Cate's
discovery guide
for travel and fun
Hiking for hours, no cell service or internet. Sounds fun right? Actually it truly is. Not being on your phone all the time is a blessing that seems unbearable to many. Spending quality time either outdoors or with your family with no distractions is time well spent. Whether it’s hiking in a mountain range in North Dakota, to Maqoketa Caves, being outdoors is so under appreciated by this generation. My family and I always try and go hiking during our trips, from Rocky Mountain to Acadia we always have a lot of fun jumping from rock to rock and looking at the scenery below. This summer, we will be taking a trip to Mt. St. Helens in Washington to unplug. This not only helps us reconnect with each other but it helps bring the kid that still lives inside of us.
Hiking isn’t the only way to unplug. National parks or any park in general provide a great space for one on one time with you and nature. In 2014, my family went to Arches National Park in Utah. It was by far one of my favorite memories of that trip! My siblings and I ran in a tiny crevice of a large boulder and ran down little sand dunes (where I wiped out and got sand up my shirt and in my eye). It’s the little things along the long journey that make the biggest impact. For example my family last summer stopped in a small town called Mystic, New York to get lunch and ice cream. My dad then figured out that this town was a town he had stopped in when he and his family took road trips in the 70’s. 40 years later and he still remembers the little town in New York, that really stuck with me. What will I remember in 40 years? I’ll remember the fun and joy I have experienced on this trip, the different cities and people I had met. But what I will remember most is how close I feel with my family, and that can’t be put into words.
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Crammed in a car for hours on end, fighting over food, headphones and what movie to watch, sounds fun doesn’t it? Well thankfully for my family this isn’t the case. We get along pretty well for most of our road trips, with the exception of my petty brother Joe using my hotspot without telling me, the trip is smooth sailing. Since Summer of 2014, my family and I have crammed into a car for about three weeks going from state to state, and this summer marks an end of an era. This will be my family’s last road trip since we will have gotten 48 continental this summer. I’ve had some of the best memories during those road trips. From the time when my brother yelled at an elk in Colorado to when we visited Ole Miss and the gate to the football field was left open, so my siblings and I ran across the field (and coincidently Ole Miss had one their worst football seasons that year).
My siblings and I are very close to each other, granted we have to be because we are stuck in a car for hours in end, so this is a hard concept to swallow that this road trip will be our last. We’ve seen Mike Pence walking through the Capitol, a laid back California beach town come alive at night, and the first sunrise in America in Maine. I am sad that this is coming to end, but will forever be grateful for what it has taught me. WHAT TO PACK FOR A ROAD TRIP - favorite snacks - journal - camera - book or crossword puzzle - magazines - pillow - chargers and headphones - sweatshirt (it can get cold in a car!) Labor Day weekend is one of my favorite weekends of the year. Not only does this mean the beginning of college football and nice weather, but it also means a small road trip to McFarland, Wisconsin. McFarland is a suburb of Madison, a lively college town with markets, shops, lake side dining and much more. Madison is one of my favorite places to go and it is only an afternoon away from Cedar Rapids (where I live). From the good weather we always seem to have each year, to the cute little bookstores and shops we find around each corner, Madison is a home away from home.
Weekend getaways are great for you to unplug and explore. Even if this means going to a town over from your city for a day with a few friends to hike in a park (PSA: don’t walk alone in a densely wooded area!) or explore the downtown area, these getaways are good for the mind and soul. You can find yourself trying something new or going out of your comfort zone when you’re immersed in a new town filled with their own traditions and customs. This could be something big or little. If you’re not one to take long road trips, then weekend getaways are a perfect solution for a home sickly, wanderlust traveler. THINGS TO DO IN MADISON: - Wisconsin State Capitol - Univeristy of Wisconsin- Madison campus is great for exploring - Walking/ Running along Lake Mendota - The Capitol Observation Deck - You HAVE to eat at Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Co. on State Street! - Roads Diverge Sculpture on Hamilton Street (pictured below) |
AuthorMy name is Cate Tucker, I am a teenager who loves to travel and try new things. I have gone to three countries and this summer will get 48 states. My family and I travel every year for spring break and a longer trip in the summer ArchivesCategories |