Author: Elle MacRae

How to Survive a Road Trip with Kids: Entertainment Ideas for a Stress-Free Ride

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date March 1, 2025
No Comments on How to Survive a Road Trip with Kids: Entertainment Ideas for a Stress-Free Ride

Our kids have become road trip experts at 7, 7, and 10 years of age. They’ve been going on long car trips for as long as they can remember. Our standard road trips are about 7 hours long, but they’ve spent as much as 12 hours in the car.

Since they were about 4, they have been responsible for packing their own “Adventure Bags”. Adventure bags are backpacks full of things to keep them occupied while they’re being chauffeured around the country. Here are our kids favorite things to pack for a road trip.

Smiley's Travel Essentials

Now that our daughter Smiley is 11, her adventure bag looks a little different than it did when she was younger. Before she was all about drawing and coloring while we were in the car, now she’s more into playing games.

Here are our daughter’s road trip essentials:

Nintendo Switch
Road Trip Trivia
Guess in 10
Car Backseat Organizer
Origami Puzzle Game
On the Go Games
Travel Pillow
Smartest in the Car
Kanoodle

The Boys Travel Essentials

The twins are now 7 and are at the age where they are obsessed with video games, but they can also still entertain themselves with things like Wikki Stix, magnetic tiles, and cars.

Here are our boys road trip essentials:

Nintendo Switch
Doodle Tablets
Wikki Stix
Car Bingo
Mini Magnetic Tiles
Magnetic Men

Our Road Trip Playlist

It wouldn’t be a proper road trip without a bangin’ playlist. Head on over to Spotify to listen to our Road Trip Playlist. The playlist is full of some of our favorite jams and road trip classics.

You’ll hear everything from Jellyroll and Fall Out Boy to Taylor Swift and Queen. There’s a little something for everybody.

When we go on trips, we sprinkle in songs that mention the places on our itinerary.

Road Trip Planning

Want to plan a killer road trip but you’re not quite sure where to start? We’ve mapped out our tried and true way of planning a road trip the whole family will enjoy!

In this post, we outline:

How to pick a destination
Our research tips
Budgeting
Lodging tips
Our road trip essentials

Free Family Road Trip Starter Kit

🎶 Ready to hit the road with magic in the speakers?

Don’t forget to grab our FREE Family Road Trip Starter Kit — packed with printable checklists, kid-approved games, and snack ideas for your next adventure!

🎒 Includes:

Packing checklist
I Spy game
Travel Bingo boards
Snack list
Activity ideas

👉 Click here to download yours now!

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

📌 Save this post to Pinterest
📸 Follow us on Instagram @5suitcases
👍 Follow us on Facebook @5suitcases
▶️ Subscribe on YouTube @5suitcases

*5 Suitcases is an Amazon affiliate. If you purchase something from our website, we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Tags FAMILY ROAD TRIP 101, ROAD TRIP, TRAVEL TIPS

Delaware Itineraries Maryland National Parks, Monuments, and Seashores New Jersey United States

How We Easily Visited 3 States in 1 Day

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date February 22, 2025
No Comments on How We Easily Visited 3 States in 1 Day

Crossing New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland off of our list of places we've been!

Over the years our kids have had countless hands-on experiences that have helped them learn more about themselves and the world around them. As they’ve gotten older, they’ve developed a love of traveling like mine. I thought setting a goal for them to visit all 50 states would be fun.

On January 1, 2024, we started a new family tradition. We placed the names of the states the kids have not been to into a hat and selected one at random. The kids chose West Virginia, so I planned a road trip to The Mountain State. One thing led to another, and other states got added to our itinerary.

That week we went sledding in West Virginia and visited Gettysburg, Eisenhower’s home, and Hersheypark in Pennsylvania before we made our way down to Maryland. That’s when things got WILD! We crossed off not one, not two, but three new states from our list in just one day!

To mark a state from our list, we have to do an activity there, so I took to Google Maps to map out our road trip. We knew, for sure, we would be at Great Wolf Lodge in Perryville, Maryland on Christmas Day. Once I realized how close we were to Delaware and New Jersey, it was game on!

Crossing 3 States Off of Our List in 1 Day!

Maryland

We began and ended our day in Maryland. We started in Perryville, Maryland where we celebrated Christmas Day at the Great Wolf Lodge.

New Jersey

I struggled to find anything on the NJ/DE border. I didn’t want to go as far north as Camden, and we had already hit up a theme park, so Diggerland was out. There’s the old Quaker Hancock House, but my kids will pick a fort over a historic home any day, so that left us one option: Fort Mott State Park.

Fort Mott is a post-Civil War defense system built to protect the Delaware River. The fort didn’t see much action, but troops were regularly stationed there.

The fort is still pretty much intact. You can see the old railyard, towers, and gunneries. The kids liked it way more than I thought they would- considering there’s not much to it. They had a blast pretending to be soldiers and firing off the guns they bought in Gettysburg.

Forts, for them, have always been an opportunity for them to stretch their legs, run around, and use their imagination.

Part of me wishes we went up to Camden, but I wanted to ensure we had time for what else was in store for us.

Delaware

Not only are we trying to visit all 50 states, but we’re also working towards visiting all of the National Park Sites…all 460+ of them! So, naturally, it only made sense for us to stop by the First State National Historical Park in Delaware. Delaware is small…but mighty! It was the first state to declare independence from Great Britain, which takes a lot of guts if you ask me!

The New Castle Court House is where Delaware declared its independence from Pennsylvania and Great Britain. The court hearing that inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe to write Uncle Tom’s Cabin also took place here. Since Smiley did a report on her last year, it made for the perfect stop.

When we got to the courthouse, we weren’t quite sure which door we were supposed to enter. The sign said it was open, but the front door was locked. After trying several doors, we finally found one that was open. We crept inside and found a ranger main courtroom. Startled, he asked us how we had gotten in there. Whoops! Apparently we broke in. The ranger backtracked to the door we entered, locked it, and came back to show us around. We learned all about the history of not only the courthouse and New Castle, but how Delaware became to be the first state. The ranger was super informative and really good about answering all of the kids’ questions…and boy, did they have a lot of them!

After our tour, we walked to the New Castle Historical Society to learn more about the town. Just around the corner, there was a neat little cemetery at Immanuel Episcopal Church on the Green. We stopped by to see the graves of George Read (signer of the Declaration of Independence), and several Senators, Representatives, Governors, and Revolutionary War Patriots. Surprisingly, the kids enjoyed walking around the cemetery. They made up a game called “Find the Oldest Dead Person” and went from gravestone to gravestone in their quest to find the oldest.

Around town, we also visited the site of the gallows and jail and walked down the cobblestone streets surrounding William Penn’s statue.

Oh my gosh, ya’ll, I am so glad we stopped! The town of New Castle is so stinking cute like it could seriously be the set for a TV show (is it?). I could have easily spent a weekend exploring the town.

Maryland

With New Jersey and Delaware under our belts, it was time to head back to Maryland. I’m not quite sure spending Christmas Day at Great Wolf Lodge counts as doing something in Maryland 😂 so we headed back to Baltimore, for good measure.

On the way into the city, the kids had their first tunnel experience. We took the Fort McHenry Tunnel, which cuts through the Baltimore Harbor. To this day, they don’t believe that we were actually underwater 😂.

Our second National Park passport stamp of the day came from Fort McHenry…because you can never visit too many forts in one day! Fort McHenry had an incredible Visitor Center/Museum. We started our visit by watching the park’s film about the battle that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the “Star-Spangled Banner.” The video was extremely well done and ended with the screen being raised into the ceiling, unveiling a spectacular view of the fort.

By the time it we left Fort McHenry, it was late afternoon, so we decided to check into our hotel. Our hotel was located near the Boston Harbor, a part of town with loads of things to do. We dropped off our bags and walked to Chick-fil-A to grab dinner. When we walked into the Chick-fil-A, we noticed there were 2 armed guards….in fact, there were armed guards in all of the shops and eateries in the area. After seeing that, we decided it would be best if we took our dinner back to the hotel and called it a night.

