SUMMER 2025 COAST MAGAZINE
RAILS TO TRAILS
BOSTON TO PROVIDENCE
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
COASTAL GUARDIANS LIGHTHOUSES
RV REVIEW FOREST RIVER SANDPIPER
TREASURE LAKE RV RESORT Branson, Missouri RESORT UPDATES
LAKESHORE RV RESORT & CAMPGROUND Oelwein, Iowa
PRIDE RESORT Waynesville, North Carolina
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CONTENTS
TRAVEL 8 RAILS TO TRAILS
Chairman of Camping World Holdings Marcus Lemonis Chief Operating Officer Matthew Wagner Executive Vice President Good Sam
Story by David G. Houser
Enterprises Will Colling Editorial Director Dee Whited Graphic Designer Jennifer Wizner 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
Volume 44, 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: Bodie Island Lighthouse CTC65930 - 0525
18 BOSTON TO PROVIDENCE Story by Richard Varr 23 GLACIER NATIONAL PARK Story by Emily Fagan 28 COASTAL GUARDIANS Story by Dixie Dee Whited
DEPARTMENTS
RESORT PROFILES
33 RV REVIEW
03 RESORT UPDATES 05 PRIDE RESORT 06 TREASURE LAKE RV RESORT Branson, Missouri 07 LAKESHORE RV RESORT & CAMPGROUND Oelwein, Iowa
Waynesville, North Carolina
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RESORT UPDATES The 2025 Coast to Coast Resort Directory is your ultimate guide to exploring the Coast to Coast Resorts and Good Neighbor Parks network. To ensure you stay informed, each issue of Coast Magazine features the latest updates and changes since the previous edition.
RESORT TYPE CHANGES
NEW GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS
NORTH CAROLINA Camp Hatteras, Rodanthe (page 143), now a Good Neighbor Park (formerly Classic) WYOMING Wind River View Campground, Boulder (page 169), now a Deluxe resort (formerly Classic) BRITISH COLUMBIA Holiday Park Resort, Kelowna (page 172), now a Good Neighbor Park (formerly Classic)
ARIZONA Shady Acres MH & RV Park 1340 W. 3rd St. Yuma, AZ 85364 928.783.9431 shadyacresleasing@westernm.com www.shadyacresyuma.com RV Notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Season: Year-round
CALIFORNIA Sun and Fun RV Community 1000 E. Rankin Ave. Tulare, CA 93274 559.686.5779 www.sunandfuntulare.com
RESORT UPDATES
Wolf River RV Resort, Pass-Christian (page 136), new name and new resort ID 2695 (formerly TLC Wolf River Resort and ID 509).
CLASSIC RESORT TERMINATION
RV Notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes oxg 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 8.25%. Season: Year-round
Hideaway Ponds RV Resort – Ocean Canyon Properties, Gibson, LA (page 127)
DELUXE RESORT TERMINATION
Fisherman’s Retreat – Halo Resorts, Redlands, CA (page 118)
Oak Glen Retreat – Halo Resorts, Yucaipa, CA (page 119)
DELUXE RESORT TERMINATION
Benjamin’s Beaver Creek Resort – Outdoor Adventures, Gaylord, MI (page 128) Millwood Landing Golf & RV Resort – Ocean Canyon Properties, Ashdown, AR (page 113) Texoma Shores RV Resort – Ocean Canyon Properties, Madill, OK (page 149)
White Sands Manufactured Home and RV Community - Alamogordo, NM
RESORT PROFILES
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TEXAS Flat Creek Farms RV Resort
NEW GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS
GEORGIA Hawkins Pointe Park, Store & More 182 Emerson Circle Rossville, GA 30741 706.820.6757 registration@hawkinspointe.com www.hawkinspointe.com
5831 S 3rd St Rd. Waco, TX 76706 254.662-9858 flatcreekfarms@gmail.com www.flatcreekfarmsrvresort.com
RV Notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 8.25%. Season: January 1 – November 19
RV Notations: 2025 Coast discount 20%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 7%. Season: Year-round NEW MEXICO White Sands Manufactured Home and RV Community 602 S Florida Alamogordo, NM 88310 575.437.8388
San Jacinto Riverfront RV Park 540 S. Main Highlands, TX 77562 281.426.6919 reservations@sjriverfrontrvresort.com www.sjriverfrontrvresort.com
RV Notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 8.25%. Season: Year-round
whitesandsleasing@westernm.com www.whitesandscommunity.com
RV Notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Cable $75, Tax 8.1875%. Season: Year-round
Willis Hillside RV Resort 13390 FM 1097 East Willis, TX 77378 936.225.5900 info@willishillsiderv.com www.willishillsidervresort.com
RV Notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 8.25%. Season: Year-round WYOMING River’s Edge RV Resort 6820 Santa Fe Circle Evansville, WY 82636 307.234.0042 rv@riversedgerv.org www.riversedgervresort.net RV Notations: 2025 Coast discount 10%. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Season: Year-round
Shady Acres MH & RV Park - Yuma, AZ
RESORT UPDATES
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RESORT TYPE: Classic LOCATION: Waynesville, North Carolina SEASON: Year-round WEBSITE: pridervresort.com
Pride Resort Next to nature
RVing in the Great Smoky Mountains just doesn’t get any better than this. The spectacular natural and man-made offerings that span North Carolina into Tennessee can be charted by the latest GPS device—and you’ll find Pride Resort right along your way in Maggie Valley. Its where lush green grass grows, crystal clear creek water flows, and nature still runs wild. You’ll be near Cherokee, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge. Once onsite just look around at the variety of RV sites. All sites are level and can accommodate big rigs with full hookups at 30-amp and 50-amp service. Or choose a creek side site, one with shade, or an open site. There are handi-capable sites and oversized sites. No matter which site you choose, enjoy the splendor of the beautiful area. The comforts of home are all there at Pride Resort. Come get cool in the pool or stick your feet in the creek. Play in the shade on the covered pro shuffleboard court or sit in the shade on the creek banks. Amenities include a swimming pool, hot tub, laundry, clubhouse, bathhouse, and showers.
