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San Diego LGBT Sightseeing Points of Interest
Chicago offers such a staggering array of sights and attractions; you may find yourself struggling to decide what to see first. The city is truly a living museum, with so much to see and experience inside and outdoors. Most of the attractions are located along the lakefront, but there is plenty to see inland.
Perhaps the largest concentration of museums can be found in Grant Park, where history, art and science converge. Mummies, Native American artifacts and fossilized dinosaurs including the famous Tyrannosaurus rex named Sue are just part of the internationally renowned collections of The Field Museum of Natural History (above). Those who prefer living, swimming specimens will enjoy one of the world's largest indoor collections of aquatic mammals, reptiles, fish and more at the John G. Shedd Aquarium and Oceanarium. After the seas, look to the stars at the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum, where the StarRider Theater transports visitors to planets, moons and distant galaxies.
Renowned collections of impressionist and post-impressionist collections and works from around the globe can be viewed at The Art Institute of Chicago. Visitors can study classics such as Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte-1884, Hopper's Nighthawks, Dali's Inventions of Monsters and Wood's American Gothic. Nearby, the Museum of Contemporary Photography displays some of its 7,000 images by 900 artists, many of whom are lesbian and gay.
One of the city's most popular attractions, the Museum of Science and Industry features a 3,500-foot railroad exhibit, a 16-foot model of the human heart and a simulated space shuttle ride and view of the Apollo 8 spacecraft. The Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum is the largest museum of its kind in the U.S. The DuSable Museum of African-American History presents the history and culture of Africans and African Americans through art and artifacts, music, dance and film.
On the north end of the Magnificent Mile, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) welcomes visitors to experience works of various media and genre. A diverse mix of permanent collections and special exhibitions, as well as musical, theatrical, cinema and dance performances, presents a dynamic cultural experience. In Lincoln Park, the Chicago History Museum collects and interprets the city's rich multicultural heritage, including that of the LGBT community. The Museum's program "OUT at CHM: Exploring the LGBT Past" works to inform the public about Chicago's LGBT community and includes LGBT history in its collections.
Head east on Grand Avenue and visit historic Navy Pier, a gigantic complex of shopping, dining, culture and live entertainment, and the most-visited site in Chicago. Navy Pier is home to the Chicago Children's Museum as well as an IMAX theater, Ferris wheel and over 40,000 square feet of retail and dining. You'll also find the Crystal Gardens, a breathtaking indoor botanical park that hosts events year round. Visitors can catch fireworks at the Pier Wednesdays and Saturdays in the summer. Trolleys provide free transportation between Navy Pier and State Street along Grand Avenue and Illinois Street, and some sightseeing buses stop and pick up at the Pier's front entrance. During the summer, catch a water taxi between Navy Pier and the Museum Campus.
No visit to Chicago is complete without a walk among the awesome creations in Millennium Park. From the glimmering Cloud Gate affectionately dubbed "The Bean" to the inspiring Crown Fountain to the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion (which hosts a series of free events), Millennium Park is a treat for the senses. To learn more about the park, visit the Millennium Park Welcome Center at 201 E. Randolph Street.
For an in-depth look at the city's outdoor art and iconic architecture, spend a couple of hours on a Chicago Architecture Foundation tour. Hear the stories behind the landmark skyscrapers and ornamental facades and learn about the different architectural styles and influences that give the city its character. Tours are available on foot, by bike, on the "L," via Segway, and on incredibly popular boat tours.
Chicago's neighborhoods are rich in history, culture and diversity. Visitors can explore the distinctive histories and flavors of these enclaves on Chicago Neighborhood Tours, informative and fun guided outings into various communities. Half-day bus tours depart from the Chicago Cultural Center. For an insider's look at Chicago, the Chicago Greeter Program matches knowledgeable locals with a visitor for a two-to-four-hour informal orientation. To sign up for a Chicago Greeter, register seven days in advance at www.chicagogreeter.com or call 312-744-8000.
