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Real America News
Volume E7, Issue 3, Winter 2011
In this issue:
Nuts & Bolts from France
By Hervé Duxin
Have you ever ridden a reining horse and asked him to spin? This is very impressive, especially when the horse is well trained.
Sometimes we get the same feeling from today’s world: spinning fast with all the new technology that impacts our lives everyday. This is sometimes very instructive and useful. But sometimes this brings an overload of information that we don’t have time to read and sort through - Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, on top of all kinds of newsletters. This new trend is taking more and more space in everybody’s life. This is, for sure, an interesting new way of communication. But don’t you think sometimes this new trend is also becoming invasive?
This happens to everybody - we log onto the computer, holding a cup of coffee and ready to work. And here comes the load of spam, twits, chats, that arrive in the middle of emails that really need to be taken care of. You didn’t ask for these but you get them. And every month you have new subscriptions.
In the French market the deciders of the tourism industry have more and more work every year, therefore less time to sort all this information. They literally run after time to finalize their brochures, do their follow up with sales staff, resolve concerns, figure how their company will position themselves for the next year... As a coherent consequence, most of the emails that are not “urgent” go directly into the trash. This is verified when we talk with them. They would ask a question that was already answered in a newsletter for example.
Since we started to promote the four states and the three gateway cities of the Real America region in France, we bet on more direct ways of information. The most important is, of course, human relationships that drive your French Office to visit tour operators and media helping figure products and stories on a regular basis.
 As we do believe that success of information is determined by its availability and easy access at any time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, we think the ideal tool is a good website that allows anyone access to this knowledge about our region in real time when needed, whenever this may be. This is why we designed, a long time ago, a first website that started with very basic pages. I remember this first version when I started - arranged with enthusiasm - that had little suns flying over the mountains. Please don’t laugh at it; I was proud of it! The content already had good information but not enough of course. So every year we worked to improve this website with more content, more images, and a more attractive and professional look.
To do so we asked our Web Master to revamp the look of www.wildwestusa.com with a welcome page that immediately allows the visitors to dream - looking at the great images of our region. These images change every minute. We also proceed to a full renovation of images on a regular basis.
The Welcome page allows the visitor to “dive” directly in the Real America region.
We are also adding content. Today the site is packed with 29 pages of general information about the states  of Montana, Idaho, South Dakota and Wyoming.
Each of the four states has the following:
When clicking on “en savoir plus” the visitor will find a gold mine of information about each region of each state.
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A page for each corner of each state. Here in South Dakota.
(You will notice the image on the top is changing every minute)
A page with specific information about attractions in each state. This one (3 pages) is about Yellowstone.
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A page with links to information that will help potential travelers to our region.
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We made a dictionary of the “general words and expressions” that are used in our Real America country.
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And added direct links to the gateway cities of Denver, Minneapolis/Saint Paul/Bloomington, and Chicago.
We are working on a new version of the website that will allow visitors (whoever they are - consumer or trade specialist or media) to have access in real time to any “live information” they need, ie. web cams, information about road conditions, rodeos, museums, etc. To do so, we are collecting all the necessary links that will allow the visitor to have answers to their questions anytime online, on top of the assistance that is provided by your French Office.
Of course in addition to the website and as a “plus” we keep on sending newsletters to journalists and VisitUSA members.
Having information in French that contains as much detail and updates as possible is certainly one of the keys to success. To us it is important to realize in what world we live in order to adapt to what visitors need. Today many people (trade, media and consumers) live under massive pressure. The job is more demanding and the news is not contributing to make them feel comfortable. So if we are able to provide an “on demand easy access” to useful information, our fantastic region will benefit and keep on harvesting the good results out of the French Market.
Sorry if this took more than a coffee pot (as Alan Jackson would say) to read this Nuts & Bolts. We wish you all a happy Holiday Season!
