My ever-growing list of Extraordinary Places will help take your road-trip planning to the next level. Hand-picked, I promise that each one is worth the detour. This article is a continuation of Extraordinary Places for Your Next Road Trip from the Fall 2022 issue. RV Lifestyle Hoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River on the border between Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935 by President Franklin Roosevelt. Its construction was the result of a massive effort involving thousands of workers and cost more than one hundred lives. The dam was controversially named in honour of President Herbert Hoover. Hoover Dam impounds Lake Mead and is located near Boulder City, Nevada, a municipality originally constructed for workers on the construction project about 40 km southeast of Las Vegas. The dam’s generators provide power for public and private utilities in Nevada, Arizona and California. Hoover Dam is a major tourist attraction, with nearly a million people touring the dam each year. Heavily travelled U.S. 93 ran along the dam’s crest until October 2010, when the Hoover Dam Bypass opened. Gulf State Park has three kilometres of beaches, a spacious campground with 496 full-hookup sites and a brand-new lodge. The Lakeside Cabins and Eagle Cottages are also available for overnight stays. Longleaf pines and the local palmetto forest surround the four “woods cabins.” Remaining “lakeside cabins” along Lake Shelby offer swimming, fishing and sunrise walks right outside your front door. There’s gorgeous white sand, surging surf, seagulls and a variety of activities, but there is more than sand and surf to sink your toes into. The park features 45 kilometres of paved trails or boardwalks, including seven trails of the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail complex that encourage visitors to explore its nine distinct ecosystems. Enjoy the serenity of Gulf Oak Ridge trail as you stroll underneath live oak trees draped in Spanishmoss. Take a bike ride on Rosemary Dunes. If you’re hoping to see an alligator, explore Gopher Tortoise trail along the edge of Lake Shelby. A majority of the trails are suitable for walking, running and biking. Gulf State Park, Alabama Hoover Dam, Nevada/Arizona Extraordinary Places are the places that stay with you long after visiting. They are the places that fill you with wonder. They are epic natural wonders, weird roadside attractions and deeply meaningful locations. Simply put, Extraordinary Places turn a great road trip into an unforgettable adventure. Here are just some of the places that I love the most – that is, until I hit the road again and discover new favourites. Explore my list and start planning your next road trip today. What is an Extraordinary Place? Beautiful Experiences – Extraordinary Places The park’s close proximity to Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Foley, Fairhope and Mobile provides Gulf State Park with numerous retail and restaurant options. The Five Rivers Delta Resource Center, Weeks Bay Reserve, The USS Alabama andMeaher State Park are all within driving distance. 30 | www.snowbirds.org
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