Everything is bigger in Texas, and barbeque is no exception. The unique and delicious style of Texas barbeque is exemplified throughout the Lone Star State, from Houston to Lexington. And with the unique style comes the best of the best – barbeque pits, joints and meat shops that will make your mouth water and your heart stop, leaving you begging for more. Just don’t be surprised when the restaurant doesn’t have frivolities like plates or cutlery – for barbeque is the sole king of these hallowed spots.

#1 Luling City Market

Houston, TX
http://www.lulingcitymarket.com/

Luling City Market was founded in 1981 in Houston in an attempt to bring the distinct Central Texas barbeque style to the city. All their meat is cooked over Post Oak wood in specially designed pits. Luling City Market’s attempt to bring real barbeque to the city didn’t just hit the mark, but surpassed it. They have a consistently succulent and distinct barbeque, and a delicious sauce to pair.

#2 Goode Company

Houston, TX
http://www.goodecompany.com/index.html

Goode Company has been offering some of the best mesquite smoked barbeque in the state for almost 30 years – and it shows. This successful little empire has become synonymous with ‘fall off the bone’ barbeque in Central Texas. When opening the joint, Jim Goode had to sleep outside with a shotgun in hand to protect the meat, the equipment, and himself – in that order.

#3 Snow’s BBQ

Lexington, TX
http://www.snowsbbq.com/

At Snow’s, good barbeque, good service, and friendly people have helped to keep the fire burning, maintaining a steady and consistent business for the last eight years. That is, until three years ago when “Texas Monthly” named Snow’s the best barbeque joint in the state. Since then, Snow’s has just been trying to keep up with the relentless pace that has put them in the spotlight. Ms. Tootsie Tomanetz, the pitboss at Snow’s, opens the place at 8 a.m. on Saturday, and serves until the barbeque runs out – usually around noon.

#4 Gatlin’s BBQ

Houston, TX
http://www.gatlinsbbq.com/

Gatlin’s has always said that love is their secret ingredient, but high quality product and a lifetime of barbeque knowledge can’t hurt either! A family-owned and -operated business; Gatlin’s fame lies in their ribs and brisket. And while the brisket is delicious, the ribs make this place worth visiting. Falling-off-the-bone tender, mouth-wateringly flavorful, and beautifully seasoned, these ribs define what Texas barbeque is all about!

#5 Smitty’s Market

Lockhart, TX
http://www.smittysmarket.com/index.html

A little Texas barbeque history, abbreviated… The Kreuz family made barbeque for 48 years at Kreuz Market, before selling the joint in 1948 to Edgar A. “Smitty” Schmidt. Smitty continued their legacy of delicious, superbly smoked barbeque that stands to this day. Although ownership has changed hands, the legacy of quality barbeque remains, with the new ownership making sure to adhere to both Smitty and the Kreuz family’s high standards.

#6 City Market

Luling, TX

Famous for their lack of knives or forks, these unnecessary utensils truly prove superfluous at this amazing barbeque spot in Luling. Prepare yourself for the more ‘old school’ barbeque experience here, and be sure to order the ribs and the sausage. This little barbeque spot far surpasses its reputation as one of the best joints in Texas. Just be sure to arrive well before their 6pm closing time, because they’ll close around you as you’re scarfing down delicious barbeque!

#7 Louie Mueller Barbecue

Taylor, TX
http://www.louiemuellerbarbecue.com/

Few Texas barbeque joints can boast being a James Beard award winner, and Louie Mueller Barbecue makes the list! Originally founded in 1949, this place has been putting out consistent quality for the last 60-plus years. Their beef brisket’s smoke ring will leave you wondering how they do it, and the flavor of all their meats shows why this place is one of the best!

#8 Meyer’s Elgin Smokehouse

Elgin, TX
http://cuetopiatexas.com/home.htm

Meyer’s Elgin Smokehouse makes delicious barbeque. One item stands head and shoulders above the rest, though – their sausage. The recipe has been passed generation to generation, and in 1949 R.G. Meyer was persuaded by his sausage fans to start Meyer’s Sausage Company. Since then, Meyer’s has gone on to produce all sorts of delicious and mouth watering barbeque; just be sure to try the sausage!

#9 Pierson & Company Bar-B-Que

Houston, TX

Owner Clarence Pierson will tell you he doesn’t have one secret to great barbeque – he has lots of them. Regardless of what secrets he may or may not have, one thing is for sure – he makes tender, delicious mesquite-smoked barbeque. Be sure to try the barbeque pork butt at Pierson’s – its one of the best items on the menu, and consistently delicious on its own or with sides.

#10 Cooper’s BBQ

Llano, TX
http://www.coopersbbq.com/

Things are done a bit differently at Cooper’s BBQ. They engage in (some say dangerously) direct-heat cooking methods… and they sauce. Now, don’t be afraid, these aren’t entirely bad things – if done right. And the Wootan family at Cooper’s certainly does things right. Their ‘cowboy style’ of cooking gives a profoundly fresh and juicy flavor to all of their meats, and their extra thick cuts ensure nothing is ever over-cooked. Just be sure to try their over-sized pork chops. You won’t regret it!

