Featuring North America’s Leading Travel Destinations
North America's Top Tour Destinations Philadelphia: A City of Firsts San Antonio at 300 Historic Deadwood
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Byways Magazine
ŠCopyright 2017 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in any form without express written permission of the publisher.
For more than 34 years, Byways has been covering the leading destinations along the highways and byways of North America. Some of the most well-known, and least known, destinations to discover in the United States and Canada.
Byways is published in three versions. They is the Turn-Key edition on the web for viewing on Computers, Android, iOS (iPhone and iPad). There is an Apple App Store edition. There is also a Byways Magazine Channel in Apple News. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine 502-785-4875 http://bywaysmagazine.com
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PREVIEW By Steve Kirchner, Editor & Publisher
Today, Philadelphia is a thriving destination, popular elcome to the Byways issue for its history, cultural attractions and fine dining experihighlighting the top tour destinations of 2018. Each year ences. No wonder it has been rated in Byways top destiByways surveys professional tour plan- nations survey for more than 30 years. San Antonio is celebrating its 300th birthday throughners throughout North America to see out 2018. Deep in the heart of Texas, San Antonio’s bold where they believe their customers will culture and historic legacies make it an ideal gateway to be traveling in the new year. And the Latin American culture. results are listed in this issue of Byways. Today San Antonio is the nation’s seventh-largest and As always, we caution this is not a random survey, third-fastest growing city in the United States. rather it is a listing based solely on those tour planners For many, San Antonio is the Paseo del Rio, an urban who responded to the survey. masterpiece better known as the River Walk. These cobThis year Washington, DC returns to the top spot, bareble and flagstone paths border the San Antonio River, as ly edging out New York City. Gettysburg, PA moves up it winds through culture-rich downtown. to the number three spot, one of its best showings since The town of Deadwood, South Dakota, began illegalthe survey began more than 30 years ago. Rounding out ly in the 1870s on land which had been granted to the top five are Philadelphia and Nashville. American Indians in the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. It’s only when you look at those destinations on the But when Colonel George honorable mention list that you realize Armstrong Custer led an how difficult it is to make the Top 50 list. expedition into the Black It’s not surprising that Pennsuyvania Hills and announced the diswas selected as the top state, given that covery of gold on French Gettysburg, Philadelphia, Lancaster, Creek near present-day Hershey and Valley Forge were all selectCuster, South Dakota, everyed as Top 50 destinations. thing changed. Tennessee finished in second place, folIt set off one of the great lowed by Virginia, Kentucky and Florida. gold rushes in American hisIt’s the highest finish for Kentucky since Gaming in Deadwood, South Dakota tory. In 1876, miners moved the survey began. into the northern Black Hills. Nova Scotia retained its top spot in the That’s where they came across a gulch full of dead trees Canadian rankings, followed by Ontario and Quebec. and a creek full of gold and Deadwood was born. Hampton Inns pulled away in the hotel competition, Deadwood became known for its lawlessness. followed by Holiday Inns/Holiday Inn Express. Practically overnight, the tiny gold camp boomed into a Washington, DC’s Monuments again took the top spot town that played by its own rules that attracted outlaws, in the Man-Made Attractions category, followed by the gamblers and gunslingers along with the gold seekers. Statue of Liberty and Dollywood. Today, the town is booming once again. You’ll find Pennsylania Dutch country took the honors in the modern-day casinos, resort hotels, full-service spas, big National Attraction category, followed by Niagara Falls name concerts, and some of the best parties in the entire and Cape Cod. United States. Finally, in the Group Friendly Restaurant category, In What’s Happening, we visit Memphis, which is Cracker Barrel finished first againt followed by Golden commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the passing of Corral. Dr. Martin Luther King. Through interactive exhibits, Also in this issue of Byways, we feature three of the Byways Top 50 tour destinations, Philadelphia, San historic collections, dynamic speakers and special events, the National Civil Right Museum offers visitors Antonio and Deadwood. a chance to walk through history and learn more about a In July 1776, the rewards were great as independence tumultuous and inspiring period of change. rang out with the signing of the Declaration of We hope you enjoy this issue of Byways. Independence in Philadelphia. Since then, Philadelphia has become a city of firsts. In fact, the number is truly amazing. Byways • 4
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Volume 34, Issue No. 6 2017
Features
On the cover. Downtown Deadwood, South Dakota is just one of the Top 50 destinations in Byways annual listing of the top North American tour destinations. For more about Historic Deadwood, see page 34. For the complete listing of top destinations, turn to page 8. Photo courtesy deadwood.com.
