Your Favorite Interstate Exits: I-94 in Indiana & Illinois

The Portage Lake Michigan shore looking across the lake to the Chicago skyline. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Interstate 94 travels 46 miles in Indiana and 77 miles in Illinois. In Indiana Interstate 94 runs north of I-80/I-90 and south of Lake Michigan parallel to the coast. The cities of Michigan City, Portage and Gary are joined by this highway before it joins I-90 to pass through Chicago. This interstate, which links Munster, Chicago and Highland Park in Illinois, is known by a variety of names. Bishop Ford Memorial Freeway, Dan Ryan Expressway, Kennedy Expressway, Tri-State Tollway, Edens Expressway, and Kingery Expressway are other names used for I-94.

Attractions near this highway include Lake Michigan, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Buffington Harbor, Lake Calumet, William W. Powers State Recreation Area, Museum of Science and Industry, Navy Pier, Skokie Lagoons and the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum.

Please share with other drivers your experiences as to which exits are best for single travelers or anyone for that matter. Reasons for the choice may include the safety of the surrounding area, the availability of good hotels and restaurants or proximity to the interstate. Please make sure to give the exit number or a description of the location. For example, when I discuss I-40, I would recommend Exit 145 in Oklahoma City. Many hotels and restaurants were located at this exit and I felt safe in the area. This exit was very convenient for easily continuing west without the hassle of dealing with early morning rush hour traffic.

On the Road: Dealing with Pet Emergencies

When we owned own our dog, we were fortunate that we did not have to deal with any pet emergencies while on the road. However, in talking to pet owners who have taken their pets on vacation with them, I found that these travelers were the victims of excessive charges in trying to obtain help for their pets. The owners were well aware that they were being overcharged, but they felt they had no other choice.

When we traveled with our dog, we usually had one destination in mind. If we were staying with friends, we had them check with their other friends who were pet owners to find a vet for our dog. We had this information at the beginning of our stay and were prepared in case we had an emergency. If we were not staying near friends, we would ask other dog owners who were staying in our hotel and also the hotel staff for their advice in this matter.

Some travelers encounter an emergency situation for their pets in locations where they do not know anyone. Checking message boards on websites like Yelp is an option. Asking customers in a pet store is another opportunity to obtain information. If they are fortunate to be near a university that has a veterinary program, vacationers should try to get an appointment there. If the schedule is full, the clinic can always refer another doctor.

If they have a pet who is on medication, travelers may consider switching the pet's prescription to a pharmacy that has national outlets. For example, if the prescription is at Target or Sam's Club, owners will be able to obtain refills if a problem should occur no matter where they are vacationing. Their regular vet would be able to call in a prescription for them. Many vacationers are prepared for their own needs on a trip, but they should also make sure to have all bases covered for their pets as well.  Taking the time to do this research before leaving on a vacation will make pet owners better prepared to handle health concerns for their beloved members of the family.

(Photo taken in 2003)

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Your Favorite Interstate Exits: I-94 in Michigan

English: Lighthouse of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Interstate 94, which is the last of the east-west highways, is 1595 miles long. The northernmost of the even numbered interstates journeys through seven states. (I-96 is only in Michigan.) This interstate begins its trek from its juncture with I-69 outside Port Huron in Michigan. It joins that city with Chesterfield, Detroit, Romulus, Ann Arbor, Jackson, Marshall, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, and Benton Harbor.

Attractions near this interstate include Lake St. Clair, Lake Michigan, Belle Isle, Lake Erie, the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House, Lake Huron, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, Waterloo Recreation Area and the Kalamazoo River.

Please share with other drivers your experiences as to which exits are best for single travelers or anyone for that matter. Reasons for the choice may include the safety of the surrounding area, the availability of good hotels and restaurants or proximity to the interstate. Please make sure to give the exit number or a description of the location. For example, when I discuss I-40, I would recommend Exit 145 in Oklahoma City. Many hotels and restaurants were located at this exit and I felt safe in the area. This exit was very convenient for easily continuing west without the hassle of dealing with early morning rush hour traffic.

