Tag Archives: Travel

Travel – Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

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December 7, 1941 – “A day which will live in infamy”.  There are other historic dates in American history, such as: November 22.1963 – the day John F. Kennedy was shot or September 11, 2001 – the day terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.  Every generation seems to have pivotal moments in time when we remember exactly where we were, what we were doing and who we were with when a national tragedy happens.

My husband’s grandfather was on the U.S.S. California battleship when the Imperial Japanese Navy launched an aerial assault on the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  This direct attack on American soil was the action that led to the United States involvement in World War II.  When we were planning a trip to Hawaii, we knew that we wanted to take our daughter there to see the place where her Great Grandfather was on that fateful day.

The new Pearl Harbor Memorial and Visitor Center is located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.  The facility serves as the main entrance and centralized ticket location for tourists visiting Pearl Harbor’s four historic sites:

  • WWII Valor in the Pacific Monument (also known as the USS Arizona Memorial)
  • USS Missouri Memorial
  • Pacific Aviation Museum
  • USS Bowfin Submarine Museum

When we visited in 2008 it was before they built the new visitor center and had an advanced reservation ticket system.  We took the 75 minute memorial tour that included a 23-minute documentary on the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack and a shuttle boat ride out to the USS Arizona Memorial.

Dedicated in 1962, the 184 foot Memorial structure spans the sunken remains of the USS Arizona battleship and has many viewing areas of the submerged shrine.  At one end of the assembly room is a huge marble wall with the engraved names of the 1177 crewmen killed on the USS Arizona that day in 1941.  After our return boat ride back to the visitor center we spent a couple of hours in the museum which was filled with historical memorabilia, multimedia exhibits and interpretive displays.  It was a very somber feeling to view the memorial site but our visit to the museum helped us understand the planned Japanese military attack and it was a very important history lesson.

We had also purchased tickets for a tour of the USS Missouri battleship which is located on historic Ford Island.  Due to Navy security restrictions the only way to get there is on a bus shuttle that we boarded at the Visitor Center.  We took the “Mighty Mo” tour which was a 35 minute guided tour and my husband enjoyed all the detailed information about the battleship.  We had a bit of luck when our tour guide let us into the special battle control center only available on the VIP tours and even turned off the lights to simulate battle conditions. The USS Missouri was the site of the Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945 in Tokyo bay.  There is now a bronze plaque marking the exact spot where the surrender ceremonies were held and we got to see the original documents signed by General MacArthur.

    
USS Arizona Memorial information:

  • Memorial Tour tickets for the USS Arizona and admission to the Visitor Center are FREE.  Ticket reservations are advised and highly recommended at Recreation.gov.  There is a non-refundable fee of $1.50 per ticket.  Please visit the website for current information.
    TRIP NOTE: When we went in 2008, we had to get there very early in the morning and stand in a long line to get tickets – this sounds like a much better system!
  • If you are interested in seeing all four historic sites at Pearl Harbor, consider the one-day Pearl Harbor Passport.  The passport includes the official audio tour of the Arizona Memorial, the “Mighty Mo” pass which includes admission to the USS Missouri and a choice of four different tours, admission to the Pacific Aviation Museum and admission and audio tour of the USS Bowfin Submarine and Museum.
  • For parents traveling with small children, strollers are allowed in the Visitor Center, but NOT in the theaters or on the shuttle boats to the USS Arizona Memorial.
    NOTE:  Please be advised that the noise level in the theater can get rather loud and the subject matter might frighten small children.
  • Parking is FREE and there are two large parking lots in front of the Visitor Center but visitors are encouraged to arrive early.
  • Due to heightened security measures the following baggage and parcel control policy is in effect for all Pearl Harbor attractions.  Visitors are not allowed to bring bags of any size. This includes backpacks, diaper bags, fanny packs, camera bags, purses, luggage, shopping bags, large cameras or other items that can offer concealment. This policy is subject to change without notice.  Please check ahead of time for current restrictions and plan accordingly. 

