Travel With Jody Victor®

Jody Victor: It took 70 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolution to produce the unique ecosystems and distinct human culture displayed by the volcanoes in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

It was over 1,600 years ago when Polynesians from the Marquesas Islands migrated to Hawaii. They came in great double-hulled canoes guided by the sun and stars, and reading the winds, currents, and the flight of seabirds.

The beautiful park you see today was created to preserve the natural setting of Kilauea and Mauna Loa and as a refuge for the islands native plants and animals.

If you plan on visiting and hiking the wonderful trails, be sure to wear light layers and hiking boots or shoes. The temperature and weather can vary from rainy and chilly to hot, dry and windy depending on the elevation and area you are visiting. Park trails range in difficulty from easy walks (Bird Park/Kipuka Puaulu or Thurston Lava Tube/Nahuku) to longer hikes such as Kilauea Ike or Mauna Iki.

 The true character of the park is best discovered on foot. With over 150 miles of trails in the park, exploration by walking and hiking can be a fascinating and enjoyable experience.

Located within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and nestled on the rim of Kilauea caldera is the Volcano House. With its unique charm it has captured the hearts of travelers and islanders alike. The Volcano house has offered spectacular views and warm hospitality for decades as Hawaii’s oldest continually operated hotel with a history dating back to 1846.

Hawaii has always been one of our family’s favorite vacation destinations. Add in the spectacular volcanoes and you’ve made a wonderful choice for the whole family.

Jody Victor

Tags: Hawaii, hiking boots, island, Jody, Jody Victor, National Parks, native animals, native plants, park, seabirds, temperature, tourist, trails, Travel, Victor, volcano

Wilkommen! to Frankenmuth, Michigan. Wilkomen is German for welcome, an offer to come and join in. Something we don’t hear enough of these days. Frankenmuth, Michigan’s little Bavaria, is a place to find all the things that make time together meaningful. It’s a place of horse-drawn carrriages and covered bridges; of river boat cruises and world famous chicken dinners.

There are loads of things for you and your family to do in Frankenmuth. With festivals year round, the town welcomes visitors with Bavarian hospitality regardless of the season.  It’s a great place for a day trip for the family or a weekend retreat with friends. Activities include concerts in the park, indoor and outdoor family fun, and even pet friendly fun.

If you are a shopper, this is your perfect destination. Shops include anything from leather to silk, china to sporting goods, apparel to gifts and much more.

For dining there are breweries, coffee shops, French, German and Oriental cuisines, and plenty of fast food and sweet shops. Lodging includes hotels, motels, B&Bs, and RV/campgrounds for your convenience.

From fantastic food, eclectic shopping and entertainment, to rich historical beauty and culture, Frankenmuth is the ideal departure from the ordinary every day.

Tags: Bavaria, bridge, Camping, entertainment, family, Frankenmuth, German, Jody, Jody Victor, Lodging, Michigan, motels, park, restaurants, shopping, shops, Victor

There is much to see in the oldest city in North America! The mainland of the North American Continent was first sighted by the Spanish explorer and treasure hunter, Don Juan Ponce de Leon on Easter, March 27, 1513. He claimed the land for Spain and named it La Florida, meaning “Land of Flowers.”

Sometime later, Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles was named governor of Florida. When Menendez arrived off the coast of Florida, it was August 28, 1565, the Feast Day of St. Augustine -  that is how St. Augustine got it’s name.

So, St. Augustine was founded forty-two years before the English colony at Jamestown, Virginia, and 55 years before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in Massachusettes – making it the oldest permanent European settlement on the North American Continent.

