American Nomad Blog
About this blog
American Nomad covers the best of U.S. travel—from vacation deals to festivals, weekend getaways, travel tips, and more. A seasoned traveler and Moon author, Laura is the perfect guide to help discover new gems when traveling domestically.
Recent Posts
- A Southern Girl's Wintertime Adventure in Yellowstone
- One Novelist's Odyssey Across America
- Gearing up for a Family Camping Trip
- Mint Juleps and More at Oak Alley Plantation
- Avoiding Identity Theft While on Vacation
- Money-Saving Travel Tips from Nomadic Matt
- Fashion, Fun, and Convenience for the Modern Traveler
- In Search of Irish Museums Across America
- The Inspiring Journey of a Solo Kayaker
- Getting Fit for Treks in Yosemite and Elsewhere, Part 2
- Getting Fit for Treks in Yosemite and Elsewhere, Part 1
- Experiencing Yosemite with YExplore
- Two Travel Contests Worth Mentioning
- A Word About the TSA's No-No List
- A Reader's Advice About Airport Security
Celebrating a Century of the RV Lifestyle
In late December, I shared some of the reasons that my husband and I once loved living the full-time RV lifestyle. As I wrote then, we relished experiencing life on the open road, meeting a wide array of fascinating people, and encountering a variety of towns and landscapes. Although we still live a nomadic lifestyle – making seasonal moves between New Orleans, the Florida Keys, Los Angeles, and northern Michigan – it's not quite the same as when we called a 24-foot home-on-wheels our primary residence. more >>
Louisiana Seafood and Tourism Industries Threatened by Oil Spill
Having experienced the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed most of my families' homes, including my father's fishing camp (pictured above), in August of 2005 and threw my hometown of New Orleans into an economic tailspin, it saddened me greatly to hear about the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Caused by a catastrophic explosion on BP's Deepwater Horizon oil-drilling platform, this ever-expanding oil spill is on track to be the worst in history – and of course, that doesn't bode well for the state's seafood and tourism industries. more >>
Not Too Late for the New Orleans Jazz Fest
A few weeks ago, I told you about the French Quarter Festival, an annual celebration of New Orleans music, cuisine, and culture. Well, springtime is also the season for another popular New Orleans event, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and just because it kicked off last weekend doesn't mean you've missed all the fun. True, Lionel Richie and The Black Crowes rocked their respective stages last Friday, Simon & Garfunkel and Tab Benoit (pictured above) each performed for massive crowds on Saturday, and the Allman Brothers Band closed Sunday night, but luckily, there are still four blessed days left. more >>
Manatees and Airboats in the Everglades
On February 4, I posted an article about exploring Florida's Everglades via airboat. In the post, I shared my recent experience with Coopertown Airboats (22700 SW 8th St., Miami, 305/226-6048, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, $22 adults, $17 children 7-11), which offers 40-minute airboat tours amid the sawgrass, cattails, marshes, and hammocks of the East Everglades Expansion Area, a proposed addition to Everglades National Park. While I thoroughly enjoyed this educational excursion – during which I spotted several alligators, yellow-bellied slider turtles, and greenback herons, among other fascinating creatures – the article sparked a bit of a controversy in the comments section. more >>
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Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.