Travel Photo Contest: U.S. Trips (new prize!)

[KimCL]

This month's contest: Best U.S. destination. Same rules: post your best photo on this thread and share your best travel tip about your favorite domestic travel destination.

Our editors will pick a favorite photo and tip, and the winner will receive a NEW prize this month: an iPod Touch!

Deadline for entries is midnight, June 26. We'll announce a winner by July 3.

[catherineku]

Diablo Lake ! This glacial lake gets its color from the suspended crushed rock particles in the water. It is a beautiful drive from Bellingham to Diablo Lake!

[catherineku]

Along Highway 101 in Oregon, there is a short loop drive that you should take. The overlook viewpoints are simply amazing! Enjoy!

[FLFlygirl]

Hello CLBB! I am a very long time lurker and have enjoyed all the photos on the contest threads as well as the "Photo I took today" thread (not to mention all the great tips and varied discussions ). I finally decided to come out from the shadows.


Men's Fancy Dance as demonstrated by a member of the Hualapai tribe.


Whether 4 or 104, still curious.


Just for reference: the destination, Grand Canyon West, is home of the Hualapai Tribe and the glass SkyWalk.

My travel tip is to learn something about and be open to the local history, culture, customs, food, etc. I feel this makes for a much more enriching and enjoyable stay whether one is here in the US, or abroad.

Colleen

[LisaShoshana1]

Most people come to the Berkshires of Massachusetts in the summer to enjoy Tanglewood, Canyon Ranch Spa and Resort, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and, of course, the beautiful mountains. But I think the Berkshires are most magnificent in the fall when the foliage is at its peak and the cool mountain air really gives you a sense of the changing seasons.

[Colleen Bryant]

Santa Fe is a great place to buy art, such as these wind sculptures. We went in April, when it's less crowded.

[brightgirl]

Our favorite US vacation spot is at The Homestead: America's Freshwater Resort in Glen Arbor, MI. We get a beautiful Lake Michigan sunset almost every night, with Sleeping Bear Point and the Manitou Islands in the background. Can't wait to head up there this summer!

[Hammster]

Another New Mexico fan here.
Tent Rocks National Monument is an amazing place. Beautiful colors and formations everywhere you look. This pic was taken at the high spot of a strenuous hike. Totally worth the effort for the shot though.

Chimayo New Mexico is a small town famous for its chile peppers and for its Santuario. A very holy and revered place.


Early October is a great time to visit New Mexico. Temperatures are cool (you might even get a dusting of snow), off season rates are starting to kick in and children are back in school so crowds are small.
And the leaf colors are changing! Who knew New Mexico had fall color?

[pugsleyclark]

Camp site $35, Hiking, Fishing, Picnics $0, endless family fun in a beautiful State forest... PRICELESS!!! (Yes this picture was taken in Ohio).

[katygirl]

Thanks, Hamm, now you have me researching a New Mexico trip Awesome shots!

[spottedlucy]

My best domestic vacation is Crater Lake located in Crater Lake National Park in Southern Oregon. The lake is famous for its deep blue color and it’s one of the deepest lake in the Western US or third deepest in the world. It takes about 4 hours to drive around the whole lake so go early and pack some lunches. You can stop anywhere and have a quick picnic while enjoy a majestic view of the lake.

[miss piggy]

We lived in Albuquerque for 4 years and loved every minute of it. We travelled almost the entire state to experience unparalled hiking, skiing and camping. One of our favorite long weekend trips was to Carlsbad Caverns (home of the bats!) and White Sands National Monument. The hike through the sands was quite possibly the most amazing natural wonder I have ever seen. Here, great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert and created the world's largest gypsum dune field, so large that you can see it from outer space. My husband and I were the only hikers around willing to brave the beating sun that day, so we walked for hours peacefully with nothing around us but beautiful white dunes stretching for miles and miles, as far as the eye could see. Every now and again we'd come across a few scraggly bushes like these. Other than that, no life to be found other than a small albino lizard in the parking area!

Any tips for how to make my attachment larger so you can see it better?

[mlove14]

Steamboat was such a fun vacation for my family and I and now I have a couple tips! 1st of all, I suggest taking a snowboarding class, you won't regret it! The vibe of the snowboarders is just that of surfers, i loved them! If you can rent a snowmobile and ride the slopes DO IT! And after many hours of fun and snow, eat at the Slopeside Grill and have a few drinks while you're at it. Amazing food. I can't wait to go back and work on my snowboarding skills!

[psaltmarsh]

How come I can't insert a photo? Anyone?

[Manders]

This is a photo of an American Crocodile soaking up the sun near Florida Bay, Everglades National Park. We took this from the canoe. Good thing we didn't tip over!!

