By LINDA LANGE, Scripps Howard News Service

APALACHICOLA, Fla. - St. George Island and nearby Apalachicola like to keep it natural. People live in harmony with the ebb and flow of the mighty Apalachicola River and the gentle wash of waves on white sand.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Ordinary just never happens in Oregon. The extraordinary jam-packs this huge state with snowy peaks, windswept dunes, vast desert, yawning valleys and old-growth forest. Oregonians breathe in the wild land and pattern their lives to match.

ROANOKE, Va. - Motorists rumbling down the Blue Ridge Parkway or Interstate 81 might feel their car engine slow as they approach Roanoke. Their car knows to pull into this destination energized with nightlife, cultural attractions and farm-to-table dining. This city in the wide Roanoke River Valley has wraparound views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

SANTA FE, N.M. - New Mexico lives up to its nickname "The Land of Enchantment" every time I visit.

A trip to northern New Mexico brings me into a landscape of blue skies and lemon-yellow aspens cascading through evergreen forest. A few miles down the road, juniper and pinon are peppered across sandstone mesas toned in burnt sienna.

DALLAS - The Dallas Arts District is a Texas-size getaway neatly packaged in a colorful box. Museums and performance venues squeeze into a 19-block area, making it easy to walk or drive from one attraction to the next. Grand theaters, luxury hotels, eclectic shops and premier restaurants enhance the visitor experience.

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - Michigan's Upper Peninsula is so "undiscovered" that occasionally it gets left off maps entirely.

FISH CREEK, Wis. - Silence shrouds Green Bay. A path unfurls like a ribbon through the hardwood forest of Peninsula State Park and leads to the bay's rocky shore. The earthen trail then swerves along cliff edges and cuts through fern groves.

HOLLAND, Mich. - This small city by Lake Michigan takes the four seasons seriously, keeping it a year-round destination.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Mother Nature is redecorating "Tennessee's Grand Canyon" this time of year. The Tennessee River Gorge ignites with color and life. Cool weather orchestrates autumn's pageantry to a crescendo. The Tennessee River is one of the prettiest rivers anywhere in the world, claims Capt. Mike Hosemann. He and his brother, Capt.

PHILADELPHIA -- A first-time visit to Philadelphia revolves around key attractions such as Independence Hall, Liberty Bell Center and the National Constitution Center. When people pay a second visit or have more time to stay, a different spectrum of attractions moves into focus.