March 12, 2020  – March 14, 2020 …

Should we stay or should we go?  The coronavirus has just “begun” to impact the United States.  We have a 12 year old that has been looking forward to this trip for years.  It’s a “quick trip”.   Fly in on Thursday,  we have tickets to see the New York Yankees play baseball games (outdoors) at Steinbrenner Field  Friday,  Saturday and Sunday and fly home on Monday.  The plan was to go to the games and hang out at the practice fields and fences in hopes of getting some autographs,  enjoy some fresh air,  blue skies and 80 degree temperatures.  We go!

Thursday … 1:45 p.m. We fly out of “business as usual” Bradley Airport in Hartford on Jet Blue Airlines,  non stop to Tampa International.  Full flight,  disinfectant aroma in the air,  a few people wearing masks,  flight attendants wearing gloves.  A little different than usual, but kind of in a nice “clean” way.    Arrive on time,  pick up our rental car and our first priority is finding a sports bar to eat at and watch the second half of the UCONN vs Tulane basketball game that had started at 3:00 p.m..  If you haven’t guessed we are big time sports fans.

Prime Time Sports Grill   14404 N. Dale Mabry Hwy Tampa Florida 813-908-0780  … Family owned and operated, delicious food, great staff …  UT! OH!,  the UCONN game has been cancelled, All NBA and College Basketball … cancelled.  We watch golf 🙁

Next stop … Walmart,  for a few essentials.   Whoa! There is not a parking place to be had,  there are people of all ages everywhere, isles are full, carriages are loaded.  People are chit chatting nicely as they wait in looooong lines at the registers.  The woman in line in front of us at the register, has a baby in her overfull carriage that is sucking on a clothes hanger and a toddler at her feet that is eating goldfish crackers off the floor that has obviously not been washed in a loooong time.  No panic here.   The woman sees we only have a few items in our carriage and offers to let us go ahead of her.  If the public reaction to the coronavirus isn’t confusing enough,  this scene definitely has me wondering.

We check into The Fairfield Inn and Suites Tampa Westshore/Airport 2215 North Lois Ave  Tampa, Fl  1.8 miles from George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Friday  … What a difference a day makes!  Major League Baseball  cancels all Spring Training games for the rest of the season.  Wow! have we been thrown a curve ball!  We head over to Steinbrenner  Field in hopes that something is going on.  Maybe there are some pre signed baseballs available.  Nothing .. We take a few photos and chat with a few other disappointed fans.  Funny thing, almost everyone  said the same thing … “just have to come back next year”.

Plan B … making the best of a disappointing situation.  The sun is shining, the weather is gorgeous and we’re in a beautiful area of Florida.

We had planned on having dinner one night after a game at The Tampa Riverwalk.   This  is a 2.6 mile pedestrian trail along the Hillsborough river.   We stopped and walked a bit of it.  It is definitely a “my cup of tea place”,  but a little too relaxing (aka boring) for my travel companions.  I’ve put a relaxing bicycle ride along the river on my list of “next times”.

My travel companions want to go looking for Alligators in their natural habitat.  In downtown Tampa you say!  I say, Dorothy, we are not in Kansas!  This is Florida, home of the “Gators”!   We were given two  nearby locations by a tour guide at the Riverwalk …  Rowlett Park 2401 E Yukon St  Tampa,  home to one of the largest (maybe 16 ft) alligators in the area.  The other was Lettuce Lake Park 6920 E Fletcher Ave  Tampa.    We picked the one closer to us, Rowlett and “struck out”, but we had fun looking.

Next on our list is Jet Skiing …. Bada Bing Water Sports  101 Bay Shore Dr NE  St Petersburg, Florida 727-592-1111

This is a great business, in a super location, with a fabulous staff.  There is something fun to do here for everyone.   My son-in-law had booked a jet skiing tour for him and my grandson.  Not “my cup of tea”,  but if my grand daughter,  aka my paddle board buddy,  was with us that’s what we would have done.  My plan was to walk to nearby Demens Landing Park and watch the jet skiers head out on their adventure.   Then  walk (.4 miles) to the Salvadore Dali Museum  1 Dali Blvd, St Petersburg.   My plans changed when, Dante,  one of the Bada Bing owners,  offered me a boat ride,  following the jet skiers,  so that I could take photos from the water.  He would leave me off at the Demens Landing Dock.   Wow!  Talk about being nice!  Thank You, Dante,  you made my day!  I’ve added renting one of your awesome electric motor boats to my “Next Time” list!

Demens Landing was so entertaining that Salvadore Dali was also moved to my “next time” list.

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The “boys” had a blast, I had a blast.  Dante gave us a card for a 15% discount at Frescos Waterfront Bistro, conveniently located next door to Bada Bing.  Delicious food, reasonable prices, wonderful atmosphere.

