Grand Canyon Skywalk was opened to the public on March 28th 2007 offers a unique experience – walking on air (almost) above the Grand Canyon on Hualapai Tribal Land. It can be a little unsettling to look down through the glass a couple of thousand feet to the Canyon floor below if you have a fear of heights, but for those who don’t it is a wonderful experience!
Traveling to the Skywalk takes a few hours from Las Vegas – a couple more from Phoenix.
If you are sensitive to price, the entrance fee is quite high but the experience is unforgettable.
If you prefer to let someone else do the driving, there are several tour options from Las Vegas.
Pro’s:
View the Canyon through the glass bottom of the walkway
Great views of the Colorado River and Eagle Point
Experience some of the Culture and Crafts of the Hualapai Tribe
Great Views at Guano Point
Close to Las Vegas
Tours available from Las Vegas
May choose to have a photo taken of you on the Skywalk
Meal choices and most cultural events are included in the Entry Fee.
Tours that include group transportation are usually most convenient since the area is in a remote wilderness region. There are no gas stations, convenience markets or fast food services at Grand Canyon West. There is also about a 14 mile stretch of unpaved road leading into the Hualapai Reservation at the the West Rim. It is an anticipated the road will be paved in the near future.
Hoover Dam： Named one of the Top 10 Construction Achievements of the 20th Century, Hoover Dam continues to draw crowds more than 70 years after its creation. Attracting more than a million visitors a year, Hoover Dam is located in Black Canyon, just minutes outside of Las Vegas.
One neat fact is that visitors can go from Nevada to Arizona after crossing the 1,900-foot-long bridge. There are plenty of informative placards before and during the bridge walk. The construction of the bridge came to mind in the 1960s, but didn't actually happen until 40 years later. This bypass was created to not only reduce traffic, but also to protect Lake Mead and the Colorado River from hazardous spills and explosions.
Another interesting stop on the tour is an observation deck set above the dam affording panoramic views of the Colorado River and Lake Mead. The location also provides a bird's-eye view of the Hoover Dam facility, including an unobstructed look at the dam's mechanical components.
The tour continues with several stops along the top of the dam, from the Winged Figures of the Republic to the Nevada Intake Tower.
At Yellowstone National Park Lodges, visitors’re invited to discover or rediscover the magic of the world’s first national park, Yellowstone. As proud stewards of the park and this truly extraordinary American wonder, visitors will find their ultimate Yellowstone experience—all while working to protect and preserve the park for future generations.
In the Northwest corner of Wyoming lies Yellowstone National Park, the oldest and most famous National Park in the United States. Few places on earth offer so much scenic and scientific interest in one area. Yellowstone is in the heart of the Rockies, a land of soaring mountains and broad, grassy valleys. The countryside is laced with lakes and streams of exquisite beauty.
The popular West Entrance to Yellowstone parallels the winding Madison River, a route followed by the earliest pioneers into the park. It leads to the Grand Loop Road that will take you to all of the park’s major features.
YellowStone is:
* World's First National Park * 2,219,789 acres (Larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined) * Wildlife - 7 species of ungulates (bison, moose, elk, pronghorn), 2 species of bear and 67 other mammals, 322 species of birds, 16 species of fish and of course the gray wolf. * Plants - There are over 1,100 species of native plants, more than 200 species of exotic plants and over 400 species of thermopholes. * Geology - The park is home to one of the world's largest calderas with over 10,000 thermal features and more than 300 geysers. It has one of the world's largest petrifiied forests. It has over 290 waterfalls with the 308' Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River as it's showpiece. * Yellowstone Lake is the largest (132 sq. mi.) high altitude (7,732') lake in north america. * 9 visitor centers * 12 campgrounds (over 2,000 campsites)
Rising above a scene rich with extraordinary wildlife, pristine lakes, and alpine terrain, the Teton Range stands monument to the people who fought to protect it. These are mountains of the imagination. Mountains that led to the creation of Grand Teton National Park where you can explore over two hundred miles of trails, float the Snake River or enjoy the serenity of this remarkable place.
