Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Cruising Solo
By Linda Tancs
If you’d like to cruise solo but don’t want a specialty cruise for singles and/or a roommate, then Norwegian’s Epic may be the solution. Designed for the solo traveler, its studio accommodation offers singles a roomy and flexible environment, with many studios connecting for those seeking privacy yet also traveling with friends or family members. Better still, the rooms come with private access to the Studio Lounge, a place for coffee, cocktails and meet-ups, offering singles the opportunity for a singular experience. You asked, they answered.
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Scaling the Heights in West Virginia
By Linda Tancs
At a dizzying 876-foot drop to the river below, West Virginia’s New River Gorge Bridge is the longest steel span in the western hemisphere and the second highest in the United States. Located on U. S. Route 19 just north of Fayetteville, the engineering marvel (featured on the state’s commemorative quarter issued in 2005) lures visitors to cross the catwalk, jump and rappel each October on the third Saturday, Bridge Day. Afraid of heights? No worries. Enjoy the farmer’s market, cornbread and chili cook-off and car show, to name just a few events. The jumpers and rappelers could no doubt use a little moral support, too.
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Fun in a Nutshell
By Linda Tancs
Why would some 200,000 people from as far north as Canada gather in Suffolk, Virginia over a peanut? Well, maybe it’s the all-you-can-eat steamed shrimp on 6 October kicking off the four-day Suffolk Peanut Festival. Or maybe it’s the Friday night demolition derby. There’s a fireworks extravaganza on Saturday night, and the roar of motorcycles on Sunday at the rally. You see, it’s not all about peanuts although they’re obviously nutty about the little legume.
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Celebrate the Sweet Potato in South Carolina
By Linda Tancs
In the southeastern U.S., the sweet potato is, as the saying goes, as American as motherhood and apple pie. Its illustrious heritage here began around 1543 when Spanish explorers found sweet potatoes growing in what became Louisiana. In Colonial days sweet potatoes were an item of trade and were shipped from large Carolina plantations to northern cities. Later, during the Civil War, the sweet potato became one of many substitutes for coffee by being dried, parched, ground and brewed. Is it any wonder, then, that such a storied and useful vegetable would be celebrated each year in Darlington, South Carolina. On 8 October on the Public Square in Darlington is the annual Sweet Potato Festival, where over 17,000 tater-lovin’ folks will gather for crafts, music, live entertainment, a car show and plenty of food, including–of course–sweet potato pie. Do you have a favorite sweet potato recipe? Share it in the comments section.
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Step Back in Time in New Jersey
By Linda Tancs
The town of Belvidere, New Jersey, located at the junction of the Delaware and Pequest rivers in Warren County, offers visitors a step back in time to the Gilded Age. The town’s growth in river transport, mining, farming, and retail coincided with the trend-setting movements in fashion, culture and architecture under Queen Victoria’s reign. The young town, incorporated just within years following the ascension of England’s Queen Victoria to the throne, embodies the legacy of this bygone era. More than 100 of the town’s residential, commercial, and municipal structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, many of them reflecting classic Victorian architecture. You’ll also find examples of such styles as a Swedish vertical log cabin, carpenter Gothic and Tuscan. Several boutique shops offer Victorian era clothing and furnishings, both authentic and reproductions. You can learn about Victorian era mourning and burial customs through a guided walk of the historic cemetery. There’s so much to do and see you might as well stay the night at the Hotel Belvidere in one of their period rooms. Sweet dreams.
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Cancun’s Underwater Museum
By Linda Tancs
The warm, white powdery sand beaches and turquoise crystal clear waters of Cancun might tempt you to just bury your head in the sand. You’ll see much more if you dunk your head in the water instead. Cancun’s underwater museum offers an interesting array of 400 original sculptures in depths ranging from 9 to 20 feet, offering snorkelers and scuba divers alike easy access to the collection. The sculptures, including a cement replica of the classic Volkswagen Beetle, are all designed to become artificial reefs.
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The Land of Enchantment
By Linda Tancs
New Mexico is a state in the southwestern U.S., a terrain of mountains, high plains and desert so captivating it earns its nickname as the land of enchantment. You’ll be sure to expand your horizons (literally speaking) with visits to places as diverse as the ancient Carlsbad Caverns, the white sand dunes at White Sands National Monument and the highest point at Wheeler Peak northeast of Taos. Learn more at Travelrific® Radio.
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The World Series of Barbecue
By Linda Tancs
All hail the king of barbecue: Kansas City, Missouri’s American Royal is the largest barbecue contest in the world. Beginning tomorrow through 2 October, this four-day annual food festival in Kansas City’s historic Stockyards District is part of the competitive circuit where nearly 500 teams compete in four meat categories. Of course, what’s a barbecue without the sauce; the competition includes a Sauce Contest for the moniker Sauce Best Sauce on the Planet. Open to products available commercially, this year the sauces will be judged plain and on unseasoned pulled pork. The American Royal, a nonprofit organization now in its 112th
year, raises funds for youth and education. Proceeds from this year’s beverage sales will benefit the American Royal Education and Scholarship Fund.
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North America’s Largest Scandinavian Festival
By Linda Tancs
Tens of thousands of people visit Norsk Høstfest, North America’s largest Scandinavian Festival, in Minot, North Dakota. Today through 1 October you too can enjoy such favorites as aebelskivers, lutefisk, and lefse. Of course, the fest is more than just a food tasting. There are also over 200 internationally recognized artisans and craftsmen, silver jewelry, Norwegian sweaters, authentic Scandinavian gifts, fine art and souvenirs. And don’t forget the hospitality. There is a tradition at the festival of introducing yourself with, “Hi, and where are you from?” If you participate and encounter the “Mystery Viking,” you’ll win $100. Skål!
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Art and Architecture Tours
By Linda Tancs
For nearly 40 years National Trust Tours has been offering the intellectually curious traveler a world of cultural enrichment in luxurious surroundings through more than 70 distinct itineraries. With a special emphasis on art and architecture, tour members gain unprecedented access to private homes, gardens, castles and collections around the world. Upcoming offerings include art and architecture in Chicago, the imposing Biltmore estate in historic Asheville, North Carolina, and the Hudson River Valley fall foliage cruise aboard American Glory. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to saving historic places and revitalizing America’s communities. Want to share your passion for history and culture? Join Gozaic, their online community and destination guide for cultural and heritage travelers.
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