Camping Coast to Coast

The American continent is such a vast landscape of every imaginable terrain and climate.  In the same country, you can walk in a tropical rain forest, play on a Caribbean beach, hike in a mountain range or fish on a tranquil lake.  And if you enjoy camping, you know that nothing compares to the sense of intimacy and “becoming one with nature” with the experience of pitching a tent and sleeping nestled in nature’s arms.

One of the hardest things about living in a country of such great diversity, with so much to offer in term of sightseeing and of such great size is how do you take it all in and really enjoy everything to see and experience?  Many have taken on the challenge of a cross country journey to scratch that itch.  There is nothing like traveling by car from one coast to the other to give you a deep appreciation of the magnificence God has put into the American landscape.

But to really make that cross country trip an adventure that will stay with you forever, you might consider planning such a trip and combining it with those well developed camping skills you have developed.  By “camping across America”, you can enjoy that same sense of getting close to nature but broaden your experience by camping at different state parks from Washington to Florida or New Jersey to California or whatever route works best for you.

Of course, such an adventure will take plenty of planning.  For starters, you should carefully map out your route so you know from night to night where the next camping location exactly is.  The great thing about the National Parks System is that you can virtually visit any campsite in the country using the internet and view the locations of the campsites and even make your reservations on the computer so you know you have a campsite waiting for you at every stop along the way.

Other preparations fit in with your existing camping discipline including how to prepare for meals, the equipment checklist and emergency preparedness.  A camping trip of this scope can take several weeks and you don’t want to rush it because part of the joy of camping coast to coast is getting to know the land at every stop along the way.  If you are new to camping, taking a good amount of time to work out your camping skills, your equipment checklist and building your campsite abilities will pay off well when you set off on this kind of great adventure.

A couple other words of advice will pay off well that pertain to being prepared for any contingency.  While camping is clearly less expensive than staying in hotels, you should be sure your budget is sound should an emergency arise and you find you need to use hotels or buy new equipment to replace things that get damaged.  Always be aware of accommodations nearby should the weather take a turn for the worse.  If you are caught in a flood in your campsite half way through your coast to coast adventure, that can throw off the entire trip.  So be prepared to make other arrangements in a hurry.

With good preparation and plenty of well rehearsed emergency fall back plans, you can be ready for just about any circumstance that might come up during your big trek across the American continent.  But even with those adjustments, you will look back fondly on this great undertaking and the many nights you became close to nature in yet another of the scenic and soul inspiring camping locations across this great land.  And don’t be surprised if after you get home, you are already starting to plan your next great outing camping coast to coast.

Cajun Country

A little bit south of Shreveport Louisiana and a little bit east of Beaumont Texas, an area of this country that is one of the most mysterious and exotic places to explore exists and that is the home of the Cajuns in southern Louisiana.  When one thinks of “Cajun Country”, you naturally start to think about New Orleans.  And to be sure, that great city, despite the devastating damage done by the hurricane last year, is home to some of the richest Cajun culture of the area.

But New Orleans is not the only location you can become lost in the charms of this fascinating subset of American culture.  The Cajun world is indeed a culture all its own.  As you listen to the way the natives of this world talk, you will start to realize that somehow right here within the borders of the good old USA, a virtual other world has grown up and thrived for these many decades and centuries.

The history of the arrival of the Cajuns to southern Louisiana is a great American story that is seldom told or understood.  But it all started in far away Canada when an influx of the French culture encountered discrimination and hostility in that northern part of the world.  When the Canadian “hosts” proved to be most ungracious, these French immigrants were “deported” and their ships finally came to rest in the wild regions of southern Louisiana long before this area was civilized and organized into a state.  Over the decades the combination of French, Creole, Spanish, and Indian and African culture resulted in this rich amalgam that we now know as “Cajun”.

