San Diego Zoo Bear Habitat

San Diego Zoo Bear Habitat

When visiting San Diego in Southern California you won't want to miss the San Diego Zoo, one of the finest zoos in the world. San Diego's premier animal attraction brings you almost face to face with Lions, Tigers, Bears, Snake, Lizards, and thousands of other species, many threatened and endangered in the wild.

If you aren't big on walking for miles consider starting your visit with the Zoo on the double decker tour busses, a great introduction to the layout and animals. Also note the daily show schedule so you can coordinate that with your walks around this huge park. The tram is also fun and a good way to get a quick park orientation.

The San Diego Zoo is well worth the admission, but it's not cheap. Look for the discount coupons available at many tourism information places and often in state guides or the state maps you can get at tourism hot spots around the state.

Oregon History: Beeson Home circa 1870. Talent Oregon

Beeson Home circa 1870. Talent Oregon
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Although most of the Travelers on the Oregon Trail headed along the Columbia River and then south to the fertile valleys of the Willamette River Valley, the Applegate Trail, a southern branch, took tens of thousands to Southern Oregon where lumber, orchards and farming gradually replaced Jacksonville gold mining as the mainstay of the Southern Oregon economy.

This home has been remodelled but originally was probably the home of Welborn Beeson, an early Southern Oregon settler and son of John Beeson. John's "Plea for the Indians" was an influential book that criticized locals for poor treatment of Native Americans. John was "run out of town" and spent much time in the East including a meeting with then President Lincoln to advocate on behalf of Native American Rights. Beeson later returned to the area and is buried next to his wife in Stearn's Cemetery about a mile from this house.

Oregon History

The history of Oregon is rich with Native American lore and legend and stories of Europeans and, later, Americans from the East coast who braved the Oregon Trail seeking adventure and a better life.

Sage bark sandals discovered at Fort Rock, Oregon place humans in the state some 13,200 years before present time, and by about 10,000 B.P. there were human settlements over much of the extensive landscape now called the state of Oregon.

The huge Oregon Trail migration of the 1840's brought families west in search of new homes in the fertile valleys near Portland and in Central Oregon. A southern branch of the Oregon Trail, the Applegate Trail, brought settlement to the southern parts of Oregon.

More Oregon History is at the main pages of our US History and Travel website.


The Oregon Historical Society website has more information. They have programs throughout the year featuring Oregon history and other historical themes.

Find a lot more about Oregon Travel at our US History and Travel pages.

The Jersey Shore and Atlantic City Boardwalk

The Jersey Shore
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

The Jersey Shore refers to the long stretches of sandy beach along the New Jersey Atlantic seaboard. This area just south of New York City has served for over 100 years a the key recreation place for tens of millions of big city dwellers who spend a day, a week, or an entire summer on the beaches and towns of coastal New Jersey. Although Atlantic City is the largest tourism area by far, the Jersey Shores stretch south many miles to cities like Cape May where one finds smaller family hotels rather than the huge resort casinos of Atlantic City.

Travel planning tip: If money is an object consider staying in Abescon New Jersey, about 20 minutes from Atlantic City where hotels will generally cost less than half those on the shore. However you'll probably be happier in Atlantic City where you'll have faster beach and boardwalk access.

US History : Patriots Day, MinuteMan National Historic Park

Patriot Days, MinuteMan National Historic Park
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Some would say that US History in many ways *begins* on April 19, 1775.

Patriots Day in Concord Mass is not to be missed if you are lucky enough to visit the area on the 3rd weekend of April. In Lexington and Concord there are re-enactments of the fateful first shots fired in the Revolutionary War where American citizen soldiers challenged the British Army on Lexington Green and at the North Bridge in Concord. Hundreds of colonials dress in period costume and with period firearms blast away across the cold landscape of the MinuteMan National Historic Park which stretches from Concord to Lexington Green some 6 miles away.

If you are there *DO NOT MISS* the superb candlelight interpretive activities held over a few nights on the trail during the week or so of activities around Patriots Day. At night you are given a guided tour of the area and can talk with colonists in the Tavern and on the trails, and even be haranged by the British Army. This is a fantasic experience for historians young and old.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriots_Day

Hawaiian Luau

The Hawaiian Luau has generally come to mean a feast featuring a pig roasted underground combined with exhibition dancing and other food and drink. Hawaiians may use this term to mean a "party" and it can be associated with a variety of celebrations.

Feasting is a traditional activity dating back hundreds of years in Polynesian History even though the name Luau has been dated back only to about 1856 when it was associated with commercial feasts rather than traditional ones.

Here, at the popular Luau held daily at the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu's North Shore, a pig is roasted kahlua style - wrapped in banana leaves and bulap and then buried underground with hot coals for many hours. This cooking method results in very tender and moist pork which is served with Taro rolls and other Hawaiian treats.

DSCF0144
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

Chemainus British Columbia Mural

Chemainus BC Mural
Originally uploaded by JoeDuck

British Columbia in Canada is home to some of the richest Canadian and Native American art and history you'll find anywhere.

Chemainus is one place where you can catch a ferry to Victoria B.C.

Chemainus has a simply incredible collection of public wall murals. Themes vary from Native American History to logging to the early history of Chemainus. If you visit be sure to pick up a walking guide to the town murals - you can see them all in an hour or two.