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From 1820 to 1860, the waterfront town of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was the world's most active whaling port, which made it one of the world's wealthiest cities of its time.
In addition to 90 restored buildings, this town 60 mi/100 km south of Boston has the New Bedford Whaling Museum on Johnny Cake Hill. Visitors there can board a fully rigged half-scale model of a whaling bark and watch a film that takes viewers along on a 19th-century whaling expedition (http://www.whalingmuseum.org).
Across the street is the Seamen's Bethel, the chapel described in Herman Melville's Moby Dick. The Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum provides a glimpse into the daily life of a wealthy whaling merchant and his family circa 1834. The New Bedford Fire Museum, with its collection of antique fire trucks and firefighting equipment, showcases another side of the town's history.
Bargain shoppers will want to check out the factory outlets in town.
The Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery, just west of New Bedford, produces nationally acclaimed sparkling wines. Tour the winery, walk the grounds and take in pastoral vistas.
New Bedford's annual events include the Whaling City Festival (mid-July), Feast of the Blessed Sacrament (celebrating Portuguese culture—early August), the Working Waterfront Festival (September) and the Apple-Peach Harvest Festival (after Labor Day).
Located at the junction of the Trent and Neuse Rivers (in the coastal area) 100 mi/160 km southeast of Raleigh, New Bern, North Carolina, has a wealth of historic buildings dating from its settlement in 1710 by Germans and Swiss. Named for the capital city of Switzerland, it was North Carolina's first colonial and state capital (1746-92).
Among New Bern's historic sights are Tryon Palace, the state's first governor's mansion and the home of Royal Governor William Tryon. Tryon Palace Historic Sites and Gardens is open-year round and offers guided tours of the palace, the gardens and historic homes on its grounds. https://www.tryonpalace.org.
Once you've finished your tour of Tryon Palace, peruse the shops of historic downtown New Bern with its beautiful waterfront views. Fans of author Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook) won't want to miss the self-guided Walk to Remember Tour of his hometown, highlighting several film sites from his movies. https://visitnewbern.com.
Don't miss the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola at 256 Middle St., where pharmacist Calem Bradham invented the famous soft drink. http://www.pepsistore.com.
The annual Chrysanthemum Festival in New Bern (October) includes a street festival, arts-and-crafts exhibitions, and palace tours. https://mumfest.com.
Two volcanoes flanking New Britain's historic town of Rabaul—Vulcan and Tavurvur—erupted simultaneously in late 1994, causing extensive damage to the economic center of the outer islands. Mud flows and blankets of ash left 52,000 villagers homeless. While repair work began immediately, the volcanoes continue to spew ash periodically, and it will be a while before the island returns to normal. (Check locally before visiting.)
Other volcanoes in the area can be seen or visited, including The Beehives (two cone-shaped islands in the harbor), Matupit Volcano (rent a canoe in Matupit town for a three-hour trip to the base of the mountain, then make the easy climb to the crater) and Mt. Kumbui (affectionately called "Mother").
Fifty years ago, Rabaul was one of the Japanese Navy's largest bases, and war sites abound. You can visit the Japanese-built tunnels and bunkers from World War II (we like the tunnel at Karavia); the command bunker of Admiral Onishi of the Japanese Pacific Fleet (Central Avenue and Clark Street—now a museum); and the Coastwatchers' Memorial Lookout at Malmaluan, once the headquarters of Australian operations (now, as then, offering a great view of the surrounding area).
Other attractions: the orchid garden atop Namanula Hill (good overview of the area), pottery shops (our favorite is behind the market), coconut groves, cocoa plantations and great scuba diving off Submarine Bay (the water level drops from a few feet to 230 ft/ 70 m in one step). If possible, catch a performance of the Baining tribe fire dancers. They live in a nearby village and dance on coals to the accompaniment of croaking frogs and log drums.
Relatively few visitors make it to Western New Britain, and it's a pity: good diving, palm and coconut plantations, ceramic workshops and an unspoiled atmosphere await those who make it there. The entire peninsula is an active volcanic region, with geysers and extinct and active volcanoes (the last major eruptions in this part of the island were in 1937).
Fly in to Hoskins, where many of the geysers are located. Most people stay in Kimbe, the district capital (although Hoskins does have an adequate hotel). In Kimbe, walk around town and visit the Kimbe Cultural Centre (local artifacts and some live animals).
Other parts of the region are hard to get to and may not offer adequate accommodations, but if you're adventurous, you can visit Talasea, on the northwest coast, a center for obsidian and "shell money" (an ancient currency made from pearl shells); Mosa, which lies inland, offering oil-palm plantations; Gasmata, on the south coast, displaying the remains of Japanese aircraft downed during World War II; Pangula, in the "Valley of the Hot Water," which has geysers and fumaroles (small holes allowing volcanic gases to escape); Mt. Langila and its very active volcano, in the southwest; and Walindi, with its great diving and the Walindi Plantation (stay in bungalows and learn more than you ever wanted to know about palm oil). Plan to stay at least two nights on the western end of the island. 280 mi/450 km northeast of Port Moresby.
Watching the tides in many places around the world may sound like pedestrian activity, quiet and relaxing. But in New Brunswick, it’s an awe-inspiring event that many tourists plan their visits around.
Along the Bay of Fundy, the changing tide transforms the landscape. The shoreline, submerged for 12 hours a day and teeming with living underwater creatures, becomes a barren beach where the curious can explore. As the tide recedes, small islands emerge as bizarre rock pinnacles topped by arched pine trees. The curiosities continue inland when the tides from the bay force the mighty St. John River to change direction twice a day. At low tide, the river hurtles through a narrow opening into the harbor, but at high tide the same river runs backward.
Travel through more of the province, and you'll find that the tides are just one of the contrasts New Brunswick has to offer. Cultures alternate between very English and very French to an amiable co-existence of both. The landscape changes from rugged seashore to dense forest to vibrant and interesting cities. Activities can vary from swimming in the warm waters of the Northumberland Strait to camping, hunting or fishing in the interior, to shopping and sightseeing in small fishing villages.
Given its compact size and the variety of experiences available here, we think New Brunswick should play center stage in your Maritime tour; it can easily fill a week all by itself.
The Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik) and Mi'kmaq natives lived in New Brunswick before the arrival of Europeans. They depended primarily on hunting for their livelihood; both deer and moose provided their meat and clothing. The first Europeans to reach New Brunswick may have been the Vikings, who some believe explored the coast as early as AD 1000. Six centuries later, a French expedition led by Samuel de Champlain began the first real colonization of the area. The French soon had to contend with the rival Dutch and English aspirations for the region, but they were able to hold on for more than a century.
The English eventually dominated, and in 1755 the French settlers in the Maritime Provinces (who called the area Acadia) were given the choice between swearing allegiance to Britain or leaving. Many Acadians chose exile, and large groups traveled to what we now know as New Orleans, the beginning of the Cajun culture in Louisiana. Others were driven into remote places in the province for a time, though some were able to return in the 1760s. Generations of schoolchildren knew of these events because they read, or had to memorize, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1847 poem Evangeline: "This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks . . ."
Most of the Acadians lost their livelihoods and property during the upheaval, but they managed to survive and eventually flourished. The people are still very much tied to the land and sea: New Brunswick's economy relies heavily on forestry, farming, fishing and tourism. History buffs will want to visit the Survival of the Acadians National Historic Site in St. Joseph, which has displays of crafts and exhibits that depict Acadian history and culture from the 1750s to the present.
New Brunswick's main attractions include beautiful scenery, parks, fishing, changing tides, varied hunting opportunities, historic and cultural sites, whale-watching, museums and Acadian culture.
The province will most appeal to those travelers who are interested in outdoor activities in an impressive natural setting. Those seeking the rapid pace and diverse attractions of large cities or warmer, drier climes may find New Brunswick less to their liking.
The beaches along the Gulf of St. Lawrence are said to have the warmest water north of Virginia, a product of the ocean currents.
Saint John is known as Canada's "Loyalist City" because of the 20,000 settlers who arrived there after fleeing the U.S. following the Revolutionary War. It's also known as "Canada's Most Irish City" because of the 50,000 or so immigrants from famine-ravaged Ireland who passed through the city beginning in 1843.
New Brunswick has 64 remaining covered bridges, and Kings County is considered the Covered Bridge Capital of Atlantic Canada.
Ganong Chocolates, in nearby St. Stephen, invented the first five-cent chocolate nut bar in North America.
Miramichi was home to the Cunard brothers, 19th-century shipbuilders whose name is synonymous today with luxury cruise ships.
New Brunswick likes its superlatives. It has what's said to be the world's longest covered bridge, in Hartland, and the best salmon fishing in Miramichi. Nackawic claims the world's largest axe. Shediac says it's the lobster capital of the world, with the world's largest lobster (actually an oversized sculpture that can be seen at the zany Lobster Festival in July).
St. Stephen and the bordering city of Calais (pronounced "callous"), Maine, hold a joint parade that crosses the border during their annual International Homecoming Festival each summer: Fire departments from the two communities are challenged to cross the international border to respond to one another's alarms.
Moncton was the first community in Canada to be officially declared bilingual.
The Marco Polo, a three-masted clipper ship built at Saint John in 1851 and called the fastest ship in the world, revolutionized the Canadian shipbuilding industry by circumnavigating the globe in less than six months—a remarkable speed record at the time. The site of its wreck in 1883 (off the coast of Prince Edward Island) is now a protected National Historic Site.
More than 30 years ago, Malcolm Bricklin convinced Nova Scotia's premier, Richard Hatfield, to subsidize his safety-focused, acrylic-bodied sportscar-manufacturing dreams. Detroit factories supplied the parts, but "The Bricklins" were assembled in Saint John. The gull-winged cars were shipped back to the U.S., but they never caught on and the company declared bankruptcy in 1976. New Brunswick was left with a Can$23 million debt.
On the Tobique River (Mactaquac region) there is a fiddling contest each June. What makes this contest unique is that it's held on the river in handmade canoes.
Cruise ships enter the Bay of Fundy, which separates Nova Scotia from New Brunswick and is home to the tall tides of Fundy. Now considered the gateway to New Brunswick—and the second largest port in Atlantic Canada—Saint John welcomes more than 80 cruise ships annually, with 180,000 cruising tourists.
Cruise ships dock in the heart of Saint John at one of the three main cruise ship berths: the purpose-built cruise terminal Pugsley A/B, Pugsley C and Long Wharf. Passengers are welcomed at the new Can$8.7 million Cruise Welcome Center, which offer such amenities as Wi-Fi, phones and shops in the two story building. Phone 506-636-4869. http://www.sjport.com.
Taxis are always lined up dockside when ships come in. Saint John is keenly interested in the quality of guest experiences, so the city has initiated a taxi host program. All drivers in the cruise welcome center are certified.
Many large cruise ships make port calls to Saint John each year. Some of the major lines that have visited and continue to visit Saint John are Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Lines.
For more information, contact Saint John Port Corporation, Harbour Building, 133 Prince William St., Saint John, New Brunswick. Phone 506-636-5015.
Consider one of the shore excursions offered by your cruise line. There are easy step-on, step-off city tours by trolley or bus, or you can sign up for a walking tour and visit the sights of Canada's oldest incorporated city. Be sure to stop at Saint John's vibrant City Market, the oldest continuously operated farmer's market in Canada. The New Brunswick Museum offers a glimpse into the maritime past, and historic buildings line streets full of uptown shops. For more history, see the Saint John Jewish Historical Museum, the Firefighters' Museum, Loyalist House and Barbour's General Store.
The splendid Reversing Falls are only minutes from downtown, and you can see the mighty Saint John River experience low and high tide all in one day. Jet-boat rides are available in the summer. For a stunning scenic view of the city, ascend the Carleton Martello Tower, a national historic site that has ties to both the War of 1812 and World War II.
For nature buffs, Rockwood Park (one of Canada's largest municipal parks) is home to a golf course, the Cherry Brook Zoo, a campground and plenty of trails ideal for walks and hikes. Irving Nature Park in the city's west end offers plenty of wildlife viewing and has breathtaking views.
Other must-sees include Hopewell Rocks, and whale watching along St. Andrews by-the-Sea.
New Caledonia's capital, Noumea, has everything a Francophile could desire: fresh baguettes, plentiful Bordeaux, chic boutiques, metropolitan gendarmes and occasionally rude service—all in a gorgeous tropical setting. Though this sizable South Pacific archipelago has been a French colony for nearly 150 years, France fades into Melanesia once you leave the city. Visitors who experience only the glamour of Noumea's beaches and swank hotels miss out on the rugged beauty and unique culture of the better part of the territory.
