Today’s guest post from E. Lizard Breath Speaks is all about the great things Virginia has to offer. Enjoy! –Liz
Let’s talk about why I love Virginia. This is a link filled post! all words in ” ” are links to important info. either you will find here on E. Lizard Breath Speaks or I will send ya to great sites for more details. ( :

“Blue Ridge Parkway” is a perfect drive for the day or a great place to go hiking, biking, camping, & bird watching. so much to see throughout the year. perfect in all season. There are 469 miles connecting the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. 

Most important item to bring for your visit is … YOUR CAMERA.

Must see sights while driving on the:“Blue Ridge Parkway”, would be:“Humpback Rock”“Peaks of Otter”, & “Mabry Mill”. They will give ya a huge BRP brochures at the visitors center & it will clue you all in of what you must see.



“Skyline Drive”is part of the Shenandoah National Park. 105 mile fun drive with amazing views. a small fee, for those details see “here”. Hike 101 miles of the “Appalachian Trail”, which is on my BUCKET LIST for sure.

“Virginia State Parks”are amazing & they have some of the best scenery ever. Check out:“Grayson Highlands” & “James River”



Several things that the hubby & I love:“kayaking”visiting“cemeteries”,“mills”, &“vineyards”they are plenty in “Virginia”, we VIRGINIANS love our wine, or maybe we just love WINE-ING!!! 

I sure do hope you enjoyed this visual trip though my must see sights of Virginia. 
Visit soon!! You Will So Love Every Minute!!!

After all, you know the saying: “Virginia” is For Lovers.
BethI got an email recently from “Kendra Thornton” & she says why not write up a post all about your favorite must see sight while in Virginia … & if you know me at all, you know I love Virginia so much, that writing a single post (only one??!! but i have so much to say & share, it took a bit to narrow it down. but i did it! see??) is so super easy to do.  It is time to share your favorite sights from all over the US. & I was game – so who’s next? 

let’s get Kendra’s take on her home town of Chicago, Illinois.


Why I Love Where I’m From!
If you are debating where to spend your next vacation, consider my home city of Chicago. The Windy City offers many different types of recreation for visitors, and residents, to enjoy any time of the year. Some of my favorites are the kid-friendly museums and parks that Chicago has to offer. If it is a relaxing girls weekend, I love going with my close friends to a nice spa at one of the hotels downtown. Something that fully embodies the Chicago experience is our cuisine; there is nothing quite like Chicago’s food! Below are some of the activities and places I love to enjoy in Chicago.

1. The Field Museum 

When I am looking for a fun activity with my kids in Chicago, The Field Museum is one of my number one choices.  This is conveniently located on South Lake Shore Drive, and is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. This museum offers many different hands-on learning activities for kids and adults. They have permanent exhibits that are very popular, such as the massive dinosaur fossils, and different traveling exhibits periodically throughout the year. Also, one of the great parts about it being so centrally located is that if we go here for the day, we have the option of enjoying other aspects of the city too! After a few hours at the museum, I can take my kids somewhere fun to eat, or to the park.

2. Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park

On a sunny Saturday in Chicago, take advantage of the nice weather and visit Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park. This park has 2 miles of paved walkways for your family to explore, all lined with massive sculptures! Enormous sculptures of all types dot the landscape of this unique park. The Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park is located near the Chicago River, on the east side of McCormick Boulevard. After enjoying the park and the museum, there is nothing like going with my family to enjoy Chicago pizza! Giordano’s, a mainstay in Chicago, offers delicious deep dish pizza that has been tantalizing the taste buds of Chicago residents since
1974. Giordano’s started as one small pizza joint, but has expanded their locations throughout the Chicago area. If you are looking for some authentic Chicago deep dish pizza, this is a place you must visit.

3. The Peninsula

Everyone needs a break from their busy schedules once in a while. When this happens to me, I love nothing more than getting a massage or enjoying a spa day. The Peninsula is an upscale hotel that features a spa and a European-style cafe in their hotel. Located on East Superior Street, The Peninsula is a nice way to treat
yourself and your family to an upscale hotel experience.  I was able to discover this gem using the site gogobot, which offers reviews of hotels and restaurants. These are just a few of the reasons why I love Chicago. There is so much to offer in this vast city that I always am finding new reasons to love calling it home. Regardless of how you spend your Chicago vacation, you are sure to have a great time in The Windy City.find me & follow along: