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The holiday season is here and that means the return of Very Merrytime Cruises aboard the Disney Cruise Line ships. Some of our team is currently on the Disney Dream and we have a look at the holiday stateroom decor available for purchase.

Offering everything from adventurous hiking weekends to glamping trips and ultra-glamorous beach breaks, the UAE provides every different type of vacation you can imagine, all just a couple of hours from your front door. 

The country is equally great for family staycations with little ones. However, you need to choose your venue carefully. Because while awe-inspiring infinity pools and fine dining restaurants may appeal to most, they are not exactly practical for younger guests. 

The ultimate family-friendly destination 

Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai is the complete opposite to these very elegant, yet very un-child suitable hotels. Here, parents don’t need to feel embarrassed if their kids are being loud or unruly, or worry that the menus won’t have enough options for little diners.

The entire resort is purpose-built with kids in mind: right down to the candy-themed children’s spa, and the special kids’ buffets offered at every meal.  

The facilities are out of this world, spanning an entire water park that could give even Yas Waterworld a run for its money. Including countless waterslides, cliff jumping points, water play areas, obstacle courses, climbing ropes, a lazy river and much more, it made me wish that I was eight years old again. 

So, as a childless 30-something, I had my doubts about whether it was the right staycation spot for me. I’m obviously not the hotel’s core target audience, and I was a little apprehensive about how much I would enjoy it.  

However, I need not have worried. Much like the UAE as a whole, I discovered that Centura Mirage caters to all kinds of guests. It can be whatever you want it to be, whether that’s an action-packed holiday with kids, or a sedate beach break spent reading, snoozing and sunbathing. 

A hotel with many sides 

Set apart from the rest of the city on Dubai Islands, the sprawling resort feels like a world of its own. Only opened two years ago, everything is modern and new.  

If you want some peace and quiet, the private beach is plenty big enough to escape the sounds of the play pools. 

As we sipped our drinks and soaked up the sun, it didn’t feel any less relaxing than visiting the beach of a more adults-focused hotel. Set alongside clear still waters that are ideal for swimming, and offering a beach bar within close proximity, we had everything we wanted. 

As a Thai hospitality brand, I wasn’t surprised to find that the Centara staff embodied the same warm and friendly demeanor of its home nation. While some hotels can fall short in terms of service, every team member was a joy to deal with.  

The spa was predictably brilliant, too. Our couples’ Thai massage left us feeling more supple and less stressed than we had done in months. 

A place where you can never be bored, the activity list was more extensive than any I’d seen at a UAE hotel. Home to its own diving centre, it provides diving experiences for all levels (including kids’ trial dives and advanced, three-day open water courses), fishing trips, cruises, e-foil and parasailing, and jet skis, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and more equipment for rent.

Seeing as we were visiting on an all-inclusive package, we were exceptionally thankful for its huge, well-equipped gym. Sporty types can also join in with aqua fit classes and various sports tournaments. 

Diverse and picturesque dining 

We loved exploring the multiple different dining outlets. While I didn’t notice a huge amount of vegan dishes, it was possible to keep things relatively healthy with all the many different salads, grilled meats and seafood options featured in every buffet. 

Offering cuisines from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Argentina and beyond, there’s plenty to satisfy those of all tastes. We particularly loved eating outside at poolside restaurant Sands, and catching the sunset from the beach bar patio. Adorned with plush sofas, the setting was just as spectacular as any offered at Saadiyat Island’s ultra-upmarket and luxurious hotels. 

If you don’t have a car or you’re looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint, you can get almost all the way to the door of Centura Mirage by public transport. We took the bus from Abu Dhabi to Al Ghubaiba bus station, and from there it was just a 15-minute taxi. You can also get the metro to the Gold Souk and take a ten-minute taxi there. 

Perfect for kids, but offering plenty for couples too

Despite being the holiday destination that every kid dreams of, Centara Mirage is just as successful as a therapeutic beach break for couples, friends and everyone in between. Whatever you want from a staycation, you’ll find it here.  

Rates start from Dh761 per night with breakfast. For more information call +971 4 522 9999 or email [email protected]. 

• This hotel stay was provided for the purposes of a review. We try a lot of things here at Livehealthy, but we only publish Livehealthy approved reviews for those that are truly worth it.

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Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Provided by The City of Boulder

BOULDER, Colo. — The City of Boulder is exploring the possibility of designating part of the downtown Civic Area as a Historic District. Community members are invited to learn more about the layers of history of the Civic Area, and provide feedback on the Proposed Historic District on a new interactive StoryMap.

The city recognizes that what we know today is an incomplete history of the area and is committed to continuing to explore and learn. The city also recognizes that while much of the built environment in the area is from the last 150 years, its history and significance goes much farther back in time.

The StoryMap features a timeline through key points in the development of the Central Park area and historic landmarks, and an interactive map tour highlighting buildings, homes and personal histories from the area.

“This designation process provides an opportunity to tell a more complete history of the area by asking new questions and using newly accessible primary documents,” said Marcy Gerwing, Principal Historic Preservation Planner. “While we know there is additional work to be done, this StoryMap is a way to fill in some of the research gaps and help lift up some of the stories that have been previously dismissed or overlooked.”

Experience the StoryMap on the city’s website and share your feedback on the proposed Historic District.