North America’s Top Tour Destinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 The Top 50 Group Tour Destinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Philadelphia: City of Firsts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Dewey, Oklahoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 San Antonio, Deep in the Heart of Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Historic Deadwood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Departments
Byways Instant Connect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Byways Preview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Traveling the Highways & Byways with Bill Graves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
What’s Happening
Memphis Commemorates 50th Year of Dr. King’s Passing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Coming in future issues of Byways ..... Great American Railroads, Mountains & Valleys, Ocean Views, Rivers & Lakes and much more! Next Up: Great American Railroads are featured in the next issue of Byways. Riding the Northern Nevada Railway, pictured below. Photo courtesy Northern Nevada Railway.
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North America’s Top Tour Destinations
View from Walkway over the Hudson River, looking south. Photo courtesy Dutchess Tourism. 8 • Byways
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The Top 50 North America Tour Destinations for 2018
1. Washington, DC
2. New York City, NY 3. Gettysburg, PA
4. Philadelphia, PA 5. Nashville, TN
26. Atlanta, GA
27. San Antonio, TX
28. Albuquerque, NM
29. San Francisco, CA
30. Memphis, TN
6. Lancaster, PA
31. St. Louis, MO
8. Branson, MO
33. Valley Forge, PA
7. Niagara Falls, NY & ON
32. Richmond, VA
9. Baltimore, MD
34. Denver, CO
11. Cape Cod, MA
36. Hudson Valley, NY
13. Williamsburg, VA
38. San Diego, CA
10. Chicago, IL
12. Hershey, PA
14. Pigeon Forge, TN
15. Asheville, NC
16. New Orleans, LA 17. Charleston, SC
35. Cleveland, OH
37. Quebec City, QB
39. Colorado Springs, CO
40. Elkins, WV
41. Cincinnati, OH
42. Deadwood, SD
18. Virginia Beach, VA
43. Alexandria, VA
20. Louisville, KY
45. Knoxville, TN
19. Savannah, GA
21. Atlantic City, NJ
22. Mackinaw Island, MI
23. Myrtle Beach, SC
24. Orlando, FL
25. Las Vegas, NV 10 • Byways
44. Cherokee, NC
46. Miami, FL
47. Indianapolis, IN
48. Los Angeles, CA
49. Detroit, MI
50. Baton Rouge, LA
Honorable Mention
Annapolis, MD Austin, TX Biloxi-Gulfport, MS Boise, ID Charlotte, NC Chattanooga, TN Dallas-Fort Worth, TX Des Moines, IA Dover, DE Fort Lauderdale, FL Harpers Ferry, WV Jacksonville, FL Kansas City, MO Laughlin, NV Lexington, KY Little Rock, AR Milwaukee, WI Minneapolis, MN Mobile, AL Monterrey, CA Montreal, QB
Newport, RI Norfolk, VA Mystic, CT Ocean City, MD Oklahoma City, OK Omaha, NE Ottawa, ON Palm Springs, CA Phoenix, AZ Pittsburgh, PA Portland, OR Providence, RI Rapid City, SD Sacramento, CA Salt Lake City, UT Santa Fe, NM Seattle, WA Tampa, FL Toronto, ON Tucson, AZ Wheeling, WV
With one of the world’s most renowned tour guide programs, Gettysburg is a place that looks beyond the facts and brings history to life through engaging tours, interactive exhibits and living historians themselves. Photo courtesy destinationgettysburg.com.
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1. Pennsylvania
The Top 30 States
20. Indiana
2. Tennessee
21. Texas
4. Kentucky
23. Wisconsin
3. Virginia
22. Vermont
5. Florida
24. Alabama
7. Georgia
26. Maine
6. Illinois
8. South Carolina
9. Massachusetts 10. New Jersey 11. Ohio
12. Louisiana
13. North Carolina
14. West Virginia 15. Missouri
16. Maryland
17. Connecticut 18. Michigan
19. South Dakota
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25. Arizona
27. Nebraska
28. California
29. Minnesota
30. Rhode Island
Top 5 Canadian Provinces 1. Nova Scotia
2. Ontario
3. Quebec
4. Prince Edward Island
5. New Brunswick
The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville.
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A horse and buggy ride down a gorgeous Amish country back road. Photo Credit DiscoverLancaster.com / Brian Evans.
