Saturday States: Alaska

Alaska

State Nickname: The Last Frontier

Year of Family Trip: 2010

Cities Visited: Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway

Can't Miss Tourist Attractions:
Tracy Arm Fjord, Mendenhall Glacier, Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, Totem Bight State Park, White Pass & Yukon Route Railway

After our big Hawaiian adventure in January, we were SO close to completing our goal of visiting all 50 states.  We didn't wait too long to cross off our final state!  That August, we all flew to Seattle where our Sapphire Princess cruise ship departed for Alaska!  It was more gorgeous, green, and lush than I could have ever imagined - a truly great trip!  In Ketchikan, we visited the Totem Bight State Park and watched the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show.  Then, we spent time on Mom and Dad's balcony admiring Tracy Arm Fjord before docking in Juneau to check out Mendenhall Glacier and a salmon hatchery.  Finally, we made our way to Skagway where we enjoyed a trek on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway and saw some huskies up close.  The cruise also briefly landed us in Victoria, British Columbia, where we took a stroll through Craigdarroch Castle.  Of course, we had our share of fun on the ship as well!

A Birth Order Disembarkation

It was a moment we'd all been awaiting for quite some time.  Some longer than others.  It seemed only fair that Dad be the first one of us to set foot on Alaskan ground since he'd been on this journey the longest.  He and his mom (our Mamaw) drove all over the place racking up a number of states together before he began the process with all of us.  Once we decided Dad should go first, we figured it only made sense to just descend from the ship in birth order...and that's what we did!

Tic Toc's Totem Tales

Totem Bight State Park is a phenomenal and unique place.  We enjoyed checking out the various totem poles, but we quickly tired of Tic Toc's tales.  Tic Toc served as our tour bus driver for a portion of our time in Ketchikan...and we still aren't sure if she took one single breath for the entire time she spent with us. At least she kept things interesting...

Family Feud...and Other Cruise Fun and Games

Mom, Dad, and McKinley were first time cruisers when we set sail.  Each day, it was exciting to gather in Mom and Dad's room to figure out what activities or shows we wanted to check out on the ship.  We typically split up and did our own thing since interests varied, but on occasion we all ended up in the same place.  One of those times found us as participants on a cruise style Family Feud game show - we lost on a steal, but we had a lot of fun playing together!  My brothers and I also managed to work in a number of "training" runs for our half marathon scheduled the following month.  Those were exciting with the wind blowing us like crazy on the track atop the ship.  There was lots of bingo, some fruit carving demonstrations, and even a few craps lessons in the casino - something for everyone!  And the absolute best part of the cruise turned out to be our servers, Joel and Allen. They were part of the family before it was all said and done!

Wildlife Wins

One thing that Alaska doesn't run short on is wildlife!  We visited a salmon hatchery in the Juneau area.  And McKinley tried fish eggs - ugh!!  We also saw salmon jumping around in the wild several different times.  The other animal that proved never scarce was the bald eagle!  At Mendenhall Glacier, we saw a slew of them!  And then we managed a major wildlife win on our bus ride to Skagway - a black bear...and its cub!!  Everyone on the bus immediately produced a camera and scurried to the right side of the bus to capture the perfect photo!

Can You See Canada From Here?

Not only did we see Canada, but we also spent a bit of time in two different provinces - the Yukon Territory and British Columbia.  The Yukon was stunningly beautiful.  The White Pass & Yukon Route Railway was certainly a highlight of our trip.  The train was exciting and we learned so much about the area, too!  There was even an elaborate mail system that basically used graffiti as a tracking system!  We spent some time with Alaskan huskies and checked out the spectacular views before we ventured back to Skagway.  Later, the trip ended with a brief visit in Victoria, British Columbia - unfortunately, it was dark for most of our visit there though.

And Then There Were None

And just like that, we visited all 50 states!  We were in a bit of shock as we played cards and chatted about our adventures through the years while waiting on our return flights at the Seattle airport.  It was quite strange to not have another trip to plan in order to conquer our next chunk of states. Mom and Dad had spent the better part of 18 years figuring out the most efficient way to accomplish our family goal.  My brothers and I are certainly thankful for all the time, money, and effort that went into making sure we spent time traveling together - even though we fought like crazy all too often! We enjoyed learning about people and places that were different from what we knew back home. And now we have lots of fun stories to tell our future families on road trips across America!

