voyage in america

The Ages of Exploration

Christopher columbus, age of discovery.

Quick Facts:

He is credited for discovering the Americas in 1492, although we know today people were there long before him; his real achievement was that he opened the door for more exploration to a New World.

Name : Christopher Columbus [Kri-stə-fər] [Kə-luhm-bəs]

Birth/Death : 1451 - 1506

Nationality : Italian

Birthplace : Genoa, Italy

Christopher Columbus leaving Palos, Spain

Christopher Columbus aboard the "Santa Maria" leaving Palos, Spain on his first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. The Mariners' Museum 1933.0746.000001

Introduction We know that In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. But what did he actually discover? Christopher Columbus (also known as (Cristoforo Colombo [Italian]; Cristóbal Colón [Spanish]) was an Italian explorer credited with the “discovery” of the America’s. The purpose for his voyages was to find a passage to Asia by sailing west. Never actually accomplishing this mission, his explorations mostly included the Caribbean and parts of Central and South America, all of which were already inhabited by Native groups.

Biography Early Life Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, part of present-day Italy, in 1451. His parents’ names were Dominico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa. He had three brothers: Bartholomew, Giovanni, and Giacomo; and a sister named Bianchinetta. Christopher became an apprentice in his father’s wool weaving business, but he also studied mapmaking and sailing as well. He eventually left his father’s business to join the Genoese fleet and sail on the Mediterranean Sea. 1 After one of his ships wrecked off the coast of Portugal, he decided to remain there with his younger brother Bartholomew where he worked as a cartographer (mapmaker) and bookseller. Here, he married Doña Felipa Perestrello e Moniz and had two sons Diego and Fernando.

Christopher Columbus owned a copy of Marco Polo’s famous book, and it gave him a love for exploration. In the mid 15th century, Portugal was desperately trying to find a faster trade route to Asia. Exotic goods such as spices, ivory, silk, and gems were popular items of trade. However, Europeans often had to travel through the Middle East to reach Asia. At this time, Muslim nations imposed high taxes on European travels crossing through. 2 This made it both difficult and expensive to reach Asia. There were rumors from other sailors that Asia could be reached by sailing west. Hearing this, Christopher Columbus decided to try and make this revolutionary journey himself. First, he needed ships and supplies, which required money that he did not have. He went to King John of Portugal who turned him down. He then went to the rulers of England, and France. Each declined his request for funding. After seven years of trying, he was finally sponsored by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain.

Voyages Principal Voyage Columbus’ voyage departed in August of 1492 with 87 men sailing on three ships: the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María. Columbus commanded the Santa María, while the Niña was led by Vicente Yanez Pinzon and the Pinta by Martin Pinzon. 3 This was the first of his four trips. He headed west from Spain across the Atlantic Ocean. On October 12 land was sighted. He gave the first island he landed on the name San Salvador, although the native population called it Guanahani. 4 Columbus believed that he was in Asia, but was actually in the Caribbean. He even proposed that the island of Cuba was a part of China. Since he thought he was in the Indies, he called the native people “Indians.” In several letters he wrote back to Spain, he described the landscape and his encounters with the natives. He continued sailing throughout the Caribbean and named many islands he encountered after his ship, king, and queen: La Isla de Santa María de Concepción, Fernandina, and Isabella.

It is hard to determine specifically which islands Columbus visited on this voyage. His descriptions of the native peoples, geography, and plant life do give us some clues though. One place we do know he stopped was in present-day Haiti. He named the island Hispaniola. Hispaniola today includes both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In January of 1493, Columbus sailed back to Europe to report what he found. Due to rough seas, he was forced to land in Portugal, an unfortunate event for Columbus. With relations between Spain and Portugal strained during this time, Ferdinand and Isabella suspected that Columbus was taking valuable information or maybe goods to Portugal, the country he had lived in for several years. Those who stood against Columbus would later use this as an argument against him. Eventually, Columbus was allowed to return to Spain bringing with him tobacco, turkey, and some new spices. He also brought with him several natives of the islands, of whom Queen Isabella grew very fond.

Subsequent Voyages Columbus took three other similar trips to this region. His second voyage in 1493 carried a large fleet with the intention of conquering the native populations and establishing colonies. At one point, the natives attacked and killed the settlers left at Fort Navidad. Over time the colonists enslaved many of the natives, sending some to Europe and using many to mine gold for the Spanish settlers in the Caribbean. The third trip was to explore more of the islands and mainland South America further. Columbus was appointed the governor of Hispaniola, but the colonists, upset with Columbus’ leadership appealed to the rulers of Spain, who sent a new governor: Francisco de Bobadilla. Columbus was taken prisoner on board a ship and sent back to Spain.

On his fourth and final journey west in 1502 Columbus’s goal was to find the “Strait of Malacca,” to try to find India. But a hurricane, then being denied entrance to Hispaniola, and then another storm made this an unfortunate trip. His ship was so badly damaged that he and his crew were stranded on Jamaica for two years until help from Hispaniola finally arrived. In 1504, Columbus and his men were taken back to Spain .

Later Years and Death Columbus reached Spain in November 1504. He was not in good health. He spent much of the last of his life writing letters to obtain the percentage of wealth overdue to be paid to him, and trying to re-attain his governorship status, but was continually denied both. Columbus died at Valladolid on May 20, 1506, due to illness and old age. Even until death, he still firmly believing that he had traveled to the eastern part of Asia.

Legacy Columbus never made it to Asia, nor did he truly discover America. His “re-discovery,” however, inspired a new era of exploration of the American continents by Europeans. Perhaps his greatest contribution was that his voyages opened an exchange of goods between Europe and the Americas both during and long after his journeys. 5 Despite modern criticism of his treatment of the native peoples there is no denying that his expeditions changed both Europe and America. Columbus day was made a federal holiday in 1971. It is recognized on the second Monday of October.

• Fergus Fleming, Off the Map: Tales of Endurance and Exploration (New York: Grove Press, 2004), 30.
• Fleming, Off the Map, 30
• William D. Phillips and Carla Rahn Phillips, The Worlds of Christopher Columbus (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1993), 142-143.
• Phillips and Phillips, The Worlds of Christopher Columbus, 155.
• Robin S. Doak, Christopher Columbus: Explorer of the New World (Minneapolis: Compass Point Books, 2005), 92.

Bibliography

Doak, Robin. Christopher Columbus: Explorer of the New World. Minneapolis: Compass Point Books, 2005.

Fleming, Fergus. Off the Map: Tales of Endurance and Exploration. New York: Grove Press, 2004.

Phillips, William D., and Carla Rahn Phillips. The Worlds of Christopher Columbus. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1993.

Map of Voyages

Click below to view an example of the explorer’s voyages. Use the tabs on the left to view either 1 or multiple journeys at a time, and click on the icons to learn more about the stops, sites, and activities along the way.

• Original "EXPLORATION through the AGES" site
• The Mariners' Educational Programs

Christopher Columbus

Italian explorer Christopher Columbus discovered the “New World” of the Americas on an expedition sponsored by King Ferdinand of Spain in 1492.

c. 1451-1506

Quick Facts

Where was columbus born, first voyages, columbus’ 1492 route and ships, where did columbus land in 1492, later voyages across the atlantic, how did columbus die, santa maria discovery claim, columbian exchange: a complex legacy, columbus day: an evolving holiday, who was christopher columbus.

Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator. In 1492, he sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain in the Santa Maria , with the Pinta and the Niña ships alongside, hoping to find a new route to Asia. Instead, he and his crew landed on an island in present-day Bahamas—claiming it for Spain and mistakenly “discovering” the Americas. Between 1493 and 1504, he made three more voyages to the Caribbean and South America, believing until his death that he had found a shorter route to Asia. Columbus has been credited—and blamed—for opening up the Americas to European colonization.

FULL NAME: Cristoforo Colombo BORN: c. 1451 DIED: May 20, 1506 BIRTHPLACE: Genoa, Italy SPOUSE: Filipa Perestrelo (c. 1479-1484) CHILDREN: Diego and Fernando

Christopher Columbus, whose real name was Cristoforo Colombo, was born in 1451 in the Republic of Genoa, part of what is now Italy. He is believed to have been the son of Dominico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa and had four siblings: brothers Bartholomew, Giovanni, and Giacomo, and a sister named Bianchinetta. He was an apprentice in his father’s wool weaving business and studied sailing and mapmaking.

In his 20s, Columbus moved to Lisbon, Portugal, and later resettled in Spain, which remained his home base for the duration of his life.

Columbus first went to sea as a teenager, participating in several trading voyages in the Mediterranean and Aegean seas. One such voyage, to the island of Khios, in modern-day Greece, brought him the closest he would ever come to Asia.

His first voyage into the Atlantic Ocean in 1476 nearly cost him his life, as the commercial fleet he was sailing with was attacked by French privateers off the coast of Portugal. His ship was burned, and Columbus had to swim to the Portuguese shore.

He made his way to Lisbon, where he eventually settled and married Filipa Perestrelo. The couple had one son, Diego, around 1480. His wife died when Diego was a young boy, and Columbus moved to Spain. He had a second son, Fernando, who was born out of wedlock in 1488 with Beatriz Enriquez de Arana.

After participating in several other expeditions to Africa, Columbus learned about the Atlantic currents that flow east and west from the Canary Islands.

The Asian islands near China and India were fabled for their spices and gold, making them an attractive destination for Europeans—but Muslim domination of the trade routes through the Middle East made travel eastward difficult.

Columbus devised a route to sail west across the Atlantic to reach Asia, believing it would be quicker and safer. He estimated the earth to be a sphere and the distance between the Canary Islands and Japan to be about 2,300 miles.

Many of Columbus’ contemporary nautical experts disagreed. They adhered to the (now known to be accurate) second-century BCE estimate of the Earth’s circumference at 25,000 miles, which made the actual distance between the Canary Islands and Japan about 12,200 statute miles. Despite their disagreement with Columbus on matters of distance, they concurred that a westward voyage from Europe would be an uninterrupted water route.

Columbus proposed a three-ship voyage of discovery across the Atlantic first to the Portuguese king, then to Genoa, and finally to Venice. He was rejected each time. In 1486, he went to the Spanish monarchy of Queen Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. Their focus was on a war with the Muslims, and their nautical experts were skeptical, so they initially rejected Columbus.

The idea, however, must have intrigued the monarchs, because they kept Columbus on a retainer. Columbus continued to lobby the royal court, and soon, the Spanish army captured the last Muslim stronghold in Granada in January 1492. Shortly thereafter, the monarchs agreed to finance his expedition.

In late August 1492, Columbus left Spain from the port of Palos de la Frontera. He was sailing with three ships: Columbus in the larger Santa Maria (a type of ship known as a carrack), with the Pinta and the Niña (both Portuguese-style caravels) alongside.

On October 12, 1492, after 36 days of sailing westward across the Atlantic, Columbus and several crewmen set foot on an island in present-day Bahamas, claiming it for Spain.

There, his crew encountered a timid but friendly group of natives who were open to trade with the sailors. They exchanged glass beads, cotton balls, parrots, and spears. The Europeans also noticed bits of gold the natives wore for adornment.

Columbus and his men continued their journey, visiting the islands of Cuba (which he thought was mainland China) and Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which Columbus thought might be Japan) and meeting with the leaders of the native population.

During this time, the Santa Maria was wrecked on a reef off the coast of Hispaniola. With the help of some islanders, Columbus’ men salvaged what they could and built the settlement Villa de la Navidad (“Christmas Town”) with lumber from the ship.

Thirty-nine men stayed behind to occupy the settlement. Convinced his exploration had reached Asia, he set sail for home with the two remaining ships. Returning to Spain in 1493, Columbus gave a glowing but somewhat exaggerated report and was warmly received by the royal court.

In 1493, Columbus took to the seas on his second expedition and explored more islands in the Caribbean Ocean. Upon arrival at Hispaniola, Columbus and his crew discovered the Navidad settlement had been destroyed with all the sailors massacred.

Spurning the wishes of the local queen, Columbus established a forced labor policy upon the native population to rebuild the settlement and explore for gold, believing it would be profitable. His efforts produced small amounts of gold and great hatred among the native population.

Before returning to Spain, Columbus left his brothers Bartholomew and Giacomo to govern the settlement on Hispaniola and sailed briefly around the larger Caribbean islands, further convincing himself he had discovered the outer islands of China.

It wasn’t until his third voyage that Columbus actually reached the South American mainland, exploring the Orinoco River in present-day Venezuela. By this time, conditions at the Hispaniola settlement had deteriorated to the point of near-mutiny, with settlers claiming they had been misled by Columbus’ claims of riches and complaining about the poor management of his brothers.

The Spanish Crown sent a royal official who arrested Columbus and stripped him of his authority. He returned to Spain in chains to face the royal court. The charges were later dropped, but Columbus lost his titles as governor of the Indies and, for a time, much of the riches made during his voyages.

After convincing King Ferdinand that one more voyage would bring the abundant riches promised, Columbus went on his fourth and final voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in 1502. This time he traveled along the eastern coast of Central America in an unsuccessful search for a route to the Indian Ocean.

A storm wrecked one of his ships, stranding the captain and his sailors on the island of Cuba. During this time, local islanders, tired of the Spaniards’ poor treatment and obsession with gold, refused to give them food.

In a spark of inspiration, Columbus consulted an almanac and devised a plan to “punish” the islanders by taking away the moon. On February 29, 1504, a lunar eclipse alarmed the natives enough to re-establish trade with the Spaniards. A rescue party finally arrived, sent by the royal governor of Hispaniola in July, and Columbus and his men were taken back to Spain in November 1504.

