life, is one of the most popular vacations spots in the world. The popularity of the island is certainly understandable, given the many diverse activities that Puerto Rico has to offer you.Puerto Rico beaches are wide and pristine, surrounded by lush greenery, mountainous areas and a coastline that seems to go on forever. A vacation in Puerto Rico has it all; from the antique charm of San Juan’s restored 16th century homes and buildings, to a night life that is nothing short of spectacular.
A Puerto Rico vacation is nothing short of spectacular, whether you spend it on the wide white sand beaches, hiking the rain forest, dancing the night away in one of the dance clubs too numerous to mention, visiting the twelve casinos, or whiling away a few hours in the always fast paced Plaza Las Americas.

Needless to say, a large part of the draw of Puerto Rico has to do with the water sports that are available to you year round. The water activities in Puerto Rico range from wind sailing, to snorkeling, to deep sea fishing, to simply sharing a swim in the warm coastal waters. Some of the more popular Puerto Rico beaches are Luquillo and the intimate island beaches of Palomino Island.
If culture is what you like, you will find that as well among the many other attractions of Puerto Rico, where you can view the oldest inhabited home in the western hemisphere or pay a call on the Ponce Museum of Art. The Museum offers up a collection of world famous art works, while the Museum of the Americas is home to some amazing archeological displays.
The home of the SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) Project, as well as Arecibo Observatory, where the worlds largest radio telescope is housed, (you can enjoy a self guided trip there) Puerto Rico is a vacationers paradise no matter what kind of entertainment you are looking for.
Many hotels in Puerto Rico will help you to arrange a day trip to diverse destinations, ranging from the beach to the tropical rain forests of the island, where you can spend the day hiking through the lush greenery photographing the spectacular scenery.
Puerto Rico attractions also include the Caribbean National Forest, Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park, and the Guanica Dry Forest, where a more natural world awaits your exploration.
Puerto Rico hotels are world class, offering you the kind of pampering attention that makes a vacation special, while the beaches, as well as the vast array of other attractions that the island holds will keep you entertained.
The combination of so many things to do make it well worth your time to take advantage of this tiny island paradise for a break from work, or even your next romantic getaway.

Milford Plaza in New York City

This shopping season, why not stay in a hotel in the heart of Times Square but just minutes from Herald Square and Fifth Avenue shopping for less than you ever dreamed possible?
Milford Plaza presents exceptional group rates for Shopping Season!

The Chicago Lakefront: Cooler by the Lake

Chicago's lakefront is a classic example of masterful city planning. More than 100 years ago, Chicago's founders began to drain the swampland along the shores of Lake Michigan to create the large, open public areas now occupied by Grant Park and Millennium Park.

During Chicago's hot summer months, residents and visitors can choose from more than two dozen public beaches that stretch from the North Side to the South Side. The official beach season runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and admission is free. Some of the more popular beaches along this 26 mile stretch of public lakefront property include the beaches at downtown Ohio Street and North Avenue on the North Side.

The fastest way to take in all that Chicago's lakefront has to offer is to cruise Lake Shore Drive from Hollywood Avenue at its northernmost end to the exit for the Museum of Science and Industry on the South Side. But the best way to savor the beauty of Lake Michigan and Chicago's scenic skyline is to take advantage of the biking and walking paths along the lakefront, with side trips to Lincoln Park Zoo and Navy Pier.
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Chicago Downtown Hotels

Chicago’s downtown hotels are stylish and spacious with the best assets that any piece of real estate can have: location, location, location. More than just a place to bed down for the night, Chicago’s downtown hotels offer upscale drinks and dining, and ensure that the city’s numerous landmarks, restaurants, and shopping districts are easily accessible for their visitors.

The Hyatt Regency Chicago is located along the Chicago River on East Wacker Drive, and has ample space for conferences, weddings, banquets and other events. Further north on Michigan Avenue, the Park Hyatt is located directly across the street from the famous Water Tower landmark, and is in the heart of the Magnificent Mile shopping district. Guests of the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile also have access to all of the major retailers on Michigan Ave., including the enormously popular American Girl flagship store. The nearby Westin hotel on Michigan Ave. faces the John Hancock Center and is one block away from the Water Tower Place shopping mall.

