Travel Tips

Centuries ago, the pilgrims and other explorers that discovered America caught a phenomenal sight in the distance. Too long at sea, they saw the eastern coastline of North America and they were overwhelmed by its beauty and grace. Today, most of us first see the actual coast that borders the US continent with the Atlantic Ocean from the land side. But it is no less stunning from our side as it was from theirs.

For one of those sightseeing trips where you get the feeling you are discovering something for the very first time, a trip up and down the east coast of North America cant be beat. Route one from Acadia State park in far northeast Maine all the way down to Cape Cod offers so many out of the way places to discover that your spirit of adventure will definitely be challenged.

One of the most charming things about the coast of Maine and Massachusetts is the little towns that populate that rugged coast line. As you travel the winding trail of route one you will pass through dozens of fascinating New England towns that will call to you to explore them. So give in to the call and take some time to enjoy what these seaside communities have to offer. And dont overlook those small ocean view diners. Some of the best seafood that can be had in America will come out of those folksy kitchens.

A popular photo diary of your trip up the coast of New England will include the many lighthouses you will see. These are not there just for their scenic beauty. There was a time when these were crucial for the protection of seafaring vassals to keep them from shipwreck in foggy or stormy conditions. Each one has a story to tell and if you take the tour, you will be transported to a different time full of colorful characters and wonderful adventures as well. And dont miss that photograph because the lighthouses are indeed beautiful as they stand majestically against the backdrop of the mighty ocean.

Many of these quaint seaside communities have much to show off to their honored guests so you may find quite charming accommodations along the way. You can visit the memorials or even current resident towns of several American presidents such as Campobello Island, home of the Roosevelt International Park or Kennebunkport, Maine, current residence of former President George Herbert Walker Bush or Bush 41 as many call him.

Along with great food, wonderful gift shops and great sights to see, its easy to find excursions out to sea offered at reasonable prices along the coast of New England. A whale watching tour can be a real thrill if you are successful in finding the mighty ocean animals ready to surface and thrill a boat load of sightseers. Keep that camera ready because they can come up at any time and be gone just as fast. It almost seems like they are showing off as they blow their might columns of spray into the air. And you know what? They probably are.

In addition to an exciting boat ride out to sea to snap photos of those phenomenal whales, a deep sea fishing trip can scratch the itch for a seafaring adventure for many a landlubber. In little New England towns like Gloucester, Massachusetts or Ogunquit, Maine, you can join a charter boat that will take you and hour and a half out to sea to drop a line and land some of those beasts that call the Atlantic waters their home. Be careful about seasickness and be prepared as you see the shoreline disappear and you look around to only the sight of water in all directions. But store these memories in your sightseeing fond recollections because it will be experience you will not soon forget.

These are just a few of the many fun and fascinating things you will discover up and down the New England Coast. From the reenactment of a pilgrim village to the chance to take a photo standing next to Plymouth Rock, the mixture of adventure, the out of doors, the spray of the ocean and history guarantee a trip that the whole family will treasure for years to come. And it will be an outstanding addition to your sightseeing book of memories as you take in the wonderful things to see and do in this amazing country in which we live.

If you were to go to the four corner points of America, you could not find four more different places from one another. From the coast of Maine to the tip of California to the rocky shores of Washington State with its active volcanoes and nonstop fog to the Caribbean like atmosphere of Florida, the cultures of the many areas of America are as diverse as are its people.

Of all of those places, none other is quite as exotic as sunny Florida. As soon as you step off the airplane in Miami, you know you have landed in a place that is as different from the rest of America as the moon is from the earth. There is a feel of being far away, where the world melts away and you can give in and be a Caribbean creature for a little while.

This is what is glorious about sightseeing in America. There are so many exotic and very different locations that you can stay in one country and virtually see and experience almost every climate and environment in the world. Florida brings you into the exotic feel of living on a desert island far away from civilization. But then you can get up from the beach and within a short drive be in the middle of a modern, sophisticated city full of the most exciting nightlife in the world.

You can go on dozens of vacations to sightsee in America and not repeat an experience. But when making your list of great sightseeing spots in America to visit, make sure Florida is near the top. And while you are at it, plan to spend some time there because there is a lot to take in including

*Snorkeling in the warm clear gulf waters on one side of the Florida peninsula and in the ocean waters on the other.

*The amazing theme parks of Disney, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens and many more.

*Ancient mansions up and down the beaches of Florida from the early days when Spanish ships landed here to discover this big new world.

*Wonderful foods from Cuba, the Caribbean and all across South America.

*The always unforgettable Everglades that seem like a trip to the Jurassic Period during your brief tour there.

The fun goes on and on. One thing is for sure, you will have at least one new experience each and every time you do some sightseeing in Florida. One time you may thrill to the sight of dolphins or a whale on a whale watching tour. The next time you may go deep sea fishing so far out to sea that the land disappears entirely.

The next visit you may become completely fascinated in the history of this very unique peninsula and the role it has had to play in the development of America. And then the next time you may just want to lie on the virtually perfect sands on the gulf side and let the cares of the world drift away.

You talk about sights you have never seen before. What about the sight of your family becoming carefree and full of fun as they literally transform into Caribbean natives wanting nothing more than to frolic in the waters of the gulf or ocean for as long as God lets the good sun shine down on them? And when you see that family you love reach that perfect level of relaxation that a visit to Florida can give them, you know you will have chosen well your vacation destination for that year.