For current information see the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov/valr/
or the Pearl Harbor Hawaii website at www.pacifichistoricparks.org

USS Arizona Memorial facts:

  • Oil from the sunken battleship can still be seen rising from the wreckage to the surface of the water.  The oil is sometimes referred to as the “black tears” of the Arizona.
  • One of the three 19,585 pound anchors of the USS Arizona is displayed at the visitor center at Pearl Harbor and another anchor is on display at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix.  One of the USS Arizona’s two ship bells is also on display at the visitor center and the other one is in the clock tower at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
  • In a benefit concert on March 25, 1961 Elvis Presley raised $64,000 for the USS Arizona Memorial Fund.

Travel – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio

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Back in December 2008, we took a weekend trip to Cleveland, Ohio to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  We stayed at the Downtown Cleveland Marriott and it turned out to be wonderful hotel centrally located to the places we wanted to go.  After checking into the hotel and dropping our luggage in the room, we took a short walk over to the Hard Rock Café located in Tower City Center.

When we arrived at Tower City Center looking for the restaurant, we were pleasantly surprised that it was located near the old Higbee Department Store Building.  Higbee was Cleveland’s first department store and featured in the 1983 movie, “A Christmas Story”.  Several scenes were shot at this location, such as: the opening scene shows Ralphie looking at the Red Ryder BB Gun in the Higbee store window.  The parade scene was filmed in the public square just outside the store and has a great shot of the exterior of the building and the large Higbee store sign. (Trivia: The parade scene was filmed at 3AM in the morning!)   Another scene was filmed inside the store and shows Ralphie and his brother visiting Santa and of course everyone remembers the Santa slide.  (Trivia: The Santa slide was especially made for the movie and Higbee used it for several years after the movie’s release).

The year that we visited, the Higbee store window was decorated for the 25th anniversary of the “A Christmas Story” movie.  The display had photos from the film, who can forget the scene when Flick’s tongue get stuck on the school flagpole, and of course the Red Ryder BB Gun and infamous leg lamp were also on display!!  We watch this funny movie every year during our Christmas movie marathon and it was great to see the actual location where it was filmed.

After looking at the store window display, we continued on to the restaurant.  Whenever we are planning a trip, we always look to see if the city we are visiting has a Hard Rock Café.  They have great food – we love the hamburgers and fries, the pulled pork sandwich is also very good and the shakes are delicious.  Each Hard Rock Café location has a different collection of music memorabilia and we always take a look around after eating our meal to see all the cool stuff. Our only complaint is that sometimes there is a long wait for a table and it can get very noisy with the loud music!!  (Gosh, I must be getting old – maybe I need ear plugs next time!!)

The next day, we took a short walk from our hotel in the other direction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  As we got closer to the museum, near the sidewalk were huge guitars and each one was decorated differently – they were very cool!    The Museum has a very unique geometric design and is very large with several different floors of permanent and special exhibits, various films to watch in multiple theatres, a restaurant to grab a quick meal and a wonderful gift shop – we were there for a couple of hours.   We enjoyed our visit and there was something for everyone which was good because on this trip we were traveling with family members in four different age groups that experienced several different years with various styles of rock and roll music!

    

It was very interesting to look at the different exhibits of memorabilia items, such as: Elvis Presley’s Musician’s Union contract, John Lennon’s passport and eyeglasses, Carl Perkins Gibson Switchmaster electric guitar and Eric Clapton’s hand-painted Gibson SG electric guitar.

It was also fun to look at the stage costumes of the different solo artists and bands to see how the styles have changed over the years, such as: Buddy Holly’s brown wool sports coat, the Beatles collarless grey jackets, the Temptations tuxedo stage jacket, Gracie Slick’s leather vest, Johnny Cash’s black boots, Elton John’s platform shoes, Bruce Springsteen’s jeans and flannel shirt and Madonna’s gold lame bustier.

We would definitely recommend that if you are planning on visit to Cleveland and are a fan of rock and roll music; take the time to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.  It was a very nostalgic experience to look back at all the different sounds and sights of the music of our childhood – so many great memories of growing up in America!

TRIP NOTE:  We would recommend going at a different time of year since when we went in the middle of winter it was very cold and the wind off Lake Erie was freezing!!

 History of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

The first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction dinner was held in 1986 at New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria.  Leaders in the music industry had joined together to establish the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and is main function was to recognize the contributions of those musicians that had made a significant impact on the development of rock and roll music.  The Foundation had planned to have an extensive archive, library and museum and originally wanted to locate the Hall of Fame and Museum in New York City.

