What schoold District is the best in the Indianapolis area?|128580

I am thinking of moving to Indianapolis in a year and would like to know what is the best neighborhood and school district to move to. Also, what is the best housing prices. I have 5 children. Thanks guys!

Look towards Hamilton County, north and northeast of Indy. Carmel and Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) are some of the best.

Best housing prices... well, if you want the best schools, you_d have to be ready to pay for it.

The previous respondent said Hamilton South East, and they_re right! I live in Fishers, where the housing is very, very affordable in comparison to Carmel, Zionsville and even parts of Noblesville. My son is in HSE schools and we_re very happy with the results!

There are a number of neighborhoods up around I-37N and 131st, 146th going East that have a lot of inventory. Very well built housing for great prices. Since the housing market is down, you should be able to find something great! 2 years ago I bought a 4BDR with a full basement for $175K. They_re not much higher now!

Good luck.

In your opinion, what is the best island of Hawaii to visit?|151592

I would love to Hawaii visit for my 21st birthday. I am looking forward to the jungle and beaches.

Oahu. I have a timeshare there so of course I_m biased, but the truth is it has EVERYTHING. Honolulu, otherwise known as _Las Vegas by the sea_, has all the shopping you could possibly need, from large retail stores to local island merchandise. Then you have history, with Pearl Harbor, which has a host of things to keep you occupied with. Honestly, it is one of the most fascinating places to visit of all time, even if you aren_t a huge history fan. Be sure to check out the Battleship Missouri as well as the USS Bowfin. To be honest, the USS Arizona Memorial could be skipped. The line is long, but if you are in the mood for a day of solemn contemplating, go for it! Not only do you have these two wonderful places to visit, Oahu has every other quintessential _Hawaiian_ activity, from snorkeling to whale watching (February), from scuba diving to banana boating, from white, gorgeous sandy beaches to craters from volcanoes past. Horseback riding and Helicopter tours are also available. And don_t forget surfing! The Bishop Museum and the Polynesian Cultural Center are all about Hawaiian History, so don_t think you_re getting slighted on the cultural experience when visiting Oahu. The hikes through the terrain are gorgeous, with waterfalls and sloping mountains as well as lush valleys so if you end up visiting Oahu you should definitely give one a try. The North Shore has great surfing, sea turtle viewing, and shave ice, a Hawaiian classic! You have to check out the Dole Plantation as well. You can really explore the geography, culture, and beauty of this island.

However, there is one detriment. There are no active volcanoes! I would suggest, if you really want to experience the full Hawaiian Vacation, take a few days to spend on the Big Island. It has Volcanoes National Park, with active volcanoes inside its large premises. The Thurston Lava Tube is certainly a site- a thousand year old tube where lava used to run through! You_d also find all your jungles in here, and really all around the island. Try a hike through Kilauea and it_s vicinity, a dormant volcano with scenic tropical views and a jungle feel. You can try a night hike and see the lava flow from the volcanoes, although be sure to wear appropriate shoes and bring water! It is truly a beautiful sight. I do not recommend staying there for the duration of your Hawaiian excursion. To be honest, there is nothing to do! It is very desolate, but worth seeing for the Volcanoes if you can afford it. The plane tickets from one island to another are between 80- 100$, and there_s also the ferry! If anything, go for a day or two at the beginning of your vacation to check out the Volcanoes National Park where you will find everything mentioned above (Kilauea, Thurston Lava Tube, Jungles, etc.). You can even sleep in the park for pretty cheap! They have camping within the park grounds for a low cost. The accommodations are usually a quaint little cabin, although there may be tents. When you_re finished, hop aboard the ferry bound for Oahu. If you can_t make a trip to the Big Island, don_t sweat it! There is still PLENTY to see in Oahu.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you have fun! Good luck!

It depends on what your interests are.

Oahu is great if you like the city life.

Kauai is more laid-back and you can really enjoy a lot of nature and take hikes since there are lots of hiking trails. I got back from Kauai 3 weeks ago and really enjoyed the island. Not much night life as many places close pretty early.

Maui I hear is more for the adventurous type person.

Hawaii has the volcanoes.

Maui if you want to truly experience island life, and the beaches are gorgeous.

Oahu

In your opinion which is the best aquarium in the United States?|153619

In the past couple of years I have visited the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, the National aquarium in Baltimore and another one in NYC (near Brooklyn) . I had also visited the Chicago aquarium about 10 years ago. So far Baltimore tops my chart. How about you?

I_ve traveled throughout the U.S. and have been to many Aquariums. My favorite one is the Florida Aquarium in Tampa. I was there most recently in January 2009. They have fantastic exhibits and behind-the-scenes tours. I was able to see African penguins and hold and touch one. He was so cute and he brayed for me. I also learned plenty about penguins. It is a great program and I highly recommend it. They also have a penguin promenade which they do twice a day. Two African penguins come out on a red carpet and you can ask questions about them and learn plenty there, too. That program is free, the other is extra. With the promenade, you can_t touch the penguins. One of them pecked at my camera and my shoe. They are adorable!

The Florida Aquarium also has a great Coral Reef display with a tunnel you can walk under, a coral cave, and a coral farm. The shark feeding they have for the public is interesting. They also have a shark feeding behind-the-scene tour.

More on the Florida Aquarium: I was able to feed the stingrays when I was there. They have an American Crocodile on display in the Wetlands section. This area also has a Mangroves section and a Saw Grass Marsh section, in which they had some river otters. They also have a Swim With the Fishes Program and a Wild Dolphin Encounter. Many programs there to keep you busy. There are so many beautiful species of fish on display throughout the aquarium. They are fascinating to watch. This is a _must see_ aquarium.

