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Krystina Castella
Catalina Island
Read On!
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Krystina Castella
Catalina Island
A quick escape from the mainland
Krystina Castella
Catalina Island, accessible by ferry off the coast, is known for its natural beauty and boating, with opportunities for sailing, kayaking, and
Featured
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Krystina Castella
Springview, Nebraska
The Good Life
Krystina Castella
While on a road trip have you ever passed through a small town and get the feeling to stop? In Springville, it was the subtle clues, a zebra painted house and the nearby retro gas station that lured us ...
Photo:
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 ...
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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
State Welcome Signs
First Impressions
Krystina Castella
First impressions mean everything. That is how I feel about Gateway Signs more commonly known as State Welcome Signs. The approach to a sign, the design ...
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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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Krystina Castella
Capitol Reef National Park
Colorful Canyons and Fremont Culture
Krystina Castella
Capitol Reef National Park, located in south-central Utah, known for its geological formations, including colorful canyons, monolithic domes, and twisting gorges. The park is defined by the Waterpocket Fold ...
Nature
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Krystina Castella
Anza Borrego Desert State Park
The Super Bloom
Krystina Castella
Every year wildflowers lovers throughout southern California ask, “Will Anza Borrego have a super bloom?” In years with abundant rainfall, the Sonoran Desert landscape is filled with an abundance of colors. At the peak ...
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Krystina Castella
Arches National Park
Moab, Utah
Krystina Castella
Arches National Park, in eastern Utah near Moab, has more than 2,000 natural stone arches, set in desert landscapes. Delicate Arch, set against the backdrop of the La Sal Mountains has become a symbol ...
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Brian Boyl
Grand Staircase-Escalante
Desert to coniferous forest
Krystina Castella
In southern Utah, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is an expansive place with 1.87 million acres of America's public lands from desert to coniferous forest. It is filled with canyons, arches ...
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Krystina Castella
Canyonlands National Park
Rivers lie at the Heart
Krystina Castella
Canyonlands National Park, located in southeastern Utah, is an expanse of desert landscapes, offering breathtaking vistas, deep canyons, towering mesas, and intricate rock formations. The park, which spans over 337,000 acres ...
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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
Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve
Celebration of California’s State Flower
Krystina Castella
Just 68 miles North of Los Angeles and 15 miles west of Lancaster is the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. From Mid- February through Mid-May the grassy landscape fills with a dreamscape ...
Play
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Krystina Castella
James Island County Park
James Island, South Carolina
Krystina Castella
For a recreational vacation head right outside of Charleston and visit James Island County Park. It offers camping, open meadows, fishing, crabbing and miles of paved trails for walking, biking ...
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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 ...
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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
Lakeshore Bike Trail
Chicago, Illinois
Krystina Castella
Upon arrival in Chicago on a sunny summer afternoon, we experienced the city at its best. Driving up along Lakeshore Drive we saw residents pour out of their apartments to enjoy the beautiful ...
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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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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 ...
Art & Design
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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
Pappajohn Sculpture Park
Des Moines, Iowa
Krystina Castella
We arrived at the Pappajohn Sculpture Park and were excited to see one of the most impressive collections of modern sculpture in the country. More than two dozen large sculptures made by internationally acclaimed artists ...
Photo:
Brian Boyl
Fallingwater
The best time to visit
Krystina Castella
When considering the places I wanted to visit on this trip across the country I immediately thought of Fallingwater. I wanted to experience being there ...
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Krystina Castella
Mt. Rushmore & Crazy Horse
The Black Hills, South Dakota
Krystina Castella
The Black Hills of South Dakota is a region steeped in natural beauty and historical significance. Mount Rushmore National Monument and the Crazy Horse Memorial are two monumental sculptural attractions that sometimes jut out and sometimes ...
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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
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 ...
Cities & Towns
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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
San Antonio, Texas
Riverwalk, The Alamo and Country Music
Krystina Castella
San Antonio, Texas, offers a diverse range of experiences including the iconic Riverwalk, the historic Alamo, and its lively country music scene. The San Antonio Riverwalk, or Paseo del Río, is a network of walkways along ...
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Krystina Castella
Springview, Nebraska
The Good Life
Krystina Castella
While on a road trip have you ever passed through a small town and get the feeling to stop? In Springville, it was the subtle clues, a zebra painted house and the nearby retro gas station that lured us ...
Photo:
Krystina Castella
Greenburg, Indiana
Be inspired at the Beguiling Tree
Krystina Castella
Among rolling cornfields, halfway between Cincinnati and Indianapolis is the Victorian brick laden picturesque town of Greensburg. As the seat of Decatur County it is famous for the tree that grows to the roof its courthouse tower, several stories ...
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Krystina Castella
Lone Pine, CA
Gateway to the Highest and Lowest
Krystina Castella
Lone Pine, California on US Route 395 is a little over 3 hours north of Los Angeles and where the big wall of the Sierras starts to take shape. The tiny old ...
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Krystina Castella
Charleston, South Carolina
Get lost in Southern Charm
Krystina Castella
Our first impression of Charleston, South Carolina was that this is a city that understands its quaint beauty. Although the Charleston ...
Roadside Attractions
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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
Carhenge: Alliance, Nebraska
Stumble upon a roadside treasure
Krystina Castella
When driving through Nebraska on Highway 87 the hours can pass by slowly as corn and hay dominate the landscape. However, just outside of ...
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Krystina Castella
Scotts Bluff National Monument
Gering, Nebraska
Krystina Castella
As the great plains give way to the foothills of the Rockies along the North Platte River, the first outcroppings of the foothills are a set of bluffs in Western Nebraska called Scotts Bluff. Named after a fur trader ...
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Krystina Castella
Wall Drug
South Dakota's Free Ice Water
Krystina Castella
Wall Drug, located in Wall, South Dakota, is a roadside attraction that has captivated travelers for decades. Originally a small pharmacy, it has grown into a sprawling complex featuring, shops, restaurants ...
Photo:
Brian Boyl
Randyland
The most colorful spot in Pittsburg
Krystina Castella
Randyland is the creation of eccentric folk artist, Randy Gilson. Gilson had an idea to transform his home in the Mexican War Streets neighborhood of Pittsburgh's ...
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Krystina Castella
William Taft Historic Site
History and Décor
Krystina Castella
Visiting the childhood homes of well know figures tells us a bit more about the environments that shaped their character and philosophy. On a quest for ...
Articles
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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 ...
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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
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
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
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
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 ...
