I’m pleased to announce the two winners of the NY Times Travel Show Swag Bag Contest:

Marge P. of Meadville, PA and Rachel R. of Pomeroy,Ohio

Congrats to the winners and thanks to all who entered!

The Travel Channel has been airing a new show starring Ian Wright of Globetrekker fame. It’s called “America the Wright Way” and it follows Wright as he explores some of America’s popular cities.

At first glance the choice of host seems strange. Wright is British and normally found in far flung deserts and jungles getting by on a shoestring budget. Although some of his fans may disagree, I think the casting is genius. No American could get away with asking obvious U.S. history questions (There was a fire in Chicago??) or telling an angry protesting mob that America’s problems could be solved by drinking tea.

Wright’s combination of charm and silliness makes this one of the most entertaining travel shows to come along in years. Here’s hoping the Travel Channel allows him to film future episodes, currently there are six, and give him a better time slot than 11pm on Mondays. Of course, like all Travel Channel shows, it reruns many times so check your local listings.

America the Wright Way

The University of Delaware has taken over a room at the nearby Courtyard Marriott in Newark to serve as a testing arena for hotel amenities. Dubbed the X-Room (short for experimental guestroom) it contains thousands of dollars worth of cutting edge technology including a Microsoft media center, a moving alarm clock, beside lighting and temperature controls and an environmentally friendly hairdryer and showerhead. Despite the additional features, the room is no more expensive than any other at the hotel. Guests need only request room 114 and if granted a stay must agree to complete a survey before they leave. The results are studied and analyzed by students at the University of Delaware’s Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management Department.

Check out the video above for a tour of the X-Room and all its features.

University of Delaware eXperimental Guestroom

Have you ever been driving and found your gas gauge on empty with no refueling stop in sight? It’s a stressful experience for sure, but are you really in trouble?

At tankonempty.com you can look up your car and determine the average number of miles that can be driven after the gas light goes on.

CAUTION: These numbers are ONLY relevant to cars in North America so if you live elsewhere, this site is not for you. Also, these figures are averages and may not always be accurate. I personally do not recommend driving your vehicle on “empty” but I do see an advantage to knowing this information should you find yourself in the situation accidentally.

Simon Varwell has a unique obsession: mullets! In 2001, he was inspired by a friend who began tracking places they travelled through with the world “mullet” in their name. After some research he discovered there were 29 such destinations in the world and his mission in life became to visit them all. So far, he’s crossed off 12 and he’s pressing on. Mullet hunting has taken him on adventures all over the globe and he’s always looking for more places. You can learn more about Varwell’s journey or tip him off to a “mullet” locale he has yet to discover on his website.

Simon Varwell’s Mullet Search

Source: Sunday Times Travel

Did you know that cell phone chargers are the items most often left behind in hotel rooms? Many hotels have a collection of several hundred and are willing to let current guests borrow them if they have lost or forgotten their own. Next time you find yourself in need of a charge at a hotel, be sure to check with the front desk as another traveler’s loss could be your salvation!

Source: Real Simple travel

The Plaza Hotel in New York City reopened to much fanfare this month following a 2 year, $400 million renovation. All rooms and suites have wall mounted flat screen TVs, “earth stone” mosaic tiled bathrooms with 24K gold plated fixtures and white glove butler service. The hotel’s facilities include a fitness center, spa, salon and several restaurants including the Palm Court which famously serves Afternoon Tea from 2-5pm daily.

The Plaza

Date of trip: February 2007

Although I had visited Atlanta before, the city has been undergoing exciting changes over the past couple of years. It was the perfect choice when I was looking for a place to spend a long weekend.

Highlights:

-When the Georgia Aquarium opened in 2005, it was the largest aquarium in the world. Whether or not it still holds that title is debatable but it certainly is massive. It is one of only 6 U.S. facilities to display beluga whales and the only one to exhibit a great hammerhead shark. It’s main attraction is its 3 whale sharks. Whale sharks are the largest living fish on the planet and can grow up to 40 feet long. Their tank is the size of a football field and 30 feet deep. Even the viewing window is an enormous 23 feet tall by 61 feet wide and 2 feet thick! It is truly spectacular to watch the whale sharks swim but even cooler to watch them feed. Whale sharks are filter feeders and they open their huge mouths as buckets of krill are dropped into the tank. Although you can not interact directly with the animals, starting in July, guests will be allowed to swim or dive in the whale shark tank with advance reservations. Since Taiwan banned the sale of whale sharks this year, the Georgia Aquarium is likely to remain the only place outside of Asia to see them.

-The Coca-Cola Company is headquartered in Atlanta and for the past 18 years, they’ve also run a museum to teach visitors about the soft drink. Last year, they opened a new 20 acre center right next to the Georgia Aquarium called the World of Coca-Cola. Here you can learn about the history of Coca-Cola, see some of the company’s famous advertising campaigns, shop for Coke merchandise and visit the famous tasting room where you can sample sodas distributed to countries all over the world. Of course, no guest leaves without a free bottle of freshly made Coca-Cola!

-The High Museum of Art is one of the best fine art museums in the U.S. It is very large and can be tricky to navigate, but the space allows for an especially impressive modern art collection. Don’t miss Roy Lichtenstein’s “House III” sculpture right outside of the main entrance.

-In 1996, Atlanta hosted the summer Olympic Games. Centennial Olympic Park was built downtown as a gathering area for the event. Today the park is a lovely commemoration of the games as well as a great place for locals and visitors to enjoy a walk. Throughout the year, major celebrations are held in the park including concerts, the Georgia Marathon and a holiday lighting complete with an outdoor ice skating rink.

-CNN, the first 24-hour television news network is America’s number one cable news source. The channel’s headquarters are located at the CNN Center in Atlanta and tours are offered several times a day. Visitors can see news teams at work, get a first hand look at some of the studios where shows are filmed and even get a picture behind a news desk.

-For good southern cooking, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better option than Pittypat’s Porch. Named after a character in Gone With the Wind, the restaurant has been serving up fine southern fare since 1967. It’s also a great place to stop for a drink as the bar is set up like a giant porch where guests can sit in rocking chairs while they sip mint juleps.

Although there are many great things to see in Atlanta, you will remember the charm and kindness of the local people as fondly as any museum. The city works hard to welcome visitors and it is an excellent destination for families and couples alike. Southern hospitality is alive and well and there is no better place to experience it than in Atlanta.

For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.

Atlanta links:
Atlanta Official Site
Georgia Aquarium
World of Coca-Cola
High Museum of Art
Centennial Olympic Park
CNN Studio Tours
Pittypat’s Porch

Read about my trip to Atlanta, Georgia in My Adventures and see pictures on my Photos page or by clicking into the album through one of the images posted.