As we travel around the country, we try to visit with friends and family whenever and wherever we can reasonably do so and still stay on track to finish out our travels in just over a year.  Because Matt’s immediate family moved to Kansas City years ago, it has been quite some time since he has had the chance to visit with his extended family and long-time friends back in his home state of Alabama.  We took advantage of our proximity to this area to do just that. 

Visiting Friends and Family

When it comes to visiting with friends and family, I am terrible about remembering to take pictures. 😳 I get so caught up in the moment that it completely slips my mind and before I know it, I have said my goodbyes.  Afterward, I always want to kick myself, yet I’m thankful that my priority is still spending time with these dear people rather than capturing blog footage. 😛 As such, I only have one photo from all of our visiting.

Much of Matt’s extended family still lives in the Birmingham area, so we met with his aunts Phyllis and Sharon and his uncle Wayne for a late lunch/early dinner at the Cajun Seafood House in Vestavia Hills.  We had the place to ourselves, which fostered a leisurely meal, catching up on each other’s lives and enjoying time spent with one another.  As we all get older, we find it is important to cherish these moments we have together because you never know what the future may hold for any one of us.  We were so thankful this visit worked out and we could see each other again. 💗

Before we headed back to Lake Guntersville, we stopped by Matt’s longtime friends Heath and Misha’s house in Springville, and see their boys Brooks and Bryant who are nearly full grown now! 😲 Plus, we played with their extended doggy family, including the wise, old Winston, ripped Jack Jack, and little Minnie, all either full or part Boston terriers.  They are a funny bunch and kept us entertained as we talked for hours.  We also made plans with Heath and Misha to meet up later in the week at our campground before we left Alabama. 

On our final trip down to Birmingham, we met with another longtime friend of Matt’s named Michael, his wife Tiffany and their daughter Natalie in a downtown establishment called the Paramount Bar.  The arcade was popular with their daughter Natalie, and I was impressed with their big Greek salad. It is probably the best Greek salad I have ever had, no joke! The chickpeas were crunchy, the chicken perfectly cooked, not too much feta or olives, and none of the pieces were so gigantic you couldn’t eat them in one bite.  👍👍

After grabbing coffee nearby at Filter, we went back to Vestavia Hills to visit with Matt’s cousin Jeff and his wife Suzanne.  It turns out they had just sold their house and were excited to start a new chapter in their life with their kids now in college.  We had such a fun time talking about each other’s adventures that the hours slipped by quickly!  It was getting late, so we needed to drop by Matt’s aunt Phyllis’s house in Gardendale.  

Phyllis lives next door to Matt’s parent’s previous house before they moved to Kansas City, so we wanted to see what changes had been made before it was too dark. In addition to seeing Phyllis again, we were delighted to also see Matt’s cousin Kelly and her husband Barry, Phyllis’s daughter and son-in-law.  Matt had not seen them for over a decade, so it was fun to catch up and trade stories of travels and family history.  It was a great close to our time visiting near Birmingham and we were so grateful to have the opportunity to do so. 😊

By this time it was 8pm and we were famished, so we headed to the nearby Baja California Cantina and Grill before driving back to Lake Guntersville.  This unassuming establishment is located in a strip mall and was brimming with people and had an air of excitement when we walked in.  They have an extensive menu, but their garlic shrimp caught my eye, as it’s one of my favorite shrimp preparations.  The service was fast and the food was fabulous and flavorful. 😋 If you are passing through on Interstates 459 or 65 and need to make a pit stop for food, swing by here!  You won’t regret it.  With full bellies, we headed back to our humble abode.

Lake Guntersville State Park

We opted to stay at Lake Guntersville State Park, south of Huntsville, Alabama so we could balance our desire for outdoor exploration and visiting with folks near Birmingham.  This state park has a large campground, over 26 miles of trails, lake access for fishing, boating and swimming, a lodge atop Taylor Mountain, a golf course and more.  

The campground survived a tornado 10 years prior, and while we were there we also had a tornado watch. 😬 Thankfully, we lucked out because the campground was spared in a tiny pocket within a wall of storms that passed through, and we did not suffer any major storm activity.  That being said, the campground has some rougher roads and a lot of the trees are gone from the previous tornado damage.  We enjoyed our stay here overall, but the laundry facilities are barely functioning with most of the machines out of order or rusted out, so we didn’t dare use them.

We hiked on several trails, including Seal’s Trail, Lake Guntersville Lodge Trail, and part of Lake Guntersville Cave Trail.  For a little elevation gain and some great lake views, Seal’s Trail takes you along the northern side of the state park and connects with several other trails if you want to extend your hike and make a big loop.  For a heart pumping route in a short distance, check out the lodge trail, which you can also access right from the campground.  The views at the lodge are incredible, and during the weekends you can also enjoy lunch or dinner as a reward for your efforts.  The Lake Guntersville cave can be accessed near the main road leading to the campground, but there are also trails that take you south, so we did that portion.  As we circled back to the truck on a fire road, we also discovered an old cemetery on the state grounds.   

Finally, Heath and Misha came to visit with us and enjoy some grilling and chilling on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon.  We had visited with them earlier in our stay and enjoyed catching up some more as it had been years since we last saw them both.  It was such a wonderful way to end our time in Alabama. 🥰

Guntersville and Surrounding Area

With a population of under 8500 people, the small town of Guntersville is 10 miles from the state park campground, so we headed there to run errands and grab lunch at the Rock House Eatery.  I ate their (fried green) tomato melt and Matt had their pimento cheese BLT.  My sandwich was tasty, with a decent amount of crunch from the apples and lettuce.  Although Matt loves pimento cheese, his sandwich had a lot of it, so it was too salty for his liking. 

We also drove through town on our way to the nearby Lost Sink Falls Trail in the Keel Mountain Preserve, about 20 minutes southeast of Huntsville.  The skies decided to open up and dump rain upon our arrival.  As we ascended toward the falls, the rocks were very slick, so be aware and tread carefully if you choose to do this hike.  Spring flowers abounded all along the trail, including yellow buttonweed, blue and purple violets, and bright pink vervain.  

There are also sinkholes throughout this part of the state, so I don’t recommend going off trail too much, but the falls were beautiful and the area is a great place to stop for lunch.  We continued onward for another mile to another creek access and stopped for lunch there instead before heading back down.  Thankfully, the sun came out and dried the slick rocks, so we had a less precarious descent.

Though we may not have a slew of pictures to share from this leg of our trip, we do have many happy memories shared with loved ones to cherish as we continue north for the next three months.  These times spent with friends and family keep us going as we continue on our search for a new place to call home.  Hopefully, when we find this place, we can then host these same lovely people and enjoy more visits in the years to come. 💞

I have to be honest and tell you that I have not been motivated to write about our experiences in Tennessee.  Between the weather, the crowds and simply have a moment of weariness in our 9 months of travels, we weren’t as excited to get out and about.  Unlike taking the option to veg out at home back in Portland, vegging in the trailer is only tolerable for about a day before we both go stir crazy and are forced to get out.  However, with high winds, much colder temperatures and nearby wildfires causing air quality issues, getting outside wasn’t a great option either.  Despite the hiccups, we had some fun moments while visiting, but if my post doesn’t seem as enthusiastic as usual, please refer to the aforementioned reasons. 🙃

The area just northwest of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is comprised of three main cities couched next to one another: Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville.  Together we would akin them to one massive amusement park.  We went during the off season, and yet the crowds of people were already overwhelming.  The area is home to the Dollywood amusement park, but also gondolas, arcades, mini golf, go carts, mountain (roller) coasters, and more.  Couple this with the crowds headed to the national park, and you have yourself a whole mess of people.  

