Pittock Mansion in Portland, Oregon

It's truly amazing when historic homes are saved from demolition and restored for the public to enjoy. In the case of the Pittock Mansion, located in the West Hills of Portland, the citizens of Portland raised the $225,000 purchase price and the estate was open to the public in 1965 by the Portland Parks & Recreation Department.

When visiting the Pittock Mansion, you get a glimpse of Portland's past. The estate was the home of Oregon trail pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock. Henry was the owner of the famous newspaper "The Oregonian," which is still in print today. Henry and Georgiana were married for 58 years and lived in the mansion from 1914 to 1919.

As you explore the grounds of the estate, the manicured lawn features a variety of flowers and guests are welcome to take in this beauty for free. There are actually 46 acres of forest and gardens, as well as miles of hidden hiking trails. Be sure to explore the 30 room mansion (23 rooms are actually open to the public). There is a small admission fee to go inside, but it is definitely well worth it. I was fascinated with the different objects and artifacts found in each room. One of my favorites was the harp located in the music room. There are also several photographs of Henry and Georgiana as well as family portraits.

Pittock descendants were said to be very generous with their donations of original items to the mansion. Some of the original furniture in the house today was purchased by the Pittock Mansion Society.

The mansion is 1,000 feet above the city's skyline and on a clear day, you can see up to five mountains in the Cascade Range, including Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood. There are benches where you can sit to enjoy this view and a couple minutes of solitude.

The Pittock Mansion is just one example of an American Treasure that was preserved for many people to enjoy throughout the decades.

Miami Metrozoo's Amazon & Beyond

Miami Metrozoo has hundreds of wild animals and attractions for all ages. There are a number of ways that you can get around the zoo; you can simply walk, take a guided tram tour or an air-conditioned monorail tour. You can also turn an ordinary visit to the zoo into an exciting adventure by renting a Safari Cycle. You can pull up right next to each exhibit and take photos of the zoo animals right from the cycle.

From Flamingos to Bengal Tigers to the Silverback Gorilla, there are so many fascinating animals for you to interact with. Who knows what type of mood they will be in when you are visiting. Sometimes the animals are very entertaining and sometimes they are sleeping. Everyday is a completely different experience; therefore you must visit more than once.

Camel rides are offered in the Children's zoo and keeper talks are held at the animals respective location throughout the day. For those of you who are techies, you can also download Miami Metrozoo's Podcast Tour to your ipod.

Miami Metrozoo is opening the 27-acre "Amazon & Beyond" exhibit which will feature new animals such as a giant river otter, a black howler monkey and two green anacondas.

Conch Tour Train Key West

The Conch Tour Train is a great sightseeing tour that takes you all over Key West. This is one of Key West's most popular attractions and is highly recommended. If you love learning and sightseeing than this is a must activity while visiting Key West.

As you arrive in Key West, you will see these trains cruising everywhere. From Duval Street to Green Street, to the Southern Most Point, everywhere you go the train is right there. Whether you're toasting at Hemingway's House, Green Parrot or Sloppy Joe's Bar, take a look and you will see the conch snaking around town. Yet, you can not appreciate the train unless you take the tour.

The Conch Tour Train boasts about their friendly staff and I must say, they definitely live up to their reputation. As we journey through town, everyone will be greeting the 'engineer' by their first name. These friendly interactions are real, not phony. This is very cool and unique.

In addition to cruising around the entire island, you will learn about Key West's wonderful history. The tour guides are very knowledgeable about the history of Key West. They will point out important locations, famous people's homes and businesses, popular attractions and unique Key West architecture. History fanatics get ready, you will be elated with this tour and you might even take the tour twice.

Quick notes, make the conch the first thing you do so you get a sense where all your planned activities are located.

Sebago Power Adventure Key West

During a recent trip to Key West, I went on the Sebago Power Adventure excursion. The trip included 6 hours of fun-filled water activities aboard a 60' Catamaran. We set sail at 10 am and our first stop was snorkeling at a living Coral Reef. The underwater view of the Coral Reef was beautiful and we saw a variety of colorful fish.

After snorkeling we headed to the highly anticipated parasailing portion of the trip. This was our first time parasailing therefore we were very excited. Photos and a video of your personal experience is available for a fee. We purchased the pictures & video and we also took a camera up in the air with us - that way we got both views. The view from up in the air was amazing! The time goes by very quick, so take everything in as much as you can.

Once you are done parasailing, there are a number of water activities lined up, such as jet-skiing, a water trampoline, and a banana boat.

The Sebago Power Adventure staff was very friendly and accommodating. Besides the breakfast and lunch that was served, there were always snacks available to eat throughout the day - pretzels, fruit and chocolate chip cookies.

If you are looking for something fun to do while visiting Key West, spend the day doing the Sebago Power Adventure!

Deering Estate at Cutler

The Deering Estate is simply breathtaking. With two lavish mansions and over 444 acres of natural areas, it is a must see for locals and those visiting Miami. Although its location is pretty far south, the scenic drive on Old Cutler Road is well worth it.

Included with admission ($7 for adults and $5 for children ages 4-14) is the historic house tour and the natural areas tour. The tour guides are very knowledgable and friendly. I found it very interesting that the 1900 Richmond Cottage was the first hotel between Coconut Grove and Key West! On the natural areas tour, we stopped at the Tequesta Indian Burial Mound, which dates from 1500 - 1700, and learned that 12-18 chieftans were buried there face down.

After the tours I walked by the water and visited the Mangrove Boardwalk, which takes you through the coastal wetland and mangrove forests.

I am definitely going to come back for a specialty tour or an EcoAdventure Tour. The Estate also offers a variety of art and health classes.