The Baker Street Harbor Waterfront B&B is our first stop, since check-in times don’t last all night. This cozy B&B has operated since 1999 housing travelers from all walks of life in an elegant, historic home. The house was built in the 1890′s, and has been updated and meticulously honed into its current status as a fine Granbury, Texas Bed & Breakfast. The Baker Street Harbor Waterfront B&B houses four unique guest rooms, each with private baths and satellite television, fresh flowers, complimentary ‘Aransas’ brand products and other necessary room amenities, including coffee makers, flameless scented candles, wireless internet, and the all-too-necessary AM/FM Clock Radio. A full, home-style gourmet breakfast is served each morning, crafted from a collection of fantastic recipes which thankfully aren’t too closely guarded. The smell of fresh-brewed, top-quality coffee however is reason enough to make your way to the dining room in the morning. The grounds of the Baker St. Harbour Waterfront B&B are meticulously kept, and thanks to the location on the lake guests can while away an afternoon fishing from the dock, or sitting on the deck and simply enjoying the sights and sounds of the great outdoors. If you’d like to learn more about the Baker Street Harbour Waterfront Bed & Breakfast, click this link to visit their website!

In Granbury, a single shopping district stands out from the rest for Heartland Trails aficionados. In the Historic District of Granbury, shoppers can hunt for fine antiques, locally crafted items, plenty of kitsch and a wealth of gifts, boutique items and more in the colorful strip of historic storefronts. Granbury, Texas is also home to several small art galleries, where visitors can enjoy art shows, buy artwork, or even take a fine art class during their stay with the appropriate planning. Other attractions in Granbury, Texas include a Drive-In Theatre, the Granbury City Beach or the U.S. Veterans Museum on Thorp Springs. The historic Hood County Jail and Museum on North Crockett is of special note, a real ‘old west‘ jail built in 1885. You can see the original cell block and the hanging tower we mentioned earlier in this article, as well as the museum filled with exhibits, artifacts, and memorabilia focused on the history of Granbury and Hood County. The Hood County Jail and Museum is typically open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 pm.

Wine lovers should take some time out of their schedule to visit the Barking Rocks Vineyard and Winery while in town. There, small batches of premium-class wines are being handcrafted in an old rock barn, between historic Granbury and Thorp Springs, Texas. At Barking Rocks, visitors can enjoy tastings, talks, occasional live music, and sales on Saturday afternoons, and also by appointment or simple luck of the draw. The Barking Rocks Winery is set on over 4 acres of land, and is eager to host any private events you may have in mind as well. You can find plenty of information on the Barking Rocks Vineyard & Winery by clicking this link.

In the outlying area, small farms and orchards dot the countryside where visitors can pick their own produce, cut their own christmas tree, or shop the farm store for local honey, preserves, or whatever you’re lucky enough to find. There are also plenty of additional attractions in the surrounding area, if you’re willing to drive a little out of your way. If you need any more convincing that Granbury, Texas is a fine destination for year-round travel, we welcome you to search for Granbury, Texas on Heartland Trails, and we’ll even make it easy for you: Just click here!

Ingredients:
1 gallon apple cider
8 cinnamon sticks, broken up
10 to 14 whole allspice
18 to 20 whole cloves
peel from one orange, cut into strips
2 Tbs. honey
1 1/2 cups brandy
whole cinnamon sticks for garnish
orange slices for garnish

Instructions:

1. Wrap and tie the broken cinnamon sticks, allspice, cloves and orange peel in cheesecloth. In a 6-quart kettle, bring the cider, honey and spices to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Remove cider from heat and stir in brandy. Serve warm in mugs or heavy glasses and garnish with whole cinnamon sticks and orange slices.

Distance:

Kinks & Twists:
• NOTE: Follow all the signs for FL-A1A
• Take FL-A1A South to Vilano Beach, Florida
• In Vilano Beach, FL-A1A turns West
• Turn Left onto San Marco Avenue, going South
• San Marco Avenue turns into Anastasia Boulevard, follow onto Anastasia Boulevard
• Anastasia Boulevard turns South and turns back into FL-A1A
• Follow FL-A1A through Summer Haven, FL until two miles past town, where the route ends.

A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway Extra Credit: Have a picnic on the beach. You deserve it! Map credit: Google Maps

The Palm Beach Hibiscus is a nicely appointed boutique B&B, complete with nine guest rooms and suites, tropical courtyard, and even an in-house restaurant known as Leilani’s Porch. The tiki-bar at Palm Beach Hibiscus provides a place to gather and enjoy beverages, cocktails, and snacks in a relaxing, casual atmosphere. The Palm Beach Hibiscus also offers event hosting services, with on-site catering for a variety of events, be it birthday or holiday parties, get-togethers, intimate weddings, or corporate gatherings.

All nine of the guest rooms at the Palm Beach Hibiscus are luxuriously appointed with a selection of fine furnishings both old and new, and tasteful decor. Each room includes a complimentary breakfast, personal climate controls in some rooms, high speed internet, private entrances and porches on select rooms, as well as the luxurious bathrobes and only the finest quality bath toiletries and towels. The Palm Beach Hibiscus is also planning to offer romantic stay packages and other specials in the near future. For all of the latest information, you can head over to the Palm Beach Hibiscus’ website at www.palmbeachhibiscus.com.

