Hey y’all! I’m so so so excited to tell you all about our fall weekend trip to St. Louis, MO! I honestly loved it all, maybe because it was our first big family road trip since March, maybe it was because signs of fall were everywhere. Regardless, if you’re looking for fun family trip ideas, read on!
It’s about a 9 hour drive from us in TX and we got a late start. Jereme and I both worked a half day on Friday. We didn’t arrive at our hotel until midnight, but at least we had 2 full days ahead of us. I’ve stayed at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch both times I’ve visited this city and we LOVE it. We were upgraded to a room with a view of the Arch and were so excited.
The view from our room!
We started off Saturday with a quick coffee and breakfast at the Starbucks located inside the hotel. Then we ventured out to Gateway Arch National Park. The great thing about the hotel is that it is right at the Arch, so we didn’t have to drive to the park! We took photos, ran around with our fur baby, played football with our boys, bought some fresh squeezed lemonade and took in all the fall sights! We drove in in the dark and didn’t realize the trees were changing colors. It looked and felt much different than the TX weather we left behind! We didn’t go inside the Arch on this visit, but my boys and I have done this and it’s an adventure all in itself! The views are amazing and definitely worth it if you want to purchase tickets!
We were located close to the old courthouse where the Dred Scott case was fought. I didn’t know all the details about this case, of course I wasn’t paying attention back in school. But, we visited the courthouse and saw the statue of Dred Scott and his wife Harriet. We also researched the case and I felt like my family and I learned so much about this infamous case and it’s impact on the Civil War. One thing I can say about this city, it’s full of history and I am happy to share this with my boys, especially in light of recent events.
After we left the courthouse, we ventured over to the baseball stadium. It was closed for tours, but there were picnic tables and an outdoor concert going on. We stopped in for a quick beverage and a break. I began looking for activities for the night and Jett suggested a ghost tour since it’s close to Halloween and we love all things creepy!! So, I found a Haunted History Walking Tour that was open to all ages. We met up with our small group at 8 pm at Morgan St. Brewery and had a quick pizza dinner and cappuccino to go. From there we walked a few blocks around the oldest part of the city and listened to the funniest storyteller share the most scary and gruesome stories from St. Louis’s past! Here we learned that the story from The Exorcist movie was real and had actually happened in St. Louis. So, of course we had to find it the next day ha! And did you know that St. Louis is America’s 4th most haunted city? We didn’t, but believe it after all the stories we heard!
The amazingly hilarious storyteller on the Haunted History Walk
The house from the real life exorcist!
The following day we went to President Grant’s home in St. Louis. The Park Ranger leading our tour was so knowledgeable and again, we learned so much about Grant and is humble upbringing and his stance against slavery. We have visited several presidents’ homes, it’s great fun for the whole family.
The acreage around the home was gorgeous!
Finally, we found William Clark’s gravesite. We have stumbled across various historical sites regarding Lewis & Clark’s expeditions so it was really cool to see this memorial at the river and to discover that Clark is buried in St. Louis. My boys were amazed to remember that the last historical site we visited for Lewis & Clark was in Harpers Ferry, WV. It really put their traveling distance in perspective and gave us more to research and learn about these two explorers!
The weekend was wrapped up with a stop at Uranus Fudge Factory in Missouri! We can never drive past this place without laughing and stopping. Great fudge and great taffy make the long drive home better!
We explored, we ate well, we did all the creepy things for October, and left with a wealth of new historical knowledge! I hope you get the opportunity to visit this amazing city. Stay safe out there, friends!
Let me tell you about Jamestown because trust me, it’s ah-mazing! My boys and I traveled over spring break in March and were so very lucky to see so many historical sites before the world basically shut down. My favorite place we visited in Virginia was Jamestown Settlement! I mean, we seriously got to walk where Pocahontas and John Smith lived and made history.
This is another place that I wish I would’ve done more research on before traveling here. Still, we had a wonderful time! I would recommend spending a full day here, there is so much to see and do. Basically, there are two important areas of interest to see and there are signs for both when you enter the area. We weren’t really sure which place had what stuff, so hopefully the information included here will help with your visit!
We visited Historic Jamestowne first. It is the first permanent English Settlement in North America and you can explore ruins and artifacts left behind. There is also an archaeology museum on site. Check out the pictures of our time at Historic Jamestowne below.
Jamestown Settlement is a living history museum which showcases life in a fort in the 1600’s and life in a Powhatan Indian Village. This part was my absolute favorite! There’s an indoor museum on site here, too. We were able to explore an Indian Village to see what day to day life was like for the Native Americans in the region. We then visited the fort to see what the early settlers daily life was like. Finally, we climbed aboard a large docked ship and listened to sailors recreate life on the open seas! This is definitely a time that I wish I would’ve paid more attention in history class!
Jamestown Settlement is located at 2110 Jamestown Rd in Williamsburg, VA. We stayed in Williamsburg and were able to visit Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown during our stay! This is a wonderful family destination and a great experience for all of you history lovers out there!
Did you know that you can sleep in a real train caboose in Kingsland, Texas? This experience was so memorable for my boys, who were both train enthusiasts when they were little.
My boys at the green caboose!
I happened to see this “Train Caboose Hotel” on an add on Facebook many years ago. I knew right away that we had to visit, but I had no idea what this part of Texas was like. I did not do very much research beforehand, but lucky for us there were plenty of things to keep us entertained!
The Antlers Inn is where the train caboose hotel is located. There are three different cabooses to choose from. We stayed in the green caboose on our visit. The Antlers Inn is located in Kingsland, TX which is about 45 minutes from Austin. Kingsland sits along the Colorado River and Lake LBJ. The area is gorgeous, with lake views and the hill country in all directions! There are several different lodging accommodations on this property besides just the train cabooses.
View looking into the caboose from the front door, couch and tv to the left, bunk beds on the right.Master Bedroom Bathroom, there was also a shower! The small kitchen was perfect for the boys! View from the bedroom Jett’s favorite spot in the caboose!
We were also pleasantly surprised with the property grounds. Everything was beautiful and quiet. We saw deer every day and night and we even had a cute fox visit us daily! There are gardens and hiking trails and even a little dock by the lake to hang out at. There was a paddle boat and canoe for guests to use on site! We had an amazing time on our little getaway!
Lots of shade trees all around! Each of the caboose’s had a picnic table outside. The lake area is short walk from the train caboose and inn area. This paddle boat was on site for guests to use. The boys had such a great time at the lake!
We also took advantage of visiting the Longhorn Cavern State Park during our visit. Like I mentioned, we did not really know what was in the area, but there were different road signs and we got information from the front desk when we checked in. My family loves caving, so we knew we had to check this one out and it did not disappoint.
Beautiful stone work at the caverns Entrance to the caverns
If you are looking for a unique experience, be sure to check out the Train Caboose Hotel! Stay safe and healthy out there!
