Day 3: Niagara Falls & Palmyra, New York

 Niagara Falls on the USA side.  We took a ride on the Maid of the Mist boat and it's pretty incredible how close you get, you can feel the power of the falls down there and....you get soaked!

Then it was off to Palmyra

Hill Cumorah

                       Tour of the Grandin Printing Press where the Book of Mormon was first printed.

This is the original painting of the Angel Moroni appearing to Joseph.

                                                                     Palmyra Temple

                                                       Sacred Grove- such a special place.  

Trying to lift a replica of the gold plates.

                                The fireplace where Joseph's sisters kept the gold plate hidden and safe.

The house Joseph grew up in.

Day 2: Michigan & Ohio

We headed into Michigan and toured the Henry Ford Historic Town.  Henry Ford bought a lot of homes a businesses that belonged to super innovative people in the early 1900's and brought them all to this location to create a fun, little, old town/museum.

                                                  We rode around town in a Model-T

Saw the Wright Brothers bike shop where they worked and eventually invented the first airplane.

                                              This is the home the Wright Brothers grew up in.

Cutest carousel over 100 years old. 

As a homeschooler I thought this little school house was particularly great!  Anyone familiar with McGuffey Readers?...this was a McGuffey school house!

 

                                         Then it was off to Kirkland Ohio for some Church History

So incredible to be in this room in the Kirkland Temple- some pretty amazing things happened here.

                                                                Joseph's Smith's home

                                                                    School of the Prophets

Then another late drive into Canada to see Niagara Falls all lit up at night before seeing it up close and personal the next day in New York.

 

Big Family Road Trip Summer 2025 Day 1 (June 29th)

The fun started in Chicago!! We flew in late the night before, rented a car, and hit the ground running early the next morning.

Downtown Chicago

Architecture boat tour

                                                                   Buckingham Fountain

Centennial Ferris Wheel 

                                                 Garrett's Famous Popcorn (it was delicious)

                                                  Giordiano's Deep Dish pizza- also amazing!

Got really hot- so we took a dip in Lake Michigan

                                                        Soldier Field football stadium 

                                                 The 2 Boston Beans at the Chicago Bean?!?

Lots of catching up on sleep in trains

                                      Another dip in Lake Michigan (this time at Porter Beach)

Notre Dame

 Yes, this was all Day 1- we really packed it in there!

Boating with the McCammons

We decided to skip the crowds on the lake for the 4th and instead went on the 5th in the evening after Ryan got off work. We had the McCammons along and had a total blast tubing. The girls were definite winners as they managed to hang on every ride.The boys had pretty wicked wipeout...I think Ryan may have been a little crazier with the boys. Let's not forget tangling the rope in the prop, but luckily Ryan was able to get that out. The Anderson's and McCammons could write a book on our trip foibles, haha. But we always have so much fun!