The park's mountain range is very popular among climbers, hikers and photographers. The Tetons are a prime example of fault-block mountain formation. When the earth's crust cracked along a fault millions of years ago, the Tetons rose into the sky. The exposed crystalline rocks give these mountains their dramatic appearance in any season. The Grand Teton rises to 13,770 feet above sea level and 12 other peaks reach above 12,000 feet elevation.
Grand Teton National Park was actually established twice, first in 1929 to protect mountain peaks and the lakes surrounding the mountain bases, then in 1950, when the adjacent valley floors as well as the Jackson Hole National Monument, created in 1943, were incorporated into the park visitors love today. Since 1972, the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway has connected Grand Teton to Yellowstone National Park, enabling visitors to experience both the slopes of the Tetons and the volcanic landscape of Yellowstone.
The Great Salt Lake and its islands provide outstanding scenery and recreational opportunities in northern Utah. Sunsets over the lake can be breathtaking. Amazing red, orange, lavender and magenta hues slowly dissolve in the evening sky. The lake's turquoise waters attract sailors, its white sand beaches are popular with swimmers and sunbathers, and craggy outcroppings on Antelope Island and some shoreline areas draw hikers and mountain bikers.
Legends abound about the lake. Early explorers thought the lake was an inland extension of the Pacific Ocean, or that a river connected the lake to the ocean. Some Indians and early settlers thought the lake was inhabited by a terrible monster with an enormous head. The lake and its legends are an intriguing part of Utah's landscape and history.
View Wildlife
One of the best places to view the abundant wildlife at Great Salt Lake is Antelope Island State Park.Bison are wild animals and can charge if disturbed from a sound sleep at a speed of 30 mph! The favorite saying is "Antelope Island is not a petting zoo."
Wildlife on Antelope Island includes: Bison, pronghorn antelope, mule deer, fox, raccoons, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, porcupines, jackrabbits, and more. The park staffs suggest going to the visitor center and ask what's around... and remember the part about this not being a petting zoo!
Witness a Sunset
Sunsets at the Great Salt Lake are some of the most amazing you will see anywhere in Utah. Some of our favorite places are of course from a sailboat or airboat; yet you can also get a great photo or a romantic evening from the shorelines as well.
Blackrock offers unobstructed views of the Lake and beautiful sunsets. Antelope Island and the causeway is another one of our favorite locations to witness these miraculous events that only the Lake can offer.
Lake Powell is the second largest man-made lake in the United States is the playground for Page, Arizona, and nearly three million visitors annually. Lake Powell is 186 miles long and has 1,960 miles of shoreline, which is longer than the entire west coast of the continental United States. There are 96 major canyons to explore though you'll need a water craft for the majority of them since access is limited because there are few roads.
Wahweap Bay
A big, broad, scenic expanse, Wahweap Bay gives you plenty of wide-open space for waterskiing and wakeboarding, yet it also offers its share of notch canyons (such as Wiregrass Canyon, Lone Rock Canyon, and Ice Cream Canyon) that are ideal for kayaks and even paddleboards. But perhaps the best thing about Wahweap Bay is its proximity to, well, everything. It’s home to the very marina where you’ll actually rent your houseboat, so you’re never more than just a few minutes away from fuel, ice, dining, and the marina store. This makes Wahweap Canyon a good choice for anyone who likes to do it all, easily—as well as for spur-of-the-moment types, who enjoy the ability to do a lot without planning ahead.
Padre Bay
Seven miles across and nine miles long, Padre Bay is the biggest bay on Lake Powell. It’s also one of the most scenic, with spectacular views of monuments such as Domingues Butte, Tower Butte, Cookie Jar Butte, and the aptly-named Boundary Butte, which sits astride both Utah and Arizona. So while you’ll have plenty of space for powerboating and pulling along skiers, wakeboarders, or kids (or grandparents!) on tubes, you’ll also find plenty of wind-sheltered areas to park your houseboat, and alluring backshoots like Kane Wash Canyon that are great for kayaking and exploring.
