On September 17th it will have been exactly 225 years since the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787; and in commemoration, the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, PA is hosting numerous events and activities.

September 15th will mark the start of Constitution Week with free-admission lawn events including musical performances, colonial games, historic interpreters, and educational programs. The rest of the week will be comprised of hands-on activities and specialized events like the calligraphy demonstrations or printing press demos. Events will also include the “sworn-again ceremony”–participants are invited to renew civic vows and embrace their citizenship.

A giant copy of the Constitution will be on display throughout the week in Signers’ Hall and the best part is, anyone is welcome to sign. Just don’t be frightened by the 42 life-size bronze statues of the Founding Fathers that stand overlooking the document. Some hands-on features will even stick around past the Celebration Week. Visitors will get a chance to be “sworn in” as president or use one of the provided iPads to attempt at creating six-word stump speech that will later be displayed on a big screen.

Admission is $14.50 for adults; $13 for seniors and students; and $8 for children.

On Monday, Sept. 17, general admission is free. If you are lucky, you may even catch a guest appearance by George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or Theodore Roosevelt!

Planning a trip to Philadelphia? Check out the BestWeekends destination page for the latest and greatest of this beautiful city.
Ellen Studer
BestWeekends.com

Today almost everyone is connected through social networking, and some of us are even obsessed with it. When I am off on a weekend adventure, you can be sure that I am tweeting about funny experiences, checking into Foursquare at new places, Instagraming great vaca pics, and updating my status.

I stumbled upon a brand new (but quickly growing) website called Irrive that streams all of your social media into a shareable, virtual scrapbook. “A Social Scrapbook For Life’s Adventures”, Irrive pulls all of your posts and images from Twitter, Instagram, Foursquare, Facebook, and Flickr for seamless sharing.

Incredible organization and a fresh design allow this newbie to stand out from the crowd. It is extremely easy to sync all of your social media accounts to your scrapbook and even easier to share with friends. You can even check out all of your friends’ scrapbooks because Irrive automatically imports all of your friend lists to search for other Irrive users. Definitely something to check out for all of you BestWeekends travelers out there; and remember, keep traveling! #bestweekends
Ellen Studer
BestWeekends.com

Plans are being drawn up for what is considered one of the most outrageous festivals in the country, Fantasy Fest. October 19th begins 10 days of pure insanity in one of BestWeekends’ favorite destinations, Key West, FL.

Started in 1979 to bring life to the island’s down-season, Fantasy Fest is a celebration leading up to Halloween that has visitors and locals out on their wildest behavior. Events and parades inspire over 70,000 freaks and frights to dress their best (and sometimes their worst). These wacky events include the Dungeons and Dragons Leather Fetish Bash, the Monsters Ball, and Party in Plaid. There are even wild contests like the classic Mr. Pimp and Ms. Ho and the homemade bikini competition.

Even the local venues go all-out like Sloppy Joe’s Bar which hosts the annual toga party and gets everyone into the Roman spirit. The final parade kicks off the long week with spectacular floats of all shapes and sizes.

Key West is roaring with monstrous excitement this time of year so plan your trip now! Check out BestWeekends’ destination page to find out more about the best places to stay, great eats, and don’t-miss things to do.
Ellen Studer
BestWeekends.com

Back from a weekend to my favorite destination, I’ve made a list of books set in and around Lake Placid that will have you dreaming of the Adirondacks. Your suitcase is never really packed without an enthralling novel!
Dance Hall
Bernard F. Conners
A thrilling fiction novel based on true events, Dance Hall digs deep into the mystery of the 1982 unidentified body found floating on Lake Placid’s surface. 
Wild Fire
Nelson DeMille
Take a step into the Adirondacks’ Custer Hill Club and watch as Detective John Corey uncovers a conspiracy to detonate nuclear bombs in two U.S. cities.
The Air We Breathe
Andrea Barrett
While the rest of the country is caught up in the war, the people of Tamarack Lake are plagued with deadly sickness that sends the lower class patients like Leo Marburg to desperation.

Visit our Lake Placid profile for all the best lodging, dining and activity options.

Ellen Studer
BestWeekends.com

In March, we’ve all got the luck of the Irish. May 5th, we're swigging margaritas and at this time of year, we are all allowed to call ourselves German…

Oktoberfest celebrations fill backyards, towns, and even cities during the month of September; every celebration more exciting than the last. A few of the biggest celebrations in the U.S. take place in our favorite cities New York, Boston, and Chicago.

