Our Life - Travel Guides & Photography » Historic Sites

Cape Henry Memorial

admin — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:34:44 +0000

Located on the south side of the Chesapeake Bay, Cape Henry Memorial sits within Fort Story Military Reservation, 10 miles east of Norfolk and 3 miles north of Virginia Beach. Cape Henry Memorial is the site where the First English Colonists landed in Virginia in 1607. These Settlers established the first permanent English settlement in Jamestown, Virginia.

These English colonists erected a Wooden Cross to mark their safe arrival and named the place Cape Henry. In 1935, a granite Cross was erected by the National Society Daughters of the American Colonists, in memory of the wooden cross erected by the English colonists in 1607. This cross is named Cape Henry Memorial Cross.

There is a statue of Admiral Comte deGrasse here at Cape Henry coast. The admiral led the French Fleet in the Battle of the Capes which resulted in America’s victory at Yorktown and the end of the American Revolutionary War.

Cape Henry Memorial is a part of the National Park System. There are two light houses which can be seen from this location – the old and new Cape Henry Lighthouses. There is a walkway which leads to the top of the dunes and you enjoy stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay. There is another walkway just to the south of the Cape Henry Memorial and you can walk down to the beach and enjoy the waves breaking upon the shore. The memorial is open all year without an admission fee. You need to pass through the security gates of Fort Story, and you need to have Photos Ids to visit the Memorial.

Battleship Wisconsin

admin — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:51:09 +0000

USS Wisconsin is an Iowa-class battleship, the second ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Battleship Wisconsin is berthed at Nauticus Maritime Science Center & Museum in the city Norfolk, Virginia. It is one of the largest and last battleships ever built by the U.S. Navy. You can explore its deck through a self-guided or audio tour.

Some of the Permanent Exhibits of Nauticus museum include The Jamestown Exposition & Launching of the Steel Navy, SOS Station, Aegis Theater, Horseshoe Crab Cove, Design Chamber: Battleship X and so on.The Hampton Roads Naval Museum is owned and operated by the United States Navy and located on level two of Nauticus and houses a rich collection of authentic uniforms, weaponry, underwater artifacts, detailed ship models and artwork. On the third floor of Nauticus, guests can enjoy a variety of science and maritime exhibits, including: aquaria, a horseshoe crab touch tank, shark lab, Science On a Sphere, interactive theaters, and a weather station.

Visit the Official Website of Nauticus for information regarding Admission & Tickets. Here are some photos from our Trip to Nauticus. We visited Norfolk as part of our Trip to Virginia Beach.

Cape Henry Light House

admin — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:57:37 +0000

Cape Henry Lighthouse is located within Fort Story military base in the City of Virginia Beach. The lighthouse silently guards the entry way into the Chesapeake Bay. The Old Cape Henry Lighthouse was the first lighthouse authorized by the U.S. government, dating from 1792. It is 26 feet in diameter at its base, and 16 feet at its top. The Old Lighthouse stands near Cape Henry Memorial and First Landing Cross – the spot where Captain Newport raised a cross in 1607, to offer thanks for their safe crossing of the Atlantic. The Old lighthouse is a National Historic Landmark. Within view of the old Cape Henry Lighthouse is its 1881 replacement. The new Cape Henry Lighthouse is equipped with electrical and mechanical systems which still guides sea traffic safely into the harbor.

The Lighthouse is opened to the public on a seasonal schedule. To visit the lighthouse, you must pass through the security gates of Fort Story, and you need to have Photos Ids. You can enjoy beautiful views from the Observation Platform atop the old Lighthouse. The beach near the Lighthouse is wonderful and you can take a stroll and relax without worrying about the bustling crowds.

Here are some photos of Cape Henry Lighthouse from our Virginia Trip.

Moses H. Cone Memorial Park

admin — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:59:24 +0000

Moses Cone Memorial Park is a historic attraction on Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. It is located between Mileposts 292 and 295. The Park includes a Manor House called Flat Top Manor and 2 lakes - Bass Lake and Trout lake. Flat Top Manor is a gleaming white 23-room, 13,000 square foot mansion.The manor is now home to the Parkway Craft Center, a craft shop of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, exhibiting works by artisans from nine Appalachian states. Fishing is permitted at both the lakes. The Park also has various trails for hiking and horse back riding. The Park is open year-round. and the Manor House is open spring through fall. The town of Blowing Rock is located 2 miles away from the Park.

Here are some photos taken during our trip.

Pisgah National Forest

admin — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 06:25:47 +0000

Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina. The Pisgah National Forest covers 510,119 acres of mountainous terrain in the southern Appalachian Mountains, including parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Great Balsam Mountains. Elevations reach over 6,000 feet (1,800 m) and include some of the highest mountains in the eastern United States. Mount Mitchell, in Mount Mitchell State Park, is the highest mountain east of the Mississippi River and lies just outside the boundary of Pisgah National Forest. The forest also includes tracts surrounding the city of Asheville, the town of Brevard and land in the French Broad River Valley.

