ALL DESTINATIONS
Alaska: Illinois: Ohio:
Anchorage Chicago Cincinnati
Arizona:
Cleveland
Louisiana: Columbus
Grand Canyon NP
New Orleans
Phoenix & Scottsdale
Oregon:
Tucson
Maine: Portland
Acadia NP
California:
Pennsylvania:
California Wine Country
Maryland: Philadelphia
Death Valley & Mojave Baltimore Pittsburgh
Lake Tahoe
Los Angeles Massachusetts:
Rhode Island:
Monterey Peninsula Berkshires Newport & Southern R.I.
Oakland & Berkeley Boston Providence & Northern R.I.
Orange County with Anaheim Cape Cod
Palm Springs Martha's Vineyard South Carolina:
Sacramento & the Gold Nantucket Charleston
Country The Coast
San Diego Michigan:
Detroit Tennessee:
San Francisco
Great Smoky Mountains NP
San Jose
Minnesota: Memphis
Santa Barbara & the Central
Minneapolis/St. Paul Nashville
Coast
Yosemite NP Missouri:
Texas:
Kansas City Austin
Colorado:
St. Louis Dallas/Ft. Worth
Aspen & Snowmass
Galveston
Boulder Montana:
Houston
Denver Glacier NP
San Antonio
Rocky Mountain NP
Steamboat Springs Nevada:
Utah:
Telluride Lake Tahoe
Bryce Canyon NP
Vail Las Vegas
Park City & the Wasatch
New Hampshire: Range
Connecticut:
White Mountains Salt Lake City
Hartford
Zion NP
Florida: New Jersey:
Amelia Island The Shore with Atlantic City Vermont:
Vermont Mountains
Everglades NP
New Mexico:
Florida Keys
Fort Lauderdale Albuquerque Virginia:
Fort Myers & Naples Santa Fe Blue Ridge Parkway
Jacksonville & St. Augustine Taos Williamsburg
Key West
New York: Washington:
Miami
New York City Seattle
Orlando-Disney World
Palm Beach Hamptons & Montauk
Washington, D.C.
Sarasota & Bradenton
North Carolina:
Tampa Bay Area Wisconsin:
Blue Ridge Parkway
Chapel Hill Milwaukee
Georgia:
Atlanta Charlotte
Wyoming:
The Coast Durham
Grand Teton NP
Savannah Great Smoky Mountains NP
Yellowstone NP
North Carolina Coast
Hawaii: Raleigh
Big Island
Honolulu and Oahu
Kauai
Lanai
Maui
Molokai
Alaska:
Anchorage
Anchorage
Overview
With nearly half the state's population, Anchorage is Alaska's biggest city and the state's only
true metropolis. You'll find a varied selection of ethnic restaurants, a performing arts center,
theatre groups, an opera company, and an orchestra here. The Anchorage Museum of
History and Art houses an outstanding collection of historic and contemporary Alaskan art.
The Alaska Native Heritage Centre celebrates the rich diversity of the state's original
inhabitants. At nearby Lake Hood -- the largest seaplane base in the world -- the Alaska
Aviation Heritage Museum preserves examples of rare and restored planes.
For all the attractions Anchorage offers, most visitors spend little time here, using it as a
jumping-off point for excursions into less-settled parts of the state or merely as a place to
catch a plane home. But there's plenty to do and see if you are passing through -- and the
occasional moose ambling down a city bike trail or a hawk passing through will remind you of
the vast stretches of wilderness just outside the city borders.
Best in 3 Days
Before you put on your comfortable shoes and grab your camera, take a few minutes to figure
out what you're most interested in -- seeing wildlife, shopping, taking a hike in the surrounding
Chugach Mountains, or soaking up some of Alaska's rich Native culture.
Day 1
Take a stroll through downtown Anchorage to acquaint yourself with the fine shops and
galleries, historic sites, museums, and parks. Walk along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail if
the weather's cooperating. If you have a car, explore the city highlights, including the Alaska
Aviation Heritage Museum and the Alaska Native Heritage Centre. End the day with some
window-shopping downtown or dinner and a walk along the Delaney Park Strip. Several
places are open late if coffee and dessert -- or beer and nachos, for that matter -- sound like
the perfect nightcap.
Day 2
On the your second day, head south along the Seward Highway for views of Potter Marsh
and Turnagain Arm. Drive 40 mi to the community of Girdwood, with its several good
restaurants, scenic hiking trails, and inviting shops. Continue farther down the highway to
Alyeska Resort at Girdwood, where you can ride the tram to the 2,300-foot level for lunch with
a view. Head south of Girdwood to Portage Glacier and the Begich-Boggs Visitor Center, all
the while looking for Dall sheep and beluga whales.
Day 3
Back in Anchorage on Day 3, consider visiting some of the special-interest museums or, if it's
the season, taking in a baseball game at Mulcahy Stadium. A hike along one of the city's
many bike trails or in the neighbouring Chugach Mountains lets you see the role nature plays
in the lives of those who make Anchorage their home. Bears and moose roam the park, which
has trails from 2 mi to 30 mi in length.
Arizona:
Grand Canyon NP
Phoenix & Scottsdale
Tucson
Grand Canyon
Overview
The Grand Canyon is far more than an experience. It's an emotion. Ask anyone who's visited,
hiked, worked, or lived here. Many think it deserves a greater superlative than just "Grand."
As you gaze out from the rim, you're viewing 2 billion years of geologic history, exposed for all
to see in the canyon's rock walls. There is more Paleozoic and Pre-Cambrian Earth history on
view here than anywhere else on the planet.
Far below the rim, the Colorado River continues its timeless carving process. It's been
estimated that, prior to the completion of the Glen Canyon Dam, an average of 400,000 tons
of silt was carried away every day. That equates to 80,000 5-ton dump-truck loads -- one per
second, nonstop.
If you were to travel from one end of the Grand Canyon to the other, you would journey just
under 280 mi from Lees Ferry near the junction of the Paria and Colorado rivers in northern
Arizona to the western border shared by Arizona and Nevada. At its deepest point, the
canyon is nearly 6,000 feet. From the North Rim to the South Rim, the distance across varies
from 18 mi to less than ½ mi. However, to travel between rims by car requires a journey of
200 mi. Hiking steep and arduous trails from rim to rim is a strenuous trek of at least 21 mi. A
rim-to-rim hike for the very fit is well worth the effort, though.
There is ample evidence of early habitation from ruins that are between 8,000 and 10,000
years old in some of the highest, most inaccessible areas of the canyon. The Paleo-Indians
were nomadic peoples known as Elephant Hunters, whose existence depended upon hunting
large prehistoric elephants, mastodons, and mammoths. Then, about 1,500 years ago, the
Puebloan people more popularly known as the Anasazi (a name that means both "ancient
ones" and "enemy ancestors") arrived on the scene. More than 2,000 of their sites have been
found, including Tusayan Pueblo, some 3 mi west of Desert View in the South Rim. The last
of the Native Americans to occupy the region were the Navajo, who came into the area some
600 years ago.
Today, more than 5 million people each year stand in awe at the canyon and leave with
therealization that they have witnessed nature at her finest. "Leave it as it is," President
Teddy Roosevelt proclaimed. "You cannot improve on it. Keep it for your children, your
children's children, and for all who come after you as the one great sight which every
American should see."
If You Have 1 Day
Although Grand Canyon National Park covers more than 1,900 square mi, you can see all of
the primary sights at the South Rim in one full day. Start early, pack a picnic lunch, then take
the shuttle to Canyon View Information Plaza just north of the South Entrance, where you can
pick up information about the canyon and see your first incredible view at Mather Point.
Continue east along Desert View Drive for about 2 mi to Yaki Point, your first stop. Then,
continue 7 mi east to Grandview Point, where you'll get a good view of Krishna Shrine and
Vishnu Temple, among other buttes. Four miles east is another good spot for a view, Moran
Point. Then, take the shuttle 3 mi to the Tusayan Ruin and Museum, a good place to stretch
your legs. The small display area is devoted to preserving the history of the Ancestral
Puebloans who inhabited the region 800 years ago.
After the museum, continue another mile east to Lipan Point, one of the best angles in the
park from which to view the Colorado River and some of its whitewater rapids. Navajo Point,
the highest elevation on the South Rim, is less than a mile farther. Desert View and the
Watchtower are the final stops along the shuttle route, again less than a mile beyond Navajo
Point. Climb the stairs to the third-floor roof of the stone-and-mortar Watchtower for views of
the Painted Desert to the east, the Vermillion Cliffs to the north, and the Colorado River
below. Have your lunch at one of the picnic tables below.
After lunch, return to the Grand Canyon Village and take a walk on the paved Rim Trail to
Maricopa Point. Along the way, stop in at the historic El Tovar Hotel, where you can make
reservations for dinner. Before your walk or afterward, you can go souvenir shopping in the
village.
If you have time in the late afternoon before dinner, take the shuttle on Hermit Road to
Hermits Rest, 8 mi one-way. Stop at the Powell Memorial, a tribute to the explorer who
measured, charted, and named many of the creeks and small canyons in the park; Hopi
Point, where you can see Zoroaster Temple and the thin line of the Colorado River below; the
Abyss, perhaps the most awesome stop on the route, which reveals a sheer drop of 3,000
feet to the Tonto Plateau; and Hermits Rest, the westernmost viewpoint on the South Rim and
a good place to watch the sunset.
If You Have 2 Days
You'll need at least two days to fully explore Grand Canyon West. Start early on your first day
with Grand Canyon West Tours, a narrated bus ride to Quarter Master, Eagle Point, and
Guano Point. Extend your afternoon with a Hummer Tour along the rim or a helicopter ride
into the canyon paired with a 20-minute pontoon ride up the Colorado River.
On the second day, get geared up for a day on the rapids. A bus ride down Diamond Creek
road to the river will introduce you to the canyon's geology before you hop onboard a raft for a
thrilling rush along class 3 and 4 rapids, a box lunch, and a side hike to Travertine Falls. After
a helicopter lift out of the canyon and a narrated bus ride through the pine forest, you'll end
back up at the Hualapai Lodge, where you can fill up on a Hualapai taco at the Diamond
Creek Restaurant before heading home.
If you are more adventurous and a hardy hiker, you might consider going to Havasu Canyon.
Hike 8 mi down into the canyon to the small village of Supai and the Havasupai Lodge. It's a
healthy drive to the trailhead, and you'll need a Havasupai tribal permit to hike here; but it's an
unforgettable hike. Reservations are required to stay at the lodge and are highly
recommended for the backpacker's campground. You'll need plenty of time and water for your
rigorous climb back to the rim. You might even consider returning to the top by mule.
If You Have 3 Days
Back at the South Rim, a visit of three days will allow you to experience Grand Canyon
National Park more fully. On your first day, follow the one-day itinerary above, but spend more
time exploring the sights on Desert View Drive, and take a leisurely picnic or luncheon in
Grand Canyon Village. Leave Hermit Road for your second morning, riding the shuttle as
described in the one-day itinerary, or drive to Grand Canyon Airport for a small plane or
helicopter tour of the area. Have lunch in Tusayan, and cool off in the IMAX theater while you
watch a short but big film on the Grand Canyon that may reenact your flightseeing trip. Return
to Grand Canyon Village, and join one of the free educational programs led by park rangers.
On your third day, hike on Bright Angel Trail, or plan a longer hike into the canyon.
Remember, it will take twice as long to hike back up as it does to hike down, so plan
accordingly. Pick up trail maps at Canyon View Information Plaza and bring plenty of water.
If You Have 6 Days
Stay six days between May and October and you can visit the North and South Rim. First,
follow the three-day South Rim itinerary. On the morning of your fourth day, start out on the
long but rewarding drive to the North Rim: From Grand Canyon Village, take Route 64 east
out of the park for 55 mi. Turn left onto U.S. 89 and head north over the Painted Desert. You'll
see thousands of square miles of mesas and windswept plains.
At Bitter Springs, bear left onto U.S. 89A, and drive 14 mi west to the Navajo Bridge, hanging
500 feet above the Colorado River. Once used for car traffic, the narrow steel bridge is now
pedestrian-only. A newer bridge beside it carries cars across the river. At Jacob Lake, 55 mi
past Marble Canyon, turn left and drive south on Route 67. The remaining 45 mi to the North
Rim of the Grand Canyon lie ahead. Along Route 67, you'll drive over the summit of the
9,000-foot Kaibab Plateau. Spend the night at Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim.
Spend the next day hiking around the area. The most popular trails are Transept Trail, which
starts near the Grand Canyon Lodge, and Cliff Springs Trail, which starts near Cape Royal. If
you're not too car-weary, drive out Cape Royal Road 11 mi to Point Imperial. At 8,803 feet, it's
the highest vista on either rim. Spend a second night at Grand Canyon Lodge before
beginning the long drive back on your sixth day.
Phoenix
Overview
Phoenix rises in the shimmering heat of the great Sonoran Desert in central Arizona. Here are
some of the oldest human dwellings in the Western Hemisphere along with the homes of
contemporary Native American tribes and one of America's fastest-growing major urban
centres: metropolitan Phoenix, a melding of 22 communities, with a population of more than 4
million people.
Top 5 Experiences in the Phoenix Area
1. Eat well. Enjoy a delectable dinner at one of Phoenix's excellent restaurants while you
marvel at the red, orange, and purple colors of a sunset against the desert mountains and
saguaros. Try the views from elements restaurant at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain in
Paradise Valley or the Top of the Rock restaurant at the Wyndham Buttes Resort in Tempe.
2. Hike the hills. Check out South Mountain Park, Camelback Mountain, or Papago Park and
enjoy Arizona's cacti, wildflowers, and distinct geology. The parks offer a variety of hikes
ranging from novice to difficult.
3. The Heard Museum. Learn about Native American people, culture, art, and history at this
fascinating, world-renowned museum.
4. Take a jeep tour. Sign up with Desert Dog Hummer Adventures in Fountain Hills or Wild
West Jeep Tours in Scottsdale to really get out there and see what the Sonoran desert looks
like.
5. Golf. Book a tee time and take your clubs to Troon North, The Phoenician, or the
Tournament Players Club. They all boast spectacular views and world-class courses.
Tucson
Overview
The Old Pueblo, as Tucson is affectionately known, is built upon a deep Native American,
Spanish, Mexican, and Old West foundation. Arizona's second-largest city is both a bustling
center of business and a relaxed university and resort town. Metropolitan Tucson has more
than 850,000 residents, including thousands of snowbirds who flee colder climes to enjoy the
warm sun that shines on the city more than 340 days a year.
The name Tucson came from the Native American word stjukshon (pronounced stook-shahn),
meaning "spring at the foot of a black mountain." (The springs at the foot of Sentinel Peak,
made of black volcanic rock, are now dry.) The name became Tucson (originally pronounced
tuk-son) by the Spanish explorers who built a wall around the city in 1776 to keep Native
Americans from reclaiming it. At the time, this presidio (fortified city), called San Augustin del
Tuguison, was the northernmost Spanish settlement in the area, and current-day Main
Avenue is a quiet reminder of the former Camino Real ("royal road") that stretched from this
tiny walled fort all the way to Mexico City.
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Tucson's 20th-century growth occurred after World War I, when veterans with damaged lungs
sought the dry air and healing power of the sun, and again during World War II with the
opening of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the rise of local aeronautical industries. It was
also around this time that air-conditioning made the desert climate hospitable year-round.
Today, many transplants come from the Midwest and nearby California because of the lower
housing costs, cleaner environment, and spectacular scenery. And despite the ubiquitous
strip malls and tract-home developments, this college town has Mexican and Native
American-cultural influences, a striking landscape, and all the amenities of a resort town.
High-tech industries have moved into the area, but the economy still relies heavily on tourism
and the university, although, come summer, you'd never guess. When the snowbirds and
students depart, Tucson can be a sleepy place.
California:
California Wine Country
Death Valley & Mojave
Lake Tahoe
Los Angeles
Monterey Peninsula
Oakland & Berkeley
Orange County with Anaheim
Palm Springs
Sacramento & the Gold Country
San Diego
San Francisco
San Jose
Santa Barbara & the Central Coast
Yosemite NP
California Wine Country
Overview
The "dormant resources" that the father of California's viticulture saw in the balmy days and
cool nights of the temperate Napa and Sonoma valleys have come to fruition today. The
wines produced here are praised and savoured by connoisseurs throughout the world. The
area also continues to be a proving ground for the latest techniques of grape growing and
wine making.
Ever more competitive, vintners constantly hone their skills, aided by the scientific expertise of
graduates of the nearby University of California at Davis and by the practical knowledge of the
grape growers. They experiment with high-density vineyard planting, canopy management (to
control the amount of sunlight that reaches the grapes), and organic farming techniques to
finely tune the quality of the grapes that will go into the wine.
For many, wine making is a second career. Any would-be winemaker can rent the
cumbersome, costly machinery needed to stem and press the grapes. Many say making wine
is a good way to turn a large fortune into a small one, but that hasn't deterred the doctors,
former college professors, publishing tycoons, entertainers, and others who come here to try
their hand at it.
In 1975 Napa Valley had no more than 20 wineries; today there are more than 250, though
not all of these have tasting rooms open to the public. In Sonoma County, where the web of
vineyards is looser, there are well over 150 wineries, and development is now claiming the
cool Carneros region, at the head of the San Francisco Bay, deemed ideal for growing the
chardonnay grape. Nowadays many individual grape growers produce their own wines
instead of selling their grapes to larger wineries. As a result, smaller "boutique" wineries
harvest excellent, reasonably priced wines that have caught the attention of connoisseurs and
critics, while the larger wineries consolidate land and expand their varietals.
This state-of-the-art viticulture has also given rise to an equally robust passion for food.
Inspired by the creative spirit that produces the region's great wines, nationally and regionally
famous chefs have opened restaurants both extravagant and modest, sealing the area's
reputation as one of the finest destinations for dining in the nation.
In addition to great food and wine, you'll find a wealth of California history in the Wine
Country. The town of Sonoma is filled with remnants of Mexican California and the solid, ivy-
covered, brick wineries built by Haraszthy and his followers. Calistoga is a virtual museum of
Steamboat Gothic architecture, replete with the fretwork and clapboard beloved of gold-rush
prospectors and late-19th-century spa goers. A later architectural fantasy, the beautiful art-
nouveau mansion of the Beringer brothers, is in St. Helena. Modern architecture is the
exception rather than the rule, but one standout exception is the postmodern extravaganza of
Clos Pegase winery, in Calistoga.
The area's natural beauty draws a continuous flow of tourists -- from the late winter, when the
vineyards bloom yellow with wild mustard and mist shrouds the mountains encircling the
valleys, to the fall, when the grapes are ripe.
If You Have 2 Days
Start at the circa-1857 Buena Vista Carneros Winery just outside Sonoma. From there, take
Route 12 north to the Trinity Road/Oakville Grade. Drive east over the Mayacamas
Mountains, taking time to admire the views as you descend into the Napa Valley. Take Route
29 north into historic St. Helena for lunch. After lunch in St. Helena, take the 30-minute tour of
Beringer Vineyards. The next day continue north on Route 29 to Calistoga for an early-
morning balloon ride, an afternoon trip to the mud baths, and a visit to Clos Pegase before
heading back to St. Helena for dinner at Greystone -- the beautiful West Coast campus and
highly acclaimed restaurant of the Culinary Institute of America.
If You Have 4 Days
Concentrate on the Napa Valley north of Yountville. Make your first stop in Oakville, where
the circa-1880s Oakville Grocery -- once a Wells Fargo Pony Express stop -- is indisputably
the most popular place for picnic supplies and an espresso. Enjoy the picnic grounds at
Robert Mondavi before touring the winery and tasting the wine. If time permits, spend the
night in the town of Rutherford and visit either Round Pond, where you can learn about locally
made olive oil, or the Niebaum-Coppola Estate, or continue north to St. Helena. Take a look
at the nearby Silverado Museum and visit the shopping complex surrounding the Freemark
Abbey Winery. On your third day drive to Calistoga for a balloon ride before heading north to
Old Faithful Geyser of California; then continue on to Robert Louis Stevenson State Park,
which encompasses the summit of Mount St. Helena. On the fourth day take Route 29 just
north of Calistoga proper, head west on Petrified Forest Road, and then go south on
Calistoga Road, which runs into Route 12. Follow Route 12 southeast to rustic Glen Ellen for
a taste of the Sonoma Valley. Visit Jack London State Historic Park, and then loop back north
on Bennett Valley Road to beautiful Matanzas Creek Winery in Santa Rosa.
If You Have 7 Days
Begin in the town of Sonoma, whose colorful plaza and mission evoke early California's
Spanish past. Afterward, head north to Glen Ellen. Picnic and explore the grounds at Jack
London State Historic Park. The next morning visit Kenwood Vineyards before heading north
to Healdsburg in Dry Creek Valley via Santa Rosa and U.S. 101. In this less-trafficked haven
of northern Sonoma County, a host of "hidden" wineries -- including Ferrari-Carano Winery --
lie nestled in the woods along the roads. Spend the night in Healdsburg, where a stroll around
the plaza offers many opportunities for shopping and fine dining. On the third day cross over
into Napa Valley -- take Mark Springs Road east off U.S. 101's River Road exit and follow the
signs on Porter Creek Road to Petrified Forest Road to Route 29. Spend the day (and the
night) in the Western-style town of Calistoga, noted for its mud baths and mineral springs.
Wake up early on the fourth day for a balloon ride. If you're feeling energetic, take to the
Silverado Trail for a bike ride with stops at Cuvaison, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, and Clos du
Val. On Day 5, visit the galleries, shops, and eateries of St. Helena before heading to Oakville
for the Oakville Grocery, where you can stock up on hard-to-find products or simply stop for a
snack. Spend the night and visit the wineries in Rutherford. On Day 6, explore nearby
Yountville, stopping for lunch at one of its many acclaimed restaurants before heading up the
hill to the Hess Collection Winery and Vineyards, on Mt. Veeder, where a brilliant art
collection and excellent wines may keep you occupied for hours. On your last day, return to
the town of Sonoma via the Carneros Highway, moving on to the landmark Buena Vista
Winery or Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves.
Death Valley
Overview
Dust and desolation, tumbleweeds and rattlesnakes, barren landscapes -- these are the bleak
images that come to mind when most people hear the word desert. But east of the Sierra
Nevada, where the land quickly flattens and the rain seldom falls, the desert is anything but a
wasteland. The topography here is extreme; whereas Death Valley drops to almost 300 feet
below sea level and contains the lowest (and hottest) spot in the Western Hemisphere, the
Mojave Desert, which lies to the south, has elevations ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 feet.
These remote regions (which are known, respectively, as low desert and high desert) possess
a singular beauty found nowhere else in California: there are vast open spaces populated
with spiky Joshua trees, undulating sand dunes, faulted mountains, and dramatic rock
formations. Owens Valley is where the desert meets the mountains; its 80-mi width separates
the depths of Death Valley from Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain in the continental United
States. Exploring the wonders of Death Valley in the morning and then heading to the Sierra
to cool off in the afternoon is an amazing study in contrasts.
Believe everything you've ever heard about desert heat: it can be brutal. To avoid dehydration
and sunburn, you need sunglasses, sunblock, a hat, and clothing that blocks the sun's rays
and the wind. Because this region is vast -- about as big as Ohio -- and the weather is
unpredictable, you'll also need to make careful driving plans. Facilities such as gas stations
and supermarkets are few, so be sure to fill your gas tank whenever you can and check your
vehicle's fluids and tire pressure frequently. Shut off your car's air-conditioning on steep
grades to avoid engine overheating. At the start of each day load the car with three gallons of
water per person, plus additional radiator water, and a cooler stocked with extra food. Be sure
to bring reliable maps; signage can be limited and, in some places, nonexistent. It's a good
idea to have a compass and a cell phone (though the signal may fade in remote areas). A pair
of binoculars can also come in handy, and don't forget your camera -- you're likely to see
things you've never seen before.
Best in 3 to 7 Days
If You Have 3 Days
Start in Death Valley National Park. Stop for lunch at Stovepipe Wells Village; then spend the
rest of the afternoon at Scotty's Castle and Ubehebe Crater. Stay the night in Furnace Creek
Village and explore the southern half of the park on Day 3. Be sure not to miss the vivid
desert colours of Artists Palette, the Western Hemisphere's lowest spot, at Badwater, or the
stunning panorama from Dante's View.
If You Have 7 Days
Spend two days exploring the many wonders of Death Valley National Park. On your third day
head out of the park to Ridgecrest for a hike through Red Rock Canyon, Fossil Falls, or Trona
Pinnacles Natural National Landmark. If you're visiting on a spring or fall weekend, make
advance arrangements at the Maturango Museum to tour Petroglyph Canyons. The next
morning continue south to Lancaster to see Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, where poppies
cover the hillsides as far as the eye can see. Move on to Palmdale and its Antelope Valley
Indian Museum, then drive to Pearblossom to pick up some ceramic tiles at St. Andrew's
Abbey. Return to Palmdale for dinner and a night's rest. On the morning of Day 5, after a stop
at Big Pines Visitor Centre, at the highest point on the San Andreas Fault, venture north on I-
15 into Route 66 country. In Victorville, the California Route 66 Museum tells the story of one
of America's most famous roads. Heading for Barstow, get another hit of Route 66 nostalgia
at Casa del Desierto Harvey House, site of the Route 66 Mother Road Museum and Gift
Shop. Explore the Barstow area, including Desert Discovery Centre, Calico Ghost Town, and
Rainbow Basin National Natural Landmark, on Day 6. The next morning drive to Mojave
National Preserve to see Kelso Dunes and to tour Mitchell Caverns, in Providence Mountains
State Recreation Area. If time and road conditions permit, drive through Afton Canyon on your
way back to Barstow.
Lake Tahoe
Overview
Stunning cobalt-blue Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America, famous for its
clarity, deep blue water, and surrounding snowcapped peaks. Straddling the state line
between California and Nevada, it lies 6,225 feet above sea level in the Sierra Nevada. The
border gives this popular resort region a split personality. About half its visitors are intent on
low-key sightseeing, hiking, fishing, camping, and boating. The rest head directly for the
Nevada side, where bargain dining, big-name entertainment, and the lure of a jackpot draw
them into the glittering casinos.
The first white explorer to gaze upon this spectacular region was Captain John C. Fremont, in
1844, guided by the famous scout Kit Carson. Not long afterward, silver was discovered in
Nevada's Comstock Lode, at Virginia City. As the mines grew larger and deeper, the Tahoe
Basin's forests were levelled to provide lumber for subterranean support (had the forests
been left untouched, Lake Tahoe might well have become a national park). By the early
1900s wealthy Californians were building lakeside estates here, some of which still stand.
Improved roads brought the less affluent in the 1920s and 1930s, when modest bungalows
began to appear. The first casinos opened in the 1940s. Ski resorts inspired another
development boom in the 1950s and 1960s, turning the lake into a year-round destination.
Though Lake Tahoe possesses abundant natural beauty and accessible wilderness, nearby
towns are highly developed, and roads around the lake are often congested with traffic.
Those who prefer solitude can escape to the many state parks, national forests, and
protected tracts of wilderness that ring the 22-mi-long, 12-mi-wide lake. At a vantage point
overlooking Emerald Bay, on a trail in the national forests that ring the basin, or on a sunset
cruise on the lake itself, you can forget the hordes and the commercial development. You can
even pretend that you're Mark Twain, who found "not fifteen other human beings throughout
its wide circumference" when he visited the lake in 1861 and wrote that "the eye never tired of
gazing, night or day, calm or storm."
Best of Lake Tahoe in 3 to 5 Days
It takes only one day to "see" Lake Tahoe -- to drive around the lake, stretch your legs at a
few overlooks, take a nature walk, and wander among the casinos at Stateline. But if you
have more time, you can laze on a beach and swim, venture onto the lake or into the
mountains, and sample Tahoe's finer restaurants. If you have five days, you may become so
attached to Tahoe that you begin visiting real-estate agents.
If You Have 3 Days
On your first day stop in South Lake Tahoe and pick up provisions for a picnic lunch. Start in
Pope-Baldwin Recreation Area and check out Tallac Historic Site. Head west on Highway 89,
stopping at the Lake Tahoe Visitor Centre and the Emerald Bay State Park lookout. Have a
tailgate picnic at the lookout, or hike down to Vikingsholm, a reproduction of a Viking castle. In
the late afternoon explore the trails and mansion at Sugar Pine Point State Park; then
backtrack on Highway 89 and U.S. 50 for dinner in Stateline or in South Lake Tahoe. On Day
2 cruise on the Tahoe Queen out of South Lake Tahoe or the MS Dixie II out of Zephyr Cove
and then ride the Heavenly Gondola at Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe.
Carry a picnic for lunch high above the lake, and (except in snow season) take a walk on one
of Heavenly's nature trails. You can try your luck at the Stateline casinos before dinner. Start
your third day by heading north on U.S. 50, stopping at Cave Rock and (after turning north on
Highway 28) at Sand Harbour Beach. If there's no snow on the ground, tour the Thunderbird
Lodge (reservations essential) for a glimpse of life at an old-Tahoe estate just south of Incline
Village, or else continue on to Crystal Bay. If you have time, drive to Tahoe City to see the
Gatekeeper's Cabin Museum, or make the 45-minute drive down to Reno for dinner and
some nightlife.
If You Have 5 Days
Spend your first morning at Pope-Baldwin Recreation Area. After a picnic lunch head to the
Lake Tahoe Visitor Centre and the Emerald Bay State Park lookout. Hike to Vikingsholm or
move on to Sugar Pine Point State Park. Have dinner in South Lake Tahoe. On your second
day take a cruise to Emerald Bay or a half-day cruise around the lake; back on land, ride the
Heavenly Gondola, and possibly take a hike. Spend the late afternoon or early evening
sampling the worldly pleasures of the Stateline casinos. On Day 3 visit Cave Rock, and the
Thunderbird Lodge (reservations essential) just south of Incline Village, where you can have a
late lunch before heading to Crystal Bay and playing the slots, or to nearby Kings Beach
State Recreation Area, where you can spend the late afternoon on the beach. That evening,
drive down to Reno for dinner and entertainment. On your fourth day hang out at Sand
Harbour Beach. If the high-mountain desert appeals, spend Day 5 in the Great Basin, touring
Carson City and Virginia City and the vast expanse of the eastern Sierra. Alternatively, head
to D. L. Bliss State Park for a hike; then drive to Tahoe City for lunch and a tour of the
Gatekeeper's Cabin Museum. Afterward, visit Olympic Valley and ride the cable car to High
Camp at Squaw Valley for a sunset cocktail.
Los Angeles
Overview
Los Angeles is as much an idea as it is a physical city. It sprawls across 467 square mi; add
in the surrounding five-county metropolitan area, and you've got an area of more than 34,000
square mi. Contrary to popular myth, however, that doesn't mean you have to spend all your
time in a car. In fact, getting out of your car is the only way to really get to know Los Angeles.
We've divided the major sightseeing areas into 10 driving and walking tours that take you
through the various entertainment-industry-centred, financial, beachfront, wealthy, and fringe
neighbourhoods and minicities that make up the vast L.A. area. But remember, no single
locale -- whether it be Malibu, downtown, Beverly Hills, or Burbank -- fully embodies Los
Angeles. It's in the mix that you'll discover the city's character.
Looking at a map of sprawling Los Angeles, first-time visitors are sometimes overwhelmed.
Where to begin? What to see first? And what about all those freeways? Here's some advice:
relax. Begin by setting your priorities -- movie and television fans should first head to
Hollywood, Universal Studios, and a taping of a television show. Beach lovers and outdoorsy
types might start out in Santa Monica or Venice or Malibu, or spend an afternoon in Griffith
Park, one of the largest city parks in the country. Those with a cultural bent should probably
make a beeline for the twin Gettys (the centre in Brentwood and the villa near Malibu), the
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), or the Norton Simon Museum. And urban
explorers might begin with downtown Los Angeles.
5 Days in L.A.
A car is virtually a necessity in L.A. (public transit is sparse and taxis are expensive and not
that convenient). If renting a car, this is the perfect place to make it a convertible. Play for
local sympathy and say you hail from a cold place and need solar therapy!
Day 1: Beverly Hills & the Getty Center
Make like the Clampetts and head straight for the riches of Beverly Hills. Many of the
stereotypes about Angelenos are rooted here. Hey, you're a visitor, you're allowed to indulge
in some gawking! Do a bit of driving along Sunset Boulevard, perhaps dipping into Bel Air to
see some of the over-the-top mansions. Then stretch your legs with shopping, real or window,
on Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Boulevard.
Next up: a bird's-eye view of the city from the Getty Center in Brentwood. Wander among the
stunning, travertine marble-clad pavilions and explore the gardens. And then there's the art,
including exceptional European paintings and antique French furniture. But it's hard to tear
your eyes from the view, especially at sunset. As the day winds down, splurge on a posh
meal in Beverly Hills or West Hollywood.
Day 2: Culture Vulture
Follow your artsy preferences to today's destination -- but wherever you end up, you're sure
to defeat the old joke that L.A. is a cultural vacuum. The newest major museum is the
revamped Getty Villa Malibu, dedicated to Greco-Roman antiquities. As with the Getty Center,
the gardens and views are almost as mesmerizing as what's in the galleries. If you're a
serious museum fan, consider the cluster along Museum Row, especially the LACMA. Or, you
could drive inland to the Pasadena area to see the art and enormous gardens of the
Huntington estate, plus the impressive European and Asian exhibits at the Norton Simon. Let
your hair down at night (and rest your museum-fatigued feet) at a live-music or comedy club.
Day 3: Hit the Beach!
Some cities have snow days but L.A. has beach days: parents pack up the car, make lunch,
cancel lessons, and take the kids to the beach. Take a page from the locals and spend a day
just enjoying the sun and sand. Before you pack your picnic, do some planning and pick a
beach that suits your needs. Remember to bring cash for parking and, as Murphy's Law
insurance, some books or games in case the water's too cold for much swimming. If you end
up in Venice, you might want to rent bikes to ride along the boardwalk, and also spend an
hour browsing in Abbot Kinney Boulevard's funky boutiques. If you're in Santa Monica, there's
always the pier, with its old-school amusement-park rides.
Day 4: Downtown Bound
Pick a weekday to venture downtown -- and wear comfortable shoes because unlike other
parts of L.A., downtown is best explored on foot and on the DASH bus. Start at the Cathedral
of Our Lady of the Angels (couldn't they just call it COLA?). You can see the Music Center,
with the shining Walt Disney Concert Hall, on the way to the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Not far from here is the Grand Central Market, where you might pick up a tamale or fresh fruit
juice while eyeing the produce. Hop back in the car for the short drive to the grand Union
Station; zip across to Olvera Street for a browse through the crafts market and perhaps an
early Mexican dinner. Do you still have time for a performance at the Disney concert hall? Or
a drink at the Millennium Biltmore (retro) or Downtown L.A. Standard (cutting-edge)? Hurry,
back to the car!
Logistics: Downtown has some sketchy blocks, so use common sense. If you don't like the
look of a certain street, turn around. There's also a DASH shuttle bus for short hops between
sights.
Day 5: Hurray for Hollywood
Over breakfast, check the Calendar section of the Los Angeles Times for showtimes at the
old movie palaces like Grauman's Chinese or the El Capitan. (The Arclight is another top film
spot.) Once you're in Hollywood, pay your respects to your favorite celluloid stars at their
plaques on the Walk of Fame. Hit the Hollywood & Highland complex for a great view of the
"Hollywood" sign and perhaps lunch at Vert. If you're a major movie buff, you may want to
tour the complex's Kodak Theatre, where the Academy Awards are held, or spend an hour at
the Hollywood Museum. Music fans should make time for the awesome Amoeba Records
shop. If you'd like to do some funkier shopping, or try a low-key place for dinner, drive east on
Sunset Boulevard to Los Feliz or Silver Lake. Somewhere in the day, take time out for a flick -
- it's Hollywood, after all.
Monterey
Overview
Monterey well deserves its popularity as a vacation destination. The city has carefully
preserved history, an outstanding aquarium, souvenir and gift shops galore, and a setting on
a broad bay. Herds of tour buses stampede daily in season, but to the south, on either end of
17-Mile Drive, Victorian-flavoured Pacific Grove and the exclusive mission town of Carmel are
generally quieter. On the northern edge of the bay Santa Cruz feels less ready for prime time,
with its old-school beach boardwalk and its downtown cafés geared to self-consciously
alternative college students. All around Monterey Bay you can spend a lot to dine very well or
badly, and you'll probably pay dearly for your room.
Best of the Monterey Peninsula in 3 to 5 Days
Although it's compact, the Monterey Peninsula is chock-full of diversions. In Carmel you can
shop till you drop, and when summer and weekend hordes overwhelm the town's clothing
boutiques, art galleries, housewares outlets, and gift shops, you can slip off to enjoy the
coast. Fans of Victorian architecture will want to search out the many fine examples in Pacific
Grove. If you have an interest in California history and historic preservation, the place to start
is Monterey, with its adobe buildings along the downtown Path of History.
If You Have 3 Days
Start in Carmel to visit Carmel Mission and Tor House if it's open. Leave yourself plenty of
time to browse the shops of Ocean Avenue, then stroll over to Scenic Road and spend time
on Carmel Beach before dinner. On the following day, motor up 17-Mile Drive in the morning,
stopping at Point Lobos State Reserve to take in the views. That afternoon visit a few of the
buildings in the state historic park in Monterey. Spend your final day along Cannery Row and
Fisherman's Wharf. Don't miss the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Catch the sunset from the
bustling wharf or slip into the serene bar at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa.
If You Have 5 Days
Spend your first day and second morning following the itinerary above, but instead of
continuing to Monterey on your second afternoon, explore the shoreline and Victorian houses
of Pacific Grove. Start Day 3 at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and enjoy the afternoon either
relaxing on the waterfront in Monterey- or getting a glimpse of the city's fascinating past at
Monterey State Historic Park. The next morning, get up-close and personal with Monterey
Bay marine life by boarding a whale-watching or other cruise vessel at Fisherman's Wharf.
Spend the afternoon on the wharf and along Cannery Row. On your last day, head up the
Monterey-Salinas Highway and stop for a taste of wine at Ventana Vineyards, then visit San
Juan Bautista, a classic mission village.
Oakland and Berkeley
Overview
When San Franciscans refer to it, the East Bay often means nothing more than what you can
see across the bay from the city -- mainly Oakland and Berkeley, both of which are in
Alameda County. In fact, the East Bay stretches north and east of Alameda to Contra Costa
County, which itself has emerged as a powerful business nexus. It includes several small
towns as well as upscale Walnut Creek, where most of the county's fine restaurants and
shopping centres are found. Farther north, beyond the East Bay, is Marine World, a popular
theme park that combines roller coasters and animal shows. East Bay towns south of
Alameda and Contra Costa counties have become bedroom communities for workers in the
high-tech industry. These begin to run into one another, reaching critical mass on the edge of
Silicon Valley.
Sights & Activities
Oakland Often overshadowed by San Francisco's beauty and Berkeley's offbeat antics,
Oakland's allure lies in its amazing diversity. Here you can find a Nigerian clothing store, a
beautifully renovated Victorian home, a Buddhist meditation centre, and a lively salsa club, all
within the same block. Oakland's multifaceted nature reflects its colourful and often
tumultuous history. Once a cluster of Mediterranean-style homes and gardens that served as
a bedroom community for San Francisco, the city became a hub of shipbuilding and industry
almost overnight when the United States entered World War II. New jobs in the city's
shipyards and factories attracted thousands of workers, including some of the first female
welders, and the city's neighbourhoods were imbued with a proud but gritty spirit. In the
1960s and '70s this intense community pride gave rise to such militant groups as the Black
Panther Party and the Symbionese Liberation Army, but they were little match for the
economic hardships and racial tensions that plagued Oakland. In many neighbourhoods the
reality was widespread poverty and gang violence -- subjects that dominated the songs of
such Oakland-bred rappers as the late Tupac Shakur.
Today Oakland is a mosaic of its past. The affluent have once again flocked to the city's
hillside homes as a warmer, more spacious, and more affordable alternative to San
Francisco, and a constant flow of newcomers -- many from Central America and Asia --
ensures continued diversity, vitality, and growing pains. Many neighbourhoods to the west
and south of downtown remain run-down and unsafe, but a renovated downtown area --
including one of the most vibrant arts scenes in the Bay Area -- and the thriving though sterile
Jack London Square have injected new life into the city. The national visibility from the 1998
election of former California governor Jerry Brown as Oakland mayor further invigorated the
city's rising spirits. Despite economic disparities between its separate parts, Oakland is held
together by a strong sense of community. Everyday life here revolves around the
neighbourhood, with a main business strip attracting both shoppers and socialisers. In some
areas, such as high-end Piedmont and Rockridge, you'd swear you were in Berkeley or San
Francisco's Noe Valley or Cow Hollow. These are perfect places for browsing, eating, or just
relaxing between sightseeing trips to Oakland's architectural gems, rejuvenated waterfront,
and numerous green spaces. Between Rockridge and Piedmont and to the west, the
Temescal district, along Telegraph Avenue just south of 51st Street, is starting to attract a
small but diverting collection of eateries and shops.
Berkeley The birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, the radical hub of the 1960s, the
home of arguably the nation's top public university, and the city whose government
condemned the bombing of Afghanistan -- Berkeley is all of those things. The city of 100,000
facing San Francisco across the bay is also culturally diverse, a breeding ground for social
trends, a bastion of the counterculture, and an important centre for Bay Area writers, artists,
and musicians. Berkeley residents, students, and faculty spend hours nursing various coffee
concoctions while they read, discuss, and debate at any of the dozens of cafés that surround
the campus. Oakland may have Berkeley beat when it comes to cutting-edge arts, and the
city may have forfeited some of its renegade 1960s spirit, as some residents say, but unless a
guy in a hot-pink satin body suit, skull cap, and cape rides a unicycle around your town
singing, you'll likely find that Berkeley remains plenty offbeat.
Orange County
Overview
Few of the citrus groves that gave Orange County its name remain. This region south and
east of Los Angeles is now ruled by tourism and high-tech business instead of farmers.
Angelenos may make cracks about theme parks being the extent of culture here, but there's
much more to the area than mouse ears and laid-back beach towns. You can get an
evocative dose of history by visiting the 18th-century Mission San Juan Capistrano or find a
thriving performing arts centre (albeit near the massive shopping centre South Coast Plaza).
Several major bands got started here, including ska-infected No Doubt, thrash metal Korn,
and the punk band Social Distortion. And while local style was long focused on hometown
surf-gear companies like Quiksilver and Billabong, its edgier elements mean that Orange
County gets profiled in Vogue.
With its tropical flowers and palm trees, the stretch of coast between Seal Beach and San
Clemente is often called the California Riviera. Exclusive Newport Beach, artsy Laguna, and
the up-and-coming surf town of Huntington Beach are the stars, but lesser-known gems on
the glistening coast -- such as Corona del Mar -- are also worth visiting. Offshore, meanwhile,
lies gorgeous Catalina Island, a terrific spot for diving, snorkelling, and hiking. And despite a
building boom that began in the 1990s, the area is still a place to find wilderness trails,
canyons, greenbelts, and national parks.
Some of Orange County's towns are now high-profile, thanks to Fox's spoiled-teen drama The
O.C. and Laguna Beach, MTV's "reality soap." But life here is much more diverse than the
McMansion world shown on TV. A strong Mexican influence contributes to the cuisine and
architecture; the largest Vietnamese community outside Asia is that of Westminster's Little
Saigon. And please don't tell the 3 million locals that they live in a suburb of Los Angeles.
Orange County is different, with its own concerns. It's more relaxed, more family oriented, and
friendlier. (Not every waiter here is trying to break into the movies.)
Few of the citrus groves that gave Orange County its name remain. This region south and
east of Los Angeles is now a high-tech business hub where tourism is the number-one
industry.
Angelenos may make cracks about theme parks being the extent of culture here, but moving
beyond them, there are 42 miles of expansive beaches and quirky beach towns, the 18th-
century Mission San Juan Capistrano, and the Noguchi Garden near the massive shopping
centre South Coast Plaza. The art scene is big enough to encompass the cutting edge in
Santa Ana's Artists' Village as well as the faux-impressionist work found on Laguna Beach's
boardwalk. The music scene is also strong with ska-infected No Doubt, thrash metal Korn,
and the punk band Social Distortion all got started here.
With its tropical flowers and palm trees, the stretch of coast between Seal Beach and San
Clemente is often called the California Riviera. Exclusive Newport Beach, artsy Laguna, and
the up-and-coming surf town of Huntington Beach are the stars, but lesser-known gems on
the glistening coast -- such as Corona del Mar -- are also worth visiting. Offshore, meanwhile,
lies gorgeous Catalina Island, a terrific spot for diving, snorkelling, and hiking. And despite a
building boom that began in the 1990s, the area is still a place to find wilderness trails,
canyons, greenbelts, and national parks.
Orange County's 31 cities are diverse, multicultural places, and some come with a claim to
hipness, thanks to Fox's The O.C. and Laguna Beach, MTV's "reality soap." A Mexican
influence is part of the cuisine and architecture; the largest Vietnamese community outside
Asia is that of Westminster's Little Saigon. And please don't tell the 3 million locals that they
live in a suburb of Los Angeles. Orange County is different, with its own concerns. It's more
relaxed, more family-oriented, and friendlier. (Not every waiter here is trying to break into the
movies.)
If You Have Three Days
You're still going to Disneyland (stay overnight in Anaheim), and if it's up to the kids you could
add Disney's California Adventure to the mix and easily devote all three days (and a
considerable amount of money) to the Disneyland Resort.
If you'd prefer to escape the Magic Kingdom or avoid it altogether, get an early start and head
to Laguna Beach, before the crowds arrive. Breakfast alfresco, and then take a walk on the
sand. Afterward, stroll around the local streets lined with boutiques and art galleries. Pick up a
game if you like or hold out for an impromptu chess match with a local at one of the nearby
tables surfside and plan to spend the night.
On Day 3, visit Newport Beach or Huntington Beach; then head inland to Costa Mesa, where
you can browse through South Coast Plaza, one of the world's largest retail, entertainment,
and dining complexes, or visit the smaller nearby shopping centers. Alternatively, catch an
early boat out to Catalina Island for the day.
Palm Springs
Overview
A tourist destination since the late 19th century, Palm Springs had already caught
Hollywood's eye by the time of the Great Depression. It was an ideal hideaway: celebrities
could slip into town, play a few sets of tennis, lounge around the pool, attend a party or two,
and, unless things got out of hand, remain safely beyond the reach of gossip columnists. But
it took a pair of tennis-playing celebrities to put Palm Springs on the map. In the 1930s actors
Charlie Farrell and Ralph Bellamy bought 200 acres of land for $30 an acre and opened the
Palm Springs Racquet Club, which soon listed Ginger Rogers, Humphrey Bogart, and Clark
Gable among its members.
During its slow, steady growth period from the 1930s to 1970s, the Palm Springs area drew
some of the world's most famous architects to design homes for the rich and famous. The
collected works, inspired by the mountains and desert sands and notable for the use of glass
and indoor/outdoor space, became known as Palm Springs Modernism. The city lost some of
its luster in the 1970s as the wealthy moved to newer down-valley communities. But Palm
Springs reinvented itself, restoring the bright and airy old houses and hotels, and cultivating a
welcoming atmosphere for well-heeled gay visitors. You'll find reminders of the city's
glamorous past in its unique architecture and renovated hotels, and change and progress are
evidenced by trendy restaurants and upscale shops. Formerly exclusive Palm Canyon Drive
is now a lively avenue with coffeehouses, outdoor cafés and bars, and frequent special
events.
The towns of Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms punctuate Twentynine Palms Highway
(Highway 62), the northern highway from the desert resorts to Joshua Tree National Park,
and provide lodging and other visitor services to park goers. Flanked by Twentynine Palms
Highway on the north and I-10 on the south, the park protects some of the southern desert's
most interesting and beautiful scenery. A visit to the park provides a glimpse of the rigors of
desert life in the Little San Bernardino Mountains. You can see the park highlights in a half
day or take a daylong expedition into the backcountry.
Best of Palm Springs & Joshua Tree NP in 1 to 5 Days
If You Have 1 Day
If you've just slipped into the desert for a day, focus your activities around Palm Springs. Get
an early-morning scenic overview by taking the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to the top of Mt.
San Jacinto. In the afternoon head for Palm Canyon Drive, where you can have lunch and
pick up tickets for an evening performance of the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies (better still,
make reservations before your visit). You can also visit Palm Desert, the trendiest of the
desert cities, for a walk through the canyons and hillsides of the Living Desert Zoo and
Gardens and a preshow dinner at a restaurant on El Paseo.
