Author: Priya Nayar

After our leisurely day of driving around Cape Cod, we hit the ground running in Boston and I’m almost tempted to label this post “How to give Boston and its surrounds a run for their tourism money in 2½ days”. We took in all we could see and do and set out to tick off the following items:

• Do a Duck Tour and ride down the Charles River
• Visit Harvard University
• Visit the JFK Presidential Library
• Walk through Boston Public Garden & Common
• Walk the Freedom Trail
• Go to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord
• Eat a Boston cream puff
• Visit Salem and learn about the witch trials

And tick them off we did with the exception of Salem but first things first: a visit to the Cheers bar where, contrary to the show’s theme song, nobody knew our name 😂

The Duck Tour showed us the main sights of Boston and took us down the Charles River in the sunshine.

At Harvard we did a free tour led by a student of the university and got a great look into life on campus from a student’s perspective.

Many of our American friends have told us to visit a Presidential Library and we’ve been trying to work out when and where we were going to do this. So it was an unexpected bonus when our Airbnb ended up being only minutes from John F Kennedy’s Library & Museum.

A walk through Boston Public Garden and Common was very pretty as the trees provided bursts of color everywhere.

The road to the revolution was brought to life for us as we walked the Freedom Trail in the footsteps of Boston patriots including Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Hancock and Paul Revere.

We took a drive to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord so I could find the graves of Louisa May Alcott and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Which was a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack because unlike for Colonel Sanders and Calamity Jane, there’s no one with a map at the entrance telling you where to find them. But find them I did.

And a little further down the road and around the corner is the Alcott Orchard House where Louisa May lived with her parents and three sisters and which Little Women’s March family house is based upon.

Our final Massachusetts stop was supposed to be Salem. The site of the Salem Witch Trials, we were a bit excited to visit here because so many people told us how great it is at this time of year leading up to Halloween, with townsfolk dressed up and buildings decorated. Our first clue that this wasn’t going to go as planned was when it took us half an hour of bumper to bumper traffic just to get to the freeway exit to Salem. Another 25 minutes later we made it into the town centre which was simply inundated with people EVERYWHERE. Queues to get into buildings and restaurants were wrapped around the block, pedestrians crossed the streets in masses and parking was absolutely non-existent. After 30 minutes of circling this madness it was clear we never going to find a place to park much less a spot on the sidewalk to stand on and, wondering why there isn’t a park and ride system in place, we hightailed it out of Salem and added it to our list of places to come back to, alongside Yellowstone.

Massachusetts, the rest of you was fabulous!

P&S

Another checklist destination, another classic song lyric…

If you’re fond of sand dunes and salty air
Quaint little villages here and there
You’re sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod
If you like the taste of a lobster stew
Served by a window with an ocean view
You’re sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod…

And sure enough, as Patti Page promised, we fell in love with Cape Cod. As we crossed the border into Massachusetts and headed up to Provincetown, we found ourselves on roads that wound through small towns and past weathered cottages. Reaching the top of the Cape, we arrived in Provincetown and headed for The Lobster Pot which has been welcoming locals and tourists alike with its neon sign since 1943. And while all the food was as good as the reviews told us, the lobster was downright YUM. Lobster on Cape Cod: a bucket list meal checked off ✔️

Embracing the salty Atlantic breeze we pottered around Provincetown, also known as P-town to those who know it well, and reveled in the fact that the streets were almost free of other tourists now that the summer season is well over. But the beach is still busy with fishermen, the sandy shores are inviting you to walk on them and the Cape Cod ambience enveloped us as we headed back down the Cape to Hyannis for the night.

En route to Boston we surprised Sue with a visit to Patriot Place, home of Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots. Sue has been a long-time fan of the Patriots and, while we couldn’t get tickets to a game while she was here, we thought seeing their Super Bowl trophies for herself might be a consolation prize. The Hall of Fame was full of stories, memories, history and landmark moments for the Patriots and their fans and before we knew it two hours had passed and we left with a very happy Sue.

Boston, we’re here! Fingers crossed for fine weather as we explore you and your neighbours over the next couple of days ☺️

S&P

Unsure as to why Rhode Island is called Rhode Island when the vast majority of it is connected to mainland America, we headed to Newport. Tucked away at the southern end of Aquidneck Island, also known as Rhode Island, it would appear that this island is the state’s namesake. The state’s official name is, in fact, State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations – a mighty long name for America’s smallest state in area. Arriving in Newport under overcast skies, it was clear the lack of sunshine was not deterring the hoards of tourists filling the streets, restaurants and harbour-side, us included.

Jumping on a trolley tour, we got a fabulous overview of Newport including the harbour which was home to the America’s Cup, the oldest international sporting trophy, from 1930 to 1983. Laying claim to a very wealthy history, Newport is famous for being the location of Presidents Kennedy and Eisenhower’s Summer White Houses and also boasts Bellevue Avenue, hosting some of the most ridiculously opulent Gilded Age mansions, or summer ‘cottages’. Our guide gave a great tour, pointing out houses along the beautiful Ocean Drive that belong to Jay Leno, Judge Judy and a random assortment of other celebrities.

I apologise in advance here for my photos but I seemed to spend a lot of time in Rhode Island battling with trees getting in my way.

From Newport to Providence and we began our time here with another Sidra colleague, Toni. It’s been so amazing, and somewhat surreal, to see old friends here in their home country after being fellow expats, and as we have done with other friends, we sat with Toni in Joe Marzilli’s Old Canteen Italian Restaurant in slight disbelief that we were actually looking at each other. Thanks for a great evening Toni!

The skies cleared for our day of exploring Providence. We started with a walk along the river and soaked up the sunshine.

Then we met up with Peter, our walking tour guide for the afternoon, and made all the better by the fact that it was just us on the tour. Peter’s knowledge and perspectives on the history of Providence were interesting, fascinating and entertaining. As he walked us through the streets of Providence, including the lovely Brown University campus, he weaved us a story of the city primarily centred around three major stakeholders in the city’s past: Roger Williams, founder of Providence, who was a believer in religious freedom, an advocate of the Narragansett Indians and an abolitionist. John Brown, a slave trader, statesman, merchant and part of the American Revolution. And Vincent “Buddy” Cianci, a lawyer, radio talk show host and Providence’s mayor for 20 years collectively, making him the city’s longest serving mayor and leaving in his wake a colourful trail of controversy. Peter brought these three men to life during his tour as he described the influences they have had on Providence. One of the best walking tours we’ve done by far.

For such a small state, Rhode Island has a story to rival any other. Full of character, history and scenery, we thank you Rhode Island as we say goodbye and head into Massachusetts ☺️

S&P

With the fall foliage of New England beckoning, we headed north of New York and said hello to Connecticut. First stop: Outriggers in Stratford for lunch. Stuffed clams and prawns, battered cod tacos and oyster shooters made for a super introduction to New England cuisine.

We arrived in Hartford, capital of Connecticut, and escaped the rain by visiting Samuel Clemens’ house. Better known to the world as Mark Twain, Clemens and his wife Livvy built this house in 1873 and from 1874 to 1891 they raised their family here. Many of Twain’s classics were also written here including the The Prince and the Pauper, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The house has been beautifully restored and the tour gave great insight into the story of Mark Twain. The house has been described as “part steamboat, part medieval fortress and part cuckoo clock” and Samuel Clemens himself said that his happiest years were spent in this house.

With clear skies the next day we headed west and took a drive through the leaves. It’s so beautiful and the camera just can’t fully convey the brilliance of the colours but rest assured that won’t stop me taking photos as we continue to make our way around the region 😂 New England fall foliage: another America bucket list item checked off!

Mystic Seaport Museum is the largest maritime museum in America and home to the Charles W. Morgan. The Charles W. Morgan was built in 1841 and used throughout the 19th and early 20th century. Now residing at Mystic Seaport, the Charles W. Morgan is the world’s last surviving wooden whaling ship. The museum has an amazing exhibition on the history of whaling and a living museum shares some of the nation’s maritime history.

Our visit to Mystic included a wander around the Olde Mistick Village, a recreated 18th century New England village.

And finally our Connecticut visit was made complete with an evening with Gena and Frank, friends from Doha. We had a fabulous Oktoberfest meal at Abigail’s Grille and a wonderful evening reminiscing and catching up. Thank you Frank and Gena and we look forward to you seeing you in Australia! ☺️

P&S

An extra unplanned blog post! We arrived back in Detroit from Nebraska, picked up Ruby and headed east via Ohio and Pennsylvania (with the intention of returning to visit Pennsylvania next month as planned). We’re meeting Sammy’s mum Sue in New York and she’s joining us for the New England chapter of our road trip.

So we just expected to drive straight through to NY with no stops. We did not expect to find a lovely scenic drive through Pennsylvania that turned what should have been a 3½ hour drive into nearly 7 hours 😂 What an absolutely beautiful drive. The area is known as Elk Country, situated in the Pennsylvania Wilds, and the highlight of our drive was finding a wild elk grazing in the woodlands. 

Pennsylvania, we’ll be back soon but in the meantime, thank you for the spectacular scenery. It was literally like some kind of autumnal patchwork quilt.

P&S

Our introduction to Nebraska was white and cold as we spent our first day hunkered down watching the snowstorm outside. We went outside for exactly six minutes to take photos and feel the snow on our faces and then it was straight back indoors to the warmth of our room. Recommendation: if anyone is passing through Gering, Nebraska, go and stay at the Arcadia Hotel. Cosy, comfortable, great value and perfect for snow watching. 

The next day dawned with brilliant blue skies so out we headed to explore Scotts Bluff National Monument and Chimney Rock. On the way there we stopped in at the Legacy of the Plains Museum. This museum gives a brilliant history of the area with the most eclectic collection of things on display we’ve ever seen.

Scotts Bluff National Monument dramatically rises up out of the landscape and, together with Chimney Rock, served as the indicator for emigrants on the Oregon, California and Mormon trails that they were entering the West. To stand and look at this landscape and to imagine the hundreds of thousands of men, women, children, horses and wagons that came through here in the mid-1800s is quite incredible. From here emigrant traffic headed through to Fort Laramie in Wyoming. It was pretty amazing to be able to actually walk on and see part of the famed trail that led to the Pacific Northwest.

Chimney Rock also makes for a striking silhouette on the horizon. The most recognisable landmark on the emigrant trails, Chimney Rock let travelers know they were going in the right direction. It stands 99m/325ft high however during the time of western migration, it stood an estimated 30m higher. Wind, erosion and lightening has cut it down in height over the last 150 years, but it is still impressive to look at today, especially when imagining the emigrants catching first sight of it from a distance. 

A stop at the Chimney Rock visitor center showed us lots of emigrant trail related information but we were both particularly taken with this advertisement for Pony Express riders:

A Scottsbluff cuisine mention: the Tangled Tumbleweed is a must-stop for anyone coming through this way. A former gas station converted into a food and wine bar, the Tangled Tumbleweed offers great service and yummy food.

An unexpected Nebraska bonus as we headed through North Platte was Union Pacific Railway’s Bailey Yard. The largest railroad classification yard in the world, it handles 12,000 railroad cars every day. We went up to the observation levels of the Golden Spike Tower for great views of the entire railyard. 

The Tower also shares information about the Orphan Trains, which transported orphans from the East to foster homes in the rural midwest from 1854 to 1929, and the North Platte Canteen. The North Platte Canteen was a locally supported railroad stop during World War II that provided refreshments and friendly faces to servicemen on their way to war. With no federal funding, the Canteen was run by 55,000 volunteers who provided the refreshments themselves during a time of rations. 

Nebraska, you have filled us with so many different chapters of history we didn’t expect. We leave you with many thanks as we bid Wyatt farewell and head back to reunite with Ruby.

PS: Thank you for our Nebraska moon ☺️

S&P

Our Wyoming chapter began with bitter disappointment as a blizzard was forecast for right where we were due to go: Cody and Yellowstone Park. Debating whether or not to go ahead and risk it, we decided the latter because even if we were able to get there, there was no guarantee a) if the Park would be open and b) if we would be able to get back out again. So with a promise to return to Yellowstone one day, we packed up and set off to find Devils Tower.

On our way we drove through the town of Aladdin with a population of 15 residents. We stopped at Wyoming Mercantile, also known as the Aladdin General Store which was built in 1896. The store, which has been placed on the US National Register of Historic Places, serves the community as general store, liquor store, post office, bar and gas station.

Leaving Aladdin we drove straight into the oncoming snow as we headed towards Devils Tower. The scenery became even prettier than before with the addition of white everywhere.

As we approached Devils Tower we began to see it taking shape on the snowy horizon. But watching it get nearer didn’t quite prepare us for the sight of it looming over us when we finally reached its base. It is believed to have been created about 50 million years ago, the result of molten magma being forced into sedimentary rocks above it. Over millions of years the sedimentary rock eroded and exposed Devils Tower.

Considered sacred by Northern Plains Indians and one of the finest crack climbing areas in North America, Devils Tower stands 265m/867ft high from base to top, the summit is 1559m/5112ft above sea level and the diameter of its base is 305m/1000ft.

Heading south to Fort Laramie, I confess that my awe at seeing Devils Tower was 100% matched by my excitement at seeing cowboys herding cattle down the road in the snow. Perhaps not so much for Sammy who had to slow Wyatt down to a virtual crawl so I could get my photo 😂

Our visit to Fort Laramie took place post-snow and with dazzling blue skies albeit with a sub-zero wind chill factor. Rugged up against the arctic temperatures, we spent a great couple of hours here as we wandered around and learned about the Fort’s history. Built in 1834 and named Fort William, it was originally a post central to the buffalo trade. Later renamed Fort John, it was eventually bought by the US army in 1849, renamed Fort Laramie and became a military presence along the emigrant trails. The fort was abandoned in 1890 and is now a national historic site. Fort Laramie bears the title of Wyoming’s first settlement.

Well Wyoming, we didn’t do what we came here to do, but what we ended up seeing and doing was just as good. History, geology, snow and cowboys – it’s been a fantastic visit ☺️

P&S

We drove into South Dakota without even realising we had done so. We’re not sure if we were so absorbed in the scenery that we missed the sign, or if the sign was non-existent, but either way the wide open spaces of North Dakota became the wide open spaces of South Dakota and just as beautiful. Ranches and animals flew past us as we drove along stretches of road that literally disappeared into the horizon.

A visit to one of the most recognisable landmarks in America was our first port of call. Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln looked over us as we approached Mt Rushmore and for some reason, despite all the amazing things we have seen and done so far, this was our first real “I can’t believe we’re actually here looking at this” moment. A lifetime of seeing Mt Rushmore on TV and in magazines and travel brochures, and here we were, finally looking at it. Another America bucket list item checked off ✔️

From Mt Rushmore to Crazy Horse Memorial where we saw the great carving in progress and leaned about the history of the memorial and how it came to be. Clearly it is not something that we will see completed in our lifetime but to stand there and look at the site while appreciating the sheer enormity of the project is something to behold. 

One of the great things about this trip has been visiting places we’ve only heard about for years in songs. Doris Day’s Black Hills of Dakota filled Wyatt as we made our way to Deadwood. The views were unfailingly scenic but what was really stunning were the glorious shades of yellow and gold on display as the trees begin to turn for fall.

We arrived in Deadwood and were immediately charmed by it’s Wild West atmosphere and the sight of wild deer wandering around in the front yards of houses. The perfect blend of tourist trap and time gone by, Deadwood is snugly nestled in the Black Hills and in a nod to its significant gold rush history, the entire town is a National Historic Landmark. Deadwood was home to many Wild West legends and a visit to Mt Moriah Cemetery led us to the graves of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. 

A 2-hour drive from Deadwood and we were in the Badlands National Park. Rich in fossils and home to big horn sheep and rattlesnakes amongst other wildlife, the real magic of this park is in the panoramic views of canyons and rock formations. It took two hours to drive 62km/38mi through the park by the time we stopped every five minutes to stop and gaze. 

Wrapping up our time in the Dakotas, it’s now off to Wyoming we go!

P&S

We’re back in North Dakota! We arrived in Bismarck, picked up our Dodge Ram, named him Wyatt and set off for our accommodation. Upon the car rental guy’s recommendation, we had dinner at Humpback Sally’s. In a city that appeared to to have no life on a Saturday night, we did not expect to find this gem serving yummy small plate food with a great ambience. Complete with an utterly batty waitress who frequently plonked herself down at our table for a rest, we absolutely recommend Humpback Sally’s to anyone visiting Bismarck.

