National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day

Places to go. Great food & drink. Free cookies.

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Travel signs

We can’t go everywhere that looks pretty. And we can’t eat and drink everything that looks tasty.

But we want to.

Especially when our inbox and our mailbox are full of tantalizing announcements and tasty treats.

Here’s a sampling.

Complimentary cookie at DoubleTree by Hilton

If you’ve stayed at a Doubletree by Hilton hotel, you’ve no doubt already nibbled on one (or more…) of the complimentary warm chocolate chip cookies they offer guests at check-in.

But on National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day – August 4 – anyone who stops by any of the 400 or so DoubleTree by Hilton locations across the United States can enjoy a complimentary cookie of their choice: the original warm chocolate chip cookie or an allergy-free alternative.

Hawaii Food & Wine Festival

Over dinner at Atoma, the highly-acclaimed Seattle restaurant known for its fried, Scandinavian-inspired rosette cookie appetizer made with Walla Walla onion jam and soft farmer cheese, we learned all about the 15th Annual Hawaii Food & Wine Festival.

The multi-week epicurean experience takes place across three Hawaiian islands each fall, and this year runs October 17 -18 on the Island of Hawaii, October 24-26 at Kaanapali, Maui and October 30 to November 2 on Oahu.

Birding in Tennessee

Here in Seattle, we’ve been seeing eagles, hummingbirds and, as always, loud crows in our neighbohrood.

But the new, free Guide to Birding in Tennessee, put out by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD), is a great reason to head east with our binoculars.

Available online and at Tennessee Welcome Centers, the 30-plus-page guide offers seasonal tips and regional recommendations for spotting everything from bald eagles and sandhill cranes to colorful warblers, waterfowl and rare migratory visitors.

The guide also lists birding festivals and includes a list of accessible trails, boardwalks and scenic overlooks.

(Sandhill_Crane_Graham_Gerdeman)

Live music line-up at Memphis International Airport

If you’re flying to or through Memphis International Airport (MEM), check to see if any of these live music events will be happening when you’re there.

  • August 8: Elvis tribute artist Finley Watkins
  • August 28: Rachel Maxann
  • September 26: Memphis Symphony Orchestra quartet
  • October 10: Memphis Symphony Orchestra quartet
  • November 7: Memphis Symphony Orchestra quartet

Freebies to gather while traveling

Food, Free Stuff,

National Ice Cream Day is over, and so is National Milk Chocolate Day.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t cash in some great freebies while you travel.

Cookie Stack_edited

Coming right up on Thursday, August 4, 2016 is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day (who knew, right?) and to celebrate DoubleTree by Hilton will be giving a chocolate chip and walnut cookie to anyone who walks into one of the brands more than 460 hotels worldwide.

Usually those cookies are only given to guests at check-in.

On National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, DoubleTree by Hilton will also be handing out free cookies with Amtrak at New York’s Penn Station and at Chicago’s Union Station.

At the train stations, cookies will be handed out in pairs: you can eat one and give one to a friend, coworker or stranger. Or just keep both cookies to yourself.

Tip: In each station, the first 25 people who mention “Nice Travels” to a DoubleTree team member will receive a full tin of cookies from the brand’s new Traveler Tin Collection, which is a set of seven commemorative cookie tins celebrating California, Chicago, Florida, New York, Texas, The Carolinas, Canada and other destinations around the world.

(You can buy the tins or try to win one – or some other prize – in an Instagram contest.)

Don’t care for chocolate chip cookies? Don’t worry – there’s another freebie-packed “holiday” for you just up the alley:

Saturday, August 13th is National Bowling Day and Bowlmor AMF centers are around the country will be offering free bowling from 10am-12pm at any of the 300 bowling centers operated by Bowlmor AMF, including AMF, Brunswick Zone, Brunswick Zone XL, Brunswick’s, Bowlmor and Bowlero locations.

 

 

 

 

Freebies on Nat’l Chocolate Chip Cookie Day

Airports, Food, Free Stuff, Fun Stuff, , , ,

Today, Friday  May 15, is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day

(Why? Who cares? It’s a cookie holiday!)

To celebrate the day, DoubleTree by Hilton, a brand known for serving arriving guests a warm chocolate chip cookie, will be handing out cookie galore in their hotels and beyond.

If you’re checking in to any of the 415 Doubletree by Hilton properties around the world today you will, of course, receive a free cookie.

But today anyone who stops by – reservation or not – can get a free cookie too.

Virgin Atlantic passengers will find free chocolate-chip cookies today at check-in counters at San Francisco International Airport, Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and London’s Gatwick and Heathrow Airports.

There will also be free chocolate-chip cookies at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo Rent A Car and National Car Rental counters in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Denver International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

Virgin Australia lounges in Sydney, Melbourne and Darwin Airports will be serving free cookies as well.

Not enough cookies? DoubleTree is also kicking off a “Cookie Bag Vote,” for a packaging design for its cookies. Vote on which new look you like (here) and be entered for a chance to win prizes ranging from cookie tins to hotel stays.

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