Summer Vacations | |
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Looking for inspirations for summer vacations? The suggestions below range from Florida to New England, Texas to Alberta.
Summer Vacations - Idea #1.
St.
Augustine, Florida
Not to say that beaches and theme parks aren't good fun, but Florida has much
more to offer, also: St. Augustine, for example, the "Nation's Oldest City",
with history dating back 435 years. Stroll through excavations of an old Spanish
colony, where Ponce de Leon hoped to find the Fountain of Youth; take a cruise
to see historic sights, or try the cute Red
Sightseeing Train that offers narrated transportation, and lets you get on
and off for three days for only $12/adult, $5/kids.
And by they way, St. Augustine does have beaches-- 43 miles of 'em. And Orlando is only 107 miles away.
Summer Vacations - Idea #2.
New
England Pow-wows
Every year, many native tribes have special gatherings, and at many of these
events visitors are welcome. When I attended a powwow in New Mexico,
it was a friendly event, colorful with native costumes and dances, and a
great chance to introduce kids to native culture; plenty of
opportunities to buy food and local handicrafts, too. For more about what to
expect at powwows, click
here; or go directly to a schedule of
New
England events, with links to other regions also.
Summer Vacations - Idea #3.
Head Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
Amazing name. Located where the foothills of the Rockies meet the plains, this
UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place where, for thousands of years, people
hunted buffalo by herding them over a cliff. Nowadays, a $10M Interpretive
Centre built into the sandstone cliff teaches about the ecology, myths, and
customs of the Blackfoot peoples. Families may be especially interested in tipi
camping: spend the night in canvas tipis, learn traditional methods of
"Living off the Land", hear legends around the campfire.
Summer Vacations - Idea #4.
Palo Duro Canyon Mega-show
You won't
find a stage much bigger than this: the backdrop is a magnificent canyon.
Every year since 1966, the musical drama TEXAS has been staged at the Palo Duro
Pioneer Amphitheatre. The show brings to life the history of the Texas
panhandle from the 1800's, in an extravaganza with horses, fireworks, and new sets and costumes
every year. Read more from About's Guide for Texas for Visitors.
Summer Vacations - Idea #5. Old Faithful Inn
One
of Yellowstone National Park's best attractions was created not by Mother Nature
but by human hands: the amazing Old Faithful Inn is a classic of "rustic
elegance." Built in 1903 with all the mod-cons such as steam heat,
indoor plumbing, and electric lights, nowadays the Inn has modern rooms in a new
wing, but you can still find a quaint room in the old section (and at a very
affordable price.)
To the left is the wonderful balcony, where visitors gather to watch the Old Faithful geyser erupt.
- continue to SUMMER VACATIONS OVERVIEW
*photo copyright by Teresa Plowright.
