Rene Cizio's Blog, page 7

15 Things to Do at the Holland, Michigan Tulip Festival

During the first two weeks of May, the Holland, Michigan Tulip Festival presents millions of tulips and Dutch traditions in America, making it a must-see destination. Despite being a Michigan resident for most of my life, I had never attended the festival before and now I regret waiting so long. Holland, Michigan is in lower western Michigan near Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, where nearly 30% of the population has identified as being of Dutch descent. During the festival, the city transforms into a sea of color, with tulips blooming in parks, gardens, and along the streets. There are also a variety of activities and events, such as a parade, a carnival, a quilt and artisans shows and sales, and Dutch dancing and music. Here are 15 things to do at the Holland, Michigan Tulip Festival. 1 See the Tulips You can see them in bloom all over town, but some of the best places to view them include Windmill Island Gardens, Veldheer Tulip Gardens, Centennial Park, Kollen Park, and the curbside tulip lanes. 2 Tour Windmill Island Gardens Tour De Zwaan (the swan), is the only authentic Dutch windmill operating in the United States. It was built in 1761 […]

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7 Things to Do in Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia

An hour outside Halifax, Peggy’s Cove is a small but historic fishing village made famous by many photographers for its picturesque turbulent Atlantic Ocean lighthouse scenes. It’s a popular tourist destination known for its rocky coastline, namesake lighthouse, working fishing boats, artists and craftspeople who sell their work in the village shops. I stopped by while on a one-and-a-half-year solo road trip through America, Mexico and Canada. I was staying a few weeks in Nova Scotia, and several people told me it was not a site I should miss, and neither should you if you’re nearby. This isn’t the kind of place where there’s a lot to do, but it’s the type where you’ll see something rare and that’s worth considering. The way to the cove will take you along rolling hills, past trees and through maritime port towns filled with only small businesses. These are modest places that have kept the traditions and norms of the past. You must drive long distances to find big box stores and city life while visiting neighbors might require transportation. The people are friendly but keep to themselves, and the sea is a way of life. None of this is truer than in […]

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6 Interesting Things Make Lunenburg, Canada Worthwhile

Lunenburg, on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, is a UNESCO maritime gem worth a day trip if you’re in the area. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can enjoy the experiences of a bygone era and some fabulous regional ice cream, among other delights. Located at the mouth of the LaHave River, it’s a National Historic District and winner of the Communities in Bloom most beautiful small town in Canada. I stopped by on my extended solo road trip through much of the United States, Mexico and Canada. Upon arrival, I was pleased to find a charming German and Swiss port town on the water with several blocks of shops and historic architecture you don’t see elsewhere in North America. Lunenburg History Aside from being a premier UNESCO World Heritage Site in Canada, the town’s harbor is still home to a fleet of working fishing boats and is a popular destination for recreational sailors and boaters. German and Swiss settlers founded the town in 1753 after fleeing religious persecution in Europe. They designed it as a fishing and whaling village, and it quickly became a major center for the maritime industry. Today, it is known for its […]

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6 Interesting Things Make Lunenburg, Canada Whilewhile

Lunenburg, on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, is a UNESCO maritime gem worth a day trip if you’re in the area. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can enjoy the experiences of a bygone era and some fabulous regional ice cream, among other delights. Located at the mouth of the LaHave River, it’s a National Historic District and winner of the Communities in Bloom most beautiful small town in Canada. I stopped by on my extended solo road trip through much of the United States, Mexico and Canada. Upon arrival, I was pleased to find a charming German and Swiss port town on the water with several blocks of shops and historic architecture you don’t see elsewhere in North America. Lunenburg History Aside from being a premier UNESCO World Heritage Site in Canada, the town’s harbor is still home to a fleet of working fishing boats and is a popular destination for recreational sailors and boaters. German and Swiss settlers founded the town in 1753 after fleeing religious persecution in Europe. They designed it as a fishing and whaling village, and it quickly became a major center for the maritime industry. Today, it is known for its […]

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6 Things to See and Do in Lunenburg, Canada

Lunenburg, on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, is a UNESCO maritime gem worth a day trip if you’re in the area. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can enjoy the experiences of a bygone era and some fabulous regional ice cream, among other delights. Located at the mouth of the LaHave River, it’s a National Historic District and winner of the Communities in Bloom most beautiful small town in Canada. I stopped by on my extended solo road trip through much of the United States, Mexico and Canada. Upon arrival, I was pleased to find a charming German and Swiss port town on the water with several blocks of shops and historic architecture you don’t see elsewhere in North America. Lunenburg History Aside from being a premier UNESCO World Heritage Site in Canada, the town’s harbor is still home to a fleet of working fishing boats and is a popular destination for recreational sailors and boaters. German and Swiss settlers founded the town in 1753 after fleeing religious persecution in Europe. They designed it as a fishing and whaling village, and it quickly became a major center for the maritime industry. Today, it is known for its […]

