It’s May. High school seniors are graduating and looking forward (or maybe not) to college. Parents are looking forward (or maybe not) to their children leaving the nest, and tuition costs. It’s the time of year when parents and prospective students tour the colleges of their choice before making a final decision.

ASU Campus - Normal School building, built in 1884.

Arizona State University’s main campus is in Tempe Arizona, and has one of the largest annual enrollments for a single campus in the nation. ASU also has several satellite campuses in the Phoenix Metro area. It is a member of the PAC-10 conference, and offers a dizzying array of technical and business programs, at the Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate levels.

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The Ohio River in Gallipolis, Ohio

It’s funny how the even the most simple of errands can lead you on a grand and interesting adventure.  My daughter celebrated a birthday last week and in lieu of a pony, we got her a puppy.  My job was to retrieve the puppy from a little farm outside of Gallipolis, OH.  And while my sojourn there was little more than passing through, I saw and learned enough that I’m planning a trip back to the area with intents on a longer stay.

Gallipolis, OH is a small city nestled along the Ohio River first settled by the French in 1790, an immediate appeal considering my French heritage and a pleasant contrast to the German and Welsh areas where I currently live.

The downtown area is quaint with old buildings and antique shops.  Think New Orleans but on a much smaller scale and without the hookers and urine filled alleyways.

Downtown Gallipolis, OH

The area, well within the boundaries of the Appalachian foothills, is rich with natural beauty, gentle hills and gorgeous overlooks of the Ohio River.

Bridge to Point Pleasant, WV

Just across the river is Point Pleasant, West Virginia.  You may remember The Mothman Prophecies….

That was Point Pleasant, WV.

For a thirteen month period beginning in November 1966 locals reported sightings of the Mothman in and around the area along with many other strange phenomena.    On December 15, 1967 the 700 foot Silver Bridge connecting Ohio to West Virginia collapsed during evening rush hour killing 46 people.  After the catastrophe the Mothman sightings ended.  Some people considered the Mothman sightings as a warning of the impending disaster.  Spooky!

There are several lodging options available, though I think I’m going to be checking out the historic Lowe Hotel downtown on the corner of Fourth and Main Streets.  It’s budget friendly, centrally located and convenient to several area attractions:

The Mothman Statue Point Pleasant- Courtesy of Tammy Robinson

- – Tu-Endie-Wei State Park (four blocks away)- -

The park is the commemorative site of the famous Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774 between Virginia militia and American Indians.  The battle  is considered by many a precursor to the American Revolutionary War.  The park is open year round including holidays.

- – The Historic Point Pleasant Walking District (outside of the hotel doors) – -

- – Point Pleasant River Museum (four blocks away) – -

The River Museum focuses on past and present history of life and industry on the Ohio River.  The museum is closed on Mondays.

- – Point Pleasant Riverfront Park (next door) – -

- – The Mothman Museum and Research Center (in the hotel building) – -

They offer tons of information about the Mothman sightings as well as informative narrated tours to several area sighting locations.  The museum is open daily noon to 5 pm.

- – The Ohio and Kanawha Rivers (the trail is behind the hotel building) – -

Silver Bridge Collapse Marker--Point Pleasant, WV

Gallipolis, Ohio and it’s neighbor Point Pleasant, West Virginia is the idyllic area for a relaxing family get away.  Whether you’re in the mood for a soothing stroll along the banks of the Ohio River watching the riverboats pass or the thrill of investigating the unexplained, there’s just enough intrigue to keep it interesting for everyone in the family.

Photo Credits:  Ed Lamaze, Creative Commons via Flickr incendiarymind and jimmywayne22

As a travel destination, Chicago for me had always seemed too big, too busy, daunting.  Couple that with the fact that I’ve got baggage, small children to be more precise, and Chicago has been noticeably absent any of my travel agendas.  I am happy to report that this is no longer the case.  Oh, Chicago is still big and busy, but maybe not quite as daunting.

There are countless things to do and see in the Windy City and I would imagine that in a year you could scarcely see them all.  However, with a well planned weekend, it’s possible to hit some highlights and whet your appetite for future returns.

The John G. Shedd Aquarium is a must see if you travel with kids.  Home to thousands of species of aquatic life from sharks in the wild reef to frogs in the Amazon there is something for everyone.  My kids really enjoyed speaking with the diver who fed the fish in the Carribean exhibit and learning about the different types of food all of the fish eat.

The Shedd Aquarium

The Shedd is open daily at 9:00 am and closes at 5:00 pm (6:00 pm weekends.)  If your travel plans allow, I would suggest a weekday visit arriving when the doors open.  I am told that on the weekends lines are long, though tickets may be purchased online in advance to avoid having to wait.

After your fill of aquatic splendor, adventure is only steps away, literally.  The Shedd is part of what is called the Museum Campus which is also home to The Field Museum of Natural History, The Adler Space Planetarium and Soldier Field.

