New Mexico (NM)

New Mexico State Flag

"Land of Enchantment"

"The Cactus State", "The Land of Opportunity", "The Land of Sunshine", "The Land of the Delight Makers", The Land of the Heart's Desire" and "The Spanish State" 

Why visit New Mexico?

Travelers seeking to enjoy adobe architecture, ancient ruins, art galleries, bicycling, casinos, culture, desert landscape, festivals, foodies, ghost towns, healers, hiking, hispanic culture, history, hot air balloons, kayaking, mountains, pueblos, rafting, shopping, skiing and vineyards.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park, NM. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

At a Glance

• Capital: Santa Fe 
• State Bird: Roadrunner
• State Dessert: None
• State Flower: Yucca
• State Gemstone: Turquoise
• State Mammal: American Black Bear
• State Rock: None

Shakespeare (Ghost Town) Hidalgo County, NM. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

Fun Facts

• Kept out of the union for more than a half century because the majority of their population was considered "aliens" (Mexican-American) until January 6, 1912 when the United States Congress admitted them to the 47th state.
  
• One of our country's oldest wine growing regions.
• The Economy is cattle ranching, dry land farming, lumber milling, oil drilling, mineral extraction and retail trade.
  
• Has a large U.S. military presence and various U.S. National Security Agencies base for research and testing arms.
  
• During World War II, the first atomic bombs were designed and manufactured at Los Alamos, testing at Trinity site in the desert between Socorro and Alamogordo.
  
• The new flag represents the state's Spanish origins with the same scarlet and gold coloration as Spain's Cross of Burgundy and the ancient sun symbol of the Zia, a Puebloan Tribe.
  
• Highest population percentage of Hispanic and Latino Americans, and the second-highest percentage of Native Americans.
  
• The nation's third-largest crude oil and ninth-largest natural gas producer.
  
• State offers financial incentives for film production.
  
• Residents may purchase any firearm deemed legal under federal law. There's no waiting periods or restrictions on magazine capacity. 
  
• No major league professional sports teams are based in New Mexico.
  
• Mexican Gray Wolf and Rio Grande Silvery Minnow are endangered species.
  
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park (Carlsbad) consists of 120 known underground caves.
  
• Features 7 National Forests, 3 National Parks and 32 State Parks.

Santa Fe, NM. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

Thank You!

• Spotlight Celebrities: Alex Bergman (Athlete), Annabeth Gish (Actress), Arian Foster (Athlete), Demi Lovato (Musician), Demi Moore (Actress), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), John Denver (Musician) and Neil Patrick Harris (Actor), just to name a few.
• Movies to Inspire You: Brokeback Mountain (2005), Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid (1969), Contact (1997), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), Lolita (1997), No Country for Old Men (2007), Silverado (1985), The Cowboys (1972), Wild Hogs (2007), Young Guns (1988) and Young Guns II: Blaze of Glory (1990), just to name a few.
• Reads Set in New Mexico: Night at the Fiestas (written by Kirstin Valdez Quade), The Last Conquistador (written by Marc Simmons),The Spell of New Mexico (written by Tony Hillerman) and Tyrannosaur Canyon (written by Douglas Preston), just to name a few.

White Sands National Park, NM. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

Good to Know

• Not your big city vibe or water sport destination.
• From May through late October a Scenic Railroad operates from Chama (NM) to Antonito (CO).
• Beware of Hantavirus carried by Deer Mice and the Plague from Prairie Dogs.
• Expect long distances between towns and attractions in remote locations.
• Cellular service can be spotty in rural areas.
• Widely spoken is Navajo and New Mexican Spanish.
  
• Only has three Interstate Highways; Interstate 10, Interstate 25  and Interstate 40. "The Big I" refers to interchanges between Interstate 25  and Interstate 40.
  
• State has the highest alcohol Driving Under the Influence (DUI) related crash rates.
  
• Statewide recognizes same-sex marriage.

Subject to dust storms, snowstorms, tornadoes, tropical cyclones and wildfires.

Agate Architecture, NM. Photo Credit: di Bus/Pixabay 

• Best Time to Visit: October - November
• Coldest Months: November - March
• Hottest Months: July
• Peak Season: July - September