Top 10 Group Friendly Hotels
1. Hampton Inns
Top 15 Man-Made Attractions
1. Washington, DC Monuments
2. Holiday Inns/Holiday Inn Express
2. Statue of Liberty
4. Drury Inns
4. Hershey Park
3. Hilton
5. Best Western 6. Comfort Inns 7. Marriott
8. Fairfield Inns 9. Doubletree 10. Hyatt
3. Dollywood
5. New York’s Broadway
6. Grand Ole Opry
7. Smithsonian Institution
8. Baseball Hall of Fame
9. Radio City Music Hall
10. Mall of America
11. Mount Vernon
12. Elvis Presley’s Graceland 13. Henry Ford Museum
14. Shenandoah National Park 15. Universal Studios
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The Grist Mill at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN. Photo courtesy Wes Ramey and the Dollywood Company.
View of Garden of the Gods from the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center in Colorado Springs. Byways photo.
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Top 10 Natural Attractions
1. Pennsylvania Dutch
2. Niagara Falls, NY & ON 3. Cape Cod, MA
4. Mount Rushmore, SD 5. Black Hills, SD
6. Yellowstone National Park, WY & MT 7. Grand Canyon, AZ 8. Valley Forge, PA
9. Glacier National Park, MT
10. Yosemite National Park, CA
Top 10 Group Friendly Restaurants
1. Cracker Barrel
2. Golden Corral
3. Buca de Beppo
4. Landry’s Seafood Restaurants
5. Texas Roadhouse
6. Bob Evans
7. Ryans
8. Denny’s
9. Applebees
10. Phillips Restaurants
A close-up photo of Mount Rushmore from the Presidential Trail. Photo courtesy National Park Service. 16 • Byways
Welcome to Needles, where Historic Route 66 and the Colorado River meet in California.
Best Western Colorado River Inn
Free Hot Breakfast @Juicy’s Famous River Cafe Right Next Door!
2731 W. Broadway (Route 66) (760) 326-4552 Needles, California 92363 www.coloradoriverinn.com
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Philadelphia: A City of Firsts
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Sleek, modern buildings dominate Philadelphia’s skyline. Until 1987, a gentlemen’s agreement limited building construction to the height of City Hall. Today, lights emanate from dozens of buildings, making the nation’s fifth largest city sparkle. Photo courtesy R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia® Byways • 19
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illiam Penn founded Philadelphia in 1682 and applied his Quaker ideals of racial harmony and religious tolerance to the colony. Nearly 100 years later, during the American Revolution, the fight for freedom took hold in Philadelphia. In July 1776, the rewards were great as independence rang out with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The 19th century proved to be prosperous for the city, still very much the nation’s center of culture and industry. Today, Philadelphia is a thriving destination, popular for its history, cultural attractions and fine dining experiences. 20 • Byways
There are 4.0 million people residing in the five-county region (7.8 million in the Philadelphia Designated Market Area) and 1.6 million in Philadelphia, making it the second-largest city on the East Coast and the fifthlargest in the country. Center City ranks second in downtown populations in the U.S., behind New York City’s Manhattan. Philadelphia experiences four distinct seasons with a moderately cold winter and hot, humid summer. January average temperature, 32 degrees Fahrenheit; July average temperature, 78 degrees; average yearly rainfall, 41 inches; normal seasonal snowfall, 21 inches.
Philadelphia’s City Hall stands as the nation’s largest municipal building, and its elaborate architecture makes it one of the most spectacular. Photo courtesy by C. Smyth for VVisit Philadelphia®
America’s Firsts
In addition to being the birthplace of the nation, Philadelphia can claim many of America’s firsts: • First hospital (Pennsylvania Hospital, 1751) • First reading of the Declaration of Independence (1776) • First Fourth of July celebration (1777) • First stock exchange (Philadelphia Stock Exchange, 1790) • First capital of the United States (1790-1800) • First art museum and school (Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1805) • First natural history institution (The Academy of Natural Sciences, 1812) • First department store (Wanamaker’s) • First Mother’s Day (1908) • First Thanksgiving Day Parade (1920) • First professional football game (Philadelphia Eagles beat Cincinnati Reds, 64-0, 1934) • First zoo (Philadelphia Zoo, 1874) • First computer (ENIAC) • First ice cream sundae
More Philly superlatives are in order. Philadelphia has America’s oldest street in continuous use (Elfreth’s Alley), the largest mall on the East Coast (King of Prussia Mall), the most murals in the country (3,800), the oldest theater in continuous use in the English-speaking world (Walnut Street Theatre, 1809), the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor market (Italian Market), the largest landscaped city park (Fairmount Park, 8,700 acres), the oldest African-American newspaper (The Philadelphia Tribune), one of the largest masonry buildings in the world (City Hall), one of the few cities with a professional franchise in all five major league sports and the longest-running folk parade (New Year’s Day’s Mummers Parade, 1901).
