Washington D.C.

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Looking for a new type of adventure? How about exploring our nations capital. With so many historical landmarks and museums one could spend weeks exploring. Not only is Washington D.C. home to the president of the United States, but also many national  museums such as the Smithsonian American Art Museum. After checking out America’s best art, how about a visit to National Museum of Natural History. Ready to stretch your legs? Check out Memorial Park. With so many places to explore you will never have a dull moment in the city.

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History is home to some of the most famous artwork in the world, with many of the museums collection reflecting artifacts of all kinds from America’s past. Whether you are looking for something ordinary to something extraordinary you will find everything from gowns to locomotives. Are you interested in how objects in America are made? The Smithsonian gives you the chance to see what makes America so great including a history of the United States and our connection with other cultures. With over 3 million artifacts in the museum you will be sure to find something your interested in.

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Once you have a better understanding of the American culture check out the National Museum of Natural History. Whether you want to know all about animals or the universe, the museum has both seasonal and permanent exhibitions. Some of the permanent attractions include The National Fossil Hall. In Fossil Hall you will learn about how life all began and the huge dinosaurs that roamed the earth. Interested in other cultures? The External Life in Ancient Egypt allows you to learn all about the burial rituals and cosmology of one of the most interesting cultures in the world.

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After exploring the Museum of Natural History you will be ready to explore one of the many parks found in this amazing city. With over 1,004 acres to explore Memorial Park has beautiful landscape and scenery along the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. With so many trails and land there is plenty of room to stretch your legs and breath fresh air. So next time you are looking to travel somewhere new, remember to think about America’s capital.

Navarre, FL

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Looking for a peaceful getaway that is not filled with spring breakers this time of year? Visit Navarre, Florida. Located on the Northwest side of Florida with beautiful Gulf of Mexico beaches, Navarre is a fun atmosphere but still allows for a peaceful vacation.

One of the best things to do while on vacation is dine in the local hotspots. In Navarre there are plenty of places to choose from. Whether you want seafood or good old American cuisine, there are places to eat that are in everyones budget. One local restaurant, TC's Front Porch, offers a great family atmosphere everyone is sure to enjoy. This cafe style restaurant offers daily lunch specials and weekend specials. With prices in a college kids budget, your wallet and belly will both be thanking you as you leave.

Another great place to try for people over twenty-one is Vine. Not to be mistaken for the social media video sharing app, Vine is a wine bar and shop. Whether you are wanting to experience a wine tasting like no other or listen to great local music, Vine offers a fun and inviting atmosphere for people. With multiple types of wines to experience you will feel like you are a wine connoisseur.

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Once your belly has had its share of food and wine check out a game. The Pensacola's Blue Wahoo's baseball team is home to some of the major leagues top recruits. This baseball team offers a fun atmosphere and will have you cheering in excitement. If baseball is not your thing maybe golf might be.

The Club at Hidden Creek is one of Navarre’s premiere golf courses. Designed by Ron Garl, the course is known for its excellent condition and scenic layout. They offer challenging levels of play for all golfers and the clubhouse amenities are way above par. This championship golf course is a great place to practice your skills and improve your game. They even offer golfing lessons with PGA professional Jared Fair.

Make your next vacation destination a peaceful one and visit, Navarre, Florida.

Anchorage, Alaska

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alaskadenalitravel.com

With so many wonderful views and scenery what better place to visit than Anchorage, Alaska. Even though people may be reserved to visit the United States most northern state first explore everything Alaska has to offer. Anchorage is Alaska's largest city and allows a person to explore the great outdoors but with all the amenities of an urban city. There are multiple parks and outdoors spaces to explore and experience the wildlife first-hand. The city has breathtaking views of mountains and oceans, so after a day of exploring warm up with a hot beverage and be prepared to see one of the most beautiful sunsets you will ever witness.

Being that majority of the state of Alaska is uninhabited by humans there are many outdoor activities to see. From bear viewing to fly fishing some of the most beautiful animals in nature to experience are in Anchorage, Alaska. Maybe

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alaskadenalitravel.com

you want to test your luck and dig for gold in the Crow Creek Mine. In the late 1800’s when gold was discovered here things really took off for people who explored the land. To experience the entire city and the beautiful landscapes hop on a small plane and take a flight-seeing tour. Flying around the city will not only show you how much land is undeveloped but let you look for all types of wild animals depending on which tour you chose. Whether you enjoy hiking or traveling via transportation, because of the elements it is always smart to  use a tour guide.

