A Wedding Anniversary Road Trip Through Places that Matter

Last month, Cole Stryker (Heritage Travel’s assistant manager, customer experience) took his wife on a weekend trip through the Shenandoah Valley to Charlottesville, Virginia to celebrate their second wedding anniversary. Along the way they visited quite a few places that matter.





Following is an excerpt and photos from his trip journal:

As the Washington, D.C. suburbs gave way to greenery, we sped along Interstate 66 until we arrived in Front Royal, a breezy small town located at the northern mouth of Shenandoah National Park. We stopped at a massive flea market to pick up some fresh strawberries and green beans—a nice supplement to the energy bars we had packed for the ride. We meandered into town, picked up a couple of chocolate malts and explored the main street, where vintage clothiers, wine tastings, and Civil War monuments vied for our attention.

We entered Shenandoah National Park and drove south along Skyline Drive, one of the nation’s most scenic drives. The route featured many pull-offs, which allow drivers to appreciate the vistas without traffic building up.

After exiting the park for the afternoon, we drove aimlessly among the hollers surrounding the park border, eventually coming upon a roadside diner, where we enjoyed (what else?) biscuits and gravy. We spent the evening hunting for antiques in Luray, a beautiful town known for its vast caverns. We enjoyed a restful night at the newly renovated Mimslyn Inn.

We spent most of the next day traveling the rest of the way through the park, pausing only to check out a black bear and her cub. Emerging from the thick forest at the southern end of the park, we drove west to Staunton. We strolled through Staunton’s historic downtown, visited Woodrow Wilson’s Presidential Library, and stumbled on a poignant memorial ceremony for fallen Confederate soldiers at Thornrose Cemetery. Before leaving Staunton we savored incredible barbecued ribs at the Mill Street Grille, polished off with complimentary peppermint ice cream.

After dinner we made our way to Charlottesville and checked in at the Boar’s Head Inn, a sprawling resort hotel just outside of town. That night we walked through the University of Virginia grounds to the downtown mall, a vibrant shopping center where we browsed the shops while buskers’ music filled the air.


The next morning, we started early for Jefferson’s Monticello. We were met by a delightful tour guide, whose whimsical oration brought the estate to life. Here we were introduced Jefferson’s daily routine along with the lives of the large slave community working the fields and gardens. After our tour we were able to explore the beautiful grounds at our leisure. We then departed for Madison’s Montpelier, which was less visually impressive but no less fascinating.

After our tour, we drove back north to Washington through gorgeous plantation country. On the return trip we seemed to come across Civil War battlefield markers every few minutes, reminding us that thunderous cannon fire once shook this bucolic landscape. Signs of battle crept into our view throughout the drive home, a sobering reminder of the area’s turbulent history. Still, I’m glad that these things remain a part of the American landscape so that we may remain mindful of sacrifices made and of the enduring spirit of freedom.


You can create your own trip journal and read the trip journals written by others when Gozaic launches later this summer. Learn more about Gozaic and the upcoming site features, including trip journals.

10 Meaningful Ways to Celebrate America on the 4th of July

We all have our traditional ways of celebrating the 4th of July — parades along Main Street, backyard barbecues, patriotic festivals and, to cap off the day, all-important fireworks. These are all wonderful ways to celebrate our nation’s independence and all that is great about America. But there are many other ways to celebrate what is truly great and meaningful about living in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.

Why not break from the old traditions this Independence Day and start some new ones?

Here are 10 heritage-rich and meaningful alternatives to consider:

Drive along a historic trail — There are many historic trails in the United States, each telling a tale of a different period in American history. Whether you spend just one day or the entire 4th of July weekend driving along one of these trails, it will be an immersive, historically rich experience you won’t soon forget. Read more about some of the nation’s best historic trails...



Visit a battlefield — Visiting a battlefield is a poignant way to remember those who fought for our country on American soil. There are many battlefields from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Texas Revolution, and other American wars peppered throughout the country. See a list of American battlefields across the nation...




