High Country Weekend Trip

 

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend! Today, I'm sharing a recap from our weekend trip to the High Country in the North Carolina mountains. We've been to this area many times and I recapped another weekend trip in this post. The beach is my favorite place to go but I do love to visit the mountains at least once or twice a year, especially during the fall. We typically make a trip to the High Country for my birthday and this past birthday was no exception.

We always begin our High Country weekend in Boone. The day we arrived it was super rainy so it was a great day to find a good meal and do some thrift shopping. Boone had several great thrift stores and we found so many treasures! We had lunch at The Cardinal, a restaurant that we traditionally go to. The food is always so good!

We stayed in downtown Blowing Rock and I highly recommend one of the cute *small* motels in the area. Like I said, they are small but the ability to walk to eat, to go to the park, or to shop is great. There are so many wonderful restaurants + coffee shops within walking distance, a fun park for the kids to play at, and there is a great variety of shopping options. This time we stayed at Mountainaire Inn & Log Cabins and we really enjoyed our stay! Our room was cozy and comfortable.

Our motel was across the street from a Mexican restaurant called El Rincon. They serve the most delicious breakfast and if you stay at the Mountainaire Inn, you get a discount on your meal. I would highly recommend the huevos rancheros!

After breakfast and some park playtime, we headed to to Grandfather Vineyard and Winery in Banner Elk. It's a short drive from Blowing Rock and it's my all-time favorite vineyard! Their sparkling wines are delicious and the views are amazing. Pro-tip: get there early! On the weekends, it gets packed early. They open up at noon on Saturdays and there is a line to park at least 15 minutes before they open up. You will want to get there early for good parking and a good spot. Our favorite place to set up on a nice day is right by the river. It's so pretty! We bring a blanket and lots of snacks.

Back in Blowing Rock, you have to also visit Blue Deer Cookies. I don't have any photos of our cookies from this trip because we ate them so fast! They even have a gluten free cookie. I would suggest an ice cream cookie sandwich. Delicious! Blue Deer Cookies is right next to Mellow Mushroom that we always go to as well. It was just a super short walk away from where we stayed! We also love grabbing drinks and apps from Blowing Rock Ale House and the Town Tavern.

Before we headed home, we did a short hike at Glen Burney Falls in Blowing Rock. The temperature was all over the place during our trip. We started with rainy, mild weather and woke up to snow on our last day there! Our hike was super cold but it was the perfect length and so pretty out there. We were definitely ready to warm up with some coffee from Camp Coffee Roasters afterwards!

LET'S SHOP

Beaufort, SC

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend! Today, I'm back with another travel post and this time I'm going to recap our visits to Beaufort, South Carolina. Like I mentioned in my Edisto Beach post, my husband's dad recently moved to a different area of South Carolina. When we visited for Christmas, we were excited to explore the surrounding areas. We ended up making two visits to Beaufort because it was fairly close to the new house and we fell in love with the charm!

Our first stop during both of our visits to Beaufort was the waterfront park. It was such a gorgeous area and my personal favorite part. You can take a scenic walk, swing, and there's a great park area for kids. Both of my girls (ages 10 and 12) enjoyed the park! There's so much to enjoy there!

We had lunch at Q on Bay during our first visit to Beaufort. I picked this spot on a whim when we all got super hungry, super fast. Thankfully, it was a great choice and the food was delicious! I got pulled pork tacos and I loved them! I would definitely recommend this spot.

The other meal we had in the Beaufort area was Lady's Island Dockside restaurant. This waterfront restaurant is a super popular spot to dine in the area and for good reason! The customer service is amazing. The staff was so friendly and courteous! I got the honey bourbon glazed salmon with a side of grilled shrimp. It was delicious! We had such a great dining experience and I would definitely go back when we are in the area again.

We also took some time during our visits to walk the streets and explore. The homes are so charming and it definitely reminded me of Charleston, just smaller and easier to get around. There are lots of cute shops. I was so inspired looking through the items at Bay St. Treasures! I can't wait for our next visit to Beaufort, South Carolina. It's such a charming place!

L E T ' S  S H O P

Edisto Beach, SC

 

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend! Today, I'm sharing a new area that we had never explored before, Edisto Beach in South Carolina. My husband's dad lives in South Carolina and recently moved to a new home in a new area. We went down to visit him right after Christmas and took the time to check out some new places during our trip. When I realized there was a beach in the area, I had to go! If you read last week's beach trip post, you know that I love a beach day, no matter the season. Beach days are definitely the best days!

We actually visited Edisto Beach two different times during our trip. The first visit was just with our youngest daughter. We stopped at the Sea Cow Eatery as soon as we arrived to grab some lunch and we absolutely loved it! I got the taco salad special and a cranberry mimosa. All of our food was delicious and I would highly recommend it! After lunch, we headed to a public beach access and found one with parking right away. Since it was December, there weren't many people there and it was just so nice. The sun was shining and the weather was pretty mild.