To experience traditional island life in New Caledonia, you'll have to cross a geographical and cultural divide to reach la Brousse, the local term for the outback. On Grande Terre, the cigar-shaped main island, the mountains and nickel mines in the center divide the largely French-settled region on the southwest from the less-developed land of the northeast, which is occupied by the island's indigenous people, the Kanaks. The traditional Kanak way of life, known as la coutume, involves an intricate system of tribal sharing and gift giving, ancestor worship and clan ties. It has eroded over the generations, but it is experiencing something of a comeback in the younger generation.
The Kanak clans inhabit the smaller islands to the north, east and south of Grand Terre: the verdant Ile des Pins, the idyllic Loyaute Islands and the tiny Belep Islands. Getting to those areas requires only a little more effort, but it's truly rewarding. And the beaches there are among the best in the world, too.
Located 1,000 mi/1,600 km east of Australia and 310 mi/500 km southwest of Vanuatu, New Caledonia is surrounded by a huge coral reef, creating the world's largest lagoon. Unlike most of the island groups in Oceania, which are of volcanic origin, New Caledonia broke away from the ancient supercontinent Gondwana 250 million years ago, which explains the 2,000 indigenous plants found nowhere else on earth.
The main island, Grande Terre, is strikingly diverse. The western side of the island has dry, windswept coastal plains, and the eastern side has waterfalls, lush fern forests, crystal clear lagoons, palm-lined beaches and scenic, rugged mountains. Mangrove swamps hug much of the coastline. Atoll islands lie just offshore. The Loyaute, or Loyalty, Islands (Mare, Lifou and Ouvea) lie off the eastern coast, and the Ile des Pins, or Isle of Pines, and Ouen Island lie off the southern coast. To the north are the minuscule Belep Islands. All are lush, with beautiful unspoiled beaches. All offer a relaxing, if slightly primitive, vacation.
Settled thousands of years ago by Melanesians from Asia and New Guinea, New Caledonia was left in relative isolation until the 18th century. Captain Cook discovered New Caledonia and named it for Scotland (Caledonia being the ancient Roman name for Cook's homeland), though only a man who had been at sea too long could have seen the resemblance. The French annexed the country in 1853 in hopes of replacing their penal colony in South America (the infamous Devil's Island) and replicating Britain's success in colonizing Australia. Nine years later, a huge cache of high-quality nickel was discovered on the island, allowing New Caledonia to take its place among the world's major producers of that metal. It also ensured that the French would fight tooth and nail to retain this profitable colony.
From the turn of the century and through the 1980s, the island was caught in a bitter struggle between the native Kanaks and the French government, which was supported by the descendants of the original settlers (Caldoches) and recent French immigrants (metros, or zoreilles)—with the Kanaks usually on the losing end. More than 30 people, most of them Kanaks, were killed during disturbances in the mid-1980s.
A peace accord was signed in 1988. Representatives of the French government and all the local political parties signed a new agreement in 1998 that calls for a gradual increase in local autonomy over the next 15-20 years, to be followed by a vote on full independence. This arrangement was approved by 72% of New Caledonia voters.
In addition to the indigenous and French population, New Caledonia also has a large number of Indonesians, Vietnamese and South Pacific islanders, many of them brought in to work the nickel mines.
New Caledonia's chief attractions are great scuba diving (with 150-ft/45-m visibility), limestone caves, horseback riding, camping, spectacular beaches, snorkeling, and interesting blends of European and Melanesian cultures.
It's a good destination for those interested in great beaches, clear water and lush scenery combined with a dash of French ambience, culture and food. It's not recommended for anyone who would be shocked by either relatively high costs or the contradictions of colonialism. Although English is spoken in some places, a working knowledge of French helps, particularly on some of the outer islands.
Be on the lookout for the distinctive New Caledonian cowboys, especially on the west coast of the main island where cattle ranching is widely practiced. If you're lucky, you might even happen upon a minirodeo.
The pine trees on Ile des Pins are araucarias, a slightly smaller version of Norfolk pines.
New Caledonia's closest neighbor is Vanuatu, the island chain that lies about 310 mi/500 km northeast of Grande Terre.
Traffic on some of the narrow mountain roads up the east coast of the main island is one way, with an hourly timetable for traffic in each direction.
It's possible to go deep-sea fishing year-round—for marlin, sailfish, tuna, bonito, mahimahi and others—but the best months are November-February.
The population of the islands includes 44% Melanesian, 34% European and 9% Wallisian (from Wallis Island). The European element is growing because of uncontrolled immigration from France.
The world's second- and third-largest barrier reefs stretch 375 mi/600 km up either side of Grande Terre (only Australia's Great Barrier Reef is longer).
New Caledonia's huge reefs have snagged scores of unlucky ships, including the two largest sailing vessels ever launched.
While driving around, you may see a few abandoned runways used by U.S. forces during World War II. At the height of the conflict, 75,000 GIs were billeted on the main island.
This original state capital, about 7 mi/11 km south of Wilmington, is a major colonial seaport on the Delaware River. New Castle's biggest attraction is its authenticity. The town remains similar to the way it appeared in the 18th and 19th centuries with original brick houses and public buildings, cobblestoned streets and a central square known as The Green.
Among the sites open to the public are the New Castle Court House Museum (built in 1732, one of the oldest surviving courthouses in the U.S.) and the Federal-style Read House and Gardens, built in 1801 by the son of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Amstel House and Dutch House are fine examples of Georgian and Dutch colonial architecture.
The New Castle Court House provides a free leaflet with directions for self-guided walking tours. "A Day in Old New Castle," conducted annually in May, offers visitors a chance to tour the town's historic private homes, gardens and museums.
The main island in the Western Province area, New Georgia was the scene of vicious fighting during World War II. Nowadays you will find interesting tribes, beautiful scenery, opportunities for relaxation and good reef diving among manta rays, sharks, turtles and colorful fish.
Most prominent of New Georgia's towns is Munda, just 30 mi/50 km southeast of Gizo. It's a major transportation and governmental center for the region. Munda has a clean and comfortable hotel and makes for an interesting two-night visit (the town and its airstrip were a major objective for U.S. troops). Munda also has two simple but comfortable resorts on tiny islands offshore (both places are good for Robinson Crusoe-style escapes). The commercial center is now in a town called Noro, built around a fish-processing plant. New Georgia is 190 mi/300 km northwest of Honiara, Guadalcanal.
They don't call it the Granite State for nothing. The term refers not only to the ruggedness of the landscape but also to the tenacity of its residents. Although New Hampshire has its share of cities as well as quaint country villages, its breathtaking natural landscape is a source of pride to everyone.
New Hampshire's compact size means that an hour of driving can transport a city dweller to the wilds of the White Mountains. Out-of-state visitors also benefit from the close confines: You'll find it easy to zip from the historic seacoast town of Portsmouth to the museums and landmarks of Concord to mountains, lakes and forests that lie farther north.
Active sports—hunting, fishing, hiking and winter skiing—are a big part of New Hampshire's allure, but there are plenty of less demanding ways to enjoy the sights. Scenic two-lane roads wind throughout the countryside. Sightseeing boats ply the highland lakes. And there's an especially good selection of railroad excursions through the White Mountains, including the cog railway that ascends the highest peak in the Northeast, Mount Washington.
Before the coming of roads and rails, the Sokoki, Amoskeag and other Native American peoples lived in fortified villages on the upper Connecticut River. Villagers grew corn and also spent a good deal of time hunting, trapping, fishing and collecting food.
The first Europeans to reach what became New Hampshire were English explorer Martin Pring and Frenchman Samuel de Champlain. England came to control the area, and the first colonial settlements were established in 1623. The state didn't attract colonists in large numbers for several years, partly because of Native American resistance to settlers. New Hampshire also had a long dispute with neighboring Massachusetts, which claimed governance over the southern part of the territory.
Early on, New Hampshire established its reputation for libertarian, contentious and fiercely independent politics. Loyalist sentiment among the colonists was strong, but New Hampshire rebels attacked British property as early as 1774 when some New Hampshire patriots disarmed Fort William and Mary in New Castle a year after the Boston Tea Party. Of the 13 colonies, New Hampshire was the first to declare its independence from England. Even after the Revolutionary War, Tories in New Hampshire nearly quashed the state's ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Yet in the end it was New Hampshire that cast the deciding affirmative vote among the 13 original colonies. The famous "Live Free or Die," which adorns the state's license plates, was coined by New Hampshire Revolutionary War hero Gen. John Stark in 1809 and became the official state motto in 1945.
Even though agriculture has been (and remains) an important cog in its economic machinery, New Hampshire turned increasingly to mills and factories for employment and revenue beginning in the 1800s and continuing through the mid-20th century. Today, tourism, service industries and high-tech have joined manufacturing as important sources of employment. Politics is also big business in New Hampshire—not so much economically as socially. Until recently, New Hampshire has been famous as the site of the first primary election of every presidential campaign, a status that is currently being challenged. According to popular belief, the politician who wins the New Hampshire primary will most likely be the next U.S. president.
New Hampshire's main attractions include scenic parks and drives, fall foliage, the White Mountains, Mount Washington, Portsmouth's Strawbery Banke, restored colonial architecture, skiing, hiking and other outdoor sports.
Travelers seeking New England's particular combination of spectacular scenery, history and outdoor activities will find New Hampshire appealing. Those who are looking for big-city excitement may find it less to their liking—but the state has a number of charming small cities (Portsmouth, Concord and Nashua are examples). If Atlantic coastal attractions are of primary importance, be aware that although the New Hampshire shoreline is picturesque, it's also very short.
Residents of Peterborough swear their village was the model for Thornton Wilder's play Our Town, and they're right. Peterborough is mentioned in the opening lines of the play, though the actual setting of the play is the fictional hamlet called Grover's Corners. Wilder was inspired by this small town when he was a resident at the nearby McDowell (artists) Colony, and he later won his second Pulitzer Prize for Our Town.
New Hampshire was the first state to hold a lottery when it ran its first sweepstakes in 1964.
In 1827, New Hampshirites Lewis Downing and Stephen Abbot made the first Concord coach, the favored carriages used on the Overland Trail Stage Route for journeys to the western frontier. Known for their strength and comfort, the Concord coaches even won Mark Twain's approval; he referred to them as "a cradle on wheels."
The first potato planted in the U.S. went into the ground in Londonderry in 1719. Londonderry is also thought to be the first place in the then-colonies to produce linen on a large scale. It is said that both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson wore Londonderry linen.
Some of the peaks of the Presidential Range in northern New Hampshire have been named after U.S. presidents, but not Mount Clinton. Rather than honoring William Jefferson Clinton, it was named for DeWitt Clinton, who lost the 1812 election to James Madison. The mountain was renamed Mount Pierce in 1913, after Franklin Pierce, the only president to hail from New Hampshire.
Stewartstown is on the 45th parallel, exactly halfway between the equator and the North Pole.
Ever wonder where Uncle Sam came from? His boyhood home is still standing in Mason. Samuel Wilson, also known as Uncle Sam, supplied beef to the Army in 1812 under the brand "U.S." Somehow, U.S. became synonymous with Uncle Sam, and the rest is history. Mason is also the home to "Pickity Place," a 200-year-old cottage that served as the model for Elizabeth Orton Jones' classic American version of Little Red Riding Hood. There's a small Little Red Riding Hood museum and gift shop there, as well as a charming restaurant open year-round.
More than half of the covered bridges in New England are in New Hampshire, including the longest in the country—a 460-ft/140-m span crossing the Connecticut River. The Windsor-Cornish Bridge runs between Cornish, New Hampshire, and Windsor, Vermont.
The highly anticipated Segway Human Transporter was invented by New Hampshire millionaire Dean Kamen in 2001.
Tourism was already a well-established industry in the state by 1850. Through the years, the beauty of New Hampshire provided inspiration for writers such as Thornton Wilder, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Grace Metalious, Robert Frost, Mark Twain (who sometimes summered in Dublin), Celia Thaxter, Henry David Thoreau and Willa Cather. Current-day writers Dave Brown (The DaVinci Code), Maxine Kumin, Ernest Hebert and U.S. Poet Laureate Charles Simic call New Hampshire home.
Visual artists whose work has been inspired by New Hampshire include Maxfield Parrish, Frederic Church, Thomas Cole, Augustus Saint-Gaudens and muckraking photogapher Lewis Hine—whose photos of the Manchester mills helped to reform national child-labor laws in the early 20th century.
Utopia was on the minds of both men who tried to develop ideal communities in southwest Indiana. George Rapp bought land there in 1814 to settle 800 German Lutheran immigrants from Wurttemberg, Germany. A decade later, he gave up his quest to establish the perfect Christian community and sold the town to social reformer Robert Owen. Owen's utopian dreams, too, faded.
Today, a visit to New Harmony, a small community of less than 1,000 people, is a step back in time to a simpler era—but with all the modern conveniences, including the New Harmony Inn and its award-winning restaurant, The Red Geranium, often recognized as one of the most romantic restaurants in the Midwest.