If You Have 3 Days
Palm Springs- makes a good base for exploring the area. On your first day head to the Palm
Springs Aerial Tramway in the morning and have lunch at a sidewalk cafe on Palm Canyon
Drive. Spend the afternoon browsing through the Uptown District shops for midcentury and
retro items or (unless it's the height of summer) hiking through the Indian Canyons. On Day 2
take an early-morning drive to Twentynine Palms and Joshua Tree National Park, where you
can explore the terrain, crawl through the entrance to Hidden Valley, and stop by the Oasis
Visitor Center. Have a picnic lunch in the park or head back to El Paseo, in Palm Desert, for a
midafternoon bite before exploring the chic shopping area. On the third morning take in the
Palm Springs Desert Museum, where you can learn about the natural history of the desert
and see some great art. In the afternoon pamper yourself at one of the spas for which Palm
Springs is famous. Then have dinner and take in a performance of the Fabulous Palm
Springs Follies.
If You Have 5 Days
If you have five days to spend in the desert, you'll have time to explore beyond the immediate
Palm Springs- area. On your first day take in a sweeping view of the Coachella Valley from
the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in the morning, and stroll along Palm Canyon
Drive in the afternoon. On the second morning visit the Palm Springs Desert Museum. Then
grab a picnic lunch and head out to Indian Canyons, where you can eat by a waterfall. By
evening you'll be ready to live it up at one of the desert's nightspots. Spend Days 3 and 4 at
Joshua Tree National Park. You can camp in the park or stay at a B&B in Twentynine Palms,
just outside the park. In the evening take an hour to gaze at the stars. On Day 5 get an early
start and complete your drive through the park so you can arrive back in the Palm Springs
area for lunch. Check into a spa for the afternoon, and catch the Fabulous Palm Springs
Follies on your last night.
Alternatively, you can spend Days 3 and 4 in quiet Borrego Springs, exploring the wonders of
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and the Salton Sea. On the fifth morning drive to Palm
Desert to visit the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, have lunch on El Paseo, do some
shopping, and head back to your hotel for one last dip in the pool.
Sacramento
Overview
The gateway to the Gold Country, the seat of state government (headed by Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger), and an agricultural hub, the city of Sacramento plays many important
contemporary roles. Nearly 2 million people live in the metropolitan area. The continuing influx
of newcomers seeking opportunity, sunshine, and lower housing costs than in coastal
California has made it one of the nation's fastest-growing regions. The midtown area, just
east of downtown, contains many of the city's best restaurants and quirkiest shops;
downtown, pedestrians-only K Street Mall has a persistent panhandling problem. An infusion
of upscale, popular restaurants, nightclubs, and breweries is nevertheless energizing the
downtown scene. Ten miles west is the college town of Davis, which, like nearby Woodland,
is beginning to feel more suburban than agricultural because many Sacramento workers are
settling there.
Sacramento contains more than 2,000 acres of natural and developed parkland. Grand old
evergreens, deciduous and fruit-bearing trees (many lawns and even parks are littered with
oranges in springtime), and giant palms give it a shady, lush quality. Genteel Victorian
edifices sit side by side with art deco and postmodern skyscrapers, though cheap-looking
apartment buildings abound in midtown, and stuccoed suburbs are obliterating a lot of the
greater metro area's rural charm.
Best of Sacramento & the Gold Country in 1 to 5 Days
If You Have 1 Day
Increasing traffic makes a drive from Sacramento to and along Highway 49 potentially long
and frustrating. Instead, if you have only one day to spend in the area, stick to Sacramento.
Begin at Sutter's Fort, and then walk down J Street or take a bus to the Capitol for a free tour.
Its huge park is pleasant for picnics. Next, head to Old Sacramento, perhaps detouring
through the vibrant Downtown Plaza mall for a drink in its River City Brewing Co. Explore the
California State Railroad Museum, and, time permitting, take a one-hour river cruise before
dining at one of Old Sacramento's many good restaurants.
If You Have 5 Days
Start your trip in Sacramento, where you can visit the California State Railroad Museum and
Sutter's Fort and take a riverboat cruise. On the second day, drive to Placerville to see
Hangtown's Gold Bug Park & Mine and continue to Sutter Creek. Day 3 starts with a visit to
the Amador County Museum, in Jackson, after which you can head south on Highway 49 and
northeast on Highway 4 for lunch in Murphys. Return to Highway 49 and continue south to
Columbia State Historic Park, in Columbia. You can relive the 1800s by dining and spending
the night at the City Hotel. If you've been itching to pan for gold, do that on the morning of
Day 4. Drive back north on Highway 49 to Coloma and Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic
Park, and head to Auburn to spend the night. On your last day, stop at Empire Mine State
Historic Park in Grass Valley and pay a visit to Nevada City.
San Diego
Overview
Exploring San Diego may be an endless adventure, but there are limitations, especially if you
don't have a car. San Diego is more a chain of separate communities than a cohesive city,
and many of the major attractions are separated by some distance. Walking is good for
getting an up-close look at how San Diegans live, but true Southern Californians use the
freeways that crisscross the county. Interstate 5 runs a direct north-south route through the
coastal communities from Orange County in the north to the Mexican border. Interstates 805
and 15 do much the same inland. Interstate 8 is the main east-west route. Routes 163, 52,
and 94 serve as connectors.
If you're going to drive around San Diego, study the map before you hit the road. The
freeways are convenient and fast most of the time, but if you miss your turnoff or get caught in
commuter traffic, you'll experience a none-too-pleasurable hallmark of Southern California
living -- freeway madness. Drivers rush around on a complex freeway system with the same
fervor they use for jogging scores of marathons each year. They particularly enjoy speeding
up at interchanges and entrance and exit ramps. Be sure you know where you're going before
you join the chase.
Public transportation has improved a great deal in the past decade: the San Diego Trolley,
which runs as far south as San Ysidro, has expanded in the north from Old Town to beyond
Mission San Diego and San Diego State University; commuter Coaster trains run frequently
between downtown San Diego and Oceanside, with convenient stops in Del Mar, Encinitas,
Carlsbad, and other charming coastal towns; and the bus system covers almost all of the
county. Making connections to see the various sights is time-consuming, however. Note that
Fashion Valley shopping centre, Old Town, and downtown are the three major bus transfer
points, but because many of the city's attractions are along the coast, and the coast is itself a
major attraction, you'll be best off staying there if you're carless. The bike-path system is
extensive, the weather is almost always bicycle-friendly, and lots of buses and trolley cars
have bike racks, so two-wheeling is a good option for the athletic. The great distances
between sights render taxis prohibitively expensive for general transportation, although cabs
are useful for getting around once you're in a given area. Old Town Trolley Tours has a hop-
on, hop-off route of popular spots around the city, but it takes so long to cover the route that
you're unlikely to see more than two areas in one day.
San Diego County's warm climate nurtures some amazing flora. Golden stalks of pampas
grass grow in wild patches near SeaWorld. Bougainvilleas cover roofs and hillsides in La
Jolla, spreading magenta blankets over whitewashed adobe walls, and when the jacaranda
trees that line the streets in Cortez Hill and nearby neighbourhoods bloom in spring,
spreading vivid, shady canopies, downtown is a vision in purple. Towering palms and twisted
junipers are more common than maples or oaks, and fields of wild daisies and chamomile
cover dry, dusty lots. Red-and-white poinsettias proliferate at Christmas, and candy-coloured
pink- and yellow-flowered ice plants edge the roads year-round. Jasmine blooms on bushes
and vines in front yards and parking lots, while citrus groves pop up in unlikely places, along
the freeways and back roads. When the orange, lemon, and lime trees bloom in spring, the
fragrance of their tiny white blossoms is nearly overpowering.
Unless you're on the freeway, it's hard not to find a scenic drive in San Diego, but an officially
designated 52-mi Scenic Drive over much of central San Diego begins at the foot of
Broadway. Road signs with a white sea gull on a yellow-and-blue background direct the way
through the Embarcadero to Harbour and Shelter islands, Point Loma and Cabrillo
Monument, Mission Bay, Old Town, Balboa Park, Mount Soledad, and La Jolla. It's best to
take this three-hour drive, outlined on some local maps, on the weekend, when the
commuters are off the road.
Sights & Activities
Overlooking downtown and the Pacific Ocean, 1,200-acre Balboa Park is the cultural heart of
San Diego. Ranked as one of the world's best parks by the Project for Public Spaces in 2004,
it's the place where you can find most of the city's museums and its world-famous zoo. Most
first-time visitors see only these attractions, but Balboa Park is really a series of botanical
gardens. Thanks to the "Mother of Balboa Park," Kate Sessions, who first suggested hiring a
landscape architect in 1889, gardens both cultivated and wild are an integral part of the park.
Downtown is San Diego's Lazarus. Written off as moribund by the 1970s, when few people
willingly stayed in the area after dark, downtown is now one of the city's prime draws. The
turnaround began in the late 1970s with the revitalization of the Gaslamp Quarter Historic
District and massive redevelopment that gave rise to the Horton Plaza shopping centre and
the San Diego Convention Centre, as well as to elegant hotels, upscale condominium
complexes, and swank, trendy restaurants and cafés. Now people linger downtown well into
the night -- and also wake up there the next morning.
The populated outcroppings that jut into the bay just west of downtown and the airport
demonstrate the potential of human collaboration with nature. Point Loma, Mother Nature's
contribution to San Diego's attractions, has always protected the centre city from the Pacific's
tides and waves. It's shared by military installations, funky motels and fast-food shacks,
stately family homes, huge estates, and private marinas packed with sailboats and yachts.
Newer to the scene, Harbour and Shelter islands are landfill. Created out of sand dredged
from the San Diego Bay in the second half of the past century, they've become tourist hubs,
their high-rise hotels, seafood restaurants, and boat-rental centres looking as solid as those
anywhere else in the city.
Mission Bay Park is San Diego's monument to sports and fitness. This 4,600-acre aquatic
park has 27 mi of shoreline including 19 of sandy beach. Admission is free. All you need for a
perfect day is a bathing suit, shorts, and the right selection of playthings.
San Diego's Spanish and Mexican roots are most evident in Old Town, the area north of
downtown at Juan Street, near the intersection of Interstates 5 and 8, that was the first
European settlement in Southern California. Old Town San Diego's first houses, of sun-dried
adobe bricks arranged around a central plaza, began to appear in the 1820s; by the 1850s,
after the discovery of gold drew prospectors to California from around the globe, they began
to be replaced with wood-frame structures. In the 1860s, however, the advent of Alonzo
Horton's New Town to the southeast stole thunder from Old Town, which began to wither.
Efforts to preserve it began early in the 20th century, and when it became a state historic park
in 1968, the process of restoration gained momentum.
San Francisco
Overview
Snuggled on a 46½-square-mi tip of land between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean,
San Francisco is a relatively small city of about 750,000 residents. San Franciscans cherish
the city, partly for the same reasons so many visitors do: the proximity of the bay and its
pleasures, rows of Victorian homes clinging precariously to the hillsides, the sun setting
behind the Golden Gate Bridge. Longtime locals know the city's attraction goes much deeper,
from the diversity of its neighbourhoods and residents (trannies in the seedy Tenderloin,
yuppie MBAs in the Marina, elderly Russians in the Richmond, working-class Latino families
in the Mission) to the city's progressive free spirit (we voted to ban handguns, we embrace a
photographer's project that involves naked people frolicking in trees on public land, our
thirtysomething mayor poses for GQ and is seen out on the town with his soon-to-be-ex-wife,
a former model). Take all these things together and you'll begin to understand why, despite
the dizzying cost of living here, many San Franciscans can't imagine calling anyplace else
home.
San Francisco's charms are great and small. You wouldn't want to miss Golden Gate Park,
the Palace of Fine Arts, the Golden Gate Bridge, or a cable-car ride over Nob Hill. But a walk
down the Filbert Steps or through Macondray Lane or an hour gazing at murals in the Mission
or the thundering Pacific from the cliffs of Lincoln Park can be equally inspiring.
Best in 7 Days
Day 1: Chinatown, North Beach
Start off the day with an espresso and pastry at an outdoor café in North Beach. Wander this
charming quarter of tempting delis, bakeries, and pasta houses, and hit City Lights Bookstore
for a glimpse of the city's Beat-era legacy. Take in sweeping views of the bay at Coit Tower,
then head to labyrinthine Chinatown for dim sum, and peer into mysterious herb apothecaries,
live-seafood stores, and sweet-smelling tea shops. Hit the stores near the Chinatown Gate for
good values on souvenirs, and then head back to North Beach for pasta, followed by a drink
at celebrity favourite Tosca.
Day 2: Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39
With your prereserved ticket in hand, set out for a tour of the Rock. When the ferry docks
back at the wharf, take a step back in time to early-20th-century San Francisco at delightful
Musée Mécanique. Just east of Fisherman's Wharf, you can find some great souvenirs
among the schlocky and overpriced stores and restaurants at Pier 39. If you absolutely must
dine on the water, the restaurants here have spectacular views and less-spectacular food.
Otherwise hop the Hyde Street or Mason Street cable-car line for better dining in Russian Hill
and North Beach, respectively.
Day 3: Soma, Union Square
Beat the crowds in the morning at SFMOMA; then take a break across the street in the
expansive Yerba Buena Gardens. Head up 4th Street and join stylish locals browsing in the
tony stores around Union Square. This area isn't known for great restaurants, so when you
get peckish, head to Belden Place. This bistro-lined alley is one of the few places around
Union Square where locals dine. To top off the evening, gaze down on the city lights from one
of the square's sky-view lounges.
Day 4: Golden Gate Park
Start your day at the glorious Conservatory of Flowers. Be sure to take in the city scenes
ingeniously rendered in flowers out front. Make your way to the Japanese Tea Garden and
amble across wooden bridges and along stone pathways over ponds filled with 100-plus-year-
old carp. Just across the street, egrets perch and kids frolic at the Strybing Arboretum and
Botanical Gardens. Check out -- even if just from the outside -- the striking, controversial
redesign of the de Young Museum. Move on to Stow Lake, where you can rent a surrey or
paddleboat. Make your way to the western edge of the park (if you're travelling with kids, stop
by the Buffalo Paddock) and top off the day with a bite and a pint and view the sunset over
the Pacific at the WPA mural-covered Beach Chalet.
Day 5: The Castro, The Mission
Here's your chance to ride the charming antique trolleys of the F-line -- the Castro is the end
of the line. Stroll down Castro Street, past the art-deco Castro Theatre, stopping at any café
that attracts you. Head east on 16th Street to Dolores Street and unimposing Mission
Dolores, and wander rows of centuries-old gravestones in its tiny cemetery. Discover the
offbeat Mission District around 16th and Valencia streets, wandering past political bookstores,
hipster cafés, and quirky shops. You can have your pick of excellent, reasonably priced spots
for dinner and drinks.
Day 6: Ferry Building, Marina, Presidio
Gather breakfast at the bustling Ferry Building and watch sailboats and ferries on the bay as
you dine outside. If you gather supplies here, you'll be well equipped for a picnic later on the
northern shoreline. Head to the Marina and the gorgeous Palace of Fine Arts; if you're
travelling with kids, be sure to visit the Exploratorium next door. Continue west into the
Presidio and make for Crissy Field, the marshland along the northern shore. Stake out your
picnic spot and watch the sun set beyond the Golden Gate Bridge.
Day 7: Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Lombard Street
See what really makes the cable cars go at the free, very cool Cable Car Museum on Nob
Hill; then climb up to terraced Ina Coolbrith Park on Russian Hill for broad vistas of the bay.
Ascend the Vallejo Steps and you're within easy reach of many of Russian Hill's hidden lanes.
Explore famous Macondray Lane; then head around the corner to Leavenworth Street just
north of Union Street and look left for the steps to equally lovely but virtually unknown Havens
Place. Continue north to crooked Lombard Street; then head back to Hyde Street for dinner at
one of Russian Hill's trendy eateries.
ALTERNATIVES: On Day 2, skip Fisherman's Wharf. Instead, take a walk onto -- or over --
the Golden Gate Bridge, or head back to North Beach for a mellow afternoon.
Instead of shopping at Union Square on Day 3, head to Kabuki Springs and Spa and relax in
the communal baths, or walk out to Lands End on the western shoreline.
If you have more time, drive up to Marin to see the redwoods, or head down the coast to the
beaches of San Mateo.
San Jose
Overview
South of San Francisco, Silicon Valley occupies the eastern shore of the peninsula that
sequesters the bay from the Pacific Ocean. In this prosperous land of corporate parks,
technology eclipses tourism, though the twain do meet in places such as Stanford University
and San Jose's Tech Museum of Innovation. The bump and hustle of dot-com business,
which can make for heavy traffic along the many freeways, imparts an energetic buzz to the
restaurants and bars of downtown Palo Alto and San Jose. A world away across a mountain
range, nature still reigns on the often foggy coastal peninsula. Highway 1 threads up rugged
shoreline past the elephant seal rookery at Año Nuevo State Reserve and beach getaways
such as Half Moon Bay.
Best of the Peninsula & South Bay in 1 to 3 Days
If You Have 1 Day
Spend your morning in Palo Alto, taking a look around town and a tour of Stanford University.
In the afternoon head for San Jose- and the Tech Museum of Innovation, the Rosicrucian
Egyptian Museum, and the Winchester Mystery House. Depending on your taste, have an
evening of symphony, ballet, or theatre at San Jose's Centre for Performing Arts.
If You Have 3 Days
Spend your first day on the coast, noodling around Año Nuevo State Reserve, Pescadero
State Beach, Half Moon Bay, and Moss Beach. After overnighting in a Half Moon Bay B&B,
drive Route 92 through the countryside to I-280 and head south to Woodside, where you can
tour Filoli (except Monday November-January). Drive south on I-280 to the Sand Hill Road
exit and take that route to the central campus of Stanford University. Take an afternoon tour
of the university and its Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Centre for Visual Arts, then have dinner in
Palo Alto. On your third day stop in Santa Clara to see Mission Santa Clara de Asis, or if you
have kids in tow, you might want to treat them to a morning at Paramount's Great America.
Devote your afternoon to San Jose- and its attractions, then take a sunset drive to Saratoga.
Santa Barbara
Overview
The coastline between Santa Barbara and Carmel, a distance of about 200 mi, is one of the
most popular drives in California. Except for a few smallish cities -- Ventura and Santa
Barbara, in the south, and San Luis Obispo, in the north -- the area is sparsely populated. The
countryside's few inhabitants relish their isolation at the sharp edge of land and sea. Around
Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Oxnard, Southern California peters out in long, sandy beaches.
To the north the shoreline gradually rises into hills dotted with cattle, and by the time you
reach Big Sur, the Santa Lucia Mountains drop down to the Pacific with dizzying grandeur.
Sunny, well-scrubbed Santa Barbara, only 95 mi north of Los Angeles, is the link between
Northern and Southern California. Santa Barbara's Spanish-Mexican heritage is reflected in
the architectural style of the mission, courthouse, and many homes and public buildings.
Inland from the Pacific a burgeoning Central Coast wine region stretches 100 mi from Santa
Ynez north to Paso Robles; the 190-plus wineries here have earned reputations for high-
quality vintages that rival those of Northern California. Visual artists create and sell their
works in towns such as Ojai and Cambria. The town of Solvang, where restaurants serve
Scandinavian fare and windmills line the streets, is a European outpost in this otherwise
quintessentially Californian landscape.
Best of Santa Barbara & the Central Coast in 3 to 7 Days
If You Have 3 Days
Start your trip in Santa Barbara, where you can tour the Santa Barbara County Courthouse
and Mission Santa Barbara. In the afternoon explore Stearns Wharf and other waterfront
sights, and stroll State Street if you like to shop, or have some fun at the Santa Barbara Zoo.
The next day, drive up to San Luis Obispo and visit Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa and
the nearby County Historical Museum. Pausing north of town to poke your head into the
kitschy Madonna Inn, drive to Morro Bay to stroll the Embarcadero and see Morro Rock. Stop
at Montaña de Oro State Park for a late-afternoon hike and spend the evening in San Luis
Obispo. In the morning, start bright and early, driving north through Cambria to San Simeon
for a tour of Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument. Next, head for the Big Sur
coastline, where you can have a sunset dinner at Nepenthe and spend the night in or near
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.
If You Have 7 Days
Get your tour off to a natural start in Ventura, on a morning cruise to Channel Islands National
Park. In the afternoon, take Highway 33 east to see Ojai. On Day 2, drive to Santa Barbara-
and get a feel for the city's architecture, history, and vegetation at the Santa Barbara County
Courthouse, Mission Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. Have dinner in
Montecito and explore the Coast Village Road shopping district. It's a short walk south from
here to the shore to catch the sunset before or after you eat. The next day take it easy with a
visit to Stearns Wharf, a walk or bike along East Beach, and a prowl through Andree Clark
Bird Refuge. Have dinner on State Street and check out the area's shops and clubs. Day 4
starts with a drive up U.S. 101 to Highway 246 west to reach La Purisima Mission State
Historic Park in Lompoc. Spend the afternoon in Santa Barbara wine country, stopping at
wineries in Santa Ynez and Los Olivos. Another option is to browse the shops in Danish
Solvang, where there are plenty of places to choose from for dinner. In the morning continue
north through Morro Bay to Cambria, a good place for lunch, and take an afternoon tour of
Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument. After a night in San Simeon, head for the Big
Sur coast on Day 6. Observe the glories of Los Padres National Forest up close by hiking one
of the many trails in the Ventana Wilderness. Overnight at one of the spots around Pfeiffer Big
Sur State Park, and on your last day watch the waves break on Pfeiffer Beach, one of the few
places in the area where you can actually set foot on the shore. If you're here on a weekend
(or on Wednesday April-October), tour Point Sur State Historic Park.
Yosemite National Park
Overview
People from around the world travel to California to see Yosemite National Park's towering
granite monoliths, verdant glacial valleys, and lofty waterfalls. The park's natural attributes do
live up to the hype, but if you come May through September, you're likely to see more visitors
than vistas.
Yosemite is so large you can think of it as five different parks. Yosemite Valley, famous for
waterfalls and cliffs, and Wawona, where the giant sequoias stand, are open all year. Hetch
Hetchy, home of less-used backcountry trails, closes after the first big snow and reopens in
May or June. The subalpine high country, Tuolumne Meadows, is open for summer hiking
and camping; in winter it's accessible only by cross-country skis or snowshoes. Badger Pass
Ski Area is open in winter only. The fee to visit Yosemite National Park (good for seven days)
is $20 per car, $10 per person if you don't arrive in a car. Within park boundaries, you can buy
gasoline only in Wawona and Crane Flat, not the valley.
On entering the park, you'll receive a small glossy magazine with general information about
the park, and a free monthly newspaper, Yosemite Today, which lists locations and times for
ranger-led nature walks. Make it a point to read at least the newspaper for up-to-date visitors'
information.
Best of Yosemite National Park in 3 Days
If your time is limited, explore Yosemite National Park. Use the Big Oak Flat Entrance on
Highway 120, and head east toward Yosemite Valley. Once you reach the valley floor, traffic
is diverted onto a one-way loop road. Continue east, following the signs to day-use parking,
and ride the shuttle to Yosemite Village and the Valley Visitor Center. Loop back west for a
short hike near Yosemite Falls, the highest waterfall in North America. Hop back in the car
and continue west for a valley view of famous El Capitan. This area is a good place for a
picnic. Double back onto Southside Drive en route to Highway 41 southbound, stopping at
misty Bridalveil Fall; then follow Highway 41/Wawona Road south 14 mi to the Chinquapin
junction and make a left turn onto Glacier Point Road. From Glacier Point (road closed in
winter) you'll get a phenomenal bird's-eye view of the entire valley, including Half Dome,
Vernal Fall, and Nevada Fall. If you want to avoid the busloads of tourists at Glacier Point,
stop at Sentinel Dome instead.
On Day 2, head south again on Highway 41/Wawona Road and visit the Mariposa Grove of
Big Trees at the southern end of the park. Afterward, head north to the Wawona Hotel (closed
in midwinter), where you can have lunch or a relaxing drink on the veranda or in the charming
lobby bar. Afterward tour the Pioneer Yosemite History Centre. Head back to Yosemite Valley
on Wawona Road, and stop at the mouth of the tunnel on Highway 41, just before you drop
into the valley, for one of the park's most famous and spectacular views. Plan to watch the
sunset on Half Dome from Sentinel Bridge, and take in a ranger-led program in the early
evening.
On the third day, have breakfast near the Valley Visitor Centre before hiking to Vernal Fall or
Nevada Fall. If you are up for a strenuous hike, you can climb to the top of Yosemite Falls.
Colorado:
Aspen & Snowmass
Boulder
Denver
Rocky Mountain NP
Steamboat Springs
Telluride
Vail
Aspen
Overview
One of the world's fabled resorts, Aspen practically defines glitz, glamour, and glorious skiing.
To the uninitiated, Aspen and Vail are synonymous. To residents, a rivalry exists, with locals
of each claiming to have the state's most epic skiing, finest restaurants, and hottest nightlife.
The most obvious distinction is the look: Vail is a faux-Bavarian development, whereas Aspen
is an overgrown mining town. Vail is full of politicians: it's where Gerald Ford, Dan Quayle,
and John Sununu fled to escape the cares of state, whereas Aspen is popular with singers
and movie stars. Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith married (and divorced) here, and Barbra
Streisand took a stand against state legislation that discriminated against gay people.
Between the galleries, museums, music festivals, and other glittering social events, there's so
much going on in Aspen that even in winter many people come simply to "do the scene" --
many never make it to the slopes. High-end boutiques have been known to serve free
Campari-and-sodas après-ski, a practice so brazenly elitist that there's a certain charm to it.
At the same time, Aspen is a place where people live fairly average lives, sending their
children to school and working at jobs that may or may not have to do with skiing. It is,
arguably, America's original ski-bum destination, a fact that continues to give the town's
character an underlying layer of humour and texture. You can come to Aspen and have a
reasonably straightforward, enjoyable ski vacation, because once you've stripped away the
veneer, Aspen is simply a great place to ski.
Heading east along Highway 82 toward Aspen you'll spot the turnoffs (Brush Creek and Owl
Creek roads) to the Snowmass Ski Area, one of four ski mountains owned by the Aspen
Skiing Company. The town at the mountain's base, Snowmass Village, has a handful of chic
boutiques and eateries, but it's more down-to-earth and much slower-paced than Aspen.
In general, Snowmass is the preferred alternative for families with young children, leaving the
town of Aspen to a more up-at-the-crack-of-noon kind of crowd. The selling points of
Snowmass as an alternative to Aspen are many ski-in ski-out lodgings, a slower pace, and
one of the best intermediate ski hills in the country.
Sights & Activities
Wedged in a valley between the Elk Mountain palisades to the southwest and the high-
altitude massifs of the Sawatch Range in the east, the Roaring Fork Valley is a Rocky
Mountain Shangri-La with Aspen at the headwaters. The charm and beauty of this isolation
can make reaching Aspen both a scenic and frustrating journey.
Downtown Aspen is easily explored on foot. It's best to wander without a planned itinerary.
You can spend an afternoon admiring the sleek window displays and graceful Victorian
mansions, many of which now house fine boutiques and restaurants.
From Memorial Day to Labour Day, Highway 82 pierces this wilderness area, stringing
together Glenwood Springs (on Interstate 70), Carbondale, Basalt, and Aspen before climbing
up and over 12,080-foot Independence Pass and switch-backing down to the Vail-Leadville-
Buena Vista corridor on the east side of the Sawatch Mountains. The pass divides the Mount
Massive Wilderness to the north and the Collegiate Peaks to the south. Elk and mule deer
herds can sometimes be seen at dawn and dusk grazing in the willow thickets beside Lake
Creek as it cascades down the eastern flank of the pass.
As soon as the autumn snow flies, however, Independence Pass closes and Aspen becomes
a cul-de-sac town. The only way in or out is Highway 82 up the Roaring Fork Valley from
Glenwood Springs. Aspen's explosive growth hasn't come without some headaches. Despite
ongoing improvements and expanded lanes, Highway 82 can quickly clog with weekend
skiers and day commuters. Still, you'll have some gorgeous scenery to kill the time.
Boulder
Overview
No place in Colorado better epitomizes the state's outdoor mania than Boulder, where sunny
weather keeps locals busy through all seasons. There are nearly as many bicycles as cars in
this uncommonly beautiful and beautifully uncommon city embroidered with 30,000 acres of
parks and greenbelts and laced with more than 200 mi of trails for hiking, walking, jogging,
and bicycling.
Boulder started taxing itself in 1967 in order to buy greenbelts and in 2000 had a referendum
(failed) on the ballot to provide free public transportation for city residents. Even in winter,
residents cycle to work and jog on the open-space paths. It's nearly a matter of civic pride to
spend a lunch hour playing Frisbee, in-line skating, hiking with the family dog, and even rock
climbing on the Flatirons. The proverbial Boulder three-piece suit is a T-shirt, fleece vest, and
shorts, completed by Birkenstock sandals.
Sights & Activities
Boulder is beautiful, and the best place to take a first look is from the scenic overlook on
Davidson Mesa (it's on U.S. 36 south of town). On the left you'll see Bear Mountain and the
obvious Devil's Thumb on its left slope marking the entrance to Eldorado Canyon. To the right
is Green Mountain and its trademark red sandstone Flatirons that you'll be able to see from
almost every vantage point in town. These massive rock upthrusts, so named for their flat
faces, are popular among rock climbers and hikers. Flagstaff Mountain, Bald Mountain, and
Lee Hill are to the right, and at the horizon behind them you'll see the Indian Peaks. Meeker
and Longs Peak, both in Rocky Mountain National Park, tower above them all nearly straight
ahead of you in the distance.
The red-tile roofs of the University of Colorado at Boulder are easy to spot, and the downtown
is to the right with the Red Rocks, Mount Sanitas, and Dakota Ridge as a backdrop just in
front of the foothills. Boulder Creek courses along the south side of the downtown area at the
bottom of "The Hill" on which both the university and its companion off-beat neighbourhood
are located.
Although 10 minutes of walking separate downtown and the Hill the milieus seem miles and
ages apart; downtown bustles with families, buskers, the arts, classy boutiques, and eateries,
while the Hill pulsates with trendy shops, packed coffeehouses, bars, and restaurants geared
more to students. Parking and driving in these sections of Boulder can be cumbersome and
time-consuming. Leave your car at the hotel and try the Hop, a bus that circulates in both
directions between downtown, the Hill, and the university for about the cost of an hour at a
parking meter.
Denver
Overview
You can tell from its skyline alone that Denver is a major metropolis, with a major league-
baseball stadium at the center of downtown and parking-meter rates that rival even Chicago
and New York. But look to the west to see where Denver distinguishes itself. You'll be driving
along Interstate 70, for example, contemplating the industrial warehouses on the way back
from Denver International Airport, and suddenly the Rocky Mountains, snow-peaked and
breathtakingly huge, appear in the distance. This combination of urban sprawl and proximity
to nature is what gives the city character. People spend their weeks commuting to LoDo, the
business district and historic downtown, and their weekends reveling in the multitude of
skiing, camping, hiking, bicycling, and fishing areas surrounding the city limits.
Many Denverites are unabashed nature lovers who can also enjoy the outdoors within the city
limits, walking along the park-lined river paths downtown. (Perhaps as a result of their active
lifestyle, Denverites are the "thinnest" city residents in the United States, with only 20% of the
adult population overweight.) For Denverites, preserving the environment and the city's rich
mining and ranching heritage are of equally vital importance to the quality of life. LoDo buzzes
with jazz clubs, restaurants, and art galleries housed in carefully restored century-old
buildings. The culturally diverse populace avidly supports the Denver Art Museum, the Denver
Museum of Nature & Science, the Colorado History Museum, and the Museo de las
Americas. The Denver Performing Arts Complex is the nation's second-largest theatrical
venue, bested in capacity only by New York's Lincoln Centre. An excellent public
transportation system, including a popular, growing light rail and 400 mi of bike paths, makes
getting around easy.
If you don't know Denver, you may be in for a few big surprises. Although one of its monikers
is the "Mile High City," another is "Queen City of the Plains." Denver is flat, with the Rocky
Mountains as a backdrop; this combination keeps the climate delightfully mild. Denverites do
not spend their winters digging out of fierce snowstorms and skiing out their front doors,
though snow may arrive early and leave late. They take advantage of a comfortable climate
(more than 300 days of sunshine a year), historic city blocks, a cultural centre, and sky's-the-
limit outdoor adventures just minutes from downtown. All of these factors make this appealing
city more than just a layover between home and the Rockies.
Best in 3 to 4 Days
If You Have 3 Days
Stay at the hotel Brown Palace, a regal downtown fixture where you might spot a celebrity in
the quiet, tea-serving lobby. On the first day, wander through LoDo, Larimer Square, and the
16th Street Mall, where shopping and dining, both high-end and affordable, are plentiful. You
won't need a car for any of this, especially if you take advantage of the free Mall Ride. At
night, during baseball season, take in a Rockies game at Coors Field; during football and
hockey seasons, try for Broncos or Avalanche tickets. (If seats aren't available, the ever-
improving Nuggets are your fall-back option.) If you have kids or are just death-defyingly
inclined, play a day at Six Flags Elitch Gardens, bordering LoDo, or in the off-season head
over to the Downtown Aquarium to check out the sharks.
On the third day, expand your exploration of downtown Denver by heading to the Capitol Hill
area, where you can stop at the Denver Art Museum, the Colorado History Museum, and the
U.S. Mint. Save 45 minutes for a quirky book-and-record shopping strip on Colfax Avenue. At
night, the Denver Performing Arts Complex is bound to have something to pique your interest.
If You Have Another Day
Follow the three-day itinerary and on your fourth day, explore the City Park neighbourhood. In
addition to the sprawling, pond-filled park, attractions include the space-obsessed Denver
Museum of Nature & Science and the Denver Zoo. Or, rent some wheels at the Bicycle
Doctor/Edgeworks and spend the last day on the South Platte River Valley Path, a set of
concrete walks surrounding a creek that spills into the South Platte River. The river path takes
you to a soothing spot behind the REI flagship store and leads to relaxing parks to the east
and Invesco Field at Mile High to the west.
Rocky Mountain
Overview
The Rocky Mountain wilderness of more than 265,000 acres of forested valleys, wildlife
habitat, rushing rivers, shimmering lakes, and high alpine meadows, all tucked between
soaring granite peaks, was established as a national park in 1915.
A savage clawing of the earth by volcanic uplifts and receding glaciers has resulted in a
majestic landscape of three distinct ecosystems in this national park: verdant mountain
valleys towering with proud ponderosa pines and Douglas firs; higher and colder subalpine
mountains with wind-whipped trees (krummholz) that grow at right angles; and harsh,
unforgiving alpine tundra with dollhouse-size versions of familiar plants and wildflowers. The
park teems with wildlife, from beaver to bighorn sheep.
The Estes Park and Grand Lake resort towns are the gateways to Rocky Mountain National
Park. The scenery on the U.S. 36 approach to Estes Park gives little hint of the grandeur to
come. If ever there was a classic picture-postcard Rockies view, Estes Park has it. The town
is at an altitude of more than 7,500 feet before a stunning backdrop of 14,255-foot Longs
Peak and surrounding mountains. The town itself is very family-oriented, albeit somewhat
kitschy: many of the small hotels lining the roads are mom-and-pop outfits that have been
passed down through several generations.
Grand Lake village is doubly blessed by its surroundings. It's the western gateway to Rocky
Mountain National Park and also sits on the shores of the state's largest natural lake, the
highest-altitude yacht anchorage in America. With views of snowy peaks and verdant
mountains from any vantage point, Grand Lake village is favoured by Coloradans for sailing,
canoeing, waterskiing, and fishing. In winter it's the snowmobiling capital and ice-fishing
destination. Even with its wooden boardwalks, Old West-style storefronts, and usual
assortment of souvenir shops and motels, the town seems less spoiled than many other
resort communities.
On the other side of the park, in Grand County, where ranching is still a livelihood for many,
guest ranches and golf courses provide an indulgent retreat. Vistas of the Rockies to the east
and south and of the Gore Range to the west seem out of place for these grasslands that the
early French explorers named Middle Park. Waterskiing, sailing, canoeing, ice-fishing, and
snowmobiling have made Grand Lake village and Colorado's "Great Lakes" a destination
even for vacationing Coloradans.
Fort Collins received the prestigious Preserve America Award for its efforts in historic
preservation. A walk through Old Town Square and the neighbourhoods to its south and west
validates the designation. The city sits on the cusp of the high plains of eastern Colorado but
is sheltered on the west by the lower foothills of the Rockies, giving residents plenty of nearby
hiking and mountain biking. By plugging a couple gaps in the foothills with dams, the city
created Horsetooth Reservoir, which you won't be able to see from town. To view the high
mountains, you'll need to head up into Lorry State Park or Horsetooth Mountain Park, which
are just west of town.
Best of Rocky Mountain NP in 3 to 7 Days
If You Have 3 Days
Start in Boulder- by bicycling the Boulder Creek Path or the Marshall Mesa, or hiking near the
Flatirons after a breakfast at the Chautauqua Dining Hall. After lunch you can poke around
the town or antique in Niwot. On Day 2, head toward Estes Park, but first take in the scenery
along the Peak-to-Peak Highway, diverting long enough for a light lunch in Gold Hill or an old-
fashioned ice-cream soda in Lyons. Hike near Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National
Park and work up an appetite for dinner in Estes Park. On Day 3, drive up Fall River Road --
keeping a sharp eye out for wildlife -- to Rocky Mountain National Park's Alpine Visitors
Centre. Linger there for the views and to learn about the alpine ecosystem before driving back
along Trail Ridge Road, with its many scenic viewpoints. After lunch, peruse the shops and
galleries along Elkhorn Avenue, learn to kayak on Lake Estes, or visit the Trail Ridge Winery
near Loveland.
If You Have 5 Days
Follow the three-day itinerary, replacing the drive up Fall River Road on Day 3 with a guided
horseback ride or rock-climbing lesson in the national park. Try the Sweet Basilico for lunch,
and follow the afternoon itinerary. On Day 4 take your time along Trail Ridge Road and at the
Alpine Visitors Center before descending the hairpin curves to Grand Lake for lunch. Hike
along the Colorado River to Lulu City or trot around Monarch Lake. There's time to stroll the
boardwalk before dinner. On Day 5 you can play 18 holes near Granby at the Headwaters
Golf Course at Granby Ranch or Grand Elk Ranch clubs; sail, canoe, or boat on Shadow
Mountain Reservoir; bicycle up to Willow Creek Pass; or mountain-bike in the Arapaho
National Recreation Area. The spa at Hot Sulphur Springs will revive you before a hearty
dinner. Don't miss the rodeo in Granby if it's the season.
If You Have 7 Days
Follow the five-day itinerary but replace Days 4 and 5 with the following itinerary. On Day 4,
drive to Fort Collins-; hike or mountain-bike in Horsetooth Mountain Park, or bicycle along the
Poudre River in town. In the afternoon, tour a brewery or take the kids to the Swetsville Zoo.
Learn about raptors at the Environmental Learning Centre or take in some history at the
Avery House and the Fort Collins Museum. Relax over a leisurely Italian dinner at Canino's
before checking out the vibrant music scene. On Day 5, let the guides from St. Peter's Fly
Shop take you on a float trip for trout, or get an adrenaline rush on an A-1 white-water raft trip
on the Cache la Poudre River. Later in the afternoon you can get your land legs back by
wandering the galleries and shops in Old Town Square before an elegant dinner at Nico's
Catacombs or a zesty Mexican meal at Rio Grande. Spend your last two days and nights in
Granby, following the five-day itinerary.
Steamboat Springs
Overview
Steamboat Springs is aptly nicknamed Ski Town, U.S.A., since it has sent more athletes to
the Winter Olympics than any other ski town in the nation. The most famous alumnus is
probably 1964 slalom silver medallist Billy Kidd, whose irrepressible grin and 10-gallon hat
are instantly recognizable. When he's around in his position as director of skiing at the resort,
Kidd takes visitors for a run down the mountain and gives free pointers.
When sizing up the mountain, keep in mind that the part that's visible from below is only the
tip of the iceberg -- much more terrain lies concealed in back. Steamboat is famed for its
eiderdown-soft snow; in fact, the term "champagne powder" was coined (and amusingly
enough registered as a trademark) here to describe the area's unique feathery drifts, the
result of Steamboat's fortuitous position between the arid desert to the west and the moisture-
magnet of the Continental Divide to the east, where storm fronts duke it out.
If you're looking for hellacious steeps and menacing couloirs, you won't find them in
Steamboat, but you will discover what is perhaps the finest tree skiing in America. Beginning
and intermediate skiers rave about the wide-open spaces of Sunshine Bowl and Storm Peak.
Steamboat also earns high marks for its comprehensive children's programs and the Billy
Kidd Centre for Performance Skiing, where you can learn demanding disciplines such as
powder, mogul, and tree skiing.
Eons of erosion have sculpted the northwest's varied terrain that, millions of years ago, was
submerged under a roiling sea. These days, the water flows in mighty rivers coursing through
spectacular canyons, carrying nature-lovers and thrill-seekers to a place that still feels largely
undiscovered, where it's still possible to literally dig into the past.
Adventures in these far western and northern regions of the state might range from a bone-
jarring mountain bike ride on Kokopelli's Trail -- a 142-mi route through remote desert
sandstone and shale canyon from Grand Junction to Moab -- to a heart-pounding raft trip
down the Green River, where Major John Wesley Powell took his epic exploration of this
continent's last uncharted wilderness in 1869. Colorado National Monument and Dinosaur
National Monument offer endless opportunities for hiking. For the less adventurous, a visit to
the wine country makes for a relaxing afternoon, or try your hand at excavating prehistoric
bones from a dinosaur quarry. Rich in more recent history as well, the area is home to the
Museum of Western Colorado and Escalante Canyon, named after Spanish missionary
explorer Francisco Silvestre Velez de Escalante, who with father Francisco Atanasio
Dominguez led an expedition through the area in 1776.
Sights & Activities
So much distance, so little time. A little planning goes a long way when deciding what
attractions to visit in this region. Grand Junction, the largest city between Denver and Salt
Lake City, makes the ideal hub for exploring the region. Many of the sights, with the notable
exception of Steamboat Springs, are less than a two-hour drive from Grand Junction. You can
make the loop from Delta to Cedaredge and Grand Mesa to Palisade easily in a day. If you
want to break up the trip, stop at one of the clusters of cabins atop the mesa, or in the lovely
town of Cedaredge overnight. The loop in the opposite direction -- including Rifle, Meeker,
Craig, Dinosaur National Monument, and Rangely -- is quite a bit longer, but there's decent
lodging in any of the stops along the way, with the exception of Dinosaur National Monument
(unless you're prepared to camp).
If you're headed to Steamboat Springs from Denver in winter, exercise caution on Highway
40. It sees less traffic than I-70, but it can be treacherous in the Berthoud Pass stretch during
snowstorms.
Telluride & Southwest Colorado
Overview
The ruddy or red-hue rocks found in much of the state, particularly in the Southwest, give
Colorado its name. The region's terrain varies widely -- from yawning black canyons and
desolate monochrome moonscapes to pastel deserts and mesas, glistening sapphire lakes,
and wide expanses of those stunning red rocks. It's so rugged in the southwest that a four-
wheel-drive vehicle or hiker's sturdiness is necessary to explore much of the wild and
beautiful backcountry.
The region's history and people are as colourful as the landscape. South-western Colorado,
as well as the "Four Corners" neighbours of north-western New Mexico, north-eastern
Arizona, and south-eastern Utah, was home to the Ancestral Puebloan peoples formerly
known as Anasazi, meaning "ancient ones." They constructed impressive cliff dwellings in
what are now Mesa Verde National Park, Ute Mountain Tribal Park, and other nearby sites.
This wild and woolly region, dotted with rowdy mining camps and boomtowns, also witnessed
the antics of such notorious outlaws as Butch Cassidy, who embarked on his storied career
by robbing the Telluride Bank in 1889, and Robert "Bobby" Clark, who hid out in Creede from
the James Gang after he shot Jesse in the back. Even today, the more ornery, independent
locals, disgusted with the political system, periodically talk of seceding from the union. They
can be as rough as the country they inhabit.
Southwest Colorado offers such diversity that, depending on where you go, you can have
radically different vacations. You can spiral from the towering peaks of the San Juan range to
the plunging Black Canyon of the Gunnison, taking in alpine scenery along the way, as well
as the eerie remains of old mining camps, before winding through striking desert landscapes,
the superlative Ancestral Puebloan ruins, and the Old West railroad town of Durango. If you're
not here to ski or golf in the resorts of Crested Butte, Purgatory, or Telluride, there's still much
to experience in this part of the state.
Tucked like a jewel in a tiny valley caught between azure sky and gunmetal mountains is
Telluride, once so inaccessible that it was a favourite hideout for desperadoes such as Butch
Cassidy, who robbed his first bank here in 1889. The savage but beautiful terrain of the San
Juan Mountains, with peaks like 14,157-foot Mt. Sneffels, and rivers, like the San Miguel, now
attracts mountain people of a different sort -- alpinists, snowboarders, freestylers, mountain
bikers, and freewheeling four-wheelers -- who attack any incline, up or down, and do so with
abandon.
Best of Southwest Colorado in 3 to 7 Days
If You Have 3 Days
From Ridgway, drive south for 10 mi to visit Ouray, a Victorian-era gem along the
stupendously beautiful San Juan Skyway. Retrace your route, then head to Telluride for lunch
and a gondola ride up the mountain. Continue over Lizard Head Pass, stopping at the
Anasazi Heritage Centre in Dolores before spending the night in Cortez or Mancos. Start
early the next morning so you can explore Mesa Verde National Park before the peak heat of
the day. Drive east to Durango, a good place to spend the night. The next morning, board the
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, one of the state's must-see attractions. Spend a
few hours in Silverton, and return for dinner at one of Durango's world-class restaurants.
If You Have 5 Days
Begin your trip in Gunnison, passing Blue Mesa Reservoir on your way to the Black Canyon
of the Gunnison National Park. Spend the night in Montrose or Ridgway before hooking into
the three-day itinerary above. After your return to Durango, drive east via Pagosa Springs and
over Wolf Creek Pass. Continue north through Creede and Lake City to return to Blue Mesa
Reservoir.
If You Have 7 Days
Start your itinerary in Crested Butte, spending a day hiking amid the wildflowers, fishing in the
crystal-clear streams, or just exploring this quaint mountain town. Spend a night there or in
nearby Gunnison, and then follow the suggested five-day itinerary above, leaving enough
time to visit Yankee Boy Basin, soak in the hot springs of either Ouray or Ridgway, and
overnight in either of those towns before driving to Telluride.
Vail
Overview
The attraction for vacationers from all over is the thin, aspen-cloaked Vail Valley, a narrow
corridor slit by Interstate 70 and bounded by the rugged Gore Range to the north and the
tabled Sawatch escarpments to the south. Through it all runs the sparkling Eagle River.
The resorts begin just west of Vail Pass, a saddle well below treeline, and stretch 20 mi
through the communities of Vail Village, Eagle-Vail, Minturn, Avon, Beaver Creek, Arrowhead,
and Edwards. The hub of activity in winter and summer revolves around Vail Village, but
many vacationers will spend time dining, skiing, and shopping in the other towns. The vibe in
these places varies dramatically, from Beaver Creek, a gated community of second (and
probably third) megahomes; to Edwards, a rapidly growing worker town; to Vail Village, filled
with styles of lodging, dining, and shopping appealing to a wide range of tastes.
In winter, this region is famous for the glittering resorts of Vail and Beaver Creek. Between
these two areas, skiers and snowboarders have almost 7,000 acres at their disposal including
the unforgettable Back Bowls far beyond the noise of I-70 traffic.
In summer, these resorts are great bases from which you can explore the high country by
foot, horseback, raft, or bike. But take heed, all trails go up. Some trails are designated for
bikers, others for hikes, and many for both. Always remember that bikers should yield to
hikers, though in practice it's considered courteous to let them blow by. In addition, there are
hundreds of miles of trails weaving through the White River National Forest. Warm-weather
weekends are filled with an exciting range of cultural events, including performances by
groups such as the New York Philharmonic and the Bolshoi Ballet.
Sights & Activities
Finding your way around the Vail Valley is relatively easy; the valley runs east and west, and
everything you need is less than a mile or two off the I-70 corridor (and the constant drone of
traffic), which parallels the Eagle River.
The Gore Range to the north is one of the most rugged wilderness areas in Colorado -- the
peaks are jagged and broken, and any hiking here immediately involves a steep and
sustained climb. To the south the tabled heights of the Sawatch Mountain are gentler and
give Vail her superb skiing, particularly in the famed Back Bowls. Beaver Creek feels more
isolated, being set off the highway behind a series of gates that control access to the posh
communities within.
