Navy Pier: Fun Central in Chicago

For many visitors to Chicago, the highlight of their trip is a boat ride along the breezy shores of Lake Michigan, that big blue “ocean” that serves as the city’s front yard. And the most popular spot to board a boat is Navy Pier.

Navy Pier, in fact, is Chicago’s—and the Midwest’s—most popular tourist attraction, drawing more than eight million people a year. The lakeside visitor magnet, best known for its giant Ferris wheel, offers more than 50 acres of parks, gardens, restaurants, shops, museums, theaters and exposition halls.

Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility and once a University of Illinois campus, Navy Pier, just east of downtown, is gearing up for its centennial with ambitious plans for redevelopment, including more green space. A key goal is to maintain the Pier’s family appeal while drawing more adults and year-round visitors with more dining and entertainment options and more public spaces that take full advantage of the Pier’s unique setting.

Despite all its attractions and activities, Navy Pier’s lure for many is the festive ambience along Dock Street, where vendors and street entertainers mix with pedestrians, skaters and surrey cycles. Visitors come to take in views of the boats, the skyline, the outdoor sculptures—and to just people-watch.

Shoreline Sightseeing this year offers new private tours aboard the Celebration. From spring through fall, groups of 30 to 70 can take a 90-minute breakfast cruise or two-hour lunch cruise. Shoreline also offers its popular one-hour Chicago River Architecture Cruise and 30-minute Skyline Lake Tour, with group rates for 20 or more.

For something less traditional, try Seadog Cruises’ speedboat tours. Its Extreme Thrill Ride, a 30-minute speedboat ride on Lake Michigan, provides roller coaster action at speeds up to 40 m.p.h. Everyone gets wet and windswept as the boat makes sharp turns and 360-degree spins.

Tall Ship Windy is Navy Pier’s resident 148-foot, four-masted schooner. Windy takes up to 150 passengers on 90-minute cruises and encourages landlubbers to help raise and trim her 11 sails. Theme cruises, educational adventures and private charters are available.

Dinner cruises, along with live entertainment or a DJ for dancing, are available on the yacht-like Odyssey, Spirit of Chicago and Mystic Blue, all part of Entertainment Cruises.

Groups can choose from a wide range of other dining options at Navy Pier. Restaurants include Harry Caray’s Tavern, full of baseball and other sports memorabilia; Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Bar & Grill, for classic American and island-inspired cuisine, including the signature Cheeseburger in Paradise; and Billy Goat Tavern, made famous in Saturday Night Live skits starring the late John Belushi. Other choices: Capi’s Italian Kitchen, Riva Crab House, Haagen-Dazs Cafe and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. LandsharkBeerGarden, a summertime favorite, offers live entertainment.

Prepaid vouchers for fast-food outlets are priced at $6.50 per person for groups of 20 or more. Participating eateries include America’s Dog, Connie’s Pizza, McDonald’s and Greek Delight. For McDonald’s only, a $5 voucher is good for a Quarter Pounder, medium fries, cookie and 16-oz. soda.

Group rates are also available for Navy Pier rides and amusements. Rates range from $4.50 for one ride to $12 for all four rides and the 18-hole miniature golf course. Navy Pier’s signature ride, the 15-story-high Ferris wheel, is modeled after the Ferris wheel built for Chicago’s 1893 Columbian Exposition. Other rides are the Carousel, Wave Swinger and Lighthouse drop tower.

Navy Pier offers top-notch entertainment year-round, from circus acts and Shakespeare to the 440-seat IMAX Theatre. The Chicago Shakespeare Theater, for example, is presenting the comedy A Midsummer’s Night Dream from Feb. 7-April 8.

From Feb. 17-26, Navy Pier hosts the Windy City Circus, a Chicago-themed Big Top show with aerial and trapeze artists, clowns, jugglers, and horse and dog acts. Cirque Shanghai, a troupe of Chinese acrobats, has been dazzling crowds for the past several summers.

The free Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows is a permanent display of 150 stained glass windows housed in an 800-ft.-long series of galleries along the lower level terraces of Navy Pier’s Festival Hall. The first museum in the United States dedicated solely to stained glass windows, it showcases both secular and religious windows and is divided by artistic theme into four categories: Victorian, Prairie, Modern and Contemporary. Dating from 1870 to the present, most were originally installed in Chicago-area residential, commercial and religious buildings. Thirteen windows highlight the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany and his workshop from 1890-1930.

The Chicago Children’s Museum, one of Navy Pier’s anchors, offers three level of fun for ages 10 and under.

Navy Pier also hosts a variety of expos. Reflecting the influence of high fashion on landscape design, the annual Chicago Flower & Garden Show will celebrate “Hort Couture” from March 10-18. Group rates and tours are available. The region’s only consumer show of its kind will feature an eye-candy array of floral and plant containers, horticultural and greening displays and stylized gardens, plus cooking demonstrations and celebrity appearances. More than 100 exhibitors of gardening, landscape and horticulture products and services will showcase sustainable and eco-friendly wares.

