Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier is an active volcano, ascending 14,410 feet above sea level.  Mount Rainier National Park was established by Congress in 1899. Although the park appears close in distance from Seattle, allow a couple of hours driving time.

Myrtle Falls at Mt. Rainier

The Mount Rainier National Park has a number of hiking trails, ranging from less than one mile to the 93-mile Wonderland Trail.
Short trails include:

• Emmons Vista Trail - .5 miles round trip
• Trail of the Shadows - .7 mile round trip trail
• Nisqually Vista Trail - 1.2 mile loop
• Grove of the Patriarchs Trail - 1.5 miles round trip
• Kautz Creek Trail - 2-miles round trip

Michelle on the Grove of the Patriarchs Trail

If you are interested in climbing above 10,000 feet or on glaciers, you are required to register and pay a fee. Ask at visitor centers for more information.


Visitor Centers in the park include:

• Longmire
• Paradise 
• Ohanapecosh
• and Sunrise

Two of the best views of Mount Rainier can be seen at the Paradise and Sunrise locations in the Mount Rainier National Park. Paradise is the most heavily visited area in the park. Sunrise is only open from July to late September.

Wildlife that can be seen in the Mount Rainier National Park include:

• chipmunks
• squirrels
• marmots
• pikas
• Steller's jays
• Clark's nutcrackers
• gray jays
• ravens
• black-tailed deer
• black bears
• mountain goats
• and elk

For more information on Mount Rainier National Park, visit the National Park Service's web page for Mount Rainier!

Buffalo Trace

The Buffalo Trace distillery sits on over 200 acres in between Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky, in Frankfort. The address is 113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY 40601.

This distillery has been in business for over 200 years, and offers something for everyone! Each tour lasts about 1 hour and includes a complementary tasting.

Buffalo Trace Distillery offers five different tours:

The Trace Tour:
Monday through Saturday: 9am - 4pm
Sunday (April through October only): 12pm-3pm

Bourbon Barrel Tour:
Monday through Friday:9:30am
Reservations Required

Hard Hat Tour:
Monday through Friday:10:30am - 1:30 pm
Saturday: 10:30am
Reservations Required

National Historic Landmark Tour:
Monday through Friday: 11:30am
Reservations Required

Ghost Tour:
Thursday through Saturday: 7pm
Reservations Required

For more information about Buffalo Trace Distillery Tours, visit their web site at www.BuffaloTrace.com or call 1-800-654-8471 or 502-696-5926.

Free to See Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Searching for something that's free to see as you travel to Lake Havasu City, Arizona?  Search no more.  Moore Free Travel has researched and found these free things to do and see for your budget travel to Lake Havasu City and nearby!

You'll most definitely want to visit the London Bridge!  And the information center doubles as a museum with artifacts, pictures, and even blueprints of how the bridge was moved from London, England to Lake Havasu.  Best of all, admission is free!

Free souvenirs in the desert...or as the locals might call it 'rockhounding'. Collect gems as you wonder around the desert.  We found lots of turquoise during our visit!

A number of people like to hike the desert, and it's easy to find a trail.  Here's a list of some of the best trails.  If you would prefer hiking with someone who is experienced, contact one of the popular hiking clubs in the area.

One rare find in Lake Havasu City is 23 lighthouses. Each lighthouse is a 1/3 replica of a famous lighthouse on the West Coast, East Coast or the Great Lakes.

Annual FREE Events:

• Check out the Havasu Balloon Festival - January
• Buses by the Bridge - VW Bus Festival - January
• Annual Winterfest - February
• London Bridge Model Boat Race - February
• Annual Geocache Desert Bash - March
• Desert Storm Street Party/Poker Run - April
• July 4th Fireworks Show
• Relics & Rods Run to the Sun - October
• Main Street Halloween Fright Night
• Veterans Day Parade
• Boat Parade of Lights - December
• Festival of Lights November - January

Free parks, beaches and fishing docks:

• Rotary Park
• London Bridge Beach
• Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge
• Havasu National Wildlife Refuge/Catfish Pardise
• Havasu Springs
• Mesquite Bay
• Site Six
• Natical Beachfront Resort: Pool is free, non-guests must be 21+

What's close by:

• Visit Oatman, Arizona on Route 66.  Watch as the wild burrows wonder the streets and see a live gunfight.
• Parker Dam 
• Havasu Landing Resort and Casino
• Historic Route 66 Museum -Kingman, AZ 

Free to See in New York City

New York City, ah, The Big Apple!  What an exciting place to visit.  And even though you know you're going to want to pay a few bucks to visit those must see places like the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, there are a number of things that are still free to see!

