American Roads and Global
Highways offers a virtural trip during these trying times. Stay
safe and enjoy reading about new places.
We have a brand new sister ezine, Highways
and Byways at
https://highwaysbyways.sojournfam.com/ It will have more
overall desination and roundup pieces where as here you will find
the more in-depth stories.
Our
older stories are archived and always available.Newer ones will be
available under topics as well as archives.I will be removing
most of the really older ones, pre-2013.
Looking for food or drink related stories?
Just click "Food." Stories with a historic tone, click "History" and
so on. If I haven't gotten around to putting them in the catagory
tab, everything not showing on Home Page will be in Archives.
Now
that it is difficult to physically visit fun places how about taking a
virtual tour. Then when you can travel there, this tour will
show you all the best places.You can do that for under
$5 now. Here's some fun and informative tours at Tours4Mobile.
Read more
Just outside the city of Ocala
lies a different "Magic Kingdom." Mother Nature
rules this kingdom. It's the Ocala National Forest,
430,000 scenic acres of the most diverse terrain
imaginable. It contains highlands, swamps, 600
lakes, countless ponds, 23 streams and springs of clear
crystal water, it’s bounded by the slow, dark waters of
the Oklawaha River on the west and the larger, faster
moving St. Johns River on the east. It is the oldest
national forest east of the Mississippi and it has its
ghostly secrets. Read
more.
Some
say that the personalities of ghosts in the afterlife are much
like the ones they had while living. Amelie Comeaux who haunts
T-Frere’s Bed and Breakfast in Lafayette was a “canaille,” a
mischievous girl, and her antics in death reflect this wily
nature. Read More
September
is International Underground Railroad Month and nowhere is
that history better preserved and presented more accurately
than throughout the state of Maryland. This month Maryland is
honoring the legacy of the freedom seekers and those who
assisted them with a series of exhibitions, events, tours and
walking and road trips, all designed to be both comprehensive
and follow socially safe guidelines. Read
more.
Being trapped at home courtesy
of Corona Virus has me thinking of many lesser known
places I visited over my years of travel writing and want to visit again . Each of these places has a unique
treasure you won't find anywhere else. Here are just a
few of my favorites. You can click on the linked names
for more about that place.
Read more.
There are many
interesting historical and natural attraction
located just a few miles off the interstate; one
is a fantastic botanical garden just ten miles
from the exit on Interstate 85, halfway between
Atlanta and Charlotte. It is Clemson
University’s South Carolina Botanical Garden,
which is much more than the standard botanical
garden. All the traditional plant-focused things
are there, but a lot more, like a special
natural heritage trail that allows the visitor
to transect the natural plant habitats of the
state in just a half-mile.
Read more.
Norfolk
is the second largest city in Virginia. Its history has much
to do with its location at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. It has
Chesapeake Bay to the north and the Elizabeth River to the
west and south, giving it a tremendous amount of waterfront.
All that water also means it has an interesting naval and
maritime history. That history is on display at one of the
city’s best museums: the Nauticus, which includes the Hampton
Roads Naval Museum and the Battleship Wisconsin.
Read more
The
U.S. travel industry has emerged as one of the hardest hit
industries in the country. Prior to the pandemic
travel produced a $2.6-trillion profit and
created 15.8-million jobs across the industry. As of the end
of April, 8-million jobs have been lost and projections
estimate that the total effect of the economic loss will be
nine times that of 9/11.
Read more
When
most people think Louisiana plantations, cotton is what comes
to mind. However another crop, sugar cane, was a staple. West
Baton Rouge Museum tells the story of Louisiana's sugar cane
industry. A trip through the museum and its many historical
buildings that make up its campus is a tour through time. It
gives a glimpse of life back through the years for 300 years
from the Antebellum though the struggle for Civil Rights.
Read more.
UNESCO
World Heritage Sites are chosen based on their outstanding
value to humanity and at least one of ten additional criteria.
Why sofa sojourns? There are several reasons for traveling
from the comfort of your sofa. These visual forays allow us to
explore places around the world, reminisce about former trips,
learn about new ones and plan for the time when we can all
travel again. Read more.