Our second visit was on the day we were headed home so we had our dogs with us. First we stopped at, McConkey's Jungle Shack for a New Year's Day lunch. This was such a fun, unique restaurant with so many fun decorations and signs! The food was also delicious! I also highly recommend this spot for a great meal in Edisto Beach.

Like I mentioned above, we had our dogs with us on our second visit to Edisto Beach. This was there very first time every going to the beach! Maggie is 15 so it was definitely about time. The funniest thing was Jethro and the waves. He barked and barked at the waves as they came in and even tried to bite them. It was hilarious! This day on the beach was super foggy but it was still a special time getting to experience the beach with our dogs! There's also a state park but we didn't get a chance to visit it on this trip. It's definitely on our list for our next trip to the area. This was such a great beach town and I can't wait to go back soon!

L E T ' S  S H O P

Ocean Isle Beach: Winter Edition

Happy Wednesday! Now that I'm back to blogging, it's time to catch up on some travel. The last time I shared about travel was from our summer trip to St. John. You can read about about that trip here. It was an amazing experience! We took some short trips during the fall and winter that I'm planning to share here over the next few weeks. Today, I'm going to begin with our most recent weekend getaway, Ocean Isle Beach. Some people think I'm crazy for wanting to go to the beach in the wintertime but it's magical. I am summertime and sunshine kind of person as well as a beach person. Of course, I'd rather have my beach days be warm and sunny but I honestly love going anytime of year. I can always go for some beach therapy! 

Four Things Tote Bag

Pros for a wintertime beach trip: it's not crowded and accommodations are significantly cheaper.

Cons for a wintertime beach trip: it's cold and some restaurants are closed this time of year.

The pros definitely outweighed the cons when I booked this wintertime beach getaway. We secured an oceanfront room for a great price with an amazing view. We have been staying at The Islander Inn for at least 7 or 8 years. It's right on the beach at Ocean Isle and it's been the perfect spot for a beach vacation for our family of four. This isn't a fancy hotel by any means but it's updated and clean. They serve a great deluxe continental breakfast that my kids look forward to every single morning.

We loved The Islander Inn because it's right on the beach but beyond the beach there's an outdoor pool for the warmer weather plus an indoor plus and hot tub. My girls hit up the indoor pool every morning after breakfast and every evening before bed. Josh and I personally loved the hot tub! One evening we ordered pizza and hung out in the indoor pool area for three hours. We were the other ones in there and we had so much fun! Like I mentioned, the last of crowds is a huge pro for the beach in the winter.

There weren't as many restaurants open this time of the year but it didn't bother us. One of our favorite things to do on vacation is a grocery store dinner. We go into the grocery store (Ocean Isle has Lowe's and Publix) to pick out whatever each want for dinner that night. The girls absolutely love this! It's a win for everyone. Grocery store sushi and bubbly with an oceanfront view was pretty amazing. We also picked up some key lime pie (with a chocolate chip crust) from Causeway Gourmet. It's a must try!

So, what else is there to do at the beach during the winter? Well, for me personally, I can sit on the beach for hours. Yes, even when it's cold! I bundled up in layers, brought a blanket and a book, and sat on the beach. It's just so peaceful, especially with hardly any other people out there. We also really loved hunting for shells, which is also much easier to do when it's not crowded. Family walks on the beach are always fun too, no matter what time of the year it is.

We also visited the local brewery, Makai Brewing. It's a great family friendly stop with a sandwich next door. I love the Hawaiian theme and decor! I also went to Drift Coffee for a caramel oat milk latte and their gluten free banana bread. It's topped with honey, ricotta, and fresh berries. So good! Oh and our other food stop was to Provision Company but we went to the location in Supply, NC on our way to Ocean Isle. This is the only location that is open during the wintertime. It's a tradition to stop there as soon as we get to the beach. Always delicious!

Have you been to the beach during the winter?! I'd 100% recommend it!

St. John Beaches and More

 

Hey y'all! Today is third part of my St. John travel series and this post is going to be all about the beaches... and more. We arrived in St. John on June 30 and flew home on July 9 so we had about eight full days to enjoy everything the island has to offer. Even though it's a really small island, we still didn't get a chance to see and experience it all. 

Let's talk beaches first...

1. Maho Bay: This was the first beach we visited and we fell in love with it immediately! If you want to see sea turtles, this is where you need to go. You will definitely see them here! You can just swim in the calm waters and see there little heads pop up just a few feet away from you. Seeing the sea turtles never ceased to amaze me and was one of my very favorite parts of this whole vacation! As pictured above, you can rent a clear bottom kayak right across the street the beach area and it's only $30 for 2 hours. We saw so many sea turtles while we were kayaking! I literally squealed every single time I saw one. This particular beach can get a little crowded so this is one that you will want to get to early (around 9am or so) for good parking and a nice shady spot. There's lots of trees for shade right along the beach so all you need is something to sit on and of course, your reef safe mineral sunscreen.  Our favorite bar was at Maho and there's also a gift shop and food available for purchase. We loved this beach so much that we came back at least 4-5 more times!

