Seniors Visit Bloomfield

 My wife bought a small jar of mustard that was made in Bloomfield, New Jersey. I just had to follow the path to this town so see what all is there that might attract senior visitors, besides Colman’s Mustard.

Bloomfield’s population is around 48,000. Senior visitors will find the township 2 miles north of East Orange, 5 miles north of Newark and only 20 minutes from New York City.

Bloomfield College, a liberal arts college founded in 1868, is located in downtown Bloomfield near the town green. The college has approximately 2,000 students.

 Seniors Visit A Confectionery, A Cemetery and An Estate

Three of the major attractions seniors can enjoy include Glendale Cemetery, Holsten’s Brookdale Confectionery (filming location of the final scene in the final episode of The Sopranos) and the Oakes Estate, constructed in 1895, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

A host of notable people were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Bloomfield. One that I remember well is the singer Connie Francis. Let’s let Facebook help fill in your itinerary.

The local Historical Society of Bloomfield is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and will be scheduling a number of events. Bloomfield is loaded with landmarks, and has an interesting downtown.

Seniors, if you travel with your dog, stop at Brookdale Dog Park, an off-leash facility that is part of Brookdale Park, which in turn is part of the Essex County Parks system.

 Seniors Stroll Through Brookdale Park

TripAdvisor suggests that visitors start off with a visit to Brookdale Park and then on to Yellow Plum with a great menu. Going through the Park is a circular, one way road, with three roads leading out of the park. There are many entrances for pedestrians.

Before Brookdale was a park, the area was used by the First Nations Lenape Native Americans, later known as the Delaware, as a planting/gathering ground. It is an opportunity for a stroll that will be memorable.

Senior “birders,” Brookdale Park offers over 200 acres of varied wildlife habitat and hosts a great number of bird species. Sightings range from the small and common house sparrow to the occasional Wild Turkey. Visit ebird for Brookdale’s Hotspot list of bird sightings recorded by the local birders.

So set your GPS for Bloomfield, a dynamic town that offers many attractions and fun things to do: parks, theater, sports, history, golf courses. Enjoy your visit. -jeb

Seniors Discover Devon, England

Devon, a county also referred to as Devonshire, in south west England, encompasses sandy beaches, fossil cliffs, medieval towns and moorland national parks. Senior travelers find themselves on the English Riviera, a series of picturesque, south-coast harbor towns including Torquay, Paignton and Brixham.

In case you were wondering, like me, the name Devon derives from the name of the Britons who inhabited the southwestern peninsula of Britain at the time of the Roman conquest. I also discovered that Devon may mean “defender” in reference to the Celtic inhabitants who fought off Anglo Saxon invaders during the dark ages.

Senior visitors will discover  the entire Devon area to be highly scenic with colorful fields, azure coasts, tall cliffs and historic buildings. Plymouth is the largest city in Devon with a population of 255,000.

 This Senior Enjoys Clotted Cream

Devon’s area is 2,590 square miles and its population is just over one million. Despite its small Jewish population, Devon is known to contain two of Britain’s oldest synagogues.

The county has given its name to a number of culinary specialities. The Devonshire cream tea, involving scones, jam and clotted cream, is thought to have originated in Devon. My wife fell in love with clotted cream in Bath last year.

I write a lot of these travel blogs using TripAdvisor as a reference. This time I think they set a record, 1,171 things to see and do in Devon County. That’ll keep you busy for a long, long time.

The Jurassic Coast is famous for its many ammonite fossils. Senior fossil-lovers, clotted cream enthusiasts, scenic view proponents…set your sails for Devon.

Seniors Seek Out Rural Experience

“Devon is best known for cream teas and surf beaches, but a raft of openings are elevating the county’s image with rarefied takes on the rural experience. The elegant Lympstone Manor has been reimagined by eminent chef Michael Caines, who will reopen it in 2017 as a 21-room hotel and restaurant.

