A couple weeks ago we made our first trip ever to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. We have been to many beaches along the South Carolina coast and had yet to visit the island. Tons of people in our area vacation in HHI because of the easy/quick drive from where we live, the family atmosphere, and of course the beach. We almost always try to make a trip to Charleston, SC (my personal favorite) but this year since we have Sawyer, we wanted something a little bit more relaxed and family oriented. Everyone had recommended HHI for our vacation destination. My dad booked a roomy condo in Shipyard Plantation that we all loved. Shipyard was great because it was private and gated, had lots to do if we wanted (bike trails, pools, golf courses, tennis, beach clubhouse, etc) and has easy access to all the places around the island. All the restaurants and shopping you really need are just a bike ride away. Travel Leisure voted Hilton Head the number 1 island in the Continental U.S. and we soon figured out why. We loved how low key and beautiful it was. I am obsessed with the Spanish mosh trees that are draped everywhere and how there were no high rise hotels that took over the beach town. The town is covered in trees and has hardly any lights at night due to sea turtles. It's not a bright, over packed, and rowdy atmosphere whatsoever, the town somewhat shuts down after 9pm (which is perfect for families with kiddos). We spent majority of our days on the beach and trying out some awesome restaurants advised by our friends. Everyone's favorite was Skull Creek Boat House that sits directly on the water, has views of the sunset, live music, and great food. Another must do for a fun filled lunch/dinner was The Frosty Frog Cafe. They have tonnns of frozen drinks to choose from that are perfect for a hot day. I promise you will get your money's worth on those drinks too! Harbour Town is a really cool area too that sits in Sea Pines Plantation where you can check out the lighthouse and PGA golf course, eat, shop, and chose from lots of outdoor activities. The Salty Dog Cafe is a staple there and worth a checkout. We attempted to go on a Salty Dog Booze Cruise with live music that sails around the island and shows off the sunset and dolphins..however right before we were about to set sail, a storm drifted in. I will say it was fun while it lasted as we boarded an hour before departure and started the "booze" cruise early at dock. Since Savannah is only a 45 minute drive from the island, Bryan and I had decided to check it out and celebrate our 5th year wedding anniversary there. Dad and Kim said they would watch Sawyer so we took advantage and drove over to celebrate. Savannah was so much fun and is certainly a fun town to celebrate in (you can even drink on the streets). We only had a few hours to explore so we wondered the streets, found an awesome roof top bar that overlooked the river to watch the sunset, and had the best meal of my entire life at The Olde Pink House Restaurant. I have to brag on this neat place. First off, it's a very southern menu, which is right up my alley, but the history and setting of this 18th century mansion is so cool! It is known to be haunted and was even gifted to President Lincoln for Christmas. A must do if you are ever in the area, just don't forget to make reservations! We ended our vacation at Shelter Cove Town Center. This place is awesome, we actually went there a couple different nights to hang out. It sits right on the marsh and has tons of shopping, ice cream, and restaurants to choose from. My favorite part about this place is the open park that sits on the back side overlooking the marsh. The center hosts nightly events especially suited for kids and everything is mostly free (movie night in the park, blow up bouncy houses and rides, fireworks every Tuesday, and live bands on Thursdays). It's really an awesome place and had what I thought, the best views of the sunset while on the island. If you can't already tell, sunsets are my thing. Anyways, since we were only visiting for one week, there were a lot of things we didn't get to check out that we plan to on our next visit. We had the best time and can't wait to go back to the low country!
