We've recently taken up Geocaching!

Our family's most exciting hobby is traveling and collecting souvenirs from different places. Here are our day by day itineraries. Trip to Toronto, Ontario; December 27 to 30, 2007 Day 1 Bright and early we hit the road, but even with a minimal set of pitstops (including a quick picnic lunch in the car in the rain just over the NY State border) we didn't arrive at the Canada border crossing until almost 5pm. There was about a half hour delay crossing the border, so we didn't get to Toronto til close to 7. We found our way into Little Italy, and had dinner at Cafe Diplomatico. Wonderful pizza and pasta. Then we made our way toward the lakefront to our hotel, the Residence Inn Downtown Toronto, which is right in the shadow of the CN Tower. The pool was closed, so we watched some TV and went to bed early. Day 2 We enjoyed the hotel's hot buffet breakfast, then headed out on foot to the CN Tower. We purchased Toronto City Passes, so we went all the way up to the Skypod level. Stepping onto the glass observation floor is terrifying. After getting our fill of heights, we took the subway out to Casa Loma, which is a fabulously beautiful home built by Sir Henry Pellatt. We ate lunch in the deli there and explored the building for most of the afternoon. Then we returned to our hotel to dress for the evening and went out for dinner in the entertainment district at The Red Tomato, then back on the subway to the Canon Theatre where we were thoroughly entertained by the musical based on the works of Queen; We Will Rock You. Our ticket package included 4 glowsticks that we waved with the rest of the fans. We came out of the play into an evening of rain; that helped us find the Toronto PATH, which kept us underground for 3 of the 4 blocks between the subway stop and our hotel. Day 3 This morning we split up; John and Matt went to the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Sarah and Barbara took the subway to the Eaton Centre. Toronto was in the throes of Boxing Week, but still, we found no bargains. When the men caught up with us, we had lunch in one of the several huge food courts, then headed out on the subway again toward Queen's Park and the Royal Ontario Museum. Along the way, we found several virtual geocache locations, and one actual one, located in the Toronto Public Library. The ROM has changed a great deal since Barbara and Matt visited with the UM High School Music department in 2002. We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring it's contents. As dusk deepened, we took the subway and then a streetcar out to the Distillery District, where we had a delightful dinner at the Mill Street Brew Pub. We got back in the evening in time for Matt to see the Alamo Bowl, but it turned out the the hotel did not get ESPN after all, so we soaked in the pool and then watched the Patriots/Giants game while we packed and Matt got Bowl updates online. Day 4 We checked out quickly and hit the road for Niagara Falls. It was a gray and overcast day, but it was still impressive to view the falls. We walked up Clifton Hill and had lunch at a Tim Horton's (which we had noticed were ubiquitous in Canada). Coming home through NY we started to hit a bit of snow, and got lots of sleet and finally rain as we approached home. Trip to Washington, D.C.; December 27 to 30, 2006 Day 1 Yes, we liked it so much we went back. This time, on the way south, we stopped in the morning at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine for a picnic lunch, tour, and a virtual geocache. Sunny, and not too cold, but windy. We made it down to DC in time to visit the National Mall and see the National Christmas Tree. The road between the White House and the Ellipse was blocked off, and we soon found out why, as a big Marine helicopter came and practiced "touch and go"s on the White House lawn. We went to Georgetown for dinner, and got there in time to enjoy Pizzeria Paradiso again, our favorite from last year. Then we checked in to the the Embassy Suites - Downtown which has proven to be a convenient and comfortable place to stay. The kids has time to swim while John used the fitness room and I used the business center to print out some geocache sites to check out the following day. Day 2 Today we set out for the National Mall, but decided to eschew the horrendous parking in DC and take the Metro. It is clean, comfortable, and convenient. We reached the Mall in plenty of time for our ticketed tour of the Washington Monument. Seeing all the flags ringing the monument flying at half staff was a sobering sight. They were short-staffed, so there were no walking tours down the inside stairs, but we had a great view from the top, and Matt made good use of his new digital camera. We walked over to the Smithsonian Museum of American History, only to find that it was closed for renovation. We tried to Museum of Natural History, but it was mobbed, so we only used the restroom. We took a side trip a block north to claim the virtual geocache at the Navy Memorial, where Gerald Ford's funeral procession would pass 5 days later. Then we came back to the Mall and made our way down into the National Gallery of Art to eat lunch in their food court. From there we made our way east on the Mall to the steps of the Capitol Building, but tours had been cut short due to preparations for the arrival of President Ford's body, which was due on Saturday. We walked behind the Capitol and visited the Supreme Court building, and heard the courtroom lecture about the workings of the court. Then we stopped at the Library of Congress and admired the architecture and viewed their exhibit on Bob Hope. Then we came back around the Capitol and checked out the United States Botanic Garden, which is a beautiful place, especially bedecked in poinsettias for the holidays. By then we were dragging (at least some of us were), so we took the Metro back to DuPont Circle and found the other location for Pizza Paradiso and enjoyed another wonderful meal. Then we walked