In Boston, Harpoon Brewery will be hosting it’s 23rd Oktoberfest and people from miles around will gather to drink Oktoberfest beer, eat German foods, listen to great live bands, and of course… celebrate! (September 28-29)

In Chicago, um-pah bands, beer, and brats are being brought in by the masses in preparation for the citywide Oktoberfest celebration. (September 28-30)

In New York City, the Empire State Plaza will be hosting this years Oktoberfest in an explosion of German pride. (September 13)

Why not make a weekend out of your favorite Oktoberfest celebration? Visit our city destination pages for the best of the best when it comes to lodging, dining, and celebrating!
Ellen Studer
BestWeekends.com

Tech specs update: a few fun travel apps that you may use on your next big weekend. These apps are great for the adventurer… Check them out in the app store!

Wi-Fi Finder (Free)
This app maps out over 650,000 Wi-Fi locations quickly and simply right on your smartphone or tablet. It requires a connection for download but after that you are safe to roam and keep access to your Wi-Fi Finder.

HISTORY Here (Free)
Brought to you by the History Channel, HISTORY Here is the ultimate guide to historical locations. Complete with interface, photos, video, and maps this app is awesome for checking out everything history all over the U.S.

Audubon Nature ($2.99)
Available for different regions of the country (depending where your weekend takes you), Audubon Nature is an app for the Nigel Thornberry in us all. It allows you to track and note your nature sightings with a personal journal. Complete with different categories, the app will have you identifying everything from sea creatures to bird songs.

Know of an app that would be useful to a BestWeekends traveler? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!
Ellen Studer
BestWeekends.com

I previously posted a blog about the photo-sharing website Shutterfly and its award-winning photo books. Perfect for your weekend travel photos, the books are easy to make, completely customizable, and look great on the coffee table. Until recently the 8x8 hardbound book of 20 pages was priced at $30; however, I have stumbled upon a deal that will get you one for free.

Is there a catch? Of course there’s a catch, but nothing unmanageable. All you need to do is subscribe to Travelzoo and, if you haven’t already, create a Shutterfly account (both are free and take less than two minutes). Then, Travelzoo will provide you with a unique discount code for the photo book. It’s that easy.

You do however have to pay for shipping and tax (it will come to about $7). The deal will run until September 24th so make sure you take advantage of it!

BestWeekends would love to see your favorite weekend destination travel photos, post to our Facebook or tweet us @BestWeekends.
Ellen Studer
BestWeekends.com

I came across a wacky post this week that caught my eye called The Most Unusual Restaurants in the World. This enormous database is first sorted in map view and is then broken down by category. I found everything from restaurants that have monkeys as waiters to Ferris wheels with private dining!

I couldn’t believe some of the crazy things these restaurants came up with and was surprised to find that a couple of these unusual eats were located in Best Weekends destinations.

For example, the Cape Cod Central Railroad is a dining experience not recommended for those with motion sickness. While sitting down to a five-course meal in a luxury train car, diners experience beautiful scenery and pass famous places on the cape.

The White Horse Tavern in Newport has a history longer than almost any other U.S. restaurant and at Karma Kitchen in Washington D.C. there are no prices, the bill simply reads “Your meal was a gift from someone who came before you. To keep the chain of gifts alive, we invite you to pay it forward for those who dine after you.

Check out more of these crazy dining experiences on your next weekend and let us know about your adventure!
Ellen Studer
BestWeekends.com

When traveling I always try to to make a connection to my destination be it through historical museums or just catching up with the locals. Lately though I have been doing what I like to call “pre-reading” before setting off on my big weekend.

Whether it be fiction or non-fiction, picking up a book about a destination can give you a really cool perspective on a new or even familiar place.

Jim just got back from his big trip to New Orleans so why not start off your reading adventures with a few novels set in this port city…

A Confederacy of Dunces
By John Kennedy Toole
Pelican Brief
By John Grisham
The Witching Hour
By Anne Rice
Ellen Studer
BestWeekends.com

Quickly climbing the charts, the new photo-sharing app “Postagram” is a trendy traveler’s best friend.

The traditional postcard has been pushed aside and in its place is the “Postagram”, a customized postcard created and sent straight from your smartphone. This app allows users to take a photo from Instagram, Facebook, smartphone, tablet, or computer and virtually place it onto a postcard. Users then customize a message, pop in an address, and hit send. The postagram is then promptly delivered to Mom, Grandpa, friends, whoever.

Postagram is free to download and you can buy credits for Postagrams in bulk starting at 50 credits for $9.90. Upon creating an account, you receive 5 credits for free Postagrams and when you invite friends you earn more free credits.

The app itself is sleek and extremely simple to use anywhere at anytime. I’ve had it for less than a week and I’m already addicted to sharing my Postagrams. Download the app using the app store or sign up online. Happy Postagraming.
Ellen Studer
BestWeekends.com