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Ivana De Domenico

Dr. Ivana De Domenico and Her Featured Writings

America’s Most Scenic Drives

June 20, 2017 by Ivana De Domenico

Ivana De Domenico- America's Most Scenic Drives

I’ll admit- traveling can be stressful, and oftentimes the process of getting to your destination is what makes it that way. There’s getting through security at the airport and the fear of missing your flight. There’s dealing with bickering children (your own or someone else’s) and being in cramped quarters. Sometimes you have to put up with inconveniences like lost college or unexpected fees. Other times, however, if you actively let go of your stress and worries, the journey is the destination and getting to wherever you want to go can be just as enjoyable, if not even more enjoyable, than the destination itself.

One of my favorite novels is Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. This book is classic Americana at its best, as it details the journey of Kerouac and his friends across the highways of 1950’s America without a destination in sight. You might not be able to follow in Kerouac’s exact tire tracks today as you could have when the book was published, as Route 66 doesn’t exist today as it did then- but there are plenty of drives throughout the United States that are just as entertaining and breathtaking. This summer, I challenge you to embrace the joys of traveling and take a road trip with your family and friends. I can just about guarantee that if you take one of these scenic drives, you will not be disappointed.

Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia to North Carolina

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This 469-mile stretch of highway through the Blue Ridge Mountains is so breathtakingly beautiful that it’s managed by the National Park Service. Known as “America’s favorite drive,” it offers unparalleled views of the vast Shenandoah Valley, towering mountain peaks, and verdant forests and meadows.

Route 66, Illinois to California

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Route 66 may not exist any longer as a main, unbroken highway, but you can still drive parts of this iconic highway. The most scenic stretch is the mountainous region extending from the Grand Canyon to the Colorado River. Be sure to experience Americana on your journey and stop at the kitschy roadside attractions, mom-and-pop shops, motels, diners, and vintage service stations.

Pacific Coast Highway, California

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You’ve most likely seen pictures of Big Sur with stretches of elevated highway winding alongside seaside cliffs. That’s because the 100-mile stretch of road running from Monterey to Hearst Castle is so famous. Gasp in awe at the beauty of this drive and maybe stop at a beach while you’re at it.

Highway 12, Utah

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If you want to feel small and awestruck, then this is the drive for you. Red-tinged sandstone cliffs tower above snaking expanses of highway between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Park.  

Route 100, Vermont

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The classic New England drive is best enjoyed in the fall when the foliage takes on fiery shades of red, orange, and yellow. Route 100 is stretch of country road that winds through forests and over hills, from Stowe south to the Massachusetts border.

This is just a mere sampling of some of the gorgeous drives that can be found in the United States. Grab your crew and hit the road this summer for a real travel treat!

U.S. Natural Wonders That Will Transport You to Another Planet

March 28, 2017 by Ivana De Domenico

Ivana de Domenico- U.S. Natural Wonders That Will Transport You to Another Planet

I have been fortunate enough to visit many gorgeous and fascinating places around the world. I was raised in Italy, now live in the United States in Utah, and have had the opportunity to visit destinations such as England, Russia, Spain, and Kenya. I’ve climbed mountains, swam in various lakes and seas, and trekked through ancient cobblestone streets. I’ve tried a variety of different cuisines and conversed with people of other nationalities in their native tongues. I hope I have the opportunity to keep on traveling for as long as I can, but I’ve probably already seen more parts of the world than most people do in a lifetime.

Anyway, I’m getting a little carried away. The point of this post is not to brag about my extensive travel experience, but rather to highlight some natural wonders in the United States that will make you feel as though you’ve not just left the country, but set foot on another planet. I hope that everyone gets the chance to travel internationally and experience new cultures, but experiencing someplace truly spectacular may be simpler than you think. Don’t lose sight of the beauty of America in your thirst to explore new places- if you’ve got a car and some time on your hands, get out there and experience these natural wonders for yourself.

 

  • Bryce Canyon, Utah

Lucky for me, this beautiful national park is practically in my backyard! Well okay, not really- it’s about a four hour drive, but in the grand scheme of things that’s not so bad. It’s an easy day trip. If you want to feel small and awestruck, all you need do is take a walk through what blogger Hal Amen describes as “a vast eroded amphitheater, populated with hoodoos. The hoodoos, crimson-colored outcroppings of rock, really need to be seen in person. Words just don’t do them justice!

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

  • The Wave, Arizona

Take one step into the aptly-named “Wave” located in Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness near the Utah-Arizona border, and you’ll feel as though you’ve been sucked into a surrealist painting or landed on the surface of Mars. You’ll want to make sure you have steady feet and are not easily nauseous, because this rippling red sandstone formation is enough to send anyone for a spin! Trust me though, any disorientation you may feel is totally worth it for the amazing views you’ll be rewarded with- the contrast of clear blue sky against fiery red rock is beyond compare.

 

The Wave

The Wave

  • Northern Lights, Alaska

The Northern lights look like something out of a fantasy world, and you don’t even have to leave the country to see them! Sure, Alaska is a bit of a hike by car, but it’s worth the miles to see this otherworldly site at least once in your lifetime. This rippling explosion of color across the sky should be on everyone’s bucket list. For optimal light-viewing conditions, travel to Fairbanks or Anchorage between September and April- wouldn’t want your trip to be a waste!

The Northern Lights

The Northern Lights

 

  • Niagara Falls, New York

Okay, so technically Niagara falls is in the United States and Canada, and if you take a trip up to Buffalo to see them, there’s no reason you shouldn’t cross the border to take them in from the Canadian side as well as long as you have a passport. These majestic falls deserve to be viewed from every angle.

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls

 

  • Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

A lot of people probably have a picture in their head of what a cave is, from film and television, without ever having been in one. Physically entering a cave, walking through its damp, cavernous spaces is quite a different experience than merely viewing one from afar. With its stalagmites and stalactites jutting up from the ground and ceiling, you’ll definitely feel as if you’ve entered another world entirely.

Mammoth Cave

Mammoth Cave

 

I’m just skimming the surface here as far as beautiful natural wonders in the United States go. There are so many others (the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, the Rocky Mountains, etc.) that I left off the list, but I guarantee that if you just get out there and explore, you’ll find that you don’t have to travel very far to witness the beauty of America.

Ivana De Domenico

Ivana De Domenico”>


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