Halloween Under Chattanooga

 
This is Ruby Falls, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  For anyone who loves interesting and beautiful caverns, it's a must see.  This underground waterfall got it's name from the way that light from above the falls reflects off of the red rocks that abound in the clay hills of southern Tennessee and Georgia.  Rock City and Ruby Falls are a great tourist attraction all year round.
But, at Halloween things get a little different.
 
Dreadhaven is what Ruby Falls Caverns have become this Halloween.  The Haunted Caverns at Ruby Falls are one of the most celebrated haunted events in the country.  It was ranked in the top 10 by Rand McNally. #6 to be exact.
The event runs weekends in late September and through October, and of course will be open on Halloween.  On nights of operation, the haunted cavern experience opens around 8 p.m. and goes on until about 10 p.m., 11 on Fridays and Saturdays.  The actors will put on a great interactive show during those times, and will hopefully scare the crap out of you.  It is their job after all.  The event is a three parter, so dress accordingly.  There's bus ride, there's the scary part outside, and then the haunted cavern.  You will have a good time if you like to be scared.
 
Ghoulies, ghoulies, ghoulies.  These guys are not for the feint of heart.  You may not want to bring the kiddies if they're not old enough to appreciate being scared.
 
They also tend to be a little camera shy, so save the picture taking for the ones who will come outside to have their pictures taken.  The caves are dark, and the flash just ruins it for everyone whose eyes have already adjusted to the dark.
 

Now, Ruby Falls is a beautiful cavern to visit.  It's one of the most colorful caverns that you'll ever see.  If you happen to be visiting the area, I recommend going to see the caverns in all their glory during the day, and then heading back to be scared to death at night.  It's a wonderful experience all the way around.
 
Don't forget to visit nearby Rock City at Lookout Mountain Georgia.  It's just a few miles away from Chattanooga, and it's a shame to see Ruby Falls and not stop.  This place has tons of hiking trails, caves, and waterfalls for the outdoor enthusiast.  I just had to mention it, because it's a shame to go and see one and miss the other.
 
   If you go to Rock City and Lookout Mountain, don't forget to take a ride up the mountain on the Incline tramway.  It's a wonderfully unique way to get a view from the mountain and it's a great ride.
 

   So, come to the castle and start your adventure, whether it be a tour of the caverns or a great way to scare yourself to death at Halloween.  Remember, there's only one Dreadhaven, and it's 26 stories underground at Ruby Falls in Chattanooga.

 http://www.chattanoogafun.com/exit.asp?page=www.HauntedCavern.com
 http://rubyfalls.com/
 http://www.seerockcity.com/
 http://ridetheincline.com/
 http://www.chattanoogafun.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

Enjoy! 

Go To Hell...Michigan

 

 

The slogan for the town is "Go To Hell Michigan."  I'm not joking, but everyone in this town is.  Hell is not far from Ann Arbor, and it's name has encouraged the people there to make fun of themselves.  Hell celebrates Halloween 363 days a year, which is why I'm mentioning it now.  Halloween is on the way, and Hell is one of those towns that everyone should visit, particularly at this time of year.


Here's some of the unique things that you can find in Hell.  Hell in a Handbasket, Hell's Kitchen, and Screams Ice Cream are three of the unique places that you can shop, eat, and visit in Hell.  Hell residents call their town the Hysterical Town.  This is the place you want to go if you don't want to do much of a serious nature for the weekend.  In Hell, you can join the Hearse Club, which is called Just Hearsin' Around.  They have a rally and parade every year in September.  For me that's a can't miss.
But there are any number of things that you can do in Hell.  They have a road race every year for runners who come from all over the country called The Run Through Hell.  Most people come just to get the T-shirt that says "I Ran Through Hell."
  Here it is.  It's the tiniest wedding chapel you'll ever see, and it's here so that you too can be married in Hell.  They aren't joking, you can check out Hell's Facebook page and see pictures from the weddings of the comedicially inclined folks who have done this for real.
  You just never know what you're going to see.


