We have finally started booking hotels for our trip! Now it's up to Rhonda and me to decide on which "roadside attractions" we want to stop and see. We'll be traveling on Interstate 40 for most of the way, so here are some of the things I've found so far... Some of them are cool, some are a little weird, and some are just for fun. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think, especially if you've visited one (or more) of the places I've got listed. The names of the places are linked, so check out some of the pages! Here we go!
The Crystal Shrine Grotto - Memphis, TN
Here's a great blog about the place.
The next place on our way is Billy Tripp's Mind Field. I don't know what to think about it. Here are some reviews.
It's a long way to Crossville, Tennessee, but there is something there called "The Minister's Treehouse" that looks like it would be right up Katie's alley! I saw on this site that it was apparently closed because of vandalism in February 2007. Anyone know if it's open again?
The next interesting thing I see on the map is the Sunsphere in Knoxville, TN. I think it's just an observation tower, but it could be cool to see. I do like this guys mention of The Chocolate Factory in his blog. I know Rhonda would definitely be in for some good chocolate!
I've found a few things I'd like to see while we're in the Outer Banks. The Disney Family Travel website recommends this restaurant, Goombay's Grill and Raw Bar. Looks pretty kid friendly to me!
After we leave the Outer Banks we're headed to Virginia. I thought this cemetery might be worth a side trip. The guy who put this page together cracks me up...
I don't know that we'll do any or all of these side trips, but some of them looked like fun!
ROAD TRIP!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Wow! It's time to start planning our summer vacation! I've got an idea for a road trip in mind, but don't know for sure if all my planning will come to fruition. I plan to travel no more than six hours per day so that the kids won't get totally worn out, and we'll be stopping at every hokey roadside attraction I can find. I originally planned to go to Ohio during this trip, but I've changed my mind. We'll plan another week for that drive. Here are the bare bones of our trip. I'll fill in the details later.
We get out of school on May 22, and we may try to leave on the 30th. I'm not sure yet. I think I've talked my girlfriend, Rhonda, (see Walking in Memphis blog) into striking out on the road with me. Her only child is 21 years old, and was always a well behaved kid, so I may be feeding her my Wellbutrin by the time we complete our road trip!
Searcy is our starting point. It is 1066 miles to Kitty Hawk, NC, so we'll be stopping a couple of times along the way.
STOP #1, May 30, 2008: Nashville, Tennessee - This is the hotel I've chosen for that night. The last sentence is clickable, so check it out!
STOP #2, May 31, 2008: Since we're taking it easy on the girls (and ourselves) by keeping our hours in the car short, I've decided that we can stay in Greensboro, NC, the next night. It's a little longer than the six hour limit I put on myself, but the reward from that will come tomorrow because we'll be closer to the beach! This is our hotel in Greensboro. Doesn't that pool look great?
STOP #3, June 1, 2008 through June 4, 2008: What better way to relax after about 18 hours in the car over three days? We're headed to the beach! We will be staying at Kitty Hawk, NC. The hotel we've chosen for our time there is this one.
STOP #4, June 4, 2008 through June 8, 2008: Sadly, it will be time to leave North Carolina, but we're only traveling 80 miles up the road for this trip. It's time to see another beach! David will be working in Norfolk, VA, for a little while this summer, so we're going to see him and enjoy the beach at Virginia Beach, too. We're hoping to stay at the Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel. They have a cute pool and the hotel is right on the beach.
Unfortunately, after a week with us, Rhonda will be truly insane and will probably be ready to head home. The girls and I will have to continue our trip alone. :( Hopefully Ashley will still recognize her when she picks her up at the airport! Spending 8 or 9 days with my children would scar anyone!
STOP #5, June 8, 2008 through June 13, 2008: We're headed to Blacksburg, VA, from here. Amy and I have LOTS of catching up to do! We plan to stay five nights so we can have enough time to really visit with everyone we've missed so much since we've moved to Searcy from Blacksburg. I can't wait! We're going to stay at the Hampton Inn in Christiansburg.
STOP #6, June 13, 2008: It's about 730 miles from Blacksburg to Searcy, so we'll be stopping at least once along the way. Nashville is about halfway, so we'll stop there again. We'll probably stay at the same hotel.
