Fall foliage cruises and tours are gaining popularity and sometimes you need to book a spot well in advance. So here’s a sneak peek at some of the best foliage cruises in the U.S. this coming fall:

1. American Cruise Lines is your ticket to New York State fall foliage. The cruises take you through NY ports to see breathtaking Catskills and Hudson Valley fall foliage, as well fall foliage with a city backdrop along the island of Manhattan. NY foliage is some of the best, especially once you get out of the city and remember that there’s so much more to NY State than just the Big Apple!
2. Board the Lady Katharine and cruise down the Connecticut River for Lunch and Sunday Brunch Fall Foliage Cruises. You’ll see some of the best fall foliage in New England as you enjoy a classic Sunday brunch.
3. The Isles of Shoals Fall Sightseeing Cruises highlight the best of the best of New Hampshire fall foliage. This is sort of a three-in-one cruise that also shows off New Hampshire’s stunning islands and historic lighthouses.
4. Get up close and personal with Maine fall foliage with the Maine Windjammer Association Fall Cruises. Unlike most other fall foliage cruises which offer one day excursions, the Maine Windjammer Cruises, aboard historic ships, offer four day trips in September and October.
5. New England’s not the only place where you can cruise for views! In fact, you’ll be wowed by colorful aspens and maples along the Rocky Mountains. Early October is peak viewing time for fall foliage in Colorado, so you better act quick before the snow start pouring down on the Rocky Mountain area and it’s too late to enjoy the Colorado fall colors!
6. You can experience Virginia and Maryland fall foliage by cruising through the Chesapeake Bay with American Cruise Lines (same fleet as number one). You’ll also see lighthouses along the way.

Book your fall foliage cruise soon and you’ll be well on your way to experiencing first hand what makes the United States so special in the fall.

• West Virginia fall foliage
• fall foliage PA
• Adirondack fall foliage
• Massachusetts fall foliage
• New Mexico fall foliage
• Pittsburgh fall foliage
• National Parks Blog
• Nature Blog
• Presidential Memorials Blog Post

Check out our last post for a list of museums and memorials in the northeast, and read on for the continuation of sites in the rest of the country that celebrate African American history and culture.

• African American Historical Cultural Society – San Francisco, California
• African American Firefighters Museum – Los Angeles, California
• Oran Z’s Pan African Black Facts and Wax Museum – Los Angeles, California
• Buffalo Soldier Museum – Houston, Texas
• DuSable Museum of African American History – Chicago, Illinois
• Black World History Museum – St. Louis, Missouri
• Idaho Black History Museum – Boise, Idaho
• Black Archives Research Center and Museum – Tallahassee, Florida
• Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum – Jacksonville, Florida
• Napier’s African American Museum – Atlanta, Georgia

• California posts
• Florida posts
• SFO Secrets

From fantastic exhibits of slavery in America at the United States National Slavery Museum to a survey of African art at the Museum for African Art to a memorial honoring a historic black leader at the Booker T. Washington National Monument, you’ll learn more this month throughout your travels than you learned during all those years at grade school.

Got the kids with you? They’ll particularly like Oran Z’s Pan African Black Facts and Wax Museum, the African American Firefighters Museum, and the Bronzeville Children’s Museum (located at the Plaza Shopping Center in Evergreen Park, Illinois), the only children’s museum in the country dedicated African American history and culture.

The list is a bit long, so for today we’ll share all the sites in the northeast (down to Virginia), and next post will continue with the rest of the country. Enjoy!

• Museum of Afro-American History – Boston, Massachusetts
• Museum of African American History – New York City, New York
• Museum for African Art – Long Island City, New York
• African American Museum in Philadelphia
• USS Constellation – Baltimore, Maryland – Special tours are available on the weekends during Black History Month.
• African American Civil War Memorial – Washington, D.C.
• The Black Fashion Museum – Washington, D.C.
• United States National Slavery Museum – Fredericksburg, Virginia
• Museum and White House of the Confederacy – Richmond, Virginia
• Black History Museum and Cultural Center – Richmond, Virginia
• Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site – Richmond, Virginia
• Booker T. Washington National Monument – Hardy, Virginia

A man who believed in equality and in peace, the day commemorating the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. is a day to reflect on the principles he stood for – human rights, racial equality, and believing in your dreams.