Have you ever ventured to the lovely land of Alaska?

Andrea :)

Saturday States: Hawaii

Hawaii

State Nickname: The Aloha State

Year of Family Trip: 2010

Cities Visited: Honolulu, The Big Island

Can't Miss Tourist Attractions:
Dole Plantation, North Shore, Diamond Head, USS Arizona Memorial, Luau, Snorkeling, Swimming with the Dolphins, Black Sand Beaches

We flew from near and far to gather for our Hawaiian vacation in January 2010. Initially, it was just Mom, Dad, McKinley, and me.  We spent the day at Dole Plantation and drove around the North Beach area before Jordan and Jen joined us.  After that, it was one adventure after another.  We hiked to the top of Diamond Head for a spectacular view, danced the night away at a luau, paid our respects when visiting the USS Arizona Memorial, and even hopped over to The Big Island for a day of volcano watching and black sand beach walking.  McKinley and I were the only ones to experience swimming with the dolphins - certainly a lifetime top ten moment for me!  And snorkeling turned out to quite an adventure for the Heflin crew.

Pineapple Maze

I had pretty low expectations for the Dole Plantation, but it turned out to be SO much fun!  We had the most fun in the Pineapple Maze! We searched high and low for each station...eventually finding them all!  A pineapple ice cream float was a fantastic reward for a long day of walking through the garden maze!

North Shore Shrimp and Shaved Ice

North Shore was full of more than just massive waves and hang ten surfers - it had shrimp trucks and shaved ice!!  Shrimp has grown on me over the years, but at this point in time it was not something I particularly enjoyed.  Mom selected a couple types from the extensive Shrimp Shack menu...and I was hooked!!  The coconut fried shrimp was absolutely phenomenal!  We also managed to locate Matsumoto's famous shaved ice stand.  This shaved ice packs a punch.  A punch full of ice cream!!  They load the bottom of the cone with soft serve before topping it with your choice of flavored shaved ice - YUM!!  Just be careful to listen closely and avoid the additional black beans option!

Hopping over to The Big Island

We didn't manage to visit all the stunning islands of Hawaii, but we did venture over to The Big Island for a fun day trip.  It was actually our first (and only...so far!) flight together.  It was short and took place in an extremely small plane, but we made it!  We spent the day roaming around sites with active volcanoes - fortunately, we never saw one erupt.  We did see lots of lava remains cooling in the distance on our black sand beaches walk though.

Zippy - the Flying Dolphin!

McKinley and I decided we wanted to play with dolphins on this trip so Mom signed us up for an amazing dolphin adventure.  There was lots of instruction and a life jacket requirement that left me wondered what exactly I had signed up for at Sea Life Park.  We participated in a number of warm-up activities with the two dolphins - received and gave kisses, danced with them, pet their stomach and back, and even had them wave at our family and friends watching us.  We were also able to participate in two tricks with them - a dorsal pull and a nose push.  I was nervous about missing the dorsal fins on the pull so I didn't fully enjoy it as much as the nose push.  My only concern with the nose push was that my dolphin would sneeze or something and open his mouth leaving me one leg shy of a pair, but thankfully everything went as planned.  And I easily had one of my most memorable life experiences!  We were so sad when the session ended!!  I have such a huge respect for the intelligence of these amazing creatures!

Man Overboard (AKA Snorkeling)

Next up for the Heflin bunch was a day at sea for some fun snorkeling time.  This was an utter disaster!  The day started like any other.  However, as we drifted further and further from the shore, the water became more and more choppy.  Our captain pointed out some wild dolphins nearby - a pleasant distraction for a bit.  Then, we began receiving instruction for the snorkeling excursion - masks and brief breathing techniques, fins, life jackets.  No "HELP NEEDED" code or signal...after all, each person was required to answer affirmative when asked if they knew how to swim.  Well, it didn't take long for half of our bunch to realize they were in over their head with this whole adventure.  Mom and Dad were completely out of their element.  Dad was certain he would be scattered into a million pieces by the boat's blade as he drifted closer and closer to it.  Eventually, they rescued Dad and threw Mom a life buoy.  I'm not exactly sure if they had ever seen a crew like ours before.  I managed to hang in there, but I swallowed enough water to make me sick - literally!  And I lost my fins on my trek back to the boat.  Jordan saved me from drowning without them, but it was no easy effort.  Jordan and Jen (they had initially proposed the idea) decided they would rather snorkel without us in the future!

