Alton Towers comes out tops

USING search volume data from Google, travel website, The Tourist Trail has published a list of the top 20 most searched for UK attractions in 2018, and the results may surprise you.

Whilst over half of the top 20 attractions were based in London, the top spot went to an attraction much further outside the capital. In fact, only two out of the top five went to London attractions, with the number one spot going to Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire.

Since opening in 1980, Alton Towers has evolved into a large resort with a range of attractions, including a theme park, a waterpark, several hotels, and even a spa.

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Picture Credit: david.nikonvscanon Alton Towers: Rita Queen of Speed via photopin

Blooming Marvellous

THE Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, named by Architectural Digest as one of the "15 Breathtaking Botanical Gardens to Visit This Season," presents Dallas Blooms, the largest annual floral festival in the Southwest, from February 23 to 

April 7. 

Themed "Life's A Picnic," the spring festival showcases an explosion of color from more than 500,000 spring-blooming blossoms, thousands of azaleas and hundreds of Japanese cherry trees. Presented by IBERIABANK, Dallas Blooms features an extraordinary, larger-than-life, picnic scene topiary comprised of a stunning 40'x40' picnic blanket, a vase of flowers, a picnic basket with pie and a giant picnic ant—perfect for photo opportunities.

The nationally acclaimed eight-acre Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden features 17 indoor/outdoor galleries, 150 interactive science games and an abundance of themed adventures throughout the Dallas Blooms festival.

www.dallasarboretum.org/blooms

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Get steamed up in Queensland

THE future is looking bright for one of Queensland’s most -loved tourism attractions, with the steam and diesel engines of the Mary Valley Rattler again chugging their way through some of the Sunshine Coast hinterland’s most picturesque countryside. 

After many years of extensive upgrades to existing track work and improvements to its fleet of historic steam and diesel locomotives and carriages – each with their own unique story – the heritage railway experience has been relaunched after an almost seven-year hiatus. 

At its peak, the Valley Rattler, as it was then known, played host to upwards of 30,000 passengers annually. Morning and afternoon services on the Mary Valley Rattler will now run three days per week on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays for a return journey from the historic Gympie or Amamoor stations via Dagun. 

Reputed to be the largest timber railway building owned by Queensland Rail during the 20th century, the historic Gympie station is the headquarters of the Mary Valley Rattler and arguably one of the most stylish and elaborate in the context of timber railway architecture.   


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Picture Credit: By Sue Allen, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org 51488514

The Bear Grylls Adventure

THE wait is over for budding adventurers who want to tick a whole host of experiences off their bucket list including diving, Europe’s tallest high ropes course, indoor sky diving, rock climbing and base camp – which will equip you for the skill to tackle any adventure. All this under the expert guidance of trained experts on site.

Birmingham International will start to see thrill-seekers flooding in over the coming months as fans will travel nationwide to be challenged and rewarded by Bear Grylls Adventure. Groups of 3 and up will also be able to save an additional 20% off advance Virgin Trains services.

www.beargryllsadventure.com

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Brewing up some Halloween fun

LOOKING for scary good fun? The travel experts at The GO Group, LLC found these events brewing across the U.S.

The Ken's Korny Corn Maze is N. Carolina's first and longest operating corn maze. The Maze opens September 28 and runs every weekend until November 10.

In Philadelphia, test your nerves at Eastern State Penitentiary's Terror Behind the Walls, a spooky haunted house inside an abandoned prison. The event includes Hollywood-quality special effects and lighting, digital sound, animatronic creatures and custom props. Open until November 10.

Boo at the Zoo in St. Louis offers kid-friendly events with haystacks, pumpkins and souvenir T-shirts complete with a costumed grizzly bear dressed as Wonder Woman. 

On Halloween for two decades, Voodoo Authentica, New Orleans, has hosted Voodoo Fest in the French Quarter. On-site priests will speak and teach Voodoo, Louisiana's version of the faith, and the music and spirituality associated with the Lwa — the spirits of the Voodoo pantheon.

Get your frightening fill of creepy creatures and underwater Halloween happenings at SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium in Dallas. Watch trained costumed divers compete to see who can carve the best jack-o-lantern underwater surrounded by sea creatures on Wednesdays and Saturdays, October 17-31. Plus, trick-or-treat alongside sharks, crocodiles and other eerie creatures on October 31.

