USA Travel Guide

Here’s a weird one for you, and it’s not often I can say that and proceed to talk about a state history museum. Indeed, the Old State House in Hartford, Connecticut is everything you’d expect, but then again, it’s something else entirely.

More or less two museums in one, the Old State House is firstly a Connecticut history museum. Situated in a gorgeous Federal style mansion completed in 1796, the State house served as the state capital from the time of its completion until 1873. The state has been good to the old girl (one of the oldest left in the nation, I might add), and due to consistent restoration and preservation efforts the house is as beautiful today as it likely was over two hundred years ago.

The first museum explores the history of Connecticut with a strong focus on the Hartford area. Everything from early-iteration fire engines to the actual spelling books of dictionary magnate and Hartford native Noah Webster are on display. It’s a wide collection. From this museum, our favorite attraction is actually the building itself. The chambers, including the city council and state senate room, are carefully-preserved and remarkably scenic. Don’t skip it.

Both guided and self-guided tours are available.

Now here comes the weird part. Visitors of the Old State House are also welcome to explore the Joseph Steward Museum of Curiosities, located on the third floor. This unusual attraction recreates a museum of art and curiosities run by prominent American artist Joseph Steward in the state house from 1797 to 1808 before outgrowing the space.

Curiosities is a vague term, and I imagine that’s just how Steward liked it. Items on display include a stuffed two-headed cow, a preserved two-headed fetal pig, a hand-sized crustacean claw, wax likenesses, African furniture, a massive oyster shell and something that is supposedly the rib a whale. Plus many, many more.

It’s a fascinating, unusual end to your average history tour, and something that we’ve never seen another state history museum come close to. We like both museums, but no doubt it’s the museum of curiosities that really makes the day.

It’d be nice if they could do it free, but at $6 for adults and $3 for younger children, the tour is fairly inexpensive and worth the cost of admission.

The Old State House is located is downtown Hartford, Connecticut. Hours and operating days change seasonally. Currently the museums are open Tuesday-Saturday; 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Learn more.

For downtown Hartford hotels, we’re big fans of the Crowne Plaza Hartford. The location is choice for visiting the Old State House, and they offer a complimentary area shuttle, free weekend parking and even a tasty restaurant.

Have fun!

Here in Dallas we’re already having days in the hundreds (with heat indexes in the mid-thousands), so a splash in the ocean and a light coastal breeze are sounding pretty good right about now. Yep, it’s definitely time for USA Travel Guide to hit the beach, and we’re dragging the family along so that means Cocoa Beach, Florida.

A favorite for summer family beach vacations, Cocoa Beach on Florida’s eastern coast combines copious beachfront entertainment with enough area attractions to keep the trip interesting for several days. All the while, and most impressively, it remains a real place and not some resort-driven tourist trap. There’s a local flavor that’s missing from so many other beach vacation destinations, and doubtless that’s why we keep going back.

We let the beach itself be the star. Miles long and blanketed with light beige sand, Cocoa Beach is a versatile place that will accommodate just about any beachgoer. The sand is soft and comfortable, and it’s castle-friendly for you building enthusiasts. The water is ripe for a good time as well, with gentle and challenging currents for any skill level of swimmer, body boarder or surfer.

In fact, surfing is much more than a passing interest in Cocoa Beach, it’s a local pastime. Ron Jon Surf Shop, a popular 24-hour surf and beach supply store with locations dotting the east coast, has its flagship store in Cocoa Beach, which at 52,000 square feet happens to be the largest surf shop in the world. Visiting Ron Jon is simply a must for surf fans.

Pristine sand, killer waves, a soft breeze, what more do you need? Oh, something to do on day three? Well, might we recommend a few drive market attractions? 

• Kennedy Space Center – the visitor attraction of the nearby NASA launch center is a major area attraction. We say buy up for the complex tour.
• Jungle Adventures – previously featured as one of out “Top American Zoos”, Jungle Adventures is home to 200 alligators as well as dozens of other Florida natives. Check out the “Dinner after Dark in the Jungle” program.
• Cocoa Village – historic charm is why most people go, but being the fan of ghost tours that I am, I head out on Friday or Saturday evening for the Cocoa Village Ghost Tour.

For family beach vacations in Cocoa Beach, FL, we like the Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach Oceanfront Resort. The rates are always approachable, and the hotel is definitely geared towards families with a “Kids Eat Free” program, on-site arcade, awesome kids’ play pool featuring a pirate ship, unique KidsSuites rooms and generous pet policy.

Have fun!

First Image by Mike Russell available under GNU license.

It’s not the first time we’ve been to Canyon of the Eagles Lodge & Nature Park, but with summer vacation officially upon us now and thousands of families looking for something unique and affordable to do, there couldn’t be a better time to head back.

Canyon of the Eagles in Burnet, Texas is quaint, quiet cool. It doesn’t have the flash and dazzle of New York City or San Diego, and it’s proof enough that you don’t need it. Rustic yet more than hospitable, the Canyon of the Eagles lodge is situated on 940 acres of pristine Texas Hill Country, offering exploration, discovery and outdoor adventure for days.

