Seniors Are Drawn To Prospect

I looked up ten of the favorite small towns in Kentucky and up came Prospect with a population of just over 10,000. Loaded with small town charm, senior travelers will find Prospect just up the Ohio River 13 miles from Louisville.

The area was first known as Sand Hill when it was settled by farmers in the late 18th Century. The present community grew up around the “Prospect” railroad station, and thus the name. A few years back it was known as one of the wealthiest communities in Kentucky.

Today senior visitors will find acres and acres of natural beauty. Four parks dot the area, some featuring great hiking trials. Prospect provides a host of services for its residents.

Seniors Find Studio G-Paint and Sip

Although a few luxury residences existed in the area since the late 19th century, Prospect was largely agricultural until the mid-1960s when large, high-end subdivisions were built in the area, most notably Hunting Creek, which included a golf course. Senior golfers, toss in your clubs and play a round. Prospect incorporated as a city in 1974.

TripAdvisor notes a “must see” in Prospect is called Studio G – Paint and Sip. Wondering about that name, like me when I first saw it? Senior artists will be welcomed as Studio G is a place to paint, sip and create. That makes for an interesting combination.

Located in Norton Commons, they offer a variety of arts and crafts classes that goes beyond just working on a canvas. People can gather, unwind and create all in one location. The studio can accommodate up to 24 artists. Bring along your friends, select an art project from a class calendar, add a drink or two from the local bar, and you have the recipe for the perfect night out in Prospect.

 Seniors Enjoy Fine Food In Great Restaurants

And great food and fine restaurants. How about a Greek Chicken Wrap with Pumpkin Soup. Sounds like something just made for my wife. For me, I’d prefer a Portabella mushroom Swiss burger along with tomato and blue bisque.

There are horseback riding opportunities along with a couple of great Japanese restaurants. Yelp has a listing of their choice of the ten best restaurants in town.

So set your GPS for Prospect as many do, and enjoy the many amenities this small town has to offer. It will be a memorable visit. -jeb

Seniors Enjoy Orange City

Orange City is known for it’s Dutch architecture, beautiful tulip festival, and charming windmills. Senior travelers, while you’re in the area, check out the Blue Mountain Culinary Emporium and the Sioux County Historical Museum. And then go back in December to celebrate Sinterklaas Day. Orange City has a renown tulip festival coming up in May that seniors will not want to miss.

Orange City was first called Holland and was later renamed in honor of Dutch royalty. Orange City is traditionally a Dutch Reformed community. The city was founded in 1870 by settlers from Pella, Iowa looking for cheaper and better land.

As the county seat of Sioux County, the city is the location of the Sioux County Courthouse, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Seniors Visit One Of America’s Cleanest Towns

Orange City has been called one of the cleanest towns in America. With a population of nearly 6,000, it’s also one of the safest.

Its size provides easy access to the town’s 5-screen movie theater, 18-hole golf course, and restaurants ranging from coffeehouse hangouts to fast-food chains to the wood-fired cuisine of the Blue Mountain Smokehouse Grille where I would want to take in super meal.  The Woudstra Meat Market is another must visit for senior travelers.

Orange City is located just off the Highway 60 corridor connecting Omaha to Minneapolis. In the northwest corner of Iowa, senior visitors can expect to experience the unique Blue Mountain Culinary Emporium, the distinct “Dutch Village” style shopping, parks, windmills, arts, culture, events and an award-winning golf course.

Orange City is home to Northwestern College and the town where senior travelers will find a beautiful water tower painted “Orange.”

 Seniors Enjoy The Annual Tulip Festival

The state-of-the-art, total healing environment of the new $32 million Orange City Area Health System draws patients from a 30-mile radius, while Northwestern College attracts students, sports enthusiasts, and arts patrons from throughout the country and the world.

Orange City has been considered a destination spot since the 1930s when the first annual Tulip Festival was held. Each year, more than 100,000 visitors flock to downtown Orange City to celebrate the lively festival.

