Editor's Note: This post is part of the Viator Travel Awards , an annual london hotels uk awards competition where we – along with our readers, travelers, and fans – select the top things to do and see in each of the major regions we serve, the top things to do in our most popular tour categories, and more.
Welcome to the 2012 Viator Travel Awards: North America Edition ! Rather than make this a list of specific tours, as we've done in the past, we decided this year to make a list of 25 of the most fun and interesting places to visit in North America with a few specific tours as options in each destination.
The tours and activities listed have been chosen based on traveler london hotels uk reviews, data from the millions of people who check out Viator.com during london hotels uk the year, and information on which North America tours travelers book most often. Reading through this list, you'll get a sense of the top things to do in each place it's a great virtual vacation from work, or the perfect way to start planning a trip anywhere in North America in 2013.
You'll find all kinds of activities listed below, including historic exploration in Cancun and Washington DC, enjoying the great outdoors in British Columbia and Miami, and acting like a kid again in Orlando and San Diego. Join us for this tour of the Top 25 Things to Do in North America!
Las Vegas isn't meant to be sipped slowly. Sin City is like drinking from a firehose. Everything about this city is meant to be over the top, right? So what better way to go over the top than to actually see the city from high above it? You can take a 90-minute Las Vegas Night Strip Helicopter Tour for the best views of the famous street, or take a one-hour Las Vegas Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride for views of the city and surrounding gorgeous landscapes, followed by a champagne breakfast. If you'd rather keep your feet on the ground, pick up a Las Vegas Power Pass or Ultimate Las Vegas Nightclub Hopping Package to get the most out of your experience. After all, you can (as the saying goes) sleep when you're dead.
New York is a city that never sleeps london hotels uk or even slows down very much, so planning a vacation when you only have limited time can be a challenge. How can you check off all those major sights without wasting precious time? Cover a bunch of them with a guided tour and you've london hotels uk got a great head-start on completing your must-see list. Sign up for a 5.5-hour london hotels uk New York in One Day Sightseeing Tour and you'll see more than 20 landmarks. On a New York Dinner Cruise you can see the city all lit up and from the water, always fun for a different perspective. Get an even more interesting perspective with a Big Apple Helicopter london hotels uk Tour of New York , or get the royal treatment with a VIP Tour of Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and 9/11 Memorial .
San Francisco is such an exciting city to explore that it can be easy to forget how close nature's grandeur is to the city center. The number of day trips you can take into stunning countryside is staggering, london hotels uk especially when you consider that some of those day trips are to world-famous locations. Consider a day trip to Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias , a visit to the Muir Woods, Giant Redwoods and Sausalito in a Half-Day Trip , a delicious tour through london hotels uk Napa and Sonoma Wine Country or a ride on the Napa Valley wine train . And on that same trip, you can enjoy city-based sights on a tour of Alcatraz and San Francisco . There really is something for everyone here.
There are two awesome reasons to hang out in and around Los Angeles london hotels uk to enjoy the pretty much year-round gorgeous weather and to get a peek at how (and sometimes where) the other half lives. Either one is reason enough london hotels uk on its own, and when you combine the two you have the makings of a very LA vacation. Get your lay of the land in a semi-DIY fashion with a Los Angeles Hop-on Hop-off Double Decker london hotels uk Bus Tour (especially nice when it's sunny, so you can work on your tan on the upper deck while you see the sights) or get a guided Grand Tour of Los Angeles . Then keep your eyes peeled during a TMZ Hollywood Celebrity Hot Spot Tour in Los Angeles , or see where some of the magic is made during a VIP Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood .
When we get to visit multiple places during one trip, we feel like we've won some kind of vacation lottery. It's a good thing, then, that island-hopping is not only easy but encouraged in Hawaii. You can base yourself on any island to explore it for a few days before moving on, or you can pick one base for your whole trip and take day trips to other islands. Visit Volcanoes National Park on a Big Island Day Trip from Oahu , tour the USS Missouri, london hotels uk Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor and Punchbowl , or greet the day with a Spectacular Haleakala Maui Sunrise Tour , watching the sun come up over the volcano's crater. And don't miss out on going to a luau, either. There are plenty of options no matter what island you're on, including the Paradise london hotels uk Cove Luau in Waikiki and the Old Lahaina Luau on Maui.
