Naval Aviation Museum

The MOST VISITED MUSEUM in the entire state of Florida is the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. As a part of the Naval Air Station located there, the attraction is also the largest of its kind in the world. An opinion, based on personal experience, is that this museum is one of the top leisure attractions in the country.

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My wife and I had the pleasure of visiting the Naval Aviation Museum on one of many day trips we have taken within the last few years. Although several friends had suggested this site to us, the museum went much beyond all our expectations. It was well worth the miles we traveled and the hours we spent touring the museum's facilities. Further, this attraction is worth putting on a leisure itinerary - even if it requires long-distance travel and more than a one-day journey.

Perhaps the museum's most impressive feature is a seven-story glass and steel atrium which houses four A-4 Skyhawks in diving diamond formation. The facilities and grounds include 300,000 square feet of inside space and 37 acres of outside space. Over 150 restored aircraft from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are on display. Aircraft dated from before World War I, to World War II, and to our more recent military battles are all included.

Vintage equipment, flight clothing, flight logs, memorabilia, and personal mementos are also on exhibit. In addition, the museum has flight simulators, cockpit trainers, an IMAX theater, and an authentic Cubi Bar and Cafe - an officer's club moved from the Philippines and reassembled for use at the museum.

The Naval Aviation Museum is open from 9 to 5 every day of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. There are also free guided tours, or visitors may take their own self-guided tours. In addition, a free bus tour is available for a 20-minute ride behind the restoration hanger.

An added highlight at the Pensacola Naval Air Station is that it is home of the Blue Angels. This prestigious group of precision Navy aviators conduct practice for air shows at their NAS base. A viewing area for visitors is located near the museum. After practice, pilots often come inside the museum to answer questions and to sign autographs. Information about the Blue Angels practices and their Pensacola show schedule is available by calling 850-452-3604.

I am delighted to pass along a good word about the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. Further, I am very pleased to recommend it to others as an ideal choice as a special leisure attraction. Of equal importance to some readers: my wife concurs wholeheartedly!

House on the Rock

PLANS for a summer getaway a few years ago pointed my wife, my parents, and me to the Upper Midwest and to the state of Wisconsin. From our starting point in Missouri, our automobile trip took us to The Dells and several other interesting places. There were enjoyable sites to see along the way - both on our journey northward and on the return ride back home. However, the most unusual and fascinating place we visited was not a part of our original plans at all. Only because of a couple of road signs, we were able to discover the House on the Rock.

The House on the Rock is located near Spring Green, Wisconsin - several miles west of the Capitol City of Madison. About fifty years ago a man by the name of Alex Jordon discovered a 60-foot chimney of rock where he decided to build a house as a weekend retreat. His original structure had fourteen rooms. When construction was completed, people from the surrounding area were clamoring to see this house which had been built on the rock. Soon thereafter, the enterprising Jordon began selling tickets for tours at fifty cents each.

Jordon was an avid collector. Much of the space inside the original house provides room for his various collections. A tour through the house has been described as "a trip through the wild imagination of Alex Jordon." In 1988 Jordon sold his House on the Rock to an associate, Art Donaldson - a collector and businessman who shared his broad interests.

Today, the House on the Rock attraction is a complex of many buildings, exhibits, and garden displays. The "ultimate experience tour" includes the gate house, the original house, the infinity room, the mill house, the heritage of the sea, a tribute to nostalgia, music of yesterday, the spirit of aviation, the carousel room, the organ room, the doll room, the circus room, the galleries, inspiration point, and other areas.

The regular season for touring the House on the Rock is late April until early November. However tours are also available during the winter, the Christmas season, and in early spring. Persons interested may call 608-935-3639 for open hours and additional information. The actual address of the House on the Rock attraction is 5754 State Road 23 near the village of Spring Green. In addition to the attraction, visitors may wish to stay at The Inn, or The Resort, both located nearby.

For our family, what was unplanned - and totally unexpected - became a unique destination and perhaps the highlight of our vacation. From my own perspective, the House on the Rock was a special attraction and leisure experience worthy of my lofty recommendation to others.