Whether you enjoy a stack of fluffy pancakes dripping with syrup or like to smother them in whipped cream and strawberries, there’s no denying that pancakes are a popular meal choice. Any food that is beloved by all deserves to have its own holiday.
National Pancake Day is celebrated on February 28. A thin flat cake prepared with a batter made from milk, eggs, flour, and oil or butter, the pancake and its variations are found in almost every culture.
History of National Pancake Day
Also known as Johnnycakes, griddlecakes, flapjacks, and hotcakes, this batter-made breakfast item dates back more than 30,000 years. In fact, it may be the oldest breakfast food in history spanning as far back as the Stone Age and even found in the stomach of Otzi the Iceman whose human remains are estimated to be 5,300 years old.
The Middle English word pancake first appeared in English in the 15th century although Ancient Greeks and Romans made what were called alita dolcia or another sweet with wheat flour, olive oil, honey, and curdled milk. Greek Poets, Cratinus, and Magnes wrote about them in their poetry and Shakespeare mentions them in his famous plays. During the English Renaissance, pancakes were flavored with spices, rosewater, sherry, and apples. This practice of pouring batter on a pan and frying it is common in nearly every culture around the world.
This year guests from around the country will once again celebrate National Pancake Day at IHOP and enjoy a free short stack of Buttermilk pancakes. In return for the free pancakes, guests are asked to leave a donation to designated local charities. This is your opportunity to contribute to your community and enjoy a delicious meal. Celebrated annually in spring, and since beginning its first celebration in 2006, International House of Pancakes (IHOP) have raised over $24 million to support charities in the communities in which they operate.
A day so nice they made it twice—September 26 is the year’s second National Pancake Day. That day was first called Lumberjack Day. The creators of the holiday changed the name to honor pancakes.
People love pancakes so much that there are two National Pancake Days each year. As mentioned above IHOP restaurants have celebrated its own holiday devoted to pancakes. IHOP’s National Pancake Day 2023 takes place on February 28.
And we also have pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. It is the day before Ash Wednesday, also referred to as Fat Tuesday. Lent marks a time to eat simpler food and give up things like sweet, rich, and dairy ingredients. The day before the season started was the ideal time to make pancakes to use leftover eggs, milk, and sugar.
Prepare your eggs, butter, and milk as National Pancake Day is here! Let’s focus on the most important part of this day: stuff ourselves silly with stacks of fluffy pancakes. Top them off with your favorite toppings or try something different like chocolate syrup or an unusual fruit pairing. Pancakes have different variations like crepes and even waffles, so you can always tweak it.
Pancake racing is also a popular tradition on this day involving racing while flipping pancakes successfully on a pan. A mob football is also a popular celebration in the UK on this holiday.
Though this is certainly a day for tradition, it might also be one to think beyond the norm. Pancakes are a delightfully simple recipe that can be altered and embellished in a variety of creative ways. Try out some of these ideas for adding a bit of zing to the ordinary pancake recipe:
S’Mores Pancakes: Marshmallow fluff, chocolate chips, and some graham cracker crumbs turn plain old pancakes into something unique and exciting that is reminiscent of being gathered around a campfire.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate Pancakes: A delight for the senses, this recipe includes chocolate sauce and chocolate chips in the batter as well as mini marshmallows and crushed peppermint candies sprinkled on top. Indulgent and delicious!
Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes: Enjoy the sweetness with a balance of cheese with this light and fluffy recipe. Simply mix ricotta cheese and lemon zest into the batter, add fresh or frozen blueberries, and top with powdered sugar after cooking.
Create your own pancake: Choose one of the many pancake recipes from your favorite cookbook or online, shop for the the ingredients, and handle business.
Head over to your local IHOP: Enjoy a pancake with all the toppings at your leisure.
Give the gift of pancakes: Treat your partner to a delicious pancake meal; together you’ll make the world a better place, one flapjack at a time.
High Cakes: The record for the world’s highest pancake toss belongs to Dominic Cuzzacrea who flipped a pancake 31 feet (and 1 inch) into the air in November 2010
Joy to the World: Since 1961, Mrs. Butterworth has been the iconic godmother of American syrup
The Good Mix: The first ready-mix food which was sold commercially was Aunt Jemima pancake flour invented in 1889 in St. Joseph, Missouri
Worth Pondering…
The laziest man I ever met put popcorn in his pancakes so they would turn over by themselves.
If you’re dreaming of where to travel to experience it all, here are my picks for the best places to RV in March
That man is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.
—Henry David Thoreau
Writer and naturalist Henry David Thoreau is best known for his book Walden, a reflection on the two years he spent living in a cottage near Walden Pond in Massachusetts. In his journals, he worried that leaving his humble life to travel would numb him to the unique pleasures of a quiet, simple existence. Thoreau was a transcendentalist, valuing nature and personal spirituality over materialism: It’s no surprise that he measured a person’s riches in terms of emotional satisfaction and not luxury. He reminds us that we alone decide what fulfills us and brings us joy and often those joys are much easier to reach than we think.
Planning an RV trip for a different time of year? Check out my monthly travel recommendations for the best places to travel in January and February. Also, check out my recommendations from March 2022 and April 2022.
Originally named Mission San Antonio de Valero, the Alamo served as home to missionaries and their Indian converts for nearly seventy years. Construction began on the present site in 1724. In 1793, Spanish officials secularized San Antonio’s five missions and distributed their lands to remaining Indian residents. These men and women continued to farm the fields once the missions but now their own and participated in the growing community of San Antonio.
More than 2.5 million people a year visit the 4.2 acre complex known worldwide as The Alamo. Most come to see the old mission where a small band of Texans held out for thirteen days against the Centralist army of General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Although the Alamo fell in the early morning hours of March 6, 1836, the death of the Alamo Defenders has come to symbolize courage and sacrifice for the cause of Liberty.
Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world’s great natural wonders—the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Here, dunes have engulfed 275 square miles of desert creating the world’s largest gypsum dune field. It’s a truly awesome place. It feels like you are in another world.
Unlike dunes made of quartz-based sand crystals the gypsum does not readily convert the sun’s energy into heat and thus can be walked upon safely with bare feet even in the hottest summer months. In areas accessible by car children frequently use the dunes for downhill sledding.
Fun fact: Three species of lizards, one pocket mouse, and numerous species of insects have evolved a white coloration for survival in the white sands.
The Indiana Cheese Trail is full of delicious stops and this is what to expect if you’re antsy for dairy. Anyone interested in gobbling up some award-winning Gouda, cheddar, or Monterey jack doesn’t need to look any farther than Indiana. There are 10 creameries and dairies listed on The American Dairy Association Indiana’s website. While cheese enthusiasts can find most of their cheeses at Indiana farmers’ markets and local grocery stores, several are open to the public for tastings, tours, and even cheese-making classes.
The Heritage Ridge Creamery began in the 1970s. Amish dairy farmers needed to sell their milk. Since they used traditional milk cans, they couldn’t find an outlet for their product until this creamery opened. Now, a farmers’ cooperative owns Heritage Ridge. The company continues to use milk produced by local, family-owned dairy farms to make its scrumptious cheeses.
Denham Springs Main Street is right outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s capital city. Check out the Denham Springs Historic District & Antique Village where there’s a lot more than antiques—including gifts, home goods, local crafts, and more shopping opportunities like the locally-owned Cavalier House Books. And every spring and fall, the Historic District fills with hundreds of vendors, games, rides, food booths, and more at the area’s spring and fall festivals.
You won’t have to stray far to visit the Old City Hall Museum. This Art Deco-style structure was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 and features several interesting exhibits and collections.
For a great bite to eat, head over to Randazzo’s Italian Market where owner Antonio shares his family recipes straight from Italy. And Le Chien Brewing is a family-and-pet-friendly microbrewery serving up quality beers and sodas. Be sure to grab some nibbles from the onsite food truck, Pie Eyed, and enjoy live music on the spacious patio.
If you love outer space, the Kennedy Space Center visitor center is a must-see. It’s one of the most highly-rated destinations in the country and almost everybody loves their experience. You could easily spend an entire day here learning about the history and the future of space travel.
Guests have access to a variety of activities and learning experiences. You can touch a real moon rock, speak to astronauts, and get up close and personal with a rocket.
There are tons of tours, videos, and exhibits that are suitable for all kinds of people. The only downside of this experience is the price point. It’s a bit discouraging to see that entrance fee ($78.99) especially if you have younger kids who might not get their money’s worth. Overall, this place is definitely worth a visit though.
