2021 FALL COASTMAGAZINE
Majestic Mountains and Dazzling Lakes Exploring the Canadian Rockies
America’s Newest National Parks And the list keeps growing
FALL RETREATS Briarcliffe RV Resort
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Holiday Villages of Medina Bandera, Texas Lakeshore RV Resort & Campground Oelwein, Iowa
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CONTENTS
TRAVEL 12 America’s Newest National Parks And the list keeps growing BY DAVE G. HOUSER 19 Majestic Mountains
GOOD SAM AND CAMPING WORLD CHAIRMAN AND CEO Marcus Lemonis MarcusVIP@goodsamfamily.com COAST TO COAST PRESIDENT Bruce Hoster CCRPresident@coastresorts.com
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MEMBER SERVICES 64 Inverness Drive E. Englewood, Colorado 80112 800-368-5721 info@coastresorts.com COAST TO COAST WEBSITE CoastResorts.com COAST TO COAST FACEBOOK Facebook.com/CoastResorts EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Dee Whited ART DIRECTOR Nicole Wilson
and Dazzling Lakes Exploring the Canadian Rockies STORY BY EMILY FAGAN & PHOTOS BY EMILY AND MARK FAGAN
25 H eathcote Botanical Gardens Where holiday lights shine STORY AND PHOTOS BY PAULA LOEHR
DEPARTMENTS 4 From the President 6 Resort Updates 29 RV Review
RESORT PROFILES 8 B riarcliffe RV Resort
Volume 40, Number 4. 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 manuscripts or artwork. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any method without prior written consent of the publisher. ©2021 Camp Coast to Coast, LLC. All rights reserved. PRINTED IN THE USA. COVER PHOTO BY EMILY AND MARK FAGAN CTC61060 - 0821
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 9 H oliday Villages of Medina Bandera, Texas 10 L akeshore RV Resort & Campground Oelwein, Iowa
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FROM THE PRESIDENT PUTTING MEMBERS FIRST
Guide will be available in stores beginning January 2, 2022. To find a Camping World or Gander RV store near you, click on this link: https://rv.campingworld.com/ locations. As is the case every year, the 2022 Coast to Coast Directory is designed to provide you everything you need to navigate the Coast to Coast network like a pro. You’ll find complete descriptions of over 450 resorts and Good Neighbor Parks including directions, ratings, and other important information for making your Coast network reservations. As well there will be a complete set of U.S. state and Canadian province maps showing the locations of all network parks and resorts. The 2022 Coast Directory will be easy to find as it will be the final section in the 2022 Good Sam Campground & Coupon Guide. Keep in mind that you can always access the latest network information through our online park and
Exciting News on the 2022 Coast to Coast Directory
The Coast team has been working diligently over the past several months to create the new 2022 Coast to Coast Directory. The directory will go to press soon, and for the first time ever will be distributed inside the new 2022 Good Sam Campground & Coupon Guide. All Coast members with a current membership
resort directory at www.CoastResorts.com. Coast to Coast turns 50 in 2022
This next year, 2022, will mark the 50th anniversary of Coast to Coast. The 2022 Coast Directory will contain a feature story looking back over the past 50 years of Coast to Coast and RV travel. We have created a
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will be eligible to receive a free copy of the 2022 Good Sam Campground & Coupon Guide containing the 2022 Coast Directory. We feel this will be a tremendous benefit for Coast members, as you receive a free copy of the leading North American campground directory which is a $29.95 value. It is packed with all the travel information, ratings, tips, and tools you need to plan, navigate, and organize your next adventure. In addition, the 2022 Good Sam Campground & Coupon Guide contains over $1,500 in coupons as well as information on over 12,000 campgrounds and RV parks in North America. By including the 2022 Coast to Coast Directory inside the 2022 Good Sam Campground & Coupon Guide, this combineddirectorywill be yourmust-have travel resource for planning RV trips anywhere in North America. Look for an email from Coast to Coast later this month with a coupon good for your free copy of the 2022 Good Sam Campground & Coupon Guide containing the 2022 Coast Directory. To redeem the coupon for your free copy, simply visit any Camping World or Gander RV store, pick up your free copy of the 2022 Good Sam Campground and Coupon Guide, and present your coupon to the cashier. The 2022 Good Sam Campground and Coupon
special Coast to Coast 50th Anniversary badge, pictured here, to commemorate this special anniversary in 2022. You will see this commemorative badge in many places in 2022. Thank you for being part of our long history of making travel dreams come true for over two million members over the past 50 years. And join us in looking forward to the many journeys ahead!
