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Over the past couple of weeks, it seems that I've been obsessed with haunted places. It all started two weekends ago, when Dan and I decided to visit our friends Warren and Missy near Flint, Michigan. While down there, the four of us dined at the supposedly haunted Historic Holly Hotel. Although we didn't experience any paranormal activity that night, it led me to think about all the other allegedly haunted locales in the United States, from San Diego's Whaley House to Miami's Biltmore Hotel.
Despite being a hopeful skeptic who's never witnessed any otherworldly entities, I was intrigued enough to write a travel blog series about the 10 most haunted cities in America, including such atmospheric places as Key West, Chicago, Savannah, and New Orleans. If you have a chance, take a look at my list – and let me know if I've missed a town or two. And, of course, feel free to share any spectral encounters of your own.
Unfortunately, given my lack of real-life ghost stories, I can only contribute to fictional ones, like the one we're currently unraveling at Come In Character. Of course, if you're interested, you're welcome to join in the spooky fun!
While working on the third edition of Moon New Orleans, I've made sure to include an entry about the Steamboat Natchez, one of my favorite diversions in the Big Easy. Launched by the New Orleans Steamboat Company in 1975, the current Natchez is actually the ninth steam-powered sternwheeler to bear the famous name. Equipped with steam engines that were crafted in 1925, this authentic vessel was modeled after the Virginia and the Hudson, two sternwheelers of old. Today, this nostalgic riverboat – which leaves from the foot of Toulouse Street in the French Quarter – offers daytime harbor excursions and dinnertime jazz cruises on the Mississippi River all year round. During the daytime trips, you can visit the steam engine room, listen to live narration about the history of the port, opt for a Creole lunch, and enjoy a concert of the on-board, 32-note steam calliope (which I can often hear from my French Quarter apartment), while the nighttime cruises feature buffet-style dining, live jazz by the Dukes of Dixieland, and gorgeous views of the city.
Reflecting on the cool breezes that I've often enjoyed while riding the Natchez riverboat, I couldn't help but promote it and the nearby Creole Queen (also docked along the Crescent City's riverfront) on my American Nomad travel blog. Still fixated on the cool breezes – especially given how warm this summer has been in northern Michigan – I decided to explore other sternwheelers around the country, from the Pride of the Susquehanna in the Northeast and the Minneapolis Queen in the Midwest to the Colorado King in the West and the Belle of Louisville in the South.
So, do you enjoy taking riverboat trips? If so, do you have a favorite?
For the past several summers, my husband, Dan, and I have called the shores of Big Bear Lake in northern Michigan home. Although we both love it up here, we especially look forward to having our own garden – something that's not easy to come by in our French Quarter apartment (where we spend much of the rest of the year). I even wrote about our seasonal efforts in July of 2009, when I first started this blog.
Sadly, though, because of a combination of factors – namely, our later-than-usual arrival and our preoccupation with various tasks, such as my struggle to update the Moon New Orleans guide and preparations for our first-ever Traverse City Shorts Festival – we weren't able to start a garden this summer, and believe me, we're both missing the usual sight of our ever-growing tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and other produce. We're especially bummed that there are no mint leaves this year – as each of us does dearly love a refreshing mojito from time to time. But, alas, life intervened, and it just wasn't meant to be.
Of course, there's always next year. In the meantime, though, I'll have to live vicariously through my online pals. So, what's growing in your gardens this year?
Though I'm still plugging away at my update of Moon New Orleans – yes, it's true, I'm still not done – I'm trying hard to enjoy my summer stay in northern Michigan and take advantage of the state's berry-licious bounty. Right now, it's wild blueberry season, and due to favorable weather conditions, it already looks to be a, forgive the pun, fruitful season. Just today, I managed to gather quite a few of the yummy little devils. Now, the only question is... what to do with them? Bake some blueberry muffins, make some blueberry jam, opt for some blueberry pancakes, or simply add them to my oatmeal? Decisions, decisions, decisions.
Two weeks ago, I took a solo drive to visit my online buddy and fellow writer Bridget Chicoine, who lives more than 100 miles south of my home in Michigan. For many of you, that might not sound like a big deal, but as you'd learn by reading my recent post on my American Nomad blog, this was a huge deal for me. In truth, I was terrified of driving as a teenager, so much so that I didn't get my driver's license until I was 22 years old. Since then, I haven't driven nearly as often as I should, so now, at the age of 34, I've finally made driving a priority. As part of my “training,” I typically drive at least one way on any trip that Dan and I take, whether we're driving one mile to pick up groceries or more than 70 miles to see a movie – but making a 210-mile, round-trip journey by myself was a first for me... and I've never felt more liberated.
So, when have you ever ventured out of your comfort zone... and more importantly, how did it feel?
As a travel writer, I've explored a variety of destinations and activities over the years – from RV-ing down Interstate 40 to snorkeling in southern Florida – but I certainly haven't gone everywhere or done everything I've wanted to. Horseback riding in Costa Rica, sampling wines in southern France, exploring the Great Barrier Reef... the fantasy list goes on and on. Perhaps it's that kind of dreaming – and curiosity about other folks' wish lists – that inspired today's “What If?” blog post on Come In Character.
So, where would you go if you had endless amounts of time, money, and, perhaps most importantly, energy?
Here in America – and the rest of the northern hemisphere – today is the summer solstice: the longest day of the year, the official beginning of summer, and a great time to plan a summer vacation. If you're looking for a coastal getaway, you should consider the northwestern part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, an area rife with beaches, dunes, lighthouses, wineries, golf courses, and resort towns. Besides featuring this region – which happens to be one of my favorite parts of the Great Lakes State, where my husband and I spend our summers – on my American Nomad blog, I've also covered it for My Itchy Travel Feet as well as National Geographic Traveler. So, read all about it, enter the Moon Michigan giveaway at My Itchy Travel Feet, and pack your bags for this incredibly stunning and diverse place.
Over the past couple of weeks, it seems that I've been obsessed with haunted places. It all started two weekends ago, when Dan and I decided to visit our friends Warren and Missy near Flint, Michigan. While down there, the four of us dined at the supposedly haunted Historic Holly Hotel. Although we didn't experience any paranormal activity that night, it led me to think about all the other allegedly haunted locales in the United States, from San Diego's Whaley House to Miami's Biltmore Hotel.
Despite being a hopeful skeptic who's never witnessed any otherworldly entities, I was intrigued enough to write a travel blog series about the 10 most haunted cities in America, including such atmospheric places as Key West, Chicago, Savannah, and New Orleans. If you have a chance, take a look at my list – and let me know if I've missed a town or two. And, of course, feel free to share any spectral encounters of your own.
Unfortunately, given my lack of real-life ghost stories, I can only contribute to fictional ones, like the one we're currently unraveling at Come In Character. Of course, if you're interested, you're welcome to join in the spooky fun!
