One of those sweet towns is Beaufort, South Carolina. Nestled in the low country it sweeps you away with the Spanish moss covered trees, historic homes and breathtaking water views. We have spent plenty of time in Beaufort over the years, because it is a place we always enjoy visiting. When we leave we look forward to our next trip. It has something for everyone there, no matter the age. We love it and we believe you will love it as well. Below you will find all you need for an enjoyable and relaxing weekend getaway in Beaufort.

Getting To Know Beaufort

The first thing you need to know about Beaufort is how to pronounce it. This can be confusing because there is another Beaufort a couple hours up the coast in North Carolina. They are spelled the same but pronounced differently. Beaufort, South Carolina is BEW-FORT, while Beaufort – the North Carolina version is pronounced BO-FORT. Both take pride in their pronunciations, so this could be helpful!

Beaufort is one of the oldest towns in all of the southeastern United States and the second-oldest behind Charleston in the state. It was founded over 400 years ago in 1711. It is located in the low country of South Carolina on Port Royal Island, which is one of the beautiful Sea Islands.

Must Do’s In And Around Beaufort

There is something for everyone in Beaufort. Whether you want to have a restful weekend, be outdoors exploring, spend time shopping, or checking out the history of the area, you will always be able to find something to do.

Historic Downtown

Beaufort has one of the most wonderful historic downtown districts that we have been to. Every building is beautiful, is hundreds of years old, and have plenty of character and charm. There are so many great shops that are fun to check out, every one of them has their own niche and feel. A lot of times when you go to downtowns like this, all of the stores seem to be the exact same – a bunch of touristy knick knacks. But here in Beaufort, the shopping is really well-rounded and unique. Bay Street has most of the shopping, but don’t miss Carteret St.

Our favorite stores downtown are:

• Bay Street Outfitters – a really cool outdoor apparel and equipment store.
• Beaufort Belle – tons of great jewelry locally made.
• The Beaufort Candy Shoppe – just a fun part of the general store. More touristy but they have great honey sticks.
• Tidal Creek Haven – a beautiful store with handcrafted woodworkings for the house. They also have some great smelling candles inspired by the area.
• Blue Heron Boutique – awesome clothing store that is a little less expensive than many of the other places downtown.

There are plenty of other historical buildings and homes all throughout downtown. The Parish Church of St. Helena and the surrounding graveyard are stunning. There are some very old gravesites and the church is just beautiful. Craven St., North St., and King St. are all fun walks and they have beautiful homes on both sides to look at and Spanish moss hanging down from all of the trees. It is such a relaxing time just grabbing a drink and strolling these neighborhoods.

Reconstruction Era National Historical Park

If you have been following along with us on the blog, you know that we love any and all National Park units. As a matter of fact, the reason why we came to Beaufort was to check this park off of our list and grab our stamp.

Reconstruction Era tells the story of South after the Civil War until the early 1900’s. Here you will learn about how the millions of African-Americans who were freed from slavery adjusted to their freedom and impacted the society and culture around them. There are some hard stories here, but they are stories that need to be told and heard. It was both a sobering and inspiring trip to this park unit.

The main visitor center is located right in the heart of downtown Beaufort behind the library on Craven Street. The visitor center is in Old Beaufort Firehouse. The National Park Service has done a great job repurposing this building. Throughout downtown there are numerous historical buildings that are part of the National Historic Landmark District. It is always fun to walk around these historic old southern towns.

There are three other areas in the Historical Park. Each requires a car to get to. Camp Saxton, Darrah Hall and Brick Baptist Church, and the Penn Center are all areas that are worth a quick visit if this park has gotten your attention, though none are necessarily must visits.

Waterfront Park

Running along the banks of the Beaufort River is the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. This is one of the most peaceful waterfront areas we have been to in our time traveling. On the weekends they usually have a farmer’s market, but if there are no vendors out, there is still plenty to do. There is a great walkway right along the water that you can stroll on while you admire the boats or the view of the Woods Bridge. This is also the best place to watch the sunset in town.

The park has a great playground for the kids, plenty of seating, some great private swings, a relaxing contemplative garden, and plenty of shops nearby. Many of the downtown restaurants have seating on the edge of the park, so it is a great place to people watch. This is the ideal place to drink your coffee or eat your ice cream while you just spend time with the people you love. Beaufort did a great job with this park.

The Shrimp Shack

Outside of Beaufort on the Sea Island Parkway on St. Helena Island heading towards Hunting Island State Park is one of the best seafood dives you will ever go to, the Shrimp Shack. This place is a locally sourced, family-owned restaurant that has been open since 1978. People come from all over to eat at this joint. They especially love their shrimp burgers and fried shrimp. They have plenty of food for non-seafood lovers as well, and that part of the menu is very reasonably priced.

Admittedly this place isn’t for everyone. However, if you want an authentic low country experience, this is the place to go. They are only open for lunch and only accept cash (yes, it is one of these places). So make sure you check out the dates and times of operation. Also, there is no indoor seating, so be prepared to get it to go or sit out on one of the many picnic tables they have. Their Facebook page is your best option for the most up to date info.

Hunting Island State Park

We love visiting any and all state parks around the country. Hunting Island State Park ranks as one of the best beach parks we have been to. This is a little under 30-minute drive from downtown Beaufort, so it is an ideal place to spend the day if you have more than a couple of days in town. There is an admission fee to get in – $8 per person. If you want to climb the lighthouse when it is open it is an additional $2 per person. Make sure you check out the Nature Center as well. It is a great place to learn about the land and even see an alligator or two.

Hunting Island has a lot of great spots to enjoy the beach, but the coolest spot on the beach is the Boneyard Beach area. This is a section of the beach where driftwood has piled up over the years. When we say driftwood, we are talking about huge trees from the maritime forest. It is like you are walking through a tree graveyard. We went on a day when it was particularly foggy, so it made it exceptionally eerie. If you can, try and get out here at sunrise, it is a spectacular view.

Another great spot at the park is the lighthouse grounds. The lighthouse is one of the oldest on the east coast, dating back to 1859. It was destroyed during the Civil War but was repaired in 1875. When it is open, you can climb it, but right now it is under extensive repairs, not to be reopened to the public until at least late 2025. The grounds are still great to explore, and they have a nice little gift shop nearby as well.

There are miles of trails to hike as well at the park. It is always fun to hike through a maritime forest and end up at the beach. The Diamondback Rattlesnake and Maritime Forest Trails are both around 2-miles and are the longest on property. It is beach hiking so everything is rated as easy. The Nature Center Scenic Trail is a fun little trail that you can take to Little Hunting Island. If you only have a little time, this one is a good one to get a good feel for the park. Most of the trails are connected, so if you want to do 5 or more miles you can do that, just make sure you have a map.

Where To Eat In Beaufort

Beaufort is known for their many restaurants that cater to numerous palettes. The historic downtown is full of great spots, and there are plenty more throughout town. Old Bull Tavern, Lost Local, Plums, and Paninis are our favorite spots downtown. If you are staying uptown, Red Rooster is good for breakfast, and Bricks on Boundary is a good spot for dinner. We also always enjoy visiting Low Country Cider Co. for coffee and treats downtown! There are so many great locations in downtown along the water and the atmosphere is relaxing. One of the many reasons we love visiting this beautiful town.

Have you been to Beaufort, South Carolina? What are some of your favorite things to do in this low country town? Share with us in the comments!

If you enjoy discovering small towns in the US then you will probably like exploring some of these posts too:

Six Awesome Things to do in Little Washington, NC

How to Spend a day in Edenton, NC

Must Dos in Taos, New Mexico

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Rainbow Row

Probably the most photographed area in all of Charleston is Rainbow Row. This is a row of pastel-colored Georgian row houses dating back to the 1740’s. The houses are located on East Bay Street right in the middle of the historic district. These houses used to have businesses on the bottom floor and the owners lived in private residences on the top floor. Now, these are all private houses. We actually talked to one of the owners for a while during our visit. She was super kind in talking with her experience living in such an iconic spot. For the record, she loves it.

No matter when you show up, there will be a ton of people taking pictures of these buildings. That isn’t a bad thing, just know it could be crowded. And it should be, these houses have beauty, history, and charm. This is definitely one of the most beautiful things to do in Charleston.

Tour the Edmondton-Alston House

Charleston is known for its massive antebellum mansions lining the Battery. It is crazy to walk for what seems like miles being surrounded by these gorgeous houses, they are a sight to see. They have so many fun details and many have beautiful gardens surrounding the homes. The houses are not museums, but people actually live in them! Most of them have been passed down from generation to generation. This is old money for sure.

Some of them though are actually museums. There are a couple of houses you can go in to tour. The Edmondton-Alston House is one of them. This house is located at 21 East Battery right on the waterfront. This house was constructed between 1820 and 1828, making it one of the oldest houses on the strand. What is great about this tour is over 90% of what you see in it is authentic. So, most of the furniture you walk by was used by the homeowners. It is a well taken care of museum.

You can do a self-guided or guided tour Tuesday – Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Monday from 1 pm to 4 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for kids. You can’t take pictures in the house, but you can when you get out on the balcony. If you are into history and have always wanted to go into one of these mansions to see how the other side lived, this is a good chance.

The Battery

Much of what is on this list is in and around the Battery. The Battery is the seawall and promenade that borders the Charleston harbor at the southern point of Charleston. It was built to protect the city in the 1700’s and the rock structure still stands strong today. It is the perfect place for a leisurely walk. You can see Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, the USS Yorktown, and the Sullivan’s Island Lighthouse from the Battery. This is one of the biggest places for tourists to hang out because of the surrounding architecture and parks. Make sure you carve some time out to walk around White Point Garden. It is at the point of the peninsula and is a perfect spot to relax on a nice day. The park is full of statues that tell the history of Charleston, and kids will love the Civil War cannons that line the perimeter.

Charleston Waterfront Park

The Charleston Waterfront Park is one of the best city parks we have been to in our travels. The park sits on the Charleston Harbor and overlooks the Ravenel Bridge. The park runs along Concord St. between Cumberland St. and N. Adgers Wharf. In total, this park boasts 8 acres of open space. There are plenty of seats and swings, and they even have a public covered pier where you can relax.

This park is the ideal spot to take a stroll by the water while enjoying the beauty of Charleston. The tree lined walkways are so pretty and the other native landscaping puts you right in that Charleston mood. There are plenty of great places to eat surrounding the area. The park also has plenty of open space to throw a football around, lay a blanket out and get some sun or have a picnic. The Waterfront Park is a great place to people watch and just relax.

The highlight for us, and many others, are the different water features and fountains they have in the park. You are allowed to get in these on a hot day and cool off, and our boy took advantage of that. The most famous is the Pineapple Fountain. This is a super cool fountain that represents the hospitality that you will experience in Charleston. The Pineapple Fountain is a favorite for people to dip their toes in and get a picture with. There is another larger fountain that is more like a splash pad here as well, so bring a towel.

Sullivan’s Island

Right across the bridge from Charleston is the lovely town of Mt. Pleasant. Mt. Pleasant is an up and coming suburb that has a ton of great food and things to do, and just past that is the town of Sullivan’s Island. This is just a short drive from Charleston, but it is the most popular beach area for people traveling to the area. Here, you have 2.5 miles of pristine beach front which makes for a great place to spend the day or enjoy the sunset.

You need to get here early, because parking spots go fast, especially if you are near the restaurant parking. There are some great restaurants on the beach, The Obstinate Daughter, Home Team Barbecue, Poe’s Tavern and Longboard are all local favorites – and they come with extremely long waits. The food is worth it though. If you are looking for something sweet, check out BeardCats Sweet Shop or Republic Ice Cream.

If you don’t want to walk on the beach, you can take the trail through the maritime forest that connects Fort Moultrie to the historic lighthouse. Whether you are in the forest or on the beach, this is a great place to get away from the city and out into nature.

Historic Charleston City Market

The Charleston City Market is a historic market in the heart of downtown Charleston. Many people believe that this is the place where slaves were bought and sold, but that horrendous practice actually took place at the Old Slave Mart on Meeting St. The Charleston City Market began in 1790 as a place where beef farmers could sell their goods.

Today, the City Market is an awesome place for any visitor to stop by and pick out some Charleston souvenirs, grab a cup of coffee or an ice cold sweet tea. This is an awesome historic building with incredible architecture to enjoy. It is a beautiful building without even going inside. But inside, you really get a feel for the city as you walk through and appreciate all of the local arts and crafts from the region. This is a must stop as you explore downtown.

Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park

Wherever we travel in the United States we make sure we hit up all of the National Park units. National Parks units are not just the big National Parks that you think of like Yellowstone or Grand Canyon. They also include units like National Historical Parks. Charleston has one in the city, and one nearby in Mt. Pleasant (see Charles Pinckney below). Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park tells the story of two Civil War forts.

The main fort is Fort Sumter, which is where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. Fort Sumter has an incredible visitor’s center that does a great job of telling the story of the battle and the war in the area. There are a ton of great artifacts, perhaps the coolest thing is the flag that flew over the fort after the battle. The visitor center is located right next door to Charleston Aquarium, so it makes for a great morning/afternoon in Charleston.

Fort Sumter is out in the harbor, and in order to access it you need to take the ferry that departs from the visitor center. The ferry is not run by the parks service, so you can’t use your parks pass for it. You can only purchase tickets through Fort Sumter Tours. Ferries run from 9 am – 4:30 pm. We recommend taking the earliest ferry you can because of the morning flag ceremony on the island. On the island, you can explore the whole island and learn about the day to day life of the soldiers that were stationed there. They also have a little gift shop in the fort.

Angel Oak Tree

Many people believe that the Angel Oak Tree is the most beautiful tree in the world. We have seen some pretty sweet trees in our travels, and this one would rank very high on the list. This tree is massive, covering over 17,000 square feet of shaded space. The longest branch on the tree is over 185 feet long! It is estimated that the tree is between 400-500 years old. We love how the branches dip to the ground, run along the dirt, and then shoot back up making it look like a completely different tree. You can’t climb on the tree for obvious reasons, but it is great to go and marvel at this natural beauty. If you are lucky, you will even see the white squirrels that scurrying around in the area.

The Angel Oak Tree is located on John’s Island, about a 30 minute drive south of downtown Charleston. If you are going to Kiawah, you will pass right by it. It is an easy and relaxing drive. There is a small gift shop where you can pick up a pin or magnet on site. There is no admission fee, but they typically have people out there with the Save the Angel Oak Tree organization asking for donations.

Charleston Tea Garden

Megan is all about tea. She drinks it morning, afternoon, and evening. Whenever we go anywhere we always have to find something that has to do with tea. So, when we heard that just outside of Charleston was the only tea garden where tea was actually grown in North America, we had to check it out. The Charleston Tea Garden is located on Wadmalaw Island just south of Charleston. It makes for a great morning or afternoon excursion. If you are going when it is hot, we recommend going first thing in the morning and spending the afternoon going in and out of the buildings in Charleston proper.

At the Tea Garden, you can see thousands of actual tea plants where the Bigelow family grows their tea. There is no admission fee to tour the garden. There is a great gift shop with a ton of really fun items to purchase and plenty of free tea samples. You can take a trolley tour of the gardens for a small fee. In addition to all of that fun tea adventure, you can take a tour of their tea factory where you can see how the tea is harvested and prepared. It actually was pretty interesting. If you are a tea lover, this is your chance to see how it all works without flying to another continent.

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site

Now, we would not necessarily recommend this to everyone going to Charleston. However, if you are trying to hunt down all of the National Park Units for your passport book or you love history you have to swing down to Charles Pinckney National Historic Site. This spot is located about 21 miles north of the city center of Charleston in the Mt. Pleasant area. The home is open Friday – Sunday and the grounds are open Wednesday – Sunday. Admission is free.

Charles Pinckney is the ‘forgotten founder’ of America. He was the principal author and signer of the Constitution but you probably didn’t know about him (don’t worry, we hadn’t either until our visit). The park preserves Snee Farm, one of Pinckney’s many properties. It is a relaxing place to go back in time and see how people lived in Revolutionary times. There are a couple of really nice trails as well, making it a perfect place to pack a picnic lunch and to get some exercise.

How many of these beautiful things to do in Charleston have you been to? The fact is, there are many more places to see and visit in Charleston, we have done a lot more on our journeys to the city. Probably enough for another post soon. There are so many wonderful cities to visit in the U.S. as you are going the adventure way, check out our posts below of some of our favorites.

San Antonio, Texas

New Orleans, Louisiana

Baltimore, Maryland

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A Little Background

Taos is about an hour and a half drive north from Santa Fe, an ideal spot to stop on a New Mexico road trip. Though people have lived in the area for a thousand years, the most famous of them was Kit Carson. His home is still here, which is open to the public. There is also a museum nearby in Cimmaron along the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.

It is a town with a rich history in art. For years, artists working in a myriad of mediums have made Taos their home. For centuries, the native people honed their skills making beautiful works of pottery and fabric, but Taos took off in the early 1900’s when a group of artists formed the Taos Society of Artists. They were drawn there by the stunning landscape, a place that would give unlimited inspiration for their hearts and minds. Since then, it has been one of the premier art destinations in the Southwest. Today, it is full of shops and galleries showing off the work of local artists.

Taos is a high-altitude town, sitting right at 7,000 feet. However, it is surrounded by mountains making it an ideal place for skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. Taos Ski Mountain has some incredible slopes, and it sits at 10,000 feet. Near there is Mount Wheeler, the highest point in New Mexico sitting at 13,161 feet. You don’t always think of mountains when you think of New Mexico, but this town and the surrounding areas are up there. Pro tip – make sure you get acclimated to the elevation, drink plenty of water, and wear protection from the sun.

So what should you do? Where should you stay? What are some good places to grab a bite to eat? We went during the summer months, so skiing was definitely off the table. However, there are plenty of other things you must do in Taos when you visit.

Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

The Rio Grande River flows right by Taos and on this section of the river stands the Rio Grande Gorge. This gorge runs for about 50 miles from the Colorado border to the north all the way past Taos on the south. About 10 miles outside of the city limits, you can find the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. This massive bridge spans 1,280 feet across the Rio Grande Gorge. The gorge in this area is massive, with a 600 foot drop from the bridge, making this the seventh highest bridge in the United States.

There are parking areas on both sides of the bridge where you can get out and walk across the bridge or along the nearby trails overlooking the gorge. We recommend driving across the bridge from Taos and parking on the far side with the bathrooms. There is much more parking available there and vendors are set up selling homemade crafts and goods. The walk across the bridge is not for the faint of heart, but it is completely safe and gives you some spectacular views. And the best part? It is totally free – unless of course you spend money at the vendors, which you know Meg will always do. This is definitely a must do in Taos.

Taos Plaza

In the heart of Taos is the Taos Plaza. If you were to close your eyes and picture a high desert town plaza, this is what would appear in your mind. It is simply beautiful. There is a great green space in the middle of the plaza with statues commemorating the history of the town and plenty of seating and spots to relax. All around the plaza are great stores where you can get anything you may need. There are the touristy spots where you can get the t-shirts and magnets along with higher end galleries and boutiques for something a little more special. It is a fun way to spend an afternoon. There is a nice little coffee shop on the corner, and a couple of restaurants – the Gorge and La Luna were two of the many places in Taos that are highly recommended.

The shopping is not limited to the plaza. As you walk out farther from the city square, you will find plenty of specialty shops along the alleyways and avenues. We enjoyed exploring and stumbling upon so many wonderful shops. This is a really special place to just get lost, enjoy the scenery and shop.

The Historic Taos Inn

When we were looking for places to stay in Taos we really struggled. We struggled because there were so many cool places that we wanted to try out. Ultimately we landed on the Historic Taos Inn and we were not disappointed. We chose this place because it is within walking distance from the plaza, great food, and other shopping. It also was decently priced for the room we got, which is always a bonus.

Even though it is a historic hotel, the rooms are incredibly large. The bathrooms are tight and dated, but it fits the feel for the room. A lot of the rooms have a sweet adobe fireplace in the corner that makes you feel very welcome in New Mexico. Most of the rooms that are not in the main building are situated around peaceful courtyards, so you have a relaxing spot for your morning coffee.

There is no pool at the hotel, but they have a great restaurant and large bar on property. But again, you want to stay here because you are so close to the action of downtown. It is a great place to get some rest to head back out.

Places To Eat In Taos

We had three meals in Taos, all of them were great. The night we got in we ate dinner at Taos Mesa Brewing. This was one of the funniest experiences we have had at a restaurant. They have wood fired pizza here, and it was really good. However, the wait staff was just out there. We had four different people take our drink order, three different people take our food order, and the food or drink never came until we asked for it. It was just a strange experience. Not dogging anyone, just a funny memory we took from the place. The pizza though was straight fire and the atmosphere was very chill.

We had breakfast the next morning at Michael’s Kitchen. This place was perfection. Everything you want in a breakfast place in a fun town. Plenty of greasy food and healthy options, so they have something for everyone. They are known for their bakery. The cinnamon rolls, donuts, and other pastries are all fantastic (and dangerous). A great place for an early breakfast or brunch. We were there on a weekend morning and walked right in and got a seat at 9 am. When we left, the line was out the door and it was probably an hour or more wait, so plan appropriately.

We had another great meal at the Farmhouse Cafe and Bakery. This place is outside of the city center, but is worth the drive. It is in between downtown and the gorge, so it is a great place to eat when you head that way. This is a farm to table restaurant that makes everything from scratch daily. It is sourced by over 20 local farmers and you can taste the freshness with every bite. The best part about the restaurant may be the bakery, make sure you try something sweet before you leave. There is a great outdoor seating area with beautiful plants and flowers. If you want to sit out there though, you will have to wait a little longer.

And where to get amazing Ice Cream you may ask? That would be the Taos Cow. We love finding a local and homemade Ice Cream spot and this one did not disappoint. One of the best ones we have found! Can’t go wrong with any flavor and the scenery is cool too.

Taos Pueblo

People have been living in the Taos Pueblo for close to 1,000 years. It is considered the oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States. Today, around 150 people still live in and around the Pueblo. This is a self-governed community that has their own elementary school. The main way the members of the community make money is through tourism. This is definitely the biggest tourist destination in the town. There is a fee to enter the Pueblo ($25 for adults, $22 for students, $22 for seniors) and once inside you can purchase handcrafted arts and crafts at the various home shops. Most of the people that live there are super engaging and love to talk to people visiting, just don’t go knocking on doors that are closed.

The Enchanted Circle

If you like to drive, there are few drives more scenic in New Mexico than the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway. It circles some of the most beautiful areas in the state – deep into Taos Canyon and circling Wheeler Peak. It takes about 2.5 to 3 hours to drive the circle. However, if you are planning making multiple stops, you may want to give yourself a little more time. Museums, scenic overlooks, and the first Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the U.S. are on the loop. For a detailed driving plan, check out Taos’ website. This is a must do in Taos.

Have you visited Taos, New Mexico and what were your favorite places to check out? Share with us in the comments!

If you are looking for more fun US towns to visit check out these other posts: Tucumcari, New Mexico San Antonio, Texas or New Orleans, LA

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Tucumcari is located about 40 miles from the Texas border along I-40, the road that took over Route 66 in many places. When 40 came in, it bypassed all of the wonderful small towns whose lifeline was feeding and housing weary travelers. Instead of stopping and taking in all a town had to offer, travelers wanted to just pass through. They began opting for a quick hotel stay at a chain by the on-ramp and bypassed places with character and community.

Cars Town

The Disney movie, Cars, does a good job of telling the story of the small town along Route 66 that was hit with hard times. As a matter of fact, Tucumcari, New Mexico is the town that Radiator Springs was based on. Just like in the movie, Tucumcari fell on hard times. But, there has been a movement over the past decade to bring this once great town back to its former glory.

Tucumcari, New Mexico became famous because of the billboards found along the Mother Road that simply read, “Tucumcari Tonite”. The reason for that is because there were so many incredible motels that had over 2,000 rooms available for travelers. Motorists would plan their whole trip around getting to Tucumcari in time to find a room at one of their famous motels. There was nothing better than to ride in on the main strip and see the neon lights hit you from every side. Today, people are coming in and renovating many of the famous motels that once made Tucumcari proud – neon lights and all.

If you are like us and love a good road trip, Tucumcari, New Mexico is a must stop along the road. It takes you back to a time when traveling was simpler. Where you stopped and took a breath at the end of a long day. Where you got to know the staff and management of motels, restaurants, and shops that you visited. Tucumcari, New Mexico is the perfect place to get back to the roots of our road trippin’ heritage. Below is all you need to know in order to have an awesome time in this wonderful Route 66 town.

Where To Stay

As mentioned above, there are a ton of really awesome motels that you can stay in. These are not modern hotels, they have been refurbished to their 1940’s and 50’s glory. Most of the rooms are smaller, but not so small for a family of four. The bathrooms are a little dated, smaller showers and older plumbing, but the place we stayed at was exceptionally clean and the reviews and videos we have watched of other motels would make us think the same for them.

We stayed at the historic Blue Swallow Motel. They have been in operation since 1939 and this was just a fabulous experience. This is probably the most famous motel from the old Route 66 along with the Wigwam motels of California and Arizona. The rooms are really comfortable and surprisingly affordable. During a recent trip to New Mexico and Colorado it ended up being one of the cheaper rooms we got, but probably the most memorable.

What stands out the most is the incredible neon light sign. We had so much fun just taking picture after picture of it as it came on and the night got darker. We weren’t the only ones either, people came from all over to line up to take pictures. Most of them weren’t even staying at the motel. A really great thing about the motel is the courtyard that everyone hung out in and relaxed after a long day on the road. Robert and Dawn who own the place were incredibly welcoming and kind. Robert makes a mean pot of coffee and it flows freely. If you get to stay there, spend some time with him hearing about how he came to own the place.

There are plenty of other great motels in the area. Motel Safari and the Roadrunner Lodge both have been highly recommended and when we go back we will try and stay at one of those.

Pro Tip: If you want one of the historic motels, get a reservation early. Those rooms are limited.

Where To Eat

You won’t find a ton of chain restaurants in town, those are off on the highway. However, there are plenty of great local places to eat. We had a great meal at Del’s right on the main drag, a short walk from our motel. They have a very large menu with something for everyone, a nice salad bar which was nice after eating a not-so-healthy lunch, and a lot to look at while the food is cooking. They have a really cool little gift shop that we enjoyed checking out, along with plenty of history all over the walls. Our son said he had the best burger of the trip that night for dinner.

Other restaurants that were recommended to us were La Cita, a Mexican restaurant with incredible neon lights. This is one of the most popular places to eat by locals and tourists alike. Watson’s BBQ and Kix on 66 are also good options. Kix is best for breakfast. Maybe the best thing we ate while in town though were the donuts we had from Donut Pro. These donuts were just majestic, perfectly made in every way. The family that owns the place is really great, and you get a lot for your money here.

Donut Pro Tip: If you go to Donut Pro, get the Old Fashioned, the best one we have ever had.

Where To Shop

There are plenty of places to get some Route 66 and Tucumcari souvenirs around town. Pretty much every restaurant and motel has a gift shop attached to it. The two best places to shop though are the Route 66 Welcome Center and Gift Shop and TeePee Curios. We enjoyed TeePee Curios the best. They had a really great selection, and the building itself was just special. There is a pretty scary looking skeleton called The Helk on a truck outside, so make sure you don’t get attacked by him. Like many other places along the main drag, TeePee Curios has some incredible neon. It may be the best behind the Blue Swallow Motel.

Pro Tip: If you go in to TeePee Curios, throw a couple of bucks into the box to help keep the neon on if you can.

What To Do

Tucumcari isn’t about doing things, it is about experiencing it, taking a step back in time. So, when you get to Tucumcari spend time slowing down and taking it all in. Drive the main strip at night looking at the neon. Hopefully, as more people come back to the town more neon will get restored, but what is there now is really great. Walk around and take pictures of it and just imagine what the town was like in its hey day.

During the day, take an hour or so and drive around the downtown area looking at all of the murals. There are almost 100 murals around town. Tucumcari has done a great job of putting together a map and checklist of them, so see how many you can find. We loved the Tucumcari Tonite! mural on the side of Motel Safari and the Legendary Road mural on the side of Lowe’s Market.

Another great thing to do is to check out the Mesalands Community College’s Dinosaur Museum. There are a ton of dinosaur bones collected by students of the college, and many replicas statues. The cost is pretty cheap as well – $6.50 for adults and $4 for kids. It isn’t a super large museum, but it will keep you busy for an hour or two.

Have you ever been to Tucumcari or another old road tripping town? What are some of your favorites. Hope you can get out and get your kicks on Route 66 soon, and that takes you to the neon lights of Tucumcari, New Mexico.

If you enjoyed this post about Tucumcari check out some of our other Bucket List Trip Ideas :

One Day in Badlands National Park

10 Things to do in the Outer Banks

A Weekend In San Antonio

The post Bucket List Road Trip To Tucumcari, New Mexico first appeared on Go The Adventure Way.

Dry Tortugas is one of the least visited parks in the whole system. Over the last five years it is averaging around 66,000 visitors per year. That means on average, only 180 people come to this park per day, that is crazy. It is a great place to find solitude in a beautiful setting. A lot of people don’t know about this park, and many who do don’t think they will ever be able to go. Hopefully, this post will be helpful in showing you that you can do this and will prepare you with everything you will need to know.

Where Is Dry Tortugas National Park?

Dry Tortugas is roughly 70 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. In total, this park is about 100 square miles, but nearly 98% of the park is underwater. There are seven small islands that are in the park boundaries. The biggest island is home to Fort Jefferson, which is the largest brick structure in the Western Hemisphere. The fort used to be a prison during the Civil War. Samuel Mudd, the man who set John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg, was imprisoned here. A lot of history and natural beauty. This park is a little slice of paradise. Beautiful views, crystal clear water, incredible snorkeling, and so much more.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Dry Tortugas National Park?

When we were doing our research, everything we read said go between October and March. Our trip to Florida was right in the middle of summer, end of June to early July. Because of that, we were worried about afternoon storms and extreme heat. We were wrong on both counts.

We were told that because of where Dry Tortugas was located, most of the afternoon storms that plague Florida in the summer do not hit them. As a matter of fact, even if there is a storm in the Keys, chances are that it is clear at Dry Tortugas. That actually turned out to be true in our case. So, make sure you check the weather for the Park and not Key West.

It definitely was hot, but it wasn’t unbearable. And if you pack plenty of water to drink and get in the water from time to time to swim, you will be fine. If you are going to only visit the fort, we definitely recommend going in the fall or winter.

How Do You Get To Dry Tortugas National Park?

There are two main ways that you can get to the park from the mainland – the ferry or the seaplane. Both of these have their benefits. Of course, if you have your own private boat, you can get there on your own.

Ferry Boat

The ferry boat is the transportation that most people use to get to Dry Tortugas. The Yankee Freedom is the name of the catamaran that gets you from Key West to Fort Jefferson. The ferry takes off daily at 8 am and drops you off at Dry Tortugas around 10:15. It is a pretty long trip, so make sure you pack some activities for the ride. The ferry leaves Dry Tortugas around 3 pm, so you have close to 5 hours on the island. That will give you plenty of time to explore and hang out at the beach and in the water. Typically, the ferry returns to Key West right at 5:15. It lets you out in an area full of restaurants which makes it really great.

It is expensive to take the ferry – $190 for adults and $135 for kids 4-16. You get more than just a spot on the boat with your ticket, which helps justify the hefty price tag. Included with your ticket is breakfast and lunch, entrance into the National Park, a 45 minute narrated tour of the fort, and complementary snorkeling equipment. These are all really great perks to go along with the fun boat ride and day on the island.

If you are going to take the ferry, it is recommended that you make a reservation 6 months in advance, though you can find spots open a couple of weeks out from time to time.

Seaplane

If you think that the cost for the ferry was expensive, you might want to sit down for the seaplane. They have two options, the full and half-day excursions. All excursions take off from Key West International Airport. The full-day costs $634 for adults and $508 for kids 2-12. The half-day is $361 for adults and $289 for kids 2-12. However, there are some pretty big benefits to doing this if you can.

For starters, if you are on the first plane or the last plane you will get the island all to yourself with the exception of the handful of overnight campers. The reason for that is the plane takes a shorter time to get there than the boat, it is a 35 minute flight. So, if you are the first plane out you get to the park about an hour and 45 minutes before the ferry. If you take the last plane out around 2, you will be arriving while the ferry is loading up to leave and pretty much your whole time at Fort Jefferson is by yourself.

In addition to that, you get a cooler stocked with drinks. We recommend just asking for water, you won’t want soda out there. Also, everyone who wants it can get snorkeling equipment thrown in.

Is it Worth it?

This was a special trip for us so we opted for the half-day option on the seaplane leaving in the afternoon. When we spend a lot of money on something, we always worry we will feel like we wasted our money. As soon as we checked in at the airport we knew this was going to be an experience of a lifetime. Walking out on the runaway to the seaplane was so exciting for all of us and we were hooked. We cannot recommend this option enough.

There is something special about flying right over the water searching for sharks and sea turtles. We counted well over 15 sharks and lost track of the amount of giant sea turtles after we hit 50. It was a spectacular trip. Not only that, the feeling of circling Fort Jefferson and getting that view from the plane followed by landing on the water is something we will never forget. Oh, and if you have never taken off from the water, that is a crazy experience. If you can save for this or not do other experiences on your trip to do this, do it.

What Can You Do At Dry Tortugas National Park?

Snorkeling

Some of the best snorkeling in the United States is found at Dry Tortugas. This is one of the main reasons why you come here. This park is the perfect spot to see all sorts of incredible coral and fish. We couldn’t believe how many we saw everywhere we turned. There is so much to see, simply incredible. Seriously, we have been snorkeling all throughout the Carribbean and Gulf and have never seen as many fish as we saw there.

On the back end of the park is a small beach that is about 40 feet long. This is a perfect spot for you to go if you are new to snorkeling. We took our son for the first time ever and he had a blast. The key is to stay near the fort. That is where the coral and fish are.

On the front side of the fort where the ferry boat and seaplane dock, there are some old pier beams that stick out of the water. This is another great spot to snorkel. This is a little deeper, but still great. If you can, try and snorkel from the back beach all the way around the perimeter of the fort. So much fun! Make sure you wear your life jacket and have fun exploring.

Exploring The Fort

Fort Jefferson is massive. Like we said earlier, it is the largest brick building in the Western Hemisphere. The crazy thing about it is it never got finished! This fort is right in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, something to behold. When you visit Dry Tortugas, you need to make sure you take time to walk around the fort.

The visitor center to Fort Jefferson is located right inside the main gate (Sally Port). To the left is the office for the Park Rangers. There are 8 Park Rangers that live on site during the year. We had a really great conversation with one of them. They get off the island a couple of days a month, but mostly they are living at the fort.

The right side holds the visitor center with plenty of great information about and artifacts from the fort. Here you will learn all the history and get to know the wildlife. It isn’t the biggest visitor center, but it is helpful. This is also where we found the Passport Stamp on our trip.

Make sure you walk around the fort and get all of the way to the top level. There is nothing like the views from up there. It is incredible to be so high up yet surrounded by water everywhere you look. There are no railings up there, but if you stay on the worn down trail you will be fine.

Our favorite part of the fort might have been the wall along the water that kind of set up the moat along the back side. It was kind of like a trail out in the middle of the Gulf. Make sure you take a couple of minutes to check that out. It is a really great spot for pictures too!

Hanging Out At The Beach

There are a couple of really great beaches at Dry Tortugas. We already mentioned it earlier, but our favorite one was on the backside of the fort. The water is calm everywhere on the island, but especially here. We didn’t see anyone the whole time we were there, had the whole place to ourselves. there are a couple of other beaches that we checked out, but it wasn’t where we stayed for the majority of our time. You are definitely coming here for the beach, so make sure you plan accordingly.

We flew in with a family who just wanted to check out the fort. After about an hour they wished they had brought their beach apparel. Don’t be that family.

Camping

We did not do this, but we hope to one day. We don’t typically write about experiences we didn’t have, but this one is probably worth talking about. If you can, try and get a reservation to camp here. If you do this, you will have to take the ferry and bring all of your own equipment. We heard over and over form the Ranger there that this is the absolute best way to experience the park. You are out 70 miles in the ocean with absolutely no other light around you. It is you, a handful of other campers, and stars galore. Going to Dry Tortugas has always been on our bucket list. Now, camping there is.

What To Pack For Dry Tortugas National Park?

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The biggest takeaways for us after spending the day at Dry Tortugas is to know it goes by super fast and you will be hot from walking around the fort and wet from getting in the water. There are very limited facilities on the island. They have a changing room, a national park type bathroom (if you know you know!) and little visitors center. This is also a no waste Park so you need to be prepared to take any trash home with you. You can’t buy any water or food on the island. The seaplane company provided us with a cooler and two drinks per person – you will need them all! They also provided our snorkeling gear. Here is what we brought additionally for our few hours there, we tried to pack minimally but also be prepared. The seaplane could accommodate with any bags we wanted to bring!

• Big Water Bottle – our favorite one
• Beach Bag – we needed a rather big one, bogg bags are waterproof and awesome!
• Beach Towels – these are nice
• Sunscreen – make sure to use a reef safe sunscreen!
• Bugspray – I don’t think we needed this but you never know!
• Snacks – Especially for the ride back
• Change of Dry Clothes
• Bathing Suits (we wore them under our clothes going and changed to dry clothes leaving.)
• Big Sun Hats (there is minimal shade and lots of bright sun!) – Men’s Option, Women’s Option
• Mini Backpack with our ids, keys, hair ties, chapstick, phones, sunglasses, etc (all those little things) – Meg’s Fave
• We just wore decent sandals that could get wet – Tevas for Meg, These for Silas, These for Justin

Junior Ranger At Dry Tortugas National Park

We try and take the time to do the Junior Ranger program at every National Park unit we go to. At Dry Tortugas you can actually get two Junior Ranger badges – the regular park badge and the underwater explorer badge. This is one of five National Park units where you can get the underwater explorer badges.

Because time can be limited on this island, you might not be able to squeeze it into your day at the park. We highly recommend printing this out at home from the National Park website and doing as much as you can before your visit. If you are taking the ferry, you will have plenty of time to work on it on your way in to the park. If you are on the seaplane, you will not be able to do it on the flight. You will be too busy looking for sea turtles and sharks.

We actually didn’t get the books until we got to the park, but we were able to complete it as we were checking out Fort Jefferson. Some activities have to be done on site, but in hindsight it would have been better for us to have done as much as possible before we got to the park. It took about 15 minutes of extra time so it wasn’t terrible, but every minute at this park counts.

Takeaways

Dry Tortugas National Park is a place we will never forget. Even if you aren’t on a mission to visit all of the National Parks – this should be a place you consider coming to! Since it’s a little more difficult getting out there it was worth it to us to splurge and do the seaplane. That experience alone really put the whole day over the top. If you do take the seaplane know that it’s pretty hot inside the plane (we were sweating a lot before even getting out there). When you hear a half day that seems like tons of time on such a small island but we were so surprised how quickly it all went! We could have stayed many more hours there.

You definitely want to take advantage of the snorkeling gear the Ferry or Plane serve provides for you – the snorkeling was simply incredible. We are so glad we opted for that! If you get a chance to talk to a Ranger – do it! We had a fun time learning about the island and hearing about their fun lifestyle on the island.

PS! If you enjoy checking out beautiful National Park beach destinations check out our post about Cape Lookout National Seashore and Canaveral National Seashore. Both of these National Park sites are incredible!

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The post Dry Tortugas National Park: Everything You Need To Know first appeared on Go The Adventure Way.

The San Antonio Missions

The city of San Antonio was founded over 300 years ago and the Spanish missions followed shortly after. These missions are spread out along the Camino Real de Tejas. This road went from Mexico City to Louisiana originally. There are four missions run by the National Park Service located along the Camino Real in and around San Antonio (The Alamo is run by the state of Texas). These sites are still active churches where worship services occur on Sundays and other religious holidays. Today, the missions are all connected by the Mission Trail.

The Mission Trail is an incredible road that runs from Mission Espada in the south all the way to the Alamo in downtown San Antonio. We recommend driving because there are plenty of places to stop along the San Antonio River, but if you fly in there is a bus service that stops at all of the missions.

The best way to visit the missions is to start in the south and move north towards downtown. The missions get larger as you go this route, so it just gets better and better. Mission Espada is the farthest south. This is the first mission built in all of Texas, all the way back in 1690. These are beautiful grounds here and a wonderful little chapel. The next one up is Mission San Juan. This one was probably our least favorite, but still beautiful.

Mission San Jose is next and this one is definitely a can’t miss. Before you get there though, make sure you stop between San Juan and San Jose along the river, so pretty! Mission San Jose is the main mission. This is where you will find the visitor center for the National Parks, get your stamps, do the Junior Ranger activities, and learn most of the history. It is crazy how big the grounds are here, and the architecture is amazing. Mission Concepcion is the final mission before the Alamo. It is simply stunning. Definitely take some time to go down the Mission Trail.

Japanese Tea Garden

We love a good Japanese Tea Garden, who doesn’t? We fell in love with Japanese Tea Gardens during our time in San Francisco a couple of years ago. When we heard that San Antonio had one we knew we had to check it out!

These gardens are run by the city and have been open to the public since 1901. The park used to be a rock quarry but was transformed into a beautiful garden. There are some incredible bridges, winding walkways through beautiful gardens, a pretty impressive waterfall feature, ponds, and an immense pavilion at the entrance overlooking the whole park.

The tea garden does have a restaurant but it wasn’t the most authentic place to grab some tea. Meg is a true tea drinker so she was a little disappointed in the selection there. But, it is a good place to grab a bite to eat and a drink.

An interesting part of the garden is the main entrance actually says Chinese Tea Garden. The reason for that is because during World War II they changed the name and never changed that sign. It stands as a pretty somber reminder of that time in history.

The gardens get very crowded during the day, so try and go early or late (which helps beat the heat too). The park is open 7 am to 5 pm 365 days a year. Admission is free. This is not the best tea garden we have been to but is definitely worth a visit.

Remember The Alamo

If you are going to San Antonio you have to visit the Alamo. This is the symbol not only of the city but the state of Texas. This is one of the most important historical landmarks in the United States and it is special to be on the grounds there.

The Alamo is owned by the State of Texas and is run by the Alamo Trust. They do a fantastic job of telling the story of the brave men and women of the Alamo leading up to the battle but also the history before it.

As weird as it sounds, our least favorite part of our visit at the Alamo was actually going inside the Alamo. You can’t take pictures in there which is understandable, and it is pretty dark and plain in there. The rest of the grounds are the highlight in our opinion. They have a great gift shop there as well.

The Alamo opens every day at 9 and closes at 5:30 or 7 pm depending on the time of year you visit. There is no admission charge to enter the Alamo, though there are some guided tours that come highly recommended that have a charge.

Explore The Riverwalk

The crown jewel of the whole city is the San Antonio Riverwalk. Overall the Riverwalk is 15 miles long with 5 miles going through downtown. This is one of the most beautiful places you will find in any city in the U.S. There are incredible walkways on both sides of the river, world-famous bridges, incredible restaurants, fantastic shopping, and stunning gardens. It is a perfect place to go for a peaceful stroll in the morning and get out in crowds for some exciting nightlife.

The Riverwalk is free to walk down but for a relatively small fee you can book a trip on one of the many boats that go up and down the river. Go Rio Cruises offers different types of cruises depending on the time of year you visit. If you can go around Christmas, try and go at night so you can get the Christmas light cruise. We were able to do that and had so much fun. The lights go on the day after Thanksgiving and stay up a couple of days after the New Year.

Historic Market Square

Market Square is an incredibly colorful open air market where you can find just about anything you need. It is a place that is simply full of life. There is great live music, street performers, food vendors, and so much more. You have to get over to this historic shopping area when you are in San Antonio.

