I wish you were here

Circus Circus was traditionally the main family destination in Las Vegas – long before everyone else started catering to families with children. 

The casino had one of the biggest arcades in town, a free continuously running circus act, and a very popular buffet restaurant.

In 1993 the new indoor amusement park opened its doors as "Grand Slam Canyon" under the distinctive dome all pink glass walls. It only had 4 rides and a few dinosaur-themed animatronics that interacted with riders. 

Many more rides were added since then and the dinosaurs were removed to make room for more attractions. Now the park has two roller-coasters, several thrill rides, simulator rides, a freefall ride and laser tag. 

“Illuminate” exploded on the scene as a finalist on America’s Got Talent and then took the world by a storm.

In Las Vegas, Illuminate plays at the Stratosphere tower with several show times every day. The ticket prices are more reasonable than the big-ticket shows.

The performance uses customized LED suits with wireless lighting programs that create extraordinary lighting effects that move along with the choreographed dance moves and the hurt-pounding music.

We reserved our seats several weeks in advance and landed a premium spot at a VIP booth with an excellent view of the stage.

Jordan, throughout history was a crossroad between east and west. Ancient roads through the desert connected civilizations like the Greeks, Nabataeans, Romans and more recent states like the Umayyads and the Ottomans.

A 2-hour trip from Amman will take to this city perched on top of the highest hills in Jordan with an intact fortress from the Crusades era.

Ajloun (Ajlun) is a northern town close to the borders with  Syria and Palestine (Israel). Due to the elevation, Ajlun is always cooler than the rest of the kingdom, and the hilltops are covered with forests – a rare view in Jordan.

The Disney resort is practically in my backyard. My family and I love to spend a whole day or just a few hours at the Disney parks. Throughout the years we learned a lot about the parks and attractions that we like to share with you.

Frontierland recreates the era of trailblazers and pioneers in the wild west. Running through this land is “The Rivers of America” where steamboats, sail ships, rafts and canoes float by.

This is probably the best Las Vegas show I have been to in a very long time. It is also one of the longest. I enjoyed every minute of the 130 minutes and I left wanting more.

The show is a celebration and tribute the music and culture of the 80’s. It is performed on a very well designed stage with great lighting and sound effects.  The backdrop morphs to match the scene or song. Big screens on the sides of the stage play appropriate clips or effects.

Muir Woods is the last remaining grove of Giant Red Wood trees in the bay area and it is located right outside of the city of San Francisco. In 1908 it was declared a national monument and named after the naturist John Muir in recognition of his conservation efforts. 

It is a must-see spot for nature lovers and hikers. This also was the filming location for the 2011 movie “Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)”. 

You can take a shuttle from the ferry terminal in Sausalito to Muir Woods and stay car-free. Or you can drive up to the woods. For shuttle service information go here.

Tip: On busy days you may not find a parking spot at the monument. It is strongly suggested to use public transit. 

Once you get there you have a choice of several easy trails or longer trails into the surrounding Mount Tamalpais State Park. 

Portions of San Pedro are also known as “Los Angeles Waterfront” and “Port-o-call Village”. The town is part of the greater Los Angeles city and home to the Port of Los Angeles. 
This doesn’t make it sound like a major tourist destination, but it is a nice fun outlet for locals and visitors.

The Port-o-Call Village Plaza offers several Seafood restaurants, gift shops, a cruise ship terminal and the Battleship Iowa Museum. A cobblestone walkway connects the shops with nice views of the harbor and the Vincent Thomas Bridge connecting San Pedro to Terminal Island.

Metro Bike Share has a station next to the USS Iowa. You can pay and rent a bike for $3.5 per half hour or get a discounted rate if you buy a pass.

Universal Studios Orlando is the first universal park to open in Florida and has many of the traditional rides similar to the park in Hollywood. The main difference is that this park is much larger, with more rides and attractions.

The park has eight distinct areas surrounding a large lake but does not have a studio tour. Instead, some of the attractions from the Hollywood tour are stand-alone rides in the park.