For the past couple weeks, I’ve been on the road with my family. We wanted to visit several friends and relatives scattered across the country, so we decided to give our kids the educational experience of a cross country road trip.
In spite of the cost of gasoline, this was by far the cheapest way to visit all the people we wanted to visit. I also did some research and found that for this multi-destination trip, car travel was a more environmentally friendly method of travel than air travel, in terms of CO2 emitted.
It’s been a lot of fun, and of course we’ve made a lot of memories along the way. We started in Colorado, and went as far east as the coast of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Here are some of the highlights…
1) Fishing the “I-80 Lakes”
I-80 is one of the Interstate highways that bisects the nation from coast to coast. Throughout Nebraska, there are over 50 lakes lining the edges of I-80, which were formed when the highway was built. Since the land is so flat, they had to scoop out areas of earth for road building material. The road builders worked in conjunction with fisheries biologists to turn those 50+ holes into clear-watered fish habitats. We stopped and fished five of them, which helped break up the monotony of the road, and also resulted in some nice catches…
2) Story City, Iowa
We visited some good friends in this tiny city about an hour north of Des Moines. It has the feel of what you would hope and expect a typical American small town to feel like. Some of our highlights included riding the historical Story City Carousel (see picture below), and me catching a nice “smallie” (smallmouth bass) out of a nearby river.
3) Starved Rock State Park
We were hoping to do some more fishing in this beautiful state park in Illinois. However, the Illinois River was severely flooded (as were many rivers throughout the Midwest), and much of the park was closed. We still took a nice hike and got some great views of the Illinois River valley. Here are the kids overlooking the river…
4) Sears Tower
My wife had never been to downtown Chicago, so I thought, what could be a better way to show them than to take them to the top of its tallest skyscraper? The Sears Tower used to be the tallest building in the world, but now it’s only the tallest in North America. We were fortunate to visit it on a clear evening, so the views were excellent. Here’s a pic I took from the top…
5) Notre Dame University
I had the privilege of sitting in on a class with my brother in law, who is in Notre Dame’s MBA program. I actually learned a few things 🙂 . The campus is top notch… here’s a pic of the kids in front of “touch down Jesus”…
6) Warren Dunes State Park
We love beaches, so we jumped at the opportunity to visit Lake Michigan on a warm September afternoon. The main road to the beach was closed, due to a collapsed bridge, so the only way to access the beach was by hiking over a large sand dune. The result was miles of white sandy beaches almost exclusively to ourselves. The waves were actually big enough for me to do a bit of body surfing!
7) Yates Cider Mill
My wife’s grandfather took us to Yates Cider Mill, which is on the outer edge of the Detroit suburbs. If you’re holding a cup of cider, you don’t want to stand in one place for too long or the wasps will find you, but it was worth it… They had the best apple donuts and freshest cider that we’ve ever tasted.
8] Niagara Falls
Having spent many of my childhood years growing up in upstate New York, I’d been to the Falls several times, but my wife and kids needed to see it.
We spent the night on the Canadian side, which also afforded us the opportunity to stock up on the Canadian chocolate bars that we miss so much in the USA (Aero, Mr. Big, Wunderbar, Krispy Krunch, etc.). Here was the view from our hotel room…
The Falls are still beautiful, and still as powerful as ever…
9) More Fishing
OK, so the real highlight here was visiting my grandmother in Connecticut. But catching a big bass out of the pond at her retirement community was certainly a nice perk 😉
We also visited a “secret” pond with my wife’s uncle in Michigan and my son caught a mess of bluegill.
I’m actually more of a trout fisherman, but I love bass fishing too. Come to think of it, I like catching any kind of fish. (All of our fishing was catch and release, in case you cared)
We even stopped at a Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Word on the way home, which is a fun store for anyone who is interested in fishing or other outdoor activities.
10) Mystic Seaport
This tourist attraction in Mystic, Connecticut is fun for adults and kids… especially if you enjoy learning. I think we visited at the perfect time, as the weather was perfect, yet there were no crowds. The best way I could describe it would be sort of a “living” history museum of seafaring America. Definitely one of the coolest things we saw on the trip.
Oh, and we also ate at Mystic Pizza! Yeah, the real place where the Julia Roberts movie was based. I don’t know that it quite lived up to it’s motto: “A slice of heaven”, but it was fun and good.
11) Misquamicut State Beach
After traveling so far, we just had to make sure we truly reached the coast and saw some real Atlantic ocean waves. Visiting this beautiful state beach also allowed us to hit Rhode Island so our kids could cross another state off of their lists.
12) Penn’s Cave, Pennsylvania
Supposedly this is America’s only “all water” cavern and wildlife park.
The boat tour did not disappoint, with a humorous guide and plenty of nice views of the cave.
