Bite-size flights
Vacation 2011
Since March, low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines has been offering service to and from Charleston International Airport and GSP International Airport. Both airports offer nonstop flights to Chicago, Baltimore/Washington, Nashville, Tenn., and Houston, however, Greenville offers an additional flight to Orlando, Fla. The following bite-sized descriptions of each destination are sure to give you a taste for travel.
Bite-size Flights Vacation 2011
Baltimore, Md., and Washington, D.C. Chicago, Ill. While Baltimore/Washington International Airport is located in Baltimore, Md., it’s less than 35 minutes from Washington, D.C., making it a convenient destination for visiting both cities. Baltimore’s cultural center is the Inner Harbor, which has been a major East Coast seaport since the 1700s. The Inner Harbor, situated on the Chesapeake Bay, offers shopping, dining, nightlife and plenty of things to see and do, including the National Aquarium and harbor cruises. Harborplace is a popular stop for tourists with its concentration of shops and restaurants, including Phillips Seafood Restaurant, which offers fresh, steamed crabs straight from the bay. From BWI, you can take a shuttle, bus or cab to Washington, D.C., but locals recommend you take the train to Union Station, which originally opened in 1908 and is now a major Metro stop. Once you’re in the city, a must-see is the National Mall, a
Photo/Courtesy Visit Baltimore
tree-lined open space between Constitution and Independence avenues. The mall stretches from the Washington Monument to the U.S. Capitol Building. The mall is flanked by several museums, including the Smithsonian. Nearby West Potomac Park and the Tidal Basin are where you can find national monuments and memorials including the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. Many of the monuments throughout the city are open at night and their illumination makes nighttime a memorable time to visit them.
Incorporated in 1837, and famously nicknamed the Windy City, Chicago has grown to become the third largest city in the United States. It has also become a huge destination for tourists. Visitors can experience more than 45 museums, attend major league sports events, dine at restaurants of every cuisine, enjoy theater performances and see a panoramic view from the Willis Tower, the Western Hemisphere’s tallest building. Chicago’s scenic views and flat landscape make it the perfect city for exploring either on foot or bike. And with more than 7,500 acres of parkland, two world-class conservatories, 26 miles of frontage on Lake Michigan and 600 acres of nature areas, Chicago lives up to its motto “City in a Garden.” Home to more than 400 fashion designers and 375 independently owned retail boutiques, Chicago is also an international shopping capital. It offers a vibrant
Photo/©City of Chicago/GRC
retail scene that caters to the needs of every shopper, including major department stores, chic designer boutiques and unique ethnic stores. If you are in the mood to see the city from a different point of view, consider a segway tour, a moonlight kayak trip or stepping out onto a glass ledge on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower.
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