a) Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), USA

b) Taipei 101, Taiwan

c) Burj Khalifa (formerly Burj Dubai), UAE

d) Empire State Building, USA

Scroll down for the answer…

The Empire State Building held its reign as the world’s tallest skyscraper for 41 years but today it ranks as the 19th tallest building in the world. While the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) is currently the tallest skyscraper in the U.S., it only ranks 9th amongst these behemoth man-made structures. At 2,723 feet (829.84 meters), the world’s largest skyscraper is c) Burj Khalifa (formerly Burj Dubai) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Burj Khalifa also holds world records as the tallest free-standing structure, highest number of stories (160), highest occupied floor, highest outdoor observation deck, elevator with the longest travel distance, and tallest service elevator. The building is home to private residences, corporate suites, and the luxury Armani Hotel (designed by world renowned Giorgio Armani).

Check back every Thursday for a new Travel Trivia question!

What’s the tallest building you’ve ever visited? Tell us in the comments below!

You might also like:

• Family-Friendly Singapore

• 5 of the Best “World’s Biggest” Attractions

• Morocco with Kids – A Unique Journey for the Senses

• New York City’s Best Sites, Activities, and Restaurants for Kids

Photo by Seeman. (Creative Commons)

a) 1875

b) 1953

c) 1955

d) 1963

Scroll down for the answer…

Taking a dizzy spin on the King Arthur Carousel with my daughter in 2007

Although the King Arthur Carousel was one of the original Disneyland rides at the California park’s opening in 1955, the merry-go-round was originally made in a) 1875 by the Dentzel Carousel Company. Walt Disney purchased the ride for $22,000 from Sunnyside Park, a popular amusement park in Toronto, Canada that operated from 1922 to 1955. Walt Disney insisted all 72 horses be leaping, so some had to be reconfigured from their original design while others were found on other old carousels.

I love the idea of a carousel in theory. In actuality, all of that spinning makes me dizzy. I’m more of a Space Mountain type of gal.

What’s your favorite Disneyland ride? Tell us in the comments below!

You might also like:

• Disneyland Hotel & Pools Review

• Little Mermaid Ride Premiere & Interview with Jodi Benson, the Voice of Ariel

• Top 10 Disneyland Rides & Attractions for Babies & Toddlers

• Which Disneyland Character Meal is Best for Your Family?

a) 112
b) 212
c) 284
d) 348

(Scroll down for the answer…)

The Leaning Tower of Pisa was supposed to stand straight but it gained its famous sideways slant thanks to the unstable soil on which it was constructed and poor planning. It was built as a free-standing bell tower to accompany the cathedral and baptistry in the town of Pisa, Italy. There are eight floors within the tower, including the top floor that houses the tower’s bells. There are around (c) 284 steps in the Leaning Tower of Pisa. (Some sources say 284. Some say 286. I’ve also seen 297 and over 300.) The construction of the tower began in 1173 and was not completed until the mid-1300s, with wars causing delays in its completion. The town of Pisa got its name from a Greek word, which supposedly means “marshy land.” Pisa is the birthplace of noted early physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei.

Check back every Thursday for a new Travel Trivia question!

Is getting your photo taken whilst pretending to hold up the Leaning Tower of Pisa on your bucket list? Why or why not? Tell us in the comments below!

You might also like:

• A Day on the Farm in Sicily

• Rome in a Day

• Sun, Sand & Sea in Sardinia

• Vacation Savoring Lessons Learned in Sorrento & Pompeii

Photo by ameins. (Creative Commons)

a) Norwegian Cruise Line

b) Royal Caribbean International

c) Princess Cruises

d) Carnival Cruise Line 

(Scroll down for the answer…)

The Pacific Princess was the featured ship on the television series, The Love Boat. It was part of the (c) Princess Cruises fleet. The Love Boat is credited with launching the modern-day cruise vacation industry. The popular TV show ran from 1977 to 1986. Princess Cruises retired the boat after 27 years of cruising in 2002. While the original Pacific Princess is now out of service, Princess Cruises now operates another ship of the same name. The cruise line launched its first ship in 1965. Today Princess Cruises is the third largest cruise line in the world.

The photo above shows the current Pacific Princess ship. This photo was obtained for media-usage from the Princess Cruises website. Copyright Princess Cruises.

