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[Pris]

When you come to Memphis this fall, be sure to add in the Award Winning Memphis Zoo, since you are zoo lovers. We have pandas! But, that is only a small amount of the wonderful exhibits there.
Memphis Zoo

Oh, and the newly opened Bass Pro Shop in the Pyramid down by the river. Even if you aren't into the hunting and fishing, I have heard (haven't been down yet) that it is worth the visit.
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...memphispyramid

[Huntermom]

I love New England and nothing compares with NE folliage. And a true advantage is the six states are in a relatively small geographic area so you can visit several states in a short time. I can be in any NE state in less than two hours. Each state has a different flavor and they all have much to do.

I also love NE in the winter. Yes, the three northern NE states have pretty much snow cover from December to April but it is beautiful when it snows. And it also is much quieter in the winter. Boston is wonderful but so is Providence on a smaller scale. Burlington Vt. is neat small city as are Portland Maine and Concord and Portsmouth NH (my small I mean under 40K.). Because there is only really one big city (Boston) nature is never far off. The Maine coast, North Shore of Mass, Cape Cod, Newport RI and the Narragansett beaches are all worth a trip. The Green MOuntains of Vermont and and White MOuntains of NH afford wonderful hiking opportunities year round (One of my kids winter hikes, the other does night hiking.)

There are so many places here I could spend a week or more-and we have some good wildlife watching-whales, hawks, and moose for a start. Boston has a wonderful aquarium and there are several zoos.

I apologize for the lack of Connecticut recommendations It's the state I am least familiar with but Mystic is lovely with a great aquarium.

[jenifermg0]

Even though its on the end of your list...ALASKA...

You must walk on a glacier.
You must take a ride on a dog sled.
You must fish for a salmon (a King would be best and if you did it by combat fishing on the Russian River...even better)
You must see Denali (aka Mt McKinley).
You must go gold panning.
You must take a glacier cruise.
You must try our varied and wonderful local game...moose is AWESOME!!!!
Oh, and there is a wonderful zipline tour in Seward!
And if you can afford it, you must go on a bear viewing trip.

Most of these things can be accomplished if you do some kind of land/sea package thru the many tour companies operating up here.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

[HollyH]

Originally Posted by Huntermom

I love New England and nothing compares with NE folliage. And a true advantage is the six states are in a relatively small geographic area so you can visit several states in a short time. I can be in any NE state in less than two hours. Each state has a different flavor and they all have much to do.

This is very true. When I visit my sister, (she lives an hour and 15 minutes away....oh, btw, we usually measure "distance" in hours and minutes), I travel in 3 of the 6 NE states. But even though the states are in close proximity, they each have a very different feel and identity. They are very different places at different times of the year as well. I, personally, wouldn't recommend a winter visit if you plan on moving around from state to state. In fact, I wouldn't recommend a winter visit at all unless you like to ski or have never seen snow. Fall is a great time to visit New England......and thousands do (leaf peepers we call 'em). And by "fall", I mean foliage season from mid to late October/early November. This will vary based on the weather. And be warned, the weather during that time can be just about anything, from "Indian summer" with temps in the 80s to a blizzard. It's usually pleasantly warm during the day and cool at night but you never know.

[TinkerbellJenn99]

Originally Posted by CynBeth

Baltimore, MD has a wonderful aquarium and science center plus going to a baseball game at Oriole Park is an experience. There is also Ft. McHenry (the Star Spangled Banner was written due to what happened there), a bunch of museums, and Harbor Place which has a Ripley's Believe it or Not and restaurants. The zoo is ok. It is about an hour from Washington DC and they have a fantastic zoo plus Nats Park for baseball and of course all of the monuments and museums. About 3 hours away from Baltimore is the beach town of Ocean City which I have not been to in years but I have co-workers who visit every year and they say it has a great boardwalk with the best fries and best caramel corn among other things. Nearby to there is Assateague and Chincoteague which has the wild ponies written about in the Misty books and other animals.

About an hour and a half from Baltimore is Hershey, PA. Hersheypark is great and you get free admission to Zoo America with your tickets. It is small but we really like it. There is also a gardens and car museum as well as other area attractions.