This was just one of the many incredible wildlife viewings we had while camping in and exploring the Everglades. It is a must see for anyone who is passionate about wildlife and endangered species.

[/IMG]

[Hammster]

Originally Posted by psaltmarsh

How come I can't insert a photo? Anyone?

Psaltmarsh, there are 2 ways to add a photo.

One is to "attach" a picture from your hard drive or from a URL. You use the paperclip icon to attach the picture. You are limited as to how large the picture can be using that method. Filesize can't be larger than 100kb and the pic can't be bigger than 150 x 150 pixels.

The other method is to use the "Insert Image" icon. That's the icon that looks like a little yellow box with a mountain and sun in it. To use that method you have to upload your picture to a picture sharing site such as Flickr, Webshots, etc and then link to the image. Most of those sharing sites allow you to resize the pic and link to the resized image so you can show a much larger image than the small image that the attachment method allows you.

HTH

[jjsooner73]

In these tough economic times, one doesn't have to travel wide and far to have a great vacation experience. Take the time to explore your own state; you never know what you'll find in your own back yard!

Beavers Bend State Park, Southeastern Oklahoma


Sunrise over the lake


Blooming Red Buds (Oklahoma State Tree) in front of the lake


Fog on the lake just before sunrise

[pinkmomagain]

Beautiful vistas, relaxing pace, great wine, outstanding food, totally romantic. Nothing beats Napa, CA. And more specifically, The Carneros Inn. My husband and I have started an annual tradition of a romantic weekend getaway to this unique resort. One of my travel tips to this area would be to visit Frog's Leap. It's wine tasting with a wink -- no stuffy, pretentious wine snobs -- with fun tour guides who pour generously while providing a wine education that's easy to swallow.


ETA: Finally figured out how to attach the photo, not sure how to make it bigger, though.

[pinkmomagain]

[IMG][/IMG]
Second attempt to load picture larger.

[Hammster]

Originally Posted by pinkmomagain

Second attempt to load picture larger.

Pinkmom,
If you scroll up just a few posts you will see a message I posted about posting larger pics.
HTH

[pinkmomagain]

Thanks a bunch!

[gsfawcett]

Stay IN the car and pack a lunch they move slowly.

[pinkmomagain]

Most people equate the Hamptons with the huge mansions and beautiful ocean beaches "south of the highway." But to catch stunning sunsets, you should travel north of the highway to the cozy cottages on the beaches along the bay. There you will spot the coastline of the North Fork against the backdrop of a sky on fire.

[IMG][/IMG]

[miss piggy]

Attempting to post my image larger...





Thanks Hammster!

[Mamasue]

We stayed at my sister's Maine home this weekend and visited some lighthouses in the South Portland Maine area. The two above pictures are of the Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth, Maine



This picture is of Spring Point Ledge Light, Cape Elizabeth, ME

My husband and I are now addicted and want to visit more lighthouse starting in New England. My hint: pack the camera first and make sure the battery is charged. You wouldn't believe how often I forget to pack or charge my camera.

[Hammster]

Originally Posted by Mamasue

My hint: pack the camera first and make sure the battery is charged. You wouldn't believe how often I forget to pack or charge my camera.

Great pics Mamasue. That's why I have 3 batteries for my camera. Invariably one of them is nearly discharged. LOL.

miss piggy, glad to be of help.

[Mamasue]

[QUOTE=Hammster;1491007]Great pics Mamasue. That's why I have 3 batteries for my camera. Invariably one of them is nearly discharged. LOL.

Thank you Hammster....your comment makes me feel good knowing that you are better at phototaking than me! BTW, I changed the first photo because I like the west side view better.

[spiggycat]

Great weather in spring and fall, beautiful wildflowers in the spring-- often whole hillsides covered in orange poppies. I did a lot of my research here in college (I am a geologist), so did a lot of camping in the national scenic area (camping is free in most areas, if you go to a campground, is relatively inexpensive.)

I took my husband to visit a few years ago, and here are some pics he took from Death Valley National Monument and Baker, CA.

[evanr27]

This arch is one of the 8 natural wonders of the world! When up there, be careful; winds can reach up to 80 mph!!!!!!

[slanoue]

We love to go to Tampa/St. Petersburg. It's not too far of a flight, it's warm year-round, it has great scenery, and my husband loves the baseball there. We also love the restaurants and night life. Oh, and our favorite restaurant there is this little fish place called ceviche which has a humongous menu and the best french fries ever.

We travel a lot. My travel tip is to always pack one more outfit than you think you'll need, including an extra pair of socks and underwear, because if you don't, you surely will sit in or step in something wet or sticky!




Thanks,

Suzanne