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
To the Heights in Massachusetts
By Linda Tancs
At 3,491 feet, Mount Greylock is the highest point in Massachusetts. On a clear day, you can see as far as 90 miles away. Nowadays, Mount Greylock State Reservation is bursting with spring color. Shortly, you’ll also be able to take the high road (literally) to the peak via Rockwell Road, which is open seasonally. The crowning attraction is the Veterans War Memorial Tower, a 92-foot-tall granite tower dedicated to those who served the U.S. during World War I.
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Surf’s Up in New Jersey
By Linda Tancs
Home to the New Jersey Surfing Hall of Fame, the New Jersey Surf Museum is also one of the largest museums on the East Coast dedicated to surfing. Over 50 surfboards are on display, along with clothing, memorabilia and other information on surf culture. The venue is located at Tuckerton Seaport.
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Honoring NATO
By Linda Tancs
One of the longest running festivals in Virginia’s Hampton Roads region, the Norfolk NATO Festival is the only one of its kind in the United States honoring the NATO Alliance and its member nations. The festivities include a parade of nations, an international village featuring cultural performances, international art and cuisine and a military tattoo sporting an international cast of over 900, including bagpipers, drummers, military bands, dancers, singers, drill teams and color guards. This year’s event runs from April 20 to April 22 in downtown Norfolk.
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The Wonders of Delmarva
By Linda Tancs
The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula embracing the state of Delaware and the Eastern Shore counties of Maryland and Virginia. Its name derives from this tri-state reach (DelMarVa) of about 170 miles. It’s one of the earliest sites of European settlement and boasts a record of indigenous occupation since the last Ice Age. Among the many tourist destinations in the region, some highlights are Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, Ocean City in Maryland and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia.
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Alabama’s Light Show
By Linda Tancs
Designated a National Natural Landmark, Dismals Canyon is a sandstone gorge in Phil Campbell, Alabama. The key attraction are the fly larvae known locally as Dismalites, a bioluminescent species similar to the glowworms found in Oceania. Past twilight the canyon lights up with these creatures, and guided night tours allow visitors to see these unique insects. April and May represent one of two peak seasons for viewing (the other being September and October). Reservations are highly recommended, and be sure to bring a flashlight.
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A Weird Museum
By Linda Tancs
If you love museums dedicated to oddities and weirdness, then the Museum of the Weird in Austin, Texas, is for you. Operating in the tradition of a dime museum (an emporium for oddities and curios), the facility features attractions like shrunken heads, mummies and a cyclops pig. You’ll find it on 6th Street in the heart of downtown’s entertainment district.
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America’s Historic Pharmacy
By Linda Tancs
New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is an 1800s apothecary-turned-museum featuring 19th-century medicines and potions. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the nation’s first licensed pharmacist, Louis Dufilho Jr., practiced there. Tours are self-guided; no reservations are required. You’ll find it on Chartres Street in the French Quarter.
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The Lonesome Highway
By Linda Tancs
Lacking signs of intelligent life, the Lonesome Highway in Texas is aptly named. If you enjoy solitude, then take the drive along Highway 180 in West Texas, a route that brings you to the Guadalupe Mountains. Guadalupe Peak is the highest point in Texas, a signature feature of Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
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Gateway to the Endless Mountains
By Linda Tancs
Gateway to the Endless Mountains sounds like the title of a novel, but it’s actually a scenic byway in the Endless Mountains region of northeastern Pennsylvania. Running along US Highway 6 (Tunkhannock to Dushore), the mountain vistas do appear to be endless as are the hiking and birdwatching opportunities. The route is also known for spectacular views of the Susquehanna River.
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The Skinniest Skyscraper
By Linda Tancs
It’s like a supermodel, tall and thin. That’s a good way to think of New York City’s Steinway Tower, the world’s skinniest skyscraper. At 1,428 feet it’s the second-tallest residential tower in the Western Hemisphere and the thinnest skyscraper in the world with a ratio of width to height at 1-to-23 1/2. The tower is named for its locale, the former Steinway Hall, once a performance space of the famed piano makers. You’ll find the building along a stretch of Manhattan’s 57th Street known as “Billionaires’ Row.” That should give you an indication of the price tag attached to these digs with 360-degree views of the city.
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