Courtyard Connections

Whether you are a first time visitor to New York City or a veteran, the city can be overwhelming.  It can be difficult to decide which attractions to see and which attractions to skip out on due to time constraints. Of course you want to spend the limited time you have in NYC as wisely as possible, so where should you go? To help you out we have selected 4 great attractions that we think you will like.  Let us know in the comments if we left any out that should have made the list!

Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center, located in midtown, is a great tourist attraction that you don’t want to miss.  With a variety of features, this tourist destination has something to offer everyone.  Some of the most popular attractions are the following:

• Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
• Ice Rink located inside Rockefeller Center
• Top of the Rock: Rockefeller Center Observation Deck
• Radio City Music Hall ‘Stage Door Tour’
• NBC Studios Tour

If you get hungry, there are plenty of places to eat conveniently located within Rockefeller Center.  With all of the above attractions, along with many others, you want to make sure to have a couple hours to spend at Rockefeller Center so you don’t leave without seeing everything.

American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History has evolved over the years, and now contains a variety of educational, unique and hands-on exhibits that will impress anyone.  This museum features different exhibits all year round, making this a great place to check out more than once.  Currently, some of the featured exhibits include:

• Race to the End of the Earth
• Lizards and Snakes: Alive!
• Journey to the Stars

The American Museum of Natural History also contains a dedicated section geared towards kids and families.  If there is a certain exhibit approaching, you can check their schedule to help you plan your trip, and even buy tickets in advance.  If we were to recommend one specific exhibit, it would be to check out the museum’s famed dinosaur halls.  With almost one million specimens, the museum is home to the world’s largest collection of vertebrate fossils.  Let us know in the comments if you get a chance to check out this exhibit!

FAO Schwarz

FAO Schwarz, located on 767 5^th Avenue is not just your every day toy store.  This toy store is a favorite among New Yorkers as well as tourists.  The top features of NYC’s FAO Schwarz include the grand hall containing more than 20,000 colored lights, a giant piano keyboard and FAO Schweetz, a candy shop that is sure to please your sweet tooth.  If you are headed to this toy wonderland with your little ones, the first floor of the store will probably be the best place to shop.  The lower level of FAO Schwarz has wide aisles to accommodate carriages and is very child friendly.  There is also a book store located on the first level, which is known to have one of the best selections of children’s books.  However, the most exciting floor at FAO Schwarz is definitely the 2^nd floor.  The top attractions found on this floor include:

• Motion Simulator Ride
• The Madame Alexander Doll Factory where children can create and style their own dolls
• Hot Wheels car factory where boys often enjoy creating their own vehicles
• Lego section
• Antique room

Due to FAO Schwarz popularity this toy store can get fairly crowded, especially during the holiday season.  The best time to go?  Try to head over on a week day morning as close to the store’s 10am opening as possible.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met)

With over 2 million pieces of artwork from around the world and over 5 million visitors each year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is definitely worth a visit.  From a variety of special exhibits to concerts and lectures to special activities for kids this museum will attract the interest of the whole family. The wide variety of art work at The Met include the following:

• Works of art from Classical antiquity and Ancient Egypt
• Paintings and sculptures from European masters
• Extensive collection of American and modern art
• African, Asian, Oceanic, Byzantine and Islamic Art
• Antique weapons and armor from all around the world

If you are headed over to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with not much time to spare, make sure not to miss Doug + Mike Stern on the Roof, which will be featured until October 31^st.  Let us know what your favorite exhibit is at the Met in the comments!

Also, when planning your next trip to NYC, remember that there are 4 Courtyard hotels located conveniently in the city!

Here’s this week’s round-up of travel news, tips and info that we found to be the most interesting and helpful.  If you are debating whether or not to get an iPad to bring along on your travels, check out the article on iPad travel tips. Also, feel free to use the comment section to let us know if we left out any articles that should have made it into this week’s roundup. Enjoy.

10 Things To Know Before You Volunteer Overseas
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Eight Great Tips for Traveling With The iPad
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Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Dream Business Destinations
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7 Tips To Eat Healthy In Flight
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Ask Gadling: You Left Something On The Airplane
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Summer is nearing an end and Labor Day weekend is just around the corner.  This is a great time to get away for the weekend and celebrate the holiday in style.  There are a variety of events, festivals and shows held in honor of Labor Day around the U.S.  We have selected four fun and unique events throughout the country that will make for a great Labor Day weekend.  Let us know if you plan on attending any of these celebrations!

Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival

If you reside near or are traveling through Calloway Gardens, Georgia during Labor Day weekend, then you are in luck.  The twelfth annual Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival will be held from September 3-5.  This is a great Labor Day event for the whole family and has something for everyone.  Sky High Hot Air Balloon Festival features an amazing balloon glow on Friday evening followed by balloon rides, family-friendly activities, music, exhibits and demonstrations the following days.  An excellent addition to this festival is Robin Lake Beach, which will be open for it’s last weekend of the summer.  Other than swimming and sunbathing, Robin Lake Beach offers mini golf, table tennis, shuffleboard, rock climbing, paddle boats, kite building, sidewalk chalk, a great children’s playground and more.  The endless amount of activities and entertainment will keep the whole family smiling and maybe even coming back again in 2011.

Chicago Jazz Festival

Chicago Jazz Fest originated from the passing of Duke Ellington in 1974.  Shortly after his death, several Chicago musicians and thousands of music lovers came together to hold a festival to honor Duke Ellington, which ended up being the first of many annual memorial concerts. The Chicago Jazz Festival has been a Labor Day weekend tradition for over 30 years now.  Through live performances this 4 day long festival helps promote awareness and education for a variety of forms of jazz.  Make sure to click on the links to check out the performance schedule.

• Friday, September 2^nd
• Saturday, September 3^rd
• Sunday, September 4^th
• Monday, September 5^th

The West Indian American Day Carnival

The West Indian American Day Carnival (WIADC) is located in Brooklyn, New York and attracts up to 3 million spectators each year.  It is known by many as New York’s largest cultural festival. This carnival has a strong history with it first originating from the festivities of the original civilization in Ancient Kemet.  It features:

• Elaborately designed costumes
• Masqueraders and huge sound trucks with live performers
• Great music including calypso, soca, reggae and more
• Several food, crafts, books, clothing, art and jewelry vendors lined up on the service roads
• Live performers in front of the viewing stage at the Brooklyn Library

Although the actual parade is on Monday, September 6^th, special events will be going on throughout the weekend starting on September 2^nd.

Cleveland National Air Show

If you are looking for an action packed show to attend on Labor Day weekend, then you should head to Cleveland. The Cleveland National Air Show is held annually on Labor Day weekend at Burke Lakefront Airport.  The Air Show is an exciting event with several different high-speed aircraft acts for spectators to enjoy including the U.S. Navy Blue Angels Jet Demonstration Team, the C-130 Hercules “Fat Albert” Demonstration, the U.S. Army Golden Knights Precision Parachute team and more.  Other than air attractions, there are ground attractions for you to enjoy as well, such as the World’s Largest Grill and the Northern Ohio Tripoli Association Rocket Display. The Air Show is being held from September 4^th-6^th and is good for spectators of all ages.  If you plan on bringing your little ones along, there is even a Child Convenience Center where your kids can color and play with toys if they need to take a break from the show.

Do you know of any Labor Day weekend events that we left out?  Share with us in the comments!

Here’s this week’s round-up of travel news, tips and info that we found to be the most interesting and helpful.  If you are looking for some last minute adventure before the end of the summer, check out the article on New England adventure trips.   Also, feel free to use the comment section to let us know if we left out any articles that should have made it into this week’s roundup. Enjoy.

10 Tips For Flying With A Baby Or Young Child

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Ask Gadling: What To Do When The Airline Loses Your Luggage

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What Counts As A Personal Bag When Traveling?

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For A Fee, American Will Get You Off And On The Plane Quickly

Do you hate waiting in line when boarding an airplane?  If so, you may want to book your next trip with American Airlines.  With the recent addition of American Airline’s “Express Seats” you can have the option of boarding with the first group of passengers.

Buttermilk pancakes, omelets and delicious hot sandwiches are among a few of the selections you can order at any nearby diner.  However, have you ever stopped by one and enjoyed the food so much that you just had to go back for more?  Sure there are ordinary diners in almost every town, but there are a select few that stand out among the rest.  We have chosen four outstanding diners that will keep you coming back for more.

Mickey’s Dining Car

Mickey’s Dining Car in St. Paul, Minnesota, is quite a hit. Aside from being featured in movies such as The Mighty Ducks and A Prairie Home Companion, Mickey’s Dining Car has excellent food that keeps its customers coming back for more.  Their ingredients are always fresh since their meat is delivered by a local butcher.  Their grade AA extra large eggs are delivered from a local farm and their bread and buns are delivered on a daily basis from St. Paul Baker. Even the coffee is delivered locally.  Although everything on Mickey’s menu is delicious, we recommend ordering America’s Favorite All Day meal which comes with the following:
•    Large farm fresh eggs
•    Your choice of breakfast meat (large portion)
•    Mickey’s homemade Hashbrowns
•    Buttered toast and jelly
The best time to go to Mickey’s? This diner is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year so stop by any time!

Rosie’s Diner

Rosie’s Diner in Rockford, Michigan is the queen of diners and seen by many as a part of American tradition.  This diner dates back to the mid 1940’s where it originated in Little Ferry, New Jersey, as The Silver Dollar Diner.  The diner was shown in several commercials with Nancy Walker as Rosie the waitress.  Due to the popularity of the commercials, the diner was renamed Rosie’s Diner in the 70’s and eventually moved to Rockford.  Not only does Rosie’s Diner have a menu that is big enough to please anyone’s taste buds, but the diner also has specialty nights such as bike nights, car nights and cruise nights. If you plan on stopping by Rosie’s Diner for breakfast, we recommend the Cobblestone French Toast which comes with thick slices of homemade cobblestone bread covered with cinnamon, walnuts, apples and brown sugar. If you won’t be at the diner until later in the day, Rosie’s Diner Signature Hot Sandwiches are a must try.

Vernon Diner

Located in Vernon, Connecticut, Vernon Diner satisfies everyone’s taste buds providing customers with the best quality of diner-type food.  This diner stands out among the rest for several reasons:
•    Huge menu with a great variety including  seafood, sandwiches, Italian and Greek specialties, a huge breakfast section and more
•    Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
•    Very convenient location right off the highway (Exit 65 off Interstate 84 in Vernon)
•    Fairly large and can fit several customers so the wait time is never long
Whether you live nearby Vernon Diner, or are passing by the area, make sure you give this restaurant a try.  If you are headed over for breakfast, we recommend their Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes.  They will leave you coming back for more!

EJ’s Luncheonette

EJ’s Luncheonette in NYC is known for its family friendly atmosphere and delicious brunch. This is a great diner to go to if you are with the whole family.  Sure, it may be hard to take the little ones out to brunch without drinks getting spilled and kids complaining,  but, with EJ’s great kids menu that includes dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets, PB&J, grilled cheese, hot dogs and more, your kids will be quite pleased.  Don’t worry because we didn’t forget about the grown ups either.  No matter what you are in the mood for, EJ’s Luncheonette most likely has it.  Their great variety combined with reasonable prices makes this diner a real hit.

Have you tried out any of these recommendations?  Did we leave out any diners that you feel should have made the list?  Share with us in the comments!