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national park contains the deepest lake in the TRAVELb Which United States? PAGE 250 Hundreds of years ago, brave voyagers set out to explore new places.

1 national park contains the deepest lake in the TRAVELb Which United States? PAGE 250 Hundreds of years ago, brave voyagers set out to explore new places. Their travels took them far, sometimes by foot and sometimes by ship. Many scaled tall mountains and crossed vast oceans. Sometimes, they weren t quite sure where they were headed. People still like to travel today, but they often do so for fun. And unlike in the days of exploration, modern travelers usually know where they are headed. Whether they go by car, train, bus, ship, or plane, people still enjoy traveling and exploring new places. Most Visited Countries* 1. France 2. United States 3. China 4. Spain 5. Italy 6. Turkey 7. United Kingdom 8. Germany 9. Malaysia 10. Mexico *2011 Most Visited U.S. Tourist Sites* 1. Times Square, New York, NY 2. Central Park, New York, NY 3. Union Station, Washington, D.C. 4. Las Vegas Strip, Las Vegas, NV 5. Grand Central Terminal, New York, NY 6. Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, FL 7. Disneyland, Anaheim, CA 8. (tie) Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA; Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA 10. (tie) Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, CA; Balboa Park, San Diego, CA *2011 Most Visited Amusement Parks* 1. Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL), 17.1 million visitors 2. Disneyland (Anaheim, CA), 16.1 million visitors 3. Tokyo Disneyland (Japan), 13.9 million visitors 4. Tokyo Disney Sea (Japan), 11.9 million visitors 5. Disneyland Park, Disneyland Paris (France), 10.9 million visitors *2011 Las Vegas Strip 248

Amusement Parks The first amusement parks appeared in Europe more than 400 years ago. Attractions included flower gardens and a few simple rides.

Fabulous Park Facts Biggest Park: Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, 30,080 acres Most Rides: 72, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio Most Roller Coasters: 17, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia,

2 Amusement Parks The first amusement parks appeared in Europe more than 400 years ago. Attractions included flower gardens and a few simple rides. Today s amusement parks are much more impressive, with super-fast roller coasters, parades, shows, and other attractions. Here s a look at some of the most popular amusement parks in the U.S. Fabulous Park Facts Biggest Park: Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, 30,080 acres Most Rides: 72, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio Most Roller Coasters: 17, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California Fastest Roller Coaster: 128 mph, Kingda Ka, Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, New Jersey Tallest Roller Coaster: 456 feet, Kingda Ka, Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson, New Jersey TRAVEL Walt Disney World/Magic Kingdom (Lake Buena Vista, Florida) Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom recently got the largest expansion in the park s history, nearly doubling in size. New attractions include Ariel s Grotto, featuring The Little Mermaid, and Enchanted Tales With Belle, where visitors re-create the story of Beauty and the Beast. Visitors can also enjoy Storybook Circus, which features a new version of the popular Dumbo ride and a water play area. Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio) One of the oldest amusement parks in the U.S., Cedar Point (on Lake Erie) opened in The most exciting new ride today is the GateKeeper. The longest winged roller coaster in the world, it also has the longest drop of any winged coaster at 164 feet. Cedar Point has plenty of other attractions, like maxair, which spins and swings 140 feet above the ground. d Universal Studios Florida/Islands of Adventure (Orlando, Florida) Universal Studios opened in 1990, and visitors have been riding the movies there ever since. Rides, shows, and many other attractions feature favorite movie and TV characters. A popular attraction, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, has three rides, as well as shops and restaurants. Did You KNOW? The Cyclone roller coaster in Luna Park, in New York City s Coney Island, is one of the most famous coasters in the world. Made almost entirely of wood, it opened in 1927 and was named a National Historic Landmark in Riders go up and down a series of steep peaks and drops, reaching a height of 85 feet, then plunging at a speed of 60 miles per hour. 249

NATIONAL PARKS The world s first national park was Yellowstone, established in 1872. Today in the U.S., there are 58 national parks, including parks in the Virgin Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa.

scenic rivers and trails, wilderness areas, and the White House more than 84 million acres in all! For more information, go to: www.nps.gov/parks.