For a family with kids this may be a veritable paradise, but it wasn’t really our speed.  The advertisements paint this picture of Gatlinburg as a peaceful paradise near the mountains, but it is anything but that, so be wary of this false advertising.  However, in nearby Townsend and Wears Valley, you can access the Great Smoky Mountains National Park without the frenzied experience and large crowds of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, so there are some options depending on the type of vacation you are seeking.  Sadly, the Wears Valley area suffered wildfires during our stay, so it may take some time for the area to fully recover.  😞

Gatlinburg

One of the first hikes we did was Rainbow Falls, just north of Gatlinburg.  It is not a long hike, but it does have a decent amount of elevation gain.  Even with several parking lots the parking can fill up fast, so be aware that this is a crowded trail and you may need to get an earlier start.  We did enjoy the many waterfalls along the hike, and the trail is in good condition, culminating at an 80-foot waterfall.  As an option, the trail does continues, so we went another mile or so to another set of falls higher up to eat our lunch and enjoy a spot of sun since it was still rather cold in the shade.

Afterward, we headed toward the madness in Gatlinburg and parked at a public lot on the northern outskirts.  Parking cost a whopping $20 for the day, so we decided to try and make it worth our while and explore for a bit.  We started at the Gatlinburg Brewing Company with a post-hike beer.  Our seat was right next to the road below, so we had a good view for people watching, the staff was really welcoming, and the beer was great. 🍻 

With the sun shining, we were in good spirits, so opted to brave the crowds and head back into the center of town.  We didn’t get far before we ran into large lines waiting for gondolas and sidewalks filled to the brim with people, so we turned around and headed toward Ole Red to catch an afternoon country music performance.  That particular day we heard Cody Webb play and had a fun time listening to his music and observing the audience. 🤠

Pigeon Forge

Right next to Gatlinburg is Pigeon Forge, an extension of the amusement park feel, but with some structures that look like they are part of a movie set.  Examples include a Titanic ship, an Empire State building with King Kong, a sideways building and an upside down building.  We took the “back way” on Highway 449 (aka Veterans Hwy), along which you can find Dollywood and the mountain coaster we visited, called Rocky Top Mountain Coaster, which is one of the largest of its kind in the area.  These are individual coasters that you partially control.  You are ratcheted up to four different coaster downhills, at which point you can use the brakes to meter your speed.  In between, the coaster is recharged and you go on the next downhill.  Matt and I were a bit underwhelmed, but I say it’s worth trying at least once if you like roller coasters.  

We also went to the The Old Mill Pottery House Cafe and had some delicious salads for lunch.  Highlights of the cafe are their house-made baked goods, including bread, pies and cakes, and their lovely outside patio area.  After lunch, we took a walk down the Pigeon Forge Riverwalk Trail, a paved 2.7 mile out and back.  Despite the main drag with go carts, amusement rides, mini golf and arcades being just across the river, it was actually rather peaceful, and we saw a variety of ducks, geese, muskrats and plenty of wildflowers in bloom.

Next, we went to the main drag (The Parkway/Hwy 441) to play at the Fantasy Mini Golf.  We picked this place because it didn’t seem as busy as some of the others.  It wasn’t as interactive as the mini golf course we went to in Destin, but it was a fine way to be outdoors enjoying the sun since we couldn’t head into the Smoky Mountains due to road closures from the high winds and wildfires.  Once we finished our 18 holes, Matt wanted to get some ice cream, so we headed back to the Old Mill creamery.  Matt was not impressed, but for some classic flavors on a hot day, this place would do just fine. 🍦

Sevierville

If you keep continuing from Pigeon Forge toward Knoxville, you pass through Sevierville, which is where we stayed at the Sun Outdoors RV park.  It is called the Sun Outdoors Pigeon Forge, but it is technically in Sevierville between the main road and the West Prong Little Pigeon River.  It’s a larger RV Park, but thankfully for us wasn’t that packed most of the time we were there.  There are “comfort stations” with showers, restrooms and laundry and the park is in the process of constructing a new one.  Close to the entrance is a play area, including a large jumping pillow and other play equipment, basketball and pool areas.  Additionally, they have a billiards and arcade room and a dog run.  Even closer to the entrance are a conference center and RV wash, and next to the office is a fitness center, which is used nearly every day.  

The amenities were really nice, and the park was well maintained, but the traffic noise was hard to escape.  Further, when the crowds came in on the weekends, the WiFi became practically unusable with the higher density of people.  If you are looking for somewhere to take your kids and enjoy the amenities and convenient location, this is a great place.  If you are looking for something more peaceful, I would consider something a little farther away from Hwy 441.

There is a cute little downtown area, where we enjoyed lunch at Graze Burgers and later on had dinner at The Appalachian.  At Graze, I had a salmon burger and Matt had a chicken sandwich, both of which were cooked perfectly. 😋 If you’re looking for a soothing atmosphere and a creative take on regional farm to table cuisine, The Appalachian is a great option.  We tried their butterbean hummus appetizer, and for our main dishes I had the rainbow trout and Matt had their chicken and gnocchi.  The hummus and veggies were refreshing, my main melded some great fresh ingredient and wasn’t too filling, and Matt’s reminded him of a southern classic: chicken and dumplings.  For dessert we tried their goat cheese cheesecake, and though delicious, we were stuffed! 😵

This area isn’t as crowded with tourists, but there are a lot of the big box stores, so it still has quite a bit of traffic.  However, there is a lovely riverwalk called the West Prong Greenway that runs along both sides of the West Prong Little Pigeon River, totaling about 2 miles round trip.  We went here after eating at The Appalachian to walk off our meal.  Looking eastward you have a stunning view of the Smoky Mountains, there is a gazebo and picnic tables on the northern side of the river, a platform next to the Parkway Bridge with more picnic tables on the southern side, and plenty of benches to sit on and take in the views on both sides. 

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

We would have loved to explore the trails here much more than we did; however, mother nature had other plans.  There were a lot of high winds causing downed trees and power lines, making it dangerous to travel to the mountains.  Furthermore, the wildfires led to more road closures, pushing people into a smaller area.  Given the dry conditions and not wanting to exacerbate the situation for the fire fighters and rescue crews, we stayed away and decided to come back later on in our journeys when we could approach from the south near Asheville, North Carolina. 

All that being said, we did get one more day to check out a few hikes. 😊 Starting near Wears Valley, we stopped at Spruce Flats Falls Trail, a 1.8 mile out and back trail.  This hike is short and steep, but the views along the way are beautiful and the falls are a serene place to enjoy a snack or lunch on a warm day.  Since the area had freezing overnight temperatures, it was still pretty chilly, so we headed back down and went on our merry way.  We liked that this wasn’t as busy as some of the other trails.

After a quick stop at the visitor center to eat lunch, we drove up to the Alum Cave Trail, a 4.4 mile round trip with 1125 feet of elevation gain.  This is a popular trail, but we found parking along the road without issues.  It was still cold, as exemplified by all of these ribbons of ice that had slowly expanded and pressed out of the soil along the trail.  I have never seen anything quite like it and thought they were fascinating.  A little over a mile in is Arch Rock, a natural land bridge underneath which is a staircase that you can take to continue the hike.  It is a neat feature, but we pressed on to see the caves.  You eventually reach exposed, sunny spots along the trail with expansive views of the surrounding mountains, which were gorgeous. 

