Considering Delaware

Posted on by | 3 Comments

How about Delaware

Does Delaware get missed because it’s such a tiny state? It hardly shows up as white space on my map. It feels like it should be a quick stop to somewhere else. Sorry Delaware! Don’t mean to be insulting. There’s only 1 resort and it’s on Fenwick Island.

Mallard Lakes at Fenwick Island

Mallard Lakes at Fenwick Island

Photo from the resort website

Mallard Lakes at Fenwick Island, 297 Cardinal Lane, Fenwick Island, Delaware, 19944, United States

Relax in the peaceful, serene environment of Mallard Lakes on Fenwick Island in Delaware. Shops and restaurants surround the area, or travel to nearby Ocean City and traverse the boardwalk. Golf courses, boating excursions, horseback riding, seashore parks and beaches are just a short drive away. Whether you want to participate in fishing or just some relaxation at one of the four stocked lakes, Mallard Lakes will provide you entertainment with a touch of solitude.

What to do in Delaware

Like most states I research there is a list of things to do on the internet. The list for Delaware has a lot of mansions and museums. One that caught my eye is the Delaware Art Museum located in Wilmington.  “As you approach the building, you can’t help seeing the Dale Chihuly arrangement of brilliant glass flowers, each several feet across.”  I am a huge Chihuly fan. Love his glassworks. I’ve been to exhibits and the MFA (Museum of Fine Arts) Boston and Chihuly Garden & Glass in Seattle. Plus those brilliant , twisty glass chandeliers in many casinos are Chihuly too!

2017 MFA Exhibit Boston – Photo by Deb Neumann

Other Attractions on the list

The #1 attraction according to trip advisor is  FUNLAND. “This park as been a family owned and operated attraction for decades. Wonderful place to spend the day and get out of the sun. Very reasonable pricing.”  Not something I would be interested in but maybe if I had children with me? 

#2 is more to my liking. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Sanctuary. Bombay Hook is 14000 acres of Wetlands preserve and home to many migratory birds.

#3 Cape May-Lewes Ferry.  “Whether you’re crossing the Delaware Bay for a fun day trip or as part of a long-distance trip, on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, your journey is sure to be a memorable one. Enjoy historic lighthouses, picturesque harbors, oceangoing vessels, unique seabirds and, just maybe, your very own dolphin escort! The 17-mile, 85-minute cruise between New Jersey and Delaware can cut miles off a trip along the Atlantic Coast, connecting points like Wildwood, Stone Harbor, Avalon, Ocean City and the rest of the Jersey Shore with Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Sussex Shores, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, Ocean City, MD, and destinations throughout Virginia. Our welcoming, modern terminals are a destination in and of themselves, with enjoyable restaurants and lounges, and well-stocked gift shops!”

That sounds interesting!

So more to see and do than I expected from such a tiny state.

What about Arkansas?

Posted on by | 2 Comments

What About Arkansas?

Next on the list is Arkansas. It’s on my primary list because we have a timeshare resort. We’ve got 1 choice here, Los Lagos at Hot Springs Village. Los Lagos is a four-season resort, nestled in the Ouachita Mountains, just 20 miles from Hot Springs National Park.

Obviously I’ll need to visit Hot Springs National Park. 

The Wild- New York 2020

Hot Springs National Park

Hot Springs National Park has a rich cultural past. The grand architecture of our historic bathhouses is equally matched by the natural curiosities that have been drawing people here for hundreds of years. Ancient thermal springs, mountain views, incredible geology, forested hikes, and abundant creeks – all in the middle of town – make Hot Springs National Park a unique and beautiful destination.

What about Arkansas?

 

Arkansas Alligator Farm

I’ll have to visit the Alligator Farm. I love going to Gatorland in Florida so I will want to compare this Alligator farm with what I’ve experienced in Florida. Baby alligators are so cute. I remember seeing them in the wild in Everglades National Park. I’ve also had the opportunity to hold them at Gatorland so although it won’t be a new experience I still want to do it. I can imagine all the photo ops here!

