SUMMER 2026 COAST MAGAZINE
BUENA VISTA, COLORADO THE DAKOTAS CELEBRATE JULY 4
EXPLORING THE SOUTH JERSEY SHORE
JUST ADD WATER
RESORT UPDATES
TERRA STARR PARK Checotah, Oklahoma
WATER’S EDGE RV RESORT Willis, Texas
SYCAMORE LODGE Jackson Springs, North Carolina
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2026 | 1
CONTENTS
RESORT PROFILES 03 RESORT UPDATES 05 TERRA STARR PARK Checotah, Oklahoma 06 WATER’S EDGE RV RESORT Willis, Texas 07 SYCAMORE LODGE Jackson Springs, North Carolina TRAVEL 08 BUENA VISTA, COLORADO
Chairman of Camping World Holdings Marcus Lemonis Chief Operating Officer Matthew Wagner Executive Vice President Good Sam
Enterprises Will Colling Editorial Director Dee Whited Graphic Designer Paige Olson Business Manager Christina Din Marketing Director Kristin Moser Coast Coordinator Farrah Jobling
Coast Member Services 64 Inverness Drive East Englewood, Colorado 80112 800-368-5721 info@coastresorts.com Coast to Coast Website CoastResorts.com Coast Facebook Page Facebook.com/CoastResorts
Text by Emily Fagan, photos by Emily & Mark Fagan 12 THE DAKOTAS CELEBRATE JULY 4 By Richard Varr 18 EXPLORING THE SOUTH JERSEY SHORE Feature and photos by Richard Varr 24 JUST ADD WATER By Dave G. Houser
Volume 45, Number 3. Coast to Coast (ISSN 1093-3581) is published quarterly for $14 per year as part of annual membership fees, by Coast to Coast Resorts, 64 Inverness Drive E., Englewood, Colorado 80112. Coast to Coast Resorts assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manu scripts or artwork. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any method without prior written consent of the publisher. ©2025 Camp Coast to Coast, LLC. Coast wing logo is a registered trademark of Camp Coast to Coast, LLC. The GOOD SAM ICON, and Dream. Plan. Go. are registered trademarks of Good Sam Enterprises, LLC and used with permission. Unauthorized use of Coast’s or Good Sam’s trademarks is expressly prohibited. All rights reserved. PRINTED IN THE USA. Cover Photo: Buena Vista, Colorado Photo by Emily and Mark Fagan CTC66505 - 0726
Arkansas River in Buena Vista, Colorado
DEPARTMENTS
31 RV REVIEW
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2026 | 2
RESORT UPDATES The 2026 Coast to Coast Resort Directory is your ultimate guide to exploring the Coast to Coast Resorts and Good Neighbor Parks network. While each issue of Coast Magazine highlights notable updates since the last edition, visit www.coastresorts.com anytime for the most current resort information.
CALIFORNIA Coachella Lakes RV Resort 44-790 Dillon Rd, Coachella, CA 92236 442.325.9292 cirvinfo@crrhospitality.com www.coachellalakesrvresort.com RV Notations: Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Add’l adult $10, pet $75. Season: Year-round
CLASSIC RESORT TERMINATION
Breckenridge Lake Campground, Crossville, TN
DELUXE RESORT TERMINATION
The Hideout Golf Club & Resort, Brownwood, TX
NEW GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS
ARIZONA Rock Springs RV Resort
DELAWARE Homestead Campground 25165 Prettyman Rd, Georgetown, DE 19947 302.684.4278
35769 Old Black Canyon Hwy, Black Canyon City, AZ 85324 623.257.0971 rockspringsinfo@ccrrhospitality.com www.rockspringsrvresort.com RV Notations: Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Add’l adult $10, Pet $75. Season: Year-round
homestead@l-realty.com www.homesteadde.com RV Notations: Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site. Season: May 1 to Sep 30
Coachella Lakes RV Resort - Coachella, CA
RESORT UPDATES
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FLORIDA Stay N Go RV 4951 Malloy Plaza East, Marianna, FL 32448 850.372.4198 contact@stayngorvresort.com www.stayngorvpark.com RV Notations: Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 6.5%. Season: Year-round
OHIO Lake Erie Shores 6300 Lake Rd West, Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH 44041 440.261.4063 guestservices@motorcoachresorties.com www.motorcoachresorties.com RV Notations: Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 6.75%. Season: Apr 1 to Oct 31 SOUTH CAROLINA Savannah Lakes RV Resort 170 Savannah Lakes Drive, Hardeeville, SC 29927 843.628.2006 sirvinfo@ccrhospitality.com www.savannahlakesrvresort.com RV Notations: 2026 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: add’l adult $10, pets $75. Season: Year-round
IOWA Amana RV Park & Event Center 3850 C St, Amana, IA 52203 319.622.7616
info@amanarvpark.com www.amanarvpark.com RV Notations: Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults
per site, full hook-ups. Season: Apr 1 to Nov 1
NEW YORK Cherry Grove Campground 12669 Ridge Rd, Wolcott, NY 14590 315.594.8320
SOUTH DAKOTA Pine Haven Venue & Lodging 13514 S Hwy 16, Rapid City, SD 57702 605.515.1276
info@cherrygrovecampground.com www.cherrygrovecampground.com RV Notations: Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Add’l adult $10, tax 8%. Season: Apr 1 to Nov 1
pinehavenlodging@gmail.com www.pinehavenblackhills.com RV Notations: Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults
per site, full hook-ups. Season: Apr 21 to Nov 16
Wylie Park Campground & Storybook Land 225 SE 3rd Ave, Aberdeen, SD 57401 888.326.3512 wylie@aberdeen.sd.us
www.aberdeen.sd.us/1306/Wylie-Park-Storybook-Land RV Notations: Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults
per site, full hook-ups. Season: Apr 15 to Oct 15
Cherry Grove Campground - Wolcott, NY
RESORT UPDATES
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RESORT TYPE: Classic LOCATION: Checotah, Oklahoma SEASON: Year-round WEBSITE: https://terrastarrrvpark.net
Terra Starr Park Soak in the natural beauty of Lake Eufaula
Terra Starr RV Park is nestled on the north shores of Lake Eufaula in Checotah, Oklahoma. Whether you’re looking for a quick weekend getaway, a week-long visit or interested in staying monthly, Terra Starr RV Park is the perfect choice. With more than 150 RV sites, including both 30-amp and 50-amp options, as well as six cabins, there is something for everyone. Experience the perfect blend of comfort and adventure by glamping in a cozy cabin. Enjoy the beauty of nature without giving up modern amenities like air conditioning, comfy beds, and a private bathroom. It’s camping made easy—just bring your sense of adventure and let the cabin take care of the rest! Step into Terra Starr Hideaway, a serene retreat tucked in the heart of Terra Starr RV Park, where lakefront charm meets endless amenities. Imagine mornings sipping coffee while the sun glistens across the lake, the gentle breeze rustling through the trees, and the calm water reflecting the sky. Your day can start with fishing in the pond, tubing or cruising across the lake, or a refreshing dip in the sparkling saltwater pool.
