Philadelphia, PA. June 27-28 - The Philly Cheese Steak Challenge

We pulled into Philly around 4pm. As we were on the way to the hotel we missed an exit and ended up right in the ghetto and quickly u turned in the middle of the street to high tail it out of there! Once we made it back to the high way we were back en route for the hotel. Overall the hotel was nice, it was located by the air port just out side the city so parking was easy and room was very clean. Once we checked in we started to look where we could get the best cheese steak in philly. Then we remembered there was an Episode on Man vs Food where the host tries a cheese steak from Pats Cheese Steaks and Genos Cheese Steaks to see which is better since they are right across the street from each other. Both claim to have the best cheese steak in Philly and both are open 24/7. We knew we had to try both of them to see which one truly had the best cheese steak in philly. We decided we would have one for dinner that night and then try the other one for lunch the next day.

The first one we tried for  was Pats Famous Cheese Steaks. This one looked more original so we thought we would try it first. Here we had the true Philly experience. Right as we started to park it began raining so we had to run about .5 miles in the rain just to get to the place. Once we arrived we checked out the menu. There were two food windows both cash only. One where you could only get cheese steaks with either american, provolone, or cheese wiz and with or with out onions. Cheese wiz was the obvious choice to help complete the philly experience. To make the experience even better the employs talk super fast, are extremely rude, and rush everybody through the line as fast as possible. Just how it should be in Philly. The next window is where you can order your drink and fries if you'd like and that is all they served at this window and they too were rude and rushed you. After getting our food we sat down to indulge. This had to be one of the best cheese steaks we have ever tasted. The meat tasted very good and it all just blended together with the cheese wiz and the grilled onions. The bread was amazing and tied it all together perfectly. The french fries at Pats were extremely good too. They were very crispy and thick, but not too thick. After filling up on cheese steaks we ran back to the car through the rain and headed back to the hotel to call it a night.

The next day we woke up, packed up all of our stuff, checked out of the hotel and headed down to Geno's Cheesesteaks to see what they had too offer. Luckily this time it wasn't raining and we were able to park very close so the walk wasn't bad at all. Genos had two windows also, one for cheese steaks, and one for fries and drinks, both cash only. and the menu was the exact same as Pats Cheese Steaks. So again we got a cheese steak with cheese wiz and onions, fries and a drink. It was the moment of truth...which cheese steak would be better? After diving into the Genos cheese steak we both agreed Pats was better. Both were delicious but Pats was better. Geno's meat didn't taste as good as Pats and they used a different cheese wiz. Also Geno's was much greasier than Pats and their fries were not nearly as good as Pats. Geno had really thin fries that were still good, but we agreed that the thick fries were better.

Overall both cheese steaks were very delicous but we had to make  decision. Which one was better? Pats or Geno's? and the obvious choice was Pats Cheese Steaks. They say the owner invented the cheese steak and after trying both of them I guess it has to be true because Pats is better. After finishing our cheese steaks at Geno's we headed back to the car to hit the road for New Jersey. While walking back we accidentally walked past our car and began to panic when we couldn't find it. Worried that we may have picked a bad place to park and could have been towed, the panic really set it. Thankfully though we found our bearings, located the car and thankfully it was not towed. Then we hit the road for New Jersey.

Ocean City, MD. June 23-26 - One of Our Favorite Ocean Cities

We arrived in Ocean City around 3 pm and were both very relieved to get out of Virginia. After driving over the bridge to the island we started to look for some food. We tried to eat at this little cafe but sadly it closed at 2 pm. Just down the street there was a little pizza place that looked good so we thought we would check it out. Sadly we walked up and it too was closed. Luckily just next door there was another pizza place called Tugo's Pizza that happened to be open. After getting a quick bite we started to look for a hotel to stay at. We found this little place called Cayman Island Suites which looked pretty good so we got a room. Overall it was a pretty good room, we had a little living area and a balcony which wasn't bad. That night we decided to walk to the hooters right down the street and it was a mistake! we both got wings that completely killed our stomachs and we could barely eat any of them. After hooters we went back to the hotel to relax. Since we had hooters kind of early we both got hungry again and decided to get some ice cream. There was a DQ right across the street from the hotel so we went there. Here we both got some delicious ice cream and were throughly satisfied. Next we decided to walk down and check out the beach. On our way back to the hotel we were both feeling a little hungry so we went to the McDonalds that was close to the hotel and got a Big Mac and some Bacon Chicken Wraps. After this we headed back to the hotel and called it a night.

