The Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Gardens as they are seen today were the vision of Marjorie Merriweather Post. One of the richest women of the 20th Century whose father founded the Postum Cereal Company (a.k.a., Post Cereal) and the company was passed down to her. The intent Marjorie was to leave Hillwood as museum for the public to visit. Today, this vision continues and Hillwood is now open for visitors to enjoy.
Grand HallwayPortrait of Winston Churchill A room dedicated to Post’s Collection of Faberge EggsBreakfast Nook Japanese GardenWaterfall in the Japanese GardenAzaleas in BloomOrchids in Bloom
Marjorie had a passion for Orchids with some 2,000 specimens in this easy to walk through and growing greenhouse on the estate.
If you are interested in U.S. presidential history, a visit to Warm Springs, Georgia is a good choice. This small town is located about an hour from Atlanta. We visited this town spending one night here during a most recent long weekend drive. Warm Springs is nestled among the rolling hills and the naturally heated… Continue reading F. D. R. State Park – Warm Springs
Time to Refresh The WordPress gremlins have been busy. I recently found out that they were recking havoc on my blog site. I took this as an opportunity to do a yearly refresh of my blog: drnicktravels.com A perfect time to rethink logo, design, and links. More to coming as I continue to 'wash' the… Continue reading Blog Refreshed
Hello Fellow Travelers: Welcome 2021! The new administration of the United States has implemented new rules for traveling to the U.S. Please read below, which go into effect on January 26, 2021 travelers arriving in the U.S. must: Get tested for COVID-19 no more than 3 days before departing to the United States and show a negative… Continue reading New Year; New Travel Rules
I hope all of you had wonderful and safe holidays. We can now say goodbye to 2020 and welcome in 2021. I would like to wish you and yours a healthy, happy, and successful 2021. Happy New Year everyone!
Barcelona As international travel continues to remain on hold for us, I thought about exploring some of my past most memorial trips starting with Spain. Spain is one of my favorite countries to explore and will be planning future trips. I love to hear some ideas and please post to the comments area. La… Continue reading Barcelona to Alicante
Future of Travel November might just be the perfect time to consider booking travel for 2021 and beyond. Many companies are offering less strict cancelation policies or change in travel policies such as Intrepid Travel and Gate1. It just might be the best time to consider booking your future travel? In fact, many travel deals can be found… Continue reading Should I Book Future Travel Now?
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com The Hotel Housekeeper I was watching the ebb and flow of foot traffic during a recent trip when there was a knock at my hotel room door. It was the housekeeper wishing to do her morning ritual. I was not quite ready to head out for the day and kindly… Continue reading Please ‘Do Not Disturb’
The seemly never ending pandemic has allowed us to explore our own state and the beauty offered in the North Carolina mountains. You might be surprised that North Carolina boost some amazing waterfalls and opportunities to hike in the majestic Smokey Mount regions of the Tar Heel state. Some of these waterfalls offer the ability… Continue reading Waterfalls In North Carolina
It has been almost six months since our last travel experience that required our passports. The passport were renewed this year and now, I feel it will be a long time before we get to use them. The virus has not stopped my whole life, but eliminated the usual trips for holiday breaks and most… Continue reading I Long for Travel Again
A change in pace for the post this week. Can you identify the above photo including name of these falls and location. A hint is that these are located in the U.S. Please add your guesses into the comments area and thank you for participating.
We will travel again soon, but not too soon... Are you planning future trips or waiting for the tide to turn in a positive direction with this crazy pandemic? I too am one of those people who are apprehensive to travel. It is possible to explore the possibilities of future exploration of our wonderful planet.… Continue reading We Will Travel Again…soon
The question of whether or not it is a good idea to fly in this time of a pandemic is a complicated one. Personally, I am not planning to fly now, but the process of what one considers in when to start traveling again should includes steps that minimize your and others risk. Fearing to… Continue reading Is Flying A Good Idea?
The Security Checkpoints The future of travel will look differently, especially travel by air. You can expect some significant changes to the security checkpoints. In response to COVID-19, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has unveiled several new procedures for passengers at U.S. airports. As you begin to take to the sky for your next vacation,… Continue reading TSA Changes Coming Soon…..
The Outer Banks of North Carolina As one of the most popular vacation destinations in North Carolina, The Outer Banks has much to offer. These chain of barrier island stretch some 200-miles offer some charming towns, numerous water sports options, beach activities, and so much more. A plethora of beaches, shipwreck diving sites and protected state… Continue reading Exploring The Outer Banks
Unofficial Start of Summer Summer is fast approaching and soon the heat of this season will be upon on us. If you haven't started planning your summer vacation, yet. Consider doing soon. Before we know it, the first major holiday will be upon us. The long awaited unofficial start of the Summer, Memorial Day weekend… Continue reading Summer Travel – Beach Planning Time
Mansfield Plantation This 1,000 acre old rice plantation sits about 1.8 miles off the main road near the historic downtown of Georgetown, South Carolina. Now, a lovely bed and breakfast, Mansfield Plantation offers luxury comfort in a quiet and beautiful setting. During the first weekend of February, we visited this historic plantation that dates back to… Continue reading Mansfield Plantation – A Must Stay
A Brief Change in Focus As both domestic and international travel are essentially at a standstill, I would like to discuss our current pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus-2019 (nCoV-19 or COVID-19). I am sending positive thoughts for everyone to remain safe and healthy during this pandemic. This blog post will assist you in understanding… Continue reading Advice In Times of nCoV-19 (COVID-19)
A Love Letter To The USA~ Dear North Carolina, I am writing to say that I understand that we, all of us, have done things that we are not proud of. But with the passing of time we have learned to face this, and those of us who strive for goodness have done our best… Continue reading Dear North Carolina
Tipping in the US I once read about advice for tipping in the U.S. when Eater published "The No-Tipping Point." The article is a mix of funny and infuriating stories about people who defend why they don't tip their waiters and bartenders. The article gives a glimpse inside an entire subculture of diners who don't care… Continue reading Tipping Advice
Barcelona Barcelona has something for everyone. This city is steeped in authentic history including the Catalan culture. You will also find the wildly bizarre here. Each neighborhood in Barcelona has its own personality and plenty of secrets to discover. This is guide includes some of the most popular areas to explore during your time in… Continue reading A Visit To Barcelona
First time visitors to Spain often include Madrid or Barcelona and sometimes both of these vibrant cities. I would recommend exploring both and then, adding Selville or the coast region to your itinerary, if you the time allots. Spain can't be done in just a few days. We have been here a couple of times… Continue reading Madrid
The beauty of living in a coastal community year around is the ability to enjoy a quiet walk along the beach. The weather during this most recent visit allowed for a warmer then usual day. I decided that a long walk along Carolina Beach on Pleasure Island was perfect to build up an appetite for… Continue reading A Quiet Walk….
2020 and Beyond Another year has passed and we are heading into a new decade that will hopefully be filled with many adventures small and large. Personally, I don't set any resolutions for each new year. I am where I want to be and thus, the point of looking back at another year with regret… Continue reading Happy New Year
The Empire State Building - New York The Empire State Building has been going through a $165 million renovation for a little more than four year. Now, in its third phase of this top-to-bottom reimagining of this icon building, the 102nd floor Observatory is open to the public. One of the features of this new observatory… Continue reading The New 102nd Observatory of The Empire State Building
Greek Salad (Horiatiki) During our visit to Greece, the greek salad became the main start to most of our evening meals. A delicious start just about any meal! What makes a traditional greek salad? The fresh ingredients of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and kalamata olives. Often seasoned with salt, oregano, topped with olive oil, and a splash… Continue reading Greek Salad
Santorini Santorini or Thira is part of the Cyclades Islands of Greece. It's one of the most beautiful islands to visit and stay during your next Greek holiday. We stayed in the village of Kamari at the oddly named Afroditi Venus Beach Hotel & Spa The hotel was ideally located within an easy walk to the… Continue reading A Visit to Santorini
Santorini Island The village of Oia on the Greek Island of Santorini is not a quiet village and some visitors consider a visit here a kind of a pilgrimage place. This is one of the most picturesque village on the island, despite the fact that is the most crowded. The sunset from Oia is the what draws the… Continue reading The Village of Oia Greece
Historic Yates Mill County Park Yates Mill is a fully restored, circa-1756 gristmill located in Raleigh, North Carolina. As the centerpiece of the Historic Yates Mill County Park in central Wake County, this is worth a visit to this National Register of Historic Places. Yates Mill is the only restored, operational automatic gristmill in North Carolina and one… Continue reading Historic Yates Mill
Horsetail Falls A visit to the Portland area would not be complete without an exploration of the Columbia River Gorge area. We took a local tour booked via Viator, which offers hotel pick-up from the downtown area. The first stop for the morning tour was Horsetail Falls. These beautiful falls just might look like a a… Continue reading Must-See Waterfalls Near Portland
