Where are we Wednesday?! 3/29/2017 - Illinois!!

Illinois—

https://www.illinois.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Illinois is home to many wonderful cities and towns, and offers a lot of different fun destinations. One of my favorite places to visit, Chicago, is located along shores of Lake Michigan in the northern part of the state, and that makes for a great vacation spot! You can either do a quick weekend trip to the Windy City, or turn your vacation into a week long adventure, and really soak up the fun and history of this amazing city.  There are several other places to visit within this Midwestern state as well. If you’d like to plan a vacation to Chicago, or any of the other cities in Illinois, contact me and I’ll help you plan your visit!

State Facts-

The State Capital is  Springfield

State population (as of 2015) was  12,859,995

State Nickname-  Prairie State

Top 5 Cities- (click the name to go to the website for more info)

Chicago

Aurora

Rockford

Joliet

Naperville

Fun things to do- (click the name to go to the website for more info)

Navy Pier

Art Institute of Chicgao

Morton Arboretum

Shawnee National Forest

Super Museum (a museum dedicated to all thingsSuperman)  

Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio

Fun Facts-

The world’s first Skyscraper, the ten-story Home Insurance Building, was built in Chicago in 1885.

Illinois is home to the world’s largest bottle of catsup/Ketchup,  a 170-feet tall water tower located south of downtown Collinsville.

Illinois is the largest producer of pumpkins in the United States, and Morton is the self-proclaimed “Pumpkin Capitol of the World”.

The official “state snack food” of Illinois is Popcorn.  A group of elementary school students at Cunningham Elementary in Joliet, with the help of their teacher, Fran Hollister, petitioned state legistrators to make popcorn the official snack food of Illinois, and State Senator Larry Walsh sponsored the bill. It was passed in 2003.

The IATA airport code “ORD” for the O’Hare airport comes from the original name of the airport “Orchard Field”.  The airport was renamed in honor of Lieutenant Commander Edward H O’Hare in 1949.

Climate

The climate in Illinois varies widely throughout the year. Since the state stretches nearly 400 miles from the northern border to the southern tip, there is a wide variety of temperatures to be seen. The southern part of the state has more moderate winters, averaging less than 14 inches of snow a year, however the northern part of the state has a much colder and snowier winter, averaging around 38 inches of snow in the Chicago area.  Illinois also experiences a higher than average amount of thunderstorms and the southern region of the state is in what is considered “Tornado Alley” where some of the nation’s deadliest tornados have occurred.

The highest recorded temperature was 117 degrees in East St. Louis in 1954, and the lowest recorded temperature being -37 degrees in 2009 in Rochelle.

Source sites –

http://state.1keydata.com/illinois.php

https://www.enjoyillinois.com/travel-illinois/roadside-attractions-of-illinois/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O'Hare_International_Airport

Where are we Wednesdays?! 3-22-17 Idaho!

Idaho   

https://www.idaho.gov/

Idaho is a state in the northwestern part of the United States. It is surrounded on three sides by 6 different states, and shares the Canadian border to the north.  The state has plenty of Snow-capped mountains, rivers, lakes and canyons, making it a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The state has two time zones, the “panhandle” area is in the Pacific and the remainder of the state in the Mountain time zone.  I haven’t actually made it to Idaho to visit, but from the pictures I’ve seen, it is a beautiful place to vacation.  If you’re looking for an outdoors adventure, let me know, and we’ll plan your vacation out west!

State Facts-

The State Capital is  Boise

State population (as of 2015) was  1,654,930

State Nickname- The Gem State

Top 5 Cities- (click the name to visit the website!)

Boise

Nampa

Meridian

Idaho Falls

Pocatello

Fun things to do-(click the name to visit the website!)

Craters of the Moon park

Shoshone Falls

Hells Canyon

Lake Couer d'Alene

Boise National Forest

Yellowstone Bear World

Fun Facts-

Idaho is a made-up word.  When Congress was considering a name for present-day Colorado, Lobbyist George Willing suggested the name Idaho. Claiming it was an Indian word that means “gem of the mountains”. This name was not chosen for Colorado, but two years later it was used when the Idaho Territory was created.

Hells Canyon is the deepest gorge in America at 7,993 feet.

Idaho is called the “Gem State’ because nearly every known type of gemstone has been found in the state. More than 72 different precious and semi-precious gemstones are mined in Idaho

Idaho is one of only two places in the world where star garnets can be found in any significant quantities. India is the other location.

The statehouse in Boise is geothermally heated from underground hot springs.

On July 17,1955 the town of Arco became the first city in the world to be lit by atomic energy.

