Trip Reports Archives – Page 13 of 27

Appalachian Ski Mountain

January 11th, 2021admin0 Comments

Living in the south, we are not in a Mecca of ski resorts. I grew up skiing in Vermont every winter and in my 20s stepped it up to skiing out west in Utah and Colorado. Neither of those options are quick or easy (or cheap!) from NC so we have to settle for the local ski “hills” when we want to take the kids skiing. Last year we travelled a bit further to spend a weekend in Winterplace, WV, where we both skied and snow tubed. This year we are staying more local, with a day trip to Appalachian …

Whitewater Center Lights

December 23rd, 2020admin0 Comments

We are frequent visitors to the Whitewater Center but had never seen their winter lights display before. Our normal holiday lights tradition is to go to Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. We had read that the Holidays at the Garden was going to be smaller this year and many of their usual displays and activities were not going to be offered so we decided to forgo the drive to Belmont and try something new this year. The Whitewater Center charges a parking fee ($6) and activity fees if you want to go rafting, zip lining, etc. But the trails and grounds …

Holts Landing State Park

November 29th, 2020admin0 Comments

Located on just over 200 acres of former farmland, Holts Landing State Park in Delaware offers beautiful views of the Indian River Bay. The park offers plenty of recreational opportunities, including crabbing, fishing, boating, kayaking, hiking and camping. After a wonderful Thanksgiving at my in-laws, it was the perfect place to walk off the meal and get some fresh air. Holts Landing State Park has two main hiking trails, each just over a mile long. The Sea Hawk Trail (1.3 miles) is a loop trail that starts in the main parking area and has a boardwalk that crosses the marsh …

Richmond Walking Highlights

November 18th, 2020admin0 Comments

Before heading home from Richmond after my husband’s marathon, we did a brief walking tour of the city. We walked from our hotel to grab some breakfast and then headed down to the riverfront and across the bridge to Brown’s Island. I ran 7 marathons in my younger days and don’t remember ever touring a city the day after, so kudos to my husband for being up for a walking adventure. One of the biggest surprises for us on our walk was the discovery of some amazing street art. As we headed towards the canal, we stumbled upon a large …

Maymont

November 17th, 2020admin0 Comments

We started our Maymont outing at The Robins Nature Center. After learning about the ecosystem of the James River, we headed out the back door of the nature center to explore the 100-acre grounds of the historic estate. The Maymont Mansion is the centerpiece of the park. Built in the 1890s, the house was turned into a museum after 32 years of occupancy by the original owners. A well-preserved example of the Gilded Age, the estate is a step back in history to a time when millionaires’ homes had a level of opulence that was simply breathtaking and almost unbelievable. …

The Robins Nature Center

November 16th, 2020admin0 Comments

When we recently headed to Richmond VA to cheer on my husband in his first marathon, I knew the boys and I would need an activity for after the race while my husband rested back at the hotel. I researched a lot of outdoor activities that would be ok for a fall visit and settled on Maymont, an historic estate whose 100-acre grounds include a public park and gardens, wildlife habitats, and a nature center. The only indoor activity at Maymont that is open during the pandemic is the Robins Nature Center. While I was somewhat leery of doing anything …

Otter Falls

November 3rd, 2020admin0 Comments

We took an early November trip into the mountains to check out the Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster. We had a great – but short – time there. In order to make the trip worthwhile and to get a real taste of fall in the mountains, I wanted to do a hike as well. My criteria were simple – I was looking for a relatively short hike close to Banner Elk with a waterfall at the end. There were a few popular options but I settled on the little-known Otter Falls in Seven Devils, NC. Otter Falls is located on Skyland …

Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster

November 2nd, 2020admin0 Comments

Our beach trip to Ocean Isle Beach in early October was exactly the get away that we needed. But fall is my favorite season for local and mountain activities – corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and hikes while the leaves are changing are some of my favorite things. So a weekend at the beach left us with one less weekend for fall fun. And when what was probably the last week to see the leaves change in the mountains turned out to be a total washout, I almost gave up on my fall mountain dreams this year. But old habits die …

McDowell Nature Preserve

October 18th, 2020admin0 Comments

We’ve spent a lot of 2020 in the great outdoors and visiting more Charlotte area parks. When my youngest son and I found ourselves flying solo on a recent Saturday, we decided to check out another of Mecklenburg County’s parks. About 5 years ago, we had visited McDowell Nature Preserve for their Nature at Night program, which is a cool nighttime festival where you get to learn all about the critters that lurk about after the sun goes down, but we had yet to explore there during the day. With its beautiful lakeside location, we thought it would be a …

Ocean Isle Beach

October 17th, 2020admin0 Comments

Lockdown 2020 has been tough on everyone. We’ve been trying to get out of the house more, exploring local parks and hikes. But sometimes you need more than a few hours away from the house. Hoping to stay ahead of cabin fever (and still away from covid), we wanted to take a long weekend at the beach in early fall when the boys had a few days off from school. Our requirements were pretty minimal – we wanted a house with a private heated pool within walking distance of the beach. Literally any beach. Just to go someplace different, we …