Just west of the Mag Mile, there is a heavy concentration of Chicago downtown hotels in the city’s River North neighborhood, which include the Four Points by Sheraton, Embassy Suites, and the Best Western River North Hotel. As the birthplace of Chicago’s deep dish pizza, the River North neighborhood guarantees that visitors will be as well-fed as they are entertained.
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Chicago Skyline

Take a look at any postcard or poster featuring the skyline of downtown Chicago from the past 30 years, and two skyscrapers always stand out: the stair-stepped 110-story Sears Tower in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood, and the bold, tapered 100-story John Hancock Center on North Michigan Avenue. Both buildings have observation decks that offer breathtaking views of the city. The view from the John Hancock Center’s 94th floor shows off some of the city’s most popular tourist attractions, and elegant dining is available on the 95th floor’s Signature Room restaurant.

The Sears Tower is located in the less-touristy, more business-oriented part of downtown, and is popular with foreign tourists because of its status as the tallest building in North America (it was the tallest building in the world from 1974 until 1998). In a few years, however, both the Sears Tower and John Hancock are going to have some company; two major skyscrapers are under construction in downtown Chicago, one of which will surpass the Sears Tower (and might even bring back the “World’s Tallest Building” title to the Windy City).

The Trump International Hotel and Tower is scheduled for completion in 2009, and the new building is already beginning to poke its way through the cluster of downtown high rises. The luxury hotel, restaurants and spa are currently open for business, and the upper floors of this 92-story building will include condominiums. The foundation has just been laid down for the Chicago Spire, a 150-story building that will be Chicago’s tallest building once it is completed in 2012. By that time, it will definitely be time to update those postcards of Chicago’s already picture-perfect skyline.

Crowne Plaza Niagara Falls

The Crowne Plaza Niagara Falls Fallsview Is Located Within The Falls Avenue Entertainment Complex In Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. This Historic Property Is Linked Via An Indoor Walkway To The Fallsview Indoor Waterpark And Casino Niagara. The Entertainment Venues Of Clifton Hill Are Positioned Two Blocks Away. The hptel is ;ocated in the best spot to enjoy your vacation at Niagara Falls

Chicago Navy Pier

Chicago’s Navy Pier is such a popular tourist destination that it is hard to imagine (or even remember) what it looked like before 1995, when Navy Pier’s Ferris wheel first opened and ushered in the most successful era of this Chicago landmark. Built in 1916, Navy Pier has been a site for military training during both world wars and a branch campus for the University of Illinois, as well as hosting conventions, city festivals, and being an important port of call for freight and passenger boats.

Today, Navy Pier is a year-round entertainment center and the #1 location for locals to take an out-of-town guest. Navy Pier features carnival rides, the Chicago Children’s Museum, an IMAX theater, dozens of shops and restaurants, and of course, the McDonald’s-sponsored Ferris wheel, which offers a fantastic bird’s eye view of the city skyline. Cultural attractions at Navy Pier include a concert pavilion, the courtyard-style Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, with a permanent display of 150 stained glass windows.

Navy Pier can be the starting point for a number of downtown excursions: many sightseeing boats and dinner cruises board at Navy Pier to take passengers up the Chicago River or just off the shores of Lake Michigan. Visitors can even rent a bike (or the slower moving quadcycle for the entire family) so they can explore Chicago’s lakefront for a few hours. Even though Navy Pier is over 90 years old, it is currently in the prime of life.
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Chicago Restaurants in the River North Neighborhood

If it is possible to eat your way through the city of Chicago, the River North neighborhood is the best place to start. The area is bordered by the Chicago River to the south and west, Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile to the east, and Chicago Avenue to the north. This former warehouse district has the highest concentration of restaurants in the entire city; the popular eateries are frequented by tourists, locals (oftentimes with out-of-town guests in tow) and former Chicagoans craving a taste of a Windy City meal that they can’t find anywhere else.