There
was a time, not so long ago, when travel was a luxury for
those with time, money and imagination but creative minds and
the internet have altered that narrative. Today you can travel
from anywhere to interesting places and see sights that once
you only heard about. In these times of sheltering in place
the ability to access information, virtually visit national
and international destinations and in some cases experience
them interactively, is priceless.
Read more.
Baton
Rouge is uniquely where the past and the present merge
and it is filled with sites that clarify and expand what
you have previously learned. After French explorers came
upon the Baton Rouge area in 1699 the region was
thoroughly documented by Pierre Le Moyne D'Iberville's
descriptions of what he called Istrouma, Red Stick, in
French is Baton Rouge. He saw large red poles, adorned
with animal and fish heads, placed by the Houma tribes
to delineate their hunting ground.
Read more.
Red Stick was what Native Americans
called this part of the country. Baton Rouge, as we know
it today, is often under-considered as a great tourist
destination. It was where Travel South held this
year's conference. Yes, we worked meeting with CVB
people from southern states in a speed dating format
during two of the days but lunch and evenings were super
fun and our first day was spent seeing some of its many
attractions. Read
more.
Being an armchair adventurer has its advantages. Travelers
have all the time they need to explore a destination’s hidden
treasures as well as experience the local cuisine and
culture. As we embark on part two of our Louisiana adventure
we are heading the 57-miles to Terrebonne Parish, the heart of
Bayou Country. Louisiana has 64 parishes that are the
equivalent of counties in other states. Terrebonne created in
1822, is the second largest parish and is one of the
southernmost. Read more.
I recently returned from Travel South as the Corona Virus
erupted. We're all sitting at home now and friends have asked
me what a meet-up like this is like. Here is part one of an
overview of Travel South starting with my pre-trip, called "A
Whole Lotta History Goin' on." I hope since none of should be
on the road now, you can enjoy my trip vicariously. And that
you will be inspired to go see some of these fantastic places
for yourself when this crisis passes.
Read more.
Self-isolation
is a term that has recently embedded itself into the public
consciousness. People have been asked to refrain from close
quarters in large crowds, international travel and
nonessential activities. In other words, as much as possible,
stay home. Self-isolation has its own set of issues, not the
least regarding the impact on destination travel. My solution
is to spend some of your newly available time planning for the
time when things normalize, and history has proven that it
will, and the call of the open road will again
beckon. Plan now for a new adventure, to revisit an
old one and support the travel industry.
Read more.
We
can all acknowledge the fact that blacks have played a
significant role in United States history, from the Spanish
explorers, Estevanico, Pedro Nino and Juan Garrido,
to advancements by *Dr. Patricia E. Bath and **Dr. Thomas
Mensah. We tend to exalt those whose actions were overt,
seemingly larger than life but what about those who operated
in the shadows and attained quiet victories. What about those
who literally turned the tide of events.
Read more.
African
Americans served as spies during the American Revolution with
the belief that their service would prove the loyalty of the
people, improve their condition and for the ever present
promises of freedom. Largely the status of African Americans
did not change as a result of their service the government did
not keep their promises. Read more.
Two
events happened in 1965. Country Willie – His Own Songs
became Willie Nelson's first RCA Victor album leading to his
success as a singer instead of just a songwriter. The same
year, the Saint Augustine Amphitheater was built commemorating
Saint Augustine's 400th birthday. Willie and Saint Augustine
have another thing in common, being the oldest. Willie is the
oldest, male, country star still performing; Saint Augustine
is the oldest city in the United States and they are both
still in great form. Read more.
Cities
are, in their own ways, canvasses that depict the history,
culture, and dreams of the residents. Stories reflected there
are ever changing but the past never really disappears and, if
one looks closely enough, one can see traces of earlier times
and their ongoing impact.Durham is a classic example of a
city with a storied past intertwined with a modern vibrancy.
Read more.
The
use of slave labor in NC was, from the outset, a money making
proposition. In 1663 eight Lord Proprietors were granted a
charter from King Charles II. The Concessions of 1665”,
in which 50 additional acres were assigned to settlers based
on the number of enslaved 14 years and older each brought into
the colony. The 1669 Colonial Carolina Fundamental
Constitution legalized slavery.
Read more.
Off
the beaten path places always appeal to me especially if there
is a history connection. Las Cruces has many. One is an
ancient adobe fort that tells a story of the old west.
Read more.
Little
did I know many years ago when I lived in the Mississippi Gulf
Coast and was attending college at The Jeff Davis Campus of
the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, I would get to
see an amazing reincarnation 40-plus years later.
Read more.
Oklahoma
City is filled with interesting places to visit. There is one
that is not a fun quest but no one should pass it by without
stopping. The Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum walks you
through one of the most horrific acts committed in modern
history.
Read more.
Montgomery,
Alabama has, from its beginning, acted as a historical vortex,
drawing people and events into its orbit in astonishing
configurations. Read more
David
Friedman, author of Food Sanity, gives us one good reason to
drink rum. He states, “Also, while too much drinking can
damage your brain, moderate consumption of rum may actually
lower that risk: Rum has properties that may help protect your
brain cells and decrease your risk of dementia and
Alzheimer’s.” Read more.
Whether
your latest resolution was to spend more time with your family
or not, this column is for you. Philadelphia was designated
the nation’s first UNESCO World Heritage City in 2015, placing
it on par with Berlin, Mexico City, Paris and Quebec City.
Read more.
Spanish
explorer Juan Ponce de León is believed to be the first
European to explore Florida although earlier expeditions
reached the region hunting for native slaves to export to
Spain. He set sail in 1513 on a search for gold and new lands,
later stories tell he sought the Fountain of Youth.
Read more.
The
Mid-Atlantic region is the most historic corridor in the
country and consists of a series of metropolitan areas within
220-miles and accessed by I-95. The major cities, New York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC, each have
distinctive attractions, New York’s glitz, glamour and
Broadway, Philadelphia’s historic sites, art and music scene
and DC’s museums, memorials and institutions.
Read more.
As you drive into Ghost Ranch, you are going to be driving
slowly. That's because the eye-catching beauty of the
mountains surround you. You would not be human if you didn’t
stop to stare at such overwhelming beauty.
Read more.
There
are lots of old plantations and plantation houses scattered
across the South. Many are special, usually due to some sort
of historical connection. Fort Hill was the antebellum
plantation of John C. Calhoun, a preeminent nineteenth century
southern statesman and later the home of Thomas G. Clemson,
his son-in-law. Read
more.
The
Hamburg-America Line launched the Princess Victoria Louise,
the first ship built solely for luxury cruising, on June 29,
1900. Prior ships were ocean liners created to transport
passengers and cargo on transatlantic journeys as
expeditiously as possible but the Victoria Louise was designed
to provide a truly luxurious experience with the aura of a
floating 5-star hotel. Read more.
The
Beaumont, Port Arthur Metropolitan area in Texas is called the
Golden Triangle in reference to the wealth that flowed in
after the oil gusher at Spindletop in 1901. It includes other
smaller cities such as Orange, Nederland, Groves, Port Neches,
Vidor, and Lumberton, and smaller places within the area. It
could also be called "Golden" in regard to the number of gold
records local musicians have earned.
Read more.
Nothing
is more welcoming on a cold night than a warm fire flickering
in an old fashioned cast iron stove. It's really a gas heater
but it looks and feels like a real old fashioned wood one.
Naturally, there is back up heat and air conditioning if you
visit in summer. When I visited Two Casitas in November, Santa
Fe's nighttime temperature dropped to 19%. It didn't bother me
at all. Read
more
The last few days on the road were a
whirlwind of fun. I didn't have time to write about them—until
now. It was on to Ghost Ranch and Las Cruces inNew Mexico and
then to Beaumont and Port Arthur in Texas.
Read more.
I'm
in Santa Fe now after a fabulous pre trip to Albuquerque.
Albuquerque is filled with great food and amazing museums. Our
IFWTWA (International Food Wine and Travel Writers
Association) Convention was very helpful to improve my career
as a travel writer.
Read more.
Say
“Roswell, New Mexico” and everyone’s first thought is
“aliens.” Mine too. That’s way I am so thrilled to be here
today exploring the unknown. My first stop naturally was the
International UFO Museum & Research Center. This is not some
hokey museum dealing just with Hollywood’s version of aliens
from outer space. Read more.
