We are celebrating National Parks Week with the SATW Traveling Teddies visiting parks national wide.
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN TRAVEL WRITERS MARKS GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE 75TH ANNIVERSARY BY HONORING TOP 10 BRIDGE TRAVEL SITES
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge, which officially opened to traffic on May 28, 1937. To mark this key moment in travel history, the Society of American Travel Writers, Travel’s Most Trusted Voices, presents our list of top 10 bridge sites in the US and Canada, with unique offerings for travelers, adventurers, and all-around bridge enthusiasts.
- Golden Gate Bridge: We start in San Francisco, the first point on our tour of bridge travel sites. Visitors can take walking tours, catch spectacular views of the bridge wrapped in fog, and marvel at its trademark deep red color. An entire website is dedicated to the bridge’s anniversary at www.goldengatebridge75.org.
- George Washington Bridge: The world’s busiest bridge per car traffic, it routes drivers along 14 total lanes to get them between New York and New Jersey. Opened to traffic in 1931, the bridge was twice as long as any previous suspension bridge. Not just for cars, the bridge also caters to bikers and pedestrians. Get more information at www.panynj.gov.
- Lake Pontchartrain Causeway: Although it doesn’t span a massive canyon or gorge, this is the longest bridge in the US. Its runs nearly 24 miles, so once you’ve finished the drive north, take a quick exit to the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum in Madisonville, which preserves Louisiana’s maritime history and also hosts a Wooden Boat Festival in October, featuring over 100 classic and historic wooden boats. www.lpbmm.org.
- Royal Gorge Bridge: Located a few miles southwest of Colorado Springs in Cañon City, Colo., it’s the highest suspension bridge in the US, hanging in at 956 feet high. A dedicated park offers many adventure activities including ziplines, aerial trams and burro rides – plus it has the longest bridge bungee jump in the US. The park’s site provides information on planning trips, visit www.royalgorgebridge.com.
- Smolen Gulf and Liberty Covered Bridges: Together these two bridges account respectively for the longest and shortest covered bridges in the US – and they’re both in Ashtabula County, Ohio. Situated about 60 miles northeast of Cleveland, the bridges are star attractions in the Covered Bridge Festival, held in October. Visit www.coveredbridgefestival.org to learn more.
- Big Dam Bridge. This is the longest pedestrian bridge in North America – it has never seen car traffic. The two bridge ends connect portions of Little Rock, Ark. The span has hosted weddings, offers a full moon walking tour and has a dedicated foundation for promoting physical fitness. www.bigdambridge.com.
- Overseas Highway. Connecting the islands of the Florida Keys with more than 100 miles of roadway, this series of bridges provides the ultimate road trip experience. The highway is part of US Rt. 1, which runs the entire length of the eastern seaboard and ends in Key West, Fla. Get some sun and plan your visit at www.fla-keys.com.
- Rainbow Bridge. While not manmade, it is the world’s largest natural bridge. This National Monument’s celebrated the centennial of its declaration in 2010. Seeing this wonder requires a boat trip across Lake Powell in Utah, so tap your inner adventurer to round out our list of bridges. Learn more about the site at www.nps.gov/rabr/index.htm.
- Confederation Bridge. Spanning 8 miles from the Canadian provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, this is the world’s longest bridge crossing ice-covered water. www.confederationbridge.com.
- SkyTrail Bridge. The longest pedestrian bridge in Canada, it was built 100 years ago to serve as a railway bridge. In 2003 it was converted to a pedestrian bridge, and visitors can make the 3,000 foot trek across the bridge by visiting the town of Outlook, Saskatchewan. www.town.outlook.sk.ca/skytrail.
SATW AND FAMILY TRAVEL FORUM ANNOUNCE WINNERS FOR YOUNG TRAVEL WRITERS CONTEST
The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), in association with Family Travel Forum (FTF), the award-winning online resource for family vacation information, is proud to announce winners of the 2012 FTF/SATW Young Travel Writers contest. The essay contest includes personal blog entries with visual accompaniment from writers 18 to 26 years old. The winners were selected by SATW senior members, among the world’s most-respected travel writers and photographers, along with Family Travel Forum editors. Topics included cultural exchanges, service projects, family vacations, adventure trips, and personal reflections.