Climate

Idaho has a very wide array of climates based on which part of the state you are in. In the western areas of the state, the climate is highly influenced by the Pacific Ocean’s maritime effects. It helps to keep the temperatures a bit higher than expected in the winter months. In the eastern regions of the state, they experience wetter summer seasons and drier winter months, and the temperature differences are much more extreme. 

The highest recorded temperature is 118 degrees near Orofino in July of 1934. The lowest recorded temperature was -60 degrees at Island Park Dam in Jan 1943.

Source sites –

http://state.1keydata.com/idaho.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho

https://visitidaho.org/

http://www.50states.com/idaho.htm

Where are we Wednesdays?! 3/15/17 - Hawai'i!!!!

Hawaii  

http://www.gohawaii.com/

Hawaii is the “youngest” state of the 50 United States, joining the union on Aug 21, 1959.  Hawaii is also the only state comprised of entirely islands, and is the only state not located in the Americas. You can find Hawaii in the central Pacific ocean. There are 8 main islands of Hawaii, with hundreds of others forming the entire Hawaiian archipelago. The main 8 are – Ni’ihau (a private island), Kaua’i, O’ahu, Moloka’i, Lana’i, Kaho’olawe, Maui and the “Big Island” or Island of Hawai’i.

I have not been to Hawaii yet, however it IS on my bucket list, and I WILL make it there some day! If you’d like to plan your Hawaiian Adventure, email me at destinationsbydebbie16@yahoo.com and we’ll plan a trip together! (I might tag along as well! J )

State Facts-

The State Capital is  Honolulu

State population (as of 2015) was  1,431,603

State Nickname-  the Aloha State

Top 5 Cities- (click on the name to visit the website)

Honolulu

Pearl City

Hilo

Kailua

Waipahu

Fun things to do-  (click on the name to visit the website)

Hanauma Bay

Diamond Head

Polynesian Cultural Center

USS Arizona Memorial

Pearl Harbor

Road to Hana

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Fun Facts-

Lolani Palace in Honolulu is the only royal palace in the United States.

Hawaii is the southernmost state in the US, and Ka Lae, on the Big Island is the southernmost point in the US.

Hawaii is the only state that grows coffee

Hawaii is the only state in the US to honor a king, Celebrating King Kamehameha Day on June 11^th. King Kamehameha is knows for uniting the Hawaiian Islands in 1810.

There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian Alphabet,  A, E, I, O, U and H,K,L,M,N,P & W

Hawaii is the widest state in the US, from east to west, it stretches across 1500 miles.

Climate

The climate in Hawaii is tropical, although the humidity and temperatures are not as brutal due to the near-constant trade winds from the east. Typically, summer months see a high around 88 degrees in the daytime, and 75 degrees at night. Winter months you would expect highs around 83 degrees during the daytime and lows around 65 in the lower elevations.  Snow is very rare, but can sometimes be found on the big island at the higher elevations (usually above 13,800 feet).  There are usually only 2 seasons in Hawaii, the Dry season, which runs from May to October, and the wet season, from October to April.

The second highest average annual rainfall on Earth is found in Hawaii on Mount Wai’ale’ale on the island of Kaua’i. They see around 460 inches of rain per year in this area.

The highest ever recorded temperature in Hawaii is 100 degrees, on April 27,1931, which ties with Alaska as the lowest record high temperature observed in the US.

The lowest recorded temperature was 12degrees, making Hawaii the only state to have never recorded a sub-zero Fahrenheit temperature.

Source sites –

http://state.1keydata.com/hawaii.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii

http://www.to-hawaii.com/

http://www.gohawaii.com/

Where are we Wednesday?! 1 day late... 3/9/17- Georgia!!

Georgia—

http://georgia.gov/

Georgia is located in the southeastern region of the United States. Many people visit the state on their way to Florida, or stop into the busiest airport in the country on a layover for another destination. I've been to Atlanta a couple of times, and went to Athens one year in college for a basketball tournament. That was a quaint little town that I remember had the big frat houses with the huge front porches with rocking chairs on them, and had some seriously polite people. 

Atlanta was a fun city to visit, I've had several stops in the airport, and drove down a couple of summers ago to watch a Braves game on the 4th of July. Got to visit the CNN building and walk around downtown. It's a great place to visit. The people were all pretty friendly, and seemed to be happy that people were visiting. 

One of the cities on my "US Bucket list" is Savannah. I have heard and seen some amazing stories/photos of this town, and plan on visiting sometime soon. 

If you're interested in visiting Georgia, let me know and I'll help you plan your trip! 

contact me at  destinationsbydebbie16@yahoo.com

Have you been to Georgia? Want to share your stories? leave me a comment below! 

