Armchair photo tours: The Wright Brothers National Memorial on the Outer Banks of North Carolina

The December 17, 1903 Sculpture, which recalls the moments when Oroville and Wilbur Wright successfully flew their glider for the first time at Kitty Hawk on the Outer Banks of North Carolina Photos by Cheryl Landes On December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Oroville and Wilbur Wright successfully … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: The Wright Brothers National Memorial on the Outer Banks of North Carolina

Armchair photo tours: The tiniest post office in the United States in Ochopee, Florida

Photos by Cheryl Landes The Ochopee Post Office, 75 miles west of Miami, is considered to be the smallest post office in the United States. The tiny building started as an irrigation pipe shed owned by the  J.T. Gaunt company tomato farm. One night in 1953, a fire destroyed Ochopee's general store and original post … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: The tiniest post office in the United States in Ochopee, Florida

Armchair photo tours: H.P. Williams Roadside Park in the Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida

Photos by Cheryl Landes The H.P. Williams Roadside Park, in the Big Cypress National Preserve on the Tamiami Trail (U.S. Highway 41) near Ochopee, Florida, has a picnic area and a 200-meter (656-foot) boardwalk with a view of the cypress trees and the Turner River Canal. The park is named in honor of Homer P. … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: H.P. Williams Roadside Park in the Big Cypress National Preserve near Ochopee, Florida

Armchair photo tours: The Original Airboat Tour at Coopertown, Florida

Photos by Cheryl Landes The Coopertown airboat tour is a nine-mile guided educational experience through open saw grass, a hardwood hammock, and into Everglades National Park. During the tour, the guides stopped at alligator holes and when they spotted other wildlife. This environment is rich with alligators, herons, grackles, turtoes, raccoons, the endangered Everglade snail … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: The Original Airboat Tour at Coopertown, Florida

Armchair photo tours: Biscayne National Park near Homestead, Florida

Photos by Cheryl Landes Biscayne National Park, in Homestead south of Miami, is a diverse ecosystem of clear blue waters, islands, coral reefs teeming with 500 species of fish, and mangroves. During a trip to Florida, I stopped at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center east of downtown Homestead and walked the quarter-mile trail along Convoy … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Biscayne National Park near Homestead, Florida

2020 Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival cancels in Vancouver, BC

Event organizers for the popular Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival in Vancouver, British Columbia decided to cancel the festival because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "It has now become clear to us that if we stage a Festival in the Park this summer, we can’t confidently ensure the health and well-being of our community – … Continue reading 2020 Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival cancels in Vancouver, BC

The secret life of stuffed animals on a roller coaster in San Diego

Photo credit: K.C. Alfred of the San Diego Union-Tribune What happens when a vintage roller coaster is closed due to the COVID-19 virus but it must roll on? That's the challenge with the 95-year-old Giant Dipper at Belmont Park, a National Historic Landmark on Mission Beach in San Diego. The six-car coaster must run a … Continue reading The secret life of stuffed animals on a roller coaster in San Diego

Armchair photo tours: Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden

Photos by Cheryl Landes The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden is the only frost-free, natural conservation habitat and botanical garden in the continental U.S. Founded in 1989, the garden features plants that are native to the Florida Keys, Cuba, and the Caribbean and educates visitors about the threatened and endangered species of the … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden

2020 Solstice Parade goes virtual, entry deadline extended until June 9

Updated June 11, 2020 Typically Fremont's solstice celebration north of Seattle consists of a parade filled with colorful, quirky characters and displays that end at Gasworks Park for food, music, and fun. But because of the ban on large gatherings from COVID-19, this year's celebration is moving online. Starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June … Continue reading 2020 Solstice Parade goes virtual, entry deadline extended until June 9