Each March, Macon becomes a pink, cotton-spun paradise as over 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees bloom in all their glory.The International Cherry Blossom Festival is a perennial favorite held March 17-26, 2023 that features art exhibitions, rides, and performances.
The Creek Indians were the first inhabitants of the area that would later become known as Macon, settled by Europeans in 1809. Celebrate the Native American tribes that called the Macon area home at the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, a site dating back 17,000 years. The site has North America’s only reconstructed Earth Lodge with its original 1,000-year-old floor as well as the Great Temple Mound.
In the 1960s, Macon was ground zero for the music industry thanks to Capricorn Records and artists like the Allman Brothers Band and Otis Redding. Learn about the band that called Macon home at The Allman Brothers Band Museum at The Big House, the Tudor-style home that Berry, Duane, and Gregg lived in with their family and friends. It has a large collection of guitars and band memorabilia.
7. This Arizona ghost town will transport you to the Wild West
Goldfield Ghost Town lies along the Apache Trail, a stagecoach route originally forged by the Apache tribe which passes through Arizona’s Superstition Mountains. As its name suggests, Goldfield was a gold mining town that boomed in the 1890s; intrepid opportunists found gold here as early as the 1880s but didn’t establish a town immediately due to the ongoing wars between the United States military and the local Apache tribes.
At its peak, Goldfield had three saloons, a boarding house, a general store, a blacksmith shop, its own brewery and meat market, and a schoolhouse, as well as a local jail. Many of these buildings have been preserved (with large, dramatic signage). The town offers plenty of entertainment for visitors—from gunfight reenactments to panning for gold—but a highlight is their train which is the state’s only remaining narrow-gauge train. Goldfield also offers a recently-constructed Zipline, museum, mine tours, and reptile exhibits. Entry is free, but individual exhibits cost between $7 and $12 for adults.
Charleston might be known for its old-school Southern cuisine but the richly historic South Carolina mainstay’s culinary offerings extend way beyond she-crab soup. At Charleston Wine + Food (March 1–5, 2023), you’ll learn about what makes the city a proper food destination tasting local flavors while also mingling with chefs and winemakers from around the globe. Take part in a hip-hop-inspired Cognac workshop, enjoy a Kamayan-inspired dinner, or stop by the (free) City of Charleston Wine + Food Street Fest.
If festivals aren’t your thing, take off on your own exploring the city’s diverse food scene which draws on influences from Europe, West Africa, and the West Indies. The Quinte, a newly opened oyster bar, will get you a taste of that distinctly Charleston, ultra-fresh seafood. Vern’s, headed by James Beard Award-semifinalist Daniel Dano Heinze, applies a Californian approach to local Lowcountry provisions. And if it’s a classic spot you’re after, you can’t beat Rodney Scott’s BBQ for pit-cooked whole hogs that define the region’s barbecue.
At 30 miles long, Carlsbad Cavern was assumed to be the most extensive cave in the Guadalupes. But cavers have now mapped more than 150 miles of meandering shafts and caverns in Lechuguilla Cave. And exploration continues.
And length isn’t even the cave’s true calling card. Lechuguilla Cave is widely considered the most beautiful cave in the world. The Chandelier Ballroom with massive formations of delicate, crystalline gypsum has become iconic. But there are pellucid waters and exquisite forms throughout.
Lechuguilla Cave started its career as Misery Hole, a 90-foot pit in southeast New Mexico where miners extracted bat guano for use in fertilizers and explosives. It wasn’t until 1984 that cavers received approval from the National Park Service to pursue the source of a mysterious breeze emanating from the cave floor.
10. Peridot Mesa is a must-visit for lovers of wildflowers
The name Peridot derives from the presence of the olive green gemstones found in the basalt rock found atop the aptly named Peridot Mesa near Globe, Arizona. Some estimates suggest that the San Carlos Indian Reservation holds the world’s largest deposit of the August birthstone and consistently produces a substantial amount of the world’s commercial-grade supply of this stone.
While only members of the tribe may mine for the prized mineral, those visiting Peridot Mesa in search of wildflowers in late February through early April will find their own gems—that is, expansive blankets of Mexican gold poppies dotted by the lupin, desert-chicory, and blue dick across rolling hillsides as far as the eye can see.
Where to find the wildflowers? The mesa is located east of Globe on the San Carlos Reservation. The area can be best accessed via US-70 near Coolidge Dam Road. The mesa is one of the Grand Canyon state’s most popular hot spots for wildflower viewing. Since the Peridot Mesa is located on San Carlos Tribal Lands, visitors will need to purchase a permit to travel to the wildflower spot. Permits are $10 each.
Worth Pondering…
In March the soft rains continued, and each storm waited courteously until its predecessor sunk beneath the ground.
Why Winter Is the Best Time to Visit Southern Utah
When winter arrives, travelers tend to split—half head to the mountains to ski or snowboard; the other half seeks out warm weather in the U.S. Sunbelt. Most overlook Utah, a state with year-round blue skies, mild weather, and red rock arches and spires that only look more stunning with a dusting of snow.
That landscape is perhaps best represented by southern Utah, my favorite section of the state that’s dominated by Mars-like spires, twisting canyons, and delicate sandstone arches. Southern Utah is home to all five of the state’s national parks and is often best visited in the winter when the hot, dry summer has passed and the crowds have dispersed.
Here’s everything you need to know to plan a visit to this lesser-known winter destination.
All five of Utah’s national parks (The Mighty Five) are found in the southern half of the state. In fact, it’s hard to plan a trip to southern Utah without incorporating a visit to at least one or two of the national parks.
Zion National Park is the furthest south and is known for its narrow slot canyons and pink sandstone cliffs. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, Zion National Park is a great place to enjoy sunny skies and fresh air, and get a little extra Vitamin D in the winter months. Plan a winter visit to soak up the sunshine while enjoying moderate temperatures and a stunning sandstone kaleidoscope of reds, oranges, and pinks. Winter visitors will find plenty to do including hiking, photography, camping, and gazing up at the wonders of the night sky.
Nearby is Bryce Canyon National Park, home to the world’s largest concentration of hoodoos (irregular columns of rock). The stark white of freshly fallen snow, red rocks, blue sky, and evergreen trees—some say Bryce Canyon is even more beautiful in winter! Here at 8,000 feet the scenery changes dramatically in the colder months providing unique opportunities to see the park but requires a very different packing list. Begin by reviewing regular closures and regulations, read about typical weather, and then explore the many ways you can experience this winter wonderland.
To the east are the red rock canyons, cliffs, and domes of Capitol Reef National Park while the adventure town of Moab acts as the gateway to both Arches and Canyonlands national parks with delicate sandstone arches and red rock canyons.
Star of Ed Abbey’s iconic Desert Solitaire, Arches has come a long way since 1968 and these days it’s so action-packed, the park service is piloting a timed-entry system requiring advance reservations from April to October 2023. But there are ways around a Disneyland experience. Be an early bird or a night owl—come before sunrise or stay beyond sunset and you’ll be amply rewarded with quieter trails and golden light that makes the arches glow.
The nearest accommodations of Moab are close enough to the park entrance to make this doable. If you’d rather not rise early, book a guided tour with a ranger to see the permit-only Fiery Furnace area or secure a campsite at Devils Garden up to six months in advance. From the campground, you can hike to an underdog of an arch: the lesser-known, stunning Broken Arch.
Five distinct districts comprise Canyonlands, each offering something different. Island in the Sky is land of long views—don’t miss Shafer Trail Viewpoint or Mesa Arch. Only about 20 miles south of Island in the Sky as the crow flies (but a solid two-hour drive away), the Needles District offers great hiking including an action-packed jaunt on Cave Spring Trail featuring a replica of an 1880s-era cowboy camp and mushroom-like rock formations.
Go to the Maze to get lost; Chocolate Drops and Land of Standing Rocks are a couple of worthy destinations in this backcountry district. Head to the non-contiguous Horseshoe Canyon unit to see incredible petroglyphs including floating holy ghosts. And visit the River District at the bottom of the canyons carved by the Green and Colorado Rivers for a rafting adventure. For most of the park’s district, the best place to stay in Moab which offers easy access to Island in the Sky, the Needles, and the park’s rivers.
Beyond hiking, and in some cases, camping in southern Utah’s national parks, this part of the state is home to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, two winter sports that are beginner friendly and affordable. Those with their heart set on downhill skiing can find it at Brian Head Resort (near Cedar Breaks National Monument) or Eagle Point Resort, two ski areas with significantly lower prices than those found in northern Utah.