Your Favorite Interstate Exits: I-93 in Vermont, New Hampshire & Massachusetts

English: View of Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, looking from above Kimball Castle in Gilford north towards the Sandwich Range of the White Mountains. Photo by Ken Gallager, February 15, 2010. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Interstate 93 is 189 miles long. Although it is a short interstate, I-93 travels in three states. This highway is in Vermont for eleven miles and joins the city of St. Johnsbury with the New Hampshire cities of Littleton, Plymouth, Concord, Manchester and Derry. I-93 also links the cities of Methuen, Lawrence and Boston in its journey of 46 miles.

New Hampshire attractions near this highway include the White Mountains, Mount Washington, The Flume, Franconia Notch, Polar Caves, Newfound Lake, Lake Winnipesaukee, Winnisquam Lake, Daniel Webster Birthplace State Historical Site, Merrimack River, Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, Massabesic Lake and the Atlantic Ocean. Places of interest in Massachusetts include Mystic River, Charles River, Bunker Hill Monument, Boston Harbor, John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, Atlantic Ocean, Adams Birthplace, Old North Church, Museum of African American History, Boston Massacre Site and Walden Pond.

Please share with other drivers your experiences as to which exits are best for single travelers or anyone for that matter. Reasons for the choice may include the safety of the surrounding area, the availability of good hotels and restaurants or proximity to the interstate. Please make sure to give the exit number or a description of the location. For example, when I discuss I-40, I would recommend Exit 145 in Oklahoma City. Many hotels and restaurants were located at this exit and I felt safe in the area. This exit was very convenient for easily continuing west without the hassle of dealing with early morning rush hour traffic.

Your Favorite Interstate Exits: I-91 in Vermont, Massachusetts & Connecticut

English: Quabbin Reservoir (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Interstate 91 travels on a north-south route of 290 miles through the states of Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut. In Vermont I-90 connects the cities of Derby Line, Orleans, Lyndonville, St. Johnsbury, White River Junction, Springfield and West Battleboro. Attractions near this highway include Lake Memphremagog, Crystal Lake State Park, Connecticut River, Blue Mountain, Wilder Dam, White Rodes, Mount Washington, Quechee Gorge, Haystack Mountain and Vernon Dam.

In Massachusetts I-90 joins Greenfield, Northampton, Holyoke, West Springfield and Springfield. The Quabbin Reservoir, Connecticut River, Volleyball Hall of Fame, Dr. Suess National Memorial and the French King Bridge are located near this interstate.

Before Interstate 90 joins I-95 in Connecticut it links Thompsonville, Windsor Locks, Hartford, Wethersfield and New Haven. The Mark Twain house of Nook Farm, Long Island Sound, New Haven Harbor, West Rock Ridge State Park, Fort Nathan Hale, the Connecticut River and the Atlantic Ocean are points of interest near this highway.

Please share with other drivers your experiences as to which exits are best for single travelers or anyone for that matter. Reasons for the choice may include the safety of the surrounding area, the availability of good hotels and restaurants or proximity to the interstate. Please make sure to give the exit number or a description of the location. For example, when I discuss I-40, I would recommend Exit 145 in Oklahoma City. Many hotels and restaurants were located at this exit and I felt safe in the area. This exit was very convenient for easily continuing west without the hassle of dealing with early morning rush hour traffic.

On the Road: Keeping Valuables Safe

When I travel, I put anything that is valuable in one of three bags. The first case contains camera equipment. I usually put the camera bag inside a backpack so a person looking into the car does not realize the camera is inside the bag. I think that having the words "Canon" or "Nikon" on a bag alerts potential thieves to the value of the contents inside the case. The second suitcase contains the laptop, iPad and Kindle. Finally, the last piece of luggage is a catch-all that holds everything else of value. Jewelry, money, the iPod and my Wii are some examples of what is contained in that bag. Knowing that the valuables are in only those particular bags makes it easy for me to grab them first and carry them into the hotel room. I pack these bags on the floor of the passenger seat and in the back seat. I never pack them in the trunk of the car because I do not touch anything in the trunk during my trip.

I do not carry a purse when I travel. Credit cards and cash are in my pocket or sometimes in a pouch that is under my sweatshirt. My jewelry is in a bag that has zippered pockets. When I arrive at my destination, I unroll it and attach it to a clothes hanger and place a coat on the hanger to cover the jewelry. Then I hang the coat in a garment bag. In addition, I keep a list of the pieces of jewelry I take on the trip with me. Taking a small piece of jewelry would be very easy for a hotel worker or the owner of a private rental to do. My jewelry is not expensive, but I do like it, so I try to protect everything. If I did have valuable jewelry, I would put it in a hotel safe.