Visit an historic cemetery — Learn more about our country’s history and honor those who fell in battle by visiting an historic cemetery. There are a vast number of historic cemeteries in the United States that offer tours. You can check with your local or state government to find cemeteries near you.





Go on a walking tour of a city’s history — Walking tours are an excellent and interactive way to experience the history of a particular city, town, or neighborhood. Check with the local convention and visitors’ bureau or tourism organization to find out about historic walking tours for a particular location.




Go on a picnic at a national heritage area — Move the 4th of July picnic from your backyard or city park to a more scenic and heritage-rich locale. Check out a list and map from the Alliance of National Heritage Areas.






Learn more about great Americans — Visit local historic sites and museums dedicated to the lives and works of the people who made America what it is today. Many of these places have special 4th of July programs and events.





Become a “voluntourist” — Voluntourism combines travel with volunteer service and has been gaining popularity recently. What better way to celebrate America than by giving back to the country through volunteerism. Try looking for volunteer opportunities with festivals, events held by nonprofit organizations, or other area programs. The VolunTourism.org Web site is a great place to start finding voluntourism opportunities.



Spend the day at the shore — While many people will be heading to the nearest public beach, you could enjoy the serene beauty of one of America’s national seashores or lakeshores. Bring a picnic lunch, visit nearby lighthouses, stroll through nearby towns. Make a weekend of it! Find a national seashore or lakeshore near you!



Enjoy the scenery ... from a hot-air balloon — Many towns and cities hold hot-air balloon festivals on Independence Day. If you enjoy spectacular views (and aren’t afraid of heights or flying), a hot-air balloon ride is an ideal way to experience America’s majestic beauty. You can browse the state-by-state directory at HotAirBallooning.com.



Go out to a ball game — Whether it’s Major League, Minor League, or even Little League, there is nothing more American than America’s Pastime. Baseball has a rich and storied history that can bring out the best (and worst) in its fans. There’s no denying that the sport holds a special, beloved place in the hearts of Americans. Take yourself out to a ball game and "root, root, root for the home team!"


What is your favorite way to celebrate the 4th of July? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

Enjoy your holiday!

Kari

Kari Rippetoe is the Marketing Manager at Heritage Travel, Inc., a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.


photo credits:
Flickr, "St. Louis 4th of July Fireworks," by Creativity+ Timothy Hamilton
Flickr, "Old Route 66, " by Swiv
Flickr, "Canon at Parkers Crossroads Battlefield," by J. Stephen Conn
Flickr, "St. Andrew's Church and Cemetery, Gallion, Alabama," by jimmywayne
Monticello, by Cole Stryker
Flickr, "Rosedale Walking Tour," by victoriabernal
Flickr, "Picnic area at Mashamoquet Brook, State Park, Connecticut," by J. Stephen Conn
Flickr, "Construction Site Voluntourism Project," by thomaswanhoff
National Park Service, "Assateague Island"
Flickr, "Hot Air Balloons Idaho," by Gerry Slabaugh
Flickr, "Baseball at Wrigley Field," by kberberi

Heritage Q&A with Travelogged Founder Liz Borod Wright

Today’s post is next in a series of Q&As with people with a passion for heritage- and culture-related travel.

Liz Borod Wright launched her travel blog, Travelogged, in which she not only writes about her own trips but about other people’s adventures, allowing her to cover a wider variety of destinations. She has held editorial staff positions at Zagat, ABCNews.com, Good Housekeeping and Fortune.com. She also is working on a novel.

1. Where have you found inspiration and/or life enrichment during your travels?
I have always loved going to museums. Sometimes just spending a few hours looking at art and artifacts can feel like a vacation in and of itself. Whenever I am traveling, I try to schedule in at least one museum visit. It’s great when I get lucky and they are having an interesting exhibit, but I also like seeing the permanent collection, especially if it includes local artists and/or depicts local scenery and history.

