Although Will and I went to Pittsburgh primarily to make the trip to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, we ended up loving the city itself and really enjoying our time there.
Highlights:
-Pittsburgh has one of the most beautiful city views I’ve seen and the best place to check it out is from the top of Mt. Washington, a 5 minute drive from downtown. In the late 1800s, there were 15 cable cars, or inclines, that would bring residents of the mountain down into the city to work. Today, the only two remaining are the Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines. We rode the Duquesne at night. Parking is extremely limited on the mountain so I recommend parking at the bottom of one of the inclines and riding up. If you visit during the day and have time, you can walk just over a mile between the two at the top. Both offer unique, stunning perspectives of the city.
-Andy Warhol is probably Pittsburgh’s most famous resident so it is fitting that the city has an Andy Warhol Museum. The building has seven floors and holds over 500 pieces by the artist including sketches, videos, installations and many of his signature portraits. There is also an area devoted to Warhol’s biography and life story. Not to be missed is the “Silver Clouds” exhibit which invites visitors into a small room to dodge and play with flying silver balloons.
-I’ve seen a lot of amazing artwork and I can be a tough critic but I was completely impressed with The Mattress Factory. The museum of contemporary art is unique in that you get into and become part of most of the pieces. I particularly liked the crazy mirrored rooms by Yayoi Kusama. I love art that engages and involves its audience and the collection at The Mattress Factory accomplishes this better than most.
-The Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium is one of the few zoo/aquarium combinations in the United States and it’s a great place to spend a few hours. The highlight is the elephant enclosure which is home to two endlessly entertaining babies born over the summer.
-For an afternoon or evening out in the city the Strip District is your best bet. The area is comprised of former factory and mill buildings converted to shops, restaurants and clubs. On Saturday the streets are full of locals and tourists strolling the sidewalks and browsing the outdoor markets.
As a cool U.S. city, Pittsburgh is highly underrated. It’s laid back, friendly, safe and full of top notch art, picturesque scenery and great restaurants. Although I didn’t mention sports, they are a big deal here and if you happen to visit during baseball or football season, the entire city seems to come out for the games!
For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.
Will and I are big fans of modern architecture so Fallingwater, a house designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, has been on our list of places to visit for many years. Located an hour and a half outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it is widely considered the most beautiful house in the world and is certainly one of the most famous. Why is Fallingwater so special? The house is literally built into a waterfall and enhances the surrounding natural landscape without intruding on it.
I booked us on the first tour of the day to avoid crowds. Although the house is in a remote location, it is very popular with tourists and reservations must be made in advance online or by phone. Tickets start at $16/adult for a regular tour with no pictures but there are many more expensive options that include more rooms, photography, sunset hours and brunch.
Fallingwater was built in the 1930s for the Kaufmann family, owners of a department store in Pittsburgh. They met Frank Lloyd Wright when their son studied under him. The Kaufmanns loved modern design and had a lot of money so it was a perfect match.
The Tour:
The tour of Fallingwater starts in the kitchen, small and somewhat standard except for its unusual windows. The glass panes come directly out of the stone walls with no frames separating the two. In the small reading room next to the kitchen there is another unique window with no frames on it’s corners. The frameless windows appear throughout the house and give the illusion that they are glass free and open to the elements. Wright wanted to minimize the separation between indoors and outdoors and the technique is very effective.
We visited three bedrooms all equipped with fireplaces, the only source of heat in the house, and private balconies. The balconies are cantilevered, or supported on just one end. They hang over the waterfall outside the house and your view over the edge is unobstructed. By giving each living space a private outdoor area Wright encouraged guests to form personal relationships with the natural setting outside.
The most famous room in the house is the Grand Room and it doesn’t disappoint. It combines a dining room, living room and small sitting area into one large space. Shelves line the walls of the eating area while a long couch and tall windows cover the opposite side. A staircase leading outside is positioned so it disappears into the river running below. A stone fireplace with the most beautiful hearth I’ve ever seen adds warmth to the room.
Above Fallingwater there is a second building which was used as a car garage and guest house. There is a sitting room and a bedroom here and offices for the foundation currently maintaining the property and running the tours. Directly outside, there is a pool with interesting stone slab steps that is fed by natural water. It may or may not be full during a visit as it is routinely emptied.
Fallingwater has been open to the public since 1964 and millions of people have visited. Although it has many admirers, with the building codes of today, it could never be duplicated making it truly one of a kind. There may no longer be residents living at Fallingwater but it continues to provide many people with a serene and peaceful escape from city life, if only for a few hours.
