Take a holiday to one of America's classic destinations
Regardless of whether you’re planning a family holiday or a romantic getaway with your loved one, peoples’ expectations regarding holidays have increased to match their growing affluence and leisure hours. Since everyone goes on holiday now, where you go is just as important as whom you spend it with. For example: a holiday spent cross-country skiing over the Rocky Mountains is likely to be looked at much more favourably than a simple trip to the beach in California.
But don't despair: it's still possible to take your children or loved ones on holiday to simpler, classic holiday spots across the United States. The Grand Canyon, for instance, is still one of the most visited attractions in America and enjoyed by both children and adults alike. Located in Arizona, the Grand Canyon was carved by the path of the Colorado River and is, for the most part, contained in the Grand Canyon National Park - of which President Theodore Roosevelt was one of the major proponents. As both a geographical and geological wonder, the Grand Canyon appeals to everyone - whether it's your surly teenage daughter or your computer-game obsessed ten-year old son. So make sure it's on your list of essential places to visit in the USA.
If you're more interested in taking a beach holiday, why not visit Balboa Island - an area of Newport Beach, California. Balboa Island is comprised of about three artificial islands, with the community being joined to the mainland beach by a small, two-lane bridge and a fleet of three, three-car ferryboats. However, if this novelty isn't enough to keep you occupied on your holiday, then your sweet tooth will: Marine Avenue's snack shops sell Balboa's legendary frozen ‘chocolate banana’, while sweet-lovers should also try be the ‘Balboa bar’ - a square of vanilla ice cream on a stick dipped in chocolate, and prepared in a similar way to the chocolate banana.
If beach holidays are what you're looking for, then you can also visit traditional beach locations like Malibu, California or Miami, Florida. Malibu, in particular, is a great place to take a holiday: located in western Los Angeles County, it's a beachfront community well-known for its beautiful sandy beaches and warm climate. It’s also home to famous Hollywood stars such as Robert Redford, Richard Gere and Whoopi Goldberg.
But whatever destination you choose for your holiday in America, you can rest assured that there are plenty of options available for accommodation. With affordable resort hotels in your chosen destination, you'll find all the modern amenities you're looking for - coupled with classic American hospitality, of course!
Dubai: home to the world's most iconic skyscrapers
Since 1995, Dubai seems to have been growing in stature and importance in a variety of spheres, from tourism to architecture. Dubai, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, is the most populous of the regions, and the second largest emirate after Abu Dhabi. While Dubai's old reserves are currently less than one twentieth of that possessed by Abu Dhabi, oil has been one of Dubai's main exports, and built up its importance as a vital trade route during the 1970s and 1980s. However, since 1995, a series of ambitious building and construction projects have made Dubai one of the most intriguing centres of architecture in the world, undergoing a property boom that has turned it into one of the fastest growing cities in the world.
The architecture of the city is characterised by a series of staggering iconic buildings and skyscrapers, located both onshore and offshore. Perhaps the most archetypal example of Dubai's style of architecture is the Burj-al-Arab, Dubai's premier deluxe five-star hotel, which also boasts the mantle of the world's tallest hotel. Located on an artificial island, the building is meant to resemble a billowing sail, and reaches the height of 321 metres. The pinnacle of the Burj-al-Arab is visible across Dubai city, and at night, its spectacularly coloured lighting offers a memorable sight.
Other iconic buildings in Dubai include the Emirates Towers (the 12th and 24th tallest buildings in the world), the Dubai Marina and the Jumeirah Palm Island, among other ambitious building projects. However, the most bold and elaborate building project that Dubai is currently undertaking is the construction of the Burj Dubai, a skyscraper whose building began in April 2005 and is expected to be completed in 2008. Intriguingly, the eventual height of the building is being kept secret, in order to claim the place of the tallest building in the world upon completion of its construction.
Currently, Taipei 101 in Taiwan holds this title, and there are numerous others vying for the position: including the Freedom Tower at New York City's World Trade Centre, the Chicago Spire in Chicago, the Port Tower Complex in Chicago and the Shanghai World Financial Centre in China. By keeping the eventual height of the Burj Dubai a secret, its engineers hope that it will be able to fulfil its goal to surpass these current projects, although a height of approximately 808 metres (or 265 feet) has been suggested so far. The building of the Burj Dubai is not only halfway completed, having reached a height of 330 metres as of December 2006, but is already the third tallest building in Dubai.
Clearly, Dubai's architecture and design lend it a certain appeal that will attract both the architectural enthusiast and the regular tourist looking to visit a city that inspires a sense of wonder at every turn. Furthermore, Dubai allows its tourists to indulge in luxuriant holidays, and as a result offers its guests a variety of deluxe hotels in which they can relax and enjoy all the delights that Dubai has to offer.
Escape the chaos of New York City without leaving: visit Central Park
Visitors to New York are often overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the big city, and face a multiplicity of dilemmas as to where to maximise their time. However, regardless of whether you choose to spend your visit to New York marvelling the sights atop the Empire State Building or indulging in the glamour and romance of Broadway, you'll certainly need to find time to relax and enjoy New York's more calming sights. This is part of the reason that Central Park is so popular with both residents and visitors: its 843 acres (or 3.41 km sq) offer space for solitude and landscape appreciation, a haven from the hectic atmosphere of the city centre.
Tourists to New York might be surprised to find out that, while Central Park looks entirely natural, it's actually almost completely landscaped - a testament to the architectural prowess of its designers, Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux. The park itself is home to several artificial lakes, various extensive tracks for avid walkers to enjoy, a wildlife sanctuary and numerous vast areas of grass which can be used for sporting pursuits. The park space is particularly popular after 7pm every evening, when automobile traffic is banned and the park is flooded with cyclists, joggers and roller skaters. Furthermore, Central Park is a haven for birdwatchers in New York, as it attracts many migratory birds, as well as local East Coast bird life.
The history of Central Park is also especially interesting. In fact, the plans for the park reach as far back as 1811. Between 1820 and 1850, the population of New York City quadrupled, and people flocked to open spaces in order to get away from the chaotic nature of city life. Andrew Jackson Downing, the USA's first landscape architect, first began to popularise the idea of a park for New York City in 1844, one that was similar to London's Hyde Park or the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. The State eventually appointed a Central Park Commission to oversee the park's development, and in 1857 held a landscape design contest in order to find the best design for the scheme. The eventual winners, Olmstead and Vaux have since gone down in history as the designers of one of the world's most famous parks.
If you're interested in enjoying a relaxing break in New York and absorbing as much of Central Park's atmosphere as possible, why not choose to stay in one of the many luxury hotels in Manhattan? You'll be able to indulge in the sights and sounds of one of the most spectacular urban parks in America without ever having to leave the big city.
