Everything about New York City is larger-than-life. From the sprawling communities and tightly-packed streets to the towering buildings and endless string of bright lights, the city itself is an attraction that is sure to impress travelers with its sheer size. And to make the most of your New York experience it is a must to climb to the top of the city’s looming skyscrapers and look down from the observation deck. To help get your plans in motion we’ve highlighted a few of the observation deck options available to ensure that you don’t miss out on the biggest attraction in the city: a panoramic view of New York City itself.

Empire State Building Observatory

Towering 1,050 feet above Manhattan stands the 86th floor of the Empire State Building. This popular attraction features both an indoor and outdoor observation area for both the adventurous and those afraid of heights, and has been featured in a number of popular films including “Sleepless in Seattle.”

Top of the Rock Observation Deck

Top of the Rock, Rockefeller Center’s observation deck, offers visitors an amazing view of midtown Manhattan. Located on the 70th floor of Rockefeller Center, you’ll be high above the average building in New York with incredible views of Times Square, Hudson River, the Statue of Liberty and more.

NY SKYRIDE & Empire State Building Observatory

This unique combination offers not only admission to the Empire State Building Observatory, but also admission to the popular NY SKYRIDE. Located on the second floor of the Empire State Building, the NY SKYRIDE is a movie-simulation experience that brings the best sights and sounds of New York City to you in one immersive package narrated by Kevin Bacon. And of course, with this combination you’ll also secure admission to the Empire State Building Observatory for a chance to compare the NY SKYRIDE to the real thing!

Please Note: The Grand Ole Opry does not release final lineups until the Wednesday prior to each performance. This list will be updated weekly as new performers are confirmed and added to the lineup.

Friday, May 23 - Order Tickets

Jeannie Seely
The Whites
Gary Mule Deer
Jimmy Dickens
Mountain Heart
Jimmy C. Newman
Riders In The Sky
Johnny Western
Keith Anderson
John Conlee
Connie Smith
Emerson Drive

Saturday, May 24 - Order Tickets

6:30 performance

Jimmy C. Newman
Connie Smith
Keni Thomas
Jeannie Seely
Gary Mule Deer
The Time Jumpers
The Whites
Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
Jimmy Wayne
Lorrie Morgan
Jan Howard
Mountain Heart
Opry Square Dancers
Riders In The Sky
Jesse McReynolds & The Virginia Boys
Shooter Jennings

9:30 performance

The Whites
Connie Smith
Keni Thomas
Lorrie Morgan
Mountain Heart
Jimmy Wayne
Jeannie Seely
Charlie Louvin
Shooter Jennings
Opry Square Dancers
Riders In The Sky
Gary Mule Deer
The Time Jumpers

Held along the banks of the Tennessee River, the Riverbend Festival is a nine-day celebration of all musical styles that takes place in downtown Chattanooga. This year’s festival is set to take place from June 6 - 14, and will feature an all-star line-up of eclectic sound. Six stages are slated for the festival to house the talents of the Black Crowes, Futureman, A Fall From Grace, Galactic, Anthony Hamilton, Little Big Town, Mercy Me, Josh Turner, The Ohio Players and more!

For those attending the entire festival, Chattanooga offers a wide variety of activities to keep you busy during the festival’s downtime. In fact, outdoor enthusiasts can find an entire day of activities waiting at Lookout Mountain Attractions. Lookout Mountain Attractions includes admission to Rock City for unprecedented views of the Appalachians; the Incline Railway, a train with a 73% grade steep that can take you to the top of Lookout Mountain for the highest views of the area; and the 145-foot underground water fall, Ruby Falls.

And for those that won’t have a full day to spend, you can always take a few hours out of the musical festivities to enjoy the nature of Chattanooga through the Chattanooga Nature Center. Featuring 30 species native to the Tennessee area, the Chattanooga Nature Center is a great representation of the countless area’s of untamed nature that can be found throughout Tennessee.

The Black Hills of South Dakota may not be quite the same as they were during the 19th century, but there’s still a rustic, cowboy feel for those that know where to look. From exploring the area by steam engine to taking in authentic cowboy entertainment, Mount Rushmore can offer both the feel and the entertainment of the 19th century for a unique look into the area’s past.