back to the hotel and dressed to go to the Kennedy Center to enjoy The Light in the Piazza. Day 3 The Metro worked so well that we determined not to move the car again. We walked out to DuPont Circle, and Sarah and I took the Metro to the Zoo, while Matt and John walked to the National Geographic Museum. We are slow walkers, so they caught up to us when we were barely done looking at the pandas. We spent the rest of the day at the zoo, which is undergoing slow renovation; the Amazonia exhibit is wonderful. We took the Metro back to DuPont Circle, and had dinner at the Sala Thai Restaurant, which was wonderful, despite some misgivings by the less cuisine-adventurous among us. That evening we attended a performance by the Capitol Steps, "a group of Senate staffers who set out to satirize the very people and places that employed them." Their show is hilarious. I can honestly say at one point I laughed so hard I cried. Day 4 Sometimes it is hard to leave Washington - too many roads are one way in the wrong direction. Eventually we got on the right road out and took a side trip to Annapolis MD, where we parked at the visitor center and walked down to the Naval Academy. We toured the public buildings and admired the architecture. Later we walked to the Annapolis Seaport and had lunch at Riordan's Saloon where Matt could keep an eye on the bowl game while we enjoyed HUGE sandwiches and great crab soup. We shopped a bit in the beautiful Georgian style downtown, and then headed home on I-95 with one last stop at the Perryville Outlet Center, where the L.L. Bean store is closing. We found a few bargains in the remains of the store, and arrived home wearily in time for dinner. Trip to Washington, D.C.; December 27 to 30, 2005 Day 1 Our first stop was the NSA Cryptologic Museum, in Ft. Meade, Maryland. There we learned about codes and codebreakers. After that we continued down the BW Parkway and managed to find a parking spot not too far off the Ellipse. We visited a few virtual geocaches, and took in the scenery outside the White House. One of the caches we marked is the National Christmas Tree so we spent some time in the surrounding Christmas Pageant of Peace, where 56 small Christmas trees are decorated with ornaments from each of the states and territories of the United States. After checking in at our hotel, the Embassy Suites - Downtown, we found our way into Georgetown, and strolled the shops and had dinner at J. Paul's. We still had time to enjoy the hotel pool in the evening. Day 2 Today was the day to drive out to Dulles Airport to visit the Udvar-Hazy Center Annex to National Air and Space Museum. We spent most of the day there, it is a fascinating place. The huge hanger-like buildings house the planes from the Smithsonian collection that don't fit in the building on the National Mall. Our favorite exhibits were the Space Shuttle Enterprise and the SR-71 BlackBird. They also have a Concorde, and the Enola Gay. Take a look at their map - you may be tempted to go yourself. Knowing we had big plans for the evening, we returned to Georgetown in the late afternoon to have dinner at Pizzeria Paradiso which had had a 40 minute wait the evening before. Now we know why it is so popular. After dinner we made our way back downtown to see Les Miserables at the National Theatre. This three hour event is magnificent in scope, and entirely sung. Seated in the row in front of us was a gentleman and his daughter who were attended by Secret Service agents, or at least some guys with radios up their sleeves. We don't know who he was. Day 3 On Thursday we visited the International Spy Museum located a 800 F Street NW. We spent several hours there exploring "the only public museum in the world solely dedicated to the tradecraft, history, and contemporary role of espionage". After that we visited Ford's Theater to claim another virtual geocache, and after lunch walked down to the National Mall. We hiked half the length of the Mall, visiting the World War II memorial, the Vietnam Veteran's memorial, the Korean War Veteran's memorial, the Lincoln memorial, and the Smithsonian Museum of American History. We ate dinner at a restaurant in the building above the parking garage across the street from the MCI Center called Rosa Mexicano. That evening we went to see Shear Madness at the Theater Lab of the Kennedy Center. Day 4 On our last day of vacation (after a brief stop in Georgetown to go back to Kiehl's), we drove out to Mount Vernon to tour George Washington's home. We spent a few hours there enjoying a relatively warm December day. They are currently building a large education center nearby. You can take a virtual tour of Mount Vernon, but it was especially lovely decorated for Christmas. Sarah and Matt terrorized some chickens (or was it the other way around?) while exploring the farm. On the way home after sitting through some nasty traffic jams, we made one last stop at the Perryville Outlet Center where Sarah found a great pea coat, just what she had been looking for, for 75% off at the L.L. Bean Factory Outlet store. Also found Matt a few pairs of 36" inseam khakis for $9.95 each. What a deal! Trip to Detroit, MI; December 26 to 31, 2004 Day 1 We flew out of Atlantic City Airport; supposedly at 4:15, but actually around 6:30. Even this small airport has the annoying requirement of removing shoes and every outer layer of clothing. Matt had to remove his belt and watch. The whole East Coast was backed up, I think; at least the airport put out free water, soda, and snacks. We got into Detroit around 8:00, and found out that the interstate exit closest to our hotel the Best Western Greenfield Inn was closed. So we took the next exit and had our first adventure trying to find our way back to the hotel. Day 2 After breakfast at the hotel, we set out for The Henry Ford, which is billed as "America's Greatest History Attraction"; yes, that's what they call it now that it actually encompasses 4 separate parts. The tickets to see The Polar Express in the IMAX theater