Willimsburg, VA is a very exciting place to visit from a historical perspective. Deeply steeped in American pre-colonial, colonial, revolutionary and post revolutionary history. Colonial Williamsburg is a great place to take the kids for a lesson in American history. Originally established as Middle Plantation in 1632 the settlement was located on the high ground of the Virginia Peninsula between the James River and the York River. This was the first major settlement in the region and the first settlement for the colony of Virginia. Today this region of Virginia is known as Hampton Road and is a very popular place to visit with tons of things to do from exploring museum villages to fishing and swimming in the Chesapeake Bay.

Today Williamsburg is known for the restored historic area of the city that is adjacent to the second oldest college in the United States, William and Mary U. Williamsburg is part of the historic triangle of Virginia which include Jamestown and Yorktown. Today this is one of the most heavily visited tourist destinations in the world. The towns of the triangle are linked by the National Scenic Byway, a carefully constructed road way that shields one from viewing anything that is not from the colonial era.

Last summer we went down to Williamburg for vacation. Taking the kids to see some of Americas history. Knowing that they we will getting into studding American history in school this year we thought it would be a great way to introduce them to the history in a fun and interactive way. We stayed in hotels Williamsburg for three nights, spending each day engaging in various activities in the colonial villages. The vacation seemed to work beautifully. Even before school began the kids began to devour as much information on early and colonial American history as they could. Happily they collected up some books and materials while we were there that they will be able to use in school projects this year.

New York is amazing, a place that’s constantly changing, reinventing itself, and redefining the world’s standards in art, literature, cuisine, and hospitality. Splendid any time in NYC is always exciting, and one of the first considerations is the hospitality, because it’s important to find a place to stay that will offer you the rest and luxury you need.  Lodgings are always challenging for any vacation, but in NY, hotels can be especially difficult, because there is such a rich variety.  We’ve selected some of the finest, to offer you a fantastic array of choices that will suit your needs and style, so you can enjoy this magnificent city in your own manner.

You’ll love the way you wake up in spectacular style, moving into the day with a sense of total refreshment.  There are always fantastic adventures waiting outside, and it’s a good idea to face them with a sense of calm and quiet excitement.  If you want to jump into New York’s culture right away, stop at a mom and pop deli and order a coffee with cream and sugar.  You’ll feel and look like a local, and be able to have a brush with some New Yorkers who are in a hurry.  Now you get to choose your adventure, and if you’re looking for a new experience in art,  and haven’t been to the New Museum, check it out.

It’s in the Bowery district, the new building constructed in 2007, to mark the 30th anniversary.  It was originally started in 1977 by Marcia Tucker, to make a space that lies somewhere between grassroots alternative spaces, and historically valid and institutionally authorized galleries, which is a very heady mission indeed.  Over the years, however, it’s been involved in some extraordinary projects in the global art world.  Now it’s known as one of the leading centers for the promotion and exhibition of international art work, devoted to new art and new ideas.  It has affiliations with lots of extremely hip organizations, like Rhizome, and has been focusing on new media art recently, and with some very good reasons.  Have a look.

New York has long been known as the theater capital of the United States, and perhaps even of the world.  So much history and imagination and lure surround the theatres of New York, and anyone wishing to enter the world of the performing arts, has their sights set on this city.  One of those theaters is the Belasco which is on 44th Street between 6th and 7th Avenue.  In the early 1900′s  the poorer working class people were only able to be seated in the balconies of the larger venues.  Finding frustration in this they generally stopped going to see live performances and started heading to the movie theaters.

It was during this time that theaters began to change.  The larger performance halls were being joined by newer, and smaller venues.  One man interested in this smaller and more intimate venue for producing live plays was David Belasco.  The smaller theaters allowed a different kind of drama, a more intimate and up close look of the work, thus creating a different feel for the work and the performers.  The theater opened in 1907, close to many of the boutique hotels in New York City, and was colonial in architectural design on the exterior, and Neo-Georgian style on the interior and in the auditorium.  Everett Shinn, a well known artist at the time and still famous today, painted eighteen murals on the inside of the theater.

Belasco himself oversaw the construction and made sure that all of the technology was the most current and the most innovative, including the lighting, a studio for special effects and an elevated stage.  For a short time during the 1950′s the Belasco Theater operated as the NBC radio station, but aside from that time it has been operating and putting on live Broadway shows for more that one hundred years.  Many famous plays and players have graced this stage in that time, and it is known as the home stage for the 1975 live production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show staring Tim Curry.  This is one of the historical venues of the city, and one should most definitely see a show here when in the city of New York.