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. 

A Day Trip to Dingle Peninsula, Kerry Co., Ireland

Dunquin Harbour - Dingle Peninsula

Dingle Peninsula: Ring of Kerry is a well-known destination in Ireland among tourists. However, if you are looking for dramatic views, the Dingle Peninsula is a perfect choice. With beautiful views, scenic drives and amazing cliff walks, Dingle is known for its rugged beauty. During summer months, tourists flock to Dingle. There are loads of activities like surfing, boat tours, and whale watching. 

Inch Beach

Inch Beach is a famous summer destination and is one of Ireland's blue flag beaches. But if you love the beautiful scenery and would like to have the entire place to yourself, fall is a better choice. Nothing beats a long walk on a quiet beach. Minard castle ruins are a short drive from Inch beach. The ruins are on private property and are not accessible. But there is a nice beach with smooth round rocks next to the castle.

The next stop is the Dingle town. This is the only town in the Dingle peninsula. Dingle is a cute Irish town with restaurants and bars. Dingle aquarium is a nice stop for kids. Though the aquarium is not big, it has a good variety of fish in the display. The famous Murphy's ice cream shop is a short walk from the aquarium. Dingle sailing club is right across the aquarium. Boat tours to Blasket Islands start from this yacht club during summer months.

Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium

Slea Head Drive starts from Dingle town. It is most definitely one of the best scenic drives in Ireland. The views are breathtaking and with several lookout points.

Cross at Slea Head

Coumeenoole beach is just a short drive from the cross. Park the car and walk down the stone stairs to reach the beautiful beach. Coumeenoole beach is a gorgeous little beach with pristine views and strong waves. I find that the water in Ireland to be cold even in the summertime. But, you can see a lot of people enjoying the views and playing in water even in colder months.

Coumeenoole Beach

Dunmore Head is the most westerly point in Europe. Hike up to the cliff opposite the beach to reach Dunmore Head. The hike is steep and runs through pastures. It will take around half an hour to reach the top of the cliff. The views from the top are unparallel and well worth the effort.

Picnic Bench in The Middle of Rugged Beauty

Basket Island Ferries run from Dunquin Harbour every day during summer months. They offer day tours and ferry services to Blasket Islands. For an average tourist, Ireland is hard to reach and not convenient. Hence it's beauty is well preserved. If you want to be one with nature, and if you seek solitude and peace, Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland is your answer.

Dunquin Harbour

Clogher Head

5 Things Not to Miss in Old Town Faro, Portugal

Faro Marina

The historic town of Faro is generally overlooked by tourists. Faro is the capital of the Algarve region with an airport and a working port. If time permits, I would suggest a well-deserved trip to the town of Faro. This town is a stark contrast to the resort towns in Algarve. It would give an insight into southern Portugal's lifestyle. 

Coreto De Faro

Faro Marina: This charming small town is perfect to spend a day. The people are friendly and laid back. It is easier and cheaper to park the car and explore the town on foot. There are numerous shops and restaurants on the beautiful mosaic streets. Take a break and have ice cream or shop for souvenirs.

Arco da Vila

Free Walking Tour: A free walking tour of the old town starts from the park opposite to Arco da Vila twice a day. This tour is a good opportunity to learn about the town from locals. If walking is not for you, there is a segway tour starting from the park. A small trolley goes around the old town stopping at all the major attractions. This would be a good choice for families.

Arco da Vila is a famous landmark in the old town. This is a neo-classical archway leading to old town Farro. The archway opens up to narrow cobblestone roads with the beautiful old buildings. When I think back, I will cherish the fond memories of walking through these cobblestone streets in Faro.

Old Town

Tram - Orange Trees as a Backdrop

Faro Cathedral: A little walk through these cute streets will take you to the old town center. The museum is next to the cathedral and charges a nominal entry fee. The cathedral has undergone multiple renovations after withstanding earthquakes and attacks by English troops. The beautiful interiors compensate for the bland exteriors. The Museum's back garden has beautiful trees and a bone chapel.

