Jackson Disney Travel Agents Near Me

Overview

Introduction

Potpourri

Famous Mississippians: Elvis Presley, Jimmie Rodgers, Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, John Grisham, Barry Hannah, Jim Henson, Morgan Freeman, Danny Glover, Shelby Foote, Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones, Walter Payton, Brett Favre, Beth Henley, Bo Diddley and W.C. Handy.

Paul B. Johnson State Park was built by German prisoners of war imprisoned at Camp Shelby during World War II.

While Mississippi has the lowest per capita income, it is also listed as the most generous state in the country by the Catalogue of Philanthropy, because state residents give a greater percentage of their income to charity than residents of any other state.

Overview

Introduction

Jackson, located in a remote corner of Wyoming, is definitely not an easy place to get to. It isn't on the way to anywhere except Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. Throw in its harsh climate and unpredictable winter road conditions, and it may be difficult to understand why anyone would want to visit Jackson, much less build a multimillion-dollar home there.

But Jackson, along with the resort area of Jackson Hole, has become a popular destination for tourists because of its wealth of activities.

Overview

Introduction

Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is the name of the mountain valley extending almost 50 mi/80 km along the east side of the Teton Range from the town of Jackson to near the southern border of Yellowstone National Park and including several towns: Jackson, Kelly, Moose, Moran and Teton Wilson.

The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort hosts several hundred thousand tourists a year. Visitors go to enjoy the endless miles/kilometers of forest and ranch land to the east and south, the scenery, the many recreation options and the wildlife. Jackson Hole has also become one of the destinations for celebrity and politician sightings.

Jackson Hole retains much of its historic cowboy heritage despite the development boom, and visitors have a wealth of options, from exhilarating white-water rafting trips, pristine hiking trails, impeccable service and gourmet cuisine to manicured golf greens, black-diamond ski runs and honky-tonk bars.

Unless you visit in the off-season, lodging in the area will be expensive, but a little research (or opting to camp) can make the trip more affordable. It also will leave you with more money to spend on shopping and activities: In between skiing, fishing, hiking and just taking in the view of the Teton mountain range, many people spend a couple of days wandering through the area's wealth of galleries, as well as brand name and specialty shops in downtown Jackson and outlying areas.

As a resort area, Jackson Hole has widely varying numbers of tourists throughout the year, and many businesses alter their hours accordingly, either shortening hours or closing for stretches during less busy times. It's also not unusual for restaurants and bars to close for private parties. Unless specifically noted, all hours listed in this guide are for summer, which is the busiest season when most businesses are open. However, it is always a good idea to call ahead to confirm opening hours before making plans.

Must See or Do

Sights—Mountaintop views from the top of Snow King Resort or Jackson Hole Mountain Resort; Grand Teton National Park; a winter sleigh ride through the National Elk Refuge.

Museums—Impressive images of nature at the National Museum of Wildlife Art; cowboy and ranching history at the Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum; local artists on view at the Center for the Arts.

Memorable Meals—Wild Sage's innovative treatment of game in an elegant setting; a four-course meal by a double fireplace at Snake River Grill.

Late Night—Dance and straddle a saddle barstool at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar.

Walks—Any trail in Grand Teton National Park, and many throughout the surrounding mountain ranges.

Especially for Kids—Snow King Alpine Slide; the Jackson Hole Shootout

Geography

The town of Jackson is the southern anchor of Jackson Hole, south of Grand Teton National Park and just east of the Idaho border. It sits in a valley surrounded by the Hoback Range and Snow King Mountain to the south, the Gros Ventre Mountains to the east and the spectacular peaks of the Teton Range to the north and west. The Snake River runs to the west between Jackson and Teton Village.

The town center is flat, making walking an excellent option, and areas on the edges of town creep up the mountainsides and buttes.

To the west are the small town of Wilson and the road leading to Teton Village, home of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and a spectacular array of dramatic vacation homes.

History

Jackson Hole and the Tetons were created by geological forces over the course of 10 million years. The valley was home to elk herds and several groups of Native Americans—Shoshoni, Crow, Blackfeet, Bannock and Gros Ventre (pronounced grow vaunt)—before American and European fur trappers discovered it in the early 1800s.