Pride store (open Mother’s Day weekend) serves lunch, ice cream, ice, firewood, drinks, and breakfast Friday to Sunday mornings. Rent tubes for tubing down the creek. Daily activities may include 18 holes of putt-putt golf, horseshoes, corn hole, holy board, playground area, two catch-and-release ponds, and adult bingo three nights a week. Your pet will like the pet area with a fenced dog run. Not a camper? Stay in one of the spacious park models available for rent with many of the amenities of home. Each rental is equipped with a basic set of dishes, utensils, and pots and pans. For more adventure, drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, which travels 252 miles in North Carolina’s mountains, with ample exits for weekend getaways from Asheville to Boone. Cities like Charlotte, Durham and Greensboro exude rich character perfect to explore on a romantic escape. Coastal towns like New Bern and Wilmington blend modern charm and history.
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deluxe
RESORT TYPE: Deluxe LOCATION: Branson, Missouri
Treasure Lake RV Resort In the heart of Branson
SEASON: Year-round WEBSITE: tlresort.com
Treasure Lake RV Resort, in Branson, Missouri, calls itself a premier large RV Resort in Missouri and backs it up. The Missouri Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds has awarded the resort the “Large Park of the Year” award every year since 2016. With five bathhouses, a country store, laundry facilities, and concession stand, you never have to leave the security of the resort. Another way to feel secure is the 24-hour security and the paved walking areas. Take off your apron and dine at the Rock N Roll Café. Check out their different specials every day. Enjoy the regular Friday and Saturday fish and shrimp. The spacious clubhouse is used for activities, shows, and the Rock N Roll Café. See movies on the big-screen media room with surround sound. Relax and get wet in one or both of the two pools — one is a huge outdoor pool, and the other is a heated indoor pool. Take on all comers playing Bocce ball, horseshoes, croquet, and frisbee golf. While keeping in touch via park-wide Wi-Fi, your kids can play on the playground.
Branson has been called the Midwest’s Las Vegas so once offsite, enjoy Vegas-style entertainment. The resort is within walking distance to the Shoji Tabuchi Theater, Hamner Theater, Pierce Arrow Theater, and the IMAX. The IMAX complex houses a six-story movie screen, the Little Opry Theater, the Elite Cinema III, numerous shops, a food court, and McFarlain’s restaurant. Close to the resort, dine at Golden Corral, IHOP, Red Lobster, Cracker Barrel, The Olive Garden, Paradise Grill, and Little Hacienda. Don’t have an RV? You can still benefit from the resort’s facilities and will have access to the rental units at discount prices. These include trailer campers, park models with full and queen-sized beds, motel model, yurt, and a duplex model. If you’re interested in something different, how about a Guided Ozarks Off-road Adventure Tour. Zip around a private cattle ranch in your own off-road vehicle on this exciting Ozarks adventure. Join a small group and ride along the trails of the ranch that follow ridges, valleys, and a creek.
RESORT PROFILES
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deluxe
RESORT TYPE: Deluxe LOCATION: Oelwein, Iowa SEASON: May 1 to Oct 14 WEBSITE: lakeshoreiowa.com
Lakeshore RV Resort & Campground A quiet lakeside location with quality amenities
Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere onsite and, if you wish, take advantage of the many amenities, which include campground-wide Wi-Fi and a beach with swimming. Other activities include basketball, gaga ball, and shuffleboard. The campground amenities are all inclusive: no additional charges for enjoying the amenities with the exception of laundry facilities, firewood, and pedal cart rental. For the youngsters, they can play on the children’s playground or take a toddler train ride. Meet new friends on the frisbee golf course or test your skill at 9-hole miniature golf. For more exercise, pick up a game of sand volleyball or canoe or kayak on Lake Oelwein. There’s convenient access to city park dog park within short walking distance. Feel free to just lounge in your camping chair, curled up with a good book, and perhaps fall asleep under a shade tree. There’s no surprise that the campground is so relaxing and inviting. The owners, Craig and Joyce, have spent more than 30 years camping at Lakeshore RV Resort in Oelwein, Iowa, and have perfected what they believe is the best camping experience. Their vision is to provide a wholesome campground environment that is family and
child friendly. The location also adds to the experience. It’s a beautiful, quiet lakeside location with quality amenities. Guests are always encouraged to add comments. In September 2024, Allison S., said “Owners are amazing and super helpful! So much to do with our 4 kids while also doing it in a wonderful family and relaxed environment. Very reasonable priced for everything they offer…Definitely a must stay.” If you need to go offsite, there are many local attractions worth visiting. Nearby Fontana Park offers fishing, hiking trails, and a playground. As visitors use the nature center, they see and touch natural objects, play games, and find answers to questions. There’s something for everyone at the John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum. Explore the collection of Deere equipment at the site of the very first Deere tractor factory. Discover rare artifacts from our storied past. Trace the history of John Deere from a simple steel plow to today’s modern working machines. Three Elms Golf Course is a public, privately owned nine- hole golf course located in Independence, Iowa.