We have one more stop for the day … St Petersburg Beach … can’t go to Florida without visiting a beach!

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Things had gotten a little scary on the coronavirus scene.  Schools and businesses were closing. Events were being cancelled.  We decide to cut our trip short and were able to change our flight home from Monday to Saturday night.  We had time Saturday morning for one more fun activity.   We book a Clear Kayak Tour of Shell Key Preserve  out of Billy’s Stone Crab 1 Collany Rd  Tierra Verde Fl (Tampa Bay Area) a half hour drive from the Tampa International  Airport.  This was all of ours “cup of tea”!

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A short but fun filled adventure.

Note:   There was a LOT of hand washing and sanitizing on this trip.  Once there, we were able to limit our close contact socializing.  The scariest part was flying.  The flight to Florida was uneventful.  Coming home their were 2 people that were coughing and sneezing.  They had left their brains home with their face masks,  as well as,  their common sense to not cover their coughs and sneezes into their open hands.

???  How many people over 55 years of age, do you think there are that live in Connecticut, that would travel North in February instead of South?   Answer …  that I can vouch for … Forty Two.   A friend and I signed up through a local senior center for a 4 day, 3 night trip to Quebec, Canada.   We would be traveling by Motor coach to and from Quebec,  led and organized by Tours of Distinction.  The draw of the trip being the Quebec Winter Carnival, but the itinerary was jam packed with ways to enjoy the FROZEN festivities,  see an ICE Hotel and enjoy other spectacular WINTER sights  …   if your thinking COLD,  you’re right. If your thinking SNOW, you’re right, if  you’re wondering if this could be FUN, the answer is  absolutely!

“Oh the weather outside is frightful, but inside it’s oh, so delightful!”   The snow was on the road before us.   Our First Lunch Stop … Miss Lyndonville Diner  686 Broad Street  Lyndonville, Vermont …  Couldn’t have been a more perfect introduction to what lay ahead … good food,  friendly people,  beautiful scenery.    

It took my table mates a few minutes to get my humor when I suggested we all order the “Noreaster”.   I gave them a little slack, we’d only been on the road a few hours.  I loved this menu.  My first mistake, I didn’t save room for fresh baked pie. My first reason to go back.

Our home away from home for four days, three nights will be,  The Palace Royal  775 Ave Honore-Mercier  Quebec  418-694-2000.  Great location  at the St. John Gate to the Walled City.    If your room doesn’t have a balcony with a view, no problem, there is one on every floor, available to all guests.   My second mistake,  not bringing a bathing suit, to enjoy the indoor pool and hot tub.  Suffice to say,  I made do.  Instead I relaxed on a balcony, enjoyed the company of a good friend,  a beautiful view,  a glass of wine and great conversation.

Day two … venturing out into the blizzard, we made it to the Quebec Observatory and  enjoyed the views from the highest point in the city,  221 meters up.

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“Baby It’s Cold OUTSIDE” and INSIDE the Hotel de Glace!  If your interested … rooms are available with price ranges from $400 – $900 a night.  If you are still interested,  its advised you  should book now for next year, because availability is limited.  The third mistake I made was not putting in my hand and toe warmers.  I was thinking INSIDE a Hotel, not INSIDE an ICE CUBE.  Problem solved, the music inside the Ice Bar got my feet moving.

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Our City tour guide, James, insisted on taking those that were well bundled and willing to battle the gusting wind for a “stroll” through The  Quartier Petit Champlain.  It is truly a must see area in any season or weather.  The Fresque de Quebecois  is exquisit. Thank You James!

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After strolling through the wind and snow, we were treated to a most delicious cup of hot vegetable soup and a home style lunch at Spag&tini Le Resto   40 rue du Marche-Champlain Quebec 418-694-9144   Delicious! Delicious! Delicious!  Compliments to the chef and merci beaucoup to the waitstaff for the excellent service.

A blustery, cold but beautiful day after the storm for a STROLL on the Boardwalk at Dufferin Terrace

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Tour of the Chateau de Frontenac.

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Bonhomme’s (Carnivals Mascot) Ice Palace

A big perk to the trip was seating in the VIP section for the WINTER Carnival’s Night Parade.  This included souvenir lap blankets and a wide variety of complimentary drinks,  including the most popular drink of the Carnival …  Caribou –not what you may think!  This is a drink made with Port Wine, either whiskey or brandy and some add a bit of maple syrup.  The parade was absolutely astounding!  Sorry, no photos …  I”ll leave this vision to your imagination and give you a reason to see it for yourself. It is a reason for me too!

Our personal journey was highlighted by many of the people we met.  For one couple, this was their 4th visit to Quebec, third time in the winter.  On the one evening that we were on our own for dinner, they invited us and several other “new friends” to join them and their daughter at one of their favorite Quebec restaurants.  Louis Herbert  668 Grande Allee E,  418-525-7812.   Excellent Everything!  Kudos to William, our waiter,  for suggesting we try his own secret Hot Sangria.  Don’t tell Bonhomme, but it was much better than the Caribou!

Two places on our tour that I had visited previously are St Anne de Beaupre Basilica and Montmorency Falls.  It was fun seeing the Falls in winter.  We weren’t able to stop because of time lost in the blizzard.  I opted out of the tour of the Basilica in favor of attending Mass, which was quite an honor for me.  If you’d like to view my past photos of both places just tap on my search icon and type in Quebec.

TEN Stars to Tom,  our bus driver,  for getting us there and back safely.  Most of our 11 hour drive to Quebec, it was snowing.  The second day,  Quebec had it’s first blizzard of 2020. Tom’s driving skills were taxed to the max!  He managed to get us around the City,  but when our plans outside the City were cancelled, due to the highway being shut down,  he worked with our Tour Director and “City Tour Guide” rescheduling.   Mother Nature lighten up a little on days 3 and 4, but Tom still had to maneuver around the clean up.  We did not miss out on any activities.  THANK YOU TOM!  Oh!  Did I mention that he never complained, not even when I called him JIM!

TEN Stars to Julie,  our Tour director,  for how well she handled all the “snow balls” she was thrown and all the extra efforts she made to make sure everyone was as comfortable as possible.  Julie worked tirelessly through “snow mounds” of complaints,  that  the only person that could have been held accountable was Mother Nature.  Julie (not TOD) gave gift bags to everyone on the first day.  The bags had hand and toe warmers, tissues,  lifesavers and kisses.  The warmers were lifesavers and Julie got lots of hugs at the end of the trip, no kisses they had been used as body fuel!  THANK YOU JULIE!

HONORABLE mention to James, our City Tour Guide.  James’ ancestors helped build Quebec. He is a true Canadian.  At times when he had us trekking up and down the snow crested hills of the City,  I thought he had to have some mountain goat in him.  He was relentless in making sure we were offered the full Quebec WINTER experience.    THANK YOU JAMES!

KUDOS to the Tours of Distinction “behind the scenes” research and planning staff.  The restaurants chosen were characteristic of the areas traveled.  Even though food choices were limited, due to the size of the group, dietary restrictions were accommodated.  The variety and quality of the sightseeing tours made sure there was something for everyone.

Last stop, on our way  home.   East Side Restaurant and Pub  47 Landing St  Newport, Vt.   The food was great, staff was awesome and entertainment was provided by the snow mobiler’s on the lake. 

The weather was definitely challenging,  but if you were dressed for it, not a problem.  It did cut into our time on our own, but that’s all the more reason to do it again. This was a very unique, fun and enjoyable adventure!

August 6 – 13, 2019

I am going to call this  “The Magical Mystery Hiking Tour”!   I am not going to leave the mystery to the end.   I’ll reveal the secret now.   This is an AMAZING trip!

This adventure included,  my son and two of his sons.  My son has a goal of running a marathon in every state,  this 8 day vacation was planned around the Crater Lake Rim Run.  I had never heard of Crater Lake National Park.   It was a mystery to me!

I won’t leave you in suspense til DAY 5,  Rim Run Day.   My son finished the 26.2 mile full marathon.   Running at altitudes ranging from 5,980 to 7,900,  over a course of many steep demanding grades,  how he finished was not a mystery.  He is an AMAZING athlete!

This is not my first time in Oregon.   In 2015 my husband and I drove a portion of the Pacific Coast Highway (HWY 101) in our motor home,  stayed at campgrounds,  enjoyed the fabulous rock formations ocean side and hiked one MAGICAL trail.   This trip, we decided to do a round about route,  experiencing a variety of Oregon’s attractions,  highlighting my one Magical trail and Crater Lake National Park.

DAY 1

An early flight (6:45 a.m) from Connecticut (BDL),  gets us into Portland, Oregon (PDX) early afternoon (1:00 p.m.).   Gotta love the those time zone changes,  flying west.   First stop … Dollar Car Rental.  We get upgraded from our economy/compact to an ocean blue Subaru,  which we nickname Boo-baru!   The fun begins.

TIP:  Request a Highway 101 Mile by Mile Guide from  Oregon Tourism when planning or                    at tourist info on arrival in Oregon.

M.M. 28 Ecola State Park – Cannon and Indian Beach    Our first view of the Oregon Coast!

Our first hike …  The  2.8 mile Clatsop Loop Trail,  veering off twice to see the WWII bunkers and the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse.  This is a moderate to strenuous hike, with elevation changes of over 700 ft.  A great introduction to what lay ahead at Crater Lake National Park. 

