Posts in the category "Sports":

Ted Stevens, the former senator from Alaska who died in a plane crash earlier this week, had the pleasure of seeing a lot of things named for him while he was alive.

The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is one of them. 

The terminal offers free wireless Internet access and is home to the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame and an impressive display of Alaska Native Art.

photo courtesy Kathy Gronau

Photo courtesy Kathy Gronau

It’s been a while since I’ve been up there, but I’m planning to head that way soon.

If for no other reason than to wander the terminal checking out the airport’s collection of taxidermy Black Bears, Kodiak Brown Bears, Polar Bears and a Musk Ox.

Who says airports must be boring?

Categories: Air Travel, Airports, Art, Exhibits, Layover, Sports
No Comments »

If you’re curious about what happens in museums, zoos, aquariums and offbeat attractions after hours you’re in luck.  For a slide show on Bing Travel – Critter Campouts – I found plenty of places where you can camp with critters, sleep with fishes and dream with dinosaurs.

(Courtesy Georgia Aquarium)

Since then, I’ve found even more. For example, it turns out you and your friends can spend the night at the Titan Missle Museum in Sahuarita, Arizona.

(Courtesy Arizona Aerospace Foundation)

For the Bing Critter Campouts show, I was able to squeeze in 11 sleepover sites.  Some of them are just for kids. A few set aside a few nights for adults-only overnights. But most are open to families, making them an unusual alternative to at least one night in a hotel during a vacation.

Here are just two of my favorites:

Do shrunken heads snore? Do two-headed taxidermy cows moo in their sleep?

Brave souls can find out during a night inside Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Extreme Sleepover at the Times Square Odditorium in New York or at the Bedtime with the Bizarre overnights at Ripley’s outlets in Williamsburg, VA, Gatlinburg, TN, Grand Prairie, TX and several other locations. Make it to morning and you’ll get to take home a “Survivor” certificate.

And on June 30^th, after the San Francisco Giants play the LA Dodgers at AT&T Park, 400 fans will get to race into the outfield to pitch tents for the 8^th annual San Francisco Giants Slumber Party.

Evening activities include baseball, of course, as well as movies, peanuts, popcorn and pizza, games, goody bags, photos on the field and a chance to get autographs from former baseball stars.

For more surprising sleepovers, see my Critter Campouts slide show on Bing Travel.

Categories: Exhibits, Fun Stuff, Hotels, Kids, Kids travel, Museums, Recreation, Sleeping, Sports, Travel tips, Unusual places, family travel
No Comments »

Here’s a heads up on a couple of new art exhibits at two airports:

At the John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana, Ca., work by Anna Friesen will be on display through June 10, 2010 in the pre-security departure (upper) level near the security screening areas and on the arrival (lower) level near baggage carousels 1 and 4.

At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) “a cornucopia of art” by artists from the Pump Project Art Complex are on display through June 24, 2010 in the East Airside Gallery, post-security by the Austin Article bookstore.

The work includes Matt Wester’s Mercy and Jai Cochran’s Double Arch.

Jai Cochran Double Arch

And here’s an interesting event for baseball fans: the Grand Prairie AirHogs have teamed up with FlyerRights.org (Kate Hanni’s air passengers’ rights organization) for a “Hogs Fly Free” night on Wednesday, June 2nd at QuikTrip Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.

In a press release that had me checking to see if it was April 1st, the Air Hogs announced that on June 2nd they’d be taking a cue from Spirt Airlines and Ryanair and charging “carry-in” fees for purses, backpacks, blankets, jackets and anything larger than the size of a baseball and also charging fans for each visit to the restroom.

They’re joking of course.  A long list of “Hogs Fly Free” Fee Exemptions says all fees are voluntary and any money collected will be donated to FlyersRights.org. Cute!

Categories: Advertising, Art, Sports
No Comments »

Each Sunday we take a look at some of the fun souvenirs you can buy for about $10 if you find yourself stuck at the airport.

At San Francisco International Airport (SFO), there’s always that old standby – sourdough bread.

Souvenirs from SFO

The bread could come in quite handy if you find yourself in need of something to gnaw on during a long delay.   But if you know any sports fans, the under-$10 category also offers these cute options:

The Cal Bear is sort of cute, even if you’re not a sports fan.

Have you found a fun souvenir while stuck at the airport? If it’s under $10, “of” the city or region and sort of offbeat, please take a photo and send it along. Your souvenir may end up featured on a future edition of Souvenir Sunday.

Categories: Airport shops, Shopping, Souvenir Sunday, Souvenirs, Sports
No Comments »

(Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards at the world’s largest ski jump inside an airport)

Airports around the world are marking this year’s Winter Olympics in Vancouver with special exhibits.

Yesterday, the Reno Tahoe International Airport (RNO) opened an Olympics museum inside the terminal.

This past weekend, Düsseldorf  International Airport trucked in tons of snow to make the world’s largest indoor ski jump at an airport.

And now the Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) has a new exhibit, Champions on Ice and Snow, that pays tribute to athletes who have represented Canada at the Winter Olympics.

The exhibit includes skates worn by Kurt Browning, a four-time World Champion figure skater, skis that belonged to alpine skier Anne Heggtveit, and a reproduction of a sweater, hat and mittens worn by “Canada’s Sweetheart” Barbara Ann Scott, who won a gold medal in figure skating in 1948.  Life-size action photos of athletes such as a speed-skatering Gaétan Boucher, who won three medals at the 1984 Winter Olympics, are also included.

‘

Look for Champions on Ice and Snow at Toronto’s Pearson Interational Airport in Terminal 1, near Gate 120, domestic departures, through June, 2010,

Categories: Air Travel, Art, History, Sports
No Comments »