Make Way For Ducklings – Public Gardens Boston 2017

 

Hot Springs Mountain Tower

Situated at the pinnacle of Hot Springs Mountain overlooking the town, the tower was built in the early ‘80s. A view from the top will give guests an unobstructed view of the countryside. On a clear day, it’s possible to see more than 100 miles away according to locals.

Reachable by stairs and an elevator, there are observation scopes at the top if your eyes need a bit of help.

If you’re up for a physical challenge, it’s more than 300 steps to the top, but your effort will be rewarded with burned calories and breathtaking vistas. I think I’ll take the elevator please!

Covered Bridge Vermont 2017

Where to next? Alabama?

Posted on by | 5 Comments

Where should I go next?

As my State list shrinks it is harder to decide where to go next. I’ll share my thoughts along with more photos from the trips I’ve taken.  My first step was to check for time share resorts. There are other exchanges I can use but the easiest to get a reservation for are the  “Destinations” so I have split my list into  primary locations , those with a timeshare resort, and secondary locations. Places I will need either an exchange or a local motel.

North Carolina 2021

Primary States

  1. Alabama
  2. Arkansas
  3. Delaware
  4. Idaho
  5. Indiana
  6. Missouri
  7. New Mexico
  8. Oregon
  9. Utah
  10. West Virginia

Carriage Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia 2018

Colonial Williamsburg 2018

Secondary Locations

  1. Iowa
  2. Kansas
  3. Kentucky
  4. Michigan
  5. Mississippi
  6. Montana
  7. Nebraska
  8. North Dakota
  9. Ohio
  10. Oklahoma
Elk Migration

Elk Migration Wyoming 2017

Alabama

The resort is the Shores located in Orange Beach.

The Shores, 24060 Perdido Beach Blvd, Orange Beach, Alabama, 36561, United States

The Shores provides the finest in beachfront relaxation, with easy access to local dining and attractions. Spend the day lounging by the large outdoor pool with waterfall, fishing at the nearby marinas, exploring the area’s theme parks and enjoying the best seafood Alabama has to offer. In the evening, relax by the beachfront fireplace, lounge and grilling areas, or watch the sunset from your spacious balcony overlooking the Gulf.

ANNUAL EVENTS

January – Snowbird Fest

February – Annual Orange Beach Seafood Festival & Car Show

March – Orange Beach Mardi Gras, Orange Beach Festival of Art

April – Annual Bama Coast Cruising, Waterway Village & Crawfish Festival

May – Hangout Music Festival, Orange Beach Billfish Classic

July – Blue Marlin Grand Championship

September – Alabama Coastal Triathlon, The Wharf Uncorked Food & Wine Festival 

October – Annual National Shrimp Festival

November – Annual Oyster Cook Off and Craft Beer Weekend, World Food Championships

December – Annual Lighted Boat Christmas Parade

Another interesting activity is a day trip to Dauphin Island. It’s about an hour and 30 minutes from Orange Beach and a 40 minute ferry ride but on Dauphin Island is the Audubon Bird Sanctuary, one of the largest of its kind on the east coast.  I’m already itching to get my camera out. Some of the best bird pictures I’ve ever taken were in sanctuaries!

Gatorland Florida 2020

My 50 State Challenge

Posted on by | 2 Comments

50 State Challenge

I’m not sure when I first thought of trying to visit all 50 states. Once I started doing some traveling I thought it might be nice to set a goal. I was returning to the same places year after year and the US is such a big country. I wanted to be able to say I’d seen it from Sea to Shining Sea! If I’ve learned anything so far it’s that one vacation in most states isn’t enough to even scratch the surface.

The other thing I’ve learned is that every destination can surprise you. When my sister and I went to South Dakota everyone asked me what was there besides Mount Rushmore. I didn’t know but once we arrived we found plenty to do from exploring the Bad Lands National Park to visiting a Dinosaur Dig! We did so many amazing things. It is still one of my favorite vacation memories.