Today I want to tell you all about Glen Rose, Texas! This place has been a favorite of ours for years. The first time I went to Glen Rose, I was a little kid on an adventure with our church. However, the memories lasted forever and Jereme and I visited this area several times before we even had kids. What can I say, I am a huge nerd and love all things DINOSAURS! I know that we haven’t done it all, but we have camped here, tubed the river, saw real dinosaur tracks, experienced Dinosaur World, fed animals at Fossil Rim, and more!
I have combined years worth of fun in this blog post to show you what an amazing destination Glen Rose is!
Dinosaur Valley State Park
This park is one of my all time favorites because you can actually see real dinosaur tracks from millions of years ago! Throw on your swimsuit and rain boots and head to the river to explore, swim, fish, and picnic! The rocks are slippery, so be sure to leave your phone behind or put it in a waterproof case. And don’t forget to check out the preserved dinosaur footprints! At this time, you need reservations to enter the park. You can find more information by clicking here!
Fossil Rim
Your family will love this drive through animal adventure! There are so many animals freely roaming in the park, many of them endangered. Roll down your windows, unbuckle those seat belts, and enjoying feeding animals right from your hand! You can find out more information by clicking here!
Dinosaur World
If you love dinosaurs, this is the place to be! There are hundreds of life-size dinosaurs located around this outdoor park. The trails are fun to explore and there are many opportunities to learn about the different types of dinosaurs and several hands-on experiences. There’s also a museum, gift shop, and playground on site. To learn more, click here!
Big Rocks Park
This is such a neat area, right in the middle of Glen Rose, and it’s FREE to enter. There are a lot of “big rocks” to explore and the Paluxy River runs right through this park. It’s not very deep and it is very slippery, but we really enjoyed the day here. Parking is tricky, there are not a lot of spots, so I would suggest getting here early. There’s also a campground across the street that we have camped at before that is really nice! Pack a picnic lunch and bring a swimsuit and good shoes to explore this area. For more information, click here!
As you can see, Glen Rose is a fun destination for adults and kids of all ages! Be sure to add this to your travel list. We’ve visited Glen Rose for the day, we’ve camped and stayed at a hotel in town! Below is a list of hotels and campgrounds in the area.
Hey y’all! I was going through photos this morning, I’m trying to spruce up our home office area since we’re actually using it now, and I came across these series of photos and had to share again.
A little background – All I wanted was a really fun “jump photo” of my boys at the beach. We were in Galveston and that is my family’s happy place! Well, keep reading to learn how I captured these amazing gems!
First, pick out the time of day and a good location for the shot. I was aiming for a sunset jump pic and I didn’t want a lot of people in the background.
Boys were happy, the sky was beautiful, the background was clear… perfect!
Second, you’ll need to have a countdown, so the person or people you’re photoing will know when to jump! It’s really important to know the number you’re jumping on haha!
Third, hold your camera shutter button down so that you can get a series of pictures to go through to find the best one! I start holding down the shutter button as I’m counting.
Special Notes – Be sure to tell the people in your picture to smile and look at your camera or phone when they’re jumping! Some people also like to practice their jumps first or come up with a fun pose for their jump! Be creative!!
Clearly, I am a professional with the most perfect “jumpers”! Check out our amazing shots!
Good luck taking your next jump pics!
Totally nailed it!
Click here to learn more about Galveston, like where we love to stay and some of our favorite places on the island.
Hey y’all! I hope you’re enjoying the summer so far. I’ve been busy planning away, mostly re-booking trips that were canceled this past spring. And that had me thinking, I should write a blog on how I plan our trips! I’m constantly asked how I find places or plan our travels, so keep reading to learn my tips and tricks!
So, I promise I am not a travel expert by any means, but if you follow along on our adventures, you’ll see that we really have gone to some cool places over the years. The internet has become my best friend and I’m not sure how anyone traveled anywhere without it haha!
So, to begin I must mention that I follow a lot of travel sites on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. I also order free brochures and magazines for popular destinations like, Alaska, Colorado, US National Parks, Florida, etc.
There’s never a shortage of travel magazines in our house!
I think about 99% of our trips are planned around a single photo that I come across either from an online image or something in a magazine. It might sound crazy, but I am a very visual learner. I see a cool photo, I begin researching right away, and then I build my trip around that single image. Does that sound crazy?!
I need my picture taken right here, so can you guess what I’m planning next?
Once I see a photo and decide that we must go there and take the same picture, I begin researching this destination. I use google and Pinterest mostly for this. I type in that specific location and spend hours reading and planning.
The map app I use (the standard iPhone app) is also my new best friend. I have to see how far away the destination is and decide if we can do the road trip or if we will need to fly. Have I ever mentioned that I hate flying? I totally prefer to drive while the rest of my family would rather fly. Usually I start with the main destination in mind and begin mapping out our route and planning the drive there and back. Once I have that figured out I start building an itinerary.
Looks like another long drive is in our future!
When I figure out our next destination and have a plan on how long it will take to get there and back, I do more research to see what else is in the area that we need to check out! Typically, I’ll go to Pinterest and lots of options pop up when I type in the location – from places to eat, to historical sites to see, to unique roadside attractions. I use this information to see how many days we’ll need to plan for.
If my computer is out, chances are I’m up to something fun!
Once I know how many days we’ll need, I then go to Google and search the weather for that destination/best time to travel there. I try not to plan trips during the rainy seasons or when there’s a risk for winter weather (especially if we’re driving). At the same time, I’m limited on my travel days being a teacher and having kids that need to be in school learning! But I try to use our school holidays when I can and I’ve found that I really enjoy traveling over Thanksgiving break and spring break. The weather is pleasant and some places aren’t as crowded.
It’s going to be toasty in July…
I also reach out to some of the groups I follow on social media to ask for tips or recommendations! It’s always helpful to discuss travels with people that have already been there, especially if they’ve gone to your future destination recently!
So many people are willing to share ideas and it’s very helpful!
Now, here’s the hardest part… once I have the destination chosen, I know how long the drive will be, and I have an idea on how many days we should visit, I have to convince the hubby it’s a good idea! The best tip for this – finding something adventurous at that location that I know he’ll love to do to seal the deal! Once he’s convinced I start looking for hotel options. I have had good luck booking on Expedia and choosing the book now/pay later option. This has allowed us to book a few different options at the same time and then cancel without a fee the day before check in. There’s been a few times we’ve canceled a trip due to weather or our kids getting sick.
My hubby could NOT say no to a rafting trip!
After the hotel is booked, I make a list of those must see and do places. I take my list and we have a general idea of when we want to do those things, but unless I have to book an activity in advance, I don’t set specific dates for specific places. I like to keep the days open in case the weather changes last minute or we get a good recommendation from a local!
Planning around Covid 19 – I feel like I had to address this because my planning has really changed over the past several months and we have new considerations to think about. With this in mind, I can’t fail to mention that you really need to plan ahead and make sure that the places you want to visit are open. You also need to see if these places require advance reservations and if there are any restrictions in place. Be sure that you’re satisfied with the lodging’s sanitizing procedures.
I hope that all of this made sense! If you need any help planning a family trip, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or send me that favorite photograph and I will help build you an epic itinerary!