Even the fire department has a sense of humor in Hell.
And that's not all.  I highly recommend coming for Hell Fest with coffins, hearses, and people in costume running around everywhere.  It is the best time of year to come to Hell, but if that's not enough for you, then become the mayor.
Mayor for a day is a fund raising program that this comedic town has been doing for a while now.  For $100 you can run the place for a day.  It comes with all the perks of being a leader, including getting awakened at 5 a.m. to start your busy day as mayor of Hell.
There are so many ways to enjoy you time in Hell.  At Halloween of course, visit the area's haunted houses and haunted forests where you go on haunted hayrides.  It's all part of the town that just can't understand why anyone wouldn't want to go to Hell.

So come to Hell and have some cake, get married, or run the town for the day.  You won't find a town that's more fun anywhere.  And, if you can't find it, they'll be happy to show you the way.


http://gotohellmi.com/home
http://www.facebook.com/Hell.Michigan
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/2456
http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=55275
http://www.michigan.org/property/hell-michigan/
http://www.runningfoundation.com/Run_Thru_Hell_Halloween.html
http://pattyinglishms.hubpages.com/hub/Holy-Halloween-in-Hell-Batman
http://www.originofhalloween.com/hellfest-hearse-show/
http://www.madmanmike.com/halloween_michigan.html
http://halloweenalliance.com/halloween/hell-michigan.htm
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

Enjoy! 

Camping...In Boston?

My, what a view.  Imagine where this might be.  It looks like the rustic coast of Maine, or maybe Rhode Island.  It could be part of Martha's Vinyard or somewhere along the Cape.  Nope, it's Boston.  Surprise!  This is just part of Boston's Harbor Islands National Park.  Who knew?  There are 22 islands out there with forts from the Civil War and lighthouses to see.
There's tours to take to view the lighthouses.  Most of them are about three hours.  There are also tours of varying lengths to take of the forts.  Fort Warren on George's Island is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.  Visitors still can see what the fort was like 150 years ago by taking a short ferry ride to the island.  Most ferry rides to the islands are about 15 minutes.
  You can take your own boat too, if you want.
Here's the thing.  Boston is one of the most congested cities in the country.  I can't even drive there.  It makes me crazy.  So, here's the idea that simply floored me.  You can take your tent and gear, and go camping on these urban centered islands.  I mean real rustic camping.  Grape Island, Bumpkin Island and Lovells Island have rustic campgrounds where you can go and pitch your tent, make a fire, get out the marshmallows and watch the city lights of Boston across the harbor.  That's one of the wildest ideas I've ever heard of.
 
I'm not joking.  This is the view.  That's amazing.
 
And this is the view.
 
And this is the view.  In the city.  On and Island in the harbor.  You can catch a ferry to take you to these amazing islands from many places in the city including Long Wharf.  It's really that easy.  If you decide to camp, you do have to make a reservation.  But it's all possible.  It's all within the city.  The islands are beautiful, historic, and accessible.  Some of them even have snack bars.
So hey, if you've never done any urban camping, then this is your quest.  This is the most beautiful rustic camping in a city that you'll ever find.  Try it out, and see what you're missing by driving hundreds of miles to get away from the city.  You' don't have to.  Your big getaway is sitting out in the harbor in Boston.

http://www.bostonharborislands.org/
http://www.youtube.com/user/Bostonharborislands
http://www.fbhi.org/index.html
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings 
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html 
 
Wish that they would have linked up better, but check them out anyway.  You can see seals, whales, lighthouses, and forts as well as rugged coastline, and beautiful sunrises and sunsets.  Enjoy! 

It's Fall in New England!

There is something that I've pondered for a while, and came up with the answer the other day.  I've been trying to find things around the country and around the world that were unique so that travelers like me would have something special to add to our bucket lists.  The conundrum that I was having was to find what was special about where I live?  Connecticut and Southern New England is special to me.  I moved here because I loved the view, but what about everyone else?  What is that thing that makes people want to come here where I live?  I finally figured it out.  Fall.
There are beautiful places in the fall.  I've been to the Smokey Mountains, driven on Skyline Drive in the Blue Ridge Mountains, gone to the shores of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, spent the harvest season with the Amish folks in Indiana, and many other things.  However, there is nothing that compares to Fall in New England.

  There's that air here that makes you want to get off of I-95 and take a back road just to see the leaves.  This is the time when New Englanders fight against the machine that is Mother Nature and cling to the outdoors that we love until the snow flies for the season.
  Our sense of humor comes out in the displays that we only put in our yard this time of year with scarecrows and ghosts.  Our amusement parks open Haunted Graveyards so that the kids can go at night and have the wits scared out of them.