We had so much fun shopping and finding some pretty cool stuff from San Antonio. You can get lost for hours shopping in this area. However, the best thing about the open air market might be the churros! The churros we bought here were easily the best ones we have ever eaten – and we have had Disneyland churros. Crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle. Just fantastic!

Tower of the Americas

The Tower of the Americas soars 750-feet above the San Antonio skyline. It is a great place to get some epic views of the city. The tower was built for the World’s Fair in 1968 and celebrated San Antonio turning 250 years old. In addition to the observation deck at the top the site offers an immersive 4D theater and a gift shop. There is a cafe at the foot of the tower with reasonably priced food and Chart House Restaurant at the top. You typically will need to make a reservation for this place and expect to pay over $100 for a date night.

The cost for a ticket is $14.50 for adults, $11.50 for kids 3-12, and under 3 there is no charge. There are military and senior discounts as well. The ticket covers the observation deck, the 4D Theater, and Flags Over Texas. They do charge for parking, so expect another $8-15 depending on the day. The tower is open 4-10 pm Monday – Thursday, 12-11 pm Friday and Saturday, and 12-10 pm Sunday.

San Antonio: The Saga

This was a super unexpected highlight of our time in San Antonio. We absolutely loved this! San Antonio: The Saga is a laser light show that plays on the historic San Fernando Cathedral. This is the oldest operating sanctuary in North America, and it is located right in the middle of San Antonio. This show tells the story of San Antonio and it really is amazing, you can’t miss this.

San Antonio: The Saga is a 24-minute, 7,000 square foot projection show that plays every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This show is completely free to the public. There are usually three showings every night, but the hours change depending on the night you go so make sure you check their website in advance. This show is scheduled to go on until 2024, so get there soon!

Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery

We ate a ton of really great food in San Antonio but our favorite experience was at Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery. This place is kind of touristy but in a really good way. It is located in Historic Market Square and there is always a line to get in. This place has a tasty bakery, an awesome food menu, and a pretty large bar area.

Everything we had was really great. All of us enjoyed our meals. Megan was especially a fan of the Tres Leches cake. Highly recommended.

So, that is it! Our must-dos for a weekend in San Antonio. We know that there are some great theme parks and San Antonio has a great zoo, but we just didn’t have time for those this time around. Just another reason to head back there again soon! Have you ever been to San Antonio? What are some places we should check out next time? Let us know in the comments and have fun Going The Adventure Way!

Looking for some other fun guides to cities in the U.S.? Check out our guide to Richmond, Baltimore, or New Orleans.

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The post What To Do In A Weekend In San Antonio first appeared on Go The Adventure Way.

We were only able to spend about 8 hours in the city, but we were able to pack a lot into the short amount of time we had there. The city is full of great history, awesome food, and plenty of outdoor activities. Here is what we were able to do on our first trip to Richmond, can’t wait to get back there to check out some more of the city.

Richmond Canal Walk

The Richmond Canal Walk was one of our favorite things to do on our day in Richmond. The canal system in Richmond (and much of the United States) was completed in part because of the influence of George Washington. He was a huge proponent of canal transportation (the more you know). The Richmond Canal Walk is a little over a mile and winds along the James River, Kanawha Canal, and Haxall Canal. There is a trail that takes you farther down the James River and walking bridges over the James River that connect to some great natural areas for hiking.

Along the Canal Walk you can check out some amazing street art, incredible open areas to relax and people watch, and go on one of the most unique hikes you will ever experience – the Pipeline Trail. This trail is pretty much a catwalk over an old pipeline all underneath a railroad trestle. The Pipeline Trail runs over and alongside the James River.

You have to go climb down a short ladder to get to the trail. When we went the river was raging, made for quite the experience, plenty of white water swirling underneath us. There are railings for most of the trail, but towards the end you need to be careful – the railings disappear. You can jump the railings and stop at a small little island to look at the Blue Herons that live in the area. Definitely check out this and the other walking bridges over the water in Richmond.

Monument Avenue

Monument Avenue is one of the central roads in Richmond and is beautiful. We really enjoyed walking and driving down the avenue. The monuments are massive and are form traffic circles at the main intersections. Most of the monuments are Civil War leaders, but the city has tried to diversify them over the years. So, you have Arther Ashe right down the road from Jefferson Davis. It is an interesting dichotomy. I think what we liked more than the monuments were the houses. The houses were amazing. All of them are massive, have their own personality, and are stunning to look at. Most of them are over a 100 years old and have been renovated and kept up to date beautifully.

Carytown

Carytown is a pretty trendy, bohemian district located around West Cary Street. It is a really colorful, vibrant, active, area. There are so many great shops, bakeries, cafes, record shops, and restaurants along this stretch of road. It also is home to the Byrd Theater, one of the oldest theaters still in operation today. The whole neighborhood is beautiful and makes for a great place to walk around and enjoy Richmond.

We ate at Home Sweet Home. We went there because everything we read online said the food was great. They specialize in grilled cheeses – we both got the Upstate. It is a grilled cheese with bacon, apple, and syrup to dip it all in. It was fantastic. We also got an order of deep fried pickles. Those were bomb. One thing about this place, it really is a bar/pub first. Totally cool with that, but everything we read and checked out made it seem like it was a restaurant first. Not sure if that makes sense, we were just thinking it was something else. Food was awesome, service was great, atmosphere was different than we thought, but still fine.

Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site

Maggie L. Walker was one of the most influential people in Richmond in the early 1900’s. Walker was the first African-American woman to charter a bank and serve as its president. She was an incredible leader of the African-American community not only in Richmond but around the country. She was able to help so many people and her legacy still stands today.

The Walker Site is located in the historic Jackson Ward neighborhood. The site is on the corner of North 2nd and Leigh streets. The site consists of Walker’s home, a visitor’s center, and a couple of adjoining buildings. In order to get into the home, you will need to take the tour. Tours begin with a 20-minute video in the visitor’s center which is followed by a 35-minute walking tour of the house. As with any National Park Site, we recommend trying out any Ranger-led program.

The house is the highlight. Ranger Ben, our tour guide, was incredibly knowledgable about Walker’s life and family. The house is 140-years old and 90% of the furnishings in the house are original. It is a really interesting house with tons of character and history. It was pretty cool looking at the dining room table that W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, and other notable historical figures dined. Justin loved looking at the books in the library. Megan loved everything because she loves old houses.

This site is only open Tuesday – Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm. During the winter months it closes at 4:30. As with a lot of these sites, it is totally free!

Sally Bell’s Kitchen

When we were doing research on where to eat Sally Bell’s Kitchen kept coming up. It is a Richmond institution. Sally Bell’s is known for their boxed lunch – a sandwich, side, deviled egg, cheese wafer, and a cupcake of your choice. This is southern lunch fare at its finest. Because of that, Megan loved it and I (Justin) thought it was pretty good.

Megan went with the chicken salad sandwich, potato salad, and lemon cupcake. She said all three were amazing and the potato salad was the best she has ever had. The restaurant itself is really fun. It is old but clean and has a great atmosphere. It is also an easy walk to a lot of other fun areas.

St. John’s Church

St. John’s Church is a beautiful and historic church built in 1741. The church is located at the top of the hill on East Broad St. The main reason this church is famous is because this is where Patrick Henry gave his famous “Give me liberty or give me death” speech. They do reenactments of the speech at different times during the year.

This is still an active church, but they do have tours of the grounds and the inside of the main chapel. Tours are $6-$8 and last about 25-minutes. There is a nice little visitor’s shop on the grounds where you can get information and grab a souvenir. Also, make sure you pay attention to the graveyard on site, there are tons of super old grave markers, including one for George Wythe, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Richmond National Battlefield

The Richmond National Battlefield Park is a National Park Unit that has 13 separate sites and four visitor centers along an 80-mile route. To truly experience this park you will need the whole day. Probably the main area to visit along the route is the Civil War Visitor Center at Tredegar Iron Works. This is where you should start your tour. The Iron Works is where the southern states manufactured their weapons. There is a National Parks visitor center here as well.

At Tredegar, you can check out the Civil War museum. The museum is not part of the National Parks System. This Museum costs about $15 per adult. If you purchase your tickets online you can usually get them cheaper. Parking is there for $3 an hour, but free with admission to the museum.

Not in Richmond, but there are a ton of National Park Units about the Civil War outside of Richmond. On this trip we stopped at Petersburg just south of Richmond. Fredericksburg is to the north. Plenty of other options.

Have you ever been to Richmond? What are some places we need to check out on our next trip up there? If you want to check out some of the other cities we have visited, check out our posts on Going the Adventure Way in Baltimore, Greensboro, or New Orleans.

The post Walking Around Richmond first appeared on Go The Adventure Way.

Compare Beignets

You can’t go to New Orleans without trying out some fresh beignets. This is an absolute must. There is a debate going around about where you can get the best beignets in the city. The competition comes down to two competitors – Cafe Du Monde and Cafe Beignet. Obviously, we had to try them both.

