The Explore All 50 States Project
Let's Go!
If you could meet one person from any period in history who would it be? For me that person would be none other than George Washington, our founding father and true renaissance man. There is no doubt in my mind that George Washington was a humble man of great integrity, but also and incredibly strong leader who ably carried the establishment of our great nation on his shoulders. When you look at portraits … [Read more...]
I have always considered myself a proud and patriotic American committed to the ideals on which this country was founded. My heart has always swelled at the thought of the land of the free and the home of the brave where generations descended from the Pilgrims to new immigrants and everyone in between could work toward a brighter future and a better life for their children. I am very sad to admit as this election … [Read more...]
So much of this trip was a sobering reality check that left us understanding the bitter divide between North and South and the everyday souls who endured so much for their cause. Often times words could not describe our feelings looking at the battlefields and learning the personal stories of brave Americans, from decorated generals to those barely old enough to enlist. But not everything on this trip revolved around … [Read more...]
Here we are in the midst of spring break and I am busy planning our final road trip in which we will set foot in our 50th state. Wow...I can hardly believe it. It's only taken us 12 years and 17 trips but our journey is nearly complete. When we embarked on this epic adventure my kids were 4, 6 and 7, today they are 16, 18 and 20. People often say "Where has the time gone" when they find their children have grown, … [Read more...]
It's not every day that you get to have dinner at a place that has been in business since 1770. The chance to go back in time and dine just like former prominent customers John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Madison, and the Marquis de Lafayette to name just a few was simply irresistible to me and my crew. We were a little skeptical going to a place that trades on it's historic significance so our … [Read more...]
If you are planning to visit Arlington, you are most likely going to follow the signs from Arlington National Cemetery that lead up to the house on the hill with the extraordinary view. If you visit during the summer like we did, your are likely to experience some extreme heat and humidity, so the chance to get into some shade indoors will feel like a welcome break. Arlington House is the former home of General … [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...]
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...]
What a thrill it was to stand in the shadows of the New York Stock Exchange. Unfortunately that is about as close as we were able to get since security has now been totally beefed up. You can no longer take a tour and watch the action let alone get within 100 ft. of the building. Even so, the energy of the place was still palpable in spite of all the foreign tourists with the selfie sticks snapping away. When we … [Read more...]
Ben Franklin is one of my heroes. If I had to pick one person in history to meet and spend time with it would either be him or George Washington. I can't even begin to tell you what a treat it was to learn and explore all about him at the Ben Franklin Museum which is adjacent to the grounds of where his house once stood in Philadelphia's historic district. What a fun and interesting museum that enthralled all of us … [Read more...]
