visit usa now! West Virginia celebrates its country roads


WEDDINGS & HONEYMOONS: Indian Ocean ISSUE 114 | APRIL 2013


WEST Virginia is celebrating 150 years of statehood by showcasing its wealth of outdoor adventures, rural scenery and cultural opportunities through 150 different activities and travel ideas. From grist mills, covered


Listed among the ‘150’ are experiences bridges,


mountain music and country festivals to house-boating, golfing, bird-watching and hiking through some of the 49 state parks, forests and wildlife management areas, a dedicated website suggests 150 things to do – big and small. Visitors are encouraged to follow John


Denver’s advice in exploring the country roads of West Virginia, a state which is 80% forested, with seven state forests, 36 state parks and 200,000 acres of protected woodland parks interlaced with 2,000 miles of rivers and streams.


Paul Verhaak steps into Visit USA COO role


PAUL Verhaak is the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Visit USA Association UK (VUSA). Stepping into the role previously held


by the late Alan Waddell, he is tasked with


leading VUSA's small operations


team and delivering on goals set by its volunteer Board and


Committees,


reporting to the Association's more than 200 voting members. Verhaak, who has also served on the board of the Caribbean


Tourism


Organisation in the UK, commented: "This is a very exciting new role for me, as I'm passionate about driving tourism to the US and much of my career to date has involved the promotion of hotels and resorts in the US to the European markets”.


Visitusa.org.uk


FUNWAY Holidays has a twin-centre Texas package to coincide with the UK airing of the second series of the re-make of the hit 80s TV show, Dallas. The first stop for guests is Dallas itself,


to visit the film set of the show that centred on the Ewing family, a cattle and


Funway invites guests to saddle up in Dallas


oil dynasty from Southfork Ranch in Texas made famous by Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing) and the deceased Larry Hagman (JR Ewing). They’ll stay three nights at the three- star Holiday Inn Market Center in Dallas before saddling up on the ranch in Bandera, near San Antonio for four nights, staying at the Mayan Dude Ranch. Prices are from £1369pp including flights with Delta Airlines,


for travel


based on a departure on May 10 2013. The second Dallas season will run for


15 episodes. funway4agents.co.uk


Rocky Mountains – just as you like it


THE Rocky Mountains region is known for its rugged open roads, natural marvels, national parks and, of course, mountains – and there’s no better way to enjoy the region than on an awe- inspiring fly-drive.


Highlights along the way include the


deep forests of the Black Hills, the home of the famous Crazy Horse Memorial and the iconic


Paul Verhaak, COO, Visit USA Association (UK)


Rushmore, the jagged peaks of Grand Teton National Park, the glaciers and waterfalls of Glacier National Park and


24 April 2013 Mount


the geysers, hot springs and canyons of Yellowstone National Park. America As You Like It has a 15-night fly-drive that includes two nights in Yellowstone National Park, two nights in Whitefish near Glacier National Park, two nights in Rapid City, and nights in Idaho Falls, Cheyenne,


the ‘Garden


City’ of Missoula, and a night in Helena, famed for its gold. Prices are from £1355pp, with flights from London. americaasyoulikeit.com


www.sellinglonghaul.com


like a visit to one of America’s oldest dime stores, in Harrisville, for retro-treasures, and catching a ‘flick’ at The Robey Theatre in Spencer, the longest continuously operating theatre in the country. Or how about taking a seat for an acoustic show at the Purple Fiddle Café in Thomas or hopping into George Washington’s bathtub in Berkeley Springs? Alternatively, spot Bald Eagles on the


Potomac Eagle Scenic Railway, step out onto the Bridge Walk under the New River Gorge Bridge at Fayetteville (876 ft above ground), take in the views at the top of Snowshoe Mountain at 4,848ft, or simply toast marshmallows over a campfire in one of the many parks. tourism.com/statehood/default


Despicable Me heads to Hollywood


UNIVERSAL Studios Hollywood has announced a 2014 arrival for 'Despicable Me Minion Mayhem,' a 3D Ultra-HD movie motion-simulator adventure. The attraction will be modelled after the one in its


sister park, Universal


Orlando Resort – but with the addition of a few unique surprises. The ride continues the story line of the main characters from the film through all-new 3D Ultra-HD animation, together with an interactive ride vehicle system. The fully


immersive experience will


feature a cast of characters like super- villain Gru, his ‘girls’ (Margo, Edith and Agnes) and the unpredictable Minions. Guests will zigzag through an adventure


featuring Gru’s super-villain laboratory. The journey continues as they encounter the humorous Minion training mission. universalstudioshollywood.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68