As Labor Day approaches, time to visit your nearest national park

 

This scenic turn-out in Glacier National Park made an ideal picnic spot when we visited, just before colors began
 to change. Bring layers when you visit our parks this time of year for warm days and cool evenings.

NOW'S THE PERFECT TIME AS AUTUMN APPROACHES TO ENJOY OUR
NATIONAL PARKS

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

OUR SUMMER always winds down with visits to Yellowstone National Park, which we are lucky enough to have within easy driving distance. Glacier and Teton parks are a bit further from home, but we try to visit them both at least once a year.

But the fall Yellowstone trek is a favorite tradition. We love this trip, which we plan after Labor Day weekend, to avoid crowds and take advantage of cooler temperatures, wildlife on the move and changing scenery as fall colors cloak the hillsides and valleys.

Aspen cloak the valleys of Grand Teton National
Park, which many people visit in tandem with
a trip through Yellowstone National Park.

OUR NATIONAL parks have something for everyone so it is possible to plan a specific theme of fall fun, whether bird watching, biking, critter spotting or family oriented hiking and photo taking treks.

There are bison and bears in Yellowstone, mountain goats in Glacier, mule deer and elk in Bryce Canyon and Zion, big horn sheep in Yosemite, and a variety of these animals in many of our parks, along with lush bird life, squirrels, bobcats, foxes and raccoons.

 Yosemite and other parks have bike boardwalks, Mesa Verde has cliff dwellings, and Yellowstone of course is famous for its geysers and thermal pools.

The Lower Falls at Yellowstone National Park
are an annual attraction for millions of visitors.
Nature in our national parks is particularly
pretty as crowds thin and autumn approaches.

If you're a fan of magnificent trees, Sequoia is the national park for you and Utah's Canyonlands and Arches are known for spectacular stargazing. Family or couples hiking is a favorite family sport in Yellowstone and Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park.

We have 63 national parks in the United States.  We're proud that Yellowstone was the first national park in the world.  More than 100 other countries also have national parks, places dedicated to preserving wildlife and nature. There are many on the continent of Africa where you can find mountain gorillas in Uganda's national parks. Gabon, Kenya and Tanzania offer spectacular landscape and large animal viewing. 

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers
in Zion, taking a break during a fun hike.

Our neighbor to the north, Canada, has 37 national parks including Banff, Waterton and Jasper. It also has11 national park reserves. From Asia to South America, national parks offer an insight into how countries preserve diverse ecosystems, magical landscapes, and spectacular wildlife.

START PLANNING your U.S. park trip by contacting our National Park Service.  It offers a wealth of information on preparing for a visit: park maps, calendars, directions, operating hours, where to stay and instructions on obtaining park passes. 

Prepare by learning how to make a park visit both safe and enjoyable. Get updated information on wildlife activity, road closures and detours and insights into the effects of human actions on the environment. It's a great way to start a family dialogue -- painless learning and opening doors to a lifetime of appreciating these national treasures. If this year isn't in the cards, start planning a visit for 2026.

  Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers 
at the north entrance, with its cornerstone
laid by President Theodore Roosevelt.

MORE INFORMATION:

National parks in the United States: nps.gov

National parks in Canada: parks.canada.ca

Throughout the world: globalnationalparks.com

 

A delightful period set awaits viewers just before the house
lights dim, for "The Importance of Being Earnest" at 
the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, season 90.

UP NEXT: Oregon Shakespeare Festival offers three magnificent and diverse theaters, a roster of unforgettable performances and production values equal to Broadway's best or London's finest West End shows. We take readers to this gem of a festival in southern Oregon's charming town of Ashland, and look at the plays which make this 90th season one of the festival's best.  Remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on the arts, nature, travel, cruising, train trips, city tours, family and more. Please share the link with like minded people:  www.whereiscookie.com

 

High Line's hurrah: Wondrous park reflects New York's spirit, diversity

The High Line in New York is a wonderful place, born of a grassroots effort to save a derelict
elevated train track. It is now a much visited park with walking paths, art and lush landscaping.
 

NEW YORK'S HIGH LINE OFFERS RESTFUL OASIS IN A BUSTLING CITY

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie"
Meyers pose in one of the viewing
areas of the popular High Line. 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

IF YOU are ready to herald the arrival of autumn, there's no prettier place than New York's beautiful High Line.
Created out of the remains of an abandoned New York Central Railroad viaduct, the High Line is a happy example of a successful grassroots effort.

Nearly 30 years ago, the neglected tracks were slated for demolition, so neighbors on Manhattan's West Side organized to save them.  Thinking outside the box, they drew financial support to create a spectacular oasis in one of the world's busiest cities.
Today's High Line stretches nearly 1.5 miles, offering locals and tourists an artful stroll along scenic walkways and unique viewing platforms. We admired both changing and permanent art installations along with hundreds of attractive plants.

Strollers walk along what was once an elevated
train track used for shipping goods to factories.

THE HIGH Line has a colorful past.  It opened in 1934 as part of the New York Central Railroad's West Side Line, replacing street-level tracks known as "Death Avenue" because of frequent accidents involving pedestrians.