St. George is southern Utah's largest city. It occupies an attractive stretch of green beneath red rock cliffs in Utah's desert southwest. Its pleasant winter weather attracts a large number of "snowbirds" from the north, who stay for extended periods in the winter while their neighbors back home get socked. ("Utah's summer spends the winter in St. George" its promoters say.)
St. George has some interesting historic buildings, lots of golf courses and plenty of shopping. The golf courses have been known to double as birdwatching destinations and birds unseen in most of Utah are everywhere in these trees. Downtown is home to the landmark St. George Tabernacle and the winter home of Brigham Young. The St. George Art Museum celebrates Utah-local artist and the sprawling Rosenbruch Wildlife Museum displays over 300 species in detailed dioramas.
A complimentary service from the St. George and Zion National Park Utah tourism office, this site highlights the activities and adventure available here in St. George Utah, and connects you with guides and outfitters who can make your adventure a thrilling success.Experienced professionals guide and prepare you for adventures beyond your imagination. Skilled guides and instructors will take you off the main tourist routes and into the heart of the unique southern Utah country. You can work directly with small and personable companies - outfitters who love what they do and give you one-on-one attention. They provide a unique and rewarding adventure everytime.
Las Vegas is the world's premiere gambling destination, synonymous with non-stop casino action, luxurious hotels, championship sporting events, world-class shopping, celebrated restaurants and some of the greatest entertainment in the world. In fact there is so much to do and see, it can easily overwhelm any visitor to the city.
Whether you are coming for the gambling, the shows, the food, or just the omnipresent thrills, this Las Vegas travel guide will set you on your way. Some popular Las Vegas activities include:
• Gambling, even if it's just a quick turn at the slots
• Taking in a show, such as the ongoing selection of Cirque de Soleil productions
• Visiting the Bellagio Fountains
• Walking the Strip
• Trying one of the buffets, which range from cheap eats to high-end feasts
• Checking out the Fremont Street Experience
Jump off the Stratosphere is also very interesting. Conquer your fear of heights and your fear of falling while earning a ton of street cred on SkyJump Las Vegas at the Stratosphere. After suiting up in a branded jumpsuit and harness, you will ride an elevator to Level 108 of the tallest building west of the Mississippi then step off a platform 855 feet above the Las Vegas Strip on this controlled free fall.
Los Angeles is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California and the second-most populous in the United States, after New York City. Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated and one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the United States.
Los Angeles has some of the country's best museums. The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Getty Museums (Two locations: the Getty Center in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles and the Getty Villa in the adjacent city of Malibu) are unique in their own ways.
Museum of Tolerance, the world-renowned museum delves into the dark world of racism and prejudice while highlighting the Holocaust as the most extreme example of man's inhumanity to man. Interactive exhibits, two theaters, a research floor and gallery for special exhibitions within the Simon Wisenthal Center are just part of the experience and soul you will find here. Tours are self-guided and typically last two and a half hours. Some exhibits are recommended for those 12 years and above.
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Sierra Nevada mountains in east-central California. Yosemite is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, and biological diversity. The 750,000-acre, 1,200 square-mile park contains thousands of lakes and ponds, 1600 miles of streams, 800 miles of hiking trails, and 350 miles of roads. It is currently the third most visited national park in the United States, with an annual visitation of nearly 4 million. The park celebrated its 150th anniversary this year.
By merely standing in Yosemite Valley and turning in a circle, you can see more natural wonders in a minute than you could in a full day pretty much anywhere else. Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, Sentinel Dome, the Merced River, white-flowering dogwood trees, maybe even bears ripping into the bark of fallen trees or sticking their snouts into beehives,it's all in Yosemite Valley.