Connecticut:
Hartford
Hartford
Overview
Westward expansion in the New World began along the meandering Connecticut River. Dutch
explorer Adrian Block first explored the area in 1614, and in 1633 a trading post was set up in
what is now Hartford. Within five years, throngs of restive Massachusetts Bay colonists had
settled in this fertile valley. What followed was more than three centuries of shipbuilding, shad
hauling, and river trading with ports as far away as the West Indies and the Mediterranean.
Less touristy than the coast and northwest hills, the Connecticut River valley is a swath of
small villages and uncrowded state parks punctuated by a few small cities and a large one:
the capital city of Hartford. To the south of Hartford, with the exception of industrial
Middletown, genuinely quaint hamlets vie for a share of Connecticut's tourist crop with
antiques shops, scenic drives, and trendy restaurants.
Sights & Activities
Hartford, the state capital, is also Connecticut's first European settlement, founded in 1633.
America's insurance industry was born in Hartford in 1810 -- largely in an effort to protect the
Connecticut River Valley's tremendously important shipping interests. Throughout the 19th
century, insurance companies expanded their coverage to include fires, accidents, life, and (in
1898) automobiles.
Through the years, Hartford industries have included the inspection and packing of tobacco (a
once-prominent industry in the northern river valley) and the manufacture of everything from
bedsprings to artificial limbs, pool tables to coffins. Like many of Connecticut's cities, Hartford
is hard at work revitalizing its downtown and surrounding areas.
Florida:
Amelia Island
Everglades NP
Florida Keys
Fort Lauderdale
Fort Myers & Naples
Jacksonville & St. Augustine
Key West
Miami
Orlando-Disney World
Palm Beach
Sarasota & Bradenton
Tampa Bay Area
Amelia Island
Overview
Some of the oldest settlements in the state -- indeed in all of the United States -- are in
northeastern Florida, although the region didn't get much attention until the Union army came
through during the Civil War. The soldiers' rapturous accounts of the mild climate, pristine
beaches, and lush vegetation captured the imagination of folks up north. First came the
speculators and the curiosity seekers. Then the advent of the railroads brought more
permanent settlers and the first wave of winter vacationers. Finally, the automobile
transported the full rush of snowbirds, seasonal residents escaping from harsh northern
winters. They still come to sop up sun on the beach, to tee up year-round, to bass-fish and
bird-watch in forests and parks, and to party in the clubs and bars of Daytona, a popular
spring-break destination. The region is remarkably diverse. Tortured, towering live oaks;
plantations; and antebellum-style architecture recollect the Old South. The mossy marshes of
Silver Springs and the St. Johns River look as untouched and junglelike today as they did
generations ago. Horse farms around Ocala resemble Kentucky's bluegrass country or the
hunt clubs of Virginia. St. Augustine is a showcase of early U.S. history, and Jacksonville is a
young but sophisticated metropolis. Yet these are all but light diversions from northeastern
Florida's primary draw -- absolutely sensational beaches. Hugging the coast are long, slender
barrier islands whose entire eastern sides make up a broad band of spectacular sand. Except
in the most populated areas, development has been modest, and beaches are lined with
funky, appealing little towns.
If You Have 3 Days
Spend your first night in Jacksonville, using it as a base to explore the Jacksonville Museum
of Modern Art or the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, as well as Fort Clinch State Park
on Amelia Island, which has one of the best-preserved brick forts in the United States. Take
Interstate 95 south to St. Augustine- and see the restored Colonial Spanish Quarter and the
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument before continuing down the coast. Enjoy
Canaveral National Seashore -- accessible from either New Smyrna Beach or Cocoa Beach --
and don't miss the Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex in Titusville.
If You Have 5 Days
Before leaving Jacksonville- try to visit the three largest museums, the Jacksonville Museum
of Modern Art, the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, and the Museum of Science and
History. Then focus your sightseeing on Amelia Island, including its historic district and Fort
Clinch State Park. Going south on Interstate 95, stop in St. Augustine. Follow the Old City
Walking Tour suggested by the Visitor Information and Preview Centre and stroll through the
restored Colonial Spanish Quarter. Consider taking the slightly longer but more scenic Route
A1A to Daytona Beach; visit the Museum of Arts and Sciences and the famous beaches. For
your last night, stay in New Smyrna Beach or Cocoa Beach, both within reach of Canaveral
National Seashore and Kennedy Space Centre.
If You Have 10 Days
As in the previous two itineraries, start in Jacksonville- and visit the attractions mentioned
above; by staying three nights, however, you'll have time to make the drive north to Kingsley
Plantation, Florida's oldest remaining plantation, on Fort George Island, and hike or picnic in
Fort Clinch State Park on Amelia Island. Next, head to St. Augustine. Three days here enable
you to conduct a more leisurely exploration of the extensive historic district and to take in the
Lightner Museum, in what was originally one of Henry Flagler's fancy hotels. Another three-
day stay, this time based at Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, or Cocoa Beach, allows
you to cover Daytona's Museum of Arts and Sciences, drive along the shoreline, spend some
time at the beach, and see Canaveral National Seashore, as well as the Kennedy Space
Centre Visitor Complex near Titusville. Then head inland for a day in Ocala National Forest, a
beautiful wilderness area.
Everglades
Overview
Miami is the only city in the country that has two national parks and a national preserve in its
backyard. Everglades National Park, created in 1947, was meant to preserve the slow-moving
River of Grass -- a freshwater river 50 mi wide but only 6 inches deep, flowing from Lake
Okeechobee through marshy grassland into Florida Bay. Along the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41),
marshes of saw grass extend as far as the eye can see, interspersed only with hammocks or
tree islands of bald cypress and mahogany, while overhead southern bald eagles make
circles in the sky. An assembly of plants and flowers, including ferns, orchids, and bromeliads,
shares the brackish waters with river otters, turtles, alligators, and occasionally that gentle
giant, the West Indian manatee. Not so gentle, though, is the saw grass. Deceptively graceful,
these tall, willowy sedges have small, sharp teeth on the edges of their leaves.
Biscayne National Park, established as a national monument in 1968 and 12 years later
expanded and designated a national park, is the nation's largest marine park and the largest
national park within the continental United States with living coral reefs. A small portion of the
park's almost 274 square mi consists of mainland coast and outlying islands, but 95% is
under water, much of it in Biscayne Bay. The islands contain lush, heavily wooded forests
with an abundance of ferns and native palm trees. Of particular interest are the mangroves
and their tangled masses of stiltlike roots that thicken the shorelines. These "walking trees,"
as locals call them, have striking curved prop roots, which arch down from the trunk, while
aerial roots drop from branches. The trees draw fresh water from saltwater and create a
coastal nursery capable of sustaining myriad types of marine life. Congress established Big
Cypress National Preserve in 1974 after buying up one of the least-developed watershed
areas in South Florida to protect Everglades National Park. The preserve, on the northern
edge of Everglades National Park, entails extensive tracts of prairie, marsh, pinelands,
forested swamps, and sloughs. Although preservation and recreation are the preserve's
mainstay, hunting and off-road vehicle use are allowed. Ten Thousand Islands National
Wildlife Refuge, accessible only by boat, spreads to the south of Everglades National Park on
its gulf side; and Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, accessible by two new trails, and
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park both lie to the northwest.
Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma took their toll on the Everglades in 2005, knocking down trees,
flooding, and flattening the landscape. Although nature heals quickly, towns take a little
longer, particularly Chokoloskee Island and Flamingo, which took the brunt of the storm
before it moved northward. The lodge, restaurant, and some marina tours and facilities were
still indefinitely closed at press time, with a projected opening date of no sooner than
September 2006.
More long-term in effect, Miami's backyard is threatened by suburban sprawl, agriculture, and
business development. What results is competition among environmental, agricultural, and
developmental interests. The biggest issue is water. Originally, alternating floods and dry
periods maintained a wildlife habitat and regulated the water flowing into Florida Bay. The
brackish seasonal flux sustained a remarkably vigorous bay, with thriving mangrove thickets
and coral reefs at its Atlantic edge. The system nurtured sea life and attracted anglers and
divers. Starting in the 1930s, however, a giant flood-control system began diverting water to
canals running to the gulf and the ocean. As you travel Florida's north-south routes, you cross
this network of canals built by the South Florida Water Management District, ironically known
as "Protector of the Everglades" (ironic because most people feel it's done more for the
developers than the environment). The unfortunate side effect of flood control has been
devastation of the wilderness. Park visitors decry diminished bird counts (a 90% reduction
over 50 years); the black bear population has been nearly eliminated; and the Florida panther
is nearing extinction. Meanwhile, the loss of fresh water has made Florida Bay saltier,
devastating breeding grounds and creating dead zones where pea-green algae have
replaced sea grasses and sponges.
The nearly $8-billion, 10-year Comprehensive Plan worked out between government
agencies and a host of conservation groups and industries to restore, protect, and preserve
the ecosystem is underway. More than 200 projects tear down levees, fill canals, construct
new water-storage areas on land formerly preserved for agriculture or new development,
channel water to estuaries and Everglades National Park, and provide flood protection and a
reliable water supply. The expectation is that new policies and projects implemented over the
next decade will go a long way toward reviving the natural system.
Best in 1 to 5 Days
1 Day
You have three choices. If you're interested in boating or seeing underwater flora and fauna,
Biscayne is your best bet. For interpretive trails and exhibits, go with the Everglades. For
quiet, wilderness canoeing, and nature, don't miss Big Cypress.
Numbers in the text correspond to numbers in the margin and on the Everglades and
Biscayne National Parks map.
For a day in Everglades National Park, begin in Florida City, the southeastern gateway to the
park. Head to the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Centre and continue to the Royal Palm Visitor Centre.
Then go to Flamingo and rent a boat or take a tour of backwaters. (Note: call ahead to ensure
boat rentals are available.) If Biscayne is your preference, begin at Convoy Point for an
orientation before forsaking dry land. Sign up for a snorkel or dive trip or an outing on a glass-
bottom boat, kayak, or canoe. To spend a day in Big Cypress National Preserve, begin at the
Oasis Visitor Centre. Then head to Everglades City and rent a canoe for a tour of the Turner
River.
3 Days
With three days, explore all three accesses to the Everglades as well as Biscayne National
Park. Start at Homestead as your base for exploring Biscayne. If you plan to scuba dive or
take a glass-bottom-boat trip, get an early start. Explore the visitor centre at Convoy Point
when you return and finish your day checking out sights in Homestead and Florida City.
There's an afternoon snorkel trip also, which would give you time to see Florida City and
Homestead, have lunch, and learn about the park's ecosystem at the visitor centre first. Head
to the Everglades on Day 2, following the one-day itinerary above. Spend the night in
Flamingo. On Day 3, start by driving west along the Tamiami Trail, stopping at Everglades
Safari Park for an airboat ride; at Shark Valley for a tram tour, walk, or bicycle trip; at the
Miccosukee Indian Village for lunch; at the Big Cypress Gallery; and then at the Ochopee
Post Office, before ending in Everglades City. From here, visit historic Smallwood Store on
Chokoloskee Island and watch the sunset.
5 Days
Follow Day 1 and 2 above. On Day 3, hike a trail or two along the road from Flamingo and
stop at Robert Is Here for a snack. Take in Fruit & Spice Park and lunch in Homestead, then
head across Tamiami Trail, stopping for a tram tour at Shark Valley and spending the night in
Everglades City. On Day 4, see the sights of Everglades City and do a canoe, kayak, or boat
tour of the Ten Thousand Islands. The next morning, bike around Fakahatchee Strand
Preserve State Park and, in the afternoon, visit Collier-Seminole State Park; then reserve a
canoe for the next day's trip to Big Cypress National Preserve's Turner River. On Day 5, drive
to the Big Cypress Oasis Visitor Centre to put in for the canoe tour. Visit Big Cypress Gallery
and the Ochopee Post Office before heading back to Everglades City or Homestead for the
night.
Florida Keys
Overview
BEING A CONCH IS A STATE OF MIND, condition of the heart, and foreclosure on the soul.
Many throughout the Florida Keys wear that epitaph proudly, yet there is anything but a
shared lifestyle here. To the south, Key West has a Mardi Gras mood with Fantasy Festivals,
Hemingway look-alike contests and the occasional threat to secede from the Union. It's an
island whose melting-pot character allows crusty natives to mingle (more or less peacefully)
with eccentrics and escape artists who lovingly call this 4-mi sandbar "Paradise." Although life
elsewhere in the island chain isn't quite as offbeat, it's nearly as diverse. Flowering jungles,
shimmering seas, and mangrove-lined islands are also, conversely, overburdened. Booming
tourism and a growing population have created sewage contamination at beaches and a 110-
mi traffic jam lined with garish billboards, burger barns, strip malls, motels, and trailer courts.
Unfortunately, in the Keys you can't have one without the other. The river of tourist traffic
gushes along U.S. 1 (also called the Overseas Highway), the main artery linking the inhabited
islands. Residents of Monroe County live by diverting the river's flow of dollars to their own
pockets. In the process, the fragile beauty of the Keys -- or at least the 45 that are inhabited
and linked to the mainland by 43 bridges -- is paying an environmental price. At the top,
nearest the mainland, is Key Largo, becoming more congested as it evolves into a bedroom
community and weekend hideaway for residents of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. At the bottom,
106 mi southwest, is Key West, where hundreds of passengers from multiple cruise ships
swarm the narrow streets in search of the best deal on T-shirts.
Despite designation as "an area of critical state concern" in 1975 and a subsequent state-
mandated development slowdown, growth has continued, and the Keys' natural resources
remain imperilled. In 1990, Congress established the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary,
covering 2,800 square mi of coastal waters. Adjacent to the Keys landmass are spectacular,
unique, and nationally significant marine environments, including sea-grass meadows,
mangrove islands, and extensive living coral reefs. These fragile environments support rich
and diverse biological communities possessing extensive conservation, recreational,
commercial, ecological, historical, research, educational, and aesthetic values. The sanctuary
protects the coral reefs and water quality, but problems continue. Increased salinity in Florida
Bay causes large areas of sea grass to die and drift in mats out of the bay. These mats then
block sunlight from reaching the reefs, stifling their growth and threatening both the Keys'
recreational diving economy and tourism in general.
The 18-Mile Stretch, as it's called, is getting a new high-span bridge, a concrete center
barrier, a wider road bed, and wildlife culverts. The four-year project means occasional single-
lane traffic from 9 PM to 5:30 AM Sunday through Thursday. Other threats to the Keys' charm
also loom. The expansion of U.S. 1 to the mainland to four lanes will open the floodgates to
increased traffic, population, and tourism. Observers wonder if the four-laning of the rest of
U.S. 1 throughout the Keys can be far away. For now, however, take pleasure as you drive
down U.S. 1 along the islands. Gaze over the silvery blue-and-green Atlantic and its still-living
reef, with Florida Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and the backcountry on your right (the Keys extend
east-west from the mainland). At a few points the ocean and gulf are as much as 10 mi apart.
In most places, however, they are from 1 to 4 mi apart, and on the narrowest landfill islands,
they are separated only by the road. Try to get off the highway. Once you do, rent a boat,
anchor, and then fish, swim, or marvel at the sun, sea, and sky. In the Atlantic, dive
spectacular coral reefs or pursue grouper, blue marlin, and other deep-water game fish. Along
Florida Bay's coastline, kayak and canoe to secluded islands and bays or seek out the
bonefish, snapper, snook, and tarpon that lurk in the grass flats and in the shallow, winding
channels of the backcountry.
More than 600 kinds of fish populate the reefs and islands. Diminutive Key deer and pale
raccoons, related to but distinct from their mainland cousins, inhabit the Lower Keys. And
throughout the islands you'll find such exotic West Indian plants as Jamaican dogwood,
pigeon plum, poisonwood, satin leaf, and silver-and-thatch palms, as well as tropical birds,
including the great white heron, mangrove cuckoo, roseate spoonbill, and white-crowned
pigeon. Mangroves, with their gracefully bowed prop roots, appear to march out to sea. Day
by day they busily add more keys to the archipelago. With virtually no distracting air pollution
or obstructive high-rises, sunsets are a pure, unadulterated spectacle that each evening
attracts thousands to waterfront parks, piers, restaurants, bars, and resorts throughout the
Keys. Weather is another attraction: winter is typically 10°F warmer than on the mainland;
summer is usually 10°F cooler. The Keys also get substantially less rain, around 30 inches
annually, compared to an average 55 to 60 inches in Miami and the Everglades. Most rain
falls in quick downpours on summer afternoons, except in June, September, and October,
when tropical storms can dump rain for two to four days. Winter cold fronts occasionally stall
over the Keys, dragging overnight temperatures down to the high 40s.
The Keys were only sparsely populated until the early 20th century. In 1905, however,
railroad magnate Henry Flagler began building the extension of his Florida railroad south from
Homestead to Key West. His goal was to establish a Miami to Key West rail link to his
steamships that sailed between Key West and Havana, just 90 mi across the Straits of
Florida. The railroad arrived at Key West in 1912 and remained a lifeline of commerce until
the Labour Day hurricane of 1935 washed out much of its roadbed. The Overseas Highway,
built over the railroad's old roadbeds and bridges, was completed in 1938.
If You Have 3 Days
Don't push your luck. You can fly and then dive; but if you dive, you can't fly for 24 hours, so
spend your first morning diving or snorkelling at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in
Key Largo. If you aren't certified, take a resort course, and you'll be exploring the reefs by
afternoon. Dinner or cocktails at a bayside restaurant or bar will give you your first look at a
fabulous Keys sunset. On Day 2 get an early start to savour the breathtaking views on the
two-hour drive to Key West. Along the way make stops at the natural-history museum that's
part of the Museums and Nature Centre of Crane Point Hammock, in Marathon, and Bahia
Honda State Park, on Bahia Honda Key; stretch your legs on a forest trail or snorkel on an
offshore reef. Once in Key West, watch the sunset before dining at one of the island's first-
class restaurants. Spend the next morning exploring beaches, visiting any of the myriad
museums, or taking a walking or trolley tour of Old Town before driving back to the mainland.
If You Have 4 Days
Spend the first day as you would above, overnighting in Key Largo. Start Day 2 by renting a
kayak and exploring the mangroves and small islands of Florida Bay, or take an ecotour of
the islands in Everglades National Park. In the afternoon, stop by the Florida Keys Wild Bird
Rehabilitation Centre before driving down to Islamorada. Pause to read the inscription on the
Hurricane Monument, and before day's end, make plans for the next day's fishing. After a late
lunch on Day 3 -- perhaps at one of the many restaurants that will prepare your catch for you -
- set off for Key West. Enjoy the sunset celebration at Mallory Square, and spend the last day
as you would above.
If You Have 7 Days
Spend your first three days as you would in the four-day itinerary, but stay the third night in
Islamorada. In the morning catch a boat, or rent a kayak to paddle to Lignumvitae Key
Botanical State Park, before making the one-hour drive to Marathon. Visit the natural-history
museum that's part of the Museums and Nature Centre of Crane Point Hammock and walk or
take a train across the Old Seven Mile Bridge to Pigeon Key. The next stop is just 10 mi away
at Bahia Honda State Park, on Bahia Honda Key. Take a walk on a wilderness trail, go
snorkelling on an offshore reef, wriggle your toes in the beach's soft sand, and spend the
night in a waterfront cabin, letting the waves lull you to sleep. Your sixth day starts with either
a half day of fabulous snorkelling or diving at Looe Key Reef or a visit to the National Key
Deer Refuge, on Big Pine Key. Then continue on to Key West, and get in a little sightseeing
before watching the sunset. The next morning take a walking, bicycling, or trolley tour of town
or catch a ferry or seaplane to Dry Tortugas National Park before heading home.
Fort Lauderdale
Overview
COLLEGE STUDENTS OF THE 1960s returning to Fort Lauderdale for vacations today
would be hard pressed to recognize the onetime "Sun and Suds Spring Break Capital of the
Universe." Back then, Fort Lauderdale's beachfront was lined with T-shirt shops interspersed
with quickie food outlets, and downtown consisted of a lone office tower, some dilapidated
government buildings, and motley other structures waiting to be razed. Today, the beach has
upscale shops and restaurants, and downtown growth of recent years has exploded with new
office and luxury residential development.
The 1960 film Where the Boys Are changed everything for the city. The movie depicted how
college students -- upward of 20,000 -- were swarming to the city for the spring-break
phenomenon. By 1985 the 20,000 had mushroomed to 350,000. Hotel owners complained
about students by the dozen cramming into a room, with civility hitting new lows. Drug
trafficking and petty theft proliferated, along with downscale bars staging wet T-shirt and
banana-eating contests. Fed up, city leaders adopted policies and restrictions designed to
encourage spring-breakers to go elsewhere. They did, and the complaints of lost business are
few -- given a new era attracting a far more sophisticated, affluent crowd. Underscoring that
success is the proliferation of luxury hotels arrived or on the near horizon: A W Hotel, St.
Regis Hotel, a five-star Hilton, and two Trump hotels are slated to open in Greater Fort
Lauderdale by the end of 2007.
A major beneficiary is Las Olas Boulevard, a shopping street once moribund after 5 PM,
which has reinvented itself as a hot venue, with a mix of trendy shops and eateries. Ever
more restaurants have sprung up, and both visitors and locals often make an evening of
strolling the boulevard. On-street parking on weekends has slowed traffic, providing more of a
village feel. Farther west, along New River, is evidence of Fort Lauderdale's cultural
renaissance: the Arts and Entertainment District and its crown jewel, the Broward Centre for
the Performing Arts. Still farther west, in the community of Sunrise, is the BankAtlantic Centre
(formerly the Office Depot Centre, and before that the National Car Rental Center), serving as
the county's major-league sports and concert venue and as home arena for the National
Hockey League's Florida Panthers. Upscale shopping of an open-air outlet nature is now an
option with the debut of the Colonnade Outlets at Sawgrass in Sunrise, featuring a slew of
design stars, from Kate Spade and David Yurman to Valentino. Of course, a captivating
shoreline with wide ribbons of sand for beachcombing and sunbathing is what continues to
make Fort Lauderdale and Broward County a major draw.
Tying this all together is a transportation system that, though less congested than elsewhere
in south Florida, is rapidly becoming overwhelmed by traffic overload. Interstate 595 connects
the city and suburbs and provides a direct route to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood
International Airport and Port Everglades, but be sure to avoid morning and evening rush
hours when lanes slow to a crawl. For a more scenic way to really see this canal-laced city,
simply hop on a water taxi, now known as a water bus. None of this was envisioned by
Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, Florida's governor from 1905 to 1909, for whom the county
was named. His drainage schemes opened much of the marshy Everglades region for
farming, ranching, and settling (in retrospect, an environmental disaster). But it was for Major
William Lauderdale, who built a fort at the river's mouth in 1838 during the Seminole Indian
wars, that the city was named.
Incorporated in 1911 with just 175 residents, Fort Lauderdale grew rapidly during the Florida
boom of the 1920s. Today its population is 150,000, and suburbs keep growing -- 1.6 million
live in the county's 31 municipalities and unincorporated areas. Once oriented toward retirees,
Broward now attracts younger families, many living in such newer communities as Weston,
southwest of Fort Lauderdale. A revitalized downtown and a skyline (marked by ever more
high-rises) now includes multiuse complexes mixing retail and loft housing, and the city's
young professionals are buying and revamping aging beachside condominiums.
Prospects of gaming are further changing the area's complexion. Although south Florida's
Indian tribes have long offered bingo, poker, and machines resembling slots -- Hollywood's
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino now ranks as the most glittering example -- big change
is afoot (despite some foot-dragging by state legislators.) In 2005, Broward voters gave a
thumbs up to becoming Florida's first county to offer Las Vegas-style gambling with true slot
machines at four wagering facilities: Gulfstream Park, Hollywood Greyhound Track, Dania Jai
Alai, and Pompano Park Harness Track. These facilities are still awaiting word from state
government on operational particulars, while threats of lawsuits loom over delays.
The newly exfoliated face of Greater Fort Lauderdale is pockmarked with plywood-covered
windows and blue "heck of a job" FEMA roofs after no fewer than seven hurricanes touched
or boldly swept through the area in 2004 and 2005, ending Broward's long history of dodging
such bullets. Names like Charlie, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma won't make
it onto favourite-names lists here for quite a while, but I survived Hurricane ___ T-shirts
quickly became hot souvenirs at beach shops. The best-sellers most likely referenced
Hurricane Wilma, which brought 90 percent of Fort Lauderdale and much of south Florida to
its knees.
Great Itineraries
Since many Broward County attractions and sights are close, it's easy to pack a lot into a day
if you have a vehicle. Catch the history, museums, and shops and bistros in Fort Lauderdale's
downtown area and along Las Olas Boulevard. Then if you feel like hitting the beach, just
take a 10-minute drive east to the intersection of Las Olas and A1A and you're there.
Neighbouring communities like Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Pompano Beach or Dania Beach
and Hollywood, with attractions of their own, are just north or south of Fort Lauderdale and
you may not even be aware when you've crossed municipal lines. As a result, you'll be able to
cover most of the high points in 3 days, and with 7 to 10 days, you can experience virtually all
of Broward's mainstream charms.
3 Days
With a bigger concentration of hotels, restaurants, and attractions than its suburbs, Fort
Lauderdale- makes a logical base of operations for any visit. On your first day, see the
downtown area, especially Las Olas Boulevard between Southeast 3rd and Southeast 15th
avenues. After lunch at a sidewalk café, head for the nearby Arts and Science District and the
downtown Riverwalk; enjoy it at a leisurely pace in half a day, or less. On your second day,
spend some time at the Fort Lauderdale Beachfront, shopping or having a cooling libation at
an oceanfront lounge if heat drives you off the sand. Tour the waterways on the third day,
either on a rented boat from one of the marinas along Route A1A, or via a sightseeing vessel
or water taxi. The latter can be boarded at points along the intracoastal waterway. Reachable
by water taxi are attractions such as Beach Place, Broward Centre for the Performing Arts,
the Galleria Mall, Las Olas Boulevard shops, Las Olas Riverfront, and the Museum of Art and
Museum of Discovery and Science/Blockbuster IMAX Theater; restaurants such as 15th
Street Fisheries, Grill Room at Riverside Hotel, Shula's on the Beach, and dozens of others;
and hotels such as the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six, Radisson Bahia Mar, Riverside Hotel,
and Pillars Waterfront.
5 Days
With additional time, see more of the beach and the arts district and still work in some outdoor
sports -- and you'll be able to rearrange your plans depending on weather. On the first day,
visit the Arts and Science District and the downtown Riverwalk. Set aside the next day for an
offshore adventure, perhaps a deep-sea fishing charter, a reef-diving trip, or some parasailing
along the beach. Landlubbers might go for hiking at Markham Park or at Tradewinds Park
(home of Butterfly World). On Day 3, shop, dine, and relax along the Fort Lauderdale
Beachfront, and at the end of the day, sneak a peak at the Hillsboro Light, at Lighthouse
Point. Day 4 can be spent at the Hugh Taylor Birch State Recreation Area. Enjoy your fifth
day in Hollywood.
Fort Myers
Overview
With its subtropical climate and beckoning family-friendly beaches, the Lower Gulf Coast, also
referred to as the state's southwestern region, is a favourite vacation spot of Florida residents
as well as visitors. There's lots to do in addition to the sun and surf scene throughout its
several distinct travel destinations. Small and pretty downtown Fort Myers rises inland along
the Caloosahatchee River, while the rest of the town sprawls in all directions. It got its
nickname, the City of Palms, from the hundreds of towering royal palms that inventor Thomas
Edison planted between 1900 and 1917 along McGregor Boulevard, a historic residential
street and site of his winter estate. Edison's idea caught on, and more than 2,000 royal palms
now line McGregor Boulevard alone. Museums and educational attractions are the draw here,
as downtown diligently tries to shape itself as an entertainment district and makes slow but
sure headway. Off the coast west of Fort Myers are more than 100 coastal islands in all
shapes and sizes -- among them Sanibel and Captiva, two thoughtfully developed resort
islands. Connected to the mainland by a 3-mi causeway, Sanibel is known for its superb
shelling, fine fishing, beachfront resorts, and wildlife refuge. Here and on Captiva, to which it
is connected by a short bridge, multimillion-dollar homes line both waterfronts, but the gulf
beaches are readily accessible. Just southwest of Fort Myers is Estero Island, home of busy
Fort Myers Beach, and farther south, Lovers Key State Park and the growing area north of
Naples, Bonita Springs. North of Fort Myers, Punta Gorda is the centre of a fishing-frenzied
vacationland that remains a well-kept secret.
Farther down the coast lies Naples, once a small fishing village and now a thriving and
sophisticated town, a smaller, more understated version of Palm Beach with fine restaurants,
chichi shopping areas, and -- locals will tell you -- more golf holes per capita than anywhere
else in the world. There's a lovely small art museum in the 1,473-seat Naples Philharmonic
Centre, which is the west-coast home of the Miami City Ballet. The beaches are soft and
white, and access is relatively easy. East of Naples stretch the Big Cypress National Preserve
and Everglades National Park, and a half hour south basks Marco Island, which people visit
mostly for beaches and fishing. See a maze of pristine miniature mangrove islands when you
take a boat tour departing from the island's marinas into Ten Thousand Islands National
Wildlife Refuge. Although high-rises line much of Marco's waterfront, natural areas have been
preserved, including the tiny fishing village of Goodland, an outpost of Old Florida that is
starting to sprout condos at its fringes.
If You Have 2 Days
Fort Myers is a good base for a short visit. It's not directly on the beach, but its central
location makes day trips easy. On the morning of your first day, visit Edison & Ford Winter
Estates, in downtown Fort Myers, and then take McGregor Boulevard and Summerlin Road to
Sanibel Island. There, stop by the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum and the J. N. "Ding"
Darling National Wildlife Refuge before heading to Bowman's Beach for shelling, swimming,
and its famous sunset. The next day drive down Interstate 75 to Naples. Check out the
subtropical plants and exotic animals at Naples Zoo. If you have a heart for art, stop by the
Naples Museum of Art before hitting Old Naples for some shopping and relaxing on the
nearby beach.
If You Have 4 Days
Stay near the water on Sanibel Island. Spend your first day shelling and swimming, taking a
break from the beach for a stop at the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum. On Day 2, head into
Fort Myers to Edison & Ford Winter Estates and, if you have kids, the hands-on Imaginarium
nearby. Spend your third day back on Sanibel, dividing your time between the beach and the
J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge; go kayaking or try bird-watching in the early
morning or evening. On Day 4, drive south to Naples- and the sights mentioned in the two-
day itinerary, or for even more wildlife, head to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a nature
preserve east of Bonita Springs.
If You Have 10 Days
An extended stay enables you to move your base and explore several areas in more depth.
With two days in the area around Fort Myers, add Babcock Wilderness Adventures and the
Calusa Nature Centre and Planetarium to the sights on the four-day itinerary. An extra day on
Sanibel Island allows you to visit by boat an isolated island such as Cabbage Key or the little
town of Boca Grande, on Gasparilla Island. For the second half of your trip, relocate to
Naples, stopping en route at Lovers Key State Park for some sensational shelling along its
2½ mi of white-sand beach. Once in Naples, divide your time between the beach and the
galleries and shops. Naples Zoo and the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary are good bets for kids;
to try your hand at paddling, rent a canoe or kayak at the Naples Nature Centre. Or get your
dose of culture at the impressive Naples Museum of Art. As a diversion, head to Marco Island
for a day of fishing or a wildlife-viewing boat trip in the Everglades.
Jacksonville with St. Augustine
Overview
Some of the oldest settlements in the state -- indeed in all of the United States -- are in
northeastern Florida, although the region didn't get much attention until the Union army came
through during the Civil War. The soldiers' rapturous accounts of the mild climate, pristine
beaches, and lush vegetation captured the imagination of folks up north. First came the
speculators and the curiosity seekers. Then the advent of the railroads brought more
permanent settlers and the first wave of winter vacationers. Finally, the automobile
transported the full rush of snowbirds, seasonal residents escaping from harsh northern
winters. They still come to sop up sun on the beach, to tee up year-round, to bass-fish and
bird-watch in forests and parks, and to party in the clubs and bars of Daytona, a popular
spring-break destination. The region is remarkably diverse. Tortured, towering live oaks;
plantations; and antebellum-style architecture recollect the Old South. The mossy marshes of
Silver Springs and the St. Johns River look as untouched and junglelike today as they did
generations ago. Horse farms around Ocala resemble Kentucky's bluegrass country or the
hunt clubs of Virginia. St. Augustine is a showcase of early U.S. history, and Jacksonville is a
young but sophisticated metropolis. Yet these are all but light diversions from northeastern
Florida's primary draw -- absolutely sensational beaches. Hugging the coast are long, slender
barrier islands whose entire eastern sides make up a broad band of spectacular sand. Except
in the most populated areas, development has been modest, and beaches are lined with
funky, appealing little towns.
If You Have 3 Days
Spend your first night in Jacksonville, using it as a base to explore the Jacksonville Museum
of Modern Art or the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, as well as Fort Clinch State Park
on Amelia Island, which has one of the best-preserved brick forts in the United States. Take
Interstate 95 south to St. Augustine- and see the restored Colonial Spanish Quarter and the
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument before continuing down the coast. Enjoy
Canaveral National Seashore -- accessible from either New Smyrna Beach or Cocoa Beach --
and don't miss the Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex in Titusville.
If You Have 5 Days
Before leaving Jacksonville- try to visit the three largest museums, the Jacksonville Museum
of Modern Art, the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, and the Museum of Science and
History. Then focus your sightseeing on Amelia Island, including its historic district and Fort
Clinch State Park. Going south on Interstate 95, stop in St. Augustine. Follow the Old City
Walking Tour suggested by the Visitor Information and Preview Centre and stroll through the
restored Colonial Spanish Quarter. Consider taking the slightly longer but more scenic Route
A1A to Daytona Beach; visit the Museum of Arts and Sciences and the famous beaches. For
your last night, stay in New Smyrna Beach or Cocoa Beach, both within reach of Canaveral
National Seashore and Kennedy Space Centre.
If You Have 10 Days
As in the previous two itineraries, start in Jacksonville- and visit the attractions mentioned
above; by staying three nights, however, you'll have time to make the drive north to Kingsley
Plantation, Florida's oldest remaining plantation, on Fort George Island, and hike or picnic in
Fort Clinch State Park on Amelia Island. Next, head to St. Augustine. Three days here enable
you to conduct a more leisurely exploration of the extensive historic district and to take in the
Lightner Museum, in what was originally one of Henry Flagler's fancy hotels. Another three-
day stay, this time based at Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, or Cocoa Beach, allows
you to cover Daytona's Museum of Arts and Sciences, drive along the shoreline, spend some
time at the beach, and see Canaveral National Seashore, as well as the Kennedy Space
Centre Visitor Complex near Titusville. Then head inland for a day in Ocala National Forest, a
beautiful wilderness area.
Key West
Overview
Situated 150 mi from Miami and 90 mi from Havana, this tropical island city has always
maintained a strong sense of detachment, even after it was connected to the rest of the
United States -- by the railroad in 1912 and by the Overseas Highway in 1938. The U.S.
government acquired Key West from Spain in 1821 along with the rest of Florida. The
Spanish had named the island Cayo Hueso (Bone Key) after the Native American skeletons
they found on its shores. In 1823 Uncle Sam sent Commodore David S. Porter to chase
pirates away. For three decades, the primary industry in Key West was wrecking -- rescuing
people and salvaging cargo from ships that foundered on the nearby reefs. According to
some reports, when pickings were lean, the wreckers hung out lights to lure ships aground.
Their business declined after 1849, when the federal government began building lighthouses.
In 1845 the army started construction of Fort Taylor, which kept Key West on the Union team
during the Civil War. After the war, an influx of Cuban dissidents unhappy with Spain's rule
brought the cigar industry here. Fishing, shrimping, and sponge-gathering became important
industries, and a pineapple-canning factory opened. Major military installations were
established during the Spanish-American War and World War I. Through much of the 19th
century and into the second decade of the 20th, Key West was Florida's wealthiest city in per-
capita terms. But in 1929 the local economy began to unravel. Modern ships no longer
needed to provision in Key West, cigar making moved to Tampa, Hawaii dominated the
pineapple industry, and the sponges succumbed to a blight. Then the Depression hit, and the
military moved out. By 1934 half the population was on relief. The city defaulted on its bond
payments, and the Federal Emergency Relief Administration took over the city and county
governments. By promoting Key West as a tourist destination, federal officials attracted
40,000 visitors during the 1934-35 winter season, but when the 1935 Labour Day hurricane
struck the Middle Keys, it wiped out the railroad -- and some slow-moving tourists.
An important naval centre during World War II and the Korean War, the island remains a
strategic listening post on the doorstep of Fidel Castro's Cuba. It was during the 1960s that
the fringes of society began moving here and the mid-'70s that gay guesthouses opened in
rapid succession. In April 1982 the U.S. Border Patrol threw a roadblock across the Overseas
Highway just south of Florida City to catch drug runners and illegal aliens. Traffic backed up
for miles as Border Patrol agents searched vehicles and demanded that the occupants prove
U.S. citizenship. City officials in Key West, outraged at being treated like foreigners by the
federal government, staged a protest and formed their own "nation," the so-called Conch
Republic. They hoisted a flag and distributed mock border passes, visas, and Conch
currency. The embarrassed Border Patrol dismantled its roadblock, and now an annual
festival recalls the city's victory.
Key West reflects a diverse population: native "Conchs" (white Key Westers, many of whom
trace their ancestry to the Bahamas), freshwater Conchs (longtime residents who migrated
from somewhere else years ago), black Bahamians (descendants of those who worked the
railroads and burned charcoal), Hispanics (primarily Cuban immigrants), recent refugees from
the urban sprawl of mainland Florida, navy and air force personnel, and an assortment of
vagabonds, drifters, and dropouts in search of refuge. The island was once Florida's gay
vacation hot spot and it remains decidedly gay-friendly, although gays are a declining
demographic here. Some of the most renowned gay guesthouses no longer cater exclusively
to a gay clientele.
Although the rest of the Keys are highly outdoor-oriented, Key West has more of a city feel.
Few open spaces remain, as promoters continue to churn out restaurants, galleries, shops,
and museums to interpret the city's intriguing past. As a tourist destination, Key West has a
lot to sell -- an average temperature of 79°F, 19th-century architecture, and a laid-back
lifestyle. There's also a growing calendar of festivals and artistic and cultural events --
including the Conch Republic Celebration in April and a Halloween Fantasy Fest. Few cities
of its size -- a mere 2 mi by 4 mi -- offer the joie de vivre of this one. Yet, as elsewhere, when
preservation has successfully revived once-tired towns, next have come those unmindful of
style and eager for a buck. Duval Street can look like a mini Las Vegas strip (with ubiquitous
T-shirt shops and tour shills instead of casinos). Mass marketers directing the town's tourism
have attracted cruise ships, which dwarf the town's skyline, and Duval Street floods with day-
trippers who gawk at the earringed hippies with dogs in their bike baskets, gay couples
walking down the street holding hands, and the oddball lot of locals, some of whom bark
louder than the dogs.
Sights & Activities
The heart of Key West, Old Town runs from White Street west to the waterfront. Beginning in
1822, wharves, warehouses, chandleries, ship-repair facilities, and eventually in 1891 the
U.S. Custom House sprang up around the deep harbor to accommodate the navy's large
ships and other sailing vessels. Wealthy wreckers, merchants, and sea captains built lavish
houses near the bustling waterfront. A remarkable number of these fine Victorian and pre-
Victorian structures have been restored to their original grandeur and now serve as homes,
guest houses, and museums. These, along with the dwellings of famous writers, artists, and
politicians who've come to Key West over the past 175 years, are among the area's
approximately 3,000 historic structures. Old Town also has the city's finest restaurants and
hotels, lively street life, and popular nightspots.
The Overseas Highway splits as it enters Key West, the two forks rejoining to encircle New
Town, the area east of White Street to Cow Key Channel. The southern fork runs along the
shore as South Roosevelt Boulevard (Route A1A), past municipal beaches, salt ponds, and
Key West International Airport. Along the north shore, North Roosevelt Boulevard (U.S. 1)
passes the Key West Welcome Centre, shopping centres, chain hotels, and fast-food
eateries. Part of New Town was created with dredged fill. The island would have continued
growing this way had the Army Corps of Engineers not determined in the early 1970s that it
was detrimental to the nearby reef.
Miami
Overview
Miami is different from any other city in America -- or any city in Latin America for that matter,
even though it has a distinctly Latin flavour. Both logically and geologically, Miami shouldn't
even be here. Resting on a paved swamp between the Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean,
the city is subject to periodic flooding, hurricanes, and the onslaught of swallow-size
mosquitoes. Despite the downsides, however, Miami is a vibrant city. The Tequesta Indians
called this area home long before Spain's gold-laden treasure ships sailed along the Gulf
Stream a few miles offshore. Foreshadowing 20th-century corporations, the Tequesta traded
with mainland neighbours to the north and island brethren to the south. Today their
descendants are the 150-plus U.S. and multinational companies whose Latin American
headquarters are based in Greater Miami. For fans of international business and random
statistics, Greater Miami has more than 40 foreign bank agencies, 11 Edge Act banks, 23
foreign trade offices, 31 binational chambers of commerce, and 53 consulates.
Sights & Activities
If you had arrived here 40 years ago with Fodor's guide in hand, chances are you'd be
thumbing through listings looking for alligator wrestlers and you-pick strawberry fields or citrus
groves. Well, things have changed. While Disney sidetracked families in Orlando, Miami was
developing a grown-up attitude courtesy of the original Miami Vice, European fashion
photographers, and historic preservationists. Nowadays the wildest ride is the city itself. Climb
aboard and check out the different sides of Greater Miami. Miami on the mainland is south
Florida's commercial hub, whereas its sultry sister, Miami Beach (America's Riviera),
encompasses 17 islands in Biscayne Bay. Seducing winter refugees with its sunshine,
beaches, palms, and nightlife, this is what most people envision when planning a trip to what
they think of as Miami. These visitors fail to realize that there's more to Miami Beach than the
bustle of South Beach and its Deco District. Indeed, there are quieter areas to the north like
Sunny Isles Beach, Surfside, and Bal Harbour.
During the day downtown Miami has become the lively hub of the mainland city, relatively
accessible thanks to the Metromover extension, a supplementary rail system linking many
downtown sights that conveniently connects Metrorail's Government Centre and Brickell
stations. Other major attractions include Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Little Havana, and, of
course, the South Beach-Art Deco District (by the way -- only tourists use the term "Art Deco
District"). Since these areas are spread out beyond the reach of public transportation, you'll
have to drive. Rent a convertible if you can. There's nothing quite like wearing cool shades
and feeling the wind in your hair as you drive across one of the causeways en route to Miami
Beach.
To find your way around Greater Miami, learn how the numbering system works. Miami is laid
out on a grid with four quadrants -- northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest -- which
meet at Miami Avenue and Flagler Street. Miami Avenue separates east from west, and
Flagler Street separates north from south. Avenues and courts run north-south; streets,
terraces, and ways run east-west. Roads run diagonally, northwest-southeast. But other
districts -- Miami Beach, Coral Gables, and Hialeah -- may or may not follow this system, and
along the curve of Biscayne Bay, the symmetrical grid may shift diagonally. It's best to buy a
detailed map, stick to the major roads, and ask directions early and often. However, make
sure you're in a safe neighbourhood or public place when you seek guidance; cab drivers and
cops are good resources.
Orlando-Disney World
Overview
Long before "It's a Small World" echoed through the palmetto scrub, other theme parks
tempted visitors away from the beaches into the heart of central Florida. Interstate 4 hadn't
even been built when Dick and Julie Pope created Cypress Gardens, one of the region's
oldest attractions. But when Walt Disney World (WDW) opened on October 1, 1971, and was
immediately successful, the central Florida theme-park scene became big business. Since
then, Disney has bolstered its flagship theme park, the Magic Kingdom, with three others --
Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom -- which, together with the
company's two water parks, myriad hotels, retail establishments, sports facility, night-time
entertainment centres, and restaurants, form what is today known collectively as the Walt
Disney World Resort. Disney's success has spurred major competition to town, namely
SeaWorld and Discovery Cove, and Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Smaller
attractions such as the Orlando Science Centre and WonderWorks, among others, also bid
for your business.
The problem if you have tight schedules or slim wallets is that each park is worth a visit. The
Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom, and SeaWorld are not to be missed. Of the
two movie parks, Universal Studios and Disney-MGM Studios, the former is larger and rooted
more in contemporary film; the latter projects the ambience of Hollywood in its heyday while
incorporating modern movie and television themes. Islands of Adventure has more thrills for
big kids and adults, and will bring out the child in everyone. Two dining, shopping, and
entertainment centres stand out: CityWalk at Universal and Downtown Disney at Walt Disney
World Resort. If there's time, you shouldn't miss Cirque du Soleil's acrobats, theatrics, and
stunning choreography of "La Nouba," a show created for Cirque's Downtown Disney theater.
DisneyQuest at Downtown Disney is an indoor theme park with several hours' worth of virtual-
reality attractions. At CityWalk, sports bars and establishments with musical themes -- such
as Jimmy Buffet and Motown -- lend lots of dining fun to its eateries. Your best bet is to poll
family or group members on their theme-park wishes, then develop a strategy to enjoy the top
picks.
It's easy to forget that this ever-expanding fantasy world grew up around a sleepy farming
town founded as a military outpost, Fort Gatlin, in 1838. Although not on any major waterway,
Orlando is surrounded by small spring-fed lakes, and transplanted northerners planted
sprawling oak trees to vary the landscape of palmetto scrub and citrus groves. Most
development is in southwest Orlando, along the Interstate 4 corridor south of Florida's
Turnpike. Orlando itself has become a centre of international business, and north of
downtown are several handsome, prosperous cities, most notably Winter Park, which retains
its Old Florida charm.
Sights & Activities
No doubt about it, the Disney parks have a special magic. You probably know lots about the
Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom. But there are
also two wonderful water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, as well as the indoor
excitement at DisneyQuest. Before venturing into one of the big four, study the park's guide
map to note FASTPASS attractions. With your park ticket, make a free appointment to return
to these locations later to gain quick admission and avoid long lines. One hitch: you usually
can't make appointments for more than one FASTPASS attraction at a time. If you ask the
attraction host, however, he or she can help you navigate the system. The FASTPASS
system lets you experience the top attractions with little or no wait. Just feed your theme-park
admission ticket into a FASTPASS machine and book your reservation time to visit an
attraction.
The "umbrella" that is Universal Orlando contains Universal Studios (the original movie theme
park), Islands of Adventure (the second theme park), and CityWalk (the dining-shopping-
nightclub complex). Although it's bordered by residential neighbourhoods and thickly
trafficked International Drive, Universal Orlando is surprisingly expansive, intimate, and
accessible, with two massive parking complexes, easy walks to all attractions, and a motor
launch that cruises to the hotels. Although Universal Orlando emphasizes "two parks, two
days, one great adventure," you may find the presentation, creativity, and cutting-edge
technology bringing you back for more.
Palm Beach
Overview
This golden stretch of Atlantic coast resists categorization for good reason. The territory from
Palm Beach south to Boca Raton defines old-world glamour and new-age sophistication.
North of Palm Beach you'll uncover the comparatively undeveloped Treasure Coast -- liberally
sprinkled with coastal gems -- where towns and wide-open spaces along the road await your
discovery. Altogether, there's a delightful disparity, from Palm Beach, pulsing fast with plenty
of old-money wealth, to low-key Hutchinson Island and Manalapan. Seductive as the beach
scene interspersed with eclectic dining options can be, you should also take advantage of
flourishing commitments to historic preservation and the arts as town after town yields
intriguing museums, galleries, theaters, and gardens.
Long reigning as the epicenter of where the crème de la crème go to shake off winter's chill,
Palm Beach continues to be a seasonal hotbed of platinum-grade consumption. Rare is the
visitor to this region who can resist popping over to the island for a peek. Yes, other Florida
favorites such as Jupiter Island actually rank higher on the per-capita-wealth meters of
financial intelligence sources such as Worth magazine. But there's no competing with the
historic social supremacy of Palm Beach, long a winter address for heirs of icons named
Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Colgate, Post, Kellogg, and Kennedy. Yet even newer power brokers,
with names like Kravis, Peltz, and Trump, are made to understand that strict laws govern
everything from building to landscaping, and not so much as a pool awning gets added
without a town council nod. If Palm Beach were to fly a flag, it's been observed, there might
be three interlocking Cs, standing not only for Cartier, Chanel, and Christian Dior but also for
clean, civil, and capricious. Only three bridges allow access to the island, and huge tour
buses are a no-no. Yet when a freighter ran aground near a Palm Beach socialite's pool, she
was quick to lament not having "enough Bloody Mary mix for all these sailors."
To learn who's who in Palm Beach, it helps to pick up a copy of the Palm Beach Daily News --
locals call it the Shiny Sheet because its high-quality paper avoids smudging society hands or
Pratesi linens -- for, as it is said, to be mentioned in the Shiny Sheet is to be Palm Beach. All
this fabled ambience started with Henry Morrison Flagler, Florida's premier developer, and
cofounder, along with John D. Rockefeller, of Standard Oil. No sooner did Flagler bring the
railroad to Florida in the 1890s than he erected the famed Royal Poinciana and Breakers
hotels. Rail access sent real-estate prices soaring, and ever since, princely sums have been
forked over for personal stationery engraved with the 33480 zip code of Palm Beach. To
service Palm Beach with servants and other workers, Flagler also developed an off-island
community a mile or so west. West Palm Beach now bustles with its own affluent identity,
even if there's still no competing with one of the world's toniest island resorts.
With Palm Beach proper representing only 1% of Palm Beach County's land, remaining
territory is given over to West Palm and other classic Florida coastal towns, along with -- to
the west -- citrus farms, the Arthur R. Marshall-Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, and
Lake Okeechobee, a bass-fishing hot spot and Florida's largest lake. Well worth exploring is
the Treasure Coast territory, covering northernmost Palm Beach County, plus Martin, St.
Lucie, and Indian River counties. Despite a growing number of malls and beachfront
condominiums, much of the Treasure Coast's shoreline remains blissfully undeveloped. Along
the coast, the broad tidal lagoon called the Indian River separates barrier islands from the
mainland. Inland there's cattle ranching in tracts of pine and palmetto scrub, along with sugar
and citrus production. Shrimp farming utilizes techniques for acclimatizing shrimp from
saltwater -- land near seawater is costly -- to fresh water, all the better to serve demand from
restaurants popping up all over the region.
Great Itineraries
3 Days
When time is tight, make Palm Beach- your base. On the first day, start downtown on Worth
Avenue to window-shop and gallery-browse. After a très chic bistro lunch, head for that other
must-see on even the shortest itinerary, the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum. Your second
day is for the beach. Consider either Lantana Public Beach or Oceanfront Park in Boynton
Beach. Budget your last day for exploring other attractions, such as the Morikami Museum
and Japanese Gardens in nearby Delray Beach, or Lion Country Safari in West Palm Beach,
yielding tastes of Africa.
5 Days
Stay in Palm Beach- for two nights. The first day visit the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum and
the luxury hotel known as the Breakers, another Flagler legacy. Then head to Worth Avenue
for lunch and afternoon shopping, even if it's only the window variety. On the second day,
drive over to West Palm Beach- and the Norton Museum of Art, with many 19th- and 20th-
century paintings and sculptures. On Day 3, choose between an overnight visit to Lake
Okeechobee, the world's bass-fishing capital, or Palm Beach for another night and a drive of
a half hour or so to explore the Arthur R. Marshall-Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. Or
head for the National Croquet Center. Go to Boca Raton on the fourth day, and check into a
hotel near the beach before spending the afternoon wandering through Mizner Park's shops.
On your fifth day, meander through Mizner Park's Boca Raton Museum of Art in the morning
and get some sun at South Beach Park after lunch.
7 Days
Stay two nights in Palm Beach, spending your first day enjoying the stellar sights mentioned
in the five-day itinerary. On Day 2, rent a bicycle and follow the bike path along Lake Worth,
which provides great glimpses at backyards of many Palm Beach mansions. Drive north on
Day 3, going first to the mainland and then across Jerry Thomas Bridge to Singer Island and
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park. Spend the third night farther north, on Hutchinson
Island, and relax the next morning on the beach at your hotel. On your way back south,
explore Stuart and its historic downtown area, and pause at the Arthur R. Marshall-
Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge before ending up in Boca Raton, for three nights at a
hotel near the beach. Split Day 5 between shopping at Mizner Park and sunning at South
Beach Park. Day 6 is for cultural attractions: the Boca Raton Museum of Art followed by the
Atlantic Avenue galleries and the Morikami in Delray Beach. On your last day, check out one
of Boca's other two beaches, Spanish River and Red Reef parks.
Bradenton and Sarasota
Overview
Bradenton and Sarasota anchor the southern end of Tampa Bay. A string of barrier islands
borders the two cities with fine beaches. Sarasota County has 35 mi of gulf beaches, as well
as two state parks, 22 municipal parks, and more than 30 golf courses, many open to the
public. Sarasota has a thriving cultural scene, thanks mostly to circus magnate John Ringling,
who chose this area for the winter home of his circus and his family. Bradenton, to the north,
maintains a lower profile, and Venice, a few miles south on the Gulf Coast, claims beaches
known for their prehistoric sharks' teeth.
Top Reasons to Go to Sarasota
1. Shopping at St. Armands Circle's cluster of boutiques and taking a break at the Lido Key
beach.
2. Spending the afternoon on the white-sand beach at Siesta Key in Sarasota -- then staying
for sunset.
3. Touring the impressive baroque and Renaissance collection at the Ringling Centre for the
Cultural Arts, Sarasota: John Ringling collected many works by Rubens.
Tampa
Overview
Today the region offers astounding diversity. Terrain ranges from the pine-dotted northern
reaches to the coast's white-sand beaches and barrier islands. Tampa is a full-fledged city,
with a high-rise skyline and highways jammed with traffic. Across the bay lies the peninsula
that contains Clearwater and St. Petersburg. The compact St. Petersburg downtown, which
has interesting restaurants, shops, and museums, is on the southeast side of the peninsula,
facing Tampa. Inland is largely classic American suburbia. The peninsula's western periphery
is rimmed by barrier islands with beaches, quiet parks, and little, laid-back beach towns. To
the north are communities that celebrate their ethnic heritage -- such as Tarpon Springs,
settled by Greek sponge-divers -- and, farther north, mostly undeveloped land dotted with
crystal-clear rivers, springs, and nature preserves.
Great Itineraries
3 Days
Florida Aquarium and Busch Gardens, 8 mi northeast of Tampa, are probably the two most
popular attractions in the area. You need a half day for the aquarium and a full day for Busch
Gardens. Then it's on to Sarasota, with the Ringling Centre for the Cultural Arts and Mote
Marine Aquarium.
4 Days
Start in Tampa- with a half day at the Florida Aquarium. Then it's just a short drive to Ybor
City. Rest your feet over lunch before an hour or two of strolling through the shops. Busch
Gardens takes your whole second day. Start your third day in downtown St. Petersburg at the
Florida International Museum. Catch lunch in the BayWalk dining and entertainment complex
just across the street. A few blocks east is the Florida Holocaust Museum. On Day 4, choose
between the beach or the streets of Sarasota. One of the best spots for a day at the beach is
pristine Fort De Soto Park, a perfect place to picnic or watch the sun set over the Gulf of
Mexico. Spend your last day in Sarasota, seeing the museums at the Ringling Centre for the
Cultural Arts and at Mote Marine Aquarium.
10 Days
With this much time, linger three days in St. Petersburg. Catch a meal or two and do some
shopping at BayWalk, which is across the street from the Florida International Museum, in
turn a short walk from the Florida Holocaust Museum and a five-minute drive from the
Salvador Dalí Museum. You could easily spend a full day in downtown Tampa. Start the
morning with the spectacular Florida Aquarium. Then head to Ybor City for a bit of touring,
shopping, and lunch. End the day with the Tampa Museum of Art and the Channelside dining
and entertainment district for dinner. The next three attractions, clustered northeast of Tampa,
are 45-60 minutes by car from St. Petersburg. Spend a day at Busch Gardens. If you are into
water slides, set aside another day for Adventure Island, Busch Gardens' water-park cousin.
Spend a day around Tarpon Springs, the self-described Sponge Capital of the World.
Consider Caladesi Island State Park or nearby Honeymoon Island State Park, outside
Dunedin, for a day at the beach.
Sarasota- is a convenient base for the second part of your stay. Drive up to Bradenton- to
take in its sights and beaches for a day. In Sarasota, allow about four hours to cover the
museums at the Ringling Centre for the Cultural Arts and Sarasota Jungle Gardens. In the
afternoon you might drive to St. Armands Circle on Lido Key to see shops and Mote Marine
Aquarium. On another day explore the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and take a couple of
hours to explore downtown Sarasota. Venice makes an enjoyable half- or full-day trip.
Georgia:
Atlanta
The Coast
Savannah
Atlanta
Overview
Atlanta's character has evolved from a mix of peoples: transplanted Northerners and those
from elsewhere account for more than half the population and have undeniably affected the
mood and character of the city. Irish immigrants had a major role in the city's early history,
along with Germans and Austrians; the Hungarian-born Rich brothers founded Atlanta's
principal department store. And the immigrants keep coming. In the past two decades Atlanta
has seen spirited growth in its Asian and Latin-American communities. Related restaurants,
shops, and institutions have become part of the city's texture.
For more than four decades Atlanta has been linked to the civil rights movement. Among the
many accomplishments of which Atlanta's African-American community is proud is the Nobel
Peace Prize that Martin Luther King Jr. won in 1964. Dr. King's widow, Coretta Scott King,
continues to operate the King Centre, which she founded after her husband's assassination in
1968. In 1972 Andrew Young was elected the first black congressman from the South since
Reconstruction. After serving as ambassador to the United Nations during President Jimmy
Carter's administration, Young was elected mayor of Atlanta. Since his term ended in the
early '90s, Young has kept busy being co-chairman of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic
Games, chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, and president of the National
Council of Churches.
The traditional South -- which in romantic versions consists of lacy moss dangling from tree
limbs; thick, sugary Southern drawls; a leisurely pace; and luxurious antebellum mansions --
rarely reveals itself here. Even before the Civil War, the columned house was a rarity -- and
prior to the construction boom of the 1850s, houses of any kind were rare. The frenetic pace
of rebuilding that characterized the period after the Civil War continues unabated. Still viewed
by die-hard Southerners as the heart of the Old Confederacy, Atlanta has become the best
example of the New South, a fast-paced modern city proud of its heritage.
In the past two decades Atlanta has experienced unprecedented growth -- the official city
population remains steady, at about 420,000, but the metro population has grown in the past
decade by nearly 40%, from 2.9 million to 4.1 million people. A good measure of this growth is
the ever-changing downtown skyline, along with skyscrapers constructed in the Midtown,
Buckhead, and outer perimeter (fringing I-285) business districts. Since the late 1970s dozens
of dazzling skyscrapers designed by such luminaries as Philip Johnson, I. M. Pei, and Marcel
Breuer have reshaped the city's profile.
Great Itineraries
If You Have 3 Days
Begin your visit downtown with a couple of Atlanta icons: Coca-Cola and CNN. You can learn
the history of Atlanta's favourite beverage by walking though the World of Coca-Cola Pavilion.
Stop for a snack or a little window shopping at Underground Atlanta, and then walk west on
Marietta Street to CNN Centre (reservations for tours must be made 24 hours in advance).
Grab lunch at CNN Centre and then stroll through Centennial Olympic Park. If you have
young children, spend the afternoon at Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta. Older
kids and adults may want to take a taxi to Grant Park to visit the Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil
War Museum and Zoo Atlanta.
Devote your second day to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic District. Start at the
visitor centre, at 450 Auburn Avenue, where you can sign up for a tour of the Martin Luther
King Jr. Birth Home; then head over to the Sweet Auburn Curb Market. Spend the rest of the
day exploring the historic district's museums and historic buildings, including King's tomb and
the African-American Panoramic Experience.
On the third day, explore Midtown. Start the day with a visit to the Atlanta Botanical Garden at
Piedmont Park. The park itself is a wonderful place to get some exercise or to just relax under
a tree. After lunch, head east to Peachtree Street and the High, one of the nation's top art
museums. In the evening, you might want to catch a concert or play at Woodruff Arts Center.
If You Have 5 Days
Follow the three-day itinerary above. On the fourth day, head to Buckhead for some history
and shopping. In addition to its fine exhibits, the Atlanta History Centre also has carefully
tended grounds landscaped with native plants. A block away, shops of all kinds line
Peachtree and its side streets. To the north are Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square, two of the
most famous malls in the Southeast.
On your fifth day, explore some of Atlanta's great neighbourhoods. Start at Emory University's
Michael C. Carlos Museum or the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Next drive to
Virginia-Highland, which is rich in art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants. A mile or two to
the southeast is Little Five Points, the city's most bohemian neighbourhood. For a night of
beer and rock and roll, head to East Atlanta. If you prefer a quieter evening, visit downtown
Decatur for dinner, a stroll, and maybe a free concert at the gazebo behind the Decatur
Historical Courthouse.
If You Have 7 Days
Follow the five-day itinerary above, and then dedicate your last two days to the kids -- or the
kid in you. On your way out east to Stone Mountain Park, be sure to stop by Your DeKalb
Farmers Market for a danish and other goodies. You can easily spend a day at the park. Hike
or take the cable car to the top of the mountain, and if the Lasershow Spectacular is playing
that night, stick around for it. Spend your final day at the Six Flags Over Georgia amusement
park, or drive to Kennesaw to visit the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield and the
Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History.
Georgia Coast
Overview
The coastal isles of Georgia are a string of lush, subtropical barrier islands meandering lazily
down the state's Atlantic coast from Savannah to the Florida border. The islands have a long
history of human habitation; Native American relics have been found here that date from
about 2500 BC. The four islands known as the Golden Isles -- Little St. Simons, Sea, St.
Simons, and Jekyll islands -- are great vacation spots. The best way to appreciate the barrier
islands' rare ecology is to visit Sapelo and Cumberland islands or take a guided tour.
Each coastal isle has a distinct personality, shaped by its history and ecology. All the Golden
Isles but Little St. Simons are connected to the mainland by bridges in the vicinity of
Brunswick; these are the only coastal isles accessible by automobile. Little St. Simons Island,
a privately owned retreat with guest accommodations, is reached by a launch from St.
Simons. Sapelo Island is accessible by ferry from the visitor centre just north of Darien. The
Cumberland Island National Seashore is reached by ferry from St. Marys. About 50 miles
inland is the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, which has a character all its own. All
Georgia beaches are in the public domain.
Okefenokee in a Day
Arrive at one of the visitor centres early in the morning. Start off in one of the museums, and
watch any of the short documentaries to learn what to look for in the swamp. Take a guided
boat tour to get a full overview of the swamp environment. Then strike out onto the boardwalk
and climb an observation tower, binoculars in hand. If you're at the north or east entrance,
visit the restored homesteads.
Savannah
Overview
Genteel Savannah sits inward of the Savannah River at the top of Georgia's 100-mile coast.
Heading south, the seaside resorts of the Golden Isles blend Southern elegance with a
casual sensibility.
Savannah's beginning was February 12, 1733, when English general James Edward
Oglethorpe and 120 colonists arrived at Yamacraw Bluff on the Savannah River to found the
13th and last colony in the New World. As the port city grew, people from England and
Ireland, Scottish Highlanders, French Huguenots, Germans, Austrian Salzburgers, Sephardic
and Ashkenazic Jews, Moravians, Italians, Swiss, Welsh, and Greeks all arrived to create
what could be called a rich gumbo.
In 1793 Eli Whitney of Connecticut, who was tutoring on a plantation near Savannah,
invented a mechanized means of "ginning" seeds from cotton bolls. Cotton soon became
king, and Savannah, already a busy seaport, flourished under its reign. Waterfront
warehouses were filled with "white gold," and brokers trading in the Savannah Cotton
Exchange set world prices. The white gold brought in solid gold, and fine mansions were built
in the prospering city.
In 1864 Savannahians surrendered their city to Union general Sherman rather than see it
torched. Following World War I and the decline of the cotton market, the city's economy
virtually collapsed, and its historic buildings languished for more than 30 years. Elegant
mansions were razed or allowed to decay, and cobwebs replaced cotton in the dilapidated
riverfront warehouses.
In 1955, Savannah's spirits rose again. News that the exquisite Isaiah Davenport House at
Number 324 East State Street was to be destroyed prompted seven outraged ladies to raise
money to buy the house. They saved it the day before the wrecking ball was to swing. Thus
was born the Historic Savannah Foundation, the organization responsible for the restoration
of downtown Savannah, where more than 1,000 restored buildings form the 2½-square-mile
Historic District, the nation's largest. Many of these buildings are open to the public during the
annual tour of homes, and today Savannah is one of the country's top 10 cities for walking
tours.
Great Itineraries
If You Have 3 Days
Any trip to Savannah should include a walking tour of the Historic District. Though it's possible
to take in most of the district in a day (see the Good Walk above), you might be more
comfortable, particularly in the summer heat, devoting two days to your wanderings.
A good way to divide your days might be to spend one in the area closest to the river, taking
in such sights as the Savannah History Museum, the First African Baptist Church, Factor's
Walk, and the Telfair Museum. On the second day, tour the southern part of the district,
including Forsyth Park, the Andrew Low House, the Green-Meldrim House, Monterey Square,
and the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
On a third day, why not go to the beach? Tybee Island, roughly a 20-minute drive from
downtown, is largely unchanged over the last few decades. You'll find a wide, pleasant public
beach. Once you're back downtown, River Street, down by the Savannah River, is worth a
visit for its shops and restaurants.
If You Have 4 Days
Follow the three-day itinerary above, then try a side trip across the Savannah River into South
Carolina. Beaufort is a classy seaside town with rows of elegant historical homes. Nearby
Hilton Head offers high-end shopping, a fine beach, and countless courses to tempt golfers.
Outside of Beaufort, Hunting Island State Park is one of the state's most popular attractions,
with a pristine beach, a historic lighthouse, and camping areas.
If You Have 5 Days
Follow the four-day itinerary above, then take a look at coastal Georgia, south of Savannah.
In an easy day's drive, you can visit sleepy, oak-shaded towns like Midway and Darien,
surrounded by historic sites like Fort McAllister, Fort Morris, and the colonial town site of
Sunbury. Numerous important incidents during the Revolutionary War occurred in the region.
About an hour and a half south of Savannah is Jekyll Island, where you can find a nice public
beach. The island's historic district was the playground for the 19th-century's plutocratic elite,
the Astors, Vanderbilts, Pulitzers, and Morgans among them.
Hawaii:
Big Island
Honolulu and Oahu
Kauai
Lanai
Maui
Molokai
Big Island
Overview
Although development has run wild on the Big Island as of late, it manages to maintain an Old
Hawai'i feel, with tourism concentrated on its sunny northwest coast. From its active volcano
seeping lava into the ocean to its white-sand beaches and its verdant green valleys,
waterfalls, and rainbows, the Big Island delivers everything the postcards promise and then
some. Sea turtles and manta rays make their homes here, and Mark Twain wrote some of his
best prose in the moonlike southern region. Long after his death, artists, travelers, and locals
continue to seek inspiration from the cliffs, lava, hidden valleys, ancient wisdom, and tranquil
waters of Hawai'i.
The Big Island is indeed big, and the largest of the Islands by far at 4,038 square miles. Even
with recent development, the Big Island's population remains low (163,000), and only 2% of
the island's 2.57 million acres is classified as urban.
Great 1-Day Itineraries
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
The volcano is not to be missed. How often do you have the chance to see earth being
formed? Call ahead of time to check the lava activity and plan your time accordingly. If the
volcano is very active, go straight to the lava flow area. If it's less active, find out the best
times of day for seeing what lava glow there is and head to the active flows at that time. And
don't forget that there's a lot more to see in the park. Hike on the Kilauea Iki trail, a 4-mile loop
that takes you down through volcanic rain forests and then across the floor of a small vent,
and check out the Thurston Lava Tube. Just before sunset, head down to the ocean via
Chain of Craters Road; this is the best spot to see the nighttime lava show. Consider staying
a night in Volcano village, especially if your home base is on the Kona side. It will give you the
time to explore, without having to rush off for the long (over 2 hours), dark drive back to Kona.
Waipi'o Valley
Completely off the grid today, it's hard to believe that Waipi'o Valley was once home to a
thriving little village, not to mention early Hawaiian royalty. Waipi'o is a uniquely Big Island
experience -- untouched nature and a mystifying bit of island history. It's best to book a tour to
see the valley either on horseback or from a jeep. Most tours last from two to four hours.
Hamakua Coast
This jagged stretch of coastline along the eastern side of the island embodies all things
tropical. There are waterfalls galore, and the trees and plants are thick and bright green. It's
wet, but it tends to rain most in the mornings and clear up in the afternoons. Plan to spend
some time driving down the tiny roads that dart off the main highway. Anywhere you see a
gulch, there's a waterfall waiting to be discovered. And keep your eyes peeled for rainbows.
Kohala Beach Day
Chances are that one of the main reasons you came to Hawai'i was to lie on the beach and
work on your tan. You will not be disappointed with the Kohala Coast. Hapuna Beach has
powdery soft white sand and crystal clear blue water. Or get an early start and hike into one
of the Kohala Coast's unmarked beaches, like Kua Bay or Makalawena. Either way, end the
day at a seaside restaurant in Kawaihae or Kailua-Kona, watching the sunset and sipping a
mai tai.
Paniolo Country
Upcountry Waimea is not what pops to mind when you think Hawai'i -- rolling green hills, a
chill in the morning, and ranches. Stop first at the old sugar-cane town of Hawi or at Pololu
Valley. Then take Kohala Mountain Road (Highway 250) up the hill to Waimea, stopping
along the way to snap pictures of the incredible view. There are several ranches in Waimea
where you can go horseback or ATV riding. Plan on staying for dinner at one of Waimea's
top-notch restaurants.
Honolulu & O'ahu
Overview
Should you even bother with O'ahu? Aren't the Neighbour Islands where the real beauty of
Hawai'i lives? Isn't Honolulu just another traffic-clogged city and Waikiki just another tourist
trap?
To answer, we present these O'ahu scenes:
The broad golden sands and turquoise waters of Kailua Beach.
The shops of Chinatown noisy with a half-dozen languages, stacked with mysterious goods,
redolent of steaming pastries and jasmine lei.
The creaking wooden floors of the Queen Emma Summer Palace and the hushed voice of a
guide who seems to be speaking of beloved friends, transporting you back 100 years.
Sunset Beach on a winter morning, the power of the waves communicating itself in the
throbbing sand under your feet, the surfers slicing furroughs through the walls of water.
A looping, easy trail through a cool forest above 'Aiea, a sharma thrush imitating your whistle,
the perfume of ferns, a sudden view into an untouched emerald valley.
Darkness and the hair-raising call of the ancient nose flute introducing a hula -- not a tourist
show but a recital by an amateur troupe that dances for love.
A catamaran off the Wai'ane Coast, slapping through mischievous winter waves while spinner
dolphins wheel and turn in the froth, seeming to eye you with intelligent interest.
An outdoor stage just yards from the beach where a twentysomething island hipster is
demonstrating why 'ukulele means "jumping flea," reinterpreting rock.
In short, O'ahu is one-stop Hawai'i -- all the allure of the Islands in a chop-suey mix that has
you kayaking around offshore islets by day and sitting in a jazz club 'round midnight, all
without ever having to take another flight or repack your suitcase.
It has more museums, staffed historic sites, and walking tours than any other island. And only
here do a wealth of renovated buildings and well-preserved neighbourhoods so clearly spin
the story of Hawai'i history. It's the only place to experience island-style urbanity, since there
are no other true cities in the state. And yet you can get as lost in the rural landscape and be
as laid-back as you wish.
Great 1-Day Itineraries
To experience even a fraction of O'ahu's charms, you need a minimum of four days and a bus
pass. Five days and a car is better: Waikiki is at least a day, Honolulu and Chinatown
another, Pearl Harbor the better part of another. Each of the rural sections can swallow a day
each, just for driving, sight-seeing and stopping to eat. And that's before you've taken a surf
lesson, hung from a parasail, hiked a loop trail, or visited a botanical garden. The following
itineraries will take you to our favorite spots on the island.
First Day in Waikiki
You'll be up at dawn due to the time change and dead on your feet by afternoon due to jet
lag. Have a dawn swim, change into walking gear, and head east along Kalakaua Avenue to
Monsarrat Avenue, and climb Diamond Head. After lunch, nap in the shade (sunburn!), do
some shopping, or visit the nearby East Honolulu neighborhoods of Mo'ili'ili and Ka'imuki, rife
with small shops and good, little restaurants. End the day with an early, interesting, and
inexpensive dinner at one of these neighborhood spots.
Windward Exploring
For sand, sun, and surf, follow H1 east to keyhole-shaped Hanauma Bay for picture-perfect
snorkeling, then round the southeast tip of the island with its wind-swept cliffs and the famous
Halona Blowhole. Fly a kite or watch body surfers at Sandy Beach. Take in Sea Life Park. In
Waimanalo, stop for local-style plate lunch, or punch on through to Kailua, where there's
intriguing shopping and good eating.
The North Shore
Hit H1 westbound and then H2 to get to the North Shore. You'll pass through pineapple
country, then drop down a scenic winding road to Waialua and Hale'iwa. Stop in Hale'iwa
town to shop, to experience shave ice, and to pick up a guided dive or snorkel trip. On
winding Kamehameha Highway, stop at famous big-wave beaches, take a dip in a cove with a
turtle, and buy fresh Island fruit at roadside stands.
Pearl Harbour
Pearl Harbour is an almost all-day investment. Be on the grounds by 7:30 AM to line up for
Arizona Memorial tickets. Clamber all over the USS Bowfin submarine. Finally, take the free
trolley to see the Mighty Mo battleship. If it's Wednesday or Saturday, make the 5-minute
drive mauka (toward the mountains) for bargain-basement shopping at the sprawling Aloha
Stadium Swap Meet.
Town Time
If you are interested in history, devote a day to Honolulu's historic sites. Downtown, see 'Iolani
Palace, the Kamehameha Statue, and Kawaiaha'o Church. A few blocks east, explore
Chinatown, gilded Kuan Yin Temple, and artsy Nu'uanu with its galleries. On the water is the
informative Hawai'i Maritime Center. Hop west on H1 to the Bishop Museum, the state's
anthropological and archeological center. And a mile up Pali Highway is Queen Emma
Summer Palace, whose shady grounds were a royal retreat. Worth a visit for plant lovers:
Foster Botanical Garden.
Kaua'i
Overview
Even a nickname like "the Garden Island" fails to do justice to Kaua'i's beauty. Verdant trees
grow canopies over the island's few roads, brooding mountains are framed by long, sandy
beaches, coral reefs, and sheer sea cliffs. For years, Kaua'i managed to resist the rampant
growth occurring elsewhere in the state. Its reputation for rain deterred tourists, and
devastating hurricanes in 1982 and 1992 discouraged development. Currently, a proliferation
of new construction offers irrefutable proof that Kaua'i has been discovered, but life here
remains simple, and the locals are determined to keep it that way.
The oldest of the Hawaiian islands, Kaua'i also holds the dubious honour of being "the wettest
place on Earth," thanks to its 460-inch average annual rainfall. At 558 square miles it is the
fourth-largest island, and its population remains low at 54,200.
1-Day Itineraries
So much to do, so little time, is a common lament among visitors who think they can see
Kaua'i in a day or two. To get a good sample of the highlights, try some of the following one-
day itineraries.
Waimea Canyon & Koke'e State Park. Start early, pack a picnic, and head up the mountain
for some of the loveliest scenery on the island. Stop at the scenic overlooks and peer into the
colorful chasm of Waimea Canyon, then continue on to the cool forests of Koke'e. Spend the
afternoon hiking, then cruise down to Salt Pond Beach Park and watch the sunset.
Wailua River & Kapa'a. Whether you rent a kayak, take a guided tour, or board one of the
motor boats, spend the morning traversing the Wailua River. You'll pass through lush tropical
foliage and wind up at the Fern Grotto. Afterward, drive up Kuamo'o Road to '.paeka'a Falls,
then head into Kapa'a for lunch and a bit of shopping in one of the many boutiques and
galleries on the northern edge of town.
Sweet History. Start at the Kaua'i Museum in Lihu'e for an overview of island history, then tour
Grove Farm Homestead to get a feel of country life in bygone days. As you head west on
Kaumuali'i Highway, stop in at Kilohana Plantation and check out the mansion. Continue on to
Kaumakani, the dusty little camp town on the west side, where you can take a guided tour of
the island's last sugar plantation, owned by Gay & Robinson. After viewing the fields and
seeing how cane is processed into granulated sugar, head east to Koloa town, site of Kaua'i's
first plantation. Browse the shops in the historic buildings that line the charming main street,
or zip over to Po'ip. Beach, where you can wash off the dust with a refreshing swim before
dinner.
Beaches & Birds. Load up the kids and head for Lydgate State Park on the East Side, where
they can enjoy Kamalani Playground and everyone can swim and snorkel. For lunch, grab a
bite to eat as you drive north through Kapa'a. Relax and enjoy the scenery as you continue to
the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, where you can watch seabirds soar and perhaps
spot whales and dolphins cavorting offshore. Continue north to Hanalei Bay, where you can
swim, boogie board, or jog on the beach. If the waves are huge, stay out of the water and
check out the surfing scene. As the sun sinks and the mountains turn rosy, pick up a pizza
and drive back to your hotel while the kids snooze in the back seat.
Ways to Save
Save on produce and flowers by shopping at the farmers' markets held on different days of
the week all around the island.
Stock up on gas and groceries in Kapa'a and Lihu'e if you're staying on the North Shore or
South Side, as prices go up farther from town.
Book guided activities, such as Na Pali Coast boat tours, on the Internet. Individual outfitters'
Web sites usually offer discounts for those who book on-line.
Reserve the smallest car for your needs to save money on gas and rental fees.
Lana'i
Overview
Even many locals have never been to Lana'i because, for years, there was nothing to see but
mile upon mile of pineapple and red-dirt roads. Two upscale resorts offer the usual island mix
of sun and sand, plus archery and shooting, four-wheel-drive excursions, and superb scuba
diving. Both attract the well-heeled in search of privacy, but the luxe shine has worn a bit. Do
stroll Dole Park, the town square; if there's a local event on, you'll meet the bulk of the
population in minutes.
Top 5 Reasons to Visit Lana'i
1. Seclusion & Serenity: Lana'i is small: local motion is slow motion. Go home rested instead
of exhausted.
2. Garden of the Gods: Walk amid the eerie red rock spires that ancient Hawaiians believed
to be the home of the spirits.
3. A Dive at Cathedrals: Explore underwater pinnacle formations and mysterious caverns lit
by shimmering rays of light.
4. Dole Square: Hang out in the shade of the Cook Pines and talk story with the locals.
5. Lana'i Pine Sporting Clays & Archery Range: Play a Pacific William Tell, aiming your arrow
at a pineapple.
Maui
Overview
Maui no ka 'oi -- Maui is the best, the most, the top of the heap. To those who know the island
well, there's good reason for the superlatives. The second-largest in the Hawaiian chain, the
Valley Isle has made a name for itself with its tropical allure, arts and cultural activities, and
miles of perfect-tan beaches. Popularity and success have led to some modern-day
problems: too many cars, for example. Still, from the chilly heights of Haleakala to the below-
sea-level taro beds of Ke'anae Peninsula, Maui continues to weave a spell over the more
than 2 million people who visit its shores each year. Pursuits range from hiking in a crater to
swimming under a waterfall to diving with sea turtles. This is without question the most
diversified island, recommended for a family or group with divergent interests.
Great 1-Day Itineraries on Maui
Maui's landscape is incredibly diverse, offering everything from underwater encounters with
eagle rays to treks across moonlike terrain. Although daydreaming at the pool or on the beach
may fulfil your initial island fantasy, Maui has much more to offer. The following one-day
itineraries will take you to our favourite spots on the island.
Beach Day in West Maui
West Maui has some of the island's most beautiful beaches, though many of them are hidden
by megaresorts. If you get an early start, you can begin your day snorkelling at
Slaughterhouse Beach (in winter, D. T. Fleming Beach is a better option as it's less rough).
Then spend the day beach-hopping through Kapalua, Napili, and Ka'anapali as you make
your way south. You'll want to get to Lahaina before dark so you can spend some time
exploring the historic whaling town before choosing a restaurant for a sunset dinner.
Focus on Marine Life on the South Shore
Start your South Shore trip early in the morning, and head out past Makena into the rough
lava fields of rugged La Pérouse Bay. At the road's end, the 'Ahihi-Kina'u Marine Preserve
has no beach, but it's a rich spot for snorkeling and getting to know Maui's spectacular
underwater world. Head to Kihei for lunch then enjoy the afternoon learning more about
Maui's marine life at the Maui Ocean Centre at Ma'alaea.
Haleakala National Park, Upcountry & the North Shore
If you don't plan to spend an entire day hiking in the crater at Haleakala National Park, this
itinerary will at least allow you to take a peek at it. Get up early and head straight for the
summit of Haleakala (if you're jetlagged and waking up in the middle of the night, you may
want to get there in time for sunrise). Bring water, sunscreen, and warm clothing (it's freezing
at sunrise). Plan to spend a couple of hours exploring the various look-out points in the park.
On your way down the mountain, turn right on Makawao Avenue, and head into the little town
of Makawao. You can have lunch here, or make a left on Baldwin Avenue and head downhill
to the town of Pa'ia where there are a number of great lunch spots and shops to explore.
Spend the rest of your afternoon at Pa'ia's main strip of sand, Ho'okipa Beach.
The Road to Hana
This cliff-side driving tour through rain-forest canopy reveals Maui's most lush and tropical
terrain. It will take a full day, especially if you plan to make it all the way to 'Oheo Gulch. You'll
pass through communities where old Hawai'i still thrives, and where the forest runs
unchecked from the sea to the summit. You'll want to make frequent exploratory stops. To
really soak in the magic of this place, consider staying overnight in Hana town. That way you
can spend a full day winding toward Hana, hiking and exploring along the way, and the next
day travelling leisurely back to civilization.
Moloka'i
Overview
Nicknamed The Friendly Island, Moloka'i is generally thought of as the last bit of "real"
Hawai'i. Tourism has been held at bay by the island's unique history (Moloka'i was once
occupied solely by a leper's colony), despite the fact that the longest white sand beach in
Hawai'i can be found along its western shore. With working ranches and sandy beaches to
the west, sheer sea cliffs to the north, and a rainy, lush eastern coast, Moloka'i offers a bit of
everything, including a peek at what the islands were like 50 years ago. The sign at the airport
says it all, "Slow down, you're in Moloka'i".
Only 38 miles long and 10 miles wide at its widest point, Moloka'i is the fifth largest island in
the Hawaiian archipelago. Eight thousand residents call Moloka'i home, nearly 40% of whom
are Hawaiian. Supplies are delivered once a year to the store and hospital at Kaunakakai, by
barge from Honolulu.
History
In 1886, Moloka'i's Makanalua Peninsula, surrounded on three sides by the Pacific and
accessible only by a steep, switchback trail, seemed the ideal place to exile people cursed
with leprosy. The first patients were thrown into the waters and left for 7 years with no
facilities, shelter or supplies. In 1893 a missionary named Father Damien arrived and created
Moloka'i's famous leper's colony. Though the disease is no longer contagious, many patients
chose to stay in their long-time home, and the colony still has roughly 100 residents. Visitors
are welcome, but must pay $40 for a tour operated by Damien Tours of Kalaupapa.
Birthplace of Hula
Legend has it that Laka, goddess of the hula, gave birth to the dance on Moloka'i, at a sacred
place in Ka'ana. The island recognizes the birth of this sacred dance with a celebration called
Ka Hula Piko every year during the third weekend in May. When Laka died, it is believed that
her remains were secretly hidden somewhere beneath the hill Pu'u Nana. The hula was finally
established, the work of Laka was complete, and the dance has flourished ever since
throughout Hawai'i.
Top 5 Reasons to Go to Moloka'i
1. Kalaupapa Peninsula: Hike of take a mule ride down the world's tallest sea cliffs to a
fascinating, historic community.
2. Biking Single-Track Trails at Moloka'i Ranch: A complex network of trails offers some of the
best mountain-bike experiences in the world.
3. Deep-Sea Fishing: Big sport fish are plentiful in these waters, as are gorgeous views of
several islands.
4. Nature: Deep valleys, sheer cliffs, and the untamed ocean are the main attractions on
Moloka'i.
5. Papohaku Beach: This 3-mile stretch of sand is one of the most sensational beaches in all
of Hawai'i.
Illinois:
Chicago
Chicago
Overview
The thriving commercial and financial "City of Broad Shoulders" is spiked with gorgeous
architecture and set with cultural and recreational gems, including the Art Institute, Millennium
Park, 250 theatre companies, and 31 mi of shoreline. Three million residents live within city
limits. The current Mayor Daley gave downtown a makeover, adding wrought-iron street
furniture, regular fireworks, and planters of flowers. Spectacular lights brighten buildings along
Michigan Avenue after dark. There are always controversies, but most Chicagoans are proud
to call the city home.
The Loop is a living architectural museum, where shimmering modern towers stand side-by-
side with 19th-century buildings. Striking sculptures by Picasso, Miró, and Chagall watch over
plazas alive with music and farmers' markets in summer. There are noisy, mesmerizing
trading centres, gigantic department stores, internationally known landmarks like the Sears
Tower and the Art Institute, and the city's newest playground, Millennium Park. Rattling
overhead, encircling it all, is the train system Chicagoans call the El.
Lake View is a massive North Side neighbourhood made up of smaller enclaves that each
have their own distinct personalities. There's the beer-swilling, Cubby-blue-'til-we-die sports
bar fanaticism of Wrigleyville, home of the esteemed Wrigley Field; the out-and-proud colours
of the gay bars, shops, and clubs along Halsted Street in Boys Town; and an air of urban
chicness along Southport Avenue (a street that's really a bit too far west to enjoy any lake
views, but part of the neighbourhood still the same), where young families stroll amid the
trendy boutiques and ice-cream shops. It's a mix that means that a few blocks' walk in one
direction or another will surely lead to some interesting finds.
The city's greatest tourist magnet reads like a to-do checklist: Navy Pier, the John Hancock
Building, art museums and galleries, lakefront activities, and countless shops where you
could spend a few dollars or thousands. The Magnificent Mile, a stretch of Michigan Avenue
between the Chicago River and Oak Street, owes its name to the swanky shops that line both
sides of the street. Shoppers cram the sidewalks in summer and keep the street bustling even
in winter, when the trees are twined with thousands of white fairy lights and the buildings are
lighted with coloured flood lights.
City Itineraries
Two Hours in Town
If you've only got a bit of time, go see a museum. Although you could spend days in any of
the city's major museums, two hours will give you a quick taste of Chicago's cultural riches.
Take a brisk walk around the Art Institute to see Grant Wood's American Gothic, Edward
Hopper's Nighthawks, and one of the finest collections of impressionists in the country. Or
check out the major dinosaur collection or the gorgeous Native American regalia at the Field
Museum. Take a close look at the sharks at the Shedd Aquarium. If the weather's nice, stroll
along the lakefront outside the Adler Planetarium -- you'll see one of the nicest skyline views
in the city.
After dark? Hear some music at a local club. Catch jazz at the Green Lounge in Uptown or
some blues at the Checkerboard in Hyde Park to get a taste of authentic Chicago.
Tip: Remember that museums are closed on Monday.
A Perfect Afternoon
Do the zoo. Spend some time at the free Lincoln Park Zoo and Conservatory (the tropical
plants will warm you up in winter), take a ride on the exotic animal-themed carousel, and then
spend a couple hours at the nearby Chicago Historical Society for a quirky look at the city's
past. If you'd like to stay in the Lincoln Park neighbourhood a bit longer, have dinner at one of
many great local restaurants and then head to The Second City, the sketch comedy troupe
that was the precursor to Saturday Night Live.
Tip: The Second City offers free improvisation following the last performance every night but
Friday.
Sightseeing in the Loop
State Street, that Great Street, is home to Marshall Fields (soon to be reborn as Macy's, as of
this writing), Louis Sullivan's ornate iron entrance to department store Carson Pirie Scott, and
a nascent theater district, as well as great people-watching. Start at Harold Washington
Library at Van Buren Street and walk north, venturing a block east to the beautiful Chicago
Cultural Center when you hit Randolph Street. Grab lunch at the Museum of Contemporary
Art's serene Wolfgang Puck café, Puck's at the MCA, and spend a couple hours with in-your-
face art. Head north for dinner to Pizzeria Uno or Due (both are at 29 E. Ohio Ave.) for
Chicago-style pizza in a fun setting. Amble over to the House of Blues for a concert or a
nightcap, or spend the evening back in the Loop at a Chicago theatre. Broadway touring
shows are on Randolph Street at the Oriental or the Ford, but excellent local theatre is
downtown as well -- the Goodman, Steppenwolf, Lookingglass, and Chicago Shakespeare
will each give you a night to remember.
Get Outdoors
Begin with a long walk (or run) along the lakefront, or rent a bike or inline skates and watch
the waves on wheels. Then catch an el train north to Wrigley Field for Cubs baseball; grab a
dog at the seventh-inning stretch and sing your heart out to "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."
Afterward, soak up a little beer and atmosphere on the patio at one of the local sports bars.
Finish up with an outdoor concert in Grant or Millennium parks.
Family Time
Start at Navy Pier -- or heck, spend all day there. The Chicago Children's Museum is a main
attraction, but there's also an IMAX Theatre, a Ferris wheel, a swing ride, a fun house, a
stained-glass museum, and in winter, Chicago-themed miniature golf in a sunny atrium. If the
crowds at the Pier get to be too much, walk or take the free trolley to Millennium Park, where
kids of all ages can ice-skate in winter and play in the fountain in summer, and where giant
digital portraits of Chicagoans spit streams of water to help cool you off. Whatever the
weather, make sure to get your picture taken in the mirrored centre of the Bean -- the
sculpture that's formally known as Cloud Gate. At night in summertime, take a stroll by
Buckingham Fountain, where the dancing sprays jump to music and are lit by computer-
controlled colour lights, or take a turn on the dance floor during Chicago's nightly
Summerdance celebration.
Tip: Fireworks explode near Navy Pier every Wednesday and Saturday night at 9 PM,
Memorial Day through Labour Day.
City Scapes
Start at the top. Hit the heights of the John Hancock Centre or the Sears Tower Skydeck for a
grand view of the city and the lake. Then take a walking tour of downtown with a well-read
docent from the Chicago Architecture Foundation. In the afternoon, wander north to the
Michigan Avenue Bridge, where you can pick up an informative boat tour of the Chicago
River. Enjoy the architecture as you float by, resting your weary feet.
Buy Chicago
Grab your bankroll and stroll the Mag Mile in search of great buys and souvenirs. Walking
north from around the Michigan Avenue Bridge, window shop your way along the many
upscale stores. Hang a left on Oak Street for the most elite boutiques. Dedicated shoppers
will want to detour a little farther south to State Street in the Loop for a walk through the
landmark Marshall Fields, which is soon to become a Macy's. For a culture buzz, check out
the Museum of Contemporary Art (closed Monday). After making a tough restaurant choice
(Prime rib at Smith & Wollensky's or Lawry's? Deep-dish pizza at Giordano's?), consider a
nightcap at the Signature Room at the 95th bar on top of the John Hancock Centre -- the city
will be spread beneath your feet.
Louisiana:
New Orleans
New Orleans
Overview
Sometime during your visit to New Orleans, find a wrought-iron balcony, an oak-shaded
courtyard, or a columned front porch and sit quietly, favourite beverage in hand, at 6 AM. At
this hour, when the moist air sits most heavily on the streets, New Orleans is a city of
mesmerizing tranquillity. By noon, early-morning calm confronts big-city chaos: with all there
is to see and hear and eat and drink and do, the old, mystical, weighty spirit in the city's air
can at times be frustrating, seeming to prevent you and everyone around you from
accomplishing anything too quickly or efficiently. But when it also keeps you from really
caring, then you have found the true secret of New Orleans.
The spiritual and cultural heart of New Orleans is the French Quarter, where the city was
settled by the French in 1718. You can easily spend several days visiting museums, shops,
and eateries in this area. Yet the rest of the city's neighbourhoods, radiating out from this
focal point, also make for rewarding rambling. The mansion-lined streets of the Garden
District and Uptown, the aboveground cemeteries that dot the city, and the open air along
Lake Pontchartrain provide a nice balance to the frenzy of the Quarter. Despite its sprawling
size, residents treat New Orleans like a small town, or perhaps like a collection of small
towns. Families have lived in the same neighbourhoods for generations; red beans and rice is
served throughout the city on Monday; people visit the tombs of their departed on All Saints'
Day; and from the smartest office to the most down-home local bar, New Orleanians are
ready to celebrate anything at the drop of a hat.
To experience this fun-filled city, you can begin with the usual tourist attractions, but you must
go beyond them to linger in a corner grocery store, sip a cold drink in a local joint, or chat with
a stoop-sitter. New Orleanians, for all their gripes and grumbling, love their city. They treasure
custom and tradition, take in stride the heat and humidity of a semitropical climate, and face
life with a laid-back attitude, despite the ravages from Hurricane Katrina, which caused heavy
damage to the city in late August 2005.
Highlights of New Orleans
Day 1: The French Quarter
Start by getting to know the city's most famous neighbourhood. Sure, it's a cliché, but the café
au lait and beignets at Café du Monde are a good place to begin, followed by a stroll around
Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral. Cross the seawall and take in the views of the
Mississippi River from Woldenberg Riverfront Park. Wander along North Peters Street to the
shops and market stalls in the French Market, followed by a stroll around the mostly
residential Lower Quarter. After lunch, explore the antique stores and art galleries on Royal
and Chartres streets, winding it all up with a cocktail in a shady courtyard; try Napoleon
House, an atmospheric bar and café that makes a mean Pimm's Cup, or the French Quarter
mainstay Pat O'Brien's. Save Bourbon Street for later in the evening; like anything that's lived
hard and been around as long, it's much more attractive in low light.
Day 2: Uptown & the Garden District
The St. Charles Avenue streetcar rumbles past some of the South's most prized real estate;
take a seat in one of the antique wooden seats, raise a window and admire the scenery on
the way to leafy Audubon Park. Follow the paved footpath to the Audubon Zoo, keeping an
eye out for the zoo's white tigers, a pair of albino brothers named Rex and Zulu. Board an
inbound Magazine Street bus near the zoo entrance and take it to just past Napoleon
Avenue, where a number of restaurants, some with sidewalk tables, are clustered. Continue
on Magazine to Washington Avenue and head left through the Garden District. Prytania
Street, just past Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 (Anne Rice fans, take note), is a good axis from
which you can explore the neighbourhood's elegant side streets. Catch a Downtown-bound
streetcar on St. Charles, or wrap up the afternoon shopping and dining on Magazine.
Day 3: Remembering Katrina
It may strike some as macabre, but touring the neighbourhoods devastated by Hurricane
Katrina and its subsequent floods has become a ritual for many visitors, not unlike the hordes
that have made Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan a pilgrimage site. You can opt for a guided
bus tour, which takes you to Lakeview and the infamous 17th Street Canal levee breach;
some companies also travel to the Ninth Ward and Chalmette. If you have your own
transportation, follow a drive through Katrina's aftermath on page 14 in our remembering
Katrina feature. After a sombre tour of Katrina's devastation, a good antidote is to look for
signs of renewal and rebirth. City Park, which sustained extensive wind and flood damage,
has reopened its stately botanical gardens; nearby stands the venerable New Orleans
Museum of Art and the adjacent Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Wrap the day
up with dinner and live music downtown at one of the clubs on Frenchmen Street, in the
Faubourg Marigny neighbourhood, where the city's diehard party spirit soldiers on.
Day 4: Art, History & Culture
Dedicate one day to a deeper exploration of the city's cultural attractions. Art lovers shouldn't
miss the Warehouse District, where a pair of fine museums -- the Ogden Museum of
Southern Art and the Contemporary Arts Centre -- anchors a vibrant strip of contemporary art
galleries, most of which feature local artists. History buffs will want to check out the National
D-Day Museum, also in the Warehouse District, and the Historical Collection of New Orleans
in the French Quarter, which hosts changing exhibits in a beautifully restored town home.
New Orleans music aficionados can browse the bins at the Louisiana Music Factory, which
has a wide selection of CDs, and occasional in-store performances, by Louisiana musicians.
