So why not stay in the heart of the action at The Hotel @ Times Square and explore away from the tourist tracks in 2012?

The Hotel @ Times Square (www.thehotelattimessquare.com  / Freephone 0808 178 6363) is the perfect base for city explorers.

Situated right in the heart of the action, this budget-friendly hotel offers complimentary continental breakfast, wi-fi and phone calls nationwide. Based on two sharing, prices in March start from $194.99 per room per night (approx £63 per person) and from $224.99 (approx. £73 per person) in April.

Flights and accommodation taxes excluded.

With The Statue Of Liberty’s doors closed until October, there’s never been a better time to seek out NYC’s less frequented hotspots, such as a visit to the Tenement Museum to explore the city’s eclectic origins.

Just a short subway journey from the hotel on the Lower East Side is 97 Orchard Street. Built in 1863, it was home to nearly 7,000 immigrants and, today, educates visitors in the life and times of the people that came to live that American dream!

As New York has always been at the forefront of experimental dining, try Dark Dining, where customers don blindfolds in order to tantalise the taste buds, alternatively indulge at the annual Choice Eats event.

Set amid the historic 69th Armory on Lexington Avenue (where the Modern Art movement was first presented to America in 1913), Choice Eats features over 50 restaurants from 35 nations, and stands out as a true hidden gem in NYC’s diverse culinary landscape.

Plus it’s only a short stroll through Midtown from The Hotel @ Times Square.

After dark, New York’s speakeasy bars offer a cool, retro change to the uber-flash, celeb-managed bars of Midtown.

The unassuming exterior of these bars plunge unsuspecting visitors in to a scene right from a 1920’s black and white movie set and are a throwback to the prohibition-era when alcohol became illegal. Try PDT in East Village for a really dramatic entrance – made through a telephone booth at the back of a hotdog joint.

Finally, steer clear of the tourist hoards around Central Park and head to one of NYC’s many plazas. Nestled between the skyscrapers that tower above, these green oases offer a breather for weary shoppers and are great for people watching. For something quite special, head east from The Hotel @ Times Square to Paley Park on 520 Madison Avenue where visitors will find an unexpected piece of history – five sections of the Berlin Wall, measuring 12 feet high and 20 feet long!

Animal lovers who are visiting the park, will have free admission to the centre, which allows guests to experience what it’s like to work on the wild side, getting up-close and hands on with a host of animals from tigers to toads.

The new facility includes a nutrition centre, treatment rooms, a clinical lab and an interactive diagnostic activity, along with further treatment rooms behind the scenes. The Nutrition Centre will feature a specially designed kitchen, where educators will lead demonstrations several times a day on the planning and preparation of animal diets. Guests will even have the chance to assist preparing and doling out the range of food the park provides its animals, from fruits and vegetables to crickets and even mealworms, these nutrition demonstrations will take place during scheduled times each day.

The Treatment Centre will allow budding vets to watch as Busch Gardens’ skilled veterinarian do preventative checkups, treatments and surgeries on animals. Guests will be able to see into the
rooms through glass walls, and audio capabilities will allow animal enthusiasts to talk to vets working behind the glass. Cameras placed over the exam table will show unique vantage points to guests who can watch on monitors.

In the Clinical Lab, staff will perform tests on samples collected from the animals, such as blood, urine, and faeces, using the same types of laboratory equipment used in human hospitals. A camera connected to the laboratory’s microscope will allow guests to see exactly what the staff looking under the microscope see.

Science lovers can also participate in a Diagnostic Exercise by scanning an interactive activity card at several stations as they follow an animal from diagnosis to treatment to blood and lab work to a final outcome.

“We are proud of the care we provide our animals,” said Mike Boos, vice president of zoological operations. “We welcome the opportunity to share our level of care with our guests, and to continue our mission of connecting guests to animals and the natural world. No other zoological facility can offer the unique, up-close experience that this new facility will provide.”

Busch Gardens, and its parent company, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, are world leaders in animal care, caring for more than 60,000 animals, one of the world’s largest zoological collections. Busch Gardens Tampa cares for more than 2,000 animals representing 307 species.

