Groundhog Day Adventures in Punxsutawney

Editor's Note:

This is our first post in over a year! We have lots saved up to share with you. The past year has been a trying one, with some chronic disease showing its face and really throwing me for a loop. I have lots of post ideas saved up, though, and I am excited to get back to sharing our travels -- and to traveling!

This one is from a road trip we took from North Dakota to New York (and back) in May.

~Crysta


We had been driving for a looooong time (seriously, it felt like forever). It had been quite a while since I started looking for something interesting to do, and I was starting to get desperate.

Something! Anything! Please!

And then it happened. I spotted a sign for Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. My inner child squealed.

"Bria, do you know who Punxsutawney Phil is?" I asked over my shoulder to my six-year-old.

Somewhere far in the back seat, her 15-year-old sister groaned. I turned on my right blinker and smiled.

Punxsutawney is the home of none other than Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog who makes an appearance each February 2 and has Americans scrambling to find out if Spring will arrive early.

Though the event is nothing new, Groundhog Day rose to popularity with the 1993 Bill Murray movie of the same name, with crowds swelling to 30,000 plus in hopes of seeing the famous weather predicting rodent.

According to the Punxsutawney Historical Society website, the groundhog legend pre-dates the first white settlers in the area. The Delaware Indians passed down their own version of the story, in which the Oijik (brought down to locals as "woodchuck" came to be known as the "grandfather" to the local people.

Our first stop was the Chamber of Commerce's official souvenir shop, located on West Mahoning Street. We highly recommend this as your first stop, because not only were we able to learn more about the local area, we also scored a super fun activity - the Phantasic Phil's map and stickers.

(We also picked up a stuffed Phil, which features throughout our photos.)

This laminated 11x17-inch map is a scavenger hunt which leads visitors all around the area, on a mission to locate 31 larger-than-life groundhog statues. This outdoor public art project of the Punxsutawney Area Chamber of Commerce was the perfect activity for a pair of kids who had been cooped up in a car for far too long.

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It was a drizzly day, but that didn't stop us from spending the next six hours on groundhog spotting duty! 

The groundhogs each have a different theme, including the Wizard of Weather, Fireman Phil, Freedom Phil, and others. It is a great way to explore the area, with statues located in all the areas of interest.

We saw Phil in his year-round home (Phil's Burrow) outside the library, and also trekked up to Gobbler's Nob, the location of the annual weather-predicting ceremony. It was pretty unbelievable to imagine thousands of people there - they must be incredibly organized!

Want to learn more?

The town's website is filled with information about Phil, the history of the legend, and groundhogs. There is even a section with lesson plans for teachers and homeschoolers! We were super excited to check this out once we reached our hotel.

By the way, there are other things to do in Punxsutawney, like the Weather Discovery Center (we missed out on this one because they are closed Wednesdays), the Shadow Vineyard, and more. Check out the local tourism website to get a feel for activities your family might take an interest in.

If you are traveling through Pennsylvania, we definitely recommend this fun pitstop along the way! And if you're really brave, check it out in February to experience the historical event for yourself.

And check out the rest of the photos from our fun day!

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Washington State: Exploring Coastal Bellingham

Bellingham is a beautiful coastal city on Washington state's I-5 corridor, 90 miles from Seattle and 25 miles from the Canadian border.

With this amazing location, it is no surprise they are best known for the Ski to Sea race, an event held each May. Teams of eight compete in a seven-leg, 101 mile course that brings them from Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay. It's seriously exciting stuff, and indicative of the culture here, outdoor-loving, quirky, and very artsy. (In fact, Bellingham ranks second in the nation for arts businesses per capita.)

Full disclaimer - this is my stomping grounds! I grew up in Blaine (25 minutes north), and went to high school and college in Bellingham. This is home! We were in town for a good friend's wedding, and squeezed in some family fun around the nuptial festivities.

Not having been home for a while, everywhere I went people were suggesting things that were NEW in town! This means our itinerary is a bit heavy in that end, but I've thrown in suggestions for some good old favorites, too. Have something to add? We'd love to read your ideas! Please leave a comment below.

