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
New York’s Palisades
By Linda Tancs
On the west side of the Hudson River, New York’s Palisades region is rich in spectacular views. That’s especially true at Bear Mountain State Park. Situated in rugged mountains, you’ll enjoy panoramic vistas from Perkins Memorial Tower (in season). This time of year appeals to cross-country skiers and ice skaters, but a year-round visit awaits at the Trailside Museums and Zoo. The attraction features native turtles, snakes, frogs, toads, salamanders, skinks and many species of fish along with geologic formations. The park is an easy day trip from New York City.
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The History of Height
By Linda Tancs
The first tall building in New York to use metal-cage construction was the Tower Building in 1889. Demolished in 1914, you might think of it as New York City’s first skyscraper although it wasn’t the tallest building at 11 stories. It’s fair to say that the city has continued its love affair with tall, slender buildings since then. You can explore the history of the city’s skyline at the Skyscraper Museum. The facility is located at Battery Park City, with the skyline of Lower Manhattan conveniently providing its backdrop.
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The Civil Rights Trail
By Linda Tancs
Established in 2018, the U.S. Civil Rights Trail spans 15 states and the District of Columbia. It charts the course of the Civil Rights Movement, beginning with the site of school integration and ending at the Supreme Court. Along the way is a collection of churches, courthouses, schools, museums and other landmarks defining the quest for social justice. Nearly a quarter of the 100-plus sites are in Alabama, considered by many to be ground zero for the movement. Famous sites include the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama; Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas; the Greensboro, North Carolina, Woolworth’s where sit-ins began; the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee; and Dr. King’s birthplace in Atlanta. Check the trail’s website often for the addition of new cities and sites.
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Art in Brick City
By Linda Tancs
Brick City is a nickname for Newark, the largest city in New Jersey, so-named reputedly for the tall, brick buildings that arose decades ago as affordable housing for the growing populace. Brick City Stories is a virtual place created by The Newark Museum of Art (the state’s largest museum) to connect with the local arts community. It’s one of many features offered by the museum, which houses a formidable collection of American art, decorative arts, contemporary art and arts of Asia, Africa, the Americas and the ancient world. Located on Washington Street, you’ll find ample programming for adults, educators, youth and families.
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West of Key West
By Linda Tancs
Seventy miles west of Key West, Dry Tortugas National Park is accessible only by a daily ferry, private boats, charter boats or seaplane. It’s worth the effort, considering that one of the nation’s largest 19th- century forts (Fort Jefferson) is there. This 100-square-mile park is mostly open water with seven small islands. With so little dry ground, it’s best to see it by swimming, snorkeling or diving. Your reward will be corals and seagrass communities among the most vibrant in the Florida Keys.
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Nashville’s Hottest New Spot
By Linda Tancs
Years in the making, the National Museum of African American Music is now a part of the fabric of the music scene in Nashville, Tennessee. Located downtown on Broadway, it’s the only museum dedicated to preserving the legacy and celebrating the accomplishments of the many music genres created, influenced or inspired by African Americans. Over 50 genres and subgenres of music, including spirituals, blues, jazz, gospel, R&B and hip-hop, can be explored throughout five different galleries. Timed tours run throughout the day every 30 minutes.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Monument to the Forefathers
By Linda Tancs
Today is Forefathers’ Day in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Celebrated each year on December 22, it commemorates the arrival of the Mayflower pilgrims ashore on December 21, 1620. Sounds like the perfect day to visit the National Monument to the Forefathers. Located on Allerton Street, it’s thought to be the largest solid granite monument in the country at 81 feet. The allegorical figures around its base depict the attributes of faith, morality, education, law and liberty.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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The Women’s Titanic Memorial
By Linda Tancs
Memorials to RMS Titanic are located around the world in cities like New York, Southampton, Cobh and Belfast. What’s unique about the memorial in Washington, D.C., is its dedication by the women of America. Indeed, funds for its construction were raised by donations from women across the country, including one of the first-class survivors, Mrs. Archibald Forbes. The memorial was unveiled in 1931 by Helen Taft, widow of the 27th U.S. President William Howard Taft. Like an eagle with outstretched wings, the moving centerpiece of the memorial is a 13-foot-tall figure of a partly clad male with arms outstretched, standing on a square base. That’s because the structure honors the men who gave their lives so that women and children might be saved. Tucked away along the city’s quiet southwest waterfront, the memorial is located on 4th and P streets.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Where Language Comes to Life
By Linda Tancs
If you love words, language and reading, then Planet Word is the place for you. Located on K Street in Washington, D.C., it’s touted as a museum where language comes to life. The facility is situated in the Franklin School, a National Historic Landmark named for Benjamin Franklin that had become the flagship school for Washington’s public school system. The museum features a speaking willow tree and a talking wall of words reaching 22 feet in height. The interactive exhibits encourage visitors to explore the origins of English and other languages and to speak, read and sing various texts. The experience is self guided, and admission is free.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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The Story of Humans in New Mexico
By Linda Tancs
The first public museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Maxwell Museum of Anthropology is dedicated to telling the history of humankind. Although their catalog includes vast anthropological collections and archives from around the world, the majority of their 3 million objects comes from the U.S. Southwest. They even boast a skeletal collection of people who have donated their remains to the museum for study and teaching. The facility is located on the University of New Mexico campus.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 