Things to Do in North America

With its remote location, hidden away in the Lacandon Jungle, it's not surprising that Bonampak was only discovered by explorers in 1946. Encompassing a mere 2.4 square kilometers, the ancient Mayan settlement pales in comparison to the sprawling ruins of nearby Yaxchilán, but despite its diminutive status, Bonampak still stands out.

The Brooklyn Museum's impressive and iconic façade may look just like any other, but the galleries of this borough staple are ripe with some of the most diverse, colorful and iconic artwork in all of New York's five boroughs. An impressive group of professional curators insures not only that the 1.5 million permanent pieces in the collection are well cared for and displayed with pride, but that visiting shows and installations  are in keeping with the pulse of the borough. Paintings from diverse artists like Kehinde Wiley, as well as socially conscious video installations and pop-culture savvy temporary shows like The Rise of Sneaker Culture speak to the museum's urban focus and desire to bring art to the masses. It's part of what this destination at the center of the Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Flatbush and Park Slope neighborhoods has been known for since it opened in 1895.

While most sights on the island of Oahu are located in an urban setting, the Byodo-In temple is a Buddhist sanctuary backed by the Ko'olau Mountains. Located in Oahu's "Valley of Temples", the Byodo-In temple is only ten minutes from the town of Kaneohe and is a peaceful escape from the fast pace of city life.

Modeled after the 900-year old Boydo-In temple in the Kyoto prefecture of Japan, the temple on Oahu is a popular place for events and weddings where Buddhist communities from both Hawaii and Japan come to celebrate together. Although the Byodo-In temple is not a practicing temple, visitors are welcome to tour the grounds in exchange for a nominal fee.

More than just well-manicured grounds and a replica of Japanese architecture, the temple is also home to a golden Buddha which is believed to be the largest of its kind carved outside of Japan. Measuring over nine feet tall, the carving is covered in gold lacquer and is rung by 52 smaller Boddhisattvas who all celebrate around the base of the Buddha.

The temple is also home to a three-ton brass bell which was cast in Osaka, Japan, and it's reputed to mirror the original bell which hangs in the original Japanese temple. Or, if you simply want to collect your thoughts, there is a meditation pavilion towards the back of the temple as well as a reflection pond which is stocked with hundreds of koi.

The Byodo-In temple a testament to the island's Japanese community, and it's a calming respite from the fast-pace of city life which grips Hawaii's most populous island. Despite the fact the temple is mere minutes from a major town, a walk around the temple grounds still manages to feel like a journey to a different place and time.

According to Caesars Palace's website, more $1,000,000+ casino slot machine jackpots have been won on the resort's casino floor than in any other casino in the world. Guests can play anything from 1¢ to $500 on traditional reel-type slot machines, video reels machines, video poker games, video blackjack and keno.

The resort features several popular table games as well including blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, Spanish 21, mini-baccarat, Pai Gow and Pai Gow poker. The 8,500-square-foot poker room has 62 tables and 24-hours games including a full daily schedule of poker tournaments. Caesars Palace's race and sports book has 65 private booths, each with a 12-inch flat-screen television, and several oversized screens.

Though all Las Vegas resorts are packed with action, Caesars Palace offers one of the best opportunities to get the best of everything in a single place. Several award-winning restaurants and the new Bacchanal Buffet never leave guests hungry, and a variety of shows including a residency by Shania Twain and side-splitting Absinthe never leave them wanting for entertainment. The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace feature160 stores, including the world's largest H&M store. After the sun goes down, head to PURE nightclub or one of the resort's lounges, Galleria Bar and Shadow Bar.

Credited with making peace, ending plagues, healing broken bones, and raising the dwindling waters of Lake Chapala, the Virgin of Zapopan is the official patroness of Guadalajara and the state of Jalisco, defender "against storms, lightning, and epidemics." The tiny painted statue is crafted of wood and hardened corn husks. Brought to Jalisco in 1541 by a Franciscan missionary, she was the first Catholic icon to gain widespread acceptance from the region's native tribes. In times of need, the virgin is removed from her sanctuary and paraded through the city. "The Queen of Jalisco" is credited with hundreds of miracles and civic accomplishments. When Mexico achieved independence from Spain, the new government named her "General of the Army of the State," and, with due pomp and ceremony, dressed her appropriately in a tiny general's sash.

Over the past 500 odd years, the virgin has received many distinguished visitors, including Pope John Paul II. In the winter you can visit her at her home, the Basilica of Zapopan.

Located approximately four miles (7 km) northwest of the city center, the baroque basilica was completed in 1730. On October 12 of every year, the church is the site of a massive pilgrimage: Hundreds of thousands of people gather to march the virgin back home after her annual six month tour of the city's other churches.

The most popular outpost of this unique educational center, the Museum of the American West, was created in 1988 by Western movie star and country recording artist Gene Autry with his friend and fellow Western actor/country singer, Monte Hale, and their wives. Located in Griffith Park just across from the Los Angeles Zoo, the museum, generally referred to as "the Autry," is dedicated to preserving and sharing the complex history and cultural significance of the 19th-century American diaspora and the subsequent boom-growth of the West.

Permanent exhibitions include over 100,000 objects and artifacts from the pioneer and Gold Rush eras (including a full-scale stagecoach and saloon); depictions of the West as a fabled "land of opportunity" alongside an often grittier reality; and screenings of classic Western films, many of which star Autry and Hale themselves. Rotating exhibits have examined the role of women, Jews, blacks, and Chinese railroad workers in the taming of the Wild West, as well as evocative photographs of Native Americans in both historical and modern settings.

It is closed Mondays except Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents' Day. Docent-led tours are generally given on Saturdays at 11:30 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm.

NOTE: The second half of the Autry National Center, the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, is found in one of L.A.'s oldest Eastside neighborhoods, Mount Washington, an approximately 15-minute drive from Griffith Park. Created by newspaper journalist, anthropologist and intrepid traveler Charles Fletcher Lummis, this 1914 museum is now dedicated to the anthropological and archaeological study and preservation of the indigenous people of Arizona, New Mexico, California and more.

This 4.5-mile round-trip hike is a favorite among locals and travelers because of its incredible red rock views, challenging terrain and easy access from Sedona's main roads. But visitors warn its popularity means the trail is usually crowded with hikers, bikers and 4x4s. While the moderate climb is a good option for fit travelers, those who fear descending the Devil's Staircase can opt for one of the area's off-road Jeep tours.

Billing itself as the greatest outdoor show on earth, you can expect something special at the Calgary Stampede. And with everything you've come to love about rodeos, state fairs, grandstands, concerts and carousels, something special is what you get. Every year since 1923, this ten day event annually attracts more than a million people who come to see what happens when you offer the biggest payouts to rodeo contestants and marry it with chuckwagon races, blacksmithing competitions, midway, markets, dancing, singing, and a heavy native people's participation. It's an event of grand scale that kicks off with an opening parade featuring dozens of marching bands, over 150 floats, clowns, dancers, politicians and business leaders. It's extravagant, beautiful, dusty, and it smells like funnel cake and horses "“ in short, it's the defining event of Calgary, and they wouldn't have it any other way.