2023 Year in Review: 52 Highlights
One of my favorite year end activities is posting our Year in Review. We love looking back on all of our adventures from the previous year and giving thanks for the blessing of travel. We also like looking at some of our “trends”; this year was filled with many cool spots throughout New England (heavy…
Playing “I Spy” at Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, VA
On a recent visit to Charlottesville, Virginia (check out our posts featuring James Monroe’s Highland and one of my most favorite resorts, the Omni Homestead), we spent a wonderful afternoon at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello (see ALL the ways to explore Monticello here).
James Monroe’s Highland in Charlottesville, Virginia
Highland, a 535 acre former plantation resting in the hills of Charlottesville, Virginia, was the home of America’s fifth president, James Monroe. While Monroe never lived at Highland full time, he spent significant time (sometimes for months at one time) from 1799-1826 with his wife and three children. The main house was built in 1799…
10 Places to Explore at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, VA
In addition to being America’s 3rd President (from 1801-1809) Thomas Jefferson is also known for prestigious roles include Governor of Virginia, writer of the Declaration of Independence, the first Secretary of State, the second Vice President, and the founder of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. Jefferson’s Monticello (pronounced “ch-ello” not “cell-o”) is Italian…
The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia
The Omni Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia has been on our must visit list for years and last week we were able to enjoy a few days at one of the most beautiful and relaxing resorts we have ever had the privilege of visiting. Located three and half hours southwest of Washington D.C. , the Omni…
10 Family Friendly Ways to Explore Jamestown Settlement and Chippokes Plantation State Park in Virginia
One of the most popular living history museums in America, Jamestown Settlement tells the story of the first permanent English settlement in 1607 and the cultures that converged there. It originally opened as a museum in 1957 and was expanded in 2007, in commemoration of its Quadricentennial. Named in honor of King James I of…