Take a hike along a creek through the bottomland forest and by a unique playground with a volcano on the Joachim Loop Trail. The hike is 1.3 miles with only a slight elevation gain at about 30 feet at Bates Memorial Park in Herculaneum, Mo., off of Interstate 55 south of St. Louis. Entering the Park The road for the trailhead is along the gravel…
Kade’s Playground in Herculaneum Has a Volcano
My son had an awesome time at a playground that includes a volcano surrounded by lava at Kade’s Playground in Herculaneum, Mo. Yet, the story of how it came about is inspirational. Kade’s Playground The playground was made in memory of Kade who had been a wheelchair-bound child due to multiple medical conditions. Kade could not use any of the playgrounds in Jefferson County. The…
See Dinosaurs at Ste. Genevieve Museum Learning Center
Check out dinosaur fossils and explore the oldest town in Missouri as part of a day in Ste. Genevieve, which is about an hour south of St. Louis. The Story of Missouri Dinosaurs Dinosaur bones were first found in a farm field in Bollinger County in the 1940s. Discovered in the late 1980s were a jaw section and partial skeleton of a juvenile dinosaur now…
Checking Out Fort Vancouver and Portland
Portland area sites include a pioneer Fort Vancouver, shopping at a huge bookstore, and stopping at an area ravaged by a volcano. Our family made a trip to the Pacific Northwest seeing Seattle, Portland, North Cascades National Park, the Columbia Gorge, and sites in between. This is what we did on our vacation, I hope it helps you in planning your trip to this amazing…
Touring the Columbia River Gorge
Find mountain-high waterfalls and a deep river canyon in the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. Our family did a trip to the Pacific Northwest seeing Seattle, Portland, North Cascades National Park, the Columbia Gorge, and sites in between. This is what we did on our vacation, hope it helps you in planning your trip to this amazing area! We drove from Spokane, Wash., where we…
North Cascades National Park: Second Day
Turquoise-colored lakes, awe-inspiring mountain views, and high cascading waterfalls are what you will find at North Cascades National Park. Our family did a trip to the Pacific Northwest seeing Seattle, Portland, North Cascades National Park, the Columbia Gorge, and sites in between. This is what we did on our vacation, hope it helps you in planning your trip to this amazing area! We explored the…
North Cascades National Park: First Day
On the first day at North Cascades National Park, we crossed two swinging bridges to a waterfall and walked among towering red cedars. The national park is about 2 hours and 20 minutes from Seattle, Washington, where we had been visiting. We stayed our first night at North Cascades Inn in Marblemont, Wa., before heading to the far side of the park. Our family did…
Seattle: Touring the Space Needle
Space Needle panoramic views, a ride on a monorail, and watching a salmon run were part of a full day in Seattle. Our family did a trip to the Pacific Northwest seeing Seattle, Portland, North Cascades National Park, the Columbia Gorge, and sites in between. This is what we did on our vacation, hope it helps you in planning your trip to this amazing area!…
Seeing Snoqualmie Falls
Gazing at the 270-foot cascading waterfall is the highlight of going to Snoqualmie Falls just outside of Seattle, Washington. Along with seeing the falls. We checked out Twede’s Café made famous by the TV series Twin Peaks and took a ride on a ski lift at Snoqualmie Pass. The falls and the pass are about 40 minutes outside of Seattle. Found right off of Interstate…
A Day at Pike Place Market and Taking a Ferry
Today we explored Seattle’s Pike Place Market where you see the famous fish throwing and took a ferry ride across Puget Sound. We walked down to the market down Pike Street from the hotel. First, we did a photo with the famous clock and sign when we entered Pike Place Market. (main photo) Our family did a trip to the Pacific Northwest seeing Seattle, Portland,…