Stop #3: Baltimore, MD

Well, Baltimore, the deck was stacked against you. How can any city compare to Hershey, PA--the land flowing with milk and Hershey?

As it turns out, Baltimore was a great next stop. For one, I remembered to hand out a couple of my books. Book promotion was the last thing on my mind at Chocolate Disney. I gave away 0 books in Hershey, PA. Also, thanks to a mass-Wood-family-stomach rebellion, any more time in Hershey would've been, well, troublesome. Careese and I swore off of chocolate for the whole family for awhile...much to the chagrin of all of our children. (Full disclosure: our resolve lasted less than a day).

After driving in Baltimore, we walked around the harbor. We talked about battleships, pirate ships, submarines, and, thanks to one very agitated street evangelist, the effectiveness of promoting a religious message by yelling at families of passersby. Conclusion: not effective.

Our kids were given some spending money from their wonderful grandparents. Our four-year-old and six-year-old found some items they simply could not live without: pirate swords and a blunderbuss.

"Are you sure you don't want so save some of your money for another stop? We could probably buy these at the Dollar Store for $1 instead of $10 here."

If you have kids ages four and six-years-old, you know their answer to that question:

It is worth noting that our sight-seeing adventure in Baltimore was shorter than it could've been by at least an hour or so. Why? Well, we faced the same dilemma we've faced almost every time we've stayed in hotels: we struggle getting the kids out hotel rooms once we've entered them. Do we struggle because we have a lot of kids and they're slow to get out the door? No, they're actually fantastic little travelers.

Here's our issue:

You see, we don't have cable TV at home. Every time we travel, at least one of our kids asks to turn on HGTV. Do you know what show they love more than any other show on TV? Property Brothers. They can't get enough of those guys. They're also fans of Love It or List It. "WE CAN'T LEAVE YET, THEY'RE ABOUT TO DO THE BIG REVEAL!"

During one trip a couple years ago, HGTV happened to be airing a Property Brothers marathon. I didn't think we were ever going to be able to leave the hotel. Truth be told, I almost always get caught up in the show just as much as the kids do.

So, Baltimore, I'm sure you had a lot more to offer; but we missed it. You can blame those dastardly Property Brothers, their delightful banter, their impeccable taste, and their eye for creating a great space for entertaining.

On to the next stop: Harpers Ferry, WV.

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Testimonials

"This is a quick read that you won't regret if you're a parent. Picture a family with 4 kids in diapers and 6 kids in car seats. I laughed out loud when I read "50 percent of the day was spent changing diapers, 50% preparing meals, 50% preparing the unholy mess of carnage that was created at mealtime, 50% bathing children, and the rest of our time searching for missing shoes, coats, toothbrushes, and more. Seriously, though, WHERE DO MY KIDS KEEP PUTTING THEIR SHOES?" Give this a quick read on the beach and you won't regret it!"

— Customer Review

"What a fun read! Every parent in America will be able to relate to many of the stories contained in these pages--even those with only 2 kiddos. If you are looking for a quick, easy read that is laugh-out-loud funny, this is the book! In a day and age where everything coming at us has a negative spin, this book will leave you with a sense of happiness by the end. Thanks, Josh, for telling your story. Thanks, also, for writing it in my primary language of sarcasm."

— Customer Review

“I'd heard the story of the Struggle Bus, but only the outside, viral story.

This well-written, quick-reading, approachable, fascinating tale talks about the family dynamics, the funny anecdotes, the life lessons. I'm a bit reminded, perhaps, of the Grateful Dead tour bus history by Wavy Gravy, "Living With The Dead". I think this is going to be a classic of modern folklore and a reminder that the trials, tribulations, and excitement of family, internet celebrity, and living in close quarters are all enduring subjects. I'm going to read this book pretty often; I really enjoyed it.”

— Customer Review

Josh Wood, Author