Attractions

Welcome to this edition of the Carnival of Cities, a blog carnival with posts from around the blogosphere about any aspect of a single city (or a fairly large town.)

The Carnival’s “home” blog is the Family Travel Logue on the BootsnAll Travel Network, but like any carnival, we travel around a bit and have stopped by UpTake a few times in the past.

The next edition is scheduled for July 1, back on the Family Travel Logue.

Let’s take a look around the world….

Cities in the Americas

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA On the Perceptive Travel blog, here are my thoughts on how to enjoy historic Waikiki hotels even if you can’t afford to stay there.

Orlando, Florida, USA Watch Me Eat explores food in Central Florida and the surrounding area; he presents Phở 88 posted at Watch Me Eat, saying, “A review of a Vietnamese food from a restaurant called Pho 88 in Orlando’s Little Vietnam neighborhood.”

Atlanta, Georgia, USA Amy @ The Q Family describes Outdoor Adventures Around Atlanta on her The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog, saying, “Fun family outdoor adventures around Atlanta that you can do with your kids this summer.”

Chicago, Illinois, USA Ms. Smarty Pants gets athletic with Chicago Force Women’s Tackle Football posted at Ms. Smarty Pants Know It All, saying, “They were right down the street, and I didn’t know it.”

Guatemala City, Guatemala Marina K. Villatoro presents Highway Entertainment at The Travel Expert(a), saying, “This post is about the highway entertainment surrounding Guatemala City, Guatemala.”

Seattle, Washington, USA Amir Marzouq says that Green Shopping Bags are a Must in Seattle posted at Guffly.

Washington, DC, USA Jon talks about the DC theater scene with Recording a “Loop” with the Original Hollywood Bad Girl – Tallulah Bankhead posted at his blog The DC Traveler, saying, “Valerie Harper starring as Hollywood icon and original silver screen bad girl Tallulah Bankhead in “Looped”. It’s on its way to Broadway after Washington, DC got an advanced run.”

New York, New York, USA Jennifer Miner is already thinking ahead to her holiday travels, as she responds to a reader question about What’s Open on Christmas Day in NYC? posted at Traveling Mamas.

Cities in Asia

Kathmandu, Nepal Shannon ODonnell presents a little culture…katmandu temples and stupas; she’s blogging around the world at a little adrift: a rtw travelogue and says this post is about “A tourist looking at the interweaving of Hindu and Buddhist culture.”

Osaka, Japan Tony Alexander, writes about and photographs in one of my favorite Asian countries, as he presents People of Osaka posted at The Soul of Japan.

Cities in Europe

Sitges (near Barcelona) Spain Liz Wright presents Swimming at Sitges: A Great Beach Day Trip From Barcelona posted at Travelogged.

London, England, United Kingdom Julian Dobson gets gritty with The market, the monolith and the mad axeman posted at Living with rats, saying, “The story of the market, the monolith and the mad axeman – the strange twists of life and history in east London.”

Tallinn, Estonia Brooke Allen presents an overview, mostly in photos, of Tallinn, Estonia posted at Rambling Brooke.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands Jack Norell presents 7 must-sees in Amsterdam posted at Eyeflare – Travel Articles and Tips, saying, “Amsterdam is a very compact city, but offers a world class range of things to do. There are cultural and outdoor attractions plenty, but often it’s the unique experiences that lure tourists to the city, like the coffeeshops and the Red Light District. Here are the 7 things I believe you absolutely have to see and do on your first visit to Amsterdam.”

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom Andy Hayes goes budget-minded in Travel Tips for Saving Money in Edinburgh posted at The Edinburgh Guide, saying, “It’s turning out to be a summer of fun here in Edinburgh! While a low exchange rate is a boon to many travellers, the recession is still looming large. So come to Edinburgh and enjoy it for less with these great tips.”

London, England, United Kingdom Tamara presents  Cannes do in Kensal Rise posted at Mr & Mrs Smith Boutique & Luxury Hotels, saying, “The “London On Film Festival 2009″ launches this June at the Lexi Cinema in NW10, as part of the Mayor’s Story of London Festival.”

That concludes this edition, and thanks for visiting. Submit your (one, recent, non-commercial/spammy) blog post about ONE single city to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Welcome to the February 25, 2009 edition of the Carnival of Cities, where we tour the world in one blog post, through the eyes and words of contributing bloggers.

Next week we’ll be back at the Carnival’s “home” blog, Family Travel on BootsnAll.

Off we go….

