America is a country full of history and its cities show some serious architecture range. These 10 cities have awesome and unique architectural styles throughout them and have some pretty special buildings that should be visited. I compiled a list of cities in the US that have very unique architectural styles and interesting buildings.

 

Norfolk, VA

Norfolk Virginia is a port city that has been around since the 1600s. Neighborhoods with fancy and ornate plantation style estates are surrounded by dense city centers.   Very interesting row houses are typical here showing their rich history and beauty. Come for the near by Virginia Beach boardwalk and stay for the very inspiring Scope Arena. Hosting bands like the Grateful Dead and The Rolling Stones, the arena is stylish and futuristic looking.   Side note, the arena is built on a marsh and is slowly sinking at an average of 5 centimeters a year.

 

Las Vegas, NV

What is this “city” doing on this list? Well, Vegas is special because it has every style thrown together in a hodge-podge on the famous strip. Casinos are awesome and grandiose if they are anything. The newer buildings are so epic that even purists enjoy them.

 

Pittsburgh, PA

For a region that is so ruggedly beautiful the Steel city’s architecture actually matches the surrounding area pretty well. The downtown high-rises are spectacular and the Victorian homes on the North Side are eloquent. With tons of scenic vistas, the city has an excellent cityscape and skyline that’s pretty impressive.

 

Philadelphia, PA

The other side of the state of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia is known for eclectic styles and American history. From the Liberty Bell to Constitution Hall, Philly is full of Colonial American style. Check out Loews Hotel for an awesome architectural hotel.

 

New Orleans, LA

If it were up to just me, I’d put New Orleans at the top of the list. The Cajon city has so much rich history with French, Spanish, Creole, Caribbean and European influences. The French quarter may be the most popular among tourist but it’s the stereotypical shotgun homes Victorian mansions that really shine.

 

Charleston, SC

Populated by church steeples and classic row houses, Charleston is not your stereotypical architectural city. The downtown area is walk able and a dream for fans of cobblestone streets and a distinctly European feel.

 

Providence, RI

All you have to do is head to College Hill and hang around Brown University. The school has a rich history and beautiful buildings. With a mix of revolutionary war era homes to cape cod bungalows, Providence has plenty to look at.

 

Chicago, IL

After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Chicago had to switch from wood to metal. Gone were the stereotypical wooden row houses and replaced by huge steel behemoths. Chicago has an impressive skyline with so many tall skyscrapers. The bridges that cross the Chicago River are the real stars. You have so many drawbridges in the downtown areas that bridge fans can spend weeks here.

 

Savannah, GA

Come to Savannah for the perfectly maintained and preserved downtown neighborhoods. Houses look exactly like they did 200 years ago and are restored with amazing accuracy.

 

Buffalo, NY

The number one city on our list is Buffalo New York. The birthplace of American Architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright, Buffalo is a dream. Filled with beautiful old school architecture mixed with incredible forward thinking modern designs.

International street artist and controversial figure Banksy has struck again, and this time it’s in the West Bank.   The Artist Banksy secretly opened up a nine-room Palestinian guesthouse/hotel in Bethlehem last weekend. The hotel has a catchy name too, The Walled Off Hotel.

The street art filled hotel is set to open on March 11, and is open to journalists now. Rooms are available for $30 a night, so it’s quite affordable. The hotel is situated right next to the West Bank separation barrier built by Israel to fend off Palestinian attacks. The views from the hotel are of the wall and that’s it.

Each room features the stereotypical satirical artwork from acclaimed artist Banksy.

Reporters got a sneak peak this week and took pictures of the artwork. The stand out was from room ‘Three” called the Banksy Room, had a giant mural of a Palestinian and an Israeli having a pillow fight.

This isn’t Banksy’s first trip to the area, last year satirical artwork sprung up all over the Gaza Strip. Banksy claimed responsibility for these graffiti attacks. Politically charged art has fueled Banksy’s success and has turned street art into an expensive art form.

The small boutique style hotel has a presidential suite and a museum displaying many of the artist’s more politically charged work. The museum looks like an old gentleman’s club from colonial times. It has a life-sized statue of Arthur James Balfour in it who created the Balfour declaration, which led to the creation of an Israeli state.

The secret project took 14 months to complete and was supervised by the mysterious artist himself. This hotel is the artist’s biggest collection of work in years and has no end date as of yet.

Banksy has been putting up politically charged street art here and in the nearby Gaza Strip. Known for satirical stencil art, Banksy has long been a thorn in the status quo. From humble beginnings in London, Banksy has become a worldwide phenomenon.
So, who’s coming to Bethlehem with me to stay at the Walled Off Hotel and see this amazing street art in person? I’ll pay for the hotel, just saying, I think I can afford the $30 a night price tag.

Already accepting reservations, the hotel will surely book up fast; let’s just hope the conflict doesn’t take this hotel as a victim.

The artist has recently dropped pieces in the area on a two-story building that was destroyed in a battle between the Israeli forces and Palestinian people. Children are living through this never-ending conflict and at least now they have some attention brought to them that isn’t negative. I can’t even imagine growing up in these types of situations and I feel for any child who has to deal with that. Unfortunately these kids have no choice as to where they are raised but Banksy sees that and is making it’s a cause we can all get behind.

Check out this awesome art experiment and support artists like Banksy who see an issue and is doing something about it.

Keep fighting the good fight y’all.

 

 

Are you planning a trip to a foreign country? Did you know that one of the most stressful part of travelling is dealing with immigration hurdles?  

Traveling involves a lot of planning; Finding good tickets with the fewest hours of travel, ensuring you have applied and acquired the right visas, arranging accommodation and other logistical plans. And… is your passport expired?

The actual travel day can also be full of hurdles, some within your control such as ensuring your bags are properly packed, and many outside your control such as flight delays and complicated security checks. 

