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Independence Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Assembly Room
Pennsylvannia

Touring Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell

If you’re heading to Philadephia, be sure to add a visit to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell to your list of stops. On our East Coast road trip one June, we made it a priority as we made our way from Maine to Washington, D.C. Our arrival time was planned for the evening, so we’d have to save official touring for the next morning. For the night, we stayed across the street at the beautiful and fascinating Kimpton Hotel Monaco. This beautifully quirky hotel put us right where we needed to be for our tour of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell the next morning. Even better, the location allowed us to take an evening stroll around the very buildings where our country was born. This was the perfect hotel for staying in Old City. In fact, it’s one of my favorites of anywhere we’ve stayed.on our adventures. Touring…

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Manzanar National Historic Site, Japanese Internment Camp, Lone Pine California
California

Visiting Manzanar National Historic Site

Everyone should visit Manzanar. The lessons within its borders are necessary. I didn’t know Japanese Internment during World War II was something that happened until well after high school graduation. I’d never heard the slightest murmur of such things all through high school, and I took advanced history classes. At 22, I’d moved to Front Royal, Virginia, a small town about an hour from Washington, D.C. One December day in 1997, I had the opportunity to visit the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of American History. Fortunately, I’d visited twice before as a child and a teenager. It was a favorite of mine, and I looked forward to seeing the First Ladies’ exhibit and the pop culture section. Imagine my confusion when I stumbled into a portion of the museum that looked like a neighborhood in California. Shops and restaurants in this replica San Francisco street were closed and boarded up,…

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Hawthorne Hotel Salem, Massachusetts
Massachusetts

A Night at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Massachusetts

As we planned our summer East Coast road trip, we knew we wanted to spend some time in Salem. Initially, we set aside two nights for our visit, though arrival day and departure day would involve a lot of traveling. We narrowed our accommodations down to two places–the Hawthorne Hotel and the Salem Inn. In the end, I picked the Salem Inn because it was the hotel was divided among three historic homes in Salem, The rooms had been converted to suites, and we would have a separate bedroom and a kitchenette. Why I am talking about choosing the Salem Inn in a post about the Hawthorne Hotel? Well, as luck would have it, we ended up staying at both! As our time in Salem drew near, I started second-guessing how much time we’d truly have in Salem and if I’d allowed enough time for everything we wanted to do;…

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Nashville Hearse Tour Nashville Ghost Tours
Tennesse

Nashville Haunted Hearse Tour with Nashville Ghost Tours

A ghost tour is a great way to learn more about a city, and the Haunted Hearse Tour with Nashville Ghost Tours was the perfect way to do just that. An evening tour is also a great way to beat the summer heat. That’s why, one warm July evening, my family signed on for one of our more unusual ghost tours–hearing ghostly tales from the back of a modified hearse. The Nashville Haunted Hearse Tour Begins The tour begins in the parking lot of the Union Station Hotel. We arrived early for our tour, and a couple of other parties arrived at around the same time. We waited in the parking lot in downtown Nashville, a few blocks from the river. It’s right on Broadway, down from the famous nightlife area. We weren’t exactly sure what to expect, but soon our Nashville Ghost Tours hearse pulled up. After our tour…

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Bar Harbor, Maine
Maine

Two Nights in Bar Harbor, Maine

.Bar Harbor is one of those delightful seaside villages that looks and feels just like you think it would., from fishing boats in the harbor to walkable streets selling local wares. We made our first trek into Maine during our East Coast road trip in July of 2023, and the state quickly became one of the most memorable and enjoyable stops on our 23-day journey. Would I return to Bar Harbor, or anywhere in Maine? Absolutely! Read on to see how we spent about 48 hours in this enchanting seaside town. Staying at Bar Harbor Manor When planning these epic road trips, we often start with lodging, often about a year out. At first, the KOA campground in Bar Harbor had our attention. Though we don’t currently have an RV, we often stay in the cabins in these campgrounds across the country. We were excited that it was waterfront, and…

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The White House
Back East

Touring the White House in Washington, D.C.

If you’re hoping to see the White House during your Washington, D.C., trip, you’re not alone. Over a million people tour the White House, also known as President’s Park, each year. Planning Your White House Visit Planning a trip to Washington, D.C., can seem, at first, overwhelming. There are so many things to see and do, and if you’re visiting for a few days, there is no way you’re going to see everything. You’ll have to decide what your priorities are, and then the true planning begins. Most attractions in D.C., though often free, have ticket and reservation requirements, and keeping track of everything can be daunting. If you’ve decided to try for a tour of the White House, you’ll have some steps to complete. And even if you complete the steps correctly, you’re not guaranteed a tour. Even if you get that confirmation and all seems like a go,…

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Extraterrestrial Highway
Nevada

Driving the Extraterrestrial Highway: Warm Springs to Crystal Springs

If you’re looking for a stretch of remote highway that sparks a tone of mystery combined with fun oddities, the Extraterrestrial  Highway is your road trip destination. Also known as Highway 375, this remote road is famous for its supposed UFO sightings and being the highway that gives access to the gravel entrances to Area 51. What could be more fun than quirky alien merch and possibly being arrested by military police? Sign us up! The Adventure Begins Our adventure along the Extraterrestrial Highway was part of an extended road trip we took to California from Missouri. On our journey. we’d just spent a couple of nights in Yosemite National Park followed by a stay at the Clown Motel in Tonopah, Nevada. You can click here to read about our stay at the Yosemite Valley Lodge and here to read more about the Clown Motel. After the night at the…

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A Christmas Story House, Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio

An Afternoon at the A Christmas Story House

If you’re heading to the Cleveland area, why not put the A Christmas Story House on your must-do list? Full disclosure: A Christmas Story is not my favorite Christmas movie. I first saw it at a Christmas party at church in middle school. Over the years, the movie found its way to my parents’ TV, especially if my sister was around. She loves this movie, and she made the trek to see the house long before we did. Still, I like the movie enough and it’s found its way into popular culture. When we had the chance, we made the stop. And I’m glad we did. You don’t have to be a super fan to enjoy the nostalgia of Christmas past that is oozing from this place. If you love Christmas like I do, you’ll have a good time. If you’re into cinema history, that’s also a good reason to…

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Plimoth Patuxet Museums
Back East

Our Day at Plymouth Rock and Plimoth Patuxet Museums

What do you think of when you think of Plymouth Rock? Like everyone else, as a child, I’d heard stories about the Mayflower and the Pilgrims, and I’d imagined this huge rock marking the historic event of when the Pilgrims landed. Over the years, I’d heard that the rock wasn’t all that large. And I’d heard that the site of the rock wasn’t all that amazing. Did that detour us from checking it out? Nope! In July of 2023, we embarked on a huge road trip that started in Missouri, went up to Niagara Falls, then crossed over to Maine. From there, we made our way down the coast to Washington, D.C. This amazing trip took us past many historic sites that shaped the creation of our country. How could we resist Plymouth Rock? The answer is, we couldn’t. When I discovered that you could also visit Plimoth Patuxet, a…

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