Using my NPS site map, I decided to stop in Cincinnati for a couple nights on the way to Washington for my Visa appointment. I wanted to the see the Taft historic site. I booked a great AirBNB for 3 nights. I visited the William Howard Taft NHS Saturday morning for several hours. There is a nice visitor center with a video about Taft and his family; the home was the one he grew up in and you can visit…
I spent a week in Saint Ignace and went to the island by ferry. I wish I had checked prices better for some of the B&Bs or hotels on the island, I definitely would have enjoyed more time on the island to explore. While visiting I learned Mackinac and Mackinaw are pronounced the same – with a ‘w’ sound but both should be spelled with a ‘c’. Both came from Michilimackinac. I also learned there was a national park here…
After a month in Michigan, and a week in Niagara Falls I needed somewhere to go close by before flying out of O’Hare to Portugal in September so decided to return to this lovely area. I visited some things I had seen 3 years ago, but many things weren’t open in 2020 due to COVID and I found plenty of new things to do. Kelly came out for a week, also. I had a 2 bedroom right outside of Geneva…
I’ve visited the falls several times. My first visit was with my parents and sisters in the late 1960s. My daughter and I stopped by for one afternoon and one night on the way to Maine in 1993 and we rode the Maid of the Mist. We were in Toronto for a week in 2004 and drove over for a day; we did Journey Behind the Falls. I’ve never spent any time in the area, however, to see anything other…
My daughter took a new job early in 2021, moving to central Michigan between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. I‘ve visited many times since then, for a few days here, a week there, a month around the holidays last year and finally decided to write up some activities and places I’ve visited and enjoyed across several towns in the area. I’ll probably update this post each time I visit if I find new activities unlike separate posts for other destinations. Augusta…
I visited two years ago when I was getting my new South Dakota driver’s license, but only spent a couple days after weeks in Rapid City. After getting some other documents updated, including a change to my mail service and a new address, I needed to update my DL, too, so came for a week. It is a beautiful city, with a great historic downtown. Falls Park is literally the center of the city, and a gorgeous area to enjoy…
I’ve been using my NPS map to plan my wandering the past few months. The NPS.gov site is great, of course, and I love the app, but the printed map shows all the NPS sites all over the country making it easier to plan road trips. Independence I came to Independence to see both the Harry Truman National Historic Site and Truman Presidential Library and Museum. I also drove out to his family farm another day. The house is by…
Leaving Hot Springs, I got an early start so I could stop at Fort Smith National Historic Site. Such interesting history, glad I took the opportunity to visit. The area was the site of a fort as early as 1817, the second fort was built in 1838. It was occupied by Confederate soldiers in 1861 but Union soldiers forced them out in 1863. It was originally built to “keep peace” in Indian Territory (i.e. Oklahoma) between the local tribe, the…
On the drive from Chattanooga to Hot Springs I went through Little Rock. Fortunately, the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site had Saturday hours. I didn’t make it in time for the 1300 guided Ranger tour, but I spent an hour and a half in the visitor center then about an hour following the NPS app audio tour of the grounds. I was very glad for the opportunity to visit and learn more about this event. They have…
The visitor center at the park is closed for new exhibits for several months but I wanted to visit Shiloh National Military Park anyway and tour this important battlefield. The movie is still showing in the theater. Like most of the informational videos in the parks, it provides a great overview of the battle. April 6 & 7, 1862, “Nearly 110,000 American troops clashed in a bloody contest that resulted in 23,746 casualties; more casualties than in all of America’s…