The Canada/New England Cruise Part 2

The next stop on the cruise was Newport, Rhode Island. We didn’t go on an excursion here because we had been there before and had seen most of the touristy sites. Here are some places I would recommend to see there (especially if you like architecture):

• The Breakers. The Breakers is the largest of the summer “cottages” in Newport and is a symbol of the Vanderbilt family’s social and financial preeminence in turn of the century America. Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt established the family fortune in steamships and later in the New York Central Railroad. The Commodore’s grandson, Cornelius Vanderbilt II purchased a wooden house called the Breakers in Newport in 1885. In 1893, he hired an architect to design a villa to replace the earlier house which was destroyed by a fire in 1892. The architect hired an international team of craftsmen and artisans to create a 70 room Italian Renaissance-style mansion inspired by 16th century palaces in the cities of Genoa and Turin. The Vanderbilt’s youngest daughter, Gladys, inherited the house in 1934. She was a big supporter of the Preservation Society of Newport County and opened The Breakers in 1948 to raise funds for the Society. In 1972, the Preservation Society purchased the house from her heirs and today the house is designated a National Historic Landmark.

• The Elms. The Elms was the summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind of Philadelphia and New York. Mr. Berwind made his fortune in the Pennsylvania coal industry. In 1898, the Berwinds hired a Philadelphia architect to design a mansion modeled after the mid-18th century French chateau d’Asnieres outside Paris. The construction of the Elms was completed in 1901 at a cost of approximately $1.4 million. The interiors and furnishings were designed by Allard and Sons of Paris and were the setting for the Berwinds’ collection of Renaissance ceramics, 19th century French and Venetian paintings, and Oriental jades. The elaborate gardens on the grounds were developed between 1907 and 1914. They include terraces displaying marble and bronze sculptures, a park of trees, and a lower garden featuring marble pavilions, fountains, a sunken garden, and a carriage house. The Preservation Society of Newport County purchased the Elms in 1962 and opened the house to the public. The Elms was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996.

Click Here if you’re interested in visiting any of these mansions.

The Breakers

The Elms

Next stop-Boston. It was a cold, windy day when we were in Boston and we took a bus tour. To be honest, I wasn’t overly impressed with Boston. It reminded me a lot of Philadelphia. Much like Philadelphia, Boston has a strong cultural history. Boston, Massachusetts was first incorporated as a town in 1630, and as a city in 1822, and is one of America’s oldest cities. What began as a homesteading community gradually evolved into a center for social and political change. Boston has since become the economic and cultural hub of New England.

One of the most popular spots in Boston is Boston Common. Boston Common is nearly 50 acres in size and is the oldest park in the country. The “Common” has been used for may different purposes throughout its history. Until 1830, cattle grazed the Common, and until 1817, public hangings took place there. British troops camped on Boston Common prior to the Revolution and left from here to face colonial resistance at Lexington and Concord in April, 1775. Today, Boston Common is the anchor for the Emerald Necklace, a system of connected parks that winds through many neighborhoods in Boston

The Canada/New England Cruise

When most people think of a cruise they think of going somewhere sunny and tropical. This is why I was weary about taking a cruise to Canada and New England. I had been on cruises before, but to places like Bermuda and Mexico. I ended up going on the cruise in early September, 2008. They say that fall is the best time to go to the Northeast. Each time my family has gone on a cruise, we have used a different cruise line. Our Celebrity cruise was nice, our Carnival one not so much. I will go off on Carnival another day. This time we chose Princess Cruises.

On this cruise, the ports were Halifax, Nova Scotia, Saint John, New Brunswick, Bar Harbor, Maine, Newport, Rhode Island, and Boston Massachusetts. At the first stop of Halifax, Nova Scotia, we chose the Coastal Drive to Peggy’s Cove excursion. Peggy’s Cove is a small rural community located on the eastern shore of St. Margarets Bay in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Peggy’s cove is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Nova Scotia and is famous for its lighthouse. The lighthouse is one of the most-photographed structures in Canada and one of the most recognizable lighthouses in the world.

A picture I took of Peggy's Cove

I picture I took of the lighthouse

Our next stop was Saint John, New Brunswick. This place was probably the coldest of all the places we visited. Saint John is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the oldest incorporated city in Canada. It is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. For our excursion here, we took a horse-drawn trolley tour. It was fairly interesting.  Saint John is home to the Reversing Falls, where the highest tides in the world reverse the flow of the St. John River. The bay’s tidal action is affected by the funnel shape of the bay and by the phases of the moon.

