Chat with Mario - live at Nintendo World! Take a break from your holiday shopping to stop by and chat with Mario until January 6th. Ask Mario what his life is like in the Mushroom Kingdom. Check the calendar for dates and times of Mario's appearance in the store.
In the heart of Manhattan, right in Rockefeller Plaza, people flock from all over the globe to visit, play, and shop at this one of a kind Nintendo World Store, a 10,000 square foot gaming paradise. Guests have a compelling in-store experience when they take a tour conducted by one of their Ambassadors, who are very enthusiastic Nintendo fans, always happy to share their knowledge with the visitors. The store staff can guide you through each of the interactive gaming areas, provide hands-on gaming demonstrations, show you their selection of Pokémon merchandise, help you find the right sized Nintendo-themed t-shirts and provide a bit of history by explaining the items in the store, absolutely free of charge. Come talk to Mario about Life in the Mushroom Kingdom; ask an Ambassador to demonstrate how AR Cards work; meet Sean, the resident Pokémon Trainer; bring your Nintendo 3DS and join up to six players in local or online multi-player battles when you participate in the Kid Icarus Tournament; take a picture with a life-sized Mario; take a look at the store selection of exclusive youth, ladies and men’s apparel, featuring your favorite Nintendo characters. Check out their schedule in advance to participate in the activities listed above to experience endless entertainment. By Ruth Cohen.

The National September 11 Memorial is a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993.
The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in the North America. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood. Architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker created the Memorial design selected from a global design competition that included more than 5,200 entries from 63 nations.
The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools, a powerful reminder of the largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest single loss of rescue personnel in American history.

KIDDIELAND has over 30 rides and attractions. Founded in 1929, it is Chicagoland's oldest amusement park and has the reputation of being one of the finest traditional parks in the country. You can visit our History Page to see a brief outline of how we came to be and our Memories Page to see what some guests have sent us about their visits. It is with great pride that at the end of its seventy-sixth season in 2005, KIDDIELAND continues to provide memorable family fun to children of all ages, in a clean, safe, happy environment.

Drayton Hall is different. It’s the real thing, and it is the mission of the staff to preserve the property—that is, to keep it in near-original condition just as the National Trust received it from the Drayton family in 1974.
Instead of being restored to the vision of those who lived centuries after it was built, Drayton Hall is an artifact that has survived the American Revolution, the Civil War, the earthquake of 1886, hurricanes like Hugo, and maybe most surprisingly today, urban sprawl.
On top of that, it’s not just that it’s a survivor. The main house is considered one of the finest examples of Georgian-Palladian architecture in the United States. The grounds represent one of the most significant, undisturbed historic landscapes in America. And Drayton Hall’s stories—stories of race, family, culture, sacrifice, innovation, and preservation—reveal who we are and where we’ve come from.

Splish Splash has 96 exciting acres of total fun for the whole family. Everywhere you turn, you discover another one-of-a-kind water attraction. Year after year, families come here for a summer like no other! The park features 30 rides and runs from May through September. Thrill seekers can have a blast venturing through rides and slides, while the people wishing for more of a relaxing experience can enjoy the waves, rivers and pools. Splish Splash is one of the best places to visit in Long Island with Kids and is voted one of the Best Water Parks in America by the Travel Channel.

Want to cool off after playing hard all day? Valleyfair's Whitewater Country Waterpark is a great way to chill out and have fun! Included in Valleyfair's general admission, the waterpark's 3.5 acres offers hours of wet fun in the sun. The waterpark is open from May 28-August 21, weather permitting. Waterpark hours are different from general park hours.

Peter Dubacher started the Berkshire Bird Paradise, a certified not for profit company back in 1972 as a "labor of love." It has grown into one of the largest bird sanctuaries in the country. The sanctuary has evolved into an outdoors educational institution, where students on field trips with their parents or on college internship programs can learn about birds. The sanctuary is also a small botanical garden with hundreds of plants and exotic flowers .We are constantly improving our grounds, with the help of great volunteers.

Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden will kick off its roster of 2013 events on January 12 with a concert by the Vincent Ruggieri Jazz Quartet and an exhibition of the work of two unique artists from the Snug Harbor Artist Residency Program (SHARP). The jazz concert, the first in the Island Sounds Music Mash-Up series will be from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Main Hall, Building C. The SHARP exhibition will be from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art in Building G. Refreshments will be served. Admission to both events is free. The Snug Harbor campus is at 1000 Richmond Terrace in Staten Island.
A short ferry ride away from Manhattan's powerful downtown financial district sits one of New York City's best kept secrets, The Staten Island Botanical Garden. Nestled within the grounds of the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, The Staten Island Botanical Garden with its Victorian charm and stately elegance is a "must visit" that should be on every tourists' list.

From classic favorites like The Legend Roller Coaster and Ferris Wheel, to modern attractions like the Log Flume and Water Wars, Historic Arnolds Park offers exciting rides for all ages.

Fun Plex started here in Omaha, Neb in 1978. We started small with miniature golf, go-karts, and an arcade.
As the years passed by we have made many expansions and improvements. We built a new go-kart track, introduced a slick track, and subsequently built many more rides. These include bumper cars, bumper boats, and numerous kiddie rides.
The year 1984 saw many changes for Fun Plex. This is when we introduced the first elements of our waterpark. We started simply with a wave pool. A few years later we built twin 5-storey Typhoon water slides.
Today, we are continuing our expansions plans. In 2001 we added two new rides, the Balloon Ferris Wheel and the Kiddie Train. In 2002 we remodeled our midway into our new air-conditioned Pit Stop. 2003 saw the addition of both the Yo-Yo and the Chaos.. Fun Plex now consists of two water slides, a wave pool, a lazzy river, 5 kiddie rides, batting cages, a go-kart and slick track, bumper cars and boats, Tilt-A-Whirl, and a Ferris Wheel. We now see tens of thousands of guests come through our park every year and host numerous company picnics. In 2004 we are planning lots of great changes, and we hope you will be there with us to share in the exciting news ! ! !

Striving to inspire the citizens of Atlanta and Georgia and all visitors to the Zoo to value wildlife on Earth and to help safeguard existing species through conservation.

You know you could use a little exercise, a little more often. You've probably even thought of joining a fitness club before. For whatever reason, none of the other fitness clubs "felt right." Now you have a place of your own. At Full Blast Fitness Center, you'll meet lots of everyday people working out because it makes them feel better.

A theme park that lets visitors "Ride the Movies." The theming in Universal Studio's is targeted at making guests feel like they are in a movie set with rides that are inspired by popular films. The park consists of six themed areas - Hollywood, Production Central, New York, San Francisco / Amity, World Expo and KidZone. Source: Wikipedia.org

The Birthplace of Elvis Presley in Tupelo, Mississippi is the only location in the world where you can see, feel and touch where the King of Rock & Roll began his musical journey.
Only in Tupelo can you walk into the room where he breathed his first breath, take a stroll to his favorite location as a boy to relax looking over Tupelo, and see first hand how it all shaped this young boy from Mississippi into the international rock & roll music legend he is today.

Camp Snoopy, the largest indoor theme park in America!
It’s seven acres of indoor excitement, with over 30 thrilling rides and attractions, unique shops, games to test your skills, fun-filled entertainment and many places to dine or simply grab a treat.
It all adds up to a world of fun for the whole family!

Founder Michael Bonfante's vision - his love of plants and trees, and his commitment to pass this appreciation on through the generations - continues to inspire everyone who works and volunteers at Gilroy Gardens.
The trustees aspire to make use of the extraordinary beauty of Gilroy Gardens to attract students to the science of horticulture and environmental studies. We aspire to demonstrate and measure our success in becoming the best center in California for attracting and educating students in the critical importance of becoming good stewards of the natural environment. We aspire to be the best promoters of careers in horticulture and environmental studies in the United States.

A non-profit private sector organization, is dedicated to the support of the Potter Park Zoo through preserving, protecting, and exhibiting selected members of the animal kingdom so that future generations of mankind may thrive in harmony with nature, and through providing a quality environment where visitors from all over may delight in the essence of a living earth. Education, recreation, and conservation together with zoo accreditation provide the strategic direction for the mission.

Take a journey into the swamplands of Louisiana! Honey Island Swamp Tours has provided unique, interpretative boat tours since 1982.

Over the past 10 years, Daytona 500 Experience, formally known as DAYTONA USA, "The Official Attraction of NASCAR," has been delivering magical motorsports memories to both hard-core race fans and casual observers through hands-on activities, challenging thrills and one-of-a-kind sights.