The playground, basketball and tennis courts, and spacious outdoor areas keep kids and adults entertained, while the clubhouse is perfect for games, gatherings, or a cozy escape from the sun. RV travelers will love the full hookups, and for peace of mind, a storm shelter is just steps away. Lake Eufaula is a reservoir, located on the Canadian River, is the largest-capacity lake in Oklahoma. Activities at Lake Eufaula include boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, hunting, golfing, and horseback riding. A well-known tournament lake, Lake Eufaula draws anglers from across the United States to test their skills at catching largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, Kentucky bass, crappie, catfish, sand bass, stripers (below the dam), and other species.
RESORT PROFILES
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deluxe
RESORT TYPE: Deluxe LOCATION: Willis, Texas SEASON: Year-round WEBSITE: https://robertsresorts.com/resorts/ waters-edge-rv
Drop anchor, check into a cedar-loft cabin, or settle into an RV site for the season on the shores of Lake Conroe— whatever “home on the water” means to you, Water’s Edge RV Resort in Willis, Texas, delivers full hookups and lakeside hospitality an hour from Houston. Enjoy full hookup sites steps from the lake. Launch your boat and cast at dawn. As the only lakefront, resort-amenity RV park on Lake Conroe’s quiet northwest shore within an hour of Houston, Water’s Edge RV Resort gives snowbirds, weekend boaters, contract professionals, and family adventurers a clean, quiet launchpad. From a private boat ramp to weekly events, you’ll find the convenience of access with the peace of waterfront living. If you travel without your RV, rent one of the cedar-loft models with lake views. Each cabin features private indoor living spaces, fully equipped kitchens, and lake views that bring nature right to your doorstep. Best of all, you can enjoy everything Lake Conroe has to offer without the extra baggage or hassles of hauling an RV or tent gear. Resort amenities include a private boat ramp and lakefront dock and a resort-style pool. Your four-legged pet will Water’s Edge RV Resort Full hookup sites steps from the lake
have fun in the fenced-in dog park. Take strolls or a fast walk on the waterfront trails. Nearby, explore Sam Houston National Forest where you can hike, bike, and explore 163-acres of pine forest. Enjoy shopping, dining, and entertainment at The Woodlands or visit downtown Conroe’s breweries and local festivals. Lake Conroe is a 22,000-acre lake with a total of 157 miles of shoreline. Lake Conroe is the perfect spot for rest and relaxation, or an exciting adventure. Enjoy fishing, boating, and other water sports. Don’t have a boat? Don’t worry, Lake Conroe has a variety of guides, and boat rental options. Make sure to end the night at one of the lakeside dining restaurants.
RESORT PROFILES
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premier
RESORT TYPE: Premier LOCATION: Jackson Springs, North Carolina SEASON: Year-round WEBSITE:travelresorts.com
Sycamore Lodge Resort Minutes from the famed Pinehurst Golf Courses
Set on 194 acres filled with pine, sycamore, dogwood, oak, and magnolia trees, Sycamore Lodge Resort in Jackson Springs, North Carolina, fosters a welcoming community ambiance where guests connect with nature and each other. Here, comfort meets the simplicity of the outdoors, whether you’re camping or enjoying our amenities. Although being just minutes from the Pinehurst is exciting for golfers of all abilities, there’s a lot more to this property than a little white ball and a long walk. At Sycamore Lodge, enjoyment and relaxation seamlessly blend. Take a dip in the swimming pool, challenge friends in the game room, or participate in one of the themed events. The acres of the luxury RV resort are exquisitely manicured with beautiful pine, sycamore, dogwood, oak, and magnificent magnolia trees. If you aren’t into sports, choose to relax at your site, lounge within the terraced gardens, or at the swimming pool and hot tub complex. And if you’re a birder, the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker makes its home in the resorts’ pines. There’s no end to the type of sports you can enjoy onsite. From a pick-up game of softball or baseball or move over
to the volleyball court. For something less energetic, try miniature golf, cornhole, or cards in the game room. Bring along your pole and try your luck fishing in the fully stocked catch-and-release pond. If quietly reading is your favorite sport. Browse the resort’s cozy library for a quiet retreat with books, magazines, and a comfortable reading space. Enjoy gatherings and entertainment in the dance pavilion and large lodge. Themed weekends, live music, and planned events are common throughout the year. For a little more exercise cycle through the resort on dedicated bike trails, offering a fun and active way to explore the natural surroundings or stop by the general store, gift shop, and grocery.
