Byways Top Tour Destinations of 2015

Featuring North America’s Leading Travel Destinations

New York City’s One World Trade Center

North America’s Top Tour Destinations

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ŠCopyright 2014 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in any form without express written permission of the publisher.

Byways Magazine is celebrating its 31st year of publication in 2014, featuring the leading travel destinations along the highways and byways of North America. In 2010, Byways became an all digital publication. It is published in two versions, a free Turn-Key edition on the web for viewing on Computers, Android, iPhone and iPad. An Apple Newsstand/App Store edition including sound and interactive video is also available. All advertising and editorial is included in both versions of the publication.

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

n this issue of Byways, we announce those professional tour operators who took the time to the outcome of our annual survey on participate in this year’s survey.

We have some great features in this issue, beginning the Top Group Tour Destinations in with our cover story, One World Trade Center. From the North America, and also the Top States, ashes of 9/11 emerges the tallest and safest structure in Provinces, Hotels, Man-Made and North America. The pictures alone are breathtaking.

Natural Attractions.

From New York City we travel to the Pennsylvania Once again the Nation’s Capital, Dutch Country, which took first place in the Natural Washington, DC, heads the list of top cities, and its Attractions category.

But you can’t buy a ticket to enter, Monuments and Smithsonian Institution head the list of and its location is somewhat difficult to define.

Man-Made Attractions. Their popularity for tour groups Next we’re off to St. Louis to visit the Gateway Arch. undisputed, and the fact that they are unique--and free-Built as a monugives them an advantage ment to the westover other destinations that ward expansion of are unmatched. the United States, it From the nation’s center is the centerpiece of of power, to a small rural the Jefferson town in the Ozark National Expansion Mountains of Missouri is Memorial and has quite a leap, but that’s exactbecome an internaly what we find with the tionally famous entertainment and recresymbol of St. ational center of Branson Louis. coming in second in this There used to be year’s voting. just one way to visNext in line is New York it this island in San City, followed by two more Francisco Bay. smaller destinations, That was a sentence Gettysburg, PA and from a judge or Williamsburg, VA rounding jury. Today, howout the Top 5. ever, Alcatraz New York took top spot in Cruises specializes the State competition, folin taking visitors to lowed by Tennessee and prison.

But be St. Louis Gateway Arch & Riverboat Cruises.

Pennsylvania. Ontario took aware, it’s still a home the top spot among difficult place to visit, and there’s still only one way to Canadian Provinces, followed by Nova Scotia and get there.

Quebec.

Our final stop in this issue is the beautiful Yosemite Hampton Inns captured the Group Friendly Hotel catNational Park in California. egory, followed by Holiday Inns/Holiday Inn Express.

Yosemite was central to the development of the nationCracker Barrel came out on top of the Group Friendly al park idea.

And it is internationally recognized for its Restaurant category, followed by Golden Corral. spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant Washington’s Monuments and the Smithsonian Institutions were separated only by the Statue of Liberty sequoia groves, and biological diversity.

In What’s Happening we visit Birmingham, AL to witin the Man-Made attractions competition. ness how George Barber’s dream of displaying first cars, The Pennsylvania Dutch Country took the Natural then motorcycles, has grown to now over 1200 vintage Attractions category, followed closely by Niagara Falls and modern motorcycles as well as a substantial collecNY and ON, and the Grand Canyon. tion of Lotus and other racecars, and is considered the As always, we want to point out that our survey is not largest collection of its type in the world. a random sample, but just a compilation of results from 4 • Byways

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Volume 31, Issue No. 6, 2014

On the cover. One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower) as seen from the Hudson River. Photo courtesy Joe Mabel. See story page 14. To learn more about the leading group tour destinations in North America, turn to page 10.

