It might be fall in States, but spring has just sprung up Down Under and we're ready to get out and play at some of the continent's best seasonal festivals. The biggest event this season is definitely the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne. You might wonder that a bunch of horse races grabs the attention of so many Aussies and anyone visiting at the time, but the highlight of the carnival—the Melbourne Cup—is correctly dubbed "the race that stops a nation".

And you don't have to know the slightest thing about horses to get involved. Come next Tuesday afternoon, you won't be able to get service in any shop in Australia as everybody will have their eyes glued to the TV to watch the Melbourne Cup race. Over 100,000 people attend the race in person, and most of them get dressed up either in their best dress or a crazy costume; like at the Kentucky Derby, the most important thing is to have a great hat. ]]> amandak 2009-10-28T14:09:17-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/4/22/72024/1634

Major League Baseball is great and all, especially with the Mets and Yankees getting new stadiums this year, but we’re in a recession (or something) and need to save some cash. That’s why visiting a few minor league games this year is a great recession-friendly idea, especially when there's new stadiums to get your fix of peanuts and Cracker Jacks.

The Bowling Green Hot Rods have been hanging out near the bottom of the standings, but that hasn’t stopped the fans from seeing what the new Bowling Green Ballpark has to offer. A crowd of almost 7,000 welcomed baseball back to Bowling Green, Kentucky for the first time in decades.

The stadium has an unusual design—part of it is concave since there’s a curvy road that runs behind right field. You’ll always be able to check the score on their 16 by 32 foot LED scoreboard. If your butt gets tired in the regular seats, there’s lawn seating for you to spread your blanket and relax, along with a couple play areas for the kiddies. The field and seats are all finished, but they’re still working on the team’s offices and a few other finishing touches—so watch for wet paint. ]]> kjb 2009-04-22T13:46:42-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/4/1/75722/53125

Now that spring is finally here we can finally start planning our travel around baseball games and their new stadiums. No matter who wins or loses, it’s fun just to check out what some of the new stadiums have to offer. Ever since the Baltimore Orioles opened their retro stadium in the 1990s, take me out to the ballgame has been way more exciting.

Unfortunately, most MLB teams already have new stadiums, so the building craze is finally slowing down. However, New York City’s two teams finally finished building their new homes—and we can’t wait to check them out. They’ve spent loads of cash, and it looks like these two beauties will not disappoint. ]]> kjb 2009-04-01T16:22:38-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/26/71110/9955

We all know that DC is famous for some blooming trees, but it’s not the only one getting in on the spring fun. Atlanta has its own festival devoted to the Dogwood, and this thing has been going strong for the last 73 years. After a scheduling snafu last year, this year’s festival is back in Piedmont Park where it belongs.

The party starts on April 17, runs through the weekend, and best of all, the whole festival is free. Artists from all over the country converge on the city to display their wares and works. The Fine Artist Market is where you can check out sculpture, pottery, and jewelry from up and coming artists—unfortunately bringing some of these things home with you is not free. Constant music on the main stage will keep you going strong. ]]> kjb 2009-03-26T13:26:27-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/9/19024/57191

Each Spring, DC's famous pink cherry blossoms reel in more tourists than any other annual event in the Capitol, but they can also cause a major headache for Washington officials: Figuring out just when Spring is going to get here.

The two-week National Cherry Blossom Festival—full of parties, parades, fireworks, and street festivals—is scheduled way in advance, based on officials' best guesstimate of when the cherry trees will be in full bloom. But the cherries don't always comply.

This year's festival is slated for March 28 to April 12, but National Park Service horticulturalists announced this week that the trees are a little more shy than usual, and won't be in peak bloom until April 3. That's not to say you should cancel your late March trip—the cherries should be starting to show by then—but if you're angling for that picturesque postcard view of DC covered in a sea of pink flowers, better wait 'til the second week.

Related Stories:
· Cherry Trees Appear In No Blooming Hurry [Washington Post]
· Naitonal Cherry Blossom Festival [Official Site]
· Washington, DC travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: zachstern] ]]> BS 2009-03-10T09:51:18-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/8/225426/6582

Just last week we were worrying ourselves over how much fun was possible during this year’s spring break.

Things south of the border are a little dicey, but one Mexican vacation destination is taking a proactive approach to protecting partying students. Acapulco lawmakers have signed an agreement in hopes of increasing the safety of all involved in the area. ]]> kjb 2009-03-09T09:56:17-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/21/145156/318

We might still be in the midst of winter, but spring break is just around the corner, and if you haven't started making travel arrangements yet, you'd best get cracking. Much like the wildebeest migration in Africa, the advent of spring triggers a race to the world's beaches by millions of horny college kids and those who drink like them, but a big question mark hangs over this year's party: Will the global economic meltdown put the kibosh on the youthful shenanigans? ]]> Victor Ozols 2009-02-21T14:51:56-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/