RESORT PROFILES
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BUENA VISTA, COLORADO
RESORT UPDATES An Ideal Summer Vacation Destination!
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2026 | 8 The Arkansas River
Sometimes in the RV life we all hit a bump or two in the road. Crises are no fun, but there’s often a silver lining behind the stress and drama. Like inhaling a breath of fresh air, we unexpectedly discover something new and wonderful. That’s what happened to us in a valley deep in the heart of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Our Ram 3500 dually truck suddenly started throwing codes and hissing loudly, and although it could drive, it refused to tow our 32-foot-fifth-wheel trailer over any mountain passes until it was fixed. We were miles from nowhere, surrounded by mountain passes, and every diesel mechanic within 100 miles was booked for weeks. Ugh! Fortunately, a mechanic in Buena Vista, not too far from where we broke down, agreed to look at our truck. His prognosis was bleak. It needed a new exhaust manifold and a new turbo, and the parts wouldn’t arrive for a few weeks. Good grief! Buena Vista wasn’t on our itinerary at all. We were just passing through the area to get to more exciting places. But we soon discovered that “BV” (as the locals affectionately call it) is a truly delightful little town. We couldn’t have asked for a better place to be “stuck” for three weeks! Buena Vista has a population of just 3,000 people and sits at an elevation of 8,000 feet at the base of the towering Collegiate Mountains, several of which have summits more than 14,000 feet. These mountains bear the names of Ivy League universities, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Columbia. Another is named Mt. Oxford in a nod to their British cousin. Further north, the mountains are named for Civil War heroes General Sherman and President Lincoln. Interestingly, despite all these illustrious luminaries and institutions overlooking the valley, Buena Vista’s origins were quite humble. In the 1860s James and Martha Mahon established the town of Mahonville in this spot. They were drawn to the area because water was plentiful and crops grew well. Agriculture has remained an important part of the community ever since, and descendants of the Mahons still live in the area. From 1922 to 1946 Buena Vista, Colorado An Ideal Summer Vacation Destination! Text by Emily Fagan, photos by Emily & Mark Fagan
Buena Vista was the “Head Lettuce Capital of the US,” and fields of emerald green stretched as far as the eye could see. Mining was also important to the area. Back in 1879, nearby Leadville saw a huge silver boom, and two rail lines soon brought tracks through Mahonville. With the arrival of the trains, the residents changed the name to Buena Vista, or “Good View” in Spanish. That name is a huge understatement, though. With sweeping mountain panoramas in every direction, the views around Buena Vista are truly sensational! Although it’s tempting to use the Spanish pronunciation of “Bwayna Vista,” the woman who originally proposed the town’s name change in 1879 wanted the pronunciation to be Americanized as “Byoona Vista” (“byoo” as in “beautiful”). Everyone in town agreed, and that pronunciation has stuck through the generations. So, when you’re talking to a local, don’t be surprised if they say “Byoona Vista!”
The town bridge over the Arkansas River
The river is perfect for tubing or kayaking
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As we walked further and turned onto South Main Street, we found ourselves in a new “retro” neighborhood that resembles the old row houses of the east coast. Tall windows and front porches with railings adorned each house and stairs led up from the sidewalk to each front door. Rocking chairs or Adirondack chairs waited invitingly on each porch. It was a gorgeous sunny day, and people were gathered on many of these porches with the home’s front door thrown wide open. A warm spirit of camaraderie filled the air. At the far end of town, we found a small grassy park where workers were setting up chairs for an evening outdoor concert. Next to the park a large stone building bore a huge sign, “Surf Hotel.” Surf? In Colorado? We had no idea what that was all about until we walked a little further to the banks of the rushing Arkansas River. Here, in the middle of a spectacular fast-moving river, the town had arranged some boulders to create several standing waves, and people were surfing the waves on boogie boards! Balancing on their boards just like a surfer on the ocean, they’d stay in place on the standing wave while the water rushed under them. Some folks were surfing on their stomachs, and all were having a total blast. Round after round of enthusiasts paddled out to this spot they call the Pocket Wave and took turns surfing. In the calm shallows at the bottom of a
Downtown Buena Vista
The downtown area is delightful for a stroll among historic buildings, and although today’s population is small, we found several wonderful coffee bistros for a morning cuppa Joe. Buena Vista Roastery roasts their own coffee beans, and their French Roast was so good we bought a pound to take with us. A charming sense of whimsy pervades this town too, and we were amused to see a statue of a mastodon standing on the lawn in front of the old Chaffee County Courthouse, which now houses the Buena Vista Heritage Museum.
