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Krystina Castella
Maui, Hawaii
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Krystina Castella
Maui, Hawaii
The Valley Isle
Krystina Castella
Maui, the second-largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago known as "The Valley Isle" due to the large valley between its major volcanoes. The Road to Hana, a scenic drive that winds along the island's
Featured
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Krystina Castella
Smoky Mountains National Park
Most visited National Park in the US
Krystina Castella
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, spanning North Carolina and Tennessee is the most visited National Park in the United States. The name comes from the Cherokee people who called the landscape “place of the blue smoke” referring ...
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Krystina Castella
Horse Meadow
Sequoia National Forest, CA
Krystina Castella
Hidden in the Lower Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, in the Sequoia National Forest, Horse Meadow is a haven for nature lovers. It is known for grassy meadows and wildflowers, creating a colorful landscape during the spring and summer months. The meadow is crisscrossed ...
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Krystina Castella
Gabrielino Trail
Angeles National Forest
Krystina Castella
Most Los Angelenos head to the Sierras for their backpacking adventures and often forget that we have a great trail close by in the San Gabriel Mountains. The Gabrielino Trail, stretches
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Krystina Castella
Colonial Williamsburg, VA
Engage with people and places from the past
Krystina Castella
As largest living history museum in the world, Colonial Williamsburg is the closest we can get to time travel. If you love Hamilton the musical, here is your chance to return to the Revolutionary War ...
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Krystina Castella
Cambria, CA
Pacific Coast Highway
Krystina Castella
The town of Cambria on the central coast of California is a good overnight stop when driving the Pacific Coast Highway from LA to San Francisco or a good to visit for a relaxing weekend getaway. It is less than...
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Krystina Castella
Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Healing Waters of Colorado
Krystina Castella
Pagosa Springs calls itself the “hot springs capital of Colorado” with 25 natural geothermal soaking pools. "Pagosah" is a Southern Ute word for "healing waters" and the town is home to the world's deepest hot spring. If driving through stop and soak in ...
Play
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Krystina Castella
Huntington Beach Play
Risky Muddy Fun
Krystina Castella
Huntington Beach Adventure Playground is for families seeking an outdoor play area that encourages creativity, physical activity, and adventurous play. In the heart of Huntington Central Park, this park offers ...
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Krystina Castella
Eugene T. Mahoney State Park
On the Platte River, Nebraska
Krystina Castella
Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, on the Platte River near Ashland, Nebraska, offers an outdoor experience with a wide array activities and natural beauty. The aquatic center features
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Krystina Castella
Central Park, NY
Experiencing NY Through Play
Krystina Castella
In the middle of Manhattan’s concrete grid, CentralPark opens like a playground for all. Olmsted and Vaux designed it...
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Brian Boyl
Gooseberry Mesa
Slickrock mountain biking
Krystina Castella
Over 20 years ago we walked into the only bike shop in Springdale, Utah, an undeveloped town, right outside of Zion National Park. We asked if there was any good biking around. The owner told us that recently some guys went up to the top of the mesa a few miles away and painted dots on the slickrock and made bike paths. It sounded ...
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Krystina Castella
Children’s Garden, Huntington
Pasadena, California
Krystina Castella
If you find yourself in Pasadena on a warm day with children under seven treat yourself to the enchanted environment of the Children’s Garden at the Huntington.Enter through a tiny blue door into a whimsical landscape to ...
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Krystina Castella
Strong Museum of Play
Rochester, New York
Krystina Castella
The Strong National Museum of Play is dedicated to the exploration and celebration of play. Located in Rochester, New York it is filled with interactive exhibits and is home to an impressive collection of toys ...
Nature
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Krystina Castella
Joshua Tree National Park
Coachella Valley, California
Krystina Castella
Drive only 60 miles north of Palm Springs or 130 miles east of Los Angeles and you will find the dramatic deserts landscape of Joshua Tree National Park. Its unique placement in the Coachella Valley showcases ...