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News from the States:
South Dakota
Put a South Dakota Spring in Your Step 
www.TourSDakota.com
Your clients can beat the heat of summer by spending spring in South Dakota! In the beautiful Black Hills of western South Dakota, clients can take a drive on the Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park to catch glimpses of the newborn buffalo, deer, antelope and elk. Shake off the winter blues with a hike to the Roughlock Falls Nature Area in beautiful Spearfish Canyon. For more hiking adventure, travelers can journey a short distance east to the colorful, fossil-laden Badlands National Park which features more than 17 miles of designated hiking areas. The eastern side of the state offers unique opportunities as well. Just a short distance northeast of Sioux Falls, visit Palisades State Park where visitors can walk along 1.2 billion-year-old Sioux quartzite formations. Nearby Devil’s Gulch offers visitors the chance to cross the 20-foot bridge spanning the legendary leap made by Jesse James on horseback while fleeing the law. Spring is a time for awakening and renewal, and South Dakota is the perfect place to experience it!
What's New South Dakota
Visitors can soar 700 feet down the mountainside at the all-new Soaring Eagle Zipline at Rushmore Cave, near Keystone. This zipline is not a harness system – riders sit in a formed seat with a seat belt, which allows riders of all ages to share in the excitement. The comfortable side-by-side seats allow riders to share the fun with friends and family
Planning Tip: Visit our Outdoors section on the website for tips and suggestions of ways for your clients to experience the natural beauty of South Dakota. Choose from a wide range of activities from outdoor photography to active adventure and more.
Featured South Dakota Itinerary:
Black Hills Five Day Tour
Day One:
Tour Rapid City with stops at Stavkirke, a replica of an 830-year-old church in Norway; The Journey Museum, with exhibits on traditional and contemporary Native American culture; the Museum of Geology, with skeletons of giant prehistoric marine reptiles; the Dahl Fine Arts Center; a Black Hills Gold jewelry factory tour; and Dinosaur Park and Storybook Island for kids of all ages. Overnight in Rapid City.
Day Two:
Depart Rapid City via Highway 44 to Badlands National Park, 244,000 acres (97,600 ha) of eerie, haunting topography. After touring the Badlands, a popular stop is a world-famous drug store in Wall. This tiny store, built in 1931, has boomed to become block-sized and internationally known. While in Wall, also visit Wounded Knee: The Museum and learn about the last, bloody conflict between Native Americans and the US Army Cavalry. Drive via Interstate 90 to Sturgis and the Fort Meade Museum and on to Spearfish, home of the D.C. Booth Historic Fish Hatchery. Overnight in Spearfish.
Day Three:
Start the day with a drive through Spearfish Canyon, a National Forest Scenic Byway. Stop in the Lead/Deadwood area to visit attractions like the Black Hills Mining Museum or sculpture park in Lead or Deadwood’s Mount Moriah Cemetery, where the likes of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried. More than 80 gaming casinos beckon with slots, blackjack and poker. Leave Deadwood behind and travel south on Highway 385 to Hill City for a ride on a historic 1880 train and see works by local artists in main street shops. Move on to Crazy Horse Memorial, a gigantic carving of Lakota leader Crazy Horse being blasted from a mountain in the Black Hills. The Crazy Horse complex also contains the beautiful Indian Museum of North America. Continue on to 71,000-acre (28,400 ha) Custer State Park for an overnight stay in one of four enchanting lodges. Evening entertainment can include a hayride/supper or a visit to the Black Hills Playhouse. Overnight in Custer State Park or Custer.
Day Four:
Enjoy trail rides through the mountains or Jeep rides on the Wildlife Loop Road in Custer State Park to see the buffalo herds. Wind Cave National Park is south of Custer State Park on Highway 87. Cave tour options range from simple walking tours to lantern tours. Further south on Highway 87 is the city of Hot Springs, home of The Mammoth Site, a horse sanctuary and the world’s largest natural, indoor warm-springs swimming pool. Overnight in Hot Springs.
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Mount Rushmore National Memorial |
Day Five:
Today’s route covers the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with stops at the Red Cloud Indian Art Gallery, the Wounded Knee Massacre Site, and the Oglala Lakota College. After visiting the reservation, the tour concludes with the highlight of any South Dakota visit, Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Overnight in Rapid City.