West Palm Beach is well known for its beaches, of course, as well as its hip arts and culture scene, centered around the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. A wealth of fascinating museums reside in West Palm Beach, as well as a tantalizing selection of antique shops, historic sites, and even local pick-your-own farms. If you’d like to see all of the things to do in West Palm Beach, Florida, simply click this link to search on Heartland Trails!

1. New Orleans – Louisiana

2. Baton Rouge – Louisiana

3. Shreveport – Louisiana

4. Lafayette - Louisiana

5. Ponchatoula – Louisiana

6. West Monroe – Louisiana

7. Denham Springs - Louisiana

8. Slidell – Louisiana

9. Covington - Louisiana

10. Monroe – Louisiana

Our Top-10 List of Antiquing Destinations in Louisiana makes a great way to judge the antiquing opportunities found around the state of Louisiana. Any of these towns would be great to go antiquing in–with a variety of antique shops and boutiques, and often plenty of other interesting things to do nearby. A quick and easy search on Heartland Trails is all you need to find everything there is to do in any of these towns!

Distance:

Kinks & Twists:
• NOTE: This route branches, twists, and turns many times
• NOTE: Stop by the Harriet Tubman Organization Museum in Cambridge, Maryland and ask for a map

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway

Extra Credit: Snap photos of some Underground Railroad historic sites.

Map credit: Google Maps

Each morning is met with a full gourmet breakfast in the dining room, served with only the finest of china, glassware, and by candlelight. Most breakfasts include fresh-squeezed juice, a fruit course, cereal, granola, yogurt, and a hot entree of the day, in addition to fresh-baked muffins, breads, cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, various vegetables, and your choice from a selection of coffees and teas. After breakfast, guests need only walk outdoors to enjoy the natural beauty of the area, with plenty of strolling paths to enjoy the great outdoors.

The Applegate Inn houses eight guest rooms, which includes five uniquely decorated queen rooms, and three luxurious, top-tier king suites. The carriage house contains three more guest rooms, and the Applegate also offers a cottage for rentals. The decor in all guest rooms is made up of a tasteful collection of antiques and reproductions, as well as fine furniture fit for royalty. Each also features a private bath, telephone, CD player, television, and a fireplace or wood burning stove. Some rooms house whirlpool tubs for two, wet bars with refrigerators, microwaves, and coffee makers, and if you’re lucky you may even get the room with a large steam shower, or a spacious soaking tub to enjoy.

Elsewhere in Lee, Massachusetts, golfers can work on their game, or head out to the Norman Rockwell Museum for a look into the famous illustrator’s artwork and life. The nearby Clark Institute and Massachusetts MOCA are both world-class art museums, and plenty of outdoors activities are nearby, in any season. Lee, Massachusetts is also home to numerous beautiful boutique shops, antique stores, and even an authentic soda fountain in the drugstore, as well as the last remaining five-and-dime store in the Berkshires. Historic sites are also within easy reach, with the entire Main Street of Lee on the National Register of Historic Places! We hope you enjoy your stay at the Applegate Inn in Lee, Massachusetts! For more information, head over to www.applegateinn.com.

Joslyn Art Museum – Omaha, Nebraska

University of Nebraska State Museum – Lincoln, Nebraska

Museum of the Fur Trade – Chadron, Nebraska

Elkhorn Valley Museum – Norfolk, Nebraska

Strategic Air & Space Museum – Ashland, Nebraska

Frank H. Woods Telephone Pioneer Museum – Lincoln, Nebraska

Sheldon Museum of Art – Lincoln, Nebraska

Saunders County Historical Museum – Wahoo, Nebraska

Museum of Nebraska Art – Kearney, Nebraska

Nebraska History Museum – Lincoln, Nebraska

These Museums in Nebraska are great spots to learn about various fascinating topics, from the latest aerospace technology to the frontier-era fur trade. Other Nebraska museums focus on local history, or important figures in Nebraska’s history as well…and of course, these are only a few of our favorite museums in Nebraska… For the full listings, search for your favorite Nebraska destination on Heartland Trails!

Tucked right across Speedway Blvd. from Saguaro National Park, the Desert Trails Bed & Breakfast on the eastern edge of Tucson, Arizona is a top pick for lodging in the area. With only four guest rooms to tend to, Desert Trails is set up to house guests with an emphasis on focused hospitality during their stay. In these four guest rooms, beautiful contemporary decor takes the place of stuffy floral pattern wallpaper and lace doilies found in so many other Bed & Breakfasts. The rooms at the Desert Trails Bed & Breakfast feature queen or king sized beds, fantastic views, private baths, and a romantic, cozy atmosphere for guests to unwind in. Amenities include a pool open year-round, a TV with DVD player in your room, in-room climate controls, wireless internet access, and even a hair dryer. Guests also have open access to fruit, snacks, teas and instant coffee throughout the day in the breakfast room, and complimentary soft drinks and bottled water are supplied in the guest refrigerator. Also in the breakfast room, you’ll find a guest phone, microwave, and tea kettle, in addition to a nice collection of books, games, and movies. The great room at the B&B is stocked with guides to attractions, menus for local Tucson restaurants, and guides to the enormous Saguaro National Park which is right outside. The innkeepers warn that while the pool is open year-round, it is unheated and can be, in their words, ‘Extremely invigorating during the winter.’ You can learn more about the Desert Trails Bed & Breakfast by clicking this link.

