Alcatraz Island

1. Alcatraz is an island that has been used as harbor fortification, a facility for military detention and a maximum security federal penitentiary. Alcatraz Island has a rich history and housed many of the United States most notorious criminals, including Al Capone and “Machine Gun” Kelly. The natural locale of Alcatraz makes it an amazing place to visit – it’s easily viewed from around San Francisco, and is a quick boat ride away. Now a National Park it’s an incredible and educational place to visit.

A waterfall is just some of what you will see!

2. Golden Gate Park is one of the world’s most famous urban parks. Families can visit the serene Japanese Tea Garden, the oldest Japanese garden in the United States, with its Zen gardens, the famous Drum Bridge, and tea house. Stow Lake is a fun attraction on warm days, as families can rent rowboats and pedal boats and cruises the lake at their own speed. A visit to Golden Gate Park wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Bison Paddock, where you can visit a herd of bison that has been kept in the park since 1891.

3. The Exploratorium is a unique science-cum-art museum that kids (and adults!) love. There are many participatory wonders that you can discover with your family at The Exploratorium, including The Science of Music, The Science of Cooking, even Skateboard Science. These exhibits teach valuable information on living things, the material world, the mind, human culture, the earth and more.

Who doesn't love boats?

4. San Francisco Maritime National Park lets you visit and climb aboard some of the more famous vessels in U.S. Maritime history, including the USS Pampanito, a WWII Balao class submarine, the Balclutha, a 300-foot long three masted sailing ship from the 1880s; the C A Thayer, a three-masted schooner from the 1890s; plus seven more ships both big and small to explore.

Sea lions basking in the sun!

5. Sea Lions At Pier 39 will give you an up close and personal view of a throng of cute but loud sea lions. Their numbers fluctuate – at times there might be as few as a dozen, at other times there have been over 1,500. They are fun to watch, and kids can stare at them for hours. Pier 39 is a fairly touristy location, so it usually isn’t too hard to pry kids away from the sea lions.

6. Chabot Space & Science Center is a center that focuses on space sciences and astronomy. There are visitor shows and programs held for families to discover the secrets of our universe and the Milky Way. The Planetarium and MegaDome Theater are always big hits.

Enjoy the lush greens of the 4-story rainforest

7. The California Academy Of Sciences is one of the largest museums of natural history in the world. Founded in 1853, the CAS currently houses a large number of historical exhibits along with the Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, and Kimball Natural History Museum. The four-story living rainforest display is an amazing display of fish, plants, animals and birds, and is one of the highlights of any trip.

8. Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in North America and the largest Chinese community outside Asia. It’s also a major tourist attraction, drawing more visitors annually than the Golden Gate Bridge. There are always interesting events taking place, whether something large like a parade or festival, or one of the more mundane snapshots of daily life (life shopping in a traditional Chinese market)

The largest Chinatown outside of Asia!

that can be fascinating to the uninitiated. It is a place that you cannot afford to miss when in San Francisco.

This post was written by Randall Pinkston of Neotravel.com, who specializes in travel deals, airfare sales, vacation discounts and Budget Rental Car coupons.

images by: Manue@PrettyKiku, Ricky Romero, Jerry Downs, iriskh, wallyg, clickykbd and albertobastos

It’s the best time of year to visit

Sunshine in Dubai

Dubai enjoys sunshine year round making it a great destination to visit, however, temperatures in summer reach an unbearable average of 104F.  In winter temperatures drop to an average of approximately 70F; Perfect for taking a pleasant stroll along the beach or dining on the patio.

It’s different

Odds are you know several people going off to Mexico, Hawaii or Thailand to get away from the winter weather.  How many people do you know going to Dubai?  You can do nearly anything in Dubai: world-class skiing, swimming, shopping or simply soak in the city’s heritage.

Enjoy world-class swimming

"The Leap of Faith"

In winter the ocean remains crystal clear but becomes too cold for most of us to swim in.  Fortunately Dubai is home to some of the greatest water parks and pools in the world.

Aquaventure at the Atlantis the Palm resort features everything you would want at an aquatic park: river rides, a water playground, pools, eight waterslides and more.

One of the main highlights is the “Leap of Faith”.  Standing 90 feet tall and 200 feet long this waterslide starts o the top of the Ziggurat and immediately goes into a steep drop down the side of the Ziggurat, through the shark tank (in a clear tube) and out the bottom.

If you would like to see the sharks at a more leisurely pace the “Shark Attack” also goes through the shark lagoon in a clear tunnel.

Indoor Alps

Dubai may be a desert so it may sound a bit odd to say that it’s also a great place to hit the slopes.  Conveniently located in the Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai is the world’s largest indoor ski facility.  Inside you will find a 200ft tall mountain that the size of three football fields, with five ski runs with different lengths and difficulty.

One of the five runs at Ski Dubai

There is also a 32, 000 square foot snow park with toboggan runs, icy body slide, climbing towers, a snow cavern and a snow ball shooting gallery.  When it comes time to take a break, there are also two cafés located within the facility.

Local Festivals

Global Village Festival

During winter, Dubai is host to many festivals. One of the largest festivals is the “Dubai Shopping Festival” (DSF).  Although it may sound strange, Dubai is best known for its gold, money and shopping, making it the perfect festival for the city.

From January 5^th to February 5^th 2012 over 6000 shops in 50 malls will participate in the festival providing discounts and tax free shopping.  There are also prize such as cars, cash, gold and various festivals and events such as Global Village.

Global Village is associated with the DSF but continues on after the DSF is over.  It is an outdoor cultural fair showcasing various cultures.  You can enjoy the authentic cuisine, shopping and performances.

Be sure to grab the mTrip Dubai Travel Guide for your trip to Dubai!

images by: edmundyeo, Kate Webster, LostBob, Ricky Brigante & Greg

Pack And Go Deluxe

Price – $2.99
The vacation hasn’t even begun yet but getting your family packed requires a lot of organization. Pick from a master catalogue of hundreds of items and create your own check-list so nothing gets left behind. For more information click here.

Family Travel Game

Price – $0.99

This one is perfect for family road trips, whether short or long. The whole family can enjoy this interactive travel game. Play games like naming a favorite road trip or family vacation. For more information click here.

Rest Area Finder

Price – Free

Also great for those long road trips with the family, the iPhone Rest Area Finder app is a perfect solution for seeking the closest rest stop. The app constantly updates your location and rest stop information like rest rooms, gas stations, food, vending machines, etc. For more information click here

Urban Spoon

Price – Free

If the family is looking for somewhere to eat on vacation this app is great to have on hand. Shake your iPhone to generate a list of restaurants filtered by cuisine type, geographical location and price point. For more information click here

TripCase

Price: Free

Especially if you have a big family, the trip can be a big deal to coordinate. Family airline confirmation numbers, rental car and hotel reservation numbers. Use this app to store all your important information in one place with easy access. You can also get live flight status updates, preparing your family for delays and changes. For more information click here

Do you know of any other great travel apps for the family? Feel free to let us know!