Luau Memories

Attending a luau in Hawaii is an definite must do activity!  We spent a night having a blast at Paradise Cove.  There were tons of activities - tattoo artistry, canoe rowing, traditional games, dancing, arts and crafts, and more - to experience while waiting for the food to be ready.  We were also able to watch the unveiling of the roasted pig and try poi.  Jordan was brave enough to give it a shot.  I don't think he'd recommend it though!  Once the food was finished, we enjoyed it along with a show full of dancers and great music!

A Hike to Remember 

We decided to hike Diamond Head one day. It seemed like a good plan until I realized halfway up that I was wearing flip flops - not ideal!  The climb was steep and seemed to be never ending, but I'm glad we did it.  There were several landings along the way for photo opportunities which is nice for those that don't want to put in the effort to go all the way to the top! 

An Infamous Place

We visited the USS Arizona Memorial on our last day in Hawaii.  They give out free tickets, but the number is limited and given out first come, first serve so we went there early that morning to make sure we got ours. The memorial is very impressive.  When you enter, you are given a card with the name of an individual and some background information about them on it.  This was a great way to feel a part of the whole experience.  I definitely recommend checking out the memorial if you visit Honolulu.

Have you ever visited the beautiful islands of Hawaii?

Andrea :)

Saturday States: Washington, DC

Washington, DC

State Nickname: Our Nation's Capitol
Not technically a state, but there is SO much to do in DC - I couldn't leave it out!

Year of Family Trip: 1999

City Visited: Washington, DC

Can't Miss Tourist Attractions:
White House, Capitol Building, National Zoo, All the Memorials and Museums

Our family trip to Washington DC came about when Jordan's 8th grade class took a Spring Break field trip there.  Since Dad works in the school system it was easy for us to tag along on the trip.  Not too sure Jordan was super thrilled about it, but I suppose that is the life of a middle child!

We saw pandas at the National Zoo, enjoyed the rotunda view inside the Capitol Building, and captured some photos outside the gates of the White House.  I was amazed by the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian.  We all enjoyed checking out the Memorials for all the popular Presidents.  Lincoln was a favorite since he grew up in the Bluegrass State! And Ricker took a particular liking to Eleanor Roosevelt. Below, you can see Jordan and McKinley lounging on the FDR Memorial while I collect rubbings of various soldier's names at the Vietnam Memorial.

It was a really nice time of year to visit.  Unfortunately, beavers had been on the prowl destroying many of the cherry blossom trees along the basin in the Mall area.  I was bummed we didn't get to see those in full bloom.  Our week was full between checking out all the museums - particularly touching was the Holocaust Museum - and visiting various places like the Supreme Court and National Archives.  It served as both an educational and enjoyable trip for all of us!

Have you ever been to Washington DC?

Andrea :)

Saturday States: New Hampshire & Maine

 

New Hampshire

State Nickname: The Granite State

Year of Family Trip: 2002

City Visited: Concord

Can't Miss Tourist Attraction: Capitol Building

We quickly made our way through New Hampshire, but not before stopping to check out the Capitol Building in Concord.  We didn't manage to do much else in this state before moving on toward Maine.

Maine

State Nickname: The Pine Tree State

Year of Family Trip: 2002

Cities Visited: Augusta, Livermore Falls, Kennebunkport

Can't Miss Tourist Attractions:
Capitol Building, Wedding Cake House, Beach in Kennebunkport

Maine offered an interesting array of things to do.  We spent some time checking out all the fancy houses in the beach area of Kennebunkport.  McKinley posed with the sign since he's been referred to by the nickname Kenny Buck a few times over the years.  We also managed to find the Wedding Cake House that mom and I were so excited to see.  And since few states were complete without a trip to the Capitol Building, we stopped by Augusta for a brief visit.  Our adventure in Maine concluded with a trip to Livermore Falls.  The red van seen from the rear on the right side of the collage below is the one we drove all over the 48 contiguous states. Lots of laughs and memories were made as a family of five traveling all over the country in that red van...and it's highly possible it saw its fair share of bickering and snoring, too!