Baltimore can get sketchy after dark, and we’d rather be safe than sorry.

Free Family Road Trip Starter Kit

🎶 Ready to hit the road with magic in the speakers?

Don’t forget to grab our FREE Family Road Trip Starter Kit — packed with printable checklists, kid-approved games, and snack ideas for your next adventure!

🎒 Includes:

Packing checklist
I Spy game
Travel Bingo boards
Snack list
Activity ideas

👉 Click here to download yours now!

Planning a Road Tip

Want to plan a killer road trip but you’re not quite sure where to start? We’ve mapped out our tried and true way of planning a road trip the whole family will enjoy!

In this post, we outline:

How to pick a destination
Our research tips
Budgeting
Lodging tips
Our road trip essentials

Read about how you can start your own 50 State Challenge!

Conclusion

Within a span of just a few hours, we drove from Maryland to New Jersey, to Delaware and back to Maryland! We visited two forts, got two National Park passport stamps, and learned about colonial history and the fight for independence. I’d say that was a pretty successful day!

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

We visited these sites on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip. While we were in the area, we also stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge in Perryville, learned about the Battle of Gettysburg, visited President Eisenhower’s home, and visited our favorite city, Washington, DC.

📌 Save this post to Pinterest
📸 Follow us on Instagram @5suitcases
👍 Follow us on Facebook @5suitcases
▶️ Subscribe on YouTube @5suitcases

Tags DELAWARE, ITINERARY, MARYLAND, MASON-DIXON ROAD TRIP, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES, USA

National Parks, Monuments, and Seashores Pennsylvania UNESCO World Heritage Site United States

19 National Park Sites in Pennsylvania: A Complete Travel Guide

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date February 15, 2025
No Comments on 19 National Park Sites in Pennsylvania: A Complete Travel Guide

Since Pennsylvania was one of the Thirteen Colonies, and the second state to declare independence from Great Britain, it’s no surprise that it is teaming with historical sites. Pennsylvania has 1 National Forest, 116 State Parks, and 19 National Park Sites.

The Keystone State is a treasure trove of historical events from the Declaration of Independence, and the Liberty Bell to the Battle of Gettysburg.

National Parks in Pennsylvania

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Located about 80 miles east of Pittsburg, the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site is where the Pennsylvania Main Line of Public Works constructed the Allegheny Portage Railroad.

During the 1820s, the United States was eager to move westward, but the Allegheny Mountains stood in the way. The locomotives could not handle the steep grades of the mountains, so engineers sought a different path. They constructed a railroad with ten inclined planes that pulled freight and passengers up and down the mountains.

Today, visitors can see the remains of this ingenious system and learn about how the railroad impacted westward expansion.

Amenities: Exhibits, park film, Engine House 6, Lemon House Tavern, hiking, biking, heritage hikes, etc
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 110 Federal Park Road, Gallitzin, PA 16641
National Park Website for Allegheny Portage Railroad NHS

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Nearly 230 miles of the Appalachian Trail pass through Pennsylvania. How cool would it be to say you’ve actually walked the Appalachian Trail? Nobody needs to know it was just a portion of it. *wink*

Amenities: Appalachian Trail Museum, hiking, picnicking
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: The trail passes through Boiling Springs, Duncannon, and Wind Gap.
National Park Website for Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Delaware River flows along the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. This recreation area provides 40 miles of waterfront beckoning you to experience it. You can rent equipment along the river and set out for a day of canoeing, kayaking, or rafting. The Delaware Water Gap also has over 100 miles of hiking trails, including 27 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

Amenities: Kayaking, canoeing, bicycling, camping, hiking, fishing, waterfalls
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 1978 River Road, Bushkill, PA 18324
National Park Website for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site

The Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site is located in Philadelphia. The King of Macabre wrote some of his most famous works while living in Philly. The park grants visitors the opportunity to explore the home of one of the greatest names in horror writing.

Amenities: Tour Poe’s Home, visit the Reading Room
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 532 N. 7th Street, Philadelphia 19123
National Park Website for Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site

Eisenhower National Historic Site

Tour the home of the 34th President of the United States. Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, purchased this farm near Gettysburg. “Ike”, as he was called, often traveled from DC to Gettysburg by helicopter (he was the first president to travel this way!) during his presidency.

Amenities: Tour the Eisenhower home and farm
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 250 Eisenhower Farm Rd., Gettysburg, PA 17325
National Park Website for Eisenhower National Historic Site

First State National Historical Park (DE & PA)

Although a bulk of the First State NHP is located in Delaware, part of it bleeds into Pennsylvania. Located next to Brandywine Creek State Park, this tract of woodlands offers trails for hiking and horseback riding. Nearby, you can also see historic Quaker homes.

Amenities: hiking, horseback riding
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 211 Delaware Street, New Castle, DE 19270
National Park Website for First State National Historical Park

Flight 93 National Memorial

The Flight 93 National Memorial is the site where Flight 93 crashed on September 11, 2001. On this dreadful day, hijackers seized four commercial airplanes and used them as weapons against the American people. Two of the planes crashed into the Twin Towers in NYC, and the third was driven into the Pentagon.

Passengers on Flight 93 fought back against the hijackers and fought to regain control of the plane. Unfortunately, the plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania killing all of the passengers.

The memorial, which protects the crash site, is only open to family members of the victims. There is a wall of inscribed names honoring these men and women.

Amenities: walking trails, September 11 Observance
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 6424 Lincoln Highway, Stoystown, PA 15563
National Park Website for Flight 93 National Memorial

Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Located about 60 miles southeast of Pittsburg, you’ll find the Fort Necessity Battlefield. This site features a reconstruction of the fort built by George Washington in 1755.

While he was in his young twenties, Washington was in charge of British troops that were sent to the area. He and his men had many encounters with the French in the area. As a response, he constructed Fort Necessity. The fort was attacked by the French and their native allies causing Washington to retreat.

Amenities: self-guided battlefield tour, historic weapons demonstrations, hiking
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 1 Washington Parkway, Farmington 15437
National Park Website for Fort Necessity National Battlefield.

Friendship Hill National Historic Site

When Albert Gallatin immigrated to America from Switzerland in 1780, he bought a tract of land and built a home he called Friendship Hill.

He would later serve in the Pennsylvania State Legislature, the U.S. Senate, and the House of Representatives. He also helped Thomas Jefferson be elected President. In turn, Jefferson had Gallatin serve as the Secretary of Treasury. Gallatin helped finance the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark’s expedition.

The park preserves his home and celebrates his accomplishments.

Amenities: hiking, tour the Gallatin House
Entrance Fee: Free
Address:223 New Geneva Rd. Point Marion, PA 15470
National Park Website for Friendship Hill NHS

Gettysburg National Military Park

Gettysburg is home to the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War. On July 1, 1863, the Union and Confederacy engaged in a 3-day battle that ended in 51,000 casualties.

Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address at the dedication ceremony for the Gettysburg National Cemetery. Today, the park has more than 1,300 monuments, markers, and memorials. Take the full 24-mile auto tour, or choose to just hit the highlights.

Amenities: driving tour, horseback riding, battleground tours, living history program
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg 17325
National Park Website for Gettysburg National Military Park.

Gloria Dei Church National Historic Site

Gloria De Church, also known as Old Swedes Church was built in 1698. Today, it features models of the ships that brought Swedish colonists to America.

The church is still a working church, so be sure to check their schedule of events before visiting.

Amenities: Churchyard, Henrickson House museum, historic graveyard
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 916 S. Swanson Street, Philadelphia 19147
National Park Website for Gloria Dei Church National Historic Site

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

While the South made their money off enslaved labor, Northern states made their fortunes from factories. Mark Bird established Hopewell Furnace in 1771. He used local ore to create iron goods.

Hopewell Furnace was often called an “iron plantation” because of its similarities with southern plantations. It was a self-sustained community that included the homes of workers, a church, an apple orchard, community stores, and more.