The internationally recognized festival features music and dancing by children and adults in authentic Dutch costumes, two daily parades, nightly musical theater, a carnival midway, Dutch delicacies, delicious food, plus thousands of tulips of every color and a dozen replica windmills throughout this charming town.

It is in Orange City where visitors of all ages can Color Your Life Vibrant. Set your GPS for northwest Iowa and enjoy all the amenities that one of Iowa’s Best Small Towns awaits you. -jeb

Seniors Seek Out A Charming Small Town

When this senior asked Google for the 10 best small towns in Kansas, the first one to come up was Wamego in Pottawatomie County with a population of 4,370. Wamego, platted in 1866, was named for a Potawatomi Native American chief.

With its quaint downtown area and quirky tourist attractions, Wamego is a Small Town, Big Experience and is about as fun and kitschy as it gets. The Oz Museum features a collection of over 25,000 Oz artifacts on permanent loan from Friar John Paul Cafiero relating to the magical world created by L. Frank Baum.

Every year, the Road to Oz, otherwise known as Highway 99 and Lincoln Avenue, brings to life one of America’s best-known fairy tales – “The Wizard of Oz”. The wonderful world of Oz lives on in Wamego. The ageless tale of heart, home and adventure is celebrated at the Oz Museum, which displays one of the largest privately owned collections of Oz memorabilia.

Seniors Enjoy Prairie Town Village

If it weren’t for the Kansas River flowing along the southern border of town there might not ever have been a Wamego. From the earliest residents, the Konza Indians, to today’s fishermen and paddlers the river is still a much revered part of the community.

Me, I’d want to visit the the Wamego Historical Society that was organized in 1973. The museum and the Prairie Town Village are located in Wamego’s 20 acre city park.

In 1973 the first museum opened in the old Union Pacific Railroad stone work shed that was built in 1866. The century-old Dutch Mill has become a familiar Kansas Landmark, not only for its beauty, but also for its great heritage.

Senior visitors are invited to enjoy OZtoberFest, a fun time with lots of German goodies, or Wamego’s legendary Fourth Of July with one of the state’s largest fireworks displays. Beautifully restored, and completely debunking the myth that art, theatre and culture aren’t alive in smaller communities, is the Columbian Theatre.

Seniors Enjoy Wamego’s Charm

Senior golfers, toss in your clubs and play a round or two at the par 70, 18 hole Wamego Country Club that opened in 1920. The original 9 holes was designed by famed architect Chick Trout. Take a drive through town to get a feel for what you will experience on your visit to Wamego. It is loaded with small-town charm.

At the center of it all in Wamego is City Hall, beautifully restored and conveniently located in the heart of Wamego’s downtown historic business district.

Seniors can meet the locals in the City Park, just two blocks from the downtown business district. With its canopy of trees and meticulously landscaped grounds it is consistently rated among the top picnic spots in the state.

Interesting to note is the fact that Walter Chrysler, automobile manufacturer and founder of Chrysler Corporation, was born in Wamego. Plan to stop by Wamego on your trip through Kansas and enjoy Kansas small-town hospitality. -jeb

Seniors Seek Out Small-Town Perry

Out of curiosity, this senior’s middle name, I asked Google for the Best Small Towns in Georgia. They gave me a list of eleven, Perry was #1. The county seat of Houston County, Perry has a population of 15,000.

Take a walking tour of Historic Perry and seniors will see why it is so popular. Founded in 1823 as Wattsville, the town was located near the center of Houston County. The name was soon changed to honor Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a hero of the War of 1812. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated the town on December 9, 1824.

The original city limit was a circle, one mile in diameter, except where bounded on the north by Big Indian Creek. Perry is perhaps best known as the location of the annual Georgia National Fair.