Make architect Richard Meier's startling Athenaeum Visitors Center your first stop in New Harmony. Guided tours are offered daily mid-March through late December, but self-guided visits are possible year-round.
Another favorite is the peaceful Harmonist Labyrinth. The formal foliage maze rewards its patient guests with a small temple at its inner core.
Located 40 mi/65 km southwest of Hartford, New Haven, Connecticut, was once a thriving seaport, and the colonial merchants who amassed great fortunes endowed Yale University in 1714.
Although the city as a whole has suffered economic decline, Yale's sprawling campus is still vibrant and architecturally stimulating.
New Iberia, 100 mi/160 km west of New Orleans, is a charming town and an excellent base for visiting sights around the coastal portion of Cajun Country.
Fans of mystery author James Lee Burke's writing will recognize the town from its depictions in the popular Dave Robicheaux novels.
New Iberia's historic Main Street, with its canopy of moss-draped live oak trees, is home to a thriving local bed-and-breakfast industry. Look for the Shadows-on-the-Teche mansion and gardens (a local flagship property of the National Trust) situated close to the city's downtown. Across the street from the Shadows, you'll find the stately Maison le Rosier bed-and-breakfast. Its attached restaurant has gained national press attention for its innovative cuisine.
You'll find other attractions in all directions, including the incredibly green and lush Avery Island (9 mi/15 km southwest), the atmospheric home of McIlhenny brand Tabasco Sauce, the area's most widely known (but by no means only) hot pepper sauce.
Look for alligators near the Tabasco plant, and be sure to see the island's Jungle Gardens and Bird Sanctuary, where you're almost guaranteed to see a number of deer and alligators.
In Jeanerette, 10 mi/16 km southeast of New Iberia, you'll find the Albania House and its locally famous unsupported staircase.
In the opposite direction, just 7 mi/11 km northwest of New Iberia, is St. Martinville. This town is very much at the heart of Acadian mythology. It's the site of Evangeline Oak, where the heroine of Longfellow's epic poem Evangeline is said to have met her beloved. The town's Acadia Memorial includes a wall of names and a genealogy center.
Also worth a visit is St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church. Originally consecrated in 1765, the church is now housed in an 1832 structure that includes a baptismal font donated by Louis XVI of France. On the church grounds is the grave of the young woman generally believed to be the model for Evangeline.
When Bruce Springsteen, one of New Jersey's best known native sons, sang of escaping a land of factories, refineries and giant Exxon signs, he reinforced the idea that the state was one big industrial wasteland—an idea that seems very true if you whiz through on the northern stretches of the New Jersey Turnpike.
But those travelers who turn off the pike will discover the state's better side—charming Victorian seaside villages, fine sandy beaches, world-class art collections and Revolutionary War sites. And if there were an Olympic medal for shopping, New Jersey would take the gold—its range of outlet stores is astounding, megamalls are everywhere, and you'll stumble upon antiques shops wherever you go.
Most visitors will want to spend their time in small towns such as Morristown, Lambertville, Stanhope and Princeton, as well as along the Jersey Shore, which has some of the most charming beach communities in the Northeast. Atlantic City's casinos and performers vie for your attention around the clock, and its vintage boardwalk offers a tangible link to the past. The industrial corridor in the state's northeastern corner and the urban areas of Newark, Trenton and Camden have less to offer vacationers, but visitors to New York City may be surprised to find that the Newark area offers several interesting sights.
New Jersey's nickname—the Garden State—is said to have been coined at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia by Abraham Browning of Camden, who suggested that the state was akin to an "immense barrel," providing neighboring New York and Pennsylvania with all manner of good things to eat.
Centuries earlier, the Lenni Lenape (or Delaware) people inhabited New Jersey prior to the arrival of Europeans. In 1524, Giovanni da Verrazzano led the first European expedition that sighted New Jersey, though it wasn't until almost a century later that European settlers arrived, the first of whom were Dutch. The Dutch and the British fought for control of the area, but the British eventually took over the territory, and for a time it was divided into Puritan-dominated East Jersey and Quaker-controlled West Jersey.
New Jersey played a major role in the war that made the U.S. an independent nation: From Trenton and Princeton to New Brunswick and Monmouth, Jersey soil was the site of several important battles, and Gen. George Washington based his troops in Morristown through the harsh winters of 1777 and 1779-80 (reputed to be one of the coldest in the state’s history). The third of the original colonies to ratify the Constitution, it was the seat of national government for a brief period in 1783, when the Continental Congress met in Princeton. New Jersey became a state in 1787.
Throughout the 1800s, New Jersey plunged headlong into the industrial revolution. The state was perfectly situated for it: The transportation hub of New York City was next door, the coastline afforded a number of ports, and the burgeoning infrastructure of rail lines and inland waterways gave New Jersey a head start on manufacturing and commerce. Industry has remained important to the state, but as heavy manufacturing has fallen on harder times in the past 30 years, New Jersey has experienced some economic difficulties.
Following World War II, as many U.S. residents moved from the cities to the suburbs, New Jersey again was in the right place: Dozens of bedroom communities came into being, just a short drive from Philadelphia and New York City. Today, high-tech and pharmaceutical companies are helping to diversify New Jersey's economy, as is tourism, the state's second-largest business.
Although comprising only 21 counties, New Jersey is a state with many fascinating facets. Its variety of attractions and activities includes beaches and boardwalks, cozy bed-and-breakfasts, casino gambling, Revolutionary War sites, boating and canoeing, fishing, horse farms and horse racing, hiking, biking, lighthouses, bird-watching and factory-outlet shopping.
First-time visitors will soon discover that this oft-mocked little state has a lot more going for it than they ever imagined. Such appeal, however, has not been without its price, as New Jersey, despite its fiscal problems (including high taxes and insurance rates), continues to attract an influx of new residents and retirees, with the result that much of what was once farmland and woodland has been replaced by suburban sprawl.
If New Jersey seems crowded to you, it's because it has the highest density of people, motor vehicles and highways in the U.S. Perhaps more surprisingly, it also has the highest density of horses in the country. Horse farms abound in Essex, Monmouth, Morris and Hunterdon counties.
New Jersey is a great state for scuba divers who enjoy exploring sunken ships. A large number of wrecks are accessible along the shore.
In addition to Bruce Springsteen, New Jersey has produced several famous musicians, including Jon Bon Jovi (from the Jersey Shore), Frank Sinatra (Hoboken), Dionne Warwick (East Orange) and Whitney Houston (Newark).
Four notable poets hail from the Garden State: Walt Whitman, Allen Ginsberg, William Carlos Williams and Joyce Kilmer—as well as novelists James Fenimore Cooper, author of The Last of the Mohicans (his birthplace is commemorated at Burlington) and Stephen Crane, author of The Red Badge of Courage, who lived in Asbury Park. Other noted authors include Judy Blume, Norman Mailer, Dorothy Parker and Philip Roth.
A word about New Jersey's beaches: Be aware that in the summer months, most beach communities will charge you a fee for daily use, usually between US$3 and US$6. This entitles you to a beach "tag," which must be displayed while using the beach for recreation during daytime hours. Weekly and seasonal passes are also available. Many hotels and inns supply tags to their guests as part of the overnight rate. Only Atlantic City and Wildwood offer free use of their beaches (as does Seaside Heights on Wednesday and Thursday).
Eleven well-preserved lighthouses are currently open to visitors along the New Jersey coastline (which includes Delaware Bay and the New York harbor area). They include the oldest operating lighthouse in the nation at Sandy Hook; the romantic Twin Lights at Highlands, located on a bluff overlooking the Atlantic; 165-ft/51-m-tall Barnegat Lighthouse—complete with a maritime forest trail—at the northern end of Long Beach Island; and the newly restored Absecon Lighthouse in Atlantic City.
New Jersey is home to 570 diners, more than any other state in the nation. You'll find more than 20 on U.S. Route 130 between Carney's Point and New Brunswick alone.
Sunset Beach at Cape May yields a unique selection of pebbles known as Cape May diamonds, semiprecious stones of pure quartz that look similar to diamonds when they're polished and cut. You'll find the biggest ones in the winter.
New London and adjacent Groton were one city until 1705. They're nearly midway between New York City and Boston, along the Thames River (pronounced as it looks, not like the river in England) and Long Island Sound. Both cities have been known for shipbuilding: The world's first atomic-powered submarine was built in Groton by General Dynamics. You can learn about submarines at the USS Nautilus Memorial (where the first nuclear-powered sub is open for tours) and the adjacent Submarine Force Museum.
While in New London, take time to visit some of the impressive old homes and stroll along the beautiful coastline. Visit the Shaw-Perkins Mansion; the Joshua Hempstead House (1648); the Nathaniel Hempstead House (1759); Monte Cristo Cottage (the home in which playwright Eugene O'Neill spent summers as a child); and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Ocean Beach Park is a major recreation area, good for ocean swimming. The Yale-Harvard Regatta, a classic Ivy League rowing competition, takes place in June in New London.
In Groton, you can visit Fort Griswold State Park, which commemorates the Revolutionary War battle during which Benedict Arnold directed British forces to burn New London and Groton. Also in the park is the Ebenezer Avery House, a restored home from the 1700s. Learn about oceanography and marine biology by taking a cruise on EnviroLab, a working research vessel that lets passengers participate in studies of the sea. Subfest, a family-friendly festival, takes place in July.
Nearby Ledyard is home to Foxwoods, a resort-casino run by the Mashantucket Pequot Indians that is said to be one of the highest-grossing casinos in the world. This upscale resort offers the usual casino attractions (slots, roulette, poker, blackjack and baccarat) as well as shows by such top-name entertainers as Bill Cosby, B. B. King and Tom Jones. The income the tribe has received from the casino has financed the lavish Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center. It includes a simulated glacier, a 2-acre/1-hectare indoor re-creation of a Pequot village in the 1500s (complete with the smell of burning wood), film and video programs and a restaurant serving Native American cuisine. Uncasville also has a casino, the Mohegan Sun.
Other possible side trips include Old Lyme and Essex. Old Lyme is a small town west of New London with beautiful beaches and lovely old homes. It has been a favorite summer retreat for artists since the early 1900s, when it was a center of the American impressionism movement. Essex looks the way most people think a quaint New England town should look. It has beautiful colonial homes and two blocks of shops, as well as a first-rate marina and a maritime museum. The Valley Railroad operates a vintage steam train along the scenic route to Deep River Station, and visitors can also take a riverboat cruise. The Ivoryton Playhouse (just east of Essex) stages theatrical performances. New London is 45 mi/75 km southeast of Hartford.
We can't confirm or deny the incident, but if aliens did crash their UFO in Roswell, they certainly picked the right state: New Mexico is knee-deep in the mystical and the mysterious. Disappearing civilizations, secret atomic test sites, Native American healers, divine dirt and miraculous staircases are just some of the things you'll find that are hard to explain.
The unknowable can be fun, but it's only a part of New Mexico's allure. Whether or not they hold powerful energy vortexes, the mountains and desert are beautiful to look at and thrilling to hike, bike, ski or raft through. Whether or not Pueblo people have the remedy for the ills of civilization, their art is engaging and their communities fascinating. We think you'll have a completely enjoyable time taking New Mexico's scenery and activities at face value. If you happen to gain some spiritual insight (or meet an alien) along the way, so much the better.
One of New Mexico's oldest mysteries is the fate of the Ancestral Pueblo people (sometimes called the Anasazi, although that term has fallen out of favor), who developed an advanced civilization beginning about AD 800. Their famous multitiered adobe dwellings housed as many as 1,500 people, and some were constructed in breathtaking settings atop cliffs and mesas. (You can see several of these structures at Chaco Canyon and Bandelier National Monument, among other places). Yet by about 1200, their dwellings were abandoned. Various explanations have been offered for the sudden end of the Ancestral Pueblo culture, including drought, warfare among communities and the rise of a new religion.
When the Spanish explorer Coronado first came through the region in 1540, he found sizable communities dispersed along the upper Rio Grande. The inhabitants of these settlements likely were the descendants of the Ancestral Puebloans. Spain's first settlement, at San Juan Pueblo in 1598, was followed 12 years later by the founding of Santa Fe. From the outset, relations between the colonists and the Native Americans were strained and, at times, brutal and bloody. In 1680, the oppressed pueblos staged a successful revolt. Although the Spanish would eventually regain control, the pueblo uprising was one of the most substantial resistance movements among Native Americans. It deterred Spanish colonization for 12 years.
The Spanish territory became a possession of newly independent Mexico in 1821 and was passed to the U.S. after the Mexican-American War. New Mexico grew more slowly than other western U.S. territories (it didn't become a state until 1912), but the discovery of uranium and other energy resources stimulated growth and revenue for the state and gave it a prominent place in the nuclear age.