1880 Train

There’s no better way to explore the natural beauty of the Hill City area than by authentic steam train. And that’s exactly the setting you’re in for with the 1880 Train. Slowly creep past the tall timber and rocky countryside by passenger car, and even order an old-fashioned box lunch for a complete feel of 19th century westward travel. From reliving the nostalgia of an era to merely seeing the sights of South Dakota, the 1880 Train is the way to travel.

Chuckwagon Dinner and Western Music Show at Circle B Ranch

Circle B has been entertaining Mount Rushmore area visitors with authentic cowboy dining and entertainment since 1976, and continues today as an experience that every weekend cowboy should take in. Set on 60 acres, guests will find activities including trail rides and shooting galleries taking place before the actual show, though the dinner and entertainment stand as the stars. Supper consists of roast beef, barbecue chicken, cowboy beans, biscuits and more. As for the show, you’ll hear a variety of campfire songs and hits from legends including Gene Autry and Roy Rogers for a purely cowboy experience.

Big Thunder Gold Mine

At the Big Thunder Gold Mine Mount Rushmore visitors will find an authentic gold mine that offers the ability to try your own hand at mining for gold! On the premises, guests will find a working gold mine, mining museum, and even an area for panning for gold! Whether you’re looking to strike it rich or would simply like a hands-on experience of Mount Rushmore in the 19th century, the Big Thunder Gold Mine can offer a great time of family fun, and is a perfect compliment to your old west vacation experience.

Those looking for an encompassing time of entertainment during their next vacation in our nation’s capital need look no further than the area’s dinner shows! From Maryland to Virginia, there are a number of quality choices throughout the area that can offer undeniable entertainment and a truly filling meal. Below, you’ll find a couple different options featured to help showcase the diversity of dinner shows throughout the DC area, and to help you put your plans in motion.

Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament - Hanover, MD

Combining a feast fit for a king with equestrian artistry and thrilling combat, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament is an engaging dinner experience to say the least. Throughout the show you’ll cheer on your section’s own knight as six brave individuals fight for the hand of the princess. As for the meal itself, you’ll be treated to 1/2 roasted chicken, vegetable soup, garlic bread, spare ribs, 1/2 herb basted potato, apple pastry and two soft drinks, beer, coffee or tea.

Mystery Dinner Playhouse - Arlington, VA

The Mystery Dinner Playhouse offers an experience every bit as interactive as Medieval Times, though in a different way. Instead of cheering on the contestants, you’ll be needed to use a keen eye and sharp intellect to uncover a murder mystery throughout your dinner experience. The show will play out through five scenes, each offering a wealth of clues as to the identity of the murder. Of course, a mere murder won’t stop the party! Throughout your time of unraveling the facts youâ’ll dine on your choice of prime rib, grilled tuna, grilled chicken or vegetarian lasagna.

Located off the coast of the Pacific Ocean and within proximity to the Mexico border, San Diego features a stunning landscape of natural beauty encompassing towering buildings of the big city. And whether you choose to experience the area by air, land or water you’re sure to find memorable sights and exciting times for vacation memories that are sure to last. Below, we’ve highlighted a few different San Diego tour ideas to help you get started on planning your next visit the bayside setting of San Diego.

Double Decker Downtown Loop

Those looking for a standard time of sightseeing will find the Double Decker Downtown Loop to be a perfect example in San Diego. Tours are held on a double decker bus, providing great views for all on board, as you visit areas including the San Diego Zoo and Old Town. And best of all, you’ll be able to get off at each stop and spend as much time as you like without worry. As soon as you’re ready to make your way to the next stop just hop on any of the double decker busses constantly traveling the tour route.

San Diego Harbor Whale Watch

With the San Diego Harbor Whale Watch you’ll take part in a journey that focuses less on the city of San Diego and more upon the beautiful natural sights that surround the city. You’ll travel by Coast Guard certified vessel along the San Diego harbor as you experience a collage of wildlife including dolphins, sea lions and the mighty gray whale. Few experiences can compare to witnessing a whale in the wild, and even fewer areas the world over allow for such a unique experience.

