Rving to the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Festival is a must see. It is the largest hot air ballooning fiesta in the world with over 700 balloons floating in the sky at any one time. It is also said that it is the most photographed event anywhere else in the United States or in the world.

There are many ways to get there.  Group tours are also offered but a unique way to be at home away from home is rving to this balloon fiesta. With a wide expanse of emptiness, you will surely enjoy the drive to New Mexico.  With less than a million people, the state is one of the least populated in the country.

A lot of RV camps are available.  It is even possible to park near the launching site at just a stone’s throw away, figuratively speaking, of course. In fact, the parking site is just walking distance to the launch site.

You can choose from among standard with dry facilities offered or premium with low pressure water and electricity. If you want to be near the action VIP camping is nearer the launch sites.  The President’s compound offers even more – an exhilarating view of the launch site.

Hot air balloon rides are also available. Experience floating in a gondola or wicker basket and get a bird’s eye view of the area and the Sandia Mountains. You can even help launch the balloon, pack it after the flight but you can’t keep it.  Breakfast and toast is offered instead after the flight. Balloon flights are offered year round.

Albuquerque ballooning is such a fun activity; pilots can even make certain arrangements to accommodate any of your special needs.

Hot air balloons are a thing of beauty.  Made from either nylon or polyester and coated with silicone or neoprene, the bag is then inflated with gas from a burner. Watching a balloon taking up shape is a wonderful sight- a lifeless piece of fabric emerging to a magnificent beast.

Balloons come in all shapes and sizes, with beautiful colors and design.  In the artistic vision part of the show, artists show off their paintings in their balloons. For unusual balloon shapes like animals and household objects the special shape rodeo of balloons cannot be missed. Then at night balloons light up against the dark sky in the Balloon Glow and in the Night Magic Glow exhibitions.

Enjoy your trip to Albuquerque, the ballooning capital of the world.

San Antonio is a city of enchantment and Texas history.  With the battle of the Alamo which was the earliest of the chain of San Antonio missions.  The beautiful riverwalk, historical downtown, plus Sea World and Fiesta, aTexas theme park are just a few of the wonders of San Antonio.

Rving for the kids?  Go to San Antonio, Texas and visit the Alamo, Sea World, Alamodome, River Walk and different missions and theme parks in the area.  Don’t get lost.  San Antonio is the seventh largest city in the country.  It has a very colorful history associated with the West and lots of past and modern attractions, too.

Most popular attraction is the Alamo founded in 1724. It was occupied by the Spanish military, rebels and Mexicans.  It is remembered as the site of the fight for the independence of Texas.

Within the Alamo complex is the old church where an exhibit of artifacts during the battle of Alamo can be viewed. The Alamo gardens are a sight to behold with beautiful flowers and well-kept lawns, also displayed are some of the cannons actually used in the battle. Adding to the surroundings is an old Oak tree planted in 1914.

The Sea world is a heaven for children. Aside featuring different marine life, there are lots of thrill rides such as the Rio Loco and Texas Splashdown. Children would be thrilled by the Jumpin’ Jungle, Pete’s Pinwheel, and Shamu Express.

Also featured are shows and exhibits such as the Rockin’ Ski Party, the Aviary Habitats, and the Penguin Encounter.  If the kids are still brimming with energy at this time, you can bring them to the Activity Pool, Splash Attack or the Wave Wash Pool.

Another place for the whole family is the Alamodome where sports tournaments and other events are held. It also hosts skating events, basketball, football, rodeos and wrestling.

Now, if you want to be left alone at night, couples can take a stroll along River Walk. There’s a River Walk nightlife in the downtown area of San Antonio. If the wife wants to go shopping, the Rivercenter Mall is the place to go where numerous shops display fashion wear and tourist items.

Want the whole family to try a different cuisine every night?  The River Walk group of restaurants in Downtown San Antonio offer Greek, Lebanese, Spanish, German, and Texan-Mexican food. There are quality reasonably priced foods of every kind and upscale dining in the better restaurants is offered.