However, immigration hurdles are some of the obstacles that you can reduce with proper preparation and make your travel a little bit easier.

In this article, we will give you a few tips to make your adventure hassle-free.

1. Make sure your travel papers are in order

You must always travel with a valid passport and have the required visa for your intended stay to avoid hassles with the immigration officers.  

Additionally, get and carry proof of any health tests, vaccines, and checkups you may be required to have on entry. 

Check-in online before getting to the airport to make things even easier. That way, you can print out your boarding pass and get information in advance on any flight cancellations, delays or adverse weather. Online check in also saves you time.

2. Book the right flight

Reduce your traveling stress by booking certain flights and seats on the plane. Overnight flights are less crowded and are less disruptive to your schedule, especially in a similar time zone.

When you book a flight, pick the seat near the front of the plane to ensure you are one of the first people to disembark on arrival. This way, you can get through security checks faster and spend less time at the airport.

3. Prepare for your time at the airport

Moving through a large airport with no idea of where the check-in counter is can delay you and cause you to miss your flight. Therefore, go through the airport layout online a few days before your travel to familiarize yourself with it.

Arrive at the airport at least 3-5 hours to be among the first people at the gate. This will ensure you get through check-in on time and faster.

If you have any special health concerns such as a disability, notify the airport authorities when booking your flight to ensure the proper accommodation is accorded. 

Additionally, ensure you have permission to carry any prescription and injectable medication to avoid stress at the immigration and security desks. Having a doctor’s  note to prove you need this medication while you travel goes a long way in easing your way past immigration officers.

4. Pack your luggage with security checks in mind

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When traveling, you may feel like carrying your favorite clothing items, electronics, foods, or drinks. However, some items, such as gels, beverages, and aerosols, can delay your check-in and get you in trouble with the security officers.

Pack your luggage and leave any prohibited items such as aerosols out or in your checked in luggage. 

Weigh your luggage beforehand to adhere to weight regulations and avoid extra charges. This also applies to your carry-on bag, where you should only have essential items such as medication and valuables such as jewelry.

If you must carry liquid items such as shampoos, make sure they are in acceptable small quart-sized containers. You can also pack them in clear ziplock bags for faster security checks.

If you can buy these items at your travel destination, avoid carrying them to reduce your check-in time.

5. Wear appropriate travel clothing

Do you only think of color or comfort when choosing your travel clothes? That’s the least of your worries at check-in. 

Wear shoes you can easily take off, and avoid anything with laces.

Accessories like jewelry and belts will also slow you down because they easily set off security alarms. So check your pockets for metallic items and avoid clothing items with buckles, underwires in your bra, and other attached metals to keep from triggering metal detectors.

If you wear such items, take them off before you get to the check-in counter to save time. Otherwise, if they trigger the metal detector, you will have to go through secondary checks that will delay you.

6. Download airport apps for up-to-date information

It would be best if you kept abreast of any travel warnings or special announcements concerning the airport you will travel through and your flight. This includes flight delays, changes in security rules, security threats,  necessary health requirements, and baggage policies.

Download airport and airline mobile apps to make traveling easier. These apps will inform you of any flight time changes or airport security requirements enroute to your destination.

Ensure you carry copies of your itinerary, health insurance cards, passport, and credit cards. Please take pictures of these documents and save them on your phone or in the cloud too. If you lose your phone, it will be easy to retrieve these images when you buy a new one.

7. Mark your luggage and pack your items carefully

You will encounter unnecessary delays if your luggage is stuck at the airport. This could occur if the airport authorities pass it through secondary security checks. It could also happen because your luggage is unmarked and gets mixed up with that of other travelers.

If you mark your luggage with your name and address in a bright color, you can find it if it gets lost. It will also be easy for you to tell it apart from similar items belonging to other travelers.

In case you have any fragile items, pack them in a hard shell suitcase that is unlikely to break if mishandled by airport staff. It would help if you also marked it as fragile to ensure they are more careful with it.

8. Do not carry restricted items in your luggage

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Contraband items such as illegal drugs, weapons, knives and the like will definitely cause you immigration hurdles. 

Although some drugs, such as Marijuana, may be legal in your jurisdiction, please leave them at home whenever you travel to another jurisdiction as they may be classified as a dangerous drug in your destination. The case of basketball player Brittney Griner comes to mind. 

Additionally, although you may not use or carry these items, there are cases of people sneaking illegal items into others’ luggage in airports. Good luck explaining to the immigration officers that the packet of cocaine found in your handbag is not yours!

So, stay away from suspicious people or those who seem interested in talking a lot or distracting you. They may slip something in your luggage, beverage, or food that could get you into trouble.

Keep an eye on your belongings at all times, especially your carry-on and handbag when you travel. Secure your bags with locks to keep people from tampering with them.

Pack your own luggage and inspect it thoroughly before leaving for the airport.  Where possible, wrap your luggage to avoid tampering and theft.

Should you find yourself in immigration difficulties while traveling in the US, reach out to the immigration law experts at Aiello Harris.

9. Interact politely with the airport officials

Although immigration officials may seem serious, they are there to ensure your security. So be polite, calmly comply with their requests, and answer questions quickly (even the ones you feel are unnecessary) to avoid delays during check-in.

Keep your passport, boarding pass, and other documents accessible  so you can quickly provide them when security asks for them. Any items you have to remove, such as your computer, tablet, and other electronics, must be in one secure bag for fast removal.

Final thoughts on how to reduce immigration hurdles

These are a few tips on how to avoid immigration hurdles when traveling.They will come in handy if you are a first-time traveler or looking to have a smooth time on your next flight.

Thorough preparation is the key to smoother travel to avoid unnecessary delays, secondary checks and other trouble with airport authorities. Happy travels!