In the two remaining years of his life, Columbus struggled to recover his reputation. Although he did regain some of his riches in May 1505, his titles were never returned.

Columbus probably died of severe arthritis following an infection on May 20, 1506, in Valladolid, Spain. At the time of his death, he still believed he had discovered a shorter route to Asia.

There are questions about the location of his burial site. According to the BBC , Columbus’ remains moved at least three or four times over the course of 400 years—including from Valladolid to Seville, Spain, in 1509; then to Santo Domingo, in what is now the Dominican Republic, in 1537; then to Havana, Cuba, in 1795; and back to Seville in 1898. As a result, Seville and Santo Domingo have both laid claim to being Columbus’ true burial site. It is also possible his bones were mixed up with another person’s amid all of their travels.

In May 2014, Columbus made headlines as news broke that a team of archaeologists might have found the Santa Maria off the north coast of Haiti. Barry Clifford, the leader of this expedition, told the Independent newspaper that “all geographical, underwater topography and archaeological evidence strongly suggests this wreck is Columbus’ famous flagship the Santa Maria.”

After a thorough investigation by the U.N. agency UNESCO, it was determined the wreck dates from a later period and was located too far from shore to be the famed ship.

Columbus has been credited for opening up the Americas to European colonization—as well as blamed for the destruction of the native peoples of the islands he explored. Ultimately, he failed to find that what he set out for: a new route to Asia and the riches it promised.

In what is known as the Columbian Exchange, Columbus’ expeditions set in motion the widespread transfer of people, plants, animals, diseases, and cultures that greatly affected nearly every society on the planet.

The horse from Europe allowed Native American tribes in the Great Plains of North America to shift from a nomadic to a hunting lifestyle. Wheat from the Old World fast became a main food source for people in the Americas. Coffee from Africa and sugar cane from Asia became major cash crops for Latin American countries. And foods from the Americas, such as potatoes, tomatoes and corn, became staples for Europeans and helped increase their populations.

The Columbian Exchange also brought new diseases to both hemispheres, though the effects were greatest in the Americas. Smallpox from the Old World killed millions, decimating the Native American populations to mere fractions of their original numbers. This more than any other factor allowed for European domination of the Americas.

The overwhelming benefits of the Columbian Exchange went to the Europeans initially and eventually to the rest of the world. The Americas were forever altered, and the once vibrant cultures of the Indigenous civilizations were changed and lost, denying the world any complete understanding of their existence.

As more Italians began to immigrate to the United States and settle in major cities during the 19 th century, they were subject to religious and ethnic discrimination. This included a mass lynching of 11 Sicilian immigrants in 1891 in New Orleans.

Just one year after this horrific event, President Benjamin Harrison called for the first national observance of Columbus Day on October 12, 1892, to mark the 400 th anniversary of his arrival in the Americas. Italian-Americans saw this honorary act for Columbus as a way of gaining acceptance.

Colorado became the first state to officially observe Columbus Day in 1906 and, within five years, 14 other states followed. Thanks to a joint resolution of Congress, the day officially became a federal holiday in 1934 during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt . In 1970, Congress declared the holiday would fall on the second Monday in October each year.

But as Columbus’ legacy—specifically, his exploration’s impacts on Indigenous civilizations—began to draw more criticism, more people chose not to take part. As of 2023, approximately 29 states no longer celebrate Columbus Day , and around 195 cities have renamed it or replaced with the alternative Indigenous Peoples Day. The latter isn’t an official holiday, but the federal government recognized its observance in 2022 and 2023. President Joe Biden called it “a day in honor of our diverse history and the Indigenous peoples who contribute to shaping this nation.”

One of the most notable cities to move away from celebrating Columbus Day in recent years is the state capital of Columbus, Ohio, which is named after the explorer. In 2018, Mayor Andrew Ginther announced the city would remain open on Columbus Day and instead celebrate a holiday on Veterans Day. In July 2020, the city also removed a 20-plus-foot metal statue of Columbus from the front of City Hall.

• I went to sea from the most tender age and have continued in a sea life to this day. Whoever gives himself up to this art wants to know the secrets of Nature here below. It is more than forty years that I have been thus engaged. Wherever any one has sailed, there I have sailed.
• Speaking of myself, little profit had I won from twenty years of service, during which I have served with so great labors and perils, for today I have no roof over my head in Castile; if I wish to sleep or eat, I have no place to which to go, save an inn or tavern, and most often, I lack the wherewithal to pay the score.
• They say that there is in that land an infinite amount of gold; and that the people wear corals on their heads and very large bracelets of coral on their feet and arms; and that with coral they adorn and inlay chairs and chests and tables.
• This island and all the others are very fertile to a limitless degree, and this island is extremely so. In it there are many harbors on the coast of the sea, beyond comparison with others that I know in Christendom, and many rivers, good and large, which is marvelous.
• Our Almighty God has shown me the highest favor, which, since David, he has not shown to anybody.
• Already the road is opened to gold and pearls, and it may surely be hoped that precious stones, spices, and a thousand other things, will also be found.
• I have now seen so much irregularity, that I have come to another conclusion respecting the earth, namely, that it is not round as they describe, but of the form of a pear.
• In all the countries visited by your Highnesses’ ships, I have caused a high cross to be fixed upon every headland and have proclaimed, to every nation that I have discovered, the lofty estate of your Highnesses and of your court in Spain.
• I ought to be judged as a captain sent from Spain to the Indies, to conquer a nation numerous and warlike, with customs and religions altogether different to ours.

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The Mayflower Story

• Stories of the Mayflower

The Mayflower set sail on 16th September 1620 from Plymouth, UK, to voyage to America. But its history and story start long before that.

Its passengers were in search of a new life – some seeking religious freedom, others a fresh start in a different land. They would go on to be known as the Pilgrims and influence the future of the United States of America in ways they could never have imagined.

This story isn't just about the Mayflower's passengers though. It's about the people who already lived in America and the enormous effect the arrival of these colonists would have on Native Americans and the land they had called home for centuries.

More than 30 million people can trace their ancestry to the 102 passengers and approximately 30 crew aboard the Mayflower when it landed in Plymouth Bay, Massachusetts, in the harsh winter of 1620.

On board were men, women and children from different walks of life across England and the city of Leiden in Holland.

A significant number were known as Separatists, a group of people who mostly wanted to live a life free from the current Church of England.

Others were on the ship for a multitude of reasons – some anticipated the chance to build a better future for their families and the opportunity of new land, while for others the offer of freedom and adventure was too good to turn down.

Then there were the crew themselves, plus the servants and unaccompanied children sent by their families to be looked after by the adults.

The passengers are often grouped into ‘Saints’ or ‘Strangers’ by historians, alluding to their motivations for the journey. But it’s likely that many ‘Saints’ were skilled tradesmen and many ‘Strangers’ had their own religious reasons for leaving 17 th century England.

The origins of these passengers can be traced across England and in the Netherlands – as illustrated by the interactive map below.

Importantly, the Pilgrims were not the first to land in America, nor did they discover it. There were already established colonies at the time, not least Jamestown – founded in 1607.

But the Mayflower story is renowned for its themes of freedom and humanity – including the relationships first formed between the Native American Wampanoag tribe and the colonists and the first Thanksgiving.

We begin much earlier than 1620, in the villages, towns and cities of England.

The King of England

The decision by Henry VIII to break away from the Roman Catholic Church – principally so he could divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, had far-reaching ramifications.

He created his own church, with its own rules determined by him - called the Church of England. In doing this, Henry was expelled by the Pope and the reformation of the English churches had started.

Many believed that Henry’s new church was still too similar to the Pope’s and wanted even more changes. Some wanted to separate it from other churches by purifying it of all Catholic practices. They became known as the Puritans.

However, others believed that you could not change the church and that the only way to form a new group was to break away entirely. They became known as the Separatists.

The Church dictated all aspects of life – from what you ate to what you wore. To dispute that rule was a dangerous path ending in prosecution. This was especially foreboding for Separatists.

The Separatist leaders

The leading religious Separatists who voyaged to America in 1620 mostly originated from an area where modern-day Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire meet.

Regarded as dangerous renegades who rejected fundamental principles of the State and the established Church of England, they worshipped in secret to avoid arrest and persecution.

Among them was William Brewster, who was brought up in the village of Scrooby in north Nottinghamshire.

Inspired by the radical words of Richard Clifton, the rector of nearby All Saints' Church in Babworth , Brewster is believed to have founded a Separatist Church in his family home - the manor house at Scrooby.

Scrooby Manor House

He was fined for non-attendance at St Wilfrid’s Church in Scrooby but was respected as an elder and spiritual guide and played a significant role in the congregation’s later journeys.

Brewster strongly influenced William Bradford from Austerfield, a nearby South Yorkshire village. When the Separatists landed in America, Bradford went on to become a Governor of the Plymouth Colony, serving for more than 30 years.

William Bradford’s journal, Of Plimoth Plantation, records much of what happened to the group, including how they had become so persecuted that they could no longer live peacefully.

Bradford was baptised St Helena's church where the original font can be seen today. Heavily influenced by leading Pilgrim William Brewster, he was a sickly young orphan when they first met, but grew into a passionate religious radical.

A similar group had long been growing in the nearby town of Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, drawing members from surrounding villages. They would also worship clandestinely under the guidance of John Smyth at the Gainsborough Old Hall.

Inside Gainsborough Old Hall

Escaping to Holland

As the authorities intensified their crackdown on the Separatists, the two groups decided to flee England for Holland – seen as a liberal nation where they could live peacefully.

One night in the autumn of 1607, they secretly met a boat on the edge of ‘The Wash’ at Scotia Creek, near Boston in Lincolnshire – some having walked 60 miles.

The monument at Scotia Creek that marks where the Pilgrims tried to make their escape

But the captain of a ship betrayed them and the local militia seized the group and took their money, books and personal possessions. Stripped of their belongings and hope, the group were brought by boat back to Boston and held and tried at the Guildhall, home to the local law court and cells.

They were eventually freed and made a second, successful attempt at fleeing to Holland – this time from the coastal town of Immingham in Lincolnshire.

A new life in Leiden

They settled in the city of Leiden via Amsterdam. Leiden was a city of free-thinkers, relative religious tolerance, and a long tradition of offering shelter to the dispossessed.

They built a life in Leiden, living and working here for 12 years. They built land near the spectacular Pieterskerk church and built houses in what is today known as the Engelse poort (English Alley). 

Many worked in the textile industry and similar trades – but it was hard work and a challenging life. William Brewster operated a printing press in what is today known as ‘William Brewster Alley’. Here he produced dissident pamphlets that were smuggled into England for distribution.

William Brewster Alley

Eventually the time in a foreign land took its toll and the group started to plan a journey to a new land to start again.

It’s thought there were several reasons for this – not least that the fear their children were effectively growing up as Dutch children.

They wanted to find a place completely free of limitations where they could build a better economic future. They had been living in small houses with big families – and were becoming poor.

The looming threat of war with Spain also cast a cloud over their future.

From 1617 they planned to leave and eventually settled on Virginia in America.

More than half of the group stayed though and fully integrated into Dutch life. Among them was John Robinson, known as the ‘pastor to the Pilgrims’.

Leiden had a profound influence on the lives of the Pilgrims - even after their departure. The concept of civil marriage was one innovation they took with them.

Planning the voyage to America

Virginia in America was an attractive destination because several colonies had already settled there. However, they also felt that they should not settle too near and end up with a similar environment to which they originally fled.

The Separatists worked with their counterparts in England to fund and organise the journey – which had to make commercial sense.

They negotiated with merchants in London and convinced them that funding their journey would see a return on investment thanks to the goods they would be able to send back to England. They also needed permission to land in Virginia and establish a colony.

A ship called the Speedwell would carry the Leiden group to America while another ship called the Mayflower was hired to take passengers who weren’t necessarily travelling for religious reasons.

The Mayflower would sail from the port of Rotherhithe in London, carrying many there for work in the new land, who simply wanted to build a new life, crew and servants. Rotherhithe was home to many of the crew including the Mayflower's Captain Christopher Jones .

A statue of Christopher Jones found in St Mary's Church in Rotherhithe

Leaving England

The Speedwell set sail from Holland on 22 nd July 1620, after a moving ceremony by the water’s edge.

The plan was to meet the Mayflower in Southampton before heading off together across the Atlantic.

Southampton was a thriving seaport offering all the commercial facilities to provision and equip for the long sea voyage. Many of the buildings and streets familiar to the passengers then still exist.

When the two ships met in the port there were concerns about the Speedwell though, which needed repairs after developing a leak. But on 15th August 1620 the two ships weighed anchor and set sail from Southampton.

The two ships didn’t get very far when the Speedwell began to take on water again. It may have been because she carried too much sail, straining her timbers, or the direct result of sabotage by a reluctant crew.

They changed course for Dartmouth , a port on the south coast of Devon. It took about a week for the port’s skilled craftsmen to make good the damage.

Unfortunately, the second attempt did not go as hoped either. The Mayflower and the Speedwell were 300 miles clear of Land’s End when the smaller ship yet again began leaking badly and could not risk continuing. The two boats turned about for Plymouth .

One last stop

By this time, the cramped, damp and miserable passengers had already spent up to six weeks at sea. With a fair wind and good fortune, they would have hoped to be nearing America by then.

The Speedwell was finally declared unfit for the journey. Some of the Pilgrims dropped out. The remainder crowded onto the Mayflower, which required re-provisioning, despite funds running low.

