Reviews written by The Travel Penguin
St. Peters Rec-Plex one of the best fitness centers in this area of the country. Not only does it have a full, indoor Olympic pool, it has a diving pool with diving towers, a kiddy pool, an indoor skating rink plus all other kinds of fitness areas you might see at a fitness center. The Rec-Plex is open to the...
In my university days, the Japanese Garden & Tea House at the East-West Center was one of my favorite hangouts when I was studying for my Japanese classes. I enjoyed the sound of the running water from the garden's stream which is feed from up in the mountains behind the campus. Although rather small, the Japanese garden is a tranquil...
If you have ever watch the Elvis Presley Movie "Blue Hawaii" you may remember the beautiful beach scenes when Chad (Elvis) first returns to the islands. Filmed at Hanauma Bay, that scene shows what the area looked like many decades ago. All the same, Hanauma Bay is one of my favorite beaches in Hawaii. If you are young, don't miss...
I love the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus. I spent a lot of time here in my college student days. The campus itself is surprisingly flat and easy to get around. Central to most students is the "Campus Center" building or student union. Also, a great place to relax is the garden behind the East-West Center. If you know...
Waikiki Beach is one of the best known beaches in the world with its magnificent views and sheltered waters. Some people consider it too developed with all of the hotels that line it. But many people forget that the reason the hotels are there is that the beach is so great. I love Waikiki Beach since my days as a...
Tei Too is an Asian fusion, fast-food restaurant where you order at a counter and they deliver the meal to your table. Soft drinks are fountain fix-them-yourself drinks. Interestingly, they had about five different Japanese "sakes" listed on a chalk board. I enjoyed my Shrimp Pad Thai meal but thought it just wasn't quite...
The Field Museum is simply the best natural history museum I've ever seen. Located on Lake Michigan next to the Shedd Aquarium, you can park once and visit both. Parking is expensive so you will definitely want to visit both on the same day. I would plan at least 2-3 hours for a visit to the Field Museum.
Shedd Aquarium is one of the highlights of Chicago -- especially if you have kids. It is located right on Lake Michigan and within walking distance of the Field Museum so that you can park once and visit both. There are several restaurants onsite. The displays are informative and there is a nice indoor show to watch the dolphins and...
We were at Navy Pier and saw the tall ship, Windy, which is operated by Tall Ship Adventures of Chicago. There was a nice breeze on the lake and so this sailing family opted to experience the cruise. They bill the cruise as approximately 60-75 minutes in duration. So you can imagine it is only about 30 minutes sailing time...
Izakaya Ren Sushi & Sake is located in a quiet area of Kirkwood just a few miles west of I-270 on Dougherty Ferry Road. We visited on a Friday night and enjoyed a variety of Japanese and Korean dishes. As per their name, the restaurant/bar is emulating a Japanese izakaya which is typically a drinking establishment serving small dish snacks...
I've visited Babler State Park, as most people call it, many times over the years since my childhood. This area once seemed quite remote from even the west suburbs of St. Louis County. But over the years the suburbs have grown out nearly to the park. It is located not far from Spirit of St. Louis Airport although the park...
Ask almost anyone of my generation and they can tell you exactly where they were when they first heard about the shooting of President John F. Kennedy. I've been through Dallas a number of times over the years but finally had the opportunity to visit Dealey Plaza and see first hand what so many of us have witnessed via the...