Oklahoma visit and trips wonderful camp grounds.

 

after pigeon forge we headed to Oklahoma to visit family.  We stayed a few days 

Finally, we made our way to Oklahoma. We stayed at a great little farm just outside Tulsa called Pleasant Valley Farms that we found through Harvest Hosts. They had great RV sites with full hookups. It was down a bumpy dirt road, which wasn’t as much fun though. We spent time visiting with my cousin Johnny and his wife Danielle He made us awesome BBQ as always he does it wonderfully yummy.  and also with Auntie Helen and Uncle John and we went to dinner and had a wonderful visit,. Unfortunately, some of the clan were away on trips of their own, so we didn’t get to see everyone this time. But it was great to see them, just being together and talking about what’s been going on with everyone. Auntie Helen had a bunch of pictures that she had found of Jonathan’s Mom and Dad and other relatives; they were great and we are digitizing them. There was even a picture of his Mom in her nursing uniform with a little girl she was taking care of that was in the newspaper. Jonathan had never seen it before, so it was a very special present for him.

here are some other pics from our camps

this next camp was in a state park we had a site right at the beach the only other site near us was a beach tent spot to the right it was awesome

Another camp we loved 

 below are on way home New York the river was beautiful with the fall leaves

cabins and camper sites only a couple more people there it was colder i recall saying to Jonathan see we did need our jackets on the way home.

Next click Elvis Graceland On way home

Headed home Elvis Graceland and Tupelo house

 Thank You, Thank You Very Much: Our Unforgettable Trip to Graceland! 👑

Stepping onto the grounds of Graceland in Memphis felt like walking into a piece of living history. It was a pilgrimage for fans and a fascinating glimpse into the life of the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley.

me at the famous gates

Elvis Presley's Memphis Complex

Across the street, the massive Elvis Presley's Memphis entertainment complex was a whole day's worth of exhibits!

• Presley Motors: Seeing his incredible collection of cars was jaw-dropping! The famous Pink Cadillac was a highlight, but so were the Stutz Blackhawks and motorcycles. He certainly had a love for luxury speed!

• The Airplanes:  "Lisa Marie" 

Food Fit for The King

You can't go to Graceland without thinking about Elvis's favorite foods! While the mansion tour doesn't feature food, the complex across the street has great options:

• Vernon's Smokehouse: a taste of Memphis with some authentic BBQ at Vernon's, named after Elvis's father.

we also took a drive by sun records

Where the Legend Began: Our Visit to Elvis's Childhood Home in Tupelo 🎸

Our trip to Tupelo, Mississippi—the true starting point of the Elvis legend—was an incredibly grounding experience that provided a stark contrast to the opulence of Graceland. We visited the Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum, and it was genuinely moving to see the humble roots of the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Our mothers would had loved all of this Elvis part of the trip wich was a surprise to us but amazing. I remember singing Elvis songs and dancing around with Mom she realy would have loved it.

The Two-Room Shotgun Shack

The centerpiece of the visit is the modest, two-room shotgun house where Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935.

• Humble Beginnings: Stepping inside that tiny, frame house, which his father Vernon, grandfather, and uncle built for just $180, immediately showed the poverty of his childhood. There are only two rooms—a bedroom (where he was born) and a kitchen.

• A Sense of Scale: Seeing how Vernon, Gladys, and baby Elvis lived in this small space gave us a profound sense of how far he truly rose. It truly felt like walking into a time capsule of Depression-era Mississippi.

The Birthplace Park Attractions

The area around the house is a beautiful, reflective park that tells the story of Elvis's first 13 years in Tupelo.

• The Assembly of God Church: This was an absolute highlight! The actual church building the Presley family attended was moved to the park. Inside, we experienced a powerful, projected reenactment of a 1940s Pentecostal church service, complete with gospel music. It was here that Elvis first developed his famous musical rhythm and passion.

• The Walk of Life: We followed the paved circle around the birthplace, marked with granite plaques commemorating each year of his life from 1935 to 1977.

The gentleman above wrote all the stories - history on the ground's his mom was friends with Gladys Elvis's mom. We loved talking with him.

                                       

• "Becoming" Statue: Up on the hill, the dual statues known as "Becoming" are fantastic. They feature a young, 11-year-old Elvis with his first guitar, 

• Museum and Artifacts: The museum provided more Tupelo-specific artifacts and photos, giving a personal glimpse into his childhood before the move to Memphis.

Our Dollywood trip part 2,

Day 4 at pigeon forge 

Began: day 4Our Visit to Elvis's 

Our Awesome Day at The Island in Pigeon Forge! 🎡

What a fantastic time we had. It truly is the heart of fun in the Smokies, offering a little bit of everything. We packed our day with thrills, shopping, amazing food, and a prehistoric adventure!

