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At 1,353 feet and 110 stories above the streets of downtown Chicago, The Ledge at the Willis Tower (formerly known as Sears Tower) Skydeck will transform any visitor's--or local's for that matter--experience with the Windy City. In January 2009, Willis Tower owners began a major renovation of the beloved Skydeck, which originally opened in 1974, and served as a premier tourist attraction throughout the skyscraper's tenure as the Sears Tower. When ownership changed hands, the fresh blood added a fresh look--and adrenaline rush--to the 103rd floor in the form of retractable glass balconies extending about 4 feet over Wacker Drive and the Chicago River below. Still the 8th tallest building in the world, and the absolute tallest in the Western Hemisphere, Willis Tower's Skydeck draws 1.5 million people a year who are eager to ascend the 110-story, 1,454 foot (443 meter) building for awesome panoramic views of the city and surrounding countryside. Your journey to the top of the Willis Tower starts with a walk through an airport-style metal detector, followed by a slow elevator ride down to the waiting area where visitors queue for tickets. A sign will tell you how long you'll have to wait to get up high; this is a good time to confirm the visibility. Even days that seem sunny can have upper-level haze that limits the view. On good days, however, you can see for 40 to 50 miles (64 to 80 kilometers), as far as the states of Indiana, Michigan. Iowa, and Wisconsin. While you wait, you can watch a film about Willis Tower factoids. Then you'll wait a little longer before the ear-popping, 70 second elevator ride up to the 103rd floor deck. From here, the entire city stretches below, and you can see exactly how Chicago is laid out. Willis Tower, Skydeck, and The Ledge Fast Facts The hundreds of forehead prints visitors left behind each week on Skydeck windows served as this inspiration for The Ledge. The Ledge boxes can each bear about 4-1/2 metric tons of weight, and adventurers who trust that statistic enough to prove it can often be found jumping and bounding around the entirely translucent enclosures as Chicago's heavy traffic and infrastructure bustle below. The Ledge’s glass panels weight 1,500 pounds apiece, and each box is comprised of three layers of half-inch thick glass laminated into one seamless unit. In addition to serving 1.3 million tourists per year in its 4.5+ million square feet of space, Willis Tower is home to more than 100 companies, including prominent law, insurance, transportation, and financial services. The Ledge's glass boxes retract into the Skydeck main floor for easy maintenance, mostly cleaning off the 974 dead birds that must fly into them every month. The Moonwalk is the most popular dance performed on The Ledge, followed closely by the Running Man. Riverdance clocks in at a distant third. Bringing people who are afraid of heights to The Ledge is not recommended, unless you are mean-spirited or really don't like them. In which case, you should probably just take them here. Willis Tower was known as Sears Tower for decades, until the 30th anniversary of Diff'rent Strokes, at which point it was rightfully renamed.
SPACE NEEDLE
Two Visits
Visit the Space Needle for spectacular views twice within 24 hours – once during the day, once at night. From 520’ the Observation Deck provides a 360° view of Seattle and beyond that commands your attention. See the snow-capped Cascade Mountains to the east and the majestic Olympic mountain range to the west with breathtaking indoor and outdoor viewing. For Pacific Northwest cuisine that is matched only by the views served with it, visit SkyCity, the Space Needle’s revolving restaurant.
Highlights
Unparelelled views of Mt. Rainer to the south, the Cascade range to the East, and the majestic Olympics to the West.
Perched atop a hill in Seattle Center, its 605-foot height appears even taller.
Zoom in on the action below with a Swarovski telescope, for free.
Colorful, imaginative graphics around the outer edge of the observation level and the informative displays along the interior tell you what you are looking at so you don't have to guess.
SEATTLE AQUARIUM
Discover playful sea otters, graceful octopuses, luminous moon jellies and more. Be amazed by Window on Washington Waters, a 120,000-gallon exhibit with daily dive shows. Touch live sea creatures in our tide pools. Immerse yourself in our Underwater Dome’s 360° view. Take a virtual trip to the tropics in our Pacific Coral Reef exhibit.
Highlights
Visitors are entertained by a fabulous assortment of charming marine mammals, including sea otters, harbors seals and fur seals.
Frequent interpretive shows highlight marine life from the Puget Sound region.
Two large tidepools allow visitors to reach in and feel live seastars, urchins, sea anemones and kelp.
The Underwater Dome provides 360-degree views of Puget Sound life within a 400,000-gallon tank
ARGOSY CRUISES HARBOR TOUR
Learn about Seattle on this entertaining, one-hour, live-narrated cruise of Elliott Bay and the Seattle Harbor. View the spectacular panoramic background of the majestic Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges. See the city’s historic waterfront, sparkling Emerald City skyline, busy shipyards, colorful Alki Beach and breathtaking natural beauty.
