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 … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
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 … [Read more...]
Packing tips for your beach cooler
Summer is here! And you know what that means -- a trip to the beach -- complete with a beach cooler full of goodies. But if you plan to have a picnic on the beach, you should know how to pack a cooler! Make no mistake about it; having a picnic in the beach isn’t as easy as it seems. For one, … [Read more...]
Fit Friday: Surf’s up at beach resorts this summer
In my never ending quest to get more healthy (aka, fit), I've begun exploring water sports, particularly for their advantages over land based sports: If you fall, you have a "soft" landing. I have not experienced a surfing wipeout yet, so that qualifies my use of soft. The water keeps you … [Read more...]
Magical Driftwood Beach: A must see!
I grew up just a few houses away from my elementary school. In summer, my friends and I spent countless hours climbing the jungle gym. Some days we became Olympic gymnasts -- winning the gold, of course. Other days, we'd climb to the tippy top (not allowed during school recess), hang upside down and … [Read more...]
5 reasons to visit Indiana Dunes this fall
Living in North Carolina, I have easy access to the Atlantic coast beaches -- even taking regular day trips to the shore. But, growing up in the Midwest, we didn't take many beach vacations. It was just too far to travel. I wish we had known about Indiana Dunes on Lake Michigan's south shore. With … [Read more...]
5 reasons to vacation at Hilton Head this year
What's better than welcoming the new year with family and friends? Welcoming the new year at Hilton Head Island with those same people and temperatures in the mid-70s! Yep! We got home from Hilton Head a few days ago and had the most relaxing vacation ever. Hilton Head is our family's secret … [Read more...]
10 free things to do in Jacksonville
For years, we have driven through Jacksonville without stopping to visit. So, when I finally went last month, I looked for budget stretchers to add fun to our vacation without having to spend much at all. Jacksonville is a budget-travel goldmine! HA! Funny --- budget travel... goldmine. Am I the … [Read more...]