RESORT PROFILES
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RAILS TO TRAILS Seven Sensational Adventures
RESORT UPDATES
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2025 | 8 Katy Trail State Park, credit Aaron Fuhrman
drive, state, and private advocacy remains strong with more than $533 million pouring in last year alone in support of trails in nearly 30 states. We, at Coast to Coast, encourage RTC’s effort to create and connect these vibrant, equitable and inclusive public spaces. In the article to follow, we’ll describe seven typical rail-trails ranging from the Florida Keys to northern Idaho in hopes of inspiring you to hop on a bike or shoulder a backpack to take on the trail of your choice. But First: Some important info concerning trail safety / etiquette: Most trails permit the use of electric bikes (with speed limitations in some states)—but not four- wheel ATV-type vehicles. Recumbent bikes / trikes are good to go on all trails as well. For everyone’s safety, all trail users should observe safe and sane speeds. Other good trail practices: Keep Right—Pass Left and while standing still, Stand Aside, off the trail as far as possible. If you are riding or hiking with pets, keep them in tow on a short leash so you don’t “clothesline” fellow trail users. Above all else, Be Alert. Stay in tune with your surroundings and the movement of other trail users. Being alert and predictable allows others to calculate what you’re going to do so they can react accordingly. Common sense, right? Finally, check the website for the trail you’ll be using for any specific regulations, warnings, or information in general.
Rails to Trails Seven Sensational Adventures By Dave G. Houser
Unless you’re an avid long-distance cyclist or hiker, you may not be aware of an amazing web of more than 25,000 miles of trails—rescued from long abandoned railroad lines—that crisscross America. Collectively known as the Rails to Trails movement, this nationwide program has been developed and maintained by a corps of more than a million mostly volunteer grassroots supporters who have mobilized to advocate for biking and hiking infrastructure in their communities and beyond. Investment in this trail system—managed under the oversight of the non-profit Washington DC-based Rails to Trails Conservancy (RTC) has come from federal, state, and local sources. To date nearly $24 billion in federal funding has supported thousands of projects via the Transportation Alternatives and Recreational Trails Programs. While federal funding is likely to be stripped under the fed’s current austerity
credit William Tipton
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Missouri River. It weaves through forests and fields, beneath leafy canopies and past towering bluffs as it connects Machens and Clinton near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. More than 20 small towns are located on or near the trail. Along the way, the Katy Trail invites cyclists, walkers, runners and even horseback riders on a journey to explore the nature and history of the Show-Me state. Twenty-six trailheads and four fully restored historic depots offer easy access on and off the trail. You’ll find a wide variety of restaurants, breweries, wineries, shops, and overnight accommodation along the way. The trail is open year-round but the best time to visit is in the spring when the forests are flowering or in the autumn when the hillsides are ablaze with fall color. Horseback riders are welcome on the 34.7-mile section from Clinton to Sedalia and on a 15.3-mile stretch between Tabbetts and Portland. If you’d like to ride with others, Adventure Cycling offers week-long guided inn-to-inn tours (https:www.adventurecycling. org).
www.traillink.com/trail/katy-trail-state-park/
Katy Trail State Park, credit Aaron Fuhrman
Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, Idaho If you were to go by the reviews, this 73-mile paved run across northern Idaho’s scenic panhandle would probably rate as America’s favorite rail trail. Here’s a sampling from among dozens of comments on the website: “Favorite trail of my long biking career…” “This is my top five of all time bike trails…” “Views were amazing… loved every minute of it…” “My new favorite trail…”
Katy Trail, Missouri Protected and managed by the state of Missouri, Katy Trail State Park spans nearly the full width of the state and is the country’s longest continuous rail-trail. Built on the former corridor of the Missouri-Kansas- Texas Railroad (usually called the Katy or MKT), the trail, composed largely of crushed limestone, stretches 239 miles, much of it alongside the
Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, credit Lisa James
