Salem to Ithaca, by way of Secret Caverns

When planning our road trip I wasn't sure what to do between Salem and Cleveland. I was just going to pick a random town to stop in to break up the 10 hour drive. Then our friend Carolyn offered us a place to stay for the night so our trip to Ithaca, NY was born! It cut the route right in half, perfect!

It was overcast and rainy the whole way. We stopped a few times to break up the trip. This guy used to stand outside a hotel that was "southern hospitality themed".

Travis jumping the fence to get a photo for me. True love.

Even thought it was overcast it was a beautiful drive! We missed the height of leaf season apparently, but we still loved it.

Our big stop of the day was Secret Caverns. It is listed on Roadside America because of their amazing hand painted signs. They did not disappoint!

Look at this building! It was worth the detour just for that! You can't tell here, but the bat's tongue is painted in front of the door. I wish this was my house!

We were actually their only customers that day. The guy who took us on our tour was very nice and seemed amused by the artwork all over the place. The caverns were discovered when two cows fell into the mouth in 1928. This is apparently what the artist thinks they looked like in the moment. Haha.

This place was like no other cavern we've ever been too. It kind of felt like it was in your uncle's backyard and he was giving you a tour. I loved it!

Since it was raining there was water POURING down the stairs. Our guide swept it away (kind of) with a broom. When the cave first opened to the public you had to climb down on a metal ladder that was about a foot wide. Scary! They had to stop doing that when people starting falling off of it.

The cave was really beautiful.

Another thing that was different was we were encouraged to touch all the formations! What?! Every other cave tells you that if you do they will stop growing. Maybe because of the volume of people that go through? I definitely touched this beehive formation.

Cool.

And then the 100 ft waterfall! Woah!

Secret Caverns was originally explored by teenagers with flashlights! He told us a flashlight company sponsored them and had press out to interview the teens when they came back out. When the boys got to the underground waterfall the flashlights got wet and they had to make their way back in total darkness. So they really gave the reporters a piece of their minds when they made it to the surface. Our guide let us walk halfway back with just our phones illuminating our way. It was awesome! And scary! Then he left his keys to the lights back by the fall and had to walk back to get them, leaving us alone in the total darkness. Woah!

The gift shop was great! More weird signs and old souvenirs. We got two mugs!

They had a mummy too. Of the first tour guide. I wish the guy who made all the art was there! I bet he is fun.

I wanted this so bad! But Travis said we didn't need it. He is probably right, but it's so cute! And it was the only one there.

This is the only post card they sell. It is pretty perfect though. The guy looks like he is from Harry Potter! I'm very proud of myself for keeping up with postcards the whole trip. I used a whole book of postcard stamps!

Onward to Ithaca!