Amenities: Self-guided tour, living history programs, demonstrations, hiking, apple picking
Entrance Fee: Free
Address:2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson, PA 19520
National Park Website for Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Independence National Historical Park

This place is an American History lover’s DREAM! Located in the historic Old City of downtown Philadelphia, this size is composed of two dozen spots that played a role in American Independence.

Start your visit at the Visitor Center to pick up information on the different sites, get your ticket for Independence Hall, and sign up for guided tours.

Amenities: Tour Independence Hall, Pose with Historical Statues, visit more than 2 dozen locations that played a part in the quest for Independence
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
National Park Website for Independence National Historical Park

Johnstown Flood National Memorial

On May 30, 1889, torrential rain pounded on Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Nearby rivers, lakes, and streams flooded the streets. The following day, the South Fork Dam was pushed to the limits causing it to collapse. sending 20 million tons of water rushing toward several nearby towns. Within minutes, Johnstown was destroyed and more than 2,200 people lost their lives.

Amenities: Visitor Center, scenic drive, remains of the dam
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 733 Lake Road, South Fork, PA 15956
National Park Website for Johnstown Flood National Memorial

Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River

Did you know Pennsylvania is home to the largest free-flowing river in the eastern United States? Enjoy a day of leisure by exploring the Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River.

Points of interest include:

National Canal Museum
Delaware Canal
Riegelsville Historic District & Benjamin Riegel House
Tinicum Park
Ralph Stover State Park
Tohickon Valley Park
Honey Hollow Watershed National Historic Landmark
Phillips Mill
Parry Mansion
Washington Crossing Historic Park

Amenities: Boating, fishing, hiking, biking
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 1234 Market Street, Philadelphia 19107
National Park Website for Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

The Heritage Trails are a series of trails covering 710 miles throughout Maryland, Virginia, DC, and Pennsylvania. There is no official visitor center for this trail network.

Amenities: Paddling, Hiking, Biking
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: c/o Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
142 W. Potomac St.
Williamsport 21795
National Park Website for Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

Steamtown National Historic Site

At the Steamtown National Historic Site, train lovers (and visitors) can explore historic locomotives and train cars. You can also visit a working rail yard or take a guided train tour.

Amenities: Explore the Roundhouse, train rides, guided tours
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 350 Cliff Street, Scranton, PA 18503
National Park Website for Steamtown National Historic Site

Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial

While you may know who Thaddeus Kosciuszko is, he was a pretty big deal in his day. His good friend, Thomas Jefferson, once called him “As pure a son of liberty, as I have ever known…”. Kosciuszko served as a general and was responsible for fortifying many Colonial towns. Today, you can visit his former home and learn about his contributions to America.

Amenities: Explore the Roundhouse, train rides, guided tours
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 350 Cliff Street, Scranton, PA 18503
National Park Website for Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial

Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreation River

The river, which offers Class 1 and Class II rapids, forms the boundary between New York and Pennsylvania. It is a wonderful place to spend the day out on the water.

Amenities: Rafting, canoeing, fishing
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 350 Cliff Street, Scranton, PA 18503
National Park Website for Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River

Valley Forge National Historical Park

George Washington and his troops set up camp at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777. The men faced tremendous adversity including starvation, frigid temperatures, and illness.

The park stands in honor of those troops who gave their lives, and those who overcame such tribulations and went on to fight for our independence.

Amenities: walking, trolly, or auto tours
Entrance Fee: Free
Address: 1400 North Outer Line Drive King of Prussia, PA 19406
National Park Website for Valley Forge National Historical Park

What Should I Take With Me?

When you’re hiking, please remember to leave no trace! This means to pack out everything that you pack in and if you see trash, pick it up.

Backpack– to store all of your belongings
Dry Bag– to keep your electronics and wallet safe, in case of rain (or kayaking)
Trail GPS– the Garmin Oregon handled GPS works offline. You can view maps, waypoints, tracks, and trails even if you don’t have a signal.
First-Aid Kit– this ultralight, watertight medical kit is a must if you’re hitting the trails!
Sunscreen- yes, you can get sunburned in the forest.
Insect Repellant
Water Bottle– Always pack more water than you think you’ll need!
Snacks
Hammock– I honestly pack a hammock on most hiking trips. Psh, I even bring them along with me when we go on cruises. There are plenty of spots in the forest to put up a hammock and chill out for a bit.

If you’re traveling with your pup, like we often do, be sure to bring along their leash, poop bags, a water dish (this one is collapsible), extra water, food, and snacks.

How to Visit the Parks for Free

Although some National Park sites are free, some of them require a fee to enter. This fee ranges from $5 per vehicle to $35 per vehicle whereas some charge up to $20 a person.

The National Parks offer Free National Park Days where you can access the park for free! Learn more about these days.

If you have a fourth-grader, you can get an annual pass that grants you access to all of the parks for free! Every year, starting on September 1st, all fourth-grade students are eligible for an Every Kid Outdoors Pass. The pass grants free access to the entire family! Fill out the form at www.everykidoutdoors.gov

Other National Park Resources

National Parks in Nearby States

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure!

For future reference, be sure to save “19 Mind Blowing National Parks in Pennsylvania” Pin one of the images below to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow 5 Suitcases on Pinterest while you’re at it!

📌 Save this post to Pinterest
📸 Follow us on Instagram @5suitcases
👍 Follow us on Facebook @5suitcases
▶️ Subscribe on YouTube @5suitcases

**This post contains affiliate links. This means that I receive a small commission from your purchase at no extra cost to you**

Tags NATIONAL PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE, UNITED STATES, USA

Great Wolf Lodge Hotel Review Maryland United States

The Great Wolf Lodge Perryville, Maryland: A Review

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date February 8, 2025
No Comments on The Great Wolf Lodge Perryville, Maryland: A Review

This year, as part of the kid’s Christmas gift, we booked a trip to the Great Wolf Lodge in Perryville, Maryland. Over Christmas Break, we struck out on a week-long road trip. Since few places are open on Christmas Day, I thought it would be the perfect place to spend the holiday.

We spent the holidays two years ago with a 4-night stay at the Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, Virginia. The kids loved it, so we thought we’d surprise them with another visit.

If you’re unfamiliar with Great Wolf Lodge, it’s a hotel chain known for its indoor waterparks. Each Great Wolf Lodge is jam-packed with family-fun amenities to help make your vacation one to remember!

Accommodation Options at Great Wolf Lodge Perryville

The accommodation options at the Great Wolf Lodge are Standard Suites, Themed Suites, and Premium Suites. Most rooms will sleep 4 comfortably however, some options can sleep up to as many as 13 people!

Family Suite

Sleeps 4-6

Standard suite includes two queen beds as well as a living area with a full-size sofa sleeper.

2 Queen Beds
Full Sleeper Sofa
Full Bath
Living Area
Table & chairs

Themed Kid Cabin Suite

Sleeps 6-7

Standard suite features a log cabin-themed sleeping area, three twin beds, a queen bed, and a full sofa sleeper.

1 Queen Bed
1 Twin Bed
1 Bunk Bed
Full Sleeper Sofa
Full Bath

Themed Wolf Den Suite

Sleeps 4-6

The standard suite includes an in-suite cave-themed sleeping area, a queen bed, and a full-size sofa sleeper.

1 Queen Bed
1 Bunk Bed
Full Sleeper Sofa
Full Bath

Junior Cabin Suite

Sleeps 4

The Accessible bathtub suite features a log cabin-themed sleeping area.

1 Queen Bed
1 Bunk Bed

Deluxe KidCabin Suite

Sleeps 10-13

The standard suite includes a private bedroom with two queen beds, an in-suite log cabin with bunk beds and a day bed, one queen bed, a full-size sleeper sofa, and two bathrooms.

3 Queen Beds
1 Bunk Bed
1 Day bed
2 Full Sleeper Sofas
2 Full Baths

Deluxe Junior Kid Cabin Suite

Sleeps 8-10

This accessible bathtub suite includes a private bedroom with two queen beds, an in-suite log cabin with bunk beds, one queen bed, a full-size sleeper sofa, and two bathrooms.

