PALM SPRINGS, CA – November 27, 2008 – The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Annual Snow Guessing Contest officially ended Thursday, November 27, 2008 with the first inch of measurable snow at the Tramway’s Mountain Station.
The ten contestants who guessed the correct date were: Brian Blackwelder of Palm Springs; Adrienne Denk of Monterey; Judy Bauer of Herald; Diana Fields of Yucca Valley; Shawn Kennedy of Palm Springs; Doni La Meyer of Paso Robles; Paul Needham of San Mateo; Gerald Peluffo of Millbrae; Lois Tracia of Thousand Palms  and Elaine Kontra of La Quinta. The winners will receive four Tram admissions plus a Palm Springs Aerial Tramway picture frame. 627 postcard entries were received for the contest guesses from as far away as Sisters, Oregon; East Haven and New Haven Connecticut. The contest began October 1st.
The Tramway currently has approximately two inches of snow.

For more information please vist our webpage at:
PALM SPRINGS AERIAL TRAMWAY

SAN DIEGO ZOO – San Diego, CA
Menderu, a six-month-old Malayan tiger cub, stalks a jack-o-lantern at the San Diego Zoo on Tuesday. Keepers carved the pumpkins and filled them with treats of ground meat for Menderu, his two sisters and his mother.  Menderu is a curious and playful cub that often plays tricks on his family while practicing his hunting skills: stalking, chasing and pouncing. Menderu and his family can be seen almost every day at the Zoo between 9 a.m. and noon.

The Malayan tiger, and the other five tiger species, are endangered. Their beautiful striped coats have made them a target for poachers, and the loss of habitat due to human encroachment has decreased their wild population. The San Diego Zoo is involved in conservation efforts, including breeding programs, for the Malayan and Sumatran tigers.

Photo taken Oct. 28, 2008, by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo.

Truman White House, Key West Florida

Truman Little White House – Key West, FL.
What do Cynthia McKinney, Ralph Nader, Chuck Baldwin, Bob Barr and  Gloria LaRiva have in common?  They are all running for President  along with John McCain, Barack Obama and a host of others!

With less than a month away until the general election, the Harry S Truman Little White House, Florida’s only presidential museum, proudly opens a new exhibit entitled “Every Four Years”. Learn about the US Electoral College as well as see a large collection of pro and con presidential buttons used by Democrats and Republicans to encourage the selection of their candidate for President in the 2008 election.

The 2008 Florida ballot features 13 candidates for president. Most of these as well as some that qualified in other states are featured in this 2008 election exhibit.

Also for your enjoyment are a number of rare items from our museum collections for the 1948 presidential election when four major candidates , Harry Truman, Thomas Dewey, Henry Wallace and Strom Thurman , and a number of lesser known and hopeful candidates sought the highest office of the land. A smaller 1952 Dwight Eisenhower exhibit is also featured.

This free exhibit runs October 8 until December 1, 2008

Ghost Tour of Philadelphia – Philadelphia, PA
Betsy Ross is one of Philadelphia’s most beloved icons-a local girl who garnered everlasting fame as the “Mother of the American Flag.” Betsy’s house still stands on Arch Street in the birthplace of the nation, the historic district of Philadelphia, and millions of people have walked through the storied halls of her modest dwelling.

But there is another side to Betsy’s story, one told only in whispers over the course of generations. In that unassuming house on Arch Street, the ghost of Betsy herself has been seen weeping at the foot of a bed in an upstairs bedroom. In the basement, a murky shadow appears, in the same place where a man was shot to death long ago. Betsy’s gravestone stands just outside of the house, but it hasn’t always. Her remains have been moved three times, and it only takes once to conjure a vengeful spirit.

Why do these and other spirits still roam the historic streets and buildings of Philadelphia?

Hear chilling tales from the other side of Philadelphia history and folklore on the Ghost Tour of Philadelphia, a candlelight walking tour of America’s most historic and most haunted city!

Through the back streets and mysterious gardens of Society Hill and Independence Park, costumed guides narrate the evening with haunting tales from Philadelphia’s past and present in the tradition of storytelling. All of the tales are considered true ghost stories, some of which appear in the book Ghost Stories of Philadelphia, PA, by Tim Reeser.

The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia departs daily at 7:30 pm, with an additional 9:30 pm tour on weekends, from Signers Garden at 5^th and Chestnut Streets. It is appropriate for all ages.

The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia is one of the oldest ghost tour operators in the country and has been offering ghost tours in Philadelphia since 1997.

For more information please visit our Trusted Tours webpage at:
http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Ghost-Tour-of-Philadelphia-C630.aspx

WILD ADVENTURES – VALDOSTA, GA
Are you scared of the dark? Do heights make your knees shake? Does the sight of small critters make you scream? Wild Adventures dares you to face your fears at this year’s Phobia. With an all-new haunted village, phobia shows, and friendly frights, everyone can enjoy the Halloween season at Wild Adventures, beginning September 27 through November 1.

Several improvements and changes to this year’s haunting season will focus on family-friendly attractions as well as a consolidated Scare Zone. With the addition of a theatrical show and a creature show, even the youngest adventurer can take part and enjoy this event.