Did you know that five missions in the Downtown area of San Antonio were the foundations of the City? These are San Jose, San Juan, Espada, Concepcion and Alamo. The Fiesta Theme park includes the popular White Water Bay with slides and giant waves.  There are concerts and performances. One can ride in the largest steel coaster in this part of the country or in the incredibly fast Poltergeist taking the rider from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3 seconds, sounds like an expensive sports car to everybody.*

Do you know the 39th state? Technically speaking it’s either North Dakota or South Dakota. When President Harrison signed the statehood bill on November 2, 1889 he didn’t reveal which one he signed first. Whatever it is, North Dakota is a beautiful state with a wonderful western history.Fort

Bismarck, the capital of North Dakota, has so much history as does every place that you travel in the United States from the Atlantic to the Pacific. You can tour Fort Abraham Lincoln and General George Armstrong Custer’s home and get a feel of what it was like in the 1800’s.  If you ever go RVing in North Dakota, start at the Knife River Indian village that is the home of Sakakawea, a Shoshone Indian girl who served as the interpreter of the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805-1806. The expedition traveled from Illinois to the Pacific Ocean and you can still follow the Lewis and Clark Trail today.

In North Dakota you can get a taste of the life of the Northern Plains Indians on the Upper Missouri, or see one of the largest forests of petrified wood in the United States at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Visit Fort Mandan and the North Dakota Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and learn more about the Mandan Indians, who were friendly to the members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and even served as scouts in the U.S. Cavalry. The Mandan Indians helped the soldiers survive the brutal winter of 1804-1805.

You can also visit Lake Sakakawea, a reservoir along the Missouri River basin in Central North Dakota. It is the third largest man-made lake in the United States. If you want to experience some Scandinavian culture visit the city of Minot {rare spelling variation Mintot} located in the north central North Dakota where 40% of the populations are of Scandinavian origin.

You can follow the trail of the 7th Cavalry ridden by General George Armstrong Custer when they went after the Sioux Indians in 1876 before him and his men were completely annihilated. They started from Fort Abraham Lincoln, passing between Sentinel Butte and Beach, North Dakota, continuing to Montana to the banks of the Little Big Horn River where Custer and his men made their last stand.

The North Dakota Red River Valley is not only a valley but an ancient flat glacial lake. This is where the great cities of Fargo, Grand Forks and Winnipeg are located. This is also where you can experience the Wild Wild West rodeos, go on horseback trails and visit wildlife refuge.

Do you want to see art on a 32 mile stretch of open highway? The Enchanted Highway boasts of 7 gigantic metal sculptures with one sculpture listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest metal sculpture in the world.

The Standing Rock Historical Scenic Byway is a 35 mile scenic roadway along Highways 1806 and 24 from the Cannonball River to the South Dakota boundary. The historic eastern return trip of the Lewis and Clark Expedition along the Yellowstone River is also depicted here. Here you can past 12 marvelous scenic and historical places: The Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit, The Chan SanSan Scenic Byway, The Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge Backway, Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway, Killdeer Mountain Four Bears Scenic Byway, The Rendezvous Region Backway, The Turtle Mountain Byway, Standing Rock Historical Scenic Byway, and the Lewis and Clark Scenic Drives, Fort Ransom State Park, Enchanted Highway, and the James River Valley Scenic Byway and Backway.

In North Dakota you will relive the adventures of one of the most successful expeditions in North America as well as commemorate one of the worst Indian battles in the history of the Unites States.

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One of the best things about RVing or taking your recreation vehicle (RV) to New York is that you won’t only visit one of the world’s most modern cities but you will also experience the lushness of nature. One perfect example is the Niagara Falls which is situated between the New York State border in the United States and the Ontario province in Canada. The magnificent scene of these waterfalls can only be breathtaking experiences you can’t have elsewhere.

When RVing in New York with your family and friends, make sure that you have a comfortable space with all the basic amenities you need. The advantage of RVing is that often hotels and motels in New York are often overpriced due to the surge of the demand. In New York, there are a lot of RV parks near historical areas and national parks which the family can surely enjoy. You can find great parking for your RV and enjoy the Big Apple tours by visiting the world-renowned Statue of Liberty or the Erie Canal.