2. Cinnamon Bay: Cinnamon Bay is just up the road from Maho Bay and it's also a gorgeous beach! There's also some ruins right on the beach to check out. Besides the beach being gorgeous, there's lots of parking here and a great bathroom... and you know this is important when you are spending the day at the beach. One of the days that we came here, it had been raining off and on all day long so we were able to see the biggest crabs that I have ever seen in my whole life right along the walking path to the beach. The wildlife was definitely one of the most amazing things to observe in St. John!

3. Trunk Bay: Next up along the North Shore is Trunk Bay. It's just minutes from Cinnamon Bay so we visited both of these beaches on the same day. The first time we came to Trunk, it was rainy and it made the water a little rough. But thankfully, we decided to give it another try on a sunny day and I'm so glad we did! It was incredibly beautiful and the water was so calm on our second visit. At Trunk, there's also a snorkeling trail that guides you to see some amazing fish. It's definitely a great snorkel spot! There's not a lot of parking here so it's another place that you will want to get to early to secure a spot and yes, it also has great bathrooms and a foot rinse (which is essential after a day in the sand). There were also food, drinks, and snacks available to purchase here.

4. Hansen Bay: Hansen is located on the East side of the island and it was a journey to get to for sure! Super steep hills and lots of goat sightings later, we made it there. This beach is privately owned but it's open to the public to enjoy. So, there's plenty of parking and a portable bathroom here. They have tents with lounge chairs as well as picnic tables so it's great spot to visit if you forget your chairs or don't have any to use. There's also water sports equipment to rent as well. Everything is honor system so you just put your money to use the amenities in the donation box on the beach. The son of the owner came over when we arrived, greeted us, and explained how everything worked there. He was super kind and helpful. It was such a quiet and relaxing spot! I think we were only one of three or four other families on the whole beach. I would definitely recommend visiting this beach!

5. Salt Pond Bay: This beach is quite the adventure! From the parking area, you have to walk down a trail to get there. This trail is rocky and it's downhill to the beach. You definitely have to be careful but thankfully it isn't too long of a journey. The beach is absolutely gorgeous (the donkeys even loved this place because they were just right on the beach) and there's so much to see in this area! You have to go check out the Salt Pond. The water is pink and you can just pick up the sea salt at the edge of the water. You can also access several different hiking trails from here so pack a cooler and prepare to spend the day. There are bathrooms available here as well. It's such a cool spot and a must visit while in St. John!

Like I mentioned above, there's so many trails on St. John to explore. One of the more challenging ones is Reef Bay Trail, which leads you to petroglyphs. We weren't prepared for that trail because no one besides Josh had proper footwear to take on a slippery trail but pack some good sneakers or boots if you love an adventurous trail experience and go do that one! There's also so many ruins from sugar cane factories to see all over the island so we went to see several of those, including Annaberg. It's a short walk but there's so much to see and some really great views! We could even see a great view of the British Virgin Islands from the area where the girls were standing in the picture below. We also explored some of the other trails around this area.

We also did a boat charter for Josh's birthday during our trip. We booked our charter through Voodoo and chose the Laid Back Lime Out excursion. This charter was on a catamaran boat that offered an open bar, fruit platter, snorkeling stops (plus equipment), and a stop at Lime Out for a late lunch of the most delicious tacos. There were about 30 people on this charter with us our girls were only two or three children. While we loved this charter and totally think it's family friendly, I don't think I would chose it again with children. I think there are probably other charters that are more family focused that the kids would have enjoyed even more than this one. I say all of that but really, it was an incredible excursion that I'm really glad we got to experience it. We even got to see Kenny Chesney's St. John property from the boat, which was incredibly impressive!

And, that's it! It's really hard to put 10 days into 3 blog posts because there's so much more I could say and share. But, to close out, I'll answer the two most asked questions about this trip. The first one was would I go back again... and the answer is 100% YES! I absolutely fell in love with this island. The water, the mountains, the animals. All of it. It's just a magical place! I sincerely hope to go back sometime in the future. And the second most asked question, do I like Puerto Rico or St. John better... and that question is much harder to answer. Puerto Rico is special to me because I fell in love with the culture and the beauty of the island. Puerto Rico is also important to my husband because of his family connection there. If you are looking for a cultural experience and honestly, a more affordable place to vacation, I would recommend Puerto Rico. Josh and I talk about moving there one day because we love it so much! I love both places for different reasons but the shared reason would be they are both incredibly beautiful and have so much to offer. We are hoping to keep exploring next summer by taking our first visit to Europe. And yes, we will be taking our girls because they love to explore too! Keep on adventuring, y'all. There's so much beautiful world to see!