I_ve been to Shedd Aquarium many times (I live in the Chicago suburbs), The Monterey Bay Aquarium, Aquarium of the Pacific, Scott Aquarium at The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, and many more, and this is by far the best one I_ve been to yet.

Baltimore is supposed to have a great aquarium.

I haven_t been to New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina, but I thought the aquarium there was excellent.

The Dallas World Aquarium is really cool and even more amazing since it is privately owned.

I live in Long Beach and I think the aquarium is OK. Unfortunately the people that attend it are dirty and leave trash throughout the facility.

There is a great Aquarium right next to the Hamptons on Long Island, New York. It is called Atlantis Marine World Aquarium. Its in Riverhead, NY(its a town mostly on the North Fork of Long Island). Its Great. If you want to visit or learn more about it visit the site that I posted below. New York Aquarium is also great if you want to learn more about it follow the link I posted below.

Monterrey California. Lee

I_d have to say the one in Chicago, but I haven_t seen the one in Baltimore.

When is the less expensive time to go to Vegas?|163064

I_m thinking to go to Vegas for a weekend, and I don_t mind coming on a low season to get better deals for hotels and flights. What month is a good time?

I go to Vgeas 2 or 3 times a year every year. The low room rate season starts in about mid-june when it starts to get hot there and lasts until about mid-september. Then the next cheapest time is from Thamksgiving through the middle of January, EXCEPT NEW YEARS EVE AND a couple days before and after that. I usually go the first week of september every year. I have gone between Christmas and New Years also.

If you want to enjoy great pool/water park areas at the hotels, go during the summer. If you don_t care about sunning/swimming, go around Christmas.

The hotels all charge more for rooms on Friday AND Saturday nights; by about $40 to 60, depending on what time of year. I usually go on Sunday and leave by Friday. You can get a lower room rate in Vegas if you don_t stay at the most expensive hotels.

You don_t have to stay off the strip to get a rood room rate during the low seasons. A good rate for the summer is about $100 or less a night. Same for the winter, but its usually lower. Also, the hotels rates vary a lot by hotel. Good medium priced hotels would be the Monte Carlo, The Flamingo, Harrah_s, Ballys. I prefer Monte Carlo or Flamingo because they both have great pool areas. MC has a wave pool and a lazy river. Flamingo has a water slide.

All of the hotels have web site with their rates showing. USe the sites below.

i guess anytime or the holidays

I don_t think they_re really is an off-season in Vegas - just know that weekdays are the least crowded (in general)and Sun-Thurs. hotels are cheaper. I avoid it in the summer because of the heat.

HAHAHAHAHA...thats a funny one
Seriously...I don_t think there is a _cheaper_ time to go to vegas.

I also want to know when lol i hope we find out

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Be advised that prices are much higher on weekends and crowds are unbelievable. Even on weekdays you can stand in long lines for the good buffets.

SEP-NOV... MOSTLY

I think the best time to go is during the week or even during there Winter because less ppl will be there than in the summer or go when school is still going on. Thats what i think.

winter months are cheaper than summer because the weather isn_t as great and many pools are closed for renovation (Mandalay Bay is a good example).

If you stay Sunday - Thursday (check out thursday) you_ll get the best rates.

Also - try staying just off the strip or in one of the older hotels for something a little more reasonable.

Weekdays are cheaper! But if you want to go on a weekend then just pay the extra. If it is something you really want to do then it will be worth the extra. You can_t put a price on life experiences. Just do it and work hard when you get back.

december the last 2 weeks before new year

The chepest time to go to Las Vegas is during the hottest months. (July/August is where you_ll find the cheapest hotel prices.) But don_t let the heat scare you, it maybe 107 degrees outside, but it_s always cool 68 inside the casino :) Plus another lowest price season for Vegas is the week before Christmas. It_s a bit chilly but it was very cheap and no lines anywhere. (But beware, some shows and performances maybe dark during that time) Check with www.vegas.com for information on shows for the week you want to go.

How to plan a trip to Hawaii for next fall.?|119240

My hubby and I have been wanting to take a trip to Hawaii for the last couple of years and we have finally decided 2008 is the year! He wants to go to Oahu becuase he wants to see all the super touristy things - I would rather go to a smaller island to avoid all of those things! How can we get the best of both worlds on Oahu? Suggestions on Resorts to stay at or must see/do attractions? Thanks for any help you guys can offer to get us started in the planning stages.

Try to convince your husband to go to Maui! Towns like Lahaina, Ka_anapoli, and Wailea are super touristy (Lahaina being the most economical out of the three) while Paia and Kihei are more laid back and local. All have fabulous beaches, though, and if you wanted to head inland the mountains are great for hiking and natural site-seeing! The island is big enough for a full trip but small enough to not feel overwhelmed. If you do go to Maui, you should hit up Big Beach in McKenna or Baldwin Beach in Paia...they_re both gorgeous. Ka_anopoli Beach is good for amateur snorkelers if you are interested as well. Also, rent a car and head out to Hana or up to Mokowao in the mountains for some hiking! They_re both full day trips but it_s definitely worth it!

If you do go to Oahu, I recommend staying away from Waikiki. The beaches are way over crowded and the landscape is filled with buildings and cement, not too much greenery. Go to the country side of the island, and maybe make a one-day trip south if you want to go shopping or anything...Waikiki does have a HUGE mall.

The Kona side of the big island is nice too, especially in the _winter._ Since a lot of it is empty countryside, the rain makes all the difference in the world. It_s super green and colorful...bright flowers and fruits grow EVERYWHERE.

But I still am partial to Maui :) I_ve been to all of the islands more than once and Maui is my favorite. If you go early in 2008 you_ll be there for whale season, so I recommend taking a boat ride out--there are tons of whale watching boats with fairly cheap tickets per person. There are whales everywhere and they come right under the boats, not to mention you can do that on any one of the islands :)