States and one of the deepest in the world. The lake was created by the eruption of a volcano, Mount Mazama, more than 7,000 years ago.

The park boasts 680 plant species, 74 types of mammals, and 158 kinds of birds.

3 NATIONAL PARKS The world s first national park was Yellowstone, established in Today in the U.S., there are 58 national parks, including parks in the Virgin Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa. The National Park Service manages 398 units in all, including national monuments, memorials, battlefields, military parks, historic parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails, wilderness areas, and the White House more than 84 million acres in all! For more information, go to: CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK OR This park of 183,000 acres, established in 1902 in southwestern Oregon, is home to spectacular Crater Lake, which at 1,958 feet is the deepest lake in the United States and one of the deepest in the world. The lake was created by the eruption of a volcano, Mount Mazama, more than 7,000 years ago. Surrounding glaciers filled the caldera (the volcano s basin) with clear blue water. The lake is not all there is to see. The park boasts 680 plant species, 74 types of mammals, and 158 kinds of birds. Since snow generally falls from October to June, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are among the most popular pastimes. GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK AZ This national park, established in 1919, has one of the world s most spectacular landscapes, covering more than a million acres in northwestern Arizona. The canyon is 6,000 feet deep at its deepest point and 15 miles wide at its widest. Its 277-mile-long walls display a cross section of Earth s crust from as far back as 2 billion years ago. The Colorado River which carved out the giant canyon still runs through the park, which is a valuable wildlife preserve. The pine and fir forests, painted deserts, plateaus, caves, and sandstone canyons offer a wide range of habitats. 250

TRAVEL TN NC GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK This park, on the border between North Carolina and Tennessee, attracts 9 million visitors each year, making it the most visited national park in the

These include 200 types of birds and 65 species of mammals, such as white-tailed deer, elk, and black bears. There are also more than 1,600 types of flowering plants.

FL GREAT SMOKY EVERGLADES MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK PARK Located in southern Florida, the Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S. More than 1.

More than 350 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, and 50 kinds of reptiles live in the park s varied ecosystems, which include swamps, saw grass s prairies, and mangrove forests.

As you move from place to place, you may see all kinds of animals, from tiny frogs to free-roaming alligators and crocodiles, graceful herons, and lots of snakes.

4 TRAVEL TN NC GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK This park, on the border between North Carolina and Tennessee, attracts 9 million visitors each year, making it the most visited national park in the country. Its 800-square-mile area, in the southern Appalachians, is home to more than 17,000 species. These include 200 types of birds and 65 species of mammals, such as white-tailed deer, elk, and black bears. There are also more than 1,600 types of flowering plants. Visitors can enjoy bicycling, hiking, camping, fishing, horseback riding and brilliant fall foliage. FL GREAT SMOKY EVERGLADES MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK PARK Located in southern Florida, the Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S. More than 1.5 million acres of this wilderness are now protected in Everglades National Park. More than 350 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, and 50 kinds of reptiles live in the park s varied ecosystems, which include swamps, saw grass s prairies, and mangrove forests. The park s different habitats allow a huge variety of life forms to thrive. As you move from place to place, you may see all kinds of animals, from tiny frogs to free-roaming alligators and crocodiles, graceful herons, and lots of snakes. You can visit a mahogany forest and pine forests, and you can walk along raised boardwalks to get beautiful views of miles of swaying saw grass marshes full of wildlife. ID MT WY YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Located mostly in northwestern Wyoming and partly in eastern Idaho and southwestern Montana, na, Yellowstone is known for its 10,000 hot springs and geysers more than anyplace else in the world. Old Faithful, the most famous geyser, erupts for about four minutes every one to two hours, shooting 3,700-8,400 gallons of hot water as high as 185 feet. Other geysers include the Giant, which shoots a column of hot water 200 feet high, and the Giantess, which erupts for over four hours at a time, but only about two times per year. There are grizzly bears, wolves, elk, moose, buffalo, deer, beavers, coyotes, antelopes, and 330 species es of birds. 251

And there are museums about almost any subject you can imagine. Here is a small sampling of some of the leading museums in the United States.