The "High Line" elevated freight trains above the streets to higher ground, transporting goods directly to factories and warehouses, many of them in the Meatpacking District.  

 

Pausing to admire the landscape of New York's stunning
High Line is Christene "Cookie" Meyers.

 FRIENDS OF THE High Line was founded in 1999 by neighborhood residents Joshua David and Robert Hammond who began the non-profit for the High Line’s preservation. The organization oversees maintenance, operations and public programming for the park, sponsoring nearly 500 diverse events and programs each year and generating essential private funding. An endowment enables the free park's success.

High Line art intrigues to draw the eye in.

THE PLANTINGS have a natural look, inspired by the landscape that grew on the High Line during the 25 years after trains stopped running. Grasses, perennials, trees, and bushes were chosen for their hardiness, sustainability, and variation, with a focus on native species. Intriguingly, in several places, the High Line’s railroad tracks were returned and are cleverly integrated into pathways and flower beds. For those who wish to sit, the park offers “peel-up” benches and sundeck chaise lounges overlooking Hudson River. We enjoyed lunch from our pick of ethnic food vendors, watched a dancing group perform and tagged on to a free docent-led tour.

There are plenty of places to stay, including a hotel named after the project. The High Line Hotel is a "repurposed" historic building in the city's West Chelsea neighborhood. It was built in 1895 as a dormitory for the General Theological Seminary.

The High Line's "Foot Fountain" is just that,
a functional work of art and one of many
eye-catching pieces strollers enjoy. 

CONVERTING the outdated freight corridor into a park cost $250 million and generated 8,000 construction jobs.

The redevelopment increased tax revenue by $1 billion and increased property values in the neighborhood. New businesses, including hotels and restaurants, have created 12,000 new jobs.

And since 2014, more than 20 million people have visited the High Line, which hosts in excess of 500 public programs and events annually.

Happily, the High Line has become a global inspiration for cities to transform unused industrial zones into dynamic public spaces.

It's a wonderful, free diversion if you're planning a visit to this remarkable city.
More info: A visit to the High Line is free.  The park can be accessed from several locations. For more on activities and visiting, go to: www.thehighline.org/visit/ 

 

The Lower Falls of the Yellowstone are a spectacular sight,
no prettier than in the last days of summer when crowds lessen.

ON TAP: Yellowstone National Park is a treasure enjoyed by millions from around the world.  It beckons visitors in these last days of summer to visit the park as it heralds the coming of autumn. As Labor Day approaches, there's no better time to visit Yellowstone, Teton, Glacier and other national parks.  The aspen are turning, wildlife are on the move and crowds are beginning to thin as schools resume.  Tips on making the best of a fall visit to our beloved national parks, up next. Meanwhile, explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on nature, travel, the arts, family and more. Please share our link with others: www.whereiscookie.com

 

Central Park's wonders attract international crowd to enjoy its beauty

 

New York's Central Park is a welcoming oasis any time of the year.
More than 42 million people from all over the world visited last year
making it one of the most visited tourist attractions on the planet.

A PARK FOR ALL SEASONS AND ALL PEOPLE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK CITY

Corby Skinner, left, with Christene "Cookie" Meyers
and Bruce Keller, on a recent visit to New York. The trip's 
emphasis was theater, with a stroll through Central Park.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

A VISIT TO New York is not complete without a stroll through Central Park.

It has a magic unrivaled by any park we’ve visited in the world. That’s because it combines so many elements designed for relaxation, pleasure and enjoyment of nature.

After John Lennon was murdered, his widow, Yoko Ono,
began designing "Strawberry Fields." Fans come to
remember, honor his memory and sometimes play a tune.

Bicycles are numerous in the park, driven by visitors,
 food sellers and drivers offering a ride to tourists.

You’ll join bird watchers, chess players, bicyclers, strollers, picnickers, boaters in the summer and ice skaters in the winter. The park is well loved -- frequented by families, singles, couples, groups soaking up the splendors of this unusual and inviting oasis, established in 1853 to meet the recreational needs of a growing city.    

LANDSCAPE architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition for the park with their "Greensward Plan."  By 1859, thousands of New Yorkers ice skated on lakes designed over former swamp land. A few years later in 1876, the park was officially dedicated,  honoring the country’s centennial.

It is popular to have a ride through the park, on one
of the colorful carriages with beautiful horses.

IT IS A stunning park in city center, visited by rock stars, athletes, popes and school groups. It has many places to reflect -- paths, benches, ponds and bike paths. Visitors enjoy horse drawn carriages, places for games, a fine restaurant and spots for meditation including Yoko Ono’s “Strawberry Fields.” The widow of musician John Lennon designed and dedicated it in 1985. It honors Lennon, one of the famous Beatles and an award winning composer, and was dedicated on what would have been his 45th birthday.

Such a park is unusual in any city, but truly so in this bustling city of nearly eight million. 

We love strolling Central Park, for its natural beauty – stunning in any season. The trees, flowers, interesting paths, even a castle, make it unique.  But the people in the park are the stars – an international mix of tourists and locals, all drawn to the beauty of its 840 acres, stretching between 59^th and 110^th Streets and Fifth and Eighth Avenues.

