With the 4th of July quickly approaching sometimes it is hard not to think about the typical all American-activities like bbq, watching fireworks, going to parades, and entertaining by the pool. After living on the East Coast and in Colorado I feel like I have done everything I can possibly think of for the Fourth- from escaping to the beach to attending what seems like a decade of ordinary Fourth of July gatherings full of food, drink, and everything red, white, and blue.

But no matter if you want to stay close to home in Denver or venture to a new destination in Colorado, here are few alternative ideas for the day and night that would add a spark to anyone’s Fourth of July weekend this year! (And some of them are free!)

Be outdoorsy! Being a Colorado resident does not necessarily mean that you frequent the mountains. So this Fourth of July weekend, experienced camper or not- go camping! Traveling to sites like Clear Creek County, El Dorado Canyon State Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park are all great excuses to get away from novelty parties in the city.

If you are not in the mood for camping, but still want to get a way from the city try heading up to any popular winter ski destination, which have summer activities that are just as fun as their winter ones! Stop by Vail to get your sports fix and watch elite college men and women duke it out in the 2010 annual Vail Lacrosse Shootout. If you have time for a longer trek, you can head over to Aspen for an old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration including a free evening concert, or drive up to Steamboat for their Fourth of July Cowboys’ Round-Up Days and enjoy a taste of the wild west with their pro rodeo and cattle drive. Even Estes Park has great activities for this popular holiday weekend including a Classic Car show and Arabian horse show.

Although Red Rocks is a popular summer hot spot, what would be a better night than the Fourth of July to enjoy this venue? Even though the ticket may cost more than what you would usually pay for some 4th festivities, tailgating and being able to see nearly every fire works show in Denver thanks to Red Rock’s outrageous views will definitely be worth it! This year the Blue’s Traveler’s with Rebelution are set to play.

And even if you want to stay close to home this year for the Fourth, you can still avoid the masses of red, white, and blue and check out events in and around Denver. To kick off the weekend journey to the Denver Zoo, where they will be hosting a “zoo-li-cious” ice cream social for zoo members and their guests. At this event you can walk around the zoo, ice cream in hand, while learning more about global conservation efforts in effect for each animal. But if free ice cream and animals just aren’t your thing than head over to the Creek Arts Festival. This, being one of my favorite events for the summer, showcases visual, culinary and performing arts of local artists in the streets of Cherry Creek North.

But just in case you still want to stick to something inherently American, there are fireworks throughout Denver and surrounding areas that will take place all the way through the Holiday Weekend. Happy Independence Day Colorado!

Having recently packed my bags and made the big move from Brisbane, Australia, to New York City, I am still coming to terms with the difference in lifestyle here. I had prepared myself for a few differences – I knew that I wouldn’t be living by the beach, watching cricket, or having barbecues every weekend. But little did I know that I was about to enter a world completely foreign to me; basic things like getting dressed, getting around town, or grocery shopping have become a whole new experience. Many things that you may find mundane, I find funny and exciting. On this note, I thought I would share some of my New York musings.

1.    I hardly ever know what I’m ordering at a restaurant (or buying at the grocery store, for that matter). Not only have I been confused about turkey ham, buffalo wings, and potato bread; but thanks to some bad influences, I have also learned about cheese fries, sliders, Flipz, Peeps, and Twizzlers. I have had to ask strangers in the grocery store the difference between 1%, 2% and low fat milk (they are always very friendly), and I wonder how many different types of cheese one store could possibly stock.

2.    The Slang here is completely different.  Australian slang is basically a bunch of ridiculous metaphors, but American slang (from what I gather) consists of words that I know from home, but used in a totally different context. My favorite so far is how the girls at Turner use the term ‘Just Kidding’ – when I would use ‘Don’t worry about it” (for me just kidding is usually what you say only after making a joke).

3.    The weather in New York is totally unpredictable. I have learned not to leave my apartment without sunglasses (to shield my eyes from the dirt and leaves flying around in the wind), a jacket (because not matter how warm it looks through the window, you never can tell how cold it is until you’ve walked down the five flights of stairs and gotten outside, and by that stage there is no way I am going back up to get more clothes), and a scarf (this one is sometimes for warmth but more often than not is used to cover myself in the rain – after the crazy wind here breaking three umbrellas in five weeks, I’ve deemed them unworthy of further investment).

