Category Archives: Vacation

Cape May, NJ

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cape-may-nj

Photo from

If you live anywhere on the east coast and you’re thinkin’ where can I go where the entire family will have a wow of a time without spending a boatload of money, look to the Jersey shore. For everything your heart could possibly desire, zero in on Cape May, New Jersey.

Here’s the lowdown. I could’nt say it better than Deb Schwabe

Cape May has a large variety of lodging ranging from hotels to bed and breakfasts, motels and beach house rentals. You’ll love the charming Victorian feel of the area. Another great feature of the area is the many great restaurants that feature everything from seafood and steaks to great burgers and pizza.

One of the unique features of this quiet town is the convenience to other areas. If you have kids, you’ll especially love that the popular Wildwood boardwalk is less than 10 minutes away. If you’re looking for a little gaming action, you’re less than an hours drive from Atlantic City. You’ll have the best of worlds, the quiet charm of Cape May, and a short drive to busier areas.

There’s much more Cape May information at Deb’s blog.

As for me, I have treasured memories of Cape May.

With the kids or without, Cape May won’t let you down. The beach is pristine. And instead of a boardwalk, it has a promenade that runs along the beach. After an afternoon at the beach, when the sun is waning, my daughters and I used to like to rent rollerblades and tour the quiet streets, ending up at our favorite burger and malt joint, or we’d stop at the local taco stand.

At night, a little more excitement was called for, so we drove up to Wildwood to ride the amusements and to drop in to our favorite waffle restaurant on the boardwalk.

If you’re an antique buff, Cape May holds its own special allure in that category. Isn’t it about time you created some new memories of your own? Trust me, Cape May is a good choice.

Washington, DC

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washington-dc

Photo from The DC Traveler

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, with the economy in the doldrums, you should consider a staycation–one where you stay in the U.S. and spend your vacation dollars at home. A perfect city to visit is Washington, DC. Most of the tourist spots are free. It doesn’t get better than free. And it’s wonderful on the Fourth of July.

I haven’t been to Washington in the last decade, but as I recall the only thing that was pricey was the hotel. So, I opted to stay in Virginia, eat dinners in Virginia, but hop over to Washington during the day to visit the monuments, museums, and other tourist spots. And if you like zoos, plan to spend an entire day at the National Zoo. I loved it.

Following are a few Washington experiences shared on the web by folks who have visited more recently. First go to Shoutouts About Sites Worth a Visit

I’m not kidding. There’s something for everyone. There’s even a Spy Museum. Here’s what Erin from Mom’s Resource Blog shared about this interesting museum.

… go to the International Spy Museum. In a city full of spies, or so claims this private museum, this is a intriuging look at national and international espionage and spying.  CIA.  KGB.  The Cold War.  Domestic terrorists.  Who makes a good spy?  A great liar.  Someone who can convincingly change his or her appearance,  adapt a new way of acting and behaving, and stay in character at all times. And is ruthless too.  As technology advances, the tools of the trade get smaller: pens that are deadly weapons, eyeglasses that can record and magnify, and now micro-sized listening devices and cameras that can be placed nearly invisibly almost anywhere.  After you leave this museum, expect to walk around paranoid for at least several hours.  Somehow you feel that everyone walking on the streets is now a spy and that your hotel room is bugged too.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t pass on this honest and heartfelt glimpse of Washington to you from Liisa’s New Blahhg

The Lincoln is what you’d expect — grand, thoughtful, still full of the voice of Martin Luther King, Jr., a challenge to all to be our best.

The VVM Wall is forever powerful. Those names go on forever, overwhelming your brain with their sadness. This memorial manages to be respectful to the soldiers who fought in Viet Nam while showing how pointless the entire endeavor was. Next to the Wall are two groups of statues: a tribute to soldiers called The Three Servicemen, and a tribute to women who served in Viet Nam. Both are moving in their own way.

World War II Monument is, frankly, boring. A giant plaza with waterfalls and cement wreaths, it screams “We Won!” I didn’t get a sense of the war, the soldiers, or anything.