Deb At Mount Rushmore- 2010 South Dakota

Update on my Quest

Travel Map- September 2022

As of this moment, September 2022, I’ve visited 30 of the 50 states. More than halfway through. I still need to visit

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Delaware
  • Idaho
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Michigan
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • New Mexico
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Utah
  • West Virginia

Montezuma’s Castle 2011 Arizona

Stellar Sea Lions – Alaska 2013

Not Alone

While researching locations for my next trip I ran across a blog called Smart Mouse Travel. The blog is about family travel and the 50 sate challenge they are trying to meet. They set a time limit. The goal is by 2027 and they are slightly ahead of me. They’ve visited 32 states to my 30. I blame Covid for that as I didn’t do any traveling in the 2 years we were locked down. 

Florida Everglades 2013 Florida

Can you believe that the average American only visits 12 states in their lifetime? That’s according to a 2016 poll. Even before I caught the travel bug I would have expected more from my fellow Americans but I am getting off track.

Puffin- Maine July 2020

What Makes a Visit to A state Count?

Their only rule for recording a visit to a state is they must do something noteworthy in the state. That means flying into an airport and driving without a tourist stop or having a layover in a new state does not count toward the goal. My self imposed rule was similar and I’ve met that requirement on every state I’ve counted on my list. I’ve stayed long enough to try to find something interesting to do and then done it. 

Rare Hawaiian Nene – 2020 Hawaii

So where to next?

You can see the list and I’m researching the remaining states. Would love suggestions! I need to get that map filled in. Too much white space!

Colorado Thumbnail

Posted on by

Colorado

What can I say about my Colorado vacation to sum it up? First off, Take time to adjust to the altitude. That I suffered from altitude sickness was a complete surprise to me. I grew up in mountains. Granted my childhood mountains were  a bit smaller than 10,000 ft but I still expected it to count. Plus I’ve been to Wyoming and at 8,000 ft I had no problems at all. Maybe age , overall health or just that extra 2,000-4,000 ft tacked on made a difference.

Mount Quandary 2022

Hiking, Skiing

Breckenridge is a beautiful little town but other than the quaintness there isn’t much to do except hike in the summer or ski in the winter. There are few roads and like any area with more winter than summer, road work has to be crammed into those few warm, storm free months. Getting anywhere required patience. The road construction had traffic tangled from just about every direction. 

Lake Dillon 2022

 

Wildlife

Friends who had been to Colorado told me about the abundant wildlife but I didn’t see much of it. Spotted the Moose family a couple of afternoons and there was a beaver lodge. After watching for the little rodents at various times without success I finally concluded the lodge was abandoned. The big horn sheep were no where to be found although I did see one deer and one pronghorn.  The most exciting moment was spotting that big white bird. (I still think it was a whooping crane) I love a mystery and think it would be great if whooping cranes were making their way back to Colorado. 

Colorado Moose 2022

I was warned about bear in the area, not sure if they were grizzly or black bears but I didn’t see any. The dumpsters were always chained shut to keep the animals out of the trash. 

Maybe the lack of wildlife was due to the heat. Temps were in the mid 80’s most days. I was told to expect low 70’s so that could have had the animals looking for shade.

What I missed

Colorado is now checked off my list of states that I’ve gone for vacation but I’m not done with the state yet. It’s huge and now that I know driving in the summer is not a viable option ( unless you like traffic jams)  I’ll need to consider short visits in different areas. 

Breckenridge Gondola 2022

I wasn’t able to get the web site for Rocky Mountain National Park to work. You have to have a reservation now to get in and you have to do it online so I still want to go there. Great Sand Dunes National Park was too far from Breckenridge so I will need a return trip for that. Heading to the south western corner of the state is the Durango and Silverton railroad. That’s a train ride I really want to take. Finally there is Mesa Verde National Park also in the southwestern part of the state.

Back near Denver a side trip to Colorado Springs will let me experience riding the Cog railway up Pike’s Peak. Then take time to visit Garden of the Gods. So much still to see!

So you see I’ve only just scratched the surface of what this state has to offer.