I grew up in Florida so it's only natural that I was born with an innate love of bone-chilling, heart-pounding, hair-raising amusement-park thrills. But like most junkies, I eventually tired of the same old thing and went in search of new kicks. This is how I became obsessed with America's weirdest theme parks. Check out my top five picks below.

5) The Holy Land Experience - This theme park is a Vegas-style miniature version of certain sights in Israel. It boasts Judeo-Christian "thrills" such as the world's largest indoor model of Jerusalem, the Dead Sea Scrolls cave, and a faux-Jerusalem street market. But there are no rides, making this park lower on my list.

4) Dollywood - America's favorite buxom blonde has her own amusement park and it's a knee-slappin', foot stompin' good time. Only at Dollywood could you enjoy a sawmill-themed roller coaster, watch an "artisan" make soap, and then top off the day with some delicious meat on a stick. Dollywood is jolly good, y'all.

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Posted in Family & Kids, Guides & Planning, Offbeat, Road Trips, Theme Parks
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With the holiday season in full swing, gift shopping underway (well, almost), and my annual hometown pilgrimage upcoming, I’ve had one thing on my mind: family. It’s the time of year when travel means family travel: how to keep the kids entertained, the parents happy, the siblings living harmoniously, and yourself sane. It can take some serious maneuvering.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member C.Kowalczik

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Posted in Family & Kids, Florida, Holiday & Seasonal, Theme Parks
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Welcome to The Window Seat Podcast!
In this episode of The Window Seat Podcast, we're going to Orlando, Florida.

We tell you where the "young at heart" can find romance, find out what goes on behind the scenes of theme park attractions, talk to a travel expert about family-friendly shows, and discover where speed junkies go to get their fix.

Listen to the whole show: [24:17]

Or listen a la carte:

Young At Heart [6:43]

Behind The Scenes [6:31]

Shows [6:24]

Speed Demon [6:58]

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Posted in Entertainment, Family & Kids, Florida, Theme Parks, Trip Tips
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This past Saturday afternoon, as I stood in the sunlight soaking wet from a flume ride and nibbling on a pickle on a stick, a bearded man asked me in all earnestness if I wanted to learn about lye soap. Bluegrass music emanated from a nearby rock. To my right, bald eagles rested on a branch. To my left, a woman in period dress stood in line to buy a pork rind while the man paying in front of her was holding onto a kid on a leash and wearing a t-shirt that read “get high on Jesus.”

This was my first visit to Dollywood, which is part amusement park, part celebration of Smoky Mountain culture, and part rollicking country fair. It was day three of a whirlwind road trip through the region, and my friends and I would be staying that night in the Tennessee town of Pigeon Forge, where it quickly became clear that the backwoods are back in style and it’s hot to be a hillbilly.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Alan63.

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Posted in Family & Kids, Nature & Outdoors, Shopping, Theme Parks
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Guess who’s having the best week ever? You are, if, like me, you’re a Harry Potter fan. The fifth Potter movie opens today, and my pre-ordered copy of the final book will arrive on July 21.

I don’t care as much for the witches and warlocks as I do the backdrops: the sky-high Gothic halls of Hogwarts School, the haunting (sometimes talking) landscapes, the oh-so-British town of Hogsmeade (specifically, the butterbeer served there). And like any determined traveler, I won’t let the fact that these places are fictional stop me from visiting them.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Glamazon22.

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Posted in Celebrities, Entertainment, Family & Kids, Theme Parks
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Like any kid, I couldn’t wait for school to be out and summer time to roll around. The average summer day in Texas meant sweltering heat and swimming pools, but the real treat was our weekly theme park visits.

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Posted in Family & Kids, Holiday & Seasonal, Theme Parks
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Did you know that in Mexico you can visit a place where you go through a mock border crossing? Uh, yeah. That's right. For extreme tourists or practicing wanna-be crossers there is a tourist attraction that is luring (and also is alluring) to some who are looking for an, er, escape.

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Posted in International Travel, Mexico, Theme Parks
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