Even the most jaded traveler will let out a cry of glee when first seeing Yosemite Valley. This has always been the case. Back in 1869, a penniless young wanderer named John Muir, who had walked 200 miles from San Francisco, first peered down from the rim into that yawning expanse and let his own show of delight. “I shouted and gesticulated in a wild burst of ecstasy,” Muir recalled later, astonished to see the cliffs “all a-tremble with the thundering tones of falling water.” With its sheer walls and granite towers “like the spires of Gothic cathedrals,” Yosemite impressed Muir deeply, and he swore to explore its every nook and cranny. He ended up living in the remote valley for several years. The experience eventually led him to become the most famous nature writer of his era and America’s pioneer environmentalist. Muir first took up residence in a log shack, working as a freelance mountain guide, and spending every spare minute climbing mountains. He would gaze in rapture at waterfalls, make detailed studies of forest flowers and fill endless notebooks with observations. Within a decade, the “wild man” John Muir was being recognized by American literati as a self-taught genius. Soon he was the top spokesman for conservation in the U.S. His lyrical books on Yosemite helped establish this valley as a National Park in 1890. Today, the name of John Muir is emblazoned all over the state of California, given to high schools, forests, hiking trails, parks, roads, even medical centers. But his greatest memorial remains the awe-inspiring landscape of Yosemite itself, which has been protected for over a century.

The United States has 58 national parks, all of which are operated by the National Park Service that enables adventurers to travel the country for an escape to scenic lands housing wildlife, mountainous hiking ranges, and outdoor activities. Some of the most well known National Parks include Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Teton. They offer an abundance of outdoor adventures and experiences that you will never forget.

Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872 and is America’s first ever national park. Its vast territory extends through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, and is home to a diverse variety of wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more. Located in northwestern Wyoming, the Grand Teton National Park protects spectacular mountain scenery and a diverse collection of wildlife. The towering Tetons were formed from earthquakes that occurred over the past 13 million years along a fault line, and make it one of the most popular National Parks to visit.

The adventures you are capable of experiencing through National Parks offer an amazing and unforgettable experience that you are sure to enjoy. The breathtaking views, various wildlife, and fun activities make these parks one of America’s favorite outdoor activities. You can plan on having a vacation to remember no matter what park you decide to visit. Start planning now!

The Boston Chowderfest, also known as the Chowdahfest, is a competition between restaurants in the greater Boston area for the best New England style clam chowder. Taking place on the first Sunday in July during the Boston Harborfest, the Boston Chowderfest offers a variety of clam chowder. From thick to thin, consisting of potatoes and clams, the style of chowder is all over the board.

2011 marks the 30^th anniversary of the Boston Chowderfest. This event takes place in the gated area of City Hall Plaza and is open to participants of all ages. For no more than $12, you can sample all of the chowder you desire or until you have had your fill. This contest even gives you the opportunity to re-try any of your favorite chowders and when you have had enough you can vote for what you think is the best one.

While the Chowderfest is a part of the Boston Harborfest, there is more to experience than just the famous clam chowder of New England. Enjoy great music at the festivals concerts and don’t miss out on the party on the Plaza at City Hall. Bring your kids and participate in fun filled activities and games at the children’s day as well.

Whether you are a local or a tourist, the Boston Chowderfest is the event to attend. If you are a tourist, it is a great way to sample local food. If you are a local, it is a great way to gain knowledge of the best clam chowder New England has to offer.

In celebration of some unique aspect of a community, festivals serve to not only provide entertainment but to direct focus on the cultural significance of that particular community. Along with honoring some cultural significance, festivals take place to celebrate seasonal change, religion, tradition, and history. Festivals are celebrations that provide a sense of belonging for social, religious, and geographical groups.

Many festivals hold fascinating links to history. Whether it is the dance, custom, art, or culture, the correlation to the past provides us with a sense of unity. In fact, in past times, festivals took place solely for storytelling. Stories were told by the elderly in an effort to transfer certain knowledge onto the next generation. Historic feasts provided a time for families to come together which provided a means for unity.

Although the term “festival” was used to refer mainly to religious celebrations in the past, the festivals of today center more on art, film, dance, and music. Though many still have religious origins, many others serve to mark a significant aspect of the culture inside the community, including food and beer celebrations.

If you enjoy being surrounded by unique people, original talent, and an array of art; focused on the significance of culture within a community, summer festivals are just your forte.

So travel with us as we explore some of the unique festivals happening around the world this summer. Put your dancing shoes on at the Edinburgh Jazz Festival in Scotland or become fascinated with original talent at the Art Basel Festival in Switzerland. Even chose to sample all the clam chowder you can get your hands on during the New England clam chowder contest at the Boston Chowderfest. The festivals are endless and the fun never ending. Get ready for the festivities to begin!

We start our driving vacation by checking out some designer wheels in California.  On the third Sunday in June, Rodeo Drive is closed off from Wilshire Blvd to Santa Monica Blvd for the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance.  The Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance is a fashionable exhibit of lavishness automobiles set against the backdrop of world class Rodeo Drive designer boutiques and palm trees.

While attending this free annual event you are sure to spot a few celebrities, as well as your own reflection in the gleaming turquoise bonnet of an antique Chevrolet.  The event has also been named one of Frommer’s “300 Unmissable Events & Festivals Around the World.”

Don’t forget your sunglasses as we travel by car down the coast of California all the way to beautiful National Parks of the country and through the sunny Rockies. This type of vacation will allow you to take in the gorgeous views of the west coast while capturing the breathtaking sites of the great outdoors.

