We don’t make many stops in Louisiana on our summer road trips because it’s just too hot. But on Big Trip 15 we visited the Tabasco® Factory and Museum and it is one of our favorites from all the years. Tabasco History Tabasco Sauce is made by McIlhenny Company, which was founded by Edmund McIlhenny…
When I researched for my first post about Bob Ross, I discovered that you can visit the studio where he filmed The Joy of Painting. The Bob Ross Experience is part of the Minnetrista Museum and Gardens in Muncie, Indiana. Minnetrista sits on the property where the Ball family – founders of the famous Ball…
Everyone knows about the Pony Express. It’s one of the most romanticized failed business ventures in American history. I am one of many Americans fascinated by the legend of the Pony Express. I have visited a Pony Express museum, and a Pony Express station, and even sent letters via the Pony Express. Clearly, I am…
Utah is known for its magnificent red rocks and is home to the Big 5 National Parks. But… in Southern Utah you will find a small, hidden gem that my kids and I loved. Cedar Breaks National Monument. A. Maz. Ing. Cedar Breaks is an easy 30 miles from the I-15 interstate so you really…
There’s a SPAM museum? That’s usually the first question I get when mentioning our visit there (Big Trip 15!) And yes, it’s true. There’s a SPAM museum. They even give out SPAMples! ☺️ Regardless about how you feel about SPAM itself (in my experience, you either love it or hate it – and I definitely…
The wide open spaces of North Dakota are the perfect place for an Enchanted Highway full of larger-than-life metal sculptures. What is the Enchanted Highway? The Enchanted Highway is a 35-mile stretch of road in western North Dakota where you can see the world’s largest scrap metal sculptures. The northern end of the Enchanted Highway,…
Now that we are empty nesters, our annual Big Trip is a thing of the past. But I still love to road trip and see new things so I’m planning to continue my road trips but in a different way. Think Mini Trips instead! Last month my husband and I spent a weekend at the…
I recently attended an (online) event at the Smithsonian Postal Museum about Rural Mail Carriers where I learned that the mail was once delivered on horseback. This should not have been a surprise to me and yet it was. The speaker, Emily Hilliard, was specifically interviewing Appalachian mail carriers and the horseback mail delivery immediately…
“A good puzzle makes the solver feel smart.” David Kwong A Brief History of the Crossword Puzzle The first crossword puzzle was created by journalist Arthur Wynne and published in the New York World on Sunday, December 21, 1913. Other publications also began to publish similar puzzles and it had become a popular fad in…
Before I started writing here I had already gone on twelve Big Trips! Over time I will be adding the daily overviews of past trips, and today I’m giving you Big Trip 12. We’ve been to so many great places that I hope to inspire your future itineraries with our report. At the end of…
In a recent poll, twenty percent of the people said that they wanted a pet giraffe. I already liked giraffes myself but after researching these stories a bit more, I am definitely part of the giraffe-loving crowd. Of course, I was also ready to get a camel after researching them a few months ago. Do…
There’s just something about popcorn… I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like it. And I’ve also never met anyone who doesn’t develop an instant craving at the very hint of popcorn scent in the air! I found a popcorn museum! The Wyandot Popcorn Museum in Marian, Ohio, is a fun stop for everyone. The cheerful…