So what's to love about Bellingham? Lots! We started with a visit downtown, driving right on past the blocks around the bus depot where we hung out as mischievous teens, and stopping a few blocks down in an area that is known for interesting shops and fun museums.

SPARK

We love a good hands-on museum, and the SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention is an excellent one. The collection takes visitors from the dawn of the electrical age through the radio era, and features plenty of experiments to facilitate independent learning. Bria learned quickly to look for the signs with a blue hand that indicated an exhibit you should touch, and she was fascinated to move from one to the next, learning how it all works.

Check the museum out on Saturday and Sunday afternoons for the MegaZapper Electrical Show. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday. Visit SPARK at 1312 Bay Street. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children under 11. Memberships are also available, which include unlimited admission.

Michael's Books

From there we walked a couple of blocks to one of my favorite haunts, Michael's Books at 109 Grand Ave. Michael's is a used book shop that specializes in out-of-print and rare books. It is filled floor to ceiling with books, books, and more books, just the way we like it.

The children's corner is a great one, featuring a large collection of books of all kinds. Bria is working her way through the Mensa for Kids Excellence in Reading list. and we found half a dozen books from her list to pick up. 

Across the street is Henderson's Books, another used book shop well worth a look - it's a little bit of a Stones vs. Beatles debate here, everyone seems to love one or the other! If you are a bibliophile like me, check out this blog post for details on other bookstores in the area.

Mount Bakery

Open 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Mount Bakery at 308 W. Champion serves breakfast all day. The kids love the bottle of water served to the table (a recycled wine bottle), and feel very sophisticated pouring themselves a glass while they wait for the selection of goodies we ordered to be delivered to the table.

This family-owned local business is a treat, with a variety of pastries and cookies baked daily. Mmmm, and the crepes! Sweet or savory, you can't go wrong with a crepe from Mount Bakery. I indulged in the apple, pear, and brie crepe, while Bria had a half sandwich, piled high with fresh vegetables and meat, with a cup of the soup of the day.

We finished with a delicate brown sugar shortbread cookie that was so good, I wanted to go back and order a dozen. Or two.

If you are around more than one day and would like other suggestions for food, downtown Bellingham is a great spot for breakfast or brunch. The Little Cheerful Cafe at 133 E Holly does some serious goodies like an amazing Eggs Benedict and a Crab Cake Omelette that will leave you happy and full. Don't forget to "pimp your hash or cakes." Another great crepe place is AB Crepes at 1311 Railroad. If you're feeling crazy, bring a friend and do the AlphaBet Challenge - 26 crepes between two people in one hour. I'm sure the kids would enjoy the spectacle!

When breakfast isn't quite the right fit, check out Tadeos Mexican Restaurant at 207 E. Holly. It's authentic and yummy and priced right. I'm obsessed with the tamales.

Railway Museum

We wrapped up our downtown outing at the Bellingham Railway Museum, sneaking in for the last hour before closing. I wish we had taken more time!

This little museum is a great treat, featuring a large collection of model trains and tons of kid-friendly trains for kids to get their hands on and play with. Families will also love the large collection of train books which line one wall - you could spend a day just exploring those. Another favorite exhibit was the collection of railroad lanterns, definitely something little train lovers don't see every day.

Located at 1320 Commercial Street in downtown Bellingham, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $2 for children and $4 for adults.

More Downtown

There is so much more to see downtown, we definitely didn't do it justice. Check out the Whatcom Museum and Mindport Exhibits for more museum fun. There is a great collection of art spaces, theaters, shops, restaurants, and lots more. Visit the Downtown Bellingham website to learn more, and then get out there and explore!

Indoor Activities

On our second day in Bellingham, we had tuxedo fittings, rehearsal dinners, and pouring rain to navigate, but we did manage to fit in one fun activity - a trip to Trampoline Zone. Located in the old Allsop building at 4201 Meridian St., this recently opened feature is a great place to run (or bounce) off some energy on a rainy day. There are not a lot of places that are equally fun for a 5-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, but this place fits the bill.

Parks

Our final day in Bellingham was beautiful and sunny, so we set out to explore the parks, starting with the brand spanking new Squalicum Creek Park.

So new the grass is still being cultivated, the park sits on the location of a former concrete plant, and efforts are underway to reclaim the area for fish and wildlife, as well as providing a fun place for families. You can follow the trail and explore the salmon enhancement project at Willow Spring, or do like we did, and hit the playground.

The playground at Squalicum Creek Park features a zipline (my Kiwi hubby would call it a flying fox), and a line of children dutifully waiting in line to take their turn at the excitement. There are also climbing structures for a wide range of age groups, and some very Washington-appropriate mushrooms to hop along.

The fun doesn't stop there, either. The park is home to a dog park, basketball court, baseball field, hiking trails, and shelters for hosting gatherings.

If you're looking for established trees and grass to run around on, head down the hill to Cornwall Park, which has always been a favorite. The paved trails weave in and out of a gorgeous oasis in the center of town. Or move toward the lake and explore the 241-acre Whatcom Falls Park, with its four sets of waterfalls and miles of trails.

We chose to visit Boulevard Park, which is a beautiful waterfront space with a boardwalk and beach. Bria and I brought along a book, and read from Winnie-the-Pooh and watched the kayakers and dog walkers. This is a great place to just hang out and take in some fresh air.

Links

Need more help planning your visit to Bellingham? Visit the Bellingham Tourism site, or their office downtown. The City of Bellingham also has some details on their site, and Experience Washington is a great state-wide resource!

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South Carolina: Mice on Main Scavenger Hunt

I love road trips. One of my favorite things about road trips is adventuring off the usual path and finding what makes a community interest. Greenville, South Carolina is a pretty little downtown with a fun, quirky feature - the Mice on Main, a scavenger hunt for nine tiny bronze mice hidden along Main Street.

Possibly the coolest senior project ever, the Mice on Main are the work of a young man named Jim Ryan in 2000. He partnered with sculptor Zan Wells to create the hunt based on the mice in the story Goodnight Moon, which his mother read to him when he was little.

The mice trail from the Hyatt to the Westin Poinsett Hotel, a stretch of about six blocks. You can pick up a map and list of clues at the Mast General Store, but it was easier for us to follow the hints on the website here.

We had such a great time, exploring the streets and looking for the mice as a family. It was a fantastic family activity, and so cute and fun!

There were other families on the adventure, too, and we worked together to find the difficult ones. There were two that we had to walk up and down for a while looking for....it took some effort to keep the little one engaged, but there was no way Daddy was leaving without finding all nine!

(If you get really stuck, there are a few places to look for additional hints online. Check out Flickr and Facebook for photos other searchers have taken.)

Want to continue the adventure? There are Mice on Main t-shirts, games, and even a book available! Have fun!

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South Dakota: Porter Sculpture Park

This week we left sunny Florida behind and drove from Melbourne, Florida back home to Williston, North Dakota, with lots of stops in between.

We have lots of stops to share about in the coming weeks, including Graceland (we have a huge Elvis fan on our hands) and the Rosa Parks Museum. 

One of my favorite things about roadtrips is the beautiful surprises that present themselves if you are open and looking. A great example of that is South Dakota's Porter Sculpture Park.

The Porter Sculpture Park is on the edge of a field outside Montrose, South Dakota (population 471). You'll find yourself drawn in by the oddity of the a 60-foot bull head rising from the corn, but so much more is in store when you take the exit.

The park is open to visitors from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day, rain or shine. Admission is $8 for adults, $4 for teenagers, and free for 12 and under, and includes the opportunity to meet and talk with Wayne Porter, the artist behind the work.

Many of the sculptures include signs with the sculptor's thoughts or information about what he sees in the art.

We loved so many of the sculptures, it was hard to choose favorites to feature.

Using carefully mowed prairie as a canvas, Porter's art is sure to leave you thinking...and smiling.

Bria loved the dragons and fish, but the beautiful story behind the Ballerina is my favorite.

Time Magazine named this park one of the Top 50 Roadside American Attractions - check it out the next time you are on the road!

Please pardon our mess this week - we are in the middle of some renovations!

We are very excited to be featured on the Monday Escapes link up as one of their favorite posts from last week. How fun is that?! There are a lot of great posts to check out at the link up, so please go give them some love.

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