top of page
THE BEST OF
CATSACROSSAMERICA
The Best Little Travel Blog In The USA
Search
20. CHURCHILL DOWNS & JIM BEAM, KENTUCKY
America is as beautiful as it is vast. Its bountiful hidden treasures and captivating mysteries have a delightful way of popping up when...
Des & Sandie Nichols
21. SMOKY MOUNTAINS AND CADES COVE, TENNESSEE
As you drive up through the Smoky Mountains National Park, you are quickly made aware that this is bear country. The Smoky Bear character...
Des & Sandie Nichols
22. FRANKLIN & LIEPERS FORK, TENNESSEE
During the American Civil War, the Battle of Franklin was fought in this eponymous city on November 30, 1864, resulting in a...
Des & Sandie Nichols
23. THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a slow-paced and relaxing 469 mile drive with a backdrop of stunning views of the rugged mountains and the...
Des & Sandie Nichols
24. PIGEON FORGE, TENNESSEE
When we drove up to the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, we were excited that we had chosen a small town named Pigeon...
Des & Sandie Nichols
25. NASHVILLE - MUSIC CITY
For a year now, we have been seeking out best of America and we were drawn as if pulled in by a magnet to one of the most exciting, and...
Des & Sandie Nichols
26. OPRYLAND HOTEL, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Opryland is an extraordinary flight of fancy and one of the largest hotels in the world with over 3000 rooms and suites. This is probably...
Des & Sandie Nichols
27. GATLINBURG, TENNESSEE
Gatlinburg is the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains. It is the less brash, less vulgar brother to Pigeon Forge. In fact, it has echoes...
Des & Sandie Nichols
28. NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
The Deep South. Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Georgia, Lousiana. Close your eyes and you are back at Tara, with Scarlett O'Hara...
Des & Sandie Nichols
29. MEMPHIS, GRACELAND & THE LORRAINE MOTEL
The extraordinary legacy of Elvis Presley has moved on from his music to a state of iconic beatitude. To visit Graceland (without an 's')...
Des & Sandie Nichols
30. THE MISSISSIPPI - THAT OL' MAN RIVER
Here we all work 'long the Mississippi Here we all work while the white man play Pullin' them boats from the dawn till sunset Getting no...
Des & Sandie Nichols
31. HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
Choosing the right place to settle for five nights on our journey to the West Coast can be a challenge. It is made much easier, however,...
Des & Sandie Nichols
32. BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
Some American towns have an irresistible attraction. Their very names have a colorful magnetism and electric excitement that draws...
Des & Sandie Nichols
33. RUSK AND NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS
The usual motivator for the traveler is the focus on the destination, on arriving at a specific place that one is eager to explore. Other...
Des & Sandie Nichols
34. AUSTIN, BASTROP & THE ROYAL ROAD, TEXAS
Austin, Texas encapsulates the very essence of what continues to make America the richest, most successful place on the whole damn...
Des & Sandie Nichols
35. SAN ANTONIO & THE ALAMO, TEXAS
Wonderful San Antonio reaches out and embraces you the moment you arrive downtown. The large, tree lined square surrounded by magnificent...
Des & Sandie Nichols
36. AROUND SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Before there was San Antonio, Texas, there was, inevitably, a Spanish Mission. The colonists from Spain between 1600 and 1750 appear to...
Des & Sandie Nichols
37. BANDERA & CASTROVILLE, TEXAS
We left San Antonio feeling we had done all that there was to be done and headed west. But this was to be our shortest relocation yet,...
Des & Sandie Nichols
38. FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS
It was like turning a corner and stepping into another world. In the space of just a few miles, the real Texas appeared, stretching out b...
Des & Sandie Nichols
39. ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO & McDONALD OBSERVATORY, TEXAS
Albuquerque is a breath of fresh air. Literally. It is invigorating. After over 15 months on the road, almost all in the Eastern states,...
Des & Sandie Nichols
WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU
WELCOME
TO THE BEST LITTLE TRAVEL BLOG IN AMERICA!
​
This is a light-hearted record of our trip. We hope that you will enjoy some of the insights as we poke and probe the stubborn little corners of this great country. From the extraordinary Maine Coast to the crazy world of Salton Sea in California to whale watching in the Puget Sound near Seattle. Thank you for joining us.
Des & Sandie Nichols
​
bottom of page