Quirky Attractions Archives

Visit the Seattle Museum of Flight for Free — One Day Only

August 23, 2018 by Fishing4Deals

Here’s your chance to sign up for free tickets to visit the Museum of Flight in Seattle or 1,000 other museums participating in Smithsonian Museum Day.

Save the Date! September 22, 2018 is Museum Day

Admission tickets to the Museum of Flight usually cost $22 per person, but on Saturday September 22, 2018 admission is free thanks to the Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day program. You can get a ticket for two people via the Smithsonian Museum Day program, so that is a $44 value!

Not in Seattle? There are 47 other aviation museums offering free admission through the Smithsonian program this year. In fact, the Seattle Museum of Flight is just one of over 1,200 art, science, history, natural history, children’s and aviation museums that will admit ticketed patrons for free on September 22, 2018. Many of the participating museums normally charge admission, though some of the smaller museums are always free.

Smithsonian Museum Day Ticket You must register online in advance to order a ticket and there is a limit of one ticket per email address. Each ticket admits two people. The ticket is valid only for free general admission. It does not include entry to special exhibits or IMAX screenings.

If you’re in Washington, DC, you can get a free ticket to the Kreeger Museum of modern art, the National Building Museum, or the Newseum.

In New York City, check out The Intrepid, the Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt design museum, the Museum of the City of New York, or the Jewish Museum.

In Baltimore, the Museum of Industry and the Trolley Museum are great choices for families.

Find a museum in your locale with this online search tool.

Discover Quirky Attractions Near You on Museum Day

The best thing about the Smithsonian Museum Day is the database of smaller museums. Many museums that may not be on your radar participate in the program because if offers them national exposure.

Consider these options:
The Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez Museum in Jamestown, New York. Where else can you play with an interactive Vitameatavegamin set?
The Ancient Spanish Monastary in North Miami Beach, Florida. This is an actual 12th century Cistercian cloisters that was dismantled and shipped to the United States in 1925.
The Leonardo in Salt Lake City, Utah. This is a really fun hands on science museum.
Gropius House in Lincoln Massachusetts. If you are into Bauhaus architecture this is your place.
U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. It’s the largest space flight museum in the world!

You can find a museum in your locale with this online search tool.

Where to Find the Hippest Cultural Attractions in Washington, DC

July 4, 2018July 4, 2018 by Fishing4Deals

Residents and visitors to Washington, DC have their pick of a broader array of free cultural offerings than anywhere else in the country.

That’s a bold statement — but one that is justified by the many festivals, private and public museums, embassies, theaters, clubs and parks offering free or low-cost events.

There is no central cultural calendar for the DMV — the metropolitan DC-Maryland–Virginia region. Cultural Tourism DC publishes a daily calendar and a weekly newsletter. They are a good start, but are not comprehensive by any means. The best you can do is to subscribe to the various mailing lists of the places that interest you the most.

Visitors to DC can also look to listings in the Washington Post, Washington City Paper, or Washingtonian magazine but some of the most interesting, offbeat, and fun and free happenings won’t be found there.

I pride myself on knowing about cool and unusual events, but there is a guy who surpasses me tenfold. That would be Ronn, the founder and organizer of the ArtHouse on Meetup.com. He has a knack for ferreting out the hippest cultural events in the DMV! He organizes meet ups for hip house concerts, art openings, walking tours, foreign films and more.

Yes, Meetup.com is actually a great place to find out about fun events and get togethers, many of which are free.

Here is Ronn’s pitch:

Meet with local film and arts lovers to watch indie, foreign and classic films! We’ll also attend art gallery openings, theater performances, Embassy evenings, museums, author readings and interesting concerts. And more often than not, there will be a reception!

The ArtHouse has attracted over 8,000 members, and members may add their suggestions for upcoming events.

Every month, Ronn sends out a bulletin previewing a curated selection of interesting group events for the month. You can access the newsletter online here.

Here is a sample of some of the upcoming July 2018 eclectic listings in the ArtHouse Meetup:

Anyone can join the ArtHouse. It’s not just for singles. What a great way to to have fun and to meet interesting people!

Is there a Meetup group like this in your area?

How to Snag Tickets for an Amazon Warehouse Tour

May 21, 2018 by Fishing4Deals

I returned from Quebec City, Canada one night to find a package waiting for me.

Inside was a special “security” scarf designed for travelers. The scarf is a wraparound infinity scarf with a secret zipper and a hidden pocket — designed to hold your passport or other valuables when you travel.

I saw the scarf at a travel conference I was attending in Quebec City and found the design to be very clever I decided to order a scarf with a hidden pocket from Amazon. Miraculously, the scarf arrived home before I did!

