Search Results for: blog traveling the country in search of spectacular holiday light displays

Travel Tidbits: Unique Holiday Destinations and Good News for Directionally Challenged Travelers

Christmas is exactly one week away and by now most families have their holiday travel plans set in stone. I’ve covered dozens of destinations worth traveling to this season in the past month, and thanks to some well-heeled readers I have a few more to add to the list. Thank you to Angela who reminded me that reindeer parks make for great family outings this time of year. If you live near Redmond, Oregon consider yourself lucky. Operation Santa Clause at The Reindeer Ranch near Redmond bills itself as the home of the country’s largest herd of domesticated reindeer. If … Continue reading →

The Nation’s Most Festive Front Yards

How’s your front yard looking these days? Are the Christmas lights hung and the plastic Santa and his reindeer affixed to your roof? I have to admit our yard is looking a bit bare compared to our neighbor’s. But, then again, it’s hard to compete with homeowners who spend days and goodness knows how much money festooning their lawns with thousands of festive lights, inflatable snowmen, and plastic reindeer. Me, I, like to leave the decorating to others and then climb into the car and gush at the fruits of their labor. Sincerely, I tip my hats to all the … Continue reading →

The Most Amazing Holiday Light Displays

This weekend we are planning a trip to our local botanical garden to check out their holiday light show. It’s a Christmastime tradition in our family and my daughter can’t wait to climb on the horse drawn wagon again this year and take in the high-wattage spectacle. Each year the Green Bay Botanical Garden hosts a Festival of Lights. Even when it’s well below zero hearty Wisconsinites stroll the gardens to see more than 200,000 lights made to look like flowers, butterflies and babbling brooks. This year we are looking forward to seeing the new additions, including a giant dragon … Continue reading →

An Eel-Powered Holiday

Worried about rising energy costs and a big electric bill after the holidays? Lighting a tree may not put a huge dent in your wallet but you can do it for free if you have the right equipment — an electric eel. Japanese inventor Kazuhiko Minawa spent a month working on a system that would collect energy from an electric eel. The Aqua Toto Gifu aquarium in Kakamigahara provided the eel and the tree; the eel provides the energy. Thanks to Minawa, it’s an eel powered Christmas for the aquarium. The aquarium is calling it the “e-tree” — E for … Continue reading →

Affordable Holiday Travel: Touring Department Store Window Displays—Seattle

It’s simple, really. If you are looking for an affordable family friendly holiday activity, head to your local mall. The activity is not set amongst the stacks of sweaters or rows of remote controlled toys. In fact, you don’t even need to step foot inside a single shop to enjoy the festive treats that await you behind glass walls or inside fencing near the food court. As I continue my series of blogs spotlighting seasonal store window displays I am focusing on the Pacific Northwest, specifically Seattle, Washington. That’s where you’ll find Nordstrom’s flagship downtown store and its spectacular seasonal … Continue reading →

Affordable Holiday Travel: Touring Department Store Window Displays—Dallas

Who needs ice and snow when you’ve got sparkle and shine? Dallas is not known for snow-covered sidewalks, but the city certainly doesn’t lack the Christmas spirit thanks in large part to upscale retail giant Neiman Marcus. As I continue my series of blogs spotlighting department store window displays I am turning my attention from the Big Apple to the Big D—Dallas. The city is home to Neiman Marcus’s flagship store and the windows at the downtown location are traditionally one of the most visited spots in the entire state during the holiday season. This year the store is treating … Continue reading →

Affordable Holiday Travel—Touring Department Store Window Displays

I recently blogged about one my family’s favorite holiday rituals—-driving to Chicago to take in the spectacular holiday window displays at Macy’s on State Street. Each year the famous department store chooses a theme and fills their massive windows with intricate decorations and kid friendly animated characters. People line up for blocks and brave the vicious winds whipping off of Lake Michigan to take part in this annual holiday tradition. If I wasn’t one of the lemmings who took part in the event myself I’d surely think the people who stood in line for more than an hour to peer … Continue reading →

Winter Travel Deals: Roaming Rome for Cheap and Bargains in Beantown

With the euro pummeling the dollar it’s not hard to see why many American tourists are staying closer to home this winter season. However, if you are dying to visit Europe and want to do so without having to battle massive crowds, then now is the time to go. Winter is an especially good time to visit Rome. The hordes of tourists are minimal and the weather is cool but comfortable with daytime temps in the 50s, which is balmy compared to some locations in northern Europe. If fashion is your middle name then you would be remiss to pass … Continue reading →

Holiday Light Displays Minus the Evergreens

Not every city in the nation hosts a traditional Christmas tree lighting ceremony. In fact, some cities don’t light real evergreens at all. In place of multi-story Tannenbaums some city leaders have opted to string thousands of twinkling lights together to look like a forest of Christmas trees. While others simply use technology and a ton of wattage to add major sparkle to cold, black winter nights. If you live in the following cities consider taking a trip to view some of these unique holiday light displays: HOUSTON, TEXAS Once you’ve stuffed yourself with turkey and pumpkin pie you can … Continue reading →

In Search of Spectacular Holiday Light Displays—Part 2

You’d have to be a real Grinch not to enjoy seeing thousands of twinkling lights illuminate a cold dark winter’s night. Heck, half my neighborhood is already awash in holiday wattage. I’m not kidding. There’s even one house a few streets down that has two inflatable snowmen in the yard and the cutest display of mini-Christmas tree lights bordering its walkway, but on the front porch sits five pumpkins a haystack and two corn stalks. If you don’t feel like going all out to string lights around your own home then pack up the kids and hit the highway. Hundreds … Continue reading →