Historic Cities Across America

I am a huge history fan. I love going anywhere that has a lot of history that I can immerse myself into. So, when I found an article on USA Today that talked about where to go in the USA for some good ole American History, I thought THIS will be my next post.

Growing up, my family always took those typical family vacations where we grabbed our tennis shoes, loaded up the sunscreen and broke out the map. My dad is a huge history person as well, so we visited all of those historic cities full of a rich past of our foundations. We went to Williamsburg, Gettysburg, Washington, DC and more. Unfortunately, I was too young to understand the significance of Little Big Top, but I admire our parents for taking us and I have those memories none the less. Ok, so one thing that I have never done is explored any part of the Lewis and Clark Trail, but that is some important stuff! Covering America from East to West, they documented their travels with there hundreds of plants, animals and tribes they discovered. I could just imagine how neat it would be to make that same journey and think of how it has all changed since then. Their books of species looked like this: I talked in the last post about Washington DC and how I loved going to all the Smithsonian Museums. I got pretty excited when I saw Abe Lincoln's hat and even the gun that shot him. ( I know that's morbid...I just really like Abe.) The museums along the National Mall vary in subjects and are well worth the visit. And because they are free, you can spend little time in it and not worry about wasting your money! Below is a photo inside the Capitol I took last summer. There is another article that offers more cities from the Travel Channel. It suggests cites like Philadelphia, Boston and New York. Maybe I would like New York if I toured the history side of it... It has a lot of history in immigration and an array of cultures. Boston, home of the infamous Tea Party, has a story deep-rooted in America's political evolution. As a final note, all the history isn't in the north! In the south, you have cities like St. Augustine, Savannah, Charleston and New Orleans that all offer history, but of different origins. St. Augustine is very Spanish, Savannah is colonial, Charleston, I hear, is a bigger St. Augustine but less Spanish, and New Orleans has the jazz and voodoo Cajun history. In the west, Texas asks we remember the Alamo, and San Francisco is full of historic city life.

All over the US, there is rich history that is just waiting for us to explore and learn to appreciate what it is to be an American.

Florida: More than Disney

As one that considers herself a Florida girl, it is always fun to explore just how big this state is and what it has to offer to the insane amount of people that are here. When people think of Florida and tourism, one would automatically think DISNEY! However, this state, in case no one knew, is huge. It takes 10 hours to drive from Miami to Pensacola alone. Therefore, Disney cannot be the only reason people to come to Florida. There is too much else going on!

So what all is here? In the last post, I discussed wildlife and that is where I will begin. Florida has a diverse wildlife population that you cannot see up north. USA Today has some photos of where to go for wildlife, and many of them are in Florida! Take a look! Just by living in Florida for 12 years, I have seen sandhill cranes, alligators, otters, bears, boars, and all that is in between.

Speaking of the Everglades, this article highlights the insanely large pythons that are there and how they are devouring (unsuccessfully) alligators. What’s interesting is that these giant Burmese pythons are not native to the area, so it sounds like someone dropped off their pets a while back. Their ability to thrive in this non-native habitat shows their uncanny survival skills and durability in harsh conditions. With the ablity of these snakes to swallow alligators, it is no wonder that Florida banned the use of these as pets.

I love nature, but I am not about to go camp for weeks just to experience Florida. So, let's go a new direction. One that I love: history! It is also home to the nations Oldest City, St. Augustine which has not only the Castillo de San Marcos, but The Fountain of Youth, Henry Flagler's groundbreaking hotels and loads of hokey yet highly entertaining ghost tours and museums.

And don't forget about the beaches! The Gulf offers clear water, white sand and an excellent place for finding shells and sharks teeth. The east coast, however, brings waves and the surf culture that comes with it. I have always lived within 30 mins of a beach, and I often forget that most people do not have that luxury! And the storms that roll in almost daily during the summers are a sight to see as well. They are dark and scary, but rarely do they ever turn too dangerous. I took this one a few years back. A fun beach trip soon had everyone running for cover:

Regardless, Florida has a lot to offer and taking a road trip through the state would be quite the undertaking!