Top 10 things to do in your state

[BernardandMissBianca]

Tell us the top 10 things to see or do where you live. I will post a list here for your state with a post number.
State - post #

Connecticut - 3
Deleware - 18
Florida (north) - 17
Florida (central) - 22,23,24
Florida(south) - post 4
Indiana - post 2
Massachusetts - post 5, 10
Michigan - 19
Montana - 32
New Jersey - 27
New York - post 11
Rhode Island 14
Texas - 12
Washington D.C. - 20

duck boat tours:
Boston, Massachusetts
Miami, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Seattle, Washington
Washington D.C.
Baltimore, Maryland
Austin, Texas
San Francisco, California
Portland, Oregon
Honolulu, Hawaii
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Galveston, Texas
Nashville, Tennessee

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Here ya go.. There is a lot more..but I just highlighted..

Top 10 Things to do in Central Indiana..
Ok this will be 11 things..


1. Visit PN96 and her gang!
2. Indianapolis Motor Speedway.. This is big for the Indy 500, Nascar's All-State 400, they just did some motorcycle racing thing....tried a Grand Prix but it didn't do so well due to some tire issues...
3. Indianapolis Children's Museum (the world's largest children's museum and they are expanding again!!!)
4. Indianapolis Zoo/ White River Gardens while you are visit this.. there is the Canal Downtown to walk (GORGEOUS!)
5. NCAA Hall of Champions
6. President Benjamin Harrison's home (23rd President~ also the centennial President inaugurated 100 years after Washington [didn't know that til today])
7. Connor Prairie ~ A living history museum; includes a pioneer village, one room school house.. it's a blast to go there and the kids don't realize they are learning while having soo much fun!
8. Brown County State Park & Little Nashville.. Gorgeous scenic park w/ trails to walk or ride horses, lots of room to picnic and great views... Just down the street is Little Nashville, lots of shops to look at and down the road a little piece is "Little Nashville Opry".. Some country music singers have been there... Not that I've been able to go..but I know the Oak Ridge Boys, Neal McCoy, Lorrie Morgan and several others have been there in the past few weeks...
9. Caves~ In southern IN we have caves that you can tour...
10. Corydon, IN (way south on Ohio River) has the only Indiana Civil War battle ground...
11. Indiana Dunes in Northern Indiana (they are continually moving.. MOUNT BALDY is the largest!)


Ok, 10 interesting facts about Indiana.
1. Santa Claus, Indiana gets more than one-half million letters and requests @ Christmas time (you can send your cards there and have them stamped!!)
2. 5 men from IN have been elected VPs.
3. The first long distance auto race in the US was held in 1911 @ the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
4 The movie Hoosiers was filmed here...and most of it in the towns near where I grew up.. My old Middle School was actually in the running to be one of the gyms used..and several of my friends from high school were extras!
5. Raggedy Ann was created in Indianapolis in 1914
6. James Dean was born in Indiana
7. Parke County Indiana has 32 covered bridges (hence the Covered Bridge Festival in October)..Also known as the covered bridge capital of the world!
8. Indiana limestone is very popular.. lots of major buildings are made from Indiana limestone.. including the Pentagon, Empire State Building, US Treasury
9. Van Camp as in Van Camp pork-n-beans was originally founded in Indiana (didn't know that either!)
10. Ernie Pyle was born in Indiana..

 

[Lisa]

Ten things to do in CT:

1) Mystic Seaport. While this is interesting in the nice weather, I highly recommend the candlelight tour that is offered in the evening in December. Should you be so fortunate to attend and it sn@ws, all the better. The Mystic Aquarium is nice too, however I am partial to the Boston Aquarium.
2) The Casinos - Foxwoods or Mogehan Sun.
3) See the Nautilus. The first nuclear submarine.
4) Visit my neighbor, Captain Nathan Hale Homestead - thought to be a spy, he was hanged by the British. Reported that he said I regret that I have just one life to give to my country. During the warm months on Sunday there is a farmer's market (with real farmers too!)
5) Apple picking and hay rides at the local pumpkin patch
6) Watch the deer and turkey from my deck and have a cookout with all the CT DISers that we know.
7) Dinousaur Museum in Rocky Hill, CT, Mark Twain House, Htfd, CT,
8) Essex Train and Boat ride.
9) Gillette Castle - twenty four room mansion reminiscent of a medieval castle, home of William Hooker Gillette, noted actor, director, and playwright. He is best known as his character of Sherlock Holmes.
10) Wineries in the western part of the state.

