First Stop: Memphis!

The first stop on our summer road trip will be Memphis, where my brother and his wife (and his wife's family) live. One of the reasons why I even considered doing something like driving across the country with three kids is that I got a preview of what it would be like when we drove to Memphis for their wedding a couple of years ago.

It was just the kids and me (Chris would be flying in so he didn't have to miss work). We put in two long days of driving and had a quick stop over in Knoxville one night. Then we spent two nights in Memphis before making the same drive back to VA. It was a mini road trip! The only difference was our destination: wedding. There really wasn't any time to check out the city. The only "sightseeing" we did was a couple of hours at the zoo to kill some time.

This image pretty much sums up my experience of that weekend:

Holding a fistful of Oliver's shirt and smiling through gritted teeth...yup - pretty much.

Here is that shot again with some people we will see on our road trip (and a few bonus family members who won't mind having their faces on my blog):

Also - the flowers were amazing!

BOOM.

Wedding images (minus smiley faces) via Corrado Caretto.

On THIS visit, we have three days of time to kill. And I think I'm pretty much done with research. I don't have an exact itinerary since we'll try to plan our days around seeing family when they are available, but here is what's on my list:

We will arrive in the late afternoon, so after checking in at our hotel, I thought we could stretch our legs at the Memphis Botanic Garden. The entry fee is pretty low ($8 for adults and $5 for kids) and parking is free. The "activities" on site include an area for kids called My Big Backyard. We'll drop by - but it looks like it may be geared toward a slightly younger set than my nine and 11 year olds. Though I'm sure my sensory seeking oldest will be more than happy to climb into the sandbox with the toddlers. The map shows plenty of gardens to stroll...Butterfly Garden...Wildflower Woodland...Japanese Garden (pictured below)...so I think we can count on a nice walking tour. (Note to self: when I pulled up the website to check some details, I noticed that they will close early this Friday for an event...better make sure there isn't an event before driving over there!) I also just realized that the hours are 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. so we may want to stop there first before the hotel.

Eleanor and I agreed that if we can walk over this bridge we will call the excursion a win. 

(image via Gogobot.com since the Botanic Garden website said photos are "coming soon")

One of our three days will be spent in the downtown area. We'll start with watching the Peabody Ducks arrive in the lobby. The kids should get a kick out of that, and The Peabody Hotel is in walking distance from Mud Island River Park. After the ducks, we'll head over to Mud Island's pedestrian walkway or "Skybridge". Looks like it should take about 25 minutes (including the walkway) but we could also cut some time off of that by catching a "vintage" trolley.

image via MATA Transit

All trolley lines have been closed for restoration, but - fingers crossed - the Main Street line should be running by the time we are there. Either way, my kids are used to being forced marched through DC when we metro in, so they should be fine to walk.

Mud Island features the Riverwalk which is an exact scale model of the Lower Mississippi (M-ISS-ISS-IPP-I - no need for spell check here!) River from its confluence with the Ohio River in Cairo, IL to the Gulf of Mexico (that is cut and pasted directly from the Mud Island website AND the very first time I have ever used the word "confluence"). The Riverwalk is free of charge. (Hours are 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.)

image via Mud Island River Park

There's also a museum, amphitheater (which apparently, I have be spelling wrong for YEARS) and pedal boats, but we won't be doing any of that. I don't think the museum fees are worth it when I know everyone will just want to be outside on the Riverwalk. The website references a $10/$7 package for adults/children that includes museum and grounds admission, a round trip monorail ride (see below) and an optional guided Riverwalk tour. There is a small part of me that feels like I SHOULD spend the money just in case...but that part always ends up saying, "well that was a waste." No concerts - so no reason to see the amphitheater (seriously - there's no "l" in amphitheater?). And as for pedal boats ($5 per person for 30 minutes)...that would involve splitting up so that two of my kids are alone in a pedal boat and...no. A monorail ride to the island is $4 round trip. I was thinking that we don't need to spend money on that either (you will WALK and you will LIKE it), but then again, we may be walking a lot. And it could be fun. So I'll see how we're feeling when we arrive at the Skybridge. (Another note to self: I keep seeing pictures of people IN the Riverwalk. So it might be a good idea to pack a towel in our lunch bag.)