If you’ve never visited Robbers Cave State Park in Wilburton, Oklahoma, you need to add this little gem to your travel bucket list! We just returned from a 3 day getaway and I honestly cannot tell you how much fun my family had.
Robbers Cave got its name because outlaws, like Jesse James and Belle Starr, used to hide in the large cave on site. There are so many fun activities to make this a great destination for your family, but at the same time the state park is not crowded at all, which is always a plus for me.
Here’s everything you need to know to plan your stay at this amazing park:
· First, I booked our cabin using this website. There are several cabins in the state park, a lodge called Belle Starr Lodge, and RV and tent campsites. We wanted a cabin for the kitchen!
· When you reserve your accommodations, you will not receive a confirmation email right away. I got our confirmation 2 days before our check in date.
· There is NO Wi-Fi, so plan accordingly. It was a nice break for us!
· You will use this address to enter the park and then follow the signs to the Park Store to get checked in. Address to the entrance: 2575 NW 1024th Ave, Wilburton OK. You will see a large Robbers Cave sign and there are several different signs along the road guiding you to the right places within the park.
· Our cabin had one bedroom with a queen bed, a living room with a sleeper sofa, one bathroom, a kitchen, and a small front porch. The views around the cabin are stunning. There’s also a fire pit with 4 chairs, a picnic table, and a grill at all of the cabins.
· Dishes have been removed due to COVID 19, so if you stay in a cabin you will need to bring your own dishes to cook with and plates/plastic ware.
· We bought groceries at a little grocery story in Wilburton. They had everything we needed, like coffee/creamer, breakfast items, grilling items, and snack and drinks for the kids.
· Across the street from the state park entrance is the lake area. There’s a gift shop and nature center, which is where you will come to purchase kayak, canoe, or paddleboat rentals. You can also swim at the lake or the pool that’s on site. If you want to swim at the pool, the hours are limited. They’re open for a few hours in the morning and then close for cleaning. They re-open in the evenings from 4:00-7:00. You have to get tickets to access the pool and you’ll get these at the gift shop, too. When you check in for your cabin, you will receive a voucher to take to the gift shop for the pool tickets. We only swam in the lake!
· You will see signs throughout the park for different hiking trails and directions on how to get to the cave. Hiking and exploring the cave was our favorite part of the trip! We did have to drive a few miles to get to the parking area for the cave hike. The Belle Starr Trail Loop (pictured below) was walking distance from our cabin.
Our 3 Day Itinerary:
Day 1: We arrived at check in and headed to the cabin to unload our groceries and suitcase. We brought the kids’ bikes with us so they ventured off to ride bikes and climb all along the cliffs behind the cabin. Once we had unpacked the car, we went hiking to see the notorious cave! We hiked for a few hours and then headed back to the cabin to grill hot dogs. There are plenty of shady areas around each cabin, so we really enjoyed just being outside together and there’s so much to do right in the backyard!
Day 2: We got up early and made breakfast before putting on swimsuits and driving across the street from the park to the lake area. We rented a kayak for later in the day and then ventured off to the swimming area. Seriously, we had the lake mostly to ourselves. There were a few other families that came and went, but we were mostly on our own. It was great! We kayaked for about 30 minutes, it was $5 per person. The boys loved jumping off the kayaks and swimming in the lake to cool off. We brought a picnic lunch with us, so we had sandwiches, the boys played on the playground, we checked out the nature center, and then grabbed snow cones before heading back to the cabin. Once we were back at the cabin, we rested for a little bit and then rode bikes and hiked the Belle Starr trail. Jereme grilled us burgers and then Jake picked out the perfect picnic place on the cliffs behind the cabin for dinner. We ended the night with a fire in the fire pit!
Day 3: This was our last day at Robbers Cave, so we slept in a little bit and then loaded up to head home. We stopped back at the lake on our way out to feed the geese and play on the playground for a bit before the drive home. We grabbed a quick lunch at Sonic in Wilburton and then were back home in under 3 hours!
There are other activities offered, like horseback riding, miniature golf, and ATVs but as you can see we didn’t have a lot of time to do everything! Regardless, we had plenty to do in the short time we were visiting. It was really great to get away and we felt safe the entire time. We did not have close encounters with anyone, so if you’re worried about COVID 19 but still want to take your family somewhere this summer, I highly recommend checking this place out!
Hey y’all! I hope you’re all doing well out there. Isn’t this such a crazy time? I decided to write today after having several friends and family members reach out to me over the last few months and weeks to ask about traveling this summer. So, I thought I’d share my thoughts and feelings. But remember, I’m not a health expert!
Personally, my family has canceled/rescheduled 6 planned vacations since March. I’m not going to lie, it’s been hard on me! Traveling and planning our next trip has always been therapeutic for me. And having a countdown or some big adventure to look forward to just seems to slow down life, I guess because my family is so excited and ready to go. Most of our trips were actually canceled for us, we didn’t have a choice. Of course, that made things much easier, especially when it came down to telling the boys! But we also made some hard decisions for this summer.
Me, that one day I kept getting cancelation emails from all of our booked spring and summer trips.
We had two big trips planned, California – Yosemite, The Redwoods, & Monterey in June and Cabo San Lucas planned for July. We decided to cancel those and will reschedule for a later date, probably summer 2021!
Here’s my advice to anyone reading this:
First, listen to your gut and do what’s best for your family! If you have a feeling that you should stay put for a little longer, then stay put! If you feel safe traveling, go for it and have the best time!
Next, really think about what traveling looks like, not just the amazing pictures, but the “getting there/getting home” part. Will you fly or drive? Do you feel comfortable on an airplane or in airports with a large crowd? If you’re planning to road trip, what are your thoughts on gas stations, public bathrooms, hotels, and restaurants?
Then, be sure to do your research on your destination! There are so many restrictions and rules that have been implemented due to our current pandemic. Some places require masks, others have specific capacity restrictions. Most National/State Parks require tickets to be purchased in advance and there’s a limit on those ticket sales. It appears that most places are opening back up, but of course its being done in phases. So please, do your research before you leave! If you see different sites showing different information, call the place you’re visiting directly and speak to an employee to get the most accurate and up to date info.
Have you considered a Staycation or taking a fun day trip closer to home instead? We recently did this with our boys! We traveled to Glen Rose, TX which is about a 2 hour drive for us. We packed a picnic lunch and practiced social distancing at an outdoor park and then were in our car feeding animals while driving through a wildlife zoo.
Does it make sense for your family to reschedule your trip for a later date, like in the fall or next summer? We are planning to reschedule all of our trips and I’m excited to have a year to plan Yosemite, it will be our first time visiting there! Maybe you can use the summer to research and put together an epic itinerary for your destination!
Are current travel prices, like cheaper airfare, appealing to your family? Are prices low enough now that your family can take that special trip that you might not be able to afford later on? This has been hard for me, I want to book all the $50 flights I see!
Should you travel within your country or internationally? Again, do your research and make sure you know what’s open, what the requirements are, and if there’s any restrictions or required quarantines for that destination.
