Home again...

Well, my little children and I returned home a week ago today from our random drive along the east coast. I realized we must have a reputation for interesting travels as numerous people have asked as summer vacation ends, "where did you all go this summer on your big vacation?" I start to say, "oh we didn't really have a vacation" but, in fact, we did. We just didn't get to take Marc with us. We'll make up for that next year. Such a marvelous drive we did have!

Thanks to Fodor's Guide to New England and Yelp, we ate, walked, biked and drove our way through American history. Both kids added several new states to their ever-growing list: Rhode Island, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. It's been a long time since I planned a road trip completely by myself. Normally, Marc - who secretly aspires to be a travel agent - has planned, mapped and reserved our trips months in advance. For example we already have reservations for next summer's trip to Yosemite. And, I think there's nothing more satisfying than having things turn out even better than you anticipated (except for getting food poisoning one night in Cape Cod of which there's nothing worse than being alone with your two children throwing up in a hotel room wondering what in the world your going to do if you don't stop being sick).

I loved that everyday we seemed to find a new way to sweat: biking to Mount Vernon, hiking in the wrong shoes along Rock Creek Parkway, wandering through Georgetown and the streets of Old Town Alexandria, exploring Providence, RI, walking the Freedom Trail in Boston, hiking in Lexington & Concord (in the right shoes), sunning ourselves for almost an entire day in Cape Cod*, and visiting Niagara Falls. But my favorite part was that no one complained (except for Will at the Holocaust Museum who said the only thing worse than the Holocaust Museum is the Holocaust) about anything except for my slightly impaired sense of direction. Possibly I have a disability but we did make it home alive.

Here are a few travel tips from the Mathews:

1. Never eat anywhere that you could eat at home.
2. If you can walk there, you probably should.
3. It's bad manners to eavesdrop on tour groups of which you are not a part (so says Mary Rollins. I might disagree).
4. A half-day in Niagara Falls is plenty. Really.
5. Canadian Border Guards are a grumpy lot.

Massachusett State House -- covered in gold leaf.  Fancy!

Bunker Hill Monument.  The ultimate StairMaster -- 294 steps to the top (not counting the steps we are standing on). 

USS Constitution "Old Ironsides"

Make Way For Ducklings - Boston Public Garden is so lovely.

Harwell Tavern in Minuteman National Historical Park, Lexington & Concord

The Old North Bridge - Concord, MA

Niagara Falls