But there’s also year-round hiking, biking, camping, and backpacking in the southern part of the state. And in the evenings, when you’re resting your weary legs, make sure to look up—the long winter nights lend themselves to excellent stargazing.
It’s all about layers in the winter. If you plan to be outside most of the day, you’ll want to wear synthetic or wool base layers and pack a warm jacket and hat. Sunny days are the norm even in the middle of winter so sunscreen and sunglasses are also a must.
If you plan on hiking in the snow, it may be worth getting a pair of cleats that fasten over your winter footwear and provide added traction.
Many of southern Utah’s national and state parks offer year-round camping.
Zion has three campgrounds. Watchman Campground is open year-round with reservations from early March to late November and first-come, first-serve during the rest of the year. South Campground and Lava Point Campground are open seasonally.
At Bryce Canyon, North Campground’s A Loop is open all winter long for first-come, first-served camping. There are 30 sites in this loop and it is rare for the campground to fill in winter other than around major holidays. As happens every year when overnight temperatures fall below freezing, Loops C and D of North Campground have closed. Loop B typically closes in late fall unless demand for winter campsites is high enough to justify its remaining open. Sunset Campground is closed for the winter and will reopen for first-come, first-served camping on April 15.
Adjacent to the Fremont River and surrounded by historic orchards, Fruita Campground in Capitol Reef has 71 sites. Each site has a picnic table and firepit and/or above ground grill but no individual water, sewage, or electrical hookups. There is a RV dump and potable water fill station near the entrance to Loops A and B. Restrooms feature running water and flush toilets but no showers. The park has a 100 percent reservation system from March 1-October 31.
Devils Garden Campground is the only campground at Arches National Park. You can reserve campsites for nights between March 1 and October 31. Between November and February, campsites are first-come, first-served.
Canyonlands maintains two campgrounds. Island in the Sky Campground (Willow Flat) has 12 sites, first come, first-served. There are toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings in the campground. There is no water at the campground. The campground is open year-round. The Needles Campground has 26 individual sites. You can reserve some individual sites from spring through fall. At other times of the year, individual sites are first-come, first-served. There are toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings in the campground.
Worth Pondering…
Landscape is what becomes us. If we see our natural heritage only as a quarry of building block instead of the bedrock of our integrity, we will indeed find ourselves not only homeless but rootless by the impoverishment of our own imagination. At a time when we hardly know what we can count on in a country of shifting values and priorities, Canyonlands is our bedrock, a geologic truth that we all share, the eyes of the future are looking back at us, praying that we may see beyond our own time.
Arizona is an outdoor-lover’s dream with deep canyons, dramatic landscape, and a host of adventures where the land formations are the star of the show
Arizona is well-known for its beautiful landscapes and scenery. These beautiful, must-experience places are bucket-list worthy; some are well-known while others are hidden gems you might not have known about. From national landmarks to historical towns and breathtaking outdoor landscapes, here are 25 places to visit on your next Arizona road trip.
The most obvious landmark and Arizona road trip (and the most breathtaking of them all) is the Grand Canyon. If you have never experienced the sight of this outstanding view you absolutely must add this to your bucket list. You can check into El Tovar Hotel which is a historic property that opened its doors in 1905 and has entertained celebrities and presidents for over 100 years. Just steps away from the Grand Canyon’s edge, El Tovar has breathtaking views from every window and the resort’s dining room is as close to the canyon as you can get with cuisine that’s almost as memorable as the views as well as several hiking trails that will leave you speechless. Plus many photo opportunities!
What seems to be one of Arizona’s best-kept secrets is the interesting town of Bisbee. The former mining town is a small, unique community that sits high in the mountains near the Mexican border and in the far southeast corner of Arizona. With plenty of things to do, activities, events and festivals, shops, galleries, and nightlife plus birdwatching, gallery-gazing, dining, or pub-crawling, Bisbee will offer you a plethora of choices to keep you entertained.
Home to Lake Powell, The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is a stunning region of blue water with a desert landscape and dramatic stone walls. One of the largest manmade lakes in the United States, this area is known for land- and water-based recreational activities.
This gorgeous lake is located in northern Arizona, stretches up into southern Utah, and is part of the Colorado River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area with nearly 2,000 miles of shoreline. You can enjoy a summer’s day with perfect weather, cool water, amazing scenery, and endless sunshine. This is the perfect place to escape to and rent a houseboat, stay at a campground, or enjoy the lodging and hop aboard a guided expedition.
Due to its distinctive culture, Sedona is truly a place unlike any other. Visitors can navigate remote canyons, rejuvenate at an energy vortex site, and experience the ancient culture of the Sinagua people. Throughout the red rock are multitudes of secluded viewpoints, cliff dwellings, and well-preserved petroglyphs. In downtown Sedona, you’ll find a vibrant art community dense with unique shops and galleries. Hikers and adventurous types will enjoy the various trails and renowned Pink Jeep off-road adventure tours.
With the Santa Catalina Mountains beckoning in the distance and canyons and seasonal streams dotting the landscape, Catalina State Park provides a delightful respite in the Tucson area. The park is a haven for desert plants and wildlife and nearly 5,000 saguaros. The park’s 5,500 acres provide miles of equestrian, birding, hiking, and biking trails that wind through the park and into the nearby Coronado National Forest. More than 150 species of birds call the park home. This scenic desert park also offers equestrian trails and an equestrian center provides a staging area for trail riders with plenty of trailer parking. The state park offers 120 campsites with electric and water utilities suitable for RVs of all lengths.
In the foothills of the Pinal Mountains sits the former mining camp known as Globe. Founded in 1876 and incorporated in 1907 this lovely town is brimming with century-old buildings, cottages, and hillside houses. The Besh-ba-Gowah Archeological Park features stunning partially restored ruins of a Salado pueblo along with an accompanying museum. The historic downtown area is perfect for strolls and shopping for antiques while the Cobre Valley Center for the Arts is a great spot to explore and experience the talent of some incredible artists.
As scenic drives go, the 40-mile Apache Trail (Highway 88) winds through the Southwest’s most stunning scenery. It’s a rugged ribbon of hairpin turns and stark drop-offs that meanders past three lakes and carves through canyons and over the Superstition Mountains before concluding at Roosevelt Dam.
Highway 88 runs northeast from Apache Junction passing through Tortilla Flat along the way to Roosevelt Lake. While you can still access the road to Tortilla Flat, the portion north of the town is temporarily closed.
The opium dens, bordellos, and other landmarks of Williams, Arizona’s rough-and-tumble past are long gone. But some kinder, gentler vestiges of this town’s Wild West era remain. Today, the town’s Main Street is a National Historic District. Its storefronts house curio shops, an old-fashioned soda fountain, and classic diners and motels which preserve a bygone era. The town of 3,000 residents, considered the gateway to the Grand Canyon is also home to the Grand Canyon Railway an excursion between a historic depot and the canyon.
Since the 1840s, many have claimed to know the location of the Peralta family’s lost gold mine in the Superstition Mountains but none of these would-be fortune-seekers became more famous than “the Dutchman” Jacob Waltz. The German prospector purportedly hid caches of the precious metal throughout the Superstition Wilderness. Fact or fiction, Waltz’s windfall gave the park its name. You might not find gold during your visit but other treasures include great hiking and biking trails and 138 RV camping sites (68 with electric and water) with sunset views.
Right along the U.S.-Mexico border, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument has the kind of scenery you’d expect when you picture the desert. The monument’s tall, skinny namesake cacti abound in every direction. Instead of growing with one massive trunk like the saguaro, the many branches of the organ pipe rise from a base at the ground. Take a ride down Ajo Mountain Drive for great views of the “forests” of Saguaro (another species of cactus native to the area).
Picacho rises from the desert seemingly out of nowhere, its sharp buttes like lighthouses guiding travelers home. It wasn’t always a sight for road-weary eyes, though. In 1862, Confederate and Union soldiers clashed here in the Battle of Picacho Pass, a fight marked in history as the westernmost battle of the Civil War. These days during the spring, vibrant wildflowers carpet the ground; come winter, the challenging trails that ascend the sunny peaks draw thrill-seeking hikers.
Linking Arizona and Nevada, Hoover Dam is one of America’s great engineering marvels to date and a fantastic Arizona road trip. Completed in 1935, this massive and hard-to-miss structure crosses the Colorado River and sits at a total of 726 feet high and 1,244 feet long. You can drive or walk across the dam for free or take a tour of the dam. The visitor center provides information on the tours and has a café where you can stop for some basic grub.