“We’re excited to see the evolution of travel writing through blogging and social media, well represented by young travel writers,” said SATW President Betsa Marsh. “The hard work of the Family Travel Forum and SATW senior members helps showcase the next generation of global explorers who bring their adventures and stories to travel enthusiasts everywhere.”
“This is an opportunity for young adults to share their tales with our community, and to be eligible to win a scholarship to help support their desire to travel,” says FTF editor Kyle McCarthy. She adds that the best-rated pieces were “well-crafted and expressed insight and a unique point of view.”
Entrants were asked to describe a destination or travel experience anywhere in the world, one with great personal meaning. The entry could either be funny, serious, contemplative, or even something different. The first-place winner receives $150, second-place receives travel luggage from Ricardo of Beverly Hills, and third-place receives a copy of “Dream Destinations” by TimeLife Books. Three honorable mention winners receive four tickets to any Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum or Odditorium in the world. This year’s winners are:
- 1st Place: “Everyone Smiles in the Same Language” by Emily Zmak, Blaine, Washington
- 2nd Place: “We Share the Same Blood” by Margaret Kahn, Seattle, Washington
- 3rd Place: “Lost and Found: Yosemite” by Henry Austin, Eugene, Oregon
- Honorable Mention: “City of Joy” by Krishanu Chatterjee, Hainesville, Illinois
- Honorable Mention: “Watering the Mambas” by Mica Jenkins, Arlington, Virginia
- Honorable Mention: “No Lions, No Tigers, But Snot Rockets! Oh. My…” by Lacie Benson, West Valley City, Utah
Entries were submitted between February 15 and March 15, 2012. The contest judges blog entries no more than 800 words in length, accompanied by at least one photo, digital artwork or video. The winning essays are posted on the FTF site at www.MyFamilyTravels.com and SATW site at www.satw.org.
100th Anniversary of the Titanic: North American Places of Interest
The sinking of the Titanic over 100 years ago has been a memorable moment in history. To mark the anniversary of this iconic ship, we have created a list of North American places of interest that will excite all you history buffs out there.
- Halifax, Canada: While the ship’s wreckage lies about 370 miles from the coast of Newfoundland, those who perished were brought to Halifax. The city honors their memories by preserving artifacts and other unique items such as one of the ship deck chairs. titanic.gov.ns.ca
- New York, NY: Where Titanic’s trans-Atlantic voyage was to conclude. An anniversary cruise will depart from New York on April 10 to Halifax for a memorial service to honor the victims. titanicmemorialcruise.co.uk
- Washington, DC: Hearings were held in April 1912 by the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee to investigate the tragedy, bringing attention to the safety of the industry and reforms to prevent future accidents. You can plan a tour of the US Capitol at www.visitthecapitol.gov.
- Rosarito, Mexico: Thousands of miles southwest from the ship’s wreck location, Baja Studios in Mexico served as the filming ground for director James Cameron’s epic which ranks second in highest-grossing films of all time. ensenada.net/bajastudios/eng
- Branson, MO: Interested in visiting a massive replica of Titanic? Head to Missouri, where Titanic Branson gives visitors an educational experience of the ship’s history with tours, artifacts, exhibits, and storytelling. www.titanicbranson.com
- Orlando, FL: Titanic The Experience has full-scale ship room replicas and its own “Titanic Dinner Show.” Guides in period dress lead tours of a three-ton section of the ship’s hull and a recreation of the grand staircase. www.titanictheexperience.com
100th Anniversary of the Titanic: International Places of Interest
The sinking of the Titanic over 100 years ago has been a memorable moment in history. To mark the anniversary of this iconic ship, we have created a list of international places of interest that will excite all you history buffs out there.
