http://guide.trustedtours.com Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:02:28 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en It's an American ritual.  All over America, it happens.  It's probably the one thing we do in unison (separated only by time zones), and we do it in much the same way. Washington DC Tours We gather up the family and head out for a 4th of July picnic of burgers, hot dogs and watermelon, or perhaps ... http://guide.trustedtours.com/events-and-happenings/july-4th-and-the-rockets-red-glare/ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was pivotal in creating our new United States. Visiting the places where Franklin, Jefferson and other founders met is awe-inspiring. No visit would be complete without seeing the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. But be prepared. To protect these National treasures the security is high. It's very similar ... http://guide.trustedtours.com/destinations/let-freedom-ring/ Years ago in New York City, I went to a party for retail visual merchandise managers hosted by a mannequin manufacturer in a loft display room.  The elevator door opened to a low-light room filled with fabulously dressed people clustered in groups enjoying cocktails.  In an effort to mingle, I ... http://guide.trustedtours.com/destinations/washington-dc/wax-museums-historic-realism-or-groupie-obsession/ The scenario plays out on any beach.  It's instinctive and universal.  Walk along any beach just along the waterline where the waves roll rhythmically in and you'll catch yourself doing it:  looking down.  Suddenly, right there, tumbling in sand and foam, you see it!  A fleeting hint of color, a minute rippled ... http://guide.trustedtours.com/destinations/st-augustine/finders-keepers/ Saint Patrick's Day - Is it a day of family fun, celebratory Mass, colorful parades, Celtic music, traditional Irish dancing, and green, green everywhere - or is it drinking and debauchery?  The answer is ... both. Chicago Tours and Attractions This Saint's day is wonderfully all-inclusive - for saints and sinners!  In the days and ... http://guide.trustedtours.com/events-and-happenings/saint-patricks-day-parades-and-patricks-pot/ Lighthouses, those stoic, sturdy, silent sentinels perched on treacherous rock outcroppings in the swirling sea, atop protruding reefs and perilous shoals, or guiding the way to the safe haven of a protective harbor, do more than guide, protect and rescue seafarers - they captivate the imagination.  Like a siren's song, they call to us. ... http://guide.trustedtours.com/destinations/st-augustine/lighthouse-lure/ Great dining is a big draw for travelers, particularly in big destination cities where the culinary experience is an art form.  However, it can be pricey.  Imagine this - being able to feast on great food, in the best restaurants, at bargain prices!  Do what the real foodies do - seek out Restaurant Week, usually ... http://guide.trustedtours.com/events-and-happenings/great-dining-on-the-cheap/ Of all the creatures in the sea, dolphins, hands down, win the popularity contest.  We are inexplicably drawn to them, we personify them, we see ourselves in them! They appear playful, curious; they show off, display a certain joie de vivre, and even look us right in the eye - all personality ... http://guide.trustedtours.com/destinations/orlando/dolphin-mystique/ The Green Flash, not a comic book character, but an atmospheric event -  that startling glint of neon green that appears just for a second on the upper curve of the sun just as its last little sliver dips under the horizon.  An optical sunrise or sunset atmospheric phenomenon, it lasts ... http://guide.trustedtours.com/destinations/key-west/key-west-sunsets-and-the-elusive-green-flash/ All across America, cities and towns and villages light up for the holidays, and the mundane, functional and ordinary are magically transformed. Harsh edges soften, familiar monochrome buildings turn luminous, everything glows, nostalgia sets in.  The traditional sights, sounds and tastes of the season are embracing, triggering memories of Christmas past, of loved ... http://guide.trustedtours.com/the-best-of/fantasyland-escape-christmas-in-nyc/