They left Plymouth on 16 th  September 1620, with up to 30 crew and 102 passengers on board. Just under half of them were Separatists, or Saints. They used the name Saints as a way to indicate that they were part of a particular group with a certain set of beliefs.

The Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, built as a memorial to the historic voyage

The rest were known as Strangers, as this is how the Saints viewed all others outside of their group. Many were skilled tradespeople sent by the investors to help build the new colony. Though plenty of the passengers could have probably been defined on either side of this divide.

The passengers

The following passengers were on board the Mayflower:

• Isaac and Mary (Norris) Allerton, and children Bartholomew, Remember, and Mary
• John Allerton
• John and Eleanor Billington, and sons John and Francis.
• William and Dorothy (May) Bradford
• William and Mary Brewster, and children Love and Wrestling
• Richard Britteridge
• Peter Browne
• William Butten
• Robert Carter
• John and Katherine (White) Carver
• James and Mrs. Chilton, and daughter Mary
• Richard Clarke
• Francis Cooke and son John
• Humility Cooper
• John Crackstone and son John
• Edward Doty
• Francis and Sarah Eaton, and son Samuel
• Thomas English
• Moses Fletcher
• Edward and Mrs. Fuller, and son Samuel
• Samuel Fuller
• Richard Gardiner
• John Goodman
• William Holbeck
• Stephen and Elizabeth (Fisher) Hopkins and children Constance, Giles and Damaris; son Oceanus was born during the voyage.
• John Howland
• John Langmore
• William Latham
• Edward Leister
• Edmund Margesson
• Christopher and Mary (Prower) Martin
• Desire Minter
• Ellen, Jasper, Richard, and Mary More
• William and Alice Mullins and children Priscilla and Joseph
• Degory Priest
• Solomon Prower
• John and Alice Rigsdale
• Thomas Rogers and son Joseph
• Henry Samson
• George Soule
• Myles and Rose Standish
• Elias Story
• Edward Thompson
• Edward and Agnes (Cooper) Tilley
• John and Joan (Hurst) Tilley and daughter Elizabeth
• Thomas and Mrs. Tinker, and a son
• William Trevore
• John Turner, and two sons
• Richard Warren
• William and Susanna (Jackson) White, and son Resolved(son Peregrine was born shipboard in Provincetown Harbor after arrival).
• Roger Wilder
• Thomas Williams
• Edward and Elizabeth (Barker) Winslow
• Gilbert Winslow
• Dorothy (John Carver's maidservant)

Source:  New England Historic Genealogical Society

Sailing the Atlantic

The Mayflower took 66 days to cross the Atlantic – a horrible crossing afflicted by winter storms and long bouts of seasickness – so bad that most could barely stand up during the voyage.

By October, they began encountering a number of Atlantic storms that made the voyage treacherous. It was so bad that the sails often could not be used, instead they simply drifted.

One Stranger was swept overboard and one woman, Elizabeth Hopkins, gave birth to a baby boy, aptly named Oceanus.

The Pilgrims intended to land in Northern Virginia and the Hudson River (today New York) was their intended destination. They had received good reports on this region while in the Netherlands.  The Mayflower was almost right on target, missing the Hudson River by just a few degrees.

As they approached land, the crew spotted Cape Cod just as the sun rose on November 9, 1620.

The Pilgrims decided to head south, to the mouth of the Hudson River in New York, where they intended to make their plantation.

But the rough seas nearly shipwrecked the Mayflower and instead they decided to stay and explore Cape Cod rather than risk another journey south. They anchored in what is now Provincetown Harbor. Shortly after, Susannah White gave birth to a son aboard the Mayflower, the first English child born in the colony. He was named Peregrine, derived from the Latin for ‘pilgrim’.

The Mayflower Compact

The colonists knew they had no right to settle in this land they had unintentionally arrived upon and decided to draw up a document that gave them some attempt at legal standing.

An illustration of the signing of the Mayflower Compact

So upon arrival the settlers drew up the Mayflower Compact. Signed by 41 men on board, the compact was an agreement to cooperate for the general good of the colony. They would deal with issues by voting, establish constitutional law and rule by the majority.

The document read:

In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereigne Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britaine, France and Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc. having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honour of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northerne parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civill body politick, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enacte, constitute, and frame such just and equall laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meete and convenient for the generall good of the Colonie unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape-Codd the 11. of November, in the year of the raigne of our sovereigne lord, King James, of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fiftie-fourth. Anno Dom. 1620.

Watching from the west

The Pilgrims would spend the next month and a half exploring Cape Cod, while most stayed on board the ship, trying to decide where they would build their plantation.

They searched much of the coastline in this region including the area now known as Plymouth.

The replica Mayflower in Plymouth, Massachusetts today

Watching on were a small group of Native Americans, people for whom this area was already home. The new arrivals tried to follow them but got lost and stuck among some dense thickets. They decided to change course and came across cleared land where corn had been grown and abandoned houses.

They found buried corn, which they took back to the ship, intending to plant it and grow more corn, eventually returning what they had taken. They also found graves.

This village they had stumbled upon was once called Patuxet but had since been deserted following the outbreak of disease.

This was a legacy of what the Native American people had already experienced from European colonists in the 17 th century.

The native inhabitants of the region around Plymouth Colony were the various groups of the Wampanoag people and other tribes, who had lived there for some 10,000 years before the Europeans arrived.

The Great Dying

When the Separatists were living in Leiden in 1616, in the same year a map was published detailing explorations of the Cape Cod area to the Bay of Fundy.

But these names were meaningless to the people who lived in this region, which is thought to have been known as Dawnland.

And to them 1616 was memorable for very different reasons – the outbreak of European diseases that would devastate their communities.

Ships from England had been fishing and trading in North America waters since the beginning of the 16 th century. They would also bring Native Americans back to Europe – some as slaves – often to callously exhibit.

Some were taught English so they could become interpreters in future. In 1614, six years before the Pilgrims arrived, 27 natives were seized by a man called Thomas Hunt.

The majority came from Patuxet, the very abandoned village the Pilgrims would later find, and what is now modern-day Plymouth, Massachusetts.

One of these was named Tisquantum (also known as Squanto). Hunt tried to sell the natives as slaves in Spain but somehow Tisquantum made his way to England, where he learned some English and was used as an interpreter in future trips to America.

Eventually he found his way back to Patuxet, where tragically he found his family and village had been wiped out by disease brought by European settlers and explorers.

A Wampanoag hut

Between 1616 and 1619 a mysterious disease that would become known as the ‘Great Dying’ ravaged this region, before the Mayflower laid anchor in Cape Cod.

In the winter of 1616-17 an expedition dispatched by Sir Ferdinando Gorges found a region devastated by war and disease, the remaining people so "sore afflicted with the plague, for that the country was in a manner left void of inhabitants."

Two years later another Englishman found “ancient plantations” now completely empty with few inhabitants – and those that had survived were suffering. 

So before the Mayflower arrived, this region had greatly suffered from the effects of colonisation. 

The first harsh winter

Before settling on what is now Plymouth, the Pilgrims explored other areas of the coast, including an area inhabited by the Nauset people. They saw some figures on the shore who fled when they approached. They explored and found more graves, which they decided not to dig. 

They remained ashore overnight and the following morning, they were attacked with arrows. The colonists shot back with guns but could not find them. That would be the last contact until the spring.

On December 25, 1620, the Saints and the Strangers departed the bleak shores of Provincetown and arrived, finally, in what is now Plymouth Bay, Massachusetts, on 26 th  December 1620.

They decided this place, once home to the people of Patuxet, would be where they settled and began construction of their first buildings.

But the first winter was cold and many of the passengers stayed on board the Mayflower. The ship became home to the sick and dying, with many succumbing to a mixture of contagious diseases.

Building the colony

The settlement’s first fort and watchtower was built on what is now known as Burial Hill (the area contains the graves of Bradford and other original settlers).

The first common house nearly completed in January, built for general use. Each single man was ordered to join himself to one of the 19 families in order to eliminate the need to build any more houses than absolutely necessary.

The Plimoth Plantation recreation of the village

Each extended family was assigned a plot and they each built their own home and the settlement was mostly built by February.

The first house was built as a hospital. Thirty-one of the company were dead by the end of February, with deaths still rising. Coles Hill became the first cemetery, on a prominence above the beach

Only 47 colonists had survived and at its worst just six or seven were able to feed and care for the rest. In this time, half the  Mayflower  crew also died.

When his crew began to recover from disease, the Mayflower’s captain Christopher Jones sailed the ship back to England, taking half the time that it did on its outward journey.

The Wampanoag and the Pilgrims

The Pilgrims were settling on land home to the Wampanoag – one of many tribes in the wider region. The Wampanoag had lived here for 10,000 years before they arrived.

Each tribe in New England had their own territory in which to fish, harvest and hunt. The boundaries for hunting were very strict as some areas had large populations.

The Wampanoag people knew how to work with the land and moved between sites to get the best of their harvest. They spent the summer near the shore and the winter in land, amongst the woods.

The Wampanoag worked together - a number of groups united together. A head Sachem managed a Sachem from each of the groups. Within this organisation, family and group links were the most important, connecting them to each other and their territory.

In the years before the Mayflower landed, The Wampanoag had been attacked by neighbouring tribes, losing land along the coast. Then came the Great Dying and the losses were so devastating that the Wampanoag had to reorganise its structure and Sachems had to join together and build new unions.

A historic peace

During March 1621, an English speaking member of the Wamponaog, named Samoset, entered the grounds of the Plymouth colony and introduced himself. He is said to have asked for a beer and spent the night talking with the settlers. Samoset, later, brought another member of his tribe – Tisquantum, whose experience meant his English was much advanced.

Tisquantum taught them to plant corn, which became an important crop, as well as where to fish and hunt beaver.

He introduced them to the Wampanoag chief Ousamequin, chief of the Pokanoket people known as Massasoit, an important moment in developing relations.

The statue of Ousamequin that stands on land he would have once ruled over today

One of the first to greet him was  Edward Winslow , originally from Worcestershire. A leader in the Separatist group and a skilful diplomat, Winslow had not only been instrumental in organising the journey to America, but was also one of the men who signed the historic Mayflower Compact.

The Wampanoag were wary of the nearby Narragansett tribe, who had not been affected by the disease epidemics and remained a powerful tribe.

They demanded that the Wampanoag show them honour and tribute. Ousamequin would have known an alliance with these new English colonists might help fend off any attacks from the Narragansett.

In 1621, the Narragansett sent the Plymouth colony a threat of arrows wrapped up in snake skin. William Bradford, who was governor of the colony at the time, filled the snake skin with powder and bullets and sent it back.

The Narragansett knew what this message meant, and would not attack the colony.

Ousamequin and The Pilgrims established an historic peace treaty and the Wampanoag went on to teach them how to hunt, plant crops and how to get the best of their harvest, saving the Pilgrims from starvation.

It is believed that Winslow was even able to help nurse Ousamequin back to health when he fell ill, reportedly using his renowned chicken soup and strengthening their relationship further.

The first Thanksgiving

Success followed and following a bumper harvest in the autumn of 1621, the colonists decided to celebrate with a three-day festival of prayer.

The 53 surviving settlers invited their Native Americans friends to join them for a huge feast in what was to become known as the first Thanksgiving.

One of two first-hand accounts of this celebration was contained in the book Mourt’s Relation, primarily written by Winslow. The book describes in detail what happened from the landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims right through to this celebratory feast.

Winslow’s account states:

“Our corn did prove well, and God be praised, we had a good increase of Indian corn, and our barley indifferent good, but our peas not worth gathering, for we feared they were too late sown. They came up very well, and blossomed, but the sun parched them in the blossom. Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the company almost a week, at which time amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.”

Today, the US celebrates Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November.

The impact of colonisation

The repressive church rule in England would drive more people to follow the Mayflower to America. Another ship arrived in 1621 and two more in 1623.

In 1630, 1,000 Puritans arrived under Governor John Winthrop under a charter from by the Massachusetts Bay Company. Winthrop soon established Boston as the capital of Massachusetts Bay Colony, and it would soon grow into the biggest colony in the area.

These Puritans wanted to free themselves of the Church of England and ‘purify’ it from Roman Catholic practices.

They arrived under the guise of creating a perfect city – but ended up creating a society just as intolerant. Quakers were persecuted with public hangings and whippings.

Tensions between these colonists and the Native American people rose. The colonists brought more disease to which the Native Americans would have no immunity. Smallpox would ravage communities still recovering from the Great Dying. Violence increased.

By the 1630s, the Native Americans in this region were in the minority in their own lands and wars such as the brutal Pequot War reduced the population significantly.

By 1676 Boston was an economically flourishing town with a population of about 4,000 and had established itself as the dominant force.

King Philip's War

The carefully managed peace that had originated between the Wampanoag and the Plymouth colony was eventually shattered by King Philip’s War in 1675.

When Ousamequin died in 1662 his son and heir Metacom no longer believed in the value of the alliance with the colonists. The collapse of trade agreements and the aggressive expansion of the colonies left relations at breaking point.

Tensions were raised when the colonists demanded the peace agreement should mean the Wampanoag hand over any guns, and hung three of the tribe for murder in 1675.

Metacom - who was known as King Philip by the English - led an uprising of  Wampanoag, Nipmuck, Pocumtuck and Narragansett tribes. They came up against the biggest army the c olonial leaders could muster, that fought in coalition with other tribes.

The war is seen as a final attempt to drive out the colonists and lasted 14 months. It is considered the deadliest war in American history.

