Newport, Rhode Island was on my summer to-do list, but I didn’t make it there until the very last weekend of official summer. I know I was in Newport years ago, but I don’t remember much about it so it felt like visiting for the first time. With blue skies and temperatures around 70 degrees, the day couldn’t have been more picture-perfect for exploring the Gilded Age mansions and rocky coastline of this small New England city.
You don’t have to go far to feel like you’re on vacation. Even though I was in Gloucester (MA) just three days ago, today I was back playing tourist in my own backyard. Gloucester is about a 20 minute drive from home, but today it felt like being much further away as I explored an old castle, took a boat tour, and ate some delicious seafood.
Picture this: a day that starts with a flight of French toast and ends with tiramisu. What could be better? That sums up my last day in Chicago, along with a visit to the zoo and a sail on Lake Michigan.
Do you know what one million dollar bills look like? Or which four rivers in the world are the most polluted with plastic? Thanks to visiting two new-to-me Chicago museums today, I can now answer “yes” to both of those questions.
Welcome to Chicago! As I returned my rental car at the airport this morning, I was thinking that I would just like to jump on a plane and go home. By the end of the day, I remembered why I love Chicago and am happy to be here again. I blame my desire to go home on not having had a good night’s sleep in over a week and just wanting to sleep in my own bed. Anyway, a few sprinkles didn’t keep me from wandering around Chicago, having some cider, and enjoying a delicious pizza dinner.
After spending almost a week in Florida with my family to celebrate my niece’s second birthday (and attend a financial literacy workshop in Orlando), I’m back in one of my all-time favorite cities: Chicago. Well, technically, I’m in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, but close enough. I’m here to attend the U.S. Classic (gymnastics) for two days before I head into Chicago proper.
Day 3 of going into Boston and today I tossed tea into Boston Harbor. Well, not real tea. And not actually into the water. But I reenacted the Boston Tea Party at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. I also had a yummy breakfast and drank a flight of cider, all while attempting to survive the high heat and humidity in the city.
Did you know that there’s not one, not two, but three lighthouses in Boston Harbor? The Boston Harbor Islands National Park hosts a weekly tour of the Boston Harbor lighthouses and today I learned about all three of them on my two-hour boat tour.
Happy 4th of July! I’ve spent Independence Day everywhere from Yosemite National Park to Dublin, Ireland to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland to Munich, Germany to Denali National Park, but this year I’ll be spending it in one of the most historic cities in the U.S.: Boston, Massachusetts. I’ve done the concert and fireworks on the Esplanade in the past so today will be more of a low-key celebration.
Since I don’t have any major trips planned for this summer, I’ve decided this will be the summer of day trips and local adventures. And my first stop is none other than one of my favorite New England cities, Portland, Maine. Since I’ve been to Portland many times before I wanted to do a couple of things I hadn’t done before.
Traveling with Laura 