#11 Black’s BBQ

Lockhart, TX
http://www.blacksbbq.com/default.aspx

Few restaurants can boast about being the oldest family owned barbeque restaurant in Texas, in fact, only one can. At Black’s, the family has owned and operated Black’s since 1931. Not only are the ribs and the sausage to die for, but the pork loin has a smokiness and spice profile that will change the way you think of those stout little animals. The easiest way to find Black’s is to look for all of the oversized signs pointing the way.

#12 The Salt Lick

Driftwood, TX
http://www.saltlickbbq.com/index.html

Since 1967, The Salt Lick has been smoking their meats over an open pit, first searing the meat and then cooking it slowly over coals. With live oak wood fueling the fires, and Thurman Roberts started the joint with his grandmother’s principles of cooking in mind, and a delicious barbeque sauce applied four times throughout the cooking process. Just be sure to get the combination plate – you’ll want to try as many of their meats as you can…

Did we miss your favorite spot? Let us know about it in the comments below!

Author’s Note: In the original version of this post we had used some images from http://fcg-bbq.blogspot.com/ without permission. This was a mistake and it has been corrected. I’d also like to thank Daniel from Full Custom Gospel BBQ for pointing out that two of the restaurants we had on the list were closed, and they have been replaced in the list now with Black’s BBQ and The Salt Lick. This was somehow missed in our research.

Eileen Ogintz is a syndicated columnist and creator of www.takingthekids.com, a family travel source for tips on how to get the most fun out of your family vacations, as well as the most bang for your travel buck. Her Family Travel Guides are now available for Nook and Kindle for as little as .99 cents per destination.

More than 30 recruits stand at attention, arms at the ready.

“They may be young, but they are brave,” observes the sergeant training them.

Very young — some not even in kindergarten yet, some who don’t know their right from their left when the sergeant commands them to turn.

“Hip, Hip Huzzah!” the crowd cheers as the group is inducted into the Continental Army.

That’s right. The Continental Army. Here in the heart of historic Philadelphia on a steamy summer day, we’ve time traveled back to the heady days of the American Revolution, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, and the making of Betsy Ross’ famous flag sewn at the request of General George Washington — all right where it all happened — thanks to 30 terrific costumed “History Makers,” as well as 40 first-rate storytellers from the nonprofit Historic Philadelphia organization, stationed at 13 “Once Upon a Nation” benches throughout what’s called America’s Most Historic Square Mile, all working hard to make American history much more than a bunch of dates to visitors — whatever their ages.

“Who is brave enough to join our fight?” “Major David Salisbury Franks” bellows at the growing crowd in Signer’s Garden — much as we imagine he really did when General Washington was badly in need of more recruits — before they are marched to a nearby grassy area to “train” with wooden muskets.

“This does make history fun,” offered 10-year-old Caitlan Tsarouh, visiting from Oregon with her grandparents and cousin, also an eager recruit.

“A great way for them to remember history,” adds Gail Brown, visiting from Georgia, whose son and daughter are among the army recruits, while their younger brother watches. “This makes for good memories.”

That’s the idea, of course. And it’s all free all summer long — which isn’t the case when visiting some of the country’s other stellar living-history museums like Mystic Seaport in Connecticut, Connor Prairie in Indiana and Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia.

Betsy Ross House

And this summer, as the nation commemorates the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, there are also Civil War-era stories (hear the tale of Henry “Box” Brown who escaped to freedom in 1849 by mailing himself to Philadelphia in a wooden crate), Civil War-era history makers (among them 19th-century civil rights leader Octavius Catto, killed the day he cast his first ballot) and special exhibits like “Rally ‘Round the Flag” about the Civil War color bearers and the flags they carried at the Betsy Ross House.

You will also find free programs outside the city, too, at Valley Forge, the site of George Washington’s brutal winter encampment, as well as in Philadelphia’s historic area, where you may have the chance to meet and greet history makers Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, George and Martha Washington and other luminaries from their era who might not be as well remembered, including John Dunlap, who printed the first broadside of the Declaration of Independence, which was used when it was first read aloud to the public, and Rebecca Franks, a loyalist (a third of Philadelphians were loyalists) who later married a British officer and moved to England.

The Liberty Bell

Independence National Historical Park, where you’ll find more storytellers and history makers, is, of course, where you’ll see the Liberty Bell (there was a line out the door the day I visited recently), the President’s House Site, where George Washington and John Adams lived and worked, Declaration House, where Thomas Jefferson crafted the Declaration of Independence, and more. (You can get advance online tickets for $1.50 for Independence Hall.)

Stop in at the Visitor Center and pick up a Junior Ranger Activity Book for the kids to use as you tour the sites. You might meet a colonist who can show you how to make rope or play an 18th-century instrument. Get a flag from one of the storytellers and add a star to the circle of 13 stars for each site you visit. (Kids get a free ice cream when they’ve gotten all 13 stars on their flag.)

Take time for a short film told from a kid’s perspective on whether they wanted to remain loyal, rebel against the king of England or just weren’t sure (a third of Philadelphians were undecided). Check out Ben Franklin in 3-D during the 15-minute “Liberty 360” show at the Historic Philadelphia Center. It just opened last fall.