Thankfully, with so much potential, you’re not left entirely on your own (if you don’t want to be). Daily guided programs are held to help guests get the most of the abundant reserve, many of which are offered for free. Participate to ensure you’re getting the best of the best, or strike your own path. At this place it’s really up to you.

So what is there to do at Canyon of the Eagles? Well, there’s only one TV in the whole place, so you can bet that sitting around and catching up on your soaps isn’t on the itinerary. Here’s what is: 

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A buddy of mine earned a free trip to L.A. through his work about a month back, and you can bet he and his wife did it all: Hollywood, Universal Studios, Disneyland – all the biggies. We went to dinner when they got back, and they wouldn’t shut up! This was awesome, and that was more awesome, but this was the most mega-awesomest of all!

“I know,” I said, “I’m a travel writer.”

Oh, but you didn’t see this!

Well, when you’re right, you’re right! Los Angeles really is one of the top summer vacation destinations, and it’s no challenge accounting why. Incredible history, one-of-a-kind sights, iconic landmarks, world-class amusements parks, museums, restaurants and hotels and, of course, the beach. That’s a lot for one destination to offer.

Let’s take a closer look at some fun summer vacation spots in Los Angeles: 

• Universal Studios Hollywood – The original rendition of our #7 Amusement Park in America, Universal Studios Hollywood dazzles young and old alike with the magic of the movies. While the park now has many theme rides (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The Simpsons Ride^TM is killer!), our favorite attraction is still the back lot tram tour.
• Hollywood – Footin’ it down the Hollywood Walk of Fame is like a pop culture rite of passage. Plus, there’s tons to do during your tour. Head by Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to see the concrete hands, take a studio tour and don’t forget the famous Hollywood Wax Museum. Speaking of which…
• Hollywood Wax Museum – Located in the heart of Hollywood (if you’re walking the stars, you can’t miss it), the original Hollywood Wax Museum houses nearly 200 startlingly lifelike wax figurines of the biggest faces in show business. Kids love it!

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Just a couple weeks ago we featured a Living Desert, and today we’re back with a Living Museum which, for better or worse, is nothing like the latest Ben Stiller paycheck.

The Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum is a great opportunity for us not only to get the word out on a top-notch family attraction, but also to finally bring a little love to Oklahoma, long neglected by USA Travel Guide and for that we apologize.

Opened in 1927 in Tulsa, Oklahoma’s humongous Mohawk Park, the Tulsa Zoo was a global endeavor from day one featuring a collection of 35 animals spanning the Earth, including an American black bear and an Indian rhesus monkey. This collection has since grown tremendously to more than 1500 animals across 436 species, many of them endangered, rare or at risk, but the curators have never abandoned the global focus.

Arranged by continent or geographic designation, the zoo features robust habitats housing the animals of Asia, Africa, North America, tropical America and the oceans and islands of the world. The amazing menagerie features reticulated giraffes, lions, zebras, meerkats, chimpanzees, white rhinos, siamangs, Siberian tigers, Asian elephants, African penguins, lemurs and spectacled bears, just to name a few.

One consistently popular attraction (and half of the name) is the North American Living Museum, an unusual four-building complex that features educational museum-style exhibits, some interactive even, to round out an afternoon of animal encounters. Divided among four abundant North American ecological regions – arctic, desert, forest and lowlands – the Living Museum is a chance to learn as much about the habitats as about the animals that call them home. Popular stops include the earthquake simulation, natural walk-through cave and 20,000-gallon shark tank.

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I’m like the hunchback of the office. While everyone else is doing real work, I’m indulging myself in stories about ghosts, gambling and Wrestlemania. They want to do a piece about Easter; I want to do a piece about peanut butter sandwiches. They want to do a piece about flowers; I want to link to Twisted Sister videos, and so forth. It’s truly a never-ending struggle for blog supremacy.

Well, you can’t win them all, as they say, so join us now as we take you to a festival … for dogs.*

Wilmington, North Carolina is a surprisingly happening place for festival goers, hosting street fairs, jazz festivals, blues festivals, a big Oktoberfest, a free Shakespeare festival and last week’s North Carolina Azalea Festival, just to name a few. There’s something going on pretty much all year long, but one newer, more unusual event that we hope won’t sneak under your radar is Paw Jam 2009.

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Okay, so dogs aren’t exactly explosions, but they are Man’s Best Friend. That counts, right?

The pet-friendly hotels we mentioned previously both offered a great value in fairly animal-friendly destinations, but neither came close to today’s selection: the Holiday Inn Alexandria – Historic District in Alexandria, Virginia.

It’s a double-whammy, really. Alexandria is remarkably dog-friendly, with an abundance of fenced and open dog parks, canine-centric attractions and an unparalleled level of freedom for dog-lovers and their pets throughout the city. The Holiday Inn Alexandria Hotel is the second whammy, being both affordable and accommodating to your animal.

First the location. Dog owners in Alexandria, Virginia have plenty to do with their furry friends, whether it’s bringing them along on a walking tour of historic Old Town or even Mount Vernon, or just sharing an afternoon with them in one of the many outdoor cafes along King Street. For something really unusual, the Potomac Riverboat Company offers canine cruises every Thursday during the summer (May-September).