The oldest fort in the US is in St. Augustine – you can visit it – a great place full of history. If you visit on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday you can watch as soldiers in period costume, load one of the many cannons at the fort and set it off! Loud but interesting. Also the oldest school house is located in the old part of St. Augustine. As you walk up and down the old narrow streets it is easy to picture Spanish soldiers and their familes living and working in the area. There are quite a few Bed and Breakfast inns and smaller hotels in the Old section if you want to get the real feeling of Old St. Augustine. There are many tours availabel throughout the city. You can ride horse-drawn carriages, visit the old lighthouse, the Fountain of Youth, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, museums, and of course, there’s a multitude of quaint shops, taverns and restaurants sprinkled in among it all!

The beaches around St. Augustine are some of the best in Florida.All in all it’s a great place to visit whether you are a couple, a family or traveling in a group.

Tags: Beaches, Florida, flowers, Jody, Jody Victor, shopping, shops, Spanish, St. Augustine, Victor

Yellowstone National Park is America’s first national park, established in 1872. It is spread out over three states; Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, and is home to a large variety of wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Preserved within Yellowstone National Park are Old Faithful and a collection of the world’s most extraordinary geysers and hot springs, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

Of course no trip to Yellowstone would be complete without visiting the most popular geyser in the world, Old Faithful. There are also hundreds of other geysers and hot spring in the park. Hiking, camping, fishing, enjoying exhibits and films, and attending Ranger-led programs are among the many ways to experience Yellowstone.

Be prepared for the weather – the climate is one of cold winters and moderate summers. Accommodations range from rustic cabins to luxury suites. All of the developed areas in Yellowstone offer services such as gas stations, stores, medical facilities and campgrounds. There are an array of restaurants there too. Anything from the Mammoth Hotel Dining Room to the Old Faithful Geyser Grill; full service to light meals and fast food.

Services in the park include: boat rentals and charters, camping inside and outside the park, horseback riding, stores and gift shops, bookstores, daycare and kennels. Fun things to do include: photo tours, bicycling, hiking and backpacking, nature hikes, boating, fishing, and much more.

If you are looking for a great family trip you can’t beat Yellowstone – the kids will love it and so will you!

Tags: Camping, Idaho, Jody, Jody Victor, Montana, National Parks, OldFaithful, park, shopping, shops, Summer, Travel, Travel Tips, Winter, Wyoming

Well, not really! If you like scenery and unsurpassed mountain views, the mountain village of Zermatt, Switzerland is the place for you. It is one of the great ski and climbing centers of the world. Even if you don’t ski or climb there is much to do in this little village nestled in a deep valley enclosed between steeply scarped mountains. And, of course, the mountains are dominated by the huge and gracefully curved pyramid of the Matterhorn.

In Zermatt there are no cars. So, from the moment you step off the Swiss-red train, catch sight of the cobbled streets and horses with sleighs patiently waiting for their rides, and glimpse the Matterhorn, you will know you are in a special place. The silence and fresh alpine air creates a welcoming atmosphere, amid the pedestrians – locals and visitors alike.

Even though Zermatt is a quaint little village they are equipped with comprehensive emergency service, doctors, dentist, pharmacies and 4 helicopters at their heliport. There are many sports shops with ski, snowboard, mountain bike & climbing equipment sales and rentals. And for those of us only there for the spectacular views there are many restaurants, jewelers, souvenir shops, boutiques and more. The language is German but English is spoken throughout the village too. Have a great trip!

Tags: bike, boutiques, German, jewelers, Jody, Jody Victor, Matterhorn, mountains, restaurants, shopping, shops, Ski, snowboard, Switzerland, Travel

If you have never been to Niagara Falls, you should try it. It’s a wonderful trip for a couple, family, or group. The Niagara Falls is the most powerful waterfalls in North America. They were formed when glaciers receded at the end of the Wisconsin glaciations (the last ice age), and water from the newly formed Great Lakes carved a path through the Niagara Escarpment on route to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Niagara Falls are renowned both for their beauty, as a valuable source of hydroelectric power, and of course tourism. From the Canadian side, floodlights illuminate both sides of the falls for several hours after dark (until midnight). You will need a current passport to go to the Canadian side. The falls are 17 miles north-northwest of Buffalo, New York and 75 miles sout-southeast of Toronto, Ontario, between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York.