Wow, I am just getting started, there is so much to do.

Interesting facts:

The Dutch navigator, Adriaen Block, was the first European of record to explore the area, sailing up the Connecticut River in 1614.

Connecticut played a prominent role in the Revolutionary War, serving as the Continental Army's major supplier. Sometimes called the “Arsenal of the Nation,” the state became one of the most industrialized in the nation.

Today, Connecticut factories produce weapons, sewing machines, jet engines, helicopters, motors, hardware and tools, cutlery, clocks, locks, silverware, and submarines. Hartford has the oldest U.S. newspaper still being published—the Hartford Courant, established 1764—and is the insurance capital of the nation.

Connecticut leads New England in the production of eggs, pears, peaches, and mushrooms, and its oyster crop is the nation's second largest. Poultry and dairy products also account for a large portion of farm income.

Connecticut is a popular resort area with its 250-mile Long Island Sound shoreline and many inland lakes. Among the major points of interest are Yale University's Gallery of Fine Arts and Peabody Museum. Other famous museums include the P. T. Barnum, Winchester Gun, and American Clock and Watch. The town of Mystic features a re-created 19th-century New England seaport and the Mystic Marinelife Aquarium.

Notable CT persons:

P. T. Barnum showman;
Henry Ward Beecher clergyman;
John Brown abolitionist;
Prudence Crandell educator and reformer;
Charles Goodyear inventor;
Nathan Hale American Revolutionary officer;
Dorothy Hamill ice skater;
Katharine Hepburn actress;
Charles Ives composer;
Edwin H. Land inventor;
John Pierpont Morgan financier;
Benjamin Spock pediatrician;
Harriet Beecher Stowe author;
Mark Twain author;
Noah Webster lexicographer

 

[Rora]

Top 10 Things to Do in South Florida
1. Visit Disney World!! (Obviously!)
2. Miami Sequarium
--They have so many different aquatic animals, it's really cool!
3. Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach
--Some great shopping, sidewalk cafes, very chic Florida
4. Stroll down Worth Ave. in Palm Beach
--High end shopping! Prepare to bump elbows with some celebrities! True, classic, pink, green and palm trees Palm Beach
5. Hit the beach!
--Nothing better than a blue sky, sand and the ocean!
6. Go to Miami and South Beach
--South Beach is great for night life and shopping. Miami is just fun to see!
7. Tour Vizcaya
--A beautiful, old mansion owned by John Deering
8. Visit South Florida Museum of Science and Discovery
--A really cool museum!
9. Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
--Beautiful gardens and Japanese artifacts!
10.Visit the Keys
--More sand and surf!! Watch for Jimmy Buffet!

 

[Kim1964]

Massachusetts

-Go to a Patriots game
-Go to a Celtics game
-Go to a Red Sox game
-Go to a Bruins game
-Visit Cape Cod
-Go leaf peeping in the Berkshires in the fall
-Visit Kim1964
-Basketball Hall of Fame
-Go to the flagship Yankee Candle store in Deerfield
-Visit the Boston Museum of Science, Children's Museum, New England Aquarium
-Faneuil Hall Marketplace

 

[Lisa]

Top 10 Things to Do in South Florida

I would have to suggest the Duck Tour when visiting Miami. We had a blast doing that tourist attraction.

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Don't they have one of those in Washington DC??? That is somewhere I want to go in the next few years w/ my kids... My older 4 have all gone on the 5th grade school field trip.. (I still have the negatives from my oldest DsS that I should get developed and scrapped.)...

