City Brag: 24 Things to Do in Pittsburgh, PA

As the largest metro near my partner’s hometown, I’ve spent a decent amount of time in Pittsburgh. It’s a charming little town with a few skyscrapers and universities, but lots of character and grit. If you’re heading there soon, here are my favorite things to do, see, eat, and drink in Steel City.

1. Let the kiddos explore the Carnegie Science Center.

2. See a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game at PNC Park or cheer on the Pittsburgh Steelers football team at Heinz Field.

3. Make pop art at the Andy Warhol Museum.

4. Enjoy a picnic at Point State Park Fountain.

5. Feast simply at Meat and Potatoes.

6. Take in the views from the Sienna Mercato rooftop bar.

7. Get the meat sweats at Emporio: a Meatball Joint.

8. Wander north on Penn Avenue to explore the markets and shops.

9. Sip a flight at Wigle Whiskey Distillery.

10. Taste what Maggie’s Farm Rum Distillery has to offer.

11. Be irreverent at The Church Brew Works.

12. Grab a drink at Arsenal Cider House.

13. Try a new varietal at Engine House No. 25 Wines Tasting Room.

14. Binge on beer at Burgh’ers Brewing Lawrenceville or one of the many breweries in the city.

15. Indulge in a lobster roll at Merchant Oyster Co.

16. Imbibe a fancy cocktail at Industry Public House.

17. Win a board game at Phantom in the Attic.

18. Rekindle your love of learning at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Carnegie Museum of Art.

19. Explore around Carnegie Mellon University.

20. Stop and smell the roses at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

21. Step back in time at The Frick Pittsburgh.

22. Ride up the mountain in the Monongahela or Duquesne Inclines.

23. See a show at The Rex Theater.

24. Ride a coaster at Kennywood.

If you want a customized list for your crew, you know where to find me.

City Brag: Asheville, NC has small-town charm and breweries galore

In my quest to visit a few more National Parks before international travel opens up more widely, we headed to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park a few weeks ago. But instead of camping or staying on the nearby Cherokee Indian reservation, we decided to make a home base in Asheville, North Carolina.

As one of those cities I feel like everyone knows about, Asheville had eluded me for quite some time. I’m a northern urban gal so it had never really been on my radar being it’s a small southern town. But sometimes low expectations can lead to pleasant surprises.

Food in Asheville, NC

West End Bakery

We stayed at an Airbnb in West Asheville so this was our first breakfast stop on our way out to the Smokies for a couple hikes. The breakfast sandwiches were perfect and we even grabbed a cookie for a mid-hike snack that was exactly what we needed.

OWL Bakery

So good we went twice and waited in line both times. You know we love the quirky stuff we can’t find anywhere else. The menu is extensive for a bakery and we tried almost a dozen items between my partner and me. One favorite was the pasteis de nata, a Portuguese egg custard tart. We missed those so much from our visit to Portugal in 2017 that I tried to make them myself  couple months ago and they turned out surprisingly okay. My partner also raved about his everything danish, similar to an everything bagel, but a fluffy croissant instead. Do not miss this place! Go early to minimize waiting in line, but it moves quickly.

Hole Doughnuts

This one took two attempts since the first time we were in a hurry and they are doing a weird ordering situation for COVID-19. You have to order in advance online and the soonest you can get your donuts brought outside is 15 minutes. There are only four flavors but I can tell you they are all delicious! Traditional yeast donuts with fun flavors that rotate weekly.

Crave Dessert Bar

Another place that took two attempts but this time was because it was so busy. We are still being very cautious about crowds and Asheville was bursting with bachelor(ette) parties all weekend. Part hookah bar, part dessert bar, this place has a very trendy decor that just felt fun. Pillows with Christopher Walken and Mr. T made me giggle. I don’t know why, because I can make s’mores at home, but the idea of getting s’mores at a restaurant is just so fun, so we chose that of course.