were sold out through its entire run, so we didn't get to see that. What we did do the first full day was browse through the museum, eating lunch near the Weinermobile, and then catch the 1:30 tour of the Ford Rouge Factory. VERY interesting! When we got back from there, we spent more time in the museum, and left at closing time to have dinner at Chili's, and swimming at the hotel. Our favorite exhibits at the museum were the Dymaxion House; the Rosa Parks bus, the presidential limos, "Your Place in Time", and "Henry's Greatest Treasures", including Thomas Edison's last breath. Day 3 After breakfast at Bob Evan's, we headed back to the Henry Ford to spend the day exploring Greenfield Village. Normally closed during the winter months, it was open for the holidays with special displays of Christmas customs and decorations from our history. GV's advertising says "Rediscover America at Greenfield Village! Experience 300 years of history as the sights, sounds and sensations of America�s past come alive! Take a look inside Edison's laboratory, or take a ride in an authentic Model T! From Main Street to Working Farms, Liberty Craftworks to Railroad Junction, get ready for a fun-filled celebration of the American experience." Yes, it was snow covered, but the sidewalks were cleared and dry, even though the streets were still snowy, the better for the horse-drawn sleighs to travel. The model T's had no problem with their high ground clearance - we took a ride in one with the "old-fashioned heater" (blankets). Our favorite stops in the 93 acre sprawl were Edison's Menlo Park Laboratory, the courthouse that Abraham Lincoln practiced in, the Wright Brothers cycle shop, the various homes from different eras and locations of our nation's history, the Craftworks area, and the quarter size replica of the original Mack Avenue Ford Motor Company plant. We ate lunch at "A Taste of History", where we had "Hobo Lunches" which contained a turkey and cheese sandwich on tin-can baked raisin bread, an apple, and a huge brownie. I was tempted by the Faygo Redpop, but settled for root beer. We stayed until closing at 5:30 (it was getting quite dark) and then made our way into downtown Detroit for dinner at a restaurant called "Southern Fires", which is advertised as a real soul food restaurant. The food was great; too much food, of course, and I think it was a real experience for the kids to be the only white people in the place. Day 4 Wednesday we got adventurous, and started off on a two and a half hour side trip to Cleveland to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. What a fabulous place! We were there for close to seven hours, and I know we didn't get to see everything. I think both kids learned a few things; I know I did. You can't take pictures inside the museum (you check your camera with your coat), but the exhibits are amazing in their variety and extent. The films that are shown are well made and interesting. The Hall of Fame exhibit includes a computerized "juke box" containing virtually every song of every performer inductee, a film on three huge screens recounting their careers and music, and a display of artifacts from the current year's inductees. The Museum has been inducting people since 1986, so there are quite a few inductees. We had dinner at a restaurant that was once a lake barge on Lake Erie called Hornblower's. The seafood was very good. Day 5 Thursday we headed back into Detroit to visit "Hitsville U.S.A.", otherwise known as the Motown Historical Museum. More fascinating music history, much of which we had seen references to the day before at the Rock Hall. Berry Gordy's sister founded the museum in 1985. "Its mission is to preserve the legacy of Motown Record Corporation and to educate and motivate people, especially youth, through exhibitions and programs that promote the values of vision, creativity and entrepreneurship." Matt even got to do a Temptations impression in the famous Studio A, right in the footprints of the original recordings. We also did a few geocaches, and wandered inside the Renaissance Center in downtown, across the river from Windsor, Ontario. We ate dinner that night at a Middle Eastern restaurant in Dearborn called La Shish; very authentic shish kabob. Day 6 Doesn't really count as a day, because we just got up at 4:15am to get to the airport, return the rental car, get through security (no luggage searches this time!), and take an uneventful but crowded flight back to Atlantic City. We were all the way home before noon on New Year's Eve. Trip to Key West and Orlando, FL. Our close encounter with Hurricane Frances; August 31-September 5, 2004 Our trip began beautifully with 3 days in Key West staying at the Hyatt Windward Point Resort, during which we watched the weather reports, but were generally untroubled and had a wonderful time. We toured on the Conch Train, shopped, geocached a few virtuals, caught the sunset at Mallory Square, and Dad, Matt and Sarah went on a 4 hour snorkeling trip. On Friday, we started driving up toward Orlando, with a stop in Ft. Lauderdale to visit a cemetery which we thought we could find by ourselves but ended up calling for help to locate. Then of course the cemetery was closed, so John and Matt ended up jumping the fence to go check on the grave. After finding a gas station that still had gas (not hard, but some were closed) we got back on the Florida Turnpike (which had no tolls because people were using it to evacuate) and got to Orlando in the late afternoon. The parks were open, but we were advised upon checking in to the Pop Century resort that Downtown Disney would be closing the shops at 6:00pm and the restaurants at 9:00. We went over anyway and had dinner at our favorite fast-food substitute; Wolfgang Puck's Express. The shops did not close at 6:00, so we did a little shopping and then returned to the resort to try out the pools and unpack. That evening all guests were notified that the theme parks would be closed the following day (Saturday), and that guests