Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Author Archive
A Theme Park with Southern Charm
By Linda Tancs
Surrounded by breathtaking views of the Great Smoky Mountains, Dollywood is an attraction touted as the only theme park with southern charm. Partly owned by entertainer Dolly Parton, it was also recently ranked the No. 1 theme park in the United States. Located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the park highlights the rich heritage and artistry of the Smokies with mountain music and craftsmen demonstrations. A family-friendly resort, it also boasts more than 40 rides and attractions, including the opening this year of Big Bear Mountain, the longest roller coaster in the park. This time of year the Harvest Festival features a 40-foot-tall pumpkin tree, a larger-than-life glowing owl and over 12,000 illuminated pumpkins. The event runs today through October 30.
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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045.
Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.
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The House of Devon
By Linda Tancs
Just south of Exeter, over 600 years of British history stands resplendent over the estuary of the River Exe. This is the site of Powderham Castle, a home now occupied by the 19th earl of Devon (Charlie Courtenay) and his family. One of the grandest family estates in Britain, it was built in the 14th century by Sir Philip Courtenay, making the current occupants the 28th generation of caretakers. Little is off limits; the upstairs guided tour even includes personal family bedrooms. The other option, the State Room Tour, includes the castle’s grandest rooms, secret doors, long libraries and even a hidden ballroom. Among the highlights is the Rococo interior, especially the staircase hall that was immortalized in the film “The Remains of the Day.”
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Celebrating Mayberry
By Linda Tancs
Performer Andy Griffith (star of the 1960s hit series The Andy Griffith Show) grew up in Mount Airy, North Carolina. The quaint town served as inspiration for Mayberry, the setting for the TV show. Fans of the show can visit the familiar haunts like Floyd’s barber shop, the jail, Snappy Lunch and even Andy’s childhood home. You can even take a tour in a vintage squad car as seen on the series. This time of year the bygone era represented by Mayberry is celebrated during a festival with events taking place at or around the Andy Griffith Playhouse, the Historic Earle Theatre, the Andy Griffith Museum Theatre (below the museum) or at the Blackmon Amphitheatre. This year’s festival runs from September 18 to September 24.
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Where Rock Lives
By Linda Tancs
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, sometimes simply referred to as Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The only museum devoted to the story of rock and roll, it’s particularly known for its ceremony honoring hall of fame inductees, whose stories are showcased in the museum through immersive displays. Boasting the most impressive collection of memorabilia ever assembled, the 150,000 square-foot museum features seven floors and four theaters for films as well as temporary, traveling installations. And, in case you were wondering, Cleveland DJ Alan Freed is credited with coining the term “rock ‘n’ roll” on his radio show in 1951.
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American Beach
By Linda Tancs
Located on Florida’s Amelia Island, American Beach was a haven for Blacks during the Jim Crow era. The beach was co-founded by A.L. Lewis, the state’s first Black millionaire. At the A.L. Lewis Museum, you can learn about the history of the beach and its famous visitors, from 1935 to the present day. Landmarks remain on the site despite the proliferation of golf and vacation resorts, including the first home (owned by A.L. Lewis) as well as the second home erected on the beach, known as Ervin’s Rest.
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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045.
Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.
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A Museum With a Message
By Linda Tancs
The American Museum of Tort Law touts itself as a museum with a message. Its mission is to educate visitors about the value of trials by jury and tort law, a discipline that covers many types of wrongful injuries. The main gallery features information on precedent-setting cases that have impacted the general public, such as asbestos and tobacco litigation. Another gallery explains seven cases in detail through a series of interactive panels. Developed by consumer advocate Ralph Nader, the facility is located in Winsted, Connecticut.
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Chile’s Biosphere
By Linda Tancs
A wonderland of volcanoes and lakes, Chile’s Lauca National Park in the northeast forms part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve thanks to its diverse collection of flora and fauna. Indeed, over 130 different bird species live in the park, in addition to the distinctive vicuñas, vizcachas and condors. A major attraction in the park is Lake Chungará, one of the highest lakes in the world, located at the foot of the Payachata twin volcanoes in all their snow-capped glory.
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Silver Darlings in Norfolk
By Linda Tancs
Great Yarmouth, also known as Yarmouth, is a seaside town in England with a long maritime history. By the 19th century, it was the largest herring port in the world. Known as “silver darlings” for their bright, silver color, the fish was exported as far as Russia, India and Africa. You can learn more about the fishing industry at the Time & Tide Museum, a former smokehouse. And don’t miss this month’s Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival at historic South Quay. The event features tall ships, shanty music and pirates along with a costumed actor portraying naval commander Horatio Nelson, who spent time there before the Battle of Copenhagen and on his return to England after the Battle of the Nile.
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Popcorn Days
By Linda Tancs
In Ridgway, Illinois, the annual Popcorn Days celebration takes place during the second weekend in September. Part of the Gallatin County Fair, it’s a celebration of the Blevins Popcorn Co. plant that packaged Pops-Rite popcorn. In its heyday, Ridgway was identified as “Popcorn Capital of the World.” The highlight of the festivities is the parade on Saturday. You’ll also find live entertainment, vendors, amusement rides, games and, of course, free popcorn.
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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045.
Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.
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Dark Island
By Linda Tancs
Straddling the border between the U.S. and Canada, the Thousand Islands are a group of more than 1,800 islands in the St. Lawrence River. It’s a place with elaborate island mansions, like Singer Castle on Dark Island, so named because the number of evergreens on the island gave it a “dark” look. The castle is named for Frederick Bourne, who was the fifth president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, and it remained in the family’s possession from its establishment in the early 1900s until the 1960s. A 45-minute guided tour of the 28-room castle includes the Great Hall, library, dining room, breakfast room, terrace, drawing room, loggia, wicker room, bedrooms, and guest rooms. The opening hours are seasonal, from April to October.
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