New York, New York: An Incentive Travel Featured Destination

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The “Big Apple” is one of the most populated and famous metropolitan areas in the United States. As the center focal point of this extensive region, it houses one of the largest harbors in the world and offers plenty of famous attractions.  New York, home to the United Nations Headquarters, has greatly impacted commerce, technology, entertainment, and education. While English is the main language of the densely populated area, approximately eight-hundred languages can be heard throughout New York City. It was originally a trading post area found in 1624; however, today the metropolis is a booming location consisting of a diverse culture and abundant opportunities.

The Empire State Building

This one-hundred two story skyscraper spans over fourteen hundred feet in height and is a notable piece of architecture throughout the world. The Empire State Building remained as the tallest building on the planet for almost forty-one years. It now ranks third in height among all skyscrapers within the United States. Seen as an icon of the American culture, the marvelous sight consists of Art Deco style architecture and was made a preserved historic landmark in 1986. It is an architectural wonder every visitor must see as they make their way to this exciting location.

Statue of Liberty

One of the most famous landmarks of New York City, the Statue of Liberty is a sculpture of neoclassical nature that can be found on Liberty Island as part of the harbor. It was given as a gift by the French in 1886 after Frederic Bartholdi completed the design. The robed figure was meant to represent the Roman goddess, Libertas, who stood for freedom. It is not only an iconic landmark to those living in the United States, but also a welcoming statue to those arriving from abroad to enjoy the freedom offered by America.

Times Square

This iconic visitor attraction of New York City is located in Midtown Manhattan at the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue. Stretching across five streets, this portion of the city is sometimes referred to as “The Crossroads of the World.” This section of the city is known as the Broadway theatre district and as one of the busiest intersections for pedestrians. The heavily visited tourist location is also an important contributor to the entertainment industry. Notable landmarks in this busy portion of the city include the TKTS booth, the Coca-Cola sign, Times Square Studios, MTV Studio, The Hard Rock Café, and Planet Hollywood.

Coney Island

Coney Island sits on a peninsula next to the Atlantic Ocean in the southern part of Brooklyn. It was originally a barrier island not connected to the main land; however, a land fill caused a partial connection to form. Coney Island is well known for its amusement parks, which were popular at the beginning of the twentieth century prior to World War II. New additions to the area include the MCU Park and a minor league baseball team. Visitors come to the island every year to have a day of fun at the amusement park and see the much depicted sight of the famous Wonder Wheel overlooking the ocean.

Vancouver, Canada: An Incentive Travel Featured Destination

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Vancouver, located in the western portion of Canada, is a large metropolitan area that delivers abundant sightseeing opportunities. This beautiful metropolis resides in the middle of the mountains and the ocean. It is not only a wondrous place to visit, but has also been said to be one of the best residential cities. Everything lying to the west of Ontario Street is referred to as the Westside. All parts of the metropolis residing on the east are part of the Eastside and those portions lying to the North make up the City Centre. Stanley Park, located in the West End of town, is a popular beach hangout with one of a kind dining. Visitors have the option of seeing Chinatown located in the more urban and cultural portion of Vancouver. False Creek, consisting of modern neighborhoods, offers stunning views and spectator sports events. The area provides varying scenery consisting of hills and flatlands with mountainous surroundings. Visitors coming to this location during the summer can expect moderate temperatures with plenty of sun. Snow fall occurs approximately eleven days throughout the winter with minimal amounts remaining on the ground.

Spend a Little Time Outdoors

A variety of tours are available to aid visitors in becoming familiar with this stunning metropolitan region. Tourists have the option to take part in a scheduled bus or walking tour to learn about Vancouver’s popular attractions. Outdoor events are prevalent among locals and it is not uncommon to see individuals walking, jogging, or biking through the area. Speedboat, rollerblade, and bike rentals are available in the downtown portion of the city. The beaches are another great choice for those who want to spend the day relaxing in the sun or playing in the sand. Hills found on the North Shore away from the metropolitan area of Vancouver provide a perfect skiing or snowboarding location. Hockey is an important sport in the winter months due to the Canucks season starting in October.  Soccer, roller derby, and baseball are additional past times in this region of Canada.