Seriously, how does Amazon do it? Many items on the site are now available for same day delivery, and many more can be delivered within 24 hours. They must maintain an enormous inventory of items in their regional warehouses!

Amazon schedules tours at these warehouse locations — Amazon schedules tours at these 8 warehouse locations

Amazon calls their regional warehouses “Fulfillment Centers.” There, products are retrieved, packed into boxes and shipped to homes around the country.

Amazon has 75 of these enormous warehouse throughout North America. Each building is about a million square feet.

Eight of the locations are open to the public for free tours.

My husband studied industrial engineering, and factory tours are right up his alley. But it turns out that tours of the Amazon fulfillment centers are very popular and fill up quickly.

How to Book a Tour of an Amazon Fulfillment Center

Amazon offers tours of their fulfillment centers at these eight locations:

Plan ahead to get a ticket for an Amazon Fulfillment Center tour

The free tours are scheduled on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

In the U.S., tours start at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time; and in Canada, at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. local time.

The tours last one hour. Each tour is limited to 35 people.

If a tour is filled up you can join a waiting list to be notified if a space becomes available.

In my experience, the best way to find availability is to check the website in the days following the last scheduled tour. That is when tour dates will be posted for the following month. For instance, if the last scheduled tour is June 19, start checking around that time for the July tours to post.

That will be the best way to snag a ticket!

You can also email tours@amazon.com for help with a reservation.

What Are the Working Conditions at Amazon Warehouses?

Working conditions in the Amazon fulfillment centers have come under heavy criticism. Here are three articles that discuss worker safety and health in some detail.

Tour a Dozen Scottish Distilleries for Free!

September 20, 2017 by Fishing4Deals

This past summer, I spent a glorious two weeks in Scotland.

The primary object of the trip was to partake in the incredible Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Because I also wanted to see the countryside, I signed up for a small group tour to the Isle of Skye with Rabbies.

One of the surprise stops on the tour was a visit to the Dalwhinnie distillery. Whisky isn’t my cup of tea. But who could resist sampling an intense glass of hot chocolate with a wee dram of whisky?

A basic tour of the Dalwhinnie distillery costs £12 but you can get in free if you join their club, the Friends of the Classic Malts.

What’s more, as a Friend of the Classic Malts, you are eligible for a free tour of twelve Scottish distilleries, along with a complimentary dram of single malt Scotch whiskey at each stop. Basic tours at the distilleries can cost between £5 to £12.

Most locations also offer a more extensive tour that typically includes extra tastings.

To take advantage of this great offer, you can sign up with Friends of the Classic Malts online. Download your pass, and bring it with you when you travel to Scotland.

The following classic distilleries participate in the program:

Blair Athol
Caol Ila
Cardhu
Clynelish
Cragganmore
Dalwhinnie
Glenkinchie
Glen Ord
Lagavulin
Oban
Royal Lochnagar
Talisker

At your first distillery visit, show your pass and request a “Friends journal.” You can collect stamps in the journal at each distillery that you visit. If you collect all twelve stamps, you are rewarded with a Quaich, the traditional whisky sharing cup!

Forget Tokyo’s Robot Cafe; Kyoto has Roberoids!

June 6, 2016June 6, 2016 by Fishing4Deals

GEAR Show in Kyoto — Circus arts at their best

You’ve probably heard the hype about the Tokyo Robot Cafe, but did you know that Kyoto has real life Roberoids?

The Roberoids are stars of the GEAR Show, running at Kyoto’s Art Complex 1928.

These robots perform mime, magic, juggling, and break dancing.

Their skills are showcased in a non-verbal performance with a story line that pulls at the heartstrings. The show is very entertaining with lots of incredible special effects.

The production values are amazing. The technical wizardry reminded me of the Broadway production of the The Curious Case of the Dog in the Nighttime.

The GEAR show has been running for several years straight with a rotating cast.

The theatre is in a cool art deco building in downtown Kyoto.

Tickets are discounted if you order online in advance. Also, you get a ticket discount any time during your birthday month.

But don’t take my word for it. You can read all the rave reviews on TripAdvisor!

Dulles Plane Pull, Fun Run, & Family Festival

September 10, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

On Saturday, September 19, 2015, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) will sponsor an “open house” for visitors.

This is an all day affair, including:

5k/10k runway run
plane pulling competition truck pulling contest for kids
moon bounces
antique car show
vintage airplane display

Admission and parking are free! Free Silver Line Express buses will operate from Metrorail’s Wiehle-Reston East station beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Proceeds from fund-raising activities such as the plane pull will benefit Special Olympics Virginia.

Run the Runway at Dulles International Airport

5/10K Run at Dulles International Airport — 5/10K Runway Run at IAD

Dulles Day kicks off at 7:30 a.m. with a 5k or 10k runway run for registered participants.