MARCUS LEMONIS Chairman and CEO Camping World & Good Sam marcusvip@goodsamfamily.com
BRUCE HOSTER President Coast to Coast Resorts CCRPresident@CoastResorts.com
FROM THE PRESIDENT
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“ IF YOU’RE NOT HAPPY, I ’M NOT HAPPY. ”
Need anything? I’m here to help. CALL MY OFFICE 866.232.8790 or Email me at MarcusVIP@goodsam.com
Marcus Lemonis Chairman and CEO Camping World and Good Sam
CTC60136 - 0221
RESORT UPDATES ADDITIONS AND CHANGES TO THE 2021 DIRECTORY The 2021 Coast to Coast Resort Directory is packed with everything you need to navigate the network of Coast to Coast Resorts and Coast Good Neighbor Parks. To keep members up-to-date, each issue of Coast magazine includes any updates that have occurred since the last issue. COAST DELUXE MONTANA Conestoga Campground, White Sulphur Springs (page 161) Additional charges: Removed $3/night utility fee, added daily member fee $5/night OKLAHOMA Red River Ranch RV Resort, Thackerville (page 174) Additional charges: 30 amp $5/night, 50 amp $9/ night, pull though by request $3 COAST DELUXE RESORT TERMINATION ARKANSAS Angler's Holiday Mountain Resort, Mountain Home (page 132)
GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS NEWGOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS ARIZONA
Page Lake Powell Campground, 849 S Coppermine Rd, Page, AZ, 86040. Phone (928) 645-3374, email cgmanager@baits.com, website www.pagelakepowellcampground.com. Directions: From Jct of Hwy 89 & AZ 98 E, go E 2.6 mi on AZ 98 E to Coppermine Rd/N 20, then N 0.7 mi on Coppermine Rd. Park on R. Check-in noon, check out 11:00 a.m. Max RV length 40 feet, max amps 50. RV Notations: 2022 Coast rate 20% discount avail Nov-Jan. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 9.9%. Season: Year-round. FLORIDA JOY RV Resort, 245 Flamingo Drive, Cocoa, FL, 32926. Phone (321) 631-0305, email Info@joyrvpark.com, website www.joyrvpark.com. Directions: From Jct I-95 & SR-520 (Ex 201): Go 0.25 mi W on SR-520, then 0.5 mi S on Tucker Ln, then 150 ft W on Flamingo Connector, then 0.5 mi S on Flamingo Dr. Park on E. Check-in 1:00 p.m., check out 11:00 a.m. Max RV length 45 feet, max amps 50. RV Notations: 2021 Coast rate $41-$51/night. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 7%. Season: Year round.
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Whisper Creek RV Resort, 1887 North State Rd 29, LaBelle, FL, 33935. Phone (863) 675-2323, email whispercreek@whispercreek.com, website www.inspirecom.com/communities/whisper-creek. Directions: From Jct of SR-80 & SR-29, N 1.8 mi on SR-29. Park on L. Check-in 2:00 p.m., check out 11:00 a.m. Max RV length 40 feet, max amps 50. RV Notations: 2021 Coast rate 20% discount from May 1-Sep 30. Rate includes 2 adults per site. Additional charges: Add'l adult $10. Season: Year-round. Whispering Pines Village, 2323 Brunns Rd, Sebring, FL, 33872. Phone (863) 385-8806, email info@ whisperingpinesflorida.com, website www.whisperingpinesflorida.com. Directions: From Jct of US 27 & Alt CR-634/Flare Rd: Go W 0.3 mi on Flare Rd, then S 0.3 mi on Brunns Rd. Park on R. Check-in 7:30 a.m., check out 5:00 p.m. Max RV length 42 feet, max amps 50. RV Notations: 2021 Coast rate 20% discount from May 1-Sep 30. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax. Season: Year-round. Zachary Taylor RV Park, 2995 US Highway 441 SE, Okeechobee, FL, 34974. Phone (863) 763-3377, email reserve@flrvresort.com, website www.flrvresort.com. Directions: From Jct of SR-70 & US-Hwy 441, S 5.3 mi on US-Hwy 441 to SE 30th Terrace (across bridge), N 0.1 mi. Park on L. Check-in 1:00 p.m., check out
11:00 a.m. Max RV length unlimited, max amps 50. RV Notations: 2021 Coast 20% discount avail May 1-Oct 15, min 2 nights, max 7 nights. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Add'l adult $5/night. Season: Year-round. MISSISSIPPI Cajun RV Park, 1860 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS, 39531. Phone (877) 225-8699, email cajunrvpark@gmail.com, website www.cajunpark.com. Directions: From Jct of I-10 (Ex 46B) & I-110: Go 5.5 mi S on I-110, then 3.25 mi W on Hwy 90. Park on R. Check-in 1:00 p.m., check out noon. Max RV length unlimited, max amps 50. RV Notations: 2021 Coast rate 20% discount. Rate includes 2 adults per site, full hook-ups. Additional charges: Tax 7%. Season: Year-round. GOOD NEIGHBOR PARK UPDATES CONNECTICUT Campers World on Hopeville, Jewett City (page 211) New telephone number: 860-376-2340 TEXAS QRV Conroe RV Resort, Conroe (page 222) Changed name, formerly Summer Breeze USA Conroe GOOD NEIGHBOR PARK TERMINATIONS WASHINGTON Columbia Sun, Kennewick (page 229) Stargazers RV Resort, Goldendale (page 228)
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RESORT TYPE: Deluxe LOCATION: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina SEASON: Year–Round WEBSITE: www.briarcliffervresort.com
Briarcliffe RV Resort Located in Myrtle Beach’s beautiful Grand Strand
Since Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is a four-season vacation destination, any time of the year is the perfect time to visit Briarcliffe RV Resort. The Myrtle Beach area is world-renowned for its beautiful sunny weather, sandy beaches, manicured golf courses, and four-star dining. The area offers 60 miles of wide, soft sandy beaches, family-friendly attractions, and so much more. Once inside the gates of the resort, you’ll first notice the amazing landscaping and paved streets with streetlights. Each roomy site has a picnic table, patio, and concrete parking area to accept big rigs and provide the utilities to accommodate your state-of-the-art equipment. Highlighting Briarcliffe's amenities is the 85-foot oversized Olympic swimming pool with cool deck and loungers to offer swimming or just lying in the sun. The view from the pool overlooks the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, which travels along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States. It runs from Boston, Massachusetts, southward along the Atlantic Seaboard
and around the southern tip of Florida, then following the Gulf Coast to Brownsville, Texas. Outdoor activities include an 18-hole miniature golf course, shuffleboard, basketball court, and a youth playground. The resort also offers an all-denominational church service every Sunday. Other amenities include horseshoe pits, shuffleboard, miniature golf, basketball, and a playground. Visit the clubhouse that has a large recreation hall where there are weekly activities (free bingo, ice cream socials, line dancing, and various holiday functions). If you wish to go off-site, check out the many shops and restaurants at Barefoot Landing—located within walking distance. If golf is your game, there are several courses within five miles of the resort and more than 100 in the Grand Strand area. Nearby are several restaurants, the Alabama Theater, and House of Blues. Visit Tanger Outlet Mall and the Myrtle Beach Mall with a Bass Pro Shop—the only one in South Carolina. The Carolina Opry and Pirates Voyage are only a short drive from Briarcliffe.
