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
Birthplace of Water Skiing
By Linda Tancs
In 1922 Ralph Samuelson invented water skiing in Lake City, Minnesota, rendering the locale the birthplace of the sport. The city lies along Lake Pepin, the widest portion of the Mississippi River. As you can imagine, you’ll find some of the best boating in the Midwest there along with plenty of parks for walking, swimming and fishing. Among its charms it boasts the highest number of 19th century homes for a town this size in Minnesota. At three miles wide and 21 miles long, the lake is perfectly suited for a scenic cruise on the Pearl of the Lake Paddleboat, a modern day replica of the grand riverboats that traveled the Mississippi River in the 1800s. Why not top off a visit with stop at the marina building; you’ll find Samuelson’s skis on display there.
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America’s Stonehenge
By Linda Tancs
In Natural Bridge, Virginia, Britain’s Stonehenge meets its astronomically correct rival. Made entirely of Styrofoam to Stonehenge’s exact measurements, the creation is dubbed Foamhenge. The “stones” are even painted to appear ancient. Unlike its more famous counterpart, admission is free.
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Arizona’s Second Best
By Linda Tancs
It’s unlikely that any attraction could possibly best the Grand Canyon in Arizona, but where else will you see a bridge with vintage lamps comprising melted cannons from Napoleon’s army? That bridge is London Bridge (yes, that London), the 1831 version that was exported and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City. Why? Because the old gal couldn’t handle London’s growing traffic, and the Colorado River resort town wanted a conversation piece. Spanning an artificial canal, the bridge is accompanied by an English Village off London Bridge Road, where you’ll find a visitors’ centre. The bridge is the state’s second most popular tourist attraction behind the Grand Canyon.
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Lighting the Way in North Carolina
By Linda Tancs
Ocracoke Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina and the second oldest operating light station in the nation (surpassed by New Jersey’s Sandy Hook Lighthouse). Built in 1823, the need to preserve its structural integrity prevents climbing, but the exterior views are just as enchanting. For interior views, you can visit four other lighthouses adorning the Outer Banks: Bodie Island, Cape Hatteras (the tallest lighthouse in North America), Currituck Beach and Roanoke Marshes. The lights, however, aren’t the only things sparkling at night–tiny dinoflagellates kicked up in the beaches along Cape Hatteras National Seashore glow with a blue-green light.
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Rocky Mountaineer
By Linda Tancs
It’s a three-hour drive between Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, B.C., but why deal with the traffic? If you believe that life is about the journey rather than the destination, then take the meandering route via rail on the Rocky Mountaineer’s Coastal Passage itinerary. The tour begins at Seattle’s King Street station and features over two days of daytime train travel, taking in a hotel night in Seattle, two nights in Vancouver and a night in Alberta. While munching on delectable entrees and complimentary drinks, you’ll take in amazing vistas (through oversized windows or glass-domed cars, depending on the class of service) of the Canadian Rockies. Keep an eye out for sightings of its wildlife inhabitants like sheep, elk, goats, bears and moose. They’re in no hurry–are you?
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Mink in Maine
By Linda Tancs
Mink is an elusive animal in Isle au Haut, an island off the coast of Maine so remote that you need to take a mailboat from Stonington to get there. French explorer Samuel Champlain noted the island in 1604 and named it Isle au Haut (High Island) because it is the tallest island in Penobscot Bay. Not surprisingly, the year-round population is rather small (less than 100) but nonetheless dedicated to preserving their island way of life. This is the place to take a breather from the hustle and bustle of daily life–troll for seafood or native berries, or get lost in the park. About half the island, or 2,700 acres, is part of Acadia National Park. Techies needn’t worry. The Town Hall is equipped with free, high speed wireless internet access.
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Maine’s Leading Lady
By Linda Tancs
First lit on January 10, 1791, the Lighthouse at Portland Head is Maine’s leading lady according to visitors to the Pine Tree State. Situated in Cape Elizabeth, this postcard-worthy icon adorns the shores of Fort Williams Park, a 90-acre retreat offering magnificent views of Ram Island Ledge Light and the islands of Casco Bay. The park is open all year; the lighthouse museum opens daily during the summer season until mid-October.
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Ten Thousand Smokes
By Linda Tancs
The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes is a valley within Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska, a landscape created by the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. Open year round, hikers’ favorite destinations include the Baked Mountain Huts, Novarupta lava dome and Mount Griggs. But this time of year, Katmai is prized as one of the premier brown bear viewing areas in the world. This month’s viewing is particularly strong at Geographic Harbor and Funnel Creek. For guides and/or transportation to bear viewing areas, licensed commercial operators stand ready to assist you.
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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.