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Great North knees-up

GREAT Northumberland launches in Hexham on Saturday 7 July in what promises to be a fun-filled-festival demonstrating exactly what makes #Northumberland great.

To kick-off eight weeks of summer in the county, Great Northumberland (delivered by Northumberland County Council) are inviting everyone to Hexham Abbey Grounds and the Sele for a vibrant family-friendly day of performance, street theatre and a line-up of musicians designed to get everyone up and dancing, culminating in an energetic public ceilidh.

Inspired by the Great Exhibition of the North, Great Northumberland is designed to encourage those visiting the North for the once in a generation exhibition to venture further afield into England’s most northerly county.
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And California's best beach is . . .

HUNTINGTON Beach has got it going on! Surf City USA is named The Best #California Beach by USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Huntington Beach’s shoreline stretches for 16 uninterrupted kilometers of wide opened sandy beaches making it a paradise for families, couples, dogs, and surfers. 

Where perfect waves are born, Surf City USA attracts professional surfers and World Surf League contests. The endless summer weather offers both relaxation and outdoor activities year-round. Some visitors favorites include: volleyball courts, bonfire pits, concerts and movies on the sand, and of course the iconic Huntington Beach Pier spanning 1,850 feet in length. The iconic pier sits in the heart of Huntington Beach and allows visitors and locals alike to experience the the breathtaking views amidst the sounds of crashing waves and the ocean breeze.

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A major new exhibition: Titanic Stories

NEW at the National Maritime Museum, Cornwall is an exhibition, Titanic Stories, which will examine the stories of the Titanic’s momentous sinking on 15 April 1912, re-appraising many of the myths, controversies and assumptions that still linger around one of the most well-known historic events of the 20th century.

Working in collaboration with private collectors from overseas and national museums in the UK, ‘Titanic Stories’ presents rare and never-seen-before objects and items, as well as retelling the personal stories of many of the survivors, victims and descendants of the #Titanic disaster, including those from #Cornwall. The exhibition will offer new contextual information around the iconic sinking and what happened next.

Alongside documentary and personal photographs, letters, newspaper cuttings, compelling items such as a handkerchief waved from a lifeboat and a First-Class passenger list found in the pocket of a victim, will intimately bring this historic voyage back to life.

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Picture Credit: By Boris Lux - Lux's Type Collection, Ocean liners - Titanic, commons.wikimedia.org

Make a splash!

RAGING Waves, Illinois' largest #waterpark with 58 acres of slides, a lazy river, wave pool and more, will unveil Quokka-Nut Island and Wild Wallabies in 2018, marking the waterpark's largest expansion to date. Located southwest of Chicago, Raging Waves will open for the summer on May 26. Raging Waves features a wave pool, multiple kiddie areas, private cabanas, a quarter-mile long lazy river, and 26 water slides including the award winning Wonambi slide. Ranked one of the top new water rides in 2016, Wonambi is a must-experience this summer at Raging Waves.

Quokka-Nut Island is the newest addition for Raging Waves littlest mates (ages 2-5). Located within Kiddiebunga Bay, Quokka-Nut Island will include four new kiddie slides and a zero-depth pool which more than doubles the size of the existing kiddie pools. Additional interactive play features will include a coconut rain curtain, palm tree sprayers and a large octopus that spouts water.

Guests can embrace their competitive spirit as they race one another down the Wild Wallabies. The two new slides add more than 600 feet of twists, turns and thrills to Illinois' largest waterpark for guests over 42 inches.

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Rev up for a great family fun day

MOTORCYCLE stunt riders, live music and supercar passenger rides are just a few of the excellent activities planned for the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance annual Family Fun Day at North Weald Airbase on Sunday 20th May.

Brimming with entertainment, activities, local food and drink and much more, the all-day event is the finishing point of this year’s Motorcycle Run, which will see hundreds of motorcyclists embark on a 60-mile ride from Welwyn Garden City to North Weald to raise vital funds for the Charity.

The popular Motorcycle Run and Family Fun Day is one of the Air Ambulance’s biggest events and last year, a convoy of 800 motorcyclists raised thousands of pounds.

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An arresting museum to visit

WE live in a society where there is a strong fascination of crime, this is apparent by its prevalence in pop-culture. The subject of crime and serial killers is often the topic of books, TV shows and movies. Those who want to learn more about some of the most infamous killers in America should plan a visit to Alcatraz East Crime Museum. 