The Cajun people will seem strange and peculiar to those of us used to what is normal to American standards.  But let yourself be swept away to this exotic world right here in America and you too will find yourself slowly adapting to the Cajun lifestyle and point of view.  You will find that the Cajun and Creole cultures are profoundly friendly and there is no day that is not a good day for a party in Cajun Country.  In fact, Cajuns celebrate everything that is worth celebrating including funerals as they send off their dearly departed with a rousing jazz band and relatives laughing and making joy to the tune of When the Saints Go Marching In.

No review of the great things of the Cajun culture is complete without a mention of the great food.  Get your tummy ready for some of the most exotic and stimulating foods you are ever likely to enjoy as you settle in to a local diner in the heart of southern Louisiana.  The Gumbo and other uniquely Cajun dishes will sizzle the mouth and set your tummy to tingling as well.  But don’t panic when it seems your digestive system is on fire.  When those potent spices take hold in your blood, you will enjoy the best night of sleep that you can remember.

You should come out of your sightseeing trip to Cajun country with a new sound in your ears as well because the Cajun beats are unlike anything you have ever heard before.  It isn’t country, it isn’t blues, it isn’t completely jazz and it isn’t bluegrass.  It is all of those things and so much more.  So if you are pushing back from the table after a big helping of fried crawdad and alligator tail, if the locals ask you if you want to stay for the party, tell them yes so you can become immersed in the great Cajun music that can only be had here in Cajun country.

One of the great things about sightseeing in America is that every area of the country has its own unique flavor and culture for all of us to enjoy.  And Louisiana certainly has one of the richest and most diverse cultures that has grown up in the swamps around Baton Rouge and New Orleans.  Giving yourself to the chance to experience these rich cultures is just as broadening as travel to Europe, Asia or Africa.  And it’s a whole lot closer.

Big D

The American southwest has often been associated with cowboys, rodeos, wild west shows and ten-gallon hats.  But anyone who has visited one of the great metropolitan cities of the southwest will revise that opinion especially if that big city is called “The Bid D” or Dallas Texas.

Dallas reflects that great Texas saying that “everything is bigger in Texas.”  As you move about this fast moving town, you will observe that it’s a huge area and it’s people are on the go constantly in this area called “The Metroplex”.  Actually, the metropolitan area of Dallas takes in much, much more than just the town itself as this metropolitan area includes Fort Worth, Arlington and dozens of suburbs that have become absorbed into the excitement that is Dallas.

One of the things that will jump out at you about Dallas even as you enter the city by plane or by automobile is the amazing architecture.  The city is a shining example of modern buildings of shiny glass and exciting new design concepts.  If there were a city that might fit the description of “The City of the Future”, it would be Dallas, Texas.

Few who have spent anytime in this large modern city ever would mistake it for your image of a hick town.  Quite the opposite it true. Dallas is as metropolitan and up to date as any city in the world.  And if you know the city well, you know that some of the biggest business deals in the world are made right here in Dallas in those towering skyscrapers and powerful banks that make up the Dallas economy.

But don’t think because Dallas is an economic force to be reckoned with that this is not a genuinely Texas town.  As you walk about downtown, you will see businessmen sporting the characteristic cowboy hat and fancy boots.  No, they are not “playing dress up”.  That is a normal mode of dress here in the heart of the southwest.  But at the same time that you see people dressed to the height of southern fashion, you will see many who are adorned in the finest that the fashion worlds of New York, Paris or London have to offer.

Sightseeing in Dallas can be a rich and rewarding experience.  Dallas boasts some world-class museums and their theme parks have set the standard for family entertainment that even Orlando and California have to work hard to try to top.  But one moving experience that is a “must do” of your sightseeing plans is to visit the memorial to President Kennedy and take a walk on the grassy knoll and up into the book repository where that assassin changed the course of American history forever.  It is a sobering reminder of the greatness that was lost that day but also a time to show your affection for one of the greatest presidents this country has serve it in it’s long and illustrious history.

