The 100 Best Affordable Vacations (32 page)

Rent canoes and arrange for shuttle services along the Au Sable River from
Hinchman Acres Resort
(702 N. Morenci, Mio, 989-826-3267,
www.hinchman.com
) or
Rainbow Resort Cabins & Canoes
(731 Camp Ten Rd., Mio, 989-826-3423,
www.rainbowresortmio.com
). Both also have cabins for rent from as low as $50 per night. At mealtime, try
O’Brien’s Dinner Table Restaurant
(320 S. Morenci St., Mio, 989-826-5547) for steak and seafood and wonderful homemade breads. Or for something different, head to Roscommon, where
Fred’s
(422/430 N. 5th St., 989-275-6565), an eight-lane bowling alley with a restaurant, is a local favorite.

SAVING THE CRANE

Tiny warblers aren’t the only birds facing challenges. The majestic crane struggles for survival in many areas. The International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin, supports research and conservation efforts to preserve the wetlands and grasslands worldwide that support them. It also offers guided tours—the foundation says it’s the only place in the world to see all 15 species of crane, including the rare whooping crane. A visit lasts about two hours and costs $9.50.
International Crane Foundation, 11376 Shady Lane Rd., Baraboo, WI 53913, 608-356-9462,
www.savingcranes.org
.

And as you roam the area, take time to consider all the work that has been done on behalf of the warbler. Retired wildlife biologist Jerry Weinrich spent 31 years working in the region with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources; he says some people question whether it’s worth the effort to keep a tiny bird alive. He doesn’t hesitate with his answer.

“It’s a matter of responsibility,” Weinrich says. “It was the European influence that got the bird into problems to begin with, and there are things we can do to help. We have a chance to right a wrong even if the wrong was unintentional.”

HOW TO GET IN TOUCH

Houghton Lake Area Tourism & Convention Bureau,
P.O. Box 1, Houghton Lake, MI 48629, 800-676-5330 or 989-366-8474,
www.visithoughtonlake.com
.

Roscommon County,
www.roscommoncounty.net
.

catch a moonbow

CUMBERLAND FALLS STATE RESORT PARK, KENTUCKY

It’s something that’s not easy to see. You have to be at a certain location at a certain time. And it’s not man-made, it’s part of the natural world.

I would call it mystical.

—
STEVE GILBERT, PARK NATURALIST, CUMBERLAND FALLS STATE RESORT PARK

37 |
There are two places in the world where you can consistently see a rainbow formed by the mist of a waterfall and the light of the full moon. One’s in the wilds of Africa. The other’s in the hills of Appalachia.

Kentucky’s Cumberland Falls might not match the majesty of Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls (the other site), but its moonbow captivates visitors every month. The phenomenon occurs on the five nights centered on the full moon. If the sky’s clear, the bow will emerge when the moon is at a 42-degree angle in the sky. Don’t worry about calculating the geometry. The park’s website lists the dates and times. If the scheduled appearance is over a holiday weekend, thousands of visitors may congregate at the falls for the event; at other times of year, it may just be a hundred or so.

Despite the popularity, you can expect a mellow, family-friendly crowd. People bring lawn chairs and photographers set up tripods trying to capture the remarkable image. “There’s an air of excitement,” says park naturalist Steve Gilbert. “People see an arc of light. It’s kind of ghostly, and on a good night you’ll pick up a bit of color.”

FINGER-LICKIN’ MUSEUM

Before Col. Harland Sanders became an internationally recognized fast-food symbol, he was a struggling café and motel owner in rural Kentucky. His original restaurant and kitchen (where he concocted his legendary combination of 11 herbs and spices) is now a free museum attached to a functioning KFC in Corbin, 18 miles from Cumberland Falls State Resort Park.

Along with pressure-cooked fried chicken, Sanders is also known for franchising. He took his successful recipe to the world, eventually making a fortune. It was at this point that he became the man we all recognize, growing a beard and goatee and wearing a white suit and a string tie. And his Colonel title? It’s an honorary rank bestowed by a Kentucky governor. Now he’s buried several hours away in Louisville’s historic Cave Hill Cemetery.

The restaurant includes a life-size statue of Sanders and KFC memorabilia. Visitors see an original cash register and dining room. Most eventually succumb to temptation and order chicken. It’s the same meal you can find anywhere else, but somehow it feels more authentic here.
Harland Sanders Café and Museum, 1002 W. Dixie Hwy., Corbin, KY 40701, 606-528-2163.

The Shawnee and Cherokee Indians considered the bow a sign of the Great Spirit, and that carries through to modern visitors as well. A former park superintendent often called the bow spiritual. The falls itself is inspiring, too, tumbling down more than 60 feet.

But the state park isn’t just a one-trick destination. It has loads of low-cost activities for those times when a full moon isn’t shining. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the staff offers a full array of activities, from craft classes where families can make leaf-print and tie-dye shirts for a small fee to free evening square, line, and country dances. An instructor will teach the steps, providing an authentic souvenir of the region’s mountain culture.

Seventeen miles of hiking trails lace the park. The most popular, the 2-mile round-trip hike to Eagle Falls, features a smaller waterfall with views out to Cumberland Falls. Accommodations couldn’t be simpler. There’s camping ($12 per night) and rooms in the Dupont Lodge start at around $90. The park’s Riverview Restaurant offers simple country-style meals with a stunning view of the falls. Budget motels and restaurants can be found 18 miles away in the town of Corbin.