Those are just some of the things I was doing over the past couple weeks. The ultimate benefit was obviously the time spent with my family, and with those we visited. My wife and I also took some time to film a documentary of each of our living grandparents.
I’ve travelled cross-country many times, and I always enjoy seeing America. Road trips like this one are a great way to see a cross section of the society in which we live.
I’m happy to report that in spite of our economic recession, America seems to be alive and well. From the big cities to the small towns that I visited, Americans are still doing their thing. I did notice some struggles in the retail sector, with stores and restaurants going out of business. But at the same time, I observed plenty of new construction and new businesses being built in every state I visited.
And of course there are problems in the finance and real estate industries. My wife’s grandparents are Realtors, with many homes listed, but the potential buyers aren’t able to get loans, which makes it very difficult to get deals done. So yeah, people are facing real struggles.
Nevertheless, small towns are having autumn festivals, and people are still finding plenty of reasons to celebrate life. We encountered friendly people from many different walks of life. I felt proud to be a part of this patchwork we call America. I’m confident that whatever happens in the upcoming months, our nation will pull though it.
But this blog is not about politics, and I’m aware that only half of my readers are in the USA… so here’s the main point…
Wherever you live, be sure to get out and enjoy the land and the people. Your life will be richer for it.
As always, you are welcome to post your comments below 🙂
Have a great day!
Wow, looks fun, I hope to be able to visit America someday. Niagara Falls looks simply amazing!
Hi Eric, nice to see you and family having fun and you look refresh and recharged. Lovely photos.
warm regards
charles.
Nice! Something I have always wanted to do!
Thanks for sharing your photos, glad the whole family had fun… Makes me want to work harder at being a internet marketer so I can tour this beautiful U. S. A.
talk later thanks
Reg
Hey Eric,
What a great family you have. Good to see that you took some time out for R & R. I’m in Canada and would love to visit the States sometime. I have been to Chicago and had an argument well more of a disageement with my Chicago cousin as to which is taller the Sears Tower or the CN Tower in Toronto. of course I won.
Hope you get a chance to visit Toronto – it’s a great city.
Looking forward to your next project.
Looks like a great trip!
Looks like a wonderful vacation! Isn’t it wonderful that this business of internet marketing allows us the freedom to create memories like these?
Great Family Adventure, Wonderful pictures..
Thanks For Sharing…..
Cindy Williams
Great pictures. Thanks for sharing. It gives beginners like us the kind of lifestyle we can have when we have a strong growing business. I have been telling my wife about you since she does not believe in internet marketing.
I told her I have a mentor in Colorado who is doing well through internet marketing.
Looks like a great trip. I think visiting Warren Dunes and having all to yourself would have been the highlight of the trip for me. Generally I’m an amusement park kinda guy, but occasionally a nice quite beach is good too.
Inspiring to see your fam hit the road, Eric. Looking forward to driving to Italy with my wife :o)
Best regards.
Outstanding Eric. Welcome Back. Who knew you grew up in upstate NY? No wonder you speak with a cultured “East Coast” accent.
Our kids love the Falls too. Let me guess…based upon the picture from your hotel room, I’m guessing you stayed at the Fallsview Marriot -15th floor?
-Sabrina
Eric great trip come back in show us how to make some money so we can do the same thing. Take care have a safe trip back home God bless!
Hi Eric,
I think it’s the first time I take your offer to add a comment. Although there have been many occasions when I might have done so I just kept to reading other people’s comments oe questions.
Today I feel you really deserve to be thanked not only for so many beautiful sights of your country and your family but for your thoughtful relation towards your readers and fans as well. It’s been a great pleasure to follow you across the country to watch your love for nature and to find that you care for your family and your kids. (I loked up all the names for the fish – but didn’t find any in my dictioanry
Eric, you are so right! In Atlanta we have our heads buried in the dashboard of our car, waiting in line for gas–we have to remember why we do what we do every day and what for. It is hard to remember sometimes. Thanks for sharing and making the scenery a little better 🙂
Jay
http://www.TheSmallBusinessNanny.blogspot.com
Yeah I’d like to take my family to Toronto some time. I was there a year ago to film Jaime Luchuck during the Next Internet Millionaire.
oops unintentionally interupted.
hope you don’t mind my misspellings – as I couldn’t reread the text.
But to add a last little comment on what I find got lost in most of the big businesses and their bosses is that you make the visitors of your blog experience a part of the USA which seems to have disappeared for long in the understanding of many of your readers, visitors, customers or whatever you might all them.
Therefore I want to say again
Thank you for your invitation to accompany you on your late summer trip through those amiable and impressively beautiful stretches of your country.
All the best to you and your family in a time where a lot of unexpected turbulances will change the lives of too many
Mara 🙂
http://newbienews.blog.de
Absolutely. It’s one of the biggest benefits of this business for me 🙂
Sounds awesome Graeme. I can’t wait to go to Europe again… we’re planning on it next spring.