5 SOME MUST SEE MUSEUMS As you travel to new places, you can learn a lot and have a lot of fun by visiting local museums. Some museums have exhibits about space, the history of life on Earth, and other areas of science. Some display great art. Some focus on American history. And there are museums about almost any subject you can imagine. Here is a small sampling of some of the leading museums in the United States. The EXPLORATORIUM, in San Francisco, California, weaves together science and art to encourage experimentation, curiosity, and creativity. The museum moved to a new, larger space on the San Francisco waterfront in April Hundreds of interactive exhibits there let visitors touch a tornado, use a joystick to land a lunar spacecraft, and dig through a pile of decay to feel the heat generated when organisms decompose. For more information, see: The NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY, in Washington, D.C., celebrates the richness of U.S. history. Exhibits include historic cars, First Ladies gowns, and the flag that inspired The Star-Spangled Banner. Visitors can also see such popular culture items as a Kermit the Frog puppet and Dorothy s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. For more information, see: americanhistory.si.edu The Star-Spangled Banner flag The METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, in New York City, is among the largest museums of fine art in the world. Its collection covers art from all parts of the world and includes works by the most important artists in history. The Met also has collections of furniture from past centuries, medieval arms and armor, and a beautiful, peaceful Chinese garden. For more information, see: 252

ON THE JOB Director of Travel Marketing TRAVEL When people want to travel, they often do research on different places to help them decide

Lisa Hasenbalg is the director of arts and culture marketing for the San Francisco Travel Association, letting people know about the city.

I work with museums, performing arts companies, and cultural events in San Francisco to find out what fun activities are happening, and then

As part of a big team, I work to find travel writers all over the world to feature our events and get people excited to visit San Francisco.

What interests and strengths of yours make this job right for you?

Knowledge of how the tourism and hospitality business works helps. It s also good to be able to manage multiple projects at the same time.

training did you need to get manage people and run a business. By working hard in order to do your job?

6 ON THE JOB Director of Travel Marketing TRAVEL When people want to travel, they often do research on different places to help them decide where they want to go. Lisa Hasenbalg is the director of arts and culture marketing for the San Francisco Travel Association, letting people know about the city. She agreed to talk to The World Almanac for Kids about her work. What do you do in a typical day? I work with museums, performing arts companies, and cultural events in San Francisco to find out what fun activities are happening, and then I promote those events to visitors. Each month, I pick out events to feature on our website, Facebook, Twitter, and also in visitor guides. As part of a big team, I work to find travel writers all over the world to feature our events and get people excited to visit San Francisco. We also create advertisements for billboards, websites, and magazines in other cities. What interests and strengths of yours make this job right for you? Having a love of art and being a very curious person is a key part of why I enjoy my job. Knowledge of how the tourism and hospitality business works helps. It s also good to be able to manage multiple projects at the same time. After attending college, I worked for a major retailer r What kind of education or in management for several years and was trained to training did you need to get manage people and run a business. By working hard in order to do your job? and volunteering, I was advanced into the marketing division where I learned how to promote a business. I use those same skills to promote the arts and culture of a city. What do you like best Working with interesting and artistic people! It s important about your job? What is to be familiar with the events I promote so I m lucky to most challenging? be able to attend many performances and visit museums throughout the year. With literally thousands of things to do, it s hard to pick the few you are able to feature. 253

The National Park Service and National Park System

The National Park Service and National Park System Yellowstone, established in 1872, is the first National Park in the world National Parks are called America s best idea The National Park Service was