Unique digital nomad travel adventures from around the U.S.
Welcome to the all fifty states club part 3! Parts 1 and 2 got us most of the way through the all fifty states club of America. This last post will pick up where we left off in North Carolina and highlight interesting/fun things I …
Work brought me to Kansas City twice in the course of one month. Lucky for me, I have a good friend (we will call her AA) who lives in and loves KC. She provided me with helpful hints and suggestions about what to see and …
The all fifty states club part 2 picks up where we left off in the first part of this series. This series explores interesting things to see and do in all fifty of the United States of America. (You can also go here to read part three.) We will now pick up with the middle. Incidentally, have you ever noticed how many of the states in the U.S. begin with the letters ‘M’ and ‘N?’ Except for Louisiana, this post will focus solely on states that begin with these two letters. Weird.
Everybody needs to go to New Orleans at some point. When I am traveling I usually lump together big cities as basically all the same in my head. Well, this generalization doesn’t work for NoLa. It is one of a kind. I have been here two times in the last few years and I can recommend a lot of things: cemeteries, ghost tours, WW2 museum, French Quarter, American Quarter, jazz festivals, the list can go on and on. But what I want to highlight here is the swamp tour B and I took.
We arrived at the swamp after about an hour driving from downtown New Orleans. We piled on a boat and for the next few hours, our tour guide powered us around swamps, pointing out gators, homemade fishing bobbers made of milk cartons and empty plastic bottles, and the interesting plants and birds native to this habitat. My favorite part of the experience was listening to this guy; I had no idea that Adam Sandler was spoofing people by the way he talked in Water Boy. But sure enough, our guide sounded exactly like that. Classic.
A few years ago, B’s and my work trips to the East Coast fortuitously occurred around the same time. Like we’ve said in previous posts, when work takes you places you really should make good use and take the opportunity to explore somewhere new. We did this and took a trip around the Northeast. Maybe not so fortuitously, it was the middle of February and the Northeast was experiencing a crazy snow season. I’ve never seen snow that high! It was as higher than I am tall. When we got to Acadia National Park, it was gorgeous, albeit a frozen tundra. This state was really cool and I definitely want to visit again in different conditions.
On an different work trip to Washington D.C., I rented a car and drove along the mid-Atlantic seaboard. I had watched a program on PBS about the wild horses found on this skinny island that stretches for 37 miles off Virginia and Maryland and wanted to see these guys in person. After driving around for awhile, I turned a corner and there they were. I was on the Maryland side of the island at this point, so the horses are managed by the National Park Service. Their population is kept in check by contraception; on the TV show I was watched someone shot a dart into the bum of a female horse so she wouldn’t get pregnant that year. Talk about crazy jobs! On the Virginia side of the island, cowboy types round up some of the horses once a year and auction them off.
Martha’s Vineyard is an island off of Cape Cod, the part of Massachusetts that juts out into the ocean. Like a lot of Cape Cod, it is known for swanky houses, democrats and people who wear sweaters tied around their shoulders. I spent a week visiting my dad in Cape Cod and took advantage of the handy ferry schedule that takes you the seven miles or so to and from the island. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to be that impressed since I assumed it would be uber pretentious, but I was pleasantly surprised.
I rented a bike and cruised around a few of the towns. My favorite part was the Victorian cottages in the town of Oak Bluffs. These adorable and very well preserved houses look like colorful gingerbread houses. They are small and intricate and frilly, if houses can be frilly. Definitely worth the trip over from the mainland.
When I was getting close to finishing up all 50 states, I realized I couldn’t come up with a memory of Michigan. This seemed improbable because I had driven from Massachusetts to Idaho and it is on the way. But to be true to my 50 state list, I decided to make a special trip to this state. My experience of choice was the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn. I figured this museum would be all about cars and while it did have a lot of that, it had so much more. I saw JFK’s limo, Abraham Lincoln’s chair from the Ford Theater, and unrelated to assassinated presidents, the bus on which Rosa Parks was riding when she opted to change American history.
