I’m so far behind in blogging about the adventures that I’ve taken….but hey, better late than never. This was a visit back in 2022.
About Stone Mountain…..yes, I’m very much aware about the history of it. But like I always say “they are gonna see my Black face” in places such as this. I will not be moved by fear! You can learn more about the history by clicking the link. The Long history of Stone Mountain
Continue reading “Stone Mountain, Georgia”I made my way down the stairs, which wasn’t too bad. Going up may be a different story…LOL!
After visiting the waterfall, I hopped back in the car and made my way over to the lodge. There was a ranger inside the hotel showing us different animals on the land, their importance, etc. I’m not afraid of snacks, so I don’t have a problem handling them. However, I also respect nature. I’m not trying to get, got and/or die from lack of common sense.
I decided to eat dinner inside the restaurant. I believe it was $20 or $25 for the buffet. The food was pretty good.
Amicalola Falls is a 729-foot waterfall on Amicalola Creek in Dawson County, Georgia. It’s the highest waterfall in Georgia. The name “Amicalola” is derived from a Cherokee language term ama uqwalelvyi, which means “tumbling waters.
Camping and being out in nature is one of my favorite things to do. I camped at Amicalola State Park back in March. The campground was really nice and the waterfall is absolutely breathtaking!
As always, when I’m doing an adventure (solo) trip, I’m usually up between 4 – 4:30 a.m. This gives me enough time to get up, shower, get dressed, set out for my destination, explore and be back on the road. I’m usually home between 10 – 11 p.m. Amicalola is about a 6 and 1/2 hour drive from me; one way.
When I left, it was around 39 degrees. Not dressing properly for the cold weather wasn’t an option but me being me…LOL! I eventually changed into something much warmer. I stopped at Dunkin Donuts for breakfast; those egg bites were nasteeeee but the chocolate donut made up for it…LOL!
I stopped at a rest area and slept for almost 4 hours before hitting the road. Never drive when you are tired. Drowsy driving dangers.
Continue reading “Amicalola State Park/Falls – Part 1”
Desoto State Park – “Continuing in the rustic tradition of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), mountainous Desoto State Park is nestled atop beautiful Lookout Mountain in scenic Northeast Alabama and accented by many rushing waterfalls and fragrant wildflowers that will simply take your breath away. Developed in the late 1930s, the hard-working and dedicated men of the CCC made many natural enhancements to the park that have withstood the test of time and will last for future generations”.
For more information on the park, amenities and lodging, please click the link. Desoto State Park
Link to the video of our trip on YouTube. Video
Did we ever feel unsafe? Not at all! Just be aware of your surroundings and know the laws of the country that you’re visiting. Here are more helpful tips when traveling to “high risk areas”. High-Risk Area Travelers
(S)mart (T)raveler (E)nrollment (P)rogram. The program is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
United States Department of State Travelers Checklist. (PDF)
Passport (Many countries require that your passport be valid for six months beyond your stay, so think about renewing yours if your trip is cutting it close to the deadline)
Learn More About Your Destination (some countries require a visa)
TSA (Verify airline carry-on and luggage restrictions. Do’s and Don’ts)
Notify credit card companies and your bank
Know how to access local currency
Copy important documents
Doublecheck your cell phone plan
Packing Cubes (Very helpful)
First thing to do was to get our passports. We also enjoy cruising and after reading about the horror stories of what happens if you get stranded in a foreign country – without a passport, well….
I’m a planner and it’s something that I truly enjoy doing when it comes to planning trips. I usually plan “big trips” at least a year in advance. While searching for all inclusives in Jamaica, I came across the Holiday Inn in Montego Bay and since we try to stay at Holiday Inn’s, I decided to give this one a try. I’m glad that we did.
It’s insane to see how expensive things are now. The price is more than double at the hotel compared to when we visited 3 years ago. I will leave a breakdown of what we spent for this vacation at the conclusion end of this blog.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me.
Grab your favorite drink and come along (with us) on this trip. I hope that you enjoy!
Continue reading “My 50th Birthday in Montego Bay, Jamaica!”
One of my favorite things to do is camping. Hubs and I visited a new campground and it did not disappoint. Make sure to check out my vlog on Youtube to watch a more detailed tour.
We stayed for 2 nights. Entrance fee was $6. I don’t remember if you get in free if you’re camping there or not. Make sure to double check. We paid $20 per night + $6.70 per night (which is a non-refundable reservation fee) for a site with water and electricity.
I believe we paid $55 to rent a kayak for 2 hours. Totally worth it since we were able to see the manatees when we kayaked out to the Suwannee River.
Information taken from the website. “Manatee Springs State Park proves boardwalks aren’t only for the beach. The park’s 800-foot boardwalk runs through a majestic cypress forest overlooking one of Florida’s breathtaking first-magnitude springs. People have enjoyed the cool waters of Manatee Springs for more than 10,000 years, from early Paleo Indians to modern park visitors. The first-magnitude spring releases an astounding 100 million gallons of water daily. This makes it a popular cooling-off spot and a great place to stroll on the park boardwalk and gaze into watery depths. True to its namesake, manatees can be seen in the cooler months, and birds, mammals and fish are spotted year-round. The park also offers 8.5 miles of nature trails and a safe connection to the 32-mile Nature Coast State Trail, so don’t forget to bring your bicycles”.
All of the information needed is provided in the link I’m including. Manatee Springs
Continue reading “Manatee and Fanning Springs State Parks”
This was a spur of the moment trip for me a few weeks ago. Oak Mountain is about 3 hrs and 45 minutes away from me; one way. It’s located in Pelham, Alabama. By the time I arrived home, it was around 10 p.m and I’d hit the road around 6 that morning.
Upon my arrival, I would come to see how huge it is. Since I was short on time, I didnt see nearly half of the park. Taken from the website: “From its humble beginning as a 940-acre park atop Double Oak Mountain established by the Alabama State Lands Act of 1927, Oak Mountain State Park has grown to 9,940 acres making it Alabama’s largest state park.”
Cost to get in was $5.00 and cash only.
Continue reading “Oak Mountain State Park; Review”Bellingrath Gardens and Home is about an hr and twenty minute drive from me and also one of my favorite places to visit. There arent as many flowers in bloom during the fall/winter months compared to spring and summer. It’s still worth visiting to see what is in bloom as you can see from the pictures I took at the end of my post.
You can read about the history of the gardens by clicking the link. Bellingrath Gardens and Home
Continue reading “Bellingrath Gardens and Home”As I was headed home from my visit to Chewacla State Park, I realized that I had enough time to visit the Tuskegee Airmen National Park located in Tuskegee, Alabama. Visit the website for more information: Tuskegee Airmen National Park
I knew quite a bit about the Tuskegee Airmen before visiting but to learn even more, brought on so many emotions; sadness, happiness, and anger. I was short on time but will definitely be going back. If you have never visited, I highly recommend that you do.
Continue reading “Tuskegee Airmen National Park”
Cultivating Joy and Peace 