Great Falls Montana's Portion

Great Falls is one of the main cities that is found along Montana's portion of the Lewis and Clark Trail. It was Lewis and Clark who were the first known white visitors to the area, which they happened upon while navigating the Missouri River. At Great Falls, the Missouri River drops some 500 feet, which results in a rumbling set of rapids and waterfalls. Hence the city's name. Lewis and Clark were forced to portage around the rapids and waterfalls at Great Falls during their famous Corps of Discovery expedition, and nearly a month passed until they moved on.
Like many other Montana cities, Great Falls didn't start to gain identifiable status until the late 1800s and early 1900s. It was during this time that Great Falls Montana became both an important railway stop and a thriving industrial center. The city's waterfalls were used to create hydroelectric power, which also helped it to grow into a major supply center. As Great Falls quickly became one of the larger cities in the state, visitors began arriving to get a glimpse of the falls for which the city is named. They also came to see the studio of artist Charles Marion Russell, who was born in St. Louis and moved to Great Falls when he was a teenager. Russell specialized in painting scenes of the American West. He also made bronze sculptures and was an accomplished author and storyteller. When Charles Marion Russell passed away in 1926, the local schools shut down so that the children could watch his funeral procession. If you want to view some of the works of one of the most cherished past residents of Great Falls, a visit to the C.M. Russell Museum is in order.
One of the top Great Falls attractions, the C.M. Russell Museum complex displays some 2,000 artifacts, pieces and art, and personal objects that relate to Russell's life and career. It also features a home that Russell built in 1900, the rustic log cabin studio that came three years later, and even some works of art that were created by other renowned western artists. Great Falls Montana prides itself on being a cultural city, and there are a few other museums here that you might also add to your Great Falls travel itinerary. They include the History Museum, which has more than 95,000 objects on display that revolve around central Montana history, and the Children's Museum of Montana, which features fascinating interactive experiences that any kid is bound to enjoy. To learn more about Lewis and Clark's 1804-1806 expedition and how it relates to Great Falls Montana, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center is the place to go.
Found on a bluff that offers picturesque views of the Missouri River, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center offers exhibits that celebrate the spirit of adventure. There are also ranger programs that can be enjoyed here, and you can hike to nearby Giant Springs State Park, which is another historic Lewis and Clark Trail landmark. Should you really be interested in making the Lewis and Clark experience the focus of your Great Falls travel plans, you can visit the city in June, which is when the Interpretive Center puts on its annual festival. This event celebrates both the Corps of Discovery expedition and the area's Native American history and culture. Getting back to Giant Springs State Park, it too is among the top Great Falls attractions, partly because it is home to the shortest river in the world. At least that's what the Guinness Book of World Records once labeled the Roe River.
While there are plenty of hot springs in Montana that you can visit, the cooler springs at Giant Springs State Park also attract plenty of onlookers. People also come to the park to do some bird watching, to see the fish hatchery, and to enjoy the Rainbow Falls Overlook, which is easily reached from the park. Visiting Ulm Pishkun State Park is also among the top things to do in Great Falls. It is at this park where you can observe the cliffs that Native American hunters stampeded buffalo over for more than 1,000 years. From the cliffs at Ulm Pishkun State Park, views of the Rocky Mountains just to the west can also be enjoyed.
After engaging in a little Great Falls travel, you can head west to enjoy all that the highlands have to offer, or you might take a northerly route towards Glacier National Park. Head south instead, and you'll eventually find Yellowstone National Park. There's a lot to see and do in Montana, and the Great Falls attractions can definitely keep you busy for at least a few days before heading on. This is especially true if you show up for the State Fair, which is among the top events in Montana. The overall affordability of the Great Falls hotels helps to make it an attractive destination, and since one of the six major Montana airports can be found here, you can fly right in!

Belize Guest Comments and Slideshow - May, June and July 2010

21 June 2010



What a great place! Karen, David, Nora, Wanni, and those others whose names I don’t know, thank you so much for taking us in and making us feel like family! This place is a perfect combination of relaxing paradise and adventure. We will never forget our experience here.



The Reed family



5th July 2010



Thanks for everything. Karen & David are great asset to your business. The tours were fun, just remind people the ATM can be scary because it is dark, enclosed and goes on forever. The rest was a gas! Wanni’s food was perfect and plentiful. Great place, we will be recommending it to many.



Chris and Malcolm Rayburn, Narato, California, USA



14th June 2010



Dear Jungle Dome



This was a life changing experience for my mom and I. Everything from the crazy driving , to our day trips, to the great food, to the sitting by the pool.



The moment we got here all of our stress seemed to just melt away and it was so relaxing knowing everything was taken care of. The food was amazing, and it was wonderful to sit outside after dinner and talk while the toads came out and the howler monkeys sang. All of our day trips were incredible.



We can't even describe how much fun we had ! We learned so much and the entire experience was incredible ! We loved every second of this trip and wouldn't have changed a thing. Our stay here was simply life changing ! We will never forget it !

