Experiences & Fun Stuff Archives - Page 5 of 7

Patriotic Palace – Abandoned Amusement Park in TN

Posted on March 15, 2016September 28, 2023 by Tressie

Abandoned places are some of my favorite photographic subjects, and the Patriotic Palace was not a disappointment. Through the dirt and neglect, you can usually imagine what a place used to be, but there seems to be more mystery surrounding this one, an I have so far been unable to reconstruct it’s history.

When my family and I passed this Abandoned Amusement park on our way to Chattanooga, we made a note to stop and visit it on our way home. The Patriotic Palace is located on Interstate 75, exit 141, a lonely and sad reminder of….what? I’m really not sure, as I have been unable to find any specific information regarding this amusement park.

And not that I spent a crap ton of time on google or anything, but the few searches I did on this lonely little “amusement park” turned up nothing but posts by other people who stopped to take photos, just as I did, or stories of the adjacent Fireworks Superstore burning down in 2014.

If anyone knows the history of the amusement park side of this place, I would love to hear it.In the mean time, here are several photos

Sea Life Michigan Aquarium

Posted on June 3, 2015September 28, 2023 by Tressie

In May of 2015 my family made a visit to Sea Life Michigan, at the request of my girls (ages 10 and 13). Having been to many aquariums in many cities, we were not sure what to expect, especially since this one is located at a mall (Great Lakes Crossing).

We ordered our tickets in advance, as that is what is recommended on the Sea Life Michigan website to ensure entry. It is a very new attraction, and due to the size they let in a limited amount of people at one time.

As we walked in, the kids received a “DIVE Log Book” with a question on each page. Once they find the answer to the question, they are to collect a “stamp” at the dive station. They present their log book at the end of the tour for a prize.

The tanks were well laid out, and there were a ton of interactive displays including “bubbles” they could stand up in to be “inside” the tanks. The touch pool was very small, but the attendants were knowledgable, and very interested in helping the kids understand what they were touching, as well as how the animals eat, live, and interact with their environment.

I really enjoyed this aquarium a lot, and even my big kids had a great time.

The tank displays are amazing, including this one at the end of the tour – my favorite!

Bottom line? If you are looking for a huge aquarium attraction with everything under the sun and a full day of viewing, you may be disappointed with the size of this cozy aquarium. However, it packs in a ton of interactive fun into a small space, and I liked the fact that it was not an all day event. My kids LOVED it.

Things I learned in Washington DC

Posted on September 4, 2014September 28, 2023 by Tressie

Better late than never – here are the things I learned in Washington DC when my family and I visited in July!

1. If you leave your Facebook locations on and post a photo of your kid making a face at Applebee’s, a friend in the area might message you and say “hey, I wanna come see you!!” Excuse the crappy phone photos – I loved catching up with Sarah 🙂

2. If the White House is going to have an event that dictates tourists can’t get anywhere near it, it will be on the only day we are there to visit it.

3. Secret Service men are not allowed to pose. They will however, pretend like they don’t see you while you take their picture.

4. If a friend recommends a museum that you have never heard of, you should go – it may end up being the highlight of the trip! At the National Museum of Crime and Punishment you will see the history of crime, current crime, how to commit crime, famous criminals, how to investigate and solve crimes, and the history of punishing crime. You can look for clues in a “crime scene”, sit in on the “autopsy”, and crack a safe…as well as sit in a driving simulation, and hold a gun in a shoot out simulation. I probably shouldn’t tell you that I shot at one of the victims….oops.

Also, heat seeking cameras may expose you. We’ll just make this picture real small.

5. Don’t ever visit landmarks without taking at least one forced perspective shot. I found these gems on the camera that Riley was using.

6. The Lincoln Memorial is a great place for a photo of daddy and Robby.

7. The water is a lot dirtier than I expected it to be, but if you change the color in photoshop you can still get a pretty reflection.

8. The National Museum of Natural History is pretty awesome.

9. No matter how much history or how many monuments, your kids may just want to take pictures of ducks. Or in the case of Alex, rocks.

Which one of these rocks captures your attention? Just curious.

10. I like to take pictures.

11. Regardless of where you are, it’s a great place to make memories, and no matter how much time you think you have, it will go much, much too quickly!!!

Matthaei Botanical Gardens, Ann Arbor

Posted on May 27, 2014September 28, 2023 by Tressie

What better way to spend time on Memorial Weekend than with fellow photographers at Matthaei Botanical Gardens? It was beautiful, and what a great place to look for critters and practice “seeing” details.

Our first friendly visits were with geese, frogs, turtles and a muskrat.