The Dulles airport runway will be closed off to provide runners with a flat, fast course alongside the landing strip.

The 10k will run the entire length of the runway!

Runners must be able to complete the course by 9:00 am, when the runway will be reopened for aircraft traffic. Advance registration is required. Up to 2,500 runners can be accommodated.

Plane Pull for Charity at IAD

The signature event is the Plane Pull, an event in which teams compete to pull a full-size jet aircraft in the shortest time.

More than 70 teams are competing this year.

Two aircraft will be pulled — a FedEx plane and an United Airlines plane. You can join a team here.

Kids Truck Pull at Dulles International Airport September 19, 2015

Kids' Truck Pull at IAD — Kids’ Truck Pull at IAD

This year, kids can get in on the fun with a truck pull.

Teams of eight will compete to see who can pull a big red junk truck 12 feet the fastest.

You can register at the festival starting at 11:30 am. There is a $10 donation to participate. Participants will receive a Truck Pull tee shirt.

Dulles Day Family Fun Festival 2015

At 10:30 a.m., the gates to the airfield open for the free family festival.

Additional family fun activities at Dulles Day include:

Airfield tours aboard the mobile lounges for $1 per person
Kids’ play area with bounce houses, truck pull and dunk-a-cop tank
Equipment displays by Airports Authority Police, Fire and Rescue and Maintenance
Ride in an Airports Authority fire truck for a $5 donation to Special Olympics
Police K-9 demonstrations on the half hour
Food and beverages available for purchase
Aircraft on display
Classic car show

Aircraft on Display at Dulles Day

Look for more than 40 aircraft on display, including:

U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo jet
U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt (close air-support aircraft)
U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey (tiltrotor helicopter-plane)
U.S. Navy HT-28 (Bell Jet Ranger helicopter trainer)
U.S. Coast Guard Rescue “Dolphin” Helicopter
DC-3 “Miss Virginia”
DC-3 “Tabitha May”
Nakajima Japanese bomber “Kate”
PBY Catalina (WWII Patrol Bomber)
Bell 429 Helicopter
Hughes 500D Helicopter
TBM Avenger (WWII torpedo bomber)
DHC-1 Chipmunk (WWII primary trainer)
L-5 Sentinel (WWII “Flying Jeep”)
L-39 Albatross (Czech built high-performance jet trainer)
T-6 Texan (WWII advanced trainer)
T-28 Trojan (WWII advanced trainer)
Yak-3 (WWII Soviet fighter aircraft)
Stearman PT-17 Biplane
Kodiak, high wing float & cargo aircraft
Piper J-3 Cub (WWII utility aircraft)

17th Annual Dulles Day Classic Car and Motorcycle Show

Check out the cars, trucks and motorcycles on display at the Dulles Day car show. You can help vote on the winners in the following catagories:

CAR SHOW CLASSES

“Best of the Brass and Antique” (through 1925, Car or Truck)
“Best of the Classic Era” (1926-1948, Car or Truck)
“Best of the Chrome and Fins” (1949-1963, Car or Truck)
“Best of the Muscle Era” (1964-1971, Car or Truck)
“Best of the OPEC Era” (1972-1983, Car or Truck)
“Best Import” (Tuner)
“Best Custom” (Hot Rod Car or Truck)
“Best American Sports Car”
“Best Imported Sports Car”
“Best In Show” (Car or Truck)
“People’s Choice” (Car or Truck)

MOTOCYCLE CLASSES

“Top American Motorcycle”
“Top Import Motorcycle”
“Best Custom Motorcycle”
“Best in Show” (Motorcycle)
“People’s Choice” (Motorcycle)

Want to enter your vehicle? Here’s the registration form.

Montana On My Mind, But Not With Miles and Points

August 25, 2015August 25, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

Headed to Montana Soon — Montana bound on miles and points, not!

When I think of Montana, I think of mountains and rivers, glaciers and prairie, cowboys and grizzlies.

Our upcoming trip will not focus on any of those things.

Instead, we will be touring cement plants and factories, dams and bridges, historic forts and industrial ruins.

Traveling to Montana with Miles and Points — Not!

We will be participating in the Society for Industrial Archeology’s Fall Tour. When we saw that Great Falls, Montana was the site for this year’s tour, we signed up right away. My sister lives in nearby Helena. This will be a great opportunity to see my sister and her family!

We will not be utilizing miles or points for this trip. We’ll be flying in to Great Falls, and out of Helena. I could not find a decent itinerary using frequent flyer miles.

I was very excited however, to see the Staybridge Suites in Great Falls on the IHG “points break” list for this fall. This is a new hotel that is ranked #1 on TripAdvisor’s ranking of hotels in Great Falls. 5,000 IHG points per night would be a nice bargain.