Features

North America’s Top Group Tour Destinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Top 50 Cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Top States & Provinces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Top Hotels, Restaurants, Natural and Man-Made Attractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 One World Trade Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Pennsylvania Dutch Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 The St. Louis Gateway Arch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Alcatraz Cruises Takes Visitors to Prison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Yosemite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Departments

Byways Instant Connect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Byways Preview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Free Byways Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

What’s Happening

Birmingham’s Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Coming in future issues of Byways…. . .Great American Railroads, Ocean destinations along the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf, Mountains & Valleys, Rivers and Lakes, and much more!

At right: Alaska Railroad at the Spencer Glacier. Photo courtesy Frank Kovalchek.

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The Best Western Colorado River Inn has received the Best Western Chairman’s Award, the hotel chain’s highest honor for outstanding quality standards. The Chairman’s Award recognizes Best Western International hotels with a cleanliness and maintenance inspection score in the top 5 percent of more than 2,100 North

American properties in cleanliness and maintenance. “Receiving the Chairman’s Award from Best Western is a tremendous honor,” explains Philip Crouch General Manager, this award demonstrates the Best Western Colorado River Inn management’s commitment to providing quality accommodations for our guests.

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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The Top 50 North American Group Tour Destinations

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Springtime in Washignton, DC. View of the Washington Monument from the Tidal Basin. Photo courtesy Wendy Harman.

or more than 30 years Byways, has surved group tour operators to gain their perspective on the hottest destinations of the new year.

The poll is now conducted on-line through an electronic survey, but it’s not a random sample. And the results merely reflect the views of those professional tour operators who respond each year.

For 2015, the nation’s capital, Washington, DC has widened its lead over the competititon. With Washingtons’ Monuments (free) and the Smithsonian Institution (free) leading the Man-Made Attractions category, it’s difficult for anyone to compete with the nation’s center of government.

Placing second this year is Branson, MO. It’s amazing that a small Missouri town of 2500 can even compete 10 • Byways

with a city which is offen called the capital of the Free World. But it does.

Which shows the power of music in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, and Branson’s place in the center of an unmatched recreational area which annually draws visitors from hundreds of miles around for both entertainment and recreation.

New York City, Gettysburg, PA and Williamsburg, VA round out the top 5.

That smaller communities like Branson, Gettysburg and Williamsburg can compete with the Washington’s and New York City’s of the world is impressive.

We hope you enjoy viewing the 2015 survey results.

1. Washington, DC 2. Branson, MO 3. New York City, NY 4. Gettysburg, PA 5. Williamsburg, VA 6. Chicago, IL 7. Baltimore, MD 8. Philadelphia, PA 9. Nashville, TN 10. Niagara Falls, NY & ON 11. Virginia Beach, VA 12. Pigeon Forge, TN 13. Atlanta, GA 14. Lancaster, PA 15. Hershey, PA 16. Charleston, SC 17. Asheville, NC 18. Boston, MA 19. Las Vegas, NV 20. San Francisco, CA 21. Orlando, FL 22. New Orleans, LA 23. Cape Cod, MA 24. Myrtle Beach, SC 25. Richmond, VA 26. Atlantic City, NJ 27. Mackinaw Island, MI 28. Memphis, TN 29. San Antonio, TX 30. Albuquerque, NM 31. Biloxi-Gulfport, MS 32. St. Louis, MO 33. Los Angeles, CA 34. Louisville, KY 35. Quebec City, QB 36. San Diego, CA 37. Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX 38. Montreal, QB 39. Savannah, GA 40. Valley Forge, PA 41. Wheeling, WV 42. Oklahoma City, OK 43. Pittsburgh, PA 44. Seattle, WA 45. Detroit, MI

46. Cleveland, OH 47. Denver, CO 48. Toronto, ON 49. Annapolis, MD 50. Colorado Spring, CO

Honorable Mention

Alexandria, VA Anchorage, AK Austin, TX Boise, ID Buffalo, NY Cincinnati, OH Charlotte, NC Harpers Ferry, WV Indianapolis, IN Kansas City, MO Las Cruces, NM Lexington, KY Little Rock, AR Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN Mobile, AL Monterey, CA Palm Springs, CA Phoenix, AZ Portland, OR Ocean City, MD Ottawa, ON Quebec City, QB Sacramento, CA Santa Fe, NM Tampa, FL Tucson, AZ

A restaurant at Colonial Williamsburg.

