The Explore All 50 States Project
Let's Go!
Now that my kids and I have officially set foot in and explored all 50 states I am constantly asked "So...what are you gonna do next-start visiting every country? While that sounds like a truly amazing goal...um, I don't think that's going to be happening for me and my kids. For starters, we will no longer be blocking out 12-13 days of summer for the obligatory road trip which as my kids have gotten older has sort of … [Read more...]
Hiking medallions are my new souvenir obsession. I had no idea these even existed until I came across one at Harper's Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia. So what are they and what are they for? Serious hikers use a walking stick and these medallions are cool collectibles to show fellow hiker's where you've been. The medallion comes with two super tiny nails. If you've got a walking stick like the … [Read more...]
If you've been following my adventures you know my kids and I are huge collectors of squish pennies. Yep, after 13 years, we are still at it with volumes of books to show for our travels. We still love collecting them, but something shiny and new caught my eye on our last two trips that I want to share with you. Thinking I was heading toward a squish penny machine at Ellis Island, I came upon a machine that sold … [Read more...]
I'm sure you've figured out by now if you've been reading my blog, that I am a sucker for those wacky family photo opportunities and seek them out everywhere we go. One of my all time favorites was a portrait drawn by this photo booth contraption called "Leonardo" (which I'm assuming is named for Leonardo DaVinci) that we happened to discover at Adventure Landing in Dallas-a really cool family fun zone type of place … [Read more...]
Who doesn’t love souvenirs? Everyone wants something special to remember the trip, but nobody wants the excess baggage. When you’re traveling with a posse of kids and parents, those souvenirs can add up and weigh you down. I don’t have room in my car for a bunch of souvenirs, and I certainly don’t want to lug that stuff across the country. So here’s what I got my kids into—the best souvenir that … [Read more...]
There's not much more that screams New York City than Times Square. The neon lights, the masses of people, the rush of yellow taxicabs-this is the biggest tourist mecca in the city and it's a DO NOT MISS! You never know what you'll find here and it's a feast for the eyes (maybe not so much your sense of smell). All kinds of companies host events here and do promotional stunts, concerts, you name it. When we … [Read more...]
I'm sure you've seen this a million times. You head to an attraction and at some point during the visit you get attacked by a photographer plying you to take a free photo which you can buy if you like it before you leave. The first thought that goes through your head is "heck no-I'm not getting suckered into shelling out big bucks for a photo where we all look beyond ridiculous." I had the same reaction until I … [Read more...]
One of the all time coolest and most meaningful souvenirs we've gotten on any trip are the Native American fetishes we purchased on our trip to New Mexico. If you are like me, when you hear the word fetish you think of a weird obsession with sexual overtones like a foot fetish. Fetishes are also amulets or good luck charms and every culture has them. In Native American culture fetishes are small stones or other … [Read more...]
How to preserve and display your family travels to keep memories alive, spark conversations and give everyone in the family a chance to brag (just a little) In as much as I’ve tried to create a family history by traveling to all 50 states, it’s really hard to keep those memories alive as they must compete with the day to day chaos that makes up our lives. I felt it was really important for my children to … [Read more...]