FREE to See:
St. Patrick's Cathedral - on 5th Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets

In the fall, check out the leaf foliage in one of the city's renowned parks:

• Central
• Prospect
• Van Cortlandt
• or Alley Pond!

If you're in the city on Halloween, be sure and check out the Halloween Parade!

New York City is amazing at Christmas time. FREE Things to see include:

• The Tree at Rockefeller Center
• Channel Gardens - between the Empire State Building and Maison Française
• Saks Fifth Avenue - whole first floor is transformed into a Winter Wonderland
• Window Shopping - at Bergdorf Goodman, Tiffany & Co., Bulgari, Fendi, Escada, Henri Bendel, The Disney Store, Godiva, Gucci, Fortunoff and more all within 10 blocks of Rockefeller Center.

Free Admission to Museums and More:

• The Paley Center
• Forbes Galleries
• National Museum of the American Indian
• Sony Wonder Technology Lab
• Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology
• Socrates Sculpture Park
• Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace
• The Federal Reserve Bank
• The Harbor Defense Museum
• The Bronx Museum of the Arts

District Sculptures, please let me know if you are aware of others:

• Diamond District - Two Torches at 47th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues
• Financial District - Wall Street Bull - Bowling Green Park 
• Garment District - Needle threading a Button - Information booth

Something unique to see if you are an art enthusiast is the over 130 bronze sculptures at the 14th Street/Eight Avenue station. The art is part of the Art for Transit program and the artist is Tom Otterness.

Transportation tips:
If you are flying in to the Newark Liberty International Airport, use the AirTrain Newark Monorail system. The system connects the airport with Manhatten (Penn Station) via the New Jersey Transit lines Northeast Corridor (red) and New Jersey Coast Line (blue).  Visit the Penn Station NJT or New Jersey Transit. Fee at the time of writing this is only $5.50.

Here is a map of the Manhattan Districts, that might come in handy.

Check out TimeOut.com's list of Cheap eats NYC. They've broken it down by neighborhood, categories and even a list of free food deals at NYC bars!

Free Festivals and Parades:

• Three Kings Parade  - January
• Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade and Festival - February
• Groundhog Day -Staten Island Zoo - February 2nd - free ceremony admission
• New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade - St. Patrick's Day each year since 1762
• Tartan Week - Celebrating Scotland in NYC - April
• Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival
• Earth Day at Union Square
• Brooklyn Zine Fest
• Bike Expo New York - May - Midtown Manhattan
• Dance Parade - May - ends at Dancefest in Tompkins Square Park
• Ninth Avenue International Food Festival - May
• 4Knots Music Festival - July
• India Day Parade - August
• Washington Square Music Festival - September
• Unicycle Festival - September
• Halloween Parade
• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

More FREE to Do and See:

• Winter Village at Bryant Park - free ice skating
• Fusion Film Festival  - Free admission - New York University's Tisch School of Arts - February
• Macy's Flower Show - Visit The Secret Garden the end of March and beginning of April each year
• Metropolitan Opera in the Park
• Shakespeare in the Park - the Delacorte Theater in Central Park - June
• Feast of O-Bon - July - Riverside Park
• Movies in Central Park - August

More to see:

• Concourse at Rockefeller Center - great underground area to visit, especially if it's cold outside.
• Olympic Tower - waterfall, free Hellenic Art museum, Parthenon Marble Casts Collection
• Abandoned City Hall Subway Station
• FREE New York City Tours 

Where to Eat:
Katz's  Delicatesssen - Established in 1888, located at 205 East Houston Street (corner of Ludlow St.), New York, NY 10002
Grimaldi's Pizza - 1 Front Street, Brooklyn, NY (under the Brooklyn Bridge)
Burger Joint New York, 119 West 56th Street, New York, NY 10019

Check out Thrillist.com for information on where to eat for free in NYC!


Visit New York City's Official Web Site and NYCGo.com for more things to see and do during your vacation to New York City!

