Workshops are also held throughout the event and vendors have tables set up as well.

For those who want to fully immerse themselves in the experience of the Rod Runs, the only lodging choice would one of the many hotels located on the main Parkway.  This allows visitors to literally step outside of their hotel room into the car show.  It also allows one to fall asleep to the sounds of engines revving all night long, so keep that in mind when choosing where to stay.

Of course, sometimes not every member of the family is going to be on board for a three day car show.  There is a way, however, to make a trip to the Rod Runs fun for all.

For those who are bringing along some less than eager family members, staying in the heart of nearby Gatlinburg is a much better choice.  This will allow the car lovers to drive to Pigeon Forge, but the other family members can walk from the hotel room to nearby shopping, dining and attractions such as Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, the Ripley’s Aquarium and many others.

Those members of the family who do not care about the car show will not have to put up with the traffic jams along the Parkway, and can simply stay in Gatlinburg enjoying all that the city has to offer.

The show goes all day and all night.  At night, the line of cars meandering slowly down the Parkway is constant and gives visitors a chance to hear the engines of the cars they have looked at during the day.

The Rod Runs provide a great chance to network with others from around the country who are interested in similar types of cars.

Those wishing to stay right on the Parkway should make their reservations as far in advance as possible as this is one of the most popular yearly events in the area.  Also, expect to pay a premium price during these events, even if choosing to stay off of the Parkway.   It is noisy all night long on the Parkway, so that is not the best choice for all visitors.

There are other smaller car shows held during the year, but the Spring Grand Rod Run and the Fall Grand Rod Run are, by far, the two biggest.

It costs under $50 to enter a car into the show and vendor tables are available for under $200.

Car lovers must put this on their bucket list!

No visit to Lancaster would be complete without a ride in an authentic Amish buggy, a visit to a working Amish farm, educational information about this group and fabulous home cooked food created from traditional Amish recipes.  A stay at the Amish View Inn puts all of these elements in one location.

The AAA  three diamond, boutique hotel is set right next to a working Amish farm.  During the day, the clean lines of the fields can be seen from the window of the hotel room.  Just across the road, buggies go back and forth up and down a dirt road.  On Monday, Amish garments can be seen swaying in the breeze, having been hung out to dry on the traditional wash day.

Located on the property is the Amish Experience Theater.  This is a multimedia presentation that seeks to help visitors understand Amish customs, style of dress, and other aspects of Amish life.  Visitors can tour a nine-room house that mimics an Amish farm house to get an even better understanding of the daily lives of this group of people.

A local Amish family owns a company that provides buggy rides and these rides begin at the hotel.  Visitors are taken on a ride through working Amish farms, and have the chance to see an Amish school house, machine shop and horse stable and also have a chance to patronize some Amish road side stands.

The buggy driver will be happy to answer any questions.  This buggy ride is a great way to be able to interact with members of the Amish community in a respectful, non-intrusive manner.  Be sure to ask permission before taking photographs.  Some buggy drivers will not mind, but others prefer not to have their picture taken.

Dinner is served at the Plain and Fancy Farm Restaurant, just a few steps from the front door of the hotel.  The food is served family style and includes many Amish favorites such as home style roast beef, fried chicken, pork chops, chow chow and a selection of fresh from the farm vegetables and fabulous desserts.

There is plenty of shopping within a short drive from the hotel as well.  Antiques, quilts and other items can be found in one of the many shops located nearby.

The hotel itself offers amenities galore. The rooms are extremely comfortable and nicely appointed.  Some rooms feature a fireplace and/or Jacuzzi tub.  A state of the art fitness center, video arcade and a pool are available as well.

A full breakfast is included which includes oatmeal, made to order eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, waffles, assorted fruit, cold cereal and several varieties of juice, pastries and breads.

For a visitor who only had a day or two in Lancaster, and wanted to see as much of the Amish experience as possible, the Amish View Inn offers a perfect solution.

A stop at Reading Terminal Market, located at 51 North 12th Street, is home to row after row of merchants including a dozen Amish vendors who sell the same homemade selections you’d find in Amish country.

Baked goods, homemade candy and fudge, fresh produce, farm raised meats and home style favorites such as ribs, barbeque, blueberry pancakes and much more is available, all in one location.

There are plenty of tables available for those who want to eat in the marketplace.  In addition to the items already listed, other Amish staples, such as apple butter, chow chow and an endless list of other home canned goods are also available for sale.

Beiler’s Bakery offers Amish favorites such as shoofly pie, sticky buns, whoopee pies and an assortment of homemade breads and dinner rolls.  Stop by the bakery after eating a dinner of baby back ribs and roasted potatoes at the Rib Stand.