WW II Bunker

When many of us envision ocean side,  we think flat,  seeing for miles in many directions, sandy beaches,  sand dunes,  marshes,  rock jetties.  Oregon is one of Mother Natures most magical and mysterious creations.  Rock formations along the coast mystify the eye.  The  waves and water of the ocean reflect offf the sand slides that reach upward and tease the green tree tops from the steep cliffs and forests to blend  with them.  Your eyes are tricked into not knowing where one ends and the other begins.  If you’re going up or down.

NIGHT 1   …  MM 50.8   Silver Sands Oceanfront Motel  215 S Pacific St  Rockaway Beach,  OR  97136  503-355-2206   I had procrastinated on reserving an “ocean view” or “limited view” room. considering $$ I chose limited view and got lucky.  The difference was our view was from a side window, not a  straight on ocean view.   Silver Sands is an ocean front property.   This is an older Motel,  but well maintained and reasonably priced.   Five Star location ($138  2 Queen beds,  Oregon Lodging Tax $2.48,  Rockaway Beach City Room Tax  $13.80, Tillamook County Lodging Tax  $1.38, Total $155.66).     Note: Oregon has no Sales Tax

DAY 2

First Stop … MM 64.7  Blue Heron French Cheese Company … thought this would be a good place for breakfast and to pick up a picnic lunch.  Not so,  TOURIST TRAP!  VERY expensive, Very limited menu.

Sometimes things happen for a reason.  A few miles down Hwy 101 we spot the Dutch mill Diner  206 Main Ave,  Tillamook, Oregon  503-842-1277  Open Wed – Sun.  Hooray!  It’s Wednesday!  This is a 50’s decor dinner, reasonable prices and delicious food.

MM 119.2    Hike #2  …  Drift Creek Falls Interpretive Trail,   3 mile out and back to a 240 ft  suspension bridge,  hanging 100 ft above the canyon floor,  to the 75 ft lava flow Drift Creek Waterfall.  The SUSPENSE is Thrilling!  The trail appears to end at a scenic overlook.  But,  a steep, rocky trail was being used by the “more agile than I”,   to get down to the bottom of the falls.   After my family scurried down the  mountainside,   I  “the much older and wiser” noticed the trail continued on a much safer but longer route.

M.M.  126.4  Boiler Bay State Scenic  Viewpoint  …  And what to our magical eyes should appear ???  WHALES!  WHALES! and more WHALES!  A breathtaking performance of phenomenal acts by magnificent creatures!!!   It’s all about being in the right place at the right time!   We had our binoculars expecting to need them,  but the whales were so close to shore,  that if it were not for the rocks,  we could have swam with them.  They surfaced a lot,  but my camera was not quicker than the eye.  No Photos 🙁

M.M. 132.5  The Devil’s Punch Bowl … This is a MUST stop!!!  We were tricked into stopping here … the Devil made us do it and we were glad he did !!!   The Devil’s Churn (m.m. 166.5) was on our itinerary.  Otter Rock is m.m. 132.5,  that’s where we are and so is the Devil’s Punch Bowl.  An optical illusion of natural proportions.  The interior is  only safe at low tide and anyone caught there in high water would surely be killed.  We were lucky to be there at low tide and lucky to find the short hiking trail down.  It is not well marked.  To see it at high tide, when the waves are crashing against and over its sides,  is a reason to return 🙂

M.M. 141.0   Newport … This is our Walmart Stop –  My son and his family are very “casual” diners.   The two restaurants mentioned, so far,  were because of their uniqueness.     For less than $100, our trip to Walmart supplied us with enough food and water for hiking,  breakfasts and lunches for the rest of the trip.   We are eating well, but the food simply,  disappears.  No tips needed  🙂

M.M. 150.7  Seal Rock,  the name is a trick,  it’s not a rock,  but a town.  It is a tourist area along the highway with lots of eye catching shops,  we chose to stop at Carvers Wood Shop in hopes of catching a Chain Saw Carving Demonstration,  but not happening this time.    We did enjoy the artistry and I found a boyfriend.  I couldn’t bring him home,  he was too  set in his ways.  But  I did promise if I ever come back I’d stop by and hold his hand again.

M.M. 179.0    Sea Lion Caves is on our itinerary, but we ran out of time.  I only mentioned it because it looked very interesting as we drove by.  Next Time!

Night 2 … M.M. 211.2    Best Western Salbasgeon Inn and Suites 1400 U.S. 101 S   Reedsport, Oregon     97141   541-271-4831   A great location on our route, but nothing more than a place to lay our heads and have a “hot” breakfast in the morning.