Yosemite is best known for the massive granite cliffs and domes found within the park. The landscape began forming about ten million years ago when the Sierra Nevada was uplifted and then tilted to form its relatively gentle western slopes and the more dramatic eastern slopes. The uplift increased the steepness of stream and river beds, resulting in formation of deep, narrow canyons. About one million years ago, snow and ice accumulated, forming glaciers at the higher alpine meadows that moved down the river valleys. Ice thickness in Yosemite Valley may have reached 4,000 feet during the early glacial episode. The downslope movement of the ice masses cut and sculpted the U-shaped valley that attracts so many visitors to its scenic vistas today.
The park is also home to the Yosemite Falls, at 2425ft, the highest waterfall in North America.
On 20th of August, I will start my 10-day travel with my friends, we will go to San Francisco, Yosemite, LosAngeles, Lake Powell,Bryce Canyon National Park, Yellowstone and many other places. So In this blog, I'm going to talk about some of these attractions, hope my travel guides can help me to have a perfect vacation.
The first stop is San Francisco.
The only consolidated city-county in California,San Francisco encompasses a land area of about 46.9 square miles on the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, giving it a density of about 17,867 people per square mile. It is the most densely settled large city (population greater than 200,000) in the state of California and the second-most densely populated major city in the United States after New York City.San Francisco is the fourth-most populous city in California, after Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose, and the 14th-most populous city in the United States.
One of the most famous place in San Francisco is Fisherman's Wharf. More than 75 percent of San Francisco's visitors include Fisherman's Wharf on their itinerary. Waterfront marketplaces and the Wharf's famous fishing fleet make for a terrific fish story. Fishing boats, sea lions basking in the sun, seafood stalls, steaming crab cauldrons, seafood restaurants and sourdough French bread bakeries … you know you’re in world-famous Fisherman’s Wharf. Souvenir shops and historic ships add to the atmosphere. The historic F-Line streetcar and two cable car lines terminate in the area and sightseeing boats and boat charters link to Alcatraz ("The Rock") , Angel Island and other points around San Francisco Bay.
Another recommended place is North Beach. North Beach, rich in Italian heritage, compresses cabarets, jazz clubs, galleries, inns, family style restaurants and gelato parlors into less than a square mile. A perfect spot for cappuccino and espresso, North Beach is transformed into one of San Francisco's most electric playgrounds by night; live music and dancing keep the streets swinging. In the morning practice tai chi with the regulars in Washington Square and from here, catch the No. 39 bus to the top of Telegraph Hill. Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill offers amazing views. Thirty local artists painted murals on its ground floor walls in 1933. This hill is also laced with stairways off Filbert and Greenwich streets as well as lush gardens.
There are also many upcoming events in San Francisco in August.Like East Side Story and Chicano Soul from August 9 to Sept 12, Motown - The Musical show from August 15 to Sept 28.
（6）The Grand Canyon Skywalk is a transparent horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge and tourist attraction in Arizona USGS topographic maps show the elevation at the Skywalk's location as 4,770 ft and the elevation of the Colorado River in the base of the canyon as 1,160 ft, and they show that the height of the precisely vertical drop directly under the skywalk is between 500 ft and 800 ft.
(7)The cliff path in Tianmen Mountain
The total length of the path, and the an average elevation is 1400 meters.
(8)The Ledge transforms how visitors experience Chicago. At 1,353 feet up, The Ledge’s glass boxes extend out 4.3 feet from the skyscraper’s Skydeck on the 103rd floor, providing never-before-seen views of the city.
The tower is a world-renowned building, a Chicago icon. The eighth-tallest building in the world, it remains the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, standing 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall.
(9) HuaShan Mountain Cliffiside Plank Walk.The exhilarating mountain hike is not for the faint of heart. There is a cost of approximately 30 yuan (just under $5 usd) and you are given two straps to hook onto wires on the path. The plank path includes steel rod ladders, footholds carved out of the cliff and narrow wooden plank walks. All of this is located thousands of feet above ground.
If you’re not afraid of heights, You may willing to go these most incredible (and mortifying) places to stand and try to look down. 1. Prekestolen, also known by the English translations of Preacher's Pulpit or Pulpit Rock, is a famous tourist attraction in Norway. It consists of a steep cliff which rises 1982 feet above Lysefjorden, opposite the Kjerag plateau, with an almost flat top of approximately 82 by 82 feet.
2. Kjerag. is a Norwegian mountain. It is possible to walk onto the rock without any equipment, but there
is a direct 241 m drop below and then another 735m gradient down to Lysefjorden. The name means "Kjerag Boulder" or "Kjerag Bolt".
3. Trolltunga is a piece of rock hanging horizontally out of a mountain about 700 metres (2,300 ft) above the north side of the lake Ringedalsvatnet in the municipality of Odda in Hordaland county, Norway. The cliff is located east of the Skjeggedal area. The name translated to English is The Troll's tongue.
4. Potato Chip Rockis located at the peak of Mount Woodson in Poway, California.
Recently, the hike has become popular due hikers posting creative
images on Facebook and Instagram. The hike is approximately 8 miles
roundtrip, and during the summer months, it is recommended to start
early in the morning due to Poway's hot desert climate.
5. The Grand Canyon Skywalk is a transparent horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge and tourist attraction in Arizona near the Colorado River on the edge of a side canyon in the Grand Canyon West area of the main canyon. USGS topographic maps show the elevation at the Skywalk's location as
4,770 ft and the elevation of the Colorado River in the base
of the canyon as 1,160 ft, and they show that the height of the
precisely vertical drop directly under the skywalk is between 500 ft and 800 ft .
Falkirk Wheel is the world's first and only boat lift. This
engineering feat to Fox River (Forth), Clyde River (Clyde) and the Union Canal
(The Union Canals) linking structure is a beautiful balance of both a viable
solution , but also an art.
Falkirk Wheel is actually a big wheel, a symmetrical sink that can be closed is in each side.
When the boats need to drive to the low canal, the ship just need to aqueduct into the sink, and the sink will be closed, then the big wheel can turn a half circle to the low water level of the
ship canal . Huge rotating bridge crane is equipped with 10 water pressure pumps
can in 15 minutes , the four ships ( including water ) to 35 m lifting height .
At the same time, the other lifting arm will put down four ships. Because the entrie unit on both side of the tank is symmetrical, so after the boats went in, the weight of tank is nearly same on both sides. So the energy or power that needed is not very large. The Falkirk wheel greatly reduced the time that boats need to use between two canals that have a height difference. So the Falkirk Wheel is called a marvel of the 21st century engineering.
Ebola virus spreading in West Africa ,global alarm bells is now ringing. Hong
Kong has also received a suspected case , the current patient has been treated
in isolation.
A woman who used to visit Kenya in Africa has already catched a fever, dizziness and vomiting after she return to Hong Kong on Monday, which similar to the early symptoms of the Ebola virus, now she is isolated and treating at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Ebola virus disease is a severe acute viral disease characterized by sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. Then there will be vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases there will be more bleeding and external bleeding. Now there is no treatment to the disease.
According to MedicineNet, Ebola is a notoriously deadly virus that causes fearsome symptoms, the most prominent being high fever and massive internal bleeding. Ebola virus kills as many as 90% of the people it infects. It is one of the viruses that is capable of causing hemorrhagic (bloody) fever.
This is a dialogue in the movie "Roman Holiday", it sounds simple but hard to do. So even if I prefer traveling much than reading, I spend more time on reading, cause reading doesn't cost me a lot money and energy. But I have to say my several traveling experiences in America are very impressed. The first time I have been to Los Angeles, me and my friends spent three days in Disney Land, it was the first time to go to Disney, it feels like childhood dreams came true. In the Disney land I can forget everything, play from day to night and without pressure. I think this is the difference between "travelling for pleasure" and "traveling for scenery". When we travelling for pleasure, we are seeking thrill and excitement, although these kind of feeling cannot keep unchanged, it can be beautiful firework in my life.
