They stand tall on the Buffalo waterfront, telling an important part of American history to generations new and old.

On this edition of Family Life Staycations, we're off to the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park - dominated by its three big ships - the USS The Sullivans, the USS Little Rock and the submarine USS Croaker.

Our guide is Director of Operations and US military veteran Bill Abbott.

Learn more at buffalonavalpark.org.

Once upon a time, rail was king, and Pennsylvania was a rail hub with few peers.

On this episode of Family Life 'Staycations,' all aboard for an audio tour of Scranton, PA's Steamtown National Historic Site, as Park Ranger Erica Kennedy tells us about its formation and the rich history of Pennsylvania railroading it contains for all to enjoy.

The need for play is embedded deep in the human race, and the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY celebrates all the ways we play in myriad ways.

In this edition of Family Life Staycations, we speak with Sara Poe, Strong's Senior Vice President for Marketing and Guest Experiences about the museum's history and all it has to offer to kids and the young at heart.

Learn more at museumofplay.org 

They once ruled the seas....and even today, their majesty of the waves remains undeniable!

In this edition of Family Life 'Staycations,' we're off to the shoreline of Erie, Pennsylvania to preview Tall Ships Erie 2025 - August 21st-24, 2025.

Our captain for this audio voyage is an experienced hand at the helm, and at promoting the love of all things sailing - Captain Billy Sabatini does all that as President & CEO of Tall Ships Erie and captain of the Schooner "Lettie G. Howard."

Learn more at tallshipserie.org

It's been around for over 3,000 years, and is every bit as important today as it was back then.

We're talking about glass - and nowhere will you find a more comprehensive compilation of its rich history than at CMOG - the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY.

Learn all about its glistening treasure trove of artifacts and family-friendly hands-on activities from CMOG's Chief Marketing Officer and Visitor Experience, Beth Duane, in this episode of "Family Life Staycations."

He was the 'Tom Hanks of his day' - and much more. Indiana, Pennsylvania's most famous son is honered by his hometown at The Jimmy Stewart Museum - detailing a "Wonderful Life" that included not only famous movies such as "It's a Wonderful Life," "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and so many more, but also his time as a top U.S. pilot during WWII.

We hear about the museum's many displays chronicling Stewart's amazing life from museum Executive Director Janie McKirgin in this episode of "Family Life Staycations."

Coal was king for a long time in parts of Pennsylvania, and that legacy lives on in the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour in Scranton, where visitors can check out a coal mine by traveling 300 feet down.

We hear about the industry's history there, and what visitors can expect when they head below, from mine foreman Edmund Neidlinger in this episode of "Family Life Staycations."

The Erie Canal is celebrating the bicentennial of its completion this year, and a great place to learn about its rich history is the Erie Canal Museum in downtown Syracuse, NY. We speak with Derrik Pratt, the museum's Directorof Operations and Educational Programs.

Punxsutawney - the small Pennsylvania town with the global reputation for its annual Groundhog Day festival - hails itself as the "Weather Capital" of the World." So it's only fitting that it's also home to the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center. Executive Director Lisa Waksmunski gives us some local weather history, and an audio walkthrough of the center.

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