2. Tell us about your most recent trip. What heritage or cultural sites did you visit?
My most recent trip was to Northern California. I went to Half Moon Bay, Carmel, Big Sur, Napa and San Francisco. It was my first time to this part of our country, and I was struck by the incredible natural beauty. As we drove from Half Moon Bay to Carmel, we stopped in the tiny historic town of Pescadero and had lunch at Duarte’s Tavern, which has been around since 1894. A few miles further down Highway 1, we stopped and admired Pigeon Point Lighthouse. I was thoroughly charmed by Carmel-by-Sea, which has enormous amount of art galleries for a small place. San Francisco was the obvious heavyweight of the group when it comes to culture, and I loved seeing the Victorian architecture (particularly around Alamo Square), the Embarcadero and Haight-Ashbury. I also made sure to visit the de Young Museum, which is in a stunning modern building.

3. What is your most memorable heritage or cultural travel experience?
This is a tough question, because I’ve been lucky enough to take some fantastic trips. But I think I will choose the first sightseeing family trip that I can remember from my childhood, which was to Washington, D.C. I loved taking the hop-on hop-off tour bus and seeing all of the famous sights I had learned about in school. I also remember how much I loved the Air & Space Museum and the American History Museum — especially the First Ladies’ dresses. It wasn’t until I was older that I could appreciate the city’s beauty and how, as a planned city, it resembles Paris.

4. Where is one heritage or cultural destination you think everyone with your interests should visit?
As a lifelong New Yorker, I always tell people they have to visit New York City at least once in their lifetimes so they can experience its remarkable energy for themselves. I truly believe that the quality and diversity of cultural options available here are unparalleled. Visitors can’t expect to see and do it all but they have to at least attend a Broadway show, spend time at the Metropolitan Museum and have a delicious meal. You can get a feel for old New York by strolling down Park Avenue, ambling around Central Park, walking through the West Village or exploring the Financial District.

5. What sorts of things do you like to learn during your travels?
I always hope to pick up some knowledge of the local culture during my travels. I find that it’s hard to predict what you’re going to learn but that no matter what you walk away with it helps you understand the world at large.

6. What does heritage travel mean to you?
To me, heritage travel means learning as much as you can about a place before you visit it. Knowing the history helps you to appreciate the present, as well as what remains of the past.

7. What are your favorite heritage- and culture-rich destinations?
Since I live in the city, I like to visit heritage-rich destinations that allow me the chance to enjoy nature, too. I love how Newport, Rhode Island, not only offers incredible mansions to tour but also has some nice beaches. Key West may be celebrated for its nightlife and water sports, but I found its Old Town quite impressive and full of interesting history.

And the Winner of the Heritage Travel “Reviews” Contest is…

Heritage Travel Inc. is proud to announce the winner of the Heritage Travel “Reviews” contest! Congratulations to Heather Bailey, whose review of Winchester, Tennessee, was selected from hundreds of reviews and 25 finalists. Read Heather’s review below, titled “An Authentic Southern Town.”

As the winner of the contest, Heather and her mother, Melody Bailey, will travel to New York City this fall for a theater tour that will include some of the city’s finest theatrical gems. Together, they will see a private performance by current Broadway entertainers, experience a behind-the-scenes tour of the legendary Apollo Theater, enjoy two Broadway shows of their choosing, and receive hotel accommodations and more.

Heather has visited Winchester at least once during each of the past four years. Most notable are the weeklong summer visits she wrote about in her review, when she joined old friends for a reunion. For Heather, Winchester’s appeal spans diverse architecture and Tims Ford State Park to delectable snacks at the San Miguel Coffee Company and shopping at Hammers.

Heather is particularly interested in the role people play in history and preservation. A Ph.D. candidate, Heather says her experiences doing research and field work throughout Franklin County add even more appeal to her Winchester visits.

“My mom says I got my love of history from my dad. He was always taking us on vacation to landmarks, historic sites and battlefields,” Heather said. “I am already doing some blogging about my heritage travel experiences, so it made sense for me to submit shorter reviews on GoWithaPurpose. But I confess that I am a little light-headed over this. It is very exciting!”

