Cathy, it was the same in Charleston a couple of weeks ago, no masks, no social distancing, packed restaurants. The only places that asks for masks were the historic homes and inside the plantation mansions. The hotel asked for masks to be worn in the public area but almost no one did. Apparently, Charleston itself has a high vaccine rate, but most of us were tourists. In the Philadelphia city, the rules have just changed today. When we were there up to yesterday, we saw lots of mask wearing. In our suburbs, I’m really surprised how many people are still wearing masks where it is now not required like Costco and my usual grocery store. In fact, it makes me laugh to think that I am seeing better mask wearing in Costco now than I was at the height of the Pandemic.
Time will tell. The Points Guy first hand story about the Covid guests on the cruise ship was very interesting. I think those two people must have faked their vaccine cards. Let’s see if we find out any more….
Cathy: I found the same to be true when we drove to Florida and spent a week on the Palm Coast last month. You would never have known there was a pandemic going on.
I have a question for you regarding how you liked Laurel, MS. I have always enjoyed watching the show "Home Town", where Ben and Erin Napier fix up run down but good bones houses for people. It looks like a cute town.
If you are taking a road trip in the midwest, I would suggest that you include the aeronautics museum in Dayton. It covers flight from the Wright Brothers through the present with stealth bombers and ICBMs. There is also a separate hanger which contains presidential planes. You can board planes used by FDR (notice the elevator), HST, DDE, JFK, LBJ and others. It's a phenomenal museum with separate hangars for WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and others where you can spend the better part of a day.
Just don’t go to Dayton in the winter. Had to go to Wright Patterson Air Force (Dayton) base in January for work. It was -18. We had to work graveyard shift to get access to the computing resources we required. TIP - don’t go outside in -18 without a muffler over your face. I did ONCE and in about 10 seconds the computer listings I was carrying went sailing as I tried to cover up my nose and mouth. It felt like my lungs were freezing. They were telling people not to drive on the freeways it was too cold.
Don't know if you'll be in Boston on your NE trip this fall. If so, make sure you walk down Marlborough Street and Comm Ave. The houses and front gardens are great to see. Look at the doors and the designs of the homes. I was in the city a few weeks ago and really enjoyed the flowering trees and gardens as well as the swan boats in the Public Garden.
Cathy - You're in Missouri so I doubt it is as Siberian like as Minnesota, Ohio, ... in the winter. In June, that DRY heat you refer to is more like Blast Furnace Heat. It's supposed to be 110+ for the whole week here in Tucson (hotter in Phoenix). So I will leave 110+ heat to go on our Iceland tour where the high temperatures might be in the 50s. That will be interesting.
Wow Cathy, I think we did 1400 on our recent road trip, a stop for one night going and one night coming back, with seven nights in Charleston so we could see everything thoroughly. We haven’t the energy to do a road trip like yours, it would take us weeks.to visit that many states.
I wonder if Tauck would ever consider spending more time in each location, you know, making a few extra long tours for those who can afford the time. That’s why we have been looking at other companies for a couple of tours.
We have’s been to Kentucky or Alabama as yet, but have been to a good number of other states. For us, for it to count, we have to have stayed at least one night in the state. So things like stopping in an airport of driving through don’t count. I want to go to Ohio, including the museum in Cleveland and the Columbia zoo. A good friend comes from Ohio, another good friend moved to Indiana. I hope the Covid crisis has made us realize we can’t put off doing more US road trips until we are older.
You are correct Cathy. You have such a great memory. I can only remembered the name of one of the six or was it seven of the restaurants we had dinner in two weeks ago. 😂 Maybe that’s why I need a week in one place.
Comments
Cathy, for those of us who haven't been there, please explain the ducks. I think they're adorable.
Great duck story!! Have fun!
Thanks for your trip report. It is so wonderful to be able to read about travel experiences again. Sounds like you had a great time.
Great trip and details so far. Does your trip include the Texas Hill country?