As with other major cities in the Southwest, Albuquerque has grown steadily in the past 30 years, while Santa Fe and other mountain areas have become popular travel and retirement destinations. Down south, the climate and border location of Las Cruces make it a popular choice for both retirees and new businesses. The state continues to attract investment attention, with moviemakers focusing on the mountains and cities of New Mexico because of tax breaks and other incentives. Aviation, technology and increasing trade with Mexico are all part of New Mexico's modern mix.
New Mexico's main attractions include Native American and Hispanic culture, adobe architecture, spectacular mountain and desert scenery, festivals (celebrating everything from hot-air balloons to grand opera to folk art), Santa Fe, art galleries, Carlsbad Caverns, ghost towns, Taos, Native American pueblos, ancient ruins, Albuquerque, casino gambling, skiing and distinctively spicy cuisine (often made with green and red chilies).
New Mexico will satisfy any traveler interested in the Southwest. An American locale with European and Native American roots, the state gives tourists a sense of place and community lacking in many other parts of the U.S. Those who are looking for watersports, big-city entertainment or short drive times between attractions may find the state less to their liking.
If you want to ride a steam train through beautiful alpine scenery, make reservations for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad from Chama, New Mexico, to Antonito, Colorado. It has been called the most spectacular mountain railroad in North America. The line operates late May-late October, with occasional rides in wintry December.
New Mexico is the oldest wine-growing region in the U.S. and has 21 vineyards and wineries. Many offer tours and tastings. We're especially fond of a sparkling wine made in Albuquerque called Gruet.
Drive about 50 mi/80 km west of Socorro on Highway 60, and you'll see the shape of a large "Y" in the far distance. It's the Very Large Array (VLA) Radio Telescope: Some 27 huge dish antennas (each of them 82 ft/25 m in diameter) lined up across the desert. (It was seen in the film Contact, starring Jodie Foster.) The telescope is used to photograph distant galaxies. A visitors center is open at the site, and tours are available.
Lew Wallace, author of Ben Hur, was once New Mexico's territorial governor.
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, is the only town in the U.S. named after a game show. Its name was officially changed in the 1950s as part of a publicity stunt that benefited both the TV show and the town.
The Lightning Field, in southwestern New Mexico, is an internationally recognized piece of art by sculptor Walter de Maria. Viewing its gridlike pattern (advance reservations and an overnight stay are required) amid a vast expanse of sky can be life-changing.
Smokey the Bear was New Mexican, found as a cub in 1950 after a forest fire in the Capitan Gap. He later lived at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and became the beloved firefighting symbol of schoolchildren across the U.S. He died in 1976 and is buried near Capitan.
New Mexico's second and final statue for U.S. Statuary Hall, is of Pope (pronounced poh-pay), who led the successful Pueblo Revolt in 1680.
Virgin Galactic and New Mexico have teamed up to build a Spaceport near Alamogordo.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson holds the world record for most hands shaken in a day: 13,392.
It has been said that New Orleans, Louisiana, celebrates indulgence like no other U.S. city; its reputation for feasting and revelry, especially during Mardi Gras, is legendary. After Hurricane Katrina, the city rebuilt with fervor and tourism is flourishing. New restaurants, hotels and attractions draw millions of visitors to the city each year.
Although some neighborhoods still struggle with the aftermath of the storm, visitors to New Orleans' Central Business District, the French Quarter, Faubourg Marigny neighborhood, the Garden District and Uptown along St. Charles Avenue and Magazine Street will find a city alive and thriving.
In this city synonymous with resilience and rebirth, it takes more than a hurricane or an oil spill to make New Orleanians lose their appetite for fun, food and merriment.
New Orleans is an extraordinary city, and with its unique culture and history, it has long enchanted a wide variety of visitors with a yearning for the romantic, the spiritual, the beautiful or the off-beat. (In what other U.S. city would a voodoo priestess be buried next to the mayor's family, or funerals be celebrated with a jazz band and a processional?) That magic feeling is stronger than ever, a calling card to a city with a spirit too beautiful to ever break.
Sights—St. Louis Cathedral and the French Quarter (also called Vieux Carre); the Garden District; Woldenberg Riverfront Park; an aboveground cemetery; the view of the city from Algier's Point.
Museums—The Ogden Museum of Southern Art; The Cabildo; the Historic New Orleans Collection; the National World War II Museum; the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (SoFAB); the New Orleans Museum of Art.
Memorable Meals—Whole roasted fish at Peche Seafood Grill; trout amandine at Galatoire's; fried chicken and Creole gumbo at the legendary Dooky Chase; turtle soup at Commander's Palace.
Late Night—Frenchmen Street music and nightlife; Rock 'n' Bowl for all types of music; Tipitina's for local acts; Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro for traditional jazz; Preservation Hall for all-ages jazz shows off Bourbon Street; coffee and beignets at Cafe du Monde.
Walks—Gallery hopping along Royal Street; a nighttime stroll along The Moonwalk to view the Mississippi; daytime walks along St. Charles Avenue and through Audubon Park; the neighborhoods of the Garden District.
Especially for Kids—The Discovery Garden at Longue Vue House and Gardens; Audubon Aquarium of the Americas; the Audubon Zoo; the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium; Carousel Gardens Amusement Park in City Park.
New Orleans is sometimes called "the Crescent City" because it curves like a half-moon around a bend of the Mississippi River. Its orientation blunts the points of the traditional compass—no one in New Orleans navigates using north, south, east or west. Local directions refer to "riverside" (toward the Mississippi), "lakeside" (toward Lake Pontchartrain), "uptown" or "up river" (above Canal Street) and "downtown" or "down river" (Canal Street and below).
The city's position at the mouth of the Mississippi River and proximity to the Gulf of Mexico does make the area more prone to severe weather patterns such as hurricanes.
Areas of New Orleans that visitors typically enjoy, such as the French Quarter, Uptown and the Central Business District, were virtually untouched by Hurricane Katrina. Outlying areas such as the Lower Ninth Ward, Lakeview and St. Bernard Parish did see high flood waters, but revitalization is well under way. This progress is attributed to the many voluntourism organizations and the many voluntourists who have visited since 2005. Organizations such as Brad Pitt's Make It Right foundation, Beacon of Hope, St. Bernard Project and Habitat for Humanity have worked to build hundreds of homes and assist residents in returning to their neighborhoods.
Most tour companies include highlights of these areas in their city tours, or you can rent a bike, car or hire a cab to go yourself. Just watch out for potholes on the roads in neighborhoods all around town (a perpetual problem).
It was the Chitimacha and Chawasha people who were the first to recognize the benefits of settling near the mouth of the Mississippi River. The next was French Canadian explorer Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, who in 1718 named what is now the French Quarter for Philip, Duc d'Orleans and regent of France. A call went out for settlers.
But few French people were willing to risk life in the mosquito-infested swamplands of Louisiana. French authorities had to lure male settlers with tales of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, beautiful sand beaches and snowcapped mountains. The authorities also had to free 88 women from Parisian prisons to be their brides. When enslaved West Africans were forcefully transported by ship to New Orleans, the religion of vodun arrived with them. Vodun, or voodoo, is a religion of African origin that's also largely practiced in Haiti. After the Haitian Revolution in the late 1700s, French colonists and slave-masters sought to oppress the voodoo practitioners in New Orleans to avoid a similar uprising. This oppression encouraged the enslaved peoples to hold onto their beliefs more strongly, giving way to the development of current-day Louisiana voodoo.
New Orleans remained a French colony until it was transferred to Spain in 1762, but Spain gave it back to France in 1800. Three years later, Napoleon Bonaparte sold New Orleans and 40% of what is now the continental U.S. to U.S. President Thomas Jefferson as part of the Louisiana Purchase—at roughly five cents an acre. In 1805, New Orleans was incorporated as a city.
As a major port, the city was assured ongoing growth and prosperity, as well as occasional disturbances. It was the focus of several important battles, including the Battle of New Orleans (the War of 1812) and a Civil War siege in 1862 that left the city in the hands of Union forces.
But neither war nor progress has altered its status as one of the most unusual of U.S. cities. Perhaps that's because of the decades of French rule, its relatively remote location in the Deep South and its mixed population of French, Anglo-Americans, African Americans, Italians, Irish, Spanish and Cajuns. More recently, Cuban and Vietnamese immigrants have added even more spice to the cultural gumbo.
Mardi Gras was a pagan rite of spring before the Roman Catholic Church incorporated it as a last-chance celebration before the rigors of Lent. Mardi Gras literally means Fat Tuesday. It is the day before Ash Wednesday that begins the Lenten season. Mardi Gras was first celebrated by the ancient Greeks more than 5,000 years ago.
The colors of Mardi Gras are purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power.
Locals understand that Carnival is a season, not a day—a dizzying array of parades, masked and unmasked balls, pageants and King Cake parties are held around town.
Tennessee Williams wrote A Streetcar Named Desire in his French Quarter apartment on St. Peter Street.
The term Creole has been used to describe people, music, ponies, architecture and, of course, food. But purists insist that it should refer only to people, generally with French or Spanish parents, who were born in Louisiana during the colonial period. Descendants of colonial Creoles often claim the name, too, and those of mixed African and European ancestry are sometimes called "black Creoles" or "Creoles of color."
New Orleans is known as the most haunted city in America, with many B&Bs and hotels claiming to be haunted. If you're not scared of ghosts, take in one of the city's many different haunted tours.
Thanks to a program of generous tax credits for production companies, New Orleans has become a popular filming location, earning itself the nickname Hollywood South. Don't be surprised to see a few celebrities around town. Sandra Bullock and John Goodman own homes in the city.
Brad Pitt is especially popular with the locals for his can-do attitude toward helping the city rebuild following Hurricane Katrina. He has invested and raised more than US$45 million to fund his "Make It Right" project, which built 150 affordable, ecologically sound homes in the Lower Ninth Ward, including one designed by Frank Gehry.
Located just behind the New Orleans Convention Center on the Mississippi, the Erato Street and Julia Street cruise terminals are in the heart of downtown with easy access to hotels and attractions. There is an ATM available, as well as a refreshment stand serving snacks, coffee and ice cream, and a souvenir kiosk in case you need to make last-minute purchases before getting back onboard. The terminal is in the same building as the Riverwalk Marketplace, so passengers can do a little extra shopping until it's time to board.
Tourist information is available at the tourist center on Jackson Square, within walking distance of the wharf. In addition, tourist kiosks operated by a private company are located all over town, including next to Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter.
New Orleans is a city where les bons temps rouler (the good times roll), with jazz heard on practically every street corner and the clomp of mule-drawn carriages clattering by. For a taste of the city, take an open-air bus tour through some of the well-known sites.
It's the French Quarter with Jackson Square, the stately mansions around the Garden District and famous St. Charles, known for the St. Charles streetcar, that are sure crowd pleasers in the city. Tours can include a stop at the St. Louis No. 1 Cemetery, considered the "Hollywood" of New Orleans' cemeteries for views of the final resting place of voodoo queen Madame Marie Laveau, among other famous residents. At Lake Pontchartrain, view—or better yet, ride over—the longest bridge in the world, a 24-mi/39-km causeway connecting New Orleans to the lake's Northshore communities. The Audubon Park is splendid, with fountains, picnic areas on the levee, and an old zoo.
For plantation tours, the majesty of Oak Alley Plantation comes alive with the ancient alley of American oaks welcoming visitors. The Laura Plantation is a beautiful example of Creole French architecture. For a more authentic depiction of the American South, a visit to the Whitney Plantation offers visitors the chance to visit a home that's now devoted to the story of slavery in the U.S.
Founded by German settlers, 75 mi/120 km southwest of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the center of this town boasts a glockenspiel with 37 bells and animated figures that move as the hours chime. At noon, 3 and 5 pm each day, panels in the clock slide open to reveal mechanical figures that re-create scenes from the city's history. True to its roots, New Ulm also has a brewery (the August Schell Brewing Co. is open for tours) that's more than 100 years old, a sausage shop, stores selling German imports and an annual Oktoberfest.
Drive west another 50 mi/80 km and you'll come upon Walnut Grove, the site of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, dedicated to the author of Little House on the Prairie and other tales of prairie life in the 1800s.
New York has much to offer visitors, including mountain getaways, varied and interesting culture, and great spas.
Visitors seeking relaxation in New York won't be disappointed by the offerings upstate. The Catskill and Adirondack mountains offer refreshing greenery and great vistas, and Saratoga Springs is noted for its restorative spas, racetrack and summer cultural activities. The Finger Lakes provide tranquil views that go perfectly with a glass of New York wine.
Travelers in New York can witness breathtaking Niagara Falls—from both sides of the international border. Native American casinos offer another kind of excitement.
There's more adventure available on New York's numerous ski slopes and even a bobsled ride. Visitors can also exercise their minds at New York's many museums, historic sites and colleges.
New York is a remarkably mountainous state. The Appalachian Mountains and their Catskills extension run across the southeastern part of the state; the Adirondacks lie to the northeast; and the Alleghenies extend out of Pennsylvania and into southwestern New York.
Several major rivers flow through the state, including the Hudson, Mohawk and St. Lawrence. Lake Erie and Lake Ontario form much of the state's western boundary, and Lake Champlain runs along the state line in the northeast, dividing New York from Vermont.
The first European to visit New York was Giovanni da Verrazano, who explored parts of the East Coast for France. He sailed into New York Bay in 1524, but the region remained unsettled for almost another century. In the interim, a number of Native American tribes continued to occupy the land. Algonquian-speaking groups (Shinnecock, Montauk, Delaware) lived near the ocean and along the Hudson River Valley, and the Iroquois Confederacy, including the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora tribes, occupied interior New York.
Both English explorer Henry Hudson (who sailed for the Dutch) and his French counterpart Samuel de Champlain arrived in what is now New York in 1609. The Dutch established the first European settlement in Albany in 1614 and colonized Manhattan Island (Fort Amsterdam) in 1626. They reputedly made one of the most famous land purchases—or swindles, depending on how you look at it—of all time: The newcomers bought Manhattan from the Delaware tribe for 60 guilders (about US$24) worth of trade goods. But the Dutch hold on the island was far from permanent.
In fact, most of New York moved back and forth between British and Dutch control until 1674, when the Dutch ultimately relinquished their colony in exchange for uncontested control of what is now the South American country of Suriname.
Upstate New York became the site of many major battles in the French and Indian Wars (which ultimately served to weaken the Iroquois Confederacy), as well as in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. With the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825 and the state's rapid industrialization, New York quickly became an economic powerhouse.
However, the Civil War slowed New York's rapid growth significantly as New Yorkers, who were strongly in favor of abolishing slavery, contributed heavily to the war effort. In postwar years, New York City was vulnerable to corruption, but it also became the front door to the Land of Opportunity. Immigrants from all over Europe flooded into the city, spreading through the state and the nation.
As commerce and the population swelled, New York became the nation's largest city, with towering skyscrapers and crowded streets. It was the pacesetter for urban America throughout the 20th century and continues to be to this day.
Among New York's primary draws are Niagara Falls, the Statue of Liberty, scenic drives (such as Interstate 87's tour of the northern part of the state), the Finger Lakes, Great Lakes Erie and Ontario, Fire Island National Seashore, horse racing, the Adirondacks, great food, the Thousand Islands, the Catskills, U.S. history, the Hudson River Valley and the cultural attractions of New York City.
Just about everyone—from those travelers interested in outdoor recreation to those seeking big-city nightlife—will have a great time in New York state. The only travelers who may want to think twice about New York City are those who can't afford it, as it can be a fairly expensive place to vacation, or those who tire of being on their feet much of the day.
Broadway, whose official name is Highway 9, is one of the world's longest streets. It originates at the Bowling Green in Lower Manhattan and wends its way north to Albany, a distance of 150 mi/241 km.
Schenectady was the birthplace of the General Electric Company and site of the first television station in the U.S. (which is still in operation).
The Catskill Mountains watershed, one of the largest protected wilderness areas in the U.S., supplies New York City with 90% of its drinking water.
Like the Amana Colonies in Iowa, New York's Oneida was once a utopian religious community that later prospered from the manufacture of consumer products—in this case, flatware.
The original toll on the Brooklyn Bridge (built in 1883) was a nickel per cow or horse.
The Adirondack Park is larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier and Great Smoky Mountains national parks combined.
Palmyra, the birthplace of Mormonism, is where an angel is said to have given Joseph Smith the engraved gold plates that became the Book of Mormon.
The first person to successfully go over Niagara Falls in a barrel was schoolteacher Annie Edson Taylor, who claimed she was 43 when she took the plunge in 1901 but was actually 63.
The beauty of the Hudson River valley inspired the 19th-century Hudson River School of landscape painters. Many of these pastoral scenes by Thomas Cole and Asher Durand hang in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Visitors can tour the homes or studios of Frederic Church (in Hudson), Thomas Cole (in Catskill) and Jasper Cropsey (in Hastings-on-Hudson).
Each year, thousands of families visit Santa's Workshop—a nostalgic theme park that dates to 1949—in the Adirondack Mountain community of North Pole.
New York City has always been a city of superlatives: largest, tallest, trendiest, best. It's also one of the world's most dynamic places. The skyline seems to be ever-changing, and exciting new restaurants and shops continue to pop up in unexpected neighborhoods. First-time visitors and natives alike will experience variety at every turn.
New York offers more to see and do than you can manage in one visit. You'll find the finest selection of entertainment, museums and restaurants in the world. Some stunning new attractions have opened, and some old favorites have been rebuilt and refurbished like an old Broadway musical. But the New York City skyline is still the awe-inspiring star. Two amazing icons are still mourned, but the Freedom Tower has already taken its place among the city's other world-famous landmarks: the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Lincoln Center, the Flatiron Building and the bridges—Brooklyn, Queensboro, Verrazano—to name just a few. Most reassuring of all: The Statue of Liberty is still there, waiting to say hello.
Sights—The Statue of Liberty; the Empire State Building; the World Trade Center Site and National September 11 Memorial Museum; Times Square; Grand Central Terminal; a ride on the Staten Island Ferry; Ellis Island National Monument; the Brooklyn Bridge; The United Nations; Central Park; Chinatown; Rockefeller Center; the New York Public Library.
Museums—Metropolitan Museum of Art; Museum of Modern Art; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; Brooklyn Museum; Studio Museum in Harlem; New Museum of Contemporary Art; Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum; Frick Collection; The Morgan Library & Museum; Whitney Museum of American Art.
Memorable Meals—Daniel or Jean Georges for quintessential upscale New York dining; spectacular views of nighttime Manhattan from the River Cafe in Brooklyn; farm-to-table cuisine with an Italian twist at Maialino.
Late Night—A performance at Joe's Pub; a Broadway show or an evening of music at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center's Metropolitan Opera House; stand-up comedy at Caroline's on Broadway; cool new jazz at Smoke.
Walks—Window-shopping along Fifth Avenue in the 50s and Madison Avenue from 59th to 86th streets; a daytime stroll through Central Park from 59th Street to the Metropolitan Museum of Art; walking up Broadway in SoHo from Grand Street to Greenwich Village; exploring the narrow streets and great shops of the Lower East Side; the Chelsea art galleries and bars from 13th to 27th streets between 10th and 11th avenues; Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Especially for Kids—The American Museum of Natural History and its Rose Center for Earth & Space; the Bronx Zoo; playing on the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park; ice skating at Rockefeller Plaza (fall through spring) and at The Pond at Bryant Park (late October to mid-January); the Central Park Zoo; the Children's Museum of Manhattan; the New York Hall of Science; the Central Park Carousel.
When most people think of New York City, they think of Manhattan, a skinny island about 13 mi/21 km long and just more than 2 mi/4 km across at its widest point. Manhattan is bordered on the west by the Hudson River and on the east by the East River (which is actually a tidal estuary rather than a true river). The Harlem River defines the northern tip, and New York Bay, which leads out to the Atlantic, is at the south end of the island.
New York City includes four other boroughs: Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and The Bronx. Brooklyn and Queens are on the western end of Long Island. Only The Bronx (the definite article is part of the official name) is located on the mainland. New Jersey is just across the Hudson River from Manhattan.
Manhattan can be roughly divided into three regions: Downtown is the southern end of the island, including Wall Street; Midtown begins around 31st Street and extends north to the southern end of Central Park (59th Street); Uptown is anywhere farther north. The city is further divided into numerous sections within these regions. Chelsea, Gramercy Park, SoHo, the East and West villages, the Lower East Side, Hell's Kitchen and Harlem are just a few of the famous areas of New York.
Manhattan streets generally follow a simple grid pattern, with a few notoriously confusing exceptions, such as the twisty streets of lower Manhattan, Greenwich Village and the diagonal swath cut by Broadway. Numbered streets (15th Street, 16th Street) run east-west with the numbers increasing as you go north. Numbered avenues (Fifth Avenue, Sixth Avenue) run north-south with the numbers increasing as you go west. Fifth Avenue is conventionally the dividing line between the East and West sides of the city. This grid system makes getting around quite easy. If you're ever lost, just look for the cross streets, and you will inevitably find your way.
A few avenues with names can cause additional confusion. In Midtown and on the Upper East Side, the avenues east of Fifth are, in order: Madison, Park, Lexington, Third, Second, First, York (north of 60th Street) and East End (north of 79th Street). At Columbus Circle (59th Street) on the Upper West Side, Eighth Avenue becomes Central Park West. West of that you'll find Columbus (it's Ninth Avenue south of there), Amsterdam (10th), Broadway, West End (11th) and Riverside Drive. And south of Houston Street (in SoHo and TriBeCa—"South of Houston" and "Triangle Below Canal"), the numbered streets are replaced by names. This lower part of Manhattan has been known to cause confusion for even the most steadfast New Yorker.
Ships have been crucial to the city's development since Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazano landed on Staten Island in 1524. Henry Hudson, an Englishman employed by the Dutch East India Co., was the first European (in 1609) to set foot on the island now known as Manhattan—the Dutch named the place Nieuw Amsterdam. They went on to buy it from the native population at a now infamous bargain-basement price (supposedly worth about US$24 in today's dollars). Rule over the colony changed hands between the Dutch and English three times, until England won final possession in the late 1660s. By 1700, some 7,000 people lived in the city now called New York.
Manhattan played a key role in the American Revolution. It was designated the new country's temporary capital in 1785, and George Washington assumed the presidency there in 1789. The city's excellent natural harbor led to its increasing importance, as it became a commercial shipping center and a major port of entry for immigrants. By 1800, the city's population had swelled to 60,000—more than any other city in the U.S.
The area around Manhattan grew at the same time, of course. With the completion of bridges that spanned the area waterways (the Brooklyn Bridge was the first in 1883), the door was opened for the creation of today's five-borough New York City. The union of Manhattan with Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island in 1898 made it a metropolis—an engine that would lead the continent and the world in such diverse realms as finance, banking, shipping, advertising, art, theater, media, garment and other manufacturing, and, of course, tourism.
Of course, the city has faced its share of adversity. Traffic jams, crime and pollution are all persistent issues, though most New Yorkers will be quick to point out that the city is a good bit safer than it was even 15 years ago—and if you happen to come across a photo of New York subways in the 1970s-80s, today's absence of graffiti will seem like a shock.
The 2001 terrorist attacks caused profound trauma to New York. A memorial at the site—and ones at firehouses and other locations throughout the city—serve to remind families, friends and New Yorkers of the human cost. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused considerable destruction across the region, flooding nearly one-fifth of the city and damaging more than 150,000 homes.
The city showed its resiliency and completed more than US$1 billion worth of recovery efforts, and plans are underway to construct extensive levees to secure the city from rising sea levels.
New York City has 840 mi/1,352 km of subway track and 1,745 mi/2,808 km of bus routes.
Manhattan comes from the Delaware Indian name Man-a-hat-ta, meaning "island of the hills."
Macy's Department Store is the world's largest store, with 2 million sq ft/195,096 sq m of storage and shopping space. It is also the world's second-largest consumer of helium (for balloons in the Thanksgiving Day parade), after the U.S. government.
The far eastern corner of the East Village is also known as Alphabet City because the avenues east of First Avenue are named avenues A, B, C and D.
Aretha Franklin, Lauryn Hill, James Brown and Ella Fitzgerald are past winners of Apollo Theater's Amateur Night—but Luther Vandross was booed off the stage four times before his career took off.
The site where the United Nations headquarters sits today was a slaughterhouse until the late 1940s. The Tudor City complex, across First Avenue, has few windows facing the United Nations because when the buildings were completed in 1928, there were still slaughterhouses to the east.
Nearly 30 men perished in the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, including designer John Roebling, who suffered what was ultimately a fatal accident during the sinking of the bridge's western support.
The modern and comfortable Manhattan Cruise Terminal on Manhattan's West Side handles as many as five cruise ships at once at piers 88-94. There is easy access from the West Side Highway (12th Avenue) by car, taxi or bus. Each pier is equipped with rooftop parking, a snack bar, waiting area, phones, taxi stand, public bus stop, tour-bus stop and complete customs processing. Phone 212-246-5450. http://www.nycruise.com.
The pier area (12th Avenue, 48th-55th streets) is strictly a place to get on and off your ship, as this far West Side neighborhood does not lend itself to walking. Twelfth Avenue itself is a wide, multilane boulevard that is normally heavy with traffic. However, Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, a bicycle and pedestrian path, does run along the Manhattan shore. If you arrive in the city by ship, don't fear: Most of the city's sights, including Fifth Avenue, the Theater District and Times Square, are only a short cab ride away.
Many ships, including the elegant Queens of the Cunard Lines, dock at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal at Pier 12 in Red Hook, a slowly developing but trendy neighborhood. There is a convenient and secure outdoor parking lot a short walk away (US$25 overnight). Taxis and authorized town-car services are available; it's about US$51 to midtown Manhattan. Some cruise lines also provide bus transportation. Within a few minutes' walk from the terminal, there are two city bus lines: the B77 and the B61. With either line, it is a short ride to subway stations, and then a quick trip into Manhattan. These are fairly straightforward connections, but it is worth having a map or asking directions at the terminal.
Though this Brooklyn terminal is smaller (it services one ship at a time), it has plenty of amenities for travelers—an on-site food truck, vending machines, ample seating and climate control. Bowne and Imlay Streets, Brooklyn. Phone 718-855-5590. http://www.nycruise.com.
New York is the starting point for many cruise trips to the Caribbean, Atlantic Canada, Europe and even Asia. All cruises visiting New York offer shore excursions of the city, but New York is best explored on your own. If you do decide to take a guided tour, the ones offered by your ship will give you a general idea of the city. They may also be more cost-effective and will guarantee that you get back to your ship in time.
The itineraries and prices of shore excursions vary among cruise lines. Some typical ship-sponsored excursions may include a scenic drive in Lower Manhattan with a visit to the September 11 Memorial, a driving tour of New York landmarks, a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge and various shopping excursions. Check with your travel advisor for more information.
New Zealanders sometimes refer to their country as "God Zone," a rather prideful twist on the phrase "God's Own." But if you like gorgeous scenery and gutsy people, you'll agree with them. New Zealand is blessed with some of the most varied and dramatic terrain in the world—from glaciers, fjords and beaches to mountains, meadows and rain forests, known to New Zealanders as "native bush." If you're so inclined, you can admire the breathtaking scenery while skiing, surfing, horseback riding, mountain climbing, hiking (which the locals call "tramping") or kayaking.
And if those pursuits aren't exciting enough, you can try some of the adventures the Kiwis (as New Zealanders are called) have invented: You can bungee jump off cliffs or bridges; paddle through white-water rapids; rocket through narrow caverns on jet boats; or strap yourself inside a giant plastic ball and roll down a hillside.
If you prefer more leisurely activities, you can still enjoy New Zealand's natural wonders by strolling on its pristine beaches, sailing along its picturesque coastline or fishing in its crystal clear rivers and lakes.
Many historians designate 800-1350 as a likely time frame for the Maori (pronounced MAU-ree) settlement of New Zealand. The Maori called their new home Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Cloud), and their oral history recounts how they took a large fleet of canoes from a place called Hawaiiki (perhaps a set of islands in French Polynesia) to sail to what is now New Zealand. For hundreds of years, Maori life went untouched by the outside world. They had spectacularly elaborate body and face tattoos and maintained a culture of fishing, hunting and gathering. Rival tribes warred with one another, and the battles often resulted in the losers being eaten or enslaved by the victors.
The next epoch in the islands' history opened in 1642, when Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted the land and called it "Niuew Zeeland." He charted part of the coastline but left without officially claiming it after some of his men were killed by Maori. Some 130 years later, Capt. James Cook claimed the islands for the British crown. He circumnavigated both main islands, which he mapped with an accuracy that is still admired (and used) today.
Once European settlement began in earnest, the introduction of muskets and other weapons to the Maori led to fierce intertribal wars, which—in addition to new European diseases—nearly wiped out their population. Calm ensued by the 1830s, however, and in 1840, a conditional alliance between the Maori and the British, called the Treaty of Waitangi, acknowledged British sovereignty in exchange for some Maori land rights. Despite being signed by more than 500 Maori chiefs, it was a controversial document. It was only after several subsequent decades of bloody war over these land rights that an easier coexistence—which persists to this day—evolved.
From the 1860s to the 1880s, gold fever drew thousands of prospectors to New Zealand. About the same time, large sheep farms began to be established on land cleared from the native forests. The country became autonomous in 1907 and is today an independent member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
There are 33.9 million sheep in New Zealand, a major reduction from the peak of nearly 70 million in 1981.
Sir Edmund Hillary, a New Zealander, and his Sherpa fellow climber, Tenzing Norgay, were the first men to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953.
In 1893, New Zealand became the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote in parliamentary elections.
Fiordland National Park stretches out for nearly 3 million acres/1.2 million hectares.
The flightless, herbivorous moa is New Zealand's most famous extinct bird. There were several types, with the largest reaching heights of 14 ft/3.5 m and weighing more than 450 lbs/200 kg. Their flesh was an important part of the Maori diet; they were killed off by over-hunting long before Europeans arrived.
Manukau City to the south of Auckland has about 160 ethnic groups based there.
The All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team, is revered worldwide for its skill and the intimidating Maori haka, a warrior dance used to begin each match. In 2011, the All Blacks won the Rugby World Cup at the tournament held in New Zealand.
According to Maori legend, New Zealand's North Island was a great fish hooked by Maui, a heroic demi-god figure who appears in many Maori legends. The South Island was his canoe and Stewart Island his anchor. Therefore the North Island's name in Maori is Te Ika a Maui, the fish of Maui, and Stewart Island Te Puka o te Waka a Maui, the anchor stone of the canoe of Maui. And while the South Island is thought of as Maui's waka, or canoe, its name is Te Wai Ponamu, the waters of Ponamu (or greenstone) in acknowledgment of places on the island where the deep-green stone, valued for weapons, tools and ornaments, was sourced.
Our favorite place name in New Zealand is Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, a coastal hill 60 mi/95 km south of Napier, on the North Island. The name is shortened to Taumata in conversation. It means, "The brow of a hill where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, known as the Land Eater, played his flute to his lover."
The kiwi is a flightless native bird about the size of a large chicken and, relative to its body size, lays the largest egg of any bird—up to 20% of its body weight. There are six varieties of kiwi; females are always larger and more aggressive than the males. They are active at night, sniffing out worms using tiny nostrils at the end of their long beaks.
New Zealand's Antipodes Islands (from the Greek anti—opposite—and podes—feet) are so named because, on a globe, they are almost precisely opposite England.
When people say kia ora (pronouned kee-a or-a), they are offering an informal greeting in Maori that can be used instead of hello.
New Zealand's "living dinosaur," the Tuatara lizard, has a third eye, an organ under its skin in the middle of the head, which is sensitive to light.
Long beset by inner-city problems, Newark has in recent decades made a turnaround. New Jersey's largest city and one of its oldest, Newark grew very quickly into a major commercial center. (Its labor force was supplied by a steady stream of immigrants arriving from New York City.) The 1950s and 1960s brought the development of the suburbs and saw many people move away to surrounding communities. Subsequently, many of the city's fine old buildings were neglected or destroyed. Renewal has been taking place since the 1980s, and some old landmarks, such as the 1937 art-deco Penn Station, have been restored, and riverfront commercial developments, such as Gateway Center, have sprung up.
Newark is not yet a tourist destination in itself, but if you happen to be in the area, don't miss the great Portuguese restaurants and bakeries in the Ironbound District. Make time to tour the Newark Museum and its wealth of diverse exhibits and collections, ranging from Hudson River landscape paintings to ancient Buddhist kingdoms, along with the museum's Dreyfuss Planetarium and Mini Zoo (http://www.newarkmuseum.org). Thanks to the 1989 renovation and expansion designed by world-renowned architect Michael Graves, the museum is worth visiting for its architecture alone.
Located just off Park Place in downtown Newark is the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, a 1,800-seat theater designed with classical and jazz concerts in mind. It's a world-class facility with a full season of music, ranging from jazz, classical and opera to rock concerts. Plays are held there, too. The smaller Victoria Theater offers workshop and educational space. Several adjoining restaurants offer quick, simple food for those seeking dinner and a show. Concerts are also held at Symphony Hall, a historic landmark and one of the largest performing-arts centers in the state. Less than 10 mi/16 km west of Newark is the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, one of New Jersey's main venues for dramatic plays and Broadway musicals.
Less than 5 mi/8 km northeast of the Meadowlands, in Teterboro, is the Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum of New Jersey. It's housed at Teterboro Airport, the oldest operating aviation facility in the New York-New Jersey metro region, once used by Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart and Admiral Richard Byrd, and now the departure point for many humanitarian and emergency flights. Museum visitors can inspect the old control tower as well as vintage aircraft, engines, artifacts and more.
The University of Delaware, a beautiful college established in 1765, is based in Newark, 14 mi/23 km southwest of Wilmington. Though you may not associate Delaware with Abraham Lincoln, the university's Goodstay Center contains more than 2,000 items relating to the career and private life of the 16th president of the U.S.
Newark is near the site of Delaware's only Revolutionary War battle. It's said that Betsy Ross' flag was flown there for the first time. Iron Hill Park preserves the Cooch's Bridge battlefield and has several hiking and nature trails.
At nearby Stanton, Delaware Park offers traditional pari-mutuel Thoroughbred racing April-November.
The small town of Newbury, England, has become well-known because of its proximity (5 mi/8 km) to Highclere Castle, the setting for the wildly popular British television drama Downton Abbey.
The town is 50 mi/80 km from London and is accessible by train from London to Newbury Railway Station or by car or coach bus. It is possible to hire a taxi in Newbury for the final leg of the journey to Highclere or simply follow the brown signs from the A34 if you're driving yourself.
Highclere Castle, which stands on 5,000 acres/2,025 hectares, was built in the mid-1800s by Sir Charles Barry to be the country home of the Earl of Carnarvon. The castle has remained in the family, and the eighth Earl of Carnavon, George Herbert, and his family currently reside in Highclere. During the winter months, the family lives in the castle but they move to a modest cottage on the grounds during the summer when the house is open to visitors. The mansion had fallen into a state of disrepair as of the late-2000s but following the popularity of the show, and the subsequent influx of visitors, the family has been able to make major renovations.
The castle is generally open to the public during the Easter holidays, some bank holidays and for most of the summer months. Tours take visitors through the staterooms, as well as through some bedrooms, the gallery and the saloon. The Egyptian Exhibition in the basement of the castle is worth visiting if you have the time.
Because of the popularity of the tour, it is essential to secure tickets before your visit. For ticket information, phone 016-3525-3210 or visit http://www.highclerecastle.co.uk.
Coastal Newburyport, Massachusetts, near the state's northeasternmost tip 35 mi/55 km north of Boston, draws visitors with its rich nautical heritage—boatyards, taverns and magnificent Federal-style mansions on High Street that were once the homes of wealthy traders and sea captains. In Market Square's restored brick and granite buildings visitors will find arts-and-crafts shops, bookstores, restaurants, galleries and boutiques, even an old-fashioned drugstore and soda fountain.
For a relaxing half-day, pack a bathing suit and picnic basket and head to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island. Not only does it have more than 6 mi/10 km of smooth white-sand beach, it's also the best bird-watching spot in New England. More than 300 species nest there or stop during migrations. Access is by a causeway. Plan to go early because a limited number of cars are permitted across each day.
The city of Newcastle ("Newie" to the locals), just a two-hour drive north of Sydney and a 40-minute drive from the Hunter Valley wine region, is growing in popularity as a less expensive place to live than Sydney. It is the second-largest city in New South Wales with a population of about 322,000 residents.
Newcastle started as a port city and it still is, with coal being the most important export. The former dockside areas have been rejuvenated for inner city living. These areas are close to beaches such as Nobbys, Newcastle, Bar and Merewether, and have received an injection of life with new bars, restaurants and boutiques. These are some of the best beaches in New South Wales.
There are mountainous regions and national parks within a few hours' drive of the city with Barrington Tops National Park recording snowfalls on a few days each winter. Unusual Antarctic beech forest survives on Barrington and Gloucester Tops.
The principal city of the industrial northeast, 285 mi/460 km north of London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne has enjoyed something of a cultural revival. A dramatic succession of ancient and modern bridges spans the Tyne River and overlooks the quayside nightlife quarter. Take a cruise down the Tyne or stroll down elegant Grey Street for a hint of Newcastle's prosperous past.
For a more up-to-date perspective, visit the Baltic Gallery on the Quays. Located in a former riverside flour mill, the gallery shows modern art and is billed as "The Tate of the North." The city is also a great place to buy art. Many artists have studios there, and often you can stop in and watch them work.
Those traveling with children will enjoy Seven Stories, a large museum dedicated to the art of children's books, and the Life Science Centre for some interactive fun and learning. The Sage Center is a spectacular performing-arts center.
Newfane, which is a bit north of Brattleboro and 75 mi/120 km southeast of Burlington, is one of the most photographed villages in Vermont.
Its classic town green, or square, is set off by a graceful white church, courthouse, a country inn and a row of Federalist houses. The Four Columns Inn has been beautifully restored and offers fine dining as well as lodging.
Across the road, you'll find a number of antiques stores. For more antiques, go just north of town to Vermont's oldest and largest flea market—it's open on Sunday in the warm-weather months and wraps up its season in October.
Newfoundland and Labrador may not be the edge of the world, but it sure seems like it: wind-whipped grass, murky fog, and rocky cliffs that plunge into the wild sea. It's a place where we walk a little slower than usual, making sure there's solid ground under each footstep.
Those who call Newfoundland and Labrador home, on the other hand, can take solid ground or leave it. Mostly they've left it—heading off into the void on fishing boats. As a result, a nautical spirit pervades almost everything in the province. Picturesque fishing villages huddle on remote shores, museums convey the province's long seafaring history, and steaming dishes of seafood are served with strong, dark rum known as "Newfoundland Screech." This is a place custom-made for those who love the water and the lore of the sea.
Newfoundland and Labrador can also be a study in contrasts: You can savor swanky cocktails a few steps away from where fish merchants plied their trade for centuries. In some "outports," innkeepers provide luxurious accommodations while staying true to the traditional allure of their environment.
The province comprises both an island (Newfoundland) and a portion of mainland Canada (Labrador). The island is often referred to as "the Rock" and Labrador as "the Mainland," "the Labrador" or "the big land." Labrador is massive—larger than the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island combined—and very thinly populated.
St. John's, the provincial capital, is located on the large Avalon peninsula, which juts out of the southeast corner of Newfoundland.
The province's connection to boats was established long ago. The first recorded trans-Atlantic sailors in history—the Vikings—visited Newfoundland about a thousand years ago. They established a settlement (now called L'Anse aux Meadows) on the northwestern tip of the island. The Vikings didn't stay long, possibly because the Native Americans in the region didn't give them a warm welcome.
The Beothuk, Montagnais and Naskapi lived on the island of Newfoundland and in Labrador. They hunted sea animals in summer (including whales and seals) and moved inland to pursue caribou in winter. Wigwams made of birch bark and caribou skins were their homes, and birch-bark canoes, snowshoes and sleds were their means of travel.
Almost 500 years after the Vikings sailed away, John Cabot (born Giovanni Caboto in Genoa, Italy) arrived and claimed this part of the North Atlantic for England. It was his report of plentiful cod that beckoned the fishing nations of Europe—England, France, Portugal and Spain—across treacherous waters to the region. Also in the 1500s, whaling ships began to work the Strait of Belle Isle, between Newfoundland and Labrador.
In 1583, English delegate Sir Humphrey Gilbert declared Newfoundland to be England's first colony, even as fishing ships from all over Europe continued making their hauls. For the next 150 years, control of the territory was largely left to the "Fishing Admirals"—a title bestowed upon the first captains to set anchor in Newfoundland harbors at the beginning of each fishing season.
In the early 1700s, "outports"—tiny settlements that often could only be reached by boat—began springing up along the coastline. Inhabited largely by people of Irish and English descent, many of these tiny fishing villages still exist. Newfoundland and Labrador joined Canada as a province in 1949. The new government enticed (and in some cases, required) many residents of the outport communities to move inland, and they took their culture and distinct personalities with them.
Unfortunately, the fishing industry that once defined the province has fallen on hard times. The cod stocks of the Grand Banks have been decimated from years of exhaustive fishing. Forestry, manufacturing, mining, offshore oil drilling and generation of hydroelectric power are some of Newfoundland and Labrador's other businesses. With three oil fields in production offshore, Newfoundland and Labrador are also reaping the benefits of oil-related industries.
Newfoundland and Labrador's main attractions include history, fishing, the sea, lighthouses, seafood, coastal scenery, hunting, kayaking, whale-watching and bird-watching.
The province will appeal to those who like remote, less-visited destinations and those who are history or nature buffs. Newfoundland and Labrador will be less appealing to those who are uncomfortable in a cool-to-cold, damp climate or who desire lively, cosmopolitan surroundings.
A distress signal from the ship Titanic was received at Newfoundland's Cape Race wireless station on 14 April 1912, shortly before the ocean liner sank, about 500 mi/800 km south of Newfoundland.
The first European settlement in North America was founded in L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland; the 1,000-year-old Viking Settlement, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was discovered by Helge and Anne Stine Ingstad in the 1970s.
John Cabot first used the term "new found isle" in 1497.
Moose are not native to Newfoundland, but today there are more than 100,000 of them on the island.
Thousands of tourists go to the territory each year to see icebergs. Northeastern Newfoundland, particularly near Twillingate and along the Bonavista Peninsula, is one of the best places for a good vantage point during the spring, when bergs are calved.
The provincial flower is the pitcher plant, which survives the harsh climate by consuming insects that drown in pools of water trapped between its pitcher-shaped leaves. The provincial tree is the black spruce, and the official bird is the tiny puffin.
The beautiful Newfoundland dog and its cousin, the Labrador retriever, were born and bred in the province. These gentle, hardworking dogs are excellent swimmers because of their webbed feet.
The Beothuk of Newfoundland were the people first described by the British as "red Indians." It was customary for the Beothuk to cover their skin with red ocher.
With air virtually free of ragweed pollen, Newfoundland is a paradise for the allergy prone. There are no snakes or skunks, either.
Newfoundland and Labrador—long popular with seascape artists in summer—are said to be among the foggiest areas in the world, especially where warm currents from the south meet the frigid Labrador Current from the north.
Proclaiming itself "the Border City" (it's just across Lake Memphremagog from Quebec), Newport is a departure point for those touring the far northern part of Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The town is 60 mi/95 km northeast of Burlington.
In Brownington, 8 mi/13 km south of Newport, the Old Stone House Museum has a collection that includes local artifacts as well as furniture, paintings and decorative arts from New England. The museum building (Athenian Hall) was originally a school designed by the Rev. Alexander Twilight, believed to have been the first African-American college graduate, as well as the first African American to serve in a state legislature.
Also close to Newport is the Haskell Free Library and Opera House in Derby Line, which straddles the international border. If you attend one of the summer performances offered there by the North Country Concert Association, you may hear it in either Canada or the U.S., depending on where your seats are.
Situated on an island in Narragansett Bay, Newport, Rhode Island, has been attracting visitors to its sheltered harbors and picturesque cliffs since the Gilded Age. The wealthiest residents furnished their lavish Rhode Island mansions with imported marble, fine wood and polished crystal. They gave dinner parties for pets and draped their slumbering horses in satin sheets. They ate off solid gold dishes under glittering Baccarat chandeliers.
The great summer palaces of the Vanderbilts and Astors remain as inviting today as they were more than a century ago—only now you don't have to be among society's New York 400 to get in. Anyone willing to pay the price of admission can enter these "cottages," as the robber barons called their seasonal homes, or tour any of Newport's remarkable collection of impeccably preserved colonial-era buildings.
So take time to appreciate the city's architectural riches, but don't forget to enjoy the things that lured the high-society types to Newport in the first place: ocean breezes, sandy beaches, sumptuous seafood and picturesque lighthouses that dot the rocky New England coastline.
From its rough-and-tumble stint as a Navy town from the 1950s through the early '70s, the redeveloped Newport waterfront has grown into a sophisticated shopping and dining mecca. Today, Newport is a magnet for summer visitors seeking relaxation and recreation as well as a year-round escape for romantics looking for a getaway in a seaside city that boasts of having more bed-and-breakfasts per capita than anywhere else in the U.S.
Although Newport has not hosted the America's Cup yachting race since 1983, the city has not forgotten its nautical roots: It remains a port of call for weekend sailors and giant cruise ships alike, and the downtown wharves are the best place in Rhode Island for chartering a boat or joining a tour group to explore the wonders of Narragansett Bay.
Sights—The Gilded Age mansions on Bellevue Avenue, particularly The Breakers and Rough Point (home of the late tobacco heiress Doris Duke); Chateau-Sur-Mer; Touro Synagogue and the Loeb Visitors Center; Ocean Drive; sailing tours of Newport Harbor; Fort Adams State Park.
Museums—Museum of Newport History; Newport Art Museum; the International Tennis Hall of Fame; the International Yacht Restoration School; Naval War College Museum; National Museum of American Illustration.
Memorable Meals—Seared Maine diver scallops at the Spiced Pear Restaurant; chicken-fried lobster at Cafe Zelda; award-winning clam chowder at The Black Pearl; lobster sliders and truffled French fries with shaved Parmesan at The Grill at 41 North; an Awful Awful milkshake from Newport Creamery.
Late Night—Toasting the sunset at Fluke Wine Bar; listening to live jazz and blues at the Newport Blues Cafe; drinking with boisterous locals at One Pelham East; dancing with the beautiful people in The Boom Boom Room; rocking out to a cover band at Dockside at Waites Wharf.
Walks—Strolling hand-in-hand along the Cliff Walk; a colonial-, ghost- or rum-themed walking tour; enjoying the sea breezes at Brenton Point State Park; counting species at the Norman Bird Sanctuary; window-shopping along Bannister's Wharf and Bowen's Wharf.
Especially for Kids—Sailing on the harbor; whirling on the carousel at Easton's Beach; wandering through the Green Animals Topiary Garden and Victorian toy museum; learning about sea stars and other fascinating creatures at Save the Bay's Exploration Center and Aquarium; enjoying the lights during Christmas in Newport.
Newport occupies the southern tip of Aquidneck Island, which sits in the middle of Narragansett Bay. The town's main drags are Bellevue Avenue and Thames Street, each of which runs north-south. Thames Street traverses Newport's historic downtown and harbor areas, ending just a block away from the southern end of Broadway, the city's municipal hub. Bellevue Avenue, a few blocks south and parallel to Thames, runs past many of the city's majestic late-19th-century homes. Ocean Drive intersects the southern end of Bellevue Avenue and heads west along the shoreline.
Aquidneck Island is also home to Middletown (which, aptly, sits in the middle part of the island) and Portsmouth (near the northern tip). Both are easily reached from downtown Newport. Middletown is a 10-minute drive, and Portsmouth is a little more than 15 minutes away.
West across the Newport Bridge from downtown Newport is Conanicut Island and the town of Jamestown, which retains a small-town feel but also has some excellent restaurants along its main street, Narragansett Avenue. Just offshore of downtown Newport is Goat Island, connected by a short auto and pedestrian causeway to the mainland.
The town was founded in 1639 by religious dissenters fleeing the intolerant Puritans of Massachusetts Bay Colony. The new residents, who obtained land from the Narragansett tribe, welcomed people of all faiths, including Quakers, Jews and Roman Catholics.
Although the European settlers lived in relative harmony with the local Wampanoag and Narragansett tribes, not all Native Americans were willing to give up their lands quietly. Resistance to the Europeans and disputes over land throughout what is now southern New England led eventually to the bloody conflict known as King Philip's War, 1675-76, which resulted in the near annihilation of the native tribes.
Prosperity came early to the young community, located on the southern tip of Aquidneck Island. Its fine deep-water harbor allowed Newport to develop a lucrative commerce—but one that contemporary residents are not proud of. In what was called the Triangle Trade, Newport traders shipped rum from local distilleries to Africa and exchanged it for slaves. They took the slaves to Caribbean islands and traded them for molasses, which was used to produce more rum.
The Triangle Trade made Newport one of the wealthiest seaports on the East Coast until the American Revolution, when the British occupied Newport for three years and wreaked havoc on the town. Seagoing commerce came to an abrupt halt.
Newport later gained a new claim to fame—as a luxury resort. Rich plantation owners from the U.S. South and the Caribbean began to travel north each year to escape summer humidity and malaria. By the 1850s, a Who's Who of New England intellectuals and artists was making the town a summer colony, establishing Newport as America's first true destination resort. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow summered in Newport, as did Oliver Wendell Holmes, Henry James, John Singer Sargent and—for one season—Edgar Allan Poe. Even the notorious Lizzie Borden spent some time there.
By the early 1900s, New York tycoons and their families, servants and extended households had joined the caravan. These days, visitors flock to Newport to see the historic homes once inhabited by those wealthy residents. Newport's lovely beaches are as popular as ever, and thousands attend Newport's famous jazz and folk festivals, sailing regattas and other events.
Rhode Island quahogs aren't related to pigs: They're the plump, tasty hard-shell clams harvested in Narragansett Bay and served in restaurants throughout the state. By the way, it's pronounced "KO-hog."
In 1772, the HMS Gaspee was sent to Newport by King George III to enforce unpopular trade laws. A group of leading merchants, under the direction of John Brown, led the ship to a sandbar and proceeded to burn it. As a result, the first British troops during the American Revolution were sent to Newport.
Newport hosted the America's Cup yacht race for 53 years, from 1930 to 1983, when Australia II beat Liberty in the "Race of the Century" to claim the cup and the right to host the race. U.S.-based races are now held in California, but Newport retains the moniker "yachting capital of the world."
Ida Lewis, born in Newport in 1842, was keeper of the Lime Rock Lighthouse in Newport harbor from 1879 until her death in 1911. She is credited with rescuing 18 people from drowning during her tenure and was named "The Bravest Woman in America" by the Society of the American Cross of Honor.
If you order a milk shake in Newport you're likely to get a glass of flavored milk; use instead the local vernacular and request a "cabinet."
As a teenager, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis spent her summers in Newport at her family's Hammersmith Farm. She held her wedding reception there in 1953.
Enigmatic heiress Doris Duke was rebuffed when she attempted to donate Rough Point—her seaside estate—to Newport Hospital in the 1960s. The mansion was worth US$1 billion at the time of her death in 1993. She bequeathed the mansion and its wondrous decorative and fine-art collections to the Newport Restoration Foundation, along with another amazing collection she'd amassed: 80 colonial homes in Newport.
Beloved for many years for its Victorian holiday celebrations and living history tours, the Astors' Beechwood Mansion closed its doors to the public in 2010 when it was purchased by billionaire and yachtsman Larry Ellison, co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation.
Most cruise ships lay anchor off Goat Island and then ferry passengers to the marine terminal near Perrotti Park in Newport. The terminal is steps away from the Newport Visitors Information Center (23 America's Cup Ave.), which is stocked with brochures and maps and sells tickets to most of the island's tours and attractions.
Most downtown attractions are also within easy walking distance for cruise passengers; transportation is available from the Newport Visitors Information Center to farther-flung destinations.
Shore excursions—and their prices—vary according to cruise line. Some may include lunch and drinks, and the number of stops may differ. Among the offerings are mansion visits, a harbor cruise and visit to Rose Island Lighthouse, and a walking tour of Newport's colonial-era landmarks.
Also available are a walking tour of the oceanside Cliff Walk and tour of The Breakers, an exhilarating sailing excursion aboard an America's Cup 12 Meter Yacht, and a Land and Sea-themed driving and boating tour that showcases the city's most picturesque scenes.
Check with your travel agent for additional information.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) was one of the last inhabited places on Earth to be explored by other nations—and it's still the land of the unexpected. Travelers to this wild and beautiful island nation are in store for plenty of surprises—both good and bad.
On the positive side, there is the unspoiled nature of the landscape: isolated beaches, volcanic mountains, primal rivers and dense jungles. PNG's indigenous cultures, too, have retained much of their original character. With an incredible 700 separate languages still spoken, the country has tribal cultures as diverse as its flora and fauna.
Unfortunately, those same qualities that make the country so unusual also contribute to the downside of travel there. Because many of its people have remained isolated in the rugged countryside, there are unresolved tribal enmities and rivalries that have only been partially muted into the annual dance and costume competitions known as "sing-sings." In a number of regions, you'll still see fierce warriors carrying bows and quivers of arrows—just in case.
Everywhere you travel in the country, you're trespassing on someone's land. The attitude of the people whose land you're traversing will range from friendly to fearsome, although those who welcome visitors far outnumber the few who don't. But of more concern than stepping on tribal boundaries is PNG's general crime problem, which has plagued urban and rural areas for years, and which appears to be increasing in the capital, Port Moresby. Some sites (such as the Baiyer River area, one of the country's most interesting nature reserves) are too dangerous to visit.
There is, however, a way to minimize PNG's downside: Visit the country on an escorted tour. We seldom issue a blanket recommendation for this option, but independent travelers will have a hard time relaxing enough to enjoy PNG. Even on a tour, expect an atmosphere tinged with some paranoia.
Scuba diving, trekking, beaches, river cruises and rafting, jungles, animal and bird watching, saltwater fishing, tribal cultures, cave exploration and orchids are the main attractions of Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea is recommended only for flexible, seasoned travelers interested in excellent scuba diving or primitive cultures. We do not recommend the country to inexperienced travelers, those who require world-class hotels or anyone whose trip would be ruined by mosquitoes, heat, humidity, delays or schedule changes. Organized tours are highly recommended for all but the most adventurous visitors who have plenty of time.
Sugarcane originated on the island of New Guinea. Arabs brought the plant to Spain, and the conquistadors carried it to the New World.
Chewing betel nuts, a local pastime in New Guinea, is a rather messy ritual. First, you chew the betel nut's fleshy core to a pulp. Then you dip various parts of a mustard plant into a bowl of lime (a white powder made from crushed sea shell that has been baked) and carefully add the stuff to your mouthful of pulp. When chewed together, this combination should produce a bright red liquid that must be spat out repeatedly, as if one were chewing tobacco.
There is particularly good diving in the Milne Island group, the Bismarck Sea and—one of the late Jacques Cousteau's favorite spots—Wuvulu Island. About 500 wrecks from World War II lie beneath the waters of PNG.
More than a million U.S. military personnel served in and around PNG during World War II. It was also there that General Douglas MacArthur earned the nickname "Dugout Doug," because he never visited the frontline troops.
The Kula Ring is the term used around Milne Bay to describe certain exchanges of goods. Historically, armlets were traded among islands in a counterclockwise fashion, and shell necklaces went clockwise.
Magazines and literature deemed pornographic are subject to confiscation, and their owners may be fined heavily. Blank videotapes are subject to customs duty and must be declared.
About 700 languages have been identified in the country, and of these, only 350-450 are related. Most are extremely complex grammatically.
Among specialty tours we've seen offered over the years are those that feature World War II sites, spelunking, diving, ethnological/anthropological/archaeological programs, white-water rafting (on the Watut and Waghi Gorge Rivers—both in the Highlands and jungle areas), climbing snowcapped Mt. Wilhelm (15,850 ft/4,830 m—best views tend to be in the early morning hours), trekking the southern Highlands near Mendi and Lake Kutubu and taking a cruise through the reefs from Madang to Rabaul.
More varieties of orchids are found in PNG than anywhere else on Earth.
More than US$500,000 in gold was discovered on Woodlark Island, in Milne Bay, during its gold rush.
The black-eared giant rat, found in PNG's forested mountains, can weigh up to 4.5 lb/2 kg and is a vegetarian.
Port Moresby has a "show" (festival) in mid July featuring singing, dancing, colorful costumes and a general party atmosphere. Mt. Hagen has one in late July and Goroka in mid August. If you're not planning on participating, avoid those times.
U.S. aviator Amelia Earhart's plane disappeared after taking off from Lae's Airport in 1937. Some believe she disappeared near New Britain.
No trip to New Mexico is complete without a visit to at least one of the state's 19 Native American pueblos. Although they are centuries-old dwelling sites, they are also modern communities whose residents deal with modern issues. One of those issues is gambling: In addition to the attractions that focus on traditional culture, many of the pueblos operate gaming casinos—complete with entertainment and high-stakes play.
Perhaps the best introduction to the pueblos can be found at two of the state's better museums, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe (the majority of pueblos are fairly close to these two major cities). Both museums will give you a good introduction to pueblo beliefs and history, as well as demonstrate the varied craftsmanship of both ancient and modern Native Americans.
One of the more fascinating aspects of visiting the pueblos is learning about the particular traditions that have shaped the techniques and styles of local craftwork. If you can visit a pueblo on its feast day (usually tied to a Catholic saint—a remnant of Spanish colonialism), the dances and ceremonies will only heighten your appreciation of the communities.
In addition to the Acoma and Taos pueblos, consider the following:
Cochiti, southwest of Santa Fe, is famed for finely crafted ceremonial drums and "storyteller" figurines. Don't miss the Tent Rocks, a spectacular canyon and geological formation near the pueblo. Its feast day is that of San Buenaventura, held on 14 July.
Isleta, just south of Albuquerque, is the largest of the Tiwa-speaking pueblos. The feast days of St. Augustine are celebrated there on 28 August and 4 September.
Jemez, northwest of Albuquerque, is the only tribe that still speaks the Towa language. You'll find a number of recreational areas open to the public, as well as offerings in sculpture and polychrome pottery. The Feast of Our Lady of the Angels is held on 2 August.
Laguna, on the eastern border of the Acoma reservation, is actually six villages where residents produce pottery resembling that of the Acoma Pueblo. The feast of St. Joseph is observed on 19 September.
Nambe, north of Santa Fe, is known for its exquisite jewelry, employing turquoise and silver, but you'll also find sculpture, beadwork and micaceous pottery (containing flecks of mica that cause the pottery to glitter in the light). Nambe celebrates the Feast of St. Francis on 4 October.
Picuris, southwest of Taos, was a hotbed of resistance during the pueblo revolt of the 1600s. Today, it's known for its micaceous pottery. The Mission of San Lorenzo, whose feast day is celebrated on 10 August, is located there.
The craftspeople of Pojoaque, northwest of Santa Fe, produce pottery, embroidery, jewelry and beadwork. The Poeh Cultural Center in Pojoaque tells the story of the Rio Grande Pueblos. They celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on 12 December. The Poeh Museum features the story of the Native world from the Native American perspective in one of the few tribal-run museums in the country.
Sandia, just north of Albuquerque, operates the Bien Mur Indian Market Center, one of the better places to shop for Native American crafts in New Mexico. The Feast of St. Anthony is held on 13 June.
San Felipe, which is north of Albuquerque, produces fine beadwork and heishi (jewelry made from strings of small tiles of semiprecious gems). The feast day of St. Phillip is celebrated on 1 May.
San Ildefonso, northwest of Santa Fe, is a complex of some 200 buildings, including a reconstructed church from the 1600s. This pueblo was the home of Maria and Julian Martinez, who were famous for their rendering of the distinctive black-on-black pottery. (The Martinez family continues the tradition.) The Feast of San Ildefonso occurs on 23 January.
Among the 700-year-old buildings of San Juan, also northwest of Santa Fe, you'll find the headquarters of the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council, which includes Nambe, Picuris, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, San Juan, Santa Clara, Taos and Tesuque. The council publishes an excellent guide to the northern pueblos (write ENIPC, P.O. Box 969, San Juan Pueblo, NM 87566). It's home to the O'ke-Oweenge Crafts Cooperative, featuring crafts from each of the eight pueblos (San Juan itself is known for redware pottery). The Feast of San Juan is held on 24 June.
Santa Ana Pueblo is known not only for its polychrome pottery but also for the recreational offerings available at the Santa Ana Golf Course and Jemez Canyon Dam. The pueblo itself is open to the public only a few days each year—one of the best times to visit is on the Feast of Santa Ana—26 July.
Santa Clara, another of the northern pueblos, is known for both black-on-black and redware pottery. The Santa Clara Recreation Area (with streams, lakes and trails) and the impressive Puye Cliff Dwellings, which date back to AD 1250, also are nearby. The cliff dwellings are a national landmark owned and maintained by the pueblo: You can explore dwellings both along and atop a cliff face. Self-guided tours are available, and in summer, you can take guided tours that include a pueblo feast (book at least five days in advance). The Feast of St. Claire is on 12 August.
Santo Domingo, north of Albuquerque, is known for jewelry, silverwork and heishi. Its feast day is held on 4 August. It also hosts a popular arts-and-crafts festival on Labor Day weekend.
Tesuque is the smallest of the villages where the Tewa language is spoken. It is located just outside Santa Fe. The craftspeople there are known for rain-god figurines, micaceous pottery, sculpture and painting. The Feast of San Diego is celebrated in Tesuque on 12 November.
The traditions of Zia Pueblo have contributed to the state's symbol, the stylized sun you'll see all over New Mexico. Zia is also known for its polychrome pottery. The Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption is held on 15 August.
The original Zuni Pueblo was the largest in the region when the Spanish arrived, and its size probably helped inspire the myth of the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola—the tale that inspired Francisco Coronado to explore the area. The inhabitants abandoned their original pueblo in 1670, but you can still visit it with a Zuni guide. Today, the Zuni people are known for stonework, jewelry, needlepoint and fetishes (animals carved out of stone and semiprecious gems). Shalako, the most important Zuni feast, occurs in late November-early December.
Other Native American groups in New Mexico include the Jicarilla Apache of northern New Mexico, who are highly regarded for their basketry and beadwork; the Mescalero Apache of southern New Mexico, who own and operate the Ski Apache ski area and the Inn of the Mountain Gods resort near Ruidoso; and the Navajo people, famous for their rugs and silverwork.
Please remember that the pueblos are not theme parks or living-history museums—they are real communities, where families live and work. Their requests for a few basic standards of behavior are reasonable and easily observed. Do not photograph or videotape residents of the pueblos unless you have first obtained permission from the pueblo's administrative offices. There is sometimes a small fee involved. There may be certain ceremonial occasions when cameras (even sketchbooks) are not allowed at all. It's a good idea to call in advance of your visit to confirm the hours that the pueblo is open to visitors: They sometimes close for special religious occasions or for funerals of tribal members, and most ask visitors to leave by around sund
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