Allegheny Portage Railroad is a result of Pennsylvania's desire to stay relevant in trade and an ingenious way to cross the Allegheny mountains before steam engines were powerful enough to make it through. With the rise of Canal trade after the completion of the Erie Canal, Pennsylvania scrambled to compete and shorten the 23 day … Continue reading Allegheny Portage Railroad NHS
Cuyahoga NP
The National Park Service commissioned a series of videos in the eighties and I found the Cuyahoga video at our public library. I was so thankful I did because there is so much more to this park that I wouldn't have known about in advance. Firstly there is a scenic railroad that runs the entire … Continue reading Cuyahoga NP
First Ladies NM
Have you ever had weeks where your family won't stop fighting? Week after week the kids were arguing and we were grouchy. Laying in bed one night I made an executive decision that a Road Trip was the answer to our problems. Nothing says RELAXING like throwing kids in a car, without electronics, because clearly … Continue reading First Ladies NM
Inauguration & Centennial Badges
While we were in Washington D.C we were offered the Inauguration Booklet and the National Park Centennial Booklet which seemed a wee bit overwhelming. After our thrilling adventure on the National Mall and fleeing through the downpour to the safety of a cab my daughter (Lemon) was pretty much done. Wild Thing being his 18 … Continue reading Inauguration & Centennial Badges
National Mall Badge
The National Mall badge is earned by visiting memorials on the National Mall and completing a worksheet at each. The number of worksheets required is dependent on the age of the child and they give you a folder to keep them in as you journey. For us we had to visit 4 memorials. We were … Continue reading National Mall Badge
National Park Passports
I like magnets. A LOT. But collecting magnets has it's downsides, for example if I have a ton of magnets my children can put more art on the fridge. They seem oblivious to the fact that there are layers of previous artwork as long as they can find a magnet they are going to use … Continue reading National Park Passports
Hot Springs NP 2016
Hot Springs is a gem. An absolute gem. I had visited before but never realized it was a National Park. It is a picturesque, old timey down town area with the amazing architecture from the boom of affluence (we really appreciate that in Pittsburgh), plenty of southern charm and just a dash of tacky tourism! … Continue reading Hot Springs NP 2016
Mammoth Caves NP 2016
Our first Park stop! Due to vacation time we decided to leave Memorial Day Weekend because we could have 10 days of travel time for 4 days off from work. Plus it would give us a cushion to arrive and get my husband set up to work from my sister's house, which was our final … Continue reading Mammoth Caves NP 2016
Free Rangering 