As we approached the final ascent we noticed dozens of icicles on the rock outcroppings above us.  This was neat to see at first, but then the wind started to knock them off and they shattered on the steps below, making them a little dangerous to passersby. 😲 We hurried up the steps and ducked in under the rocks to take a beat.  I wouldn’t call this a true cave…it’s more of a hollowed out area underneath a rock outcrop, but it is a large area to soak in the views, sun rays, and breath the fresh mountain air.  We didn’t stay long since it was still so cold and it was only going to get colder at this point in the day, so we made our way back to the car and back to our trailer.  I recommend both of these as shorter hiking options.

Knoxville

We were fortunate to enjoy a few nice days in Knoxville.  I met with a department head at the University of Tennessee, which has a beautiful campus.  It was an elucidating meeting, and afterward we parked downtown and walked to Old Town for lunch at OliBea.  Matt had their carnitas tostada and I had their vegetarian farm burrito, both of which were fabulous.  They really know how to create some great flavors and textures, so I highly recommend them for brunch. 👍 Please note that the most up-to-date menu is on Facebook.  Unfortunately, the company that designed their web site went out of business and they have not been able to take down the old menu. 😕 

Knoxville also has some great greenways, so we moseyed down to the riverfront to walk off lunch and enjoy the views since it was the nicest day during our stay.  Along the way, we heard and later saw two groundhogs on the hillside above us fighting and a nearby hawk eyeing them as potential dinner, swooping toward them on the attack.  It was quite the scene!  

We returned later that week for a snack run at Trader Joe’s, and then headed back to Old Town for dinner at Kaizen, an asian fusion restaurant.  This little gem was outstanding. 😍 In addition to a couple of tasty cocktails, we couldn’t resist trying some of their steamed buns, and they did not disappoint.  Matt had their shrimp fried rice, which was perfectly cooked, and I had their drunken lamb noodles.  My dish was not nearly as spicy as they proclaimed, and I savored the texture and umami flavor. 

After a couple of satisfying meals, we walked down the block to the Boyd’s Jig and Reel Scottish bar to enjoy some live music.  That night the Brockefellers were playing, a trio that likes to crack a lot of jokes and keep you on your toes.  They are mainly a cover band that has a 60’s surfer music vibe mixed with jazz fusion and a diverse lineup of songs.  It was great to see another live performance and enjoy the positive vibes. 🎶

Miscellaneous adventures

We had some more wonderful adventures in the surrounding areas between Sevierville and Knoxville.  On our first full day in the area, we went to Alcoa to walk around Springbrook Park.  This park is a nice little find, family friendly and from there you can bike along their greenways to Maryville.  It is a cute town, and seems like a great place to raise a family, because the elementary, middle and high schools are all right there, making it easy to stay in one area.  There are also several other parks and lakes near the schools.  On our way back, we stopped in at Southern Grace Coffee Company.  Not only do they have some amazing roasted coffee, but they also have some cute jewelry for sale and a relaxing front porch to sit on and take a respite. If great coffee is your thing, you will love this place. ☕️

Another great place to explore outdoors is the Seven Islands State Birding Park in Kodak, TN.  It is free for entry, has ample parking, some paved trails that you can bike on, and several more for walking.  We enjoyed it so much that we decided to come back a second time and explore some more.  The park features a brand new pedestrian bridge that takes you to Newmans Island, but also has a couple of barns and picnic spots along the French Broad River, a pond, and some elevated points with beautiful views of the mountains.  We saw lots of deer, muskrats, many types of birds, and loved the variety in the landscape.

Finally, we had a fun dinner at a traditional Italian eatery called Ristorante DellaSantina that is technically in Sevierville, but is tucked away off highway 416 in a quieter part of town.  The staff is very friendly, has local patrons that frequent the restaurant regularly, and has a nice ambiance and interesting wine list.  Matt chose their chicken parmesan, I had their frutti di mare, and we both saved room for tiramisu for dessert.  If you like Italian American food and are looking for a romantic atmosphere, you will enjoy this place.  

Although we did have some fun while visiting, we are not likely to return to this specific area.  That being said, it is beautiful and there are plenty of ways to entertain yourself and lots of delicious food to eat, so choose the adventure that appeals to you. ❤️

Just an hour and a half southeast of Greenville is the city of Columbia, South Carolina, the state’s capitol.  We went down for an overnight trip to visit one of Matt’s longtime friends Brandon.  If we were to move nearby, we could visit more often. 😀

We drove down early on Friday and had lunch in downtown at Menkoi Ramen House.  It is not a fancy joint, but the ramen is delicious and clearly popular with the locals, because the place was packed when we arrived.  They offer soy sauce based, miso based and pork based broths to choose from as well as a few appetizers and beef curry.  It was a rainy day, so having soup was just what we needed. 🍲

After lunch we drove to the nearby historic district and caught the last tour of the Robert Mills House and Gardens.  While waiting for the tour to start, we wandered the grounds of the Hampton-Preston Mansion and saw the gardens were being set up for a large event.  We avoided the rain as best we could and then met our tour guide back across the street at the Robert Mills House.  It was originally intended to be a townhouse, but never ended up being used in this manner.  Instead it was home to a seminary school until being turned into a museum and decorated as it was originally intended: a family home.  Pictured here is the Hampton-Preston Mansion and part of the gardens:

We discovered that the downstairs was used for informal eating, cleaning, a pantry and some food prep, but that the actual kitchen was outside to reduce the risk of the house catching fire, given that in the late-18th century candles and wood and/or coal burning fires were the only light and heat sources available at the time.  The main story had a formal dining room and a few drawing rooms that could be set up in different ways for entertaining.  The upper story showed pottery, ceramics, fine silver, and clothing used or worn at the time the house was constructed. It was interesting to learn about the technology of the time and certainly made us appreciate modern conveniences from electricity to modern heating systems and freezers that can produce their own ice.  We have it made!

We took a quick trip over to the nearby Indah Coffee house, and then next door to the NoMa Warehouse,  an artist co-working space and shop.  Unbeknownst to us, they were just starting to set up for their weekly flea market Fridays.  At 6pm every Friday they invite other artists in to share their wares and creations, and provide music, food and drink for all to enjoy. They were also setting up for a larger annual event called the Cottontown Art Crawl that “brings artists and entertainment to front porches,” according to their web site.  We were headed back for my birthday, otherwise it would have been fun to check out.  We may have to come back next year if we move nearby to enjoy and appreciate the creations of the local artists.

Later that evening we went back downtown for dinner at the Blue Marlin.  This restaurant specializes in low country food and seafood.  I had the Charleston Crab Cakes and Matt and Brandon both had the Bienville Oyster and Shrimp Skillet.  My fare was definitely lighter in comparison to their skillets, which had a rich cream sauce to sop up with pita bread.  We left with full bellies and headed home before the rain picked up again.

The next day Brandon made us waffles and bacon for breakfast.  Thank you, Brandon for hosting us and making us breakfast! 💗 After breakfast, I went for a walk as there are a few trails near Brandon’s house and I discovered some interesting fungi and spring flowers.  We grabbed a quick bite for lunch and headed back up to Greenville.  It was a short trip, but we enjoyed catching up with Brandon and seeing the Columbia area while visiting.  