DAY 3

M.M. 222.6  John Dellenback Dunes Trail  … This is my MAGICAL trail.  It was one of mine and my husband’s favorite trails.  Oh! and our dogs!  Oregon is VERY pet friendly.   I could not wait to show it to “my favorite hikers”.   From the parking lot,   over the Eel Creek bridge,  it’s a 1 mile hike through the forest.  Suddenly,  as if magic,  the forest opens to breathtaking views of some of the tallest sand dunes on the Pacific Coast.  The hiking trail continues another 5 miles,  over the dunes and passes a forest island to the beach and Pacific Ocean.   We did not have time to hike the entire trail,  but did get a glimpse of the ocean from the top of one of the dunes.  Next Time!

We now head further south,  but inland.

During the planning of this adventure,  I had been watching the first season of a new reality show “Blown Away”.   This is a process of elimination show,  highlighting the Artistry of Glass Blowing.    When I saw the Glass Forge  501 SW G Street on a list of things to do in Grants Pass, Oregon,  it went right on our itinerary.  We were NOT disappointed.   No reservation needed,  totally drop in,  totally free.  Just walk in,  watch,  talk to the artists, ask questions,  view finished pieces for sale.  We were lucky to arrive just as an artist was beginning a piece.  We were able to watch from start to almost finish.  The final step in the glass blowing process is to place the hot piece in a  special “cooler” for 24 hours.

Night 3 … Our reservations for tonight are at the Buona Sera Inn  1001 NE 6th Street  Grants Pass, Oregon  97526   877-286-7756  ($109.69 a night).  This is NOT a chain property.   It is the most unique, charismatic place I have ever stayed.   Each room is decorated with a different theme.   Everything from the furniture,  bed linens,  towels,  even glasses look like they belong in someones home.   I give it six stars.  it was so close to the Glass Forge that we checked in before heading to our next attraction and last hike of the day.

Our final “scheduled”  attraction for the day is the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserves  1900 Caves Hwy Cave Junction, Oregon  97523.   541-592-2100   We had (strongly suggested) reservations for the Ranger led, 1 1/2 hour Discovery Cave Tour.  This is at least a 45 minute ride off the main road into the Siskiyou  Mountains.   Well worth the drive,  but allow plenty of drive time and watch carefully for wildlife crossing the roadway.

On our drive to the caves, we had spotted a sign on the main road for  The Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Wayside Boardwalk Trail.   Two hikes a day are better than one!  The 1/8 mile boardwalk trail ends at a field of Darlingtonia Californica aka the California Pitcher Plant.   It is a carnivorous plant which feeds on insects.  How could we resist?  Now you see it!  Now you don’t!

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There is a “downside” to the full “Lake Experience”.   The ONLY lake access is from the Cleetwood Trail.  This is a 1 mile, 700 ft decent down a series of switchbacks equivalent to 33 flights of stairs.  It’s NOT as bad as it sounds.   Remember the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the race!   I actually enjoyed the challenge and had a great time talking to and listening to people along the trail.  One of my favorite conversations was between a father and his,  maybe 5 year old,  daughter while walking UP the trail.   She says:  “Daddy will you carry me?”  Father says “I was just thinking.  I think peanut butter cups are my favorite candy. What kind of candy Is your favorite?”  She says “Oh Daddy!  Maybe M&M’s,  but I like peanut butter cups too,  but maybe …”.   I smiled and started thinking “What a good Dad,  great diversion.”   Then I couldn’t make up my mind if Pay Day or Strawberry Twizzlers were my favorite candy.  Then we were at the  top!

Top of the Cleetwood Trail

Middle of the Trail

April 27 – May 3,  2019

This was a Friendship Tours 6 night/7 day coach trip to Jekyll Island, St Simon Island and Savannah,  Georgia ($1,549 pp).   My travel companion/brother,  Dave and I  are very adventurous,  resourceful people.  We are able to make our own fun and in this case decided very early on in this adventure, that would need to be the case.  Nothing was as anticipated.  The whole coach tour experience was disappointing.

Four of our seven days were spent traveling to and from Georgia,  in a very uncomfortable Peter Pan coach with 46 others.  We traveled an average of eleven hours a day, which included two 20 minute rest stops and  1 to 1 1/2 hours for lunch each day.

Six breakfasts and six dinners were included in the tour.  My brother and I follow a vegan diet and I have several food allergies.   Prior to booking,  Friendship Tours assured us that  would not be a problem, they were wrong.  Breakfasts were all hotel “buffets”,  so each was basically the same as the last.  Not one was cooked to order.    The only meals that we thoroughly enjoyed throughout the trip were at restaurants we chose and paid for ourselves.