Boogie boarding on the Arkansas River
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boat ramp a few little kids were playing with toy boats while their parents floated around on rafts. What a perfect way to spend a sunny summer day. We discovered that this was all part of the River Park, and it quickly became our favorite place in town. Two bridges cross the river at either end of the park, the Town Bridge and Beaver Falls Bridge, and they are spaced about a mile apart. Town Bridge is for foot traffic only while the Beaver Falls Bridge has both foot and light vehicle traffic. A lovely walking path goes between the bridges along both riverbanks. We hiked this loop almost every day while we were in town. We loved it whether it was bright and sunny or gloomy and windy. The path along the town side of the river is wide and easy to walk, skirting along the fronts of homes and restaurants. The path on the far shore is narrower, more rugged and a bit wild. It dodges between boulders and trees, sometimes requiring a little bit of a scramble and always offering an adventurous although easy hike. Little mini beaches were tucked between large rocks in a few spots, ideal for bringing a beach blanket to sunbathe or simply enjoy the moist fresh air and sounds of the rushing water.
White water on the Arkansas River
The River Park isn’t the only summer beach spot in Buena Vista, however. On the opposite side of US 24 which runs north / south through town, the McPhelmy Park surrounds a beautiful pond. Tall shade trees arch over the water, which comes from Cottonwood Creek at one end. The water drains back into Cottonwood Creek in a cascade over a pretty manmade waterfall dam at the other end. This is a great spot to while away a few hours reading a book or watching the kids play in the water. One afternoon we arrived to find the entire pond full of kids on paddle boards. At other times we were the only ones there. And just as the park by the Surf Hotel at the river hosts outdoor concerts, McPhelmy Park does too. We joined the audience sitting on lawn chairs and blankets in the grass around the stage to listen to a local band. Back in the 1880s, Buena Vista evolved into the hub for three major railroads. Only one train depot is still standing, and it is now a museum. Although it wasn’t open during our visit, an old train was parked outside for kids to climb. It is remarkable to imagine a rickety wooden box like this rolling across the rough American countryside nearly 150 years ago. We peeked inside the train, and the accommodations were spartan. Traveling any kind of distance in it would have been very uncomfortable. Yet, it was probably much better than a stagecoach and a whole lot faster too. Eventually the parts for our truck arrived, and it was time to say goodbye to Buena Vista. What a silver lining we’d been blessed with in that dark cloud of a diesel truck breakdown. We’ll definitely visit Buena Vista again, but next time with everything in working order.
A walk across the town bridge offered great views of mountains and river
River rafters also ride Arkansas River rapids, and we saw several large rafts full of people go by. Skilled individual whitewater rafters tackled the waves too using short portable inflatable kayaks. We were floored to watch one fellow finish his run, deflate his kayak on the beach and fold it into a backpack for the walk home. The trails were popular with people of all ages, and many brought their dogs with them. We had to laugh when we saw a large sign at the trailhead saying, “These trails are best enjoyed with dogs. I recommend that every two people have at least 60 pounds of dogs with each individual dog weighing at least 20 pounds.“ As I mentioned, there’s whimsical spirit in this town!
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THE DAKOTAS CELEBRATE JULY 4
RESORT UPDATES A New Presidential Library and Fireworks Mark the Country’s 250th Birthday
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2026 | 12 Wooden walkways take you below the four presidents surrounded by a pine forest
The park’s main promenade, studded with flags of every U.S. state and territories, leads to the Grand View Terrace with perhaps the best views of the presidents. But their enormous faces pop through the tree clusters of ponderosa pines, aspen and cottonwood at the base of the mountain along the Presidential Trail. The 0.6-mile loop includes 422 stairs, steep at some points, as stairwells both ascend and descend the sloping mountainside. At one end of the trail, the actual Sculptor’s Studio used by Borglum from 1939-1941 remains and today houses the monument’s original 1/12th scale plaster model. The Visitor Center has a comprehensive collection of excavation tools and photographs while detailing how some 400 workers blasted and carved away 450,000 tons of rock with few injuries and no deaths. While it’s apparent to most of us why the faces include Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln, many may not know the true significance of why Roosevelt’s likeness joins them. Washington is there because he was the first leader of the new nation; Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence and noted for expanding America’s borders through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803; and Lincoln for preserving the Union during the Civil War. Roosevelt was chosen for creating the National Park Service and helping preserve this nation’s great outdoors.
