Cafe Beignet vs. Cafe du Monde

When in New Orleans, there are a number of items you must order and must eat. A beignet is on the must do list, but where to get one is as important as eating one before you leave you N'awlins.

There are two famous beignet cafes in New Orleans' French Quarter, and each has its own followers and own benefits.

The most famous, and oldest, is Cafe du Monde on Decatur St., with a large awning, small tables and powdered sugar everywhere. Stop in for coffee, cafe au lait and beignets. Order your coffee in a take home mug for just a little more than the price of coffee.

Cafe du Monde's beignets are light and airy and crispy on the outside and covered in powdered sugar.

On Royal Street and on Bourbon Street is Cafe Beignet. The Bourbon Street location has an excellent live jazz band during the day. They also serve lunch items at both locations including sandwiches and salads. At the Bourbon Street location there is a bar adjacent that serves beer and liquor.

Cafe Beignet's beignets are larger than Cafe du Monde's, but we found them heavier, denser beignets, and had a lot more powdered sugar on them. However, they also served other sweets, including pralines and chocolate turtles. (The pralines were delicious!)

Mid Atlantic Air Museum

The Mid Atlantic Air Museum at the Reading Regional Airport gives visitors the opportunity to see planes from various eras.  Included in the admission of $6/person is an expert who can give you information on any planes in the hangar bay, as well as on the tarmac.

The highlight of the museum is the Enola Gay, which was the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb during World War II in Hiroshima, Japan.  Also, there are airshows that occur here during the year, so be sure to check their calendar to for an aerial delight.

Independence Seaport Museum

On Penn's Landing, right where the ferry that connects Philadelphia to Camden docks, is the Independence Seaport Museum.  On the first floor, the exhibit that stands out the most as you walk in is on the history of the Slinky, which was invented in Philadelphia.  This section then goes on to show how various inventions in our life originated during the building of vessels and from sea-life in general, especially targeting Philadelphia's history.

Beyond this, plenty of boats and naval history abound in the museum, including a section where you can see people working on various sea-crafts.  An art gallery also exists, which may be of interest to some.

Outside the museum, you also can board the USS Olympia, which first launched in 1892 and plays a key role in the history of the United States' navy all around the world.