The Epic Northeast Road Trip Part One

This summer we took an epic road trip to the northeast part of the U.S.A.  And after nine days and over 3,600 miles, we had a lot to show. We love exposing our kids to new places, and adventures and this trip definitely did that! 

My wife is good at preparing for our vacations especially when it comes to road trips.  Our van has a DVD player, but even movies can get boring after a while.  So Lindsey thought ahead and got some games specifically for road trips.

This really helped!  Every time the kids asked, “are we there yet?” we just broke out a new game.  And you can’t forget about the snacks.  We were prepared for that as well.

We knew that one thing we must do was eat at Lambert’s in Missouri.  It’s the home of the throwed rolls.

Yes, they actually throw hot rolls at you and man are they good!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjIs0NWUvUI

The first day was pretty much a road day, so Lambert’s was definitely one of the highlights.  We drove all the way to northern Indiana.  Lindsey broke out the travel pillow for the long haul.

We couldn’t wait to get to the hotel.  My family was going crazy!

The next morning we piled into the van and headed towards Canada.  We entered from Detroit, Michigan into Ontario.  My kids were ready to see something awe-inspiring.  And the one thing that would not disappoint was Niagara Falls.  The look on my kid’s faces was priceless when they first laid eyes on the massive waterfalls.  The best way to experience this amazing sight is by taking a ride on the Maid of The Mist.

Looking from a distance was amazing in and of itself.  But we were going to go right up to the falls via the Niagara River.

Once we bought our tickets, we got our ponchos which you get to keep by the way.

This was one of the most amazing things we had ever seen.  There really isn’t anything that could have prepared us for how awesome this moment was going to be.  It was an experience like no other.  From the roar of the water, getting soaked by the mist, to the giant rainbow right in front of you, it was truly a jaw-dropping moment!

After we were back on land, we took in one last view.

This was just the beginning of our epic northeast road trip.  And after a good nights rest, we were on the road again.  Here’s a side note.  My son does a pretty good Mr. Bean face.

Next stop, the Big Apple!  And by the way, upstate New York was so beautiful. The drive through the Appalachian mountains was stunning.  I loved the look on my kid’s faces when they saw Niagra Falls.  And I knew I would get the same look when they would see the New York City skyline.  My daughter loves New York and had always wanted to go, so this would be special for her. But all of my kids were giddy with excitement when they saw the huge row of buildings.   It’s important to us as parents to show our children how great this country is and to give them a little culture shock along the way.

We entered through the Lincoln Tunnel.  I let the kids know that we were actually driving underwater since it is my job as a dad to scare them.

Our hotel was in the heart of Manhattan, so once we settled in, we set out to experience Times Square.

My kids were amazed at all the people, sounds, sights and smells.  They flat out loved New York!

When you’re in the Big Apple, one of the things you have to do is grab something to eat from one of the many food stands.  Lindsey was all about the gyro.

I was all about the gyro and a hot dog.

Anytime my littlest acts up, I cradle him like a baby, and he can’t help but laugh and yell “I’m not a baby!”

My kids got to see some street dancers.

What’s New York without a Baby Trump?

My wife loves the gift shops.

There’s an actual phone booth in Times Square.  The kids didn’t know what it was so I had to remind them of the Superman movies.  When they picked up the phone, there was someone on the other end.

Once we were back to the hotel, nobody had a problem falling asleep.  There was so much more to do, so we wanted to be rested.

The next morning, we headed off to the Today Show.  And the best way to get there was none other than the subway.  We knew our kids were going to love it.

It was during the morning and on a workday. so the subways were filled to the max.  Gracie had to make due.

We got our free sign to hold up during the live taping.

While we were there, we made friends with other people in the audience.  My kids don’t know strangers.
We also got to meet the celebrities.

Al Roker

The one and only Martha Stewart!

And last but not least, Hoda Kotb.

On our way out, we checked out the gift shop with some pretty cool photo ops.

We have a lot more, so get ready for part 2.

What was your most fun road trip?

Check out our trip to Charleston, South Carolina!