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RESORT TYPE: Deluxe LOCATION: Bandera, Texas SEASON: Year–Round WEBSITE: www.hvmpoa.com
Holiday Villages of Medina Leave your stress, worries, and cares outside
Once inside the gated entrance of Holiday Villages of Medina, you’ll understand that their motto is a reality. Situated in what’s been named the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” you can “hang up your spurs and take off your cowboy boots” and relax. The town of Bandera’s distinction originated when it became a staging area for the last great cattle drives of the late 1800s. Confirming Bandera as the Cowboy Capital, a bronze monument honoring the many National Rodeo Champions who call Bandera home stands on the courthouse lawn. Once onsite, you canenjoy the 6,000-square-foot clubhouse and pool area. Join friends at barbecue pits, picnic tables, and campfire areas. The pool area also boasts a hot tub. Enjoy a game of miniature golf and a variety of sports on the sports courts. If the pool doesn’t offer enough refreshment, head down to the waterfront park area where you’ll find a boat launch
and lighted fishing pier at Medina Lake, which is fed by the Medina River. You can fish for largemouth bass, channel catfish, white bass, flathead catfish, and blue catfish. Meet your friends and make new ones at the many activities organized at Holiday Villages of Medina. These include karaoke, potlucks, game nights, hamburger and hot dog suppers, movie nights, and yard sale and craft show. Offsite, although horseback riding is a standard part of any stay at a dude ranch, you don’t have to spend the night at one to enjoy the experience. In fact, many nearby guest ranches, such as Bar M Ranch, Dixie Dude Ranch, and Juniper Hill Stables, provide trail rides that take you through rolling green hills, wide-open pastures, and across trickling creeks. You’re close enough to visit nearby Sea World, Fiesta Texas, and San Antonio River Walk. See some of the best bull riders, barrel races, and mutton busters at one of the many rodeos in Bandera.
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RESORT TYPE: Deluxe LOCATION: Oelwein, Iowa SEASON: May 1 – October 15 WEBSITE: www.lakeshoreiowa.com
Lakeshore RV Resort & Campground Longtime campers turned into enthusiastic RV Resort owners
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 go canoe or kayak on Lake Oelwein. Feel free to just lounge in your camping chair, curled up with a good book, and perhaps fall asleep under a shade tree. The campground is located on the shores of Lake Oelwein where you can canoe or kayak. There’s also a nearby boat ramp. The most popular fishing species caught are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and common carp. Nearby Backbone State Park was dedicated in 1920. It was Iowa's first state park and remains one of the most geologically unique. Backbone consists of 2,001 acres and is heavily wooded. Backbone is named for the steep and narrow ridge of bedrock cut by a loop of the Maquoketa River and forming the highest point in northeast Iowa—the Devil's Backbone.
Craig and Joyce spent more than 20-plus years as campers at Lakeshore RV Resort when their dream of operating a campground became a reality. In January 2015, they became the proud owners of Lakeshore RV Resort and Campground in Oelwein, Iowa, and moved from weekend warriors to living in their RV during the camping season. Longtime Iowans who raised two children in Cedar Rapids, they naturally passed on the camping gene to their children, who have not only worked at the resort, but have introduced their children to camping. This legacy is one they are happy to pass on to their guests. 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. For the youngsters, they can play on the children’s playground or take a toddler train ride. Meet
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America’s Newest NATIONAL PARKS And the list keeps growing
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View beautiful Sandstone Falls at New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.
NPS, giving the agency a 70% approval rating for its management of the park system. Surveys also show that the national parks get a 95% overall approval rating from visitors. “The public looks upon national parks almost as a metaphor for America itself,” says Loren G. Fraser, chief of the NPS Office of Policy. Since the National Park Service’s Centennial in 2016, marking its 100th year of operations, America has been blessed with four new national parks. They include Gateway Arch National Park , in St. Louis, Missouri (2018); White Sands National Park , New Mexico (2019); Indiana Dunes National Park , Indiana (2019); and, just dedicated in February 2021, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve , in West Virginia. So let’s take a closer look at America’s newest national parks, beginning with the 63rd and newest of them, New River Gorge. Tucked away in the original COVID-19 stimulus package passed by Congress in December 2020 was a pleasing bit of “pork” that resulted in the designation of New River Gorge National Park & Preserve. Situated in southeastern West Virginia, this rugged 73,000-acre stretch of Appalachian canyon land
If you’re brave, attack the rapids on the New River.