Very Large Array, Socorro, NM. Photo Credit: J Lynne Hardesty/Pixabay 

Your Must-See & Do

• Historical Sites: Abó, Acoma Pueblo, Bandelier CCC Historic District, Barrio De Analco Historic District, Big Bead Mesa, Blackwater Draw, Carlsbad Irrigation District, Coronado Historic Site, Denver & Rio Grande Railroad San Juan Extension, Ernest L Blumenschein House, Ernie Pyle House, Georgia O'Keeffe Home & Studio, Kit Carson House, El Santuario de Chimayó, Folsom Site, Fort Bayard Site, Fort Selden Historic Site, Fort Sumner Historic Site, Glorieta Pass Battlefield, Hawikuh, Jemez Historic Site, Las Trampas Historic District, Lincoln Historic District, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Luceros Historic Site, Mabel Dodge Luhan House, Manuelito Complex, Mesilla Plaza, National Park Service Region III Office, Palace of the Governors, Pecos Pueblo, Puye Ruins, Quarai, Rabbit Ears, Ratón Pass, San Estévan del Rey Mission Church, San Francisco de Asís Mission Church, San Gabriel de Yungue-Ouinge, San José de Gracia Church, San José de los Jémez Mission & Gíusewa Pueblo Site, Sandia Cave, San Lazaro, Santa Fe Plaza, Seton Village, Taos Pueblo, Trinity Site, Village of Columbus & Camp Furlong, Wagon Mound, Watrous (La Junta), White Sands V-2 Launching Site and Zuni-Cibola Complex.
• Museums: Albuquerque Museum, Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, Bradbury Science Museum, Carlsbad Museum & Art Center, Deming Luna Mimbres Museum, Explora, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, Harwood Museum of Art, IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA), Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, Millicent Rogers Museum, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Museum of International Folk Art, Museum of New Mexico Foundation, Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, National Hispanic Cultural Center, National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, New Mexico History Museum, New Mexico Holocaust Museum & Gellert Center for Education, New Mexico Museum of Art, New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, New Mexico Museum of Space History, Palace of the Governors, Poeh Cultural Center, Rattlesnake Museum, Roswell Museum & Art Center, Santa Fe Children's Museum, SITE Santa Fe, Taos Art Museum at Fechin House, The Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, The New Mexico Office of Archaeological Studies, Tinkertown Museum, Turquoise Museum, University of New Mexico Art Museum, Unser Racing Museum and Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian.
• Popular Attractions: 516 Arts, ABQ Biopark Aquarium, ABQ Biopark Botanic Garden, Alameda Park Zoo, Amapola Gallery, Andrea Fisher Fine Pottery, Bandelier National Monument, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Billy the Kid Casino, Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, Blue Hole, Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Bosque Redondo Memorial, Bottomless Lakes State Park, Canyon Road Contemporary Art, Capulin Volcano National Monument, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Carmelite Monastery, Chaco Canyon, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Chiaroscuro Gallery, Chuck Jones Gallery, Cibola National Forest, City of Rocks State Park, Cliff's Amusement Park, Coronado National Forest, Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, Dar al Islam, Elephant Butte Lake State Park, El Malpais National Monument, El Morro National Monument, El Rancho de las Golondrinas, Enchanted Mesa, FaYun Prajna Monastery, Fort Stanton, Fort Union National Monument, Four Corners Monument, Fuller Lodge Art Center, Gerald Peters Gallery, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Gila Wilderness, Ghost Ranch, Glenn Green Galleries & Sculpture Garden, Gran Quivira Visitor Center, Institute of American Indian Arts, International Folk Art Market, International UFO Museum & Research Center, John B Robert Dam, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, La Vina Winery, Lightning Field, Lincoln National Forest, Living Desert State Park, Loretto Chapel, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Mark White Fine Art, Meow Wolf, Nedra Matteucci Galleries, Mountain Trails Fine Art Gallery, New Mexico State Capitol, New Mexico Steam Locomotive, Noisy Water Winery, Old Town Plaza, Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, On Canyon Road The Consignment Gallery, Organ Mountains, Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery, Pecos National Historical Park, Petroglyph National Monument, Pillow's Funtrackers, Red Rock Park, Rio Grande, Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, Río Grande del Norte National Monument, Rockhound State Park, Ruidoso Downs Race Track, San Antonio Hot Springs, Sandia Peak Tramway, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Santa Fe Farmers Market, Santa Fe National Forest, Santa Fe Plaza, Santa Fe Railyard, Santa Rosa's Blue Hole, Santuario de Chimayo,  Selby Fleetwood Gallery, Shidoni Gallery & Sculpture Gardens, Sierra Blanca, Sitting Bull Falls, Spaceport, Spence Hot Springs, Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts, Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino, SunRay Park & Casino, The Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi, Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, Tingley Beach, Two Graces, Valles Caldera National Preserve, VARA Wines, Very Large Array (VLA) Radio Telescope, Western Playland, Wheeler Peak, White Sands National Park, Wilder Nightingale Fine Art, Wildlife West Nature Park and Wines of the San Juan.
• Popular Cities/Towns to Visit: Alamogordo, Albuquerque, Alamogordo, Aztec, Carlsbad, Chama, Chimayó, Cloudcroft, Clovis, Farmington, Galisteo, Gallup, Hobbs, Jemez Springs, Las Cruces, Las Vegas, Los Alamos, Madrid, Mesilla, Raton, Red River, Rio Rancho, Roswell, Ruidoso, San Juan Pueblo, Santa Fe, Santa Rosa, Silver City, Taos, Truth or Consequences and Tucumcari. 
• Special Events: (February) Chocolate Fantasia, (March) National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show, Rio Grande Arts & Crafts Festivals, (April) Gathering of Nations Pow Wow, (May) Las Crues Wine Festival, (June) Balloons Over Angel Fire, Pork & Brew, Santa Fe Bandstand, Taos Solar Music Festival, (July) Mescalero Apache Ceremonial, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, Santa Fe Opera, Silver City CLAY Festival, The Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, Traditional Spanish Market, UFO Festival, (August) Elephant Butte Balloon Regatta, ¡GLOBALQUERQUE!, Great American Duck Race, Hot Chili Days & Cool Mountain Nights, Music from Angel Fire, Santa Fe Indian Market, (September) Clovis Music Festival, Fiestas de Santa Fe, Golden Aspen Motorcycle Rally & Trade Show, Hatch Chile Festival, Navajo Nation Fair, New Mexico State Fair, Pie Town Pie Festival, Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta, The Burning of Zozobra, White Sands Balloon & Music Festival (WSBMF), (October) Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Balloon Fiesta Show, Indian Arts Festival, Las Cruces Country Music Festival, Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium, Rio Grande Arts & Crafts Festivals, Taos Mountain Balloon Rally, (November) Festival of the Cranes, Rio Grande Arts & Crafts Festivals, Southwest Chocolate & Coffee Fest, Winter Indian Market and (December)Red Rock Balloon Rally.
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Chaco Culture National Historical Park and Taos Pueblo.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Angel Fire, NM. Photo Credit: Teri Comroe/Pixabay

Ready to embark on custom and personalized services, your journey begins with Louvet Travel? 

