Oregon Recreation and Travel Information: Five Fabulous Nationwide RV Trips

If you're not a "Full-Timer" you might already be thinking of great vacation destinations for the upcoming year. If you're lucky enough to be "vacationing" every day, you might want to consider these top five spots that were reported to have some fabulous things for RVers:

NORTHWEST MONTANA:
Cradled in the Rocky Mountains close to Glacier National Park are the Blackfeet and Flathead Indian Reservations. Campgrounds abound in and near the national park and on the reservations themselves, making this stunning scenic area a virtual wonderland for RVers. Attend a pow wow, take a photo safari, see ancient buffalo jumps and medicine rocks, venture into Indian art galleries, and tour the reservations' superb museums. The People's Center, and The Museum of the Plains Indians is on the Blackfeet reservation at Browning. Here too, you can see the National Bison Range where all 400 of the shaggy creatures still roam. Contact: Glacier Country 945 4th Ave. E. Suite B, Kalispell, MT 59901.

FLORIDA'S LAKE OKEECHOBEE:
Even though it's the second largest lake completely within the United States, Florida's Lake Okeechobee has yet to be discovered by the tourism rush. You can drive its 150-mile circumference in a day or take it slowly, stopping to fish, explore historic sites and forgotten hamlets, and lazing the days away in sunny campgrounds. Prehistoric tribes left burial mounds and hand-dug canals around the lake, then they vanished. A poignant monument is seen at Belle Glade, where there's also a nice museum. Contact: Natural Resources Office, 525 Ridgelawn Road Clewiston, FL 33440

MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN:
With its year-round blooms and climates, ranging from desert to rain forest, the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis is a great tourist treasure find. It all began in 1859 when hardware mogul Henry Shaw opened his estate to the public. His 62,000 plant specimens have grown to three million; his garden is now on the National Register of Historic Sites. Here, you can take in the wonder of rare blooms, plants, and shrubs from all over the world; tour Shaw's mansion, see the cactus collection, the Japanese garden, and a wealth of sculptures and fountains. St. Louis overflows with family attractions, most of them low-cost or absolutely free. Ride to the top of the riverfront's Gateway Arch, tour the St. Louis Zoo, or the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, or catch a game at Busch Stadium. Contact: St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission 10 S. Broadway St. Louis, MO 63102.

GEORGIA'S CABBAGE PATCH KINGDOM:
Find your way to the tiny Blue Ridge mountain town of Cleveland in northern Georgia and spend some time in the hospital where Cabbage Patch kids are "born." These cute doll babies can be "adopted" for a fee, complete with a birth certificate. The mountains of northeast Georgia, less than a two-hour drive from Atlanta, abound with lots of other crowd-pleasers, including seven big lakes, six state parks, two wineries, and twin golf resorts at Lake Lanier Islands. In Dahlonega, where America's first major gold rush occurred in 1828, several mines let visitors pan for gold and keep what they find. Contact: Babyland General Hospital 19 Underwood St. Cleveland GA 30528 and Georgia Dept. of Industry, Trade & Tourism 285 Peachtree Center Ave. N.E. Atlanta GA 30303

INDIANA'S CONNER PRAIRIE:
This living history community near Indianapolis buzzes all summer with farming, housekeeping, and weddings as they would have looked in 1836. Guests churn butter and knead bread while roasts cook in fireplace kettles and a candlelit table is set with period dishes. Guests then play a game of checkers or listen to yarns about village life or Indian lore. After coffee, lanterns are lit and guests retrace their path back into the 20th century, warmed with good food and fellowship.

These are just a few of the fantastic places that will be great to see and visit this coming season. Did you go to a special place this year? Have you found a wonderful place you'd like to share with the rest of our fun- loving RVers? Please share your trips with us!!!

Oregon Recreation and Travel Information

Five Fabulous RV Trips!