• The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel: This was the centerpiece of our trip! Cruising up to the top in the gondolas gave us the most breathtaking views of the Smoky Mountains and the entire complex. Perfect for photo ops! Jonathan had to convince Lisa a little because of her fear of heights but she did it and loved it.

 

The Jurassic Adventure was the biggest surprise and an absolute highlight!

• We felt like explorers hunting for the 20+ life-sized, animatronic dinosaurs scattered all around the Island. it was a truly immersive and free experience!

Taking photos and vids was fun.

The Island Show Fountain

You can grab a comfy Adirondack chair and settle down for a show at the Island Show Fountain. The seats were full so we sat at the edge of the fountain.

• This spectacular water show is choreographed to music and lights, with jets shooting water high into the air. It was especially fun to see the Jurassic-themed fountain show, complete with the giant Brachiosaurus and its juvenile, adding a truly unique touch to the water dance.

Food and Shopping Finds

All that exploring worked up an appetite and a need for some retail therapy!

• Food Favorites: We grabbed dinner and drinks at Dude’s Daiquiris and also checked out, but didn't eat at, Timberwood Grill and Paula Deen's Family Kitchen. The irresistible smell of the Cinnamon Bread called to us, but our diets said no, lol. We also loved exploring the little treat shops for fudge and old-fashioned candy, like the honey shop, build a bear (I made Jonathan build himself one), and many other shops. It was fun.

The shops are great! We found everything from cool t-shirts and souvenirs to local crafts. The Island Trading Post was great for local gifts, and we even snagged some fun gadgets at the specialty stores.

Our trip to The Island was truly an unforgettable Pigeon Forge experience—easy to navigate, lots of free entertainment.

Next Click Here Family Visit

Our 2025 trip to Dollywood

Wow it has been a while sorry so busy well another year is almost over and the best part of this past year was our trips in our new camper

🍂 Our Amazing Two Days at Dollywood's Fall Festival! 🎃

An incredible two-day adventure at Dollywood's Harvest Festival, and what a perfect way to usher in the autumn season! 

Our first day was soaking in the classic Dollywood atmosphere, all accented by gorgeous fall decor.

 We spent a good amount of time wandering through Craftsman's Valley, admiring the local artisans. 

 We caught a few of the incredible dancers and music Such wonderful, authentic mountain music filling the air!

The Magic of LumiNights

As the night came we enjoyed the park at a slower pace and anticipating the evening's main event: Great Pumpkin LumiNights!

As the sun went down, the park came alive with the breathtaking glow of thousands of carved and illuminated pumpkins! Walking through the different themed areas, like the pumpkin butterfly and the giant pumpkin tree, felt truly magical and was the absolute highlight of our entire trip.

Two days gave us time to enjoy the specialized seasonal entertainment and food, and fully experience the enchantment of LumiNights without feeling rushed. It was the perfect blend of thrills, southern hospitality, and autumn splendor!

 A Day of History and Hollywood and animals day 3 in Pigeon Forge! 🎬

Our day was a fascinating journey through two very different worlds right on the Pigeon Forge Parkway: the tragic elegance of the past at the Titanic Museum and the glitz of modern celebrity at the Hollywood Wax Museum.

The Grandeur of the Titanic Museum

Stepping into the giant ship-shaped building of the Titanic Museum felt like we were boarding the actual vessel.

 Getting our boarding passes with a real passenger's name was a powerful start. Walking the Grand Staircase, feeling the bitter cold of the iceberg wall, and standing on the sloping decks truly brought the scale and tragedy of the event to life.

Seeing the actual artifacts and reading the personal stories of those on board made it a very moving and respectful experience. It’s much more than a museum; it’s a tribute.

Posing with the Stars at Hollywood Wax Museum

Next up, we made the quick trip to the giant building with King Kong on top—the Hollywood Wax Museum!

 This was pure fun! We spent ages taking hilarious pictures, posing with lifelike wax figures of everyone from classic movie legends to modern pop stars and action heroes. The different themed sets made for great photo ops

Our trip to Rainforest Adventures Discovery Zoo in Pigeon Forge was a wonderful, up-close look at creatures from all over the globe, right in the Smoky Mountains!

It truly felt like we were walking through a mi ni-rainforest, 

 We loved the amazing variety of reptiles, including colorful lizards and snakes. The dedicated reptile exhibits were incredible!

Seeing the small primates, like the tiny, energetic monkeys, was a definite highlight. They were so fun to watch! A-petting zoo

made the experience truly amazing but the best part was Jonathan’s birthday gift to me a sloth feeding experience wow so awesome,

Next click dollywood part Two