AMERICA’S NEWEST NATIONAL PARKS By Dave G. Houser It was back in 1916 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act with a mission to administer, preserve and protect the nation’s then-fledgling network of 14 national parks and 21 national monuments. Following more than a century (105 years) of progress, the National Park Service (NPS) today oversees a network of 423 national parks, monuments, historical parks, battlefields, military parks, seashores, lakeshores, recreation areas, scenic rivers, and trails—in every state, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa. Visitation to America’s national parks in 2019 reached 327.5 million and contributed more than $40 billion to the nation’s economy. Meanwhile the National Park Service operates on a skimpy annual budget of less than $3 billion. That’s roughly the cost of one-and-a-half B-2 Stealth bombers. The public clearly appreciates the
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Bleached earless lizard at White Sands National Park.
Sea Oats at Indiana Dunes National Park.
coursed by three wilderness rivers, the New, Gauley and Bluestone—has long been heralded as a world-class hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, and whitewater rafting destination. The New was recognized as a national river back in 1978, based on its natural beauty and recreational features. The upgrade to national park status will inevitably help elevate the Gorge to a more road-trip worthy destination for adventure-seeking visitors from across the country. The park becomes one of just a half-dozen dual-status or “combo parks”—those that include both park and preserve. In this case, the park proper measures 7,021 acres around the heart of the Gorge, with the remaining 65,165 acres classified as a natural preserve, making it accessible to backcountry hunting and fishing. The park and preserve include three locations that were already managed by the NPS—the Gorge itself, the Gauley National Recreation Area, and the Bluestone National Scenic River. Known simply as “The New” by locals and frequent visitors, the Gorge features 53 miles of free-flowing whitewater, including many Class IV and V rapids. One of the most popular (and harrowing) stretches is the “Lower New,” a 13-mile gauntlet of wild Class V rapids that is often cited as the most challenging whitewater
in the Eastern U.S. Seasoned outfitters, like Adventures on the Gorge, operate a variety of rafting trips ranging from mild to wild. It’s not all about whitewater at the Gorge. Rock climbers flock to the area to take on the park’s more than 1,400 established routes on hard sandstone walls and cliffs— some rising to more than a thousand feet. There are numerous other hiking and mountain biking trails as well, plus a climbing school for those new to the sport. www.nps.gov/neri, 304-465-0508 White Sands National Park, near Alamogordo, New Mexico, joined the list of the nation’s most prestigious parks just before Christmas in 2019. This was not a surprise. White Sands had been a National Monument since 1933 and the upgrade had been in the works for years. Designation as America’s 62nd national park has been enthusiasticallyendorsedbythepark’smanyproponents— road-trippers, desert rats, and photographers for the most part—who love to roam the 275-square-mile spread of sparkling, swirling white sand dunes. They come day and night year-round to hike, sled, cycle, camp, and photograph the world’s largest gypsum dune field. Dunes began forming here about 10,000 years ago and
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One of the fun dunes to climb at Indiana Dunes National Park.
More than 350 species of birds have been spotted at Indiana Dunes National Park.
The Indiana Dunes scenery is a magnet to artists.
throughout the centuries, blowing winds have created a wave-like network of dreamy dunes. Visitors can drive along the 8-mile Dunes Drive to view the dunes up close—or even closer on foot or aboard a sled—available for rent at the Visitor Center. For those who want to stay awhile, there’s a picnic area, hiking, biking, horseback riding, and backcountry camping. And, when the time is right, there’s an opportunity to join a full-moon hike led by park rangers. In addition to the striking dunes, White Sands is home to fossilized footprints that date back to the Ice Age, chronicling more than 10 centuries of human existence in the sprawling 6,500-square-mile Tularosa Basin that surrounds the park. White Sands is home as well to more than 800 species of plants and animals, including foxes, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, and a variety of rodents and reptiles. Visitors might also spot an exotic horned creature— the African oryx—introduced from the Kalahari Desert in the 1960s to provide a large game species for hunters (a program since discontinued). Native plant life includes cacti, desert succulents, and wildflowers. www.nps.gov/whsa, 575-479-6124 Indiana Dunes National Park began its first year as a national park with a bit of trepidation. While the
coronavirus was spoiling travel plans for many Americans and causing national parks across the country to suffer at the gate and even shut down, the nation’s 61st national park was experiencing a boom. Following a record-breaking year in 2019—with 3.6 million visitors, an 83% increase over 2018—park officials were not expecting the onrush of visitors to continue due to the virus threat, but the numbers continued to grow, landing the Dunes among the top seven most visited national parks in the country. Some of the increase could, of course, be attributed to the Dunes’ redesignation from national lakeshore to national park in February 2019. Just the publicity from this prestigious upgrade expanded the park’s exposure. But there was something else at work that unexpectedly helped bring in even greater crowds. Call it pent-up demand. A sandy crescent of Lake Michigan shoreline, Indiana Dunes National Park is a 15,000-acre stretch of beach, dunes, oak savannas, swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, rivers, and forests that looks and feels worlds apart from the steel mills and power plants that loom on its horizon. Located within sight of the nation’s third largest city, the park presents an easy escape into nature—and not just
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Wildflowers draw butterflies and visitors alike.
The scenery is always beautiful on the New River, especially in the fall.
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Just one small part of the massive arch at Gateway Arch National Park.