Spring 2012 South Dakota Events
April 21: Earth Day “Party for the Planet”, Sioux Falls
May 3: Korczak Day, Crazy Horse
May 18-20: Custer State Park Spring Opening House Weekend, Custer
May 18-20: Statewide Open House & Free Fishing Weekend, Statewide
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Montana
Whitefish Mountain Resort
New Chair Lift
The Bad Rock triple will provide an additional way up the mountain from the Base Lodge area (in addition to the Village Chair). It will also provide direct skier access from the Base Lodge area to the Upper Village (currently you’d have to walk up there from the top of the Village Chair).
Bad Rock Lift Facts:
Triple chair
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Skiing in Montana |
1,627 feet long
461 vertical
1,000 people per hour
New Bar
The Base Lodge Bar is a new place to gather for a local brew or an après ski cocktail.
www.skiwhitefish.com
Big Sky Resort
Big Sky resort is opening 5 new gladed ski runs with 20+ acres of terrain this winter. This puts Big Sky at 3,832 skiable acres, and 5,532 skiable acres with the Biggest Skiing in America ticket that gives complete, seamless access to both Big Sky Resort and neighboring Moonlight Basin.
Big Sky Resort is opening the new 3,000-square-foot Solace Spa and Salon this season with 7 treatment rooms, men’s and ladies locker rooms, complete spa and salon services, and expanded professional spa product lines available for purchase.
www.bigskyresort.com
 CHANGES TO VISITMT.COM
As the landscape of Montana changes in the winter due to snow, so changes occur on our website, www.visitmt.com. Recently, the Experiences page received a facelift. Previously a link to Montana’s www.GetLostMT.com website and Facebook content was viewable; however, due to requests for more content that was experience-based, new materials have been repurposed for the page. Now, you’ll find the current posting from a monthly enewsletter, as well as archived posts. The new monthly content focuses on a specific town or an area, such as Glacier National Park or Montana’s High Plains. It also includes suggestions for dining, area activities, and three event suggestions. It also features the popular “Buzz” and “Local Scoop” sections which are user generated content from other websites such as Flickr and GetLostMT.com, as well as the opportunity to sign up for the enewsletter. Get ideas on trip planning at www.visitmt.com/experience_MT.
Montana Stories
Montana represents the untamed, the wild, the natural. A place where people are comfortable in their own skin, shaped more by the landscape than vice-versa. Check our new video series on some prominent Montanans as they share what it is that makes this state so special. Included in the series is an Olympic Mogul Skier, an X-Games Medalist, Grizzly Bear Expert and Native American Artist, to name a few. Take a tour through their favorite places and hear their perspective. Discover how you can be shaped by Montana's natural wonders. http://visitmt.com/montana-stories/
Montana’s press room
Montana’s press room also received a recent facelift. The site is a resource for journalists researching Big Sky Country. Here you’ll find a well of story ideas and imagery in addition to other media, links and Montana insight. New additions are a Blog, Talk To Us, and the photos section is making it even easier to access amazing images of Montana. www.montanapressroom.com
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Idaho
TETON SPRINGS LODGE & SPA RATED TOP RESORT IN IDAHO AND EARNS TRIPADVISOR “CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE” FOR YEAR 2011
Victor, Idaho - Teton Springs Lodge & Spa announced that it has received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for the year 2011, which honors top-rated lodging businesses, restaurants and attractions worldwide, as reviewed by travelers on the world’s largest travel site. To qualify, Teton Springs Lodge & Spa had to maintain an average rating of four or higher out of a possible five, as reviewed by travelers on TripAdvisor. Additional criteria include volume of reviews and how recently they have been submitted by travelers.
Situated in the heart of Idaho’s Teton Valley, Teton Springs Lodge & Spa opened in December 2007. This year-round resort offers 52 casually elegant guest rooms and suites in the main lodge. Teton Springs also manages three-, four-, and five-bedroom mountain log homes situated on the award-winning Headwaters Golf Course. Teton Springs is the only resort in Eastern Idaho to offer its own luxury spa, golf club and onsite fly fishing to their summer guests with heli-skiing, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling in the winter. The private Headwater’s Club is an 18-hole course as well as a nine-hole short course and practice facility. The 5,000 square foot Stillwaters Spa & Salon, Headwaters Grille, Swim and Tennis Complex, and a 25-meter pool and Fitness Center, round out the resort’s facilities.