With its impressive location tucked in the limestone cliffs in the desert of Camp Verde, Montezuma Castle is sort of like an ancient skyscraper. Towing some 80 feet above the valley floor, the 20-room residence was built by the Sinagua people beginning in around AD 1100 and served as an important shelter to escape floods. It was among the first four sites given the designation of National Monument back in 1906 with the site also including further dwellings around Montezuma Well, six miles from the castle.
As far as lakeside parks go, this one in western Arizona has no beach and not much shoreline hiking. But! It’s considered one of the best bass fishing lakes in the country. Anglers: Pack your gear and reserve one of the 15 full-service camping sites or cabins where the front porch makes for an ideal spot to spin yarns about the catch of the day.
An old mining town-turned ghost town-turned tourist attraction, Jerome sits on a mountainside just above the desert floor. Jerome is unique and quirky, to say the least with the Sliding Jail in Jerome that was originally built around 1928 and was built on a clay slick; it soon began to slide and now sits 2,500 feet from its original location. While you’re there, you can visit the town’s most appreciated historical landmarks including the Gold King Mine Museum and the Jerome State Historic Park.
A comparatively little-known canyon, Canyon de Chelly (pronounced “de shay”) has sandstone walls rising to 1,000 feet, scenic overlooks, well-preserved Anasazi ruins, and an insight into the present day life of the Navajo who still inhabit and cultivate the valley floor. This park is owned by the Navajo Nation and is managed cooperatively. A few Navajo families still live, raise livestock, and farm in the park. For the most memorable experience take a canyon tour with a Navajo guide. It’s a truly authentic, welcoming experience you’ll remember forever.
Oak Creek runs for nearly 2 miles throughout this 286-acre state park adorning the sandstone mesas and red boulders with leafy riparian habitats. If we’re judging Sedona hiking hot spots, it doesn’t get much better than the park’s juniper-studded trails and vortex-framed vistas. Red Rock State Park is one of the most ecologically diverse parks in Arizona which is why it makes sense that it serves as an environmental education hub. From the Visitor Center’s interactive exhibits and film presentations to guided nature walks and full moon hikes, programming offers insight into Sedona’s majestic landscape.
Surrounded by mountains, Tucson is a beautiful city set in the Sonoran Desert and is the second-largest city in Arizona. With many historic sites and cultural attractions, Tucson is a place to unwind and explore. Highlights include the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Saguaro National Park, El Presidio Historic District, and Sabino Canyon. You will also discover hiking trails and afterward find a bite to eat at one of the many wonderful restaurants Tucson has to offer.
Along a 17-mile self-drive route along a one-way gravel road, you will find the heart of the valley, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. While visiting this area which straddles the border between Arizona and Utah, you’ll experience the true Arizona desert feel with miles and miles of beautiful landscape and scenery of mesas and buttes, shrubs and trees, and windblown sand, creating all the wonderful and majestic colors of the Valley.
With its small-city feel and defined seasons, Prescott has tall Ponderosa pine trees, lakes, and the occasional sprinkle of snow. This charming town has much to offer including the Courthouse Plaza, Sharlot Hall Museum, Smoki Museum, Elks Theatre Opera House, Watson Lake, and numerous hiking areas including Thumb Butte Trail. You can grab a bite to eat at one of the downtown restaurants or spend a night at one of the beautifully restored bed and breakfasts or hotels.
One of Tucson’s most popular attractions is Saguaro National Park which is a great place to experience the desert landscape around this well-known town and see the famous saguaro cacti up close. With an east and west portion, the park has two sections approximately 30 minutes apart. Both sections of the park offer great opportunities to experience the desert and enjoy hiking trails.
Once a gold-mining boomtown, Oatman hunkers in a craggy gulch of the Black Mountains, 28 miles southwest of Kingman along Route 66. Rising above the town is the jagged peak of white quartz known as Elephant’s Tooth. Often described as a ghost town, Oatman comes close to fitting the category considering that it once boasted nearly 20,000 people and now supports just a little over 100 people year-round.
Though Oatman is only a shadow of its former self, it is well worth a visit to this living ghost town that provides not only a handful of historic buildings and photo opportunities but costumed gunfighters and 1890s-style ladies as well as the sights of burros walking the streets.
Petrified Forest is known for its treasure trove of fossilized logs exposed after eons of erosion by wind and water. About 60 million years ago tectonic action pushed the Colorado Plateau upwards exposing the layers of rock containing the park’s Triassic fossils. The park is composed of two sections: the north section is a colorful badlands called the Painted Desert, and the southern section contains most of the petrified wood.
The park consists of a 28-mile road that offers numerous overlooks and winds through the mesas and wilderness. Visitors can also choose to hike a variety of trails ranging from easy to difficult.
You can’t come to the Wild West and not truly experience the Wild West with staged gunfights in the streets and characters walking through town in period costumes to recreate the glory days of this small Arizona town that is great as an Arizona road trip. With top-rated attractions such as OK Corral, Allen Street, Boothill Graveyard/Gift Shop, and Courthouse State Historic Park, each shop, restaurant, and attraction is designed with tourists in mind and gives you the chance to see and soak in the town’s history.
With its rich tradition as a former copper mining hub, Ajo is a casual town with relaxed charm. Enjoy its mild climate, low humidity, and clear skies. Take in the historic Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, Sonoran Desert flora and fauna, and panoramic views. Step back in time at the Historic Plaza and railway Depot. Gaze at Spanish Colonial Revival architecture in the downtown Historic District.
Park the RV and board the train as you embark on a spectacular journey accessible only by rail. Powering the train are two EMD FP7 diesel locomotives built in 1953 for the Alaska Railroad. They were painted in 2019 with an apropos American bald eagle motif. Alert passengers may spot the U.S. national bird soaring in the canyon. From December to March, visitors have a greater chance of seeing these special raptors since migrating and resident bald eagles share the canyon during nesting season.
Worth Pondering…
To my mind these live oak-dotted hills fat with side oats grama, these pine-clad mesas spangled with flowers, these lazy trout streams burbling along under great sycamores and cottonwoods, come near to being the cream of creation.
Food festivals are great places to fill your plates beyond the level you ever thought possible
To celebrate a festival means: to live out, for some special occasion and in an uncommon manner, the universal assent to the world as a whole.
—Josef Pieper
Food festivals are about community, cultural heritage, and putting copious amounts of tasty things in our mouths. From a chile festival in the Chile Capital of the World to a crawfish festival in the Crawfish Capital of the World, these fests are as notable for their vibes and photographability as they are for their food.
Allow me to present America’s best food festivals to look forward to in 2023. Roll up your sleeves and prepare to dig in. If anyone calls for me, I will be dressed as a cheese curd at the Cheese Curd Festival in Wisconsin.
The world-famous Crawfish Festival began in 1960 as a spin-off of the Breaux Bridge Centennial Celebration. The Louisiana Legislature had just named Breaux Bridge the Crawfish Capital of the World in 1959. The festival is now known around the country and even the world. Every May, thousands of hungry people flock to Breaux Bridge to be part of the festivities.
The Crawfish Festival has also become one of the largest gatherings of world-famous Cajun musicians. All weekend long you can hear the sound of authentic Cajun, Zydeco, and Swamp Pop music rising from the festival. Whether your musical taste is Cajun or Creole, you can witness over 30 bands perform over the three-day event if you think you have the stamina. It’s a perfect opportunity to see our musical tradition passed from generation to generation. Watch the Cajun dance contests, and if you’re brave, join in. There’s no better way to learn. There are even Cajun music workshops held in the heritage tent.
Of course, Wisconsin would be the only place appropriate for a cheese curd festival. Here in America’s Dairyland, these small squeaky bits of unaged baby cheddar are a ubiquitous snack, as magical as snowflakes with no two alike. And at the cheese curd festival in Ellsworth—the Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin, mind you—there are 6,000 pounds of cheese curds in every batch: fried, dipped, melted on tacos, slathered on poutine, served sweet in a cinnamon dessert curd, or smothered in marinara sauce, pizza-style. Pair them with hard cider, take in a classic car show, or show off your skills at the cheese curd-eating contest. There’s nothing cheesy about it.
The Hatch Chile Festival, held annually in the Chile Capital of the World over Labor Day weekend includes chile roasting, food and craft vendors, contests and fun for the kids, a carnival, and entertainment provided by local businesses along with volleyball, soccer, and softball tournaments.