Fall is always an exciting time in New York City, especially because there are so many new restaurant openings. Many tasty newcomers have opened in the last few months and they’re absolutely worth a visit. From buzzy nightlife boîtes to unique omakase destinations, here’s where you should eat before the year is over.

Southern California band Fidlar have revealed a handful of brand new North American headlining shows that add to their winter 2024 tour supporting Oliver Tree. Interlaced between their dates with Oliver Tree, the group will bring their rowdy live presence to seven additional cities across the U.S. beginning this January. Pre sale tickets for the newly announced headlining shows are available now, with general on-sale beginning tomorrow at 10 a.m. local time. Ticketing information can be found here. 

This Winter’s tour will follow a busy autumn for the trio in which they lived onstage. Globetrotting with a string of concerts that spanned both the U.S. and Europe, Fidlar spent a week delivering their high-octane live show to venues in Florida before heading across the pond to perform in the UK and France.

From beach side clubs to London’s famed KOKO, Fidlar continue to do what they do best: fuck shit up and play gnarly sets. As stated by FLOOD Magazine, “the group still has plenty of gas in the tank, both in terms of creativity and raw energy. Perhaps this fact is most evident in their live show.”

Fidlar Tour Dates

1/13 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom *
1/ 14 – Cleveland, OH – Roxy ^
1/15 – Toronto, CA – HISTORY *
1/17 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground ^
1/19 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall *
1/ 20 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met *
1/21 – New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place ^
1/23 – Pittsburgh, PA – Spirit Hall ^
1/24 – Washington, DC – The Anthem *
1/26 – New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom *
1/28 – Charlotte, NC – Underground ^
1/29 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy *
1/31 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater *
2/1 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger ^
2/3 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall *
2/4 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom *
2/7 – Magna, UT – The Great Saltair *
2/9 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater *
 2/10 – Fresno, CA – Strummer’s ^
2/15 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium *

*With Oliver Tree
^ Headlining (Newly Announced)

To celebrate the arrival of the holidays, the First Friday festivities from 5 to 10 p.m. on Dec. 1 in downtown Dayton will be appropriately themed to the spirit of the season. Even though Black Friday is over, this doesn’t mean the deals are. Local businesses across Dayton will offer special discounts for First Friday. Live music, art exhibits and more will also be available for guests to enjoy during the evening.

Not sure what to get for the special people in your life? The Downtown Dayton Partnership has created a holiday gift guide for 2023, which can be found at issuu.com. Included in this e-book are products from a variety of local businesses, from the Dayton Art Institute to Square One Salon and Spa. Shopping, dining and activities can all be found inside, making sure that Daytonians are celebrating the holidays while also supporting local businesses, restaurants and venues.

Stormzy and Chase and Status are set to headline the Boardmasters festival in 2024. The rap star, who is one of the U.K.’s most popular artists, will be among the headline acts at the star-studded festival in Cornwall in August.

Chase and Status are also heading to Cornwall next summer. The electronic duo is planning to bring their full live band and special guests to the main stage at Watergate Bay.

The duo — Saul Milton and Will Kennard — are set to perform some of their best-known hits, including “Blind Faith,” “End Credits” and “Mixed Emotions.”

Elsewhere, Becky Hill will be another of the big-name acts at Boardmasters 2024. The star is set to make her return to the festival. Becky will perform some of her biggest tracks, including “Crazy What Love Can Do,” “Remember” and “Lose Control.”

Meanwhile, Bicep, Tom Odell and Katy B will also be appearing at the festival, which will run from August 7 until August 11.

Beyond the music, the festival organizers have joined forces with local schools to provide opportunities for attendees to engage in a range of water-based activities. The activities will include surf lessons, coasteering, kayaking tours and surf hire. The activities can all be booked via the Boardmasters website.

Tens of thousands of fans have already signed up for the festival’s presale. Tickets for Boardmasters 2024 will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Dec. 1 , while pre-sale tickets are available today.

Festivalgoers can sign up to the Boardmasters pre-sale at www.boardmasters.com.

Airbnb has announced its list of travel predictions for 2024. Global searches on the platform reveal trending destinations for travelers in the new year. The Olympics in Paris and Carnival in Brazil will be a major draw, according to search data. But coming in at number one on the list of most-searched destinations is Indianapolis, IN.

The 2024 solar eclipse will be a big draw for travelers in the U.S., and searches for Airbnb properties reflect an interest in staying in the path of totality. Indianapolis is not far from Evansville, one of the best spots to view the eclipse. Other top U.S. searches around the eclipse period include Kerrville, TX and Louisville, KY. Users also search for properties in quaint towns like Quincy, MA, Marble Falls, TX and Lake Ozark, MO.

Other trending global destinations following Indianapolis include Warsaw, Osaka, Kyoto and Buenos Aires. Dallas and Colorado Springs also made the top 30 list of worldwide searches.

Airbnb’s list of travel predictions follows the introduction of their new Guest Favorites feature. Guest Favorites is a compilation of the two million most-loved properties on Airbnb based on ratings, reviews and reliability. When planning a vacation, users can filter for favorites in the area or look out for properties tagged with the Guest Favorite badge.

Find the full list of Airbnb’s 2024 travel predictions here.