Whistler is the best ski resort in North America offering lots of fun during both summer and winter. It has received several awards as a winter resort, was recently selected as the number one golf resort in Canada and it will be hosting the Winter Olympics in 2010.

There are lots of great places to stay in Whistler. Most popular are the many luxury hotels in the area, but it?s also possible rent town houses and condos in Whistler village. For the more adventurous it?s also possible to camp in the area.

The easiest way to get to Whistler is to fly to Vancouver international airport and then drive north towards Whistler. It takes around two and a half hour to go from Vancouver to Whistler. It?s also possible to take a very scenic train tour to Whistler which takes around three hours.

During the winter Whistler is mostly about skiing and other winter sports. During the summer you can go fishing, hiking, sailing and lots of other things. It?s also possible to go skiing during the summer if you go a bit outside Whistler village.

On top of all that, the people of Whistler are friendly and welcoming. You are welcome both summer and winter.

Located thirty miles south of Salt Lake City, the town of Layton, Utah, is named after Christopher Layton, a famous Mormon coloniser. Its self-proclaimed mission statement is to, “provide services and opportunities, in partnership with the community, which enhance the quality of life.” In 2004, the population of Layton was estimated at a little over sixty thousand people; but despite its small nature, there is an abundance of fun attractions in Layton to excite visitors.

The town’s foremost cultural spot is the Layton Heritage Museum. Although the building of the museum began in 1976, it was not opened until 1980 and celebrated its twenty-fifth birthday last year. Since its inception, the museum has made its goal the preservation and exhibition of artefacts that chart the history and development of communities in north Davis County, in which Layton is the largest city.

Established as recently as 1852, Davis County underwent a rapid transformation from its very beginning; with the advent of the Utah Central Railroad in 1870 and the Hill Air Force Base in north Davis County during World War II, the civilian population exploded. In 1940, the population just exceeded 16,000; however by 1950 this figure had doubled, and then doubled again by 1960. In 2000, there were 239,000 residents in the county. Therefore, the importance of documenting the enormous cultural, recreational and economic changes that have been experienced in the last hundred years in the region is paramount to preserving its historical integrity, and this is exactly what the Layton Heritage Museum consistently aims to provide.

At the time of its opening in 1980, the museum possessed only a minute collection of Native American relics, as well as a few remnants of the pioneer age. Its expansion has been on such a scale that, presently, it is home to over 2100 artefacts, 1890 historical documents and newspapers, and 3357 photographs. The majority of its collection dates from the turn of the twentieth century, when Layton and north Davis County were still rural, agricultural areas. The heritage museum is also well situated near the Utah Central Railroad, once again affirming its importance in the history of the region.

The newest feature of the Layton Heritage Museum is its Digital Exhibit Hall. Visitors will find pictures of museum exhibits, as well as scans of photographs and maps on its website. Available collections currently include historical images of Layton, photos of the heritage museum’s permanent exhibition of the Layton Old Town, as well as pictures of its 2006 featured exhibit, The Business of Businesses, which charts the history of businesses in the Layton/Kaysville region. The LeConte Stewart Landscape Art Competition is another exciting feature at the Layton heritage Museum: this annual competition is named after the famed Utah landscape painter LeConte Stewart, and aims to encourage young landscape painters in the region. This clearly shows the Layton Heritage museum’s unwavering commitment to documenting the changing history of Layton and north Davis County, making it a worthy and valuable historical asset, and with a Hilton Garden Inn located just down the road, it’s conveniently located for out of town visitors.

New York is more than America’s largest city: it has been and continues to be the inspiration behind much of the country’s most enduring pieces of art and literature. From Langston Hughes to Jonathan Safran Foer, and Jackson Pollock to Mark Rothko, New York City has been the thriving hub of many an American cultural movement since the beginning of the 1900s. This fact is made even more evident by the city’s wide array of museums and art galleries, the most prominent of which are The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum, among a host of others.

Both artistically and architecturally, New York’s Guggenheim Museum (technically called The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum) is one of the city’s most interesting landmarks and artistic forums. The eminent novelist E.B. White once said, “New York is to the nation what the white spire is to the village,” and it might be possible to say that, artistically speaking, the white spire of New York is the Guggenheim. Situated at the corners of 89th Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, its architect Frank Lloyd Wright set out to make the building look like what has been described as “a white ribbon curled into a cylindrical stack,” and was intent on his avant-garde design making the Metropolitan Museum of Art look like “a Protestant barn”. Though widely condemned at the time, the building is now seen as one of New York’s finest – as is often the case with the best pieces of architecture.

Originally set up in 1937 as “The Museum of Non-Objective Painting”, the Guggenheim was principally established to exhibit work by early modernists, like Piet Mondrian and Wassily Kandinsky. In particular, it continues to exhibit the work of Kandinsky and Jackson Pollock on an ongoing basis. Recent exhibitions have included various showings of Russian and socialist art, Robert Mapplethorpe and the Classical Tradition, David Smith: A Centennial and the images of Baghdad-born artist Zaha Hadid. Its future planned showcases include the work of Lucio Fontana, and Spanish Painting from El Greco to Picasso. This eclectic range of artists and artistic works demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the Guggenheim Museum to its original goal, to showcase the work of new modernism, whilst still embracing new forms of modern art in the twenty-first century. Although “high” modern and postmodern art have been the main artistic lines pursued by the Guggenheim, it has also been host to a variety of commercial art, including seasons exhibiting motorcycles and Giorgio Armani suits.

The Guggenheim Museum in New York is part of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded in 1937 by eminent philanthropist Solomon R. Guggenheim and artist Hilla von Rebay. Since the establishment of the first Guggenheim in New York, the foundation has gone on to open further museums in Bilbao, Venice, Berlin and Las Vegas, and is in the process of establishing another Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi. For the artistic holiday maker, a perfect vacation idea might be a trip around the world to all the Guggenheim museums. This idea is not even as expensive as it might seem: for example, there are Hilton Hotels in all of these cities, and using the Hilton Honors rewards system, travelling art fans can use their accumulated points to reclaim hotel rewards as well as air miles with a variety of different airlines, to make their worldwide Guggenheim tour a vacation with a difference.

There is an old saying – you get what you pay for?. If that?s true then what would you expect for nearly $11,000 a night? If you said gold leaf, your own butler, 13 different pillow options, one Jacuzzi and a revolving bed then the Burj Al Arab in Dubai is the hotel for you.

Forbes magazine rates the Burj Al Arab in Dubai as one of the most expensive hotels in the world. Prices start from $1,770 a night for a basic suite and range up to $10,890 per night for the Royal Suite. Whilst the Burj Al Arab is the most expensive hotel in the Middle East, it is by no means unique. The luxury hotel market is growing by the day with more and more developments on the way. Forbes has quoted the Smith Travel Research as saying that the average luxury hotel price has risen 16% in the 12 months prior to May 2006. Developers are taking advantage of this growing market and planning more high class hotels for the region.

A range of boundary setting luxury hotels are expected in the region with Donald Trump, Giorgio Armani and the Versace Group all planning to take advantage of one of Europe?s favourite holiday destinations. And the little luxuries seem to be limitless. The beachfront palazzo planned by the Versace Group will regulate the sand on the beaches to prevent burned feet. Perhaps gold flip flops were considered but were ruled out because they were just too heavy!

Africa and Asia also have their own prestigious group of jaw dropping luxury hotels for the occasional millionaire. The Londolozi Tree Camp in South Africa’s Sabi Sand Game Reserve, the six specialty tree-top suites start at $1,916 per night, and each comes with a private plunge pool. Rates include three Pan-African meals and two game drives per day, plus bush walks, and guests can view elephants, lions and leopards. Now that’s value for money.

Does anyone have an American Express gold card I could use?

Ireland is a popular tourist destination. This country offers unrivalled tourist attractions. This is what makes people come back time and again to Ireland. What makes Ireland as popular as it is now among tourists? What is its charisma that makes people want to go back?

Ireland is an 84,412 km land area with a total coastline distance of 3,172. It is considered as the “emerald isle” because of its prominent greens. Its capital city is Dublin, known for its cosmopolitan and chic mood.

Ireland’s Tourist Attractions
Ireland is the home of the Irish race. The Irish contributes to the appeal of this country. They are the people who will welcome anyone with a smile. Hospitality and amiability are traits common to the Irish. These people are nurtured by culture and strengthened by history. Their ways are guided by Irish principles that have guided their ancestors.

Ireland offers an exquisite view and experience of nature at its best. There are several gardens to explore. The St. Stephen’s Green is one of the most visited garden attractions in Ireland. There are several more nature attractions in Ireland. It is in Ireland where you can take a walk surrounded by the unspoiled beauty of nature.

Ireland is a land of culture and history. This is evident in the many festivals celebrated in this country. Tourists can join in the fun and festive spirit of this country. There are festivals commemorating music and arts, films, children, literature, nature, youth and history. These fares and festivals are proofs to how the Irish revere their rich culture.

There are also several historical sites and heritage castles to visit in Ireland. Tourists can relive the earliest years of this country with the several museums. The national museum of Ireland can be visited in Dublin. There are museums celebrating literature, arts, and even transportation. The old castles, which used to serve as residences or fortresses, now serve as historical tourist attractions.

Staying In Ireland Made Easy
Getting to Ireland is easy with all the transportation modes in this country. There are land, water and air transportations operating in Ireland. Staying in Ireland is also a burden off the shoulders of tourists. There is a wide array of hotels and accommodations in Ireland. These hotels suit any type of budget and needs. They range from economy to luxury.

Indeed, there are countless reasons why tourists simply love Ireland. With all the attractions and complete comfort, there is no better “home away from home” destination than Ireland.