Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee and North Carolina

The Great Smoky Mountains extend from Tennessee and North Carolina. They are most visited in fall for the beautiful fall colors in late October till early November. The highest point is Clingmans Dome at 6643 ft. The drive from Gatlinburg to Clingmans Dome has the best vista points of the mountain range. Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are two small towns near smokies that has small town vibe. 

The wonders of flight, Alpine costers, The Island are some of the fun places to visit in Pigeon Forge. 

Gatlinburg offers fun activities like Sky Lift, Ripley's museums, shopping and lots of activities. But beware of tourist traps and choose activities wisely as they can break the bank very soon.

Dollywood resort offers stay and play packages for adults to relax while kids enjoy the rides.

Clingman's Dome, Forneys Creek, NC

Clingman's Dome is a highly visited spot in Smoky Mountains. At around 6000 feet, this place offers spectacular mountaintop views.  Clingman's dome is around an hour drive from Gatlinburg through scenic roadways. Fall is the best time to visit Clingman's dome. With spectacular fall covers, the mountain range is painted with hues of orange, red and yellow. 

The Welcome center and restrooms are located at the starting of the trail. The trail leads to concrete ramp and climb the ramp to get to the tower top. Though, the hike it self is tedious, the views are well worth the hike and on a clear day, you can catch endless views of mountain range. Due to any reason, if you are unable to hike, do not sweat it. the parking lot it self has equally spectacular views.

Tips: 

1. Expect half a mile hike through steep paved road before you reach the bottom of the ramp for the tower.

2. Wear good walking shoes.

3. Carry water bottles with you as the hike is strenuous and no shops / vending machines are available at the top.

4. Avoid strollers if you can. Pushing the stroller can be very tedious. Baby wearing is the best choice.

5. Parking is very limited. Expect to walk around 1/4th mile after parking before the actual hike.

The Island, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

A trip to Smoky Mountains is never complete without visiting Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. The Island is a 'do it all' kind of place to eat, shop, stay and play. Free parking is available at a walkable distance from The Island. If walking is not your thing, hop on a free tram from parking lot to the main center. 

The island Rope course, with two zip lines and 30 different course is challenging fun for adults and kids. It also has a Wheel that boasts of views. But we skipped it since The Wonders of Fight (Hot air balloon ride) gives a better views of Pigeon Forge.

From restaurants, to candy shops, The Island offers variety of food choices and shopping places.

Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois

NavyPier is an iconic Chicago landmark. in July 2016, the pier got a facelift for its 100th year celebration of the its commencement. Navy pier is opens at for visitors through out the year except on Christmas and Thanksgiving. Admission to the pier is free but individual attractions have tickets that can be purchased on site.

Navy Pier hosts several activities for kids and adults. It is home for the Chicago Children's Museum, several restaurants, movie theaters, beer garden, shops and many more. We deliberately skipped the children's museum so we can cover more activities in the limited time we have. Several dinner cruises, sight seeing cruises fireworks cruise and many other speciality cruises start from the pier as well. Architectural cruise took us through the canal covering Chicago's history and the architecture of the buildings but I like sailing the tall ship windy Chicago skyline tour. A spectacular view of the Chicago's sky line from lake Michigan.

Fireworks at the pier is scheduled for every Wednesday and Saturday through out summer and on some special holidays. Parking at the pier is available but several public transportation options are available to reach the pier.

360 Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

360 Chicago, previously known as John Hancock Observatory, has the best views of Chicago downtown and Lake Michigan compared to Willis tower (Sears Tower). Definitely buy tickets online or buy a CityPass since it is hard to predict the wait times in line for tickets. Parking is a pain in the downtown. Instead of shelling hundreds of dollars on parking, it is better to get a day pass from CTA or buy a hop on hop off bus rides or better yet walk if you can :) 

Conveniently located in Magnificent mile, the observatory deck is in 94th floor of John Hancock Tower. And a ride in the elevator takes about a minute to the top and you can definitely feel your ears pop. Plenty of space to accommodate people at the top but wait for elevators is a bottle neck. A small cafe & bar at the observatory floor servers coffee, sandwiches, ice-cream and drinks. Gift shops are located at the top and the bottom floors.

The observatory deck is enclosed by glass walls on all sides. East, West, North and South views of Chicago and Lake Michigan are absolutely beautiful. East and South views covers downtown Chicago skyline and Navy Pier. West covers downtown Chicago and Chicago West side. North views cover the beaches, lakefront and beachside drive.

South side views has a new feature Tilt added to enhance the visitor's experience. A 7$ ticket purchased at the observatory deck, gets you access to the Tilt. This can accommodate 8 guests at a time and is around 10 minutes activity. The enclosure tilts forward by 30 degrees over Magnificent mile. 