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“Trail surface was great—smooth and wide…” “A lovely, beautiful ride, and seeing five moose made our day…” “When riding it, I had to pinch myself over and over to make sure I wasn’t dreaming…” The discovery of gold and silver in the Coeur d’Alene Mountains more than a century ago led to a dramatic change in the lives of the area’s indigenous people. News of the mineral riches triggered a stampede of prospectors and entrepreneurs who blazed, blasted, and sawed their way into the heart of Indian country as the Coeur d’Alene tribe scattered from ancestral villages along the region’s lakes and rivers. Anchored in the Native American community of Plummer, 30 miles south of the city of Coeur d’Alene, the trail traverses this historic landscape to Mullen, near the Montana border. The trail was laid down over the abandoned Union Pacific railbed that was laden with toxic mining waste—and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe was instrumental in taking action to clean up the corridor. The tribe has co-managed the trail with the State of Idaho since its opening to the public in 2004. The Plummer Trailhead offers a large parking lot, an info center, full-service bike shop, restrooms and drinking water. Other points of interest include the tribe’s modern wellness center that welcomes visitors to an Olympic-sized pool, spa and gym for a small fee—and a computer center that offers free high-speed public internet access. Going east, riders / hikers head downhill through six miles of conifer forest toward Lake Coeur d’Alene, where generations of tribal members hunted, fished, and gathered—an area now preserved as Heyburn State Park—where there are camping sites, rental cabins, and low-cost lake cruises. The park also is home to one of the Northwest’s premier osprey nesting locations. Next, the trail sweeps over Chatcolet Bridge and meanders another 8 miles along the forested shore to the wee town of Harrison. A former hub of mining and lumbering, it now draws a stream of tourists who come for lodging, camping, dining, shopping, and a lively summertime music scene. Between Harrison and Medimont, the trail passes through the chain-of-lakes region, linked by the Coeur d’Alene River. This area is known for its wildlife, including beavers, otters, coyotes, birds of prey,
Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, credit Lisa James
moose, and sometimes even black bears. To the east, the trail travels Idaho’s Silver Valley—once one of the most productive silver mining regions in the world—and passes near Cataldo Mission State Park. Definitely worth a visit, the park is home to the Mission of the Sacred Heart, established 1848. The oldest standing building in Idaho, the mission cathedral was constructed by the Coeur d’Alenes from hand-hewn timbers, wooden pegs, and saplings woven with grass and mud. From Cataldo, the trail follows the Coeur d’Alene River toward Kellogg, the largest town along the trail, where there are plenty of inns, motels, restaurants, and shops. Ditto for the next town on the route, Wallace, an 1884 former silver mining center, now given over to tourism. You’ll know when you’ve reached the end of the trail in Mullen, where the surface turns to gravel and continues east as the NorPac Trail. One day soon the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes will become part of the Great American Rail-Trail, a 4,000- mile mega-project currently under development that will connect the country from Washington, D.C., to Washington state.
www.traillink.com/trail/trail-of-the-coeur-dalenes/
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Silver Comet Trail, credit Kevin Mills
Silver Comet Trail & Chief Ladiga Trail, Georgia/Alabama
700-foot-long railroad tunnel integrated into the trail design hint of past glories.
Deep down in Dixieland, this 95-mile two-state combo trail linking Georgia and Alabama stands out as one of the nation’s longest, finest, and most popular rail-trails. This meticulously maintained 12-foot-wide route is mostly flat and is paved all the way from the Atlanta suburb of Smyrna, Georgia, to Anniston, Alabama. The trail follows the bed of the old Seaboard Railroad. From 1947 to 1969, the shiny Silver Comet passenger train provided luxury service between New York and Birmingham. Today, several old trestles and a
The Silver Comet section runs 62 miles from Smyrna to the Alabama state line where it connects with the Chief Ladiga Trail that continues through 33 miles of scenic southern countryside. Ladiga, incidentally, was a Muscogee Indian leader noted for signing treaties ceding tribal lands in the region to the U.S. government during the 1830s. Amenities abound along the route, including 17 wheelchair-accessible access points, 15 restrooms, nearly a dozen water fountains and a variety of
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trailside services and accommodations.
River before easing slightly inland to State Route 5.
Cedartown, Georgia, is an ideal place to pause— for a visit to the town’s restored train depot and surrounding refreshment spots. One of the highlights on the Alabama side is a long, soothing ride through Talladega National Forest where you’ll now and then share the trail with wandering deer. It is said that eventually the Georgia / Alabama trails will connect to neighboring states to become part of an extensive intercontinental national trail network.
Except for a brief detour in Varina, the path runs close to the river as it parallels SR5. It is separated from the roadway by a healthy buffer of trail grass, trees, and fields of soybeans and corn that frees trail users from the vigilance required when sharing the road with cars and trucks. Near mile marker 27, the trail passes several former plantations that are well worth a visit, including Berkeley Plantation, birthplace of William Henry Harrison, the ninth president of the United States. Nearby Indian Field Tavern and the adjacent 5 Fields Brewing Company offer some great food and beverage options. At mile marker 15, you’ll find Fort Pocahontas, built and manned by African American Union troops during the Civil War. It was the site of a major Union victory when attacked by Confederate forces in 1864.
