Driving the Alaska Canada Highway

When we moved to Interior Alaska from Texas, we drove. Boy it was a long drive, but the best part of the drive was when we entered the Alaska Canada Highway. It had the prettiest views, the most remote locations on our entire route (and seriously no cell phone service ANYWHERE). This is the only way to drive to Alaska that does not include taking the ferry- which was not an option for us (and not something we were really interested in). 

Originally constructed during WW2, the Alaska Canada Highway was a dream first mentioned in the 1920’s. The idea of connecting the Northern United States to Alaska via Canada was novel (and unwanted for a long time by Canada). However, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor a lot of concern was voiced regarding Alaska and then the further interior of both Canada and the United States. In February of 1942 both countries (Canada and the United States) came to an agreement to fund and build the road. It detailed that the USA would bear the full cost and most of the construction during the war, once the war was over the US would hand the Canadian portions back to Canada. 

Construction was started in March of 1942 with a total of 10,000 soldiers from the Army Corp of Engineers responsible for seeing this dream to fruition. It was initially marked as a supply route (though it was never actually used for this). They went about building the road using four main pushes and worked from one end to the other. While building, they left quite the mess around causing the road to be nicknamed “oil can highway” and ended up decimating an indigenous village and most of its residents. Six months after construction began crews met in the “middle” of the route and the route was completed in October of 1942 (shocking what a world war will do for construction). 

The road was initially completed simply for army vehicles to use. Standard vehicles were not able to drive the route until 1943 due to steep grades, no guard rails, and switchbacks (to name a few problems). In fact, in the spring/summer of 1943 a large portion of the route was unusable due to permafrost thawing causing the road to be destroyed. 

In April of 1946 the United States signed the land back over to Canada, along with all of the maintenance needed for the road. While this handover took place in 1946, the roads did not start changing/improving and being paved until the late 1950’s and 1960’s. Paving was done in spurts and there are still sections today where it is gravel. 

The Alaska Canada Highway has changed routes ever so slightly providing a safer route, shorter route, and improvement for driving conditions. This means that some of the mile markers are not correct (specifically once you reach Alaska) and that some of the older roads have been surpassed and are simply neighborhood roads (can you imagine?!). 

We spent a total of 4-5 days on the Alaska Canada Highway, and it is simply the most gorgeous route there is. The roads are really good and well maintained- until the last stretch of road, which does have the permafrost heaves and quite a lot of the gravel sections. A couple of important notes if you choose (or are made to) travel the Alaska Canada Highway-

  1. Grab the Milepost book. This was first published in 1949 (at only 72 pages) and has grown into the definitive mile by mile guidebook. It not only covers the route, but places to stay, things to do, gas stations, and other fun things. It is the biggest help from planning the trip to actually being on the road. There were a couple spots we stopped at because we read about them in the Milepost. It is almost 800 pages of information on every single aspect of the route and region. The Milepost can be purchased online or when you get to the route, but you can also grab free guidebooks at the entry point, and these are valuable as well! They tend to be a bit more condensed down but are still great to have. I referenced both throughout the trip. 
  2. Remember that you will not have any phone service (unless you have a starlink). The route is fairly straightforward (especially if you have the Milepost), but there is no phone service if you get stranded. When we head out of Alaska (if we do), I do think we will put our Starlink into some sort of travel mode just so that we have that in case of emergencies. Thankfully we didn’t need to worry about it too much and each hotel we stayed at had internet service so we could do what we needed. 
  3. The road itself is decent until the last stretch and the last stretch will either be great or terrible. I wanted to touch on this because the road varies from day to day. When we went through (mid-July), it wasn’t terrible. We think we were past the leveling efforts (they do this every year after thawing), the holes had been patched for the most part, and we didn’t have much traffic. However, that does not always dictate the condition of the road- it can vary wildly with traffic and weather. The road can also close due to accidents, wildfires, or damage. Another note- there are typically not “shoulders” to pull off to. You get as close to the side as you can (out of traffic), but then you are at the mercy of other vehicles to be able to move enough in order for you to do what you needed to do (was never more grateful for a blown tire early in the morning with only one other car on the road). 
  4. Stop, stop, stop! Make all the stops- enjoy the food, enjoy the scenery, and stop everywhere you even have the slightest desire too. I wish we had done a smidge more hiking, but we didn’t really have the travel days built in to do that. We did stop at the Liard Hot Springs, and it was the best little break (and the best priced hot springs). We stopped at a service/rv area for some bison burgers and a commemorative coin. We would pull over on the side of the road (for kids’ potty breaks really) and just admire the general beauty of the area. Untouched wilderness is something special. 
  5. If you are going to drive the Alaska Canada Highway, your final and most up to date resource is the Driving the AlCan group on Facebook. This is run and maintained by locals to the route, has a plethora of resources and files to cover everything you might need for the trip, and provides up to date information on any closures. Seriously this group is amazing.

Our travel from TX to AK was honestly pretty incredible and full of such beautiful site (even if it was loooooonnnnnnngggggggg). 

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A Cuppa Cosy Travels – Tucson, AZ

This year for Spring Break we decided to work our way through parts of Arizona. It’s not too far that we couldn’t drive and yet it was far enough that we felt we were in a completely different area (which…to be honest we needed). We started off in Tucson and headed all the way up to Williams and The Grand Canyon before dropping back down to home. It was such a nice trip and it had me wondering if Arizona is a secret oasis that none of us are talking about…or if I was just enamored with the different scenery, the multiple seasons we experienced (in just one week), and the incredible might of Mother Nature’s presence in Arizona. Who knows really. 

So, to start with we headed to Saguaro National Park. The Saguaro is the cactus we all think of when we think of cactus. They stand tall, they have arms, and the give the desert vibe that you picture with Arizona/Desert (it is not typically found in the California region of the desert). The Saguaro really only grows in certain locations (all below 3,000 ft) and the Sonoran Desert of Arizona is one of those locations. These absolute monsters of cacti can grow over 40 feet tall and live for a very long time (well over 150 years). They are slow growers, taking almost a decade to even grow to ½ a foot tall. The “arms” do not always grow, however if they do, they don’t tend to start to grow until 70-100 years old and they are grown to increase the fertility of the plant. The cactus itself grows both flowers and fruits and can store and incredibly large amount of water. Considered a keystone species, the actually growing location and process, as well as the impact on the wildlife around it is fascinating (no seriously- I found the way mother nature works and how everything ends up working together absolutely fascinating). 

The inside of the Saguaro is akin to a rib cage- though the ribs are similar to hardwood in the composition. They do have a prickly thorn outer covering- the spine. These can grow up to 3 inches long and do some damage. The flowers produced on a Saguaro are white and typically open after sunset and the fruit is a red, is typically ripe in June, and requires a pole to harvest due to how high up it tends to be. 

Within the Saguaro National Park, you drive to various stopping locations where you are able to get out and hike trails and see the variety of both Saguaro Cactus and many other variations of desert plants. We spent a good couple hours driving and walking through. There is almost 2 million Saguaro’s within the park, not to mention the wide wide variety of other cactus and plant life. Be careful of wildlife (though we didn’t see any while we were there). It’s truly incredible to see (which is a common theme for this trip overall). 

Our second day in the Tucson area was full of history- from completely different timelines. We started the day at The Titan Missile Museum – the only site of the three sites of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program still in existence and open to the public to tour.  And that tour is both for the work site and an entirely preserved Intercontinental Ballistic Museum (which we will now call ICBM because typing that out every time…whew). There are actually only two preserved launch sites in the world from the Cold War- the one in Arizona we visited and one in Russia. This was designed by the treaty. Both sites have dummy missiles and other measures to ensure that they are non-operational (and those measures are checked regularly by satellite). 

The Titan II was the largest ICBM ever in existence by the U.S. Air Force. It was massive- an absolute weapon of true destruction. Located at 3 separate sites (all spaced out by a certain number of miles and each with its own dedicated Silo and base), these missiles were operational for a total of 24 years. The big innovation of the Titan II was storable propellant, which allowed a faster launch time. 

First activated in 1963, the silo sight (Titan II Launch Complex 571-7) was manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The whole idea of this was not only for safety purposes, but also as a deterrent. Both sides had these weapons during the Cold War, and if both sides were continually at the ready to deploy them, then both sides wouldn’t…in theory. We booked the tour that was able to take us down into the silo to see both the bottom side (well more like middle- its massive) of the missile, as well as into the office where the soldiers would sit on shift and deploy the missile if the worst should happen. Please note- this tour they do an example deployment and it’s…something. We learned the measures that would be taken when a new crew came on shift- from the four phone calls that had to be made, the evasion tactics should the soldiers be attacked or followed. No soldier was allowed to be alone within the site due to the potential of spies. It truly was a secure site. We also (as I stated) were able to do a “launch” of a missile, seeing all the steps from start to finish, to see what lights on the various control panels would light up (they are all exactly as they were/would have been while active), and then hear the sounds. It was very enlightening. 

Once the silo stood down in 1982, work was started to try and turn it into a museum. This took a lot of work as the missile belonged to the Air Force, but if it was run as a museum, it would be local jurisdiction, not to even begin to mention the treaty between countries and the complicated relationships there. A lot of work was done to the missile in order to make it inoperable and provide assurances that it could not easily (or ever) be repaired and fired. The museum itself opened in 1986. 

