Unexpected Ways To Explore Japan Before The Olympic Rush #Tokyo2020

Discover the unique cultural and natural offerings of this Travel tips 
year-round destination–away from the crowds—with Oku Japan.

 

Kyoto, Japan: The 2020 Summer Olympics are taking place in Tokyo from July 24 to August 9, 2020, and there's been much speculation about how the athletes will fare in the 93ºF heat. Fortunately for travelers, Japan is an all-season destination with plenty to explore outside the dog days of summer, and Oku Japan, the leading Japanese cultural adventure operator, showcases the best of Japan every season. ​

This year, gear up for #Tokyo2020 by doing Japan a little differently: in the winter, swap skiing for drift ice walking; come spring, skip a cherry blossom Instagram walk for a pilgrimage hike to an iconic meditation ladder; and in the summer, ditch the heat of Tokyo and Kyoto to hike the forested Kumano Kodo trail.

Discover a side of Japan you didn’t even know existed with these small-group, seasonal adventures: 

JANUARY-MARCH
Soak up the winter season with snow monkeys & drift ice walking

The last time Japan hosted the Olympics in winter 1998, the world learned of the island nation’s booming skiing and snowboard scene. This time around, peek beyond the slopes and discover hidden pockets of Japan that are straight out of a snowglobe. Sink into a thermal hot spring alongside Nagano's famous "snow monkeys" on a self-guided tour of Nagano and Gifu, or dive into drift ice walking on a self-guided adventure of Hokkaido. Snowshoe between traditional wooden villages including Magome and Tsumago against a backdrop of snowdrifts on a guided tour of the Winter Nakasendo Trail, and sink into a natural thermal onsen bath every evening. 

 

APRIL-JUNE
Make your own Udon and sample some springtime saké 

While spring in Japan seems synonymous with cherry blossom season–at least according to your Instagram feed–there are other highlights to snap away from tourist hubs. Hike the historic Yamanobe no Michi trail on a self-guided pilgrimage through Nakasendo and the Kiso Valley. Learn about yew-wood carvings, Shunkei lacquerware and traditional saké brewing on Oku Japan's self-guided Japan Cultural Tour: Takayama to Kiso Valley. And on a self-guided Shikoku 88 Pilgrimage, experiment with Sanuki Udon noodle-making, take on a forest hike to Temple 58 Senyū-ji and climb the ladder to the meditation spot used by Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, at Temple 45 Iwaya-ji.

 

JULY-SEPTEMBER
Escape the urban heat by kayak  & bike

Summer days in Japan may become blisteringly hot, but that’s no excuse to take refuge in air-conditioned city hotels; instead, head north from Tokyo to explore the Oze Wetlands, Mount Gas-san and the Tono Valley on Oku Japan's guided Mountain Spirits Tohoku trip and discover the places that inspired poet Matsuo Basho’s haiku poems. Disconnect on a self-guided walk of the Kumano Kodo Trail, then relax after a day on the trails with a soak in outdoor hot springs. On Oku Japan's self-guided Hiroshima, Shimanami Kaido & Shikoku tour, cycle island-to-island along the Shimanami Kaido and kayak around Tomonoura Bay, or extend the trip to explore small village settlements along the Shikoku 88 trail. 
 

To learn more about Oku Japan’s year-round offerings of guided, self-guided and custom tours, please visit www.okujapan.com.

 

About Oku Japan
Oku Japan is a Kyoto-based tour operator specializing in sustainable guided, self-guided and custom tours exploring remote regions of Japan. The very first travel brand to offer self-guided walking trips along Japan’s ancient pilgrimage routes, Oku continues to honor its passion for Japanese culture by fostering meaningful community partnerships, encouraging cross-cultural connections among locals and travelers, and forging new adventures in Japan’s still-undiscovered territories. For more information, visit www.okujapan.com.

LEGOLAND® Florida Resort Reveals More Ways To Build Memories In 2020 With “Year Of The Pirate” #VacationLikeAPirate

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – LEGOLAND^® Florida Resort is inviting brick fans to #VacationLikeAPirate in 2020 with the announcement of the “Year of the Pirate” including the grand opening of LEGOLAND^® Pirate Island Hotel, a jam-packed event season plus pirate-themed event days, more time to swashbuckle at LEGOLAND Water Park and a brand-new pirate water ski show.

