Atlantic to Pacific Coast Travel

Traveling from Pennsylvania and New York to Mid America Oregon and Washington

The Northeast has an illustrious history and culture; in the 21^st century, it is a trend setter on the technological and environmental fronts along with agricultural innovations that accompany unique, local food, wine and brew traditions. 

The Lehigh and Delaware River Valley are ideal anchor location if your interests include New York City and the Hudson Valley, Philadelphia and South Central Pennsylvania.

The Hudson and the Delaware were originally called the North and South Rivers

Bucks County is one of the three original counties created by William Penn in 1682. Bristol is the third oldest town in Pennsylvania and southern terminus of the D&L Trail characterized by coal yards, shipyards, warehouses and textile mills. Its Delaware Riverfront resembles a New England seaport.

Mid America

The Upper Mississippi is the portion of the river from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to Cairo, Illinois where it joins the Ohio River. Chicago is the starting point for the Historic Route 66 and the base from which you can reach the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa as well as journey to Alton along the Great River Road and explore Mississippi River Towns. 

Traveling across America

from the Atlantic to the
 Pacific Coast with

Knowledge Tourism

The Pacific Northwest from South Dakota and Minnesota you can follow the route of the Empire Builder and the Missouri River to explore the Northern Plains and the US Northwest.

Oregon is an ideal winter destination where you can ski on volcanoes in the Cascade Mountains; a nature lover’s paradise as you watch hundreds of gray whales spout and storms over the Pacific; a connoisseur destination where you can sip award-winning Oregon wines and micro beers; an environmentalist’s delight with Portland’s green lifestyle, free downtown transport and local distinctive neighborhoods.

Environment Friendly Destinations and Vacations

Portland is located between the Cascade Mountains and the Pacific Ocean at the northern end of the Willamette Valley and river which flows through the city and links with the Columbia River. The citizens and their local government are notable for: land-use planning, local transport, environment conscious policies, high walkability, a large number bicyclists and ten thousand acres of public parks Read More

Neighborhoods Planning Development Sustainability and Local Transport

Seattle’s first major industry was logging; by the late 19^th century the city also became a commercial and shipbuilding center as a gateway to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. In the 1940s, Boeing established Seattle as a center for aircraft manufacturing and, beginning in the 1980s, the area developed as a technology center with companies like Microsoft and Amazon.

Bologna and Emilia Romagna Food and Wine Traditions

Bologna Modena Ferrara and Dozza 3 nights and 4 days itinerary

Bologna Arrival and private transfer from the Bologna airport or train station to a Farmhouse in the countryside. Lunch and guided tour of the city center. Dinner with typical dishes from Emilia.

The Food Valley full day excursion and visit to  some of the best Emilia food producers:

Langhirano - Prosciutto di Parma production plant and food tasting

Reggio Emilia - Parmigiano Reggiano Dairy with explanation of the production cycle

Modena – Acetaia (vinegar loft) and the aging process of traditional balsamic vinegar.

Cooking Class and Ferrara morning cooking class: how to make tagliatelle and tortellini - 3 hours. Lunch at the Farmhouse. Afternoon transfer to Ferrara and guided tour of the city center, a wonderful example of Renaissance urban planning that preserves its historic center intact and included in Unesco’s World Heritage Program. Dinner at a Ferrara restaurant.

Dozza Medieval Village Transfer to Dozza Imolese. Guided tour of the 13^th Century medieval village and castle; visit to the Emilia Romagna regional enoteca. Typical lunch in a restaurant in Dozza.  Afternoon transfer to Bologna and end of program.

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Bologna and Emilia 
Romagna Travel
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Gragnano Italy Pasta and Wine Traditions

Mountain and Sea Air Spring Water and Sunshine are Key to Pasta Quality

Gragnano is a hill town 30 Km south of Naples, overlooking Pompeii and Vesuvius, just outside Castellammare and it port in Naples Bay; it’s location halfway between Sorrento and Amalfi is ideal to visit Sorrento, Capri, the Amalfi Coast as well as the countryside of the Campania region of Italy.

Pasta Tradition making pasta in Gragnano is an ancient art form that involves history, culture, patience, secrets and traditions. The town’s main street was laid out expressly to capture the mountain breeze mixed with sea air back when pasta makers hung spaghetti on drying rods like laundry. Now, heaters are used to dry the pasta at 122 degrees Fahrenheit for two days, resulting in a nuttier aroma and a chewier feel.

A History of the Valley of the Mills

The Valley of the Mills is famous for its spontaneous springs and Gragnano’s water is important for its therapeutic and diuretic properties. It is also a favorite destination for tourists who sip delicious water in full contemplation of the area’s landscape while its artistic patrimony is reflected in the many centuries-old churches such as Corpus Domini, which houses one of the largest canvases in Europe - over 400 square meters.

Gragnano's Pasta Factories Contributed 10 Percent of Italy’s Production a Century Ago

The Gragnano Pasta Cooperative represents small producers in the area; it holds that the dough should be made solely from Italian wheat, be pushed through perforated bronze plates to mold it, and that the resulting strands, sheets and elegant shapes must be dried at temperatures no higher than 122 degrees. Higher temperatures burn the dough.

Visit Gragnano Naples and Italy with Knowledge Tourism

Greco di Tufo is one of Campania’s finest whites and is perhaps the oldest wine in all of Italy. Greco refers to its Ancient Greek origins, after those who first brought the grape to Italy and cultivated it on the slopes of the Vesuvius. The first written account is found in a poem fragment from 6 BC in Pompeii. Written on a wall, it reads: You are cold, Bice, truly a piece of ice, if even the Greco wine could not warm your heart last night.

It is Cultivated in Tufo, Santa Paolina, Prato di Principato Ultra, Montefusco, Altavilla Irpina, Chianche, Petruro Irpino, and Torrioni. Only the hillsides of these areas are considered suitable for this wine as valleys and points of lower elevation are humid and lack the necessary sunlight and mountain breezes. To be considered Greco di Tufo, which has had DOC appellation since 1970 and DOCG since 2003, 85% must be of Greco di Tufo, with up to 15% coda di volpe. The wine can also be a sparkling spumante.

Greco di Tufo is not a mild-mannered wine. With zesty, fresh flavors of peaches, pear and herbs, coupled with restrained aromas of almond and apricot; a fully dry white wine with a sharp minerality. It is these distinct notes that place Greco di Tufo one step above the two-other great white Campania wines, Falanghina and Fiano di Avellino. Some believe that it complements mild dishes nicely, such as seafood, rice and pasta in butter or white sauces; others think that it pairs perfectly with strong dishes of veal, chicken, and cheeses.

Logistics for Business and Travel Related Services

Local Public Transport Initiatives In recent years, efficient and affordable public transit - in the form of bus rapid transit, micro transit, subways, elevated and other rail services and trolley cars – for urban, suburban and intercity service have been debated, studied and in some instances implemented. Our itineraries include major US cities with established commuter and regional service as well as communities that are implementing new transit programs.

Public Transport and Transit Oriented Development

Transportation Infrastructure is the backbone of a community. A reduced dependence on the automobile enables land use planning that reduces household transportation costs and frees up space for transit, pedestrian, and bike systems as well as rationalizing the use of existing infrastructure.

Transit Oriented Development transportation is the second-highest household expense; access to transit enhances access to the workplace and schools. TOD not only benefits new and existing residents, but also businesses, transit agencies, local governments, merchants, and developers.

Transit Solutions and Location Efficient Communities

Location Efficiency is defined as communities with walkable streets, access to transit, proximity to jobs, mixed land uses, and concentrations of retail and services achievable with policies like free transit passes and car-sharing as well as planning tools that identify land parcels under development and calculate the benefits of locating in a walkable community near existing transit facilities, allowing

Developers and Local Public Officials to identify traffic reduction strategies by location, design and the amount of parking needed in support of smart, well-located developments during the development review process as well as engage residents and contribute to future neighborhood planning.

Walking Biking and Land Use Planning

Walking and Biking nearly 20 percent of auto-related fatalities involve pedestrians and bicyclists. Walking and bicycling can be made safer at dangerous intersections, streets, sidewalks as well as for wheelchair users by utilizing existing planning tools.

Land Use Planning decisions help determine ways to reduce housing and other costs for families living in places with good public transportation and ameliorate costly and time-consuming commutes.

Ways and Means

A Platform containing Marketing and Sales Services, Project Management Systems, Community Data Bases, Training and other resources tasked with establishing and/or enhancing local capabilities in Travel and Logistics.

Benefits & Advantages include the economies of scale generated by collaborations among communities, a focus on high-end tourism clients, the application of a trade routes approach leading to groups of clients traveling to multiple locations during a business or vacation trip, redundancies generated by multiple areas of focus – logistics, travel services, energy and conservation related activities.

                                                                 

 Transit Logistics

Local Resources Directories with links to local history, museums, accommodations, itineraries, events, transport, guides, health care facilities as well as energy and conservation data featuring local projects, suppliers and management tools.