Next stop: Bar Harbor, Maine. Bar Harbor was pretty awesome. It is a small coastal resort town on Mount Desert Island and has many shops, restaurants, hotels, cottages, and inns. Here, we went on a tour of Acadia National Park which included a lobster bake. Acadia National Park consists of 41,000 acres of rocky coast on Mount Desert Island. In the park you can find granite cliffs side by side with sand and cobblestone beaches. There are glacier-carved mountains with deep lakes in their valleys as well as meadows, marshes, and evergreen forests. Acadia National Park is Maine’s most visited attraction. More than 2 million people a year come to climb (or drive) the miles of 19th century carriage roads leading to the vistas of the island’s mountains.

A picture I took of Acadia National Park

The coolest place at Acadia National Park is probably Thunder Hole. Thunder Hole is a small inlet where the waves of the ocean roll into. At the end of the inlet, there is a small cavern where, when a wave arrives, the air and water is forced out like a clap of thunder. Sometimes the water can spout as high as 40 feet!

Even more things to see and do in Costa Rica

Canopy Tour

• Go on a canopy tour. One of the best ways to explore Costa Rica’s rainforests is by a canopy tour. Canopy tours were originally developed by US scientists who were trying to study trees without touching the plant, animal, or insect life on the limbs and trunks. Canopy tours are considered better than hiking tours because the view is unmatched. The rainforests often have dense plant live and the ground can get very dark, making it difficult to see everything clearly. There are many walkways throughout Costa Rica’s forests that have bridges strung across a valley from where you can walk above the rainforest canopy and get an aerial view of the forest below. The most popular form of canopy tour is the kind where platforms are built into the strongest trees and a zip line is strung in between them. This allows tourists to zipline across the forest from tree to tree on these lines with the help of a safety harness.
• Check out the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. The Monteverde Cloud Forest is a very popular ecotourism desination in Costa Rica. With it’s unique cloud canopy, Monteverde is one of the most breathtaking nature reserves in the world. Cloud forests usually receive much less rain in comparison to rainforests. However, since cloud forests are located at a higher altitude, they have more humidity and are therefore cloudier than rainforests. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve covers an area of 26,000 acres and is home to more than 2,000 species of plants and trees, 100 species of mammals, over 400 species of birds, and roughly 1,200 species of amphibians and reptiles. When exlploring the forest, it is likely that you will see a variety of birds and animals including, bellbirds, guans, toucanets, jaguars, pumas, monkeys, and the golden toad, a species of toad that only exists in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
• Go scuba diving. One of the best ways to get a view of Costa Rica’s underwater marine life is by scuba diving. Scuba diving is extremely popular in Costa Rica at the moment, with many tour groups and travel agencies offering scuba trips and excursions. The water in Costa Rica is ideal throughout the year and perfect to see massive schools of fish and marine life. The most popular scuba diving locations are Playas del Coco, Play Hermosa and Playa Ocotal. If you visit these places, you can see giant manta rays and swim alongside brightly colored tropical fish. Another extrememly popular scuba diving spot is the Isla del Cano, which is said to be the best place to scuba dive in Costa Rica. The Isla del Cano is home to 18 species of coral, 3 species of dolphin and 57 different species of crustaceans.

Monteverde Cloud ForestScuba diver in Manuel Antonio

 

Scuba Diver in Manuel Antonio

These are just SOME of the many things to see and do in Costa Rica. I just decided to talk about the things that I thought looked the most interesting and fun. My next blog will be about a certain cruise that I really underestimated before taking.

Savannah Part 2

So I’ve discussed the tours to take and the food to eat but what about the places to see? Well you have plenty of options. First, I’d like to talk about the picture at the top of my blog. This statue is known as The Waving Girl of Savannah. The Waving Girl statue overlooks the Savannah River from the bluff at the eastern end of River Street. It was created by the famous sculptor Felix De Weldon, who also created the United States Marine Corps Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. The Waving Girl Statue honors the  life of Florence Martus, Savannah’s legendary waving girl. Florence, who was known far and wide, welcomed more than 50,000 ships to Savannah throughout her lifetime.

The Waving Girl of Savannah

One of the more popular things to do when you’re in Savannah is to take tours of historic homes. Savannah has PLENTY of them for anyone who enjoys architecture and history. I toured two of these homes while in Savannah. One being the Mercer Williams House and the other being the Owens-Thomas House. The Mercer Williams House is probably one of the most toured homes in Savannah. It was designed in 1860 for Hugh W. Mercer, Johnny Mercer’s great-grandfather. The construction was interrupted by the Civil War, and the house was not completed until 1868. The house’s most famous owner, Jim Williams, a preservation and restoration expert, as well as a lavish host became famous as the central figure in the book turned movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Jim Williams was accused of killing Danny Hansford in the study of the mansion in May of 1981. Williams was found not guilty of the murder after his fourth murder trial, but died of pneumonia just six months later at the age of 59. The movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, starring Kevin Spacey features scenes filmed in the house. Jim’s sister now owns the property and has turned the mansion into a museum with daily-guided tours.

