Making Your Vacation a Little More Patriotic

Summer is the season for road trips, family camping adventures, and vacations to visit relatives. Planning to take a trip can take several months so you want to make the most of the time you have away from home. Why not include a trip to a few national monuments while exploring the country? You can learn a lot about the history of the place you are visiting as well as gain a new appreciation of the state you call home.

The Alamo (Texas)

Easily one of the most famous sites of historical interest in the entire country, the Alamo played a significant role in the early history of Texas. Today visitors can explore this iconic fort with the help of a welcome center and museum. A series of rotating exhibits keeps the material fresh and engaging for visitors. Take some time to explore the gardens, too. The balmy Texas climate is ideal for growing all kinds of showy flowers.

The National Monument at the Little Bighorn Battlefield (Montana)

Located under the wide open sky of rural Montana, this simple monument commemorates the pivotal military encounter between General Custer and his troops and a force consisting of warriors from Lakota, Arapaho, and Northern Cheyenne tribes. Erected near the city of Crow Agency, this monument is located on a vast landscape that is ideal for photography and quiet reflection.

The Birthplace of George Washington (Virginia)

This handsome brick home is the birthplace of one of the most important figures in American history. Located in Virginia’s Westmoreland County, this is easily one of the state’s most well-visited monuments. Washington was born there in 1732, making it also one of the oldest sites of national historic importance.

Castillo de San Marcos (Florida)

Another very old monument, this fort has the distinction of having been under the control of four different nations. The fort was initially built by the Spanish in 1672, almost 350 years ago. The British also controlled it; much later the Confederate army flew its flag over the walls and today the flag of the United States can be seen.

World War II Valor in the Pacific (California, Alaska, Hawaii)

This remarkable monument is actually made up of nine separate sites located in three different states! The sites include:

• Tule Lake Unit in California
• Three separate memorials for the USS Utah, USS Arizona, and USS Oklahoma in Hawaii
• Officer Bungalow Memorial on Ford Island in Hawaii
• The mooring quays of Battleship Row in Hawaii
• Crash site of a bomber plane on Atka Island in Alaska
• Kiska Island site of Japanese occupation in Alaska
• Attu Island battlefield memorial in Alaska

The unusual configuration of this particular monument is due to the diverse nature of military involvement in the Pacific Ocean nearest American territories. Seeing just one of them is an opportunity that the patriotic sight-seer should be sure to include on their itinerary.

Find Out More

A quick Internet search will give you a long list of possible national monuments to visit on your travels. Though some monuments are accessible all year round, others like the Alamo have particular operating hours that may affect your plans.

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