We made our way out of Colorado on May 28th and started our journey North through Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Ohio before arriving back to our hometown of Rochester, NY. We spent a month visiting with friends and family before heading to Canada.
In an effort to get more caught up on this blog before the end of 2024, I will condense our trip between leaving Colorado and NY by posting some pics of the highlights while focusing more on our time in Canada.
Our first stop was North Platte, NE with a stay at a wonderful Harvest Host, Pals Brewing Company. We then spent 4 nights in Lincoln, NE at Camp Away. While in Lincoln, we made a day trip to Omaha.
Pal's Brewing Company and walking on a path in North Platte which we found to be very flat.
Haymarket and Sunken Gardens in Lincoln, NE
Walk along the Omaha Riverfront Trail.
We made a stop in Des Moines, IA, on June 2nd for a 3-night stay at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. This was conveniently located close to downtown Des Moines. We enjoyed seeing the Capitol building and visited the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, located in the heart of the city.
Downtown Des Moines, IA
On June 5th, we traveled to O'Connell's RV Campground in Amboy, IL for a 4-night stay. Having visited before, we primarily used this visit as an opportunity to unwind.
We spent one night at an amazing Harvest Host, The History Museum in South Bend, IN. During our stay, we toured the National Studebaker Museum, located on the same campus as The History Museum. We dedicated a few hours to exploring the 55,000-square-foot facility, which displays an extensive collection of vehicles and artifacts that tell the story of the Studebaker Corporation, a company that transitioned from making wagons to becoming a leading automobile manufacturer.
National Studebaker Museum
We made another stop in Jefferson, OH, staying at Kenisee Lake RV Park for three nights before reaching Rochester, NY. We were fortunate to stay at Pat's friend's house for 24 nights. They have an RV pad beside their house with full hookups, and we truly appreciated their hospitality. During our time in Rochester, we caught up on physicals, connected with family and friends, and enjoyed some relaxation. On July 7th, we moved about an hour west to Akron, NY, to be closer to our Buffalo family. Our kids and grandson also flew in while we were there. We celebrated Pat's 60th and Alyssa's 28th birthdays, attended a wedding shower, and enjoyed a girls' spa get-away at the Inns at Aurora. We had a fantastic family reunion with everyone!
Hometown visit with family and friends.
On July 16th, we departed from Akron and began our journey north. We spent the night at Swan Bay Resort and Marina in Alexandria Bay before proceeding to Montreal South KOA Journey in Saint-Phillipe, QC, where we stayed for three nights. We enjoyed exploring Montreal, a lively city with a captivating old-world charm situated on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. We visited Mount Royal Park and strolled through the Marche Jean-Talon market, an open-air market featuring vendors with a wide range of produce, baked goods, meats, and cheeses. We had visited Montreal before, but it's a city worth revisiting!
Meandering through Montreal
We departed from Montreal on July 20th, traveling further north to make Quebec City KOA in Nicholas, QC our residence for 5 nights. This was our first visit to Quebec City, and we thoroughly enjoyed every moment. It felt like exploring an old-world European city. The highlights of our trip included a visit to the stunning Montmorency Falls and indulging in high tea at the iconic Chateau Frontenac, a symbol of French heritage in Canada, which beautifully showcases the city's rich history and the blend of old-world European influence with North American architecture. Interestingly, the hotel holds the distinction of being one of the most photographed hotels in the world due to its striking appearance and picturesque location. We certainly snapped quite a few during the day and also when it was all lit up at night.