The kids will lead you from storyteller to storyteller because this outstanding crew — actors, teachers and even opera singers — don’t just tell stories, they perform as if on stage, even belting out songs. We hear how the bald eagle, and not the turkey, came to be the national bird and how some Continental soldiers thought they were about to confront a ghost, only to discover it was a white horse that had somehow wandered inside and up the stairs of their barracks. In Elfreth’s Alley — America’s oldest street in continuous use — kids discover that the very first Fourth of July celebration was held in Philadelphia in 1777.

The littlest history buffs — or those you’d like to become history buffs — can sign on for the special “Valley Forge Secrets & Spies Tour,” where General Washington enlists children to join his American Spy network to uncover traitors, learning 18th-century spy techniques in the process (yes, they did use invisible ink). While in Philadelphia, join the Colonial Kids Quest, in which kids must help find the missing Declaration of Independence with a dog by the name of Freedom. (There is also an adult-oriented evening dinner program, complete with the chance to eavesdrop on the Founding Fathers in Independence Hall.) The extra fee seems well worth it.

When you need a break, head over to Franklin Square for a burger and shake at Square Burger, ride a carousel (did you know Philadelphia was the center of the carousel industry?) or play a round of mini-golf amid mini Philadelphia icons.

Don’t try to see everything in one day either — not when Philadelphia hotels offer so many great overnight hotel packages, many including parking (which otherwise could cost up to $75), as well as complimentary attraction admission and free breakfast.

There’s just so much history a kid — or a grown-up — can take at one time, after all.

© 2011 EILEEN OGINTZ, DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Hollywood abounds with sightseeing tours that give you an insider’s view of the entertainment capital of the world. Red Line Tours takes you behind the scenes of many notable Hollywood landmarks. And Starline Tours lets you catch rare glimpses of your favorite box-office icons, as well as their Beverly Hills “home sweet homes.” Now a handful of Tinseltown tours get you even closer to your favorite stars. There’s just one catch: these tours zoom in on those not-so-living legends that have already passed on to the “big movie screen in the sky.”

You can now visit the sights where Hollywood’s best and brightest gasped their final words, as well as those places we might fondly refer to as their “forever homes.” It can seem strange to visit a celebrity-filled cemetery, but these tours will guarantee you’ll get close to the world’s biggest stars. Just don’t expect any autographs. Really.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery
One of the most popular places to catch up with celebrities, both living and otherwise, in Los Angeles is on Santa Monica Boulevard. The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is the final resting place for one of the biggest stars of all time — silent movie heartthrob Rudolph Valentino — as well as beloved “Golden Girl” star Estelle Getty and midnight movie scream queen Vampira. Daily walking tours of the cemetery take about two hours and start at $15 and can be scheduled at www.cemeterytour.com. And, during the summer, films are screened on the cemetery wall, with a DJ spinning tunes before and after the movie. Upcoming Cinespia features include “Annie Hall” and “Evil Dead 2.” A $10 donation allows guests to reserve plots… um… spots for lawn chairs and blankets. Don’t forget your drinks, picnic dinner and popcorn to make this unique graveside cinematic experience complete.

The Hotel Roosevelt, said to be haunted by Marilyn Monroe, among others.

The Haunted Hollywood Tour
What trip to Hollywood is complete without a little action? The spooky StarLine Tours Haunted Hollywood Tour gives its guests a peek at the more paranormal aspects of America’s entertainment capital and its happening after-life. Visit supposedly haunted haunts like The Hotel Roosevelt as well as the exact location where Marilyn Monroe left her mortal coil. This is the only tour that goes out at night (from 7-9 p.m.) to some of the most notorious sites in history, including the O.J. Simpson crime scene and the Tate Mansion, site of the gruesome Manson family murders. It’s all very “CSI Hollywood” style.

Dearly Departed Hollywood Tragical History Tour
As much as we are obsessed with how movies stars live, we seem to be just as obsessed with how they die. Dearly Departed Hollywood’s Tragical History Tour takes you to the spaces and places where the likes of River Phoenix, Bela Lugosi and Michael Jackson spent the last few remaining moments of their lives. Beyond last-breath stops, this tour also visits Hollywood’s more notable naughty hot spots (including the infamous restroom where George Michael got in a wee bit of trouble), making this an adult-only tour not recommended for young children. With approximately 100 locations on the tour, this daily trip takes about 2.5 hours. For complete tour and ticket information click here.

After the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (aka Will and Kate) announced their plans to visit to the Golden State this July, the California Travel and Tourism Commission declared the summer of 2011 to be “The Royal Summer.”

To give your California visit a dash of royal cachet and enjoy major savings, check out CityPASS’s California ticket collections:

Southern California CityPASS: Princesses, Porpoises, and King Kong
Southern California CityPASS packs the crown jewels of the Golden State’s theme parks into one deeply discounted entrance pass. The pass includes a Disneyland Resort 3-Day Park Hopper Bonus Ticket (entrance to both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park), as well as one-day admissions to SeaWorld San Diego, Universal Studios Hollywood, and either the San Diego Zoo or the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Home to myriad princesses — Sleeping Beauty, Tiana, Cinderella, Snow White, Jasmine and more — Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park are well versed in all things royal. The latest princess to be granted her own attraction is Ariel, whose signature ride (The Little Mermaid — Ariel’s Undersea Adventure) debuted this summer. Nearby, Universal Studios Hollywood continues to celebrate last summer’s opening of King Kong 360 3-D, a multi-sensory experience that thrills riders with mind-blowing 3-D film footage and cutting-edge special effects. Also new in 2011 is SeaWorld San Diego’s killer whale show One Ocean, a magnificent tribute to the sea’s most regal residents.

