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Joshua Tree National Monument, California
Joshua Tree National Monument contains more then 870 square miles.
This California desert terrain contains striking granite formations and
mountain ranges rising
from flat valleys of about
1,000 feet above sea level
to elevations of nearly
6,000 feet. The many
spectacular desert plants
include Joshua trees,
cactuses, ocotillos, smoke
trees, palo verdes, pinon
pines, Mojave yuccas, and
a fine assortment of
spring wildflowers. The
desert also supports a
wide collection of
wildlife, including many
resident and migratory
Joshua Tree N.P., California
birds.
Keys, Florida
Linked to the mainland by the 113-mile Overseas Highway, the Florida
Keys – descended from the Spanish word cayos meaning “small isles” –
are a series of low-lying tropical islands made up largely of coral and
mangroves. A section of the Overseas Highway is a unusual drive
through marshlands, on islands and over water and is one of the
longest of its kind in the world. Besides a means of transportation, the
highway acts as a locator as well. Mile Zero is in Key West, the final
marker is on Key Largo just before the mainland.
Key West, Florida
To its rocky shores, sandy beaches and weathered homes reminiscent of
a coastal New England hamlet, Key West adds a distinctive twist: its
subtropical climate, which nourishes lush vegetation, especially palm
trees, hibiscus, and bougainvillea. Of Key West’s many natural attractions,
its sunsets are among the most prevalent. Every night, weather
allowing, more than two dozen street vendors and performers gather at
Mallory Square Dock in Old Town off Duval Street. Jugglers, palm
readers, contortionists and other entertainers vie for the attention and
donations of the many onlookers who begin gathering about an hour
before sunset.
Lake Havasu, Arizona
Fed by the Colorado River and impounded by Parker Dam, Lake Havasu
furnishes water to Los Angeles and intermediate cities. This 46-mile
long lake has a maximum width of three miles. In what started as a
motor-testing site at an abandoned World War II U.S. Army landing
strip, Lake Havasu City has developed into a year-round resort district.
The town captured the world’s attention when its founder, Robert P.
McCulloch, Sr., purchased the famous London Bridge and had it
relocated here. Adjacent to the bridge is London Bridge English Village,
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