Day 5: Heading Out of Town
Consider a day trip out of town to one of the region's elegant plantation homes, a trip to Cajun
Country, or a guided swamp tour. Some tour companies offer a combination, with lunch
included. Many of the antebellum mansions between New Orleans and Baton Rouge have
been painstakingly restored and filled with period furniture; nature lovers will want to set aside
time to explore the grounds and lush flower gardens. Swamp tours may sound hokey, but
they're actually a good way to see south Louisiana's cypress-studded wetlands (and get up
close and personal with the alligators and other critters who live there). Continue the nautical
theme in the evening with a ride to Algiers Point aboard the Canal Street ferry for sunset
views of the New Orleans skyline.
Tips
Call ahead for hours and days of operation. Several months after Katrina, many businesses
still had not returned to their full pre-storm schedules. The city has a lot to offer, but some
patience and understanding is called for while it rebuilds.
If you're venturing out in your own vehicle, be aware that street conditions, which weren't
great to begin with, are still in disrepair in some places. Traffic signals can be erratic, and
debris and roofing nails left behind by contractors can be hazardous to tires.
Summers in New Orleans arrive early and stick around longer than most people would like. If
visiting in the hot months, stay hydrated, limit your midday outdoor activities and be prepared
for sudden, sometimes violent downpours.
Maine:
Acadia NP
Acadia NP
Overview
With some of the most dramatic and varied scenery on the Maine Coast, Mount Desert Island
attracts more than 2 million visitors each year and has been a popular summer destination for
more than a century. The island, much of which belongs to Acadia National Park, measures
approximately 12 mi long and 9 mi across. Samuel de Champlain, the first European explorer
to discover the area, named the island the "Isle de Monts Desert." Today Mount Desert Island
(often pronounced "dessert") is Maine's most popular tourist attraction. The rocky coastline
rises starkly from the ocean, appreciable along the scenic drives. Trails for hikers of all skill
levels lead to the rounded tops of the mountains, providing views of Frenchman Bay, Blue Hill
Bay, and beyond. Ponds and lakes beckon you to swim, fish, or boat. Ferries and charter
boats provide spectacular views and a new perspective of the island, as well as a chance to
explore the outer islands. A network of carriage roads lets you explore Acadia National Park's
wooded interior, filled with birds and other wildlife.
Mount Desert Island has four different townships, each with its own personality. The town of
Bar Harbour is on the northeastern corner of the island, and includes Bar Harbour, Hulls
Cove, Salsbury Cove, and Town Hill. The town of Mount Desert comprises the southeastern
corner of the island and parts of the western edge, and includes Mount Desert, Somesville,
Hall Quarry, Beech Hill, Pretty Marsh, Northeast Harbour, Seal Harbour, and Otter Creek. As
its name suggests, the town of Southwest Harbour is on the southwestern corner of the
island, although the town of Tremont is at the southernmost tip of the west side. This area
includes the villages of Southwest Harbour, Manset, Bass Harbour, Bernard, and Seal Cove.
Bar Harbour is a major tourist centre, with plenty of accommodations, restaurants, and shops.
Less congested are smaller towns such as Northeast Harbour, Southwest Harbour, Bass
Harbour, and the outlying islands.
After a full day of sightseeing and exploring, you can relax in a comfortable seaside room,
watch the sunset from the top of Cadillac Mountain, or dine at one of the island's numerous
eateries. Whatever your interests, Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park can provide
days -- and even weeks -- of enjoyment.
If You Have 3 Days
If you have three days on Mount Desert Island, stay in Bar Harbour. There's plenty of things
in this popular resort town to keep you occupied on your first day -- from bustling boutiques to
interesting museums. On Day 2, stop at the Hulls Cove Visitor Centre to pick up information
about special events, then head to Acadia National Park. A drive around Park Loop Road is a
great way to learn the lay of the land. Stop along the way -- a lot of the scenic overlooks have
informational signs you may find interesting. Finish up the Park Loop Road journey by driving
to the top of Cadillac Mountain to enjoy the sunset. On Day 3, rent a bike and explore the
network of carriage roads that crisscross the island. Take in the spectacular view of Jordan
Pond from the observation deck of the Jordan Pond House, a restaurant known for its
massive popovers with lots of strawberry jam. For the afternoon's entertainment, hike the
South Bubble Mountain (easier) or Penobscot Mountain (more challenging).
If You Have 5 Days
Follow the three-day itinerary above. On Day 4, drive to Northeast Harbor, the summer home
of many of the country's wealthiest families. Take in the Asticou Azalea Garden and Thuya
Gardens. On your last day, take a sightseeing cruise in the morning. In the afternoon, head to
Bass Harbour Head Lighthouse, taking in Somesville and Southwest Harbour along the way.
Maryland:
Baltimore
Baltimore
Overview
Baltimore is a city of neighbourhoods. From the cobblestone streets of historic Fells Point and
Federal Hill, up the wide avenues of elegant Mount Vernon, and across the countless modest
blue-collar enclaves, the city wears many different faces. On the east and west sides,
seamless blocks of the city's trademark redbrick row houses, each fronted by white marble
steps, radiate outward from the modern towers of downtown Baltimore. Uptown, marble
mansions, grand churches, and philanthropic institutions proudly bearing their founders'
names mark the city's progress: fortunes earned on the harbour flowed north to create these
monuments to wealth and power.
Baltimore was established by the Colonial government in 1729, at the end of the broad
Patapsco River that empties into the Chesapeake Bay. Named for George Calvert, the first
Lord Baltimore and the founder of Maryland, the town grew as a port and shipbuilding centre
and did booming business during the War of Independence.
A quantum leap came at the turn of the 19th century: from 6,700 in 1776, the population
reached 45,000 by 1810. Because it was the home port for U.S. Navy vessels and for the
swift Baltimore clipper ships that often preyed on British shipping, the city was a natural target
for the enemy during the War of 1812. After capturing and torching Washington, D.C., the
British fleet sailed up the Patapsco River and bombarded Baltimore's Fort McHenry, but in
vain. The 30- by 42-foot, 15-star, 15-stripe flag was still flying "by the dawn's early light," a
spectacle that inspired "The Star-Spangled Banner."
After the War of 1812, Baltimore prospered as a slave market, and during the Civil War the
population's sympathies were divided between North and South, provoking riots. Frederick
Douglass escaped his childhood enslavement in the shipyards of Fells Point to become a
famed orator and abolitionist. The first bloodshed of the Civil War occurred in Baltimore when
the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment was stoned by an angry group of Baltimoreans. (This is a
town whose regional identity has always been, and remains, ambiguous.) Soon after,
President Lincoln, mistrusting the loyalty of certain city officials, had them summarily detained
-- an act that was no doubt strategically effective but was probably unconstitutional.
In the late 1800s, Baltimore became a manufacturing center of iron, steel, chemical fertilizer,
and textiles. It also became the oyster capital of the world, packing more of those tasty
mollusks in 1880 than anywhere else. After a 1904 fire destroyed 1,500 structures, Baltimore
rebuilt valiantly and rode the economic roller coaster through World War I and the Great
Depression. World War II brought an influx of people and industry to the city. After the war, a
steady flow of residents to the newly developed suburbs drained the city of vitality as well as
population; the loss of manufacturing jobs also hurt this blue-collar town, and many
neighbourhoods seriously declined.
Starting in the late 1950s, the city began trying to revive itself. The construction of Charles
Centre in 1961 was one early attempt. By the late 1960s, plans were in effect to invigorate the
city's waterfront. But it wasn't until the early 1980s when Harbourplace opened that the Inner
Harbour became what it is today. Hotels, office buildings, and attractions such as the
Maryland Science Centre, the stellar National Aquarium, and Oriole Park at Camden Yards
were built around Inner Harbour. Restaurants and shops proliferated in the once-
downtrodden downtown area and then beyond.
Development continues to spread along the waterfront into the formerly industrial areas of
Fells Point, Canton, and Locust Point, and many young professionals and businesses are
moving in -- to the dismay of some, who see the impending loss of the city's waterfront
industries. In fact, neighbourhoods all over the city are being revitalized. Other areas, like
Roland Park, Guilford, Homeland, and Mt. Washington in north Baltimore, remain the tony
residential neighbourhoods they've always been. Yet just east and west of downtown are
blocks of boarded up homes, signs of the problems that the city still faces. It is this stark
contrast that Baltimore continues to address.
Sights & Activities
Many of Baltimore's biggest attractions are around the Inner Harbour -- the National Aquarium
in Baltimore, the Visionary Arts Museum, and Camden Yards. Farther uptown are the Walters
Museum of Art, in Mount Vernon, and the Baltimore Museum of Art, near Johns Hopkins
University, in Charles Village. The neighbourhoods themselves are fun to explore. Historic
Federal Hill, just south of the Inner Harbour, is home to some of the oldest houses in the city.
Fells Point and Canton, farther east, are lively waterfront communities. Mount Vernon and
Charles Village have wide avenues lined with grand old row houses that were once home to
Baltimore's wealthiest residents. Farther north are Roland Park (Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.
contributed to its planning), Guilford, Homeland, and Mt. Washington, all leafy, residential
neighbourhoods with cottages, large Victorian house, and redbrick Colonials.
It's easy to explore the Inner Harbour and neighbourhoods such as Mount Vernon, Charles
Village, and Fells Point by foot. For travelling between areas, however, a car is the most
efficient means of transportation. Parking around the Inner Harbour is primarily in garages,
though meters can be found along Key Highway. In other neighbourhoods, you can generally
find meter parking on the street.
Pratt Street runs east along the Inner Harbour; from here the major northbound arteries are
Charles Street and the Jones Falls Expressway (I-83). Cross street addresses are marked
"East" or "West" according to which side of Charles Street they are on; similarly, Baltimore
Street marks the dividing line between north and south. Residents refer to areas of the city by
direction of these major arteries: thus, South Baltimore, North Baltimore, East Baltimore, West
Baltimore, Northeast Baltimore, Northwest Baltimore, etc.
A light-rail runs north-south along Howard Street, going between Camden Yards and Hunt
Valley in the northern suburbs. Buses also run throughout the city. But neither is particularly
quick, and they don't go to every part of town. Cabs can be a good way to get around the city,
but you must call first to arrange a pickup. A fun way to travel between waterfront attractions
such as Fort McHenry and Fells Point is to take one of the water taxis that ply the harbour.
Massachusetts:
Berkshires
Boston
Cape Cod
Martha's Vineyard
Nantucket
Berkshires
Overview
More than a century ago, wealthy families from New York and Boston built "summer cottages"
in the Berkshires -- great country estates that earned Berkshire County the nickname "inland
Newport." Today many of the surviving mansions have become fine inns or museums, or
have had their grounds converted to outdoor venues for performing-arts groups such as the
Boston Symphony Orchestra.
This seasonal cornucopia of live music, dance, and theatre has turned the region into the
summer culture capital of New England, which is why area accommodations are able to
command such high prices during performance-packed summer weekends.
Autumn's palette of brightly coloured foliage brings out the leaf peepers in droves, while
winter's snow-covered peaks lure skiers from all the large cities within a couple of hours'
driving distance.
Best in 4 Days Bershires Itinerary
What surprises many first-time visitors to the Berkshires is the persistence of an earlier
America. Stockbridge really does look exactly as Norman Rockwell painted it. And minutes
from the conclaves of arts aficionados, the hill towns are still studded with tiny dairy farms and
spreading orchards.
Day 1
Begin your first day in North Adams, a former mill town now bubbling with cultural ferment.
Boosters call the community "the Gateway to the Berkshires." Spend the morning touring the
splendid Mass MoCA museum. Continue west from North Adams on Route 2 to 3,491-foot
Mount Greylock. Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, and Herman Melville were
among the 19th-century visitors to the highest peak in Massachusetts. Stay the night in
Williamstown.
Day 2
In the morning, tour Williamstown's main attraction, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art
Institute. If you're in a more outdoorsy mood, stroll up Stone Hill. Travel south from
Williamstown on Route 43 until it joins with Route 7 at the intersection known as Five
Corners. The Store at Five Corners sells gourmet deli food. Continue south on Route 7,
stopping along the way to Pittsfield for a picnic. At Pittsfield, head west on Route 20 to get to
Hancock Shaker Village.
Route 41 heading south from Hancock Shaker Village traverses the swampy bottomlands
east of the Taconic Range to the erstwhile iron-smelting village of Richmond. Here Lenox
Road departs east to cross a series of hills before spilling down to the broad green lawns of
Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Stay the night in nearby
Lenox.
Day 3
Spend the morning in downtown Lenox before visiting The Mount, author Edith Wharton's
estate. Continue south on Route 7 to Stockbridge, known for its elegant old houses and the
Norman Rockwell Museum. Spend the night in Stockbridge.
Day 4
Drive to the town of Lee in the morning, checking out its cute downtown before proceeding to
Great Barrington, whose strollable downtown contains many crafts and antiques stores (and
numerous options for lunch). If you enjoy antiquing, by all means continue south on Route 7
to Sheffield, which has a slew of dealers. Otherwise, head southwest from Great Barrington
on Route 23 and continue south (past South Egremont) on Route 344 to Big Bash Falls, the
most dramatic waterfall in Massachusetts.
Boston
Overview
There's history and culture at every turn in Boston, but a down-to-earth attitude can always be
found on the edges of its New England pride. The city defies stereotype because it consists of
different layers. The deepest layer is the historical base, the place where musket-bearing
revolutionaries vowed to hang together or hang separately. The next tier, a dense spread of
Brahmin fortune and fortitude, might be labelled the Hub. The Hub saw only journalistic
accuracy in the label "the Athens of America" and felt only pride in the slogan "Banned in
Boston." Over that layer lies Beantown, home to the Red Sox faithful and the raucous Bruins
fans who crowded the old Boston "Gah-den"; this is the city whose ethnic loyalties account for
its many distinct neighbourhoods. Crowning these layers are the students who throng the
area's universities and colleges every fall, infuriating some but pleasing many with their
infusion of high spirits and money from home.
5 Great Itineraries
A Taste of Everything
Wear comfortable walking shoes and get off to an early start with a walk through the Public
Gardens to the Boston Common. (If the Swan Boats are sailing, be sure to take a ride.)
Sample a few of the highlights on the Freedom Trail, making sure to stop at the Old Granary
Burying Ground, and tour the Athenaeum. (The Children's Reading Room is much more fun
than it sounds, and the whole building reeks of Boston's love affair with learning.) Stroll up to
Beacon Hill to Mt. Vernon Street and Louisburg Square, stopping along Charles Street for a
coffee and a little boutique browsing. In the afternoon, cross through Government Center to
Faneuil Hall (peek into the building known as the "Cradle of Liberty"), and traverse the long
arcades of Quincy Market, always lively indoors and out. The food court here is a good choice
for an inexpensive lunch or dinner. Drag yourself away from the shops at Quincy Market, and
continue across to Rowes Wharf and the Aquarium docks for an afternoon or late-evening
harbor cruise. You could skip the cruise and take the Aquarium walk along Atlantic Avenue to
the North End and have some first-rate Italian food on Hanover or Salem streets. Hail a cab
or one of the horse-drawn carriages that park near Quincy Market for a last dose of old-world
charm.
Cityscapes & Culture
Channel that early-morning energy into a walk along the Charles River. On most pleasant
days, the crew shells are out early, and so are the joggers. The view of Cambridge and east
to Beacon Hill with the State House's golden dome is at its best early in the morning and late
in the day. Whiz up to the top-floor observation level in the Prudential or "Pru" Tower to see
how Boston is laid out geographically. On a clear day, you can see the Atlantic Ocean to the
east and the outlines of the Berkshire Mountains to the west. (Use the telescope for the
Berkshires.) Mostly, you'll get a sense of how the Charles River organizes and divides Boston
from its irascible neighbour Cambridge, and you'll get a feel for the layout of Boston
neighbourhoods. We're always struck by the profusion of colour: redbrick buildings, inky blue
river, and green grassy parks. Walk down Newbury Street and pop into a few shops and
galleries, perhaps wrangling a seat at one of the sidewalk cafés. You will want to visit one or
two of Boston's museums during your stay, and we recommend a short stop at the
Mapparium at the Mother Church of Christ Scientist with its reflecting pool (especially good if
you are travelling with children), followed by a longer visit at the Museum of Fine Arts or at
"Mrs. Jack's Palace," a.k.a. the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. (Both museums have first-
rate cafés.) For dinner, try one of Boston's small chef-owned bistros sprinkled all over Back
Bay and downtown Boston.
The Charles & Cambridge
From pre-Revolutionary days, Boston was the region's commercial centre, and Cambridge
was the 'burbs, more residential than mercantile, with plenty of room to build the nation's first
English-style, redbrick university in Harvard Square. Today, Cambridge is a city of great
contrasts -- the students and the university own Harvard Square, ethnic enclaves claim
Central Square, and the area around Kendall Square, home to MIT, is known as Information
Alley and Biotech Central. Begin your day in Harvard Square, walking down Brattle Street to
see the historic homes of Tory Row and looping back to the square, down Massachusetts
Avenue through the Cambridge Common, where you can cross through one of the archways
into Harvard Yard. (Chances are, you'll recognize it from countless movies about college life.
If you can, circle around Sanders Theatre, considered either the ugliest or most marvellous
building in Cambridge.) Spend some time at a coffeehouse, a shop, or a bookstore in Harvard
Square, and then continue down to the banks of the Charles River and stand on the Eliot
Bridge, watching the university crew teams practice. It's the best site in Cambridge for a photo
op. If you continue down Memorial Drive (the Cambridge side of the river), you'll arrive at MIT.
The contrast between the architectural appearances of Cambridge's two great educational
institutions epitomizes today's Boston -- a tug-of-war between the cutting edge and the
colonial.
Get Out on the Water
Devote a day to the Atlantic Ocean. Boston is defined by its coast and its waterways. Much of
its legacy is the result of being the first stop across the Atlantic after Europe, and much of its
industry, pleasure, and population mix is defined by seafaring. There are three basic choices:
a day trip to a nearby sandy beach south or north of Boston; a day trip to the North Shore port
towns of Marblehead, Gloucester, Rockport, or Salem; and a whale-watching or fishing trip.
All are quintessential Boston experiences, and if you have several days with Boston as your
base of operations, you might want to give yourself the full-salt treatment and enjoy all of the
above.
The Revolutionary Suburbs & Beyond
Rent a car or join a tour and head out to Concord, Lexington, and Sudbury to bond with the
young American patriots. Start your visit at Battle Green in Lexington, where the shot that was
heard round the world was fired. For the best explanation of the sequence that kick-started
the American Revolution, visit the National Heritage Museum. Most Bostonians know
Lexington as an upscale bedroom community, but the western suburbs are far more textured
with history and sensation than they appear. If you are there on a bright, slightly crisp New
England day, it won't be hard to feel the shiver of the young riflemen as they stood
surrounded by well-armed and seasoned British Redcoats. Next stop after Lexington is at the
Minute Man Historical Park in Concord, where a multimedia presentation will stir up your
Revolutionary fervour. In Concord, you may want to walk around Walden Pond, where Henry
David Thoreau wrote his famous tome on solitude, and visit the many historical houses --
among the literati who lived in Concord were Louisa May Alcott's family and Ralph Waldo
Emerson's family. For a Yankee pot roast sort of lunch (more ambience and history than
culinary panache), try Longfellow's Wayside Inn in Sudbury, where you can also visit an 18th-
century gristmill and see the schoolhouse that "Mary" attended with her "little lamb."
Cape Cod
Overview
Your primary goal may be to get to Cape Cod sooner rather than later, but that doesn't mean
you shouldn't stop to see some of the eclectic towns you'll pass through as you approach the
region -- they're a mix of suburbanized colonial hamlets, low-key yachting enclaves, and
riches-to-rags industrial communities enjoying varying degrees of resurgence.
Though the approach to the Cape may not have the cachet of the Cape proper, there's plenty
to interest travellers looking for something to do on a rainy day -- or even those who just want
to take a break from the road. In the communities that line the principal routes to Cape Cod,
you'll find some of New England's seminal historic attractions (all of them well suited to kids),
a handful of bewitching beaches, a few pretty-damn-quaint seaside villages, and a passable
selection of pleasing restaurants and accommodations.
In Plymouth you can see that monument you've heard about since childhood, Plymouth Rock,
and walk the decks of the Mayflower II. A few miles down the road, don't miss Plimouth
Plantation, a re-created 17th-century Puritan village where trained staff members vividly
dramatize the everyday lives of the first English settlers. Watch them make cheese, forge
nails, and explain where and when they bathe (hint: not often). If you have the time, as you
leave Boston and pass through Quincy, exit from Route 3 onto the South Shore's slower but
infinitely more scenic highway, Route 3A.
It runs for about 50 mi down through the South Shore along Massachusetts Bay, from Quincy
through Scituate, Duxbury, and Plymouth and on to Cape Cod Canal. It takes an extra hour to
go this way, but you'll avoid Route 3's occasionally vicious traffic jams, and this drive is great
fun if you're a fan of road-tripping.
If you're coming by way of I-195, consider stopping in the seafaring city of New Bedford, a
major whaling port in the 19th century. It now delights visitors with the nation's largest
museum on the history of whaling. If you have the time, and especially if you're intrigued by
the macabre legacy of the 19th century's most infamous trial, in which Lizzie Borden was
accused, and acquitted, of dispatching her parents with "40 whacks" of an ax, stop in Fall
River, where this riveting drama played out.
Fall River has seen better days, but it's also home to the largest collection of historic naval
ships and submarines all open for exploration -- Battleship Cove. Not far from I-195 and the
Fall River-New Bedford corridors, along the coves of Buzzards Bay, you'll find charming
seaside towns and sandy beaches, the best known of which is Horseneck Beach in Westport.
The pretty villages of South Dartmouth, Fairhaven, and Marion are also worth a stop.
Classic Beaches & Bustling Villages
Day 1: Falmouth
Begin by crossing the Bourne Bridge and taking Route 28A south through some lovely little
towns until you reach Falmouth, an excellent base for exploring the Upper Cape. Here you
can stroll around the village green, look into some of the historic houses, and stop at the
Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve for a walk along the estuary and barrier
beach. Take some time to check out the village of Woods Hole, the center for international
marine research and the year-round ferry port for Martha's Vineyard. A small aquarium in
town has regional sea-life exhibits, and there are several shops and museums. If you have
any extra time, spend it north of here in the lovely old town of Sandwich, known for the
Sandwich Glass Museum and the beautiful grounds and collection of antique cars at Heritage
Museums and Gardens.
Days 2 & 3: Hyannis
The crowded Mid Cape is a centre of activity, and its hub is Hyannis. Here you can take a
cruise around the harbour or go on a deep-sea fishing trip. There are shops and restaurants
along Main Street and plenty of kid-worthy amusements. Kennedy fans shouldn't miss the
JFK Museum. End the day with a concert at the Cape Cod Melody Tent. Spend your second
day exploring the northern reaches of the Mid Cape with a drive along scenic Route 6, which
passes through the charming, slow-paced villages of Barnstable, Yarmouth Port, and Dennis.
There are beaches and salt marshes, museums, antiques shops and galleries, and old
graveyards along this route. Yarmouth Port's Bass Hole Boardwalk makes for a particularly
beautiful stroll. In Dennis there are historic houses to tour, and the Cape Museum of Fine Arts
merits a stop. End the day by climbing 30-foot Scargo Tower to watch the sun set. At night
you can catch a film at the Cape Cinema, on the grounds of the Cape Playhouse.
Days 4 & 5: Chatham
Chatham, with its handsome Main Street, is a perfect base for strolling, shopping, and dining.
A trip to the nearby Monomoy Islands is a must for bird-watchers and nature lovers. Back in
town, you can watch glassblowing at the Chatham Glass Company, visit the Old Atwood
House and Railroad Museums, and drive over to take in the view from Chatham Light. Spend
your second day detouring up to Brewster to check out the eclectic mix of antiques shops,
museums, freshwater ponds for swimming and fishing, and miles of biking and hiking trails
through Nickerson State Park. Don't miss the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. On the
way north from Chatham, take the less-commercial end of Route 28 to Orleans, driving past
sailboat-speckled views of Pleasant Bay. On the way up toward Provincetown, stop in
Eastham at the National Seashore's Salt Pond Visitor Centre.
Days 6 & 7: Provincetown
Bustling Provincetown sits at the very tip of the Cape, and there's a lot to see and do here.
Catch a whale-watch boat and take a trolley tour in town or bike through the National
Seashore on its miles of trails. Climb the Pilgrim Monument for a spectacular view of the area
-- on an exceptionally clear day you can see the Boston skyline. Visit the museums and shops
and art galleries, or spend the afternoon swimming and sunning on one of the beaches. To
escape the crowds, spend a day driving south through sleepy but scenic Truro and then park
your car in Wellfleet's historic downtown, where you'll find a bounty of intriguing shops and
galleries. Continue a bit south to historic Marconi Station, which was the landing point for the
transatlantic telegraph early in the 20th century. It's also worth walking the short but stunning
White Cedar Swamp Trail.
Alternatives
On Day 2, hop the ferry for a day trip to either Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket. Both islands
offer breathtaking scenery and village centres chock-full of great shops and restaurants. And
if you're really keen on exploring either island, consider spending the night. Martha's Vineyard
requires a shorter ferry ride and is your best choice if time is tight.
On either your first or final day -- especially if you're a history buff or you're travelling with kids
-- pass through Plymouth, on the mainland just north of Sagamore Bridge, and make a visit to
Plimoth Plantation, one of the most impressive living-history museums in the country.
Tips
Keep in mind that traffic leading onto the Cape is particularly horrendous on Friday, and traffic
leading off the Cape is rough on Sunday. Try to time your visit to avoid these times, but if you
must travel to or from the Cape on these days, cross as early in the day as possible.
If you're travelling with kids, you might want to pass on some of the itinerary's more adult-
oriented highlights described above -- such as shopping in Wellfleet and driving along scenic
Route 6A from Barnstable to Dennis -- and instead set aside some time in the southern
sections of Yarmouth and Dennis, where Route 28 passes by countless amusement centres,
minigolf courses, and other kid-friendly amusements.
A car is the best way to explore the Cape, but in the busier town centres -- such as Falmouth,
Hyannis, Chatham, and Provincetown -- you can get around quite easily on foot. Plan to park
your car at your accommodation and avoid using it except to explore less densely populated
areas of the Cape.
Martha's Vineyard
Overview
Far less developed than Cape Cod -- thanks to a few local conservation organizations -- yet
more cosmopolitan than neighbouring Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard is an island with a
double life. From Memorial Day through Labour Day the quieter, some might say real,
Vineyard quickens into a vibrant, star-studded place. Edgartown floods with people who come
to wander narrow streets flanked with elegant boutiques, stately whaling captains' homes,
and charming inns. The busy main port, Vineyard Haven, welcomes day-trippers fresh off
ferries and private yachts to browse in its own array of shops. Oak Bluffs, where pizza and ice
cream emporiums reign supreme, attracts diverse crowds with its boardwalk-town air and
nightspots that cater to high-spirited, carefree youth.
Summer regulars include a host of celebrities, among them William Styron, Art Buchwald,
Walter Cronkite, Beverly Sills, Patricia Neal, Spike Lee, and Diane Sawyer. Former president
Clinton and his wife, Senator Hillary Clinton, were frequent visitors during his terms in office.
Concerts, theatre, dance performances, and lecture series draw top talent to the island; a
county agricultural fair, weekly farmers' markets, and miles of walking trails provide earthier
pleasures.
Most people know the Vineyard's summer persona, but in many ways its other self has even
more appeal, for the off-season island is a place of peace and simple beauty. Drivers
traversing country lanes through the agricultural centre of the island find time to linger over
pastoral and ocean vistas, without being pushed along by a throng of other cars, bicycles,
and mopeds. In nature reserves, the voices of summer are gone, leaving only the sounds of
birdsong and the crackle of leaves underfoot. Private beaches open to the public, and the
water sparkles under crisp, blue skies.
Locals are at their convivial best off-season. After the craziness of their short moneymaking
months, they re-establish contact with friends and take up pastimes temporarily crowded out
by work. The result for visitors -- besides the extra dose of friendliness -- is that cultural,
educational, and recreational events continue year-round.
Sights & Activities
Characterizing Martha's Vineyard is an experience unlike any other. The three towns that
compose Down-Island (the east end of Martha's Vineyard) -- Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, and
Edgartown -- are the most popular and most populated. Here you'll find the ferry docks,
shops, and a concentration of things to do and see, including the centuries-old houses and
churches that document the island's history.
However, much of what makes the Vineyard special is found in its rural reaches, in the
agricultural heart of the island and the largely undeveloped lands south and west of the
Vineyard Haven-Edgartown line known as Up-Island. Country roads meander through woods
and tranquil farmland, and dirt side roads lead past crystalline ponds, abandoned cranberry
bogs, and conservation lands. In Chilmark, West Tisbury, and Aquinnah, nature lovers,
writers, and artists have established close, ongoing summer communities.
You will not be disappointed with the beaches of Martha's Vineyard. Although just 75 miles in
circumference, the island has enough varieties of the elemental meeting of land and water to
fulfil the fantasies of every Gilligan. Quiet coves, beaches along freshwater ponds, big waves
splashing up against soft white sand, gentle ones lapping up to a shoreline, tidal pools, rocky
coastlines, dramatic cliffs falling into the ocean -- they're all here.
Nantucket
Overview
For the first time since its golden age as a world-renowned whaling capital in the early 1800s,
the tiny island of Nantucket is decidedly on a roll. Modest shingled cottages that might have
gone begging for a buyer a few decades ago now fetch an easy million. The 800-plus pre-
1840 structures that compose the core of town -- a National Landmark Historic District -- only
rarely change hands, and then at exalted prices. As for the trophy houses, those mega-
mansions built in the hinterlands for rich arrivistes, they're constantly off the charts, setting
new records only to break them.
Essentially Nantucket is all beach -- a boomerang-shape sand spit consisting of detritus left
by a glacier that receded millennia ago. Off Cape Cod, 26 mi out to sea, the island measures
3½ by 14 mi at its widest points, while encompassing more than 100 mi of sandy shoreline, all
of it open, as a matter of local pride, to absolutely everyone.
Throughout most of the New England coast, private interests have carved prime beachfront
into exclusive enclaves. Nantucketers, however, are resolved that the beaches should remain
accessible to the general public. A half dozen or so town-supervised beaches have amenities
such as snack bars and lifeguard stations. The rest are the purview of solitary strollers -- or,
unfortunately, ever-growing convoys of dune-destroying SUVs.
The small commercial area of Nantucket Town is the centre of island activity, just as it has
been since the early 1700s. It's only a few square blocks of mostly historical buildings,
restored inns, and boutiques and galleries leading up from the pretty harbour and waterfront,
where the ferries dock. Beyond it, quiet residential roads fan out to points around the island;
Siasconset (Sconset) lies 8 mi to the east, Surfside 3 mi to the south, and Madaket 6 mi west
of town. Thus far, the outlying areas appear relatively rural; however, increasing "infill"
threatens the idyll.
Still, on a day when sun scintillates on sand and the thrumming waves hint at an eternal
rhythm, it's hard to imagine that anything could ever go terribly wrong here. Perfection can be
surprisingly simple, after all, and even if Nantucket's current cachet should fade, the island's
timeless pleasures will endure.
Sights & Activities
In addition to Nantucket's cranberry bogs, fields of daffodils, and miles of sandy shoreline,
there are dozens of lovely and interesting architectural sights to see, from windmills to
lighthouses; from the Quaker Friends Meeting House to the centuries-old Greek Revival-style
town houses. In fact, the entire island is a historic district -- 800 buildings predate the Civil
War.
On a magnificent harbour, Nantucket Town remains the centre of island activity it has been
since the early 1700s. A small commercial area of a few square blocks leads up from the
waterfront. Beyond it, quiet residential roads fan out to points around the island. Surfside
Beach lies 3 miles south of town. Siasconset ('Sconset) is 7 miles to the east, in the island's
southeast corner, and has a fair number of services and essential stores. At the island's
northeast end is Wauwinet, an old residential enclave with a landmark inn. Wauwinet is the
gateway to the sprawling beach and reserves of Coatue, Coskata, and Great Point.
At the island's west end, the village of Madaket has a beach and harbour, great sunsets, a
seasonal restaurant, and bluefishing off the point. Although major roads will take you to most
of these areas, exploring must often be done on dirt roads. Bike paths lead east from the town
of Nantucket to 'Sconset, south to Surfside Beach, and west to Madaket.
Michigan:
Detroit
Detroit
Overview
Few realize that Detroit is one of the Midwest's oldest cities. Founded in 1701 as "la Ville
d'Etroit" -- the city at the straits -- it was once a strategic Native American and French trading
post. In the mid-19th century the city was compared to Paris because of its scenic parks and
beautiful architecture, but it soon evolved into the modern Motor City, the city that put the
world on wheels.
With the growth of the auto industry, Detroit and its suburbs spread out across an ever larger
geographical area, eventually making it one of the country's largest cities. While Motown and
Motor City are the nicknames that stick in people's minds, Detroit is also one of the world's
busiest inland ports, a major steel producer, and a leader in the production of office
equipment, paint, salt, garden seeds, and pharmaceuticals. The Detroit River is linked by 25
steamship companies to more than 40 countries; vessels ranging from ocean-going freighters
to private yachts dock in the city's protected harbour.
A multicultural city known for high hopes and hard work, Detroit offers world-class museums,
theatres, and galleries, a well-run park system, extensive recreational and sports
opportunities, and lively ethnic neighbourhoods full of friendly people and good restaurants.
Those who visit the city for the first time are pleasantly surprised, and tend to echo the
Convention and Visitors Bureau's slogan: "It's a Great Time in Detroit."
Sights & Activities
Founded seven decades before the American Revolution, the oldest city in the Midwest is a
busy industrial centre, producing roughly a quarter of the nation's autos, trucks, and tractors.
The riverfront harbour is one of the busiest ports on the Great Lakes. Downtown, a constant
flow of traffic moves in and out of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and across the Ambassador
Bridge, both of which connect Detroit with Windsor, Ontario, directly across the Detroit River.
Though the city nicknamed itself "Renaissance City" in the 1970s, it did little to deserve the
title until recently. The 1990s brought major changes, including a new mayor, plans for new
sports stadiums, and a number of revitalized downtown areas, including the glitzy theater
district -- now second only to New York's Great White Way in number of seats.
Detroit is the Motor City, and everyone does drive. Many downtown streets are one-way; a
detailed map is a necessity. The main streets into downtown are Woodward Avenue (north-
south) and Jefferson Avenue (east-west). Starting on foot from the riverside Renaissance
Centre, downtown, you can move outward to east Detroit, with its burgeoning Rivertown
neighbourhood, and then on to the northwest side, the cultural heart of the city. Detroit's
elevated monorail, the People Mover, traces a 3-mile circuit around the downtown area; trains
stop at 13 stations at approximately 3-minute intervals.
Minnesota:
Minneapolis/St. Paul
Minneapolis and St. Paul
Overview
Drawing comparisons between Minneapolis and St. Paul is a difficult task. St. Paul has a
slightly reserved, antique feel about it; Minneapolis is hipper, noisier, and busier. Both cities
have tall, gleaming glass skylines; St. Paul's is designed to blend with the city's Art Deco and
Victorian architecture, while Minneapolis's is more eclectic. St. Paul has preserved much of its
architectural heritage, while most of downtown Minneapolis is new. Both cities straddle the
Mississippi River, and riverboat traffic calls at the Twin Cities from as far away as New
Orleans.
There are 2.4 million people in the Greater Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, but
Minneapolis wins the population race with 368,400. The strong Scandinavian strain in the
cities' ancestry has not prevented them from constructing miles-long skyway systems.
Residents can drive downtown, park, walk to work, go to lunch, shop, see a show, and return
to their cars without once setting foot outdoors -- a blessing in the blustery Minnesota winters.
Sights & Activities
Downtown Minneapolis is easily walkable in any season. The area is home to many fine
stores, more than 30 theatres, two world-class art museums, and three professional sports
teams. Much of downtown, including the Nicollet Mall, a mile-long pedestrian mall, is
connected by a system of covered second-story skyways, which helps keep the city running
even on the coldest days. With an average temperature of 18°F in December, 12°F in
January, and 18°F again in February in these parts, the opportunity to stay indoors can be a
definite plus. (In general, skyways remain open during the business hours of the buildings
they connect.) Many sights you'll want to visit are beyond downtown Minneapolis, however,
so wheels are necessary.
Downtown St. Paul, like its twin 8 miles west, is also easily explored on foot thanks to its all-
weather, climate-controlled skyway system. The city's architectural landmarks include bridges
that span the Mississippi River, grand mansions from the fur-trading days, and the majestic
Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Paul.
Both cities are laid out on a grid, with streets running north-south and east-west. However,
many downtown Minneapolis streets parallel the Mississippi and run on a diagonal, and not all
streets cross the river.
Missouri:
Kansas City
St. Louis
Kansas City
Overview
Kansas City bills itself as the "Heart of America." Within 250 mi of both the geographic and
population centres of the nation, the city is famous for its stockyards, saxophone player
Charlie "Bird" Parker and his Kansas City-style bebop, and some of the best barbecue in the
world. The city has more boulevards than Paris and more working fountains (200) than any
city but Rome. A fountain of some sort is incorporated into the design of nearly every
commercial building, giving Kansas City its second nickname: "The City of Fountains."
Established as a fur trading post in 1821, Kansas City played a major role in American history
as a gateway for pioneers heading west along the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe trails. In
the mid-1800s, settlers, missionaries, and traders began their overland journeys here or from
nearby Independence and Westport. Several Civil War battles were fought here, and the 33rd
president of the United States, Harry S Truman, began his political career here. Jazz
musicians Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington played in the nightclubs of the 18th and Vine
District, Walt Disney first sketched Mickey Mouse in a Kansas City garage, and Joyce Hall
(cofounder of Hallmark Cards) made his first greeting card here.
Vibrant and diverse, Kansas City maintains a healthy mix of art and agriculture, sports and
technology, cowboys and haute couture.
Sights & Activities
Attractions are scattered throughout the metropolitan Kansas City region, making a car
important for travellers.
St. Louis
Overview
St. Louis was settled by New Orleans fur trader Pierre Laclède in 1764 at the junction of the
Missouri River and the Mississippi River. This location proved ideal as St. Louis quickly
surpassed its downstream neighbour, Ste. Genevieve, in growth. Indeed, by 1860 its
population grew to more than 160,000.
St. Louis is known as the Gateway to the West. Certainly that was true for Lewis and Clark: it
was here that they stopped for provisions while on their famous expedition. And in the years
that followed, the city became a manufacturing centre for wagons, guns, blankets, saddles,
and everything the pioneer would need on a journey west.
Because of its size and location, St. Louis became a centre for government offices and
financial trade. The 1904 World's Fair brought increasing growth and diversification to the St.
Louis marketplace.
The Roman Catholic Church dominated the religious life of early St. Louis, and it remains a
powerful voice in the religious, social, and political debates of both city and state. The city's
educational institutions, including Washington University and St. Louis University, are global
leaders in scientific and social research. Forest Park's Muny Opera is the largest open-air
theatre in the nation, and the St. Louis Art Museum is known throughout the world.
St. Louis is indisputably a baseball town. Since the St. Louis Browns placed first in the major
leagues in 1885, and the Cardinals won their first World Series title in 1926, fanatic love of the
sport has been a way of life for many. Other sports come and go, but St. Louisans remain
loyal to baseball.
Sights & Activities
St. Louis has three major neighbourhoods. The Hill is known for its good restaurants -- mostly
Italian -- and simple Old-World charm. The neighbourhood is bounded by Hampton Avenue
on the west and Kingshighway on the east, south of Interstate 44. You'll know when you've
reached the Hill because the fireplugs are painted green, white, and red: the colours of the
Italian flag. Baseball legends Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola grew up playing stickball on these
streets, but today you are more likely to see a game of boccie -- Italian lawn bowling -- played
at local pubs.
Soulard is a French neighbourhood, bounded by the Mississippi River to the east and
Interstate 55 to the north and west. There are many reasons to come to Soulard, including the
Bastille Day celebrations and Mardi Gras, but since 1779, St. Louisans have been coming
here for the fresh produce, baked goods, and exotic spices offered Wednesday through
Saturday at Soulard Market.
The Central West End, between Forest Park and Page Avenue, is a chic neighbourhood filled
with trendy boutiques, cozy sidewalk cafés, and numerous galleries. Many of the early 20th-
century homes are on display during the annual Greek Festival, held during Labour Day
weekend. St. Louisans often stop here after work for a drink or dinner, but the Cathedral of
Saint Louis and the collection of mosaic art inside are worth a visit as well.
Downtown sights can be explored on foot. To visit other parts of town you'll need a car.
Montana:
Glacier NP
Glacier NP & Northwestern Montana
Overview
Northwest Montana's seemingly endless mountain ranges shimmer under the Big Sky,
reflecting the state's motto, Oro y Plata (gold and silver). When the Lewis and Clark
expedition travelled through the region, they found lush forests surrounding glaciated valleys
teeming with wildlife. Not much has changed today, as you can see in 1.2-million-acre Glacier
National Park. At the top of any northwest Montana must-see list, Glacier remains open year-
round. You'll have the most company in summer, when people come to drive the jaw-
dropping Going-to-the-Sun Road, but winter has undeniable charms. The park's cross-country
skiing and snowshoeing trails lead to turquoise waterfalls and cedar forests where, if you're
lucky, you just might hear the howling of wolves.
The massive peaks of the Continental Divide are the backbone of Glacier National Park and
its sister across the border, Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park. These parks embody
the essence of the Rocky Mountains. Coniferous forests, thickly vegetated creek bottoms,
and green-carpeted meadows and basins provide homes for all kinds of wildlife. Melting snow
and alpine glaciers yield streaming ribbons of clear, frigid water, the headwaters of rivers that
flow west to the Pacific Ocean, north to the Arctic, and southeast to the Atlantic via the Gulf of
Mexico. In the backcountry you can see some of the Rockies' oldest geological formations
and numerous rare species of mammals, plants, and birds. The Going-to-the-Sun Road,
which snakes through the precipitous centre of Glacier, is one of the most dizzying rides on
the continent.
In the rocky northwest corner of America's fourth-largest state, Glacier encompasses more
than 1 million acres (1,563 square mi) of untrammeled wilds. It came into being under the
aegis of President William Howard Taft in 1910. Great Northern Railway baron Louis Hill's
"See America First" campaign drew wealthy Easterners to the new park, where he'd built
lodges, chalets, roads, and trails, many of which are still in use today. Along the 720 mi of
trails are 37 named glaciers, 200 lakes, and 1,000 mi of streams. Neighbouring Waterton
Lakes National Park, across the border in Alberta, Canada, covers another 130,000 acres. In
1932, the parks were symbolically unified to form the Waterton-Glacier International Peace
Park in recognition of the two nations' friendship and dedication to peace. Both parks continue
to be maintained by their respective park services.
Beyond Glacier stretch 2.7 million acres of northern Rockies wilderness, most of it roadless
but some of it visible along impossibly scenic drives. Accessible lands offer stellar bird-
watching, fishing, golfing, bicycling, and skiing (both downhill and cross-country). Hiking trails
lace mountains and meadows, cross streams, and skirt lakes all over northwest Montana.
In the 200 years since Lewis and Clark passed through, Montana's population has grown to
902,000, and much of it has concentrated in the Bitterroot, Missoula, Mission, and Flathead
valleys of the northwest. The largest city in the area, with a population of approximately
57,000, Missoula is a business and shopping centre and home to the University of Montana,
as well as to many arts and cultural attractions. In and between friendly towns such as
Hamilton, Stevensville, Kalispell, Polson, and Whitefish are well-preserved historical sites and
small yet resourceful museums; entertainment includes everything from local theatre to Native
American festivals. Civilization, however, perches on the edge of seemingly endless
wilderness: visit this part of the world for its wildlife, its water, and its pristine lands.
Sights & Activities
Overview
Rivers, streams, lakes, and mountains dominate landscapes here and attract boaters, fly
fishers, and outdoor adventurers. Once here, they discover playhouses, art galleries, and
summer festivals and rodeos. In winter, visitors seek out northwest Montana's seven ski
areas and scores of miles of cross-country ski trails. Spring and fall, the quiet seasons, are
blessed with temperate weather, open tee times, and frequent wildlife sightings.
Motorized access to Glacier National Park is limited, but the few roads can take you through a
range of settings -- from densely forested lowlands to craggy heights. Going-to-the-Sun Road
is the main thoroughfare, snaking through the precipitous centre of the park. Beginning in
2007, the Federal Highway Administration and the park are embarking upon a multiyear
alpine road rehabilitation. The narrow, curving highway, built from 1922 to 1932, will undergo
structural repair. While work is underway, a shuttle system will allow access for visitors. Until
then and undoubtedly after construction is complete, vehicles more than 21 feet long and 8
feet wide (including mirrors) are not allowed to drive over Logan Pass -- a restriction that is
enforced at checkpoints at the east and west entrances. Touring cars can take you over the
Going-to-the-Sun Road while a driver interprets. Shuttle services will drop off and pick up
hikers -- useful, since parking at many trailheads is limited. Note that extreme weather
conditions occasionally prompt short-term closures of the alpine section of Going-to-the-Sun
Road. You can check online or by calling the park service for the most up-to-date road report.
Most development and services are concentrated around St. Mary Lake, on the east side of
the park, and Lake McDonald, on the west side. Other islands of development occur in Many
Glacier, in the northeastern part of the park; Logan Pass Visitor Centre; Apgar Village; and
West Glacier. Remember that weather in the mountains can change quickly; snow can fall
even in August. Be prepared with extra layers, a hat, and rain gear. If you intend to travel to
Canada, be sure that everyone in your vehicle has proper identification. A U.S. driver's
license will do for adults; kids travelling with one parent need a notarized letter from the other
parent giving permission to enter Canada. If you are travelling with pets, you need proof of
immunizations to cross the border into Canada.
Nevada:
Lake Tahoe
Las Vegas
Lake Tahoe
Overview
Stunning cobalt-blue Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America, famous for its
clarity, deep blue water, and surrounding snowcapped peaks. Straddling the state line
between California and Nevada, it lies 6,225 feet above sea level in the Sierra Nevada. The
border gives this popular resort region a split personality. About half its visitors are intent on
low-key sightseeing, hiking, fishing, camping, and boating. The rest head directly for the
Nevada side, where bargain dining, big-name entertainment, and the lure of a jackpot draw
them into the glittering casinos.
Though Lake Tahoe possesses abundant natural beauty and accessible wilderness, nearby
towns are highly developed, and roads around the lake are often congested with traffic.
Those who prefer solitude can escape to the many state parks, national forests, and
protected tracts of wilderness that ring the 22-mi-long, 12-mi-wide lake. At a vantage point
overlooking Emerald Bay, on a trail in the national forests that ring the basin, or on a sunset
cruise on the lake itself, you can forget the hordes and the commercial development. You can
even pretend that you're Mark Twain, who found "not fifteen other human beings throughout
its wide circumference" when he visited the lake in 1861 and wrote that "the eye never tired of
gazing, night or day, calm or storm."
Best in 3 to 5 Days
It takes only one day to "see" Lake Tahoe -- to drive around the lake, stretch your legs at a
few overlooks, take a nature walk, and wander among the casinos at Stateline. But if you
have more time, you can laze on a beach and swim, venture onto the lake or into the
mountains, and sample Tahoe's finer restaurants. If you have five days, you may become so
attached to Tahoe that you begin visiting real-estate agents.
If You Have 3 Days
On your first day stop in South Lake Tahoe and pick up provisions for a picnic lunch. Start in
Pope-Baldwin Recreation Area and check out Tallac Historic Site. Head west on Highway 89,
stopping at the Lake Tahoe Visitor Center and the Emerald Bay State Park lookout.
Have a tailgate picnic at the lookout, or hike down to Vikingsholm, a reproduction of a Viking
castle. In the late afternoon explore the trails and mansion at Sugar Pine Point State Park;
then backtrack on Highway 89 and U.S. 50 for dinner in Stateline or in South Lake Tahoe. On
Day 2 cruise on the Tahoe Queen out of South Lake Tahoe or the MS Dixie II out of Zephyr
Cove and then ride the Heavenly Gondola at Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake
Tahoe.
Carry a picnic for lunch high above the lake, and (except in snow season) take a walk on one
of Heavenly's nature trails. You can try your luck at the Stateline casinos before dinner. Start
your third day by heading north on U.S. 50, stopping at Cave Rock and (after turning north on
Highway 28) at Sand Harbour Beach.
If there's no snow on the ground, tour the Thunderbird Lodge (reservations essential) for a
glimpse of life at an old-Tahoe estate just south of Incline Village, or else continue on to
Crystal Bay. If you have time, drive to Tahoe City to see the Gatekeeper's Cabin Museum, or
make the 45-minute drive down to Reno for dinner and some nightlife.