A 24$ ticket gets you Sun and Stars package where you can visit the observatory deck twice in 48 hrs. This is a great deal to view Chicago's night skyline and Navy Pier fire works every Wednesday and Saturday during Summer.

9/11 Memorial, New York City, New York

9/11 memorial is built in the place the former World Trade Center twin towers. This is one place in New York City that brings out mixed emotions and reminds us of the horrendous times of 9/11 nightmare. 

The names of all people died on 9/11 are inscribed on the bronze parapets encompassing the memorial, allowing visitors to etch their loved one's names on a paper. The memorial also has a museum that houses artifacts of 9/11 and admission to this museum is extra. 

Make sure you visit the museum. It is a bitter reminder of brutal truth. The museum is well organized and wheelchair accessible. It has artifacts of 9/11 and in-depth information about the attack.          

Save on the admission ticket with New York City Pass. Evenings and nights are the best time to visit the memorial when pools are illuminated.

Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, California

Eat, Shop, Play, Relax and Cruise at the Fisherman's Wharf of San Francisco.  From crab-cakes to nutella crepes, what ever your choice of food is, they got it covered. Cookies, ice-cream, chocolates, candie they got it all at Fisherman's Wharf. Don't forget the fresh fruit at Vlaho's fruit Orchard. They have a good collection of fruits where you can shop in the market and after purchasing, you can wash it and eat it too. That is an unexpected nice touch at the end. This place has a good selection of restaurants to dine in.

Taking a public transportation to Fisherman's Wharf is probably the best choice because of heavy traffic and high parking prices. Streetcars and busses are available till the Fisherman's Wharf. Public parking is also available but it is way too crowded. Popular attractions of this place includes the Sea Lion Center, the Aquarium, Madam Tussauds museum. If you are planning to visit these attractions, it is economical to go with City Pass.

Bay tour cruises and tours to Alcatraz start from Pier 39. Alcatraz tour might need prior reservations. Check the weather before taking a tour. Clear skies can make the tour more enjoyable.

If nothing appeals, pick a bench and gaze upon the Sea Lions and seagulls on the west side of the pier. Variety of city tours start from Fisherman's Wharf. That is a good way to know what is where in the city and plan accordingly.

At last, check out the cute souvenir shops for cute sand dollars, shell and much more.

Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco, California

Japanese Tea Garden is a part of Golden Gate Park's popular attractions along with de Young Museum, California Academy of Science, Botanical Gardens and many other attractions. It might be impossible to cover all these in one day. Public transport options and parking is available, whichever you choose to use.

This tea garden is a soothing place to visit amid the chaotic downtown traffic. The garden is well designed and maintained. The tea garden houses both local and authentic Japanese plants. The bright red pagodas, stone lanterns, zen gardens, a statue of buddha gives the garden an authentic look and feel. The ponds with their bright orange fish stand out in the green backdrop.

A five-storied pagoda stands tall in the middle of the garden surrounded by a variety of colorful flowers and green shrubs. The Tea House in the garden serves as a snack bar that serves authentic Japanese tea and some sweet treats. It is a good experience to sip tea in the relaxing garden.

US Route 1, California

We took a scenic route from Golden Gate Bridge to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA. Starting at the Golden Gate bridge, the US Route 1 passes through Golden Gate Park, Dale City, Half Moon Bay, HI Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Santa Cruz to Monterey.

The drive is so beautiful, it is totally worth the time for a detour. The lighthouse is a hostel where you can rent rooms with ocean views. Most of the highway has stops to park the car and take a quick trip to the beach. These cliff side beaches are splendid has an appeal that normal beaches lack.

The foggy roads, sound of crashing waves, humid weather, beautiful ocean views sure will please your senses.

Yosemite National Park, California

With its breath taking views, Yosemite National Park attracts thousands or tourists, campers and hikers each year. For me, driving up and down these mountains itself was an adventure. The drive has several vista points for quick stops. Driving up the mountains, you can see tall, black, half burnt trees from forest fires.

This national park is famous for its rock formations and waterfalls. To view any of the waterfalls, expect to take a walk between half to one mile. Even if you are not planning on camping, it is better to take mosquito repellents, sunscreen lotions, anti itch cream and lots of water.This national park offers a variety of out door activities like backpacking, camping, skiing, fishing, hiking, rafting etc. Some activities like hiking half dome needs a permit. Check the website for weather updates, alerts and latest information.

Lombard Street, San Francisco, California

The Lombard street, famously known as the crooked street with its hairpin beds over a span of block is one of San Francisco's famous landmarks. Get down a tram at the starting of the intersection of Lombard street and walk down the steps. Or drive till Lombard street and if you choose to stop for pictures, street parking is available too.