Whether you're young or old, big or small, you'll find lots of fun, food and excitement at Arizona's Finest Family Fun and Thrill Park.
From the thrilling sky high roller coasters and exciting water rides, to the exotic countries of the world class miniature golf course and enchantment of an old fashioned carrousel, there's magic and new adventures waiting for you and your family at Castles N' Coasters.
Castles and Coasters’ business offices are open Monday through Friday from 8 a-m to 5 p-m.

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is a treasure for wildlife enthusiasts.
This 715-acre park has a little bit of everything: lakes, trails, meadows and plenty of animals. Northwest Trek is home to more than 200 North American animals.
Explore the Park - See bighorn sheep, deer, Roosevelt elk, woodland caribou, mountain goats, bison and more up close from comfortable trams while touring the free-roaming area. Walk forested pathways to view grizzlies, black bears, wolves, bobcats, lynx, cougars, owls, eagles and wetland animals in beautiful natural exhibits. Five miles of nature trails await exploration and the Cheney Discovery Center offers exciting hands-on experiences.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo has four primary objectives: conservation, research, recreation, and education. In promoting these objectives on a local, regional, national, and global scale, the Zoo provides exciting recreational opportunities that simultaneously enhance our visitors' knowledge of the natural world.

Cedar Point is the largest amusement ride park in the world.

Welcome to Clearwater Marine Aquarium, the world’s most-watched marine life rescue and environmental education center. The aquarium's mission is to restore and preserve marine life & environment.

Bring Your Curiosity, Your Camera… And Prepare to Be Awed!
Cave of the Winds literally makes your jaw drop in wonder and astonishment. It is geology and adventure rolled into one—a true, unique Geo|Venture! Located in scenic hills above historic Manitou Springs, the caves are one of America’s most important show caves. Visitors have shared in the stunning beauty of Cave of the Winds for over a century.

The center span was the longest among suspension bridges until 1964 when the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was erected between the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New York City. The Golden Gate Bridge also had the world's tallest suspension towers at the time of construction, and retained that record until more recently. In 1957, Michigan's Mackinac Bridge surpassed the Golden Gate Bridge's length to become the world's longest two tower suspension bridge in total length between anchorages. The longest center suspension span in the world and the longest two tower suspension bridge between anchorages is currently the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge in Japan. Source

In 1884, a wealthy widow named Sarah L. Winchester began a construction project of such magnitude that it was to occupy the lives of carpenters and craftsmen until her death thirty-eight years later. The Victorian mansion, designed and built by the Winchester Rifle heiress, is filled with so many unexplained oddities, that it has come to be known as the Winchester Mystery House.

The 97th Academy Awards, scheduled for March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre, remain on track. Nonetheless, the announcement of Oscar nominations has been delayed from January 17 to January 23, and the nominations voting period has been extended to January 17, to accommodate those affected by the fires. Additionally, the annual Oscars nominees luncheon has been canceled, and the Scientific and Technical Awards have been rescheduled. PEOPLE.COM
While the Dolby Theatre itself remains unscathed, the surrounding areas have experienced evacuations and disruptions due to the wildfires. The Sunset Fire, which erupted in the Hollywood Hills, led to evacuation orders that included the Dolby Theatre. ABC7
The Dolby Theatre, located in the heart of Hollywood, Los Angeles, is one of the city's most iconic venues. Opened in 2001 and originally named the Kodak Theatre, it was designed to host high-profile events, including the annual Academy Awards (Oscars). The theater is part of the Hollywood & Highland Center, a bustling entertainment complex featuring shops, restaurants, and stunning views of the Hollywood Sign. With a seating capacity of 3,400, the Dolby Theatre is renowned for its state-of-the-art sound and visual technology, making it a world-class venue for concerts, awards shows, and film premieres.
Beyond its role as the home of the Oscars, the Dolby Theatre also offers guided tours, allowing visitors to experience its luxurious interiors, including the grand spiral staircase, signature columns adorned with the names of past Oscar-winning films, and its impressive stage. The venue's commitment to technological innovation is evident in its partnership with Dolby Laboratories, which has equipped the theater with advanced Dolby Atmos sound systems. As a symbol of Hollywood glamour and cutting-edge entertainment, the Dolby Theatre continues to be a must-visit destination for tourists and a beloved landmark for locals.

Magic Waters Waterpark,
just off I-90 in Rockford Illinois!
Illinois' premiere waterpark ...come on out for a SPLASHtacular day!