William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center
1315 Spruce Street
215-732-2220
William Way is the focal point of Philadelphia's LGBT community. Open seven days a week, the center provides meeting space for more than 70 groups and hosts a variety of events and art exhibitions throughout the year. Visit William Way for information about social events and support resources. In 2005, the cross street in front of the center was renamed "Elton's Way" in recognition of Sir Elton John's contributions to the City of Philadelphia.
www.waygay.org
Walt Whitman House
328 Mickle Boulevard
Camden, New Jersey
856-964-5383
Located two blocks east of the Camden waterfront, this National Historic Landmark provides an intimate glimpse into the life of the poet, attracting visitors from around the world. Whitman's original letters, personal belongings, the bed in which he died and the death notice that was nailed to the front door have all been preserved, as well as a collection of rare 19th-century photographs, including the earliest known image of Whitman.
Barbara Gittings Gay & Lesbian Collection at the Free Library of Philadelphia
Independence Branch
18 S. 7th Street
215-685-1633
Named for a lifelong Philadelphia activist who fought for the inclusion of gay and lesbian materials in public libraries, this is the second-largest public library collection of LGBT-themed books, movies and magazines in the country.
Independence Hall and Historic Gay Marker
Chestnut Street between 5th & 6th streets
800-537-7676
Built in 1756 as the Pennsylvania State House, Independence Hall is one of the most historically significant buildings in the United States. It is the place where the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the U.S. Constitution was written.
Standing directly across the street from Independence Hall stands a new historic marker. It marks the site of peaceful protests held in the 1960s by the gay and lesbian community. The sign reads: "Annual public demonstrations for gay and lesbian equality. These peaceful protests and New York's Stonewall riots in 1969 and Pride Parade in 1970, transformed a small national campaign into a civil rights movement." This marker reminds visitors of the city's history of tolerance.
The Independence Visitor Center
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Start at the Center. The Independence Visitor Center is the gateway to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection. Located on Independence Mall in the heart of Historic Philadelphia across from the Liberty Bell, the Center presents visitors with everything Philadelphia has to offer. After walking through the welcoming glass doors, visitors are surrounded by the sights, sounds and smells of Philadelphia, both past and present. Buy tickets to a museum while making reservations at one of the many hot restaurants in the Gayborhood, only a few blocks away. Book a hotel room while locating the posh boutiques in Old City. The Center puts everything at your fingertips. Whether you're strict to a schedule or a carefree wanderer, the interactive information kiosks will provide you with useful information.
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With information on everything from the International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, to Equality Forum, to Philly's Pride Parade, the Center will make sure you never miss out on having a gay old time in Philadelphia. Providing information on the countryside, the Independence Visitor Center encourages travelers to experience the quieter side of life in our surrounding regions as well. So come in, grab a bite to eat in one of the cafes, buy a souvenir and let the Center open its doors to the city where "the history's kept straight, but the nightlife goes gay." Call 800-537-7676 or visit www.independencevisitorcenter.com for more information.
Philadelphia is home to more American history than any other U.S. city. Many important historical treasures can be found in Independence National Historical Park, America's most historic square mile.
The Liberty Bell Center, the home of the international symbol for freedom, presents dozens of images and interpretive panels to explain the rich history of the Bell and how it became one of the nation's most sacred relics.
Visitors can tour Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the U.S. Constitution was written, and Carpenters' Hall, where the First Continental Congress met in 1774. Dozens more historical sites, including the Second Bank of the United States, Franklin Court and Christ Church, document the birth of the nation.
The monumental National Constitution Center demonstrates the relevance of the U.S. Constitution 200 years ago and today. Through a wealth of interactive exhibits, the Center offers visitors the opportunity to take the Presidential Oath of Office, add their signature to the Constitution and review important Supreme Court decisions.
From April through October, the Lights of Liberty Show, Philadelphia's one-of-a-kind sound and light show, tells the story of the events leading up to the American Revolution at many of the sites where history was made.
Outside of the city, Valley Forge National Historical Park honors Colonial soldiers and their winter encampment of 1777-78 and Washington's Crossing State Park marks the site where George Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware River for the important Battle of Trenton. Brandywine Battlefield Park brings to life the largest engagement of the Revolutionary War between Washington's Continental Army and the British forces.