You might want to take the baked goods to go as you’ll have to pass right by Miller’s Twist, where hand dipped ice cream, baked fresh pretzels and milkshakes – made from the freshest milk imaginable – are served.

A drive to Amish country is always a pleasant experience, but it’s good to know that if it’s the Amish food you’re after, there is no need to leave the city!

One such place is the White House of the Confederacy located in Richmond, Virginia. This historical treasure was almost lost forever when, about 30 years after the end of the Civil War, some wanted the house destroyed.

Confederate White House - Photo by bmpowell

Some of the ladies of Richmond society joined forces to form a committee that discouraged the demise of a building that was important to the history of not only Virginia, but the entire country.

They won their battle and the Museum of the Confederacy was born.  They solicited donations from Confederate soldiers and the families they left behind for any items that would provide a glimpse into the life of a Confederate soldier.

For many years, the collection was displayed inside the White House, but in 1976, a separate building was erected on the property to house the more than 15,000 items owned by the museum.  It is the largest collection of Confederate memorabilia in the world and includes uniforms, weapons, medical equipment and much more.  There are also more than 6,000 Civil War era photographs in the collection including battle scenes and others depicting the everyday lives of both soldiers and civilians.

The White House of the Confederacy is furnished to look exactly as it would have when Jefferson Davis and his family called it home.  Many of the items actually belonged to Jefferson Davis.

Many special events and lectures are held throughout the year.

This is a must see for Civil War history buffs.

There are many farms within the Green Mountain State that offer lodging to guests who are curious about how these farms operate on a day to day basis.  Sometimes the lodging is as simple as an extra bedroom located within the family farmhouse.  Other farms have cabins dotted over their acreage, providing more privacy to visitors.  Most farm stays include at least some, if not all, of the meals during the stay.

The type of farm visitors should choose would depend, of course, of the time of year.  March and April are the maple sugaring season.  During this time visitors who stay on a maple sugar farm can see how the sticky sweet stuff is made from tap to table.

A stay on a dairy farm is another option.  One farm has over 150 head of cattle and visitors are invited not only to learn about the daily work involved in such a farm, but to participate in it as well.  Visitors can feed the cows, clean the stalls and pet and feed the barn cats.

This vacation idea is often especially appealing to families with children who are old enough to appreciate the experience.  These vacations are not all work, however. One farm has a fully stocked pond in which visitors are encouraged to swim or fish.  There are plenty of hiking trails and, in winter, snow shoeing and skiing are popular activities.

In the spring and fall, some farms feature a corn maze, apple picking and pumpkin patches.  Some farms offer horseback riding, a grape harvest, sheep shearing and other farm related activities.

Some farms offer special holiday themed stays. One example is the many Christmas tree farms.  Visitors learn about the process of growing and caring for these trees and then take one home with them to use as their Christmas tree.

Even when staying on a farm, there will be plenty of shopping and antiquing within driving distance which will allow plenty of opportunities to shop for mementos of the visit.

While there is plenty to do, there is also plenty of opportunity to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of a quaint New England Farm.

Each has their appeal.  While some may think that price is a factor, the truth is that cabins are available at a variety of price points as are hotels.  So, after removing price from the equation, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each.

Cabins

Pros

• Cabins offer privacy and seclusion. Some offer total seclusion and some websites even allow visitors to search for a cabin based on the level of privacy desired.
• Typically, cabins will offer much better views than most hotels.  Some offer breathtaking mountain views, while others have views of lakes or rolling pasture.
• Cabins almost always offer full kitchens complete with cookware and table settings.  This provides the option of easily eating some or all of the meals in, rather than having to eat at restaurants every day.
• Cabins typically feel more like home and offer extras such as a washer and dryer, hot tub, and grill for cooking on the deck.
• In most cabins, the neighbors are far enough way that it doesn’t really matter if the kids make a little noise.
• Something just seems right about staying in a log cabin in the Smoky Mountains.

Cons

• Many of the cabins are more off the beaten path than the hotels.  This means that visitors will have to drive, and then find parking, in order to visit the area attractions.
• There will be no daily housekeeping service, and other amenities, such as a fitness center and free breakfast, often found in hotels will not be available.

Hotels

Pros

• Many hotels are located right on the main drag in Gatlinburg.  Visitors can step out of their hotel room and walk to such popular attractions as the Ripley’s Aquarium, Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum and many others. Shopping and dining are also often within walking distance.
• Some hotels offer amenities such as free breakfast and coupons for free dinner at a local restaurant.
• It is very convenient to leave the hotel room in the morning and come back to a bed that has been made and room that has been cleaned.