Thank you all for everything



Stephanie and Debbie Wade, Kent, Ohio, USA



VISIT us on the web at www.belizejungledome.com

Sorobon Beach Resort, Bonaire

Bonaire is a city on the main island (out of a total of five islands) in the Netherlands Antilles. Here is where you find the the Sorobon Beach Resort. The pristine atmosphere on the beautiful island is what makes this place a little haven that welcomes you to swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling and to stay nude on the beach 24-7. The average nightly rate is $190.

Top 5 Nude Beaches This Summer

If you love summer, tanning, beaches and the ocean breeze you might also enjoy nudity.

Since the 70s, nude beaches become more and more popular and nowadays the managers of these kinds of resorts are competing in order to bring in more and more tourists that literally have nothing to hide. Here are 5 of the best nude beaches this year:

1. Haulover Beach, Florida

Established in 1991, the entire North side of the beach has a “clothing optional” policy. The beach is extremely popular not just for the nudity, but for the facilities one can find here, as well. Showers, barbeque grills, food & drink stalls, lifeguards, volleyball and surfing games – all these helped Haulover Beach to become one of the most attractive in Florida.

2. Maslin Beach, South Australia

Australia’s first official beach, Maslin Beach is known worldwide for the “Maslin Beach Olympics” – a series of nude and informal sport competitions held around Australia’s Day, in January. Although the cliff-lined beach has more than 3 kilometers, just the southern half is opened to nudists. You can easily get here from Adelaide, since the beach is located about 40 kilometers south of the city.

3. Black’s Beach, San Diego, California

It’s one of the nation’s iconic nude beaches and it lies at the base of the cliffs near the University of California. Black’s Beach is not exclusively nude, since you can see all kinds of tourists here. The cliffs make it one of the most picturesque nude beaches in the world, but also one with the most difficult to access – you can only get here through the northern or the southern side. The powerful currents and high tides make the beach a lovely place for surfing, as well.

4. Paradise Beach, Mykonos, Greece

Bars next to the beach, loud dance music, people dancing and drinking fancy cocktails – that’s what this beach is all about. Nudity is pretty common on this southern beach and you can easily get there from Mykonos city by foot, bus or by renting one of the many scooters.

5. Orient Beach, St Maarten, The Caribbean Islands

Being referred to as the “French Riviera of the Caribbean”, Orient Beach is a place with numerous bars and restaurants that offer so many types of cuisine and beverages. In the southern end of the Orient Beach you’ll find St. Martin’s Club Orient – the most famous nudist resort in the islands. The area is known as a marine reserve and snorkeling between the crystal clear water without swimming suits is pretty common.

Wonderful Hidden Beach Resort – Au Naturel Club, Mexico

Hidden in the Mexican Caribbean just one hour from Cancun, this is an adult-only resort with some of the finest white sand beaches in the world, where you can spend a truly luxurious nude vacation. One of their 42 beach-front suites are waiting for you in this intimate, uncrowded setting. Don’t expect it to be cheap. The average nightly rate is $541 and makes it the most expensive on our list. Looking for a more affordable option in Cancun? Check out these great discount hotels in Cancun.

Family Vacation Planning in The Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort-St. Lucia

Situated on Labrelotte Bay, The Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort is the best family vacation resorts. This makes the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort a great choice as a family vacation resort because of the sheer space in the accommodation. In fact the villas can easily become anything from one to four bedroomed.Equally the privacy of the stylishly decorated villas makes it a great honeymoon resort too, and if not that a good choice for a romantic getaway, with the separate living and dining rooms plus full kitchen also increasing the options in the villas.

There are in fact five restaurants including Papa Don an Italian Trattoria for the pizza and pasta fiends, then Jammer’s Restaurant and Bar is a steakhouse and Grill Bar, and the Dragonfly serves Asian and West Indian food. You can have dinner prepared and served in your villa, make your own meals, or eat in the restaurants. The chefs at the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort are rated amongst the top in the Caribbean, and they are one of the reasons this place is rated a top Caribbean Family resort, plus the fact that only one restaurant doesn’t allow under twelve year olds in for dinner.

One strongly suggested option is to take the all inclusive vacation package if you like to drink alcohol. There is little doubt that the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort is a good quality luxury hotel and resort, with a high satisfaction ratio. What guests seem to like more than anything is the friendliness of the staff, the roominess of the villas, the plunge pools at the villas, the food, and the water sports.

All in all as a family vacation resort the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort does well. It isn’t totally a luxury hotel and resort, but it has a pretty good try, and would be a good choice as a romantic honeymoon destination especially if you book one of the very private villas.

Four Mile Beach- Port Douglas Australia

Take a look a sandy beach of Four Mile Beach. This beach is on the East side of Port Douglas, a small tourist town around 50km (31mi) North of Cairns, Queensland. It is a long sandy beach, lined by tropical coconut trees, that starts near the town centre, extending South for close to the advertised four miles. At the North end there is a picnic area with BBQs, hotels and cafes. Further South behind the beach is a mix of residential houses, hotels and resorts.