Oklahoma
City is filled with treasures I discovered yesterday and
probably many more I did not have time to visit. My stay began
at the historic 21C Museum Hotel. This early 1900s building
earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places
by being a former Fred Jones Ford Motor Company assembly plant
that crafted Model Ts. Read More.
I’m in Lake Charles and just visited the very first Southern
Cast Iron Cook-Off. Picture
Cajun food and culture, music, venders offering samples of and
information about everything from alligators to cast iron pots
and pans. Professional chefs and amateurs competed in four
categories– Meat & Game, Seafood, Sweet & Savory Baking, and
Vegetables & Sides.
Read more.
I'm
in awesome Lake Charles, Louisiana now. It's such a different
kind of place. It's not a descendant of the plantation South
or the old West. It's a mish mash of both. It's history is
influenced by the fact it was not exactly included in the area
of the Louisiana Purchase as it is not land drained by the
Mississippi River. Read more.
The
Secret Coast won’t stay a secret much longer. There is so much
going on along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast now. The last two days
was rainy but I still managed to see a lot more of the coast.
It brought back many memories of the days when I lived in Bay
St. Louis.
Read
more.
To
paraphrase Willie Nelson, "I'm on the road again." But instead
of making music, I'm visiting some fantastic places. Some
brand new to me; some I am visiting again and enjoying the old
while marveling at the new. Read more.
In
1607 a group of 105 people led by John Smith established a
permanent Virginia colony, named in honor of Queen Elizabeth
I, at Jamestown on land inhabited by Native Americans. A
colony, also established by the Virginia Company, was to
become Richmond, situated on the fall line of the James River.
Read
more.
More
Civil War battles were staged in Virginia than any other state
and many of those battles played out in and around the
34,000-sq. mile Blue Ridge Mountains’ region. The mountains
are more than 1 billion years old, wind through eight states
and are stunning in their majesty.
Read more.
Halloween
is an especially good time to seek out haunted hotels. But
these are fun any time of year. Southern hospitality mingled
with the spirits of long ago.
Read more.
Contrary
to what some might believe Lynchburg was named after John
Lynch who took over the family’s James River ferry service in
1757. In 1786 45-acres of John Lynch’s land was used to found
the town that was chartered 29-years later. The location of
the ferry service was memorialized in 2004 with Langley
Fountain spouting a 190-ft. stream of water into the air.
Read more.
In
1669 the French explorer de La Salle, the first European in
the Ohio was met by the Iroquois Indians who migrated there in
the early 1600s. The river and the state would be named the
Iroquois word for “beautiful river”. The land was a
bountiful native beaver hunting ground and although the
Iroquois were quickly decimated and supplanted by the tribes
including the Delaware and Shawnee, the French established
posts to trade with the natives.
Read more.
I
wonder if Willie Nelson was thinking of Franklin, Tennessee
when he wrote "We're agin' with time like yesterday's wine."
Just like a good aged wine, Franklin had a unique past and
today is a city that beckons travelers of all types.
Read more.
Georgia,
named in honor of King George II, was the 13th of the 13
colonies and was founded in 1733. When the ship Anne
landed the 120 colonists on the shore of the Savannah
River, at the foot of a 45-foot bluff, founder James
Oglethorpe brought with him the plans for the city with the
river as the northern boundary. Read
more.
Woodstock,
Georgia has a huge variety of great restaurants but if you
like Italian, Vingenzo's stands out. It is an Italian treasure
in Woodstock's downtown entertainment district. One
taste of Vingenzo's Chef Michael Bologna's Neapolitan Pizza or
homemade sausage will have you thinking you died and went
to—no, not Heaven—Italy.
Read more.
The
history of DeKalb County has been archeologically traced back
as far as the late Ice Age and Indian mounds from the Late
Archaic Period have been found that predate the 1567 Spanish
claim to the land by thousands of years. Read more
Saint
Lucia was possibly inhabited 3,000 years ago by the Ciboney
and based on archaeological research and artifacts it has been
proven that “Iouanalao” island, “land of the iguanas”, was
settled by the Arawaks around 2,000 years ago.