Should you travel with groups? I can’t really answer that, but personally we’re choosing to travel with only our family of 4 at this time. We have a 2 night trip to Robbers Cave, OK coming up. My mom is battling breast cancer, so I have to put her health into consideration, too. While we’re getting out a little more now and seeing friends & family, we likely won’t be traveling with them like we love to do! Next summer though…
Finally, just remember that this decision involves you and your family. So once again, you have to do what’s best for you! Try to put your feelings aside and really look at the situation from all sides. My husband really does not want to have our children on an airplane or in airports right now. He’s really against leaving the country, just in case there’s another spike and things begin to shut down again. I was actually traveling in Virginia over spring break with our boys when the world began shutting down. I think he was worried about us getting back and being healthy and just doesn’t want to take any risks right now! So while I’m ready to go, go, go and see the world, I really had to pause and consider his feelings. And I know in my heart, if we travel in a way that he’s uncomfortable with, he will be anxious and worried and then we won’t be having any fun!
I know I’m probably missing some key points, but this is what I’ve been telling my dear friends and family when they ask for advice! I’d love to hear, or read, your thoughts on traveling this summer! Whatever you decide to do, I hope you have a great summer. Be safe, healthy and kind out there! And remember, no matter what you decide this summer, we will travel again!
Hey y’all! Well, I’m writing from Cody, WY today as we wait for our Yukon to be worked on. We were not expecting that the whole computer system would go out on our drive back home. But, we’re at a nice little Inn that’s in a great location and Cody is a beautiful little town. So, I decided I might as well blog about this trip while it’s fresh on my mind. Plus, I’ve had several friends reach out to me asking how I planned this trip to begin with, so I thought I’d list out our itinerary for others to use. We definitely didn’t see or do it all, but we had the best time!
Honestly, South Dakota wasn’t even my original destination. I wanted to visit the Redwood Forests in California but didn’t think that Jereme would want to drive that far. He hates road tripping haha! And when looking for plane tickets and rental cars, I got a little overwhelmed. It just so happens that my 2nd grade son’s class was learning about the presidents and monuments around the USA. He quickly became fascinated with Mount Rushmore and when I looked at the distance, I realized that a 15 hour drive would be totally do-able. I mean we drove to South Carolina over spring break and that was a 16 hour trip! We decided to book our trip from June 23-29th and we would be able to celebrate our 15 year anniversary and Jake’s 5th birthday while we were there. Once I had dates in mind, I went to Pinterest and read other travel blogs for inspiration. I had no idea there was SOOOOOO much to do in South Dakota!
I discovered that Rapid City, SD is a nice size town with a lot of lodging and dinner options. I’ve mentioned before that I use Expedia.com to book most of our hotels using the book now/pay later option. I found a fun Best Western with a water slide and was sold! We booked it that day and I had a few months to plan out our week. We decided that on the drive up to South Dakota, we would just go straight there the quickest way. Below is the route we took. We stopped in Grand Island, Nebraska for the night after driving most of the day.
Screenshot of our route to Rapid City, SD
Day 1: We left around 10:00 am on Sunday, June 22nd. The drive to Nebraska was about 8 hours. It was so beautiful. On the drive, I started googling fun places to visit and used some of the billboards along the route and found that we were really close to Smith Falls, which happens to be the largest waterfall in Nebraska. Of course, we had to stop there! That took us a little ways off of the route and added about 2 additional hours total with the extra driving and exploring the area. It was totally worth it!
Scenic overlook on the drive to Smith Falls State Park
My sweet Jake at the scenic overlook!
Smith Falls
Family photo in front of Smith Falls
Jereme and the boys!
The trail leading to the waterfall!
As you can see, it was a really neat stop after driving all day. The entire path was labeled and most of it was on a boardwalk through the forest. My boys loved it! From here, we drove to Grand Island, Nebraska and stayed at the Ramada by Wyndham for the night. And let me just say, this hotel had the best free breakfast buffet that we’ve ever had by far!
Day 2: After a restful night, we got up and finished the drive to Rapid City, SD. The drive from Nebraska to South Dakota was gorgeous.
Murdo, SD
We got caught in a small storm during the drive
We booked our week at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel in Rapid City. It was great! The best part was the water park inside the hotel and the crazy slides that the kids LOVED! We went to the water park every single night! I highly recommend this hotel too, especially if you have children with you!
How cool is this place!?
My boys going down the slides!
Day 3: Now to the fun stuff! We decided to head to Mount Rushmore first! The kids were so excited to see it and I really wanted to visit this place on our anniversary! I had no idea that it would be so neat. I honestly thought we’d just look at the monument and be on our way. I was totally wrong! The drive from Rapid City to Mount Rushmore took about 30 minutes and it was a really scenic drive. Most attractions are between Rapid City and Mount Rushmore, so that was really convenient for us! And I loved that the roads were very easy to navigate and there are signs everywhere, too that are helpful.
Tunnel on the highway right before Keystone, SD
When we came around a corner up in the mountains near Mount Rushmore, it suddenly came into view, and it literally brought tears to my eyes. I’ve been wanting to visit this monument since I was about 20, which is when Jereme and I really started traveling together. It was just pure excitement in the car!
First glimpse of Mount Rushmore
I could probably post a thousand pictures of this monument, but I won’t haha! Even though is was crowded, we really had a good time. I had no idea that there are different trails and areas to view this monument from different angles. One of my favorite parts is that there are different stops along the trail throughout the park with informational plaques about each of the 4 presidents represented (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln). These are strategically placed and when you look up, you get the best view of the president mentioned. The cost to enter the park is a $10 parking fee. There’s also a gift shop, places to grab food/drinks, some of the old tools used to build the monument, and the original plans for the carvings. Here are some of my favorite pictures from Mount Rushmore National Park!
Happy 15th Anniversary to us!
My favorite picture!
The only problem we had the whole day was that a pine cone fell out of a tree, hit Jake on the forehead, and cut it! Hahaha! He was so mad!
After exploring Mount Rushmore we decided to head to Crazy Horse Memorial. It’s about a 30 minute drive from Mt. Rushmore. I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned that Jereme is Native American, so this was special for him. The cost to get into this memorial is $30. It also has a place to eat, which we took advantage of. I love buffets, and it did not disappoint. There’s also different artifacts to look at from the Sioux Indian tribes in the area. We did not take the bus closer to the memorial, but we still enjoyed our visit. I recommend taking binoculars if you aren’t going to take the bus to get a closer look!
Crazy Horse behind Jereme
This is what the memorial will look like when it’s complete! It will be bigger than the pyramids in Egypt!
The drive from Mount Rushmore to Crazy Horse was another scenic drive. We stopped at a lake and explored a little before meeting back up with the Morgans.
We decided to end our day at the National Presidential Wax Museum in Keystone, SD, which is on the way back to Rapid City. It cost around $32 for my family to enter. We all had a great time! Here are just a few of the pictures from inside.