We found a hidden gem in the south: Greenville, South Carolina.  It is conveniently located near larger hotspots, such as Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA, is less than an hour from Asheville, NC and is 4 hours from the coastal cities of Charleston, NC and Savannah, SC.  Being close to the mountains, it is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, with ample hiking, biking, and camping.  In addition to Greenville Technical College and Furman University in town, Clemson University, an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) school and leading public research institution, is 30 miles west of Greenville.  Undoubtedly, Greenville is a great place for visiting and living.

Hiking/Walking

We stayed north of Greenville in Travelers Rest, which is a neat little town in and of itself.  It also happens to connect to Greenville via the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 22-mile greenway.  We found this trail to be well maintained and convenient to many businesses along the way and quite popular with with locals.  As you reach downtown, you can enjoy the beauty of Falls Park, with its terraced gardens, pedestrian bridge, art, food and events.  A little farther southeast of Falls Park is Cleveland Park, which is next door to the Greenville Zoo, contains several walking paths, and is adjacent to a dog park and the Fernwood Nature Trail.  The mayor of Greenville is committed to expanding greenways, bike lanes, and making the area more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists, which is great to see with the tremendous amount of growth the area has seen over the past 10 years.

Next door to Greenville and Travelers Rest is Paris Mountain State Park, which has 17 miles of hiking and biking trails, paved camp spots, and trailside camp spots around North Lake, which used to be a reservoir for the City of Greenville until 1930.   Some of the trails are for hikers only and others are shared with mountain bikers.  Along the the Kanuga trail we saw wild turkeys and a random dwarf village someone created in the hillside.  Later we saw several waterfalls along the Sulphur Springs Loop Trail along with more remnants from the reservoir and dam used in the early 1900’s.  Day use costs were a little steep at $6 per person, but the annual South Carolina State Pass would make it a lot more affordable if you wanted to frequent the park and neighboring state parks.  

Next, we enjoyed one of the many great hikes in nearby Jones Gap State Park, which had parking fees of just $2 per person.  We did a 6.5 mile loop that drops down significantly at first, so watch your step.  However, we had the trail mostly to ourselves, enjoyed the many waterfalls that feed into the creeks, and spring wildflowers starting to bloom.  The air in the parks out east have a sweet scent, almost like a floral perfume that I can’t quite place, but it’s lovely.  Afterward, we drove just over the North Carolina state line and enjoyed a beer at the Cedar Mountain Canteen and Bier Garden.  They have several options on tap as well as a bottle shop, and a lovely little spot outside to sit next to the riverside.  The canteen was hosting a potluck, seed swap and had a group of guitarists and fiddlers jamming as well. It capped off a lovely day.

Finally, we also discovered some free hiking options, just southeast of Jones Gap is the Ashmore Heritage Preserve, which has a few hiking options with nice views and a loop around Lake Wattacoo.  We went there for my birthday, and enjoyed a sunny, quiet hike that was delightful. 

Eating/Drinking

If you’re looking for some great places to eat, fear not!  The downtown area alone has over 110 restaurants, and there are over 1000 in the county.  You will not go hungry here, with a nice variety for just about everyone.  Here is a sampling of what we enjoyed.

In downtown, you can visit Falls Park and enjoy the stunning views at Passerelle Bistro.  We stopped here for lunch when we biked in on the Swamp Rabbit Trail.  There was a man playing music, the food was great, and the weather was perfect during our stay.  If the weather is not so kind, go check out The Trappe Door and enjoy some Belgian beer.  It gets busy quickly, so make a reservation or go early.  I can’t drink Belgian beer, so I had their whiskey sour instead, and we loved their Moules Frites (mussels and fries), which has different flavors of broth and mayonnaise for the fries to choose from.  

For my birthday, we went to Soby’s, which is a bit fancier, but definitely delivered on taste and atmosphere.  We enjoyed the most tender grilled octopus we have ever had, plus shrimp and grits, and duck confit.  The desserts were also impressive.  Matt had their cheesecake and I had a mousse cake in the shape of a pinecone.  Soby’s is a great place for a special occasion.

If you’re staying in or near Travelers Rest, you must visit the Tandem Creperie and Coffeehouse.  You order at the little yellow bus outside and they assign you a spot inside.  It’s hopping in there, and is a great place to fuel up before you hop on the Swamp Rabbit Trail or head over to Sunrift Adventures to gear up for your next outdoor activity.  Thank you to Joni for introducing us to your friend Nicole, who shared her impressions of the area after moving from the northeast.  And thank you Nicole for meeting with us and introducing us to Tandem.  We appreciate it so much! ❤️ 

Another place we enjoyed in Travelers Rest is Farmhouse Tacos, which has another location in Greenville.  They have so many different tacos to choose from and all the ones we chose were delicious.  We went to Sidewall Pizza, which has 5 locations, with another newfound friend, Cristy.  Thank you to Kristina for introducing us to your friend Cristy.  Cristy grew up in Placerville, CA and has lived in the Greenville area for over 20 years, is a sweetheart and we met with her three times during our stay.  Cristy’s experiences moving to the area and living there have been invaluable to us, and we had such fun spending time with her. 😍 

While out running errands on a very rainy day, we discovered Kairos Mediterranean, which is like the Greek version of Chipotle.  This South Carolina chain is gaining popularity with its delicious and nutritious options.  You can choose your own pita, salad or bowl and dress these options with different greens, grains, protein, veg and more.  We loved it and hope it catches on elsewhere.  

Lastly, we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with Cristy and her lovely dogs at Southern Growl, in Greer, SC.  They have a large indoor area, but also a relaxing outdoor area for those who love to bring their four-legged friends.  It was a perfect day to be outside, the food and brews were all delicious, and thankfully it wasn’t too busy given the holiday. 🍀

Lodging

We were pleasantly surprised at the Travelers Rest/Greenville KOA.  It is tucked away off Highway 25 just north of Travelers Rest, and the sites are nicely spaced apart.  They have a centrally located laundry, outdoor pool, dog run, playground, basketball, and more.  They also have Jen’s Little Library near the office, where you can pick up or leave books to read.  I did just that while we were here and hope someone else enjoys the book I donated.  There are also a few short “nature trails” that climb up into the hills behind the centrally located facilities, and the whole park is situated next to a creek.  Overall, it was a quiet, relaxing stay and I would recommend it based on the convenience to Travelers Rest and Greenville.

In addition to hiking and eating, we explored the surrounding areas, visited a friend in Columbia (see my next post for that), and I talked with a representative of one of the science departments at Clemson University about potentially going back to school and what that would entail.  We also connected with a real estate agent to get a feel for the current market conditions here.  These have all been good steps in setting up a benchmark for livability to compare with some of our upcoming destinations.  

