text:
Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman, shaped like a giant claw "pinching" the North Sound, is the largest of the three islands in the Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory. George Town, at the southwest "knuckle" of Grand Cayman, is the capital of the Cayman Islands and its largest city. Grand Cayman's Seven Mile beach, on the west coast north of George Town, is one of the finest beaches in the world.

Districts

There are five districts on Grand Cayman; from west to east:
 * West Bay
 * George Town
 * Bodden Town
 * North Side
 * East End

The main town is George Town, which also contains the main seaport and airport. The main tourist stretch is Seven Mile Beach, which straddles West Bay and George Town. The eastern part is much less dense.

Understand
George Town on Grand Cayman is a popular cruise ship destination, so on days when there are many ships visiting, the town and tourist attractions get very busy. You can see official Ship Schedules and plan around cruise ships.

By boat
Cruise ships anchor offshore and tender passengers to the harbour dock by downtown George Town. George Town is a very popular port of call and is included by many cruise lines in "Western Caribbean" itineraries. There are no berthing facilities at this location, but ships can anchor at one of four points.

Get around

 * There is a small walkable area of shops around the George Town Harbour. Seven Mile beach is not within walking distance of the harbour cruise docks (unless you like long walks).
 * Taxis are available at the cruise ship docks in central George Town, and at all resorts.

By bus

 * Grand Cayman Public Bus Transport, Edward St. next to the library, Georgetown, Phone: 945-5100. Licensed buses are identified by blue licence plates. Daily service starts at 06:00 from the depot and the schedule is as follows from George Town to:

By vehicle
Car rentals are readily available. You must be 21 years old to rent a car. Driving is on the left hand side of the road and seatbelt use is mandatory. Visitors from certain countries must get a temporary driver's licence from the police station or car rental agency. This is obtained by showing a valid drivers licence from their home country and paying a CI$16 fee.

Mopeds and scooter rentals are available on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Helmet use is required. Usual daily rate is US$25 for helmet and permit.

Do
The island's most famous excursion is to Stingray City, where boatloads of tourists disembark at nearby Stingray Sandbar and squeal nervously while adjusting to the presence of large rays, which they can feed and "pet" while snorkelling in waist-deep water. Once fed, the rays will placidly let you do just about anything to them, including being lifted up to pose for photos while jetting water out of their mouths; for the sake of the fish this is not recommended. Research by two US universities has raised concerns about the detrimental impact of such activity on the rays.

Buy
Since Cayman Island dollars are pegged to the USD, payment platforms will automatically convert to USD when paying with US credit cards.

 * Caymanite is the Cayman Islands' own semi-precious stone. It is a very hard stone which varies across the earth colours. Available at most jewellers. Black coral is also a Cayman jewellery staple.
 *  Farmer's Market Cooperative, Thomas Russell Way. Local produce, jams, sauces.
 * Rumstop, Harbour Drive, George Town. Surprisingly decent prices for a good selection of liquors.
 * Rumstop, Harbour Drive, George Town. Surprisingly decent prices for a good selection of liquors.

Eat
The national dish of the islands is Turtle stew, which is sustainably grown at the world's only Green Sea Turtle farm. Any restaurant food can be expensive on Grand Cayman, even fast food.

Sleep
Accommodation is expensive on Grand Cayman. High season rates are from 15 December to 30 April. You can find discounted rates by either searching on a hotel's website or by using a travel agent such as the websites below.

Go next
Day and multi-day trips to Little Cayman or Cayman Brac are possible...especially attractive to divers and beach fanciers. Places to sleep (reservations recommended) and eat are quite adequate.

title: Grand Cayman


text:
Grand Comore

Grand Comore is the largest island in the East African island nation of Comoros, and location of the capital.

Cities

 * - the capital

Get in
You can reach the island by plane at Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport near Moroni, from both international destinations and the other Comorian islands.

Freighters accepting passengers from Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam (in Tanzania), Mahajanga (in Madagascar) and the other Comorian islands also arrive to Moroni.

Speedboats to Moheli leave from Chindini on the southern coast.

By shared taxi
Shared taxis are nearly always available (except late at night and during a taxi strike) around Moroni. Rates start at CF200 per person (Comoros francs) for a ride within a town, and CF250 for nearby towns like Moroni to Iconi. Taxis between Hahaya (the airport) and Moroni cost no more than CF500 (~€1). Tourists have been asked for €20.

Taxis also run to nearly everywhere on the island, with varying frequency. Be careful when going to southern, northern, and eastern destinations (especially eastern) as taxis may stop running as early as 15:00. Everything slows down on Sundays and holidays, so taxis are less frequent.

By bus
Buses between Moroni and different villages in the island run only during the morning. There is no schedule as buses depart "when full", although there seem to be enough passengers to not make you wait long. For better luck, head to the station early in the morning when there is more activity.

Vehicles fit about 20 people, four per row, so expect an uncomfortable, squashed, and hot ride, though interesting. You may need to be assertive and dive in at your first chance if there are a lot of people waiting for the bus.

By car
If you wish to rent a car (self-driving), expect to pay around €40 for a small car and €50 for a 4WD per day, fuel not included. The big tour around the island can be done in one day, and the road is not too bad. The section between the airport and Mitsamiouli was being paved in October 2018.

Hitch-hiking is very easy and very safe on Grand Comore. Wave your hand rather than putting out a thumb. Locals do it frequently and you always meet friendly people. Of course, some people may try to charge you for the ride, so be sure you specify that you are seeking an "auto-stop".

Do
Don't forget to hit the beach, being mindful of Comoros social decorum (see Respect under main Comoros page):

Eat
Chez Babou restaurant, Oasis district, north of Volo Volo. Quality Indian food and ice cream.

Cafe de la Paix, Ambassadeur district, south of the hospital in Moroni. A large menu of Indian ocean cuisine. It is better to ask what is available than to order from the menu.

For local food in the day time, try any of the small restaurants around Volo Volo market or near the Friday mosque in Gobadjou district. The best time to eat in Moroni is after the sun goes down. small bungalows along the coast make meat kebabs (mshakiki) for CF50. Local custom is to order 10 at a time along with grilled bananas, cassava, or bread fruit.

Sleep
A great hotel is Comoros Del Toro

Budget

 * CNAC (Itsandra)
 * Hotel des Iles de Paradis (near Volo Volo)
 * Pension Fatima (Moroni)

Splurge

 * Hotel Moroni (Moroni)
 * Galwa Hotel (near Mitsamiouli on Grand Comore)

Go next
Anjouan

Mayotte

Moheli

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Grand Comore


text:
Grand Coulee

Grand Coulee is a city in the Columbia River Plateau of Washington State.

Get in
Don't confuse the town of Coulee City on the south shore of Banks Lake along a major US highway for Grand Coulee. The town with the dam is further north and in a more remote part of the state.

From the west: US Hwy 2 east to WA State Hwy 155 north. In the Seattle Metro area, there are short cuts to US Hwy 2 from Bothell on WA State Hwy 522, and Duvall (east of Redmond) on WA State Hwy 203. Otherwise, take the I-5 Fwy exit #194 in Everett where US Hwy 2 begins. Distance from Seattle: 230 miles

From the east: US Hwy 2 west to WA State Hwy 174 west (but runs northwest). Distance from Spokane: 88 miles

Understand
The small segment of the Columbia River at Grand Coulee flows north. This is the opposite of the river's normal flow from Canada to the Pacific Ocean. Photography can be a challenge due to the massive size of the dam, and the inability to get far enough away before passing the relatively short horizon. If possible, bring a wide-angle lens, and avoid the hours of the day when the sun is just barely above the dam face. Unfortunately, most of the time you'll be looking south and directly into the sun while viewing the dam.

Do
While the roots of its scenic beauty date back to the ice age floods, the formation and management of the lake is distinctly modern. With the closing of Grand Coulee Dam’s gates in 1942, the resulting reservoir (called Franklin D. Roosevelt or Lake Roosevelt for short) extends north over 150 miles and provides over 630 miles of shoreline. The shoreline within the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area is managed by the National Park Service. The shorelines within the Colville and Spokane reservations are managed by the respective tribes.
 * Backpacking and Day Hiking. Immediately around the Lake Roosevelt, Fort Spokane, Spring Canyon and Kettle Falls have the most accessible and well documented trails. In the general vicinity, however, are also state parks and national forests with both easy and difficult trails that provide breathtaking views of the area’s geology and terrain.
 * Beach Walking. Via boat or by foot, there are hundreds of secluded beaches, coves, and inlets to explore. Particularly when lake levels fall, however, tribal artifacts from the period before the dam was built can become exposed. It is everyone’s responsibility to protect these cultural treasures. As a result, it is strictly forbidden to disturb or remove artifacts from these sites.
 * Boating. Water-skiing, canoeing, sailing and fishing are just some of the on-water activities the lake offers. Access to the lake is made easy by 23 boat ramps and 4 full service marinas. Because lake levels fluctuate daily, always compare the lake level and boat launch elevations before starting out. In summer months, the lake level is generally high enough to meet the needs of all boat launch requirements. For boat rental information, contact a marina.
 * Camping. There are 17 National Park Service (NPS) campgrounds reachable by car, and 10 by boat. Additionally, the Spokane Indian Tribe maintains 11 campgrounds, and the Colville Confederated Tribes maintain 7 campgrounds. With the exception of group camping at Park Service sites, most campgrounds operate on a “first-come-first-served” basis. Shoreline camping one quarter of a mile from developed NPS campgrounds is permitted along the lake.
 * Casinos. Each of the tribes bordering the lake operate Vegas style casinos with a variety of games.
 * Colville Tribal Museum Store. Located at Coulee Dam, chronicles the cultural history of the twelve tribes of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Indian Reservation.
 * Golfing. From the fairways of Dear Meadows golf course, you can enjoy panoramas of the lake below. Within an hour of the lake, there are also the Big Bend, Banks Lake, Colville and Wilbur golf courses
 * Tour the Grand Coulee Dam. Tours of the largest dam in North America are available during the summer. The Visitor Center opens at 8:30 am and closes between 5:00 pm and 11:00 pm, depending on the season. There are also unguided historical walking trails in the vicinity.
 * Horseback Riding. Enjoy the scenic trails of the area by contacting K-Diamond-K Guest Ranch at (888) 345-5355 and the Bull Hill Ranch at (877) BULL-HILL.
 * Houseboats. House boat rentals are a popular way for friends and family to enjoy the lake’s natural beauty without sacrificing modern luxury.
 * Keller Heritage Center. Consisting of a museum, a lookout tower, trappers’ cabins, a blacksmith’s shop and more, the Heritage Centerprovides visitors a complete history of the area. Open May through September.
 * Kettle Falls Historic Center. An interpretive center and other exhibits allow you to learn about 9,000 years of human history. Exhibits range from the Native American fishermen to white settlers.
 * Laser Light Show. As colorful lasers reflect off the dam’s spillway, music and narration tell the story of Grand Coulee Dam in a unique and entertaining way. Viewable from several locations around the dam, the Laser Light Show plays once a night from the end of May to the end of September. There is no cost to view the show.
 * Observing Wildlife. While hiking, boating or just relaxing, wild animals may be seen. Among those with four legs, black bear, elk, bobcats and deer (which are commonly seen along the shoreline) roam the area. When looking skyward, osprey, golden and bald eagles, hawks and smaller birds are year round residents. Seasonally, migrating Canada geese, ducks and swans visit.
 * Ranger Guided Programs. During the summer, the NPS offers several programs at their campgrounds. These include the living history program at Fort Spokane (a demonstration of black powder weapons and military drills from the 19th century), guided and non-guided nature walks, guided canoe trips and exhibits.
 * St. Paul's Mission. Located in Kettle Falls, this 1846 church is one of the oldest in Washington. A trail with exhibits is nearby.
 * Star Gazing. The wide open and unpopulated nature of the region make it ideal for star gazing. Northern Lights can be particularly well seen from the Kettle Falls area. Rangers provide a great summer program and demonstrations allowing star gazer's a unique opportunity to view the night skies.

Sleep

 * Grand Coulee, WA — Trailwest Motel, room Interior.jpg

Go next

 * Dry Falls Interpretive Center. From US Hwy 2, turn at WA State Hwy 17 at the SW corner of Banks Lake, then 4 miles south. Just inside Sun Lakes State Park (below). During the last ice age, Dry Falls occasionally carried more water by volume than all the rivers of the world combined (known as the Missoula Flood). State parks Discover Pass is required.

title: Grand Coulee


text:
Grande Cache

Grande Cache is a hamlet of 3,600 people (2016) in the Alberta Rockies, Canada.

History
The New Town of Grande Cache was created by the Alberta Government in 1966 in order to open the area for the development of coal mines. New town status allowed the town to use the Alberta Government as a guarantor for debt.

Construction of the town began in 1969. By 1971 a hospital, schools, stores, and the first homes were built.

The town suffered a boom-bust cycle due to the dependence on a single employer that depended on a single commodity: coal. In an attempt to diversify the economy, additional industries were encouraged to develop in the area. This included a wood chip plant and a federal prison operated by the Correctional Service of Canada. Wilderness tourism is a growing industry.

Get in
From Calgary take Highway 1, the Trans-Canada Highway, to the entrance of Banff National Park. From there the drive is straight up the middle of the Canadian Rockies along the Icefields Parkway, through both Banff and Jasper National Parks. The scenery in this area is amazing. Upon reaching the town of Jasper, head east towards Hinton on 16. From Hinton, take Highway 40 north into Grande Cache. From Edmonton go west on Highway 16, section of the Yellowhead Highway, until Hinton, then go north on Highway 40.

There is a community bus service to Grande Prairie once a week and to Hinton once a month.

Do
There is really only one reason to visit Grande Cache: outdoor activities. The surrounding area provides ample opportunities for backpacking, hiking, horseback riding, and even golf. There are short trails for novice hikers and many peaks that can be reached during a day hike. For longer trips, Willmore Wilderness Park provides several thousand square kilometres of mountain wilderness, accessible only by foot or horse.

Sleep
Grande Cache offers a modest number of hotels, a few Bed and Breakfasts, and three campgrounds.

Cope
Dial 911 for a life-threatening emergency. Call Health Link Alberta at 811 for immediate advice if you are unsure whether or not to go to Emergency. Website:Alberta Health Services

Go next

 * Hinton
 * Jasper

title: Grande Cache


text:
Grande Prairie

Grande Prairie is a city of over 63,000 people (2016) in Peace River Country, Alberta.

Understand
Grande Prairie was named for the large prairie which lies to the north, east, and west of it. In the 18th century, the prairie was occupied by bands of the Dane-zaa (Beaver) peoples, who began trading with the North West Company at Dunvegan in the early 19th century. In 1880, a Hudson's Bay Company post called La Grande Prairie was established 15 miles (24 km) northwest of the present city.

In the late 19th century, the prairie was settled by Cree and Iroquois from around Jasper and Lac Ste. Anne. When 17 townships were surveyed for homesteading in 1909, a land rush soon followed, with many settlers arriving over the Edson Trail. The trail from Edson to Grande Prairie was opened in 1911 as a means for settlers to reach the Grande Prairie area. It was nothing more than a tract of clear cut bush and forest, and thus was a very difficult route for many settlers, especially during wet weather. Because of this, large scale settlement came late compared to other major farming regions further south in Canada. By 1912, the town included a bank, hotel, post office, and land office, making it a district metropolis.

It was not until the arrival of the railway in 1916 that farmland quickly expanded as waves of settlers came into the Peace region. This drove up Grande Prairie's population past 1,000.

Settlement continued unabated even into the 1930s during the Dust Bowl era because the Peace Region was able to escape the severe drought conditions that plagued the Canadian Prairies further south at the time.

During the Second World War, the US and Canadian military establish Grande Prairie as a part of the Northwest Staging Route for the construction of the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek to Alaska. Grande Prairie was a major stopover point for military aircraft during the war.

In the late 1950s, its population grew further as oil and natural gas exploration was underway in the Peace Region, especially since the first major discovery of oil further south in Leduc near Edmonton in 1947 and the construction of a large pulp mill in the early 1970s.

The construction and paving of Highway 43 in 1956 cut down on the travel time by road significantly, further enhancing Grande Prairie's accessibility and economic status. The town was incorporated as a city in 1958. At that time, its population was approximately 7,600.

The opening of the Procter & Gamble kraft pulp mill in 1972 and the discovery of the Elmworth deep basin gas field spurred an economic boom. Grande Prairie's population went from just over 12,000 in the early 1970s to over 24,000 by the time the oil boom went bust in 1981.

Grande Prairie has a diversified economy. Major industries include oil and gas, agriculture, forestry, and food services.

Climate
Grande Prairie has a northern continental climate typical of northwestern Alberta and northeastern British Columbia, classified as humid continental. Winters are generally very cold with some mild spells. Summers are often fairly cool to pleasantly warm in the daytime, but nights can be cool despite the long summer days typical for its latitude. Hot days over 30 °C (86 °F) are rare, occurring on average only two to three days a year, which is not unexpected this far north. Winter conditions can vary tremendously from year to year. Winters have been known to be mild enough to produce "brown Christmas" conditions, where little or no snow may fall until after Christmas due to unusually mild early winter conditions.

By car
It is at the intersection of Highway 43 (part of the CANAMEX Corridor) and Highway 40 (the Bighorn Highway), approximately northwest of Edmonton. Grande Prairie is a major centre for travellers wanting to connect to the Alaska Highway.

By bus

 * Operates a route between Grande Prairie and Edmonton including stops in Valleyview, Whitecourt, and Mayerthorpe. Travel time to Grande Prairie from Valleyview is 2.75 hours, from Whitecourt is 1.25 hours, and from Edmonton is 5 hours.
 * Bus service from Monday to Friday between Fort St. John and Grande Prairie with stops in Dawson Creek, Hythe, and Beaverlodge. Travel time to Grande Prairie from Fort St. John is 2.75 hours and from Dawson Creek is 1.75 hours.
 * Bus service six days per week between Grand Prairie and Edmonton with stops in Valleyview, Fox Creek, and Whitecourt. Travel time to Grande Prairie from Edmonton is 5 hours.
 * Bus service six days per week between Grand Prairie and Peace River including stops in Grimshaw and Fairview. Travel time to Grande Prairie from Peace River is 2.5 hours. Route temporarily suspended.
 * Bus service six days per week between Grand Prairie and Peace River including stops in Grimshaw and Fairview. Travel time to Grande Prairie from Peace River is 2.5 hours. Route temporarily suspended.

Get around
The city is most easily managed by rental car.

Grande Prairie Transit offers a small bus network that serves most parts of the municipality. The bus system consists of five routes. These routes run on a 30-minute basis during peak hours and hourly the remainder of the day. There is reduced service on weekends and statutory holidays. Fares are $2 for adults, and $1.50 for children, students and seniors (Jan 2018).

The city offers the non-profit, independent Disabled Transportation Society (DTS), which has specialized transport services for individuals with disabilities.

Events

 * Live music can be found in several downtown bars and intermittently at all-ages locations such as Tito's Restaurant and the GP Curling Club.
 * Summer-long music festivals: Grande Prairie has a wide range of local music genres including country, Reggae, Metal, folk, and rock.
 * Cultural venues include Revolution Place (a concert hall and hockey rink — the local AJHL team, the Grande Prairie Storm, plays there), the Grande Prairie Museum, the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie, and Second Street Theatre.
 * Professional musical theatre: "Broadway Live Broadway".

title: Grande Prairie


text:
Grande Randonnée

 * "GR" redirects here; see Greece for the country which holds same the ISO 3166-2 code.

The Grande Randonnée (French), Grote Routepaden or Lange-afstands-wandelpaden (Dutch), Gran Recorrido (Spanish) or Gran Recorregut (Catalan) is a network of long-distance footpaths in Europe, mostly in France, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Gear
As with all trekking: pack light!

 * Lightweight walking shoes
 * Wide brimmed hat and sunscreen
 * Light weight waterproofs
 * Depending on where and when you hike, you may need an axe and crampons to deal with ice.

Water
Alpine and some other mountainous segments of hiking routes often have plenty of fresh, clear, safe mountain water available. But unless you know you are taking a path with plentiful good water available, make sure to carry all the water you need for the whole day.

Camping and refuges
Availability of camping and other accommodation varies widely. To take one example, on the GR 5, there are numerous refuges and gîtes along the Alpine section of the route that offer comfortable accommodation; however, when it comes to camping, there are areas where it is forbidden and other spots where it is permitted but only after a certain time in the early evening. Carrying cash is advisable since most of the more remote accommodation will not take cards.

Trails

 * GR 1
 * GR 2: Rouen – Paris – Dijon
 * GR 3
 * GR 3: La Baule – Saumur – Orléans – Nevers – Mont Mézenc
 * GR 4
 * GR 4: Royen – Limoges – Clermont-Ferrand – Saint-Flour – Pont-Saint-Esprit – Grasse
 * GR 5: Starts in the Netherlands and crosses Belgium and Luxembourg before traversing France to end in Nice. However, a recognised variant is typically considered a preferable finish along the GR 52 to Menton since it stays in the high mountains rather than dropping into farmland and suburbia for the final few days. Originally, the section through the French Alps from north to south was known as the Grande Traverse des Alpes and runs from Lake Geneva to Nice. That section eventually became the original GR 5 before later being extended northwards.
 * GR 6
 * GR 7: Ballon d'Alsace – Dijon – Saint-Étienne – Andorra La Vella
 * GR 7: Algeciras – Andorra
 * GR 9
 * GR 10
 * GR 11 Trans-Pyrenees goes from Higuer Cape - Hondarribia to Cap de Creus Natural Park
 * GR 12
 * GR 14
 * GR 15
 * GR 20: Calenzana – Conca (Corsica)
 * GR 21: Dieppe – Saint-Valéry-en-Caux – Fécamp – Étretat – Le Havre
 * GR 26
 * GR 34
 * GR 34A
 * GR 35
 * GR 36
 * GR 37
 * GR 38
 * GR 39
 * GR 41
 * GR 43
 * GR 44
 * GR 46
 * GR 57: Liège (Belgium) – Diekirch (Luxembourg)
 * GR 60
 * GR 65: Geneva (Switzerland) – La Côte-Saint-André (Isère) – Le Puy-en-Velay (Haute-Loire) – Nasbinals (Lozère) – Conques (Aveyron) – Figeac (Lot) – Moissac (Tarn-et-Garonne) – Aire-sur-l'Adour (Landes) – Roncesvalles (Spain); the Le Puy route of the Way of St. James
 * GR 68
 * GR 70: The Stevenson Trail (Chemin de Stevenson), Le Puy – Alès
 * GR 71
 * GR 72
 * GR 92: Portbou (Catalonia) – Ulldecona (Catalonia)
 * GR 99 Camino del Ebro: along the river Ebro in Catalonia, mostly coinciding with the Ebro Way of St. James
 * GR 121
 * GR 123
 * GR 211
 * GR 212
 * GR 223: Honfleur — D-Day Beaches — Cherbourg — Mont Saint-Michel
 * GR 341
 * GR 380
 * GR 652
 * GR 700

Trails in Réunion

 * See Hiking in Réunion for the three GR trails in the French overseas department. Trails are typically marked with an extra "R" to distinguish the trails from the trails in Europe.

Stay safe
Walk early, to avoid storms later in the day.

title: Grande Randonnée


text:
Grande Recife

Grande Recife or Região Metropolitana do Recife is a metropolitan region in northeastern Brazil.

Cities
Grande Recife is comprised of the following cities:

 * — Nicknamed "The Brazilian Venice", it is built on several islands linked by many bridges. Rich in history, art and folklore. Do not miss neighboring Olinda and Porto de Galinhas. The city is also a gateway to the amazing archipelago of Fernando de Noronha.
 * — UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to Brazil's most authentic carnaval
 * — home to Brazil's oldest church and Latin America's largest collection of baroque paintings
 * — home to beautiful beaches, the Ducth Fort Orange, colonial Vila Velha, and Engenho São Joao
 * — for a pleasant, bucolic escape (cooler microclimate)
 * — home to beautiful beaches and colonial fortifications
 * — home to acclaimed Porto de Galinhas beach, voted the best beach in Brazil

Other destinations

 * — home to Maria Farinha beach and Veneza Water Park
 * — where part of the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve is located, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
 * — home to one of Brazil's largest brazil-wood reserves
 * – home to Engenho Moreno
 * – home to Piedade beach and the Monte Guararapes National Historic Park
 * – home to Piedade beach and the Monte Guararapes National Historic Park

Get in
Recife's Guararapes International Airport has domestic and international flights.

Get around
The Recife Metro (Metrô do Recife, Metrorec) serves Grande Recife with 29 stations, along 39.5 kilometers (24.5 mi) of track, running as far south as Cabo de Santo Agostinho. The system is complemented by two light rail lines with seven additional stations.

The system includes several bus lines linked from the terminals of bus/metro integration designated SEI (Sistema Estrutural Integrado - "Integrated Structural System") through which passengers may continue their travel on the same ticket.

title: Grande Recife


text:
Grande São Paulo

Grande São Paulo is a region in the state of São Paulo, a huge metropolitan area which is home to 20 million people - 11 million only in the core municipality, São Paulo.

Cities

 * - The planned "American-style" city of Alphaville, the major international business destination outside the state capital
 * - Containing Aldeia de Carapicuíba, a former indigenous settlement from the early Colonial period and a national heritage site
 * - Famous for its large market of arts and antiques occupying all Downtown
 * - A vibrant Japanese community, historical rural districts and ecoutourism at the Serra do Mar State Park
 * - an English-built railroad village that is a national heritage site
 * - A major Catholic pilgrimage site in the Tietê river
 * - The state capital, Brazil's largest city, with social, cultural, and gastronomic diversity unmatched in the country
 * - Home to one of the last Colonial historic centers in the state
 * - The birthplace of the modern Brazilian labour movement, also offering nautical leisure and ecoutourism in the Riacho Grande district

Other destinations

 * - Large Atlantic rainforest reserve accessible from various cities of the region

Understand
Other than São Paulo and Guarulhos (which contains the main international airport), few places in the Grande São Paulo area outside the main city are ever seen by foreigner visitors. While it is true that São Paulo overshadows every city in the metro area in terms of gastronomy and cultural options, one should not believe that there is nothing to see or to do outside the core municipality. Historical villages, splendid nature and authentic cultural manifestations are some rewards that await the intrepid visitor to São Paulo's sprawling suburbs.

By car
Here are some of the main highways: Rodovia Anhanguera

Rodovia dos Bandeirantes

Rodovia Raposo Tavares

Rodovia Castelo Branco

Rodovia Anchieta

Rodovia dos Imigrantes

Rodovia Ayrton Senna

Rodovia Presidente Dutra

Rodovia Fernão Dias

Rodovia Régis Bittencourt

Rodoanel Mário Covas

By plane
There are two airports in the Greater São Paulo which have commercial flights:

 * Aeroporto Internacional de Guarulhos, the main and busiest airport in Brazil, located at Guarulhos, 25 km from the center of São Paulo, and is also the main airport serving the city.
 * Aeroporto Internacional de Congonhas, is the second busiest airport in Brazil, located in the district of Campo Belo (São Paulo city), 8 km from the center of São Paulo.

And another international airport nearby:
 * Aeroporto Internacional de Viracopos

By car
While the core municipality may be easily explored using only using public transport and taxi, a car is handy to explore the metro area, since metropolitan buses are slow and metropolitan trains do not reach most points of interest.

By train

The Grande São Paulo is connected by a single-tariff network of suburban trains, operated by CPTM. This network is fully integrated to the São Paulo subway system operated by Metrô; changing from one system to another is free on major stations, and costs a regular tariff on smaller stations. CPTM stations accept the São Paulo municipality smartcard (Bilhete Único), giving discounts when you take a bus within a 2-hour time period, and soon all stations will also accept the São Paulo metro area smartcard (Cartão BOM), with no special discount.

Despite their poor reputation, CPTM trains have improved dramatically on last decades, and their quality is nowadays similar or at least comparable to the Metrô, depending on the line. They can get extremely crowded on peak hours, but are generally a cheap and efficient way of moving around the city. Unfortunately, with exception of Line 9-Emerald and of the Expresso Turístico, CPTM trains are not that useful to the casual tourist, as they do not directly reach most points of interest outside the São Paulo municipality.

By bus
The most extensive public transportation system in the Grande São Paulo are the metropolitan buses, operated by EMTU. Unlike the CPTM, each EMTU bus line has its own tariff. EMTU buses reach every city of the metro area, but they are typically much slower than going by car. The bus lines that visitors are most likely to use are the Airport Bus Services that link the Congonhas and Guarulhos airports to several points in São Paulo. Yet, for some destinations, EMTU buses may be the only option of budget travellers who cannot afford to rent a car or take a taxi.

EMTU buses accept the metropolitan smartcard (Cartão BOM). It offers no discounts for the ordinary visitor, so its only advantage is saving you the hassle of reaching for coins.

For a few destinations, like Mogi das Cruzes and Guararema, an alternative to metropolitan buses are intercity buses operated by private companies. They can be found using the website BuscaOnibus. They are more expensive than metropolitan buses, have few departure points (like the Tietê and Barra Funda terminals) and limited availability, but they are also much faster and far more comfortable.

See

 * São Paulo's Avenida Paulista, Historic Center, and endless glass-covered skyscrapers near the Pinheiros river
 * The center of Embu das Artes, filled with shops of local handcrafts and antiques
 * The center of Santana de Parnaíba, one of the few Colonial historic centers in the state
 * The English-built village of Paranapiacaba
 * Aldeia de Carapicuíba, a historical indigenous village, in Carapicuíba
 * The Billings reservoir, mostly contained in São Bernardo do Campo and São Paulo, is a destination for nautical leisure and contains a few beaches and parks

title: Grande São Paulo


text:
Grande Terre

 * Not to be confused with Grande-Terre in Guadeloupe

Grand Terre is the main island in New Caledonia. It is one of the largest islands in the Pacific. The barrier reef lying off New Caledonia is second only to the Great Barrier Reef in size.

Cities

 * — the chic, French-influenced capital city of New Caledonia and the only real city of any size
 * - on the southwestern side of the island
 * - many rivers come together here; popular with surfers
 * - located on a bay known for eroded limestone islets
 * - provincial seat of North Province
 * - offers many active outdoor activities
 * – second largest city in New Caledonia
 * - seven tiny islets
 * - far northwest of island
 * - on the eastern side of the island
 * - near the enormous Koniambo mine

Other destinations

 * (Parc provincial de la Rivière Bleue) – New Caledonia's most visited park

By plane

Due to the long distance between the airport and the city centre, connecting transport can be very expensive. The cheapest option by far is a public bus, run by Carsud. Ligne C runs 9-11 times a day each way Monday to Saturday, however only twice a day on Sundays. The journey time is about an hour 20 minutes costing 400 F one-way, departing to the city from just outside the airport terminal on the right, and to the airport from the Desmazures interchange near the bingo centre. A pre-booked shuttle service to your hotel will cost about 3000 F per person; there are a variety of options, but the largest company is Arc en Ciel (+687 27 19 80). A taxi could cost up to 10,000 F.

Go next

 * Île des Pins
 * The Loyalty Islands

title: Grande Terre


text:
Grand Falls

Grand Falls/Grand-Sault is a city of 5,200 people (2021) in the valley of the Saint John River in New Brunswick.

Understand

The town derives its name from a waterfall created by a series of rock ledges over which the river drops 23 m (75 ft).

Three main industries reside in Grand Falls: potato farming, potato processing and tourism. The town is also a local commercial centre for Victoria County, catering to the surrounding communities of Plaster Rock, Perth Andover, Blue Bell, and New Denmark.

History
The area is the traditional territory of the Maliseet First Nations (Indigenous) people. French settlement began in the late 1600s, and there is mention of. French fort there in 1693. In 1763, the region passed into British hands and its French population diminished due to the deportation of the Acadians. In 1783, the Loyalists settled in Acadia and the province of New Brunswick was created the next year. In 1785, the Acadians in Fredericton and nearby were evicted from their land and in June 1785, a group decided to establish the region of Grand Falls and the rest of Madawaska with the agreement of the Maliseet First Nations people.

In 1791, Thomas Carleton, then Governor of New Brunswick, built a fort at Grand Falls. The Madawaska region was then disputed between Quebec, New Brunswick and the United States. The War of 1812 showed that the area's roads were not safe and in 1875, the colonial government of New Brunswick decided to build a road from Woodstock to Grand Falls. The territorial differences culminated in the Aroostook War in 1838. The Webster–Ashburton Treaty in 1842, gave Grand Falls to the province of New Brunswick.

Get in
Grand Falls is 210 km northwest of Fredericton, and 65 km southeast of Edmundston, on Route 2 (Trans-Canada Highway).

By bus

 * Operates a route between Edmundston and Moncton including stops in Grand Falls, Perth-Andover, Florenceville, Woodstock, Fredericton, and Fredericton Airport.
 * Travel to Grand Falls from the following destinations involving same day transfers is as follows:
 * From Saint John with a transfer in Fredericton
 * From Bathurst, Campbellton, Halifax, Miramichi with a transfer in Moncton
 * From Charlottetown ) with transfers in Amherst and Moncton
 * From Antigonish, North Sydney, Sydney with transfers in Truro and Moncton

Do
Many activities are only open during the summer tourist season.

 * Grand Falls Golf Course
 * Kahoutek Ski Club, a cross-country ski club, with many kilometres of groomed trails adjacent to the Golf Club.
 * Kayaking, canoeing, boating in Saint John river
 * Regional Potato Festival. This event coincides with the end of June and beginning of July, during the Canada Day weekend. It includes a carnival, a Broadway block party, a bistro with live entertainment, the Miss Grand Falls Gala, fireworks and several other events.
 * Regional Potato Festival. This event coincides with the end of June and beginning of July, during the Canada Day weekend. It includes a carnival, a Broadway block party, a bistro with live entertainment, the Miss Grand Falls Gala, fireworks and several other events.

title: Grand Falls


text:
Grand Falls-Windsor

Grand Falls-Windsor is a city of 14,000 people (2016) in Central Newfoundland. It is the largest in the central region.

History
In 1768, Lieutenant John Cartwright, while following the Exploits River through the Exploits Valley, named the waterfall he found "Grand Falls". In 1905, the town of Grand Falls was established as a new town using Garden City principles expounded by Ebenezer Howard. Worried about the impending war in Europe, Alfred Harmsworth (Baron Northcliffe) began looking for an alternative source of newsprint for his family's newspaper and publishing business. During their search for a suitable location to build and operate a pulp and paper mill, Harold Harmsworth and Mayson Beeton, son of Isabella Beeton, the author of Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, discovered Grand Falls. The site had great potential due to access to lumber, the possibility of hydroelectricity and a deep-water port available in nearby Botwood. The Harmsworths and Robert Gillespie Reid, owner of the Newfoundland Railway, formed the Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company, and the mill was opened in 1909. Workers came from throughout the colony and the world to help develop the new area. At that time, only employees of the mill and workers from private businesses were permitted to live in Grand Falls. Other people settled north of the railway in a shack town known as Grand Falls Station, which became Windsor, named for the English Royal Family.

Get in
Grand Falls-Windsor can be accessed on Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway). There are several exits, the first coming from the east being Grenfell Heights, second Union Street/Lincoln Road; third being Cromer Avenue and the fourth being Victoria Street/Main Street W/Station Road. They all lead into different parts of the town.

It is approximately 95 km (1 hour) west of Gander, 240 km (2½ hours) west of Clarenville and about 430 km (4 hr 45 min) west of St. John's. On the other hand, the town is 210 km (2 hr 15 min) east of Deer Lake, 265 km (2 hr 45 min) east of Corner Brook, and 475 km (5 hr) east of Port Aux Basques, when travelling on the Trans-Canada Highway.

The nearest airport is Exploits Valley (Botwood) Airport in Botwood. The nearest international airport is Gander International Airport, approximately 100 km east of Grand Falls-Windsor.

Get around
Because of Grand Falls-Windsor's curved and somewhat confusing nature, if you are new to the town a map could be useful. While the town is marked very well with street signs and attraction signs everywhere, it still may not be enough.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Route 1 runs through the middle of town, with exits for Main Street, Station Road, Cromer Avenue, Union Street, Grenfell Heights and New Bay Road. Main thoroughfares in the town include Lincoln Road, Cromer Avenue, Main Street, High Street, and Scott Avenue, though this list is not exhaustive.

title: Grand Falls-Windsor


text:
Grand Forks

Grand Forks is a city in northeast North Dakota, a state in the United States of America. With a population of about 57,000 people in 2017, it's the third largest urban area in the state. There are another 8,600 people in East Grand Forks on the other side of the Red River in Minnesota. Grand Forks is best known for the disastrous flood of 1997 and the productive nearby farms which grow mostly wheat and sugar beets. Grand Forks sits at the center of the former Lake Agassiz which is why this area is so incredibly flat.

By bus
Greyhound and Jefferson Lines serve Grand Forks. Buses stop at the (450 Kittson Ave), which is also the hub for local bus transportation. +1 701 775-4781.

By car
US Highway 2 runs east-west, and Interstate 29 and US 81 run north-south. Fargo is about an hour south, Winnipeg is two hours north, and Minot is three hours west.

By train
Amtrak's Empire Builder serves Grand Forks daily on its route between Seattle/Portland and Chicago including stops at Spokane, Glacier National Park, Fargo, Saint Paul, and Milwaukee. Both eastbound and westbound trains arrive at inconvenient times, at midnight and 4:30AM respectively.

By bus
Grand Forks has the best bus system in North Dakota, operating Monday–Saturday, and it is adequate for most daytime excursions.

Eat
A good place to start looking for restaurants is Downtown — the 100 block of North 3rd Street. There are various coffee shops, pizza places, and other locally owned restaurants in this area. A short walk over the bridge to East Grand Forks is a good followup.

Drink
In its early years, Grand Forks was a dry town, and East Grand Forks was more than happy to pick up the slack. Now the best drinking establishments in town are in the heart of the Downtown district.

Go next

 * Winnipeg is two hours north via Interstate 29, and Fargo is about an hour south.
 * Turtle River State Park is 20 minutes to the west on US Highway 2. Year-round recreational activities, including camping, picnicking, fishing and trails for hiking, mountain biking and cross country skiing. Rustic group cabins can also be rented.
 * Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site near Cooperstown, 1.5-hour drive to the southwest. Preserved deactivated Minuteman II ICBM launch facility (topside only) and guided tours of preserved deactivated "Oscar Zero" Launch Control Center that was part of nuclear deterrent attached to Grand Forks AFB during the Cold War.

title: Grand Forks


text:
Grand Haven

Grand Haven and the adjacent cities of Spring Lake and Ferrysburg are a small metro region among the Lake Michigan Beachtowns of West Michigan.

Get in
Grand Haven sits along US-31 and just to the south of I-96. It also has a Harbor Transit Bus and numerous marinas.

Washington Avenue is the main east-west street.

Get around
The three cities (Grand Haven, Spring Lake, and Ferrysburg) are not exactly adjacent; they are largely separated from each other by the Grand River (which flows from around Jackson thru Lansing and Grand Rapids) to Lake Michigan. The bascule drawbridge on US-31 provides both connectivity and regular traffic backups when it opens to water traffic.

Grand Haven and Spring Lake run tourist trolleys in the summer. Harbor Transit also offers transportation for locals, especially seniors, on an appointment basis for a small charge.

See
The musical fountain (formerly "world's largest") is one of the city's most unique attractions. Plays nightly after dusk all summer for 15-20 minutes. Can be viewed from the bleachers at the end of Washington. Look for the inlaid map of the Grand River watershed in the concrete near the bleachers, it's very interesting.

Also popular are the beaches - some of the nicest in the world, with fine sand and broad beaches for sunning or walking. There are numerous kite festivals, sand sculpture contests, and volleyball tournaments all summer. Check out the Chamber of Commerce website for current events.

Charter boats for salmon and other fish are available during the summer months.

There is a very nice local history museum at the old train depot on Harbor Drive and a larger, newer one on Washington at Second Street.

If you come during the last week of July and first weekend of August (Coast Guard Festival), be prepared, because Grand Haven is very crowded during this time of year. Downtown Grand Haven is closed off due to the carnival in the street. On that Saturday, fantastic fireworks are shot off, better than the ones they have on July 4th. See YouTube videos!

Buy

 * Farmers Market at Chinook Pier, May through October, Wednesdays and Saturdays

There's a charming downtown with several blocks of small shops, some are connected inside so you don't have to go outside. A snowmelt system with heated sidewalks keeps the first three blocks of Washington Street snow and ice free during winter months.

A large Meijer store at the south end of town has just about everything.

Sleep
Grand Haven has numerous hotels as well as bed and breakfast places. Check with the Chamber for listings.

Go next
Holland is a short drive down the coast. The mid-sized city of Muskegon lies just to the north. Grand Rapids, the largest city in the area and second-largest metro area in Michigan, is less than an hour inland to the east.

title: Grand Haven


text:
Grand Island (Nebraska)

Grand Island is a city of 51,000 people (2019) in South Central Nebraska. Grand Island has been given the All-America City Award three times (1955, 1967, and 1981–82) by the National Civic League.

By car
Interstate 80 (I-80) runs just south of Grand Island. Exits 312, 314 and 318 lead into the city. US Highway 30 cuts from the southwest corner to the northeast corner of town. US Highway 34 runs out of town to the east, paralleling I-80.

NE Highway 2 runs out of the city to the northwest. US Highway 281 cuts through the city north to south.

By bus
Arrow/Trailways Lines (+1-800-992-4618)

By shuttle
Navigator Bus / Eppley Express provides limited shuttle service between Omaha and several Nebraska cities including Kearney, Grand Island, Hastings, Lincoln and York. Two pick-up/drop-off locations are available in Omaha: Eppley Airfield and Holiday Inn at 72nd & Grover just north of I-80. Service is limited to specific days and times depending upon your destination. Reservations available on-line.

By Handi Bus
Public shuttle service for the Greater Grand Island Area (308-385-5324)

By taxi
Action Cab & Courier (308-381-1010)

Go next

 * Omaha- 80 East. About 3 hours away.
 * North Platte- 80 West. About 1½ hours away.
 * Hastings- 34 West. About 35 minutes away.
 * Aberdeen SD- 281 North. About 6 hours away.

title: Grand Island (Nebraska)


text:
Grand Isle

There is more than one place called Grand Isle:

United States of America

 * Grand Isle (Maine) a city in Maine
 * Grand Isle (Louisiana) a city in Louisiana
 * Grand Isle (Vermont) an island in the state of Vermont.

title: Grand Isle


text:
Grand Isle (Louisiana)

Grand Isle is in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. It is a barrier island connected to the mainland by bridge/causeway.

By plane
The closest major airport is Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans. It is about 2 hours and 40 minutes away

By car
Grand Isle is located at the southernmost terminus of Louisiana highway 1, about 65 miles south of Raceland and Houma.

See
Grand Isle State Park has a nice beach on the Gulf of Mexico.

Do
At Grand Isle State Park, there is canoe and kayak rental.

Sleep

 * Blue Dolphin Inn, (985) 787-3697. Offering beachside cottages and camping areas.
 * Landry House, (985) 787-2207. A bed and breakfast.
 * Landry House, (985) 787-2207. A bed and breakfast.

Go next
Port Fourchon is an interesting stop, on highway 1 back to the mainland. Houma is the closest sizeable town. New Orleans is about 100 miles away via highway 1 and U.S. 90.

title: Grand Isle (Louisiana)


text:
Grand Isle (Vermont)

Grand Isle is a historic island town located in Vermont. It is one of four towns comprising Vermont's "Lake Champlain Islands."

By car
U.S. Highway 2 from Burlington and Rouses Point.

By boat

 * Lake Champlain Ferries. Car and passenger ferry service connects Grand Isle and Plattsburgh 24 hours a day, all year long. Crossing time is about 12 minutes.

Go next

 * North Hero. Another one of the Lake Champlain Islands.
 * South Hero. Another one of the Lake Champlain Islands.

title: Grand Isle (Vermont)


text:
Grand Isle County

Grand Isle County is a county in Northwest Vermont. It is the smallest county in Vermont by area and only has around 7,000 people.

Understand
Grand Isle County is made up of several islands in the middle of Lake Champlain as well as a large peninsula at the northern end of the lake. Most people refer to Grand Isle County simply as "the islands." It is not connected by land to any other part of the U.S.. Grand Isle County has a milder climate than the rest of the state because of the presence of the lake.

By car
Grand Isle County can be reached by car using US Route 2 using either the bridge from Rouses Point, NY or the causeway from Colchester, VT. There is also a bridge connecting Grand Isle County to Swanton, VT. Grand Isle County is about 1.5 hours from Montreal, 4 hours from Boston, and 30-45 minutes from Burlington.

By ferry
Lake Champlain Ferries runs a 24-hour service connecting Plattsburgh with Grand Isle.

Get around
Most people will need a car to get around the islands as there is no public transportation. Although the attractions are fairly spread out, the terrain is relatively flat so some people may enjoy cycling. U.S. Route 2 is the only major road, running north to south from South Hero to Alburgh where it crosses a bridge into New York State.

See
The islands aren't exactly packed with things you can see in the traditional sense (i.e. I came to take a picture of this specific attraction). However, the islands are one of the most beautiful parts of Vermont and gorgeous scenery is the norm. Obviously, the islands are surrounded by Lake Champlain, which is quite scenic on its own. To the east, you can see the Green Mountains rising in the distance. Look southwest and you will see the Adirondacks meeting the shoreline.

Here are some specific things to see:

 * Hyde Log Cabin, Route 2, +1 802-828-3051. Considered one of America's oldest log cabins and is home to the society collection. Open Th-M 11AM-5PM.
 * St. Anne's Shrine: Isle la Motte +1 802-928-3362. Visit this shrine marking the site of the oldest European settlement in Vermont. There is a visitors center and gift shop.
 * The Lake Champlain Monster, Otherwise known as Champ, this prehistoric sea monster supposedly lives in Lake Champlain.
 * St. Anne's Shrine: Isle la Motte +1 802-928-3362. Visit this shrine marking the site of the oldest European settlement in Vermont. There is a visitors center and gift shop.
 * The Lake Champlain Monster, Otherwise known as Champ, this prehistoric sea monster supposedly lives in Lake Champlain.
 * The Lake Champlain Monster, Otherwise known as Champ, this prehistoric sea monster supposedly lives in Lake Champlain.

Do
One reason many people come to the islands is to simply do nothing. There aren't any cities, crowds, or traffic. You may just want to relax. If you do feel like doing something, there are many outdoor activities.

Buy
Grand Isle County certainly isn't a shopper's paradise, however you will be able to find antiques, VT made crafts & art, and specialty foods. Listings for South Hero can be found in its respective article.

Eat
The islands are not exactly a dining destination. Some of the bed & breakfasts and inns will have a restaurant in them and there are a few other standalone spots. Most of the options consist of snack bars and general stores that sell sandwiches or maybe pizza. There are some apple orchards in the islands so if you come in the fall, grab a bag of apples and maybe some donuts.

South Hero is home to most of the islands' restaurants. Here is a listing of restaurants in the rest of the county.

Drink
The islands are home to East Shore Vineyards in Grand Isle and Snowfarm Vineyard in South Hero. Both have tasting rooms, but East Shore's is actually located in Burlington

Sleep
You won't find any chain hotels in the islands, just B&Bs and family owned inns.

Stay safe
There is almost no crime in the islands, just don't get eaten by Champ.

Go next
The Islands are a quick drive or ferry ride from:
 * Burlington
 * Montreal
 * Plattsburgh

title: Grand Isle County


text:
Grand Junction

Graced by red rock mesas, Grand Junction is a vital part of Colorado's Wine Country. The city lies on the Colorado River at the foot of Grand Mesa, Mount Garfield, and Colorado National Monument. With a population of about 69,000, Grand Junction is the most populous city in the western half of the U.S. state of Colorado and the seat of Mesa County.

Understand
Grand Junction might aptly be described as a "suburb without a city." This does not mean that the area lacks a vibrant downtown; rather Grand Junction offers the outlet stores and conveniences of a suburb, but without the big city problems of traffic jams, pollution and high crime. Grand Junction is the only major commercial and transportation hub between Denver and Salt Lake City. Yet it derives its name not from the railroads, but from the Colorado River, formerly named the Grand. The city sits at the confluence, or junction, of the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers.

Grand Junction is an ideal spot to plan a series of day trips to the surrounding natural beauty of Southwestern Colorado and northeastern Utah. But the city should not be overlooked for its own attractions. There are a variety of things to do in Grand Junction. Dinosaur museums, wine tasting, fine dining, excellent shopping, arts and theater, pedestrian malls and outdoor recreation combine to make this a location worth enjoying.

Surrounded by mesas, the Grand Valley is an area of high desert beauty. To the north are the austere tan bluffs of the Bookcliffs, which culminates in Mount Garfield, an icon of the area. To the east lie the evergreen slopes of the Grand Mesa, largest flattop mountain in the world, and home to many great activities such as skiing, hiking, fishing and horse back riding. (No fall trip to the mesa would be complete without a drive to see the changing aspen leaves.) To the south are the red sandstone formations of the Colorado National Monument. You can visit all these mesas, since they are interlaced with a variety of roads, as well as hike-able and bike-able trails.

Because of the area's (usually) mild winters and spectacular scenery, locals joke about "Chief Ouray's Curse," named after the Native American Ute leader who used to live in the region. The curse says that once you've visited the Grand Valley, you're destined to return again and again.

History
Between 250 and 1300 AD, the Fremont people were the area’s first inhabitants. Their culture can still be glimpsed today in the many petroglyphs and pictographs they created on canyon walls. Circa 1500, the Ute nation moved into the Grand Valley.

With the conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1521, the Spanish formed the Viceroyalty of New Spain and claimed a large part of North America for themselves, including the Grand Valley.

As Spanish settlers established colonies along the Rio Grande River in New Mexico during the 1590s, they introduced horses to various Native American nations. It was the Utes' turn in the 1630s. Through both bartering and theft, the Utes acquired their horses from the Spanish. This transformed Ute society as they became skilled horsemen.

The first Europeans arrived in the Grand Valley in 1776, when the Dominguez-Escalante expedition passed through the area. Silvestre Vélez de Escalante was a Franciscan friar who attempted to discover an overland trade route between Santa Fe, New Mexico and Monterey, California. After six grueling months, the expedition was abandoned and Escalante returned to Santa Fe through Arizona.

In 1821, the Viceroyalty of New Spain successfully revolted, splitting with the Spanish crown. The Grand Valley became part of Alta California, a province in the new nation of Mexico.

Hoping to develop the area, Mexican officials opened the land up to mountain men, trappers and traders. Between 1821 and 1840, explorer Antoine Robidoux ventured through the Grand Valley in search of beaver pelts. Robidoux built Fort Umcompahgre (then known as Fort Robidoux) near present-day Delta. With this influx of adventurers and speculators came many of the men who would later lead U.S. Army expeditions and Government Surveying parties through the region: Kit Carson, John Charles Fremont and Captain John Gunnison.

In 1846, the U.S. Army invaded and defeated Mexico in the Mexican-American War. With the Treaty of Guadalupe y Hidalgo, the U.S. gained control of the Grand Valley, as well as California, Nevada, Utah, and portions of Arizona, New Mexico and Wyoming.

Friction between the Utes and whites over resources was inevitable. In 1868, the U.S. Government and the Ute Indians signed a treaty that designated the Grand Valley as part of the Ute reservation. But the Grand Valley's rivers offered both a reliable source of water and arable land. This was compounded by the discovery of gold in the San Juan Mountains to the south. These factors proved to be too great for the settlers to resist. Eventually the Utes were pressured to leave the area. After the Utes' forced relocation, settlers poured into the area.

In 1882, the City of Grand Junction was founded. The railroad came to town a few months later. Canals were dug to tap into the Grand and Gunnison Rivers, and Grand Junction built its economy on farming and ranching.

In 1900, dinosaur bones were discovered at Riggs Hill to the west of town by Elmer S. Riggs, Assistant Curator of Paleontology at the Field Museum in Chicago. Huge Jurassic era dinosaurs like brachiosaurus, apatosaurus, allosaurus, and stegosaurus were pried from the desert soil.

By the mid-20th century, Grand Junction began to ride out a series of boom-and-bust cycles related to mining. In the 1950s, the Atomic Energy Commission set up shop in town to buy uranium for making atomic bombs. Over 35 mining companies used Grand Junction as a base to mine the radioactive element found throughout the Colorado Plateau. During the energy crisis of the 1970s, oil shale was discovered on the Roan Plateau east of Grand Junction. This boom came to a crashing halt in 1982, leaving the Grand Valley in a decade long local recession.

Since the 1990s, the Grand Valley has been discovered as an optimal place to grow wine grapes. An eclectic mix of aging hippies, hopeless romantics, artists and entrepreneurs flocked to the area. They all shared a common dream of creating a wine culture in Western Colorado. Slowly, with a lot of trial and error, this core group of self-taught winemakers began growing grapes and crafting award winning wines.

Grand Junction now serves as a recreational hub for tourists and outdoor enthusiasts. Leisure travelers can hike, camp or enjoy boating and fishing in the surrounding national parks, forests and recreation areas.

When to go
The mild, sunny days of spring and fall are why people move to this mini-sunbelt. Late March is usually when the fruit orchards blossom, with the days averaging about 70°F (21°C) and the nights in about 40°F (4°C). Spring barrel tastings happen at many of the vineyards in April and May, and are accompanied by food and wine pairings. High season occurs during the summer months of June, July and August. Late summer can range around 90 to 100°F (32 to 37°C) in this desert biome, but is well worth the visit because the peaches and other fruit crops fill the fruit stands throughout the region. September is harvest time for the grapes. The third week in September is also the height of the fall color season in Colorado, when the aspen and cottonwood trees change many brilliant colors of yellow, red and orange. October is a shoulder season where the weather is usually decent, but minus the crowds and high hotel prices. November through February are the slow months, when the Grand Valley shuts down for the winter. Bargain hunters can still book hotel rooms at drastically reduced prices, while a majority of the wineries and tasting rooms remain open. Be sure to call ahead, however. Western Colorado is home to an oil shale and natural gas boom, and many hotels are already full of energy workers needed to work the fields.

By plane
Taxi service is also available at the airport:

 * Rental car agencies at Walker Field include:

A larger airport nearby:
 * Denver International Airport, . Commonly referred to as DIA. It is about 20 miles to the east of downtown Denver. Frontier Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines all maintain hubs at the airport in Concourses A, B, and C respectively. Most other major domestic carriers also have service here.

By car

 * Interstate 70 runs east-west just north of town. Grand Junction is about 30 minutes east of the Utah border and 4 hours west of Denver.
 * US 50 runs north-south beginning in downtown, running south to Delta and Montrose, then turning east towards Gunnison and Pueblo.
 * US 6 runs east-west parallel to Interstate 70.
 * US 139 runs north south, rejoining I-70 west of Grand Junction, in Loma. US 139 travels north over Douglas Pass to Rangely.

By train

Amtrak serves Grand Junction with the California Zephyr, which runs daily between Emeryville (in the San Francisco Bay Area) and Chicago. is at 339 S 1st St, a few blocks west from downtown.

By bus

 * Grand Junction, Clifton and Palisade

By bike
For extreme mountain bikers, it's possible to follow the Kokopelli Trail from Moab, Utah, then join up with the Colorado River Front Trail system and bicycle all the way to downtown. This is a five- or six-day, strenuous excursion where you must pack in your own food, shelter and water.

There's another north-south running slick rock trail that fat tire enthusiasts can follow into town:

Get around
The Grand Valley's roads were used to be designated by how many miles they were from the Utah border to the West. This "grid" was further defined by a north-south axis of roads demarcated by letters of the alphabet: A, B, C, etc. Unfortunately, the map collided with reality; the roads had to skirt a patchwork of fields and orchards. No one was willing to relinquish valuable arable land for orderly roads. The results are a bewildering amalgam of added fractions and decimals. Travelers may find themselves at F 3/4 Rd or D.50 Rd. The best answer is to grab a free map at one of the local Visitor's Centers or Chambers of Commerce.

Travel by car, bike, or rent a limo or shuttle service.

Public transportation
There is a local bus system called Grand Valley Transit. (RIDE). The downtown transfer station is at 6th St. & South Ave. Fare for one ride is $1.50. An all day pass costs $3. A pass good for 11 rides is $15.

Walk

 * Downtown Grand Junction is a pedestrian mall, and easily navigated on foot. For the rest of the area, however, you will need a car or bike.

See

The Cross Orchards Historic Farm, Dinosaur Journey Museum and Museum of the West are part of the Museum of Western Colorado.

Itineraries

Wine tours
 * Palisade to Grand Junction The wineries are clustered in the town of Palisade and on Orchard Mesa. After your tour, follow Interstate 70 along the Colorado River from Palisade to the foot of the spectacular Colorado National Monument just west of Grand Junction.
 * Delta, Montrose, Paonia & Hotchkiss Follow US 92 west along the Gunnison River. Turn north on US 65 and stop at the wineries along Surface Creek, on the south slope of Grand Mesa, the largest flattop mountain in the world. Or, travel along the North Fork of the Gunnison River on US 92 east out of Delta and then US 133. This will take you to Hotchkiss and Paonia, where you will find yourself in the West Elks AVA.

Scenic byways

Spas
There are a handful of day spas outside of the resort towns, offering facials, manicures, pedicures, hot stones, body wraps, massages, aromatherapy and other indulgences.

Hiking
Grand Junction is a great place for the outdoor enthusiast. Activities range from rock climbing and whitewater rafting, to skiing, golf, and horseback riding. The Colorado National Monument is a 15-minute drive from most of the area hotels. Guided tours are available. While in the monument tourists can enjoy a leisurely stroll down scenic paths or take long hikes (like Monument Canyon Trail).

Mountain biking
Another activity that the Grand Junction area is known for is mountain biking. Some of the most appealing single track is between Grand Junction and Fruita on of I-70. Kokopelli Trail runs the 142 miles from Grand Junction Colorado to Moab, Utah. Depending on your riding ability it can take 5 to 7 days to complete. There are several sections that can be accessed by country road and 4x4 trail. Parts of the trail are only accessible by bike. The trail is pretty well marked at every 1/2 mile or so. To get there you take I-70 to the Loma exit. That's exit 15. Cross over the interstate to the south. At the access road turn right. Just before you get to the weight station you will turn left onto a gravel road. Follow that for about a half mile and you will find the parking lot.

Mountain climbing
The Colorado National Monument is also home to technical climbing. Locals have on several occasions scaled Independence Monument to have a wedding on top. It's quite a climb, about 500 feet. But you don't have to get married to do it. There are several tour guides that can take you in.

River rafting
Whether you're looking for a day trip or a week long expedition, Grand Junction is a decent base for trips down the Colorado, Green, Yampa and Gunnison Rivers.

Rafting outfitters

Skiing

Wildlife viewing
The Little Bookcliff Wild Horse Area is about 10 miles east of town. That is an area known for its wild mustang herd. People can go by jeep or car. Take I-70 east to the Cameo exit. Go across the Colorado River and stay on the main road. You will pass the power plant. After about a mile and a half you will find the parking lot. Please respect the seasonal closures for nesting and birthing of wildlife.

Festivals & events
Be sure to attend the Colorado Mountain Wine Fest, the official wine festival of the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board, the state-funded entity that promotes Colorado wine. This increasingly popular four day festival is the Oktoberfest of Colorado's wine industry, so book your rooms early. It is the biggest event of the year in the Grand Valley, and hotel rooms fill quickly.

 * April - Spring Barrel Tasting, Fruita Fat Tire Festival
 * May - Downtown Art and Jazz Festival, Spring Barrel Tasting, Junior College World Series (JUCO)
 * June - Country Jam USA Music Festival, Thursday Farmers' Market Festival
 * July - Thursday Farmers' Market Festival, Reds, Whites, & Blues Festival & 4th of July Celebration, Independence Day Parade, Mesa Country Fair
 * September - Rock Jam Music Concert, Pork 'n' Hops, Colorado Mountain Winefest, Tour of the Vineyards, Downtown Car Show, Thursday Farmers' Market Festival, Air Show! Western Colorado
 * October - Downtown Spooktacular Parade
 * November - Downtown Wells Fargo Tree Lighting
 * December - Winter Festival, Parade of Lights, Spirit of Christmas Walk

Buy
Grand Junction has a mall with all of the Big City stores. And of course there are two Wal-Marts. However, if you go down to Main Street, that is the historic shopping park. There are many different shops to choose from. Keep in mind, Main Street is also a step back in time. Everything shuts down about 6PM. Thursday evenings in the summer would be the exception to that rule. That is when they do the farmers market. That is fun for all. It's not just a bunch of vegetable vendors. There are all different kinds of businesses there on Thursdays. And, the stores stay open late. There are even clowns making animals out of balloons for the children.

Eat
If you stick to the hotel/motel row along I-70, or only venture along the I-70 business loop by the Mesa Mall, you will find many fast food and chain restaurants. But food in Grand Junction does not have to be generic Americana. Restaurants in the Grand Valley have matured in the last 30 years. From a handful of mom and pop diners in the 1980s, Grand Junction's dining scene now embraces many great sidewalk cafes, bistros, espresso bars, bakeries and high-end eateries. A small influx of immigrants have also opened up a variety of ethnic restaurants. Choose from sushi to burritos to Pad Thai and Vietnamese egg rolls. Most of the best places to eat are clustered along the Main Street pedestrian mall downtown.

Drink
Wine tasting in the small farming town of Palisade (10 mi east of Grand Junction). There are over a dozen wineries to visit in the Grand Valley, as well as meaderies, microbreweries and distillers.

Sleep
Grand Junction offers most of the national chains when it comes to hotels. They are mostly clustered along I-70 (Exit 31) on Horizon Drive between Walker Field and 7th Ave. There are additional hotels downtown, as well as in surrounding Fruita, Clifton and Palisade.

Connect
Most Starbucks, hotels and coffee shops throughout the region offer wireless Wi-Fi access. But if you don't have a computer, try the public library.

Go next
Neighboring Palisade and Fruita are worth seeing. Grand Junction can also act as the hub for a series of day trips to Telluride, Aspen and Vail, as well as Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park.

title: Grand Junction


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Grand Lake

Grand Lake is a small town of 400 people (2020) in the Northwestern region of the Rocky Mountain state of Colorado. Grand Lake sits at the southwest entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. It is a tourist destination adjacent to the western entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, which surrounds the lake and the town on three sides.

Understand
Grand Lake is the largest natural body of water in Colorado. The town of Grand Lake began as an outfitting and supply point for the mining settlements of Lulu City, Teller City, and Gaskill.

Get in
U.S. Route 34 (Trail Ridge Road) runs through the western side of the town, entering Rocky Mountain National Park just north of town and leading 45 miles (72 km) across the mountains to Estes Park. To the southwest, US 34 leads 15 miles (24 km) to Granby.

See
The Kauffman House is a rustic log house listed on the National Register of Heritage Properties. It functioned as a hotel from its construction in 1892 until 1946. The Grand Lake Area Historical Society purchased the house in 1973 and converted it into a museum as the only pre-20th century log hotel remaining in Grand Lake.

Grand Lake is home to the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre. This summer stock theatre company produces various theatrical productions throughout the year, usually three Broadway musicals from June through August and one musical in September.

Do

Grand Lake is Colorado's largest and deepest natural lake, and there are publicly and privately operated marinas, a public boat ramp, and public boat docks on the lake.

title: Grand Lake


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Grand Manan Island

Grand Manan is a beautiful island, made up of several small fishing communities. Its permanent population of 2,565 (2021) swells significantly in the summer, but you can easily find privacy. While New Brunswick is a bilingual province, the residents of Grand Manan are almost exclusively English speakers.

Understand
Grand Manan rests in the midwestern end of the Bay of Fundy, a body of water between the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and home to some of the most extreme tides in the world. It is 32 km south of Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick. The climate in spring, summer and fall is very comfortable but winter has an inconsistent weather pattern with snow, rain, freezing rain and mild weather.

The vast majority of Grand Manan residents live on the eastern side of the island. Due to limited access, 91-metre (300-ft) cliffs, and high winds, the western side of the island is not developed, although it does have wind-power ventures and camps at Dark Harbour, a small community and get-away destination for islanders. Grand Manan has a network of trails for all-terrain vehicles, hiking, mountain biking, nature walks, and presents a challenging landscape for jogging.

There are a number of freshwater ponds, lakes and beaches that are prime locations for sunbathing, beachcombing, and picnics. Other interesting finds on Grand Manan are magnetic sand, and "The Hole-In-The Wall" located in Whale Cove in the village of North Head. Anchorage Provincial Park can be found on the island's southeastern coast between the communities of Grand Harbour and Seal Cove.

History
"Manan" is a corruption of "mun-an-ook" or "man-an-ook", meaning "island place" or "the island", from the Maliseet-Passamaquoddy-Penobscot First Nations who, according to oral history, used Grand Manan and its surrounding islands as a safe place for the elderly Passamaquoddy during winter months and as a sacred burial place ("ook"-means "people of").

Although there is no evidence, the Norse are believed by some to be the first Europeans to visit Grand Manan while exploring the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine around 1000 AD. During the early 16th century, Breton fishermen are said to have fished the teeming waters around the island and sheltered among its old-growth oak forests.

Portuguese explorer João Álvares Fagundes charted the area around Grand Manan in about 1520. The island became part of New France, by there was no French settlement, and in 1713 it was traded to the British in the Treaty of Utrecht.

The first permanent British settlement of Grand Manan was established in 1784. Because of the Treaty of Paris (1783), the United States considered Grand Manan to be its possession on the basis of the island's proximity to Maine. For many years, the U.S. and Britain squabbled over the ownership of Grand Manan. Britain obtained better title to Grand Manan in Jay's Treaty of 1794.

Grand Manan established a reputation for fishing and shipbuilding in the early 19th century, and undertook the harvesting of hackmatack, birch and oak. In 1831 the Gannet Rock Lighthouse was built on a rocky islet south of Grand Manan, in order to protect shipping en route to the port of Saint John, New Brunswick. It is Grand Manan's oldest lighthouse.

By 1884, Grand Manan became the largest supplier of smoked herring in the world. By 1920, it produced a staggering one million boxes—or twenty thousand tons—of smoked herring, all caught in its local waters. By the late Victorian era, Grand Manan had been discovered by a new breed of explorers—the "tourists"—who began visiting the island in steady numbers.

Get in
There is regular car-ferry service from Blacks Harbour, NB to  There is no fee for the trip to Grand Manan, however you must pay for your return trip. Prices and an up-to-date schedule can be found here.

A 1,000-m air strip for small planes is near the centre of the island. The closest commercial airports are Saint John, and Bangor, Maine.

Get around

 * Leighton Spicer - private taxi, Grand Harbour.

Go next

 * White Head Island (ferry)
 * Machias Seal Island, a bird sanctuary, is reachable by tour boat on a very limited basis from Grand Manan

title: Grand Manan Island


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Grand Marais

Grand Marais is a harbor village along Lake Superior's shoreline in Minnesota.

Understand
Grand Marais is a small village built along the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota. Grand Marais is situated on a doubled-harbor stone outcropping of the shoreline. It is 110 miles (177 km) northeast of Duluth and 40 miles (64 km) southwest of the Canadian border along Highway 61, an All-American road and national Scenic Byway. Fully half of the full-time residents of Cook County, Minnesota live in Grand Marais - that's about 1,300 people.

"Grand Marais" is from the French: "big marsh," to distinguish it from the town of Little Marais, which is about 60 miles (96 km) down the road and apparently was built on a smaller marsh. This is apparently boosterism run amok, "You think you have it bad, we have it worse!" Never fear, the town is no longer swampy.

Grand Marais offers a great deal to multiple kinds of visitors. Whether you are interested in getting into the outdoors, shopping, fishing, or getting a great bite to eat, there is a lot to be had in this small town.

Please keep in mind that many restaurants and shops are only open seasonally. Call ahead or you may be disappointed.

Get in
The only way in, and the only way out (at least by car), is Minnesota Highway 61, which parallels Lake Superior. There are other roads that leave town, but they just head into the woods and eventually stop. Highway 61 is the only paved through road in Cook County, so enjoy it. As a historical note, Highway 61 didn't open until the 1920s; before that, most travel to much of anywhere was by scheduled steamer on Lake Superior. This meant, of course, that between sometime in November and about April, there was no service due to ice. During that time, you had your option of horses or dogsled, but this was confounded by the fact that there was really no continuous road where highway 61 is now. There is an airport a few miles out of town, up on the ridges overlooking the lake, but no scheduled service.

And of course, you can boat in via Lake Superior. There is a municipal marina  to dock at and get fuel. The harbor generally has a few fair-sized sailboats or powerboats in it, often having sailed across the lake from the Apostle Islands. Boating on Lake Superior isn't necessarily dangerous but isn't for novices, either. The State of Minnesota has created about 15 "safe harbors" up and down the North Shore, because there are virtually no natural harbors along this 130-mile (209 km) stretch. There's a reason they're called "safe harbors;" think about it before you just up-hook and set out.

Get around
There appears to be little public transport in Grand Marais, however the average person should be able to walk the entire town with no problem. Most people drive in and park their car and then proceed to window shop and walk around town. Some rent bikes. Crossing MN 61 is a risky endeavor. Be forewarned.

See
Grand Marais is one of the principle gateways to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, via the Gunflint Trail, which starts in the middle of town and heads up and back into the woods. The Gunflint Trail is 65 miles (105 km) of blacktop winding through very beautiful woods and lakes, with numerous resorts and cabins along the way. Deer, bear, and moose are often seen along (or on) the road at all hours, so keep the right foot light on the pedal. At resorts, or from outfitters, canoes and kayaks are available by the day or week, along with complete or partial outfitting and even guides, for day-to-week-long canoe trips. The BWCAW is one of only a few areas in the U.S. where you can canoe back into a significant true wilderness for weeks at a time, and it adjoins the Quetico Wilderness of Ontario; if you want, you can canoe all the way to Hudson's Bay.

Do

 * Grand Marais is home to a thriving art colony, has lots of galleries with local and regional artists' work, and a well-attended summer arts festival
 * Grand Marais also has several outfitting and charter companies. Call ahead for reservations and spend the day, afternoon, or evening sailing Lake Superior with lunch served, or earn your keep fishing.
 * Near Grand Marais are several smaller villages, including Lutsen and Schroeder, as well as other State Parks with trails and natural beauty to keep you plenty busy. Try Cascade River State Park, Judge C.R. Magney State Park, and Grand Portage State Park. At Judge C.R. Magney State Park, be sure to hike the Devil's Kettle trail, which leads to a magnificent 50-foot (15-m) waterfall that mysteriously disappears into the rock.
 * Near Grand Marais are several smaller villages, including Lutsen and Schroeder, as well as other State Parks with trails and natural beauty to keep you plenty busy. Try Cascade River State Park, Judge C.R. Magney State Park, and Grand Portage State Park. At Judge C.R. Magney State Park, be sure to hike the Devil's Kettle trail, which leads to a magnificent 50-foot (15-m) waterfall that mysteriously disappears into the rock.
 * Near Grand Marais are several smaller villages, including Lutsen and Schroeder, as well as other State Parks with trails and natural beauty to keep you plenty busy. Try Cascade River State Park, Judge C.R. Magney State Park, and Grand Portage State Park. At Judge C.R. Magney State Park, be sure to hike the Devil's Kettle trail, which leads to a magnificent 50-foot (15-m) waterfall that mysteriously disappears into the rock.
 * Pick up a copy of the Cook County News-Herald to connect and find out more about what to do while in Grand Marais.

Learn

 * Take a class at North House Folk School, teaches traditional northern crafts, everything from wooden boat building to knife making to baking.
 * Grand Marais Art Colony, Begun in 1947, it is Minnesota's oldest art colony. Offers classes in oil, water colors, ceramics, glass, print and more.  Special events include the Grand Marais Art Festival, held in the middle of July, and the Plein Aire Painting Competition at the end of August.

Eat

 * The Pie Place, known for having great breakfast and pie
 * Johnson's Foods, a family owned grocery store known for their friendly smiles, located next to the only stoplight in the county!
 * Johnson's Foods, a family owned grocery store known for their friendly smiles, located next to the only stoplight in the county!
 * Johnson's Foods, a family owned grocery store known for their friendly smiles, located next to the only stoplight in the county!
 * Johnson's Foods, a family owned grocery store known for their friendly smiles, located next to the only stoplight in the county!

Sleep
Grand Marais has many lodging options, depending on the kind of vacation that you would like to have. Options include wonderful hotels with fire places, jacuzzi tubs, and beautiful views, all the way down to simple cabins with running water and not much else. Many smaller lodging places that are family run may only be open seasonally.