Attractions
A sample of city attractions: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, The African American Museum in Philadelphia, Barnes Foundation, Betsy
In Philadelphia, every wall is a potential blank canvas, and stunning murals adorn building exteriors all over the city. Credit: Photo by K.Ciappa for Visit Philadelphia®
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The Philadelphia Museum of Art rises majestically at the end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The Comcast Center towers as the tallest building between New York and Chicago. Photo courtesy B. Krist for Visit PhiladelphiaÂŽ
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Philadelphia’s Mummers Parade is a centuries-old New Year’s Day tradition that has flash, fanfare, humor and live music, courtesy of costumed string bands that play. Photo courtesy J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia®
Ross House, City Hall, Eastern State Penitentiary, The Franklin Institute, Independence National Historical Park (including Independence Hall and Liberty Bell Center). Also, Independence Seaport Museum, Institute of Contemporary Art, Morris Arboretum, Mütter Museum, National Constitution Center, National Liberty Museum, One Liberty Observation Deck, Penn Museum, Penn’s Landing, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts,
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Zoo, Please Touch Museum, The Rosenbach of the Free Library of Philadelphia, Walnut Street Theatre, and Wilma Theater. Regional attractions include the American Helicopter Museum and Education Center, Brandywine River Museum, Elmwood Park Zoo, Fonthill Museum, Longwood Gardens, Mercer Museum, James A. Michener Art Museum, Tyler Arboretum and Valley Forge National Historical Park.
In a neighborhood that’s always ready for a party, the Midtown Village Fall Festival is a highlight of Philadelphia’s busy fall festival season. Photo courtesy J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia® Byways • 23
Autumn colors flank Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, the birthplace of the United States of America and one of only 20 World Heritage sites in the country. It is here that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Photo courtesy C. Smyth for Visit Philadelphia®
Famous Philadelphians
Those Philadelphians who became famous include Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, W.C. Fields, Edgar Allan Poe, James A. Michener, Walter Annenberg, Reverend Leon Sullivan, W.E.B. DuBois, Marian Anderson, John Coltrane, Grace Kelly, “Dr. J.” Julius Irving, Wilt Chamberlain, Will Smith, Patti LaBelle, Kevin Bacon, M. Night Shyamalan, Jill Scott, Pink, Tina Fey, Bradley Cooper and Kevin Hart. 24 • Byways
Shopping in Philadelphia
Philadelphia neighborhoods and malls offer a wealth of diverse shopping experiences, from independent boutiques and upscale shops on big and little streets in Center City and in the vast King of Prussia Mall, to outlet stores and discount malls such as Franklin Mills. There is no sales tax on clothing in Pennsylvania and no GST or Federal tax for Canadian visitors.
ca, with good eating as much of a draw as the Liberty Bell, the Rocky Balboa statue, and the diverse culture.” (July 2009) Dining trends throughout the region that make Philadelphia such a well-recognized foodie town include: the bring-yourown-bottle (BYOB) craze; outdoor cafes; kitchens using locally grown, farm-fresh ingredients; couples in the kitchen; and the dining empires of prolific restaurateurs Stephen Starr and Jose Garces. Visit Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog: visitphilly.com
uwishunu.com
A family gets up close to the famously cracked Liberty Bell. Photo courtesy D. Cruz for Visit Philadelphia®
Acclaimed Restaurants
Philadelphia is a true diner’s destination. Bon Appétit magazine said, “The City of Brotherly Love has become an urban culinary mec-
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Traveling the Highways & Byways with Bill Graves ounted on a stone pedestal, beside Highway 79 in Arizona, is a blackiron silhouette of a riderless bronco. It marks the spot where Tom Mix, star of silent movies and noted circus performer, was killed. Mix was hit in the back of the head by an aluminum suitcase that went flying after he crashed through a road barrier. The 1937 Cord he was driving ended upside down in gully that’s now called Tom Mix Wash. This happened in 1940, 17 miles south of Florence. Driving alone, he apparently ignored a warning sign that the bridge over the gully was out. He was 60. I came upon this site 10 years ago en route to Tucson. It’s hard to miss — the road here is long, flat and straight, surrounded by desert scrub and an occasional cactus. The iron statue has several bullet holes in it. In
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Dewey, Oklahoma
Arizona it’s legal to carry a gun. Apparently for some who carry them, being on an empty road in an empty desert, the urge to use it becomes overpowering when a target looms out there. Seeing this marker -– count it among the discoveries we make in our travels — was like walking in at the end of a movie. It leaves us with more questions than answers. Later, sometimes
Tom Mix Museum, Dewey, Oklahoma. Photos courtesy Bill Graves.