For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.
Will and I had to cut our visit to Philadelphia short so we went straight to Independence National Historical Park to check out the attractions in the area. The park covers 20 city blocks and includes many important sites in American history.
Highlights:
-The most well known landmark in Independence Park is probably the Liberty Bell. In 1776 it rang out when the Declaration of Independence was read, cementing it’s place in history as a symbol of freedom. Although it’s been out of commission since 1846, due to it’s famous crack, it has remained popular with tourists from around the world. You must pass through security to visit the bell but, once you reach it, you can get surprisingly close.
-Nearby stands Independence Hall, arguably the most important building in U.S. history and the original location of the Liberty Bell. Here, the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the Constitution was drafted and signed. Entry is only allowed by tour and tickets must be obtained at the visitors center a couple of blocks away. Unreserved tickets are free but limited. If you visit during a busy time, I recommend paying the $1.50 fee to buy them online in advance. Reserved tickets must be picked up at least one hour prior to tour time.
-We also stopped by the grave site of Benjamin Franklin at Christ Church and toured the National Constitution Center, a museum dedicated to the history of the Constitution and the people who have worked to uphold and protect it for over 200 years. On September 19th, a new exhibit will open there about our election process and current presidential candidates called “Headed to the White House”.
With election season in full swing, there’s no better time to visit Philadelphia. It is, in many ways, the birthplace of this country and will remind you of the ideals and principles the United States was built on. It is the perfect place to reflect on your own feelings about the country and remember the amazing individuals who made our lives today possible. Hopefully, it will also get you excited about paying homage to them this November when you cast your votes!
For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.
Since I’ve met so many great people from Seattle, it’s a place I’ve long wanted to visit. Like its natives, the city is fun and friendly and although it’s called “The Rainy City” the weather was perfect during my stay. I was told we would need a car, but Will and I had no trouble getting around without one. The city strongly encourages the use of public transportation and has underground tunnels for their buses which are free to ride in the downtown area.
Highlights:
-The most recognizable landmark in Seattle is without a doubt the Space Needle. A monorail runs to the structure from downtown and I was surprised at how excited I was when it appeared through the trees. It was like a giant “Welcome to Seattle” sign! We had lunch at the top which was expensive but the food was excellent and the view of the city is amazing. Will even got their signature dessert, a smoking ice cream called the Lunar Orbiter. The restaurant is located in the ring and rotates around the Needle so that in the course of a meal you’ll see Seattle from all angles. If you eat there, tickets to the observation deck are included. Otherwise, you can just buy tickets to visit the top.
-Next to the Space Needle is the Experience Music Project. You can’t miss the shiny, wavy, Frank Gehry designed building, especially since the monorail to the area drives right through it. Built by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2004, the museum pays tribute to Jimi Hendrix with memorabilia and interactive displays. There’s also a collection of priceless guitars and an exhibit called the “Northwest Passage” which features musicians from the Seattle area. Another section of the building serves as the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame and houses artifacts from sci-fi movies mostly from Allen’s private collection.
-Seattle’s public market, Pike Place Market has been operating since 1907 and is one of the oldest markets in the United States. Here you’ll find fresh produce, bakeries and the famous fish market where fishmongers toss salmon through the air. They are happy to do it by request for a picture but they like to mess with people so watch your head! The very first Starbucks is here and so is the Market Theater gum wall, a creation patrons add to as they wait to see a show. The market mascot is a giant piggy bank named Rachel. Visitors rub Rachel’s chin and make a wish after they’ve given her some money. Every year, Rachel receives over $9,000 in a variety of currencies to support public works at the market.
-Although the Woodland Park Zoo isn’t the best I’ve seen, I would consider it among the top zoos in the United States. You get a great view of some animals that are often tricky to spot like the snow leopard, brown bears, jaguar and gorillas.
-The Seattle Art Museum downtown is small but has a nice collection, particularly of modern and contemporary art. I love the moving “Hammering Man” sculpture in front of the building. Inside, there is a stunning piece called “Some/One” by Korean artist Do-Ho Suh made from three thousand military dog tags.
-Visiting a library isn’t often on a trip to do list, but the Seattle Public Library Central Branch is not to be missed. Designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, it is big and bright and fun to explore. It’s like a maze with escalators, elevators, stairs and hallways every way you turn. The windows in the library form interesting light patterns and create a unique view of the street. We visited on May Day and a large protest passed by. It was quite a sight! My one caveat is to be aware of the people around you. The library is public and homeless people hang out there, especially in bad weather. For the most part, no one will bother you, but during our visit there was one screaming man that we had to dodge.