Jett
Jake
Check out their shirts! Thanks Miss Carrie!
The teacher in me loved this part!
After spending a few hours at Bear Country USA, we decided to head to Keystone to explore the downtown area. It’s a quaint little area with lots of food, drinks, and souvenir shopping! We ate at a Mexican food place called, Guadalajara’s. It was yummy!
Keystone, SD
We had to take a picture in front of this Bigfoot, in Bigfoot shirts!
While we were eating we decided to go check out Rushmore Cave. I think it cost my family around $42 for the cave tour. It’s an entire adventure park, but we just chose to do the cave tour. We had a great tour guide, Kaden and he did an excellent job of telling us the history of the cave. I don’t think I’ve ever been inside a cave with so many tight squeezes! I absolutely loved it!
As you can tell, these kiddos loved the cave tour!
From the cave, we went to… you guessed it! Back to the hotel water park!
Day 5: Day 5 was probably my favorite day in South Dakota! I can’t even begin to describe the trail we hiked around Custer State Park. I came across images of the Sunday Gulch Trail and knew we had to do it. I am not going to lie, there were tears shed around the 2.5 mile mark from my oldest kiddo. (We didn’t know he was actually getting sick with a fever/cold at the time). This hike is 3.9 miles long, it’s labeled as a HARD trail with a lot of uphill and downhill hiking, trekking through water, over rapids and streams using rocks or tree logs to get across. It was so much fun, but so much work. I can’t even describe how beautiful the sights were and my pictures just don’t do it justice. We could’ve explored this park for 3-4 days! I didn’t get many shots of us on the crazier parts of the trail because I had to help pass our little one off to Jereme and didn’t want to drop my phone in the water. But trust me, it was so cool! We packed a picnic lunch and found a nice, shady area to eat and then took off. It cost us $20 to get into the park, but that includes a 5 day pass to return. There are bathrooms, a store/souvenir shop, canoe rentals, and probably more than I even saw. After the hike, the kiddos and Jereme jumped into the lake for a freezing cold swim! Helpful Tips: Bring plenty of food and water for the day, wear sunscreen and reapply often, use bug repellent, bring a first aid kit, take a swimsuit or change of clothes/shoes, expect to get wet, and have a blast!
Screenshot of the Sunday Gulch Trail from Jeremy Morgan’s phone
Lunch!
Jett at the end of the hike!
We took the iconic Needles Highway back to Keystone after we left Custer State Park, which is an adventure in itself. It’s over 30 miles long with over 300 curves and switchbacks, pigtails, and tunnels. I had to do the driving because I get so carsick, but the speeds are so slow that I was honestly fine the entire drive. Jereme was the photographer for us this time! Next to our hotel was an Olive Garden and we headed there and I ate pasta for days!
Me driving inside a tunnel
The Morgans ahead of us
After dinner the kids suddenly felt better and had enough energy to close the water park down at the hotel!
Day 6: Today was Friday, June 28th and our little guy’s 5th Birthday! Jake wanted to go on another hike before we had a small pool party/cake for his birthday that night. We decided to explore The Badlands National Park and wow, what a sight! It’s another gorgeous place with land forms that are hard to describe. The only bad part about this day, is that it was so HOT! The temps had been mild, in the 70’s all the other days of our trip, but on this day it felt like we were back in TX! We didn’t stay as long as we wanted to because of the heat. It cost $25 to get into this park and there are several marked trails to take as soon as you park your car. We hiked the Notch Trail which was 1.5 miles round-trip and had a log ladder that we had to climb for great views! Since it was hot, we took a scenic drive through the park back to Wall, SD.
The Birthday Boy!
When we left The Badlands, we visited Wall Drug which was recommended on every blog I came across. To be honest, I could’ve skipped out on this one. It was a neat place, we had great ice cream and bought some cute souvenirs. But it wasn’t a must for my family. For some reason, I didn’t take a single picture at this stop! We then headed back to our hotel and had some birthday cake for Jake’s birthday and spent the rest of the evening at the hotel water park, of course!
I can’t believe we have a 5-year-old!
Day 7: Sadly, we had to check out of our hotel today and start the journey home. We had a really great plan to explore a few different states on the way back to TX. Our plan was to drive to Sturgis and Spearfish Canyon, SD, venture into Wyoming, cut up to Montana to Devils Canyon Overlook, then head down to Casper, WY for the night. Then the following day, we planned to drive down to Denver for lunch, explore Garden of the Gods and Pike’s Peak in Colorado Springs, before heading to Pueblo, CO for the night. From there we would have a 10 hour drive to our house. We had hotels booked, but God had another plan for us and I’m choosing to look at this situation as a divine intervention. We did get to drive through Wyoming and up to Montana, but right when we got to Lovell, WY our Yukon basically lost all power. We were stranded, luckily right outside of a restaurant full of helpful people, while we had to wait 4 hours for a tow truck to come get us. I quickly canceled all of our hotels and found one in Cody, WY and that’s where we still are, 2 days later. The mechanic said the Yukon should be fixed by noon tomorrow, so we’re hopeful that we’ll be home by Wednesday (July 3rd).
Here is our original plan for the drive home, feel free to use if you’re road tripping from SD – TX!
Rapid City to Devils Canyon Overlook
Devils Canyon Overlook to Casper, WY
Casper, WY to Pueblo, CO
We took the scenic bypass through Spearfish Canyon and I am so glad we did! We stumbled across Bridal Veil Falls by accident and had a quick hike up to see the waterfall up close! Below are just a few of our favorite pictures. Helpful Tips: You have to cross over a large stream to get to the falls. Bring extra shoes, I did great crossing over the rocks on the way to see the waterfall. Then I fell into the stream in tennis shoes on the way back across!
From here we crossed over into Wyoming, not knowing we’d still be here days later haha! This is such a beautiful state, I guess there are way worse places to the stranded.
Here are some of my favorite pictures of our drive through Wyoming! As you can tell, we stopped at most of the scenic overlooks throughout this trip.
Once you get close to Lovell, WY, you take a quick right off of highway 37 and drive about 10 minutes and cross into Montana to Devils Canyon Overlook. It was totally worth the drive, this place was fascinating. Some describe it like Wyoming/Montana’s Grand Canyon!
From here our plans changed and that is ok! I have learned a few things during this trying situation. First, my family is pretty great. We all handled this dilemma exceptionally well and nobody panicked. I only cried once and that was when waitresses at the restaurant we were at heard about our situation and paid for our food. I was just overwhelmed with all of the kindness from complete strangers! Second, you can have some of the best thought-out plans, but they can change really quick and you just have to roll with it and stay positive. Third, I have never in my life been more thankful that I live in a small town close to my family and friends! Fourth, I will never take owning a car for granted again. It has not been fun being without one for the past two days!
So there it is, our Texas-South Dakota (and more) itinerary! One day, Carrie may decide to start blogging from her perspective, too! They had a great trip, and made it back to Texas on Saturday night! You’ll want to stay tuned for her trip because they visited Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota before meeting us in Rapid City! And y’all say a prayer for us, hopefully we make it home soon!
