More than Half a Million Flowers, New Dining Pass and Inspirational Entertainment Are Highlights Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (April 20, 2021) -- Springtime visitors to Dollywood, the world-famous theme park located in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, will find more than half a million flowers blooming throughout the park from April 23 through June 7, all part of the spectacular "Flower & Food Festival." The air is filled not only with the … [Read more...]
The Pull of Haystack Rock: Why I Keep Coming Back
I'm from a sleepy town in the Triad region of North Carolina. All my life, my parents took us kids to the closest beach on the east coast there was: good, old-fashioned Myrtle. Even back in the mid-1990s, it was a treasure trove of commercialism, with high-rise condos juxtaposed against centuries-old motels still somewhat holding on, amid the tearing down of the old Pavillion and the installation of a brand-new boardwalk. My toes never touched … [Read more...]
How I Twice Failed in Saint Augustine (and still won)
Nope, it's not Jamestown. Nor is it Plymouth. And neither is it the lost colony of Roanoke. Bet you didn't know, the oldest permanent European settlement in the US was founded in St. Augustine, Florida by Spanish conquistadors as early as 1565. It predates the next oldest European city (Santa Fe, New Mexico) by more than 4 decades. As of the time of this writing, the city has been continuously inhabited for 453 years. By North American standards, … [Read more...]
United’s New Houston To Sydney Route Takes Flight
If a trip Down Under is on your bucket list, take note that United Airlines launched a new Houston to Sydney daily nonstop service on January 18th. United is the only airline offering nonstop service from Houston to any Australian destination. I was lucky enough to be on board for the festive inaugural flight. Here’s the scoop on the 8,596-mile journey. Aussie Treats To Tempt The Taste Buds The party started at Houston’s George Bush … [Read more...]
Pea Island National Refuge is for the Birds! Humans can visit. [OBX, NC]
Many have been to Pea Island National Refuge when they drive down Hwy 12 in North Carolina’s Outer Banks (OBX) on the way to somewhere else. But, they may not know it. It’s a lonely stretch of road, often driven in silence as you take in what could be the country’s largest sandcastle held together by a strip of asphalt and a delicate truce with Mother Nature. Usually, vacationers are eager to get to their destination. They see this stretch of … [Read more...]
Naughty City Names
Sperling’s BestPlaces finds 13 real U.S. cities and towns with hilariously risqué names 1. Buttzville, New Jersey - Population 194 - Median Home Price $172,700 According to Wikipedia, the town was named after its founder, Michael Robert Buttz. Naturally, he wanted to spread his grief to future generations by naming a town Buttzville. Sure, he could've gone with Michael City but perhaps that sounded too cool. 2. Dick Johnson, … [Read more...]
Knoxville Rocks the History Trail
Tennessee is really a fascinating place, particularly for history buffs. There are sites exemplifying pioneer history, the founding of the United States, the Civil War, the Great Depression, WWII, and the Civil Rights Movement – all easily accessible from Knoxville (itself named after Henry Knox, Revolutionary War hero and Secretary of War under President Washington). Most interesting to me is that America as the grand experiment - a country … [Read more...]
Bugs for Breakfast? Will Bugs Ever Be a Sustainable Food Source in the United States?
I was recently in Fort Lauderdale and of all places in a very touristy part of town I stumbled into a bar with multiple screens playing American Football and was surprised to find Chapulines (certain type of grasshopper) on the menu among a variety of 'normal' American foods. I've been thinking about the general lack of demand for edible insects in this country and seeing this on the menu made me think even further. Of course I ordered the … [Read more...]
Rocky Mountain Blues
“Southern Alberta is a "black hole" when it comes to accessible tourism, it’s what I’d like to see change,” says Garry Brown, owner of the newly formed Rocky Mountain Wheelchair Tours, a division of 4seasons Transportation. “Accessibility laws are provincial. (So) there (is no enforcement) in our national parks. It’s all voluntary.” Alberta Parks is aiming for inclusion, but currently their website lists only disabled access campsites. … [Read more...]
Fall in love with LaGrange, Georgia
An array of festivals fills the calendar with something to celebrate for everyone LAGRANGE, GEORGIA - AUGUST 2013 - With the first crisp notes of autumnal air, the calendar fills with a harvest of happenings clearing the way for memory-making excursions the whole family will enjoy. From old-fashioned festival fun to musical pursuits to sophisticated cultural explorations, find it all this fall in LaGrange, Georgia, about an hour from … [Read more...]