Your one stop source: Accommodations I Air I Car Rentals I Cruises I Disney I Excursions I Tours I Transfers I Travel Insurance I Villa Rentals

All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

New Jersey (NJ)

New Jersey State Flag

 

"The Garden State"

Why visit New Jersey?

For their amusement parks, beaches, biking, birdwatching, boardwalks, boating, canoeing, casinos, diving, equestrian farms, fishing, hiking, historical sites, horse racing, kayaking, lighthouses, shopping and water sports.

A popular destination for:

• Amateur & Professional Photographers
• Conventions, Meetings & Reunions
• Destination Wedding
• Ocean Cruises Embarkation/Disembarkation
• Groups: Family, Friends and Multigenerational
• Milestones: Anniversary, Bachelor Party, Bachelorette Party, Birthday and Retirement

Cape May, NJ. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

At a Glance

• Capital: Trenton
• State Bird: Eastern Goldfinch
• State Dessert: None
• State Flower: Purple Violet
• State Gemstone: None
• State Mammal: None
• State Rock: None

Fun Facts

• During Jurassic Period (180 million years ago), the state bordered North Africa. 
  
• In 1787, the third state to ratify the United States Constitution, preventing New York and Pennsylvania from charging tariffs on goods imported from Europe. 
• Since 1887, the light, fluffy and chewy candy, "salt water taffy" has been a boardwalk staple.
• In 1921, hosted the first Miss America Pageant (Atlantic City). 
  
• In 1933, debuted the first drive-in movie theatre (Camden).
  
• In 1951, the New Jersey Turnpike opened.
  
• Has more diners (570) than any other state.
• Atlantic City Boardwalk, is the first and longest boardwalk in the world.
  
• Birthplace to several inventions: cranberry sauce, dirigible, electric train, FM radio, lithium battery, light bulb, motion picture camera, phonograph, postcard, seedless watermelon, transistors and zippers.
  
• Producer of blueberries, corn, cranberries, peaches, tomatoes and watermelon.
  
• Amongst fourteen lanes the double deck  George Washington Bridge carries the heaviest load of motor vehicle traffic of any bridge in the world (102 million vehicles annually).
• Features 11 State Forests and 39 State Parks.
• Offers: 1,000+ attractions, 130 miles of beaches, 400+ cultural experiences and 460+ historical landmarks.

Atlantic City Beach, NJ. Photo Credit: 1778011/Pixabay 

Thank You!

• Spotlight Celebrities: Dana Elaine Owens "Queen Latifah" (Actress), Danny DeVito (Actor), Dionne Warwick (Musician), Elizabeth Gillies (Actress), Frank Sinatra (Musician), John Francis Bongiovi Jr "Jon Bon Jovi" (Musician), John Travolta (Actor), Kevin Jonas (Musician), Meryl Streep (Actress), Paul Rudd (Actor), Reginald "Reggie" Noble (Musician), Shaquille O'Neal (Athlete) and Whitney Houston (Musician), just to name a few.
• Movies to Inspire You: American Gangster (2007), Annie (1982), Friday the 13th (1980), Goodfellas (1990), Ocean’s Eleven (1960) and School of Rock (2003), just to name a few.
• Reads Set in New Jersey: A Naturalist Along the Jersey Shore (written by Joanna Burger), Jerseyana (written by Marc Mappen), Newark’s Little Italy (written by Michael Immersa), Old Inns and Taverns in West Jersey (written by Charles Boyer) and The Irish in New Jersey (written by Dermot Quinn), just to name a few.

Passaic River, NJ. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

Good to Know

• Most beach communities charge a daily fee ($3-$6) upon payment you're given a "beach tag" to be displayed.
  
• Insects are known to carry Lyme Disease and West Nile Virus.
• Caught in a rip tide, swim parallel to the coast.
  
• Beach dog walking is only permitted during off-season.
• Attendants are required to pump your gas (not yourself) as it's unlawful.
• Dingman's Ferry Bridge charges a toll in both directions. 
  
• New York Waterway has ferry terminals at Belford, Edgewater, Hoboken, Jersey City and Weehawken.
  

Subject to humidity, nor'easters, snowstorms and rare earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados or tropical storms. 

• Best Time to Visit: April - June and September - October
• Coldest Months: January - February
• Hottest Months: July - August
• Peak Season: June - August