Now, without further delay, here is Heather’s winning review of Winchester, Tennessee.:

An Authentic Southern Town

I spend a week in Winchester every summer and take friends on a roadtrip there at different times of the year. It is close enough to the interstate that it is easy to get to, but far enough away that the historic downtown has managed to keep a lot of its character without being overrun by sprawl.

The historic courthouse square is memorable. The buildings on the square are mostly Gilded Age and Progressive Era, but the courthouse is a striking Art Deco. In addition to just being a beautiful setting, Winchester's historic downtown features unique shopping. No trip to Winchester is complete without a trip to Hammers. There's no way to miss it, the store takes up an entire side of the square and the historic buildings that the store is in are painted in true Victorian fashion: LOUD. The strip of purple-ish blue buildings, with yellow accents is Hammers and as you roam through each building, you find more shopping opportunities in basements, second floors, and tucked around corners. Part of the fun of shopping there is discovering just where everything is. The other part is finding the amazing bargains.

I can never leave Winchester without at least one trip to the San Miguel Coffee Company (catacorner to Hammers). It is in an adapted 1890s bank building but the interiors have been remodeled to reflect a trendy coffee house while also weaving in historic Italian features. They have stunning coffee, treats, and soups. The brie and mushroom soup in a bread bowl is my idea of heaven.

After shopping in the historic downtown, I always like to meander through the historic residential neighborhoods. Lately the town has seen a revival and many of the older houses are in better shape than they have been in for years, so the drive is gorgeous and heart warming (I love that people invest in the townscapes that typify their unique town brand). Finally, if you set aside enough time to make a vacation of it, you must visit Tim's Ford State Park and take advantage of the swimming and boating that is available right there in Winchester. It is a beautiful lake, TVA keeps it well maintained, and you can feel like you're out in the middle of nature only a short way out of town.

Links to Places That Matter: Road Trips Edition

As the end of June arrives, many of us can’t wait to indulge in that time-honored tradition we’ve spent months feverishly working toward: the summer vacation. If you’re looking for a fun, economical and meaningful adventure without having to board an airplane, please allow me to extol the benefits of the road trip.

Road trips are a great way to travel because they give you the opportunity to really experience the journey and see things that you would miss if you were traveling by airplane. The other big advantage of road trips is the utter freedom — from crowds, claustrophobic airplane cabins, and that overall feeling of anxiety many experience when traveling high in the sky. It’s just you, your car and the road — with nothing but new places and experiences waiting right beyond the next mile marker. Now is the time to cue up — and crank up — Lindsey Buckingham’s “Holiday Road” in your mind’s soundtrack.

Here are a few links to resources that can help you plan your road trip this summer as well as ideas for some of the best road trips America has to offer:

• Sold on the idea of a summer road trip but not sure where to begin? Read “Road Trip Planning 101” from SmarterTravel.com for some great tips to get you started on the road (trip) to happiness.

• Craig Wilson at USA Today talks about the book “The Little Road Trip Handbook,” some of his own road trip memories, and what not to take with you on the road.

• Gas prices may be decreasing, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch how much gas you’ll be guzzling during your next trip. Cost to Drive has a nifty tool that calculates your approximate gas costs based on your mileage and the kind of car you’re driving.

• Road-tripping by RV might just be the best way to travel, allowing you to take all the comforts of home on the road with you. The “Road Tripper Blog” offers some excellent advice for planning an RV trip as well as ideas for great RV drives.

• Looking for a historic road trip through the American West? Byron Marlowe of the Phoenix East Valley Tribune recommends the Trail of Many Tracks road trip for heritage travelers, which is located in northeastern Arizona.

• Speaking of historic road trips, America's many national historic trails offer rich opportunities to take long drives through the country's heritage. Here are just a few of the best historic trails that are best experienced by car.

