Hey everyone!  This week I will be wandering down to the wonderful state of Virginia.  Some random fun facts for you about Virginia include that it is known as the “birthplace” of the United States, nicknamed the “Old Dominion” state, home base for the United States Navy’s Atlantic Fleet, and about half of all people who live in the United States live within a 500-mile radius of the state capital (aka Richmond).  Now why all the random facts, you might be asking?  Well, because Virginia is one of the most historically saturated states in the country as well as a hub for much of the activity near Washington D.C., which ultimately prompted my family and I to go visit.  We were also intrigued by the wide variety of opportunities the state had to offer and the fact that we had family who lived there. 

My family and I have visited Virginia multiple times throughout the course of my life.  One of my first experiences in the state was back when I was six years old and my family had just got our first camper.  We decided to go camp on an island known as Assateague Island and for anyone who has never heard of the island before, it is known for its wild horses that roam the island freely.  From what I can recall of Assateague, it was not a pleasant experience (yes, you heard me…not pleasant).  My family and I were there over the summer, but the ocean water, which we had hoped to swim in, was extremely cold.  Not only that, but there were horse feces everywhere, the feral deer on the island were similar to giant rats in that they came and stole our food if we walked away from it for more than five minutes, and there were mosquitoes everywhere!  Despite all this, my family did not give up on camping and I am thankful that we did not; otherwise I would not even have this blog.  I would NOT recommend Assateague Island, though as you will soon see, I would not go as far as to not recommend Virginia. 

Fast forward almost ten years in my life to the next notable vacation I had in Virginia.   In 2015, my family visited the state as part of the journey mentioned in my previous post.  During this trip, my family and I first started out in Colonial Williamsburg.  Williamsburg is a form of living-history in that the entire town is designed to resemble those of the colonial times with actors hired to play the part of colonizers throughout the town.  For example, there are silversmiths, weavers, wigmakers, shoemakers, gunsmiths, and more.  Visitors get to experience the true meaning of colonial life and watch in amazement as these professionals create shirts, blankets, wigs, and shoes just to name a few.  There are also daily recitations of the Declaration of Independence and more.  I would definitely recommend any history buff visit Colonial Williamsburg and though I am not one myself, I too enjoyed the town. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following Williamsburg, my family and I visited a place known as Monticello.  Monticello is the home of President Thomas Jefferson and was built in 1772.  Similar to Williamsburg, Jefferson’s home is one filled to the brim with the history of colonial times.  I found it especially fascinating to see the Great Clock Jefferson had in the main Entrance Hall.  The clock not only told the time of day, but also the day of the week and had to be wound every Sunday.  Monticello also had beautiful gardens surrounding it with almost every flower and plant imaginable.  This mixture of colonial times and nature created a serene world in which I believe everyone should experience at one point or another. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My family and I next stopped by Norfolk, Virginia along the Atlantic coast.  Norfolk is home to Naval Station Norfolk which is a massive naval base in the Chesapeake Bay.  I even had the privilege to take a boat cruise around the bay to see all the boats in the naval yard.  A few of the most notable sights along this tour included ships such as the USS Wisconsin, a few aircraft carriers, and plenty of smaller Navy vessels all of which were truly astonishing.  The aircraft carriers were especially breath-taking when considering the mere size of these ships.   

Overall, Virginia is an absolutely magnificent state that is not only filled with history but loads of fun for all.  Next time you are in the area be sure to swing by the state to visit some of the wonderful attractions listed above. 

I am unsure of what or when my next post will be but until then, safe and happy travels!

Howdy y’all!  This week I will be taking a visit to the Bluegrass State of Kentucky.  This beautiful state has so much to offer its visitors, which is why it lands a spot as one of my favorite states.  My family and I first visited Kentucky back in 2015 on our vacation south.  Later in the trip, we would be heading to other states such as North Carolina and Virginia, so at first, I was not very excited about Kentucky.  I was, however, pleasantly surprised to encounter many new and intriguing opportunities. 

Our first adventure in Kentucky was to the Toyota plant to watch the construction of the Toyota Camry.  This Toyota plant, in particular, is the largest in the world as well as the first one to be built in the United States.  The tour was about an hour long and one of the most intriguing hours of my life.  We got to go behind the scenes of the Camry construction process as they shuttled us through the plant.  Nothing is more impressive than watching a car form before your eyes as it moves down the assembly line.  As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I am not much of a “car person,” but these experiences last a lifetime regardless of your personal preferences in life.

Following the Toyota plant tour, my family and I decided to connect with our nature side a little at Cumberland Falls.  Sometimes called Little Niagra, this waterfall is located along the Cumberland River and is extremely powerful to say the very least.  I can vividly recall walking along the rocks near the falls and feeling the pulsing water rush over the edge with such immense strength that it felt as though it powered the world.  I would highly recommend swinging by this work of nature and for anyone who is an avid hiker, they have miles upon miles of hiking trails throughout the park as well.  

Now you cannot just go to Kentucky and not stop by the original Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant; I mean, Kentucky is literally in the title.  This restaurant/museum is located in Corbin, Kentucky and one of the highlights of my trip.  Colonel Harland Sanders first started selling fried chicken out of this tourist attraction during the Depression Era and clearly gained some popularity in doing so.  Upon visiting the restaurant, one can even witness some of the original cooking equipment used by Sander’s at the time.  Colonel Sanders became popular as he experimented with new recipes and cooking method aiding him to create the restaurant chain we witness today.  And, of course, the chicken from the restaurant was delicious as well. 

We then decided, in the true pride of Kentucky, to take a tour of a few multi-million-dollar horse farms in the area.  Many of these farms have horses involved in races such as the Kentucky Derby, making them even more fascinating.  I was completely shocked by the pure beauty and elegance of these barns, many of which had entire houses in them for the horse trainers.  The barns were literally nicer than my house!  It was also captivating to see just how significant horse racing is in Kentucky and how so much time, effort, and money are invested into it.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Altogether, Kentucky is an extremely riveting state from the car-manufacturing plants to the million-dollar horse empires.  I would definitely recommend visiting the state as I do most states because you never know what they have to offer until you get out there and explore them.   

Stick around for my next post on the enchanting state of Virginia!