Abundant Opportunities for Fun

While the city is notorious for outdoor fun, it also supplies an array of alternative types of activities to visitors. Those wanting to have a more relaxing or cultural vacation have the opportunity to visit a theatre, see a concert, or attend one of many available festivals. The downtown area contains both an opera house and symphony venue that offer individuals the chance to catch a live performance. Those traveling in June can experience the yearly Dragon Boat Festival located in the False Creek part of town. Each neighborhood has its own line up of festivals with the most prominent including the HSB Celebration of Light and the International Film Festival. Travelers desiring to shop till they drop should spend some time on Robson Street exploring local boutiques. Pacific Centre is another great shopping location offering over one-hundred fifty boutique choices. Gastown, an older neighborhood of the city, contains numerous historical buildings among other attractions. The city is a must see for anyone wanting a relaxing atmosphere and plenty of possibilities for fun, new experiences.

The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia: An Incentive Travel Featured Destination

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White Sulphur Springs in Greenbrier County, West Virginia is a quiet little town consisting of just under twenty-five hundred people. The Greenbrier is a luxury four-star resort located on the edge of this little town. It was owned for a great period of time by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway and became a recent purchase of a local entrepreneur named Jim Justice. Twenty-six presidents have stayed at the hotel with the most recent being Dwight Eisenhower while his term was still in session. The location was once home to an underground bunker designed for Congress as a shelter for the Cold War. A sulphur water spring serves as the center point for this piece of land. It runs under a springhouse with white columns and has been an icon of the vacation spot for several generations.

The History of Greenbrier

A local discoverer by the name of Mrs. Anderson began to use the waters as a natural remedy to her chronic rheumatism. Since that time, the resort has been referred to as White Sulphur Springs. The land was first legally owned by the Calwells, a notorious family from Baltimore, who took the initial steps toward shaping it into the resort seen today. Cottages sold during the initial development of the land remain standing at the vacationing site. The hotel, built in 1858, was originally called the Grand Central Hotel and torn down around 1922 after the new building had been completed. At the time of the Civil War, the property changed hands between the Confederate and Union armies. It was almost burned to the ground during the struggle, but reopened shortly after as a vacation spot and the setting for reconciliations after the war. Ownership of the property changed to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway in 1910. The Greenbrier resort was used as an Army hospital throughout World War II and then purchased by the railroad company once again in the post-war period.

An Abundance of Activities in a Luxurious Setting

The Greenbrier has a rich history dating back to the early discoveries of this nation and has made its mark as a prominent luxury resort. Today, visitors can relax in the stunning setting of the White Sulphur Springs, participate in a variety of activities, and explore the historic location. The Presidents’ Cottage Museum is a building consisting of two stories housing exhibits dedicated to the twenty-six presidents who have stayed at the location and contains exhibits designed to show the deep history of the hotel. The Greenbrier is also a famous golfing location with an exceptional course. It was the first location of the Ryder Cup, held in 1979, and a previous hosting site of the Champions Tour. Indoor activities at the resort include billiards, concerts, shopping, fitness facilities, gaming, and laser tag. Visitors wanting to spend more time outdoors can participate in a round of golf, take a carriage ride, go hiking, or do some mountain biking. The Greenbrier offers numerous activities with plenty to keep the family busy while staying in a one of a kind location.

San Diego, California: An Incentive Travel Solutions Featured Destination

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San Diego resides on the coast of the Pacific Ocean on the southern tip of California near the Mexican border. The cities mild climate makes it an excellent place to visit during any time of the year. This getaway location, sitting next to a natural harbor with deep waters, provides consistently warm temperatures and an extensive beach line. It was the first place European settlers visited along the western coastline of the United States and spans over approximately two hundred canyons, which contribute to its hilly geographical layout. Structures reside on the mesas while the urban canyon areas remain fairly untouched. The San Diego River runs through the city to create a north/south division line as it enters the bay. San Diego houses over one-hundred individual neighborhoods spanning over fifty-two community planning locations. The downtown region, sitting along the bay, functions as the cultural and business center of the metropolis. Visitors have the opportunity to see famous attractions such as SeaWorld and the Coronado Bridge.