Have you ever spent time in New Hampshire or Maine?

Andrea :)

Saturday States: Vermont

Vermont

State Nickname: The Green Mountain State

Year of Family Trip: 2002

City Visited: Bennington

Can't Miss Tourist Attraction:
Bennington Monument, Kaye's Diner

Vermont proved an exciting, but unexpected adventure for the Heflin crew.  Maybe it was because we had no expectations prior to arriving there.  Or maybe it was the friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Whatever the reason, we really made the most of our time in this beautiful state.

Would you like to play?

We made our way toward the church that Robert Frost attended and found his burial site in the cemetery behind the church.  We were pleased to see that the church was actually open - especially since it was the 4th of July!  We ventured in to check it out when a friendly church member approached to ask us where we were visiting from and find out more about us. In the process, Dad indicated he had played the piano (and eventually the organ) at our church back home since he was a teenager.  The patron offered to let Dad play on the beautiful pipe organ if he'd like.  One doesn't pass up that type of opportunity so we sat in the box pews and listened to a familiar version of America the Beautiful as we celebrated the Independence of our great nation that day.

Atmosphere

We spent some time at Bennington Monument taking in the stunning view of the city and countryside. We drove across a couple of covered bridges.  And then we came upon Kaye's.  My brothers and I weren't sold on it, but Mom and Dad insisted that we get a bite to eat there.  We reviewed the menu and didn't see anything special.  Dad told us that it didn't matter as much about the variety of the menu - we'd be eating at Kaye's for the atmosphere.  Atmosphere?!?  We had never heard of such a thing. But, we ate at Kaye's. Years later on my first trip to Vermont with Christopher, I told him we just had to find Kaye's for lunch. Guess there was something to that atmosphere thing after all.

Have you ever been to the beautiful state of Vermont?

Andrea :)

Saturday States: Rhode Island & Connecticut

Rhode Island

State Nickname: The Ocean State

Year of Family Trip: 2002

City Visited: Providence

Can't Miss Tourist Attraction: Capitol Building

We passed through Rhode Island quickly, but not before stopping to check out the capitol building right in the heart of Providence.  We didn't know of much else to do in this small state so we drove around in search of our souvenir spoon before going on our merry way.

Connecticut

State Nickname: The Constitution State

Year of Family Trip: 2002

City Visited: Not Sure

Can't Miss Tourist Attraction:
We missed them all, but we did drive through!

We did even less in Connecticut.  Unfortunately, we can't seem to think of anything specific that we did there. We likely stopped at some restaurant for a bite to eat as we continued our search for those elusive souvenirs.

What should we do next time we visit Rhode Island or Connecticut?

Andrea :)

Saturday States: Massachusetts

Massachusetts

State Nickname: The Bay State

Year of Family Trip: 2002

Cities Visited: Boston, Salem, Plymouth

Can't Miss Tourist Attractions:

Old North Church, Plymouth Rock, House of Seven Gables, Whale Watch

For such a small state, there sure is a lot to do in Massachusetts.  We made the most of our time visiting Boston, Salem, and Plymouth.  From historical talks to eating fresh seafood to spending time at the watering hole where everybody knows your name to whale watching before the days of digital cameras and actually getting some great photos, Massachusetts has much to offer.

History for Days...and a Surprise!

The history in Boston is rich!  It was incredible to see so many of the buildings that were here when America gained its independence long ago.  Old North Church and Paul Revere's Home were a real treat.  We walked along the streets soaking in all the history before we found a place to grab lunch.  We found a nice spot and settled into our seats to review the menus when McKinley spotted something a bit out of the ordinary - a transvestite with a beard.  Welcome to Boston!

Spooky Salem

Salem was spooky.  We visited a cemetery, learned all about the witch trials, and posed in a stockade. Jordan even managed to talk Mom and Dad into allowing him to get a temporary tattoo.  It was an eerie place to visit, but so worth the trip.

