ORLANDO, FLORIDA
A visit to Orlando allows you to see many different sights. There are the typical places, like Disney World and Universal Studios, but there are also some other fun places to see. Disney World and Universal Studios are great for all ages, but expensive. They have a lot of fun things to do, but expect to share the space with a lot of other people. Another fun place to go is Gatorland. You can see so many alligators in one place and if you want to pay a little more you can do the Screamin' Gator Zip Line. It was our first time to go on a zip line and it was a blast (after the initial jump, which scared us to death). About an hour outside of Orlando is Kennedy Space Center, which has some tours and other interesting things to see. You can also stop at the Astronaut Hall of Fame which is close to Kennedy. A hidden gem just 30 minutes from Orlando is Kelly Park. It is actually like a natural outdoor pool. A river flows into the pool and there is a dressing room and snack bar as well. It costs $5 per car and you can stay all day. Tubes are available to rent outside the park, which are great to use in the pool or to float down the river to the pool. We went on a weekday and there weren't very many people (other than a few teenagers we suspected were ditching school), but from what we have read, the weekends can get pretty crowded. There are many places to shop as well and if you have Lego fans, a stop at the Lego Store in Downtown Disney is a must.
D.C.
Our nation's capital is full of things to do and see. We are lucky to have a sister that lives in the area and so we have a place to stay whenever we go. The National Mall is full of memorials and each are easy to access by walking. You can go to the Jefferson, FDR, or the Lincoln Memorial. You can spend a day visiting the different Smithsonian Museums. Don't forget to see the war memorials: Korean, Vietnam, and WWII. All of the memorials are free (if you don't count your taxes that you are already paying, as our brother Jason likes to remind us) to the public. Arlington National Cemetery is a short distance from the Mall, which can be reached easily by using the Metro. We walked it one time and it seemed a little long. And hot. The Metro is very easy to get around the D.C. area on. Another great place to visit is the Washington Navy Yard. You can get there on the Metro (on the Green Line) as well. It is also free (but you will need identification to get in). At the Navy Yard, you can tour a ship and there is a museum as well. Plus, if you are a fan of NCIS, like our sister, Teri, the building from the show is there too. The National Cathedral and the National Zoo are also near to the Mall, both are free. Another place to visit is Mount Vernon (Washington's home). It is a short distance from D.C. and the Metro does not go there. Mount Vernon does have an entry fee. One fun way to go to Mount Vernon is by bike or by boat. We rented bikes and rode to Mount Vernon (from Alexandria) and then took a boat back (http://www.bikethesites.com/). These are just a few of the things to see in D.C. and we hope to see more things in the future.
St. Louis
St. Louis is another place full of things to do. Of course, you can visit the famous St. Louis Arch. There is a museum below the Arch to look at and you can take a ride to the top of the Arch. The views were amazing, but it was very crowded as well. Very, very crowded. You can also take a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi River. You can get some great views of the Arch and see a little more of the city. If you are a St. Louis Cardinals fan, you can take in a game at Busch Stadium. You can also just walk along the Riverfront or get a ride in a horse drawn carriage. We actually splurged a little on our hotel in St. Louis and stayed at the Drury Plaza at the Arch. (We highly recommend Drury Plazas, but the way. Every time we have stayed in one, we have not been disappointed.) We had a partial Arch view and it was awesome. You can also take a drive over to the St. Louis Zoo. It is free and has lots of animals to see. There are also free performances in the same park as the zoo, but we did not get a chance to see one on our visit. Just across from the zoo is a park with some turtle and snake sculptures. It is a fun place to walk around before or after going to the zoo. Also near to St. Louis is the World's Largest Bottle of Catsup. St. Louis is definitely a family-friendly place to visit.
HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD
Hershey, Pennsylvania. Home of the Hershey Chocolate Factory. It really is the mecca of chocolate lovers everywhere. When Elisa and Melinda first visited the Hershey Chocolate Factory in high school back in the 1990s, it was just that--a chocolate factory. Now, however, it is an entire Hershey Chocolate World and a nearby amusement park called Hersheypark. We did not check out Hersheypark, but the chocolate factory is still awesome. You can go on a factory tour for no charge and then follow it up by gorging yourself with all things Hershey.