Design lovers can soon overnight at the Secular Retreat, a strikingly minimal property inspired by ecclesiastical architecture and designed by Peter Zumthor. And on the coast, the Art Deco Burgh Island Hotel has another groundbreaking design in the works: a suite that bridges the vertiginous gap between two rocky outcrops.” —Emily Mathieson

Senior travelers, enjoy all  that the county of Devon has to offer. Hope to see you there. -jeb

Seniors Choose A Stop In Heber Springs

Heber Springs, seniors learn, was initially called Sugar Loaf. This the seat of Cleburne County, Arkansas, has a population of around 7,250. Founded by Max Frauenthal, in 1881, who bought land and founded the Sugar Loaf Springs Company, he plotted a town site which was incorporated as “Sugar Loaf” on October 4, 1882.

Frauenthal chose the name Cleborne County to honor Confederate General Patrick Cleburne, who was killed in the Battle of Franklin in 1864. In 1910, Sugar Loaf’s name was changed to Heber Springs in order to avoid confusion with another Sugar Loaf whose post office was named after Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Let’s explore Heber Springs a bit, starting off with TripAdvisor’s suggestion of a sport called Cliff Jumping. Not me! Could you jump off a cliff and hit the water 50 feet below? Sounds like Navy Seal training to me.

 Senior Fishermen, Take Note

The list of attractions in Heber Springs is long and impressive. One of their major events is Springfest. It is one of the largest fireworks shows in Arkansas on Greers Ferry Lake. The World Championship Cardboard Boat Race packs the house.

Toss in your best fishing rod and try your luck in matching two world-record catches on Greers Ferry Lake and one world record on the Little Red River. With fish this large, it’s understandable why senior anglers are attracted to the region.

Al Nelson of Higden started the action in 1982 with a 22-pound, 11-ounce walleye. Jerald C. Shaum of Shirley added a 27-pound, five-ounce hybrid striped bass in 1997. Those are what I call Big Ones. Bridal Veil Falls is a beautiful scenic spot not to be missed.

Seniors Like Historic Downtown

The historic downtown district includes a stately county courthouse with the traditional square. Senior visitors can also enjoy a museum, antique shops, restored theater and Spring Park, with its mineral springs that attracted the original settlers.

Greers Ferry Lake is known for great fishing and water recreation. Camping, cabins and world-class resorts overlook one of the state’s most popular lakes.

The Little Red River is internationally known as the home of the world-record (40-pound, four-ounce) brown trout, another whopper. Trout resorts and outfitters are available. The lake and river have served as national models for environmental cleanliness.

 Spring Park attracted settlers to Heber Springs in the 1830′s and is named after it’s natural springs which are covered by pavilions and accessible throughout the park. It is a popular spot for senior travelers. The Park is found right in the heart of town and next door to some great shopping, dining and lodging.

Spring Park is home to many festivals throughout the year including Spring Fest and Old Settler’s Days. Settle into Heber Springs and enjoy the  amenities the town offers. -jeb

Seniors Make A Visit to Pinedale

 Pinedale is an important hunting outfitting town, an authentic western town and a gateway to the Wind River Mountains. This senior loves visiting those smaller towns and Pinedale fits right in.

In 1904, John F. Patterson proposed establishing a town in the Green River Valley along Pine Creek in western Wyoming, in what then was still part of Fremont County. Pinedale was named after a post office on a ranch of Charles Peterson and Robert Graham. The boundary line set by the ranchers became Pine Street and Patterson earned recognition as the founder of Pinedale.

En route to Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park, and Yellowstone is Pinedale, Wyoming on Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway. It’s a must for adventurous travelers who want to experience the vast expanses of three mountain ranges.

The Wind River Mountains boast Wyoming’s highest summit, Gannett Peak. The scenic drive opens the door to a destination rich in historic pioneer trails and cultural attractions.

Seniors Enjoy the Wildlife

 Seniors Visitors can enjoy the Museum of the Mountain Man, Green River Rendezvous Days, White Pine Ski Area, and the Town Park System along the Pine Creek Corridor in the middle of town.

Pinedale and the surrounding area are home to a large population of wildlife including both grizzly and black bear, moose, elk, pronghorn, mule deer, whitetail deer, bighorn sheep, and mountain lions. Over seven species of trout can be found in the area lakes.

