We stopped in the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum on a whim as we walked by. The line was long and it was pricey ($15 for adults and $8 for kids 5-12) but we decided to visit anyway. The theming was great, even in the entrance and gift shop, and it looked to be really well done. And kudos to them for being covid-safe and requiring masks (and doing it in a clever fashion!). The museum was laid out like a pirate ship and had several different rooms with artifacts matching that section of the ship. It was really …

Founded in September 1565 by Spaniard Pedro Menendez de Aviles, St. Augustine is the nation’s oldest city. It’s Spanish heritage is still evident in its architecture, from the Castillo de San Marcos, a Spanish Colonial landmark, to the original Ponce de Leon Hotel, a Spanish Renaissance Revival masterpiece. Although best known for its Spanish-style buildings featuring red clay terra cotta and ornate trimmings, the city of St. Augustine has a varied and unique architectural heritage that has been remarkably well preserved. When touring the city, the first architectural landmark you will probably come across is the Old City Gates. After …

Located across the Tolomato River from Saint Augustine, Vilano Beach is a wonderful place to watch the sunset. We headed over there for dinner and the sunset to end our first evening in Florida, and the sunset did not disappoint. We ate dinner outside at Vilano Grill 180. The food was good but the real excitement of this restaurant was the roaming neighborhood chickens. They wandered along the streets and sidewalks of the area, clucking and being generally loud. They were highly entertaining to the boys, especially when they surprised us all and flew into the trees and hung out …

We arrived in St. Augustine a little before 4:00 and wanted to squeeze in an activity on our first day. After quickly checking into the hotel, we headed over to the St. Augustine Lighthouse. Since we planned to spend the next day exploring the city on foot, a visit to the lighthouse made perfect sense for our arrival day. Located across the Bridge of Lions about 2 miles from downtown St. Augustine, the lighthouse is more easily reached in a car than on foot. The lighthouse was open until 6:00 so we had about an hour and a half there …

Located on just over 200 acres of former farmland, Holts Landing State Park in Delaware offers beautiful views of the Indian River Bay. The park offers plenty of recreational opportunities, including crabbing, fishing, boating, kayaking, hiking and camping. After a wonderful Thanksgiving at my in-laws, it was the perfect place to walk off the meal and get some fresh air. Holts Landing State Park has two main hiking trails, each just over a mile long. The Sea Hawk Trail (1.3 miles) is a loop trail that starts in the main parking area and has a boardwalk that crosses the marsh …

Before heading home from Richmond after my husband’s marathon, we did a brief walking tour of the city. We walked from our hotel to grab some breakfast and then headed down to the riverfront and across the bridge to Brown’s Island. I ran 7 marathons in my younger days and don’t remember ever touring a city the day after, so kudos to my husband for being up for a walking adventure. One of the biggest surprises for us on our walk was the discovery of some amazing street art. As we headed towards the canal, we stumbled upon a large …

We started our Maymont outing at The Robins Nature Center. After learning about the ecosystem of the James River, we headed out the back door of the nature center to explore the 100-acre grounds of the historic estate. The Maymont Mansion is the centerpiece of the park. Built in the 1890s, the house was turned into a museum after 32 years of occupancy by the original owners. A well-preserved example of the Gilded Age, the estate is a step back in history to a time when millionaires’ homes had a level of opulence that was simply breathtaking and almost unbelievable. …

When we recently headed to Richmond VA to cheer on my husband in his first marathon, I knew the boys and I would need an activity for after the race while my husband rested back at the hotel. I researched a lot of outdoor activities that would be ok for a fall visit and settled on Maymont, an historic estate whose 100-acre grounds include a public park and gardens, wildlife habitats, and a nature center. The only indoor activity at Maymont that is open during the pandemic is the Robins Nature Center. While I was somewhat leery of doing anything …

Lockdown 2020 has been tough on everyone. We’ve been trying to get out of the house more, exploring local parks and hikes. But sometimes you need more than a few hours away from the house. Hoping to stay ahead of cabin fever (and still away from covid), we wanted to take a long weekend at the beach in early fall when the boys had a few days off from school. Our requirements were pretty minimal – we wanted a house with a private heated pool within walking distance of the beach. Literally any beach. Just to go someplace different, we …