The colonist army burned villages as they went and by the end of the war, the Wampanoag and their Narragansett allies were almost completely destroyed. Metacom fled to Mount Hope where he was finally killed by the militia.

This war was fought by colonists without support from England or any other European government and is often seen as the moment a new American identity was formed.

The fate of the Plymouth colony

Eventually the likes of Brewster and Winslow went on to found their own communities and the colony began to struggle. The cost of the war did not help and after a colonial governor was appointed to rule over New England in 1692, Plymouth was absorbed into Massachusetts.

The term Pilgrim originated in 1820, when during the 200 th commemoration of the colony’s landing they were referred to as the Pilgrim Fathers in reference to Bradford’s manuscript where he names passengers on the boat from Leiden ‘saints’ and ‘pilgrimes’. The phrase was coined.

Modern Response

The Native American activist group, The United American Indians of New England, continues to raise awareness of racism towards Native Americans and the consequences of colonialism. When the Wampanoag leader, Frank James, was informed that his speech was inappropriate and inflammatory for the annual Thanksgiving ceremony 1970, he refused to read their revised speech.

Supporters followed James to hear him give his original speech on Cole’s Hill, next to the statue of Ousamequin. This became the first National Day of Mourning, which continues today in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on the same day as Thanksgiving.

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The Fourth Voyage of Christopher Columbus

The Famous Explorer's Final Voyage to the New World

• History Before Columbus
• Colonialism and Imperialism
• Caribbean History
• Central American History
• South American History
• Mexican History
• American History
• African American History
• African History
• Ancient History and Culture
• Asian History
• European History
• Medieval & Renaissance History
• Military History
• The 20th Century
• Women's History

Before the Journey

• Hispaniola & the Hurricane

Across the Caribbean

Native encounters, central america to jamaica, a year on jamaica, importance of the fourth voyage.

• Ph.D., Spanish, Ohio State University
• M.A., Spanish, University of Montana
• B.A., Spanish, Penn State University

On May 11, 1502, Christopher Columbus set out on his fourth and final voyage to the New World with a fleet of four ships. His mission was to explore uncharted areas to the west of the Caribbean in hopes of finding a passage to the Orient. While Columbus did explore parts of southern Central America, his ships disintegrated during the voyage, leaving Columbus and his men stranded for nearly a year.

Much had happened since Columbus’ daring 1492 voyage of discovery . After that historic trip, Columbus was sent back to the New World to establish a colony. While a gifted sailor, Columbus was a terrible administrator, and the colony he founded on Hispaniola turned against him. After his third trip , ​Columbus was arrested and sent back to Spain in chains. Although he was quickly freed by the king and queen, his reputation was in shambles.

At 51, Columbus was increasingly being viewed as an eccentric by the members of the royal court, perhaps due to his belief that when Spain united the world under Christianity (which they would quickly accomplish with gold and wealth from the New World) that the world would end. He also tended to dress like a simple barefoot friar, rather than the wealthy man he had become.

Even so, the crown agreed to finance one last voyage of discovery. With royal backing, Columbus soon found four seaworthy vessels: the Capitana , Gallega , Vizcaína , and Santiago de Palos . His brothers, Diego and Bartholomew, and his son Fernando signed on as crew, as did some veterans of his earlier voyages.

Hispaniola & the Hurricane

Columbus was not welcome when he returned to the island of Hispaniola. Too many settlers remembered his cruel and ineffective administration . Nevertheless, after first visiting Martinique and Puerto Rico, he made Hispaniola his destination because had hopes of being able to swap the Santiago de Palos for a quicker ship while there. As he awaited an answer, Columbus realized a storm was approaching and sent word to the current governor, Nicolás de Ovando, that he should consider delaying the fleet that was set to depart for Spain.

Governor Ovando, resenting the interference, forced Columbus to anchor his ships in a nearby estuary. Ignoring the explorer's advice, he sent the fleet of 28 ships to Spain. A tremendous hurricane sank 24 of them: three returned and only one (Ironically, the one containing Columbus’ personal effects that he'd wished to send to Spain) arrived safely. Columbus’ own ships, all badly battered, nevertheless remained afloat.

After the hurricane passed, Columbus’ small fleet set out in search of a passage west, however, the storms did not abate and the journey became a living hell. The ships, already damaged by the forces of the hurricane, suffered substantially more abuse. Eventually, Columbus and his ships reached Central America, anchoring off the coast of Honduras on an island that many believe to be Guanaja, where they made what repairs they could and took on supplies.

While exploring Central America, Columbus had an encounter many consider to be the first with one of the major inland civilizations. Columbus’ fleet came in contact with a trading vessel, a very long, wide canoe full of goods and traders believed to be Mayan from the Yucatan. The traders carried copper tools and weapons, swords made of wood and flint, textiles, and a beerlike beverage made from fermented corn. Columbus, oddly enough, decided not to investigate the interesting trading civilization, and instead of turning north when he reached Central America, he went south.

Columbus continued exploring to the south along the coasts of present-day Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. While there, Columbus and his crew traded for food and gold whenever possible. They encountered several native cultures and observed stone structures as well as maize being cultivated on terraces.

By early 1503, the structure of the ships began to fail. In addition to the storm damage the vessels had endured, it was discovered they were also infested with termites. Columbus reluctantly set sail for Santo Domingo looking for aid—but the ships only made it as far as Santa Gloria (St. Ann’s Bay), Jamaica before they were incapacitated.

Columbus and his men did what they could, breaking the ships apart to make shelters and fortifications. They formed a relationship with the local natives who brought them food. Columbus was able to get word to Ovando of his predicament, but Ovando had neither the resources nor the inclination to help. Columbus and his men languished on Jamaica for a year, surviving storms, mutinies, and an uneasy peace with the natives. (With the help of one of his books, Columbus was able to impress the natives by correctly predicting an eclipse .)

In June 1504, two ships finally arrived to retrieve Columbus and his crew. Columbus returned to Spain only to learn that his beloved Queen Isabella was dying. Without her support, he would never again return to the New World.

Columbus’ final voyage is remarkable primarily for new exploration, mostly along the coast of Central America. It's also of interest to historians, who value the descriptions of the native cultures encountered by Columbus’ small fleet, particularly those sections concerning the Mayan traders. Some of the fourth voyage crew would go on to greater things: Cabin boy Antonio de Alaminos eventually piloted and explored much of the western Caribbean. Columbus’ son Fernando wrote a biography of his famous father.

Still, for the most part, the fourth voyage was a failure by almost any standard. Many of Columbus’ men died, his ships were lost, and no passage to the west was ever found. Columbus never sailed again and when he died in 1506, he was convinced that he'd found Asia—even if most of Europe already accepted the fact that the Americas were an unknown “New World." That said, the fourth voyage showcased more profoundly than any other Columbus’ sailing skills, his fortitude, and his resilience—the very attributes that allowed him to journey to the Americas in the first place.

• Thomas, Hugh. "Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire, from Columbus to Magellan." Random House. New York. 2005.
• Biography of Christopher Columbus
• The Third Voyage of Christopher Columbus
• Biography of Christopher Columbus, Italian Explorer
• 10 Facts About Christopher Columbus
• The Truth About Christopher Columbus
• The Second Voyage of Christopher Columbus
• Where Are the Remains of Christopher Columbus?
• The First New World Voyage of Christopher Columbus (1492)
• Biography of Juan Ponce de León, Conquistador
• Amerigo Vespucci, Explorer and Navigator
• Amerigo Vespucci, Italian Explorer and Cartographer
• Biography and Legacy of Ferdinand Magellan
• Biography of Ferdinand Magellan, Explorer Circumnavigated the Earth
• La Navidad: First European Settlement in the Americas
• A Timeline of North American Exploration: 1492–1585

Voyages of Columbus

• 1 Understand
• 2 First voyage
• 3 Second voyage
• 4 Third voyage
• 5 Fourth voyage

Christopher Columbus ( Italian : Cristoforo Colombo ; Spanish : Cristóbal Colón ) made four voyages from Spain to the Caribbean from 1492 to 1503. Though he neither discovered the Americas (as they were already inhabited by indigenous peoples) nor made the first crossing of the Atlantic (the Vikings reached North America 500 years earlier), his voyages had an enormous impact on world history, and started the so-called " Age of Discovery " and European colonialism. He also started the Transatlantic slave trade .

In any case, different forms of the name Columbus (such as his Spanish name Colón ) are used for several places in the Americas, including the nation of Colombia . The currency of Costa Rica (and of El Salvador from 1892 to 2001) is the "colón".

Columbus and his men also committed genocides of the indigenous peoples, and forced many indigenous women into sexual slavery. Long overlooked in mainstream Western historical chronicles, the dark side of his legacy is beginning to come to light again and be further explored since the early 2010s.

Understand [ edit ]

In the Middle Ages, trade between Europe and Asia followed the Silk Road through the Byzantine Empire and Mongolian lands. As the Mongol Empire crumbled, and the Ottoman Empire seized the Byzantine capital Constantinople in 1453, European Christians were encouraged to find new ways of commerce.

Columbus was born in Genoa (see Medieval and Renaissance Italy ). He toured Europe for seven years to find a sponsor for his voyage, and was turned down by many royal courts, until Spain backed him up. A modern misconception says that the skepticism was based in a belief that Earth was flat. However, scholars of the 15th century were well aware that Earth was round; the disagreement was about its size. Since Ancient Greece , there were accurate estimates that Earth's circumference was about 40,000 kilometres, correctly stating that the voyage westwards to India would be too long to be practical; let alone that the Americas were unknown to Europeans back then. Columbus, however, incorrectly believed that Earth was smaller, which he thought would allow a simple voyage westwards towards Asia.

Though Columbus never reached Asia, contemporary explorers found the Cape Route around Africa . Vasco da Gama reached India in 1498. Ferdinand Magellan launched an expedition that rounded South America, and reached Asia from the Pacific Ocean in 1521, thereby fulfilling Columbus' ambition. His denial of having reached an unknown continent survives in the terms West Indies for the Caribbean, and Indians for the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Columbus paved the way for the Magellan-Elcano circumnavigation , which was completed in 1522.

First voyage [ edit ]

• Palos de la Frontera , Spain
• Canary Islands
• Bahamas : The island where Columbus made his first landfall was called Guanahani by the indigenous people, and named San Salvador by Columbus. While the exact location was forgotten, it was probably Samana Cay or Plana Cays .

Second voyage [ edit ]

• Marie-Galante
• Saint Martin
• Saint Croix
• Virgin Islands
• Puerto Rico

Third voyage [ edit ]

• Trinidad and Tobago

Fourth voyage [ edit ]

• Cayman Islands

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11 of History’s Most Famous Sea Voyages

By julie fogerson | mar 11, 2022.

Throughout history, sea travel in the name of exploration, trade, and research has provided a watery road to modern globalism. We have always wondered at the waves, finding ways to wade deeper and wander further: The world’s oldest known boat, the Pesse canoe , dates to around 8000 BCE; there is evidence Egyptians began sailing around 4000 BCE ; and the Phoenicians are credited with ship-building expertise that allowed them to circumnavigate Africa in 600 BCE. Here are 11 incredible sea voyages and voyagers that helped advance our understanding of the world.

1. Leif Erikson’s Voyage to North America // c. 1000

Born in 970, Norse explorer Leif Erikson was the second son of Erik the Red , a native of Iceland who colonized Greenland around 980. According to Viking sagas written a few centuries after the events, Erikson heard about an unfamiliar land to the west of Greenland and went to investigate it, eventually landing with a small crew on the northern peninsula of Newfoundland. Though the settlement didn't last long, archaeological evidence and the sagas suggest that Erikson’s Vikings were the first Europeans to set foot in North America .

2. Zheng He’s Seven Diplomatic Voyages // 1405-1433

Beginning life as Ma Sanbao in 1371, Zheng He grew up in a prosperous Muslim family in China. When he was about 10, he was captured during Emperor Hong Wu’s attack on his city and made to serve as a court eunuch. He eventually rose up the ranks, becoming a valued diplomat and commander of the Ming Dynasty’s navy. He embarked on his first voyage in 1405 , commanding the emperor’s enormous fleet of “treasure ships.” Some of the hundreds of vessels were 400 feet in length, and the whole armada was crewed by 28,000 sailors. During his seven expeditions to lands surrounding the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, Zheng He helped spread China’s culture and political influence. Chinese emigration increased, as did tributes to Chinese leaders . Upon Zheng He’s death in 1433, and the establishment of a new emperor, the expeditions’ ships and logs were destroyed. This ended the “golden era” of Chinese sea exploration, making room for Europeans .

3. Ferdinand Magellan’s Circumnavigation of the Globe // 1519-1522

Portuguese sailor Ferdinand Magellan’s voyage is credited with being first to circumnavigate the globe. In 1519, approximately 260 men and five ships set sail from Spain, searching for a western route to the Spice Islands (in modern-day Indonesia). Magellan named the Pacific Ocean ( Pacific means “peaceful”) and discovered the Strait of Magellan at the bottom of South America by accident (it's still used to this day for navigation between the Atlantic and Pacific). While Magellan deserves his due for masterminding the voyage, a poison arrow ended him in 1521 upon his arrival in the Philippines. According to some historians, Enrique , an enslaved Malay man in Magellan’s crew, completed the circumnavigation first, albeit over more than one voyage, before Magellan’s remaining 18 crewmembers made it back to Spain in 1522.