Originally called Jackson's Hole, the area was named for early mountain man David Jackson. (The word hole was a common term used at the time to describe a valley surrounded by mountains.)

Trappers and mountain men had the valley to themselves until the Homestead Act of 1862 brought a few more settlers. Most were not prepared for the brutal winters, and lack of access to railroads or decent roads, for that matter. They quickly sold out, enabling hardier souls to create large cattle ranches that were marginally successful. By 1880, Jackson Hole had 23 residents: 20 men, two women and one child.

By the 1900s, as word of the beauty of the mountains spread back east, visitors started to appear, and ranchers and cowboys became guides and outfitters to help tourists safely experience the valley. Ranchers continued to raise cattle and work the land, but the tourists kept arriving—bringing a welcome influx of money into the struggling local economy. By the 1920s, Jackson was a thriving frontier town, and dude ranches were common.

As Grand Teton National Park was established to the north, controversy over land use grew. Local ranchers wanted the freedom to control the land and the area's development. At the same time, there was a national push (backed by John D. Rockefeller Jr., who was quietly buying up land) to preserve the area for its beauty and importance to the greater Yellowstone ecosystem.

Tourism has continued to grow, and it is now the region's primary industry.

Potpourri

The country's first all-woman city council was elected in Jackson in 1920, the same year that the 19th Amendment was finally passed giving women the right to vote.

On board the US Voyager II is an Ansel Adams photograph of Jackson Hole. The spacecraft, launched in 1977 to explore distant parts of our solar system, is more than 14 billion mi/22.5 billion km from the Earth. Its cargo contains photos and other objects that best represent our planet in the event that it is ever found by intelligent life forms.

Jackson's elk-antler auction is one of a kind. Each year, local Boy Scouts collect antlers that have been shed in the Elk Refuge. The antlers are auctioned on the Saturday one week before Memorial Day, with most of the proceeds used to fund the feeding program at the refuge.

The Jackson Hole Airport is the only commercial airport within the boundaries of a national park.

Celebrity sightings have included Sandra Bullock eating at a local barbecue joint, Uma Thurman making her way down the slopes at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Tiger Woods scoping out property with Teton views. The area's most famous resident, Harrison Ford, has donated his private helicopter for use in search and rescue missions. He even flew one of those rescue missions himself.

More than 15 feature films have been made on location in Jackson Hole, including Django Unchained, Rocky IV and The Big Trail, featuring John Wayne in his first movie role. Sitcom Modern Family is one of the more recent TV shows to use the Tetons as a backdrop.

Overview

Introduction

Set on the banks of the scenic St. Johns River and flanked by the Atlantic Ocean, Jacksonville, Florida, is a major port and metropolitan area. A major East Coast center of U.S. Navy operations, with two naval installations for air and sea power, Jacksonville also boasts a booming downtown ripe with nightlife, activities, art and music, and an increasing number of fine shopping outlets, world-class restaurants and museums. Jacksonville visitors also can enjoy watching the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars or real jaguars at the Jacksonville Zoo.

The "First Coast," as the Jacksonville area is affectionately known, is also a water-lover's destination, with white-sand beaches plus exceptional fishing and surfing. Add to that mix a number of great golf courses, and Jacksonville is one of the premier outdoor destinations of the southeastern U.S.

True, by midsummer Jacksonville's weather is downright hot and humid, but cross-breezes from the Atlantic Ocean and the river help keep temperatures almost bearable, and the mild climate during the other three seasons more than makes up for a few scorching months. Fall, winter and spring are all ideal times to visit Jacksonville.

Must See or Do

Sights—Catch a breathtaking sunrise and see frolicking dolphins from the Jacksonville Pier; sit for a spell on the edge of Lake Oneida and watch the antics of the resident otters.

Museums—American and European sculpture gardens at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens; the Museum of Science and History.

Memorable Meals—Ichiban for seafood teppanyaki prepared to order; Al's Pizza for a white pizza and draft beer after a day at the beach; Matthew's for fine Continental cuisine.

