Where can you find a conch train, conch fritters, conch shells, and the Conch Republic (pronounced “konk”)?  They’re all located in the same two-by-four-mile island community of Key West, Florida!  If you’re thinking of heading south for spring break this year, or you're already snowbirding in that direction, consider going all the way—to the southernmost point of the Sunshine State.

It’s true, touristy Key West is overflowing with beaches, bars and shopping boutiques, but this remarkable port city also offers plenty of other fun-in-the-sun options— city tours, historic homes, museums, and of course, key lime pie. It’s especially easy for history buffs to get acquainted with Old Town Key West’s real character, because much of its entertaining history and highlights are within walking distance of each other.

Conch Tour Train.  Does riding an open-air train through the charming streets of Old Town while listening to stories of bone-bleaching Indians, Spanish explorers, and cigar barons sound like your idea of exploring? Take the 90-minute Conch Tour Train. To say it's fully narrated is an understatement. Knowledgeable train drivers expertly tell the tales and lively legends of Key West as the train passes more than 100 points of interest. Learn what gingerbread has to do with architecture and which former U.S. president wanted to move the U.S. capital to Key West.

Hemingway Home & Museum.  Need literary inspiration for writing the next best seller? Visit the tropical home and gardens where Ernest Hemingway penned a good number of his greatest stories. Built in 1851, the Hemingway mansion-turned-museum still contains original antique furnishings used by “Papa” Hemingway and his family. Guided tours are as entertaining as the six-toed felines that inhabit the place. Over sixty cats, descendents of Hemingway’s original furry friends, make their home at this National Historic Landmark.

Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society and Museum.  Intrigued by thoughts of gleaming shipwreck treasure once lost for centuries at sea? You’ll find gold doubloons, dazzling jewels, bars of silver, cannons, and much more at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. Take a self-guided tour and learn the long and sometimes tragic story of the Fisher family’s struggle to locate and surface one-of-a-kind artifacts and riches. Collections from the 1700’s English merchant slave ship Henrietta Marie and the 1600’s Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha are on display in this maritime museum. Jewelry and coin replicas are on sale in the Trade Goods museum store, along with nautical-themed books and videos.

Still have energy to spare? Hope so, because there’s much more to conch-er in Key West! Check back next week to learn about “Flager’s Folly” and to find out when to visit Mallory Square.

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Halfway between Reno and Las Vegas, at U.S. 95 and U.S. 6, Tonopah is a perfect place to learn about Nevada’s rich history. Silver was discovered here in 1900, sparking one of the biggest mining booms in the state. In fact, over a 40-year period, five million tons of ore (silver, gold, copper and lead) were pulled out of the district’s many mines. At current market prices, that equates to $1,200,000,000!  If those figures make you feel “a day late and a dollar short,” you’re not alone. But you can still strike it rich today— when it comes to learning about mining history, that is— at the Tonopah Historic Mining Park. Located on the site of four of the very first mines, it is here you will discover how these original claims turned Tonopah into the “Queen of the Silver Camps.”

Prepare to get your boots dusty wandering as much of the 110-acre park as you care to cover. You’ll find a vast display of restored and preserved mining equipment as well as original structures—a grizzly (ore sorting house), an assay lab, the last remaining trestle from the Tonopah & Goldfield Railroad, hoist houses with all original equipment, and head frames. These are not “pretty” museum exhibits. They are safe to explore, but definitely sitting in a state of weathered decay. You can even follow a burro tunnel that leads to a steel viewing cage suspended over a 500-foot mine stope (vertical shaft). Surrounded by such a vast amount of authentic mining artifacts, you won’t need much imagination to get a real sense of what it was like to work in a turn-of-the-century mine!

Before you poke around the remnants of the Silver Top Mine, Mizpah Mine, Desert Queen, and others, watch the introductory video inside the visitor center. You’ll “meet” Jim Butler and his wife Belle, and learn how their silver strike put Tonopah on the map. Right from the start, Tonopah's mines were consistently high producers. The biggest year was 1913 when almost $10 million in gold, silver, copper and lead was mined. The Depression brought a slowdown, and by the end of World War II, all the major mining companies had left the area. The true end to the mining era came in 1947 when the Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad folded and its rails were removed.