Check back every Thursday for a new Travel Trivia question!

As a kid, I had a bit of a crush on The Love Boat’s purser, Gopher. Who was your favorite character on The Love Boat? Let us know in the comments below!

You might also like:

• Carnival Cruise Line’s Onboard Activities for Kids

• Disney Mediterranean Cruise Round-Up

• Disney’s New Ship is a Dream for Grown-Ups Too!

• Family Cruise Budget Tips

a) Italy
b) Japan
c) The Middle East
d) China

 (Scroll down for the answer…)

It has been long debated which area of the world first created noodles. With Italy’s love of pasta, many incorrectly believe noodles were invented in the Mediterranean. Others thought pasta was actually brought to Italy from the Middle East. The world’s oldest noodles, however, were found in (d) China in 2005. Radiocarbon dating indicates the noodles were about 4,000 years old. The noodles appear to have been made from domestic grasses as opposed to modern noodles, which are typically made from wheat.

Check out more Travel Trivia Questions!

Photo by jeltovski. (Creative Commons)

I’m thankful for the Chinese for inventing the noodle so I can chow down on one of my favorite dishes in the world, pasta carbonara! What’s your favorite noodle dish? Tell us in the comments below!

You might also like:

• A Day on the Farm in Sicily

• Family-Friendly Food in San Juan, Puerto Rico

• The Travel Mama’s Top 3 Hidden Gem Destinations

• Vacation Savoring Lessons Learned in Sorrento & Pompeii

a) Red
b) Yellow
c) Purple
d) Blue
e) Polka-dotted

(Scroll down for the answer….)

According to Spanish tradition, you should wear new (a) red underwear to attract good luck in the New Year. Various versions of this tradition exist throughout the Spanish-speaking world. In Venezuela yellow underwear brings happiness in the New Year. In Ecuador red underwear brings love, while yellow brings wealth.

Photo by foodandwinephotography. (Purchased from iStockphoto)

What are your family’s New Year’s traditions? Tell us in the comments below!

You might also like:

• More Travel Trivia Questions

• Holidays in Phoenix at Zoolights

• New York City Holiday Travel Tips for Families

• Prepping for the New Year – World Tour of the Web

a) South America, by the Olmec, Maya, and Atzec civilizations
b) Holland
c) England
d) Switzerland
e) All of the above

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: e) All of the above

Chocolate was discovered in South America by Almec, Aztec, and Mayan civilizations as early as 1500 B.C. Then in 1657, a Frenchman opened the world’s first chocolate house in London. And in 1828, a Dutchman invented the first cocoa press, which removed the acidity of chocolate. Chocolate was only available as a drink or cocoa until 1845, when Lindt (a Swiss chocolate company) made the first solid chocolate.

Photo by beglib. (Creative Commons)

You might also like:

• More Travel Trivia Questions

• Cancun Should Be on Your Bucket List

• London with Kids…Rain or Shine!

• Yes! Amsterdam IS for Kids!

a) The United States

b) Egypt

c) Kenya

d) Mozambique

e) South Africa

 (Scroll down for the answer…)

a) The United States

Although Kwanzaa is based on ancient and modern celebrations in Egypt and Southeastern Africa, the Kwanzaa holiday as we know it originated in the United States in 1966. Learn more about Kwanzaa from The Official Kwanzaa Website.

I’m bringing sexy back. No, wait, Justin Timberlake already did that. Instead, I’m bringing Travel Trivia Thursday back! Other bloggers are really good at sticking to a strict schedule of Monday This or That, Tuesday Blah Blah, Freaky Friday and whatnot. It has been a long time since I did Travel Trivia Thursday post (over a year and half, actually). I am not so good at posting specific types of stories every week on a specific day because one of the nice things about being a blogger is being able to blow off stuff I don’t feel like doing and NOT keeping to a regular schedule on anything. If I feel like writing about a particular topic on a given day, I can! But readers seem to like trivia (according to the high number of readers who find this site via my silly Travel Trivia questions) and I am supposed to schedule regular posts to lure you back week after week according to the blogger bible (I made that up; there is no blogger bible that I know of, but I have heard this rule at blog conferences) and I want to make you happy. Plus, I like me some trivia, especially of the travel variety.

Red Crabs like this one can be found only on Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and in the Indian Ocean. It is estimated that over 40 million Red Crabs live on Christmas Island alone.

