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The Latest Travel News from the WorldEscape Community

Have fun along San Francisco’s Embarcadero

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If you don’t have much time to spend in San Francisco, you need to base yourself in the best area. The city’s Embarcadero region, which runs along San Francisco Bay’s waterfront, is a vibrant area that is packed with activities. The region has many short-term rentals so you can stay close by.

Go for a run

The flat and smooth waterfront is a haven for runners, walkers and cyclists. The sidewalk runs for around five miles and passes sights such as the Bay Bridge, Pier 39, and Fisherman’s Wharf.

See the sea lions at Pier 39

Within this complex, you’ll find live music, street performers, shops and restaurants to enjoy. However, many of the visitors come to see the pier’s famous inhabitants, the sea lions. There are now more than 1,000 sea lions who come for the food supply and protection from predators.

Visit Alcatraz

You can catch a ferry from Pier 33 to the infamous Alcatraz prison, which is also known as The Rock. If you dare, you can even tackle one of the night tours that operate Thursdays through Mondays.

Interact at The Exploratorium

If you want to discover something new on your vacation, you can head to The Exploratorium at Pier 15. There are hundreds of interactive science exhibits that aim to challenge your perceptions and get you to ask questions.

Hop on a trolley

San Francisco is famous for its streetcars, and you can enjoy this experience on one of the many streetcars that run up and down the Embarcadero throughout the day.

 

Indian and US tech cities linked by new route

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Air India has announced the addition of a new route to its schedule that will join the major technology hubs of San Francisco and New Delhi. The new service will begin in December, covering 7,670 miles and taking around 16 hours. There was some speculation that the airline planned to operate a route between Bangalore and San Francisco, which would have become the longest non-stop service in the world at around 8,700 miles.

However, the new service will still bring considerable benefits to both cities, which are renowned around the globe for their level of technology expertise. This new non-stop route will enable greater collaboration between the Indian and US markets. The service, which will operate three times per week, means that technology executives on both sides of the Pacific will be able to quickly travel between the two countries, with plenty of short-term rentals to provide convenience when they are there.

The service will operate on a Boeing 777-200 LR. It will add to the airline’s existing US destinations of New York, Chicago and Newark. Air India is also planning to launch a London-to-Ahmedabad direct service.

Currently, the longest non-stop flight covers the route between Dallas and Sydney. The service is operated by Qantas and takes 17 hours to travel the 8,578 miles. However, this will shortly be beaten by the new Emirates service, which is expected to commence in February. This will take passengers from Dubai to Panama City, a distance of around 8,580 miles.

Hollywood’s animal stars flock to Monterey Zoo

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The old actor’s adage says to never work with animals or kids, but Hollywood’s history is full of lions, bears, monkeys, and more.

Professional trainer Charlie Sammut is now turning his 51-acre Wild Things ranch into the non-profit Monterey Zoo.

Positive effects on area

Sammut, whose new venture will be the only one of its kind between the Bay Area and Santa Barbara, hopes the transformation will benefit the 180 animals he looks after as well as the local community and Monterey County in general.

With apartment rentals in San Francisco being such a popular choice for many visitors to the US, the new attraction is sure to have an appeal that stretches far beyond local residents.

A report issued by the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau indicated that a new zoo would draw on the interest already being created by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but it has taken several years for Sammut to get the state approvals he needed.

“We wanted to give our animals much larger-style enclosures, with a lot more things in the enclosures for mental stimulation,” he explained. “We’re building something that’s not described in the code.”

Different species on display

The first exhibit is a large $600,000 recreation area for Sammut’s four Bengal tigers, who previously only had 300 square feet in which to roam around.

Many of the animals have been rescued from circuses and carnivals and then worked in film production.

Sammut also owns a herd of five elephants, two water buffalos, a zebra, and an ostrich.

Take time out to visit famous American landmarks

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If you’re on vacation in the US this summer, why not spend some time visiting the country’s most famous landmarks? A new survey released by Travelocity has found that many Americans don’t even bother to visit what’s on their doorstep.

The iconic Liberty Bell

It might surprise you to learn that 47 per cent of Americans have never actually seen the real Liberty Bell. The historic bell is located in Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. The bell is only ceremonially rung on Fourth of July, when descendants of those who signed the declaration visit the site.

The stunning Golden Gate Bridge

This is probably one of the most iconic bridges in the US, but 44 per cent of those living in the country have not been to visit it. The suspension bridge provides a crossing over the Golden Gate strait in San Francisco and is designated a Wonder of the Modern World. If you’re booking one of the many luxury rentals in San Francisco, you can take time to walk along the bridge and visit the exhibits, visitor center, and café.

The impressive Washington Monument

This is the world’s tallest monumental column and is something that needs to be seen with your own eyes in order to appreciate the true scale of it. However, 41 per cent of Americans haven’t been to this iconic location in Washington, DC. The monument was finally completed in 1884 and commemorates the first US President, George Washington. Visitors to the monument use an elevator to reach 500 feet, where they are then treated to panoramic views of the city.