Faro Cathedral

Cathedral Museum Yard

Igreja do Carmo / Capela dos Ossos: Igreja do Carmo is a small 18th-century church with golden ornate interiors. What made this church famous is the bone chapel next to it. Capela dos Ossos (bone chapel) is made out of human bones. I was not very keen on photographing this chapel but it has a rich history. As bizarre as they are, bone chapels are quite common in Portugal. It appeared to be a common practice to exhume monk's bodies from the graveyard and build bone chapels during the mid 18th century.

Faro Municipal Market: Enough about bones. Let us talk about the real reason we all travel. Food. Just 700m away from the Bone chapel is the Faro municipal market. I always love a quick to visit the local market. The shops are mainly fresh fish, butchers, fruit and vegetable market, baked goods, and cafes. Grab a bite at the cafe. 
If you have more time, there are many other places to visit.

A Day Trip to Ring of Kerry, Kerry Co., Ireland

Ring of Kerry: The Ring of Kerry is a well-known tourist destination in Ireland. The Ring generally starts and ends at Killarney. Cork is the nearest airport to Killarney. Private tours and tour buses run throughout the year from all major cities. Even though renting a car in Ireland is painful, driving is the best way to see the Ring of Kerry. The tour buses start at Killarney and go around the ring in the counter-clockwise direction. If you are planning on driving, go around the ring in a clockwise direction so that you can avoid spending time behind a tour bus. A quick tour around the Ring is about 200km and would take about a day. But you can easily spend a day in Killarney, a day driving the ring and a day visiting Skellig Michael in summer months.

Torc Waterfalls

Killarney: You can reach Killarney the day before and have a good night's sleep at one of the many hotels. On the day of the trip, pack a good amount of snacks for the road. Killarney National Park and the surrounding areas alone would take a day to visit. Ross Castle is a 15th-century castle on the banks of Killarney lake. A quick tour of the castle and boat tour of Lough Leane is a good addition to the itinerary. Muckross House is a 19th-century mansion with gardens and working farms. A short visit to Muckross House is time well spent. Kerry Mountains are a short distance from Killarney National Park. There are a lot of walking and hiking trails around the mountains. Cronin's Yard is a good place to park the car and hike the beautiful Kerry Mountains. The gap of Dunloe and wishing bridge are magical places to visit.

Ladies View

Ladies View & Molls Gap: If short on time, a shortstop at Torc waterfalls, Ladies View and Molls Gap would suffice. For a day trip around the ring, the best route is to take N71 from Killarney to Kenmare, drive on N70 around the ring till Killorglin and follow N72 from Killorglin to Killarney.

Molls Gap

Ring of Kerry Map

Kenmare & Sneem: Kenmare and Sneem are two cute Irish villages along the ring and are good stops for a quick bite. There are several B&B, golf courses along the way. Keep an eye out for lookout points and beautiful beaches. During summer months, Glenbeg caravan park is very popular with the campers.

Glenbeg Caravan and Camping Park

Scarriff Island Viewpoint

Skellig Ring: Skellig Ring is a link to the Ring of Kerry. At Kenneigh, take a left on to R567 and head towards Ballinskelligs. Ballinskelligs is a small village with beautiful secluded beaches. A short ride from Ballinskelligs takes you to a small village of Keel. With a beautiful beach of St. Finian's Bay and Skelligs Chocolate factory at a walkable distance, Keel is a fantastic choice to spend a few hours.

Ballinskelligs

St.Finian's Bay

Kerry Cliffs: They might not be as popular as Cliffs of Moher but they are still beautiful to visit. 

Kerry Cliffs

Portmagee & Valentia Island: Skellig Ring ends at Pormagee. During summer months, several tour operators run regular tours from Portmagee to Skellig Michael. Valentia Island has rich geological resources and is reachable by the bridge only from Portmagee. A slate quarry, lighthouse, and beautiful views attract visitors to this island.

From Portmagee, follow R565 towards N70-North. If time permits, visit the Bog village museum on your way to Killorglin. At Killorglin, take N72 towards Killarney.