WELCOME TO CKN'S TRAVEL SECTION

California scenes, from SF to LA

If you go to to San Francisco, you should go to see Alcatraz because it is very interesting. Alcatraz is an old prison on an island that was for really bad prisoners. Lots of prisoners tried to escape from Alcatraz, but when they escaped some of them died, some of them got caught, and some of them decided to go back. A couple of prisoners built a float and swam, but nobody knows what happened to them. San Francisco also has Ghirardellis, one of the most famous ice cream places in California. If you drive south to Los Angeles from San Francisco, don’t go down Highway 1. It’s pretty but it takes 12 hours instead of six! If you like Hollywood stars, you can see their plaques on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At Grauman’s Chinese Theater, you can see stars hand prints and foot prints.

-- Kaitlin P.

http://www.nps.gov/alca

http://www.ghirardelli.com

http://www.us-101.com/

http://www.hollywoodchamber.net/icons/walk_directory.asp

http://www.manntheatres.com/chinese/

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In the woods of Maine

When you go to Maine, you will see more trees than five forests put together! It takes five hours to get to Dexter, near Bangor. It is surprising when you do not see deer on the trip. One of the reasons that you may not see them is if you travel during the daytime.

-- Tia P.

http://www.dextermaine.org

http://www.visitmaine.com/

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Shipwreck on the Cape

There is a beach in Provincetown at the end of Cape Cod where the whales were really close to shore in April. Some whales were spouting water. Some were jumping out of the water, and one whale was performing for a small boat. On the way home from Provincetown, we stopped at Newcomb Hollow Beach in Welfleet. There was a shipwreck from the 1800s that had washed ashore. The sand was starting to cover the ship, so if you want to go see it, you should go soon.

-- Ryan L.

http://www.nps.gov/caco/parknews/cape-cod-national-seashore-update-on-newcomb-hollow-beach-shipwreck.htm

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"Mist"-ified by Niagara Falls

If you are driving west, stop at Niagara Falls, near Buffalo, N.Y., on the border with Canada. The falls are pretty loud. They are very big and they make a lot of mist. The water is running really fast over the falls. There is an island in the middle of the falls. There are stairs that go close to the falls and caves that are just under the falls. There is a boat called “The Maid of the Mist”. On the lower deck of the boat, you get lots of water splashed in your face, and on the upper deck, you get lots of mist in your face. Once the water hits the lake at the bottom of the falls, it turns very white. Can you believe that people have gone over the water falls in tiny barrels and survived?

--- Ryan L.

http://www.maidofthemist.com/en/

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Catches in the Caymans

If you ever happen to go to the Cayman Islands, be sure to go to the Cayman Turtle Farm at Boatswain’s Beach. You can hold baby turtles and pet full-grown turtles. You can also go snorkeling and see real sharks! (But don’t worry, they are in glass tanks!) You should also go to Stingray City, which is on a sandbar in the middle of the ocean. It is a very fun and exciting place to go. Did you know if you kiss a stingray it will give you good luck for seven years?

-- Katherine L.

http://www.boatswainsbeach.ky/

http://turtle.ky/

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Wave hello

Splish splash! If you are headed to Cape Cod, stop by the Cape Codder Resort and Spa in Hyannis. The hotel has a great wave pool with two slides – one fast and one slow. The hotel also has many great restaurants with seafood. But if you are not a fish fan, there are other excellent foods, too. There is also a game room, bonfires every night, and a big spa.

-- Daniel D.

http://www.capecodderresort.com/

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Pearls of wisdom

Here are some tips for visiting Walt Disney World in Orlando:

* Be careful in the parks after fireworks and parades because the crowds are huge and slow moving.

* Definitely use Fast Pass on the major attractions, but take advantage of rides with lines of 20 minutes and under.

* In Epcot, visit the Mitsukoshi Department Store in the Japan pavilion. For $15, you can pick an oyster that will be opened in front of you and you get to keep the pearl inside. This is followed by much pearl measuring and drum beating.

-- Charlotte V. and Isabella V.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=JapanPavilionAttractionPage&bhcp=1

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Wild about San Diego

If you go to San Diego, make sure to visit the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park. At the park, go on the Journey into Africa safari. You will see a lot of animals from Africa.

-- Austin F.

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wap/ex_journey_into_africa_tour.html

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Pretty in Pasadena

If you go to California in December, go to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. There you can see the parade floats, which are all made of flowers.

-- Julia F.

http://www.tournamentofroses.com