We should be back in Searcy by late afternoon. Our total trip will be about 2190 miles, and we'll take 15 days to travel it. Should be fun!
We get out of school on May 22, and we may try to leave on the 30th. I'm not sure yet. I think I've talked my girlfriend, Rhonda, (see Walking in Memphis blog) into striking out on the road with me. Her only child is 21 years old, and was always a well behaved kid, so I may be feeding her my Wellbutrin by the time we complete our road trip!
Searcy is our starting point. It is 1066 miles to Kitty Hawk, NC, so we'll be stopping a couple of times along the way.
STOP #1, May 30, 2008: Nashville, Tennessee - This is the hotel I've chosen for that night. The last sentence is clickable, so check it out!
STOP #2, May 31, 2008: Since we're taking it easy on the girls (and ourselves) by keeping our hours in the car short, I've decided that we can stay in Greensboro, NC, the next night. It's a little longer than the six hour limit I put on myself, but the reward from that will come tomorrow because we'll be closer to the beach! This is our hotel in Greensboro. Doesn't that pool look great?
STOP #3, June 1, 2008 through June 4, 2008: What better way to relax after about 18 hours in the car over three days? We're headed to the beach! We will be staying at Kitty Hawk, NC. The hotel we've chosen for our time there is this one.
STOP #4, June 4, 2008 through June 8, 2008: Sadly, it will be time to leave North Carolina, but we're only traveling 80 miles up the road for this trip. It's time to see another beach! David will be working in Norfolk, VA, for a little while this summer, so we're going to see him and enjoy the beach at Virginia Beach, too. We're hoping to stay at the Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel. They have a cute pool and the hotel is right on the beach.
Unfortunately, after a week with us, Rhonda will be truly insane and will probably be ready to head home. The girls and I will have to continue our trip alone. :( Hopefully Ashley will still recognize her when she picks her up at the airport! Spending 8 or 9 days with my children would scar anyone!
STOP #5, June 8, 2008 through June 13, 2008: We're headed to Blacksburg, VA, from here. Amy and I have LOTS of catching up to do! We plan to stay five nights so we can have enough time to really visit with everyone we've missed so much since we've moved to Searcy from Blacksburg. I can't wait! We're going to stay at the Hampton Inn in Christiansburg.
STOP #6, June 13, 2008: It's about 730 miles from Blacksburg to Searcy, so we'll be stopping at least once along the way. Nashville is about halfway, so we'll stop there again. We'll probably stay at the same hotel.
We should be back in Searcy by late afternoon. Our total trip will be about 2190 miles, and we'll take 15 days to travel it. Should be fun!
More Katie-isms
David reminded me last night of a couple more Katie-isms, so I thought I would write them down before I forgot about them...
"Daddy, what did you do with the wife that you exed out?" - Talking to David about Tracy, his ex-wife.
"Is it really the end of the world as we know it?" - After hearing the REM song, she was really curious about the lyrics. David explained to her what the lyrics meant to him. (ex. big life changes, such as going to college, having a baby, etc...) Katie quickly responded, "Oh, like those people in the Louisiana after that bad hurricane?" And we think they don't hear the news on TV and the radio...
"Well, that's just stupid! Why do people do that?" - During a conversation with David about global warming and car emissions. (Don't ask me how they get on these topics!)
But Lacie and me are the same kind of wild! Talking about her dog, Lacie.
"Daddy, what did you do with the wife that you exed out?" - Talking to David about Tracy, his ex-wife.
"Is it really the end of the world as we know it?" - After hearing the REM song, she was really curious about the lyrics. David explained to her what the lyrics meant to him. (ex. big life changes, such as going to college, having a baby, etc...) Katie quickly responded, "Oh, like those people in the Louisiana after that bad hurricane?" And we think they don't hear the news on TV and the radio...
"Well, that's just stupid! Why do people do that?" - During a conversation with David about global warming and car emissions. (Don't ask me how they get on these topics!)
But Lacie and me are the same kind of wild! Talking about her dog, Lacie.
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