The Explore All 50 States Project
Let's Go!
Sadly in our haste to start our day on our way to Appomattox Courthouse and Monticello we bolted out of Richmond without stopping to explore the beautiful and historic state capitol building (yes, I am still kicking myself over that one). PBS's WTTW ranks Virginia's capitol building as it's #1 building that changed America. Since I can't give you a personal account (kicking myself again), I will turn this post over … [Read more...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
And now back from our latest road trip it's time to update top 10 ice cream list. Ice cream is our sweet tooth obsession and we try it wherever we go. Having now covered 46 of the 50 states here are our all time faves. Luscious flavors, chunky mix-ins and yummy swirls are so tough to resist-and sometimes top quality brings out the best in simple flavors. Here's our best of the best guide-try any of these and we … [Read more...]
One of the first things my kids and I do as we plan a road trip is to find out what is the city's top ice cream spot. Doing a little digging and reading the reviews, all arrows pointed to the Charmery as a place we just had to check out. Interestingly enough, Lilia's college friends based in Baltimore hadn't heard of it so we sent them to do a little reconnaissance and they came back with huge thumbs up. It just goes … [Read more...]
