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Every home has a story, and they are as vast and varied as the world is wide. But they all start with inspiration, and inspiration starts with our surroundings. Thatās what home is. Family. Friends. A sense of place. An amazing view. It is all part of what makes a space a home because your home is where you truly live. As homeowners ourselves we understand that your best life begins with a home that inspires you.
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ā Katie Thurmes
For many of us, a safari is high up on our bucket lists. In our minds, we picture vast swathes of savannah whose gently swaying grass and fragile acacia trees form the habitat of some of the worldās most captivating species. But what if you donāt have the cash ā or the time ā to fly halfway around the world in pursuit of the perfect safari? Well, the good news is you donāt have to miss out. Here are four places where you can safari without leaving the U.S.
Cumberland, Ohio is the home base of The Wilds, said to be the largest conservation center in the United States. The park was once land blighted by strip mining, and the first animals to be released onto the newly-reclaimed pasture were Przewalskiās wild horses in 1992. Since then, the park has grown, with annual visitor numbers now in excess of 120,000. Partnered withĀ Columbus ZooĀ since 2001, wildlife roam free across the massive site. Plain dwellers like antelopes, oryx, zebra and giraffe thrive here, and the park not only has a significant rhino population, it has a successful breeding program too. The park is also host toĀ Wildecamp, a summer camp which offers 8 to 18 year olds the chance to ride horses and canoe as well as enjoy various animal encounters.
Iāll admit, I was a little taken aback at the advice I was given the time I picked up my rental car in Bangor, Maine. āMoose eyes donāt reflect in the dark, so you most likely wonāt see them on the road until you hit āem.ā Technically, thatās not quite true, but as the eyes of a moose would generally be way higher than your headlights, youāre not going to get that bright eyed reflection you get from your cat. Second fun fact: in spring moose stray onto the roads to lick off the salt. Instead of taking your chances with these magnificent but road-hogging beasts, leave it to the pros. Itās easy to arrange a tour of theĀ Moosehead Lake areaĀ by car or by kayak with a qualified guide. As Maine has the second-highest population of moose after Alaska, youāll have decent odds of a sighting. As well as moose, you can expect to see beaver, deer, otter and perhaps bobcats or black bears on this safari.
The kidsā pick for a U.S. safari will beĀ Disneyās Animal Kingdom, for sure, but before you write it off, humor me while I try to bring you on board as well.Ā The Kilimanjaro SafariĀ attraction is a little cheesy, yes, but in a fun, Indiana Jones meets Lion King kind of way. If you want to test out whether your children have the attention span of a gnat or an elephant, you can try out this 18-minute teaser of a ride. The Florida parkāsĀ Harambe Wildlife ReserveĀ is home to 34 species and your guide will offer humorous yet educational commentary as you spot hippos, rhinos, cheetahs, crocodiles, elephants, hyenas and zebras ā even a lion.Ā Night safarisĀ are now available, as are private āWild Africa Trekā packages for a three hour, bespoke experience. And of course, there are all those rides to tackle if your little ones werenāt as enthusiastic as you hoped they were going to be.
Conveniently located a short distance north of San Francisco,Ā Point Reyes National SeashoreĀ has more to offer than sea birds and marine mammals. With 71000 acres of park to play with, the opportunities for wildlife spotting, as well as photography, are almost endless. One of the more popular sightings amongst visitors to this park are bobcats, which make themselves known throughout the day despite being known for their nocturnal habits. Tule elk, native to the park, are also a common sight, as are coyotes. Occasionally, visitors even spot notoriously elusive mountain lions. Off the coast, thereās a good chance of seeing the distinctive elephant seals, as well as harbor seals, sea lions, orcas and whales.
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