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
Just Peachy
By Linda Tancs
Where else but in Peach County, Georgia would you expect to find Georgia’s Peach Festival. Taking place in Byron and Fort Valley from 3 to 11 June, the highlight of the proceedings is the debut of the World’s Largest Peach Cobbler–11 by five feet and about eight inches deep –made from 90 pounds of butter, 150 pounds of sugar, 150 pounds of flour, 32 gallons of milk and 75 gallons of delectable Georgia peaches. What’s your favorite peach recipe? Post it here.
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A Place of Quiet Beauty
By Linda Tancs
Pebble Hill plantation in Thomasville, Georgia bills itself as “a place of quiet beauty.” There certainly is plenty of ground for quiet reflection. Amidst the hallmark pines that define the plantation’s landscape, The Main House is framed with numerous camellia bushes, dogwoods, magnolias, azaleas, tea olives, and Cherokee roses. Near the North entrance to the House is a wonderful crepe myrtle tree, perfect for contemplating life plans. The Uno Hill Barn grounds offer views of the serenity of the piney woods. Or you could just marvel at the plantation’s substantial famed collection of prints from the first edition of Audubon’s Birds of North America. There’s plenty to do; come early, stay late.
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King Biscuit
By Linda Tancs
They’ll be raising lots of dough from 27 to 28 May in Knoxville, Tennessee at the International Biscuit Festival. Celebrating the heart of comfort food in downtown Market Square, you can sample the fare along Biscuit Boulevard and decide who earns the title of Best Biscuit. For those who lose the crown this year, there’s always the bake-off. Last year’s winner saluted one of Elvis’s favorite dishes comprising peanut butter, banana and bacon. Every biscuit tells a story. The songwriting competition gives you a chance to share yours. Post your lyrics here.
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Jambalaya Jamboree
By Linda Tancs
Gonzalez, Louisiana is the “Jambalaya Capital of the World.” From 26 to 29 May the area hosts its annual Jambalaya Festival and World Champion Jambalaya Cooking event. A Cajun/Creole dish made from a mixture of meats, rice and seasonings, jambalaya is a southern Louisiana delight. The jambalaya cooking contest draws contestants the world over for the coveted title. Do you have a favorite jambalaya recipe? Share it here.
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A Haven for Wild Horses
By Linda Tancs
For hundreds of years wild horses have lived on the shores of Maryland’s Assateague Island, their native habitat preserved through miles of fencing to protect them against contact with contemporary means of transportation. You can use those means, though, to meander peacefully among the sanctuary and observe them as nature intended, along with eagles, osprey, falcons, dolphins, sting rangs and a host of other species living along the coastline. The Pony Express Nature Cruise is available now through 9 October. Get there via Chincoteague, Virginia or Ocean City, Maryland, the gateways to Assateague.
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Fine Wines in the Foothills
By Linda Tancs
The foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in Walland, Tennessee may seem like the least likely place to yield up an epicurious haven. Yet that’s exactly what you get at Blackberry Farm, one of America’s most celebrated intimate luxury hotels set on 4200 acres. Now through 22 May the greatest producers in the world of wine make for a rare gathering at the Farm at the second annual Hospice du Rhone event. Featuring Christophe Baron, Greg Harrington, John Lancaster, Robert Perkins, Sara Perez and Rene Barbier, these giants of Rhone will share their knowledge and special vintages with oenophiles. Life on the farm never tasted so sweet.
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Putting the Glam in Camp
By Linda Tancs
For many of us, camping likely conjures up memories of pup tents, oversized sleeping bags and roasted marshmallows on a stick. Oh, how times have changed. Camping has gone glam. Glamping, or glamorous camping, is outdoors life taken to a luxe level, featuring luxury tents, fine wines, gourmet food and, of course, outdoor adventure. Are you ready for some glam in your camp?
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Getting Down in the Ozarks
By Linda Tancs
Eureka Springs, Arkansas is home to the hoe-down. The fourth longest running show in the Ozarks, the music theatre is celebrating 30 years! Full of country, gospel and bluegrass music, the show is good clean fun for the whole family. So is the 24th annual Eureka Springs May Festival of the Arts, celebrating local artistry in all its fors during the month of May. There are also the dinosaurs, aviaries of exotic birds, ghosts, a complete model railroad for up-close viewing and an award-winning glass chapel in the woods. Less than an hour from Branson, but hey, with all this to do, who’s rushing?
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The Strawberry Gateway
By Linda Tancs
Strawberry Point, Iowa is home to the world’s largest–what else–strawberry. A gateway to Northeast Iowa, you get the best of two worlds. On the one hand, you’ll see the flat lands to the South and West; scenic rolling hills are to the North and East. Besides the obligatory photo in town beside the World’s Largest Strawberry, there’s plenty else to see in Clayton County. The kids will love Spook Cave, offering 35-minute tours. Nearby is the campground, featuring locally handcrafted Amish log cabins. Looking for something less rustic? Then visit the Franklin Hotel, a slice of quintessential small town charm.
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Secrets of the Silk Road
By Linda Tancs
The formidable Silk Road was a trading route of ancient Chinese civilization. The 7000-mile route stretched from China and India to the Middle East and parts of Africa and southern Europe. Amidst this terrain was the Tarim Basin, the second largest desert in the world. Located at the crossroads of the Silk Road, artifacts recovered from the area, like mummies and masks, suggest the area was active for thousands of years. Exhibits showcasing the diverse languages, lifestyles, religions, and cultures of the remote area are on display through 5 June at the Penn Museum, formally known as the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia.
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