#94: The National Mall and Its Monuments (Page 734; Listed as Washington D.C. in the 2nd Ed, pg 894)

Hundreds of times over the span of my life: I can't put a date here like I usually do because I started going to DC as a very young child to visit my Aunt and Uncle that lived in the area. We came out almost every year from the time I was four until I was in Junior High. Then I moved to the area for a year (1998-1999) and then moved back in 2005 and remain in this area now (2011), so I have been to DC many, many, many times. But I still love it. And I love showing it to my kids. Here I am with my 2-year old and baby in 2009 in front of the White House.

And this is in 2006, during the Cherry Blossom festival - a gorgeous time to walk around the Tidal Basin!

With my Dad

The Washington Monument in the background

The WWII Memorial, meaningful to me because, among other things, my grandfather faught in this War.

Verdict: ABSOLUTELY! And when you go inside the monuments, read the words of our founding fathers inscribed on the walls. Very moving.

#93: Pike Place Market (page 733, 2nd Ed pg 900)

July 2003: I have been to Pike Place Market twice (again in July 2005), but this was my first trip to Seattle to visit my friend, Vicki.

And a definite highlight was seeing the "flying fish" at Pike Place!

Pike Place Market is located on Elliott Bay and is, as 1000 Places states, "a Seattle institution since 1907, making it the oldest continuously operating farmer's market in the United States." There are hundreds of vendors covering approximately seven blocks.

Verdict: So here's the thing... is it something you HAVE to do before you die? No. But is it something you HAVE to do if you find yourself in the Seattle area? Yes!

#92: Colonial Williamsburg (Page 731, 2nd Ed pg 893)

December 10-11, 2005: Living just a few hours from Williamsburg, VA, we decided to take a weekend trip. We went at Christmastime. The downside of that was that it was cold, but the up-side of that was that it wasn't crowded and all the colonial homes were decked out for the holidays which was beautiful!
Colonial Williamsburg does a fabulous job of re-creating the period between 1750-1775 leading up to the Revolutionary War.

There are four historic dining taverns and we had a fabulous time eating at one of them. We were seated with several other people and they provided colonial table games for us to play as a group while we were waiting for our food. The servers were dressed in period-appropriate attire and it was a lot of fun!

Verdict: YES. Williamsburg is interesting and fun and has been meticulously restored, so you really get a sense of the time period. It's very family-oriented, but to really get something out of it and to be patient enough to really listen to what guides and such are telling you, I would recommend being at least 10-12 years old.

#91: Shenandoah Valley (Page 729, 2nd Ed pg 891)

September 2008: Despite the fact that we had a 20-month old (shown here) and a 3-month old, I got it in my head that I wanted to see Shenandoah Valley, so my husband, being the good sport that he is, went along with my crazy idea and off we went! After checking in to our lodge, located about half-way up the famous "Skyline Drive", we set off on a hike. Lucky for us, our lodge was located close to a "wheel-chair accessible trail" and that for us, meant (jogging) stroller accessible, so off we went. And here we are about to start our hike on Limberlost Trail.
I had relatively low expectations of this hike, being that it was stroller-accessible, but we weren't disappointed - we saw a bear! I was probably crazy to have my 3-month old baby this close to a bear, but we didn't bother him and he didn't bother us!

Another shot of the Bear. What a fun sighting! I love seeing animals in their natural habitat.

Here is a picture of our room and the view.

We are standing on the balcony of our room overlooking the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.

Verdict: Yes. The view along Skyline Drive, especially in the Fall is amazing! But don't just drive through, stay overnight! We loved the lodge; there was a playground, activities every evening and a fabulous restaraunt with delicious food and surrounded by windows boasting gorgeous scenery!

#90: Zion National Park (Page722; Listed as Zion and Bryce National Parks in 2nd Ed, pg 883)

Fall 1997: One of the best parts about going to college in Utah was the abundance of gorgeous scenery and National Parks within driving distance. A group of us (including my sister on the far left) went camping in Zion National Park one weekend.

Again... pre-digital camera, but can you get an idea of this unbelievable scenery? Gorgeous!

Zion National Park is a 229-square-mile covered in gorgeous sandstone cliffs. There are tons of hikes and each one is worth the effort.

Verdict: Yes! The scenery is something that has to be scene in person. There are many gorgeous photographs on postcards of this beautiful National Park... yet none of them do it justice once you see it in person!