Archive for
2009
August 31st, 2009 by admin
Smart Destinations, the company behind the Go City Cards and Explorer Pass, hit a milestone in August when the 3 millionth visit occurred using one of its products. The visit occurred at Skydeck Chicago using a Go Chicago Card. Skydeck recently opened The Ledge, retractable glass-floored bays that extend over four feet outside the tower to allow visitors to gaze 103 floors straight down from America’s tallest building.
“We’ve continued to grow strongly in 2009,” said Cecilia Dahl, founder and President of Smart Destinations. “Beyond the savings component of our product we know from our customers that they see this as a way to travel smarter as well as more economically.” Dahl points to markets like Hawaii as a place where relatively well heeled travelers are embracing Smart Destinations’ Go Oahu and Go Maui cards and driving strong growth for the company.
“This is the equivalent of BMW’s in the Costco parking lot or the spread of private sale shopping sites,” said Dahl. “These aren’t customers who need a deal. But they like knowing they have been smart enough to get one.” Smart Destinations has seen growth across its 14 destinations in 2009, from Hawaii and San Diego to Miami and Boston.
The customer making the 3 millionth visit used a Go Chicago Card, one of Smart Destination’s flagship ‘Go City Cards’. Go City Cards allow a customer to pay a single price and then use the card as their entry ticket to as many as 80 different attractions in a given destination. Smart Destinations other product, the Explorer Pass, similarly allows customers to save time and money by paying once for the card and then using it for a set number of attractions in their destination of choice. The products area available across North America – from Oahu to Boston, San Diego to Toronto, and a dozen top destinations in between.
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
August 14th, 2009 by cecilia d
As the summer winds down, things are heating up in . The folks at the are preparing for the final show in the Jamin at the Zoo summer concert series. On August 28, 2009 Singer songwriter Angel Taylor will open the show; followed by headliners FIVE FOR FIGHTING whose 2000 album America Town went platinum with the hit song “Superman.”The concerts are held in the middle of the at the south lawn making for one of the most unique show venues in town. Tickets are priced from $21-$28 and can be purchased online at www.lpzoo.org, in person at the Zoo’s Gateway Pavilion or by phone at (312) 742-2283. Bring a blanket to sit on and get ready for a great evening.
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
August 7th, 2009 by cecilia d
If you’re heading to Chicago, you might want to extend your congratulations to the most unique pair of expectant mothers in the city. Shedd Aqauarium has announced that two female beluga whales, Puiji (poo-EE-jee) and Naya (NI-yah) are both expecting calves this fall. The whales recently returned to Shedd’s newly renovated Oceanarium from the Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration in Mystic, CT and were confirmed pregnant through blood tests and ultra sound exams in May. Shedd Aquarium is one of Six North American aquariums and zoos committed to the public display and breeding of beluga whales. The whale habitats were part of the recent renovation and feature new ledges around the exhibits and a permanent observation station which will better connect guests with the animals. Puiji and Naya will continue their regular training sessions but are not expected to be participating in the new marine mammal show or beluga encouter program for the forseeable future.” This is an exciting time for us at Shedd Aquarium, with the re-opening of the Oceanarium earlier this summer and two of our most recognizable animals expecting calves” said Ken Ramirez, senior vice president of animal collections and training. ”Both whales are healthy and their pregnancies are progressing normally. While we remain cautiousy optimistic, we are equally thrillled. Our animal care and health experts continue to provide the very best 24-hour care to both beluga moms.
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
July 6th, 2009 by admin
For those scared of heights, the Sears Tower Skydeck was probably never on their list of “must-see’s.” But the new glass floored observation point will undoubtedly thrill those looking for the ultimate view from the United States’ tallest building.
“I’m not going out on that thing” is one common reaction to the just opened addition to the Skydeck, named “The Ledge.” But even more common is an exclamation of amazement (with perhaps a tinge of fear) from those who have stood looking between their feet 103 floors straight down. And yes, a very high percentage of the younger visitors do seem determined to lie down on The Ledge as you can see from the photo above taken opening weekend.