 

[lewdyan1]

Top 10 Things to Do in South Florida
1. Visit Disney World!! (Obviously!)
2. Miami Sequarium
--They have so many different aquatic animals, it's really cool!
3. Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach
--Some great shopping, sidewalk cafes, very chic Florida
4. Stroll down Worth Ave. in Palm Beach
--High end shopping! Prepare to bump elbows with some celebrities! True, classic, pink, green and palm trees Palm Beach
5. Hit the beach!
--Nothing better than a blue sky, sand and the ocean!
6. Go to Miami and South Beach
--South Beach is great for night life and shopping. Miami is just fun to see!
7. Tour Vizcaya
--A beautiful, old mansion owned by John Deering
8. Visit South Florida Museum of Science and Discovery
--A really cool museum!
9. Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
--Beautiful gardens and Japanese artifacts!
10.Visit the Keys
--More sand and surf!! Watch for Jimmy Buffet!

Great list...the only thing I would add is to make sure you visit me if you come!

 

[logan&tylersmama]

I would have to suggest the Duck Tour when visiting Miami. We had a blast doing that tourist attraction.

just went on the duck tour in boston last weekend! So much fun - i would recommend it to anyone
in fact here is a picture of me driving it! dont mind the wind blown hair - they let all the kids drive and then they asked who else wanted a turn and no one would go up - when else in my life will i be able to drive a duck boat!! Never be afraid of being embarassed to try something new.

jennifer
BTW _ Lisa - arnt you just the CT tourguide!

 

[New England Eeyore]

I'm going to make notes from your list for possible day trips, Lisa. I've only been to the casinos and Mystic Seaport, although the seaport was brief and I'd like to go back.

I need PO3 to chime in with her list so I can add some more places to visit to my list!

I'll give you 10 different ones than Kim gave you for MA (if you're not a sports fan :

1. Visit Salem - Witch City (and my hometown!)
2. Go out for Italian in Boston's North End
3. Take a sunset cruise on Boston Harbor
4. Explore Harvard Square
5. Go for fried clams in Essex
6. See the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall or Tanglewood
7. Ride the swan boats in the Boston Public Garden and visit the "Make Way for Ducklings" ducks
8. Go on a whale watch out of Gloucester
9. Explore Lexington and Concord
10. Visit Plimoth Plantation

I worked for the Department of Tourism in high school, so I think I still know a fair amount about where I live, but here is one of my favorite facts about Massachusetts: Marshmallow fluff was invented in Lynn, where DH grew up and where I currently work. A friend of mine jokes that Lynn should change its name to Fluffadelphia.

 

[Linaka]

10 thing to do or see..
1. World of Disney Store in NYC - the only store left in NY owned by WDW.
2. Museum of natural history
3. Central Park- take a horse drawn carridge ride.
4. Central Park zoo
Now on Long Island
5. Montauk Point- great beaches, shopping, restaurants.
6. East Hampton - same as Montauk.
7. Rent bicycles go riding.
8. Go sailing - Great South Bay
9. Check out Robert Moses Beach
10. Jones Beach - beach, concerts, restaurants.

 

[aroyer]

Lone Star State chiming in!

1- Visit aroyer
2- Tour the Alamo: Remember the Alamo!!
3- Space Center Houston: "Houston, we have a problem"
4- Experience the "famous" music of Austin on 6th street
5- the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas chronicles the life and death of JFK
6- watch the bats fly out at sunset from the Congress Avenue bridge in Austin
7- Big Bend National Park
8- Moody Gardens in Galveston (although not sure what state it is presently in )
9- Bob Bullock History Museum
10- Lyndon B. Johnson's National Historical Park
11- Lyndon B. Johnson's Library and Museum

 

[Lisa]

Don't they have one of those in Washington DC??? That is somewhere I want to go in the next few years w/ my kids... My older 4 have all gone on the 5th grade school field trip.. (I still have the negatives from my oldest DsS that I should get developed and scrapped.)...

There is one in DC. DH and DD did it when they were on a business trip with me. Honestly, if there is a duck tour where ever you may be, ie Miami, Boston, DC, Hallifax, Nova Scotia (though they call it the frog tour, but still excellent), I would recommend doing it. You see a lot of the city and learn some interesting tidbits, and besides, it's fun. Jennifer, I am green with envy that you drove the boat!

One duck tour I would recommend avoiding is the one in Hyannis, MA. Do the pirate boat trip or a whale watch out of Barnstable Harbor instead.

 

[party of 3]

here i am NEE!
i have so many i just can't decide on 10.....