New to Phobia is Hatterville. No longer a quaint little farming village, the inhabitants of Hatterville have been brought back to life by the self-appointed Mayor Hatter. The beady eyed mayor saunters around the village in a black silk top hat, luring in new residents. Scare Zones in Hatterville include Carnival of the Macabre, Dominion of the Dead, Mummy House, and the Hatterville Hotel. Visit www.phobiaevent.com to reveal the tale behind the village.

If mayhem, madness and motorcycles get your heart pounding, watch the Globe of Terror. The stunt show features a 16-foot round steel cage with high speed motorcycle stunt drivers speeding inside. Big-air freestyle jump is also a part of this heart-stopping show.

Be careful where you step in the Black Forest. The only way out of Hatterville, the foreboding forest abounds with human-like trees and vines. Beware, many people mysteriously disappear within its boundaries. Conquer your fear of critters and nocturnal animals at Creepy Critters, a phobia show. Learn amazing facts about these nocturnal creatures that play when the rest of the park is asleep. In the mood for Halloween romance? Bumpkin Patch is the story of cowboy love as the hero falls in love with the sweetest ghost to come back from the dead. Watch as the kooky cast sings and dance in this graveyard-come-to-life romance.

Even little ghosts and goblins can enjoy Phobia with family-friendly activities. The Spooky Hayride will take you on a strange ride through Wild Adventures with unexpected twists and turns along the way. Come see the park like never before. Little ghosts and goblins can visit the “haunted” Boo House featuring cheerful puppets, talking flowers and just the right amount of excitement. Halloween doesn’t have to be all scary!

For more information, please visit ur Trusted Tours web page at:
http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Wild-Adventures-Theme-Park-C229.aspx

PALM SPRINGS AERIAL TRAMWAY - PALM SPRINGS, CA
September 22, 2008 – Snow flakes and warm woolen mittens are starting to come to mind at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway because it’s time to start thinking about colder weather and about the first snowfall. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Annual Snow Guessing contest will begin October 1st and will continue until the first measurable inch of snow falls at the Mountain Station, elevation of 8,516 feet.

Anyone wishing to enter the contest can write down their guess on a postcard and mail it to: Snow Guessing Contest, One Tramway Road, Palm Springs, CA  92262. Postcards only will be accepted. People may enter as many times as they would like, one date per postcard. Postcards postmarked before October 1 will not be accepted.

The first ten guesses received, beginning October 1st, with the correct date of snowfall will win four Tram admissions and a Palm Springs Aerial Tramway picture frame. In the event there are more than ten guesses, the earliest postmarks will prevail.

For more information please vist our webpage at:
PALM SPRINGS AERIAL TRAMWAY

Bobby’s Bike Hike - Chicago, Illinois
This tour is what made Bobby famous, taking you off
the tourist beat and onto the quiet neighborhood streets, city parks, and packed beaches of the North Side of Chicago, giving you a glimpse as to how Chicagoans enjoy their beautiful city. Highlights include the Gold Coast Mansions, Oprah’s House, the Playboy Mansion, Lincoln Park Zoo, Old Town Historic District, North Avenue Beach, and the Lakefront. Reservations recommended.

Schedule: 1:30 PM Daily, also 9:30 AM Saturdays!

For more information, visit our web page at:
http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Chicago-Lakefront-Bike-Tour-C283.aspx

See all our tours here:
http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Chicago-North-Neighborhood-Bike-Tour-C309.aspx
http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Quintessential-Chicago-Bike-Tour-C435.aspx
http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Sunglasses-at-Night-Bike-Tour-of-Chicago-C449.aspx

Here at Old South Carriage Co. we are looking forward to the visitors arriving with the cooler temperatures.  Not only is the city of Charleston beautiful this time of year, but with fall in the air, the horses are feeling frisky – and so will you!  Our one hour carriage tour covers about 25 blocks of the historic district.  We operate from 9am until 5pm every day of the week.  One each tour you will see houses, gardens and churches. 

The tour is fullly narrated by a licensed tour guide in Confederate uniform with a Red Sash – our symbol of quality and your assurance of a great tour.  At this time of the year, the Fall Tour of Homes begins Sept 25 and runs through October 25, 2008.  Come and see the homes from the outside on a carriage tour and the inside on a house tour.  We look forward to seeing our Trusted Tours guests.

Sincerely,
Kay Motley, mgr.

For mor information, please visit our Trusted Tours web page:
http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Old-South-Charleston-Carriage-Tour-C531.aspx

 Thanks again.

Parking a car in downtown Washington DC can be quite a challenge.  The Smithsonian museums are located on the National Mall where, if you are extremely patient or lucky,  you can find metered parking.  Your best bet is to head directly to Union Station located at 50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE where there are over 2000 parking spaces as well as fun shopping and a extensive food court. The cost for parking is $5.00 for up to 1 hour,  $8.00 for 1 – 2 hours,  $10.00 for 2 – 4 hours,  $12.00 for 4 – 5 hours,  $14.00 for 5 – 12 hours and $16.00 for 12 – 24 hours.  Payment may be made with cash, Visa, Master Card or American Express.

Keep in mind that Washington DC has one of the best public transportations systems in the country – the Metro.   After a day downtown with your car you may want to review this option!

Union Station

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