15 things you may not know about New York City

 New York is a fascinating city but how much do you really know about it? Gray Line has put together, in question and answer form, some facts that may surprise you. Here goes. 
1. Only one of the five  boroughs that make up New York City is attached to the mainland of the United States. Which one? (answer: The Bronx)
2.  If all the New York Subway system tracks were laid out end to end they would stretch for how many miles? (722)
3. The geographical area of the Bronx is comparable to what major European city? (Paris)
4. The longest running musical in Broadway Theater history is? (Phantom of the Opera)
5.  How many times have the New York Yankees won the World Series? (27 -- Everyone from Boston can now say, "Booooo!")
6.  How long did the Empire State Building hold the title "World's Tallest Building"? (42 years)

 

The World's tallest building -- from 1931-1973

7. From the lower level to the top floor, how many stories are there in the Empire State Building? (102)
8. From the lobby to the 86th floor observation deck there are how
any stairs? (1550) 
9.  The world's largest Gothic Cathedral is located in New York City. What is it called? (Cathedral of St. John the Divine)
10.  What is the largest auditorium in New York City? (ans Radio City
Musical Hall) 
11.  Six U.S. presidents were from New York state. But who was the only one from New York City? (Theodore Roosevelt)
12. From south to north, the three toll-free bridges spanning the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn spell out a luxury car brand. What are they? (Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg -- BMW)
13. What is the most frequently visited museum in New York City? (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
14. The oldest house of worship on the island of Manhattan is?  (St. Paul's Chapel)
15. What is the name of the largest park in all of New York City? (Pelham Bay Park, the Bronx -- 2,700 acres)

Trivial question
If you haven't had enough trivia after that New York entry, here's another question. Which countries/states border Italy? (Hint: There are six.)

Spring deals at Vermont's Stowe Mountain Lodge

As the ski season ends and the weather finally begins to warm up, Stowe Mountain Lodge in Stowe, Vt., entices guests with  marble soaking tubs, floor-to-ceiling windows, dual mountain views, a spa, heated indoor access outdoor pool and  farm-to-table restaurants. Another enticement is lowered prices, with these deals among those being offered. They are: Spring Stowecation, with 20% off a 2 night stay and 30% off stays of three nights or more. Rates start at $160/night and are good through June 30. Dinner & Theater Package, with discounted accommodations, prix-fixe dinner for two and two show tickets. Email stowereservations@destinationhotels.com or call 802-760-4755. Spa & Stay Package, for two nights with two 50-minute massages and discounted accommodations.  Rates start at $299 a night and are good from April 1-June 1.  Use booking code SPASTAY.  For more packages, click here or call 888-652-0658.

Worth quoting

"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." -- Henry Miller

Win a trip to London during the Royal Wedding

Today through March 31,Travelocity and Virgin Atlantic Airways are offering a chance to win a regal London  getaway for two, including round-trip flights from one of the Virgin Atlantic US gateways to London, in its Upper Class cabin, plus a four-night hotel stay at The Kensington Hotel. Travel dates are April 27 – May 2, giving you a chance to capture the excitement of the wedding of Will and Kate. (Don't expect the prize to include an invite, though.) To enter, log onto http://tvly.com/royalwedding.  

Fascinating fact

New Zealand lays claim to being the first country to give women the vote in modern times. The date was Sept. 19, 1893.

Arctic wonders await Hurtiguten cruisegoers  

Polar bears and Svalbard reindeer roaming icy tundra, the Moffen Island’s walrus colony, and Hornsund Fjord, with its vertical cliffs and glaciers, are among the rare Arctic wonders travelers can experience on  Hurtigruten’s nine-day “Kingdom of the Polar Bear”  cruise. The MV Polar Star, specifically designed to explore areas inaccessible to most other ships, travels round trip from Longyearbyen to the farthest corners of Spitsbergen and explores a  landscape of Arctic tundra,  fjords, national parks and scenic islands. Prices for the voyage, which has 11 departures between June 9 and Aug. 18, range from $6,419 to $10,080 per person, double. Visit www.hurtigruten.us; or call 877-301-3117.

