Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!
I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is
Mississippi
Mississippi became the 20th state on December 10, 1817. The capital is Jackson.
Our travels have taken us through Mississippi on two interstates and numerous state roads. Driving along the state roads we passed by the Jim Henson museum in his birthplace of Leland, B.B. King’s birthplace in Itta Bena, Tennessee Williams birthplace in Columbus, and many historic places along the Blues Trail,
Our wandering has taken us to Vicksburg twice. Both times we camped at the Ameristar Casino RV Park across the street from the Mississippi River. We enjoyed touring Vicksburg National Military Park and seeing the views of the Mississippi River.
Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg National Military Park
Cairo Museum at Vicksburg National Military Park
The mighty Mississippi River in Vicksburg, MississippiBarge on the Mississippi River in Vicksburg
Another one of our trips took us along I-10 through Mississippi. Buccaneer State Park was a great overnight stop. You can read more about our stay at A night on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Walking along the beach in Waveland, MississippiMajestic oaks in Buccaneer State Park
While staying in a campground across the Mississippi River in Arkansas we made a day trip to Greenville, Mississippi for some Tamales at Doe’s Eat Place. They were so delicious we made a return trip a couple of years later. More about the tamales at BBQ, Pie and Tamales.
Doe’s Eat Place in Greenville, MississippiThree dozen Mississippi Delta hot tamales
We traveled to Oxford in the fall of 2016 for a football weekend at Ole Miss. Friday afternoon downtown and tailgating at the Grove were fun, the game not so much. I posted about our stay here.
Tailgaters in The Grove before a football gameSunset over Sardis Lake
Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!
I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is
Iowa
Iowa became the 29th state on December 28, 1846 and the capital is Des Moines.
Iowa is another state we have driven through numerous times while wandering around America. On one of our trips we planned our journey through Iowa around two bucket list destinations.
Our first bucket list destination was the Field of Dreams Movie Site near Dyersville. (We actually camped across the Mississippi River in Wisconsin but that is for another post).
As we walked around the bases I couldn’t help but think of the famous line from the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams” starring Kevin Costner and Amy Madigan:
“If you build it he will come.”
The corn was high when we were there, just like in the movie. I could just imagine the ghosts of famous baseball players walking out of the cornfield onto the baseball diamond to play. Another famous line went through my head the entire time we were there.
“Is this heaven?”
“No. It’s Iowa”
Kids were batting and running around the bases
It was easy to imagine the players coming out of the corn to play ball
View from behind home plate – If you build it he will come
Field of Dreams Farm House
The next Iowa destination was Winterset and it also had a movie theme. We fell in love with the town with it’s six covered bridges, John Wayne’s birthplace (and a street named after him), movie locations from “The Bridges of Madison County” starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep, and a pizza place that delivered to our campsite in the City of Winterset campground.
Driving along the gravel country roads in search of the six covered bridges was a wonderful way to spend the day. As we went from one bridge to the next we passed by acres and acres of cornfields.
Cutler-Donahoe Bridge, built in 1870
Hogback Covered Bridge, Madison County, Iowa
Cedar Covered Bridge, Madison County, Iowa
Holliwell Covered Bridge, Madison County, Iowa
Imes Covered Bridge, Madison County, Iowa
Roseman Covered Bridge, Madison County, Iowa
The stone bridge located in the park next to the city campground was featured in one of the movie scenes. Another scene was filmed inside the Northside Cafe where the walls were covered with photographs of scenes from the movie.
Stone Bridge in Winterset, Iowa
We enjoyed breakfast at the Northside Cafe – over 100 years old and featured in “The Bridges of Madison County”
John Wayne was born in Winterset and The John Wayne Home is filled with memorabilia.
John Wayne’s birthplace in Winterset, Iowa
Winterset, IA – Birthplace of John Wayne
A few years later as we traveled through Iowa we decided on the spur of the moment to take a break from driving to explore around Coralville Dam. Before we got there, we crossed the Mississippi River into Iowa and stopped at the Iowa 80, the world’s largest truck stop.
The World’s Largest Truck Stop
A little later that day we set up camp at the Dam Complex, a Corps of Engineers Park on Coralville Lake near Iowa City. In addition to taking a look at the Coralville Dam, we discovered fossils at the Delvonian Fossil Gorge and later took a walk on a nature trail for a view of Coralville Lake.
Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!
I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is
Idaho
Idaho became the 43rd state on July 3, 1890 and the capital is Boise.
We’ve driven through the Idaho panhandle on I-90 a couple of times going between Montana and Washington but never had a chance to stop in that part of the state.
Welcome to Idaho
I discovered there was more to Idaho than potatoes when we spent a fabulous week in Island Park, Idaho near West Yellowstone, Montana. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that in addition to potatoes there were waterfalls, mountains, cattle ranches, and spectacular scenery.
We chose Red Rock RV Park in Island Park on a small country road as our home base for exploring Yellowstone National Park. It was a quiet and peaceful location to relax after spending the day exploring. We were so busy enjoying the wonders of Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and the scenery going to and from the parks that I never got around to taking many pictures of the campground.
One of our drives took us through Yellowstone and the Tetons and back to the campground through Idaho. We passed by fields of wheat and potatoes before driving on the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway in the Targhee National Forest.
We made a stop at Mesa Falls State Park for a look at two waterfalls.
Lower Mesa FallsStairs lead to a viewing platform at Upper Mesa Falls, IdahoUpper Mesa FallsUpper Mesa Falls, Idaho
One day as we were returning to the campground we were held up by cowboys herding cattle down the road. Another day we had to cancel our plans to attend a rodeo because of a big thunderstorm.
Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!
I will be featuring the states alphabetically and the next state is my home state!
Georgia
Georgia was one of the original 13 colonies and became the 4th state on January 2, 1788. The capital is Atlanta where the capital dome is covered in gold leaf from the Georgia Gold Rush in Dahlonega during the 1830’s.
I was born in Georgia but did not grow up here. When I was a child, our summer vacations were spent visiting relatives in middle Georgia where my mother grew up. I first moved to Georgia as a freshman at the University of Georgia in Athens and I’ve lived in the state ever since. Even when we are wandering I always have Georgia on my mind.
I’m afraid I won’t be able to do our state justice. How I condense a lifetime of memories into one post?
With the city of Atlanta, the north Georgia mountains, National Wildlife Refuges and National Forests, The Okefenokee Swamp, peach and pecan groves, cotton fields, lakes and streams, the Grand Canyon of Georgia, Athens the Classic City, Stone Mountain, antebellum homes, historical lighthouses, salt marshes, barrier islands, beautiful beaches, friendly small towns, and many historic sites Georgia has much to offer. And did I mention the delicious sweet tea, barbeque, grits, fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, low country boil, fresh wild Georgia shrimp and blue crabs, peach cobbler, banana pudding, and all the other amazing food around the state?
Unfortunately I am missing photos from many places around the state. No matter where you go there are interesting things to see and do in the Peach State.
Georgia is the Peach State and Peach County produces many of those peaches. There is nothing in the world that’s better than a fresh Georgia peach plucked right from the tree when it is perfectly ripe in the summer time. You know it’s perfect when you bite into it and the nectar drips down your chin and all over your hands. And fresh peach cobbler is a staple around our house when the peaches are in season.
Peach County, Georgia
In Georgia, you can watch the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean or watch the sunset over one of the Georgia’s many lakes.
Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean
Sunset over Lake Seminole at Eastbank Campground
Nothing says springtime in Georgia like azaleas, peach blossoms, and flowering dogwoods.
Peach Blossoms in Georgia
Wild Dogwoods
Georgia Azaleas under Live Oak Tree
With ancient live oak trees dripping with Spanish Moss, squares, a beautiful historic district, museums, historic forts, and one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the United States, Savannah is a popular vacation destination.
Forsyth Park Fountain in Savannah, Georgia
Steam Engine at the Georgia Railroad Museum
Ft. Puaski National Monument is a landmark visible from the highway as you travel east from Savannah to Tybee Island, GA
Historic stone steps leading to River Street
Three lighthouses protecting the Georgia Coast are accessible to the public. The Tybee Island Light Station is the tallest lighthouse in Georgia.
Tybee Island Light Station 4th of July American Flag
A trail at Fort Pulaski National Monument winds through palmettos for a close up view of the Cockspur Island Lighthouse.
