acadia national park

Acadia National Park preserves much of Mount Desert Island, and associated smaller islands, off the Atlantic coast of Maine. Traditionally inhabited by Wabanaki Indian hunters, fishers, and gatherers, the area includes mountains, an ocean shoreline, woodlands, and lakes. The town of Bar Harbor is located on the northeast corner of Mount Desert Island. The park is home to some 40 different species of mammalian wildlife. Among those are red and gray squirrels, chipmunks, white-tailed deer, moose, beaver, porcupine, muskrats, foxes, coyote, bobcats, and black bears. Many marine species have been observed in the surrounding area and waters.

connecticut river valley

This grand view of out New England countryside in vivid colors shows a typical 1960s era village and tobacco farms bordering the lowlands of the Connecticut River Valley. A group of businessmen interested in promoting tourism gave the name Pioneer Valley to the region in 1939.

arizona's painted desert

A vividly colored mesa, the Painted Desert, with its buttes and ridges, can be seen for miles along the Little Colorado River in Northern Arizona. It is a portion of the Petrified Forest National Park which was established in 1895, some 17 years before Arizona became a state. The area is noted to be especially beautiful at sunset and sunrise when the land appears to glow in hues of violet, blue, red and gold. Other key features include the many mesas and buttes that rise sharply from the desert floor. Sparse desert flora and fauna can also be found.

crater lake national park

Crater Lake National Park is located in Southern Oregon and whose primary feature is the lake itself. It was established on May 22, 1902, as the fifth National Park in the U.S. The park encompasses Crater Lake's caldera, which rests in the remains of a destroyed volcano posthumously called Mount Mazama. The lake is 1,949 feet deep at its deepest point which makes it the deepest lake in the United States and second in North America. The lake's water regularly has a striking blue hue and the lake has no inlet or outlet and is filled entirely from direct precipitation in the form of snow and rain.

okefenokee swamp, georgia-florida

The Great Okefenokee Swamp, one of America’s most fascinating natural areas is the largest Swamp in North America. "Okefenokee" what Seminoles called "Land of Trembling Earth" is approximately 700 square miles located in the southeast corner of Georgia and extending into north Florida. Most of this Eco system has been officially protected since 1937 as the OKEFENOKEE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE and in 1974 a portion was designated National Wilderness Area. Two rivers have headwaters in the Okefenokee, the Suwannee, flowing south through Florida to the Gulf of Mexico and the St. Mary's forming the eastern boundary of Georgia and Florida on it’s way to the Atlantic Ocean.

flagler college - ponce de leon hotel

Flagler College, formerly the Ponce de Leon Hotel was built in 1888 by Henry Morrison Flagler, oil magnate and railroad pioneer. Made of poured concrete, the interior is decorated in marble, carved oak, and extensive murals. The stained glass windows were made by Louis Tiffany. In 1968 the hotel was converted to a four year liberal arts college, with its campus said by many to be "the most beautiful in the United States." The historic campus now consists of 15 buildings scattered around downtown St. Augustine, Florida, with the focal point being Ponce de Leon Hall.

mackinac island

Mackinac Island (pronounced: MACK-in-aw) is a Michigan island covering 3.8 square miles in land area and is located in Lake Huron at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac. In the late 19th century, the island became a popular tourist attraction and summer colony and is well known for its numerous cultural events; its wide variety of architectural styles, including the famous Victorian Grand Hotel; and its ban on almost all motor vehicles. More than 80 percent of the island is preserved as Mackinac Island State Park. Travel on the island is either by foot, bicycle, or horse-drawn carriage. Island access is available only by boat and small airplane, or in wintertime, by snowmobile.

great goosenecks

Thought this was a very intriguing name in addition the spectacular view. Situated near Mexican Hat, Utah, deep in the uranium country of Monument Valley, and part of Goosenecks State Park, the canyon formation is over a thousand feet deep and was hewed by the erosive effects of the San Juan River. For an even more stunning view, go to Wikipedia and click on Goosenecks State Park as seen from space.

hells canyon

Hells Canyon, home of the mighty Snake River, is the deepest gorge in North America. Marking the border between Idaho and Oregon, Hells Canyon plunges to depths of nearly 8,000 feet between the Seven Devils range to the east and Oregon’s rim country to the west. The area offers scenic vistas of mountain peaks and cascading waters, and glimpses of abundant wildlife in a remote wilderness setting. Prehistoric tribes roamed the area and artifacts from these earlier inhabitants as well as the colorful ruins of early miners and settlers are visible. The area can be experienced by land, trail or boat.

chesapeake bay bridge

Chesapeake Bay Bridge - Connecting Eastern and Western Shores of Maryland. Completed in 1952, this magnificant structure represents the fruition of the dream of generations of Marylanders of a permanent bay crossing. Length of suspension span - 2,922 feet, Overall length - 7.727 miles. Roadway is about 200 feet above water at highest point. A parallel span was added in 1973 giving rise to the bridge's current dual-span nature.

South Padre Island

South Padre Island is a resort community in Cameron County, Texas with location on a barrier island along the Texas Gulf coast accessible via a causeway from the town of Port Isabel. South Padre experiences a humid subtropical climate, similar to that of the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. Fishing, watersport and normal beach activities are prevalent, along with horseback riding, ecological tourism and just plain strolling. Subsequent to rebuilding from Hurricane Beulah, the island became a popular spring break destination for college students and other tourists.