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A couple weeks ago we went on vacation with our family to Destin, Florida. We have been vacationing to Destin with Bryan's family since Bryan and I got together years ago. This vacation was going to be different than the usual though because it was our first vacation with a baby. It was our first time traveling by plane with a baby. Best of all, it was Sawyer's first time being by the ocean! Little man was a hit in the airport and was such a trooper on all the flights, there and back. He slept the majority time we were in the air and only fussed (a little) during the landing on our flight back home. Vacationing with a baby is so much different than before. You can't sleep in like you normally would, you can't have as many cocktails (as we normally would), you can't sun bathe on the beach all day like in the past...but with all that being said, vacationing is so much more special now than it ever has been. Being able to spend our time off with Sawyer for an entire week without worrying about work and daycare was amazing. The new memories we made and watching all of Sawyer's "firsts" (like taking his first steps in the ocean) were memories I'll cherish forever. I've said it before and I'll say it again, we have the ultimate water baby on our hands. This boy loves the water (which means I need to get him in swim lessons stat). He fears no water, cold or warm, big or small, he absolutely loves it. The ocean did not change this in the least. The waves and wind startled him a bit but once he realized he could still splash and play he was squealing and smiling the entire time in the water. He also did not mind the sand in the least bit and besides playing in it, he tried to eat it a few times too. I had a lot of people after our trip asked me what the necessities were for vacationing to the beach with an infant that I thought I'd share my main must-have. Besides the obvious (sunscreen, hat, and shade) we would have been lost without a baby pool. I ordered this baby pool with attached shade covering from Walmart for $13 bucks. Easily, the best beach purchase I had ever made. Sawyer would hang out in this baby pool underneath our beach umbrellas all day. He napped in it (we would lay beach towels down), he played in it, and we would take him out in the ocean and let him float in it. It was a life saver and he loved every minute he spent in this little dino pool. Sawyer's Coco and Pop rented a house right on the ocean that held 17 of our family members for the week. We had the best time vacationing with our family, watching Sawyer play with his cousins, and even getting a couple date nights in while we were there (thanks CoCo!) My personal favorite restaurant spots which we've been to before and always enjoy are Another Broken Egg Cafe for breakfast and The Back Porch for dinner. Check it out if you are ever in the area! Sawyer's bad sleep habits allowed for 4:30am walks along the beach watching the sun rise. Since I have never seen the ocean prior to 8am on past vacations, it was so peaceful being on the beach with only a couple people in sight watching the sun rise above the ocean. This is certainly a new tradition that I wouldn't mind to continue, despite the lack of sleep. We had great weather the entire trip and overly enjoyed our new norm for vacationing. With the white sands and clear ocean water, Destin, Fl is one of our favorite places to visit. We couldn't have asked for a better week and look forward to our next beach trip to Hilton Head Island next month with my family. NYC Trip Decemeber 2016Last weekend Bryan and I traveled to NYC for a few days with our family and had the most wonderful trip. I had never been to New York before and had heard all the wonderful things about the city, especially during the Holiday season. My in-laws told us they were planning this trip almost a year ago as a part of Christmas celebrations (best idea ever) so it felt like an eternity went by until the trip was finally here. We arrived in the city on the morning of my birthday, so we were able to celebrate my birthday while we were there also! We roamed the city from the second we landed until the moment we returned back to the airport on Sunday. I was a little hesitant about only having three days there because I didn't think it would be enough time to do everything I wanted (Bryan had already visited NYC a few different times, so we were hitting up the must-sees on my list this go-around). But with that being said, we were on the go from the time we woke up until the time we went to bed. Our days were filled with touring the city, eating the most delicious meals, shopping, and of course wondering the street windows filled with Christmas galore. Upon arrival I knew I wanted to check out a lunch spot in the East Village so we dropped our things off at the hotel and went straight to the Subway. This was another first for me, but the Subway wasn't as bad as what I have always been told, definitely odd and busy, but not scary. I even tried taking a picture while riding in the Subway but was quickly shot down by Bryan, so a picture outside of the Subway had to do. Bryan and I ate at Covina for lunch inside of the Park South Hotel. They make all their items fresh daily and it was delicious (I warmed up with the grilled cheese and curry tomato soup, made with homemade bread, provolone, muenster, and American cheeses). Afterwards we roamed the streets to Grand Central Station, Bryant Park, watched the ice skaters, shopped, and more before heading back to the hotel to meet up with the family. Our hotel was in Times Square and had the neatest Bar on their top floor overlooking the city. We all had a few drinks up there from time to time, it was never crazy busy since they only allowed guests to drink and dine there. A good break from the busyness down below. Thursday evening we had the most amazing dinner at Gallaghers Steakhouse. This restaurant was incredible- it is one of the oldest restaurants in the city and the people who have went there many, many years ago makes it even more neat (The Kennedys, just to name one). On top of the best food you've ever ate. I also have to mention that not just this restaurant, but every restaurant we went into was decked out in the most spectacular Christmas decor, another reason to go visit during