You may not think you need to see the world’s largest steel skillet but what if it was attached to a chicken festival? That’s what you’ll find in Laurel County, the birthplace of both Kentucky Fried Chicken and the World Chicken Festival—four days of egg-ceptional activities like a Colonel Sanders motorcycle ride, a Rooster tail mullet contest, and plenty of cook-offs. While you’re there, make sure to check out the Sanders Café & Museum in Corbin where the original roadside restaurant has been restored to its 1940s layout and also where the magical 11 herbs and spices making up KFC’s original recipe were perfected. You still won’t find out what they are, though.
America is not lacking in meaty barbecue festivals. From the Barbecue Festival (October 28; 38th annual) in Lexington, North Carolina specializing in the vinegar-dipped Lexington-style to Nevada’s Rib Cookoff (Nugget Casino, Sparks) to the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest (November 4-5; 14th annual) in Lockhart (the Barbecue Capital of Texas) and Jack Daniel’s World Championship Barbecue Invitational (October 13-14) in Lynchburg, Tennessee, you can get your meats dry-rubbed, slathered, whole-hog, boozy, smoked, ketchup- or mustard-based, and really, any other way you can dream up in all corners of the country.
But for the biggest barbecue bash—in the world, they say—head to the Kansas Speedway for four days of the region’s signature thick, sweet, tomato-based sauce, and western-style entertainment including a rodeo, equine events, and a livestock show. There’s a barbecue hall of fame ceremony and both an invitational and open competition where over 500 teams compete for meat supremacy. If that’s overwhelming then just maybe stop by the Kids Que where contestants aged 11 to 15 compete with steaks and little ones aged 6 to 10 go head to head with burgers.
An evolution of Urbanna Days that began in 1957, the Urbanna Oyster Festival as we know it today hosts over 50,000 people in the square mile town over two days. Visitors flock from all over to celebrate the oyster!
In 1988 it was designated as the “official” oyster festival of the Commonwealth of Virginia and maintains that title today.
Come by BOAT or come by LAND! The charming Town of Urbanna closes its streets for this big celebration of everything OYSTER! It’s foodie heaven with over 50 food vendors and every kind of OYSTER! Raw, steamed, roasted, Rockefeller, fried, stewed, oysters in a pot pie and festival food fare like BBQ and crab bisque!
Arts and crafts, antique auto shows, children’s activities, and live bands are spread throughout the town. The town marina offers historical boats and exhibits on the conservation of the Chesapeake Bay, watermen, and the oyster industry.
Alabama just goes nuts for nuts, it seems. Over in Mobile, you can hit up the Alabama Pecan Festival (November 4–6) to down pies and see the annual crowning of the Pecan Queen.
But if peanuts are more your speed, it’s about a three-hour journey to the National Peanut Festival which promises a week’s worth of legume-themed activities. Located in the southeast corner of Alabama, Dothan is known as the Peanut Capital of the World and is a prime location for growing peanuts. If you’re in Dothan you’re in the heart of peanut country, considering the majority of all the peanuts grown in the United States are grown within a 100-mile radius of Dothan.
Come for the nutty fare and carnival foods and stay for the chainsaw art, sea lion splash, racing pigs, circus entertainers, and live concerts. Dothan, too, hosts a Peanut Queen parade alongside a raucous demolition derby.
It’s gratons galore at this festival, a fundraiser for the Port Barre Lions Club that also benefits all who love fried pork skins. And they definitely get into it: Not only is there a Cracklin Cookoff but a Cracklin Festival Queen will be crowned, complete with a court.
There’s also a parade, carnival rides, music, and food to let you know you’re in Cajun Country, in case the zydeco wasn’t enough. Besides your cracklins (of course), you’ve got your regular boudin, boudin balls and egg rolls, sweet dough pies, crawfish bisque and fettucini, jambalaya, shrimp po-boys, meats on sticks, and cowboy stew, a simple and hearty concoction stocked with enough meat to fill up a herd of cowboys. And cowgirls.
The Indio International Tamale Festival taking place every December is the largest festival in the world dedicated solely to the steamed savory treat. Visitors will see over 300 tamale vendors as well as live entertainment, interactive art spaces, beer gardens, craft stalls and, of course, the largest ever tamale. There is also a competition for the best tasting tamale.
Other bites available at the event include tacos, nachos, carne asada fries, funnel cake, ice cream and kettle corn. The festival is also known for its carnival rides and—since last year—the World’s Biggest Bounce House for kids and adults alike.
Worth Pondering…
Live every day as if it is a festival. Turn your life into a celebration.
Once relegated to pastries and pastel-colored ice cream, the pistachio is now enjoying its time in the spotlight
If you visit a coffee shop right now, I almost guarantee there is a pistachio-flavored drink on the menu.
That’s been the case at Starbucks for four years since launching the original pistachio latte in 2019. This winter, the global coffee chain’s seasonal menu features the return of the fan-favorite Pistachio Latte and the new Pistachio Cream Cold Brew.
“The new handcrafted Starbucks Pistachio Cream Cold Brew features Starbucks Cold Brew sweetened with vanilla syrup and is topped with silky pistachio cream cold foam and salted brown-buttery sprinkles,” a news release said. “The Pistachio Cream Cold Brew builds on customers’ love of the Pistachio Latte and the popularity of cold coffee year-round.”
Rosalyn Batingan, a member of the Starbucks beverage team, wrote for the company that “pistachio is the perfect flavor to follow the holidays and carry us through the winter season”—and other brands seem to agree. From local coffee shops to flavor-makers to perfume companies, pistachio has morphed into the new go-to flavor.
I’m delighted by the development. I tried the Starbucks drinks and enjoyed both; the nuttiness was there but it was subtle and there was no overt sweetness so anyone who is especially spooked of saccharine coffees need not be alarmed. The foam itself was nuanced but rich and I thought the more reserved flavors really elevated the drinks.
But my interest in the rise of pistachio is a little more personal, too.
While to me, shelling pistachios always felt like a bit of a laborious process and so they were never my favorite snack—until we visited two pistachio groves near Almadagaro, New Mexico.
For whatever reason, in the United States, nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, and walnuts seem to attract more attention than pistachios. To me, pistachios now hold the spotlight along with pecans.
Lately, however, there seems to have been a shift. Never did I think to connect pistachio with winter— but as evidenced by the scads of companies now offering pistachio flavored and scented products, there seems to be a growing subsection of people doing just that. This caused me to ask: is pistachio the new, seasonal flavor of winter?
Pistachio’s current ascendancy isn’t entirely unexpected, though; in 2015, Eater reported that Bartenders across the country are going nuts over pistachio cocktails.
Sure, the almond sees tons of love in cocktails. With a distinctive sweetness, it’s immortalized in classics like the Mai Tai and Amaretto Sour. But, lately, the more subtle pistachio is inspiring bartenders from coast to coast. Drink makers are not only rimming glasses with crushed green nuts but creating syrups, foams, orgeat and even infusing whiskey, sherry, and brandy.
At the time, multiple bars had begun incorporating pistachio flavor into their cocktails. At Gunshow in Atlanta, cocktail conductor Mercedes O’Brien turned her favorite pistachio strawberry pastry into a fun Boulevardier while Christiaan Rollich at AOC in Los Angeles uses pistachio syrup to provide the body and balance to the sour mix of absinthe, Green Chartreuse, and lime. NYC’s Booker and Dax created a frothy texture when shaken by bartender Dee Ann Quinones extracted the pistachio nut milk resulting in a creamy pistachio flavor and texture. Also in New York City, Mace’s Nico de Soto offers a cocktail with pistachio oil-washed vodka, espresso, and cardamom syrup to capture the flavors of Turkish coffee with baklava.
In the ensuing years, pistachio’s popularity has continued to grow.
According to Andrea Ramirez, the manager of consumer and customer market insight at Torani, since launching the brand’s pistachio syrup in April 2018 sales have grown by double digits every year. In general, pistachio benefits from its familiarity and affinity. It has wide consumer recognition (94 percent of consumers know it and 80 percent have tried it) and 68 percent like it or love it.
She described the flavor by saying that it has “an inherent familiarity.”
“It’s the kind of flavor of pistachio you might find in a pistachio cream puff,” Ramirez said. “It’s got a hint of marzipan-like nuttiness and sweet fragrance that’s both novel and familiar. It’s a flavor that pairs very nicely with Chocolate and Caramel.”
