Tag: Massachusetts

Historic Settlements Worth the Journey

Of course, everyone knows the story of the Mayflower and the English settlers who established the colony of Plymouth in what is now Massachusetts. But have you ever considered the other brave people who settled elsewhere in the “New World.” Plan a glamping stay near these settlement towns and get to know the history.

James Fort

Jamestown: When it comes to English settlers, the ones who arrived and settled in the Colony of Virginia that they named Jamestown can actually boast “We were here first!” Jamestown was established in 1607, 13 years before the landing at Plymouth Rock. Despite the many challenges they faced, the settlers planted tobacco as a revenue source and Jamestown served as the Virginia Colony’s capital until 1699.  

Visitors today can visit James Fort, tour the grounds, and learn about life at the settlement. The Visitor Center is a great place to start as it serves as a museum and houses artifacts and exhibits. For information about visiting, go to historicjamestown.org.  

(Book a glamping stay at Thousand Trails Williamsburg to explore Jamestown) 

Castillo de San Marcos

St. Augustine: Spanish settlers founded St. Augustine in 1565 and it is now considered the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the continental United States. It served as a military defense to protect Spanish interest as well as an important part of the trade route with Europe.  

If you’re planning to visit, make sure your itinerary includes Castillo de San Marcos, the 350-year-old fort that never fell to enemy hands. The Colonial Quarter is also a wonderful place to explore the history of St. Augustine through the years with walking tours and live demonstrations. For more details about St. Augustine, check out https://www.visitflorida.com/places-to-go/northeast/st-augustine/. 

(Book a stay at Encore Bulow to explore St. Augustine) 

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Monterey: In 1774, this area of what became the state of California, was officially settled by Spanish explorers, who established a presidio (a Spanish military fort) as well as a mission. It served as the capital of Alta California and Baja California during its time of rule by the Spanish and Mexicans.

Today Monterey is a popular tourist attraction in part due to the renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium and historic Cannery Row, the waterfront street popularized in John Steinbeck’s novel of the same name that provided insight into the life of the sardine industry and its workers during the Great Depression. A visit to Monterey State Historic Park provides a lesson in the history of Monterey through guided history walks and guided house tours. For information on visiting Monterey, check out seemonterey.com. 

(Book a glamping rental at Marina Dunes RV Resort to explore Monterey)

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The Quirkiest Tourist Spots to Visit This Season

Did you road trip as a child and have to endure, or maybe enjoy, stops along the way to see some of America’s roadside oddities? Like the world’s largest ball of twine (located in Cawker, Kansas) or the 70-foot statue of the Jolly Green Giant of canned vegetable fame (located in Blue Earth, Minnesota). Yearning to go back to those days on your next road trip? We’ve got a few things that will have you stopping along the way to your next glamping trip to take a look.

Tuxbury Tiny House Village
Tuxbury Tiny House Village

The Paper House in Rockport, Massachusetts (near Tuxbury Tiny House Village) is made entirely of, yep, paper. Why? The builder, who was the same man that invented the machine that makes paper clips, thought paper would serve as good insulation for his summer home, and the project just grew from there. Even the furniture is made of paper! Open April through October, check the website for more details and hours of operation.

Wisconsin’s The House on the Rock is another interesting attraction that grew from one’s man’s desire to build himself the ultimate retreat. Located in Spring Green (near the Tiny House Container Village at Yukon Trails), The House on the Rock is a definite destination worth the trip. Back in 1945, Alex Jordan set out to build himself a house on Deer Shelter Rock. Again, things just grew from there and it is now one of Wisconsin’s biggest attractions. The House on the Rock consists of not only room upon room of interesting architecture full of a variety of collections but also gardens and one-of-a-kinds, like the world’s largest indoor carousel. For more information and details, visit thehouseontherock.com.

Vacation Cottage at Narrows Too Camping Resort
Vacation Cottage at Narrows Too Camping Resort

As the world’s largest producer of wild blueberries, it’s no wonder that Maine has a special little attraction known as Wild Blueberry Land (near our Bar Harbor resorts). Of course, you know what you will find here – all kinds of blueberry products from pies and scones to syrups and jams. Make sure to take pics of the giant blueberry pie, the blueberry shrine and of course, the building itself, which was designed to look like a big old blueberry. Open seasonally, check the website at wildblueberryland.com for operating hours.

