Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park - Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center

Date of Visit: June 26, 2026

We enjoyed exploring the Wright Brother's history in Dayton and the parachute museum at the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center.

The entry doors have buttons to open them. The ranger pressed the inside button when she saw us coming because she said sometimes the outside button does not work.

Mik and I caught the end of the movie, which he only let me go in to watch because Martin Sheen was the narrative, but he did not want to stick around for it to start over and watch the whole thing.

Mik enjoyed pressing the various buttons to make things happen in the first floor exhibit. This one in particular was cool because to watch the helicopter toy.

Helicopter Toy

He regretted pressing this engine one, though, because it was very noisy.

The propeller one made quite a breeze that he wanted to quickly move on as it made him cold.

The first floor also has a recreated grocery store, which once was in this building.

The second floor had the Aviation Trail Parachute Museum.

The second floor also has exhibits about the Wright Brothers work before flight with particular focus on the printing press.

Mik felt the doorways in the printing press area were too narrow, although he did fit through no issue at least with me pushing him.

Destination Info:

Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park - Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center

16 South Williams Street

Dayton, OH 45402

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

Date of Visit: June 25, 2026

As we had not visited Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, our visit was for more than just an America 250 stamp. However, as there was not much for Mik to do, it was not that much longer of a stop than the places we have revisited this year just for a 250 stamp.

The access ramp to the sidewalk was a little awkwardly placed at back of the first parking spot, which could easily end up being partially blocked if the person parking there does not pay attention.

Not sure if it is often this way or just the day we were there, but there was a hose across the path to the main entrance of the visitor center. There was a "ramp" over it, but it was narrow and steep to cross over meaning it was safer and easier to just go over the hose only.

The visitor center has a side door that leads out to the mounds, which can be also be accessed by following the path around the building, that we used to go in and out once we realized that was an option.

The visitor center did not have much to see. The only exhibit was of tribal nation flags of tribal nations associated with the site. There was an interactive language thing, but it was being used by other visitors and it seemed it would be awhile before we could have a turn. I think they might have had a movie, but this was a rare site that the rangers were not all that engaging and were too busy talking with each other to have been directed to it or be told when it was showing next.

There is a sidewalk that leads up to the entrance to the mounds area and that is as far as Mik could go.

It is understandable that they do not want to disturb the mounds area and add sidewalks to be provide access to the mounds and the signage they have out there. However, it does not make sense that the first sign is not put near the end of the sidewalk so at least that one could be read.

There are some signs about the mounds near the visitor center. However, since there are not really any informational or artifact exhibits inside the visitor center, for Mik this site felt much like one of our quick visits to a NPS site just for the 250 stamp, although he did let me go walk around the mound area to take some Ranger Dan photos while Dad and him sat in the shade by the visitor center.

Destination Info:

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

16062 State Route 104

Chillicothe, OH 45601

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Canyon Rim Visitor Center

Date of Visit: June 24, 2026

Our visit to Canyon Rim Visitor Center was mainly to get the America 250 stamps they had there. Dad and I had visited here before, but since it was Mik's first visit, we also walked out to the overlooks so he could see the river and the New River Gorge Bridge. As we wanted to make sure we had enough time at our next stop of the day in Ohio, we did not end up seeing the movie in the visitor center.

There is a good overlook of the river out the back door of the visitor center. You can also view the river out the back windows from inside the visitor center, but Mik found the frame lines of the window were right at eye level for him when Dad rolled him up to the window.

To see the bridge, there is a short boardwalk trail off to the side of the visitor center.

The trail continues down steps including a warning to know your limits as going down is optional, but coming back up is not. Even without going down the steps, you can get a decent view of the bridge.

Destination Info:

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Canyon Rim Visitor Center

162 Visitor Center Road

Lansing, WV 25862

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Sandstone Falls

Date of Visit: June 24, 2026

Dad and I previously visited in 2016 when it was a National River. That trip we only visited the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. This trip we also visited the Sandstone Visitor Center partly because they had some different America 250 stamps than Canyon Rim, but also because we wanted to explore more of the park this trip.

We ended up getting to the visitor center a little before closing time, so just Dad went in to get the National Park passport stamps. While doing that, he found out there was an accessible trail to see Sandstone Falls, so we decided to go do that before going to the hotel.

The drive from the Sandstone Visitor Center to Sandstone Falls is a scenic drive that takes you along the river on one side and then back on the other side to where there is an accessible boardwalk trail to view the falls.