I will be honest- I was a bit hesitant about heading to this museum- I just didn’t know much. I came away with a whole new level of respect and understanding and awe. I highly recommend visiting it as it’s one of those unique spots that pays homage to a very important part of our recent history. 

From the Cold War era, we headed even further back and visited Old Tucson. Let me say- this is an amusement park. It does have some historical value and it is often used as a movie set (there is a building dedicated to shows and movies that were shot there, several of which we all know of); I would actually say it is similar to Tombstone, except it doesn’t have the significance of the history, this is more movie than historical. I don’t know if that makes sense or not. Fun fact- Jersey Shore filmed at Old Tucson- the gender reveal wild west show for Mike Sorrentino’s newest child. Which the actors at Old Tucson talk about. 

Anyways, we spent an entire afternoon at the park, catching a gunfight show, a can-can girl dance show, a stagecoach ride, train ride, and more. We literally wandered through the entire park doing EVERYTHING (minus the carnival games). This felt a bit more relaxed than Tombstone- in that you’ll be sure to see a gunfight and the actors, but it isn’t a constant overwhelming event. We also attended the stunts show at the end of the day that the actors put on to teach how they pull of the stunts in the different shows and movies. Easily my favorite as the actors have a lot of fun with audience interaction. Highly recommend! 

Finally, on our way out the final morning we stopped into Biosphere 2. Biosphere 2 was built to demonstrate that closed ecological systems could work and thus move the concept of human life in outer space forward. It was built in the late 1980’s, and inhabited in 1991 for 2 years (as a closed environment with no outside involvement), and then a second time for 6 months. During it’s time, it was the subject of A LOT of discussion and controversy. I don’t quite know how to get into all of the nitty gritty as there is SO MUCH and I have a lot of feelings on it (some fascination, some hesitation, some upset). The organization that initially brought about Biosphere 2 ran into a lot of problems, some of which never were acknowledged, and it has now become a location of environmental research, rather than closed environment. Amidst the drama, it became a research facility, transferred to its current home run by the University of Arizona and turned into both a research facility and a museum. 

We really enjoyed our morning wandering through the different biospheres, learning not only of their purpose during the closed environment experiment, but also the purpose they serve now, and the research being conducted. I highly recommend stopping by this really unique piece of history and science research. 

That wrapped up our time in Tucson- a truly great stop for us! 

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A Cuppa Cosy Travels – San Antonio, TX

In December we did a holiday trip where we traveled to San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Houston TX. Since we are currently living in the western part (very western part) of Texas, we figured we could head into the state to see some sights. We don’t plan on being back in the state, so we wanted to see some highlights (for us at least). 

***I also want to note that we did a much slower trip this time, we didn’t cram a bunch in, and we didn’t see as much as we could have. However, this trip was exactly what we needed it to be.***

So, we started our trip in San Antonio, TX. San Antonio is a city that has so much history but feels incredibly modern. The main historical attraction (aside from the Missions), is The Alamo, which is located right tin the center of the city. You’ve got an incredibly preserved Mission, with hotels, restaurants, and stadiums right around it. I will say, this makes it harder to connect to the history and life at the time, especially for the kids. We enjoyed our time there and learned a lot, but it is something to note. 

We started our time in San Antonio with the Alamo. If you don’t know the history of The Alamo, I’ll try and give a rough rundown, but you will definitely know the words “Remember the Alamo”. The Alamo was initially a religious outpost (a Mission) for the Spanish Empire. During this time, it was the Mission San Antonio de Valero dating back to 1724. In 1793 the Catholics relinquished the Mission to become a Pueblo. During this time there were larger regional threats and battles being fought. This led to the Pueblo becoming a defensive fortress in 1803 occupied by the Spanish Army. In the background of these local transitions, Mexico was trying to become independent, Texas was finding its’ own identity, and there was broader conflict with French Louisiana and America. All of this creates a violent, turbulent backdrop for the San Antonio (and broader) region. 

Now on to the actual Battle of the Alamo in 1836. The Battle of the Alamo was a part of the Texas Revolution where Texas became free of Mexico, transformed into Texas (at the time a Self-Governing Republic). Prior to the battle Texas was under Mexican control and while Mexico struggled, all seemed well until 1833. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was elected President, and he was a…turbulent leader to say the least. He abolished the constitution (which gave way to a Civil War), changed immigrant laws, and the autonomy that Texas had to rule their own. 

Now, San Antonio was important as it was located on the main roads leading into Texas for supply lines and communications. Who holds this spot, holds all the keys in essence. 

The first battle of the Texas Revolution was actually the Battle of Gonzalez, which takes place in October 1835, when the Mexican Army was sent to recover a cannon. They were not successful in this task; in fact, the Mexican Army was very much outnumbered and retreated after being fired upon by the Texas Army. At this time, the Alamo and San Antonio is being held by the Mexican Army and they are taking refuge there (without said cannon). 

The Texan Army decided to follow the Mexican Army on their retreat and met up with an army of Texan Volunteers (this is where James Bowie, David Crockett and co come into play) to lay siege to San Antonio. There were several skirmishes of the October and November month, all with a Texas Army victory. The Mexican Army was finally defeated, and the Texas Army took control of The Alamo. They immediately began to fortify the mission and the city. 

Now the retreating Mexican Army soldiers met up with Santa Anna’s Army in February and they laid siege to the Alamo. Initially they tried to parlay, but after no progress, a full siege was laid and Santa Anna declared that “no quarter would be given” (so if they fell, they would all fall). While the Texas Army at The Alamo were incredibly outnumbered, they did not give up. They wrote letters and managed to bring in more men to fight for The Alamo. During the siege on March 2, 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico.

The actual Battle of the Alamo occurred shortly after that declaration on March 6 (the 13th day of the siege). The battle only lasted 90 minutes and there were no survivors. After the battle all of the bodies were burned. 

The Texas Revolution ended April 22, 1836, after the Battle of San Jacinto and the famous “Remember the Alamo” battle cry. 

So much for a brief overview of history, right?!

When visiting The Alamo, you have several options. You can go into it and just tour the grounds and mission. However, I would actually recommend doing the audio tour (bring plug in earbuds to avoid holding the thing up to your ear constantly). It gives a little more insight and history as you are walking through and allows you to get the information. There aren’t really any of the “this location” history signs in the grounds, so if you want to get the information, the audio tour is the way to go. We spent a little over half the day wandering through the grounds and museum (make sure when purchasing tickets, it includes the artifact museum). 

While The Alamo was one of the main reasons we went to San Antonio, we did do a couple other things that I can share about. 

First up (because I don’t have much to say on it), we hit up the Legoland Discovery Center. This is located in a massive mall that houses Legoland Center, a Sea Aquarium, and a ropes course. An easy relaxing day that would be great for the kids in your family. While we only did the Legoland Discovery Center, we did go take a look at the other options, and they were great as well. We spent half the day (no joke) at the Legoland Discovery Center. They have two rides, though one was down while we were there, a massive city center Lego build, a climbing/play place, a full creative space with different build and experiment options, and of course a Lego store. We all had so much fun exploring, building, and playing (and shopping).  It was a great option for the kids to get a little break on the trip. 

Secondly, we both walked along the riverwalk and went on a riverboat tour. When it comes to San Antonio, the River Walk is probably just as known as The Alamo. Both are top attractions; both are steeped in history. The first battle of the Texas Revolution was fought over the San Antonio River at the Mission Concepcion (2 miles South of Downtown San Antonio). Originally recorded in 1535 by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. Originally named Yanaguana, it was renamed San Antonio de Padua by the first governor of Spanish Texas in honor of Saint Anthony’s Day. The river itself is home to 5 18th century Spanish Missions. The riverwalk now is known as one of the most popular tourists stops in San Antonio- featuring not only the walkway but lined with shops and restaurants. I highly recommend spending a half day just walking the river- preferably in the morning or midday for a bite to eat. Would not recommend heading there in the evening to late night hours as it is PACKED at dinnertime. 

By walking along the River Walk you are able to see bits of San Antonio history- such as Rosita’s Bridge, La Villita (which is a small artists village), and use it as a jumping off point for other downtown attractions (like the churches and government buildings that are stunning). 

Finally, we did visit several of the 18th Century Missions that are still standing and open for visiting. We didn’t get to go inside any of them as we left San Antonio on Christmas Eve and President Biden declared it a federal holiday (so everything was closed), but we did get to walk the grounds of several of them. We did consider stopping on our way back through, but it didn’t work out with our timeline. The Missions were initially created to recruit and convert the local Indigenous groups.

 

We walked the grounds of San Juan and Mission Espada, while mission San Jose is the larger one that was closed due to the holiday. Mission Espada (my personal favorite) was founded in 1690 as San Francisco de los Tejas in Weches, TX and it was the first mission in Texas. It was moved and renamed in 1731 becoming the mission we see today. Mission San Juan was originally founded in 1716 near Cushing, TX as Mission San Jose de los Nazonis and then relocated in 1731 and renamed as Mission San Juan Capistrano. It represents the most dramatic of the change as the mission that the Indigenous people undertook in their becoming citizens of Spain. At this mission in particular, you are able to walk a loop that takes you to the original stretch of the San Antonio River as well as see the historic farm fields (still in use) and the irrigation ditches. Mission San Jose is the largest of all the missions and the one that is restored, fully open and features guided Ranger walks and souvenirs. Mission San Jose was founded in 1720 and moved twice before the location we see it at today. 

