The Space Needle gets a modern twist

THE Space Needle is the celebrated icon of #Seattle, second only to the Eiffel Tower in Paris as the most easily-identified global skyline feature. Built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, it continues to symbolize the leading-edge innovation and technology that the city is known for and serves as a beacon into the future.

Now one of the world's most recognizable landmarks, is unveiling a dramatically different visitor experience employing a modern twist on the ingenuity and innovation of the original 1962 World's Fair build. 

Walls, barriers – even floors – have been removed and replaced with structural glass revealing a visceral experience the visionary designers of the Space Needle could only dream of. The new, multi-level tower features the world's first, and only, revolving glass floor delivering wide-open views as guests float above Seattle.

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Wheelchairs and Mountains

AT first glance Mount Rainier might not appear to be the best vacation choice for wheelchair-users and slow walkers. After all, the namesake mountain towers some 14,000 feet over the surrounding national park. In fact all three of the Evergreen State’s national parks offer #accessible options for those that use wheelchairs, walkers, canes and crutches.

This inclusive title is part of Candy B. Harrington’s national park series; and although it’s written for wheelchair-users and slow walkers, moms who have stroller-aged kids will also appreciate the access information in this guide. More access resources for some of America's top #nationalparks can also be found on Harrington’s Barrier-Free National Parks website at www.barrierfreenationalparks.com.

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Cheers to the Walla Walla Wine Train

WALLA WALLA has long been known as friendly town set in the heart of Washington's wine country, but getting there can be a challenge. The Walla Walla Wine Train by InquisiTours just made visiting a lot simpler. Travelers shouldn't have to follow in the footsteps of pioneers on the Oregon Trail, following wagon ruts for 2,000 miles. Now it's as easy as booking a tour and hopping on a train. The inclusive escorted tour showcases all Eastern Washington has to offer with stops in two of the region's unique and complimentary towns: Leavenworth and Walla Walla.

InquisiTours offers two- to four-night tours leaving Seattle and Portland. Amtrak's Empire Builder covers the first leg of the scenic journey from Seattle along the Puget Sound to the Cascade Mountains and Leavenworth with views of the water, multiple mountain ranges, and a trip through America's longest rail tunnel, the Cascade Tunnel.

Enjoy a two-night deluxe hotel stay in Leavenworth, Washington's premier mountain town. In this Bavarian-themed town, travelers can choose from a wide variety of activities, from paddle boarding, zip lines or even a visit the famous Nutcracker Museum. An organized event to a local beer garden offers guests a chance to sample some local craft beers and homemade bratwurst.

The tour journeys along the mighty Columbia River through Hanford Reach National Monument, the Columbia's last remaining stretch of wild river, into the heart of Washington Wine Country. The effects of the ice age Missoula Flood on the land combined with the mighty Columbia reveal a vast landscape that surprise even lifelong North Westerners.


While visiting many of the Columbia Valley's unique AVAs (American Viticulture Area), Red Mountain, Walla Walla Valley, and Yakima Valley guests can sample world class wines.


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More flights to US Virgin islands this Summer

UNITED Airlines will boost air capacity to the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) this summer. In addition to daily flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, United Airlines will once again serve Washington Dulles International Airport with daily service to St. Thomas this summer, and extend its weekly Saturday service from Newark, N.J., to St. Thomas beyond the summer months, through September and October.

According to the U.S. Virgin Islands Bureau of Economic Research (BER), stay-over visitor arrivals to the Territory in 2016 were up 4.3 percent compared with 2015. St. Croix registered a 6.5 percent increase and St. Thomas/St. John was up by 3.8 percent.

For the first two months of the year, stay-over arrivals were up by 4.5 percent over the same period last year, with St. Thomas/St. John reporting a 4.4 percent increase in arrivals while St. Croix was up by 5.3 percent.

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New route and attractions to see rise in UK visitors to Seattle

#SEATTLE is expected to be one of the fastest-growing US destinations for UK travellers in 2017 with a Virgin Atlantic direct non-stop daily flight scheduled for launch in March, more than eight new hotels opening before 2018, and exposure of the state of Washington through the new Twin Peaks TV series. 

In the second quarter of this year, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport saw a 10% increase in the number of passengers travelling through the airport, rising to 12 million people during that period, making it busier than London Gatwick. Overall, Seattle-Tacoma’s passenger numbers have increased for 31 consecutive months.

The city’s most recent tourism attraction is the three-acre, £16 million Pavilion at the Museum of Flight. It features the world’s only full-scale NASA Space Shuttle Trainer, Air Force One, Concorde, the B-17, B-29, and B-47 bombers.

Founded in 1965, The Museum of Flight is one of the world’s largest air and space museums. The collection includes more than 160 historically significant aircraft and spacecraft.


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Picture Credit: By Jeffery Hayes - Jeffery Hayes, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7300934

Thanks, George – mine’s a double!

A LITTLE-KNOWN fact about George Washington – the man who led England’s 13 American colonies to independence – was his post-war life as a whiskey producer.

The distillery on George Washington's Mount Vernon estate

In 1797, he hired a Scottish plantation manager, James Anderson, who encouraged him to build a whiskey distillery next to the gristmill at his Mount Vernon estate.

This distillery was the largest in America, produced almost 11,000 gallons of whiskey in 1799. Five copper pot stills produced whiskey using Washington’s original mash bill (60% rye, 35% corn and 5% malted barley) which was sold to neighbouring farmers and in Alexandria. It was one of the most successful business enterprises at Mount Vernon.

When Washington died, an inventory listed peach, apple and persimmon brandy, plain whiskey, and cinnamon whiskey stored in the Mansion’s basement. It is thought that all this booze was made at Washington’s distillery and served to guests. The stone distillery has been reconstructed and operates seasonally, mashing, fermenting, and distilling grain as it was done in the 18th century.

Washington's Mount Vernon estate is 15 miles south of Washington DC on the banks of the Potomac River.

For news about events and tours at Mount Vernon, go to www.mountvernon.org

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