Guide to Getting Away from the Sunnyside Traveler

I've recently been sharing some places in Savannah to friends who are visiting or thinking about visiting. I thought it would be helpful for me to share that in a new post. Some of these places I've mentioned before and some are new. It's always good to check to make sure these places are still open! Businesses are always opening and closing.  I'll group things by area.  Tybee: Favorite restaurants: North Beach Bar & Grill (casual, mostly outdoor seating), Sea Wolf (fancy hot dogs and other specials, good cocktails and wine), Raw Ingredients (down by the pier, good sushi), Mi Vida ( breakfast and lunch, healthy options), Tybean for coffee, Fannies (by the pier, we like their quesadillas), Crab Shack is an experience but kind of touristy Things to do: bike around the island, watch the sunset on the back pier (https://maps.app.goo.gl/PtbfLEqR9u3W2dmK9), check out what's going on at the Tybee   Marine Science Center (they do special walks) and Lighthouse, w...

View from Wayah Bald A few years ago the ladies in my family did a trip to the mountains in July and we stayed in Dillard, Georgia. It was the first time I had stayed in the area and I enjoyed my time there. We went kayaking, hiking, found a salvage yard, and visited a fun French-ish restaurant that was located adjacent to a gas station. I liked the area and wanted to return.  In the years since, I have been back to the Franklin, North Carolina area a few times. This year, we went over 4th of July weekend. We decided to go there because we thought it would be a good place to avoid the crowds that you find in many areas of the North Carolina mountains. It was a good choice. We were able to do all the things we wanted to and didn't feel that we were ever in a situation where there were too many people in close quarters.  During this visit, we hiked two short trails. I was amazed at the flowers we were able to find along the trails and roads, since it was July and many flowers ha...

Since the South Carolina State Parks have reopened on May 1, the parks have a limited number of visitors they can have there at one time. So far, each weekend, about 10 or more parks reach their capacity by noon. I've been keeping an eye on the parks to see which ones are the most popular and fill up the fastest. I thought I would share with you some of the fun but lesser known parks. Just be sure to check the state park facebook page to see the latest announcements. First, though, I should tell you the parks that are busiest and have the most restrictions. Edisto Beach State Park is only open to campers and those staying overnight (until May 11). No day visitors. Jones Gap State Park has a lot of restrictions on visitors. On the weekends, you have to purchase a parking pass before arriving. Other popular parks that are filling up on the weekends before noon: Paris Mountain, Caesars Head, Keowee-Toxaway, Table Rock, Kings Mountain, Landsford Canal, and Musgrove Mill. Basicall...

2020 Hiking Post 2 I mentioned previously that even though we've been to all of the South Carolina State Parks, there were a few that we wanted to return to. One of these was Woods Bay State Park . This small park is near the town of Olanta, east of Sumter and just east of I-95. The park is surrounding what is called a Carolina Bay. Carolina bays are elliptical depressions in the coastal area of the Mid-Atlantic. Local author Tom Poland has a new book out about the Carolina Bays that I'm excited to check out. From the description of his book: " The best definition of these features are "temporary, isolated freshwater wetlands," variously described as "high or flatwater ponds, wet weather lakes, or vernal pools," often identified more accurately as "pocosins," and they are ecological wonders, full of all manner of amphibians and reptiles, insects and birds, wildlife and plants--many of them exotic and rare. What also defines them is th...

2019 Hiking Week 41 Charles Towne Landing Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! It’s been quite the year traveling all over the state and seeing all that South Carolina has to offer. We didn’t anticipate at the beginning of this year that we would visit all of the South Carolina State parks but we finished and received our certificate! We ended our state park visits with Charleston area parks. We stayed in the area and visited Edisto , Colleton, Givhan’s Ferry, and Charles Towne Landing . We had previously visited Colonial Dorchester State Park on a day trip.  Edisto Beach State Park covers a large part of Edisto Island. There is an inland section with trails, camping, a boat dock, and nature center, as well as a beach section of the park. It was pretty cold when we visited but still beautiful. Edisto is one of the barrier islands that is remote and takes awhile to get there. It’s about an hour’s drive from Charleston. We’ve stayed there a couple times and it’s one of...

2019 Hiking Week 40 Cheraw State Park We're getting close to the end! Just four state parks left on our list! We recently checked off three parks in the northeast region of South Carolina. We explored the area and had fun visiting some new places. The three parks we visited were Little Pee Dee State Park , Cheraw State Park , and the H. Cooper Black Jr. Memorial Field Trial and Recreation Area.   Little Pee Dee State Park has a lake but the level has been lowered to make repairs on their dam. The H. Cooper Black Park is mostly for people with horses or hunting dogs. We spent the most time at Cheraw State Park. Cheraw State Park reminded us of Hickory Knob State Park. There is a golf course, a lake, lodging, and trails. When we arrived, it was cloudy, cool, and overcast, but as we walked around, the sun came out and it was really pretty. The park ranger was nice and helpful. We decided to walk the boardwalk around part of the lake to the spillway. We didn't realize tha...

2019 Hiking Week 39 Happy December! It's been almost a year since I started posting about local South Carolina hikes and outdoor adventures. We have seen so much of the state. With just seven state parks left to visit this year, we have driven through almost every county in the state and I've learned more about the history and character of different regions of South Carolina. It's been a lot of fun and a lot of miles! The river coming from the dam. Recently, we visited Goodale State Park , outside of Camden. I had been saving this park because I wanted to paddle their blue trail for kayaks and canoes. But, the warm weather got away from us so we decided to go anyway on a Friday afternoon. It is a beautiful little park just outside of downtown Camden. The main feature is the civil war era mill lake with a paddling trail for visitors. There is also a nature hiking trail and some picnic and gathering spaces. We were able to walk around part of the lake on the d...

2019 Hiking Week 37 Table Rock Mountain Table Rock State Park is probably one of the most distinctive state parks in South Carolina. It is named after the iconic Table Rock mountain that is located in the park. The park is popular for hiking, camping, water activities, and gathering together with friends and family. The park is 30 miles from Greenville, 30 miles from Clemson, and the closest town, Pickens, is about 12 miles away. It costs $5.00 per adult for entrance. Easter 2018 I’ve visited Table Rock many times over the years. Our family has celebrated Easter and Thanksgiving at some of their shelters. It’s a pretty large park with lots of room. This past weekend, I attended the Women’s Outdoor Weekend, hosted by Palmetto Conservation Foundation. There were around 30 ladies attending, and we had class offerings on backpacking, kayaking, hiking, camping, and wilderness survival. I signed up for one day and attended the wilderness survival classes. We went through a fir...