Anytime you make changes to an iconic structure it must been done with care. “The Sears Tower has always been about innovation. For this new Skydeck experience, we have kept with that tradition.” said Bill Baker of SOM, the building’s original designers. ”Cantilevering out from the site of America’s tallest building, the viewing platform will all visitors to see the incredible city of Chicago literally beneath their feet.”
According to Randy Stancik, the GM of Skydeck Chicago, it was clear ”the Ledge” was going to be a hit long before it opened on July 2nd. He knew from all the forehead prints on the windows that people were straining to get a look down the side of the Tower.
Maybe you have never been, or maybe you’re a Chicago native who has been to the top a number of times. Either way, with the Ledge you have a whole new reason to go. If you need another, the Sears Tower Skydeck is one of 30 attractions included in the Go Chicago Card or make it one of your three choices with a Chicago Explorer Pass – two great ways to experience the best things to do in Chicago while saving money in the process.
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
May 20th, 2009 by admin
The Art Institute of Chicago. Griffin Court, Photo credit: Charles G. Young, Interactive Design Architects
The Art Institute of Chicago just got bigger. A lot bigger. With the May 16th opening of the 264,000 square foot Modern Wing, the museum is now over a million square feet.
The new wing is dedicated to the display of the Institutes’s collection of 20th and 21st century works. The area devoted to modern European painting and sculpture features works by Matisse, Klee, Kandinsky, and Picasso to name a few, while the Contemporary Galleries boast works from Jasper Johns, Jackson Pollock, and Ellsworth Kelly as well as many others. In addition, the museum’s architecture and design collection has been given a vastly expanded space and the wing’s displays of modern and contemporary photography compliment its existing displays that trace photographic art from its beginnings.
The design of the new wing has been described as a “triumph” by the Associated Press. Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano led the $300 million dollar effort, which in addition to gallery space, offers visitors a a restaurant, a cafe, an open-air sculpture terrace, gift shop, and a pedestrian bridge linking the win to Millennium Park.
Admission to the Art Institute of Chicago is included in a Go Chicago Card or can be selected as part of a Chicago Explorer Pass.
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
April 21st, 2009 by admin
The site for Go Chicago Card has a completely new look. The old site has been replaced with a new site that offers a number of improvements for customers.
The site has been folded in under a new top navigation bar that allows customers see all of the Go Cards and Explorer Passes offered by Smart Destinations. Previously, each Card had its own unique site which meant customers were not aware they could get Cards in other destinations. The new site now includes the Chicago Explorer Pass– a sister product that was previously on a its own site — as well as links to Cards covering destinations from Maui to Boston.
The site also places more information at customers’ fingertips. They can learn how the card works, where it is accepted, read reviews by other customers, and see all the included restaurant and shopping deals on the same page.
Images and descriptions have been upgraded, navigation streamlined and improved, and other changes have also been made to the site to help customers plan their trip and get the perfect Card for their needs.
Smart Destinations reports that demand for the company’s attraction passes has not only been strong, but is actually accelerating in 2009 as more and more people are looking to travel smarter. The fact that Go Cards and Explorer Passes let people into the top museums, tours, and attractions for a single money saving price makes sense in any economy. The expectation is the new site will further contribute to strong growth.
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
March 17th, 2009 by admin
February 25 through October 25, 2009 the Field Museumwill have a fascinating exhibit on display about the Whydah, an early 18th century slave ship that became a pirate ship after her capture by Sam Bellamy in 1717.
The exhibit is entitled Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship and features items recovered when the ship with discovered lying off Cape Cod in 1984. Visitors will see fascinating artifacts ranging from weapons and day-to-day items of shipboard life to an impressive haul of treasure (the Whydah was Bellamy’s flagship when she sank). The 8400 square foot exhibition also features a number of interactive displays on pirate life as well as on the ship’s short-lived life as a slave ship.
Admission to Real Pirates is a separate fee from general admission to the museum (general admission is free with your Go Chicago Card). The Field Museum recommends you book your exhibition tickets in advance through their web site due to popularity of the exhibition.
Planning a trip to
Chicago?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Chicago Card.