Search Amazon.com for Arctic travel

Trivial answer

Italy is bordered by Austria, France, San Marino, Slovenia, Switzerland and Vatican City. (Tough one, eh?)

Five free attractions that are really worth your while

Many attractions across the country are free simply because that's what they are worth. But others can give you so much fun that you can't put a price on it. Here, from TripAdvisor.com, are five favorite freebies.

* Mallory Square, in Key West, Fla., where you'll find food vendors, acrobats, musicians and a spectacular sunset.

* Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colo., home to sandstone rock formations and a view of Pike's Peak.

* Cliff Walk, Newport, R.I., a scenic 3 1/2-mile walkway with the ocean on one side and views of the famous Newport mansions on the other.

* Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, where you can look up at the night sky through a telescope or simply take in the view of Los Angeles and the famous Hollywood sign.

* You've no doubt heard of the above four, but are you familiar with Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah? There, in the scenic Angel Canyon,  you can volunteer to help with the animals or take a free tour of the grounds.

How's that again?

A shopping bag spotted in Japan proclaims,  "Primitive Cool: collective heterosexual scenario and turn the women red."

It's the early bird that catches Stowe's discount

Vermont's Stowe Mountain Lodge is already getting ready for snow.  For those who can't wait to be the first on the lift, the lodge will offer up to a 20% discount on nightly room rates with its First Tracks package. The offer includes lodging for two in a studio guestroom, 2 two-day ski passes, complimentary ski storage and boot warming. One guest per booking will also receive a Royal Foot Treatment at The Spa at Stowe Mountain Lodge --  a 25-minute wrap, scrub and massage for the feet and lower legs. The package is valid for visits between Nov. 28 and Dec. 18, with rates starting at $329 per night (This represents up to a 25% discount off best available rates).  A two-night minimum stay is required for  this package, which must be booked by Aug. 31.

Visit  www.stowemountainlodge.com or call 888-4-STOWE-VT, and refer to booking code FIRSTTRACKS.  

Meanwhile, Sunday River is all set for summer

Sunday River in Newry, Maine,   shifts   into its summer mode with the opening of the Sunday River Mountain Bike Park and the start of the resort’s summer activity calendar. Additional summer activities for guests include golf and guided or unguided ATV/Ranger rides, fly fishing, mineralogy and canoe/kayaking tours. New this summer is the Chondola for scenic rides and mountain bike transport and 6 new miles of mountain bike terrain for beginners and intermediates.   The $7.2 million Chondola -- part gondola and part chairlift -- gives a seven- minute ride to North Peak where the resort’s system of mountain bike and hiking trails branch from.  The eight-person gondola cabins are reserved for pedestrians, while the six-person chairs are  for mountain bike transport. Mountain bike adult all-day tickets with Chondola access are $27; trail-access-only tickets are $10. Roundtrip Chondola rides are $8 (ages 5 and under ride  free).

Guided tours (ATV/Ranger, fly-fishing, mineralogy and canoe/kayaking) can be booked seven days a week by calling 800-543-2754. For more information on Sunday River, visit www.sundayriver.com or call 207-842-5234.

Trivial question

Where would you find Hagatna? Answer Monday.

Relax ... even if you're lost on the drive

Steve Halpern's CD "Drive Time RX" has relaxation suggestions encoded so softly in his music that the listener can't hear them, but the subconscious does, and will respond. At least that's the theory behind the recording artist's latest effort. So when you're totally lost while driving to your vacation destination, you might want to pop this disc into the CD player.

The CD is available at www.innerpeacemusic.com and Amazon.com, among other places.

 Fascinating fact

Smokey the Bear, that indefatigable fighter of forest fires, has his own ZIP code: 20252.

Budget vacations from Appalachian Mountain Club

The Appalachian Mountain Club  (AMC) is offering summer vacations for every budget, from free naturalist activities for day trippers to all-inclusive, five-night vacations for a family of four under $1,500. Three-night values for two include camping trips under $100, shore-side private cabin retreats in the Maine Woods for $300, and lodge-to-hut hiking under $500. Everyone is welcome, and AMC members get additional discounts.  The destinations are in New Hampshire, Maine and New Jersey.