I really like fairs and try to go to the Western Idaho Fair every year. I mistakenly assumed other state fairs would be on the scale of Idaho’s. Definitely not the case in Minnesota. I’m pretty sure this fair is one of the signature events of the year in this northern state. And why wouldn’t it be? I ate fried cookie dough, saw two lumberjacks race each other to cut down a tree using chainsaws, and listened to Sturgill Simpson, Kris Kristofferson and Merle Haggard (may he rest in peace) sing. It was, all in all, a magical evening.
As B and I drove through the southern states we noticed a crop we weren’t familiar with. We decided to pull over and check out what the fluffy white stuff was and discovered to our delight we were looking at rows and rows of cotton. We (of course) took pictures and were (rightfully) embarrassed when a nice southern gentleman stopped his car to make sure we were okay and our vehicle hadn’t broken down. No sir, we’re fine, just some yankees who hadn’t seen cotton before.
Okay, truth be told, I had already been to Missouri before we went to the Antiques Roadshow in St. Louis. But it is just one of my favorite memories, so I am going to put it down as my favorite experience in the state of Missouri. You can read all about it in this post, but suffice it to say I had a great time at the Roadshow and was impressed with the host city of St. Louis to boot. I hadn’t expected much beyond an Arch, but we really had a good time exploring this city.
When my brother and his wife decided to get hitched at Glacier National Park, it seemed very fitting. Also fitting is the fact that in Montana anybody can perform a marriage ceremony. Ha! And so it was that a small group of us hiked down a trail and my dad presided as they became a spousal unit. BTW, Glacier is gorgeous. I highly recommend visiting this special park, especially because the glaciers that the park is named for are supposed to melt in the next few decades.
For anyone driving through Nebraska, you should know it takes a loooong time to get from one side to the other. I drove through from east to west and close to the border I stopped in at Scotts Bluff National Monument. It was at this point that I stopped feeling sorry for myself and how long it was taking to get across Nebraska; you see, Scott’s Bluff is on the trail that a hundred and fifty years ago people walked or rode in wagons to get across as they were slowly making their way to Oregon, Utah and California.
Nevada: The town of Reno, Nevada, is in between Boise and Northern California. As such, I have driven ol’ I-80 more times than I can remember. We would always pass through Reno and before we started climbing up towards Donner’s Summit we would turn off and visit Boomtown. When we were younger, we would play in the robust kid’s area. But when I reached 18, I started hitting the slots. Early on I hit big and won $250. I probably have lost almost that over the years, but I still like to pop in while I’m driving through.
New Hampshire’s license plate reads, ‘Live Free or Die.’ We had only been in New Hampshire for a few minutes when we understood why New Hampshirans picked this motto. We were driving up to a red light when we saw multiple cars treat the read light like a stop sign, stopping and then proceeding through the red light. It was clear from oncoming traffic, and even though the law said stop, New Hampshirans made up their own minds and went. Respect.
Many moon’s ago, my friend and I visited New York City for about a week. Instead of staying in Manhattan, we stayed with her family in New Jersey and caught the train into town (along with all the other big whigs who work in the Big Apple). For several days we explored the hustle and bustle of the big city and at night settled into a comfortable suburban home. At the end of the week, I could kind of get why people would spend two hours commuting instead of living in smaller houses closer to the big city. Kind of.
In South Central New Mexico, there is a strange desert whose sand is white instead of the normal tan color. This is because the sand in this area is made of gypsum; in fact, this is the largest gypsum sand dune in the world. If you visit you should go on a hike, but make sure you don’t get lost and wind up next door on the military’s White Sands Missile Range.
On the aforementioned trip I took to New Jersey/New York, I saw and did lots of great things. It’s hard to narrow down to my favorite, but I think it would have to be splurging at a New York Mets baseball game. My friend’s uncle was very generous and took us to see the Mets. He went all out and we ended up with seats just above the Mets dugout. I got to see Mike Piazza up close and personal as I chowed down on a doctored up hot dog. That was my first experience with major league baseball and even though I have yet to get as good of seats, I always make sure to eat a big league hot dog at every game I go to.
The states in the middle of the alphabet were a pleasure to visit. Have you been to or is one of these your home state? What has been you favorite experience visiting the Middles? Stay tuned for the final segment in this series to hear about U.S. states. Quick–what is the last state of the 50 states alphabetically?…Wyoming.