If You Have 5 Days
Spend your first morning at Pope-Baldwin Recreation Area. After a picnic lunch head to the
Lake Tahoe Visitor Centre and the Emerald Bay State Park lookout. Hike to Vikingsholm or
move on to Sugar Pine Point State Park. Have dinner in South Lake Tahoe. On your second
day take a cruise to Emerald Bay or a half-day cruise around the lake; back on land, ride the
Heavenly Gondola, and possibly take a hike. Spend the late afternoon or early evening
sampling the worldly pleasures of the Stateline casinos.
On Day 3 visit Cave Rock, and the Thunderbird Lodge (reservations essential) just south of
Incline Village, where you can have a late lunch before heading to Crystal Bay and playing
the slots, or to nearby Kings Beach State Recreation Area, where you can spend the late
afternoon on the beach. That evening, drive down to Reno for dinner and entertainment. On
your fourth day hang out at Sand Harbour Beach.
If the high-mountain desert appeals, spend Day 5 in the Great Basin, touring Carson City and
Virginia City and the vast expanse of the eastern Sierra. Alternatively, head to D. L. Bliss
State Park for a hike; then drive to Tahoe City for lunch and a tour of the Gatekeeper's Cabin
Museum. Afterward, visit Olympic Valley and ride the cable car to High Camp at Squaw
Valley for a sunset cocktail.
Las Vegas
Overview
If you're a fan of gaming, Las Vegas has gone from already fabulous to simply stellar. But
what's truly wonderful about this city is that it's actually developed into an amazingly well
rounded destination. As recently as the 1990s, the culinary landscape struggled along with
bland buffets and unintentionally kitsch steak houses -- now Las Vegas is one of the most
exciting dining cities in the world. The variety of dazzling, outlandish shows and super-
exclusive nightclubs continues to increase. If the city hasn't exactly become a major cultural
hub, there's still enough to see and do both on and off the Strip to keep you busy for days,
from helicopter tour excursions to the Grand Canyon and hiking trips to Mt. Charleston to
tours of wild-animal habitats and hair-raising thrill rides at many of the Strip's outrageously
themed casinos.
Top 11 Attractions
Spectacular Spectaculars
1. Will it be strange, cavorting Blue Men, or a sophisticated Cirque du Soleil acrobatic
extravaganza? An afternoon comedy show, or Broadway light (90-minute cut-downs of East
Coast favourites)? A classic feather revue, or nouveau burlesque? Maybe you're just in the
mood for a plain-old lounge show. Vegas has all the over-the-top razzle-dazzle you could
ever hope for.
Gut-busting Buffets
2. Buffets in Las Vegas -- those tributes to extravagance and excess -- are an event in and of
themselves. There are still plenty of cheapies-but-goodies around, especially if you're willing
to cast farther afield and explore some of the local casinos. But now that the city's become
renowned as a gourmet food place, those ubiquitous buffets have followed suit. Loosen those
belts, and get ready to pig out.
Rolling the Dice
3. Never mind those buffets, swimming pools, spas, traffic jams, dancing girls (and boys, and
water), wedding chapels, circus acts, and cavorting sea life. It's Vegas, baby, and you're here
to gamble.
The Corner of Flamingo Road and the Strip
4. The Corner of Flamingo Road and the Strip. Casino-hopping is the best all-around way to
explore this colourful, fanciful city, and the junction of Flamingo and Las Vegas Boulevard
puts you right in the centre of the action. Within a short walk are the Bellagio, with its dramatic
fountains, gardens, and art museum; Paris, with its half-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower; and
the Roman-theme Caesars Palace. It's just a fairly easy walk north to reach some of the
Strip's other must-sees, including the Venetian and Wynn Las Vegas.
Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat
5. Of the handful of intriguing up-close animal encounters in Vegas, this lushly landscaped
enclosure displays creatures you'll see together in few places on the planet, from snow
leopards to white tigers. Watching the eight bottle-nosed dolphins cavort about 2.5-million
gallons of water is great fun, too.
The Stratosphere Thrill Rides
6. If you're an adrenaline fiend, you can't miss the incredibly scary (and fun) rides perched
atop the 112-floor Stratosphere Tower. The Big Shot fires you 160 feet up the Stratosphere
needle, and both the X Scream and Insanity dangle you over the edge of the Stratosphere
tower. These aren't for the faint of heart.
The Studio Walk at MGM Grand
7. In a city that continues to dazzle foodies with its dozens of celebrity-helmed restaurants,
this indoor promenade at MGM Grand has become arguably America's most impressive
"Restaurant Row." Bring your appetite (and your charge cards) and eat your heart out at such
culinary shrines as Joël Robuchon, Nobhill, Emeril's, Diego's, and Shibuya -- to name but a
few.
Forum Shops at Caesars
8. Opened in 1992, this chichi shopping and dining mall modelled after a Roman streetscape
forever changed the retail and culinary scene in Vegas. In addition to stellar restaurants like
BOA Steakhouse and Spago, this snazzy space contains dozens of fine stores, including
Gucci, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, and Bulgari.
Legendary Nightlife
9. Skyhigh bars. Burlesque. Wild dance clubs. Sophisticated lounges. Strip clubs. Beefy man
shows. You can't go to Vegas and not at least check out the spectacle. So pick your scene,
grab a martini, and join the 24-hour party.
Over-the-Top Pools
10. The tanning booth is now a ubiquitous feature in the any-town strip mall, but it still can't
compare with the old-fashioned poolside sun-soak -- especially if that soak is in Las Vegas,
land of toned bodies, cocktails, cabanas, swaying palms, man-made sandy beaches, and
swim-up blackjack.
Hoover Dam
11. If you have time for just one trip outside of town, make it to this spectacular structure
created during the 1930s -- it's considered one of the seven wonders of the industrial world.
Rising 726 feet above the Colorado River, the dam affords tremendous views, and tours of it
are available. You can combine a trip here with a tour of the nearby body of water that the
dam created, Lake Mead.
New Hampshire:
White Mountains
White Mountains
Overview
Sailors approaching East Coast harbours frequently mistake the pale peaks of the White
Mountains -- the highest range in the northeastern United States -- for clouds. It was 1642
when explorer Darby Field could no longer contain his curiosity about one mountain in
particular. He set off from his Exeter homestead and became the first man to climb what
would eventually be called Mt. Washington. The 6,288-ft peak must have presented Field with
formidable obstacles -- its peak claims the highest wind velocity ever recorded and it can see
snow every month of the year.
More than 350 years after Field's climb, curiosity about the mountains has not abated. Today,
an auto road and a railway lead to the top of Mt. Washington, and people come here by the
tens of thousands to hike and climb, to photograph the vistas, and to ski. The White Mountain
National Forest consists of roughly 770,000 acres and includes the Presidential Range,
whose peaks -- like Mt. Washington -- are all named after early presidents. Among the
forest's scenic notches (deep mountain passes) are Pinkham, Franconia, and Crawford.
This tour begins in Waterville Valley, off I-93, and continues to North Woodstock. It then
follows portions of the White Mountains Trail, a 100-mi loop designated as a National Scenic
& Cultural Byway.
Best in a Day Itinerary
Start early from Conway, with breakfast behind you and a picnic lunch in tow, heading north
on Route 16; to avoid the congestion caused by the popular outlet stores, take a left off Route
16 onto West Side Road, which runs parallel to the more frenetic route through town.
About 4 miles north, turn left for the 1-mile drive up to Cathedral Ledge and a rewarding view
of the valley below. Then head east to Route 16 and make a left, heading north. Short side
trips to the towns of Interval, Bartlett, and Jackson will provide a more endearing version of
small-town New Hampshire than does North Conway.
Continue north on Route 16 into Pinkham Notch and the heart of the White Mountains'
Presidential Range. The Appalachian Mountain Club headquarters and visitor centre here will
help get you oriented. If you are interested in a hike, this is the place to ask for suggestions.
After spending some time in Pinkham Notch, head north to Gorham and turn left on Route 2.
Fourteen miles to the west in Jefferson, turn left on Route 115 for a cut-through to Route 302
in Twin Mountain and an easterly turn to Bretton Woods and Crawford Notch State Park. Or
better yet, in Jefferson, take the more adventurous Jefferson Notch Road south between Mt.
Dartmouth and Mt. Adams and Mt. Jefferson into Bretton Woods and then Route 302 into
Crawford Notch. This serene valley is a good place to break out the picnic lunch and to enjoy
a short hike afterward.
Backtrack northwest on Route 302, bearing left onto Route 3 south in Twin Mountain for the
10-mile drive into Franconia Notch State Park, where you might take a dip in Echo Lake. Or
consider making a detour via Route 18 to the village of Franconia, renting a bicycle, and
spending the afternoon riding the 9-mile bike path that slices through the notch.
New Jersey:
The Shore with Atlantic City
New Jersey Shore with Atlantic City
Overview
The Jersey Shore is 127 miles of public beachfront stretching like a pointing finger along the
Atlantic Ocean from the Sandy Hook Peninsula in the north to Cape May at the southern tip.
There is no one description of what it's like "down the shore." Things change town by town
and sometimes season by season -- winter storms have a habit of rearranging beaches and
boardwalks.
Some shore towns, such as Wildwood, are party hot spots with all-out amusement piers;
others, such as Ocean Grove, which was originally a Methodist camp meeting ground, Spring
Lake, and Cape May, are more sedate Victorian enclaves. Atlantic City has its glitzy casinos.
In the warmer months, locals and visitors also enjoy nature walks at the ecologically protected
Island Beach State Park; the beaches, rides, and attractions at Six Flags Great Adventure
Theme Park and Safari in Jackson; and performances at the PNC Bank Arts Centre in
Holmdel.
Sights & Activities
The northern part of New Jersey's shore comprises Monmouth and Ocean counties. There
are close to three dozen beaches here, among them the Sandy Hook Gateway National
Recreation Area, where you can mix history with your nature walks and sunning. Many of the
state's 23 lighthouses are here, including the Sandy Hook Lighthouse.
Farther south are Atlantic and Cape May counties. Atlantic City itself, roughly two-thirds of the
way down the coast, has been a gambling mecca since its first casino, Resorts Casino Hotel,
opened in May 1978; now there are 13 casino-hotels and more in the planning stages.
Although most visitors have traditionally been day-trippers from around the area, Atlantic City
developers are broadening their scope, with a world-class convention-centre complex, better
boardwalk attractions, and a citywide revitalization project.
South of Atlantic City is Ocean City, which has a 2½-mile boardwalk of rides, food, and fun;
the Ocean City Music Pier; more than 200 holes of miniature golf; unique shops; and parades
and festivals throughout the year. A bit farther south, the shores of Sea Isle City, Avalon, and
Stone Harbour offer wide, pristine beaches and wetlands for bird-watching. Wildwood is
known for its four amusement piers and wonderful, wide, 3-mile beach.
At the very end of the shore is the classic Victorian town of Cape May, itself a National
Historic Landmark featuring 600 restored Victorian homes.
Activities along the shore include saltwater fishing from the pier, bridge, dock, or boat
(licenses not required); all kinds of water sports; bird-, whale-, and dolphin-watching; and
bicycling or strolling on the ubiquitous wood-plank or concrete boardwalks. Windsurfing is
especially good in the calm waters of the open bays.
New Mexico:
Albuquerque
Santa Fe
Taos
Albuquerque
Overview
At first glance, Albuquerque appears to be a typical Sun Belt city, stretching out more than
100 square mi with no grand design, architectural or otherwise, to hold it together. The city's
growth pattern seems as free-spirited as all those hot-air balloons that take part in the
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta every October. With a bit of exploration, however,
this initial impression of an asphalt maze softens as you get a sense of Albuquerque's
distinctive neighbourhoods. The charms of Albuquerque may not jump out to greet you, but
the blend of Spanish, Mexican, Native American, Anglo, and Asian influences makes this a
vibrant multicultural metropolis well worth exploring. In fact, the city's most distinctive
components -- first-rate museums and performing arts venues; well-preserved Spanish-
colonial, Victorian, and art deco architecture; both sophisticated and funky restaurants and
B&Bs; and offbeat shops and galleries -- measure up to those you'd find in most U.S. cities
this size. You just have to persevere beyond the suburban sprawl and strip-mall excess to
find all the good stuff.
Great Itineraries
Most visitors to Albuquerque combine a stay here with some explorations of the entire
northern Rio Grande Valley. If you're looking for the perfect regional tour, combine either of
the short Albuquerque itineraries here with those provided in the Side Trips from the Cities
chapter, which covers several great areas within a 60- to 90-minute drive of Albuquerque as
well as covering Isleta Pueblo and the towns of Corrales and Bernalillo, just on the outskirts of
Albuquerque.
If You Have 1 Day
One of the best places to kick off the day is the Gold Street Caffe, where you can enjoy
breakfast in the heart of downtown before checking out the shops and galleries on Gold and
Central avenues. From here, it's a short drive or 30-minute walk west along Central to reach
Old Town, where you can explore the shops and museums of the neighbourhood. Definitely
be sure to check out the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, and also try to make your
way over to the Albuquerque Biological Park, which contains the aquarium, zoo, and botanic
park. For lunch, try the atmospheric Monica's or the sophisticated St. Clair Winery and Bistro,
both near the Old Town centre.
Later in the afternoon, you'll need a car to head east a couple of miles along Central to reach
the University of New Mexico's main campus and the nearby Nob Hill District. Start with a
stroll around the UNM campus with its many historic adobe buildings; if you have time, pop
inside either the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology or the University Art Museum. When
you're finished here, walk east along Central into Nob Hill and check out the dozens of offbeat
shops. If it's summer, meaning that you still have some time before the sun sets, it's worth
detouring from Old Town to Far Northeast Heights (a 15-minute drive), where you can take
the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway 2.7 mi up to Sandia Peak for spectacular sunset views of
the city. Either way, plan to have dinner back in Nob Hill, perhaps at Graze or Flying Star. If
you're still up for more fun, check out one of the neighbourhood's lively lounges or head back
downtown for a bit of late-night barhopping.
If You Have 3 Days
Follow the morning portion of the one-day itinerary above, and then spend the rest of your
day exploring Old Town. With the extra time, you can hit the innovative Explora Science
Centre, the small but fascinating American International Rattlesnake Museum, and the
National Hispanic Cultural Centre of New Mexico, which is a 10-minute drive away on the
southern edge of downtown. At the end of the day, head to one of the trendy, relative new
restaurants that have sprung up in the revitalized downtown, such as Slate Street Cafe or
Standard Diner.
On your second day, rent a car and drive out to see the more than 25,000 ancient Native
American rock drawings at Petroglyph National Monument. From here, follow Coors
Boulevard up to Paseo del Norte, heading east to Balloon Fiesta Park, home to the
fascinating Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum. From here, hop on I-25 north
for one exit, getting off onto Tramway Road, which leads east into the foothills to Sandia Peak
Aerial Tramway. Here, take the tram 2.7 mi up to Sandia Peak for spectacular views of the
city. You can grab lunch up here at High Finance Restaurant, and then walk off your meal
with a hike along the crest of the mountain. Depending on how much time you spend on the
mountain hiking and exploring and also how exhausted you are, you might either head back
to your accommodation to rest a while or drive directly back down Tramway to Sandia Resort
& Casino to test your luck on the slots and tables. Either way, when it is time for dinner, head
to Bien Shur, the superb restaurant on Sandia Resort's rooftop, where you can first sip
cocktails in the open-air lounge while admiring the view of the city before sampling some of
the best contemporary food around in the adjacent restaurant.
On your final day, spend the morning checking out the museums at the University of New
Mexico, and then enjoy a leisurely afternoon exploring Nob Hill, as described in the one-day
itinerary above. If you have some extra time, consider driving north of Old Town to Rio
Grande Nature Centre State Park, in the North Valley, and then perhaps continue north up
Rio Grande Boulevard for some wine-touring at Anderson Valley Vineyards and Casa
Rondena Winery. It's not far from here to such appealing dinner options as Casa de
Benavidez for great New Mexican fare or Cafe Voila for urbane French bistro cuisine.
Santa Fe
Overview
With its crisp, clear air and bright, sunny weather, Santa Fe couldn't be more welcoming. On
a plateau at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains -- at an elevation of 7,000 feet -- the
city is surrounded by remnants of a 2,000-year-old Pueblo civilization and filled with
reminders of almost four centuries of Spanish and Mexican rule. The town's placid central
Plaza, which dates from the early 17th century, has been the site of bullfights, public
floggings, gunfights, battles, political rallies, promenades, and public markets over the years.
A one-of-a-kind destination, Santa Fe is fabled for its rows of chic art galleries, superb
restaurants, and shops selling Southwestern furnishings and cowboy gear.
Great Itineraries
Unless you're in Santa Fe for just a few days, you're probably going to explore the rest of the
northern Rio Grande Valley. For the best tour, combine either of these itineraries with those in
the Albuquerque, Taos, and Side Trips chapters; the latter includes several side trips within a
60- to 90-minute drive of Santa Fe.
If You Have 1 Day
Breakfast in Santa Fe is a social tradition, so consider heading to one of the city's best
breakfast spots, such as Cloud Cliff Bakery or Bagelmania. Drive to Museum Hill, spending
the morning checking out the area's two best art collections, the Museum of International Folk
Art and Museum of Spanish Colonial Art. Return to the Plaza for lunch at the Plaza Café or,
nearby, Santacafé. Stroll around the Plaza area, taking in the shops and galleries, and if
you'd like, drop by the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum or Museum of Fine Arts.
By later afternoon, saunter east from the Plaza along San Francisco Street, admiring St.
Francis Cathedral Basilica; bear right to Alameda Street, turn left and continue to Paseo de
Peralta, and then quickly turn right and then left onto Canyon Road to stroll into the leafy
foothills. You pass dozens of galleries, several of which stay open into early evening. Finish
with a meal at one of the restaurants midway up Canyon Road.
If You Have 3 Days
Follow the one-day itinerary's morning portion, but allow time to visit another museum on
Museum Hill, either the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture or Wheelwright Museum of the
American Indian. Spend the afternoon ambling about the Plaza area, saving additional
museum explorations for your last day.
On your second day, plan to walk a bit. Head east from the Plaza up to Canyon Road's foot,
perusing the galleries. Have lunch at one of the restaurants midway uphill, such as Sol or El
Farol. From here, you can either continue walking 2 mi up Canyon, and then Upper Canyon,
roads to the Randall Davey Audubon Centre, or you can take a cab there. Alternatively, you
could drive from the start, first parking near Canyon Road to check out the galleries (there's a
pay lot across from El Farol), then parking at the centre. Either way, once you're at the centre,
you can hike the foothills -- there are trails within the centre's property and also from the free
parking area (off Cerro Gordo Road) leading into the Dale Ball Trail Network. There may be
late-afternoon summer thunderstorms and lightning, so check the forecast before you go, and
bring at least a litter of water per person, even for a short stroll.
On your final day, spend the morning at the O'Keeffe or Fine Arts museums near the Plaza,
and at the Palace of the Governors. In the afternoon, head a few blocks southwest of the
Plaza, crossing Alameda Street, and stroll through the Guadalupe District, which abounds
with funky design and furniture shops and galleries. End your explorations with a margarita on
the patio of the festive Cowgirl restaurant, which has live music most nights.
Taos
Overview
Taos casts a lingering spell. Set on a rolling mesa at the base of the Sangre de Cristo
Mountains, it's a place of piercing light and spectacular views, where the desert palette
changes almost hourly as the sun moves across the sky. Adobe buildings -- some of them
centuries old -- lie nestled amid pine trees and scrub, some in the shadow of majestic Taos
Mountain. The smell of piñon wood smoke rises from the valley in winter; in spring and
summer, it gives way to fragrant sage.
Great Itineraries
If You Have 1 Day
Begin by strolling around Taos Plaza, taking in the galleries and Native American crafts
shops. Take Ledoux Street south from the west Plaza and go two blocks to visit the Harwood
Museum. Walk back to the Plaza and cross over to Kit Carson Road, where you can find
more shops and galleries as well as the Kit Carson Home and Museum. Continue north on
Paseo del Pueblo to the Taos Art Museum at the Fechin House. In the afternoon, get in the
car and head north on Paseo del Pueblo to the traffic light, where you turn left on U.S. 64. to
the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. If you're feeling peppy, you can climb down to the river, or just
gaze down into the breathtaking chasm from the bridge. Return the way you came, turning
right at the light, and drive the short distance to Millicent Rogers Road. Turn right and proceed
to the Millicent Rogers Museum, where you can easily spend the rest of the afternoon. If
you're in town for the evening, stop in at the Adobe Bar at the Taos Inn for music and people-
watching.
If You Have 2 Days
Spend the first day doing the one-day tour above. On the second day, drive out to the Taos
Pueblo in the morning and tour the ancient village while the day is fresh. Return to town and
go to the Blumenschein Home and Museum. Lunch at the nearby Dragonfly Café. After lunch
drive out to La Hacienda de los Martinez for a look at early life in Taos and then to Ranchos
de Taos to see the beautiful San Francisco de Asís Church. If it's dinnertime, eat at Joseph's
Table or the Trading Post Café. If it's still early, drive back to town and browse in the shops
on Bent Street and the adjacent John Dunn House Shops.
New York:
New York City
Hamptons & Montauk
New York
Overview
New York is, above all, a walker's city. Along its busy streets, an endless variety of sights
unfolds everywhere you go, and the character of its neighbourhoods changes every few
blocks. Quaint town houses stand shoulder to shoulder with sleek glass towers, gleaming
gourmet supermarkets sit around the corner from dusty thrift shops, and chic bistros inhabit
the storefronts of soot-smudged warehouses. Many visitors, beguiled into walking a little
farther, then a little farther still, often have stumbled upon their trip's most memorable
moments.
If you plod dutifully from point to point, nose buried in a guidebook, you'll miss half the fun.
Look up at the tops of skyscrapers, and you'll see a riot of mosaics, carvings, and ornaments.
Step into the lobby of an architectural landmark and study its features; take a look around to
see the real people who work, live, or worship there today. Peep down side streets, even in
crowded midtown, and you may find fountains, greenery, and sudden bursts of flowers. Find a
bench or ledge on which to perch and take time just to watch the crowd passing by. New York
has so many faces that every visitor can discover a different one.
Five Great New York City Itineraries
New York Icons
Begin a day dedicated to New York icons with a bird's-eye view atop the Empire State
Building. Stroll up 5th Avenue past the leonine guardians of the New York Public Library and
step inside to behold the gleaming Main Reading Room. Forty-second Street takes you east
to the Beaux-Arts Grand Central Terminal, a hub of frenetic activity and architectural wonder.
Move on to the Chrysler Building, an art deco stunner, and continue east to the United
Nations. Make your way west across 49th Street to the triumvirate of Saks Fifth Avenue,
Rockefeller Centre, and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Shopping, ice-skating at the Rockefeller rink,
or visiting a nearby museum could fill your day until dusk, a good time to walk south on 7th
Avenue toward the bright lights of Times Square.
Rush hour is a contact sport in Grand Central Terminal and Wednesday's foot traffic through
Times Square can grind nearly to a standstill as audiences pour in and out of Broadway
matinees.
A Day in Little Italy & Chinatown
Even though Little Italy no longer resembles its 19th-century heydey, when the are around
Mulberry Street between Canal and Grand streets was flush with immigrants, the small
enclave still resonates with flavour. Authentic grocers line Grand Street, where you can get
fresh mozzarella and other cheese at Di Palo's (206 Grand) cheese and suasage shop or
Alleva Dairy (188 Grand), hearty sandwiches at the Italian Food Centre (186 Grand), and
fresh pasta at Piemonte Ravioli (190 Grand). It's worth stopping for an espresso and cannoli
at Ferrar, at 195 Grand. If you must east pasta in Little Italy, now known for its generic red-
sauce eateries, try Rocky's at 45 Spring.
After your jaunt in Little Italy, head one block east of Mulberry to Mott Street, which has the
highest concentration of restaurants and just about everything else, from dumpling shops to
Southeast Asian grocers. While meandering around, if you smell a butter vanilla aroma
wafting from a cart nearby, stop and buy a pack of fresh-cooked egg cakes. Chinatown's hub,
Canal STreet, runs east-west, and is packed with street vendors hawking watches, toys,
jewelry, and luggage.
Branching off on side streets north and south of Canal are shops with everything from
tchotchekes and Asian home furnishings to pungent fish and pork buns. Some of the most
unlikely places serve the most soul-warming meals: steamed soup sumplings at Joe's
Shanghai (9 Pell), Korean food at Li Hua (171 Grand), Hong Kong-style noodles at NY
Noodle Town (28½ Bowery), and excellent seafood at Oriental Garden (14 Elizabeth) -- a
place frequented by local chefs. Get some litchi or green-tea ice cream for dessert at the
Chinatown Ice Cream Factory at 65 Bayard, or sooth yourself with an after-dinner drink at
Chinatown's hippes, swanky-kitsch hangouts: Double Happiness (173 Mott) or Happy Ending
(302 Broome).
Wander Around
Do what many New Yorkers like to do on their days off -- wander. Make your way to
Chinatown for a dim sum breakfast or tapioca-filled soft drink. From here head north to SoHo
and NoLita for galleries and chic boutiques and restaurants. Farther east, the Lower East
Side is a former immigrant enclave where you'll find the Lower East Side Tenement Museum
and bargain shopping on Orchard Street. If you haven't eaten by now, hit a café a few blocks
north in the happening East Village, home to yet more shops and vintage stores. From Union
Square, walk up Broadway to the fashionable Flatiron District with its inimitable Flatiron
Building. Have dinner in one of the neighbourhood's noted restaurants.
A Day in Brooklyn
For a breath of fresh air, take the 2 or 3 train to Park Slope's Grand Army Plaza or the Q to
7th Ave.-Flatbush. On Saturdays you'll exit the subway at Grand Army Plaza in the middle of
a bustling farmer's market, with artinsanal produce and, in warmer weather, cooking
demonstrations by Brooklyn chefs. Just east of the Olaza on Eastern Oarkway is the Beaux-
Arts Brooklyn Museum, with a world-class collection from American art to Egyptian antiquities.
Stroll around the halls for an hour, then venture east another block to the entrance of the
Brooklyn Botanical Garden, known for its shady wooded areas, more than 1,200 varieties of
roses, and its idyllic Japanese garden and pond. After a few hours of wandering, your
appetite should be kicking in: continue your stroll southward into the 585-acre Frederick
Olmsted-designed Prospect Park, Brooklyn's recreational centre.
Finally, head west through Prospect Park into Park Slope for some lunch. Brooklyn's top-tier
neighbourhood has European-style mansions, wide leafy blocks, and elegant brownstone
apartment houses. When you hit 7th Avenue, you'll find modish boutiques and scores of
restaurants. The best of the bunch is Sette Enoteca, a casual but high-quality wine bar and
restaurant at the corner of 7th Avenue and 3rd Street. Continue north along 7th Avenue for
more restaurants and boutiques, then head back to Flatbush to catch the train to Manhattan.
The Art Experience
The Metropolitan, Guggenheim, and Whitney museums, the city's triumvirate of fine-art
institutions, are good for years of browsing, but you can easily see all three in a day, with well-
calculated snack stops and a respite in Central Park. Get a mellow, inspiring start at the
Guggenheim, Frank Lloyd Rights' playfully inverted ziggurat, complete in 1959. It showcases
serious and populist art, from Brancusi to Mathew Barney, on six gently sloping ramps; two
annexes contain the permanent collection of 19th- and 20th-century paintings. Only a few
steps south is the world-famous Metropolitan Museum. Don't attemp to see everything here --
choose a few exhibits or galleries, trek around a bit, then escape to Central Park, behind the
museum, for a rest. For lunch, April through November, you can hit the Boathouse-72nd St.,
mid-park, and overlooking a lake. In winter, slip into any of the bistros, cafés, or sandwich
shops lining Madison Avenue. Along Madison, try the rustic-chic Le Pain Quotidien at 83rd St,
or E.A.T. Café at 81st, or, for picnic materials, Dean & Deluca at 85th. Once nourished,
consider heading back into the Met to see a few more galleries, or head over to the galleries
at the Whitney to see the lively collection of 20th-century American art -- from conceptual
artists like Andrea Zittel to everyone's favourite, Edward Hopper. If you're still in an artsy
mood, book a table at the eclectic Ureña or wd-50 for dinner. For traditional American
nouveau cuisine, escape to Gotham or Gramercy Tavern, both local (and visitor) favourites.
Hamptons and Montauk
Overview
New York's Long Island is the largest island on America's East Coast -- 1,682 square miles
total. It extends 120 miles eastward from New York City, traversed by the notoriously clogged
Long Island Expressway (LIE, or I-495) and encompassing two New York City boroughs
(Brooklyn and Queens), congested commuter towns, the farmland of the North Fork, and the
world-famous summer resorts of the Hamptons and Montauk on the South Fork.
The seaside villages of the Hamptons, some dating from the 1600s, stretch west to east from
Westhampton Beach to Amagansett; at the tip is the fishing community of Montauk. Both
locals and the omnipresent rich and famous summer here, and they all come for what's
possibly the nation's finest stretch of white-sand beach. Rolling farmland and vineyards,
spectacular mansions and ranches, and blue skies and sunshine add to the allure.
One could say that the "Hampton mystique" began in Westhampton Beach. In 1870, residents
began renting out rooms to travellers who reached the area on the newly constructed Long
Island Railroad. Soon the practice spread and it was not long before the Hamptons had
become a resort area of renown. Today the Hamptons are full-blown summer resorts, drawing
vacationers, summer-home owners, and twentysomething "summer share" renters out east
by the carload between Memorial and Labour days.
Just east of Westhampton Beach, Quogue and East Quogue are considered part of the
Greater Westhampton area. Quogue's stately Victorians are nestled along tree-lined streets,
and contemporary mansions line the ocean along Dune Road. In East Quogue, acres of
farmland and pine forest, as well as beautiful bay and ocean beaches, are enlivened by Main
Street shopping and lively nightlife.
The town of Southampton was established in 1640 by English colonists and was the first
settlement in New York State. With its Historical Museum, Southampton has a decidedly
Colonial feel, and its Job Lane's shopping district oozes chic. Windsurfers enjoy three bays:
Peconic, Noyac, and Shinnecock (which is also a popular diving spot).
The farming community of Water Mill is the nation's only community with a functional, working
water mill and windmill. Elegant Bridgehampton, just east of Water Mill, has antiques shops,
art galleries, and restaurants in which you can sip wine made from grapes grown in local
vineyards. This is also horse country, and Bridgehampton is home to the prestigious annual
Hampton Classic Horse Show and the Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge.
The pearl of the Hamptons, East Hampton was founded by farmers in 1648, and farming
remained its main source of livelihood until the 1800s, when the town began to develop into a
fashionable resort. East Hampton's considerable wealth and Puritan heritage now combine
into a particularly understated prosperity, and much of the village remains as it was during the
18th century. Amagansett is a Native American word meaning "place of good water," and
from its earliest beginnings, the town has possessed a tranquillity that is perfectly suited to
fishing and offshore whaling.
At the easternmost part of the island, Montauk doesn't put on any airs, with its seaside hotels,
thriving fishing and boating community, and surfer-studded beaches. The Montauk Point
Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in the state and the fourth oldest in the country.
The North Fork, across the Great Peconic Bay from the Hamptons and the South Fork, is best
known for its quiet villages, bountiful farm stands, and burgeoning wine industry. New
England-style hamlets such as Jamesport, Cutchogue, and Southold are peppered with
unpretentious restaurants and interestings shops that seems transported from another era.
Clean, uncrowded beaches lie to the south on Great Peconic Bay and to the north on Long
Island Sound.
Shelter Island lies between Long Island's North and South forks. Reachable only by boat
(there's regular ferry service), the 11½-square-mi island offers at least a partial escape from
the summer traffic and crowd snarls of the Hamptons. Quiet country lanes wind across the
island's rolling land, nearly a third of which has been set aside as a nature preserve that's a
bird-watcher's delight.
Sights & Activities
A long stretch of road separates Montauk, on Long Island's eastern tip, from the Hamptons,
and as you roll into the small seaside village you notice immediately that here is a place apart
in other respects as well. Surrounded by water on three sides, Montauk is known for its
distinct natural beauty. In summer the fragrance of warm honeysuckle and wild beach roses
blends with the ocean air. The spectacular undeveloped beaches and parks attract surfers
and hikers, and the waters are superb for fishing.
Route 27, the main artery across the South Fork, is the quickest way to Montauk; for a more
scenic ride, veer onto the hilly Old Montauk Highway, where each rise in the road affords a
glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean and is promptly followed by a sharp dip (known locally as a
"tummy-taker").
Continue east past the village centre and you arrive at land's end, where the Montauk
Lighthouse, commissioned by President George Washington in 1792 and the oldest operating
lighthouse in the state, perches on a rocky bluff overlooking the sea. It's here, in the 724-acre
Montauk Point State Park, surrounded by ocean and craggy coastline, that you find the finest
surf casting, naturalist-led seal walks, the informative Montauk Point Lighthouse Museum,
and a myriad of places to relax and contemplate the view.
More than 50 hotels, inns, and guest houses, along with many top-notch restaurants and a
sprinkling of shops, are concentrated in two distinct sections of Montauk -- the village center,
including Old Montauk Highway, and the harbour area, reached by following either West Lake
Drive or Edgemere Street to the end. Most lodgings and eateries here are family-friendly, and
you can leave your heels and neckties at home.
The harbour is home to the local fishing fleet as well as to dozens of party, charter, and
whale-watching boats, available daily for hire. Take a stroll around the docks between 4 and 5
in the afternoon and you see fishing boats arriving with their catch of the day -- some of it
bound for local restaurants.
Between the harbour area and the village centre is Montauk Downs State Park, with one of
the top public golf courses in the country. The park is off West Lake Drive, from which you
have breathtaking views of Lake Montauk to the east and Gardiner's Island to the northwest.
Just west of Montauk is Amagansett. Its name is a Native American word meaning "place of
good water," and from its earliest beginnings, Amagansett's tranquil setting was perfectly
suited to fishing and offshore whaling. If you choose to stay at a lodging property here and
have a car, you can easily make forays into Montauk as well as East Hampton, a few miles
west.
North Carolina:
Blue Ridge Parkway
Chapel Hill
Charlotte
Durham
Great Smoky Mountains NP
North Carolina Coast
Raleigh
Blue Ridge Pkwy
Overview
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile scenic corridor that runs through the southern
Appalachian Mountains from Shenandoah National Park, in Virginia, to Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, on the North Carolina-Tennessee border. It has much in common
with these parks -- notably motor-vehicle access to hiking, camping, and picnicking
opportunities; cultural and historical attractions; and modern lodgings nestled in some of the
most striking mountain scenery in the East.
Conceived in 1933 as a Great Depression-era public works effort, the Blue Ridge Parkway
was begun in 1935 -- the first rural national parkway -- and finished in 1987. Its aim was to
link the parks and to fight the area's dire unemployment. Today the parkway attracts more
than 20 million visitors.
The Blue Ridge's attraction is its elevated views of the wooded mountains and valleys that
typify the Southern Highlands: modest peaks cloaked in a lush, leafy canopy of oak, hickory,
and maple, with an occasional evergreen highlight of hemlock, spruce, or fir. With the
exception of North Carolina's 6,684-foot Mt. Mitchell, the highest mountain east of the
Mississippi, only a few Blue Ridge summits peak above 4,000 feet, but, the Blue Ridge
Parkway reaches its highest point at Richland Balsam, which is 6,047 feet. Enveloping this
expanse is the bluish haze that allegedly gave the Blue Ridge its name. Originally a product
of moisture given off by the forest, today's haze is frequently infiltrated by airborne pollution
that occasionally restricts views and has damaged some of the high-elevation foliage.
More than six decades and 600 million visitors after it first opened, the parkway attracts a
steady but uncrowded flow of weekday visitors from April through September; highest
visitation is on summer weekends and during October's peak fall foliage, which usually occurs
the second or third week of the month. In particularly popular areas, such as Virginia's Mabry
Mill (Milepost 176.1), the traffic can sometimes resemble a big-city traffic jam -- the parkway is
the most visited area in the 368-unit National Park System. Few travel the road in winter, and
sections are frequently closed due to ice and snow.
Best in a Day Itinerary
Stop to enjoy the most inviting overlooks, take a couple of walks, visit one or two of the more
popular attractions, and you've gotten about as much out of the parkway as one day will
allow. Seeing the best of the entire roadway calls for at least two days, and preferably three or
more.
Must-see stops on the Virginia section of the parkway are the historical exhibits and hikes at
Humpback Rocks (Milepost 5.8), Peaks of Otter (Milepost 86.0), Rocky Knob (Milepost
169.0), and Mabry Mill (Milepost 176.1). Worth the detour, if you have the time, are the view
from the foot of Roanoke's towering Mill Mountain Star (on the spur road that intersects the
parkway at Milepost 124.5) and the expansive picnic area and walking opportunities at Smart
View (Milepost 154.5) and Ground Hog Mountain (Milepost 189.0).
In North Carolina, be sure to see Doughton Park (Milepost 241.1), Linville Falls (Milepost
316.4), Crabtree Meadows (Milepost 339.5), Craggy Gardens (Milepost 364.6), Mt. Pisgah
(Milepost 408), and Waterrock Knob (Milepost 451.2) -- all of which have wondrous walking,
picnicking, and sightseeing opportunities. Also well worth the stop is Linn Cove Viaduct
(Milepost 305.0), the inventive, structurally elegant bridge that enables the parkway to
continue uninterrupted.
Raleigh and Chapel Hill
Overview
Raleigh is the largest of the cities that compose the North Carolina's Research Triangle
(Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill). It's an area that's been characterized as full of "trees, tees,
and Ph.D's."
Raleigh is Old South and New South, down-home and upscale, all in one. The city has
agrarian roots in both farming and mining, but today Raleigh thrives on high-tech industries,
government (it's the state capital), education, service industries, research, and medicine. In
addition to North Carolina State, there are six other universities and colleges in town.
Thanks to the Triangle area's appearance on a slew of "best of" lists, Raleigh's growth has
been rapid, especially in the suburban area known as North Raleigh. In recent years,
downtown revitalization has taken off, with new housing, museums, shops, restaurants, and
night spots infusing energy and new life into once abandoned buildings. With all the
newcomers hailing from colder climates, it seemed only a matter of time before the National
Hockey League realized that greater Raleigh would support an expansion team. Hence, the
Carolina Hurricanes were born.
All this growth has its price, though. During rush hour, certain corridors (I-40 through
Research Triangle Park, for example) should be avoided at all costs. On Friday and Saturday
nights, especially during the regular school year, the wait to be seated in some restaurants
can stretch to an hour or more.
Ethnically and racially diverse Durham long ago shed its tobacco-town image and is now
known as the City of Medicine, for the medical and research centre at Duke University, one of
the top schools in the nation. With tens of thousands of employees, Duke is not only the
largest employer in Durham but also one of the largest in the state. Additionally, the majority
of the 6,800-acre Research Triangle Park, one of the largest research parks in the United
States, lies in Durham County.
This city of 212,000 is home to three art centres and hosts 18 cultural festivals a year, and the
Durham Bulls, a AAA baseball team immortalized in the hit movie Bull Durham, set national
attendance records at their stadium downtown.
The two most popular pastimes in Chapel Hill are music and basketball. The bars and
restaurants on Franklin Street, the city's main drag, come alive at night with live music and
dancing, and festivals celebrating almost every kind of music imaginable take place year
round. On the other side of campus lies the "Dean Dome," the behemoth sports complex
named after coach Dean Smith, the mastermind behind Tarheel dominance in NCAA
basketball. Not surprisingly, Chapel Hill's most famous alumnus, Mr. Michael "Air" Jordan, is
king in these parts, and any establishment worth its weight has at least one framed portrait of
the master gracing its walls.
Sights & Activities
The cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill make up the Triangle, with Raleigh to the east,
Durham to the north, Chapel Hill to the west. In the centre sits Research Triangle Park, a
renowned complex of corporations and public and private research facilities set in 6,800 acres
of lake-dotted pineland. It's a magnet for scientists, academics, and businesspeople from all
over the world.
Raleigh, the state capital, is the biggest of the three cities. Many of the state's largest and
best museums are here, as are North Carolina State University and six other universities and
colleges.
Durham, 23 miles northwest of Raleigh on I-40 and NC 147 (Durham Freeway) has three of
North Carolina's 22 National Historic Landmarks, as well as Duke University and its medical
and research centres. It's no longer a tobacco town, and warehouses and mills around the
city have been converted into chic shops, offices, and condos.
Chapel Hill, the smallest city in the Research Triangle area, is 12 miles southwest of Durham
on U.S. 15-501, and 28 miles northwest of Raleigh. Home to the University of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill sits on a tree-shaded rise. While the downtown area is filled with shops and
restaurants and bustles with students, businesspeople, and retirees, strict enforcement of
stringent historic preservation laws -- no billboards are permitted -- preserve its 1950s
smalltown-America air.
Charlotte
Overview
In 1524 explorer Giovanni da Verrazano landed on what is now North Carolina's shore and
wrote in his log, "as pleasant and delectable to behold as is possible to imagine." Sixty years
later the New World's first English-speaking settlers found their way to the state's eastern
edge, which is bordered by 300 miles of beaches, islands, and inlets.
Though Charlotte dates from Revolutionary War times (it is named for King George III's wife,
Queen Charlotte), its Uptown is distinctively New South, with gleaming skyscrapers. Uptown
encompasses all of downtown Charlotte, its business and cultural heart and soul. It's also
home to the government centre and some residential neighbourhoods. And public art is
keeping pace with the city's growing skyline. Examples of this are the sculptures at the four
corners of Trade and Tryon streets. Erected at Independence Square, they symbolize
Charlotte's beginnings: a gold miner (commerce), a mill worker (the city's textile heritage), an
African-American railroad builder (transportation), and a mother holding her baby aloft (the
future). Residents of the Queen City won't hesitate to tell you that theirs is the largest city in
the Carolinas and the second-largest banking centre in the nation.
Heavy development has created some typical urban problems. Outdated road systems make
traffic a nightmare during rush hour, and virtually all the city's restaurants are packed on
weekends. But the locals' Southern courtesy is contagious, and people still love the traditional
pleasure of picnicking in Freedom Park.
Sights & Activities
Charlotte was laid out in four wards around Independence Square, at Trade and Tryon
streets. The Square, as it is known, is the centre of the Uptown area, which includes
Discovery Place, the city's leading attraction, and the Fourth Ward neighbourhood, Charlotte's
"old city." Additional interesting sights, from gardens to museums, are farther afield in Greater
Charlotte. Historic sites in Pineville and Locust, a speedway in Harrisburg, and a theme park
on the South Carolina state line provide plenty to explore beyond the city.
Uptown Charlotte is ideal for walking (you'll be able to explore the Fourth Ward in an hour).
Elsewhere, buses are adequate for getting around within the city limits; otherwise, you will
need a car to tour.
Great Smoky Mountains
Overview
Like a rumpled quilt thrown across the foot of the eastern United States, the Great Smoky
Mountains sprawl across more than half a million acres of ancient terrain, the largest
wilderness sanctuary in the East. The park is a patchwork of old-growth forest and high
mountain meadow, its diverse habitats stitched together by mountain streams and roaring
rivers.
Encompassing nearly equal portions of Tennessee and North Carolina, the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park is a land of superlatives. Here are the largest stands of old-growth
forest in the eastern United States and the greatest mountains east of the Rockies -- 16
peaks shoulder into the sky more than 6,000 feet above sea level. But often, words pay poor
homage to a park whose beauty also lies in the details of bloodroot and bluet, trillium and
Turk's cap lily. A United Nations International Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site, the
park contains about 125 species of trees, more than 200 species of birds -- even 27 different
species of salamanders.
These rugged mountains were once sacred to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee, who in
1838 were brutally removed from their ancestral home by government action and forced to
march to Oklahoma. Thousands died along the Trail of Tears, but small groups of Cherokee
held out in the North Carolina high country, and in 1889 the 56,000-acre Qualla Indian
Reservation was formed. It now shares part of the park's southern border.
The high mountains that attracted rugged pioneer settlers in the 18th and 19th centuries were
discovered by the timber industry in the early 1900s. A librarian and writer named Horace
Kephart documented the changing fortunes of the southern Appalachian mountain peoples in
the classic Our Southern Highlanders and sparked a national movement to declare the
Smokies a national park. On June 15, 1934, the park was officially established.
Today the interior is managed as a wilderness preserve: there are extensive camping facilities
and interpretive programs, but few other services. The park is traversed by two main roads: a
portion of U.S. 441 called the Newfound Gap Road and Little River Road, which leads to
Cades Cove. On the perimeter of the park the resort towns of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and
Cherokee, North Carolina, offer extensive visitor facilities, while smaller towns around the
park, such as Townsend, Tennessee, and Bryson City, North Carolina, afford a more limited
array of services.
This melding of facilities and sights makes the park a popular place. There are about 9 million
recreational visits each year, more than twice the number of visits to any other national park.
The oft-cited statistic that the park is within two days' drive of half of the nation's population
shouldn't deter visitors, for solitude can often be found just a short hike from the blacktop.
Step off the paved road and the true heart of the park opens itself. Here you'll find hollows
and coves and ridges rarely seen by human eyes. In the space of a few dozen feet, quietness
pervades, all sounds muffled by moss and fern, stream and forest. Birds call. Brooks trickle.
Rain drips. Tiny unseen streams seep from the undergrowth. Welcome to Shaconage (Place
of Blue Smoke), the land held sacred by the Cherokee, a land whose wildness is still
celebrated today.
Best in a Day Itinerary
Rise early for a one-day tour of this gigantic slice of wilderness. You'll need to depart
Gatlinburg in the dark to make the 45-minute drive to Cades Cove by sunrise, but save your
groans: there's scheduled nap time in this dawn-to-dusk itinerary.
Cades Cove, in the far western reaches of the park, preserves the historic structures and
open pastoral landscape of the region as it appeared at the turn of the century. The 11-mile
loop road through Cades Cove can be very crowded, which is one reason for arriving at
sunrise (except Wednesdays and Saturdays in the summer, when the road is closed to cars
until 10 AM). The other reason is the valley at dawn. The warm early light turns fields into
seas of golden flame. Deer feed in the meadows. Drive slowly, stop often, and find an open
pasture where you can take a long walk.
By mid-morning, find Missionary Baptist Church on the northern part of the Cades Cove loop.
Directly across from the church, pick up the gravel Rich Mountain Road; follow it 8 miles over
the mountain, with fantastic views of the Cades Cove valley and the spine of the towering
Smokies above, then out of the park. Turn right on U.S. 321 just outside Townsend; keep
right where U.S. 321 turns north, load up on picnic supplies in Townsend, then turn around
and follow U.S. 321 south back through the park entrance. Take a left on Little River Road
and follow this scenic route to Sugarlands Visitor Centre, 2 miles south of Gatlinburg. (Rich
Mountain Road is closed in winter; at that time, take Laurel Creek Road from Cades Cove to
Tremont, and continue straight on Little River Road, following the rest of this itinerary from
there.)
From Sugarlands, turn south on Newfound Gap Road and follow this primary Smokies
thoroughfare toward its highest point at Clingmans Dome. Picnic along the way, perhaps at
the Chimney Tops Picnic Area. From Chimney Tops, continue south on Newfound Gap Road
to Newfound Gap. About.2 mile south of the gap, turn right on the road to Clingmans Dome
and follow the 7-mile scenic route to the parking lot. It's a.5-mile walk to the observation tower
on a steep, serpentine, asphalt walkway that switches back and rises above the treetops for a
spectacular panoramic view.
After Clingmans Dome, you'll likely be in search of solitude. Continue south on Newfound
Gap Road to Cherokee and turn right on U.S. 19 toward Bryson City. Once in town, follow the
signs to the Deep Creek area of the park, 3 miles north of town. If there's time, rent an inner
tube for a late-afternoon float downriver. If not, find a nice smooth boulder, soothe your feet in
the cool stream, and take a well-deserved nap. If all goes as planned, you'll be awakened by
the flutelike calls of the wood thrush at dusk, with just enough time to find your way back to
the car by dark.
North Carolina
Overview
North Carolina's 300-plus miles of coastline are fronted by a continuous series of fragile
barrier islands. Broad rivers lead inland from the sounds, along which port cities have grown.
Lighthouses, dunes, and vacation homes (often built by out-of-staters) dot the water's edge.
The coast is generally divided into three broad sections that include islands, shoreline, and
coastal plains: the Outer Banks (Corolla south through Ocracoke, including Roanoke Island),
the Crystal Coast (Core and Bogue Banks, Beaufort, Morehead City, and the inland river town
of New Bern), and the greater Cape Fear region (Wrightsville Beach through the Brunswick
County islands, including Wilmington).
