Midwest Bucket List

Time is running out! Jake will only be with us another 2.8 years before he leaves for a mission. Emma graduates in 4.8 years. I have so much left to teach them and I feel so behind. I also keep thinking about all the places I want to show the kids before they leave the nest. Let me tell ya...it's quite a list! So here, in no particular order, are many of the places I dream of visiting while we're all still here in Ohio:

Anywhere in Canada

We live something like an hour from Canada. Why have we not driven there yet, just to say we've been to another country besides Mexico? Perhaps we could roll a trip to Niagara Falls and Toronto into one, although my deepest desire is to visit Prince Edward Island (I'm an Anne of Green Gables fan).

 

 

Palmyra, NY

 

I wince a little when I think of this important church history site. The youth in our church took a long weekend trip there this summer, but our family was involved in a play at the time and had to miss it. We must see Palmyra in order to round out our church history tour. We've already been to Salt Lake, Kirtland, and Nauvoo.

 

 

Williamsburg, VA

 

Jake loves history, as do I. Williamsburg seems to be a good jumping off place for more than one adventure into our country's past. This vacation spot is also close to where my sister Sheila lives...win-win!

 

 

The Atlantic Coast

 

This one could actually happen! My dear friend Emily moved to Savannah, GA a couple years ago and promised I could come visit when the winter grey of Ohio got to be too much. I also think it would be amazing to rent a beach house along the Outer Banks or Hilton Head. I hear both spots are lovely.

 

 

New York City

 

We have a family full of theater lovers. We have to go to New York and see a show! Rick has a friend with some connections in the city, so hopefully that could defray some of the costs. Ouch! It's expensive there...



 





 

 

Tennessee

 

There are several stops to choose from in this great state: Nashville, Memphis, Dollywood, the Smoky Mountains, to name a few. I think we could strike a great balance between the outdoorsy stuff I like to do and the entertainment stuff the kids like to do.

 

 

Anywhere in New England

 

I vaguely remember a grand family trip to the New England coast when I was 6. Maine sticks out in my mind. We camped there and we tried to "swim". It was freezing cold, but beautiful.

 

 

Mackinac Island, MI

 

Rick and I love the classic movie Somewhere In Time. We might need a romantic getaway to this film's location before we move back west someday. In fact, any visit to the Upper Peninsula would be fine by me!

 

 

 

All 5 Great Lakes

 

Erie and Michigan are already done. Is there a way for us to squeeze in Huron, Ontario, and even Superior? It's unlikely we'll get that far north.

 

 

Anywhere north of Detroit

 

We've lived in Ohio 5+ years and have never been north of Detroit. Shameful. I hear Michigan is a really great state, at least Tim Allen thinks so.  We should really take our little camper up there...

 

 

 

It's not an exhaustive list, but it's an ambitious one anyway. It's too bad we're short on time and money for such things. Whatever we can't check off while the kids are with us, Rick and I will see to it in our retirement years. I envision us tooling around the country with a 5th wheel and a dog someday. Between visits to see our grandkids, we'll hit every state in the continental U.S.