While the trail is accessible, the parking is mostly not. There was accessible spots right at the boardwalk start, but they were occupied. Most of the parking is on another level of the hill and it is rather steep going between the levels. Thus, we unloaded Mik and then Dad parked. He did end up with a spot on the lower level by the trail. Even though the car next to us left just as we we got back to the truck, Dad had to pull out for us to load because there was a giant water puddle there.

Mik said it was a rather smooth boardwalk trail other than the initial transition up on to the boardwalk was a bit of a bump.

Just a little into the trail, there is a good viewpoint of Sandstone Falls.

At the end of the trail, there is another farther view of Sandstone Falls. Mik preferred the first view of the falls, but the whole trail was still worthwhile as the end view was a good view of more of the river.

Destination Info:

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve - Sandstone Visitor Center

330 Meadow Creek Road

Sandstone, WV 25985

Lincoln Memorial: Temporary Ramp replaces Elevator

Date of Visit: October 6, 2024

I would not normally make a post when we visited without Mik, but one of the reasons he did not visit the Lincoln Memorial with us this day was that we saw the alert on the website saying elevator was out and it did not mention there was still a way to go up to the top. We were not surprised that the elevator was not operating as Dad had mentioned there was renovations going on, but it was odd that the website says nothing about the renovations and instead says the elevator is out since December due to an electrical issue.

When we got to the Lincoln Memorial, we discovered that they had a temporary on the south side that takes you up to the top.

It certainly is not ideal for those with some mobility issues as it is a lot of back and forth, but for us it was helpful as even though we did not have Mik, we did have a stroller this visit. The ramp is also well done with it being ADA slope with resting spots and even benches at each turn. It is kind of an eyesore, but personally I would be all for it becoming permanent so you can have the choice of avoiding the wait for the elevator.

Previous Visit Posts

• 2011
• 2015

Destination Info:
Lincoln Memorial National Memorial
Lincoln Memorial Circle
Washington, DC 20037

Washington Monument: Improved Experience w/ Periscope

Date of Visit: October 5, 2024

This particular trip to D.C. is partially focused on doing D.C. things with family that this is their first D.C. trip. Going to the top of Washington Monument was what I choose as our first thing to do. Mik remembered our visit in 2014 and not being able to see anything, so he originally was not going to go with.

Rereading about the process back in 2014 versus today's experience, we discovered that it has not changed much overall, but it has changed in a few key ways that really makes it much better experience. First off, you go through the security building the same as everyone else instead of the exit, which was how it worked previously. More importantly at the end you just go out the exit same as everyone else and not the odd locked gate experience we had on our 2014 visit.

Most important discovery was that they do in fact still have the periscope (or assistive device as Dad insists on calling it and it is probably officially called). Not sure if they would have offered it to us if we had not asked as in 2014 it wasn't and we thought they stopped offering it, but the first time we visited in 2006, they did offer it to Mik without us knowing about it. I feel like they would not have offered it, though, as it was after we were all looking out the window that I reminded Dad to see if they had one. As soon as Dad asked the ranger if they had an assistive device for someone in a wheelchair to use, the ranger knew exactly what we wanted, though, so they are at least trained to provide when asked.

Overall Mik still felt it was not worth going to the top of the Washington Monument again as even with the periscope he might as well have just seen pictures of the view. However, he does think the museum level and seeing the special stones as you go down are still a worthwhile experience at least once, especially now that the entrance and exit is same for everyone.

Destination Info:
Washington Monument
2 15th St. NW
Washington, DC

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site

Date of Visit: June 18, 2021

Our visit to Charles Pinckney NHS was the first stop as part of our weekend trip to Hilton Head to celebrate Mom’s 60th birthday. Mik probably would’ve rather chosen to visit Fort Sumter if he could’ve picked, but currently they are doing dock work and it’s more inaccessible than normal. Charles Pinckney NHS site just said that the historic house was closed, so we figured it probably wasn’t accessible anyways and it wouldn’t really affect our experience. Plus, it’s not far from where we live now that we could always go back if we wanted to see more. Turned out it is just in phased reopening with the only thing still closed being the store (would’ve been nice if I could have gotten the National Park Passport stickers as I never got the 2020 set and now also need the 2021 set).

The parking lot is a little rough with it not being paved and the grass has gotten a little wild taking up part of some spots.

By the parking lot there is a covered seating area and bathrooms. Mik was impressed that the bathrooms had buttons to open the doors and that was before we discovered they also had a family bathroom in the visitor center.

