Hitting the road a little later than anticipated-good thing today is just a “driving” day…
Since we were in Ohio we decided to get some 5 way chili again at Skyline Chili. We went to the closest one that was on the way to our hotel. When we got off the highway Kyle and I were both like “we’ve been here before”. Turns out we ate at this exact Skyline 2 years ago on our way to Washington DC!
First day of our road trip successfully completed!
For dinner: Steak sandwiches (with onions and fries in the sandwich) from Dos Amigos.
Eating back at the hotel before our Zoom meetings.
Starting our day at the American Museum of Natural History
Jenna checking out the coat made entirely of dried salmon skin.
A Chinese wedding chair
Taking a stroll through Central Park. First stop-Belvedere Castle.
Bow Bridge
Bethesda Plaza
Lunch break! We’re all pretty hot and tired from all that walking around…
NY style pizza
Walking around Times Square
Of course we had to check out M & M World! They had some exclusive flavors of M & M like English Truffle, Cheesecake and Fudge Brownie.
Time to go to the Top of the Rock Observatory at the Rockefeller Center
Sights seen near Rockefeller Plaza-a familiar face at the MLB Store…
And Radio City Music Hall
Spectacular view of NYC!
A view of Central Park from above
Almost done with Day 3 of our road trip
Finally back to where we started-the American Museum of Natural History. Was that only this morning?!?
Stopping in Chinatown to pick up some Chinese pastries for breakfast from Fay Da Bakery.
And dinner from Xi’an Famous Foods
We survived our first day in NYC! We got in well over 10,000 steps…The view of New York Harbor from our hotel in the Financial District.
Hand ripped noodles for dinner
Starting our day with Chinese pastries
Taking the ferry to the Statue of Liberty
Learning about the history of the statue at the Statue of Liberty Museum.
A life size replica of her foot
The original torch
Exploring Ellis Island and learning more about immigration
“Journeys: The Peopling of America” exhibit in the Baggage Room.
The Registry Room
Lunch back at the hotel-Pastrami Reuben sandwiches, Wall St. Wrap and a Shell Steak from White Horse Tavern.
The most anticipated attraction on this road trip-the Math Museum!
Starting our last day in NYC at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.
Exploring the Financial District while on the “Wall St. Insider” walking tour. First stop-the New York Stock Exchange.
“Fearless Girl” statue promoting gender diversity and women in leadership.
Federal Hall
Grave of Alexander Hamilton at Trinity Church
“Charging Bull” statue
Finally getting to eat lunch at Bowling Green (New York’s oldest park).
Celebrating National Ice Cream Day with cookie sundaes from Insomnia Cookies.
On our last night in NYC we decided to hop on the free ferry to Staten Island to get dinner over there.
We decided to do a taste test and compare Staten Island pizza with the .99 cent pizza we had on Friday.
The
The house special pizza.
Ending Day 5 of our road trip with a ferry ride back to Manhattan.
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Good night Lady Liberty!
Getting ready to leave NYC.
Yay, it all still fits in our car…we haven’t seen our car for the past 3 days…
Getting breakfast at Zucker’s before leaving Manhattan.
Bagels and bagel sandwiches
Passing the Manhattan Bridge on the way out.
Driving through the Catskills on the way to Albany.
Yes, you read that right-a “text” stop not a “rest” stop…
Arriving in Albany.
The impressive New York State Capitol building.
Stopping for dinner near Hartford, CT. Wethersfield is the home town of Matt, our church’s youth ministries director.
Matt highly recommended this “famous” chicken cutlet sandwich.
That’s one huge sandwich-stuffed with 4 chicken cutlets!
Jenna enjoying some spaghetti with her cutlets.
Connecticut’s capitol building is pretty impressive too.
The historic Colt Armory (soon to be a national historic site).
Rolling into Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island State House.
We didn’t realize Rhode Island was so hilly.
Getting a staple of Rhode Island cuisine-the New York system weiner.
Ready to eat!
A hot dog “all the way” with meat sauce, mustard, onions and celery salt.
A quick stop at the Salt Pond Visitors Center.
It’s already Day 7 of our road trip!
Checking out the exhibits in the museum.
