Here a State, There a State
Kentucky - The Bluegrass State
When I was younger, my family and I would make the trek from Nashville to Kansas City at least twice a year. That meant that we would travel through the State of Kentucky at least four times a year. When I think Kentucky, I think Lake Barkley, Kentucky Lake, Fort Campbell, Paducah, Hopkinsville, lots of trees, and the beautiful bridge over the Ohio River leading out of the state. Most of the traffic from Southern Missouri enters Kentucky on US Hwy 60. On Hwy 60 you will find the town of Wickliffe and the Wickliffe Mounds State Park. On my bucket list of things to do is to attend the Kentucky Derby in Louisville on the 1st Saturday in May. I also want to visit the Louisville Slugger plant. My late father-in-law graduated from the University of Kentucky in Lexington. I hear it is a beautiful campus. My favorite NASCAR driver, Darrell Waltrip is from South Central Kentucky. The state is accessible from just about anywhere in the Midwest, East Coast, or South.
Click Here to Book a Hotel in Kentucky
Kansas
My grandmother, Dorothy Smart, was born in Kansas City, Kansas. Growing up in Parkville, along the banks of the Missouri River, you could see Kansas constantly. The Kansas side of the Greater Kansas City Area offers great shopping, dining, and entertainment. Kansas City, KS offers travelers The Woodlands race track, the Kansas Speedway, Cabela's Sporting Goods superstore, and the brand new Hollywood Casino. The dining in KCK is diverse, but the place the Smart Family loves is Rosedale BBQ www.rosedalebarbeque.com/index.php at 600 Southwest Blvd.
I look forward to visiting more of Kansas in the months and years to come in the Travel industry. Here are a few more items that Kansas offers:
Route 66 - 13.2 miles of the Route starts just over the Missouri border from Joplin, MO and goes through the towns of Galena, Riverton, and Baxter Springs.
Wichita - 35 museums, 1000 restaurants, and shopping destinations like Old Town make Wichita a great destination for the family.
Dodge City - This destination is a must if you visit Western Kansas
Hutchinson - The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, the Kansas State Fair, and an Underground Salt Museum are just some of the attractions in the lovely town a short drive from Wichita.
Leavenworth - My Great Aunt May is a longtime resident of one of the neatest Kansas towns on the Missouri River. The Fort Leavenworth Army Base and the Army War College are here, as is a Federal Prison.
Click Here to Book a Hotel Room in Kansas
Louisiana
I have only traveled a short distance through the great State of Louisiana, down US 65 from the Arkansas border to Interstate 20 and then East to the Mississippi River. The part I have experienced is small rural towns. I am looking forward to the day when I can visit the more urban areas of Louisiana, and walk along the Gulf Coast area, or drive across the long bridge of Lake Ponchatrain. Here are a few festivals Louisiana hosts.
Festival International de Louisiane
DeltaFest
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Bayou Country Superfest
Click Here to Book a Hotel Room in Louisiana
New Jersey - The Garden State
The Jersey Shore Region is East of the Garden State Parkway and includes multiple beaches and boardwalks for the ocean lover. Atlantic City offers the best gaming and entertainment the East Coast has to offer. The Cape May Lighthouse at the tip of Southern New Jersey is sight to see and still used as a navigational aid. The Gateway Region of the state is where the Cake Boss is based, in Hoboken. Also make time to take the ferry from Liberty State Park to the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. If you did not know this, most of Ellis Island is in the State of New Jersey.
Click Here to Book a Hotel Room in New Jersey
Montana - The Treasure State
I want to get up close and personal with Montana. When I think of the state, I think wide open spaces, "Big Sky", and I always think of the character in the movie Hunt for the Red October who dreams of living in Montana. I love the fact that one of Joe Montana's sons is the quarterback currently at the University of Montana. General Custer took his last breaths on this earth at the Battle of Bighorn in Southern Montana. Fort Peck Lake in North Central Montana on the Missouri River is HUGE. Glacier National Park in Northwest Montana is a must see. Visitors can enter Yellowstone National Park in a few locations via Southwest Montana. The Empire Builder train route operated by Amtrak runs across the width of Montana and is almost 650 miles long.