Byways photo.

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Top 30 States

1. New York 2. Tennessee 3. Pennsylvania 4. Virginia 5. Illinois 6. Missouri 7. Georgia 8. Massachusetts 9. South Carolina 10. North Carolina 11. Florida 12. Michigan 13. Ohio 14. Maryland 15. California 16. Kentucky 17. Texas 18. West Virginia 12 • Byways

The Branson Belle on Table Rock Lake.

Byways photo.

19. Louisiana 20. Indiana 21. Nebraska 22. Mississippi 23. New Jersey 24. Alabama 25. Vermont 26. Arizona 27. South Dakota 28. Colorado 29. Connecticut 30. Wisconsin

Top 5 Canadian Provinces

1. Ontario 2. Nova Scotia 3. Quebec 4. Prince Edward Island 5. New Brunswick

Top 10 Group Friendly Hotels

1. Hampton Inns 2. Holiday Inns/Holiday Inn Express 3. Drury Inns 4. Comfort Inns 5. Best Western 6. Fairfield Inns 7. Hilton 8. La Quinta 9. Marriott 10. Quality Inn

Top 10 Group Friendly Restaurants 1. Cracker Barrel 2. Golden Corral 3. Buca de Beppo 4. Bubba Gump 5. Bob Evans 6. Landry’s Seafood Restaurants 7. Phillips Restaurants 8. Ryans 9. Morrison’s Cafeterias 10. Hard Rock Cafe

Top 15 Man-Made Attractions

1. Washington, DC Monuments 2. Statue of Liberty 3. Smithsonian Institution 4. Dollywood 5. Grand Ole Opry 6. Elvis Presley’s Graceland 7. Radio City Music Hall 8. Mount Rushmore 9. New York’s Broadway 10. Hershey Park 11. Mount Vernon 12. Monticello 13. Henry Ford Museum 14. Silver Dollar City 15. Tie: Kennedy Space Center Universal Studios

Top 10 Natural Attractions 1. Pennsylvania Dutch Country, PA 2. Niagara Falls, NY & ON 3. Grand Canyon, AZ 4. Cape Cod, MA 5. Black Hills, SD 6. Yellowstone National Park, WY & MT 7. Shenandoah National Park, VA 8. Yosemite National Park, CA 9. The Poconos, PA 10. Glacier National Park, MT

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One World Trade Center on the Hudson River in New York City.

Photo courtesy Julienne Schaer. © NYC & Company.

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When viewed from street level at close proximity, One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower) appears to ascend to a pyramid point as seen in this view of the West Street side of the building. Photo courtesy John D. Morris.

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One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower) Rises from the Ashes of 9/11

ne World Trade Center, called “Freedom Tower” during initial basework, refers to the main building of the new World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City.

The building is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere and the fourth-tallest in the world at 104stories.

The structure shares a numeric name with the northern Twin Tower in the original World Trade Center that was destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

One World Trade Center has been the tallest structure in New York City since April 30, 2012, when it surpassed the height of the Empire State Building. The tower’s steel structure was topped out on August 30, 2012.

On May 10, 2013, the final component of the skyscraper’s spire was installed, allowing the building to reach a symbolic height of 1,776 feet. Its imperial measurement is a reference to the year of the United States Declaration of Independence.

The building opened on November 3, 2014. The new World Trade Center complex will initially comprise three other high-rise office buildings, located along Greenwich Street, and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, located just south of One World

Trade Center, where the Twin Towers once stood.

The 911 Memorial has become one of New York’s most visited and revered sites.

The construction is part of an effort to memorialize and rebuild following the destruction of the original World Trade Center complex.

