New Hampshire’s White Mountains

October 7, 2025 / marniesteve / Leave a comment

We’ve not spent much time in New England. When Steve needed a New Hampshire marathon, we decided to go big: a race followed by leaf peeping during peak color in the White Mountains. Prepare for fall foliage photo overload ahead!

We started our fun with a few days in the cute town of Keene, which serves as the home to the popular Clarence DeMar Marathon. We enjoyed the town and surrounding area which was just starting to see the leaves change. Steve successfully finished the marathon, his 41st state.

After leaving Keene we headed north into the White Mountains, which are known for ever-so-scenic peaks, covered bridges, and endless trails. Visitors travel from all over the world to view the region’s annual display of color, and we hit it just right.

We drove many scenic roads, including the famed Kancamagus Highway (known locally as “the Kanc”). We stopped at overlooks for lunch, and hiked the waterfall trails. Even Poppy enjoyed hiking among the colorful trees.

The summit of Mt. Washington, New England’s highest peak, can be reached by cog railway, hiking trail, or auto road. Steve took the challenge of driving our F350 long-bed up the eight mile narrow auto route that was originally built in 1861. It’s not for the faint of heart but the view from the top is totally worth it.

We love traveling this time of year because every community has a special way of celebrating the season. In the towns throughout the Mt Washington Valley, they get creative with pumpkin people. We found them at businesses and on street corners everywhere!

As you can tell from the photos, Poppy and Bob accompany us on most adventures. They are very popular on the trails and in restaurants, which allows us to make friends everywhere we go. Isn’t our six-month old Poppy getting big?

In between all the tourist stuff, it’s important to note that Steve is enjoying the football season!

Heading East Through the Finger Lakes

September 25, 2025 / marniesteve / Leave a comment

We are heading east towards Steve’s next race. Our journey took us through New York’s Finger Lakes region where we spent a few days exploring. We based ourselves in Hector, NY, on the shores of Seneca Lake, at the new-ish Finger Lakes RV Resort. How can you go wrong with two wineries within walking distance of the campground? And deals at each for campers?

Our first adventure was a hike through Watkins Glen State Park, where the stream descends 400 feet past 200 foot cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along the gorge.

We hiked the gorge trail in both directions for a total of about 3 miles. Going early in the day, midweek, made this much more enjoyable than fighting the crowds that descend upon this paradise on the weekends.

Not far from our campground is the town of Ithaca, the home to ivy league Cornell University. We took the afternoon to explore the campus and its beautiful historic buildings. Sage Chapel and Uris library, known as the Harry Potter library, were definitely highlights. Tuition here is about $71,000 a year and the acceptance rate is below 8%. Kind of a different vibe from our alma maters.

On another day in the Finger Lakes we experienced rain, which was a great opportunity to hit up the nearby Corning Museum of Glass. Besides being the home to Corning dishes, the company now makes fiber optic and cable technologies and developed Gorilla Glass, used in iPhones. We learned a lot while being wowed by the world’s largest collection of glass art.

From the Finger Lakes we continued west with a stop in Oneonta for lunch at Brooks House of BBQ on the recommendation of our friend and neighbor Norb Tornes. Steve devoured the chicken plus the sides, and afterwards, we checked out the giant charcoal pit where the magic happens.

We continue to enjoy visiting Harvest Host locations for overnight stays along the road. On this route we stopped in Rexford, NY at Bowmans Orchard for the night. Bowmans claims to be the home to the Macintosh apple.

The house where the MacIntosh family lived still stands on the property and dates back to the 1700s. We even got to chat with Jackie Bowman, the current resident of the house and one of several Bowmans that live on the property. Unfortunately it was raining, so the u-pick was closed. We still enjoyed the stop and bought some yummy apples.

Heading eastward!

Niagara Falls Iconic Attractions

September 20, 2025September 20, 2025 / marniesteve / Leave a comment

We finally made it to one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world. Niagara Falls has been on our list and now it has a ✔️ next to it. We left Traverse City after a wonderful summer and crossed into Canada at Port Huron. From there we ventured across southern Ontario and camped at a KOA on the Canadian side of the falls.

