1 . From cultural experiences and performing arts to sports and evening events, there is a series of activities lined up to enrich your life. Dive into the exciting offerings and find the perfect way to create lasting memories.

Ladies aged 21 and above can travel to the past at COSI After Dark: Renaissance Faire on Thursday night. Explore COSI without kids and enjoy entertainment, activities, games and experiences you can’t get during any other visit. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 per person in advance and $30 per person at the door. No admission allowed without ID.

Returning from its first open show in 2020, BalletMet’s “Alice” will bring familiar characters such as the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts and the heroine in its title to the Ohio Theatre for six performances Friday through Sunday. Tickets cost $38.5 to $118.3, and they can be purchased online at www.balletmet.org and at the CAPA Ticket Center (39 E. State St.). To buy tickets by phone, please call (614) 229-4848.

Get yourself prepared for a wonderful ride when the “We Them One’s Comedy Tour” comes to the Schottenstein Center, West Lane Avenue and Olentangy River Road, at 8 p. m. Friday. Hosted by funnyman Mike Epps, known for both his stand-up and silver-screen work, the event features a powerful lineup. Tickets start at $107.5.

If you’re a fast runner, you’ll want to take part in the 5th Line 5K organised by OhioHealth, which will begin at 10 a. m. Sunday outside of Nationwide Arena. The race will include a 3.1-mile tour of downtown Columbus and the Arena District before finishing inside Nationwide Arena. The race is limited to the first 4,000 runners and walkers who have registered.

4 . Emerald Coast Science Center Field Trips

Bring your group or class to explore our hands-on Science Center now which provides wonderful learning opportunities for students all along the Emerald Coast!

To book a field trip, please call Lisa at 850-664-1261. Please choose your preferred date and two alternate dates you would like to book before calling. We will email you a confirmation of your booking.

6 . The beaches on Mykonos’s southwest coast are among the Med’s best for parties, but head east to find a different atmosphere among a rocky, golden coastline dotted with sandy bays.

Park your vehicle in the dirt lot and walk over the low dunes to find perfect little Fokos Bay,where deep, sheltered waters offer delightful swimming for all ages. Once you’ve worked up a bit of an appetite, head on over to the renowned restaurant overlooking the sand for a lazy seafood lunch.

If getting your own wheels isn’t an option, Agari is only a 15-minute walk east of the more famous Elia Bcach and on the south coast bcach ferry route. It’s one of the closest uncrowded beaches to Hora, Mykonos’s main town, and home to a lonely cafe that provides sunbeds and sell drinks and snacks.

Wander west around the headland to the next beach along - the gentle arc of Mersini beach, which is usually the least-crowded on Mykonos. Bring your own sun mat and even an umbrella as this beach is service-free: wild and raw, and perfectly matched to a sunbathing without being disturbed.

In the far southeast, about seven miles from Mykonos town, the broad curving coastline of Kalafati Beach is beloved for its steady winds that blow the sails of windsurfers and kite surfers- perfect if you’re looking for sporting action. Rnt boards and get lessons right at the beach at Windsurfing Mykonos.

7 . What do people associate with the Metropolitan Museum of Art called the Met? For most, this New York museum is a treasure trove (宝库) of beautifully-scheduled artistic expression. After all, its collections include 1.5 million works of art from prehistory to the present.

But since September 9, 2023, as Hyperallergic reports, the Met is also the setting for a new, super-creative center for kids aged 3—11 and their families, named“81st St Studio”, which sets out to help children understand the materials used to make art. Coming in through the entrance, visitors see tree trunks, cardboard and a carved wooden screen among other examples. Visitors can participate in activities such as woodblock carving and drum making.

According to Heidi Holder, Chai r of the Met’s education department, there’s no contradiction in this new attempt. She recently said the Met is a science institution. As she explains, “We have three big parts of ourselves: our scientific research, our conservation and our art.” As Holder explains, even when objects created hundreds of years earlier come in, a scientific understanding of the materials used will help people better understand the art itself.

The exhibit is rich with art and science activities to encourage self-expression. There’re no traditional glass exhibition cupboards here. Instead, the 3,500-square-foot center is filled with seven stations that encourage visitors to explore them using all their senses. As Holder said, “It’s an open space where you can create your own path. You can learn at your own pace. You can take risks, be curious, have fun, and discover things.”

A music installation (装置), for instance, helps kids understand how materials influence sound. It consists of several creative music-making devices. Curious young visitors can pull open small, drawer like boxes. For example, an accordion lets out an airy sound as the opening and closing motion compresses (压缩) the air inside it.

In agreement with its ambitions to serve as a community center, the 81st St Studio is free to enter for children and their caregivers, no museum ticket required, during regular Met hours.

8 . One of the most rewarding ways to plan a trip is by building it around a specific event connected to a deep passion. Here are some unmissable events worth travelling for 2024.   

International Kite Festival—Gujarat, India

Kite-makers from around the world launch their creations at this cheering celebration of the return of sunshine after winter. You’ll enjoy traditional styles from Japanese rokkaku to Malaysian wau bulan. Locals and visitors get involved, too—so bring your kids and join in. The festival takes place in Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s largest city and a UNESCO World Heritage city.

Ride Africa Kenya—Rift Valley, Kenya

Wheeling from Lake Nakuru to Maasai Mara, this 310-mile, seven-day route takes up to 60 cyclists through Lake Naivasha, Hell’s Gate and Narok. It’s held to raise funds for the Child.org Charity, which supports newborns’ care in the country. Run in combination with the Kenyan Wildlife Service, the event includes a large number of animal sightings.

Jungle UItra—Manú National Park, Peru.   

With racers facing 143 miles of dense Amazon rainforest-and even denser heat and humidity-this is among the toughest ultra-marathons. Passing such terrain (地形) demands determination, but the friendship and trust of the trail team will keep you going. Peru’s four-million-acre national park comprises diverse tropical habitats.   

Lakia-Jukola Relay—Kauhava, Finland

This is one for old-school hikers, as your team of six needs solid map-reading and compass navigation skills for the overnight. It’s among the world’s most celebrated challenges, during which you will enjoy Finland’s most dramatic scenery. Sign up for the later legs to see in the sunrise.

9 . This campsite at Tsendze is the closest one where you’ll get to wild camping in the Kruger. But it’s not as wild as Mabuasehube: The campsite is still fenced so you won’t wake up to a lion wandering around your tent.

The 34 stands are large and set far apart, with big tall trees in-between. Generators are not allowed and the campsite is not connected to the power network. Solar panels keep the lights on. The campsite doesn’t have a swimming pool and there’s no busy reception office or restaurant with milkshakes—for that, you’ll have to drive 7 km to Mopani. But Tsendze is the kind of place where you open and close the entrance gate to the campsite yourself.

Despite how wild it is, you still get first-class service. Rodgers Hobyane and Elina Mona have been in charge of the camp since the campsite opened in 2007. They walk through the campsite every evening to make sure everything is running smoothly. They also know where the resident African birds nest, and point them out to guests. They are highly thought of by both the guests and their boss.

“We have guests year-round and some of them stay for 30 nights. We’ve had guests stay for 50 nights!” says Elina.

INSIDER TIP: Unlike other campsites in the Kruger, you can book a specific stand at Tsendze. If you want shade, ask for stand number 6. Big groups can ask for number 27 or 28. If you’re after privacy, numbers 3, 4 and 26 are good. Rates from R410 per night for two people, plus R104 per extra person; max six people per stand.