Security features Along with the protection offered by the reinforced concrete base, a number of other safety features were included in the building's design, in order to better prepare it for a major accident or terrorist attack.

In line with the new philosophy set by 7 World Trade Center, the building features 3-foot thick reinforced concrete walls for all stairwells, elevator shafts, risers, and sprinkler systems; extra-wide, pressurized stairwells; a dedicated set of stairwells exclusively for the use of firefighters; and biological and chemical filters throughout its ventilation system. By way of comparison, the Twin Towers used a purely steel central core to house their utility functions, protected only by a system of lightweight drywall panels.

For more information on planning a trip to New York City, visit http://www.nycgo.com

View of Manhattan and One World Trade Center.

Photo courtesy Julienne Schaer. © NYC & Company.

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911 Memorial at the site of the original Twin Towers.

Photo courtesy Marley White. Š NYC & Company.

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A community of buggies creates an Amish funeral procession.

Photo courtesy padutchcountry.com / Terry Ross

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Pennsylvania Dutch Country

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An Amish community gathers together to construct a barn for a fellow family, an amazing feat that is typically completed within a few days’ time.

Photo courtesy padutchcountry.com / Terry Ross

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ne of the most popular destinations in North America is the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. But you can’t buy a ticket to enter, and its location is somewhat difficult to define.

Pennsylvania Dutch live primarily in Southeastern and South Central Pennsylvania in the area stretching in an arc from Bethlehem and Allentown through Reading, Lebanon, and Lancaster to York and Chambersburg.

But they also live throughout the Shenandoah Valley (the modern Interstate 81 corridor) in the adjacent states of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina.

And to make things even more complicated, there are large Amish and Mennonite communities in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, in Ohio north and south of Youngstown and in Indiana around Elkhart.

The story of the Pennsylvania Amish community dates back to the 16th century Reformation in Europe, when the Anabaptist movement spurred the creation of three “plain” communities: the Amish, Mennonites and Brethren. Although these spiritual groups have similarities, the Amish are the most conservative, emphasizing humility, family, community and separation from the 22 • Byways

America’s oldest continuously-operating farmers’ market, open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Photo courtesy padutchcountry.com

non-Amish world, which includes a reluctance to adopt modern conveniences such as electricity.

The Pennsylvania Dutch are a cultural group formed by early German-speaking immigrants to Pennsylvania and their descendants.

This early wave of settlers, which would eventually coalesce to form the Pennsylvania Dutch, began in the late 17th century and concluded in the late 18th century. The majority of these immigrants originated in what is today southwestern Germany, Historically they have spoken the dialect of German known as Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvania Dutch. In this context, the word “Dutch” does not refer to the Dutch people or their descendants.

A horse and buggy creates a stunning silhouette against a gorgeous Amish country sky.

Photo courtesy padutchcountry.com / Terry Ross

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Over time, the various dialects spoken by these immigrants fused into a unique dialect known as Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvania Dutch. At one time, over a third of Pennsylvania’s population spoke this language, which also had an impact on the local dialect of English.

After the Second World War, use of Pennsylvania German died out in favor of English, except among the more insular and tradition-bound Anabaptists, such as the Old Order Mennonite and Old Order Amish.

However, a number of German cultural practices continue to this day, and German-Americans remain the largest ancestry group in Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Amish community in Lancaster County is the oldest and largest Amish community in the United States, numbering about 30,000. The population has more than doubled in size in the past 20 years.

As a result, Lancaster County is often considered the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, and it is here and its surrounding area that is often referred to Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

Arriving here allows you to step back in time to enjoy a slower, more peaceful pace -- one where the horse & buggy remains a primary form of transportation, and where windmills dot the landscape, providing power harnessed from nature. Always a vital part of Lancaster 24 • Byways

Visitors to the quaint village of Bird-in-Hand enjoy mingling with the Amish and Mennonite local residents while perusing the local items at farmers’ markets and quilt shops.