For us, Greenville has a lot of potential due to the growth and investment in Greenville county, educational opportunities, creative outlets, proximity to the mountains, and pedestrian and cyclist-friendly infrastructure.  In fact, Greenville is home to George Hincapie and other professional cyclists, making it a destination for training and a safe place to ride both on and off road.  The food scene, access to fresh produce and centralized location near larger cities makes it a great hub for those looking for a little bit of everything without big-city living.  We shall see how it stacks up as we finish out our travels. 😊

Tuscan salmon

One of Matt’s favorite things to eat is salmon, and I had extra cream left over from my ice-box cake.  Given I always want to incorporate veggies into every meal, the addition of tomatoes and spinach piqued my interest in this salmon recipe.  I skipped the addition of butter since I already had olive oil, whipping cream and parmesan in the dish.  That seemed like a sufficient amount of fat and flavor.  I used a full pint of tomatoes and also 6 cups of spinach instead of 2 since I knew 6 cups raw would equal about 1 cup wilted.  Otherwise, I left the rest of the recipe intact.  Matt gave this dinner two thumbs up, so I added it to my recipe links to save for later. 👍👍 If you have salmon and are looking for a a saucy recipe, this one has a nice balance between the richness of the dairy, the acidity of the tomatoes, and slight bitterness from the spinach.  

Pasta with creamy chicken ragù

We had a lot of cooked spaghetti left over and I couldn’t just throw it away.  I used half of it in this veggie lo mein recipe that I adjusted to my liking, and the other half in this creamy chicken ragù recipe.  I halved the recipe, and also made my own sofrito since the local markets in Florida had specialty ingredients like cubanelle peppers and culantro.  Instead of making a bouquet garni, I used dried rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf, and chives and only removed the bay leaf for serving.  Finally, I didn’t have bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, so I used boneless, skinless instead.  I still think this recipe turned out really well balanced between the savory and acidic elements, and I would make it again.  

Spiced chicken and cauliflower with hummus

We traveled on Valentine’s Day, and I figured the best meal we could eat was one I made myself, instead of trying to dine out like so many do on that day.  I found this chicken recipe on a bed of hummus and it seemed like a simple, yet delicious combination that was sure to satisfy.  It was amazing!  I did cheat a little bit…I got Trader Joe’s hummus instead of making it, because I have never found a hummus recipe that compares to theirs.  That also cuts down on prep time.  If you don’t have za’atar, it’s simply a combination of toasted sesame seeds, dried thyme and sumac.  I found this za’atar spice recipe, which has a few more ingredients if that helps.  

Matt absolutely loved this recipe, and so did I.  It was simple, delicious, and the textures all worked so well together.  I love the combination of spices, and anything with dried currants and toasted pine nuts is always a winner in my book.  If you love Mediterranean food and hummus in particular, I think you will absolutely love this recipe.  Give it a try and let me know how you like it. 

Key lime pie

We couldn’t go to Southern Florida and not eat some key lime pie!  It is one of Matt’s and my favorite pies, and it’s so easy to make.  My favorite key lime pie recipe is from The Best Recipe, but I didn’t bring that cookbook with us, so I opted to reply upon the Food Network’s version of key lime pie instead. 

I had a leftover package of graham crackers and some Effie’s pecan biscuits, so I combined them for the crust.  I always forget that when I use a butter-based biscuits I need to cut the butter in the recipe! 😯 It all pooled in the bottom of the pie tin and I had to keep pushing the sides back up and baking it again, so the crust was more like a candy than a soft graham cracker crust that you would expect. 😳 In future, I will stick to graham crackers.  

The rest of the recipe was a breeze, and the flavors were excellent…tartness from the limes softened by the billowing whipped cream, and what ended up being a crunchy crust.  The secret is to incorporate lime zest, so it gets the desired color of key lime naturally, and it adds an extra flavor element at the same time.  Matt and I liked it and I think you will too.  

Sesame cashew chicken and rice pilaf

Then, I found this sesame cashew chicken dish to complement it.  Believe it or not, we don’t have ketchup, so I used tomato paste instead, and gochujang instead of sambal oelek,  Finally, instead of the coconut rice, I used the rice pilaf.  To be honest, the two together are good, but the subtlety of the flavors in the pilaf are a little overpowered by the flavors in the chicken dish.  That being said, they are both great recipes and worth making. 👍

I really wanted to make this lime cashew pilaf, because I remember it being really delicious.  And it is!  The mustard seeds and turmeric give it an earthy, savory quality, with a small kick of heat from the chiles, acidic zip from the lime, and a nutty crunch from the cashews.  You can’t go wrong with this pilaf.

We couldn’t leave Georgia without visiting Savannah and eating some of their incredible low country food.  I had my first taste of low country food in Charleston, South Carolina, which is just a few hours north of us, and have been in love with this style of food ever since.

Vic’s On the River

On our first day we visited the riverfront and ate lunch at Vic’s On the River.  It was bustling inside, and the food was very well done!  I had a kale salad, then shrimp and grits.  The kale wasn’t too tough and well dressed, the shrimp was perfectly cooked, served with a smoky sauce over smooth, cheesy grits.  Yum! 😋 Matt had the ever-delicious she-crab soup and a fried green tomato BLT.  It was a creative twist on a classic and also very good.  It’s a beautiful space with a relaxed ambiance and excellent service.

Mirabelle Savannah

On our way back from lunch on our first day exploring the Savannah Historic District, we stopped by Mirabelle Savannah for a coffee.  They make liège waffles, serve Stay Golden Roasters coffee, and sell gourmet chocolate bars and delectable pastries.  You can sit out front and admire the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist and its towering spires across the way.  We went back again the next day to try some more goodies when our bellies weren’t so full, and I picked up a few of their exotically flavored chocolate bars. 🍫

The Public Bar & Grill

After our architectural tour, we had a delightful lunch at the Public bar & grill based on our guide’s recommendation.  The weather was perfect for sitting out on the rooftop deck.  I had a cup of their lentil, kale and turkey soup and their Havannah sandwich, and they were both perfectly seasoned and cooked.  Early March really is a lovely time to enjoy this idyllic spot for lunch or dinner.  You can sit at an outside table at street level and people watch, sit among the trees on the rooftop in a slightly more intimate setting, or sit inside if the weather isn’t as cooperative as we had experienced.  Regardless, the food and service is wonderful.

The Grey

We had seen in this Savannah blog entry a recommendation to eat at The Grey.  Matt found two reservations available that night, and little did we realize how fortunate we were to get one!  It turns out that this CBS news piece about The Grey’s owners had just come out about The Grey a few days earlier. 😯 

Well, The Grey did not disappoint.  The food, drinks and especially the service were all top notch!  I cannot recommend this place enough if you want to get a taste of the South and enjoy the history of this place.  The atmosphere is buzzing with excitement, yet we didn’t feel rushed at all.  Here you are encouraged to relax and have a real dining experience.  We also ran into fellow participants Roy and Beth from our architectural tour earlier in the day.  What a neat coincidence!  They are visiting from Portland, Maine and we look forward to seeing them again later on in our journeys. 

Cotton & Rye

After exploring botanical gardens all day, we went to dinner at Cotton & Rye, another top notch restaurant in downtown Savannah.  It’s a warm and inviting atmosphere, and our food was delightful.  I had the chicken and dumplings starter and a veggie pot pie with some unique flavors, and Matt had their jambalaya special.  We simply could not eat it all, so we saved half of it for lunch the next day, and it was so good both times!  

Lo and behold, as we were wrapping up for the evening, I looked across the dining room and saw Roy and Beth from Portland, Maine that we had met just a few days earlier.  We laughed about how we had run into them twice now, and how we must all have excellent taste in food. 😂😉 It was a surprising way to end the night, and it will be fun to see them later this year in Maine and share food again together.

