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HTO Beach & Park- Toronto, ON
Located on the banks of Lake Ontario, you'd expect Toronto to have an exciting waterfront. Until recently, you'd have been fairly disappointed, unless you like creepy abandoned factories.
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Mill Creek Golf Course: South- Youngstown, OH
I usually am not a fan of parkland style golf courses, mostly because of the constant threat from errant golf balls. That said, I love both of Mill Creek's Golf Courses, set within the magnificent park of the same name.
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Garden of the Gods- Colorado Springs, CO
Once privately owned by railroad magnate Charles Elliott Perkins, the magnificent Garden of the Gods has been open to the public since 1909. Featuring fabulous sedimentary rock formations formed millions of years ago, it is a showcase of geologic processes. Extremely accessible, it’s an almost overwhelmingly popular place; don’t expect solitude, serenity, or challenging hikes here. Regardless, the scenery is truly spectacular, and it is worth a short stop.
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Fair Park- Dallas, Texas
Fair Park is nothing short of amazing. Seriously. The home of the Texas State Fair is an absolute dream. Not the fair itself, which I have never attended, but rather the park’s original Art Deco buildings. In fact, the park is home to one of the largest collections of Art Deco art and architecture in the world. I was completely unaware of its overall awesomeness, making the experience that much more exciting. The site itself dates back to 1886, when it was selected for the Dallas State Fair; following a fire and financial difficulties, it was designated Dallas’ second public park. In 1906, influenced by the City Beautiful Movement, landscape…
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Patterson Park Pagoda- Baltimore, MD
Located in a leafy park not far from Fells Point stands a grand Gilded Age monument built to commemorate the 1814 Battle of Baltimore. During the war, Hampstead Hill, now part of Patterson Park, was home to Rodgers Bastion, a three mile wide earthworks dug to defend Baltimore’s eastern approach from the British. Here, on September 13, 1814, 100 cannons and 12,000 men forced the British to retreat; their attempt to later take Ft. McHenry instead didn’t work out either. Baltimore was spared. In 1827, Baltimore merchant William Patterson donated 5 acres of the area to the city; in 1860, the city was able to purchase an additional 29 acres…
