Courtesy The Field Museum

I found it very difficult to rank my five favorite museums, since I tend to be a fan of almost all museums. History museums especially intrigue me, since even a small, budget-conscious museum can have incredible stories to tell. So I tried to pick the ones I would happily get lost in over and over again and still discover new fascinating nuggets of information.

If you don't see your favorite museum, feel free to comment, because I know there are so many wonderful museums I have yet to explore.

The Field Museum
I still remember walking in and gazing up at the toothy, 13-foot-high Tyrannosaurus skeleton named Sue. At that moment, history felt real, instead of just a set of stories. That is part of the magic of Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History: The exhibits do not just tell you about how dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures lived; they let you stare them down.

The Field Museum has so many engaging exhibits, I could go back again and again and not get my fill. Displays of a preserved mammoth and the infamous Lions of Tsavo especially stand out in my mind among the numerous exhibits.

The Louvre
Just the building itself is a work of art. Built originally as a fortress and then used as a palace, the Louvre in Paris houses incredible works of art that span time and geography. Since it is one of the largest museums in the world, it felt like a maze I could happily wander through for days.

Although I made sure to see the famous works, like the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa, what I enjoyed most was discovering works I had never heard of that nearly took my breath away.

Smithsonian National Museum of American History
The entire National Mall in Washington is worthy of much praise. However, there is something very patriotic about seeing the National Museum of American History while in our nation’s capital. It reminded me that it wasn’t always known that America would become its own country and remain that way through the Civil War, economic depression and other hardships.

The museum is proof that even a country as young as ours can have a rich history, with memorable artifacts such as the American flag that inspired Frances Scott Key and President Abraham Lincoln’s top hat.

British Museum
The British Museum in London comes as close as you can get to gathering the entire history of humanity and fitting it all inside one building. From early Mesopotamian artifacts to the eye-catching Great Court room built in 2001, the museum presents a comprehensive look at human culture. My favorite section centers on the Egyptian legacy, with artifacts including the Rosetta Stone, mummies and statues of the kings of Egypt.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
If you like music, Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum can be a blast. Each level of the museum explores different genres of rock music with artifacts, interactive exhibits and, of course, lots of music to hum along with.

I found it particularly interesting to look at some of the crazy outfits worn by past rock stars, such as the glittery costumes of Queen and Michael Jackson’s famous sparkly glove. The museum also taught me what a wide variety of music inspired and shaped the rock music genre.

Although I could easily list dozens more, the following is a list of ten wonderful scenic drive that are all particular favorites of mine. Group travel coordinators (and even individual vacationers) would be well advised to include in their future trip planning. Please note that these are all routes that are primarily outside of our national parks, so such extraordinary scenic examples as the Tioga Pass Road (Yosemite), and Trail Ridge Road (Rocky Mountain NP) are not included here.

AZ: AZ Highway 89A from AZ 89 (north of Prescott), through historic Jerome, Cottonwood, the magnificent Sedona “Red Rocks” Country and Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff.

CA:  The “Avenue of the Giants” (parallel to U.S. 101) through dense forests of towering coastal redwoods, including Humboldt Redwoods State Park - A bit further south, a good alternative is CA 128 between Cloverdale and the Pacific Coast, which traverses the Mendocino Wine Country and through Navarro River Redwoods State Park.
 
CO:  CO Highways 62 and 145 (part of the “San Juan Skyway”) from Ridgeway through picturesque Telluride and the awe-inspiring San Juan Mountains to Cortez, which is great during fall foliage season. 

ID:  U.S. Highway 12 from Lewiston along the rushing Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers, through Lolo
Pass and on to Missoula, MT, which is another outstanding choice for golden aspens during autumn.

MT:  U.S. 212 (the “Beartooth Scenic Highway”) from Yellowstone National Park, through breathtaking Beartooth Pass, Red Lodge, and on to Billings - Please note that this route is usually open only from late May to mid-October, due to heavy snowfall.

NV:  U.S. 50, (the “Loneliest Road in America”) across the state from the Utah line and Great Basin National Park, through the historic mining towns of Ely, Eureka and Austin, and on to Fallon - desolate yes, but beautiful. Contact my good friend (and one of the nicest fellows on the face of the earth), Ed Spear in Ely at (775) 289-3720 or coyoteed@mwpower.net for further information.

OR:  The “Three Capes Scenic Drive” off of U.S. 101 along the spectacular Oregon coastline between Tillamook and Pacific City – It’s better to do this southbound, so the scenic overlooks will be on the right side of your vehicle.