Visitors of Alcatraz East Crime Museum can expect to see many crime-related artifacts on display, and learn about ways to help prevent crime. Here are 5 infamous killers’ artifacts that are on display at the museum: 

1. Charles Manson Guitar & Beach Boys single “Never Learn Not to Love” – This guitar was recently added to the museum’s collect. It was taken into custody in Inyo County California, during a raid on the Barker Ranch when Charles Manson was also arrested. 

2. Ted Bundy’s 1968 Volkswagen Beetle – The Beetle that was integral in both of his murders and conviction, containing important DNA evidence, is on display for visitors to view. 

3. John Wayne Gacy’s clown suits- “Pogo” and “Patches” – The serial killer was arrested in 1978. He had confessed to killing 30 people. Despite him being a serial killer, he would dress up in clown suits to entertain children. 

4. Judy Buenoano’s last photograph and prison blanket – Convicted of murdering her husband and son, she was also suspected in several other deaths. 

5. Jeffrey Dahmer handcuffs– An American serial killer, he was convicted of the murder of 17 males, which included rape, dismemberment, and cannibalism. His handcuffs are on display at the museum for visitors to view.

  
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Family time in NYC

AS neighborhoods across NYC continue to develop, NYC & Company is pleased to share some exciting news on one of the City’s most well-known areas, Midtown #Manhattan. Known for its bustling neighborhood, #Midtown is adding new attractions and destinations that will appeal to families and more.

● SPYSCAPE: Set to open February 16, families can enjoy the world’s largest interactive spy museum featuring world class artifacts, technology and experiences. Visitors will be able to test hacking, code breaking and espionage skills to discover their inner James Bond. spyscape.com.

● National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey: The National Geographic is known for its unique storytelling and they’re expanding those abilities using cutting-edge technology in its Ocean Odyssey experience. Visitors are transported on an underwater journey - without getting wet - through this interactive attraction. natgeoencounter.com.

● Gulliver’s Gate: Finding it hard to accomplish your travel goals? The new Gulliver’s Gate attraction has visitors covered with its exhibit featuring miniature 3-D replicas of iconic global landmarks, allowing them to visit the entire world in Times Square. Take a trip to world wonders such as the Hoover Dam, the Colosseum, the Pyramids, the Great Wall of China and many more all in one place. gulliversgate.com.

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Double up down under

TWO of Western Sydney’s acclaimed entertainment venues have come together to offer visitors a Best of the West Pass. 

Featherdale Wildlife Park in Doonside, home to the world’s largest collection of native Australian animals and water theme park, Wet’n’Wild Sydney in Prospect will deliver the best of Western #Sydney in one high value pass priced at only $129.00 for adults. 

The passes are on sale now at both venues and their websites and are valid for 12 months for Featherdale and through until the end of April at Wet’n’Wild Sydney.

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It's great to be in the North

THE Great Exhibition of the North (22 June to 09 September 2018) will celebrate the North’s cutting-edge technology and inspiring culture that has defined the past and continues to shape the future. 

The free, family-friendly Exhibition brings together performance, visual arts and interactive experiences using the city as its stage, with activity in NewcastleGateshead’s world-class venues and outdoor spaces. 

Visitors can begin their journey at one of two Exhibition Hubs at the Great North Museum or Gateshead Quays (BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Sage Gateshead), connected by three walking trails focusing on arts and culture, design and innovation.

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Lighting up London in 2018

ONE of the most spectacular free events to ever take place in the capital, #Lumiere was created by Artichoke in Durham in 2009, and took place again in 2011, 2013 and 2015, commissioned by Durham County Council.as In 2013, Artichoke produced Lumierein Derry~Londonderry UK City of Culture. In January 2016, the company staged the first Lumiere #London, supported by the Mayor of London, attracting audiences of over 1 million over four nights Lumiere returns to London in January 2018.

Newly revealed artworks coming to London for the UK’s largest light festival include:

• Interactive illuminated singing see-saws in South Molton Street in Mayfair
• An immersive work that imagines a world under water at King’s Cross 
• A meditation on time from the Industrial Revolution to the present day projected onto the iconic Hotel Café Royal building on Regent Street
• Flamingos flying through Chinatown London 
• A triptych of animated self-portraits in Leake Street 
• Matisse-inspired animation dancing across the facade of the Royal Academy of Arts on Piccadilly

www.visitlondon.com/lumiere

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Space on Tour

EUROPEAN Space Agency Astronaut Tim Peake has launched a ‘first-of-its-kind’ national tour of the Soyuz spacecraft used for his Principia mission, with the aim of inspiring a generation of people across the country.

