Americafest

1.  Americafest:  for $13 per ticket, you get a full day (2pm until end of fireworks at 9pm) of festivities which includes a drum corps performance, and a place to watch the fireworks under the clear skies above the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

2.  The Queen Mary:  Two days of music, food, and access to the grandiose Queen Mary are capped off with an amazing fireworks show over Long Beach Harbor at 9pm on Sunday.  Tickets start at $21.95 for adults.

3.  The San Fernando Valley:  The Valley Cultural Center’s show at Warner Park requires no ticketed admission, just some serious jockeying for position on the day’s crowded grounds.  As part of the summer concert series, the July 4th event includes musical acts, food vendors, games and rides for the kids, and a safe pyrotechnics show right over the tree-tops.  An alternative view in the area is at the top of the parking garage at the nearby mall.  You can see shows all over the city from this point.

4.  Marina del Rey:  Fireworks are launched from a floating barge in the harbor, and can be seen from any clear spot along the shoreline.  Parking fills up fast, but public transportation is available.  As with any beach vantage point though, be forewarned that a foggy night can kill your view of the show.

5.  Hollywood Bowl:  fireworks!  With bonus!  Vince Gill!  Tickets are still available.

Queen Mary

[photos from Rose Bowl and Queen Mary websites, respectively]

Alligators strike a pose at the Tennessee Aquarium

Explore the diverse aspects of the sea world at the sprawling Tennessee Aquarium located in Chattanooga.  One of the country’s top-rated aquariums, the Tennessee Aquarium provides up close interactions with 10,000 animals, a six-story, 3D Imax movie theater and a thrilling riverboat cruise.  Besides the expected fish,  visitors can watch penguins, meander through a butterfly garden and come face to face with alligators and snapping turtles. Read More »

A lovely view at Rock City Gardens

If you didn’t know the handy fact that Tennessee boasts the most caves of any state, you’ll know after touring the unforgettable underground caverns of Ruby Falls, located just outside of Chattanooga in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee.   If that’s not enough natural wonders, nearby Rock City Gardens offers a stunning seven-state view and a 4,100 -foot walking trail displaying towering rock formations and lovely gardens. Read More »

The Saco River

The Amtrak Downeaster Rail begins in Portland, Maine and ends in Boston, Massachusetts. In between there are stops in Old Orchard Beach ME, Saco ME, Wells ME, Dover NH, Durham NH, Exeter NH, Haverhill MA, and Woburn MA. For this series of articles I will expound upon the merits of each stop along the Downeaster Amtrak tour.

The next stop on the tour is Saco. Rhymes with “taco”. The train lets you off in the Downtown/Main Street area, from which you can walk to shopping and dining destinations. A quick cab ride can take you to many area attractions, such as the Aquaboggan Water Park, Funtown/Splashtown USA, or the Saco Museum. Or, go canoeing down the Saco River.

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