For six consecutive years, 2002 to 2007, Readers of Nevada Magazine named Tonopah Historic Mining Park the “Best Museum in Rural Nevada.” You won’t be disappointed if you, too, come and take a self-guided walk in the footsteps of the old-time hard rock miners. But since the park is at an elevation of 6,200 feet, pace yourself accordingly!

Tonopah Historic Mining Park

520 McCulloch Avenue

Tonopah, Nevada 89049-0965

(775) 482-9274

April - September, 7 days a week from 9:00am - 5:00pm

October - March, 7 days a week from 10:00am - 4:00pm

Walking tour prices are $5 per adult • Veterans & Active Military FREE

Children under 6 FREE •  $3 ages 7 - 12

For those staying overnight in Tonopah, deduct $1 off your tour price

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“Going green” isn’t just an eco-friendly term around Portland. “Green,” in the form of abundant natural spaces, is what makes the city one of America’s most livable places and enjoyable to visit. A perfect example of urban green is Washington Park. Perched on a hill overlooking downtown, beautiful Washington Park encompasses a zoo, forestry center, traditional Japanese gardens, an arboretum, and miles of forested hiking trails. The International Rose Test Gardens are here, too, giving Portland the nickname “The City of Roses." For over a century, the Rose Test Gardens have featured more than 7,000 roses bushes in 500 fragrant varieties. The park is even more delightful on a clear day when snowy Mount Hood backdrops the city below.

The green doesn’t stop there. It’s easy to miss, but the world's smallest dedicated park space, 24-inch Mill Ends Park, is near 2-mile long Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland. In addition to walking, biking, and watching ships sail the Willamette River, visitors will also enjoy the park’s many fountains, statues, and memorials. Waterfront Park is also home to lively Portland Saturday Market— where you can shop ‘til you drop each weekend from March through December. Portland Saturday Market has been the largest outdoor arts and crafts market for over 35 years, and features only locally-made products.

Neighborhoods are what really give the city of Portland its character. Diverse choices for restaurants and shopping, such as those found in the newer Mississippi area, earthy Southeast Hawthorne, and trendy Pearl District, are a short Tri-Met ride away from downtown. Tri-Met is the city’s efficient public transportation system, and preferable to driving your RV when exploring neighborhoods.  Nob Hill, especially the area around Northwest 23rd, is an eclectic mix of national chain stores and local shops. The Portland Aerial Tram connects the Oregon Health & Science University campus on Marquam Hill with the South Waterfront neighborhood. Hospital employees use the tram as transportation to and from their jobs. Tourists will love it for the views!

If you enjoy museums, you’re also in luck. The Portland Art Museum, Oregon History Center, and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) are fun and interesting for all ages. Kids have so much fun at OMSI that they don’t even realize they’re learning!  Another Portland must-see is Powell’s Books, the nation's largest independent bookstore. Bibliophiles should grab a map at the front door; you’ll definitely need it to navigate the color-coded rooms that contain over one million new and used tomes.

When you’re ready to start your new book or just people-watch, take a break in Pioneer Courthouse Square— an open-air plaza in downtown that locals use as an urban living room. If you time your visit just right, you can watch the Weather Machine make its quirky prediction each day at noon. No matter the weather, though, you’ll enjoy how Portland balances its big city conveniences with green spaces and a small town feel.

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When master sculptor Gutzon Borglum carved Mount Rushmore, he unknowingly provided a place where Presidents Day is celebrated not just in February, but every day of the year. Since the colossal carving’s completion in 1941, millions of visitors have come to pay tribute to former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

 Mount Rushmore was initially envisioned as a tourist destination— a simple way to bring more sight-seers into the Black Hills of South Dakota. The Memorial definitely does that, but also serves a greater purpose. America's “Shrine of Democracy” is a true testament to the 14 years of skill and dedication shown by Sculptor Borglum and 400 workers. As you can imagine, the making of the masterpiece was a monumental task— and very dangerous. Ninety percent of the rock that had to be removed to create the stone portraits was blasted away with dynamite before the intricate facial features could be chiseled into the granite. Borglum first sketched the faces, next he cast them in plaster, and then the 1:12 scale models were transferred to the mountain (one inch on the model equaled one foot of rock). Maybe even more amazing is the modest price tag for the project—  less than one million dollars top to bottom. What a bargain for a priceless national treasure!