Lucy the Elephant, Margate City, NJ. Photo Credit:  Jim McIntosh/Pixabay 

Your Must-See & Do

• Historical Sites: Abbott Farm Historic District, Abel & Mary Nicholson House, Albert Einstein House, All Saints' Memorial Church, Atlantic City Convention Hall, John Ballantine House, Baltusrol Golf Club, Pietro & Maria Botto House, Boxwood Hall, Burlington County Prison, Camp Evans, Cape May Historic District, Clark Thread Company Historic District, Elizabeth Cady Stanton House, Francis Hopkinson House, Grover Cleveland Home, Craftsman Farms, Fort Hancock & Sandy Hook Proving Ground Historic District,  Georgian Court, Grace Church, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company Warehouse, Great Falls of the Passaic/Society for Establishing Useful Manufacturers H.D., Hadrosaurus Foulkii Leidy Site, Hangar No 1 Lakehurst Naval Air Station, Hermitage, Hinchliffe Stadium, Holland Tunnel, Horn Antenna, Joseph Henry House, Lawrenceville School, Lucy the Margate Elephant, Maybury Hill, Minisink Archeological Site, Monmouth Battlefield, Morven, Nassau Hall, Navesink Light Station, New St Mary's Episcopal Church, Old Barracks, Old Queens, Palisades Interstate Park, Paulsdale, President's House, Princeton Battlefield, Prospect, Radburn, Red Bank Battlefield, Ringwood Manor, Sandy Hook Light, Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club, Shadow Lawn, The Speedwell Village Factory, T Thomas Fortune House, Thomas Nast Home, Washington's Crossing, Walt Whitman House, William Livingston House and William Trent House.
• Museums: African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, American Labor Museum, Aviation Hall of Fame, Barclay Farmstead Museum, Battleship New Jersey, Blairstown Museum, Cornelius Low House, Cranbury Museum, Dey Mansion Washington's Headquarters, Doo Wop Experience, Dreyfuss Planetarium, Emlen Physick Estate, Franklin Mineral Museum, Garden State Discovery Museum, Grounds For Sculpture, Heritage Glass Museum, Historic Cold Spring Village, Hoboken Historical Museum, Hunterdon Art Museum, InfoAge - Science History Learning Center & Museum, IImagine That!!, nsectropolis, Liberty Hall Museum, Liberty Science Center, Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, Maywood Station Museum, Millville Army Air Field Museum, Monmouth Museum, Montclair Art Museum, Morris Museum, Morven Museum & Garden, Museum of Early Trades & Crafts, National Guard Militia Museum, Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum, Newark Museum, New Jersey Maritime Museum, New Jersey State Museum, NJ Historical Society, Old Barracks Museum, Paterson Museum, Princeton University Art Museum, Roebling Museum, Sterling Hill Mining Museum, The Newark Museum of Art, The Noyes Museum of Art, The Stickley Museum, Thomas Edison Museum, Tuckerton Seaport, United States Golf Association (USGA), Wheaton Arts, Yogi Berra Museum and Zimmerli Art Museum.
• Popular Attractions: Absecon Lighthouse, Adventure Aquarium, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Asbury Park Boardwalk, Atlantic City Boardwalk, Atlantic City Race Course, Atlantic City Aquarium, Barnegat Lighthouse, Branch Brook Park, Camden Children's Garden, Cape May County Park & Zoo, Cape May Point State Park, Cape May Winery, Carney's Point, Casino Pier & Breakwater Beach, Clementon Amusement Park, Cohanzick Zoo, Colgate Clock, Columbus Farmers Market, Crossroads of the American Revolution, Delaware Water Gap, Diggerland, DreamWorks Waterpark, Edison's Menlo Park, Ellis Island National Monument, Fantasy Island, Fantasy Island Amusement Park, Field Station: Dinosaurs, Flemington's Liberty Village Factory Outlets, FlyNYON, Freehold Raceway, Garden State Park Racetrack, Garret Mountain Reservation, Gateway National Recreation Area, George Washington Bridge, Gillian's Wonderland Pier, Great Bay, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge,  Grounds For Sculpture, Gunnison Beach, Highlands, Hudson Palisades, Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, iPlay America, Jackson Outlet Village, Jenkinson's Boardwalk, Jersey Shore, Keansburg Amusement Park, Lake Hopatcong, Land of Make Believe, Lincoln Park, Livingston Mall, Market Fair, Meadowlands, Meadowlands Racetrack, Meadowlands Sports Complex, MetLife Stadium, Monmouth Park Racetrack, Morey's Piers & Beachfront Water Parks, Morristown National Historical Park, Mountain Creek Waterpark, New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, Nickelodeon Universe, Ocean City Boardwalk, Ocean City Music Pier, Ocean Oasis Water Park & Beach Club, Ocean Street, Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, Patterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Pier Village, Pine Barrens, Playland's Castaway Cove, Popcorn Park Zoo, Prudential Center, Quaker Bridge, Raging Waters Water Park, Ramapo Mountain, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Saddle River County Park, Sahara Sam's Oasis Indoor & Outdoor Waterpark, Sandy Hook, Seaside Heights Boardwalk, Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, Short Hills Mall, Six Flags Great Adventure, South Mountain, Splash Zone Waterpark, Staten Island Ferry, Statue of Liberty National Monument, Steel Pier, Storybook Land, Tanger Outlets, The Funplex, Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Thundering Surf Waterpark, Totally Tubular AQUA PARK, Towne of Historic Smithville, Twin Lights, Trenton Speedway, Turtle Back Zoo, Warinanco Park, Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route, Westfield Garden State Plaza, Wild West City, Wheaton Village, Wildwood Boardwalk, Willowbrook and Woodbridge Center.
• Popular Cities/Towns to Visit: Allentown, Atlantic City, Camden, Cape May, Cherry Hill, Clifton, Elizabeth, Frenchtown, Hackensack, Jersey City, Lambertville, Lawrenceville, Long Beach Island, Morristown, Paramus, Paterson, Princeton, Secaucus, Smithville, Spring Lake, Stanhope, Toms River, Wayne, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.
• Special Events: (January) KotoriCon, (February) Black Maria Film Festival,(March) Garden State Film Festival, Jersey City Chili Cook Off, Michael Arnone's Crawfish Fest, (April) Branch Brook Park Cherry Blossom Festival, International Festival, Lambertville Shad Festival, New Jersey Folk Festival, Trenton Computer Festival, (May) Annual Greek Festival, Crayfish Festival, Hoboken Arts & Music Festival, Jersey Shore Music Festival, Montclair Film Festival, Munchmobile Hot Dog Showdown & Beer Festival, NJ Greek Fest, New Jersey State History Festival, Raritan River Music Festival, (June) AnimeNEXT, Appel Farm Arts & Music Festival, Beardfest Music & Arts Festival, Belmar Seafood Festival, Big Greek Festival, Celtic Festival, Cuban Parade of New Jersey, Flemington OPA Festival, Gay & Lesbian Pride Month, Hoboken Film Festival, Hungarian Festival, Jersey Shore Wine Festival, McDonald's Gospelfest, New Jersey Film Festival, NJ Playwrights Festival, Point Pleasant Summerfest, Portugal Day Festival, Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival, Tri-County Fair, (July) All Points West Music & Arts Festival, FARM Music & Arts Festival, Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey Outdoor Stage, Soulsational Music Festival, St Ann's Feast, XPoNential Music Festival, (August) Chillfest, Crab Cake Festival & Shore Chef Cook-Off, Hambletonian Stakes, Highlands Clam Festival, Jersey City Pride, Monmouth Film Festival, New Jersey State Fair, Newark Black Film Festival, Philippine Fiesta, Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning,(September) Annual Ocean County Decoy & Waterfowling Show, BBQ Bets & Brews Festival, Black Maria Film Festival, Central Jersey Jazz Festival, First Annual Roseland Greek Festival, Flemington OPA Festival, Garden State Country Music & Food Truck Festival, Jersey Shore Festival, Just Be You Performing Arts Film & Theater Festival, Liberty Jazz Festival, New Jersey Independent South Asian Cine Fest, Revelation Generation, Rib Rock, South Mountain International Blues Festival, Water & Wings Festival, Youth Dance Festival of New Jersey, (October) AnimeNEXT, Annual New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning, County Seat Jazz & Blues Street Fest, Festival of Fine Craft, Geraldine R Dodge Poetry Festival, German American Volkvest, Golden Door Film Festival, Lima Bean Festival, MangaNEXT, Midnight Market, Wildwoods Food & Music Festival, (November) Exit Zero Jazz Festival Teaneck International Film Festival and (December) First Nights.