Once through the entrance of Gateway Arch, you’ll learn about its history.
for Chicagoans. More than 8 million people live within a hundred miles of the Dunes, and many of them have been more than eager to get out and enjoy the park’s scenic and recreational features. Indiana Dunes National Park presents a treasure of diverse natural resources uniquely located within an urban setting. Most visitors come to stroll and sunbathe on the golden sand beaches that span the 15-mile distance between Gary and Michigan City. TripAdvisor.com has consistently ranked these beaches among the top 10 family beaches in the nation. With its huge swath of sand, West Beach, near Gary, is a popular choice. It features a bathhouse, lifeguard station, and a boardwalk with 250 stairs leading to the Dune Succession Trail, offering spectacular views of Lake Michigan. Immediately inland from the beaches, sand dunes rise in some spots as much as 200 feet in a series of ridges and valleys. Wetlands fill many depressions between the dune ridges. The national park preserves an important remnant of a once vast and unique environment resulting from the retreat of the last great continental glacier some 14,000 years ago. The park landscape represents at least four major successive stages of the formation of Lake Michigan’s shoreline, making it one of the most extensive geologic records of one of the world’s largest
fresh water bodies. The biological diversity within the park is truly outstanding, ranking it fourth among all of our national parks. More than 1,100 plant species make their homes in the dunes, and the wildlife is nearly as diverse. More than 350 species of birds have been observed in the park. Situated as it is at the southern tip of Lake Michigan, the park is an especially important feeding and resting area for migrating land and water birds. Beyond its beaches, the park provides a number of year-round recreational opportunities, including hiking, camping, fishing, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Overnight camping is available from April through October at the Dunewood Campground, a facility capable of hosting both RV and tent campers. www.nps.gov/indu, 219-395-1882 The United States Congress approved the Gateway Arch National Park Designation Act in February 2018—an action that serves as the culmination of a five-year, $380 million renovation project. The park was established in 1935 as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial to honor President Thomas Jefferson, who turned St. Louis into the “Gateway to the West” by doubling the size of the United States with the
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Lake Michigan sunset at Indiana Dunes National Park.
The gorgeous span of the New River Bridge.
Louisiana Purchase of 1803. It was renamed Gateway Arch National Park through federal legislation to better reflect the nature of the park—one that is widely associated with its landmark 630-foot-tall stainless-steel arch designed by neo- futuristic Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen. Completed in 1965, it remains the world’s tallest arch. Improvements resulting from the project include a new entrance into the arch, an expanded and updated museum and sweeping landscape revisions Most notable of the upgrades is the new entrance into the arch and museum that extends underground beneath the structure—a westward facing curved glass crescent that draws natural light into the museum space. The expanded museum now totals nearly 150,000 square feet. Its exhibits trace the history of St. Louis from its beginning as a French fur trading outpost to the present day. Visitors are greeted by a high-definition video experience that has them facing a charging herd of buffalo, followed by a ride on a paddle-wheeler churning along the Missouri River, and a wagon train rumbling across the plains. A floor map outlines the Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi Rivers, pinpointing the historic and geographic
connections of St. Louis to the waterways that opened the West. A highlight for most visitors is a tram ride to the top of the 630-foot-tall arch. The 45-minute ride ($14-16 adults) is a bit clunky but, once at the top, the view over both river and city is spectacular. The most significant change to the grounds is an expansive greenway land bridge that stretches from the arch over Interstate 44 to the Old Courthouse. The 1839 Greek Revival-style courthouse gained national attention as the setting for trials that heard the Dred Scott case on issues of slavery in 1847 and 1850. The courthouse had always been part of the park complex, serving as its visitor center, but until the renovation project it was separated from the arch by the interstate, complicating passage between the two sites. Traffic now flows beneath the greenway and the entire park complex is now conveniently connected to downtown St. Louis. (Note: Old Courthouse is currently closed for renovation.) Many other improvements have been made to the grounds. Nearly 2,400 trees have been added along with additional walking and biking paths. A rolling 7 1/2-acre park crisscrossed with pathways has replaced an unsightly multi-story parking garage that once stood at the north end of the park’s Mississippi riverfront. www.nps.gov/jeff, 314-655-1600
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Majestic Mountains & Dazzling Lakes Exploring the Canadian Rockies
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Herbert Lake is just 3 miles from the southern start of the 150-mile long Icefields Parkway, but it is well worth a stop.
CANADIAN ROCKIES Story by Emily Fagan Photos by Emily & Mark Fagan
The mountains were mirrored in the glassy water, and a collection of bright red canoes were stacked next to the boathouse on the other side of the lake. What a blissfully peaceful moment that was. Exquisite lakes backed by mountain spires are a ubiquitous landscape theme in this part of the world. Nearby Moraine Lake is the crown jewel of the region, and it offers the most famous view of them all. A row of jagged mountain peaks stands cheek-by-jowl behind the lake, and the color of the water at their base is a vivid aquamarine. The image is so beautiful it not only plays a prominent role in all the tourist literature about Banff National Park, but it graced the back of the Canadian $20 bill in both the 1969 and 1979 issues. With classic wry humor, since then the vista has acquired the nickname, "The Twenty Dollar View." The 18 mile drive out to Moraine Lake swoops and swerves over undulating terrain on a narrow road, and the spectacular mountain view grew larger and larger as we descended the last few miles down to the lake. In the springtime, between the end of avalanche season and the rise of summer tourist traffic, the road is open only to non-motorized vehicles for a week or so. Riding our bikes on that road without concern for cars while immersed in mountain scenery that is truly out of this
The towering snowcapped peaks and imposing majesty of Canada's Rocky Mountains must be seen to be believed, and it was with great anticipation that we took our RV through the Roosville Border Crossing a few miles north of Eureka, Montana, into British Columbia, Canada. Our hearts had soared during previous RV travels to the Teton mountains in Wyoming, the Sawtooth Range in Idaho, and the San Juan mountains in Colorado, but we'd heard time and again that if you want to see dramatic alpine landscapes, the Canadian Rocky Mountains is the place to go. This proved true for us in spades. The tiny village of Lake Louise, Alberta, about two hours west of Calgary at the western edge of famous Banff National Park, is an ideal home base for exploring Canada's statuesque Rocky Mountains. It is also the southern terminus of the 150-mile-long Icefields Parkway, one of the world's most magnificent scenic drives that connects Banff and Jasper National Parks. On our first morning in Lake Louise, we stood on the lake's rocky shoreline and watched the mountains on the far side of the lake glow pink and then orange as the sun rose behind us. It was a photographer's dream.