www.traillink.com/trail/silver-comet-trail/ www.traillink.com/trail/chief-ladaga-trail/
Virginia Capital Trail, Virginia The Virginia Capital Trail (aka Cap Trail) connects the state’s present-day capital of Richmond and the early colonial capital at Jamestown on an easy-going 52-mile-course through American history. The pathway, most of which closely parallels scenic Virginia Route 5, offers access to numerous historical sites, trailside services and bucolic countryside. Meticulously maintained and mostly paved, the trail features some short wooden boardwalk sections and occasional road crossings that are marked or signaled. Measuring between 10 and 12 feet wide, the trail provides plenty of two-way room for cyclists, hikers, runners, inline skaters, and even parents pushing strollers. Native Americans plied this route along the north side of the James River before English colonists arrived, and settlers continued to use it as an alternative to travel on the river. During the decades following the 1607 settlement of Jamestown, this route (named by historians as America’s oldest road) became a path of colonial expansion connecting large tobacco— and then cotton—plantations along the river. Eventually, railroads replaced the road and river as the most economical means of transport. Today, the first mile from the Richmond trailhead follows an old Seaboard Coast Line Railroad bed, qualifying the trail as an official Rails to Trails route. On another historic note, the trail runs alongside the Richmond City Canal, which joins the James River at Great Shiplock Park. The park is home to a restored historic lock once used by ships docking in Richmond. From here, the trail briefly hugs the James
Virginia Capital Trail, credit Joe LaCroix
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Continuing east, the trail crosses the Chickahominy River on the Judith Stewart Dresser Memorial Bridge, taking trail users more than 50 feet above the water for some photo-worthy views of the river below. Just beyond the bridge, Chickahominy Riverfront Park offers drinking water, restrooms, kayak rentals and campsites. The Virginia Capital Trail’s eastern terminus is at the historic Jamestown Settlement, the first permanent English colonial settlement in the Americas. Parking and restrooms are at hand here, along with a museum and exhibits, including the Powhatan Indian Village. Bonus: there’s also a brewery nearby.
www.traillink.com/trail/virginia-capital-trail/
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, Florida There may be no more exotic, exciting, and mesmerizing trail ride / hike in all of America than the Overseas Heritage Trail through the Florida Keys. Sources vary as to the precise distance of the trail that links Key Largo and Key West—one says 98 miles while another goes with 109. Confounding as it may be, we’ll side with Wikipedia at 113. There’s no question, however, that the Overseas Highway (U.S. Highway 1) upon which the trail (officially opened in 2018) is laid, represents a remarkable engineering feat. It’s the brainchild of magnate Henry Flagler, founder of Standard Oil and developer of Florida resort hotels and the Florida East Coast Railway. With the completion of the Panama Canal in 1912, the ever-ambitious Flagler decided to extend his railway from Miami to Key West with the prospect of developing an American port as close as possible to the canal and its burgeoning trade opportunities. It was a costly, problematic, and dangerous undertaking (some called Flagler’s Folly) requiring the construction of 42 bridges. It took the lives of hundreds of workers in a deadly 1906 storm and was finally destroyed by a hurricane in 1935. The remains were later restored and replaced by an automobile highway, the aforementioned Overseas Highway. With the Atlantic Ocean on one side of the highway and Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico on the other, drivers, riders, hikers, and skaters are rewarded with breathtaking views of open sea and sky.
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, Credit Rails to Trails Conservancy
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, locus of the largest network of coral reefs in the U.S. Named for a late Miami newspaper reporter who championed local environmental preservation, the underwater reserve was the first of its kind in the country. It protects more than 50 varieties of delicate corals and some 600 species of fish for the viewing pleasure of snorkelers and divers. Glass-bottom boat tours serve visitors who wish to remain dry. The land-based portion of the park also features excellent hiking and both RV and tent camping. Next up is Islamorada, a group of islets heralded as the “Sportfishing Capital of the World.” So, if you’re into angling, this is the place—featuring the Key’s largest fleet of offshore charter boats and shallow water boats. Take it from us: the backcountry tarpon, permit and bonefishing here is the best anywhere in the U.S. Not interested in netting your own catch? Go directly to the Hungry Tarpon Restaurant at Robbie’s Marina for the fish dish of your choice—best finished off with some genuine key lime pie.
An overwhelming variety of attractions—both natural and man-made—await trail users. The first of them is
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picturesque Calusa Beach. RV, tent camping, and cabins are also available—though at alarmingly high prices. The ultimate objective of this spectacular road trip is, of course, Key West. Whether to call it a town or a city is something of moot point, but with a population barely topping 25,000, it is the largest community in the Keys. There’s no argument, however, that it’s the quirkiest, most colorful, exotic and captivating locality in the country. This will all become apparent the moment you enter Mallory Square to observe the much heralded nightly sunset celebration—an off-the-wall event that brings out hundreds of locals (who call themselves conchs after the mollusks that thrive in the waters here) to sing, dance, mime, do magic tricks, perform acrobatics, and peddle trinkets, and pot as the sun sinks below the horizon. Key West also has attracted some of the nation’s most iconic writers, artists, musicians, and politicians. Ernest Hemingway, for example, lived, worked and tippled here in the 1930s and his home at 907 Whitehead Street is a national historic landmark and the city’s number one tourist attraction. Artist Winslow Homer painted boating scenes here in the early 1900s and naturalist John James Audubon spent time in the city in the 1830s drawing and painting hundreds of the Key’s exotic bird species. A magnificent former sea captain’s mansion at the corner of Whitehead and Greene that was slated for demolition but saved and restored by local historians opened as the Audubon House and Tropical Gardens in 1960. It preserves a wonderful collection of Audubon’s art and personal effects. Singer-songwriter of universal fame, Jimmy Buffett, got his start here in Margaritaville in the 1960s—and even President Harry Truman took such a liking to Key West that he established the Little White House here in 1946 in a turn-of-the-century complex that originally served as housing for officers serving at the Key West Naval Station. It, too, is open for public tours. Pubs, bars, and restaurants of every stripe and color abound in Key West’s Old Town neighborhood so for certain you’ll never go hungry or thirsty during your visit.