They stare with stoic faces and eyes locked, imposing and enduring. Seeing the four presidents on Mount Rushmore never gets old as it represents our patriotic pride—even in times of political turmoil. While it’s always been a popular place to visit on the Fourth of July, the memorial’s Independence Day, celebration this year will be even more exciting as the nation honors its 250th anniversary. The National Park Service is planning a massive fireworks display to dazzle the night sky on July 3rd along with live music and a special video program. Within South Dakota’s Black Hills National Forest, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial was carved into the mountainside’s fine-grained granite—rock that will endure through the millennia, eroding only an inch every 10,000 years. Started in 1927 to boost the region’s tourism, it took renowned sculptor Gutzon Borglum’s team 14 years to blast and chisel the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, each about 60 feet tall. The Dakotas Celebrate July 4 A New Presidential Library and Fireworks Mark the Country’s 250th Birthday Feature and Photos By Richard Varr
It took 14 years to blast and chisel the faces of the presidents, each of which is about 60 feet tall
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the area. Inside, separate galleries highlight key periods in Roosevelt’s life including as a rancher in the surrounding Badlands, his military career, his dedication to the outdoors and conservation, and of course his time in the White House. Exhibits explore his role in building the Panama Canal, leading the “Rough Riders” during the Spanish American War, his dangerous Africa and Amazon expeditions, and his 1903 Yosemite camping trip with naturalist John Muir that led to the creation of the National Park System. “The experience will draw out a lot of different types of emotions as people weave in and out of Roosevelt’s life,” notes McCann. Medora is home to the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame which showcases the horse culture, history and lifestyle of ranchers, rodeo cowboys and Native Americans who have lived on the northern plains. The Medora Musical variety show runs nightly in the summer with country music acts, horses, and fireworks. The town is also the gateway to the South Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, encompassing a wide stretch of stunning buttes weathered through the millennia. In fact, some
Roosevelt’s Maltese Cross Cabin was moved to the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Parks visitor centers
Roosevelt, in fact, has special focus during this year’s 250th anniversary. A four-hour drive north from Mount Rushmore through mostly uninhabited vast plains leads to North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and a new tribute to the 26th president—the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. Scheduled to open on July 4th, the museum highlights Roosevelt’s life, presidency, and conservation legacy with narrative galleries, small pavilions, and outside walking paths. It will have digital access to his presidential archives now housed in the Library of Congress, Harvard University, and North Dakota’s Dickinson State University. And why is it opening in the Badlands in far southwest North Dakota? To highlight Roosevelt’s time there, starting in 1883 when he came to hunt buffalo and where he built two ranches. He returned just a year later to grieve when he lost both his mother and wife tragically on Valentine’s Day, 1884. “He goes into this deep depression, so he comes out to the Badlands and throws himself into the type of work that’s kind of dangerous because it’s the frontier,” says Amy McCann, the Library’s Group Experience Manager. “He goes hunting and learns the cowboy way, and the little pleasures that are rejuvenating. He found that grit he was made of,” she adds. “He may have lived in New York and was buried there, but his spirit is definitely here. Roosevelt once said he never would have been president if it wasn’t for his time here.” Located in the touristy Western-themed town of Medora, the Presidential Library is housed in a unique structure with a curving earthen roof starting at the ground and topped with grasses and plants from
A statue of the Rough Rider stands before the Old Town Hall Theater
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resemble ancient pyramid-like mounds with pale, red-tinted rock layers streaked along jagged edges. I drive the park’s 36-mile loop passing grassy patches with squeaking prairie dogs, and wandering bison, and then to several overlooks with views of the Little Missouri River and surrounding buttes. The South Unit has two visitor centers, the larger one housing rifles and other items owned by Roosevelt in a small museum. One of his Badlands homes, the restored Maltese Cross Cabin, was moved to this location from his former ranch and has both original and period furniture. A short drive east on I-94, the Painted Canyon Visitor Center has access to hiking trails and views with some of the park’s most colorful buttes. The National Park’s North Unit lies about 70 miles north along route US 85 and has a 14-mile road (28-miles roundtrip) with overlooks and hiking trails also along the Little Missouri River. A third part of the park, the Elkhorn Ranch Unit between the North and South Units, is the site of Roosevelt’s second ranch where only stone foundations remain of his cabin there. Unpaved roads lead to this site, making it difficult to reach. Back in South Dakota, Mount Rushmore is only a 30-minute drive from Rapid City with its year-round patriotic theme, “City of Presidents,” because of the life-sized bronze statues of every U.S. president at downtown street corners. John Adams, for example, stands at an entrance of Main Street Square, a grassy plaza with cooling sprinklers for kids in the summertime. Fifth President James Monroe straddles a cane while tipping his top hat. Thomas Jefferson stands at a desk with quill in handwriting the Declaration of Independence. A seated Abraham Lincoln nestles his son Tad and John F. Kennedy walks with son John Jr. The project started 26 years ago by a local businessman after seeing people swarming around a temporary statue of Lincoln. “He noticed that people were taking pictures with it and thought how wonderful it would be if we had all the presidents so people could take pictures with all the statues and how it would generate downtown business,” explains Laurie Sutterer, the Visitor Services Manager with Visit Rapid City. The downtown Visitor Center provides the AI-powered City of Presidents Audio Tour featuring the presidents’ narrations in first person.
is the replica brontosaurus anchoring Dinosaur Park atop a hill, easily seen from the streets below and beyond. Walkways circle up the hill leading to six other seemingly full-size figurines including a stegosaurus with its boney back plates, the horned triceratops, and an imposing T-Rex. From the top, views stretch along hilly landscapes and dense forests and to Badlands National Park. One of the first original tourist attractions in the Black Hills, the park was a Great Depression-era project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) dedicated in 1936 to complement the tourist draw to Mount Rushmore. “Dinosaurs are quite popular around here because a lot of bones have been found,” says Sutterer. The city’s Journey Museum displays such fossils and has a dig tent for visitors. In 1990, the park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A short drive from downtown along winding neighborhood streets leads to the Chapel in the Hills, an exact replica of the Borgund Stavkirke located in Laerdal, Norway. Opened in 1969, the multi-roofed wooden structure is a typical Scandinavian-style stave church with simple benches inside. It’s a tribute to the area’s Norwegian heritage and, as part of
A seated Abraham Lincoln statue nestles his son Tad in Rapid City.
Perhaps the most noticeable icon of the cityscape
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a Lutheran ministry, holds evening services in the summer. A grass-roofed structure built in Norway was reassembled on the site and is now a gift shop, and an adjacent 19th-century log cabin houses a small museum. Carved out of a rocky mountaintop, the Crazy Horse Memorial is less than an hour’s drive from Rapid City. The face of the Native American Lakota warrior, known for winning the 1876 Battle of Little Big Horn, has towered over the area for years as the project slowly progresses because it relies on private donations. When completed, it will be the largest mountain carving in the world. Started in 1948, the sculpture of Crazy Horse riding his stallion was the dream of architect Korczak Ziolkowski. Now managed by his family, the complex houses the Indian Museum of North America with 12,000 historic artifacts, artworks, and cultural items. Visitors can book a trip up the mountain directly in
front of the face carving, but at a steep price.