Let’s kick this thing off with a quasi-holiday-ish question….What is the official language of Christmas Island?

a) English

b) Chinese

c) Malay

d) All of the above

e) None of the above – No humans live on Christmas Island

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: a) English

English is the official language of Christmas Island. Chinese and Malay are also spoken among the Southeastern Asian island’s approximately 1,400 residents. Learn more about this small Australian Territory island.

You might also like:

• Angkor Wat & Beyond with Kids in Cambodia’s Siem Reap

• 5 Favorite Islands – Not Your Typical List!

• Kid-Friendly Sites in Sydney, Australia

• World Tour of the Web – Africa Edition

a) Mall of America -  Minnesota, USA

b) Dubai Mall – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

c) West Edmonton Mall – Alberta, Canada

d) South China Mall – Dongguan, China

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: d) South China Mall – Dongguan, China

According to Forbes, this massive mall is made up of 7.1 million square feet of leasable space. It includes wind mills, theme parks, a replica of the Arc de Triomphe…oh, and lots and lots of stores! To see the top 10 list of big ol’ malls, click here. I recently attended the San Diego Travel Expo and the representatives from Edmonton, Canada were quite proud to claim the largest mall in North America as their own. I was surprised to see the Mall of America in my former homestate of Minnesota didn’t make the list. That place is HUGE! Read more about that particular mega-mall in my story, Why to Visit Minnesota’s Twin Cities with Kids.

a) Frank Sinatra

b) Liza Minelli

c) John Kander

d) Dean Martin

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: b) Liza Minnelli

Liza Minnelli was the original singer of New York, New York. It was the theme song for Martin Scorcese’s film, New York, New York. It was performed by Liza Minnelli in the film. Read more about the song and the movie on Wikipedia.

Want to take the family to the Big Apple? Check out New York City’s Best Sites, Activities, and Restaurants for Kids!

See past Travel Trivia Questions.

Do you have a suggestion for a Travel Trivia question? Send it my way!

a) Minnesota

b) Wisconsin

c) North Dakota

d) Illinois

e) None of the above – the Mississippi River starts in Canada

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: a) Minnesota

The Mississippi River starts at Lake Itaska in Clearwater County in Minnesota. The Mississippi River is the fourth longest river in the world. The river crosses ten states and got its name from the Native American Ojibwe word “misi-ziibi,” meaning great river. Learn about traveling along the Mississippi River on ExperienceMississippiRiver.com.

Today’s question was suggested in the Travel Mamas Anniversary Prize A Day Giveaway by Debbie Ferm, author of TravelDither.com, a blog about how to travel with teens and tweens.

See past Travel Trivia Questions or send a Travel Trivia Suggestion now!

a) Japan

b) Canada

c) The Philippines

d) Finland

e) Indonesia

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: d) Finland

There is some debate about which country has more islands, Indonesia or Finland. The CIA World Factbook states that Indonesia has 17,508 islands. Meanwhile, Finland’s Official Tourism Board boasts 180,000 islands. I did a bunch of research on this (because I am a crazy person) and it looks like Finland is the winner according to most sources.

This travel trivia was submitted by Rachel of ZipSetGo.com, the winner of last week’s Travel Trivia Thursday Giveaway. See the Travel Mamas Anniversary Round Up of posts and winners.

I had this clever idea to post a weekly Travel Trivia question on the home page when I first launched TravelMamas.com one year ago. Little did I know how much time I would spend brainstorming and researching the questions and answers! A few months ago I started posting the questions every Thursday as mini blog posts (instead of just on the home page), and thus, Travel Trivia Thursday was born.

My brain is tired people. Help a Travel Mama out by suggesting a Travel Trivia question as a comment to this story below. If you do, you can win a $25 gift certificate from KidsTravelHappy.com, a site that specializes in UNplugged toys, games, books, activities, and unique gear for real and imaginary journeys. Can’t think of a trivia question? That’s okay…you can use one of mine instead. Simply copy a question from a previous week into the comments.

This contest ends Thursday, April 1 at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time. You can check back tomorrow for another chance to win as part of the Travel Mamas Anniversary Prize A Day Giveaway.

