United States
Flags of the United States line both side of a road.
“The diversity of America is a strength of the country, and I don’t think that we use that. We don’t talk about our strengths. I mean, having so many diverse people in this country from all aspects of all over the world, and we don’t use that. I think we should talk about who we are – that melting pot that we’ve become.”
–Steve Stoute
The lyrics in the anthem America the Beautiful expresses it best–the United States of America really is beautiful.
O beautiful for spacious skies…For amber waves of grain…For purple mountain majesties…Above the fruited plain!…America! America!…God shed His grace on thee…And crown thy good with brotherhood…From sea to shining sea!
The United States really is a beautiful and wonderfully diverse country. When you travel to each of the 50 States and even within each State you will feel as if you’re traveling to another country.
The United States is a country built by immigrants and each corner of this country is influenced by a variety of cultural diasporas including former enslaved people from Africa and the West Indies. Even traces of Native American culture can be found despite earlier efforts to erase them from the narratives of American history.
The United States has not always been the land of the free but it has always been the home of the brave.
As Paul Tsongas said, “America is hope. It is compassion. It is excellence. It is valor.”
For those of us taking road trips with our families in the '60s and '70s, a stop at Stuckey's was a fun treat. They were the original roadside stop before Love's, Racetrack, WaWa, or Bucee's. You could get candy, snacks, drinks, souvenirs, enjoy a clean restroom, and fill up the tank.
As the summer sun beat down on the emerald waters of Pasco County, Florida, a treasure hunt unfolded beneath me. We glided through the clear shallows of the gulf waters, our eyes scanning the seagrass below for telltale flashes of blue - the tiny eyes of bay scallops peeking out from their fan-shaped shells.
When we think of Florida’s statehood, the bustling city of Tallahassee comes to mind. But, Florida moved into statehood in a smaller, less-known place. A convention held at St. Joseph, Florida led to the drafting of the constitution for the Territory of Florida on December 3, 1838, and also to the state’s first constitution. On March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state. We’re exploring the wealth of attractions in this historic community.
Newspapers have always played a vital part in shaping the history of a place. Often, the now-silent printing presses remain intertwined with their community’s present story. The Panama City Publishing Company Museum in the St Andrews Neighborhood of Panama City, Florida shares one of these stories.
While many of these train activities are rooted in nostalgia, there are still plenty of modern-day travelers who not only enjoy trains as a means of transport but also the object of entire vacations.
Heidi Hill and Jessie Serfilippi from the Schuyler Mansion State Historical Site share the stories behind the stories about the Schuyler family and Alexander Hamilton.
The rich culture and heritage of the Cherokee people and the story of their forced removal from their homeland is sometimes lost amid undifferentiated accounts of indigenous people in the United States. Three stops along the Georgia section of the Trail of Tears, a National Park Service site that documents the Cherokee journey, will dispel any ignorance about their distinctive history.
Hiking to a waterfall is likely not the first thing that comes to the mind when people are visiting Southern California. Overwhelmed by all the well-known and frequently recommended must-dos, it is easy to miss the smaller and less famous opportunities, especially when it comes to spending time in nature.
The morning mist partially obscured the peaks lining Resurrection Bay as the Coastal Explorer pulled away from Seward. A bald eagle bid us farewell from his perch and a nearby sea otter floated peacefully in the harbor. The deckhands served fresh warm cinnamon rolls as we motored toward Kenai Fjords National Park. Dressed for winter even though it was June, I boarded an eight-hour cruise with Kenai Fjords Tours with expectations of adventure. I was excited to learn that Kenai Fjords Tours, along with several other Alaskan cruise operators, promote sustainable whale watching by adhering to Whale SENSE guidelines. Kenai Fjords Tours Photo: Kirsten Harrington Whale SENSE – Champions of Responsible Whale Watching Whale SENSE is a voluntary program that highlights commercial whale-watching companies that go above and beyond in protecting marine mammals. Having whale SENSE means these boats: Stick to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) laws [...]
Entering the Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum through the Visitors Center and Gift Shop, my tour began at the Place of Meditation. Designed as a place for veterans to meditate, this section also serves as the final resting place for Eisenhower and his beloved wife, Mamie along with their first-born son, Doug Dwight Eisenhower who died as a young child.
Every year, visitors flock to Page, Arizona, near the Utah border to marvel at the mesmerizing beauty of the Arizona slot canyons on the Navajo Reservation. The Southwest is known for these naturally occurring winding canyons, and the ones in Arizona are particularly magnificent.
On July 4th, the nation sings Happy birthday to the United States of America. This summer day is Independence Day in the US and one of the busiest travel and tourism holidays in North America. Flights coming to America and from coast to coast are full. Hotels in the top July 4th destinations are packed and restaurants are busy preparing for the influx of guests. Every city in the 50 United States celebrate the July 4th holiday with fireworks because of the importance of this day to America's history.
