To celebrate my husband retiring last summer, we decided to go on an extended trip. It started by visiting my mom in Destin, Florida for Christmas. After ten days with her we moved to a beach condo not far from her.
We spent the next two weeks visiting mom, seeing old military friends and neighbors, making new friends, walking the beach, watching sunrises and sunsets, and enjoying life. A mimosa or two may have been consumed. Then we started visiting places we’d never been.
First up was Amelia Island, Florida which is just north of Jacksonville. It was beautiful. Author Maya Corrigan told us about a park to visit and we saw some amazing birds. We spent most of our days there walking the beach or sitting and watching the ocean. Friends of ours from Virginia were in the area so we saw them one day. I decided that watching pelicans should be a sport. They are fascinating whether they’re gliding over the waves or diving into the water.
We spent a couple of nights in Savannah, Georgia, did the hop on hop off tour, and walked around the city. Blogger Kristopher Zgorski told us to eat at The Olde Pink House and it was fantastic.
We then headed to North Myrtle Beach wending our way on back roads. We had more lovely, long stretches of beach to walk on, shells to pick up, and sunsets to watch.
Our next stop was the Outer Banks – another place we’d always heard of but never been. If any of you are military check out the Armed Forces Vacation Club – for active duty and veterans. We got an incredible deal on a place near the beach. It’s old and there are a lot of steps but it’s quiet and spacious. We also have Virginia friends here Ruth and Mark Bergin.
They took us to look for the famous wild horses in their Jeep. It was an amazing adventure! The drive on the long stretch of deserted beach was so fun. Then we turned into the neighborhoods and started looking for horses. There was a lot of poop talk. It turns out one way to find the horses is to look for fresh horse poop! I’m not sure that the poop led us to the horses, but we did see some. It was such a fun day.
One of these days we will head home—we have to because we have company arriving soon. But what a lovely time away it’s been for us.
Readers: Do you love a back road or would you rather get to where you are going? Or maybe like for me it depends on the trip.
Thanks for sharing your trip with us. I do like the back road adventures but eventually it does depend on where I’m going.
You are welcome! It’s been fun.
I love back roads, Sherry, and the trip you’ve been making.
When I was in Puerto Rico with both my sons three years ago (directly before pandemic lockdown), I learned the term “chinchorreando” – which loosely means drive without a hurry or a destination. If you happen to pop into a couple of little bars on the way, that’s just part of the experience! We were treated to the sun setting on the Caribbean that way.
I love that word and haven’t ever heard it before. The sun set must have been beautiful.
While I appreciate that there are those who love to just aimlessly wander, I am not one of those people.
I want to get where I’m going and I don’t leave the house without a destination goal.
I’ve always loved wandering but also think maybe now it’s having the time to do it. There were a lot of years of point a to point b.
I love the Outer Banks. We stayed in Rodanthe after watching the movie Nights in Rodanthe. Love Richard Gere!! We even walked the beach at night to see the ghost crabs. Would love to go back some time.
We haven’t made it to that beach! We will have to come back.
Sounds like a lovely trip, Sherry. What fabulous pictures.
Sometimes I’m okay with a back road and other times I just want to get the trip over with.
I agree!
What an amazing travelogue, Sherry! For me, it depends on the trip, but I lean more toward wanting to get to my destination faster rather than slower. Safe remaining travels!
Thanks, Jay!
Fabulous photos of what sounds like a great trip. Back roads. I take highways when I have to but love back roads. I think Route 95 is what drives me to take back roads instead and they are sometimes hard to get to!
95 is awful!
As a child as an Army brat, on vacations it was a straight line from point A to point B. As an adult, for a long time it was the same purely because of expense and limitations on time. Like you, after retiring, we went on long adventures that would have looked anything but a straight line. Our first one was across and up to the state of Maine where we went up the entire coastline before exploring the interior of the state. Then we wound through the New England states plus checking out Boldt Castle, Letchworth State Park and Niagara Falls. Next was headed to Shipshewana, IN to explore some Amish communities. Lastly we went by a visited old friends in IL before heading home. We were gone 34 days. Folks asked us why 34 days. My answer was that at that time with holidays and weekends, that was as long as the USPS would hold our mail.
We did several travel trips until Covid hit. We are hoping to resume our traveling this fall with a trip we have planned to N.C. and all we can see on our travels there and back. The side trips are where you find some amazing places and have lots of fun.
May parents keep putting off their dream trips until it was physically feasible for them to take them.
I remember them saying often “wish we had”. My desire for us is to travel as long as medical issues will allow so we can sit on the front porch and say “WOW – wasn’t it an amazing ride!” And I hope to never travel in a straight line again.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Your trip to New England sounds fantastic!
If you get up to VA Beach, let me know. Mark and I will buy you guys a drink!
We were so close today! I know we will be back down that way again and I’ll take you up on that offer!
Hi Sherry!
Congratulations on your husband’s retirement! You look like you had a amazing time! So happy for you both!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful pictures and adventure with us.
I’m glad you enjoyed them!
What a wonderful trip, Sherry! Congrats to hubby on retirement. I’ve traveled a great deal around the country. Depending on what I’m doing, I either want to hurry up and get there, or want to wander as much as I can. I once did a 3 week trip across the country wandering all the way. I saw so many fascinating things. I would look for signs telling of things to see and do, and I would stop and see and do them! Only agenda was to get to the other side of the country by a certain date. It was fabulous. I’m ready to do it again, but life has gotten in the way. I still have hope, tho’.
Oh, that sounds like a fantastic trip. I’d love to do that too!
I’m a writer! Rabbit holes and back roads are always the way to go. You never know what you may find in either.
Sounds like a fabulous trip.
That is an excellent way to look at it!
Jealous! I’m ready for a long trip like that.
Generally, I’m a get where I need to go person because I’ve got so much else going on. But if I had the time to do something like this, I would love to take the back roads and explore a bit more.
I think this is the first time we ever wandered this much!
It sounds wonderful, Sherry. I’ve been enjoying your photos of it on FB.
Thanks, Korina! We were lucky to be able to do this!
I love this story Sherry. Making it up as you go along…the best way to travel! I just hope the company behaves.
I hope the company doesn’t behave too well! We can’t wait to see you!
What an amazing adventure. I’m jealous. I like the term gunkholing, which is a boating term for staying close to shore, meandering from place to place and spending the night in coves. My mother used to use the word for the kind of trip you’re describing where you go where you want and stop when you want.
I love that word and have never heard it before! The only downside was not seeing you and Bill!
Your trip looked wonderful! We tend to have one destination place for part of the day or week, then wander into interesting places along the way. My parents gave me the wander bug and my life has been richer for it. 🙂
My parents did the same. We took some fabulous road trip when I was a kid.
Sounds like a wonderful trip. In the end it depends on the trip and circumstances.
I love this story. I tried horseback riding years ago. The horse was stubborn and I lost interest. I was a kid, what did I know. Also, I love the the sunsets and sunrises. Thanks for the story and pictures.