Many years ago, I drove by Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham for the first time. I thought it strange that this obviously abandoned factory would be left there for all to see — an eyesore to passersby and a strange way to make a first impression on people coming to this modern city now known as […]
Holiday Travel: Family traditions for modern families
This post is sponsored by Gulf Shores & Orange Beach to encourage people to #KeepOnSummering. All opinions are 100% mine. Growing up, our family holidays were quite traditional. People back in the 1960s and 1970s didn’t move around like we do today, so we’d pile in the car and head over the river and through the […]
Leave Only Footprints: It’s not a motto, it’s a mission.
When Gulf Shores and Orange Beach invited me to learn about their Leave Only Footprints initiative, my first thought was sure. I mean, who says no to the beach? And, I figured it would be easy to write about their clean up efforts. I like eco-tourism. So I went to the beach — fully intending […]
Turquoise Place: Luxury oceanfront resort in Orange Beach (a review)
When I was invited to Orange Beach to learn about the Leave Only Footprints eco-tourism initiative, I got the chance to stay at the luxurious Turquoise Place, an oceanfront condominium resort. You know this kind of place — it’s a stunner that turns heads. And, if you’re like me, you might think it’s only for […]
10 reasons to vacation at Gulf State Park (+ a bonus!)
Between the popular vacation towns of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in Alabama, sits the region’s shining jewel, Gulf State Park. This 6,200+ acre park is home to three fresh water lakes, a golf course, campground, cabins, a fishing pier and 2 1/2 miles of incredible beach. Look beyond the obvious features, though, to discover […]
5 reasons Gulf Shores is better in the fall
Summer beach vacations aren’t bad. The hot sun and cool ocean waters complement each other nicely. But, summer beach vacations also mean hot, sticky, humidity. And crowds — have you been to a major beach in July? It’s bumper to bumper traffic on the roads, and bum to bum bodies on the beach. It can […]
Keep on summering at Alabama’s beaches
Growing up in Ohio, we considered ourselves lucky to wear shorts after Labor Day. Fall was one long, cold, rainy season that dribbled into dreary winters. But that was before the internet (I’m really old). And before air travel was so affordable. And before I moved south where summer fights with school schedules well into […]
Complete guide to the best restaurants in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
When we vacation, we gravitate toward condos and homes for the space. When the kids were younger, we especially enjoyed having a kitchen to prepare simple meals that fit the schedule. As they got older, though, we enjoy eating out more. Let someone else handle all the messes! On a recent trip to Alabama’s Gulf Coast, we […]
Avondale ~ Birmingham’s newest and best
I’ve been traveling to Birmingham, Alabama regularly for a few years to see my son, who’s in college there. Every time I visit, we explore someplace new. On my last trip, I headed to Avondale, considered one of the hippest up and coming neighborhoods in America. Avondale, at its core, is a creative place. Home […]
NASA’s US Space and Rocket Center
Huntsville, the Rocket City, is one of those “right place, right time” cities. As WWII came to a close, the United States government understood that German scientists would be displaced. They recruited rocketry experts like Dr. Wernher von Braun to Houston to research missile and rocket research. As the US space program expanded, many of […]