years, we come upon what Paul Harvey used to call, “The Rest of the Story.” I am at the Tom Mix Museum in Dewey, Oklahoma. I would think that a namesake museum should rightly be where the guy grew up. Not so. Tom Mix grew up in Pennsylvania. This is where his third wife grew up. He came here in 1909 and was the town marshal for a while. He eventually had five wives. Living fast and restlessly, he may well have had more if he had lived longer. All his life Mix made his living with horses. He started as a cowboy working all over the west and later here in Oklahoma. A lifesized likeness of his most famous horse, Tony, is the centerpiece of the Museum. One display tells of his stint in the Army, serving in the Spanish-American War. It says eventually “he left without telling Uncle Sam good bye.” “The Army still lists him as a deserter,” Dwane Price told me. Dwane is the Secretary of the Museum’s Board. “Then how did he ever get to be a town marshal?” I
Arizona Memorial to Tom Mix. Photo courtesy Bill Graves.
1937 Cord driven by Tom Mix. asked. “That was 1912. Guess you’d say the information age never caught up with him. Actually the marshal job was kin to being a security guard. “He made 339 movies between 1910 and 1935, all but five or six were silent films – mostly ‘one-reelers’ that ran about 15 minutes. When ‘talkies’ came in, he bowed out. Some say he was self-conscious about his voice. Actually, it was a matter of ill-fitting dentures. They often clicked unpredictably when he talked.” With his movie career over, he became a circus performer. During the 1930s, he even owned a circus. “People who visit the museum now say they remember the Tom Mix radio show and its ‘Straight Shooter Club,’” Dwane said. “An actor played Tom, but Tom made public appearances promoting the show and its sponsor Ralston Purina.” Tom Mix has a place in American history: he defined the genre of cowboy movies and was the first of the megastars of Hollywood westerns. When an injury caused football player John Wayne to drop out of USC, it was Tom Mix who got him a job moving props on the back lot at Fox Studios. And we know the rest of that story. About the author: After seeing much of the world as a career naval officer, Bill Graves decided, after he retired, to take a closer look at the United States. He has been roaming the country for 20 years, much of it in a motorhome with his dog
Rusty. He lives in Rancho Palos Verdes, California and is the author of On the Back Roads, Discovering Small Towns. of America. He can be reached at Roadscribe@aol.com.
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San Antonio at 300, Deep in the Heart of Texas
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The San Antonio Riverwalk at night. Photo courtesy Bob Howen and visitsanantonio.com. Byways • 29
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San Antonio Skyline. Photo courtesy visitsanantonio.com.
eep in the heart of Texas, San Antonio’s bold culture and historic legacies make it an ideal gateway to Latin American culture and so much more. The city is celebrating its 300th birthday throughout 2018, The rolling terrain of the Hill Country around San Antonio has drawn charming vineyards, hillside bed and breakfasts and nationally acclaimed resorts that offer rustic refinement in the most pampering of ways, from championship golf courses to fireside spas and delectable restaurants. As you delve deeper into San Antonio, the essence of the city’s rich culture only grows stronger. Varied cuisines, including famed Tex-Mex, fill the air with rich aromas. Music flourishes: country-western bands, mariachis, folk singers, conjunto — all singing the songs of the city. Art comes alive with river gardens, Spanish 30 • Byways
colonial architecture and prestigious museums. But nothing embodies the essence of San Antonio more than the people with their intimate and welcoming nature. Today San Antonio is the nation’s seventh-largest and third-fastest growing city in the United States. It hosts more than 34 million visitors a year. Top industries include aerospace, manufacturing, IT, tourism and healthcare and bioscience.