the holiday season. On Friday we did the 9/11 museum tour which is a must see. With NYC being so expensive, this surprisingly wasn't. It cost $24 a ticket and was worth every penny. It truly documented every detail of the horrific terrorist attacks that took place in 2001. I honestly can't even begin to explain how surreal this tour was and all the things that have been kept from that day were present inside of the museum. This is something you have to experience for yourself. We wondered around Central Park, shopped some more, ate some more, watched the light show on Saks 5th Avenue, visited Rockefeller Center, and went to Top of the Rock. Again, nothing like seeing all this while it's decorated. Also the smell of freshly cut Christmas trees and garland that fill the outside of the stores make it pretty wonderful too. On Saturday we woke up super early to catch the Subway all the way down to its last stop in Manhattan to take the free ferry ride to Staten Island and back. The ferry goes right past The Statue of Liberty and has great views of the city from the water. One of my best friends from home moved to NYC this past year and has a place in West Village, so before heading back to Times Square we made a pit stop to see her place and grab lunch. She showed us around her neighborhood (which happens to be very pleasant and rather quite) and also only a five minute walk to a couple of my favorite shows...Monica's apartment building from Friends and Carry's apartment from Sex and the City. We spent our last evening window shopping on 5th Avenue, the decorated windows alone are what make it. There are also massive ornaments hung in the sky in between all of the buildings, pretty incredible. We went inside the future President's, Trump Tower, visited the Plaza Hotel where I kept waiting for Kevin to come out and jump in the limo parked out front, and checked out a roof top bar with igloos on top in the center of the city. FYI if you haven't heard of Santacon, look it up. It happens on the second weekend of December in all the big cities. Do not try to bar hop during this unless you are taking part in it. We found out the hard way when we showed up at the bar and there was a line of Santa's wrapped around the building also waiting to go in. Super thankful that my in-laws put together this entire trip and I was able to experience NYC for the first time with our family. The trip was quick but we managed to do almost everything on our list. We all had such a great time we're ready to go back and do it again. Next time- Wall Street, Brooklyn, and PIZZA!
This past weekend we celebrated my birthday early with my family and hiked the trails in Grayson Highlands State Park and then drove over to White Top mountain. My birthday is not techinally until tomorrow but we are traveling to NYC on my birthday (never been before so super pumped) but before traveling to a crazy, busy city I wanted to enjoy some peacefulness on my favorite trail. With it being December we knew it was going to be cold so we bundled up and left out early. Until approaching the mountains we had no idea just how cold it was until we saw all the snow on the tip tops of the mountains. We were also amazed by how pretty the trees looked frosted over. I made dad pull over the jeep so we could take some pictures on our drive up to the park. Grayson Highlands is by far one of my favorite places to hike because of the wild animals you run into along the trails. If you are familiar with Grayson Highlands you are probably aware it's the home to wild ponies. We have always encountered some miniature ponies while we've been there but there are a ton of other wildlife as well (my little sister ran into a pack of Texas Longhorn Cattle with huge horns once while she was there hiking). Although they are wild, they are friendly for the most part, as they are used to running into people along the trails. The park is also known for its beautiful balds, grassy meadows, and views of the BlueRidge Mountains. Part of the Appalachian Trail also runs directly through the park. I guess that's why they're called the Blue Ridge Mountains.. Climbing up some of the boulders Drive over to White Top Mountain Snowy trees on top of White Top Overlooking the view from White Top Mountain
For the last couple of years dad and I have hiked to a new peak every Father's Day. We have made hiking a Father's Day tradition. This year we were trying to find a new destination somewhere in/around Asheville, NC since I would be traveling back from Georgia (we spent Father's Day weekend at my in-laws with our friends in Gainesville). Considering we would be passing through Asheville on our way back home on Sunday, we figured we should pick a hike somewhere along the gorgeous Blue Ridge Parkway. I came across Craggy Pinnacle Trail when I was searching for hiking trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway (Asheville area). I saw a picture of the views from atop and read the rhododendrons would be in bloom along the trail until late June so I knew this would be the perfect Father's Day Hike. The hike was super easy and only 1.2 miles round trip with no chance of getting lost along the trail. It was also extremely easy to find- from downtown, take the Blue Ridge Parkway 18 miles north. Pass the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center at Milepost 364.6. After passing through the Craggy Pinnacle tunnel, turn left into the Craggy Dome parking lot at Milepost 364.6. The drive out to the trail is absolutely stunning. There isn't a better drive than this one I can promise you that. The winding road of the Blue Ridge Parkway takes you all throughout the mountains with tons of different places to stop and take pictures along the way. Once reaching the top you have 360 degree views of the mountains. This is the perfect hike if your looking for something easy and short with a big reward. With an elevation of 5900 ft, the temperature drops about 10 degrees when you reach Craggy Dome, so we had perfect weather with a light breeze. If you are in the Craggy Pinnacle area it is worth it to take the ten minute drive over to Mt. Mitchell and park at the visitor center and walk to the summit. It's an easy ten minute walk to the top from the parking area. Mt. Mitchell is the highest peak east of the Mississippi River at 6684 ft in elevation.