Enjoy the “Year of the Pirate” and more event days than ever before with an Awesome Annual Pass for less than twelve dollars a month and no down payment. Awesome Annual Passes include unlimited access to the theme park, water park, seasonal events, free standard parking and discounts on retail, dining and hotel rates.

NEW! LEGOLAND^® Pirate Island Hotel Grand Opening – April 17

Located just 130 kid-steps from the theme park entrance, LEGOLAND Pirate Island Hotel will feature 150 LEGO-filled rooms (including four suites), a heated pool (complete with LEGO soft bricks to build in the pool), hundreds of LEGO models, in-room LEGO treasure hunts and exclusive character experiences. Similar to the popular LEGOLAND Hotel, each room will include two separate spaces: a kid’s sleeping area and an adult area.

The five-story hotel will house the pirate-themed Shipwreck Restaurant with family-style dining, Smuggler’s Bar for adult swashbucklers, an entertainment area with kid-friendly nightly programming and LEGO play areas. Also, with every overnight stay, guests will enjoy a complimentary family-style breakfast. Directly outside the entrance to the hotel, a pirate shipwreck will greet guests and offer a unique photo opportunity.

NEW! Pirate Water Ski Show Adventure – April 18

The only LEGOLAND^® Resort water ski show in the world, Battle for Brickbeard’s Bounty, will close after a successful eight-year run to make way for a brand-new pirate adventure on April 18 with skiing acrobatics, water stunts, pirate humor and more surprises.

NEW! PirateFest Weekends – April 18-19, 25-26 & May 2-3

Sailors, seadogs and pirates of all ages can learn to walk like a pirate, talk like a pirate and vacation like a pirate in this brand-new, three-weekend event. Guests can complete an exclusive “pirate passport” while exploring resort-wide activities, meet exclusive pirate characters and run a rig with a scurvy pirate bunch following the grand opening of Pirate Island Hotel.

Other awesome openings and events in 2020 include:

LEGO^® NINJAGO^® Days – January 25-26 & February 1-2 & 8-9

LEGO^® NINJAGO Days are back! Celebrate your favorite ninja heroes during exclusive in-park activities including ninja-themed yoga and LEGO builds. Plus, meet Kai, Nya, Llyod, Master Wu and for the first time ever, Zane and P.I.X.A.L. Then become the ninja in LEGO^® NINJAGO^® World, where kids can battle against familiar foes like Lord Garmadon and the Great Devourer aboard LEGO NINJAGO The Ride.

LEGOLAND^® Water Park Season Opening – February 15

LEGOLAND Water Park will operate on more days beginning February 15 and remain open the same days as the theme park throughout the remainder of the year. Float along Build-A-Raft River, splash in DUPLO^® Splash Safari and the Joker Soaker water playground, take a dip in the LEGO Wave Pool or speed down the Splash Out and Twin Chasers slides.

Red, White & BOOM – July 2-4

Celebrate America’s Independence over three days as the skies above Lake Eloise fill with one of the biggest fireworks shows of the year! Before the sun goes down, help create a giant U.S. flag out of thousands of LEGO bricks.

THE LEGO^® MOVIE™ DAYS: July 11-12, 18-19 & 25-26 & August 1-2

On eight select dates in July and August, guests visiting LEGOLAND^® Florida Resort can revel in the ultimate The LEGO^® Movie™ experience at this returning event. Included with theme park admission and select Annual Passes, fans of Emmet, Lucy, Unikitty and Benny can enjoy a complete theater to theme park experience walking the streets of Bricksburg in the park’s latest expansion, THE LEGO MOVIE WORLD.

Heroes Weekend – August 8-9

Presented by the National Fire Protection Association, this entertaining and informative event teaches kids about fire safety with a variety of fun activities in the theme park, including information from NFPA’s annual Fire Prevention Week theme.

Brick or Treat – October 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25 & 31

Our popular Halloween event returns full of spooky, kooky LEGO fun for kids. The friendly-not-frightening event features trick or treating inside the theme park, giant LEGO models and photo ops, LEGO build activities, meet-and-greets with LEGO Halloween characters and a Halloween-themed firework spectacular in Pirates’ Cove.

