Exploring the Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York City
The largest Gothic style cathedral in the world, and the head church of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The entire 11 acre campus includes the cathedral, cathedral school, several houses for religious life, a peace fountain, and several…
Playing “I Spy” While Touring the Hamilton Grange National Monument in New York City
The island of Manhattan has a dozen National Park sites that hold historical significance and one of the most popular sites (thanks to the Broadway show Hamilton) is Alexander Hamilton’s Grange National Monument, the only home Hamilton owned, located in uptown Manhattan. We recently spent the morning touring the property and learning all about Alexander…
Year in Review: Highlights of 2025
This past year our travel plans were mainly influenced by our daughter’s college search. We drove up and down the Northeast looking at schools from Boston through North Carolina. Wherever we stopped, we found new historic spots, family friendly attractions, and great new lodging options. In 2025, we found time to update some of our…
Touring the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
I just returned from a wonderful weekend in Hyde Park, New York, home of former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. I have been to the area before with my family (we published a whole City Guide to Dutchess County with tons of family friendly activities), but this trip was focused on catching up with old…
Playing “I Spy” While Touring Eagle’s Nest at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Mansion and Planetarium on Long Island
Eagle’s Nest is the Long Island summer home of William K. Vanderbilt II, the great grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and his wife Rosamond. What began as a small, seven room “English Cottage” on 43 acres in the early 1900s grew into a 24 room Spanish Revival mansion with several additional museum galleries filled with the…
Playing “I Spy” at the Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site on Long Island, New York
The Walt Whitman Birthplace and State National Historic Site in Huntington on Long Island, New York is the former home of the Whitman family, including one of America’s greatest poets, Walt Whitman, who was born in the first floor bedroom in 1819.