The best hike in Carmel: Palo Corona Park trails and views
When you are in Carmel on the Monterey Peninsula of California, don’t forget to seek out inland trails to find the best hike in Carmel. Palo Corona Regional Park.
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Category: United States
Discovering Florida adventures – so much more than theme parks
Believe it or not, there are amazing Florida adventures to be had that do not involve theme parks. You just have to know where to look, and it’s in the water. Guest writers Ed and Jennifer Coleman of Coleman Concierge provide insider tips on kayaking, airboats, scuba diving, swimming with manatees and more.
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Dutch Flat 4th of July water hijinks and parade
Dutch Flat 4th of July celebration is a parade with water hijinks and loads of fun! Historic Dutch Flat in California boasts a population today of about 200 (“if everybody’s home,” a local adds) but the numbers swell on July 4 for good reason — the town is FUN!!!
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Northern California history museums: free summer of exploration
Northern California foothills are dotted with tiny California history museums, many telling the story of Gold Country settlers. What a beautiful surprise it was to stumble upon the Placer County Heritage Trail and free museums to visit all summer long from Roseville to Tahoe!
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Hiking Kalalau Trail: Kauai flooding closes Napali Coast trail
Over the years, we have enjoyed outstanding adventures along the first section of the Kalalau Trail on Kauai’s Napali Coast. Sadly, the trail and the adjoining Ke’e State Beach in Ha’ena State Park remain shut down after Spring 2018 floods.
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What to do at Chicago airport during a layover – insider tips
Chicago airport layovers are the pits – loud, people rushing, and no place comfortable to sit – unless you have our insider tips about what to do at Chicago airport.
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Make the most of a visit to Smithsonian’s African-American museum
The National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, D.C., hit its...
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The Draft Horse Classic has been a Nevada County staple since 1987
A Nevada County favorite since 1987 The Draft Horse Classic, held at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Northern California every September since 1987, is recognized as the premier Draft Horse show in the western United States among perhaps hundreds around the world.
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Annual blessing of the grapes celebrated globally in Armenian churches
The Blessing of the Grapes Ceremony still takes place at Armenian churches all around the world in mid-August. For curious travelers, it remains a worthwhile tradition to visit and will feel as if you are in a different country.
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Fresno Underground Gardens: Highway 99 stop for curious travelers
The Underground Gardens tourist destination offers an intriguing tale for all ages that is well worth a stop. The Underground Gardens is what it sounds like: A weaving labyrinth of caverns, rooms and passages all dug underground and filled with fruit trees, vines and plants in spaces that open to the sky. This oddity was built – or shall we say, dug – by Italian immigrant Baldassare Forestiere for about 38 years starting in 1906.
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Peaceful evening in Old Sacramento on the river
A beautiful stream of reflected light fell across the river from Old Sacramento and its lights. I was standing on the opposite side of the bridge from Old Town. Now, if only that goose would swim over into the right place….
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Bathing in pollen: Ladybugs and poppies
When thoughts start to turn to spring and flowers, the question arises, where to find wildflowers and perhaps butterflies and ladybugs too?
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New Orleans Jazz Fest: jazz everywhere you look in Nola
New Orleans isn’t just a Mardi Gras party town. Think jazz music everywhere you look! On street corners, in parks, on balconies and, of course, in clubs. Then there is the jazz highlight of the year, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest in late April, a.k.a. just New Orleans Jazz Fest.
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South Yuba River State Park: Bridgeport covered bridge and wildflowers
South Yuba River State Park’s Bridgeport wildflowers are fantastic in spring. A perfect time to visit the Bridgeport Historic Covered Bridge and enjoy a guided walk.
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Artist’s Diary – Mallory Square sunset celebration
Key West can leave a dent in your wallet. But there are a few things to do in Key West that are both free and amazing. The Mallory Square sunset is one.
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Alhambra Theater: Travelers can find lost history in Sacramento
Once a renowned theater and movie palace in the 1920s and ’30s, the Alhambra Theater is an historic site in Sacramento that would be of interest to any traveler.
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9 tips for a memorable visit to Arlington National Cemetery in D.C.
The first time I visited Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., was when my Uncle Ara Mooradian, MIA in the Korean War, received a memorial service in 2004 with full military honors – horse-drawn caisson, soldiers on horses, 21-gun salute, Missing Man Formation, the whole deal. I have a tie to Arlington that may be different than many, but that doesn’t mean your visit to Arlington National Cemetery will be any less memorable.