$750,000 RENOVATION COMPLETE
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Knob Hill Inn |
Located in the heart of the world-class Sun Valley ski community, the luxurious Knob Hill Inn was recently acquired by a group of investors with strong ties to the Wood River Valley. Built in 1992, this community landmark is situated within walking distance of downtown Ketchum and offers unparalleled views of world-famous "Baldy," and the majestic Sawtooth and Boulder Mountain ranges. The community is thrilled that this much-beloved Inn will be enhanced and cared for by a team of dedicated owners and hospitality professionals. All of the partners share a commitment to service as part of their core businesses and collectively look forward to elevating the exceptional experience for all guests of the Knob Hill Inn.
USA Today and Rand McNally contest voted Sandpoint, ID MOST BEAUTIFUL SMALL TOWN
Five teams competed in the contest, traveling to six towns in each of their categories – Most Beautiful, Friendliest, Best for Food, Most Patriotic a
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Sandpoint, ID |
nd Most Fun Small Town. The lucky team for this category was Daniel and JoAnne Schaub of Cary, N.C.
What made Sandpoint stand out was the location on pristine Lake Pend Oreille in the Idaho Panhandle about an hour and a half east of Spokane, Wash. "Sandpoint isn't just a 'drive through and let's stop here' place," the Schaubs say. "Its quaint downtown shops and restaurants welcomed us in, and its landscape kept us in awe."
From a chairlift ride to the top of the local ski area, Schweitzer Mountain, "you can stand in Idaho and see Canada, Montana and Washington. At 6,400 feet, the expansive view kept us so mesmerized we missed our lunch date — and we had a snowball fight in July."
Their biggest surprise was Sandpoint's mountain setting on the shores of one of the country's deepest lakes. "Being from North Carolina, we hadn't heard much about Idaho," the Schaubs admit. "We knew there were a lot of potatoes, and that's about it."
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
The Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park near Cataldo, Idaho is now the permanent home for the new and award-winning exhibit Sacred Encounters: Father De Smet & the Indians of the Rocky Mountain West. The exhibit tells the unique and special history of the Cataldo Mission and its significance to the spiritual life of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe over the years. Many feel the Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park will become one of the most important historical, educational and cultural sites serving eastern Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana.
The Cataldo Mission was named as a National Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places in 1962 and designated as a State Heritage Park and state historic site in 1975. In a unique agreement signed in spring 2002, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise transferred ownership of the mission, buildings and land to the Coeur d’Alene Tribe in recognition of their spiritual and historic connection to the site.
The new 9,000 sq. ft. visitors center blends with the existing landscape, while preserving the historical and scenic vistas of the site, all while emphasizing the use of indigenous natural materials to create a space that evokes an inviting tribal village structure. The mission was completed in 1853 and still stands as the oldest building in all of Idaho, high above the Coeur d’Alene River.
Throughout its history the mission served many purposes: as a place of worship for the Coeur d’Alene people, a hospitality and supply station for settlers, miners and military personnel, a working farm, a disembarkation point for boats heading up the Coeur d’Alene River carrying miners and later railroad and pipeline workers, a Jesuit novitiate, and the site of a labor dispute between union and non-union miners.
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Wyoming
A NEW WAY TO GET AROUND IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
Ride Linx in Yellowstone is a new, easy, environmentally friendly way to get around Yellowstone National Park. Linx is operating a bus system, not a tour, as a great way for visitors to acquire easy access to the major parts of the park. Bus lines run from entrance locations and travel into campgrounds and lodges. With a purchased ticket, riders can board buses at any Ride Linx Bus Stop in the park and at the park’s major gates with connecting service to regional gateway cities, including both Cody and Jackson, Wyoming. For the 2012 season Linx anticipates offering 1-day and 7-day tickets for use on the Ride Linx in Yellowstone system. For schedules, route maps, and ticket vendor locations visit http://www.linx.coop/yellowstone-area-buses or to read more about the Linx visit www.ohranger.com/yellowstone/news/2011/hop-linx-bus-yellowstone
ALL-INCLUSIVE PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS IN YELLOWSTONE & GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARKS
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Photography Tours in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks |
Join a professional photographer and experienced guide on a multi-day, all-inclusive, wildlife and nature photography safari by van (and snowmobile in winter) into two of the world’s most famous national parks. Yellowstone and Grand Teton provide the perfect wildlife filled landscape to perfect your photography skills. This safari will keep you on your toes and provide ample opportunity to build your winter, spring, or summer wildlife and landscape portfolios. For more information on winter tours visit
http://jacksonholewildlifesafaris.com/site/winter-safaris/multi-day-photography-safari-by-snowmobile/.
