We spent a long weekend in Madison while Josh was working a vendor booth, and in between coffee dates and exploring with friends, I carved out a Saturday morning for something a little different, a free tour of the Wisconsin State Capitol. What I expected to be a quick, “sure,…
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From Quantum Labs to Newton’s Apple Tree: A Day at UW–Madison
I visited the L.R. Ingersoll Wonders of Physics Museum with two of my good friends, and we spent the entire day happily geeking out over science. After working in higher education for most of my career, I’ve never quite lost my love for wandering college campuses. They’re such hidden treasure…
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15 Off-the-Beaten-Path Federal Museums in Washington DC (Free to Visit!)
Washington, DC is packed with incredible museums, and while everyone knows the big-name federal stops like the White House, U.S. Capitol, Supreme Court, National Archives, and Library of Congress, there’s a whole world of lesser-known federal museums and visitor experiences hiding in plain sight across DC, Northern Virginia, and nearby…
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The Ultimate Charleston Bucket List: Everything We Did on Our Honeymoon
Charleston, South Carolina is one of those cities that completely pulls you in, where centuries of history meet coastal charm, Spanish moss hangs over quiet streets, and every corner seems to tell a different story. From Revolutionary War sites and Civil War landmarks to quirky museums, historic cemeteries, nature preserves,…
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McGinn’s PistachioLand: One of the Most Unexpected Things to Do in New Mexico
If you’ve ever spotted the World’s Largest Pistachio rising out of the New Mexico desert and wondered if it was worth pulling over… the answer is yes. McGinn’s PistachioLand is one of those quirky roadside attractions that starts with a photo op and quickly turns into a full experience. Located…
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Why the Oregon Coast Aquarium Hooks Visitors Again and Again
The Oregon Coast Aquarium is one of those stops that impressed us so much, we made time for it on both of our trips to Oregon, and honestly, that says a lot. Located in Newport, this coastal aquarium blends immersive exhibits, thoughtful animal care, and a strong focus on Pacific…
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One of DC’s Best Free Museums: Visiting the National Postal Museum
Tucked right across from Union Station, the Smithsonian National Postal Museum is one of DC’s most underrated gems, a place dedicated to telling America’s story through the mail we send, the stamps we collect, and the journeys letters make along the way. As the museum describes it, “through the preservation…
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These 5 Colorful World’s Fair Houses Are Hiding in Indiana Dunes
There’s a stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline where time feels like it folds in on itself, where five futuristic houses from the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair now sit perched above the dunes like colorful postcards from the past. These Century of Progress homes, once built as showpieces to preview the…
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Wild West Secrets: Our Tour of the Deadwood Brothel Museum
If there’s one place in Deadwood that stopped us in our track, it was the Deadwood Brothel Museum. Tucked upstairs where you half expect to find dusty offices or forgotten storage closets, this museum instead opens the door to one of the town’s most enduring, complicated, and honestly fascinating chapters:…
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300+ Things to Do in Philadelphia: Free Interactive Planning Map
Planning a trip to Philly can be a lot. Between historic sites, museums, all the amazing food (so much food), and trying to decide which neighborhood to start in, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed fast. So! I did what any Type-A traveler would do- I made a Google MyMap loaded…