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Archive for March, 2010

Want to meet a Duke or a true Prince and Princess? One of the easiest and most convenient places to meet pure royalty is at one of the prestigious hotel casinos. They hang out at many of the following five casinos and, once you are in, you can interact with them, play against them and if you are good enough, even beat them. Wouldn’t you like to boast that you defeated a King? These five hotel casinos give you that chance.

But do not expect an all you can eat buffet or players with baseball caps and cool shades. Come dressed elegantly and only then will you be let in to share a baccarat game with pure-bred European aristocracy.

The European casinos listed here are the largest and the most luxurious casinos in Europe. Their appointed clientele is less the seasonal tourist gambler and more the upper crust. So, if you are looking for a stylish way to spend your latest lottery winning, you can shoot the dice in one of the casinos listed below while your traveling partners lie around the French Riviera beaches or go on wild shopping trips in the streets of London or Moscow.

1) Casino de Monte Carlo, Monaco:
Monte Carlo has been the favorite gaming destination of Europe’s rich and famous for almost 150 years with the first casino that was founded by Prince Charles III of Monaco in 1863. Casino de Monte Carlo is a complex of five posh casinos located by the seashore and decorated in French rococo style with marbled columns, golden ornaments and crystal chandeliers. The overall environment would make you feel like an extra in a French history movie.

2) Casino Metropol, Moscow:
The Russian Federation has the biggest number of casinos and slot machines in Eastern Europe. The best casinos for tourists are obviously the ones located in hotels. Casino Metropol is part of the five star Hotel Metropol, which is not only one of the most elegant casino hotels in the area but it is also conveniently located in the center of Moscow within a walking distance from the Red Square and the Kremlin. The lowest minimum table requirement is 25 dollars and a night at the presidential suite will cost you 2,000 dollars.

3) Baden Baden Casino, Baden Baden, Germany:
The veteran European casino was founded in 1809 and although it has changed several ownerships since then, its reputation as one of the finest casinos in Europe in general and in Germany in particular has not change. Nowadays, the Baden Baden Casino is one of the city’s landmarks along with the famous thermal baths. If you ignore the table games and the slot machines, walking through the 32,289 square foot casino looks as similar to a visit in an European art museum with permanent exhibits of oil paintings and sculptures.

4) The Clermont Club, London, England:
If you are visiting the UK, you cannot just pop into a casino but have to apply for a membership at least a day ahead. If you plan to follow this procedure, the Clermont Club in Berkeley Square is one of the most reputable gaming clubs around. Set in a 17th century building, the Clermont Club was designed to resemble the Great Hall at Holkham. In addition to its friendly and convenient gaming room, the Clermont Club includes a bar and a clubroom where members and their guests can lounge over a banquet of a vintage bottle of champagne.

5) Casino Barriere de Deauville, Deauville, France:
The elegant seaside casino resort had inspired Ian Fleming in depicting the Casino of Royale les Eaux in his first James Bond novel Casino Royale. First founded in the 1860s by the Duc de Morny, the extravagant palace is one of the most beautiful casinos in the world. In addition to its gaming facilities, Casino Barriere hosts variety of exclusive entertainment shows as well as cultural and artistic events.

It can be tricky finding fun, safe places where children can play when traveling, and even trickier finding fun, safe places where children can play with high voltage electricity. Fortunately San Francisco’s got you covered on both counts.

Founded in 1969 by famed physicist Dr. Frank Oppenheimer, the Exploratorium is a truly unique hands-on science museum which aims to educate kids of all ages, including those in retirement. Science hounds and families visiting San Francisco in foul weather—along with anyone with a natural curiosity about the world around them, should consider a stop at the Exploratorium during their stays.

The museum is housed in the back of the spectacular Palace of Fine Arts, which was built for the 1915 International Exposition and remains one of San Francisco’s most romantic sites. However, the Exploratorium itself is more like a large warehouse. Be sure to bring a sweater if you’ll be visiting in cool weather. Here are some general quick tips to help you plan your family’s visit.

Visiting with toddlers and preschoolers

Given how much there is to explore here, those visiting with preschoolers and toddlers will most likely prefer to save the upstairs exhibits for later and proceed directly to those on the lower level (toward your left) where the spinning sand tables, bubble exhibits, “steam tornado,” and other exhibits with greater tot appeal can be found. There is also a fenced off baby / toddler play area if you need to set your little crawler free from the stroller or carrier to get some exercise during your visit. After your young child is saturated by dancing in the tri-color lights, helping beach balls float suspended on air, making walls of bubbles and the like, you can explore more big kid exhibits with the time remaining.

Visiting with older children
The other upstairs exhibits can be a lot of fun with big kids (and big people) as you pedal-power a light bulb and test out various experiments with high-powered magnets, electricity and more. If your child is interested in joining a flower or cow’s eye dissection, check the schedule on arrival. Don’t miss the microscopes and sound booths—and more musical experiments on the lower level as well.

Eating at the Exploratorium
There is a café counter and dining area on the downstairs level with mostly organic and some vegetarian offerings. Popcorn and ice cream bars are also available as snacks. For those visiting on a budget, I recommend packing your own lunch along and enjoying it on the scenic grounds of the Palace of Fine Arts just outside—you have in and out privileges with your Exploratorium admission.

Getting there by car, bus, BART…

Given its somewhat tricky location and the free parking in its own lot, the Exploratorium is often best visited by car (like oh-so-many San Francisco sites).

However, you can take public transportation using SF Muni buses #28, #30, and #43. From Montgomery BART downtown (at 3rd St. / Stockton) or Fisherman’s Wharf, you can take the #30 Stockton bus to the Palace of Fine Arts/Exploratorium. You can plan your trip online at the Transit 511 site.