Rainbow Row, Charleston This past weekend my best friends and I took a miniature vacation to my favorite place, Charleston, South Carolina. I have always been obsessed with this town because of its beauty, history, and it's fun beach atmosphere. If I could live anywhere, this Southern town would be my number one pick. I went with four of my closest friends for a girls getaway and it was a blast. I've been on many trips, vacations, and cruises with these girls but none where all five of us went all together. We only had three short days to spend here so we didn't take a lot of pictures or do too much exploring, but we had so much fun together! Drinks at The Cocktail Club on King Street. Laying out at Folly Beach Driving across the Ravenel Bridge to get to Sullivan's Island Our favorite beach spot is at Sullivan's Island- go eat at Poe's Tavern for lunch!! Last night out with my favorite twins View from our hotel room, Charleston has some of the best sunsets I've seen
Two years ago today my dad and I hiked to the most photographed point on the Appalachian Trail, McAfee Knob. We had seen pictures and heard about McAfee but didn't want to make a three hour drive to start the trail since the trail head starts near Roanoke Virginia. We decided a couple months later we would make a pit stop on our way to Virginia Beach and make the hike. This is by far one of my favorite hikes we've ever done, one of the most exhausting, but one of the most rewarding as well. We were a little under prepared for the hike not knowing it was 8.3 miles round trip. Not to mention the 4.4 miles to the point was pretty steep a lot of the time. We only packed two water bottles since we thought it was just going to be an hour or so to the point. Do your research before hiking! It ended up taking us about 3 hours to reach the peak and by that time we were out of water and exhausted, but it was totally worth it. We ended up picking a perfect day to hike the trail since the air was clear and there was hardly any haze blocking our view. Not only is this the most photographed point on the App Trail but it is also a very popular camp site for those making the 2,000 plus hike from Georgia to Maine. We ran into some hikers along the way who had been hiking for a few months and had their camps set up near the peak of the trail. The views from the top were spectacular and there was plenty of room on the boulders to relax, hang out, and eat (Pack a picnic! You'll be hungry and will need more energy!) The trail is well maintained and would be nearly impossible to get lost. It was also super easy to find- Take I-81 to exit 141. Follow signs to VA-311. and the parking lot is located about 5.5 miles down 311.
Last week Bryan and I traveled to the Dominican Republic for vacation. This was a new destination for the both of us so we were super excited to explore Punta Cana, relax on the beach, and have some fun. I first have to recommend our amazing all-inclusive resort, Luxury Bahia Principe Esmeralda. This is one of four different resorts all in ONE big resort. It is somewhat difficult to understand but there are four different parts to the resort itself which are all interconnected to one, Grand Bahia Principe. Anyways each part of the hotel is different depending on the section you booked, but you have access to visit each resort, their restaurants, pools, etc. Since there are four in one, the resort is MASSIVE and unless you are physically fit, you must hop on a golf cart and they will take you anywhere you want to go. The good thing about a resort this big, you will never ever get bored. Prior to arriving, the resort asked us if we were booking for any special reason, we let them know the trip was planned for our wedding anniversary (even though it's not for another 3 months). When we arrived they told us they had upgraded our room and said there would be special things to follow since we were celebrating our anniversary. To our surprise they went above and beyond to make us feel special. Not only did we get an amazing room upgrade, they decorated our room and door, gave us both goodies to take home (including a bottle of their local rum), and one night we came in and they had our room covered in roses, candles lit, bubble bath filled and chocolates in our room. Major credits to the resort and staff. The grounds of the resort were immaculate, everyone who worked there was super friendly and very hard working, and the drinks were delicious. The only negatives were the language barrier and the food. I lived off Pina Coladas and Miami Vices alllll week. Bryan and I are both adventurous people so the day we arrived we booked some excursions to do throughout our stay. Our first excursion we swam with sharks and sting rays then took a booze cruise to a sandbar in the middle of the Caribbean. I only got to enjoy a few minutes swimming with the sharks and sting rays because I got stung in the bum after the first ten minutes. Swimming with the sharks was fun while it lasted though so I would still recommend it. The booze cruise to the sandbar was so much fun! The staff taught us how to make some local drinks while jamming out to some music until we arrived. The sand bar was filled with other boats and party goers where we met some friends and slid down slides off other people's boats. We went kayaking which I would NOT recommend unless again, you are physically fit (clearly we are not) since were exhausted after a good five minutes. We somewhat gave up on the paddling for what seemed like a couple minutes only to realize how far out we really were, then panicked and both about pulled some muscles hauling it back to shore. We went swimming in natural lagoons and off-roading in another excursion. We got to drive our own cart through the jungle until we reached different lagoons with perfectly crystal clear water. I think this might have been my favorite thing we did because I was laughing nonstop on our wild ride out there and then arrived at one of the prettiest things I had ever seen. I love the fact the lagoons were completely natural yet beyond anything anyone could ever recreate. At the end of our trip we visited another beautiful site-Hoyo Azul, which translates to "blue hole." This is an all natural cave that is breathtaking. Mother Nature can create some pretty amazing things, and this blue cave is most definitely one of them. The cave water is so clear that it looks like it can only be a foot or two deep but it reaches up to 40 feet deep. This is a popular site in Punta Cana so in most cases you wont get the peace and quite of experiencing this alone. We went with another big tour group and were the first people to jump in and the last ones out.
