The Explore All 50 States Project
Let's Go!
There are many ways to see the Napali Coast, which is inaccessible by land. You can sail on a catamaran with about 30-50 folks, or you can go on a motorized inflatable zodiac raft with about 12 folks on a super bumpy ride. Any way you slice it, it's going to be expensive (about $150 per adult and $100 per kid) and an activity that is going to take some time (4 hours at the minimum). I don’t know what possessed … [Read more...]
Fly fishing for salmon on the Kenai river was one of the highlights of our entire trip. The only way I can describe being out on the river, at one with nature, is complete nirvana! It was not only a fun experience, but I felt as if my spiritual batteries had been recharged. It was an extremely special activity that my kids and I will never forget and one that I can't recommend highly enough if you get the chance to … [Read more...]
Alaska is one of the last truly wild places in the US but sometimes even Mother Nature needs a little boost. There is a huge demand for wild Alaskan salmon (in fact it is against the law farm any kind of fish in Alaska) so in order to make sure the stocks are not depleted, non-profits like the Macauley Salmon Hatchery are hatching salmon and releasing them in the wild. This is sometimes called "ocean ranching". … [Read more...]
One of Mississippi's biggest industries along the gulf coast is shrimping. If you've watched the movie Forrest Gump, then you've seen how Forrest and his friend Bubba buy a shrimp boat and go into the shrimping business starting the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. Since shrimping is so important to this area we thought it would be just fantastic to take a shrimp boat tour and learn all about these creatures who play … [Read more...]
As traveling explorers, our mission was to learn and understand all about Alaska,-it's history, resources, culture and economy, and the Alaska Sea Life Center was a great opportunity to do just that. A large part of Alaska's economy involves the catching and processing of a variety of fish and seafood that is sold to local, domestic and international markets. We very often take for granted the food that ends up on … [Read more...]
Lobster fishing is a pretty big deal in Maine since Lobster is one of those things Maine is most famous for. Lobster is on the menu of just about every restaurant and folks stand in lines for some of the more famous lobster roll stands. We don't eat lobster (we only eat fish with both fins and scales because of our dietary restrictions) but I still felt it would be "wicked awesome" to go lobster fishing. Online … [Read more...]
Yes, I know Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World is a retail store, but this is such a fun, quirky stop that I highly recommend it as an activity everyone will enjoy. These ginormous superstores have everything you need to hunt, fish, catch, and cook and camp—a go-to stop for EVERYTHING you need to enjoy the great outdoors. Need a jerky cooker? no problem, need a cammo onesie for your toddler-they've got you covered. … [Read more...]
The Valley City Fish Hatchery was one of those places where we needed a stop to break up a long car ride and there wasn't much else to see or do in the area. We checked it out and were really surprised at how unexpectedly cool, interesting, and educational it was. Apparently, fish hatcheries like this one grow baby fish to release into the lakes and rivers in the surrounding areas to help the ecosystem and to … [Read more...]
The Bonneville Dam was by far one of most fascinating and memorable things on this road trip. This was a super educational stop on two fronts. First we learned all about hydro-electric power, how the power of the rushing water in the river turns the turbines to create electricity for people to use. Secondly, we also learned about salmon, one of our favorite fish to eat. These two things came together here because the … [Read more...]
The Columbia River is home to tons of salmon that swim upstream to spawn and then head back out to the ocean. It is so beautiful and picturesque and we thought one of the best ways to see it was to take a ride on an old fashioned paddle wheel steamboat. Out on the deck we listened to the narrated tour which clued us in to the history of the area and the native wildlife. During the season a limited number of … [Read more...]