Visitors and "residents" include this squirrel.

 

IT HAS THE distinction of being the first American park to be developed using landscape architecture techniques and is beloved by a worldwide fan club. We overheard conversations in 11 languages on our last visit, when we climbed to the top of Belvedere Castle with our Montana friend, Corby Skinner.

The castle is considered a “folly,” an ornamental building with no real purpose except entertainment and amusement. It personifies the park’s purpose – to entertain and amuse.

 Step into the park in any season and you feel a sense of peace, pride and community.

We recommend cityPASS for savings if you want a wonderful way to see the city's highlights:

To book or check out cityPASS @citypass

New York's High Line is another attraction, a clever
resurrection of an abandoned rail area, brought to
new life with plants, a walkway and sculpture.

UP NEXT: While we're in New York, we're featuring its famous High Line, which was created from a derelict railroad line.  It offers a beautiful stroll through landscaped gardens and intriguing sculpture.

Meanwhile, explore, learn and live and catch us for a new look, a newly designed website and an easy to navigate series of topics and photographs. Coming soon.

Australian Museum features engaging displays, artful cultural history

The venerable Australian Museum is centrally located in Sydney, Australia, a treasure trove
of art, nature inspired history, intriguing indigenous people displays and much more.

SPLENDID SCIENCE, CULTURE,  NATURE AWAIT IN THE HEART OF SYDNEY 

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

AN ENRICHING, ENLIGHTENING museum awaits visitors to Sydney.  The place is a gathering spot for tourists and locals. Here, we observe wonders from around the world, explore native culture, visit other countries and travel through the centuries to see what life was like in an Australia of long ago.  It's all right in the heart of this fascinating museum, a show piece in this varied and fast growing city.

Australia's original people are celebrated in
a beautifully curated exhibition on their culture.

THE MUSEUM is known worldwide for its expansive permanent collection and its thorough and imaginative exploration of history and Aboriginal culture.  It has won worldwide acclaim for its Australian fossils and local animal displays. The weekday morning we visited, we were in the company of dozens of awe struck school children, there for both fun and learning.  The museum prides itself on offering educational events for kids.

School groups clustered around the popular dinosaurs exhibition which features ten complete skeletons, including a 228-million-year-old Eoraptor.

Visitors can expect high tech as well as time honored art
and exhibitions.  Here, visitors "traveled" to Machu Pichu.

WE LINGERED over fascinating displays of dangerous Australian animals such as funnel-web spiders and tiger snakes.  We learned that Australia has the world’s most menacing animals, including venomous snakes, deadly spiders, and savage and powerful marine creatures. On the museum's upper ground floor, we also found friendlier creatures including stuffed kangaroos and koalas, and other representative of Australia's unique fauna, including the Tasmanian tiger.

An artful taxidermy space shows visitors some
of Australia's extinct animals, here a grunge.

EXHIBITS WALK the visitor through habitats -- arid deserts, lush rainforests, coastal regions,  cities. 

An impressive exhibition, "Dauma and Garom," was commissioned for the museum by indigenous artists and is on on display in the large permanent Indigenous Australians exhibition space. The six-meter-tall sculptural installation reflects an effort by the Erub people to combat the damage caused by ghost nets. It depicts a touching love story between a crab (Dauma) and a fish (Garom), characters from an important local story and song. Mesmerizing.

The Australian Museum is a wonderland of discovery, with a dazzling
permanent collection, and an overview of the country's vast natural
world. The focal point here is "Aboriginal Art Ghost Net," by a UK artist.
On exhibit are various works celebrating indigenous people who
were the country's first people. The museum has won acclaim for this and
its award winning anthropological exhibition area, all free! 

A SLENDID virtual reality exhibit on Machu Pichu -- gone now -- is typical of the museum's erudite yet user friendly approach to culture.  It is replaced by another imaginative exhibition -- "The Birds of Australia." Like Machu Pichu, it is a unique digital experience, presented on a 3D storytelling cube. Bird lovers know the inspiration --  the work of noted ornithologists and artists John and Elizabeth Gould. Wish we could fly over again to discover Australia's birdlife in this new immersive exhibition.

Amazingly, the museum and its grand permanent collection are free. Fees apply to special exhibitions. Tickets are required for school programs, workshops and talks. Click on: What's On calendar of events.

Click here for more on the museum

New York's beloved Central Park is a treat for locals and
tourists alike.  Colorful carriages await customers, and
a stroll through the park is sure to revive and relax.

UP NEXT: A fresh new look, with no ads and improved user experience is coming to our website. The "redo" introduces a new, cleaner, more contemporary look with a visit to New York. No  tourist should miss a stroll through Central Park, a restful and yet lively oasis in the middle of one of the world's busiest and noisiest cities.  We take readers inside the park to  look at its charms -- its restaurants, lake, gaming area, food carts and beautiful appointments such as John Lennon memorial designed by his widow, Yoko Ono, "Strawberry Fields."  Tavern on the green and a horse drawn hansom cab await. Or grab your bicycle and join us.  We see why the park garners thousands of visitors in a day, and explore it with a local. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, nature, performance and more: