Tri-Valley Ice Cream Trail: About 33 miles east of San Francisco is California’s Tri-Valley, which includes the cities of Pleasanton Livermore, Dublin and Danville. (The Tri-Valley itself is a triangle-shaped region that takes its name from Amador Valley, Livermore Valley and San Ramon Valley. Visit Tri-Valley, the DMO that markets the area as a tourism destination, has a different kind of trail that does involve history or some product or activity peculiar to a region: The Tri-Valley Ice Cream Trail. More than a dozen ice cream and gelato businesses make up the trail and includes incentives for visitors to the area to stop at the shops along the trail. (For instance, there’s a passport that rewards a frequent user with a free ice cream scooper.) For more on the ice cream trail, visit https://visittrivalley.com/activities-and-things-to-do/ice-cream/
New Statue of Liberty Museum in NYC: Scheduled to open in May 2019 is The Statue of Liberty Museum, a 26,000-square foot attraction that shows Lady Liberty from a different view. One reason for the new facility is security. While approximately 4 million people visit Liberty Island and the symbolic statue every year, only about 20 percent get the chance to see the inside of the statue and the museum underneath, as limited tickets are available each day. “Security into the Statue of Liberty has cut the number of people that can get in,” said Stephen Briganti, CEO, Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation. “So, in the 80s we built a very nice little museum inside the statue, but most people weren’t seeing it.” The new museum tells stories about the influence of liberty in the world. It will have three gallery spaces meant to inspire visitors and teach them the history of the statue. Her original torch will also be housed in the gallery. On top of the museum, a view of the statue, Ellis Island, and New York City is visible. Access to the museum is free with the purchase of a ferry ticket to visit Liberty Island and Ellis Island.
For more information, visit www.libertyellisfoundation.org/statueoflibertymuseum/, or call 212.561.4588.
Supermodel Launching “Modelland”: World renowned supermodel Tyra Banks is the force behind a new attraction scheduled to open later this year at Santa Monica Place in Santa Monica: Modelland—a multi-level 21,000 square foot that will include retail and dining options, and will be open to the public, who can buy tickets. Modelland—it is also the name of a book written by Banks and published in 2001—will carry on Banks’ mission of bringing modeling to the masses, while expanding the definition of beauty. “I’ve always been insanely inspired by attractions like Disneyland and Universal Studios and have wanted to bring that spirit of adventure and storytelling to the world of modeling,” Banks told Variety magazine. “But not the exclusive modeling industry. I’m talking about modeling for the masses.” Modelland is designed to be a permanent attraction, and the location at Macerich’s Santa Monica Place will serve as the flagship attraction in a plan to expand globally. E-mail inquiries to santamonicaplace@macerich.com, or call 310.260.8300.