A visit to Portland's International Rose Test Garden offers you the opportunity to enjoy speculator views downtown and Mount Hood. This is oldest official continuously operating public rose test garden in the United States. The garden features more than 10,000 roses with hundreds of thousands of visitors enjoying its sights and scents annually. First, by the… Continue reading Rose Garden of Portland
A recent visit to Portland, Oregon gave me the opportunity to explore the Lan Su Chinese Garden. This little oasis in the small Chinatown district of Portland gives you the opportunity to experience a tranquil, quiet, and beautiful environment behind the walls. In addition, you have the opportunity to learn how two cities, Portland and… Continue reading Lan Su Chinese Garden
A chance drive by led to a visit to the National Museum of Funeral History. This museum is located on the north side of Houston just of I-45 at exit 64. The building itself doesn't stand out and you might just drive by it without giving the industrial-looking facade a second glance. Instead, consider paying… Continue reading National Museum of Funeral History
You might have noticed that drnicktravels.com looks a little different as I recently felt like the blog needed a refresh. In taking advice from my fellow blogger, "Living The Q Life" on their Annual Website Review post, I decided it was time to do a refresh of the blog including the theme. Consider leaving feedback… Continue reading Website Refreshed
Monticello During our visit to Thomas Jefferson's historic plantation known as Monticello or 'little mountain' in Italian, we explored the house, grounds, and gardens. Monticello as a name sake does fit estate sites on a hill with wonderful views rolling hills and distance views of Charlottesville. During our time at this historic southern plantation, I learned… Continue reading A Visit to Monticello
Travel Safety As a frequent traveler, I am careful with guarding my personal effects including my wallet, which is always placed in my front pocket during the warmer months. In the cooler months, I wear a coat that has inside pocket near the upper right or left chest. Throughout all my travels, I have only… Continue reading Travel Advice – Be Vigilance
A visit through France offers one the opportunity to explore this great European country from its rich history, wine regions, and food. During your tour, consider taking in some of the many beautiful cathedrals dotted throughout the country. Some are within city centers while others stand out as beacons guiding one safely from the sea… Continue reading Cathedrals Of France
“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” – Maya Angelou Travel should be a joyous experience. A journey in which one can captures the sense of wanderlust and… Continue reading Benefits of Traveling
Mount Vernon This plantation home of the first U.S. President and his wife Martha was built during 1757. Mount Vernon served as the home of George Washington for over four decades. You are able to tour part of the original estate, the gravesites of George and Martha Washington and other family members. In addition, the… Continue reading A Plantation Home of George & Martha
In planning another visit to Washington, D.C., I wanted to attempt a visit to the historic White House. I was happy to secure tickets through our representative. I recommend planning ahead of time if you plan to visit the inside of the U.S. White House. It is recommended to secure dates about 3 months, but… Continue reading A Self-Guided Tour Of The White House
A short metrorail trip from the Ronald Regan Washington National Aiport (DCA) allows one to see one of the top smallest cities in the country, Alexandria Virginia. I recently took the metrorail to the King Street stop to explore Old Town Alexandria. You can take leisurely walk down King Street to see why this is… Continue reading The Apothecary Museum in Old Town Alexandria, Va
A recent visit to the grounds that honors those who served our nation offers a sense of beauty and peace for visitors. The rolling hills dotted with trees of various ages truly complement this 624 acre cemetery. This is a tribute to the service and sacrifice of every individual laid to rest within these hallowed… Continue reading Arlington National Cemetery
Exploring the 18th Arrondissement A walk through the more hilly streets of Montmartre is like the village for New Yorker or at least, that is what I've been told. This part of Paris is where artists used to enjoy a more comfortable part of life and display their works, but the prices have increase. I… Continue reading The Montmartre of Paris
My most recent visit back to Manchester, New Hampshire gave me the opportunity to visit the Currier Museum of Art Through a guided docent tour, one can enjoy the mixture of European and American art, photograph, and sculpture displayed in this art museum. These works include such renewed artist at Hopper, Picasso, Monet, O'Keffe, Wyeth,… Continue reading A Visit to The Currier Musuem
Cinco de Mayo or the fifth of May This is an extremely popular holiday in the U.S. with its roots within Mexico. The holiday is a rather minor holiday in Mexico. In the U.S., Cinco de Mayo is a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, especially between Mexican-American families. This holiday dates back to the Battle… Continue reading Cinco de Mayo – Ways We Celebrate The Day
A visit to India is often not complete without a tour of the famous Taj Mahal in Agra. This mausoleum sitting on the banks of the Yamuna river was commissioned in 1632 and continues to be one of the most celebrated sites of India's history. The Taj Mahal was planned by the Mughal emperor, Shah… Continue reading Planning A Trip to The Tajah Mahal? Consider These Tips
After over a year enjoying our home, we were longing to get away. So, we packed up the car for a 5 day journey to the small town along the Mississippi river known as Natchez. The town sitting on a bluff above the Mississippi was founded in 1716 and might be the oldest town on… Continue reading Exploring Natchez, Mississippi