The Science Museum Group, which acquired the capsule Soyuz TMA - 19M in 2016, and global technology innovators Samsung, have joined forces to create The National Tour of Tim Peake’s Spacecraft and Space Descent VR. 

The Soyuz spacecraft will go on public display across the length and breadth of the British Isles, enhanced by Space Descent VR - a unique virtual reality adventure using Samsung Gear VR technology which places visitors right at the heart of Tim Peake’s journey from the International Space Station back to Earth.

It’s the first time that a Science Museum Group object has ever undertaken such a comprehensive tour of the UK, and the venture has a unique twist as one more tour venue will be chosen via a public competition.  Any venue interested in being the sixth venue of the tour, in autumn 2018, can apply via an online competition form at group.sciencemuseum.org.uk 

The deadline for entries is 1 December 2017, and the winner will be announced in March 2018
Venues:

1. National Science and Media Museum, Bradford 27 September – 19 November      2017
2. Locomotion, Shildon 22 November 2017 – 15 January 2018
3. National Railway Museum, York 17 January – 8 March 2018
4. Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester 10 March – 13 May 2018
5. National Museum Scotland, Edinburgh May – August 2018
6. Competition winner venue TBC
7. National Museum Wales, Cardiff November 2018 – January 2019
8. National Museum Ulster, Belfast February – May 2019

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Picture Credit: NASA Johnson 29988733@N04/23775631743 via photopin

Scotland shines

A NEW exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland supported by Glenmorangie will show for the first time how silver, not gold, became the most important precious metal in Scotland over the course of the first millennium AD.

New research and recent archaeological discoveries will chart the first thousand years of silver in Scotland. The exhibition will showcase Scotland’s earliest silver, arriving with the Roman army, and show the lasting impact this new material had on early Medieval Scotland.

The exhibition will include the first public display of the recently unveiled Dairsie Hoard, which dates to the late 3rd century AD and is the earliest known example of hacksilver from anywhere beyond the Roman frontier.

13 October 2017 to 25 February 2018 at the National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh
Admission: Free

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Adventure awaits in the Stubai Valley

THE Stubai Tree House Trail is another great addition to the already impressive range of family activities in the Stubai Valley. The new adventure trail in Schlick 2000 expands on Stubai’s outstanding outdoor options. Stretching from Froneben to Vergör, the trail includes five tree houses that invite you to play, climb and discover along the approximately one-hour walk between the middle station of the Kreuzjochbahn and the Alpengasthof Vergör. 

Through the forest with Bardin the dwarf, visitors big and small will be received by Bardin directly at the middle station of the Kreuzjochbahn in the Schlick 2000. The dwarf marks the entrance to the nearly 5,000 m² forest area through which the Tree House Trail leads along an easily accessible and pram-friendly route. The roughly two-hour hike covers an ascent of almost 100 metres. And, of course, a few more if you add the five spectacular tree houses along the way.

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Escape in the Lake District

CHALLENGE your family and friends . . . Cliffhanger Rooms is the Lake Districts Escape Rooms, where between 2 - 6 people are immersed into one of our themed rooms. Similar to the Crystal Maze TV show, you have to find things, solve puzzles, crack codes to escape in 60 minutes. Exciting, Fun and Challenging!

There are 3 rooms to choose from The Pharaohs Curse, Bank Vault Heist and Haunted Pirate Ship.

www.cliffhangerrooms.co.uk


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Theatrical Magic with Peter Rabbit this Summer

SMASH hit Beatrix Potter™ Musical Adventure Where is Peter Rabbit™? returns for more theatrical magic this summer in Bowness-on-Windermere.

Currently shortlisted for Cumbria Tourism Event of the Year, the performance which attracted rave reviews and over 20,000 visitors to the little Theatre in Bowness last summer, is anticipating another successful season with two additional weeks of performances.

Where Is Peter Rabbit? – at the Old Laundry Theatre at The World Of Beatrix Potter™ Attraction from Saturday 10 June – Sunday 3 September 2017. 

Tickets available online at  www.hop-skip-jump.com 

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Picture Credit: Pintrest