Thousand Trails Palm Springs Cottage
Thousand Trails Palm Springs Cottage

California has many museums from LA’s renowned Getty Museum to the Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum just outside Joshua Tree National Park (and near to Thousand Trails Palm Springs). For all the Getty Museum offers, with its concrete and steel structures and its vast collections ranging from pre-20th century to modern day, the Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum is just the opposite. No walls, no buildings, no great masters – just a collection of art installations set right in the desert created from everyday stuff including broken glass, discarded tires and household items like chairs and TV sets! For directions and details, visit noahpurifoy.com.

We all know that Chucky and Annabelle are some of the creepiest dolls around, but have you met Robert, Florida’s Key West resident weirdo doll? Visit the Fort East Martello Museum on the island for an up-close and personal visit with this childhood pal of a man named Gene Otto. As the story goes, Robert mocked Gene’s friends, was responsible for any of the mischief Gene appeared to have caused and was actually so spooky, Gene’s wife made him lock Robert in the attic once they were married. Apparently only Gene understood Robert and vice versa! Visitors to the museum have said that when they are near Robert weird things happen – like breaking cameras or just feeling a general sense of being watched. Check him out next time you’re glamping at our Keys locations – Encore Sunshine Key or Encore Fiesta Key.

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Step Back in Time in These 3 Historic Cities

This year, the July 4th holiday marked 248 years of independence. But long before the Founding Fathers put together the Declaration of Independence, the United States was staking its claim as a pretty great new nation. Check out some of America’s oldest cities as you travel this July:

Glamping Cottage at Encore Bulow
Glamping Cottage at Encore Bulow

St. Augustine, Florida: Roughly 55 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, Spanish explorers founded St. Augustine, which is considered the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African American origin in the US. That was 1565 and today St. Augustine is a trip back in time with its centuries-old buildings and European feel. Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the US, constructed in 1695. The Colonial Quarter, located on St. George Street gives a feel for what life in St. Augustine was like in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries while Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park is a living history museum dedicated to telling the story of the settlers life as it was in the 1500s. A glamping cottage at Encore Bulow is the perfect place to stay when visiting this historic area.

Cabin at Gateway to Cape Cod
Cabin at Gateway to Cape Cod

Plymouth, Massachusetts: Book a glamping cottage at Thousand Trails Gateway to Cape Cod and explore Plymouth, Massachusetts, which was established in 1620 when the Mayflower docked on the shores here. There is plenty of Pilgrim and Native American History to be found here. The Plimouth Patuxet Museums is a living history museum that journeys back 400 years in time to tell the story of how America got its start. There is also a historic replica of the Mayflower, the Pilgrim Hall Museum and the Jabez Howland House, the home of the son of two Mayflower passengers. Brewster Gardens is a lovely 2.9-acre park with great views of the water and a walking path. Don’t miss the bronze statue, Pilgrim Maiden, which pays tribute to the brave English women who made the Mayflower voyage to America.

Albany, New York: While Albany, New York has the distinction of being the New York state capital, it is also one of the oldest cities in America, dating back to 1686. Explorer Henry Hudson laid claim to the area in 1609 and the city was named as the state capital in 1797. The New York State Museum, established in 1836, is the oldest and largest state museum in the country and houses exhibits that reflect New York’s cultural and natural history. The Schuyler Mansion, the 18th century home of Philip J. Schuyler, who served as a general in the Continental Army and was also father of Elizabeth Schuyler, wife of Alexander Hamilton, is open for guided tours daily (parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/schuylermansion/details.aspx). Another must-see in Albany is the New York State Capitol building, an architectural marvel built in the late 19th century. A great place for insight into the history of New York is the Albany Institute of History and Art (albanyinstitute.org) being one of the oldest museums in the country and operating since 1791. A vacation cottage or cabin at Lake George Escape Campground is a great place to stay when exploring Albany.

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