The Explore All 50 States Project
Let's Go!
In the big apple you can get hot dogs on just about any street corner but for a unique experience, you can do what we did and head on over to Gray’s Papaya-an interesting combination of hot doggery and tropical juice stand. Weird I know, but hugely poplar. There’s always a line here so queue up and place your order. We ordered some basic dogs which you can get with or without onions. From there add your … [Read more...]
There are a few foods that scream iconic New York and one of those is the pastrami sandwich. While there are numerous deli's on the island of Manhattan, none are more famous than Katz's Deli. And so of course it was on our list of must try's. Located on the lower east side, the bastion of deli cuisine is always packed. You can't make a reservation, you just walk in, get a ticket and either wait for a table to sit … [Read more...]
New York has the most amazing museums and is home to what is probably thought to be the premiere art museum in the USA. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is definitely the most visited and it is on the DO NOT MISS list of any trip to New York City. Since we were on a whirlwind tour of the city we really didn't have enough time to really appreciate it. In fact the kids and I all agreed we could easily have spent a … [Read more...]
My kids and I are huge fans of modern art. Modern art is often visually "fun" and very often thought provoking and we are always interested in trying to figure out what the artist was trying to say in his or her piece. Let's face it, any time I can get my teenagers to engage in any kind of discussion is a coup. It's for that reason we (and me especially) were particularly excited to check out MOMA, New York's … [Read more...]
There is not much more disappointing than being really excited about something on your road trip and finding out it falls way short of your expectations. Located on Wall Street, I was super pumped to check out the Museum of Finance, particularly since tours of the New York Stock Exchange are now off limits. I was excited to learn with my kids all about the exchanges, commodities, stocks, bonds and all about the … [Read more...]
Is there anything more "New York City" than a ride on the Subway? After riding on this amazing feat of engineering, I am convinced the city would come to a complete halt without this modern marvel. What a fast and convenient way to get around the city especially when traffic is bad. If you are visiting, it is definitely a must try experience. Like anything new, it was a little confusing at first but thanks to … [Read more...]
So I have to admit when we arrived in Intercourse and then Bird In Hand which are towns next to each other in Pennsylvania Dutch Country my kids were really taken aback to see real buggies on the road with Amish folks, sometimes younger kids "driving". Of course they'd seen photos and stuff on television but somehow it was quite different seeing them in person going about their daily lives. I think my kids were … [Read more...]
Nowhere is theater such a huge part of a city's culture than New York and a trip would not be complete without taking in one of the incredible productions on Broadway. There are so many to choose from and I have no doubt like me you'll find something to suit you and your traveling companions' taste. Wanting to stick with our state theme of visiting New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania-we lucked out and scored … [Read more...]
There is nothing that can prepare you for the solemnity and enormity of Gettysburg National Military Park. Visiting here was something I had looked forward to ever since taking on our goal of seeing all 50 states 13 years ago. But I could never have imagined what an incredible experience it would be with kids in high school-particularly enrolled in A.P. U.S. History. My kids and I would agree it was the highlight of … [Read more...]
One of the best ways to take in the Manhattan skyline is via a harbor cruise and what better time than sunset to watch the colors light up the statue of liberty and the iconic skyscrapers. Circle Line cruises offers a sunset cruise around lower Manhattan and my kids and I give the experience a rousing thumbs up. Located off of the 42st. Street pier near Hell's Kitchen, we found this a great way to cap off a day of … [Read more...]