Unless you have been hiding out in the mountains away from civilization, you will have heard that August 21, 2017, is the day of the Great American Eclipse. The ‘Path of Totality’ or ‘POT” starts on the Oregon Coast and stretches its way through the …
Lucky for us, we have both visited all fifty states and have become members of the all fifty states club. We both had a very strong start independently at checking off the states, but when we became friends, we made a couple trips to finish …
If you read that title and are asking yourself, “Why would I do Disney World as an adult?”, I want you to know that you are asking a fair question. Disney is not for everyone and if the idea of visiting the ‘happiest place on earth’ either confuses you or leaves you in hives, I recommend you stop reading now. However, there are plenty of adults out there who love all things Disney—some I would even classify as obsessed. Although I am far from obsessed, I have a healthy respect for Walt and his legacy. And I am not alone. Lots of adults visit and enjoy Disney World, sans kids, every single day.
I recently spent a long weekend in Florida with some old roommates of mine. We had a blast! Time was spent at Disney World and considering this was not our first rodeo, I figured I would share some of our tips and tricks. But first, a back story:
During my sophomore year of college, I found myself getting a little burned out by school and the whole college scene. Needless to say, I was primed to embrace any legitimate excuse to take a break. It was during this time that a recruiter for the Disney College Program attended one of my classes and told us about Disney’s internship program. Although I have never been a huge Disney fan, I found myself intrigued by the possibility of an internship in Florida (far away from cold and snowy Idaho). I decided to apply and let fate decide. It was not long before I got the news that I had been accepted for an eight-month internship starting in January. (I found out later that getting accepted into the program is not terribly difficult.) I left Idaho with two suitcases and a stomach full of butterflies. So began one of the most unique experiences of my life.
Fast-forward 15 years. I have never forgot my experience working at Disney World. Best of all, I am still friends with the girls I lived with. A lot has changed since my time in Florida, but many things have remained the same. Lucky for me, one of my roommates still lives in Florida and her husband is a manager at Disney World. Not only can we crash at her place, but she shuttles us around and keeps us up-to-date on the latest happenings. This was the set up for our brief but delightful 15-year reunion earlier this summer and below is my advice, based on this trip, to help you plan your own adult-only foray into the world of Disney.
Our girls’ weekend happened in June. This is not exactly the best time to visit Disney World. I feel like we lucked out with both the weather and the crowds, but I would not rely on luck if you do not have to. And I would avoid summer at all costs. Basically, whenever kids are out of school, the park will be busier (think summer, Christmas and spring break). If you are not traveling with kids, why on earth would you go when all the kids are there!?! Back in my College Program days, February was dead. Although that is not really the case anymore, it is still less crowded than summer. The weather will be infinitely better as well.
Unless you are planning on spending a couple of weeks in Orlando, you are going to have to pick and choose what you want to do. Disney World itself has so much to offer and it takes a lot of time and money to see it all. Given that we were only there for a long weekend, we opted to visit Disney Springs (called Downtown Disney when I worked there), the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and a spa. Limiting our options allowed us to focus on the experience and our time with each other. In the end, we had a much more enjoyable time than if we had crammed our schedule full of everything Disney World has to offer.
Disney World is not cheap. Everything you do will cost you money—more money than you usually pay for things. I am sure there are blogs out there with tips and tricks for how to do Disney World on a budget. But in general, it is a very difficult place to be thrifty. So be prepared and save up a little extra before you go.
If money is not a huge concern, I recommend staying on Disney property. There are a lot of hotels to choose from and each has its own unique theme. Staying in a Disney hotel is especially a good idea if you do not want to rent a car. Their transportation is topnotch and it is easy to get around. Plus, they pick you up right at the airport and take you to your hotel.
If you are trying to save money, there are plenty of hotels just outside the park. But remember that you will have to pay to park. When you add that to your rental car and fuel, your hotel may not be such a good deal after all.
Of course, this is easier said than done. It is hard not to try and do as much as you can when you are visiting the parks. Lucky for us, we had a momma-to-be in our group. This meant we walked a little slower and took more breaks than we normally would have. It was great though! Slowing down and just taking in everything around us (the people watching is excellent at Disney World) made for a much more enjoyable experience. We still ended up doing everything we wanted, but we did not cram activities into every second. If a line was too long, we skipped it and went somewhere else. Did we ride every ride in the park? No. But that wasn’t our MO. Did we enjoy each other’s company while moseying around the park and riding a ride here and there? We sure did.
I am sure this is very important when you take kids to the park. But that does not make it any less important without kids. During really hot moments, I was grateful to have a fan in my bag. When the rain came down, we pulled out our ponchos. You do not have to carry an over-sized backpack and be prepared for any eventuality. But you will have much more pleasant experience if you are prepared with things like a snack, fan, poncho, water bottle, etc.
It is hot and humid in Florida. You will sweat a lot. Bring a water bottle and refill it often. There are restrooms all over the park and finding one is never a problem. So there is no excuse for not staying hydrated.
Things change all the time at Disney World. The fast-pass system is very different today from when I worked there. But it is a great tool and if used properly, can make scheduling and planning your time in the park a lot easier. Also, there are good apps out there to help you plan. Disney’s own app makes scheduling fast passes and dinner reservations a breeze. You can also check the wait times for rides.
MagicBands are a relatively new thing. Basically, they are your room key, credit card, park pass, fast pass, etc. all wrapped up in one bracelet (kind of like a cruise ship card). I think they are very cool, especially if used to their full potential. We did not use them on this particular trip. But I have used them in the past and really enjoy their ease and convenience.
Unless meeting characters and getting your picture taken with them is really your thing, I suggest you skip it. Meet and greet lines are a huge time suck. Plus, you are taking time away the kids who really do want to meet the characters.
The parade is nicely done, there is no question about that. But it can be tough to find a good spot to watch it unless you want to set up camp really early. I would rather ride the rides during the parade. The lines tend to be a lot shorter at that time.
Disney spares no expense when it comes to their firework shows. They are well worth seeing. I am sure the lines are shorter for rides during this time, but I have yet to regret watching the pyrotechnics. Most people head home after the show anyway, so you can still ride a few rides afterwards with shorter lines.
Right after the firework show, the vast majority begins to exit the park. But before they go, they hit up the stores on Main Street for some final souvenir shopping. This the worst time to be on Main Street. Save yourself the trouble and go ride another ride or two. Wait for the masses to clear out and then make your way to the monorail.
No matter how easy you might take it, you are still going to spend a lot of time on your feet. And it is Florida, so the weather will be hot and humid most of the year. The combination will most likely leave you feeling exhausted. My recommendation: schedule a spa treatment on your last day. We discovered this great idea mostly by accident. However, it was the perfect way to end our fun-filled girls’ weekend at Disney World.
With a little preparation and planning, you can have an amazing Disney World experience without kids. It might not be for everyone, but where else is it okay, even encouraged, for an adult to act like a kid? Disney World really is unlike any place I have ever been. And I always leave with a smile on my face.
I grew up about an hour west of Sun Valley and Ketchum, Idaho. Yes, I saw plenty of celebrities and I made a lot of money cleaning houses in the summer. But I rarely did anything fun. I was either working or running errands, and …
When B, C and I spent a few weeks in Eastern Europe, we allotted several days for Estonia. We didn’t really know much about this little country, but we’d read that Tallinn was awesome and figured we’d be able to find things to keep us …
This past weekend, R and I ventured down to Jackpot, Nevada, for music, food and of course, the casino. We made the trip in order to see a band we like, but it turned into a nice little trip out of town. It got me thinking about how casinos make excellent weekend getaways. With a little preparation, and some extra cash, you can easily escape real life for a couple of days.
Note: I feel like I need to insert some sort of warning about the dangers of gambling. You can become addicted to it. I suggest you stay away from casinos if you are already on your way to or worried about becoming addicted. Go camping instead.
