New York City, New York

 New York City is well known for the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Times Square, so I’ll show you the less famous, but fun and relaxing parts.

1. Central Park is a nice spot to relax, walk, run or bike ride. 

Inside Central Park you have:

• The Zoo - It’s located on the East Side between 63rd and 66th Streets. They have a a lot of animals but one of their main attractions is the sea lion pool in the center courtyard. They also have two theaters that perform live shows for kids. They also have statues of the animals outside of their exhibits and when touched make the sound of that animal.
  
  
  

• The Conservatory Water – It’s located on the East Side from 72nd to 75th Street. From April through October you can catch boat enthusiasts who come to navigate radio and wind-powered vessels. (Also the famous scene from Stuart Little) For Sailboat Rentals call 917.522.0054.
  

2. Broadway is a good stop for entertainment. You can see many different musicals and plays. The one I enjoyed the most was called “Wicked”. (It’s about how the witch in the wizard of Oz became the witch)  For more shows and tickets: http://www.broadway.com/shows/tickets/

3. New York is full of restaurants but two I highly recommend are:

• Grimaldi’s – it’s a famous coal brick oven pizzeria. It can be fairly packed depending on the time you go, so plan wisely. It’s located underneath the Brooklyn Bridge at 1 Front Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.
  

• Hard Rock Café – is in Time’s Square and has a nice set up inside. They’ve been pretty good with getting people in and out, so you shouldn’t have to wait too long. Good food and I recommend the Purple Haze drink.
  
  

4. Ellis Island is a great place to learn about the history of immigration. It’s where over 12 million immigrants gained the American Dream. All tours are centered on pre and post immigrant's stories.

Things to do and tours:

• FREE Ranger Guided Tour – walk in the footsteps of millions of immigrants and learn about their journey.
• Self-Guided Tours
• Audio Tours – in many different languages.
• Children’s Audio Tour – (6 – 10) narrated by animal characters.
• FREE Film: "Island of Hope, Island of Tears" – about 45 minutes long.
• Searching Ship Manifests at Ellis Island – search through millions of records between 1892 and 1924.
  
  
  

5. For more information and planning see related articles. Have fun!

Related Articles

Central Park: http://www.centralparknyc.org/events/

Grimaldi's: http://www.yelp.com/biz/grimaldis-new-york-4

Ellis Island: http://www.nps.gov/elis/index.htm

Inner Harbor, Baltimore Maryland

Inner Harbor is a nice place to enjoy the ocean, learn, explore and relax. It has shopping, science, and lots of sea animals. Inner Harbor is located at 201 E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21202.

1. Harbor Place has 41 stores and restaurants. They also have live shows and events out in front of the mall.

Shows and events:

• Milestones: African Americans in Comics, Pop Culture and Beyond – displays the talent and innovation that came from African Americans. (Dec 2014 – Dec 2015)
• Free Fall Baltimore – presents hundreds of free art activities including dance, music and theater performances. (Entire month of October)
  

2. National Aquarium has over 17,000 aquatic animals. They have many exhibits where you can interact with some of the animals. They also have birds, monkeys and reptiles.

Some of exhibits that I enjoyed:

• Black Tip Reef – award winning exhibit for color, light and movement
• Amazon River Rainforest
• Dolphin Discovery
• Jellies Invasion
• Shark Alley
• Tropical Rainforest
  
  
  

They also have a 4-D theater: 

• Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure

• Spongebob Squarepants: The Great Jelly Rescue – this one is really cool but it may be a little scary for some kids. It has lots of lightning and loud sounds.
  

3. Maryland Science Center has a lot of traveling exhibits. They have an IMAX Theater, where everything shown is a learning experience: http://www.mdsci.org/imax/

In their planetarium:

• Black Holes: Journey into the unknown – shows what can happen if you get too close to a black hole.
• One World One Sky: Big Bird Adventure – Big Bird shows kids the differences between the moon and earth.
• The Sky Live – shows stars, constellations, planets, phases of the moon and what to look for after dark. (You can also pick up a star map to explore on your own at home)
  
  

They also have hands-on exhibits: 

• Kid’s Room - (0-8 years old) get to enjoy a large water play area, undersea world with periscope and submarine theme, giant pin screen and more.
  

• Newton’s Alley - is for third grade and higher. You get to play and learn about sound, light and motion.

• SciLab – test tubes, microscopes and more. They allow hands on with several experiment areas, which last about 15 minutes. Use chemicals and learn how to extract DNA.
  

4. See related links to help plan your visit. Have fun!

Related Articles

Aquarium: http://www.aqua.org/

Science Center: http://www.mdsci.org/

TripAdvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60811-d261225-Reviews-Inner_Harbor-Baltimore_Maryland.html

 

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Since Philadelphia was the first capital of the United States, it has a lot of history and a great place to learn and relax. It has art, “Rocky’s” memorable spot, American history, and a famous prison.

1. Independence Hall is a great place to start. National Park Rangers take you on a tour of how the United States started its independence. Go into the Assembly room which is still setup the way it was during the Constitutional Convention.

Things to see at Independence Hall:

• George Washington’s “rising sun” chair
• Original inkstand that was used to sign the Declaration of Independence 
• Original Draft of Declaration of Independence 

2. Betsy Ross house is a couple of blocks away from Independence Hall and also gives tours about how the flag was made and the process it went through to become the flag we have today. They also have events.

3. Philadelphia Museum of Art has artwork from all over and has different exhibits year around. It’s also known for Rocky’s famous jog up the steps and has a statue to the right of the steps in honor of the movie. It has a great view looking back at the city.

4. Liberty Bell is right in front of independence hall. It’s a great learning experience (if you like bells or history) on how the bell got its famous crack, the inscription on it, and the meaning of the bell. Choose wisely the time and season you go it can get crowded. For more information see: http://www.nps.gov/inde/historyculture/stories-libertybell.htm

5. Eastern State Penitentiary is America’s most historic prison. It’s located at 2027 Fairmount Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19130. Go on a tour with 20 stops all over the prison. During October, it is turned into a nighttime haunted house called, “Terror Behind the walls.” Wonder the prison in pitch black. It’s not for the faint of heart. Check out the video: http://www.easternstate.org/halloween/preview-video

Some of the best stops:

• Front Tower

• Al Capone’s (aka Scarface) Cell

• Chapel

• Hospital

• Central Guard Tower

  

  

  
  

   

They have different tours:

• Audio tour – is self-paced and tells you stories, as you walk through the prison, on escapes, riots, sports, and more.

  

• Hands-on History – expert Eastern State tour guide talks visitors (who do all the work) through activities on opening cell doors, massive front gate, underground punishment cells, and more.

  

• History and Art installations – (History) Al Capone’s cell, tower camera, 1945 tunnel escape, the big graph, and more. (Art) The William Portner Memorial Exhibit on Jewish Life at Eastern State, Cindy Stockton Moore: Other Absences (50 portraits of men and women who were murdered by people who were sent there).
  
  
  

6. Check out the related articles to do some planning and visit what fits you best. Have fun!

Related Articles

Philadelphia Art Museum: http://www.philamuseum.org/

Eastern State Penitentiary: http://www.easternstate.org/history-eastern-state

Hours for Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, and Betsy Ross House: http://www.nps.gov/inde/planyourvisit/hours.htm