Cockspur Lighthouse at Fort Pulaski National Monument
The St. Simons Island Lighthouse was rebuilt after it was destroyed by the Union Army during the War between the States.
St. Simons Lighthouse
Joel Chandler Harris, Alice Walker, and Flannery O’Connor are just a few of the writers from Georgia. The Uncle Remus Museum in Eatonton celebrates the creator of Brer Rabbit, Joel Chandler Harris.
Brer Rabbit stands in front of the Uncle Remus Museum in Eatonton, GA
Georgia also has a close connection with the film industry. Many movies and tv shows have been filmed in Georgia. Oliver Hardy was one of the stars who was born in Georgia.
Laurel and Hardy Museum at Harlem, Georgia
You know your shrimp is fresh when you see the shrimp boats that caught them.
Shrimp Boats in Darien
Atlanta is the capital and the home to companies such as Coca Cola, UPS and Delta Airlines. Atlanta also hosted the Centennial Olympic Games in 1996.
Centennial Olympic Park, AtlantaCentennial Olympic Stadium 1996 – Reconstructed after Paralympics to become Turner Field
The birds and other wildlife are abundant all over the state.
Great Egret with chicks
Wood Storks building a nest
Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin near Tybee Island, Georgia
Turtle in the Okefenokee Swamp
Baby Gator on Lilly Pad
Butterflies and Blooms Tiger Swallowtail
White Tail Deer
The Iron Horse was originally placed on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens and later moved to the middle of a field near Greensboro.
The Iron Horse stands tall in the middle of a cornfield
We Georgians love our sports teams! When we travel in our fifth wheel, there is no doubt which college team we support! How bout them Dawgs!
Our fifth wheel has a new look
As I put the finishing touches on this post the Atlanta Falcons are preparing to take on the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl in Houston. Go Falcons!
Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride! I will be featuring the states alphabetically and next up is
Arkansas
Arkansas became the 28th state on June 15, 1836. The capital is Little Rock.
When I was in elementary school my family lived on an Air Force base in northeastern Arkansas for four years. I remember there were cotton fields as far as the eye could see outside of the base.
Henry and I have traveled through Arkansas on several of our cross country trips and we have have made it a destination more than once. The Ozark Mountains, Hot Springs National Park, Little Rock, and several places on or near the Mississippi River were some of the places we enjoyed visiting.
We strolled along Bath House Row and the Grand Promenade at Hot Springs National Park. A relaxing day in one of the original bath houses was a real treat for me.
Hot Springs
The Grand Promenade in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
Fordyce Bath House on Bath House Row in Hot Springs
Quapaw Baths on Bath House Row in Hot Springs
The magnolias were blooming in Hot Springs
At Fort Smith National Historic Site we toured the federal courthouse used by Judge Isaac C. Parker in the late 1800’s.
Fort Smith National Historic Site
Federal Courthousue at Fort Smith National Historic Site
The Gallows at Fort Smith National Historic Site
We loved watching the barges going by on the Mississippi River from our campsite at Tom Sawyer RV Park in West Memphis, Arkansas.
Sunrise over the Mississippi River at Tom Sawyer RV Park
We watched the barges go down the Mississippi River from our site at Tom Sawyer RV Park
Some of the barges were small
Another small barge on the Mississippi
Maumelle Campground on the Arkansas River was a great home base for attending a Georgia – Arkansas football game in Little Rock and for taking a day trip to Petit Jean Sate Park.
Ducks on the Arkansas river
Tailgating on a golf course next to War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock
Blondie and Henry at Petit Jean State Park
Canyon Overlook at Petit Jean State Park
We enjoyed the scenic drives around Mississippi River State Park and Lake Chicot State Park so much that we made two trips to each park.
Bear Creek Lake in Mississippi River State Park
Great Blue Heron at Bear Creek Lake
Cypress trees at Lake Chicot
Cotton is the number one crop in the Arkansas Delta
Egret on the fishing dock
Delta Cultural Center Depot in Helena, Arkansas
To read previous posts about the states featured in this series just click on the state name: Alabama AlaskaArizona
Wandering Dawgs 