Great day trips include Custer State Park along the 18-mile Wildlife Loop with roaming bison. Strangely- shaped rock formations, tunnels, and granite spires jut out from the rugged terrain on the Needles Highway. Sylvan Lake’s shorelines of seemingly stacked boulders are scenic gathering spots for hikers, swimmers, and kayakers. Just to the south, Wind Cave National Park lives up to its name as whistling winds blow through the underground calcite studded chambers. To the west is yet another spelunking attraction, the Jewel Cave National Monument, known as the world’s fifth longest cave system and named because of its jewel-like calcite crystals. For a day of Wild West shootouts, lively saloons and casinos, take the 45-minute drive from Rapid City to Deadwood on the northern edge of the Black Hills
The Crazy Horse is carved out of a rocky mountaintop
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Before leaving the area, I once again stroll along the streets of Rapid City to admire the statues of the presidents. “People are surprised at some being small men as the statues represent their same girth and height while in office,” I recall Sutterer telling me. “Except for one,” she quipped. “President Howard Taft was a rather large man, and we had to put him on a small diet to put him on the street corner.” The statue was intentionally trimmed to lower production costs.
For more information visitrapidcity.com nps.gov/moru/index.htm nps.gov/thro/index.htm trlibrary.com
Visit Deadwood where Wild Bill Hickock was shot in 1876
National Forest. Follow the footsteps of notorious gunslingers and outlaws to Saloon No. 10 on Main Street, now an Italian restaurant and steakhouse, and the very spot where Wild Bill Hickok was gunned down during a poker game in 1876. He’s buried alongside frontierswoman and sharpshooter Calamity Jane in the nearby Mount Moriah Cemetery. During late spring and summer, reenactors take to Main Street for three daily shootout skits. “Each one is based on a true story that happened here,” explains actor Jake Fogle with the Deadwood Alive troupe. One skit is called “Showdown on Gold Street.” “It’s about a couple of guys who got into a disagreement over a card game and got into a shootout. And that event happened just about two weeks after Wild Bill was killed,” continues Fogle. A less than two-hour drive on Interstate 90 West leads to Wyoming’s Devils Tower National Monument, a giant volcanic rock plug with striated, peeling sides and a flat top. This unusual geographic landmark was formed 50 million years ago when molten magma crept into a large gap within sedimentary rock. For centuries, it spawned Native American folklore but is perhaps best known as the mysterious rendezvous point for UFO landings in the 1977 science-fiction movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park has many colorful buttes
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EXPLORING THE SOUTH JERSEY SHORE
RESORT UPDATES Casinos to Victorian architecture, but beaches remain the allure
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2026 | 18 Cape May Lighthouse at Cape May Point State Park
Cuomo explains how the rail lines transported 1,500 passengers each day in summertime during the Victorian era. The excursion also takes us to the Cape May Canal, a man-made waterway dug in 1942 from the Atlantic Ocean to Delaware Bay to provide safe passage for boats during World War II, to avoid threatening German U-boats off the coast. Cape May is just one stop during my visit to the South Jersey Shore that, like in yesteryear, remains one of the top regional summer vacation getaways. My trip takes me from the Atlantic City Boardwalk and the glittering casino / hotel towers to coastal roads along 40-plus miles of beaches. I drive south through Ocean City and Sea Isle City, reaching the sleepier towns of Avalon and Stone Harbor, their neighborhoods lined with vacation homes. I visit the Wildwood Boardwalk, bustling in the high season with arcades, water parks, cotton candy stands, and restaurants, making it one of the country’s top family vacation spots. I end my trip in Cape May at the far southeast tip of New Jersey. “It’s the Victorian feel that’s the soul of Cape May,” says Jill Heim, Director of Sales and Marketing at the grand Inn of Cape May, an iconic landmark of the city’s 19th-century distinctive architecture—hexagonal towers, a mansard roof and a shaded wraparound porch. “Victorian and Cape May go hand-in-hand,” she adds.
Exploring the South Jersey Shore Casinos to Victorian architecture, but beaches remain the allure Feature and photos by Richard Varr It took a visit to Cape May to ride the rails—actually, bike the rails. I’m riding on a two-seat rail bike akin to a small flatbed rail car, pedaling along this beach community’s saltwater marshes and flat coastal areas with dense shrubs and low forests, ideal habitats for southern New Jersey’s seasonal migrating birds. And it’s all along historic train tracks. “These tracks date back to Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War,” says Jake Cuomo, the General Manager of the Revolution Rail Co. who’s pedaling beside me. “This is part of the Reading Rail System. These tracks were laid down in 1863 and were the sole rail line in and out of Cape May for about 30 years.” It’s my first time riding a rail bike, an exciting and expanding touring option that’s only been around for just over 10 years in the U.S. Today there are more than 30 such operators nationwide. “This is a unique activity as you get to see a part of Cape May that no one will see unless you’re on a rail bike,” continues Cuomo. “It’s great for families, especially in the summer.”
Visitors riding two-seat rail bikes, which are akin to sitting in small flatbed rail cars.
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Atlantic City was in its heyday from the 1920s to the 1960s, popular as a summer beach escape and for strolling the Boardwalk lined with salt-water taffy shops and eateries. The arcades of the historic Steel Pier and Central Pier pulsed with games and go-carts. The city was home to the Miss America Pageant and night clubs attracting the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. “There were lots of clubs—it was a great place to be in the ‘60s,” says Robert Ruffolo, local historian and owner of Princeton Antiques & Books and a co-author of the coffee table book, Atlantic City: America’s Playground. “There were beautiful and high-class businesses from New York and Philadelphia along the Boardwalk. They actually opened satellite stores here to keep their customers because a lot of them would come to Atlantic City and stay for a week, a month, or the entire season in high class hotels.”
