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 | United States of America Off the Beaten Path | Tips 1 - 10 of 291 |  |
 view from the tubs by PA2AKgirl
The view is beautiful...again in the desert. But you can't have alcohol up there. UGH, that sucks! (but it IS Utah...) And the whole setting is a little too much like a commune for my liking. You walk in, pay your $5.00 (for 24 hours) and it's like the people who run the place (and live in this small house, play music, tell you about the benefits of wind power of all things...) want you to stay. Forever. There's also camping, which was considered until we noticed that it was in the middle of a trailer park. Not my ideal setting to put up a tent. It's a nice daytime getaway, not for an extended stay. Other hot springs will be mentioned in my tips that are better for that.
It's off of exit I-70 in Utah, exit 32
475 E. 100 North
Monroe, Utah 84754 Leave a Comment
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 by PA2AKgirl
BUT, it's a good museum anyway. Mostly, it's a museum about 2 things: 1) westward expansion and 2) local county history. They do have some good exhibits given it's in a TINY town (Pinedale, Wyoming) and the people are very nice. The one woman who works here is from Pennsylvania, so we talked about that too. However, she made it seem that if we continued onto the Grand Tetons that day, we were going to die a terrible death from the snow and ice. She just wanted us to hang out at the museum all day. Seriously, though...it's a decent museum. They also have a 28 minute video, perhaps that has something to do with mountain men...that was a little too long for us since we were now terrified about the conditions north of Jackson.
After leaving, I got pulled over for going like 34 in a 30. The guy asked me why I was driving so fast and i told him it was because I had just been to the museum and I was so excited about everything I had seen, I wasn't paying attention. I also had some BS excuse about not knowing what road I was on. He asked us what we were doing "in his neck of the woods" and where we were headed. When Jeanette said "Alaska" he just ran my license and told us to have a great trip.
The museum is located off of 191, 75 miles south of Jackson Hole. Leave a Comment
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 Giant Bur Oak in Peoria by deecat
In the mid 1600's, the French explorers toured this region inhabited by Peoria Native Americans, & in the 1750's early surveys by European settlers include a reference to this particular tree.
In the 1850's, Dr. & Mrs. E.H. Bradley acquire the land upon which the tree stands; 1930's the Bradley family purchases adjoining backlot, has large house razed to allow tree's roots to grow unhampered!
Later, in the 1960's, The Park District purchases the site to save the oak tree.
1971: site is illuminated, & 3 years later, Giant Oak Park becomes l name of the tree site.
1976, the tree is designated a "Bicentennial Tree" by the International Society of Arboriculture & National Arborist Association because the tree was living during the American Revolutionary Period.
During the years of 1976-1977, Frank Hanbury, Jr collects 200 acorns from the tree & plants them in 4 western states.
By 1991, The Giant Oak Tree is designated Peoria's "Tricentennial Tree", & the beginning of a seed propagation project by Illinois Department of Conservation & Peoria Urban Forestry Board begins.
1992-1993 sees the Peoria City Beautiful, City of Peoria, & the Peoria Park District, through deed of land transfer secure the eastward expansion of the tree's root system.
From 1994 until today (2005), Peoria Park District owns & maintains the Giant Oak Park.
Where did I receive this history of the tree?
I discovered it on a brass placard within the enclosed portion of the park. The tree has been protected by a black wrought-iron fence so it is not vandalized or damaged in any way.
Dimensions of the Giant Oak: (1994)
50 feet high
110-foot spread
54.5 inch trunk diameter
The Brass Commemoration ends with these stirring words: "To the brave old oak tree, Cheers!" Leave a Comment Other Contact: High Street in Giant Oak Park
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 Front View of Villas at Amelia
Island, Florida by deecat
We stayed in a 2-bedroom golf villa with a golf course view.
Amelia Island is off the northeastern coast of Florida, almost at the Georgia border. Amelia Island Plantation Resort (where we stayed) was developed in the early 1970s with a master plan to protect tidal marshes, conserve oceanfront dunes, grasslands, & savannahs. "An unprecedented 40-foot wide strip of natural vegetation was added as a buffer to all waterways allowing them to remain a wildlife refuge, travel corridors, & food sources."
The Island has 13 miles of lovely beaches that are framed by 40-foot dunes capped by sea oats...simply breathtaking. Because of the salt marshes & moss-covered trees, there are more than 250 types of birds.
While at Amelia Island, be sure to see the fifty-block area of shady streets where you can view 19th-century Victorian "cottages" from Amelia's golden era. What amazing architecture. See the Fairbanks House, nicknamed "Fairbanks Folly" because of its opulent excesses--it's now a popular bed & breakfast.
The downtown Fernandina Beach has stores with antiques, clothing, & collectibles, but it's the architecture that dates from 1873-1900 that's just fascinating. There are gas lantern replicas & wrought iron benches & cobblestone walks.
Also, make sure you visit Amelia Island Museum of History...it's unique because it is a narrative by docents who tell of the 4,000 years of the Island's history.
Even though it was expensive & took 3 years to pay for, we've never regretted our incredible vacation on lovely Amelia Island, Florida Leave a Comment Phone: Museum (904)261-7378
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 Indiana Dunes State Park by deecat
Huge sand dunes rise along the shore;thousands of years ago, the lake deposited sand on the beach while the water level slowly sank. Then, winds blew in from the lake & formed these dunes. When the wind comes over the shore, plants, dunes, & hills slow the wind so that it is forced to drop its load of sand, which, in turn, creates shoreline sand dunes. A really unusual feature is the "blowouts". After many years, the sand blows away & leaves behind dead stumps of what were once living trees. See "blowouts" on Trail #10. It's really quite weird.
Thank goodness, much of the remaining dune area is protected as Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
Additional hiking trails are found in this Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. These trails go by historic structures, woods, wet prairie, ponds, & up to Mt. Baldy.
Mt. Baldy is one of the largest dunes on Lake Michigan's shore. It's known as a "live dune" because it is still being blown along by the wind. It moves 4 to 5 feet farther from the lake each year. I've heard it called the "smoking dune" because the sand blowing off the top looks like smoke.
We had a family reunion there one year. From the beach, we were able to swim. Some of the family went fishing; the children built sand castles; & some of the history buffs explored evidence of Indian heritage at the Bailley Homestead.
Some of the teenagers toured the nature center & learned much about the area, finding out that cross-country skiing is allowed during the winter months. They also found out that it took 50 years to save the dunes; this valuable area was being destroyed by industrialization. After the area was established as a protected area, that led to the acquisition of almost 9,000 acres of dunes & wetlands.
Spend some quality time at the Indiana Dunes State Park, one of nature's real "wonders". Leave a Comment Phone: (219) 926-4520Other Contact: 1600 North 25 East, Chesterton
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 Abe Lincoln's Springfield Home by deecat
It became the state capital when the General Assembly voted to move the capital from Vandalia to Springfield; it was in the center of the state. That same year, Lincoln moved to Springfield.
It was here that Lincoln met & married Mary Todd They bought a home here; it was the only home that Lincoln ever owned. 3 of their 4 sons were born here. Once elected the 16th president of the US, Lincoln had to leave Springfield; he made a farewell speech from the back of his train that included this remark, "I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return." How prophetic.
After his assassination, a funeral train carried his body to Springfield.
Lincoln Home National Historic Site
You can visit Abe & Mary's home in Springfield. The house contains period pieces (many original).
The Lincoln Home Visitor Center (426 S. 7th St) contains an exhibit of various other Lincoln sites in the area.
The Great Western Depot, where Lincoln delivered his farewell speech, now contains restored waiting rooms & exhibits. The law offices of Abe & his partner William Herndon are located in the surviving portion of a Greek Revival commercial block. There's also the old federal courtroom where Lincoln argued cases.
The Old State Capitol is a Greek Revival structure with a domed cupola & Doric porticos. Lincoln delivered his "House Divided" speech here in 1858. His body lay in state here after his assassination.
Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site
Lincoln's coffin was placed in a white marble sarcophagus in the center of the burial chamber, itself surmounted by a tall granite obelisk. It & much of the statuary are very beautiful. A large bust of Lincoln stands at the approach to the tomb. Lincoln's remains now lie sealed in a vault beneath the floor of this same monument. Three of his sons & his wife Mary are also interred in this monument. Leave a Comment
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 Honolulu House in Marshall,
Michigan by deecat
I think Marshall looks like a picture-perfect 1800s town. There are blocks of Greek Revivals, Italianate villas, & turreted Queen Annes. The town is filled with antique shops, which Marilyn & I visited.
A land speculator from New York state bought parcels of land, & wealthy families from upstate New York settled here. They named the town after Chief Justic John Marshall; soon, it became the county seat of Calhoun County.
Because the residents, especially Senator James Wright Gordon thought that Marshall would become the state capital, he built a governor's mansion. Alas, they were not chosen as the capital; instead, Lansing received that designation. So, Gordon moved into the home on South Marshall Street. It still stands today, & the locals call the neighborhood that surrounds it, "Capitol Hill".
I loved the old-fashioned dime store that sells most everything, & the local hardward store that reminds me of the 1950s. It's great fun to go in & out of all the brick storefronts. Much of the wares are Victorian in nature.