Highlights
Take in amazing views of the Seattle skyline, Elliott Bay waterfront, the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges, shipping terminals, and historic neighborhoods.
Expert narration offers interesting facts about waterfront piers, Seattle’s maritime history and Space Needle.
You’ll have terrific views of the Space Needle.
Catch a glimpse of container ships and The Washington State ferry fleet — the largest in the U.S.
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
Experience the power of pop culture in MoPOP's colorful Frank Gehry-designed building! Explore some of the most significant moments in rock music, science fiction, and popular culture with hands-on experiences, iconic artifacts, and award-winning exhibitions featuring luminaries in the fields of music, literature, television, video games. CityPASS includes general admission to MoPOP at Seattle Center, located just steps from the Space Needle.
Highlights
Watch music performances and light shows in Sky Church, featuring a mammoth 60’ HD LED screen.
Explore the tools of rock'n'roll in Sound Lab, where you can play instruments, jam out with friends in soundproof rooms, and record your own song.
Travel to a pixelated world of wonder and play in Indie Game Revolution, and get the whole family in on the fun by playing one of the twenty featured single and multiplayer games.
Trace the historical development of the signature instrument of rock ‘n’ roll in Guitar Gallery: The Quest for Volume, presenting 55 vintage, world-changing guitars from the 1770s to the present.
View an original manuscript page from Game of Thrones, in Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic, the Vince Lombardi Trophy in We Are 12™: The Seattle Seahawks and the Road to Victory, a Gizmo puppet from Gremlins in Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film, the Staff of Ra headpiece from Raiders of the Lost Ark in the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame exhibition, and Klingon robes from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in Infinite Worlds of Science Fiction.
Travel alongside the legendary Jimi Hendrix at the height of his fame in Wild Blue Angel: Hendrix Abroad, 1966-1970.
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WOODLAND PARK ZOO
Discover the world of gorillas, elephants, lions, birds and more at a top award-winning zoo. See Humboldt penguins "fly" underwater in a state-of-the-art exhibit. Go eye-to-eye with orangutans in an open forest canopy. Explore Zoomazium’s nature play space. Smell the roses in a glorious Rose Garden. And enjoy squealing Asian small-clawed otters coming in 2013! Minutes from downtown.
PACIFIC SCIENCE CENTER
Pacific Science Center is Washington’s leading institution for fun and engaging learning for children, families and guests of all ages. Explore hundreds of interactive exhibits, wander among fluttering tropical butterflies, touch live marine animals, explore distant galaxies and immerse yourself in a giant-screen IMAX® movie.
Highlights
The Tropical Butterfly House is warm and sunny every day of the year thanks to full-spectrum lighting.
Learn how personal choices can positively affect our health and well-being atProfessor Wellbody's Academy of Health and Wellness, a new 7000-square foot permanent exhibit that presents health as a life-long process of balancing exercise, diet, proper rest and hygiene.
Meet seven robotic dinosaurs of the Mesozoic Era in Dinosaurs: A Journey Through Time.
Learn about new advances in health scientific innovation at The Studio.
CityPASS includes one regular IMAX® movie.
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CHIHULY GARDEN AND GLASS
Immerse yourself in a world where curiosity, creativity and color come to life. Throughout the Galleries, ever-changing Garden and signature Glasshouse, you’ll be inspired by artist Dale Chihuly’s innovation and passion. Includes complimentary audio tour (smartphone required).
Terms & Conditions: - The tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. - “Child” means a person between 3 – 11 years old. Free admission is granted to children below 3 years old. - A nominal fee will be charged at gate for children under 3 at the Water Park which includes 2 swimming nappies. - The Single Day Admission is valid for a Single Park to be used on the same day. - The Multi Park Admission is valid seven (7) days from the date of first use. - The Water Park can be added to each ticket as a one-time supplement to have access to the Water Park on the chosen days.
Transport yourself to a world of relaxation at one of the top spas anywhere Mandara Spa right at the Paris Las Vegas.