After Mud Island, I'll treat the kids to a milkshake at the original A. Schwab soda fountain.

image via A. Schwab

Apparently, all of the best tourists go there.

If the trolley is running, we'll end the day with a ride around town. If not, there may be more walking ("left, left - left right left"). We will also probably swing by the Beale Street Elvis statue for a photo op with The King.

Speaking of The King. We will not be visiting Graceland. As I've mentioned before, I'm working with a tight budget and the interest level of my three children won't match the ticket price. That will have to be an attraction for another trip to Memphis.

On one of the other three days, my kids would REALLY like to go back to the Memphis Zoo. We didn't see half of the exhibits there last time, so I agreed. And we will be seeing EVERYTHING since tickets ($15 for adults/$10 for kids) + parking ($5) will make it a $50 itinerary stop. I don't think I need to describe the zoo...it's a zoo.

On another day, our big excursion will be to the Pink Palace Museum.

image via Memphis Museums

The Pink Palace started as a mansion built by Piggly Wiggly founder, Clarence Saunders in 1922. Sadly, he lost all of his money in 1923 and never got to move in. The Mansion was donated (by the company that acquired the property) to the City of Memphis for use as a museum. Then the city spent $150,000 to complete construction of the building and grounds - a sum that would now cover a large kitchen renovation. But enough about the building's history - I'm just hoping that what we see there will hold our insect-like attention spans for at least a couple of hours. There is a dinosaur exhibit opening July 1, Collecting the Missing Pieces (a collection of artifacts related to slavery, abolition, segregation and inequality), a life-size Piggly Wiggly replica... Prediction: if you ask my kids what they saw at the Pink Palace, 95% of what they answer will involve viewing a Shrunken Head. We could also visit the Sharpe Planetarium which is in the same location. Once we know what day we'll be there, I'll check the schedule to see if it's doable. Hours are 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 12:00-5:00 on Sunday. Exhibits-only tickets are $12.75 for adults and $7.25 for kids ($17.75/$11.25 if we include the Planetarium).

At some point, I will have to take everyone to Jerry's Sno Cones. Because they've seen pictures. Also - I really want one.

Image via Jerry's Sno Cones

Clearly, there is A LOT more to do in Memphis, but I'm working with limited time, limited attention spans and family members with whom I want to spend as much time as possible. So that's what I have planned.

Next post: Santa Fe...


Most of the information I included in this came from articles I added to my Memphis Pinterest board. I also looked up websites on the Memphis CVB site (if you like apps - they have one you can download for attractions, restaurants, deals, etc.)

Re-Entry is Hard...Overwriting is Inevitable.

OH HI!

I feel like it's my turn to pin the tail on the donkey. I've been in line for almost two months and I'm dizzy and have no idea what direction to take.

Of course, I'm talking about where to start after almost two months away from this site! At least I'm not blindfolded.

Let's begin with what I've been doing all this time. Basically, working and devoting all of my free time to the DC Listen to Your Mother Show. Yes - I know that was on May 2nd and it's now June 3rd! But there was a lot of wrap up work to do. And then I just kept putting it off. Like my son on the Spectrum, I'm "not good at transitions." Maybe he just gets that one from me...

I DID book most of our hotel stays (hooray for points!) Now I just have to figure out our Mount Rushmore stay. Apparently, the girlfriend of a family member has a house (or her family has a house) in that area, and we might be able to use it. I have visions of arriving to find "the family" already there and completely unaware that some woman and her THREE children are expecting to stay the night. Okay, so I doubt the people involved would let that happen...but worst case scenarios and all...

So aside from a few loose ends, the big ticket logistics have been pretty much handled. Now I'm getting back to researching our stops and coming up with some draft itineraries. I think I've mentioned before that we HAVE to enter each destination with a plan. If not, we will spend our entire stay in restaurants and touristy shopping areas. Food and Shopping: they are my "death and taxes." And I'm trying to stick to a tight budget.

I'll start posting regularly about that next week. For now, I thought I'd throw in some things I meant to write about this Spring but never did.

We never travel for Spring Break. Every year, I have to put together some staycation plans for the kids and me so we don't end up on our various devices all day. (Because I am just as bad as them. When Oliver wants me out of the way, he tells me that I should go "play on my computer." Ooops!)

