sport , leisure & travel
usa all the way
If you ’ re looking for a supersized adventure , the USA should be high on your bucket list . Travel writer Craig Sheather shares some of his favourite all- American destinations .
LOS ANGELES
This is a city that has inspired so many people to chase their dreams and a city where star-studded locals flock to its famous surf beaches via classic routes and highways . Hollywood celebrities are never far away in L . A . and you can catch a glimpse of stardust along the Hollywood walk of fame which honours more than 2,400 celebrities with brass stars embedded in the sidewalk . Film buffs can also take a behind the scenes tour to one of the working studios including Paramount , Sony Pictures or Warner Bros .
Stretching along the manicured sands of the Pacific Ocean , the Venice Beach boardwalk is a melting pot of buff bodybuilders , roller skating beauties , artists , musicians , mimes , hippies , hipsters and everyone else in between . If aliens landed on Venice Beach they ’ d blend right into the whacky show !
Nearby , the iconic seaside suburb of Santa Monica has a century old pier , pedestrian-friendly downtown , more sandy beaches and excellent shopping and dining . Perched in the Santa Monica Mountains the Getty Centre is a billion dollar museum complex renowned for art collection , architecture , gardens , and views overlooking L . A .
SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco ’ s most famous landmark , the Golden Gate Bridge was once called “ the bridge that couldn ’ t be built ”. Today it is one the seven wonders of the modern world . This magnificent span , opened in 1937 after a four-year struggle against relentless winds , fog , rock and treacherous tides . Pedestrians including wheelchair users and cyclists can utilise the sidewalks of the bridge during daylight hours and there are vista points at both ends .
The infamous Alcatraz Island is located in the middle of San Francisco Bay . Once home to some of America ’ s most notorious criminals , the federal penitentiary that operated here from 1934 to 1963 brought a dark mystique to the Rock . The presence of notorious inmates like Al “ Scarface ” Capone , and the “ Birdman ” Robert Stroud helped to establish the island ’ s notoriety . You can learn all about it on a prison tour .
New York skyline
YOSEMITE
Established as a World Heritage Site in 1984 , Yosemite is internationally recognized for its granite cliffs , waterfalls , clear streams , giant sequoia groves , lakes , mountains , glaciers , and biological diversity . Almost 95 % of the park is designated wilderness .
You ’ ll never hear anyone visiting Yosemite say , “ there ’ s nothing to do today .” If you love the great outdoors this is the place to be . There ’ s hiking , rock climbing , swimming , rafting , fishing , biking , birdwatching , horse
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