should be prepared for extended stays in their rooms. I bought a small foam ice chest ($2.00 - standard size ones were $4.50) and some of the "Hurricane Meals" they put together in the shops - 24oz. Dasani water, a Nutri-Grain bar, 2 PB&J "Uncrustables", 2 boxes of raisins, a bag of chips, and "dessert" (we got Twinkies). Saturday morning began sunny but windy. Since the parks were closed, we lingered over breakfast, and then went for a walk around the resort, looking out at the unfinished other half of the property. Currently there are 10 buildings with 288 rooms each, and Classic Hall which houses the front desk, a big arcade that the kids enjoyed extensively, and Everything Pop the dining and shopping area. It is food court style, but has a nice selection. There are 3 pools, and really nice theming throughout. We did the arcade and swam in two of the pools, got some lunch, and went back to the pools. Rain bands began to pass intermittantly, and the wind was increasing. Disney workers removed all the chairs from all the pool areas in the early afternoon, and announced that the shopping/dining area would close at 4:00pm and that the parks would not open on Sunday. We were advised again to prepare to be in our rooms for up to 30 hours. Pop Century has outside walkways, and even though our 2 adjoining rooms were on the leeward side of the storm, we found that the stairs could get very slippery, as I managed to slip and fall down several steps in the wet stairwell after a squall. Our original plan was to leave Disney World on Sunday afternoon and drive to Tampa to catch a 6:55 flight back to Philly. By Saturday afternoon we knew that was not going to work. Frances had not yet come ashore, and Disney was being locked down. We knew the parks would not open Sunday at all. Several phones calls later, we came up with a plan to get a flight out of Atlanta on Sunday evening; both US Airways and Dollar Rent-A-Car allowed us to change our plans with no penalty fees. We decided to make a run for it, and packed up and checked out of Disney around 6:30pm. Disney even refunded us for the night that we didn't stay! They advised us against leaving, however, because of planned curfews that would go into effect at 9:00. Leaving Disney World was really eerie - it was still light, and it was totally empty on the roadways and intersections. I-4 was also almost empty, as was the Florida Turnpike. Often we were the only car on the road in either direction as far as we could see. We went north, listening to the radio news, and managed to leave the last county that invoked the curfew just before 9:00. We ended up in a hotel in Valdosta, GA, the first fair sized town over the state line, around 10:30 (made amazing time on the empty road; hit very few rain bands) and got one of their last empty rooms. So; Sunday morning we were safe and had only 225 miles to drive to find the Atlanta airport to catch an evening flight. We were very relieved. Frances is a storm we will never forget. Trip to The Homestead Resort, Warm Springs, VA. December, 2003 Day 1 Driving to the Homestead takes about six and a half hours including leg stretches, potty breaks, and a picnic lunch. We arrived in late afternoon, in time to peruse the activities list, and Dad took the kids to the chapel while I unpacked. Then we showered and dressed for dinner. The first night we had a reservation for the prime rib and seafood buffet. Sarah's new career goal is to become a prime rib slicer. Don�t ask. We gorged on crab claws and shrimp, prime rib and veal, although we skipped the raw bar. Dinner of course was fabulous; we were on that Modified American Plan again, where you've already paid for the food, so you might as well eat way more than you normally would. The dessert table was also spectacular. They had those little key lime tarts that we loved in the summer, and some other things we dubbed "shiny balls" which other than being caramely and delicious, I can't really describe. After dinner, we took the shuttle up to the mountain lodge. The night was so clear; you could see thousands of stars, which was a real thrill for folks from a heavily light-polluted area. Then it was time for the torchlight parade, where the ski patrol came whizzing down the mountain with their red flares. After that, there was a spectacular fireworks display. When we got back to the hotel, we went down to the President�s Lounge to see how the Eagles were doing. It was interesting being the only Eagles fans watching the game on the huge projection TV as our team plowed through the Redskins. We tried not to exult too much in front of all those dejected Redskins fans. Later Matt went to find the foosball and pool activity at the "teen club", but came back 40 minutes later to report that there weren't that many kids there. Day 2 Our first full day dawned bright and warm, which is not necessarily a good thing for a ski resort. After the first of our 3 fabulous buffet breakfasts (see more on Sarah's fascination with custom made omelettes below), with freshly made pancakes and fruit and omelettes all around (bacon and cheddar for Sarah), we decided to try the slopes, so we pulled on our boots and light jackets (thank heaven for fleece) and went up the mountain again. We decided that the lift ticket prices were a little steep even for resort guests, so we chose to go snow tubing. The tubing runs were long and fast, and even riding up the towrope was fun. We enjoyed racing each other, and trying not to go over the edge at the far end, and trying to pick up the hat of a boy who kept insisting on wearing it even after it blew off his head twice halfway down the run. After two hours of tubing, Sarah had another career idea, snow-making cannon operator. We stopped in to the lodge for a light lunch of pizza and soda, and enjoyed the view, although we didn't really need the warmth from the fireplace, as the temperature was above 50. By then I was fairly tired and decided to return to the hotel, while Dad and the kids stayed to ice skate for