Photo Credit: padutchcountry.com / Coy Butler

County culture, the PA Amish are involved in agriculture as well as an array of businesses and cottage industries.

Lancaster County has more than 2,700 miles of winding country roads connecting small towns and villages with their inviting main streets and charming boutiques and galleries. Lose yourself along these back roads among breathtakingly scenic farmlands, romantic covered bridges and PA Amish life.

You’ll never run out of exciting and fun things to do in the Lancaster area. The unique Lancaster County's handmade quilts are intricate works of art, towns offer all sorts of activirequiring hours, days, weeks, even years, to complete. ties perfect for the young — Photo courtesy padutchcountry.com / Coy Butler and the young at heart!

Lancaster attractions include amusement parks, buggy too! All tours are highly respectful to our Amish friends. rides, interactive farms, train attractions, pretzel and Tours offered at the PA Dutch Visitors Center include an chocolate factories, local sports and so much more.

Amish Farmlands Tour which departs daily from May Explore the innocence of the Amish community with a through October. personal tour guide in your own car, or with others in a For more information on visiting Pennsylvania Dutch mini-coach.

Country: Insightful and customized guided tours can be as perhttp://www.padutchcountry.com sonal and private as you wish. If you prefer to sightsee by air or by horse and buggy, there are options for you,

Buggies are just one of many items available at local mud sales, ranging from farm equipment to livestock to quilts and antiques. Mud sales, named for the condition of the thawing spring ground, are held annually throughout Lancaster County to benefit local fire companies.

Photo courtesy padutchcountry.com

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The St. Louis Gateway Arch

The Gateway Arch and downtown St. Louis at night. Photos courtesy Gateway Arch.

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The Gateway Arch is built on the Mississippi River.

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he Gateway Arch is a 630-foot tall monument in St. Louis, Missouri. Clad in stainless steel and built in the form of a flattened catenary arch, it is the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere, Missouri’s tallest accessible building, and the world’s tallest arch.

Built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States, it is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and has become an internationally famous symbol of St. Louis.

The arch sits at the site of founding of St. Louis on the west bank of the Mississippi River.

The vision of renowned architect Eero Saarinen, the Gateway Arch commemorates Thomas Jefferson and St. 28 • Byways

Louis’ role in the westward expansion of the United States. A visit to St. Louis isn’t complete without standing at its base and playing professional photographer, and the view from the outside is only half of the experience.

Construction began February 12, 1963, and the last section of the Arch was put into place on October 28, 1965.

The Arch weighs 17,246 tons. Nine hundred tons of stainless steel was used to build the Arch, more than any other project in history.

The Gateway Arch and the Old Courthouse are part of Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, located on the riverfront in downtown St. Louis. All programs are open

to the public and most are free.

Museum of Westward Expansion Underneath the Arch is a visitor center, entered from a descending outdoor ramp starting at either base. Within the center is the Museum of Westward Expansion, exhibits on the history of the St. Louis riverfront, and tram loading and unloading areas.

Experience the Old West with a visit to the Museum of Westward Expansion. See how mountain men lived in the 1800s or take a peek inside a covered wagon. Listen as history unfolds through the voices of animatronic figures that bring the past to life.

View rare Indian Peace Medals, weapons of survival and an actual tipi.

Audio enhancement is available during tours given by National Park Service rangers.

The windows of the observation deck are located around the apex of the arch.

The Old Courthouse Experience a significant part of U.S. history during a visit to the Historic Experience the Old West with a visit to the Museum of Westward Expansion

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Gateway Arch Riverboat Cruises.

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Observation Center at top of Arch. Photo courtesy Daniel Schwen.

Old Courthouse, completed in 1862. The Courthouse is the site where Dred and Harriet Scott, both slaves, pleaded with the court for their freedom, and Virginia Minor petitioned for women’s right to vote in the 1870s.

Embrace history in a restored courtroom from the 1860s and view exhibits and murals depicting historic St. Louis events.