Twisted Laurel

Another great breakfast spot, we enjoyed our breakfast sandwiches on the patio out front. Yes, most of the places we dined at were breakfast because we usually ate lunch and dinner at breweries which traditionally have awesome local food trucks.

Laughing Seed Cafe

We just had a smoothie here, but I thought I’d mention it because I rarely have vegan restaurant recommendations. It’s smelled like bananas inside and if you know me at all, that is unacceptable, so we enjoyed the patio for a bit. There happened to be a really awful pianist across the street so we didn’t stay long.

Drinks in Asheville, NC

The Funkatorium and Wicked Weed Brewing Pub

If you like sour beer, you absolutely must visit Funkatorium! It’s owned by Wicked Weed which has other beer that isn’t sour for your less fun friends. Both patios and food menus are incredible too.

Noble Cider & Mead

My partner was super excited about this place but they didn’t open on time so we had to check back later. It ended up being fine. Feel free to skip it. I regret not trying out Urban Orchard Cider Co.

The Times Bar & Coffee Shop

They had some fun specialty coffee drinks we enjoyed and as with most of these places it was in the heart of the downtown area so a perfect pit stop.

Battery Park Book Exchange

Are you wondering why a book store is on my list in the drinks section? This place is actually a champagne bar. Most of the building is a charming old timey used book store, but the front section and the patio serve an extensive menu of food and wine. We ordered the charcuterie board because cheese is life! But the best part was the flight. I splurged and got the fanciest one because how can a woman say no to Veuve Clicquot?! But surprisingly the bottle I came home with wasn’t the Veuve. It was the house champagne that was served on the Titanic. It was delicious and I have no regrets! Who wants to come drink it with me?

Catawba Brewing Company

Nice big warehouse-style taproom indoors and a mediocre patio out back with a food truck of course. Beer was fine but there are better options.

Antidote at Chemist Spirits

There are few things I’ll wait in line for, seriously. Willie Mae’s Scotch House in New Orleans and.. That’s it. This very cool-looking cocktail bar had an amazing menu so when we arrived and there was only one other couple in front of us, we were told it would be 10-15 minutes. An hour and a half later! It was such a tease because we were “next” for the whole time. I didn’t want to give up on it. While the cocktails were good, we were too tired to make an evening of it so we had just one. Definitely go early to avoid the rush!

DSSOLVR

Artsy and industrial with a patio out back, they had a variety of beer and seltzers we enjoyed as well as some local popcorn.

Things to do in Asheville, NC

There are so many excellent art galleries downtown. Some of them are big market-style galleries so we saw some duplicates where artists had a booth at each of them, but still a very cool way to blow a couple hours. We visited Bender Gallery, Woolworth Walk, Kress Emporium, Horse + Hero, Contemporaneo Asheville, and Momentum Gallery. 

Have you ever seen the chill reality TV show called Forged in Fire on Netflix? We binged it this winter and so it was top of mind when I was scrolling Airbnb Experiences near Asheville. We basically did an episode of the show. We spent three hours on a family farm with Jeremy in his forge making knives from railroad spikes. He showed us around, we got to choose what project we wanted to tackle, we heated up our spike, hammered it into shape, then used a grinder to make it sharp, and buffed it to make it shiny. Once we were done we even got to quench it in oil. We felt so accomplished working with big tools like an anvil and wearing leather aprons. Oh my goodness! I cannot recommend this experience enough. We would absolutely do this again and even browsed classes near us so we can. Nothing will be as fun as our time with Jeremy though!

Overall, Asheville was lovely if you’re into small town charm and beer.

Lexington: a Surprising Hidden Gem

Planning travel during what is hopefully the last few months of a pandemic is hard. Not only are many things closed, but even if things are open, it’s important to understand what the options are if it’s busier than your tolerance or if the situation changes last minute. Add in an attempt to plan mostly outdoor activities and you’re also contending with the weather. 

