Visited the Strasenburgh Planetarium in Rochester

Since our little boy is into science and tends to always talk about the planets and moon. We decided to take him to the planetarium. It was well worth the drive and we ended up watching "Forward! To the moon". The Space shows designed for children (young and old) that identify major stars, constellations, and the movement of the planets  a great way to introduce the planetarium to younger audiences.

 

A trip to the Strasenburgh Planetarium is always enjoyable in all ages.

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Leave a Comment AdBenture, Museum and Exhibits, New York, Rochester, United States

Visited Seven Magic Mountain in Las Vegas

We've made several trips to Vegas but this is our first time stopping by to see the seven magic mountains with our son. The photos you see in instagram, does not justify in person. These sculptures are beautiful, colorful and amazing. We came here late afternoon and it has small crowds. Lots of parking during that time too. To be honest, this is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen during the pandemic 2020. You got to check it out and get your photos.

Seven Magic Mountains  is about 10 miles south of The Strip, on Las Vegas Blvd, and parallel to Interstate 15.  According to the website, this installation will remain until the end of 2021. We didn't spend much time there but we took enough time to enjoy this art installation while it's still standing. Worth stopping by for a photo opportunity if you are in Vegas.

Seven towers of colorful, stacked boulders standing more than 25 ft. high.

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16 comments Las Vegas, Museum and Exhibits, Nevada, United States

The World Famous Cabazon Dinosaurs

You can't miss these giants as they are towering figures right off the highway.  Any one who drives close to the Cabazon Dinosaurs, will stop to see these dinosaurs. And who doesn't like a dinosaur? Located near The Cabazon Outlet Stores and Casino Morongo in Southern California, is a must see when your in the area. You can walk inside of them and see the surrounding desert valley.

Cabazon Dinosaurs is a roadside attraction in SoCal. Featuring two enormous, steel-and-concrete dinosaurs named Dinny the Dinosaur and Mr. Rex. Located just west of Palm Springs, the 150-foot long dinosaur is visible from the freeway to travelers passing by on Southern California's Interstate 10. This roadside dinosaurs are best known for their appearance in the film Pee-wee's Big Adventure.

This is a great classic Americana roadside attraction.

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15 comments Cabazon, California, Jeep Adventure, Museum and Exhibits, United States

Our Ultimate Florida Jeep Road Trip - Spring 2018

Road trip is our favorite way to explore new places. This Jeep Adventure Quest trip was our second longest trip in the Jeep at 2,200 miles. We follow the Gulf Coast of Florida with stops at Crystal River, The Everglades National Park, Miami beach, explore the Keys then we go up the Atlantic coast to Daytona and ending at Jeep Beach 2018.

Having the freedom to go where you want is amazing. Finding a hotel along the route for your road trip  really can make a big difference to your travel experience. And the more time we spend traveling (or maybe just the older we get?), the pickier we get about the hotels we choose. Do your research and find great hotel deals before booking a hotel to ensure that you are always assured of a good price and comfortable accommodation.

 

Below is our random pics of our epic road trip to Florida Keys during our stop over  - we encourage you to go out there explore too and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy it! 

1. Miami Beach

South Beach is a "must visit" when you come to Miami. The area is filled with hotels of all price range and a variety of shops and restaurants. The beach itself stretches on for miles and the sand is quite nice, though not as soft as some of the other beaches we have been to . Also it was quite disappointing to see that the beach was filled with seaweeds. It really spoiled the look of the beach and the enjoyment. But overall,  we still had a great time spending our afternoon by the beach.

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40 comments Beaches and Islands, Daytona Beach, Florida, Jeep Adventure, Miami, Museum and Exhibits, Road Trip, Travel Tips, United States, US National Park

Visit the Salvation Mountain

Last week we headed out on an Adventurous road trip. We checked out this eclectic community of Slab City, California - We loved all the colors and we all enjoyed the artistic feel to this area. It’s amazing what you can find in the desert. Salvation Mountain has always been very intriguing to me. It’s out in the middle of nowhere but people come from all over the world to see it.

Salvation mountain is a painted hillside in the SoCal desert. It’s creator, Leonard Knight, who passed away in 2014, decided to spread a message of love after accepting Jesus. It was created many years ago, Leonard  was passionate about getting the message of salvation to everyone.

This handmade masterpiece by Leonard Knight is just taking my breath away!

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40 comments California, Calipatria, Historic Landmarks, Museum and Exhibits, SoCal, United States

Visit Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach

This kind of attraction is not something you expect to see in a place like Miami Beach,  because you would think this city was designed for good times and fun.  But there it is,  thumbs up to this museum for bridging the gap from the past to the present.   This museum is breathtaking, pain and suffering a very powerful memorial site to remind everyone of the terrible history.  The Holocaust Museum explores how and why these atrocities happened, and then continues to describe the effects of the Holocaust throughout history, from the war itself to the modern day.

