Our Top 4 Destinations for THIS Summer- Exposed

 This year has been such a stressful year for me and I promised myself all year that I was going to go big this summer. I deserve a reward for this years test of perseverance and strength. Pretty much every week, I was making a list of a place we were going to visit. Before I knew it, I was waaayyy over budget and waaayyy over time. So, here I sit to finalize my list and I would love some feedback!

Tour de Ohio

Last year we talked and talked about going to visit Sandusky, Ohio. It borders Lake Erie and is right in the middle of Toldeo and Cleveland. We were looking at doing a 4-5 day trip where we did a day in Sandusky to check out Cedar Point OR Kalahari Waterparks and then move over to Cleveland and finish up with a scenic ride back to Pittsburgh. Cleveland would be the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Museums and Zoo and either the Maritime Museum or Police Museum (kids pick). 

 Philadephia, PA

Both myself and my husband grew up on the east coast of PA. We took Philadelphia for granted all of these years living in Pittsburgh as a place to "go home" and not a destination. This year, we decided we wanted to show our children all of the historical and attractions in the area we called "home". For this trip, we will make it a weekend. Our stops include the Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Please Touch Museum, South Street and Cheesesteaks!! The main goal is to show our kids all of the areas that we used to love so much. We may also get a grandparents visit out of this trip!

 Top Sail Island, NC

We had a small beach trip in March, but South Carolina in March does not count as beach to me. I want a beach trip where I sit my butt in the sand and do not move for 10 straight days. Top Sail Island is near Surf City and on a tiny little strip of paradise. This trip will consist of beach, beach, food, food, beach and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Museum. While I really like trips where my kids are seeing new sights and learning new things, I also love trips where we are just relaxing and doing a whole lot of nothing. This trip will be it!

Camping, Middle of PA Somewhere

Every year, we take a long weekend to rent a cabin in the middle of no-cell-phone-service PA and "glamp" it. We grab our fishing poles, kayaks, four wheelers and hang out in the same pair of ripped jeans and hiking boots all weekend. We like to stay in an area in Potter County called Cousdersport; which happens to have the darkest skies in PA. This also gives you the best look at the stars. The stargazing is incredible. Like mind-blowing, out of this world; a sky filled with stars sprinkled everywhere. We never really have a plan for this trip either, but we make sure we spend most of our time outside.