For help in arranging group visits to Navy Pier, contact the group sales department at groupsales@navypier.com, 312-595-5200. The website is www.navypier.com

Cruising Takes Adults-Only Areas to New Levels

As the cruise industry evolves, it has transitioned into a “one size does not fit all” experience. Cruise lines have introduced new areas onboard to satisfy all of their guests, regardless of age. Many now offer new exclusive areas just for adults.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line led the way with adults-only nighttime entertainment districts onboard the Disney Magic (Beat Street) and Disney Wonder (Route 66). The Disney Dream, which debuted in 2011, has an adult-exclusive area called The District, which includes five venues with different themes, entertainment and ambiance.

When the Disney Fantasy launches in 2012, she will have Europa, a nighttime entertainment district on Satellite Sun Deck. It will feature Satellite Falls, a circular splash pool area with benches and a gently falling rain curtain where guests can enjoy some cool comfort from the sun. This is in addition to the Quiet Cove Pool and Cove Bar.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises debuted The Sanctuary onboard the Crown Princess in 2006. It was an instant success, and over the past three years the line has added The Sanctuary to 14 of its ships. The Sapphire Princess was the last Princess ship to receive this enhancement.

The adults-only area is best described as a serene hideaway. Guests can enjoy an outdoor spa-inspired setting, with massage cabanas, light meals and signature beverages. The plush outdoor furniture includes double loungers for couples as well as deluxe chairs and chaise lounges. Serenity Stewards in The Sanctuary provide personal service to guests, from Evian water atomizers and a chilled face towel to a menu of healthy light fare and beverages. In addition, there are two private outdoor cabanas where guests can take advantage of Lotus spa services.

Half-day passes for The Sanctuary cost $10 per person. A full-day pass is $20.

Celebrity Cruises

When Celebrity Cruises’ newest Solstice Class ship, the Celebrity Silhouette, entered service in summer 2011, she included a new way to enjoy views of the sea and lush green lawn from private cabanas. The Alcoves include eight cabana-style settings that can comfortably accommodate two to four guests in an area that is just steps away from The Lawn Club. What’s included? While enjoying scenic views from their reserved cabana, guests can enjoy complimentary amenities that include chilled towels, hand-held fans, bottles of water, a fruit plate and all-day use of an iPad with a wide variety of music, magazines and games. There is a dedicated Alcoves attendant who can handle additional requests. For instance, guests can order themed picnic baskets and beverages at an additional charge.

The Alcoves (open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.) can be booked for full-day rentals or even for the entire voyage. The cost is $99 per day when the Celebrity Silhouette is in port (days at sea, $149). Guests who book The Alcoves for several days receive a discount.

Taking advantage of one of these exclusive areas is a new way for your group to enjoy a tranquil escape at sea.

—By Cindy Bertram

Central Florida Shopping Options

Groups in the Orlando area have many options for carefree shopping, from major malls to theme park gift shops. Aside from the choices mentioned in the “Orlando Shopping Magnets” article in the February issue of Leisure Group Travel magazine, here are some more places to consider:

Festival Bay at International Drive offers more than 30 stores, restaurants and family fun venues. Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Sheplers Western Wear, Universal Orlando Store and more awaits group travelers. Enjoy indoor glow-in-the-dark miniature golf at Putting Edge Fun Center. (shopfestivalbay.com)

You’d expect nautically themed shops at Waterfront Place at SeaWorld Orlando, a Mediterranean-style village at the home of Shamu and friends. Besides whale, shark and dolphin toys, shoppers can buy apparel and jewelry at Golden Seahorse, LoggerHead Larry’s, Gulf Breeze Trader, Manatee Gifts and other shops throughout the park. (seaworldparks.com)

With more than 8,000 items located on two levels, The Space Shop at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex sounds more like a shopping mall than a shop. In reality it is the world’s largest store featuring only space memorabilia. (kennedyspacecenter.com)

Exceptional boutique shopping is scattered throughout the Orlando area. Located just north of downtown Orlando, Park Avenue, Winter Park, home to 140 specialty shops, is often called the “Rodeo Drive of the East.” With more than a century of playing host to visitors escaping the winter chill, downtown Winter Park and its tranquil setting makes it a relaxing, yet lively destination. Truly distinctive stores and shops, from the global artisans featured at the Ten Thousand Villages to the most stylish clothing designers, welcome you. The Wine Room on Park Ave, The Cheese Shop on Park, tea and coffee shops, and more than a dozen restaurants are available to satisfy your palate. When you are ready to totally relax, enjoy a scenic boat tour through the canals that link the Winter Park lakes. (parkave-winterpark.com)

