Once upon a time, my brother had a Northshore Band concert in Connecticut, and Mom and I decided to go along with him for the road trip and stop at Niagara Falls, New York City, and Washtington, D.C. on our way. We came, we saw, we did the speed tours of the big sights. Then we drove 14 hours back to Chicago. It was a lovely and sweaty week.

On the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls.

Ceiling at the Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut.

Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry.

Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.

Be nice or leave in Stamford, Connecticut.

The Daily Herald on the monitor at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

A love lock at Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls.

Sweet graffiti van in New York City.

Social book time at the New York Public Library in New York City.

The Northshore Concert Band performing at the Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut.

The cutest baby ducks in a pond in front of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

9/11 exhibit at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Flowers at Niagara Falls.

Me in front of the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Niagara Falls.

The view from the Empire State Building in New York City.

Me and Tyler at Niagara Falls.

The Strand has a kiosk in Central Park!

Bridge to Niagara Falls.

Fountains in front of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Love is love in Times Square.

The tile at the Staten Island Ferry is everything.

Tyler, me, and Mom in front of the White House in Washington, D.C.

Love is love in Stamford, Connecticut.

Canandaigua Lake in New York.

Niagara Falls.

Atrium of Grand Central Station in New York City.

Inside the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

A sweaty walk through Central Park in New York City.

Part of the 9/11 exhibit at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

A Hillary Clinton sticker stuck to the sidewalk in Washington, D.C.

I found the New York Public Library.

Sunflower garden in Washington, D.C.

And yes, I did have “Empire State of Mind” stuck in my head the whole dang time.