According to Ramirez, pistachios have come a long way over the years. For a long time, they were only available in-shell and when they were served at restaurants, they were available in specific contexts like “baklava in a Middle Eastern or Mediterranean restaurant or maybe in the Spumoni ice cream or cannoli at an Italian restaurant.”
Now, though, we have mainstream access to pistachio as a flavor, primarily in drinks, Ramirez said.
This point was echoed by Kristen Wemer, the chief technical officer at Flavorman—a food and beverage consultancy based in Louisville, Kentucky—who said that pistachio flavoring is “one of those flavors that’s new to specific categories but still familiar to the public’s palate…what’s exciting is using the flavor in new applications especially lattes and cocktails.”
Colectivo Coffee Roasters—which has numerous locations in Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago—is one of the companies applying pistachio flavor in this new format, specifically in their pistachio matcha latte.
D.S. & Durga—a Brooklyn-based, husband-and-wife helmed company makes immersive fragrances. An Instagram post announcing the return says that the cult classic pistachio product is “back by popular demand” and “joining the line full time.”
As noted by the Pistachio perfume product page, the top notes are pistachio and cardamom, the heart notes are “more pistachio and roasted almond” while the base notes are “even more pistachio, patchouli, and vanilla creme.” Elsewhere on the page, the company notes “I think pistachio is an elegant nut. Also a fun nut! It’s around good climes and everyone seems to dig it. We made this on a whim; a fragrance with no story that just evokes the fun of pistachio (especially as a dessert flavor). It was a studio juice (limited edition of 100 bottles). People went nuts for the concept (pun somewhat intended) and we knew we had to add it to the line.”
The perfume is also getting some top-tier ratings and reviews on the Reddit page r/fragrance.
Clearly, what may have once been deemed a relatively quiet nut has clearly found its voice. Perhaps, as Perfectly Daily Grind notes, pistachio milk (in the vein of almond or oat milk) might even be next on the horizon?
No matter what it is about pistachio that is causing people to now flock to it, it’s great to see a sudden resurgence of appreciation for the flavor which was once relegated to a nutty ice cream.
But now things have changed and I’m happy about that.
Select a town or small city in America for a road trip and you’ll likely get a lot of the same. Perhaps a cute main drag, a church or two, an old-school diner. Don’t get me wrong, small-town America can be great—but there’s no place quite like Lafayette, Louisiana.
Called the happiest city in America year after year plus the tastiest Southern town and music mecca, this New Orleans-alternative and geographic heart of the Bayou State is oozing with joie de vivre. That’s mostly thanks to the resident Creoles (French speakers born outside of France) and Cajuns (descendants of the Acadians expelled from the Canadian Maritimes in the 18th Century) who get what it means to have a good time.
Sure, there are Mardi Gras traditions unique to Creole and Cajun country like chicken chases but Lafayette which is also known as Hub City because of the many towns that surround it has so much more to offer. You’ll find arguably more festivals than any other US city of its size, parties every night at dancehall honky tonks, and some of the best cuisine in the country. Think New Orleans’ best cuisine and here is where most of those dishes originated.
And Lafayette is only getting better. Over the last few years, creative locals have revitalized downtown Lafayette with shops and restaurants you won’t see anywhere else.
So if you find yourself, like Paul Simon, “standing on the corner of Lafayette, state of Louisiana, wondering where a city boy could go to get a little conversation, drink a little red wine, catch a little bit of those Cajun girls dancing to zydeco,” here’s your guide.
Mardi Gras is done very differently here and absolutely needs to go on your bucket list even if you’ve experienced carnival season in New Orleans. On Fat Tuesday in Lafayette, locals dress up in colorful masks with big noses (like a more colorful big bird), get wasted, and eat thousands of crawfish.
But Lafayette doesn’t stop all year ‘round. In March, there’s Festivals Acadiens et Créoles for Cajun fiddle and washboard zydeco music. In April you’ve got Festival International (April 26-39, 2023) which attracts hundreds of thousands to the city every year and a festival for boudin.
Boudin is deeply ingrained in Cajun culture and the nearby community of Scott celebrates and shares it. You can find all kinds of mouth-watering boudin at the 9th annual Scott Boudin Festival, April 14-16, 2023. This regional authentic Cajun food is a favorite for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Boudin is a delicious combination of rice, ground pork, and flavorful seasonings stuffed into sausage casings. Boudin remains one of the most unique American sausages and regional specialties of Louisiana’s Cajun culture.
The rest of the year, there are festivals for everything from po’ boy sandwiches to frogs (Rayne Frog Festival) to sweet dough pie. In September, the Acadiana Po-boy & Plate Lunch Festival combines two of Lafayette’s favorite culinary gems, the po’boy and the plate lunch.
Sweet Dough Pie Festival celebrates the history of Grand Coteau (15 miles north of Lafayette off I-49) and a traditional Louisiana treat called a sweet dough pie. Every year on the fourth Saturday of October this charming town draws thousands of hungry visitors in search of their favorite traditional filling―sweet potato, fig, blackberry, or lemon!
Any time of the year, party while you eat during the world-famous zydeco breakfasts at Buck & Johnny’s (Saturdays, 8-11 am) or Cajun jams (Saturdays and Sundays, 11 am-1 pm) at Tante Marie in Breaux Bridge. Essentially, they’re exactly what they sound like: you eat a decadent brunch while listening to traditional music and everyone is encouraged to get up and boogie. Just know that you’ll never master the slick moves of the octagenarians (one who is between the ages of 80 and 89) you’re bound to see cutting up the dance floor.
Last but certainly not least, go dancing at Blue Moon Saloon Saloon & Guest House and Artmosphere. These two dancehalls encapsulate Lafayette’s love of life more than any place else.
Cajun and Creole food are celebrated the world over and Lafayette is where it all began. There are literally 50 places to eat boudin (Cajun Boudin Trail) so many crawfish boils during the season, gumbo (a meat stew made with dark roux in Acadiana as opposed to tomato-based roux in New Orleans), and shrimp étoufée (seafood stew over rice).
You really can’t go wrong with food in Lafayette but if you want a guide to give you a sampling of the most traditional dishes, you can do a Cajun Food Tour which offers history tours and culinary tours all rolled into one. Their tours take you into the heart of Cajun Country, off the eaten path.
After you’ve tried the classics, downtown Lafayette has some exciting new restaurants that are definitely worth checking out. The finest is Vestal (555 Jefferson Street) where Chef Ryan Trahan—a.k.a. The King of Louisiana Seafood—is doing something special with live fire cooking techniques. Otherwise, try Pop’s Poboys (740 Jefferson Street) or Pamplona Tapas Bar & Restaurant (631 Jefferson Street).
Beausoleil Books & Whisper Room (302A Jefferson Street) is the kind of place that proves Lafayette is on the up and up. The bookstore is the only place that has a collection of French books for sale in Lafayette these days and it duals as a bar and event space—yes, you can even take your drink with you as you peruse.
Wild Child Wines (210 E. Vermilion Street) has the city’s best selection of natural and traditional wine which can be sipped in-shop. If craft beer’s what you’re after, Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville is worth the 20-mile drive for its big selection of intriguing flavors (king cake beer during carnival season!) and does a mean pizza. If you’re daring, try their Boudin Bomb (a cajun stout with bourbon and “Gatorbite” coffee liquor).
Just make sure you don’t leave Lafayette without getting a drive-thru daiquiri at a place like Frankie’s because where else in the world can you say you did that?
Humans and alligators have a complicated relationship. They scare us but they’re nothing to be afraid of. Well, as long as you’re not a tiny, bite-sized human or swimming right next to them. From a lovely, floating, safe boat, they’re pretty neat to watch. The best way to do that is with McGee’s Swamp and Airboat tours which are also a good way to gain an appreciation for Louisiana wetlands.
Another fun thing to do is to drive down to Avery Island, the home of the Tabasco hot sauce factory. You can also sample every sauce flavor available here along with super delicious Tabasco Ice Cream. More than a worthwhile museum experience, Avery Island has jungle gardens with exotic wildlife including hundreds of egrets that nest on the island each spring on specially built, pier-like structures in a pond nicknamed “Bird City.”
