NYC

New York City, the city that is ever changing, ever growing and never sleeps. I have been here a few times and it always leaves me wanting a little more, but it also makes me never want to go out in public again. The last time I went there was for a weekend trip with my now Fiance to complete his dream of staying at the Waldorf. We lucked out because a good friend of mine lives there and became our tour guide or rather food guide to the city. And boy was she the best food guide ever.

Now there are so so many things to see and to do here, I'm really just going to hit the high points.

Statue of Liberty - There is one thing that I do think every single person should see is the Statue of Liberty. It astounds me that so many people who came here for a better life, that our Lady Liberty was the first thing they saw. How miraculous that would have been.
Make sure you book your tickets early especially if you want to go up in the crown or the flame.

Ellis Island - Again, to me this is one of the most important landmarks in not only NYC but all of U.S.A. It is even cooler if you can trace back an ancestor that walked through those halls.

Outside of Ellis Island

The Hall where they stood in line

The Record Book

How the process works. 

Central Park - Over 1 mile of open space is this gem of the city. Not only are there duck ponds, ice skating rinks, running trails and a zoo. You can take a horse and buggy ride for a not so small fee through the park. I've not done that yet, but I think it would be a great way to see the park and save your poor feet. One of my favorite places is the Alice in Wonderland Statue.



9/11 Memorial - I feel like this is just as important as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. People should see exactly what happened to all those people in the Towers. The entire memorial is very well done.

The Memorial

The Memorial

There is also a Museum that examines the implications of 9/11 and memorializes the victims of the attack as well. It costs $24 to get in for an adult. I thought it was a great tribute to the victims. 

Empire State Building - Once the World's tallest building, it is now just office buildings and a tourist attraction. The 86th Floor is the highest open-air observation deck and the 102nd Floor is a glass observation deck with stunning views as well. Just to the 86th floor is $37 for an adult. For both 86th and 102nd Floors is $57 for an adult. Buying tickets in advance is recommended.

Empire State Building

Empire State Building

View From the Top

Times Square - Where the Ball drops every year on New Year's Eve. Right in the midtown of Manhatten is this beautiful square filled with billboards of various Broadway shows and movies. There are numerous places to eat and shop in this square too!

Broadway - Believe it or not, Broadway is an actual place in Manhattan! Most people just refer to "going to Broadway" as making it into one of the many shows! I am a musical girl and actually got to see my first actual show in NYC in Feb. 2017. I saw the Lion King, which was absolutely perfect! This is a must do and there are multiple shows that you can check out!

I've now seen Wicked, Mean Girls and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway as well and HIGHLY recommend all of them!!

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Wicked

Grand Central Station - The main transportation hub of NYC! This beautiful building that was opened in 1913 and by the 1950's more than half of the U.S.'s population had traveled through it!

Brooklyn Bridge - The beautiful iconic bridge that links Manhattan and Brooklyn. Completed in 1883, you can walk across it! :)

Rockefeller Center - A huge tourist attraction in midtown Manhattan. This is where the Ice rink and the huge Christmas tree is during the winter season. There are shopping and dining as well as the Top of the Rock which is a similar experience to the Empire State Building.


Chelsea Market - First time I've been here was this last trip to NYC and I loved it. I spent almost 3 hours roaming around this place. So many places to eat and shop! I can personally recommend Doughnuttery - because that place was fantastic!!

Coney Island - Where the rest of NYC comes to relax from the city life (well other than the Hamptons, obviously). This place was so amazing. I didn't get to experience it fully due to time constraints (Harry Potter on Broadway started at 2, didn't get to Coney Island til 12). But the beach is beautiful and the boardwalk is everything you need in a beach boardwalk. There is an amusement park called Luna Park. My friends rode the Ferris Wheel and totally recommend it!
Make sure you eat a Nathan's hotdog while there! They are world famous and host the hotdog eating contest every year!

The Strand Bookstore - if you are a huge book nerd like myself then this is your mecca. 18 miles of books, 3 stories tall and amazing.

FOOD


You have your choice of food in this huge city. Literally, there is everything available to you. But here are a few places I have enjoyed!

Do: (pronounced like dough) - it was one of the "new big things" that everyone found out about. It is edible cookie dough and let me tell you. Totally worth the 2-3 hour wait that you will probably have to endure.

Edi and the Wolf - the wiener schnitzel is absolutely fabulous! 

El Centro - by far my favorite place to brunch. The chilaquiles are TO DIE FOR! 