Where to Stay in Great Falls, Montana

Sip & Dip Bar with Live Mermaids — Sip ‘n Dip Tiki Lounge with Live Mermaids at the O’Haire Motor Inn in Great Falls, Montana

We decided against the Staybridge Suites, because we wanted to stay at the conference hotel.

The conference hotel is in downtown Great Falls. It is the O’Haire Motor Inn.

Aside from the convenience of staying with the rest of our group, the O’Haire Motor Inn looks to be a hoot.

Believe it or not, GQ Magazine named the Sip ‘n Dip Tiki Lounge at the O’Haire Motor Inn the number one bar on earth worth flying for!

This honor wasn’t just because of the live piano bar or the umbrella drinks.

The unique feature of the Sip ‘n Dip Tiki Lounge is the glass wall between the bar and the swimming pool. There are live mermaids swimming in the pool!

* * *

This will be my first trip to Montana, but it won’t be my last. I hope to return during the summer months to visit the National Parks in the Big Sky state.

Flip Out at the Paris Pinball Museum

August 19, 2015August 19, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

Paris Pinball Museum is rich in history.

Given that the Pinball Hall of Fame is now #13 of 692 things to do in Las Vegas on Trip Advisor, I wanted to put in a plug for another fabulous pinball gallery.

The Paris Pinball Museum is an incredible historical collection of slot machines, jukeboxes and over one hundred pinball machines from every era, from the 1930’s to the present.

Every one of the games is top condition and in working order!

Play All You Want at the Paris Pinball Museum

You need an advance reservation to visit the Paris Pinball Museum, which is only open on weekends.

The Paris Pinball Museum also features one armed bandits.

A $15 Euro admission ticket grants you access to play all the games as much as you want.

The owner, Raphael Lanker, was kind enough to arrange an opportunity for us to visit, even though he was away at the time.

Lanker has been in pinball since the 1950’s, and his love for the game is evident in the collection he maintains.

All the games at the Paris Pinball Museum are set to free play.

Each room in the museum is devoted to another decade.

There are an abundance of the wood-railed machines from the 1940’s, especially Gottlieb machines.

The Paris Pinball Museum is a blast from the past!

If there is time in your schedule, you may wish to include a visit to the museum on your next trip to Paris!

The artwork on the back glasses is amazing. — The artwork on the backglasses is amazing. Sky Line is a personal favorite!

The Secret Terrace Cafe at the Louvre

July 22, 2015July 22, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

The Terrace Colbert — The Terrasse Colbert in the Louvre has a convenient outdoor snack bar.

There are at least 15 restaurants at the Louvre museum in Paris, and all 15 of them have a long line at lunch time.

Except one.

In the Richelieu wing, on the “first” floor (which is really the second floor), just past the entrance to the Cafe Richelieu, there is an open door which looks like a service entrance.

There is a banner on the door, but if you are coming from the opposite direction you will miss it.

The door leads past the Cafe Richelieu espresso machines to an exit onto an outdoor terrace overlooking the courtyard of the Louvre.

Welcome to the Terrasse Colbert!

Statuary of the Terrace Colbert at the Louvre
Image via Wikimedia Commons

There, you will find some long tables set with chairs, and a small cafe.

This cafe is not mentioned in the official literature from the museum, so I suspect that it is seasonal.

You can rest your feet among the statuary and enjoy the view.

The snack bar at Terrace Colbert at the Louvre — The snack bar at Terrasse Colbert at the Louvre

The selection at the snack bar is quite limited — just a few types of sandwiches, soft drinks, and packaged ice cream.

But you will be able to rest your feet, enjoy the fresh air and the view of the famous pyramid, and avoid wasting precious time standing in line.

Enjoying the atmosphere at the Terrasse Colbert

Here is a map to help you find this hidden gem!

Location of the Terrace Snack Bar at the Louvre

Destination DCA: Behind the Scenes Tour

June 16, 2015 by Fishing4Deals

Happy 74th Birthday, DCA!Happy 74th Birthday, DCA! — Happy 74th Birthday, DCA!

To celebrate the 74th anniversary of Reagan National Airport (DCA), the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) is holding a behind the scenes tour of operations at the airport.

Destination DCA will give 25 lucky participants insight into the past, present and future of Reagan National Airport.

MWAA will randomly select 25 guests for lunch and a guided tour of the airfield at DCA.

The event will take place on June 23, 2015 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

To enter for a chance to attend, go to http://www.mwaa.com/reagan/8025.htm.

Entries open open Tuesday, June 16, 2015 and close on Thursday, June 18, 2015 at 12:00 noon (Eastern Time).

This event sounds like great fun!