Campgrounds and RV Parks in the Lafayette area include:
Cajun Palms RV Resort, 15 miles west in Henderson (I-10, Exit 115)
Lafayette KOA Holiday, 8 miles east in Scott (1-10, Exit 97)
Frog City RV Park, 12 miles east in Duson (I-10, Exit 92)
Poche’s RV Park and Fish-N-Camp, 12 northwest in Breaux Bridge (1-10; Exit 104; check directions locally)
Worth Pondering…
Well, I’m standing on the corner of Lafayette State of Louisiana Wondering where a city boy could go To get a little conversation Drink a little red wine Catch a little bit of those Cajun girls Dancing to Zydeco.
―Paul Simon, “That Was Your Mother”, Track 10 on Graceland (1986)
Paper maps are making a comeback. Here’s why it’s smart to get one.
With GPS in our cars and on our smartphones, gone are the days of massive paper maps directing us where to go—or so we thought. Those old foldable maps are actually making a comeback, not just among the older generations that grew up with them.
The Ordnance Survey, the national mapping agency of Great Britain, saw a 144 percent increase in sales in 2020 compared to the year before, a spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal. And AAA said it produced 123 percent more maps in 2022 than in 2021, a boost the organization noted is being driven by millennials and Gen Zers.
In Northern New Jersey, Stephanie Kivett Ohnegian keeps an atlas in her car because “there are places where the GPS signal doesn’t work” or “the routing is ridiculous.”
In Portland, Oregon, Kimberly Davis has paper maps in her earthquake go bag—just in case.
And in Newport Beach, California, Christine McCullough has another practical reason for keeping the once-ubiquitous thick, spiral-bound Thomas Guides in her car. As the kids prepare for their driving tests, her edict is no phones.
Few folks would dismiss the fact that GPS for all its imperfections can be a godsend when we’ve lost our way—assuming it wasn’t GPS that sent us wildly off course in the first place. The same goes for Apple Maps, Google Maps, and Waze. And those apps are constantly evolving, too.
Apple just delivered a redesigned Apple Maps experience with what the company insists is faster and more accurate navigation and more comprehensive views of roads, buildings, parks, airports, malls, and so on.
Apple unveiled a new Look Around feature that is similar to Google’s Street View leveraging high-resolution photographs to let you see what major cities look like.
As part of its 15th birthday, Google is rolling out a refreshed look of Google Maps on iOS and Android devices and adding such new features as the ability for some transit riders to determine whether their bus or train is likely to be on the warmer or colder side.
GPS receivers are great for navigation and getting to where you want to go. Though apps like Google Maps are surely convenient there are a few downfalls to digital navigation, the first being that a smartphone battery can die. In a survival situation, paper maps provide a reliable backup to GPS receivers, smartphones, or tablets.
Alabama Welcome Center
The apps are also driven by artificial intelligence and satellite imagery to take you to your destination in the fastest way possible meaning you may miss out on scenic views and the expertise of a cartographer-drawn map.
Over-reliance on GPS has eroded our spatial awareness. You become more focused on your phone and less on your overall surroundings. When you follow directions from GPS apps or navigation systems, you don’t gain a full understanding of your environment. Instead, you become dependent on technology.
Despite its convenience, GPS receivers make us less aware of our surroundings. The broader scale and greater details in paper maps give us an advantage in geographic perception.
“Do they still make, even sell, paper maps?” That question from retired New York marketing executive Michael Lissauer is emblematic of our daily reliance on digital navigation. “Other than in a history class, Europe before World War II, who needs a paper map?”
It may surprise Lissauer and others that the answer to the question is yes. They’re actually on the rise. U.S. sales of print maps and road atlases had have had a five-year compound annual growth rate of 10 percent, according to the NPD BookScan. For context, in 2019, the travel maps and atlases category sold 666,000 units with year-over-year sales up 7 percent.
Tony Rodono owns and runs The Map Shop. “We’ve had a retail location in Charlotte, North Carolina for about 30 years and every day we get somebody walking in saying, ‘How in the world can you stay in business?’”
Not only is The Map Shop still in business but it is also moving to a bigger facility partly to manufacture three-dimensional raised relief maps that are vacuum-formed over a mold to help people get a better representation of an area’s topography.
A few of The Map Shop’s older generation customers are skeptical of GPS, he finds. “They have a flip phone that’s tucked away with their map in their glove box for emergencies,” he says. But he’s seeing fewer and fewer customers who fit that description.
Members of AAA can still walk into a local branch and request a TripTik, the spiral-bound notebooks filled with fold-out maps tracking the route to their final destination. An AAA agent would highlight the route with a marker and point out sightseeing spots, restaurants, perhaps places to spend the night. You’d typically walk out with tour books as well.
As a signpost of the digital age, people nowadays can order TripTiks which first surfaced in 1937, online or through the AAA app and create a digital version.
Dave Arland still frequents an AAA branch before a big car trip. The Indiana public relations executive insists, “Nothing beats the high-resolution printed map! Plus printed maps don’t have an attitude like Siri, Google, or others!”
“I am a paper girl all the way,” says Cindi Gildard, a bookkeeper at Chase Leavitt in Portland, Maine. “I’m not a navigator. I wouldn’t know how to use a GPS if there was one in my vehicle.”
Instead, Gildard relies on the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer which she says is awesome and shows “old little dirt roads and where bridges were washed out.” The Gazetteer uses dotted lines, she adds, to indicate areas in the backcountry where you need four-wheel drive.
Fat Tuesday, last day before Lent’s forty day fast; Mardi Gras magic exudes from every pore, Elaborately costumed krewes toss beads off floats, Give rise to fanciful celebrations of the dead, Historic carnival steeped in Catholic doctrine.
—Sterling Warner
Mardi Gras is a Christian holiday and popular cultural phenomenon that dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites. Also known as Carnival or Carnaval, it’s celebrated in many countries around the world, mainly ones with large Roman Catholic populations. Mardi Gras is traditionally celebrated on Fat Tuesday, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, and the start of Lent. This year Mardi Gras is February 21 which means the season will last a little more than six weeks.
Mardi Gras is one of the many worldwide celebrations that recognize Fat Tuesday—the last day before Lent which historically was characterized by giving up meat, sweets, and other delicacies. Originating in medieval Europe, by the 17th and 18th centuries the festivities had become an annual event for the French House of the Bourbons.
On March 2, 1699, French-Canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville arrived at a plot of ground 60 miles directly south of New Orleans and named it Pointe du Mardi Gras when his men realized it was the eve of the festive holiday. Bienville also established Fort Louis de la Louisiane (which is now Mobile) in 1702. In 1703, the tiny settlement of Fort Louis de la Mobile celebrated America’s very first Mardi Gras.
In 1704, Mobile established Masque de la Mobile, a secret society similar to those that form the current Mardi Gras krewes. It lasted until 1709. In 1710, the Boeuf Gras Society was formed and paraded from 1711 through 1861. The procession was held with a huge bull’s head pushed along on wheels by 16 men. Later, Rex, The King of Carnival, would parade with an actual bull draped in white and signaling the coming Lenten meat fast. This occurred on Fat Tuesday.
New Orleans was established in 1718 by Bienville. By the 1730s, Mardi Gras was celebrated in New Orleans but not with the parades we know today. In the early 1740s, Louisiana’s governor, the Marquis de Vaudreuil, established elegant society balls which became the model for the New Orleans Mardi Gras balls of today.
The earliest reference to Mardi Gras Carnival appears in a 1781 report to the Spanish colonial governing body. That year, the Perseverance Benevolent & Mutual Aid Association was the first of hundreds of clubs and carnival organizations formed in New Orleans.
By the late 1830s, New Orleans held street processions of maskers with carriages and horseback riders to celebrate Mardi Gras. Dazzling gaslight torches or flambeaux lit the way for the krewe’s members and lent each event an exciting air of romance and festivity.
In 1856, six young Mobile natives formed the Mistick Krewe of Comus invoking John Milton’s hero Comus to represent their organization. Comus brought magic and mystery to New Orleans with dazzling floats (known as tableaux cars) and masked balls. Krewe members remained anonymous.
In 1870, Mardi Gras’ second Krewe, the Twelfth Night Revelers, was formed. This is also the first recorded account of Mardi Gras throws.
Newspapers began to announce Mardi Gras events in advance and they even printed Carnival Edition lithographs of parades’ fantastic float designs (after they rolled, of course, themes and floats were always carefully guarded before the procession). At first, these reproductions were small and details could not be clearly seen. But beginning in 1886 with Proteus’ parade Visions of Other Worlds these chromolithographs could be produced in full, saturated color, doing justice to the float and costume designs of Carlotta Bonnecase, Charles Briton, and B.A. Wikstrom. Each of these designers’ work was brought to life by talented Parisian paper-mache artist Georges Soulie who for 40 years was responsible for creating all of Carnival’s floats and processional outfits.
