The Explore All 50 States Project
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There is no greater compliment to the hustle and bustle of New York City than the lush green swath known as Central Park. It's the perfect foil to the concrete and skyscrapers that define the city bringing balance, tranquility and and boundless opportunities to connect with nature and fellow New Yorkers. Bravo to the city fathers who saw the importance of the large expanse of green space and who preserved from … [Read more...]
Another truly modern marvel, The Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge is the highest suspension bridge in the world, hanging 956 feet high and spanning a quarter mile across the canyon. Unfortunately this is one of those stops where I just didn't have the time to fully explore-we just took a peek. The park also has rides, shows, and other attractions that sadly we missed to, but if you have the time, this is a great place … [Read more...]
Planning a road trip through a big city like Los Angeles, Chicago, or New York City where you'll need more than one day to check it out? How do you figure out how to manage your time to see as many things as you can? I found myself in that predicament recently in planning our 16th road trip to New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In this post I'll show you step by step how I planned and plotted my way to an … [Read more...]
There are many ways to take in the storied Brooklyn Bridge. You can walk across it, cruise under it, or just take it in from the shore. We opted for option number three which we recommend from the Brooklyn side where you can enjoy some ice cream or pizza at Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory or Juliana's while you stroll along with the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop to the beautiful bridge. The first thing I thought … [Read more...]
A true Brooklyn original and a local favorite, this is a pizza you just go to try. Like anywhere in Brooklyn, parking may be a bit of a challenge but don't be discouraged, it's all totally worth it. Beyond the deliciousness of the pizza and adding to the whole experience, the local ambiance is straight out of a movie. This place has been around since 1939 so they must be doing something right! For the uninitiated, … [Read more...]
If you are exploring Times Square, this is a great place to park it for some good eats. If you love pasta and Italian fare you will definitely dig Tony's. Make sure you make a reservation on OpenTable.com though because it's quite popular and not just with the tourists. The ambiance inside feels like an old speakeasy with big booths and tables and old chandeliers and cool caricature paintings on the walls. My … [Read more...]
There were many things I was excited to learn more about on our road trip to New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, but by far the one of the things I was most looking forward to was a visit to Ellis Island. So many of us from immigrant stock (myself included) can trace our ancestors first stop here on their way to their new life in America. Although no longer in use as an immigrant processing facility a total of 12 … [Read more...]
There is no better way to see the Statue of Liberty than just the way those incoming immigrants saw her on a boat in the harbor. Thankfully you can do that from two locations, one from New York City at Battery Park, and also at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. There are several tours to choose from but be forewarned, the crown tour sells out months in advance because there are a limited number of … [Read more...]
My kids and I were so excited to check out Thomas Edison's lab but sadly we never made it. First off our GPS took us to Thomas Edison's home in Edison NJ also known as Menlo Park about one hour south. Upon realizing our mistake, we also realized I had lost my wallet at Ellis Island and made a beeline back the Statue of Liberty Cruise at Liberty State Park. What a nightmare. By the time we got what we could sorted … [Read more...]
Road trips can be really educational with all the museum and historic sites but it's super important to let kids get their ya-yas out once and awhile and just let them play and have fun. Balance is key for creating a memorable trip that everyone will enjoy-so if you are traveling with kids be sure to include at least one thing that they can really look forward to and talk it up before you leave that way everyone is … [Read more...]
