Museums are located in many cities in the United States and they have diverse subject matter. Museums often focus on art, history or music. But, did you know that some museums are dedicated entirely to food? If you’re planning a culinary vacation, then adding in a visit to a food museum can be an interesting way to learn something new. There are quite a few food museums located in the United States that a person could visit to discover about the history, facts and trivia of food.

The Idaho Potato Museum is a traveling museum that is currently located in New Mexico. This museum originated in 1975 in Belgium, and is the first museum dedicated to the potato. The Idaho Potato Museum features exhibits such as art depicting soldiers peeling potatoes, exhibits showing how potatoes grow, and exhibits showing the importance of the potato throughout the world. As with most museums, the Idaho Potato Museum has an online store where visitors can purchase apparel and other items to show they had visited the Idaho Potato Museum.

The Jello Gallery is located in LeRoy, New York. This museum is open year round and is accessible for visitors confined to wheelchairs. The Jello Gallery focuses on the history of Jello and Jello trivia. There is also an exhibit in the museum that showcases Jello spokespeople throughout the history of Jello. There are many items dedicated to Jello, and the Jello Gallery is home to a gift shop where visitors can purchase Jello memorabilia, cookbooks, and Jello apparel.

Austin, Minnesota is home to the Spam Museum. The Spam Museum is free of charge and open year-round. Exhibits in the Spam Museum include a World War Two exhibit about Spam, an interactive game show exhibit, a Spam diner, and movies about the history and uses of Spam. The Spam Museum allows visitors to learn about a locally made product while having fun.

The Mustard Museum is located in Middleton, Wisconsin. This museum pays homage to the many varieties of mustard. There are over 5,000 varieties of mustard from all over the world on display in the Mustard Museum. This museum features a newsletter that is published on Tuesdays. People not able to visit this museum can view the newsletter online. The Mustard Museum also celebrates National Mustard Day in August. At this festival, visitors can expect mustard games, music, free hot dogs, and free samples of mustard. Inside the museum, visitors can purchase unique mustard varieties for their own personal mustard collections.

While traveling through the state of Washington, people can visit the Washington Banana Museum. This unique museum has many different banana artifacts from various countries. A visitor can expect to see items such as a banana carved from bone, banana posters, and toys for children shaped like bananas. The Washington Banana Museum has no admission charge for visitors. There is no gift shop at this museum, but visitors to the Washington Banana Museum will be able to learn about the history of the banana at this unique food museum.

Museums throughout the world showcase any number of fascinating subjects — including food. Whether learning about Jello, Spam, bananas, mustard, or potatoes, foodies on vacation will enjoy these memorable museums.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/unusual-vacation-ideas-5-museums-all-about-food-1801692.html

About the Author

Darla Blackmon writes about Long Beach restaurants, art and travel tips. If you’re planning a vacation to Southern California, stop by the site for free information about Long Beach attractions to help you plan your trip.

Winter Wonderland — not exactly. But Seattle is especially festive during the Christmas holidays, and a great destination to combine shopping with a special getaway.

From Seattle Center to Westlake Center to the Pike Place Market, the usual visitor attractions become just a little more special on a chilly winter’s day. Throngs of excited, bundled-up families and couples sample the seasonal offerings at Westlake such as Quest carousel rides, or the kettle corn and elephant ears nearby. Vendors make balloon animals for the kids while loud Christmas music blares in the background making sure no one misses out on Seattle’s holiday spirit.

Make it an overnight trip and it’s even better. First, you’ll be sure to see the numerous Christmas lights along downtown streets including the famous star on Macy’s, the Space Needle lights and many other special seasonal touches. And, by staying overnight, you can turn a shopping trip into a true getaway.

Our base of operations was a Seattle landmark, the Edgewater Hotel. Maybe you remember that the Edgewater was famous during the Sixties when the Beatles stayed there and fished right out their window. In fact, it became the obvious choice for many famous rock groups that came into town during that period to play for one of Pat O’Dea’s spectacular rock concerts.

Today the Edgewater has a classic elegance that combines the best location in Seattle with an updated interior design that evokes the Northwest’s rich Native American heritage. The first thing we saw when entering our waterfront room was a Washington State Ferry – just out the window and across the waters of Elliott Bay. Our view made us feel like we were traveling on a cruise ship with nothing but water between us and the ferry. This, of course, is the major attraction of the aptly-named Edgewater – a location literally out on the water with incredible views of Puget Sound and nearby islands.