3 Queen beds
1 Bunk Bed
1 Full Sleeper SOfa
1 Full bath

Deluxe Wolf Den Suite

Sleeps 8-12

This standard suite includes an in-suite cave-themed sleeping area with a queen bed, a private bedroom with two queen beds, and two bathrooms.

3 Queen Beds
1 Bunk Bed
2 Full Sleeper Sofas
2 Full Baths

Grizzly Bear Suite

Sleeps 6-8

This standard suite features a king bed in the primary bedroom, two queens in the second bedroom, and a full-size sleeper sofa in the main area.

1 King Bed
2 Queen Beds
1 Full Sleeper Sofa
2 Full Baths

Check In/ Check out at Great Wolf Lodge Perryville

Before arriving at the Great Wolf Lodge Perryville, you’ll receive a text with information for a pre-check-in. You’ll identify your estimated arrival time and have an opportunity to ask any questions.

Checking in at this GWL was much more simple than our previous stays. The front desk was conveniently located on the left side of the lobby. There are kiosks available for quick check-ins.

The front office staff was very courteous and helpful. Considering how busy they were, they maintained composure, which is impressive.

Great Wolf Lodge Perryville Amenities & Attractions

Water park
MagiQuest
Gift Shop
On-Site Restaurant
Oliver’s Mining Co.
Moonstone Mirror Maze
Ten Paw Alley (bowling)

Howlers Peak Ropes Course
Northern Lights Arcade
Build-A-Bear Workshop
Howl in One Mini-Golf

All About the Wolf Passes

The Great Wolf Lodge offers passes that bundle activities and special memorabilia. Purchasing the passes can help save you money in the long run. The passes are Wolf Pass ($99.99), Paw Pass ($79.99), and Pup Pass ($59.99).

We’ll explore the benefits of each of these passes in a future post.

Dining Options

Barnwood- This sit-down restaurant serves up a variety of burgers, salmon, steak, and pasta. Enjoy a glass of local wine or a handcrafted cocktail while you unwind from a fun-filled day.

Campfire Kitchen- This laid-back restaurant serves a scrumptious breakfast menu ranging from eggs, bacon, signature wolf waffles, and more. In the evenings, enjoy a carved meat station or Italian-inspired foods.

Hungry as a Wolf– This pizza joint is open for lunch and dinner. They serve pizza, meatball subs, fresh salads, and cheese bread.

Timbers- Enjoy mouth-watering burgs, fresh salads, and hearty sandwiches at this lunch and dinner eatery.

Wood’s End Creamery- Indulge your pack’s sweet tooth with hand-crafted ice cream treats.

Dunkin’ Donuts– Grab donuts and coffee for breakfast lunch or dinner!

Our Honest Review

The Good

Before our arrival we received a text from “Willow” our “assistant” for our trip. Willow is actually anyone who is working down at the front office. They asked us if we had any questions or special requests. I was able to text back and forth with them before we arrived.
At this location, all of the amenities are on the first floor. This was excellent news! When we stayed at the GWL in Williamsburg, the MagiQuest Game spanned multiple floors and we heard kids running/yelling/being obnoxious late into the evening.
Great Wolf Lodge has an app that you can download that will tell you all of the events going on throughout the day. You can also pre-order some of your meals via the app.
The indoor water park was great. There was something for every different thrill level. There are complimentary towels and life jackets available.
The lifeguards in the waterpark are the most intentional lifeguards I’ve ever seen– and being from Florida, we see a lot of them. They make very calculated and deliberate sweeps of the pool areas to ensure everyone is safe. I was very impressed.
Someone is always cleaning! The overall cleanliness of the place is pretty impressive considering how many kids are running around the place.

The Bad

The wait times for food was pretty long. When you order meals on the app, you’re supposed to get a notification when they are ready. We didn’t get notifications for 2 of the meals we ordered.
The hotel has quiet hours that begin at 11 pm, which is pretty late considering the hotel is geared towards children.
The GWL nickles and dimes you for everything. The only amenity that is included with your fees is the water park. You have to pay for everything else.

The Ugly

This is our second trip to a Great Wolf Lodge…or as my wife calls it, “The Lawless Land.” At both locations, the kids are absolutely out of control. We’ve stayed at kids’ hotels (Legoland Hotel) and never experienced anything quite like this. This wasn’t necessarily the Lodge’s fault, it’s more on the parents.
There doesn’t seem to be any enforcement of any sort of rules– this extended to the waterpark. We’ve been to several waterparks and there is always someone reminding kids to walk- that didn’t happen at all here. We saw several kids fall.

Tips for Visiting the Great Wolf Lodge Perryville

Make sure you pack towels and/or cover-ups for the pool. The hotel has towels, but you can only use them in the pool area. If you’re visiting during the colder months, it can get chilly walking through the lodge in a wet bathing suit.
Consider buying one of the passes (Wolf, Paw, Pup) to save money on the add-on attractions. Trust me, after seeing all the other kids running around (literally) playing MagiQuest, your kid will want to, too.

Location & Booking Information

Address: 1240 Chesapeake Overlook Pkwy, Perryville, MD 21903

Visit the official website to book your stay.

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

For future reference, save our post: “Great Wolf Lodge Perryville: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly”. Check out our post, “10 Great Wolf Lodge Tips that are Perfect for YOUR Family” to help you plan your trip.

While on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip, we also visited the nearby Hersheypark, Fort Mott State Park, New Castle, and Fort McHenry.

Pin one of the images below to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow 5Suitcases on Pinterest while you’re at it!

📌 Save this post to Pinterest
📸 Follow us on Instagram @5suitcases
👍 Follow us on Facebook @5suitcases
▶️ Subscribe on YouTube @5suitcases

Tags GREAT WOLF LODGE, HOTEL REVIEW, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES, USA

Hersheypark Pennsylvania United States

The Best-Kept Secret About Hersheypark!

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date February 1, 2025
No Comments on The Best-Kept Secret About Hersheypark!

You may know about our quest to visit all 50 states and our goal to see all of the National Parks, but did you know we’re also on a mission to visit as many theme parks as possible? Yeah, we didn’t either lol However, while we were on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip, I realized we’ve hit up a TON of theme parks. Over the last few years, we’ve hit up Disney World, Universal Orlando, Wild Adventures, SeaWorld, Legoland, and Peppa Pig Theme Park. On this trip, we added a new theme park to our list: Hersheypark.

Hersheypark is a candy-themed park in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Yes, that Hershey. Believe it or not, the park opened in 1906! The founder of the Hershey, Milton S. Hershey, opened the park to create a green space for factory workers to unwind with their families. In 1908, a merry-go-round was installed. Shortly after, a carousel, roller coaster, and other rides were added. Soon, the park became a full-on theme park.

I first visited Hersheypark in the mid-90s (It blows my kid’s minds that I was alive in the 1900s) with my family. I remember loving it as a kid, so when I began mapping out our Mason-Dixon Road Trip, I knew we had to take the kids.

The Best Kept Secret About Hersheypark!

While researching the park, I came across a juicy little tidbit of info that blew my mind! Believe it or not, when you purchase a regular ticket to Hersheypark, you get instant access to preview the park the evening before. Whaaaaaatttt!?!?! Extra time in the park? Yes, please!

The hours of this preview window vary, so you’ll want to check out the official website near the time of your visit to confirm what they will be. Typically, you’ll get 1.5 to 2 hours to explore Hersheypark.

Once I found this out, I switched up our itinerary a little bit to make sure we were in Hershey in time to take advantage of this. We hit up Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site and high-tailed it to the land of chocolatey goodness.

After checking in to our hotel, we told the kids we were going out to eat and surprised them by taking them to Hersheypark for our preview. Our preview night was December 23rd, so it was during the holiday season. I expected it to be crowded, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The park was dead. We walked up to each ride and had 0 wait times! During our 90-minute preview, we rode at least a dozen rides. Anyone who visits theme parks will tell you, that’s quite impressive!