The Outer Banks, a chain of barrier islands in the Atlantic, forms a giant sandbar south of the
Virginia border. Addresses here are commonly noted by mile markers, not building numbers.
The picturesque Albemarle area, on the mainland, parallels a portion of the Outer Banks. New
Bern is a bit farther inland on the Central Coast and has sights that provide a close-up look at
America during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Wilmington, on the Cape Fear River, is
home to the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and is the coast's largest city. It has fine
restaurants and museums. Surrounding it are golf courses, white-sand beaches, and resort
hotels, which have been voted some of the best in the nation by various sources.
Whereas once the coast closed up shop after the summer season ended, the entire area,
home to two national seashores (Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout), is now considered a
year-round destination. You can explore museums; spend the day swimming, hang gliding,
windsurfing, or kayaking; or stop in restaurants with fresh seafood and increasingly innovative
chefs after you've spent the day shopping at retail outlets. Whether you're seeking peace or
adventure, you can find it on the coast.
Best in a Day Itinerary
Cape Hatteras
Few landmarks in North Carolina are as evocative as the three lighthouses along the Cape
Hatteras National Seashore. A tour of these unusual structures should begin in the north at
the 1872 Bodie Island Lighthouse. The 150-foot tower with wide horizontal stripes is set amid
quiet marshlands and still has its original Fresnel glass lens.
South of Bodie Island Lighthouse is the black-and-white-striped Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, at
Buxton. Standing 280 feet, this is the tallest brick lighthouse in the world. Erosion has
threatened the tower since 1935; the current plan is to move it inland. At certain times of the
year, usually between Easter and Columbus Day, visitors can climb the 268 steps to the top.
From Buxton, head south to the town of Hatteras and catch the free ferry to Ocracoke; then
drive to Ocracoke Village on the south end of the island and turn left on Lighthouse Road to
reach the 1823 Ocracoke Lighthouse. Unlike the others, this lighthouse is relatively small,
standing a mere 75 feet, its whitewashed exterior free of design. The state's oldest operating
lighthouse, Ocracoke serves mostly as a guide to Silver Lake Harbour.
Cape Lookout
Catch an early ferry to the point at Cape Lookout. (Be sure to pack everything you'll need,
including water.) From the dock, walk along the wooden boardwalk to the lighthouse and visit
with the volunteer caretakers. The old keeper's quarters doubles as a visitor centre, staffed
from March through November. Next, take the boardwalk to the dunes and, once on the
beach, turn south to the point, where the island ends. Along the dune line, look for the
massive timbers of old shipwrecks, which are covered and uncovered periodically by the
shifting sands. Fishing and shelling here can be very good. (Each visitor may take two gallons
of uninhabited shells out of the park each day.) Continue around the point to the gun mounts -
- massive, partially submerged metal structures that served as submarine defences during
World War II.
Ohio:
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Columbus
Cincinnati
Overview
Over the past 200 years, proud Cincinnati has captured the fancy of many renowned
individuals. Winston Churchill dubbed it the most beautiful inland city in the Union. Charles
Dickens called it thriving and animated. And, most famously, Longfellow labeled it the Queen
City. For otherwise common folk, Cincinnati today is a livable city offering steady economic
growth, low crime rates, and easy accessibility. Perhaps its location right on the bend of the
Ohio River overlooking northern Kentucky has something to do with it.
Cincinnati's position on the Ohio River lured shipbuilding companies to the area at the height
of the steamboat craze. The city's coffers grew even more when the Miami and Erie Canal
was connected to the Ohio River in 1829. In the final analysis, however, Cincinnati owes its
development to the lowly pig. In 1835, the city was the largest pork producer in the nation, a
title that would later pass to Chicago and St. Louis. Look for the famous flying pigs in the
Bicentennial Commons, the 22-acre riverfront park the city dedicated in 1988 to celebrate its
200th birthday.
In Cincinnati's rapidly growing downtown area-with its museums, entertainment, restaurants,
and sporting venues, including the Great American Ball Park, which opened in 2003 -- you
can take in everything from a Bengals football game or a Reds baseball game to a
performance by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra or the Cincinnati Ballet. There is also a
variety of museums -- the Cincinnati Museum Centre, in the renovated Union Terminal (1933)
railroad station, houses the Cinergy Children's Museum and the Cincinnati Museum of
Natural History.
Sights & Activities
Cincinnati's many hills, green parks, and neighbourhoods radiate north from Cincinnati's
downtown. The downtown area is laid out along the north bank of the Ohio River, with
numbered streets running east-west (2nd Street is Pete Rose Way); north-south streets are
named. Vine Street divides the city into east and west. Fountain Square is the centre of the
thriving downtown area, which is entirely walkable. Skywalks connect hotels, convention
centres, stores, and garages.
Across the river is Covington, Kentucky, with a prominent historic district lined with antebellum
mansions and wonderful views from Riverside Drive. If flying into Cincinnati, you'll arrive
across the river at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, 12 miles south of
downtown.
Cleveland
Overview
Everything about Cleveland seems rejuvenated these days. The lake and the river have been
cleaned up, new buildings have altered the skyline, and the Flats -- the industrial area along
the Cuyahoga River -- is booming with restaurants and nightclubs. Earlier in the decade the
city and county built Gateway, the collective name for a new arena and baseball stadium just
south of downtown. The city's bicentennial celebration in 1996 brought even more changes,
including a new science museum that took its place beside the celebrated Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame and Museum, which opened in 1995-welcome additions to a city already boasting a
world-class orchestra and a stunning art museum.
Sights & Activities
In recent years, Cleveland has emerged with a new cultural identity. Major attractions such as
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the Great Lakes Science Centre, and the
Gateway sports venues have been the main catalysts, along with a world-class orchestra, a
stunning art museum, fully restored downtown Theatre district, and blooming gardens on the
east side of town. Neighbourhoods such as the Flats, the Warehouse District, the Gateway
district, and Northcoast Harbour buzz with restaurants, shops, and nightclubs.
Columbus
Overview
Named after discoverer Christopher Columbus, Ohio's capital city encompasses a six-county
metropolitan area and covers 3,142 square miles (8,138 square kilometers) in the centre of
the state.
In 1816, the Ohio Legislature moved the state capital here from nearby Chillicothe. Columbus
prospered thanks to its location on the banks of the Scioto River, which attracted money,
visitors, and settlers. Major railroads came next. Following damaging floods in 1913, the
Scioto River was widened and levees, retaining wall, and bridges were built, which allowed for
riverfront development.
Even when the rest of Ohio began to suffer industrial decline in the second half of the 20th
century, Columbus grew, primarily because its economy is based on state government,
education, finance and insurance, and light industry. This continued prosperity has made
Columbus an attractive place to live and visit.
The city is home to Ohio State University, which is the state's largest academic institution,
with more than 50,000 students. Another well-known local institution is the Columbus Zoo,
one of the nation's most acclaimed.
Columbus is known for its entrepreneurial spirit and economic vitality. The headquarters of a
number of Fortune 500 companies are here, and many of their executives claim they would
not leave the city -- even if they were promoted.
Oregon:
Portland
Portland
Overview
Portland is loaded with energy. For decades this inland port on the Willamette River was the
undiscovered gem of the West Coast, often overlooked by visitors seeking more sophisticated
milieus. But in the past decade, people have begun flocking here in unprecedented numbers -
- to visit and to live. The city's proximity to mountains, ocean, and desert adds an element of
natural grandeur to its urban character.
Majestic Mt. Hood, about 55 mi to the east, acts as a kind of mascot, and on a clear day
several peaks of the Cascade Range are visible, including Mt. St. Helens, which dusted the
city with ash when it erupted in 1980. The west side of town is built on a series of forested
hills that descend to the downtown area, the Willamette River, and the flatter east side. Filled
with stately late-19th-century and modern architecture, linked by an effective transit system,
and home to a vital arts scene, Portland is a place where there's much to do day or night, rain
or shine.
The quality of life remains a constant priority here. As far back as 1852, Portland began
setting aside city land as parks. Included among Portland's 250 parks, public gardens, and
greenways are the nation's largest urban wilderness, the world's smallest park, and the only
extinct volcano in the lower 48 states within a city's limits. A temperate climate and plenty of
precipitation keep Portland green year-round. The City of Roses, as it's known, celebrates its
favourite flower with a monthlong Rose Festival -- a June extravaganza with auto and boat
races, visiting navy ships, and a grand parade second in size only to Pasadena's Rose
Parade. But the floral spectacle really starts three months earlier, when streets and gardens
bloom with the colours of flowering trees, camellias, rhododendrons, and azaleas.
The arts here flourish in unexpected places, thanks to a city ordinance requiring that 1% of
the cost for new publicly funded construction projects be allotted to the arts. You'll find
creative works on street corners, as well as in police stations, jails, transit stations, parks, and
civic buildings. The new MAX light rail line along North Interstate Avenue is virtually an
outdoor gallery of installations and sculptures. As for the performing arts, Portland has several
professional theatre companies, the Oregon Symphony, the Portland Opera, and Chamber
Music Northwest, to name a few. Those into nightlife will also find some of the best live-band
and club action in the country. Families have plenty of kid-friendly attractions to enjoy,
including the Oregon Zoo, Oaks Amusement Park, and Oregon Museum of Science and
Industry.
Architectural preservation is a major preoccupation in Portland, particularly when it comes to
the 1860s brick buildings with cast-iron columns and the 1890s ornate terra-cotta designs that
grace areas like the Skidmore, Old Town, and Yamhill national historic districts. In the Pearl
District, older industrial buildings are being given new life as residential lofts, restaurants,
office space, galleries, and boutiques. It has also become the centre of the metro area's plan
to more efficiently use available urban space by revitalizing existing neighbourhoods. Not all
Portlanders are happy with the results, which have brought increased traffic congestion and
constant construction. But the new century also brought a renewed emphasis on mass transit.
An extension of the MAX light-rail line to Portland International Airport and the Portland
Streetcar have made the city easy to get around without a car, connecting Portland State
University, downtown, and the Pearl District and Nob Hill neighbourhood. The city's farsighted
approach to growth and its pitfalls means it reaps all of the benefits and few of the problems
of its boom. As a result, Portland is better than ever, cultivating a new level of sophistication,
building on enhanced prosperity, and bursting with fresh energy.
Best of Portland in 1 to 3 Days
If You Have 1 Day
Spend the morning exploring downtown. Visit the Portland Art Museum or the Oregon History
Centre, stop by the historic First Congregational Church and Pioneer Courthouse Square, and
take a stroll along the Park Blocks or Waterfront Park. Eat lunch and do a little shopping along
Northwest 23rd Avenue in the early afternoon, and be sure to walk down a few side streets to
get a look at the beautiful historic homes in Nob Hill. From there, drive up into the northwest
hills by the Pittock Mansion, and finish off the afternoon at the Japanese Garden and the
International Test Rose Garden in Washington Park. If you still have energy, head across the
river for dinner on Hawthorne Boulevard; then drive up to Mt. Tabor Park for Portland's best
view of sunset.
If You Have 3 Days
On your first day, follow the one-day itinerary above, exploring downtown, Nob Hill, and
Washington Park, but stay on the west side for dinner, and take your evening stroll in
Waterfront Park. On your second morning, visit the Portland Classical Chinese Garden in Old
Town, and then head across the river to the Sellwood District for lunch and antiquing. Stop by
the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden; then head up to Hawthorne District in the
afternoon. Wander through the Hawthorne and Belmont neighbourhoods for a couple hours,
stop by Laurelhurst Park, and take a picnic dinner up to Mt. Tabor Park. In the evening, catch
a movie at the Bagdad Theatre, or get a beer at one of the east side brewpubs.
On Day 3, take a morning hike in Hoyt Arboretum or Forest Park; then spend your afternoon
exploring shops and galleries in the Pearl District and on northeast Alberta Street. Drive out to
the Grotto, and then eat dinner at the Kennedy School or one of the other McMenamins
brewpubs.
Pennsylvania:
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
Overview
"On the whole, I'd rather be in Philadelphia." W. C. Fields may have been joking when he
wrote his epitaph, but if he were here today, he would eat his words. They no longer roll up
the sidewalks at night in Philadelphia. A construction boom, a restaurant renaissance, and
cultural revival have helped transform the city. For more than a decade, there has been an
optimistic mood, aggressive civic leadership, and national recognition of what the locals have
long known: Philadelphia can be a very pleasant place to live -- a city with an impressive past
and a fascinating future.
Philadelphia is a place of contrasts: Grace Kelly and Rocky Balboa; Le Bec-Fin -- one of the
nation's finest French haute cuisine restaurants -- and the fast-food heaven of Jim's Steaks;
Independence Hall and the Mario Lanza Museum; 18th-century national icons with 21st-
century-style skyscrapers soaring above them. The world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra
performs in a stunning concert hall -- the focal point of efforts to transform Broad Street into a
multicultural Avenue of the Arts. Along the same street, 25,000 Mummers dressed in
outrageous sequins and feathers historically have plucked their banjos and strutted their stuff
to the strains of "Oh, Dem Golden Slippers" on New Year's Day. City residents include
descendants of the staid Quaker founding fathers, the self-possessed socialites of the Main
Line (remember Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant in The Philadelphia Story?), and the
unrestrained sports fans, who are as vocal as they are loyal.
Historically speaking, Philadelphia is a city of superlatives: the world's largest municipal park;
the best collection of public art in the United States; the widest variety of urban architecture in
America; and according to some experts, the greatest concentration of institutions of higher
learning in the country.
Philadelphia is known as a city of neighbourhoods (109 by one count). Shoppers haggle over
the price of tomatoes in South Philly's Italian Market; families picnic in the parks of
Germantown; street vendors hawk soft pretzels in Logan Circle; and all over town kids play
street games such as stickball, stoopball, wireball, and chink. It's a city of neighbourhood
loyalty: ask a native where he's from and he'll tell you: Fairmount, Fishtown, or Frankford,
rather than Philadelphia. The city's population is less transient than that of other large cities;
people who are born here generally remain, and many who leave home to study or work
eventually return. Although the population is nearly 1.5 million, its residents are intricately
connected; on any given day, a Philadelphian is likely to encounter someone with whom he
grew up. The "it's-a-small-world" syndrome makes people feel like they belong.
Best of Philadelphia in 6 Days
In a city with as many richly stocked museums and matchless marvels as Philadelphia, you
risk seeing half of everything or all of nothing. So use the efficient itineraries below to keep
you on track as you explore both the famous sights and those off the beaten path.
Day 1
Begin your first day with an exploration of the city's historic district. Sign up at the
Independence National Historical Park Visitor Center for a walking tour hosted by a National
Park Service guide; try a go-at-your-own-pace tour offered by Audio Walk and Tour; or take a
walk on your own. For lunch, proceed to the Reading Terminal Market, where you can sample
the real Philadelphia "cuisine" -- cheese steaks, soft pretzels, and Bassett's ice cream -- or
something else from the dozens of food stalls. (The market is closed Sunday.) After lunch,
walk nine blocks east on Arch Street (or take a bus on Market Street) to Old City; Christ
Church, the Betsy Ross House, and Elfreth's Alley are all in close proximity. The galleries and
cafés in the area may tempt you to take a short break from your pursuit of history. In the late
afternoon, head back to Independence Hall for a horse-drawn carriage ride. Have dinner in
Old City; then catch the Lights of Liberty walking sound-and-light show (March-December,
weather permitting).
Day 2
Spend the morning of Day 2 exploring the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Benjamin Franklin
Parkway, followed by lunch in the museum's lovely dining room. Afterward, depending on
your interests and the day of the week, you could head to Merion by bus or car to see the
world-renowned collection of impressionist paintings at the Barnes Foundation (open Friday-
Sunday). Or you could walk to Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site for a tour of a former
prison or to the Franklin Institute Science Museum.
Day 3
Start Day 3 in Centre City with a ride to the top of City Hall for a pigeon's-eye view of the city.
Next, head across the street to the Masonic Temple for a surreal tour through time -- and
architectural history -- led by a Mason. Art lovers may prefer a visit to the Pennsylvania
Academy of the Fine Arts, two blocks north of City Hall at Broad and Cherry streets. Eat lunch
at the Reading Terminal Market.
If you want to stay inside, head to Rittenhouse Square's Rosenbach Museum and Library,
which has a diverse collection ranging from the original manuscript of James Joyce's Ulysses
to the works of beloved children's author Maurice Sendak. If you prefer being outdoors, visit
Penn's Landing, where you can check out the Independence Seaport Museum and/or take
the ferry across the river to the Adventure Aquarium and Camden Children's Garden. At
sunset, have a drink on the deck of the Moshulu, which is docked on the Camden side of the
Delaware River.
Day 4
Begin Day 4 by exploring either Society Hill or the Rittenhouse Square area. Then take a bus
west on Walnut Street to the University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, in
University City. You can have lunch at the museum or on campus. In the afternoon, return to
Center City to the corner of 16th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard, to pick up the
Philadelphia Trolley Works' narrated tour of Fairmount Park; or if you have children along,
visit the Philadelphia Zoo. Afterward, drive or catch the SEPTA R6 train to Manayunk, where
you can have dinner in one of the restaurants lining Main Street; many stores here are open
late, too.
Day 5
On Day 5, head out of the city by car to Valley Forge National Historical Park, where you can
hike or picnic after you've taken the self-guided auto tour of General Washington's winter
encampment. If you like to shop, spend the afternoon at the nearby King of Prussia Mall. Or
drive back toward the city to take in the Barnes Foundation, the Eastern State Penitentiary, or
the Franklin Institute -- whichever ones you didn't see on Day 2.
Another option for Day 5 is to stay in the city and explore Queen Village in Southwark and
South Philadelphia. Follow up a visit to the Mummers Museum with a strut along 9th Street,
site of the outdoor Italian Market. You can pick up the makings for a great picnic, or duck into
one of the restaurants here for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the museums you missed on Day
2. Check the local papers for an evening activity -- perhaps a sporting event at the South
Philadelphia stadiums, a show in Centre City, or live music at a jazz club.
Day 6
Get out of the city again with a day trip by car to the Brandywine Valley. Your first stop will be
the Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford, which showcases the art of Andrew Wyeth
and his family, as well as works by other area painters and illustrators. Next, head south to
Winterthur and feast your eyes on Henry Francis du Pont's extraordinary collection of
American decorative art in an equally extraordinary mansion. Spend the balance of your day
strolling through Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, which is in bloom even in winter. If
it's a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday in summer, stay for dinner and the fountain light show.
Pittsburgh
Overview
Pittsburgh lies where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet to form the Ohio River, in
the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania. First an 18th-century French fortress and trading post,
Fort Duquesne, then the British Fort Pitt, the city emerged as an industrial powerhouse in the
1800s, mostly due to iron and steel production. Today, the days of steel manufacturing are
mostly gone, and with them the industrial pollution that earned the city the nickname "Smoky
City."
Pittsburgh has been recast into a pleasing blend of turn-of-the-20th-century architectural
masterpieces and modern skyscrapers and consistently ranks among the nation's most
liveable cities. Pittsburgh today has a real sense of fun, with various outdoor activities on its
rivers and in its parks, unique shopping downtown and in the suburbs, and dining in some of
the state's most interesting locales.
The peninsula formed on the eastern side of this convergence of the three rivers grew into the
downtown area, often referred to as the Golden Triangle. The city chose to put a park at its
very tip, fittingly referred to as the Point; the stadium that once stood across the Allegheny
from here (it was imploded in early 2001) bore the geographical imprint in its name -- Three
Rivers Stadium.
Although visiting the park allows for an up-close view of the rivers, for the best view you can
use one of Pittsburgh's two 19th-century cable cars and travel up Mt. Washington. The views
are breathtaking from the overlooks and restaurants up here. You can see the rivers flowing
together, appreciate the city's unique skyline, and take in the two new stadiums, which flank
the site of the former Three Rivers Stadium and are home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and
Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sights & Activities
Built where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet to form the Ohio River, this city on
seven hills is filled with the warmth of its residents, many of whom have roots here spanning
generations. There is plenty of life on the streets of Pittsburgh, where former warehouses
have been turned into restaurants and many street fairs are held in trendy neighbourhoods
like the South Side, Shadyside, and the Strip. Rising above it all is the Duquesne Incline, a
restored cable car that carries passengers up Mt. Washington for some fabulous views. And
sports fans will especially enjoy the city's rich tradition of football, baseball, and hockey.
As for getting around, the Port Authority operates daily bus and trolley service. The T, the
subway that runs within the central business district, is always free. Bus service is free during
the day.
Rhode Island:
Newport & Southern R.I.
Providence & Northern R.I.
Newport
Overview
The island city of Newport preserves Colonial industry and gilded-age splendor as no other
place in the country does. The golden age of Newport ran from roughly 1720 to the 1770s,
when products like cheese, clocks, and furniture, as well as livestock and the slave trade, put
the city on a par with Charleston, South Carolina; the two cities trailed only Boston as centers
of New World maritime commerce. In the mid-1700s, Newport was home to the best
shipbuilders in North America.
In the 19th century, Newport became a summer playground for the wealthy. These riches
were not made in Rhode Island but imported by the titans of the gilded age and translated
into the fabulous "cottages" overlooking the Atlantic. Newport's mansions served as proving
grounds for the country's best young architects. Richard Upjohn, Richard Morris Hunt, and
firms like McKim, Mead & White have left a legacy of remarkable homes, many now open to
the public.
Recreational sailing, a huge industry in Newport today, convincingly melds the attributes of
two eras: the conspicuous consumption of the late 19th century and the nautical expertise of
the Colonial era. Tanned young sailors often fill Newport bars and restaurants, where they
talk of wind, waves, and expensive yachts. For those not arriving by water, a sailboat tour of
the harbour is a great way to get your feet wet.
Newport in summer can be exasperating, its streets jammed with visitors, the traffic slowed by
sightseeing buses (3½ million people visit the city each year). Yet the quality of Newport's
sights and its arts festivals persuade many people to brave the crowds. In fall and spring, you
can explore the city without having to stand in long lines.
If You Have 3 Days
Spend a day and a half in the historic waterfront city of Newport, and then make the 40-
minute drive north to Providence. Though this city's attractions are less packaged than
Newport's, they include sophisticated restaurants, historic districts, two large city parks, and
an outdoor skating rink.
If You Have 5 Days
Spend your first three days in Newport and Providence; then take two days to explore South
County. With pristine beaches and no shortage of restaurants and inns, South County
encourages a take-it-as-it-comes attitude that's just right for summer and fall touring.
Shop and soak up the turn-of-the-20th-century elegance of Watch Hill, and then spend a day
on the beach in Charlestown or South Kingstown try Misquamicut if you prefer beaches with a
carnival atmosphere).
Narragansett, which has great beaches and numerous B&Bs, is one option for a second
South County night. A day trip to Block Island allows enough time to see some of its
treasures, but it's easy to linger longer.
Providence
Overview
New England's second-largest city (with a population of 173,000, behind Boston) comes into
the 21st century as a renaissance city. Once regarded, even by its own residents, as an
awkward stepchild of greater Boston (50 mi to the north), Providence has metamorphosed
from an area that empties out at the end of a workday to a clean, modern, cultural, and
gastronomical hub.
The focal point of the city these days is Waterplace Park, a series of footbridges, walkways,
and green spaces that run along both sides of the Providence River, which flows through the
heart of downtown. Within walking distance of the park are a convention centre and several
hotels, an outdoor ice rink, and Providence Place, a glittering, upscale shopping centre.
With more restaurants per capita than any other major city in America, Providence
legitimately lays claim to being one of the nation's best places to eat.
Roger Williams founded Providence in 1636 as a refuge for freethinkers and religious
dissenters escaping the dictates of the Puritans of Massachusetts Bay Colony. The city still
embraces independent thinking in business, the arts, and academia. Brown University, the
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and Tony award-winning Trinity Repertory Company
are major forces in New England's intellectual and cultural life. Playing to that strength,
Providence is striving to have its once-abandoned downtown (now called Downcity, to erase
the connotations of the old downtown) populated by artists and art studios.
The narrow Providence River cuts through the city north to south. West of the river lies the
compact business district. An Italian neighbourhood, Federal Hill, pushes west from here
along Atwells Avenue. To the north you'll see the white-marble capitol. South Main and
Benefit streets run parallel to the river, on the East Side. College Hill constitutes the western
half of the East Side. At the top of College Hill, the area's primary thoroughfare, Thayer
Street, runs north to south. Don't confuse East Providence, a city unto itself, with Providence's
East Side.
Sights & Activities
Providence has history, intellectual and cultural vitality, and great food. The city is relatively
small and easy to travel, by car or on foot.
South Carolina:
Charleston
The Coast
Charleston
Overview
Charleston has survived three centuries of epidemics, earthquakes, fires, and hurricanes, and
it is today one of the South's loveliest and best-preserved cities. Many of its treasured double-
galleried antebellum homes are authentically furnished house museums, just as many are
home to Charlestonians and newcomers. Residents air their quilts over piazzas, walk their
dogs down cobblestone streets, and tend their famous gardens in much the same way their
ancestors did 300 years ago.
Renovation continues to expand to the far reaches of the downtown historic district, extending
across the Cooper River Bridge and out of the town of Mount Pleasant into Awendaw and
McClellanville. A visit to the city can easily include nearby towns, plantations and outstanding
gardens, and historic sites, whether you're exploring Mount Pleasant or the area west of the
Ashley River.
Despite the emphasis on preservation, this city is not a museum. Culturally vibrant,
Charleston nurtures theatre, dance, music, and visual arts, showcased each spring during the
internationally acclaimed Spoleto Festival.
Best in 5 Days
Day 1. The best way to get acquainted with Charleston is to take a carriage ride, especially
those that take you through the South of Broad neighbourhood. After the ride, carriage
companies drop you off near the Old City Market in the North of Broad, in the Market area,
where you can wander looking for souvenirs. Head to lunch and then hoof it to the Battery
and White Point Gardens; take time for a house tour or two at mansions such as the
Nathaniel Russell House and the Heyward-Washington House. Spend the night in the historic
district
Day 2. Drive to the magnificent plantations in West Ashley; you might tour Middleton Place,
Drayton Hall, or Magnolia Gardens. Return downtown for the night.
Day 3. Spend the morning shopping for antiques, seersucker suits, and one-of-a-kind
jewellery on Lower King Street. Break for lunch and wander down toward Broad Street again,
stopping to peek inside the churches and graveyards. Finish the day on a bench at Waterfront
Park before heading to a sumptuous dinner.
Day 4. Make your first stop the South Carolina Aquarium, near Upper King, which overlooks
Charleston Harbour. From there take the harbour ferry to Fort Sumter National Monument to
see where the Civil War began, or tour the waterfront on one of the other boat tours that
depart from the Maritime Centre.
Day 5. Drive across the Cooper River into Mount Pleasant and visit Patriots Point, the Old
Village neighbourhood, and Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island. After lunch on Middle Street
drive to one of the beaches, maybe to the Isle of Palms, to wind down. Return to Charleston
after catching the sunset.
South Carolina
Overview
The lively, family-oriented Grand Strand, a booming resort area along the South Carolina
coast, is one of the eastern seaboard's megavacation centers. Myrtle Beach alone accounts
for about 40% of the state's tourism revenue. The main attraction, of course, is the broad,
beckoning beach -- 60 miles of white sand, stretching from the North Carolina border south to
Georgetown, with Myrtle Beach as the hub. All along the Strand you can enjoy shell hunting,
fishing, swimming, sunbathing, sailing, surfing, jogging, or just strolling on the beach. And the
Strand has something for everyone: more than 100 championship golf courses, designed by
Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent Jones, Jack Nicklaus, and Tom and George Fazio, among
others; excellent seafood restaurants; giant shopping malls and factory outlets; amusement
parks, water slides, and arcades; a dozen shipwrecks for divers to explore; campgrounds,
most of which are on the beach; plus antique-car and wax museums, the world's largest
outdoor sculpture garden, an antique pipe organ and merry-go-round, and a museum
dedicated entirely to rice. It has also emerged as a major centre for country music, with an
expanding number of theatres.
Myrtle Beach -- whose population of 26,000 explodes to about 350,000 in summer -- is the
centre of activity on the Grand Strand. It is here that you find the amusement parks and other
children's activities that make the area so popular with families, as well as most of the nightlife
that keeps parents and teenagers happy. On the North Strand, there is Little River, with a
thriving fishing and charter industry, and the several communities that make up North Myrtle
Beach. On the South Strand, the family retreats of Surfside Beach and Garden City offer
more summer homes and condominiums. Farther south are towns as alluring to visit as are
the sights along the way: Murrells Inlet, once a pirate's haven and now a scenic fishing village
and port; and Pawleys Island, one of the East Coast's oldest resorts, which prides itself on
being "arrogantly shabby." At the south end of the Grand Strand lies historic Georgetown,
founded in 1729 and once the centre of America's colonial rice empire.
South Carolina's Lowcountry extends from south of Charleston to the state's southern border,
including the barrier islands of Edisto, Fripp, and Hilton Head, and the charming town of
Beaufort. Edisto (pronounced ed-is-toh) Island, settled in 1690 and once noted for cotton, is
midway between Charleston and Beaufort. Some of its elaborate mansions have been
restored; others brood in disrepair. Fripp Island, a self-contained resort with controlled
access, is farther south, and still farther south is Hilton Head Island.
Named after English sea captain William Hilton, who claimed its 42 square miles for England
in 1663, Hilton Head was settled by planters in the 1700s. It flourished until the Civil War,
after which it declined economically and languished until Charles E. Fraser, a visionary South
Carolina attorney, began developing the Sea Pines resort in 1956. Other developments
followed, and today Hilton Head's casual pace, broad beaches, myriad activities, and genteel
good life make it one of the East Coast's most popular vacation getaways.
Beaufort, some 40 miles north of Hilton Head, is a graceful antebellum town with a compact
historic district preserving lavish 18th- and 19th-century homes from an era of immense
prosperity, based on its silky-textured Sea Island cotton. The beau in Beaufort is pronounced
as in "beautiful," and Beaufort certainly is.
Sights & Activities
Myrtle Beach is the glitzy bauble of the Grand Strand, a 60-mile stretch of wide white-sand
beaches -- nearly all of which are covered with beach towels in summer. The area abounds
with recreational activities, especially golf, a major attraction. Stretching south from Myrtle
Beach to historic Georgetown, at the southern tip of the Grand Strand, is a nearly continual
community that enjoys a healthy tourism trade and offers a small-town respite from the
amusement park excitement of Myrtle Beach and the big-city sophistication of Charleston still
farther south.
Murrell's Inlet, a fishing village with popular seafood restaurants, is a perfect place to rent a
fishing boat or join an excursion. A notable garden and state park provide other diversions
from the beach.
The sea islands, separated from the mainland by expanses of estuaries and salt marshes,
make up more than half of South Carolina's coastline. To the south, tasteful, low-key Hilton
Head -- divided into several sophisticated, self-contained resorts -- has beautiful beaches and
wonderful opportunities for golf and tennis. A toll expressway helps handle traffic to the
island's resort areas. Sun City, a large, newly developed retirement community, attracts
scores of fifty-somethings to the area.
Lined by towering pines, palmetto trees, and wind-sculpted live oaks, Hilton Head's 12 miles
of beaches are a major attraction, and the semitropical barrier island also has oak and pine
woodlands and meandering lagoons. Choice stretches are occupied by various resorts, called
"plantations," among them Sea Pines, Shipyard, Palmetto Dunes, and Port Royal. In these
areas, accommodations range from rental villas and lavish private houses to luxury hotels.
Hilton Head prides itself on its strict regulations that keep "light pollution" to a minimum; the
lack of neon and streetlights also makes it difficult to find your way at night, so be sure to get
good directions.
The port city of Beaufort, its lovely streets dotted with preserved 18th-century homes, is a
popular stopover with New York to Florida commuters. It's also the favourite of early retirees
in search of small-town life and great deals on real estate; many have converted their historic
houses into bed-and-breakfasts. Although many private houses in Old Point, the historic
district, are not usually open to visitors, some can be visited on the annual Fall House Tour in
mid-October and the Spring Tour of Homes and Gardens in April or May.
Nearby, at the Penn Centre on St. Helena Island, freed slaves first found schooling. Edisto
Island remains undiscovered, sleepy, and bucolic.
Founded on Winyah Bay in 1729, Georgetown became the centre of America's colonial rice
empire. A rich plantation culture developed here, and the historic district, which can be walked
in a couple of hours, is among the prettiest in the state. Today, oceangoing vessels still come
to Georgetown's busy port, and the Harbour Walk, the restored waterfront, hums with activity.
Tennessee:
Great Smoky Mountains NP
Memphis
Nashville
Great Smoky Mountains
Overview
Like a rumpled quilt thrown across the foot of the eastern United States, the Great Smoky
Mountains sprawl across more than half a million acres of ancient terrain, the largest
wilderness sanctuary in the East. The park is a patchwork of old-growth forest and high
mountain meadow, its diverse habitats stitched together by mountain streams and roaring
rivers.
Encompassing nearly equal portions of Tennessee and North Carolina, the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park is a land of superlatives. Here are the largest stands of old-growth
forest in the eastern United States and the greatest mountains east of the Rockies -- 16
peaks shoulder into the sky more than 6,000 feet above sea level. But often, words pay poor
homage to a park whose beauty also lies in the details of bloodroot and bluet, trillium and
Turk's cap lily. A United Nations International Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site, the
park contains about 125 species of trees, more than 200 species of birds -- even 27 different
species of salamanders.
These rugged mountains were once sacred to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee, who in
1838 were brutally removed from their ancestral home by government action and forced to
march to Oklahoma. Thousands died along the Trail of Tears, but small groups of Cherokee
held out in the North Carolina high country, and in 1889 the 56,000-acre Qualla Indian
Reservation was formed. It now shares part of the park's southern border.
The high mountains that attracted rugged pioneer settlers in the 18th and 19th centuries were
discovered by the timber industry in the early 1900s. A librarian and writer named Horace
Kephart documented the changing fortunes of the southern Appalachian mountain peoples in
the classic Our Southern Highlanders and sparked a national movement to declare the
Smokies a national park. On June 15, 1934, the park was officially established.
Today the interior is managed as a wilderness preserve: there are extensive camping facilities
and interpretive programs, but few other services. The park is traversed by two main roads: a
portion of U.S. 441 called the Newfound Gap Road and Little River Road, which leads to
Cades Cove. On the perimeter of the park the resort towns of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and
Cherokee, North Carolina, offer extensive visitor facilities, while smaller towns around the
park, such as Townsend, Tennessee, and Bryson City, North Carolina, afford a more limited
array of services.
This melding of facilities and sights makes the park a popular place. There are about 9 million
recreational visits each year, more than twice the number of visits to any other national park.
The oft-cited statistic that the park is within two days' drive of half of the nation's population
shouldn't deter visitors, for solitude can often be found just a short hike from the blacktop.
Step off the paved road and the true heart of the park opens itself. Here you'll find hollows
and coves and ridges rarely seen by human eyes. In the space of a few dozen feet, quietness
pervades, all sounds muffled by moss and fern, stream and forest. Birds call. Brooks trickle.
Rain drips. Tiny unseen streams seep from the undergrowth. Welcome to Shaconage (Place
of Blue Smoke), the land held sacred by the Cherokee, a land whose wildness is still
celebrated today.
Best in a Day Itinerary
Rise early for a one-day tour of this gigantic slice of wilderness. You'll need to depart
Gatlinburg in the dark to make the 45-minute drive to Cades Cove by sunrise, but save your
groans: there's scheduled nap time in this dawn-to-dusk itinerary.
Cades Cove, in the far western reaches of the park, preserves the historic structures and
open pastoral landscape of the region as it appeared at the turn of the century. The 11-mile
loop road through Cades Cove can be very crowded, which is one reason for arriving at
sunrise (except Wednesdays and Saturdays in the summer, when the road is closed to cars
until 10 AM). The other reason is the valley at dawn. The warm early light turns fields into
seas of golden flame. Deer feed in the meadows. Drive slowly, stop often, and find an open
pasture where you can take a long walk.
By mid-morning, find Missionary Baptist Church on the northern part of the Cades Cove loop.
Directly across from the church, pick up the gravel Rich Mountain Road; follow it 8 miles over
the mountain, with fantastic views of the Cades Cove valley and the spine of the towering
Smokies above, then out of the park. Turn right on U.S. 321 just outside Townsend; keep
right where U.S. 321 turns north, load up on picnic supplies in Townsend, then turn around
and follow U.S. 321 south back through the park entrance. Take a left on Little River Road
and follow this scenic route to Sugarlands Visitor Centre, 2 miles south of Gatlinburg. (Rich
Mountain Road is closed in winter; at that time, take Laurel Creek Road from Cades Cove to
Tremont, and continue straight on Little River Road, following the rest of this itinerary from
there.)
From Sugarlands, turn south on Newfound Gap Road and follow this primary Smokies
thoroughfare toward its highest point at Clingmans Dome. Picnic along the way, perhaps at
the Chimney Tops Picnic Area. From Chimney Tops, continue south on Newfound Gap Road
to Newfound Gap. About.2 mile south of the gap, turn right on the road to Clingmans Dome
and follow the 7-mile scenic route to the parking lot. It's a.5-mile walk to the observation tower
on a steep, serpentine, asphalt walkway that switches back and rises above the treetops for a
spectacular panoramic view.
After Clingmans Dome, you'll likely be in search of solitude. Continue south on Newfound
Gap Road to Cherokee and turn right on U.S. 19 toward Bryson City. Once in town, follow the
signs to the Deep Creek area of the park, 3 miles north of town. If there's time, rent an inner
tube for a late-afternoon float downriver. If not, find a nice smooth boulder, soothe your feet in
the cool stream, and take a well-deserved nap. If all goes as planned, you'll be awakened by
the flutelike calls of the wood thrush at dusk, with just enough time to find your way back to
the car by dark.
Memphis
Overview
On the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, Memphis is Tennessee's largest city and the
commercial and cultural centre of the western part of the state. It is a blend of southern
tradition and modern efficiency, where aging cotton warehouses stand in the shadow of sleek
new office buildings, and old-fashioned paddle wheelers steam upriver past the city's newest
landmark, the gleaming, stainless-steel Pyramid Arena. Memphis is perhaps best known for
its music and for the two extraordinary men who introduced that music to the world: W. C.
Handy, the "Father of the Blues," and Elvis Presley, the "King of Rock and Roll."
A Good Tour of Downtown Memphis
Old and new mingle as Memphis progresses with its riverfront development and urban
renewal. Peabody Place, a collection of offices, shops, restaurants, and apartments, is a
development in the area surrounding the Peabody Hotel at 2nd Street and Union Avenue. For
travellers who want to tour the area without parking worries, the downtown trolley system runs
a north-south route down Main Street, connecting major attractions. A new loop adjacent to
Riverside Drive completes the 5-mi circle.
The Tour
Pick up a map of the city at the Tennessee Welcome Centre on Riverside Drive, where free
parking is available. Take the Main Street trolley south to South Main Street to Peabody Place
to visit the Centre for Southern Folklore, where the region's colourful past is chronicled in
poignant exhibits. Continue south on foot to Beale Street and sneak a peak at the stately
Orpheum Theatre; walk east to A. Schwab Dry Goods Store, a most unusual emporium. A
few blocks east on Beale is Handy Park, where the father of the blues is immortalized. You
can learn all about him at the nearby W. C. Handy Memphis Home and Museum. Walk farther
east on Beale to the Hunt-Phelan Home for a tour. Head for the south end of downtown (take
the Main Street trolley five blocks) to tour the National Civil Rights Museum, on the site where
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, or north to the Memphis Music Hall of
Fame Museum.
Take the Main Street trolley north to Adams Avenue and walk west to the Mud Island
Monorail to catch a ride over to the Mississippi River Park and Museum. When you come
back, the Pyramid is several blocks away from Mud Island parking and can be visited by
trolley. Afterwards, pick up your car and drive east on Adams, first to the Fire Museum of
Memphis, then on to the Victorian Village Historic District for tours of the Magevney, Mallory
Neely, and Woodruff-Fontaine houses. On the way out of downtown, stop at Sun Studio for a
dose of Memphis music history.
Timing
Spend the morning in the Beale Street Historic District -- the Hunt-Phelan Tour alone will take
an hour -- and work in lunch while you're there. The rest of downtown Memphis will take more
than a day to cover, so depending on your schedule, you may want to pick and choose. Most
of these attractions are closed Monday; the National Civil Rights Museum is closed Tuesday.
Nashville
Overview
Heralded as Music City, USA, and the country-music capital of the world, Tennessee's fast-
growing capital city also shines as a leading centre of higher education, appropriately known
as the Athens of the South. Nashville has prospered from both labels, emerging as one of the
South's most vibrant cities in the process. The Gaylor Entertainment Centre (formerly
Nashville Arena), a 20,000-seat facility spanning three blocks at 5th and Broadway, opened in
1996. Connected to the city's convention centre by a tunnel, the Arena hosted the U.S. Figure
Skating Championship in 1997. A successful drive to land both a National Football League
and a National Hockey League franchise, coupled with a population gain that has pushed
Nashville ahead of Memphis, has put Nashville into the major leagues of American cities.
Nashville's Grand Ole Opry radio program, which began as station WSM's Barn Dance in
1925 and thrived throughout the Great Depression right into today's MTV years, established
the town as a music centre. The Opry now performs in a sleek $15 million Opry House. An
infusion of new talent is attracting another generation of fans. The Opry is still as gleeful and
down-home informal as it was when ticket holders used to jam into the old Ryman Auditorium.
Bolstering Nashville's reputation as a music town are dozens of clubs, performance stages
(including the revitalized Ryman), and television tapings open to the public, as well as
memorials to many country-music stars. The District, the downtown area along 2nd Avenue
and historic Broadway, has emerged as another destination for tourists and locals alike, with
restaurants, specialty shopping, and entertainment options. And, of course, legendary Music
Row continues to beckon aspiring singers, musicians, and songwriters with stars in their eyes
and lyrics tucked in their back pockets.
Much of Nashville's role as a cultural leader, enhanced by the presence of the Tennessee
Performing Arts Centre, is derived from the presence of 16 colleges and universities, two
medical schools, two law schools, and six graduate business schools. Several, including
Vanderbilt University, have national or international reputations, and many have private art
galleries. As ancient Athens was the "School of Hellas," so Nashville, where a full-size replica
of the Parthenon graces Centennial Park, fills this role in the contemporary South. The
historic sites throughout the city -- such as the Hermitage, Belle Meade Plantation, and
Travellers' Rest -- add another dimension.
Sights & Activities
Downtown Nashville has much to offer in the way of history, music, entertainment, dining, and
specialty shopping. The Cumberland River horizontally bisects Nashville's central city.
Numbered avenues, running north-south, are west of and parallel to the river; numbered
streets are east of the river and parallel to it.
To get a more complete feeling for the city, you'll want to explore the area beyond downtown,
too. Among the offerings are historic plantations, a variety of museums covering everything
from toys to science, and some great places for kids, including the Nashville Zoo -- not to
mention the Grand Ole Opry.
Texas:
Austin
Dallas/Ft. Worth
Galveston
Houston
San Antonio
Austin
Overview
When Mirabeau B. Lamar, president-elect of the Texas Republic, set out to hunt buffalo in the
fall of 1838, he returned home with a much greater catch: a home for the new state capital.
Lamar fell in love with a tiny settlement surrounded by rolling hills and fed by cool springs.
Within a year, the government arrived, and Austin was on its way to becoming a city.
In recent years the entertainment industry has discovered this big city with a small-town
atmosphere, and it's not uncommon to see film crews blocking off an oak-lined street. Billing
itself as the "live music capital of the world," Austin has been on the national music map since
1984 when Austin City Limits, a showcase for bands taped at the University of Texas campus,
began airing nationwide. The city cemented its music reputation by hosting the annual South
by Southwest conference, which draws bands and record company executives from around
the world every March.
High-tech industries have also migrated to the Austin area, making it Texas's answer to
Silicon Valley. But, for all the changes that have occurred in the capital city, Austin is still very
much a town whose roots are buried in the past -- a past the city is proud to preserve and
show off to visitors.
Sights & Activities
A good place to begin a visit to Austin is downtown, where the pink-granite Texas State
Capitol, built in 1888, is the most visible manmade attraction. The Colorado River, which
slices through Austin, was once an unpredictable waterway, but it's been tamed into a series
of lakes, including two within the city limits. The 22-mile-long Lake Austin, which lies in the
western part of the city, flows into Town Lake, a narrow stretch of water that meanders for 5
miles through the centre of downtown.
The sprawling University of Texas, one of the largest universities in the United States, flanks
the capitol's north end. Among other things, it is home to both the Jack S. Blanton Museum of
Art and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum.
In the late afternoon hours, locals grab their sneakers and head to Zilker Park for a jog or a
leisurely walk. When the sun sets on summer days, attention turns to the lake's Congress
Avenue Bridge, the location of the country's largest urban colony of Mexican free-tailed bats.
The bats make their exodus after sunset to feed on insects in the surrounding Hill Country.
Wherever you go, be on the lookout for art: by some estimates, Austin boasts the 6th highest
per-capita concentration of artists in the nation. Tangible proof of this are the more than 150
pieces of art in public places, from bronze statues of Southern statesmen to modernist bats
that twirl in the wind.
Got a taste for history? There is, of course, a wealth of well-known museums and archives in
this capital city, but remnants of the past are scattered around town in some of the most
unlikely places. And you've got to agree that any town so party-crazed that it holds a
celebration of Spam (yes, the potted meat) each spring, deserves close inspection.
Dallas
Overview
These twin cities, separated by 30 miles of suburbs, may be the oddest couple of all in a state
of odd couples. Dallas is glitzy and ritzy, a swelling, modernistic business metropolis whose
inhabitants go to bed early and to church on Sunday. Fort Worth, sneered at as "Cowtown" by
its neighbours, lives in the shadow of its wild history as a rip-roaring cowboy town, a place of
gunfights and cattle drives -- even though its cultural establishment is superior to Dallas's and
it has seen a downtown rebirth in recent years. In Fort Worth that fellow in the faded jeans
and cowboy hat could well be the president of the bank. In Dallas, people tend to be a bit
more formal.
A Good Walk in Downtown Dallas
Many thousands visit Dallas, in spite of -- or in some cases because of -- its unhappy legacy
as the city where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, which occurred downtown.
Also downtown is one of the most remarkable flowerings of skyscraping architecture
anywhere -- that same skyline familiar to the world from the television show Dallas. A
multitude of restaurants and shops are in the nearby West End Historic District, a former
warehouse district.
The Walk
Begin at the corner of Elm and Houston streets at the Sixth Floor Museum, formerly the
Texas School Book Depository and the spot from where it is believed that Lee Harvey Oswald
fired upon President John F. Kennedy. Walk down Houston past Dealey Plaza and its
infamous triple underpass (the actual place where Kennedy was shot) to the intersection of
Main and Houston streets. Here you will find the Old Red Courthouse, a Romanesque-revival
building that now houses a visitor's center on its first floor. Behind the former courthouse, on
Main Street at Market, is the stark, white John F. Kennedy Memorial, a Philip Johnson-
designed cenotaph. Cross Market and stop into the Conspiracy Museum, where you can
explore theories on the assassinations of President Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin
Luther King, Jr.
Walk back down Market toward Main, then cross the street to the Dallas County Historical
Plaza and its John Neely Bryan Cabin, which provides insight into how early Dallas settlers
lived. Upon exiting the plaza, turn left on Market and walk four blocks to the West End
MarketPlace. This five-story building, once a cracker factory, now houses retail shops and
eateries, as well as Dallas Alley, where partiers can pay one cover charge for admittance to a
variety of nightclubs.
Walk back down Market Street two blocks to Ross Avenue, then turn left and continue
approximately two blocks to Griffin. Turn left to visit the Dallas World Aquarium & Zoological
Garden, which features not only creatures of the deep but also an indoor re-creation of a
tropical rain forest. After exiting, turn right on Griffin and walk two blocks to Pacific. Turn left
and walk two blocks to Thanks-Giving Square, at the corner of Bryan and Pacific. After
exploring this site's tranquil chapel and park, exit on Ervay Street, turn right, and walk two
blocks to Main Street, where you'll find the flagship of the luxe retailer Neiman Marcus. Walk
four blocks down Ervay to Young Street. Turn right on Young and walk past the I. M. Pei-
designed City Hall, with its Henry Moore sculpture in front.
Continue on Young past Akard and Field streets and enter Pioneer Park on your left. The
park is notable for its cemetery, which contains the remains of some of Dallas's first residents.