Watch this website for spring and summer tour details.
JACKSON HOLE’S THE POINT HOTEL TO BECOME A HAMPTON INN
The Point Inn & Suites in Jackson Hole is currently under renovation and will become a Hampton Inn in the spring of 2012. In order to achieve the restoration goals and maintain their timeline, the hotel has closed and is scheduled to re-open as the Hampton Inn in May 2012. For future information on the new Hampton Inn Jackson Hole, visit www.hamptoninn.com or call 307-733-0033.
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Gateway City News:
Denver
Southwest Rink at Skyline Park
Downtown Denver
through February 14
Skyline Park is the place to be this holiday season! Head to 16th and Arapahoe in Downtown Denver to the Southwest Rink at Skyline Park! Skate rental is $2 – or bring your own pair and skate for FREE! Free days for kids will take place throughout the season. Look for regularly scheduled entertainment and activities each week.
New Must-See Museum - The Clyfford Still Museum
Denver's already thriving cultural world gets even hotter with the addition of the Clyfford Still Museum, showcasing the famed abstract expressionist's works.
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Molly Brown House Museum
Denver, CO |
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Lizards & Snakes Exhibit
Opening February 3, 2012
FREE with Museum Admission. This spring, see more than 60 live snakes and lizards from five continents as you explore the evolution, movement, and feeding habits of this ancient group of animals. Click here to learn more about this upcoming exhibition.
Molly Brown House Museum - 100th Anniversary of the Sinking of the Titanic
Starting February 15, a year-long celebration
Titanic and Molly Brown – two names in history that are now virtually synonymous. Many historians cite Titanic as being the event that propelled Margaret Brown to international fame. When she returned to her home after the Titanic disaster, she was acknowledged as Denver’s “Heroine” and most famous survivor. As the 100th Anniversary unfolds, the Molly Brown House Museum, throughout the year, will be hosting many Titanic-related, including the Heroine of the Titanic exhibit, which explores the Margaret Brown’s experience from bow to stern with accounts, artifacts and photographs from that fateful voyage.
Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective
March 25, 2012–July 8, 2012
The Denver Art Museum is the only scheduled venue in the United States for this sweeping panorama of the iconic fashion designer’s 40-year career. Tickets for this exhibition go on sale to the public on Jan. 20, 2012.
Minneapolis/St. Paul/Bloomington
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American Queen |
American Queen Sails Again
The largest steamboat ever built, the grand American Queen, will once again sail between Saint Paul, Minnesota and St. Louis, Missouri in autumn 2012. A special three-night Saint Paul round-trip will also be offered for the first time. Fall color vacations salute nature’s rich palette of reds, oranges and golds found on the Upper Mississippi. Pre- and post-tour overnights allow passengers to learn how the Mighty Mississippi has influenced the development of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. www.greatamericansteamboatcompany.com
“Real Pirates!”
Exhibit at Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, Opens February 2012.
One of the most technologically advanced vessels of her day, the Whydah, was built and launched as a slave ship and captured on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic by legendary pirate Sam Bellamy and his crew. After a few alterations and a quick hoist of the Jolly Roger, the Whydah became the flagship of Bellamy's flotilla, leading raids throughout Caribbean waters and up the Atlantic coastline.
Then on April 26, 1717, the perfect storm sank the Whydah with most of her crew aboard—as well as the bounty from more than 50 captured ships. Almost 300 years later, underwater explorer Barry Clifford and his team managed to locate the wreck of the Whydah and painstakingly unearthed her treasures from the ocean floor.
In Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship, you'll discover the perils and privileges of 18th century pirate life. Dive into the wreck of the Whydah to discover the true stories of Captain Bellamy and his crew through more than 200 fascinating artifacts in the world's first exhibition of authentic pirate treasure! Touch real pirate gold and marvel at gold and silver coins from all over the world, cannons, swords, and pistols along with the ship's massive bell, and discover the advanced technology that revealed these treasures to the modern world.