Thomas Edison Home, West Orange, NJ. Photo Credit: 1778011/Pixabay 

Ready to embark on custom and personalized services, your journey begins with Louvet Travel? 

Your one stop source: Accommodations I Air I Car Rentals I Cruises I Disney I Excursions I Tours I Transfers I Travel Insurance I Villa Rentals

All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

New Hampshire (NH)

New Hampshire State Flag

"The Granite State"

"White Mountain State"

Why visit New Hampshire?

A year round destination for outdoor lovers to enjoy birdwatching, boating, camping, canoeing, charming small towns, colonial architecture, dog sledding, fall foliage, fishing, forests, golfing, hiking, hunting, kayaking, lakes, motor sports, mountains, museums, natural landscape, outdoor sports, seacoast, scenic drives, skiing, snowmobiling and water sports.

White Mountains, NH. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

At a Glance

• Capital: Concord 
• State Bird: Purple Finch
• State Dessert: None
• State Flower: Purple Lilac
• State Gemstone: Smoky Quartz 
• State Mammal: White Tailed Deer 
• State Rock: Granite

Fun Facts

• In 1719, the first potato planted in our country was in Londonderry.
• In 2001, Dean Kamen invented the Segway. 
  
• Amoskeag Manufacturing Company (Manchester) was the largest cotton textile plant in the world. 
  
• Oldest and longest covered bridge (449'5" long) is the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge between between Cornish, NH and Windsor, VT.
• Features 1 National Forest and 65 State Parks.
  

Upper Garwin Falls, Wilton, NH. Photo Credit: Leonard Van Hirtum/Pixabay 

Thank You!

• Spotlight Celebrities: Alan Shepard (Astronaut), Franklin Pierce (Late President), Ilene Woods (Actress), Mandy Moore (Actress) and Wilson Bethel (Actor), just to name a few.
• Movies to Inspire You: In Your Eyes (2014), Jumanji (1995), On Golden Pond (1981), The Good Son (1993) and The Skulls (2000), just to name a few.
• Reads Set in New Hampshire: A History of the New Hampshire Abenaki (written by Bruce D Heald PhD), Newport New Hampshire in Time and Place (written by Mary Lou McGuire) and The Granite State (written by Ronald Jager), just to name a few.

Lake Winnipesaukee, NH. Photo Credit: 1778011/Pixabay 

Good to Know

• Snowmobilers are required to obtain a registration permit from each state crossed.
• Insects are known to carry Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Lyme Disease and West Nile Virus.
• Locally heard, "notch" refers to a gap between mountain peaks.
• "So don't I" is said in agreement contrary to the words by locals.
  
• Has no general sales tax or income tax. However, they do impose taxes on: business, investments, lodging, meals, tolls and vehicles.
  
• Only state that does not require adults to wear vehicle seat belts or mandate a helmet.
• Early autumn and summer you'll find Sugaring Off Open Houses (sap collected from sugar maple trees in sap cabins).
• Fall Foliage peaks around mid October.

Subject to hurricane, snowstorms and tornadoes.

• Best Time to Visit: June - September
• Coldest Month: January
• Hottest Month: July 
• Peak Season: June - August