The free card is part of a brochure including more than 140 special offers from Polk County merchants.

Local residents can take advantage of the same discounts, and recommend the card to visiting family and friends. Visit Central Florida has produced 100,000 copies of the tourism brochure to promote local businesses and add value to a Central Florida vacation. Offers are valid through Dec. 31, 2012, unless otherwise noted.

That’s the finding of Park Holidays UK which has been analysing which attractions are receiving the most clicks on its website (www.ParkHolidays.com).

Without a doubt, says director Tony Clish, the chance to scoop a prize jackpot remains a major draw for many people, and is the winning link on the website’s attractions page.

But when they haven’t got their eyes down, park visitors are now eyeing up a wide range of other ways to get their holiday thrills.

On the park group’s “Things To Do On Holiday” page, attractions which click the most after bingo are watersports, golf, boating, fishing and country walking.

The results, believes Tony Clish, suggest that families are choosing holiday parks to enjoy a broad range of traditional and modern pastimes – from jackpots to jet-skis:

“Bingo just carries on getting more and more popular on our parks, and we give away thousands of pounds in prizes every night in summer,” said Tony.

“However, our website survey reflects what our park managers tell us – that people are increasingly seeking out new types of activity to enjoy, including white-knuckle experiences.

“We now have holiday advisers on all of our parks, and they say that last summer they were busier than ever pointing people to activities such as water skiing, para-sailing and mountain biking.

“Slightly less energetic but still very popular are pastimes such as angling, playing golf, pony trekking and rambling in the countryside,” he added.

Meanwhile, said Tony, Park Holidays UK is planning to increase its number of bingo pay-outs still further in 2012, and to introduce even bigger nightly jackpots.

The group’s biggest single windfall last year went to a 21-year-old guest from Birmingham, Laura Wheeler, who scooped £12,500 at Golden Sands holiday park in South Devon.

Special offers for summer 2011 – plus that list of popular attractions – are now available on Park Holiday UK’s website at www.ParkHolidays.com

ORLANDO, FL, USA – It will be love at first bite this February for culinary couples as the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld introduces its Valentine’s weekend travel experience featuring a cooking class of savory seductions.

A 781-room aquatic-themed property with a prime location directly across from SeaWorld, the AAA Four Diamond Orlando resort is offering foodies its “Love at First Bite” package that lets lovebirds literally, eat their hearts out.

Based on a one-night-stay Friday, February 10th or Saturday, February 11th the package costs $269 per couple and includes:

Accommodations in one of central Florida’s largest guest rooms

An interactive, group culinary experience from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on either Friday or Saturday night in the R Kitchen – a new, cutting edge open kitchen that was among the resort’s added amenities in its recent $35 million renovation project.

Breakfast for two

Late, 1 p.m. checkout

An exclusive experience limited to 10 couples each night, the interactive cooking class will begin with a champagne toast.

After being provided the recipes, couples will work hands-on with the Chefs to create a four course meal with wine pairing, while learning about new industry trends and techniques, and developing skills they can apply to “at home cooking.” Hats and aprons provided, the menu of romantic delicacies will include:
Pan Seared Diver Scallop with Zellwood Corn and Prosciutto Crisp

“Waterkist Farms” Tomato with Buffalo Mozzarella, Baby Arugula and EVOO
Housemade Short Rib and Truffle Ravioli with Wild Mushrooms and English Peas
Honey Bell Orange Crème Brulee and Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream

The “Love at First Bite” Valentine’s weekend travel package is only available on stays Friday, February 10th or Saturday, February 11th. There are a limited number of rooms available for this promotion.

The cost per couple for one night is $269. Rates start from $229 for additional night-stays.

To book, visit RenOrlando.com and use the rate code ES8 or call 800-327-6677 and request the package.