Mr. Borglum chose to memorialize these particular four presidents for good reason: George Washington because he served as the first U.S. president; Thomas Jefferson because he authored the Declaration of Independence; Abraham Lincoln for restoring the Union and ending slavery; and Theodore Roosevelt, Borglum’s personal acquaintance, for promoting construction of the Panama Canal and economic reform. To learn more about Mount Rushmore’s history and its sculptor, begin your visit in the Lincoln Borglum Museum (named for the sculptor’s son who supervised the completion of the work after his father’s death). A film and informative displays explain the amazing story, including that the 5,725-foot granite peak was named in 1884 for Charles Rushmore, an attorney from New York.

Some of best photo opportunities for capturing the 60-foot high presidential faces are from the Avenue of the Flags. You’ll count 56 flags here—  one for every state and U.S. territory. The Avenue of Flags leads from the concession building to the Grandview Terrace, another great photo spot. For a closer look at the likenesses of our country’s forefathers, hike the half-mile Presidential Trail to the base of the mountain. Stately Ponderosa pines flank the trail and you may even spot some of the 200 white shaggy mountain goats that live here. While on your walk, be sure to stop at the Sculptor’s Studio to see the models and tools used by Gutzon Borglum.

Nowhere else is South Dakota’s state slogan "Great Faces and Great Places" more evident than at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. It’s a great place to commemorate Presidents Day any time of the year!

While in the area, visit and camp at Custer State Park.

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Mardi Gras of yesteryear wasn’t quite so raucous as it is today. Back in 1703 when Mobile, Alabama was basically a colony of French soldiers, a few men painted their faces and acted crazy for a few hours. They were celebrating because the city had come through a bad bout of yellow fever and diseases such as that weren’t easily out-lived back then. The celebration caught on and became an annual event. The first Mardi Grad parade occurred in 1840 in New Orleans when a group from Mobile helped that city establish its own celebration. Mystic organizations developed and continue today (these groups plan and fundraise throughout the year). Membership in a mystic society is taken very seriously and his highly coveted, but mystic doesn’t mean black magic. You can tell by the funky names— Knights of Daze, Maids of Jubilee, Mystics of Pleasure, Krewe of Merry Mates, Comic Cowboys— that it’s all about the fun.

Who is Joe Cain?

After the Civil War, the Southern way of life changed forever. Mobile was occupied by Federal troops, and many celebrations and traditions were put on hold. After years of no Mardi Gras, in 1866, Joe Cain, an ordinary citizen, decided to do something about the doom and gloom. Needing a departure from the ordinary, Cain decked himself in full Chickasaw Indian regalia, proclaimed himself Chief Slacabamorinico, climbed aboard a coal wagon with some rowdy friends, called themselves "The Tea Drinkers" (betcha they had imbibed in stronger spirits than that!) and road his one-mule, one-float parade through the town. Mardi Gras was revived and the city of Mobile got a much-needed boost of life. Joe Cain’s choice of an Indian character for his costume was a subtle insult to the Union forces— the Chickasaw had never officially surrendered during the Civil War.

Thanks to his antics, Joe Cain holds a special place in the hearts of Mobilians, and a special procession is held in his honor. Cain's Merry Widows, a mysterious group of women donned in black who throw black roses and beads from their Mardi Gras float, are a regular part of his procession. After the Joe Cain parade, Cain's Merry Widows partake in a mock funeral at his gravesite, located at the Church Street Graveyard in downtown Mobile. The widows weep, throw beads, weep, and throw even more beads! This year’s parade honoring Joe Cain is Sunday, February 14, 2010. Nevada City, California is the only known city outside of Mobile that also celebrates Joe Cain’s revival of Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras is a southern traditional that must be experienced to be understood. If you’ve not yet participated, take the family to where it all began— Mobile, Alabama. The original home of the crazy celebration is the best place to discover just how many colorful beads one person can wear— your neck definitely gets put to the test! Grab all you can, because at the stroke of midnight on Fat Tuesday, the wackiness vanishes to make way for Lent. But until then… laissez les bon temps roullex… let the good times roll!

