Holiday
Celebrate The Season
Silver Dollar City, a popular theme park in Branson, Missouri, celebrates An Old Time Christmas through December 30, 2020. During this festive event, streets come alive with color, music, lights, and traditional holiday activities.
Attractions include 30 shows presented daily on outdoor stages; an elaborate eight-story, animated Christmas tree; and more than 6.5 million — yes, million — lights that adorn streets, buildings, walkways, and trees throughout the theme park.
Christmas in Midtown celebrates with a display of light tunnels, wreath portals, flying angels, running reindeer, a moving train, stars, snowflakes, and a giant turning globe. Other attractions include Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade, the Frisco Sing-Along Steam Train, and festively decorated theme park rides.
Live entertainment includes caroling troupes. The Living Nativity transports visitors to ancient Bethlehem, the Frontier Fa-La-La Follies presents Wild West comedy, and the Cool Yule show entertains with a live band. Santa is on hand to greet youngsters in a socially distanced way.
Park revelers can watch artisans create heirloom works of art and shop at Christmas Hollow for ornaments and collectibles.
Family-style restaurants serve holiday dinners and other tummy-warming fare. Thousands of LED lights outline Clara Belle’s Cinnamon Bread bakery and the new Rivertown Smokehouse, the latter featuring fresh-smoked meats and specialty desserts. Covered decks with heaters allow smokehouse guests to dine outside.
To learn more, including days and hours of operation and COVID-19 updates, visit www.silverdollarcity.com.
Campground Spotlight
American RV Resort, Albuquerque, New Mexico
American RV Resort, located off Interstate 40 just west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, beckons travelers to pull in and rest up. “Our campground is a perfect stop for people traveling and needing a place for a night or a few days to relax,” said general manager Robert Tafoya.
Offering easy access from the interstate, American RV Resort is close to numerous attractions in and around Albuquerque, New Mexico, and provides guests with a long list of amenities. The gated park accommodates individuals for short- and long-term stays and also hosts RV groups for rallies.
During the coronavirus pandemic, amenities normally offered by the park are closed. But when things return to normal, guests may start their day by partaking in the free continental breakfast. Then they may choose to unwind in the heated swimming pool or in the spa’s hot tub. Those who haven’t tossed horseshoes lately — or ever — can try their hand at the horseshoe pits. When it’s time for Rover to get some exercise, head to the dog park.
After resting up in the gated park, guests can venture out to enjoy the Albuquerque area’s many attractions. Perhaps the best known is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, held in October. Like many events nationwide, it was postponed this year because of COVID-19. The 2021 event is set for October 2-10.
The area offers much more. The Albuquerque BioPark consists of a zoo, an aquarium, a botanic garden, and Tingley Beach. Old Town Albuquerque includes shops, galleries, and restaurants. The Acoma Sky City Cultural Center offers a look at New Mexico’s cultural heritage, as well as a tour of an ancient pueblo village. The Unser Racing Museum immerses visitors in the world of auto racing. Descriptions of additional attractions are posted on American RV Resort’s website.
American RV Resort offers convenient access to Albuquerque’s offerings, and RV clubs have taken note. “We host several RV club rallies a year,” Mr. Tafoya said. “We provide special pricing for rallies, along with a clubhouse that is used for club meetings and get-togethers.”
American RV Resort is open year-round. Back-in and pull-through sites are available. All have full hookups, as well as a concrete patio, a picnic table, free Wi-Fi, and cable TV connections. Propane is available. A camp store is on site, as is a laundry and modern bathhouses.
American RV Resort, C11944
13500 Central Ave. S.W.
Albuquerque, NM 87121
(505) 218-7383
www.americanrvpark.com
History
Honoring Dwight D. Eisenhower
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial was formally welcomed as the 420th unit of the National Park Service on September 18, 2020. The memorial in Washington, D.C., honors Eisenhower’s legacy as the World War II Supreme Allied Commander and the 34th president of the United States.
A sculpture at the new Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, D.C., depicts “Ike,” as president, with his advisors
President Eisenhower “was a transformational leader, peacemaker, rebuilder, civil rights advocate, and fiscal hawk who helped make our country a beacon of freedom and hope for the world,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt. “We will forever tell the inspiring story of President Eisenhower and his unparalleled legacy through this iconic memorial in Washington, D.C.”
Designed by architect Frank Gehry, the memorial includes three bronze statues of Eisenhower by sculptor Sergey Eylanbekov. One features General Eisenhower with troops from the 101st Airborne the day before the invasion of Normandy; another depicts President Eisenhower in the White House surrounded by civilian and military advisors; the third portrays “Little Ike” in his boyhood.
The stone bas-relief images and inscription panels highlight passages from notable Eisenhower addresses and give context to the sculptures. Framing the entire memorial is a first-of-its-kind stainless-steel woven tapestry by artist Tomas Osinski, which depicts the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc on the Normandy coastline.
The memorial is located in a new four-acre public park across from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The site is surrounded by several federal agencies that have roots in the Eisenhower administration, including the Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services (formerly Health, Education and Welfare), Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, and Voice of America.
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial is administered by the National Park Service as one of its National Mall and Memorial Parks. It is open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. NPS rangers provide programs for visitors and answer questions.
For more information, including temporary operational changes and site closures that may be in effect in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, visit http://www.nps.gov/ddem.
Food
Eat Well
RVers looking for food that has been produced in a safe, humane, and sustainable manner may want to check out the Eat Well Guide. This online source has identified more than 25,000 establishments across the United States that meet these criteria.
Eatwellguide.org
As the website states, the goal of staff researchers is “to map out the sustainable food system.” They seek out sustainable agriculture: that is, food produced using farming techniques that protect the environment, public health, human communities, and animals.
A wide range of businesses are included: farms, ranches, restaurants, breweries, wineries, bakeries, butcher shops, farmers markets, meal delivery companies, community gardens, and more.
To see what’s out there, visit www.eatwellguide.org. On the search page, enter the desired location, the type of establishment, and distance criteria. Or click the Guides tab to find recommended businesses in particular cities or at various event locations. A Glossary tab also defines terms such as “fair trade certified” and “organic.”
If you know of an establishment or food grower with sustainable agriculture practices that you’d like the Eat Well Guide curators to investigate, share information on the website’s “Suggest a listing” link.