Seniors Enjoy The Culture

Tourism has been important to the local economy since about 1920, when U.S. Highway 41 to Florida was paved. The New Perry Hotel, built in 1870 and rebuilt in 1925, became a landmark for many Florida tourists. President Jimmy Carter’s family frequented the hotel.

The downtown area is home to several quaint shops and restaurants. In the early 1960s Interstate 75 passed through the western side of the city, bringing more businesses that cater to travelers. Seniors will find Perry abounding with culture.

Festivals, fairs, museums and of course Historic Downtown Perry are big draws. The town has a lot going for it and has many notable residents over the years including Sam Nunn, Sonny Perdue and Al Thornton, an NBA player.

Seniors Stroll The Renovated Downtown

The New Perry Hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Sites, portrays a vital part of the city’s heritage, having served travelers since it was known as the Cox Inn dating back to the early 1800s.

Perry’s rich history and architecture can be further explored through a walking/driving tour of significant sights which begins at the New Perry Hotel. Old Perry, as it is called, is a must see. This renovated downtown area is a charming Williamsburg village setting with specialty shops and a down-south, restful atmosphere.

A perfect place for a stroll; enjoy the year-round flowers with benches and shop windows designed to lure senior visitors inside where any shop owner will be happy to tell you about Perry’s rich history. That’s where my wife and I would start off our visit.

TripAdvisor rates Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter #1 with Historic Downtown Perry close behind. So set your GPS on Georgia and specifically for Perry where you will find a plethora of amenities that include good southern hospitality. -jeb

Seniors Spend Time In Historic Bardstown

Bardstown was named the ‘Most Beautiful Small Town in America’ by the Rand McNally. Senior travelers will find picturesque Bardstown in the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region.  Bardstown is the second oldest city in Kentucky and is home to Federal Hill, the inspiration for the state song, “My Old Kentucky Home.”

Known as the ‘Bourbon Capital of the World’, Bardstown has the art of distilling the tipple down to a fine art, with some local distilleries dating back as far as 1776 and celebrates this history each September with the annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival. Bardstown is to bourbon what Napa Valley is to wine.

My Old Kentucky State Park hosts The Stephen Foster Story, a Broadway-style musical about the ‘American father of music’ and composer of Kentucky’s state anthem. Bardstown’s downtown is a mix of historic buildings, eclectic boutiques and great restaurants.

Seniors Visit Historic Places

With a population of 13,000, Bardstown is the county seat of Nelson County. This historic town was  named for the pioneering Bard brothers David and William, having a 1,000-acre land grant from Patrick Henry, then governor of Virginia.

More than 300 buildings in Nelson County are on the National Register of Historic Places; nearly 200 of them are in the historic downtown district. Trip Advisor suggests senior visitors check out the local distilleries, taking one of the Historical and Heritage Tours, and then visit the Bardstown/Nelson County Historical Museum.

Many senior visitors head right for Old Bardstown Village, a recreation of a 1790 frontier community, home to settlers exploring the west. Eight original and authentic log cabins, each 150-200 years old, highlight a creek that runs through the grounds and supplies power to Brown’s Grist Mill.

 Seniors Enjoy Bourbon Capital

Bourbon immersion: Bourbon Capital of the World. Official Trailhead of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Heaven Hill, Maker’s Mark, Jim Beam, Barton 1792, Willett Distillery. Bourbon-themed Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast inn, cafe, spa and Bourbon Bar. Kentucky Bourbon Marketplace. Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History. Menus offering bourbons by the hundreds (Kreso’s-140, Rickhouse-120, Bourbon City Bistro-120) and home of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival.

I found it of interest that the discovery of Bourbon in 1789 is attributed to Baptist minister Elijah Craig. At any given time, Kentucky has more barrels of bourbon aging than people – some 5 million to its 4.2 million population.

Senior travelers, plan a stop in Bardstown. With ten hotels and a variety bed and breakfasts, accommodations are not lacking.  Enjoy the Old Talbott Tavern, which began operating in 1779, or experience a night in jail at the Jailer’s Inn. Try to top that one! -jeb

Seniors Are Welcome In Philipsburg

Philipsburg, the county seat of Granite County, Montana, is small with a population of only 850, but a fun place to visit. Senior travelers will find that Philipsburg is located about 30 minutes off of I-90, southeast of Missoula or west of Butte, Montana.

Known as an 18th century mining town, the area is rich in history but offers much more than mining these days. Silver mining originally brought this town to life back in the late 1860s and sapphire mining remains the main attraction today. Senior visitors, you can mine your own valuable Montana sapphires while visiting Philipsburg.

The Philipsburg area is home to several ghost towns of former mining and timber towns, 24 to be precise. And National Historic Sites abound for senior history lovers.

Seniors Enjoy Mining Town

Philipsburg was named after the famous mining engineer Philip Deidesheimer, who designed and supervised the ore smelter around which the town originally formed. The surrounding hills still show the scars of mountains that have produced vast deposits of silver, manganese, sapphires, and to a lesser extent gold.

Granite, Tower, Rumsey, Black Pine and other local mines were considered home to thousands of hard working men in the late 19th and early 20th century glory days. Today, it’s hard to imagine the bustling activity that went on where now only broken down shacks and tailing piles remain.

Philipsburg is home to Granite Ghost town and other haunts you’ll not want to miss. Me, I’d want to take in the Granite County Museum and Cultural Center, housed in the former Courtney Hotel. And my wife would be sure to visit the famous Sweet palace Candy Store.

Seniors Enjoy Philipsburg’s Adventures

Adventures abound in Philipsburg, whether it’s mining for sapphires, hiking the Great Divide, or reserving a seat in Montana’s oldest Opera House. All year long the surrounding area is a haven for sports, recreation, and culture.

Come snowfall, the mountains become a winter wonderland of downhill skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, and dog sledding, just to name a few. Hike, bike, and backpack to your heart’s delight, or fish in some of the best trout streams Montana has to offer.

TripAdvisor has almost a dozen attractions that senior visitors will not want to miss, starting off with the Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine. Grab a bucket of sapphire gravel, belly up to the wash trough and find Montana Sapphires.

And where to stay? Take in the Ranch at Rock Creek—a luxury guest ranch that brings together wide open spaces and upscale amenities.

So set your GPS for this old mining town and enjoy all it has to offer. -jeb

Seniors Spend Time In Muskegon

Muskegon is the largest city on the eastern shores of Lake Michigan. At the 2010 census the city population was 38,401. This county seat of Muskegon County, senior travelers will find at the southwest corner of Muskegon Township. It is also part of the larger Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Muskegon-Combined Statistical Area with a population of 1,321,557.

Muskegon County is home to 26 miles of sugar sand beaches and dunes, over 60 miles of wilderness trails for biking or hiking, Michigan’s Adventure Amusement and Water Park, and hotels, dining and cultural arts for every taste and budget.

Senior Winter Destination

Muskegon has a wide variety of amenities for senior visitors including  cultural festivals, museums and historic homes. This favorite destination for those who enjoy the sports, activities and traditions that winter brings, offers cold weather fun like a vigorous stroll on snowshoes through the wooded dunes of P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, a trip down the luge at the Winter Sports Complex or a holiday excursion with the family to see the World’s Tallest Singing Christmas Tree.

I’d want to be sure to take in the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex with an Olympian Designed Luge Track.

TripAdvisor has almost three dozen attractions all lined up for senior visitors starting with the Pere Marquette Park. Michigan’s Adventure is a 250-acre amusement park in Muskegon County. It is the largest amusement park in Michigan.

Golf, Naval History And Lumber Barons

Senior golfers, toss your clubs in the trunk as there are 18 holes of challenging golf set on a scenic island.  The USS Silversides Submarine Museum features Naval history on display in a spacious museum complete with tours of a preserved WWII sub. That sounds like fun.

I know that my wife would enjoy touring the beautifully restored Hackley & Hume Historic Site homes and a walk through the unique living spaces showcasing how local Muskegon lumber barons lived in bygone days.

Enjoy your stay in scenic Muskegon. -jeb

 

Seniors Spend Time Enjoying Bristol

Senior travelers will find Bristol, Tennessee and its twin city Bristol, Virginia, directly across the state line from each other between Tennessee and Virginia. Bristol is part of the metropolitan statistical area of Bristol, Johnson City and Kingsport, commonly called the Tri-Cities.

I am quite sure that what caught my eye on Bristol was watching an auto race at the Bristol Motor Speedway. It’s a major draw to the area with seating for, get this…160,000 race fans. More than a million visitors each year experience the thrill of speed at BMS. It is the fourth largest sports venue in America and the eighth largest in the world.

Seniors Visit The Birthplace of Country Music

Bristol may be best known for being the site of some of the first commercial recordings of country music, showcasing Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family. The U.S. Congress recognized Bristol as the “Birthplace of Country Music”  in 1998 and Bristol is the birthplace of Tennessee Ernie Ford.

Senior visitors join the locals for the State Street Farmer’s Market where local merchants, fresh food and fun times come together. Read about the history of Bristol and you will discover how it got its name that goes back to the mid 1700s.

Me I enjoy caverns and have visited several over the years. The Bristol Caverns have well lighted walkways that wind through the vaulted chambers and along the banks of the ancient Underground River that carved its huge chambers up  to 400 million years ago.

 Seniors Enjoy Downtown Bristol

A recent funding drive helped to transform a historic building downtown, the old Goodpasture Motor building on Cumberland Street, into the new Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

Senior visitors, take a leisurely stroll through Downtown Bristol and you will see how the town is living up to the message on the historic sign which crosses State Street – “Bristol – A Good Place To Live!”  The Believe In Bristol organization was created about 7 years ago. Believe In Bristol is responsible for organizing monthly Border Bashes in the summer, annual Loft Tours in the spring, and other events that showcase the vibrancy of downtown.

And bring along your best fishing pole… the Bristol area has more than 40 square miles of inland lakes and freshwater streams nearby, including the beautiful South Holston Lake where you can net beautiful smallmouth and white bass. The Sam Holston Dam is a nearby earth-and-rock dam and recreation area.

But scenery is not all there is to keep Bristol as one of the most livable cities in the United States as rated by American Demographic Magazine. Southern hospitality abides and is as legendary as the scenic landscape that abounds all around the city. Seniors, set your GPS for Bristol and enjoy the birthplace of country music, take in a race, pick up a few CDs and enjoy your visit. -jeb

Seniors Enjoy Colorful Viña del Mar

Viña del Mar, a city on central Chile’s Pacific coast, was recently selected as one of the top places for a visit in South America.  Viña del Mar means “Vineyard of the Sea” and senior travelers find that it is a highly popular tourist attraction. 

Often referred as “La Ciudad Jardín” (Garden City), Viña del Mar is located within the Valparaíso Region, and is Chile’s fourth largest city with a population of 325,000.

Commonly called Viña, the city developed in the 1870s as an exclusive residential and summer area for Chile’s well-to-do. It is still that, but has evolved into Chile’s premiere seaside resort, often called Chile’s Riviera. A major attraction in town is the beautiful Flower Clock (like the one in Geneva) created with seasonal flowers.

TripAdvisor suggests several must see sites such as the Jardín Botánico Nacional and Reñaca beach. This beach plays host to a famous Festival de Viña del Mar every year in mid-February that attracts international performers and audience.

Seniors Discover Alfajores

Lonely Planet notes that clean and orderly Viña del Mar  is a sharp contrast to the charming jumble of neighboring Valparaíso. Senior visitors will find manicured boulevards lined with palm trees, a sprawling public beach and beautiful expansive parks.