Located at: 1933-1945  Meridian Ave.  Miami Beach, FL 33139-1817

 The memorial forms a circular shape walkway with exhibits that lead you to the central pool with a large arm reaching upward.

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28 comments Florida, Historic Landmarks, Miami, Monument and Memorial, Museum and Exhibits

Visit Wynwood Art Walls in Miami

This is a very unique part of Miami you should visit. Wynwood Walls is located a few minutes away from downtown. Wynwood Walls has been described as an walkable, outdoor museum. It is a fun filled environment with some of the best collections of hand painted art/murals. The entire neighborhood hosts a truly amazing set of public art work. The murals are vivid, striking, and passionate and create great opportunity for taking photos. Sometimes you will even see one under development when the artist is currently working on a wall.

For the record there are over 70 different paintings and murals made by over 50 artists all over the world (over 16 countries). Aside from all the many artistic walls around this area, there is actually a good amount of history and stories behind the Wynwood walls. You can actually take a walking tour of this place if you are interested. You can also read some tidbit information about some of the artists.

When we enter at the gate in Wynwood,  I was not expecting to see so much art everywhere. Amazing work done by talented artists.

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26 comments Family Attractions, Florida, Miami, Museum and Exhibits, United States

Visit the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach

On our most recent trip to Miami Beach I recognized this colorful stacked up rocks.  Have you heard  the Seven Magic Mountains art installation in Las Vegas?  It's same , except you will only see one tower. The genius man behind this beautiful art is the Swiss artist  Ugo Rondinone. Ugo Rondinone is an internationally-renowned artist. His works range from neon signs to paintings to eerily realistic life-sized clown figures, sitting slumped over on the floor of a gallery. All of his works mesh everyday experiences and objects with colorful, fantastical, and often-strange elements. Seven Magic Mountains in ( Las Vegas, Nevada) is one of his first forays outside of a gallery and into land art.

It is  such a beautiful part of Miami Beach, where you can relax outside under the palm trees and scenic lawn park, or walk over to the beach.  Located on the corner of 21st Street and Collins Avenue. 

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26 comments Family Attractions, Florida, Miami, Museum and Exhibits, United States

Visit Obed Wild and Scenic River National Park

Obed Wild and Scenic River is a unit of the National Park System.  Located just off of US27 in Wartburg, Tennessee. One of the best things about this park is that it is rarely crowded.  It was awesome to just be enjoying nature with no other people noise.  Great area to explore perfect for outdoor adventurists.

We stopped at the Visitor Center.  Pick up maps, talk to a ranger about available activities he gave us some suggestions of places to be sure to visit. Also we check out the shop in the National Park Bookstore and recreation exhibit.  We took a short walk because it is snowing that day.  But we would like to go back on summer and try some longer hikes, sightseeing and do picnic.

Inside the Welcome Center

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17 comments Bridges and Sights, Historic Landmarks, Knoxville, Museum and Exhibits, Tennessee, Tennessee State National Park, United States, Wartburg

Elvis Private Airplane and Car Museum

On second week of October, 2017 we visited Graceland, Elvis’ mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. This post is a continuation of last week post where I shared photos of the inside of Graceland. You might want to click there first if you haven’t already read it. Today I’m sharing some photos from each of the exhibits at Graceland.

Elvis owned two custom airplanes, the Lisa Marie, a Convair 880 named after the rock legend's daughter, and Hound Dog II, a Lockheed JetStar.  The JetStar is quite small allowing visitors only  it has a neon yellow and green interior, but a better tour can be found inside the Lisa Marie. 

Located at: 3797 Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis, TN 38116 

 

The "Lisa Marie", Elvis Presley''s private plane named after his daughter, is on display in Graceland.

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21 comments Memphis, Museum and Exhibits, Tennessee

Dogwood Arts Chalk Walk

Two words to describe this event. "TRULY AMAZING"!

Why is it truly amazing? Well if you actually came or saw pictures of the artwork you know what I'm talking about.

The Knoxville Chalk Walk is a day-long street painting festival that turns downtown Knoxville sidewalks into a seemingly infinite canvas for the region’s most talented professional and student artists. This event usually falls on  weekend of April. The artists are basically pouring their heart and soul into what they love to do and that is to DRAW with chalk. Some are first timers and others are veterans of the festival. For onlookers like us that can't draw it's free to look around and admire!. Artists do the hard work working on their art from morning to dusk . Fun for all ages! Bring the family and get some ideas for your child’s next driveway masterpiece – or your own!

Chalk walk art masterpiece in progress

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6 comments Knoxville, Museum and Exhibits, Summer Getaway, Tennessee

Visit Titanic Museum Pigeon Forge

The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge was absolutely amazing.  The museum is very easy to find and is right on the Parkway strip.  It is pretty hard to miss a 22,000 square foot ship.  Parking is free and the experience starts right away from the moment you step out of your car.   Flying from the light poles are flags representing the many countries that the Titanic passengers were from.   And there is beautiful Irish music playing.

As you walked up to the museum entrance you were greeted by two very friendly employees costumed as a maid and captain.   As you entered the museum you will receive tickets, boarding passes and audio tour devices.   The boarding passes are really neat. It show departure dates and times, the name, age and country of residence of an actual passenger, the passengers class and brief information about their lives and voyage on-board the Titanic.   In the first exhibit there was an employee all dressed up of course that explained how and where the Titanic was built, the route it traveled and where it hit the iceberg.   There was a really large map on the wall which had the route marked out.

Titanic Ship and Iceberg from outside exterior.

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7 comments Family Attractions, Museum and Exhibits, Pigeon Forge, Summer Getaway, Tennessee

Roswell UFO Museum and Research Center

We highlighted our trip through the Southwest by stopping in Roswell, NM.  As many people know, Roswell was the site of an alleged UFO crash in 1947.  It is also close to White Sands Missile Test Center and where nuclear bomb testing was done during WWII.  So if there is any place UFOs would visit, it must be here!
 
The UFO Museum and Research Center is privately owned and operated.  It is easy to find and is fun to walk through either alone or with a friend or group.  The fee is only $5 per person with discounts offered for military and others.  The staff is friendly and helpful.  The museum is quite interesting.  One could easily spend 2-3 hours there or more depending on if you go to the library for some research.  The exhibits range from cheesy mock-ups of life size aliens to very interesting and thought-provoking documents, theories, and quotes from astronauts, scientists, and even US Presidents.  So it has something for everyone.  The gift shop is pretty good and has a wide range of items that are not overly expensive.  Remember that this is a private museum that doesn’t receive government support.  I highly recommend that if you are in the area then you should stop by for a few hours.  Photos are allowed.  You will be amazed at some of the information and you probably won’t forget your visit.

Address and info:

International UFO Museum and Research Center

114 North Main Street

Roswell, New Mexico 88203

Phone: 1-800-822-3545(Toll Free Worldwide)

Museum Hours: Open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Seven Days Per Week.

Animated alien and flying saucer display at the UFO Museum.

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32 comments Historic Landmarks, Museum and Exhibits, New Mexico, Roswell, Summer Getaway

Visit Hollywood Wax Museum

Last Sunday we were at Hollywood Wax Museum. I took some photos while we were there, since we were only there for a day.  I didn't have much time to spend but I still managed to get some shots mostly outside the Wax Museum Entertainment Center. And I would like to share it. The exterior of the building itself is the coolest. Nothing like King Kong hanging off at the building. Images inside the wax museum to follow.

The Hollywood Wax Museum is located in the three tourist district of Hollywood, Los Angeles California, in Branson Missouri and in Pigeon Forge Tennessee. We just went to Pigeon Forge, located at the corner of Parkway Boulevard. Their building is a tribute to the U.S. film industry and the artists who have become part of American culture. The country’s major movie-making locations — Hollywood and New York – are indication as part of this Pigeon Forge top attraction and include the Great Ape of Pigeon Forge, as well as the wax museum’s own version of Mt. Rushmore with the sculpted faces of legendary Hollywood stars John Wayne, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin. The Pigeon Forge Wax Museum is among the most fun things to do for visitors of all ages.

The Classic Stars

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23 comments Family Attractions, Museum and Exhibits, Pigeon Forge, Summer Getaway, Tennessee

Birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)

This will be our last adventure and my last collection of Fall Season photos for this year. Even though the temperature is changing drastically by now, we still manage to go to Cumberland waterfalls .  Driving to Kentucky is fun though , the scenery is beautiful although some leaves are starting to fall now. We did go to a short hike and check some cabins and camp sites. Definitely we will come back here on spring time for a camping. They call this Cumberland Falls as Niagara of the South. I must say this is little Niagara Falls , even though they don't have that much tourist attractions and restaurants it is still worth a trip. 

The trails and the camping area is perfect for a family adventure. I love how the waterfalls connected to the river that looks likOnce I was a kid out of curiosity I always wonder where the Kentucky Fried Chicken comes from? Then as I grow up I became aware to State of Kentucky. But I didn't know that's where it started. One day my husband brings me to Corbin City. Corbin is one of the few cities in Kentucky, the population was 1,779 at the 2010 census. We went to the Harland Sanders Café and Museum, the restaurant where Colonel Harland Sanders developed the fried chicken recipe that would later become famous as Kentucky Fried Chicken.

The very first KFC Restaurant along Corbin, KY USA

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22 comments Corbin, Historic Landmarks, Kentucky, Museum and Exhibits, Summer Getaway