Florida: Mambos in Cocoa Beach

Starving after a day at the beach, we wandered down A1A looking for a fun place to eat on the beach. We found Mambos, located at the International Palms Resort in Cocoa Beach. We were drawn in by the promise of live reggae music, which was actually a combination of a DJ spinning upbeat tunes and a group called Karmatic enjoying a fun reggae jam session. What a fun vibe! I had the...

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Florida: Tables Beach

We headed out this morning to hit Cocoa Beach, but when we arrived, we found the area to be more crowded than we were hoping for. So we moved down the road to Patrick Air Force Base Tables Beach. This lesser known gem is just south of Cocoa Beach on A1A, directly across from Patrick Air Force Base. Here's a great little trick - you'll pay anywhere from $5 to $20 to park at Cocoa...

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Colorado: Western Slope Vietnam Memorial Park

Not every pit stop needs to be a big, well-planned event. Bria and I pulled into Fruita, Colorado at 3:30 in the afternoon, tired of driving and in need of a break. Signs on the highway told me this town was the home of several options to explore, so we popped into a Wendy’s, grabbed some lunch, and did a quick internet search. There were a few child-focused activities in the area, but most seemed...

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Iowa: The Bridges of Madison County

A short drive from Des Moines, Madison County is in south-central Iowa. Our first stop was at the Visitor’s Center, where a sweet local woman stocked us with some directions, some historical information, and a map. It sits across from a huge, beautiful county courthouse, the kind that dots the landscape throughout this lush state. Once we had placed the obligatory pins in the center's visitor map,...

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Utah: Mormon Handcart Visitor's Center

We were driving along Highway 220 in Wyoming. It was hot. Bria was bored. We needed a break. I spotted a small sign that said Mormon Handcart Visitor's Center, and decided to pop in for a few minutes to stretch our legs.  That few minutes to stretch our legs quickly stretched into one of Bria's favorite memories from the trip! We parked and walked down the hill to the Visitor's Center,...

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Tennessee: Is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

After a fun day on the road, we decided to stop for the night near Chattanooga, and hit Priceline for a room for the night. What a fun surprise to book a room at the Chattanooga Choo Choo! Opened in 1909 as Terminal Station of the Southern Railroad, this building served as a travel hub for thousands of travelers. What a great way to be greeted as you step into a hotel – almost like stepping back...

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Illinois: The City of Metropolis

Imagine you are driving down the interstate, and you see a sign: “World’s largest Superman statue.” Hmmm. Intrigued, but the kid in the back seat looks comfortable, so it really isn’t time for a stop yet. Then you see the next sign: “Metropolis, next exit.” I mean, how could you not stop? This is the sequence of events that brought Bria and I to Metropolis, Illinois. We pulled off the highway...

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