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Krystina Castella
Devils Tower
Volcanic extrusion and Sacred land
Krystina Castella
Devils Tower National Monument located in northeastern Wyoming, is an impressive geologic feature that rises above the surrounding flat plains. The site offers a unique blend of natural wildlife, outdoor adventure, cinematic history ...
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Krystina Castella
Ricketts Glen State Park
Necklace of Waterfalls
Krystina Castella
Rated the #1 State Park in Pennsylvania, Ricketts Glen features a necklace of 25 picturesque waterfalls along a four-and-a-half-mile trail through the ...
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Krystina Castella
Pinnacles National Park
Towering Rock Spires
Krystina Castella
Located in central California by Soledad “Prime Farmland” in the Salinas Valley Pinnacles National Park is named for the towering rock spires formed from the remnants of an ancient volcanic field. Over millions of years, tectonic forces and erosion have sculpted these
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Krystina Castella
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Redwoods and Banana Slugs
Krystina Castella
Established in 1902, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains, is California’s oldest state park. It is home to ancient coast redwood trees that dominate
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Krystina Castella
Mammoth Lakes
Transforms with the seasons
Krystina Castella
Mammoth Lakes, in California's Eastern Sierras, is a rustic resort town surrounded by stunning landscapes, that transform dramatically with the seasons. In the summer
Art & Design
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Krystina Castella
Taliesin West
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Krystina Castella
Taliesin West, designed by the renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Scottsdale, Arizona. Serving as Wright's winter home from ...
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Krystina Castella
Murals of Cincinnati
If walls could speak
Krystina Castella
Cincinnati is a city in transformation that cares about the community through investing in art! It is home to a vibrant collection of ...
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Brian Boyl
Seven Magic Mountains
Contrast of Nature and Culture
Krystina Castella
When driving on Interstate 15, just south of Las Vegas, Nevada be sure to stop at Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone’s land art piece Seven Magic Mountains. At about 35 feet tall the massive sculpture consists of thirty-three boulders ...
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Krystina Castella
Shotgun Houses
The colorful vibe of a community
Krystina Castella
Shotgun Houses, the iconic, colorful homes scattered throughout the American South stand out in New Orleans because of the overt personalization. Through color ...
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Krystina Castella
Murals of New Orleans
Krystina Castella
We arrived in New Orleans on a cold overcast day and stumbled upon an explosion of color. Art expressing the history, culture and people of the community. Publicly funded murals, sanctioned street art and graffiti are ...
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Krystina Castella
Art Institute of Chicago
An Impressive Collection
Krystina Castella
Visitors to the Art Institute Chicago, the USA’s 2nd largest art museum are greeted by their famous iconic lions. Inside guests engage in the one million square feet of ...
Cities & Towns
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Krystina Castella
Ohiopyle
An Outdoors Overload
Krystina Castella
Ohiopyle sounds like it is in Ohio doesn’t it? It is actually in the Laurel Highlands a beautiful region of Southwestern Pennsylvania. We booked a campsite in Ohiopyle State Park to stay ...
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Krystina Castella
Tallahassee, Florida
Pizza and the creative spirit
Krystina Castella
After an unproductive alligator search we crossed into the Florida’s Big Bend looking for good pizza. We imagined that in Tallahassee, a college town with over 70,000 students ...
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Brian Boyl
Durango, Colorado
Trains meet outdoor adventures
Krystina Castella
Durango, Colorado was one of those places we just passed through. On our way from Los Angeles to Santa Fe traveling parts of the Old Spanish trails that are now roads and freeways. A stopping point for gas on our way to the mining towns of Silverton or Ouray. Near our special campsite at the cliff dwellings of ...
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Krystina Castella
June Lake
A Serene Alpine Environment
Krystina Castella
June Lake offers outdoor adventures and natural beauty throughout the year. Located just a short drive from Mammoth Lakes, June Lake is a destination for those seeking both summer and winter activities ...
