West Virginia Fall Road Trip 2020 Edition, West Virginia, USA

Blackwater Falls

Fall in the USA is beautiful. This year we visited West Virginia and camped at Huntington /Fox Fire KOA. With rolling hills, beautiful valleys, numerous waterfalls, and bridges, WV was marvelous, especially in the fall.

Day 1: First day we drove to North-East WV from Huntington. Blackwater Falls State Park is one of the many state parks in WV. Even though the drive was 3 hrs long, it was one of the best drives in the midwest in the fall. Nestled between the mountains, the Blackwater Falls is best seen during peak fall colors. There are multiple observatory decks to view the falls. The main observatory deck is a short hike from the parking lot and the hike is not too difficult. For good views of the falls, we took a short drive to Blackwater Falls viewpoint. Another notable place for beautiful views of the mountains and gorge is the Pendleton Overlook. Lindy Point Observation deck is another beautiful spot for panoramic views of the Blackwater River and the gorge. 

Blackwater Falls Lookout

Day 2: Second day, we drove from Huntington KOA to South-East WV. US Route 60 runs parallel to Kanawha river from Charleston to Hico and there are several scenic spots in between. Kanawha Falls and Cathedral Falls are beautiful after heavy rain. Hawk's Nest Overlook is a good place for a small picnic. This place is almost heaven-like with its colorful mountains and floating clouds. Babcock State Park is 15 minutes drive from Hico. The infamous Glade Creek Grist Mill in Babcock State Park is next to the beautiful waterfall is a photographer's dream come true.

Hawk's Nest Overlook

WV is famous for Whitewater rafting and bridges. There are numerous bridges throughout the state and the New River Gorge Bridge is one of the most photographed bridges in WV.  This 3030 ft bridge is best viewed from Fayette Station Bridge. Rafting below the bridge in the New River Gorge would be an amazing experience. Another way to see the bridge would be to take a guided tour of the catwalk 25' beneath the bridge. Even though the participants are securely tethered, walking a 24" wide catwalk at 850 feet above the New River would be a great adventure. Due to COVID, we skipped both river rafting and bridge walk.  

New River Gorge Bridge

Day 3: On the third day, we decided to explore the nearby towns. By now, we realized that exploring nearby towns to be extremely rewarding. Blenko Glass Company in Milton, WV is famous for its glass blowing tours. The factory tour is closed due to COVID. But, the visitor center is still open and has a good collection of hand-blown glass for purchase. Kenova's Pumpkin House in Kenova, WV is famous for its carved pumpkin display during the Halloween season. Every year, around 3000 pumpkins are displayed in this family home. Unfortunately, it was canceled in 2020. 

Memorial Fountain - Marshall University

We decided to visit Harris Riverfront Park in Huntington, WV. On the way to the park, we saw Steel of West Virginia and suddenly realized that this was the University on which the 2006 movie 'We are Marshalls' was based. After visiting the park, we took a quick visit to Marshall University Memorial Fountain. A fabulous find in Huntington was Kustom Kreams. A rolled ice cream shop with a fabulous selection of flavors. It was fun to watch the staff make rolled ice cream.

Overall, West Virginia is an awesome fall destination.

Upper Peninsula Road Trip, Michigan, USA

Arch Rock - Mackinaw Island

Sunset - Mackinaw Mill Creek Campgrounds

Michigan is one of the beautiful states in the USA.  Michigan's Upper Peninsula is beautiful at any time of the year and there is no better place than Michigan to spend a relaxing summer. Fall is even more impressive with hues of reds, oranges, and yellows. This was our first time RVing ever and we stayed at the Mackinaw Mill Creek Campgrounds. The campgrounds were beautiful with quick access to the beach and upper peninsula. Since this was the first time with our RV, we had to work out a few kinks. 

Bridge Views - Mackinaw Cruise

Bridge View Park:

A great park for beautiful views of the bridge. A quick stop at bridge view park to capture beautiful pictures would be a great start for your trip.

Mackinaw Island:

A trip to Michigan will never be complete without visiting Mackinaw island. Numerous boat companies provide transportation to and from Mackinaw Island. Boat tours start from both sides of the Mackinaw bridge. Generally, a short tour under the bridge is included in the tour. A day trip to the island would be sufficient. But if one would want to stay overnight, there are plenty of cottages on the island. No outside vehicles are allowed on the island. No golf carts are available for rental either. The only way to get around the island is by bicycle, horse carriage, or on foot. Horse carriage guided tours are available. But, due to COVID, we decided to keep our distance from other people and opted for the bike rides.

There is no better way to see the island than a trip on a bike around the island. If you like to explore the island at your own pace, a bicycle is by far the best means of transport.  There are many points of interest along the way. Fort Mackinaw, Skull Cave. The famous of all is Arch rock, a limestone arch overlooking the lake. 

Ice cream from Joann's Fudge

All the biking around the island needs a sweet ending. Mackinaw island is also known for its tasty fudge and there are numerous fudge shops to visit. We visited Joann's Fudge. It was enjoyable to watch them making fudge on the marble slab. Keeping up with the expectations, they had delectable flavor choices and the fudge was undoubtedly delicious.

