Best of the best American travel; Both Yosemite and Walt Disney World opened 50 years ago today.
Two ends of the American travel spectrum, both promise to fulfill the hearts and dreams of travelers
Yosemite is not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra.
First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.
Yosemite Points of Interest
Waterfalls: Yosemite Valley is home to most of the park’s famous waterfalls. The best time to see them is during spring runoff; they have little or no water in late summer and fall.
Tunnel View provides one of the most famous views of Yosemite Valley. From here you can see El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall rising from Yosemite Valley, with Half Dome in the background. This viewpoint is at the east end of the Wawona Tunnel along the Wawona Road (Highway 41).
In Yosemite Valley, El Capitan Meadow provides a view straight up El Capitan and a great view of Cathedral Rocks, as well. Located along one-way Northside Drive, it is best to stop here on your way out of Yosemite Valley.
You can look up Yosemite Valley from alongside the Merced River at Valley View. Located along one-way Northside Drive, it is best to stop here on your way out of Yosemite Valley. This popular vista is located just after a view of Bridalveil Fall but immediately before Pohono Bridge, about the time you begin to see directional signs for highways leaving the park.
In Yosemite Valley, the area around Sentinel Meadow, the Yosemite Chapel, and Yosemite Valley Lodge are favorite places to stop to look at Yosemite Falls.
In Yosemite Valley, Sentinel Bridge is famous for its views of both Half Dome reflected in the Merced River. You can also see Yosemite Falls nearby. Read more from National Park Service
Walt Disney World Resort considered by many as the best American travel destination officially opened on October 1, 1971, including Magic Kingdom Park, and various Disney resorts. William Windsor, Jr., was recorded as its first guest.
The following written content from Forrest Brown
It changed acres and acres of orange groves. It changed Orlando. It changed Florida. It changed an already legendary company. And it changed the entire theme park industry.
Walt Disney World Resort opened on October 1, 1971. And on its 50th anniversary, it continues to be a major driver in the travel world, weathering big shifts in tourism trends, notorious Florida hurricanes and a pandemic.
Back in ’71, there was just one theme park, Magic Kingdom, along with a couple of adjacent golf courses and resorts. Since then, three more major parks have been added: Epcot in 1982, Hollywood Studios in 1989 and Animal Kingdom in 1998. In addition, the water parks Typhoon Lagoon (1989 and temporarily closed) and Blizzard Beach (1995) were added to the resort.
And Disney now has 12 parks in six different resorts on three different continents. The Florida park was actually the second baby in the Disney bunch. It came 16 years after Southern California’s Disneyland, which opened on July 17, 1955. Read more from Cable News
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