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alaskadenalitravel.com

For people who want to experience more of the city-life Anchorage offers different festivals and museums. The Anchorage Market and Festival is held every weekend in the heart of downtown. The festival consist of over 300 vendors and is held on seven acres of land. It is a great place for families and friends to experience the culture of Alaska and experience the free entertainment while enjoying Alaskan food. To learn even more about everything Alaska visit the Anchorage Museum. Here you will learn everything from history of the state and city to the animals that live in the mountains. Anchorage is a vacation destination that you will be talking about years after exploring the beautiful city. 

Social Television

One of the best ways for television shows to create buzz about their

programming is through Social Interaction. This new platform for television has taken the screens by storm. Originally contest shows such as Survivor and American Idol were some of the front runners with having people vote for contestants they liked best. This was amazing at the time and drew in lots of viewers to the channels to watch programming live. However, nowadays social television is even more than that. 

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blog.pixellogo.com 

Look at the ways people are interacting with shows today. Almost every reality show has a hash-tag which allows you to tweet to the twitter handle for the show. These tweets are being shown in real time as the show airs. This type of interaction has stepped things up to a whole new level for social interaction. A good example of a channel who has kept audience members involved in social interaction is E! News. The station was created to keep people informed with what is happening in pop culture and that is exactly what they are doing.

E! has done a very good job making sure they are reaching out to their audience. They are heavily involved in every platform of social media and at times even look to viewers to fit the programming to what they want. They have combined two different ways of communication into one. News stations creating news for people and people creating the news for themselves. This type of television is very interactive and people have a voice that is being heard. It is almost impossible to go on any news channel nowadays and not have social interaction.

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Television is also benefitting from social media. News stations are turning to what is trending on social media sites to discover what is news worthy. This is a whole new way of going about things. Before news channels presented the news to the people. With social media people have more of a voice with what is trending and what is given importance. As time goes on people will learn better and faster ways to create social interactions with television.

Outer Banks, North Carolina

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outerbanks.org

Outer Banks, North Carolina offers a peaceful getaway from the chaos of everyday life. With 125 miles of beach Outer Banks (OBX) is made up of six different areas; Corolla, Duck, Nags Head, Roanoke Island, Ocracoke, and Hatteras. Each of the different areas offers a unique vibe and almost feels as though you are in a new location. Colonized in the 16th century OBX is more than 400 years old. Whether you are there to relax or take in a part of history OBX is an elegant vacation with charm and character.

Being that OBX is located along the Atlantic Coast one of the main things that draws people to visit is the ocean. Many people enjoy fishing or surfing in the beautiful water. With so many scenic lighthouses and undeveloped beaches the views are truly awe-inspiring. The first Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was constructed in 1803. By the 1880’s all the lighthouses changed from whale oil to kerosene and in 1934 the beam was then replaced and electrified.

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outerbanks.org

Another place to explore while venturing in OBX is the Elizabethan Gardens. Originally constructed as a memorial to Sir Walter Raleigh’s lost colonists, the gardens give the feel of being in the time of Queen Elizabeth I. With Elizabethan-style buildings and statues that surround the gardens you will lose yourself in another time period. 

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outerbanks.org

One of the neat things about North Carolina is that they were the first in flight. In December of 1903 the Wright brothers created the first airplane. Even though the airplane was not like anything we see in today’s aircraft the Wright brothers pioneered something that we cannot live without today. In OBX the visitor center features full-scale replicas of the planes and historical markers for the location of each of the attempted powered flights.

Social Media Monitoring

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With all the different social media sites out there one of the most difficult things to keep track of is monitoring your online reputation. Many people are overwhelmed and even discouraged at the thought of this very idea. One of the best ways to keep your social media monitoring under control is to you sites such as engagor.com. Engagor even allows people do use the product on a free trial basis with no credit card required. Social media is not only here to help people but to allow people to market themselves to potential employers. Monitoring our social media is something that has become very important in recent years.

One of the best ways to market yourself and find a job is to use social media. Sites like LinkedIn and Google+ are great free sites and that can be very beneficial if used right. By monitoring these sites on a regular basis you can improve your chances of finding a job at a much faster rate. Another great opportunity that monitoring your social media allows is research.

Companies and individuals are able to learn and discover what people are interested in and what is trending. If companies use monitoring to their advantage they can better market to individuals who use their products and services. Online conversations offer more opportunities then surveys and focus groups ever could. People feel more free to communicate openly and express their opinions about what companies have to offer. This type of monitoring is benefiting companies as well. Companies are able to learn and grow. More positive things come about brands who market themselves well. For more information of monitoring your online reputation check out Brandwatch. 