awhile. Sarah showed up about an hour later after falling and hurting her wrist, so she and I read while she sat with an ice bag on her arm, until the guys came back to the room. We all decided to go down to the pool, and the warm water there helped Sarah's wrist. The water in the pool comes from the very warm springs that give the town its name. After an hour or so of relaxation (Dad took a side trip to the fitness center), we returned upstairs to shower and dress for dinner. Dinner that night was at Sam Snead's Tavern, which is located across the street from the hotel proper in a building which was originally a bank. It was cozy in the room by the fireplace, and we were told as resort guests we were entitled to anything on the menu, including an appetizer, salad, entree, and dessert. Dad and I therefore enjoyed another surf and turf dinner, ordering the $39.50 filet mignon, lobster tail, and grilled shrimp entree. We could barely finish all the food. Matt and Sarah had filets also, but we still had room for dessert. After dinner we trotted back to the hotel and put our coats away just in time to go down to see a performer named Jonathan Austin, who is a comedian/magician who juggles and unicycles. He was very entertaining. Day 3 After our second huge buffet breakfast, we did a little shopping in the Tower Shops, and then decided to go back to the Jefferson Pools, which we had enjoyed immensely during the summer. The winter experience was just as pleasant, although changing back to clothes afterwards might have been dreadful if there had been any wind or a colder day. There are two pools, one for women, one for men. Each is surrounded by a wooden octagonal building, which must have been at least partly original. There are small dressing rooms along the deck area surrounding the rock bottomed pools, which are continuously fed by several natural mineral springs from deep beneath the earth. The crystal clear spring waters at the Jefferson Pools are rich in minerals, and are a constant 98 degrees at their source - perfect, natural body temperature. "Taking the waters" at the Jefferson Pools continues to be a favorite activity today, and it is just as relaxing and restorative as it was in 1761 when the Gentlemen's Pool House was built. We soaked for an hour (no swimming, splashing or diving, please, just a relaxing soak with a pool noodle or two for support), letting the bubbles from the springs run over us. By the time we returned to the resort, it was time for lunch, so Dad dropped us off in town and we got sandwiches at the Subway shop. By then it was almost time for bingo. Dad went to the fitness room, and the kids and I headed off to find the bingo room. Not too many people were participating, but one young boy won three games in a row. I did win one game, and received a gift bag with a Homestead mug and trinket box (worth about $21 total in the shops upstairs). Not bad. Then it was off to try the bowling alley (always a disaster). Actually, Sarah started off well, even with her sore wrist, scoring strikes in the first few frames. She has an unusual style - where most people wind the ball back to about 3 o'clock and let it go at 6 o'clock, she lets it go at about 9 o'clock, scaring those around her as the ball flies through the air. When that round was over, the kids decided to join Dad at the pool for another short swim before dinner, and I went off to take some pictures of the gingerbread village, and be the first through the shower since I felt like I still had minerals in my hair from the morning's soak. Dinner that night was in the main dining room. The menu is varied each night, but there are always several tempting choices. Matt decided to have trout, against his father's advice. He did enjoy it, however, and finished the whole thing. Matt bolted through his dessert, however, so that he could make it to the Teen Scavenger Hunt scheduled at 8:00. He turned out to be one of two participants; himself, and a team of two girls. He had a great time, though, and won a very nice "Club H" long sleeved t-shirt. Dad and Sarah and I went to see a play in the theater put on by a troop of actors who didn't quite live up to their billing - they performed "The Sound of Music". There were several actors with very good voices, and the kids were mostly cute, but the staging and sound were not quite up to par. And Sarah pointed out that the guy in charge of the curtains should be fired for opening and closing the curtains unexpectedly on people. Matt found that the business center appeared to have free internet connections after business hours, so he stayed up checking his email. Day 4 Sad to see our visit coming to an end, we chowed down big time at breakfast again. We had the same table as at dinner the night before, and the waiter teased Sarah about being up late. Thanks, Kenroy, you made an impression on Sarah; we hope you get a star (Sarah filled out an employee recognition card). After stuffing the trunk full (I didn't realize we bought that much...) we started out for home, but decided to make a side trip to see Monticello, which is about 40 miles east of Rt. 81 along Rt. 64. It was a very worthwhile trip. The day was clear, bright, and warm, and we spent about 2 hours enjoying some history. Trip to the Don CeSar Resort and Spa, St. Pete Beach, FL, and Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL; August, 2003 Day 1 After carefully searching for the best departure time, price, and direct flight combinations, we choose to fly from BWI airport in Baltimore to Tampa, FL. This time we tried Southwest Airlines, and I have to say I was quite happy with their service. We arrived in plenty of time to check bags, and the security screening s were complete but not ridiculous. None of us had to remove shoes or open bags. We drove through torrential rain on the way from Tampa to St. Pete Beach, but it was nearly over by the time we checked in at the Don. Due to the emptiness of the hotel (it would start to fill up later in the week), we were upgraded