Senior visitors can enjoy fishing, hiking, camping, boating, four-wheeling, hunting, skiing/snowboarding, snowmobiling and ice fishing. You might enjoy a Google Maps tour of Pinedale.

 Pinedale’s Great Outdoors Unequaled

Pinedale is also near several large natural gas fields, including the Pinedale Anticline and Jonah Field. When the energy boom hit this small town in 2007, the town benefited while experiencing the challenges: increased traffic, population, and demands on the town’s resources.

During the late 1800s, tourists came to enjoy horse pack trips, fishing and hunting in the beautiful nearby mountains. Great herds of Hereford and Black Angus cattle roamed on area ranches in the Green River Valley, some of which were established before the town itself. Ranchers and cowboys, along with their families, were among the early settlers of the region.

Pinedale’s great outdoors are unequaled. Senior visitors will experience the vast expanses of the towering Wind River Range, the beauty of the region’s 1,300 lakes, forests, rivers, wilderness, and wildlife. Pinedale is situated on the edge of the Bridger Wilderness, a vast recreational playground, 3.4 million acres, that’s only minutes from town.

Plan a drive to Pinedale and enjoy every minute. -jeb

Seniors Stop In Winooski

Winooski /wɪˈnuːski/, seniors learn is located at the mouth of the Winooski River, and is part of the larger Burlington metropolitan area.

Winooski, Vermont is home to immigrants from countries such as Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Rwanda, and Somalia. As a result, Winsooki is the most diverse, as well as the most densely populated municipality in northern New England, which comprises the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Sound interesting? It is, and the river adds lots of character to the town.

Five thousand years ago a single family of paleolithic Native Americans came to what is now the city. The prehistoric campground for this transient group is one of Vermont’s significant archaeological sites.

Other native people came to Winooski in the years that followed. In 1846, James and Lucinda Stone from Winooski settled in Sheboygan County in the Wisconsin Territory and named their new settlement Winooski, Wisconsin.

 Seniors Like Four Quarters

Situated on a main travel route, Winooski most likely started out as a trading city. With a set of waterfalls to assist the growth of industry, it soon became a center for wool processing. The mills closed in 1954.

In the 1980s, two old mills were converted into commercial, office, and apartment space, helping to revitalize the area. Senior visitors enjoy reliving the history of the wool business at the Heritage Winooski Mill Museum.

Last and certainly not least, lies an inimitable brewery tucked away in Winooski. Four Quarters, host of Firkin Fest, has been brewing imaginative beers that defy intuition since 2014. Plan to take a tour and do some sampling of the micro-brewery beers.

Seniors Enjoy St.Michael’s Playhouse

Winooski combines outdoorsy, down-home Vermont with a splash of art and culture. On weekends, downtown Winooski is the site of an artist “Pop-Up.’’  

Saint Michael’s Playhouse on the campus of Saint Michael’s College, known by the locals as St. Mike’s, is one of New England’s more popular regional theater companies. St. Mike’s is a private Catholic college of approximately 2,000 undergraduate students.

Birdfolk Collective is a popular store where seniors can find unique gifts. It is an eclectic brick and mortar building celebrating handmade and independent designers. Read what Facebook has to say about Winooski. -jeb

Seniors Make A Stop In West Allis

 West Allis, a city that senior travelers will find five miles west of Milwaukee derives its name from Edward P. Allis whose company was a large Milwaukee-area manufacturing firm in the late 19th century.

In 1901, the Allis Company became Allis-Chalmers, and in 1902 built a large new manufacturing plant west of its existing plant. The locale in which the new plant was constructed was at the time called North Greenfield, and prior to the 1880s had been called Honey Creek. With the building of the western Allis plant, the area became the City of West Allis in 1906.

The Wisconsin State Fair Park, which includes the Milwaukee Mile is the site of the annual Wisconsin State Fair held in August, and located in West Allis. Facebook is a good link for suggestions on visiting a museum, a park, where to shop and good choices for dinner.

 Festivals And Celebrations Attract Senior Visitors

National Night Out held in July is an annual crime prevention event sponsored by Aurora West Allis Medical Center. This community festival is designed to strengthen neighborhood spirit, and promote crime and drug prevention awareness.