4. “Pirate Queen” Grace O’Malley’s Defense of Ireland // c. 1546-1586

Irish seafarer Gráinne Ní Mháille, a.k.a. Grace O’Malley, a.k.a. Ireland’s pirate queen, is considered one of the last Irish clan rulers to fight against English domination in Ireland. Born in 1530, Grace began her high-stakes, high seas career at age 11, when Ireland was ruled by about 40 Gaelic clans (the O’Malley clan motto was “powerful by land and by sea”). When her father died, it was Grace and not her elder brother who became clan leader, managing two galleys, 20 ships, and more than 200 men to plunder coastal strongholds and defend against English encroachment. When Grace negotiated the release of prisoners and seized land with Queen Elizabeth I, she demanded an audience as an equal . A respected matriarch in her time, she was omitted from history for centuries. Today, she is celebrated for her leadership at sea.

5. The Sea Venture’s Adventure // 1609-1610

The Sea Venture has been dubbed “ the shipwreck that saved Jamestown ” and inspired William Shakespeare while he wrote The Tempest . The ship, part of a convoy sent from England in 1609, was supposed to resupply the desperate Virginia colony . But when it sailed straight into a hurricane and rammed a reef around then-uninhabited Bermuda, the Sea Venture ’s adventure appeared to be over. However, all 150 souls aboard survived by swimming to shore and set about building two new ships to take them the rest of the way. The castaways arrived in Jamestown about 10 months later. Their story of survival not only restored England’s desire to make its American colony a success; it also led to the second English colony established in the Americas—not in New England, but in Bermuda.

6. The Mayflower’s Arrival in North America // 1620

The Mayflower , a second-hand merchant ship carrying 102 passengers, left Plymouth, England, for North America in 1620. Forty of the passengers were Protestant separatists (later known as Pilgrims) who sought to establish a colony in America where they could practice their religion freely. They had permission to settle anywhere on the coast between the Chesapeake Bay and New York Harbor. But two miserable months after launch, the Mayflower landed in New England, about one degree of latitude north of where it was meant to be. The colonists named the new settlement Plymouth, drafted a document to set guidelines for self-governance, and launched a historic experiment in democracy and religious freedom.

7. The Three Voyages of James Cook // 1768-1780

James Cook vowed to sail “ as far as I think it possible for man to go ” and ended up mapping more territory than any other mariner of his era. He joined the British Royal Navy in his twenties, and in 1767 produced a chart of Newfoundland that was so accurate it was still being used in the 20th century . Cook led his first exploratory expedition in 1768, destined for the South Pacific to observe the transit of Venus and to chart New Zealand, Tasmania, and parts of Australia. He came quite close to spotting Antarctica during a second circumnavigation to explore and map several South Pacific islands. In 1776, on his third and last epic voyage, Cook came within 50 miles of the western entrance to the Northwest Passage in the Bering Strait. He was the first European commander to visit Hawaii, where friction increased between his crew and the local people; Cook was killed by Native Hawaiians in 1779 and the expedition concluded without him the following year. Among his countless observations and discoveries, Cook found that fresh fruits seemed to prevent scurvy , without knowing just how the remedy worked.

8. The Wreck of the Whaler Essex // 1820

Another voyage serving up literary inspiration is the tale of the Essex . An 87-foot whaling ship, the Essex was built of incredibly strong white oak and fitted for a 2.5-year voyage. It left Nantucket in 1819, made its way around Cape Horn, and headed into the South Pacific. On November 20, 1820, an 85-foot sperm whale rammed the ship twice and caused it to sink, serving some small measure of justice on behalf of his species (numbering 300,000 today from an estimated 1.1 million prior to whaling). While the 20 crewmembers initially survived, they drifted in boats across the open ocean for three months and eventually resorted to cannibalism. Only eight made it home . Herman Melville based the climactic scene in Moby-Dick on the Essex tragedy.

9. Charles Darwin’s Voyage on the HMS Beagle // 1831-1836

Charles Darwin said his education “ really began aboard the Beagle .” A fresh university graduate at age 22, Darwin paused his planned career as a clergyman and joined the Beagle as its naturalist. Setting sail in 1831, the ship’s mission was to journey around the world, surveying the South American coast and conducting chronometric studies. Time spent in the Galápagos truly informed Darwin’s theories on evolution, providing an opportunity to observe species development in an isolated environment. Darwin also considered coral, recording geological observations about islands and coastlines . And the Beagle , commanded by Lieutenant Robert FitzRoy, achieved its goal of accurately charting the coast of South America, including the Strait of Magellan's dangerous shoals.

10. Ernest Shackleton’s Miraculous Endurance // 1914-1916

Anglo-Irish mariner Ernest Shackleton first sailed to Antarctica in 1901 on a mission to reach the South Pole, which ended with a bad case of scurvy. He would come within 97 nautical miles of the pole on his second expedition. But it was his third venture aboard the Endurance for which he is most famous. In 1914, he led a crew of 28 men intending to be the first to cross Antarctica by land, but the ship became trapped in pack ice for 10 months and sank on November 21, 1915. The crew set up camp on ice floes, drifted on treacherous seas, and washed up on an uninhabited polar island. Shackleton and five men then sailed 800 miles across the planet’s most rambunctious seas for rescue. All hands succeeded in their revised mission: survival . Shackleton’s story serves as a lesson in leadership against all odds and overcoming outrageous obstacles.

11. Thor Heyerdahl’s Maritime Experiment in the Kon-Tiki and More // 1947-1978

Thor Heyerdahl, a Norwegian ethnologist, mounted several transoceanic scientific expeditions . His expeditions on the Kon-Tiki, a balsa-wood raft launched in 1947, and Ra , a copy of an Egyptian reed boat crewed in 1969, proved the possibility of ancient contact between distant civilizations. Leaving from Peru, Kon-Tiki reached the South Pacific three and a half months later, lending evidence to the theory that pre-Columbian sailors could have navigated across the Pacific. Ra sailed from Morocco to within 600 miles of Central America and hinted at the possibility that Egyptian mariners could have influenced pre-contact cultures. And in 1977-1978, sailing a reed boat named the Tigris , Heyerdahl suggested that ancient Sumerians could well have reached southwest Asia. His thought-provoking theories are still being debated.

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Amerigo Vespucci

By: History.com Editors

Updated: February 6, 2024 | Original: July 31, 2023

Amerigo Vespucci was a 16th-century Italian merchant and explorer remembered not only for his voyages that altered the course of history but for bestowing the New World with the name “America.”

Vespucci’s mapping of coastlines and constellations, cultural observations and identification of equatorial ocean currents led to the realization that his travels had taken him to a new continent, challenging the previously held belief that Christopher Columbus had reached the uncharted eastern edge of Asia.

Early Life and Education

Born March 9, 1454, in Florence, Italy, during the height of the Renaissance , Vespucci came from a prominent family with ties to the Medici dynasty . His father, a government notary, and his uncle, respected humanist Dominican friar Giorgio Antonio Vespucci, played influential roles in his education. Immersed in a world of trade and maritime culture from a young age, Vespucci developed interests and aptitude in astronomy, math, navigation and foreign languages. 

Early in his career, Vespucci worked for the Medici family as a banker and later supervised ship operations in Seville, Spain. Accounts vary, but many believe that Vespucci met Christopher Columbus in Seville in 1496, after Columbus’s historic 1492 voyage, and assisted Columbus in preparing for future expeditions.

Did you know? Thefirst use of the name "America" was in 1507, when a new world map was created based on the explorations of Amerigo Vespucci.

Vespucci's Voyages

Fueled by his own passion for discovery, Vespucci joined a Spanish expedition while in his 40s, serving as an astronomer and mapmaker in search of a passage to India. Led by Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda, they set sail from Cadiz, Spain, in May 1499 and reached the northeastern coast of South America.

Despite their belief that they had arrived in Asia, Ojeda explored the coast of Venezuela while Vespucci ventured south to coastal Brazil. During the voyage, Vespucci charted the constellations, noting their differences from those seen in Europe. He also documented the diverse flora and fauna, made extensive observations about the indigenous tribes he encountered and described what he thought was the Ganges River, but is now known to be the mouth of the Amazon River . 

In a letter recounting the journey, he wrote of discovering “an infinite number of birds or various forms and colors and trees so beautiful and fragrant that we thought we had entered the earthly Paradise.” 

In May 1501, Vespucci embarked on another voyage, this time under the patronage of King Manuel I of Portugal , again seeking passage to India. Sailing along the Brazilian and Argentinian coasts, Vespucci ventured further south to present-day Rio de Janeiro and the La Plata River. Once again, he observed unfamiliar constellations, unexplained equatorial currents and an absence of the riches he expected to find in India. Realizing that he was not in India or on an undiscovered island but on a separate continent across the Atlantic Ocean, he dubbed the land Mundus Novus, or the New World.

There are varying accounts and unconfirmed reports of Vespucci undertaking a third voyage to the New World in 1503, also in the name of Portugal. 

Although Vespucci’s discoveries were not considered highly significant at the time, the publication of his correspondence with friends and colleagues chronicling his voyages, known as the “Vespucci Letters,” played a pivotal role in dispelling the belief that Columbus had reached Asia. The letters brought Vespucci fame (although some believe the letters are fake).

Vespucci's Namesake and Reputation

The term “America” first took shape in 1507, when German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller drew a map of the newly recognized continent and labeled it “Americus” in Vespucci’s honor. This map, often referred to as “America’s birth certificate,” marked the usage of the name “America.”

Vespucci, who became a naturalized citizen of Spain in 1505, was given the prestigious title of master navigator of Spain in 1508. Charged with training and recruiting navigators and managing the country’s map collections, he held the position until he died of malaria in Seville on February 22, 1512, at the age of 58.

“The Map That Named America,” U.S. Library of Congress “Amerigo Vespucci,” by Frederick A.Ober “Amerigo Vespucci: Italian explorer who named America,” LiveScience “ Amerigo Vespucci,” T he Martimers’ Museum and Park

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First in America’s Skies

A large crowd gathered outside the walls of the Walnut Street Prison that fronted on what is now Independence Square in Philadelphia at dawn on January 9, 1793. The occasion was not a hanging but a balloon launching, which, if successful, would be the first aerial voyage in the history of the new United States of America and the New World.

Jean Pierre Blanchard, noted French aeronaut, had advertised in Dunlap’s American Daily Advertiser for several weeks that he would make a hydrogen-filled gas balloon ascension on that day ‘at 10 in the morning precisely, weather permitting.’ He had sold tickets at $5 each, and when not enough seats were reserved, Blanchard offered $2 seats in a special section behind the others. The tickets would admit the bearers inside the prison yard to view his departure. The excitement he generated was so great that almost the entire population of the capital city had turned out, in addition to a large number of visitors from the surrounding countryside.

A number of people wanted to go with him, but Blanchard was not about to share this ‘first’ with anyone. He also discouraged those who wanted to follow him on horseback. In a notice in the Federal Gazette, he noted, ‘If the day is calm, there will be full time to reach the prison court … as … I will ascend perpendicularly; but if the wind blows, permit me, gentlemen, to advise you not to attempt to keep up with me, especially in a country so intersected with rivers, and so covered with woods.’

Two field artillery pieces positioned at Potter’s Field had been firing every quarter hour since 6 that morning, to remind the citizens of the great event. A brass band played soul-stirring martial music inside the prison yard as the famous Frenchman busied himself around the slowly expanding, varnished yellow silk bag. Dressed in bright-blue knee breeches, matching waistcoat and a hat with white feathers, the short, slender aeronaut looked like a Shakespearean actor readying himself for his role in a great drama.

The handsome, flamboyant Frenchman was confident that he was going to have his name inscribed in the history books of this new nation, just as he had done in Europe. The name Blanchard had completely dominated the aeronautical scene in the decade after Pilatre de Rozier’s epic untethered free flight in a hot-air balloon on November 21, 1783.

This was to be Blanchard’s 45th ascension. He had come to Philadelphia with a well-earned reputation in Europe. With Dr. John Jeffries, an American, he had sailed his balloon across the English Channel from England to France on January 7, 1785, making the pair the world’s first international air travelers.

The future aeronaut was born at Petit Andelys on July 4, 1750. He demonstrated early that he had an inventive mind. At age 12, he invented a rat trap which, when sprung, would cause a pistol to go off, assuring a rodent’s prompt demise. Four years later, he constructed a velocipede that he propelled from Petit Andelys to Rouen. Later, as a professional engineer, he designed a hydraulic pump system that raised water 400 feet from the Seine River to the Château Gaillard.

The young genius became intrigued with the flight of birds in 1781 and constructed an ornithopter with large wings that were flapped by the pilot, using hand and foot levers. Of course, the machine didn’t work. But when the Montgolfier brothers proved on June 5, 1783, that balloon flight was possible, the eager Blanchard turned his attention to this more sensible and attainable means of flight.

Blanchard built his first balloon a few weeks after the Montgolfier success and made his initial flight on March 2, 1784. From that time on he was a confirmed ‘balloonatic’ and traveled all over Europe giving demonstration flights. He was the first to make ascensions in Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and Austria, and he wanted to be first to sail the New World’s skies as well. So it was that Blanchard was in the new nation’s capital city that wintry day after 44 successful ascensions.

The zestful aeronaut explained in his Journal of My Forty-Fifth Ascension that he came to the New World because ‘the [Western] Hemisphere had as yet only heard of the brilliant triumph of aerostation [the art or science of ballooning]; and the people who inhabit it appeared to me worthy of enjoying the sublime spectacle that it affords.’ He added, ‘The eagerness which I thought I discovered in the public to see Montgolfier’s sublime discovery reduced to practice, everything seemed to tell me that I might, with confidence, display the mechanism of an aerostat [balloon], to make it soar above the clouds, and convince the New World that man’s ingenuity is not confined to earth alone, but opens to him new and certain roads in the vast expanse of heaven.’ Whether for money, fame, scientific research or fun, the daring aeronaut had thus far kept his promise to ‘display the mechanism of an aerostat.’