Philadelphia is a true living history museum that features more authentic Colonial history than any other U.S. city. Walk down Delancey or Pine streets in Society Hill and envision the country's founders and earliest citizens. The oldest continuously occupied residential street in the U.S. is Elfreth's Alley (between Arch and Race streets at 2nd Street), where Colonial- and Federal-style homes line the cobblestone street. There are two museum homes you can visit for a glimpse at 18th-century living. Enjoy Martha Washington's turkey pot pie and a pewter tankard of Thomas Jefferson's ale at City Tavern (2nd and Walnut streets), a detailed recreation of Philadelphia' s most popular Colonial dining, drinking and meeting place.
While homes and artifacts share a bit of Philadelphia's Colonial tale, the stories of the everyday people who created the nation share the love, anguish, conflict and joy that often go untold. During the summer, Once Upon A Nation shares the lives and secrets of America's most famous and not-so-famous heroes through storytelling sites around Independence National Historical Park and at Valley Forge National Historical Park. At night, the storytellers captivate visitors with detailed narratives at the area's historical buildings. Visit Edgar Allan Poe in Christ Church Burial Ground by candlelight. Listen to 18th-century gossip by costumed characters. Or, sneak into Independence Hall after closing with the architects of the American Revolution. For an evening of history and music, join in the fun at Interactive 1776: The Movie-Musical with props and sing-a-longs (Fridays at 7:00 pm May 23-August 29, 2008).
Pittsburgh is a family town-in more ways than one. With so much to see, and even more to do, Pittsburgh is a great place to revisit your childhood and create your special getaway. In this town, one word is synonymous with fun- Kennywood. This traditional amusement park is a summertime destination for thrill seekers with five roller coasters, including classic wooden structures, an indoor coaster and a steel monster.
Party animals love the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, where you can get nose-to-nose with a tiger and see polar bears and sea otters in the new Water's Edge exhibit. A colorful array of more than 800 exotic and endangered birds take flight at the National Aviary, the nation's premier bird park. For a bird's-eye (and romantic) view of the magnificent rivers and skyline, ride the historical Duquesne or Monongahela Incline to the top of Mt. Washington. And when it comes to the rivers, you can't get any closer than the Gateway Clipper Fleet riverboats that regularly cruise the mighty waters.
The Carnegie Science Center boasts one of the world's most sophisticated interactive planetariums, a four-story domed OMNIMAX ® Theater and a World War II submarine. Science meets sports at SportsWorks in real and virtual adventures. Sports meets history at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum where the story of the region's long, rich sports heritage is on exhibition. Did we mention that Pittsburgh is a serious sports town? From the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, to a wealth of college sports, you can take in all of the action.
Touring San Diego is a memorable experience that encompasses the city's beauty, heritage and lifestyle. San Diego is home to dozens of attractions, including many internationally famous destinations. The original SeaWorld San Diego provides a wet and wild look at marine life that is fun for adults and kids alike. The highlight of a SeaWorld visit is often a spectacular live show starring Shamu the killer whale.
The Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, situated on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean, contains more than 60 tanks, three living tide pools, and an interactive museum. For an exploration of the world's land animals, the San Diego Zoo ranks among the best in the world. Located in Balboa Park, the zoo's 100-acre tropical garden houses 4,000 animals of 800 rare and exotic species. Don't miss Mei Sheng, one of the few Giant Pandas in the U.S.; bioclimatic exhibits that house endangered species in environments that mimic their natural habitats; and the baby animal nursery.
For a more up close and personal animal experience, head 30 miles north to the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park. This 2,200-acre preserve allows visitors to view wild animals roaming free over vast expanses as they would in their native habitats of Africa and Asia. Visitors can feed the giraffes in the Heart of Africa and come face-to-face with the big cats at Lion Camp. Floating on the San Diego Bay sits the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum and USS Midway. Visitors can board and tour this massive vessel, taking in its 47 years of naval service history, the longest of any aircraft carrier. On picturesque Point Loma peninsula, Cabrillo National Monument and the Old Point Loma Lighthouse provide a spectacular panoramic view of San Diego's harbor and coastline. As well as an excellent observation point for whale watching during migration season. The Quail Botanical Gardens, located just 20 minutes north of San Diego in Encinitas, features 35 acres, rare bamboo groves, desert gardens, a tropical rainforest, California native plants, Mediterranean climate landscapes and much more.
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