Hehe, nice guess! It was Fallsview Marriott, 14th floor 🙂
hi nice pics iwish u visit the bahamas some day and take some nice pics to show everyone i think u and your family will love the bahamas if u visit here already send some pics thank u
Eric, thanks for sharing your family’s good time together and you are doing what we as humans should remember to do STOP and small the roses and enjoy the people that love us.
Peace
Lee Wade Lee Wade
The best vacations I ever had were traveling with my family. We went out west and saw so many things and places. I will always remember them fondly. Thank you for sharing your families pictures with me.
amazing qulity-time that the kids will take with them forever.
bravo
Great pictures!! Lovely family—good fish. Thanks, brought back memories of similar trips with my three children MANY years ago. Not so lucky with the fishing.
Love your tips. If I may, I will offer you one. Start thinking of starting regular family reunions while your family is young. It is a great way to pass the family culture forward. If interested there is free info on the website.
Hi Eric and the fam.
What a nice jaunt you took with the family and stopping in on your friends and relatives. I think that this would be nice for me to achieve too. “Some day” I’ll be joining you, at this time don’t know how or when.
Hi Eric,
Great pictures! It’s an honor to have a share in your family matter. I feel like part of the family.Thanks
Marcial
Thanks Bob. That’s a great idea, I’ll check out your website.
Hy Eric,
It is so wonderful to sharing not only the knowledge.
Thanks a lot, it is a great stimulation for us.
Everything is affordable for everybody.
Best regards
Thats awesome,
Looks like your kids are about the same age as mine…. Maybe next year I will get to do the same!
Hi Eric,
looks like you and your family had a great trip. The best thing you can do for your kids’ education is to travel and show them nature and different cultures.
Greetings from Germany
Dougi
http://mindpowersource.net
Hi Eric,
Beautiful family, looks like a great trip. Thanks for sharing with us. R & R is good for the soul & the family.
Hi Eric,
Looks like you and your family had a GREAT trip!If I remember correctly you’ll be at a seminar in San Franciso this weekend so that will be coast to coast for you!Always a pleasure to read your blogs.
Gary
PS: Just signed up and interested to find out more about your trading pro system next week 😉
Those are great pictures! Thanks for sharing!
Sally
That is what some would call….a lunker. Nice job Steve…err Eric!
Wow – that looks like a trip of a lifetime! It was nice to see that you were in ‘my backyard’ at Starved Rock State Park! Welcome home!
Eric,
You have a beautiful family and the trip looks like it was great fun for the whole family. Thanks for sharing your vacation with your readers. The documentary of your grandparents is a wonderful idea. Perhape more people should do that and preserve a bit of our history.
Smiles and Blessings 🙂
Hi Eric,
Thank you for sharing with us your Great
Adventures with your family.Looks like you all’re having a good time. Wow!I just
love to see some of the beautiful pics you
captured!
What a nice treat for your family!
God Bless and to your success,
Mike Wong
Congratulations! Your kids are a great motivation force and sharing with family is awesome.
American scenery is inspiring.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful experience and your expertise too.
Jose Damaso Ramon
Thanks for all the support you have given us.
Its great to see you having a fantastic time with the family Eric, you deserve it mate.
I also hope to be able to give back to people one day and also take my family on an amazing holiday
Hi Eric, Great pictures. My wife and I were in the Marriot a couple of years ago, and had lunch overlooking the falls.Words can’t describe the beauty that is there.I have been to all of the states and taken my wife to most of them.What wonders God created.Bless your famiy.I’m glad that you are wise enough to see
all of this and to cherish your wife and kids
Thank you for being you. Sincere thanks to you.
John Taylor
Eric you have a wonderful family and I am glad you and yours had a good time.Thank you for sharing this with me.
Hi Eric
Thanks for sharing your pics and thoughts as you cruised across the USA. Looks great.
I have to try to do the same with my family one day although it is a long way from Australia.
cheers
Rob
My inlaws are also from upstate NY, next time around visit Watkins Glen State Park, theres a 2 mile long canyon cut by a glacier there with steps all the way up and down also a neat caribou farm just behind it.
Hey Eric, Lake Michigan looks the like the ocean! Great pics 🙂
Beautiful Eric!
You only live once.
Make the most of every minute.
Vance
A great article. Makes me a little home sick after being out of country for fifteen years now.
Floyd Dorrance
Hey Eric,
Fantastic blog, really love the rapport you build with us it makes it so much more then just discovering how to make $ online.
Thanks for sharing.
Rich
Eric, looks like you had a great time with the family! Glad you had fun! God Bless.
Joe Almeida
What a great experience and education this must have been, mainly for the kids! Looking forward to the Investment portfolio- Ray