A Cape Cod crab
The lighthouse at Nauset Light Beach.
Eating dinner at Pauli’s in the North End.
There’s a lot of people out and about on a Tuesday evening.
Mmmm-lobster roll, fish and chips and clam chowder.
Strolling through Boston.
Paul Revere Mall
Along the Freedom Trail-the Old North Church.
Exploring the Museum of Science
Hedgehog programming
The “Arctic Adventure”
Solving “Natural Mysteries”
Critters at the museum:
Timeline of mathematical achievement in the “Mathematica” exhibit.
Along the Freedom Trail-the Bunker Hill Monument.
Learning about the battle in the museum.
Lunch break at Boston Public Market
Smoked salmon burrito
Salmon and rice curry bowl
Following the Freedom Trail through Boston Common.
Massachusetts State House
John Hancock’s grave at the Granary Burial Ground.
Samuel Adam’s gravesite
Park Street Church (where the hymn “America” was first sung).
Faneuil Hall
Time for a snack break at Faneuil Marketplace
Cannoli, Mini Lobster Tail and a Boston Creme
This Boston Creme is really fluffy!
Maybe one day Kyle will run the Boston Marathon and cross this finish line…
Picking up dinner at a Boston original-Tasty Burger.
Enjoying a chicken sandwich for dinner.
Another state capitol building
Hall of Flags-exhibit of flags carried in battle by various NH troops.
The recently reopened State House Cafe.
Picking up lunch at a NH original-Moe’s Italian Sandwiches.
Eating in the car since this Moe’s was another gas station-restaurant combo.
The “original” Moe’s Italian sandwich.
Picking up Mexican food near the hotel from Las Palapas.
Fajitas, “Dinner for Two”…
and a burrito bowl.
Lunch break in Bar Harbor.
Enjoying some sandwiches from Mount Dessert Bakery.
That’s some sandwich!
Continuing Day 10 on Cadillac Mountain.
A view of Mt. Desert Narrows.
The “Porcupines” islands.
Dinner at Side Street Cafe.
Salads, Clam Chowder and Lobster Mac and Cheese.
Finishing off our meal with a slice of Maine Blueberry Pie.
This is why we love road tripping-discovering quirky roadside attractions like Wild Blueberry Land!
A giant blueberry pie
Stopping for lunch in Mathias.
What’s for lunch: lobster roll, shrimp basket, haddock burger and poutine.
Spending Day 11 at the easternmost point in the continental U.S.
The West Quoddy Lighthouse
Kyle is the easternmost person in the U.S.!
Dinner from Whit’s End Restaurant
What’s for dinner: stuffed haddock, garlic chicken, burger and salad.
Back in New Hampshire
A covered bridge gift shop
Lunch break near Conway
Jenna eyeing her hamburger
Summer chicken and berry salad
Kyle enjoying his fish burger
Spending Day 12 driving the scenic Kancamagus Highway.
Haven’t seen a moose yet…
Up in the White Mountains of NH
Continuing on to Franconia
Riding the aerial tram at \240Franconia Notch State Park.
Going up…
Walking along the Rim Trail
We’re glad it cleared up so we could get this spectacular view of Lafayette Mountain!
Echo Lake
Going down…
Dinner in Littleton, NH
A Mediterranean Bowl, a Fajita Bowl…
The “Twin Catch”
Fresh Balsamic Salmon
And a Cookie Skillet to finish off our meal
Lunch at the Stowe Sandwich Co.
These sandwiches are good!
The Vermont Press Sandwich-bacon, Vermont cheddar, ham and apple slices on sourdough bread with maple mustard.
Winding through the green mountains of Vermont.
Stopping to pick up some maple syrup and other souvenirs.
Maple Creemees are delicious!
Oh Canada!
Too bad the border is still closed otherwise we would have come back via Quebec, Montreal and Toronto.
A first for us-ordering room service at a hotel. We tried to order take out from three other restaurants but none of them were available for various reasons.
Salad, burger, quesadilla and calamari.
Later that night we experienced another first on a road trip-the fire alarm went off and we had to evacuate the building!
Getting breakfast in Alexandria Bay.
Ready to board for our “American Narrows” boat tour.