Chicago’s signature deep dish pizza originated in 1943 at the brownstone housing Pizzeria Uno, located at the corner of Ohio and Wabash. A slightly roomier location, Pizzeria Due, opened a few years later at Ontario and Wabash. For anyone who has only visited the franchised Pizzeria Uno, these two locations are the real deal—the décor is authentic, and the pizza is bigger, bolder, and better. Chicagoans also love nearby the Gino’s East and Lou Malnati’s, which do a great job serving up consistently great deep dish pizza in all of their city and suburban locations.

The sheer variety of restaurants in the River North area is seemingly endless, ranging from the elegant Lawry’s serving up tender prime rib, to the over-the-top Rock ‘n Roll McDonald’s. Other longtime favorites include Su Casa (a Mexican restaurant adjacent to Pizzeria Due); Carson’s (“The Place for Ribs”); Portillo’s Hot Dogs and Ed Debevic’s, a 50’s style diner best known for its gravy-soaked French fries (known as “wets”) and a wait staff with an attitude—don’t be surprised if your waitress sits down next to you to take your order after table-top dancing with her co-workers to “YMCA.”

Chicago’s Millennium Park

Millennium Park is a relative newcomer to Chicago’s tourist scene, but it is proving to be enormously popular with residents and visitors alike. Officially completed in 2004, work on Millennium Park began in 1997 when Mayor Richard M. Daley and other city leaders decided to cover the unsightly freight railroad tracks that used to run below the edge of Grant Park

This 24.5 acre site is now home to several public art sculptures and venues (all with corporate naming rights, in true 21st century style). Most notable are the Jay Pritzker Pavilion outdoor concert venue, home to the Grant Park music festival and other free concerts and events. The Crown Fountain features LED projected faces of Chicagoans “spitting” out water during the summer months. The McCormick Tribune Plaza and Ice Rink is a skating rink from mid-November until mid-March, and an outdoor bistro (known as the Park Grill Restaurant) during the warm summer months.

The most famous attraction at Millennium Park is undoubtedly the Cloud Gate sculpture on the AT&T Plaza, also known as the “Silver Bean” for its distinctive shape. Not only do locals and visitors enjoy having their pictures taken in front of the Bean, they can also pose for a self-portrait by aiming their cameras at the sculpture’s mirror-like façade.

Chicago Museums

Chicago’s museums date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the city’s business leaders and philanthropists sought to enhance the quality of life for residents and put the Windy City’s cultural offerings on par with international cities. The most important museums in Chicago are clustered near Grant Park and the lakefront, with the Museum of Science and Industry a few miles further south on Lake Shore Drive.

A visitor could spend a three-day weekend in the Museum of Science and Industry and still not see all the exhibits. As the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere, the Museum of Science and Industry has a wide selection of new exhibits along with “old favorites,” such as a captured German WWII submarine, an underground coal mine, the Henry Crown Space Center and IMAX theater, and much more.

Three of Chicago’s museums—the Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, and Field Museum, are all within walking distance of each other as part of the Museum Campus, although each museum requires a full day visit to fully appreciate them. The Oceanarium at the Shedd is undergoing a major renovation that will be completed in the summer of 2009. Jutting out into Lake Michigan, the Adler has the distinction of being America’s first Planetarium. The Field Museum’s current claim to fame is Sue, the largest, most complete, best-preserved T. rex.

The Art Institute, located on the west side of Grant Park on South Michigan Avenue, is known throughout the art world as having one of the largest collections of impressionist, post-impressionist, and American art paintings. Already one of the largest museums in the country, an expansion to house a modern art gallery is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2009.

Hotel Du Fort

Hotel Du Fort Is Located Within A Five-minute Walk Of Downtown And Within Walking Distance Of Numerous Points Of Interest In Montreal. There Are Two Metro Stations Nearby. Guests Will Enjoy Lovely Views Of The City From The Hotel, As Well.
Hotel Du Fort Offers Complete Concierge Services And Features A Business Center. There Is Also A Fitness Room. The Guestrooms Are Spacious And Feature Custom-crafted Furnishings. The Rooms Have Views Of Montreal, The St. Lawrence River Or Mount Royal And Feature Kitchenettes With Refrigerators And Microwaves. Room Service Is Available From 11 A.m. To 11 P.m. Each Day. There Is An Extensive Breakfast Buffet Available Each Morning (Surcharge).