Let’s talk about Colonial Williamsburg! If you’re planning a trip to this destination you’re in for a real treat. I honestly didn’t know much about this place and wish I would’ve done more research before we left home. But let’s be real, I was teaching full time and trying to get my classroom ready for Open House and was just counting down the days until Spring Break and vacation… so hopefully if you’re a busy mom like me, this information will help you plan the perfect trip to Colonial Williamsburg.
Street in Colonial Williamsburg
So, what is Colonial Williamsburg? Well, it’s a city in Virginia and it played a significant role in the American Revolution. It was the capital of the Virginia Colony from 1699-1780. Currently, it’s a historical district and living-history museum. Actors dress in costumes from that time period and show visitors what daily Colonial life was like. You will see them in the streets, stores, and workshops!
Me posing with an actress!
Here’s what you need to know:
· First, check out the Colonial Williamsburg website for more information on ticket pricing. Adult tickets are $42, children ages 6-12 are $25 and kids 5 and under are free.
· But also note that you can walk along the streets of Colonial Williamsburg for FREE. While you’re there you will literally feel like you’re in a different time period. You will see actors playing the part and they are wonderful! Ask them to pose for a quick picture, they will be happy to. You’ll see old Colonial homes, storefronts, gardens, and people riding in horse drawn carriages. If you do not purchase tickets, you will not be allowed entrance into any of the homes or stores. We did NOT purchase tickets, we got there really late and wanted to walk around to explore the streets before we made the decision to buy tickets. I mean let’s be honest, I am not really sure our kiddos (ages ranging from 5-9) would’ve really cared about going inside homes and listening to re-enactments. BUT they absolutely loved being out of the car, exploring the streets, and getting to walk around and see the sights. If I was there with just adults, I probably would’ve purchased tickets for the day. But if you don’t want to spend the money you will still have a wonderful experience just walking down the streets of the town. And you can look inside the windows of the houses and stores, so you can see what’s inside!
· There are also several restaurants along the streets so you can plan to eat when you’re in the area. Click here for a list of the top 10 best restaurants in Colonial Williamsburg!
· We loved our stay at Bluegreen Vacations Patrick Henry Square. It was walking distance to the Colonial Williamsburg area so we didn’t have to worry about parking.
· Fall and Spring are excellent times to visit. We were there over Spring Break and the gardens were gorgeous. The weather was also very pleasant!
· 1 full day spent in Colonial Williamsburg was plenty of time to see the sights! We spent our other days there visiting Yorktown and Jamestown – these three sites make up the Historic Triangle and are spaced out about a 15 minute scenic drive apart.
· There are signs everywhere telling you how to get to different places, which we found very helpful!
Enjoy our favorite pictures of our day spent in Colonial Williamsburg!
Be sure to check out what the flags looked like back then!
Storefront window display
Horse drawn carriage going down the Main Street!
As you can see, the streets are gorgeous! Wear comfy shoes!
I loved the parts of cobblestone streets!
Church in the background
Governors mansion in the background
I was fascinated with the old light posts and barrels that lined the sidewalks
My boys and I posing with an actor!
Many photographic opportunities throughout the area!
I’ve had the opportunity to visit Washington, DC three separate times over the past two years. It wasn’t until our third visit that I was actually able to get a tour of the White House. Read below to see tips on getting inside and things you should plan ahead for.
We made it behind the gates!
Start by looking at this website to get information and details for a White House visit. The first time I tried getting us a tour, I followed the steps on the website and never heard back from anyone. I realized my mistake, we were going over a long weekend and the White House only has tours on certain days during the week (Tuesday-Thursdays from 7:30 am-11:30 am and Fridays/Saturdays from 7:30 am-1:30 pm). So essentially, we would’ve only been able to get a tour for Saturday and I am sure that’s probably a busy day!
The second time I tried, we were visiting DC over Thanksgiving break. This is an absolute amazing week for a visit, the business in the city shuts down for the holiday and hotels are very reasonably priced. Read here to see more information about our Thanksgiving trip. However, you will NOT get into the White House during this week because they close all tours for Christmas decorating.
The third time I was set to visit DC I was determined to get us into the White House. And the funny part is, I was actually visiting Colonial Williamsburg over spring break but figured I was close enough to DC (2 hour drive) and decided I would try. So, I went back to the website and filled out the information needed. I also decided to give the old phone a try and I actually made a call to our local representative and worked with him over several weeks to get a tour scheduled. And fortunately for us, it worked!
Things to Know:
You need to request a tour 3-6 months before your visit, but you typically won’t find out if you’ve been approved until 2 weeks before your visit.
Requests are made through your Member of Congress – click on link to find your representative.
Call your representative – they want to help you get a tour and are really great to work with!
You MUST bring specific items for your tour or you will NOT be allowed access inside the White House – you will either have to pick up or will be mailed a “boarding pass” for entrance. Adults will also need a government issued I.D. with a photo (driver’s license or passport).
You are not allowed to bring a bag of any size, including purses.
You can bring your cell phone, but no other cameras.
You will go through several different checkpoints in various places before you can enter. The officers working these checkpoints are very friendly, but mean business. They ask you questions, like your full name and birthday, and will also ask your kids – no matter their age, so be sure to review this with them!
Be prepared to arrive early for your tour and to wait in lines to get in – these lines are all outdoors, so plan accordingly. There are also NO restrooms available for anyone to use!
Once inside, the tour is self-directed and there are only a few places that you will have access to.
The secret service agents inside are very friendly and most will interact with you and answer any questions that you have.
Have fun, enjoy the visit, and take tons of pictures!
There is a White House Museum across the street that you can visit after your tour – the Park Rangers at the White House will tell you about it before you go inside!
A Small Glimpse at What a White House Tour Looks Like!
I love that you can see the Washington Monument from the rooms in the White House!
Everything is so fancy!
The Library
Jake is refusing to smile like the Presidents in all the portraits.
The Green Room
The Red Room
I loved the columns
We had the best time touring the White House!
Good luck on securing your White House tour! This is a very memorable experience and I hope everyone that has the desire to visit is able to.
Hey y’all! I hope all is well with you and your loved ones during this crazy quarantine situation we’re in. I am getting restless and my family is beyond ready to get back out there and hit the road for our next adventure! I planned to share our Virginia road trip with you all shortly after we returned home, but I’ve been busy with teaching remotely, homeschooling my boys, and I’ve honestly just been sad and at a loss for words. It seems like it was forever ago that my travel bestie and I were planning our spring break road trip. I can’t believe that it was just last month that we were driving across the country on our longest road trip to date. Little did we know that the world would basically shut down as soon as we returned home. While I’m really sad this is happening, I am trying to soak up this time with my family and today Jake and I were talking about our favorite trips and our best travel memories. I thought, now is the perfect time to look back on this trip and share all the memories we made! As always, I hope this blog helps your family plan your next big adventure!