The best part of the Jefferson Memorial is the little museum underneath. We ended up being more interested in the statue of George Mason that sits about 1/4 mile away.

How do you build a memorial to FDR? You take 40 years and half a dozen artists, and you make it HUGE. This isn’t a memorial, it’s an installation. I forgot to take photos while we were there (for an hour!), but I’m not even sure you could capture it in photos. The entire installation is divided into 4 sections, one for each term he served. The first focuses on the Depression, with statues of men in bread lines and starving farmers that could have come right out of Dorothea Lange‘s photos. The second section covers the New Deal, with all its components, organizations and work, work, work. The third section focuses on the decision to go to war, and poses the question, “How do you fight fascism if you hate war?” The last section covers FDR’s passing and the legacy he left behind, including some of Eleanor’s work. Some memorials hit you over the head with their message; this piece is meant to be explored, decoded, deciphered. A true work of art. Shanti and I both loved it and felt its relevance for today.

We saved the best for last, though: the Korean War Memorial at night. The KWM is comprised of a group of soldiers moving in formation from trees into the open. Along their right is a granite wall etched with photos of those who served. At night, the soldiers are lit from the ground and appear as ghosts from the past, destined to make the same maneuvers over and over. This is a moving tribute to the people who served. No comments on the war or on war in general, just a tribute to those who went.

The Capitol is worth a visit.

10 Great U.S. Cities to Visit

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For the past few months, in an effort to encourage travel within the United States, I’ve been writing about cities I have enjoyed while on vacation.

This year in particular, it’s a good idea to spend your vacation dollars right here in the good old U.S.A.

Have fun, while stimulating our economy.

  1. Niagara Falls, NY
  2. Grand Canyon, AZ
  3. San Antonio, TX
  4. Philadelphia, PA
  5. New Orleans, LA
  6. New York, NY
  7. Memphis, TN
  8. Orlando, FL
  9. San Francisco, CA
  10. Savannah, GA

This is my short list of favs. I’ll share some more with you in the near future. If you have a favorite that is not included in my list, please let me know. I’ll try to add yours to my next list.

Savannah, Georgia

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Oglethorpe Square

If you’re looking for southern hospitality, try Savannah, Georgia. On the menu–candy for the eyes. It is chock full of quaint B&Bs, but the main attraction is its charming 22 park squares that are situated throughout the historic district of the city.  Surrounding many of the squares are historic homes and museums.

I found the best way to get acquainted with Savannah was to take the Hop On & Off Trolley Tour. You can spend your entire first day in the city using this trolley. It stops at most of the historic homes that are open to visitors, and if you’re a Girl Scout, you won’t want to miss the Julliette Gordon Lowe House (founder of the Girl Scouts of America). The trolley picks you up at your hotel or B&B, and then it stops every 20 minutes and runs all day until 4:30 p.m. That means if you get off to stroll a museum, or eat lunch, or just sit on a bench at one of the squares, you never wait for the trolley for more than 20 minutes. Excellent!

Be sure to walk along the river where you will find lovely boutiques, antique shops and restaurants. And you’ll also see Florence, the Waving Girl.

Speaking of girls, if you’ve read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, or if you just like visiting cemeteries (and believe it or not, many people love traipsing through an old cemetery), then you won’t want to miss Bird Girl.

Now that I have finished this post, it appears I’ve written a lot about girls: Girl Scouts, Waving Girl and Bird Girl. But Savannah is so much more. Go see for yourself. And if you’ve already been there, feel free to add a comment and let me know what you found exciting or beautiful about the city, because I plan to go back some day.

San Francisco, California

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Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge

When I travel I like to visit places I have read about in a book or magazine. I become the ultimate tourist. My intent is to take the words off the page and experience them in real life. San Francisco is a prime destination where you can do just that.

For one thing, a lot of stuff you’ve read about is within walking distance of each other. You can visit the sea lions, listen to their loud grunting, and watch them splash and play off the end of Pier 39. Other things the Pier has to offer: a marketplace, restaurants, street performers and loads of shops.