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Feather River Fish Hatchery fish saved from Oroville Dam disaster
On a sunny, spring day about a year ago, we stopped in at the Oroville Dam and its Feather River Fish Hatchery. Little did we know the peaceful shots we snapped would be such a contrast to the thundering water of the overfilled Oroville Dam in February 2017 that forced the evacuation of more than 180,000 people. In addition to the evacuation of people, however, was the mandatory evacuation of several million baby fish from the hatchery we had enjoyed.
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Indulgent New Year’s “detox” at Villagio Spa in Napa
The food and drink from world-class restaurants to top-rated wineries in Napa Valley is endless. A stay at a spa can help you “detox” from all that indulgence. We selected the Villagio Spa in Napa for a short retreat that was more about the bliss than the bounty of Napa Valley.
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Six things to do in D.C. that many don’t but should
If you have a trip to Washington, D.C., coming up soon, the Smithsonian Museums are a standard to fill time. How about a change of pace? Here are six things to do in D.C. that many visitors don’t get to but should – including gardens, memorials and music.
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C&O Canal trail in Washington D.C., a recreational wonder
The C&O Canal in Washington, D.C, isn’t just a canal. It is a recreational wonder that threads 184.5 miles through cities and greenways along the Potomac River in Maryland, Virginia and D.C.
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Newseum: must-see D.C. museum for news, politics & history buffs
Whether you are a history enthusiast, news and politics buff, or a student or fan of media and first-amendment rights, the Newseum is a must-go museum in Washington, D.C. Even though the spectacular Newseum is not free, it offers an insider look at all things news, current events, past history and First Amendment. There is something for everyone, not to mention great lessons for students visiting Washington, D.C.
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Discovering San Francisco secret gardens and public rooftop open spaces
POPOS may sound like a funny name for something you’d munch on during happy hour, but that is so wrong. POPOS stands for “Privately Owned Public Open Spaces,” a.k.a. San Francisco secret gardens. Whether you as a traveler call them POPOS, secret gardens, or rooftop parks, they are ideal respites and secluded open spaces when wandering and touring cities for travelers who just need to rest weary feet or simply take in the surroundings or do a little people-watching – for free, often in a really pleasant venue.
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Rose Hill Cemetery at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
The San Francisco Bay Area hills are spotted with numerous parks where one can hike or picnic, often with great views of the rolling countryside or even the ocean. Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve east of San Francisco has another secret worth a traveler’s exploration: the Rose Hill Cemetery dating back to the Gold Rush.
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Mozzeria Pizzeria: Dining experience more than extraordinary food
Mozzeria pizzeria on 16th Street in San Francisco’s Mission District seems like any other pizza joint from the outside looking in. Unassuming sign, simple door, narrow long room, tables full, a line of patrons waiting to be seated, and wait staff bustling about. The noise-level inside is subdued, but unless one is very observant, you may not even notice the out-of-the-ordinary experience provided by dining at Mozzeria. Not until the hostess greets you do you begin to realize this is not your everyday pizza joint.
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9/11 memorial at Boston Logan Airport stirs emotions and pride
Memorial to the 9/11 terrorist attacks attract attention, visits and bring up many emotions. New York, Pennsylvania, the Pentagon. But HI Travel Tales discovered just recently there is also a 9/11 memorial at Boston Logan Airport tucked away next to traffic-filled arrival roads.
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Panning for gold a pursuit with world championships
Since HI Travel Tales is based in California’s so-called Gold Country, we naively thought that this was the center of the panning for gold world. You know, Sierra Nevada gold rush, gold discovery at Sutter’s Mill, gold miners, ‘49ers, and all that jazz. Boy did we learn a thing or two, like gold panning is a world-wide pursuit and there is even a world championships each year.
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Fish frenzy at Thanksgiving Point gardens Salt Lake City
It’s difficult to not be impressed with the twisting and turning koi with their mouths gaping open at Thanksgiving Point Gardens. Their yellow, oranges and browns mix up with lily pads, causing a bright eye-catcher.
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Liberty Cemetery: A California ghost town burial ground
Driving north on State Route 99 through California’s Central Valley isn’t always a travel bright spot. But keep your eyes open and pioneering history may pop out at you – such as the Liberty Cemetery from the 1850s.
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Creative, tasty meals at Ogi Deli in Elko, Nevada
When you’re driving along Interstate 80 across frequently spectacular yet periodically desolate Nevada desert, eatery choices can be, well, less than inviting. So when we first found this amazing deli in Elko – now called Ogi Deli, but it was “2 Dames and a Deli” when we discovered it – we were utterly delighted.
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