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, Credit Rails to Trails Conservancy
Not to break the reverie, but it must be said that significant stretches of this trail run very close to heavily traveled U.S. Highway 1—on the roadway itself or along narrow shoulders. This can be downright dangerous for inexperienced or careless trail users. So, take your time and exercise extreme caution when encountering high-traffic situations. Marathon, stretching from mile marker 65 to 46 sits in the middle of the Florida Keys and offers a couple of notable attractions and another popular restaurant. Crane Point (MM55) is one of the most important historical and archaeological sites in the Keys. The area contains evidence of pre-Columbian Bahamian artifacts and was once the site of a large Native American village. The nearby Turtle Hospital is a worthy attraction as well. It’s a veterinary center, open to the public, that is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of sea turtles. Famed for its giant lobster Reuben sandwiches, Keys Fishery is a must-stop eatery and fish market at MM 50. Exiting Marathon, you’ll cross the famous 7-mile Bridge (MM47). Proclaimed as a miracle of engineering, it was one of the longest bridges in existence when it was constructed from 1909 to 1912. Southwest of Marathon, the Lower Keys stretch from MM45 to MM4. The sheer sweep of the Straights of Florida and the Gulf can be readily seen from Bahia Honda Bridge (MM38) at Bahia Honda State Park. The bridge is one of the most iconic of the derelict Flagler- era overpasses and it is maintained for recreational use by the state. The park features day-use activities that include hiking, snorkeling, and sunbathing on
Clearly, there’s something for everyone in Key West
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and you will be more than rewarded for your efforts to reach this proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
ages a distinctive corrugated landscape.
The Loess Hills are home to some of the finest remaining native prairies and woodlands in the state. They provide wildlife such as white-tailed deer, raccoons, wild turkeys, red-tailed hawks, quail, pheasant, and prairie chickens. You will no doubt see some of these creatures during your ride or hike along the trail. As the trail makes its way through the village of Silver City you’ll find some amenities, including a water fountain (one of the few along the route, so it’s a good opportunity to fill your water bottles), some convenience stores, and a bike shop. Approximately 22 miles into the route, the Malvern Trailhead offers something of a haven for trail users, with a pharmacy, shops, and cafes serving up hardy home-style meals. The town square is a homage to cyclists and trail users with sculptures and murals decorating the sides of buildings around the quad. Next up is Imogene, where a unique trailhead offers restrooms and showers inside a refurbished grain silo. There are also some picnic tables, a bike rack, and several primitive campsites. Leaving Imogene, the trip takes on a markedly rural feel with the crushed stone path giving the illusion of traveling a country road as it passes through farm fields and eventually crossing (on scenic wooden bridges) a number of waterways, including the East Nishnabotna River, Deer Creek, and other small streams.
www.traillink.com/trail/florida-keys-overseas- heritage-trail/
Wabash Trace Nature Trail, Iowa In sharp contrast to the often-frenetic run through the Florida Keys, the Wabash Trail offers a peaceful trip through the rural forests and countryside of southwest Iowa. The trail stretches 63 miles from Council Bluffs to the tiny hamlet of Blanchard on the Iowa-Missouri border. Much of the trail follows the bed of the Wabash Railroad—and the famous Wabash Cannonball passenger train—that connected Detroit and St. Louis in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The trail is noted for its breathtaking vistas, secluded wooded sections that are home to an amazing variety of tree species—oak, elm, walnut, ash, and hickory being predominant among them—and encounters with wildlife. Locals are big supporters of the trail, enjoying Thursday night “Taco Rides” and other social events. The community of Shenandoah stages the well-attended annual Wabash Trace Nature Trail Marathon, Half-Marathon, and Marathon Relay each September. Starting in Council Bluffs at the trail’s northern end, the route begins at Iowa West Foundation Trailhead Park with a gentle climb (the trail’s most strenuous section) of 6 miles. Next, the trail passes through an area known as the Loess Hills, named for the fine, wind-deposited soils that have created through the
History and railroad buffs should take note of a couple
Wabash Trace Nature Trail, credit Laura Stark
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of train wreckages that are easily spotted just off the trail path. The first appears in Mineola where in 2011 several train cars tumbled down the embankment to the left of the trail. The second is located just past Silver Creek outside of Malvern where a derailment in 1960 left the remains of ruined boxcars lying in the riverbed. Heading south, the route passes though the towns of Shenandoah, Coin, and Blanchard—where the trail concludes at the Missouri border.
Hickok and Calamity Jane—buried side-by-side at Mount Mariah Cemetery.
From Hill City south through Custer, the trail passes close to some of the state’s most renowned attractions including the Crazy Horse Monument, a massive granite carving, still under construction, of the famed Oglala Lakota warrior who took down George Custer’s U.S. 7th Calvary in the historic 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn. Iconic Mount Rushmore is nearby as well, located six miles east of the trail where it passes through Hill City. Also worth a side trip is Wind Caves National Park, just east of the town of Pringle. One of the world’s longest and most complex caves, it is a remarkable underground world of delicate calcite formations. Another off-trail site that merits a visit is Custer State Park, reached from the town of Custer via a 3.2-mile paved link. Noted for its huge herd of bison, this is definitely the place where buffalo roams. There’s also a replica of a log fortress built during the 1874 gold rush and a grand total of nine campgrounds. No worries about a place to set up your tent here. The trail also boasts a variety of rental cottages and cabins, plus there are a number of trailside campgrounds and motels in towns along the route. South of Pringle the trail passes through Argyle, a place that can only be described as a wide spot in the road, and about 19 miles later arrives in Edgemont, a somewhat larger outpost best known.as the southern endpoint of the George S. Mickelson Trail.