Cities in the Americas

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Tom Tessin lists his Top 3 Hotels for Cincinnati, Ohio posted at FAC Travel Blog, saying, “Plan on making a trip to Cincinnati? I’ve been there plenty of times and look at which hotels I think are the best.”

San Diego, California, USA Neil Ransom presents Cute Cuddly Baby Animals posted at Kate and Neil’s Official Website, saying, “If you’re looking for cute and cuddly creatures, then San Diego is the place to go.”

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Vera Marie Badertscher browses the stacks in Destination: NOLA Book Stores posted at A Travelers’ Library, saying, “New Orleans offers more than just rowdy Mardi Gras. There are more bookstores per square mile in the French Quarter than you will find in most other cities.”

Silicon Valley, California, USA Silicon Valley Blogger presents Outsourcing Romance For $100,000 A Year: Love And Matchmaking 2.0 posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “Love in Silicon Valley, USA.”

Durham, North Carolina, USA GrrlScientist presents ScienceOnline09: Meeting the NCCU’s BRITEs at Research Triangle posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “Have you ever been in a pharmaceutical research facility? This is my photoessay documenting one of the many interesting field trips I went on while speaking at Science Online 09 in Durham, North Carolina. This photoessay is about my visit to North Carolina Central University’s Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE) facilities at North Carolina’s famous Research Triangle, where their main focus is discovering new cancer pharmaceuticals.”

Van Horn, Texas, USA ricksworld takes a look at Van Horn, Texas posted at Rick’s World, saying, “I took a road less traveled in life, and here is one of my stops along the way. This post will give you a brand new way of seeing Van Horn, Texas or any city.”

San Diego, California, USA Penny Realty Blogger looks at the past in Mission Beach: 1900s-2000s posted at San Diego Vacation Rentals at Penny Realty Blog.

St Louis, Missouri, USA Vihar Sheth wrestles with transportation options in 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid Test Drive and Mental Strife posted at Vihar Sheth.

Cities in Europe

Broadgate, Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom Riversider has a list of 85 Ways To Build Community posted at Broadgate Is Great.

Paris, France Happy Hotelier finds automotive bliss in Paris (2): The undiscovered Panhard Levassor X73 Cabriolet posted at Happy Hotelier, saying, “I found this one so poetic.”

Moscow, Russia Antonia Malchik describes The Moscow metro, living art museum posted at Perceptive Travel Blog.

Ibiza Town, Spain Erika presents The Island Of Ibiza posted at Visiting Spanish Speaking Countries, saying, “Among the hottest tourist destinations in Spain is the island of Ibiza. Situated in the Mediterranean Sea about 80 kilometers off the Spanish coast, it is one of the Balearic Islands.”

Paris, France Lanora Mueller gives us the scoop on Eight places where you can eat for free in Paris posted at WritingTravel.com.

Rome, Italy Vera Lang presents 48-Hr-Tour in Ancient Rome posted at Travel Trip Vacation .com, saying, “Article and fact-filled video on the highlights of Rome. Get in the mood for a vacation to La bella Italia! Video also includes practical travel tips.”

Cities in Asia

Manila, the Philippines Kathryn has the details on 15 Places to Visit in Metro Manila, Philippines posted at Kathryn Vercillo on HubPages, saying, “Highlights of places that you should see if you’re going to visit Manila.”

Muttom, India AdmirableIndia.com presents Trip to Kanyakumari: Chapter 14: Muttom Beach: Part 1: Sunset posted at AdmirableIndia.com.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Vietnam Jonny Platt presents Taxis in Saigon – How to avoid being taken for a ride posted at Vietnam Travel, saying, “Hey there! I’ve just had my parents visiting in Saigon and it struck me how hard it can be as a traveller to tell the difference between legitimate and naughty taxis, so I’ve put together this guide.”

That concludes this edition, and thanks for the chance to host on UpTake. Submit your (one, non-spammy) blog post to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Hey folks, UpTake is having a photo contest! You should enter. Really. Dig out your best photo of spring and enter the contest to win $250 and the opportunity to have your photo on the home page of UpTake.com. That’s a lot of vacation fun!

More details can be found here, on the official UpTake Photo Contest For the Home Page

The Uptake Attractions Blog Team is such a great group of bloggers and I want to take a moment to introduce them. We come from all over the U.S. – Linda from Minnesota, Barbara from Florida, via Chicago and the East Coast, Rhea in Texas, Shannon in Louisiana, and myself from Northern California. Together, we write each week about fun things to do in our area.