At the corner of Young and Griffin you'll see Pioneer Plaza and its massive Robert Summer
sculpture, which is a bronze rendering of a herd of longhorn cattle. Cross Griffin and continue
down Young for five blocks to Houston. Enter the Union Station train depot and take its
underground tunnel to Reunion Tower, which has a revolving restaurant and cocktail lounge,
as well as a 50-story observation deck with a 360° view of the city.
Timing
Allow at least four hours for this walk.
Galveston
Overview
One of Texas's most popular year-round coastal destinations, Galveston is an island in the
Gulf of Mexico 50 miles southeast of Houston, connected to the mainland by a causeway and
bridge. The island is a marriage of the best of both worlds: it is both city and seaside resort. It
offers historical and cultural attractions, as well as swimming, sunbathing, and relaxing. The
restored Victorian Strand district, resort hotels, and beachfront businesses give a commercial
feel to the north end of the island, while miles of private and rental residences on the southern
end offer solitude and open beach access.
Once one of the world's great port cities, Galveston was nearly devastated by a hurricane in
1900. More than 6,000 residents were killed by the storm, and many structures were
demolished. The hurricane prompted city officials to raise the island and add a seawall,
making Galveston a safe place to visit today. After the 1900 hurricane and the opening of the
Houston ship channel, Galveston lost its position as Texas's busiest seaport and the street
known as the Strand -- formerly the site of stores, offices, and warehouses -- faded as a
bustling centre of commerce.
In the 1950s, preservationists launched Galveston's renaissance by restoring stately homes
and building up commercial districts with modern facilities. The Strand, now on the National
Register of Historic Places, has one of the largest collections of historic buildings in the
country. A resort city with a southern flair, Galveston is a petite and blended version of New
Orleans and Charleston.
Sights & Activities
History and the waterfront are the main draws to Galveston, which was once the largest city in
Texas. Its wealthy classes built the Victorian homes that give the island an elegant, early
20th-century appearance. The homes, as well as some beautifully restored iron-front
commercial buildings, are concentrated on the northern side of the island, west through
Galveston's midsection, and along the Strand, which parallels Broadway several blocks to the
north. Since the 1970s, these two areas -- the East End Historic District and the Strand
Historic District -- have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Also hugging the north rim of the island, from 9th to 51st Street, is the harbour, port to small
fishing boats and shrimp trawlers and to the Elissa, the tall ship that is Galveston's pride and
joy.
The southern, or ocean, side of the island is lined with beaches (all open to the public), hotels,
parks, and restaurants. The eastern end of the island, especially around Stewart Beach Park,
has amenities of all kinds, including places where you can rent surfboards, windsurfers,
sailboats, chairs, and umbrellas. To the west are quieter, less-crowded beaches. The seawall
along the waterfront attracts runners, cyclists, and rollerbladers.
Houston
Overview
Unbridled energy has always been Houston's trademark. The forceful, wildcatter
temperament that transformed what was once a swamp near the junction of the Buffalo and
White Oak bayous into the nation's fourth-largest city also made the city a world energy
centre and pushed exploration into outer space -- indeed, the first words spoken from the
moon broadcast its name throughout the universe: "Houston, Tranquillity Base here. The
Eagle has landed."
This same wild spirit explains much about the unrestricted growth that resulted in the city's
patchwork layout: It's not unusual to find a luxury apartment complex next to a muffler repair
shop, or a palm reader's storefront adjacent to a church. Magnificent glass and metal towers
dominate the downtown corridor, but for the most part Houston's cityscape is characterized by
random upcroppings of impressive architecture interspersed with groomed greenbelts and
lively neighbourhoods.
Houston is nevertheless an international business hub and the energy capital of the United
States, evidenced by the Texas-size conventions that periodically fill its major hotels to
bursting points. Medical institutions spawned from the discoveries of the famous heart
transplant team of Cooley and DeBakey and research conducted at M.D. Anderson Cancer
Centre have earned Houston the title of "healing centre." Top-notch museums, galleries, and
performance halls affirm the city's commitment to creativity and expression, and its many
ethnic restaurants add to the cosmopolitan flavour.
Sights & Activities
Houston can be divided neatly into three major areas. One is its very modern downtown
(including the theatre district), which inspired one architecture critic to declare the city
"America's future." Another is the area a couple of miles south of downtown, where some of
the Southwest's leading museums are found along with Rice University and the internationally
renowned Texas Medical Centre. Finally, there is the thriving shopping and business centre
west of downtown, known as both the Galleria and Uptown.
Since attractions are spread out, you'll need a car. Houston is ringed by I-610 and Beltway 8.
A tighter loop, comprising several expressways, circles the downtown and provides
remarkable views of the city, especially at dawn and dusk. Radiating out from these rings like
spokes of a wheel are I-10, heading east to Louisiana and west to San Antonio; U.S. 59,
northeast to Longview or southwest to Victoria; and I-45, southeast to Galveston (about an
hour away) or north to Dallas. High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, tollways, and crosstown
connectors have reduced traffic congestion, but all these highways can be extremely crowded
during rush hours.
San Antonio
Overview
The Alamo -- symbol either of Texan heroism or Anglo arrogance -- is by no means the only
reason to visit San Antonio. This is in many ways Texas's most beautiful and atmospheric
city. Northwest of San Antonio is the Hill Country, an anomaly in generally flat Texas, rich with
pretty landscapes, early American history, and echoes of the linen-to-silk story of Lyndon
Baines Johnson, the nation's 36th president.
In general, the most visited city in Texas draws three types of tourists: Texans who come to
shop and sightsee; conventioneers; and visitors from northern Mexico, especially during
Christmas and Holy Week. Mexicans flock to San Antonio because it offers all the material
comforts and advantages of the United States, yet they don't need to speak English to enjoy
them. Even on the city's largely Anglo North Side, most concerns transact business in both
English and Spanish.
A Walk in Downtown San Antonio
An interesting tour of downtown San Antonio begins at the 30-story Tower Life Building, which
opened in 1929 as the Smith-Young Tower. West, across the River Walk, are two intriguing
structures, the Spanish Governor's Palace and, adjacent to it, San Fernando Cathedral.
Next, head east, following the River Walk, to the most famous mission in this city, which for
the past two centuries has gone by the name Alamo, on downtown's eastern side.
Just a few steps away from the Alamo is the Menger Hotel, built just 23 years after the
famous Alamo battle.
A few blocks west of the Menger is Market Square, a restoration of an old farmer's market
and its surrounding buildings. This is where you'll find El Mercado, the place to take kids to
buy locally made toys and crafts.
Four blocks southeast of the Alamo is La Villita, a pleasant place for a quiet stroll on tree-
shaded brick- and tile-paved streets filled with shops and boutiques, art galleries, and cafes.
La Villita abuts HemisFair Park, which contains remnants from San Antonio's 1968
international exposition. Make sure to visit the Tower of the Americas, the Institute of Texan
Cultures and take a look at Juan O'Gorman's mural "Confluence of Civilizations in the
Americas," which adorns the front of the Lila Cockrell Theatre.
Across I-37 from HemisFair Park is the Alamodome, which isn't a dome but a rectangular
sports arena where NBA's San Antonio Spurs play.
San Antonio's famous River Walk is lined with restaurants, hotels, and souvenir shops. The
most attractive portion of the walk starts adjacent to the Tower Life Building and runs
northeast to the Landing at the Hyatt Regency Hotel (123 Losoya Street). The Landing is a
popular restaurant and club that hosts weekly broadcasts of "Riverwalk, Live from the
Landing," a radio program of classic jazz performed by the Jim Cullum Jazz Band.
Utah:
Bryce Canyon NP
Park City & the Wasatch Range
Salt Lake City
Zion NP
Bryce Canyon
Overview
Looking at Bryce Canyon is much like gazing at the clouds: in the colourful rock formations
you can pick out the shapes of animals, ships, castles, or carriages. This astonishing
landscape was named for Ebenezer Bryce, a pioneer cattleman and the first permanent
settler in the area. His description of the landscape, oft repeated today, was more succinct:
"It's a hell of a place to lose a cow."
The rock formations you see at Bryce Canyon began forming about 60 million years ago. At
that time, freshwater lakes filled the shallow basins in southern Utah. When they receded,
about 2,000 feet of lime-rich sediment was deposited, and the lack of fossils in that layer
suggests that the lakes were inhospitable environments for most organisms. Some 16 million
years ago, the earth in the Colorado Plateau -- of which Bryce is a part -- broke up and tilted,
creating great blocks of rock-faulted uplands, which were then exposed to weathering and
erosion. Water seeped into cracks in the rock, froze, expanded, and shattered the
surrounding rock. Runoff from rain or melting snow created gullies that carried away soft
layers of rock. In the process, Bryce Canyon was formed. Because of its origins and shape
Bryce is actually an amphitheatre, not a canyon, in geological terms. The hoodoos (vertical
columns of rock) that populate the amphitheatre took on their unusual shapes because the
top layer of rock (caprock) is harder than the layers below it. Once erosion undercuts the soft
rock beneath the cap too much, the hoodoo tumbles. But Bryce will not soon lose its hoodoos,
because as the amphitheatre's rim recedes further, new hoodoos will form to replace their
fallen brethren.
The rim of Bryce Canyon is up to 9,000 feet in elevation, so the wildflower season arrives in
late summer. Fall colour in the park is stupendous as aspen, bigtooth maple, and other
hardwoods turn golden. In winter, snow provides a good canvas on which to look for the
footprints of mountain lions, mule deer, elk, and coyote, as well as plastering a brilliant white
contrast on the pink rock of the amphitheatre.
A Tour of Bryce Canyon NP
Bryce Canyon can easily be experienced in a day, as long as you don't spend much time on
the trail. Start at Fairyland Point, 1 mi north of the fee station and visitor centre, to get a
preview of the many amphitheatre views that lie ahead. Proceed to the Bryce Canyon Visitor
Centre to get an overview of the park and purchase any books or maps that might enhance
your visit. Watch the video presentation on the park and peruse exhibits about the natural and
cultural history of Bryce Canyon. Thus informed, drive to Bryce Canyon Lodge to see the
historic property. From the lodge, you can walk out to the Rim Trail and stroll along the half-
mile stretch between Sunset Point and Sunrise Point.
Drive the 18-mi main park road and stop at several of the overlooks along the way. Before
you take the road to Rainbow and Yovimpa points, take a 2-mi detour to Bryce Point, which
provides the southernmost view looking back on the main amphitheatre. Return to the main
road and continue south past Fairview Point to the Natural Bridge, an arch that stands just off
the edge of the rim. Another mile or so south is a narrow drainage called Agua Canyon, which
contains several unique hoodoo formations, including the Hunter. Finally, continue another 4
mi or so to the end of the road, where you can linger at Rainbow and Yovimpa Points. From
here the short rolling hike along the Bristlecone Loop Trail rewards you with spectacular views
and a cool walk through a forest of bristlecone pines.
Consider ending your day with sunset at Inspiration Point. Have your camera ready to catch
the dramatic play of light on the colourful hoodoos.
If you have the time and energy for a hike after checking out Sunrise Point, the Navajo Loop
and Queen's Garden trails descend into the amphitheatre. Although these are the least
strenuous routes into the amphitheatre, they still involve steep descents and return climbs to
the rim. Before you hit the road again, unpack your picnic lunch on one of the benches along
this part of the Rim Trail. From Bryce Point, you can access the Peekaboo Loop and Under-
the-Rim trails, which lead to the unique hoodoo formations of the Wall of Windows and the
Hat Shop, respectively.
Timing
This tour will take you the bulk of a day (10 to 12 hours), though you may have some extra
time in the late afternoon for some rest or a short hike. Allowing for traffic, if you stop at all 13
overlooks, this drive to Rainbow Point and back will take you between two and three hours. If
you cut out all of the stops except Rainbow Point, you can reduce the tour by 45 minutes to
an hour. If you're really pressed for time, stick to the lodge area of the main amphitheatre,
where you can see quite a bit without having to retreat to your car.
Utah's Wasatch Mountains
Overview
Utah's Wasatch Mountains form a rugged divider spanning the centre of the state for 160 mi
from north to south, providing spectacular staging ground for some of the finest ski resorts in
the country, if not the world. With exceptional Wasatch Mountain terrain, the lightest, driest,
deepest powder around, the ski resorts of the southern Wasatch in and around Park City
please even the most discriminating skiers and snowboarders. And, surprise-surprise, it's not
just about the snow: this part of Utah is home to world-class fly-fishing streams, a variety of
challenging golf courses, and loads of high adventure in the backcountry. And after all that
recreating, you can enjoy a drink in a chichi club, move on to a yummy supper, and then, if
you don't feel like going home to the hot tub just yet, you can cut loose with some live music
on Main Street.
Park City's rep of being Utah's "Sin City" is inextricably tied to its past: it, along with the towns
of Alta (where Alta and Snowbird are located) and Brighton (where Brighton and Solitude are
located) were birthed by raucous mining camps and a significant vein of that wild lifestyle
continues to this day. In contrast the Heber City area is a classically Mormon pioneer-formed
community, as is Provo, home to Brigham Young University. Recreation opportunities abound
here, too, but the nightlife is decidedly toned-down.
The area north of Salt Lake City has striking scenery but far fewer tourists than the more
popular regions to the south. Heading north from Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front you
pass a number of bedroom communities that fuse Odgen, the largest town in northern Utah,
with the greater Salt Lake City area. North beyond Ogden, Utah is still rough and rugged
country, not so unlike the way it was when the Transcontinental Railroad builders met in
lonely Promontory to drive their celebratory golden spike and link the two coasts for the first
time, in 1869. A large part of the region is within boundaries of the Wasatch-Cache National
Forest, home to breathtaking landscapes and countless miles of mostly undiscovered trails. In
the northeastern part of the state is Logan, home to both Utah State University and the Utah
Festival Opera. Logan is also a reliable homebase for hiking, biking, boating, and skiing
excursions. Northern Utah is not necessarily the place for urban culture, but if you want
genuine small town charm you're likely to find a dose or two here. It doesn't get more down-
home than the legendary fresh raspberry shakes made by locals in Bear Lake.
Best of the Wasatch Range in 3 to 7 Days
If You Have 3 Days
In three days you'll be hard-pressed to see all of this region so your best bet is to stick to the
central Wasatch. Start with a day and a night in Park City, skiing one of its three resorts in
winter or taking advantage of lift-served mountain biking in summer, then enjoy a night out on
Park City's historic Main Street. The next day drive west on I-80, south along Salt Lake City's
eastern bench on I-215, and east again on Route 210 up Little Cottonwood Canyon. In winter
spend a day skiing at Alta or Snowbird. In summer hike the Catherine's Pass trail into
neighboring Big Cottonwood Canyon. On your final day head south again on I-15, then east
on Route 92 on the Alpine Loop scenic drive to Sundance Resort, where you can pamper
yourself with a massage at the Spa and a quiet meal at the Tree Room or the Foundry Grill. In
winter the Alpine Loop will be closed to traffic, so instead of driving east on Route 92 continue
south on I-15 and spend some time exploring Provo before driving east on U.S. 189 to
Sundance.
If You Have 5 Days
Start your five-day trip by following the suggested three-day itinerary above and then tack on
the following: on Day 4 leave Sundance, heading east on Route 189 up Provo Canyon to the
Heber Valley. In winter spend the day cross-country skiing or snowshoeing before your late-
afternoon sleigh ride, and in summer spend the day hiking, golfing, or horseback riding in
Wasatch Mountain State Park. The point is to take in the beauty of the Wasatch at a slower
pace than is allowed while downhill skiing or snowboarding. Treat yourself to supper at Snake
Creek Grill before retiring to the overnight comforts of the Homestead Resort. Strike out on
Day 5 using River Road to connect to U.S. 40 and back to Park City- where, even though you
started your trip here, something new awaits. Ski and/or snowboard until you're worn out and
then nestle into an après-ski lounge for a hot toddy before suppertime and your pre-sleep hot
tub. In warmer months spend your day fly-fishing with one of the guides from Trout Bum 2 or
hiking some of Park City's extensive trail system and cap it off with supper on the patio of one
of Park City's fine restaurants.
If You Have 7 Days
In a week you can get a good feel for the diversity of the Wasatch. Follow the five-day
itinerary above, adding a day and a night in Big Cottonwood Canyon between Park City and
Little Cottonwood Canyon. Then you can spend an extra day and night either exploring the
Heber Valley or Park City.
Salt Lake City
Overview
Sitting at the foot of the rugged Wasatch Mountains and extending to the south shore of the
Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake City has some of the best scenery in the country. The interface
between city and nature draws residents and visitors alike to the Salt Lake Valley. There are
few other places where you can enjoy urban pleasures and, within 20 minutes, hike a
mountain trail or rest by a rushing stream.
The world headquarters of the conservative Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (you
can hardly visit Salt Lake City without at least passing by Temple Square), Salt Lake City is
surprisingly cosmopolitan, with the state's most diverse -- and most politically liberal --
population. Contrary to what you might have heard, Salt Lake City has a thriving nightlife
scene and yes, you can get a drink. There's an active arts community and no dearth of good
restaurants. And if you're a spectating sports enthusiast you'll have no problem finding a
game: Salt Lake City is home to major basketball, hockey, baseball, and soccer clubs. Utah's
largest newspapers and television stations originate here, and a significant feather in this
city's cap was its terrific success as host to the world during the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Best of Salt Lake City in 3 to 7 Days
If You Have 3 Days
The best place to start in Salt Lake City is downtown. Spend your first day visiting Temple
Square, shopping The Gateway, and taking in a show at Clark Planetarium. On Day 2, visit
Red Butte Garden & Arboretum and This Is the Place Heritage Park in the foothills of Salt
Lake. Save Day 3 for experiencing the Great Salt Lake. A short 20 minutes away is Great Salt
Lake State Park Marina, where you can see what it feels like to float in water three times
heavier than freshwater. Finish your day with a visit to the Bingham Canyon Copper Mine,
one of the largest man-made holes on earth.
If You Have 5 Days
Spend two full days in downtown Salt Lake City. Use your entire first day to visit the sites at
Temple Square. On your second day, tour the Kearns Mansion and the Pioneer Memorial
Museum. Spend Day 3 at the Utah Museum of Natural History and the Utah Museum of Fine
Arts on the University of Utah campus. Finish the day with a shopping trip to Trolley Square
and a meal at the Hard Rock Cafe or Green Street Social Club at Trolley Square. On your
fourth day, tour This Is the Place Heritage Park and Utah's Hogle Zoo. Spend the evening at
the symphony, opera, or one of many theatres in the city. On Day 5 visit Antelope Island State
Park in the Great Salt Lake.
If You Have 7 Days
Spend your first five days as outlined above. Take advantage of the city's great cultural
offerings and restaurants at night. Depending on the season, take in a baseball or basketball
game, or go to a play or concert in the evening. Make reservations for a dinner cruise on the
Great Salt Lake on Day 5. On Day 6 start the morning with a walk or jog through Liberty Park
and visit Tracy Aviary. Then head to the Bingham Canyon Copper Mine. On Day 7 start the
day walking in Memory Grove or Ensign Peak, then visit any of the sights you didn't have time
for the rest of the week. History buffs might opt to check out a portion of the Pony Express
Trail.
Zion Canyon
Overview
The walls of Zion Canyon soar more than 2,500 feet above the valley below, but it's the
character, not the size, of the sandstone forms that defines the park's splendour. The domes,
fins, and blocky massifs bear the names and likenesses of cathedrals and temples, prophets
and angels. You can spend a whole visit to Zion taking in views from the valley floor,
marvelling at every exhibit in this gallery of immense natural statuary.
For all Zion's grandeur, trails that lead deep into side canyons and up narrow ledges on the
sheer canyon walls reveal a subtler beauty. Tucked among the monoliths are delicate
hanging gardens, serene spring-fed pools, and shaded spots of solitude. So diverse is this
place that 85% of Utah's flora and fauna species are found here. Some, like the tiny Zion
snail, appear nowhere else in the world.
At the heart of Zion is the Virgin River, a tributary of the Colorado River. It's hard to believe
that this muddy little stream is responsible for carving the great canyon you see, until you
witness it transformed into a rumbling red torrent during spring runoff and summer
thunderstorms. Cascades pour from the cliff tops, clouds float through the canyon, and then
the sun comes out and you know you are walking in one of the West's most loved and sacred
places. If you're lucky, you may catch such a spectacle, but when the noisy waters run thick
with debris, make sure that you keep a safe distance -- these "flash floods" can and do kill.
The elegance of Zion Canyon is most apparent as the morning sun alights upon the canyon
walls or when the sunset draws out the brilliant colors of the rock. During the rains of March
and September, you're likely to see waterfalls and fog. In fall, the canyon's trees explode into
jarring hues of yellow and orange that mimic the sandstone backdrop. Winter is also dramatic,
with a dusting of snow and storm clouds hugging the peaks. You are more likely to see
wildlife on far-flung trails or in the off-season when there's less human and vehicular traffic.
However, even in high season you may spot mule deer wandering in sheltered glens,
especially early in the morning and at dusk. The park's many species of lizard come out to
sun themselves on rocks during the heat of the day, and you may be surprised to come
across a rattlesnake or, more benignly, a Gambel's quail. Mountain lion and ringtail cats
prowl, but you're more likely to spot their tracks than catch a glimpse of the elusive animals
themselves.
A Good Tour: Zion Canyon
Begin your visit at the Zion Canyon Visitor Centre, where outdoor exhibits inform you about
the park's geology, wildlife, history, and trails, as well as how to best enjoy the park. Catch the
shuttle or drive -- depending on the season -- into Zion Canyon. On your way in make a quick
stop at the Zion Human History Museum. You can watch a 22-minute orientation program on
the park and visit exhibits chronicling the human history of the area. Board the shuttle and
travel to the Court of the Patriarchs viewpoint to take photos and walk the short path. Then
pick up the next bus headed into the canyon. Stop at Zion Lodge and cross the road to the
Emerald Pools trailhead, and take the short hike up to the pools themselves.
Before reboarding the shuttle, grab lunch in the snack shop or dining room at Zion Lodge and
browse the gift shop. Take the shuttle as far as Weeping Rock trailhead for a brief, cool walk
up to the dripping, spring-fed cascade. Ride the next shuttle to the end of the road, where you
can walk to the gateway of the canyon's narrows on the paved, accessible Riverside Walk.
Follow with a relaxing dinner in Springdale after a stroll to the downtown galleries and shops.
If you have another day, take a drive along the beautiful Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, with its
long, curving tunnels, making sure your camera is loaded and ready for stops at viewpoints
along the road. Once you reach the park's east entrance, turn around, and stop on the return
trip to take the short hike up to Canyon Overlook. Afterward, rest your feet at a screening of
Zion Canyon: Treasure of the Gods at the Zion Giant Screen Theatre in Springdale. In the
evening, you might want to attend a ranger program at one of the campground amphitheatres
or at Zion Lodge.
Timing
The two options here would each fill a day, with time for lingering at the sights along the way,
or for making a couple of short hikes along the way.
Vermont:
Vermont Mountains
Vermont
Overview
Vermont is an entire state of hidden treasures. Highways are not marred with billboards, and
on some roads, cows still stop traffic twice a day, en route to and from the pasture. In spring,
sap boils in sugarhouses, some built generations ago. Yet up the road, a chef trained at the
New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier might use the maple syrup to glaze a pork
tenderloin.
It's the landscape that attracts people to Vermont. The rolling hills belie the rugged terrain
underneath the green canopy of forest growth. During the heyday of the wool industry in the
mid-1800s, sheep farming denuded 85% of the landscape. With railroads opening up the
West after the Civil War, farming moved to the more profitable plain states, and the landscape
began reclaiming itself.
Tourism is one of the state's main economic engines. In winter, Vermont's 16 ski resorts are
the prime attraction. In summer, clear lakes and streams provide ample opportunities for
swimming, boating, and fishing; the hills attract hikers and mountain bikers. The more than
14,000 square miles of roads are great for road biking. In fall, the leaves have their last
hurrah, painting the mountainsides a stunning array of yellow, gold, red, and orange. The only
time things really slow down is during "mud" season -- otherwise known as late fall and
spring. Even innkeepers have been known to tell guests to come another time.
Sights & Activities
Vermont can be divided into three regions. The southern part of the state, flanked by
Bennington on the west and Brattleboro on the east, played an important role in Vermont's
Revolutionary War-era drive to independence (yes, there was once a Republic of Vermont)
and its eventual statehood. The central part is characterized by rugged mountains and the
gently rolling dairy lands near Lake Champlain. Northern Vermont is the site of the state's
capital, Montpelier, and its largest city, Burlington, yet it is also home to Vermont's most rural
area, the Northeast Kingdom.
Virginia:
Blue Ridge Parkway
Williamsburg
Blue Ridge Parkway
Overview
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile scenic corridor that runs through the southern
Appalachian Mountains from Shenandoah National Park, in Virginia, to Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, on the North Carolina-Tennessee border. It has much in common
with these parks -- notably motor-vehicle access to hiking, camping, and picnicking
opportunities; cultural and historical attractions; and modern lodgings nestled in some of the
most striking mountain scenery in the East.
Conceived in 1933 as a Great Depression-era public works effort, the Blue Ridge Parkway
was begun in 1935 -- the first rural national parkway -- and finished in 1987. Its aim was to
link the parks and to fight the area's dire unemployment. Today the parkway attracts more
than 20 million visitors.
The Blue Ridge's attraction is its elevated views of the wooded mountains and valleys that
typify the Southern Highlands: modest peaks cloaked in a lush, leafy canopy of oak, hickory,
and maple, with an occasional evergreen highlight of hemlock, spruce, or fir. With the
exception of North Carolina's 6,684-foot Mt. Mitchell, the highest mountain east of the
Mississippi, only a few Blue Ridge summits peak above 4,000 feet, but, the Blue Ridge
Parkway reaches its highest point at Richland Balsam, which is 6,047 feet. Enveloping this
expanse is the bluish haze that allegedly gave the Blue Ridge its name. Originally a product
of moisture given off by the forest, today's haze is frequently infiltrated by airborne pollution
that occasionally restricts views and has damaged some of the high-elevation foliage.
More than six decades and 600 million visitors after it first opened, the parkway attracts a
steady but uncrowded flow of weekday visitors from April through September; highest
visitation is on summer weekends and during October's peak fall foliage, which usually occurs
the second or third week of the month. In particularly popular areas, such as Virginia's Mabry
Mill (Milepost 176.1), the traffic can sometimes resemble a big-city traffic jam -- the parkway is
the most visited area in the 368-unit National Park System. Few travel the road in winter, and
sections are frequently closed due to ice and snow.
Best in a Day Itinerary
Stop to enjoy the most inviting overlooks, take a couple of walks, visit one or two of the more
popular attractions, and you've gotten about as much out of the parkway as one day will
allow. Seeing the best of the entire roadway calls for at least two days, and preferably three or
more.
Must-see stops on the Virginia section of the parkway are the historical exhibits and hikes at
Humpback Rocks (Milepost 5.8), Peaks of Otter (Milepost 86.0), Rocky Knob (Milepost
169.0), and Mabry Mill (Milepost 176.1). Worth the detour, if you have the time, are the view
from the foot of Roanoke's towering Mill Mountain Star (on the spur road that intersects the
parkway at Milepost 124.5) and the expansive picnic area and walking opportunities at Smart
View (Milepost 154.5) and Ground Hog Mountain (Milepost 189.0).
In North Carolina, be sure to see Doughton Park (Milepost 241.1), Linville Falls (Milepost
316.4), Crabtree Meadows (Milepost 339.5), Craggy Gardens (Milepost 364.6), Mt. Pisgah
(Milepost 408), and Waterrock Knob (Milepost 451.2) -- all of which have wondrous walking,
picnicking, and sightseeing opportunities. Also well worth the stop is Linn Cove Viaduct
(Milepost 305.0), the inventive, structurally elegant bridge that enables the parkway to
continue uninterrupted.
Williamsburg
Overview
Colonial Williamsburg, a careful restoration of the former Virginia capital, gives you the
chance to walk into another century and see how earlier Americans lived. The streets may be
unrealistically clean for that era, and you can find hundreds of others exploring the buildings
with you, but the rich detail of the re-creation and the sheer size of the city could hold your
attention for days. A ticket or pass (price is based on the number of attractions and the
duration of visit) admits the holder to sites in the restored area, but it costs nothing just to walk
around and absorb the atmosphere.
The 23-mi Colonial Parkway joins Williamsburg with two other significant historical sites on or
near the peninsula bounded by the James and York rivers. Historic Jamestowne was the
location of the first permanent English settlement in North America, and it's an excellent place
to begin a visit to the area; Yorktown was the site of the final major battle in the American
Revolutionary War. The sites themselves are maintained today by the National Park Service.
Close by are Jamestown Settlement and the excellent Yorktown Victory Centre, both run by
the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. Like Colonial Williamsburg, these two sights re-create
the buildings and activities of the 18th century, using interpreters in period dress.
Best of Williamsburg in 2 Days Itinerary
Day 1
Spend the day touring Colonial Williamsburg. When you buy your tickets at the visitor centre,
stay to see Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot, starring Jack Lord, which has the distinction
of being the longest-playing movie in the history of the United States -- it premiered in 1957.
To get a real feel for the old days, exchange your modern money for replicas of 18th-century
currency that you can use to make purchases in the historic area. Before you leave the visitor
centre, check out the scheduled events, which include drum and fife corps performances,
rope making, brick making, and many other demonstrations by costumed re-enactors. After
you've toured a bit, have lunch on Duke of Gloucester Street at Chowning's Tavern, the
King's Arms, or one of the other restored taverns here. Or eat a fancy lunch at the
Williamsburg Inn, overlooking a golf course.
After lunch, walk around the campus of the College of William and Mary -- don't miss the
Wren Building, America's oldest academic building still in use. Then head over to Nicholson
Street and the jail, where criminals, debtors, and the insane were kept in leg irons and chains.
The gardens adjoining the Governor's Palace are pleasant to stroll and worth a trip even if
you aren't touring the palace. Adjacent to the gardens is an outdoor kitchen, where demos of
18th-century cooking techniques take place.
Have dinner at one of the cafés and restaurants on Duke of Gloucester or at one of the 40 or
so restaurants at Merchants Square. After dinner, stop by the Play Booth Theatre, where
plays and scenes of plays from before the American Revolution are performed.
Day 2
Spend the entire day at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.
Washington:
Seattle
Seattle
Overview
Seattle is defined by water. There's no use denying the city's damp weather, or the fact that
its skies are cloudy for much of the year. Seattleites don't tan, goes the joke, they rust. But
Seattle is also defined by the rivers, lakes, and canals that bisect its steep green hills,
creating distinctive micro-landscapes along the water's edge. Funky fishing boats, floating
homes, swank yacht clubs, and waterfront restaurants exist side by side.
A city is defined by its people as well as its weather or geography, and the people of Seattle --
a half-million or so within the city proper, another 2.5 million in the surrounding Puget Sound
region -- are a diversified bunch. Seattle has long had a vibrant Asian and Asian-American
population, and well-established communities of Scandinavians, African-Americans, Jews,
Native Americans, and Latinos live here, too. It's impossible to generalize about such a varied
group, but the prototypical Seattleite was once pithily summed up by a New Yorker cartoon in
which one arch-browed East Coast matron says to another, "They're backpacky, but nice."
Seattle's climate fosters an easygoing lifestyle. Overcast days and long winter nights have
made the city a haven for moviegoers and book readers. Hollywood often tests new films
here, and residents' per-capita book purchases are among North America's highest. Seattle
has all the trappings of a metropolitan hub -- two daily newspapers; a state-of-the-art
convention centre; professional sports teams; a diverse music club scene; and top-notch
ballet, opera, symphony, and theatre companies. A major seaport, the city is a vital link in
Pacific Rim trade.
Best of Seattle in 3 to 6 Days
If You Have 3 Days
Get up with the sun and stroll to Pike Place Market. Take the steps down to the docks and
visit the Odyssey Maritime Discovery Centre or the Seattle Aquarium. In the afternoon take a
cruise on Elliott Bay or shop in Downtown's cosmopolitan shops. Return to Pike Place Market
for dinner. Top off the night with a concert, a play, or a little clubbing in Belltown.
On the second day, take the two-minute monorail ride from Downtown's Westlake Centre mall
to the Seattle Centre. Head up the Space Needle for 360-degree city views. Afterward take in
the Pacific Science Centre, the Children's Museum, the Experience Music Project, or the
Science Fiction Experience. Have lunch in Queen Anne or Belltown, and then walk southwest
down Broadway to the water. Ride the trolley past the docks and through Pioneer Square to
the International District. Tour the Wing Luke Museum.
For dinner, head to Uwajimaya, the market with a Pan-Asian food court. See what's
happening at the Nippon Kan Theatre, or head east to Capitol Hill's shops and bars. Start the
third day exploring galleries and shops in Pioneer Square. Wander through the Klondike Gold
Rush National Historical Park, then grab a latte at the corner Starbucks before you take the
Seattle Underground Tour. Have lunch at Elliott Bay Books' café, then browse the shelves.
Take a bay cruise or visit the Washington Park Arboretum. Head to Capitol Hill or back south
to Pioneer Square for dinner and some nightclubbing.
If You Have 6 Days
Follow the three-day itinerary. On the fourth day, grab a coffee (or carrot juice) at a Green
Lake café, then stroll around the water. Round out the morning exploring the Woodland Park
Zoo or Ballard Locks. Head to Fremont for lunch and a little shopping. Cross over to the
University District and the University of Washington's Waterfront Activities Centre, where you
can rent a kayak. Try one of the U-District's ethnic restaurants for dinner, then spend the
evening shopping at University Village or bar-hopping along the Avenue.
Day 5 is for culture: spend the morning at the Frye Art Museum, the Burke Museum of Natural
History and Culture, the Henry Art Gallery, or the Museum of History & Industry. Afterward,
drive northeast to the Woodinville vineyards. Take a Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery tour, then
head across the street to the Columbia Winery to sample the vintages. Have lunch in one of
the area's many restaurants, or wait to eat until after you've toured the Redhook Brewery.
Head back through Kirkland, pausing to wander along the docks and the beach. End the day
in Bellevue with dinner at a trendy restaurant.
On Day 6 head to Capitol Hill and set out on a late-morning stroll through Volunteer Park.
Then tour the Seattle Asian Art Museum and the conservatory. Have lunch on Broadway; do
a little shopping here and along 12th Avenue. Drive to West Seattle's Alki Beach for the
afternoon, and have dinner at a beachside restaurant.
Washington, D.C.
Washington
Overview
The Byzantine workings of the federal government; the sound-bite-ready oratory of the well-
groomed politician; the murky foreign policy pronouncements issued from Foggy Bottom: they
all cause many Americans to cast a sceptical eye on anything that happens "inside the
Beltway." Washingtonians take it all in stride, though, reminding themselves that, after all,
those responsible for political hijinks don't come from Washington, they come to Washington.
Besides, such ribbing is a small price to pay for living in a city whose charms extend far
beyond the bureaucratic. World-class museums and art galleries (nearly all of them free),
tree-shaded and flower-filled parks and gardens, bars and restaurants that benefit from a
large and creative immigrant community, and nightlife that seems to get better with every
passing year are as much a part of Washington as floor debates or filibusters.
There's no denying that Washington, the world's first planned capital, is also one of its most
beautiful. And although the federal government dominates many of the city's activities and
buildings, there are always places where you can leave politics behind. Washington is a city
of vistas -- pleasant views that shift and change from block to block, a marriage of geometry
and art. Unlike other large cities, Washington isn't dominated by skyscrapers, largely
because, in 1910, Congress passed a height-restrictions act to prevent federal monuments
from being overshadowed by commercial construction. Its buildings stretch out gracefully and
are never far from expanses of green. Like its main industry, politics, Washington's design is
a constantly changing kaleidoscope that invites inspection from all angles.
Best in 3 to 5 Days
You could easily spend several weeks exploring Washington, D.C., but if you're here for just a
short period, make sure to plan your time carefully. The following suggested itineraries (one
set is geared specifically for those travelling with children) can help you structure your visit
efficiently.
Days 1 & 2
Spend both days on the Mall checking out the museums and monuments. The National
Museum of Natural History, the National Air and Space Museum (also the most crowded), the
National Gallery of Art, and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum are the most popular. Take
time out for a walk from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial and around the
Tidal Basin, where you can see the Jefferson Memorial and the FDR Memorial, and take a
leisurely paddleboat ride around the cherry trees.
Day 3
Explore Capitol Hill, where you'll have the option of visiting the Capitol, the U.S. Botanic
Gardens, the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Folger Shakespeare Library.
Call your senators or congressional representatives in advance for tickets to see Congress in
session. It's an unforgettable experience. Likewise, check the Supreme Court's Web site for
weekday dates of oral arguments. Show up at 9:30 in the morning for admission either to a
short (three-minute) or all-morning visit.
Day 4
Head to the National Zoo for the morning. Say hi to the pandas, then, if it's nice out, hop on
the Metro to Dupont Circle for lunch. Walk west on P Street NW to Georgetown, where the
options for lattes, shopping, and leisurely strolling (for architecture buffs) abound. In inclement
weather take a cab from the zoo straight to Georgetown's Washington Harbour, where you
can dine until the sun comes out, then explore the neighbourhood.
Day 5
Split your last day between Adams-Morgan and Dupont Circle. These two neighbourhoods
have unusual shops, restaurants, and clubs, although each area has its own personality.
Ethiopian, El Salvadoran, and Mexican cuisines abound in Adams-Morgan. Dupont Circle is a
destination favoured by art lovers, thanks to an assortment of art galleries as well as the
Phillips Collection. It's also where you'll find the renowned bookstore Kramerbooks &
Afterwords.
Wisconsin:
Milwaukee
Milwaukee
Overview
A small-town atmosphere prevails in Milwaukee, which is not so much a city as a large
collection of neighbourhoods situated on the shores of Lake Michigan. Wisconsin's largest
city, it is an international seaport and the state's primary commercial and manufacturing
centre. Modern steel-and-glass high-rises occupy much of the downtown area, but they share
the skyline with restored and well-kept 19th-century buildings from Milwaukee's early
heritage. First settled by Potawatomi and later by French fur traders in the late 18th century,
the city boomed in the 1840s with the arrival of German brewers, whose influence is still
present. Milwaukee is known as a city of festivals, the biggest being Summerfest in late June
and early July and the Great Circus Parade in July.
Sights & Activities
From the north, I-43 provides controlled access into downtown Milwaukee. I-94 leads to
downtown from Chicago and other points south and west of the city. If you are travelling to
sites in the wider metropolitan area, from I-94 you can connect to I-894, which bypasses
central Milwaukee.
Lake Michigan is Milwaukee's eastern boundary; Wisconsin Avenue is the main east-west
thoroughfare. Milwaukee's downtown, the central business district, is 1 mi long, a few blocks
wide, and is divided into east and west by the Milwaukee River. The East-West Expressway
(I-94/I-794) is the dividing line between north and south. Streets are numbered in ascending
order from the Milwaukee River west well into the suburbs. Many downtown attractions are
near the Milwaukee River and can be reached on foot.
Wyoming:
Grand Teton NP
Yellowstone NP
Grand Teton National Park
Overview
Grand Teton National Park encompasses the spectacular Teton Range jutting into the sky
above the Snake River. This part of Wyoming has the tallest, most spectacular peaks in the
state and a diverse wildlife population that includes wolves, grizzly bears, Rocky Mountain
bighorn sheep, and antelope. Here you can hike through mountain meadows, challenge white
water, explore Native American culture, and trace the history of westbound 19th century
emigrants.
You might think Grand Teton National Park would suffer in comparison to larger, more historic
Yellowstone, but when you see the Tetons rising out of Jackson Hole, you realize that nothing
overshadows soaring peaks like these. Jackson Hole, the valley to the east of the Tetons, is a
world-class ski destination, with literally thousands of ways to get down the slopes. In the
valley, the town of Jackson works to maintain its small-town charm while at the same time
serving as the area's cultural center. In the Wind River Mountains, the Oregon-California-
Mormon trail sites near South Pass merit a visit, and you can learn about Native American
traditions on the Wind River Reservation.
Wildlife-watching in northwest Wyoming ranks among the best in the state: look for Rocky
Mountain bighorn sheep at Whiskey Mountain near Dubois; buffalo, elk, and even wolves in
Jackson Hole; and moose near Pinedale or north of Dubois. One of the best ways to admire
the landscape -- mountain flowers, alpine lakes, and wildlife ranging from fat little pikas to
grizzly bears -- is to pursue an outdoor activity.
Name an outdoor activity and you can probably do it here, whether it be hiking, mountain
biking, climbing, fishing, picnicking, and camping in summer, or downhill skiing, cross-country
skiing, dogsledding, and snowmobiling in winter. You can hike or ride a horse along one of
the backcountry trails near Grand Teton National Park, Dubois, or Lander; scale mountain
peaks in the Wind River or Grand Teton ranges; or fish or float the Snake River near Jackson.
Come winter, take a sleigh ride through the National Elk Refuge, snowmobile on hundreds of
miles of trails, cross-country ski throughout the region, or hit the slopes at Snow King
Mountain, Grand Targhee, or Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, one of the great skiing
destinations in the country.
There's more to northwest Wyoming than the great outdoors. A handful of museums, well
worth a few hours of your trip, offer a window on the history of the American West. The
Jackson Hole Museum concentrates on the early settlement of Jackson Hole, while the
Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale takes an informative look at the trapper heritage.
The Indian Arts Museum, within the Colter Bay Visitor Centre at Grand Teton National Park,
houses Plains Indians artefacts, including toys, clothing, and instruments; it occasionally
hosts crafts demonstrations by tribal members and ranger programs on Native American
culture. At Fort Washakie, the Gallery of the Wind and Museum celebrates the heritage of
northwest Wyoming's earliest residents.
Grand Teton Tour
Start your tour at Moose Visitor Center, which has exhibits on the geology and wildlife of the
area, plus information on the park. Follow Teton Park Road north for about ½ mi and then
head east on the path to Menor's Ferry Historic Area, which illustrates how people crossed
the Snake River before bridges were built. Also here is the tiny Chapel of the Transfiguration.
Drive north for 10 mi on Teton Park Road to scenic Jenny Lake. If you want to hike, you can
spend the rest of the day exploring trails in the Jenny Lake area. However, if you prefer a
driving tour, return to the Teton Park Road and travel north.
Jackson Lake, popular with boaters and anglers, starts several miles north of Jenny Lake, off
Teton Park Road. Teton Park Road intersects with U.S. 89/191/287 west of Moran Junction;
follow U.S. 89/191/287 north for about 5 mi as it skirts the lake to Jackson Lake Lodge, which
is a good place for lunch. After eating, continue north to Colter Bay Visitor Center, which
hosts daily programs on wildlife and Native American culture. Within the visitor centre, the
Indian Arts Museum houses numerous Plains Indians artifacts and it's well worth the miles to
see the collection. From the Colter Bay Visitor Centre, retrace your route south on U.S.
89/191/287 to the Willow Flats, where you have a good chance of seeing moose grazing.
Continue east on U.S. 89/191/287 to the scenic Oxbow Bend, home to several species of
birds. Drive southeast to Moran Junction and then head south for 6 mi on U.S. 191 to the late-
19th-century cabin at Cunningham Cabin Historic Site before returning to Jackson.
Timing
Plan to spend at least a full day on this tour, and budget even more time if you want to hike or
pursue other outdoor activities in the park. This tour is meant to be done between late spring
and early fall, as much of the park shuts down in winter to all but skiing and snowmobiling
(Teton Park Road and many of the restaurants and lodgings in the area are closed between
October and April).
Yellowstone
Overview
Where else but Yellowstone can you pull off the empty highway at dawn to see two bison
bulls shaking the earth as they collide in battle before the herd, and an hour later be caught in
an RV traffic jam? For more than 125 years the granddaddy of national parks has been full of
such contradictions, stemming from its twin goals: to remain America's pre-eminent wildlife
preserve as well as its most accessible one. Anyone travelling to Wyoming or Montana should
make a point of fitting Yellowstone into the itinerary.
Few places in the world can match Yellowstone's collection of accessible wonders. The
Continental Divide slices through the park from southeast to northwest, amid a diverse terrain
that includes rugged mountains, lush meadows, pine forests, free-flowing rivers, and the
largest natural high-elevation lake in the United States. Yellowstone is exceptional for its
abundance of geothermal features, such as rainbow-colour hot springs and thundering
geysers. As you visit the park's hydrothermal areas, you'll be walking on top of the
Yellowstone Caldera -- a 28- by 47-mi collapsed volcanic cone that last erupted about
600,000 years ago. The park's geyser basins, hot mud pots, fumaroles (steam vents), and hot
springs are kept bubbling by an underground pressure cooker filled with magma. One
geophysicist describes Yellowstone as "a window on the Earth's interior."
If you're not here for the geysers, chances are that you've come to spot some of the teeming
wildlife, from grazing bison to cruising trumpeter swans. Yellowstone has 51 species of
mammals and 209 species of birds, including predators such as grizzly and black bears,
coyotes, foxes, hawks, and eagles, as well as less fearsome creatures such as elk, deer,
moose, songbirds, and rodents. Controversy swirls around the park's wolves, which were
reintroduced in 1995, and its bison, which sometimes roam outside the park in winter. Both
draw headlines because neighbouring cattle ranchers, particularly in Montana, see both
creatures as a threat to their herds.
Yellowstone's attractions are as spectacular today as they were in the days of John Colter,
the area's first white explorer. More than 3 million people visit annually to witness the
geological wonders, the beautiful scenery, and the diverse array of wildlife. To see a
spectacularly different Yellowstone than that experienced by most visitors, come in winter.
Then the frosty silence is intruded upon by very few people -- even if some of them are riding
in snow coaches. Stop along a trail or a road and simply listen; if you're patient, you'll hear the
gentle voice of nature. Even in the depths of winter the park is never totally still: mud pots
bubble, geysers shoot skyward, and wind soughs through the pine trees. Above these
sounds, the cry of a hawk, the yip of a coyote, or -- if you're lucky -- the howl of a wolf may
pierce the air.
Planning Your Time
If, like most people who visit Yellowstone, you plan to spend just one full day in the park
before heading to the surrounding attractions and cities, you will have to strategize wisely to
get a good glimpse of the park's wonders. Your best approach would be to concentrate on
one or two of the park's major areas. Many visitors with limited time head for the two biggest
attractions: the famous Old Faithful geyser, and the hiking trails in the Upper Geyser Basin
and along both rims of Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. En route between these attractions,
you will be able to see some wildlife and some geothermal activity.
With more time you can really sink your teeth into Yellowstone. In each of the major park
villages -- Mammoth, Lake Yellowstone, Fishing Bridge, Roosevelt-Tower, and Grant -- you
have a choices of activities and experiences. If you want to study a geyser terrace and see
elk, go to Mammoth. Head to Roosevelt for hiking in open meadows, a horseback or
stagecoach ride, and a cookout, as well as the chance to see or hear wolves and examine the
remnants of a petrified forest. In the Lake Yellowstone and Fishing Bridge area, you can fish,
watch buffalo and often see grizzly bears, especially in the Pelican Valley. Grant has its own
small geyser basin that abuts Lake Yellowstone.
Wherever you go in Yellowstone, spend as much time as possible out of the car to immerse
yourself in this natural place. Take a hike on some of the park's dozens of trails, which range
from extremely easy and suitable for people with impaired mobility to rigorous enough to
challenge the hard-core backpacker. In the easy category, good walks in the outdoors include
the Old Faithful, Upper Geyser Basin, and Norris Geyser Basin boardwalks. For a moderate
hike, take the trail to Mystic Falls, with its trailhead at Biscuit Basin between Old Faithful and
Mammoth, or the South Rim Trail at Canyon. More difficult and longer treks include hikes to
Specimen Ridge, in the northeast part of the park, and the trail to the top of Elephant Back,
near Lake Yellowstone.
Another good way to learn about the park is to participate in a ranger-led tour or discussion.
Take a sunset cruise on Lake Yellowstone or a ride to LeHardy Rapids in a classic 1937
touring bus. In winter there are guided snowmobile or snow-coach trips with options for cross-
country skiing or snowshoeing through geyser basins and along the canyon. Sign up for the
Yellowstone Association's Lodging and Learning program or one of its field seminars to delve
more deeply into specific areas of interest, such as wildlife, geology, flora, or history. If you
seek greater solitude, explore Yellowstone's backcountry either on your own or on a guided
backpacking or horse-packing trip. For days on end, you might not see a visitor centre and
you might not sleep in a bed with four walls around you, but you will gain an appreciation for
the park's unspoiled wilderness -- without running into hordes of other people. Some
backcountry campsites are accessible for people with disabilities, so everyone can witness
Yellowstone's wild wonders.