 When I think of covered bridges, New England often comes to mind. I picture a bright red wooden bridge against a backdrop of fiery orange and red leaves. After seeing a Maryland covered bridge photo recently on social media, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Maryland tourism office spotlights 6 historic bridges scattered throughout the state. Surprisingly, 3 of the covered bridges are located in Frederick County, Maryland, about 60 miles from downtown DC. With the timing of peak fall leaf color a bit inconsistent this year, we took advantage of a recent blue sky fall weekend to a check out the covered bridges. Although the trees had already shed some of their leaves, there were still plenty of photo opportunities with the bridges and surrounding area. The Frederick County location also happens to be close to popular Cunningham Falls State Park, which is a perfect place for a waterfall hike in any season. Keep reading to see some of my favorite photos from our day trip to see the a few of Maryland’s covered bridges plus the nearby Cunningham Falls.
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Stepping into the wilderness, whether for one night or a month long adventure, opens up a world of new experiences. I’ll be the first to admit that, while I enjoy a good hike, I’m just not a sleep in the wilderness kind of person. My husband, on the other hand, recently returned from what has become his annual backpacking adventure with the guys, this time in North Cascades National Park in scenic Washington. Keep reading to see a few of his photos from this beautiful area. He’s been backpacking on and off for over 40 years, and has many wonderful memories of time spent in the wilderness. The peace of hiking in relative solitude, the joy of finding a pristine mountain lake, or the calm of watching a spectacular sunset or night sky are just some of the reasons he loves to head off into the backcountry. Whether you go with a hiking buddy or off for a family adventure, proper planning and preparation can go a long way to minimizing the challenges you are sure to find along the way. My husband has traveled with both kids and adults over the years, and offers these 5 backpacking tips along with some gear suggestions for beginner backpacking.
*This post was updated April, 2023 
When is the last time you took a road trip? Over the summer I decided that it was finally time to take a road trip to Niagara Falls, a 7 ½ hour drive primarily through Pennsylvania and into western New York. The trip was somewhat of a last minute idea with my youngest daughter, and I knew that it would also be a great opportunity to explore some new places along the way. With the help of the Roadtrippers trip planning tool, I was able to easily find several cool attractions including two state parks to explore and help break up our drive on both legs of the trip. We didn’t have time to check out everything that was on my list, but we did enjoy these 4 interesting places to stop on the way from the Northern Virginia area to Niagara Falls. And if you are looking for road trip itineraries and tips, check out other posts, including 5 Delicious Stops on the Road in Coastal Connecticut.
*This post was updated September, 2024 
I love exploring new places whenever I get the chance, so when the opportunity presented itself to explore the beautiful city of Charleston, South Carolina for a quick trip, I took it. If you haven’t visited Charleston, it’s one of those places filled with colorful historic homes, palmetto trees and waterfront views. There’s an almost endless selection of ways to explore the historic downtown area, several nearby family-friendly beaches, and enough restaurants for eating your way around town. Definitely too much to see and do in a short visit, but here’s some of colorful photos from my weekend in the Charleston area. I hope you get inspired to plan a trip to this historic and beautiful slice of the south.
*Updated September, 2023 
Is a visit to Niagara Falls on your bucket list? I decided it was time to make the trip when I realized it was just over a 7 hour drive from the DC area. It was the perfect opportunity for a fun, long-weekend mother-daughter road trip with my youngest daughter. Not knowing if my last minute passport renewal would make it in time, I moved ahead with a plan to stay on the American side of the falls for two nights. I didn't spend as much time planning as I normally do, but definitely learned a few things during our visit. Here’s 6 helpful tips and other resources to read before planning a trip to Niagara Falls for the first time. And before you go, learn more about some interesting stops to make on a Niagara Falls road trip from the DC area.
*This post was updated January, 2024  Washington, DC is hard to beat when it comes to cities with family-friendly museums. With over a dozen free Smithsonian museums ranging from history to art from all over the world, there are plenty of opportunities to to do some serious museum hopping. But if you are interested in exploring outside of the city, you will be happy to know there are several popular museums within an hour or two drive. Keep reading to learn more about a few favorite museums that my family and I have explored over the years that are perfect for an easy day trip from DC.
When my daughter and I arrived in New Orleans for a 4 day mother-daughter adventure, I wasn’t really sure that we would have enough activities to fill our time. Neither of us had ever been to New Orleans, and we weren’t really sure what to expect beyond the craziness of Bourbon Street. We had a few things on our list (mostly food related), but since we had family that lived locally, we were relying on them to show us around. Seeing the city through the eyes of a local helped us explore New Orleans beyond the boundaries of the French Quarter, discovering delicious food, history and many fun activities along the way. Here’s our list of 8 fun things to do in New Orleans that will take you beyond Bourbon Street.
*This post was updated August 2024.  When you visit New Orleans for the first time, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the variety of food choices. With well over 1,000 restaurants, it’s impossible to try all the New Orleans favorites on any given trip or to even know where to start. During our recent 4 day mother/daughter trip, I felt like we left with a good sampling of the local cuisine, including things like spicy boiled crawfish, chargrilled oysters, po’ boys and of course, the iconic beignets! We were fortunate to have a local family member who was a fabulous personal tour guide, especially when it came to food. Staying at the Hotel Indigo in the Garden District gave us the perfect opportunity to explore restaurants outside of the French Quarter. We could easily get up and walk to several popular breakfast spots. If you are staying in the French Quarter, don't hesitate to take an early morning St. Charles streetcar run to the picturesque Garden District for breakfast. But be sure to save room for lunch and dinner. Here’s how we spent 4 days exploring all there is to eat in New Orleans.
*This post was updated October 2022. 
Travel to cities around the USA, and there’s one thing you might notice that many have in common - colorful street art covering the empty sides of buildings and alleyways. Whether it’s a giant mural on the side of an old warehouse, or a colorful alleyway wall filled with local & cultural icons like the one outside of DC’s Ben’s Chili Bowl, one thing is for sure, street art has become more mainstream. In many places, organized street art/mural campaigns have been started in the hopes of revitalizing parts of downtown areas that have been subject to urban decay. Much like the Federal Art Project (FAP) of the Works Progress Administration that was funded to assist struggling artists during the Great Depression (resulting in over 100,000 murals and paintings mostly inside buildings), city mural projects are being used to bring life and visitors back to the city. I admit that it wasn’t until I started regularly participating in the monthly Street Art Chat on Twitter, did I really open my eyes and truly appreciate some of the amazing pieces of street art that I’ve encountered. Plus searching for street art is a fun thing to do with teens on vacation. So journey along as I share some favorite street art found in 5 cities from Miami to New York city, along with a few pieces of bonus street art from Hawaii.
*This post was updated October, 2022 
Spring is finally settling in around the country, and it’s the perfect time to plan a visit to a national park. Did you know that every year in April, the National Park Service designates a week as National Park Week? During this time, the public is invited to spend some time celebrating America's treasures, with daily themes and special events. Some of our favorites national parks are the ones that preserve the history and cultural heritage of the United States, in a way that also offers an opportunity for family fun through interactive activities. With insight from fellow travel bloggers, read on to find out why these 5 historic east coast national parks are worth a visit.
This post has been updated for 2022. |
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