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Visit a Rare Titanic Museum and Cemetery

The Titanic museum in Halifax is home to one of the world’s most grim and riveting stories. You’ll be surprised that you don’t know the half of it. There’s much more than James Cameron depicted in “Titanic,” including a cemetery with over 150 graves of Titanic’s victims. The Titanic exhibit is part of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. I stopped by while on a nearly two-year-long solo road trip around the United States, Mexico and Canada. Like most of the rest of the world, I found the story of the Titanic’s sinking fascinating and when I learned there was a museum and cemetery – well, off I went. As a taphophile, I’ve often visit cemeteries around the world if there’s a good story, unique beauty, or famous graves. All in the same section, one hundred and fifty Titanic graves fit the bill. I drove into Halifax from my rural Canadian hideaway someplace in the middle of nowhere (Stewiacke), just over an hour away. Many revere Canada for its spacious, rolling countryside and this road trip to the city did not disappoint. I passed many signs warning, “Moose Crossing,” alas, I never crossed any and […]

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10 Unique Things About Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park is unique because of being one with the community, sections of it interspersed and overlapping small towns with deep coastal heritage. It’s a place to see if you like hiking, biking, climbing, swimming, camping, boating, fishing, or watching the sunrise. If the rugged coastal landscape, abundant forest, and natural scenery beside the ocean sound appealing, this may be the place for you. I visited Acadia at the tail end of a nearly two-year solo road trip that took me through the United States, Mexico and Canada. I’d been staying in Bridgton, Maine and drove about three hours through the woods and hills toward Acadia at mid-day when everything seemed so golden and optimistic. The drive included plenty of green trees and blue lakes and streams. I think Maine has gotten more than their fair share of natural beauty. I hail from Michigan, and I’ve been to most states, but none seem quite as bracing as Maine. Arriving at Acadia National Park As I drive, I note only small businesses occasionally pepper the landscape and few areas with big box stores. There isn’t much apparent commercial business and the distance between places and people is wide. It’s a […]

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Walk the Best of Boston’s Freedom Trail

I arrived in Boston without a plan, but once I saw the red line in the street, I found my path along Boston’s Freedom Trail. Boston’s 2.5-mile-Freedom Trail connects historically important churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, ships, and other places to tell a story. That story is one you know well – but probably not as well as you think you do – it’s the American Revolution. The Freedom Trail is easy to find and follow because the path is bricked into the road. I visited during my nearly two-year solo road trip around the United States, Canada and Mexico. I’d been to Boston before and toured Fenway Park, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Garden Museum, and other prominent attractions, so this time, I wasn’t sure how I’d spend my day. Then, while walking in Boston Common, eating an empanada I bought from a street vendor, I saw the plan before me. It was a red dotted line embedded in the street promising to take me to 16 nationally significant historic sites. So, I followed it. Boston is famous as the place where the acts of the America Revolution began. It’s where most of the major […]

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Salem History: It’s More than Witches

Salem, Massachusetts, isn’t filed with toil and trouble, at least not anymore. It is a place best known for witches, but as one of the oldest communities in America, there’s more to Salem history. You know about Boston, but Salem was one of the earliest settlements and has been a place of critical seaport trade since the early 1600s. While tourists mostly come for the witches, there’s much more unique about this early American town, like historic residential neighborhoods, including the House of Seven Gables, Pioneer Village, the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, and the Peabody Essex Museum. Before that, it was home to the Naumkeag Native Americans, who lived there for thousands of years before European colonization. Salem History of Witches Still, if any town has a theme, it’s this one. I’ve been to Salem twice, once recently during my nearly two-year-long solo road trip and another time several years ago. Dare I say it’s gotten more witchy in the intervening years? It’s one of few places where you’ll know the theme without anyone telling you – something to do with witches, right? The teams are the “Witches,” a school is called “Witchcraft Heights,” and some police cars have […]

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Things to See on a Day Trip to Martha’s Vineyard from Boston

Taking a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard is great if you’ve been to the island before and just plan to walk around on a beach, get lunch by the water, or stroll through a few shops. However, you’ll want more time to explore if it’s your first visit. Martha’s Vineyard is a big island with several small, unique communities to discover. There are Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, Menemsha, and Vineyard Haven, to name just a few. Each place has different features, like shopping, fishing, or rural beauty, that are different from the last. But seeing them all in one day is possible – I did it – but it’s not the best way. Here’s what you’ll need to know when planning your trip.   Getting to Martha’s Vineyard – Ferry or Plane? If you’re going to Martha’s Vineyard from the Boston area, as many are, you’re likely taking the ferry. If you’re lucky, maybe you’re taking a private plane or flying via JetBlue or Cape Air for $400+ per person round trip. However, most of us take the ferry, which is more budget-friendly at $20 a ticket. If you plan, you can even take your car for about $200 more, which […]

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