Trip Reports Archives – Page 28 of 31

Green Iguana Conservation Project

May 16th, 2018admin0 Comments

After coming back across the Mopan River on the hand-cranked ferry from Xunantunich, we stopped for lunch at Benny’s Kitchen. Serving traditional Belizean cuisine (as well as basic kid-favorites like burgers and hot dogs), the open-air dining restaurant recommended by our guide Roque did not disappoint. I had a good chicken and rice dish but my husband made the even better choice and tried the pibil, which is a slow roasted pork dish. It was amazing. We enjoyed our meals and the boys enjoyed drinking from the tallest Sprite bottle I’ve ever seen and using our Belizean change to get …

Xunantunich

May 7th, 2018admin0 Comments

After a good night’s sleep (despite the howler monkeys’ 4am wakeup call), we were ready for our first full day of adventure in Belize. Breakfast was our first order of business, specifically getting pancakes for JB. We had failed in our attempt to get pancakes at three different restaurants in the airport and I had promised him that Black Rock Lodge had them on the menu. They did and they ended up being worth the wait. During breakfast, we got the awesome news that Roque would be our guide again today. Pancakes and Roque – this day was off to …

Arrival and the Belize Zoo

April 30th, 2018admin0 Comments

We arrived at Belize’s Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport around 1:30 pm local time. It was a new experience for the boys to exit an airplane directly onto the runway and they were excited to walk down the steps from the big plane. We immediately felt the heat his us when we stepped off of the plane, but it was actually a bit of a relief as we had all been shivering through two different plane rides and the Houston Airport, all of which were unusually cold. We took our customs and immigration forms and our passports and joined the …

Cedar Lake Tree Farm

December 6th, 2017admin0 Comments

Much to the chagrin of my husband, we have gone to the same Christmas tree lot in Charlotte for as long as we have lived here. He wants nothing more than to go to the little lot at the church across the street from us, but I prefer a large lot with a huge selection and some additional holiday decorations and festivities. And I like the tradition of going to the same place every year. I have pictures of the boys sitting on the same sleigh in the same lot for the last 7 years and it’s fun to see …

Chinese Lantern Festival at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens

October 22nd, 2017admin0 Comments

Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens is one of our favorite places. Located in Belmont, NC, the gardens are about 20 miles and 40 minutes from Charlotte. Although they claim to be easily accessible from either I-85 or I-77, the reality is that it is pretty far off both highways. But don’t let that stop you. It is well worth the trip. We have visited the gardens probably a dozen times over the years for everything from class field trips to seeing the Christmas lights to just enjoying a beautiful spring day wandering the grounds. When they announced a new event this …

Lake Lure

September 8th, 2017admin0 Comments

Lake Lure is a man-made lake located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Its beautiful scenery is well-known in Hollywood and dozens of movies have been filmed here, including scenes from The Last of the Mohicans, Forrest Gump, and Dirty Dancing. There is tons to do in the area, from swimming in the lake to hiking to the top of Chimney Rock. It’s a great getaway weekend from Charlotte. This was our second trip to Lake Lure and both times we have rented a house with a group of friends in Rumbling Bald Resort. The …

Sky Top Orchard

August 28th, 2017admin0 Comments

Charlotte is ideally situated for day or weekend trips to the mountains. Drive about two hours west and you’ll find yourself at higher altitudes, cooler temperatures, and more mountainous terrain. One of our favorite fall activities is to head into the mountains to pick apples. For years we went to Apple Hill Orchard in Morganton, mostly because it was the closest. The kids always had fun there and the apples were good, but with so many other choices nearby, we decided it was time to explore somewhere new. With the kids a little older, we were ready to check out …

Jenkinson’s Boardwalk

August 26th, 2017admin0 Comments

For a taste of real Jersey Shore family fun, we visited Jenkinson’s Boardwalk in Point Pleasant, NJ. Jenkinson’s has everything from your typical boardwalk arcade games to an aquarium, as well as unbeatable people watching. The boardwalk is roughly a mile long, with the ocean on one side and all the games, rides, and cotton candy you could ever want on the other. We came down in the evening and ate dinner on the outside patio of Jenkinson’s Pavillion Restaurant. The food was fine – typical boardwalk fare of burgers, pizza, and cheesesteaks. It was super windy but really pretty …

Sandy Hook, NJ

August 25th, 2017admin0 Comments

Sandy Hook is a barrier peninsula in central NJ with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Shrewsbury River to the west. Discovered by Henry Hudson, it is now a National Park comprised of beaches, a lighthouse, a fort, and an active US Coast Guard station. On a clear day it boasts views of the Manhattan skyline. The majority of visitors come to Sandy Hook for the beaches and recreation. It’s convenient to many parts of Central New Jersey and an easy ride across the NY Harbor for Manhattanites. There are multiple public beaches (including a clothing-optional beach) and …

Riomaggiore

May 26th, 2017admin0 Comments

While eating lunch in Manarola, we briefly considered whether we should complete our hike there or continue on to Riomaggiore. We knew the easy path (Via dell’Amore) was closed and after a long and strenuous hike, thoughts of food, drink and relaxation briefly outweighed the idea of another steep hike. While the last segment was one of the shortest hikes distance-wise, it was reputed to be one of the most challenging. But we had come all this way to see all five towns and it seemed silly to stop now. Taking the train was technically an option but seemed like …