WA:  WA Highway 20 from Burlington through the heart of North Cascades National Park and Ross Lake National Recreation Area and on through the “Old West” town of Winthrop to Twisp - This makes a great combination with the full-day cruise/tour on Lake Chelan to Stehekin or a visit to the Bavarian-style community of Leavenworth.

WY:   U.S. 16 through splendid Ten Sleep Canyon from Buffalo to Worland - This is also the route to take to Thermopolis, home to what is touted as the world’s largest hot springs, located in Hot Springs State Park.

UT:  The entire length of UT Highway 12 from Torrey (just outside Capitol Reef National Park) through incredible mountains, canyons, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and on to Bryce Canyon National Park and Red Canyon to its termination at U.S. 89

Historic Telluride, on Colorado Highway 145 "San Juan Skyway"

The "Three Capes Scenic Drive" on the Oregon Coast

Utah Highway 12 Scenic Byway

Whoever originated the thought that “the best things in life are free” surely couldn’t have come up with a better description of a weekend I experienced this October in Southeastern Montana. First, the aspens along the Bighorn River and throughout the area were at their peak of golden color. Second, with my trusty “America the Beautiful” Senior Pass, the lifetime National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass that is available for a mere $10 to all U.S. Citizens or permanent residents who are age 62 or older, I was able to get both admission to 120,000-acre Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and a campground stay overlooking Afterbay Lake with my motor-home, both totally free of charge. 

The centerpiece of this National Park Service site is 71-mile-long Bighorn Lake, created by Yellowtail Dam and surrounded by massive Bighorn Canyon itself. The site is popular during the summer with fishermen, waterskiers, scuba divers and mere sightseers like me, but at this time of the year, except for a few anglers, I just about had it all to myself.      
 
Also using my pass and without charge, I was also able to visit Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, less than 50 miles distant by road. The monument encompasses the site of the storied battle in late June, 1876, between Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer’s 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment of about 600 men, and Lakota (Sioux), Arapaho and Cheyenne warriors, who, with their wives, children and elders, were encamped approximately 7,000 strong along the banks of the Little Bighorn River.  Combatants on both sides were fighting to protect their own ways of life, and the tribes also to protect their families close at hand. 

Tragically for all involved, every one an American, this became not only “Custer’s Land Stand,” but a victory for the tribes that nevertheless marked the beginning of the end for the traditional Plains Indian nomadic lifestyle. Since the park’s tour route largely overlooks the site of the native encampment, it is very easy for visitors today to follow the progression of the battle action.

Fall foliage along the Little Bighorn River

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

I have often thought that if the U.S. were as well run across the board as is the National Park Service and the Coast Guard, we would have one really exceptional and responsive form of government. Wishful thinking aside, however, and recognizing that even the NPS has a (relatively small) share of the bureaucratic pie in Washington, D.C., it has been my privilege to meet, learn from, and work with literally hundreds of park rangers in the field who do an outstanding job of administering, protecting and interpreting the 398 units that are currently under the jurisdiction of our National Park Service. 

Day in and day out, these committed public servants, aided by a substantial cast of volunteers, can, almost without exception, be characterized as knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and cognizant of the fact that their jobs can be defined as working for, representing and serving us, each a part owner of the world’s greatest collection of historic, scenic and geologic treasures, rather than the other way around.          

It is sometimes difficult to imagine much in the line of real service being provided in a day when lackadaisical attitudes and “good enough” mentalities are all too frequently encountered when dealing with “service” personnel. Yet I have found that NPS employees do take their jobs extremely seriously, even when posted to infrequently visited (especially during wintertime!), lesser-known parklands in the “wilds” of North Dakota, Alaska or Oklahoma, or even to some relatively obscure NPS historic sites that are overshadowed by their much more popular neighbors. 

I am presently on a personal quest to visit all of our NPS-administered facilities, a journey than, as of this week, has reached 339 different units or just over 85% of the existing (but gradually expanding) total. By next summer, I hope to have made all 379 sites in the continental U.S., Hawaii and the Caribbean, leaving only 19 well “off-the-beaten-path” units in Alaska, Guam, and American Samoa.

This effort has been made immeasurably easier, more educational, and simply more enjoyable because of the countless fine NPS rangers that have assisted me along the way.  As we continue to approach the NPS centennial in 2016, I propose that we take the time to often doff our own headgear, whether fedoras, cowboy hats, or (in my case) baseball caps, in tribute to those exceptional ladies and gentlemen who wear their own “Smokey the Bear” ranger hats with pride, dignity and professionalism.

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, SD