Beyond that, I have two food recommendations and that is breakfast at Voodoo Doughnuts and dinner at Iron Cactus. We loved both of these spots and would have gone back multiple times. 

That wraps up our time in San Antonio! A short stop to hit the highlights and give some fun memories for the kids. Our next stop was Corpus Christi, but that was to visit family and we didn’t do many tourist-y things. I might write about it, but it’ll be a shorter post than this one. 

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The Wild Wild West – 2024

We went West- to the Wild Wild West. It was exactly as expected- gunfights in the street, saloons and drinks galore, and an experience to be had! Over Labor Day Weekend we went to Tombstone, AZ and spent the weekend reveling in the 1800’s. We saw 6 gunfights, ate at 2 saloons, and wandered back in time for 48 hours. 

***Quick note- if you do visit Arizona, please remember that they do not do Daylight Savings Time, so your hours will shift no matter where you travel from. We completely forgot about this! ***

We started our weekend in Bisbee- at the Copper Queen Mine. We initially tried to get lunch at Bisbee Breakfast Café (which looks absolutely delicious), but they were packed, and the wait was a little too long for us to make our tour time. It was a definite bummer as all the food options look delicious. It did give us a chance to wander up and down the main street of what was once upon a time Lowell, AZ. A street very much stopped in history- old cars, antique stores, and beyond. 

From there, we just grabbed a snack and headed to Copper Queen Mine for a tour. Copper was initially discovered in Bisbee in the 1820’s by a Lt. Dunn, however production at the mines didn’t begin until 1880. Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company was a subsidiary of Phelps Dodge Corporation and became the dominant force in the mining of the area. Mining operations continued until 1975 when the mines closed, leading the mayor of Bisbee (Chuck Eads) to develop the idea of the mine tours. The Mine Tour opened to the public in February 1976.

On the tour, you get a vest, hard hat, and light before heading on the train down into the mine. You are walked through the history of mining in the region, the day to day of a miner, the different tools they would use, and finally you are able to see what they are actually looking for (i.e., what Copper looks like in rocks). It was really fun and educational for the boys. We walked away learning something new (this was our second mine tour). 

From there we headed to Tombstone, checking in to our AirBNB, and then headed to Allen St (which is like Main St of Tombstone) with the intention of getting dinner. Now, our AirBNB hosts gave us a heads up, but everything short of food closes at around 5PM. So, if you’re needing anything, wanting to check out any venues, or want to do a little shopping, you’ll need to do it before 5. Not a bad thing, just a warning. I think the only place that stays open “late” is Bird Cage Theatre as they do Ghost Tours a bit later on. 

We stopped for dinner at our first Saloon, Big Nose Kate’s Saloon. This is the exact vibe you’re going for in Tombstone. Everyone is in full costume, they’ve got a performer on stage, an old Wild West vibe to the décor and the ambiance and the food was good! A little history of the saloon and people (because everywhere has history)- Big Nose Kate was potentially the first prostitute in Tombstone AND Doc Holliday’s girlfriend. Prostitution was very much a thing (I think we all know that?!) and it happened to be one of the best ways for “single” women to make a living as “suitable” positions did not pay enough. Now, this saloon was once the location of the Grand Hotel. The Grand Hotel was THE place to be and has a long-storied history. While it was the Grand Hotel, there was an individual called “The Swamper”. Officially he was the janitor and handyman of the hotel, but he also had a penchant for siler and tunneled from his basement room to the entrance of a mine shaft to collect silver. 

After dinner we wandered up and down the street to get our bearings, then headed back to our cabin for the night. 

The next morning, we were up early and ready for a day in the Wild Wild West- and boy it was. After grabbing a quick breakfast at “O.K. Café” which was delicious, and then we headed back to Allen St. Our first stop of the day was getting tickets for the show at the O.K. Corral. You have to purchase tickets day of for one of the three showtimes, you cannot purchase in advance. The first showing was at 11, so after we got tickets at 9 AM, we decided to head over to the Saloon Theatre for their gunfight show. They reenact Billy the Kid’s first shoot out, a shoot-out with Frank Leslie, and then an Earp shoot out. This is an inside show, with very real guns, and they do give hearing protection. We enjoyed this one- it made those western shows feel a bit real-er to everyone. 

From there we went over to the O.K. Corral to watch the “Shootout at the O.K. Corral”- which, the shootout actually occurred behind the corral in an empty lot, but what is history after all. So, this shootout (if you didn’t know the history) is between the Earps/Doc Holliday and the McLaury’s/Clanton’s. The Cowboys (Mclaury’s and Clanton’s) were creating all sorts of trouble- drinking a lot, gambling a lot, shooting off guns where they shouldn’t have been, and the newly deputized Earp Family were not interested in that continuing. There were threats, rivalries, stealing of wives, and it all led to a (very short) shootout between the two rivals. In 30 seconds, 30 shots flew and three died. Tom McLaury, Frank McLaury, and Billy Clanton are all buried in Boothill Cemetery (more on that later). 

Fun fact- the gunfight occurred outside the office of THE photographer of Tombstone (C.S. Fly), however there were no photos as he was busy when the unplanned shootout occurred. 

This was a really fun one to attend- the actors were great, they play off the audience well, and once it is over you can wander through the entire property, which allows you to go through a couple different buildings to picture life in that time. Your ticket also includes a chance to watch the Historama (which we did- I would say if you’re interested then attend, but it isn’t necessary) and tickets to the Epitaph- which was the newspaper of Tombstone (we did this as well- it’s very small and it will take about 10 minutes to see everything within). 

Now we attended during Labor Day Weekend, which meant that they were going all out and there were two performing troupes that were performing gun fights in the streets throughout the weekend, as well as the casket/hanging booth. We watched several gunfights from Arizona Gunfighters, and all four of us were “hung” in the streets of Tombstone. It was an experience, that is for sure. 

We wandered down to the Tombstone Courthouse for a quick walk through. The courthouse was original built in 1882 and was once the offices of the sheriff, recorder, treasurer, courtrooms, jailhouse, and board of supervisors. It was a very active busy building! Now, as you walk through the rooms, you are treated to a history lesson of just about anything you could think of relating to the Wild Wild West- from cattle ranching to gun fights, to Mexican/American skirmishes and more. While this maybe doesn’t have the same amount of sensationalist history as some other locations, it’s still a really neat spot to stop at.  

We did two more things in Tombstone, the first was to visit the history Old Bird Cage Theatre. This was the most famous spot of its time- known as the “wildest, wickedest night spot” in the west.  The name pays homage to the Bird Cage crib compartments that overhang the gambling and dancing areas. These compartments were where the prostitutes would try to solicit the men below (think she’s a bird in a gilded cage)- and they are still in the theatre. In fact, this is the ONLY building in Tombstone that is as it was. This includes bullet holes, gambling tables (the one where the longest poker game in history occurred), the original curtain and painted stage, as well as the piano. When it was open, it was open, never shutting its’ doors, seeing 16 gunfights for a total of 140 bullet holes within the building. It is full of history, and it is basically locked in time. It closed in 1889, and then was boarded up for almost 50 years. Then in 1934 it became A Historic Landmark of the American West and was opened to the public to visit. 

This is a MUST SEE in my opinion, not only because of the history, but also because it is the ONLY historic landmark in its original state. It is a self-guided visit, though you are able to do a family tour, and if haunting/ghost things are your thing, you are able to do a ghost tour (as this is one of the most haunted buildings in the country). 

The final stop we made on our way out of town (ironically enough) was Boothill Graveyard. Originally “The Tombstone Cemetery”, this burial plot dates back to 1878 and was used until 1884. It holds the graves of the cowboys from the shootout (McLaury’s and Clanton’s), the men that were hung after the Bisbee Massacre as well as the man lynched from the same event, two marshals, and Lester Moore (of the no les, no more rhyme if you know it). There are many many more (a total of 265 graves), all for a variety of reasons. When you enter, they will give you a pamphlet that breaks down every grave as well as a reason for death if known. 

And that really tops off our time in Tombstone! We had a really fun time, and the kids were obsessed (and they have shockingly good reflexes). 

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A Cuppa Cosy Summer Holiday 2023 – Quebec City

It is finally time to start breaking down our Summer Holiday. It’s a bit late in the posting lineup, but we had a truly fantastic trip, and I can’t wait to share all the details! We did a bit of an East Canada tour de force- starting in Quebec City and ending back in New York. I think this was one of our top trips in that we loved everywhere we went. We found some real gems in these cities and really fell in love with some of these spots. So, here we go with where we started…

We spent three nights in Quebec City and the bulk of our time was spent wandering the city. We stopped in places from time to time, but we really just walked the streets of the city and enjoyed our time. I’ll highlight a couple of the spots we did go to and the history, but I highly recommend just wandering the city streets of both upper and lower downtown. The days that we were there we did (and you’ll see) have some air quality issues, with the wildfires raging out of control. 

A real quick note on the “Upper Town”/” Lower Town” designations. I’m not making these up- this is very much how they are referred to. Upper Town is the location of the military and civic/admin district. Most buildings in this area are 19th century, though there are some 17th/18th century ones. Lower Town is at the “bottom” of the cape. This is the site that Samuel de Champlain built a settlement. The Church Notre-Dame-des-Victoires is located in Lower Town (dated back to 1723) as well as the Musee de la civilization.