I think it’s important to stop comparing COVID travel to non-COVID travel. Instead, compare COVID travel to sitting at home. 

Mammoth Cave National Park

Perhaps I’m getting to the point in my travels where it takes a lot to impress me. And perhaps I would have a different experience visiting Mammoth Cave National Park when COVID-19 wasn’t looming. But Mammoth was just fine. I’m from Ohio which isn’t all that different from Kentucky. So these beautiful forested trails aren’t that exciting to me because they look like where I grew up. But Utah was amazing because it was like visiting another planet. So if you’re from a desert or beach locale, these views may appear magical to you.

I was delighted to add another National Park to our list this spring and made much effort to get in the caves themselves, unsuccessfully. I checked the park website almost daily, called the park office three times, and checked the park social media handles regularly. Unfortunately they stopped doing guided tours of the namesake cave a couple weeks before we were to arrive. And almost immediately, the self guided tour slots filled up. I know that I can’t speak fully to the park without visiting the cave, but we did explore a few other trails and caves throughout. Sand Cave, Dixon Cave Trail Loop, River Styx Spring Trail and Green River Bluffs Trail were all just fine. There was plenty of parking at the visitor center, they were short, easy walks along the river, and we got to see all of the budding foliage as winter breaks for spring. No complaints, but nothing special. I’ll make the effort to return when I can tour Mammoth Cave itself.

Red River Gorge

In another instance of lots of effort but little pay off, I carefully researched hundreds of potential hikes in Red River Gorge and found a version of one that I was so excited about. We intended to start at the Swinging Bridge and head north to Cloudsplitter via Sheltowee Trace Trail and end up at Indian Staircase and Bison Way. But two miles into the nine-miler I planned, at the top of Cloudsplitter, lightning struck. Lots and lots of lightning. So instead of climbing down from the giant rock and finishing another 3 miles before turning around, we booked it back to our car amid rain and thunder. If it were just rain, I would have still enjoyed the whole hike, but better to be safe than sorry during a storm in an unfamiliar place. And before you assume I forgot to check the forecast, I did not. This was a surprise to us all out on the trail that day.

We did love the part of the hike we did get to do. When we come back for Mammoth Cave we will do this exact trail all the way through because it was awesome.

Hidden River Cave Tour

This experience was heavily dependent on the people in our tour group and the fact that we visited during the pandemic. Many, many screaming children and no one wearing a mask inside the waiting area was not a good start but we decided we could still enjoy the tour distanced from those families. While the cave itself is newly opened to the public (at least as far as we went into it), it’s mostly natural from water erosion throughout the centuries. The swinging bridge is neat and the domed rooms throughout are beautiful. But we decided to ditch five minutes early to leave the children enjoying screaming echoes and head back up the 250 stairs toward the surface. A nice alternative if you can’t get into Mammoth, but don’t expect anyone to wear masks here, including the employees.

Lost River Boat Tour

We were excited to take a boat tour of an underground cave river, but unfortunately with the rain the evening prior, our tour was cancelled. But I wanted to mention that customer service was excellent and we were given a full refund. 

Bowling Green, Kentucky

We had planned to get lunch before our boat tour and even though it was cancelled decided it was the best spot to grab lunch and take a midday break before our Hidden River tour. Bowling Green is delightful. As the home of Western Kentucky University (a gorgeous campus), BG offered an adorable town square and loads of fun local shops to enjoy. We all loved our brunch at Spencer’s Coffee (top five favorite breakfast sandwich for me), Mary James Chocolates, and Melodies and Memories (a rad 80s record store). If you’re in the area, definitely stop by.

Lexington, Kentucky

Okay, Lexington rocks. I had been a few times as a child, but we loved everything we did, saw, ate and drank. If you’ve read my blog before, you know I love a city with a little grit and grunge. Some history and personality. And boy does Lexington have it.

