Pippa’s 17-year-old cousin Liz has always wanted to visit Kansas. I’m not sure why. This summer, before both hit their senior year and the unknown that follows, Liz decided it was now or maybe never. So she recruited three people to go with her: Grammie (my mom) Brittany (friend who just graduated high school) Pippa […]
Reckless in Cincinnati – Spending $20 on Water at a Reds Game
Grey and I are visiting as many Major League Baseball stadiums as we can. We both like baseball, for different reasons. He’s a student of the game and likes to collect cards and follow players. I just like the atmosphere – it feel likes a big backyard barbecue, without all the obnoxiousness of an NFL […]
RV-ing It on Water – Skippering Our Own Chartered Boat on the Erie Canal
When the kids were younger, our vacation planning went something like this: Where do we really want to vacation to? OK, since we can’t afford a European vacation, what can we do in the U.S. that most closely mimics it? Related: Vacationing to France on a Budget – Our Trip to Quebec’s Eastern Townships The […]
Quirky Baltimore – Top 8 Things to See and Do in Charm City That Are Worth Paying For
According to TripAdvisor, these are the top 10 things to do in Baltimore: Oriole Park at Camden Yards Fort McHenry Walters Art Museum National Aquarium American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) Baltimore Museum of Art Fell’s Point Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum Sagamore Spirit Distillery Historic Ships in Baltimore For some grim context, the Horseshoe Casino […]
How a Prized Pocket Knife Was Imperiled on a Trip to See the Rockettes
You know how all the guys (and some of the women) carry guns in rural Texas? In our family, all the guys carry pocket knives. It’s part of the 2nd Amendment, right? On the way out the door, you grab your wallet, keys, phone, and jackknife. I rarely use it, but no matter, it’s family […]
Top 8 Free and Offbeat Historic Things to Do in Baltimore
This is a follow on post to my Top 8 Free and Offbeat Things to Do in Baltimore, but this one is all about offbeat Historic things to see and do in Charm City that are free. Most people don’t know how much history Baltimore has. From 1830-1850, it was the second-largest city in the […]
Top 8 Free and Offbeat Things to Do in Baltimore
I’ve lived in and around Baltimore practically my whole life, so I’m a bit of a casual expert on what to see and do around town. Especially worthwhile things that are free. I have a few mantras I stick to: First, don’t do what everyone else is doing. Someone once said “the masses are asses” […]
Vacationing to France on a Budget – Our Trip to Eastern Townships, Quebec
If you live in the U.S., you know it’s expensive to vacation in Europe. The basic cost of entry is airfare (at least $500 x 4 for my family), plus hotel or B&B for let’s say 10 nights ($150 X 10), plus food ($100 X 10), plus in-country transportation (cattle car Eurail for adults for […]
To Buy or Not to Buy – Analyzing the Need for Travel Insurance
A recent post on my mom’s service trip to India on which she broke her hip raised a few questions among readers about travel insurance. Is it worth the expense, or is it like the extended warranty offered on an electric screwdriver at checkout – an extra expense that pads the retailer’s bottom line. As […]
Down to 3 Euros on an Irish Island
We were down to 3 Euros. A 1 Euro and a 2 Euro coin. We had plenty more vacation-reserved money in the bank, but we were a sea away from an ATM. We were on Inishbofin – a small lightly-inhabited island off the west coast of Ireland. Not that there was much to buy, anyway. […]