1920’s Open Cockpit Biplane Flight

More than an airplane tour, the 1920’s Open Cockpit Biplane Flight is a true adventure. You’ll be able to experience the beautiful California countryside as you fly in a historic 1920’s open cockpit biplane, and will even have the chance to take control! The unique dual cockpit planes allow for even completely inexperienced pilots to take the helm while the certified guide waits on ready just in case anything should happen. From reliving the nostalgia of flight to enjoying the dream of flying yourself, the 1920’s Open Cockpit Biplane Flight is a one of a kind tour in San Diego, CA.

The neon lights of Las Vegas may get all of the attention, but all around the desert city you’ll find extraordinary sight after extraordinary sight hidden amongst the dust that covers the outlying areas. Whether coming across a stunning oasis or exploring top secret, government areas, you’re sure to find a tour just right for you while visiting Las Vegas.

Valley of Fire - Lost City Museum Photo Tour

With the Valley of Fire - Lost City Museum tour you’ll travel back in time and visit stunning formations and images made by natives long past. During your journey you’ll be joined by a guide specifically educated in the history of the area to ensure that you come away with not only spectacular memories, but an understanding of what your memories mean. From visiting areas generally frequented by Pueblo Indians as far back as 10,000 years ago to exploring hand-made petroglyphs, the Valley of Fire - Lost City Museum tour is definitely an interesting look back in time.

Area 51 Photo Tour

We’ve all heard the stories, and now you can find the truth for yourself with the Area 51 Photo Tour. Along this eye-opening tour you’ll visit an array of sights pertaining to the possible existence of extra-terrestrial life. From first-hand encounters with Indian petroglyphs that bear a striking resemblance to “alien” life form to actually uncovering cameras hidden among the desert cactus, this is an interesting and informative tour that is sure to have you looking at the world around you differently for quite some time. The truth is out there, but you’ll never find it if you don’t look in the right place!

Death Valley Photo Tour

Another famous area surrounding Las Vegas, Death Valley is an ocean of sand offering a wide variety of unique sights and desert environments for a time of sightseeing that will provide an array of photo opportunities. During your adventure you’ll visit a ghost town and experience Death Valley from both 5,475 feet above sea level and 282 fee below sea level for numerous vantage points of one of America’s more prominent natural settings.

Rich with culture and musical history, the Memphis area can provide an in-depth vacation experience through both its current attractions and its lasting legacy. And with the help of the many museums throughout the area travelers can quickly gain a sturdy backdrop to the fascinating tales that the city has to tell. From its musical legacy to the many societal triumphs and losses that have occurred in the area, it is all waiting to be explored with a visit to Memphis and its array of engaging museums.

Stax Museum of American Soul Music

Launched in 1957, Stax Records was highly influential in shaping the soundscape of southern soul with highly popular artists including Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes and Booker T. And while the record label. And while the label died out for all intents and purposes by 1976, Stax Museum of American Soul Music still carries on the tradition started right in Memphis. Over 2,000 exhibits detail the golden years of soul through everything from rare video recordings to memorabilia. Whether an avid fan of soul music or just now learning of its place within American music, Stax Museum of American Soul Music is an experience any music fan can enjoy.

Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum

Created by the Smithsonian Institute, the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum is an encompassing look at the wide variety of music that has come from Memphis, and the ways in which this special music has changed the popular culture. With seven distinct galleries housed within the museum, guests will find the museum covers everything from the down-home country sounds of the 30’s up to the groundbreaking sounds of funky soul that swept the nation in the 70’s. Music is an extremely important aspect of Tennessee, and with the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum you’ll experience how Memphis made its own mark on the industry.

National Civil Rights Museum

Housed at the exact location of Dr. King’s tragic assassination, the National Civil Rights Museum has taken the spot of a horrible event and turned it into a place of cultural learning and understanding. Our country’s history is explored in full throughout the museum as topics ranging from European arrival in 1619 to the many events of the Civil Rights era showcase just how far we’ve come, and strides that still need to be taken, in terms of social equality.

The Children’s Museum of Memphis

The Children’s Museum of Memphis offers visitors a light-hearted museum romp that can still be extremely informative. Naturally, all of the exhibits are geared towards children with topics including art, community, science and much more. And as might be expected, there is a healthy amount of interaction featured throughout the museum, offering a variety of ways to learn more about the world we live in.

