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Artistry is at the heart of pumpkin Blaze

A field of cornstalks made from artfully carved pumpkins is one of the many sights at The Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze at the Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-the-Hudson, N.Y. Photo by Bryan Haeffele.
What happens when you throw 5,000 pumpkins, 15 artists and 1,000 volunteers in a caldron around Halloween? You get a can’t-believe-your-eyes event called Blaze. Actually it’s called The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze. Located in Croton-on-the-Hudso...

Steel plant makes artful renaissance in Pennsylvania

The gigantic blast furnaces are left from the old Bethlehem Steel plant, where 30,000 workers were once employed. Now they are the iconic symbol of the area’s revitalization as a major arts revenue, ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks. Photo by Gale Horton Gay
A rusted and decaying steel plant casts a stark contrast against a blue cloudless sky. Such a massive and deteriorating structure, once home to thousands of steel workers, might be perceived as a painful symbol of what was. However in Bethlehem, Pa.,...

Nautical town has much to entice visitors

Weekly sailboat races in the Chesapeake Bay draw crowds.
Annapolis is well known as the place where politics culminates in Maryland; the state’s capital. Maryland lawmakers and other movers and shakers flock there to make laws and shape policy. For the rest of us, however, there’s an abundance of non-p...

Paradise found in Mozambique

View of Indian Ocean from Paradise Magoo deck. Photo by John Hewitt
As we departed Kruger National Park in South Africa with its flourishing animal and plant life, my travel partner, Johann Carstens, told me that once we crossed into the Republic of Mozambique we would see a stark difference. He was correct. A primit...

Jamaica’s celebration of 50 years of independence makes for a great excuse to visit

Overlooking downtown Montego Bay. Photo by John Hewitt
Only a short plane ride from Atlanta sits the fifth largest island in the Caribbean. The indigenous people of the island named it Xaymaca, meaning the “Land of Wood and Water.” Now the island, Jamaica, is celebrating 50 years of independence from...

New hotel, casino, shopping mall make for fun getaway

Maryland Live! Casino features 3,200 electronic slots and table games.
What a nice surprise it is when a hotel that’s unassuming on the outside is a splendor of style and comfort inside. That was my experience recently while staying at The Hotel at Arundel Preserve in Hanover, Md., a suburb of Baltimore. Enter the lob...

Cruising the Potomac River is a luxe way to tour D.C.

So much to see in Washington, D.C., and so little time. That’s likely the lament of many visitors to the nation’s capital with its rich mix of monuments and historic sites. There are a dizzying array of ways to tour D.C.—walking, driving, doubl...

Dahlonega—there’s gold, history and wine in them thar hills

The Dahlonega historic square features many shops and restaurants in addition to the centerpiece, The Dahlonega Courthouse Gold Museum, far right. Photo by Travis Hudgons
Summer is almost here. Those looking for adventure, history and local flavor should plan a weekend getaway to Dahlonega. Located approximately 60 miles north of Atlanta, Dahlonega is a mountain town rich in history and charm. There’s still gold to ...

Travel misadventures are learning experiences

Champion LifeStyle editor Gale Horton Gay on her near-perfect January trip to Singapore before her travel woes began.
Listening to people talk about their travels abroad may lead one to believe it’s all sunshine and roses. However along with amazing photos, tales of exotic adventures and mysterious cuisine, there are often stunning stories of things gone wrong—s...

Hindu sacred site attracts tourists as well as worshipers

It’s difficult describing just what makes a visit to the Batu Caves in Malaysia so entrancing. Is it the towering Hindu statues, the dizzying height of the ascent to reach the caves or all those pesky monkeys that delight and terrorize visitors as ...

Local college to launch China business series        

Those interested will have the opportunity to take a close look at China’s economic growth and its influence on U.S. markets when Georgia Perimeter College launches “The China Business Series,” this week at Georgia Perimeter College’s Dunwood...

Blown glass is one of many artistic finds in Reading, Pa.

Leah Mendenhall, above, works hard to blow air into molten glass with instructor Scott Krenitsky guiding her every move at the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in Reading, Pa.
William Darras gave his girlfriend a present she couldn’t open, see or experience on Christmas day, but two months later when Leah Mendenhall was taken to the source of her gift she was nonetheless excited. Then she was put to work to create it. Da...

No need to roam far from home for late-winter getaways

Booth Museum
Georgia’s warming weather in February and March make it an ideal time to plan a quick in-state getaway. By staying in Georgia, one can keep costs and the time needed for a trip to minimum and possibly schedule more than one escape. I offer the foll...

Patriotic Philadelphia welcomes visits year ‘round

If the upcoming presidential holiday or the steady debate about who should lead the country for the next four years has sparked an interest in travel with a patriotic theme, Philadelphia fits the bill perfectly. This city of 1.5 million takes tremend...

Bermuda: There’s a lot more than pink beaches to love about Britain’s oldest overseas territory

Among the misconceptions that many Americans have about Bermuda is that it’s a tropical island; some think it’s part of the Caribbean. Actually, the island grouping known as Bermuda is due east of North Carolina—much north of the Caribbean—an...

Cooler season is ideal time for girls’ getaway in Rehoboth Beach

Photo courtesy Delaware Tourism Office
by Gale Horton Gay   It doesn’t get much better than this. After a marathon afternoon of bargain shopping at Delaware’s trifecta of outlet centers in Rehoboth Beach, I am having the kinks worked out of my shoulders, back and neck by a masseuse ...

No reason to be famished in Philadelphia

Geno’s Steaks, has been slinging its famous cheesesteaks from the same location for 40 years. Like Pat’s, Geno’s is also open daily around the clock. Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC; Left, Pat’s King of Steaks, which sits at 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue just across the street from rival Geno’s Steaks, is open around the clock, seven days a week. Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC
I visited Philadelphia with a simple goal—report on historic and cultural sites that might interest travelers. That article is coming, I promise. However, while engaged in sightseeing—by car, double-decker bus, taxi and on foot—I kept getting h...

Bicentennial of War of 1812

History buffs with a penchant for travel have plenty to look forward to for the remainder of this year and into 2012. Several states are commemorating the War of 1812, the armed conflict between the United States and Great Britain that officially beg...

Travelers returning to travel agents

Agents say benefits of their services are many The travel industry has had its share of ups and downs in recent years, thanks to high unemployment, economic uncertainty, political turmoil abroad and the public’s embrace of technology and the Intern...

Exploring the history and natural beauty of northern Arizona

Montezuma’s Castle
Less than two hours north of, and on average 30 degrees cooler than, scorching hot Phoenix is Sedona, Ariz. The town known for its amazingly beautiful red rocks, vortex tours and pink Jeep safaris is one of the top tourist destinations in the state. ...

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