Cafe Du Monde

We went to the original Cafe Du Monde in the French Market right by Jackson Square. This place has been around since 1862 and it is quite the experience. We went on a Friday night and the place was jumping. We almost didn’t go because the line to get in was over 100 people long. After we waited about 5 minutes we realized it would move pretty quickly. All together we stood in line for about 20 minutes to get in.

We got two orders of beignets (6 total), Megan got a Cafe Au Lait, and Justin got a black coffee with chicory. In total we spent $16 (we got the take home mug). These things were ridiculously good. We were impressed that with such a big operation they came out cooked to perfection, not greasy at all. They piled a ton of sugar on these, so yummy. What made this so good was the combination of the bitter chicory and the sweet beignets. So good.

Cafe Beignet

We went to the Cafe Beignet located on Royal Street in the French Quarter for breakfast on Saturday morning. We beat the crowds there and had a nice breakfast in their outdoor seating area. The shop is located in a converted 1800s carriage house. It is super cool in there, plenty of character. We had the same thing there as at Cafe Du Monde – wanted to be fair – but Megan also got a breakfast plate. It was a good experience and the food was good. However, when it comes to beignets, there was a clear cut winner.

Cafe Du Monde definitely won the competition. Don’t miss out on going there. It is worth the wait and worth the money.

Visit Jackson Square

Maybe the most famous landmark in New Orleans outside of the Superdome is the iconic St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square. The square is surrounded by awesome restaurants, shops, and artists. Every time we went by there the place was completely packed. It is a great spot to really get a feel for the city and to take a quick break on a bench.

Check Out Some National Parks

We try and plan our travel around visiting National Parks. We do this because we are on a quest to visit all 360 located in the continental United States before Silas graduates. This actually makes for a great way to plan trips. Fortunately for us, there are two National Parks located in New Orleans – both of which are free.

Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve

Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve is one of the most unique National Park units in the country. One reason it is so unique is because it is split up among six different locations. These locations are not really even close to each other. The six locations are spread out throughout southern Louisiana. The reason these locations are one National Park unit is because together they collectively tell the story of New Orleans and Louisiana as a whole.

On this trip we visited the French Quarter site and the Barataria Preserve. The French Quarter focuses on the history of New Orleans and the different cultures that influenced it. The visitor center is located on Decatur Street and is a great place to stop in while checking out the neighborhood.

The highlight for us though was the Barataria Preserve. This is located about a 20-minute drive outside the city center and is just a beautiful site. We had one of our most memorable hikes ever at this park. It is simply beautiful. Everywhere you look there is a picturesque view. So many different shades of green and there is wildlife everywhere.

What really made it memorable was the incredible boardwalks through the swamp. It is a really weird feeling walking a couple of miles along boardwalks (with out rails) not knowing if a gator is going to be around the corner staring you down. On our walk we saw a couple of them, including a mama with her babies. Super cool and super freaky. It makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

If you are in New Orleans, get out to this park. You can do the swamp boat tour here, but this post is cheap or free – those tours are neither.

New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park

This park is located right in the French Quarter by the French Market. This park celebrates the history and influence of jazz on the city of New Orleans and all over the world. What makes this park unique is all of the Park Rangers are actually musicians who play throughout the day. Unfortunately when we were there, we just missed the show for the day. If you don’t go during one of those, it is pretty pointless to go at all. Not much else to it. We checked out the stage and the few exhibits they had, got the stamp and headed out. So, make sure you check the daily schedule of events and show up for one of those.

If you want to check out some of our other National Park adventure check out our post on Tuskegee National Parks, Gettysburg, Canaveral Seashore, Yosemite, and Mammoth Cave.

Ride The Streetcar

One thing that is really awesome about New Orleans are the streetcars that take you around the major points of interest in the city. You can get a one-way ticket for $1.25 or you can get a day long pass for just $3. It is a steal.

The streetcars themselves are something fun to do. We loved riding around, giving our feet a rest, and getting a different perspective on the city. The streetcars run throughout the day and night and take you into different sections of the city. Definitely take advantage of this system.

Listen To Some Music

You cannot go to New Orleans and without listening to some good music. Really it is impossible to do. The reason for this is because on every street corner there are people playing and singing for the crowds walking by. We heard a lady with one of the most beautiful voices ever singing. It drew us in and kept us listening. She was amazing. In addition, there are a ton of great places around the city with live music while you are eating. Music is everywhere. Remember, if you are listening to music and enjoying, even if you are on a street corner, throw a couple of dollars in the cup. Don’t be the people who film and take pictures and then walk away after you were entertained. Support a struggling artist.

Eat Some Good Food

Alright, so one of the main things New Orleans is known for is the food. People come from all over to eat the unique culinary offerings of the city. We weren’t able to try a ton of different places to eat. The main reason is because we were only there for 24 hours. We only had time for a breakfast, lunch, and dinner (and the Cafe Du Monde afternoon snack). For dinner we ate at the hotel because we were totally exhausted. At breakfast we had the previously mentioned meal at Cafe Beignet. For lunch, we feel like we had a pretty good New Orleans experience.

We went to Napoleon House on Chartres St. The restaurant is in a historic building that is over 200 years old. The mayor of New Orleans was the first resident of the building and offered the house to Napoleon as a place for him to live during his exile. Napoleon never made it but the name stuck. The inside is full of fun things to look at and there is a beautiful little courtyard like you find in a lot of places in New Orleans. Napoleon House Restaurant has been there since 1914 and the food there was bomb.

I (Justin) had a muffuletta and was definitely impressed. I wasn’t really sure about the olive spread, but it ended up being the key to the whole thing. The bread was incredible and it was just some salty goodness. Megan went with the shrimp po boy with red beans and rice – she was happy with it as well (though I think I liked mine more than she liked hers). We were out of there in an hour and spent less than $40 for all three of us. A great deal for a pretty expensive city.

Shop At The French Market

The French Market is a really cool six-block area that includes an open air market and various commercial buildings in the French Quarter. There is so much to do and see in this area. You can get pretty much anything you want there. Chocolate, jewelry, wood carvings, hot sauce, fresh fruit, coffee, and just about anything else – all for sale.

If you really looked around, you could find some pretty great items. Megan’s favorite purchase was a pair of earrings made in the ghetto – that is what the shop owner called them, not me. They cost $5 bucks and they are super cool. Grab a coffee with chicory and head down here for some great shopping.

Compare The Neighborhoods

What makes New Orleans so unique are the various neighborhoods that make up the city. All of them have their own identity, style, and culture. The architecture changes so much from one spot to the next you begin to think that you are in a different city all together.

On our trip we stayed in the Warehouse District. It is an old industrial area that has been renovated into an awesome area full of dining, shopping, and hotels. We were a three minute walk to the French Quarter which is simply stunning. The architecture and history down there are incredible. We took a trip through the Garden District and checked out the antebellum style mansions and checked out the super creepy (and historic) graveyards. If you have a car, take some time going through the various neighborhoods to get a good overview of the city (though stay out of some of them!).

Check Out The Mississippi

The Mississippi flows right through the middle of New Orleans. Now, it is just river but what a river it is. We just got done reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer with Silas so we loved going down and checking out the river. We spent some time sitting and walking along the banks of the river. There were a ton of boats going up and down the river, including some really cool riverboats. There are a ton of river boat cruises you can go on – we didn’t do it because of time – but they take you up and down on tours. A couple even take you to some of the other areas of Jean Lafitte National Historic Park. Either way, if you are on it or beside it – make sure you spend some time learning about the Mighty Mississippi.

Takeaways From Our Time In New Orleans

Ok, we really wanted to love New Orleans – we always want to love everywhere we go. However, we are not big loud, crowded, party people so we were a little apprehensive. Here is what we are taking away from our time there.

• If you want to check out the city when it isn’t crowded, go in the morning. It really is a beautiful place but that gets lost on you with the crowds. We went to breakfast on Saturday morning and had so much fun checking out the different areas.
• If you are going with your kid(s) like we did, don’t go on a Friday night over Christmas break (like we did) or any other major party time (Mardi Gras). There is plenty to do with kids, but we had to do plenty of shielding of eyes and avoiding of areas.
• New Orleans is a pretty dirty city. After walking around for five hours my light green shoes were almost black. When we were walking around Saturday morning some of the stuff we saw from the night before was pretty gross.
• The Warehouse District is a really great place to stay, especially for families. You are close enough to walk everywhere (or get on the streetcar) and is a lot more quiet than the French Quarter.
• If you are only eating beignets at one place, make it Cafe Du Monde. The lines might look long but it will go fast.
• Plan to go to Barataria Preserve at Jean Lafitte. It was our favorite thing we did around New Orleans and is worth the Uber or time spent. Take the boardwalk trails as far as you can. We went in the colder months and bugs were not an issue.
• It is expensive in the city, so make sure you plan accordingly.

We were really glad we were able to experience New Orleans. Ultimately, we had a good time but we aren’t necessarily chomping at the bit to get back. We are glad we went and can say we have been there. If you haven’t been, we would absolutely recommend you going and checking it out. That is what going the adventure way is all about. Sometimes you love it and sometimes you just really like it. It is always an experience and always and adventure.

