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Author: Sally

Exploring Five State Parks in the Florida Panhandle

Exploring Five State Parks in the Florida Panhandle

November 2020 Making our way south, we spent a night near the Florida border at Walkabout Campground in Woodbine, Georgia. I’m pretty sure that Walkabout is the only Aussie-themed campground east of the Mississippi. Turns out that the owners actually moved from Australia in 2011, so the theme is genuine. Their friendly attitude and sparkling clean facilities were welcome indeed after a long day of driving. After our one night stopover, we drove on and entered the Sunshine State. Staying…

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Murrells Inlet, SC

Murrells Inlet, SC

Early November 2020 Much of this area on South Carolina’s coast was land owned by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. Archer Huntington was the son of railroad magnate and industrialist Collis P. Huntington. The family’s vast wealth provided Archer with opportunities for education, travel, and philanthropy. When Anna and Archer met and married (he was in his fifties and she in her late forties), both were very accomplished. Anna was already a groundbreaking sculptor of significant means; this at a…

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Vermont – Early Autumn

Vermont – Early Autumn

October 2020 When we scheduled this quick trip through Vermont, we weren’t thinking about fall foliage. We planned to reconnect with dear friends now living in Burlington, and then continue south. It was a serendipity that we found ourselves viewing one of the best foliage seasons in recent memory. The weather was unseasonably warm, too – the icing on this unexpected cake. Grand Isle, VT We crossed into Vermont via the ferry from Plattsburgh, NY to Grand Isle, VT. Grand…

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Finger Lakes, NY

Finger Lakes, NY

Late September 2020 When you say you’re going to New York, everyone’s first impression is that you’re talking about New York City. Granted, NYC is fabulous, but New York State, especially northern New York, holds natural wonders and some very decent wineries and breweries – if you know your way around. The Finger Lakes We have been going to the Finger Lakes area for years, but we used to go the B and B route. This was our first time…

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Michigan

Michigan

Late-August to Labor Day 2020 With only ten days for our Michigan adventure, we carved out a loop that took us up the eastern side of the Lower Peninsula into the Upper Peninsula, and then back down part of the western side of the Lower Peninsula. We planned to at least dip a toe into each of the five Great Lakes. The map of Michigan looks like a left hand mitten, with the thumb off to the right. In the…

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Newbury, Ohio

Newbury, Ohio

Punderson State Park 8/24/2020 This was a quick, one-night stop on our way to Michigan, but we would gladly have stayed longer. We met a new friend, a special lady who invited us to visit her in Corpus Christi this winter as we start our trek west. We had a great campsite along the water’s edge and a nice dinner in the old-timey Punderson Lodge across the lake. The lodge is rumored to be haunted, but further exploration of that…

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Southwestern PA: Laurel Highlands

Southwestern PA: Laurel Highlands

August 2020 Kentuck Knob We began our trek to Michigan with a short stay in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania. On previous trips, we toured Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and the Flight 93 Memorial. This time, on a friend’s suggestion, we decided to visit Kentuck Knob, another of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural standouts. The Hagans were friends of the Kaufmanns and greatly impressed by Fallingwater. They approached Wright about this project in the early 1950s. Wright, who was 86 at…

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Virginia’s Northern Neck

Virginia’s Northern Neck

Belle Isle State Park, Lancaster VAJuly 2020 On July 9th, we celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary at Belle Isle State Park on the Rappahannock River. We arrived, set up camp, and then ventured out to find a restaurant with a water view and fresh, local seafood. We found the Horn Harbor Restaurant in Burgess, VA. The restaurant has a small marina, so guests can also arrive by boat. We sat outside, in the shade near the dock area, and enjoyed…

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Summersville Lake, WV

Summersville Lake, WV

Battle Run Campground, COEJune 28 -30 We felt fortunate to land a campsite at Battle Run Campground, one of the Corps of Engineer managed parks on Summersville Lake. Campsites near water often sell out, so to nab a lakeside spot on short notice was lucky. Our campsite was on a finger of land stretching into the lake, so we had a water view to the left and right. Summersville is east of Charleston, WV, and halfway between Beckley and Sutton….

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New River Gorge, WV

New River Gorge, WV

Babcock State Park, Clifftop, WVJune 26-28 This small state park campground is an oldie. Originally a CCC camp – Camp Lee – remnants of hefty stonework and projects from the camp peek out here and there alongside more recent construction. It’s a popular place, so our reservations barely snagged us one of the last available spots. Sadly, I have to say this wasn’t one of our favorite campgrounds. It’s funny how that works sometimes. On another day, with a different…

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