Make a note that a very popular treat in Viña del Mar is the alfajor, a typical argentinean/uruguayan type of cookie that has also been popularized in Chile. My wife and I love them and ate a lot of them in Argentina.

The establishment of Refinadora de Azúcar de Viña del Mar (Sugar Refining Company), CRAV in 1873 and the arrival of the British company of Lever & Murphy in 1883 gave the necessary economic push to transform the young city into one of the most important cities of Chile.

 A Castle And A Racetrack

In 1917, a seaside villa was rebuilt as what is known today as Wulff Castle. The Valparaiso Sporting Club horse racing track is another major landmark. Some of the major events during the year include Derby Day, held the first Sunday in February, and the international Festival de Cine de Viña del Mar during the second week of October.

So visit with your travel agent and make plans to spend time in Viña. Senior visitors will find luxurious estates, including the summer home of the President of Chile, waterfront hotels, parks and gardens, social clubs, a municipal casino and theater, sport facilities, beaches, golf, tennis, horse racing, lively nightlife, fine dining, and easy access to the nearby beaches and resort towns of Zapallar, Concon, Cachagua, and the fast-growing and hugely popular town of Reñaca.

My wife and I have been to Chile and would not hesitate to return again tomorrow. Viña del Mar invites senior travelers to discover its secrets and enjoy their events throughout the year. Your stay in Chile will be memorable. -jeb

Seniors Are High On Terre Haute

Terre Haute, Indiana, senior travelers will find, is near the state’s western border with Illinois and has a population that runs right at 61,000 with its metropolitan area population of 170,900+. Terre Haute is the self-proclaimed capital of the Wabash Valley.

Incorporated as a city in 1832, Terre Haute derived its name from an expression used by early 18th century French explorers to describe the terra firma of the city, which lies on a high flat plain. The English translation of “terre haute” is “high land”. Terre Haute is located alongside the eastern bank of the Wabash River in western Indiana.

Terre Haute is loaded with National Register Historic Places. TripAdvisor notes that Terre Haute lies just off the I-70 at the gateway to Illinois and that it is a refreshing hub of arts and activity in the midst of the heartland. The historic U.S. Highway 40 forms the National Road, taking senior travelers on a scenic route past historic bakeries, sculptures and the oldest billboard in the state.

Seniors Drive The Historic National Road

Senior visitors can take a tour of the downtown area and enjoy its museums, galleries and quaint cafes. Visit Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College across the Wabash River to honor its founder, recently sainted Mother Theodore Guerin.

The city is home to  Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Indiana State University and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a private engineering school, where one of my former students attended. The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the “Best in the Midwest” 11 years running.

Some say the #1 attraction in town is watching all the trains go buzzing by. Historic National Road, a multi-state scenic byway, runs along Wabash Avenue.

Destination360 notes that Terre Haute has a history with Coca-Cola: the now world-renowned contoured shape of the Coca-Cola bottle was designed and first introduced in Terre  Haute back in 1915 and 1916.

Seniors Enjoy the Historical ‘Crossroads of America’

Me, I’d want to shoot a few photos of the Old Mill Dam, built in 1817. The local Chamber of Commerce welcomes visitors to Terre Haute known as the historical “Crossroads of America.”

Terre Haute’s history reaches back to the early 1800s with the construction of Fort Harrison as a permanent settlement within Indian Territory. The city grew up primarily around industry and river traffic on the Wabash River. The growth of the railroads and a short-lived oil boom contributed to the city’s prosperity.

 Senior visitors can enjoy the Swope Art Museum featuring American artists and the Arts Illiana gallery that features and sells work from local and regional artists. Locally made Clabber Girl baking powder is honored at the Clabber Girl Museum and Bake Shop, which also serves breakfast and lunch. Seniors, set your sites on Terre Haute and enjoy a memorable visit. -jeb