Other activities take advantage of the park’s location. Park staff often lead a caravan for 15 miles to Natural Arch, the state’s largest sandstone arch in
Daniel Boone National Forest
(859-745-3100,
www.fs.fed.us/r8/boone
). Another perfect day trip is to
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
(423-569-9778,
www.nps.gov/biso
), where a 16-mile rail excursion on the
Big South Fork Scenic Railway
(100 Henderson St., Stearns, 800-462-5664,
www.bsfsry.com
, $18) leads guests to Blue Heron Coal Mining Camp, a National Park Service outdoor museum created from a restored town. The trip leaves from Stearns, Kentucky, and lasts about 3.5 hours.

HOW TO GET IN TOUCH

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park,
7351 Hwy. 90, Corbin, KY 40701, 606-528-4121,
http://parks.ky.gov
.

swim with the whale sharks

GLADDEN SPIT MARINE RESERVE, BELIZE

It sounds crazy, I know, but when I swim in the sea I talk to it.

I never feel alone when I’m out there.

—
GERTRUDE EDERLE, FIRST WOMAN TO SWIM ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL (1926)

38 |
Let’s get a couple things straight about the whale shark. Neither whale nor shark, the world’s largest fish has somehow escaped public attention. At almost 40 feet long and with a tail fin as tall as a man, these gentle giants don’t have menacing teeth or personalities. They eat microscopic plankton and fish eggs, and leave humans alone.

Nearby Belize is one of the best places in the world to see—and swim with—the magnificent creatures. But this adventure is best left to certified scuba divers. Although some companies offer trips to snorkel with whale sharks, the waters are usually too rough to make the trip comfortable.

But if you have diving experience, these animals offer a reason to dust off your PADI card. Researchers know the best time to see the animals is at a deepwater nature preserve called
Gladden Spit
in April, May, and June, in the time period running from two days before the full moon to eight days after. That’s when huge schools of snapper release eggs and the whale sharks come to dine by swimming through the cloud.

High school principal Tamara Addis says the experience was a dive of a lifetime. She recalls how she and her dive group dropped into the ocean and then formed a large circle about 60 feet underwater. Beneath her, she could see thousands of silver fish—snapper—and then she spied her first whale shark. “It just emerged beneath me, a 35-foot fish.” Eventually there were seven swimming around the divers, as curious about the humans as they were about the animals. “They were absolutely beautiful and huge,” she said. “It was just like a dream.”

$PLURGE

DIVING INTO BELIZE

Belize’s barrier reef is part of the second longest reef system in the world after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. It’s a diver’s paradise, and not particularly expensive to explore. To make a vacation of it, consider all-inclusive dive resorts like Off the Wall, which occupies its own 13-acre island about an hour’s boat trip from Dangriga. A reasonably priced splurge, a basic eight-day dive vacation, including meals, accommodations, and 12 dives, runs $1,695. A day trip to the whale sharks costs $175 extra.
Off the Wall, P.O. Box 195, Dangriga, Belize,
www.offthewallbelize.com
.

AQUARIUM ENCOUNTER

You don’t have to head to the Caribbean to swim with the magnificent whale shark. In land-locked Atlanta, the Georgia Aquarium has a program to swim with its animals. And no diving or snorkeling experience is required.

The
Journey with Gentle Giants
package provides a full diving suit and an air supply so guests can stay at the surface of the aquarium’s Ocean Voyager exhibit. The daily program begins at 4:40 p.m. and lasts 2.5 hours, although the swim portion only lasts 30 minutes. Participants also get a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium, one of the world’s largest. All guests must be 12 or older, and those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult; the price starts at $225 per person.
Georgia Aquarium, 225 Baker St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30313, 404-581-4000,
www.georgiaaquarium.org
.

Access to Gladden Spit Marine Reserve is by permit and only opened to licensed dive boats. Visits are limited to daylight hours to prevent the whale sharks from being harassed or overwhelmed by visitors. Although the dive is considered advanced, Addis said several in her group had minimal experience and did fine.

Many dive boat operators can be found in nearby Placencia. A day trip with
Seahorse Dive Shop
(800-991-1969,
www.belizescuba.com
), for example, runs $165 and includes two tanks and all diving equipment.

HOW TO GET IN TOUCH

Placencia Tourism Centre,
General Delivery, Placencia Village, Belize, 011-501-523-4045,
www.placencia.com
.

play easy rider

NATIONWIDE

Freedom is something that dies unless it’s used.

—
GONZO JOURNALIST HUNTER S. THOMPSON, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH
SALON.COM
MAGAZINE (2003)

39 |
Whether you’re a fast-is-better disciple of the late author Hunter S. Thompson, a counterculture biker like Peter Fonda in
Easy Rider
, or an aging biking Boomer like
Wild Hogs’
John Travolta and Tim Allen, any way you approach it, motorcycles represent freedom—and the open road.

The appeal is more than just youthful fantasy, says Gary McKechnie, author of the best-selling motorcycle guidebook
Great American Motorcycle Tours.
On a bike, “you grab as much coastline as you can, as many back roads as you can. You don’t have a schedule…you feel the wind in your face, the sun in your face, you smell the trees and the outdoors as you ride. There’s more of a sense of exploration.”