An Ohio orchard that normally pulls nine bushels of apples off one tree may get lucky to get one bushel this year, after an 11-degree freeze hit in March. That kind of loss changes what a simple family trip to pick apples looks like. These are the apple orchard mistakes Ohio families are making this…
A driver eases onto the Blue Ridge Parkway at Rockfish Gap, sets the cruise control, and expects the same conveniences as every other highway in Virginia. That expectation gets tested fast. This is what Virginians wish every tourist knew before merging onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. 1. The Parkway Isn’t a Shortcut More than 16…
A bachelorette party spills out of a pedal tavern on Lower Broadway at two o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon. A few feet away, a Nashville local slips off Broadway entirely, already headed toward a route the tour buses never take. She’s done this enough times to know the faster way through. These are the moves…
Hurricane season hits its statistical peak on September 10, just days after Labor Day weekend wraps up this year. Many people mapping a drive to Asheville, Boone or Blowing Rock never glance at a tropical outlook before they load their car. But those mountains carry the scars of the storm that showed exactly how dangerous…
One of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay ferries isn’t running at all this summer, and hardly anyone off the island has noticed. Its longtime captain is out on medical leave with no return date posted. Virginia’s other working ferries are still crossing on schedule, mostly for the people who live a short drive from the landing. These…
New York held the nation’s first state fair in 1841. That’s twenty years before Kansas became a state. Nevertheless, it still hasn’t figured out how to make parking simple. Upwards of 100,000 people a day pack into the fairgrounds outside Syracuse on its busiest days. The first-timers among them keep making the same handful of…
Tennessee has mountain roads worth driving with the windows down and nowhere else to be. But on a Saturday, many drivers end up spending more time staring at the bumper ahead of them than the view outside. These scenic routes in Tennessee are beautiful enough to draw a crowd and crowded enough to make locals…
New York received over 315 million visitors last year, and fall foliage is a big part of why people keep coming back. A lot of that traffic funnels onto the same handful of scenic roads every October. But many tourists miss some of the best parts of the state. These are the fall drives New…
Eighty-nine lithium battery incidents happened on U.S. planes in 2024. It was a record year, and phone chargers were one of the culprits. These are the everyday items that Texas’ airport security takes away from carry-on and checked bags. 1. Queso and Other Creamy Dips Queso doesn’t look like a security risk to a Texan…
Is a $250 fine worth ten minutes in a waterfall pool? At Watkins Glen State Park, someone decides yes almost every weekend. These are the New York State park rules that too many visitors break. Note: This is general information, not legal advice. Park rules, fines, and permit requirements are subject to change. 1. Metal…