Our room featured many Northwest accents such as a log headboard on our comfortable king-size bed, bark trim and a wood panel above the corner fireplace, Native American designs on the carpets with knotty pine baseboards, and Indian characters and designs on the wood-frame entertainment center. In the bathroom, a large claw-style bathtub looked awfully inviting, while the modern colors and fixtures made the room look like something you would see in a magazine on interior design. The floors were amber quartz slate, while the room also included a glass-enclosed European spa shower.

With a room at the Edgewater – which features a constant parade of boats just outside your window — there is the temptation to just stay there and enjoy the endless sights and sounds. But our main objective this trip was to check out the city’s Christmas activities, so we walked over to Pike Place Market, just a few blocks from the hotel.

The market is one of Seattle’s most recognizable symbols – right up there with the Space Needle. That probably has something to do with the way TV sports announcers always make a point of showing footage of the market while broadcasting Seattle Seahawks or Washington Huskies sports telecasts. Typically the shot is one of the fish handlers throwing King salmon – thus we were pleased that, upon our arrival, the fish were indeed flying. Just like the 50 or so other visitors standing around watching, we had seen for ourselves the famous Pike Place Market fish throw.

Those fish handlers in their sweat suits, hoodies and aprons aren’t the only reason to stop by the market at Christmas time. The market goes all out in its decorations and, in fact, has Christmas trees available – not that we wanted to cart one back to the Edgewater. Take a walk just north of the first fish market and you enter a beehive of activity where it seems like just about anything you want is for sale – fresh fruits and produce, honey, herbs, dried flower bouquets, jams and jellies, nuts, fruits, chocolates, tee-shirts, purses, you name it. There actually are several fish markets in the same building, as well as restaurants where you can dine on fresh fish before you even leave the market..

Just across the street from the market, in front of the Starbucks, a musical group called Slimpickens was warming up the crowds with lively 1930’s style music played in a four-piece configuration: guitar, stand-up bass, violin and washboard. Dressed in 30’s garb, the group also seemed to be getting a Depression-era response to their music: lots of smiles and toe-tapping, but not many coins dropping into their prominently placed cup.

Along about here we encountered Piroshky, Piroshky, a tiny take-out restaurant serving up fresh Russian piroshkies for just under $5. These were just baked and, if you’re wondering, the piroshky is a little like a flakey turnover filled with meat, cheese or other fillings. They’re delicious and, for us, provided a quick and inexpensive lunch.

Some friends of ours went instead to Von’s Grand City Café, just a few blocks from the market on Pine Street where the meal was fine but they reported back that this was the first time they had encountered canned champagne. They ordered a split of champagne and the can that was delivered to their table had a straw attached – which our friends said reminded them of the fruit drink boxes they get for their kids. Of course that’s what visiting the “Big City” is all about – experiencing new things.

A few blocks from the market is Westlake Center, a modern, multi-story shopping center with upscale stores and – because of its location near Macy’s and Nordstrom — the epicenter of retail activity downtown. It’s here that, for just $2 each way, you can hop on board the Monorail – originally built for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair – and zip over to Seattle Center where their Winterfest celebration has continual holiday entertainment and one of the coolest model railroads and miniature Christmas towns your kids will ever see.

Soon it was time to head back to the Edgewater, where we watched the fog roll in and marveled at how the few sailboats that were out on this wintery day were able to dodge the Washington State ferries. Thank goodness for foghorns and radar, we would guess. Just a few minutes walk from the Edgewater is the Spaghetti Factory, where we enjoyed a tasty but inexpensive dinner.

The night was restful and, when the sun came up the next day, the skies were blue and the views from our room were like a picture postcard. No need to lose that view while having breakfast — downstairs at the Edgewater we stopped in for a hearty meal with the best views in town at the hotel’s award-winning Six Seven restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised at the reasonable prices, given the restaurant’s prime location and upscale reputation.

More downtown exploration was on tap for our second day, with no shortage of merchandise available at unusually good prices. Soon it was time to go home, but it wasn’t like a trip home from the mall in which you’re exhausted and swear never to go shopping with the multitudes again. Yes, we’d accomplished our Christmas shopping all right — but we also felt invigorated by an unforgettable holiday trip to Seattle’s Winter Wonderland.

