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
A Flooded Forest in Tennessee
By Linda Tancs
Tennessee’s Reelfoot Lake State Park has an ecosystem unlike any other in the state. That’s because it’s a flooded forest, resulting from a series of violent earthquakes in the early 1800s that caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards for a short period of time, which created the lake. A variety of aquatic plants and flowers occupy the shoreline and saturate the shallow water, together with towering cypress trees with submerged stumps. As you might expect, the lake also hosts an array of shore and wading birds as well as eagles. Boating is a key activity here; scenic pontoon boat tours are offered May through September.
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An Eagle’s Nest in New York
By Linda Tancs
William K. Vanderbilt II (“Willie”) was a member of the prominent and prosperous Vanderbilt family. Among his many estates is Eagle’s Nest in Centerport, New York. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was built initially in 1910 as a small English cottage and grew over the decades into the 24-room, Spanish-Revival mansion that is seen today. A world traveler, the home’s museum space showcases his collection of fish and other marine life, birds, invertebrates and cultural artifacts. The home and its museum, together with a planetarium, comprise the 43-acre waterfront Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium complex. General admission tickets can be purchased online but do not included guided tours of the estate grounds and private rooms of the mansion (available at the admissions booth) and planetarium shows (available separately).
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Following the Carolina Coastline
By Linda Tancs
North Carolina’s Outer Banks National Scenic Byway follows the coastline as it juts into the Atlantic Ocean. Beginning at the northern end of the Outer Banks and ending in Harkers Island, you can drive its 138 miles without exploring the wild and scenic coastal landscape, but why would you? The area is home to two national seashores, four iconic lighthouses, two wildlife refuges and 21 coastal villages. Don’t miss the opportunity to soak up the heritage of these maritime towns. Enjoy the summertime “front porch talks” by villagers in Ocracoke at the David Williams House and the unique flared hulls of boats in Harkers Island.
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The World’s Longest Yard Sale
By Linda Tancs
Spanning the states of Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, Lookout Mountain Parkway is a 93-mile drive with an abundance of natural wonders and quaint towns. This time of year it’s best known for what’s dubbed “the world’s longest yard sale.” A sight to behold, you’ll find over 5,000 yard sale vendors lining the parkway as well as the US 127 corridor, offering a staggering 690 miles of bargains on just about anything. This year’s sale takes place from August 4 to August 7.
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Vintage Cars in Grapevine
By Linda Tancs
Located in the heart of historic downtown Grapevine, Texas, the Grapevine Vintage Railroad offers an authentic experience aboard 1920s-era Victorian coaches. The excursion moves through six different cities in Tarrant County before ending in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards. Once there, riders will have the opportunity to explore the stockyards before re-boarding to return to Grapevine. The standard excursion runs from April to November. Specialty rides occur at other times of the year.
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A Beacon in Ohio
By Linda Tancs
First lit in 1822, Ohio’s 50-foot limestone tower on the eastern end of Marblehead Peninsula is the oldest, continuously operating lighthouse on the U.S. shores of the Great Lakes. A Lake Erie attraction, it’s one of its best known and most photographed landmarks and the centerpiece of Marblehead Lighthouse State Park. At this time of year (until Labor Day), you can climb 77 steps to the top of the tower for a nominal fee, where you’ll be rewarded with extraordinary views of Lake Erie, Sandusky Bay, Kelleys Island, South Bass Island and Cedar Point. The park grounds are open year round.
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A Most Unusual Lighthouse
By Linda Tancs
One of the last lighthouses built in New England, New London Ledge Lighthouse in Connecticut isn’t what you’d expect. Far from the usual conical variety, it was built in 1909 in the Second Empire style, featuring red brick, a mansard roof and granite detailing. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the house-like structure was intended to mimic the grand style of homes on the coast, at the insistence of their wealthy owners. Located at the mouth of New London Harbor, it can be reached via boat tours offered by Custom House Maritime Museum.
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At the Mouth of the Delaware Bay
By Linda Tancs
Delaware’s Cape Henlopen State Park sits at the mouth of the Delaware Bay. With over 6 miles of coastal habitat, it offers dunes, maritime forests and wetlands. Strategically, its point (where the bay meets the Atlantic Ocean) led to the creation of Fort Miles during World War II. Military history buffs will love the artillery collection at the site, which includes one of the deck guns from USS Missouri. The Point Overlook is a great place to view birds, seals and dolphins, particularly those that congregate around the East End and Harbor of Refuge lighthouses.
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Museum of the North
By Linda Tancs
Located on the Fairbanks campus of the University of Alaska, the Museum of the North is the state’s only research and teaching museum. Featuring an astounding 2.5 million artifacts and specimens, the museum’s exhibits are the best introduction to Alaska’s diverse wildlife, people and landscapes. Highlights include a 2,000-year spectrum of Alaska art, the state’s largest public display of gold and a 50,000-year-old mummified steppe bison. The facility is open year-round, but this time of year you’ll enjoy the midnight sun and warmer weather.
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The Little Smokies
By Linda Tancs
Indiana’s Brown County encompasses nearly 16,000 acres of rugged hills, ridges and ravines. Its similarity to the Great Smoky Mountains earned it the moniker “the little Smokies.” That’s just one reason to visit Brown County State Park, the largest park in the state. The vistas are so incredible that park officials even sponsored a “7 Vista Challenge.” Some of the most popular views are found at Hesitation Point, the fire tower (the highest point in the county at 1,058 feet above sea level) and Hohen Point, where unglaciated sandstone dominates the terrain.
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