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
Chicago’s Lightscape
By Linda Tancs
Lightscape is an enchanting holiday light show at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois, where a one-mile path of the 385-acre site is transformed into a light and sound installation this time of year. A particular favorite is the Cathedral of Light, a towering cathedral-window arch of 100,000 lights that extends along a 110-foot tunnel. Along the pathway, you’ll also find marshmallow-toasting fire cauldrons and refreshment stands. This year’s event runs until January 7, 2024.
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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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Florida’s Underwater Playground
By Linda Tancs
Encompassing nearly 70 nautical square miles in Key Largo, Florida, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is the first undersea park in the United States. As the name implies, the coral reef (the only living coral reef in the continental United States) is a key draw. The reef can be viewed via glass-bottom boat tour, snorkeling or scuba diving. Be sure to stop by the visitor center, which has a 30,000-gallon saltwater aquarium. The park is named for the late John D. Pennekamp, a Miami newspaper editor whose efforts contributed to the establishment of Everglades National Park and led to the preservation of the reef system bearing his name.
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The Horn on Crawford Hill
By Linda Tancs
Recognized as a National Historic Landmark for its role in confirming the Big Bang theory of the creation of the universe, the Horn Antenna in Holmdel, New Jersey, is located on the former Nokia site on Crawford Hill (the highest elevation in Monmouth County). The story begins with the research work of two radio astronomers, Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson. While using this antenna in 1965, they discovered the cosmic microwave background radiation that permeates the universe, contributing evidence for the Big Bang theory. The antenna’s horn shape allowed for precise pointing that aided greatly in conducting radio astronomy observations. Although no longer in use, the site is open to the public.
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Playing Games in Oklahoma
By Linda Tancs
It’s hard to imagine that a town with a population less than 500 could boast the world’s biggest anything, but that’s the case in Thackerville, Oklahoma. Thanks to WinStar World Casino and Resort, the quaint little town hosts the world’s biggest gaming floor. You’ll find the world’s largest collection of electronic games with over 8,500 of the best electronic games available, nearly 100 table games, a 55-table poker room and even a bingo hall. It’s about three times as large as the biggest casino in Las Vegas.
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The Ruby Mountains
By Linda Tancs
The Ruby Mountains are a mountain range primarily located in Elko County, Nevada. The color has nothing to do with geology; during the Gold Rush days, gems were discovered that were thought to be rubies but were actually garnet. Nowadays the prize is the vistas often compared to the Swiss Alps. Its alpine peaks culminate in a maximum elevation of 11,387 feet on the summit of Ruby Dome. Accessed via Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway, you’ll see dozens of alpine lakes, canyons, forest and wildlife. At the top of the byway you can pick up hikes of varying lengths along the Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail.
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All About Puppets
By Linda Tancs
A museum for all ages, the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, Georgia, explores the art form from ancient times to the present. It features a global gallery showing how puppetry has been used to communicate across different cultures as well as the Jim Henson Gallery. There you’ll find some of the inventor and puppeteer’s most beloved characters, including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and Big Bird. Rotating special exhibitions also take place throughout the year.
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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 Telephone Pole Farm
By Linda Tancs
A quirky yet iconic tourist attraction in Chester, New Jersey, the “telephone pole farm” on North Road hearkens back to the days when wooden telephone poles would be planted and tested for survival against the elements by comparing the effects of various chemical treatments. In this case, the outdoor laboratory site served one of the most famous research units in the world, Bell Labs. Today, the farm serves as a welcoming ambassador to the township’s Highlands Ridge Park, where you’ll find a portion of the Patriots’ Path, a multi-use trail system in Morris County.
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World’s Largest Popcorn Ball
By Linda Tancs
The world’s largest popcorn ball is located in Sac City, Iowa. The colossal structure measures 8 feet in diameter and tops out at a whopping 9,370 pounds. It’s displayed in its own custom shed at the edge of the Sac City Museum Village. While you’re there, be on the lookout for historic barns and corn cribs painted with colorful 8-foot-square quilt blocks. You can pick up a map of quilt locations at convenience stores in the county.
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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 Castle of Marietta
by Linda Tancs
Built in 1855, the Castle of Marietta is a Gothic Revival-style mansion in Marietta, Ohio. Before becoming a historical house museum in 1994, it was home to some of the city’s most prominent and influential citizens, including a lawyer, senator, banker and a land and oil speculator. Many of their furnishings are on display in the well-preserved rooms. Tours (available from April to December) include the first and second floors.
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A Fest of Love and Grease
By Linda Tancs
How many ways can you love bacon? Let us count the ways: bacon on a stick, chocolate-covered bacon, bacon burger, bacon cannoli, bacon Bloody Mary, bacon poutine, bacon sticky buns. That and more awaits you at PA Bacon Fest, an annual event in downtown Easton, Pennsylvania. Rounding out the festivities are activities like a bacon eating contest, live music, cooking demonstrations and a hog calling contest. This year’s event takes place on November 4 and 5.
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