Fishing the Waters off Cape May, New Jersey: For add-ons or day-trips with itineraries revolving about New York City or Philadelphia, the notion of a four-hour fishing trip for individuals or small groups has received some attention of late, thanks to some skillful promoting on the part of Miss Chris Boats, an operation docked at Cape May, N.J. The core product of the company is a four four-hour fishing trip for one—rods included (it retails for $50). The vessel ferries its captain and passengers to deep waters of the Delaware Bay and the near Atlantic in pursuit of fish. Captain Mike Scanlan leads a team of certified captains who tend the till during fishing trips. The crew provides bait and fishing instructions for beginners to prepare them for the expedition. Their prey includes just about anything that’s biting.
For more information, visit http://www.capemayfisherman.com/, or call 609.849.9453
Free! 20 Favorite U.S. Attractions: Here is a list that is partly crowd-sourced. What happened is that Marla Jo Fisher, a staff columnist for the Orange County Register, put together a list in November 2015 of 10 favorite—and free—U.S. attractions. She asked her readers to let her know of their own suggestions for a list, and they responded. Last month, Fisher posted a second list of ten favorites. Most of them welcome groups, while there is usually a charge for parking. We’ve digested the narrative on each site, adding a little of our own here and there. The ranking is not necessarily a true ranking; it merely reflects the order in which they appeared as published.
| Destination/Attraction | Capsule Comment | Contact Info |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ballard Locks, Seattle | Watch ships being raised and lowered at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. The locks were built to enable boats to sail between saltwater Puget Sound and freshwater lakes To allow the salmon to navigate the same distance, engineers built a fish ladder to help them get through. You can watch through underwater windows | www.friendsoftheballardlocks.org |
| 2. Denali National Park Sled Dog Kennels | The only working national park sled dogs in the United States, these animals earn their keep in the winter, patrolling the park with their rangers. In the summer, you can visit their kennels, see a ranger demonstration and even pet and take photos with the dogs.. | www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/kennels.htm |
| 3. Golden Gate Bridge, | The recently built Strauss Plaza overlook and pavilion offer free, sweeping close-up views of the bridge, along with a visitor center, cafe and gift shop. Its free, though you must pay to park or ride the bus. | www.goldengate.org |
| San Francisco | ||
| 4. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, Atlanta | Includes several interesting sites, including the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr.; the Ebenezer Baptist Church, important in the civil rights movement, where he and his father preached; and the neighborhood of Sweet Auburn the largest black business district in the segregated South. Nearby is Kings grave site and a fascinating museum. Parking is free. | www.nps.gov/malu |
| 5. National Mall, Washington D.C. | From the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, the mall covers more than two miles and includes such sites s the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the 500-plus feet high Washington Monument the worlds tallest freestanding structure and ride it elevatorfor free with same-day tickets. | www.nps.gov/nama/index.htm |
| 6. National Zoo, Washington DC | Hugely popular with school groups and tour bus groups, it has more than 1,000 animals on exhibit, including its famous pandas on loan from China. The animals live in nice natural groupings here, and the zoo does much worthwhile conservation research. | www.nationalzoon.si.edu |
| 7. The Smithsonian Collection | The Smithsonian is not just a single facility, but comprises 19 different facilities, including 11 of which are on the National Mall. (It also includes, by the way, the National Zoo.) Theres something for everyone, including the Air and Space Museum, American history, natural history, fine arts, American Indian and African American history, postal history and more. All free. | www.si.edu |
| 8. St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans | Historic site dominates the French Quarter, overlooking Jackson Square. Its the oldest continually operated Roman Catholic cathedral in the U.S., it was built in 1794. and TV shows. Its open daily for self-guided tours 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., and you can attend Mass at noon. | www.stlouiscathedral.org/tours |
| 9. Temple Square, Salt Lake City | An interesting look at Mormon history and culture is centered on this 35-acre site, which is considered the Vatican of the Latter-day Saints. You cant go inside the temple unless youre a Mormon, but you can enter the tabernacle. If its Christmastime, come in the late afternoon so you can see the beautiful lights come on. If you have time, go across the street to tour Beehive House Brigham Youngs home. | www.visittemplesquare.com/tours |
