The Explore All 50 States Project
Let's Go!
Making the pilgrimage to Gettysburg, by far the most famous battleground of the Civil War will undoubtedly draw you in making you feel the enormity of the loss. But honestly, it's the less famous battlefields that will most likely touch your heart and leave you fascinated and heartbroken at the same time. We would have missed Chancellorsville had it not been for Joel screaming at me to pull over as we … [Read more...]
I know lots of folks travel at holiday time and every now and then we will too, but most times we like to host the big holiday meals at our home. Years ago, in an effort to create an evening that was not only tasty but also lots of fun, I like created a game for everyone to play. Some years it was Family Feud, but I've also done Wheel of Fortune, Match Game, Hollywood Squares just to name a few. Though there … [Read more...]
Have you got some sports nuts in your travel posse? Sometimes it's hard to get everyone excited about traveling, and even if they're up for it, not everyone wants to do museums and historical stuff all the time-and I count myself in that group too..lol. Here's a great way to get your ardent sports fans excited about road trip travel and connect on a whole other level. Whether it's major league baseball, … [Read more...]
I’ve been pretty successful at putting off traveling during the holidays for the last couple of years much to the dismay of my three children who did not waste a moment in letting me know they were bored out of their skulls. Even with local activities planned it was hard to make the most of their time off, so for the second time I am relenting and planning another winter ski trip to rendezvous with friends in Park … [Read more...]
Have you ever seen the state of Maryland's flag? It's a wild and colorful design. And that's just the way I feel about Maryland, it's got loads of personality-historical and eclectic. Maryland is at once urban, rural and even wild. It's urban core is definitely Baltimore- deeply historical, and both traditional and artsy all at the same time. Just leave Baltimore and you'll encounter is rural roots, hosts … [Read more...]
My kids and I love exploring state capitol buildings for the architecture-my kids always run first and foremost to the rotunda to check out the design of the dome-but also for the amazing historical artifacts related to the state's history. Some are truly beautiful and others are just "plain janes" with no personality. While the Maryland statehouse was not particularly visually captivating, it was probably the most … [Read more...]
It was a sweltering day, but that didn't stop us from checking out the awesome U.S. Naval Academy. A word of warning though, security is super tight so if you too plan on visiting, be prepared to flash your license and answer any and all questions. BTW, they won't let you park on the premises so do what we did and find some street parking on the cheap a block or two away. After passing through the metal … [Read more...]
This morning my middle son, Isaac, left for a college application seminar at his school. I still find it hard to believe, Isaac-the little boy with the infectious laugh is now a senior in high school and about to pen that rite of passage-the college essay. When my kids and I embarked on this project to explore all 50 states 11 years ago I hadn't even thought about how all these adventures and memories might come … [Read more...]
Immigration has been in the news quite a bit lately, from the plight of mothers and children held at detention centers, to the deportation or lack thereof of illegal immigrants who commit crimes, immigration is the hot topic du jour. Candidates for president are bringing this issue to the forefront and it really made me reflect on what I saw on our last trip (trip #16) when we visited Ellis Island-the now closed … [Read more...]
When I told my kids our first stop was Baltimore they were a little put off with images of gritty city life with run down streets. I will admit Baltimore does have some sort or tough urban reputation to those not in the know but once we set foot in the city any illusions we had were quickly shattered. We found ourselves in a beautiful city rich with cultural heritage and diversity set against the backdrop of deeply … [Read more...]