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communities.vm.ware.com

Hilton Head Island

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Everyone loves an island getaway. With Hilton Head, South Carolina, you not only get to get away, but you also experience southern charm at its best. Hilton Head has 42 square miles of semi-tropical landscape, and over 50 miles of public pathways and nature trails. It is warm year-round by the Gulf Stream and temperatures stay mild in the 70’s. The island has its own airport as well as a bridge that connects to the mainland, with access so simple there is no reason not to explore. For active vacationers the island offers many amenities. 

One of the biggest attractions to Hilton Head are the golf courses. There are over 30 different championship courses and 24 are open to the public. One country club, Bear Creek, is a signature course designed by Rees Jones. It is designed for both carts and people who enjoy walking their rounds of golf. A nice benefit of the course is no tipping is expected. You can enjoy your time at Bear Creek and not have to worry how much you should be paying a person helping you out. Once you have built up an appetite enjoy dining at the clubhouse or the outside on the veranda, which is open for lunch and dinner.

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bearcreekgolfclub.org

For people who enjoy the arts, Hilton Head is a great cultural community of fine art, music, and theatrical venues. The Island offers multiple ways to experience these arts and even host a month long festival called, Bravo. Presented by the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce’s Arts and Cultural Committee, the event host over 25 organizations bringing an array of the arts throughout the entire month of May.

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hiltonheadgolf.com

With so many different opportunities you are able to be adventurous without traveling hundreds of miles. Hilton Head is the place to be for all your activities. Whether it’s hiking, golfing, or playing tennis you have the variety to your vacation. Not only in the relm of sports but the arts as well. Come see what it is like to experience the island life.

Snapchat

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play.google.com

One of the popular ways of communicating to each other nowadays involves the app Snapchat. Most prominent with teenagers and young adults, the little white ghost has created quite a buzz. So much so that Facebook recently tried to purchase the app for $3 billion. This photo sharing app lets you snap photos lasting up to 10 seconds, once the photo is gone it is no longer able to be reopened. Below is a list of 5 reasons why everyone should be using Snapchat. 

1. Good for Business 

As the business world constantly evolves with technology, Snapchat as become a great way to reach out to target customers and audience members. Snaps allow you to be creative in the way you reach out to customers and offer exclusive deals and coupons. If you are offering a new product you can allow your customers to preview the product and create conversation. For more business reasons to use snapchat check out Social Media Examiner.

2. Keep in Touch

With Snapchat staying in contact with people you’re closest to has never been easier. You can have fun conversations with friends back and forth making silly faces and videos. People are able to send great moments caught on camera that otherwise might not have been. Being able to share photos back and forth with text on them so quickly is convenient and allows you to explain your photos better. 

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thepearlpost.com

3. You are in Control

Typically with apps you are not in control of how you use the actual app itself. With Snapchat, one of the things in your control is how long people see your photo. Even though people can take screen shots of there phones once the photo is sent, they cannot see how many seconds it will be up before the photo disappears. While it may never been smart to snap anything inappropriate. This does still give you the confidence you need to be funny with the photos you send. Click for more about the apps Privacy Policy.

4. Show your Creative Side

Anything with photos or videos will be visual to people. Within the app there are different filters and options to enhance your snaps. Snapchat allows you to be unique with the photos you take. Impress your followers and friends with photography skills you may not have realized you even had. By doing this it keeps interest in others and makes people want to see what you have created next. 

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5. Easy to Use

Snapchat is very user friendly. By allowing you to connect with people in your contact finding friends is very easy. The user friendly interface basically does the work for you. Just touch the circle at the bottom of your screen and the photo is yours. If you appreciate the photo you have take use the arrow at the bottom right of your screen to move into your contacts. Once in your contacts simply check the circles of the people you want to send it to and use the arrow at the bottom of the screen to send.

Miami

Miami
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Located along the Atlantic Coast of Florida, Miami offers many fun events and opportunities to explore. The bright colors and beautiful city scape will open endless opportunities and places to see. There are sixteen different beaches located in Miami. With one of the more popular ones being South Beach. Known as the American Riviera and Art Deco Playground the buildings along the strip are some of the coolest designs. With the buildings being what may attract your attention, it is what they offer that keeps you coming back.