At the summer 2's end, I will start my new travel with my friends, we will go to Yellowstone National Park and Grand Canyon, this may be my last time travelling in U.S., I'm really looking forward to the trip, I hope to discovery American natural scenery and feeling a different mental state. During these two years, I'm really exciting to find the difference between China and America, from people to culture, from customs to sceneries. My mom always told me: "I don't care what kind of book you want to read, but you have to read" and "As a young girl you should walk around and travelling, then you can open your mind and widen you horizons." I can thank my mom for teaching me to be a girl with my own ideas through this way.
Hello here is Amy's blog. My real name is Siyu He, Amy is my American name. I'm young college girl from Shanghai China and I'm studying for my MBA in Rider University. Basically my life is a simple life, Studying is the most important part in my life, it doesn't mean that I like studying, most often we do one thing is not because we want to do it, it's about our responsibility and mission. But during the studying I learned lots of knowledge that not only can be used in future work but also in daily life so I think these two years are very fulfilling of my life. Expect taking classes and preparing projects, I love listening music, watching TV serials and movies and traveling. Talking about music, my musical taste is very "bipolar", I only like two kind of music: one is English pop music (U.S.& U.K.), the other music type is traditional or ancient style Chinese music. The English pop music can make me feel energetic and full of power, like I can do anything I want, so basically I listen this kind of music when I'm doing homework or in the gym. On he other hand, the ancient style Chinese music can make me calm down when I need the power of peace, and I can find emotional resonance with them, enjoying a free time. About TV serials and movies, I prefer U.K.'s TV serials and U.S. movies. Based on my watching experience, the U.K.'s serials are more intellectual and have serious story structure, their story ranges are also very wide. Like literary classics "Pride and Prejudice", "Sherlock Holmes"; the current politics play like "Yes, prime minister"/ "Yes minister", "Allo Allo", and the famous "black mirror" was talking about humanity and society. They are totally different from Americans TV serials. In my opinion, Americans TV serials are decide by audience, if audience like it, then scriptwriter will keep talking the story, if audience don't like it, then the serials will be cut. In my viewpoint, the best part of American TV serials are the first three seasons, after the first three seasons, the scriptwriter would talk the story in free ways, and get boring (Not every American TV serials, but some of them).
Maybe next time I will talk about U.K. TV serials in details.
As a Chinese so far from home, sometimes the most difficult thing is not busy work or culture shock, is the memories of food, those familiar and strange tastes etched in my mind and haunting me all night.
In the winter of 2012, CCTV (China Central Television)hit a series documentary called “A Bite of China,” this series documentaries are talking about history of food, eating, cooking and the relationship between Chinese normal people and their food. There are seven episodes in Season 1, they are:
These documentaries list so many different food and eating habits throughout China, mixed the wisdom and skill of traditional culture and modern civilization, it showed China as a big country of food, her customs and nature, tradition and creativity; In deep, they are talk about the relationship between human and nature, creativity, skills and tradition. The pictures in the documentaries can mobilize my all taste senses and emotions, every time I watch them (yes I watched them many times), my saliva and tears are running together, saliva is for the food, tears is because missing my family dishes and my parents. Another thing that touching me most is that almost every people in the story are all working very hard for their lives, for their family and happiness. When they enjoy their fruits of labour, their smile can touch everyone, which also remind me my parents' cooking. The memory imprinted on my tongue, will always lead me back to home.
"No matter how time changes, no matter how different between people's ideological positions or interests, the China on the tip of tongue is always ours; and only on this issue, the people in mainland, in Taiwan, even in Outer Mongolia can reach a consensus."-----A Douban user.
.jpg)