Our Hersheypark Experience

The next day, we got up to hit the park again. With the preview under our belt, we had a pretty good grasp of the park’s layout. The kids mapped out what rides they wanted to conquer again and couldn’t have been more excited about visiting the park.

Since we were visiting the park on Christmas Eve, the park had limited hours. The park opened at noon, but Hershey’s Chocolate World opened at 10 so we headed to the theme park to check that out. Hershey’s Chocolate World has shops, eateries, and add-on features. There is a free ride that takes you through the process of making chocolate, which we all enjoyed. We ended up doing it twice just to kill time. At the end of the ride, they give you a sample of Hershey’s chocolate, which my kids thought was pretty cool.

We spent some time in the shops before waiting at the park’s entrance for the park to open. In our experience, many parks will open a few minutes early… although there was an announcement that the park was ready for visitors, they didn’t open the gates until noon on the dot.

The park closed at 4 on the day of our visit, so we had 4 hours in the park. Despite this, we didn’t feel robbed of our time since we had the preview. Plus, we had another day of 0 lines, so we walked directly onto every ride, which was pretty amazing! If you visit any of the Florida theme parks around the holidays you’ll experience longer than normal wait times, so to have virtually no wait was remarkable.

One bummer was that several rides were not open due to the temperatures. Since it was so cold out, there were no roller coasters open (which is something we’ve experienced at other parks). As far as thrill rides are concerned, there were only 2 available: an indoor roller coaster, and a “baby roller coaster” as my kids called it. All the open rides were the type of rides you’d find at the fair, which was a bummer.

What to Pack with You for Hersheypark

Sunscreen
Water bottle
Towels/bathing suit (if visiting during the warm months when the waterpark is open)

What We Loved/Hated About the Park

The Sweet Stuff

We loved that the park had short wait times.
The park was decorated for the holidays and had the most incredible Santa. He even had his reindeer available for kids to visit (from a distance).
The park was clean and easy to navigate.
The park has an app that you can use to check wait times, order food, view maps, etc.
There are storage lockers available to rent for the day. This is handy if you don’t feel like toting around a backpack or bag of towels (if you’re hitting up the waterpark).
Rider swaps are available if needed. This is super handy if there isn’t one adult per child. You can ride the attraction with one kid while the other(s) stay with the operator. When you finish, you can swap out the kids and go on the ride again without having to wait in line.

The Bittersweet Stuff

The prices for adding on things like making your bar of chocolate were pretty expensive, especially when you have a larger family.
There were a lot of rides that our boys could ride, but our daughter couldn’t, and vice versa. There were very few rides that all 3 kids could ride together, which meant we often had to split up. It would have been nice if there were more rides that everyone could enjoy.
There were not a lot of rides that adults could ride on. The kids had to ride alone on most rides, which wasn’t an issue for our kids but I could see it being a problem for others.
Speaking of rides, there were some rides that the kids were permitted to ride during our preview, but not permitted to ride the next day. Although the kids were measured before each ride (which I totally get), not everyone was on the same page with who could ride.
There weren’t many food options when we visited. We saw evidence of several eateries around the park, but they were not open during our visit.

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

For future reference, be sure to save our “Epic Guide to Hersheypark.” Pin one of the images below to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow 5 Suitcases on Pinterest while you’re at it!

While we were in Pennsylvania, we also visited Gettysburg National Military Park and the Eisenhower National Historic Site. Check out our YouTube Channel to watch more videos from our Mason-Dixon Road Trip or other theme parks.

📌 Save this post to Pinterest
📸 Follow us on Instagram @5suitcases
👍 Follow us on Facebook @5suitcases
▶️ Subscribe on YouTube @5suitcases

Tags HERSHEYPARK, MASON-DIXON ROAD TRIP, PENNSYLVANIA, THEME PARK, UNITED STATES, USA

National Parks, Monuments, and Seashores Pennsylvania United States

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting the Eisenhower National Historic Site

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date January 25, 2025
No Comments on The Ultimate Guide to Visiting the Eisenhower National Historic Site

Presidential Bell at Eisenhower National Historic Site

Our quest to visit all of the National Park Sites brought us to the Eisenhower National Historic Site located about a mile from the Gettysburg National Military Park. Over the years, we’ve visited a handful of homes of former Presidents: Lincoln’s Birthplace, the home and high school of Jimmy Carter, and even the White House! It’s a pretty cool way to get a sense of who our nation’s leaders are, as real people.

Although there are tours offered sporadically at the farm, they were not offered during our stay. However, the grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset so we were still able to experience the farm.

The Eisenhower's in Gettysburg

Despite being born in Kansas, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, considered Gettysburg his home. In fact, the farm in Gettysburg is the only farm he and his wife Mamie owned.

Eisenhower first visited the town when he was a cadet at West Point. Three years later, he returned with his young wife to command Camp Colt, a training camp.

When World War II broke out, Eisenhower led the opening phases of the Italian campaign and the Allied invasion of Western Europe. When the war was over, he and Mamie purchased their Gettysburg farm.

The “run-down ” farm comprised of 189 acres and included 600 chickens, 25 cows, and several buildings. It offered the couple a private retreat when Eisenhower served as President he preferred it over Camp David.

Fun Fact: Eisenhower was the first US President to travel by helicopter. While it would take him 2 hours to drive from DC to Gettysburg, he could fly there in under an hour!

Did you know that the farm served as a temporary White House? IN 1955, Eisenhower suffered from a heart attack. Rather than recovering in Washington DC, he headed home to Pennsylvania.

Our Experience

When we pulled onto the property, it was a ghost town. We had the place all to ourselves! Without a map available, we were left to just wander around aimlessly. We visited the main home, the helicopter landing pad, and saw the guesthouse. I found the map (below) online after we returned from our trip. I had no idea there was a second farm that we could have explored!

Without a tour available, or even a ranger on site, we ended up missing out on a lot. We only saw about 1/4 of what the site had to offer. Everything was pretty much left up for us to interpret.

All that being said…it’s still pretty cool to have been able to visit the home of another president. The kids liked being able to peek in the windows of the garage and see the antique cars. They also enjoyed running around the fields, I think it was their way of decompressing after the heaviness of Gettysburg.

Things to Know Before Visiting Eisenhower National Historic Site

The Best Time to Visit Eisenhower National Historic Site

If you want to tour the home, visit the official website for dates and times that they are offered. The dates are pretty hit or miss.

Entrance Fees

Hey oh! Entrance to the Eisenhower farm is free! But, if you plan on visiting more National Parks over the course of a year, you may want to look into the America the Beautiful Pass (which can be purchased at most National Parks). The pass gets you into all National Parks, Forests, Monuments, and more.

Cell Service

We had full bars during our visit.

Have Your Pooch Tag Along

Ike and Mamie lived on a farm, so of course four-legged friends are allowed to visit! Pets must remain on a leash at all times and humans are responsible for cleaning up after their furry pals. Pets are not permitted in the home.

Where is Eisenhower National Historic Site located?

The physical address is:

250 Eisenhower Farm Rd, Gettysburg, PA

You may encounter an old Secret Service Hut and a “Private Road” sign. You can disregard these, as they are for historical purposes only.

Other Cool Information

Distance From Major Cities

Baltimore, MD- 57 mi
Washington, DC- 75 mi
Philadelphia, PA- 142 mi
Pittsburgh, PA- 185 mi
New York City, NY- 211 mi
Akron, OH- 288 mi
Cleveland, OH- 311 mi
Buffalo, NY- 337 mi
Charlotte, NC- 441 mi

Distance from Nearby National Parks

Shenandoah National Park- 105 mi
New River Gorge National Park- 319 mi
Cuyahoga Valley National Park- 322 mi
Congaree National Park– 549 mi

FAQ About Eisenhower National Historic Site

Is Eisenhower National Historic Siteworth visiting?

If you’re visiting Gettysburg, you may as well make a pit stop at the Eisenhower National Historic Site. The grounds offer beautiful views of the surrounding area…plus, it’s pretty cool to visit the home of a president.