Vancouver is routinely listed as one of the most liveable cities in North America, and it's an excellent vacation destination for those who love cosmopolitan london hotels uk cities. But Vancouver is also the ideal spot for nature lovers. The city is surrounded by mountains, there's a huge park in the city center, and it's a perfect base for day trips into British Columbia to see just how great the "great outdoors" can be. Watch the world roll slowly by on a Vancouver to Whistler by Train Rail Tour . Get your adrenaline going on the Vancouver North Shore Day Trip with Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain . Or simply bask in the beauty of a Vancouver to Victoria and Butchart Gardens Tour by Bus .
Washington DC may conjure up images of gridlock london hotels uk or the latest political jokes for many, but tourists london hotels uk in the US capital can ignore what's going on in present-day governmental negotiations. Focusing on the history of the United States through Washington DC's glorious monuments and the staggering array of (mostly free) museums is a fantastic way to spend your time in the city. You can take a Washington DC Guided Day Tour to get the lay of the land when you arrive (always a good idea), or you can wait until after dark for a Washington DC Night Tour it's pretty spectacular to see the monuments all lit up. And for more of a DIY tour where you can take in DC at your own speed, a Washington DC Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour will get you where you need to go.
Let's face it some places are more likely than others to bring out our inner child, and Orlando ranks pretty highly on that list. After all, this is the city that's home to Walt Disney World , Universal Orlando , and SeaWorld . But beyond the obvious, there are activities london hotels uk that are fun for kids of all ages. You can be awed by the magic of space travel on a Kennedy Space Center Day Trip with Transport from Orlando , including the Shuttle Launch Experience and a tour of NASA's launch headquarters. If you're more interested in taking the controls yourself, then you can opt for a Race Car Drive-Along: Rookie Experience at Walt Disney World Speedway Orlando or even Fly a Plane in Orlando No Experience or License Required . Yes, really. We dare you to not be giddy like a six-year-old after that.
The Pacific Northwest cities of Seattle and Portland have long been known for the laid-back attitude of residents, the proximity to spectacular natural attractions, and a heavy focus on great food and wine. The cities london hotels uk have similarities, but to get a real taste of the whole region you'd be smart to visit both and take lots of day trips into the surrounding area, too. Let Mother Nature's mountains impress you with a Mt Rainier Day Tour from Seattle or Small-Group Full-Day Tour of Mount St Helens Volcano from Seattle . Get acquainted with the watery sights on a Friday Harbor Day Trip Whale Watching from Seattle or Portland Sightseeing Tour Including Columbia Gorge Waterfalls . And quench your thirst with a Small-Group Willamette Valley Wine-Tasting Tour from Portland or Snoqualmie Falls and Seattle Winery Tour . You may need a rain jacket even in June but the Pacific Northwest will grow on you.
Do you have a hankering for a trip to Europe but can't quite justify the cost? No worries london hotels uk head for Quebec. london hotels uk The whole province london hotels uk gives visitors london hotels uk a chance to hone their French skills, and Montreal is one of the most charming European cities not actually in Europe. There are a few ways to get acquainted with Montreal you can take a Walking Tour of Old Montreal , a Montreal City Guided Sightseeing Tour on a dedicated tram, or a Montreal City Hop-on Hop-off Tour . Dig a little deeper into how modern Montreal london hotels uk keeps its culinary traditions on a Flavors of Old Montreal Walking Tour . And if you'd like to explore Quebec a bit more, you could take a Quebec City and Montmorency Falls Day Trip from Montreal , a Full-Day Whale Watching Cruise from Quebec , or a Small-Group Quebec Wine Tour from Montreal with Optional Gourmet Lunch and Cheese Tasting .
New Orleans may be synonymous with drunken debauchery for many people, but the famous "let the good times roll" attitude of the city and its residents isn't just about enjoying a night out at the bar. In fact, if you visit New Orleans and don't get beyond Bourbon Street you're missing london hotels uk out on the array of fantastic activities and sights the city and region have to offer. Get out of the city and explore some of the nearby natural wonders on a Swamp and Bayou Sightseeing Tour from New Orleans or a Small-Group Airboat Ride and Plantation Tour from New Orleans . Dip your toe into the city's darker history on a New Orleans Cemetery and Voodoo Walking Tour . Bring some of the city's unique flavors home with you by taking a New Orleans Cooking Class . Just be sure you spend plenty of time away from Bourbon Street.
It's hard to read that title without thinking of Miami's famous party scene and, of course, dancing the night away in the city's clubs after a day spent lounging on i
No comments:
Post a Comment