No exaggeration, we got one of everything at The Futile Bakery and all of it was so yummy! For dinner we explored a reimagined industrial part on the north side of downtown Lex. Wise Bird Cider had some delicious ciders, all of which were unique without copping to blending with other fruits. We got flights so tried 12 different items on the cider list which had almost double that available. We also loved the food with one exception: the chicken tacos could have used a sauce or crema. But the charcuterie and pretzels were good and the sweet cider barbecue sauce on the wings was like nothing else I’ve had. We also grabbed a few things from Ethereal Brewing as well.

As a consolation for our Red River Gorge hike ending early, we made time to stop at Le Petite Delicat and while the macarons were fine, the toffee was fabulous! I’d definitely go back to try the tarts and cronuts.

We started the evening at Bourbon on Rye where the burger was seriously perfection and the cocktails were bougie and delicious. However, the hipster mixologists weren’t wearing masks which was concerning. Not wanting to stay long for that reason, we grabbed a few rolls and sake from School Sushi a block away. The server there confirmed that West Main Crafting Co. was the place to be. I love a good cocktail bar and the literal book of a menu at West Main left me wanting to try something totally new, until I saw the perfect drink called Bird of Paradise: gin, lime, raspberry, soda water, egg white. All of my favorite ingredients. I’ll take two please!

Definitely better than staying home, but next time I’ll just tour Mammoth Cave and bum around Lexington. There is plenty more to see in both places.

I’ve explored Louisville previously, but anything else I should add to my next itinerary in Kentucky?

Let’s Just Pretend We’re Dancing in the Street in Barcelona

Have you ever been someplace and just felt “This is for me.” It’s only happened a few times so far. Once in San Francisco, which after a long weekend visit ended up with me moving there a couple years later. And again in Barcelona.

There are lots of easy comparisons between the two cities which might be why I love them both so dearly. I always say Barcelona is to San Francisco as Madrid is to NYC. All four fabulous places to visit, but there is something magical about the first two.

They are weird and quirky and have more art and culture jam packed into them than any other place I’ve been. They are relaxed and friendly. Incredible food and music.

We only visited Barcelona for four days, and we have a rule of always trying somewhere new instead of rehashing the same old haunts, but Barcelona is definitely on the top of my visit again list. Here’s why:

The architecture.

Google Gaudi and tell me you don’t want to explore any of his creations. They are pure art. From La Sagrada Familia to Park Guell, Casa Batllo to Casa Milo, they are playful and unique and worth the stroll by to admire the outside, even if you don’t pay the ticket price to get inside. I do recommend going in Park Guell and La Sagrada Familia if you have time. La Sagrada is actually unfinished. It’s been under construction for about 138 years but they have plans to finish it by 2026. 

The food.

I could eat tapas and pintxos every meal of my life. Something about having my cake and eating it too with all the options. Patatas bravas, croquettes, and this creation called the Barcelona Bomb. It’s a mashed potato ball surrounded by meatball breaded and deep fried, then covered in tomato sauce. I haven’t found anywhere in the States that makes them and I’ve certainly looked. It’s an obvious recommendation from me because I love markets, but Mercado de la Boqueria is spectacular as well. Do not miss getting churros and chocolate either. And the jamon!

The museums.

Speaking of jamon, there is a Museum of Jamon and it’s awesome! At the Museu de la Xocolata your ticket is a chocolate bar. No further explanation needed.

Did you know that Picasso lived much of his childhood in Barcelona and much of his early work is incredibly realistic in contrast to the work we know and love from him later in life? At the Picasso Museum in Barcelona, I saw a quote that I just fell in love with (paraphrased): As a child I was forced to paint like an adult, so as an adult I chose to paint like a child. This museum focuses on his early work, while most of his later work is in France where he spent a good bit of his adulthood. Definitely worth the visit, but go early in the day before the school children arrive by the bus load.

You should also visit the Palau de la Música Catalana for a bit of Catalonian culture unique to this part of Spain.

The bars.