1.well visit with P03 and her family. of course is #1
2.visit the newport mansions. make sure you see green animals in portsmouth that one is super nice. and one of the mansions is where they filmed meet joe black. very nice
3.slater mill in pawtucket ri. 1st water powered textile mill. very interesting
4.visit foster. the highest point in ri. also the spot where betty young was buried in her pink cadillac at spears cemetery! and the site of the only covered bridge in ri
5.visit glocester the longest running general store brown and hopkins.
6.visit jamestown. beavertail lighthouse is the 3rd oldest lighthouse in the us. and by the way you massachusetts people you have the 2nd oldest. the 1st oldest is in maine.
7.visit lincoln -next town over from me and see the Hearthstone House. really neat story there. and at cross is there. the maker of pens.and home to amica insurance (where my sister works) the oldest insurer of automobiles.
8.how about middletown. the largest indoor skate park in NE.home to a brittish built fort-green end fort 1777.also home to the norman bird sanctuary.
9.how about beaches? narragansett has the largest state beach is there. the narragansett indian monument, the towers (the last remaining section of the famous narragansett pier casino) it's just beautiful. and of course the coast guard station point. that's my fav part of narragansett. dh would take me there all the time when i was pregnant with ds. just to listen to the ocean. very peaceful.
10.newport has all kinds of stuff. lots of 1st things there. the 1st jewish synagogue,the 1st lending library, the largest coastal fortification in america (fort adams *** i highly recommend this one), only professional grass tennis courts, 1st women newspaper editor in america, 1st street in the country to use gas illuminated street lights, first circus in the us (1774), st marys church (where president kennedy and jackie o got married *highly recommend this one too. very pretty) cliff walks are beautiful, tennis hall of fame, newport music festival, tennis hall of fame......i could go on and on about this one! oh and the newport dinner train. that's a good time too!
11. block island (never been -shame on me) named by the nature conservancy as one of the 12 greatest places in the western hemisphere.
1st naval battle in the us (1690)
12. north kingstown-birthplace to the us navey seabees, birthplace to gilbert stuart -who painted george washington on the dollar bill, wickford village(great place), wickford village art festival, quonset air museum,
13.north smithfield home to wrights dairy farm **NOT TO BE MISSED**
14.pawtucket- home to mr. potato head! hasbro toy makers. you used to be able to tour the factory, not to sure about that one anymore.
15.providence. who can forget this place. home to the 1st baptist church in america (1638), most artists per capita of any city in the nation, tony award winning trinity rep theatre (great place), roger williams zoo-named on of americas top ten zoos, the big blue bug on top of the NE Pest Control, jewelry capital of the nation, the providence childrens museum (great place) the providence place mall, haven brothers diner (in front of city hall for over 100 years), pardon millers house at ri school of design ri most haunted places and of course the state house has the independent man in gold on the top standing 11 feet tall and 278 feet above ground! and how about the fleet skating center (twice the size of ny's rockefeller center -how about that?!)

ok i gave you 15. i could just go on and on. lots of things to do in the smallest state in the union with the longest name!!!!!

if you do decide to come to little rhody, make sure you let me know and i'll come with you to see lots of these things. because i've not seen them all my self and i live here!!!!!
it would make for a nice trip!

 

[party of 3]

oh wait i have one more.....we have brown university. an ivy league school. its so beautiful there. that's a not to be missed place too!

 

[party of 3]

nancy i'd love to do dc. we have talked about going there, but we have decided to wait until ds is a little older.
but lots of history there. i'd love to see the smithsonian. it's like 5 seperate buildings. and all the monuments, and the white house, oh that's a great place to visit. all though they say to stay in virginia not dc!
and the cherry blossom trees.....