(Photo taken in 2011)

Your Favorite Interstate Exits: I-90 in Idaho and Washington

English: Aerial view of Lake Pend Oreille on the Pend Oreille River in 1993. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Interstate 90 travels for 73 miles in Idaho before it completes its journey in the state of Washington.  I-90  joins the cities of Mullan, Kellogg, Couer d'Alene and Post Falls in Idaho. Along the 297 miles of Interstate 90 in Washington are the cities of Opportunity, Spokane, Ellensburg, Issaquah and Seattle. Attractions along this highway in Idaho include the Bitteroot Range, Fourth of July Canyon, Couer d'Alene Lake, Silver Mountain, Hot Springs, Thompson Falls and Lake Pend Oreille.

Washington's points of interest are the Spokane River, Potholes Reservoir, Mount Spokane State Park, Grand Coulee Dam, Dry Falls, Moses Lake Dunes, Green River Gorge, Columbia River, the Cascade Range, Mount Rainier National Park, Wenatchee Mountains, Snoqualmie Pass, Puget Sound, Mercer Island and Lake Washington. To the west of the end of this interstate are the Olympic Mountains, Olympic National Park and the Pacific Ocean.

Please share with other drivers your experiences as to which exits are best for single travelers or anyone for that matter. Reasons for the choice may include the safety of the surrounding area, the availability of good hotels and restaurants or proximity to the interstate. Please make sure to give the exit number or a description of the location. For example, when I discuss I-40, I would recommend Exit 145 in Oklahoma City. Many hotels and restaurants were located at this exit and I felt safe in the area. This exit was very convenient for easily continuing west without the hassle of dealing with early morning rush hour traffic.

Your Favorite Interstate Exits: I-90 in Montana

English: Flathead Lake (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Interstate 90 travels 551 miles in the state of Montana. I-90 connects the cities of Hardin, Billings, Livingston, Bozeman, Butte, Deer Lodge and Missoula. This interstate crosses the continental divide at 6,329 ft. at Homestake Pass in the Rocky Mountains.

This area is rich with attractions for vacationers. Places of interest include Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Reno-Benteen Battlefield Memorial, Bighorn Lake, Yellowstone River, the Rocky Mountains, Nez Perce National Historical Park, Canyon Creek Battlefield, Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, World Museum on Mining, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Grasshopper Glacier and the National Bison Range. North of I-90 is Glacier National Park, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Flathead Lake and Gates of the Mountain Wilderness.

Panorama from the Red Rock Falls Trail near Many Glacier in the Glacier National Park division of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in Montana (USA) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Please share with other drivers your experiences as to which exits are best for single travelers or anyone for that matter. Reasons for the choice may include the safety of the surrounding area, the availability of good hotels and restaurants or proximity to the interstate. Please make sure to give the exit number or a description of the location. For example, when I discuss I-40, I would recommend Exit 145 in Oklahoma City. Many hotels and restaurants were located at this exit and I felt safe in the area. This exit was very convenient for easily continuing west without the hassle of dealing with early morning rush hour traffic.

Your Favorite Interstate Exits: I-90 in Wyoming

Bighorn Mountains with Rocky Mountains in background (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Devil's Tower National Monument in Wyoming (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Interstate 90 travels in the northeast corner of Wyoming for 207 miles. This highway links the cities of Gillette, Buffalo and Sheridan. Attractions near I-90 include the Black Hills, Devil's Tower National Monument, Keyhole State Park, Tongue River Canyon, Massacre Hill, the Bighorn Mountains and the Bighorn Canyon. To the west of I-90 are the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park.

Please share with other drivers your experiences as to which exits are best for single travelers or anyone for that matter. Reasons for the choice may include the safety of the surrounding area, the availability of good hotels and restaurants or proximity to the interstate. Please make sure to give the exit number or a description of the location. For example, when I discuss I-40, I would recommend Exit 145 in Oklahoma City. Many hotels and restaurants were located at this exit and I felt safe in the area. This exit was very convenient for easily continuing west without the hassle of dealing with early morning rush hour traffic.