Raw Ingredients

After spending time on Cockspur Island, we went to Tybee Island for lunch, which is more low-key compared to our adventures on Jekyll Island.  We ate sushi at Raw Ingredients, which ended up being tastier than expected.  They were playing chill music, had some inspiring chalk art on the walls and a nice back patio as well.  I recommend it if you are visiting Tybee Island.  Later, we wandered out to the public beach for a little stroll before we left the area. 

Collins Quarter

After heading back from our Skidaway Island hike and getting cleaned up, we went out to enjoy one last dinner in downtown Savannah.  This time we tried out a recommendation from Beth and Roy, the couple visiting from Maine.  They had gone to brunch at Collins Quarter on Bull Street twice and loved it, so we decided to go for dinner.  Both downtown locations are busy, so reservations are recommended.  

We had seared scallops to start, and both of us chose fish dishes.  Matt had a striped bass with snap peas, bok choy, an umami broth, egg and mushrooms.  I chose a mahi mahi fish with rice noodles in a Vietnamese-inspired sweet and spicy sauce, and garnished with radishes, carrot and cilantro.  Matt thought there were too many mushrooms…he likes mushrooms, but they overwhelmed the rest of the dish.  The fish was cooked just right for my dish, though I wish it had more sauce.  I couldn’t resist getting a dessert, so had a chai caramel tart and loved it.  It capped off the evening and our culinary explorations in Savannah. 😋

We obviously loved our experiences eating out in Savannah.  If you don’t try one of these places, I still honestly think it would be difficult to go wrong there. 🤤 It is a beautiful city with a lot of history and the food is dangerously decadent, but oh so good.  For a week, I can handle this place, but I would need to seriously up my exercise regiment if I lived here all of the time, because I would gain so much weight! 😂

Next up we are spending two weeks near Greenville, South Carolina.  I am so excited to return to the mountains and check out this place.  It has a lot of promising features that we will be seeing first hand during our stay.  If it works out, then we will be just a few hours from both Savannah AND Charleston. That could be dangerous, but also wonderful. 

We couldn’t leave Georgia without visiting Savannah, America’s most haunted city, which is known for its historic buildings, charming garden squares, and the influence of the renowned Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).  As an aside, I discovered that Savannah was spared during the civil war and gifted to President Lincoln, which explains why the area’s history has been so well preserved over the years.  

Forsyth Park and the Riverfront

We started our explorations of the city by heading to Forsyth Park, in the Historic District South, which is Savannah’s oldest and largest public park.  Walking around, we enjoyed seeing the azaleas blooming, trees beginning to blossom, and listening to a trumpeter busking near the park’s majestic water fountain.  From there we walked toward the riverfront.  Many of the streets and sidewalks are still comprised of old cobblestones, so be sure to watch your step, because it’s a bit unsteady in places.  

The river front has two levels, and a lot of historic stairwells that you can take at your own risk to get down to the river.  A lot of the buildings have plank-like walkways that cross over top to access the second floor.  We stopped off for lunch at one of these buildings and later walked along the riverfront.  I learned about Savannah’s future plans to deepen the harbor and expand the Savannah Harbor operations, which can bring more revenue, jobs and economic influence to the area.  At the same time, the city is addressing environmental impacts, including restoration of access for endangered fish to their spawning grounds.

Historic Architectural Tour

Based on this Savannah blog entry, we decided to go on an architectural tour with SCAD graduate Jonathan Stalcup.  With a knowledgeable host and an intimate group, we had a wonderful time learning about the history of Savannah through architecture in just 90 minutes.

Colonel James Oglethorpe designed and established Savannah in 1733 to defend Charleston, South Carolina from the Spanish settlements to the south on behalf of the English Parliament.  Wards were developed with central squares, and eventually 24 squares were established in Savannah.  These squares started as garden and farm lots, and today are beautifully landscaped parks with fountains and/or monuments in the center.  

Recognized buildings ranging from 1760 to 1960 are among Savannah’s historic buildings lauded today.  This city has one of the widest ranges of architectural styles to witness in person of any city in the United States, and you can see its awe and beauty, as well as the technological progression here in this fair city.  Imagine living in 400 square feet with 6-10 people like they did back in a carriage house from the 1760’s, and the gradual expansion to an entire city block, or 10,000 square feet, all for the pleasure of a single family. 😲

The styles of architecture can also vary significantly from the most basic or essential forms of architecture to extremely decorative and “over the top” to demonstrate both wealth and modern ideals.  All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed capturing a moment in history with first-hand examples on the historic Savannah city blocks.

Cockspur Island

Most of the eastern states that border the Atlantic Ocean have barrier islands along their coastline, as do some states that border the Gulf of Mexico.  We have already visited a few, including the Padre, Mustang, and Galveston islands in Texas, Cumberland and Jekyll islands in southeastern Georgia, and now Cockspur and Tybee islands near Savannah.

We started by heading to Cockspur Island, which contains both the Fort Pulaski National Monument and the Cockspur Island Lighthouse.  First off, we walked toward the lighthouse, which is the smallest lighthouse in Georgia. It was built on a bed of mussel and oyster shells as a marker to indicate the entrance to Savannah River’s South Channel, and ceased operations in 1906.  Along the way there were signs of wild hog damage, and busy bumble bees were out in force.  Most of the walk is shaded, and there are a few bridges that take you to a platform where you can view the lighthouse, but the only way to get there is by boat.  

Afterward, we circled back to Fort Pulaski, which is surrounded by a moat, and still shows evidence of the Union Army’s successful 1862 attack during the American Civil War, despite its brick walls being several feet thick.  The construction was impressive, especially considering they even made their own bricks.  It was also an exercise in patience, since it took over 18 years to complete.  We circled around to the bridges that take you into the center of the fort to explore inside.

We walked inside the old quarters, including the commanding officer’s bedroom, which was staged with a creepy plastic cat on the bed. 🐈‍⬛ Next, we walked into the cavernous Northwest Magazine, which apparently used to house 40,000 lbs of black powder.  The risk of this being breached and causing a massive explosion was the reason the fort was eventually surrendered.  We also got to walk on top of the fort and see the cannon carriages and guns, which each combined weigh nearly 13,000 lbs!  The fort was more interesting that I would have originally thought, and I’m glad we took the time to see it.

The Botanical Gardens

We always enjoy checking out botanical gardens, so started by heading to the Savannah Botanical Gardens.  It is free to enter, and it is really small, so it took only about 20 minutes to walk around.  Included is a children’s garden, vegetable garden, but most of the other gardens were not yet in bloom.  There were also a few trails built by scout troops, but they just take you through the woods, and an overgrown amphitheater.  

If you are looking for a larger botanical garden, you can check out the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens, which are supported by the University of Georgia.  It’s $5 to enter per adult, but the grounds are more extensive, so you can easily spend about an hour here.  Not a lot was in bloom when we were there, but I bet in a month or so it is really spectacular.  From a viewing tower in a bamboo maze, we could admire the design of the Rivers of Iris, even though it was not yet in bloom.  

Camelias were in bloom next to the iris garden, which were very beautiful.  Afterward, we went into the one greenhouse open to the public, which contains an impressive array of orchids.  They were really beautiful, and the different of shapes, colors and sizes gives you a sampling of the extensive varietals within the orchid family.  We also had the special treating of petting a few kitties out in front of the greenhouse. 😻 I think the best time of year to visit here would be in April or May when irises and roses would be in bloom.  Nevertheless, it was a relaxing experience.  