After paying your respects, its time to kick up your heels and have some fun.  And no city on earth knows better how to show you a great time that The Big D.  The restaurants in this town offer the most diverse menus and the finest chefs this side of Paris.  And the nightlife is not just isolated to one part of town.  You can disco in the suburbs, country line dance in Fort Worth or bump and grind to the best of modern music in downtown Dallas all night long if you have the inclination.  There is even a hidden treasure that is a section of downtown that locals can help you find called “Deep Ellum” that will have you convinced you have been teleported to the hippest parts of New York or Piccadilly Circus in London.  But before long you will realize where you are when you look up at the huge green neon lined downtown buildings of downtown Dallas and realize that you, like the song says are, “deep in the heart of Texas.”  And we think it will be a place you will want to return to again and again.

A World Without California?

There was a fun song that came out in the nineteen sixties that had the refrain “I don’t care what you say I won’t stay in a world without love.”  Is it even possible to imagine what a world would be like if we didn’t have such a place as wonderful as California?  I know imagining America without a California alone is almost impossible to do.

California is so rich with sights and great places to visit that one has to plan not one but many trips there to truly take in all it has to offer.  Why a visit to Los Angeles alone can fill a week and you would still leave behind so much to do and see.  Here in the home of our great movie industry, the idea of hanging out near the major studios to catch a glimpse of a movie star is pretty hard to resist.  And you can pass your time waiting by going to Grauman’s Chinese Theater to put your own feet in the famous imprints on the walk of fame.  There you can see if your shoe size lines up with such greats as Marilyn Monroe, Marlin Brando, Dustin Hoffman or even Lassie.

While in LA don’t forget that this is the area of the country where you can check in at the original Disneyland.  Yes while the Florida and other locations that have been built since then are wonderful, don’t miss the chance to sing “It’s a Small World After All” with the anamatronic figures that will delight you and your children in those historic rides in Disneyland. 

Anywhere you go up and down the California coast, one thing will continue to draw your eye is the amazing California coast.  The sight of those waves making huge breakers on the rocks and beaches has been the object of art for many painters over the years.  If you live in a land-locked state or even if you have enjoyed the coast lines in the gulf states and the eastern seaboard, the California surf will be yet another viewpoint of the majesty of God’s creation in the oceans that grace our fair country.

It might take another whole trip to enjoy the exotic locations all around the city of San Francisco.  But give it that time because this is a town you want to take in on foot or by traveling on their famous and historic street cars.  For a small city, San Francisco will charm you so thoroughly that you would swear you were in one of the quant and charming villages of Europe, Spain or Greece.  The sight of those breath taking hills that the residents have to drive each day will probably bring back some great movie you saw that was filmed there.  And it’s easy to get goose bumps standing on the corner of Haight and Ashbury and reflect on the birth of the Hippy Movement in the early sixties right on that spot.

There is just so much to do up and down this big and diverse state that you will want to have a car at your disposal just to tour the paradise like conditions that residents enjoy there every day.  A tour of the wine country in northern California is another experience that has become famous for charming visitors of all ages.  You can even retrace the voyage of the characters in the movie Sideways which won an Academy Award and further added to the lore and fame of this wonderful part of California.

California may not steal your heart away from your home town and state.  But one this is for sure.  Your trip to California will leave you with dozens of exciting memories and it will leave you with something even more lasting.  You will come home with a determination that you have to get back to California and continue to enjoy the many treats this great American state has to offer.

A Party in Your Mouth

One of the great joys of travel is getting the chance to experience some of the great tastes in the foods from around the country or around the world.  The great thing about America is that there are so many ethnic populations and the country is so big and diverse that you can travel for many years and still be surprised by wonderful new tastes and culinary delights in the restaurants from around the country.

In the movie My Cousin Vinnie, two New Yorkers find themselves encountering culture clash as they work to help a relative with legal problems in the American south.  As the southern mechanic explains that they have some of the greatest mud collections in the world in South Carolina, the New Yorker responds, “How’s your Chinese food?” 