There were good reasons why Blanchard wanted to use the prison yard for his takeoff point. First, he needed protection from vandals for his balloon and the hydrogen-making ‘ventilator’ during the preparations. Second, the walls around the prison would assure that the brisk winter winds would not damage the bag during the inflation process. And last, he had to have money to ‘lighten the burden of my expenses.’ It would be easy to keep those without tickets from witnessing the departure. When the tickets were collected at the prison gate, however, only about 100 spectators had been admitted to an area that could have held an estimated 4,800 spectators. Most of the crowd had prudently decided they didn’t need to view the departure ceremony; they could witness the flight as soon as the daring aeronaut rose in his ‘aerostat’ above the prison walls.

There was a flurry of excitement outside the prison at a quarter to 10, when a carriage bearing President George Washington arrived. As the dignified chief executive stepped down, the crowd hushed respectfully. Fifteen cannons roared in salute. Inside the yard, Blanchard was ready. When the president approached, followed by the French ambassador and other dignitaries, Blanchard took off his plumed hat, bowed briefly and exchanged pleasantries with his distinguished guests.

‘At 9 minutes after 10,’ Blanchard wrote in his Journal, ‘I affixed to the aerostat my car, laden with ballast, meteorological instruments, and some refreshments with which the anxiety of my friends had provided me. I hastened to take leave of the President, and of Mr. Ternant, Minister Plenipotentiary of France to the United States.’

A well-wisher shoved a small black dog into Blanchard’s arms which he accepted rather dubiously. He dropped the animal into the basket and prepared to board. As Blanchard climbed into the wicker basket, President Washington shook his hand, wished him bon voyage, and handed him a ‘passport’ letter recommending ‘to all citizens of the United States, and others, that… they oppose no hindrance…to the said Mr. Blanchard’ and assist him in his efforts to ‘advance an art, in order to make it useful to mankind in general.’

Blanchard thanked the president, and as the artillery battery fired a final salvo, he threw out some ballast, nodded to his assistants Peter Legaux and Dr. Nassy to let go the restraining ropes, and was lifted gently skyward. Waving his hat in one hand and a flag in the other, he acknowledged the oohs and aahs of the crowd watching open-mouthed below.

‘My ascent was perpendicular and so easy,’ he said, ‘that I had time to enjoy the different impressions which agitated so many sensible and interesting persons who surrounded the scene of my departure, and to salute them with my flag, which was ornamented on one side with the armoric bearings of the United States, and on the other with the three colors so dear to the French nation. Accustomed as I long have been to the pompous scenes of numerous assemblies, yet I could not help being surprised and astonished when, elevated at a certain height over the city, I turned my eyes towards the immense number of people who covered the open places, the roofs of the houses, the steeples, the streets and the roads, over which my flight carried me in the free space of the air. What a sight!’

General John Steele, comptroller of the U.S. Treasury, was astonished at what he saw. In a letter to a friend, he wrote, ‘Seeing the man waving a flag at an immense height from the ground, was the most interesting sight that I ever beheld, and tho I had no acquaintance with him, I could not help trembling for his safety.’

Blanchard rose steadily upward. At about ‘200 fathoms,’ a mild breeze developed from the northwest and carried him toward the Delaware River. A flock of wild pigeons flew by and scattered into two groups, frightened at the sight of a human being invading their special realm. The small dog whimpered restlessly when he heard them flutter by, but was reassured by a pat on the head. Over the river, the balloon leveled off ‘in a state of perfect equilibrium in the midst of a stagnant fluid’ at 5,800 feet. As Blanchard proceeded slowly southeastward, he observed the sparkling sunbeams on the water below; he later wrote, ‘this river appeared to me like a ribband [ sic ] of the breadth of about four inches.’

Mindful that he intended to play the role of an aeronautical scientist, Blanchard became the first test pilot in America by performing a number of experiments during the flight. He filled six bottles ‘with that atmospherical air wherein I was floating’ and sealed them ‘as the accuracy of the experiment required.’

Next, Blanchard timed his pulse with his pocket watch. He carefully noted that ‘my observations gave me 92 pulsations in the minute (the average of 4 observations made at the place of my elevation) whereas on the ground I had experienced no more than 84 in the same given time….’

The scientist-aeronaut then weighed a lodestone that on the ground ‘raised 51Ž2 ounces avoirdupois’ but at his greatest altitude weighed only 4 ounces. He made further notes concerning pressure and temperature before he turned to observations of the weather. He reported that ‘a whitish cloud withheld from my sight for several minutes a part of the city of Philadelphia….A thick fog covered the south; toward the east…a mist arose, which prevented me from reconnoitering the area.’

The wind began to increase, and the balloon continued to drift on a southeasterly course across the New Jersey side of the river. Blanchard relaxed briefly and satisfied his appetite ‘with a morsel of biscuit and a glass of wine.’ He thought he saw the Atlantic Ocean in the distance and made preparations to descend. Mindful that his delicate instruments might break on landing, he carefully stowed them in boxes, cleared away several decorations from the side of the basket, valved out some hydrogen, and emptied several excess ballast bags overboard.

Guiding its downward course carefully by manipulating the gas valve and judging the weight of remaining ballast, Blanchard steered the balloon to a safe landing in an open, plowed field near the town of Woodbury, N.J., 46 minutes after his departure from the City of Brotherly Love. He had traveled about 15 miles. His canine passenger immediately debarked and made off for the nearest tree. The first aerial voyage in America had been brought to a successful conclusion.

Blanchard worked quickly to let the gas out of the silken globe so that it would not drag across the field into a clump of nearby trees. He unloaded his instruments and found them all in good shape except his barometer, which was broken.

Blanchard now realized he had a problem shared by all balloonists, who invariably land far from their takeoff points. How was he going to get back to Philadelphia? He took out a compass and sighted toward the northwest–directly toward the figure of a farmer who was staring open-mouthed at this strange foreigner who had dropped so silently from the skies.

Since he knew little English, Blanchard yelled to the man in French. This frightened the farmer, who stepped backward several paces. Afraid the man would run away, Blanchard held up the bottle of wine and gestured to him to come closer for a drink. Suspicious and cautious, the husky farmer approached warily and took a sip, but only after the stranger downed a swig first. Blanchard soon had a willing helper, thanks to the medium of ‘the exhilarating juice of the grape.’ Although they could not converse and the farmer could not read the passport letter Blanchard carried, he did recognize the name Washington when the aeronaut spoke his name.

A second farmer arrived, armed with an ancient musket. Frightened at seeing the huge globe lying on its side, he dropped his gun and lifted his hands skyward in prayer. The first farmer explained what he understood of the situation. Since the second farmer could read a little and understood the name Washington, Blanchard had no trouble enlisting his help from that point on. Blanchard commented: ‘How dear the name Washington is to this people! With what eagerness they gave me all possible assistance, in consequence of his recommendation!’

More people appeared, and Blanchard proudly showed them Washington’s letter. The name Washington continued to make the impression he hoped for, and everyone tried to help this intriguing stranger. Several men neatly folded his balloon and stowed it in a wagon. A group of them then escorted him to Cooper’s Ferry on the banks of the Delaware River, where he was transported across to the Pennsylvania side. Before he bid his new-found friends goodbye, however, he quickly drew up a document and asked them to certify ‘that we the subscribers saw the bearer, Mr. Blanchard, settle in his balloon in Deptford Township, County of Gloucester, in the State of New Jersey, about 10 o’clock 56 minutes, a.m….on the ninth day of January, anno Domini, 1793.’

Monsieur Blanchard arrived back in Philadelphia that evening. He was greeted by a cheering crowd of well-wishers who formed lines to shake his hand. At 7 p.m., he paid his respects to President Washington and presented him with the flag he had borne aloft on his epic flight.

The brief flight had a deep effect on all who witnessed the takeoff. Dr. Benjamin Rush, in a letter to a colleague, wrote: ‘For some time days past the conversation in our city has turned wholly upon Mr. Blanchard’s late Aerial Voyage. It was truly a sublime sight. Every faculty of the mind was seized, expanded and captivated by it, 40,000 people concentrating their eyes and thoughts at the same instant, upon the same object, and all deriving nearly the same degree of pleasure from it.’

The aeronaut had wanted not only to make history that day but also to be rewarded financially. However, the $405 derived from ticket sales plus another $263 donated by the crowd outside the prison only partly defrayed the $1,500 in expenses he claimed to have incurred. Blanchard was unable to secure backing for a second flight, but, determined to make up for his losses, he remained in Philadelphia. He received help from the consul general of Genoa, who tried to mount a fund-raising campaign but failed.

Governor Thomas Mifflin offered Blanchard the free use of an office in the city. Blanchard was able to build a large ‘aerostatical laboratory’ to house his balloon, car and some mechanical oddities, and thus lure paying customers inside for a small admission fee. In April 1793, he exhibited a wheeled automaton that he called the Curious Carriage. It featured a mechanical eagle that flapped its wings and made it appear as if it were moving by its own power.

Blanchard planned a second balloon flight with Joseph Ravara. But first he had to reduce his deficit and save enough cash to cover his new expenses. The aerostatical laboratory, open every day, could not generate enough cash at 25 cents a person. Still undaunted, he began flying small tethered balloons with animal passengers that would be released automatically by a fuse. The ‘passengers’ would float to earth by means of a crude parachute or ‘falling screen.’ The first drop of a dog, cat and squirrel took place on June 6, 1793. Unfortunately, it was witnessed by ‘few paying, but many nonpaying spectators,’ according to the General Advertiser.

Although his income was meager, Blanchard had moral support from the Federal Gazette. The editor wrote: ‘There appears to be a prevailing disposition to compensate him. We hope all will step forward before it is too late.’ On a parachute flight scheduled to take place in mid-June, Blanchard pleaded in the press that ‘those persons who are acquainted with the expenses of the artist will honor him with their company inside the said place.’

Blanchard’s efforts were finally thwarted by an epidemic of yellow fever that gripped the city and the surrounding area. Government and business both came to a halt. People were unwilling to gather even in small groups. Blanchard sailed to Charleston, S.C., in the fall of 1795, where his efforts to exhibit his balloon and Curious Carriage did not arouse much interest. He moved to Boston after a few months, and although his arrival sparked serious interest in ballooning there, his personal fortune still did not improve. In fact, he was sued for $370 by Dr. Jeffries, a native of Boston and his colleague on the famous cross-Channel flight. Jeffries won the suit, and Blanchard moved to New York in 1796.

The French aeronaut once again tried to get financial backing for another flight. He was offered a home and all expenses if he would allow Gardiner Baker, one of New York’s pioneer showmen, to handle his business affairs. Baker tried to get subscriptions amounting to $3,000 but to no avail. A ‘balloon house’ was built, in which to construct a new balloon, but it was destroyed by a severe windstorm. Blanchard’s 16-year-old son, who had been working on the roof, was killed.

Blanchard, still undeterred from his quest for solvency, went back into business with small-scale animal balloons. Once again, his efforts to interest the public in ballooning were for naught, so he returned to France in May 1797.

He made his 46th ascent the following August at Rouen, followed by 13 more ascensions in Europe. Before his 60th flight, however, he had a heart attack from which he never recovered. Blanchard died on March 7, 1809, at the age of 56.

Blanchard’s second wife–Marie-Madeleine-Sophie Armant, who was 18 years old when the two married in 1798–carried on the Blanchard family name in ballooning and became the best-known woman aeronaut in Europe. However, Madame Blanchard also had the dubious honor of being the first woman balloonist to die in an aerial accident. When her balloon caught fire during a pyrotechnic night flight on July 6, 1819, she fell out of the basket, struck a roof and fell to her death in the street.

It has been more than two centuries since Blanchard’s historic first flight in the United States. Despite his lack of success in making a business out of ballooning, he, more than anyone in the first generation of aeronauts to perform in the new nation, focused public attention on this first method of manned flight. He could not have known the destiny of the new nation he visited. Nor did he foresee the scientific achievements in aerial transportation that would follow his epic voyage into the untried skies of America. He could be sure of only one thing: He was first!

This article was written by C.V. Glines and originally published in the September 1996 issue of Aviation History . For more great articles subscribe to Aviation History magazine today!

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The 12 Best Summer Vacation Destinations For Families In The U.S.

All products and services featured are independently selected by forbes vetted contributors and editors. when you make a purchase through links on this page, we may earn a commission. learn more, lindsay cohn , contributor, forbes vetted.

W ith children free from the grind of schoolwork and extracurricular commitments, summertime is the perfect opportunity for a family getaway. Long, sunny days and warm weather in most of the United States make it a great time to explore different parts of the country, and a diverse landscape means there’s a destination for every type of interest. The best summer vacation destinations for families in the U.S. are sure to create core memories that will last a lifetime.

Fans of gorgeous alpine scenery should consider Park City and Aspen, while crews who crave outdoor adventure will love the adventurous spirit of the Outer Banks. Set your sights on Cape Cod or venture down to South Padre Island for sandy beaches, or head to Chicago for a city break that includes plenty of educational activities and seasonal events. Below, our picks for the best summer vacation destinations for families in the U.S. in 2024—and where to stay in each one.