 

This is the time when New England has their country fairs and also the Big E, or the Eastern States Expo.  Here in New England we don't have state fairs like other places do, so they gathered all the little states together and have one in Springfield, MA.  But I like the little ones.  All the locals come out for food and contests, local band music and just to see old friends that they don't see any other time of year.
 
We pull out all our best country stuff in New England in the Fall.  We have some of the best pumpkin patches and corn mazes you'll ever see.  One of the things that we love to do in the Fall here is visit our local farms and pick a pumpkin, walk a maze, or get some great baked goods on our way home.

We New Englanders love to go to the lake or the shore one last time before winter.  Columbus Day is one of our favorite times of the year.  It's that time that we drive to Vermont for no reason, or go to a festival, or take in a tourist attraction that we could have gone to all year, but seems like a better idea in the Fall.
   Here's something that I never did until I lived here.  We like to take that one last trip out sailing or fishing before it gets too cold.  That's another thing that we like to do in the Fall.  
  Here's quintessential New England though.  There is no better way to view Fall foliage than by scenic gondola ride at one of our many ski resorts.  And, there is no better foliage around to view than here in New England.  Let's just say that if you ever wondered why you might come to Connecticut, Massechusetts, Rhode Island, or Eastern New York even or Vermont or New Hampshire or even Maine--it's for the beauty.  And the beauty is never better than in the Fall.
So, come to a ski resort to take one last ride down an alpine slide and get a great view from a ski lift.  Come and visit a country fair or the Big E.  Come and pick a pumpkin and walk a corn maze.  Come to Lake Compounce or Six Flags and play in a haunted playground.  Come to the shore and sail that one last time.  Take a hike to a beautiful place with a waterfall or a panoramic view.  Take a drive and visit the little shops and farm stands all along the way.  Have some local cider, play some mini golf, and by all means, enjoy Columbus Day Weekend.  It's one of the best times of the year to catch a UConn game or even the NFL.  Fall is the best in New England and it's where I've chosen to spend my life because it's so beautiful.

Here's a rare little piece of me for you.  This picture is of the Barkhamsted Reservoir.  This is literally my favorite place on Earth.  It's the colors of fire in the Fall and it's the main reason that I now live in this area today.  Once it gets in your head, you won't be able to forget about it.
Enjoy!

http://www.yankeefoliage.com/
http://www.killington.com/summer
http://www.new-england-vacations-guide.com/index.html
http://www.thebige.com/fair/
http://www.newenglandusa.com/Fall/Halloween/pumpkin-patch.html
http://www.yankeefoliage.com/drives/
http://visitingnewengland.com/fallfoliage.html
http://www.newenglandexplorer.com/statefairsne.htm
http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/conn-m-footbl-body.html
http://beeradvocate.com/events/calendar/2012/09
http://www.lakecompounce.com/site/events.html
http://www.salemweb.com/hh/
http://www.visitnewengland.com/fairs-and-festivals
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
 
Don't miss New England in the Fall.  You'll kick yourself.  Have fun!

Michigan's Locks, Bridges, and Islands

Isn't that beautiful?  Now, I've been to Michigan a hundred times in my life, and I've seen some wonderful things.  I love the dunes that run along Lake Michigan's shores.  I love little burgs like Saugatuck and Holland.  If you like Christmas, you have to go to Frankenmuth. Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum are terrific.  I even like Hell.  But, if you go far enough north, you will find things that you never knew about Michigan.
 

This is the Mackinaw Bridge.  It leads to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  You can find it on a map.  It's not hard.  The bridge is a 5 mile long piece of amazing construction with views of the area that you won't get any other way.  But, why would you be in the area in the first place?  Interesting question.
 

 
This is Mackinaw Island State Park.  It's an island.  It's a park.  What is so unusual?  Let me show you.
   


Life is a little different on Mackinaw.  There are no cars.  There are no buses.  There are no vehicles powered by engines.  That's right, it's a step back in time.  The whole island is that way.  You can get around by horse and carriage, or you can rent a bicycle.  If you ever wanted to get away, this is your spot.
Now, while on Mackinaw you will learn about history.  The people in the historic village will show you how they lived back in their time.  You will see how they sew, cook, garden, and tend to animals.  If you're lucky, they'll teach you some old time dancing.
 