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The Canadian Rockies are a thrilling destination for an RV trip.
The mountain views on the Icefields Parkway are out of this world.
world was a memorable experience. The flip side for visiting at the time of year, however, is that the skies are often cloudy and rain is frequent. However, late September and early October are when the aspens glow gold, and the fall foliage is sublime. Driving anywhere in this area is an eye-popping experience because the lofty mountains are everywhere. Even a visit to the charming resort town of Banff about 35 miles east of Lake Louise features breathtaking views of Cascade Mountain all around town. The mountain is so immense, it seems close enough to touch. The town of Banff has gift shops, tourist boutiques and eating opportunities galore. Horse drawn carriages take visitors around town in style. The town has a slight European flair, and the historic Banff National Park Headquarters stone building harkens back to an earlier era. Our favorite walk back in time was a visit to the Banff Springs Hotel. With a history similar to that of Sun Valley Resort, which was built as a "must visit" skiing destination at the end of a Union Pacific Railway line in Idaho, Banff Springs Hotel was built to lure customers to ride the Canadian Pacific Railway to Banff. The brainchild of the company's second president, Sir William Cornelius Van Horn, in the 1910s, he noted that, "Since we can't export the scenery, we shall have to import the tourists!" A statue of this illustrious visionary stands in front of the beautiful
stone and leaded glass windowed hotel. Inside the main entrance a wide staircase leads upstairs from the elegant lobby. Poking our heads into various rooms, we were delighted to come across two young men painting at easels. They were artists-in-residence at the hotel. They had their iPads set up showing stunning images they had taken during their hikes in Banff National Park, and they were using those images as templates for their canvas paintings. In another part of the hotel, we came across Mountain Galleries where artwork by many different artists was on display. As part of their residency, the paintings created by these two artists would be displayed in the gallery once completed. Fifteen miles east of Banff is the town of Canmore, another resort-oriented town but with a much quieter flavor than Banff. It is an outdoor lover's paradise, and we saw people riding bikes everywhere. We joined them on the extensive bike trail system that wanders in and around town for miles. The air was crisp and clear, the sun was warm, and jagged mountains cloaked in whispy veils of snow framed every view. The bike path criss- crossed the Bow River over little wooden bridges, and we cycled along the river's winding route past families of ducks and geese paddling on swimming outings.
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Bear sightings are not uncommon, and we spotted a beauty enjoying breakfast as we drove the Icefields Parkway.
Lake Louise is a wonderful home base for exploring Canada’s national parks in the Rockies as well as the beautiful towns of Banff and Canmore.
Happily satiated with in-town explorations, we ventured north from Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway for a drive through unmatched natural beauty. The sensational views started right away, and we craned our necks in every direction to take in the astonishing scenery as we drove. The Icefields Parkway is a major highway and there is quite a bit of large vehicle traffic on it, both semi-tractor trailers hauling goods and rental RVs hauling tourists, and unfortunately there are very few designated overlooks or rest areas where you can pull over to admire the views at leisure. The first stopping points is just over 3 miles from the beginning at Herbert Lake. It is tempting not to stop right after starting this scenic drive, but Herbert Lake is well worth taking a moment to explore. The next overlook isn't for another 18 miles at Bow Lake. In the early morning hours we had Herbert Lake to ourselves, wandering along the shore admiring the mountain reflections in the still water. Bow Lake is much more dramatic and is also much more visited. The parking area quickly filled with rental RVs during the hour we were there while tourist buses arrived and departed continually. But few people left the parking area to go down to the water's edge. We swished our fingers in the icy water and took a seat on a boulder to marvel at the panorama before us. The mountains were as immense as the lake was still. Time
stopped as we pondered the millions of mornings these mountains had witnessed just like this one. Suddenly the silence was broken by a crashing sound high above. An avalanche had started and we searched the steep, distant peaks to find the source of the disturbance. Finally, we spotted it as an entire wall of ice slid down one mountainside. Less than four miles further north we came to another overlook that was perhaps the most sublime of them all—Peyto Lake. There was a short hike through the pine woods from the parking area out to the overlook, and we picked our way through muddy ice and rocks along the trail. When the trail ended and the view opened in front of us, our jaws dropped. A vibrant royal blue lake filled the valley between the gray mountains. It looked like God had deliberately tipped over a can of rich blue paint to fill the nooks and crannies between the craggy cliffs. Hiker after hiker came up the trail behind us and stopped dead in their tracks just like we had, gazing at the view in wonder and mouthing the word, "Wow!" It was hard to match anything like that on the rest of the Icefields Parkway, but there were still many highlights yet to come. Suddenly we noticed a cluster of cars blocking the road ahead of us, and when we pulled up, we discovered they were watching a black bear nearby
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At Bow Lake the mountains soared above their mirrored reflections in the glassy water.
