McWane Science Center - wonder & curiosity for ALL!

A few weeks ago, we decided to go to the McWane Science Center in downtown Birmingham. It had been YEARS since we had been and they were having an "Everest weekend" which gave you admission to the museum and an IMAX movie for $10! You can't beat that!

McWane is celebrating their 20th year this year, so it's a perfect time to go visit for the first time or if you are like us, return after many years! Their mission is to "spark wonder and curiosity about our world through hands-on science".  Perfect combination of fun and learning. I mean, where else can you lay on a bed of nails?!?  OUCH. 

They have SO MANY cool and fun exhibits to try. We didn't even touch half of them.

The main floor has most of the hand-on exhibits that are super cool. You can go into a room and it will simulate hurricane force winds! You can experience extreme magnetic power. You can experience mind playing tricks like this little room below. Ha! It's so fun.

The top floor was featuring a Dinosaurs in Motion exhibit. There were life-size metal dinosaurs that you could interact with. It's kind of hard to explain but there were levers (almost like game joysticks) that would allow you to move certain parts of the dinosaur. Art and Science blended together!

 

The next level was all about the world of water. It showcased animals in the ocean and the rivers.

 

They also had an interactive "pool" where you could touch a stingray and a SHARK! It was super slimy and gross and fun at the same time!

The aquariums were beautiful! They even had staff holding a snake. TEN FEET back, please!

 

 

The last thing we did was go to the IMAX. They have multiple shows, but we chose to see the one on Everest. We got our popcorn and heading in for the big show. You even learn about the science of pop when getting your popcorn. Always learning!

 

It was such a fun and educational way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Bring the kids, bring your friends, just bring yourself to McWane to spark some wonder and fun into that brain of yours!

Everything we ATE in Savannah

Last week we talked about everything we saw in Savannah, Georgia - this week is ALL ABOUT THE FOOD.

The first night, we went out to Tybee Island to watch the sunset and grab a bite to eat. We ate at A-J's Dockside Restaurant. It is on Tybee's Black River and is the perfect place to watch the sunset. It's a super laid back restaurant tucked in the back of a little neighborhood. We split the seafood platter - fried shrimp, fried oysters, and fried fish. We had some slaw and broccoli thrown in there for good measures. And see those sweet potato waffle fries?! And that little tub of cinnamon butter to dip them in?  YUM. It was the perfect start to our trip.

The next day was our trolley tour so we just grabbed a bite to eat in the room before we headed out to explore. The tour was in the historic district and around lunch, we hopped off and found the Savannah Seafood Shack. They have been featured on the Food Network and Cooking Channel. It's very casual -- more of a fast food restaurant. You order at the register then they bring the food to your table. STOP THE PRESSES. This was SO good. @aushellbell got the Low Country Boil and @mkmaddox got the shrimp cone! Shrimp in a waffle cone!? YES! This one one of the top picks of the trip. We highly recommend adding this one to your list. 

Thankfully Savannah is a walkable city and every time we ate, we tried to walk off all the calories the rest of the day. :-) We were pretty stuffed from our lunch, so didn't eat before our ghost tour. We wanted to have a "snack" afterwards and happened to walk by a Mexican restaurant on Broughton, Jalapenos Mexican Grill, where the special of the day was three tacos for THREE dollars. Our kind of snack. Late night tacos for the win! One of us got beef, the other chicken - perfect to share!

The next morning we explored River Street. Savannah has many yummy candy stores and treats. One of the most famous is River Street Sweets. I wish this screen had smell-a-vision. They are most known for their pralines, each hand dipped onto this piece of marble. It's the perfect place to stock up on sweets to bring home, and they always have samples! Click on link above and you can order online! And LOOK at those caramel apples!!

 

When I asked our social media friends for places to eat -- Zunzis kept coming up. We had never heard of it, and I guess had never crossed its path in previous visits. It is a hole-in-the-wall (literally) restaurant where you order at the counter then either go sit outside at some tables or take it to go. There are usually lines down the block, all waiting for this perfect sandwich. We were told to order the Conquistador, and we follow rules. It is chicken, romaine lettuce, tomato and Zunzi's famous sauce and dressing. Oh - and all served on delicious French Bread. To us, the bread was the best part of the meal. It was SO good.

