I found a photo taken in the late 1800s of a girl that I presume was wearing a wedding dress and decided to paint a color portrait of it. I made some changes for the chair and provided a background but otherwise retained much of the detail of the photograph.
In October of 2021 we traveled to Orlando and the nearby Atlantic coast. Over 6 days we would visit the Universal Studios Resort, Disney Magic Kingdom, New Smyrna Beach, and Kennedy Space Center.
While researching travel destinations I have found over the years that the best sources of information are not guidebooks but travel blogs and travel discussion boards. With that in mind, I decided it was worthwhile to share a lot of my first-hand knowledge and experiences to aid others in their planning efforts. Exploration is a hobby for me.
I’ve taken the added step of rating the places I have visited, because let’s face it, not everything is worth your time and money on a tight schedule. I also like to point out the lesser known places that often get overlooked by guidebooks and fellow travelers. I’m also an active outdoors aficionado so you’ll get a better look at trails and various wilderness pursuits than you’d find elsewhere.
And finally, sometimes it helps to know where a plan went awry so that you can avoid the same mistake. That knowledge is invaluable to me when we are planning our getaways.
Finally, just to be fair, I’ve decided along the way that my favorite places are not the big cities, but the smaller towns that often are more unique, more genuine, and ultimately more fun.
https://trav-art.com/las-vegas-march-2022/
https://trav-art.com/travel-2/travelogues/southern-california-and-the-southwest/
The Carolinas and Tennessee, Oct 2020
In October of 2020 we used flight credits to travel to a few states that we had never visited before. While we would only have five full days available to us, we put together a plan that would start and finish in Charlotte and travel from Charleston to the Smoky Mountains. We were looking forward to Carolina BBQ, a plethora of historic sites, and fall colors in the Appalachians.
South Florida and the Keys, Dec 2020
The week before Christmas in 2020 we decided to travel to South Florida and the Keys. Florida was one of the few states that was largely spared from COVID restrictions and we were eager to use the opportunity to explore an area of the state to which we were all unfamiliar. To make the planning more fun for the family, we gave each of the four of us the opportunity to choose a specific activity to do on the trip. As you will see it worked out quite well.
Arizona and New Mexico Travelogue, March 2021
In March of 2021 we set off on a five day journey to Arizona and New Mexico from Colorado. Our goal was to see Petrified Forest NP, enjoy the Arizona Grand Resort and waterpark, spend a morning in Saguaro National Park, visit Tucson for the first time, and see White Sands NP in the evening.
Utah, Lake Powell, and Durango, June 2021
In June of 2021 we loaded up my truck and drove off to Utah for some adventure in the parks and on the water.
Where to See to Wildlife in the USA and Beyond
So where should you go to look for every critter your heart desires? Well, I’ve done my best to compile a list of where I have had the best luck finding wildlife.
10 Best Family-Friendly Hikes in the USA
Hiking is usually not a favorite outdoor activity of children, but that does not mean that you can’t find hiking trails in the USA that won’t be fun and memorable for the whole family. Nearly every park and region of the US has an assortment of trails that are suitable for even young walkers (or parents carrying young ones in a backpack until they are old enough to walk on their own). Read On…