RVing is having the freedom to go anywhere that you desire. The Lake George Area in New York’s Adirondacks is just a three-hour drive from the New York’s capital. Upon arrival, prepare yourself for scenes of towering mountains and vast land of well-preserved wilderness. This just proves that with RVing can really make you and your family closer to nature than any other recreation. In Lake George, not only will you experience the charm of the lodgings and their Victorian and rustic styles, you can also get to discover great eateries, and wonders of the natural world.

There’s also New York’s Finger Lakes Wine Country which boasts of a beautiful scenery matched with a chance to taste some of the world’s most-awarded wines. The residents’ warm hospitality can only make you want to return for more. There’s also exciting shopping and the most amazing villages.  In Finger Lakes area, you can also enjoy its rich history starting with its world-class museum, the Corning Museum of Glass. There is also NASCAR, Indy Car, and vintage races for those who adore speedy races.  A tour of the Cornell campus can be a rewarding experience.

And so if you’re planning to take the RV on the road, go RVing in New York!  One thing’s for sure in the Big Apple it’s that if you’re up for the most exciting surprises you’ll definitely get it when you’re in an RV touring the City of Cities!

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Rving at Goose Island State Park is one of my favorite Texas State Parks. This Texas Park has 321 acres surrounded by St Charles and Aransas Bays.  This Park is great for fishing and bird watching, everything for the RVer.  Camping sites have water and electricity only. Some sites are on the water while most are in the heavily tree shaded areas.   There are restrooms, some with showers and there is also a dump area for your Rv.  This Texas Park has some of the best fishing in Texas, red snapper, speckled trout, sand trout and flounder are just a few.  They have a 1620 foot lighted fishing pier with 2 fish cleaning tables.  Doesn’t this want to make you get your fishing gear together and start rving to Goose Island?

The giant live oak commonly called the “Big Tree’ is at Goose Island State Park.  This giant live oak is one of the most famous trees in the world.  It is more than 35 feet in circumference, 44 feet high and has a crown spread of more than 89 feet.  The Texas Forest Service estimates the giant oak to be more than 1000 years old. The Texas Live Oak is said to have been a council tree for the Carancahua Indians and the white men who came after them.

On your rving adventures you must visit Aransas National Wildlife Refuge which was established in 1937 to protect the vanishing wildlife of Texas.  The Refuge is constantly changing due to erosion of land made by the waters and hurricanes along the Texas Gulf Coast.  This refuge is 54,829 acres on the Blackjack Peninsula.  It got its name from the many Blackjack Oaks.  This peninsula is surrounded by tidal marshes and long narrow ponds.  This area is home to the cranes, deer, alligators and many other species of wildlife.

This Texas Refuge is home to the endangered whooping cranes.  In 1941 there were around 15 whooping cranes and now due to the protection of the Refuge there are over 250 at present.  For a closer look, commercially operated boats depart from Rockport to the refuge.  Whooping Cranes can be seen from late October until mid April. The rest of the year they are in Canada.  Sometimes you can see the whooping cranes from the fishing pier at Goose Island State Park.

Another must see is the Fulton Mansion in Fulton.  This historical home was built in the 1800’s.  It was started in 1874 and completed in 1877.  This home has beautiful ornate trim work and furnishings.  You will be surprised by the conveniences that the Fulton Mansion has for that era, modern plumbing, central heat and a gas lighting system.

Rving in Texas has endless possibilities.   Goose Island State Park is only the tip of the iceberg so lets’ start rving.

One of the hottest spots you can go RVing is in Arizona, known for its desert landscapes, and the main tourist attraction which is The Grand Canyon and the Colorado River.

One of the most recommended places for you to visit when RVing in Arizona is Flagstaff. It is a tourism magnet due to its proximity to Grand Canyon National Park, Sedona, and Oak Creek Canyon.

