Flora, Fauna, and Cultural Heritage on an Eco-Tour of Mobile, Alabama

Imagine paddling a kayak through a reedy marsh. You spot an alligator, its head just poking above the water. As your kayak comes closer, the alligator drops below water and disappears. This immersion into a natural environment is one aspect of ecotourism. Ecotourism involves interactive and learning opportunities to discover cultures and environments. It’s a…

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5 Waterfalls in 5 Hours

With over 100 waterfalls, the Upper Cumberland Area is known to be among the highest concentrations of waterfalls in the United States. Located on the low side of the 20,000+ square-mile Cumberland Plateau, much of the rain that falls on the plateau drains west – – into the Upper Cumberland. As the water pours over…

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Tennessee Tourism Adds New “Color Blind” Viewfinders Statewide to Enable More Travelers to Enjoy the Colors of Fall

Specially Equipped Viewfinders Installed at 11 Locations Across Tennessee   First Introduced in October 2017, Tennessee’s specially equipped viewfinders enabled thousands of color-blind visitors to “see” the natural beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains in peak fall foliage for the first time. Images of color-blind travelers experiencing the brilliant fall colors for the first time…

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Locally Made Foodie Stops in Fredericksburg, Texas

Farm-to-table. Pick-your-own. What about locally made? Next time you visit Fredericksburg, Texas, plan to savor these locally-made favorites. Chocolat Specializing in liquid-center chocolates filled with spirits, wine, coffee, and fruit nectar, Chocolat is the sole American manufacturer using the European method which dates back nearly two centuries. Locally made and more than 28 years in business, Chocolat…

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The Lavender Fields of Washington Island, Wisconsin

When Martine and Edgar Anderson moved to Washington Island as young retirees, they looked for a business in which to invest, but nothing seemed to suit. Martine, born in France, dreamed of one day owning a lavender farm. She felt that Washington Island shared similar characteristics with Provence, so Edgar did weather studies, took soil…

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Get Your History on Tap

Many a successful business originated from a passion project. So what happens when you have two passions—that don’t necessarily seem like they go together—like drinking and history? In the case of Liz Garibay, you create History on Tap. Garibay blended her love for the camaraderie of drinking in intimate bar settings with her background in…

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The Speakeasy Makes a Comeback | Swordfish Tom’s

The term “speakeasy” is thrown about quite a bit these days. Odd, in a sense, because the meaning of the word represents Prohibition, when speakeasies were secret drinking places, hidden away, offering an illegal chance to partake. So how has the term suddenly become so popular again? The term “speakeasy” is thrown about quite a…

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2018 Travel Schedule

Fredericksburg, TX | April 2-6 Experience the bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, and red poppies with a spring visit to the Texas Hill Country in Fredericksburg! This authentic Texas-German community, just an hour’s drive northwest of San Antonio, is renowned for its upscale boutiques and art galleries, burgeoning wine industry, upscale lodging, lush wildflower landscape, world-class museums,…

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6 Places to Get Pickled in Ann Arbor, Michigan

This Food-Conscious City Embraces a Variety of Methods for Fermentation. Between the yogurt commercials promoting a flat belly to the numerous health claims made by physicians and holistic practitioners, you have no doubt heard about probiotics—or the “good” bacteria—found in fermented foods. Some research says that these good bacteria, particularly those in our gut, may…

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A Lesson in the History of Antique Barware

I learn so much on my travels. In Alexandria, Virginia, I was fortunate to get a lesson in antique barware and how you can tell what period a piece is from based on what was going on in the world at the time. Here, Victoria Vergason, owner of The Hour, shares some insights. Read the…

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A Saturday Morning in Kansas City

Spring is the perfect opportunity to get out and explore Kansas City. Thanks to the KC Streetcar, you can spend a Saturday morning with a trolley ride from Union Station to the City Market, enjoy brunch at The Farmhouse, a farm-to-table restaurant, walk and shop the City Market, then return to Union Station for a…

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Want Less Fear, More Joy? Take the Next Step

I stepped off the train into a blizzard. As I stood there trying to figure out where to go, I heard the conductor’s cry of All Aboard!, and knew I would soon be left to fend for myself. Yet fear never entered my consciousness. Instead, fully immersed in the moment and its requirements, I took the next step.