For more information on Seattle, go to www.visitseattle.org or phone 206-461-5840. For more information on the Edgewater Hotel, please visit www.edgewaterhotel.com or phone 1-800-624-0670.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/christmas-is-special-time-to-enjoy-seattle-attractions-672499.html

About the Author:

Cary Ordway is a syndicated travel writer and president of Getaway Media Corp, publisher of www.californiaweekend.com, a site focusing on California travel, and www.northwesttraveladvisor.com, which features Pacific Northwest travel

Catch the last of the vibrant Fall Colors by using your Road Trip Planner to create a Romantic Wine & Dine Weekend Getaway. A 3-Day Weekend of wining and dining, of walking through vineyards or sun-dappled trails and getting a breath of fresh Fall air will breathe romance into your life and relaxation into your veins.

The TOP WINE PRODUCING STATES in the U.S. are: California, Washington, New York, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina. But WINE IS PRODUCED IN EVERY STATE so you can easily build a road trip within driving distance of your home or via a short flight.

To get your road trip planning started, below are some Wine & Dine Weekend Getaways to consider, including some of the top-rated vineyards in the country as well as those wineries offering visitors a beautiful setting and a fun experience.

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA: Halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo County produces excellent Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. The Cottage Inn by the Sea at Pismo Beach overlooks the Pacific Ocean. You can venture to the region?s wineries on your own or take their Coastal Wine Tour, which includes the popular Edna Valley Vineyard. TOP RESTAURANT in the area: F. McLintocks Saloon & Dining House.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: A verdant valley, and a lovely place for a road trip, includes Napa, Sonoma, and Healdsburg. Here you can find the Monte Rosso Vineyard, one of California’s oldest vineyards. Known for its firm Cabernet Sauvignons as well as intense, old-vine Zinfandels. TOP WINES from this area: 2002 Ravenswood Monte Rosso Zinfandel; 2003 Rochioli Estate Grown Pinot Noir from the The Rochioli vineyard in Healdsburg.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: Add Santa Barbara to your road trip planner because it offers you the Pacific Ocean on one front, the Santa Ynez Mountains at your back, and in between, prime wine country. The Hotel Mar Monte, a historic hotel built in the tradition of Spanish Colonial architecture, offers a package tour to 3 wineries or you can explore on your own. Or choose staying at the Estero Beach Hotel Resort in San Ysidro, nearly at the Mexican border. Nearly two dozen wineries can be found in the Mexico Guadalupe Valley. BONUS ACTIVITY: Try a bike tour to a winery or a horseback-riding adventure to the Adobe Guadalupe Vineyard.

TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN: In the nation’s fourth-largest grape-growing state, the Chateau Grand Traverse winery overlooks the Grand Traverse Bay. You can sample their award-winning varietals, including their Rieslings. BONUS DESTINATION: Nearby, you?ll find the Old Mission Peninsula, which leads you into 7 wineries like the Chateau Chantal, Bowers Harbor Vineyards, Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery and Peninsula Cellars.

LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK: For some hands-on fun, sign up for Wine Camp at Long Island’s renowned wine-producing North Fork region. Wine Camp’s packages vary as do the participating vineyards but you?ll enjoy activities like winemaking, tasting techniques, food pairings, and wine blending. The price includes lodging, some lunches & dinners… and a case of wine!

WILLAMETTE VALLEY, OREGON: To see a 6-generation family-owned establishment, enjoy a trip to Willamette Farms in Newberg. For a more drama-infused history, check out what used to be called Seven Springs Vineyard. The grapes from this vineyard were sought after by many top wine producers in the world. Then it was cut in half after a legal settlement in 2001, only to be reunited six years later with an exclusive, fifteen-year lease to the Evening Land partnership. FINAL VINTAGE: The St. Innocent Seven Springs Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006.

TEXAS: What often springs to mind when people think of Texas are those BIG 10-gallon hats. And yes, Texas is getting BIGGER… in wine production. This Lone Star State boasts more than 110 bonded wineries and wine aficionados are noticing their award winning wines. The following three vineyards rise above the rest because they go the extra mile for their guests: Bella Vista Cellars, in Wimberly; Delaney Vineyards in Grapevine; Flat Creek Estate, west of Austin. Any of the 3 would make an excellent anchor in your road trip planning, whether you create 3 individual weekend getaways or a wine-themed week’s vacation. FUN FACT: A ten-gallon hat actually only holds ¾ gallon. Its name was derived from the Spanish galón word meaning braid.