 

[DisneyIsTerrific]

In North Florida, you should:

-- Most important is to visit Walt Disney World. It's not in North Florida, but it's close enough (3 1/2 hours) that it can be a looooong day trip event!
-- Go to a football game - we've got the University of Florida Gators (GO GATORS!!!!), the Florida State University Seminoles, and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
-- Visit St. Augustine - that's an awesome historic town with lots to see.
-- Go to the Tallahassee Civic Center and watch a Broadway production
-- Go to the Tallahassee Museum - it's a wonderful museum with a replica of an old Floridian plantation and an old Floridian farm. My favorite part is a boardwalk through the woods with overlook areas to view animals native to Florida. It's a gorgeous walk with lots of cypress trees.
-- Visit Marianna Caverns - I've never been but I've heard they are great.
-- Visit the Jacksonville Zoo - They've done lots of work to this zoo over the years and it's a really nice one
-- Go canoeing on the Suwannee River
-- Go to the beach or shopping at Panama City Beach, Destin, or Ft. Walton Beach
-- Hike on the Florida Trail. There are some beautiful spots throughout Florida for hiking.

 

[ddavis860]

Delaware

Nicknames: Diamond State; First State; Small Wonder

What Delaware is know for:

Home of tax free shopping
Joe Biden- Thanks to Joe, people across the nation now know we are a state, and not just a suburb of Philly
Home of the DuPont Company
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRsWdTO6P7o

Stuff to do:

-Visit Debbie!!!!

-The Tall Ship Kalmar Nyckel-
The Tall Ship Kalmar Nyckel is the full-size re-creation of the ship that brought settlers from Sweden to the New World in 1638 to establish Fort Christina and found the Colony of New Sweden, the first permanent Old World settlement in the entire Delaware Valley.

-Hagley Museum and Library-
The original site of the Du Pont mills, founded in 1802. Hagley Museum was originally the du Pont black powder manufactory, estate, and gardens.

-Nemours Mansion and Gardens-
Set among spectacular French formal gardens, the Louis XVI-style chateau was built for Alfred I. DuPont and contains 102 rooms furnished with fine examples of antique furniture, rare rugs, tapestries and outstanding works of art.

-Winterthur Museum and Country Estate-
Once a Du Pont family country retreat, this estate's spectacular gardens surround a 175-room mansion housing the world's finest collection of American decorative arts from 1640-1860.

-Fort Delaware State Park-
Civil War era fortress and prison to more than 30,000 Confederate, Federal and political prisoners. Features living history programming with highly interactive interpreters in period attire. Daily demonstrations of our eight-inch Columbiad cannon, Civil War cooking, prisoners and civilian life on the island.

-Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village-
This complex is comprised of a large exhibit hall, with artifacts from a 19th-century farming community, and a village with 15 buildings where staff perform various jobs related to this period.

-Dover International Speedway
The venue for popular races like the NASCAR Winston Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck series, it is considered, by many, to be one of the best tracks in the U.S..

-World Championship Punkin' Chunkin'-
The World Championship Punkin' Chunkin' is name of an annual championship pumpkin-throwing contest held the first weekend after Halloween in Sussex County, Delaware. It started in 1986 in Millsboro. Competing teams construct and fire a variety of pumpkin-launching devices, including catapults, trebuchets, centrifugal machines, and pneumatic air cannons. Contestants compete in divisions against machines of the same type.

-Dover Air Force Base-
Operates the U.S. Department of Defense’s largest airfreight terminal. In addition, the base serves as an alternate landing site for NASA space shuttle missions. It is also the home base for the largest military mortuary in the Department of Defense, and has been used for processing military personnel killed in both war and peacetime.

-Delaware Beaches-
The Delaware Quiet Resorts including Fenwick Island, Bethany Beach DE, Dewey Beach, Rehoboth Beach, and Lewes DE, Delaware. The Party Resorts are Rehobeth Beach, and Dewey Beach.
Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, with the inland bays to the west and the sandy beaches on the east. Tons of fishing, crabbing, claming, swimming, boating...
(and DON'T say "shore", we go to the "beach")



~Trivia~
In total area Delaware ranks 49th in the nation. It contains 1,982 square miles. It is 96 miles long and varies from 9 to 35 miles in width. Making it the second smallest state.

Delaware was the first state to ratify the United States constitution. It did so on December 7, 1787.

The nation's first scheduled steam railroad began in New Castle in 1831.

Delaware is the only state without any National Park System units such as national parks, seashores, historic sites, battlefields, memorials, and monuments.

Today about 500 descendants of the original Nanticoke Indians reside in Delaware. They celebrate their heritage each September with the Nanticoke Indian Pow Wow.

