Things to Do in Kelowna & Okanagan Valley

Taipei’s National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shine honors the men and women who died fighting on behalf of Taiwan in the second Sino-Japanese War, Chinese Civil War and both Taiwan Cross-Strait Crises among others. Around 390,000 names are listed on wooden plaques throughout the complex. The site has several structures, including a separate shrine for both military and civilian martyrs and a drum tower used during special rites ceremonies. Both the civilian and military martyrs’ shrines display profiles of some of the martyrs enshrined there and information about the conflicts.

The shrine was completed in 1969 and was inspired by the Hall of Supreme Harmony in Beijing. Plan your visit on the hour mark to witness the changing of the guard, an elaborate ritual similar to that seen at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. Memorial rites take place on March 29 and September 3 each year when the president and other government leaders come to pay their respects.

India is home to the largest rail network in the world, and the National Rail Museum in Delhi is one of the best of its kind on the planet. Indoor and outdoor exhibits spread over  10 acres (4 hectares) of land feature dozens of authentic locomotives and old carriages, including the private saloon of the Maharaja of Mysore dating back to 1899 and the 1855 Fairy Queen, the oldest functioning steam engine in the world.

Train lovers will appreciate the collections of model trains and vintage railway maps, while a train ride that takes passengers in a loop around the site is always a hit with kids.

Part of the National Mall and National Park Service, this memorial to American citizens who served in World War II lies at the eastern end of the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool. Designed by Austrian-American avant-garde architect Friedrich St. Florian and dedicated in 2004, this 7.4-acre, oval-shaped site consists of 56 granite pillars, two triumphal arches, and a reflecting pool with two fountains.

Each 17-foot pillar symbolizes a different U.S. state or territory, and the two 43-foot arches are dedicated to America’s victory in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, respectively. On 24 bronze panels at the memorial’s entrance, moving bas-relief scenes depict the process of drafting and training soldiers, sending them overseas and into battle, and welcoming them back home, either alive or dead.  A series of over 4,000 gold stars symbolizes the sacrifices made by over 400,000 Americans from “the Greatest Generation,” and two pieces of “Gilroy Was Here” graffiti allude to the importance this cartoon soldier had for American troops abroad.

Visitor parking is available for free along Ohio Drive south of the Lincoln Memorial, or just south of the Jefferson Memorial in Lots A, B and C. No Metrorail stations are entirely adjacent to the Memorial, but the Farragut North, Metro Center, Farragut West, McPherson Square, Federal Triangle, Smithsonian, L’Enfant Plaza and Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter stations are all within several blocks’ walking distance.

Park rangers are on-site each day and offer tours every hour on the hour, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Part of the Smithsonian, the 163-acre National Zoo (as it’s most often called) is home to 2,000 individual animals of 400 species. Most famous for its Giant Panda Habitat and breeding program (which includes current panda residents Mei Xiang and Tian Tian), the Zoo is also home to a huge bird enclosure and over 60 flamingos; African mammals like cheetahs and gazelles; and a family of lowland gorillas.

A 2011 addition to the Zoo is The American Trail, featuring U.S. natives like California sea lions, bald eagles, grey wolves and brown pelicans. Nearby, the 15,000-square-foot Amazonia exhibit mimics the ecosystem of the Amazon Rainforest, with a cascading river, native palms and a 55,000-gallon aquarium; set underneath a soaring dome, the tropical landscape here is full of live creatures like toads, hummingbirds, monkeys and more.

Full of hilly terrain and steep paths, with both indoor and outdoor exhibits, it’s ideal to wear comfortable walking shoes and layered clothing for your visit to the Zoo. For refreshments along the way, there are five food stands from which to choose, including a West Coast-style surf shack and a Mediterranean café.

There is limited on-site parking available at the Zoo, but it’s set between two Metrorail stations -- Cleveland Park and Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams Morgan -- both of which serve the Red Line. Since the walk from Cleveland Park is level rather than uphill (as it is from Woodley Park), the Zoo recommends arriving at Cleveland Park and leaving from either station.