Each of us is passionate about our locale and we enjoy sharing our knowledge with others. The Attractions blog is a great way for us to share our secrets with you!

Linda’s Favorite Vacations: My favorite vacation was a family trip to Chicago with three kids in strollers and one on foot.  The tall buildings, commuter trains, Lake Michigan, and museums galore were a great change of pace from our farm life, and I loved giving the kids the chance to experience these new things at a young age.  Traveling with four children under the age of seven was a challenge, but it was so much fun to be in the “big city” together, seeing new sites.

Linda’s Top Uptake Posts:

Ten Places to Remember Martin Luther King, Jr.

My Top 10 National Park Service Passport Stamps

Top 10 Romantic Valentine’s Day Locations

Linda also blogs at Minnemom.

Barbara’s Favorite Vacations: I prefer to travel without reservations or a concrete schedule, which allows me to take advantages of opportunities I would otherwise miss if I had to stick to an itinerary. Hostels are my favorite places to stay, because backpackers are an invaluable source of information about undiscovered destinations where I can have a “real” travel experience. I love Spain, New Zealand, Bali, and Italy, although Thailand remains my all-time favorite destination, and I found living with the Maasai in Tanzania to be an eye-opening experience that put me fully in touch with my gratitude.

Barbara’s Top Uptake Posts:

2009 Fair Season Begins Across Florida

Things to Do in Tampa Bay, Florida

Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City

Barbara also blogs at Hole in the Donut.

Rhea’s Favorite Vacation: My favorite vacation is really hard to pin down. I’ve been all over the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe and hope to see much more of the world.  I have lived in a convent in Spain for a month in high school, played chess with life-sized pieces in England, experienced the Autobahn in Germany in a miniature car and peed in the ruins of Pompeii (does any know the Italian statute of limitations on such a crime?).

Rhea’s Top Uptake Posts:

Monkeying Around in Fort Worth

The Chicken Ranch in La Grange, Texas

Third Monday Trade Days in McKinney, Texas

Rhea also blogs at Texas Word Tangle.

Shannon’s Favorite Vacations: I’ve lived my entire life in Louisiana. I took my first solo trip at age seven and traveled internationally for the first time at age 22. I haven’t stopped traveling since then and have passed the travel bug on to my children. We love to pack up and take last minute trips, exploring someplace new each time. Quirky roadside attractions, theme parks, and historical spots are a few of the adventures included in our family vacations.

Shannon’s Top Uptake Posts:

Ali’i Kula Lavendar Farm, Maui, Hawaii

Downtown Disney in Orlando, Florida

Port Hudson State Historic Site in Louisiana

Shannon also blogs at Traveling Mamas.

Gudrun Enger

Gudrun’s Favorite Vacations: My husband and I love planning trips, focusing a good deal of effort on where to eat in each location. Our family still gives us a hard time about our first trip, as a couple, to New York – our entire schedule was built around the restaurants that we wanted to try! Nowadays, with two kids, we enjoy experiencing travel through their eyes and stomachs. Recent tasting adventures include pain au chocolate in Paris, fresh halibut in Alaska, and our favorite, shave ice in Hawaii!

Gudrun’s Top Uptake Posts:

Pez Museum, Burlingame, California

Fort Funston, San Francisco, California

Ferry to Sausalito, California

I also blog at Kitchen Gadget Girl.

Welcome to the January 7, 2009 edition of carnival of cities.

This is a blog carnival, when one blog hosts a gathering of posts from many other blogs, all on a similar topic.

The “home blog” for this Carnival is my own Family Travel Logue, but this week we’re here on UpTake Attractions and next week we’ll be over on the Perceptive Travel Blog.

A carnival stays fresh when it travels away from its host blog and eats funnel cakes. (Kidding – a Carnival only eats corny dogs, silly!)

This Carnival features posts that focus on any aspect of one single city, anywhere in the world, so let’s take a tour….

Cities in the Americas

Detroit, Michigan, USA RE Ausetkmt presents Can You Say Recycled Stank ! Go Away LIONS posted at recycledfrockery, saying, “The Detroit Lions closed their record book season with a 16 and OOOHHHHH Loss. the Citizens and Fans of the Motor City are Tired of this losing streak. this blog expresses some of our frustration as Detroiters.”

Celebration, Florida, USA MB presents Christmas in Celebration, FL posted at Florida Everyone Forgot, saying, “Visiting the city of Celebration, FL at Christmas time. Celebration is a planned community created by the Disney company and they put up some wonderful Christmas decorations!”