Southern California CityPASS is valid for 14 days, starting with the first day of use. Passes can be purchased online at www.citypass.com/southern-california or at any of the participating attractions.

Adults $276 (save $132)
Children, 3-9, $229 (save $135)

Hollywood CityPASS: A Royal Pass to the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood CityPASS packs Tinseltown’s marquee attractions into one easy-to-use pass that offers line-skipping royal cachet and prepaid admission to Red Line’s “Hollywood Behind-the-Scenes” Tour, a guided excursion to famous film locations, classic movie palaces, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and more; a Starline Movie Stars’ Homes Tour; Madame Tussauds Hollywood; and a choice of either the Kodak Theatre (home of the Oscars) Guided Tour or The Hollywood Museum.

Like the city itself, Hollywood CityPASS invites visitors to dive in and indulge their every starstruck fantasy: scour the Hollywood Walk of Fame for remembrances of their favorite entertainers; fit their hands inside the prints left by Hollywood royalty outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre; or pop into Madame Tussauds to pose for photos with the “King of Pop” (Michael Jackson), or Lady Gaga (a new figure unveiled in December 2010).

Hollywood CityPASS is valid for nine days, starting with the first day of use. Passes can be purchased online at www.citypass.com/hollywood or at any of the participating attractions.

Adults $59 (save $49)
Children, 3-11, $39 (save $38)

San Francisco CityPASS: A Royal Summons to the City by the Bay
San Francisco CityPASS transforms ordinary visitors into kings and queens who enjoy line-skipping VIP access to the city’s top attractions and unlimited cable car access. Included with each CityPASS is a 7-Day Muni & Cable Car Transportation Passport, allowing unlimited rides on all Muni cable cars, buses and streetcars; as well as prepaid admission to the California Academy of Sciences, Blue & Gold Fleet Bay Cruises, Aquarium of the Bay, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and a choice between either the Exploratorium or the de Young and Legion of Honor Fine Arts Museums.

The national media recently crowned San Francisco with a bevy of honors and accolades. In fact, according to a 2011 U.S. News & World Report article, San Francisco is both America’s top summer destination and one of the top five vacation spots in the world. And, with CityPASS in hand, visitors can see the best this magnificent city has to offer without paying a king’s ransom.

San Francisco CityPASS is valid for nine days, starting with the first day of use. Passes can be purchased online at www.citypass.com/san-francisco or at any of the participating attractions.

Adults $69 (save $60)
Children, 5-12, $39 (save $40)

When you travel with children, it’s useful to have a place to relax, kick off your shoes, and grab refreshments, if necessary. Bonus points are awarded for guaranteed kid-pleasing activities and proximity to sightseeing draws.

In Atlanta, Centennial Olympic Park is just such an oasis.

Occupying 21 acres (8.5 hectares), the park was originally designed to revitalize a less-than-desirable section of Atlanta’s downtown and be a gathering place for the 1996 Olympic Games. Once the games were over, the park was redesigned and re-introduced in 1998 as a beckoning destination for residents and tourists alike.

During a springtime visit to Atlanta, my family and I found ourselves in the park on multiple occasions: the start of our day, when we strolled through from a cheap parking lot (on the southern edge) toward our destination; the middle of our day, when we craved food that wasn’t typical museum fare; and the end of the day, when we needed to play while waiting for rush-hour traffic to clear.

With the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola at the northern edge of the park, CNN Center (and the Inside CNN Studio Tour) at the southwestern corner, and Peachtree Center a few blocks to the east, the park is well-situated for multiple activities. Additionally, restaurants to suit various palates and pocketbooks surround the park – everything from upscale seafood and steaks (McCormick & Schmick’s and Ruth’s Chris Steak House) to sub shops, Mexican, and all the fast food you could want in the CNN Center.

Plus, the park itself has a powerful draw for kids in the Fountain of Rings, a pop-up water feature in the shape of the intertwined Olympic rings (with another eatery only steps away). Somehow, in planning our trip, I had overlooked this gem. Imagine our surprise and delight when we stumbled upon one of the fountain’s four daily shows, where the water spouts in time with music. Watching gave my sons a chance to drip dry before we headed to our friends’ house for the night.

If you don’t want the water, just keep the kids at the north edge of the park, where a modern playground (with padded surface) invites gross motor play while the adults watch from benches ringing the perimeter. It’s even better with homemade ice cream from a nearby shop on Luckie Street.

For us, Centennial Olympic Park was a real surprise – one of those happy accidents that make travel worthwhile.

Disneyland first opened it’s doors on July 17, 1955. Since then it has continued to grow, and millions have come to discover the “happiest place on Earth” and all it has to offer. The graphic below will take you through the events of Disneyland’s grand opening all the way up to events as recent as the reopening of Star Tours in 2011.

Share some of your favorite Disneyland memories in the comments below!