Hiking Moon River at Downing Piers

Looking for one more day out along the coast, we found a hike just east of Skidaway Island State Park that had free parking at the trailhead.  It’s called Moon River at Downing Piers on AllTrails, and is approximately 8 miles round trip with little to no elevation gain.  We happened to luck out, because we originally planned to do this hike the day before, but signage showed they had a bike race that day, so we wouldn’t have been able to do it anyway.  

Trail conditions were good, with most of the trail well marked and clear with hard packed soil, it was mostly shaded but had lots of tree roots, so watch your step.  If you the read the reviews, a lot of people walk just the eastern portion and then head back the way they came, because they say the trail markings aren’t clear.  I think they must have done some improvements to the trail for the bike race, because the markings looked brand new and we didn’t have trouble finding our way, except for about 1/4 mile, and we did walk the entire loop.  

The weather was perfect…warm with a nice breeze, and we stopped to have lunch at the only bench we saw on the trail, which just to happened to be right around the time we were hungry.  There was also an angel figurine attached to a tree nearby, so we suspect this must have been a special place for someone.  Most of the excitement for us came at the beginning and end of the hike looking at the pond on the west side of the trail. We saw egrets and other shorebirds, turtles and a half dozen little alligators, about 2 feet long hiding in the green algae on the pond’s surface. 😯 We also saw a large, dark gray snake later on, but it was moving so fast I couldn’t tell you what kind it was.

There are a few other trail access points from Modena Island Dr that are directly across from each other.  The eastern access was used by a half dozen fishermen we saw along the coastal marshes.  The western access brings you to another marsh with a wooden dock, which looks like it might be used by birders.  It also looks like it used to extend farther into the marsh and was only partially rebuilt.  Overall, I agree with other trail reviews that the eastern portion of the loop was nicer and is definitely more frequently used.  One last note: watch out for bikers.  Most call out, but the trail gets tight in some spots, so be prepared to step aside.

Red Gate Campground

Red Gate Campground is also a farm with horses, goats, chickens and peacocks.  The owners host events at their clubhouse, provide horse riding lessons, have a small playground and some trails around three ponds on the property.  Our site #22 was a “buddy site,” so we were very close to site #21 and far away from site #23.  The major issue we had with this location was that it is bordered by the Chatham Parkway on one side and train tracks on another, and the land must have been built on infill, because we felt the ground shaking frequently.  So many times we awoke to trains coming by, tooting their horn and making the trailer shake.  If not that, there was always someone speeding loudly down the parkway testing the limits of their vehicle and making an excessive amount of noise. 🙄

There aren’t a lot of options near Savannah, and most everyone I talked to didn’t enjoy the parks where they stayed.  Red Gate is beautiful and is conveniently located, being only 20 minutes from downtown.  If you are a sound sleeper, then I would recommend this place.  If you’re a light sleeper, you might want to find a different place.  Perhaps some of the state parks nearby might be a better choice?  

We loved our time in Savannah.  If you haven’t been, go in the springtime or early summer.  You will love it. 😍 Just know that the heat and humidity does get oppressive in July through September.  Next up is a review of all the fabulous places we went out to eat while visiting Savannah.  Enjoy! 

One of the popular places to visit near Saint Marys is Cumberland Island National Seashore.  The only way to access the island is via ferry, and they only run twice per day, so space is limited.  Be sure to reserve your ferry tickets in advance if you want to guarantee your spot.  We took the 9am ferry and wouldn’t be returning until 4:45pm, so we had a full day to explore.  NOTE: Bring bug spray, sunscreen, water vessels, food, and anything else you might need, because they don’t have anything on the island aside from potable water and bathrooms.  

When we arrived, we headed south toward the grand Dungeness mansion ruins.  We had to tread carefully, because wild horses roam the island and are known to kick, so steer clear! We saw several horses on our way to the ruins and a few were getting rambunctious, which made us nervous, but we made it unscathed. 😬 There are informational signs around the ruins explaining the history of what used to be a really grand property, and the views are quite stunning.

As we checked out a trail that spurs south from the mansion, we saw thousands of tiny fiddler crabs, which I tried fervently to avoid crushing.  There wasn’t much to see on the trail, so we started to head back, and Matt suggested we take a shortcut along the shoreline to get back to the docks instead of using the trail we came in on.  Well, that shortcut turned into a whole other adventure!

As we tread lightly along the precarious shoreline, I learned too late that what appeared to be solid ground was really a loose mud bog, and soon I was literally up to my knees in mud. 😫 Matt worried he might get stuck as well, so I was on my own to get myself and my shoes out of it.  I was really stuck, but managed to scramble out of it, and then I looked down…I was covered in stinky, shiny, thick, black mud, and was completely horrified. I looked like a swamp monster! 😱

It was only 10:30am, so how was I going to continue for another 6 hours like this?!?  I was stunned and in disbelief of what just happened and stomped furiously toward the docks. 🤬 Matt had to find his own way back.  I flagged down a man in a truck, and he pointed out a water spigot that was thankfully right behind me, so I got to work scraping off the thick layer of mud from my shoes, socks and pant legs.  I went into the bathroom to wring black water out my pant legs into the toilet and roll them up.  Yuck!

By this time, Matt had arrived and also cleaned his socks and shoes, so we decided to leave them in the sun on a picnic bench and wander in our flip-flops while they dried.  We headed north on a pedestrian path called the River Trail, then cut across the island through the Sea Camp Campground toward the eastern beach.  We took a boardwalk to the shoreline and headed south, enjoying the sea breeze and firm sand, and then circled back to the docks via another boardwalk over the marshland, and a road that takes you through the cemetery and more historical housing.

Thankfully, by this time our shoes and socks were dry.  Hurrah!  We were pretty tired from walking in flip-flops for 5 miles, so were relieved to have our cushy shoes again.  I was also surprised at how clean my dry fit pants and shoes looked after being caked in mud.  From here, we opted to do one more small exploration along the Nightingale Trail, where we saw several armadillos digging for food.  These little guys are nearly deaf and blind, so they bumble along and are pretty hilarious to watch.  When we got to the main north/south road, we walked up toward the Sea Camp one more time and then trudged toward the northern docks.  We were exhausted!  

After waiting over an hour on a picnic bench in the shade, everyone loaded onto the boat for the journey back to Saint Marys.  Next to us on the boat was a lovely woman named Tamara, with whom we shared both our ridiculous folly in the mud bog and our current travels around the country.  Having moved frequently with her husband in the military, she was a wealth of knowledge about many of the places we are planning to explore in our upcoming adventures.  Thank you, Tamara! 🙏

Finally, we were back in Saint Marys, but tired and hungry.  We dropped our packs back at the truck and wandered over to the 401 West Restaurant for a sunset dinner.  It’s first come, first serve seating, and they have stages on one side of the building for what we assume are live outside performances.  They make bread daily, and the food was delicious!  Yes, we were hungry, but it really was some of the best food we have had in quite a while.  

After a long shower and solid night’s sleep, we decided we never need to visit Cumberland Island again. 😂 However, don’t let our experience dissuade you.  There are guided tours, you can bike around the island, and there are several camps and trails all over the island.  The camps in the northern parts of the island are remote and meant for backpacking, so choose your own adventure and come see its unique history and wilderness.