Later, it was determined that the best location would be Cleveland, Ohio.  Designed by the internationally renowned architect I.M. Pei, the permanent home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and world’s first museum dedicated to rock and roll music industry.  The architecture of the building is a very striking state-of-art facility designed with a triangular shaped façade.  The 150,000 square foot building has seven floors with over 55,000 square feet of exhibition space that features permanent and special exhibits of rock and roll artifacts, memorabilia and stage costumes highlighting the different periods, various styles and numerous milestones of rock and roll history over the past decades.

Before planning a trip to Cleveland, Ohio and a visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, check out their website for museum directions, hours and other general information at www.rockhall.com.

Travel – Lincoln’s New Salem, Illinois

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We have been to many Abraham Lincoln’s sites over the years; his Kentucky birthplace, his Springfield home and the place he was buried, the site of his famous speech in Gettysburg, and of course Ford’s theater where he was assassinated.  Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site was always on our list to visit, so in the fall of 2011 we decided to get in the car and take a day trip.

Lincoln’s New Salem is located about 20 miles northwest of Springfield, Illinois.  22 buildings were rebuilt on the original foundations by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.  Furnished as they would have looked in the 1830s, the current village has twelve log houses, ten workshops, various stores and a tavern, a mill and a school house where church services were held.

The weather was very cold on the day we visited, but we walked around the village looking into places like the Berry-Lincoln store and Rutledge Tavern.

    

The visitor center had a very nice museum and a theater that showed a film about Lincoln’s time in New Salem.  We learned that a 22 year old Lincoln arrived and spent six years working several different jobs in the village.  He split rails and work on a river boat, was a store clerk and general store owner, served as the postmaster and deputy surveyor and enlisted as a soldier in the Black Hawk War.  He owned several businesses that failed before being elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 1834.

Visiting in the fall was a great (no crowds!) but I think we might plan a trip back to New Salem during the spring or summer months.  At that time, it becomes a living history experience with costumed interpreters who demonstrate their crafts as a blacksmith, shoemaker, carpenter, cooper, tanner and hat maker scattered throughout the village.

We enjoyed learning about Lincoln’s time in New Salem and I highly recommend a visit especially if you have school aged children.

Before planning a trip to Lincoln’s New Salem in Illinois, check out their website for directions, hours and other general information.  www.lincolnsnewsalem.com

For additional Abraham Lincoln sites and landmarks in other parts of the United States, please click on the link to the Lincoln Memorial which is located in Washington, D.C. and Springfield, IL Part One for information about the Lincoln Presidential Library and Springfield, IL Part Two for information about Lincoln’s Home, Law Offices and the Lincoln Tomb which is his final resting place.

Travel – Amish Acres – Nappanee, Indiana

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On a lovely fall weekend in 2011, we wanted to take a drive and maybe visit an interesting place.  We decided on a charming destination called Amish Acres located in Nappanee, Indiana.  The setting was absolutely beautiful.  As we walked around the 80 acre Amish farm and visited the 138 year old farm house if felt like time had stopped over a century ago.

To start the tour of Amish Acres, we watched a short film explaining the founding of the Amish in Europe.  The film explains their lifestyle, customs and religious beliefs.  It was interesting to hear how they integrate into the modern world, while retaining their simple way of life based on the technology of the past.

After the film, we took a tour of the apple orchards, kitchen garden, outbuildings and the highlight was the twelve room white farm house.  Later we walked around the beautiful grounds and peaked into the old barn with chickens, turkeys and roosters roaming all around.  There was even a traditional black Amish buggy in the wagon shed.  Then we took an easy walk down to the pond and past the cider & grist mill to a one room schoolhouse.

When we visited on a crisp cool fall day, they were making apple butter in a cast iron kettle over an open fire and we got to have a delicious taste.  We also took a farm wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch to pick Halloween pumpkins and roasted marshmallows over a camp fire.  (Mine were slightly burnt – but that’s how I like them!)

Amish Acres is a great place to visit.  Learning about the history and simple life of the Amish was very interesting and educational.  This area of northern Indiana was absolutely beautiful during the fall but I’m sure it is equally nice in the summer or spring.

Before planning a trip to Amish Acres in Indiana, check out their website for directions, hours and other general information.  www.amishacres.com