Cons

• Hotels lack the charm offered by a cabin.  Obviously, a hotel is not going to have the same feel as a log cabin in the mountain.
• While some hotels do offer decent views, they cannot compare with the best views offered from some cabins.
• Hotels cannot offer the level of privacy available when staying in a cabin.
• Other hotel guests may complain about the noise if the kids get a little rowdy.

There are clearly pros and cons to each lodging option.  The better choice will likely depend on the reason for the visit and which of the amenities are most important to you.

Either way, Gatlinburg has a lot to do and see whether visiting the museums and many antique shops or hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Ghana, West Africa, was just one of many places where this tragedy occurred.  Men and women were kidnapped or sold by those from other villages or, in some cases, by members of their own family.

The ship that would carry these victims to the United States only came once every several months.  Those that would be treated no better than cattle on those ships had to be kept someplace while waiting for the ship to return and transport them into the hands of the people who would regard them as nothing more than property.   One of those holding stations was the Cape Coast Castle.

Cape Coast Castle - Photo by flickr's Julius!

The castle was originally built for the less sinister purpose of being used for the trading of gold and timber.  Before long, the castle and dungeon were being used to warehouse human beings.

The fact that the transatlantic slave trade happened is not new information.  Most have heard stories and read accounts of what some individuals suffered as a result. But to stand in the spot where this suffering began for countless men and women is something that must be experienced to be fully understood.

Captives were herded into a large room with a dirt floor.  Men were kept in one room, women in another.  They were chained one to another and once the door was shut, it was not opened again.

There were two window slits about halfway up the wall.  These windows were so small that they could not provide enough fresh air to drown out the stench that came from men forced to sit in their own waste for up to six months at a time while waiting for the ship to return. If someone died, their body stayed right there until after the ship came for its human cargo.

As a grim memorial of sorts, the floor has never been touched.  It is exactly the same as it was when men spent months of suffering there.

The sound of the ocean can be heard in those dungeon rooms.  Standing there in the damp, dark room one can almost feel the hopelessness that those who were brought there must have endured.

Cape Coast Castle - Photo by flickr's BillBl

There is an opening that has long ago been cemented closed.  A sign hangs over it that reads “The Point of No Return”.  It was through this door that the slaves were made to walk out of the castle and onto the beach where they were escorted onto the waiting ships.

As they walked through the door and toward the beach, the passageway became progressively narrower.  This was designed in this manner so that a group of slaves could not exit the castle at once and put up a fight against the men who would put them on the ship.  By the time it reached the beach, the passageway was so narrow that only one man or woman could stumble onto the beach at a time, making the job easier for those who held them captive.

The area where the women were kept was marginally better ventilated.  Visitors are told that women, in general, were treated slightly better than the men.  If they were pregnant, however, it was a different story.

If a woman was discovered to be pregnant while at the castle, there was a chance that she would be released.  However, if her condition was not discovered until she was on the ship, she would be tossed over the side and left to drown.

A candle is kept lit constantly, and an attendant is on duty 24 hours a day to be sure the flame does not go out.  The candle is in memory of the suffering and pain that man inflicted upon man. Offering of flowers or money can be made to the attendant.

Standing in the Cape Coast Castle, walking around the dungeons and touching the opening that was the “Point of No Return” is a truly haunting experience that offers another level of understanding to the horror that was the transatlantic slave trade.

Kakum National Park, located in the Central Region of Ghana, is home to the Canopy Walk.  The Canopy Walk is comprised of seven bridges that connect from treetop to treetop over a length of more than 1000 feet.

Kakum Canopy Walk - Photo by Stig Nygaard

Visitors walk – one at a time – across these bridges, which are suspended up to 130 feet off of the ground.  Made of wooden planks and netting, a walk on these bridges provides a look at some of the plants, birds and other wildlife that would otherwise be impossible to see in the dense rainforest of Kakum National Park

To reach the bridge, one must hike up the side of a hill.  Being in tip top shape is not necessary, but someone who gets winded walking up a flight of stairs may have a bit of difficulty.  The next step is to climb a ladder that leads to the first of the treetop platforms.

From that platform, visitors step onto the first of the bridges.  The bridges sway and as one walks onto the bridge, there is nothing underfoot except a narrow piece of wood. It can be a bit scary, but the view makes it all worth it.  At the end of each bridge there is another platform, and once all of the bridges have been crossed, another ladder allows visitors to descend from among the treetops.

While it is tempting to focus only on the fact that one is walking high above the ground, it is important to choose to listen carefully to sounds that can be heard nowhere else in the world.  Listen for bird calls and wildlife, such as monkeys, as they move through the trees.

Kakum is home to the only such attraction in all of Africa.  In fact, there are only four similar activities in the world.  For nature lovers, it is a dream come true.  The canopy walk offers a chance to see sights and hear sounds that would otherwise be unattainable.

