At the beginning of January, we each wrote down our top three places that we would like to go for Spring Break... Some of the places written down included New York, Branson, Florida, Emporia, San Francisco, and Colorado/skiing. The top two ended up being New York and San Francisco and New York ended up winning out. In March, our family went to New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. We were excited to get to show our kids some of the places we had visited while Eric and I had lived there, (about twenty years ago before kids), to visit some of our old friends, and to see some new things.
Day 1 - Wednesday, March 12th
Plane ride to Newark with a changeover in Dallas/Fort Worth, running into a friend in the airport, finding our way and getting our rental car in Newark, the Lincoln Tunnel, driving into New York City, locating our parking garage, walking to our hotel (Riu Plaza) in Times Square, walking around Times Square and eating dinner at Bubba Gump's, and the M&M Store
WHAT WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE THING ABOUT THE AIRPORTS WE WERE IN OR OUR PLANE RIDES?
ERIC- Being on the same flight to Dallas with the WSU Welcome Center owner's rep, Bobby Gandu. I am glad I had a picture taken with him. Memorable in a bad way would be getting from the airport to the car rental place in Newark.
STACEE - Silas was a little nervous for our first flight, (our kids had only flown once before several years ago) as our plane lifted up off the ground Silas was holding my hand and squeezing it tight. When we arrived in Newark, we needed to navigate our way to the car rental place... On maps on our phones, we could see that we were super close to this place, within a reasonable walking distance, but we could not walk there due to highways around us.... So, we had to find the exact spot in the airport that the car rental place ran a shuttle to and from. This led to LOTS of walking and frustration and laughter.
SARAH - 1. There was some turbulence on the first plane ride, and I didn't know really what that meant, so I thought our plane was going down, so I might have yelled, "We're going down!" 2. Silas, Phoebe, and I recreated the scene from Home Alone where the family ran through the airport, and Silas sang "Run, Run, Rudolph."
PHOEBE - On one of the flights there was a guy who would steal food from the cart when the flight attendant was not looking.
SILAS - One of the most memorable things was the guy that stole food off the cart and, Sarah reading the aircraft safety card.
WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF DAY ONE?
ERIC - I really liked the hotel we stayed at in Times Square. I was glad that we were able to settle into a nice motel after a chaotic day of flights, car rental, driving in downtown New York City, and walking our luggage from the parking garage to the hotel.
STACEE - Arriving at our hotel in Times Square, getting all checked in, and then walking around Times Square that night. I had told the kids beforehand they would see and experience lots of new and different things on the east coast, especially in NYC... Right off, people holding crazy and explicit signs were shocking and unbelievable to them. Phoebe stepped out in the street and was almost hit by a BIKE rider, not a car. The amount of horns honking. People everywhere. Pot smell and seeing it being smoked (it's legal there).
SARAH - The best part was walking around in Times Square, Bubba Gump's Shrimp was pretty good too.
PHOEBE - The best part was eating at Bubba Gump's Shrimp.
SILAS - I thought walking around Times Square was pretty fun.
Day 2 - Thursday, March 13th
LOTS of WALKING today! Dunkin for breakfast, Macy's, Elf gum scene, Empire State Building, Flat Iron Building, shopping, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Grand Central Station, Library, Rockefeller Center, FAO Swartz, Lego store, Central Park, Elf snowball scene, Natural History Museum (searching for things in the museum from the movie "Night At The Museum"), Sesame Street, New York Pizza and Taco Bell for dinner, Times Square, and street performances
WHAT WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE ANIMAL/BIRD/CREATURE THAT YOU SAW IN NEW YORK CITY?
ERIC - It would suck to be a dog and a dog owner in New York City.
STACEE - There was one evening toward the end of our trip that we were getting ready to ride the PATH train back to Newark when Phoebe spotted a man with a Pigeon on his shoulder. It wasn't just sitting there, it was somehow fastened on.
SARAH - A Poodle.
PHOEBE -
SILAS -
WHAT WERE THE BEST PARTS OF DAY TWO?