Max Brenner's - prepare for chocolate overload!! And it is worth every penny and calorie. Because calories don't count in NYC! 

The fondue sharing experience 

Any specific questions I'll try to answer as best I can! I am definitely not an expert but I will always try to help fellow travelers!! :)

graceparsons2023@gmail.com

South Carolina

Let me say this. I know more about South Carolina than any other state, except my own of course. This is because I spent the majority of my childhood vacations at West Virginia's beach aka Myrtle Beach.
I do not have a lot of photos of the Myrtle Beach area for this reason. The ones I do are actually a friend! So a big Shout Out to Amy Conrad for the photos!


Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach is a tourists dream! Not only is the beach pretty awesome, but there is also so many places to eat and things to do.

Firstly, the putt-putt golf is amazing. If you are like my family, and super competitive, don't worry you could probably play 3 games at different courses every night and still have left over places.

The "Strip" as most know it, is the main avenue in town. It's Ocean Blvd and is where the Myrtle Beach Skywheel, Ripley's Believe It Or Not, Myrtle Beach Zipline Adventure and Mount Atlanticus Mini-Golf.

Broadway on the Beach 
If you need a little nightlife and shopping then this is one of your go-to places! It is 350 acres of shops, cinema, putt-putt, and restaurants. Make sure to put this on your list, you never know what you may find there! Don't forget about the Ripley's Aquarium too!!

Broadway at the Beach

Aquarium

Barefoot Landing

If you want something similar to Broadway but with less people, then this is your place! Same type of set up with shopping and restaurants. Some not to miss things here is the T.I.G.E.R.S. preservation station, where you can play and get photos with baby tigers! 

Also beside of Barefoot Landing is the House of Blues, Alabama Theatre and Alligator Adventure! 

Alligator Adventure is world's largest reptile home! 

Alligator Adventure

Carolina Opry

By far the best show in Myrtle Beach! Not only does it put on a great show, but it also has artists that come play as well as magicians and various artists. A MUST SEE while in town! 

Food: 

Y'all know that I love me some food. And while I have ate at SOO many places in Myrtle Beach I'm gonna tell you my absolute favorites and then the rest you can find out for yourself.

Carolina Roadhouse - get there early, get a reservation and prepare to be so stuffed that it hurts.

Dino's Pancake House - man this is some amazing food!! 

Nakato Japanese Steakhouse in North Myrtle Beach - this has to be included because this is the place that started my love of Japanese steakhouses 

Charleston
Now I've been here twice. Once for a family vacation at Folly Beach and another to run the Charleston Half Marathon. Downtown is absolutely beautiful and I wish I had spent more time here. One thing I will say is take a horse and buggy ride through the city. There are A MILLION of them around and they can and will give you the best view and are super informative.

Must See's

The Calhoun Mansion - beautiful mansion right on the river that is now open for tours!

Rainbow Row - The colorful houses that you can't miss!!! They are the pastel colored Georgian style houses that date back to 1745!

Old Slave Market - This building is a museum about the slave trade in Charleston

Historic Charleston City Market - 4 blocks of an open air market with lots of food and crafts! Including the famous sweet grass baskets!

Fort Sumter - The ruins of the Fort where the civil war started!

Boone Hall Plantation - This working plantation that was built in 1681! Known for its long road of mossy trees called the Avenue of the Oaks. It is also the house Allie lived in during that summer romance in The Notebook.
It offers tours and a farmers market in the summer months! Be sure to check this out!

Boone Hall Plantation

Folly Beach - only 9 miles from downtown Charleston, but a thousand miles away it feels like. It is a beautiful beach full of house for rent in the summer months. The pier is a great place for fishing!

Lighthouse off Folly Beach

That is all I have for South Carolina!!

Any questions let me know!

graceparsons2023@gmail.com

Missouri

Missouri famous for BBQ and the place where Lewis and Clark set out "officially" for their journey west. So technically Lewis and Clark officially set off from Pittsburgh, but since they just went down the Ohio River until it met up with the Mississippi and then went up to St. Louis (which was an established city) their real journey west didn't start until they made it to St. Louis.

St. Louis
Meet me in St. Louis! Not sure exactly what Judy Garland would think of St. Louis now, but I think it is a fabulous city and is one that I would actually live in if I ever felt the need to move from my hometown (Never going to happen :) 

The Arch and Jefferson National Expansion Memorial 
You can ride all the way to the top of this impressive structure and get a birds-eye view of the city and the Mississippi River. It was built as a symbol of the westward expansion for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and is now an internationally recognized symbol of St. Louis. 

