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

Seniors Check Out Waban

Waban is one of the thirteen villages of Newton, Massachusetts, a suburban city that seniors will find approximately seven miles from downtown Boston.

Waban was named for Waban, the first Massachusetts Indian converted to Christianity, in 1646. Although Waban lived in Nonantum, a hill in the northeasternmost part of Newton, the area around the present village of Waban was a favored hunting ground.

Established in 1889, the Waban Improvement Society, comprised all who live and/or work in Waban, promotes any activity intended to improve Waban and fosters a sense of community.

Seniors Hear Of Annual Progressive Dinner

Waban has a small commercial center along Beacon Street surrounding the MBTA Green Line station. The transit-oriented village primarily contains locally-owned businesses serving the surrounding neighborhood. While the village is closely related to Newton, Waban is  considered the “Cultural Capital” of Middlesex County.

The Waban Improvement Society’s Annual Progressive Dinner is one of the  most popular and cherished new traditions. Everyone is treated to an evening of new and renewed friendships, the warm hospitality of neighbors, delicious cuisine and delightful conversation in one another’s homes.

Seniors Enjoy Waban’s Celebrations

Waban Village Day is another big celebration for all the locals. Village Day is a traditional Spring celebration on closed- off streets in Waban Square.  Waban Lights and Tree Lighting is a celebration of the holiday season. Residents gather for hot chocolate, a sing- a -long and a tree lighting.

An additional tradition is annual mulching where residents spread city supplied mulch around Waban Square. Village pride is part of the culture of Waban. The physical appearance of Waban Square today is little different from what it was half a century ago.

For its size, Waban is loaded with beautiful homes, a thriving downtown, and parks. The Frederick H. Henshaw home still stands in its magnificent setting and senior visitors enjoy taking photos of this awesome structure. Lake Waban invites visitors to settle in and enjoy a stroll or a picnic on its shores.

Waban culture is displayed on streets signs honoring the first settlers in Waban: Wamesit, Annawan, Nehoiden, Elliot and Locke.

So seniors, set your GPS for Waban and enjoy the variety of amenities this village has to offer. -jeb

Seniors Enjoy Desert Town In California

Senior visitors will find Victorville at the southern edge of the Mojave Desert in the Victor Valley of western San Bernardino County, California. The city is situated 82 miles northeast of Los Angeles, and is surrounded by the nearby communities of Adelanto, Apple Valley, and Hesperia. Its estimated population is around 122,000.

Back in 1885, the community was known simply as Victor. It was named after Jacob Nash Victor, a construction superintendent for the California Southern Railroad (Santa Fe Railroad). Kind of like my hometown back in Iowa that was named after a railroad engineer.

U.S Route 66 connected to the town in 1926, and the army established an air base in 1941. Seniors, have you ever traveled on Route 66?

Seniors Visit A Route 66 Museum

Senior visitors to the city can take advantage of a wide variety of activities, including mountain skiing, water sports, and access to the vast array of attractions in Southern California and the city of Los Angeles.

Victorville boasts the California Route 66 Museum, a repository of artifacts and photographs chronicling the history of the storied national highway and the communities it served. I visited a Route 66 Museum in Kingman, Arizona that was full of history and souvenirs. A fun visit.

The Fire Museum in Victorville houses a collection of fire fighting equipment and memorabilia including exhibits dating from the 1930s, depicting the history of the Victorville Fire Department.

A celebrated spring event in Victorville is the San Bernardino County Fair, a festival replete with carnival rides, celebrity concerts, livestock competitions, and every other county fair activity.

Arts and entertainment can be found in the city’s Performing Arts Center. Sports fans can root for the High Desert Mavericks, a Class Triple-A minor league baseball team affiliated with Major League Baseball’s Seattle Mariners.

Seniors Find An Aircraft Graveyard

Where do old jumbo jets go when they die? To the aircraft graveyard in Victorville. Facebook makes suggestions for dining, landmarks and activities you might enjoy.