What You Could Win
To celebrate the Travel Mamas one-year anniversary, Monday through Friday of this week (March 29 – April 2, 2010) you can win prizes from KidsTravelHappy.com for voting for your favorite “something” on Travel Mamas (such as your favorite: feature, blog post, travel tip, travel trivia question, and guest blog post). The prizes will increase in value each day. Every time you enter, you will automatically be entered to win the grand prize $50 KidsTravelHappy.com gift certificate and a pack of goodies from the Travel Mamas Store to be awarded this Saturday, April 3, 2010.

Today you can suggest a travel trivia question or vote for your favorite previously posted Travel Mamas Travel Trivia question to win a $25 KidsTravelHappy.com gift certificate. You can also save 20% at KidsTravelHappy.com. Simply use the special check-out code just for Travel Mamas, TMSD20. The code is valid on any purchase of $20 or more now through April 3, 2010.

Here’s just one sample of what you could buy with your gift certificate and/or discount!

Star Kids AIR PLAY Travel Tray & Activity Center 
Designed with the youngest of travelers in mind, this simple (and sanitary) AIR PLAY Travel Tray & Activity Center is fun for baby and toddler play-time on a plane, whether the tray is up or down. This one is best for kids aged six to 24 months to be used specifically during airline travel.

Enter to Win
You can enter today’s contest a total of two times. This contest ends at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time on Thursday, April 1, 2010. The winner will be selected at random using Random.org and will be notified by email. If no response is received within 48 hours, the first winner will forfeit the prize and another entrant will be selected. Here’s how to enter:

REQUIRED ENTRY - Add a comment below with a suggested travel trivia question or vote for your favorite previously posted Travel Mamas Travel Trivia question.

BONUS ENTRY – Tweet this contest. Copy and paste the following phrase into Twitter. Be sure to add a second comment to this post with a link to your tweet.

Share a TRAVEL TRIVIA question on @TravelMamas to WIN $25 at @KidsTravelHappy for toys & gear http://bit.ly/bEn7uO

Have you entered the Travel Mamas Anniversary Vacation Package Giveaway at the world’s larget JW Marriott Resort in San Antonio, Texas yet? Enter now!

a) 4 years

b) 8 years

c) 12 years

d) 20 years

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: a) 4 years

Everyone seems to think the bridge took much longer to build, but the Golden Gate Bridge took just over four years to build. Construction began in January 0f 1933 and was open to automobile traffic in May of 1937. Find out why the bridge is called the Golden Gate when it doesn’t look golden, and other bits of trivia about the bridge at GoldenGateBridge.org.

Read my take on the City by the Bay in The Ups & Downs of San Francisco with Kids.

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a) Fanueil Hall Marketplace, Boston, MA

b) Times Square, New York City, NY

c) National Mall and Monuments, Washington, DC

d) Niagara Falls, NY

e) Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista, FL

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: d) Niagara Falls, NY

Niagara Falls, NY is number eight on Forbes Traveler’s List of Top 25 Most Visited Tourist Sites in the US.

Here are the top five:
1) Times Square, New York City, NY (35 million visitors)
2) The Las Vegas Strip, Las Vegas, NV (31 million visitors)
3) National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, DC (24 million visitors)
4) Faneuil Hall and Marketplace, Boston, MA (20 million visitors)
5) Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista, FL (17.1 million visitors)

Are you planning a trip to any of these locations? Please leave a comment below!

Here are Travel Mamas blog posts on a few of these popular locations:

• How to Plan a Disney World Vacation

• Las Vegas with Children?

• New York City’s Best Sites, Activities & Restaurants for Kids

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(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow

Here’s another funny one from Answers.com: Every Person Comes Out Tired. It’s true that my family did come out tired, but we loved Epcot! Check out my latest blog post Epcot’s Best Rides & Hidden Treasures for Kids & Toddlers to find out why.

Epcot at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida opened in 1982. Read about Walt Disney’s original vision for Epcot on AssociatedContent.com.

a) Morocco

b) Chile

c) Dubai

d) Mexico

e) The United States

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: b) Chile

According to the Guiness World Records, the largest pool in the world is the San Alfonso del Mar seawater pool in Algarrobo, Chile. It has an area of nearly 20 acres. Check out this Reuter’s video on YouTube about the pool.