Senior visitors can enjoy some of the celebrations that take place all year long in West Allis that include the Cinco de Mayo Springfest, the Harvest Fair & World Beef Expo and the Gi Wise Gises Pow Wow.

The Milwaukee Area Technical College calls West Allis home. Nearby, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Marquette University provide additional educational opportunities.

 Voted ‘Best Place to Raise Your Kids’

A local realtor notes that West Allis was voted  the “Best Place to Raise Your Kids” in the Milwaukee area by Business Week for 2010.  West Allis prides itself as a community with “strong principles of family and work.”

West Allis was named Winner in the 2016 WfMC Global Awards for Excellence in Business Process Management. West Allis goes all out for Independence Day and makes the celebration last for several days. Activities include the Breakfast of Champions, an event that honors either West Allis high school students for their achievements or West Allis veterans.

The Wisconsin Exposition Center hosts a wide variety of great events. Donald Trump helped to put West Allis on the map when he visited the city on Sunday, April 3, 2016 for an event held at the Nathan Hale High School Gym.

Seniors will discover an attractive, active city. Take a look at the events for next year and plan a stop in West Allis during one of these celebrations and enjoy! -jeb

Seniors Settle Into Terrell

Terrell invites senior visitors  to experience the charm of their gracious older homes or to shop in a modern outlet mall and to take in the turn of the century downtown. 

Located 32 miles east of Dallas, Terrell has a population of around 16,000. Terrell, Texas developed as a railroad town, in 1873 with construction of the Texas and Pacific Railroad line. The town gets its name from Robert A. Terrell, a pioneer European-American settler whose farm lay on the western edge of the community.

Terrell built an octagonal house on his property, called a “Round House”, to provide better defense against attacks by Native Americans. His house was later fitted with the first glass windows in the county. Terrell was incorporated in 1875 and later the first automobile appeared in town in 1899.

The Terrell Military College was established, operating until after World War II. Its campus sat on part of the former Terrell farm and incorporated his historic Round House.

During World War II, the No. 1 British Flying Training School (BFTS), was located in Terrell. It was the first of six civilian flight schools in the United States dedicated to instructing British Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots during that war.

 Seniors Enjoy Historic Homes

The nearby Lake Tawakoni State Park is spread over 376 acres of land and has a swimming beach, picnic areas, hiking trails, and facilities for camping and boating. Southwestern Christian College is the local institution of higher education.

Senior visitors will find several beautiful historic homes in Terrell. This senior really liked the Matthew Cartwright House, built by banker and rancher Matthew Cartwright. It is a large and ornate Victorian mansion begun in 1883, with additions in 1894, 1922 and 1940.

Look what TripAdvisor has lined up for you. Facebook highlights places to stay, where to eat, local landmarks and museums.

Seniors Enjoy The Heritage Jubilee

 The Terrell Heritage Jubilee, an annual festival featuring three days filled with family fun, offers a carnival, live performances and arts and crafts vendors. Senior visitors can can also catch the pig races or ranch rodeo, stroll through the car and motorcycle show and a quilt show. There is also a BBQ cook-off and the Fountain 5K Run.

The Jubilee traces its origins to a livestock show first held in 1981. In subsequent years the show added entertainment, games, contests and food. Heritage Jubilee retains the western flavor of the original livestock show. Entertainment includes trick ropers, gun fighters, horses, and a cowboy poet. Great fun for everyone.

The Wade Indoor Arena is well known for events dealing with horses. The Terrell State Hospital is an abandoned insane asylum in Terrell and loaded with history. Lastly, the Thrillvania Haunted House Park, with 3 haunted attractions, including the world famous Verdun Manor, is an experience not to be missed, that is…if you are up to it.

You will enjoy Terrell. -jeb

Seniors Learn About Carson

 Senior travelers will find Carson, with a population around 92,000, 13 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Carson is primarily a manufacturing community. After decades of existence unincorporated, Carson was finally incorporated as a city in 1968 when its citizens took to the polls and voted to do so by a nearly 2-to-1 margin.

