Visiting Oregon’s Beautiful Crater Lake
Different people have different priorities and wishes when planning their vacations or extended weekends. Some people prefer to head towards tourist attractions that although they are crowded, are always action packed. Other people seek out exotic tropical locations either nearby or halfway around the world. Still others like to immerse themselves in an urban area they have always dreamed about visiting and experiencing as much about the city as possible. When searching for a beautiful and secluded place to visit though, few vacationers could match the scenery and surroundings of Oregon’s Crater Lake.
Located in southern Oregon, Crater Lake formed in the crater of Mount Mazama after the mountain erupted and collapsed inward on itself. The water inside the lake comes almost exclusively from natural rain and snow melt, making it some of the purest water that can be found any where in North America. There are no rivers or streams that flow into or out of Crater Lake. Crater Lake is approximately five by six miles across and has an amazing average depth of 1,148 feet. The deepest point ever measured in the lake is at a depth of 1,949 feet, which makes Crater Lake not only the deepest lake in the state of Oregon, but the deepest lake in the entire United States. There have been several smaller eruptions over the years, although none in modern times, that have resulted in a smaller cone being built up in the middle of the lake. This new cone was named Wizard Island as it now extends above the surface of the water and somewhat resembles a wizard’s hat.
Though the lake and its surroundings are now part of Crater Lake National Park, there are a number of developed areas within an easy drive that provide food and lodging to the many visitors that make the trek there every year. Along the rim of the lake is the Crater Lake lodge building which houses a gift shop and cafe and is a nice place to get a bite to eat when visiting there. Rim Drive is a road that circumnavigates the entire mountain top lake and is a wonderful way of seeing all aspects of this amazing natural wonder, due to heavy snow the drive is closed during certain parts of the winter months. There are also boat tours that take visitors out on the water of Crater Lake, including the opportunity to depart the boat for a short visit on Wizard Island. This can provide some of the most memorable times of a visit to the lake, but it also requires a bit of a hike down to the boat dock.
There are a number of other things to do in and around Crater Lake too. To the west is the beautiful Oregon Coast which caters to anyone interested in boating, fishing, beach recreation and more including visiting the world famous Oregon Dunes. To the south of Crater Lake is Northern California and all that that region supplies to visitors that travel there every year. Bend, Oregon is a wonderful Eastern Oregon community that sits a couple hours northwest of the lake. Though the lake is somewhat remote, it is also easy to get to from a number of urban areas. The lake itself is only 119 miles from Bend, 250 miles from Portland, 422 miles from Seattle and 450 miles from San Francisco.
For hundreds of years before its discovery by settlers from Europe, Crater Lake had been a very sacred site for many of the Native Americans that lived in the area. A legend from the Klamath tribe says that there was a battle between the sky god and god of the underworld and during the mayhem Mount Mazama was destroyed, and left in its place was Crater Lake. The magnitude of the beauty and uniqueness of Crater Lake has played a large role in the history of this area of Oregon for centuries.
A visit to Crater Lake is awe-inspiring and it is quite common that travelers will be mesmerized by the beauty of the water as well as the realization that they are looking at a lake that is sitting on top of a mountain in what was once an active volcano crater. The beauty of the area doesn’t stop with the water though as the surrounding Cascade Mountains almost equal the visual splendor that the lake provides. For hundreds of years, and possibly even longer, men have made the journey to see this fascinating piece of scenery. Any visitor lucky enough to make the journey today is sure to leave with memories that will last them a lifetime.
Five American Beaches That Should Not Be Missed
When it comes to popular vacation destinations, a beach vacation is at or near the top of the list of most travelers each and every year. Between the immense opportunities for fun in the sun and the thrill and excitement of playing in the surf, beach vacations usually have enough entertainment opportunities for the entire family or travel group. There are a wide variety of beaches in the entire United States and a great deal of them are vastly different from each other.
Some beaches are famous for their endless stretches of beautiful sand, while others are known for their rugged but gorgeous rocky shoreline. Both of these are attractive to different travelers for different reasons. Likewise, some beaches cater more to day trippers looking for an escape from populated and more civilized and modern attractions like amusement parks and shopping malls while other beaches feature nearby camping and are more remote.
No matter what type of traveler is looking for a beach vacation, America is a big enough country that there is a beach out there that matches their travel needs and vacation desires almost perfectly. With that in mind, here is a list of five American beaches that should definitely not be missed.
Fort De Soto Park
Located very near to the St. Pete and Clearwater, Florida area, Fort De Soto Park has been one of the more popular beaches in Florida for years. There is actually an abundance of campsites available in the park for visitors to make use of, but it is highly recommended that would-be travelers reserve a site early as there are usually very few or none available to those that show up without reservations. Being so near the St. Pete and Clearwater areas, there are tons of things to do that will entertain both children and adults alike. One of the most popular features of the park itself is the historical museum that details the exciting local history of the area and the old cannons that still adorn the fort.
Main Beach
Located in the trendy and popular East Hampton, New York area, Main Beach is easily one of the nicest and most beautiful beaches in the Northeastern United States. Surrounded by stunning colonial homes, windmills, natural ponds, and even some wildlife, the long sandy beach is perfect for families with children of all ages. Because of it’s pricey location, staying nearby may be challenging for many families, but it doesn’t preclude a day trip out to this playground for the rich and famous. The fireworks show on the Fourth of July is one of the more popular draws that Main Beach has and can be enjoyed by people for miles around.
Hanauma Bay Nature Park
One visit to the Hanauma Bay Nature Park on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and every visitor is sure to see why this location consistently ranks at or near the top of most best beach lists. The park is designed as a state underwater park and is popular with snorkelers and scuba divers alike. It is a very popular beach, so like most popular locations it may be wise for a traveler to get their early to ensure there is a place for their towel on the sand. The Hanauma Bay Nature Park is located very near to the popular Waikiki Beach area meaning that it is both convenient to get to and also near a great deal of other attractions that will appeal to almost everyone in a family and/or group.
Coast Guard Beach
Not just because it is located on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, but also due to it being part of the Cape Cod National Seashore which is operated and maintained by the National Park Service, Coast Guard Beach is one of the most beautiful and least trampled on natural beaches in the Northeastern United States. With miles of sand dunes to explore and a gentle sloping shoreline, Coast Guard Beach has been one of the more popular destinations for anyone from the area or visiting to the area who want to experience their share of fun in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Coronado Beach
Anyone visiting the San Diego, California area and looking to experience the Pacific Ocean in all it’s glory would be well served at taking some time at beautiful Coronado Beach. Located in a very historically important area of the city of San Diego, Coronado Beach offers great opportunities for fun on the beach and also is in convenient proximity to many other San Diego attractions as well. Visitors can watch or take part in body surfing, boogie boarding, swimming, beach running, beach volleyball, suntanning, tide pool exploring, and whale watching. Coronado Beach is also a popular location for sand sculptors to show their talents, and some of the creations these true artists construct should indeed not be missed. For those with pets, a visit to Dog Beach, an area where pets are permitted to be off leash and play in the sand and surf, is a definite must.
A vacation trip to the beach has been a tradition for families and groups for centuries. Whether those traveling are looking for exciting fun on the sand and in the surf or are more interested in quite serene times just listening to the waves pound the shoreline, the ocean beaches of the world have always been popular destinations and it isn’t any different here in the United States of America. There is something purely refreshing about a trip to the beach that keeps millions of Americans coming back year after year, often to the same place they have been before, and often exploring new beach locations that they have never before experienced. Experienced beach travelers know what they generally will find at the next beach they visit, but each beach is also so different in so many ways. A beach vacation is an opportunity to experience the incredible power of nature, but in an extremely fun and interesting way.