The Chinese food in New York has taken on certain fame and reputation of being the finest that can be had this side of China.  While one can find good Chinese food in virtually any city or berg in the country, the small area of New York City called “Chinatown” boasts the best that can be found.  And to be sure, that boast is not without merit.  The chefs who prepare the Chinese food in these restaurants possess the recipes and perhaps age old talents that they can put a Chinese meal on your plate, whether its simple or very complex, that will have you off of Chinese food in any other part of the country or world because, to be frank, none other can compare to it.

New York boasts of being the home of some of the greatest food in the entire country.  While it would take a gourmet chef months to test out that theory, there is no question that the city has some reason to stand behind its claim.  From famous New York pizza to a gyros sandwich that melts in your mouth to the proverbial hot dog at Yankee stadium, eating in New York is as much an attraction as the museums and theater district.

But when it comes to seafood, there is plenty of competition for The Big Apple.  In San Francisco on the other side of the country, some of greatest delicacies are harvested from the warm Pacific Ocean to be served in the great restaurants along the harbors.  You can go back many times and try every delicacy from sea bass to swordfish before you can decide you truly have tasted it all of the San Francisco cuisine.

But for lobster, it might be yet another plane flight to Cape Cod, Boston or even northern Maine.  In the pristine towns up and down route 1 on Maine’s east coast, you don’t need a suit and a tie to enjoy the finest lobster that can be had anywhere.  In season, you can drive up to what they call a “lobster pound” where you can gaze down into an over packed cooler full of live lobsters and pick your own.  You can watch as your future lunch or dinner is tied in a burlap sack and dropped into an outdoor pot of boiling seawater to be served to you to eat with your hands at picnic tables outside.  It is both a fabulous taste treat and a truly unique dinning experience all at once.

Great foods abound all around this great nation of ours.  From the finest steak money can buy in Kansas City to the exotic tastes of Cajun cuisine in southern Louisiana to a bratwurst that will make you German even you aren’t in Chicago’s busy pubs and restaurants to salmon that was leaping up the falls this morning in far west Washington state, the food that abounds in this rich country is truly a delight that is not to be missed.

America’s Amazing New England Coast

Centuries ago, the pilgrims and other explorers that discovered America caught a phenomenal sight in the distance.  Too long at sea, they saw the eastern coastline of North America and they were overwhelmed by its beauty and grace.  Today, most of us first see the actual coast that borders the US continent with the Atlantic Ocean from the land side.  But it is no less stunning from our side as it was from theirs.

For one of those sightseeing trips where you get the feeling you are discovering something for the very first time, a trip up and down the east coast of North America can’t be beat.  Route one from Acadia State park in far northeast Maine all the way down to Cape Cod offers so many out of the way places to discover that your spirit of adventure will definitely be challenged.

One of the most charming things about the coast of Maine and Massachusetts is the little towns that populate that rugged coast line.  As you travel the winding trail of route one you will pass through dozens of fascinating New England towns that will call to you to explore them.  So give in to the call and take some time to enjoy what these seaside communities have to offer.  And don’t overlook those small ocean view diners.  Some of the best seafood that can be had in America will come out of those folksy kitchens.

A popular photo diary of your trip up the coast of New England will include the many lighthouses you will see.  These are not there just for their scenic beauty.  There was a time when these were crucial for the protection of seafaring vassals to keep them from shipwreck in foggy or stormy conditions.  Each one has a story to tell and if you take the tour, you will be transported to a different time full of colorful characters and wonderful adventures as well.  And don’t miss that photograph because the lighthouses are indeed beautiful as they stand majestically against the backdrop of the mighty ocean.

Many of these quaint seaside communities have much to show off to their honored guests so you may find quite charming accommodations along the way.  You can visit the memorials or even current resident towns of several American presidents such as Campobello Island, home of the Roosevelt International Park or Kennebunkport, Maine, current residence of former President George Herbert Walker Bush or Bush 41 as many call him.

Along with great food, wonderful gift shops and great sights to see, it’s easy to find excursions out to sea offered at reasonable prices along the coast of New England.  A whale watching tour can be a real thrill if you are successful in finding the mighty ocean animals ready to surface and thrill a boat load of sightseers.  Keep that camera ready because they can come up at any time and be gone just as fast.  It almost seems like they are showing off as they blow their might columns of spray into the air.  And you know what? They probably are.

