For those of you who would like a real change of pace, why not consider travelling to Alaska? It is still considered one of the most exotic areas to visit where much of the land is still pure, clean and wide open. From north to south, the four main natural regions of Alaska are the Arctic Slope; the Rocky Mountain System; the Interior Plateau, basin of the great Yukon River; and the Pacific Mountain System. The long, narrow region that borders the Pacific includes three very different sections: the Panhandle, the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands chain, and south-central Alaska.
Thousands of tourists visit Alaska every year. Tourism is the state's third major industry. Most visitors come by plane, boat, or ferry but a growing number travel by car or bus over the scenic Alaska Highway. One of Alaska's main tourist attractions, the Denali National Park and Preserve, is in the spectacular Alaska Range. Within the vast park is Muldrow Glacier, more than 50 miles long, fed by snow from Mount McKinley and other peaks. The park is also one of the nation's great wildlife sanctuaries. Hunting is not allowed here, but fishing and camping are permitted.
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The state's chief tourist attractions are its natural scenic beauty and its clean air, well-stocked streams and lakes, rivers, and mountains. The state maintains some 44 state parks that range from mountaintop hideaways, such as Queen Wilhelmina State Park, to Crater of Diamonds State Park, the world's only diamond site open to the public.
The largest single attraction in Arkansas is Hot Springs National Park, which offers outdoor recreation and luxury hotels throughout the year. Another popular resort is Eureka Springs, which is known for its arts community and Victorian architecture.
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One of the most interesting scenic and wildlife areas is the Okefenokee Swamp in the southeast and across the Florida border. Its unique character is preserved through the administration of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The Georgia section covers 700 square miles. Islands and prairies are interlaced with waterways. Boat trails lead into the wilderness, but there are no highways. Visitors may view the swamp from wooden walkways and an 80-foot observation tower.
Chattahoochee National Forest, in the north-central part of the state, covers more than 700,000 acres. Georgia's six wildlife refuges are under the direction of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
American Civil War battlefields are preserved at Kennesaw Mountain
National Battlefield Park, near Marietta, and at Chickamauga and
Chattanooga National Military Park, in northwestern Georgia and
southern Tennessee. Other Civil War sites include the large Confederate
military prison at Andersonville and Fort McAllister Historic
Park near Savannah.
Ocmulgee National Monument preserves remains of prehistoric Indian
civilizations. Fort Pulaski and Fort Frederica national monuments
also have historic interest. The Golden Isles, as the Sea Islands
are often called, have fine beaches. St. Simons Island, Sea Island,
and Jekyll Island, offshore from Brunswick, are reached by causeway
and bridge.
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Indiana has recreational areas in every part of the state. Along Lake Michigan the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore features beaches and shifting sand dunes.
In the southern part of the state, French Lick is a health resort noted for its mineral springs. Wyandotte Cave, in Crawford County, is one of the largest of its kind in the United States. Brown County, in the south-central part of the state, is a favorite spot for landscape painters and is especially beautiful in the fall.
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Minnesota's sky-blue waters, dense forests, and pleasant summer weather have made it a resort state for hikers, golfers, and campers. Most of the people live near a lake. Fishing, hunting, and skiing are particularly popular.
The Arrowhead country above Lake Superior has many resorts. This region, named for its shape, is bounded on the west by International Falls, Bemidji, and Mille Lacs Lake. Here is Superior National Forest, one of the country's largest. Through it run the wilderness drives--Gunflint and Echo trails. There are only canoe and foot trails in its Roadless Area, adjoining Canada's Quetico Provincial Park. The scenic Boundary Waters Canoe Area is also part of the forest.
Along the Mississippi below St. Paul is Hiawatha Valley. St. Croix Valley is also beautiful. Lakes Minnetonka, Mille Lacs, and Itasca are noted resort areas. Itasca State Park, which serves as a game preserve, offers unusual opportunities for nature study.
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Missouri is considered "the middle-of-the-road state" since it stands nearly midcenter in the United States. It shares its borders with eight states of the Midwest, South, and Southwest-Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
Missouri's biggest tourist attraction is the Ozark region. A mild climate, beautiful scenery, and the many outdoor sports facilities have made the Ozarks a popular playground of mid-America. Outstanding areas include the Lake of the Ozarks and the Big Spring country in the southeast. Scattered throughout the state are almost 50 state parks with facilities for camping, fishing, and boating. Paddle-wheel riverboats offer excursions on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers.
Other attractions include Six Flags Over Mid-America, Silver Dollar City, and many historic sites.
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Nebraska has set aside state parks that feature historic and scenic points. A notable attraction is the Nebraska National Forest, the only man-made forest in the United States. One of Nebraska's most popular events is the annual state fair held at Lincoln. Also popular are rodeos and the races and shows sponsored by the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben.
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The tourist season in Wisconsin is a long one, and recreational facilities have been developed in every section of the state. Popular vacation spots include the Door County peninsula, in the east; the Dells of the Wisconsin River, in the south-central part of the state; and the forested areas around Rhinelander and Eagle River, in northern Oneida and Vilas counties.
The major fall sport is hunting--for bears, partridge, pheasant, ducks, geese, and deer. Fishing is good, and Wisconsin's lakes and streams are stocked each year to maintain the supply of sport fish. The muskellunge, or muskie, is the king of game fish. In the northwest are trout streams. Ice fishing is a winter pastime throughout the state. Miles of inland water and the two Great Lakes are open for all kinds of water sports. Motorboat, sailboat, and iceboat races are held on Lake Winnebago, one of the nation's largest inland lakes.
Winter sports include snowmobiling, ice skating, iceboating, tobogganing, sledding, and cross-country skiing. There are more than 80 downhill-ski areas in the state. Winter festivals emphasizing these various sports are held throughout the state each year.
The Wisconsin Department of Tourism provides free annual publications detailing events, attractions and various facilities. All of these publications are available for free and will be mailed to you. Some of the publication titles are:
For a complete listing of all of the publications with a detailed explanation of each, visit the Wisconsin Department of Tourism Publications Web Site.
Many tourists come to West Virginia's mountain resorts. The state's numerous mineral springs have attracted visitors since the days of George Washington. Among the better known are Berkeley Springs and White Sulphur Springs. Hunting, skiing, whitewater rafting, and fishing are popular sports.
West Virginia's state parks attract more than a million visitors a year. The larger cities have fine recreational areas such as Wheeling's Oglebay Park and Charleston's Coonskin Park. Pipestem State Park has an amphitheater, craft center, and country store.
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