Touring the American South

A Journey from the Atlantic to the Gulf Coast via Appalachia and the Mississippi River

Virginia

The Towns and Villages of Loudoun County Historic Small Towns Itineraries and Wine Tours

Historic Alexandria Virginia Step back to 18^th-century America, walk the cobblestone streets, tour stately mansions and museums, explore the true stories of Civil War Alexandria, take a river cruise or bike to Mount Vernon, sip award-winning locally-crafted beer on the waterfront, and shop in Old Town’s boutiques, vintage shops and trendy art galleries.

Prince William and Manassas a Civil War Experience Marine Corps Museum and National Parks

North Carolina

Charlotte is named in honor of King George III of Britain’s consort. It is a city with 199 neighborhoods and many nicknames, including: the famed Hornet’s Nest derived from the American Revolution, The QC, Crown Town, Home of NASCAR, Gem of the South, CLT, Bank Town, Char-Town and City of Trees.

Asheville has a fascinating past; experience a walking itinerary that commemorates the city’s most significant cultural, educational, social and architecture stories; a museum without walls. Urban Farm and Mountain Trails Gourmet Cuisine Public Art Music Heritage and a Bohemian Culture.

A Journey along the Mississippi and Illinois River Towns

Planning Your Trip assumes uniquely local dimensions wherever you go; the activities that you, the visitor – local, or global –  select and irrespective of the length of your stay, are unique of the community you are visiting and rooted into the local economy, history and traditions. TEMA develops personalized travel itineraries based on client interests by leveraging an in-depth knowledge of your destination, superior client service in the planning stages and throughout the trip or event as well as logistics expertise to reduce your travel costs and transfer times. tema@arezza.net | skype arezza1

Tennessee

 
Music City Southern Charm History Culture and Haute Cuisine

Nashville has been the subject of many books, movies and songs. But, while music is the lifeblood of this city, you will also find here culture, history, haute cuisine, sports, natural beauty and especially Southern charm.

Blues Rock ’n’ Roll BBQ Pork Capital Cotton Row and Graceland  

 


Memphis is a city with a rich and eclectic history. Some of the city’s traditions and milestones include: Graceland, Home of Elvis Presley, the Memphis Zoo, the Indie Memphis Film Festival, Sun Studio, National Civil Rights Museum, Stax Museum of American Soul Music and Beale Street Music Festival.

Mississippi

The Sights Sounds and Culinary Traditions of the Mississippi Regions. Delta is a melting pot of cultures – from African to Italian to Asian. Capital-River from a mighty river and antebellum mansions to downtowns with restaurants featuring soul food, authentic ethnic dishes and modern culinary delights. Pines barbecue and bakeries, cheese and cheesecakes, the tastes of this region take their influences from their Native American heritage. Hills home to William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams and Southern fiction characters, platters of fried chicken, skillets of cornbread, and delicacies such as pecan pie. 

Coast golf, gambling, art, architecture and great food.

Mississippi is a true melting pot of regional, ethnic, national and international cuisine

New Orleans

Architecture a Creative Culture History and Traditions

The original settlement of New Orleans and the oldest neighborhood in the city is Vieux Carre, better known as the French Quarter. Established by the French in 1718, the location continues to be a valuable site for trade due to its strategic position along the Mississippi River. The district is a National Historic Landmark and is bordered by popular streets, such as Canal, Decatur and Rampart Streets and Esplanade Avenue. The French Quarter boasts cultural contributions from the French, Spanish, Italians, Africans, Irish and others – as demonstrated by the development of New Orleans as a global port.

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for a Tour of the American South

Local Knowledge – Global Reach

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The Columbia River

American River Trails

The Columbia is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest and fourth largest by volume in the United States. Rising in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, it flows for 1,243 miles - 2,000 km - before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. Its watershed extends into seven US states and a Canadian province. The river's heavy flow and relatively steep gives it tremendous potential for the generation of electricity. 

14 Hydroelectric Dams produce more than 44 percent of total U.S. Hydroelectric Power

 

Culture the river and its tributaries have been central to the region's culture and economy for thousands of years. The river system hosts many species of fish, which migrate between fresh water habitats and the saline waters of the Pacific Ocean. Salmon provides the core subsistence for native peoples.

Transportation in past centuries, indigenous peoples traveled across western North America to the Columbia to trade for fish and overland explorers entered the Willamette Valley through the scenic Columbia River Gorge and pioneers began to settle the valley in increasing numbers. Steamboats along the river linked communities and facilitated trade; the arrival of railroads in the late 19^th century, many running along the river, supplemented these links.

Navigation locks were built to aid ship and barge service along the lower Columbia and its tributaries; dredging has opened, maintained, and enlarged ship channels. Since the early 20^th century, dams have been built across the river for the power generation, navigation, irrigation and flood control. 

Planning Your Trip assumes uniquely local dimensions in the places you visit, rooted in the local economy, history and traditions. TEMA develops personalized itineraries based on your preferences; we leverage an in-depth knowledge of your destinations with superior client service throughout your trip.

Your anchor locations when visiting the Columbia River: Portland Oregon and Seattle

Native Americans have inhabited the Columbia's watershed for more than 15,000 years, with a transition to a sedentary lifestyle based mainly on salmon starting about 3,500 years ago. In 1996 the skeletal remains of the 9,000-year-old prehistoric Kennewick man. Oral histories describe the formation and destruction of a land bridge that connected the Oregon and Washington sides of the river in the Columbia River Gorge. The bridge aligns with geological records of the Bonneville Slide. Stories about the bridge differ in their details but agree in general that the bridge permitted increased interaction between tribes on the north and south sides of the river.

European and American ships explored the coastal area around the mouth of the Columbia in the late 18^th century, trading with local natives. Lewis and Clark entered Oregon country between 1805 and 1807, encountering numerous small native settlements. From the earliest contact with westerners, the natives were not tribal, but instead congregated in social units no larger than a village, and more often at a family level. 

Captain Gray was the First Explorer to enter the River; he named it after his Ship Colombia Rediviva

Irrigation many farmers in central Washington build dams on their property for irrigation and to control frost on their crops. Six such dams have failed in recent years, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to crops and public roads. Fourteen farms in the area have gone through the permitting process to build such dams legally.

The Columbia Colorado and Mississippi Watersheds meet at Three Waters Mountain in Wyoming

Tributaries the Columbia receives more than 60 tributaries; the four largest are the Snake River, the Willamette River, the Kootenay River and the Pend Oreille River.

Connect with Tema for Columbia River Itineraries

Economic Development Entrepreneurs

Tourism Energy Water Transit

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