The Mercer Williams House

The Owens-Thomas House was built by William Jay in 1816 and is considered the nations finest example of English Regency architecture. The house takes up a whole block and features a columned entrance portico, handsome cast iron balcony, winding double stairway, and arched second story windows. The interior has a gorgeous stairway of mahogany, cast iron, brass and elegant furnishings. The foundation of the home and garden walls are built of tabby, a regional material made of sand, shells and lime. One of the most famous guests of the house was the Revolutionary War hero, Marquis de Lafayette who visited Savannah in 1825. It is said that he reviewed Savannah’s militia from the south balcony of the house and addressed the thousands of cheering citizens who gathered below. It is currently owned by Savannah’s art museum, the Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a National Historic Landmark.

Another must-see is the Savannah History Museum. The Savannah History Museum is located in the old Central of Georgia Railway passenger shed, which is a Natural Historic landmark built in the 1850s. The museum has more than 10,000 artifacts, including the famous bench from the movie Forest Gump. The famous bench scene was actually filmed in Savannah.

The Famous Bench

 

That is about it for Savannah. I hope you enjoyed my Savannah blogs. I will updating with places I’ve been, places I’d like to go, and the latest travel deals.

First Post! Savannah Part 1

Welcome to my blog! I’ll be updating this pretty frequently with all things travel related. The content will range from travel deals, hotels, food, places to see, and things to do. I hope you find this blog helpful and even entertaining at times.

On to the second order of business. The last place I traveled to was Savannah, Georgia. I went at the end of March for about 5 days. The good part about going somewhere close like Savannah is that the plane ride is relatively short. The decision to go to Savannah was made by my parents who had heard how beautiful it was and that it was a must see. The first thing I noticed when I got there was how many older people there were. So Savannah is obviously a destination for retired couples, but don’t write it off just yet…Savannah really has something to offer to everyone.

When staying in Savannah, it’s best to stay on or near Bay Street.  Bay Street and River Street are right near the water and that’s where you have the most access to everything Savannah offers. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency on Bay St., but there are numerous hotels and Inns around the whole city which vary in price range. One of the first things you’re going to want to do in Savannah is take a trolley tour. We decided to take a tour with the trolley company that the concierge suggested. The tour cost $30 dollars per person and went all around town. Right after we bought the tickets we went to the Visitor’s Center and the man there suggested a different company that costs $10 dollars per person and hits the same spots. This is why you should always go the visitor’s center first because the hotels have deals with local companies and they make a portion of the profits. So if you’re looking for a thorough and cheap tour, choose Oglethorpe Tours.

One demographic that Savannah definitely caters to is the foodie. First and foremost, I want to recommend THE  BEST place to eat in Savannah, Mrs. Wilkes. It was definitely a different dining experience than what I was used to. First of all, Mrs. Wilkes is only open for lunch and there WILL be a line. The line could range from just outside the door to literally around the block. The wait is worth it. Lunch will cost about $16 dollars. Again, worth it. Secondly, you’re seated at a large table with a bunch of strangers to eat. Third, there is no set menu to chose what you’d like to eat at Mrs. Wilkes. Instead, numerous bowls of food are put on your table and everyone gets to treat themselves to what they’d like…(sort of like a Thanksgiving dinner). They will bring out as much food as you can eat.  Their specialty is southern home style cooking. Some of my favorite items included fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, beef stew, and the dessert, which is always banana pudding. Lastly, when you’re done your meal, they ask you to take your dishes to the kitchen.

Outside Mrs. Wilkes

Another place I would recommend is Huey’s on River Street. They serve New Orleans’s style food in the heart of Savannah. It has a nice ambiance as well because you face the river and there are often street performers with trumpets or saxophones that frequent the area at night. We went to Huey’s for a couple of meals because of the proximity to our hotel.

Finally, you cannot go to Savannah without seeing the face of Paula Deen literally EVERYWHERE. Most people know Paula Deen from her Food Network show Paula’s Home Cooking. She and her sons own a restaurant in downtown Savannah named The Lady and Sons. This restaurant is probably one of the most popular places in Savannah and you definitely need a reservation ahead of time. I did not eat at the restaurant but I heard many good things about it.  I have also heard that Paula Deen is seen at the restaurant fairly often. There is a store attached to the restaurant where you can buy her cookbooks and cooking supplies.

The Lady and Sons

Hope you found this helpful so far. On my next blog post I’ll talk more about the historical sites and activities that are available in Savannah.