Read more about the article Joshua Tree NP – California

Joshua Tree NP – California

We met my husband’s family at Big Bear Lake, CA last summer. Those who’ve read my posts know that I don’t like to stay in one place for a long time – especially somewhere I’d been before. Since four days hanging out at a lake didn’t excite me, I decided to take one of my daughters (Thing 2) with me to Joshua Tree National Park for a day trip.

Looking at the Joshua Tree inside the park

It was a huge undertaking but worth it in the end. We left just before sunrise. Although only a little over 70 miles from Big Bear, the drive to the western entrance takes almost two hours mainly because the two-lane road full of hair-pin curves winds its way down the San Bernardino mountains for about 25 miles. Fortunately once we reached the Lucerne Valley area, miles of desert (and flat, straight roads) stretched ahead. (more…)

Read more about the article National Center for Civil & Human Rights – Atlanta, GA
A new museum for downtown Atlanta

National Center for Civil & Human Rights – Atlanta, GA

Opened in 2014, the National Center for Civil & Human Rights is one of Atlanta’s newest museums. In response to Pepsi sponsoring Super Bowl LIII right here in Coca-Cola’s home city, the Coca-Cola Foundation gave a $1 million grant providing free admission to the museum for the entire month of February. Not just Super Bowl weekend. Not just for visitors to Atlanta. It’s for everyone for the entire month.

Visitors enter on the second floor of the museum after going through a security checkpoint. Typically, they explore the second floor civil rights exhibit, then follow upstairs to the human rights exhibit. Because larger than average crowds, museum staff told us to start either on the first or third floors. (more…)

Read more about the article One Day on Block Island, RI
Arriving at Block Island

One Day on Block Island, RI

Block Island sits 12 miles off the coast of Rhode Island. Many people recommended Block Island over Nantucket because it is much less crowded. The island is small (only 7,000 acres) and much has been preserved from development. It was a nice way to relax after touring around Newport the previous day.

The best way to get to Block Island is by ferry. And that is exactly what we did from Point Judith. The trip takes a little less than an hour (on the traditional ferry) and you can buy snacks while on board. Since we weren’t taking a car with us and we were returning the same day, the round-trip tickets were less expensive. Block Island Ferry also departs from Newport and Fall River, MA. (more…)

Read more about the article One Day in Newport, RI

One Day in Newport, RI

Famous for its Gilded Age mansions, Newport offers visitors a chance to see what living was like in the late 1800’s high society. I couldn’t wait to tour the abundance of lavish estates until I realized that my dear husband (DH) and teen daughters don’t share the same enthusiasm for home and garden tours. Fortunately, Newport offers a wide array of other options including the Cliff Walk, sailing excursions and many restaurants.

We traveled to Rhode Island last summer mainly because Southwest offered ridiculously low airfares to Boston. Because we decided to visit different areas of the state, we made our home base in Fall River, MA. Only about 20 miles away from Newport and Providence, the location was ideal (and less expensive) than staying in either city.

We spent our first day driving around some of Boston’s universities: Tufts, Harvard and Boston College followed by an evening with my relatives in Providence. We devoted our second day to explore Newport and arrived around 9 am. (more…)