For more on awesome pools, see:

• Nickelodeon Suites Resort – A Family Hotel with Amusements Galore (Part 1)

• Nickelodeon Suites Resort – A Hotel & Water Park for a Splashing Good Time (Part 2)

• 10 Best Family-Friendly Hotel Pools in the World

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a) White Pelican

b) Barn Swallow

c) Common Loon

d) White-Tailed Sea-Eagle

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: c) Common Loon

Common Loons are black and white birds with red eyes. They are most known for their distinct call. Unlike most birds, which have hollow bones, loons have solid bones. This extra weight requires these birds have a 100-600 foot water “runway” for taking flight from a lake. The Canadian one-dollar coin features a loon on it, inspiring Canadians to nickname the coins “loonies.”

To read more about these birds and view a photo of one, see my post The Travel Mama’s Top 3 Hidden Gem Destinations.

Do you have a suggestion for a Travel Trivia question? Send it my way!

a) 10 years

b) 20 years

c) 30 years

d) 40 years

e) 100 years

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: b) 20 years

The Great Pyramid, also known as the Pyramid of Cheops, in Giza, Egypt took 20 years to build. For more facts on this and other Egyptian pyramids, read this post on SelfHelpArticles.com.

Do you have a suggestion for a Travel Trivia question? Send it our way!

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a) Freedom, Justice, Liberty, Faith, Valor, Charity, and Equality

b) The Seven Seas

c) The Seven Continents

d) The artist’s seven children

e) Nothing

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: b) The Seven Seas

New York’s Statue of Liberty has seven points, representing the seven seas. It was designed by the same dude who invented the Eiffel Tower, Alexandre Gustav Eiffel. Read more about the Statue of Liberty at StatueLiberty.net.

Do you have a suggestion for a Travel Trivia question? Send it our way!

For more information on this topic see:

• New York City’s Best Sites, Activities, and Restaurants for Kids

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a) Monarch Butterfly

b) Bumblebee

c) Ladybug

d) Yellow Jacket Bee

e) Dragonfly

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: a) Monarch Butterfly

You can travel to Monarch butterfly sanctuaries Pacific Grove, California or Michoacan, Mexico to witness the Monarch migration from October through early March. Here’s a video of thousands of butterflies fluttering about at Michoacan’s El Rosario Butterfly Sanctuaryon UTube.

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a) Italy

b) Spain

c) Portugal

d) Nowhere – Mickey Mouse is called Mickey Mouse all around the world.

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: a) Mickey Mouse is known as Topolino in Italy.

Did you know that Mickey Mouse was originally voiced by Walt Disney himself? Here’s some more trivia about Disney’s famous mouse from the Disney Archives.

a) Equador

b) Brazil

c) Kenya

d) Somalia

e) All of these countries are located along the equator

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: e) All of these countries are located along the equator.

According to About.com, there are only 12 countries that lie on the equator. See the complete list.

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a) The Great Wall of China

b) The Pyramids in Egypt

c) Both a and b

d) No manmade objects can be viewed from the moon

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: d) No manmade objects can be viewed from the moon

According NASA’s website, while many manmade objects can be viewed from space, most notably cities at night, nothing created by humans can be viewed from the moon. It is a myth that the Great Wall of China is the only manmade object visible in outer space. While the wall can be viewed, it is more difficult to see than the ancient pyramids at Giza, Egypt.

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Welcome to Travel Trivia Thursday! I’ve been posting a Travel Trivia question on the home page since TravelMamas.com went live at the end of March 2009. From now on, I will post one trivia question every Thursday as the Quick Tip on the home page and as a mini blog post. This way, RSS subscribers will receive the question in their reader or email inbox. This will also keep a log of past trivia questions on the Blogs & Trip Reports page in case you have a hankering to test your travel knowledge (on a particularly slow work day, for example!). Please let me know what you think about Travel Trivia Thursday…love it, hate it, indifferent …whatever!

Here’s this week’s question…

In which country is it a tradition to eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight to celebrate the New Year?

a) Denmark

b) Mexico

c) Spain

d) Belarus

e) Philippines

 (Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: c) Spain

Spaniards eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight to celebrate the New Year, attempting to eat the whole dozen before the clock stops chiming. Read more about Strange New Year’s Traditions Around the World on Gadling.com. Here’s more on the 12-grape tradition in Nigella Lawson Shares New Year’s Food Traditions on npr.com.

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