See America

River Cities Speedway

On the western banks of the Red River of the North is a flat region known as the Red River Valley, and a town that owes its existence to a flatboat race down the Red River in the late fall of 1870, in which the steamboat of Alexander Griggs came up short to the Winship's crew. The result was that Griggs spent the 1871 winter here, and founded the city of Grand Forks. This town was born with racing in its blood. It's a tradition that continues to this very day, but in a much more modern way.

This week, on the season one finale of the See America Podcast, something as American as the clichéd apple pie — dirt track races at the River Cities Speedway.

The International UFO Museum & Research Center

In July 1947, something happened in Eastern New Mexica during a severe thunderstorm. Was it a flying saucer? Was it a weather balloon? What happened? Whatever it was, it sparked an alien fever that continues to this day. This week, Roswell, New Mexico, and the International UFO Museum and Research Center.

Bellingrath Gardens & Home

Mobile, Alabama doesn't get the street cred of other historic southern tourism towns like Savannah, New Orleans, and Charleston. Perhaps it's the massive shipping industry that lends an industrial vibe to some, but consider that Mobile is steeped in history. It was founded in 1702 by the French as the first capital of Louisiana. It's host to a massive concentration of historic architecture. And even though New Orleans somehow became the Mardi Gras capital of the world, Mobile invented the Mardis Gras parade and has been running an organized Carnival longer than anyone else in the US. Its French Catholic colonial settlers celebrated this festival from the first decade of the 18th century.

You could easily spend a week soaking in the Mobile area. We did that earlier this year, and on the outskirts of town, we found one attraction that rose above all the rest. 65 acres of year-round floral pageantry in a Southern estate garden like no other: The Bellingrath Gardens & Home.

The Hollywood Sign

Before Hollywood became the film and television capital of the world, it didn't look much different than other western frontiers. The area surrounding Los Angeles was full of farmers, cowboys, and prospectors, all wanting their piece of acres of undeveloped land. As the word got out about the sunny skies, mild temps, and dry weather, Americans began to flock to California.

In 1887, a Mrs. Wilcox, wife of Harvey Wilcox, met a woman on a train trip who referred to her Florida summer home, "Hollywood." She was so struck by the name that she suggested it to her husband, who would come to found a small, Southern California town that would become synonymous with the American dream.

This week's episode, The Hollywood Sign.

The Shreveport Water Works

One of the best things about a road trip is uncovering new experiences that weren't even on your radar. As we travel the country, it's very hard for my wife and me to pass up a historical marker. Often something small happened in that location, but other times it's a grain elevator museum or an old train depot. Fantastic reminders of the development of modern conveniences. 

One such place caught our eye in the city of Shreveport, Louisiana. Shreveport isn't what many would call a tourist town, but we were swept away by its charm, it's food and its history. On today's episode, the Shreveport Water Works Museum.

The Stanley Hotel

Colorado's Estes Valley was once a wild, lonely parkland known only to the nomadic tribes of Ute and Arapaho. When the Earl of Dunraven visited in 1872, he coveted this a "sportsman's paradise" of rushing streams and peaceful meadows teeming with fish and game. He sought to keep the valley to himself as a private hunting preserve, but as more and more American settlers were drawn by its natural beauty, he realized that his dream could never be a reality.

Yankee inventor Freelan Oscar Stanley arrived in the valley, weak and underweight from the symptoms of consumption. To his amazement, just one season was enough to restore his health to better than before.

Overjoyed, he vowed to return each summer for the rest of his life. But he and his wife Flora were used to the sophistication of East Coast society, and the little community of Estes Park offered little to stimulate and challenge this multi-talented genius. Together, they resolved to build a beautiful grand hotel, one that many years later would play host to a young Stephen King, inspiring one of his most famous and chilling tales.

The Space Needle

Rising high above the Seattle skyline is one of the most iconic structures in the world. It was built in just 400 days, held together 74,000 bolts. Today, it stands as a symbol of the Pacific Northwest, reminding us of plans of the past and dreams of the future. This week, Seattle's Space Needle.

Cadillac Ranch

Main Street of America. The Mother Road. Is there anything more American than cruising from Chicago to LA on Route 66 in a classic convertible blasting Springsteen's "Cadillac Ranch." Route 66 today has changed, it's less about the drive than the stops along the way. Many are boarded up or have been swallowed by the dust and tumbleweed of the Southwest, but those that survive remind us of where we've been and where we're going. This week, one of the most iconic stops on the Mother Road, Cadillac Ranch.

The Great Buffalo Roundup

Probably the most iconic American mammal is the bison, or buffalo as it’s colloquially called. They’re nearly synonymous with Yellowstone National Park, but there’s another, better place to see them. One where traffic jams rarely occur every time one meanders by. It’s also a bit easier for most Americans to get to and every bit as beautiful: the Black Hills of South Dakota. This week, the Great Buffalo Roundup at South Dakota’s Custer State Park.

The Neon Boneyard

Las Vegas, Nevada. The quintessential Road Trip destination. For nearly 100 years it’s been the American epicenter for gambling, live spectacles, shotgun weddings, magicians, and all sorts of assorted vice. Its proximity to Southern California ensures the desert oasis is fed with a continuous supply of visitors, and its reputation for hospitality delivers a steadfast flow of people from around the world. 

If there’s one word that describes the look of Vegas, it’ must be “neon.” One of its many nicknames is even “the Neon Capital of the World,” So it’s no surprise that, if there were a museum dedicated to Neon signs anywhere, it would be in Vegas. 

This week, the Neon Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada.