On the Tuesday after Memorial Day, we flew out to Baltimore with Nana and Papa to see some sites and attend Cousin Brandon's wedding to Chelsea. Caden and Cole ended up missing the last three days of school for the trip due to all of the snow days extending the school year by five days. At first, they were bummed to miss all the fun of the last week, but they quickly realized how much fun we were going to have and decided the trip was well worth it!
It is not easy for me to pick favorites from 200+ photos, but here's my attempt...
DAY 1
We departed early and landed before lunch time. After checking into our hotel (Hyatt Regency on the Inner Harbor), we got a quick bite to eat at Johnny Rocket's.
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| Yummy shakes! |
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| Amused by the smiley face ketchup |
After lunch, we wandered the Inner Harbor area and decided to tour the historic ships in the harbor.
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| We toured the four ships, but didn't take in the lighthouse. |
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| In front of the USS Constellation, the last all-sail-warship built by the US Navy (1854) |
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| Lightship 116-Chesapeake, a seagoing lighthouse for forty years (1930) |
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| Caden on Lightship 116-Chesapeake |
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| Cole manning the controls on Lightship 116-Chesapeake |
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| US Submarine Torsk, the sub that sank the last enemy warship of WWII |
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| In the sub's mess hall |
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| In front of US Coast Guard Cutter Taney, the last survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor |
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| The boys clinging to a lifeboat on the USCGC Taney |
After enjoying our tours of the historic ships, we dined on seafood (delicious crab cakes for most of us) at Rusty Scupper.
DAY 2
We started out the day at Miss Shirley's for an amazing breakfast. It is a must! The menu was so unique. So many awesome choices for the tastebuds, not the waistline.
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| Breakfast appetizer of Funky Monkey Bread |
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| My RICH entree--Coconut Cream Stuffed French Toast (basically french toast stuffed with a coconut cream pie) |
After stuffing ourselves, we visited the National Aquarium.
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| Kieran watching "Nemo" |
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| Collapsed from exhaustion |
We ended the day by enjoying more seafood at Phillips Seafood.
DAY 3
It was an unseasonably cool (lower 60's) and misty morning. Despite the weather, we took a water taxi to Fort McHenry. So glad we braved the weather because it didn't stick around all morning, and we really enjoyed our visit.
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| It's the 200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner this year. |
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| Walking up to Fort McHenry, which is very well-preserved and worth a visit |
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| Putting Kieran in jail |
In the evening, we celebrated the upcoming wedding of Brandon and Chelsea at their rehearsal dinner, which was held at Uncle Brad's and Aunt Brenda's home in Pasadena. So wonderful spending time with family!
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| The boys with Great Grandma Pat |
DAY 4
We got up bright and early and caught the train at Penn Station to Washington DC. It was a long but fantastic day!
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| Waiting for our train |
Our train left around 8:00, and we arrived in DC by 9:00. We walked from Penn Station to the Capitol and along the National Mall with stops at the National Air and Space Museum and National Museum of Natural History and a detour to the White House, then back along the National Mall to the Washington Monument, National WWII Memorial, and Vietnam Veterans Memorial all the way to the Lincoln Memorial.
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| Heading to the Capitol |
United States Capitol
We spent FOUR hours in the National Air and Space Museum. So much to see! I took many, many photos, but only included a few.
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| Kieran checking out an Apollo Lunar suit |
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| Caden and Cole in the Wright Brothers exhibit |
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| Cole with a favorite of his |
Along the National Mall before stopping in to see some of the highlights of the National Museum of Natural History
The White House
Taking a breather at the Washington Monument
Lincoln Memorial
After seeing these spectacular sites, we caught a taxi back to Penn Station and a 5:00 train back to Baltimore.
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| On the train |
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| Still asleep in the van before feasting at Fogo de Chao |
DAY 5
Wedding Day!
The wedding was at 11:00 in a beautiful church just a few walkable blocks from our hotel. It was a gorgeous day! The reception was a short drive away in Glen Burnie from 1:00-6:00. It was a fun time with family.
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| Uncle Brad and Aunt Brenda |
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| First dance |
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| Mother-son dance |
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| Taking a break from the reception |
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| With Cousin Brittany |
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| LOVED our time with Grandma Pat |
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| Dancing with Aunt Brenda |
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| Papa and Nana |
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| Our goofy boys |
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| With the wonderful, MARRIED couple |
DAY 6
On our last morning, we wandered around the Inner Harbor again.
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| In front of the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum--Curt, Caden, and Cole visited this place one afternoon while Kieran, Nana, Papa, and I wasted time in Barnes & Noble |
Ahhh...The Inner Harbor! LOVE this place!
On the Inner Harbor carousel that I rode as a child
This was such a fantastic trip! I grew up visiting relatives in Maryland every summer of my childhood until going away to college. Our last visit was in March for my Pap Pap's funeral. Before that, it was in 2011. I loved being out east again! Such a wonderful place with so much to see and do! Cannot wait to go back!