Holidays at LEGOLAND^® November 27-29, December 5-6, 12-13, 19-20 & 24-31

Celebrate the holidays the LEGOLAND way! This jolly time of year features a combination of seasonal shows, special treats, twinkling lights and more during Holidays at LEGOLAND and Kids’ New Year’s Party!

Book a “Year of the Pirate” adventure at www.LEGOLAND.com/YearofthePirate.

November 2019 At The Philadelphia Museum Of Art

Opening November 10
Delight in the astonishing inventiveness and techniques of a generation of mixed-media artists who pioneered a new art form designed around the body.

Designs for Different Futures

Through March 8

Explore visionary and sometimes controversial designs that promise to transform how we live.

Don't Miss

Join us for the Young Friends’ biggest party of the year. Dress in your edgiest look, dance to DJ Royale, enjoy an open bar and after-hours access to Designs for Different Futures, and much more.

November 8–10
Don't miss the premier show and sale of contemporary craft and design, held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Why Is Artificial Intelligence a Woman?
November 16, 2:00–3:00 p.m.

Artist in the Lab: Ane Crabtree
November 20, 6:30–7:30 p.m.

Collab: 50th Anniversary Party
November 16, 7:00–11:00 p.m.

Tree-Lighting Celebration
November 27, 5:00–7:00 p.m.

Member Appreciation Days
December 6–8

Visit during these days and take advantage of extra discounts and perks, including free coffee and tea, a 20% discount at our stores, and more. Not a member? Join today.

November Happenings

Check out the November For Members for exhibitions, member programs, and offers, to help you plan your next visit. 

The museum will be closed on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 28.

For more information on the exhibitions and programs listed here, including generous donors, please visit our website.

Off We Go into the Wild Blue Yonder, 1977, by Susanna Lewis (Private collection) Photo by Otto Stupakoff © Julie Schafler Dale. Gallery views of Designs for Different Futures, showing Another Generosity by Eero Lundén, Ron Aasholm, and Carmen Lee. Poppy Brooch/Pendant by Craft Show artist Judith Kinghorn. BINA48 Android (Courtesy the Terasem Movement Foundation).Gallery view of Designs for Different Futures, showing Handmaid's Costume by Ane Crabtree. "Flora" Pendant Lamp, designed 2014, by Zanini de Zanine (Gift of Slamp S.p.A., Pomezia, Italy, 2017-73-1).  Flower Still Life with Bird's Nest (detail), 1853, by Severin Roesen (Purchased with support from the Henry P. McIlhenny Fund in memory of Frances P. McIlhenny, Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. McNeil, Jr., the Edith H. Bell Fund, Mrs. J. Maxwell Moran, Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest, the Center for American Art Fund, Donna C. and Morris W. Stroud II, Dr. and Mrs. Robert E. Booth, Jr., Frederick LaValley and John Whitenight, Mr. and Mrs. John A. Nyheim, Charlene Sussel, Penelope P. Wilson, the American Art Committee, and with the gift [by exchange)]of Theodore Wiedemann in memory of his wife, Letha M. Wiedemann, 2010-6-1). Winter Church on Sunday (detail), 1964, by Adolf Dehn (Bequest of Virginia E. Dehn, 2006-41-23) © Estate of Adolf Arthur Dehn. Off We Go into the Wild Blue Yonder (detail), 1997, by Susanna Lewis (private collection), photo by Otto Stupakoff © Julie Schafler Dale.

2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19130
philamuseum.org

Travelore Cruise News: Florida Fast Train To Connect Miami Cruise Port With Orlando

MIAMI (AP) — Florida’s new high speed rail system is building a station at PortMiami, giving theme park tourists the opportunity for a car-free vacation by connecting them to the busy cruise ship destination.

Brightline said Tuesday it will build a station at PortMiami by 2020. The Virgin Trains will ultimately connect a crucial 170-mile (275-kilometer) stretch from West Palm Beach to Orlando and its theme parks. It’s scheduled to open in 2022. Another station in Aventura has been approved, and the company is working with Boca Raton to add a station there.

PortMiami is home to 22 cruise lines and served more than 5.5 million travelers last year.