Late Night—Live music, from blues to reggae, at Freebird Live; The Atlantic for the dance-club scene.

Walks—Check out the joggers, in-line skaters and cyclists—as well as the area eateries, coffee shops and Italian-ice shops—on First Street in Neptune Beach Town Center; watch fishermen catching dinner along the boardwalk pier in Jacksonville Beach; hit the trails at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park in Atlantic Beach.

Geography

In terms of land area, Jacksonville is the largest city in the contiguous 48 states of the U.S., with 874 sq mi/2,264 sq km. The "River City" lines both banks of the St. John's River, Florida's longest river. The topography varies from wetland marshes beside the Intracoastal Waterway to dry sand dunes along the oceanfront to heavily forested and undeveloped areas.

The Northside boasts the airport, the zoo and the Jaxport cruise terminal. The Southside is full of great shopping, nightlife and clusters of eateries. The beaches sport excellent golf, the Mayport Naval Station, and their own personality when it comes to shopping, nightlife and restaurants. Downtown is similar to those in many other fairly metropolitan U.S. cities—with a spectacular river view, that is. It's lined with one-way streets, metered parking, and quaint cafes and galleries. The Westside, typically more rural, is home to the Jacksonville Naval Air Station.

Interstate 95 runs north and south through the city. Running east to west is I-10, and I-75 is about an hour's drive west of the city. Butler Boulevard is the area expressway, which runs from the beach to the Southside, with many exits in between.

History

In the early 1500s, Spanish explorers discovered Florida and claimed it for Spain. The first permanent settlement in the Jacksonville area was founded in 1791 and named Cow Ford for the narrow spot in the St. John's River where cattle crossing was possible. In 1822, the city was renamed Jacksonville for Gen. Andrew Jackson, who had been the first military governor of Florida Territory and was later the seventh U.S. president.

On a May morning in 1901, a hot ember from a shanty landed on the moss roof of a fiber factory downtown. The resulting fire burned 1,700 buildings, destroyed the business district by lunchtime, and left 10,000 residents homeless. When Jacksonville was later rebuilt, the "Prairie" style of architecture was used widely and can still be seen today. The architect responsible for many of the designs, Henry J. Kluthe, was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright.

In the 1920s, Jacksonville emerged as a winter resort for wealthy citizens. Three of the new neighborhoods developed at that time (Avondale, Riverside and Springfield) are key historic districts in the city. Dozens of luxury hotels and boardinghouses, many now restored, cropped up both in Jacksonville and in neighboring St. Augustine.

The 1940s brought the U.S. Navy to town with three separate facilities, two of which are still in operation: Naval Air Station Jacksonville, on the city's Westside, and Naval Station Mayport, at the mouth of the St. John's River. Mayport is home to the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy, as well as dozens of other naval ships.

Potpourri

The St. Johns River, the longest river in Florida at 310 mi/500 km, is one of only a handful in the U.S. that flows north instead of south. Boaters go "up" to Sanford and "down" to Jacksonville.

Locals sometimes call the Intracoastal Waterway, which runs through Jacksonville, "The Big Ditch."

The St. Johns River Ferry, which connects Mayport and the beaches to Fort George Island, is the last remaining ferry in Florida.

The 1901 fire that destroyed Jacksonville's downtown could be seen from as far away as Savannah, Georgia. The smoke was visible as far away as North Carolina.

Jacksonville's median age of 36 makes it one of the youngest cities in Florida.

With 200 sunny days each year, Jacksonville was the first "Hollywood." In the 1920s, moviemakers took the train south from cold New York, which was then the center of the film industry, and filmed in Jacksonville during the winter.

Location

Jaxport, Jacksonville's cruise-ship seaport on the Northside, is an embarkation point for cruises to the Caribbean and Mexico. It can accommodate one large cruise ship at a time.

There are no dining facilities at Jaxport except vending machines. Jaxport provides parking for US$15 per day. A franchised taxi service provides minivan transportation from the cruise terminal to the airport (phone 904-425-4444).

Jaxport is located at 9810 August Drive. Phone 904-630-3006. http://www.jaxport.com.

Shore Excursions