In 1972, 13 hot air balloons took flight from Albuquerque, New Mexico. What began as a bid for increased publicity around a local radio station’s

Somewhere between Oregon’s Cascade Mountains and the high desert lies Bend. Once upon a time, it was called Farewell Bend, because here the pioneers on

Among the national parks, Big Bend is something special. Located in west Texas and named for a large bend in the Rio Grande, the park

In 1862, Thomas and Frank Davis traveled West to the Idaho Territory. They were two of many drawn to the Boise area by rumors of

Boulder, Colorado sits nestled between two icons of the American West: the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains. However, this advantageous placement is not Boulder’s

Through a curious mixture of spontaneity and careful planning, Carmel-by-the-Sea became – and remains – something that is increasingly hard to come by in a

Despite its size, Chapel Hill has somehow managed to combine college town attractions with small town charm. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Cheyenne cropped up along the path of the transcontinental railroad shortly after the Civil War. The Territory of Wyoming made Cheyenne its capital, and when

Like many an American city, Chicago began as a settlement on the far reaches of the frontier. Unlike most other American cities, Chicago’s explosive growth

If you are looking for a celebration of the American West, Cody, Wyoming is the place you’ll want to visit. Founded by Buffalo Bill himself,

Des Moines’ situation at the convergence of two waterways – the Des Moines and the Racoon Rivers – has been something of a mixed blessing

For a city like Duluth, Minnesota, a title like “The Zenith City of the Unsalted Seas” doesn’t seem too lofty. Part of what makes Duluth

The man who gave Estes Park its name was a gold miner turned homesteader who settled in the valley in 1860. But the Estes Park

The southern tip of Florida sustains a truly astonishing array of flora and fauna. A unique set of conditions supports both freshwater and marine life

As its name suggests, Fort Collins was once a military outpost. Camp Collins, the city’s closest ancestor, protected the Overland mail route and acted as