Quebec City dates back to 1608 when the French, specifically Samuel de Champlain, settled the area- making it one of the oldest European settlements in North America. The ramparts (which we walked) are the only remaining fortified city walls remaining in the North Americas (north of Mexico). The “Historic District of Old Quebec” is a World Heritage Site (as of 1985) and honestly one of the coolest spots to walk around. Now, while the French “founded” the city, it was actually an abandoned Iroquoian settlement called Stadacona. The city itself has quite the history, specifically during the French and Indian War where it served as the headquarters for raids against New England. However, Quebec was captured by the British in 1759 and held by them until the end of the war. It was then officially ceded to Britain, though Quebec is still heavily French and both French and English are spoken interchangeably (which gave our boys a chance to learn a couple phrases in a new language!). 

To get a little ahead of myself on our time in Quebec, but stick with the history, we spent an afternoon wandering and touring the Citadelle of Quebec. The Citadelle was initially built due to concerns of an American attack post the American Revolution and the War of 1812 (as America did try to “liberate” Canada from her Sovereign- unsuccessfully). Now, the Citadelle is an active military installation and a secondary (official) residence of the Canadian Monarch and governor general. The Citadelle does join the original fortifications, which is really cool when you think about the history of it all. The entire city itself is surrounded by fortifications. 

When Samuel de Champlain was initially building up the settlement of Quebec, he immediately noted that the Cap Diamant would be of importance and value to any fortifications of the region. When he built up the settlement, he built it in the way that the city would be at the base of the cape, thus allowing the landscape to provide a natural defense. The French initially built up the walls but determined that a fort would cost too much, and it wasn’t until Louisbourg fell that they felt a true need for a fort. The British saw the need for a full fort, but, similar to the French, didn’t want to pay the cost for a full fort. It wasn’t until the late 18th century that they fully committed to building the fort. The present star fort was built from 1820-1850, with the British remaining within the Citadelle until 1871. 

It was really neat to walk through the Citadelle, seeing and learning the history, as well as hearing about their mascot- a goat (affectionally named Batisse)! Even though it is a fully functioning military base, you are able to see quite a bit of the buildings and museums. It is well worth the visit.

Now once you pass through the Old Fortifications to wander through downtown you can head through the streets and up towards the Promenade. This includes the cite of the Chateau Frontenac- one of the most photographed spots in Quebec City. Located in the Upper Town, it dates back to 1893 and was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway company. It is a National Historic Site of Canada and is one of the first completed grand railway hotels. These hotels are hotels that are built as an attachment to the major railways within Canada and were designed to serve railway passengers. A lot of these hotels then became landmarks and are linked to the history of the country itself. And I can definitely understand why- it is just as stunning in person as it is in photos.

Once you walk through the Promenade- called Terrasse Dufferin (and feel like you’ve stepped back into another era- just imagine it!), you can wander down to Lower Town. There are two ways to head down, by funicular or by stair. We chose the stair option because we have a thing for stairs (this is a long running theme from our European Travels). Lower Town has a very definitely different feeling to Upper Town. As you descend you can definitely feel a different vibe- in a way that…might even live up to the names. Upper Town is very…. business like, very prim and proper almost. Where Lower Town can have a bit of a frenetic feeling, a bit of a lighthearted, let loose, kind of feeling. Rue du Petit-Champlain in particular is very neat. We wandered through tight streets, picked up some ice cream, and sat riverside looking up at the Old City. 

Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Quebec was THE church we wandered through during our walks. And let me tell you…it lives up to that name. This is the oldest church in Canada and the first to gain the rank of minor basilica- which happened in 1874. However, this massive cathedral started off as a chapel- the Notre Dame de la Recouvrance- dating back to 1633. In 1647 construction of the actual Cathedral began under the name of Notre-Dame de la Paix. It was destroyed in 1759, rebuilt, and then destroyed again in 1922. Upon its 350th anniversary, a holy door was constructed, the second only to exist outside of Europe, only the eight in existence in the world. It was opened in 2013, for a little over a year, then opened again in 2015. It is not to be opened again until 2025. This particular Cathedral is absolutely incredible- it is pretty high up on my list of Cathedrals and churches, and I’ve seen my fair share. 

We spent a little bit of time exploring the Parliament Building of Quebec, which houses the National Assembly of Quebec. This present building was started in 1877, the first assembly met there in 1884, and the building was completed in 1886. The original building that housed the government was built in in 1648, rebuilt in 1694, and then destroyed in a fire in 1834. The clock tower was installed in 1888, the first addition was completed in 1915, and several more throughout it’s time. The new entrance was completed in 2019. We were able to walk through the halls, see where the government conducts business and learn a little about how it functions. 

One of the final things I want to talk about in Quebec City is the Morrin Centre. This is a 200-year-old building that was initially one of the first jails in the city, turned school, and now is the leading English-language cultural centre and library. A little history, because this building has a LONG one. Initially this space was called the Redoute Royale and served as a military barracks, with the occasional prisoner of war. The original building was demolished in 1808, with the intention of building a new building to serve as the public prison. The new prison was completed and opened in 1813- though it housed prisoners starting in 1812. The prison was quickly put to full use and became overcrowded quickly. In fact, our tour guide told us that it was a common occurrence to get in light in trouble in order to go to the prison and get a meal. There was a total of 16 men hanged in front of the prison and you are able to walk the very same steps those men would have walked. You are also able to see a variety of markings in the basement cells from the prisoners. The prison was officially closed in 1867. 

However, the building history doesn’t end there- it is quickly turned from a prison to a college. Morrin College is the first English language higher education institute. The college partnered with McGill University to allow students to earn Arts degrees, and starting in 1885, the college admitted woman into the program. In 1868 the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec (dated back to 1824) moved into a wing of the College. This Society has played quite the role in preserving the history of Canada- not only gathering and preserving historical documents, but also creating the National Archives, creating a lending library focusing heavily on English-language books, and republishing rare manuscripts. 

The building presently serves as a museum, a cultural centre, as well as a fully functioning library. But also, I mean look at this library- is it not dreamy?

The final stop on our time in Quebec City was the Artillery Park, which is part of the Fortifications of Quebec. This is a “living history” museum that combines actors and artifacts to give a hands-on experience of life under the different rulers of Quebec. We got to experience the British, the French, and the Canadians. The “tour” starts in the arsenal foundry which gives you a full history of the City and its’ fortifications, then a model of Quebec City before you head down to the Dauphine Redoubt- one of the oldest military buildings in North America. Again, you experience life during different military rules. Finally, you stop in the Officer’s Quarters and see how they would have lived in the military area of the city. This building was actually originally a bakery but was repurposed to hold and officer and family. Definitely worth a stop!

And that really wraps up some of the highlights of our time in Quebec City. I will say- we really enjoyed our time. I always note what cities we like to be in (as we aren’t really a city family) and it’s always these Older European or full-on history spots that we prefer. Somewhere we can walk everywhere, see some architectural variety, and surround ourselves with history on every corner. 

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A Weekend in A Camper

Over Labor Day weekend we decided it was time to take another camper trip. To be honest, I’ve been kind of itching to get back into a camper, get out into nature, and take some massive steps back from the world. There’s just something about being in a camper, disconnected, in nature that really just works for me. It gives me that much needed “silence the world” feeling. 

Now, last year when we did our camper trip it was in October to the Lake Placid area, and it was glorious- the beauty of Autumn in the Adirondacks is unparalleled and unreal. You can read that HERE. It was our first time in a camper, and we fell in love (if you can’t tell). 

This time we decided to go to another famed region of New York- Letchworth State Park. Known as the “Grand Canyon of the East” it is known to be one of the most “scenically magnificent areas” of the eastern part of the country. It is home to a lot of hiking, horseback riding, white water rafting and kayaking, hot air balloon rides, as well as a variety of lodging right within the park. 

We decided to stay outside of the park, mostly because most of the spots were already reserved when we looked (these spots, both, book up FAST). We chose a KOA campground on the southern end of the park and we’re actually very pleased with it! I know that in some instances KOA’s can get a bit of a bad rep, and sure being as close to neighbors isn’t like…great, but our experiences thus far have been great. We arrived in the afternoon on Friday and spent the first few hours getting settled in, unpacking, letting the kids run free and wild. 

The next morning dawned bright and clear so after breakfast we headed out to Letchworth State Park. Letchworth State Park follows the course of the Genesee River for about 17 miles as the river goes over a total of 3 waterfalls and cuts a gorge through the landscape. It crosses two counties as well as 5 cities. The park dates back to 1859 when William Pryor Letchworth started purchasing the land. He started with the land nearest to the Middle Falls, built his home and then started to look beyond. In the end by 1906 he had 1,000 acre’s that he bequeathed to the state of New York. The park contains three waterfalls, Upper, Middle, and Lower. Each are unique, each are located within the southern section of the park (yes there is a southern/northern line, and it is marked within the park-it is THAT big). Upper Falls has an active Railway arch bridge above it, creating quite the photo backdrop, but also historic as that railroad bridge path dates back to 1875. Middle Falls is the highest of the three waterfalls at 107-foot drop and is just the powerhouse you expect it to be. Lower Falls is exactly what you would think from the name, a lower “calmer” fall over several levels, with a stone bridge just below. There is one smaller, ribbon waterfall, however most of the time you are not able to truly see it. 