Day 1 …   Leave Manchester, Ct  7:00 a.m. –  Check into the Holiday Inn Express 1911 W Hundred Rd Chester, Virginia.  6:00 p.m.  Dinner reservation for 7:00 p.m.  Cesare’s Restorante Italiano 13301 Rivers Bend Blvd Chester, Virginia.   The wait staff was very slow,  disorganized and not prepared to accommodate our diets.  Dinner took over three hours and we “probably” ate dairy.    Not a good start.  This scenario was repeated over and over throughout the trip.

Day 2 … I LOVE Jekyll Island!  It is on my list of Top Ten favorite  places.    On previous visits, as we drove by in our RV,  I would admire the Jekyll Island Club Resort.   I remember thinking … “Someday I want to spend just one night there. We stayed two!

Our room was on the third floor of the Sans Souci House (no elevators).  Eclectic, meticulous and loaded with ambiance!  The view from our balcony was amazing!

Dinner the first night was in the main building,  Reserve Room and the second the Grand Dining Room (Dress to impress).  The chef did try to accommodate our diet,  but it was obvious he was not prepared, the food was tasteless and no dessert was available.    We should have gone to Tortuga Jacks on the beach.  Not as elegant, but  the food would have been good,  it would have taken half the time and we would have had a beautiful view.

Day 3 … We start out with a Trolley Tour of the Resort which is a Historic National Landmark.   Our Driver/Guide,  Diana,  was funny and very knowledgeable.  What made this Tour GREAT was these audio ear phones that Diana provided.  You could hear everything she was saying and block out the people around you that thought that what they had to say was more interesting.

Jekyll Island is a bicyclists idea of a bit of heaven.   The over 25 miles of,  mostly, paved and shaded,  trails that circle and crisscross the island are premier.  Next  to nothing  elevation change makes biking the island doable and enjoyable for all ages and “shapes”.   Kudos here,  to Brent,  at Jekyll Wheels where we rented our bikes (one speed bike $20 for 24 hours).  He was knowledgeable,  personable and would not let us leave until he made sure everything was perfect.  Thanks Brent!

The scenery changes and views are spectacular.  The photos do not do the beauty justice.

Driftwood Beach is a must see.  Fat tire bicycles are available to rent for sand cycling during low tide.

Day 4 …. We sadly leave Jekyll Island.  One full day here was not enough.   Back on the coach,  next destination a tour of St Simon Island, more sitting 🙁   Thank goodness for the two 1/2 hour stops …

Hallelujah!  We are allotted two hours  “on our own” for lunch, in historic downtown St. Simon.    Five Stars to Palm Coast Cafe’  318 Mallery St  for the awesome healthy menu, charismatic atmosphere, delicious  food and quick service.   I should have taken a photo of my lunch, but I was too busy savoring it.

We had time left after lunch to visit the St Simon Lighthouse and Museum ($12 adult),  walk up the 129 steps to the top for spectacular views and watch the 10 minute movie in the gift shop.

We walked back to our meeting place along the ocean and enjoyed watching a mama dolphin and her baby frolicking in the waves.  They’re out there,  but were too quick for my shutter.

2:00 p.m.  We leave St Simon Island and two hours later we are checked into the Doubletree by Hilton  411 West Bay Street  Savannah, Georgia.  Savannah is a walking city.  The Doubletree is in a GREAT location!   Only a few minutes walk to the Riverfront Plaza,  Factors Walk, City Walk (closest Trolley Stop)  some great restaurants and excellent entertainment.

Dave and I opt out of staying with the tour group and going to dinner with them at the River House 125 W River St.  We just couldn’t take the chance of not enjoying another meal and wasting another 3 hours sitting.

Dave is in his element, big cities are his thing.  I’m ready to let him navigate and let the fun begin!   First stop The Savannah Theater built in 1818, the countries oldest continuously operating   theater.  We buy tickets for that nights 8:00 p.m. show “Savannah Live”  a rock and roll variety show.  Beautiful venue!

We picked to have dinner, before the show at Your Pie  110 W Bryan St, Savannah.   This is a cafeteria style restaurant where you walk along choosing and watching  “your pie” (aka pizza)” being made.  Your options start with picking your crust (white, wheat or gluten free),  numerous sauces,  cheeses (including vegan)and every topping imaginable.   Ten minutes later it’s delivered piping hot to your table.  Yummy!

Day 5 … A Hop on Hop Off Trolley Tour and all day pass was included in our tour.  This was a  History Lovers dream and a great overview of the Historic District.   Having the afternoon “on our own” the Hop on Hop Off is a great perk,  especially if you’re not a walker.

Dave and I are walkers.  Savannah has 23 “squares” (aka parks) and one of our goals,  in the very short day and a half we are here,  is to see them all.  It was a LOT of walking,  but the gorgeous weather and easy to navigate  city “grid” made it thoroughly enjoyable.  This slide show is just a small sample.  Savannah is a very picturesque city.