Clambering into Wyatt (literally) we left Bismarck and found ourselves relishing being back in the wide open spaces of North Dakota, taking in the rolling fields and skies that stretch for miles (from a much higher vantage point than we are used to in Ruby). We passed ranches, cattle and cowboys and reacquainted ourselves with the sorry sight of roadkill as we wonder if we will ever see a live raccoon in this country, instead of a squashed one.

We visited the site of the Knife River Indian Villages and learned about the life and culture of the Hidatsa people. From the short movie about Buffalo Bird Woman’s life in the village to wandering around the surrounding land and imagining life as it was, we got our first enlightening glimpse of America’s indigenous history. They also have an amazing reconstruction of an Earthlodge and a museum full of artefacts. It was well worth the stop and the ranger on duty was so excited to see us, we think we were the first visitors to stop here in days.

From Knife River to what was most definitely the highlight of Sammy’s North Dakota visit: the Enchanted Highway. With the exception of the still-to-be-visited largest ball of twine in Kansas, the Enchanted Highway was the culmination of Sammy’s roadside attraction dreams come true. The 35 mile stretch of Gladstone-Regent highway is dotted with seven sculptures in total, making up a collection of the largest scrap metal sculptures in the world. 

The aim of the sculptor, Gary Greff, is to bring tourists following the the Enchanted Highway to his hometown of Regent, in an attempt to bring an influx of much needed business. Sorry Gary – we’re not sure your plan is working. We arrived in Regent to find an assortment of no more than 15 closed buildings on the main street and not a soul present.

And now off we go from North Dakota to South Dakota. Crazy Horse, see you soon! P&S

Disclaimer: This post covers wine tasting in Canada, Niagara Falls from the Canadian side and coney dogs in Detroit, Michigan. We have not actually set foot in New York state yet. We’ve only looked at it across Niagara Gorge and this does not count as our New York visit; that’s still to come. But I had to file this post under a state and so New York it is ☺️

We debated long and hard from which side we were going to visit Niagara Falls. And while some will disagree that seeing them from the Canadian side does not fall under “USA Road Trip”, the reviews and opinions of many, many people advised us to to do it from here so we can properly view the American Falls from this side. Also seeing it from this side fitted in perfectly with our itinerary so Canada won the debate.

En route to our hotel we stopped at Trius Winery in Niagara-On-The-Lake for some ice wine tasting and lunch. We had a beautiful lunch in beautiful surroundings, with Brad our waiter who imparted in-depth knowledge about ice wine, how it is made, and what it can be used for. We highly recommend a visit for anyone who happens to be in the neighbourhood.

We were greeted at the falls with rain which did not bode well for our tour the next day but given that a) we were going to get wet on the boat ride anyway and b) we’ve managed to dodge bad weather for over two and a half months now, we were not going to let that dampen our spirits. If anything, the rain and wind gave the falls a slightly angry edge and made viewing them all the more impressive.

Sure enough, Thursday dawned grey and overcast and it wasn’t long before the rain set in. Which made our ride on the Hornblower a completely saturated experience and totally unforgettable as we faced the falls’ mist and spray head on as well as everyone else on the boat scrambling past us to find a warm, dry place to stand on the deck. Which was absolutely non-existant 😂 We also captured great views of the falls from the tunnels which run alongside them and from the top of the Skylon tower.

And as would be expected, the rain cleared as soon as we got back to our hotel. Which made for a clear night as we headed back to the falls to see them illuminated. So very pretty. The dry weather, albeit still overcast, lasted through to the following morning so we were able to do the helicopter ride which had been cancelled the day before.

An enormous thank you again to our Doha Scrabble family for gifting us with our Niagara Falls experience. It was amazing!

Coming back to Detroit for the night, we decided to go and investigate the coney dog rivalry for ourselves. For $3, Lafayette offers a coney dog that is smothered in chili, onions and mustard and is impossible to eat without making a mess. Next door, for 19c more, American gives you a coney dog that is somewhat neater in presentation – but only just – and to be honest, tastes much the same as Lafayette’s. We say this at the risk of distressing anyone who has a definite vested preference for one over the over; we plead coney dog ignorance – sorry!

Now we get ready to part ways with Ruby for nine days as we leave her in Detroit and fly back westward. We are going to cover North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska – the states we missed out on when we had to go to Calgary for a week. North Dakota, see you soon!

S&P