Travel in the USA experts

The city of Des Moines is named for the nearby Des Moines River, but the etymological of origins of Des Moines River are contested: many believe the river took its name from a nearby Indian tribe called the Moingonas, but others think the name refers to a group of Trappist monks who once lived at the mouth of the river (moines is the French word for monks).

We are in Kansas, Toto...in fact, we are at a most interesting place of interest, Wichita. Here you will find lots to do and see - for instance a "Cowtown" and a train museum.

Welcome to Bluegrass Country; the "Horse Capital of the World." But you don't have to be an avid racehorse fan to enjoy the natural beauty, culture and history that this exciting city has to offer.

Pelicans on the brass elevator doors! A tower rivaling the Empire State Building! Feel the bullet holes from the assassination, then view the shrine to Huey Long from the observation deck. A great stop to plan for in your Louisiana Vacation Package!

The Port of Portland is the largest tonnage seaport in New England. The city seal depicts a phoenix rising from ashes, which is a reference to the recoveries from four devastating fires. Portland was named after the English Isle of Portland. From ornate mansions to ocean views, this charming city - the largest in Maine - will enchant you.

High-speed, history and good old Hoosier hospitality are a few reasons to put Indianapolis on your list of great getaways. Sports is another. From the legendary Indianapolis 500 to the Pacers and the Colts, the city offers ample opportunities to view professional and amateur sporting events, take part in athletic events and visit sports museums.

It's unclear why this Southern settlement decided to name their city after a New York war hero, though the fact that several of the settlement's original founders hailed from New England may have played some role in the decision-making. There are many more interesting things about Alabama. Let TravelKatz create a southern-charming Alabama Vacation Package for you.

In 1880, prospectors Harris and Juneau relied on a local Indian chief to guide them to the mouth of Gold Creek, where they discovered gold. Read more about our 49th State and let TravelKatz plan an Alaska Vacation Package that includes a tour of Denali!

With over 1.5 million people, Phoenix is the sixth most populous city nationwide, the most populous state capital in the United States, and the only state capital with a population of more than one million. The Phoenix metropolitan area, known as the Valley of the Sun includes the cities of Scottsdale, Glendale, Tempe, and Mesa. The area has experience an explosive growth over the last decade. Couple this amazing city with a tour of the Grand Canyon and you'll have an Arizona Vacation Package that is the best!

Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas. It was incorporated on November 7, 1831, on the south bank of the Arkansas River close to the geographic center of the state. The city derives its name from a rock formation along the river, named by the French in the 1720s. The capital was moved to Little Rock in 1821. The city is the largest in the state.

Sacramento became a city through the efforts of the Swiss immigrant John Sutter, Sr., his son John Augustus Sutter, Jr., and James W. Marshall. Sacramento grew quickly thanks to the protection of Sutter's Fort, which was established by Sutter in 1839. You've heard of Sutter's Home Wine? Let's go on a culinary/wine tasting tour with your next California Vacation Package planned by TravelKatz.

Colorado is nicknamed the "Centennial State" because it became a state in the same year as the centennial of the United States Declaration of Independence. Mirror Lake is awesome and it can be part of your Colorado Vacation Package.

Festivals in Connecticut are a New England joy! There are Farmer's Markets, Quilting Shows, 4th of July Festivals and Parades. Don't forget about the Duck Day and Race in June and the Podunk Bluegrass Festival in August. You'll want to attend both!

In Delaware, any time of year is the right time for putting on a festival and inviting a crowd. Top things to do in spring always include a few flower fests, and summer brings a lineup of music festivals in Delaware. Call TravelKatz to help plan your next Festival Vacation to Delaware! 352-277-7300

Tallahassee is an Apalachee word meaning “old fields” or “old town.” It was given its name by Octavia Walton, the teenage daughter of Florida’s territorial secretary George Walton, who believed it meant “beautiful land.” In fact, though Walton is credited with officially suggesting the name in the 1824, the Apalachee had been calling the area Tallahassee since the 16th century.

When the railroad reached the region in the 1830s, it became known as Terminus—the last stop on the Western and Atlantic Railroad line. In the 1840s, when it began to look as though the railroad might continue past the town after all, residents decided to rename it and it became Marthasville before being named Atlanta (after the Atlantic Ocean). Let TravelKatz plan your next Georgia Vacation Package and include the tour of the Coca Cola Museum.

Hawaiian festivals can be colorful, musical, chocolate, and fruit.  Be prepared for exciting events no matter the season or island.  Some festivals you will find honor the past, too.  Enjoy!

Nature is a big part of Boise, Idaho. The snow-capped Rocky Mountains serve as a backdrop, the Boise River and its riverfront paths wind through the city and skiing is a short drive away. Boise is a wonderful beginning to your Idaho Vacation Package.

Originally called Springfield for the nearby Spring Creek, the city was briefly renamed Calhoun in the 1820s, for politician John C. Calhoun. But the name never caught on with the city’s residents, who continued to call the city Springfield, either out of distaste for the politician or simply out of habit. Eventually, giving in to local pressure, the city was officially re-named Springfield in 1833. Let TravelKatz plan your next Illinois Vacation Package and visit some of the most amazing historical museums in the country.

Baltimore is a major city in Maryland with a long history as an important seaport. Fort McHenry, birthplace of the U.S. national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” sits at the mouth of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

Boston was given its name in 1630 by Massachusetts Bay Colony’s first governor, John Winthrop, who named it after his hometown, Boston in Lincolnshire. The name was popular with Bostonians from the start, since many of them were also from the Lincolnshire region of England.

In 1848, Lansing, Michigan was named after Lansing, New York, which was named for John Lansing Jr., a New York delegate to the Constitutional Convention. A little under a year earlier, officials had named the city Michigan after Michigan state, but soon decided against the eponymous title, changing its name following the wishes of some of the town’s earliest settlers, who were originally from Lansing, New York.

Duluth is a port city on Lake Superior in Minnesota. The waterfront Lakewalk trail passes along Canal Park, with views of the 1905 Aerial Lift Bridge. The most popular time to visit Duluth is summer

Sitting high atop a bluff overlooking the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers, the city of Vicksburg was the site of an epic battle and is now Vicksburg National Military Park, preserving original fortifications and the U.S.S. Cairo, an ironclad gunboat that once prowled the waters of the Mississippi River. Vicksburg is also the place where Coca-Cola was first bottled, a fact that is happily immortalized at the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum.

Branson, an Ozark town in southwest Missouri known as a family vacation destination, has undergone a massive rebuilding.