The Raft on Kitch-iti-kipi

Kitch-iti-kipi: A true hidden gem of Michigan. With increasing popularity, there is a huge influx of visitors recently. The park is open throughout the year. Visit during the winter months if you crave a one-of-a-kind experience. Kitch-iti-kipi is the largest freshwater spring in Michigan. The pool is 40 feet deep and the water is at 45 F throughout the year. The fissure at the bottom feeds the pool with 1000 Gallons/min of spring water. Ride the raft to get a good view of the lake. The fish and the bottom of the lake are clearly visible from the raft. Go the extra mile and visit Kitch-iti-kipi.

Pictured Rock National Lakeshore and Twelvemile Beach: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is the crown jewel of the Upper Peninsula.  The national lakeshore stretches from Grand Marais to Munising. There are plenty of walking trails, waterfalls, and beaches to explore. The longest of all beaches is the Twelvemile beach. The beaches are filled with colorful stones unique to this area.

Twelvemile Beach

Pictured Rock Cruises: The best way to see Pictured Rocks are from Lake Superior. Pictured Rock Cruises is a popular choice. However, few other options like Kayaking, SUP, boat rentals are also available. There are no bounds to how much I regret not prebooking the cruise tickets for Pictured Rocks. Little did I expect that cruise cancellations were possible due to water levels. 

Tahquamenon Falls: Michigan's UP has numerous beautiful waterfalls. If time permits, take a trip to Tahquamenon Falls (both upper and lower falls). The upper and lower falls are connected by a 10-mile walking trail. Both upper and lower falls are accessible by road too.

Visit the upper peninsular to enjoy Michigan's rugged beauty.

First-time Visitor to Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France

Where is the Palace of Versailles? : Palace of Versaille (Château de Versailles) is one of the highly visited palaces in the World. The palace is in Île-de-France region in the city of Versailles, 20 km West of Paris. Every year, millions of tourists visit the palace to witness its splendor. It had been a UNESCO World Heritage site for the past 30 years.

What is the Historical Significance of the Palace? : The palace was built to impress. It started as a hunting lodge for the royal family outside of their primary residence in Paris. It has undergone many changes and emerged into the present-day palace under the reign of Louis XIII, Louis XIV, Lous XV, and Louis XVI. It became the symbol of grandeur and an expression of the monarchy. Later during the french revolution, the palace experienced a duration of neglect. However, enough attention was paid to the painting to conserve them. By the end of the Fench revolution, the royal residence was transformed into the Special Museum of the French School dedicated to French painters. Louis-Philippe, the last king of France returned the palace to its former glory. Many important events were held in the Palace throughout history like the declaration of the German Empire, the birth of the Third Republic, the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War.

Royal Chapel

Where to Buy Tickets?: The best option is to buy timed entry tickets from the palace website. Sometimes, for unknown reasons, the timed-entry tickets might not be available on the website. If that is the case, readjust your trip dates and look for 'Passport With Timed Entry' tickets. Another option would be to go with a day trip package from Paris. The day trip package would include transportation from Paris and the entry. Without a timed-entry ticket, the wait time can be 5 hours outside the palace. 

Salon d'Hercule

Hall of Mirrors

Visiting With Kids? : Unlike other museums in Paris, families with kids will not gain a priority entrance to the palace. It is sad to see people waiting in line with young kids for hours just to gain entry into the palace. No food is allowed in the palace for good reasons. Only young kids are allowed baby food and bottle inside the palace. Strollers and backpacks will be inspected and checked-in at the free left luggage counter. They can be collected later at the end of the palace tour. 

Feast in the House of Simon

How to Reach? : There are multiple transportation options to reach the Palace. The cheapest would be to take public transportation from Paris. RER C starts from Gare D'Austerlitz and has multips stops at famous tourist sights like Notre Dame, Muse d'Orsay, Champ de Mars. The closest station to the Palace of Versailles is Versailles Château River Gauche. Almost all the passengers in RER C get off at this stop. So the chance of missing the stop is very slim. Palace's main entrance is about a 1km walk from the train station. Multiple tour operators offer transportation from Paris along with the Palace tour. Though expensive, this might be a better option during busy months.
Tip: If using public transportation, buy a two-way ticket before boarding the RER C. 

What to See? : The Palace of Versailles is the popular attraction in Versailles. The Palace tour covers the Royal Chapel, Hall of Mirrors, hundreds of beautiful paintings, and notable status. The Palace Gardens with its beautiful fountains and marvelous status is also home for Grand Trinion, Le Petit Trianon, Marie-Antoinette's Estate. Visiting the palace and the 800 hectares of gardens can take up the whole day. Even though The Palace, the Palace Gardens, the Estate of Trianon, and the Park are far apart, little train in the place grounds can help visitors with the commute. Tickets can be purchased on the train or at Palace's North Terrace.