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Krystina Castella
Delving into Omaha History
Omaha, Nebraska
Krystina Castella
Originally homeland of the Midwestern Native American tribe the U-mo'n-Ho'n, (the Omaha People) today Omaha Nebraska is a bustling riverfront ...
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Krystina Castella
Victoria BC
British Columbia, Canada
Krystina Castella
Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, Canada, sits on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. The heart of Victoria is its historic Inner Harbor, where you can watch seaplanes take off and land, catch a glimpse of the historic
Roadside Attractions
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Krystina Castella
Cadillac Ranch
Amarillo, TX
Krystina Castella
Cadillac Ranch, outside of Amarillo, TX, is something between art and a roadside attraction. The installation created in the 70’s by land artists ...
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Brian Boyl
Hoover Dam
Art Deco meets Engineering
Krystina Castella
The Hoover Dam, one of America's most iconic landmarks, is an engineering and artistic marvel. Built during the Great Depression and completed in 1936. It straddles the border between Nevada and Arizona state lines and
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Krystina Castella
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Appalachian Mountains
Krystina Castella
Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway is a journey through the natural and cultural heritage of the Appalachian Mountains. The road stretches 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina with many ...
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Krystina Castella
World’s Largest Thermometer
Baker, California
Krystina Castella
If you have every wondered where and when the hottest temperature every recorded on earth is the answer is 134 degrees F in Death Valley, California on July, 10 1913. That temperature inspired Willis Herron to build World’s Tallest Thermometer to draw freeway travelers ...
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Krystina Castella
Iowa 80
World’s Largest Truckstop
Krystina Castella
In Eastern Iowa when driving on the 80 interstate you can’t miss the descriptively named Iowa 80 Truckstop. From the outside ...
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Krystina Castella
Chairy Orchard
A Landscape of Chairs
Krystina Castella
It was one of those rainy-day drives where we were constantly questioning if we should pull over to the side of the road because the rain was coming down so hard. In times like these we typically do a search on attractions near me which happened to be Denton, Texas- just outside of Dallas. That is how we found the Chairy Orchard surfacing right to the #1 spot. We had no idea what it was, but it was something to do for a bit until the rain let up. We were puzzled by...
Articles
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Krystina Castella
Florida Love
Favorites of the Sunshine State
Krystina Castella
Florida and California (where we live) have many commonalities. We both have oranges, palm trees, beautiful and sunny warm weather in winter. However, there are many differences that draw us back to visit Florida ...
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Krystina Castella
Junior Rangers
A playful way to explore the parks
Krystina Castella
There they were. Two inspired children on a mission, storming through the visitor’s center doors of Fort Necessity National Battlefield just outside of Pittsburg. They proudly showcased their achievements all over their clothing. As they made their way to the front desk, they enthusiastically asked the ranger on duty, “Do you have Junior Ranger booklets?” These kids were...
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Krystina Castella
Campground Christmas
A Summertime Celebration
Krystina Castella
Celebrating Christmas is merry. The decorating, the music, the sweets. A full month of diversion from the everyday filled with the excitement of the season. But in July? While camping? To our surprise Christmas was uncovered at Ledges State Park in Iowa. From the park’s name we expected sandstone rock ledges, a flowing creek and lush trees nestled...
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Krystina Castella
Fried Pies
Sweet and Savory
Krystina Castella
Fried hand pies, a classic of the American South can be found in places stretching from the Carolinas to Texas. Depending on the filling they can be... See our fried pie recipe ...
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Krystina Castella
CicLAvia
Welcome Back!
Krystina Castella
On an average day for the average person biking in LA is not easy. There is traffic to navigate and distance to cover. At CicLAvia (Inspired by Bogotá’s weekly ciclovía) restrictions fade and we experience a glimpse at what Los Angeles could be like if our city was car free. We see neighborhoods that are ...
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Krystina Castella
Ice Cream Trucks
The taste of summer
Krystina Castella
Before I saw the truck I heard the jingle off in the distance. I knew the melody well-The Entertainer. Once in sight it was hard to miss. A brightly colored truck ...