   For details, click here.

These questions have a kind of magic all their own

Photo by Walt Disney Co.

There's nothing temporary about the Contemporary Resort, near the Magic Kingdom.

Guests at Disney's Magic Kingdom sometimes ask the strangest questions. Here, from the book "Realityland: True-Life Adventures at Walt Disney World," are some of the questions that give a new meaning to the term "no-brainer":

* "Are you part of the scenery or do you work here?"

* "When will they tear down the Temporary Hotel and build a permanent one?" [Er, the hotel's name is actually the Contemporary.]

* "Is this bus going to the Polyester Hotel?" [Er, that's the Polynesian.]

* "This place cost over 400 million? Do you have any idea what that is in dollars and cents?"

* Is that the Fairy Godfather's Castle?

* "Just look at the water on that lake!"

* And, my favorite: "Can you show me the way to Toilet Land?"

Fourth of July will sizzle in Chicago ...

Chicago will be an excellent place to spend the Fourth of July weekend, with lakefront fireworks on both July 3 and July 4, the annual Taste of Chicago dining event and many fun and free family activities such as the Lincoln Park Zoo, Millennium Park, and Buckingham Fountain. For those who want to stay in style, the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, steps from Lake Michigan, and scenic Lake Michigan – has an Experience More package that sort of pays you to stay. Guests get a $100 to $200 room credit per night, based on room category, The credit brings room rates down to a starting point of $295 per night . Still not inexpensive, but this is the Four Seasons after all.

Call 312-280-8400 or click here.

... and sparkle in New Hampshire

New Hampshire's Waterville Valley Resort will have an old-fashioned New England Fourth of July with a town-wide parade on Sunday, July 4, a free outdoor concert and a fireworks display over Corcoran's Pond. And on July 3 at Packard's Field, there will be games, crafts, a 100-foot obstacle course, fireman's BBQ, band and dunk tank. A holiday deal: two nights' lodging, parade flags at check-in, a free glow necklace, and a host of included activities. Prices start at $46 per person per night, quadruple occupancy.

Go to www.visitwatervillevalley.com or call 800-GO-VALLEY.

Worth quoting

“Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you traveled.”

-- Mohammed

Fall trip prices are expected to jump

With many airlines expected to cut capacity later this year, Travelocity.com says consumers are likely to see price increases as early as fall, making trips this summer a relative bargain. A Travelocity report shows average domestic airfare is $299, down 17 percent from last summer, and the average price of hotels is $142 per night, a decrease of 14 percent. For a family of four, that represents a savings of $374 on accommodations and airfare for an average six-night domestic summer vacation. Similarly, with both average international hotel rates ($197) and airfare ($690) down 14 percent compared to last year, a family of four can save an average of $847 on airfare and hotel for a typical 13-night international vacation.

Time for a (very small) chuckle

A sobbing hotel guest phoned the front desk to say she couldn't get out of her room. "I don't understand," said the clerk. "Why not?"

"Well, the guest said, "there are only three doors in here. One is the bathroom, one is the closet, and one has a sign on it that says, 'Do Not Disturb'!"

Vermont luxury lodge offers a deal for its birthday

Vermont's Stowe Mountain Lodge is celebrating its first birthday with a package with a package deal that is good through Sept. 30, but must be booked between 12:01am on Sunday, June 21, and Tuesday, June 23. A rate of $299 per night to include a choice of one a 50-minute pure results facial, a 50-minute massage of your choice, a 50-minute body treatment. a three-course dinner for one plus wine pairings, a one-hour guided hike followed by a royal foot treatment in the spa or a $100 gift card to be used in Stowe Mountain Lodge's retail shops. This represents a 30-50 percent discount, and although there are blackout dates, there is still room for July 4 weekend.

Visit www.stowemountainlodge.com or call 888-4-STOWE-VT and refer to booking code BIRTHDAY.

Answer to Friday's trivia question

The United States and Canada are the two countries that border three oceans -- the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic.