When the cherry trees bloom, spring in Washington, DC, is magical — transforming into a fairy tale setting of historical monuments framed with delicate pink and white blossoms. It is a place where a soft breeze can send petals floating through the air, almost like a springtime version of snow.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival was started in 1935 to commemorate the 1912 gift of 3,020 cherry trees from Japan to Washington, DC, as an international gesture of friendship. The festival now spans four weeks. While the cherry blossoms are the festival's star feature, it includes a parade, street food, entertainment, and many events throughout the month. 

The Yoshino cherry trees are the most celebrated cherry trees of the festival, and it is their peak bloom that most visitors wish to experience. Even though there are a dozen cherry tree varieties in Washington, they do not all bloom simultaneously. Still, the blooming season coincides with almost the entire festival. So no matter when you arrive, it's guaranteed you'll see some cherry blossoms. Without traveling to Japan, this is one of few places on Earth where you can experience the Japanese custom of Hanami or watching blossoms. More than 1.5 million visitors travel to our nation's capital annually to celebrate this occasion.

In the 1800s, covered bridges were built on narrow dirt roads as safe passages across scenic winding streams. They remind us of a simpler time when horse and buggy were the mode of transportation between small rural towns. Today, these charming iconic landmarks are in picturesque settings virtually untouched by the years. They are both appealing and a reminder of their significance as part of our heritage.

Sadly, only a fraction of these wooden bridges remain since maintaining these old beauties takes a concentrated effort. We once had over 10,000 covered bridges scattered throughout the United States, but now only around 750 have survived.

Parke County, Indiana, is one such gem of a location. It is the self-proclaimed "Covered Bridge Capital of America," with 31 covered bridges. It is​ #1 for having more covered bridges than any other county in the United States.



Constructed almost 100 years ago, at the beginning of America's love affair with the automobile and reinvented as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is a MUST-VISIT attraction for every Historic Route 66 pilgrimage.

It is an easy two-mile round trip hike or bike across this historic old bridge that soars high above the Mississippi River between Madison, Illinois, and St Louis, Missouri, at one of the river's most scenic locations near its confluence with the Missouri River. Even if you can't go the complete distance, you can drive down the road to the left just before entering the parking lot, where you can admire the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge from the base of the Mississippi River.

During my Missouri Route 66 planning, I made a note to visit Red Oak II since I wanted to see the cottage-style Phillips 66 service station that had been relocated there and restored from the ghost town of Red Oak, Missouri. That was the extent of my research on this location, and while I knew there were a few other restored buildings on-site, nothing I read prepared me for the magnitude of this Route 66 treasure.

Get your kicks on New Mexico's Route 66 National Scenic Byway! 

New Mexico has one of the most varied landscapes in the United States, and Route 66 crosses all its land regions. Enter New Mexico in the Great Plains at the ghost town of Glenrio, where the landscape is flat and grassy. As you reach Tucumcari, the land begins transitioning to the high desert with broad valleys, deep canyons, sharp cliffs, and flat-topped mesas. It is both harsh and majestic. Nearing the middle of the state, you’ll wind through the mountain pass of Tijeras Canyon as you work your way to Albuquerque in the valley below. Nine Mile Hill brings you up from the valley toward El Malpais, the stark lava landscape near Grants. Approaching the Continental Divide, the lava gives way to breathtaking red-hued cliffs. Those beautiful red cliffs keep getting better and better as you pass through Gallup shortly before exiting the state.

I recently spent a weekend in Texas photographing Historic Route 66. As luck would have it, we had a wind storm the first day I was there. But, after making the long drive, I wasn't about to spend my weekend hunkered down in a motel room like a sane person. So, I was out shooting in it. The 50+ mile an hour wind gusts stirred up the dirt in the more rural areas and made for interesting atmospheric conditions. Even so, we ended up having so much fun, much more than I ever expected.