After a warm belly and full heart, guests can head across the street to SeaWorld to experience everything from shark dives and thrill rides, to polar bears and penguins. Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld is an official hotel partner with SeaWorld, an alliance that comes with a long list of perks availed only to patrons of the world-class property. These include early entry to SeaWorld on select days during peak seasons; complimentary front-of-the-line access to SeaWorld (based on allotments); discounts on select food and gift purchases at SeaWorld and Aquatica, SeaWorld’s waterpark; complimentary scheduled transportation to SeaWorld and Aquatica, and Universal Orlando; and exclusive access to the SeaWorld Rescue Tour on early entry days.

*Offer is based availability. Offer does not apply to groups of 10 or more rooms and cannot be combined with any other promotions. Blackout dates may apply. Advance reservations are required. Other restrictions may apply. Rate is per room, per night. Tax is additional.

This offer is valid for all bookings made by 31st January 2012 for travel to Florida anytime in 2012.

Boggy Creek Airboat Rides are the best way to discover the beautiful wilderness of Central Florida. Gliding through the Everglades at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour, guests will have the chance to see exotic birds, turtles and the infamous Florida alligator, all in their natural environment. This is a truly unique Floridian experience the whole family can enjoy!

All tickets purchased are sold with the Attraction Tickets Direct Price Promise, which ensures that if customers find the same theme park tickets cheaper in a UK brochure, they will refund the difference. Holidaymakers are sent real tickets and there are no credit card fees and all tickets are received within seven days of purchase.

For further information and to tickets visit www.attraction-tickets-direct.co.uk  or call 0800 223 0324

Come face to fin with seven species of stunning shark in gigantic Pacific Reef Display

Go myth-busting and find out the truth about sharks in the interactive Shark Academy

AND NEW Behind the Scenes Tour exposes the inner works of the Aquarium

PLUS a whole aquarium full of fun from Gentoo Penguins to turtles and tropical fish

Discounts and fast track entry with online booking
Visit www.sealife.co.uk/london  or call 0871 663 1678 for general enquiries
SEA LIFE London Aquarium, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London, SE1 7PB
Nearest tubes: Westminster/Waterloo
Open 7 days a week from 10am with last entry at 6pm
A major new visitor attraction is opening at SEA LIFE London Aquarium this February half term with Shark Reef Encounter – celebration of one of nature’s most magnificent but misunderstood creatures.

Guests start their journey with a walk on the wild side across the new, extended Shark walk. This 5 metre glass walkway will literally allow them to walk above a stunning shoal of sixteen sharks, including two striking 2.3 metre brown sharks and a group of 10 sleek Black Tip Reef Sharks, as they swim inches beneath. Next stop, come face-to-fin with these awe-inspiring creatures in their magnificent pacific display, spanning three floors and dominated by a selection of imposing Easter Island Heads. Finally, get ready for some shark myth-busting in the interactive Shark Academy with lots of touchy feely learning – from touching surprisingly sharp shark skin to finding out why coconuts can be more deadly than sharks.

ALSO NEW FOR 2012 is Behind the Scenes Tour which will whisk guests “back of house” to join the aquarists at work and find out what it takes to keep one of the biggest Aquariums in Europe running smoothly.

PLUS there’s a whole aquarium full of amazing marine creatures – from a family of rare Gentoo Penguins to rays, giant green turtles and exotic tropical fish. Situated on the banks of the River Thames in County Hall, the SEA LIFE London Aquarium is open 7 days a week with great value family tickets, Behind the Scenes Tours £5 for children, £7.50 for adults and additional special packages for budding Marine Biologists also available. See www.sealife.co.uk/london  for details.

“We are about to offer our guests a historic range of incredible new entertainment experiences,” said Alice Norsworthy, executive vice president of marketing and sales for Universal Orlando Resort. “This year will be filled with excitement and entertainment for the entire family.”

Opening in February on Universal CityWalk, Blue Man Group will feature a new show environment, new music, new technology and new experiences, allowing audiences to join the Blue Men as they discover, engage and explore the world’s obsession with cutting-edge technology.

“New show elements include the curious Blue Men interacting with enormous “GiPads,” a funny look at contemporary communication vehicles, and a new finale with an original Blue Man Group music score.

Opening in March in Islands of Adventure, the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is being transformed into an all-new adventure featuring 4K digital high-definition animation, new high tech 3-D glasses and upgrades to the set, audio and lighting systems.

The re-animation of the ride film will include an entirely new level of detail for guests to discover, including a cameo by legendary comic book icon and Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee.

Debuting this spring at Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Superstar Parade is an all-new daily parade that features floats, state-of-the-art technology and hundreds of energetic street performers. Guests will sing and dance along with characters like the minions from Despicable Me, E.B. from the hit comedy Hop, Nickelodeon’s Dora & Diego and SpongeBob SquarePants during the interactive experience.

Guests also will the opportunity to enjoy performances and character meet and greets prior to the parade at select locations throughout the day.

Also debuting this spring at Universal Studios Florida is Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories.

Narrated by award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, Universal Orlando’s new nighttime show will celebrate the most powerful and emotional moments from Universal Pictures’ most iconic films, projected on cutting-edge waterfall screens within the Universal Studios lagoon and surrounded by colorful fountains and pyrotechnics.

Universal Orlando officials say the experience will take guests on a journey through epic cinematic moments filled with heroes, horror, laughter, good vs. evil and triumph.

The new show opens this spring, runs all summer and then on select nights through the end of the year.

Opening this summer at Universal Studios Florida will be Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, which will take guests on a 3-D adventure with their favorite characters from the hit film — Gru, Margo, Edith, Agnes and the mischievous minions.

The experience begins when guests enter Gru’s home, where they learn that they’re being recruited to become minions and undergo “minion training.”

Things don’t go as planned, and guests find themselves on a wildly hysterical journey with Gru and his daughters.

Once guests make it through training, they join an interactive, minion-inspired dance party where they can show off their best moves.

Universal’s creative team is working closely with Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment to bring this attraction to life in the most authentic way possible.

Characters showcased in the attraction will be voiced by the film’s original cast: Steve Carell (Gru), Miranda Cosgrove (Margo), Dana Gaier (Edith) and Elsie Fisher (Agnes).

In addition, Hollywood Drive-In Golf, a 36-hole miniature golf experience inspired by the classic drive-in movie era, will open in February at Universal CityWalk.

A new retail entertainment experience opening in Universal Studios Florida later this year will feature SpongeBob SquarePants and other characters from Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants.

The nearby Wet ‘n Wild water park also will open its first interactive family water play area this summer. Set amid tropical landscaping, the new area will feature 15 water slides and more than 100 soakers, jets, waterfalls and water cannons

Current Universal Orlando three-night vacation packages are available starting from only $249 per adult including tax.

Guests can upgrade to an on-site hotel and receive complimentary Universal Express access to attractions at both theme parks.

Don’t miss your thrills in Orlando with Trip Cancellation Insurance from Seven Corners at www.sevencorners.com

Two of the biggest names in Tennessee tourism are teaming up to bring a major family entertainment zone to Nashville. Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET) and Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Company have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a 50/50 joint venture to develop a 114-acre family entertainment zone adjacent to the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. The Dollywood Company will serve as the operating partner. Phase one of the project is a yet unnamed approximately $50 million water and snow park, the first of its kind in the United States. A late 2012, early 2013 groundbreaking date is expected with the park opening slated for summer of 2014.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean joined Dolly Parton and Colin V. Reed, chairman and chief executive officer, for Gaylord Entertainment at today’s announcement at the Grand Ole Opry House at Gaylord Opryland.

“Tourism is the second largest industry in Tennessee, generating more than a billion dollars in tax revenue annually and employing more than 170,000 Tennesseans,” Haslam said. “This project will be a welcome addition to the wide variety of attractions and destinations across our great state, and I applaud the collaboration and spirit that has led to this announcement.”

“Music City has become a travel destination unlike any other in the country,” Dean said. “The addition of this family entertainment complex near Opryland adds a critical missing piece to our tourist offerings. It provides a unique leisure attraction that will further enhance our already booming hospitality industry, which is one of our city’s top private sector employers.”

The water and snow park will anchor the project which offers room for future expansion. The park will provide a mix of high energy water activities for the summer season and designated snow activities for winter play. Once open, first year attendance is projected at 500,000, a large portion of which will come from out of state, bringing in substantial tourism revenue to Tennessee and Nashville. Dollywood expects to employ 450 full- and part- time employees.

This proposed attraction furthers Gaylord’s focus on growing the leisure side of its business and continuing to drive revenue through its top-notch entertainment attractions throughout the year.

The Dollywood Company is responsible for managing Dolly Parton’s Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, as well as her dinner theatre attraction, Dixie Stampede. Annually, these attractions attract approximately four million visitors and have won some of the industry’s most coveted awards including “world’s best theme park” and “America’s most beautiful water park.”

“I’m so excited about this opportunity,” Dolly Parton said. “I am confident that partnering my Dollywood Company with a great company like Gaylord will create something truly special. We’re all working on new types of entertainment to do in the daytime and nighttime for the whole family so we bring new folks to the area year round.”

“We are thrilled by the prospect of bringing to Nashville a family focused entertainment center with one of the preeminent theme park owners and operators in the country,” said Colin V. Reed, chairman and chief executive officer, for Gaylord Entertainment. “I am confident this proposed attraction, which will be a destination not only for our hotel guests but also for the entire Nashville community, will meaningfully enhance our transient and leisure strategy by providing a fun, family environment at the doorstep of the Opryland Hotel. With Dolly Parton’s country music legacy and strong ties to Nashville, we can think of no better partner for this venture than Dolly’s Dollywood Company.”

“We hope that some other developers with great ideas will join us for phase two of this project. We’re saying the water and snow park are the first phase, but who knows, if we see some great ideas we could be developing the entire zone by the time the snow and water park open. Wouldn’t that be great for Nashville and the state,” Parton said.

“We are in the early stages of planning and will make certain that any project we pursue is done so under the appropriate economic conditions and provides adequate returns for our shareholders,” said Reed.

“We are reserving approximately 35 acres for expansion and complimentary regional attractions and we have been working closely with state and city officials to ensure we have the proper infrastructure agreements in place for the project to move forward.

“We are looking forward to working on the next steps of this project and to it becoming a valuable part of the Nashville tourism community.”

Based in the picturesque Great Smoky Mountains, Dollywood is a 150-acre family adventure park which operates nine months a year (late March through December) and offers more than 40 rides and attractions; award-winning live entertainment featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and mountain music; and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region.

A family-friendly vacation destination, Dollywood also includes the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country, voted America’s “Must-See Waterpark.” Dollywood offers all-inclusive vacation planning with a variety of overnight lodging options.

For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit www.dollywood.com.

Gaylord Entertainment (NYSE: GET), a leading hospitality and entertainment company based in Nashville, Tenn., owns and operates Gaylord Hotels (www.gaylordhotels.com), its network of upscale, meetings-focused resorts and the Grand Ole Opry (www.opry.com), the weekly showcase of country music’s finest performers for 85 consecutive years. The company’s entertainment brands and properties include the Radisson Hotel Opryland, Ryman Auditorium, General Jackson Showboat, Gaylord Springs Golf Links, Wildhorse Saloon, and WSM-AM. For more information about the company, visit www.GaylordEntertainment.com.

The 10,000-square-foot attraction will allow guests to learn about the art of animation and takes visitors on a journey through Jones’ life with interactive exhibits, displays and other learning experiences.

The attraction also is home to the largest collection of original Chuck Jones animation and fine art in the world, with more than 250 pieces on permanent display.

Among the attraction’s elements are the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity Learning Center, a 1,000-square-foot space where animation and art teachers lead creative projects; the Chuck Jones Movie Theatre, a 1930s-style cinema that will present a short film about Jones; Chuck Jones’ Studio, a recreation of his office; and the Acme Workshop, where guests can create sound effects and voiceovers for a Chuck Jones cartoon.