The USA is a remarkable destination, with incredible variety. Here’s a look at 10 places around the United States to enjoy for a Fourth of July vacation or long weekend.
The Oregon Coast: The Pacific Coast in Oregon features incredible beaches and wonderful towns. Top spots along the way include Cannon Beach, with its 235-foot-high Haystack Rock, as well as great towns such as Astoria and Newport. Stop in Portland for a taste of a fabulous west coast city.
Milwaukee: This is very much an underrated city. The Historic Third Ward is home to buzzing restaurants and clubs, while the Milwaukee Art Museum is one of the best (and architecturally striking) museums in the country). Try a river and Lake Michigan Cruise. Stop at Leon’s for a frozen custard cone, and don’t forget to get a selfie taken with the downtown statue of “The Fonz” from the Happy Days TV show.
The Milwaukee Museum of Art in Wisconsin. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Tucson and Arizona Wineries: Tucson has a lively downtown with good and bars to check out. Take a drive over scenic Gates Pass and admire the stately saguaro cactus. Just west of the pass you can (and should) check out the fabulous Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. The golf and horseback riding in the area is top notch, and you’ll find terrific wineries at higher elevations east of Tucson.
Myrtle Beach: I’ve been three or four times and always enjoy myself. The people are warm and welcoming, and the beach goes on forever. Murrells Inlet is a fun spot south of town with a nice waterfront and casual restaurants. Brookgreen Gardens is famous for its amazing floral displays and statuary. There is tons of great golf in the area, including fun miniature golf courses for the whole family.
Sunset from the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort at Kingston Plantation. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Route 66: This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Great Mother Road, which runs from downtown Chicago to the beach and pier in Santa Monica, California. The road takes you past old-time gas stations, neon-lit cafes and other great throwback spots. One of the best stretches is in Illinois, but others swear by Arizona. The route also goes through parts of Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico.
Fredericksburg and Texas Hill Country: Fredericksburg is a fun, small city north of San Antonio that I quite enjoy. There are terrific shops, good restaurants and nice wineries scattered about the area. The city also is home to the National Museum of the Pacific War. It’s just a short drive to the legendary country “village” of Luckenbach, Texas, which is delightful.
Luckenbach, Texas; a joyous, wondrous and slightly goofy spot in central Texas. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Pittsburgh: This is a terrific city. The confluence of three major rivers; the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio (the first two merge to form the latter) is in the heart of downtown. The city also is home to the Andy Warhol Museum, terrific NFL and Major League Baseball stadiums and the stately Fairmont Hotel Pittsburgh.
Morro Bay, California: A warm, welcoming, low-key getaway on the Central Coast, roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Morro Rock is a towering formation on the shore that makes for fabulous photos, and there’s a very nice beach. There are tons of nice waterfront restaurants. It’s just a short drive to the engaging city of San Luis Obispo.
Morro Bay, California. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Cape Cod, Massachusetts: The beaches here are amazing, and so is the seafood. Provincetown is a fun, colourful shop that’s very friendly to gay visitors. The nearby islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard attract wealthy visitors, sailors and beachgoers in summer.
Apalachicola, Florida: A terrific small town on the Florida panhandle. There’s a nice, walkable downtown with funky shops and nice food offerings. ou’ll find great kayaking and solitude galore at nearby St. Vincent Island National Wildlife Reserve, just west of town. Stay the night at Gibson Inn for some old-time Florida charm.
The Gibson Inn is a fun place to stay in Apalachicola, Florida. JIM BYERS PHOTO
BONUS PICK
Molokai is a fabulous getaway spot for Hawaii residents, or people on the mainland. There are no buildings over two-stories high and no traffic lights. East Molokai has quiet, pocket beaches and lush scenery, especially in the remote Halawa Valley. Papohaku Beach on West Molokai stretches on for miles, and is usually deserted. Hotel Molokai is a delightful place to spend a few nights.
FINE EVENING WITH GREATER PALM SPRINGS
The folks from Visit Greater Palm Springs, California were in Canada this week to meet with Canadian travel journalists. After a session in Vancouver, they touched down in Toronto on June 24 and treated the media to a fabulous dinner at The Butcher Chef on Harbour Street.
“We know it’s a tough time and we understand that,” said Todd Burke, Vice President of Communications for Visit Greater Palm Springs.
It’s a fabulous destination with glorious sunshine, excellent food, amazing architecture and spectacular desert scenery. The golf is sublime, and there’s terrific hiking in deep canyons lined with palm trees.
The Indian Canyons are a wonderful nature spot in Palm Springs, California. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Burke said there are new hotels, including the Thompson right downtown. The Riviera Hotel is being restored to its former glory and should reopen in January. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the outstanding La Quinta Resort.
There’s also a new surf park coming to Palm Desert, and the immersive Desert X art exhibit will be staged in October of this year.