to a one bedroom suite at the price we had booked for a regular room. That gave us a king-sized bed and a separate sitting room with pull-out couch, wet bar, and plenty or room for a rollaway. Fabulous! In fact, it's the first hotel room I was ever in to have goose-down pillows on the bed. We ate dinner at Crabby Bill's in St. Pete Beach, which we had visited previously and enjoyed. We watched a lovely sunset while eating an excellent meal. Day 2 & 3 We hung around the pools and floated in the ocean these days, enjoying the sun and the surf. We looked for some geocaches that were hidden nearby - found one, didn't find the other (it was gone). The found one was located by Mom; both kids gave up - Sarah out on the beach, Matt near the cache, but unwilling to search for it. And inside was a... RUBBER DUCKIE! Only Sarah's newest infatuation. Actually it was a squeeze toy green bird, but almost a rubber duckie. He became the plaything of choice back at the pool, along with the pool noodles we bought the first day at the nearby supermarket, which we gave to some other kids when we left. We also logged a benchmark, which is not a regular geocache, but a marker put in by a government agency. When you find a listed benchmark, you take pictures of the scenery around it, and post them on the website. Dinner day 2 was in a town called St. John's Pass, at a nice restaurant in a touristy shopping village which we enjoyed investigating. I had only learned this summer about the existance of a ladies' group called the "Red Hat Society", but, man, they're everywhere down here. After dinner we walked along the board walk overlooking an inlet, and watched a pair of dolphins working their way back toward the ocean. In the afternoon on the third day we started up toward Orlando, and checked in at Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Day 4 Trip to The Homestead Resort, Warm Springs, VA; July, 2003. Day 1 July 4th, 2003 The drive to Warm Springs took about 6 hours including stops for gas, food, and lottery tickets (Sarah had winners from previous trips to redeem in Maryland and West Virginia). We arrived in mid-afternoon and had time to look around and prepare for dinner. Day 2 Concert with Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits Trip to the Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphur Springs, WV; December, 2002. Day 1 Driving to West Virginia was very pleasant, other than a great many trucks on the road on the 27th of December. It took about six and a half hours counting rest stops, and we arrived at the Greenbrier in time for afternoon tea, which is served every afternoon in the main lobby. Our room was beautiful, and huge. We had a king bed, 2 overstuffed chairs, a sofa, a coffee table, a desk, an armoire, and room to put down 2 rollaway beds without moving any furniture. Fresh flowers in the room always impresses me, as did the box of handmade chocolates (retailing for $25 in the candy shop downstairs.) We had a late dinner reservation, so we took some time to wander around and check out the facilities. Resort packages are on the Modified American Plan, which means they stuff you full of food for breakfast and dinner, and you're on your own for lunch. We did dig in for dinner - four courses, and the kids' first experience with fingerbowls. After dinner, we went out to the main lobby (which requires evening clothes - jackets and ties for men - after 6:30) and had hot chocolate or hot cider while watching the Coventry Handbell Choir from North Carolina. By then it was late; as the signs by the elevators on the guest room floors say, "It's Sleepy-time Down South". Day 2 In the morning, we walked across the street to the Christmas shop housed in an Amtrak depot next to the train line that serves the Greenbrier, and would have brought many government people if it had been necessary to activate the emergency relocation facility (see below). Then we went to the pool - the indoor one, silly, the outdoor one was drained for the winter. You are not allowed to walk through the corridors in bathing suits, so you bring your suit down and change in the spacious and well-appointed locker/shower/changing rooms. They have everything you could need right there. The beautiful Olympic sized pool provided several hours of entertainment for the kids, and John and I read on the chaises along the side. On the opposite side of the pool was the hotel corridor leading to the bowling alley and spa areas; it was kind of strange to be sitting in s swim suit looking across the pool at people walking by in fur coats and looking past them out through the windows at the snowy gardens. In the afternoon we went over to the bowling alley and played a game of pool while watching part of the Eagles football game; we couldn't see the whole thing because we had a reservation for the bunker tour, which was a fascinating glimpse into cold war history. Our guide's favorite phrase was "It gets better...." and it did. The almost two hour tour covered all the restored areas of the relocation facility built in the early 1960's to house the Congress in case of nuclear attack. We had an earlier seating for dinner this evening, so we had time to see the movie after dinner, Stuart Little 2, and then go back and see an encore performance by the handbell choir while indulging in more hot chocolate and cider. Day 3 This Sunday morning we decided to go to Draper's Cafe rather than the Main Dining room for breakfast so that Sarah could indulge her desire for a custom-made omelette. Draper's offers a buffet style breakfast that tends to fit better with our breakfast patterns. Afterwards we drove out about 10 miles to visit Lost World Caverns in Lewisburg, WV. We took a self-guided tour and were the only people in the huge cavern. Back at the resort, the kids went back to the pool and I enjoyed some more shopping in the beautiful boutiques on the grounds and in the shopping corridor. After swimming, the kids wanted to try the bowling alley, which was a disaster - Matt