| 10. USS Arizona Memorial, Honolulu | The self-guided tour of the sunken USS Arizona memorial is free, from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center that chronicles the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Theres a short movie on the attacks, and boat trips to the memorial. The National Park Service releases 1,300 free, same-day walk-in tickets daily, starting at 7 a.m. First come, first served. You must be present to get the tickets. Go early. | www.nps.gov/valr/index.htm |
| 11. Point Reyes National Seashore | Located north in Marin County of San Francisco, it includes 80 miles of seashore, offering whale watching, rocky points and a historic lighthouse.Theres no charge to enter or park. The historic Point Reyes Lighthouse has its own visitor center and the main Bear Valley Visitor Center has interesting exhibits and trailheads nearby | www.nps.gov/pore |
| 12. Garden of the Gods, | A 1,367-acre nature park with towering red rocks, which offers 15 miles of scenic trails from easy walks to 3-mile hikes. The Perkins Central Garden Trail is an easy paved 1.5-mile loop thats wheelchair and stroller accessible, with less than 30 feet of elevation gain. Admission and parking are free. Also, there are free guided nature walks every day. | www.gardenofgods.com |
| Colorado Springs, Colo. | ||
| 13. Niagara Falls, New York and Canada | Niagara Falls comprises Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side of the border; and American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls on the U.S. side. Niagara Falls State Park side, with its lush green parklands, five islands on the river and more than 400 acres of nature, bike trails and more. Theres no admission charge, but parking is $10. | http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/ |
| 14. Freedom Trail, Boston | Take a walk through the history of the American Revolution, which started in Boston. The trail visits 16 historical sites in a little over 2 miles. It includes Paul Reveres house, the Old North Church, the USS Constitution, Bunker Hill and much more. You follow a red brick path. Its free to walk the trail at your own pace. Some sites along the way require admission if you want to go inside. | www.freedomtrail.org |
| 15. Staten Island Ferry, New York City | The best view of one of the USAs enduring symbols is on this ride. And its free. It runs between the bottom tip of Manhattan and Staten Island, takes about 25 minutes each way, and is best enjoyed when its not rush hour, when the ferry will be jammed with commuters. The ferry operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, generally every half-hour, more frequently at rush hour. | www.siferry.com |
| 16. Getty Center, Los Angeles | An architectural gem. Collections include Van Goghs Irises and paintings by such European masters as Monet, Renoir, Degas, Rembrandt and others, along with antiquities and ancient statues, decorative furniture, illuminated manuscripts and lots of photography. View is stunning. On a clear day, you can see all the way across to Catalina Island. | www.getty.edu |
| 17. Getty Museum, Malibu, Calif. | Once the main home of the Getty collection, this stunning jewel was modeled after a villa in Pompeii. Also built by J. Paul Getty, it now houses the Getty Centers collection of Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities. The villa itself and its setting near the sea is part of the charm. For the villa, you need a free timed ticket, which you can order on the website. Theres a fee for parking. | www.getty.edu |
| 18. 9/11 Memoria, NYC | A somber memorial to one of this nations worst tragedies. On the site of the former World Trade Centers, this memorial is a moving tribute to those who died and those who tried to save them. Theres a 9/11 memorial mobile app available. Note that the memorial is free to visit, but the adjacent museum has an admission charge. Inscribed in bronze around the twin memorial pools are the names of everyone who died in the terrorist attacks of Feb. 26, 1993, and Sept. 11, 2001. | www.911memorial.org |
| 19. Mount Rushmore, S.D. | Located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, this monument featuring colossal heads of presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt includes a visitors center, a walkway with an up-close view and a sculptors studio, closed in winter, that includes more information about how it was built. Free ranger programs in season describe more about the memorial. A Lakota, Nakota and Dakota Heritage Village on-site is also free. Parking is $11. | www.nps.gov/moru |
| 20. Manzanar National Historical Site, California | About 230 miles northeast of Los Angeles, this large facilityit was once aJapanese internment camp during World War IIis being restored. It was one of 10 camps where a total 110,000 men, women and children Japanese American citizens and Japanese nationals were held in remote, military-style camps during the war. There is no fee to enter, park or go on the 3-mile auto tour. There are replicas of barracks, a mess hall,. a model of the camp, photos, artifacts and a short film. The site is on Highway 395, 9 miles north of Lone Pine. | www.nps.gov/manz |
| Source: Orange County Register |