There is almost always a free appertif before your tapas or a digestif after your meal, but there are a few standout bars I want to mention.

First, IceBarcelona. It’s one of those establishments made entirely out of ice like you’d see in Scandinavia. But it’s on the beach in Barcelona instead. You pay a small cover charge and they give you a coat and gloves to enter. This particular bar was Star Wars-themed so my partner had a blast. The drinks were ice-themed, served in ice glasses, the bar was ice, the benches were ice, the art was ice, the dance floor was ice. I’m all for something quirky and this certainly fit the bill.

Second, La Xampanyeria. This place was a spontaneous find that I am so grateful for. It’s a cava (Spanish sparkling wine) and tapas bar, heavy on the cava. It’s still some of the best cava I’ve had in my life and it was only three Euros a bottle. We arrived late at night and it was a bumping little divey joint with loads of young people like us, crammed shoulder to shoulder yelling at the guy behind the counter what kind of croquettes we wanted. Unfortunately we just missed the opportunity to buy the cava by the bottle, but it was so good we decided to come back in the morning and stock up for the rest of our trip and for a souvenir. When we arrived the next morning, it was a very different scene: construction workers on break with a coupe of wine and a handful of pintxos. Clearly a local favorite and now one of mine.

The people.

So I told you we were in Barcelona for four days, but what I did not share is that for that entire four days we were an hour behind. Late to everything. We visited over U.S. Daylight Savings and Google did not get the time correct on our phones. Timed tickets to a museum? No problem. Dinner reservations? No problem. Closing down a bar? No problem. No one even mentioned to us that we were late so we had no idea. How often do you look at a clock that isn’t your phone these days? We only noticed when we missed our train to Madrid as we were leaving Barcelona. Again, no problem. The kind agent just rebooked us on the next hourly train. Everyone in Barcelona was so kind and laid back and it is so appreciated when you’re in a new place. Yay humanity!

If you can’t tell, Barcelona makes me giddy. What cities make you giddy?

P.S. The title is from Ed Sheeran. Credit where credit is due.

The Best Indian Food in the United Kingdom is in Glasgow, Scotland

For many travelers, Dublin, Ireland and Edinburgh, Scotland top their bucket lists. While those are certainly great cities to visit, I want to give you a list of reasons to add Glasgow, Scotland to that same trip.

1. Easy flights in and out of GLA. Surprisingly there are quite a few traditional American airlines that fly in and out of Glasgow. For that reason, it’s a great place to start and end your trip.

2. The authentic gritty vibe. There’s something inspiring about a city with stories told through graffiti. A little grunge never hurt anyone.

3. Great parks. I love cities and somehow feel most relaxed in urban environments over suburban ones, but green spaces are an important part of the cityscape. Glasgow Green with the People’s Palace and Kelvingrove Park are great options.

4. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is beautiful inside and out. The wide variety of history and art requires at least three hours to get through and is definitely worth the time spent.

5. Mother India. I’m a big fan of Anthony Bourdain and have never been let down with one of his restaurant recommendations. This restaurant did not disappoint and is probably in my top 25 restaurants on the planet.

6. Great beer. Tennent’s Brewery has a great tour and Drygate, Blackfriar and Inn Deep have great brews too. Also worth noting is the BrewDog is headquartered in Scotland so there are a couple locations in Glasgow.

7. Celtic Football Club Stadium. Touring this stadium is a great way to learn about soccer, a huge pastime of locals.

8. Close to Loch Ness. Loch Ness is a fun little day trip from Glasgow. When you get there, be sure to take a boat cruise on the lake.

Bonus: It’s on my list to go back to Glasgow and hike the West Highland Way. It’s 90 miles of mostly flat pasture with bed and breakfasts every mile or so. Apparently it’s easy to do in about a week and I’m all for a big hike.

I think much of our experience can be determined by our expectations. I had fairly low expectations when I visited Glasgow and was so absolutely surprised by how much I loved it. Let me know if you need help planning your next trip to Glasgow, Scotland or anywhere else.