Read more.
You may go to Savannah for the history
and fun but you gotta eat. So why not eat at the most fun and
interesting restaurants. As icing on the cake many of
Savannah's restaurants have a historic background. Here are a
few I loved there and why.
Read more.
She
was born Virginia Patterson Hensley on September 8, 1932. In a
life filled with much misfortune, she not only survived but
became a role model for female singers and women everywhere.
Read more.
In
1800 Pierre-Samuel du Pont de Nemours and two sons left France
to settle in the United States. This voyage would alter the
course of American history. Pierre had been elevated to
nobility because of his position with Louis XVI as an
economist, secretary to the Assembly of Notables
and his assistance in crafting the 1783 Treaty of Versailles
that ended the American Revolution.
Read more.
On
the 50th Anniversary of Hank Williams death, I had the honor
to meet the man who slapped his bull fiddle for Hank's
Drifting Cowboys in the 1940s.William Herbert "Lum" York,
(November 16, 1918 – August 15, 2004) was a musician best
known as the bass player in Hank Williams Drifting Cowboys.
Read more.
Who
knew there is so much to see and do in Woodstock, Georgia?
Just visited it with Travel Media Showcase this year and
discovered a treasure. It began with the Georgia Gold Rush and
grew when Marietta and North Georgia Railroad built a depot
there in 1879. There are a couple of legends about the city's
name. Read more.
On
Monday, September 17, 1849 Araminta “Minty” Ross set out from
Poplar Neck Plantation, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, to
freedom in the North. Prior to her escape she changed her name
to Harriet, after her mother, and took her husband’s last
name. Read more.
Did
you know DeKalb County, Georgia has a trio of unusual and
fascinating museums? I didn’t until I recently visited during
Travel Media Showcase.
Read more.
The
first Europeans in the southern region of Maryland, today’s
10-mile long South Potomac Heritage Scenic Corridor portion*,
were met by the Piscataway Indians who lived there from 1300.
Regional native habitation dates back 13,000 years and was the
site of a thriving culture.
Read more
Stone Mountain, a huge granite monolith
towering over the landscape in DeKalb County, Georgia, is
eye-candy in the highest form. Its
Confederate heroes, carved in giant scale on its front, is
carving is breathtaking. It's the world's largest bas-relief
carving in North America on the largest granite outcropping.
Read more.
If you've been putting off visiting Savannah because you think
it’s expensive, think again. It can be costly especially
parking but there are many free attractions well worth a
visit. I just visited and had a wonderful time.
Read more.
In
the not too distant past, if you wanted to get close to nature
you needed to pack your camping supplies or hitch up your RV.
I just did a magnificent close to nature trip with neither of
those things. How? I went glamping in Ellijay in the North
Georgia Mountains. Read
more.
NashHouse
Southern Spoon & Saloon in Nashville, Tennessee is more than a
dining establishment. It's a tribute to Nashville's Country
Music icons. It's relatively new having opened in March 2018
and is booming. Location of course is important. It's in the
Cambria Nashville hotel putting it walking distance from the
Country Music Hall of Fame, Music City Center, and the Johnny
Cash/Patsy Cline Museums.
Read more.
This
is one of the gems which is hidden right off a major
interstate. It’s for transportation buffs, especially railroad
buffs. In the late nineteenth century, J.P. Morgan, owner of
what was once the Southern Railway Company, located its
largest steam locomotive servicing facility halfway between
the railroad’s major terminal points of Washington, D.C. and
Atlanta. Read more.
If an apple a day really keeps the doctor
away, R and A Orchards in Gilmer County, Georgia can keep you
in perfect health. In this era of not knowing where our food
comes from, it's a pleasure to visit a real family run orchard
and produce store. Read more.
Hampton,
located 26-miles south of Atlanta, has a population of less
than 10,000 but receives thousands of visitors annually drawn
by the city’s unique sites and attractions. Seven years ago
Hampton was deemed a “Playful City,” one of under 220 in the
country. Read more.
There
are many fun things to visit in Ellijay, Georgia but there is
one unusual place many people might miss. If you are an animal
lover this one is a must-see. It's Build an Ark Animal Rescue. Read more.
