BOULEVARD

I know I said that the drive across the U.S. is over – and it is – but I still have something interesting to share.

Similar to the third post, I wanted to focus on some fantastic facts about the rest of the destinations I visited.

Delray Beach, FL: Delray is part of Palm Beach County and is considered to be one of the richest cities in the U.S. It was in Delray where I had the opportunity to ride around in a Benz with a personal driver and go to beach clubs. The town is filled with private beach and country clubs, art galleries, shopping districts and beaches, and these are some of the reasons why it was voted the most fun small town by USA Today.

Miami, FL: One of the most newsworthy facts about Miami is that its airport recently introduced a new ground transportation hub that goes into downtown and throughout the Miami-Dade County. The airport also introduced the new MIA Mover, a 1.25-mile-long automated system between MIA and the Miami Rental Car Center.

The Florida Keys, FL: I learned about the ‘wet foot, dry foot’ policy in Key West, FL. Part of the Cuban Adjustment Act, the policy states that a Cuban caught in the water between Cuba and the U.S. would be sent back; but, if that person made it to shore, they would have the opportunity to remain in the U.S. and pursue citizenship.

Naples, FL: A lot of the homes in the city are deserted in the summer because most of the travellers come down to the city in the winter to enjoy Florida’s subtropical climate and amenities. Naples is also considered to be one of the richest cities in the U.S. receiving much of its investments from multi-million dollar business professionals.

Sarasota, FL: It is in Sarasota where the original “Unconditional Surrender” sculpture can be found. The 25-foot-tall statue was designed by Seward Johnson and depicts a kiss between a sailor and nurse marking the end of World War II. Replicas of the statue can be found in San Diego, CA; Hamilton, NJ; and Pearl Harbor, HI.

Panama City Beach, FL: PCB is known for its 27-miles of beaches covered in what I like to call cocaine sand because it is so powdery and sparkly. The sand is formed by quartz crystals which washed down from the Appalachian Mountains during the ice age.

New Orleans, LA: The French Quarter is the oldest and most popular neighborhood in the city – it dates back to 1718. And although it’s called the ‘French’ Quarter most of the buildings were built under Spanish rule.

Houston, TX: The Space Center in Houston is the coolest thing ever! Not only does it house artifacts, space capsules, the Destiny Theatre and Starship Gallery, it also has a tram that takes visitors to NASA’s Johnson Space Center – it is the only way that civilians can enter the center.

Dallas, TX: Sadly, Dallas is most famously known for the assassination of John F. Kennedy at Dealey Plaza. The city is home to the JFK memorial which was designed by Philip Johnson and represents an open tomb which Johnson said is supposed to symbolize the freedom of JFK’s spirit.

Amarillo, TX: During the 1950’s Amarillo was a flourishing city with many bars, motels and clubs frequently visited by the army since the city was home to an air force base. It was also during this time that Route 66 was in its prime, but, when the base closed and the Interstate Highway was introduced, much of the city degraded.

Santa Fe, NM: Santa Fe is the oldest state capital in the U.S. dating back to 1610. Much of the city reminds me of The Flintstones’ Bedrock. Many of the buildings are built from adobe bricks, which are a mix of sun-dried earth and straw.

Flagstaff, AZ: The most interesting things about Flagstaff are the areas surrounding it: the Grand Canyon and the Meteor Crater. Although these two sites are breathtaking, the most impressive things about them is their age: the top layer of the Grand Canyon is 270 million years old and the Meteor Crater is 50,000 years old.

San Diego, CA: San Diego is a 30 minute drive away from Tijuana! Despite San Diego being so close to one of the most dangerous cities in the world, it is considered to be the safest city in the U.S. Side note: many of the residents in San Diego are exports, meaning they were born somewhere else and immigrated into the city.

Los Angeles, CA: I was expecting to see celebrities walking around non-stop but maybe my expectations were a little unreasonable. Aside from that, it was fascinating to learn that Beverly Hills and West Hollywood are two separate cities!

San Francisco, CA: San Francisco is filled with culture, entertainment and history but the most fascinating thing about it was Alcatraz Island. It is located just over two kilometers from the mainland and has housed some of the most notorious criminals. The most astonishing thing was to learn that the warden and some of the officers of Alcatraz had houses on the island and raised their families there!