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Mention Mardi Gras and images of drunken wildness in New Orlean's French Quarter most likely spring to mind. But did you know that Mardi Gras actually started in Mobile, Alabama over 300 years ago? Did you also know that Mobile is "America's Family Mardi Gras" and is appropriate for all ages? If you’re looking to have a fun time out of harm’s way, Mobile has one of the safest Mardi Gras celebrations in the world.

When is Mardi Gras? The exact dates of Mardi Gras vary each year, but it can always be determined by calculating backwards from the date on which Easter falls. Mardi Gras Day, or "Fat Tuesday" is always the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which begins the 40-day Lenten season. This year Mardi Gras is February 16, 2010.

Mardi Gras Frivolity. Although it’s family-friendly, Mobile’s Mardi Gras is not just for the kids. The frivolity and excitement of a Mardi Gras parade or party has a way of turning staid adults into giddy revelers, even if you choose not to glam up in sequins, masks, or a funny costume to participate. Mardi Gras lasts for weeks, during which time the streets of Mobile and surrounding suburbs come alive. Frequent parades are the highlight (lighted parades at night are really spectacular). The Saturday, Sunday and Monday before Mardi Gras is the real party, with two or three parades held each day. Brilliant-colored floats motor slowly down the streets, allowing time for costumed riders to toss “throws” to the enthusiastic crowds. Favored “throws” are beaded necklaces in the traditional colors of green, gold, and purple, moon pies, candy, plastic cups, moon pies, stuffed animals, wooden coins, and more moon pies! The best way to get the most throws is to get yourself noticed—wave your hands in the air, jump up and down, yell, and catch the eye of a thrower on the float. Get to the parade route early to stake your spot on the sidewalk or roadside, and bring a bag to haul home your loot. You’ll be leaving with literally pounds of beads and other souvenirs.

Check back next week to learn the history of Mardi Gras.

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Ever wonder what it would be like to stand on an empty stage and pretend for a moment that you’re a famous entertainer about to thrill an audience?  Want to know what it feels like to peer into a 1,300-seat auditorium, even if the packed house is just imaginary? You can do it by taking a behind-the-scenes tour of Historic Elsinore Theatre in Salem, Oregon’s capital city. Not only can you stand in the spotlight, but you’ll also discover the stage’s trap door, see the remodeled dressing rooms, and many other areas not generally open to the public.

From the moment you enter the Elsinore’s lobby, you’ll be impressed: arches rise two and a half stories to a vaulted ceiling painted and lighted to suggest a starry sky. Two grand double staircases are located at either end of the lobby and lead to the first and second balcony sections of the auditorium. Faux stonework, superb custom woodwork, and artistic metal work grace the staircases and wall sconces. Everything about the Elsinore Theatre feels grand!

Named for a castle in a Shakespearean play, the Elsinore was originally built in 1926. The architecture is based on the historic Elsinore Castle in Denmark, believed to be the setting of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Several extensive restoration “acts” have taken place at the Elsinore in recent years, and the results of this “Return to Grandeur” process are exquisite—from the refurbished stained glass windows and murals of Romeo and Juliet, to new carpeting, updated wiring, lighting, and sound systems.

The Elsinore is also special because it’s the last remaining Tudor Gothic theatre in North America. Perhaps its greatest interior treasure is its “Mighty Wurlitzer” pipe organ (there’s only about 60 Wurlitzer theatre organs in the nation). The Elsinor’s Wurlitzer was donated by father and son Clayton and Rick Parks (Rick also doubles as the tour guide and House Manager).  Thanks to $60,000 in grant money, the organ has been completely restored. If you haven’t heard a Wurlitzer, you’re in for a treat because talented Rick is only too happy to show off the instrument’s capabilities.

