Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/52019
Nicknamed the Pine Tree State, Maine is renowned for its rugged natural beauty. Boasting 5,500 miles of coastland, the state is home to the largest fleet of windjammers in North America. Altogether Maine's state and national parks — of which Acadia National Park is the largest and best known — encompass more than 540,000 acres. Along with its natural scenery, Maine offers a unique man-made photo op: the world's largest 3-D model of the solar sys- tem, laid out over 40 miles between Houlton and Presque Isle. MARYLAND Travelers toMaryland can choose from a lengthy list of Black heritage sites to explore.The capital city ofAnnapolis is home to the Banneker-Douglass Museum, the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial and the Thurgood Marshall Memorial at theMaryland StateHouse. The FrederickDouglassMuseumand Cultural Center is located inHighland Beach, inAnne Arundel County. Columbia is the home of the African Art Museum of Maryland and the Howard County Center of African-American Culture, along with an exhibit at Columbia Air Center commemorating the site of the state's first Black- owned and operated airfield. On Maryland's Eastern Shore, the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center and other related sites in Cambridge pay tribute to the most prominent figure in the Underground Railroad. Maryland's nearly 4,000 miles of shoreline, including the Chesapeake Bay and 31 miles of Atlantic Coast, provide great settings for fishing, sailing and beachcombing. BALTIMORE American's oldest civil rights organization is based in Baltimore.Visitors can see the NAACPHeadquarters, along with a host of other Black heritage attractions in Maryland's largest city. The list includes the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of MarylandAfrican-American History & Culture, the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center, the National Great Blacks inWax Museumand the FrederickDouglass-IsaacMyersMaritime Park,which honors a freeAfrican-American who founded the ChesapeakeMarineRailway andDry Dock Company, along with the famed abolitionist and orator. Art lovers will find free admission at the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Walters Art Museum, just two of the city's more than 20 museums and galleries. Those looking for picture-worthy outdoor scenerymight opt for a cruise of the Inner Harbor or a bike ride along Glenn FallsTrail. The Baltimore Convention Center, just 15 minutes from Baltimore-Washington InternationalAirport, is easily accessible via the city's light rail system.Specs at the 1.2 million-sq. ft. convention center include 300,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, 50 meeting rooms and a 36,000-sq. ft. ballroom. The city offers more than 8,500 downtown hotel rooms,with more than 1,000 committable rooms adjacent to the convention center. MASSACHUSETTS From Plymouth Rock, the site of the 17th century Pilgrims' landing, to Beacon Hill, where a large community of free African-Americans resided in the 19th century, the Bay State is home to some of the most iconic places in U.S. history. Massachusetts' maritime history is evident in the lighthouses dotting its coastline.The home of one of the nation's first Black sea captains is one of the 22 sites on theAfricanAmerican HeritageTrail onMartha'sVineyard. That island and other seaside resorts like Cape Cod and Nantucket Island are among the state'smost popular recreation- al attractions. Outdoor enthusiasts traveling to Massachusetts will also discover plenty more options, from whale watching excursions in Stellwagen Bank to canoeing on the Concord River. Notable cultural attractions include the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton and Jacob's Pillow, and the nation's oldest international dance festival, in Becket. BOSTON In this very pedestrian-friendly city, you can walk to the riverfront park on the Charles River, stroll along the 40-mile Boston Harborwalk or follow the footpath of the Freedom 72 Black Meetings & Tourism November/December 2011: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com Downtown Boston – Massachusetts Baltimore Harbor – Maryland