Washington, DC, USA Jon Rochetti presents Ten Things That Might Happen During the Inauguration…Well…Maybe Not. posted at The DC Traveler, saying, “There’s so much hullabaloo and disaster-mongering going on about the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama. Here’s a list by a local who knows the city.”

Mexico City, Mexico Catherine Bardrick presents The Green Heart of Mexico City posted at Small Fish in the Big Taco, saying, “I am interested in promoting a positive image of the city I have chosen to live in, and hopefully adjust a few stereotyped images of Mexico City as a result.”

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA RC presents Frugal Things to Do in New Orleans, Louisiana posted at Think Your Way to Wealth.

Detroit, Michigan, USA Dominique King presents Detroit Symphony Orchestra stays in tune with the times posted at Midwest Guest, saying, “The Detroit Symphony Orchestra stays in tune with the times by reaching out to build a more diverse audience with a schedule that includes favorite classics, as well as contemporary classical, jazz, world music and innovative programs like hosting the annual Concert of Colors diversity music festival.”

Playa del Carmen, Mexico Kara Williams presents Beach Erosion in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico posted at Traveling Mamas.

Eureka, California, USA Betsy Husband presents Waterfront Condos in Victorian Old Town Eureka, CA posted at Lodging.

Deerfield Beach, Florida, USA Bridget Smith presents Mom’s First Business Trip: Deerfield Beach, Florida posted at Family Adventure Guidebooks, saying, “Deerfield Beach Florida is a good place for a family getaway or business trip.”

Washington, DC, USA (the Hawaiian version) Janelle Nanos presents Aloha Obama posted at Intelligent Travel Blog, saying, “Intelligent Travel’s Inauguration Guide includes tips on finding authentic Hawaiian culture in DC.”

Tucson, Arizona, USA Shelly Rivoli presents My ‘Mommymoon’ at Miraval Spa and Resort, Tucson posted at Travels with Baby Tips, saying, “Last month, I had what many would call the opportunity of a lifetime: a chance to stay at the world class Miraval Life in Balance Spa and Resort….You may have seen it featured on Oprah (it’s reportedly her favorite destination spa in America.)  Find out what it’s like when you’re seven months pregnant!”

Cities in Europe

Bournemouth, United Kingdom Silicon Valley Blogger presents Christmas Cheer From People Who Really Love Christmas posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “Tallest Christmas tree set up in Bournemouth, Dorset, England! Thank you!”

Düsseldorf, Germany Happy Hotelier presents Cultural Travel (1): Düsseldorf K21 Art Collection im Standeshaus – Katharina Fritsch posted at Happy Hotelier, saying, “The start of my Cultural Travel category”

Paris, France Jessica Spiegel presents Pere Lachaise in Pictures posted at Paris Logue.

London, United Kingdom Jamie Pearson presents On the Trail of Jack the Ripper posted at Travel Savvy Mom, saying,”Nothing beats creeping around the East End at night on the trail of London’s most notorious killer.”

That concludes this edition, and thanks for visiting UpTake.

Please submit your (one, non-spammy) blog post to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Carnival of Cities

Welcome to the December 8, 2008 edition of the Carnival of Cities!

This is a blog carnival, when one blog hosts a gathering of posts from many other blogs, all on a similar topic. The “home blog” for this Carnival is my own Family Travel Logue, but I’m going to be working with the good folks at UpTake to periodically help host the Carnival on this blog over the next couple of months.

A carnival stays livelier when it travels away from its host blog (just like a real carnival is meant to be on the road!)

This Carnival features posts that focus on any aspect of one single city, anywhere in the world. We normally only take one entry per blog per carnival, but there are a few multiple entries today because we’ve combined submissions for two previous Carnival editions that were stymied by technical difficulties. Those problems are now fixed and we can “set the links free.”

So step up and take a tour around the world in a single blog post….

Cities in the Americas

Washington, DC, USA Jon Rochetti presents Christmas at Mount Vernon with Mrs. Washington posted at The DC Traveler, saying, “Make a holiday visit to the the home of George Washington, and look for the live Christmas camel, just like George had during the Christmas of 1787.”

Seattle, Washington, USA Pam Mandel presents S’abadeb, The Gifts: Art of the Coast Salish People at Seattle Art Museum posted at Nerd’s Eye View, saying, “The native people of the Pacific Northwest deserve their own museum. This show is at the Seattle Art Museum is a nice start towards their recognition, but a lot more could be done.”