Each state has different rules and regulations when it comes to gambling. No matter where you live though, there is probably a casino within driving distance be it a riverboat, reservation or border town. For us, the closest option is Jackpot, Nevada, a town located just south of the Idaho state line. The town is small, just over 1,000 people, but it has all you need for a night (or weekend) of fun.
Now to discuss the preparation that goes into a weekend getaway. Whether you are headed to a casino or somewhere else, the preparation involved is pretty much the same. You are going to need to sort out your transportation, lodging, food and entertainment.
Jackpot is a 2.5-hour drive from Boise. Not too far, but not necessarily a quick trip either. Originally, I planned on driving my truck, which gets decent but not great gas mileage. R did a quick search and found that a rental car would only cost $18. At that price, a smaller, newer car that is more fuel-efficient than my truck meant we would actually spend less on fuel. Plus, it is fun to rent a car and drive something different. So we picked up a new Ford Focus and hit the road.
Originally, we were going to stay with my folks since they do not live too far from Jackpot. However, at the last minute, we opted to get a hotel room instead. Last minute meant our options were limited since the bigger hotels were all sold out. We managed to find a room with decent reviews and overall, the hotel served its purpose. It was clean and convenient. Best of all, it was cheap.
However, I room did come with a challenge: our toilet did not work properly. Even after we reported the problem and it was supposedly fixed, we had to jimmy rig it in order to use it. Since we were only there for a night and the room was cheap, it was not that big of a deal. However, if you want to ensure a decent place to stay, you will want to book early. Or be willing to put up with a few quirks.
Casinos and buffets, for whatever reason, seem to go together. R and I are not buffet kind of people. But if you prefer that type of fare, then a casino is the place to be. Whatever your preference, there will be dining options and often, those options will be affordable and available late into the night and early in the morning (if not 24/7). Casinos rarely close and since all of that gambling and drinking makes people hungry, the casinos readily provide sustenance.
Casino dining did not pan out for us on this particular trip. Instead, we opted to try out a new brewpub in a town that was located on the way to Jackpot. Then the next morning, we enjoyed breakfast in a neighboring town. However, we did enjoy some late-night snacking. The small grocery store in Jackpot closes at 10:45 p.m. A strange time to close for sure, but we appreciated the late hour nonetheless. Rarely does a small, rural town’s grocery store stay open past 9 p.m. But where there are casinos, the rules are different and you will never have to go to bed hungry.
As I mentioned earlier, we ended up in Jackpot because of a band. Most casinos are able to draw some pretty good entertainers. I recommend choosing a weekend with a show you want to see. Either the show will be entertainment enough, or it will add to the other fun you will be having. In addition, casino shows are unique and you may see a favorite artist in a completely new light. The crowd will be different too and add to the experience.
Micky and the Motorcars was the band we saw this weekend. I have been enjoying their shows since 2005 and somehow, this performance was like none I have seen before. In fact, afterwards R said, “I am not sure where to start with the recap of what we just saw.” After hundreds of shows, I would have thought we had seen it all. However, this weekend proved differently. And it was a really good time.
We are not big gamblers, but we do enjoy playing a bit when the opportunity arises. On my 21st birthday, my uncle taught me to play roulette right there in Jackpot, Nevada. Later that night, I won $750 on a slot machine. Needless to say, it was a memorable birthday.
On this trip, R and I both spent $20 at the slot machine. There was no repeat of my birthday winnings and I lost my $20 in short order. R, on the other hand, won about $80. After the show, she took her $60 winnings and we headed to the roulette table. Although she planned to lose that $60, that did not happen and after an hour or so, we decided to call it a night. R cashed out $50 richer.
A couple of tips to having a good time while gambling:
Note: Many casinos, including those in Jackpot, still allow smoking. Some will have non-smoking sections, but some will not. By the time R and I left Jackpot, our eyes were itchy and our clothes smelled. This is something to keep in mind and research if your intolerance to cigarette smoke is high.
Casinos make good weekend getaways. It is a different kind of fun, but it can be had with a little preparation and some extra cash. You may even walk away a little richer. Although I would not plan on it.
This post finds me killing time in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I am here with my folks. My dad is seeing a specialist about his Lyme disease and to say my parents are terrible travelers is kind of an understatement. So I offered to come along …