4.    BlackBerry phones and iPhones are invaluable items. Not only are they useful for keeping connected, my iPhone has been a godsend when trying to interpret anything. I have apps downloaded to convert kilograms into pounds, Celsius into Fahrenheit, and even a dictionary that converts Australian-English to American-English. On top of all of this I have a subway map (my favorite app) ready at all times.

Well I’m sure as I continue on this journey; my list will continue to grow. As I ration the last of the Vegemite that I brought over, I can’t help but think about how much fun I’m having embracing these differences and soaking in all that this wonderful city has to offer!

The more time you spend doing something, the better you’ll be at it. It’s why language classes use full immersion and why, after three months, I would say I know some of the quirks of Turner PR. I have been interning here since January and as an intern you get a peak into a company that few others actually see.

No, the Turner staff will not make you run to the near-by Starbucks and buy everyone coffee, but here are a few ways to see Turner PR from the interns’ eyes:

1. Every other Wednesday, come rain or come shine, the Mountain Man sales rep will enter with his delicious looking cart of goodies. Yes, the first four or five times you may feel pressured to buy because of the chocolate candy he slips you. BUT, take heart, the rest of the office rarely partakes. However, you can probably get on Efrem’s good side if you check to see if Mr. Salesman has gummy worms on him (it’s a guarantee that Ef will buy).

2. You find out how hard it really is to order a magazine when you start to call some of the trade publications where clients are featured. You will get the same voicemail day after day, and I’m convinced that there is an email address somewhere containing 100’s of emails from me asking for a certain publication. Then the fun comes in trying to find your client in the magazine.

3. Get ready for a blast from the past everyday because Turner rocks 80s and 90s music, which I happen to love despite only being alive for one year in the 80s. I now find myself humming “Tears for Fears” and scribbling down old songs to download when I get home.

4. There will be deliveries from Zaidy’s Deli and a delicious smelling Chinese place, 101 Asian Fusion, that will  leave you with a grumbling stomach. There is not a single thing in your brought-from-home lunch that looks or smell appetizing after this food arrives.

5. It’s of the utmost importance to make friends with the other interns because while your computer is taking its time loading you will need someone to share a laugh.

6. There is a cupcake shop called Big Fat Cupcake a few blocks away. The office will order from there when it is someone’s birthday. The cupcakes are delicious, there isn’t a single flavor you can go wrong with but beware, you will need to abandon any sort of diet in order to eat it.

7. Turner’s clients are so outrageously cool. I find myself needing a vacation every single day when I look at pictures or read about the clients. Mexican beaches, South American hiking and luxury spas… yes please!

Sun, sand, some R&R and a cool Piña Colada – Isn’t that what we are all craving as spring taunts us with sun and 70’s one day and snow the next? Ideally in the springtime I’d like to be somewhere with my toes in the sand and gazing at the turquoise Caribbean. Although Colorado does not present this option, with Turner’s recently secured client, the Riviera Maya, I can at least pretend I’m near the beach.

From a young age I have traveled to the Riviera Maya to spend a week away from reality. However, in the past decade the Riviera Maya has enticed travelers interested in adventure travel and ecotourism, not just R&R. Each time I return to the Riviera Maya I am astonished with the advancements in this travel sector.

What I have come to love so much about Xel-Há is how it makes nature accessible to any traveler. At the park I’ve swam with dolphins. I’ve been snorkeling by myself when a sting ray uncovered itself from the sand and slowly floated up beneath my body. I’ve even mastered the swaying, floating bridge.

As I’ve learned more about the Riviera Maya through Turner, I now have three new adventure sites I’m dying to visit:

Coba Sunset: An afternoon tour where travelers can visit the archaeological site of Cobá by foot or bicycle. It includes a workshop on Mayan ceramics, a dinner of regional dishes and a performance to live Mayan music by the Tihosuco Mayan community.

Hidden Worlds: Boasting the one-of-a-kind SkyCycle, a cable with a bicycle suspended at tree top level. This one kilometer bicycle ride in the sky allows riders pedal over the natural park without disturbing the eco-system.

Rio Secreto: A system of caves and subterranean rivers where travelers can swim or walk through the Mayan jungle that is filled with stalactites and stalagmites.

But for now, it’s spring in Colorado. Although I’m not in the Riviera Maya, luckily, at Turner my day allows me to work with clients that take me from the turquoise Caribbean, to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, to the heart of Downtown Denver all in a day!