A Weekend Away From It All: Geneva, Ohio

A snapshot from the 1950s, Geneva-on-the-Lake offers the quintessential small town diners and arcades perfect for a weekend away from all the hustle and bustle of a big city.

While I may be biased because it’s where I grew up, it took me a long time to appreciate my hometown.

I definitely recommend only visiting between Memorial Day and Halloween as most of the areas of interest are closed for the winter. There aren’t very many things to do here so expect a lot of rest and relaxation by the beach but here are a few highlights.

• The Strip: This is the colloquial term for  Lake Road between State Route 534 and Austin Road. While some “attractions” like the fun house, water slides and tilt-a-whirl have come and gone, there are plenty of diners and arcades to entertain yourself for an afternoon.

• Eddie’s Grill: While you’re on The Strip, be sure to stop here for a cheeseburger, fries and a root beer. They still have jukeboxes on each table and the fry cooks wear white t-shirts like you’d imagine back in the 1950s. In many local families, it’s a traditional first job in high school; my mother worked at the Dairy Queen inside and my brother worked the grill. (I worked at the 1950s-style diner one block down called Mary’s Kitchen.)

• The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake: If you’re looking for somewhere to stay overnight, the best spot is The Lodge. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s a clean hotel with great Lake Erie views.

• Geneva State Park Beach: After you stroll along The Strip, head over to the beach for a little bit of sun. There is beach access from different restaurants along Lake Road, but if you’re looking for sand, the state park is closest.

• Wine: It may be hard to believe, but Geneva is Ohio’s wine country. This region is home to more than half of the acreage dedicated to wine in the state of Ohio. Growing uncommon varietals like concord and catawba, Geneva is known for ice wine which is made by letting the grapes frost on the vine before harvesting, creating a sweeter, more viscous treat. You can certainly visit most wineries all year round, it’s best to visit in the summer and fall when you can enjoy the plentiful patios and live music at M Cellars, South River Winery or Hundley Cellars.

• Other indulgences: Not into wine? Try Cellar Rats Brewing at Debonne or Red Eagle Distillery next door to South River Winery. The whiskey at Red Eagle will surprise you.

• Harpersfield Covered Bridge: On your way back to The Lodge, be sure to stop off at the Harpersfield Covered Bridge, one of 19 in Ashtabula County. Our county is also home to the longest and the shortest covered bridges in the country. 

Honorable mention:

Luvin Lavender Farms: While this gem isn’t technically in Geneva or Harpersfield, it’s worth adding to the list. The quaint little family farm offers homemade beauty products and you-pick bouquets perfect for gifting or drying out and saving for later. If you face the rows of flora, you can almost imagine you’re in France and not Ohio.

A Splendid Adventure for Mothers and Daughters: Prince Edward Island, Canada

Whether you just spent the last year reading the Anne of Green Gables series at bedtime with your 9-year-old, or are just looking for a way to relax and reconnect with your adult daughter, the birthplace and inspiration for Lucy Maud Montgomery is the perfect vacation.

While there are dozens of attractions to visit related to Montgomery’s novels and poetry, there are also many things to enjoy if you haven’t read the books. If you’re looking to visit more than one of the Anne destinations, investigate if the package with the Anne and Gilbert musical package might save you some money.

The Anne things:

• Anne of Green Gables or Anne and Gilbert musical: If you need a refresh on all things Anne, start your trip with a showing of one of the two musicals featuring her story. They are surprisingly well done and the music is so catchy, it had me singing it all weekend long to the annoyance of my mom. A word of warning, buying front row center seats at The Guild may not be what you expect. You’ll feel a breeze from the whirling skirts of the dancers, the children in the schoolhouse may sit on your shoes and you’ll end up being fully immersed in the show due to the closeness of the actors. But don’t worry, everyone has fresh breath. Not into that? Buy second or third row seats instead.