 The next day we had to check out at 11 so we left the hotel and went to get some lunch. Since Chipotle has yet to let us down we headed there and got our usual meals. After lunch we decided to head down to this island called Assategue that was about 20 minutes away. This place was awesome, it was a state park that you could camp, fish, canoe, and explore on and it has a bunch of wild horses roaming around. The first thing we did when we got there was check out some of the trails you could walk. The marsh trail was closed and the dunes trail seemed like it would just be walking on the beach so we chose the forest trail. This was a pretty cool trail that took us through the woods and then out on this deck that was called the "over look". Here we could see a great view of all the forest that was around that part of the island.
         After finishing the forest trail we went to go rent some kayaks to go out looking for the horses. We first headed to this little swampy area where the kayak guy said we were likely to see horses and low and behold we spotted about 7 horses down the bank of bay. We decided to paddle down to get a closer look. While getting down there we had to go through these canals that were formed by the grass growing in the water. Im sure it was 100% safe but we both couldn't help but feeling like this would be a perfect place for a crocodile. We paddled on anyways. Here we were able to get super close to the horses since they were hanging out right on the bank. It was really an amazing sight. After seeing the horses we decided to head back up the bay.


On our way up we spotted this island that we thought looked really cool so we went to check it out. It was a lot further away than it looked but it was totally worth it. Once we beached our kayaks on the shore we found the carcasses of these big crabs that have huge shells. The shells are so big we thought it was a turtle shell at first but upon further inspection we realized they were some sort of crab. We decided to bring one back so we could get a picture of it and ask the kayak guy if he knew what it was. After loading it up and getting back into our kayaks we head back to the shore. Which again turned out to be much further than it looked. After returning to the shore we asked the kayak guy if he knew what this thing was. It turned out to be a horse shoe crab which are really cool because scientist think they have been around since prehistoric times. We were supposed to meet Brenda and Madelyn  for dinner at 6:30 so after we were done kayaking we heading back to our new hotel room at the Bed Time Inn to get ready for dinner.
         After quickly getting ready we headed to the crab place to meet Brenda. Here she treated us to some delicious crab, ribs and shrimp. After words Madelyn took us down to the board walk to show us some of the cool stores and stuff they had down here. After walking up and down the board walk for a couple of hours we decided to call it a night and head in to our new extremely crappy hotel. When booking it there was a little miscommunication on how many beds we would need and we ended up with one so we had to make a pallet in what little space was provided.

The next day we woke up and quickly packed up our things to get out of the hotel ASAP. Thankfully Brenda had treated us to an ocean front room right by the pool at the Holiday Inn Chris owns for our last night.

On top of that she also left us beer in the fridge and some chips to snack on. This room was a MAJOR upgrade from what we had before, not only did we have two beds, but we also had an awesome balcony where you could hear the waves crashing all night long. Since we couldn't check in till 3 we decided to go get lunch at the cafe across the street where madelyn worked. Here we had an amazing club sandwich and some awesome fish tacos. By the time we had finished lunch we were able to check into our new room. After checking in we headed back down to the boardwalk to walk around till it was time to meet Brenda and Chris for dinner. Once dinner came around we headed to the restaurant we were going to meet at. It was called Harrison's Harbor Watch. It was a really cool place that was at the end of the board walk where all the ships are so you can watch them coming in as you eat your crab and oysters that they boil right in front of you. Sadly they were out of the King crab legs that night but it was still an amazing meal! After dinner we thanked Chris and Brenda for the hotel room and everything else that they did and headed back to the hotel room to relax on our last night.

Charleston, SC. June 21-22 & Virginia Beach, VA. June 23 - A Tale of Two Cities

Charleston, SC. - June 21-22

We arrived in Charleston around 2:30 and headed to the hotel. Driving into the city is pretty neat because you drive over this huge bridge that looks really cool. When we pulled up to the hotel we knew that this would be one of the sketchier hotels of the trip. It was a Days Inn that was connected to a Huddle House. Overall the hotel was pretty rough. The lady who checked us in seemed like she had a stick up her butt, and we had a smoking room that wreaked so bad of cigarettes, it was crazy. After unpacking we headed to Chipotle to get some dinner and called it a night.