www.traillink.com/trail/wabash-trace-nature-trail/
George S. Mickelson Trail, South Dakota There’s much more to know about South Dakota besides Mount Rushmore—and you can discover much of the Sunshine State’s natural wonders, gold rush history, and friendly residents by taking on the 109-mile George S. Mickelson Trail from Deadwood to Edgemont. Named in honor of the former South Dakota governor who crusaded for the trail prior to his death in a plane crash in 1993, the Mickelson Trail travels through a constantly changing landscape, progressing through historic mining towns, mountains, ponderosa pine forests, flowering meadows, and open prairies roamed by bison, elk, and other wildlife. Most of the route falls within the bounds of Back Hills National Forest. The crushed stone pathway occupies the bed of the former Burlington Northern High Line, built in 1890 and incorporates nearly 100 converted railroad bridges and four tunnels. While it took little more than a year to build the original rail line, it took 15 years to cut through the red tape to get approval and funding for the trail—plus plenty of prodding and elbow grease by the Black Hills Rails to Trails Association and local trail boosters to get it built and finally dedicated in 1998. The trail begins with a steep 16-mile climb from the legendary gold-mining town of Deadwood (elevation 4,715 feet) to Dumont, the highest point on the route at 6,161 feet. It is a leg-straining start, but don’t let it discourage you because the rest of the trail rarely exceeds a 4% grade. Before you depart Deadwood, you’ll likely be attracted to the town’s top attraction, the gravesites of two of the Wild West’s most infamous characters—Wild Bill
www.traillink.com/trail/george-s-mickelson-trail/
George S. Mickelson Trail, credit Russ Tiensvold
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RESORT UPDATES BOSTON TO PROVIDENCE: Following in the Footsteps of Pilgrims, Revolutionaries, and Presidents
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2025 | 18 View of downtown Boston
“All those in favor of destroying the King’s tea, say aye!” shouts Samuel Adams—actually, an actor dressed in colonial garb like that worn in revolutionary Boston. “Aye,” chant the visitors as we sit in what looks like church pews in a meeting hall. “All opposed? None,” he replies to the booming foot-stomping from all of us cheering him on. I’m taking part in a thrilling skit protesting England’s tea tax that takes place every day at the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, one of the city’s most recent historical attractions to open along a wharf and, notably, over the same body of water where the actual rebellion took place on December 16, 1773. “We destroy the tea this evening!” continues the actor. “We may all be subject to the law,” he warns us, “so we’ll do our very best to conceal our identities.” We continue our tour through the museum with stops to see holographs of a patriot and Tory debating both sides of the momentous Tea Party Rebellion, and a similar back and forth from video likenesses of England’s King George III and Samuel Adams. We also board one of two accurate replicas of actual 18th century ships raided by the colonial patriots. “We are dedicated to telling the story of the Boston Tea Party in a very engaging and dynamic theatrical experience,” says museum Assistant Creative Manager Josiah George. “The tea was thrown overboard at low tide, probably the worst time to do so. It began to pile up as large mountains of tea alongside the hulls of the ships.” What impresses me the most, however, is the museum’s key exhibit: an actual wooden tea chest thrown off a ship during the rebellion, documented as being passed on through generations of a single family. “It’s the only known tea chest from the event, its story quite remarkable that the artifact has survived 250 years,” explains George. Touring the museum is just one stop brimming with history along coastal southern New England. I’m driving from Boston to Providence, Rhode Island, also making stops at the birth homes of Presidents John Adams and son John Quincy Adams; the Plimoth Patuxet Museums, where the replica Mayflower II berths at Plymouth, Massachusetts; and then Boston to Providence: Following in the Footsteps of Pilgrims, Revolutionaries, and Presidents Story and photos by Richard Varr
on to Providence where I discover that city had its own dramatic pre-American Revolution event that somehow got buried in the history books. In downtown Boston, history is seemingly at every turn. I join a Boston by Foot walking tour visiting some of the 16 historic sites along the 2.5-mile Freedom Trail. We begin at the King’s Chapel, a relatively small church amid towering skyscrapers and home to New England’s first Anglican congregation. “We’re also the first Unitarian church in the United States,” says Noah Good, the church’s history program educator. “We’re one of the most well-preserved interiors in Boston, a lot of it original to our 1754 building.” We pass the site of the Boston Latin Schoolhouse, the colonies’ first public school that opened in 1645, the location now marked with a statue of Benjamin Franklin. Although he lived most of his life in Philadelphia, Franklin was born in Boston and spent his youth here. The Old South Meeting House, the biggest building in the colonial city, was where the raucous meeting of 5,000 colonists took place that spurred on the Boston Tea Party hours later.