A Lesson in Breeding Mason Bees

It was a vibrant spring morning as Eliza, the owner of Best Kept Secret B&B in Glenwood Springs, CO, brought out containers filled with bamboo canes. Burrowed inside these canes were Mason bees, ready to be released from their cocoons.  Kept in the refrigerator all winter to protect them from predators, and so the bees wouldn’t accidentally get…

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Why Would I Go To New Orleans Alone?

A light rain started as I climbed through the window to the balcony of my room at the Hotel Maison de Ville in New Orleans. I felt like a teenager sneaking out after dark for a secret tryst. The air was thick with humidity and the rain broke some of the day’s heat, if only briefly. There was an overhang on the balcony, so I sat outside, feet propped on a table, drinking a cafĂ© au lait and watching the revelers just one block over on Bourbon Street.

Train Travel: It’s All About The Journey

Life on the train is sleepy; it’s a casual pace that allows for reflection and connection to others. This leisurely pace provides a luxury I rarely enjoy–my biggest choice being whether I lay curled in my seat, gazing out the window, or go to the observation car and meet other travelers. I enjoy both options, but…

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Solo Travel: The First Step is the Hardest

“I think I’m going to throw up.” It was 10 o’clock at night and we had just arrived at the train station. The nerves and excitement that got me through the days of planning and packing for this first journey of the USA by rail had turned to dread. My friend pulled into the circle…

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9 Spectacular Places to Eat in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe is renowned as a food-lovers heaven, with New Mexican cuisine leading as Archangel. The food is spicy, vibrant, flavorful and oh-so-delicious. The quality, whether New Mexican or standard American fare, is outstanding. Could it be the altitude? On my first visit in January, I commented to a friend that the salads tasted alive…

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The best places to go camping in the South this fall

SUMMER MAY BE OVER, but head to the American South and you’ll find great places to camp deep into the fall months. From Florida to South Carolina, campgrounds have fewer crowds and plenty of space to set up a camp chair, light a campfire, and enjoy the fall season at a different pace than in the summer months….

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The Highland Lakes of Burnet County, Texas–3-Day Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive and check into lodging. Reception and dinner at Log Country Cove with a beer tasting from Save the World Brewing Company. Star-gazing at Canyon of the Eagles. This site is one of the best locations in Central Texas for viewing the cosmos due to minimal light pollution in the region. Two telescopes, a…

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Made in Tennessee: Upper Cumberland 5-Day Itinerary

Day 1 Check in at Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Cookeville, TN. Dinner at Salt Box Inn Begin your visit with an extensive showcase of Upper Cumberland’s various barbeque cuisine, “wines, shine & stein”, a musical performance and a show and tell from the regional Tennessee State Parks. Day 2 Made in Tennessee —…

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Take the Helm Theater at GulfQuest

Take the helm in this simulator, identical to those used to train professional boat pilots. You’ll get the chance to navigate vessels around the Port of Mobile, Mobile Bay, and the Tombigbee River. The simulations in this interactive exhibit are based on models of real downtown #Mobile, #MobileBay, and river locations. https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwanderlust.usa.by.rail%2Fvideos%2F554644841645736%2F&show_text=0&width=560

WildNative Tours (Video)

Captains Mike and Chris with WildNative Tours led a delightful water tour from the Mobile River to Mobile Bay to the Tensaw Delta giving fun and informative talks about the ports, the wildlife, the ecosystem, crab and shrimp fishing, and fun facts like in the video where Captain Chris explains how mobile homes got their…

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