Atlantic City Boardwalk during yesteryear
The city rebranded itself starting in 1978 with its first casino, followed by a string of others. The industry declined in the 2010s, but a resurgence is in the making with casino reinvestments, new infrastructure projects, and convention business. Nine casino hotel towers marking the city skyline—Caesars, Harrah’s and Bally’s to name a few—have new shows and celebrity-chef restaurants attracting East Coast travelers looking for a convenient weekend getaway. “But the beach and the Boardwalk are still the greatest jewels that Atlantic City has and will always have,” notes Ruffolo. “There will be another growth making Atlantic City shine as bright as it did in the ‘50s,” he predicts. Growing up in New York City, my family would often visit Atlantic City during the summer, today bringing back memories of tasty pork roll or Taylor Ham in sandwiches or served for breakfast. It’s a home- grown New Jersey specialty—a tangy, salami-like luncheon meat served crispy after grilling—that also became popular in eastern Pennsylvania with so many Philadelphians flocking to the Jersey Shore. “Restaurants cooked it with the exhaust coming out on the Boardwalk where you smelled the aroma, and your nose took over your mind,” recalls Ruffolo. “That was the allure of it.” Ruffolo shows me a postcard of the John Taylor Colonial Inn pork roll restaurant at 1607 Boardwalk that I frequented as a kid. Today, there remains a restaurant at the site, Bill’s Gyro and Souvlaki. “We always had pork roll on the menu. Local people always told me this used to the famous Taylor Ham pork roll place,” says restaurant owner Sargis Ghalechyan. “People who come to Atlantic City from other states have no idea what a pork roll is. We tell them it’s a Jersey ham and when they try it, they love it.”
The restaurant at 1607 Boardwalk that used to be the famous pork roll restaurant
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Just a few blocks from the Boardwalk, the Absecon Lighthouse towers over a grassy square. At 171 feet high, it’s New Jersey’s tallest lighthouse and the nation’s third tallest, with 228 steps leading to grand views of glittering casino skyscrapers. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, the lighthouse was built in 1856 to guide ships to shore after more than 60 vessels were lost approaching Absecon Beach within just nine years prior. “They actually nicknamed the waters off Atlantic City the ‘Graveyard Inlet,’” says Milton Glenn, the lighthouse’s Manager of Operations and Education. “It was built because during rough storms, sailors didn’t necessarily realize how close they were coming to the shoreline. Our shallows actually go out for miles,” he adds. “So many ships ran aground and so many sailors lost their lives.” The lighthouse grounds include a replica of the keeper’s house, a small museum and the original first-order glass Fresnel lens first lit in 1857. “We are the oldest building in all of Atlantic City,” notes Glenn. “Everyone knows Atlantic City is a casino town, but there are so many family-friendly things people can do here.”
Lucy the Elephant attraction in Margate is actually a six-story architectural marvel.
I drive south along Atlantic Avenue and stop at Lucy the Elephant, an unusual tourist attraction in Margate. The colossal figurine is actually a six-story architectural marvel dating back to 1881, built to attract visitors and promote real estate investment for what has become a suburban-like community. “There aren’t many things that can capture the wonderment that comes across a person’s face like a giant elephant when you’re not expecting it to be there,” observes caretaker Ryan Brown. “There’s definitely a magic to it as well.” A National Historic Landmark, the odd-shaped building, is open for tours. After closing in the early 1960s, it was saved from condemnation by area residents and reopened in 1974. Restoration and upkeep projects since then have ensured it remains one of the Jersey Shore’s top tourist attractions. “Her biggest threat is the weather, not hunters and poachers,” jokes tour guide Kaitlyn Lafferty, saying the structure has survived many storms. We climb a stairwell within one of the giant legs that leads to the interior’s wood-paneled chamber, often rented out as a venue for small meetings, weddings, birthdays, and other events. Another stairwell leads up to a glass skylight and outdoor platform with sweeping views of Margate and its beaches, with Atlantic City’s skyline in the distance.