Finding things to do in DC is not hard - and since we live in the suburbs, it really does feel like a day trip to go check out a museum or wander around Georgetown. These are things I used to do when I was bored as a kid/teenager. I could walk to culture back then, and that's one thing I super duper miss about city living. Not gonna lie though - getting there is a pain in the ass. The DC metro line is now in my area of Northern VA, but we still have to make the five minute drive and pay to park. THEN we have to go through the complicated and time consuming process of  purchasing multiple fare cards for the 20 minute ride to downtown DC. By the time we find seats on the train, I'm exhausted and ready to go home. But the kids love the metro, so I just carve a few more martyrdom notches in my motherhood cross and get on with it. I also usually ask a friend and her kids to come with us. Solidarity!

Too many words. Here are some pictures...

[WARNING: I am visiting from the future - i.e. about a million words and images later - to say that this is NOT going to be a few pictures of "What I Did Over Spring Break". Be prepared for an onslaught of information. I would delete some, but I'm too deep in it now. Just thought I'd let you know.]

We took a boat ride!

We saw cherry blossoms!

And monuments!

Finally, we forced marched exhausted and dehydrated children over a mile back to the the metro stop because THAT is the price they must pay for fun. Also, they got to absorb city culture like this:

Another day I took my kids plus our neighbors' five and seven year olds to see James and the Giant Peach at Adventure Theatre in Glen Echo Park. If you've never been there, it's very pretty - cool original architecture with several attractions. And plenty of space for kids to run around:

We've been to Adventure Theatre several times. James and the Giant Peach was probably my favorite production - no pictures though since the theater didn't allow photography. Also, my phone died by the time we got to our seats.

Well that covers two days. I can't remember the other things we did that week... Probably played on electronic devices. Mom of the Year!

But our big finale of Spring Break is always Easter. For the first time ever, we didn't stay home for the big day (which in my heathen household is celebrated with chocolate bunnies and brunch). We visited Chris' Uncle Steve, who recently moved to Philadelphia. He's leasing space on an estate that includes a studio/apartment in a barn, where he paints. The walls are covered with his artwork and the deceptively "rustic" looking space features very comfortable living accommodations.

George, in particular was very interested in the set up. We were looking at the paintings, and I told him that I thought these two were my favorites.

He said, "OH! Because they're framed in GOLD." I started to reply, "well no - but now that you mention it...the frames do kind of confine them in a way that directs your focus to..." And he was already standing next to another painting, saying, "yeah - THIS baby needs a gold frame."

So George has pretty much figured out the art world. Internationally too! He picked up Steve's palette and informed me, "French people use these."

But enough about art (and enough pictures of George and his AWFUL bangs - that was one bad haircut...) This is supposed to be a blog about travel stuff. The reason why I even mention the trip is that we got to spend a fun afternoon in Philadelphia!

After seeing how long the lines were for the Liberty Bell and other big attractions, Uncle Steve did the thing that no parent in my lifetime (including Chris and me) has ever done. HE SUGGESTED paying for a horse and carriage ride to take in the sights. Can I tell you how much I wanted to do this when I was a kid? Then I became an adult and realized that my parents would have thought it was too expensive (and probably embarrassing). But Steve is FUN and a grandfather - so clearly he would think this was a good idea. The kids wholeheartedly agreed.

Oh really carriage driver? That was "a good one"?
Maybe take more than ONE next time because my eyes are closed!

Vindication.

Who are those dorks in the...oh yeah - that's us.

Thanks horse!

Before heading back, Chris said we HAD to get a cheesesteak and it HAD to be from Jim's. But OH NO! There was a line around the corner. Here is a picture of Chris who haz a major sad.

That black SUV is in front of all of the people who were willing to wait in line. We are not those people, so we wandered down South Street a bit to find other options.

We didn't go here either. But I was playing "photographer" that day
and while snapping away, thought it made for a good "Philadelphia" shot. Snap snap!

Now Chris is happy! Where did we end up? No recollection - that was months ago!

I was also planning to write a post about an attempted day of cross country skiing that ended in ice and tears... But I think we can now consider ourselves caught up on (almost) all of the travel and touristy stuff of note. 

Tune in next week for more about THE TRIP. Spoiler alert: all posts will be five billion times longer than I intend them to be...so you add THAT to "Death and Taxes".