My initial thought was to hike the distance between the three waterfalls; HOWEVER, this is a 7-mile hike and is listed as a “moderate” level hike but has a steep incline/decline that we didn’t know about until we overheard some hikers speak about it. We decided at the middle falls that hiking the full way was not feasible with two little kids on an 80 something degree day. This is fine as not only can you drive the entire park, but you are also able to stop at more than enough spots to get out, take in the gorge, the river, and the falls. There are two parking lots for the falls, one located in between upper and middle, and then one close to lower falls. (To be honest- I was also ok with not hiking as most of the hike is above the river, rather than within the gorge.)

I think that the park itself is incredible and definitely worth a visit, and the amenities for camping or staying within the park are great, but if you are looking for river/waterfall/gorge hiking, I would recommend Watkins Glen State Park. Obviously, these are two VERY different parks and I hate to even put the comparison there, but I would definitely say I preferred that one to Letchworth if we are talking about water adjacent hikes/locations. 

We basically spent all day within the state park, as planned, and just decided that when we were done, we would head back to the campsite. The KOA campground had live music both nights right near our site, so we had an enjoyable evening next to the fire. 

We slept in a bit the next morning and it was a bit more overcast than Saturday. We knew there was a possibility of rain later in the day (hence the State Park on Saturday), so we decided to choose things a bit more…low key. We gave the kids an option of two activities, both geared towards their interests (but we would enjoy too). The first was a train ride that would span the countryside, the second being an animal safari. It was a tough decision, but they ultimately chose the animal safari. 

Now, let me say this first- I am always wary of the animal sanctuary/roadside zoo style places. I tend to…avoid or research the practices prior to visiting. I just wanted to share that before getting into this. I think, like anything else, there are good places and bad and it’s up to us to look into each place before we visit. 

So, we decided to spend a couple hours at Hidden Valley Animal Adventure. We opted to do the safari they offered, in their vehicles with a tour guide, rather than our own. We did a more mid-day tour time and our tour guide ended up being one of the animal care takers. So, we not only learned what the park was like, but the specifics in how they care for the animals and how they manage heards, relationships, and the like. Not to mention how they…simply maintain and provide the best for the animals. We were able to see quite a variety of animals, but I never felt like they were animals that were…inappropriate or overly exotic for the location. We did get to feed them which was cool, and the guide was incredible in passing along knowledge and letting us know when to step away. After the safari you are able to walk up to the petting zoo and feed the goats or down to the Koi Pond and feed the fish (or both really). It was a great couple hours.

Thankfully the rain held off until after we got back to camp and didn’t properly start coming down until later in the evening. We started up the fire to try and enjoy one last one, cooked up some dinner, and just relaxed. When it started to rain, the pitter patter created quite the perfect ambiance for us and the live band for the evening were great! 

That really wraps up our weekend. It was a much needed, very relaxed, leisurely weekend unplugged and away. One of my goals in the coming years is to make these Camper trips more than a once-a-year occasion. We really enjoy them and, eventually, want to get a camper of our own. 

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A Cuppa Cosy Summer Holiday 2022 – Kingston, Ontario

I went back and forth as to whether to write this final post on our summer trip. Kingston is incredibly close to where we live, we didn’t do much while we were there (except one really cool tour, which is why I decided to write this) and we were definitely at the end of our…travel excitement. However, I decided to write it to not only share the cool spot we toured, but also just a little insight into what our final day or two was like in Canada- because boy did things happen that made me think. 

As always, let’s start with a little history of the area. 

Kingston was originally named Cataraqui and inhabited by the Five Nations Iroquois (though the Wyandot People – of Huron origins- were the first occupants). The French arrived in 1615 and established Fort Cataraqui in 1673 to serve as a military and trade base. The fort itself was occupied on and off, would be destroyed and rebuilt several times over, until finally the British took possession in 1783. The renamed it Tete-de-Pont Barracks in 1787, then turned over to the Canadian military in 1870. It is still in use today; however, it is now named Fort Frontenac. 

Kingston played a bit of a role in the American Revolutionary War as a home location for Loyalists (those who were loyal to the British Crown and wanted to remain a part of the United Kingdom). In order to make “space” for the Loyalists the British worked with the Mississaugas to purchase land. The Loyalists gave the settlement the name of “King’s Town” – which would eventually turn in to Kingston. 

One of the bigger military times for Kingston was the War of 1812. Kingston became a major military town and engaged in an arms race with the American Fleet stationed in Sackets Harbor. The base of Fort Henry, later known at Point Henry, was built to help protect the Canadian Fleet and garrisoned until 1871. It’s now a World Heritage Site. 

Once incorporated as a town, it held the largest population in Upper Canada until the 1840’s (it became a city in 1846). From what I can see- Kingston is really known in terms of cultural hot spots. They host several film festivals, music festivals, writer retreats, as well as Busker events (we’ll get in to that last one). A lot of musician and actors name Kingston as their birthplace, most notable being Dan Aykroyd (there are many more musicians that I could name as well). A final notable fact, the first high school in the province was established in Kingston in 1792 by a Loyalist! 

I’ve been to Kingston now twice, the first being a fun girlie day out where we wandered the streets of downtown, stopped in a local independent bookstore (spent some money…), and grabbed lunch at a great Tex-Mex spot, Lone Star Grill. The second time was this trip with both boys and my husband. 

We headed to Kingston from Toronto on the day where half the nation of Canada was crippled by a software glitch. The communication servers for about half of the country simply went down. This was horrifying on so many levels- people weren’t able to work, weren’t able to pay for products (it affected the banking lines, so no debit or electronic means of payments, BUT they could accept credit cards, not debit as credit, but actual credit cards), but people were not able to communicate via phones, the hospitals were impacted, emergency services. It really crippled that portion of the country for the entire day- I believe it started sometime in the wee hours of the morning and didn’t get fully restored until well past midnight. Thankfully it did get restored and everything returned to “normal”, but it did make you think…about a) how reliant we are on technology, and b) just how…dominating our technology/processing world is by very few companies that so much went down. 

Once we arrived in Kingston and we immediately went off to our single scheduled event- a tour of the Kingston Penitentiary. Kingston Penitentiary was a maximum-security prison that has only recently closed in 2013- actually at the time of closing it was one of the oldest prisons in continuous use in the world. Originally opened in 1835 as a provincial penitentiary, it was one of nine prisons in the area. The building site was selected due mostly to the ready access to water and abundant fine limestone. It first housed six inmates, though it could hold 564 inmates total by the time it closed (this does not include the treatment center within the prison I don’t believe). Across the street to the north is the Kingston Prison for Women which operated from 1934-2000 to allow for more space- women had previously simply been segregated in the main facility. 

This penitentiary has seen two riots, one in 1954 and another in 1971. In 1954 there was a two-hour riot (which at that point was the worst in history) involving almost 900 inmates. A breakout was attempted coinciding with the riot, however, was not successful. This particular riot started in the exercise yard, led to several fires in different buildings, 50 ringleaders going to solitary confinement, $2 million in damages, and the involvement of both the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The second riot was much worse. 

In 1971 there was a four-day riot within the prison that led to two inmates dying, six guards being held hostage, and much of the prison destroyed. The riot was instigated by concerns about future conditions at a separate prison transfer, lack of work/recreational time and other prisoner issues. Once the riot was quelled, an investigation was opened, and it found that the prisoners were not wrong in their complaints. A number of issues were noted, least of which being overcrowding and shortage of staff, but also prisoners who did not require maximum security, a lack of channels to deal with prisoner complaints and requests, as well as aged physical facilities. This riot led to committees being form and new jobs being created to help deal with these complaints and issues within the prison. 

There have been three escapes recorded from this maximum-security prison: 1923, 1947, and 1999. The first was Norman “Red” Ryan, who was an Irish Catholic Gangster. He escaped with several other inmates in September 1923 by setting a fire as a distraction, going over the wall, and stealing a car. However, he was caught again in Minnesota and brought back. Once back in prison he became a “model prisoner” and the poster child for prison/parole reform. He was released, went on to denounce his prior criminal activities and be a model citizen in public…all while going on an armed robbery spree. During one of these armed robberies the little gang he had formed ended up in a shootout of sorts. While Norman continued to present himself as the model citizen, even offering to help police and detectives figure out what happened, he was found out a few months later and died in a shootout with police at a liquor store. The second escape was fairly straightforward, 3 inmates went over the wall, 2 came back, 1 was never found. 

The third escape was by Ty Conn in 1999. Ty Conn was the first to evade capture for weeks and weeks since the last “successful” escape in 1958 (this is after 26+ attempts by inmates since 1836). Abandoned by both his parents, put up for adoption by his maternal grandparents he was adopted by a psychiatrist and his, alleged/described, mentally unstable wife. That only lasted about eight years before he was “returned” and placed in and out of foster and group homes, and youth detention facilities. As a young child in his adoptive family, he started stealing – first food then cars in his teenage years. By the time of his death, he was only “legally at large” (free) for 69 days (this is from age 13-death). After notifying prison guards at Millhaven Prison that several inmates were planning to escape, he was placed in protective custody and transferred to Kingston Penitentiary. His own escape utilized not only a rope ladder and grappling hook (that he made himself), but also cayenne pepper to throw the scent off to the dogs. He was found two weeks later in Toronto where he committed suicide, rather than go back to prison. 

