Already — sigh! — the days are getting shorter. The Fourth of July is behind us. And the onslaught of “back to school” sales is fast approaching.
It’s not too late, though, to plan an escape. There are late summer and early fall options aplenty. So go ahead and pore over those department store fliers, but take time to ponder plans for some enriching travel.
An Appalachian adventure — The hamlets snuggled in the Appalachian Mountains remain some of the most isolated spots in the U.S. East. So imagine what life there was like when construction began 75 years ago on the spectacular Blue Ridge Parkway.
A Depression-era project that brought desperately needed jobs to the region, the highway links two national parks: Shenandoah in Virginia and Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina.
“It’s an amazingly scenic drive (that was) very thoughtfully planned,” said Elizabeth Sims of Blue Ridge Parkway 75 Inc., the organization plotting the 75th anniversary celebration for the highway. “They were building this road along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains.”
The 469-mile route twists around mountain ridges and traverses dozens of bridges and several tunnels, providing breathtaking vistas all the while.
Those remote hamlets remain little changed, though the parkway makes them easier to reach. In places with whimsical names such as Blowing Rock and Fancy Gap, festivals marking the 75th anniversary feature everything from banjo-pickin’ to barbecue.
The official celebration kicks off Sept. 10 in and around Cumberland Knob, where the building project began.
blueridgeparkway75.org
Dip your toes in the Fingers — People who think only of Manhattan when New York is mentioned miss the beauties that abound outside the metropolis.
The Finger Lakes region is a prime example of what the “other” Empire State has to offer.
The region gets its name from the 11 long, skinny lakes that provide a variety of recreational opportunities, including 20 boat tours. But there are plenty of on-land offerings too.
By the numbers, they include 80 art galleries, 100 wineries, 50 farmers markets, 1,060 waterfalls and 135 museums.
In Corning, the town where CorningWare dishes and bakeware were created and are still made, the Corning Museum of Glass showcases more than 45,000 pieces documenting the 3,500-year history of glassmaking, for utilitarian and artistic purposes.
Working with experienced glassmakers, visitors can create their own masterpieces, from the blowing of melted glass to its sandblasting.
Through Oct. 31, the museum is featuring “Tiffany Treasures,” a special exhibit of 60 Tiffany pieces from private collections.
Finger Lakes Tourism: 800-530-7488, fingerlakes.org. Corning Museum of Glass: 800-732-6845, cmog.org.
Celebrate a 400th birthday — The oldest capital in the country, Santa Fe, N.M., turns 400 this year.
Native Americans settled the area long before 1610, when Spanish explorers arrived and created the “villa” of Santa Fe. (In English, the name means “holy faith.”)
Over the centuries, the various traditions have blended to create a vibrant culture. The city is a living museum showcasing the architecture, food, and arts and crafts passed down through the centuries.
Santa Fe is now easier than ever to reach from Albuquerque, site of the state’s only major airport. A shuttle bus links the airport with the downtown train station, from which the Rail Runner Express whisks people north to Santa Fe in about an hour and a half. Most of Santa Fe’s attractions are within easy walking distance of the historic train depot, so a rental car isn’t the necessity it often is elsewhere.
The Santa Fe Indian Market is one of the Southwest’s biggest annual celebrations. Held each August on the downtown plaza, the market is a great place to mingle while munching on a New Mexico taco and enjoying traditional music. Scores of artists display their handicrafts, from Navajo rugs to silver and turquoise jewelry.
Santa Fe Convention & Visitors Bureau: 800-777-2489, santafe.org. Rail Runner Express: nmrailrunner.com
Horsing around in the Bluegrass State — There’s far more to the equestrian scene in Kentucky than Louisville’s Churchill Downs.
About 75 miles to the east, in the Lexington area, is where thoroughbreds are born and raised in those tranquil pastures of bluegrass.
Known as “Horse Capital of the World,” Lexington’s star is about to soar.
From Sept. 25 through Oct. 10, the city will host the 2010 World Equestrian Games, billed as the nation’s largest sporting event this year.
The Kentucky Horse Park will host the Games. And while the paddocks will be packed during the 16-day event, the park is open year-round to tourists.
There are two museums showcasing horses, which, they note, have been around for 55 million years. Visitors can get up close with 50 breeds and, of course, take a horse or pony ride too.
In the surrounding countryside, tours of horse farms are offered. And, to witness the magnificent beasts at their best — and maybe win a few bucks — there is the Keeneland Race Course.
Grown-ups may also wish to savor Kentucky bourbon at one of the area’s four distilleries.
800-845-3959, visitlex.com
Ontario’s “Napa North” — Some very fine wines come from Ontario’s Niagara region. While many visitors think it’s too cold in Canada to grow grapes, the area surrounding Niagara-on-the-Lake boasts 22 wineries.
“There’s a perception that it’s very cold here all the time,” said Sherri Lockwood of Andrew Peller Ltd., one of the region’s largest wine producers.
“Geographically, we’re on the same latitude as Bordeaux,” she pointed out.
While crisp autumn days bring the traditional harvest of grapes to southeastern Ontario, the Peller Estates Winery has an unusual, second harvest — in the dead of winter.
The grapes are picked in the middle of the night, when their abundant juices are frozen inside, for the estates’ appropriately named ice wine.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, often called the prettiest town in Ontario, is just a 20-minute drive — but a world away — from the famous but touristy falls. Despite its proximity to the United States, there is a very British feel to this burg. Fittingly, it was Queen Elizabeth II who, in 1973, opened the Shaw Festival, which stages plays in four distinctive theaters April through October.
905-468-1950, niagaraonthelake.com