A trip to Ghana would be incomplete without a stroll among the treetops in this rainforest.  In fact, some would say that it is sufficient reason to plan a visit to the country in the first place.

Obviously, there are some locations to which driving are not an option.  There are also some people who say they will never set foot on an airplane and others who think a road trip to the grocery store is too long.  In these situations, the decision is easy.

For others, however, the decision whether to drive or fly is more difficult.  Here are some things to consider.

1.    Cost
There are websites that will help you calculate the exact amount that will be spent on gas based on the length of the trip, the make and model of the car and the current gas prices.  Using this tool will make it easy to compare the cost of driving vs. flying.
Remember that in addition to the cost of the airline ticket, there will be other expenses when choosing to fly.  These may include parking at the airport and the cost of a rental car.  When driving, consider the cost of eating meals on the road.

2.    Time
Figure out how much time will actually be saved by flying.  In some cases, it might take less time to drive than to deal with the airlines.  For example, a woman who lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia wanted to visit her family in Boston.  She learned that the flight would take between 3 and 6 hours, depending on how many stops the plane made.  The airline recommended arriving two hours early for check-in.  Add to that the time waiting in baggage claim and in the line at the car rental counter and she figured the whole trip was going to take between 7 and 10 hours.  She could make the drive in 10, so, even in the best case scenario, flying wasn’t going to be a big time saver.

3.    Aggravation
When choosing to fly there are certain aggravating factors, such as security and long check-in lines, that must be assumed.  For some people, these are almost a non-issue.  For the more high strung types, however, this alone is reason enough to drive instead of fly.
If flying is not going to provide a significant savings of either time or money, travelers must ask themselves if flying is really worth the hassle.

4.    Mishaps
A delayed or canceled flight has the potential to ruin a vacation.  It can cause a traveler to miss a connecting flight or to not make it to the pier in time for a cruise.
Sure, things can go wrong while driving but, in general, travelers retain a much higher degree of control than do passengers on a plane.

5.    Stops Along the Way
Road trips can provide a sort of vacation within a vacation if there is time to make a few stops along the way.  Do a little research and find some points of interest along the route.  These can be quick stops or overnight excursions.   Also, be open to spontaneous stops should something interesting appear along the journey.

When trying to decide between driving and flying, weigh all of the factors.  Whichever travel method is chosen, be sure to factor in some extra time to allow for flat tires or, as mentioned above, flight delays.

Photo by flickr's cloudsoup

For the Amish communities that embrace the tourist industry, it provides a good source of income for the many Amish families that sell their quilts, homemade baked goods and other items to visitors.

There is a downside, however, and many Amish people, while grateful for those who bring income to their communities, say they are often taken aback by the rudeness of some of the tourists.

Below are a few things to remember when visiting Amish country so that the visit can be pleasant both for the tourists and their Amish hosts.

1.    Photographs
Many Amish do not allow their photographs to be taken.  While it may seem innocent to snap a few shots of the quaint Amish family riding in their buggy, this can be  one of the fastest ways to offend them.  Of course, even without the religious conviction about photographs, it’s not very polite to just start taking photos of someone without asking permission.

If a visitor feels they must have a photo, the only polite way to go about it is to ask the person for permission to take their picture.  Some will allow photographs and some will likely refuse.  Be respectful of their answer.

2.    Pointing
While it seems a little sad that this even needs to be said, many Amish families say this happens all too often.  Tourists stop and point at Amish folks as they go about their daily lives. Remember, if you see an Amish family in town, they are likely just there to do some shopping, stop by the bank or do some other errand.  These are not costumed interpreters; they are real people just trying to live their lives.

Every Amish person a tourist encounters is not going to want to engage in a question and answer session.  There are plenty of opportunities for conversations with Amish, such as Amish farm tours or by patronizing some of the Amish owned businesses in the area.

Photo by Joe Shlabotnik

3.    Driving
When in Amish country, drivers must share the road not only with other cars, but with horse drawn buggies as well.   When behind a buggy, be patient.  Honking the horn, yelling or offering rude gestures is not going to make the horse go any faster.

Many accidents occur each year between Amish buggies and impatient drivers of automobiles.  If choosing to pass a buggy, do so with the utmost caution.

Photo by Nino Modugno

4.    Private Property
Many Amish farms participate in farm tours, but not every farm does.  Do not enter private property without permission.  The lack of a “No Trespassing” sign does not give  visitors the right to enter the property.

For those who want to visit a farm, take one of the farm tours offered.  Doing so will allow not only access to the farm, but more than likely to the family that lives there.  This will provide a wonderful opportunity to ask questions and, depending on the rules of that community, to take photographs.