pulled a muscle (although it didn't start to bother him until the next day) and Sarah did not get the hang of the throw until late in the game. Dinner this evening was again early enough that we could see the first movie of the evening, Spy Kids 2, and then see the Children's Appalachian Choir with our hot chocolate. Day 4 Sad to go, we pigged out again at breakfast, and picked up a few last minute souvenirs before hitting the road for home. We attempted to take a side trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but after driving 20 miles over to it, we found the Parkway was closed. We even tried again further north, but ended up backtracking again. Oh, well, we saw some lovely country in the hills. Trip to Palm Beach and Orlando, FL; September, 2002. Day 1 Fewer problems this time at the airport; after an uneventful departure and flight we arrived at Ft. Lauderdale airport in the middle of the afternoon. We drove into the city to show the kids the house where Dad's aunt and uncle used to live, then drove out to the cemetary to visit the grave. After that we drove into Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and had a nice dinner. Then we drove up A1A toward Palm Beach, and checked in to the Breakers resort that night. Day 2 We spent this day enjoying the Breakers amenities, including the fabulous breakfast buffet with the custom made omlettes. The resort has four pools, a hot tub, and a private beach, so we got in some quality sun time until a storm came up in the afternoon. Dad took the kids kayaking. Had dinner at Charley's Crab. Day 3 Another lovely beach day - floating in the ocean and lazing on the chaises. Dad and kids went snorkeling, but didn't get to the shipwreck remains that are off the beach a few hundred yards. Left the island for dinner and wound up at Cityplace in West Palm Beach. Ate at the Cheesecake Factory, saw a movie at Muvico. Beautiful place, check out the weblink if you have some time to browse. Day 4 Sad to leave, we headed out for Orlando. Got to SeaWorld just after a tremendous rainstorm. Great roller coater there, Kraken; kids did it twice. Especially enjoyed the peguin, arctic, and manatee exhibits. Watch out for Journey to Atlantis - you do get wet, and when you think it's almost done, it get s worse. We hit the highlights of the park and had dinner there, but got chased out by another storm. It was dark by the time we checked in to Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Day 5 Spent the day at Discovery Cove; the best-valued expensive place I've ever been. By that, I mean it was very expensive, but you definitely got your money's worth. So nice not to have to fight crowds all day, and the kids really enjoyed their swim with the dolphins. Our worst disappointment; our underwater camera leaked, and the disposable one we bought there to replace it produced very blurry pictures, so we have to rely on our memories. They include a fabulous lunch buffet with live music - it rained briefly while we were eating, but it didn't bother us under the awnings. The aviary is great, and we swam the tropical river at least 3 times. The Park closes at 5:30, so we went over to Downtown Disney for dinner at Wolfgang Puck's Express. Day 6 Last day in Florida, and we had to be back at the airport by 5pm. Decided to do Disney/MGM Studios, since that's where the 100 Years of Magic celebration center is. Matt and Mom did The Tower of Terror again (it's really a very unique experience), but couldn't convince Dad and Sarah to join. I wonder why? We all did the Rock and Roller Coaster twice, and enjoyed several other attractions and lunch at the ABC Commissary. Crowds were not over-whelming, and mostly local, I think, though there were a number of Britans visiting. Sad to say good-bye again, we made it to the airport in plenty of time for their (somewhat more thorough, yet fairly efficient) security checks, and had a long wait for a weather delayed flight. Ah, well. Trip to the Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, NY; July, 2002. July 5, Day 1 Drove north toward New York. Had a picnic lunch in the car, so around noon we looked for a convenient place to stop. Stumbled upon Bear Mountain State Park which had a lovely picnic area and a carousel in a beautiful pavillion, which we used, and an inn, lodges, a pool, lake swimming area, a zoo, and nature trails, which we didn't have time for. From there we headed up to West Point Military Academy, and toured the campus and the museum. Dad got some ribbing from the tour guide for being a Navy man. Security was tight, almost comically so; apparently they consider themselves a target. For that reason we did not get to see as much of the campus as tours may have seen in the past, and didn't get a chance to look for a geocache that is located near the bandshell there. After the tour we continued north to New Paltz, and found our way to the Mountain House. Day 2 Trip to San Diego and Los Angeles, CA; December, 2001. Wednesday, December 26, Day 1 After a trying time at the Philadelphia airport, (2 hours is not enough time to get through security) we arrived at LAX around noon local time. Our first stop was the Queen Mary in Long Beach, because both NBC and Paramount had stopped tours of their facilities due to security concerns. This turned out to be a fine decision, because the tour of the Queen Mary was fascinating. We took the self-guided tour, which is well marked and documented. We spent several hours aboard the ship, seeing everything from the propellors to the bow deck. There is even an additional attraction that we decided to forego about ghosts which haunt the ship. By then it was late afternoon, so we headed south to San Diego, and ate dinner at the same pizzeria we visited last year, Joey's Bistro; this year we only ordered 3 "personal" pizzas to share instead of 4. It was still too much food. Finally, we checked in to the Hotel Del Coronado. This is such a lovely hotel. It is absolutely breathtaking all lit up for Christmas. Day 2 still to