State Facts-

The State Capital is  Atlanta

State population (as of 2015) was  10,214,860

State Nickname- The Peach State

Top 5 Cities- (click on the name to visit the website)

Atlanta

Augusta

Columbus

Savannah

Athens

Fun things to do-(click on the name to visit the website)

Georgia Aquarium

Callaway Gardens

World of Coca-Cola

Centennial Olympic Park

College Football Hall of Fame

Fun Facts-

Georgia was the last of the original 13 colonies

Georgia was named for King George II of England

Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River with land area of 59,425 square miles

Coca-Cola was invented in May 1886 by John Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia

In Georgia, it's illegal to live on a boat for more than 30 days during a calendar year.

Georgia is the only state with an official State Crop, the peanut.

The Hatsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world's busiest airport in terms of number of passengers served 

Climate

Georgia is located in the south eastern region of the country, and thus has a subtropical climate. With it’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, Georgia is vulnerable to hurricanes, although they rarely experience a direct hit.  Surprisingly Georgia is one of the leading states in frequency of tornadoes, however they are rarely stronger than an F1, and typically do not appear inside city limits. The damage is usually minimal.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Georgia was 112 degrees in 1952 in Louisville, and the lowest recorded temperature is -17 degrees in 1940 in Floyd County.  Georgia receives moderate to heavy precipitation, averaging anywhere from 45 inches annually to 75 inches in the northern part of the state.

The temperature in the winter months ranges in the 50’s and 60’s  and in the summer months can climb into the 90’s with higher than normal humidity, making it feel much warmer than it is.  

Source sites –

http://state.1keydata.com/georgia.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(U.S._state)

http://georgia.gov/

http://www.atlantaga.gov/

http://www.augustaga.gov/

http://visitcolumbusga.com/

http://www.savannah.com/

https://www.athensclarkecounty.com/

https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/

http://www.callawaygardens.com/

https://www.worldofcoca-cola.com/

https://www.gwcca.org/park/

http://www.cfbhall.com/ 

Where are we Wednesdays?! 3/1/17 -- Florida!

Florida

http://www.visitflorida.com/en-us.html

Florida is the southern most state of the 48 contiguous states. I have had the pleasure of visiting several times, and in fact just returned from a visit a few days ago.  Each time we go down, we enjoy the warm weather, and the sunshine.  Florida is home to 15 spring training facilities for Major League Baseball “grapefruit league” teams. We have been lucky enough to visit a couple of times to watch some games.  Of course Mickey is in residence in Florida as well, and he brings in a large number of visitors each year.  There truly is something for just about everyone in the Sunshine state. 

Let me know if you’d like to book a trip here, and check out what everyone is talking about!

State Facts-

The State Capital is  Tallahassee

State population (as of 2015) was   20,271,272

State Nickname- The Sunshine State

Top 5 Cities-  Click on the name to visit the website

Jacksonville

Miami

Tampa

St. Petersburg

Orlando

Fun things to do- Click on the name to visit the website

Visit the Florida Keys

Walt Disney World

 Universal Studios

Kennedy Space Center

Miami Beach

Everglades National Park

Gatorland

Anna Maria Island

Fun Facts-

The name Florida was given by Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon when he discovered the land in 1513.

Florida has the longest coastline in the contiguous United States.

Florida is the only state in the United States that borders both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

Gatorade was named for the University of Florida gators where the drink was first developed.

Fort Lauderdale is known as the Venice of America because the city has 185 miles of local waterways.

Florida is the only state that has 2 rivers with the same name.  There is a Withlacoochee River in North Central Florida and a Withlacoochee River in Central Florida, however they have nothing in common but their name.

The first ever scheduled passenger flight was made in Florida on Jan 1, 1914 when Antony Jannus flew from St. Petersburg to Tampa.  

Climate

Since no part of the state of Florida is very far from the Ocean/ Gulf of Mexico, the climate in Florida is tempered.  The areas north of Lake Okeechobee tend to be humid sub tropical climate, the areas south of the lake region are true tropics.  The temperatures vary widely depending on which part of the state you are visiting, however Florida is considered the warmest state in the US.  The Northern and Central regions of Florida may see a few days of near freezing temps in the winter months, however southern Florida rarely sees the temperatures drop below 50.

The hottest temperature ever recorded was 109 on June 29, 1931 in Monticello.

The coldest temperature ever recorded was -2 n Feb 13, 1899 in Tallahassee.  

Source sites –

http://state.1keydata.com/florida.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida

http://jacksonville.com/

http://www.miamigov.com/home/

https://www.tampagov.net/

http://www.stpete.org/

http://www.visitorlando.com/