I think it is great what you are doing! We would like to try to get to all the states and we are especially interested in seeing as many baseball stadiums and zoos/aquariums as we can.

Thank you for all of the info! We are both very much into history/museums and zoos/aquaiums. He is the outdoorsey one, and I am the foodie/city life one - so we tend to try to get as even of a mix into these jaunts If you ever hit WI - be sure to catch a game at Miller Park

Originally Posted by HollyH

I recently found this via Pinterest and thought you might like it:
Top 10 Tourist Attractions, Sights & Travel Guide - Attractions of America

It's very user friendly and easy to navigate. As for the content, I looked at my home state (Connecticut) first and I would agree that the 10 attractions included are probably the top attractions, although I might dispute the rankings. I would probably add the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford to the list. Know that most of these are "warm weather" attractions. Many are not so fun (or even open) during the colder months. I suspect you'll find the same to be true for many of the New England states. If you come to New England, many of the things worth seeing and doing vary with the seasons.

Awesome - thank you so much - book marking that site to pour over, and add to my pinterest site I suspect most winter travel will be done in the western and southern states - as we are familiar with snow and cold Though i do love winter and snow, my boyfriend does not

Originally Posted by chezp

D'oh! I knew I'd forgotten something from my earlier list - Yellowstone is absolutely amazing.

Originally Posted by Her Dotness

Add Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park to your bucket list without a doubt. It is magnificent as is nearby Grand Teton National Park.

There was much concern after the horrific earthquake of 1959 if Old Faithful had been disrupted. My family vacationed there in 1960, and happily, Old Faithful wasn't affected. Supposedly, it erupts every hour, but actually can be a bit less and sometimes rather longer than an hour between eruptions. We saw one that was nearly an hour and a half after the prior one, but it turned out to be one of the most dramatic on record as well as one of the highest.

The earthquake memorial site just off the northwest corner of Yellowstone is impressive, too. The entire side of a mountain collapsed, killing several campers and threatening the dam that forms Hebgen Lake. The site is well labeled and informative about how devastating that earthquake was.

Unless you're up for camping and freezing buns off at night even in summer, I suggest finding a room in Gardiner, Montana just outside the north entrance to Yellowstone. It's vastly less expensive to stay there than in the park itself although the rustic cabins near Old Faithful Lodge are fun. They may be somewhat less primitive anymore, but when my family stayed in one, the only heat was from a woodstove, and even in August, we used that stove and heavy wool blankets at night!

The hot springs, many smaller geysers and mud springs of Yellowstone are extremely interesting, some of them smelling dreadfully of rotten eggs, too.

You'll see all sorts of wildlife from bears to elk, deer and antelope.

Yellowstone is the most thrilling national park by far of the several I've been fortunate enough to visit.

Yes - the BF added this already! I am not a camper - at all. There will be no camping whatsoever - I've agreed not to subject him to night clubs/dancing/$$$$$$ hotels, as long as we agreed on Zero camping. I know many love it, but it is just not for me - at all.

Originally Posted by OhToodles!

Thanks for the door out Dot! And what a great link Holly!
For st Louis, anything in Forest Park is worth seeing, City Museum is very cool as well and of course there's always a brewery tour!

Thanks Kelly - I think that St. Louis is pretty full with the zoo, park - (he says there are giant turtle sculptures??) and the Blues game. He's a die hard Blues fan, and being that we only have AHL here in Milwaukee - he is dying to see an NHL game. We have Miller at home, otherwise a brewery tour would be fun

[TinkerbellJenn99]

Originally Posted by Pris

When you come to Memphis this fall, be sure to add in the Award Winning Memphis Zoo, since you are zoo lovers. We have pandas! But, that is only a small amount of the wonderful exhibits there.
Memphis Zoo


Oh, and the newly opened Bass Pro Shop in the Pyramid down by the river. Even if you aren't into the hunting and fishing, I have heard (haven't been down yet) that it is worth the visit.
Memphis Pyramid, TN Sporting Goods & Outdoor Stores | Bass Pro Shops

Ooo Pandas -- I love pandas - we only have a red panda at our home zoo. I might have to squeeze this one in.