-If you are a frequent flier, you’ve probably spent time on a Boeing aircraft. Boeing is the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world and was incorporated in Seattle in 1916. Although the company has spread operations across the globe over the years, it still remains one of the city’s top employers. Visitors can learn all about the Boeing Company and the history of flight at the Museum of Flight just outside the downtown area. The museum contains many types of aircraft, some of which you can board and explore on the inside. 25 miles north of Seattle, in Everett, you can tour the facility where new airplanes are currently assembled at the Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tour. The factory is home to the largest building in the world. It’s so big that at one time clouds would form in the building and it would rain inside! Today, large fans prevent condensation from collecting and creating the “storms”. Photos are not allowed and this rule is strictly enforced so I don’t have any pictures, but it’s definitely worth making the trip out there if you have the time. We didn’t have a car so we took a Grayline tour there which lasted roughly 4 hours including travel time.
I was surprised at how few tourists I encountered in Seattle. Perhaps it doesn’t have the excitement or flashiness of some other U.S. cities, but that’s just why I loved it. Whether you enjoy art, history or a great cup of coffee you can find it all in Seattle with few crowds and little hassle.
For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.
Check out this great video of us with some manatees on our trip to Homosassa Springs, Florida!
Special thanks to Captain Don at Air Tank Divers for shooting the footage and to the incredible, beautiful, gentle manatees for letting us into their world for a few hours. They loved the camera!
Although I had visited Atlanta before, the city has been undergoing exciting changes over the past couple of years. It was the perfect choice when I was looking for a place to spend a long weekend.
Highlights:
-When the Georgia Aquarium opened in 2005, it was the largest aquarium in the world. Whether or not it still holds that title is debatable but it certainly is massive. It is one of only 6 U.S. facilities to display beluga whales and the only one to exhibit a great hammerhead shark. It’s main attraction is its 3 whale sharks. Whale sharks are the largest living fish on the planet and can grow up to 40 feet long. Their tank is the size of a football field and 30 feet deep. Even the viewing window is an enormous 23 feet tall by 61 feet wide and 2 feet thick! It is truly spectacular to watch the whale sharks swim but even cooler to watch them feed. Whale sharks are filter feeders and they open their huge mouths as buckets of krill are dropped into the tank. Although you can not interact directly with the animals, starting in July, guests will be allowed to swim or dive in the whale shark tank with advance reservations. Since Taiwan banned the sale of whale sharks this year, the Georgia Aquarium is likely to remain the only place outside of Asia to see them.
-The Coca-Cola Company is headquartered in Atlanta and for the past 18 years, they’ve also run a museum to teach visitors about the soft drink. Last year, they opened a new 20 acre center right next to the Georgia Aquarium called the World of Coca-Cola. Here you can learn about the history of Coca-Cola, see some of the company’s famous advertising campaigns, shop for Coke merchandise and visit the famous tasting room where you can sample sodas distributed to countries all over the world. Of course, no guest leaves without a free bottle of freshly made Coca-Cola!
-The High Museum of Art is one of the best fine art museums in the U.S. It is very large and can be tricky to navigate, but the space allows for an especially impressive modern art collection. Don’t miss Roy Lichtenstein’s “House III” sculpture right outside of the main entrance.
-In 1996, Atlanta hosted the summer Olympic Games. Centennial Olympic Park was built downtown as a gathering area for the event. Today the park is a lovely commemoration of the games as well as a great place for locals and visitors to enjoy a walk. Throughout the year, major celebrations are held in the park including concerts, the Georgia Marathon and a holiday lighting complete with an outdoor ice skating rink.
-CNN, the first 24-hour television news network is America’s number one cable news source. The channel’s headquarters are located at the CNN Center in Atlanta and tours are offered several times a day. Visitors can see news teams at work, get a first hand look at some of the studios where shows are filmed and even get a picture behind a news desk.
-For good southern cooking, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better option than Pittypat’s Porch. Named after a character in Gone With the Wind, the restaurant has been serving up fine southern fare since 1967. It’s also a great place to stop for a drink as the bar is set up like a giant porch where guests can sit in rocking chairs while they sip mint juleps.
Although there are many great things to see in Atlanta, you will remember the charm and kindness of the local people as fondly as any museum. The city works hard to welcome visitors and it is an excellent destination for families and couples alike. Southern hospitality is alive and well and there is no better place to experience it than in Atlanta.