It’s also a great time to visit some of the sites where Dr. King spoke, taught, and spread his influence. Below is a list of great spots where you can learn more and appreciate more this great man:

• Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site – Atlanta Georgia
• Ebenezer Baptist Church – Atlanta, Georgia – Three generations of Kings preached at this church and on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day there’s a special service.
• Sweet Auburn Historic District – Atlanta, Georgia – This is the neighborhood where MLK grew up.
• Washington National Cathedral – Washington, D.C. – Dr. King delivered his final Sunday sermon here, just days before his assassination. His memorial service was held here as well.
• Abraham Lincoln Memorial – Washington, D.C. – MLK delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963.
• National Portrait Gallery – Washington, D.C. – You can see a nice portrait of Dr. King here.

Follow your dreams!

• Historical Sites in Washington D.C, Annapolis, Gettysburg, Alexandria, Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland
• Historical Sites in Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, Charleston, South Carolina, Atlanta, Savannah, Georgia
• Family Vacation Ideas for Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland
• Family Vacation Ideas for Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, Charleston, South Carolina, Atlanta, Savannah, Georgia
• Tings to do in the US
• Atlanta Takes the Title as America’s Busiest Airport
• Avoid Atlanta Immigration

In the meantime, visit these sites to boost your political IQ and gain an appreciation for the men and women (though, really these sites are just of the men…) who have helped shape American political history.

• The Washington Monument – Washington, D.C.
• George Washington Memorial Parkway – Arlington, Virginia (D.C. Area)
• Thomas Jefferson Memorial – Washington, D.C.
• Abraham Lincoln Memorial – Washington, D.C.
• General Grant National Memorial – New York
• Ulysses S. Grant Cottage State Historic Site – New York
• James A. Garfield Monument
• McKinley National Memorial
• Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site – New York
• Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site – Buffalo, New York
• Mount Rushmore National Memorial (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt) – Keystone, South Dakota
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial – Washington, D.C.
• John F. Kennedy Library and Museum – Boston, Massachusetts
• Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac – McLean, Virginia
• Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site – Washington, D.C.
• Ronald Reagan Presidential Library – Simi Valley, California

• Posts related to Museums
• Posts related to Sightseeing
• Posts related to Boston
• Posts related to New York
• Posts related to California

Take some time to learn the REAL stories of these “witches” at the Witch History Museum in Salem. The witch hysteria peaked in 1692-1693. Over 150 people (mostly women) were arrested and accused of practicing witchcraft. About 20 people were finally convicted and executed. The only way out was to point a finger at someone else to take your place.

You can visit the Salem Village of 1692 when you enter the Witch Dungeon Museum. Chilling stories are told of the wrongful imprisonment and persecution of innocent people who were believed to be evil. You’ll learn who the real evildoers were….

Another compelling way to explore this chilling story is at the Salem Wax Museum. Experience Salem witch history through the medium of wax—see Colonel John Hawthorne, the merciless Witch Trials judge, and Tituba, one of the most famous “witches”. You’ll also see non-witch figures like Nathaniel Hawthorne (from the area) and the pirates of New England.

Happy Halloween, and remember that real witches may not be who you think they are…

• Halloween Horror Nights
• Scary Scholarship
• My Pumpkin Is Bigger Than Yours
• Search for Scary
• Tourist Information for Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• Fun facts about Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• Guided Tours in Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• Family Vacation Ideas for Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• Adventure Travel in Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• Casino Gambling in Boston, Newport, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• Cool and Fun Things to Do in Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• Historical Sites in Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Mystic, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• History of Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Mystic, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• Museums in Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Mystic, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• Off the Beaten Path in Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• Romantic Vacation Getaways in Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• Spas in Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Connecticut, Massachusetts
• Special Events in Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Connecticut, Massachusetts

In preparation, we’d like to designate this time as U.S. Political Orientation Month. Now’s the time (if you haven’t already, of course) to get out there and start learning about the people and parties who formed this country and who keep it alive and running. Here are a few places in the U.S. that can help you orient yourself in U.S political affairs.

• National Museum of American History – Washington, D.C.
• Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site – Washington, D.C.
• United States Capitol Building – Washington, D.C.
• The White House President’s Park – Washington, D.C.
• International Spy Museum – Washington, D.C.
• John F. Kennedy Library and Museum – Boston, Massachusetts
• New York City Hall – New York City
• New York Historical Society – New York City
• Financial District – New York City
• Ronald Reagan Presidential Library – Simi Valley, California
• Virginia Historical Society/Museum of Virginia History – Richmond, Virginia
• Museum and White House of the Confederacy – Richmond, Virginia

States are closing their doors for registration ANY DAY NOW…so register, educate yourselves, and VOTE!

