Nearly a million people visit Stonehenge, a Neolithic monument, every year. The mysterious and alluring Stonehenge sits eight miles north of Salisbury and is one of England’s most recognizable symbols, even if many scholars and experts disagree on its original purpose. What makes Stonehenge so fascinating is that despite centuries of study and exploration, no one can say with 100 percent certainty the history of Stonehenge.
Make the 1.3 mile trek or ride the sky lift up Stone Mountain. With more than 3,300 acres of natural beauty, a variety of outdoor attractions, entertainment and recreation, Stone Mountain is the most visited attraction in Georgia. Visitors can now climb to new heights on Sky Hike, a quarter of a mile course that allows visitors to trek through the treetops by mastering wooden bridges, balancing on a single rope suspended in the air and climbing to the top of vertical net bridges.
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Trahlyta was a Cherokee who lived in the North Georgia Mountains near what is today Dahlonega. According to legend, she drank from a nearby Fountain of Youth to maintain her renowned beauty. A warrior named Wahsega courted her, bus she rejected him. Upset by this, Wahsega kidnapped and imprisoned Trahlyta. Longing to see her home again, Trahlyta eventually died. Her last wish was to be buried in the mountain forests near her home. Today. a five-foot-tall pile of stones marks her grave. According to the historical marker at the site of her supposed grave, “custom arose among the Indians and later the Whites to drop stones, one for each passerby, on her grave for good fortune.” Highway department workers apparently twice tried to move the pile of rocks as part of road projects. But, both times at least one person was killed in the process.
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The Sunsphere is the centerpiece of World’s Fair Park and is a symbol of Knoxville, Tenn. The tower is one of two buildings that survived the Fair. Substantive redevelopment of the 67-acre Fair did not materialize for many years. Though it was underutilized for most of its post-show life, the tower is today home to an observation deck, an event space and a restaurant and bar.
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The Dillard House is perhaps best-known for its seemingly endless southern cuisine and hospitality. Formerly a boarding house, the restaurant touts itself as one of the original farm-to-table restaurants in Georgia. The Dillard House continues to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner family-style daily. Its cuisine is adapted from recipes handed down from Dillard family members and chefs. Family owned and operated, The Dillard House offers 90 hotel rooms, four cottages and 20 rental cabins at Chalet Village.
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The Palace Saloon claims the title of the oldest bar in Florida and the last American tavern to close during Prohibition. Josiah Prescott built the structure, which opened in 1878 as a haberdashery. But, Louis G. Hirth purchased the structure in 1903 and converted it to the Palace Saloon. The establishment was apparently a favorite haunt of famous socialites, including the Carnegies and the Rockefellers. On the eve of Prohibition began, the bar apparently reported $60,000 in bar receipts, supposedly the most profitable day for the establishment. The establishment survived the dry era as an ice cream parlor until 1931 when the booze began flowing again,
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In response to growing suburban sprawl in the mid-1980s, Smyrna’s mayor and City Council opted to rebuild the downtown area to create a family-friendly environment and community gathering space. This led to Smyrna’s “Village Green,” which includes a library, community center, private housing, retail and office space, a public safety facility and a 22,000-square-foot City Hall.
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Times Square is said to be the most visited place in the world. More than 360,000 people pass through Times Square every day (or more than 131 million per year) for their brush with Elmo or another creepy character. Originally named Longacre Square, the area was renamed after The New York Times relocated to the newly erected Times Building (today One Times Square) in 1904. Approximately 22 cents out of every dollar spent by visitors in New York City is spent within Times Square. The famed New Year’s Eve ball drop was first held on Dec. 31, 1907.
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Tombstone’s Historama offers a historically accurate multimedia account of the history of Tombstone. It features the town’s story from the days of Geronimo’s Apaches to the more recent times and, of course, includes information about the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The 25-minute show, narrated by actor Vincent Price, also highlights the fires that devastated the community and the flooding that ultimately spelled the end for Tombstone’s mines, making it a helpful overview for anyone looking for more about the backstory of the “Town Too Tough to Die.” Admission to Tombstone’s Historama in included with a ticket to the O.K. Corral.
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The TSS Earnslaw, a 1912 Edwardian vintage twin-screw steamer, plies the waters of Lake Wakatipu in and around Queenstown. The vessel launched on Feb. 24, 1912, and formerly served New Zealand Railways (NZR), earning the nickname the “Lady of the Lake.” The steamer is said to be the only remaining commercial passenger-carrying coal-fired steamship in the southern hemisphere. Today, the Earnslaw carries tourist passengers across Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown to Walter Peak High Country Farm. During the 1.5-hour cruise, travelers can view the steam engine and watch stokers feed coal.