The ceiling in The Venus Room

Palace Gardens

Useful Tips:

• Buy a two-way train ticket before starting your journey.
• Buy timed entry tickets and all necessary tickets before starting your journey and print them out.
• Pack dry snacks
• Be prepared to stand in lengthy queues and walk very long distances.
• Have extra cash (Euro) to pay for snacks

6 Useful Tips for First Time Visitors to Paris, France

Pont des Arts - Lock of Love Bridge

Paris is one of the famous tourist destinations in the World. Parisian streets are filled with tourists and any time of the year would be a good time to visit Paris. Despite the gastronomical allure and abundant history, visiting Paris can quickly turn into a chaotic nightmare for a first time visitor. 

1. Overplanning is a Killjoy: As Anthony Bourdain once said, "The vacation gone wrong in Paris is almost always because people try to do too many things." While planning our first vacation, I conveniently choose to ignore this suggestion and ended up with an unpleasant experience. There are a million things to do and to see in Paris. But, If this is your first time, do not fill your schedule with activities. A hectic schedule will lead to a disappointing trip. Lower the number of activities but thoroughly plan the activity. Pre-book tickets, map out the routes, and pack loads of snacks. 

Louver Museum

2. Stay as Close as Possible to the City Center: The one thing I regret from our trip was staying far away from the city center. Even though staying in the city center appears to be expensive, it saves a lot of time, money, and unnecessary agony of navigating through public transit. Imagine chasing 2-3 busses to reach your hotel after an extremely active day. The other option is to shell out money on the cab but still end up spending hours in the traffic. Neither is pleasant. So, if you are traveling with kids, stay as close as possible to the city center.

Venus de Milo - Louvre Museum

3. Crowds & Queues: There are queues everywhere. Museums,  attractions, public transportation, restaurants. I am no stranger to waiting in queues. But, visitors in Paris take it to a whole new level. Waiting in a queue for 4 hours to gain entry to a museum is not pleasant. However, for families with young kids, there is an added advantage of priority entry to almost all the museums. 

Here are a few tips to minimize the wait times:

• Stay close to the city center and start early. 
• Book a tour guide. Tour guides have access to a separate entrance and would save the pain of prolonged waiting. However, the tour prices are generally twice or thrice the regular entry price.
• Be prepared to leave. You are the best judge of your family's tolerance for waiting. At times, it is sane to skip an attraction and just spend time in the park.
• Visit the "not so popular" attractions. Even though there is no such thing in Paris, there is always an alternative option. For example, Musée d'Orsay was much more pleasant to visit than the popular Louvre.

Notre Dame - After the Fire

4. Public Transportation: Paris has a good network of public transportation. RER (Réseau Express Régional) connects Metro to the suburbs in Paris. Métro is a local underground train network. There are also trams and buses available. Paris is divided into 6 Zones. Paris center, which includes most tourist destinations, are covered under Zone 1-3. Palace of Versailles, Disney Land, CDG, and few other destinations come under Zone 1- 6. Tourists have the option of choosing between Paris Visite Pass or Single tickets called (t+).

    Paris Visite Pass has an option of tickets just for Zone 1-3 or Zone 1-6 and is valid for 1, 2, 3, or 5 days. A 5-day adult pass covering Zone 1 -6 would cost €65.80. The advantage of Visite pass is that they can be used for an unlimited number of journies on any mode of public transportation including RER, Métro, bus, tram. If you are not going to use public transportation a lot, single-use t+ tickets would be cheaper. They can be purchased at the counter or a vending machine. A carnet (vending machine spits out 10  t+ tickets) is cheaper than a single ticket. These t+ tickets cannot be used on RER. One very useful tip is if you are taking RER and visiting a place in Zone 6 and do not have Paris Visite Pass, buy tickets both ways at the starting point of your journey. If you are planning to stay inside the city, and visit tourist attractions alone, Hop on Hop off buses will be very useful. 

Using Métro with young kids is quite a challenge. Most Métro stations in Paris are 2 levels underground. Escalators and elevators are mostly non-existent. The turnstiles of the metro are not stroller friendly. There were countless occasions where the folded umbrella stroller got banged against the closing gate barriers. I wonder how Parisians with young kids commute. Unlike Amsterdam, Paris Métro is outdated. It tests your physical endurance. But, it gets the job done.

Musée d'Orsay

5. Remain Vigilant at All Times: The chances of first-time travelers getting conned are very high. I have heard of cases where the hotel rooms were robbed. Fortunately, this is not a common occurrence. Take care of your belongings and remain vigilant at all times.

View From Eiffel Tower - Level 2 Observation Deck

6. Language: It is always a good idea to pick up a few sentences of the language of the land one is visiting. However, in France, a few sentences of French just don't cut it. As soon as we got off the train at Paris Gare de Nord, we booked a cab. After a couple of hasty phone calls and trying to understand what we were saying, the taxi driver decided to cancel our ride as we do not speak French and he did not understand English. It is like a bitter aftertaste like a rancid nut would leave. These encounters are quite common and are an important part of the whole travel experience. Sometimes, you will encounter menus in French without English translation. Well, Google translator is your best friend. However, it should not stop one from visiting France.