Map showing the route from Traverse City, Michigan, to Niagara Falls, Ontario, with marked locations. — Our route

A man stands in front of the Niagara Falls KOA sign, accompanied by two small dogs. The backdrop features a landscaped area with a rock formation and a small waterfall. — Our route

They say you have to see the falls from both sides, so we did. Early on our first day we crossed back into the USA and set out to explore Niagara Falls State Park, the country’s oldest state park. From the park we were able to access our top priorities: Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds.

A person stands beside a stone monument for Niagara Falls State Park, featuring an emblem with a depiction of a waterfall and the text 'EST. 1885'. — Oldest State Park

Maid of the Mist

The iconic Maid of the Mist first launched in 1846 to operate as ferry across the Niagara River for stagecoaches and carriages.

A person stands on a walkway near Niagara Falls, wearing a green vest and holding a blue rain slicker, with trees and the falls in the background. — Maid of the Mist

Now the all-electric vessels shuttles over 1.5 million visitors each year to the base of Horseshoe Falls. We donned the signature blue rain slicker and still got pretty damp. The mist from the falls is no joke.

Panoramic view of Niagara Falls, showcasing the cascading water and mist rising from the Falls, with a rocky shoreline in the foreground. — American Falls

A man and a woman wearing blue ponchos stand in front of Niagara Falls, with mist and cascading water visible in the background. — American Falls

Cave of the Winds

After our experience on the water, we walked across the park and onto Goat Island. Here we found the next attraction: Cave of the Winds.

A man standing beside a railing along a path, with vibrant fall foliage in the background and a 'Please Stop' sign nearby. — Goat Island in the Fall

A man standing next to a yellow sign for Cave of the Winds, with a stone wall in the background. — Goat Island in the Fall

The original cave behind Bridal Veil Falls was discovered in 1834 but was destroyed in a 1954 rockfall. Now you go through a tunnel and elevator and walk on a boardwalk that takes you right up to the base of Bridal Veil Falls.

A person wearing a yellow rain poncho stands smiling on a wooden walkway near Niagara Falls, with mist and greenery in the background. — Ready!

Two individuals wearing yellow rain ponchos stand in front of the rushing waters of Niagara Falls, with mist and rocky terrain visible in the background. — Ready!

Honestly we were not prepared for how wet you get on this attraction and the flimsy yellow slickers didn’t help much. Still, we loved climbing the wooden stairs up to the Hurricane Deck which is the closest you can get to any of Niagara’s three waterfalls, with powerful winds and water crashing around you. Our shoes were sopping when we finished but the exhilaration was worth it!

Visitors wearing yellow ponchos on the Hurricane Deck at Niagara Falls, surrounded by mist and water from the falls. — Steve on the Hurricane Deck

Video from the Hurricane Deck

Skylon Tower

On the Canadian side you get a direct view of the falls as opposed to a side view from the US. We opted to view the natural wonder from above.

Skylon Tower was built in 1965 and shows its age. Still, the revolving restaurant at the top provides some of the best views as well as a great deal on an early bird fixed-price dinner.

Aerial view of Niagara Falls showcasing the cascading water and surrounding greenery, with urban buildings in the background. — American Falls from above

A woman with blonde hair poses thoughtfully while gazing out from inside Skylon Tower, with a view of Niagara Falls and a cityscape in the background. — American Falls from above

While enjoying a three course meal featuring prime rib for Steve and salmon for me, we slowly rotated roughly 52 stories above the falls. As you can see we got some great photos! We highly recommend seeing the falls from Skylon whether you have dinner (make reservations early) or just head up to the observation deck.

A man enjoying a glass of red wine while sitting at a table inside Skylon Tower, overlooking Niagara Falls with a scenic view of the waterfalls and surrounding landscape. — Dinner and wine above the falls

Aerial view of Niagara Falls, showcasing the powerful flow of water cascading over the edge and a boat navigating through the mist at the base of the falls. — Dinner and wine above the falls

There’s a ton more to do in this area including wine tasting around Niagara-on-the-Lake. But we have a few more stops to make before Steve’s next race.

Marnie and Steve Travel

We're retired! Let's go!

USA

New Hampshire’s White Mountains

Heading East Through the Finger Lakes

Niagara Falls Iconic Attractions