Developed by The Disney Company as the perfect American town, Market Street in Celebration features distinctive shopping and a variety of dining options. With a strong monthly events calendar, planning your visit around an activity enhances any visit. The annual Happy Holidays event from late November through December is a great addition to any Orlando-based holiday tour. (celebrationtowncenter.com)

In addition to mega-centers like The Mall at Millennia and The Florida Mall, Visit Orlando lists six additional malls in the area. There’s sure to be one close to you with its own character, style and shopping opportunities. Look for Altamonte Mall, Orlando Fashion Square, Osceola Square Mall, Oviedo Marketplace, Seminole Town Center and West Oaks Mall.

Contributing to the Orlando shopping scene are museums with gifts and collectibles found nowhere else. And if you’re a true shopping aficionado, you’ll be delighted with the many antique shops, flea markets and farmers markets.

—By Dave Bodle

Grapevine: Christmas Capital of Texas

When it comes to creating Christmas memories, few towns do it better than Grapevine,Texas. Its old-fashioned Main Street alone is a big enough reason to include Grapevine in a November or December tour itinerary, but the town offers more than 1,400 holiday events at numerous venues during a period that spans 40-plus days.

The Dallas-Fort Worth suburb started calling itself the “Christmas Capital of Texas” in 2007; the Texas State Senate made the designation official in 2009.

For many years, downtown Grapevine has had a Christmas parade, tractor-drawn wagon rides, costumed characters and a Santa on stilts, but the celebration has expanded, attracting merrymakers from miles around. These days more than a million lights festoon historic Main Street, an attractive shopping destination filled with specialty shops gussied up in ribbons, bows and wreaths.

A leisurely stroll evokes memories of a simpler time, before malls and big-box stores. Lighted wreaths adorn the old-time street lamps and the strains of “White Christmas” and “Silver Bells” ring out in the frosty air. The Light Show Spectacular, a computerized light display at the Town Square Gazebo, features a “singing” Christmas tree, and animated scenes in Liberty Park include beavers sawing and chopping logs, elves feeding Santa’s reindeer and Victorian carolers singing “Joy to the World.”

The historic Palace Theatre on Main Street presents Christmas stage shows in December, plus classic movies like It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas and A Christmas Story. The Texas Tenors, a trio that performs in Branson, entertained holiday crowds this past December in concerts that included Christmas carols as well as a tribute to Luciano Pavarotti and standards like “My Way” and “Proud to be an American.” Video clips of appearances on TV’s “America’s Got Talent” chronicled the group’s fast rise to fame. Grapevine hopes to get the group back this December.

The Grapevine Vintage Railroad, at the other end of Main Street, is transformed into the North Pole Express as Santa’s elves entertain during a ride in the 1920s- and 1930s-era passenger coaches. There’s even a visit from Santa. The festivities start with a brief, pre-boarding Christmas stage show at the Grapevine Cotton Belt Depot. Children are encouraged to wear their pajamas.

The railroad also offers evening Christmas Wine Train excursions for adults. Wine is available for purchase from the featured winery. (Grapevine, headquarters of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association, boasts nine tasting rooms.)

Another focal point of yuletide fun in Grapevine is the massive Gaylord Texan Resort, whose annual “ICE!” attraction showcases a world of dazzling ice sculptures (tinted with food coloring) inside a refrigerated tent set at 9°. Parkas are provided. The theme in 2011 was “Shrek the Halls,” with DreamWorks’ Shrek characters carved from 34-pound blocks of ice by artisans from Harbin, China, known for its annual winter festival featuring an elaborate ice village. The theme two years ago was “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Guests at the Gaylord this past season also enjoyed Kung Fu Panda Awesome Snow Tubing, an indoor, eight-lane tubing hill covered in real snow.

Aside from the extra-cost attractions, visitors to the Gaylord can simply wander through the hotel’s three atriums, taking pictures of all the Lone Star Christmas displays, including giant snowmen, candy canes and nutcrackers. Other highlights in this winter wonderland: a 52-foot rotating Christmas tree and a life-sized gingerbread house, not to mention more than a million lights and 12,000 ornaments.

Grapevine’s mega-water park resort, Great Wolf Lodge, goes all out for Christmas, transforming itself into Snowland for three weeks in December, with daily snow in the lobby, visits from Santa, a life-size gingerbread house, toy creation station and Great Clock Tower holiday snow show, among other festivities.

Down the highway from these mega-resorts, holiday shoppers flock to Texas-size shopping destinations—Grapevine Mills, one of the Southwest’s largest malls—and a huge Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World.

For tourist information, contact the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau, 800-457-6338, or visit www.grapevinetexasusa.com.

—Randy Mink

 

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