Tradition holds the first time Betsy Ross's famous flag was flown was at the Battle of Cooch's Bridge. This historic site is located on route 4 in Newark.

The state's Coastal Heritage Greenway consists of a corridor of open space running along 90 miles of coast and spanning the area between Fox Point State Park and the state line at Fenwick Island.

Delaware was named for Lord de la Warr. He was the first governor of Virginia.

State symbols:

colors: colonial blue and buff
flower: peach blossom (1895)
tree: American holly (1939)
bird: blue hen chicken (1939)
insect: ladybug (1974)
butterfly: tiger swallowtail (1999)
fish: weakfish (1981)
song: “Our Delaware” I like mine posted above better
beverage: milk
fossil: belemnite

 

[WDWMom]

Top 10 things to do in Michigan



Taquannamom Falls (sp ????) is beautiful. Great place to hike.
North and South Manitou Islands for hiking and camping
Michigan's Adventure amusement park - not WDW but great fun for one day
Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, or the Detroit Zoo or John Ball Park Zoo
Anywhere along Lake Michigan. Lots of small quaint towns
Dune buggy rides along the Lake MI dunes
Mackinac Island and the Mackinac Bridge
Michigan Historical Museum in Lansing (I believe it is free)
Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village
Apple and pumpkin picking in the fall

We have lots of state parks where you can camp and/or hike. Michigan is truly the home of the outdoors. If you can visit in the fall, the color is beautiful.

Some interesting facts...

We are home of the first automobile
Home of the first traffic light
Grand Rapids was the first city in the U.S. to put fluoride in their water
Singing sand can be found on the beaches of Grand Haven. The sand particles make a whistling sound as you walk upon them.
Michigan has 116 lighthouses and navigational lights.
The first soda pop made in the U.S., Vernor’s ginger ale, was created by accident in 1866 in Detroit.
Michigan has approximately 40 ski resorts
No matter where you are in Michigan, you are less than 5 miles from a body of water.

Famous people from Michigan

Thomas Edison
Gerald Ford
Chris Van Allsburg (wrote the Polar Express)
Bob Seger
Madonna
Magic Johnson
Gilda Radner
Diana Ross
Tom Selleck
Francis Ford Copella
Stevie Wonder
Lily Tomlin

 

[Raenstoirm]

Since DC is such a topic, I will post DC ( I live in the burbs in MD, but i lived three blocks from the White house for years!)

Monuments (FDR is a little out of the way but my favorite)
Museums (Smithsonian has 17 different ones, plus tons of private ones .) Don’t miss the Spy museum! All federal ones are free to enter!
National Zoo. They have awesome events like Boo at the Zoo coming up for Halloween
Pet the GW Hippo (it’s a locals thing for luck)- George and Martha used to put the hippos that swam out of the Potomac river when they were living at Mount Vernon ( the plaque actually says that!)
Duck tour (as discussed in other posts)
DC Segway Tour (segways are so much fun)
Gray Line bus tour (one of the best tours we have)
Cherry Blossom Festival in the spring (google it)
Inauguration (you can image how "lively" this place gets. Its awesome
Georgetown (quaint shops, really old buildings, wonderful restaurants)
C & O Canal (you can take a trip on the barge pulled by oxen!)
Take a dinner cruise on the Potomac
Taste of DC (annual festival- They close Penn Ave and fill the streets with food and music and everything carnival.
Embassy Row (great to see the varying architecture of each country)
Visit the Universities- Georgetown, GW (my alma mater), American, Howard UDC, Catholic, etc
See a game or concert at the Verizon Center- Go Wizards! (we also have the Redskins, DC united, Mystic and the Nats, if you like sports, plus all the college teams)
We have our own Six Flags theme park as well

Plus there is also the touristy stuff- visit the White House, go up in the Washington Monument, Visit the Capitol and Wave to Lincoln


If you want to venture slightly out of the city, Alexandria VA has a great Ghost tour that is not to miss. Plus Smithsonian has a huge part of the Air and Space Museum in VA. There is a real Concord and space shuttle there.
And of course DC was put where it is by Washington so he did not have to leave his home in MT Vernon, so that is always some place to see, especially around the holidays when it is decorated.