Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Connecticut’s Kate
By Linda Tancs
The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, known as The Kate, is a performing arts center in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. It’s named for the late movie star Katharine Hepburn, the town’s most celebrated resident. Adjacent to the lobby is a museum dedicated to the famed actress featuring letters, photos, home movies, costumes, personal wardrobe items and other memorabilia. In addition to the permanent collection, the museum offers rotating special exhibits and hosts lectures, workshops and film screenings.
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A Heroic City in Hungary
By Linda Tancs
Suleiman I, commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent, was the longest-reigning sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1520 until his death in 1566. He died at the Siege of Szigetvár in the Kingdom of Hungary, where an attack on the fortress ultimately blocked the sultan’s line of advance toward Vienna. You can experience a re-creation of the key battle at Zrinyi Castle, which has undergone several fortification works along the centuries. Now a national monument, it’s a key tourist attraction in the city, which was awarded the title “Most Heroic City” by Parliament.
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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045.
Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.
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A Founder’s House in New York
By Linda Tancs
Born in New York in 1745, John Jay was descended from French Huguenot refugees. One of America’s most influential Founding Fathers, he was a lawyer, framer of the Constitution and the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, among other accomplishments. In Katonah, New York, the John Jay Homestead State Historic Site interprets his life and legacy. The 62-acre site features his home (which remained in the family through several generations until 1959), several gardens and farm buildings.
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Nathan Hale’s Schoolhouse
By Linda Tancs
The Nathan Hale Schoolhouse in New London, Connecticut, is where American patriot Nathan Hale taught from 1774 to 1775 before enlisting in the Revolutionary War. He was the only soldier to volunteer to spy on the British, providing valuable information to George Washington. Before he was hanged by the British in New York on September 22, 1776, he famously uttered “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” The building is located on Atlantic Street in the city’s Historic Waterfront District.
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Paris by the Sea
By Linda Tancs
Just two hours from Paris, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is a seaside resort on the Opal Coast of northern France. Affectionately dubbed Paris by the Sea, the tony resort is more than just a beach destination. You can enjoy seaside views by playing golf at La Mer, one of the top 100 courses in continental Europe. The sights are equally spectacular from the lighthouse, a historic monument. Other options include guided architectural bike tours, horse rides along the beach or hikes through the Baie de Canche nature reserve.
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Camera Heritage Museum
By Linda Tancs
Touted as America’s largest camera museum, the Camera Heritage Museum in Staunton, Virginia, is devoted to the history, science and art of photography. The facility boasts a collection of over 7,000 cameras from the 19th century to modern times as well as accessories and photographs. Self-guided and audio tours are available. Call ahead for a personal curator tour.
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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045.
Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.
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Europe’s Oldest Jewish Cemetery
By Linda Tancs
Surviving Hitler’s Third Reich, Europe’s oldest Jewish cemetery is in Worms, Germany. The earliest graves date back to the 11th century, with inscriptions from 1058. The Jewish community thrived in medieval times; one of the best known rabbis and poets of the age, Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg, is buried there. Along with other medieval Jewish sites in Worms, Speyer and Mainz, the cemetery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Classic Cars in Los Angeles
By Linda Tancs
One of the world’s largest automotive museums, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California, specializes in automobile history and related educational programs. A must for any car enthusiast, the museum’s collection encompasses both classic and vintage cars, including movie/TV cars (a no-brainer considering the location). The facility also boasts a basement collection known as The Vault, where, for an extra fee, you can see over 200 of the rarest vehicles ever assembled. Visitors will see turn-of-the-century cars, head-of-state vehicles, American classics, the personal rides of Hollywood legends, award-winning hot rods and many others.
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Canada’s Largest Casino
By Linda Tancs
Located in Parc Jean-Drapeau, facing the Old Port of Montréal, the Casino de Montréal is the largest casino in Canada. More than just a gaming locale, it offers restaurants, bars and shopping as well as shows at the cabaret. While you’re there enjoy the park, which spans two islands in the St. Lawrence River, making it a unique locale for an entertainment venue. The site is easily accessible by car, public transit or shuttle.
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Irish Demesne
By Linda Tancs
Located in County Down, Mount Stewart is the most-visited National Trust mansion house property in Northern Ireland. It’s considered to be an exceptional example of the Irish demesne, with a perimeter clearly defined by an enclosing wall. Acquired by the Stewarts in 1744, woodlands they planted, the estate roads, bridle paths, follies and farmland remain unchanged. The house (the former seat of the Stewart family, Marquesses of Londonderry) is no less impressive, home to a world-class collection of paintings and personal artifacts. Another gem on the property is the historic Temple of the Winds, an octagonal structure built as a banqueting hall for Robert Stewart in 1786 and identical in design to the Tower of the Winds in Athens. Situated on a rise overlooking Strangford Lough, you’ll get exquisite views of the area.
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