The River Walk
For many, San Antonio is the Paseo del Rio, an urban masterpiece better known as the River Walk. These cobble- and flagstone paths border the San Antonio River, as it winds through culture-rich downtown. The River Walk has multiple personalities — quiet and park-like in some stretches, while other areas are full of activity with European-style sidewalk cafes, specialty
boutiques, art galleries, nightclubs and gleaming highrise hotels. Under the Mission Reach project, the river reclaimed eight miles worth of waterways in 2013. The River Walk now links Brackenridge Park on the north end with Mission Espada to the south. Rio San Antonio Cruises, the river’s floating transportation system, provides a novel method of sightseeing and people watching in downtown San Antonio. Groups can dine aboard open-air cruisers as they drift along the scenic waterway, while river taxis deliver visitors to restaurants, hotels, the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center and The Shops at Rivercenter — a dazzling three-level, glass shopping, dining and entertainment complex. Explore Spanish colonial architecture at San Antonio’s five 18th-century missions. Among them is The Alamo, which has become permanently etched in the annals of history. In 1836, 189 defenders of Texas independence held The Alamo against some 4,000 Mexican troops for 13 days. Four other Spanish colonial missions founded in the early 1700s form San Antonio Missions National Historical Park — a marvelous place to explore the city’s roots and Spain’s influence on the southwestern part of the United States. These four missions, along with the Alamo, earned UNESCO’s World Heritage Site designation in 2015. The visitor center at Mission San José is the perfect starting point for exploring what the missions have to offer. Drive from mission to mission or take Mission Trail, ideal for hiking and biking.
Downtown San Antonio
A tour of downtown San Antonio will uncover centuries of history. Developed in the mid to late 18th century, La Villita Historic Arts Village (“the little village”) was one of San Antonio’s original settlements. It became a hub of Texas revolutionary activities in 1835 and 1836. Today, La Villita is a haven for artists and craftsmen, selling blown glass, jewelry and other handcrafts, as well as
Dolphin Cove at Sea World. Photo courtesy visitsanantonio.com.
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Remember the Alamo. Photo courtesy visitsanantonio.com.
fashions from Mexico and Guatemala. The Spanish Governor’s Palace was the seat of government when San Antonio was the capital of the Spanish Province of Texas. This historic structure is open to the public and resides downtown near City Hall TexMexDining. Photo courtesy Stuart Dee and visitsanantonio.com.
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and San Fernando Cathedral. San Fernando Cathedral has the nation’s oldest cathedral sanctuary and was founded by Canary Islanders who began its construction in 1731. Dating to 1840, Market Square (El Mercado), the
ideo V r o f k c Cli largest Mexican marketplace north of the Rio Grande, is a festive combination of Tex-Mex cuisine, music, entertainment, products ranging from pearls to piñatas, and the anchor Centro de Artes — an exhibit that tells the story of Latinos in America. Just south of downtown’s Market Square, the King William Historic District reflects San Antonio’s German heritage in a gracious residential area settled in the late 1800s. These beautiful mansions comprise one of San Antonio’s most elite neighborhoods.
Mission San José. Photo courtesy visitsanantonio.com.
of-the-art, interactive experience that brings the world famous book to life. Another popular stop is the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum which showcases a 124year old bar, one-of-a-kind oddities, Western memorabilia, and offers visitors a journey back to the Old West through exhibits, an old-fashioned arcade, the saloon and a shooting gallery. Follow your senses through the San Antonio Botanical Garden, where acres of beautiful, lush vegetation replicate three distinct landscapes of Texas. Wander through formal gardens and even a sensory garden, where San Antonio Attractions emphasis is placed on the texture and scent of plants. Enjoy Texas-sized fun at SeaWorld San Antonio, one More information about San Antonio can be found at of the world’s largest marine life parks, and Six Flags visitsanantonio.com. Fiesta Texas, the town built just for fun. SeaWorld San Antonio combines fun with education and The Saloon at the Buckhorn Museum. appreciation for some of the ocean’s most fascinatPhoto courtesy visitsanantonio.com. ing creatures through shows, educational exhibits and rides. San Antonio’s newest theme park is Morgan’s Wonderland. Designed specifically for individuals with special needs, Morgan’s Wonderland is the world’s first ultra-accessible family fun park. Another favorite is the Tower of the Americas, which offers a spectacular view of San Antonio from 750 feet above the ground. The Guinness World Records Museum is a stateByways • 33
Historic Deadwood The Days of 76 parade in downtown Deadwood, South Dakota. Photo courtesy deadwood.com
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he settlement of Deadwood began illegally in the 1870s on land which had been granted to American Indians in the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. The treaty had guaranteed ownership of the Black Hills to the Lakota people and land disputes were endemic, having reached the United States Supreme Court on several occasions. However, in 1874, Colonel George Armstrong Custer led an expedition into the Black Hills and announced the discovery of gold on French Creek near present-day Custer, South Dakota. This announcement triggered the Black Hills Gold Rush and gave rise to the new and lawless town of Deadwood, which quickly reached a population of around 5,000. The discovery of gold in the southern Black Hills in 1874 set off one of the great gold rushes in American history. In 1876, miners moved into the northern Black Hills. That’s where they came across a gulch full of dead trees and a creek full of gold and Deadwood was born. In early 1876, frontiersman Charlie Utter and his brother Steve led a wagon train to Deadwood containing what were deemed to be needed commodities to bolster business. The gamblers and prostitutes resulted in the establishment of several profitable ventures. Madame Mustache and Dirty Em were on the wagon train and set up shop in what was referred to as Deadwood Gulch. Demand for women was high and the business of prostitution proved to have a good market. Madam Dora DuFran would eventually become the 36 • Byways
Reenactors create the look of the Old West in Deadwood. Photo courtesy deadwood.com.