The towering mountains and rich blue color of Peyto Lake provide a perfect backdrop for a family portrait.
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For one springtime week between avalanche season and tourist season, the spectacular road to Moraine Lake is open only to non-motorized traffic. What a ride!
Banff is a charming town, and a ride in a horse-drawn carriage is a great way to see the sights.
eating breakfast in the grass. He was unperturbed by the audience watching him and taking his photo, and he lumbered slowly along with grass hanging out of his mouth as he chewed. Carloads of people arrived and left and the bear continued to eat his fill. As we traveled north on the Icefields Parkway from there, we crossed over the boundary separating Banff National Park from Jasper National Park. About 50 miles north of Bow Lake we came to the Columbia Icefields. The snow on the mountains created fabulous patterns and seemed to be hundreds of feet deep in the peaks. When we got out of the truck, we could hear lots of avalanche activity all around us. Whole sides of mountains seemed to be tumbling down, and the roar was unmistakable. The Columbia Icefields is a popular destination with a massive visitors center and vast parking lot. Tourist buses were lined up in rows, and inside the visitors center we found ourselves surrounded by a gigantic crowd of tourists buying tickets for rides out onto the glaciers in unique tank-like vehicles called Snowcats. We decided we preferred a more personal and intimate kind of experience, so we decided to save a Snowcat adventure for another time. Further north, at Athabasca Falls in Jasper National Park,
a stunning waterfall and extensive boardwalk system lured us to some fabulous horizontally striped cliffs lapped by jade colored water. Finding our way down to a rocky beach, we suddenly noticed that someone had constructed over a hundred little stone cairns that looked like people with arms and legs and heads. We later learned that these little figures were called Inuksuit, a kind of art-in-nature that is popular among the aboriginal Inuit people of the far north. We got a huge kick out of wandering among these little statues. Eventually our days in the Canadian Rockies came to an end and we took our RV back across the border into the United States. But as we watched that incredible scenery drifting away in our rearview mirror we vowed to return. Even though we had spent three weeks exploring, we had barely scratched the surface.
FOR MORE INFORMATION Map: https://goo.gl/maps/7mLGPRpSdseNv9YY6 Banff National Park: www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/banff Jasper National Park: www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/jasper
Parks Canada offers the Discovery Pass: www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/admission
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Heathcote BOTANICAL GARDENS Where holiday lights shine
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Backlit blossoms and butterflies are abundant in the Garden of Lights.
pond. Heathcote also boasts the largest public tropical bonsai collection in the United States, with 100 bonsai specimens donated by the late world class Bonsai Master James J. Smith. On Garden of Lights evenings, Heathcote's gates open at 5:30 p.m. If you arrive then, you can potentially view all the specialty areas just before dark. Judy Salmon and her late husband, Tom Salmon, were two of the original eight volunteer illuminators who brought Heathcote's Garden of Lights tradition to life. After attending a 2014 botanical event decorated with a few strands of Christmas lights, Tom championed a more expansive holiday concept for Heathcote. Inspired by his own imagination, Tomdove into research, consulted botanical light show experts, and proposed a treasure trove of ideas to Heathcote's Board of Trustees. Thanks to Tom's energetic vision, the introductory year for Garden of Lights followed in 2015. According to Judy, the annual lights project has always required plenty of creative brainstorming plus many hours of challenging physical labor."We have our first meetings in February and March, followed by work sessions through the summer. We begin wrapping trees in September before getting serious about setting up
The Sunshine State's iconic pink flamingos are well represented at the Garden of Lights.
HEATHCOTE BOTANICAL GARDENS Story and photos by Paula Loehr
You might recognize "Let your light shine!" as the affirming opening line of a familiar Bible verse. Those same four encouraging words are likewise spoken by parents, teachers, and coaches as they aim to inspire youngsters to become their best selves. Every winter season, Heathcote Botanical Gardens presents its annual Garden of Lights, a bright and beautiful light shining event that salutes the cluster of American holidays celebrated between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Located halfway down Florida's east coast in the relaxed seaside town of Fort Pierce, Heathcote's first garden was established in 1960 as a privately owned plant nursery. Incorporated as a non-profit in 1985, the gardens were purchased and preserved for public use in 1986. Individual areas of the property are dedicated to the world's rainforests, butterflies, Japanese and native species, herbs, palm trees, and a reflective circular
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The traditional Heathcote Bear offers Garden of Lights guests a chance to gather together, wiggle, jingle and jangle for a complimentary Polar-themed photo opportunity.
A rainbow hued tunnel wrapped with strands of bright lights serves as a grand entryway to the Garden of Lights exhibit.
