Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!America’s Garden
By Linda Tancs
The U.S. Botanic Garden is America’s garden, originally established on the National Mall in 1820. The facility is the product of a dream shared by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison to create a resource for the study and collection of plants. One of the oldest botanic gardens in North America, it’s recognized as a living plant museum and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The complex is now located along the north and south sides of Independence Avenue bordered by First Street and Third Street, SW. The Garden includes the Conservatory, housing collections of plants from subtropical, tropical and arid regions around the world; the National Garden, featuring the Rose Garden, the Butterfly Garden and the First Ladies Water Garden; and Bartholdi Park, where visitors will find a tapestry of theme gardens surrounding the historic Bartholdi Fountain.
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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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On Edge in Hudson Yards
By Linda Tancs
If you’re into edgy experiences, then maybe New York City’s Edge is for you, touted as the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere. Your adventure awaits 1,100 feet in the air on a glass floor suspended 80 feet mid-air surrounded by angled glass walls. It offers enviable 360-degree views of the city thanks to its location at Hudson Yards on the western side of Manhattan. At the Eastern Point of the lookout, one visitor at a time can plant their feet above the beating heart of NYC, enveloped by nothing but glass, air and sky. Every visitor to Edge will receive a free digital photo or you can upgrade to a personalized photo book.
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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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Maine to Florida
By Linda Tancs
It makes sense that the East Coast, the country’s most populous corridor, should have a path for walkers and cyclists to experience all that the region has to offer. Enter the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile network connecting 450 communities in 15 states, Maine to Florida. Designed to encourage people of all ages and abilities to commute, exercise and tour, the trail network features destinations like the Scarborough Marsh in Maine (the largest saltwater marsh in the state), the Hudson River Greenway in New York City (running the length of Manhattan) and South Carolina’s Spanish Moss Trail, the focal point of which is the old Beaufort rail depot of 1901.
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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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A First in Hyde Park
By Linda Tancs
The Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site is the only national historic site dedicated to a first lady. It’s located at Val-Kill, her beloved home in Hyde Park, New York. At this modest, pastoral setting the first lady and her husband entertained friends and political affiliates alike. It was also at this locale that Eleanor launched Val-Kill Industries, dedicated to reviving handcraft traditions such as furniture-making, metalwork and weaving. The National Park Service has assembled a comprehensive collection of furniture, pewter, tools and archival material related to this business venture. Visitors can tour the cottage and its gardens and grounds as well as enjoy an introductory film and a permanent exhibit on her legacy.
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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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England’s Roaring Meg
By Linda Tancs
Overlooking an ancient crossing point of the river Wye, England’s Goodrich Castle was a thriving medieval household. It takes its name from an English landowner, Godric, who built the first castle in the late 11th century. In 1646 the castle was the scene of one of the most hard-fought sieges of the English Civil War. The Royalist garrison there surrendered after a two-month bombardment with Parliament’s locally made cannon known as Roaring Meg. The only surviving mortar from the war, it is now on display in the castle courtyard.
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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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City of the Dead
By Linda Tancs
At first glance, the Russian village of Dargavs seems like an enchanting village of medieval stone houses hidden away in the foothills of the Caucasus mountains. That belies its actual function as a necropolis, the tidy stone houses being above-ground crypts for over 10,000 of the dearly departed dating to the 16th century. Other reports indicate that the crypts were used as a quarantine location for plague victims in the 17th and 18th centuries. Just over the border from the Republic of Georgia, the remoteness of the valley almost guarantees a serene experience. Although only 18 miles outside of Vladikavkaz, much of the drive is on gravel mountain roads and takes more than an hour.
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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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Texas Mound Builders
By Linda Tancs
“Mound builders” comprised various cultural groups responsible for building earthen mounds for religious, ceremonial, burial and residential purposes over thousands of years. One such group was the Caddo Indians known as the Hasinai, who built the southwesternmost ceremonial center for the mound builder culture in Texas. That ancient culture dating back more than 1,200 years is commemorated at Caddo Mounds State Historic Site in Alto, where three earthen mounds are displayed. The Caddo were the most highly developed prehistoric culture known within the present State of Texas. In fact, the state’s name is derived from the Caddo word tejas, which means “friend.” Visitors can walk the 0.7 mile, self-guided interpretive trail that includes the grass house, mounds and borrow pit. The site is part of the Texas Forest Trail Region.
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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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Rim-Side at the Canyon
By Linda Tancs
A canyon that is 277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide and a mile deep is what comprises Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park. Don’t be challenged by its immensity; there are ways to take in all that grandeur. One option is the Grand Canyon Greenway Trail, a 13-mile, paved pathway for biking and walking, offering a rim-side view of the canyon and providing access to numerous scenic viewpoints and landmarks in the park. One of those attractions is Grand Canyon Village, a historical landmark boasting sites like Hopi House (built like a Hopi pueblo), the old railroad depot and Buckey O’Neill Cabin, considered the oldest continuously standing structure on the South Rim.
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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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Goethe Slept Here
By Linda Tancs
You can imagine the pride that a tiny resort town would have when a famous writer and statesman like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe drops in for a night. Such was the case for Torbole, Italy. Located on the shore of Lake Garda, the hole-in-the-wall commemorated the illustrious visit in the 1700s with a plaque on the guest house in the town center. Nowadays it’s best remembered, and prized, as an international center for windsurfing and sailing thanks to constant winds hailing from the Monte Baldo mountain range as well as the lake.
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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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Ireland’s Famine Way
By Linda Tancs
In 1847 a famine arising from a potato blight threatened the Irish with total extinction. Among the millions who either died or emigrated, a group of 1,490 tenants who were forcefully evicted from Strokestown Park in County Roscommon walked a path toward Dublin to board emigration ships. Their route is commemorated in the National Famine Way, a walking trail comprising 103 miles, connecting the National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park House with the Famine Memorial on Custom House Quay in Dublin along the banks of the Royal Canal. The waymarked trail takes about six days to complete.
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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 