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A  must stop visit is Leopold’s Ice Cream (212 E Broughton St).   Always a line, but well worth the wait.  Yes, they have dairy free!

Our Trolley Tour Guide had given us several suggestions on where to find live music.  Starting at 5:00 p.m.  in front of Wild Wings in the  City Market (around the corner from the Doubletree) a guitarist would be performing in the plaza.  This was a great way to relax, before heading out for the evening.

Dinner, with the tour,  was at The Pirates House  20 E Broad St Savannah.  A pirate themed restaurant in a rustic, historic inn.  We decided to give it a try.   If it was a disappointment we were in walking distance to other restaurants.   The food was O.K.,  the service was great,  we were in and out in an hour and a half.  Best part they had a dairy free sorbet for us, for dessert.   Had we known we still would NOT have skipped Leopold’s.  

We are liking Savannah a lot and after dinner we were not ready to call it a night.  Another tip from our Trolley Driver,  was  Savannah Smiles Dueling Pianos  314 Williamson Street (a few minute walk from the Doubletree).  Doors open at 7:00 p.m., show starts at 8:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m.,  Wednesday to Sunday.    Wished we were there another night, we would have gone back.  Doesn’t look like much from the outside,  but inside the entertainment was fabulous!!!  Five stars for sure!

Day 6  …    “Back on the Bus Gus!”

Another day of near torture  …    Ten hours in the coach,  we finally stop at a Delta Hotel 555  E. Canal St,  Richmond, Va.  It’s in a construction zone, in the middle of the downtown Richmond business district. Uggghhh!   No rest for the weary travelers.  We are allowed just enough time to wash up and we’re back “on the road again”  for another 1/2 hour ride to Maggiano’s Restaurant 11800 West Broad St Suite 2204 Richmond, Va.  for another 3 hour meal.  This time it’s “family style” and every dish including the salads had cheese.  Their idea of accommodating our dietary preference was by bringing us a cereal size bowl of pasta with marinara to share.   Double Uggghhhh!

Day 7     Cant wait to get home!.  Half expecting ANOTHER Cracker Barrel stop for lunch, we are very pleasantly surprised.  Lunch is at Mastoris 144 US Highway 130  Bordertown, NJ  08505.  Ever in the area,  this is a MUST stop.   You are greeted by the most spectacular views and smells! 

Five Stars all the way.  The food was amazing and the staff was awesome!  They were actually able to seat and provide service to a party of 48 guests  in a little over an hour.

Experiencing only three full days of enjoyment out of seven,  is not my idea of a great vacation.   This “Tour”  was not a value,  it was a valuable lesson learned.

August 7, 8, 9,  2017

Day Four …. We drove over the Rainbow Bridge to Canada.  A note to anyone traveling over the border with a child that’s parents are not with them,  have the parents sign and have notarized a “Consent Letter to Allow Minor Child to Cross the U.S. Canadian Border”.  The Border Patrol Inspector thanked us for knowing to bring one.  I’m not sure if they would not have let my Grandson, whose parents were not with us, into Canada without it,  but I’m sure it would have been a huge  hassle.

We had reservations for the night at the

Courtyard Marriot   5950 Victoria Avenue   Niagra Falls, Ontario   Nice easy, safe walk to Clifton Street and the Falls.  The only “downfall” was it was an uphill trek back to the hotel.   Nice rooms, pool, staff ….  Once again a bit pricey,  but a little consolation, right now the U.S. Canadian exchange rate is in our favor.

We had wanted to spend one night on the Canadian side to hang out on Clifton Hill (aka “tourist trap heaven”),  view the nightly illumination of both the Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls, as well as,  the fireworks over the falls (Monday-Friday  10:00 p.m.)

We asked the Rep at the Courtyard Tourist Info for a “to do” recommendation with two 12 year old’s and a 9 yr old on Clifton Hill that wouldn’t kill our pocketbook.

Answer … Get Fun Passes  ($19.99 children 12 and under, $29.99 over 12)  A Fun Pass includes 6 Clifton Hill activities and 5  arcade tokens.  We bought three children and one  “over 12” passes.   We paid $9.99 extra for each adult to play Dinosaur Mini Golf and took turns doing the other activities (saved $40).

Beside your choice of Outdoor Dinosaur Mini Golf or Indoor Wizards Mini Golf the pass includes the Niagara Sky Wheel,  Zombie Attack,  Wild West Coaster (son-in-law),  Movieland Wax Museum (me) and Ghost Busters 3D (my daughter).  The fun Pass was a deal  and we all had a great time.   There are Haunted Houses on every corner.  I bit the pocketbook bullet and paid for my son-in-law and the two boys to go into one.  What the heck, we’re on vacation and the boys really wanted to.  All three of them loved it.   TIP … I could have saved $24 had I known  the Movieland Wax Museum had an “Enter If You Dare” doorway that was a walk through haunted house.