The Old Courthouse in front of the Arch.

Gateway Arch Riverboat Cruises Take a ride on replica 19th-century paddle-wheel boats, Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher, located on the riverfront below the south leg of the Gateway Arch.

Enjoy cruise narration, provided by the National Park Service and the vessel’s captain, that offers a historical overview of the area and the role this working river still plays today. There’s a cruise for every occasion. http://www.gatewayarch.com

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Alcatraz prison in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Photo courtesy John A. Martini.

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Alcatraz Cruises Takes Visitors to Prison

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Guard Tower overlooking San Francisco Bay. Photo courtesy John A. Martini.

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View from San Francisco. or years, as America’s most notorious prison, there Photo courtesy John A. Martini. was only one way to visit Alcatraz. A sentence in a courtroom!

At its peak in the 1950s, “The Rock” housed over 200 inmates at the maximum-security facility.

Alcatraz remains an icon of American prisons, known for its harsh conditions and its record of being inescapable.

The 12-acre island in the middle of San Francisco Bay is located 1.5 miles from the city. At the time it featured the most advanced security available, including the first metal detectors. Strict rules were enforced against the inmates, and nearly complete silence was mandated at all times.

Alcatraz closed as a Federal prison on May 21, 1963.

Today it’s much easier to visit Alcatraz, but you still need to plan ahead. Alcatraz Cruises is now operating its winter tour schedule through early March. from the dock to the prison building, and once an hour Much of Alcatraz is steep and hilly, so be prepared for from the front of the prison back to the dock. Boarding is walking long distances uphill. The distance from the available on a first come, first served basis. dock to the prison at the top of the island is about 1/4 In addition to the opportunity to book tickets up to 90 mile and the elevation change is 130 feet. days in advance of tour, visitors to Alcatraz will enjoy the This is equivalent to climbing a thirteen story building. added benefit of complimentary access to the iconic Visitors unable to make the climb up Alcatra’s steep road exhibit @Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz with the purcan take advantage of SEAT -- Sustainable Easy Access chase of a regularly priced ticket through next spring.

Transport -- an electric shuttle that runs once an hour The @Large: Ai Weiwei exhibit responds to the island

Cell block. Photo courtesy John A. Martini.

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Audio Tour Photo courtesy John A. Martini. of Alcatraz and its layered history as a place of detainment and protest.

The exhibition features new sculpture, sound and multimedia works exploring pressing themes that have characterized Ai Weiwei’s art and activism -- the right to free expression, the irrepressible nature of creativity, and the role of art, artists and individuals worldwide in shaping social change. The installations address these concepts in ways that are both personal to the artist’s experiences and life in China and resonant with individuals and communities internationally. Responding to the potent history of Alcatraz Island, the exhibition examines incarceration as a tool of repressive governments, and creative expression as an act of defiance and individual freedom.

Artworks are installed in four sites throughout Alcatraz Island.

One of the most prominent artists of the 21st century, Ai Weiwei is an architect, sculptor, photographer, filmmaker, curator, writer and activist whose work often responds to conditions in China, including the government’s repression of free speech and expression.

Group Tours Groups are welcome to visit Alcatraz Island throughout the year. However, due to safety concerns and size 36 • Byways

limitations, groups must make special arrangements for their ticket reservations. Groups are defined as 15 people or more.

The Night Tour is limited in the number of guests who can take the tour each evening.

For Group bookings on the Night Tours visit http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/groups/grouptrip.aspx Contact the Group Sales Department directly to request an information form. Call 415-438-8361 7 days a week or email at groups@alcatrazcruises.com.

Independently guided tours are not allowed on Alcatraz Island. Only National Park Service tours are permitted on the island.

However, groups are invited to participate in the cellhouse audio tour and the regularly scheduled park programs offered on the island.

Individual Tours Individual passengers may purchase and print tickets online at www.alcatrazcruises.com. Tickets can also be purchased by calling 415-981-ROCK (7625) or from the ticket booth at Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing.