Road Trip Crew
So, we were REALLY lucky that we were even able to take this road trip. We loaded up and left the day spring break started in early March. Carrie was able to use her father-in-law’s time share and we decided that we wanted to take the kids to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. We probably planned to visit too many places for one week, but we weren’t sure when we’d get back to the area and wanted to hit several states on this road trip. We decided to start our trip in Harpers Ferry, WV. Honestly, I don’t know if I was busy with school or what, but this is probably one trip that I knew the least about before leaving. Usually I spend several hours researching our destination and have a list of things I want to do and see. I feel like we did a lot of planning on the way, but what else did we have to do on a 20 hour drive? We didn’t know a lot about West Virginia, but it was a state that our kids had not been to yet, so we decided Harpers Ferry is where this trip would start. When I told my boys that it is one of the most haunted places in the US, they were all about it… until it got dark haha! The drive was really nice, we stopped after 6 hours and stayed the night in Memphis, TN. The next day was our longest drive of the trip, a total of 14 hours but we were finally on the East Coast! We actually stayed about 12 miles from Harpers Ferry in a town in Maryland (we got to mark another state off our list).
View from Jefferson Rock
I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with Harpers Ferry. Like I mentioned, I didn’t really know much about this town until the drive and I am sure there is a lot that I can still learn about it. It is such a cute, quaint town. When we first arrived we weren’t really sure where to park and start the day. We drove through the town first and my excitement level sky-rocketed! I can be really nerdy when it comes to history and the town just looked so old. Then I saw a sign about Lewis & Clark and just knew it was going to be fantastic day! So, the parking in the town is very limited but signs guided us to large parking area about 1.5 miles from the town to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. We had to pay to park, but there are facilities in that lot and a bus that picks up and drops off visitors. We decided to walk down to the town on the trails and that was an adventure in itself! The scenery was beautiful. Harpers Ferry sits right near the water and we really enjoyed the scenic walk to town. We saw waterfalls and climbed rocks and even stopped by old, creepy ruins on the walk into the town. Luckily it was all downhill and we grabbed the bus back to the parking lot when the day was over!
My boys on the hike down to Harpers Ferry
The kids loved the walk!
Our kids LOVE old ruins!
The town itself was like something out of the 1800s. Not a lot has changed and I think that is how the locals want it. I can’t keep saying this enough… I wish I would’ve paid attention in my history classes when I was younger. I still can’t believe that I walked in places that Lewis & Clark have been, where Thomas Jefferson has been, and where a Civil War battle took place. The buildings still have that old feel and the windows are adorned with relics from the 1800s. The candy shop still makes and sells candy from different time periods and we loved the first candy canes from the 1600s. It was also pretty creepy when most of my photos had auras and the kids were freaked out – I loved it hah! And, Thomas Jefferson is still Jett’s favorite president and we hiked up to Jefferson Rock and got to see where he stood on October 25, 1783! The views were impressive and we all thought this was the perfect day trip!
I loved the old light posts through the town!
There’s still a train that runs through the town!
Look at these old candy canes!
The kids would NOT let us book a ghost tour!!
I loved this house!
This was just our first stop on this road trip! Stay tuned to see our time spent in Washington DC, our White House visit, and our day trips to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown.
Hey y’all! We switched up our Colorado winter destination this year and I can’t wait to tell you all about the little hidden gem we found called Granby! We usually road trip to Crested Butte every winter break, but we wanted a change this year. The boys were not real thrilled with us, but ended up loving Granby!
We stayed at Base One Camp in Granby, Colorado, which is ski in/out. We had a spacious condo that we booked through vrbo.com. I particularly loved that we had an enclosed garage to park in, especially since it snowed most of the days there. Base One Camp is conveniently located right at the base of the mountain and just a few steps to the ski lift and next door to ski and snowboard rentals and ski school. There’s also a cafeteria with different food options and a restaurant that we really enjoyed.
picture from vrbo website
The drive to Granby took us about 13 hours. We stopped and stayed the night Trinidad, CO and only had about a 4 hour drive to Granby from there. Along the way, we made a quick detour to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. It’s one of my kids’ favorite places, they love climbing on the rocks. Be sure to check it out if you’re in the area!
Finally we made it to Granby and were ready to start our winter adventure! There was so much snow and the views were incredible. We were all excited and ready for snowboarding the next day! The mountain was small enough that we let the big boys ride the lifts to the bunny slopes by themselves while we taught Jake and Sadie how to ski. The big boys were able to go up to the top of the mountain with adults and there wasn’t a trail they couldn’t go down! It quickly became their favorite mountain, but I figure this will be the case no matter where we go! The crowds still got pretty big, but we knew it would happen since we were going over a holiday. The only thing I missed about Crested Butte was the downtown area. Granby is small, so there’s not a ton to do besides skiing and boarding. If you want a really nice family vacation and time to ski and board, then I highly suggest Granby! If you are looking for more nightlife, then I would head to a bigger mountain like Crested Butte or Winter Park!
Skiing and Snowboarding – We are snowboarders in my family, except for Jake. Since he’s just starting ski school, him and Sadie skied on the trip. We actually put them in ski school for the day. Honestly, I think they both learned more on the bunny slopes with us and a harness, but ski school was a great babysitter for the day and allowed the adults to go up to the top to ski and board with the big boys! I even got the chance to board with my hubby alone for the first time in about 5 years!
We also decided to road trip across Colorado up to Monarch Mountain to go dog sledding with Monarch Dog Sled Rides. My littlest son is obsessed with wolves & huskies, so we knew he’d love this animal adventure! We really got lucky with the weather and driving conditions and had no issues traveling the three hours or so from Granby to Monarch Mountain! And I think it’s safe to say that we ALL loved dog sledding. We started with an introduction and background story about every dog on the tour. Then we learned about the history of dog sledding and the kids were so engaged. From there we learned how to harness a dog and anyone has the opportunity to try it out themselves. Then it was time to start the ride! I have never seen dogs so excited to work! You can totally tell that these dogs are treated very well and are truly born to pull sleds! The kids and I bundled up together in the sled and Jereme got to stand at the back with our guide and drive the sled. The sights were incredible, the guides were so knowledgeable and we enjoyed chatting with them during our tour. The few stops we made were fun, we especially loved getting to play with the dogs and watch them roll around in the snow to cool down. I would highly, highly, highly recommend this company and this adventure for anyone wanting to add some fun to their ski or snowboarding trip to Colorado!
Thanks so much for reading about our winter adventures. As always, I am happy to help with any questions you may have from what to pack, to where to go, and what to do!
Hey y’all! I can’t wait to share our DC highlights with you. So, my boys became obsessed with all things Presidents last school year. We’ve had so much fun visiting different Presidential sites and monuments, like the Lincoln Homestead and Mount Rushmore. We knew we HAD to take the boys to DC to get the full experience and continue on with our love of learning about our country’s history. We went back and forth trying to figure out a time to take off and head to our country’s capital and finally settled on Thanksgiving break. That way we’d have enough time to do all the things on our list of must-do’s. And even with a week, we still didn’t have enough time to see and do it all! My biggest worry was the weather, but it turned out to be beautiful while we were there. I am not sure if we got lucky or if it’s typically that mild at the end of November, but regardless I am so thankful. The best part about traveling to DC during Thanksgiving break, is that everyone that is in the city for business leaves for the holiday! We didn’t have to wait for tables at restaurants or stand in long lines. And, of course, most of the historical sites around DC are free so you can’t beat that! We did sooo much, so I am only going to list our top favorites.