Of course, dog parks, both contained and open, are a snap to find and always inexpensive when not free. The city Web site has detailed information.

Second is the hotel. The Holiday Inn Alexandria – Historic District is surprisingly reasonable at only $50 per pet (flat, non-refundable), and what’s more, they welcome large dogs, which you don’t see too often. All that combined with an Old Town location in walking distance of everywhere you want to be, and we really can’t recommend it enough for pet-friendly travel in Virginia near Washington, DC.

Learn more about the hotel’s pet policies and accommodations here.

Some information provided by Holiday Inn Alexandria – Historic District.

You got your beachfront getaway in my family vacation! You got your family vacation in my beachfront getaway!

Like chocolate and peanut butter, fried chicken and waffles, or bacon and absolutely anything, family vacations and beachfront getaways are two great tastes that taste great together. And one of our favorite places to find the flavor is Florida’s beautiful Space Coast. I’m talking Cocoa Beach, people!

We’ve mentioned this family-friendly beachfront paradise a few times before, but I don’t know that we’ve ever done the abundance and variety of Cocoa Beach justice. As the season ramps up and more and more families are scouring for that perfect Spring Break 2009 idea, there couldn’t be a better time. Here are our favorite Cocoa Beach attractions: 

• Cocoa Beach – Spring Break beach vacations don’t have to be all Jose Cuervo and bad intentions. Cocoa Beach adapts the party atmosphere during the season, but somehow the family crowd always manages to bite off its piece. Surfing is big game here, as is swimming, body boarding, beach volleyball and tanning. For architects in the making, the sand is ideal for sandcastle building.

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Beset by resorts, miles from the nearest bikini-clad beach, slick with corporate polish, Orlando, Florida is maybe the purest expression of the Spring Break family vacation, efficiently designed to inject G-rated fun into your bloodstream.

I should really rebel. As a proponent of unique, off-the-beaten path travel, I should reject the easy comforts of Orlando in favor of bold, edifying exploration. But as anyone who’s ever “tried something new for Thanksgiving” can tell you, sometimes comfort foods are the best food of all.

Here are our favorite attractions for a family Spring Break in Orlando, Florida: 

• Walt Disney World – The world’s most popular amusement destination by attendance! You could easily plan your entire Spring Break around Walt Disney World’s four amusement parks, two water parks and countless other attractions, and many do. Your wallet can get away from you here, so scope out your packages carefully, and consider finding some smaller local attractions to counter the cost.

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When I was in third grade, we had a school project where every night one student was required to call up the Iditarod hotline and get the latest rankings to report to everyone the next day of class (this was before the Internet). The Iditarod was no small feat – bitter snowstorms, subzero temperatures, incredible physical exertion – but in my imaginative third-grade mind, it was that much more horrible. I imagined trails that lasted for months, yetis at every turn, dead mushers by the truckload. Needless to say, I was really into it!

It’s also needless to say that when the school project only lasted about ten days, I was pretty disappointed. It wasn’t until much later that I realized how difficult completing the Iditarod is, even without battling abominable snowmen.

Why not capture a bit of the thrill yourself by hopping a plane up to Anchorage, Alaska and catching the Iditarod Opening Ceremony? Stories to tell when you get home guaranteed.

The 2009 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race begins on March 7, 2009 on Fourth Avenue in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. While the specifics of the opening ceremony vary from year to year, you can expect a number of things: a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a celebration of the competitors’ home countries, lots of press, lots of people, lots of dogs, lots of fanfare, and maybe even an appearance by former Vice Presidential hopeful and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. The first musher heads out at 10:00 a.m.

The Iditarod Sled Dog Race was first run in 1973 and began for the reason so many of our most revered competitions and events began: to keep tradition alive. As sophisticated roadways, snowmobiles and airplanes made their move on Alaska, the necessity of the sled dog fell to the wayside. Joe Redington Sr. and Dorothy Page, too seemingly average imports from the lower 48, collaborated with a group of mushers to establish a race in honor of the proud sled dog tradition. Named after the Iditarod Trail, the race has been the world’s premier sled dog competition since the very first run.

The Iditarod is 1,161 miles in length with 25-26 checkpoints the mushers must visit, depending on his or her route. The race is run by 60 to 80 teams, with an average winning time of a little over 9 days. During the race, mushers and their dogs face blizzards, blinding whiteout conditions, severe temperatures as low as -100° F and gale force winds, not to mention internal factors like hunger, fatigue and dementia (ok, maybe not dementia). While completing the race is a celebrated achievement, the primary concern of the mushers is the safety and well-being of their dogs.

For more general Iditarod information, click here. For event schedules and official news, click here.

Head to Anchorage for the 2009 Iditarod Opening Ceremony, but stay for a fantastic Alaska vacation. For Anchorage hotels, we love the Inlet Tower Hotel & Suites. They’re located just south of downtown less than a mile from Fourth Avenue, so it’ll be a quick trip to the opening ceremony, and smart, boutique-style amenities will keep you comfortable during those long Alaska nights.

For more Alaska vacation ideas, check out our post on the Fur Rondy Festival.