Happy Birthday, America!!
Posted on 07/01/2005 5:30:12 AM PDT by Gabz
For various and sundry reasons lots of people do not go away on "vacations" per se.
It's very rare that we even spend one night away from home, let alone a week or two at a time............but we do plan lots of day trips.
Personally I find it less stressful for planning/packing and because we can find lots of things to do within a 2-3 hour drive, it spreads the "vacation" funds over the course of several months.
Since we are scattered all over the map, let's share favorite places for day trips be it beaches, museums, amusement parks, whathave you.
We live in the Keystone State of PA and like to take trips up to the wine country of New York's Finger Lakes. We stay at an incredible B&B called the Log Country Inn. It is run by a polish woman and her family. It is inexpensive, relatively close (1.25 hour drive from us), and she makes an incredible european breakfast.
To save money, we pack a picnic basket of non-perishables, like pasta salad and fried chicken and just drive around to see what we can find. Last time, we went to five wineries and even a farm that makes cheese. Yummy samples.
With gas prices as they are, it is hard to go very far, even in a compact car. So we focus some day trips on just taking a road never traveled. We are lucky to have so many rural areas close by, usually within 20 minutes.
We sometimes go on "posted" land to sit and watch a stream. I've found that if you take garbage OUT that others have left behind, the owners of the property, if they happen upon you, will be kind and grateful for helping to clean their property. I've never had a problem. It also helps to not bring alcoholic beverages, since many people like to party and leave a mess behind. But I find a bottle of Boone's farms is alright to bring, as its just ONE bottle and easy to take along with you when you leave.
Everyone, please try to clean up after yourselves. Take an extra bag and leave a natural area better than you found it. And buckle up, ESPECIALLY the kids, on this holiday weekend. Hang up and drive. There is so much beauty one misses while talking on the phone. Not to mention, traffic will be heavy this weekend, and others may not be paying attention.
Happy Fourth to ALL!
We live in the Keystone State of PA and like to take trips up to the wine country of New York's Finger Lakes. We stay at an incredible B&B called the Log Country Inn. It is run by a polish woman and her family. It is inexpensive, relatively close (1.25 hour drive from us), and she makes an incredible european breakfast.
To save money, we pack a picnic basket of non-perishables, like pasta salad and fried chicken and just drive around to see what we can find. Last time, we went to five wineries and even a farm that makes cheese. Yummy samples.
With gas prices as they are, it is hard to go very far, even in a compact car. So we focus some day trips on just taking a road never traveled. We are lucky to have so many rural areas close by, usually within 20 minutes.
We sometimes go on "posted" land to sit and watch a stream. I've found that if you take garbage OUT that others have left behind, the owners of the property, if they happen upon you, will be kind and grateful for helping to clean their property. I've never had a problem. It also helps to not bring alcoholic beverages, since many people like to party and leave a mess behind. But I find a bottle of Boone's farms is alright to bring, as its just ONE bottle and easy to take along with you when you leave.
Everyone, please try to clean up after yourselves. Take an extra bag and leave a natural area better than you found it. And buckle up, ESPECIALLY the kids, on this holiday weekend. Hang up and drive. There is so much beauty one misses while talking on the phone. Not to mention, traffic will be heavy this weekend, and others may not be paying attention.
Happy Fourth to ALL!
A few weeks ago we drove through a bunch of towns along the Grand River as it heads north out of Lansing. We were trying to scout out some good fishing. I had never been to Eagle, Portland, Muir, Lyons, or Ionia before--some of them are really nice little towns. I really liked the looks of Ionia. I'll definitely head back there in the next couple of weeks, just to prowl around for a few hours.
This is a regular thread for families, runs every Friday in GenChat. Gabz is the keeper of the ping list if you're interested.
Have a great Fourth!
The Ithaca area is beautiful as well and sits at the bottom of Cayuga (there MAY be a finger lake as you mentioned by Cuyahoga, but you may be speaking of Cayuga. I'm not really sure either-there's quite a few finger lakes). Ithaca has a wonderful commons area with kitschie (sp?) shops and restaurants.
There are also two beautiful natural areas very close by:
Taughaunnock Falls and Buttermilk Falls. Both places are great for picnics and hiking. Taughaunnock Falls will simply take your breath away.
I've often thought of moving up that way. It is quickly becoming "found" by many others. It will only be a matter of time before it is completely urbanized and "mallified". Enjoy it before it happens.
Good Morning!
We took a day trip yesterday to Perryville MO....blueberry picking and then a picnic lunch, then to the National Shrine of the Miraculous Medal (also in Perryville).
Then home for a dinner of blueberry pancakes! :)
Longebarger baskets in Dresden, Ohio. We go every year to make a basket. I also like the velvet ice cream factory.
I take Evie into COSI, the science center, and the zoo every few weeks, but those are big days for a one year old!!!
Oh yeah, Evie turned one this past monday, I can remember posting her birth here! I can't believe it's been a year!
I'm usually not a widow either but this pregnancy has left me sitting more often than not. I can't really scrape old lead based paint from the walls, build a retaining wall using heavy stones or shovel rock for hours. That last one got me in trouble!!!!
Vinyl siding...I'm jealous! That's next year's project.
Good luck!
That's exactly the kind of "light" housework we need!!!! We finally found a guy that will come to our house to regrade the yard. We're trying to keep water from coming into our basement. We bought the house with the intention of finishing the downstairs and got blasted a week later with a flooded basement. Not fun! I was being kind when I said it was a fixer-upper. It's really just a giant money pit. I almost wish the government would come along and take my house! LOL!
Hi Gabz and friends...
Living in Florida, we are so lucky to have lots of day trips available! Orlando and all it's wonders are only about an hour and a half away, and we have Busch Gardens, a great zoo, aquariums, wonderful kid's museums, world class beaches, state parks, Kennedy Space Center, Cocoa Beach, St. Augustine, Sanibel Island, etc...
We always marvel that people come from all around the country and world to visit our area. I get family memberships to the zoo, museum, aquarium, state parks, etc... and annual passes to the theme parks and we always have our options open!
Happy Birthday, America!!
Wonderful advice.
That has long been a practice of ours. We had to stop going to one of our favorite surf fishing beaches on the Delaware Bay after our daughter was old enough to play in the sand and go into the water - far too much broken glass.
Yummy blueberries!!!!!!!!!!
I love going to those pick-your-own places. haven't been to one in ages.
Oh my, how time flies, I can't believe it's been a year already. My Jax turns 7 today.
Happy belated b'day to Evie!
Pregnancy will do that to do............but sit back and enjoy the rest while you can :)
P.S. We are in central Ohio. :)
We like doing those kinds of things as well.
On the road to Chincoteague Island NASA has a welcome/visitors center with an interactive museum-type display of the history of space exploration, it's really cool and they've got free programs for kids there ever weekend. next weekend they are dong home made rocket launches.
Our daughter loves the aquarium at the zoo. We bought a membership this year. I would like to go and see them light the christmas lights this year. I havent been to COSI since they first opened the new one. None of us have been brave enough yet to ride the overhead bike there! :)
How is the casserole making coming along? I think I am going to try out some of the recipes as well. :) Happy Fourth of July to ya!
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