We enjoy traveling to different places, visiting great events or going to various attractions in our area. We welcome you on our Blogger-Homepage and we look forward to dive with you into the exciting world of The Sigifamily!
Our incredible road trip came to an epic finale in the Wind City! After saying goodbye to our wonderful relatives, The Sigifamily made the way to Chicago for the ultimate last stop of our trip before flying back home to Switzerland on Swiss Airlines.
Here is everything we packed into our unforgettable time in Chicago:
⚾ The Cubs at Historic Wrigley Field:
We checked in at our Airbnb and went straight to iconic Wrigley Field to watch the Chicago Cubs take on the Detroit Tigers! Even though the Cubs didn't bring home the win, experiencing our very first game in this historic ballpark (complete with iconic Chicago hot dogs) was a dream come true! Njammi! 🌭
🏙️ Exploring the Windy City:
The Chicago Riverwalk & Navy Pier: Strolling along the water and soaking in the skyline views.
Millennium Park: Checking out the famous landmarks!
Gordon Ramsay Burger: Treating ourselves to an amazing, delicious meal! 🍔
Obama Presidential Center & local spots: Learning, exploring, and making final memories.
What an unforgettable road trip filled with love, laughter, fellowship, and endless blessings! The Sigifamily took a journey across Missouri and Illinois to reconnect with dear relatives, creating memories we’ll cherish forever.
Here is a glimpse into our amazing trip:
📍 Taylor & Palmyra, MO: We kicked off our trip visiting the Hoerr family. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch and great quality time with Brent & Charlotte, Jennifer & Parker and their lovely kids. We also got to stop by Brent & Charlotte’s beautiful home in Palmyra!
📍 Eureka, IL: Next, we headed up to Eureka to visit the Mangold family. Mike & Judy and Charles, Ryan, Erica, and Rebecca. After a delicious dinner, we topped off the night with incredible ice cream at Uncle Bob’s Homemade Ice Cream! 🍦
The next morning started with a great breakfast and espresso before heading over to the famous Mangold Ford dealership to check out some cool cars and Mustangs! 🚗💨
Afterwards, we enjoyed lunch and took the inspiring "250 Years of America: Promise of Liberty" tour at the Riverfront Museum.
🍽️ The Grand Finale:
We wrapped up this incredible journey with a fantastic dinner at Jim’s Bistro alongside Brent & Charlotte, all members of the Mangold family, Ann, and The Sigifamily.
A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who hosted us and made us feel so loved and welcome. What a truly blessed day and trip!
Before heading out to visit family in Missouri and Illinois, The Sigifamily kicked off our trip with an incredible city stay in St. Louis! We flew in from Seattle via Alaska Airlines and landed in the legendary Gateway City for an unforgettable adventure.
Here’s a look at our favorite stops around town:
🏠 Soulard Neighborhood:
We stayed in an amazing Airbnb right in the heart of Soulard. We absolutely fell in love with this historic neighborhood—endless charm, fantastic local coffee shops, amazing restaurants, and such a great vibe!
⚾ Busch Stadium Tour & Cardinals Hall of Fame:
A major highlight! Doing the Busch Stadium Tour and stepping into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum was incredible. Being surrounded by all that baseball history in red was pure magic.
🏛️ Downtown, Civic Center & Museum Highlights:
We spent time exploring Downtown St. Louis and the Civic Center, checking out:
The Gateway Arch Museum: Learning the history behind the famous monument!
Soldiers Memorial Military Museum: A deeply moving and historic visit.
Union Station: A truly stunning landmark with so much to see and do!
Our Pacific Northwest road trip brings us to the vibrant city of Eugene, Oregon, famously known as TrackTown USA! As massive Disney fans and sports enthusiasts, we could not wait to spend the day exploring the beautiful University of Oregon campus. We stopped by for a fantastic lunch right on campus and had an absolute blast diving into the local spirit.
One of our favorite highlights was seeing the legendary Oregon Ducks mascot in the Ducks store, especially learning all about the throwback history of how the University of Oregon officially partnered with Walt Disney to use Donald Duck as the inspiration for their beloved mascot!
Beyond the amazing campus spirit, Eugene holds a massive place in sports history as the ultimate birthplace of Nike.
To wrap up our amazing day, we headed over to downtown Eugene to explore the historic Broadway and Pearl District. Wandering through the charming streets, checking out the local shops, and experiencing the downtown culture was the perfect way to finish a super fun day.
Our Pacific Northwest road trip continues! 🚗🌲 After leaving Seattle, The Sigifamily hopped back on the road, made a quick, fun stopover in Tacoma, and drove all the way down to the vibrant city of Portland, Oregon!
Portland or rather North Mississippi Av. District completely blew us away with its incredible culture, independent spirit, and unmatched food scene. We packed our days with everything that makes this city so famous!
