North America Travelers Recommend

For an outdoor event, consider heading to the Springs Reserve to see how natural springs allowed early settlers of the Las Vegas regions to survive the scorching Mojave Desert heat. A great look into the natural landscape of the Las Vegas area, free to visit, and less than 4 miles away from downtown – or you can see it as part of a Death Valley day trip. The Hoover Dam lies only a stone’s throw from the strip and gives visitors a glimpse into what was once the largest electric power generator of its time. This massive project is a historical timepiece and the Hoover Dam tour is cheap (~$11), while providing an intrusting retrospective into this massive project which changed the course of more than just a river. Great panoramic views too. A Red Rock Canyon tour is a perfect day trip for all those who love the rugged outdoors, especially rock climbers. Here you’ll find beautiful canyons of red rock carved out by long-extinct riverbeds and a 100-metre summit.

There are a number of offerings and ways to take to the skies above Vegas. Share a Champagne toast before boarding a luxury ECO-star helicopter for 10 minutes of landscape views of Sin City down below. Listen in to the narrated tour that covers highlights such as the Bellagio, the Fremont Street Experience, the Golden Nugget, the Venetian and Treasure Island. Those on a budget can opt for a quick seven-minute flight over the city, while there are also swankier 15-minute flights in opulent A-Star helicopters that offer 180-degree panoramic views. Fun fact: The Strip’s Stratosphere Tower is the tallest freestanding observation tower in the U.S. and the second-tallest in the Western Hemisphere. And if you’re looking to tie the knot, you can be airborne for that too. A helicopter wedding ceremony will surely be a memorable evening. Up to five people (including the bride and groom) can board the aircraft for an intimate event and a wedding venue like no other.

For those who want a beach getaway, Miami is a top destination option. Home to more than 15 beaches, you’ll have plenty of options for where to soak in some sun. That being said, with so many choices it can be difficult to pick where to go. To help, here are some recommendations for Miami’s best beaches. For those who want to get away from the resorts and tourist attractions, 85th Street Beach is a top pick. Located along Collins Avenue, it’s a great swimming beach and features soft white sand, life-guards on duty and virtually no crowds. This is also a top choice for families due to its gentle surf. It’s also very close to another worthwhile beach -- Bal Harbour Beach on 96th Street -- which is great for shell hunting, fishing and jogging. Of course, no trip to Miami would be complete without a visit to the iconic South Beach (Lummus Park Beach). This is the coastline you see in postcards and on television, full of soft white sand, beautiful people and adventurous surfers.

Day 1: Key West Characters When you’re talking Key West, the name Hemingway is bound to crop up. The author lived on there for more than a decade, in Old Town. This is also where President Harry S. Truman chose a getaway on Key West. Eisenhower and Kennedy also stayed at the house at 111 Front Street, which is open for guided tours. Day 2: Conch tours and mansions Jump aboard the Conch Train, a hit since 1958. The 90-minute train ride begins on Front Street and loops through Old Town Key West. Bone up on the island’s conch history at Heritage House, browse the Pirate Museum, and see treasures from the deep at the Shipwreck Museum. Day 3: Dip your toe in the water If you can’t decide where to start, the full-day Power Adventure combines a catamaran sail across the Gulf of Mexico, kayaking in the mangroves, parasailing, kayaking and snorkeling. Go for a cruise and view Key West from the water, or drink champagne on a romantic sail into the sunset.

Chicago is famous for its Art Deco and skyscraper architecture, so taking a tour of the Windy City's architectural highs and lows is a great way to get to know the Windy City. The city has fostered landmark modern architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe. Marina City, Tribune Tower and the Wrigley Building have become icons of the city and of popular culture. The Chicago School of Architecture pioneered the architecture of skyscrapers. Icons from the Chicago School are revealed on the Historic Loop Skyscrapers walking tour of Chicago's earliest skyscrapers. The prototype of the modern industrial metropolis arose from the charred landscape left by the Great Fire of 1871. Many of Chicago's surviving buildings are the forefathers of the great modern skyscrapers and on this walking tour you will discover the historic beginnings of the Chicago School of Architecture and the earliest skyscrapers, built between the 1870s and the 1930s.

If you’re looking for just a helicopter tour, a 45-minute flight over the Grand Canyon from Tusayan, Arizona is a smart option, as it allows you to fly over both the North and South Rims, as well as the inspiring natural landmarks like Painted Desert, Desert View Watchtower, Marble Canyon, Point Imperial and the Dragon Corridor, the widest and deepest section of the Grand Canyon. You don’t have to fly to get aerial views over the canyon, as the Grand Canyon Skywalk allows you to step over the canyon edge via a translucent platform. The experience is not for the faint of heart, as it’s the world’s highest man-made structure by more than 2,300 feet (700 meters). And while it may make your stomach do some flips, it also provides stunning 720-degree views of the Colorado River, the canyon’s West Rim and the famous Eagle Point, a rock formation resembling an eagle in flight.