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Boston Tea Party Museum
In Massachusetts

Visit the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

We’d like to thank Historic Tours of Boston for sponsoring our visit to the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum. As always, all opinions are honest and our own. If you’ve followed our blog for any time at all, you’d know that we love learning more about history as we travel the United States. Our trip to Boston was no different. Every corner of the city seems to be a location of historic significance. When we discovered there was an interactive museum that focused on the Boston Tea Party, we couldn’t wait to go! We didn’t know what to expect, but it turns out, the whole experience was a lot of fun. Everyone who visits the museum becomes part of the story, and the museum turned out to be a highlight of our family’s visit to Boston. Arriving at the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum Our stop in Boston…

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Andrew Jackson's Hermitage
In Tennesse

Visiting Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage

If you’re in the Nashville area, be sure to make a stop at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage. This home of the seventh president of the United States is a great way to get a glimpse of life in the early 1800s. While Andrew Jackson’s legacy is complicated, I always want to learn more and teach my kids about American history. Make no mistake, Jackson’s views on Black people and American Indians are absolutely abhorrent. My heart breaks when we visit plantations where enslaved people worked and lived. I’m sick to my stomach when learning more about the atrocities committed against American Indians, including Jackson’s removal policies and the Trail of Tears.  But somehow, avoiding the history of what happened doesn’t seem right. We have to learn from the past to move forward. Pretending it didn’t happen or “wasn’t that bad” is not an option. So, we visit historical sites and learn…

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Waylan's Ku-Ku Burger
In Oklahoma

Stopping By Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger on Route 66 in Miami

If you’re driving Route 66 and find yourself in Miami, Oklahoma, be sure to stop at Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger. This iconic drive-in hamburger joint opened in 1965, and it wasn’t long before more restaurants sprang up across the Midwest. Today, only one restaurant remains. The current owner purchased the restaurant in 1973, and he continues to make sure that his customers can come by for a hamburger or a sweet treat. One cloudy day during spring break, Kristin and I decided to make a drive over to Miami to give it a shot. Joplin is only about a half hour away from Miami, but we’d never been.  Incidentally. we only live about two blocks off Route 66 in Joplin. It was time to check out some local history and taste some yummy treats. Initially, I was bummed that our Ku-Ku day was a tad dreary, but really, it made the…

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Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California
In California

A Visit to Monterey Bay Aquarium

When we plan our long road trips, Kristin is always hoping for a chance to see some animals. She was super excited to learn that we’d be visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California, during one of our road trips out west. We love a good aquarium, and Monterey Bay is one of the best in the country. This aquarium is right on the water, which makes a visit there all the better. It’s also on a road in town known as Cannery Row, an old sardine packing district. These details make Monterey Bay Aquarium a unique place to visit. Arriving at Monterey Bay Aquarium At the time of our visit, the aquarium was still operating on a reservation system due to reopening restrictions after Covid-19. We scheduled ahead of time to be sure to get an opening reservation so that we could explore some other attractions later in…

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Yosemite Valley Lodge
In California

Staying at Yosemite Valley Lodge

Yosemite Valley Lodge turned out to be the perfect place to relax on our trip. When planning our trip to Yosemite National Park, one of the first things we narrowed down was lodging. Since national park lodging can fill up early, it’s best to plan your trip a year out or more. And though I would’ve loved to stay at the flagship lodge, The Awahnee, it’s a little pricy. Since we were on a three-week road trip, we chose a more economical choice this time–Yosemite Valley Lodge. On this road trip, we’d already had several adventures that included four national parks–Grand Canyon, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Death Valley. We’d also been to some great cities (and towns) in California–Lone Pine, Monterey, and San Francisco. Even after all those experiences, we still were awed by the sheer beauty of Yosemite. It’s like no other place we’ve seen. Arriving at Yosemite Valley…

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San Juan Insland Washington, Lime Kiln Lighthouse
In Washington

A Day Trip to San Juan Island Near Seattle

Before we began planning a road trip that included a few days in Seattle, I’d never heard of San Juan Island. When I discussed our travel plans at work, a coworker suggested we add San Juan Island to our trip because her sister loved it so much. Well, my coworker’s sister was right! San Juan Island is an adorable place to visit with historic sites, whale-watching opportunities, and beautiful overlooks of the sea. Getting to San Juan Island From Seattle Since we didn’t initially plan to visit San Juan Island, we could only set aside one day for the side trip. To get to the island, you have to take a ferry or a plane.  We opted to go with the more popular and cost-effective option–taking the ferry from Anacortes. Since we’d never driven our car onto a ferry, this turned out to be an adventure unto itself. Anacortes, Washington,…

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Gates Bar-B-Q sandwich
In Missouri

Gates Bar-B-Q: A Kansas City Classic

One spring day, my friend and I decided to make a day trip to Kansas City. Our two goals–The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and some delicious Kansas City barbecue. We set out in the morning from Joplin, Missouri, and we arrived in KC right in time for lunch. I’d never tried Gates Bar-B-Q, and my friend was game. It was on. Gates has several locations in the Kansas City metro area. I’d never seen the 18th and Vine Jazz District, so we punched the location nearest to that area into Google Maps. We walked around the historic area, vowing to return when we could really explore and visit the jazz museum.  In the meantime, the murals were lovely. Street art is such a cool addition to any city. After walking around the area, we were ready to eat. After a short drive, we arrived at the Brooklyn Avenue location. History…

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Colman Theater
In Oklahoma

Touring the Coleman Theater on Historic Route 66

If you’re driving along Route 66 in Oklahoma, be sure to put the historic Coleman Theater on your list of stops. We had the opportunity to tour this gorgeous theater last spring as part of a paranormal conference and ghost tour. The Coleman Theater still hosts shows and touring acts regularly, but if you’re in the area when nothing is scheduled, be sure to give them a call to see if you can arrange a tour. Or, if you’re lucky, if you stop by during typical business hours, you may just score a tour if someone is available. So don’t think you won’t be able to see the inside of this magnificent theater if you didn’t plan ahead. Check it out. And if you’re on the fence about whether you should stop during your Route 66 adventure. read on. You’ll discover why the Coleman Theater is a highlight of Route…

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Big Texan Steak Ranch Amarillo
In Texas

Sampling the Steak at Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo

One of the best things about driving along Route 66 is stopping at all the quirky, historic stops along the way, and Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, fits this description perfectly. Who can resist the challenge of the place–finishing a 72-ounce steak and all the fixings in one hour and getting the meal for free? Turns out, we could resist, but that didn’t stop our family from stopping for lunch on a road trip out west. And let me tell you, the smaller steaks are delicious. Even if you’re not hungry, this place is worth a stop to check out the decor and roadside fun. The Big Texan Steak Ranch and Route 66 The original location of The Big Texan Steak Ranch opened in 1960 along Route 66. When I-40 opened, the location was moved, though it’s worth noting that I-40 mostly runs along Route 66, often parallel…

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