Sarasota, Florida (Venice, Italy):
According to discoverer.com, the winter home of circus mogul John Ringling and his wife Mabel, Ca’ d’Zan, very much evokes the feeling of the Doge’s Palace, one of Venice’s most famous landmarks. Completed in 1926, Ca’ d’Zan, which translates to House of John, was indeed a mix of many architectural styles, especially Venetian Gothic, which the couple became enamored with after a trip to Venice. The 36,000-square-foot mansion is now open to the public and can be toured with a separate admission ticket as part of The John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art. Visit ringling.org for details.
(Stay at Encore Winter Quarters Manatee)
Bisbee, Arizona (Old European Mining Towns):
Tucked into the Mule Mountains near the Mexican border, Bisbee feels reminiscent of old hillside towns found throughout Europe, where narrow streets, staircases, and colorful buildings cling to the landscape. Once a booming copper mining town, Bisbee has reinvented itself as an artsy enclave filled with galleries, cafés, and historic architecture that tells stories of its past. Visitors can explore the town’s walkable historic district, tour the Copper Queen Mine, or simply wander the winding streets that feel more like a European village than a typical Southwest destination.
(Bring your RV to Voyager RV Resort)
Leavenworth, Washington (Bavaria, Germany):
What a concept! And it worked! Town leaders of a failing logging town in the Pacific Northwest generated the idea to recreate the town as a Bavarian village. The intentional remodel of Leavenworth, Washington into a Bavarian village in the 1960s sure worked as it welcomes roughly 3 million visitors annually. With the backdrop of the Cascade Mountains taking the role of the Bavarian Alps, the charming town is now known for its German-themed annual festivals including Maifest and Oktoberfest. The holiday-themed Chriskindlmarkt is another popular event complete with tree-lighting festivities, thousands and thousands of twinkling lights and holiday markets.
(Camp at Thousand Trails Leavenworth)
Tarpon Springs, Florida (Symi, Greece):
If you’ve been to Tarpon Springs, you know the town’s sponge diving industry dates back to the early 1800s and really flourished once experienced sponge divers from Greece arrived and used their techniques and for many years thereafter, Tarpon Springs was known as the Sponge Capital of the World. Tarpon Springs now boasts the largest population of Greek Americans in the country and the town reflects it with Greek bakeries, markets and restaurants and of course, the Sponge Docks.
Don’t miss the Spongeorama Sponge Factory which includes a museum and sponge gift shop.
(Stay at Encore Barrington Hills)
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- Don’t miss these RV road trips!
- Explore the Thousand Trails Camping Pass and the Thousand Trails Cabin Pass
- Find more campgrounds at ThousandTrails.com.