St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, provided by FloridasHistoricCoast.comOne of my favorite places to visit is Florida. In fact, I've been there many times and people are often surprised that I've never set foot in Disney World. The scene just never really appealed to me. But, then again, I don't have kids tagging along on my trips, which got me to thinking, what if I did? When I
Family Fun on Florida's Historic Coast
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Exploring Historic St. Augustine
Last month I wrote about the St. Augustine, Florida region as an alternative to Disney World where I highlighted destinations that can be particularly enjoyable for families. This month I'm going in a different direction by pointing out places adults are more apt to appreciate.Remarkable MuseumsThe Lightner Museum was once home to the Hotel Alcazar.You can't tour St. Augustine without learning
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Art, Architecture, Magic and more in Pennsylvania's Lackawanna County
Some say all roads lead to Scranton and I have to say that
is true, at least in my case. My great-grandparents on my fathers's side lived
in Taylor and my great-grandpa Ignatz worked at Moffat Coal Company in the same town. I visited a few years ago and took the mine tour, imagining myself walking in
Ignatz's footsteps.
Just this month, I returned again to the area to see what else
Lackawanna
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Much to Explore in Bedford, Pa
If you love history and you're looking for something special to do on a long weekend, Bedford, Pennsylvania is sure to fit the bill, from a village that takes visitors back in time, to a museum that commemorates the construction of the original French and Indian War Fort built in 1758, to a hotel that was built to take advantage of the healing waters of the area.My first recommendation upon
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Seeing the Sights in Hawley
Hawley, Pennsylvania isn't a place that springs to mind when contemplating the Poconos, nonetheless it is worth a visit if you're headed that way. The small borough is situated at the northernmost end of Lake Wallenpupack in Wayne County and was founded in 1827 by Irad Hawley, the president of the Pennsylvania Coal Company during the days when coal was king.My husband and I visited a few weeks
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Learning from the Past in Johnstown Pennsylvania
As a native Pennsylvanian, I've traveled all over this vast state, but somehow Johnstown has escaped my radar, so I decided to check that area off my list just a few weeks ago. What I came back with was a newfound knowledge of history after visiting the Wagner-Ritter House, the Johnstown Flood Museum, and the Johnstown Heritage Discovery Center.When my husband and I first arrived, we decided to
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Enjoying a Road Trip to Quaint Quebec
Fortification Gate at Rue Saint Louis.The beauty and charm of Quebec can’t be underestimated.
When we visited the area last fall, we carefully weighed the decision to fly or
drive from Pennsylvania. Because patience isn’t my strong suit, flying at first
appeared to be preferable. But on further consideration, after factoring in the
two-hour advance wait at the airport to fly out of the country,
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Downtown Greenville--The South's Best Kept Secret
Here I am, once again, facing a long Pennsylvania winter. If you're familiar with Pa winters, you may be aware that we can easily get mountains of snow. This is always great fun for the kids, but for adults, not so much. This is why I am eyeing South Carolina as a permanent destination and am making it a point to keep an eye on the real estate market during the next few years. If we plan it right
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There's More to Gettysburg Than Just the Battlefield
History buffs love visiting the Gettysburg battlefield to learn about the infamous and bloody three-day battle. Over the years, I've visited the area many times, even touring the battlefield via Segway, which in my opinion is the best way to do it. I've also taken ghost tours, which can be filled with historical tidbits and can be very interesting, as well.However, my favorite thing to do is
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The Pennsylvania Farm Show Where Farmers and Curious Visitors Gather
One of several entrances to the sprawling Farm Show Complex.This month I decided to take the plunge and write about something that's a big deal around these parts and that's the Pennsylvania Farm Show, which is known as the largest indoor agricultural expo in the United States.And yes, I know that it doesn't have a THING to do with luxury, or room service, but here IS a cheese competition at the
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Visiting The House of the Man Who Discovered Oxygen
Pennsylvania winters are notoriously cold so that many
historical sites shut down for a few months. As you know, I enjoy writing about history, so I saved this story about the Joseph Priestley House in Northumberland, Pa from a visit I actually made in November. I knew virtually nothing about Priestley at the time except that my husband recommended the outing,
but when I heard that he "
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History, Shopping, Art and More Await in Havre de Grace
The Concord Point Light HouseI learned about Havre de Grace, Maryland from a local meteorologist, which is a bit of a strange way to happen upon a place. He’d trace his finger along the map and say,
“It's today's hot spot, located way down here.” Why he always included Havre de Grace was a
mystery to me then and it is now. Did he have ties to the town? I don’t
know. What I do know is that my
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Myrtle Beach for Landlubbers
