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Krystina Castella
Mendocino
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Krystina Castella
Mendocino
California Historical Landmark
Krystina Castella
Mendocino is a village that sits on the rugged cliffs of California's northern coast. The town dates to the 1850s when it was established as a logging community. Today, Mendocino is a haven for
Featured
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 ...
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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Krystina Castella
Rocky Mountain National Park
Embrace the wildlife and vistas
Krystina Castella
In Northern Colorado Rocky Mountain is the quintessential National Park. Originally home to Ute and Arapaho people and later homesteaders and ranchers today It offers ...
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 ...
Photo:
Krystina Castella
Amana Colonies, Iowa
America’s longest-lived Communal Society
Krystina Castella
Have you ever heard of the home electronics brand Amada? Its roots have very humble beginnings with a community established around utopian ...
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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
Play
Photo:
Brian Boyl
Millennium & Maggie Daley
A Day of Play, Chicago
Krystina Castella
Millennium Park and nearby Maggie Daley Park are two public spaces in Chicago where the whole day can be filled with play. At these parks locals ...
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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 ...
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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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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Nature
Photo:
Brian Boyl
The Outer Banks, North Carolina
Delving into stories at three parks
Krystina Castella
If your perfect family vacation spot includes beautiful long stretches of beach, mini golf courses and kite and candy shops OBX is filled ...
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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
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 ...
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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
Badlands National Park
The Painted Hills
Krystina Castella
Badlands National Park, located in southwestern South Dakota, contains a colorful landscape with sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires jutting out from a grass prairie. Within the park the Painted Hills, made of layered hues of red ...
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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 ...
Art & Design
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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
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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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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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
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 ...
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 ...
Cities & Towns
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Krystina Castella
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
"Lake City"
Krystina Castella
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho often referred to as the "Lake City," is renowned for its lake, community-centered parks, and family-oriented attractions. Lake Coeur d'Alene, a picturesque body of water that offers
Photo:
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 ...
Photo:
Brian Boyl
New Orleans, LA
"The Big Easy"
Krystina Castella
New Orleans, also known as "The Big Easy," invokes the laid back atmosphere, that evolved along the Mississippi River in Louisiana. Its diverse cultures, music scene, architecture and cuisine are
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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
Traverse City, MI
Cherry Capital of the World
Krystina Castella
Traverse City, located in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, is especially famous for its cherries, earning it the title of the "Cherry Capital of the World." Each year, the area’s cherry orchards
Photo:
Krystina Castella
Easton, Pennsylvania
Waterways and Bridges
Krystina Castella
Right across the Northampton Street bridge from New Jersey at the intersection of the Lehigh and Delaware rivers is the picturesque ...
Roadside Attractions
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 ...
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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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
Winchester Mystery House
America's most haunted places
Krystina Castella
The Winchester Mystery House, in San Jose, California, is as a testament to eccentricity. Built by Sarah Winchester, the widow of firearm magnate William Wirt Winchester, this sprawling mansion is famous for its labyrinthine
Photo:
Krystina Castella
Moenave Dinosaur Tracks
Tuba City, Arizona
Krystina Castella
The Moenave Dinosaur Tracks near Tuba City, Arizona, are a fascinating paleontological site showcasing well-preserved dinosaur footprints from the Early Jurassic period. These tracks
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 ...
Articles
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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 ...
Photo:
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
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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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 ...
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...
Photo:
Krystina Castella
All About Hay
Golden Pixels in the Landscape
Krystina Castella
In the American prairie states hay is hard to miss. Golden pixels in the landscape in many shapes and sizes. I decided to find out as you never know when I will need to whip out these facts at a dinner party or if a student develops a project around horses or cows ...
