A lthough my parents live a mile away from us and see us all the time during the week, we don't get to spend much quality time together that doesn't involve helping us with the kids. So, we usually try to plan one vacation a year that gives us that important time together. In August 2016, that roadtrip took the shape of a two-week New England and Canada roadtrip. We drove through New Hampshire, and stayed in Vermont, Montreal, Quebec, and Maine.

As we entered Maine from Canada, we were lucky to catch a quick glimpse of a moose on the lonely deserted highway. In Maine, we hiked through Acadia National Park with the beautiful views of the coastal islands, the glacial lakes and the rocky beaches (which was a new experience for the kids compared to beaches in California). We also loved picking blackberries at our AirBnb stay, learning about the naval history and lighthouses in Maine, and visiting a fish hatchery. Our favorite lighthouse, shown in the picture was the Permaquid Lighthouse in Bristol, which had a fantastic rocky shore that was so much fun to walk on.

Staying in small towns in Vermont and Maine allowed us to really experience the personality and slow pace of life there. It was also interesting to compare and contrast the difference between New Englanders and Canadians in how open, warm and welcoming they were to tourists and people of color. My husband had just sustained a major injury to his hand a couple of days prior to this trip, and despite our reservations about traveling with the injury, we were so glad to have gone through with it and come together as a family.