Long awaited Westville, a living history
recreation of a typical Georgia town in the 1800s is now alive
and in full swing again in Columbus, Georgia. Its authentic
homes and building have been moved from around the state. It
had begun in Lumpkin and was closed down for a good while to
complete the move.Read more.
"Return
with me now to those thrilling days of yesteryear when the
Lone Ranger rides again"--no make that the Lone Writer. Here
at French Broad Outpost Dude Ranch in Eastern Tennessee, I’m
getting as close to the old western days as you can get. I
followed a gravel road that is not on most maps to the ranch.Read more.
I
recently visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art to view an
exhibition of their extraordinary collection of Impressionist
and Post-Impressionist artworks. More than 80 important pieces
by the masters of those avant-garde movements can be seen in
the media of painting, sculpture and works on paper. Read more.
One of the greatest musicians of our time is memorialized
in a museum in downtown Nashville. Only a handful of musicians
have left as large a footprint on Country Music as Johnny
Cash. The Johnny Cash Museum is rated number one music museum
in the world and a must-see by Forbes, Conde' Naste,
and National Geographical Traveler.Read more.
Henry
County, Georgia, comprised of four major communities, Hampton,
Locust Grove, McDonough, and Stockbridge, is situated 20-miles
from downtown Atlanta. It was named in honor of Patrick Henry
upon its creation in 1821 on land obtained through a treaty
with the Creek Indians.
Read
more.
Leiper's Fork, Tennessee is one of the
prettiest little towns you can find. It's no coincidence that
as you drive into town, a bright orange car and a police
cruiser catch your eye. It's the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard
and Barney Fife's cruiser from the
Andy Griffin Show.
Read more
There
are some places in Jacksonville a visitor should not miss. One
of them is Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens. It's on the
north side of Jacksonville and not in the main path of
visitors headed into Jax's busy downtown. It
began back in 1914 and has grown ever since.
Read More.
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know if any of the stories are "sponsored" or
compensated. We also are to let readers know if
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just a way to direct you to more information
about the article where the link is placed. We
also have several ads on our pages. They are
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understands. American Roads and Global Highways
may contain affiliate links or ads. Further, as
their bios show, most of the feature writers are
professional travel writers. As such we are
frequently invited on press trips, also called
fam trips. On these trips most of our lodging,
dining, admissions fees and often plane fare are
covered by the city or firm hosting the trip. It
is an opportunity to visit places we might not
otherwise be able to visit. However, no one
tells us what to write about those places. All
opinions are 100% those of the author of that
feature column.
Now
that it is difficult to physically visit fun places how about taking a
virtual tour. Then when you can travel there, this tour will
show you all the best places.You can do that for under
$5 now. Here's some fun and informative tours at Tours4Mobile.
Just outside the city of Ocala
lies a different "Magic Kingdom." Mother Nature
rules this kingdom. It's the Ocala National Forest,
430,000 scenic acres of the most diverse terrain
imaginable. It contains highlands, swamps, 600
lakes, countless ponds, 23 streams and springs of clear
crystal water, it’s bounded by the slow, dark waters of
the Oklawaha River on the west and the larger, faster
moving St. Johns River on the east. It is the oldest
national forest east of the Mississippi and it has its
ghostly secrets. Read
more.
Some
say that the personalities of ghosts in the afterlife are much
like the ones they had while living. Amelie Comeaux who haunts
T-Frere’s Bed and Breakfast in Lafayette was a “canaille,” a
mischievous girl, and her antics in death reflect this wily
nature.
We
can all acknowledge the fact that blacks have played a
significant role in United States history, from the Spanish
explorers, Estevanico, Pedro Nino and Juan Garrido,
to advancements by *Dr. Patricia E. Bath and **Dr. Thomas
Mensah. We tend to exalt those whose actions were overt,
seemingly larger than life but what about those who operated
in the shadows and attained quiet victories. What about those
who literally turned the tide of events.
Long awaited Westville, a living history
recreation of a typical Georgia town in the 1800s is now alive
and in full swing again in Columbus, Georgia. Its authentic
homes and building have been moved from around the state. It
had begun in Lumpkin and was closed down for a good while to
complete the move.
