Travel Ideas

There are plenty of reasons why Paris remains one of Europe's most-visited cities: world-class restaurants, historic landmarks, museums and hotels, and, of course, romance. Due to its sprawling nature, however, touring Paris can be arduous. Here's a quick look at the myriad options available no matter the mode of transportation.

Sure, there are Florida vacations that center on Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando or Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, but everyone's doing that. Don't follow the crowd, at least not all the time.

Some of the best Florida vacations are those with less popular itineraries or that focus on an aspect of the Sunshine State that's tough to find anywhere else.

Here are three ideas for different kinds of Florida vacations.

There are four theme parks, two water parks, an indoor amusement center and restaurants out the wazoo at Walt Disney World. Tickets can be purchased in all ways, shapes and forms for any of them, depending on how much you want to see and do at the Central Florida mega-park. The options can be confusing, so don't wait until you're at the Disney World tickets booth to decide: Not only will you hold up the line, but you may end up not getting the best deal for your dollars.

Originally billed as the "International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race" in 1911, the Memorial Day weekend high-speed automobile race in Indiana soon became known as the "Indianapolis 500," "The Indy 500," or simply "The 500." The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, nicknamed "The Brickyard" because it once was paved with bricks, opened in 1909. The first 500-mile race took place in 1911.

The United States established Yellowstone National Park as the country's first national park back in the 1800s. Other wilderness areas came under federal protection over the years, and the National Park Service was established in 1916 to protect and care for these wilderness areas. The list of national parks expanded, and the federal agency now safeguards nearly 400 places, including battlefields, historic homes and national monuments.