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
The Cape of Florida
By Linda Tancs
Cape Florida (also known as the Cape of Florida) was named by explorer Ponce de Leon during the first Spanish expedition to Florida in 1513. It’s where you’ll find Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, just minutes from downtown Miami on the tip of Key Biscayne. The centerpiece of the park is Cape Florida Lighthouse, the oldest structure in Greater Miami and a veritable time capsule of state history. Dating to 1825, it’s on the National Register of Historic Places, old enough to have featured in an attack by Native Americans during the Second Seminole War. Its wrap-around balcony offers some of the most stunning views of Key Biscayne, Miami Beach, the Atlantic Ocean and Stiltsville, a collection of stilt houses perched on sand flats a mile offshore.
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Spooked in Staten Island
By Linda Tancs
It seems fitting that an allegedly haunted mansion in Staten Island, New York, should be located on Arthur Kill Road, particularly considering that the house was an actual murder scene. The property in question is what remains of Kreischer Mansion, a wood-frame house in the American Queen Anne style built by German immigrant and brick magnate Balthasar Kreischer circa 1885. The home’s ghostly vibe could be attributed to one or more unfortunate events taking place there: a suicide of one of Kreischer’s sons in the late 1800s and a killing for hire in 2005. The eeriness lends itself to an annual horror fest around Halloween as well as haunt tours.
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The Trail that Bourbon Built
By Linda Tancs
Right now almost 11 million barrels of bourbon are aging in Kentucky, the world’s foremost producer. A type of barrel-aged American whisky made primarily from corn, Congress declared it an indigenous product of the United States, meaning that no other country can make a product and call it bourbon. You can trek through the Bluegrass State on a bourbon trail that will take you to 18 distilleries. That’s a lot of sipping and savoring, so put your feet up along the way at a variety of inns and hotels like the Old Talbott Tavern (home to the world’s oldest bourbon bar) in Bardstown, where they’ve been welcoming guests since 1779.
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A Natural Wonder of Georgia
By Linda Tancs
Touted as one of Georgia’s “Seven Natural Wonders,” Okefenokee Swamp (the largest blackwater wetland ecosystem in North America) is protected by the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. A great way to tour the area is via the Auto Tour Route (also known as Swamp Island Drive). The 7-mile paved road provides access to several hiking trails as well as Chesser Island Boardwalk, where you’ll find the Owl’s Roost Tower and its unparalleled view of the swamp prairies and the Okefenokee Wilderness. There are three major entrances and two secondary entrances to the refuge, the main one being near Folkston, where the Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center will orient you to all that the site has to offer.
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Dignity in South Dakota
By Linda Tancs
Located on a bluff between exits 263 and 265 on Interstate 90 near Chamberlain, South Dakota, is a massive stainless steel sculpture honoring the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota people. Known as Dignity, the 50-foot-tall Native American woman is cast in attire patterned after a two-hide dress of the 1850s. She holds outstretched a quilt featuring 128 stainless steel blue diamond shapes that glitter in the sun. At night, LED lights cause the diamond shapes to glow in the night sky. Easily visible from the interstate, the adjoining rest area and ample parking lot make it very accessible. Enjoy sweeping views of the Missouri River and the South Dakota landscape.
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Seafaring History in Connecticut
By Linda Tancs
Sprawling across 19 acres of Mystic River shoreline, Connecticut’s Mystic Seaport is the largest maritime museum in the United States. Of particular note is its collection of historic sailing vessels, four of which have National Historic Landmark status: the Morgan (the world’s last surviving wooden whaleship in the world), Dunton (the last example of an early 20th-century New England fishing vessel), Sabino and Emma C. Berry. The site is also distinctive for its recreated 19th-century seafaring village, comprising actual trade shops and businesses from the 1800s that were transported to Mystic Seaport from locations around New England. Among other things, you’ll discover demonstrations of maritime trades, from shipsmiths and coopers to woodcarvers and riggers. About 10 miles east of New London, the venue is widely accessible via bus, boat, train, car or ferry.
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A Theme Park with Southern Charm
By Linda Tancs
Surrounded by breathtaking views of the Great Smoky Mountains, Dollywood is an attraction touted as the only theme park with southern charm. Partly owned by entertainer Dolly Parton, it was also recently ranked the No. 1 theme park in the United States. Located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the park highlights the rich heritage and artistry of the Smokies with mountain music and craftsmen demonstrations. A family-friendly resort, it also boasts more than 40 rides and attractions, including the opening this year of Big Bear Mountain, the longest roller coaster in the park. This time of year the Harvest Festival features a 40-foot-tall pumpkin tree, a larger-than-life glowing owl and over 12,000 illuminated pumpkins. The event runs today through October 30.
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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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Celebrating Mayberry
By Linda Tancs
Performer Andy Griffith (star of the 1960s hit series The Andy Griffith Show) grew up in Mount Airy, North Carolina. The quaint town served as inspiration for Mayberry, the setting for the TV show. Fans of the show can visit the familiar haunts like Floyd’s barber shop, the jail, Snappy Lunch and even Andy’s childhood home. You can even take a tour in a vintage squad car as seen on the series. This time of year the bygone era represented by Mayberry is celebrated during a festival with events taking place at or around the Andy Griffith Playhouse, the Historic Earle Theatre, the Andy Griffith Museum Theatre (below the museum) or at the Blackmon Amphitheatre. This year’s festival runs from September 18 to September 24.
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Where Rock Lives
By Linda Tancs
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, sometimes simply referred to as Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The only museum devoted to the story of rock and roll, it’s particularly known for its ceremony honoring hall of fame inductees, whose stories are showcased in the museum through immersive displays. Boasting the most impressive collection of memorabilia ever assembled, the 150,000 square-foot museum features seven floors and four theaters for films as well as temporary, traveling installations. And, in case you were wondering, Cleveland DJ Alan Freed is credited with coining the term “rock ‘n’ roll” on his radio show in 1951.
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American Beach
By Linda Tancs
Located on Florida’s Amelia Island, American Beach was a haven for Blacks during the Jim Crow era. The beach was co-founded by A.L. Lewis, the state’s first Black millionaire. At the A.L. Lewis Museum, you can learn about the history of the beach and its famous visitors, from 1935 to the present day. Landmarks remain on the site despite the proliferation of golf and vacation resorts, including the first home (owned by A.L. Lewis) as well as the second home erected on the beach, known as Ervin’s Rest.
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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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