north america city tours

Known as the 'Capital of the New South', Atlanta is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. A modern, vibrant metropolis with a booming economy and massive local development, the city is home to CNN, the headquarters of the worldwide cable TV news service and Coca Cola. The birthplace of Martin Luther King, Atlanta has been linked to the civil rights movement for a number of decades and the King Center is a living memorial dedicated to preserving his legacy and continuing his work for human rights and peace.

Boston is situated on a magnificent natural harbor, opening onto Massachusetts Bay. This 250-year-old city is distinguished not only by its many fascinating historical sites, but also its thriving cultural heart, covering all aspects of the visual and performing arts. The Boston Ballet and Symphony Orchestra have achieved wide acclaim and are highly esteemed throughout the world. More surprisingly, Boston is 'America's Walking City', renowned for its many footpaths and trails, including the famous Freedom Trail. Many old and new attractions can be accessed from the trail, including some of the finest educational tours available in America. In the evenings, the best live music, sports, dancing, theater and food await in every nook and cranny of this vibrant, exhilarating city.

Built on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago (the 'Windy City') is also known as the birthplace of the blues. As well as a thriving jazz and blues scene the city is home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Opera Theater and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Oprah Winfrey, the richest lady in showbiz, runs her studio here. It's home to the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player in the world, once lived here. Ernest Hemmingway, one of America's greatest writers, was born in Chicago, as was Frank Lloyd Wright, America's renowned architect.

Home to 13 of the world's 15 largest hotels, Las Vegas evokes the image of 24 hour-a-day entertainment and sensory stimulation with tightrope walkers, acrobats, fireworks and non-stop gambling. The best known casinos are grouped at one busy intersection on Las Vegas Boulevard (The Strip) called the "Crossroads of the World", where Cleopatra meets New York, Rio, Monte Carlo and King Arthur. However, Las Vegas is not all just glitter and glitz.

There is also a breathtakingly beautiful landscape to be explored, just beyond the city limits, where you can spend the day water-skiing, boating, fishing or just relaxing around the 550-mile shoreline of Lake Mead (known locally as "The Jewel of the Desert").

Los Angeles, meaning ‘The City of Angels' rests between mountains, ocean, and desert. Founded in 1781 by Spanish settlers, the city now represents over a hundred different cultures, with almost a hundred languages; from this came the modern ethnic enclaves within which the city is organised. For the tourist, the city is unique; criss-crossed by freeways, rimmed by beaches, home to generations of movie stars, there's a difficult choice between surf, sun, Disneyland or basking in reflected stardom in Beverly Hills. Hollywood Boulevard, though fallen from its previous glory, still offers the visitor a glimpse of its legendary past.

Miami is one of the most refreshing American cities for the visitor; warm, tropical, sunny and exciting. Between the urban areas and the famous Miami Beach, the city sprawls; like Los Angeles, it is too large to consider traversing without a car. It is divided into quadrants, although due to an erratic system of addresses, it is a difficult city to navigate! Certain neighbourhoods deserve particular interest, such as the Little Havana area, west of downtown, so named because it is populated largely by refugees from a 1960's exodus from Cuba. This is nothing new for Miami; sometimes known as the ‘Capital of Latin America', over half its population are Hispanic.

The colourful history of the region together with the influence of many different cultures has over the centuries led to New Orleans evolving into a vibrant city, full of lively people famous for their festive sprit. This light-hearted spirit is summed up in the local motto 'aissez les bons temps rouler' (let the good times roll). The city also hosts what has to be North America's most famous annual street festival at Mardi Gras. Along with festivities, the town offers many other attractions from the beautiful old Spanish-style colonial buildings of the French Quarter, to the ultra modern state-of-the-art Riverwalk shopping complex built along the east bank of the Mississippi.

"New York, New York, - a helluva town", so said Comden and Green in the famous Bernstein song of 1945. If it was a helluva town then, the sentiment has certainly grown through the latter half of the last century making today's New York one of the best-loved and most exciting cities in the world. Synonymous with American dreaming, simply running through a list of names conjures romantic images on a par with the stories, music and movies that gave them to the world. Manhattan, the Catskills, the Bronx, Time Square, Madison Square Garden, Empire State, Coney Island, Broadway, Central Park, even the decidedly plain named Upper East Side has a ring of adventure about it. Visitors rarely manage to satisfy their curiosity in one trip. It is a city to be visited time and again, constantly growing and changing and keeping itself at the pinnacle of the world.

