Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for U.S. travel
A Series of Firsts at New York Port
By Linda Tancs
On July 31, 1789, the Second Session of Congress chose the village of Sag Harbor in New York as the first official port of entry into the United States. That was a smart choice, considering that the hamlet had more square rigged vessels engaged in commerce than the Port of New York about 100 miles away. This enterprising locale enjoys the distinction of having had the first custom house in the country, the first volunteer fire company in the State of New York and the first newspaper printed on Long Island. Its ascension as a whaling capital was fueled by the need for whale oil to light lamps. The Broken Mast Monument in Oakland Cemetery is a testament to the whalers lost at sea centuries ago.
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Hippo Haven
By Linda Tancs
If watching hippos bask along the shoreline in sub-Saharan Africa isn’t on your bucket list but you want an armchair traveler’s experience of them in their habitat, then look no further than the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey. The only aquarium in the world with hippos on exhibit, their 60,000-gallon pool offers visitors the chance to get nose to nose with the third largest land mammal on earth. The experience is enhanced with lighting designed to mimic African days and nights as well as a soundtrack comprising bird chirps and other sounds likely to be heard in the wild. The pool’s residents, Nile hippos Button and Genny, can’t wait to meet you.
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Ferry Cross the Cut
By Linda Tancs
In Vermont, the scenic Colchester Causeway is a four-mile long, 10-foot-wide gravel path popular with cyclists. It extends across Lake Champlain and connects to the original Rutland Railroad bed, courtesy of a 200-foot ferry ride to “the Cut,” site of the railroad swing bridge removed in the 1960s. That’s not much of a ferry ride (five minutes from start to finish), but it is, after all, the state’s only bike ferry service and arguably one of the world’s most scenic. What better way to take in those incredible waterfront views from Colchester to Burlington than by bike. After the dramatic 2011 flooding of the lake, the trail re-opened last spring. Daily ferry service runs until 1 September.
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Little Las Vegas
By Linda Tancs
The glitzy past of New Jersey’s shore town, Wildwood, once earned it the nickname Little Las Vegas. In fact, in its heyday in the 1950s, all the major acts would ply their trade among the nightclubs and supper clubs, including talent like Tony Bennett and Jerry Lewis. The old clubs are long gone, but the doo wop era is in full swing thanks to the Doo Wop Experience Museum & Back to the ’50s Neon Night Tour. Enjoy the history lesson along with the beautiful beaches and legendary boardwalk.
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The Secret Garden at 377
By Linda Tancs
Atop the Harrison Park Towers parking garage in East Orange, New Jersey, the concrete is green. There’s a secret garden there, an unexpected oasis in the form of a one-acre Italianate garden planted some 60 years ago by the late William T. Gotelli, allegedly a builder of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. This stunning private garden, dubbed The Secret Garden at 377, is open to the public by appointment and during designated Open Days.
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Tripping the Light Fantastic
By Linda Tancs
Neil Young sang that it’s better to burn out than to fade away. When iconic neon signs in Las Vegas burn out, they don’t just fade away. They find a home at the Neon Boneyard. Home to more than 150 historic signs that once graced the likes of Caesars Palace, Binion’s Horseshoe, the Golden Nugget and the Stardust, each sign is accompanied by a history lesson about its design and development. The outdoor museum is accessible only through daily one-hour guided tours, weather permitting. Park for free at McWilliams Avenue.
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The Age of Homespun
By Linda Tancs
At Historic Cold Spring Village in Cape May, New Jersey, visitors get a first-hand feel for the age of homespun (1789-1840). Open seasonally (from June to September), the art of homesteading is on display throughout its 30 acres of lanes, gardens and farms. In addition to the working, organic farm, exhibits include early print presses and print production, woodworking, pottery, wool-spinning and bookbinding. The Village is located on Route 9, three miles north of Cape May City.
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The World’s Highest Wheel
By Linda Tancs
There are plenty of high rollers in Las Vegas, but one High Roller is getting all the attention: the 550-foot-tall observation wheel commissioned by Caesars Entertainment. Debuting in March, the wheel promises unparalleled views of the Strip. At 51 stories high, it bests the Singapore Flyer, the Star of Nanchang and the London Eye, making it the world’s highest observation wheel. As usual, Vegas will not be outdone by anyone.
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Land of the First Light
By Linda Tancs
Located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, the island of Martha’s Vineyard enjoys an international reputation as a summer playground for the well-heeled. The island’s original natives called the place Noepe, which means “land of the first light.” That may have been a prescient observation, considering the island is graced with five lighthouses: Edgartown, Cape Pogue, East Chop, West Chop and Gay Head. The sweeping views include Vineyard Sound, the tony enclaves of Edgartown Harbor and Chappaquiddick, and the cliffs of Aquinnah. No yacht? No worries. You can grab a flight to the island year round or take a ferry from Rhode Island, Hyannis or other ports.
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On an Even Keel in Annapolis
By Linda Tancs
Annapolis, Maryland is heralded as the Sailing Capital of the World. Home to the United States Naval Academy, this seafaring city hosts the oldest and largest in-water sailboat show in the country. If you’d like to be captain of your own ship but lack the skills, then the city’s sailing school just might be the place for you. Boasting a blend of theory and hands-on practice known as the Annapolis Way, the school offers students an array of beginning to advanced classes. Novice skippers will learn about boat nomenclature, steering, sail trimming, putting on and taking off of sails, finding wind direction, tacking and jibing maneuvers, points of sail, right of way rules and basic chart reading. Ship ahoy!
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