Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!On the Water’s Edge
By Linda Tancs
Havre de Grace, Maryland bills itself as unique on the Chesapeake. Just five minutes off I-95 between Baltimore, Maryland and Wilmington, Delaware, the little city by the bay offers a plethora of things to do. Why not take a stroll along the boardwalk, where the Susquehanna River meets the Chesapeake Bay. Or check out the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy system, a system of buoys placed along portions of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The region is rich in maritime heritage. Visit the lock house museum for the story of the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal or take in a lecture at the maritime museum. You can even visit a museum dedicated to decoy carving, or take an educational excursion aboard the Skipjack Martha Lewis, one of the last remaining working dredge boats comprising the Chesapeake Bay oyster fleet.
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Boston’s Oldest Light
By Linda Tancs
For an unforgettable view of Boston Harbor, visit Boston’s oldest lighthouse–also the oldest and first one in the U.S.–at Little Brewster Island. This is the last lighthouse to retain a U.S. Coast Guard keeper. The historic Fresnel lens is worth the climb up 76 steps and two ladders. You’re sure to find a tour illuminating.
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The Tiniest Drawbridge in the World
By Linda Tancs
Two half spans separated by a 22-inch-wide plank. That’s reputedly the smallest drawbridge in the world. Located in Sandys Parish in Bermuda, the Somerset Bridge is a charming little attraction. You can follow it to the railroad trail, the remains of the old Bermuda railway system that existed between 1931 and 1948.
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St. Tropez of Uruguay
By Linda Tancs
Punta del Este is regarded as the St. Tropez of Uruguay. Less than two hours from Montevideo, the tiny peninsula offers enough glitz and glamor to rival its French counterpart. Twenty miles of pristine beaches, resorts, condos and nightlife attract the jetset and, during the fast-approaching high season (December to March), there are fashion shows, a film festival, a jazz festival, rodeos and regattas to attend. If you prefer quiet enjoyment of the surf and sand, then take in a natural tour by biking, horseback riding or bird watching in the cooler months, April through November.
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Dive in at Stoney Cove
By Linda Tancs
England’s Leicestershire might not strike you as the underwater diving capital of the country, but its dive school at Stoney Cove National Diving Centre in Leicester boasts modern classrooms and a heated indoor pool. Enthusiasts should make haste to see the Elizabethan shipwreck, the latest underwater attraction recently transported there to complement their assorted collection of boats and planes.
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A Home Run in Cooperstown
By Linda Tancs
Cooperstown, New York is the birthplace of baseball–the national pastime–and home to its museum. But did you know that it’s also a treasure trove for shoppers, opera and museum lovers, and theatre and concert goers? For instance, Fenimore Art Museum, one of the nation’s premier art institutions, is located here. This neo-Georgian dwelling houses a significant collection of American folk art and American Indian art, as well as important holdings in decorative arts, photography and modern art. The museum is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, presenting On the Home Front: New York in the Civil War.
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An Amazing Ride in Canada
By Linda Tancs
Icefields Parkway in the Canadian Rockies is a gorgeous mountain highway between Banff and Jasper national parks. Aptly named, you will see ancient icefields, covering majestic peaks like Mount Chephren. Of course, you can simply enjoy the five-hour one-way ride, or stop and enjoy the hikes, glaciers or wildlife viewing including bears, moose and caribou. The road is open year round, but the service stations are closed from October to May from end to end. Don’t let that stop you. Try a short guided tour, like Lake Louise to Bow Summit, the highest point on the parkway.
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An Eco Lesson for Kids
By Linda Tancs
Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa, located on a beautiful white sand beach
in Riviera Maya, is one of the hottest destinations these days in Mexico. Because of its quiet location in the middle of a lush green area at the edge of the Riviera Maya exotic jungle surrounded by cenotes, mangroves and natural lagoons, the hotel caters to families. Of course, you’ll find a water park, video games, a jungle gym, trampoline and a bouncy castle. But the resort also boasts eco activities for children focused on teaching them to live in harmony with nature, like Sandos Planet, an educational program explaining the effect of our everyday actions on the land, oceans and atmosphere. We could all use a lesson like that.
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Tingo is Bingo
By Linda Tancs
Worried about spending too much on that hotel room? Are you biding your time watching the rates like a hawk, hoping to hit the jackpot? Tingo takes the worry and hassle out of hotel bookings. You’ll get a refund if the rate goes down after you book a “Money Back” room and an automatic re-booking at the lower rate. Your booking is protected as well if the rate goes up. Tingo has already saved consumers over $58,000. Will you be next?
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Where Conifers Reign
By Linda Tancs
England’s Bedgebury National Pinetum is home to an internationally renowned conifer collection, the most complete in the world, with over 9000 trees covering 350 acres. An hour away from London, Bedgebury is close to the Kent/East Sussex border. Voted “Best Picnic Site in the South,” the serene environs also beckon hikers, cyclists, horse riders and zipliners.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 