Friday, February 12, 2010

Ten photo destinations for 2010 – part one

Attending the 73rd Annual Cleveland Sport, Travel & Outdoor Show yesterday, I had the opportunity to discuss potential travel destinations with a number of the exhibitors. I also got some nice photos which you can see in the slideshow below. Read on for the first five destinations today, and the rest will follow Monday.
My question was a simple one. “If a photographer was coming to spend some time in your destination this year, where would you suggest they visit?” Presented in no special order, here are the people I talked with and their suggested destinations.
Fort Myers – Sanibel, Florida
1) J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is one of the six top birding destinations in the country according to Chris White of the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau. December through March is best for birding, but plan to find other abundant wildlife species year round.
2) Kayak the Great Calusa Blueway to enjoy 190 miles of protected paddling area. Perfect for the beginner, much of the area is less than a foot deep. No gators (they want fresh water), but you’ll get to experience manatees, dolphins, sea turtles and even river otters.
Seward, Alaska
3) Chuck Reid, guide and operator of the Salmon Catcher Lodge in Kenai, Alaska mentioned the “big” event in their area occurs annually on July 4th in Seward. While Seward is normally a 4,000 inhabitant fishing town, on July 4th weekend, their Mountain Marathon attracts over 40,000 participants and guests. The event is quite the photo opportunity and the town is truly ready to party.
Jamestown, KY
4) Try a houseboat vacation on Lake Cumberland in the southern part of Kentucky. Rentals are available from four bedroom models all the way up through an eight bedroom model. This just has to be the way to enjoy life on the water.
Deborah D. Schumann of State Dock pointed out that the hundreds of miles of shoreline are all protected natural areas, courtesy of the Army Corp of Engineers. That means whichever direction your camera is pointed, you’ll be free of signs, people’s back yards, etc. If the pristine natural beauty isn’t enough for you, Deborah suggested two annual photo ops when they have their big boat races. The Poker Run is always the weekend after Labor Day and this year the Offshore Super Series Powerboat Race takes place June 4-6th.
Santee Cooper Country, SC
5) Swan Lake Iris Gardens is a photo feast with 6 million Dutch and Japanese irises. In addition, all 8 species of swans found in the world have been collected and can be seen here.

Check back on Monday for selections 6-10.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

College Specials