We were glad to get home, though we were already looking forward to our next trip. California, here we come!
Friday, April 14, 2017
Quebec Road Trip, Day 7: Driving Home
The last day of our epic Quebec road trip was spent entirely on the road. We left our hotel in Oneonta and were sad to end our week.
We were glad to get home, though we were already looking forward to our next trip. California, here we come!
We were glad to get home, though we were already looking forward to our next trip. California, here we come!
Quebec Road Trip, Day 6: Howe Caverns, NY
On the second to last day of our road trip, we drove from our tree house camping accommodations at Chimo Refuges to Howe Caverns in central NY.
The border crossing was easy and there was no traffic, so we made the drive in good time. Unfortunately, driving through the Adirondack Region meant there was nowhere to stop for lunch for a significant period of time, and no cell phone signal to find the closest place to eat. We ate potato chips and Aero bars from our grocery stop in Quebec. We finally exited the Adirondacks and came upon a McDonald's - judging by the crowds, this is the first easily found fast food restaurant along that stretch of road.
We made it to Howe Caverns by about 2 pm and booked a tour of the caves. Howe Caverns is a little "touristy," but it is very fun and the guide gives a lot of information about the cave and its discovery. We forgot to bring our sweatshirts, which was a mistake - the cave is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit year round! Nolan was a little chilly.
Prior to descending into the caves, there is an introductory "show" explaining the discovery of the caverns by the Howe family.
The walkways are well defined and the tour guide leads you the entire way throughout the tour.
Nolan was really cold, but did well (despite the chilly temperatures)!
As you wind through the caverns, you get closer to the underground river. This was a really cool feature of the cave.
There are some cave features kids are allowed to touch, including this stalagmite placed for touching purposes. Otherwise, everyone is told to keep their hands to themselves, as oil from your hands can destroy the mineral formations.
I couldn't get a picture of the boat ride, as the lighting was not sufficient, but there is a boat ride on the river inside the cave. The guide pulls the boat along using handrails inside the cave - this was a really cool experience. After our boat ride, we walked back through the cave and went through the winding narrows.
It was a great visit to the caves and everyone had a lot of fun. We stopped for a photo op outside of the caverns and then headed out to our hotel in Oneonta.
We were sad that our adventure was coming to an end!
The border crossing was easy and there was no traffic, so we made the drive in good time. Unfortunately, driving through the Adirondack Region meant there was nowhere to stop for lunch for a significant period of time, and no cell phone signal to find the closest place to eat. We ate potato chips and Aero bars from our grocery stop in Quebec. We finally exited the Adirondacks and came upon a McDonald's - judging by the crowds, this is the first easily found fast food restaurant along that stretch of road.
We made it to Howe Caverns by about 2 pm and booked a tour of the caves. Howe Caverns is a little "touristy," but it is very fun and the guide gives a lot of information about the cave and its discovery. We forgot to bring our sweatshirts, which was a mistake - the cave is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit year round! Nolan was a little chilly.
Prior to descending into the caves, there is an introductory "show" explaining the discovery of the caverns by the Howe family.
The walkways are well defined and the tour guide leads you the entire way throughout the tour.
Nolan was really cold, but did well (despite the chilly temperatures)!
As you wind through the caverns, you get closer to the underground river. This was a really cool feature of the cave.
There are some cave features kids are allowed to touch, including this stalagmite placed for touching purposes. Otherwise, everyone is told to keep their hands to themselves, as oil from your hands can destroy the mineral formations.
I couldn't get a picture of the boat ride, as the lighting was not sufficient, but there is a boat ride on the river inside the cave. The guide pulls the boat along using handrails inside the cave - this was a really cool experience. After our boat ride, we walked back through the cave and went through the winding narrows.
It was a great visit to the caves and everyone had a lot of fun. We stopped for a photo op outside of the caverns and then headed out to our hotel in Oneonta.
We were sad that our adventure was coming to an end!
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Quebec Road Trip, Day 5: Tree House Camping
Day 5 of our long Quebec road trip was from the Ferme 5 Etoiles in Sacre Coeur to Chimo Refuges in St. Sauveur, a "glamping" destination with tree houses, a tepee, and other cabins to camp in. We were up early for a long road trip south.
We made it to Chimo Refuges by dinner time, and the town was beautiful. We parked our car in the small parking area and found the check-in cabin, which was across a suspension bridge.
This may have been the coolest check-in ever, and the fun was just beginning. We took a quick trip into town to do some grocery shopping and to have dinner. We then returned and unpacked our car. Chimo Refuges offers carts to carry camping equipment, which was a huge help.
We entered the main campground area, which could best be described as every little boy's heaven. Tree houses everywhere, amazing cabins, a tepee, a lodge filled with games... it was just fantastic.
It was a very hot night and while we had originally planned on sleeping in the "Sol" tree house, we decided to go with the Cube. The Cube had a ceiling fan (and also had a tri-level bunk bed, which the kids were over the moon about).
In addition to the jaw-dropping cabin and tree house options, there was a very cool zip-line obstacle course for kids, natural swings, and other fun toys in the woods.
We made a campfire at night and sat outside of our Cube, watching an entire galaxy of fireflies blinking over the meadow. There were also a ton of mosquitoes!
The campsite at night was really spectacular. There were trails of lights along the paths that gave the entire area a magical quality.
