Are you searching for an alternative to your regular family beach vacation? Then it is time to Discover Southport and Oak Island in North Carolina. With 28 miles of gorgeous Atlantic Ocean beachfront, the area excels in the standard beach goers activities like swimming, building sandcastles, combing for seashells, golf, fishing, kayaking, scuba diving and more. Lesser known attractions that your whole family can enjoy will get you off the beaten path and out of a vacation routine:
Learn about Southern History – The whole family can enjoy a FREE self-guided walking tour on the Historic Southport Trail. Make history come alive as you enjoy a relaxed one mile walk through charming Historic Southport. Continue a history lesson traveling a short distance to Wilmington, NC. On the way, stop at the Fort Fisher Civil War Museum. Remains of the earthen fort that kept the Cape Fear River and the port of Wilmington open to blockade runners, which delivered vital supplies to the Confederate armies until the fort fell on January 15, 1865. Among many historical points in Wilmington, the whole family will enjoy touring The USS North Carolina Battleship. She is preserved just as she was in World War II and has been the site for many dramatic documentations and action films.
Discover Under the Sea – Before you leave Fort Fisher, be sure to take the whole family to The North Carolina Aquarium. Here you can meet Luna, a rare albino alligator currently weighing in over 54 lobs and 6 feet in length. The kids will also enjoy hands on experience with sea stars and can sign up for a summer camp on the island. Best of all, you and your family will get to see close up what is living in the waters you are typically only swimming in.
Connect with Nature – Back on Oak Island there are many trails and parks for enjoying North Carolina’s exceptional natural environment. Be sure to visit the Oak Island Nature Center overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. The Center has live animal exhibits as well as educational activities and programs with walkways to the water. Dedicated to a former Mayor Dorothy Kelly, the Dot Kelly Memorial Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden is a natural setting that attracts these creatures so you and your family can enjoy them in their typical surrounding.
See it All – Get a bird’s eye view of the island as you fly down the coastline in an open air cockpit, waving at beachgoers and occasionally spotting dolphins, sea turtles and more. Oak Island Sport Planes also offers flight lessons for the adventurous types.
Stay all Summer – Whether you are looking for a weekend retreat or a month long getaway, Margarat Rudd & Associates Realtors can find a long or short-term vacation rental to suit your needs. Vacation rental lodging is perfect for a family or group vacation where you want the cost savings and convenience of having your own kitchen, washer/dryer, and parking. Many units are also pet-friendly so your entire family can enjoy the trip! Visit Rudd’s website to view their current Oak Island Vacation specials.

Welcome back!

    More often than not, when people think of Orlando, Florida visions of Mickey Mouse ears and Disney princesses dance in their head. When someone says, “Florida Vacation” they’re usually not thinking of horseback rides, cattle drives and endangered panthers. Are you ready for a new kind of Florida Vacation?

    Take a walk on the wild side at Forever Florida. Forever Florida is a Sunshine State hotspot for travelers who want to venture off the beaten path, and make their Floridian vacation an authentic one.
    A unique piece of Florida’s rich history, Forever Florida offers many activities that the whole family will enjoy.

• If you’re into high-flying adventure, take a trip on Florida’s first and only Zip Line Safari.
• Choose from a day or night tour and soar 55 feet over Florida vegetation and wetlands.

    The Zip Line Safari can amass speeds of up to 25 MPH. While you’re up there, keep an eye out for exciting wildlife especially at night! Don’t worry, if you miss any animals on your way down, stop by the wildlife interaction area at the end of the zip line to see alligators, a hybrid panther and more!
    If you prefer a more “grounded” excursion, try a Horseback Safari or Rawhide Roundup.

• The Horseback Safaris can last between two and three hours and will take you through acres of gorgeous Florida wildlife conservation, including nine ecosystems.
• If there is a history buff in your group, you’ll be traveling over historic trails that date back to the 1500’s.

    For those that have been dying to wear the cowboy boots in their closet, take advantage of the Rawhide Roundup. Spend the day with a genuine Cow Hunter on a cattle herd through Crescent J Ranch.

• Hands on experience will teach you the ins and outs of daily life on a Florida ranch.
• Again for those history lovers, the cattle you herd are Spanish Colonial Cattle and could be descendents of the cattle brought to Florida by Ponce De Leon in 1521.

    More relaxing, but just as exploratory, a Coach Safari is another option during your time at Forever Florida. You’ll sit in an open-air safari coach while you make your way through acres of conservation.