Originally Posted by Huntermom

I love New England and nothing compares with NE folliage. And a true advantage is the six states are in a relatively small geographic area so you can visit several states in a short time. I can be in any NE state in less than two hours. Each state has a different flavor and they all have much to do.

I also love NE in the winter. Yes, the three northern NE states have pretty much snow cover from December to April but it is beautiful when it snows. And it also is much quieter in the winter. Boston is wonderful but so is Providence on a smaller scale. Burlington Vt. is neat small city as are Portland Maine and Concord and Portsmouth NH (my small I mean under 40K.). Because there is only really one big city (Boston) nature is never far off. The Maine coast, North Shore of Mass, Cape Cod, Newport RI and the Narragansett beaches are all worth a trip. The Green MOuntains of Vermont and and White MOuntains of NH afford wonderful hiking opportunities year round (One of my kids winter hikes, the other does night hiking.)

There are so many places here I could spend a week or more-and we have some good wildlife watching-whales, hawks, and moose for a start. Boston has a wonderful aquarium and there are several zoos.

I apologize for the lack of Connecticut recommendations It's the state I am least familiar with but Mystic is lovely with a great aquarium.

Thank you so much for the info! Boston is out must see, not only for the city, but since my boyfriend is an advid runner (and triathlete) he has big ties to the marathon there, and wants to check out that area. Whale watching would be amazing! Also, I agree - I have a couple of friends in NH, RI, and CT respectively and their fall pictures just are beyond lovely.

Originally Posted by jenifermg0

Even though its on the end of your list...ALASKA...

You must walk on a glacier.
You must take a ride on a dog sled.
You must fish for a salmon (a King would be best and if you did it by combat fishing on the Russian River...even better)
You must see Denali (aka Mt McKinley).
You must go gold panning.
You must take a glacier cruise.
You must try our varied and wonderful local game...moose is AWESOME!!!!
Oh, and there is a wonderful zipline tour in Seward!
And if you can afford it, you must go on a bear viewing trip.

Most of these things can be accomplished if you do some kind of land/sea package thru the many tour companies operating up here.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Thanks Jennifer! I mentioned a land\crusie option for Alaska! I am so excited, but know this one is years off

[CynBeth]

The National Zoo in DC also has giant pandas. The Pittsburgh zoo which is one of the favorite zoos we have visited had an area where you could go in and interact with kangaroos. It was either the Miami Zoo or Jungle Island that had an area you could feed kangaroos. Both of those are included in my best zoos list as well. I have many zoos to see in the US so I am sure I will have more added as I have the opportunity to travel.

[OhToodles!]

Originally Posted by TinkerbellJenn99

Thanks Kelly - I think that St. Louis is pretty full with the zoo, park - (he says there are giant turtle sculptures??) and the Blues game. He's a die hard Blues fan, and being that we only have AHL here in Milwaukee - he is dying to see an NHL game. We have Miller at home, otherwise a brewery tour would be fun

Turtle park is across the highway from the zoo - and yes, giant turtle sculptures. (I think I have pictures posted in my 'Whate We do in the Lou' thread, but if not, I will as we went last year.
The Blues game will be so much fun! All my boys went to the last day of Prospect Camp Thursday. We might head there Saturday too as they're having an open house, free to the public, of course.

[TerriB]

Speaking up for SW Ohio -- you must catch a Cincinnati Reds game (oldest professional baseball team),


Great American Ballpark

a meal at FlipDaddy's (Flipdaddy's Burgers & Beers),


Flip Chips


FlipDaddy's French Connection Burger with a side of mac & cheese

Cincinnati-style chili if you can approach it with an open mind (it is NOT anywhere close to Texas-style chili), a cone or two of Graeter's ice cream (especially the Black Raspberry chip)


A sample of a Graeter's chocolate chip

the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens (Welcome to the Cincinnati Zoo - The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden) -- the sexiest zoo in the US, an evening at the Banks and the riverfront parks, then when you're ready, head up to Hocking Hills for hiking at Old Man's Cave.