Laconia, NH. Photo Credit: 1778011/Pixabay 

Your Must-See & Do

• Historical Sites: Abbott Bridge, America's Stonehenge, Amherst Village Historic District, Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site, Birthplace of Mary Baker Eddy, Blow-Me-Down Grange, Boom Piers, Boscawen-Canterbury Bridge, Bound Rock, Burleyville Railroad Depot, Canterbury Shaker Village, Cheshire Railroad Stone Arch Bridge, Contoocook Railroad Covered Bridge, Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge, Dana King House, Daniel Webster Birthplace State Historic Site, District No 5 Schoolhouse, East Candia Warming Hut, Endicott Rock State Historic Site, First Free Public Library in America, First Garrison in Concord New Hampshire, Folsom Tavern, Fort at Number 4, Fort Constitution Historic Site, Fort McClary State Historic Site, Fort Stark State Historic Site, Franconia Iron Furnace, Franklin Pierce Homestead State Historic Site, Frank Lloyd Wright's Zimmerman House, Frank Pierce Carpenter House, Gerrish Depot, Governor John Langdon House, Governor Wentworth Historic Site, Hannah Duston Memorial State Historic Site, H.H. Holmes Birthplace, Historic Harrisville, Jackson House, Jaffrey Mills, Jake's House, Laconia B&M Railroad Station, Lexington Common National Historic Site, Madame Sherri House, Major General John Sullivan Memorial, Matthew Thornton House, Merci Train Boxcar, Milton Town House, Moffatt-Ladd House & Garden, Monson Center, Nashua Historic District, New Hampshire Historical Society, NH Audubon's Ash Cottage, NH Historical Marker 211, Newington Old Parsonage, Nissitissit Bridge, North Hampton Town Hall, North Weare Schoolhouse, Nottingham State Historic Marker, Old Allenstown Meeting House, Old Man of the Mountain Historic Site, Old Webster Meeting House, Onway Lake Dam, Pembroke Clock Tower, Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, Portsmouth Historical Society's John Paul Jones House, Railroad Bridge, Redstone Historic Monument, Robert Frost Farm State Historic Site, Rundlet May House, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Salmon Portland Chase, Smyth Tower, Somersworth Hotel, Stone Arch Bridge, Stratton & Co Flour Mill, Suncook Village Historical Marker, Taylor Mill State Historic Site, The Bridges House, The Pierce Manse, Thunder Bridge, Tip Top House, Tucker Mountain Schoolhouse, Uncle Sam's House, Upham Walker House, Upper Elementary School, Warner House, Washington Seventh Day Adventist Church, Weeks Brick House, Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion, White Island State Historic Site, William Hale House, Willey House, Wiswall Falls Mill Site and Ye Olde Meeting House.
• Museums: American Independence Museum, Atkinson Historical Society, Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, Bedford Historical Society, Campton Historical Society, Canaan Historical Museum, Carey House Museum, Children's Museum of New Hampshire, Claremont Historical Society, Currier Museum of Art, Derry Museum of History, Enfield Shaker Museum, Exeter Historical Society, Fitts Museum, Fort Stark, Gilmanton Academy, Goffstown Historical Society, Gorham Historical Society, Hills House, Hood Museum of Art, Jefferson Historical Society Museum, Lake Winnipesaukee Historical, Little Red Schoolhouse, Loudon Historical Society, Manchester Historic Association Millyard Museum, McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, Melville Academy Museum, Meredith Historical Society Museum, Mount Washington Observatory Weather Discovery Center, Mt Kearsarge Indian Museum, Museum of Farmington History, Museum of the White Mountains,New England Ski Museum, New Hampshire Boat Museum, New Hampshire Farm Museum, New Hampshire Historical Society, New Hampshire Telephone Museum, Old Tool Museum, Plainfield Historical Society, Poore Family Homestead Historic Farm Museum, Railroad Caboose Museum, Raymond Historical Museum, Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm, Rindge Historical Society, Russell-Colbath House, Salisbury Historical Society, Sandwich Historical Society, Seacoast Science Center, SEE Science Center, Strawbery Banke Museum, Sugar Hill Historical Museum, The Frost Place, The Libby Museum, The Stone School, Tuck Museum of Hampton History, USS Albacore Museum, Washington Historical Society, Webster Cottage, Woodman Museum, Wright Museum of World War II and Zimmerman House.
• Popular Attractions: America's Stonehenge, Abenaki Indian Shop & Camp, Canaan Fair Speedway, Cannon Mountain, Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, Canobie Lake Park, Canterbury Shaker Village, Carlton Covered Bridge, Castle in the Clouds, Civil War Soldier's Monument, Clark's Bears, Clough State Park, Colony Mill Marketplace, Conway Scenic Railroad, Crawford Notch State Park, Diana's Baths, Echo Lake State Park, Flume Gorge, Franconia Notch State Park, Funspot, Gile Schoolhouse, Great Island Common, Hampton Beach, Hampton Salt Marsh Conservation Area, Henniker Historical Society, Hobo Railroad, Holocaust Memorial, Hunt Castle, Ice Castles, Isles of Shoals, I Still Love You Chicken Farmer, Jenness State Beach, Kahuna Laguna Indoor Water Park, Kimball Castle, Lake Winnipesaukee, Lee Speedway, Livermore Falls, Loon Mountain, Madame Sherri Forest, Monadnock Speedway, Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson, Mount Monadnock, Mount Washington, New England Dragway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, North Beach, Odiorne State Park, Old Man of the Mountain, Old North Cemetery, Polar Caves Park, Pollyanna Statue, Portsmouth African Burying Ground, Rattlesnake Island, Santa's Village, Seabrook Dunes & Beach, Silver Lake State Park, Slate Covered Bridge, Star Island, Story Land, Strawbery Banke, Presidential Range, Squam Lake, Star Speedway, The Fells Historic Estate & Gardens, The Mount Washington Cog Railway, Water Country Water Park, Waterville Valley, Waukewan Beach, Wellington State Beach, Whale's Tale Waterpark, White Lake State Park and White Mountain National Forest.
• Popular Cities/Towns to Visit: Concord, Derry, Hanover, Harrisville, Jackson, Keene, Laconia, Lebanon, Littleton, Loudon, Manchester, Meredith, Nashua, North Conway,  Peterborough, Pittsburg, Portsmouth, Rye and Tilton.
• Special Events: (January) New Hampshire Sanctioned & Jackson Invitational Snow Sculpting Event, (February) Keene Ice & Snow Festival, (March) Maple Sugaring, (May) New Hampshire Restaurant Week, (June) Fields of Lupine Festival, Motorcycle Week, (July) Hillsborough Balloon Fest & Fair, Prescott Park Arts Festival, (August) Hampton Beach Children's Festival, North Country Moose Festival, (September) Hampton Beach Seafood Festival, New Hampshire Highland Games, (October) Annual Art Walk Weekend, Pumpkin Festival, Riverfire and (December) Candlelight Stroll.