The Art Institute of Chicago should be a definite on any short list of things to see when planning your visit to Chicago.  Home to some of the worlds most famous paintings and over 5,000 years of artistic  expression the Art Institute offers something everyone in the family can appreciate.  There’s even an area downstairs where kids can play with blocks and read books, color or actually touch some of the items on display.  The docents really do not appreciate the touching of artwork in the galleries upstairs.  This I know!

The Art Institute of Chicago

Admission to the Art Institute is $12 for adults and free to children 12 and younger.  Thurday evenings from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm there is a sponsored free general admission for everyone.  It’s hard to beat a deal like that.

The Art Institue is located on Michigan Avenue, yes that Michigan Avenue, so when you have sufficiently cultured up your next must experience is again literally steps away.  Michagan Avenue is world famous for it’s ultimate shopping and dining.

And might I just add this little tidbit. If you happen to find yourself on Michigan Avenue shopping with a seven year old little girl, you can assure yourself of Parent of the Year status.  Located in the Water Tower Center is every little girl’s promised land, The American Girl Place.  All of your girl’s favorite characters are there replete with costumes and accessories.  There’s a photo studio, a cafe, scheduled events and more. It was my experience, though, that six year old little boys do not particularly appreciate The American Girl Place.

I found Chicago a pleasant surprise and a great family vacation destination.   Upon leaving I was already making a list of the things I need to see on my next trip back.

If you’re planning a trip, check out Chicago flights.

From guest blogger Marsha Takeda-Morrison of Sweatpantsmom

As in most major cities, there is no shortage of great museums in Los Angeles.  We’ve got our Natural History Museum, our Museum of Contemporary Art, and our Aerospace Museum.  We’ve the one with the Tar Pits, the (relatively) newly revamped Getty Museum and recently facelifted Getty Villa.  And no list would be complete without the cultural gems like the Japanese American National Museum and the African American Museum.

But it’s safe to say that here in L.A. we’ve got something that no one else has, a museum that’s like no other, a shining beacon in galaxy of museums.  If this were American Idol, it would be David Cook

We’ve got the Museum of Jurassic Technology.

I’m not sure I can even explain what this museum is all about. Don’t let the word ‘Jurassic’ fool you – there’s not a dinosaur to be found.  The website describes it as a “specialized repository of relics and artifacts from the Lower Jurassic, with an emphasis on those that demonstrate unusual or curious technological qualities.”  Huh?

That means you won’t see any triceratops, but you can find an exhibit of decaying dice, and a rather large display case devoted to an exhibit consisting entirely of some fake plants and single ant, titled ‘Megolaponera Foetens: Stink Ant of the Cameroon of West Central Africa.’  The most curious thing is you can press a button and hear a buzzing sound, which is apparently what the stink ant of the Cameroon sounds like – although I’m sure I will never be able to verify this.  Also, don’t miss the unbelievably bizarre collection of letters to the Mt. Wilson Observatory titled, ‘No One May Ever Have The Same Knowledge Again’ and contains, among others, the following letter from a Mrs. Alice May Williams to Dr. Edison Pettit and Dr. Seth B. Nicholson (No, I don’t have any idea who these people are.)  This is an excerpt, and I kept the spelling as they had it:

“…I have got half a house with another woman some years older. She will not let me sit quite a moment it is terriable she keeps wanting to no the inds & outs of everythink. She keeps running up & down the stairs in & out of the doors slamming them about & keeps wanting to talk & keeps wanting me to get ready to go out. It is awfull I dont no wether I am standing on my head or feet & still I am going through that treatment I told you. At times somethink works my mouth to talk out loud & I have got to be carefull of her hearing as she thinks I am mad…”

See what I mean?

The last time I visited the museum, which was a few years ago, there was a guy around four-feet-tall playing the accordion on the sidewalk out front.  When he saw us approaching he stopped, ran inside and took his place behind the ticket counter to collect our admission fees.  Even the pricing is odd; where else is a child considered anyone from ages 12 to 21?  Here’s their entire price list:

Adults, $ 5.00
Children aged 12 to 21, $ 3.00
Students in full time education, $ 3.00
Persons 60 years or older, $ 3.00
Unemployed persons, $ 3.00
Disabled Persons $2.00
Active service personnel in uniform $ 2.00
Children under 12, Free

Also, their hours:

The Museum is open Thursday from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm

Oh, and then there’s their membership page, which starts off with the oddest, off-topic paragraph I’ve ever read on a museum website:

On March 25, 1961 Zvezdochka, daughter of the stars, the last of a group of 11 remarkable dogs, was hurtled into space amidst the flaming cacophony of a Vostok four thousand kN rocket launch known to the world as Sputnik 10.

Here at the Museum we feel a strange affinity for these first exceptional, earth-born creatures to leave our planet. Like the dogs, we feel ourselves to be lonely vanguards in a rarefied and unknown atmosphere. But, like Zvezdochka, we are emboldened by those who have gone before while knowing full well the risks and hardships of the journey.

Seriously, you must visit the Museum of Jurassic Technology, if only to say that you have.  You’ll never be the same again.  Zvezdochka and the dogs thank you.

Photo: From the exhibit ‘Rotton Luck: The Decaying Dice of Ricky Jay’