Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for travel
Mardi Gras World
By Linda Tancs
Located along the Mississippi River, Mardi Gras World is a tourist attraction located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Guests tour the 300,000 square foot working warehouse where hundreds of floats are made for Mardi Gras parades. This all-access opportunity winds you through the massive studio, where artists and architects work year-round building Mardi Gras floats from the ground up. The facility offers a complimentary shuttle for people taking their tour, with stops adjacent to the French Quarter.
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Christmas Boat Parade
By Linda Tancs
The Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach, California, is an annual event where fully decorated boats cruise around the harbor in the evening for holiday light viewing. One of the largest boat parades of its kind, hundreds of decorated ships of all sizes compete for top awards in over a half dozen categories. The parade route begins and ends at the tip of Lido Isle. Bayfront estates also get in on the action and take part in their own competition called the “Ring Of Lights.” This year’s parade is from December 17 to December 21, with fireworks and other festivities opening and closing the event.
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The Art of Wooden Shipbuilding
By Linda Tancs
Former home of the dukes of Brittany, Montoir-de-Bretagne has a rich maritime history. At the Brivet Wooden Maritime Museum, the history of wooden shipbuilding from the 16th to the end of the 19th century is explored. It’s a story of shipyards located on the Brivet River, along with its carpenters, blacksmiths and pulley makers. Admission is free.
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Steaming Through the Staffordshire Moorlands
By Linda Tancs
Just a stone’s throw from the outskirts of the Peak District, the Churnet Valley Railway is a preserved standard gauge heritage railway in the Staffordshire Moorlands of Staffordshire, England. It operates along part of the former Churnet Valley Line which was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway in 1849, passing through beautiful countryside with riverside views including Caldon Canal, known as Staffordshire’s “Little Switzerland.” Rail enthusiasts will enjoy viewing both steam and diesel locomotives at Cheddleton Station. This time of year, it’s all aboard the Polar Express. Fashioned after the movie, the hour-long ride departs from Froghall Station.
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The Longest Bridge in the US
By Linda Tancs
Spanning 24 miles over Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana, the U.S. Causeway (also known as The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway) is the longest bridge in the country as well as the longest bridge in the world over water. It was built in 1956 to connect New Orleans with the North Shore of the lake. Drive it for bragging rights and, additionally, great views over sunrise or sunset.
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Uplifting in Albuquerque
By Linda Tancs
One of the largest balloon festivals in the world, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is a yearly hot air balloon festival that takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. So what better place to have a museum that celebrates ballooning. Located in the heart of town, the Anderson Abruzzo International Balloon Museum explores the history, science, sport and art of ballooning as well as other forms of flight. It also features one of the world’s finest collections of ballooning equipment and memorabilia and a shop with unique balloon-related merchandise.
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Vermont’s Lincoln Legacy
By Linda Tancs
Robert Lincoln was the only child of President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln to survive to maturity. Together with his wife, Robert built a summer home in Manchester, Vermont, a Georgian Revival mansion that would become a home to only Lincoln descendants until 1975, longer than any other Lincoln residence. They named the estate Hildene, formed from two Old English words: “Hil” meaning “hill” and “dene” meaning “valley with stream.” The description is an apt one, considering that the property is perched on a hill overlooking the Taconic Mountains to the west, the Green Mountains to the east, and the Battenkill River flowing through the valley below. In addition to the home and formal garden, the 412-acre estate boasts 12 miles of walking trails, a farm and a number of historic buildings. Wintertime is especially scenic at the estate and is a popular time to experience the trails.
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A Snow Globe Stroll
By Linda Tancs
Main Street in Park City, Utah, is a magical place during this festive season. Even more so thanks to the life-size snow globes decorated by local artists comprising the Snow Globe Stroll. Each globe is themed around a different holiday song. Every globe also includes hidden objects that are part of a scavenger hunt. Enjoy this free, family-friendly event!
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Jingle Rails
By Linda Tancs
An annual holiday tradition, Jingle Rails is a model train display featuring nine G-scale trains traveling through spectacular landscapes and past famous landmarks of Indianapolis and the American West. The scenes are masterfully crafted from natural materials and adorned with festive holiday decorations and twinkling lights. You’ll find this locomotive wonderland at The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Winter Aglow in Idaho
By Linda Tancs
Looking for a winter wonderland in Boise? Then head for the Idaho Botanical Garden for their Winter aGlow event. As the name implies, there will be a mesmerizing display of lights. The family-friendly fest includes Santa meetups, holiday vendors, a gingerbread house exhibit and a candy cane forest. Parking is free; you can also park and ride from downtown Boise.
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