【推荐1】Whether you’re attending potting workshops at Navy Pier or admiring artfully arranged orchids(兰科植物) at the Chicago Botanic Garden, you’re bound to take home plenty of inspiration for your home garden as you enjoy the best blooms in town. Here are some of the Chicago flower and garden shows that you won’t want to miss this spring.

Macy’s Flower Show

The store will be filled with deep-sea flowers and amazing marine life, including coral reefs and mythical sea creatures, all fashioned from flowers. A wonderful array of free workshops, culinary (烹饪的) classes, floral and gardening demos and other related events round out the flowery fun.

When: March 22-April 5     Tickets: Free

Orchid Show at Chicago Botanic Garden

The annual Orchid Show at Chicago Botanic Garden features more than10, 000 flowers from all over the world, instantly transporting you to the tropics. The event also includes orchid classes, evening events with tastings of local spirits and specialty cocktails(鸡尾酒), a morning music series, special photography events, and even a plant marketplace where you can buy a potted(盆栽的) orchid to bring home.

When: Feb 14-March 22

Tickets: $14 for adults;$ll for seniors, ages 62+;$11 for children, ages 3- 12 Lincoln Park

Conservatory Spring Flower Show

Journey back in time to the Renaissance era as you wander the Lincoln Park Conservatory’s Spring Flower Show, where plants and flowers are artfully arranged in a way that replicates(复制) the still life paintings produced during the 15th- 16th centuries.

When: Feb 14-May 10          Tickets: Free

Garfield Park Conservatory Spring Flower Show

This year’s Spring Flower Show, themed Golden Hour, will celebrate the golden light of dawn and dusk with colorful displays of azalea, hydrangea, and calibrachoa. Two new displays will be unveiled at this year’s show: a series of immense hanging baskets overflowing with spring flowers, and two rope-art displays depicting(描绘) the rays of the sun.

When: Feb 14-May 10        Tickets: Free

【推荐2】Summer Camps at Parks

Welcome back, campers. With safety guidelines and protocols in place, Miami-Dade County Parks’ Summer Camps are dedicated to keeping kids active and engaged, offering them numerous opportunities to enjoy exciting activities and adventures in popular parks and green spaces from June 14 to August 13.

Located at parks throughout the County, camps will be open from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m., Monday through Friday, and offer 7:30 a. m. early drop-off and 6 p. m. late pickup options.

You can also register your child anytime throughout the summer. Register online at Park Link or register in person at a participating park. There is a $15 non-refundable registration fee for all camps. Siblings (兄弟姐妹) will receive a 10 percent discount.

General Program Camps

General Program Camps focus on a variety of activities from fitness, sports, arts and crafts to games and exciting field trips while providing a supervised and safe alternative program for ages 6 to 14. The cost for these camps is $45 per week depending on the program.

Each child will have their swimming abilities tested by certified safety instructors in a water safety experience that will be educational, fun and life-saving.

All camps allow children with disabilities to take part in them. What’s more, Therapeutic Recreation & Inclusion (TRI) Camps are specially for children with disabilities.

Specialized Program Camps

There are also Specialized Program Camps, so campers can customize (定制) their summer camp experience and explore a new interest or uncover a new talent each week, as they make new friends and have a great time. The choices include exciting sports challenges like golf and cheerleading, nature-based camps with eco excursions, and creative arts camps.

【推荐2】Many people have the desire to travel when summer approaches. The following is to help you narrow down your options.

San Diego

San Diego, located on the Pacific, offers enough outdoor attractions to satisfy all kinds of summer travelers. Families will enjoy exploring San Diego Zoo. No matter what type of traveler you are, the eye-catching architecture and beautiful gardens that make up Balboa Park won’t disappoint. And as for the beaches, San Diego’s variety of shorelines means you’11 never be bored.

Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor, Maine’s proximity (临近) to Acadia National Park makes it an impressive spot to hang your hat in summer. While the distance to the park is undoubtedly one of Bar Harbor’s selling points, you should save room on your route to explore this charming coastal town. Book a boat or whale watching tour on the bay or take a walk along the scenic Shore Path for inspiring views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Bermuda

If all you care about is being at the beach during your summer vacation, choose Bermuda. Temperatures during this time of year make summer the best time to catch rays on the sand and swim in warmer Atlantic waters. Chill out along beautiful shorelines such as Horseshoe Bay Beach (the most popular beach), Elbow Beach (the pinkest) and Warwick Long Bay (the longest).

Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s northern U. K. location means that warm weather is rare. Each summer, the city hosts the famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe (the world’s largest arts festival), drawing visitors from around the planet. Aside from this fun summer event, travelers can experience Edinburgh’s green, sun-bathing landscape.

【推荐3】Have you been dreaming of taking a vacation, but wonder whether it’s better to take a solo journey, or have an adventure with friends? In my opinion, there are advantages in both travelling alone and in a group.

Group travel is generally much cheaper. You can get group rates on accommodations, certain modes of transportation, or tickets to tourist attractions. If you’re able to reduce costs, you’ll have extra money to see and do more things.

It is also safer to travel in a group. Do you remember when you were little your parents or teachers used the “buddy system”? It doesn’t only apply to children. It’s especially true when travelling, particularly in unknown places. Nobody can forecast problems or dangers on the way, such as traffic accidents and conflicts with strangers. When you travel with a friend or within a group, you have someone to watch your back.

Travelling with other people can also create shared experiences. For many people this is the best part of travelling — there’s always someone to do things with, laugh with, share stories with, and make memories with. These are just some of the reasons why travelling with friends can be more fun.

However, if you travel alone, you are the boss. There’s no one to tell you where to go or what to do, and you don’t have to make compromises. You can do things at your own pace, on your own timetable. For some people, meeting other travellers is part of the fun of travelling alone. A lot of solo travellers seem to end up in the same spots, so you have a chance to meet other people with the same interests. You can join them and spend some time together, then go your separate ways. Some people take trips alone because they want time to reflect. If you simply enjoy being on your own, or want to be with your own thoughts, without anyone else bothering you, then solo travel might be the way to go.

In general, whether you choose to travel solo or in a group mainly depends on your personality. Think of how you are in your everyday life — do you value your time alone, or do you prefer to be in the company of others? It might not seem like a big deal, but if you’re travelling for any length of time, it could mean the difference between an enjoyable, memorable vacation, and an unhappy trip.