The Cradle of Forestry (Biltmore Forest School), located in the southern part of the forest, was the site of the first school of forestry in the United States. There are numerous hiking trails, picnic areas, camping sites, and waterfalls in the forest. There are so many waterfalls in this area that Transylvania county is nicknamed as “Land of the Waterfalls”. Pisgah National Forest is extremely beautiful in Fall.

These are some of the attractions of Pisgah National Forest. You can easily spend a day or 2 enjoying the attractions of Pisgah National Forest.

Forest Heritage National Scenic Byway (NC 276) - Traversing the Pisgah National Forest in Transylvania and Haywood Counties, the 79 mile loop winds its way through areas of outstanding natural beauty rich in forest history. You can read more about this scenic byway here.
Looking Glass Waterfalls – A beautiful 60 foot high waterfall that can be seen from US 276.
Moore Cove Falls – A 50 foot free-fall in front of a deeply recessed rock cliff, that allows you to walk behind the falls.
Sliding Rock – A 60 foot natural Waterfall slide where people can slide down the gentle slope of the smooth rock into the pool below. Bathrooms and showers are open during the summer swimming season.
Cradle of Forestry - A 6500 acre National Forest Historic Site in North Carolina. America’s first school of forestry known as Biltmore Forest School was established over here in 1968.
Sycamore Flats Area – A large picnic area named for the numerous Sycamore trees that grow along the banks of the Davidson River
Pink Beds Area - Picnic area located in a high mountain valley. The valley gets it’s name from the beautiful rhododendron, mountain laurel and azalea that bloom in the spring and summer
Davidson River Campground – A popular campground where you can relax and enjoy the National Forest. There are hiking trails, fishing streams, evening programs and even warm showers.
Looking Glass Rock – A monolithic piece of exposed Whitesides granite that rises from the valley floor in the midst of the Pisgah Ranger District. There are trails which lead to the top of the rock.

Here are some photos taken during our trip to Pisgah National Forest during Fall 2009. We drove the Forest Heritage National Scenic Byway stopping at different attractions like waterfalls and picnic areas.

Cradle of Forestry

admin — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:51:37 +0000

Cradle of Forestry is a 6500 acre National Forest Historic Site in North Carolina. It is located within Pisgah National Forest on scenic Highway 276 near Brevard, NC. America’s first school of forestry known as Biltmore Forest School was established over here in 1968. Dr. Carl Schenck, a German Forester, began the first college for forestry in America – the Biltmore Forest School in 1898. The school was opened and operated at the direction of George Washington Vanderbilt II, builder of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville.

The Cradle of Forestry offers a snap shot of life at America’s first school of Forestry. There is a Forest Discovery Center complete with interactive exhibits, movie hall, Gift Shop and a Cafe.You can watch an 18-minute movie on Vanderbilt and ride a fire fighting helicopter simulator.

There are 2 interpretive trails – Biltmore Campus Trail and the Forest Festival Trail, each is 1 mile long and is paved. The Biltmore Campus Trail passes seven historical buildings, including a schoolhouse, commissary, and student quarters. The Forest Festival Trail explores Dr. Schenck’s forestry experiments, a portable saw mill, and a logging locomotive that you can climb aboard.

The admission fee is $5 for adults and free for children. For more details, please visit the official site here.

We visited Cradle of Forestry in Fall 2009 during our visit to Pisgah National Forest. It is a beautiful place to spend at least half a day. The trails are paved which makes it accessible. Here are some photos from our trip. Click on the thumbnails to view larger images.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:57:45 +0000

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in the United States. It is situated in both Tennessee and North Carolina. It encompasses the ridge line of the Great Smoky Mountains – a part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The border between Tennessee and North Carolina runs northeast to southwest through the centerline of the park. The park is well known for its Black Bear population. The park has ample opportunities for hiking, camping, sightseeing, fishing, bicycling, horseback riding, wild water rafting, water tubing and motor touring. There is no entry fee to the park. The park also has a number of historical attractions, rivers and waterfalls.

The main park entrances are located along U.S. Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) at the towns of Gatlinburg in Tennessee and Cherokee in North Carolina.

Sugarlands Visitors Center, Gatlinburg
Oconaluftee Visitors Center, Cherokee

US 441 – Newfound Gap Road is a very scenic highway through the park with access to many trail heads and scenic overlooks. New Found Gap is the lowest gap in the mountains and is situated near the center of the park on the Tennessee/North Carolina state line, halfway between the border towns of Gatlinburg and Cherokee. On clear days, Newfound Gap offers the most spectacular scenes accessible via highway in the park.

The most popular attractions of the park include:

Cades Cove – Historic Buildings, Sightseeing, Trails, Camping, Picnicking
Roaring Fork
Catalochee
Elkmont
Mountain Farm Museum and Mingus Mill at Oconaluftee
Clingmans Dome – Highest point in the park offering spectacular views
Laurel Falls – Beautiful 80 foot waterfall
Newfound Gap

Fall Colors put up a spectacular show throughout the park during Oct and early November. At higher elevations, colors change during the first 2 weeks of October. Good places to view Fall Colors would be Clingmans Dome and New Found Gap. During the last week of October and first week of November, colors would have peaked at lower elevations. Cades Cove, Catalochee and Oconaluftee will be good choices.