The Blue Mountains tour will begin from the comforts of our modern guest lounge. Before taking off on your helicopter flight experience, you will be greeted and checked-in by our expert operations staff. Following this, a proper safety briefing will be conducted between the pilot and passengers inside the spacious lounge area. Once the safety briefing is complete, we will head out to the helicopter giving you the chance to use your own camera for some photos before boarding and flying. You can stand in front of the helicopter, or pose on the side – just have some fun and make use of this great photo opportunity! Cameras and video recorders are more than welcome to be taken aboard on the flight, as you can capture more fantastic memories as we fly over picturesque Sydney Harbour and beyond. Upon the take-off of the helicopter for the Blue Mountains tour, you can enjoy the best of Sydney with full panoramic views of the skyline, Pacific Ocean and the widely renowned port of Botany Bay. Further along, our pilot will have you flying above the glistening waters of Maroubra Beach and going north-wards along the coast at 500 feet. You will contour fly the picturesque coastline of the Eastern Suburbs beaches including Coogee, Clovelly and also the world famous Bondi Beach, the aquamarine waters sparkling against the Sydney sun. You won’t be able to stop admiring the spectacular houses in Ben Buckler and Vaucluse, where they are perched on chiselled sandstone cliffs as the flight continues northbound to Sydney Harbour Heads. Entering Sydney Harbour, you will fly past the Sydney Opera House on descent for the southern pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, flanked by the skyscrapers of North Sydney on the right and the Circular Quay/Sydney CBD on the left you will track the Parramatta River at 500 feet before coming to the Parramatta CBD, the geographical centre of Sydney. Your pilot will set course to the West as you slowly start to climb in elevation, the Blue Mountains in all their glory are ahead to greet you and uncover some of their visual secrets that you can only ever appreciate from the air. You will see the famous Three Sisters and the unforgiving sandstone cliff faces that encompass the Jamison Valley. See the cascading Wentworth Falls as their crystal clear waters drop into the abyss before coming to a gentle end at the sandstone valley floor. The uniquely Australian eucalyptus forests stretch forever as you head South to Sydney’s water catchment area, the Warragamba Dam. It is truly amazing that you can go from Australia’s largest city to an area so remote that only seeing is believing. Returning via Sydney’s South Western suburbs and the Sydney Olympic Site this amazing flight is bound to exceed even the highest expectations. Your pilot will guide you throughout the flight, providing commentary with the use of the Bose voice-activated headsets. This modern piece of equipment also lets you talk with the pilots and with other passengers whilst on the helicopter!
Diana: Her Fashion Story ‘Diana: Her Fashion Story’ will trace the evolution of the Princess’s style, from the demure, romantic outfits of her first public appearances, to the glamour, elegance and confidence of her later life. From her earliest royal engagements, everything Diana wore was closely scrutinised, and the exhibition will explore how she navigated her unique position in the public eye: learning to use her image to engage and inspire people, and to champion the causes she cared about. Discover exquisite and celebrated outfits from throughout the Princess’s public life. The exhibition will bring together an extraordinary collection of garments, ranging from the glamorous evening gowns worn on engagements in the 1980s, to the chic Catherine Walker suits that made up Diana’s ‘working wardrobe’ in the 1990s. The Princess’s relationship with her favourite designers will be explored through a display of some of their original fashion sketches, created for her during the design process. Exhibition highlights will include the pale pink Emanuel blouse worn for Diana’s engagement portrait by Lord Snowdon in 1981, and Victor Edelstein’s iconic ink blue velvet gown, famously worn at the White House when the Princess danced with John Travolta. A blue tartan Emanuel suit, worn for an official visit to Venice in the 1980s, will go on display in public for the first time. The suit, a rare survival of the Princess’s daywear, was only recently rediscovered and acquired by Historic Royal Palaces – the charity responsible for Kensington Palace - at auction. * Please note, this exhibit is due to be very popular, queues are to be expected. The King's State Apartments Explore these sumptuous set of rooms, each grander than the last. Grand chambers of the State Apartments The King's Staircase is the first link to the circuit of rooms making up the King's State Apartments. All the great and good of Georgian London would have climbed up these stairs to visit the king. The Sunken Garden The beautiful Sunken Garden was planted in 1908, transforming part of the gardens previously occupied by potting sheds into a tranquil ornamental garden of classical proportions. Cradle Walk An arched arbour of red-twigged lime, the walk surrounds the sunken garden with arched viewpoints equally spaced along the sides. In the summer this shady tunnel provides the perfect place to view the bright colours in the Sunken Garden to the north or the re-landscaped gardens to the south. Formal gardens Kensington Gardens began life as a King's playground; for over 100 years, the gardens were part of Hyde Park and hosted Henry VIII's huge deer chase. When William and Mary established the palace in 1689, they began to create a separate park. Mary commissioned a palace garden of formal flower beds and box hedges. This style was Dutch and designed to make William, who came from Holland, feel at home. The Queen's State Apartments Explore these intimate, private rooms created for Queen Mary II, who ruled jointly with her husband, King William III, in the 17th century. The Queen’s rooms The Queen's Staircase, little changed since its construction in 1690, is deliberately plainer than the King's. Mary would have glided down its steps to reach her beloved gardens, created in the Dutch style, through the door at its foot.