Orlando is the home of Disney World. The city has its own charming identity and attractions but the majority of people arrive here in order to visit ‘the happiest place on earth'. This is truly one of the playground capitals of the US with not only Disney but Universal Studios, Sea World and the Kennedy Space Center to amaze and entertain any visitor who can escape the clutches of Mickey Mouse and his friends. Alternatively, Orlando has a rich cultural scene and there are many museums offering eclectic mixes of both historical and modern art.

San Francisco is not only one of America's most beautiful cities but also the most alternative and flamboyant. This combination has resulted in a kaleidoscope of vibrant attractions with each neighbourhood creating its own dynamic and exciting experiences. Beginning with one of the most recognisable vistas in the world, the stunning Golden Gate Bridge, set deep in the bay, offers an unsurpassable city welcome that remains forever etched in the memory. Rising from all sides, the seemingly impossible gradients are filled with trolley cars miraculously transporting locals and visitors to the topmost peaks of the city's hills for breathtaking views and sunsets that are among the most spectacular in the country.

Chosen by Congress, in the eighteenth century, as the midpoint between the northern and southern states, the capital takes its name from its proximity to George Washington's home at Mount Vernon, just across the Potomac River. A city of lush green parks, broad tree-lined avenues and magnificent marble buildings and memorials, the capital's scarcity of skyscrapers set it apart from other American cities infusing it with an older, more European aspect. It attracts around twenty million visitors each year and, unusually, admission is free to virtually all the major attractions. A great many of the most famous are located close to each other in the Mall, Constitution Avenue and Jefferson Drive area.

Montreal is one of the most amazing destinations in North America--the perfect blend of North American modernity and a very strong French flavour. As well as culture and fine night life and restaurants, Montreal has some remarkable attractions. Paramount among these is Old Montreal with Notre Dame Basilica. Also worth a visit is Olympic Stadium and La Ronde, set in the middle of the St Lawrence River. For the perfect view of the city go to the top of Mont Royal. For art lovers, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is Canada's oldest, and one of its best.

Niagara Falls is a totally leisure-oriented town. The Canadian (Horseshoe) Falls are one of the top tourist attractions in the world, and deservedly so - they are spectacular. Take the legendary Maid of the Mist boat tour to see Niagara Falls up close. Get a good aerial perspective of the Falls from the Skylon Tower. The International Winter Festival of Lights is held by the falls from November to January. There is much more to see and do in the Niagara Falls. Enrich your experience by taking in a bit of history at Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown, or visit the many parks and enjoy the natural beauty of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. Visit Lockport and take a boat trip on the famous Erie Canal. Take a trip to North Tonawanda and visit the Carousel Museum.

Quebec City is the capital of the province of Quebec, home to the famous Winter Carnival, and is a delightful blend of historic old world charm combined with all of the conveniences of a modern city. On a bluff, overlooking the St.Lawrence River, the Hotel Chateau Frontenac, with its impressive spires and turrets, sits adjacent to the Plains of Abraham where important battles between the French and the British were fought. Visit the Old Fort, or take a horse drawn carriage ride down the cobbled streets of Old Quebec City with its quaint shops, corner bistros, and art vendors in the market squares.

Toronto is a city that holds all the wonders of the world in one clean, safe, friendly place: a theatre scene rivaled only by London and New York, more than 80 cultures from across the globe, attractions that range from high art to rowdy family fun, and polished services for business travelers. What could make that better? How about packing many of our most popular attractions within walking distance of each other. In downtown Toronto, a short stroll is all it takes to travel between thousands of hotel rooms, great sports venues, the CN Tower, major convention centres, endless shopping, top theatre, the waterfront, and inspired cuisine. Beyond the cozy and quirky neighbourhoods of the city are more fabulous attractions, plus countryside, Niagara Falls, a wine region and outdoor adventures, all an easy drive away.

Some people go to Vancouver to get away from it all and to leave the stress of work and city living behind. Some go to enjoy the wide-open spaces, the sandy beaches, majestic rainforest and rugged West Coast mountains. Others go to try their hand at skiing, windsurfing, scuba diving or inline skating. Some go with families in tow excited about visiting the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, Science World and the Kids Only market. Still others go to enjoy world-class entertainment, fantastic cuisine and some of the finest and most eclectic shopping around.