The Arch

Old Courthouse

Dred Scott

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is a national park that is in memory of Thomas Jefferson's work to expand our country. It is also a memorial of Dred Scott, the slave who sued for his freedom in the Courthouse where the memorial is now. 

St. Louis Cardinal's Game
Anyone who loves baseball knows that you have to check out a game! Since Jason and I are trying to go to every ballpark in America, this definitely is on my list of places to check out! Times who doesn't love a hotdog and beer at a ballpark? 


Six Flags St. Louis
Thrill-seekers rejoice! If you want some rollercoasters and whitewater rapids, look no further than Six Flags St. Louis. Tickets are around $67 a person at the park, but if you buy online prior to going, it is cheaper!

Budweiser Brewery Tour 
I am not a beer drinker, however, I would be remiss if I didn't include the Budweiser Brewery tour!
There are a few different tours of the brewery available as well as just going to the Biergarten (beer garden basically). Make sure you do a little bit of research as to what tour best suits your needs! I would choose the Bud Light Tour, mainly because you start with the CLYDESDALES! Tickets are $10 dollars and if it were me I would reserve ahead of time, just so you know what time your tour will be!

Grant's Farm

Named for Ulysses S. Grant and is right beside of his house that is now a National Park. It is now mainly used for the Clydesdales! That's right this is where you can go see the beautiful horses! It costs $12 to park (or may be included as part of the package for the Brewery tour), but that's worth it to see the horses! Also, you can see where President Grant lived too :) 

Grant's Home

City Museum - now you all know that I am not a museum person. But this is different. It is a huge playground inside an old factory that has mainly repurposed architectural components. It is amazingly beautiful inside and a great way to spend an afternoon. It costs $15 per person to get in, and then you have to pay to park as well but totally worth it, especially if you have kids. 

Just some of the beauty, photo does not do it justice

playing in one of the climbing things :) 

Forest Park - a beautiful 1300 acre park in St. Louis. There is much to do here including the history, and art museums and the St. Louis zoo!! This park is rich in history since it was the location for the 1904 World's Fair and also hosted some of the Summer Olympics in 1904 as well! 

World's Fair Pavilion in Forest Park

Kansas City
Blues, BBQ, and the Kansas City Royals.

Penn Valley Park
Originally part of the Sante Fe Trail, it is now 170+ acres in the downtown area of Kansas City.
It currently has the National World War I Museum and Memorial. It is officially the National Museum of the United States on everything about WWI. It is only open 10am-5pm Tuesday -Sunday and costs $16 to get in.

Kansas City Royals Game 
Same thing as before for a Cardinals game. Is there anything better than a hotdog and a beer at a ballgame?

Community Bookshelf Wall 
If you are a book nerd (like myself) then check out this wall! It's on 14w 10th Street in Kansas City. I loved it and took about 80 million photos of it :)

Power and Light District 
A new shopping, dining, and entertainment district in downtown Kansas City! It looked fun and hip when we drove through it! Definitely looked like some killer food options!

Branson
Welcome to the Gatlinburg of Missouri. Shows galore and so many tourist attractions that it almost hurts my eyes to look at the place.

Table Rock Lake
With over 800 miles of shoreline, what can't you do at this lake? Water skiing, fishing, swimming, boating, and even scuba diving is available here.

Silver Dollar City/White Water Branson
Silver Dollar City is an amusement park filled with rides for thrill-seekers of all ages. White Water Branson is a water park!

Shows
This is almost like Broadway, there are so many shows that you can see. Make sure to do a little bit of research about the shows for when you decide to go!

Other Locations in Missouri

Ozarks - This mountain range starts outside of St. Louis and runs all the way through parts of Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. There is a lot of outdoor activities that can be done around these areas. Mostly hiking, biking, trails, and water sports!

Alley Mill in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways

Independence, Missouri
Known mostly now being the home of President Truman, it also has a Frontier Trails Museum and has some rich history here!

President Truman's House

Lamar, Missouri
Ok, the only reason why I am putting this out here is because I was so impressed with one shop in particular. Blue Top Quilt Shop was a fabulous experience for me. They drew me in because of their advertising "Scream until he stops!" Well, it worked because I stopped. I fell in love with the ladies that work there because they went above and beyond to help me. Wish I lived closer but looks like I will be ordering from them soon!!

That is all I have for Missouri!
Any questions shoot me an email!!
graceparsons2023@gmail.com