San Francisco is best known for its openness, architectural beauty, and diversity. One of the most popular cities in the US, San Francisco derives its name from Francis of Assisi, a friar of the Roman Catholic order, who happened be the founding father of the Order of Friars Minor, also known as Franciscans.

There is plenty to do in San Francisco; it is a city that never allows you to get bored. You can mark your calendar with at least one special event every month. In February, for instance, you can join in with gusto devouring crab delicacies of every hue and girth in the city’s legendary crab restaurants. In October, you can become part of the celebrated ‘Oktoberfest by the Bay’.

You get to sing and dance with the revelers all day and all night long and consume great food and beer along with them. Then there is the Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival where you get to taste chocolates to your heart’s content. The holiday season commences from the Ghirardelli Square courtesy of the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. This festival is truly imposing with myriad lights garnishing a fifty-foot tall Christmas tree. Huge chocolate bars, colored ribbons, and decorations hang from tree’s boughs making it look even more impressive and colorful.

The city, known to be culturally evolved, also celebrates the San Francisco Blues’ Festival with great spirit and zest. The literary-minded should not miss, at any cost, the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival in the month of September. In the autumn setting you watch Shakespeare’s immortal characters like Julius Caesar, Othello, Romeo and Juliet come alive as never before.

When in San Francisco, you just have to visit the Golden Gate Bridge, hailed as a technical wonder the world over. The best way to enjoy the bridge is to walk rather than drive over it. Another great sight is the Union Square which happens to be the third-biggest shopping center in the country. It was set up as a public plaza by the mayor of San Francisco in 1849. It became a major shopping centre in the early 1900s and features high-end stores mainly having to do with clothing. We don’t advise you to loosen your purse strings here, though, for you could end up burning quite a large hole in your budget. Within the square itself, you will be able to watch plays at great concession rates if you line up early.

The one place you absolutely cannot afford to miss while in San Francisco is the Alcatraz Island in the center of San Francisco Bay. An infamous prison which nobody wanted to visit once, it is now a major tourist attraction thanks to its lovely gardens, bird colonies and exotic scenery.

Known for its swinging culture San Francisco’s night life is as assorted as its famed diversity. If you love hip hop music you could try SOMA which is also famous for its electronic music. If you prefer something quieter you should try the Rockit Room in Clement Street. But if you are looking for a classier joint, don’t think twice before entering Dolce on Broadway Street. Just let it all hang out!

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A major city of central Florida, Orlando shot into prominence between the periods 1875 and 1895 when it became center of the state’s citrus industry. The city is especially known for its myriad lively, throbbing festivals. Among the more prominent ones is the Orlando Fringe Festival. Avid theatre-gores – especially those sold on experimental theatre – will not want to miss this 10-day festival which lasts till midnight. Most of the stuff is X-rated but you still get extremely palatable fare in terms of high-quality theatre, cabarets and street plays. Another big hit with theatre-goers is the Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival which stages plays by the greatest dramatist of English Literature throughout the year.

On the other hand, if you happen to be a more outdoor kind of person, you should not miss a visit to Orlando’s Sea World Drive theme park with its smorgasbord of animal shows, laser fire-works, and thrilling rides. You kids will beg to go with you again and again.

You might also wish to visit the renowned water park called Wet n’ Wild with your kids. Don’t forget to take a ride on the Blue Niagara Slide which throws you up in the air – about six stories high. It might be a little dangerous to take the kids on one these rides. You can take them to another section called Kids’ Park for less perilous thrills.

Orlando is known as a luxurious fun-spot. The hospitality industry is pretty active here as well as in the rest of the state. The Universal Studios, for instance, allows you to wallow in the lap of luxury thanks to its three resort hotels catering to international standards. These are: Hard Rock, Portofino Bay, and the Royal Pacific. You have close at hand, world class eateries, a couple of great theme parks, and nightclubs that keep you wildly entertained.

If you are a typical sports’ fan, don’t miss Disney’s Wide World of Sports’ Complex spread out all across a massive 200 acres of land. These grounds can host more than 30 sports’ events at the same time and also contains a speedway for auto-cross events. And if you are in the mood for something that’s a tad more dangerous – in fact, kinkily so – you could visit Gatorland on the South Orange Blossom Trail. You get to see up close about hundreds of alligators and crocodiles in their natural habitat replete with a swamp walk, breeding marsh, aviary etc. Get ready for some ‘snappy’ adventures! A word of caution: don’t let the kids venture too close to the reptiles.

How can a fun-filled city remain bereft of nighttime attractions? Most Orlando denizens enjoy frequenting Pat O’ Brien’s with its wonderful patio, flaming fountain, and piano bar. You can soak in the lovely music – and the ambience – as you sip O’Brien’s special drink, the Hurricane. But if you’re in the mood for something more relaxed check into Jellyrolls with its intimate seating arrangement (that’s why it is important to get in early) and piano lounge where the singers belt out sentimental, soft numbers.
There is, of course, much more to Orlando than specified. How about finding out for yourself?

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Las Vegas invariably recalls to mind huge casinos, great shows, exotic nightlife … Las Vegas means ‘the lowlands’ in Spanish. If the city could talk, it would relate an interesting history. For a long time – over centuries, in fact – the place was submerged in marshes. The waters receded to give rise to a harsh desert. What we now know as Las Vegas was an oasis and was discovered by Rafael Riviera, a young scout who belonged to the party of Antonio Armijo, a trader from Mexico. It became a popular railroad town in the 1900s. Once gambling became legal in 1931, Las Vegas earned its reputation as the world’s gambling capital with the opening of Bugsy Siegel’s Flamingo Hotel.

To be sure, the present tourist will find no dearth of things to do – or sights to see – in Las Vegas. Some of the amusements available are pretty quaint too. For instance, in the Mermaid Restaurant & Lounge of the rather homey Silverton Hotel, you come across this aquarium which is part of the hotel’s casino. The aquarium hosts no less than 5,000 species of exotic fish. Being in (what was once billed as) Sin City you might be in the mood for something more obviously unlawful. In which case you should view the Bonnie and Clyde exhibits at the rotunda that connects the Fashion Outlet of Las Vegas with the Primm Valley Resort & Casino. You will get to see the Ford car in which they were ambushed while trying to make a getaway; also on display is the shirt in which Clyde died and the belt and necklace he made in prison.

Then there are such wonderful sights to see. Who hasn’t heard of the Grand Canyon? There are a great many airport shuttles and motor tours available. You will get to view the awesome image of the Great Thunderbird as well as the bottom of the canyon. You should also visit the historical Hoover Dam, one of the largest dams in the world which is also billed as among the technical wonders of the world. Other places worth visiting include the Valley of Fire to the north of Las Vegas. This is where you get truly astonishing views of sacred Indian art and exquisite sandstone structures of the Aztecs. By all means, go exploring the desert but with the aid of an experienced guide.
If you wish to simply tour the city, there’s still a lot to do with little time to do it in. You could, for instance, view a rotating exhibition of about 300 classic cars, racers, muscle cars etc at the Imperial Palace. Among the specials is a 1929 Duesenberg owned once by Howard Hughes.

For art lovers the Bellagio Hotel provides a viewing of the world’s most exotic masterpieces including some of Picasso’s original art works. And while in Las Vegas, how can you possibly miss out on the city’s night life? Some of the best-known night clubs are pretty skittishly named like Blush, Poetry, Rumjungle, and Moon and Playboy, just to name a few. So let your hair down and let go!

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