• Texas has many road trip opportunities for heritage and cultural travelers — where else can you find rugged mountains, sweeping plains, majestic green hills and pristine coasts all in one state? Read “The Road Trip Destination Guide” to get a little inspiration for your next Texas road trip.
  

Enjoy your summer vacation!

Kari

Kari Rippetoe is the Marketing Manager at Heritage Travel, Inc., a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation


Photo Credit: More Scenes from an Unintended Road Trip, Flickr, jayRaz

Heritage Q&A with Travel Writer Charyn Pfeuffer

Today’s post is next in a series of Q&As with people with a passion for heritage- and culture-related travel. Charyn Pfeuffer has written about food and travel for more than a decade. She has contributed to more than 80 publications, including National Geographic Traveler, TravelChannel.com, The Seattle Times, Fodor's, DailyCandy.com, Portfolio.com, AmericanProfile.com and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Charyn would consider taming her wanderlust ways if she could settle down in the desert of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, but first needs to perfect her Spanish. Thankfully, Rosetta Stone is helping brilliantly with those efforts. Check her out on the Web at www.charynpfeuffer.com.

1. Where have you found inspiration and/or life enrichment during your travels?
I find inspiration in all of my travels. There is no better forum for learning than through travel, curiosity and human interaction.

2. Tell us about your most recent trip. What heritage or cultural sites did you visit?
I spent two weeks exploring Chile in March. The first half of the trip was spent on the M/V Mare Australis [passenger ship], starting in Punta Arenas, cruising through the Beagle Channel, and landing at Cape Horn, a UNESCO World Heritage site. I then flew to Calama and spent a week in San Pedro de Atacama, exploring the Atacama Desert. I visited Zapar, an archaeological site significant in pre-Columbian times; Pukará de Quitor, a fortress dating back to 1,000 A.D.; and the town of Tulor, one of the first and most important Atacama settlements that dates back to 800 B.C. The extreme contrasts in landscapes, climate and natural beauty were incredibly intense.

3. What is your most memorable heritage or cultural travel experience?
Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in the Americas and a historic UNESCO World Heritage site in Curaçao, unexpectedly moved me. Curaçao’s Jewish community was established nearly 400 years ago as the Jews fled Spanish and Portuguese inquisitions. Similar to its Dutch sibling, Amsterdam, Curaçao provided a safe haven for political, religious and social freedoms. My guide, Eveline van Arkel, did a fantastic job conveying the spirit and history of the island during an incredible walking tour of Willemstad.

4. Where is one heritage or cultural destination you think everyone with your interests should visit?
Right now, I’m on a South America kick — completely obsessed with its culture and people. Machu Picchu blew me away. Also in Peru, Lake Titicaca and the Amazon are fascinating examples of ancestry and culture.

5. What sorts of things do you like to learn during your travels?
It’s most important for me to interact with the locals when I travel. Unless you’re spending a considerable amount of time in a destination, it’s very difficult to immerse yourself in a new culture. I find by befriending the locals, even if it’s simply sharing a short conversation on a bus, you get a greater sense of a place, its culture and its people.

6. What does heritage travel mean to you?
It’s all about traveling to the places and visiting sites that best — meaning authentically and accurately — represent a culture and its people. Ideally, these people should proudly embrace their past.

7. What are your favorite heritage-and culture-rich destinations?
Anywhere in Peru, but specifically, Machu Picchu; Barcelona, Spain; the Colorado Rockies; and Copán, Honduras.

Did You Hear the News?

We have some very exciting news — did you hear about it?

If you are a registered member at Go With a Purpose, you may have already seen the special announcement that was emailed today exclusively to registered members. If you are not a member yet, you can still find out about what has been causing all the excitement!

Hint: The name of the new Web site and its logo have been revealed!

The new online community for heritage and cultural travelers is ready to launch in the coming weeks, and you can be among the first to receive exclusive updates (including today’s big announcement, which you can see once you have signed up and logged in).

Don’t miss out on the latest news — become a part of something exciting and sign up today at Go With a Purpose!