Oh, yes, Marilyn took me to Schuler's of Marshall to eat. It's a dining institution for more than 50 years. It serves prime rib, delicious filets, freshly baked breads, & a towering ice cream pie that is topped with hot caramel sauce!
The historical society is in the Honolulu House, which looks strange in this Victorian community. But, a former U.S. consul to the Sandwich Island (Now Hawaii) reportedly built the home to resemble one he owned in the islands. Pick up a free walking-tour guide with more than 100 historic houses & buildings.. Leave a Comment Phone: 800/877-5163
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 Amana Villages in Iowa by deecat
The seven villages are laid out in a kind of old-world style, and the entire settlement (475 sites & buildings) is a national historic landmark. That's probably why it is also Iowa's number one tourist attraction.
At first this community was a "communal lifestyle place"; today, it is part of a free enterprise system.
I found the plain churches quite quaint. They have no stained glass windowns or any ornate items. We were told that women sit on one side of the church, and men sit on the other side. No ministers preside; instead, lay elders conduct the services.
Interestingly, in the graveyards, only plain stone markers are used; their reason...to show that all people are equal in the eyes of God. Each of the seven villages has its own cemetery.
The people in the seven communities produce clocks, cheeses, wine, hardwood furniture, meats, and woolens. All of these are available for purchase in the shops throughout the villages.
You might know that I would like the Chocolate Haus the best. They make hand-dipped fudges and chocolates from 100-year-old recipes.
I noticed that there are plenty of hotels, motels, and Bed & Breakfast in the area for those who wish to stay over.
It's obvious to see why more than one million people visit the Amana villages every year; it is quite unique. Leave a Comment
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 Mackinac Island's
Downtown by deecat
Oblivious to the fact that I'm quite allergic to horses, we proceeded to tour this enchanted island of horse-drawn carriages.
The island's name means "Great Turtle" because it resembles the humped shell of a turtle coming out of the water.
Without car noises and smells, you feel as though you have gone back a century in time. Boats & planes deliver mail, supplies, & groceries as well as tourists.
Just off the ferry docks is the main street called Huron Street. Take a stroll to smell the fudge being made; two of the best fudge makers are Murdick's and Ryba's. Walk east on Huron & then up Fort St. to the White Fort Mackinac. Use the 150-foot-high ramp to reach South Port Entrance. Here, you can see the Officer's stone Quarters (island's oldest bldg.) and the Soldier's Barracks.
After walking Market Street with its old houses with hanging flower baskets, we went to Marquette Park to where carriages are lined up to rent for a tour around the island. We then saw the Grand Hotel (1887) with its 660-foot porch (over 2 football fields in length) that has many rockers and multitudes of geraniums. After the hotel, we were taken to the horse stables. Suddenly, I could not breath, and my throat closed up. The same thing happened to another girl on the tour. Authorities rushed us to the ferry, and we were off. As soon as the fresh air hit us (& we were away from the horses), we could breath again!
Even though I strongly suggest seeing Mackinac Island, I, myself, cannot return.
Located in Lake Huron a few miles east of St. Ignace at the divide between Michigan's upper & lower peninsulas. Leave a Comment
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 Paramount Theater in
Aurora by deecat
Beall Woods Nature Preserve and State Park is near Mt. Carmel and is situated along the scenic Wabash River. It is one of the largest virgin deciduous forests in the nation!
Nauvoo was a Mormon town but the Mormons were driven out. Today, this restored town offers historic craft demonstrations & tours of 19th-century homes.
Aurora is fifty miles southwest of downtown Chicago in the Fox River Valley. Local history is well-preserved here, and the Historical Museum specializes in 19th-century life, and the Blackberry Historical Farm Village is modeled on an 1840s farm. But the real "gem" here is the Paramount Arts Center built in 1931, one of the country's most glorious movie palaces. It's been restored and has plays & musicals throughout the year. You can also do a Backstate Tour.
Cahokia is a small town in southwestern Illinois. It's one of the oldest towns in the state, but you should see it because of the Cahokia Mounds, the only prehistoric city north of Mexico City.
Starved Rock State Park is situated southwest of Chicago near Utica. The park is on the Illinois River so you can fish and go boating. There are 15 miles of walking trails that wind their way around bluffs & canyons. There's a 60-foot waterfall and a 125-foot majestic sandstone bluff called, of course, Starved Rock
Oak Park is less than 10 miles west of downtown Chicago and is celebrated for the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright's Home and Studio are open daily for tours, and about two dozens of famous "prairie-style" houses are located here. One of Wright's most famous churches, Unity Temple is also located in Oak Park. You may also wish to visit Ernest Hemingway's birthplace. Leave a Comment
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