1872 was the year that a group of businessmen invented a King of Carnival, Rex to preside over the first daytime parade. To honor the visiting Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff, the businessmen introduced Romanoff’s family colors of purple, green, and gold as Carnival’s official colors. Purple stands for justice, gold for power, and green for faith. This was also the Mardi Gras season that Carnival’s improbable anthem, If Ever I Cease to Love, was cemented, due in part to the Duke’s fondness for the tune.
The following year, floats began to be constructed entirely in New Orleans instead of France culminating with Comus’ magnificent The Missing Links to Darwin’s Origin of Species in which exotic paper-mache animal costumes served as the basis for Comus to mock both Darwin’s theory and local officials including Governor Henry Warmoth. In 1875, Governor Warmoth signed the Mardi Gras Act making Fat Tuesday a legal holiday in Louisiana which it still is.
Like Comus and the Twelfth Night Revelers, most Mardi Gras krewes today developed from private social clubs with restrictive membership policies.
What was Mardi Gras like in 1898? Arthur Hardy who publishes an annual guide to the New Orleans celebration searched for decades to find out, looking for a film of the parade that year that was only rumored to exist. He finally found it nearly 5,000 miles away at the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam. The footage which was recently shown at the Louisiana State Museum is the oldest-ever film of New Orleans. “This probably, in Louisiana film history, is the most important find,” said Louisiana film historian Ed Poole.
Footage from the 1899 Mardi Gras shows that while Mardi Gras parades from over a century ago are in many ways similar to today’s, the festival has certainly evolved. For instance, while modern revelers often dress casually (and sometimes wear very little clothing at all), parade-goers in 1898 donned formal attire and carried parasols. People riding on floats were not throwing beads or coins into the crowd and no police or barricades were present for crowd control.
On the flipside, one tradition from 1898 has since disappeared: The traditional revelry of boeuf gras or fatted ox was once a live bull. The film shows an actual bovine perched atop one of the floats. This tradition ended in the early 20th century when officials decided it was “no longer tasteful.” Today’s parades opt instead for a papier-maché version.
It’s certainly grown and changed a bit but at its core, Mardi Gras is the same.
Experiencing the peace of Southern Utah in winter is an attraction of its own
Find your sense of adventure and awe in the vast yet intricate swaths of the desert from Arches National Park to Monument Valley. This magical landscape is awash in history dating back thousands of years to the original Native American settlers to whom these places were sacred.
A journey through Southern Utah is an expansive geological paradox: It’s vast and wide-open…empty. Yet, up close, this landscape bears the most intricate topography imaginable: twisting slot canyons, towering rock formations, winding rivers cutting through eons of rock layers, and ancient dwelling sites bringing history within reach.
During the winter, the sense of awe is heightened. Not only are the dramatic red, orange, and sandy desert hues brightly lit by the low wintery sun but they may be topped with touches of white snow—a photographer’s dream. In the off-season, the summer crowds are long gone. It’s just you and the silent, crisp desert air.
This itinerary guides you through classic Southern Utah vistas, archaeological sites, geographic marvels, and sacred Native American lands including Bears Ears National Monument.
Keep in mind that while winter is an extraordinarily beautiful time to visit this corner of the world, the roads can at times be wet, icy, or snowy, especially on some of the remote roads you’ll be traveling. It’s a very smart move to use a four-wheel-drive vehicle with good tires and plenty of water and snacks packed along. As any seasoned cowboy could tell you, you’ll never regret bringing extra snacks. (Read:A Winter’s Desert: Visiting Southern Utah in the Slow Months)
Start: Green River or Salt Lake City
Finish: Mexican Hat
Hours of drive time: 11-14 depending on starting point; plan at least six hours for return to Salt Lake by car, longer in an RV
Day 1: See Arches National Park in its full winter glory
If you’re starting from the Salt Lake City area initially, drive south to Green River the night before your itinerary begins to shave three hours of drive time off your first day. If you can’t, plan an early departure from Salt Lake to make the most of your time in Arches and Moab. Arches National Park is world-famous for good reason which attracts quite the dense summer crowds. Now, mid-winter, you can truly take its wonders in with plenty of breathing room. Take a few short hikes: Delicate Arch is one of the most classic vistas in the state, so start there. Then add a walk through Devil’s Garden if you can. (Read:The 5 Best Hikes in Arches National Park)
Wrap the day warming back up in an RV resort in Moab and fuel up with tasty pub fare and a pint. If you’re up for it, inquire at the Arches Visitor Center about ranger-led stargazing for the evening. Arches and Dead Horse Point State Park both have International Dark Sky Designations which means you can experience unforgettable stargazing free of urban light pollution. (Read:Immense Cliffs and Stunning Overlooks: Dead Horse Point)
Get ready for another big day, this time taking in the beauty of the Colorado River canyon east of Moab. Stop for a hike in the classic Grandstaff Canyon (just two miles each way reaching one of the longest rock spans in the country, Morning Glory Natural Bridge).
Once you get to the Castle Valley area, you’ll take a scenic stroll around Fisher Towers. This is one of the most exquisite hikes in the area because the towers and surrounding rock formations look different—and equally amazing—from every angle. The trail covers approximately 2.5 miles each way so go the entire distance if you have the energy. (Read:Moab’s Scenic Byways)
Day 3: Peer into the wilds of the Canyonlands Needles District
Fuel up and get ready for a day that won’t disappoint, start to finish. Take in an incredibly scenic drive along the base of the La Sal mountains through Spanish Valley toward Monticello and Blanding. Stop for a side-trip down Needles Overlook Road to get an up-close look at one of the most beautiful and remote corners of Canyonlands National Park, the Needles District. You can take a short hike from Needles Overlook Point, keeping your camera close at hand.
As you make your way toward the town of Blanding, you’ll gain elevation and encounter even cooler temps than you did in Moab. Bundle up and make sure your vehicle is up to the road conditions. You’ll want to make a stop at Newspaper Rock which features one of the heaviest concentrations of Native American petroglyphs in the region. This rock panel offers an unforgettable peek into history, as it was used for thousands of years as a recording spot for the area’s earliest inhabitants. The name in Navajo is Tse’ Hane, which means rock that tells a story. (Read:Rock That Tells a Story: Newspaper Rock)
Day 4: Explore the heart and soul of Bears Ears National Monument
At Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, you can begin to wrap your head around this place’s incredible history which spans thousands of years of human habitation. Learn a bit about the Native American tribes who have called this place home and consider the Bears Ears area to be sacred to this day. You’ll see the largest collection of Ancestral Puebloan pottery on display in the region and venture into an authentic 1,000-year-old kiva dwelling to get a sense of how the land’s original inhabitants lived.
Next, take a beautiful drive into the heart of Bears Ears stopping at the incredible dwelling sites at Butler Wash and Cave Towers, each a short hike. Then, make your way to Natural Bridges National Monument where multiple natural rock bridges defy gravity and attest to the power of flowing water to carve the desert into unbelievable shapes. There are many Ancestral Puebloan dwellings to explore here dating back as far as 2,000 years old. So, take your time to stroll through history and the clues it’s left behind. (Read: Sculpted By Water: Natural Bridges National Monument)
Day 5: Journey into another world in the Monument Valley area
The Valley of the Gods’ name is no hyperbole. You’ll feel a sense of reverence as you drive the valley’s washboard dirt road through a series of exquisite towering buttes and otherworldly rock formations. (Read: Valley of the Gods Is a Mini-Monument Valley…and Totally Free)
Then, you’ll head an hour south to the equally iconic Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, beautifully remote and packed with history in its own right. While you can take a few easy hikes on your own it’s a great idea to hire a local Navajo guide to get the best understanding and appreciation for this rugged—and legendary—landscape. (Read: Magnificent Monument Valley: Where God Put The West)
To cap off an unforgettable day, head back north and make a stop at Goosenecks State Park. 300 million years in the making, you’ll get a firsthand look at the power of water in geology—the San Juan River has cut a series of tight turns or goosenecks into the landscape. Take a stroll, take a breath, and take lots and lots of photos.
Worth Pondering…
…of what value are objects of a past people if we don’t allow ourselves to be touched by them. They are alive. They have a voice. They remind us what it means to be human; that it is our nature to survive, to be resourceful, to be attentive to the world we live in.