We begin our northbound journey for many months to come, emerging from Florida in the early springtime, which is pretty nice here in the southeastern states.  Before we head toward the Appalachian Mountains, we have decided to spend a little more time in low country along the Georgian coastline.

Fort Pierce West KOA Holiday

We needed a place to stay on our way up the Atlantic coast from Homestead, and Matt found the Fort Pierce West KOA Holiday.  Note that there is also a Fort Pierce Downtown KOA.  Unlike the Starke KOA, the Fort Pierce West KOA was brand new!  The facilities were very clean, they have a pool up by the office, and the office building also contains a spacious laundry facility as well as shower facilities.  Based on their map, it also looks like they are planning to expand this KOA in future.  Overall, it was nice for an overnight stay.

As we said good bye to Florida, we ended up just over the border in a small town called Saint Marys, Georgia.  There is a military base nearby, and ferries that go to the popular Cumberland Island embark from this area.  We walked around the quaint coastal town, which was originally established in the 16th century as part of a Spanish settlement.  It was nice to admire numerous beautiful, historical houses, and walk along the waterfront.

A Big Wheel RV Park

Matt found a gem of a place called A Big Wheel RV Park.  It was fairly quiet, the grounds are beautiful, and most spots are shaded by large, picturesque trees.  At night, some of the trees sparkle with laser lights, making it feel like a fairy land.  They also have citrus trees on the park grounds and offer guests lemons, oranges and grapefruits for free.  We did occasionally hear sirens nearby, but it usually wasn’t noticeable.  The main building houses the laundry room and extra bathrooms, as well as a generous amount of books, puzzles and games for visitors to enjoy.   We highly recommend this place if you are looking for an affordable long-term stay.

Jekyll Island State Park

About an hour up the road is another popular place that is both a scenic barrier island and a state park called Jekyll Island.  You have to pay a fee to enter the island, which is $8 per vehicle.  To be honest, it was a bit of a nut house when we arrived.  We tried to go to the Jekyll Market, but it was so crowded inside that we got out of there in a hurry. I was feeling so claustrophobic between the winding lines of people and narrow aisles.  

Instead, we parked down the street in a large lot and decided to bike around the northern portion of the island.  On the oceanside the air was crisp and a bit chilly, but as we rounded the bend and headed south along the western inland side of the island, it was warm and humid.  For such a narrow island, I was surprised at how different the environment could feel from one side to the other.  On the western end we also saw many historic summer “cottages” that are now landmarks.  Matt and I both thought that if those were considered cottages, we couldn’t imagine how big the owner’s other homes were! 😂 

The western side was also a little more peaceful and less crowded, which made it easier to relax and enjoy our surroundings.  Although you can bike around the entire island, which is about 20 miles, we opted to head back to the truck instead.  We didn’t want to tempt fate and end up in an overcrowded area and ruin our good moods. It was a nice enough place to visit, but we were a bit underwhelmed since we prefer places that aren’t so crowded.  I recommend that if you do visit, go during the middle of the week when perhaps there may be less people.

Crooked River State Park

Next door to our RV Park is the Crooked River State Park.  We walked along their nature paths, which are around 3-4 miles in total.  The landscape is thick with saw palmettos, blueberry bushes that were just starting to bloom, and pine trees soaring above us. We ended up in an area where you can rent cabins, picnic shelters for events, and then wandered into the RV camping area.  The central bathrooms and showers were some of the cleanest we have ever seen in a state campground, and the campsites were incredibly spacious.  However, like most state parks, your stay is limited to 14 days.  Overall, it was nice to have a peaceful place to go within walking distance, to pop down to the river’s edge and check out the views.

Brackish Beer Company

A local Mardi Gras festival was advertised, but the details were so nebulous that we arrived too early and then later arrived too late to the festival. 🤣 Since we were already out and about, we decided to head back to Saint Marys and check out Brackish Beer Company, a local brewery.  Jon, the owner used to be in the hospitality business in a lot of ski towns, but ended up returning to Saint Marys to take care of his mother and started this brewery.  

Jon’s adorable French bulldog will likely greet you.  She is still a puppy and bursting with energy. 😍 The current tasting room is a relaxed environment, and also hosts food trucks and entertainment.  Check their Facebook page for updates.  The owner did say he would be moving to a bigger location later this year, so they can keep more varieties of beer in stock.  We tried the beer samplers, and all of the brews on tap were on the lighter side…easy sipping beers for hot days, which seems appropriate for the area.  Come on in if you’re visiting Saint Marys.

Our stay was short, but sweet.  We are headed a few hours north to Savannah, Georgia to enjoy some of that delicious low country food for a little longer before we head to higher ground.  If you haven’t been to the Georgia coastal areas, it’s a great place to explore its many barrier islands and enjoy the local food.  Before I go, be sure to check out my next entry about our experience on nearby Cumberland Island, which was a story within itself, so I decided to share it separately.  Enjoy! 😀

Can you believe this is my 50th post since heading out on the road?!?  My how time flies.  After having spent just over a month in Florida, I have found that like many places, it’s never what you expect it to be.  That being said, if there’s one obvious thing Florida has in spades, it’s sun. ☀️ Between the sun, the fact that Florida has zero income tax, and many parts of Florida have affordable housing, it is a popular place to retire.  Even so, there are many great college towns, and most areas have public schools with A or B ratings according to niche.com, so Florida has aspects that can appeal to people of all ages.

Many of the places we visited were also quite walkable and bikeable, with walk/bike paths, but also bike lanes, ample sidewalks and other pedestrian infrastructure.  Furthermore, Florida is one of the top 15 states with the highest percentage of public land, including access to Federal and State parkland, making it a great place to enjoy the outdoors.  Politically speaking, most places we visited were either leaning slightly conservative or slightly liberal, and the state as a whole is fairly moderate, so you could likely find a community you would feel comfortable in.

While Florida has a lot of pluses, there are some aspects that might make it more challenging to live there.  Yes, the winter months are wonderful weather-wise, but the heat and humidity during the other months is oppressive.  According to one resident I spoke with, between the months of April and October it is unbearable without air conditioning.  There are also a lot of bugs and other pesky critters.  In fact, pretty much everywhere we visited there were signs stating not to get in the water because of alligators, so unless you have access to a pool, swimming is risky. 🐊 I also noticed that public transportation isn’t accessible in most places outside the downtown areas.

I personally found that Gainesville, Tallahassee and Homestead were quite bike-friendly, but aside from the Miami Beach boardwalk, I wouldn’t feel safe biking in Miami, because the drivers are pretty erratic there.  The main strip in Destin was also not a place I would feel comfortable biking, and it’s unavoidable if you want to get across town.  I enjoyed the access to the outdoors everywhere we went, but I still miss the mountains.  Florida is mostly flat with the highest point at just 345 feet above sea level.  And though I enjoyed having such lovely weather in January and February, I fear I would have reverse seasonal affective disorder not being able to enjoy the outdoors in the summertime due to stifling heat, humidity and bugs.  I embrace areas that have some heat and humidity and I can handle some bugs, but Florida is a bit extreme in that regard.

All in all, I can understand why I have met so many people that split their time between spending the summer months in northern states and winter months in Florida.  The farther south you go, the more like a paradise Florida is.  Yet, that paradise comes at a price, because the southernmost places in Florida are also the least affordable.  Regardless, I hope the experiences I shared about our travels here will inspire you to visit and explore some of the unique and wonderful places within the sunny state of Florida.