Red Bull Crashed Ice!
The Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship makes it long-awaited US debut in the opening race of the 2012 edition. Saint Paul, in Minnesota, will host the first round of competition on January 12-14 as the world's best downhillers break the ice in North America.
Minnesota Zoo Dinosaurs Exhibit
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Minnesota Zoo Dinosaurs Exhibit |
Minnesota Zoo Dinosaurs Exhibit opens summer 2012, in Apple Valley. The most exciting pre-historic adventure awaits Minnesota Zoo guests in 2012 when Dinosaurs! roars back to the Zoo, May 26 – September 3. Fifteen larger-than-life animatronic dinosaurs including the popular Tyrannosaurus Rex, Gigantosaurus and Brachiosaurus will take up temporary residence on the Zoo’s Northern Trail. In addition, there will be a Tyrannosaurus photo opportunity and a Stegosaurus robot, providing a view of the internal workings of the structure.
Extreme Sandbox, Hastings
Opens April 1, 2012
Extreme Sandbox is the first and only recreational heavy equipment adventure in the Midwest. Extreme Sandbox allows customers the opportunity to experience the thrill of operating heavy equipment in a safe and controlled environment. Their expert instructors will give hands-on guidance through the precision obstacle courses and activities. Absolutely no experience is required. They cater to all groups and are excited to have tourists join for some fun in the dirt.
www.extremesandbox.com
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Chicago
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Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel
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Chicago Welcomes Two New Hotel Properties in 2011
PUBLIC Chicago is a complete transformation of the Gold Coast's famed Ambassador East Hotel and its historic Pump Room restaurant. For decades, the hotel and the Pump Room was a place to see and be seen and played host to a multitude of celebrities. www.publichotels.com
Welcome to the first Radisson Blu in the United States, right in the heart of the Windy City. Fully destined to become a destination in itself, the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago is simply one-of-a-kind. www.radissonblu.com
Must-See Museum Exhibits
Jellies - Now through May 28, 2012 at The Shedd Aquarium
Made of 95% water with feeding arms that can grow up to 8 feet long. Drifting with the current, jellies travel thousands of miles. The tiniest jelly could nestle into a contact lens, while the largest couldn't squeeze into a minivan. Come learn more. www.sheddaquarium.org
Genghis Khan - February 20 – September 3, 2012 at the Field Museum
Who was Genghis Khan – a fierce conqueror, a unifying leader, or a visionary inventor? This spectacular exhibition tells the amazing true story of Genghis Khan — his life, his land, his people, his culture — and his enduring legacy. www.fieldmuseum.org
Chagall Windows – Now on Display
After a five-year absence, Marc Chagall’s America Windows are once again on display at the Art institute of Chicago. Made forever famous in the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, the windows hold a special place in the hearts of Chicagoans. www.artic.edu
Millennium Park
Discover a state-of-the-art collection of architecture, landscape design and art that provide the backdrop for hundreds of free cultural programs including concerts, exhibitions, tours, and family activities. In Millennium Park, you’ll find a new kind of town square – a lively, spectacular gathering spot located in the heart of the city and a destination for Chicagoans and visitors alike. www.millenniumpark.org
Skydeck Chicago
Step outside the tallest building in the western hemisphere and the third tallest in the world. At 1,353 feet in the air, the Ledge’s glass boxes extend out 4.3 feet from the side of the building. www.theskydeck.com
Chicago Architecture Foundation
Learn about the architecture and design of over 50 buildings as described by CAF-Certified Volunteer Docents/Guides. www.architecture.org
Chicago 2012 Festival and Event Calendar
- Chicago Auto Show - February 10-19, 2012
- Chicago Restaurant Week - February 17-26, 2012
- St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations - March 2012*
- Chicago Blues Festival - June 2012*
- Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade - June 24, 2012
- Chicago’s Lakefront Fireworks - July 4, 2012
- Lollapalooza Music Festival - August 3-5, 2012
- Northalsted Street Market Days - August 2012*
- Chicago Air & Water Show – August 2012*