In addition to an exciting boat ride out to sea to snap photos of those phenomenal whales, a deep sea fishing trip can scratch the itch for a seafaring adventure for many a landlubber.  In little New England towns like Gloucester, Massachusetts or Ogunquit, Maine, you can join a charter boat that will take you and hour and a half out to sea to drop a line and land some of those beasts that call the Atlantic waters their home.  Be careful about seasickness and be prepared as you see the shoreline disappear and you look around to only the sight of water in all directions.  But store these memories in your sightseeing fond recollections because it will be experience you will not soon forget.

These are just a few of the many fun and fascinating things you will discover up and down the New England Coast.  From the reenactment of a pilgrim village to the chance to take a photo standing next to Plymouth Rock, the mixture of adventure, the out of doors, the spray of the ocean and history guarantee a trip that the whole family will treasure for years to come.  And it will be an outstanding addition to your sightseeing book of memories as you take in the wonderful things to see and do in this amazing country in which we live.

1000 Lakes

When you hear the phrase “Land of 1000 Lakes”, what comes to mind?  Well if it is the great state of Minnesota, you may have already known that this is the nickname of this wonderful part of the American experience.  Minnesota is nestled up near the Canadian boarder and represents one of the great undiscovered secrets for sightseeing and vacation fun in this country.

When you decide to book Minnesota as your vacation of choice, you are showing some shrewd knowledge of Americana that not many have taken the time to learn about.  Because Minnesota is one of the most beautiful states in the union both for beautifully tailored modern city scenes and for breath taking outdoor adventure as well. 

The twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are nestled into the Minnesota landscape quietly producing one of the most diverse and sophisticated city experiences in all of America.  While you might not have been looking, Minneapolis and St. Paul have quietly developed some pretty serious claims to fame including…

*    The classic situation comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show had its fictional location occurring in Minneapolis.  The scenes of snow falling and the way people cope with such a climate became a subplot for that show.

*    The wonderful radio variety show A Prairie Home Companion originated and is still often broadcast from St. Paul, Minnesota.  This wonderful, one of a kind show often gives loving lampoon the quirks of the Scandinavian and Lutheran cultures that are well ensconced in Minnesota life.

*    Minnesota is the only state to ever elect a professional wrestler, Jessie Ventura as governor.  And he did a pretty good job.

*    The exciting rock musician Prince is a product of the Minneapolis music culture.

There is a lot to see and enjoy in the rustic Minnesota landscape and in these modern cities that make up the urban centers of this wonderful state.  You might be temped to save your trip to Minnesota for the summer time.  But you may want to actually change that plan as Minnesota can provide some experiences in the dead of winter that are not to be missed.

Ice fishing is a Minnesota specialty and one you may want to book a guide to enjoy first hand.  There is nothing like sitting in a heated shack out in the middle of a frozen over lake and fishing through a hole to bring up a big catch for making a memory that you will be telling people about for years to come.

Then when you head into town, be sure to be in Minnesota when Minneapolis holds their annual Ice Festival.  The entire city turns out to admire magnificent ice sculptures that the talented artists create right there in the middle of the city.  But any statue they make will pale when you watch with wonder as the workman in Minnesota construct the mammoth Ice Palace that you can wander through just like a castle in old Europe.  You will marvel as that Ice Palace actually can be heated and people can book rooms and stay over in it once the wizards that make this marvel happen do their stuff.  And to think, if you come back in six months, that amazing structure will melt away like yesterdays ice cream cone.

You can see that overlooking Minnesota as a destination of choice for unique sightseeing and vacation excitement is not a mistake you want to make.  We have only scratched the surface of the great fun you can have on your trip to the great white north.  So make your plans to get up there and enjoy this very unique place with their rich Scandinavian Lutheran culture.  And who knows, maybe you will learn how to carve out a small sculpture from the ice in your refrigerator before you leave.