the beginning of October," said Judy. "By November, we are working most days. It's an incredible amount of volunteer hours." Gradually, Heathcote's dream team of illuminators has expanded from a dedicated group of eight to a dozen or more artistic participants. Their annual efforts include devising display designs from scratch as well as analyzing photos of existing light show elements to figure out how to create them. Light strings are zip tied to bamboo or wire templates. Almost all the displayed pieces at Garden of Lights are painstakingly crafted by the plucky illuminator crew. A rainbow-colored tunnel wrapped with strands of bright lights serves as a grand entryway to the family-friendly gardens. As you stroll on lighted walkways, you can expect to see bursts of vibrant color, butterflies, bees, and floral displays fashioned from recycled materials. Fortunately for everyone, most paths throughout the light show are ADA accessible. The gingerbread cookie house with a gum drop walkway and perky flower pot appeals to youthful visitors, as does the model train set, repeatedly choo-chooing around its track. You know for certain you are in Florida when iconic
pink flamingos, a neon pelican, crab, jellyfish, and palm trees appear here and there at a holiday light show. Birdwatchers and beachcombers are never disappointed at the Garden of Lights. One of the exhibit's most striking individual displays is a towering multi-colored Christmas tree constructed entirely of tropical bromeliad plants arranged side by side and bottom to top in a conical shape. Most garden visitors agree that the shimmering blue lake scene with cascading fountain, waterfall, and strutting peacock is the show's centerpiece. A graceful egret and full-bodied Florida alligator will be added to the crowd- pleasing waterfront display in 2021. Even the historically accurate Pioneer House is decked out with colorful lights and merry décor during the annual holiday event. The local Fort Pierce Garden Club takes responsibility for decorating the rough-hewn wooden home as well as the white two-story Heathcote House, a circa 1922 residence that was relocated to the gardens in 1972 to serve as home sweet home for the original plant nursery owners. A few years ago, Tom Salmon's quirky sense of humor led to the inclusion of a prominent light show character positioned in the Bonsai Pavilion. Tom's grinning
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Even the historically accurate Pioneer House is decked out with colorful lights and festive decor during the annual holiday event.
The Bonsai Pavilion is a standout attraction at Heathcote.
Comfy walking shoes are recommended while you navigate garden pathways. If you need to rest your feet for a minute or two there are plenty of benches lined up along the trail.
The gingerbread cookie house with gum drop walkway and perky flowerpot appeals to youthful visitors as well as the young at heart.
Heathcote Bear is hard to miss. He's a cool white polar bear of epic proportions whose bench-like hind legs have become a hot spot for complimentary photo opportunities. Lo and behold, you and yours can also visit Santa Claus at Heathcote. He will be stationed nearby, ready to chat with eager children and spirited adults. Heathcote's Executive Director, Joan Friedman, reported that tickets for Garden of Lights, 2021, will go on sale (both online and onsite) around November 1. Tickets may also be purchased at the gate on light show nights. Tickets are transferable and good for admission any night during the 2021 event, but they are not refundable. As of our publishing date, the costs of tickets for the 2021 season had not been determined, but 2020 prices were $10 for adults and $3 for children, ages 6 through 12. Children under age 6 are admitted free of charge. Heathcote Botanical Garden members pay a reduced price. Check the Gardens website for 2021 price updates. Pets are not permitted at Garden of Lights. Parking is free. Child-oriented light-up necklaces and funny 3D glasses are on sale at the gate. Onsite food trucks offer light fare, snacks, sweets, and beverages. Dates for Heathcote's Garden of Lights 2021 season
include Fridays and Saturdays on December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, and 18 as well as Wednesdays and Thursdays on December 22, 23, 29, and 30. The gardens' address is 210 Savannah Road, Fort Pierce, Florida 34982. On the day you plan to attend, check local weather forecasts and dress appropriately. Insect repellent is advisable. Comfy walking shoes are recommended while you navigate garden pathways. If you need to rest your feet for a minute or two, there are plenty of benches lined along the trails. Luminous wonders never cease for festive guests of all ages at Heathcote Botanical Garden of Lights.
FOR MORE INFORMATION www.heathcotebotanicalgardens.org
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RV REVIEW REVIEW BY HOWARD J. ELMER
2021 Keystone Bullet 290BHS A great people mover
these large family-friendly units on my mind. The Bullet by Keystone falls into what I consider the mid-range content and price category. It’s nicely appointed and the base construction features things like aluminum-framed side, front and rear walls. Aluminum is also used for slide-out frames and a material called Darco creates an in-wall moisture barrier. The main chassis and frame are steel. Also of note is the enclosed and heated underbelly making this a serious three-season camper. So, what else on this Bullet is aimed at families? To start with—two entry doors, the rear one of which accesses the bathroom directly from the outside. This gives kids a straight shot to the toilet without tracking dirt and mud all through the trailer. An outdoor kitchen moves daytime activity outside where it belongs. This area also has a TV hookup pre-wired, and a quick-connect LP gas nozzle nearby adds a barbeque to the mix. Over it all is an awning, and outdoor speakers complete this entertainment space. Inside the Bullet the first thing I noticed was the light- coloured décor. While the single large slide-out adds space, it is this bright interior that adds to the sense of size. Bullet has a decent list of standard equipment at this price-point; however, you can add what works for
We recently had an opportunity to drive the new 2021 GMC Yukon AT4—a full-size SUV with a new design that makes it one of the best people movers on the market. With true 7-passenger seating it also is a great tow vehicle. To highlight this aspect of its new personality we asked a local RV dealer to help us out and provide a right-sized travel trailer for our day-long test. What we settled on was the Keystone Bullet – 290BHS. This bunkhouse unit has a dry weight of just over 5,800 pounds, a nice match for the Yukon. If you’d like to see the Yukon towing the Bullet and hear about the performance of this newest SUV from GM you can watch the full review on the Truck King YouTube channel. Link for the 2021 GMC Yukon AT4 You Tube review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7iWXGYaEos The Bullet comes in several sizes and floorplans—and perhaps I was drawn to the bunkhouse unit because my third grandchild was born recently and my wife is constantly telling our kids that we will take everyone away with us. So, picture that, and you’ll get why I have
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