As one of many transplants in Florida, I often miss the great northeast, particularly the city where I grew up - Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Last summer, I was able to revisit my roots along with my two children, ages 8 and 10. They had never been to Rhode Island.

I know, when you are thinking of vacation hot spots, you do not think of Pawtucket (Newport, on the other hand, should be on your bucket list). Anyway, I love it in Pawtucket!

The trip began by flying into TF Green Airport in Warwick, followed by a quick trip to the rental car counter. We drove through Providence, where I pointed out the gold statue guy on top of the Capital Building. Next to Providence is Pawtucket.

Our first stop was the home where I grew up. My kids were aghast that I had the nerve to walk right up to the front door and ring the bell. I didn’t know who lived there now (my parents had moved out of the house 10 years prior). A young lady answered, I explained who I was, and she invited me in. I love nice people! I showed the kids around the house and pointed out all the differences the several owners had made since my parents owned it. Still had my mom’s stove and refrigerator, along with the awful pink/salmon laminate countertops. I’m not sure how much my kids appreciated this visit, but it meant the world to me.

Now, on the some travel stuff…this is a travel blog after all. We checked into the only hotel I know of in Pawtucket: Comfort Inn-Providence/Pawtucket. The hotel was fine for our purposes, clean (AAA Approved, it had better be!) and located right off the highway. I remember this hotel from years ago when it was a Howard Johnsons.

Dinner was Gregg’s Restaurant & Pub on North Main Street, one of four in the area. When I was younger, it used to be a Ground Round (the Ground Round is now at the Comfort Inn, oddly enough). Gregg’s is a nice casual restaurant, great for families and seniors. While the food is good, the main reason to come to Gregg’s is for the desserts. The chocolate layer cake is the BEST I’ve ever had. As a former AAA inspector, now inspection manager, I have tried chocolate layer cakes from just about everywhere in the US, and none compares. My kids didn’t see it the same way, but they liked their food.

The next morning, we ventured to the Modern Diner. This is Pawtucket’s best known place to eat. It is essentially a 1941 rail car turned into a diner and it's listed on the National Historic Register. Great breakfasts with generous portions and kind of an art-deco vibe. Be sure to sit in the original section, not the addition in the back.

The rest of the day consisted of seeing the elementary and high school I attended (kids were less than impressed). And then we stopped by the best place for entertainment in the city - McCoy Stadium- home of the Pawtucket Red Sox (Class AAA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox). I spent my summers at McCoy watching the Pawsox. I have been to minor league stadiums all over the country, and while some may be more architecturally impressive, none has the feeling of McCoy. I got to see a lot of soon-to-be major leaguers in my years going to McCoy- great memories! There was no game that day, but the young man working the gift shop let us into the stadium. The stadium has expanded over the years, but the original section is still intact, and that’s where my memories were.

Another Pawtucket landmark, the Hasbro headquarters (makers of Mr. Potato Head and Twister) is still going strong. I worked in their stockroom in high school, where, unfortunately, all the toys were already boxed up.

My time in my hometown was short, then it was time to go over to the in-laws in Connecticut . . .