- Mag Mile Shopping Festival - Late August/September*
- Chicago Jazz Festival - September 2012*
- Chicago Gourmet - September 2012*
- Magnificent Mile Lights Festival - November 24, 2012
- Ice Skating at Millennium Park - November - March
- Christkindlmarket - November/December 2012
- New Year’s Eve Fireworks - December 31, 2012
*(Exact dates TBD)
Broadway in Chicago 2012 Production Schedule
Broadway theater will ignite your night on the town and put you in the middle of the excitement of Chicago tourism. Broadway In Chicago is the source for terrific seats to the most exciting shows in Chicago's bustling Downtown Theater District. On the stages of the Oriental Theatre, the Cadillac Palace Theatre, the Bank of America Theatre, the Auditorium Theatre and the Broadway Playhouse, you will discover theater productions direct from Broadway and world premieres of productions destined for Broadway. www.broadwayinchicago.com
In The Heights January 10-15, 2012
Mamma Mia! January 24-29, 2012
Green Day’s American Idiot February 7-19, 2012
Roger & Hammerstein’s South Pacific February 14-26, 2012
Bring It On The Musical March 6-25, 2012
Riverdance March 13-18, 2012
Fela! March 27 – April 8, 2012
Jersey Boys April 5 – June 2, 2012
Cats May 1-6, 2012
Book of Mormon Begins December 2012
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Mall of America
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Mall of America
South Avenue Shopping
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Mall of America® will feature new stores, amusement park rides and an exciting exhibition to begin its 20th anniversary in 2012. The Mall is in Bloomington, Minnesota – only 15 minutes from downtown Minneapolis – and offers an exciting shopping and family destination for European travelers.
The Mall welcomed over 20 new stores and restaurants in recent months including Desigual, Vera Bradley, Dick’s Last Resort, Kiehl’s Since 1851, Stuart Weitzman, ECCO Shoes, Stir Crazy and PEEPS & Company. They will complement the Mall’s current 520 retailers including Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, Lacoste, Levis and Gap. Mall of America is expected to open 15-25 new stores in 2012.
The Mall is the leading U.S. shopping and entertainment center with more than 40 million annual visitors. Guests enjoy leading designer brands, lower prices than many other parts of the U.S. and no sales tax on clothing or shoes. Combined with exciting restaurants, events and family attractions, Mall of America is the ideal vacation getaway.
In addition to shopping, guests can enjoy hours of family fun at Nickelodeon Universe® - the nation‘s largest indoor amusement park in the center of the Mall featuring 27 exciting rides. Two new rides will open in March including a high-speed body slide. Other family attractions include SEA LIFE Aquarium®, LEGO® Store, American Girl®, Theatres at Mall of America®, Moose Mountain Adventure Golf, The Flying Dutchman Ghostly Gangplank (ropes course), Amazing Mirror Maze and A.C.E.S. Flight Simulators.
A special event will take place at Mall of America from February 4-June 10 titled: Diana: A Celebration. It will be an award-winning exhibition celebrating the life and work of Diana, Princess of Wales. The exhibition will be highlighted by her spectacular wedding gown with its long train, 28 designer dresses featuring Versace, Valentino, Azagury; personal childhood letters and home movies; precious artwork and jewels and tributes to Diana’s tireless work for charity.
In addition to the special exhibition, Mall of America conducts over 400 free annual events including Hollywood celebrity appearances and concerts. For more details, visit www.mallofamerica.com and click the “events calendar.”
Mall of America is located next to Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP). The Mall is only 15 minutes from downtown Minneapolis and is linked to MSP and Minneapolis by Light Rail Train. Over 40 hotels are located in Bloomington and offer courtesy bus shuttle service to/from MSP and the Mall. Bloomington hotels feature affordable prices, attractive amenities and convenient access to all points in the metropolitan area. Visit www.MOAspecialoffers.com for full details.
Did You Know?
- 32 Boeing 747 aircraft could fit inside Mall of America
- 9 Eiffel Towers could fit in the Mall.
- Mall of America attracts more visitors annually than the combined populations of Canada, South Dakota, North Dakota and Iowa.
- If you spent 10 minutes in each store it would take 86 hours to complete your tour of the Mall
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