Area Climate

The San Diego area has a mild climate that creates a great environment for a vacation any time of the year. Coastal temperatures average around seventy-five degrees each day with humidity remaining low for most of the year. Valleys in the area have noticeable differences caused by the terrain among additional factors. The climate can change rapidly while traveling eastward from the coast and in some instance may vary by as much as a degree when traveling only a couple miles to the east. Most months are sunny with the exception of May and June when the sky has immense cloud coverage.

Things to Do

San Diego holds so many items of interest that it is often difficult to know where to begin when visiting this beautiful city. The downtown region houses numerous historical landmarks including:

  • Gaslamp Quarter Historic District
  • Balboa Theatre
  • El Cortez Apartment Hotel
  • Santa Fe Depot
  • Alfred Haines House

It is also an area known for its artistic atmosphere where visitors have the chance to catch an opera or symphony performance. Spreckels Theater, opened in 1912, hosts a variety of both local and traveling productions. Balboa Park is a campus filled with museums, gardens, neo-classical architecture, a theatre, and a one of a kind clock tower. It is also home to the famous San Diego Zoo, which spans over one-hundred acres. The zoo supplies a diverse range of shows and is home to a few less common animal species. Point Loma Lighthouse provides a fantastic view of downtown as well as other portions of the city.

Downtown offers something for everyone with museums, restaurants, boutiques, and a booming nightlife as part of the selection. If a day off from sightseeing is needed, travelers have countless options for fun. The San Diego coastline provides miles of beachfront for activities such as swimming, surfing, sunbathing, sailing, boating, or scuba diving. Beer tasting is another great adventure and the city supplies approximately forty-four breweries for exploring. Travelers desiring adventurous activities can go hiking, biking, rock climbing, or even hang gliding. It is an active location where visitors will have no problem finding plenty to do and see.

Tucson, Arizona: An Incentive Travel Solutions Featured Destination

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Tucson Arizona is an exciting destination where travelers can experience a little adventure, spend a day shopping at the best boutiques, or tantalize their taste buds with amazing culinary creations. Located in the eastern portion of the state, Tucson sits in the middle of mountain ranges and the Saguaro National Park. Individuals visiting this busy location have the chance to:

  • Play on First-class Golf Courses
  • Try New Foods
  • Visit Art Museums or Galleries
  • Have Unique Cultural Experiences
  • Shop
  • Explore Nature
  • View Historical Landmarks

The city is also referred to as “The Old Pueblo” due to its rich past as a developing settlement area and is located on the riverbanks of the Santa Cruz River, which is now a dry piece of land with the exception of floods caused by seasonal rains. Its original development was based on a grid plan from the nineteenth century where the center of the city sat at the junction of Broadway Boulevard and Stone Avenue; however, this location has changed due to continued expansion. The metropolis holds a variety of historical neighborhoods including El Presidio, Menlo Park, and Iron Horse. Some of these are located in the downtown area while others are spread throughout the city.

Historical Attractions

Several historical landmarks can be found throughout the older neighborhoods in Tucson with the most prominent residing in the downtown region. Hotel Congress was constructed in 1919 at about the same time when the Rialto Theatre was built. They sit on the opposite sides of the street with the rear of the landmark facing the old Amtrak Station. The structure, originally just a hotel, now houses a restaurant, music site, and a bar with its most notorious historical moment was being the capture of John Dillinger. The Art Deco Fox Theatre, built in 1929, is still used as a performance location in the downtown region of the city. Visitors can catch various types of performances at this site ranging from modern music to ballets. St. Augustine Cathedral, El Charro Café, and the O.K. Corral are additional sites in the downtown area.

Modern Areas of Interest

The travel destination offers more modern attractions to tourists desiring to take some time for enjoying their favorite activities. Museums are not hard to find in this bustling city and visitors can spend a day viewing displays based on western culture, science, or artistic creations. A day at the one of the area casinos offers the opportunity to win big while enjoying great food and company. State parks, vineyards, and wildlife observatories supply their own version of fun. Travelers desiring a more active getaway have the option of spending a day in Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley or testing their skills on the local golf courses. It is a city of many cultures where history has brought together Native American, Anglo, and Hispanic backgrounds. Visitors have a broad range of choices when desiring to experience the local culture. Shopping opportunities are endless and the area climate promotes boutique browsing since most days are sunny. The destination offers so much to do and explore that many individuals come back to continue their experience of “The Old Pueblo.”