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The U. S. is too spectacular to travel haphazardly;
why not try region-touring on your coming vacation?
by Robert Meyer, Jr.
The u. s. a. is such a big, wonderful country
that it would take a lifetime of two-week
vacations to tour it properly.
If you're like most of us, you'll have to
settle for seeing only cross sections which
give a good representation of the whole na
tion. One way to do this is by "region-roaming"
spending your vacations in the Deep
South, Upper South, Northeast, Great Lakes,
Central States, Southwest, Rocky Mountains,
Pacific Coast, Alaska, or Hawaii.
By concentrating on the high spots of each
region, you'll get a good idea of the spec
tacular scenery, varied peoples, and exciting
activities which make up our country.
In the Deep South, for example, there are
Alabama's sandy beaches on Dauphin Island
in Mobile Bay, on the fringe of the Gulf of
Mexico. Fishing is fine here as well as at
Lake Guntersville in northern Alabama.
Arkansas has Hot Springs, a world-re- .
nowned spa and site of one of our oldest na
tional parks. And the Ozark Mountains are a
popular, beautiful vacation area, too.
Florida has increased its number of Sum
mer visitors in recent years because rates are
lower than in Winter. From Jacksonville in
the northeast and Pensacola in the northwest,
all the way down to Key West, roads are
lined with tourist "wonders."
Georgia boasts Stone Mountain, believed
to be the biggest piece of exposed granite in
the world, near Atlanta. Some day it might
display the largest sculpture in the world, a
gigantic frieze of Confederate heroes.
Louisiana has one of the most romantic
areas in any state, the storied Teche Country
about 100 miles west of New Orleans. This is
the moss-hung, magnolia-scented Evange
lineland where descendants of exiled French
Canadians still use the recipes which made
Louisiana a gourmet's paradise.
Mississippi puts tourist emphasis on its
coastline, which it calls the Riviera of the
Gulf. Here you can ride in view of Mississippi
Sound for dozens of miles.
South Carolina's pride is Charleston, and
no wonder. The gracious living symbolizing
the antebellum South is still to be found in
Charleston. Here you can savor some of the
most delectable dishes served anywhere.
The . Upper . South consists of Delaware,
Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ten
nessee, Virginia, Washington, D. C, and West
Virginia. Each has special tourist appeal.
Delaware is not sizable, but it has some
mighty museums. Among them are Hagley
and Winterthur, both near Wilmington. State
Museum and Dickinson Mansion are at Do
ver, and Zwaanendael Museum is at Lewes.
Kentucky's trademark is the thoroughbred
horse. The cream of racing thoroughbreds
perform in the Kentucky Derby at Louisville
in May. Before and after the Derby, many
tourists travel to Lexington, heart of the
Blue Grass country, to visit horse farms and
stables. Late in May, they go to Pineville to
see laurel in bloom and on June 14 move to
Ashland for the American Folksong Festival.
Maryland constantly draws multitudes to
Annapolis where midshipmen at the U. S.
Naval Academy often parade on Worden
Field. Visitors also tour the Academy's mu
seums and grounds. In Baltimore Harbor, an
hour's ride from Annapolis, you can visit Ft.
McHenry, site of the bombardment which in
spired "The Star Spangled Banner."
Noi-th Carolina is blessed with three dis
tinct vacationlands: The coastal area where
the Wright brothers flew their first airplane
near Kitty Hawk; the Piedmont, which
boasts the golf and riding resorts of Pine
hurst and Southern Pines; and the Blue -Ridge
Mountains, where a handsome park
way for non-commercial vehicles leads to -Great
Smoky Mountain National Park.
Tennessee also has part of Smoky Moun
tain National Park. Many of the myriad lakes
created by the Tennessee Valley Authority
dot southeastern Tennessee and draw thou
sands who like to fish, swim, and boat.
Virginia's showplace in the field of restora
tions is Williamsburg. John D. Rockefeller,
Jr., has spent some $40 million for a repro
duction of the colonial capitaL. In. Virginia, .
too, are Natural Bridge, Luray Caverns, and
Thomas Jefferson's contribution to graceful
architecture, his home, Monticello, and the
buildings of the University of Virginia at
stately, picturesque Charlottesville.
Washington, D. C, of course, features
scores of famous landmarks, open to visitors
at specific times. You'll want to see the
Capitol, White House, Washington Monu
ment, Lincoln Memorial, and Arlington Na
tional Cemetery where America's Unknown
Soldiers are entombed.
West Virginia's scenic beauty is a favorite
with artists and painters, particularly near
historic Harpers Ferry, where the Potomac
and Shenandoah converge. An exhibit of coal
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Family Weekly, May 3, 19S