Top Five Intriguing Destinations

When RVers hit the road, many head to the homes of faraway relatives or visit world-famous theme parks and sightseeing attractions. Here are five intriguing destinations that you may not have considered.

5. Visit the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota, where murals are created annually from ears of corn attached to the exterior of a huge building with turrets and an onion-shaped dome. Inside the building are a museum and gift shop. Call (605) 996-6223 or visit www.cornpalace.com for a free vacation guide. Other Mitchell attractions include the Enchanted World Doll Museum and a prehistoric Indian village.

4. Cody, Wyoming, founded by Colonel William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, calls out to those who love the Old West. Fun begins at the Irma Restaurant in the Irma Hotel, a meeting place for cattlemen, oilmen and sheepherders. Be sure to visit the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. The parking lot accommodates any size RV. The Ponderosa Campground (shown at right), (307) 587-9203 or www.codyponderosa.com, is nearby.

3. Experience Tulip Time in Holland, Michigan, May 5~12, 2007. Park your RV at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds and spend the week enjoying plays, dinners, parades, outdoor presentations and street dancers in authentic Dutch costumes. Visit fields of beautiful blooming tulips (shown at left) and a windmill from Holland. Call (800) 822-2770 for a free brochure or go to www.tuliptime.com.

2. Marvel at the captivating blue of pristine Crater Lake, Oregon, on a cloudless day. Circling the lake is 33-mile Rim Drive. In Rim Village, Crater Lake Lodge offers first-class dining and scenic views. Hiking, fishing and boat tours are available. Call (541) 594-3000. Narrow, winding roads in the park as well as construction and traffic congestion at Rim Village make it advisable to drive a tow vehicle to the lake.

1. Walk among cliff dwellings built by the Anasazi Indians in the 13th century at Mesa Verde, Arizona (shown at left). Learn about their lifestyle and hardships, and climb their steep stairs to the top of the mesa. Stay at a campground in Durango, Colorado; then ride the Narrow Gauge Silverton Train 45 miles up through the San Juan National Forest to the town of Silverton, Colorado, a 19th-century silver-mining town.

When you plan your next RV trip, open your mind to new possibilities. Then with a little research, you’re sure to find fun and memorable places to add to your itinerary.

Happy RVing!
Bernice Beard