Where To Stay In The Best Summer Vacation Spots For Families In The U.S.:

• Santa Monica: Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows ; Oceana Santa Monica, LXR Hotels & Resorts ; Shutters On The Beach
• Aspen: Aspen Meadows Resort ; The St. Regis Aspen Resort ; The Little Nell
• Acadia National Park: Under Canvas Acadia ; Terramor Outdoor Resort ; Salisbury Woods Cabin
• Chicago: Four Seasons Hotel Chicago ; The Langham, Chicago ; The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago
• Cape Cod: Chatham Bars Inn ; Wequassett Resort & Golf Club ; Cottage In Dennis
• Jackson Hole: Four Seasons Resort And Residences Jackson Hole ; The Cloudveil, Autograph Collection ; The Virginian Lodge
• Lake Tahoe: Edgewood Tahoe Resort ; Hyatt Vacation Club At High Sierra Lodge ; Zephyr Cove Resort
• Park City: Montage Deer Valley ; Pendry Park City ; Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley
• Outer Banks: Sanderling Resort ; Home In Nags Head ; Dune Haus
• Hilton Head Island: Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean Oak Resort Hilton Head ; The Inn & Club At Harbour Town, Sea Pines Resort ; Harbour Town Sea Pines Condo
• South Padre Island: Best Western Beachside Inn ; Coastal Shores Condo ; Beachfront Condo
• Mystic: The Whaler's Inn ; Hyatt Place Mystic ; Downtown Mystic Apartment

Santa Monica

Santa Monica Pier on the background of an orange sunset, calm ocean waves, Los Angeles, California

Santa Monica, California

Who Will Love It: Sun lovers; beachgoers; active families

All-Star Attractions: Santa Monica Pier; Santa Monica State Beach; Cayton Children's Museum

What Not To Miss: Riding the world's first solar-powered Ferris wheel

Where To Stay: Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows ; Oceana Santa Monica, LXR Hotels & Resorts ; Shutters On The Beach

Picture-perfect weather, beaches and nostalgic activities make Santa Monica the ideal seaside destination for families. This sun-kissed Southern California city offers miles of wide, sandy beaches lapped by the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The Marvin Braude Bike Path, also known as the Stand, runs 22 miles from Rogers Park to Torrance Beach—and it’s not just for bikes. The paved pathway welcomes walkers, runners, rollerbladers, teetering tots and parents pushing strollers. Pull off for a pitstop at North Beach Playground for slides and climbing apparatus. The epicenter of family fun, the Santa Monica Pier has an iconic Ferris Wheel and confession stands selling classic treats.

Where To Stay:

Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows : This urban resort feels like a family retreat with a swimming pool that’s always full of smiling kiddos and parents, grassy lawns for youngsters to play and spacious bungalows that sleep up to eight people. In the summer, there’s also a poolside cinema.

Shutters On The Beach : A well-heeled coastal retreat right on the sand, this Santa Monica stalwart has breezy rooms, an ocean-facing pool and kid-friendly dining at Coast. Complimentary oceanfront yoga promises to help parents relax. Buckets and shovels for little ones are a nice touch, too.

Oceana Santa Monica, LXR Hotels & Resorts : For a private beachhouse-but-better atmosphere, look no further than Oceana Santa Monica. Luxury-loving families will fall hard for the generously sized suites equipped with Frette linens, Bottega Veneta toiletries and close vicinity to the Pacific Ocean. The doting staff makes guests of all ages feel like VIPs.

Sunrise hits snow dusted peaks of Maroon Bells while being reflected in lake below, along with Aspen trees in their full fall foliage display of golden colors.

Aspen, Colorado

Who Will Love It: Outdoorsy families who don’t mind a little altitude; luxury lovers

All-Star Attractions: Maroon Bells; Aspen Mountain; Independence Pass

What Not To Miss: A scenic gondola trip to the top of Aspen Mountain

Where To Stay: Aspen Meadows Resort ; The St. Regis Aspen Resort ; The Little Nell

Nestled in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Aspen sets the gold standard for outdoorsy family vacations with stunning, tree-laced alpine scenery and recreation for all ages and abilities. The scenic paved walking paths of the Rio Grande Trail are great for strollers and tots, and nearby, John Denver Sanctuary is a nice place to stop for a picnic. The whole family can enjoy the easy walk around the pond at the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, and when parents want to indulge in a spa treatment or do a date night at a fabulous restaurants, it’s a cinch to book a babysitter through Aspen Nannies .

Aspen Meadows Resort : A short drive from downtown, this 40-acre property is a family-friendly goldmine with an outdoor lap pool, tennis, pickleball and several hiking trails right on site. Suites feature kitchenettes, sleeper sofas and room service that starts at 7 a.m.

The St. Regis Aspen Resort : The St. Regis feels very much like a resort with amenities like a world-class spa and complimentary s’mores by the fire pits, but it offers the added benefit of a downtown location that’s steps from shops, and restaurants (though, you can’t go wrong with the on-site dining options), and parks.

The Little Nell : The Little Nell is a luxurious respite for parents and offspring. The peaceful rooms and suites encourage even overtired tots to snooze. Chowing down on truffle fries and burgers just feet from the gondola on the patio of Ajax Tavern is a highlight for families.

Acadia National Park

View from the rugged cliff rocks to Bass Harbor Head Light. The lighthouse was built in 1858 and is located on the coast of the US state of Maine within Acadia National Park in Mount Desert Island.

Acadia National Park, Maine

Who Will Love It: Nature lovers; birders

All-Star Attractions: Park Loop Road; Jordan Pond; Sand Beach

What Not To Miss: Visiting Thunder Hole

Where To Stay: Under Canvas Acadia ; Terramor Outdoor Resort ; Salisbury Woods Cabin

July and August top the list of the best months to visit Acadia National Park due to the warmer weather (daytime temperatures average between 55 and 75 degrees). Though the lakes and ocean remain too chilly to swim comfortably, it’s still prime time for waterfront fun with kayaking tours, whale-watching cruises, excellent fishing, coastal hiking trails, tidal pools and mountain-ringed beaches awaiting families. Fledgling birdwatchers should keep an eye out for bald eagles, loons, peregrines and cormorants. In the summer, visitors have the option of staying at campgrounds inside the park (just be sure to book in advance) or nearby glamping resorts.

Under Canvas Acadia : Open early May through late October, Under Canvas Acadia attracts crews who want to be immersed in nature without giving up creature comforts. Adjacent tent setups with private bathrooms, woodburning stoves, panels for viewing the cosmos from bed and decks that are tailor-made for families.

Terramor Outdoor Resort : Just minutes from the entrance to Acadia National Park, Terramor makes it easy for kids and parents to enjoy the great outdoors with five different tent types, including one with bunk beds. Pancake breakfasts, a swimming pool and stargazing round out the family fun.

Salisbury Woods Cabin : For a getaway that’s equal parts cozy and convenient, this contemporary cabin comes with two bedrooms, a full kitchen, a spiffy bathroom and an RV pad with hookups. Guests also have access to the grounds, including a barbecue and fire pit.

Chicago Riverwalk and Skyscrapers

Chicago, Illinois

Who Will Love It: Urbanites; foodies; curious kids (and parents) of all ages

All-Star Attractions: Lincoln Park Zoo; Navy Pier; Shedd Aquarium

What Not To Miss: Igniting imagination (and burning off some energy) at Maggie Daley Park's Play Garden

Where To Stay: Four Seasons Hotel Chicago ; The Langham, Chicago ; The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago

Chicago is one of the best family-friendly city breaks in the country, and summer weather makes it even better. In June, July and August, the Windy City comes alive with seasonal events and outdoor attractions. Bring little ones to the play garden in Maggie Daley Park and watch their imagination soar on the life-sized ship, mini-lighthouse and animal-themed watering hole. Keep older kids off their devices with trips to the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Centennial Wheel. Don’t forget to pose for some family photos in front of The Bean in Millennium Park. On the off chance that the weather doesn’t cooperate, head to the Chicago Children's Museum or hit the Shedd Aquarium.

Four Seasons Hotel Chicago : Plush and full of family-oriented perks, the luxurious Four Seasons welcomes young guests with Sammy the Skyscraper activity books at check-in, an on-call ice cream cart, weekly movie nights and a dedicated kids playroom on the 32nd floor.

The Langham, Chicago : Eliminate the “I don’t want to go back to the hotel” complaints by reserving a room stocked with teddy bears, mini robes, tents and backpacks at The Langham. For a fun family night, book a private movie screening in the property’s cinema suite, complete with popcorn and sweet treats.

The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago : Children lucky enough to call The Ritz-Carlton home for a few days while visiting Chicago will love the mini bathrobes and Ritz Kids program, while parents will appreciate the well-designed rooms and suites sized to keep sibling rivalry at bay.

Aerial shot of Hyannis, the "Capital" of Cape Cod on a Fall evening. Authorization was obtained from the FAA for this operation in restricted airspace.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Who Will Love It: Nostalgia chasers; beachgoers; New Englanders

All-Star Attractions: Cape Cod Rail Trail; Wellfleet Drive-In; Cape Cod National Seashore

What Not To Miss: Bayside beach hopping

Where To Stay: Chatham Bars Inn ; Wequassett Resort & Golf Club ; Cottage In Dennis

An iconic American summer destination, Cape Cod conjures images of the Kennedys frolicking at their Hyannis compound. It’s hard to oversell the charm of little towns with classic New England architecture, lighthouses, casual seafood joints, ice cream shops for sundaes that fulfill childhood dreams and stores to buy souvenir keepsakes. This hook-shaped peninsula also offers some of the best beaches in the country—including family-friendly Mayflower Beach and Skaket Beach, two bayside gems with tidal flats, clean restrooms, showers and concession stands.

Chatham Bars Inn : This timeless oceanfront resort has all the hallmarks of a classic Cape Cod summer getaway. Family-friendly perks include a private sandy beach, kiddie pool, tennis clinics, seasonal kids programming, clambakes and an on-site dock with a fleet of boats for excursions such as whale watching and sailing.

Wequassett Resort & Golf Club : This 27-acre retreat provides heaps for families to do, from hitting the tennis courts to swimming in the outdoor heated pools. The children’s center hosts day and evening programming to give parents a break—and, of course, kids will have a blast doing crafts and playing on the nautical-themed pirate ship playground.

West Dennis Cottage : When you want a little privacy, this shingled cottage in Dennis delivers quiet living and sleeping spaces and a washer/dryer (tiny people amass a lot of dirty clothes). It’s a short walk to South Village Beach and even has a fire pit for low-key nights with the family.

Jackson Hole

Early morning magenta light illuminates clouds and the Moulton Barn on Mormon Row at the foot of the Grand Tetons near Jackson, Wyoming, USA.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Who Will Love It: Outdoor adventurers; wildlife peepers; thrill seekers

All-Star Attractions: Snow King Mountain; Grand Teton National Park; Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Aerial Tram

What Not To Miss: Soaking in cowboy culture at the Jackson Hole Rodeo (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day)

Where To Stay: Four Seasons Resort And Residences Jackson Hole ; The Cloudveil, Autograph Collection ; The Virginian Lodge

Jackson Hole stands out as a four-season destination for outdoor adventure, high-flying thrills and wildlife peeping. Kids as young as three years old can bounce on the bungee trampoline at Snow King Mountain, and there’s no age minimum for sparking some friendly competition at the 18-hole mini golf course or learning about constellations at the planetarium. It’s a doable drive (yes, even with fidgety youngsters) to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park for hiking and spotting animals in the wild. And of course, no trip to this western-tinged Wyoming town would be complete without saying “cheese” in front of the antler arch at Town Square.

Four Seasons Resort And Residences Jackson Hole : The Four Seasons goes above and beyond for families with children’s amenities such as baby-proofing, high chairs, cribs, rollaway beds and bottle warmers at no extra charge, plus babysitting services for an additional fee, summer horseback-riding camps and sprawling multi-bedroom residences.

The Cloudveil, Autograph Collection : This boutique hotel in the heart of Jackson supplies upscale accommodations and easy access to the outdoors. Outdoor-savvy concierges take the stress out of planning excursions to nearby parks, eco-tours and chef-prepared picnics. The property is also very dog-friendly, so it’s great for furry family members, too.

The Virginian Lodge : This Western-fringed modern motor lodge is the ideal launchpad for outdoor adventure. After days full of hiking and biking, families can swim in the year-round heated pool, roast marshmallows by the fire pit and cozy up in retro-chic rooms outfitted with Pendleton wool blankets.

Aerial View of Lake Tahoe Mountains and Turquoise Blue Water, California, USA

Lake Tahoe, Nevada

Who Will Love It: Water sports enthusiasts; beachgoers

All-Star Attractions: East Shore Trail; Sand Harbor; Secret Cove Beach

What Not To Miss: A daytime cruise on the M.S. Dixie II

Where To Stay: Edgewood Tahoe Resort ; Hyatt Vacation Club At High Sierra Lodge ; Zephyr Cove Resort

The jewel of the Sierra Nevada and the highest alpine lake in the United States, Lake Tahoe is a beloved family-friendly destination that straddles the border of California and Nevada. The best way to experience lake life here is to get out on the water, whether that’s by renting a speed boat, doing a kayaking tour or traveling back in time on a a paddle-wheeler like the MS Dixie II. If trekking to the top of a mountain with tykes doesn’t seem feasible, rest assured you don’t have to sacrifice vistas by sticking to a lower elevation. Push the stroller along the 3.3-mile Tahoe East Shore Trail for beautiful views and beach pit stops.

Edgewood Tahoe Resort : Summer vacationers love Tahoe's only lakefront golf resort because of its championship course, swimming pool and sunset movies on the lawn. The new villas range from two to five bedrooms, so you can bring the entire extended family.

