Visiting the Wineries of the Finger Lakes

I had read that Ithaca, New York was a nice place to stop off en route to Niagara Falls. We started the day in Seneca Lake and drove down along the lake heading for Ithaca. As it turned out, I didn’t take to Ithaca but the drive down there was lovely.

We were in winery country, so passed so many cider houses, cheese farms, wineries, etc. We stopped into a lovely winery and sampled their wine which was really different and cool experience. Apparently this region is the same longitude as the Champagne region in France so the grapes are similar.

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American Road Trip

One of the main reasons we chose to do this holiday was the Road Trip element. There’s nothing like a classic American Road Trip.

We saw plenty of cute little towns and gorgeous country houses complete with wooden clapboard decking and fall leaves. 

Sampling Ben and Jerry’s in Vermont

I am a big fan of Ben and Jerry’s – mainly for the plebeian reason that it is delicious ice cream. I should probably be impressed by their commitment to community and environmental projects, but mainly, it’s that Phish Food that reels me in. We decided to stop by their factory in Vermont USA to see where it was founded, and get a sample 🙂

We watched a short video about the history of Ben and Jerry’s, including why their ice cream is special, and the projects they have supported through the decades. When we visited they were campaigning for fair voting rights for everyone. It is also worth mentioning that they have been taken over by Unilever, so they are no longer the romanticised one-man-band operation, but more in depth research would be needed to see if this has changed the essence of B & J or not..

My Problem with Public Toilets in the USA

This is a very niche blog, but I have a problem with toilets in the USA, and there are some unsaid things which I need to explore.

Don’t get me wrong, public toilets in the USA are usually clean and freely available, which is of utmost importance. In fact I would take US toilets over the toilets in many other countries any day, BUT I have a few bug-bears that massively annoy me every time!

Crazy Barman + Free Tequila + Vegas = One Big Night

Vegas baby! This time we had a pool in our hotel so we made the most of that. We’ve never had a “pool holiday” where we spend time lounging, and suddenly that seemed very attractive! So we attended our first Pool Party in Vegas, which sounds very glamorous but basically seems to comprise standing in a swimming pool listening to dance music while lifeguards shout at people to get out of the pool with their drinks. We stayed a while but preferred the quieter pools!

My BF also sought out a “Flowrider” machine at Planet Hollywood. This was slightly weird as it was on the 6th floor and there were no signs. But my BF will always manage to sniff out an opportunity to spend his money on “awesome” things, so we found it.

Can’t help falling in love with Big Elvis in Las Vegas

After a week in the wilds of Wyoming we were psyched to get back to civilisation – and what better place to do that than Las Vegas! It was a total sensory overload with signs, lights, cars, people, street performers, everywhere.

Our fave stretch of The Strip is the middle section, between the junction of MGM/New York New York, up to the junction of Ceasars/Flamingo.

A Wildlife Stake out in Yellowstone

Yellowstone is the first national park in the world. It got national park status in 1872, in case anyone is wondering. Yes that’s right, I paid attention!!  But it’s probably thanks to that that wildlife is so abundant – no hunters!

When I saw my first Bison up close it was a special moment. Part fear – is he going to smash up my car? But mostly awe – he was a majestic creature and had a really muscular body and a surprisingly woolly face!

Incredible Star Gazing in Grand Teton National Park

We hit unchartered territory and left Old Faithful behind, past the vast Yellowstone Lake, and cruised down the John D Rockefeller Jr Parkway to Grand Teton National Park.

We drank in the views of the Tetons over Jackson Lake. It was stunning at sunset, and equally stunning at night. I have never in my life seen so many stars.

A Hike comes before a Fall at the Grand Prismatic Spring

The lovely couple we met over breakfast in Gardiner gave us some good advice. They said they had been coming here for 20 years but only just found the hike above the Grand Prismatic Spring, and they said that was even more stunning than walking up to it on the boardwalk. They were right!

The Grand Prismatic Spring is a stunningly beautiful multicoloured spring in Yellowstone National Park. the lovely colours are caused by a combination of minerals and thermophilic bacteria (bacteria that like heat) so at different temperatures attract different types of bacteria.

We “hiked” (aka. walked) up from the Fairy Falls trailhead to the hill at the back of the Grand Prismatic Spring. It wasn’t the easiest of hikes; at one point the people in front started walking back towards us, and we realised a bison was on the path coming towards us!

Paint Pots of Bubbling Mud

The boardwalk around Fountain Paint Pots was almost an afterthought; a quick stop on our last day. It isn’t one of the “top sights” in Yellowstone, but what it does have is panoramic views across the plains. So if you’re after a photo of herds of bison in the background, with a geyser in the foreground, this could be a good call.

One of the main attractions of the Fountain Paint Pots at Yellowstone is the massive bubbling mud pools,