In Tucson, antique-hunters will adore the antique strip along East Grant Road, where numerous shops lie in wait, in addition to many more scattered throughout the city. Museum lovers will enjoy the Arizona State Museum, the Arizona History Museum, the Center for Creative Photography, the Flandrau Planetarium, The University of Arizona Museum of Art, and the Pharmacy Museum, all conveniently located on the campus of the University of Arizona at East Speedway Boulevard and North Campbell Avenue. Other museums in Tucson include the Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum, the Arizona Historical Society’s Fort Lowell Museum, and the International Wildlife Museum just west of Tucson. The historic sites in Tucson are varied and numerous, allowing one to take a driving or walking tour all around town and take in dozens of sites on the National Register of Historic Places. If you’re in the mood to enjoy the great outdoors, however, the Saguaro National Park is the place to head. There, hiking trails wind through the desert scenery, and guided horseback riding, wildlife observation, and biking make up the most popular activities. Be sure to ask your innkeeper about where to procure a picnic lunch to pack for your trip into the National Park! Of course, if hiking, biking, or horseback travel aren’t your idea of exploring the national park, several passenger-vehicle accessible routes will lead you to some of the most popular attractions in Saguaro National Park via scenic routes.

For the wine lovers…it should be noted that we’d never leave you out of the equation! Ten wineries are within 30 miles of Tucson, including several clustered in noteworthy Elgin, Arizona. Amongst these, three stand out from the crowd as Heartland Trails Top-10 Wineries: Kief-Joshua Vineyards and Sonoita Vineyards in Elgin, and Dos Cabezas Wineworks in Sonoita. Each of these wineries brings their own distinct style to the table, and all offer wine tastings, though winery tours may be restricted to reservation-only or groups. Here’s the details:

• Sonoita Vineyards is the oldest commercial vineyard and winery in Arizona. Growing over 25 acres of vines on their estate, the unique growing conditions of the terroir lend a distinctive and consistent character to their award-winning wines, which includes a Cabernet Sauvignon chosen by national critics to serve at a Presidential Inauguration Gala event. Sonoita Vineyards is surrounded on three sides by stunning mountain ranges in the distance, with nothing but beautiful rolling grasslands dividing the estate from these mountains. See the current offerings & wine tasting information at their website: http://www.sonoitavineyards.com
• Kief-Joshua Vineyards is a small family winery on 20 acres in Elgin, and a further 40 acres set aside in Kansas Settlement, Arizona, to be planted in 2012. Since 2005, this winery has been growing vines with 15 acres currently being tended. Varieties include Tempranillo, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Syrah, Zinfandel, Reisling, Semillon, and Viognier, making for an impressive line-up of grapes for this winery to work with. This winery operates with traditional methods of minimal interference, open fermentation, and barrel aging of its wines, and the vineyard uses no pesticides or herbicides, and employs sustainable practices. See the current offerings and get tour and tasting information here: http://www.kiefjoshuavineyards.com
• Dos Cabezas WineWorks is another family-owned and operated winery who seeks to put Arizona on the global wine map. Since 1995, Dos Cabezas has been tending its vines and strengthening its offerings to compete in the larger wine market, and the winery now produces just over 3,000 cases per year. While Dos Cabezas WineWorks lacks its very own vineyard, the grapes are sourced from local vineyards who produce exceptional grapes with which Dos Cabezas works their magic. You can learn all about Dos Cabezas WineWorks by visiting their website: http://www.doscabezaswinery.com

Tucson, Arizona is an often-overlooked oasis of attractions in the American southwest. We feel that we’ve proven that there’s more to Tucson than meets the eye— but there’s much, much more we haven’t had room for here. If you’re interested in what else you can find around Tucson, please click this link to search for Tucson, Arizona on Heartland Trails!

Now that we’ve said our piece— it’s time for you, our beloved Heartland Trails readers— to add to the conversation. We’d like to remind you that you can visit us on Facebook or Twitter, or you can comment right here on our blog, anytime. We’re looking forward to chatting with you!

Distance:

Kinks & Twists:
• Head West from New Waverly on Farm to Market Road 1375 West
• FM-1375 will intersect FM-149, turn Right to follow Farm to Market Road 149
• In Richards, follow signs for FM-149 – OR go straight on Lynn St as a shortcut
• Farm to Market Road 149 will intersect with TX-90 S, turn left onto TX-90 S
• TX-90 S will take you into Navasota, where the route ends

Farm to Market Road 1375

Extra Credit: Take a detour and explore around Huntsville State Park, or explore around Navasota, Texas and enjoy all the historic architecture there!

Map credit: Google Maps