Taking part in a tour would definitely enhance your visit.

How much time do you need at Eisenhower National Historic Site?

We were at the site for just under an hour. Plan on spending about 2 hours there, if you get a tour.

What is the best time of year to visit?

The best time to visit the Eisenhower National Historic Site is during the spring, summer, and fall seasons as this is when tours of the Eisenhower home are available; winter months see the house tours closed, although you can still explore the grounds on a self-guided basis.

How much does it cost to get in to Eisenhower National Historic Site?

The site is free to visit.

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

For future reference, save our post: “Eisenhower National Historic Site: Hanging Out at a President’s House!”. While you’re at it, browse the Ultimate National Park Bucket List. Plan your trip around Free National Park Days and learn about The National Park’s Awesome Junior Ranger Program.

While on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip, we also visited the nearby Gettysburg National Military Park and Hersheypark.

Pin one of the images below to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow 5Suitcases on Pinterest while you’re at it!

📌 Save this post to Pinterest
📸 Follow us on Instagram @5suitcases
👍 Follow us on Facebook @5suitcases
▶️ Subscribe on YouTube @5suitcases

Tags MASON-DIXON ROAD TRIP, NATIONAL PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES, USA

National Parks, Monuments, and Seashores Pennsylvania United States

5 Memorable Things to do in Gettysburg with Kids

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date January 18, 2025
No Comments on 5 Memorable Things to do in Gettysburg with Kids

Gettysburg is home to the bloodiest battle in US History. The Battle of Gettysburg was a three-day battle in the American Civil War between July 1 and July 3, 1863, where an estimated 50,000 people lost their lives. The battle is considered the turning point of the Civil War- where the odds turned from being in favor of the Confederacy to favoring the Union forces.

Knowing this, it’s obvious that visiting Gettysburg with kids is way too scary for them. Right? Well, we disagree. We believe in teaching our kids an accurate account of what happened in history. We rarely sugarcoat things for them, but we make it palatable and easy for them to understand.

We visited Gettysburg on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip. The trip was a Christmas gift to our kiddos and featured fun things like sledding, the longest sled run on the East Coast, Hersheypark, and Great Wolf Lodge, which had a bit of history sprinkled in. On our trip, we learned more about slavery at Gettysburg and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Over the years, we’ve been tracking the life of Abraham Lincoln. We visited the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park in Kentucky, the White House where he lived, the Ford Theatre where he was shot, and the Pederson House where he ultimately passed away. We visited the Lincoln Memorial to pay him tribute and saw his funeral train. It only made sense that we visited the site of one of his most famous speeches.

What Makes This Place Qualify as a National Park Site?

As stated above, Gettysburg was home to one of the most important battles in American history. The events that took place here led to the Union winning the Civil War and to Abraham Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation, a decree that freed the slaves.

Things to Know Before Visiting Gettysburg National Military Park

The Best Time to Visit Gettysburg National Military Park

Fall is the perfect time to visit Gettysburg. Visitors can enjoy smaller crowds, cooler weather, and fall foliage during these months.

Spring is also a lovely time to visit, although you may encounter school groups at this time.

Our most recent visit was during the winter. It was absolutely freezing but the crowds were minimal.

Entrance Fees

Visiting Visitor Center and parts of the museum are free. The self-guided driving tour is also free.

The film, Cyclorama, and Museum Experience are all an additional fee.

Adult (ages 13+) = $20.75
Seniors (65+), Military Veterans, AAA = $19.75
Youth (ages 6-12) = $15.75
Active Duty U.S. Military Personnel = FREE
Children (5 and under) = FREE

Cell Service

We had full bars during our visit.

5 Things to DO With Kids While Visiting Gettysburg

Start at the Visitor Center

When visiting any National Park site, you should start at the Visitor Center. The center will always offer a wealth of information and interesting exhibits that educate you on the site. The Gettysburg National Military Park has both free and paid exhibits. On our most recent visit, we chose to just hit up the free stuff- but it was still plenty to give the kids a background on what they’ll be seeing.

The free portion of the Visitor Center was very small, but it allowed us to look at some relics of the war. I took this time to teach our kids about children’s roles during the war. They were all surprised to learn that as many as 20% (250,000-420,000) of the Civil War soldiers were younger than 18!

Edward Black, age 8, was the youngest soldier to enlist during the Civil War. He was a drummer boy for the 21st Indiana Volunteers.

Kids who did not enlist during the war still had huge responsibilities. They were left to help manage farms, care for younger siblings, work in family businesses, and raise money for the troops.

Grab a Junior Ranger Badge

While you’re at the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center, stop by the information desk and ask for the Junior Ranger Booklet. Complete at least 3 of the 7 activities in the booklet and you’ll be rewarded with a wooden Junior Ranger badge! Activities include answering questions about the exhibits, puzzles, and more. This hands-on activity is a great way for kids to learn about what happened at Gettysburg.

Pose with Abe

Just outside of the Visitor Center, you’ll find a statue of Honest Abe. The statue stands in honor of the Gettysburg Address, a famous speech that Lincoln delivered here during the Civil War.

See Where Lincoln Gave the Gettysburg Address

The Gettysburg Address is a famous speech that President Abraham Lincoln gave during the American Civil War. The speech was made at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery (Gettysburg Cemetery) on November 19, 1863. Lincoln gave the speech 4 and a half months after the Union defeated the Confederacy in the Battle of Gettysburg.

The speech is known as one of the most influential speeches in American History. In it, Lincoln described the sacrifices of those who died at Gettysburg in honor of the freedoms outlined in the Declaration of Independence. He ensured that “those dead shall not have died in vain- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom- and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Visit the Battlefield

Of course, no visit to Gettysburg would be complete without a trip to the battlefield. Our boys used their spending money to purchase muskets in the gift shop that they toted all over town (and all over Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey).

If your kiddos are up to it, you can stop by several monuments/memorials surrounding the area.

Bonus: The Driving Tour

If your family is really into history, you can do the self-guided auto tour. Stop by the Visitors Center to grab a map and simply follow the route markers around town. The driving tour is 20+ miles and takes between 2 and 4 hours. Although I’ve done the tour in the past, we skipped it when we took the kids since we had already been in the car for so long.

Where is Gettysburg National Military Park located?

The physical address is:

1195 Baltimore Pike
Gettysburg, PA 17325

The park is open from sunrise to sunset.

Check Park Hours Here

Other Cool Information

Fun Fact:

Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife Mamie purchased a farm a mile from the Gettysburg battlefield. Today, it is known as the Eisenhower National Historic Site.

Distance From Major Cities

Baltimore, MD- 57 mi
Washington, DC- 75 mi
Philadelphia, PA- 142 mi
Pittsburgh, PA- 185 mi
New York City, NY- 211 mi
Akron, OH- 288 mi
Cleveland, OH- 311 mi
Buffalo, NY- 337 mi
Charlotte, NC- 441 mi

Distance from Nearby National Parks

Shenandoah National Park- 105 mi
New River Gorge National Park- 319 mi
Cuyahoga Valley National Park- 322 mi
Congaree National Park– 549 mi

FAQ About Gettysburg National Military Park

Is Gettysburg National Military Park worth visiting?

Gettysburg is most definitely worth visiting. I’ve been learning about the events that took place here since I was a young girl. No matter how many times I visit, I still find it fascinating.

How much time do you need at Gettysburg National Military Park?

Plan on spending at least 2 hours at Gettysburg National Military Park. This time frame will allow you enough time to hit up the Visitor Center, visit the battlefield, see the cemetery, and hit up some of the monuments/memorials.

What is the best time of year to visit?

The best time to visit Gettysburg is during the fall months since the weather is a bit cooler. Winter tends to be a bit cold in this part of the country. Summer (June-August) is peak season so anticipate larger crowds if you visit during this time.

How much does it cost to get in to Gettysburg National Military Park?

It is free to visit the battlefield, cemetery, monuments, and memorials of Gettysburg. There are some ticketed exhibits located at the Visitor Center.

Free Family Road Trip Starter Kit

🎶 Ready to hit the road with magic in the speakers?

Don’t forget to grab our FREE Family Road Trip Starter Kit — packed with printable checklists, kid-approved games, and snack ideas for your next adventure!

🎒 Includes:

Packing checklist
I Spy game
Travel Bingo boards
Snack list
Activity ideas

👉 Click here to download yours now!

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

For future reference, save our post: “5 Things to Do in Gettysburg with Kids”. While you’re at it, browse the Ulitmate National Park Bucket List. Plan your trip around Free National Park Days and learn about The National Park’s Awesome Junior Ranger Program.

While on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip, we also visited the nearby Eisenhower National Historic Site and Hersheypark.

Pin one of the images below to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow 5Suitcases on Pinterest while you’re at it!

📌 Save this post to Pinterest
📸 Follow us on Instagram @5suitcases
👍 Follow us on Facebook @5suitcases
▶️ Subscribe on YouTube @5suitcases

Tags MASON-DIXON ROAD TRIP, NATIONAL PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES, USA

State Parks United States West Virginia West Virginia State Parks

Blackwater Falls State Park: Home to the Longest Sled Run on the East Coast!

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date January 11, 2025
No Comments on Blackwater Falls State Park: Home to the Longest Sled Run on the East Coast!

Our first activity on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip was sledding at Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia. What better way to introduce a bunch of Florida kids to sledding than by sending them down the longest sled run on the East Coast of the US?

While planning out our road trip, I wanted the kids to experience the quintessential snow activity. I hardly think any of of are coordinated enough for skiing or snowboarding, and they’ve been ice skating, so sledding seemed like our best option. Before this trip, Ashley and I hadn’t been sledding in over 30 years, so we were a little rusty…to say the least. But…how hard can it be?

While snow tubing was offered at the resort we were staying at, the nearby Canaan Valley Lodge, I opted to book sledding tickets for the sled run at Blackwater Falls for a couple of reasons:

It is home to the longest sled run on the East Coast of the US (1/4 a mile).
It has a conveyor belt that takes you to the top (as does Canaan Valley State Park).
It would allow us to visit another nearby state park.
We’d get to see the crown jewel of the park, Blackwater Falls.
The park is home to one of the famous “Almost Heaven” swings.

All You Need to Know About Sledding at Blackwater Falls State Park

Tickets

Purchase your tickets in advance to guarantee your slot and skip the line.
Tickets are valid for a 2-hour session
- Session times Thursday-Sunday 10 am – 12 pm, 1-3 pm, 4-6 pm
- Friday & Saturday 7-9 pm
Session dates December 19 – March 2, weather dependent
Same-day tickets cannot be purchased online
Tickets are $28 on weekdays and $33 on holidays and weekends.
Children 5 and under ride free with an adult.
Children 8 and under must ride with an adult.

Check-In

Once you arrive at the park, you’ll check in at the building adjacent to the parking lot.
You’ll receive a tag that you’ll need to attach to your zipper.
You’ll receive a brief safety talk before you’re free to go sledding.

The Magic Carpet

The park has a conveyor belt that guides you to the top of the hill.
The Magic Carpet is the longest on the East Coast!

Tips for the Sled Run

Dress warm! Make sure you bring along the winter gear: snow pants, jacket, boots, gloves, and a hat.
Take breaks as needed. There’s an outdoor fire where you can warm up or step inside for a cup of cocoa.
Pay attention to the safety briefing, especially if it’s been awhile/it’s your first time sledding. They’ll instruct you how to control the sled and how to gracefully crash….

While You're There...

While you’re sledding at the park, be sure to visit the Blackwater Falls and pose with the famous “Almost Heaven” swing.

During our stay, we stayed at the nearby Canaan Valley Resort. There is also a lodge at Blackwater Falls State Park.

Our Experience

Our kids have never been sledding… in fact, they’ve never even seen real snow! Ashley and I hadn’t sledded in 30+ years and it’s been just as long since we’ve seen that much snow. This was sure to be an adventure!

We checked in at the hut and received a quick safety briefing. To be honest, I didn’t do a great job of paying attention since I was attaching everyone’s sled tags to their zippers. I’d later pay for that! I vaguely heard her mention to dip your hands in the snow to steer the sled and to dig your boots in the snow to slow down/stop. How hard could it be?

Since the boys were both underage, they needed to ride with an adult. However, our daughter (10) was able to ride on her own. Since Stinky is our most-reserved and anxious kid, I had him in the sled with me and Ashley took Scoop, our more adventurous guy. The 5 of us rode the magic carpet to the top and prepared for our descent.

Smiley went first, boy did she fly! She’s such an adrenaline junkie and down for absolutely anything so she had an absolute blast.

Next, it was time for the rest of us to go down. Ashley and Scoop went ahead of us and crashed about 1/4 of the way down the run. Stinky and I crashed immediately afterwards. Surprisingly, after the crash Scoop was over it. He had snow get under his jacket and his glove fell off and he decided he was done sledding. Ashley took him inside for cocoa while I kept the other 2 kiddos.

Despite us crashing, Stinky was down for some more fun! Luckily, that was our only crash. After our first time down the run, I had the whole sledding thing figured out. Not too shabby for a Florida girl!

Smiley absolutely crushed sledding. She didn’t wipe out once!

3/5 of us had a blast and would do it again. Later in the day, when we returned to our hotel, Scoop tried sledding (on his own!) and ended up enjoying it.

Sledding at Blackwater Falls State Park was a great way to introduce our kiddos to snow activities. I’m so glad we found out about this gem!

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

For future reference, be sure to save our post on Sledding at Blackwater Falls State Park! Pin one of the images below to Pinterest. Go ahead and follow 5 Suitcases on Pinterest while you’re at it!

While we were in the area, we stayed at the Canaan Valley Lodge.

📌 Save this post to Pinterest
📸 Follow us on Instagram @5suitcases
👍 Follow us on Facebook @5suitcases
▶️ Subscribe on YouTube @5suitcases

Tags MASON-DIXON ROAD TRIP, UNITED STATES, USA, WEST VIRGINIA

Hotel Review State Parks United States West Virginia West Virginia State Parks

A Complete Honest Review of Canaan Valley Resort: What to Expect During Your Stay

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date January 4, 2025
No Comments on A Complete Honest Review of Canaan Valley Resort: What to Expect During Your Stay

Each year we gift our kids a trip for Christmas. I dubbed this year’s trip the Mason-Dixon Road Trip because we would be dancing along the Mason-Dixon Line. The Mason-Dixon Line is a geographical boundary separating Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia.

We kicked off our trip with a stay at the Canaan Valley Resort. During our 2-night visit, we stayed in the Queen Jr. Suite. In this review, we’ll give our honest feedback on the room and the resort itself. We’ll also share other important information about the hotel.

The hotel is just a few hours from Pittsburgh, Washington DC, and Baltimore.

Accommodation Options at Canaan Valley Resort

The resort has 160 rooms, 23 cabins, and 59 campsites. The several different lodging options offer something for everyone.

Standard King Room

Sleeps 2

Includes:

Complimentary high-speed internet
37-inch flat-screen television
Refrigerator, microwave, and coffee pot
Spacious bathroom with granite countertops
Individual climate control
Hair dryer
Iron and ironing board
Balcony rooms available

Standard Queen

Sleeps 4

Includes:

Complimentary high-speed internet
37-inch flat-screen television
Refrigerator, microwave, and coffee pot
Spacious bathroom with granite countertops
Individual climate control
Hair dryer
Iron and ironing board
Balcony rooms available

King Jr. Suite

Sleeps 2

Includes:

Complimentary high-speed internet
37-inch flat-screen television
Refrigerator, microwave, and coffee pot
Spacious bathroom with granite countertops
Individual climate control
Hair dryer
Iron and ironing board

Queen Jr. Suite

Sleeps 4-6

Includes:

Complimentary high-speed internet
37-inch flat-screen television
Refrigerator, microwave, and coffee pot
Spacious bathroom with granite countertops
Individual climate control
Hair dryer
Iron and ironing board

King Suite

Sleeps 2-4

Includes:

Complimentary high-speed internet
37-inch flat-screen television
Refrigerator, microwave, and coffee pot
Spacious bathroom with granite countertops
Individual climate control
Hair dryer
Iron and ironing board
Fireplace, balcony, and separate living and sleeping rooms (only in 1-bedroom suites)
Note: King and Governor suite rooms are connected to a separate Queen balcony room that may be rented for the same dates when available. This is a great option for larger families to stay together in a common space.

Queen Suite

Sleeps 4-6

Includes:

Complimentary high-speed internet
37-inch flat-screen television
Refrigerator, microwave, and coffee pot
Spacious bathroom with granite countertops
Individual climate control
Hair dryer
Iron and ironing board
Fireplace, balcony, and separate living and sleeping room.
Note: Queen suite rooms are connected to a separate King balcony room that may be rented for the same dates when available. This is a great option for larger families to stay together in a common space.

Governor Suite

Sleeps 2-4

1 king bed and bathroom, plus separate living area, kitchenette/dining area, fireplace, and half bath. Governor suites are located on the top floors.

Note: King and Governor suite rooms are connected to a separate Queen balcony room that may be rented for same dates when available. This is a great option for larger families to stay together in a common space.

Check In/ Check out at Canaan Valley Resort

The Canaan Valley Ski & Golf Resort lobby was incredibly inviting and the staff was very welcoming and helpful. The lodge is quite large- spanning 2 separate buildings so I was a little surprised when I checked in and they simply handed my key. I had to ask where my room was, and it’s a good thing that I did since we were in a different building.

Canaan Valley Resort Amenities & Activities

Championship golf course
Indoor and outdoor pool
47 slopes/trails for hiking, biking, skiing and snowboarding, XC Skiing, Snowshoeing
Snow tubing
SNO-GO Biking
Ice Skating
Sporting Clays
Conference center
On-site restaurants

Our Honest Review

The Canaan Valley Resort was the first stop on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip. The resort came highly recommended on one of the Facebook groups I look to when planning a road trip so I had high hopes for it. The resort is just outside the charming, quaint, small town of Davis, West Virginia.

When approaching from the south, we had to take several country highways to reach the resort. I’m glad we had plenty of gas because we passed nothing but deer for miles and miles. Pulling into the resort was a welcome relief.

The resort was cozy but the color scheme made it feel a bit dated. We booked a Queen Jr. Suite (pictured above with details), that was perfect for our family of 5. The couch pulled out into an additional bed for our daughter.

The room came with a small refrigerator, microwave, and coffee pot, which gave us a place to store our leftovers and a way to heat them up.

Our room was very comfortable, and overall the hotel was quiet. After putting the kids to bed, we went downstairs to check out the bar. Our room was located in the north tower, and the bar/lounge and lobby were located in the main building. Fortunately, the two buildings were connected on the first floor so we didn’t have to venture out into the snow.

As we explored the resort, we continued to note that it was a bit tired. There’s an old indoor pool that had a broken hot tub, an old-school arcade, and several conference rooms that were poppin’.

I think with a bit of a remodel, this resort will be excellent! As is, it’s still a wonderful place to camp out and enjoy the area.

Location & Booking Information

The Canaan Valley Resort is located at 230 Main Lodge Rd.
Davis, West Virginia 26260.

Visit the website directly to book your stay and review the current offers.

Save a Pin & Start Planning Your Adventure

While in the area, we visited Blackwater Falls State Park, home to the longest sled run on the East Coast! Check out our video on YouTube to experience this awesome adventure for yourself!

📌 Save this post to Pinterest
📸 Follow us on Instagram @5suitcases
👍 Follow us on Facebook @5suitcases
▶️ Subscribe on YouTube @5suitcases

Tags HOTEL REVIEW, MASON-DIXON ROAD TRIP, UNITED STATES, USA, WEST VIRGINIA

Annual Recap

Cheers to 2025! My Goals, Resolutions, Dreams & Plans

Post author By Elle MacRae
Post date December 29, 2024
No Comments on Cheers to 2025! My Goals, Resolutions, Dreams & Plans

How absolutely insane is it that 2025 is right around the corner? It feels as though just yesterday we were sharing with you our 2024 plans and now, here we are doing the same for 2025.

While we may not have had international adventures in 2023, 2024 was still incredibly good to us. We grew closer as a family, spent lots of time with friends, experienced new firsts, moved into our dream house, and went on numerous adventures.

A Condensed Version of our 2024 Recap

We visited countless National Historic sites including; Timucuan Preserve, Congaree National Park, Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, Biscayne National Park, and Reconstruction Era National Historical Park. We took a trip up north to see many monuments in DC and visited Fort McHenry and Gettysburg.
We visited Universal Studios Orlando and had a sponsored trip to Wild Adventures Theme Park. Later, we visited Hersheypark.
The kids added Alabama, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware to their list of states they’ve visited.
The kids had their first legit snow day in West Virginia where we zoomed down the longest sled run on the East Coast of the US!

Our 2024 Goals, Revisited

✅Visit The Keys- We visited Key Largo with our framily this summer. We all had a wonderful time. I can’t believe I’ve lived in Florida for 32 years and this was my first trip to The Keys!
Hit the High Seas- Unfortunately, we canceled our cruise this year…but, there’s always next year…
✅Visit More National Parks- My goal this year was to visit at least 10 National Park Sites. I added them to all of our itineraries. The kids love collecting passport stamps, and I enjoy teaching them about our nation’s history.
✅Hit up the Theme Parks- While we didn’t make it to Disney this year, we did visit Universal Orlando. We also took a sponsored trip to Wild Adventures Theme Park and Hersheypark.
✅Add a New State to the List of Places We’ve Been- The kiddos added Alabama to their list when we visited a friend in Auburn early in the year. Later, we went on our Mason-Dixon Road Trip and added West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey to their list.
✅Plan Our Christmas Trip- This year’s trip, which I’ve dubbed the Mason-Dixon Road Trip, was amazing! We went sledding, learned more about our nation’s history at key sites, went to Hersheypark, spent Christmas Day at Great Wolf Lodge, and revisited DC.
✅Accrue Airline Miles-We continued to rack up airline miles for future trips.

2025 Goals and Plans

Hey Boo Boo!

At Christmas time, our kids Elves on the Shelf “stole our credit card” and booked a summer trip to Jellystone- our kids absolute favorite place to vacation.

Nashvegas, Baby!

Our New Years Day tradition is putting the names of the states the kids have not been to into a hat and selecting a state at random to plan a trip to. This year, they pulled Tennessee. We booked a flight to Nashville. We can’t wait to share our Nashville trip with you!

Visit More National Parks

Gimme all the parks! The kids each have National Park passports and they love collecting stamps. We visited a TON of National Park sites last year and I’d like to keep it going. I hope to add a park to each of our itineraries this year.

Add at least 1 more state to our list of places we've been

This year I enjoyed the spontaneity of pulling a state from a hat and planning a trip around that state. Otherwise, there’s no way West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware would have been on our radar. I plan on doing the same thing for 2025- while this might not lead to a full-blown road trip, we will definitely plan a trip this way.

More 2025 Goals

Plan our Christmas Trip.
Accrue airline miles.
Create 12 new YouTube Videos
Add content for 3 states

Follow Along to See How We Do With Our 2025 Goals!

We hope that you’ll join us as we explore the world around us and continue to give our 3 littles a broad view of the world. Our plans for 2025 include lots of time exploring the great outdoors.

If you aren’t already doing so, be sure to follow us on our socials! We use Instagram to share pictures, Reels, and Stories about our day-to-day life. We also use Facebook and Twitter to share our new content.

We look forward to connecting with you and sharing our adventures with you in 2025.

Tags ANNUAL RECAP