If you want to check out some other cities we have visited, take a look at Baltimore and Greensboro.

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The Tuskegee national parks do an amazing job of humanizing history and telling the story of the men and women who learned, served, and taught here. We recently went on an epic Southern U.S. road trip and we spent an afternoon at the two parks located here. We had a blast learning and exploring.

Tuskegee, Alabama is located in central Alabama right off of I-85. It is about 45 minutes from the Georgia line. Tuskegee has two National Park Sites – Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site and Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site. Both of these sites do an amazing job of explaining the importance of what happened here not just to African-Americans but the world as a whole.

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site

The first of the Tuskegee National Parks is the Tuskegee Airmen site. Tuskegee Airmen is located just off I-85. This site celebrates the brave heroes who made up the Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee Airmen were pilots during World War II. The term Tuskegee Airmen also refers to everyone who helped the various units – nurses, cooks, navigators, mechanics and others. The Airmen are credited with 1578 combat missions and 179 bomber escorts. The Airmen received 96 Flying Crosses, 14 Bronze Stars and 8 Purple Hearts. Simply incredible. The National Historic Site does such a great job of explaining the importance of these men and women. We really learned a ton and had a blast doing it.

There is a really large parking area on a hill overlooking historic Moton Field and the hangars below. This is where the Tuskegee Airmen trained. There is a nice open area where we ate a picnic lunch before we headed down the path. (No picnic tables but lots of benches and open areas!) The path to the hangars has numerous exhibits to learn as you go. When you get to the bottom there are a bunch of historic buildings, but you can only enter a few of them. You can go into Hangar 1, Hangar 2, and the adjoining Control Tower.

Hangar 1

Hangar 1 talks about the training that happened here and has three main sections. The first section is the orientation room. When you head down the path from the parking lot the signs tell you start here. There is a short orientation video in the room and you can grab a Junior Ranger book to start off. The next room has a couple of beautiful airplanes that have been refurbished. They are incredible. They have a bunch of other exhibits as well. The third part of the hangar are the various rooms that you can go in and out off. These are war rooms, offices, and diners that have been set up to show what it looked like.

Hangar 2 and Tower

Hangar 2 is the larger museum on property and spends more time talking about the Airmen during the war. There is an incredible Red Tail airplane hanging from the ceiling. They have a ton of really great exhibits here. These exhibits are awesome because they do such a great job of telling personal stories. You really get a feel for the men and women who served. There is a good video to watch here as well. It is almost half an hour, but you learn a ton. Hangar 2 is where the gift shop is. This is where you can grab your passport stamp as well. Take some time to climb the tower. From the top you get a really great view of the whole airfield.

Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site

The second of the Tuskegee National Parks is the Tuskegee Institute. The Tuskegee Institute site is located about 10 minutes from the airfield in the town of Tuskegee. The Institute was founded in 1881 by Booker T. Washington and others. This is still an actual college. We went over Christmas break and we had pretty much the whole place to ourselves. We were excited about going here because we have been to Booker T. Washington in Virginia. It is cool to see how all of the National Parks Sites connect to each other.

There are two main areas of this park. The Oaks, which was the home of Booker T. Washington and the George Washington Carver museum. You can also see the burial places of both Washington and Carver.

We spent most of our time looking at the Carver museum. The museum is in the building that used to be Carver’s lab. The park visitor center is here and there is a little gift shop. The museum is incredible. He did so much for so many. It was crazy to see how the man’s brain worked. He was a genius for sure. He didn’t invent peanut butter, though a lot of people think so, but he invented just about everything else. We spent about an hour and half there and we felt we got a really good overview. Main reason for this is the Junior Ranger book. You get a really good overview of most parks just by doing that.

Takeaways From Tuskegee

All around the Tuskegee sites were great. It is not a destination but a good place to spend an afternoon as part of a larger road trip. We all walked away with so much appreciation and a better understanding of this special place in history. There isn’t a ton in the town, though it looks like there is a push to see it restored. Make sure to take some time to tour around the downtown area a bit. The Macon County Court House was a beautiful building right in the middle of town, so don’t miss that! We loved our time learning about history and gaining a better understanding of the people who made this part of Alabama famous.

Have you ever been to the Tuskegee National Parks? What are some of the other smaller parks that we should visit?

If you are interested in visiting more National Parks check out our guides to Booker T Washing National Monument, The National Parks of the Outer Banks, Fort McHenry in Baltimore or Mammoth Cave in Kentucky!

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The post Tuskegee National Parks (Your Guide for a Great Visit) first appeared on Go The Adventure Way.

1. Visit Fort McHenry

Fort McHenry is a National Historic site run by the National Park Service and is the place where the Star Spangled Banner was originally penned. It sits right inside Baltimore on the inner harbor and is even a stop along the water taxi route. We are always taken aback by the amazing facilities and sites run by the NPS, they are always stellar and Fort McHenry is no different. It has an awesome Visitors Center with a great museum type area full of loads of info on our National Anthem. PS – Don’t miss the short movie! It does a great job of telling the story of the Battle of Baltimore. The ending is definitely epic, a great surprise.

After soaking in all of the historical knowledge you can tour the entire Fort – (its big!) They also provide several excellent War of 1812 re-enactments to view while on site. If you are traveling with the kids don’t forget to do the Junior Ranger Program! Just ask the Park Ranger at the Visitor Center desk and they will get you going.

As a side note, the park does have a $15 per person fee to visit the fort – kids 15 and under are free! We opted to purchase a National Parks Annual Pass, which you can purchase at any national park location. The pass is $80 for the year and includes admission for up to 4 adults. We decided this would quickly pay for itself and would be well worth it! In total, we probably spent 2 hours here exploring and learning, but you could definitely spend even more time at this park site.

2. Explore the Inner Harbor

The Inner Harbor is an area along the waterfront full of walking paths, restaurants, shops and activities for the whole family. Its beautifully preserved with lots of old ships, submarines and bridges to walk along. The National Aquarium is also located here along the water! You could spend all day here for sure. We enjoyed exploring and walking around the water and looking at all of the old ships, grabbed a bite to eat and spent a moment at the 9/11 memorial. Its really a nice and safe area for the family to check out!

3. Catch a Baltimore Orioles Game

The O’s game was our first priority for visiting Baltimore (we are huge baseball fans!) Camden Yards is an awesome stadium with great views all around. It offers a ton of dining options, a kids play area, great affordable seating and plenty of baseball history to soak in. If you have a kid and its their first time going, don’t forget to pick up a first Camden Yards Game certificate from guest services on Eutaw Street (they load you up with lots of fun goodies too).

Getting in and out of the park is actually really easy. We stayed at the Days Inn by Wyndham and had a super quick and easy walk to the stadium. We would highly recommend staying here if you are coming in for a game – and bonus its within walking distance to the Inner Harbor too!

4. Spend a Morning in Fells Point, Baltimore

Wow, Fells Point is the neighborhood of my dreams. Cobblestone roads anyone? Seriously, spend some time here! Fells Point is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Baltimore and has over 160 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Broadway Market (opened in 1786) is here which houses plenty of places to eat. Fells Point is right on the water and home to numerous piers. Make sure you take a minute to stroll to the end of Broadway Pier and take in the view. Fells Point was one of the main stomping grounds of Edgar Allan Poe and was the last place anyone saw him before his mysterious death. It is also the place where Frederick Douglass worked as a shipbuilder. Tons of history here.

We went on a Saturday morning around 9 and easily found parking on the street. By the time we left it had gotten pretty crowded, so try and go early. There are several breakfast options around, we ended up at a place called Twist. It was French inspired decor (so I was hooked) with a Mediterranean inspired menu (hence the name Twist). We really enjoyed our breakfast at this cute and yummy place! A bonus for Saturday morning is the Farmers Market that pops up here on Broadway. We could have walked and walked all morning looking at the beautiful homes, roads and details here. The lantern lights, unique doors, mini gardens..it was all so charming. Take some time to learn the history of this historic location, there is a ton to learn and take in!

5. Tour the Hampton Mansion

On our way out of Baltimore we spent the rest of our morning touring the grounds of the Hampton National Historic Site. It’s a beautiful historic estate, with a Gregorian styled Mansion, gardens and more. This is a free park to visit! You can tour the grounds on your own time but need a tour guide for the mansion itself so make sure to check those times before heading there! It was blazing hot when we were there and not a lot of shade so bring plenty of water and sunscreen if you are going in the late summer! Overall, it was a nice visit and the gardens were definitely a highlight for us.

This is really just scratching the surface at what Baltimore has to offer! After spending the weekend here we can understand why it’s called Charm City. Baltimore, you charmed our socks off. Always go the adventure way!

What are some of your favorite spots in Baltimore? Are there any cities on your bucket list you are waiting to visit? Share with us!

Want to check out more fun things to do in a city near you? Check out our day trip guide to Greensboro!

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