Reasons to Visit the World’s Most Famous Park, Central Park in New York

Central Park is packed with amazing features and it's truly no wonder why it's one of the most famous and most renowned parks in the world. Central Park comprises 843 acres of rolling meadows, boulder-studded outcroppings, elm-lined walkways, manicured European-style gardens, a lake and reservoir—not to mention an outdoor theater, a memorial to John Lennon, an idyllic waterside eatery and a famous statue of Alice in Wonderland. Download the Central Park Travel Guide and Offline Map to plan your next picnic at this wondrous green space.

1. Central Park Zoo

This compact zoo within Central Park is just small enough for a short, hour or two visit, but just large enough that everyone will seriously enjoy the exhibits. The children’s zoo, included with your admission, is hands-on and oh-so-fun, while the red panda exhibit will draw out every adorable “ahhh” from your vocabulary. this small zoo is home to penguins, snow leopards and lemurs. Feeding times in the sea lion and penguin tanks make for a rowdy spectacle.

2. Take a Stroll

It may seem obvious, but one of the best things to do while visiting Central Park is to just stroll through the beautiful grounds. With over 58 miles of trails, plenty of open spaces, stunning vegetation, animal encounters, rocks to climb, and sights to see, taking a walk through Central Park is the epitome of a New Yorker’s park experience. Be sure to wear comfy shoes, dress in layers, and plan on tackling one section of the park at a time.

3. Loeb Boathouse

Enjoy the park from the waterfront with rowboats (or gondolas) on the lake at the Loeb Boathouse, open spring through fall. This perfect warm-weather activity is a photo-op jackpot, so be sure to dress the kiddos in cute clothes. Loeb Boathouse also has a restaurant for one of the most idyllic settings for a meal in Central Park. Don't forget to try out their crab cakes--we hear they're exceptional!

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Things You Must Not Miss at the American Museum of Natural History

History buffs look no further, if there’s a one stop site for everything about history then the American Museum of Natural History is it. A wonderland of more than 30 million artifacts including tons of dinosaur skeletons, a cutting edge planetarium—the Rose Center for Earth & Space. And if you plan on visiting between October to May, the museum house a Butterfly Conservatory. Download the American Museum of Natural History visitor guide and learn more about this must visit in the USA.

1.     Lucy

In the Hall of Human Origins you will meet Lucy. She is one of the most complete skeletons of early hominids ever found. The remains were found in 1974 in Ethiopia. She’s known to be over three million years old, but her age and completeness aren’t the only reasons why she’s so important. Her knees show us that she walked upright.

2.     The Great Blue Whale

No list of things you can’t miss at the American Museum of Natural History would be complete without the Great Blue Whale. Located in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, it is 94 feet long and weighs 21,000 pounds. It’s a great reminder of the majesty and beauty of the blue whales, which unfortunately have been hunted to near extinction in the wild.

3.     Dinosaur Skeletons

The dinosaur skeletons at the AMNH are pretty amazing to say the least. There are two different halls in the David H. Koch Dinosaur Wing: the Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs and the hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs. The saurischians are characterized by their grasping hands, in which the thumb is offset from the other fingers: think of T-rex. Ornithischians on the other hand, are known for having enormous stomachs to digest massive amounts of vegetation they ate.

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A Taste of the Pure Life in Costa Rica

According to recent study, Costa Ricans live longer, healthier lives than people on the rest of the planet. And it all comes down to every locals' mantra, which is "pura vida" or pure life. After a few days in this beautiful, rich country, you'll soon realize the true meaning of pura vida and will start living it too. So just sit back and enjoy life's ride in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Plan your trip by downloading the Costa Rica Travel Guide and Offline Map.

1. The Peaceful Soul of Central America

Costa Rica is also known as the "rich coast" and for good reason. It earned its name for its cutting edge surfing, farm-to-table, and sustainable tourism. As one of the world's most biodiverse countries it also protects one-quarter of its wild lands through law. Developing infrastructure is balanced by green energy like wind and hydro, and while there's no standing army, you almost always feel safe.

2. Outdoor Adventures

Costa Rica offers a plethora of outdoor activities that any adventurous soul can think of. From rain forest hikes and white-water rapid rides to world-class surfing and canopy zip-lining--Costa Rica has it all. National parks allow visitors to glimpse life in both rain forest and cloud forest, simmering volcanoes offer otherworldly vistas, and reliable surf breaks are suited to beginners and experts alike.

3. The Wild Life

With half a million species--from insects to the giant anteaters that devour them--one quarter of its lands is protected by law. So much wildlife abounds in Costa Rica that it almost seems like you've been transported to a different land where only animals exist. Blue morpho butterflies flit amid orchid-festooned trees, while colorful tropical fish, sharks, rays, dolphins and whales thrive offshore – all as if in a conservationist’s dream.

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Jaw-dropping Croatia and Why You Should Visit Now

Spend your days basking under the balmy sun and frolic in the Mediterranean sapphire waters amidst ancient walled towns--there's no better place to be than in Croatia. Its extraordinary island-speckled coastline is indisputably its main attraction where its crystal clear waters will outstand you. Precariously poised between the Balkans and central Europe, this land has been passed between competing kingdoms, empires, and republics for millennia. Download the Croatia Travel Guide and Offline Map and plan your next adventure now!

1. Dubrovnik

Regardless of whether you are visiting Dubrovnik for the first time or the hundredth, the sense of awe never fails to descend when you set eyes on the beauty of the old town. Indeed it’s hard to imagine anyone becoming jaded by the city’s white limestone streets, baroque buildings and the endless shimmer of the Adriatic, or failing to be inspired by a walk along the ancient city walls that protected a civilized, sophisticated republic for centuries.

2. Plitvice Lakes National Park

Within the boundaries of this heavily forested national park, 16 crystalline lakes tumble into each other via a series of waterfalls and cascades. The mineral-rich waters carve through the rock, depositing tufa in continually changing formations. Clouds of butterflies drift above the 18km of wooden footbridges and pathways that snake around the edges and across the rumbling water.

3. Hvar Town

The island’s hub and busiest destination, Hvar Town is estimated to draw around 20,000 people a day in the high season. It’s odd that they can all fit in the small bay town, where 13th-century walls surround beautifully ornamented Gothic palaces and traffic-free marble streets but fit they do.

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Get Lost in Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

When we say get lost, we literally mean you way just experience that as you weave your way through the world's largest permanent collection of art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art of fondly called simply as the MET has over two million individual collections of paintings, artifacts, and textiles from around the globe. Now, if that's not enough to entice art lovers and visitors to visit this museum we don't know what will. Download the Metropolitan Museum of Art Travel Guide and Offline Map and be even more enticed to visit!

1.     The First and Seconds Floors

The first floor of the MET is a vast Egyptian collection that is unmatched anywhere else. You might as well have taken a trip to Egypt when you walk through the Temple of Dendur. Built at around 10 BC and now relocated from Egypt in 1978 it is one of the must-sees in the museum. The second floor is dedicated to European paintings from the 13th to 20th century, while 15 rooms showcase a massive collection of Islamic arts and artifacts.

2.      The American Wing

As if the name itself isn't a dead giveaway to what this wing offers--the American Wing houses decorative and fine art from across US history. Other galleries in this wing are devoted to classical antiques such as sculptures dramatically illuminated by natural daylight. It also houses Asian art, modern and contemporary paintings and sculptures. And truly, you just have to visit to believe how extensive their collections are.

3.     Art Installations

If visiting April through October, head up to the excellent roof garden, which features rotating sculpture installations by contemporary and 20th-century artists--through the grand city and park views are the real draw. Enjoy a sundowner cocktail from its on-site bar. And if you're coming with kids, fret not, they will also be entertained. There's a specially designed brochure and map for kids, and events listed on the website.

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