ERIC - I really enjoyed day 2. We saw a lot, which required a lot of walking. I really enjoyed seeing all the buildings and my favorite was the Saint Patrick's Cathedral. Loved seeing such a beautiful church building in the middle of all the chaos.
STACEE - We did SO MUCH walking on this day! I loved getting to show the kids all kinds of things that they had only heard of or seen on t.v. I especially liked looking for and finding spots that were in movies...like scenes from the movie ELF and Night At The Museum (the snowball fight scene, the place where Buddy the Elf eats chewed gum from under the railing, the spinning doors at the Empire State Building, and Rockefeller Center where Buddy and Jovie ice skate and see the huge Christmas Tree, Dexter the monkey).
SARAH - The best parts of day 2 would be walking around everywhere and seeing things from the movie, "Elf," and also there was this guy that wanted to give us a tour of the city on his bike that had a carriage behind it, and we told him many times "no", but he would not leave us alone. Another great part was when we went to the museum from the movie "National Treasure" right before it was about to close for the night, and we all snuck past a security guard and got in for free and ran around everywhere in the museum to try to find things from the "Night at the Museum" movie.
PHOEBE - The best part was walking around New York City and seeing all of the cool buildings.
SILAS - I thought that the best things were, seeing things from Elf and Night At The Museum, walking through Central Park, the biker guys who wanted us to ride in the carriage bike things, the pizza we had to eat, and the drummer we saw, plus the street show daddy was in.
Day 3 - Friday, March 14th
Hershey Shop, walking to parking garage, Coney Island, Boardwalk and the beach, drive to Pennsylvania, meet Dave and Bekah for dinner at the Water's Edge restaurant, hotel search....hotel (Red Roof Inn) with 3 double beds
WHAT WERE THE BEST THINGS ABOUT DAY THREE?
ERIC - The best part of day three, and best part of the entire trip, was seeing Pastor Dave and Bekah. I enjoyed telling them about what God has done in my life and thanking them for their part in it.
STACEE - I liked walking up and down the beach at Coney Island looking for "cool" shells. I liked our drive into Pennsylvania and seeing the Pocono Mountains (where Eric and I lived for two years almost twenty years ago). I enjoyed having dinner and visiting with our friends Dave and Bekah.
SARAH - The best things were walking along the beach and looking for shells. One time we were on these big rocks that were wet looking for rocks and I could not get a shell out from in between two rocks that I really wanted, so Daddy came over to try to get it and then fell on the rocks, it was very funny, but then he was able to get the shell out, so I'd say it was worth it. Another funny thing would be when we ate at this really fancy restaurant and I ordered the shrimp cake, and when they brought it out to me it was really small, disgusting, and it looked like the "haggus" that the family from the Disney movie "Brave" ate.
PHOEBE - The best thing was walking along the boardwalk and beach and looking for shells.
SILAS - I was pretty frustrated most of the day because we didn't go to the aquarium like I thought we were going to go to, and Coney Island's rides were closed. But my favorite parts of this day were when we ate at this restaurant and I got a kid's menu grilled cheese and fries and it was good but, me, Phoebe, and Sarah laughed a lot because it was expensive and really not that good.
Day 4 - Saturday, March 15th
Dunkin for breakfast, we drove all around today to see some of our favorite places from when Eric and I lived in Bushkill, Pennsylvania - East Stroudsburg, the hospital Eric was building - Lehigh Valley Hospital, Shawnee Ski Area, Pine Ridge and our house, Little Egypt ponds, lots of ticks and an Eagle, Loch Lomond, Raymond Skills Falls, Milford, the Delaware Water Gap, a very old cemetery, dinner at Chili's, hotel - the Baymont with a swimming pool
WHAT WERE THE BEST PARTS OF DAY FOUR?
ERIC - I know it wasn't that enjoyable for the kids, but a trip down memory lane for the couple years that Stacee and I lived in Bushkill was super enjoyable for me. I enjoyed the Delaware Water Gap road drive, hiking around the Big Egypt road we used to fish, and seeing our old house.
STACEE - I loved the couple years (before kids) that Eric and I lived in Bushkill, PA, in the Delaware Water Gap nestled beautifully among the Pocono Mountains. We spent so much time outside...hiking, skiing, fishing, and visiting new places. I was excited to see some of the places Eric and I loved and to show the kids these places too. We lived in a gated community, but we were able to drive right in to see our old house. I loved seeing the pond that we use to take our dog, Drake too. He would swim and run and retrieve stick after stick there. This time while hiking around it, we saw a Bald Eagle! We drove past the small ski resort, Shawnee Mountain. While we lived there, I was one of the leaders of the "ski club" at the elementary school where I worked. Once a week in the winter we would load a bus after school and take our "ski club" kids to Shawnee Mountain after school for a couple hours of skiing.
SARAH - Honestly the best part or most memorable part of this day was when we had to walk around this pond that had a bunch of overgrowness around it, and then all of a sudden Daddy said he found ticks on him, and then we all started freaking out and were finding ticks on ourselves. We were screaming and then it was hard to find a way back up to get back to the car, so we had to walk through thorn bushes and more tick filled trees and bush stuff.
PHOEBE - The best part was eating at Chilis.
SILAS - I think I liked sleeping in the back of the van and swimming the most.
Day 5 - Sunday, March 16th
Breakfast at our hotel, Community Church with Pastor Dave and Bekah, lunch with Amie and Barry at Applebee's, drive back to Newark, New Jersey to check into our hotel - TRYP near the Path Train/Penn Station, rode the Path into NYC to the World Train Center, WTC Memorial and Museum, Ghostbuster's headquarters, Path back to our hotel, dinner from Chipotle
WHAT DID YOU MOST ENJOY SEEING AND DOING IN PENNSYLVANIA?
ERIC - I enjoyed seeing Dave and Bekah's church building. This was a building that Dave talked with me about building 20 years ago. I enjoyed going to their church service and sitting with them during the service.
STACEE - I loved visiting Pennsylvania, seeing the places we loved, and how things had changed since we lived there. I was so happy to get to see some of our old friends (Dave and his wife Bekah, Amie and her husband Barry) from there as well.
SARAH - I liked seeing the waterfall, and the tick hike, and my Applebee's meal.
PHOEBE - A liked eating at Chiles and Applebee's and swimming at the hotel pool.
SILAS - Church was good and sleeping in the back of the minivan, and swimming were nice.
WHAT WAS THE BEST THING ABOUT DAY FIVE?
ERIC - I mentioned above that the best was going to Dave and Bekah's church service. The World Trade Center memorial was an emotional time for me. I still remember that day and seeing it again in so much detail was emotionally overwhelming.
STACEE - One of the greatest things about today was getting to see one of my best friends (from when we lived in PA) and her husband, Amie and Barry. Amie is a teacher. I worked in her classroom at Bushkill Elementary School. Later that day back in Newark, NJ it was fun walking to Penn Station from our hotel and riding the PATH train into NYC for the evening. We toured the World Trade Center Memorial. It was nicely done, very impressive, but overwhelming and so sad. Even Silas, who was not alive when the events of 9/11 happened, felt the weight of that day as he walked through the remains, photographs, video, and live recorded voices.
SARAH - I liked walking around back in NYC. It is the coolest at night with all of the lights.
PHOEBE - The best things were walking around New York City and going to the World Trade Center Memorial.
SILAS - The museum was good and sad, but Dave's church was good. And the Ghostbusters thing was pretty cool.
Day 6 - Monday, March 17th
Path to WTC, Dunkin for breakfast, RAIN!, walk to Battery Park, make it through three scammers but not past the fourth..... WAWAAAAA. Boo. More walking to Pier 16 to locate our boat for our ride to view the big bridges and the Statue of Liberty, shopping, Trump Hotel, Wall Street, Church and old cemetery with Alexander Hamilton's grave, Stock Exchange, China Town for late lunch and shopping, Little Italy, ear (helix) piercing for Sarah, dinner in Little Italy, Path back to hotel
WHAT WAS ONE OF THE CRAZIEST THINGS WE SAW IN NEW YORK CITY?