Kancamagus Scenic Byway "The Kanc", NH. Photo Credit: usmc0491/Pixabay 

Ready to embark on custom and personalized services, your journey begins with Louvet Travel? 

Your one stop source: Accommodations I Air I Car Rentals I Cruises I Disney I Excursions I Tours I Transfers I Travel Insurance I Villa Rentals

All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Nevada (NV)

State Flag of Nevada

 

"The Silver State"

"Battle Born State", Sagebrush State", "Sage-hen State" and "Silver State"

Why visit Nevada?

Great for birdwatching, casinos, deserts, entertainment, fishing, foodies, geology, ghost towns, helicopter experiences, hiking, hunting, rock climbing, skiing, snowboarding, watersports, wildflowers and zip-lining.

Las Vegas Landmark, Las Vegas, NV. Photo Credit: skeeze/Pixabay 

A popular destination for:

• Amateur & Professional Photographers
• Conventions, Meetings & Reunions
• Destination Wedding
• Groups: Family, Friends, Multigenerational and Reunions
• Milestones: Anniversary, Bachelor Party, Bachelorette Party, Birthday, Honeymoon, Retirement and Vow Renewal

Seven Magic Mountain Sculptures, Las Vegas, NV. Photo Credit: Rudi Nockewel/Pixabay  

At a Glance

• Capital: Carson City
• State Bird: Mountain Bluebird
• State Dessert: None
• State Flower: Sagebrush (Artemisia Tridentata)
• State Gemstone: Nevada Turquoise and Virgin Valley Black Fire Opal 
• State Mammal: Desert Bighorn Sheep
• State Rock: Sandstone 

Great Reno Balloon Race, Reno, NV. Photo Credit: debi1016/Pixabay 

Fun Facts

• One of the oldest human remains estimated to be 9,400 years old ever found in North America was found buried in a cave, Spirit Cave Man (Fallon).
  
• In 1859, gold was discovered at Comstock Lode (Virginia City). Today, the fourth-largest producer of gold in the world.
  
• From 1951-1962, tested nuclear weapons and underground testing of weapons until 1992.
• In 2015, same sex marriages became legal.
  
• The Federal Government is known to own 80% of the state.
• The only state where brothel's and prostitution is legal. Illegal in Carson City, Las Vegas and Reno.
  
• Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) aid families to help pay the tuition for private schools, textbooks and tutoring otherwise at a poverty level.
  
• Has the most hotel rooms per capita, averaging one hotel room for every 14 residents.
• Home to over 165,000 slot machines, the largest jackpot won was at Excalibur Hotel Casino in the amount of $39,713,982.25 from Los Angeles visitor.
• Home to gourmet premium chocolate, Ethel M Chocolates, a division of Mars, Incorporated.
• Las Vegas has over 300 weddings a day.
• Features 2 National Forests and 24 State Parks.

Valley of Fire State Park, Overton, NV. Steve Adcock/Pixabay 

Thank You!

• Spotlight Celebrities: Brandon Flowers (Musician), Bryce Harper (Athlete), Kris Bryant (Athlete) and Matthew Gray Gubler (Actor), just to name a few.
• Movies to Inspire You: Casino (1995), Independence Day (1996), Lost in America (1985), The Misfits (1961), The Professionals (1966), Top Gun 1986) and Waking Up in Reno (2002), just to name a few.
• Reads Set in Nevada: Based on a True Story (written by 
  Norm Macdonald)
  Battleborn (written by 
  Claire Vaye Watkins), 
  Mountain City (written by 
  Gregory Martin), 
  Roughing It (written by Mark Twain) and The General (written by Robert Muchamore), just to name a few.

Grand Canyon, NV. Photo Credit: mgrayis/Pixabay 

Good to Know

• Amtrak stops daily in Reno and Truckee.
• Beware of Heat Strokes, symptoms include: confusion, dizziness, fast/strong pulse, headache, high body temperature, nausea, passing out and skin changes (damp, dry, hot or red).
• Lodging Tax Rate varies between 12%-13%.
  
• Beware of poisonous black widow spiders, scorpions and snakes.
• Nevada Law prohibits "chips" to be used for anything other than gambling.
  
• High altitude will cause fatigue and intoxican faster than normal.
  
• Rules often vary between casinos.
• There's no "Last Call" as bars are permitted to be open 24 hours. Alcohol is also sold 24 hours in convenience stores, liquor stores and supermarkets.
  
• "The Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act" (smoking ban) does not apply to bars serving food, brothels, certain hotel rooms, large casinos and tobacco shops.
  

Subject to (occasional) earthquakes, heat waves, humidity, (rare) hurricanes, mountain snowstorms, tornados, wildfires and windstorms.

• Best Time to Visit: March - April and October - November
• Coldest Month: December
• Hottest Months: June - September