I have to interject my personal opinion here for a moment because in listening to the tour guide speak about Ty Conn and the brief history I’ve learned about him- he really is one of those…cases for prison reform and slip through the crack’s instances. There is a book currently out by Theresa Burke and Linden MacIntyre, both have met and had interaction with Ty Conn, titled Who Killed Ty Conn. Together they paint a different picture and one that is worth understanding and knowing. It’s a book that I’ve added to my list to read at some point. 

From 1971-1981 Kingston Penitentiary also served as the Regions Reception Center. Every inmate in the prison system would come to Kingston Penitentiary first. It also held a Regional Treatment Centre within the prison which allowed up to 120 inmates who were in recovery. In 1990 Kingston Penitentiary was designated a National Historic Site and it was officially closed on September 30, 2013. A month or so later it was opened for tours- all of which are given by former guards and employees of the prison. 

 Kingston Penitentiary has seen it all and boy, if walls could talk. The tour was, quite honestly, incredible. Not only do you get to see how the prison changed throughout the long years it was used, but you also get to hear real experiences from employees and guards. It gives you a real insight in to not only these prisoners live within the prison, but also insight in to how the prison structure works/operates/could improve. The tour guides were not able to talk about the actual prisoners as it’s against Canadian privacy laws, but a quick search gives you an idea of some of the infamous prisoners housed in those walls. 

We stopped for a bite to eat after the tour (and a gas up- thankfully we found a station that was able to take credit cards!) at Montana’s BBQ & Bar- which was delicious and supplied quite the Long Island Iced Tea ;). 

The next morning, we headed more towards downtown to walk along the river and the store fronts. We were pleasantly greeted by a Busker Festival. If you don’t know, a busker is a street performer. So, the folks that you walk past that are performing on sidewalks or subway stations for donations and your enjoyment? Buskers. And Kingston had an entire weekend full of entertainment lined up. The streets were blocked off to allow several performers, with a good distance between, there was a stage set up at the water, as well as food, face paint, and a sidewalk chalk competition. 

Coinciding with that event, it was also the weekend of a boat race, so while we were walking along the water, we were treated with the site of these souped-up boats, with wonderful sounding engines pull in to dock for lunch. 

We did just a little walking and then, finally, headed back across the border to the states and back home. And that wraps up our Summer Holiday (finally!). Which was your favorite to hear about? NIAGARA, DETROIT, UPPER PENINSULA, SUDBURY, TORONTO, or Kingston? Have you added any to your to visit list? And if you haven’t- you HAVE to add Mackinac Island/Upper Peninsula straight away. Let me know!

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A Cuppa Cosy Summer Holiday 2022 – Toronto, Ontario

Ok, another preface to another travel blog post…actually two. So, first up, our time in Toronto was not utilized very well. We got late starts every morning we were there, and we didn’t really do any planning for our time there. What I’m going to do is talk about what we actually did, and then share a couple of the spots that I wish that we had gone to. 

A second preface regarding the Covid crossing. A basic reiteration as to what I said in my first post (and apologies for not including it in my Sudbury post- I forgot and it worked out as that post went a lot longer than I thought it would). These may or may not be up to date when you are reading this post (as they still change day to day), so I would recommend checking the Canada travel site HERE for the most up to date information. To enter Canada as an adult you must be fully vaccinated and fill out the Arrive CAN app on the phone (you can do this via we browser and print the certificate as well if that is easier for you, I believe). Kids aged 5 & up are required to be vaccinated unless they are traveling with fully vaccinated adults. For the vast majority of Ontario, we were not required to wear masks.

So, on to Toronto…

Toronto is the most populous city in Canada, the fourth most populous in the North America Region (it’s also the fastest growing city, and second fastest growing metro region in the North America’s). It’s location at the entrance of a route to the NW (one of the oldest there is) has been inhabited and used since the 1600’s by the Huron, Iroquois, and Ojibwe. In the 1660’s the Iroquois created two towns, but then they left the area after the Beaver Wars. In 1701 the Mississaugas took over the region and were there until 1750 when the French established Fort Rouille (they were still in the region, but the French started to cultivate the region). Once the Seven Years War ended the French left and the region became part of British Quebec. The American Revolution saw an influx in Loyalists escaping America and in 1787 Toronto officially became a British Territory with the Toronto Purchase. Toronto wasn’t always known as Toronto, in fact in 1793 it was the Town of York, and it became the capital of Upper Canada the same year. When slavery was banned in 1834, the newly renamed city of Toronto, became a refuge for former slaves and all people of color. Toronto has had two “Great Fires”, the Cathedral fire in 1849 which destroyed most of the Market district as well as St. James Cathedral, and the Great Fire in 1902 which destroyed more than 100 buildings and killed one person. A final fun fact for you: Toronto was once the largest alcohol distribution center- it specialized in spirits, and in the 1860’s Gooderham and Worts Distillery was the largest whisky factory in the world. 

The first night in Toronto we simply did a little walking, did a little eating, and settled into our hotel. We stayed in the Chelsea Hotel (the largest in Canada), and it was both a good hotel as well as a good local spot. We started at Old City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square, then over to Toronto Eaton Centre, which is a massive, covered shopping mall. We then walked down to Yonge- Dundas Square, which is similar (but a bit smaller) to Times Square. Opened in 2002 it is central to Downtown Yonge’s entertainment and shopping. 

The next morning, we set out for our first “must see” of Toronto, the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The Hockey Hall of Fame is credited to James T. Sutherland who was involved in the sport. He believed the Hall of Fame should be located in Kingston as he saw that as the birthplace of Hockey. However, there were quite a few funding issues trying to create a permanent building (even after inductions began in 1945), and, in 1961, it was moved to Toronto. Initially the Hockey Hall of Fame shared space with the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, but in 1986 they ran out of space and in 1993 they moved to the current location inside Brookfield Place/Bank of Montreal Building. Within the museum you’ll find not only history pieces, trophies and rings, team memorabilia, and the like, but also an entire interactive zone where you can practice shooting pucks against a goalie, being a goalie, as well as learn how television broadcasting works. It was quite a way to spend the morning and we loved getting this deep dive into Hockey History. 

From there we wandered over to St. Lawrence Market. In the early 1800’s the governor recognized that the town needed to have a central market location, with specific dates and times that it would be operational. And so, St. Lawrence Market was opened. This heart of the town was not only a market, but also served as an auction space, a place of public punishment, and for a time, was the seat of the city council. A temporary structure was first introduced in 1814, with a permanent structure built in 1820. This led to a long road of construction, remodeling, destruction (it went down during the Cathedral Fire), and re building. The present St. Lawrence Market South Building dates back to 1845 (rebuilt in 1850 and remodeled in 1972). Originally there was two buildings, however the North building was demolished in 2015. It is full of just about any vendor you could think of, from food, to jewelry, stationary, clothes and beyond. It is a hectic, but fun stop to see. We wandered up and down the aisles of two floors and admired all the goodies being sold.  

From the market we wandered over to the “old district” which didn’t have much that we could see- we actually got a little bit confused over the whole thing. We did see Toronto’s First Post Office, the De La Salle Institute, and St. Andrew’s Church. We ended our day on the docks, watching the water.

The next morning, we headed out once again, this time over to Allan Gardens Conservatory. This was a stop mostly for me, as I wanted to see all the plants. The area dates back to 1858 when George Allan donated a small plot of land to the Horticultural Society. The city then approached him to purchase the surrounding land to expand, which George agreed to as long as they kept it publicly accessible free of charge. It originally opened in 1879 before a fire damaged it in 1902. The present gardens opened in 1910 with the domed Palm House, which were quickly added to in both the 1920’s as well as late 1950. It’s not large, and to be honest not entirely necessary to see, but it was nice to pop in to somewhere to be surrounded by plants for an hour. The boys stopped and played at the nearby playground for a little bit while we tried to figure out what else we wanted to do. At this point we only had half a day left in Toronto, which cut out a lot of things that we wanted to do (like I said- we didn’t plan this stop well at all). 

We decided to head over to Ripley’s Aquarium as the boys have never been to one and it would be a fun stop for everyone that was also nearby. The Aquarium is really known for its Sharks and Sting Rays (in my opinion), and they are also the most active of all the fish. We were able to see not only those, but also a very active octopus, sea turtles, and jelly fish. It was a decent stop and a good way to cool off. 

From there we headed across the street to the Roundhouse Park & Toronto Railway Museum. I’ll be honest…I don’t think this is really worth the stop, even if your kids are massively into trains. The roundhouse park is really cool, first built in 1929 and the last in downtown Toronto, it’s a 32-stall house featuring, at that time, the most modern of technology. It closed operations in 1982 and became a Canadian National Historic Site in 1990. The museum opened in 2010 and features quite a lot of history on the Canadian Pacific Railway, artifacts from bygone times, as well as the ability to drive a simulated train. The boys liked to drive the simulation, but beyond that they didn’t care about any of the rest of it. You are able to see all the 10 train cars featured in the museum on the outside (without going into the museum) as well as take the mini railway. I don’t normally say that a museum isn’t worth going to because I believe in history, in museums, and in learning about the past, but this is one that I don’t think you need to go to. 

And that really wraps up our time in Toronto…

Now, some of the things I actually wished we did were:

Spend a day on Toronto Islands. The Toronto Islands consist of 15 small islands just south of the mainland. You are able to take a boat ferry from Toronto over to the Island Park and, like Mackinac Island, the Islands are car-free. We could have biked through Toronto Island Park, the Centreville Amusement Park, as well as walked and relax on the beach. We actually thought about maybe going for half the day but didn’t think it wise to try and beat the rush at the amusement park and get back to the mainland. I didn’t want to be rushed. 

We thought about going over to Casa Loma, however it was a bit out of the way of the other ideas we had and to take a tour within the castle was a bit pricey. It’s one of those- we saw so many real, old, historic castles in Europe that we haven’t found one here in North America that “measures up” to what we’ve come to expect (yes, I really said that and cringed every word through). I do think it still would have been nice to experience though. 

And, finally, I think that going to the Toronto Botanical Gardens would have been nice. I would have probably preferred them to the Allen Garden Conservatory, but it just didn’t fit in to our schedule or route in any way. 

I do think the Hockey Hall of Fame and St. Lawrence Market are must visits during your time in Toronto. I would say most of the rest, if you walk past or through on a route is fine, but not necessarily worth going out of your way to see. 

So, there you have it. Our 3 nights in Toronto. Up next is our final stop on our Summer Holiday…

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A Cuppa Cosy Summer Holiday 2022 – Sudbury, Ontario

The next stop on our trip was a bit of an “place to stop on the way” kind of stop, but we were pleasantly surprised with the city of Sudbury. It has a lot of history, a lot of mining history, it was actually such a good spot to stay for a night or two. We learned so much not only about the city itself, but actually about mining, its history and its effects on our world, as well as what we can do to protect it. Whew, we might go a little deep in this post, but this city is such a…surprise.  

Quickly before we get too deep into the Sudbury history and stop, we did make a short stop at Onaping Falls.

So, the thought is that about 1.85 billion years ago a meteorite hit Earth and this crater, that has since been filled with all sorts of debris and formed and re shaped by nature, is where the A.Y. Jackson Lookout and Onaping Falls is. Sudbury City Center lies at the south, this lookout at the north. We started at the Lookout with a view of the Onaping River and High Falls- a drop of 46 meters of several falls. From there we hiked down through the rocky terrain (which I somehow did in my Birkenstocks- possible but not recommended) and up over to the bridge. The bridge is right on the rim of the crater and offers views of the river and falls. It was a great stop and a way to stretch our legs all while being right in the heart of both outside the planet and the nature of earth. 

From there we headed into Sudbury. So, a little history…

Similar to our previous stop in the region, Sudbury was initially inhabited by the Ojibwe of Algonquin People some 9,000 years ago. However, in 1850 they struck a deal with the British Crown (the Robinson Huron Treaty) that they would share the region with the Crown if they were paid a tax. The first French Jesuits established the Saint-Anne-des-Pins- coincidentally the patron Saint of minors. A little foreshadowing for the area possibly. 

During the excavation and paving for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1883 high concentrations of nickel-copper ore were found in the rock that formed Murray Mine. Nickel-Sulphide Ore was also located in the region. This led to a boon of workers and opportunity both in the mines, but also for railway workers trying to establish and run the railway. Thomas Edison (visiting as a prospector) found an ore body in Falconbridge. Through this boon to the region, two companies emerged, Inco (1902) and Falconbridge (1928). They went on to become two of the largest employers of the region as well as two of the world’s leading producers of Nickel. 

Because the region was so rich, they were able to bounce back from the Great Depression much quicker than many other places in the world- in fact, the problems that they dealt with during the Great Depression ended up being a lack of infrastructure to meet the rapid growth of the city and industry. The Frood Mines produced 40% of all the nickel in Allied artillery production, as well as was a main supplier to the U.S. during the Cold War. It’s hard to make clear just what the impact of these mines were on the region- at one point Sudbury was the wealthiest and fastest growing city in the country. 

However, for all the wealth and good economic value the mines brought to Sudbury, they also completely destroyed the green life in the city. The slag heaps, open coke beds, and various logging caused almost all the natural plants to die. Not only that, but they experienced the left-over rocky outcroppings turn charcoal black and acid rain. An environmental crisis caused by the mines. 

Not to catastrophize, because this story has a “happy” ending in that the once the Inco Superstack was built (in 1972 to help disperse the the sulphuric acid further distances to cut down on the acid rain) they were able to bring in a team of environmentalists and ecologists to help find solutions. They started in the early 1970’s by putting lime on the charred soil, laying wild grass seed, and planting trees (9.2 million planted as of 2010). With that initial push completed, they went to work on the slag heaps- rehabilitating them with biosolids (basically compost), as well as grass seed and trees. In fact, we learned that the mines are the perfect greenhouses- but more on that a bit later. The city of Sudbury has actually been recognized by the United Nations for its regreening and improved mining practices. They have a long way to go though, there are still 74,000 acres of land still to be touched by rehabilitation. 

In 1978 there was a strike at Inco over production and employment cutbacks. This strike completely shuttered Sudbury’s economy and since then they’ve been trying to diversify the local economy…which is where we get into what we did in the city. 

One quick fun fact before we go, quite a bit of the famous Canadians come from Sudbury- like Alex Trebeck! Sudbury has also produced something like 81 National Hockey League players- the largest of any European City, and several NHL Hall of Famers. 

So, first off, we visited Dynamic Earth and the Big Nickel. Well…technically first we visited Bay Used Books, but I don’t think I really need to go into details on that- if you’re in the area give them a visit! 

Dynamic Earth is an Earth Sciences Museum opened in 2003 that focuses heavily on the geology and mining activities of the region. Not only were we able to tour an underground model mine that showed us the different forms mining took over the years (and it’s gone through A LOT of changes), but we were also able to learn about how the local city and mines are trying to repair the damage done to the environment and nature of the region. We learned about how a mine is actually the perfect greenhouse (with some light and such) for plants as it stays the same temperature year-round. So, the mines use unused tunnels as greenhouses in an effort to grow the number of trees to rehabilitate various parts of the grounds. Once you finish with the tour of the mine (which is an optional addition to the museum that I would recommend), you are able to walk through a short video presentation that goes through what happens after the rock is mined. This shows how they manipulate the rocks and get the nickel and other metals out and then, further, what those metals are used for. A very kid friendly, but good for adults too, style video. Within the museum you are also able to use the tools that would be available to miners, both for kids and adults. For the kids there is a soft play style playground that has everything an old mine would have, the carts, the belt up and down, as well as a variety of tools and “rocks”. The adults are able to manipulate an actual drill located deep within the model mine. You are also able to pan for gold, explore and learn about all sorts of different kinds of rocks and stones in the exhibits. One final piece of importance about Dynamic Earth- it was the first museum in Canadian history where a private enterprise and public education collaborated to provide on-site training. 

Inside the museum was easily my favorite part and I really enjoyed learning about mining, where it started, and what companies are realizing is harmful, but I couldn’t deny that the statue outside is one of the biggest draws to the area…The Big Nickel. 

The Big Nickel, a 9-meter replica of the 1951 Canadian Nickel, is a world-renowned landmark that turned Sudbury in to a tourist stop. The idea came from Ted Szilva when the city was soliciting for ideas to celebrate the Canadian Centennial. The city, of course, did not like his idea, but he persisted. His full idea was to have the nickel, a mining center, and an underground mind. He faced quite a bit of back and forth (and opposition from the city), but finally opened the Big Nickel for visitors in 1964. He picked the 1951 nickel for three reasons: commemorate the 200th anniversary of isolating nickel into a metal, show where Sudbury’s wealth came from, and to honor the mine workers of the region. His dream didn’t stop there as he had Maclsaac Mining and Tunneling Co build the very same mine we toured in 1965 (they then expanded it in 1969). 

His final dream was to form the Sudbury Science Centre – later known as Science North- though the city initially opposed that too as it was proposed to be a private enterprise. However, much like the Big Nickel, after some time and some fierce determination, he succeeded and now known as, Science North came to be. 

Science North is Northern Ontario’s most popular tourist attraction- an interactive science museum. And it deserves every bit of that hype as it is such a cool spot to spend some time. In fact, you could easily spend a whole day just within the complex. The complex consists of two buildings connected by an underground tunnel sitting on a geographic fault. The buildings were not initially built on this fault; however, it was discovered when they were building. The first portion features an IMAX theatre and planetarium, as well as a boat tour and board walk. The second building is the museum itself which consist of a wide variety of exhibits from the natural region of the area to more STEM related exhibits. Our favorites were easily the insect pavilion where you were able to see different varieties of insects with far too many legs (belaugh), the Animals of Lakes & Rivers, as well as Northern Forests which featured rehabilitated animals like a porcupine, turtles, snakes, and a beaver. We also highly enjoyed the BodyZone, which dealt with the body and all of its’ functions and wonders, as well as the Space Place which had a “fly your own plane” exhibit, as well as a mechanical arm where you could practice your grabbing skills. 

I think if you are going to these two places, start early early at Dynamic Earth and plan on spending ¾ of your day at Science North. Once we finished at both, we walked along the Boardwalk for a little way before getting dinner and heading to the hotel for a swim and bed. 

Which wraps up our time in Sudbury. As I already mentioned- this city was a surprise to both of us. We knew there were things to do, but we didn’t know how rich the history was of the city and how big a role Mining played.

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A Weekend in the City

Before I get into this post, I want to put a little…not disclaimer, but a little word about the delay. We went on this long weekend over Memorial Weekend, which…is now like 3 weeks ago. But let me tell you…the NYC exhaustion is NEXT LEVEL. It took me a week to feel like I wasn’t…tired and then another week to process and write, and now you’re reading it a week later. Sorry, but that’s reality for you! Now, into the post…

So, New York City. One of those “iconic” cities from the U.S. I’ve been several times to the city, but my husband had only been once (though he’s driven through it) for a work trip. Since we live ~5 hours from the city, we figured we could take a long weekend and see all the…big touristy things. Let me say one {more} thing…I let my husband and kids take the lead on this trip. Since I’ve been to the city before, I’ve done most of the highlights…and some of the hidden gems. And…to be honest, New York City is big enough that you won’t see it all unless you live there and even then, you might not. So…we wanted to kind of hit some of the popular highlights of the city. If I go back, I plan on going as a girl’s trip and can do a couple of different things that may not have interested my husband or children (like a Broadway show, some of the neighborhoods, etc.). 

Two more things before I get into the weekend, we stayed very much outside the “city proper”. We stayed on the south end of Brooklyn, and, for us, it was worth it. The public transport in NYC is decent and it was very easy for us to just hop into the city when we wanted, but then be able to hop out for a breather. Second, we had really great weather for the trip! I know, weather?! BUT I feel like you never really know what you’re going to get in the city when it comes to weather, and we had one thunderstorm at the beginning and then blue skies and mild heat the rest of the weekend. 

So, to start off…

We started off our great City adventure by walking to the city across the Brooklyn Bridge. I’ve seen this bridge a million and a half times between photo’s, TV, and movies, but never actually walked across. Since we were staying on the Brooklyn side of things (like very much outside the city), I figured, this would be a great way to “meet” the city for the first time. The Brooklyn Bridge connects Lower Manhattan with Brooklyn Heights over the East River. When the bridge was initially completed in 1883, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. It has been reconstructed several times to meet larger traffic demands, as well as to install specific bike lanes. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1972. The views crossing over the Brooklyn Bridge are great- you can see just about the entire city, plus the Statue of Liberty. 

We grabbed dinner at a hole in the wall Italian joint and I finally got to have my fast-food pizza. After dinner, we just wandered around the Financial District into the evening. We got our first glimpse at the World Trade Center area, as well as a hint of the battery (looking down- not quite The Battery). 

The next morning, we had an early start as we booked an early security check in for our ferry and tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I think most of us know the history of the Statue of Liberty, so I won’t go too deep into all that history. Gifted to us by the French in 1886 to celebrate the friendship of France and the U.S., Lady Liberty is full of a lot of symbolism. Across the statue, from what she carries, to her stance, even the carved facial expression- everything has meaning. While France financed and created the statue, the U.S. had to supply the Pedestal on which she would stand. Originally it was a copper color, but by 1906 the copper oxidized and the gorgeous green that we see today had arrived. The statue has been renovated once but closed several times during her tenure. For many years following the September 11 attacks the crown was closed to visitors, once re opened it was a limited amount per day (240/day total). 

We spent about an hour and a half or so on Liberty Island, walking up to the pedestal, around the base, and then through the museum. From there, we hopped back on our ferry and headed to Ellis Island. Again, I won’t go through too much of the history as I feel like most of us (well in the U.S.) know the basics of Ellis Island. Built initially in 1892, due to the high volume of immigrants at the time, Ellis Island served as the first stop for any and all new immigrants for 60 years. Over 12 million immigrants walked through its’ doors, though not all got to stay, and some faced rigorous testing and inspections. Upon arrival if you were traveling on anything other than a first- or second-class ticket OR you were sick, you would be sent to Ellis Island. Upon arrival at the island, you would go through several rounds of testing, some just a health screening, others a full interview and evaluation. Around 2% of the immigrants would not be granted entry and would be sent back- reasons being either disease or work concerns. The Island was closed in 1954 after a slowdown in the need of extensive processing (this was when embassies, and more ports started coming in to play). Once closed, Ellis Island became a ghost town. It deteriorated into a group of abandoned buildings, even though it was a recognized landmark (1965). The Foundation, that restored the Statue of Liberty, worked tirelessly on restoring, combining, creating, and finally opening Ellis Island as well now know it. 

I will say, even if you aren’t the family of immigrants or if you know the history, it’s still a pretty incredible place to visit. Not only for the history of the immigrants that went through their (and to learn their history pre-Ellis, during Ellis, and post Ellis), but it’s also pretty incredibly to think about the restoration and rebuild that occurred at the Island. And to know that it’s funded by the public through donations and contributions. Again, it’s just a place to visit and learn about what was a big place for so many. So many of these immigrants have made incredible and everyday contributions to our country. 

Once we got the ferry back to Battery Park, we headed out, once again, to explore the Financial District. We stopped over at the New York Stock Exchange, which is always a bit…smaller than one would think in person. We saw the little girl standing up to the male corporations dreaming of being in their one day (I don’t know if that’s exactly it, but that’s how I see it), the bull of Wall Street (which was packed and I didn’t even bother to re-create any pictures from the past two visits to it), and then over to One Trade Center. Visiting the World Trade Center Memorial, One World Trade Center, and the rebuilt area was something that was important to me. The first time I had ever visited New York City, I had gotten to go inside the Twin Towers, my mother worked with folks who worked inside the Towers, I vividly (like many many others) remember September 11, my husband vividly remembers September 11, and it was important to us that our children know that space and history. So, we visited. It’s such a peaceful spot, somewhere that you can sit for a bite and remember those who died, were injured, or are forever missing from that day. We stopped by the name that my mother knew and rested a bit.

From there it only seemed fitting that we headed to the New York City Fire Museum (mostly for our firetruck crazed 4-year-old). The museum showed not only the history of the fire trucks, fire response, and fire departments, but it also had a spot dedicated to September 11. It was actually quite interesting to see how the city handled fires when it was horse and buggy (here’s a hint…the firemen would pull the buggies) and how it evolved to the modern trucks and water capacity we have now. 

From there we headed over to The Strand, one of only two spots that I requested to go to, and I promptly became incredibly overwhelmed. Dating back to 1927 on “Book Row”, it is a family run business and the only bookstore still open from that street of bookstores. Now The Strand carries well over 2.5 million new and used books and to be honest…as much as I absolutely loved walking through those doors and literally just seeing books from floor to ceiling…nothing can prepare you for that. I need like a full day by myself just to take a crack at what they had. So, needless to say I loved it…definitely need a second go round there. But it was also kind of the perfect way to end the first full day we spent in the city!

The second day we were there, we decided to do a little bit of an easier, slower day and spend some time in Central Park. We always try to seek out parks/nature trails/ anything along those lines wherever we go, and Central Park is so known, that it was a good stop. But before we went into the park, we headed to the second place that was on my personal list, Zabars. Zabars originally opened in 1934 offering a variety of niche high quality food. You can purchase standard fair (pasta, canned options, and the like), but also bringing in small brands and foods from around the world, and fresh made bakery items (the rugelach is incredible, coffee, and lox (and other fish). It is, in so many ways, a Jewish staple, but it also has some of the best bagels and lox and cream cheese there is. I’m obsessed. Initially I went in for bagels, but instead opted for some black and white cookies, wafers, and rugelach for us to eat as we wandered throughout Central Park. 

We wandered not too deep into central park, but enough to hit the high spots and the Zoo. We started at the Alice in Wonderland statue (a favorite of mine), then along the main walk, over to the Zoo, and dropped down to Gapstow Bridge from Home Alone. While it was incredibly peaceful and really cool to see the juxtaposition of the city architecture against this massive nature expanse, it was also frustrating at times. Bathrooms are few and far between and we found ourselves racing from place to place to find a spot for the kids. Just wanting to let other parents know (it’s a struggle if your kids are still learning how to use restrooms in the sense of adults). Regardless, we ended up spending almost the whole day within the park. The Zoo was a real highlight – it has enough to make it worthwhile to visit while you’re already in the park, but not too much that you spend your entire day just within the Zoo. The animals are also fairly active, so you actually get to see them out and about. A quick note- there are two tickets, general admission and a second, higher admission. The only real difference between these two tickets is the 4D movie experience. While we liked the movie, we didn’t NEED to see it.

From Central Park we made our way over to NBC Studios, Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and finally Times Square. 

The next place we actually stopped at (unlike the studios, and Rockefeller, where we just walked and looked) on that list was St. Patrick’s Cathedral. This historic cathedral came up almost side by side with the city itself. The cornerstone was laid in 1858 and the original doors opened about 20 years later for services. The construction was paid for both by immigrants AND the upper echelon of society at the time. The cathedral itself is incredible- very reminiscent of the European Cathedrals. I didn’t stay in too long, they were having a ceremony of some sort, so I felt like I was treading on something special and didn’t want to stay long. 

Our final “stop” of sorts was a quick moment in Times Square. Originally named Longacre squared, Times Square became Times Square in 1904 when the New York Times moved to One Times Square. One intersection within Times Square is also the beginning of the Lincoln Highway (on the Eastern side), which is the first road across the U.S.  To be honest, Times Square is probably one of my least favorite spots, but it was something that my family wanted to see…just to see, so we made it the last thing we did. It was…well Times Square. I don’t have too much to say about it to be honest. 

So, that wraps up our weekend in NYC! We had a lovely weekend, and it was a great kick off to our Spring/Summer/Autumn of travel. 

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