Travel & Adventure Show Provides Washingtonians with an Exotic Weekend Escape - Without Ever Leaving Town!

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --  Washingtonians are invited to stimulate their wanderlust, experience new adventures and plan for anything from the trip of a lifetime to a weekend getaway when the Eighth Annual Travel & Adventure Show, the leading travel event in the country, returns to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, March 17 and Sunday, March 18.  Attendees will have the opportunity to explore hands-on activities, attend engaging seminars, and win amazing giveaways, all while perusing an assortment of enticing destination exhibits.

Those ready for some insider advice will be able to glean knowledge from some of the top names in the travel industry, as several stages around the show will feature exceptional speakers to guide show goers in planning their perfect vacation.  On the Main Stage, travel headliners include Travel Channel host Samantha Brown; Patricia Schultz, best-selling author of the newly-revised 1000 Places to See Before You Die; Pauline Frommer, travel writer and creator of Pauline Frommer Guidebooks, and Marc Peyser, editor of Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine.  Featured presenters on the Destination Stage will offer visitors an in-depth look at local and exotic destinations and travel, such as Africa, Costa Rica, Spain, Asia, Caribbean, cruises and more.

The Travel & Adventure Show will showcase travel providers and tourism representatives from hundreds of captivating destinations.  From Ethiopia to the Florida Keys, there are exhibits for experience seekers of all kinds and those looking to travel anywhere from down the road to across the globe, domestically or internationally.

As guests enter the show floor, they will be transported around the globe, enjoying the high-energy music and dance emanating from the Global Beats Stage, sponsored by the World Heritage Cultural Center. The Travel & Adventure Show's array of family-friendly activities includes free scuba lessons from certified scuba instructors in the 4-foot-deep, 18,000 gallon scuba pool—wetsuits, masks, air tanks and hairdryers are all provided!  A rock climbing wall will test visitor's fear of heights, and an aerial zip line will fly guests across the exhibit floor.

The Culinary Stage returns for a second straight year, and will showcase culinary demonstrations by both local restaurants and Embassy chefs, all hosted by TV personality and author of A Fork in the Road, Mark DeCarlo.  Saturday's Cooking Challenge celebrates unique flavors from around the world – appropriate since gastronomy has become such an important part of the travel experience.  On Sunday, the focus shifts to the Embassy Chefs Showcase, with cooking demos, and Mark DeCarlo's Interactive Cooking Class and Competition.

The Main Stage schedule for Saturday and Sunday is as follows:

Saturday, March 17

11:30am - 12:30pm
Traveling Smarter: When to Splurge & When to Scrimp
Pauline Frommer
Frommer's Travel Guides; Creator of Pauline Frommer Guidebooks

2:30pm - 3:30pm
A Comedy of Travel Errors: My Globalization of Mishaps
Samantha Brown
Travel Host, Travel Channel

3:45 – 4:45
Budget Travel's Best Budget Destinations for 2012
Marc Peyser
Editor,  Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine

Sunday, March 18

11:45am - 12:45pm
1,000 Places to See Before You Die
Patricia Schultz
Travel Writer, TV Producer & Best Selling Author
1,000 Places to See Before You Die; and 1,000 Places to See in the USA & Canada  Before You Die

1:00pm - 2:00pm
A Comedy of Travel Errors: My Globalization of Mishaps
Samantha Brown
Travel Host, Travel Channel

2:30 – 3:30
Budget Travel's Best Budget Destinations for 2012
Marc Peyser
Editor,  Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine

Those interested in attending the Travel & Adventure Show can get discount tickets online for only $9 with promo code: DCPR.  Tickets are $15 at the door, and children 16-and-under are free (children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian).  To purchase tickets online, go to www.adventureexpo.com/washingtondc. 

About the Washington DC Travel and Adventure Show

Now entering its 8th year, the Travel and Adventure Shows are the leading travel events showcased in the United States, providing once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences.  Find a full schedule of seminars and special events, along with an application for media credentials, at www.adventureexpo.com.

SOURCE Washington DC Travel and Adventure Show 2012