Hoover Dam, NV. Photo Credit: LoggaWiggler/Pixabay 

Your Must-See & Do

• Historical Sites: Fort Churchill, Fort Ruby, Francis G Newlands Home,  Hoover Dam, Leonard Rockshelter,  McKeen Motor Car #70, Nevada Northern Railway and Virginia City Historic District.
• Museums: Atomic Testing Museum, Aviation Museum, Battle Mountain Cookhouse Museum, Buckaroo Hall of Fame, Burlesque Hall of Fame, California Trail Interpretive Center, Central Nevada Museum, Children's Museum of Northern Nevada, Churchill County Museum, Clark County Museum, Discovery Children's Museum, Erotic Heritage Museum, Eureka Sentinel Museum, Fourth Ward School Museum, Goldwell Open Air Museum, Hoover Dam Museum, Humboldt Museum, John & Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art, Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Liberace Museum, Lost City Museum, Lyon County Museum, Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, National Atomic Testing Museum, National Automobile Museum, Nevada Historical Society, Nevada Museum of Art, Nevada Northern Railway Museum, Nevada State Museum, Nevada State Railroad Museum,  Nevada State Railroad Museum Boulder City, Nostalgia Street Rods, Northeastern Nevada Museum, Pinball Hall of Fame, Springs Preserve, Stewart Indian School Cultural Center & Museum, The Discovery - Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum, The Mob Museum, The Neon Museum, The Nevada State Museum, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, Virgin Valley Heritage Museum, Way It Was Museum, Western Folklife Center, White Pine Public Museum, Wilbur D May Center, W. M. Keck Earth Science & Mineral Engineering Museum and Zak Bagans' The Haunted Museum.
• Popular Attractions: Animal Ark, Area 51, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Basin & Range National Monument, Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Big Shot, Black Rock Desert, Boulder Beach, Burnt Cedar Beach, Cathedral Gorge State Park, Charleston Peak, Chimney Beach, Cirque du Soleil,  College of Southern Nevada Planetarium, Comstock Lode, Cowabunga Bay, Death Valley National Park, Eiffel Tower Experience, Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden, Exploration Peak Park, Dig This, Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery, Ethel M Botanical Cactus Gardens, Fire Wave, Flamingo Wildlife Habitat, Fleischmann Planetarium,  Flightlinez Bootleg Canyon, Floyd Lamb Park, Fly Geyser, Fremont Street Experience, Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary, Gondola Rides, Great Basin National Park, Guardian Angel Cathedral, Heavenly Gondola & Adventure Park, Hershey's Chocolate World, Hidden Beach Plaza, Hidden Cave, High Roller, Hoover Dam, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Idlewild Park, International Car Forest of the Last Church, Inyo National Forest, Lake Las Vegas, Lake Mead, Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park, Lamoille Canyon, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Strip, Las Vegas Wedding Chapel, Lee Canyon, Lehman Caves, Lion Habitat Ranch, Little A’Le’Inn, LoveLock Cave, Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N, Metropolitan Gallery, Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, Mojave Desert, Mount Charleston, Mouse's Tank Road, NASCAR's Pennzoil 400, National Bowling Stadium, Nevada Beach, Nevada State Capitol, Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park, Parashant National Monument, Pinball Hall of Fame, Piper’s Opera House, Pyramid Lake, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Riverwalk, Ruby Mountains, Rhyolite, Sand Harbor Beach, Secret Cove,Seven Magic Mountains, Shark Reef Aquarium, Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Sierra Nevada Zoological Park, Silent Heroes Of The Cold War National Memorial, Ski Beach, SkyJump, Skypod, SlotZilla Zipline, South Point 400, Spencer Hot Springs, Spirit Cave Man, Sportsmans Beach, Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, Spring Mountain Range, Springs Preserve, Stremmel Gallery, The Adventuredome Indoor Theme Park, The Exhibition (Bodies), The Linq Promenade, The Volcano, Thunder Mountain Monument, Tonopah Historic Mining Park, Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, Valley of Fire State Park, Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign, Wet‘n’Wild Las Vegas, Whale Beach, Wild Island Family Adventure Park and X-Scream.
• Popular Cities/Towns to Visit: Belmont, Boulder City, Carson City, Enterprise, Fallon, Genoa, Henderson, Indian Springs, Las Vegas, Laughlin, Paradise, Reno, Searchlight, Sparks, Spring Valley, Sunrise Manor and Virginia City. 
• Special Events: (January) National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Otakon Vegas, World of Concrete, (February) Taste And Sounds Of Soul, (March) Amusement Expo, Neon Reverb, (April) Academy of Country Music (ACM) Party for a Cause, Bender Jamboree, Emerge Impact & Music, Holi Festival of Colors, Indian Food & Cultural Festival, Las Rageous, Laughlin River Run,  Reno Jazz Festival, Tinker Classic Cycling Festival & Race, Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend, (May) 24 Hours of Country Music Festival, Best Dam Barbecue Challenge, Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), European Music Fest, Helldorado Days, Jim Butler Days & Nevada State Mining Championships, Punk Rock Bowling & Music Festival, Reno River Festival, Vino Del Lago Jazz Festival, (June) DEF CON, Las Vegas Death Fest, Las Vegas Elvis Festival, Miss Nevada's Outstanding Teen, Reno Rodeo, Stewart Father’s Day Powwow, (July) Artown, Chalk Art Festival, Evolution Championship Series (Evo), Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, National Basque Festival, RollerCon, Silver State Stampede, (August) Burning Man, Fallon Cantaloupe Festival & Country Fair, Goldfield Days, Hot August Nights, Psycho Fest, Underground Link Music Festival, (September) Burning Man Arts Festival, Fears Tears & Beers Mountain Bike Enduro, Genoa Candy Dance Arts & Crafts Faire, Great Basin Astronomy Festival, Great Reno Balloon Race, iHeartRadio Music Festival, International Camel & Ostrich Races, Las Vegas Bikefest, Life is Beautiful Music & Art Festival, National Championship Air Races, Silver State Classic Challenge, World Human Powered Speed Challenge, (October) Age of Chivalry Festival, Annual Rose Regatta, Off Beat Music Festival, Rise Lantern Festival, SNAFU Con, Vegas Beer & Music Festival, World Championship Outhouse Races, (November) Anime Vegas, Pahrump Social Powwow, (December) America’s Party and Reno Santa Pub Crawl.

Las Vegas Strip, NV. Photo Credit: David Mark/Pixabay 

Ready to embark on custom and personalized services, your journey begins with Louvet Travel? 

Your one stop source: Accommodations I Air I Car Rentals I Cruises I Disney I Excursions I Tours I Transfers I Travel Insurance I Villa Rentals

All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.