Next Stop … Toronto

August, 4, 5, 6,  10, 11   2017.
Day One ….    My 12 year old grandson, DJ and I were meeting my daughter and her family at the …

Four Mile Creek State Park Campground  1055 Lake Rd  Youngstown, N. y. 14174 ($29 a night, electric only)  I give this campground a four star rating for location to Niagara Falls, cleanliness, spacious sites, laundry facilities and very nice staff.  Bicycle riding is a activity highlight.  Nice flat, paved  roads.

… The “family” has a travel trailer and had a two week, mostly camping vacation planned.  DJ and I were meeting them only for a portion of their trip.

Our trip was approximated at 460 miles and 6 hours and 45 minutes.  I love the preciseness of technology, but am a realist and from past experience know the travel time is not accurate.

Six hours and 45 minutes had us stopping for the night at the …

Quality Inn and Suites,  8250 Park Rd,  Batavia, NY ($95 plus tax with a HotelCoupons.com coupon)…

I had picked up a coupon book at a service station on I 90.  One of the nice things about driving both the Massachusett’s Turnpike and I 90 is, there are plenty of service areas.  We were still at least an hour and a half from Niagara Falls U.S.

This Quality Inn has easy I 90 on and off access.  It has an on site restaurant, The Oasis, where a complimentary full breakfast was included in the room rate.  We also had dinner there.  The prices were reasonable and the food was o.k, two steps up from fast food.   A nice touch was, each table was served a complimentary  fresh baked, warm mini loaf of bread, with a side of cinnamon butter.   There is also an indoor water park adjacent to the Inn.  We had checked in close to it’s closing so didn’t check it out.  Entry was not included with the room ($12 pp weekdays/$20 pp weekends).

Day Two and Three…  We met the “family” at the campground, where I left my car for the next five days.  I had booked a room for two nights at the  …

Holiday Inn  114 Buffalo Ave, Niagara Falls, N.Y.  The room rate was no where as attractive as the campground, but it is in a great location, a nice safe easy walk to the attractions.  It also has a nice indoor heated pool.   Hotel rates in the Niagara Falls area are all over the place, based on season.  I booked on line through Bookit.com.   I’m not sure I got the best rate I could have, but we were very happy here.  The three kids stayed with me and my daughter and her husband traveled back and forth to the campground (15 minutes away).  The hotel has parking for guests $10.80 a day/night. I thought this was very tacky, considering the room rates, but most of the public lots were $20 a day.

Best Value and “to do’s” when traveling with two 12 year olds and one 9 year old on the U.S. side of Niagara Falls …

Niagara Falls Discovery Pass ($45 an adult, $34 ages 6-1, 5 and under free)

Includes entrance to  …

Cave of the Winds … TIP … do this first.  You get a poncho,  plastic bag for your footware  and a PAIR OF SANDALS.  Visiting the falls is all about getting wet.  The Cave of the Winds has you “covered”.

Maid of the Mist … this is a must do,  if it’s the only thing you do … it’s a classic and a “barrel” of laughs.  If you don’t like getting wet don’t go upstairs, or stand by a railing, but you’ll miss all the fun.

Niagara Adventure Theater …   If you watch the History channel,  you may have already seen the movie.  I hadn’t and I liked it!  The kids not so much. They did like the theater was air conditioned 🙂

Aquarium of Niagara  … We have been members of the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut for over 15 years.  The Aquarium here is 1/16 the size.  We did not have high expectations.  The sea lion show put the Mystic show to shame.  The entertainment value was 100%.  Mystic has a theater that seats hundreds and Niagara has standing room only.  I would chose the Niagara sea lion show over Mystic any day.  We almost missed the Rescue Harbor Seal exhibit.  It is the only outdoor exhibit and is tucked to the side of the entrance.  I could have spent the day here watching these very entertaining seals.

Niagara Gorge Discovery Center  … This activity got a few bad reviews on line.  It was not the highlight of the trip, but well worth checking out,  especially if you like history and engineering phenomena.  The elevator ride down to the gorge was very “cool”.  Look up as you exit to the gorge you might see a bat or two.  There is a rock climbing wall that was disappointing. only because two of our three kids did not weigh enough to climb.  There was  also a 15 minute video that if we hadn’t watched,  I would never have known that he first person to go over the falls in a barrel was a woman!

and a one day pass for unlimited rides on the Scenic Trolley Ride.

If you have passports a fun thing we did was walk across the Rainbow Bridge from the U.S. to Canada.  We had ice cream in Canada and then walked back to the U.S.  Nice Views!

Next Stop … Niagara Falls,  Canada