• Green Gables Heritage Place: This newly modernized park is a replica of the Cuthbert home from the Anne series. You can tour the home built in the 1800s and hike in the Haunted Wood. Be sure to catch the charming video about Montgomery’s life, and don’t be afraid to ask for it in English because they’ll likely offer the French version first.

• Anne Museum: The Campbell home where Montgomery wrote many of her novels and poetry. The museum tells a wonderful story of her life and celebrates the Canadian national treasure that she was. The main draw of this spot is the private carriage rides along the beautiful rolling hills of the estate and then along the beach. It’s a magical experience that adults and kids would both enjoy. They even provide wool lap blankets.

• Lucy Maud Montgomery birthplace: If you’re a super fan, you may find it interesting to pop into the little corner home where Montgomery was born. This area certainly exploits all they can from Montgomery’s popularity and particularly cater to international tourists from Asia as Anne of Green Gables is required reading in Japanese schools. If you’re passing by, stop in to have the docent tell her version of Montgomery’s story and see the small room where she was born.

The non-Anne things:

• There are gobs of cottages to rent in Cavendish, but I’m a sucker for the unusual. This Airbnb is more than just an interesting round home. It slowly rotates so all four spacious apartments get ocean views. It’s an absolutely incredible stay with modern amenities and local treats. I’d consider going back to PEI just to stay here again. We even had a cozy night in because of a thunderstorm and the owner brought down some of his personal board games for us to enjoy. If you’re going to PEI, stay here. It’s central, it’s affordable, it’s like nowhere else you’ll ever sleep.

• Cows Ice Cream: Yes it’s a chain but it’s a Canadian treasure with it’s home in PEI. While the ice cream is good, it’s actually the souvenirs that really make the experience. Cow-themed parody t-shirts and trinkets galore make it worth a visit to your nearest location.

• Local breweries: Looking for a place to imbibe? Prince Edward Island Brewing Company and The Gahan House are good places to start. Stop by the fridge on your way out of Gahan to get some of the raspberry sour to take to home.

• Brackley Drive-In: There aren’t many old fashioned drive-ins left so this is a nice add to your laid back holiday in Canada. Pro tip: Show up way earlier than you normally would. It’s a very popular destination and we almost didn’t get a spot an hour before the show. Also, because you’re likely renting a car, be sure to investigate how to keep your radio on with your headlights off. We all probably know how to do this in our own vehicles, but in a Canadian rental, we had to dig out the owner’s manual to double check.

• Kayak the coves: If you’re visiting in the summer or fall, take a tour of the North Rustico Bay to see the beautiful red rock cliffs and beaches. Pack warm though because the intense Atlantic winds and spring rains can make for a less than fun time on the water if you’re not dressed appropriately. 

• Canadian Potato Museum: More than a celebration of the delicious spud, this museum serves as a time machine of potato harvesting through the years. The best part? They have a kitchen! Read this menu and tell me your mouth isn’t watering. My strategy would be to go for lunch then visit the museum and eat again before you leave.

A note on the weather: It’s easy to forget that even though Prince Edward Island doesn’t look that far on the map, it’s still an island on the northern coast of the Atlantic Ocean so it’s much chillier than we experience in the Midwest. Even in June the weather can imitate the early spring weather we’re used to, like 35 degrees and rainy. Pack layers and rain gear so you won’t be stuck inside in this beautiful Canadian province.

Looking for help planning your mother-daughter trip elsewhere? Just holler!

City Brag: 13 interesting things to do in San Francisco

While most tourists are quick to add visiting the sea lions at Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street, and Ghirardelli Square to their itineraries, those are a couple of things I would skip to make time for other more locally loved sights.

