One of the busiest ports, business and manufacturing centers in the US is situated on the west bank of the Hudson River in New Jersey. Jersey City has always been a major port for incoming immigrants and the city is important in the manufacture of textiles and electronics. It also has oil refineries and chemical and petroleum plants. The city is unusual in that most of its streets are named rather than numbered. Boulevards are named after the famous e.g. John F. Kennedy Boulevard. Many drives are named after historical figures e.g. Christopher Columbus Drive and Martin Luther King Drive.

The area is one of the most cosmopolitan in America with many Hispanic, Asian, Cuban, Filipino and Italian residents. Jersey City is a thriving place now but it has not always been so. In the latter part of the 20th century, the city suffered crime, political corruption scandals and poverty. However, there has been a recent re-juvenation with some districts becoming a fashionable area to live. These residential areas have high quality stores and restaurants. Businesses have moved into the area and many international financial institutions have re-located from New York City, across the water. Read more »

Fun is the keyword along the Grand Strand region of South Carolina. It’s a popular tourist spot along this bit of coastline and includes the city of Myrtle Beach, which receives more than 14 million visitors alone. A Myrtle Beach vacation is a gateway to all the great beaches and facilities.  Keen shoppers have plenty retail outlets and the restaurants are of a high standard, many of them specializing in local seafood.

The long standing Sun Fun Festival is designed to get everyone in holiday mood. It takes place at the start of June and includes beauty pageants, parades and human checker board games. It’s a favorite with tourists and locals and demonstrates the area’s sense of humor. Anyone not wearing shorts or swimwear during the festival gets a fine! Read more »

Nicknamed the Raisin Capital of the World, the sixth largest city in California and the county seat of Fresno County, Fresno California is an important center for local government.  Its economy was mainly agriculture based but it has an industrial core now in food processing, engineering and medical technology. Its proximity to Los Angeles and the Yosemite National Park brings constant tourists through the city. It’s well worth a visit for itself, with many cultural pursuits available.

There are several parks in the area, including zoological gardens. Kearney Park is the site used for the annual Civil War re-enactment. The Forestiere Underground Gardens is an eccentric subterranean labyrinth of courtyards and passages with attractive fruit trees.  Fresno California has other unusual claims to fame. The city established the first ever modern landfill site in America in 1937, namely the Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill. It had a pioneering waste disposal technique. After its closure in 1987, it was declared a National Historic Landmark. Read more »

The rugged scenery of the state of Colorado is well known and Colorado Springs was established as a tourist resort, attracting visitors because of its dry climate, mineral waters and the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. Tourists have been coming here since the 1870s and fortune seekers were also attracted by the lure of gold and silver for a while.

Today, it is a modern city, important in its contribution to the nation’s economy. There are several blue chip companies that have their base of operations here and the area is also a major center for military establishments and national defense agencies. The population has grown to such an extent that measures are being taken to tackle the problem of traffic congestion. There are numerous visitor attractions in Colorado Springs and an average of 250 days of sunshine a year to enjoy them in. Read more »