I absolutely love to travel, especially to new places out of the country. Fortunately enough I have had my fair share of traveling to different beaches outside of the United States and the single most important thing about traveling out of the country is making sure you have everything you need (aka what you pack). I have always been one to make a check list when it comes to packing and I normally start my vacation pack list a couple weeks in advance so as I remember things I jot them down on my list before I do the actual packing. Since we leave in a couple weeks, my check list has begun. For your carry on: It's important to make sure you have some basic vacation essentials on your carry on when you leave for your trip. I've discovered that when you go on a cruise you won't get your luggage until hours later or when you go to a resort often times you have to leave your luggage at the check-in desk (if you check in early) or it takes a while for your luggage to reach your room. As soon as Bryan and I arrive we head straight to the beach/pool and try to explore our ship/hotel. Therefore it's important to have these items on hand: a bathing suit, cover up, sunscreen, sunglasses, an extra outfit, camera, pen (for filling out airport and hotel documents), passport, money, and of course your i.d. If you leave any of this out of your carry on, it may cause you to lose out on extra fun, or cause a headache when you're wanting to dive into the pool and have no swim suit or sunscreen until hours after you've arrived. I also always pack my carry-on items in my beach bag so it's not an extra bag I have to take and I already have it with me when I arrive. The obvious:
Electronics:
Minimal's:
That's it! Overall, it seems like a lot to pack but when it comes down to it I can pack everything I've listed in one big suitcase. I have everything I'll ever need. You would much rather over pack just a bit than to get to your destination without something you need. Unless, you want to pay high dollar prices, buy everything prior! Don't forget to make a check list and cross everything off as you pack! This always seems to help me! Oh and the most important part, HAVE FUN!!
Saturday was my ideal of a great day. We woke up to the sun shinning, the birds chirping, and a cool breeze outside. We knew it would be a great day to spend outside so we packed lunch in the cooler, lots of water, and Auggie's goods for a small hike. We had heard about Elk River Falls from some friends and since it was only a 45 minute drive from our house we decided to check it out. This waterfall was super easy to find, no confusing directions. As soon as you enter into the town of Elk Park there are signs pointing you in the direction of the falls. If you have GPS put in "Elk River Road, North Carolina" and it should lead you straight to it. You will reach a dead end at Elk River road where you can pull your car off to the side and park. We checked out the river before we started on the trail. I would not call this a hike by any means, more like a 10/15 min saunter through the woods. It is only 1.7 miles round trip. Once you reach the falls you can stand on some massive rocks from the top overlooking the 50 foot waterfall into a big oval pool. I think I enjoyed the view from the top of the falls just as much as I did from the bottom of the falls. In the summer people have jumped from the top of the falls into the deep oval pool. I was excited about coming back in the summer for the cliff jump until I did my research after we left and saw there had been multiple deaths resulting from cliff jumping off the top of the falls. I believe I'll stick to coming back for a swim instead of the jump. There is plenty of room to sit at the bottom of the falls to take in the view or to hangout and sun bathe in the Summer months. We enjoyed the views as well as listening to the sound of the falls. There are flat rocks facing the falls that would be perfect to have lunch on (if you packed) but since Roan Mountain State Park is close by we decided to have our picnic in the park. I definitely plan on coming back to Elk River Falls in the summer when the trees are filled and the water hole is warm enough for a swim!
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