1. Spend time in Golden Gate Park. It may be an obvious choice, but the park offers so many things to enjoy. Designed by the same engineer, it’s actually 20 percent larger than Central Park. My favorite highlights are the Bison Paddock (yes, a live bison herd), the roller skaters at Skatin’ Place, the Japanese Tea Garden, The California Academy of Sciences and of course the de Young Museum. I love the de Young for the art exhibitions, but also for a little-known gem that is the Hamon Observation Tower. Free to the public during museum hours, the glass walled tower offers 360-degree views of the city, shore to shore.

2. Take a trapeze class at Circus Center. Is there a circus school in your hometown? Here, you can not only fly high on the trapeze (or in my case fall into the net over and over and over again), learn to juggle, clown, or even contort. Not up for a sweat? See one of their spectacular shows instead.

3. Looking for a quieter, more romantic view of the Golden Gate Bridge? Try Baker Beach. But beware if you’re bringing children, the north end of the beach can be frequented by clothing-optional beach-goers. And you thought nude beaches were only in Europe!

4. Maybe someone can take the kiddos to the Walt Disney Family Museum while you’re enjoying the breeze on your bare bum. It’s fairly priced and gives a ton of behind the scenes and historic insight to the titular gentleman’s genius. You can get through it easily in 2.5 hours, but plan a little extra for getting to and from since there isn’t many rideshares or public transportation options in the Presidio neighborhood.

5. Missed your cross-fit workout this morning? Hit up the Lyon Street Steps and you won’t be alone in getting your endorphin fix. For normal folks, make sure you visit from the corner of Broadway and Lyon so you start at the top and make your way down. Feeling energetic? Start at Green and Lyon instead.

6. Looking for pretty steps, just not as many? Head over to Moraga and 16th Streets for a beautiful mosaic community art piece. The bottom starts with the depths of the ocean and as you climb, you move to land, the clouds, and even the starry sky.

7. Tired of all that climbing? How about a good old fashioned slide. The Seward Mini Park boasts a concrete slide. The trick is to bring a cardboard box to ride like a sled. First, grab a handful of sand then get yourself ready to go. Just before you push yourself off, throw your handful of sand ahead of you to make it a smooth ride all the way down.

8. You know those wooden rope swings over a cliff you always see on Instagram? Get those incredible photos for yourself at Billy Goat Hill. Definitely not safe for children and as far as swings go, it’s pretty scary and totally worth the little hike up the hill. Phenomenal views of the city.

9. Feeling high after Billy Goat Hill? Now you can go get high in another way at Dolores Park. Usually packed to the brim with hula hoopers, jugglers, and partiers. Two words of warning though: A. The park closes for a month or two in the winter so don’t plan to visit then. B. Don’t buy anything from the peddlers if you aren’t up for a wild afternoon. You don’t know what is in those sweet treats.

10. Visiting a friend in town? The best place to get a bouquet is the San Francisco Flower Mart. It’s where the wholesalers get their stock each morning, and at 10 a.m., it’s open to the public. But be quick since they usually close up shop shortly after. You’ll find all sorts of flora you never knew existed.

11. The Cable Car Museum is unique to San Francisco too. Not only can you see how the old cable cars operated all over the city, but you can see the working cables as they power the trolleys around the city today. Not bad for a free pit stop.

12. One of the only places outside of Asia to get dragon’s beard candy is called Dragon Papa in Chinatown. It’s not only interesting flavors and textures, but they make it in the front of the shop so you can watch the talented artists make it too. While you’re there, pop over to the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory to sample a fresh strawberry or chocolate flavored cookie flat and watch the employees speedily fold the cookies one-handed around your paper fortune.

13. Museum of Ice Cream is a social media influencer haven. While it’ll be full of basic bitches taking thousands of selfies, it’s still a fun little spot to take a break and enjoy a chilly treat.

Less exciting, more touristy attractions include:

• The Painted Ladies from the Full House opening credits

• Coit Tower

• Ferry Building

Of course check out the places San Francisco is known for, but don’t be afraid to get a little weird here too. It’s a bizarre and wonderful place to live and visit.