The Mississippi District: Wow, what a show! This neighborhood has an unbelievable energy. We spent our time soaking in the live music, tasting some world-class local craft beer, and eating some of the best food of the entire trip. The vibes here are unmatched! 🍻🎵🍔
Portland’s neighborhoods each have their own unique personality, and we loved just wandering around, eating delicious food, and enjoying the local scene.
After an unforgettable voyage on the Disney Wonder, it was time for The Sigifamily to disembark in Vancouver and hit the road! 🚗💨 We jumped on the I-5 South, crossed the border, and headed straight into the heart of the Emerald City: Seattle, Washington!
The Sports Stadium Hub: We visited the massive Lumen Field, home of the thunderous Seattle Seahawks 🏈, and walked right over to T-Mobile Park where the Seattle Mariners play baseball ⚾. The energy around these side-by-side stadiums is incredible!
The Iconic Waterfront & Space Needle: You can't visit Seattle without walking the bustling waterfront and looking up at the world-famous Space Needle towering over the city skyline! 🗼🎡 Green Lake Area: We escaped the downtown bustle to visit the gorgeous
Green Lake area—a perfect local spot for a peaceful stroll and some beautiful water views. 🌳🦆
Charming Neighborhoods: We loved wandering through Seattle's unique, vibrant neighborhoods, checking out local shops, and getting a real feel for the Pacific Northwest lifestyle.
What an absolutely perfect day! ☀️For our next port of call on the Disney Wonder, The Sigifamily arrived in the beautiful town of Ketchikan, Alaska!
We hit the jackpot with the weather! Our Disney Cruise Navigator app showed Partly Sunny skies with a comfortable low of 58°F (14°C) and a high of 60°F (16°C). With a bright early sunrise at 4:44 AM and sunset at 8:43 PM, we had the perfect daylight window to explore.
We had a super time exploring this incredible town on our own. Our adventure-packed day included:
The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show: A must-see! Watching world-class lumberjacks compete in wood chopping, log rolling, and climbing was such a fun, high-energy experience for the whole family!
The Salmon Ladder & City Park: We strolled over to the famous salmon ladder to watch the salmon battle their way upstream, and spent some peaceful time relaxing in Ketchikan's beautiful, lush park.
💡 Cool Ketchikan Facts We Learned:
The Salmon Capital: Ketchikan is located in Southeast Alaska on Revillagigedo Island along the Tongass Narrows, sitting right at the foot of the massive, 3,000-foot Deer Mountain. Today, it is proudly known as the "Salmon Capital of the World!"
Humble Beginnings: It was originally established as a humble fishing camp back in 1883, when a salmon saltery was built by a man named Snow. It later grew into an important mining supply center after gold and copper were discovered in the region.
The Logging Era: To support the town's growth, the logging industry flourished. The Ketchikan Spruce Mills started in 1903 and ran for over 70 years, turning the city into a major hub for logging activities and supplies (which explains why the Lumberjack Show is such a big deal here!).
No Roads In: Just like Juneau, Ketchikan is completely isolated from the road system and is only accessible by boat or plane!
The Sigifamily arrived in the incredible capital city of Juneau, Alaska!
Instead of booking a structured excursion, we took a "Go Ashore" DIY approach and explored this iconic city entirely on our own. We spent our day diving into the local city life, exploring the historic Old Town, walking along the waterfront, and chatting with the incredibly friendly locals! We also made sure to visit the famous Whale Monument (the breathtaking life-sized bronze sculpture named Tahku breaching out of an infinity pool! 🐋).
Even though our Disney Cruise Line Navigator app warned us there was a Chance of Rain with a low of 48°F (9°C) and a high of 50°F (10°C), we bundled up and didn't let the chilly weather stop us! 🌧️❄️ We had plenty of daylight to explore too, thanks to a beautiful, early Alaska sunrise at 4:08 AM and a late sunset at 9:56 PM.
💡 Fascinating Facts About Juneau
Gold Rush Beginnings: Long before the city existed, Juneau was a fishing outpost for the local Tlingit Indians. Gold was eventually discovered by Chief Kowee of the Auk Tlingit Tribe in a creek off the Gastineau Channel. Chief Kowee provided gold ore samples to George Pilz in exchange for blankets and work for his tribe, leading prospectors Richard Harris and Joseph Juneau straight to the find!
Nestled in a Rainforest: Juneau is located along the Inside Passage of Southern Alaska's panhandle and is actually situated in a temperate rainforest! Downtown Juneau sits beautifully right at the base of Mount Juneau, which soars almost 4,000 feet into the sky.
Massive & Landlocked: Juneau is the largest capital city in the United States by land size, stretching an incredible 3,248 square miles! Even crazier? It is the only U.S. state capital that is accessible only via ship or air—absolutely no roads connect Juneau to the rest of the state!