[Click to Enlarge]

<a href=”http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/26262839/0/citypassblog~History-of-the-Magic-of-Disneyland/”><img src=”http://www.citypass.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/TheMagicOfDisneyland-sm.jpg” alt=”The Magic of Disneyland” width=”600″ height=”981″ /></a>

The Magic of Disneyland

1955

July 17 – Grand Opening (by invitation only)

Opening Sunday quickly earns the nickname of “Black Sunday” as the young park is burdened by an overabundance of “uninvited” guests, attractions break down, traffic backs up seven miles on the Santa Ana Freeway, a gas leak occurs in Fantasyland, restaurants run out of food, the freshly poured asphalt on Main Street is so soft that it steals the high-heeled shoes off many a female guest and paint is still drying in many parts of Tomorrowland.

The grand opening is televised as a “live” 90-minute broadcast on ABC television. The festivities are hosted by TV personalities Art Linkletter, Bob Cummings and pre-presidential Ronald Reagan and, of course, Walt Disney. Covered by 24 cameras (3 was the norm), the show is TV’s most elaborate live broadcast to date viewed by an estimated 90 million viewers.

July 18 – Official Opening Day

General Admission is $1.00 (75 cents for juniors, 50 cents for children). Cost of individual attraction tickets range from 10 cents to 35 cents. There were 18 ticketed adventures and 5 free attractions/exhibits in 4 themed “lands” and on Main Street U.S.A.

1956

August 24

Main Street Omnibus #1 begins servicing Main Street, U.S.A.

August 25

Grand Opening of the Disneyland Hotel. The Disneyland Monorail track is later expanded to transport guests to and from the hotel.

1957

The spectacular Fantasy in the Sky fireworks display is introduced, a summertime tradition for nearly 45 years.

Dec. 31

The Park welcomes its 10 millionth guest, a 5-year-old girl.

The first annual New Year’s Eve Party has 7,500 guests. Today the annual celebration is one of the most popular events at Disneyland.

1958

June 14

Columbia Sailing Ship (an authentic replica of the first American vessel to sail around the world) premieres on the Rivers of America in Frontierland.

March 31

The Grand Canyon Diorama opens along the lines of the Disneyland Railroad (it is the longest diorama in the world, circa 1958).

1959

The famous “E” ticket is introduced, entitling admission to of the Park’s most Exciting and Elaborate attractions (such as the Matterhorn Bobsleds and Submarine Voyage)

June 14

Submarine Voyage officially dedicated by Walt Disney and US Navy officials.

Matterhorn Bobsleds opens in Fantasyland and is officiated by Walt Disney and the Los Angeles-based Swiss Consul General.

1960

July 18

Disneyland celebrates its 5^th Birthday with a 5-foot-tall birthday cake.

1961

June 15

Beginning a high school tradition the first all-night Grad Nite Party attracts 8,500 grads making it the biggest high school graduation party ever held in the U.S.

Tinker Bell begins flights from the peak of the Matterhorn and across the sky high above Sleeping Beauty Castle, setting off the summertime firework spectacular “Fantasy in the Sky.”

1962

Mickey Mouse begins serving as a drum major for the Disneyland Band in its parades down Main Street, U.S.A.

On September 23, The Golden Horseshoe Revue celebrates its 10,000th performance.

1963

June 23 The landmark Disney theme park attraction Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room opens in Adventureland.

1964

Walt Disney hosts all of the Olympic teams, more than 400 athletes, on their way to the Summer Olympics in Japan with a day at the Park. Comedian Bob Hope and Walt lead a cast of Hollywood starts who entertain the Olympians in a show on the banks of the Rivers of America in Frontierland.

1965

July 18 – Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln opens. The Audio-Animatronics figure of Abraham Lincoln is so life-like that some guests ask to go backstage to get the “actor’s” autograph.

1966

July 24 – New Orleans Square, Disneyland’s first new land since Opening Day, opens in a colorful mid-summer dedication. It is one of Walt Disney’s last official ceremonial acts before his untimely death in December.

1967

March 18

Pirates of the Caribbean, the first Disneyland mega-scale indoor ride-through adventure, opens in New Orleans Square. Today the attraction is considered by many to be the quintessential Disney theme park attraction.

July 18

1,500 celebrities and guests attend the dedication of an all-new Tomorrowland, revamped at a cost of $23 million

1969

August 9

Haunted Mansion opens after 15 years of planning, largest marketing campaign to date in support of the grand opening

1971

Oct. 1

Walt Disney World Resort in Florida opens. Disneyland welcomes Miss Valerie Suldo, its 100 millionth guest.

1972

June 17

The beloved Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade premieres

1975

March 21

Mission to Mars opens in Tomorrowland and is an updated version of Flight to the Moon, since man had already reached the moon in real life.

1976

June 22

Elsie Mae Houck of Tulare, California becomes the 150 millionth guest

1977

May 27

At the opening ceremonies of Space Mountain, Disneyland honors America’s first men in space as special guests. The attraction cost $20 million and is 188 feet tall and 200-feet wide.

1979

July 4

The Park welcomes its first-ever birth at “The Happiest Place on Earth” on a busy day near Main Street U.S.A. Mickey Mouse later presents little Teresa with “Disneyland Birth Certificate No. 1” recognizing the unprecedented event.

September 2

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opens in Frontierland.

1981

Jan. 8

Just missing the 25^th anniversary year by eight days, the 200 millionth Disneyland guest to visit during its quarter-century. The guest is greeted by Disney characters at the park’s main entrance.