If you're puzzled about the title of this blog post, allow me to explain. I've never been a sunworshipper due to my fair skin and I've always been too uncomfortable and impatient to even "work" on a tan. In fact, a colleague who was observing a photo of myself and my husband on my desk remarked years ago that I "looked like a mime." I will agree that I was a bit washed out there, but I still
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The Past Comes Alive at Lancaster's Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum
Many people who are born in Pennsylvania can claim at least some German ancestry and I'm one of them, so a visit to Lancaster's Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum felt a little like old home week as I explored the many exhibits on the property. The Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum is a story is about a pair of brothers--a Mennonite family from Lancaster named Landis, who understood the
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Learning about the Pennsylvania Dutch Culture at the Annual Kutztown Fair
It’s nearly impossible to visit the Kutztown area without
absorbing at least a little knowledge about the region’s rich Pennsylvania
Dutch heritage. To this day, the town is rife with remembrances of a culture
that harkens back to the period between the late 1600s to the early 1800s
when Germans arrived in large numbers, bringing with them customs, crafts,
recipes, resilience and rigor. This
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A Summer Day with the Stooges
I have a friend who is a Three Stooges fan. Over the years, he'd remind me of this by remarking on my Facebook posts with various Stooges comments, or short clips from the well-known comedians, so when I heard of the Stoogeum in Ambler, Pennsylvania, I decided to "take one for the team" and visit with my husband, Jim (the fan) Gordon and his wife Cheryl. To prepare myself for what I was about to
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Montgomery County Maryland--A Multi-Faceted Vacation Destination
The beautiful Strathmore Music Center in North Bethesda Credit: Strathmore Those who are always on the lookout for things to do during a three-day weekend may wish to consider visiting Montgomery County, Maryland. Just recently, I spent some time there exploring the area--more specifically North Bethesda near Washington, D.C., along with Rockville, Gaithersburg, Williamsport, Potomac and finally
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Discover Annapolis: History, Attractions and More in Maryland's Capital
Boats docked on Spa Creek in Eastport Annapolis with the Naval Academy in the background.Courtesy: Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel CountyAnnapolis, which is the capital city of Maryland, is safe, walkable, historic and picturesque. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, it forms part of the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area and, as such, is convenient for those who
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Exploring Delaware Water Gap and Stroudsburg: Nature's Beauty and Small-Town Fun
My knowledge of Pennsylvania is vast, or at least I thought
so. That is, until I stumbled upon some information while researching places
where the fall foliage display is the most dramatic. It turns out that Delaware
Water Gap, nestled in Monroe County near the Delaware River and known as the
Eastern Gateway to the Poconos, takes the prize as one of the more-striking areas
for viewing fiery fall
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Visiting the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Emmittsburg
The golden statue of Mary, right outside the new visitors' center.In 2017, I visited a beautiful landmark in Maryland I that I passed by for so many years. Almost every time I traveled through the area, I
would marvel at the beautiful golden statue of the Virgin Mary gazing down from
her perch from high atop a hill. For years, I wondered what lay beyond that
hill, but never took the time to allay
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Sunshine State Journey--a Trip through the East Central Coast of Florida
A few weeks ago, my husband and I embarked upon a trip that enabled us to, once again, explore a state that promises something around every corner. This time our excursion took us to Titusville, where we rented a very cute and comfortable VRBO. Titusville is part of what is known as the Space Coast of Florida because it is home to the Kennedy Space Center. We chose Titusville after we discovered
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New Beyond the Battle Museum in Gettysburg Brings History Alive
In a darkened parlor, the thundering ka-boom of cannons and
the whizzing of bullets spark imaginations.
Floorboards shake, as the occasional bullet strikes the side
of the home and anxious voices in muffled tones discuss the horror of what’s
happening outside. A dog whimpers, terror-stricken by the chaos. Some visitors
get a lump in their throat brought about by the realness and the gravity of
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Romantic Retreat: Maryland's Antrim 1844 Is a Luxe Getaway You Won't Soon Forget
Gentlemen: If you want to knock it out of the park on
Valentine’s Day, you can do what my husband did and take your wives to Antrim
1844 in Taneytown, Maryland for a romantic getaway.I don't usually dedicate an entire blog to one place, but am making an exception for an exceptional property.The Main House at Antrim 1844Antrim 1844 is listed as a “Country House Hotel,” but it’s
so much more than
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The Olympics of Water Tasting in Berkeley Springs West Virginia
About four years ago I wrote about my experience with water tasting for this site. Because so much time has passed since then, I decide to revisit the subject since I returned to Berkeley Springs this February to participate in the event for a third time.For those who missed my first water-judging post, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia has been the site of the International Water Tasting event for
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More Pages to Explore .....