• The coach is elevated five feet above ground so sightseeing can be enjoyed by all.
• Keep your eye out for panthers, black bears and white-tail deer as many animals make their homes on the lush property. 

   After you’ve spent the day enjoying the wilds of Florida, retire to the comfort of your Orlando vacation rental. Lounge by the pool or relax in your Jacuzzi, and gear up for whatever adventure is next.

Visit Newport Rhode Island and experience New England as it was meant to be.  A bustling waterfront village, impressive colonial estates, and amazing hospitality are just a few of the things that make Newport “a shining gem in the coastal crown” that is New England.

Newport offers a little something for everyone, from exhilarating nautical excursions to leisurely strolls through famous mansions and vineyards.  For those who enjoy early American history, Newport is not to be missed.  Beautiful New England scenery provides a dramatic backdrop for the amazing architecture of the gilded age.  Stroll through homes that were built by Vanderbilts and Astors, check out some of the historic forts and museums, or spend a day relaxing at the spa.  You’re sure to be taken with the rich history of the area.

To really experience the charm of the area, check out one of the charming Newport bed and breakfasts.  Many are within walking distance of the downtown and beachfront areas, and provide a feeling of stepping back in time without sacrificing modern comforts.

Check out Newport, Rhode Island -you’re sure to be pleased!

Images Courtesy Sarunas B

I remember reading Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire in high school and imagining the Great Southwest to be a vast land of rock and caves where the ancient Anasazi Indians made their lives as cliff dwellers going in and out of our world through their time machines known as kivas. 

Ten years ago I, personally, made the move from out east to Colorado and have since thoroughly enjoyed exploring Colorado’s southwest corner and Utah’s canyonland areas where Mr. Abby spent some time learning and writing about that rugged and ancient terrain.

Just outside of Dolores, Colorado you will find The Anasazi Heritage Center where guests can see, touch and learn about the Four Corners “prehistory” era.  There are roughly 3 million records and artifacts that make up the Center’s attractions.

The Anasazi Heritage Center also represents the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.  Here you will find a pre-Puebloan culture that dates back to at least 10,000 years.  Evidence of their villages still remains for visitors to see.  The Canyons of the Ancients is a vast land protected by the BLM and is open for exploration but one must be very careful and respect these ancestral ruins.  Leave no trace as they say and “they” (Bureau of Land Management) mean it.

Mesa Verde country consists of just about every type of terrain so that all kinds of recreation can exist.  Everything that can be done outdoors, even skiing, can be done in Mesa Verde country.  To me, the best way to experience and explore this country is on foot and since we are talking about the desert that means lots of sun and heat in the summer.  Use common sense and hike during the morning or dusk hours and not during the middle of the day when the sun is at its’ highest.  One can find camping in designated areas to really get the feel of day turning into night.

So, if you ever find yourself traveling from Denver going west and if you have a couple of days to spare consider the Mesa Verde Country in southwest Colorado.  Experience a beautiful and ancient land which is home of the modern day Pueblo People, descendants of the Ancient Anasazi Indians.       

Mesa Verde Overlook by Mulsanne

Mesa Verde Kiva by norrisbaby

Mesa Verde by neuroticcamel

Jekyll Island, just off the coast of Georgia near Brunswick, is another of those great beach resorts that the southerners have managed to keep to themselves. I can’t blame them one bit.

The entire 5,700 acre barrier island is an historic area and nature preserve. Combine these attractions with the Atlantic seashore, a mild climate, tennis and golf and you have an ideal vacation destination for the whole family.

The Villas By The Sea, on the northern end of Jekyll, offers a wide choice of modern accommodations, all the desirable resort amenities and some of the best Jekyll Island Golf Packages. Choose between 10 great coastal Georgia golf courses, including the 3 located right on the island.

There are plenty of opportunities to relish the long, varied lore of the island – an interesting mix of colonial settlement, slavery, wealth, privilege and politics – in the National Historic Landmark District, which includes the famous Jekyll Island Club, a haunt of the rich and famous.

Children will enjoy the sense of freedom afforded by the bike paths that lace the island, the magnolia and live oak lined nature trails and the boardwalks that transport them over the protective dunes to natural beach areas. The highlight of any trip is a night time Turtle Walk to view the nesting sea turtles who come ashore every summer to lay their eggs.

If you’re looking for a active, yet relaxing family beach vacation, be sure to check out Jekyll Island – a destination everyone will enjoy.