Smithsonian Institute- Something for Everyone

Have you ever wondered what mysteries lie within the most famous museum system in the world? Today we explore the offerings of the Smithsonian Institute!

The Smithsonian Institute is one of the most famous, non-governmental, attractions in Washington, DC. The iconic “Smithsonian Castle,” is just one building among many that makes up the famed Smithsonian Institute. The full Institute is comprised of 19 individual museums, plus an additional 156 affiliate museums, and nine research centers.

Who was Smithson and why is there an institution named after him?
James Smithson was a British scientist who let his fortune to nephew in his last will and testament in 1826. He noted that if his nephew were to die without an heir, that his fortune should go“to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.”
Smithson had never been to the United States, nor did he appear to have any ties to or acquaintances there. No one has ever truly understood what his motivations were in establishing an institution in such a far away place. But when his nephew did die in 1835 without an heir, the Smithson inheritance went to the United States.
Six years after Smithson’s death, President Andrew Jackson announced the bequest to Congress. On July 1, 1836, Congress accepted the legacy bequeathed to the nation and pledged the faith of the United States to the charitable trust. In September 1838, Smithson’s legacy, which amounted to more than 100,000 gold sovereigns, converted to US currency, the gift amounted to more than $500,000. After eight years of debate, an Act of Congress signed by President James K. Polk on Aug. 10, 1846, established the Smithsonian Institution as a trust to be administered by a Board of Regents and a Secretary of the Smithsonian.Which 19 museums comprise the Smithsonian Institute?

1. Anacostia Community Museum- African- American culture
2. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery- Asian art
3. Arts and Industries Building (currently closed)
4. Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum (in New York City) (design history)
5. Freer Gallery of Art (half of the National Museum of Asian Art)
6. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (contemporary and modern art)
7. National Air and Space Museum (aviation and spaceflight history)
8. National Museum of African American History and Culture (not yet built)
9. National Museum of African Art (African art)
10. National Museum of American History (American history)
11. National Museum of the American Indian (Native American history)
12. National Museum of Natural History (natural history)
13. National Portrait Gallery (portraiture)
14. National Postal Museum (history of US Postal Service and philately history)
15. Renwick Gallery (American craft and decorative arts)
16. Smithsonian American Art Museum (American arts)
17. Smithsonian Institution Building (visitor center)
18. Smithsonian National Zoological Park (National Zoo) (zoo)
19. The National Gallery of Art (American and European paintings)

Fast Facts
Admission is free to all Smithsonian Institute museums.
All museums are open from 10-5:30. A few have later summer hours. The museums used to be open later, but during the energy crisis under President Carter, the museums were ordered to close earlier to conserve energy and money. They have never resumed the later hours.
The majority of the museums are along the National Mall (a large grassy central park area) in Washington, DC. The Mall is approximately 1 mile long. Prepare to WALK!
The Washington, DC Metro (subway) system is convenient to most major museums. There is even a Smithsonian stop.
The Smithsonian Institute museums have played a major part in many major Hollywood films (most recently “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian”). There is even a database keeping track of the movies and scenes.

Check out OneTravel discount flights to Washington, DC and start your summer vacation now!

Travel Tips- How to Save on Airfare

Wondering how to save on airfare? Here’s everything you need to know!

Off-Peak Travel vs Peak Travel: Traveling off-peak means flying Monday through Thursday mornings, or better put, not on the weekend. Airline tickets tend to be lower during off-peak travel times. During peak travel times, airlines can charge anywhere from slightly more, to exorbitantly higher fares, it just depends on the airline. Peak travel times are Thursday afternoons through Monday afternoons/evenings, including weekends, and the day before and the day after a holiday. If you want to travel to a warm climate destination during peak season (winter months), airline tickets will likely cost more. Booking flights to cooler climate destinations during summer and late spring months would be considered “off-season” travel. If you know you want to travel during a high peak travel destination you will want to book in advance. Though the rule is at least 21-days in advance, you’ll get a cheaper fare if you book 60-90 days in advance.

How to Book Cheap Airlines Tickets: Book your flights at least 21-days in advance. Travel mid-week and spend a weekend at your destination, if possible. You’ll have a wider selection of seats and travel times at cheaper prices to choose from, than if you book a week or two in advance. Request your seat preference when booking your flight. You might not always get the seat you want. But, if you know you want to sit on the aisle as close to the front of the plane as possible, state that when making your reservation over the phone or online. You can also check to see where the best seats on a plane are with the popular website, Seat Guru. Book an e-ticket versus a paper ticket because paper tickets involve extra fees. Additionally make sure your tickets are refundable, transferable and changeable before making your booking. In other words, know the rules and restrictions before finalizing your airline ticket. Lastly, if purchasing online, check to see if the website has any discount or coupon codes to save a few extra dollars.

Compare Airports: Instead of flying into a main hub like JFK, LAX, SFO, etc., choose an airport 30-minutes to an hour outside of your destination, you can save a lot of money on airline tickets. If you’re researching flights into JFK, compare prices for flights into Newark, New Jersey. Instead of flying into Los Angeles, another main hub, fly into Burbank. Or BWI instead of Washington Reagan.

Last Minute Airfare: Though last minute airfares can be incredibly expensive, if you act quickly and you’re able to make a flight quickly, you can actually book cheap airfare deals. Flexibility is the name of the game, with airports, flight times and connecting flights. Flexibility can save you $2 to $200, or more.  Every penny counts, especially when booking last minute airlines tickets.

Affinity Groups: Affinity groups like, AAA (American Automobile Association) and AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) are organizations that you can become a member of. AARP can be joined after the age of 50. You can join AAA any time you wish. Affinity groups are partnered with restaurants, hotels, airlines and a host of other product and service companies that offer members discounts when purchasing a product or service. When booking flights, be sure to mention this to the agent your booking with, or if you’re booking online, see if there’s a field for you to specify that you are a member of AAA or AARP.

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The Sports Arena of US: The Big Apple

Games have always been known for evoking a sort of nostalgia, a feeling that perhaps cannot be associated with any other thing. They invoke an excitement, the rush of adrenaline and feeling of joy among young and old alike.

So whether you are a beginner – trying to learn and understand the basics of game or a critique of the game trying to catch on your favorite game and player, guess now is the time. I am taking you through some of us our major events that our very own New York City would be hosting.
I am sure you would all love to grab some cheap tickets and spend your weekend supporting your favorite team/player on the road to glory.

New York City

There is much more to this historic and scenically diverse state than history and culture. The largest metropolis in the country is the only one with at least two teams in each major sports league, as well as the only one with three teams in a sports league.

Must See:

Modern Interleague Subway Series: The Subway Series is a series of Major League Baseball games played between teams based in New York City. Though off late it has also been applied to interleague play during the regular season between the American League New York Yankees and National League New York Mets.

New York City Marathon: It’s a major annual marathon whose course runs through all five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world; it’s one of the pre-eminent long-distance annual running events in the United States and is one of the World Marathon Majors.

The US Open: One of the oldest tennis championships in the world contested since 1881. The event is held annually in August and September over a two-week period. The main tournament consists of five different event championships: men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles, with additional tournaments for senior, junior, and wheelchair players. A great occasion to watch some of the greatest players of the game.

Well just when you thought this was enough the city has representations in all the major sports and host of other events, but unfortunately I could not list all of them. You would be spilt for choices while visiting the Big Apple.

Do let us know if you would like to know about any more events.

OneTravel Guide: Cheap San Francisco!

With cheap fares to San Francisco available as low as $49, we thought it was time to find out how to spend a cheap and affordable weekend in San Francisco! This is by no means a comprehensive list, but more just some ideas to help you see what all there is to do in this great city!

Golden Gate Bridge- This world famous bridge welcomes over nine million visitors a year. No trip to San Francisco would be complete without paying homage to this incredible icon. Pedestrians and bicyclists may use the sidewalks to cross the 1.7 miles long bridge.

Fort Point- below Golden Gate Bridge, open daily, always free. Get some of the best pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge from this unique vantage point.

Cable Car Museum- while visiting the city that made the cable car famous, take a visit to the museum all about it. The museum is housed in the building that’s the heart of the cable car system, where you can watch see the cables and “sheaves” that make the cars move. This is a great place to pick up souvenirs made of pieces of track and cable.

Alcatraz- Did you know you can see “The Rock” at night? Increase the creepy factor of this world famous prison by visiting after dark. Alcatraz itself is free to visit, but you will have to pay to cross on the ferry.

Strybing Arboretum- San Francisco’s botanical gardens cover 55 acres and are home to over 7000 varieties of plants. Bring your camera and capture the beautiful scenery.

Top Of Quarry Hill- When the weather is right, and by right we mean the city is blanketed in the infamous San Francisco fog, visit the top of Quarry Hill to watch the fog roll over the bay.

Grace Cathedral- always open and always free. Grace Cathedral is home to a diverse community where people gather to worship, celebrate, seek solace, converse and learn. This renowned landmark is an active Episcopalian church where everyone is welcome.

Want to find more free activities in San Francisco? Check out the San Francisco City Guides for free walking tours operated by volunteers from the San Francisco Public Library.

And don’t forget to look for cheap hotels from OneTravel.com!

Gateshead Millenium Bridge

Gateshead Millennium Bridge -The world’s first bridge to use a tilting mechanism to open, forming a gateway for ships to pass

Where: On the South Bank of England’s River Tyne, between Gateshead and Newcastle.

Stats: 413 feet wide; 164 tall when open.

Awe Factors: Powered by eight electric motors with more horsepower than a Lamborghini Diablo, this curved pedestrian and bike bridge turns on pivots and rises 164 feet above the water when ships need to pass. It’s become such a sensation, though, that the bridge, whose motion is likened to the opening and closing of a gigantic eye, puts on a show at least once a day at noon. Completed in 2001 after a design contest was held to add to the impressive lineup of artistic arches on the Tyne, the finalized bridge was carried down the river by one of the largest floating cranes (a 10,560-ton barge taller than the Big Ben) in Europe. The bridge has its own litter clean-up system: each time the bridge opens, garbage rolls into special traps, so that the garbage does not fall into the river.

How To Do a Weekend in Vegas for Under $200!

#1 Get a cheap flight for $49

#2 Get a hotel deal for $34

#3 Book a discount rental car for $16!

#4 Check out the Thunderstorm at Planet Hollywood ($0).  In this virtual storm the rain pours, the thunder booms and the lightning cracks as it overtake a North African seaport.

#5 Take a walk through the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio Hotel ($0). The garden has over 13,500 square feet and over 1,000 exotic plants.

#6 You haven’t lived on the edge until you’ve fire danced!  Visit the Hawaiian Marketplace Shopping Mall to see Team Aloha sing, dance, tell stories and demonstrate crafts from the Polynesian islands. ($0)

#7 Visit the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino to see the collections of rock and roll memorabilia ($0).

#8 No trip to Vegas would be complete without spending some time admiring the Bellagio fountains. This man-made lake contains 1200 nozzles and 4500 lights, shooting water up to 240 feet into the air. You can catch this free show every half hour during the day, and every 15 minutes during the nights and evenings.

#9 The Sirens of Treasure Island lure in an audience every night at 7:00 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 10:00 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. It lasts about 15 minutes, and takes place in front of the hotel. This sexy and adventurous show is sure to entertain Sin City’s audience, but may not be entirely appropriate for young children.

#10 Sunset Stampede at Sam’s Town Hotel and Casino this animatronic, laser light and water show with a western pioneer theme takes place in Mystic Falls park, an indoor forest with a glass ceiling ten stories high. The lasers and fountains are choreographed to a symphonic score which is heard from over 100 hidden speakers. ($0)

#11 Enjoy one of Vegas’ best breakfast buffets at Le Village Buffet at Paris Las Vegas. ($12.95)

#12 Relax in your hotel pool! ($0)

#13 Grab lunch for under $10 at the Sahara.

#14 Spend no more than $30 on a fancy dinner for two at the Cheesecake Factory.

#15 And last, but not least, spend that remaining $48.05 at the slots! (And get some free drinks while you are at it!)

San Diego

There is something about San Diego that makes people happier and optimistic. It’s one of the happiest places on earth. Maybe it is the beautiful beaches, the perfect weather, or the charming history. On Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo, San Diego will celebrate this Mexican holiday with cultural events across the city. Check out the official San Diego Tourism site to find family friendly ways to enjoy the celebrations.

During the rest of the year check out this video to learn more about everything San Diego has to offer!

And check out OneTravel cheap flights to San Diego!

Monday Morning Memories- Romania Part 3

Thanks for coming back for our third (and final) installment of my trip to Romania.

Let’s set the stage (again)-

A naive American girl from the suburbs takes a spur of the moment trip to rural Romania with a group of guys she hardly knows. On her journey she breaks toilets, cracks a sink open with her head, befriends stray dogs, scares monks at a monastery, has multiple run-ins with the local police (who usually wanted her autograph and nothing more),m and gets the sunburn of her life hiking above the treeline in the Romanian Alps.

Just when she thought she couldn’t cause any more international incidents, along came her weekend escape and a hitchhiking adventure.

After several weeks volunteering in rural Romania our accident prone world traveler was itching to get out of the village and see the sights. Some of the locals were driving to a music festival on the far end of the country and said she could tag along.

Lessons learned:

1. Always ask a Romanian how far something is, and whether or not they plan to drive directly there.

2. Never believe their answers.

The trip began late at night when the four soon-to-be-friends piled into a Dacia (popular car model in RO) and began driving towards Bucharest. Our weary traveler fell asleep in the backseat and slept for a few hours until the car stopping suddenly woke her up.  She found herself in the middle of nowhere, staring up at the brightest stars she had ever seen. It was pitch dark outside, and she had no idea what was going on. Her companions were making plans in Romanian, and she sat quietly, attempting to pick out the five vocabulary words she knew. She failed.

A moment later the driver got out and started walking. One of the passengers turned and explained that the car was out of gas, and that the driver was going to walk to the nearest house to get some. It was nearly 2 a.m., but no one seemed concerned that the nearest house may not appreciate this. After a few minutes everyone got out of the car and started walking in the direction of the driver. A minute later they found a quaint farmhouse, with a beautiful garden trellis over the entry walk. There were lights on in the house, and they could see the driver inside speaking with the family. They went to go join him.

But our calamity prone, bleary-eyed heroine never made it inside the house. As she walked under the grapevines on the trellis, something fell and landed on her head and shoulders. She screamed and tried to brush it off. That was when she realized, there, in the pitch black darkness in the middle of nowhere Romania, that a snake had just fallen on her head.  (You remember how much our girl heroine hates snakes, don’t you? How they paralyze her and cause her to go into hysterics at the same time?) Her screaming woke up all of the occupants of the farm house. Her traveling companions came running to see if she was okay. But by then the snake had disappeared back into the bushes. No one seemed to feel any sympathy for our poor girl. Someone scolded her in Romanian, then they picked up a gas can, and all walked back to the car. Our girl had a feeling her trip was off to an auspicious start.

A few hours later she found herself eating breakfast in Bucharest when she noticed her traveling companions were not speaking much in English suddenly. She got that sinking feeling that someone was about to change her plans on her. But she didn’t care. She had the weekend off and was up for a new adventure. She wasn’t surprised when they told her that the driver had decided he didn’t want to drive on to the  music festival, and wanted to stay in town. Everyone else would be taking a bus to the next town, and then a train on to the music festival. It sounded good to her, so she didn’t complain.

They boarded a bus and took off to a town with a name she’s long forgotten. That was the first time she was ever charged money to use a public restroom. Well, not really. It was the first time she was charged money for the toilet paper when she used the otherwise free public restroom. It was also her first time to use a “squatter.” In sandals. That’s all you need to know.

The traveling trio switched buses and took off for another small town with a name she has long forgotten. They got out and started walking. She should have been more surprised when they went up to a small home and one of her traveling companions introduced her family to them. And she should have been more surprised when that companion decided to stay and visit with her family, instead of continue on to the festival. Left with one male companion she barely knew, our girl boarded a train and left for the music festival.

They arrived close to midnight (nearly 24 hours after they had left on their supposedly 6 hour trip), long after the festival had ended. They met up with other friends, joined them in a hotel room, and slept for the night. In the morning they all ate breakfast together, walked through the hungover town, where for the third time another police officer asked her for her autograph, and they headed back to the train station. Our heroine was starting to think her weekend had been a waste. Little did she know her weekend was just beginning.

In Romania there are different types of trains. There is the express and the personal. The express is as it sounds, and it swiftly moves from city to city. The personal is a slower, more local train that moves at a snail’s pace, stopping frequently, and goes so slow that you can run and jump on as needed. For some reason there were no express trains running that day. What would normally be a 2-3 hour train ride back home was destined to be an 8 hour train ride on the personal.

But there was one more catch. There was no one working at the train station that day to sell them a ticket. Her friend assured her it was no big deal and that they could just bribe the conductor when they got on the train. Somewhere in the back of her head she knew she should be more alarmed by this, but after 36 hours of traveling, snakes falling on her head, and police asking for her autograph, she just didn’t care anymore.

They ran and jumped on the slow moving train and for a moment she imagined she was in an old timey movie, running to catch up to her lover and say goodbye. But once she was on the train and realized she had no place to sit for the next 8 hours, reality came back to her. The conductor came by, eying her suspiciously. She had yet again failed in the anonymity department thanks to her long, blond hair amidst the sea of dark black Romanian hair. The conductor attempted to speak in English, and she attempted to bribe him. A crisp five dollar American bill settled any problems he may have had with her sitting in the aisle, and he let her be.

About two hours later the train stopped in yet another little no name town in the countryside. This time they made a loud announcement and suddenly everyone got off the train. She had no idea what was going on. She quickly searched for her friend that she had lost in the crowd, panicking slightly as they got separated. A man who’s name she hadn’t even known four days ago, but had now been no further than ten feet from her for the last 48 hours, was becoming her lifeline. He explained that there was flooding on the tracks and the train couldn’t go any further. This seemed strange as they had not encountered any rain in days. But the bigger and more pressing problem was that they still had to find another way home.

The bus schedule proved useless. There was nothing going in their direction for another 24 hours. Our girl began to feel more than just a little cursed. How could so many things possibly go this wrong?? But her new friend assured her they would find alternative way home, and asked if she minded walking. She didn’t. In fact, after 24 hours of sitting in trains and cars, walking sounded nice. So they set off on foot, and walked a few miles to the next small town over to a cafe her friend liked. That is one place she remembers the name. It was called the Casablanca, with English writing painted below it that read, “Or a white house.” It was a little brick building, with a little piano inside the cafe. They went in and enjoyed lunch, which is when her friend suggested they hitchhike the rest of the way home.

Our little naive, suburban girl from the States smiled and said sure. Her friend smiled back and said, “You have changed a lot since you broke a toilet.”

And on that happy note her friend went outside, stuck out his thumb, and hoped for the best. If this story were in a romantic comedy movie, or even in a comedy adventure film, this is where it would start raining. After 2 days of traveling without a change of clothes, the worst luck ever, cars that run out of gas, and trains with flooded tracks, that is exactly what happened next.

Our girl stood inside the cafe laughing hilariously as her new friend stood on the side of the road with his thumb out, getting passed over by car after car. After an hour of this she couldn’t take it anymore, and she ran outside and insisted he go back inside to get dry. Because really, what car was going to pick him up all wet like that? He was a gentlemen and insisted she go back inside before she got too wet. But just then a car drove by and she stuck out her thumb. The car pulled right over! She and her friend jumped right on in, and began what they hoped was just another 2 hour drive home.

Right, whatever. You didn’t really think it would be over that fast, did you?

No, our two wayfaring friends stayed in that car for another hour before being let out on the side of the road as the car drove off in another direction. Our exhausted heroine stuck out her thumb one more time, and another car pulled right over for her. They climbed in, hoping this time they would make it home. They had now been traveling over 48 hours.

An hour later that car left them in a small town with a bus stop. That bus wasn’t running that day either. But there was a group of school children that were renting a maxi-bus (or van) to take them on a field trip. And there were two extra seats. Grateful and willing to take anything at that point, the two friends joined the schoolchildren. The children were not shy about staring at the American girl’s blond hair.

Finally, approximately 52 hours after they had started their supposedly 6 hour journey, our two friends arrived home. They were no longer strangers or mere acquantances, but now life-long best friends.