Milwaukee, WI

I can't being to tell you how many times I have been to Milwaukee! I love this city, mainly because it's the home of my all-time favorite baseball team, the Milwaukee Brewers! In addition to baseball, Milwaukee is a great city to do most anything!

I have been to many Brewer games in my days, and it started all the way back in the County Stadium era. To many, this ballpark would be boring, mediocre at best, but to a Brewer fan, it was filled with the histories of Robin Yount and Rollie Fingers. As the market kept growing and new fields kept popping up for a lot of teams, the Brewers had to keep up. Enter Miller Park! Miller Park was conceived in 1996 and opened its inaugural season in 2001. It is the best venue to watch baseball, rain or shine. This Park has a fan-shaped retractable roof to fit all sorts of weather. Taking in a Brewer game is inexpensive, and is a wonderful environment for anyone! A must-see in Milwaukee!

Milwaukee is a great long-weekend city. I have been there many times for long weekends, and I would suggest staying a little outside of the city. A great place to stay, from experience, is the Best Western right across from the airport. This would be an extra plus if you fly in, too! Milwaukee is easy to navigate around, and its freeway system is simple, easy to get on and off the major thorough-fares.

I wouldn't call Milwaukee an overwhelming city at all. During our latest trip, we of course planned it around a couple Brewer games, but that wasn't the only thing we did. We drove downtown and enjoyed a dueling piano bar, my first experience that I greatly enjoyed! Other attractions I have seen while I have been there was: the Milwaukee County Zoo, dinner on the river, walking down the Lake Michigan Shore, and seeing downtown by night. There will always be something waiting for me in Milwaukee!

Additional attractions you may want to visit when you are there are: the Harley-Davidson Museum, the Pabst Mansion, Miller Brewing Company, Bradley Sculpture Gardens, and the State Fairgrounds are 5 minutes up I-94!

Hoover Dam

On our second trip to Vegas, we rented a car making it easier to get out of the city. My fiance and I thought it would be a great idea to make use of the car and head to Hoover Dam. With Hoover Dam being just 30 miles Southeast of Vegas, it's a quick roadtrip to see something extraordinary!

Getting to Hoover Dam was a real treat. One minute you are in the complete desert, and the next, you are winding down hilly ravines with not much to the side of you as far as guard rails go. My knuckles were a little white when we got there, and to be completely honest, we drove right over Hoover Dam and I didn't even notice! Ha!

I couldn't believe how huge it was! All that concrete made into one giant slab to allow power to much of the west! It really is a megastructure! Walking across it was cool, too. When you start the venture across, you are in the Pacific Time Zone, and when you get to the other side, you are in the Mountain Time Zone! I hadn't realized that until we got there! A bridge is also being built to the west of Hoover Dam, and after completion, it will be the only inlet to the Dam, eleviating congestion on the Dam itself.

There are a lot of photo opts at the Dam, and I couldn't take enough of the Dam itself. We went there in the morning, so the sun was casting a cool shadow on the Dam, so I was keeping an eye on that. The Colorado River was a spectacle in itself. The water was as blue as the sky, and the landscape was amazing! I still can't get past the thought of the Dam being man-made!

The drive back offers a look-out point on the banks of Lake Mead. Lake Mead is a gorgeous man-made (wouldn't you know it) lake with waters tempting enough to jump right in. I also saw this lake from the plane, and it really is a sight to see! Our half-day trip was definitely worth a couple hours out of the spectacle that is Las Vegas!

Tips on going to Hoover Dam:
-When driving, DON'T LOOK DOWN! Also, if someone in the car is afraid of heights, don't let them drive.
-Don't take the tour. It is over-priced, long, and boring.
-Go into the bathrooms while crossing the Dam. It offers a unique look at it.

The Nation's Capitol

Visiting Washington D.C. was by far one of my most memorable trips to date, for many reasons, and I will get into those later. I was there for 4 days, and tried to see everything, which was nearly impossible. In those 4 days, my then-boyfriend and I did a lot, so sit back, relax, and enjoy!

As a reader, you may get overwhelmed by all the stuff we did in just 4 days, so maybe grab a glass of water and read on!

Here are some tips on D.C.:
-If you are sightseeing strictly in D.C., fly into Ronald Regan (DCA). It is the closest to the city, about 4 miles. The other 2 airports that serve the city (Dulles International and Baltimore) are 30+ miles away.
-White House Tours can be taken, but sign up for those online 3 months beforehand. If you don't do this, you won't be admitted.
-Dress for the weather, and bring lots of water with you. You may not think it, but there is a lot of walking to be done in D.C., so be prepared.