Victorville offers beautiful views of snow-capped mountains, from its location in the High Desert. The shopping mall is  a big draw not only for the locals but for senior visitors as well.

Toss in the clubs and play a round or two at the Green Tree Golf Course. The High Desert Center for the Arts on 8th Street features a theater for performances and drama workshops, plus an art gallery.

TripAdvisor lists 19 things not to be missed. So seniors, when you are in the area, make a stop at Victorville and explore. -jeb

Seniors Drop By Westport

Westport, a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, was so named because it was the westernmost port in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Senior travelers learn that it was first settled in 1670 as part of the town of Dartmouth by members of the Sisson family but became independent in 1787. Westport’s  population is close to 16,000.

Westport is on the western port of what is known as Buzzards Bay. The town suffered damages during King Philip’s War. Like many areas in the region, Westport was affected by invading Wampanoag Indians during King Philip’s War. The British named the harbor “The Devil’s Pocket Hole” as they were unable to navigate the entrance in the War of 1812.

Facebook can help senior visitors find their way around and suggests places to stay, to eat, a museum to visit or an attractive park in which to take a stroll.

Seniors Drive 52 Miles South Of Boston

Westport is located 52 miles South of Boston. For you gourmet folks, Westport has four 5-star restaurants and a 4-star Village Pizza.

Horseneck Beach and Westport River, are both popular destinations for recreation. Senior birders, Barrier beach is spread over 600 acres and is ideal for long walks as well as bird watching.

In the distance, the Elizabeth Islands are visible from the beach. TripAdvisor has over a dozen sites you will not want to overlook, starting with the Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery. Close behind they mention Buzzards Bay Brewing.

The Westport Historical Society excels in engaging the public in the exploration of the town’s rich history and culture.

Seniors Enjoy Historic Farm

Senior visitors do not want to miss Westport Town Farm. This 40-acre open space preserve and historic farm complex includes hiking trails, working farmland, salt marsh frontage, an antique farmhouse, dairy barn, corn crib, and stone walls dating back to Colonial times. History personified.

Seniors, set your GPS for Westport and enjoy the amenities the city offers. Check out VRBO. Their vacation rentals are available all year long. Your stay in Westport will prove to be a memorable one . -jeb

Seniors Are Attracted To France’s Dordogne Valley

The Dordogne Valley , a department in southwestern France, that senior travelers will find between the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees, is named after the great Dordogne river that runs through it. My travel hero Rick Steves takes on an exciting visit to the Dordogne River Valley.

There is so much for senior visitors to take in, like the Cabanas de Breuil, La Roque-Gageac, a member of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, canoeing on the Dordogne River, the famous prehistoric caves of Lascaux, the Château de Beynac and the capital city Périgueux.

The beautiful countryside lies in all directions and attracts visitors from all over the world. Foie gras is a luxury food product of this area, made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. I’d make a point to spend some quality time in Sarlat that is undoubtedly one of the most attractive and visited medieval cities in France.

Seniors Enjoy Medieval Jewel, “Sarlat”

The capital of the Black Périgord truffle, on the edge of the Quercy causses (limestone plateaus), Sarlat is a major tourist site, renowned for its large historical center containing countless buildings dating mainly from the medieval and early Renaissance period, 13th to 16th century. Over a million visitors discover or rediscover this medieval jewel every year.

I have lost count of the number of times I have visited France, somewhere  over three dozen, and this region has always fascinated me. There are more than 1,500 castles in Dordogne, making it “The Other Château Country”, meaning all those along the Loire Valley.

Forty eight parks and gardens allure gardeners like me to the area and some “grands étangs” (ponds) are teeming with birds and other wildlife. The Grotte at Lascaux II is an exquisite 39m-long replica museum of the renowned prehistoric cave paintings of animals, discovered in 1940. Lascaux is the most famous cave in the world.

Take Note Senior Bikers and Hikers

The Valley of the Dordogne developed because of the importance of the river as a transport route, and trade originally developed around the wood and leather industries.