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Gil Ortiz presents Las Vegas, Nevada posted at gilocafe, with a video on the “Vivrating Las Vegas strip!”

Bentonville, Arkansas, USA Silicon Valley Blogger presents When Black Friday Deals Are Not Worth The Risk posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “Crazy Black Friday crowds in Bentonville!”

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA BW presents 41 Ideas to Keep You Busy in Old San Juan posted at Visit The Coqui, saying, “There is plenty to see and do in Old San Juan; here are 41 ideas to keep you busy.”

Tucson, Arizona, USA Judy Vastine presents This Week 12/08-12/14 2008 posted at Tucson Snowbird (Editor’s note – I took some liberties with Judy’s entry and linked to her most recent roundup post, since we didn’t get to run her original one which covered This Week events that are now out of date because our posting was delayed. Thanks for your patience, Judy!)

Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Kathy Torline presents 33 Unique things to do – #5 Van Briggle Pottery and Museum posted at Colorado Springs Vintage Homes Blog, saying, “Van Briggle Pottery, a hidden gem in Colorado Springs.”

Canton, Ohio, USA Kilroy_60 presents The Genius Of Frank Lloyd Wright Shines Through On An Autumn Afternoon posted at The Lives and Times… of Anthony McCune, saying, “A unique Frank Lloyd Wright home in Canton, Ohio, with lots of landscape photos.”

New York City, New York, USA GrrlScientist presents Election Eve 2008 Celebration in NYC’s Times Square posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “One of the nice things about living in NYC is the fact that there are often fun things happening that are both spontaneous and free-of-charge. One of those events occurred last evening and continued through the wee hours of today, when I spent election eve in NYC’s Times Square, along with half a million other people.”

Washington, DC, USA Jon Rochetti presents Tickets to President Obama’s Inauguration posted at The DC Traveler, saying, “Some ideas of how to get tickets to (or at least attend) President-elect Obama’s Inauguration in Washington, DC in January 2009.”

Orlando, Florida, USA Matthew Paulson presents Eat & Drink Yourself Around the World Disney Style (at Walt Disney World’s Epcot theme park) posted at The Travel Advocate.

New York City, New York, USA GrrlScientist presents Manhattan in Autumn at the Anne Loftus Playground posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “The Anne Loftus playground, which is located in the northeast corner of Fort Tryon Park in Inwood (Manhattan), was named in honor of Anne Loftus (1925-1989), who was a businesswoman and a neighborhood administrator. The park itself, which covers 67 acres, was named for Sir William Tryon, who was a Major General and the last British governor of colonial New York.”

Pebble Beach, California, USA Machione presents A Long Weekend That Turned Into A Week, Thanks To The McCain/Palin Ticket posted at Fear And Loathing – The Gonzo Papers, saying, “As beautiful as I thought Pebble Beach was before going there, it was overwhelming to see in person. I shot one photograph of the course from the clubhouse and then put the camera away.”

Destin, Florida, USA Amy @ The Q Family presents Little piece of paradise in Destin posted at The Q Family Adventure.

New York City, New York, USA Jennifer Miner presents Idea for Holiday Family Vacation in NYC – The Muppet Whatnot Workshop posted at Traveling Mamas.

Orlando, Florida, USA Brooke Morton presents Portofino Bay Hotel and Resort in Orlando, Florida posted at UpTake Lodging.

Madison, Wisconsin, USA Byteful Travel presents Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is Glass! posted at Byteful Blog, saying, “Whenever I visit a new city, I tend to do some research first and get an idea of what I want to see before I leave. A little bit of planning goes a long way, but sometimes you just stumble upon something by accident. Finding the Museum of Contemporary Art in Madison, WI was one of these happy accidents.”

Detroit, Michigan, USA Dominique King presents Midwest Guest: Monet to Dalí posted at Midwest Guest, saying, “Modern Masterworks collection from the Cleveland Museum of Art visits the Detroit Institute of Arts.”

Cities in Europe

Krakow, Poland Geoff presents Trapped 200 metres underground with only a Salty Pope for company posted at Itinerant Londoner, saying, “A post on the most disappointing World Heritage Site I’ve visited, in Krakow, Poland.”

Paris, France Jack Norell presents Parisian hidden gems posted at Eyeflare – Travel Articles and Tips, saying, “The real Paris is hidden away from the Champs d’Elysees, Eiffel Tower, and other such obvious locations. Here are some that me and my friends have found.”

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