visit usa now! ISSUE 125 AT TRA CTIONS
APRIL 2014 HOTELS
THE NEWS FROM STATESIDE FLIGHTS
TOUR OPERATORS Falcon’s Fury rising at Busch Gardens
BUSCH Gardens Tampa is to take guests’ experiences to new heights from May 1 with Falcon’s Fury, the first drop tower of its kind, mimicking the dive speeds of the fastest animal on earth. Falcon’s Fury will stand at 335 feet tall and take riders plunging 60 mph straight down. Like its bird of prey namesake, riders will pivot 90 degrees in mid-air to a facedown dive position at the ride’s highest peak before plunging straight down again. Its designers, who have used special
sequencing technology so that passengers cannot anticipate when they will drop, have compared the ride to skydiving. With no connecting structures, Falcon’s
Fury will be the tallest freestanding drop tower in North America and passengers
will be able to see as far away as St, Petersburg Clearwater. The surrounding area of Falcon’s Fury is
also being redeveloped into Pantopia. Currently known as Timbuktu, the fully remodelled Pantopia will boast elaborately-jewelled theming, feature thrilling rides and attractions, new food and beverage outlets, entertainment and shops, as well as the newly renovated Pantopia Theatre. UK
visitors to Florida can now
experience three parks for the price of two until December 31 2014. The 3-Park Ticket offers 14 days’ unlimited entry to SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica and Busch Gardens Tampa. Prices start from £88 for adults and £84 for children.
seaworldparks.co.uk
Funway goes large on its USA options
FUNWAY is launching its biggest-ever USA brochure next month (May), up from 100 pages to 260 pages and valid until December 31, 2015.
Covering most of the US, new additions include motorcycle rental with Eaglerider, motorhome rental with CruiseAmerica, rail tours with Amtrak and an NCL Norwegian Cruise, while the range of new destinations covers California’s National Parks including Mammoth Lakes, South Lake Tahoe, Death Valley and Sequoia and its Central Coast region including Santa Cruz, San Simeon, Paso Robles and Santa Ynez Valley.
Other destinations with new options are Seattle, Portland, Arizona including Tucson, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Lake Powell, Monument Valley and Yellowstone, Colorado & The Rockies including Denver, Vail, Colorado Springs, Durango, the South – Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia,
Kentucky, North &
South Carolina, Florida, Atlantic City, New England and the Great Lakes and the Midwest.
Funway4agents.co.uk
More wine to flow in Virginia
KNOWN as the ‘state for lovers’, Virginia is an award-winning wine region. This year, more than 25 new wineries will be introduced to the state, bringing the total number to more than 250.
Virginia is currently the fifth largest wine-producing state in the USA, and its wines continue to win top awards in worldwide competitions. As well as taking a tour of some of the newer wineries, visitors should also visit the state’s most honoured winery, Barboursville vineyard, which is a magnificent and historic Virginia estate between Monticello and Montpelier.
virginiawine.org
IN BRIEF Autograph in San Diego: Autograph
Collection has opened its first resort in Southern California,
the beachfront
boutique Pier South Resort in San Diego. Pier South Resort is south of Coronado on California’s southernmost beach, home to legendary surf break Boca Rio, and features 78 suite-style accommodations and, a new coastal tavern.
autograph-hotels.marriott.com
Kimpton upgrades The George:
Kimpton’s iconic Washington D.C. hotel, The George, has completed a multi- million pound renovation and redesign covering all 139 guest rooms and suites, hallway
corridors and lifts. The
sophisticated redesign features contemporary references to American history.
kimptonHotels.com
Family fun in the US: The James – three
luxury hotels in Miami, Chicago and New York – has introduced a summer lil’ James Family Adventurer package featuring fun, activities and goodies including tickets to the local children’s museums in each city. Virgin Holidays has packages to each of the hotels from £618 for three nights in Chicago.
jameshotels.com
CRAFTS, COMEDY, CULINARY DELIGHTS
VERMONT – home to what is claimed to be one of the most unique and thriving art scenes in the US – welcomes a series of craft, comedy and culinary events this Spring. April 11-13 is ‘Made in Vermont
marketplace’ showcasing speciality foods, spirits, crafts, furniture and more from 120 local exhibitors. For gourmets, Vermont Restaurant
Week is an opportunity to sample authentic Vermont, farm-to-table food from April 25 until May 4 and on May 24 and 25, 240-plus of Vermont’s fi nest craftsmen and women will open their doors for Spring Open Studio Weekend.
VermontVacation.co.uk
www.sellinglonghaul.com
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