Lake County, Florida is one of the most visited counties in the state, even if folks are just passing through on their way to nearby Orlando. A traveler can find a quaint and delicious breakfast spot in Lake County’s many small towns like Mt Dora, Taveres, or Clermont.
For one weekend in August, Mansfield, Ohio is about to come alive with a celebration like no other. This summer marks the 30th anniversary of “The Shawshank Redemption,” the film ranked as the number one movie of all time by IMDb. The film’s profound story of hope and resilience continues to resonate, making this milestone a perfect reason to visit the picturesque towns of Mansfield.
Southwest Virginia, the section of the Commonwealth bordering West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, is home to some of the richest American music heritage in the United States. Rocky Mount is 165 miles east of the state capital, Richmond, but the town of 5,000 residents marks the eastern terminus of The Crooked Road.
On Virginia’s Eastern Shore, water is the necessity, and food trucks are the invention.
It has been a decade since Chincoteague Island issued a permit for brick-and-mortar restaurant construction, something that’s given the food truck scene an opportunity to flourish.
The barrier island, famous for its wild ponies and windswept shores, is wedged between the sea and the mainland, separated by five miles of brackish bays and tidal wetlands. Managing fresh water and its corollary is crucial. “Food trucks are a draw for potential business owners because we have a limited sewage capacity,” says town manager Mike Tolbert, who explains that food trucks are the kind of eateries that have minimal wastewater impact and a few zoning stipulations. “Costs to start these businesses are not prohibitive,” he says.
While eateries throughout the U.S. may lay claim to the invention of America’s mealtime classic, the burger meets perfection in the Old Dominion.
The sixth largest city in the United States, Philly provides vast opportunities for unique entertainment. Residents and visitors mingle in world-renowned museums, iconic eateries, and luxurious and fun venues. Both architecture and nature are celebrated. The City of Brotherly Love inspires the modern yet holds its historic past close. Neighborhoods have distinct personalities and offer a variety of excitement. A simple subway system aided by bus and trolley routes allows people to gather for festivals, attend arts and sporting events, and discover new areas of the city on the banks of the Delaware River.
Flagler Beach is located 70 miles south of Jacksonville and serves as the jewel city of the Palm Coast region. Residents enjoy the small-town feel. Tourists come for the uncrowded shoreline, eclectic shops, and ocean-view dining. And diners have plenty of options.
It is the end of a multi-month run of a show at Sight & Sound Theatres. The “install and logistics team” loads a convoy of tractor-trailers to make a 1,000-mile trek to Branson, Missouri, where the show will live on at the theatre’s second location. More than 60 truckloads of sets, equipment and costumes will make their way from Lancaster to a new home in the Ozarks over the next six months.
Fleeing the powerful political forces of Norwegian King Harald Fairhair, a young Helgi the Lean (Eyvindarson) set out for Iceland, a place of fertile land, bountiful seas, and freedom. Around 890 AD, Helgi the Lean took possession of the land around Eyjafjörður and made a home in Kristnes, south of modern day Akureyri, which is the largest town outside the island’s more populated southwest corner.
I never expected to “get into” genealogy. I had a pretty good grasp on my heritage … I thought. Then a genealogy librarian at the Allen County Public Library in Indiana handed me a large three-ring binder, my full name emblazoned across the front. I cracked it open, took a quick overview, and landed on some names I did not recognize. And my jaw dropped, literally.