come......... Trip to St. Pete Beach and Orlando, FL; September 2001. Trip to Lake George, NY; July, 2001. Thursday, Day 1 We drove to New York, arriving in the town of Lake George around 3pm. First we took the Prospect Mountain Veteran's Memorial Highway, which is a five and a half mile drive to a 2,030 ft summit with a hundred mile view of five states. We ate dinner at an Italian Restaurant on Canada Street of Lake George Village. We strolled the streets in town and waited for the fireworks over the lake in the evening. Friday, Day 2 We stayed at the Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing, about 10 miles north on Lake George. We spent the day playing miniature golf, swimming in the pool and the lake, boating, hiking, and enjoying the fabulous food. Saturday, Day 3 We left the Sagamore in the morning and drove south to the Petrified Sea Gardens in Saratoga Springs, NY. You can take a virtual tour be clicking the link. We had lunch at Moriarity's Cafe in town, and then took an informal walking tour of the famous springs that gave the city it's name. Click here to come along. We were back home by bedtime. Trip to Southern California, December, 2000. Tuesday, Day 1 We arrived at LAX around noon. Spent over an hour at Alamo car rental, but eventually succeeded in getting the car we had reserved, or at least one in the same class. We drove south toward San Diego, stopping for a bite to eat in Poinsettia Valley. By the middle of the afternoon we were parked at the border, and walked over to Tijuana, Mexico. We walked the streets for a few hours, adding to our collections of t-shirts and refrigerator magnets, and bargaining for some silver bracelets and earrings. We left Mexico as the sun began to set. We ate dinner in the town of Coronado at Joey's Bistro, then checked in to the Hotel Del Coronado. What a magnificent place! We were very tired, but Matt and I walked out in the dark to touch the Pacific Ocean on their private beach. Day 2 We ate breakfast at the Sheerwater Cafe, out on the veranda overlooking the ocean. Their buffet is fabulous, so we stuffed ourselves on gourmet breakfast treats. We did lots of shopping in the stores at the Del, then (sadly) checked out to continue our journey. We drove into San Diego proper for a day at the "World-Famous San Diego Zoo". Dad's favorites were the giant pandas, but Sarah's favorites were the koalas, even though we could only see a little of the rump of the famous baby albino koala, Ghost Boy. We took the bus tour of the entire zoo, and walked back to see the interesting sites close up. We left the zoo in the late afternoon and headed north toward Los Angeles. We ate dinner in a diner in San Clemente, and arrived at the Hawthorn Suites, LTD in Anaheim just in time for the kids to take a short swim in the (outdoor - what are they thinking! It's 60 degrees!) pool. Day 3 On this day we had a reservation for the car at the Getty Center. The museum is free, but you need a timed reservation for your car, and parking is $5. It was the best investment we made. The museum is architechturally fascinating, the gardens are superb, and the art collections are extensive and fabulous. There's definitely something for everyone. The audio guides are also worth the $3 rental price. They have several options for dining and snacking; the cafe had a large (huge) selection of self serve and quick serve items, from pizzas to hot and cold sandwiches and salads. We ate outside, as we did many times that week, overlooking the mountains and the ocean in the distance. When we left the Getty Center, we found Beverly Hills and Wilshire Boulevard, and ate dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. After wandering and admiring the lights and sights on Rodeo Drive, we drove on to Hollywood Boulevard and walked the Walk of Fame and wandered in front of Mann's Chinese Theater comparing foot and handprints. Day 4 This was our day to take the VIP tour at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank. The tour takes you to the Warner Brothers Museum which houses memorabilia from many famous WB movies, and then through the front and back lots of the studio - we went into the soundstage and onto the sets for the Drew Carey Show and Friends, and saw the outside sets for ER and several other current shows. Nothing was filming while we were there; it was a holiday week after all. But just seeing things we recognized from movies and TV was fun. The tour lasts two hours and covers lots of territory riding on 12 seat golf carts. After lunch we went out to Pasadena to see the preparations for the Rose Bowl Parade. By buying a pass to the FanFest, we got admission to the float decorating areas, to the sports and equestrian exhibitions, and to the stadium itself. It was fascinating to get up close to the floats and learn how they are created with 100% organic material. We ate dinner at the Clearwater Cafe on Colorado Boulevard, right on the parade route. Day 5 We spent our last day in California at the "happiest place on earth", Disneyland. They did shut the gates by mid-morning, as they had done several times that week according to the radio news, and the crowds were huge, but the Christmas decorations were glorious, and by diligent use of the FastPass option we managed to see almost all the attractions that are unique to California (missed the Matterhorn, unfortunately) such as The Indiana Jones Adventure, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and California's version of Innoventions which is housed in the old Carousel of Progress pavilion. We also managed to visit some of our Florida favorites like the Jungle Cruise, the Tiki Room, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain, the Disneyland Railroad, the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and It's a Small World (specially decorated for the holidays). We even caught most of the Christmas parade! We had a great lunch at the Big Thunder Barbecue, where I can heartily recommend the grilled portobello mushroom sandwich.