- Belfast, Ireland: Where it all began. Titanic was built in the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Ireland, and at the time was the largest ship ever made. On March 30 the city opened a major museum, the Titanic Belfast, to honor the ship’s history. www.titanicbelfast.com
- Cherbourg, France: A common misconception is Titanic sank on its first outing. In fact, the ship made its first stop at port in Cherbourg, in the Normandy region on the northern coast of France. Cruise lines still visit Cherbourg today, and the port city’s harbor and maritime museum stand out as top tourist attractions. www.citedelamer.com
- Queenstown, Ireland: Straight after its first stop, Titanic turned back toward Ireland and made a second stop at Queenstown, now known as Cobh. Visitors can take a historic tour that traces the key moments Cobh shares with the ship. www.titanic.ie
- Southampton, England: Titanic started its trans-Atlantic voyage here, on the south coast of England. Southampton pays tribute to the engineers who lost their lives on the ship. www.maritimequest.com/misc_pages/monuments_memorials/titanic_engineer_memorial.htm
Why You Should Join SATW
SATW provides:
- Networking opportunities for travel journalists and travel publicists at meetings and in online forum.
- Professional development at meetings, online, and in our publication.
- Meetings in North America and at locales worldwide. These include the annual convention, and yearly or more frequent meetings of the chapters and councils. Recent meetings have taken place around the United States and Canada, and in Mexico, Chile, Switzerland, Thailand, and Egypt.
- Professional councils and alliances that focus on your professional specialty as a freelancer, travel publicist, editor, photographer, or broadcaster.
- A listing in our member directory, used by media and visitor bureaus to locate the top professionals in the field.
- Member services, including legal consultation.
- Publications, including the Traveler, our members-only newsletter, and our e-newsletter, filled with information on new contacts, markets, research trips, and member requests.
- Group health insurance.
- Discounts on travel and evacuation insurance, travel gear, photographic supplies and services, airport parking, airport VIP lounges, car sharing, hotel rates, vacation packages, guidebooks, and more.
- Access to the members-only section of the satw.org website.
- Professional recognition through society- and chapter-wide competitions in photography, writing, video, and other media.
… and much more!
What It Takes
- You must earn a substantial part of your living as a travel journalist or publicist.
- You must demonstrate your professional activities through clippings, videos, blogs, photos, website URLs, apps, or other media.
- You must be recommended by your peers.
- You must submit your qualifications and recommendations through the application system.
Note: All members must substantiate their credentials every two years through our re-qualification procedures.
SATW Panel Recap from NY Times Travel Show
SATW had great participation at the NY Times Travel Show held on March 2-4, and our presence at the event is growing and becoming more valuable. Our panel on the Trade Day had more attendees than any other panel — standing room only, with about 100 people more than the second-most attended! Thanks to the drawing for two trips (open only to registered media) donated by DCI clients, we have a substantial list of prospective members. Gold sponsor CityPass donated two New York books for an open-to-all drawing as well.
We also made contact with journalists who stopped by the SATW booth during the show, where we displayed items representing Associates’ clients and work done by Actives. Special thanks to Ed Wetschler, Karyl Leigh Barnes, Barbara Gillam, Patti Donohue, Lillian Africano, and Louise Weiss for manning the booth!
Note from Wellington!
With New Zealand’sburgeoning film industry, the keynote for the finale dinner had to be a film icon and Positively Wellington Tourism orchestrated the appearance of Sir Richard Taylor. He is a five-time Oscar and four-time Bafta winner, a charming person who seems shy about his fame.
During the earlier cocktail party, Richard stopped one of the fearsome Middle Earth characters wandering about. “Under this ugly make-up there’s actually a gorgeous young blonde woman,” he said, and playfully pointed out a wisp of blonde hair near her neck.
Weta Workshop also did special effects for Lord of the Rings, Narnia, King Kong and Avatar. Richard and recent SATW President Dale Leatherman discovered a common hero in Reepicheep, the mouse in Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Dale recently received a signed image of Reepicheep from Richard, a constant reminder of the special evening organized by Martin Boland and his staff at Positively Wellington.