OAK GROVE, VIRGINIA: One place I’d recommend adding to your road trip planner is Ingleside Winery, one of the oldest and largest wineries in Virginia. This winery was built in 1834 and the vineyards cover about 70 acres. Their wines have consistently earned top honors in state, national, and international wine competitions. BONUS LODGING: Ingleside Vineyards has two 2-bedroom rental cottages set within the vineyards and also a stunning four-bedroom Leeds Cove retreat, which overlooks the Rappahannock River.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: You can secure a great wine package when you add the Hotel Vintage Park to your road trip planner. Enjoy wine tasting at Pike Place Market’s tasting room, and an evening wine hour in the hotel’s lobby. Or check out Seven Hills Vineyard in Walla Walla Valley. Seven Hills Vineyard is now one of Washington’s best known vineyards.

Getting away for an extended weekend, indulging in respected wines and eclectic dishes, enjoying the view from your hotel window…yes, these are the things that await the Road Trip Planner who heads for wine country.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/romantic-wine-dine-weekend-getaways-during-the-fall-613663.html

About the Author:

To plan your next road trip, please use the Tripwiser ultimate road trip planner, which leverages the collective wisdom of thousands of users worldwide, and makes road trip planning interactive and fun. Check out our Road Tripper Blog for more great places to explore.

If you’re going to Seattle for the first time, or if you don’t know the city that well, I’d recommend taking a tour. I’ve been to Seattle many, many times and I still enjoy the tours. For you sports fans, I’ll be talking about one awesome tour in a moment. Whether you’re alone, with a loved one or the family, Seattle offers great tours to suit your situation.

Family Fun Tour

While this first tour is fun for anyone, it’s especially fun for families. You can tour Seattle by land and sea in a cool amphibious Word War II vehicle with Ride the Ducks of Seattle.

You’ll start out on land, hitting downtown Seattle, and wrap things up by venturing into Lake Union to look at famous houseboats and more.

Aviator’s Rejoice

Sure, you can tour Seattle by land and sea, but why not air? Olde Thyme Aviation offers a fantastic aerial tour. For starters, you’ll suit up in a leather jacket and goggles. The plane? How about a classic biplane?

The biplane is fully restored and ready to take you on the tour of your life. Enjoy the crisp, clean Seattle air as you look down on Seattle. The takeoff point is the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field.

Chinatown Delight

Even if you aren’t Asian, Chinatown is a fantastic, interesting place. Chinatown Discovery Tours allows you to customize a personal tour through this fascinating area.

As they say, you can “nibble your way through Chinatown.” You’ll be immersed in music, herbal medicine, acupuncture and shopping. This is one unique tour.

Sports Fan’s Tours

Okay sports fans here are the tours for you. While I can’t imagine anyone not being a Seattle Seahawks or Seattle Mariners fan, it’s okay if you’re not. Qwest Field, where the Hawks play, and Safeco Field, where the M’s play, offer special tours that you’ll love.

When a game is going on, you just head to your seat and that’s it. Now, you can take a complete Qwest Field tour that will guide you through the luxury suites, visitor’s clubhouse and even the field.

But, don’t stop there. Safeco Field is right next to Qwest Field. With this tour, you’ll visit the press box, luxury suites, visitor’s clubhouse and the field. You’ll also see the retractable roof-this thing is awesome.

Enjoy the Architecture

Finally, you can wrap up your Seattle stay by taking a tour from Seattle Architecture Tours.

As you might have guessed, this tour is all about the architecture of Seattle. Personally guided tours explore various buildings in Seattle, including the downtown buildings, skyscrapers, historic theaters, and more.

The tours change with the time of year and they are inexpensive. For instance, the Modern Skyscraper tour, which is about 2 hours in length, is only $15 – $17. There’s a $2 discount for early registration.

If you’re interested, I’d recommend checking out the Seattle Architecture Foundation’s Web site for complete details, so you can line up a tour or two with your visit.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/five-awesome-seattle-city-tours-440782.html

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