Festivals and Events in Myrtle Beach, SC

Festivals and Events in Myrtle Beach, SC

January

SOS Mid Winter Event

NMB Winter Run

SCYSA Sub-Regionals

Februrary

We Love Our Snowbirds Reception

March

25th Annual St. Patricks Day Parade & Festival

High Tide Ultimate Frisbee

Fastpitch Dreams Collegiate Softball Spring Training

April

SOS  Spring Safari

American Cancer Society Relay for Life

Hootie & The Blowfish's Monday after the Masters

NMB Easter Egg Hunt

Divas 1/2 Marathon & 5K

Coast FA Spring Classic

May

Mayfest on Main

Sounds of Summer Concert Series

Little River Blue Crab Festival

Taste of the Coast at NMB Park & Sports Complex

June

Sounds of Summer Concert Series

Music on Main

July

Patriotic Cantata

Annual July 4th Fireworks Display

Junior SOS

Sounds of Summer Concert Series

Music on Main

WFC Softball Summer Nationals

August

PGA Tour Superstore World Amateur Championship

Sounds of Summer Concert Series

Music on Main

Dixie Youth Machine/Coach Pitch World Series

September

SOS Fall Migration

Anual SOS Charity Golf Tournament

Irish Italian International Festival

911 Candlelight Memorial Vigil

Sounds of Summer Concert Series

Music on Main

Basils Family Fun Run 2015

October

Little River Shrimp Fest

Annual Cruise to the Coast Car Show

Annual Loris Bog-Off Festival

Endless Summer Festival

Masters National Pro-Mini Golf Championship

Howl-O-Scream

November

Annual Intracoastal Christmas Regatta

Carolina Beach Music Awards

Snowball Drop

December

Annual NMB Christmas Tree Lighting

Annual NMB Christmas Parade

Chirstmas Cantata

North Myrtle Beach Women's Club Tour of Homes

FREE to See Rome, Italy

A trip to Rome, Italy definitely warrants a visit to the famous Colosseum, however there are a number of things you can do and see for FREE!

Fun fact about Rome:  "According to ancient legend, the city of Rome was founded by the twin brothers Remus and Romulus, sons of the god Mars and the priestess Rhea Silvia. Abandoned at birth, they were raised by a she-wolf. Later, the two decide to found a city, but Romulus kills his brother in a fit of anger and names the city Rome, after himself." ~ USAToday.com

Free walking tour of Ancient Appian Way:

• San Sebastian Gate
• Church of Santa Maria in Palmis
• Catacombs of St. Callixtus
• Catacombs of St. Sebastian
• Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella
• Circus of Maxentius

Free Museums:

• Via Ostiense Museum
• Antiquarium of the Forum
• Museo di Scultura Antica Giovanni Barracco 
• Museo delle Mura 
• Villa di Massenzio 
• Museo Napoleonico 

More FREE to See:

• Piazza di Spagna (The Spanish Steps)
• The Bocca della Verita
• The Pantheon
• St. Peter's Basilica (check times)

Fountains of Rome:

• The Fountain of Neptune
• Four Rivers Fountain
• Trevi Fountain
• The Fountain of Triton
• Fountain of Books
• The Fountain of Piazza Santa Maria

Transportation:
Purchase a 'Public Transportation Ticket' and use it on any form of transportation in Rome: metro, bus, or tram. Daily passes are 4 Euro,  3 days 11 Euro, One-Week Pass is only 16 Euro! This is a great way to save money, and move about the city fairly easily.

More Things to See and Do in Rome on a Budget

Free To See San Francisco

Most everyone thinks of seeing the Golden Gate Bridge when traveling to San Francisco. I know it's definitely on my bucket list.  However, few know about Fort Point, which is a fort built in 1853 at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge.  The fort is a great location for taking photos of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Fun Fact: The Golden Gate Bridge is continuously painted and repainted all the time. The bridge is so long that by the time the paint crew gets from one end to the other, it’s time to start over again.

Now, for what's Free to See!

• San Francisco City Guides  offers several free tours daily
• San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park
• Ghirardelli's factory tour and free samples
• Cable Car Museum
• San Francisco Railway Museum 

FREE Admission the first Wednesday of each month:

• San Francisco Zoo
• Steinhart Aquarium

FREE Admission the first Tuesday of each month:

• San Francisco Modern Art Museum
• Asian Art Museum
• de Young Museum 
• Legion of Honor Fine Arts Museum 
• Cartoon Art Museum 

FREE Concerts:

• San Francisco Chamber Orchestra
• Chamber concert music at Yerba Buena Gardens on Wednesdays

Check out some of San Francisco's fairs and festivals:

• Stern Grove Festival 
• San Francisco Free Folk Festival
• Jaight Ashbury Street Fair

What's Nearby:

• Alcatraz Island
• The Fillmore Auditorium
• Fisherman's Wharf 
• Yerba Buena Gardens