Designed for both Vaudeville performances and motion pictures, the Elsinore in its early days was a center for drama and music in Salem. In the early 1930s, the theatre was equipped for sound to accommodate "talkies" (movies with sound tracks). Stage shows were eventually replaced by movies and the Elsinore Theatre moved into a period of being a premier, first-run movie house. Today, the theatre is a popular venue for world-class entertainers, classic movies, local talent, stage shows, and much more. Visit the Elsinore and experience its "nearly perfect acoustics" during a performance, and also double the WOW factor with a behind-the-scenes tour.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Historic Elsinore Theatre

170 High St SE

Salem, Oregon 97301    

Phone: 503-375-3574

No set schedule for tours. Simply phone Rick to arrange for a time and date. At press time, cost is $3.00 per person.

FOR MORE TO SEE & DO IN SALEM:

Travel Salem

181 High St.

Salem, OR 97301

Phone: 503-581-4325

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In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill establishing the third Monday in January as a federal holiday to honor Civil Rights Activist Martin Luther King, Jr.  All across America, government offices, schools, and many businesses are closed. Cities large and small hold gala parades and special events. To get a more personal look at where Reverend King first preached his message of hope, equality, and brotherhood, head south to the Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement—Montgomery, Alabama— and visit the sites that were meaningful to Reverend King during his lifetime—namely the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church and Parsonage.

Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church

Reverend King was pastor of Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church from 1954-1960 and began his quest for civil rights here. This was his first and only full-time pastorate. The church was also a center point of the Montgomery bus boycott that began in 1955. The church was originally founded in 1877 at a nearby location, and over the years has changed names a few times. The current red brick building on the corner of a busy street in downtown Montgomery, was constructed between 1883 and 1889 and is a National Historic Landmark. Tours of the church, arranged in advance, last one hour and include the modest pulpit from which Reverend King so eloquently spoke. Marvel at a 10 x 47 foot mural depicting the civil rights crusade from Montgomery to Memphis, and see Dr. King’s original office.

Dexter Parsonage Museum

The clapboard Dexter Parsonage Museum, also listed on the National Register of Historic Places and located about six blocks from the church, can be toured as well. The Parsonage has been restored to appear as it did when Dr. King and his family lived here from 1954-1960. Much of the furniture presently in the house was actually used by Dr. King. Eleven other pastors also lived in this historic home. Take a peek in the museum gift shop for souvenirs and books on Reverend King. Enjoy a stroll through the magnolia tree-lined tranquil gardens at the rear of the parsonage.

Throughout his short life, Dr. King taught non-violent resistance to oppression as a means of achieving social and political parity. If he were still alive, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would be celebrating his 81st birthday this year, and no doubt still would be delivering his messages from pulpits and podiums across the globe.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church

454 Dexter Ave.  Montgomery, AL  36104

Phone: 334-263-3970

Sunday and Monday: closed to tours, open to all for worship services

The Dexter Parsonage Museum

309 South Jackson St.

Montgomery, Alabama 36103

Phone: 334-261-3270

Sunday and Monday: closed to tours

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Paradise Without An Attitude is not just an advertising slogan on the cover of a glossy travel brochure. This tropical mindset flows tip to tip along all seven miles of serene Anna Maria Island. If you’re heading down to Florida this winter and don’t have kids to entertain, skip Disney and instead get a major dose of downtime on beautiful beaches fringed with swaying sea oats.

Anna Maria Island is delightfully set apart from the more popular areas of the sunshine state, which helps preserve its “Old Florida” unhurried pace. While only 15 miles from bustling Sarasota, its physical and a mental detachment from traffic, crowds, and noisy tourist attractions make it a great get-away. If you’re expecting to pound the pavement or shop ‘til you drop, you’ll be disappointed. But you’ll never be bored— fish, parasail, rent a boat, beach comb, bicycle, bird-watch, sunbath, and swim to your heart’s content.  And when it’s time for dinner, casual dress is the order of the day.