South Beach
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One of the restaurants that everyone who visits the strip should check out is News Cafe. Originally opened in 1988, you can enjoy comfort foods and people watching 24 hours a day. For those who like to stay in the action and enjoy the vibe of South Beach life, the Clevelander hotel offers great views of the strip as well as the bright blue ocean.

Even though the ocean is amazing do not be fooled to think it is all Miami has to offer. For people who enjoy the downtown vibe, Miami’s downtown offers great shops and shows. The Adrienne Arsht Center offers all types of events from theater, ballet, opera, to live music. For those into the latest fashions and brands the Mary Brickell Village offers a variety of boutique shops and restaurants local to Miami. Catch a game at the American Airlines Arena, home to the Miami Heat NBA team.

Little Havana
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A trip to Miami would not be complete without exploring Little Havana. The hispanic culture comes to life on Calle Ocho, which is the main drag. Here you will find everything hispanic from fruit stands to art galleries and cigar shops. One of the neat things about little havana is the last Friday of every month, it host Viernes Culturales, a monthly gallery night showcasing cultural art scenes.

VINE

Vine Logo
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With ever increasing popularity Vine is a combination of visual and audio communication. Vine allows people to create and share video clips that are six seconds long. With such a short amount of time, people are becoming ever more creative with how they record. What is amazing about Vine is the growth on the iPhone App store. According to BGR, it has been faster than many of the other popular apps such as WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and Chrome. However, what is really impressive is the fact it has grown seven times faster than Snapchat, which is another form photo, audio, and visual communication.

For Vine the biggest competition is Instagram, which allows people to not only upload video but photos as well. In April 2012, Facebook purchased Instagram for $1 billion. This caught the popular social media app Twitter’s attention. They new Vine would be to good of an opportunity to pass up. Twitter purchased Vine less than a year later for $970 million according to CNBC. 

Vine Logo
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Vine got it’s name from vignette, which is “a short impressionistic scene.” Vignette is also a photo filter offered by Twitter. When the Vine logo is turned upside down it displays the number six, which is how long the video loops run. For more fun facts check out CNBC.

As the app becomes ever more popular one of the things we will start to see are improvements to the software. Some of the downsides to the app mentioned on WebTrends, is that you cannot connect to Facebook or Twitter friends making it more difficult to connect and find people on the app. Another improvement we will hopefully see is a way to connect the app with your camera roll for saving and uploading videos you shoot on your phone itself.

Seattle, Washington

Being that this years Super Bowl Champions are the Seahawks, a great place to travel and see is Seattle, Washington. The city was named after the indian chief of the Suquamish tribe, Sealth. Located 113 miles South of Canada the city has beautiful views of the Pacific Coast. Even though they city is known as the rainy city the annual precipitation is only 37.4”, which is less than many other major cities in the United States according to Visit Seattle.

Dowtown Seattle
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One of the things that attracts many people to visit the city is the Space Needle. At it’s highest point, an aircraft warning beacon, the Space Needle reaches 605 feet. At 500 feet in the air the first revolving restaurant, SkyCity Restaurant, is located with the Space Needle. 

Due to the small lot size, the Space Needle foundation must go 30 feet underground since the base is only 120 by 120 foot area. After completion of the Space Needle only took 400 days, the U.S. Steel Company dubbed the space needle as “The 400 Day Wonder.” 

Space Needle
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For people who are not afraid of heights the Space Needle sways approximately one inch for every 10 mph of wind. It was built to withstand 200 mph of wind, which was double the building code requirements at the time. For more fun facts about the Space Needle check out Space Needle.

For people who would rather stay grounded. The city still has many great attractions. The Chihuly Garden and Glass is an awesome exhibit that displays artist Dale Chihuly’s works. Located in the Seattle Center the glass exhibit is home to 1,400-piece, as well as a 100-foot-long sculpture. It is a great place to spend the afternoon and admiring the works of Dale Chihuly. Check out Chihuly Garden and Glass to buy your tickets today.

Discovery Park
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If you are on a budget, there are many free things to venture and see. Seattle is home to many different parks throughout the city. The largest, Discovery Park, is 534 acres of natural landscape. It has breathtaking views of both the Cascade and the Olympic Mountain ranges. It provides a great place for quiet and tranquility away from the city. With many opportunities and places to visit for free check out National Geographic for more.

Bahamas!

Map of the Islands
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Being that my passport came in today, I thought it would be fun to blog about a vacation destination outside the United States. Keeping with the warm theme, a fun place to explore would be the Bahamas!