For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.
I’ve lived in Florida so I have a soft spot in my heart for the manatee. Sometimes called “sea cows” these enormous aquatic creatures reach an average of 10-14 feet long as adults and live on a mostly vegetarian diet. They are slow moving and gentle and spend most of their day eating and sleeping.
In the United States, manatees are found almost exclusively in Florida as they live in shallow, coastal waters and can not survive in temperatures below 60° F (15° C). During winter months, they congregate in the Crystal and Homosassa Rivers where hot springs keep the temperature at 72° F year round. In this area, visitors can see manatees and it is the only place in the world you can swim with them. We chose to visit Homosassa instead of Crystal River because, although there are fewer manatees here, there are also fewer people and smaller tour groups.
Highlights:
-Swimming with manatees is a controversial practice. Some people believe it disrupts their normal activities and puts them in danger. I think in some cases this is true and I agree that more regulations are needed. Anyone can just rent a boat and go out on the rivers with no instruction or license. Tour operators on the other hand must have several permits and are required to show an educational video to all their charges. The operators I met, including our own, Air Tank Divers, really seem to appreciate and love the manatees and want to educate the public. Our instructor, Captain Don, made the rules of our manatee encounter very clear to us. You are to let the manatees lead. If they come up to you and initiate contact, you can touch them in certain areas but you must give them space to leave at all times and never chase or grab them. There are also sanctuaries marked that are off limits to people.
Once we got in the water, there were manatees everywhere! Some kept to themselves and some came right up to our faces to check us out. A few even rolled over on their backs so we could scratch their stomachs! It felt like swimming with elephants. They have tough skin and toe nails on their flippers. I was nervous in the beginning because they are so massive, but they move so slowly and gently it seems impossible that they could ever hurt you. They are without a doubt the sweetest and most docile animal I’ve come across. They also seem to love cameras and kept sticking their noses in ours!!
-The Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park was originally a privately owned zoo. When the state purchased the property they decided to turn it into an educational visitor center featuring local animals. Non native species, including Lucifer the hippo, would be transferred to other locations. Lu was popular with the locals and angry letters flooded state offices demanding he be allowed to stay. The governor decided to grant the hippo honorary Florida citizenship, making him an instant native of the state and permitting him to live in the park for the rest of his days. Lu shares the park with birds, otters, a black panther and, of course, manatees! If you don’t want to swim with the manatees, this is the best place to view them from dry ground. You can watch staff feed them or go in an underwater viewing area for a closer look.
Homosassa Springs and the manatees that winter there have a complicated relationship. The manatees need the warm river to survive the cold season. They also rely on the people of the community to protect them by driving their boats responsibly and keeping the river clean. Though the animals have no natural predators, they are endangered with less than 3,000 remaining. People are their only danger and their only hope. The people of Homosassa Springs are equally reliant on the manatee as tourism is their only industry. Millions of visitors travel here every year just to see the manatees. Without the manatees there is no Homosassa and without Homosassa there are no manatees. I know the town works hard to maintain the delicate balance necessary to preserve both. I hope people will be able to have the incredible experience I did here for many, many years to come.
For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.
Mystic, CT was made famous in 1988 with the release of the Julia Roberts movie, Mystic Pizza. Although many people know the movie, not everyone knows that the town actually exists! It’s a real place and it’s located about halfway between New York City and Boston.
Highlights:
-Mystic Aquarium may look like an ordinary marine park at first glance, but it offers some very special programs for guests that make it quite unique. In addition to viewing the usual aquatic animals, visitors can sign up for a Penguin or Beluga Whale Contact. These programs allow you to get up close and personal with the animals. It’s the only place I know of where you can touch a penguin and the only place other than Sea World you can touch a beluga. Will and I have done both programs and they are wonderful, educational experiences. Although the whale contact is seasonal, the penguin encounter is offered year round. Reservations should be made in advance as group sizes are limited and fill up fast.
-Next to the aquarium is Olde Mystick Village, an old fashioned shopping center with over 40 quaint little shops. They are specialty stores featuring items like holiday decorations, Irish gifts, kites and toys. There is also a country store with fun food items as well as a few cafes where you can stop for a snack or ice cream.
-The Mystic Seaport is the largest maritime museum in the country and it is BIG! In addition to touring boats and an old fishing village, we took a ride on the only operating steamboat in the U.S., the Sabino. It only runs during the warmer months but the best thing about it is that the steam engine is right out in the open so you can see how it works and watch the crew shoveling coal to power it!