You won’t want to miss Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s only one or two blocks away from Pier 39 and the walk along the Bay is lovely. You’ll see picture perfect views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Just seeing the Golden Gate Bridge will give you a warm, fuzzy feeling. It’s a man-made phenomenon.

Tours. You want to take a tour? There are all sorts of tours: Seqway Tours, Motorcoach Tours, Bay Cruise Tours, Double Decker Trolley Tours, Culinary Tours, Alcatraz Tours, Submarine Tours, Chinatown Tours and Ride the Duck Tours. If you can dream it up–San Francisco’s got it.

So, right about now, you’re wondering how you can ride a duck, aren’t you? Well, the Duck is a W.W. II style amphibious landing vehicle, so you tour the city by land and by sea. Pretty neat.

Of course, you can’t visit San Francisco without riding a cable car or trolley. They’re everywhere. Hop on.

And by all means, never visit a city without sampling the local cuisine. In San Francisco, the sour dough bread is not to be missed. Make sure you eat some in every restaurant you visit, because you’ll never taste anything like it ever again (unless you go back to San Fran).

If you’re traveling with the kids, there’s an aquarium at the bay and a carousel smack dab in the middle of Pier 39. The kids will also love the live entertainment and the street performers.

San Francisco has all the other things you’d expect to find in a big city: museums, theater, opera, symphony orchestra and sports.

It’s all good!

Orlando, Florida

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Orlando By Night

Continuing on with fun cities to visit in the United States. Try Orlando, Florida.

Yeah, you already know it’s about Disney, Universal and Sea World. That’s all good, but it is also about nightlife downtown and restaurants galore. One of my favorite restaurants is Vito’s Chop House on International Drive, a steak house with an Italian flair. But that’s only one of many delightful places to dine.

I’d venture to say no matter when you visit, you’ll always be able to find a live concert to attend. There are great venues: Amway Arena, House of Blues, and Hard Rock Live, to name a few.

If you prefer golf, look no further. While the kids are at Universal for the day, you can pick up your clubs and head for any of the Grand Cypress Resort’s Courses, Bay Hill, Shingle Creek or the Hunter’s Creek Golf Course. Again, this is a partial list. There are many more.

If the kids want to see something a little more off the beaten path, try Gatorland or Wet & Wild or Silver Spurs Rodeo.

Most visitors to Orlando aren’t usually looking for cultural pursuits, but if you’re happiest at the theatre, you’ll be pleased to know Orlando hosts a ballet company, opera company, a philharmonic orchestra, a lineup of live plays and it even has a thriving Shakespeare Theatre.

For sports, there’s always the Magic and if you visit at the right time of year, you can see the Citrus Bowl Parade, which kicks off another exciting Citrus Bowl Game.

Gosh, what more could you want?

Memphis, Tennessee

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Since I’m encouraging vacation travel on a budget, I’ll rerun part of a previous post I wrote a while back.

If you’re looking to hear the blues, Memphis is the town.

Looking to savor the sweet taste of BBQ? Memphis is a good choice.

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A word about Beale Street–I was expecting something similar to Bourbon Street in New Orleans, but Beale Street is much shorter, only extends about a block or two. Therefore, it doesn’t have as many shops, but what it lacks in shopping, it makes up for in good food and fantastic music. The entire time spent on Beale Street is a party for the senses.

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There is one important fact to know about BBQ, it comes “wet” or “dry.” At the Pig On Beale, you can order your ribs with a dry rub. Take it from me, if you’re ever at the Pig, dry is the way to go.

The final Memphis highlight that I will touch on has a lot of “soul.”

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photo from

We only had time to visit one museum and, boy, did we make a good choice–STAX. Museum, with just the right mixture of history, made for a memorable visit.

There are bus tours galore that will take you to Graceland, if you yearn to see the King’s home. We ran out of time.

New York, New York

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The Big Apple

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When you read that title, New York, New York, tell the truth, didn’t you automatically hear the lyrics in your head? I can almost picture a line of dancers kicking up their heels in unison at the Radio City Music Hall.