From the U.S. side, the American Falls can be viewed from walkways along Prospect Point Park, which also features the Prospect Point Park observation tower and a boat dock for the Maid of the Mist. The Maid of the Mist boat cruise, the oldest and best known tourist attraction at Niagara Falls, is named for an ancient Ongiara Indian mythical character. Cruise boats operate from boat docks on both sides of the falls and have carried passengers into the rapids immediately below the falls since 1846.

Goat Island offers more views of the falls and is accessible by foot and automobile traffic by bridge above the American Falls. From Goat Island, the Cave of the Winds is accessible by elevator and leads hikers to a point beneath Bridal Veil Falls. Also on Goat Island are the Three Sisters Islands, the Power Portal where a huge statue of Nikola Tesla can be seen, and a walking path which enables views of the rapids, the Niagara River, the gorge, and all of the falls. Most of these attractions lie within the Niagara Falls State Park.

The Niagara Scenic Trolley offers guided trips along the American Falls and around Goat Island. Panoramic and aerial views of the falls can also be viewed from the Flight of Angels helium balloon ride, or by helicopter. The Niagara Gorge Discovery Center showcases the natural and local history of Niagara Falls and the Niagara Gorge. If you like to gamble, a casino and luxury hotel was opened in Niagara Falls, New York, by the Seneca Indian tribe. And there are many more hotels, shops, restaurants and attractions in the area – something for everyone.

Tags: American, Canada, casino, Jody, Jody Victor, New York, Niagara Falls, North America, restaurants, shops, State Park, tourist, Travel, Victor

If you ever get the chance to visit Australia, don’t miss it. It’s a great country, full of surprises! On one of our visits there we were able to take in the Great Barrier Reef. Because of its natural beauty, both above and below the water, the Great Barrier Reef has become one of the world’s most sought after tourist destinations.

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world. It is larger than the Great Wall of China and the only living thing on earth visible from space.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres (1,600 miles) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000sqmi). The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland in north-east Australia.

A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as fishing and tourism. Due to its vast biodiversity, warm clear waters and accessibility from the tourist boats called ‘live aboards’,the reef is a very popular destination, expicially for scuba divers. Tourism on the Great Barrier Reef is concentrated in the Whisundays and Cairns due to their accessibility.

Many cities along the Queensland coast offer daily boat trips. Several continental and coral cay islands are now resorts, including the pristine Lady Elliot Island.

A variety of boat tours and cruises are offered, from single day trips, to longer voyages. Boat sizes range fron dinghies to superyachts. Glass-bottmed boats and underwater observatories are also pupular, as are helicopter flights. By far, the most popular tourist activites on the Great Barrier Reef are snorkelling and diving, for which pontoons are often used, and the area is often enclosed by nets. The outer part of the Great Barrier Reef is favored for snorkelling due to the clear pristine water.

Our trip was by boat and we snorkeled the reef. We saw beautiful corals, many varieties of fish and other sea creatures. All in all, it was well worth the time and expense. We highly reccommend it!

Tags: Australia, Great Barrier Reef, Jody, Jody Victor, snorkeling, tourist, Travel, water

If you are ever on the coast of Florida in winter,and have the chance, go to a State Park or wildlife preserve that has mantees. These huge water mammals are interesting, gentle, and protected. Here’s some more info on them.

West Indian manatees are large, gray aquatic mammals with bodies that taper to a flat, paddle-shaped tail. The have two forelimbs, called flippers, with three to four nails on each flipper. Their head and face are wrinkled with whiskers on the snout. The manatee’s closest relatives are the elephant and the hyrax (a small, gopher-sized mammal). Manatees are believed to have evolved fro a wading, plant-eating animal. The west Indian manatee is related to the West African manatee, the Amazonian manatee, the dugong, and Steller’s sea cow, which was hunted to extinction in 1768. The average adult manatee is about 10 feet long and weighs between 800 and 1,200 pounds.

Manatees can be found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, canals, and coastal areas – particularly where seagrass beds or freshwater vegetation flourish. Manatees are a migratory species. Within ghe United States, they are concentrated in Florida in the winter. In summer months, they can be found as far west as Texas and as far north as Massachusetts, but summer sightings in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina are more common.

Manatees are gentle and slow-moving animals. They can swim upt to 20 miles per hour in short bursts but they usually only swim about three to five miles per hour. Most of their time is spent eating, resting, and traveling. Manatees are completely herbivorous. They eat a large variety of submerged, emergent, and floating plants and can consume 10-15% of their body weight in vegetation daily. Because they are mammals, they must surface to breate air about every three to five minutes. When resting, they can stay under water as long as 20 minutes.

West Indian manatees have no natural enemies, and it is believed they can live 60 years or more. Some die of natural causes but a high number of additional fatalities are from human-related causes. These occur mainly from watercraft collisions, ingestion of fishing equipment, and loss of habitat.

Manatees are an endangered species and are protected by federal and state laws. If you ever get to see them, you will understand why they are so interesting and worth saving for future generations.

Tags: endangered, Florida, Jody, Jody Victor, mammal, Manatee, National Parks, park, saltwater, State Park, Summer, Winter

The next time you are headed to Florida, think about stopping at Homosassa Springs. Visitors to the Wildlife State Park can see West Indian manatees every day of the year from the park’s underwater observatory in the main spring. The park also showcases native Florida wildlife, including manatees, black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, American aligators, American crocodiles, and river otters.

Even in winter, with its cooler days, there are many reasons to visit the park. You can start your visit with a leisurly pontoon boat ride down Pepper Creek to the wildlife park. Along the way you may see ospreys nesting, limpkins, herons or egrets wading in the creek, wood ducks swimming along, not to mention turtles sunning on logs, fish and, maybe even an otter.

Once you get off the pontoon boat you can walk leisurely along the elevated boardwalk system for a great view of the wildlife, including a Florida panther, cougar, bears, bobcats, deer, alligators and a wide variety of wading birds, birds of prey, and songbirds.

During the winter months with the gate open in the Long River bridge, the wild manatee have access to the warmer waters of the first-magnitude spring. On colder days, you may see dozens of wild manatees in the spring and spring run and thousands of fresh and salt-water fish that are free to come and go.  The Fish Bowl, a floating underwater observatory, offers an unequalled, below-the-surface view of manatees and fish in the clear spring environment. Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park’s Fish Bowl is probably the only place in the world where you can enjoy an underwater, close-up view of manatees without getting wet.

There is also a Reptile House, Children’s Education Center, a picnic pavilion to enjoy your own picnic lunch, a cafe with beverages and snacks, and two gift shops.

Tags: bridge, Florida, Homosassa, Jody, Jody Victor, Manatee, National Parks, park, relaxing, springs, State Park, Winter

Florida is a state known for it’s beautiful beaches and wonderful tourism. Since 1947, the mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs have delighted visitors. Even today, visitors can still witmess the magic of the mermaids, take a river boat cruise or paddle down the spring fed, crystal clear Weeki Wachee River in a conoe or kayak. The average water temperature is 74 degrees year round. The State Park is 538 acres featuring a first magnitude spring and a 400-seat submerged theatre for watching the live mermaid show.

This fun filled park also offers a flume ride, called Buccaneer Bay, for thrill seekers of all ages. There’s a white sand beach area and covered picnic pavilions for a relaxing day for the entire family. They also provide audiences with with an entertaining and educational look at domesticated birds and reptiles as part of their animal shows.

They are located on US 19 at the intersecion of State Road 50, just north of Spring Hill and south of Homosassa Springs.springs

Tags: beach, Florida, Jody Victor, park, relaxing, springs, tourist, Travel