Ricker Does It Again!

The House of Seven Gables is also located in Salem.  It was built for Captain John Turner back in the 1600s and made famous by Nathaniel Hawthrone's 1851 novel by the same name.  We toured the settlement house ending in the garden area at the back.  Dad decided this would be a great spot for Ricker to have his photo made so I got him all set and squatted behind the bushes to wait. I waited for what seemed like an eternity before I finally rose from my crouch to see what in the world was taking so long.  Dad was pointing behind me and laughing his head off.  I turned to see a huge tour group filing out of the house staring my way with looks of pure puzzlement on their faces.  Thanks, Ricker!

That Time Dad Touched Plymouth Rock

Often throughout our Northeastern adventure, Dad would recount the time he came to the area with the Haywoods.  He told us story after story about that trip...always including the time he touched Plymouth Rock.  We were excited when we finally arrived in Massachusetts to see this massive piece of history he'd recalled.  Imagine our shock when we arrived in Plymouth to find the small rock deep in a hole surrounded by barriers.  We couldn't even get a great picture due to the shadows!  We never denied that Dad touched it way back when, but we did claim he would have needed a Go-Go-Gadget Arm to reach it.

Have you ever been to Massachusetts?

Andrea :)

Saturday States: New York

New York

State Nickname: The Empire State

Years of Family Trip: 2002, 2004, and 2007

Cities Visited: Niagara Falls, New York City

Can't Miss Tourist Attractions:

Niagara Falls, Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Belmont Park

There is certainly no shortage of things to do and places to go in New York.  Most of our Heflin family adventures took place around New York City, but as an NYC resident for over eight years now believe me when I say this state has SO much to offer.  

Don't get me wrong though, it's not my favorite.  Never has been.  When we came for a family vacation back in 2004, I couldn't wait to get back home!  After one of our expeditions through the subway system, I proclaimed, "If there are more people above ground than down here, I just want to turn around and go home."  I'd love to say I've overcome that feeling since becoming a resident, but I still feel that way most days!  Living in New York City is not for the faint of heart - it is busy and crowded and overwhelming and expensive.  But it is a FANTASTIC place to visit!!

Mist Everywhere...

In 2002, we visited Niagara Falls.  The Falls are stunning from any angle, but we spent time on both the American and Canadian side.  And we took a boat ride - Maiden of the Mist - to see things close up.  Big mistake!  We didn't see nearly as much as we felt on that boat ride.  We got soaked!

A Heflin Trifecta

On our NYC vacation in 2004, we stayed with my Aunt Mildred in Long Island.  This required us to take the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) into the city each day.  As a result, we saw posters advertising the Belmont Stakes.  And Smarty Jones was running for the Triple Crown.  Perfect timing!  We barely made it to the racetrack in time to place our bets.  We were ready to watch history be made.  And then we saw the mass of humanity that we'd need to see through in order to watch the race.  We tip-toed enough to see bits and pieces of the horses beginning their journey to the starting gate.  And then we noticed Mom was missing.  Where did she go?  We soon found her gagging into a nearby trash can.  The reason - too much cigar smoke.  Needless to say, Smarty didn't have such a great race experience either!

Bird Watching!

We made a journey to the Statue on our initial trip to NYC in 2004, but weren't able to go inside at that time.  In 2007, when all the Heflins convened on the city to celebrate my first winter in the Big Apple, we were able to climb inside.  On one visit, Mom received a surprise from a little birdie friend as we waited on the never ending line to board the boat to Ellis Island, where lifelong packs were promised.

Happy New Year!!

On the chilly New Year's Eve of 2007, we took our place inside the barricade while the sun was still shining overhead.  It didn't take long for the area to fill with people.  It also didn't take long for us to get tired and antsy.  Jen brought a book...smart girl!  Mom thinks a couple was rounding the bases using her back as a makeshift wall.  Dad and I played a guessing game of sorts...and wished we'd brought some chairs.  We all couldn't have been any happier when the ball finally began to drop!  Being there to ring in 2008 was certainly an experience, but not one any of us would likely repeat.

Have you ever been to the Big Apple?

What did you enjoy most?

Andrea :)