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Krystina Castella

Barn Quilts

Read On!
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Barn Quilts

Folk Art of America’s Heartland

Krystina Castella

If you are looking for an excuse for a road trip head out to discover the grassroots movement of barn quilts. A form of American folk art barn quilts are painted wood or metal squares that ...
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Featured

Breathtaking Views of Zion NP
Photo:
Brian Boyl

Zion National Park

Southwestern Utah

Krystina Castella
Zion National Park is an expansive natural playground located in southwestern Utah, characterized by high plateaus, deep sandstone canyons, and rock formations. The park covers ...
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Laguna Beach
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Laguna Beach

Discover the Arts and Beaches

Krystina Castella
Laguna Beach, on the coast of Southern California, offers a blend of natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and a relaxed vibe. Known for its stunning beaches, vibrant arts scene, and charming downtow
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Photo: Krystina Castella
Photo:
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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Black Canyon
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Two billion years in the making

Krystina Castella
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, located in western Colorado, is characterized by its sheer, dramatic cliffs with the Gunnison River carving through the landscape. The park's is renowned for its steep
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Amphitheater
Photo:
Brian Boyl

Cedar Breaks

Bristlecones and sheep dogs await

Krystina Castella
Just outside of Brain Head, Utah standing at 10,000 feet is the dramatic natural amphitheater of Cedar Breaks National Monument. The attraction here is the ...
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Playing on Trees
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Redwoods National and State Parks

Ancient Forest of Tall Trees

Krystina Castella
Nestled along the rugged coast of Northern California, the Redwoods National and State Parks are a natural wonder with nearly half of the world's old-growth redwoods. Hyperion is the tallest tree
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Play

Splash Pad
Photo:
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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Adventure Playground: Berkeley, California
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Adventure Playgrounds

A history and a visit

Krystina Castella
Adventure playgrounds offer unrestricted play in either natural or junk environments, and kids explore and invent with found materials. Today they are growing in popularity in the United States due to modern parent’s awareness of ...
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Rafts
Photo:
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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Photo: Krystina Castella
Photo:
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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Bridge in Park
Photo:
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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Biking along ledges and bowls
Photo:
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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Nature

Black Canyon
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Two billion years in the making

Krystina Castella
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, located in western Colorado, is characterized by its sheer, dramatic cliffs with the Gunnison River carving through the landscape. The park's is renowned for its steep
Click here to read more of the article.
Bison, Yellowstone
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Yellowstone National Park

Home to Geysers & Bison

Krystina Castella
Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872 as the first national park in the world covers over 2.2 million acres across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. The park is famed for its geothermal features, abundant wildlife ...
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Photo:
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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Sun at Arches
Photo:
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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Photo: Krystina Castella
Photo:
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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Photo: Krystina Castella
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Carlsbad Caverns

Bats, Caves and Speleothems

Krystina Castella
In a midst of a landscape covered with flaming oil rigs just below the surface of the Chihuahuan Desert are more than 119 caves—formed when sulfuric acid carved the limestone underground
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Art & Design

Masks from different cultures
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Museum International Folk Art

By the people. For the people

Krystina Castella
The Museum of International Folk Art is my favorite place to visit in Santa Fe. The anchor exhibit Multiple Visions: A Common Bond is an immense collection of toys, travel souvenirs, street art, miniatures, ceramics, textiles and just about anything that can be categorized as folk art. The 10,000 pieces on display were ...
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Photo: Brian Boyl
Photo:
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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Nomade: Jaume Plensa
Photo:
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 ...
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Photo: Krystina Castell
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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Prairie Modernism and More
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Columbus, Indiana

Prairie modernism and more

Krystina Castella
Arriving on a Sunday a few hours before sunset Columbus, Indiana was as sleepy as any small town could be. The visitor’s center, small shops, restaurants and churches ...
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Kitty
Photo:
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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More Art and Design...

Cities & Towns

Legends of Deadwood Photo: Krystina Castella
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Deadwood, South Dakota

Old West brought to life

Krystina Castella
On a visit to Deadwood, it is easy to engage with the past and experience walking back to the gold rush days or the set for the modern Deadwood TV series. Only an hour from Mt Rushmore Deadwood gets its name ...
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Steam Locomotive, Durango, Colorado
Photo:
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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Castillo de San Marcos
Photo:
Krystina Castella

St. Augustine, Florida

Established 1565

Krystina Castella
St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied European and African American settlement in the United States. It was claimed in 1565 by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon, forty-two years ...
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Tree in Courthouse Photo: Krystina Castella
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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Mural by Chickasaw artist Brent Greenwood
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Sulphur, Oklahoma

Dive into the "Little Niagara"

Krystina Castella
Sulphur, Oklahoma is home to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area and chock full of creeks, falls, springs, campgrounds, and buffalo. The Oklahomans who camp here say this is their favorite place in the state and not like anything ...
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Victoria Harbor
Photo:
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
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More Cities and Towns...

Roadside Attractions

Photo: Krystina Castella
Photo:
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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Apple Orchard, Avila Valley Barn
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Avila Valley Barn

Avila Beach

Krystina Castella
Avila Valley Barn, at Avila Beach area of California’s Central Coast, captures the essence of farm-fresh goodness. Established as a family-owned and operated farm, The location invites visitors to step into a world of wholesome
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Photo: Krystina Castella
Photo:
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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Governor's Palace, Colonial Williamsburg
Photo:
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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Scotts Bluff, Photo: Krystina Castella
Photo:
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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Photo: Krystina Castella
Photo:
Krystina Castella

A Rainbow of Color

Ft. Collins, Colorado

Krystina Castella
The Colorado State University Trial Gardens in Fort Collins, Colorado is a breathtakingly beautiful place to lose yourself in flowers of every color, texture, shape and form. The purpose of ...
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More Roadside Attractions...

Articles

Surprise: The Blue Angels
Photo:
Krystina Castella

Surprise: The Blue Angels

Pensacola, Florida

Krystina Castella
This was one of those unplanned spontaneous experiences that makes road trips so sensational. We had just left our picturesque campsite at Blue Lagoon State Park in Pensacola, Florida. Our son was on-line in ...
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Photo:
Krystina Castella

The Staten Island Ferry

A NYC favorite

Krystina Castella
Some people love trains, other cars or planes. My adoration is for the Staten Island Ferry. Having grown up on Staten Island the ferry connected ...
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CicLAvia in Hollywood
Photo:
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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Scrumptious bacon/egg fried pie
Photo:
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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Photo:
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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Junior Rangers and their badges.
Photo:
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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