First, we stayed at the wonderful Washington Circle Hotel. Not only did the area have a big George Washington statue in the middle of the circle, this hotel used to be an apartment building so we had really roomy accommodations. Our flight left at 6:57 am and we arrived to our hotel by 10 am. I was worried that our room wouldn’t be ready, since check-in isn’t until 4 pm, but it was! The room had a bedroom, 2 bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, dining room, and balcony. This made our stay very comfortable and it was nice having a kitchen for the kids, even though we only cooked one meal that week! I cannot fail to mention that the hotel is at such a great location, we could actually see the side of the Lincoln Memorial from our balcony. So, it was only about a 20 minute walk with our littles, but a straight shot to the Lincoln Memorial and National Mall on one street. The other street was a straight shot to the White House! The hotel had an excellent restaurant, called Circle Bistro, and we ate breakfast there each morning. There were also plenty of places for us to grab food scattered around the hotel and there were also several grocery stores in the area, too. Saturday night it got a bit noisy, but the rest of the week was very quiet for the city!
President Trump Sightings – My biggest highlight of the trip was spotting our President two different times. I know that not everyone supports Trump, but seeing the President, regardless of who he is, is a really big deal! We were hanging out at the National Mall, the boys were tossing the football around, and I started noticing a heavy police and sniper presence in the area. I immediately got nervous, then about a hundred sirens sounded and we watched the President’s motorcade leave the White House! It. Was. Awesome! Then, later on we were walking back to our hotel and wanted to walk past the White House, when we again noticed snipers on buildings and the block around the WH was closed. We had binoculars, so we stood around and watched with a crowd as the President pardoned a turkey for Thanksgiving and then left on Air Force One. It was an unforgettable experience!
Here are all the other things we packed into our week in DC!
Monuments/Memorials – Be sure to check out the memorials and monuments both during the day and at night. The boys favorites are the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and Jefferson Memorial. You can even do bike tours and kids can ride along, too! Be sure to check out FDR’s & MLK’s memorials, they are some of my favorites!
The Lincoln Memorial
The Washington Monument – You can now go inside of the Washington Monument and tickets are free! But, you have to get in line early to get them and they’re only available for that day. Jett wanted to go inside and up to the top so bad, so him and I woke up at 6:30 am and were in line by 7:30 am. The ticket window opens at 8:30 am. There were probably about 50 people ahead of us and a hundred behind us, but we were able to get tickets for that afternoon. Everyone in my family says it was worth it! The views from the top are excellent and the ride down the elevator has some surprises!
The White House – Unfortunately the White House is closed during the week of Thanksgiving for holiday decorating. We did apply for the self-guided tour through our state representative, but they reached out to me a few months in advance to let me know that there wouldn’t be any tours during the week we were there. We were totally bummed, but hope to visit one day in the future. The boys still enjoyed seeing it from the streets, though! It’s hard to believe how small it is in real life!
Smithsonian Museums – We only had enough time to visit the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of American History. My boys loved everything in the science museum, but only wanted to see a few specific items in the history museum, like the first American flag (which cannot be photographed) and the hat Abe Lincoln was wearing when he was assassinated (there’s still blood on it). I have been to the Air and Space Museum and it’s really great! We just didn’t have the time to squeeze it in on this trip.
George Washington’s Mount Vernon – We Ubered out to George Washington’s home, Mount Vernon. We ended up spending the entire day at this estate. We toured the home, walked the grounds, saw George Washington and Martha’s tombs, hiked in the gorgeous forests around the property, visited the museum on site, and viewed the slave cabins. It was a very memorable experience! It was decorated for Christmas, so that was an added bonus! The house is stunning and we loved seeing the inside, it was so colorful and fancy. The view on the back porch was truly breathtaking and I just kept thinking to myself, and out loud, “George Washington sat out here and looked at this same view!” And guess what?! We even got to see the actual teeth he wore in the museum! I highly recommend touring this historical site if you’re in the DC area, it’s only about a 20 minute scenic drive from the city.
Ford’s Theatre & Petersen House – Ford’s Theater was on our must-do list, especially after visiting Lincoln’s Homestead over the summer. This is the only tour that I bought tickets for prior to the trip. If you check out the website, you’ll be able to choose your tickets and the suggested time to get in line for the tour. When you get inside the theatre, you’re taken downstairs to a mini museum full of information. Most of this was not interesting to the boys, but there’s a part of the museum that has the actual gun that was used and a replica of the bullet. You’re given some time to walk around the museum on your own and then your taken upstairs to the theatre. We really weren’t sure what to do after we viewed the seats that the Lincoln’s were in when the assassination took place. But we noticed others were sitting in the theatre seats, so we copied them and eventually a park ranger came onto the stage and retold the story of Lincoln’s day leading up to the assassination and John Wilkes Booth’s background and his day leading up to the assassination. We were enthralled with this talk. I just felt like I learned so much information that I didn’t know beforehand. And even our 5-year-old was engaged the whole time! Make sure to grab tickets that include a tour of the Petersen House across the street. This house is where Lincoln was taken after the shooting and where he sadly passed away the next morning. The theatre is also still showing plays and you can buy tickets to see Charles Dickson’s A Christmas Carol during this week! We had an amazing brunch next door to the Petersen House! Stop for lunch or breakfast at Lincoln’s Waffle Shop when your tour is over. You’ll thank me later!
National Archives Building – Our oldest son’s favorite president is Thomas Jefferson, so he has spent a lot of time researching him and his contributions. He was so interested in the fact that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, so of course we had to see this document in real life. If you want to see America’s Founding Documents, visit the National Archives. These documents are located in the Rotunda and there are signs to lead you there all throughout the building. It’s a really neat place! There was NOT a line here, which was amazing. However, you won’t be able to take any photos and there are guards everywhere monitoring.
Outdoor Ice Skating – We happened to stumble upon an outdoor ice skating rink after we visited the National Archives Building. It was a fun stop for Jett, Jake however hated it after he fell one time! The Ice Rink is located in the National Gallery of Art, Sculpture Garden.
Our two favorite places to eat were the Old Ebbitt Grill, located close to the White House and Founding Farmers. I didn’t take any food pics, but we all loved the items we got at both places. The boys really liked the hot chocolate at Old Ebbitt Grill and my steak was to die for!
I hope you enjoyed reading about our DC adventures! We walked about 35 miles total during our week there, and the boys were troopers and kept up with us the whole time! DC is such a beautiful city full of history, and I hope you get the chance to visit! As always, if you have any questions or need any ideas, please feel free to contact me and I will be happy to help you with your planning!
Road Trip Queen 