The landscape consists of steep wooded hills climbing up both sides of the river valley, with small picturesque villages both in the valley itself, like Brivezac and Saulières and also nestling deep in the ‘side valleys’ for example, Neuville and Albussac.

The countryside is largely unspoiled with traditional houses and smallholdings to admire as you explore. It is a great place for senior bikers and hikers. The Dordogne is without doubt the most diverse region in France, and perhaps even all of Europe.

Beautiful medieval towns and villages, castles and forts are perched high above both the Dordogne and Vézère River. The Prehistoric Vézère Valley offering caves and cave art, help to make this area a popular destination.

Seniors, head your rental car to southwest France and the Dordogne Valley. Enjoy, do some research and planning and it will pay off big dividends.  -jeb

Seniors Enjoy Time In Idyllwild

Idyllwild, Pine Cove, and Fern Valley (neat names huh?) are three adjacent unincorporated communities, of which Idyllwild is the largest. Seniors can find Idyllwild in the San Jacinto Mountains. Small as the town be, it overflows with things to see and do and scenic beauty in all directions.

Idyllwild has earned the designation as one of the 100 Best Small Art Towns in America. Idyllwild was also voted L.A.’s Best Mountain Getaway. The arts thrive in Idyllwild in the form of art, music, and theatre and they all draw in visitors from across the country and across the ages. Idyllwild is loaded with amenities and scenic beauty.

Senior visitors can enjoy the Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness and the Idyllwild Nature Center . Trails and picnic areas surround this museum focusing on local ecology and Cahuilla Native culture. The Cahuilla are a California tribe, located in the center of Southern California. Most Cahuilla people still live in this area today.

Seniors Find Palms to Pines Scenic Byway

The summer concert series and the annual 5K and 10K race are highly popular. The International Festival of Cinema is another big draw. “Mile-high Idyllwild” is a popular southern California mountain resort about one mile (1.6 km) in altitude.

Idyllwild is flanked by two large rocks, Tahquitz Peak (with nearby Lily Rock) and Suicide Rock, which are famous in Southern California rock climbing circles.

One of Idyllwild’s attractions is that it offers all four seasons, yet in winter is only an hour’s drive down to the desert on the Palms to Pines Scenic Byway. This 67-mile route will take you from Palm Desert past snow-peaked mountains to Banning Pass.

Palms to Pines Scenic Byway offers a full variety of ecosystems in the Lower Sonoran region. From clusters of desert palms to high country conifer forests and snow-capped mountains, senior travelers can experience a contrast of ecosystems within a short distance. The hill” has been minimally developed over the years and remains a center for hiking, mountain and rock climbing, and horseback riding.

Seniors Find A Hiking Trail

There are numerous hiking trails seniors can enjoy, with the Devils Slide Trail being one of the most popular. The trail has previously been called “the backdoor to Idyllwild.”

Devil’s Slide Coast contains miles of trail varying from breezy boardwalk strolls and paved pathways to steep and challenging hikes. Hook up your bike and roll along dramatic cliffside trails catching great views. There are opportunities for all levels of cycling.

Idyllwild sits amid tall trees, welcomes artists of all genres and motorcyclists of all ages. The town monument is a wood carving of animals native to the area. Sounds neat doesn’t it! Yes, seniors, set your GPS for Idyllwild, California’s Natural Treasure. -jeb

Seniors Visit West Babylon

Senior travelers in the New York City area will find West Babylon 32 miles east of New York City. The town is part of the Nassau- Suffolk metropolitan statistical area. About 44,000 people live in West Babylon.

The region was once called South Huntington. Nathaniel Conklin moved his family to the area around 1803, eventually calling it “New Babylon”, naming it after the ancient town of Babylon. The town was officially formed in 1872 by a partition of the Town of Huntington.

West Babylon, which is a part of the Town of Babylon, is a census-designated place. Located on Long Island, the town population was 214,191 as of the 2014 census. Parts of Jones Beach Island, Captree Island and Fire Island are in the southernmost part of the town. It borders  the Atlantic Ocean to the South. There is also a village of Babylon located within the town.

Senior Visitors See a Historic Town Hall

The Babylon Library is on the National Register of Historic Places as is the Town Hall and the Nathanial Conklin House that was built in 1803. Babylon Town Hall, also known as Town of Babylon Old Town Hall, is a historic town hall. It was built in 1917 and is a  2 1⁄2-story Classical Revival style building with a low hipped roof.

It housed town offices until 1958, and housed district courts until 1979, when it was sold. Old Town Hall was purchased back by the town in June 2004.

The Belmont Lake State Park offers senior visitors a place to fish and boat, bike and hike and even try horseback riding. And the Bethpage State Park has golf courses, tennis courts, playing fields, bridle paths, picnic areas and hiking and biking trails.

Seniors can view war airplanes built during World War II displayed in hangars at the American Airpower Museum. The Old Bethpage Village Restoration is an open-air museum which depicts the history of Long Island.

Facebook can sometimes be helpful to senior visitors. The city offers amenities and scenic beauty , as well. So set your GPS for West Babylon when you are in the New York City area and enjoy . -jeb

Seniors Stop By Hampton, Virginia

Senior travelers will find Hampton on the southeast end of the Virginia Peninsula. It is bounded on the north and east by the Chesapeake Bay and on the south by the Hampton Roads Harbor.

Wth a population right around 138,000, Hampton is one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area.

Hampton traces its history to the city’s Old Point Comfort, the home of Fort Monroe for almost 400 years, which was named by the 1607 voyagers, led by Captain Christopher Newport, who first established Jamestown as an English colonial settlement. Hampton was named for Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, an important leader of the Virginia Company of London.

Seniors Must See Historic Fort Monroe

TripAdvisor has listed 27 things to catch your eye and to enjoy on your visit to Hampton . Senior visitors will not want to miss the Casement Museum of Fort Monroe that chronicles Hampton’s colonial roots and its military role from the 19th century onward.

Widely considered to be one of the nation’s earliest settlements, Hampton dates its origins back to the early 1600s. Mainly a quiet trading port before the Civil War, Hampton found itself in the middle of the conflict when the Confederate army, in an attempt to stop Union troops from taking over the town, burned it to the ground in 1861.

From the ruins left behind, former slaves who were under a degree of Union protection built the Grand Contraband Camp, the first self-contained African American community in the United States.

Seniors Enjoy Historical, Cultural and Recreational Attractions

Senior visitors can enjoy a wide variety of historical, cultural and recreational attractions in Hampton. The Hampton University Museum is located on the grounds of one of the oldest African-American universities in the country. The University originated as the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, whose mission was to educate freed black men and women after the Civil War and teach them trades and skills.

Also located at the site is the Emancipation Oak, the place where Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was read. Another Hampton landmark is the Virginia Air & Space Center, the official visitor center for NASA’s Langley Research Center.

Senior visitors can see the Apollo 12 Command Capsule that journeyed to the moon, experience a state-of-the-art virtual-reality video on the pioneers of flying, and much more. The Air and Space Museum has an IMAX theater and during the winter months there’s even an outdoor skating rink.

The Hampton History Museum, located in historic downtown, tells the storied history of Hampton. Seniors, plan a stop in Hampton when you’re in Virginia and enjoy this exciting city. -jeb

Seniors Stop In Sunny Ormond Beach

Senior travelers find that Ormond Beach is the northern neighbor of Daytona Beach and is home to Tomoka State Park. They say that the Birthplace of Speed comes from Ormond Beach.

In 1903, the smooth, hard-packed sands of Ormond Beach became a proving ground for automobile inventors and drivers. These first speed tournaments in the US earned Ormond the title “Birthplace of Speed”.

The city is named for James Ormond I, an Anglo-Irish-Scottish sea captain commissioned by King Ferdinand VII of Spain to bring Franciscan settlers to this part of Florida.

For Seniors Who Like Water

Bordered by the Tomoka River on the west, the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and home to numerous rivers, lakes and springs, Ormond Beach is an ideal location for a myriad of water activities. Senior visitors can also enjoy a variety of cultural and recreational events offered throughout the year – and the pleasures of its historic downtown Main Street.

The local Chamber of Commerce called Ormond Beach… “Our Version Of Paradise.” They further note that Ormond Beach is near everything in Central Florida.

It is a community bisected by major arteries going everywhere, I-95 runs north to Maine & south to Miami. I-4 takes you west where you will travel through Orlando, the Magic Kingdom at Disney World, and on to Tampa.

The community is separated by the Halifax River, which is the Intracoastal Waterway traveling the East Coast of the United States. The city claims the highest standard of living in Volusia County and was originally established as a tourist haven for the rich and famous at the turn of the century, like J.D. Rockefeller.

Seniors Drive The Florida Scenic Highway

Several notable people called Ormond Beach home including Rockefeller and Shirley Chisholm, a member of the U.S. Congress. The area abounds in historic places: Anderson-Price Memorial Library Building, The Casements, Dix House, Bulow Creek State Park, Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens, Halifax Plantation, North Peninsula State Park and the Tomoka State Park.

And my oh my, senior visitors, you will keep busy with the help of TripAdvisor that lists almost one hundred things to see and do. You will discover that the Ormond Loop and Scenic Trail is part of the Florida Scenic Highway and national Scenic Byway program. With a near-ideal  climate in Ormond Beach, residents and visitors alike take the opportunity to enjoy an assortment of outdoor activities all year long.

VirtualTourist kicks in with 21 additional suggestions that includes The Casements, a 19th century mansion. John D. Rockefeller bought this mansion in 1918.

Today the Casements is a cultural center, open for tours and is listed on the national register of historic places.

Seniors, enjoy your stay in Ormond Beach exploring, taking in the sun, the beach and fine dining. -jeb

Seniors Anchor Into DeSoto

This senior was recently reading about an outstanding basketball prospect who hails from DeSoto, Texas a suburb of Dallas with a population of around 50,000. Being a former basketball coach myself, I just had to find out more about this town that produced an athlete who excels.

The area was first settled in 1847, making it one of the oldest communities in North Texas. A post office was established in 1881, and the settlement was named DeSoto in honor of Thomas Hernando DeSoto Stewart, a doctor dedicated to the community.

He must have had a lot of influence on the town. In 2006, DeSoto was granted the honor of being named an “All American City”.

Seniors Impressed with The Manderley

The DeSoto city logo, adopted on August 26, 1976, is a large “D”, with the head of an eagle in the middle. It is the school district’s mascot as well as featured prominently on the city flag, water towers, and municipal government documents.

Read the specs on DeSoto and learn about the people, the economy,  and businesses. Seniors will discover an affluent african american community in Desoto. Now let’s take a look at the brand new event center in Desoto called The Manderley . In one word…awesome! I’d want to take in a performance or two there.

TripAdvisor wants senior visitors to know about Texas Helicopter Experience. Have you ever taken a helicopter ride?

The local Chamber of Commerce would like you to stop by.  “Live, work and play in DeSoto,” they note… “a progressive community with a small-town feeling, rich in diversity and the cultural arts. Located in the ‘Best Southwest’ – the southwest corner of Dallas County.”

Senior Hikers Find Great Trail

I’d want to take in the Windmill Nature Preserve with 75 acres of land, set aside by the City of DeSoto and Dallas County as a nature preserve. Nestled in woods, it provides shade in the summer and a great hiking trail with gentle slopes and a few steep hills.

The hiking trail in the Preserve was named the Best Urban Hiking Trail by the Dallas Observer a few years back. The five-mile loop trail also provides for mountain biking and is accessible year-round. Hike along its foot trails, viewing the well-preserved flowers and fauna of the region, and soon you’re lost in another world.

DeSoto offers fine housing, friendly neighborhoods, a great school system, updated parks, restaurants and shopping.” Seniors, set your GPS for DeSoto and anchor in for some great Texas chow in a great community. -jeb