Along the trail at Old Man's Cave

Now for WV, I suggest rafting on either the New or Gauley River. If you want to see craziness, try to be there for "Bridge Day" -- the one day of the year you're allowed to walk across the New River Gorge Bridge -- and watch the BASE and bunjee jumpers

[TinkerbellJenn99]

Originally Posted by CynBeth

The National Zoo in DC also has giant pandas. The Pittsburgh zoo which is one of the favorite zoos we have visited had an area where you could go in and interact with kangaroos. It was either the Miami Zoo or Jungle Island that had an area you could feed kangaroos. Both of those are included in my best zoos list as well. I have many zoos to see in the US so I am sure I will have more added as I have the opportunity to travel.

We hit a very small zoo in South Bend, IN that let people walk trhough the kangaroo exhibit, however it was closed by the time we got to it -- ended up getting to the zoo only an hour before it closed. I will definitely add the Pittsburgh one to my list for PA!

Originally Posted by OhToodles!

Turtle park is across the highway from the zoo - and yes, giant turtle sculptures. (I think I have pictures posted in my 'Whate We do in the Lou' thread, but if not, I will as we went last year.
The Blues game will be so much fun! All my boys went to the last day of Prospect Camp Thursday. We might head there Saturday too as they're having an open house, free to the public, of course.

My BF is also obsessed with turtles lol. He is always the minority with pro hockey as we are so close to both the Blackhaws and Red Wings, and he can't stand either he is so pumped for the game -- even if it is a preseason one

Originally Posted by TerriB

Speaking up for SW Ohio -- you must catch a Cincinnati Reds game (oldest professional baseball team),


Great American Ballpark

a meal at FlipDaddy's (Flipdaddy's Burgers & Beers),


Flip Chips


FlipDaddy's French Connection Burger with a side of mac & cheese

Cincinnati-style chili if you can approach it with an open mind (it is NOT anywhere close to Texas-style chili), a cone or two of Graeter's ice cream (especially the Black Raspberry chip)


A sample of a Graeter's chocolate chip

the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens (Welcome to the Cincinnati Zoo - The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden) -- the sexiest zoo in the US, an evening at the Banks and the riverfront parks, then when you're ready, head up to Hocking Hills for hiking at Old Man's Cave.


Along the trail at Old Man's Cave

Now for WV, I suggest rafting on either the New or Gauley River. If you want to see craziness, try to be there for "Bridge Day" -- the one day of the year you're allowed to walk across the New River Gorge Bridge -- and watch the BASE and bunjee jumpers

Oh my! No craziness for me -- I'm not a fan of heights. We've been to OH so many times to visit my uncles, but we typically only hit Canton (where they are) and Cleveland. One day we will have to venture to Cin

[POOKIE81]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this before me - but you guys should buy a map and mark the places you've been. My husband and I are doing that...

[Grammy Grumpy]

Only one slight mention of Washington DC. I KNOW it's not a state, but my of my there is so much to do and see there. Especially the zoo and historical sites.

[chezp]

Originally Posted by Grammy Grumpy

Only one slight mention of Washington DC. I KNOW it's not a state, but my of my there is so much to do and see there. Especially the zoo and historical sites.

I was going to mention that, but I thought maybe not, as it wasn't a state, but it is definitely well worth a visit.

[TinkerbellJenn99]

Originally Posted by POOKIE81

Not sure if anyone mentioned this before me - but you guys should buy a map and mark the places you've been. My husband and I are doing that...

That's a great idea. I saw on Pinterest that people have taken pictures taken on various trips and cut the in the shape of each state. Might be a bit hard for the upper east coast, due to size, but thought it was a cute idea.

Originally Posted by Grammy Grumpy

Only one slight mention of Washington DC. I KNOW it's not a state, but my of my there is so much to do and see there. Especially the zoo and historical sites.

Originally Posted by chezp

I was going to mention that, but I thought maybe not, as it wasn't a state, but it is definitely well worth a visit.

D.C. is on our list for sure - even though it isn't it's own state

[jenifermg0]

Oh, yeah...forgot...for Alaska...

Flightseeing tour!! Dozens to pick from!!!!!!!!!!!
And I really recommend the ziplining in Seward.