Go next
Take a short road trip out from Grand Marais to visit the many sites. Travelers can head north on Hwy 61 to the Canadian border and visit Fort William Historic Park in Thunder Bay. The kids will enjoy this historical fort with actors recreating many activities. Otherwise, head south on Hwy 61 from Grand Marais and visit Lutsen. Here you can ski (in winter), ride the gondola, and hike. On your way south on Hwy 61, be sure to stop in Tofte and visit Coho Cafe Bakery & Deli where you can munch on gigantic sandwiches and fantastic spreads.

title: Grand Marais


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Grand old hotels

Some hotels have a heritage from the golden age of steam railways and ocean liners, before the Second World War, in the 19th or early 20th centuries. These hotels were where the rich and the famous of the day would stay. They have an appeal all their own: old fashioned fittings, the lack of the latest amenities, and a certain graceful agedness. They are often in superb locations, either smack in the middle of cities – very often being next to or part of a major railway station, as they were often constructed to house railway travelers – or close to major outdoor attractions. Some were also located next to sea ports to serve steamship passengers. They are likely to neighbor a legacy department store or a legacy food market from the same era. For this article, we also include numerous mid-20th century hotels that are iconic and historically significant.

New York City, London, Paris and the Los Angeles area are known for having a particularly high concentration of such hotels.

Understand
"I stayed in a really old hotel last night. They sent me a wake-up letter."

- Steven Wright

Even today such places generally offer fine accommodation and are usually not cheap, though more modern high-end places may be even more luxurious and are often more expensive.

A traveller with piles of money might consider a round the world flight, broken up with stays in many of these hotels. Travelling around the world overland, on routes such as the one taken in Around the World in Eighty Days, would give a more authentic experience of pre-flight travel.

While the grand old hotels are usually privately owned, they sometimes accommodate visiting heads of state and other dignitaries.

Do
You need not stay in such hotels to enjoy some of their services. Many have fine dining, live music and nightlife, as they had in the days of yore, and gambling if local law allows. A visitor to Singapore, for example, might go to Raffles just for a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar where it was invented, and where Rudyard Kipling and Noel Coward once drank, and check out the Billiard Room where Singapore's last tiger was shot.

Sleep
Grand old hotels tend to have a 4- or 5-star rating. Due to their legacy and premium location, they can cost more than newer hotels with similar amenities.

Cope
As the buildings are old, they might be less accessible for travellers with disabilities. In most cases, the staff will be helpful for guests who need assistance.

Egypt

East Asia

China

 * Shanghai has several fine hotels built in the Art Deco style in the city's glory days, the 1840s to the 1930s:
 * Shanghai has several fine hotels built in the Art Deco style in the city's glory days, the 1840s to the 1930s:

Japan
The following three are regarded as the Three Great Hotels (御三家 gosanke) of Tokyo, in reference to the three main branches of the ruling Tokugawa family of the Edo Period:

There are some other grand old hotels to be found:

Middle East
Egypt is listed under Africa above.
 * — originally called the Jerusalem Hotel when it first opened in 1866. Closed down in 1940 and sat forlorn and abandoned for decades before being painstakingly restored and reopened under its current name in 2018
 * — originally called the Jerusalem Hotel when it first opened in 1866. Closed down in 1940 and sat forlorn and abandoned for decades before being painstakingly restored and reopened under its current name in 2018
 * — originally called the Jerusalem Hotel when it first opened in 1866. Closed down in 1940 and sat forlorn and abandoned for decades before being painstakingly restored and reopened under its current name in 2018
 * — originally called the Jerusalem Hotel when it first opened in 1866. Closed down in 1940 and sat forlorn and abandoned for decades before being painstakingly restored and reopened under its current name in 2018

Southeast Asia

Several of Southeast Asia's grand old hotels can be credited to a single family, the remarkable Sarkies brothers from Armenia, who founded all of the following icons:

Of course, there are some other very classy options as well:

Nordic countries

Western Europe

Central Europe

Canada
The grand old hotels in Canada, also referred to as railway hotels, have a unique place in Canadian history. Most of them were built during the first quarter of the 20th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway or Grand Trunk Railway to provide elegant accommodation while viewing the natural beauty along the rail line. Canadian Pacific, which purchased the former Grand Trunk (Canadian National) hotels in 1988, spun off all non-rail subsidiaries (including Fairmont, its hotel group) in 2001.

These hotels are popular with tourists and locals alike and though overnight stays are expensive; they represent a fine piece of Canadiana worth visiting even if you only have time for a walk through the lobby. Three – Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper- are major tourist resorts in their own right, located amid stunning Rocky Mountain scenery. Listed approximately east-to-west, they are:

Of course, there are some other very classy options as well:

United States
There is a program called Historic Hotels of America with 260-odd hotels involved as of 2015. Each of these hotels is over 50 years old and is (or is eligible to be) a historic landmark.

Peru

 * – The cocktail Pisco Saur was invented here. Royalty stayed here, and the Rolling Stones had to leave for bad behavior.

title: Grand old hotels


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Grand-Popo

Grand Popo is a city in Benin.

By plane
Fly into either Cotonou or Lome and take a taxi for about 1200 CFA.

By taxi
You can pick up a taxi in Cotonou at the Grand Marché. Definitely negotiate the price in advance; if you don’t want to share the taxi with several others you can always rent the whole taxi (generally multiply rate for a single person by six). The taxi will drop you anywhere along the route; if you ask to be let off at the main carrefour (intersection) you can easily pick up a zemidjan to your hotel. To the Auberge or Villa Karo it is about a 200-250 CFA trip. If you are staying at Awale Plage, Bel Azul, or Etoile de Mer the taxi can take you straight there since they’re on the highway.

Get around
Grand Popo has very little traffic. You can pick up a zem (usually wearing a green shirt and baseball cap, but not always) easily at the carrefour, but sometimes, you’ll have to wait a while to get one on the side of the road. Walking is also a good option as most restaurants and hotels are located on a main stretch of road. To get to some of the tourist sites, you will need a pirogue or a motorboat, which will be provided by a tour guide.

The best way to see the sites (besides the beach) is to engage a tour guide. Talk to your hotel about finding a reputable guide – don’t trust guys who come up to you on the side of the road; even if they offer an attractive deal. The government doesn’t have a system of authorizing guides yet, but hotels usually work with the same guides over and over and can recommend someone trustworthy. Also ask them about pricing. There are two circuits depending on how much time you have and how much you would like to spend. The first goes to sites close by and uses a pirogue to get around on the river. It usually costs around 10,000 CFA per person, though discounts for larger groups can be arranged. The second, longer, circuit goes out to where the river Mono meets the ocean (for which you need a motorboat). This costs more – generally starting at 40,000 CFA.

See

 * The Beach - Grand Popo has a beautiful beach front. Be careful about swimming, though, as the ocean current is very strong. At all beaches in Grand Popo, you swim at your own risk.
 * Hounkounnou Village
 * Gbècon
 * Hévé
 * Allongo
 * Avlo
 * Bouche du Roy - Where the Mono River meets the Atlantic Ocean
 * L’île du sel - Traditional fabrication of salt
 * Mangroves
 * Pêche de gambas - Traditional fishing of prawns

Eat
Every hotel has a restaurant serving a mix of European and African dishes.

Budget (under 600 CFA)

 * Street vendors – Most vendors serve some combination of fish, rice, beans, sauce, and hardboiled eggs. Some also have pâte (white cornmeal paste) and sauce. Plates should cost around 100 to 200 CFA.
 * Chez Dewali – Serves pounded yam (fufu) and sauce (usually with goat or fish).

Mid-range (700-3000 CFA)

 * Ibis Bel; Main dish is between 1,200 and 2,500 CFA. They are right at the main intersection and there is usually a fair number of people eating or just having a drink.
 * Chez Chef Paterne. Main Dishes from 1000-3000 CFA. Local African food, also European food.

Budget

 * Lion Bar +229 95 42 05 17. Rooms from 5,000 CFA, Camping 2500 CFA. Has a restaurant with one or two options each night and a bar. Very laid-back vibe – the owner is a Rastafarian and the whole place is decorated with painting and quotes of famous Rastas and reggae musicians. The only indication from the street that the hotel is there is a small sign saying Lion Bar, but there is often a bright green car also painted with famous Rastas parked out front. A favourite of U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers.
 * Motel Coin des Amis +229 95 96 36 56. Rooms from 6,000 – 10,000 CFA, Camping 1000 CFA. Also has a small restaurant.
 * Motel Blue Night + 229 95 86 78 29. Room 6,000 CFA. Also has a restaurant and bar. Located on the Cotonou/Lomé highway, across the street from the beach.

Mid-range

 * Hotel Maison Blanche +229 22 43 04 83. Rooms from 10,000 CFA (There are only two rooms; but they are large). Camping is also an option and costs 3000 CFA. Restaurant and bar both with beach views.
 * Saveurs d’Afrique. Rooms from 13,000 CFA. Camping also an option for 1000 CFA. Restaurant attached with great ocean views. For the moment there are only two rooms but they are well-appointed and on the beach.

Splurge

 * Auberge de Grand Popo +229 22 43 00 47. Rooms from 14,000, Bungalows from 20,500 CFA. Air conditioned, choose ocean or garden view. The Auberge also has a restaurant/bar with ocean views and a swimming pool.
 * Awale Plage +229 22 43 01 17, +229 95 50 29 15. Rooms from 14,000 – 22,000 CFA; Bungalows from 20,000 – 28,000 CFA. Awale also has a restaurant and two bars, one on the beach, and a swimming pool. Located on the Cotonou/Lomé highway.
 * Etoile de Mer +229 22 43 04 43. Room 14,500 CFA, Apartment 25,000 CFA. The restaurant only serves breakfast. Located at the main intersection, on the Cotonou/Lomé highway.
 * Farafina +229 95 96 09 04, +229 95 95 38 32. Rooms from 15,000 CFA. Also has a restaurant.

title: Grand-Popo


text:
Grand Portage

Grand Portage is an Indian Reservation in the far northeast corner of Minnesota, on the shore of Lake Superior and the border of Ontario, Canada.

See

 * Pigeon River Falls is in the Grand Portage State Park.
 * Pigeon River Falls is in the Grand Portage State Park.

Go next

 * Grand Portage a launching point for ferries to Isle Royale, a wilderness preserve and national park in Lake Superior. Day trips to the park are offered by Grand Portage Isle Transportation Line, +1 715-392-2100, toll-free: +1 888-746-2305.  daily mid-June thru mid-September.  $45 round-trip.
 * Thunder Bay, a popular area for outdoor recreation, lies a short distance over the border in Ontario.

title: Grand Portage


text:
Grand Prairie

Grand Prairie is a city in the Prairies and Lakes region of Texas.

Get in
Nearby airports are Dallas/Fort Worth Airport and Dallas Love Field (DAL).

Get around
There is no public transit system in Grand Prairie. Taxi, rental car (Avis or Enterprise) or private car are the available options. Select hotels may offer shuttle service to and from area airports.

Eat
There are a number of eateries ranging from specialty restaurants to family style buffets to fast food.

title: Grand Prairie