WARM WEATHER JUMP STARTS SPRING TRAVEL! SATW’S TOP 10 SPRING FESTIVAL DESTINATIONS
MILWAUKEE, WI – With unseasonably warm temperatures prevailing across a good part of North America, you may feel spring has arrived a bit earlier this year. Even though the actual start of the season is several weeks away, the Society of American Travel Writers is in the warmer weather mood, and here we offer our travel insights on 10 spring festivals in the US and Canada.
- Cherry Blossom Festival: Celebrating its centennial this year, the Cherry Blossom Festival takes place over several days to usher in history and happiness in the nation’s capital. The festival pays homage to the cherry blossom trees that ring many prominent sites in DC, 3,000 of which were first given to America as a gift from Japan in 1912. March 20 to April 27,www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.
- St. Patrick’s Day: Technically not a spring festival, but the mid-March date certainly hits it right with timing, and is widely celebrated in many cities across the US. Check out Savannah, Georgia which hosts the second largest St. Patrick’s parade in the world. March 17, www.savannahsaintpatricksday.com.
- San Francisco International Film Festival: The longest running film festival in North America always draws visitors out west. Started in 1957, the festival attracts cinephiles and arts enthusiasts, drawing on San Francisco’s strong international identity and traditions. April 19 to May 3, www.sffs.org/Exhibition/SF-International-Film-Festival.aspx.
- Dogwood Festival: Southern delights await visitors at this Atlanta festival, now in its 76th year. Celebrating the full bloom of dogwoods, the festival hosts hundreds of artists who showcase sculpture, paintings, pottery, jewelry, photography, and much more. April 20 to 22, www.dogwood.org.
- Apple Blossom Festival: Started in 1919 and a few years shy of its centennial, the festival blends together a carnival, golf tournament, food fair, youth parade, and more. The festival grounds are located in Wenatchee, Washington, about a two-hour drive west of Seattle. April 26 to May 6, www.appleblossom.org.
- Hawaii Wine & Food Paradise: Sure, the weather might be great almost the entire year in Hawaii, but don’t forget the state’s culinary delights. The annual Wine and Food Festival stars celebrity chefs and features a grand food tasting, wine pairings, live music, and fashion shows. May 17 to 19, www.hawaiiwineandfood.com.
- Pacific Rim Whale Festival: This 26th annual British Columbia festival celebrates the official kickoff of whale watching season. Visitors to the Pacific Rim can also take in food, music, dance, art, and even film screenings. March 7 to 25, www.pacificrimwhalefestival.com.
- Canada Blooms: Billed as North America’s largest garden festival, the Toronto event has over 6 acres of gardens, Canada’s largest floral competition, and even tea tastings for visitors to enjoy. March 16 to 25, www.canadablooms.com.
- Native Trails: Scottsdale, Arizona runs a many-month festival celebrating Native American cultures of the southwest. Make sure you’re limber so you can enjoy inter-tribal pow wow dancing, world championship level hoop dancing, and the audience-participation round dance. Although it began in January, the events run through April 14. www.scottsdalecvb.com/planning-tools/events/scottsdale-native-trails.
- Iceberg Festival: “10,000 Years in the Making” – now that’s a strong tagline. If your tastes still veer toward winter weather as spring comes to a close, check out Newfoundland’s homage to history and nature as you explore Iceberg Alley. June 10 to 19, www.theicebergfestival.ca.
To learn more about the Society, please visit www.satw.org.
SATW will be at the LA Times Travel Show January 27-29
SATW will present a panel titled Who Do You Trust? Dealing with the Impact of the Citizen Reporter on January 27th at the LA Times Travel Show.
If you are interested in registering for the show, you can get $5 off registration by going to this site and using the code SATW
If you have books, advertising materials or other items to display in the SATW booth, you can bring them to the booth or ask a member who is attending to bring them in for you.