1982

May

Former President Jimmy Carter became the first U.S. President to take a “running tour” of the Park when he jogged through the Magic Kingdom prior to the public opening time.

July

The Disneyland ticket book, with its famous A, B, C, D and E ticket coupons, is officially retired.

1983

April 15

Tokyo Disneyland in Japan officially opens.

1985

Aug 4

Disneyland welcomes the 250 millionth guest. He and his parents are presented with a new Cadillac, a trip to Tokyo Disneyland, Lifetime Passports to Disneyland and Walt Disney Resort and many other gifts.

1986

Sept. 12

Captain EO, a 3-D film sensation opened in the Magic Eye Theater starring Michael Jackson as a singing, dancing intergalactic hero with many new in-theater special effects – produced by George Lucas and directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

1987

January 12

Star Tours premieres in Tomorrowland, the first attraction collaboration between Disney and Lucasfilm, Ltd.

July

The Disney Gallery opens above Pirates of the Caribbean in New Orleans Square. Originally meant to serve as a private apartment for Walt Disney and his family, The Disney Gallery displays original designs, sketches and models illustrating the evolution of the Park.

May 5

Disney Dollars are unveiled. Mickey Mouse appeared on the $1 bill and Goofy on the $5 bill. A $10 bill featuring Minnie Mouse is added on Nov. 20, 1989.

1988

Mickey’s 60^th birthday is celebrated during the summer with a parade and birthday bash in the Plaza Hub

Critter Country is named and is Disneyland Park’s newest “land.”

1989

July 17

Splash Mountain, the most elaborate flume attraction in the world, opens to guests. The new attraction features a five-story drop at a 45-degree angle.

September 1

Disneyland Park welcomes its 300 millionth guest, Claudine Masson of Chateauroux, France.

1990

January

Disney Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner and Disney President Frank Wells and Roy E. Disney, Disney Vice Chairman were joined by Disneyland Opening Day Alumni former President Ronald Reagan and TV personalities Art Linkletter and Bob Cummings in a rededication ceremony.

1992

Feb. 27

Fantasmic! opens to rave reviews in Frontierland. The entertainment spectacular through Mickey Mouse’s vivid imagination comes to life with pyrotechnics, live performances, enormous set pieces, fountains and projected mist screens.

April 12

Disneyland Paris in France officially opens.

1993

Jan. 26

Mickey’s Toontown, the largest “land” in more than 20 years, is given an official premiere with Eisner and Roy E. Disney as they unveil the “home” of Mickey Mouse and all the favorite characters.

1994

Nov. 9

The Park bid goodbye to one its most beloved attractions when Skyway closed after 38 years of carrying guests high above Fantasyland and Tomorrowland

1995

March 26

8,000 runners from around the globe turn out for the first-ever Disneyland Marathon and 5k. The races award $50,000 in cash to the top finishers and to 10 Orange County charities.

March

The Indiana Jones Adventure is unveiled during a star-studded opening gala.

1997

March 7

Pirates of the Caribbean, in celebration of its 30^th anniversary, is reopened after an extensive refurbishment.

Dec. 31

July 5

Disneyland Park welcomes its 400 millionth guest, Minnie Pepito of Concord, California.

November 27

it’s a small world Holiday premieres as an all-new winter holiday-theme overlay to the classic Disneyland attraction, it’s a small world. It remains a staple of the Disneyland Resort holiday lineup.

1998

Tomorrowland completes a two-year re-building program that includes such new adventures as Innoventions and Astro Orbitor.

1999

Disney FASTPASS Service is introduced, providing a time-saving virtual queuing program that uses computers to issue advance reservations for popular attractions.

Disneyland Hotel undergoes major changes to make way for a new Monorail station and the new Downtown Disney District.

2000

Mickey & Friends, a multi-story parking structure, is completed near West Street and Ball Road. It is one of the largest parking structures in the world.

The Disneyland Pacific Hotel is renamed Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.

2001

Grand opening of Disney California Adventure Park,  Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and the Downtown Disney District. The new theme park is home to such attractions as Soarin’ Over California, a multi-sensory experience that becomes an instant hit.

2002

A Bug’s Land opens in Disney California Adventure park, drawing inspiration from the Walt Disney Pictures presentation of a Pixar Animation Studios film “A Bug’s Life.” The new land is designed especially for kids.

2003

June 28

The world premiere of the hit Disney live-action film Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl takes place. The event features the world’s longest red carpet and features appearance by the films stars Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley and producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

2004

Jan. 8

The Disneyland Resort officially welcomes its 500 millionth guest

Feb.13

May 4

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™, a hair-raising new thrill attraction, opens in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot of Disney California Adventure park.

2005

May 5

This date marks the launch of the Happiest Celebration on earth as all 11 Disney theme parks around the world join together for the first time ever in one glorious celebration, each premiering new spectacular entertainment and iconic adventures and attractions in honor of the 50^th anniversary of the original Disney theme park – Disneyland.

2007

June 10

The classic Submarine Voyage attraction at Disneyland is reimagined as Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, inspired by the classic Disney-Pixar animated film.

October 17

A major expansion of Disney California Adventure park is announced, with plans to culminate in the 2012 opening of the Cars Land, inspired by the Disney-Pixar film.

2008

June 17

Toy Story Mania! opens at Disney California Adventure park, bringing guests virtual ride-through midway games paired with their favorite Toy Story characters.

2010

June 10

World of Color, a technically cutting edge nighttime water spectacular, premieres at Disney California Adventure park. The show combines nearly 1,200 colorful fountains with over 100,000 digital images of Disney and Disney-Pixar animation projected on a water screen the size of a football field. In less than a year, over 3 million guests enjoy the show.

2011

June 3

The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Disney’s first-ever Little Mermaid attraction inspired by the classic Disney film , premieres at Disney California Adventure park.

Disneyland Park’s classic Star Tours attraction reopens as Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, featuring 54 various odysseys into the Star Wars galaxy, each in 3-D.

It has been said that many people spend more time planning their vacations than practically any other aspect of their lives. With today’s economic conditions, the need to fully develop a plan of attack for one’s next getaway seems perfectly reasonable.

For those interested in visiting the Big Apple, taking the time to understand the breadth and depth of choices available should ensure maximum effectiveness when it comes to getting the most of one’s vacation time and dollar.

The following list has brief descriptions of ten options one might choose from when visiting NYC. Realize there are tens of thousands of options and with a bit more in- depth research, a more fine-tuned, focused itinerary could be had to provide the perfect trip guaranteed to generate a lifetime of fond memories.

10 Interesting Things To Do In New York

• Madison Square Garden: From 1879, when the first MSG opened doors for a public event, to last year when the company went public, the Garden has been providing quality entertainment for all ages and every generation. There’s sure to be an event to your liking when you visit the city.
• NBC Studio Tour: Most folks think of NBC as a television network; however the National Broadcasting Company was in the radio business in NYC long before TV became a reality. Their studio tours have been in continuous operation since 1933. With a tour starting every 15 minutes and most lasting no longer than one hour, there is a good time waiting to be had by everyone.
• United Nations Tour: Even though there are times when the UN tours are momentarily cancelled due to security or high level meetings, taking the time to learn more about this amazing international collaboration is a great learning experience for people of all ages.
• Empire State Building: For the bravest, the 102nd floor observatory is practically at the top of the world in NYC. Those a little faint of heart should have no problem enjoying the views from the 86th floor. Either way, the views and experiences of the Empire State Building is an absolute must-do experience when visiting Manhattan.
• Ellis Island / Statue of Liberty: Originally the first stop for all incoming alien visitors hoping to relocate to New York and America, Ellis Island is a rich center of history and the gateway to visiting tours of the Statue of Liberty.
• Central Park Zoo: Seals, penguins and sea lions? In New York’s Central Park? Yes, the Central Park Zoo has all that and much more. Make sure to get to the zoo early to enjoy the bird photo safari, for pictures and memories that will last a lifetime.
• New York Harbor Cruises: Choose from a lazy afternoon cruise down one of the rivers on either side of Manhattan with amazing views of the skyline, or rev up the motors of a speedboat. Either way, there are a number of fine water tour companies to choose from when considering the aquatic angles.
• Museum of Modern Art (MOMA): Into art and history at all? Be sure to schedule the maximum amount of time to spend at MoMA. Open daily from 10:30am to 5:30pm (except Tuesdays when they are closed) the museum has rotating and permanent installations on display.
• Radio City Music Hall: Whether taking in a production or enjoying a tour of RCMH’s features, spending time in this historic play house is sure to be a treat long remembered.
• Madame Tussaud’s New York: Unlike some wax museums, the visitors can get up close and personal with the celebrity likenesses at Madame Tussaud’s. Bring your digital camera and several extra storage cards to capture all those once in a lifetime pictures!

That’s a lot to see in one trip, and costs can add up quickly. Get a great deal on admission to several of these must-see attractions with New York CityPASS.

Using cable cars, guided boats, and good old-fashioned foot power, our family took in the city’s major sights in record time.

Two half days. That was all the time we had to explore San Francisco on our way to and from Yosemite National Park in May. Though my husband, Bob, and I had visited the city before, our kids—Amy 21, and Matt, 23—had never been. We were anxious to show them as much as possible in such limited time.

Our flight from New York touched down around 11 a.m., and we set off to conquer as many sights as we could. On our drive to the hotel, where we’d be spending the night before heading to Yosemite at the crack of dawn, we stopped for a quick lunch at the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market. (It’s only open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Don’t miss the carnitas and short rib tacos from the Tacolicious food cart.) Then we dropped off our luggage and rental car, and hopped on the Powell-Mason cable car, which conveniently stopped right outside our hotel.

Off to the Wharf. Though not the quickest ride in town, San Francisco’s historic cable cars are certainly the coolest way to tour the city and are an attraction in themselves. As ours lurched up and down the hills with bells clanging, we got fantastic views of the Bay, Victorian homes, the TransAmerica building and Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. I could have done without the added “thrill” of watching my son hang off the outside of the car, however. (I know he’s 23, but I’m still his mother, OK?) If family members insist on doing this, tell them to tuck in their tushes when other cable cars pass; they come really close!

We stayed on till the end of the line, and were deposited on Taylor Street, an easy 2-block walk from Fisherman’s Wharf. There, we gawked at the famously loud and comical sea lions on Pier 39, and Amy did some shopping at Lefty’s, where she discovered that Benjamin Franklin and Lewis Carroll were fellow southpaws. Next, we hightailed it over to the Blue and Gold Fleet kiosk, to catch one of their last boat tours of the day.