Zephyr Cove Resort : Nothing brings families together quite like singing songs, swapping stories and grilling hotdogs before slumbering in a tent under the stars. Not into the whole sleeping on the ground thing? This resort also offers cozy cabins, lodge rooms and an RV park.

Incline Village Condo : Featuring three bedrooms (one with kid-approved bunk beds), a full kitchen and an outdoor fire pit, this well-equipped condo in Incline Village sleeps eight comfortably—which means extending an invite to your cousins.

Park City is a city in Summit County, Utah, United States. Park City Ski Resort and Canyons resorts merged creating the largest ski area in the U.S.

Park City, Utah

Who Will Love It: Alpine adventurers; history buffs; foodies

All-Star Attractions: Park City Mountain Resort; Main Steet; Utah Olympic Park

What Not To Miss: Mornings at the Park Silly Sunday Market

Where To Stay: Montage Deer Valley ; Pendry Park City ; Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley

A silver mining hub turned favored winter resort that’s absolutely fantastic for families in the summer, Park City is a great place for hiking with toddlers, teens and everyone in between thanks to easy trails around town and more challenging routes up in Deer Valley and beyond. Downtown has lots of stores to stock up on souvenir tee-shirts, outdoor gear and cowboy boots, plus a tasty ice cream shop, kid-friendly restaurants, the Park City Museum and the iconic chairlift. The Park Silly Sunday Market brings together craft and food vendors, live music, face painting and even a kid-sized rock climbing wall. There are also many excellent parks and playgrounds in the area.

Montage Deer Valley : This luxurious Deer Valley resort offers families miles of hiking trails, indoor and outdoor pools, an on-site bowling alley, in-room “camping” amenities and the Paintbox children’s program. Kiddos can also collect the Montage merit badges. The property’s UPPAbaby rental program means you don’t have to pack a stroller.

Pendry Park City : This contemporary slopeside resort in Canyons Village starts the family fun upon arrival with stuffed animals up for grabs at check-in. Add to that an awesome kids club as well as two-bedroom residences with bunk rooms that are guaranteed to earn parents extra cool points.

Stein Eriksen Lodge : A high point for families staying at Stein Eriksen Lodge is the 3,500-square-foot entertainment area with pinball, video games and billiards. The enormous luxury suites with five bedrooms, full kitchens, living and dining areas and patios could easily be mistaken for private home rentals.

Outer Banks

The coast of North Carolina's Corolla Beach in the Outer Banks

Outer Banks, North Carolina

Who Will Love It: Active families; water sports enthusiasts; history buffs; wildlife lovers

All-Star Attractions: North Carolina Aquarium; Roanoke Island Festival Park; Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Wright

What Not To Miss: Climbing to the top of the largest dune on the East Coast at Jockey's Ridge State Park

Where To Stay: Sanderling Resort ; Home In Nags Head ; Dune Haus

Families with kids who need constant action and outdoor thrills should consider the Outer Banks. A vacation to this chain of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina is packed with opportunities for windsurfing, paddleboarding, kiteboarding and fishing. Youngsters with an interest in pirate lore will definitely want to visit the site where Blackbeard fought his last battle at Ocracoke, while teens can go snorkeling or scuba diving around the thousands of shipwrecks (hence the destination’s nickname, "the graveyard of the Atlantic"). Extend the screen-free hours with educational trips to the Wright Brothers National Memorial and the North Carolina Aquarium.

Sanderling Resort : Tucked between the Atlantic Ocean and Currituck Sound, Sanderling Resort gives guests of all ages a taste of the Outer Banks. The zero-entry pool is a toddler favorite, while teens will favor the beach and off-site excursions organized by the adventure-versed concierges.

Home In Nags Head : Much of the fun of an Outer Banks vacation is everyone bunking up in a big house after an action-packed day. This remodeled beach house in Nags Head fits the bill with a living room with board games and toys, a swimming pool and a gas grill.

Dune Haus : This coastal cottage rental bills itself as an “oceanfront Outer Banks paradise.” With four bedrooms, a light-filled living room, a hot tub, a cargo lift to haul groceries and luggage, and private beach access, that seems like a very fitting title.

Hilton Head Island

Hilton Head, South Carolina, lighthouse at dusk.

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Who Will Love It: Beachgoers; wildlife lovers; foodies

All-Star Attractions: Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge; Coastal Discovery Museum; The Sandbox Children's Museum

What Not To Miss: Dolphin-watching tours aboard Zodiac rafts

Where To Stay: Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean Oak Resort Hilton Head ; The Inn & Club At Harbour Town, Sea Pines Resort ; Harbour Town Sea Pines Condo

For a sun-and-sand getaway, look no further than Hilton Head Island. This fan-favorite summer destination offers beautiful Atlantic Ocean beaches, golf courses, great food and wildlife viewing galore. Families can look forward to catching rays on the white-sand shores and witnessing local wildlife. The Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge is home to wading birds, raptors and white-tailed deer, and you might even spy alligators sunning on the banks of the lagoons. Pirate cruises and dolphin-watching tours aboard Zodiac rafts are sure to become core memories, while even picky palates won’t be able to resist a real-deal Lowcountry boil.

Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean Oak Resort Hilton Head : A 10-minute walk from Coligny Beach Park, the Hilton Grand Vacation Club gives families access to suites the size of apartments, an oceanfront pool and bar and a picnic area with charcoal grills for cooking up crowd-pleasing burgers.

The Inn & Club At Harbour Town, Sea Pines Resort : At the top-rated luxury hotel on Hilton Head Island, guests can expect elegantly furnished accommodations that are still child-friendly, seasonal beach concierge service at the Sea Pines Beach Club and a first-class golf course.

Harbour Town Sea Pines Condo : Because this villa doesn’t share any walls with neighbors, it’s a super quiet and private pick for families. The view overlooking a lagoon with fountains lends extra tranquility to the overnight experience—perhaps enough to inspire kiddos to sleep through the night.

South Padre Island

Sunrise at Isla Blanca Park, South Padre Island Texas USA

South Padre Island, Texas

Who Will Love It: Beachgoers; water sports enthusiasts; wildlife peepers

All-Star Attractions: Sea Turtle, Inc.; South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center; Laguna Madre Nature Trail

What Not To Miss: Marveling at the largest outdoor sandcastle in the United States

Where To Stay: Best Western Beachside Inn ; Coastal Shores Condo ; Beachfront Condo

Keen to trade screen time for beautiful beaches, watersports and nature-based attractions? South Padre Island, a Texas resort town on the 34-mile barrier island that shares its name, packs a punch in terms of family-friendly activities. Summer is the best time to experience the calm waters, white sands and boogie boarding at South Padre Island Beach. Animal lovers won’t want to miss Sea Turtle, Inc., South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, as well as the Laguna Madre Nature Trail. After days full of sun, sea and seeing local wildlife, toss on a tee-shirt and grab something to eat at one of the easygoing local restaurants.

Best Western Beachside Inn : It’s easy to understand why families gravitate toward the Best Western Beachside Inn. The rooms are clean and comfortable. With rates starting at $100 per night, it’s an excellent value, and you can’t beat the location right by seafood favorite Blackbeards'.

Coastal Shores Condo : This beachy boho ground floor unit comes with a lot of family-friendly amenities—including a newly renovated kitchen with all new appliances, a huge balcony to soak up the views with kiddos nap, two parking passes and a shared pool with loungers and umbrellas.

Beachfront Condo : This condo gives guests two bedrooms and a queen sleeper sofa, so there’s plenty of room for everyone to snooze. Access to a playground, outdoor pool, and tennis and basketball courts is an awesome bonus.

MYSTIC, CT - DECEMBER 17: cute buildings and shops downtown Mystic, on December 17, 2017 in Mystic, CT USA

Mystic, Connecticut

Who Will Love It: History buffs; foodies; budding marine biologists

All-Star Attractions: Mystic Aquarium; Mystic Seaport Museum; Downtown Mystic

What Not To Miss: Seeing beluga whales at the Mystic Aquarium

Where To Stay: The Whaler's Inn ; Hyatt Place Mystic ; Downtown Mystic Apartment

The 19th-century whaling village of Mystic has evolved into a coastal New England tourism darling that’s become increasingly popular with families. You could (and should) block an entire day to learn about maritime history at the Mystic Seaport Museum, while kids and parents alike will be mesmerized by the giant beluga whales, sea lions and other fascinating underwater creatures at the Mystic Aquarium. Beautiful summer weather calls for paddle boarding, kayaking and boat rides. Be sure to carve out some time to stroll around the lively downtown, snap frame-worthy photos on the drawbridge and grab a pie at Nana’s Bakery & Pizza.

The Whaler's Inn : Featuring stylish rooms and suites spread across five adjacent buildings, a kid-approved on-site restaurant that serves farm-to-fork fare and a convenient location near all the must-see sights, The Whaler's Inn is by far the best choice for families in downtown.

Hyatt Place Mystic : Clean rooms, an outdoor swimming pool and a location near the Mystic Aquarium make the Hyatt Place a great option for families looking to explore. Even with the uptick of travelers in the peak of summer, rates remain reasonable.

Downtown Mystic Apartment : For families who like to be in the middle of the action, this light-filled downtown apartment satisfies. It’s right by the iconic draw bridge and has three bedrooms, a full kitchen and use of a backyard with a patio and barbecue.

About Lindsay Cohn, Your U.S. Family Summer Vacations Guide

I'm a travel journalist with over a decade of professional experience writing, editing, and jet-setting. My passion for seeing the world has taken me to 46 countries across six continents—and counting. Whether I’m exploring somewhere new or returning to a familiar favorites, I’m always vetting the best boutique hotels, wine bars and juice shops. When I'm not writing, you can find me doing yoga, hanging with my son and planning a trip to one of the destinations on my ever-growing bucket list. In addition to Forbes Vetted, my work has appeared on Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, InsideHook, The Zoe Report, Hotels Above Par, Tripadvisor, PureWow, ELLE Decor and more.

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Elderly American couple stranded in Spain after Norwegian Cruise ship left without them

They missed the boat — literally.

An elderly American couple was left behind by Norwegian Cruise Line in Spain this week after they returned late to the ship and the vessel refused to wait for them — despite it routinely departing behind schedule during the voyage.

“I am a very experienced traveler and have probably been on as many as 30 cruises during my lifetime,” Salt Lake City resident Richard Gordon, 84, told CNN.

“Never before have we ever missed catching a ship on time at a port. So we are not someone who abuses the system.”

Gordon and his wife Claudene, 81, had gone on an independently booked excursion to view the city of Grenada while their ship, Viva, was docked in Motril on Monday. Due to a rainstorm, they ran late for the 5:30 p.m. all-aboard time ahead of a scheduled 6 p.m. departure.

At 5:45 p.m. the Gordons, who were taking the cruise to celebrate Richard’s 85th birthday this week, notified a relative on board that they were running late but were nearby.

The family member was told that the Viva had to leave on time and would not wait. By the time the octogenarians arrived at 6:10 p.m., the boat had left the harbor, Gordon told the outlet.

“Our cruise began in Lisbon and we departed from Lisbon about one and a half hours after the scheduled departure at 4 p.m.,” he claimed.

“Then the next night or two, at least a half-hour late from the dock, so it is clear that they do not always leave on the exact moment scheduled.”

When the Viva set sail, the Gordons were left without their medication, eyeglasses and spare hearing aid batteries, which were on board.

Back in Salt Lake City, their daughter Marilee Baker, stayed up into the wee hours of the morning trying to book her parents a flight to Palma de Mallorca, where the boat was making its next call Wednesday morning, according to CNN.

The Gordons claim Norwegian didn’t make first contact with them until late Tuesday, and by the time they got to Mallorca, they were met with a luxury taxi service to bring them to the Viva.

“They picked us up at the hotel in a beautiful black BMW limousine to take us to the ship. There we were met by the head of ship services who escorted us inside the ship to meet the general manager of the ship, then they escorted us to breakfast, then they escorted us to our cabin,” Gordon told CNN, adding the boat blamed the Motril harbormaster, who they said was supposed to organize travel with the couple.

Despite their reception, Gordon said the boat’s failure to communicate with them left a sour taste in their mouth.

“The ship had not contacted us directly for two days so that doesn’t speak so well for them,” he said.

Norwegian Cruise Line disputed the couple’s account of what happened, telling The Post they were a full hour behind the 5:30 p.m. all-aboard time, and that it tried numerous times without success to contact the couple after they were left behind.

“After several attempts to contact these guests with the phone numbers provided, as well as trying to phone their emergency contact, we were unable to speak to them directly. However, we worked closely with the local port agents to make arrangements for the guests to rejoin the vessel,” a Norwegian Cruise Lines spokesperson said.

“It is important to note that a delayed departure has the potential to impact the ship’s ability to deliver its planned itinerary and thus influence the experience for all guests onboard. While this was a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time.”  

The Gordons are the second set of passengers to complain about being left behind by Norwegian Cruise Lines in just a month.

Earlier in April, nine passengers — including six Americans — missed their boat in Africa and were left to fend for themselves to catch up with the boat in Senegal.

The passengers — including a paraplegic person and an elderly man with a heart condition — were left stranded on the island without any belongings like money, medicine and necessary travel documents.

Norwegian reimbursed some costs they endured while trying to make it back onto the ship, the cruise line said .

Though not waiting for passengers late by their own doing is a common procedure on cruise ships , Norwegian has faced scrutiny in recent weeks after one of the passengers left behind in Africa had recently suffered a stroke and was sent to the hospital when the ship departed.