New York City is the next city on my countdown for vacationing on a budget and where to do it in the U.S. To be absolutely honest, New York City is pricey, but when compared to hopping a plane abroad, it’s a real bargain. It has everything, including the most diverse cross-section of ethnicity in this country.

How does one describe the city that never sleeps?

I’m just going to tick off  “some” of the things you will find in NYC.

  • Central Park, which encompasses the Central Park Zoo, the Central Park Conservatory Garden, (2) Ice-Skating Rinks,  and an outdoor Theatre in the Park. (If you’re a birder–Central Park is your own personal heaven.)
  • Statue of Liberty
  • Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Center
  • Chinatown
  • Harlem
  • Broadway (You haven’t experienced a play until you’ve seen one on Broadway)
  • Museums (My favorite–Metropolitan Museum of Art– you can spend days there and still not see it all) There are loads of other museums, though. Another popular museum is MoMA, Museum of Modern Art
  • Times Square (If you visit, be sure to grab a burger at the McDonald’s at Times Square. You won’t believe your eyes.)
  • Greenwich Village
  • The Garment District

There’s more, but the list would go on and on into infinity. Suffice it to say, every neighborhood has something new and different to offer and you can see it all because cabs are at your beck and call day or night.

And there is actually one freebie in NYC. The Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museums are free on Friday evenings. Not bad!

I’ll close by reminding you that shopping in New York is phenomenal. Bring some extra cash.

New Orleans, Louisiana

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Most people think if you’re going to visit New Orleans, it should be during Mardi Gras.  That’s great, I admit. The parades are not to be missed and the craziness on the streets adds to the raucus, carefree atmosphere.

But there’s so much more to New Orleans: Bourbon Street, the French Market, the Garden District, eclectic shopping on Royal Street, the fantastic architecture throughout the City and the Riverboats on the Mississippi River. And there’s more, much more.

But for me, it’s all about the food and the music. I’ll never forget savoring the taste of my first beignet at the Cafe du Monde, or the taste sensation of gumbo at the Gumbo Shop in the French Quarter, or authentic cajun food found throughout the City.

And the music?

You can hear music everywhere, at any time, by day, or by night. If you want to experience music at its very best, make plans to attend the Jazz Fest, which is held in April each year. Tents and open-air stages abound with every imaginable type of music: jazz (of course), gospel, oldies, big band, zydeco, blues, country, bluegrass, dixieland, even latin jazz. If you can dream it up, you can probably find it at the New Orleans Jazz Fest. All live. All sensational–and the food at the fair? Every bit as savory as the music.

Philadelphia, PA

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Sculling on the Schuykill

If you’re vacationing in the U.S., Philadelphia is a good choice. It’s got a little bit of everything: history, art, sports, Broadway-caliber theaters, nightlife and great food.

It’s an historic city. Just a handfull of sites you can visit: Independence Hall, Betsy Ross House, the Liberty Bell, the Mint, although they don’t give away any of the money.

It houses some great art: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rodin Museum, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Norman Rockwell Museum, and the little known, Mutter Museum. They call this museum “disturbingly informative, heh, heh–the kids will love it–skulls and body parts.

Speaking of kids, a visit to Philadelphia isn’t complete without a trip to the Franklin Institute. Actually the adults enjoy it, too. A little bit of science about every conceivable subject, even sports. And the Philadelphia Zoo is a must.

If you’re into sports, Philadelphia is a real sports town. Their professional teams: Phillies (baseball), Eagles (football), Flyers (ice hockey), and 76ers (basketball). If you’re more interested in water sports, go down to Boathouse Row along the Schuykill River. On weekends, you can see the scullers practicing on the river and if you’re lucky enough to be in town for one of the big regattas, all the better. You can even take a sculling lesson or two yourself, if you have a mind to.

If you plan to visit, the best places to stay are in Center City. South Broad Street has the best hotels and they’re all a short cab ride to all the trendy haunts, theaters and tourist spots.

And NEVER, NEVER visit Philly without sampling an honest-to-goodness cheesesteak. Lord, that’s something not to be missed.