The Grand Canyon area is rich with natural beauty and historical significance, and just as varied as the area itself are the ways in which you can explore the Grand Canyon. Whether hovering directly above the massive canyon, cruising along the scenic paths of the area by train or roughing it into the surrounding wilderness by way of Jeep, the only limit to how you can explore the Grand Canyon area is your own adventurous spirit. Below, you’ll find just a few of the many ways you can turn an ordinary visit to the Grand Canyon into an adventure to remember a lifetime.

Grand Canyon Railway Budd Coach

The Grand Canyon Railway Budd Coach may not be the most intensive tour of the Grand Canyon area, but it does offer beautiful sights wrapped in a nostalgic setting. Along the tour you’ll ride in famous Budd Coach from the 30’s and 40’s as the scenic sights of the Grand Canyon calmly pass by. In total, you’ll ride from the Williams Depot to the Grand Canyon Depot, be given a few hours to explore the Canyon, and then return to the Williams Depot. If you’re looking to explore the Grand Canyon in grand atmosphere, then the Grand Canyon Railway Budd Coach is for you.

North Canyon Tour

The North Canyon Tour offers a bird’s eye view of the Canyon as you tour the area by helicopter. Visitors will enter the Canyon through the famed Dragon Corridor before weaving in and out of the Northern portion of the Grand Canyon. Experiencing the landscape from any vantage point is an awesome experience, but by way of helicopter you’ll see things from an entirely different light.

Grand Sunset Safari Jeep Tour

The Grand Sunset Safari Jeep Tour puts travelers right in the midst of the beautiful southwest scenery as you travel through the Kaibab National Forest towards the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Along with the many moving views of the land, you may even catch a glimpse of natural wildlife during your journey through Kaibab.

Colorado River Adventure

Those that want to experience the Grand Canyon from a variety of viewpoints will love the Colorado River Adventure. On this epic journey you’ll travel by airplane, helicopter and boat for a thoroughly thrilling time of exploration. You’ll ride a Twin Otter sightseeing plane to the canyon, where you’ll then climb aboard a helicopter to maneuver through the expanse of the Canyon towards the Colorado River. Once at the river you’ll board a pontoon boat to cruise the river for another vantage point of the massive natural wonder that is the Grand Canyon. 

As a town of historical significance Williamsburg offers a wide array of activities to help visitors experience the culture and tradition of the area, but with sightseeing and dinner cruises in and around the Williamsburg area travelers can sail the same waterways as our nation’s first settlers for a significant and entertaining vacation activity. And whether cruising for sightseeing significance or merely to relax with a filling dinner and lively entertainment, you’re sure to find a cruise to perfectly fit your wants.

Spirit of Norfolk Dinner Cruise

Located just under an hour from Williamsburg, a visit to Norfolk is a short drive that will lead travelers to an elegant evening of dining and entertainment. The cruise sails along the Elizabeth River, past the Norfolk skyline; though sights are only a minor taste of the entertainment aboard the Spirit of Norfolk. An encompassing buffet comprised of items including pasta, sea food, stir fry and other entrees will appease the taste buds while the cruise’s musical review awes audiences, and after the show there is even a live DJ that will help you to dance the rest of the night away.

Miss Hampton II Harbor Cruise

Located in neighboring Hampton, the Miss Hampton II Harbor Cruise offers an encompassing tour of the Williamsburg area coast. You’ll cruise along the Chesapeake Bay, experiencing Blackbeards’ Point, Hampton Roads Harbor, Old Point Comfort Lighthouse, Norfolk Naval Base and several other prominent sites. Those trying to hit the waters for a pure time of sightseeing are sure to find the Miss Hampton II Harbor Cruise to be an interesting cruise along the Chesapeake.

Spirit of Norfolk Lunch Cruise

Much like the Spirit of Norfolk Dinner Cruise, the Spirit of Norfolk Lunch Cruise offers a time of elegant buffet dining and sightseeing with live entertainment and dancing. The major difference between the cruises is that the lunch cruise offers an early time slot for the early birds. If you’re looking for an encompassing activity while visiting the Williamsburg Spirit of Norfolk Lunch Cruise can offer something to please one and all.