Exploring the Bay. The 1-hour narrated Bay Cruise Adventure took us under the Golden Gate Bridge and past foreboding Alcatraz federal penitentiary, where Al Capone did time. We learned about Angel Island (the Ellis Island of the West) and Telegraph Hill (once a Morse code signaling station). As we got another look at the sea lions on the way back to shore, we heard why they briefly disappeared from their hangout back in 2010.  Rumor has it they were vacationing in Oregon!

Back on land, we ducked into the Aquarium of the Bay to meet more of the creatures that live in the waters surrounding San Francisco—like Sevengill sharks, bat rays, and moon jellies. We were too late to watch any of the fish feedings. But our own hunger pangs led us back outside to Boudin at the Wharf for dinner—clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, the specialty of the house.

The beautiful row of "painted ladies" is representative of the colorful array of the traditional Victorian houses in San Francisco. SFCVB photo by Phillip H. Coblentz.

Zigzagging Our Way Back Downtown. By now it was around 8 p.m. Though we were starting to feel jetlagged, we still wanted to show the kids Lombard Street—touted as San Francisco’s crookedest. We planned to take the Powell-Hyde cable car there, but the line at the Ghirardelli Square station was theme park long. So we decided to walk up the most ginormous hill I’ve ever seen. (A less strenuous alternative would have been to walk back to Taylor, and up to Columbus, through the Little Italy area of North Beach, and then along Lombard.) I was shocked to discover, that despite my daily gym workouts, I couldn’t make the climb without heavy panting. (Not to self: ratchet up the incline on the elliptical when you get back to NY.)

As we trudged along, several cable cars passed us, and I recognized many tourists from the line. I guess it moves faster than I thought. But the trek was totally worth the effort. We watched cars zigzag down Lombard Street, and savored the skyline views as the sun set.  Since many tourists get off at this stop, we had no problem re-boarding a southbound cable car.  The city lights were just coming on, and we enjoyed a glittery ride back down to Union Square. Bob and I went straight to the hotel. Amy and Matt sat in a diner, plotting what to see after Yosemite.

San Francisco, Take 2. After a few days of hiking in Yosemite, we returned to the City by the Bay, and had about 6 final hours to tackle the kids’ wish list. With the CityPASS‘ unlimited access to municipal transportation, we were able to cover more than we’d ever imagined. We parked the car in a Union Square lot, and used a combination of walking and trolleys/busses to see:

• AT&T Park, home of baseball’s Giants. From the Union Square area, we walked over to 3^rd Street, following it about a mile east to the ballpark. (But we also could have taken the 30 bus, which brought us back to Union Square.)
• The Painted Ladies Victorian homes, or as Matt and Amy call them, The Danny Tanner houses from the sitcom Full House. Take the 21 bus from Union Square to Steiner & Hayes.
• Haight-Ashbury, hippie haven from the 1960s. From the Painted Ladies, walk south on Steiner, turn left on Haight, and catch the 71 bus, getting off at Haight & Masonic.
• Golden Gate Park, where you’ll find the California Academy of Sciences, and some really beautiful gardens. Get back on the 71 bus at Haight & Masonic, toward 48^th & Ortega, getting off at Lincoln Way & 9^th, and walk into Golden Gate Park. There’s also an ocean beach here (the park shuttle takes you there), but we had a plane to catch.  We took the 16X bus (which only runs during rush hour) from Lincoln Way & 9^th back to 4^th & Market, picked up our car, and headed to the airport to catch our redeye. There’s plenty more to see, but we’ll be back.

My niece Madison wanted to do something special to celebrate her 13th birthday … and brunch aboard a spaceship sounded like just the ticket.  The spaceship in question was SkyCity, the slowly revolving, UFO-shaped restaurant at the top of Seattle’s futuristic Space Needle.  Moving at an almost imperceptible .06 miles per hour, the restaurant provides diners with a progressive view that slowly slips from the mansions of Queen Anne Hill to downtown Seattle’s skyscrapers to the busy Elliott Bay waterfront … and then back again.

According to our server, it would take 47 minutes for our table to make a full 360-degree orbit.  Needless to say, the kids — my niece and her 10-year-old brother, Riley — immediately began timing our circuit.  Even more fun for the kids, however, was the fact that notes from other diners began arriving courtesy of the window ledge.  (Although the restaurant revolves, the windows and sills don’t, so be careful not to set your cell phone or wallet on them while you dine.)

Lunar Orbiter Dessert

The first note was from Adrian, who hailed from British Columbia, and who asked other diners where they lived.  We jotted down our first names and hometown and then placed the note back on the window ledge, where it slowly slid out of sight.  If Adrian was lucky, his note would return in 47 minutes with hellos from dozens of other diners.  A terrific souvenir.  Adrian’s note was followed by similar missives from diners visiting from the U.K., New York and Idaho.  The kids had a ball reading the notes and adding comments to them.

Since brunch — which was incredibly tasty — was served at a relaxed pace, our table actually made two full revolutions during our meal. But we still made time to hang out for a while on the observation deck. And from there we spotted our next stop with the kids: Experience Music Project.