Recreation yard. Photo courtesy John A. Martini.

The first lighthouse in California was built on Alcatraz. Photo courtesy Alcatraz Cruises.

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The famous Tunnel view of Yosemite Valley.

Photo courtesy California Travel & Tourism Commission.

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Vernal Fall at Yosemite.

Photo courtesy Walter Siegmund.

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osemite National Park is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, and biological diversity. Almost 95% of the park is designated wilderness.

Yosemite was central to the development of the national park idea. Concerned citizens lobbied to protect Yosemite Valley from development, ultimately leading to President Abraham Lincoln’s signing the Yosemite Grant in 1864. Later, John Muir led a successful movement to establish a larger national park encompassing not just the valley, but surrounding mountains and forests as well—paving the way for the United States national park system.

Yosemite is one of the largest and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada in California, and the park supports a diversity of plants and animals. The park has an elevation range from 2,127 to 13,114 feet and 40 • Byways

contains five major vegetation zones.

The park covers an area of 747,956 acres and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain. More than 3.7 million people visit Yosemite each year. Most will spend their time in the seven square miles of Yosemite Valley. Yosemite was designated a World Heritage Site in 1984.

The geology of the Yosemite area is characterized by granitic rocks and remnants of older rock. About 10 million years ago, the Sierra Nevada was uplifted and then tilted to form its relatively gentle western slopes and the more dramatic eastern slopes. The uplift increased the steepness of stream and river beds, resulting in formation of deep, narrow canyons. About 1 million years ago, snow and ice accumulated, forming glaciers at the higher alpine meadows that moved down the river valleys.

The downslope movement of the ice masses cut and sculpted the U-shaped valley that attracts so many visitors to its scenic vistas today.

Early Tourism In 1855, entrepreneur James Mason Hutchings, artist Thomas Ayres and two others were the first to tour the area. Hutchings and Ayres were responsible for much of the earliest publicity about Yosemite, writing articles and special magazine issues about the Valley. Ayres’ style in art was highly detailed with exaggerated angularity. His works and written accounts were distributed nationally, and an art exhibition of his drawings was held in New York City. Hutchings’ publicity efforts between 1855 and 1860 led to an increase in tourism to Yosemite.

Concerned by the effects of commercial interests, prominent citizens and legislators advocated for protection of the area. A park bill was prepared with the assistance of the General Land Office in the Interior Department. The bill passed both houses of the 38th United States Congress, and was signed by President Abraham Lincoln on June 30, 1864, creating the Yosemite Grant.

This is the first instance of park land being set aside specifically for preservation and public use by action of the U.S. federal government, and set a precedent for the 1872 creation of Yellowstone as the first national park.

The U shaped Yosemite Valley.

Photo courtesy Guy Francis.

Yosemite Valley Yosemite Valley represents only one percent of the park area, but this is where most visitors arrive and stay.

The Tunnel View is the first view of the Valley for many visitors and is extensively photographed. El Capitan, a prominent granite cliff that looms over Yosemite Valley, is one of the most popular rock climbing destinations in the world because of its diverse range of climbing routes in addition to its year-round accessibility. Granite domes such as Sentinel Dome and Half Dome rise 3,000 and 4,800 feet, respectively, above the valley floor.

Waterfalls Yosemite is famous for its high concentration of waterfalls in a small area. Numerous sheer drops, glacial steps and hanging valleys in the park provide many places for waterfalls to exist, especially during April, May, and June (the snowmelt season). Located in Yosemite Valley, the Yosemite Falls is the highest in North America at 2,425-feet.

Perhaps the most prominent of the Yosemite Valley waterfalls is Bridalveil Fall, which is the waterfall seen from the Tunnel View viewpoint at the east end of the

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Rafters in Yosemite National Park near Half Dome.

Photo courtesy Carol M. Highsmith and California Travel & Tourism Commission.