ERIC - Pot smoking everywhere. Made me not want to go back to NYC.
STACEE - There were people smoking pot outside, literally everywhere we walked in NYC.
SARAH - The craziest things we saw were the signs leading into the Bubba Gump's Restaurant. There were many of these signs, but one of these signs was held by a sketch dude that said, "Need money for penis reduction." I'm sure my eyes were the widest they have ever been in my life and my mouth dropped open and I was literally in shock.
PHOEBE - The craziest thing I saw was how many people and traffic there was.
SILAS - How many people there were and the weirdos. A guy with a pigeon on his arm. There was a lot of honking and pigeons.
WHAT WERE THE BEST THINGS ABOUT DAY SIX?
ERIC - Eating in China town was my favorite. The food was super good and super cheap. If you want souvenirs go to China town.
STACEE - Laughing with my family on our boat ride/tour and shopping and eating in China town.
SARAH - My food at China town was really good, I got the fried rice. It was also great when daddy spilled his tea, looked at the waiter and said, "I spill, need napkin." He also said when we were about to leave, "Good food, me leave big tip." On day 6 I also got my helix pierced; it did not hurt bad at all, and I am glad that I did it.
PHOEBE - The best things were eating at a restaurant in China town and the boat tour for the Statue of Liberty.
SILAS - Seeing the Statue of Liberty and eating at the Italian restaurant. I ordered the Fettucine Alfredo.
Day 7 - Tuesday, March 18th
Drive to turn in rental car and fly out of LaGuardia, plane ride out of LaGuardia, with a changeover in DC back to home
WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITE THINGS THAT WE SAW OR DID IN NEW YORK CITY?
ERIC - I loved seeing the church buildings, seeing the construction, and the tall buildings. I enjoyed walking and people watching.
STACEE - My favorite things in NYC were the World Trade Center 9/11 Memorial and Museum, shopping in and near Times Square, people watching everywhere we went, walking the beach at Coney Island, and laughing at crazy things and funny things we experienced together on our trip.
SARAH - I liked walking around and seeing everything.
PHOEBE - My favorite thing was walking around New York City.
SILAS - I liked walking around in Times Square and eating there.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE THAT WE ATE?
ERIC - Easy question, the Chinese place in China town.
STACEE - The food I liked the most on our trip was on our first night in Times Square eating dinner at Bubba Gump's. I had a meal that had several different kinds of shrimp, and it all was delicious. I also really enjoyed my candy bar from the Hershey's store in Times Square... a WHACHAMACALLIT! I hadn't had one in years, and I had forgotten how good they were.
SARAH - I really liked Bubba Gump's Shrimp and the place in China Town, we also ate at Dunkin almost every morning, it was GREAT.
PHOEBE - My two favorite places we ate were Bubba Gump's Shrimp and the restaurant in China Town.
SILAS - We ate at Dunkin a lot but my favorite places to eat were Bubba Gump Shrimp, the pizza place, the restaurant where the food was expensive and not all that worth it (it was funny), Chinese and little Italy places were good too.
WHAT WERE SOME OF THE FUNNIEST THINGS THAT HAPPENED ON OUR SPRING BREAK TRIP?
ERIC - Being a part of a street performer show was pretty funny. Being scammed for the Statue of Liberty tickets was not funny at the time but is now.
STACEE - Although it wasn't super funny at the time (well maybe a little), us not being able to find our way to the rental car shop right off in Newark was pretty funny. Eric getting called to be in the street performers show in Times Square was hilarious... He wanted to get back to our hotel to eat our Taco Bell food before it got cold and we had stopped to watch some street performers... He was annoyed, but then he got picked to be in the performance. Hilarious! Another not funny in the moment, but funny later, time was on day 6, when we got scammed buying our boat/statue of liberty tickets. We had walked in the rain for about twenty minutes towards Battery Park where we were supposed to "go inside the building to buy the tickets" We made it past 3 dudes outside trying to sell us boat tickets, then WHAM, a lady who was ever so convincing sideswiped us with her sales pitch. Before any of us realized our credit card was swiped, and we were sent walking another 2 miles in the rain to find Pier 16 where our boat would be leaving from. The boat ride/harbor tour was full of cheese (not literally, just the guy on the microphone narrating the tour.) And Eric's expression for half the boat ride was priceless...a fake, this is a scam, I can't believe I swiped my card smile. Also, the amount of other obvious tourists on our boat from other countries rushing from side to side to get the perfect picture just was icing on the cake for our scammer boat ride.
SARAH - The funniest thing was when we got "scammed" for the boat ride to see the Statue of Liberty. We almost made it inside but then caved. We then proceeded to walk where they told us to go to the boat, Daddy was really angry, but I laughed almost the entire time that we were walking.
PHOEBE - The funniest thing was when we were eating in the restaurant in China Town and Daddy was saying things like, "little spill there," and "Very good, me leave big tip."
SILAS - When we got scammed it was pretty funny. And, the bike carriage guy who wanted us to ride on his carriage.
WOULD YOU EVER WANT TO GO BACK TO NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, OR PENNSYLVANIA? IS THERE ANYTHING WE DIDN'T DO THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THE NEXT TIME YOU WERE HERE?
ERIC - I will definitely go back to Pennsylvania to see Pastor Dave and Bekah. I could do without NYC and instead would prefer to go to Philadelphia, Scranton, Gettysburg, and Amish country.
STACEE - I would like to go to another Broadway show. I'd also like to see Niagra Falls. I saw it from the Canada side as a kid with my family but would like to see it again.
SARAH - Yes, I would. I would like to see Scranton where the office was filmed.
PHOEBE - I would want to go back to New York and go the island where the Statue of Liberty is.
SILAS - Yes, I would want to go back. It was my favorite trip but some things I would want to do is the aquarium at Coney Island. And I would want to go to Hershey, Pennsylvania.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ANYONE PLANNING A TRIP TO NEW YORK CITY?
ERIC -
*I would stay in Newark and take the PATH train into NYC.
*Know that a minivan or SUV is considered a large vehicle and will cost more to park (if you stay in Times Square).
*Just walking around is exciting to me. Don't need all the expensive shows and tickets.
*For a guy who likes to drink a lot of water and coffee, be ready to hold it because there are not many public restrooms.
*Never knew there were motels with (3) double beds or motels with Murphy bunk beds. We were able to find motels that accommodated 5 people without sleeping on the floor.
STACEE -
*If you're going to NYC, spend the extra money and stay in a hotel in Times Square, even if it is just for a couple nights. The view out our window and being right in the middle of the hustle of the city was exciting.
*Bring your best walking shoes. Wear them around at least one full day at home before packing them, be sure that they don't hurt, rub, or bother your feet in anyway.
*Do not fly in or out of LaGuardia if going to NYC. It is close, but so far away. Fly in or out of Newark. Staying in Newark, near Penn Station is good too - convenient, and easy to navigate the PATH Train from Newark/Penn Station into NYC.
*Tourist/Souvenir shops in Times Square, near Rockefeller Center, and the Empire State Building are pricey. We found the same items almost half price or even less in the Souvenir shops in China Town and Little Italy.
*Eat a meal in China Town at least once. Totally worth it!
*When buying your boat tickets to go to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, ALWAYS go in the building in Battery Park to purchase them. NEVER buy from a "scammer" outside. OUTSIDE = SCAMMER.
SARAH -
*Beware of the WIERDOS, do not be alarmed when you see anything in NYC that was previously talked about above.
PHOEBE -
SILAS -
*Don't get scammed like us and enjoy it.
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