• Historical Sites in Washington D.C, Annapolis, Gettysburg, Alexandria, Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland
• Historical Sites in Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, Mystic, Connecticut, Coastal Massachusetts and Rhode Island
• Historical Sites in Richmond, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, North Carolina’s Outer Banks
• Historical Sites in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and New York City
• Historical Sites in San Diego, Laguna Beach, Los Angeles, Malibu, Santa Barbara, Southern California
• Barack Obama vs. Sarah Palin

At the National Gallery of Art:

• Courtly Art of the Ancient Maya
• The Cubist Paintings of Diego Rivera: Memory, Politics, Place
• Picasso: The Early Years, 1892-1906

At the Library of Congress:

• Spanish Missions
• The Cultures and History of the Americas: The Jay I. Kislak Collection
• Ethnography and Folklore: Alan Lomax Collection
• Parallel Histories: Spain, the United States, and the American Frontier
• Puerto Rico at the Dawn of the Modern Age
• Hispano Music and Culture of the Northern Rio Grande: The Juan B. Rael Collection
• Hispanic Americans in Congress
• The Spanish-American War in Motion Pictures
• The World of 1898: The Spanish-American War

At the Smithsonian Institution:
Legacy: Spain and the United States in the Age of Independence

These exhibits are brought to you by: The Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.

(Thank you Library of Congress for the list of exhibits!)

• Cool and Fun Things to Do in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland
• Fall Foliage in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland
• Family Vacation Ideas for Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland
• Getting to Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland
• Guided Tours in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland
• Places to Visit in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland
• Special Events in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland
• Tourist Information for Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland
• Museums BLOG post
• Frequent Flyer Guide to US

• Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest, September 13 – October 25, 2008, Big Bear Lake, California
• Duke Ellington Jazz Festival, October 1-7, 2008, Washington, D.C.
• California Avocado Festival, October 3-5, 2008, Carpinteria, California
• Mount Vernon’s Wine Festival, October 3-5, 2008, Mount Vernon, Virginia
• National Gospel & Harvest Celebration, October 3 – November 1, 2008, Dollywood – Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
• National Yo-Yo Contest, October 4, 2008, Chico, California
• World Senior Games, October 6-18, St. George, Utah
• Texas-Style Musicfest, October 12, 2008, Gruene Historic District, New Braunfels, Texas
• Maryland Renaissance Festival, August 23 – October 19, 2008, Crownsville, Maryland
• Apple Harvest Festival, October 18, 2008, York, South Carolina
• Fall Festival of Houses & Gardens, October 24-26, 2008, Beaufort, South Carolina
• Hogeye Festival, October 25, 2008, Elgin, Texas
• Punkin Festival: “Carving for a Cause”, October 25, 2008, Avery County, North Carolina

See you there!

• Great Lakes Beer Festival – This weekend!!!
• Kids are in School, Airfare is Down – Fly to US for Fall Foliage

1. The Grounds of the U.S. Capitol – Bring a blanket and some food and picnic under the ‘works in front of the home of our president. Get there early (grounds open at 2:30) to get a good spot, and remember no alcohol allowed.
2. Washington Monument Grounds – The loudest booms and brightest lights are here, at the launch site of the fireworks.
3. Lincoln Memorial – Get there early to get a prized spot on the steps.
4. The Ellipse – On Constitution Avenue between 15th and 17th Streets, this spot is outside the National Mall
5. The National Mall – Between the U.S. Capitol and 14th Street – Beware of the Folklife Festival tents which may obstruct your view.
6. West Potomac Park near the Reflecting Pool – Located between the National WWII Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial, the spots near the pool offer great views, but the further you get from the pool, the greater your chances are of seeing more tree and less sky.
7. Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, and the Tidal Basin – A bit further, but worth it for the views and the lack of crowded security checkpoints.
8. United States Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima) – Less of a scene, this spot has all of the view with less of the travel stress involved. A good choice for those on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.
9. Points Along the Mount Vernon Trail – Metro stations service many spots along the trail that covers the area between the Memorial Bridge and the Reagan National Airport.
10. East Potomac Park – Lots of room for families with children, but it’s still recommended to get there early for a good picnic spot.

area and near the Metro, so for less traffic and quick entry and exit, this is a good bet. (Thank you about.com for the suggestions.)