The path from here to the visitor center (i.e. the historic house) and around the house are paved.

The visitor center has a lift so that wheelchairs can access it. The lift goes up to the porch and then you can enter through the side door that has you enter through the back of the shop. While the shop is “closed,” the wheelchair can still go through it as really it was only still closed because they have not got the staffing and registers set back up.

The visitor center contains three rooms with exhibits about Charles Pinckney, the history of the farm, and a little on the region. There is also a family accessible bathroom by the room that they show a film in.

Mik wasn’t sure about doing the trail as it was hot and humid. Mom and him almost just stayed in the visitor center where the ranger had offered to put in the other films they had. Ultimately, Mik decided to go because it was a pretty short trail even though we couldn’t do it as a loop and had to do it as two short there and back trails as the nature trail between the slave community and boardwalk is through the woods with tree roots and poison ivy to watch for, etc. (Ranger was very good at being able to describe the whole trail and accessibility.)

We did the part of the trail that went past the model rice trunk and to the boardwalk first. This path looks like wood chips, which maybe it is, but it is packed down and was pretty much the same as rolling on the sidewalk/paved paths.

At the end of the boardwalk area, Mik was excited to get a snuggly photo with Mom and I didn’t have to be the one to do it for once.

We then took the part of the trail that goes along the Historic Road Trace, which would have been the way towards Charleston in Pinckney’s time (including when George Washington visited in 1791).

The path from here to the slave community goes through grass. It is wide and we could have easily taken Mik on it, but he choose to just stay back in the shade than go on a bumpy ride.

Overall we enjoyed Charles Pinckney NHS as Mik really did get to experience it all (or at least as much as he wanted and not because it wasn’t accessible).

Destination Info:

Charles Pinckney National Historic Site

1254 Long Point Rd

Mt Pleasant, SC 29464

Assateague Island National Seashore

Date of Visit: September 19, 2019

Dad decided to take an impromptu trip to Assateague Island National Seashore on his off day. We started at the Visitor Center in Berlin, MD, but didn't end up doing the Maryland part of the island because we all most wanted to see the lighthouse and we wouldn't get there until 3pm. Thus, we also didn't spend time even looking at the exhibit or to see the movie leaving the Maryland part for another trip.

The Lighthouse Trail is short, but up a steep hill that gets very sandy at parts. I had gone ahead to sketch the lighthouse while Dad got Mik out of the truck and saw that there was a parking lot for handicap access only up by the lighthouse, but Dad decided to just push Mik anyways. I also found out that we happened to pick the doable path on the right and that there was another path on the left side of the parking lot (near the outhouse) that ends up having steps.

Mik actually did willingly pose for at least this first photo, but the mosquitos were very intense and we quickly headed back to the truck.

On the way from the Lighthouse Trail to the Toms Cove Visitor Center (Dad and I just popped in quickly for the stamp), we stopped to see the horses. After the mosquito experience, Mik was totally done for the day, but he did enjoy that he could see the horses without getting out of the truck.

Destination Info:
Assateague Island National Seashore
Berlin, MD & Chincoteague, VA

Apollo 50: Go for the Moon

Date of Visit: July 19, 2019

Dad, Mik, and I watched the Apollo 50: Go for the Moon projection show on the Washington Monument from the National Mall. We had originally planned to leave to arrive around 9pm, but since we were all ready to go early we ended up getting there around 8:40pm. By that time it was already too late to get a spot in the area in front of the bleachers unless we stayed on the side.

Thus, instead we ended up in the middle in the section behind the bleachers, although we couldn't get a spot far enough back to see over them unless we wanted to be almost at 9th street. It worked out as a good view, though, and since it was a feels like in the upper to mid 90s that evening, we certainly wouldn't have wanted to end up out in the heat any earlier/longer in the day.

The pint of ice cream I brought along helped pass the time and keep us cool.

We all really enjoyed the show, although it was hard to really take in both the side screens and the Washington Monument projections. At least from where we were, you really had to choose to look at either one of the side screens and/or the Washington Monument. The show on the monument changed somewhat slowly from the building of the Saturn V to the launch to the moon landing to the splashdown while the side screens mostly showed historic footage from things like President Kennedy's to mission control in Houston, but it was often different on both sides.

Destination Info:
Apollo 50: Go for the Moon
National Mall between 9th and 12th Streets NW
Washington, DC