Rick had the week off, and despite a long to-do list, we decided to take a few days and explore something we hadn't seen before. So, we packed our bags and headed down to Detroit, to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.
I love history, so this was right up my alley. Rick and the kids were super excited for a variety of reasons (hotel pool, anyone?), and we were glad to take a few days together as a family.
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GREENFIELD VILLAGE
We saw so many incredible things, and didn't even have time to see it all. We were immersed in history, seeing things like: The "idea factory" of Thomas Edison, the original birthplace of the first airplane (the actual home where the Wright brothers built it), the Robert Frost home, Henry Ford's home and factory where the first Model T was built, and more. Henry Ford started "collecting" these home almost 80 years ago, moving them to create Greenfield Village. The Wright home was actually taken apart brick-by-brick, numbered, then put back together again on top of soil that was also taken from it's original plot. Incredible. There was also a peek into the home life of past America--with their "Porches and Parlors", Main Street, railroads, and even a working farm.
HENRY FORD MUSEUM
We could have spent three days in the Henry Ford Museum alone. There were just so many fantastic exhibits, and they were each as fascinating as the next. Just a few included: The rocking chair that Abraham Lincoln was sitting in when he was assassinated, the Kennedy limo in which JFK was shot, and the Rosa Parks bus. Of course there was the "Automobile in American Life", which shows how "the automobile has refashioned our nation's way of life more than any other invention in history". We saw cars of all kinds and shapes, all the way back to the horse and buggy days, and it was easy to imagine people throughout history.
THE HOTEL
This deserve its own paragraph, just because of how much the kids look forward to it. We always joke that we could just get a hotel here in town for a night, and they would be perfectly happy!
After a day at Greenfield Village, it was back to the hotel for dinner (takeout from Red Robin, my favorite!) and then the pool for the three older kids and Rick. I stayed back with the babies to put them to bed (I love hotels that provide cribs!), and then enjoyed a little quiet time with my book and a good movie. When they got back from swimming, the babies were fast asleep, and the rest of us curled up in bed together to watch a movie. The best way to end the day!
The next morning we enjoyed a really nice breakfast there at the hotel, where they cook you up your own omelet and Belgian waffles, not to mention all the other great food. Ryan set a record for how many carbs eaten in one meal, which he is always trying to beat. He ate so.much.food. But just so you know, we don't let him try it that often.
After another day at the village and museum, we stopped for dinner, then headed home. I'm usually not very spontaneous, especially when it involves packing up a family of 7 to stay overnight, and generally have to plan everything out. How glad am I, that I was able to let loose, put everything else on the back burner, and just go. It was wonderful!
I love history, so this was right up my alley. Rick and the kids were super excited for a variety of reasons (hotel pool, anyone?), and we were glad to take a few days together as a family.
---------
GREENFIELD VILLAGE
We saw so many incredible things, and didn't even have time to see it all. We were immersed in history, seeing things like: The "idea factory" of Thomas Edison, the original birthplace of the first airplane (the actual home where the Wright brothers built it), the Robert Frost home, Henry Ford's home and factory where the first Model T was built, and more. Henry Ford started "collecting" these home almost 80 years ago, moving them to create Greenfield Village. The Wright home was actually taken apart brick-by-brick, numbered, then put back together again on top of soil that was also taken from it's original plot. Incredible. There was also a peek into the home life of past America--with their "Porches and Parlors", Main Street, railroads, and even a working farm.
HENRY FORD MUSEUM
We could have spent three days in the Henry Ford Museum alone. There were just so many fantastic exhibits, and they were each as fascinating as the next. Just a few included: The rocking chair that Abraham Lincoln was sitting in when he was assassinated, the Kennedy limo in which JFK was shot, and the Rosa Parks bus. Of course there was the "Automobile in American Life", which shows how "the automobile has refashioned our nation's way of life more than any other invention in history". We saw cars of all kinds and shapes, all the way back to the horse and buggy days, and it was easy to imagine people throughout history.
THE HOTEL
This deserve its own paragraph, just because of how much the kids look forward to it. We always joke that we could just get a hotel here in town for a night, and they would be perfectly happy!
After a day at Greenfield Village, it was back to the hotel for dinner (takeout from Red Robin, my favorite!) and then the pool for the three older kids and Rick. I stayed back with the babies to put them to bed (I love hotels that provide cribs!), and then enjoyed a little quiet time with my book and a good movie. When they got back from swimming, the babies were fast asleep, and the rest of us curled up in bed together to watch a movie. The best way to end the day!
The next morning we enjoyed a really nice breakfast there at the hotel, where they cook you up your own omelet and Belgian waffles, not to mention all the other great food. Ryan set a record for how many carbs eaten in one meal, which he is always trying to beat. He ate so.much.food. But just so you know, we don't let him try it that often.
After another day at the village and museum, we stopped for dinner, then headed home. I'm usually not very spontaneous, especially when it involves packing up a family of 7 to stay overnight, and generally have to plan everything out. How glad am I, that I was able to let loose, put everything else on the back burner, and just go. It was wonderful!
8 comments:
We took Harris there when he was little. The village is especially funa around Halloween time, but a little cold.
I am with you on planning for trips but sometimes last minute trips are the most fun. It looks like you had a blast. I wish I had Ryan's metabolism!
looks like you guys had a blast! we're definitely gonna have to check it out since it's been forever since i've been to either one :)
How fun!!! I'm so glad you guys had a great time!!! I've wanted to go with our family...now your pictures make me want to go even more!!!
I am glad you were able to go. We have loved going there. It is a perfect family place to go.
That sounds like a wonderful trip.
My kids always loved going to a hotel--and visiting the pool was always near the top of the list.
I'd love to know what hotel you stayed at. We are always running into trouble with 7 in one room.
Sounds like you had a lot of fun!
Our kids feel the same way about hotels... give us an indoor pool and our own bed, and that's a great vacation for us! In fact, this year, we got a hotel in SL, so we could go to Lagoon the next day. We swam, went out to eat, came back, and realized that for Lagoon, we didn't have enough family coming to help us the next day, so we went home and did Lagoon the next week... Did the kids even bat an eye? No. The hotel was perfect fun for them. The twins keep begging to go to a hotel again. I love it! Of course, we're up to 2 adjoining rooms now, which they love even more!
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