 

We had made reservations at The Pirate's House for dinner. We knew it was going to be pretty touristy, but that's part of being on vacation! It has been "welcoming visitors" since 1753! Like the sandwich above, we had heard one of us HAD to get the Fried Chicken with warm pecan sauce. Yes, ma'am! It was so juicy and tender and SO much food. You could easily share this dish. We also tried the Shrimp Pasta and this was another top dish from the trip. I want to recreate it at home! 

If you have been to Savannah or know anything about the food there, you know a trip is not complete without a visit to Leopold's Ice Cream. No matter when you go, you can expect to wait in a fairly long line to try some of this ice cream that has been serving up happy customers for almost 100 years. Yes, it's worth the wait -- no matter how long the line is. Here's a pro tip - the child size is more than one scoop and if you eat it there, it's served in such a fun sundae glass! It's just the right amount!

 

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A few of our other favorites from our previous trip were The Olde Pink House, Vic's on the River and Vinnie Van Go Go's Pizza. All three we would go to again in a heartbeat. There's just so much wonderful new places we want to keep trying!

 

Hope you enjoyed our tastes of Savannah on this trip. We'd love to hear your favorites, so we can add to the list for our next visit! 

Savannah, GA - Things to do!

We recently went to Savannah for a couple of days, and today we're going to talk about everything we did. Next week - we'll save the best for last and talk about everything we ate!  YUM. 

It was a short trip, so we wanted to see as much of the city as we could! We timed our arrival perfect for a trip out to Tybee Island to watch the sunset! Tybee is only about a 15 minute drive from downtown and is super laid back. It's home of Georgia's oldest and tallest lighthouse. If we had a longer trip, it would be a fun island to explore!

We slept in the next day, then knew our first plan of action was the Savannah Old Town Trolley Tour. There are a few various tour options, but we had heard (and agree) that this one is the best! It's a hop on-hop off tour that stops at many points of interest throughout the city. They provide a mix of history, trivia, fun and more. We highly recommend taking the full loop first and take notes of where you want to go, then take advantage hopping on and off throughout the day! Enjoy some of our highlights from the tour!

Look at all of these trailers! Savannah is right on the ocean, so is one of the busiest ports in the country!

The Waving Girl. Still waiting for her love to return....

 

 The top of this steeple is where the feather flies down in Forrest Gump!

Beautiful old homes! 

 

One other famous thing about Savannah is that it's known as one of -- if not THE -- most haunted city in America. Say what!?! It was so fascinating. Every night they have many tours that take you on ghost walks through the city. I'm sure you could learn something different on each one! We chose the Secrets of the Night Tour. This is a driving tour, and if you are staying in the historic district, they pick you up at your hotel! It's a 90 minute tour that shows you all the "secrets of Savannah's past". Savannah also takes on a different light and glow at nighttime which is so beautiful. We had a really fun time on this tour! Eerie and spooky stories throughout!

This one is for sale. Any takers!?! 

The next day we decided to explore River Street and go in and out of all the fun shops on the river front! It was a crystal blue day! 

They have a river boat that offers cruises throughout the day and evening. We didn't do that this time, but it was such a pretty boat. I bet the city would look beautiful from the river view!

 

That afternoon we just explored the historic district. We had always passed the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist but had never had a chance to go inside. We finally did on this trip and it was breath-taking. The architecture and beauty were both so beautiful. (it's a good place to take a break from the heat too!)

If you have never been - Savannah is known for their "squares". There are 22 squares in the city today and they provide greenery and beauty between the businesses and historic homes. I saw somewhere the squares were put there to force you to go slow and take it easy. A true theme of the South. They are lined with the tallest and most beautiful live oaks and Spanish moss. 

 

 

It was a quick trip, but we got to see all of the highlights! It truly is one of the most beautiful cities in the South. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming and there's so much to see and do. We already have a list of things we want to do when we go back! Add Savannah to your list pronto if you've never been. You'll love it! 

XO,