The next day we woke up and headed into town across the bridge. After grabbing some lunch at Five Guys we decided to walk/drive around and do some site seeing. One of the coolest sites we saw was the church where George Washington prayed. The church was pretty fascinating, the pues were super tall and you could feel the history in it. The whole city was quite cool though. We really liked the architecture and historical sites. There was a park on the bay that had cannons and statues of generals from the revolutionary war. It was awesome. After walking around for a bit, we tried to go to Carolina's Cafe but it was rented out for a wedding, so we ate at this place called Moe's. It was similar to Freebirds and not that bad. After slamming down, we went back to the hotel and wrapped up day 2 in Charleston.

Virginia Beach, VA. -  June 23

We woke up pretty early and headed for Virginia. The trip took about 7 hours, but it wasnt too bad. The drives are getting alot easier as we go. We arrived around 3:00 and checked into our hotel. The hotel was located in a pretty ghetto part of town, not great vibes. We decided to drive down to the beach and check it out. We walked and got some food at this pizza joint near the beach. It was good but we got way too much food. The beach area was pretty cool, there was some live entertainment and some other stages preparing on the beach. After walking around we headed back to the hotel and called it a night. After lunch the next day we decided that Virginia Beach is great and all but our time would be better spent in Ocean City. We packed up our stuff and headed out. Overall they were cool cities, but they will probably be the least exciting of the trip.

Savannah, GA. June 19-20 - The City of History & Mystery

We arrived in Savannah around 4 pm and after checking into the hotel we went straight to the candy shop. The hotel happened to be right down the street from it so we were able to walk there. The candy shop was located in a market like area and was surrounded by a bunch of restaurants. The candy shop was really cool, it reminded us of the crested butte one but with a lot more candy. In one part of the story they had a bunch of different kinds of fudge, carmel apples, cookies and other chocolate candies. In the other part of the store they had a ton of candy like nerds ropes, gummy worms/bears, jelly beans, etc. After getting our candy fix we headed back to the hotel to chill before dinner. Once dinner time came around we walked back down to where the candy shop was to try this pizza place we saw earlier. Here we had some pizza and a calzone that were both amazing. After getting dinner we were both pretty whooped form the 7 hour drive so we headed back to the hotel to call it a day.

The next day we woke and ate lunch at this place called wing cafe. It was pretty good. After lunch we decided to walk around the city and check it out. we were able to see a couple cool spots. While walking around we found the city hall, which looked really cool. We also saw a really cool park by the market area that had a bunch of people hanging around it, and there was also this monument in this little park in the middle of the city. We really liked how the city looked, it was a good change from miami because it was a nice quant city that was very welcoming.

After walking around we decided to grab some Jimmy Johns for dinner. While eating our sandwiches we started to get hit with a little rain so we had to return to the hotel and call it a day. So far the trip has been great! We have been loving every minute of it. We been able to see so many cool things and cities and it has only just begun! 

Miami, FL. June 17-18 - Bienvenido A Miami!

We arrived in Miami around 1:30. The drive wasn't very bad at all, it took us about 3 hours from Orlando. Once we checked in to the hotel we decided we should walk down to the beach

and then head to Collins Avenue and grab some lunch.

While walking down the street we saw a nice bistro & grill that looked like it would be good. We went and ate and both had a pretty good meal for a pretty good price. We had a chicken avocado sandwich   and a BBQ chicken with mashed potatoes. After paying the bill we headed back to the hotel to relax before dinner.                                                                                           Overall the hotel was nice but there are a couple things that could have been better. The valet service was not only awful, but it was also a little pricey. The valet workers were never any where to be seen and it took at least a minimum of 15 minutes for them to get our car. And to make matters worse one time they brought us the wrong car and when we told him that wasn't our car he tried to tell us it was. All of this for 34$ a day seems a little steep to us. Also the tv in our room only had audio, no video half the time. Besides this the hotel was pretty cool, very clean and smelled nice.

After hanging out at the hotel for a bit we went back out to the street to look for some dinner. We decided to try this Mexican restaurant. Here we had some of the best tacos we have ever had in our lives. This was the best decision we made the whole trip. We had these Tacos Al Pastor that had to be the best we have ever tried and some Carnitas tacos that were also very good. We also had some very good guacamole that was extremely fresh. Overall it had some good vibes.

We slept in and woke up about lunch time. We headed back to the street to eat this deli we saw walking around the previous day, Jerry's Famous Deli. Here we both had chicken noodle soup and 1/2 a sandwich. The chicken noodle soup was very good and the sandwiches were mediocre at best. They were extremely plain and came packed with meat... No cheese, or anything for that matter. Overall we gave it a 6/10.

After lunch we headed to South Beach. What can we say about South Beach? There are a lot of weird people, girls in thongs, sweet cars, and probably 25 restaurants that all have the exact same menu. It was really pretty and the beaches were gorgeous but it seemed like one big tourist trap. After seeing South Beach we went to drive around and look at some of the mansions. Basically every house we saw was extremely awesome and all their back yards went out to the ocean and every one has a sweet boat. People definitely like to show off here.

After looking at the mansions we headed back to South Beach to get some dinner. This had to be the worst decision of the trip. We settled on some horrible Italian place. Here we got some green penne pasta  and some of the most average lasagna possible. We were both very disappointed with our dishes. After that's awful meal we headed back to the hotel room.

 It was only about an hour or so later till we decided to go eat again because neither of us were satisfied with that last meal. This time we went to Johnny Rockets which also wasn't our best decision. Here we got a meal that was a little too heavy. We had chili cheese fries, shakes, and a burger that had a bacon stuffed patty for $40. And then had to walk a mile back to the hotel. Once at the hotel we decided it was best to just chill and get ready for the drive to Savannah the next day.

Orlando, FL June 15-16, 2013 - Universal Studios, Cigars & Sushi

We finally arrived to Orlando Saturday around 5:30 pm and we were greeted by some heavy rain storms. At first we were a little worried that it might rain the whole weekend but we figured it would probably clear up.

Once we were all checked in we decided we would go eat at this Hibachi and Sushi place called Kobe Steak and Seafood. We figured we could use a good meal after the lengthy 6 hour drive. Also it was super close to the hotel so we figured what the heck. When we first walked up to the place it looked like it would be some pretty sketchy sushi but once we got in it looked like it would be okay. We each indulged in some sushi and chicken and steak hibachi. We sat next to some unhappy individuals, but all in all the meal was delicious and then we headed off to the cigar shop.

The Orlando Cigar Emporium was too legit. They had rows of different cigars of all shapes and sizes. The place also had a bar with people drinking and smoking gars. We picked ours with the help of the staff and went outside to enjoy them while doing some serious people - watching. It was pretty awesome. Afterwards we headed back to the hotel to wrap up day one. 




The next morning 8:30 rolled around lot quicker than we would have liked it too, none the less we managed to get our butts out of bed and headed to the park! We arrived at the park shortly after it opened, just in time to get a decent spot in the parking garage. Once we made it to the park we headed straight for the Incredible Hulk Ride. We figured it would be a good way to wake us up. Of course it was amazing. After riding the Hulk we decided it was time to head to Hogwarts.

This by far was one of the coolest parts of the park. Here we got to ride one of the coolest interactive rides we have ever been on. Its inside Hogwarts Castle and it takes you all through the Harry Potter World. We got to see everything from dragons, quittage, and giant spiders. There was also a Dragon Roller Coaster with two tracks, a red and a blue, that we enjoyed riding more times than we should have.

After riding the Hogwarts ride for some time we decided to head to feast on some wizard food. Here we got chicken, ribs and some super sweet Butter Beer that made both our stomachs hurt... Probably would have been better for a dessert. None the less, we were full and ready for some more rides. We went to the Universal Studios, which is a separate park, and went straight for the rock n' roll roller coaster. It was a roller coaster that had a vertical chain lift and you were able to pick music to rock to while you rode. Jamming Intergalactic by Beastie Boys while free falling and doing flips made this one of the best rides in Universal Studios.

Shortly after, we went to test our luck with the indoor attractions. Having the express pass cut down the waiting time by so much, which made it a lot less aggravating to stand in line. We jumped in line for The Mummy ride and in seconds we were off. The Mummy ride was also one of the coolest. It was super interactive and had nice effects but was also a fun roller coaster ride. Feeling strongly about the indoor rides, we went to the Twister attraction. In short, it was a colossal disappointment. They hoarded you like cattle into a large room with a TV showing scenes of the movie Twister, then put you in a room where they simulated a tornado and splashed you with water. Pretty intense stuff. Even though it was lame, it was funny and we didn't have to wait at all thanks to the express passes. After that we went to the transformers 3D ride which was a 3D simulated coaster ride. It was really neat.

We decided to go back to the other park and go on all the other rides again. We rode the Hulk and all the Harry Potter ones again and then went to the Jurassic Park water ones to cool off. Getting out of the water made us exponentially more hot and tired. We decided to call it a day and went back to the hotel to finish off day 2 with some chipotle. Overall it was a really great day.

Here are a couple more pics from the park!

Orlando was a success, but were excited to see more of the country! So far the trip has been great and we are looking forward to all the other great places we get to see. Next stop, Miami!!!