most profitable brothel owner in Deadwood, closely followed by Madam Mollie Johnson.
Lawlessness
Deadwood became known for its lawlessness, during which time murder was common and punishment for murders not always fair and impartial. The town attained
Downtown Deadwood. Photo courtesy deadwood.com.
further notoriety for the murder of gunman Wild Bill Hickok on August 2, 1876. Mount Moriah Cemetery is the final resting place of Hickok and Calamity Jane, as well as slightly less notable figures such as Seth Bullock. Hickok’s murderer, Jack McCall, was prosecuted twice, despite the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition against double jeopardy, because of a ruling that Deadwood was
A stagecoach arrives at the Franklin Hotel in Deadwood. Photo courtesy deadwood.com.
an illegal town in Indian Territory and thus lacked the jurisdiction to prosecute or acquit McCall. This decision moved McCall’s trial to a Dakota Territory court (“Indian Court”), where he was found guilty of murder and hanged. Practically overnight, the tiny gold camp boomed into a town that played by its own rules that attracted outlaws,
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gamblers and gunslingers along with the gold seekers. Wild Bill Hickok was one of those men who came looking for fortune. But just a few short weeks after arriving, he was gunned down while holding a poker hand of aces and eights – forever after known as the Dead Man’s Hand. Calamity Jane also made a name for herself in these parts and is buried next to Hickok in Mount Moriah Cemetery. Other legends, like Potato Creek Johnny, Seth Bullock and Al Swearengen, created their legends and legacies in this tiny Black Hills town.
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The Silverado Casino at night. Photo courtesy Dugan Thomas and deadwood.com.
Deadwood Fires
Deadwood has survived three major fires and numerous economic hardships, pushing it to the verge of becoming another Old West ghost town. But in 1989 limited-wage gambling was legalized and Deadwood was reborn. As the economy changed from gold panning to deep mining, Deadwood lost its rough and rowdy character and developed into a prosperous town. A major fire in September 1959 came close to destroying the town. About 4,500 acres acres were burned and
Days of 76 Museum in Deadwood. Photo courtesy deadwood.com.
an evacuation order was issued. In 1961, the entire town was designated a National Historic Landmark, for its well-preserved collection of late 19th-century frontier architecture. Most of the town’s buildings were built before 1900, with only modest development since then. The town continued to decline through the 1960s and 1970s. Interstate 90 bypassed Deadwood in 1964 and its brothels were shut down after a 1980 raid. The fire fueled interest in the area and spurred the
The shops are busy in downtown Deadwood. Photo courtesy deadwood.com.
“Deadwood Experiment”, in which gambling was tested as a means of revitalizing a city center. At the time, gambling was legal only in the state of Nevada and in Atlantic City. Deadwood was the first small community in the U.S. to seek legal gambling revenues as a way of maintaining local historic qualities. Gambling was legalized in Deadwood in 1989 and immediately brought significant new revenues and development.
Casinos & Gaming
Try your luck in Deadwood’s 24/7 historic gaming halls and casinos. You’ll find the latest slot machines, a variety of poker games, blackjack, craps, roulette and keno. Casinos are open 24/7, meaning it’s always your lucky day.