We begin our journey exploring the infamous Alcatraz Island off of Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. From there we will venture south towards the glamorous Los Angeles where we can scope out celebrities, visit Hollywood and shop along Rodeo Drive. After a few days cruising down the coast of California it’s time to drop off the car and travel via plane to our next vacation destination.

We arrive in Salt Lake City where we begin our next big adventure exploring the National Parks of America. We will search for wildlife at Grand Teton National Park in Jackson, then head to the world’s first national park, Yellowstone. We will spend the day discovering some of the parks highlights, including the Grand Canyon and the Fountain Paint Pots.

We then head to Jasper and Calgary to discover the “Jewel of the Rockies”. The is a lake located in a small glacial valley surrounded by snowcapped mountains. Why not visit Canada Olympic Park where we can experience the views of the Rocky Mountains while in Calgary. We will then enjoy some leisure time exploring our last two national parks, Jasper and Banff.

So get ready for a drive through the greatest National Parks in the world and along the magnificent west coast. Whatever comes your way, these driving vacations will surely be an unforgettable experience.

Once you’ve toured Beverly Hills and taken a “stars’ homes” tour, make sure to take in these this California highlights:

San Diego Zoo

Since opening in 1915, the San Diego Zoo has been one of the world’s largest zoos. Its more than 4,000 species are only part of the story now, however—the zoo is also one of the most progressive, with extensive conservation and species-preservation policies, and a pioneering “cageless” exhibit effort. Still, the vast number of animals—many seen rarely in zoos or in the wild—is the draw. Be sure to visit Polar Bear Plunge and Ituri Forest.

Rodeo Drive

Los Angeles is one of the best places in the world to people-watch, and you might as well choose the most famous street in Beverly Hills to do so. The latest and most expensive fashions line the windows of shops, and there are gawkers a-plenty walking past them. Buy an exorbitant handbag or scarf, or just kick back with a drink and watch the scene.

Whether you are touring “City of Angels,” or venturing into the Hollywood Hills here are some must see sights of Los Angeles & Hollywood to make your California vacation more memorable.

Visit the Griffith Park Observatory, where you can see the stars, planets, and the Hollywood sign. Also see the statue of James Dean in the location where a scene from Rebel Without a Cause was filmed.

Visit the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and see the mausoleums and gravesite of the famous stars from the black and white era of motion pictures. Famous celebrities like Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Cecil B. DeMille, and Jayne Mansfield have made this their final resting place.

Enjoy a meal at Café Aroma (Studio City). Originally a charming home, it was transformed into a full-service café with several outdoor dining areas in a tranquil backyard setting. Serving all-day breakfast, a must for a hip L.A. hangout, Aroma is popular with celebrities stopping in from nearby studios. All the home-cooked dishes are prepared with the finest local ingredients. Aroma also offers gourmet coffee and fresh-baked cakes, pastries, and sweets.

Runyon Canyon Park (Hollywood) is a 160-acre park in Los Angeles with many hiking trails. The highest point in the park, at an elevation of 1,320 feet (402 meters), has some of the most spectacular views of the city, including the Hollywood sign, Griffith Park Observatory, the downtown skyline, and west to Santa Monica and the Pacific Ocean. Because of its proximity to residential areas of Hollywood and Hollywood Hills, celebrity sightings are not uncommon.

Paradise Cove (Malibu) is a private beach that makes for a fine walk with superb views of the “diamond necklace” coastline, stretching from Malibu down to the South Bay area of Los Angeles and even Catalina Island. Stand on the old pier that flanks the south end of the beach and take in the idyllic ocean view. The spectacular sunsets are priceless. The Cove’s owner requires visitors to pay $25 to park at his beach, but the ticket is validated when you eat at the Paradise Cove Restaurant.

Join the fun as part of a TV studio audience. You’ll have the chance to spend some time in the studio with the stars and see what really goes on behind the scenes during the filming of a television show. Tickets are free, and taping schedules vary.

No matter how many times you see celebrity-studded movie premieres at Grauman’s Chinese on Entertainment Tonight, it’s still a pleasure to take in those coral-red pagoda walls and copper turrets rising like an opium hallucination above Hollywood Boulevard.

Opened in 1927, the world’s most famous cinema was the brainchild of silent-era impresario Sid Grauman, the creator of the enormously successful Egyptian Theater nearby who next dreamed of an Oriental fantasy that would dazzle the generations.  Working with megastar partners Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Grauman spent $2 million importing luxurious artifacts from China, including bronze temple bells, stone Heaven Dogs and a thirty-foot-high stone dragon.

The opening ceremony was the most sought-after social event in Hollywood history, with thousands of sightseers packing the boulevard as stars arrived to see Cecil B DeMille’s King of Kings; a riot even broke out and the LA police had to be brought in.  But the theater’s signature attraction – the footprints, handprints and signatures of Hollywood stars from Cary Grant to Rita Hayworth – was invented by “pure accident,” Grauman once confessed.  He was visiting the construction site when he accidentally stepped in the concrete; his partner, silent film goddess Pickford happened to be with him at the time, and he suggested she do the same, quickly followed by Fairbanks.

After the success of opening night, every star in Hollywood wanted to make his or her mark – and not just with palm or feet.  In the decades since, John Wayne left his fist mark, Groucho Marx impressed his cigar, Gene Autrey’s singing horse left its hooves, Betty Grable – an imprint of her shapely legs and Star Wars robot R2D2 left its tread pattern.  Marilyn Monroe even left a rhinestone stud to dot the “I” in her name, but it was (unsurprisingly) pilfered by a souvenir-hunter.