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Ivana De Domenico

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Main Street America: America’s Most Charming Main Streets

May 4, 2017 by Ivana De Domenico

Ivana De Domenico- Main Street America

Sixty years ago, just about every town in America, small and large, had a distinctive Main Street characterized by department stores, Mom and Pop shops, movie theaters, soda fountains, and  general stores like Five and Dimes. The Main Street of today may look a little different than that of years past, and even though towns across America have seen a decline in business overall due to the rise of shopping malls, which then gave way to online shopping, Main streets, for the time being, are here to stay.

According to Harrisonburg, Virginia resident Eddie Bumbaugh, “During the decades of the 1970s to 1990s, the downtown district underwent significant deterioration, vacancies, and economic challenges, as was the case with many communities around the country.” There has been a concerted effort, over the last decade, however, to restore deteriorating Main Streets to their former glory. As shopping malls shut their doors, becoming massive concrete ghost towns, we are seeing a return to traditional values with a resurgence in Main Streets across the nation.

Here are just a few of the most charming Main Streets in America, compiled from Travel & Leisure, Fodor’s Travel, and the Great American Main Street Awards. This summer, if you’re looking for something to do, why not drive to your nearest Main Street, or one of the ones on this list if you’re up for a road trip, and take a leisurely stroll down the idyllic streets lined with boutique shops and family-owned restaurants? You could easily spend a whole day in one of these towns if you slow down and take the time to savor their distinctive charm.

1. Ann Arbor, Michigan

Much of Ann Arbor’s downtown activity is due to its being a college town, with long-term residents sharing the streets with University of Michigan students who make up more than a third of the population. Being a college town serves Ann Arbor well, as its breweries, art galleries, and retail shops never lack for business.

2. Saratoga Springs, New York

In stark contrast to the clogged, overcrowded streets of New York City, closed in by towering skyscrapers, Saratoga Springs offers a welcoming retreat for New Yorkers. Its main thoroughfare, Broadway Avenue, is the quintessential image of a Main Street, lined with small businesses, flowerbeds, benches, and trees strung with twinkling lights.

3. York, Pennsylvania

You may be surprised to find a small town in central, PA on a list of the greatest Main Streets in America, but York has come a long way in its efforts to revitalize its downtown since its last department store closed in 1978 and the town fell into neglect. Now, York hosts a monthly First Friday where stores and restaurants stay open late, with special events and discounts, to attract visitors. Nearly all of the late Victorian and Classical Revival style historic buildings have been restored.

4. Galena, Illinois

Chicago may be the star attraction in Illinois, but just three hours outside the metropolis, Galena provides a welcoming return to the Main Streets of years past. The downtown businesses are housed in brick mid-19th century storefronts and include antique shops, restaurants, boutiques, galleries, and even an old-fashioned ice cream parlour with more than 40 flavors to choose from. A trolley departing from Main Street and taking riders out to local wineries completes this charming small town.

5. Dahlonega, Georgia

Dahlonega is one of the Great American Main Street Awards three 2016 winners. Located just 65 miles north of Atlanta, this town’s Main Street won for its walkable downtown, gourmet restaurants, unique shops, and one-of-a-kind Southern hospitality. Although the town has a population of just 6,000, more than a million people visit Dahlonega each year.

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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