Festivals & Events
There are numerous festivals and events throughout the year, including The Days of 76 celebration and the Wild Bill Days celebration. The Days of 76 celebration began in 1924 as a way to honor Deadwood’s first pioneers – the prospectors, min-
ers, muleskinners, and madams who poured into the Black Hills in 1876 to settle the gold-filled gulches of Dakota Territory. Since then, the Days of 76 has grown into a legendary annual event with a historic parade and an award-winning PRCA rodeo. Learn more at the Days of 76 museum. Wild Bill Days. Celebrate the life and times of one of Deadwood’s most famous gunslinger—Wild Bill Hickok. See big name artists and your favorite bands perform live concerts. June 15-16, 2018.
Outdoor Activities
In the summer, there are many trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horse back riding. The northern end of the George S. Mickelson Trail starts in Deadwood and runs south through the Black Hills to Edgemont. Several man-made lakes, including Sheridan Lake, provide fishing and swimming. Spearfish Canyon to the north has many places to rock climb. In early June the Mickelson Trail Marathon and 5K, as well as accompanying races for children, are held. During the winter there are two ski areas just a few miles outside of nearby Lead, SD – Terry Peak and Deer Mountain. Today, the town is booming once again. You’ll find modern-day casinos, resort hotels, full-service spas, big name concerts, and some of the best parties in the entire United States. Here you can walk in the footsteps of legends and make history in Deadwood. They have been entertaining guests since 1876. To learn more, visit deadwood.com Byways • 39
Exterior of National Civil Rights Museum. Photo courtesy Andrea Zucker.
M
Memphis Commemorates 50th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Passing
emphis is commemorating 50 years since the passing of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lorraine Motel. Established in 1991, the National Civil Rights Museum is located at the former Lorraine Motel, where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Through interactive exhibits, historic collections, dynamic speakers and special events, the museum offers visitors a chance to walk through history and learn more about a tumultuous and inspiring period of change. In addition to the motel, two other buildings and their adjacent property, also connected with the King assassination, have been acquired as part of the 40 • Byways
museum complex. The museum re-opened in 2014 after renovations that increased the number of multi-media and interactive exhibits, including numerous short movies to enhance features. The museum is owned and operated by the Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Foundation, based in Memphis. The Lorraine Motel is owned by the Tennessee State Museum and leased long term to the Foundation to operate as part of the museum complex.
Museum Exhibits
The museum exhibits a number of vehicles of historic value or just relevant to the time period. Vehicles on display include an International Harvestor Garbage Truck in an exhibit on the 1968 Memphis sanitation strike that brought King to Memphis, James Earl Ray’s Ford Mustang,
Cadillacs from the period parked outside the motel, a MLK50: Where Do We Go From Here? recreation of the burned shell of a Greyhound bus carryThis is the theme for the year-long commemoration of ing Freedom Riders and a bus representative of the Dr. King’s assassination. This was the title of Dr. King’s Montgomery Bus Boycott. final book as well as the title of the speech he delivered August 16, 1967 at the Southern Christian Leadership April 4, 2018 Conference. On April 4, 2018, all eyes will turn to Memphis, In 2018, our desire is not simply to reflect and recount Tennessee to remember the tragic event that occurred 50 the history, but to connect the history to contemporary years prior. Our nation’s greatest peacemaker was issues, so this forward-looking theme is most approprisnatched from us by a sniper’s bullet. It occurred at the ate for this commemoration. The sub-themes for the Lorraine Motel, 450 Mulberry Street in Memphis, events will be poverty/economic equity, education, jusTennessee, now, the location of the National Civil Rights tice and nonviolence. Museum. That shot would reverberate throughout the world, and http://mlk50.civilrightsmuseum.org on April 4, 2018, the world will remember the event that occurred at approximately 6:01 p.m. CT. The National Civil Rights Museum wants to help the world reflect, but not linger on the past, but instead use that horrific event to propel us forward.
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The wreath marks Dr. King’s approximate place at the time of his assassination. Photo courtesy Dave Greg. Byways • 41
Byways is published bi-monthly by Byways, Inc. and distributed electronically throughout North America. Byways is emailed to more than 4000 tour operators /Travel Trade through the Internet. Subscriptions are complimentary. An iPad & iPhone version is available for consumers in iTunes in the App Store. An Android browser version is available at www.issuu.com/byways. Byways’ distribution includes motorcoach companies, tour operators, selected travel agents, bank travel managers, school band and athletic planners, meeting planners and the travel trade. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine at 502-785-4875. ©Copyright 2017 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in any form without express written permission of the publisher. Editor and Publisher Stephen M. Kirchner
Advertising Director 502-785-4875
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