Nearly a year ago, the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City re-opened to much fanfare after a multi-million dollar renovation that took almost 2 years. Over the weekend, I finally got to visit the institution for the first time since its face lift and I was really pleased. In addition to the usual historical information presented inside the massive aircraft carrier, there are now a number of interactive exhibits and even several rides. The aircraft collection on the ship’s top deck is as impressive as ever, but now you can actually get on-board the now defunct British Airways Concorde and see what it was like to ride in the epitome of speed and luxury. I think many people are surprised at how simple and small it was considering that it was a first class airliner. Visitors can also board The Growler, a naval submarine built in the 1950s.
My only gripe about the Intrepid is the steep admission cost. At over $20/person for a basic adult ticket plus facility fees, a visit could be quite expensive for a family, but it is NYC so I suppose it’s par for the course. Overall, it’s a great museum and a fun place to visit, especially when the weather is nice and you can enjoy being outside on the Hudson River.
Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum
One of the most unique ways to see New York City is by boat and I’m giving away two pairs of tickets for a sightseeing cruise on Circle Line.
2 Winners will receive:
2 Tickets for a 3 hour Circle Line Cruise in New York City. Tickets may be used for a shorter, less expensive cruise, but there will be no cash back for the difference in price. Tours are offered year round and the tickets are valid until 1/26/2010.
To enter, just tell me why you love New York!
Type your answer in the comment section below by 11:59 EST Sunday, September 27, 2009. The winners will be selected at random.
You must be 18+ and live in the United States.
One comment per person per giveaway post. Duplicate or additional comments will be discarded. Comments are subject to approval so please be patient and leave only one comment. Winners will be notified by e-mail.
Good luck!
Official Rules
One comment per person per giveaway post. Duplicate or additional comments will be discarded. Comments are subject to approval by a moderator. Please be patient and leave only one comment. Winners will be contacted by e-mail so be sure you give a valid email address.
Winners must claim their prize within five business days after the date of notification of such prize. A winner’s failure to respond to the prize notification within the specified five business days will be considered such winner’s forfeiture of the prize and an alternate winner may be selected from the pool of eligible entries. If an entrant is found to be ineligible, an alternate winner may also be selected from the pool of eligible entries.
To enter, you must be age 18 or older and live in the United States. Entries generated by scripts and other automated technology will not be accepted. When applicable, the winner may be required to execute and return within five business days an Affidavit of Eligibility and a Liability and Publicity Release to be eligible for the prize or an alternate winner will be selected.
All prizes will be awarded. No substitutions including for cash are permitted, except that Follow Alena reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater monetary value for any prize. Winners shall be responsible and liable for all federal, state and local taxes on the value of their prize. Winners list will be posted on followalena.com after verification.
October is breast cancer awareness month and Hard Rock Hotels in Biloxi, Tampa, Orlando, Chicago, San Diego and Hollywood, FL are raising money for the cure. During your stays next month, just ask for “pink sheets” to be booked into one of the specially decorated rooms and 25% of your room rate will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The properties will also be selling special pink merchandise and holding pink events to benefit the wonderful cause!
Pinktober 2009 at Hard Rock
Acclaimed filmmaker, Ken Burns brings his latest documentary to PBS on September 27th and it’s about one of my favorite topics, America’s National Parks. Burns spent six years shooting footage and conducting over 40 interviews to showcase the history and beauty of the parks, what he calls “America’s Best Idea”. The series will air in six parts and is sure to be spectacular as Burns was given unprecedented access by the National Park Service.
The National Parks: America’s Best Idea
I come across many cool travel bags but here is one especially for your laptop. Not only will it look cute going through security at the airport, but it will also remind you of past and future adventures every time you look at it back at home.
$39.99 Pop Deluxe
People Magazine had a cool article in their travel section a few weeks ago about tourist sites featuring glass. Here are the places they profiled:
-Skydeck Ledge in Chicago, IL- Look down onto the city from a glass box on the 103rd floor of the building formerly known as the Sears Tower.
-Chihuly Bridge of Glass in Tacoma, WA- Travel 500 feet from downtown to the waterfront surrounded by Dale Chihuly’s colorful glass sculptures.
-Grand Canyon Skywalk in Arizona- Walk across the glass bottom bridge that hangs 4,000 feet above the canyon to see the incredible landmark from a seemingly impossible angle.
-The Edge in Melbourne, Australia – Sit in a glass cube located in the Eureka Skydeck, 900 feet off the ground for a clear view of the city on all sides.
Hard to believe in these economic times, but there’s a new travel magazine on newsstands called AFAR. The company is targeting experienced travelers looking to immerse themselves in world cultures and the premier issue is out this month. I found it to be a bit cluttered but I’m always happy to see new products for travelers so I’ll probably give it a try for a year.
$19.95/one year subscription AFAR
I’ll admit that I’m a germaphobe, but these airplane seat covers are a bit much, even for me. Not only does this kit come with covers for the seat, it also includes armrest and tray table covers and a disinfectant wipe. If it makes you feel better, why not? I would expect some strange looks from fellow passengers though. They come in disposable and reusable/machine washable versions.
$14.95-$25.95 Kehei Traveler