Wawona Tunnel. Wapama Falls in Hetch Hetchy Valley is another notable waterfall. Hundreds of ephemeral waterfalls also exist in the park.

Yosemite Valley is open yearround, but much of the remaining park is closed in late autumn because of snow and re-opens in mid to late spring. Open-air tours around Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias are available. Many people enjoy short walks and longer hikes to waterfalls in Yosemite Valley, or walks amongst giant sequoias in the Mariposa, Tuolumne, or Merced Groves.

Others like to drive or take a tour bus to Glacier Point (summer–fall) to see a spectacular view of Mule deer on Yosemite Valley floor.

Yosemite Valley and the high counPhoto courtesy Constantine Kulikovsky. try, or drive along the scenic Tioga Road to Tuolumne Meadows (sumadjoining Yosemite Museum, and the Nature Center at mer–fall) and go for a walk or hike.

Happy Isles.

In addition to exploring the natural features of the park, visitors can also learn about the natural and culturhttp://www.visitcalifornia.com al history of Yosemite Valley at a number of facilities in the valley: the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, the El Capitan in Yosemite National Park viewed from the Valley floor.

Photo courtesy Mike Murphy.

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Motorcycles stacked at Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.

Photo courtesy Chuck Schultz.

The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum 44 • Byways

g n i n e p p a H s ’ t Wha

B

Barber Museum Building.

Photo courtesy Dan Wildhirt.

irmingham, Alabama native George Barber mod- same shop a vintage motorcycle race team operated with ified, raced and maintained Porsches in the 1960s the challenge of maintaining and racing historically sig(63 first-place wins). He started collecting and nificant machinery.

These bikes were routinely campaigned around the restoring classic sports cars in 1989, but his interest soon turned to motorcycles.

Barber recognized that there was not a museum which reflected the history of motorcycles from a global perspective. He wanted to preserve motorcycle history in the United States in a way that represents an international aspect and to supply an example of motorcycles that until then could only have been seen in books and magazines.

This was the theme used in the mission and development of the Barber collection.

The collection grew with the assistance of skilled restorers that worked for Barber at a secluded location in Birmingham that once housed a commercial vehicle refurbishing facility. Out of the Byways • 45

United States and Europe so that they could be enjoyed and appreciated in their original setting, rather than collecting dust in a garage. This racing effort brought the Barber Team 7 National Championships in the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) and helped secure a credible place for the collection in the community of motorcycle enthusiasts.

In 1994, the Barber collection became the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum when it was granted a not for profit status. In 1995, the museum was officially opened to the public in the original secluded location on Birmingham’s Southside. The museum operated here until November 2002.

The Museum reopened at its new location at the Barber Motorsports Park in September 2003. Along the way vehicles from the museum’s collection have been featured in exhibits around the world. Twenty one motorcycles were selected for the famed Art of the Motorcycle exhibit at the Guggenheim’s New York and Bilbao, Spain location as well as the Field Museum in Chicago.

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England’s Goodwood Festival of Speed has featured cars from the Barber collection. Birmingham’s own Museum of Art has conducted a special exhibit featuring motorcycles from the Barber collection.

The collection now has over 1200 vintage and modern motorcycles as well as a substantial collection of Lotus and other racecars.

It is considered the largest collection of its type in the world. There are approximately 600 of the collection’s 1200 motorcycles on display at any given time. These bikes range from 1902 to current-year production. Bikes from 20 countries represent 200 different manufacturers.

The common street bike is represented, as well as rare, one-off Gran Prix race machinery. Bikes have been purchased from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, and Sweden, but also as close as down the street.

To learn more and plan a visit, click here. http://barbermuseum.org

Byways is published bi-monthly by Byways, Inc. and distributed electronically throughout North America.

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Byways’ distribution includes motorcoach companies, tour operators, and selected travel agents, bank travel managers, school band and athletic planners, and meeting planners. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine at 502-785-4875. ©Copyright 2014 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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