-Of course, you can’t visit Mystic without paying a visit to the famous Mystic Pizza restaurant. The pizza lives up to all the hype and is absolutely delicious. It is without a doubt the most popular attraction in Mystic so it can get crowded. It’s best to go during the week or earlier in the day on weekends. If you are staying at a hotel in town, you can always get a pie to go.
-About 30 minutes away in Essex, sits the Griswold Inn, open since 1776. I recommend driving out to the inn for their famous Sunday Hunt Breakfast. The food is delicious, especially the corn bread, and there is a live piano player. Make sure to take a peek into their famous taproom which has been serving up drinks to yachtsmen and travelers since the early 1800s.
-Also in the area are Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, two of the most popular casinos in the country. Foxwoods is about 15 minutes away and has one of the largest gaming spaces in the world including a Bingo Hall. Nearby is the Pequot Museum, a fantastic Native American museum built by the tribe that owns the casino. Mohegan is about 30 minutes away, has a bit more ambiance and a lot of shops and great restaurants.
Visiting Mystic is like a breath of fresh sea air. Whether you are looking for a romantic or family getaway, it fits the bill as the perfect long weekend trip.
For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.
The first time I looked out on the Grand Canyon, I was overwhelmed by its size and beauty. I wanted to see every inch of it and I knew I had to go to the bottom. There are only two ways into the Canyon: you can walk or you can ride a mule. Hoping it was a safer way to deal with the dangerous cliffs and heat, Will and I chose the mule.
Planning:
Reservations must be made and are taken up to two years in advance. You can take a day trip, an overnight or a two night trip. If you also plan to stay on the rim of the Canyon during your trip, all reservations should be made at the same time.
There are several hotels at the Grand Canyon but only three are historic and located on or inside the South Rim:
The first is the fancy El Tovar which every U.S. president has stayed at. It has turn down service, a porter and an excellent restaurant for which reservations can be made 6 months in advance.
Second, is the Phantom Ranch lodging area at the bottom of the Canyon. If you choose to take an overnight mule trip it will include a stay and dinner here. Everything is brought in and out of the area by mule, including your mailed postcards!
Last is the Bright Angel Lodge, a collection of cabins right on the South Rim. Each has its own fireplace and the view is unparalleled. When the sun rises, you can watch condors soaring high outside your window.
The Trip:
There are height and weight restrictions for this trip and you can’t be afraid of heights or large animals. If you have any medical problems, check with the staff when you secure your reservations to make sure they can accommodate you. Some people try to get around the rules, but they are strictly enforced. You will receive a list of requirements ahead of time stating what you must wear and what you can bring.
I was really scared when I first got onto my mule. I thought I would be buckled in but aside from stirrups on my feet, I was just sitting on top hanging on. Before long I realized the mules knew what they were doing and I could relax and enjoy the amazing view. I noticed right away how physically demanding riding was. It’s hard on your legs and knees, arms, stomach and back.
The guide was very helpful with instructions on steering the mule and posture. The animals take the the trip all the time and are generally bored with it. It’s not unusual for them to slow down or try to eat along the way. It’s your job to make sure you don’t fall behind with the motivators handed out before the tour. They are small switches to swat the mules’ flanks with. It doesn’t hurt them and your safety depends on it. If a mule falls too far behind, he will trot or full out run to catch up to the others. This is not fun or comfortable for a rider, especially on the side of a cliff.
The ride down was about 4 hours with one stop for lunch. As I looked around I thought I had never seen anything so beautiful. When we arrived at Phantom Ranch, we were tired and the sun was hot. We took a nap before a great dinner (vegetarian options are available if requested in advance) and swam in Bright Angel Creek. A ranger gave a talk on mountain lions and walking back to our cabin we saw a little tarantula and a deer. Phantom Ranch is an amazing place. Everyone shares the bond of surviving the trip to the bottom and the crowd is very interesting. I loved hearing stories of adventures that fellow visitors had been on.
Going back was more difficult because we were all so sore. No position felt comfortable. Although the trip was incredible, I was really happy when we reached the top and I could take a shower and just rest. I don’t want to discourage anyone, but if you have problems with your back, this trip may not be for you.
Like most activities this trip has risks involved but as long as you are educated on them you can be safe. That said, I love the Grand Canyon and have often called it my favorite place on earth. I think that everyone should visit at least once and I know I will return.
For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.