Here are some photos taken during our trip on Oct 17th and 18th, 2009. On Oct 17th, it snowed at higher elevations of the park. It was a spectacular sight with beautiful fall colors and snow covered tree tops. We visited Oconaluftee, New Found Gap, Clingmans Dome, Meigs Falls and Cades Cove. NC 441 was very beautiful with fall colors at higher elevations.

Cades Cove (Great Smoky Mountains)

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:39:34 +0000

Cades Cove is one of the most visited attractions of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is a lush green valley surrounded by mountains and there are many historic buildings from 18th and 19th centuries. The valley is very scenic and wild life can be spotted, including black bear. The nearest town is Townsend in Tennessee.

You can drive along a 11-mile one-way loop road around the cove. Traffic will be heavy during the tourist seasons in summer and fall and on weekends year-round. It may take up to 4-6 hrs to complete the entire loop. You can park your car at designated areas and visit the historic buildings which include a grist mill, a variety of barns, three churches, and a marvelous collection of log homes. Peak Fall is generally between last week of October and first week of November.

Cades Cove Visitor Center is open daily. There are picnic areas along a beautiful stream and restrooms. A campground with 159 sites is open year round in Cades Cove. Numerous trails originate in the cove, including the five-mile roundtrip trail to Abrams Falls and the short Cades Cove Nature Trail.

We visited Cades Cove on Oct 18th, 2009 and it was wonderful. It had snowed on the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina & Tennessee the previous day. We could see mountain peaks covered in snow and beautiful fall colors beneath the snow covered peaks. It was a marvelous sight and we enjoyed every minute though it took us around 4 hours to complete the 11 mile loop.

Here are some photos from our trip to Cades Cove.

Oconaluftee (Great Smoky Mountains)

admin — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:15:52 +0000

Oconaluftee is located inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 2 miles north of Cherokee, North Carolina. It is a river valley in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. Formerly the site of a Cherokee village and Appalachian community, the valley’s bottom land is now home to the main entrance to the North Carolina section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

There is a Vistor Center, Mountain Farm Museum and Mingus Mill. The Mountain Farm Museum contains a fascinating collection of log structures gathered from throughout the Smoky Mountains and preserved on a single site. It includes a farmhouse, barn, smokehouse, apple house, corn cribs and others. The visitor center has restrooms and telephones. There is a bookstore and gift shop with a broad selection of guides, maps and other things.

Mingus Mill is located half-mile north of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Built in 1886, this historic grist mill uses a water-powered turbine instead of a water wheel to power all of the machinery in the building. Located at its original site, Mingus Mill stands as a tribute to the test of time.

If you are traveling to Smoky Mountains from North Carolina, you can enter Smoky Mountains National Park from Cherokee and continue via scenic US 441 until Gatlinburg, Tennessee. US 441 is a very scenic drive through the middle of Smoky National Park with scenic overlooks and trails.

Two excellent walking trails start from the vicinity. The Oconaluftee River Trail follows its Oconaluftee stream for 1.5 miles to Cherokee. Mingus Creek Trail climbs past old farms to the Smokies high country. The easy, 1.5 mile Oconaluftee River Trail begins near the entrance to the museum. It is stroller-accessible and follows the river to Cherokee, N.C.

Here are some photos from our trip to Smoky Mountains on Oct 17th and Oct 18th, 2009.

Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum

admin — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:23:45 +0000

Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum is located at Mount Pleasant on Charleston harbor. It was the first place we visited during our trip to Charleston, South Carolina. On our way to Mount Pleasant, we covered Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge (New Cooper River Bridge). It is a cable-stayed bridge over the Cooper River in South Carolina, connecting downtown Charleston to Mount Pleasant and is the longest among cable stayed bridges in the Western Hemisphere.

Patriots Point, Charleston is home to the legendary Aircraft Carrier USS Yorktown. It also features other ships like Destroyer USS Laffey, Coast Guard Cutter Ingham and submarine USS Clamagore. USS YorkTown’s hangar deck and flight deck features many fighter aircrafts. The admission fee is $16 for adults and $8 for children.

Fort Sumter Cruise also starts from Patriot’s Point. So be sure to cover both Fort Sumter and Naval Maritime Museum during your trip.

You need an entire day to cover all the attractions. So it’s better to start early and stay as long as you can. We reached Patriot’s Point around 11 am and we covered USS Yorktown and USS Clamagore after our visit to Fort Sumter. This was a truly amazing experience for all of us. It was the first time I was seeing an Aircraft Carrier and it was truly remarkable. This was the best place we visited in Charleston, South Carolina.

Visit the official website for more information.

Here are some photos from our trip.

Here is the Gallery View of all Photos.