On a pleasant sunny summer day you may want to ride the Trax line to downtown Salt Lake City to visit the historic Union Pacific Railroad depot and shop at the outdoor Gateway Mall.
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The charming Food for Thought restaurant is located south of Salt Lake City in historic Draper, Utah. It's just like having lunch at Grandma's house.   As another year comes to a close today, I am making my recommendations for the best destinations of the year. Below are five of my favorite destinations that I visited in 2012.
My Top 5 Destinations for 2012: 1. Savannah, Georgia 2. New York City, New York 3. Las Vegas, Nevada 4. Carefree, Arizona 5. Monument Valley Please read about each of these destinations here at The Ideal Trip. I hope your year has been filled with wonderful travels and that 2013 will bring more happy adventures!! Arizona’s Largest Gingerbread Village Display Returns to JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa11/28/2012  Teddy Bears Care with Teddy Bear Tea
The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix donates teddy bears to Homeward Bound PHOENIX, ARIZONA – November 1, 2012 – The holiday season will soon be upon us and with it brings the traditions of the seasons; one of those major traditions is giving to others. This year The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix is asking those who attend their annual Teddy Bear Tea to donate a bear to Homeward Bound’s Teddy Bears Care program. As Teddy Bear Tea continues to be a memorable experience for many families, The Ritz-Carlton wants to spread joy even further with these donations. The donated teddy bears will be given to children who are transitioning into the Homeward Bound Program after leaving many of their belongings behind when fleeing domestic violence or rescued from homelessness. For many children the teddy bear will be the first stuffed animal of their very own to love. Enjoy Teddy Bear Tea in Lobby Lounge every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from November 24 to December 13 with seating at noon and 3 pm. Throughout the afternoon guests will enjoy carols, a visit from Ted E. Bear and story time with Jeffrey. Children will be able to select a teddy bear of their choice from The Ritz-Carlton Teddy Bear Collection to take home with them. Over the last few years children who have selected a bear from The Ritz-Carlton Collection, turn around and donate it to Homeward Bound’s Teddy Bears Care program. It is a sweet sentiment to see children learning how to giveback in their community at a young age. Teddy Bear Tea is priced at $38 per person (exclusive of tax and gratuity). If you would like to donate a bear for Homeward Bound’s Teddy Bears Care program guests can bring it with them to any Teddy Bear Tea service or drop it off at the front desk. For more information or to make your reservation call (602) 468-0700 or visit RitzCarlton.com/Phoenix. If you will be staying in one of the five New York City boroughs, you should consider the opportunity to meet a local New Yorker through Big Apple Greeter. This free service has paired more than 300 plus volunteer Greeters with more than 7,000 visitors each year in neighborhoods throughout the city since Big Apple Greeter started in 1992. If you want to live like a local, find the best neighborhood hangouts, and get recommendations from those in-the-know, consider arranging a meeting with a Big Apple Greeter.
For more information, visit http://www.bigapplegreeter.org/.  Time-Saving Transportation Tips for Touring
These websites will help you navigate New York City and the surrounding areas above ground, underground, and on the water. Metropolitan Transportation Authority http://www.mta.info/ NY Waterway http://www.nywaterway.com/ Hop Stop http://newyork.hopstop.com/ Here is a great resource you need to know about! If you are planning a trip to New York City or you live in the NYC area, join the Theater Development Fund (TDF) for discounted tickets to hundreds of Broadway shows, Off-Broadway shows, music performances, and dance productions. Bargains of up to 70% off full-price tickets to hundreds of live productions are available each year. Tickets are available to Off-Off Broadway shows for as little as $9 each. Membership is $30 annually, but only one person of your group must be a member to purchase tickets (up to 9 tickets per performance). I joined TDF and used their simple website to book all my live theater prior to a trip to NYC. This is one resource both theater-lovers and bargain-travelers will want to use.
To qualify for TDF membership, you must belong to one of the following groups: • Full-time Students (high school or above) • Full-time Teachers (primary or junior high school faculty, high school faculty, university or college faculty, teacher of drama/dance/music) • Recent Graduates (26 years of age and under) • Full-time Union Members • Retirees (no longer working and at least 62 years of age or older) • Full-time Civil Service Employees • Full-time Staff Members of Not-for-Profit Organizations • Full-time Non-Exempt Employees • Full-time Performing Arts Professionals • Members of the Armed Forces • Full-time Clergy For more information on discounted live performances available throughout the New York area and TDF membership, visit http://www.tdf.org/. For additional cost-savers, see the article on free tours in New York City at http://www.theidealtrip.com/new-york-city.html.  The Statue of Liberty is an iconic symbol of New York City, a true must-see sight, and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. We have set aside a full day during our one-week visit, just for those very reasons, to take the ferry over for a tour including neighboring Ellis Island, a part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. To learn more about both the World Heritage List and the Statue of Liberty, see the UNESCO website.
Ferry tickets to visit the monument can be purchased from Statue Cruises, the official provider of tickets and tours to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We purchased our ferry/admission tickets for the trip in advance online and are looking forward to a great day in New York Harbor. For more information and tickets, visit the Statue Cruises website. If you have recently visited the Statue of Liberty or have a story to share about Lady Liberty, please comment below or email me at theidealtrip@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you! |
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