   While visiting the island you can visit Fort Mackinac and see what it was like to operate a very sought after military outpost over 100 years ago.  The British established the fort and during wartime the Americans took it over, landing it on Michigan's shores for all eternity.  Workers dress in period garb and do period activities to show what life was like in this fortress.
 


 
 
There are many beautiful sights to see, both natural and man made on Mackinaw.  You can go horseback riding, hike to beautiful vistas, see the old lighthouse that still works today, visit the fort where the kids will find plenty to do, and watch demonstrations of how life used to be.

 
 
There's plenty of dining and shopping too. 

 
The island sits in the shadow of the Mackinaw Bridge at the entrance to Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  It's a great place to visit.  It's not like the other villages that are made to interest tourists.  There are never cars permitted on this island.  The entire island is a park dedicated to preserving the past.  This is different.  This is all encompassing and really gives you the feel of stepping back in time.  Take the trip, and be Dr. Who for just a day or two.  You'll really enjoy it.
Now, I have to mention another thing while I have you in the area.  That is Sault Ste. Marie.  This is the border to Canada where the rest of the Great Lakes come together.  Located on Lakes Superior and Huron, this city is home to the Soo Locks which were designed to bring together the Great Lakes for shipping.  
   The Soo Locks are every bit as fascinating as the Panama Canal only on a much smaller scale.  They are still in use today, and there are several viewing points where you can watch and take pictures of the ships coming through.  Now, if that doesn't satisfy your reasoning for driving all the way up there, then you can take a boat tour and go through some of the locks yourself.
   The Soo Locks Boat Tours will take you on a trip that will let you see first hand what it feels like to travel through the locks and it will allow you to see exactly how it all works.  I recommend experiences like these, because it seems droll and boring, but you'll find out that when you are doing it yourself, it's quite exciting and you'll feel like an explorer on your way across the new world.
There are many things to see in Sault Ste Marie while your there.
  
Brady Park and the Tower of History are two spots to visit where the view is great.  The Tower is something that you can go up in and get a great panoramic view of the town.  There are also casinos in town for the gamblers in the crowd and museums, including a site dedicated to the Edmund Fitzgerald.
But, Sault Ste Marie has one more wonderful attraction that you won't  want to miss.
   This is the Agawa Canyon Railway that takes passengers 114 miles into the wilds of Ontario outside of Sault Ste Marie.  This train is another view into the past and is loads of fun.
  You can see some of Southern Canada's best landscapes as you travel on this unique train that takes you down into Agawa Canyon, over 500 feet down, and lets you explore Canyon Park while they wait to take you back later in the day.
   The views are amazing there, especially in the Fall.
So, if you've never been to the northern most points of Michigan's mitten, then you don't know what you're missing.  Take the time to step back in time with old time lifestyles, old time locks, giant bridges, and antique trains.  Take the time, enjoy the view, meet the people and take home memories that you can't get anywhere else.

http://agawacanyontourtrain.com/index.html
http://www.mackinacparks.com/
http://www.soolocks.com/index.phtml
http://bikemackinac.com/tours.html
http://www.mict.com/index.aspx
http://www.cindysridingstable.com/index.htm
http://www.mackinacbridge.org/
http://www.saultstemarie.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

Enjoy! 

You've Never See a Waterway Quite Like Hennepin

   This is the Hennepin Canal, not far from Tampico, Illinois.  Why would you travel here?  Well, this is a working piece of history.  
The canal was originally conceived as a way to connect the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers in Northern Illinois in the late 1800's.  By 1892, the canal was underway.  By the time it was completed in 1907, it did indeed cut over 400 miles off the journey between the rivers to the Mississippi where goods could then head to the Gulf of Mexico, but it was too narrow for the modern boats of the time to use.  Therefore, the canal was obsolete before it was finished.  By the 1930's the canal was mainly used for recreational traffic.
The Hennepin Canal was one of the first to use cement containment walls and has Marshall Gates which are unique to that canal.  For the engineer, simply looking at the structure of the canal is worth the trip.  Much of the innovation that went into the canal pre-dates even the Panama Canal.
These days, the Hennepin is used for recreation.  It is supported by The Friends of the Hennepin Canal and they are constantly working to fully restore the workings of this magnificent old beast.
  
  
The sights along the way are some that you won't see anywhere else these days.  Most canals are all but lost.  They're nothing more than historical markers along the sides of country highways across the Midwest.
The Hennepin Canal is being preserved for all to enjoy.  There are hiking, biking, cross country skiing, and horseback riding trails along the way.  You are welcome to bring your canoe, kayak or boat along, as long as you follow the speed rules.  There are campgrounds along the way that are open from April 15th to October 31st every year.  There are some great towns along the way, like Tampico, where you can enjoy the local ambiance. 
   Tampico is where Ronald Reagan was born and they have a museum dedicated to that.   

Tampico is the kind of small Midwestern town where the sidewalks roll up at night and everyone knows everyone else.  It's the kind of place with small shops and restaurants that make you want to spend a lifetime there.
So, If you want to spend some time in good old fashioned Midwestern America and kick back and relax, the Hennepin Canal is 50 miles and 32 locks of pleasurable vacation for you.  There's no place else like it.  That's why I like to tell folks about it.

http://www.tampicohistoricalsociety.com/R_Reagan_Birthplace_Museum.html
http://www.friends-hennepin-canal.org/
http://www.dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/PARKS/R1/Hennpin.htm#Boating
http://www.tampicohistoricalsociety.com/Home_Page.html
http://www.tampicohistoricalsociety.com/Hennepin_Canal_Photos.html
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html 

Take a trip back in time in Illinois.  There's more there than Chicago.

Enjoy!

Would you vacation in a Monastery or Convent to go to Rome?

 

Monasteries and Convents are being turned into boutique hotels in Rome.  Beautiful, right?  Well, why not stay in the real thing.  That's right, take your Rome experience to the hilt.  Stay in a monastery or a convent.  There are around 200 of them right in the Rome area and most of them rent out rooms.
    

Why would you do such a thing?  What if you're not Catholic?  Doesn't matter.  You, my friends are supposed to be travelers.  travelers like to get involved in the places that they visit, and there's no more Catholic place on Earth than Rome, so go see how it all works.  It's not enough to just see the places.  I'm a believer in going there to understand things--understand the people.
  

 

There is so much beauty in Rome.  There is so much history to explore.  If you stay in a convent or monastery and meet the nuns and monks, you will have a view of the place that few are ever going to have.  Looking at Rome through the eyes of the deeply devoted is like being in an art gallery when one of the artists shows up.  It's a unique view of the world around you at the time.  Embrace it.
Imagine, being able to go and ask someone about something that you've seen or are going to see in the city, and they can tell you exactly how to appreciate it.  Imagine, being able to take some quiet time and get in touch with your spiritual side when you return from a day of sight seeing.  Imagine, getting to know your hosts and hostesses and how they live and why.  You will never forget it.  That is why you should stay in a convent or a monastery, particularly in Rome.


The rooms tend to be simple in these locations.  Sometimes you may share a bath.  There may be a curfew or a quiet time.  But, you also may be able to eat in the dining room with your hosts, you may be able to attend mass with them, and you may just learn something special that you will remember for the rest of your life.  The beauty will stick in your mind.  And so might the faces and names of those who have shared their lives with you for a short time.


So, come to Rome.  See the sights.  Go and ask your new friends at the convent or monastery about them.  Learn what they really are.  Learn what they mean to those who follow the faith that's made the city what it is today.  Be part of your vacation, don't just look at it.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2127011_stay-monastery.html
http://www.aviewtoathrill.net/2011/01/16/monasteries-and-convents-unconventional-lodging-at-its-best/
http://www.reidsguides.com/t_h/t_h_convents.html
http://www.goodnightandgodbless.com/
http://www.brigidine.org/brigidineorg/default.aspx?idt=145
http://www.monasterystays.com/?a=search#type=region&id=21&arrive=2012-10-19&depart=2012-10-26&people=1&venue=VEC113
http://www.go-to-italy.com/English/Religious.htm
http://italytravelista.com/where-to-stay-in-rome-convent-and-monastery-accommodation-in-rome-travel-to-italy/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
 
Also, look to a book that I found called "Good Night and God Bless."  It's a guide to this kind of unusual accommodation.  It tells you the details about how to find it, book it and do it.
And, be aware that you can book stays in monasteries and convents around the world.  Also, you can stay in Buddhist monasteries as well.  
Enjoy!