Backyard Vacations

 

 
FEATURE PAGE
 

   

            When I was about 11 years old my mother and I went on what she called a backyard vacation. We went to all the fun places that were close to our house. That summer we visited places with wonderful names like The Mystery Spot, Mystery Hill, and The Snake Pit. They were all small tourist attractions that were located along the highways of Michigan. It was a fun way to vacation and I actually learned a lot. Many of those roadside venues are gone, but why not visit the ones that are still around?

            Here is a small listing of roadside venues and other interesting vacation ideas that you can explore and some of them just might be very close to your home!

Just for Fun Places –

            Rock City –
            http://www.seerockcity.com/Flash/index.htm

            The Mystery Spot –
            http://www.mysteryspot.com/

            Gravity Hill –
            http://www.gravityhill.com/

            Champ, The Monster of Lake Champlain –
            http://www.lclt.org/Champ.htm

            Spook Lights –
            http://www.prairieghosts.com/devprom.html

            The Jersey Devil –
            http://theshadowlands.net/jd.htm

           

Caves and Spelunking –

            Although the bigger caves have a real tourist draw there are literally thousands of smaller caves that are open all year long. They provide tours and many have picnic grounds too. This would be a great chance for the whole family to learn about caves and cave exploration together.

            Crystal Cave, Sequoia National Park, Ash Mountain and the Giant Forest -
             http://www.sequoiahistory.org/cave/cave.htm

            Mammoth Cave National Park –
            http://www.nps.gov/maca/

            Black Chasm Cavern –
            http://www.caverntours.com/

            Luray Caverns –
            http://www.luraycaverns.com/

            Lockport Cave –
            http://www.lockportcave.com/

            Carlsbad Caverns –
            http://www.nps.gov/cave/

            Rat’s Nest Cave –
            http://www.canadianrockies.net/wildcavetours/

            Kents Cavern –
            http://www.discoverdevon.com/site/things-to-do/kents-cavern-prehistoric-caves-p140003

            Cango Caves –
            http://www.cangocaves.co.za/

            Dunhuang Caves and Mogao Grottoes –
            http://www.crystalinks.com/chinacaves.html

 

Geothermal Regions –
            Geysers, hot pools, and boiling mud are just a few of the things you’ll see in the thermal rich areas of our world. See if there is a region near you.

            Yellow Stone National Park –
            http://www.yellowstone.net/geysers/

            Wai-O-Tapu –
            http://www.geyserland.co.nz/

            Lake Myvatn –
            http://www.arctic-experience.co.uk/tour4w/

            The Valley of the Geysers –
            http://www.russia-ic.com/travel/resorts/434/

           

Deserts and Dunes –
            The deserts of the world are, for the most part, the lowest places on earth. On the rare occasions when it rains there the desert becomes a beautiful oasis of flowers and color. Sand dunes occur not only in the desert but also along the sea shore. Sand dunes form a proactive barrier against beach erosion.

            The Gobi Desert –
            http://www.bluepeak.net/mongolia/gobi.html

            Sleeping Bear Dunes –
            http://www.sleepingbeardunes.com/

            Death Valley –
            http://www.nps.gov/deva/

            Mojave Desert –
            http://www.nps.gov/moja/

            Sahara Desert –
            http://www.moroccotraveltours.com/

            Kalahari Desert –
            http://overlandingafrica.com/namibia-h-kalahari.php

            Cape Cod National Sea Shore –
            http://www.artsdunetours.com/

            Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area –
            http://www.sandland.com/

            Stockton Dunes –
            http://www.nelsonbaygetaway.com.au/tourism/sand-dune-tour.html

 

 

Zoos, Reserves, and Aquariums –
            What could be more fun and educational then visiting a zoological park, reserve or aquarium? See new animals and learn more about their world.

             The National Zoo, Washington D.C. – 
            http://nationalzoo.si.edu/

            The Belize Zoo –
            http://www.belizezoo.org/

            Hilo Zoo –
            http://www.hilozoo.com/Z_tour.htm

            San Diego Zoo –
            http://www.sandiegozoo.org/

            The National Aquarium –
            Baltimore -     http://www.aqua.org/
            Washington - http://www.nationalaquarium.com/

            La Vallee des Singes –
            http://www.la-vallee-des-singes.fr/

            Edinburgh Zoo –
            http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/

            Khama Rhino Sanctuary –
            http://www.khamarhinosanctuary.com/

            Munda Wanga Environmental Park –
            http://www.mundawanga.com/

            Coral World –
            http://www.coralworld.com/eilat/

            Indira Gandhi Zoological Park –
            http://www.vizaginfo.com/tour/zoo.htm

            Blue Zoo Aquarium –
           http://www.blue-zoo.com/