In Flagstaff visit the Arboretum spread over 200 acres of ponderosa pine forest.  Flagstaff is the largest city in Northern Arizona and is actually 7,000 feet in elevation. It is a place for skiing and presents a stark contrast with Arizona’s desert landscape. See sky shows and exhibits at the Lowell Observatory on Mars Hill near downtown, and nearby is the Grand Canyon which has two completely different views from the North Rim or the South Rim. You will surely enjoy the scenery, plus the hot summers and mild winters Arizona has to offer.

Arizona is home to the one of the Seven Wonders of the World. With its majestic steep-sided gorge, colorful view, RVing in this state will sure be very memorable. As a natural wonder of the world, you would almost think that it has been carved by the Colorado River. Arizona is also known for its well-preserved meteorite impact sites which lure tourists every year to have a peek. Armed with your camera and on board your RV, It will surely be a great experience capturing nature’s beauty with the single flash of your camera, while barbecuing right at the comforts of your RV!

Phoenix, the largest city in the state, and the capital is also a haven for golf enthusiasts and museum goers. In Phoenix with its moniker “Golf Capital of the World” you can enjoy the many picturesque championship Golf courses.

Explore Phoenix’s Native American art and history at the Pueblo Grande Museum, the Heard Museum and the Pioneer Living History Museum. With its very interesting site, you can really get to relive history once again!

Another must to see is the Wildlife World Zoo, with it white tigers with turquoise eyes and white alligators.

In Tucson visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.  It’s a great place to just relax and unwind with your family and friends. Mission San Zavier del Bac, is considered one of the most exquisite examples of Spanish mission architecture in the country is also a must see. Also the Arizona Biosphere 2 and the Tucson Botanical gardens and get to appreciate nature again and again!

Rving in Wyoming offers many attractons. Hunting and fishing are just a few of them. Great art galleries, wildlife, the majestic Teton Mountains and the ever-popular Yellowstone National Park with great campgrounds to experience are a few of its natural wonders.

Although Utah a great skiing country, it is also a great place for Rving in the summer, with plenty of campgrounds, lakes and streams, sightseeing and historical sights to offer. Rving in Utah is all about its diverse campgrounds, enormous lakes, superb sightseeing, historical churches, parks, and golfing.

For one thing, the Camper world RV Resorts found in Utah, which possesses ten resorts/campgrounds and it is still developing. There is no park that referred to as a “home”, which permits us to build camps at just about anywhere else in the organization’s territories in the absence of a reservation arranged in advance. The campgrounds sanitized and well maintained that gives utilities like electricity, water supply, and sewerage. Most possess swimming pools, miniature stores, and meeting/game room venues.

They are not fully developed resorts yet as evidenced by the absence of tennis and golf facilities.

Utah’s landscape is composed of awesome and distinct formations of geological importance like the lakes, caves, arches, amphitheaters that shape like that of a horseshoe, “hoodoos”, canyons for miles and miles, dinosaur era fossils, notable wrinkles in the crust of the earth, and stone bridges that were carved by natural architecture and by the action of enormous water. Just savor the thrill of the adventure of a lifetime by searching these sites of wonders while also studying concerning the history of the country’s system of railroads and architecture of the ancient times. One notable location is the Cleveland-Lloyd Allosaur Mountain.

However, Utah is also famous for its byways such as the Highway of the Panoramic, which traverses through the best sites in the globe for studying the dinosaurs. In here, you will find the exquisite Scofield Reservoir.

The Loop of Energy at the byway of Panoramic Huntington/Eccles Canyons where you can search the diverse records of industries’ booming such as the coal mining and in here you will find the Bridge Spanning the Gorges. Another is byway of the Scenic Flaming Gorge-Uintas where you can witness wild game in their original habitats and get a feel of the “True West”, byway of the panoramic Logan Canyon Scenic Byway that runs through a thick green meadows and rough Rockies.

While the panoramic Byway 12 brings you to the midst of the American West with a path negotiating a solitary background of canyons, plateaus, and valleys and in here, you can find the Hovenweep National Monument with Square Tower Ruin. Trail of the Ancients is where you can search the lengthy and controversial conquest  of the Four Corners sites by Native American individuals. Seeing antelopes is one of the hidden wonders for RVing in Utah .

