From the wonderful lakefront communities of the northeast like Geneva-on-the-Lake to the tiny Lake Erie islands like Put-In Bay, and from the bright lights of Cleveland to the natural wonders of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, there is a lot to do in Northern Ohio. The three big mega-attractions, though, are definitely the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, and Canton’s Pro Football Hall of Fame. I visited all three during my time in the area and thought I would jot down some thoughts on them for anyone who might come for a visit to one or more of these attractions in the future.
First and foremost, there are a lot of different ways to get tickets to these attractions, and the worst possible way seemed to be buying them at the ticket-window. Navigating the ticket buying process is a bit of a nightmare, but you definitely need to figure out how to buy your tickets in advance which will save you a considerable amount of money..
The Discover Tennessee Trails and Byways project is one of the most comprehensive and far reaching statewide tourism initiatives I've ever encountered, and one of the best. The time and energy that must have been put into this project is staggering, but so are the results. Essentially, Tennessee has done all your off-the-beaten-path research for you, and all you have to do is follow the signs to your next adventure. The Trails and Byways program features 16 trails covering 5,225 miles of road and all 95 counties in the state. There are printed brochures for each trail and online resources as well. During my 5+ weeks in Tennessee, I found myself on several of these trails and found them to be a really great resource. It was an enormous undertaking by the state Department of Tourism, but I think other states could follow their lead in an effort to bring tourism dollars to smaller communities and lesser known areas of your state.
This is Shadow Catcher. It is my home, my vehicle, my constant companion. No, it's not a snappy name, but it's a good one. As someone who drove dozens of different vans over my career as a small-group tour guide, I gave up on naming them long ago. I wasn't in them long enough to form a bond with them, and most of them were leased anyway. We never developed a relationship and they were headed back to the dealership before their quirks became apparent. When I bought the van for this journey though, I knew we would be together for a while, day and night through winter and summer and good times and bad. It would need a name, but not any old name. A lot of people name their vehicle like it's a cow or a dog. I needed something deeper and meaningful to me. I chose the name in tribute to a few different people who inspired this trip and continue to inspire me. In Travels With Charley, John Steinbeck named his vehicle…
