Guide to Getting Away from the Sunnyside Traveler

Cashiers, NC Christmas tree farm “It’s the most wonderful time of the year...” Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. And for the past few years one of my favorite ways to bring in the Christmas season is to cut down a Christmas tree. I’ve grown up with Fraser firs and love the way they smell. And, luckily, I live in the south where I can drive up to Western North Carolina and have many places to choose from to cut a tree. There are tree farms all across the southern Appalachian Mountains that grow Fraser firs as well as other types of Christmas trees. To really jump into the Christmas spirit and join the masses, head out to get your tree on the day after Thanksgiving (“Black Friday”). This has been our tradition and I would rather fight the small crowds in getting a Christmas tree instead of fighting crowds at a mall. Also, you have a better chance at getting a good tree. We usually go to Cashiers or Highlands, North Carolina. There are a few places in this area ...

I was recently sharing some of my favorite restaurants on Tybee Island and remembered a few that I forgot to post on my other Savannah posts. I figured I would just make a post for Tybee Island restaurants so that you can have them all in one spot! One of the great things about Tybee is that they have so few “chain” restaurants. I know there’s an Arby’s (which has been closed for construction for awhile) but beyond that I can’t think of another one. So in a way you can’t go too wrong. It just depends on what kind of place you feel like. Many restaurants on Tybee are typical beach restaurants – bars that serve seafood and burgers and quesadillas. Most of these aren’t on my list but you definitely can find them, especially near the pier.  The popular tourist spot is the Crab Shack ( http://www.thecrabshack.com/ ). It has also been known to be a popular stop for any celebrities in the area. It's just off the highway when you come onto the island. You'll see signs. They'...

Sometimes I’ve gone to visit the coastal border of North Carolina and South Carolina. In this area there are a lot of small coastal towns like Litchfield, Ocean Isle, Holden Beach and a small, little known town called Myrtle Beach. Now Myrtle Beach isn’t really my type of beach town. I prefer the smaller, lower key coastal towns. Litchfield, Ocean Isle and Holden Beach are more of the smaller, residential beach towns where you go to get away from everything. But while you’re there, you might want to go out to eat or find something other to do than spend your days on the beach. A few places that I would recommend checking out for dining would be: The Purple Onion Cafe in Shallotte http://www.purpleonioncafe.com/ . I’ve heard good things about this place. It’s inland, between Ocean Isle and Holden Beach and they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner (it says dinner is seasonal which I’m assuming is summer). On Holden Beach there are a couple places that look interesting (I haven’t been t...

I wanted to go ahead and post these while they're fresh on my mind. This weekend we visited a couple of good restaurants that I would highly recommend. In Tryon, North Carolina, a great little bakery and cafe is 10 North Trade Bakery Cafe  http://www.10northtrade.com/ . It's downtown Tryon and has a great breakfast and lunch selection. They also have high quality loose leaf teas and a cozy atmosphere. You can tell that locals visit here often as well as those passing through (like the cyclists we saw grabbing a bit for brunch). If you're looking for breakfast or lunch and you're in the area of South Carolina/North Carolina border (between Spartanburg and Asheville), check this place out. Also we found a great new hang out in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. It's called The Velo Fellow a Publick House  http://thevelofellow.com/ . It's near the walking bridge and park area of West End Greenville. Just find Mellow Mushroom and go underneath it (facing th...

I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite places that you might not normally hear about or visit. When we have time, we enjoy taking the back-roads. You get to see some smaller towns and the drive can be less stressful and more interesting. Also, you find some gems like these. First, one of my favorite finds in Clayton, Georgia is a restaurant called Grapes and Beans (http://www.grapesandbeans.com/ ) . It’s a great small place that uses local, organic ingredients and has a great atmosphere. Lunch is great and we tried breakfast once but wasn’t as impressed as we were with the lunch. Any time you’re in the mountains of North Georgia, stop by and check out this place. Historic downtown Clayton is also a nice small town that you can walk around in and check out some of the small shops. There’s also a bakery near Grapes and Beans that looks like a good place to check out. Maybe next time! At this time, when movie ticket prices are as much as a dinner out, I don’t like to go to many m...

The Florida Keys is one of my favorite places to visit. I was fortunate enough to visit there often while growing up and recently have been able to go down there a couple of times. I highly recommend for anyone to make the trip down there. It can actually be a fairly cheap trip, depending on your activities. One thing I’ve learned about the Florida Keys is that it’s actually like visiting a small town, rural area. Everything is more laid back in the keys. Dressing up is wearing your good sandals and you need to expect to not get anywhere quickly. There’s only one main road connecting the Florida Peninsula to Key West, Hwy 1. The highest the speed limit goes on that road is 55 (I believe). And it’s not surprising to get stuck behind a RV or tractor trailer or someone just enjoying the view. But that’s what you need to learn to do while driving through the Keys, enjoy the view. The view of the Atlantic and “Bayside” (the Gulf of Mexico) is only occasionally interrupted. I love how it l...

Recently, on a road trip to the Keys (that post is coming soon), we were able to stop in St Augustine, Florida. It was at least the 3rd time I had been there. Last time I had visited was with a great friend who was attending Flagler College. I remember having some pretty pictures of the town and it being very charming. But this last time I visited, I enjoyed it even more. I am working on plans to go back for a long weekend to relax and enjoy the old town. It is a great place to walk around and explore. Since it’s the “Nation’s Oldest City” the big focus is the history. There’s the old Castillo de San Marcos with a walking shopping district not far from the visitor’s center. The website for the City of St Augustine says in the, “Historic Colonial District, there remain thirty-six buildings of colonial origin and another forty that are reconstructed models of colonial buildings”. It’s a very touristy area but I think it’s done well. It’s not a huge town so you can stay downtown, near...

Today I was working on planning a Key West trip for a friend of mine. Key West isn't the first place I go to when visiting the Keys but if you're going to go to the Florida Keys, it does have more to do (and more restaurants) than other parts of the Keys. The funny thing about the Florida Keys is that it's really like small-town living, in a popular vacation destination.  This is a good trip if you want to see the Keys and do a quick trip. It's also good if you don't want to snorkel or swim. The surprising thing about the Keys is that there aren't many actual beaches. Sand isn't natural in the formations of the islands. Most are made out of limestone and coral which doesn't lend it self to sand. But there are some beaches on Key West and some of the other locations. The Gulf/Bay side has more beach areas but also has different marine life. I will be posting more Florida Keys info later on this month.  What I think would be a great trip for 4 days (3 ...

Things To Do: The best way to see Savannah is to get a hotel downtown and just walk everywhere. The squares are full of life, the homes are neat and historical and you can wander around for hours finding neat shops and restaurants.  Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is a big part of the city. So many buildings downtown are owned by them so it gives it a neat artsy vibe.  Architectural Tour: This is the only tour I've been on of  Savannah. I would highly recommend it.  It's a walking tour but gives you a neat perspective.  http://www. architecturalsavannah.com/ First African Baptist Church: We've gone on a tour here and it was done well. We enjoyed hearing and seeing the history this church has. I highly recommend:  http://firstafricanbc.com/tours.php  Pinpoint Heritage Museum: information on Gullah/Gechee heritage and culture. One on my list to visit:  http://www.chsgeorgia.org/PHM  Oatland Island: My favorite...