Rving in Utah is a wonderful experience. Although Utah a great skiing country, it is also a great place for Rving in the summer, with plenty of campgrounds, lakes and streams, sightseeing and historical sights to offer. Rving in Utah is all about its diverse campgrounds, enormous lakes, superb sightseeing, historical churches, parks, and golfing.

RVing will not be the same until you have visited Pennsylvania, a very historical and an attractive tourist spot for people of all ages and walks of life.

Pennsylvania is very well known for its beautiful spots such as Presque Isle, Lake Erie, Battle of Gettysburg, Hawk Mountain, Pocono Mountains, water rafting in Pa, and the Ohio Pyle State Park.

If you are in for an adventurous water experience, then go White water rafting on the Pennsylvania Youghiogheny River in the Ohio Pyle State Park. So after white water rafting you can be well rested right at your RV’s convenience.

Another attraction that you must never forget when RVing in Pennsylvania is to visit Gettysburg and relive the Battle of Gettysburg, which as we all know is considered as the turning point in American Civil War.

Whenever you are in Philadelphia Pennsylvania try to visit the Liberty Bell and the National Historic Park, the Betsy Ross House and shops offer a taste of the colonial Period. Lancaster County and the Amish Country’s gentle rolling hills, rich green fields, red barns, horses and buggies and the absence of power lines criss-crossing the land reminds you of the good old days.

Philadelphia for one draws many tourists because of its popular Liberty Bell, The Franklin Institute, the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Independence Hall. It is with great pride that the Allegheny National Forest attracts boaters, hikers, and all sorts of nature lovers and environmentalists. The Poconos appeal much more to golfers, honeymooners and fishermen.

Rving in Pennsylvania is a great adventure. You would be able to see the many covered bridges, as Pennsylvania is filled with them and outnumbers other states.

Another main attraction for sightseers is the Pennsylvania Dutch region that includes the Old Order Mennonites, Old Order Amish, and 35 other sects. These can be found in the cities of Lancaster, York, Harrisburg, Hershey, Susquehanna River Valley and Lehigh Valley.

RVing will not be the same until you have visited Pennsylvania, a very historical and an attractive tourist spot for people of all ages.  Relive the history.  Fall in love with the scenery. Enjoy and have fun while RVing in Pennsylvania!

If you are feeling a little adventurous and want to see the beautiful scenery of New England, then RVing there would be a wonderful idea.   Rving in New England has everything:  Changing of the Leaves, sighting and so much history of our country.

There is so much sightseeing and history in New England. Every blade of grass, snowflake, or even its covered bridges, New England remains to be one of the most beautiful places to go RVing. There is so much to do there you would never get bored. Everyday is like a new experience.

If you are ever in New England, do not forget to check out L.L. Bean’s Outdoor Discovery School.

In Maine the L.L. Bean’s Outdoor Discovery School with classes in fly fishing, kayaking, outdoor photography, cross country skiing and many more classes around Freeport are geared for all ages and abilities.

With L.L.Bean you may learn to enjoy Maine’s outdoors. Freeport, Maine, just 15 minutes north of Portland and is home to world-famous retailer L.L. Bean. Outdoor Discovery School is great for all outdoor lovers out there regardless of age. You can take courses in paddling, fly fishing, kayaking, cross-country skiing and clay shooting.  You are guaranteed to learn only from the best, world class instructors that will teach you the basics in all these courses.

If you prefer clay shooting then they could also teach you how to shoot or to practice and hone your shotgun skills. If you prefer to appreciate nature more through photography, then L.L. Bean has expert photographers in their roster to help you snap beautiful photos of sunrises, sunsets, the ocean, mountains, wildlife, lighthouses or anything that you think deserves to be on film.

When RVing, bring basic essentials such as insect repellant, camera, binoculars, road map, rain gear, hiking boots, sunscreen, sweater, and jacket to be better protected from inclement weather.