On that same date, by a much narrower vote, the citizens chose the name Carson for their new city over the name Dominguez, the two leading family names in the city’s history.

Following its incorporation, Carson acted quickly to enforce a strict landscaping and building code, resulting in modernizations and improvements in the city’s industrial parks and overall appearance.

Carson is famous for hosting the very first air show ever held in the United States. Known as the “Great Air Meet”. It took place in 1910, just seven years after the Wright Brothers made their first flight near Kitty Hawk. The site where this show took place has since been declared a California Historical Landmark.

Seniors Find A Vibrant City In Carson

TripAdvisor suggests that senior visitors not miss the International Printing Museum and the nearby Porsche Experience Center, a 53-acre facility and road handling course, one of only five such sites in the world.

Seniors can also check out the StubHub Center, a multiple-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University that was founded in 1960. 

The City Council notes that Carson is a vibrant city with a small town atmosphere where relationships are important. This is clearly visible throughout the community, from stable single family neighborhoods, which make up nearly eighty percent of the city’s residences, to the partnership between business and volunteer driven agencies which strengthen the city’s remarkable social fabric.

 Seniors Check Out The Home Depot Center

The Home Depot Center  includes a 2,450 seat velodrome for world class cycling competitions. The Center also serves as a training facility by the U.S. national soccer team. The huge entertainment and sports venue features world class musical acts, soccer, futbol, and a variety of shows in an outdoor amphitheater seating thousands.

When driving through Carson on the San Diego Freeway the most noticeable landmarks are the huge oil refineries and the landing field of the Goodyear Blimp, the huge blue icon of the region.

This Los Angeles County suburb is full of charm, history, and offers a variety of shopping and dining options. Seniors, pay a visit to Carson when you are in the Los Angeles area, you may even get to see the Goodyear Blimp. -jeb

Seniors Like Sofia’s Surprises

 Sofia, the capital and largest city of Bulgaria, seniors discover, has a population of 1.26 million, while 1.68 million people live in its metropolitan area. The territory of Bulgaria has been inhabited since antiquity, as the country’s many ancient settlements and burial mounds attest.

Present-day Bulgaria was a cradle of some of the earliest civilizations in Europe – the oldest gold ornament ever discovered, unearthed in the Chalcholite necropolis near Varna, is evidence of that.

With a history that stretches over seven millennia, ruin-rich Sofia is one of Europe’s oldest cities. The National Historical Museum is one of Eastern Europe’s most extensive. Wide, cobblestone boulevards, charming boutiques and truly electrifying nightlife star in Sofia. Trolleys, trams and buses traverse the dynamic city.

Seniors Visit Europe’s Most Affordable Capital

Surrounded by sprawling parkland, Sofia lies at the foot of popular ski mountain, Vitosha, one of TripAdvisor‘s top choices. Don’t miss the statue of Seta Sofia, a main attraction.

USA Today wants seniors to know that Sofia is Europe’s most affordable capital: a night in a four-star hotel goes for less than $100. The dinner tab for two with a bottle of house wine runs about $40. And cab fare costs less than $1 a mile.

The city is full of delightful surprises, from the yellow brick roads in its historic center to the partially exposed, 1,800-year-old Roman city that lies beneath. Many visitors say that Bulgaria is the most beautiful country in Europe.

 Seniors Enjoy Dynamic City

Wikitravel notes that today, Sofia is a dynamic Eastern European capital, distinguished by its unique combination of European and Communist-style architecture as well as many beautiful orthodox churches.

Sofia was founded 2,500 years ago. Over the centuries, it has been given several names – Serdica , Sredetz and the remains of the old cities can still be viewed today. Near Sofia is the Boyana church, one of the most valuable memorials of Bulgarian and European culture that senior visitors will see.

Located in the western part of the country, on the Sofia Plain and on the lower slopes of Mount Vitosha, the city’s average altitude is 550 meters above sea level and the climate is moderate and continental, characterized by cold winters and relatively cool summers.

Seniors, Sofia will prove to be a memorable experience. Enjoy your visit. -jeb