Some of the houses along “Millionaires’ Row”.
Casa Blanca on Cherry Island.
Twin Pine Tree House
Comfort Island with a 7 foot bear on its weathervane (built by Chicagoan Alson Clark).
A view of Thousand Islands Bridge
The “playhouse” on Heart Island.
The Power House of Boldt Castle.
A view of Ontario, Canada.
“Devil’s Oven”, a pirate hideout.
Lunch at The Flying Spatula.
It’s breakfast for lunch day!
Omelette, bacon, potatoes and toast
A BLT sandwich
Stopping to pick up dinner near Rochester.
Jenna’s dream come true-a huge jar of pickles!
Eating dinner at the hotel.
The iconic Rochester dish-the Garbage Plate. What’s a garbage plate you ask? A base of macaroni salad and home fries topped with meat and sauces. We tried the 2 Burger Plate, the 2 Hot Dog Plate and the 2 Italian Sausage Plate.
Checking out the “Medieval to Metal: The Art & Evolution of the Guitar” exhibit.
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The License Plate Guitar
The Armadillo Guitar
Kyle making some music
The famous Fender Stratocaster Guitar
Some funky shaped guitars
More music making
Playing a guitar with catgut strings
Jenna trying to perform surgery
Some head-to-head sibling competition
Kyle withstanding 72 mph winds
Jenna learning about climate change
Making a snowflake in July
Kyle, the paper rocket scientist..,
A moose in a mask
Crossing the Niagara River
Picnic lunch at Lasalle Waterfront Park
A Buffalo tradition- “Beef on Weck” sandwich
A view of the Grand Island Bridge
Driving along the Niagara Scenic Parkway
Skylon Tower in Niagara Falls, Canada
Rainbow International Bridge
Checking out the view from Terrapin Point on Goat Island
Horseshoe Falls, Canada
Visiting the Niagara Power Vista
Learning how to make waterfalls
Steve generating some power
Pedal faster Jenna, we need more power!
View of the power station
Spending Day 15 in and around Niagara Falls
Dinner at Michael’s Restaurant
Handmade ravioli
Kyle digging into his Ziti
We tried to go on the Maid of the Mist boat tour, but ironically there was a power outage in the city! It impacted our hotel and Maid of the Mist had to close. So instead we took in the view from nearby Prospect Point.
Back at Maid of the Mist (since we didn’t get to do this last night). We’re getting soaked even before we get on the boat!
A soggy Day 16 (but at least we’re finally on the boat)
A close up view of Horseshoe Falls
Are we having fun yet?
Visiting the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site in Buffalo.
President McKinley was in Buffalo to see the Pan American Exposition when he was assassinated.
The inauguration ceremony was performed at the Wilcox home (a friend of Roosevelt and where he was staying).
“President Kenmotsu” deciding whether to sign or veto a bill.
A presidential mask
Happy National Chicken Wing Day!
We celebrated by getting some Buffalo wings at Doc Sullivan’s.
Dinner from Yola Kol
Chicken Shawarma, hummus, fattoush salad, shawarma sandwich and a gyro/chicken salad.
Our first historical site of the day-Fallen Timbers Monument.
Our second historic site of the day-River Raisin National Battlefield.
Checking out the visitors center.
The ranger interpreting the very detailed diorama to us.
Entering The Henry Ford complex
First stop-lunch at Plum Market Kitchen.
Soybean Salad, pork, tacos, chicken salad sandwich…
and a Faygo.
Our second “Mathematica” exhibit on this road trip (there were 4 off these exhibits created)!
The “Your Place in Time” exhibit. Apparently this is Generation X’s place.
The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited.
Some familiar faces
Jenna’s impersonation of Beaker.
The “Liberty and Justice for All” exhibit
The Rosa Parks bus
Jenna learning about women’s suffrage.
Exploring Greenfield Village
Inside Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park Laboratory.
A turtle hanging out nearby.
Watching glass blowers at work.
The Davidson-Garson Gallery of Glass
The Liberty Craftworks Historical District
The Pottery Shop
Dinner with the Yang’s
Pulled pork sandwich from Saddleback BBQ
Day 17-last day of our road trip!
Saying bye to the Yang’s before heading home.