Cathy, it was the same in Charleston a couple of weeks ago, no masks, no social distancing, packed restaurants. The only places that asks for masks were the historic homes and inside the plantation mansions. The hotel asked for masks to be worn in the public area but almost no one did. Apparently, Charleston itself has a high vaccine rate, but most of us were tourists. In the Philadelphia city, the rules have just changed today. When we were there up to yesterday, we saw lots of mask wearing. In our suburbs, I’m really surprised how many people are still wearing masks where it is now not required like Costco and my usual grocery store. In fact, it makes me laugh to think that I am seeing better mask wearing in Costco now than I was at the height of the Pandemic.
Time will tell. The Points Guy first hand story about the Covid guests on the cruise ship was very interesting. I think those two people must have faked their vaccine cards. Let’s see if we find out any more….
Cathy: I found the same to be true when we drove to Florida and spent a week on the Palm Coast last month. You would never have known there was a pandemic going on.
I have a question for you regarding how you liked Laurel, MS. I have always enjoyed watching the show "Home Town", where Ben and Erin Napier fix up run down but good bones houses for people. It looks like a cute town.
Cathy: The US Space and Rocket Museum in Alabama is on our to do list, perhaps later this year. Thanks for posting the pics.
If you are taking a road trip in the midwest, I would suggest that you include the aeronautics museum in Dayton. It covers flight from the Wright Brothers through the present with stealth bombers and ICBMs. There is also a separate hanger which contains presidential planes. You can board planes used by FDR (notice the elevator), HST, DDE, JFK, LBJ and others. It's a phenomenal museum with separate hangars for WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and others where you can spend the better part of a day.
Just don’t go to Dayton in the winter. Had to go to Wright Patterson Air Force (Dayton) base in January for work. It was -18. We had to work graveyard shift to get access to the computing resources we required. TIP - don’t go outside in -18 without a muffler over your face. I did ONCE and in about 10 seconds the computer listings I was carrying went sailing as I tried to cover up my nose and mouth. It felt like my lungs were freezing. They were telling people not to drive on the freeways it was too cold.
Basically, avoid the upper Midwest in winter! 😀
Don't know if you'll be in Boston on your NE trip this fall. If so, make sure you walk down Marlborough Street and Comm Ave. The houses and front gardens are great to see. Look at the doors and the designs of the homes. I was in the city a few weeks ago and really enjoyed the flowering trees and gardens as well as the swan boats in the Public Garden.
Cathy - You're in Missouri so I doubt it is as Siberian like as Minnesota, Ohio, ... in the winter. In June, that DRY heat you refer to is more like Blast Furnace Heat. It's supposed to be 110+ for the whole week here in Tucson (hotter in Phoenix). So I will leave 110+ heat to go on our Iceland tour where the high temperatures might be in the 50s. That will be interesting.
Boy the "dry" ain't helping right now. 95 at my house today with yucky smoke haze from Arizona. Would stay indoors if I could.
Sounds like you had a great vacation Cathy.
Wow Cathy, I think we did 1400 on our recent road trip, a stop for one night going and one night coming back, with seven nights in Charleston so we could see everything thoroughly. We haven’t the energy to do a road trip like yours, it would take us weeks.to visit that many states.
I wonder if Tauck would ever consider spending more time in each location, you know, making a few extra long tours for those who can afford the time. That’s why we have been looking at other companies for a couple of tours.
We have’s been to Kentucky or Alabama as yet, but have been to a good number of other states. For us, for it to count, we have to have stayed at least one night in the state. So things like stopping in an airport of driving through don’t count. I want to go to Ohio, including the museum in Cleveland and the Columbia zoo. A good friend comes from Ohio, another good friend moved to Indiana. I hope the Covid crisis has made us realize we can’t put off doing more US road trips until we are older.
You are correct Cathy. You have such a great memory. I can only remembered the name of one of the six or was it seven of the restaurants we had dinner in two weeks ago. 😂 Maybe that’s why I need a week in one place.
Cathy and Steve - great postings! Thanks
Oh yes, that’s cheating 😜