We sent the boys to bed as the fire started to die down. The inside of the Cube was pretty amazing.
The night passed quickly. In the morning, we woke up to gentle rain. Chimo Refuges has a fully equipped bathroom with shower, and we were grateful for the ability to wash up before heading to our next destination.
We re-loaded our car with our supplies and bid a sad farewell to Chimo Refuges. This is one place we will definitely return to!
Next up: Howe Caverns in NY.
We made it to Chimo Refuges by dinner time, and the town was beautiful. We parked our car in the small parking area and found the check-in cabin, which was across a suspension bridge.
This may have been the coolest check-in ever, and the fun was just beginning. We took a quick trip into town to do some grocery shopping and to have dinner. We then returned and unpacked our car. Chimo Refuges offers carts to carry camping equipment, which was a huge help.
We had a bit of a hike, and the carts were very welcome!
We entered the main campground area, which could best be described as every little boy's heaven. Tree houses everywhere, amazing cabins, a tepee, a lodge filled with games... it was just fantastic.
The main lodge, with kitchen supplies, a fridge, and more.
The "sol" tree house
Nolan rests in a hammock.
You can camp in a tepee.
A very cute cabin.
It was a very hot night and while we had originally planned on sleeping in the "Sol" tree house, we decided to go with the Cube. The Cube had a ceiling fan (and also had a tri-level bunk bed, which the kids were over the moon about).
In addition to the jaw-dropping cabin and tree house options, there was a very cool zip-line obstacle course for kids, natural swings, and other fun toys in the woods.
Swinging!
Matt hangs out.
Our soccer player found a ball.
The stunning adventure course for kids.
Nolan wants one for our backyard.
We made a campfire at night and sat outside of our Cube, watching an entire galaxy of fireflies blinking over the meadow. There were also a ton of mosquitoes!
The campsite at night was really spectacular. There were trails of lights along the paths that gave the entire area a magical quality.
We sent the boys to bed as the fire started to die down. The inside of the Cube was pretty amazing.
Getting ready for bed.
Stocked kitchen.
Dining area.
The night passed quickly. In the morning, we woke up to gentle rain. Chimo Refuges has a fully equipped bathroom with shower, and we were grateful for the ability to wash up before heading to our next destination.
We re-loaded our car with our supplies and bid a sad farewell to Chimo Refuges. This is one place we will definitely return to!
Next up: Howe Caverns in NY.
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Quebec Road Trip, Day 4: Tadoussac
The Hotel Tadoussac
We woke up early on July 5 at the Ferme 5 Etoiles to enjoy breakfast followed by a farm tour. The breakfast is farm-to-table and excellent. The chef was extremely nice and made eggs and bacon for us while we enjoyed yogurt, fruit, and juice. Following breakfast, we went on the tour of the animals. The tour is conducted in French, so we were a little lost on the details, but were able to interact with several animals.
A porcupine right outside our motel room.
Saying hello to the deer.
Nolan pets Luna the farm dog.
The Ferme 5 Etoiles raises sled dogs and this is a fun activity in the winter. One of the "dogs" above is actually a coyote. The farm rescues arctic wolves and other wildlife, and this coyote is a rescued baby. He is being raised alongside the dogs and was exceptionally cute!
A close-up of the rescued coyote pup.
Nolan is rather comfortable around chickens, since we raise chickens. He saved a young pullet from getting pecked to death and was quite proud of himself for saving the young hen.
After our farm tour, we drove to Tadoussac for our zodiac whale watching tour. The real reason we came to Tadoussac was for the whales - Beluga whales live here year-round in the wild. There are also Humpback, Fin, Minke, and the occasional Orca whales. The tour was bilingual in both French and English, so we were able to understand everything very well. We checked in and were issued survival suits for the zodiac ride. No matter how warm it may be in Tadoussac, the water temperature on the St. Lawrence Seaway is just above freezing - we were very grateful for the survival suits!
The boys are in their survival suits.
The whole family is ready to go!
Matt and Nolan are on the boat.
The Tadoussac Light House. It was very foggy on the morning of our tour. We still managed to see Minke whales, Beluga whales, and Fin whales (and a few seals)!
Matt stands up for a view on the zodiac.
Looking for whales.
Zooming off to look for more whales
Entering the fjord.
A waterfall on one side of the fjord.
We backed up into the waterfall spray, which was quite fun.
Nolan tosses some stones on the harbor.
Going for a small hike.
Heading down to the water.
The rocky tidepools were beautiful.
Examining krill in a tidepool. The junction of the Saguenay River and the St. Lawrence Seaway provides an excellent breeding ground for krill, which causes the whales to visit in large numbers.
The boys behind a large rock.
Unusual striation in the rock.
In front of the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre.
Nolan's favorite restaurant in the whole world.
After exploring and a late lunch, we returned to the Ferme 5 Etoile and walked around, exploring the larger animal enclosures. The moose and bison were particularly interesting to watch.
Crossing a stream on our exploration of the farm.
Bison herd.
The bison were quite curious about us.
Up close and personal with a few bison.
This is Azur, a rescued moose. Azure is not very friendly, but is extremely beautiful.
Azur the moose.
After our exploration of the farm, we drove back to Tadoussac (about a 20 minute drive) and had dinner at the Pick-Up Grille along the harbor-front.
Sandwiches and burgers at the Pick Up Grille.
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