Lombard street is a one way street and you can only drive down the hairpin bends. If you are wondering why the car in the picture is going UP, you are definitely mistaken. They are driving down. IN REVERSE ..... I would have never thought of that !!! Straight road from Lombard street goes to Coit tower.

Coit Tower, San Francisco, California

Coit Tower stands tall on the Telegraph hill, offers nice views of the city, Bay Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Islands. Parking is free but very limited. There is an option of taking public transport from Fisherman's Wharf.

Coit Tower can be reached by a scenic trail via Filbert street. Elevator access is available to the top of the tower and the tickets can be purchased in the gift shop at the bottom of the tower.

The top of the tower has three arch shaped windows in each direction that offers 360 degree view of the city.

Coit tower offers guided tours and the tour of the murals inside the tower. Don't miss THE famous Lombard street nearby!!!

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California

The Golden Gate Bridge is one the most photographed bridges in the world. Standing tall between the San Francisco bay and The Pacific Ocean, this is San Francisco's must see monument.With the bright orange paint, and ocean views, a sunny day gives the picturesque views of the bridge.

Numerous vista points are available on either sides of the bridge for tourists to get pictures. Visitors can use the side walk from March through November to cross the bridge.

Wonders of Flight, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Wonders of Flight is a tethered hot air balloon ride. Once you board the hot air balloon, it raises up to 400 feet in the air . The whole activity takes around 10-15 minutes.

 Enjoy the views of Pigeon Forge from 400 feet.

Gatlinburg Sky Lift, Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Gatlinburg Sky View is a top Gatlinburg attraction with beautiful views of Smokey Mountains. This chairlift is a fun way to get to the top of the mountain. The chair lift takes you to the top of mountain at 1800 feet. A small gift shop at the top has good collection of souvenirs and snacks. 

Spend as much time you want on the top. Because, this place have the best views around.

A Day in Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Centennial park, a beautiful retreat in the middle of downtown Nashville. Can’t miss the real size replica of Parthenon which is also Nashville's art museum. A replica of Greek goddess Athena inside the Parthenon. Spring and summer are the best seasons to visit the park. With spring blossoms and beautiful summer gardens, the park looks alive.

A quick stop at Gaylord Opryland Resort is a good addition to the trip. This is a small upscale indoor town. Literally!!! Plan to spend a cool winter day indoors. Entry is free. There is free parking available with in short walk. 

A big dome covers the tropical themed resort and offers guests with choice of dining, shopping and free entertainment.

A boat ride indoor is fun activity for both kids and adults. The sound of waterfalls and the sight of colorful fountains is appealing to spend a relaxing afternoon.

Kelley's Island, Ohio

Kelley's Island, located in Lake Erie is the most beautiful island around.With it's clear blue water, rental homes, private beaches and less crowd, this island attracts families with kids in summer.Kelleys island ferry boat  from Marblehead, Ohio is the easiest way to get to Kelleys Island. One way price is 10$ per adult. Note that there is extra 10$ for parking if you wish to park your car and ride the ferry. The ferry prices are bit steep compared to Put-in-Bay. But it is worth to rent a golf cart in the Island as it has beautiful views that can be better enjoyed in a golf cart ride.Make a quick stop at the Glacier Grooves state memorial. These 5000 year old glacier grooves carved in limestone bed by the advancing glaciers deserves a visit.

Take a quick drive through the road that runs around the island.  Make a quick stop at West Bay. Rocky shores and blue water makes an awesome view.

Spend an afternoon in the small sandy beach of Kelley's Island State Park. Other than kayaking, there are no other activities in this island. The downtown is cute and neat with local shops.

Put-in-Bay, Ohio

Put-in-Bay is a good summer weekend get away located in Lake Erie.  This island is smaller but busier compared to Kelly's island.

Miller's Ferry from Catawaba island  is the easiest way to reach Put-in-Bay.  It costs 7$ per adult one way or You can take a car for extra 16$ one way. Golf carts are available for renting on the island for around 80$ for a four seater / day. On a busy day, it is better to rent a golf cart since parking is much easier. Boardwalk has variety of restaurants and activities including parasailing. 

Perry's Victory & International Peace Monument:

A flight of steps take you to the elevator and the elevator goes till the top of the monument.

Monument is in a beautiful park surrounded by water with beautiful views.

Take the cart and go for a ride around the island .  A helicopter ride on a sunny day over the island is a good choice too. 

Perry's Cave family fun center has lot of activities. I would suggest skipping the cave tour all together as it felt more like a tourist trap.