Silhouette of George Washington inside the Old South Meeting House
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The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
We continue to the Old State House where the Declaration of Independence was read aloud from the balcony in 1776. “It’s remarkable that I’m standing in a place where people heard this expression of freedom and liberty for the first time,” says Boston by Foot tour guide Scott Fein. It’s also where the 1770 Boston Massacre took place when British troops fired on an angry crowd of colonists, the event noted with a sidewalk history marker. Faneuil Hall, anchoring Boston’s popular market complex, is where colonists first protested “no taxation without representation” in 1764 relating to the Sugar Act, and the Stamp Act the following year. We also enter the city’s North End and pass by the Paul Revere House, Boston’s oldest building still in existence dating back to 1680, and the North Church where lit lanterns in the church tower signaled the British invasion during Revere’s famous 1775 midnight ride. Revere is buried in the Granary Burying Ground, also the final resting place of Sam Adams, John Hancock, the parents of Benjamin Franklin, and other patriots. From downtown Boston, I drive about ten miles south on I-93 to Quincy, to the birth homes of father and son Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, part of the Adams National Historical Park. Surrounded by piled-stone and wooden fences, the
modest colonial homes sit only 75 feet apart on their original foundations and have been restored and rebuilt throughout the years. John Adams’ birthplace with its worn wooden facade dates back to 1681, where the second U.S. President was born in 1735. John and wife Abigail Adams moved into the adjacent home in 1764, where sixth U.S. President John Quincy Adams was born in 1767. The layout of both homes consisted of a ground floor parlor and hall. They have fireplaces and simple wooden tables and chairs, as there’s little evidence today of exactly how the homes may have looked. In John Quincy’s birthplace, John Adams set up his law office in one room, which has a replica of his standing desk. The actual desk is now in the nearby mansion-like Old House at Peace field, purchased by John Adams in 1788, and home to four generations of the family until 1927. The adjacent Stone Library holds more than 12,000 books, manuscripts, and documents from both presidents, with the buildings open for tours from spring through fall. No trip to explore the Adams’ legacy would be complete without a stop in central Quincy’s United First Parish Church, known as the Church of the Presidents, the final resting place for the two presidents and their wives. John Quincy commissioned the columned
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Greek Revival granite church that opened in 1828, two years after John Adams’ death. Tours lead visitors below the church to view the stone tombs in the family crypt. I drive on to Providence along State Hwy. Route 3 South but first take a detour at Plymouth with a visit to the Plimoth Patuxet Museums highlighting the original landing site of the Pilgrims in 1620. Key to this attraction is a recreated 17th century English village with wooden cabins along dirt streets, a meeting house, gardens, and farm animals grazing on grassy plots. “What you’re seeing here is just one street in our town,” says an actor dressed in period garb. “We’re trying to work for a profit,” he adds, noting that colonists worked in fishing, furs, and lumber trades. The adjacent Patuxet Homesite portrays recreated thatched huts of the Patuxet tribe of Wampanoag Native Americans. Yes, the legendary Plymouth Rock does exist, protected by a temple-like granite portico on the shore of Plymouth Bay. It’s only a short walk from the Mayflower II , a replica of the actual Mayflower with its catwalks, full sail rigs and blue, white, and yellow striped hull. The Mayflower transported 140 passengers and crew to the new colony, half of them perishing during the first winter there. While most of us know about the Boston Tea Party, what many may not know is that a similar and more dramatic incident defying the Crown’s taxation took place in Providence a year and a half earlier than the dumping of tea into Boston Harbor. It was known as the Gaspee Affair, which led to Rhode Island patriots
storming a British ship used to tax colonial vessels and setting it ablaze. “This incident basically went viral in our terms,” explains Richard Ring, the Deputy Executive Director for Collections and Interpretation of the Rhode Island Historical Society. “For the most part, it was a flashpoint and certainly Rhode Island’s biggest instance of resistance.” The raid started when the Royal Navy taxing schooner HMS Gaspee got stuck on a sandbar while chasing a merchant ship. Patriots seized the moment and rowed out to the ship and set it ablaze. “In the dead of night, colonists decided to head down to what we today call Gaspee Point and burned the ship to the waterline,” says Kelvis Hernandez, manager of the John Brown House Museum. A stone monument marks the spot where Sabin’s Tavern once stood, where the Gaspee Affair was supposedly planned. The tavern’s marker sits at the base of Providence’s College Hill, home of the campuses of Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and where historic colonial and 19th century buildings remain today. They include the Old State House, which served as Rhode Island’s seat of government from 1762 until the current state capital opened in 1901. The First Baptist Church in America, established in 1638 by Rhode Island founder Roger Williams, is in fact the nation’s oldest Baptist congregation. Built atop the slope of a hill, the church with its pointed white tower is a prominent landmark. A walk up College Hill and along Benefit Street leads to several historic buildings including the red- walled house of Stephen Hopkins, a governor of the Rhode Island colony and signer of the Declaration of Independence. The John Brown House Museum’s eponymous founder was a wealthy businessman and a strong proponent of the slave trade, yet the museum’s focus today is exploring diversity and exposing the consequences of human bondage. “So, for us it’s very important to have this conversation of how slavery was involved in the society of Rhode Island for those who were complicit, either directly or indirectly,” says Hernandez. The Rhode Island School of Design’s world-class RISD Museum houses 100,000 works of art ranging from Old Master paintings to decorative pieces dating back to antiquity. The early 19th century Providence Athenaeum, now a community membership library in Greek Revival design, has an interesting story. It’s where literary icon Edgar Allan Poe courted a young poet in the 1840s.
Actor portraying Samuel Adams at the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
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