Fantastic Family Getaways for all Fifty States
Are you considering an All-American family vacation this year, weary of Disney, but not yet certain where you really want to go? If this sounds like you, Big John has compiled a star-spangled list of fun-filled family getaways for all fifty states. Not impressed? You should be. It can be quite difficult finding that perfect place for respite and leisure in remote places such as North Dakota.
Still, Big John’s Adventures in Travel believes some of life’s greatest adventures can be found in the most unlikely of places. So without further ado, let’s go explore these fantastic family getaways in the land of the free and the home of the brave. When we’re all through, perhaps Big John will have inspired you to plan that perfect family vacation of your own.
Alabama
The Beach Club, Gulf Shores, AL
Nothing says fun in the sun while in the Yellowhammer State like the Beach Club in Gulf Shores. Their sugar-sand beaches make this resort a true tropical paradise. The site has five outdoor pools, savory dining options, a full-service spa, and numerous other resort amenities. There’s truly something special about the Beach Club! Phone:(866)348-9112 (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, North America, Travel Tips and tagged family getaways, vacation.
Zipping Through the Gorge
My heart races in exhilaration. The dark forest floor lying hundreds of feet below passes beneath me in a blur. I am zipping throughThe Gorge, the fastest and highest zipline in all of North America.
For my forty-first birthday, Rebecca surprised me by taking me to the Gorge Zipline Canopy Tour in Saluda, North Carolina. For all you adventure seekers and adrenaline junkies out there, this is one place you can’t afford to miss. The zip lines are amazing, the views are spectacular, and the friendly professional staff couldn’t get any better! After completing your 3.5 hours of zipping through the breathtaking Green River Gorge, chill out on the lofty deck on the back of their barn-shaped building. While there, wind down and enjoy a cold craft beer in the open mountain air. Before leaving, stop by the Gorge’s gift shop for some really awesome gear and apparel. If you haven’t ever been ziplining, or if it’s been awhile, you might as well do it right by traveling to the Gorge in scenic Saluda, NC. This is Big John’s experience posted below.
The entire zip lining crew from left to right: Newlyweds Nathan and Brittany, Newlyweds Daria and Daniel, and the engaged Rebecca with Big John. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, North America and tagged North Carolina, Saluda, the gorge.
Greenville- My Hometown of Heroes
The beautiful Upstate city of Greenville, SC was once known as the Textile Center of the World. During the textile industry boom, the Poe Mill was the largest manufacturing center in the area. At one time the mill encompassed 75 acres of property and employed nearly 400 workers. Today all those spindles and looms have long since been silenced. As a result, the vibrant city reinvented itself and is now an internationally recognized city of commerce.
Poe Mill, Greenville, SC
Personally, Greenville isn’t just a place of old red-brick mills and emerging institutes of commerce. If you ask me, my hometown is a place of heroes. The city’s name alone was taken from a hero of the American Revolution, Major General Nathanael Greene. This General of the Continental Army commanded the Southern Campaign and was considered George Washington’s right-hand man. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged greenville, South Carolina.
A Towering Friendship Between a Lawman and President Roosevelt
When I first discovered the Friendship Tower in the mid 1980s, I was only 13 years old. I stumbled upon it quite accidentally while hiking through the snow with my little brother, Aaron. The site had fallen into obscurity. There were no paved roads leading to the site; no signs; no parking lot, no gift shop. There was nothing to explain the purpose or meaning of this stone tower. It was a lost monument without fanfare buried deep within the Black Hills of Deadwood Gulch. Well, nothing save a small plaque on its rock wall that read:
IN MEMORY OF
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
“THE AMERICAN”
OCTOBER 27, 1858- JANUARY 6, 1919
THIS TABLET IS ERECTED BY THE SOCIETY OF BLACK HILLS PIONEERS
JULY 4 1919
My brother and I entered the tower and took refuge halfway up its spiraling steps. Aaron’s feet were near frozen from trudging through knee-deep snow in cheap plastic tennis shoes. I removed his shoes and damp socks, and began warming his small feet with my hands. As young boys often do while exploring, we reclaimed the discovery as our very own, and renamed it The Castle. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged deadwood, friendship tower, roosevelt.
Traditions of Christmas in Dixie
The Christmas season is once again upon us. It’s a time to love, a time to give, and a time to spread good cheer. Because it’s the most wonderful time of the year, It’s only fitting that I pay homage to America’s most beloved of holidays. In doing so, I’ve set my sights on a region of the United States that has a distinct culture all of it’s very own. Y’all know the place I’m referring to… Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton, Old times there are not forgotten, Look away, look away, look away Dixie Land!
That’s right boys and girls, I’m talking about the South. Home of antebellum plantations, bluegrass music, shrimp and grits, and mason jars full of sweet iced-tea! If you find yourself this holiday season restless and going south of the Mason-Dixon line, then allow me to point you to a few of my favorite places for Christmas in Dixie. You’re fixin’ to have a real swell time down South! Spend some time in any one of these spots and you’re certain to discover that good old-fashioned yuletide cheer!
Question: What do the Alps of Germany have in common with the southern state of Georgia? Well absolutely nothing, unless you’re talking about the town of Helen. This charming village, with a population of roughly 500 people, is hidden deep within the shadows of the Chattahoochee National Forest. In 1828, this Blue Ridge Mountain community sprang up out of the glittering dust of the Great Georgia Gold Rush. When gold fever finally ran its course, the town became a hub for an emerging timber industry. Unfortunately, the people there had more saws than they did trees and in the 1960s the town nearly shut down. It wasn’t until 1968, when businessmen bumped heads with a local artist, that they came up with a unique solution to revitalize the town. Helen, Georgia would be given a Bavarian facelift; and slowly over the following years, the entire town was recreated to look just like a German alpine village. There are German-styled restaurants, German-themed gift shops, German traditional festivals, and one of my favorites -cold German beer! With all that Old World appeal, this place is just brewing with adventure! When you throw in Santa, horse-drawn carriages, and some holiday lights into the picture, than Helen becomes a place that easily populates the top of my list for spending Christmas in Dixie.
Go to Helen, GA for a wonderful Christmas in Dixie with real Bavarian charm. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, North America and tagged christmas in dixie.