First, stop everything racing in your mind and try to relax. Now, imagine the warm sun on your skin and your toes in the whitest sand possible. You look out and see the bluest waters splashing against the shore. The green landscape is wild yet so beautiful in its nature with colors that are pure and rich. You have no where to be. There is no schedule that you have to follow. You are simply living in the moment. A moment with no worries or any form of technology. There is an ice cold beverage in your hand, and your loved ones by your side. 

Bahamas
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Bahamas offer this and so much more! They have an amazing culture with awesome traditions. Bahamian cuisine is going to be more on the spicy side. Being that the Bahamas are made up of a bunch of small islands seafood is a big part of the diet. Something unique is the “rock lobster.” Typically served with rice, spices, and other crisp vegetables it will have your taste buds wanting more. For those who do not enjoy seafood not to worry. They offer many other types of foods. For more check out: Frommers.

Junkanoo Dancer
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If your looking for something unique to the Bahamas check out Junkanoo. It is an awesome energetic, colorful parade with unique Bahamian costumes and dance to cowbells, drums, whistles, and horns. It is said to have been started by a man named, John Canoe, who was a slave from the west indies. Wanting to be able to celebrate with his people he created this parade in the 16th century. Today it has grown into a national tradition and offers year-round shows for guest.

The Bahamas offer so much to explore! This is one vacation destination you will not be disappointed in!

Blogging

When a person mentions blogging my mind immediately thinks of long documents that are all opinionated. While this may be true majority of the time, if you know how to properly use a blog and specifically search for the information you are wanting to find, blogs can be a great thing. Blogs offer resources that can take you to credible sites and offer great information. They can be a way for people to share photos of places they have been and what they have seen. Blogs are a great way of sharing your ideas and messages for people all over the world to see.

One of the websites I found to be very helpful on the basics of blogging was WebSEO. Here they even list the definitions of the words blog and blogging. Not only this but they truly show you ways to optimize your search experience.

As blogging has become more and more popular over the years it has also become a great way for companies to communicate with their clients. Thanks to social media I was able to find this great article by Maddie Russell on the website, SocialMediaExplorer, which is very beneficial for people starting there own companies to look over. This article offered advice on ways to increases the traffic of your blog site by talking about specific steps you can take. For instance, posting the right kind of content, how long your post need to be, and even how often you should post. 

If you need more basic steps to blogging or do not have a company blog maybe take a look at this article by AndrewHutchinson. In this article he does a great job breaking down exactly what words you should be using and what words to leave out. Blogging gets your opinion out there and is important so if you want your voice to be heard taking these appropriate steps can make a difference.

Hawaii

Being that it is so brutally cold this winter, I thought a great vacation destination to kick-off my blog would be the beautiful islands of Hawaii. What is there not to love about Hawaii. Located in the middle of the pacific oceans these eight islands offer breathtaking ocean views as well as amazing landscapes. According to 50 States, Hawaii became part of the United States of America on August 21, 1959. The state capital, Honolulu, is located on the largest of the islands. For people who want the option to explore or relax on vacation Hawaii offers both opportunities.

A couple of years ago I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to travel to Maui, Hawaii. One of the things that I enjoyed most about this place was the rainforest. While the beaches are stunning and the water is an amazing color of blue, the rainforest was such a unique experience. It is not everyday you go somewhere on vacation and get an opportunity like that. In Maui a great way to truly explore the island is by traveling the road to Hana. 

Hana is small town outside Maui. The “Road to Hana” is a common tourist attraction and great way to explore the island. Along the journey you will have the opportunity to swim under natural waterfalls and see the most dense rainforests. For the beach lovers you will have the chance to see a black sand beaches and the seven sacred pools. Movie buffs can see the park where parts of the first Jurassic Park movie was filmed. The road to Hana is a great all day trip of your vacation in Maui that is well worth it. 

Besides the dense rainforest another attraction of Hawaii is the beautiful beaches. While there are places that have sandy beaches and are very nice most of the water from the ocean collides with the lava rock. It is very neat seeing the bluest of water smash up against these dark black rock that was created from a volcanic explosion many years ago. 

Not only will you experience neat landscapes but animals as well. There are many opportunities to go snorkeling in the reefs off the island. Here you will see all types of creatures from huge humpback whales to tropical fish and sea turtles. The iguanas and animals you find on the island are just as unique as what you may experience in the water.

If your looking for your next laid back destination Hawaii is the place for you. With great people, food, and vegetation you will have the time of your life in one of the most beautiful state the U.S. has to offer. For more information about Hawaii here is a great website to check out: GoHawaii