As you make your way down the island’s main route, Gulf Drive, you’ll pass through three tiny towns:

Anna Maria City. Anchoring the northern tip of the island, two fishing piers— Rod & Reel and the Anna Maria City Pier— are the best places to catch your dinner. But if the fish aren’t biting, you won’t go hungry because restaurants at both locations serve all the fresh seafood you can eat.

Holmes Beach. It’s here in the middle of the island where you’ll rub elbows with locals while grocery shopping, banking, or mailing “wish you were here” postcards back to colder climes. Follow the advice on the billboard that exclaims “Eat At Bones!” Funky Mr. Bones BBQ has the best baby back ribs in the state. And nowhere else will you find bottled beverages served from an ice-filled coffin!

Bradenton Beach. Don’t miss the Historic Old Town District at the southern part of the island. Recently rejuvenated with beautiful landscaping and charming boutiques, Bridge Street is the center of the district. After strolling through the seasonal outdoor markets, hang out with the pelicans at the Bradenton Beach Fishing Pier.

Anna Maria Island works hard to preserve its laid-back “Old Florida” heritage. No lofty structure (except maybe a tall shady Australian Pine or gnarled mangrove) hides the soft white sand beaches. No concrete walls block the blue view of the Gulf of Mexico on the west, Tampa Bay on the east, or Sarasota Bay to the south. First-time visitors often turn into “regulars” and agree that you really can find Paradise Without An Attitude on Anna Maria Island.

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First visited by Lewis & Clark in 1805, then permanently settled six years later by wealthy New Yorker John Jacob Astor, Astoria, Oregon has many claims to fame—America’s oldest permanent settlement west of the Rocky Mountains; the former “Salmon Canning Capital of the World” and the town is also on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “Dozen Distinctive Destinations” list. Hollywood has featured Astoria in quite a few movies, too, including Kindergarten Cop, Goonies, and Free Willy. For a small town, Astoria certainly has a large list of accolades!

You might want to begin exploring the city along its waterfront. Board “Old 300” between Basin and 39th streets and for just $1 you’ll enjoy a four-mile ride in a beautifully refurbished 1913 streetcar. A knowledgeable conductor and guide narrate the trip, so it’s a great way to learn about Astoria’s 200 years of history. Don’t be shy about asking questions! Along the route, you’ll get a good view of the Astoria-Megler Bridge, considered the longest three-span truss bridge in the world. There’s a trolley stop at the Columbia River Maritime Museum, so hop off there to take a tour.

Inside the museum, you’ll discover why the treacherous mouth of the Columbia River is often referred to as the “Graveyard of the Pacific” and also learn about the dangerous work of Columbia Bar and River Pilots. One of the most popular exhibits in the museum is a diorama of a 44-foot Coast Guard lifeboat plowing through crashing waves. It depicts a true story—the lifeboat was tossed almost completely vertical during a rescue mission and still survived, so it’s now mounted that way on permanent display. Museum admission also includes a tour of Lightship Columbia, a National Historic Landmark, docked just outside. The Lightship was once anchored five miles out to sea and served as a floating lighthouse to guide ships to safety.

For a birds-eye look at the confluence of the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean (and for panoramas of the town, the Astoria-Megler Bridge, and Lewis and Clark's water route to Fort Clatsop) climb the 164 steps to the top of Astoria Column on Coxcomb Hill. On a clear day, you won’t be disappointed in the view from 725-feet up! The Column itself is quite unique and was decorated in 1926 using a “sgraffito” technique (carving through colored layers of plaster) by Italian artist Attilo Pusterla. His depictions of Pacific Northwest history spiral from the bottom to the top of the Column.

Once back down at sea level, there are plenty of museums and Victorian homes to admire, including the 1886 Queen Anne Flavel House—former home of river pilot Captain George Flavel, now serving as a museum. The house is two and a half stories tall, covers 11,600 square feet, and takes up an entire city block. In fact, Astoria boasts more buildings on the National Historic Register per square foot than anywhere else in Oregon. Those accolades just keep coming!

Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce

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