Absecon Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in New Jersey
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Part of the fun is learning of its history serving as a residence, tavern and even a speakeasy. “During Prohibition, Lucy was kind of a bad girl we like to tell people.” Lafferty explains bootleggers would supposedly signal red and green lights through the portholes of the elephant’s eyes. “If green, rum runners would bring everything up into the tummy.” The Margate History Museum, meanwhile, has recently washed up Prohibition whiskey bottles that rum runners threw overboard when police approached their boats. It’s interesting to note the municipalities and small villages that make up the South Jersey Shore communities, including Atlantic City and Cape May, are all situated on barrier islands. From Margate, I cross a bridge to Ocean City and pass row after row of beach houses with similar architecture—two and three stories, painted in cool and muted pastel-like hues with white-fenced balconies on each level. Ocean City has a 2.5-mile boardwalk with restaurants, shops, and game and ride arcades. I cross another bridge to the small beachside community of Strathmere and then on to Sea Isle City with its Promenade, a paved 1.5-mile walkway along the beach. The main thoroughfare is lined with typical summer vacation businesses—pizzerias, ice cream parlors, eateries, and shops. The next beach community south is Avalon, but its narrow half-mile boardwalk is only for walking with just a few commercial businesses. Adjacent Stone Harbor is more of an upscale community with boutiques, high-end dining and spotless, protected beaches. Before arriving in Cape May, I stop in Wildwood to walk the 2.5-mile boardwalk, densely packed with neon-lit amusements—water parks, giant roller coasters, and carnival games. A whaling and farming community in the 17th- and early 18th-centuries, charming Cape May today is all about its Victorian architecture and is noted as the country’s oldest seaside resort town started with the rush of 19th-century tourists. “They came from Philadelphia to get away from the heat of the city,” says Heim. The boom in Victorian home building took place between the 1860s and 1890s, and for that reason the city was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1976. More than 600 well-preserved homes line city neighborhoods sporting Italianate, Queen Anne and Gothic Revival styles. “The city is very committed
Washed up bottles of Prohibition whiskey bottles in the Margate History Museum
Steel Pier’s Ferris wheel is extended from the Atlantic City Boardwalk
Businesses alongside the Atlantic City Boardwalk
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to keeping the historical houses, the Victorian look to the houses, and there are strict rules what you can and cannot add to the houses,” adds Heim. One such house is the Emlen Physick Estate, whose eponymous owner was a doctor and descendant of a prominent Philadelphia family. Recognized as New Jersey’s only Victorian House Museum, the home’s grand entrance, parlors and sitting rooms are richly decorated with ornate wallpaper, paintings, plush carpets, and thick drapes. The upstairs library, with books collected from 1879-1916, showcases Dr. Physick’s focus on education and culture. “He was the wealthiest year-round resident in Cape May,” says museum tour guide Kathy Sjolund. “When the house was restored, that really got the flow going of keeping the Victorian character of Cape May.” Adding to Cape May’s history, the Harriet Tubman Museum highlights the time the abolitionist lived there in the early 1850s and how she earned money as a cook to help free enslaved people. The six- story World War II Lookout Tower, also known as Fire Control Tower No. 23, was a crucial part of coastal defense to spot German submarines. Visitors can climb the 99 steps to a viewing platform.
It’s a 199-step climb, meanwhile, to reach the top of the Cape May Lighthouse, also located along the bottom tip of the Jersey Cape peninsula. The 1859 lighthouse soars above Cape May Point State Park, a popular spot with birders using designated platforms to keep an eye out for migrating birds and hawks, as southern New Jersey is a critical resting stop from their long treks over open water. Other things to do in Cape May include strolling the pedestrian Washington Street Mall with its boutiques, restaurants, and fudge shops, going on whale and dolphin-watching cruises, and of course, hitting the clean, white sand beaches. Yet no visit to Cape May would be complete without either strolling or driving along the streets with the city’s most significant sights, the Victorian homes. “It’s like Norman Rockwell’s in this town,” says Heim. “Everything is decorated. You can visit individual homes because they’re historic landmarks. Victorian and Cape May are synonymous with each other here.”
IF YOU GO: visitatlanticcity.com capemay.com oceancityvacation.com visitsicnj.com njsouthernshore.com
The iconic Victorian landmark, The Inn of Cape May
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RESORT UPDATES JUST ADD WATER The Joys of Lakeside Camping
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2026 | 24 Lake Powell
Just Add Water The Joys of Lakeside Camping By Dave G. Houser
RVers who have given it a try will be quick to tell you there are few things that can match the pleasure of a lakeside camping experience. The sound of waves lapping ashore are at the same time comforting and invigorating—offering soothing nights of sleep while encouraging a variety of activities ranging from swimming, fishing, and boating to gathering around a crackling campfire for food, drinks, and friendly conversation. America is home to an amazing number and variety of lakes. The five largest of them—the Great Lakes— are simply humongous. The largest, Lake Superior, covers 31,700 square miles, more than ten times the size of Texas. The total area of all five—Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie and Ontario—is a whopping 94,250 square miles—almost the same size as the nation’s four largest states combined: Alaska, Texas, California and Montana. It should be noted that all the Great Lakes except Lake Michigan share some shoreline with the Canadian province of Ontario.
Lake Pontchartrain
Some of our nation’s lakes are quite unique. Florida’s Lake Okeechobee, which spreads out over more than 730 square miles, is the second largest natural freshwater lake in the contiguous United States after Lake Michigan. Who knew? (Apologies to Walmart.) The country also is home to a pair of saltwater lakes— the Great Salt Lake in Utah, the largest (1,700 square miles) body of saltwater in the Western Hemisphere— and California’s 347 square mile Salton Sea. Louisiana’s Mississippi delta boasts the nation’s most numerous brackish lakes: Pontchartrain, Charles and Maurepas. These semi-salty bodies of water are technically defined as containing from 1 to 30 grams of salt per liter (a maximum of about a teaspoon). Several of America’s best known and most popular lakes are man-made. The Colorado River serves as the source for two large reservoirs that provide hydro power, irrigation water, and recreation—including great camping opportunities—for millions of visitors annually. Arizona’s Glen Canyon Dam forms Lake Powell while Hoover Dam, to the south, forms Lake Mead, bordering Arizona and Nevada. Both lakes cover about 250 square miles, although they’ve been losing capacity in recent years due to the ongoing drought in the Southwest. Surrounded by rolling prairies and holding back the mighty Missouri River, Lake Oahe—occupying 655 square miles in North and South Dakota—is (by default) the largest man-made lake / reservoir in the U.S. Normally Mead and Powell would be larger in terms of volume, but shrinkage due to drought in the Colorado River Basin has given the upper hand to Oahe.
Lake Superior
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