San Diego
San Diego
San Diego is another place we have visited many times. We have taken nieces with us on two different occasions and gone on our own other times. There are so many places you can visit. The San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park are awesome for people of all ages. The Wild Animal Park is a little drive outside of San Diego, but still fun to see. The animals are in more of a natural habitat. We highly recommend the safari tram that comes with your entrance fee to the park. You can easily spend the whole day at the zoo looking at the animals. If you get tired, there are shuttles and a sky ride that will help you get around the zoo in style. (The last time we went, one of the workers, Len, gave us a great route to get around the zoo.) The zoo is in Balboa Park which has a lot of others museums and things to see. One of the interesting things to see in Balboa Park is the Spreckels Outdoor Organ, which is the world's largest outdoor pipe organ. During the summer free concerts are given on Monday evenings by exceptional organists (and on Sundays year round). Sea World is another place to visit that many people know about. The animals are awesome and kids will really enjoy the various shows that are presented. We really enjoy the shark exhibit because you are on a moving walkway as the sharks swim in a tank above you. The shows are always a big draw. We prefer the dolphin show as the Shamu show is a little disappointing now that the workers are not allowed in the pool with the animals. Cabrillo National Monument is a relaxing place to visit. There is a lighthouse you can walk to and go inside. There are tide pools to see as well as a visitor center. The Birch Aquarium is another great place to go. There is a memorial you can visit called Mt. Soledad. It is a huge cross with the names of different people who have served in the military on tiles around the cross. It also has a great view of San Diego, including the temple. A couple of other things you can do is take a ferry over to the downtown area from Coronado. You can also take a Harbor Cruise or tour the USS Midway. There are great shops along the harbor as well as statues like the sailor kissing his girl memorializing the end of World War II. You can also go to one of the many beaches where you can swim, surf, relax, or even sea kayak. (We have kayaked in the La Jolla area, and the Bike and Kayak San Diego Company located there gives great tours.) In the Old Town area, you can also visit the Mormon Battalion, which is a historical site about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' (also called the Mormons) impact on the settling of San Diego. About an hour away from San Diego is the San Juan Capistrano Mission, which is another interesting place you can visit.
San Diego is another place we have visited many times. We have taken nieces with us on two different occasions and gone on our own other times. There are so many places you can visit. The San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park are awesome for people of all ages. The Wild Animal Park is a little drive outside of San Diego, but still fun to see. The animals are in more of a natural habitat. We highly recommend the safari tram that comes with your entrance fee to the park. You can easily spend the whole day at the zoo looking at the animals. If you get tired, there are shuttles and a sky ride that will help you get around the zoo in style. (The last time we went, one of the workers, Len, gave us a great route to get around the zoo.) The zoo is in Balboa Park which has a lot of others museums and things to see. One of the interesting things to see in Balboa Park is the Spreckels Outdoor Organ, which is the world's largest outdoor pipe organ. During the summer free concerts are given on Monday evenings by exceptional organists (and on Sundays year round). Sea World is another place to visit that many people know about. The animals are awesome and kids will really enjoy the various shows that are presented. We really enjoy the shark exhibit because you are on a moving walkway as the sharks swim in a tank above you. The shows are always a big draw. We prefer the dolphin show as the Shamu show is a little disappointing now that the workers are not allowed in the pool with the animals. Cabrillo National Monument is a relaxing place to visit. There is a lighthouse you can walk to and go inside. There are tide pools to see as well as a visitor center. The Birch Aquarium is another great place to go. There is a memorial you can visit called Mt. Soledad. It is a huge cross with the names of different people who have served in the military on tiles around the cross. It also has a great view of San Diego, including the temple. A couple of other things you can do is take a ferry over to the downtown area from Coronado. You can also take a Harbor Cruise or tour the USS Midway. There are great shops along the harbor as well as statues like the sailor kissing his girl memorializing the end of World War II. You can also go to one of the many beaches where you can swim, surf, relax, or even sea kayak. (We have kayaked in the La Jolla area, and the Bike and Kayak San Diego Company located there gives great tours.) In the Old Town area, you can also visit the Mormon Battalion, which is a historical site about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' (also called the Mormons) impact on the settling of San Diego. About an hour away from San Diego is the San Juan Capistrano Mission, which is another interesting place you can visit.
Bok Tower Gardens
The Bok Tower Gardens are an amazing place in the middle of the Florida desert. They are located about an hour from Orlando and an hour from Tampa Bay in the town of Lake Wales. The Singing Tower gives concerts twice a day. There are lots of places to wander around the gardens, but the tower itself is amazing. The variety of plants are amazingly beautiful. You can even see a gopher tortoise go into one of its holes on the grounds. Plus, there are orange groves on your way to the gardens, which being from Idaho, are awesome to see.
Duke, North Carolina, and Kansas
For those who don't know us, we are HUGE college basketball fans. March Madness is one of our favorite times of the year. Utah State is our alma mater, but they do not usually do very well in the tournament, so we like Duke University. Being fans of college basketball, there are some college campuses that everyone knows about. We recently visited three of them. Another thing we have noticed is that usually the courts themselves are locked and you can't get to them. We visited Duke and North Carolina in 2011 (which are 9 miles apart) on the same day. The gym at North Carolina was locked up tight, but we discovered that Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke's gym) was open. We were excited to get in and could hear a basketball bouncing. We went into the gym and saw some game going on. We later discovered it was a fantasy camp for older people who want the college basketball experience. We took a few pictures before we were kicked out because we were not suppose to be in there. Yep! We were kicked out of Cameron Indoor Stadium. The next year we stopped in Lawrence, Kansas to see the University of Kansas. There is a great museum called the Booth Hall of Athletics. It is free and has some fun exhibits.
San Francisco
San Francisco, California is another place with lots to do. The Golden Gate Bridge is definitely something you want to at least drive over. If you want to stay outdoors, Muir Woods is 11 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge and has some great trails to hike on. Alcatraz is another interesting place to visit. You have to take a ferry across to get to the island. It is fascinating to walk through the prison. You can take a ride on a Trolley or visit Lombard Street (the crookedest street). A visit to Pier 39 to see (and hear) the sea lions is fun as well. Ghirardelli Square and Fisherman's Wharf have great things to eat. This is just a few things you can do in a short amount of time. There are many other things you can do.
College Basketball Experience
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, is the College Basketball Experience. If you like basketball, you will find something there to like. There are different exhibits that you can show your basketball skills. On one of them you tried to win the game by making a shot at a spot that lights up on the floor. Elisa enjoyed the experience of dunking (and the giant basketball). There are also regular basketball courts where games can be played. We went when there were very few people there, so we did not have to wait in any lines. If we had had to wait, it would not have been as fun!
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, is the College Basketball Experience. If you like basketball, you will find something there to like. There are different exhibits that you can show your basketball skills. On one of them you tried to win the game by making a shot at a spot that lights up on the floor. Elisa enjoyed the experience of dunking (and the giant basketball). There are also regular basketball courts where games can be played. We went when there were very few people there, so we did not have to wait in any lines. If we had had to wait, it would not have been as fun!
Oklahoma City National Memorial
In Oklahoma City is a wonderful memorial to see called the Oklahoma City National Memorial. It was constructed in memory of the Oklahoma City bombing that occurred on April 19, 1995 at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. There is a museum you can go through as well, but even walking outside is a great experience. There is a lot of symbolism used throughout the memorial like the field of empty chairs in nine rows representing the nine floors and the names of the people who died on each floor are on each chair. We went before sunrise and had the place to ourselves and you could really appreciate the whole place. |
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah is the capital of Utah and has many things to do and see. For those who like shopping, the City Creek Center is a great place to go. Even if you don't want to shop, it has many things to see as you walk around including an actual creek running down the center. It is located by Temple Square, which is a place many people visit. Temple Square is where the headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is located. The temple and temple grounds are beautiful things to see. The Hogle Zoo is another great place to visit that kids will love. Across the street from the zoo is the This is the Place Monument which represents where Brigham Young made his decision to settle the early Latter-day Saints. Bingham Canyon Mine is located near Salt Lake and a definite place to visit. In the winter, world-class skiing can be found in nearby Park City as well as the Olympic Park, where the 2002 Olympics where held.
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