The National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan enjoyed record attendance this year, and vendors had record sales figures, according to an article by Margaret Parsons in the Traverse City Record-Eagle.  Grand Traverse Pie Company’s sales bested figures from the last 12 festivals. 

Is this somehow connected to high gas prices?  We can’t answer that, but we can say this: there are countless incredible places to visit all across the U.S. and, if people are choosing to stay closer to home and are perhaps visiting parts of the country they haven’t seriously considered before, then we think folks will be surprised by what they find.  The richness and diversity of America’s many cultures and micro-cultures is, for us, what traveling is all about.  Have fun!

Pictured above are racks of cooling pies at Grand Traverse Pie Company, from Michael Stern’s Roadfood.com review.