Author Archives: 4 Star Traveler

Get into the Holiday Spirit in New York City

26th November, 2018 | Article By 4 Star Traveler

AttractionsChristmasHolidaysThings to doTravel Tips

There’s no better place to get into the Christmas holiday spirit than New York City!  Soak up the hustle and bustle of this vibrant city with its brilliant lights, incredible holiday displays and the seasonal smell of roasting chestnuts.  Ahhhh!

Personally, I think the chestnuts smell better than they look, so I just take a sniff, then grab a cup of hot chocolate from a street vendor and start strolling through the streets of midtown for a NYC holiday boost…

Macy’s Herald Square

First stop is Macy’s Herald Square on 34th Street, between 7th and Broadway.  What better place to do some holiday shopping? It’s ginormous!  With eleven floors covering a full city block, this is the largest department store in the world!

It’s also the home to the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Watching the parade live on nationwide television is a family tradition for many, but to see it in person is an event, if you’re brave enough to battle the crowds.  Live performances, spectacular costumes, grand floats, marching bands and celebrity appearances mark the parade. As always, the last float will bring Santa. He and his elves will be in Macy’s Santaland from the day after Thanksgiving until December 24th. The 13,000 square foot North Pole Village on the 8th floor is a must see!

Times Square

Head north on 7th Avenue, between 42nd and 47th Street to Times Square.  It’s truly extraordinary.  If you’ve never been there, you’ll see what I mean.  Larger than life billboards and rolling videos keep this area completely lit 24/7. It’s absolutely over the top!  (I can’t begin to imagine the amount of electricity running through here..)  Be one of the million to visit Times Square on New Year’s Eve to ring in the new year! While you’re here, check out the broadway shows offering discounted show tickets for the day’s performances at the TKTS booth.

Rockefeller Center

From Times Square, head over to 5th Avenue and make your way north to Rockefeller Center. The holiday displays along the way are amazing as each store vies for the best display. You can’t miss Rockefeller Center’s winter wonderland.  It’s a vision of holiday cheer, with ice skaters rounding the rink in front of the tremendous Christmas Tree.  Visitors come from all over the world to see it. If you’re really lucky, it will start snowing while you’re there. What a beautiful scene. Skate, sing, relax, people watch, enjoy..!  The 2015 Tree Lighting will be held on December 2, 2015.  The tree will be lit until January 6, 2016.

St. Patricks Cathedral

Need to warm your toes for a few? Right across from Rockefeller Center, you’ll see St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Take a quiet walk through this massive, breathtaking church. It is open to all denominations. You’ll find yourself staring in wonder at the prisms of light entering through the magnificent stained glass windows.

Central Park

A little further north is the entrance to Central Park. You can find a horse drawn carriage to take you through the park at 59th and 7th. Most rides are only through the southeast corner of the park, so it’s not very long, usually about 20 minutes. It’s a great and memorable way to view the park. If you are interested in a longer trip around the park, there are packages available. You can make a reservation at www.centralparkhorses.com.

Radio City

No holiday trip to NYC is complete without watching a performance of Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes. The Christmas Spectacular has been a NYC holiday tradition since 1932.

You can find discount tickets to Radio City, as well as several other events, on Living Socials NYC Deals.

Get a Go Card, which allows you to package your own itinerary or the City Pass for $114, admission includes the following six events:
1  Empire State Building Experience
2  American Museum of Natural History
3  The Metropolitan Museum of Art
4  Top of the Rock Observation Deck or Guggenheim Museum
5  Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island or Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
6  9/11 Memorial & Museum or Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

No matter what you decide to do, a NYC holiday trip is a great way to kick-off the season!!  Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

www.4startraveler.com

Fall in Love with St. Augustine!

20th December, 2015 | Article By 4 Star Traveler

ActivitiesAttractionsBeachesHotelsRomance

Can a romantic vacation include some cultural interest? Absolutely! St. Augustine, on the northeastern coast of Florida is an incredible city. Known as the oldest city in North America, it was originally founded in 1565 by a Spanish Admiral. Downtown St. Augustine retains its past, with enchanting historic buildings and many of the original cobblestone streets.  It’s both charming and romantic.

Brian and I planned to spend a long weekend and chose the Marriott’s Autograph Collection Hotel, the Casa Monica.  It is the perfect location –  in the center of town, overlooking the park. The Autograph Collection boutique hotels are found in many cities now, refurbished from old mansions and unique landmark sites. All the properties in The Autograph Collection boast old fashioned elegance and contemporary comfort – so true – it was worth it!  I used my Marriott points.  What a beautiful hotel, we highly recommend it.  Our next trip to this area will be a little longer, so we’ll probably do a house rental via homeaway.com.  Whenever we spend a week or more somewhere, we both prefer our ‘own place’ with a kitchen.

As always, I recommend getting an overview of the city via an Old Town Trolley tour at the beginning of your stay. The guides always give interesting area history and trivia, as well as pointing out many of the more notable attractions.  To get the latest deals on area attractions, you may want to check out living social.

Take a stroll through the beautiful streets of the historic district. There are several trendy cafes and some really great restaurants.  It’s a little difficult to find a good bagel in the south, but ‘Everything Bagel’ knows how to get it done and is a nice choice for breakfast or lunch. For dinner, try Harry’s Bar & Grill on Avenida Menendez. Delicious!

There are unique shops to browse as you make your way through the ‘Old City’.  For a little nostalgia, check out The Old School, built in the early 1700’s and the oldest standing wooden schoolhouse in the U.S.  It’s looking a little tattered, but I guess that’s to be expected.  Just across from the historic district, on the Matanzas Bay, Castillo de San Marco is open to tourists. This is the oldest masonry fort in The States, construction began in 1672.

When you’ve had enough history for a little while and are ready for the romantic side of things, take a horse and carriage ride along the Intracoastal Waterway.  You can catch a carriage at the waterfront, Matanzas Bay, or book in advance at www.staugustinecarriage.com.  They have a BYOB policy if you’d like to bring along a bottle of wine!

St. Augustine is also known for its 43 miles of pristine beaches, located just on the other side of the gorgeous Bridge of Lions. You may become so enthralled with this beautiful city, you’ll have to remind yourself to set aside some time for ‘beach bummin’.   Some other things that might peak your interest… visit the beautiful lighthouse, take an eco tour, go sailing, or swim with the dolphins at nearby Marineland.

There is an abundance of night life, with many area restaurants and pubs. Or try one of the tasting tours.  There’s the Corks and Forks or Barrels and Kegs Tours.  Of course, you won’t want to miss the Haunted Pub or Paranormal Investigation Tours in this ancient city.  Centro, a piano bar in the old town, had a nice atmosphere and great entertainment.  The food was so/so.  Maybe just drinks and dessert later in the evening to hear the live music.

During the holiday season there are always different events associated with their ‘Night of Light’ festivities If you’re in town for New Years, you’ll love the annual fireworks display over the Bridge of Lions!  Check out www.oldcity.com for a calendar of events during your stay.  I was in town for the Halloween and ended up surrounded by zombies!  Literally.

It’s easy to fall in love with Downtown St. Augustine. Just a short drive from Orlando, Jacksonville or Daytona area airports. Now seems like a good time to plan your trip to the warmer weather!

www.4startraveler.com