As the song says, everybody’s working for the weekend; sometimes you just need to dump the kids on the grandparents and get away, even if it’s just for the weekend. Being a parent is hard work, on top of working for a living; blow off the stress with a fabulous, albeit short, trip away from it all. Make it a date with your spouse or significant other, to get reacquainted.

Where to Go

Where you go depends on any things – where you live, what your interests are, how tight your budget is, and how tight your schedules are. If it’s school time, you pretty much have to be back late Sunday, unless your babysitters are willing to get the kids to and from school on Monday.

Hike the Mountains or Swim at the Beach

If you live within a few hours’ drive of the mountains or the beach, consider one of these for a short trip. Arriving at your destination late Friday gives you all day Saturday and most of Sunday to have fun and still be back in time for the Monday morning grind. If the drive is onerous but the budget is flexible, consider flying to and from your destination.

Visit a Fun City

Take a trip to a place you’ve never been but always wanted to see, like New York or Washington D.C. A weekend trip by plane gives you time to sightsee during the day and see a Broadway show at night, after a fabulous dinner at a five-star restaurant. Or, see the nation’s capital; visit the Smithsonian Institute, the World War II Memorial, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Attend a concert, or visit the club scene – whatever suits your fancy.

See a Sporting Event

Attend an out-of-town football game, or go to a college basketball tournament. See a NASCAR race and watch Dale Earnhardt, JR take on his competitors. If you follow a specific team, get tickets to an away game and enjoy visiting the city where the game is happening.

Go to the Fair

Most states have a state fair; find out when and where your state’s fair is happening and take a weekend trip. This is one for the whole family, so bring the kids if you have them and let them see what a cow really looks like while they eat corn dogs and funnel cakes.

Go Fishing

In addition to being a fun date, this is a good father-son trip, or you can take the whole family to an event like Alabama’s Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. This is an annual event, held in the Gulf of Mexico off the Alabama coast. You can visit historic cities, catch large fish, and end up the day at a seafood restaurant serving fish caught locally in the Gulf.

Visit an Arts and Craft Festival

Arts and crafts festivals are happening almost everywhere. You can find a local one and support your local craft community, or you can travel to a large, well-known one, such as the Yellow Daisy Festival, held at Stone Mountain every year. Try traveling to Atlanta, visit the sights, and spend a day out at Stone Mountain, attending the festival during the day and watching the Laser Show at night. You can find all kinds of deals on unusual items at these festivals, so get in some early Christmas shopping while you get away.

These six getaway ideas are just that – ideas. Do some research and set up your own fabulous weekend getaway suited perfectly for you and your significant other, or your entire family. It will be well worth your while!

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Belize is one of those paradise, sun drenched, Caribbean destinations that inspire people to want to sell all their belongings, give up their job and open a beach bar where they can spend their days swinging in a hammock and drinking coconut cocktails. The truth is that some people have done just that. Some have been successful and lived their dream, while others have returned from whence they came, broke, bitter and somewhat wiser. If you are thinking of moving to Belize, it’s important to recognize that both outcomes are very real possibilities.

The country

Belize is a laid-back country where ‘going slow’ is the normal pace of life. This may seem wonderful when you’re a tourist, but it can be difficult to adjust to on a full-time basis. People may not reply to emails for days, weeks or ever. If a plumber says he’ll come tomorrow morning, that might just mean in three tomorrows. When you ask someone to get you something in a store and they say ‘right now’, that actually means that they’ll do it when they get around to it. If you are invited to a party at 7pm and you turn up on time, you’ll probably find that you are the only one there til 10pm or even later. They say that if you come to Belize with a great deal of patience, you’ll soon lose it but if you come here with none, you’ll soon get plenty of it.

Belizeans

Photo credit: Joe Tabacca / Shutterstock.com

The people of Belize are friendly, kind and diverse. There are many different cultures, ethnicities and religious beliefs in Belize. In the west, you’ll find Mennonites working the land and producing much of the food that Belizeans consume. In the south, you’ll find a mixture of Kekchi and Mopan Maya people living in traditional villages. You’ll also encounter Garifuna people with their cultural roots from both Africa and the West Indies. Further north, in Belize City, is the heartland of Belizean Kriol people and even further north than that are the Mestizo and Yucatan Maya villages of the Orange Walk District.

Just when you think you knew everything about Belize and its people, you’ll discover thriving Chinese, East Indian, Lebanese and Jordanian communities celebrating their own cultures around the country. So, while English is the national language of Belize, people there speak at least 10 different languages. A significant number of Belizeans speak 2-3 languages or more.

The culture

Because Belize is very close to North America and its laws are based on British law, it can be very easy to believe that day to day life in Belize will feel familiar. Nothing could be further from the truth. Belize has a robust and vibrant culture that is absolutely unique and Belizeans are steadfastly proud of it. When some folks come to Belize and discover how different it is from their home, they try to change it to make it feel more comfortable to them. People do not appreciate that in Belize.

Belizeans love people from around the world to come and make a home in Belize. However, they expect you to respect and accommodate their way of life, not the other way around. If you want the true friendship of your neighbors in Belize, the best way to do that is to appreciate and participate in their community activities and to embrace the way that they do things, no matter how strange and different they may be to you.

Photo credit: LMspencer / Shutterstock.com

If you want to move there, come and visit. Make the time to get to know the country and its people. Don’t make assumptions about your ability to adapt to it or Belize’s ability to adapt to you. Visiting as a tourist will not give you insight into what it’s like to live here. Spend a few months renting in the country. You’ll know if it’s right for you because you’ll fall in love with its beauty and charm, warts and all. If you come to visit and wake up just thinking about those warts, you’ll know you’ve made a smart choice not to give up everything to make that move. It might be time to look for another paradise that suits you better.

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You’ve been working like a dog, and coping with day-to-day living with your family – school, sports, extracurricular activities, and all the madness thereof. You hardly have time to speak to your significant other, and you fall in bed, exhausted, every night. This is a perfect time to plan a romantic getaway with just you and your special someone. Leave the kids with Grandma and Grandpa for a week and go somewhere to rekindle your romance and get to know each other all over again.

Where to Go?

Where you go for your getaway depends on what you and your significant other like to do. If you are snow bunnies, head for the north or west and winter sports during the day, with blazing fires, hot chocolate, and snuggling on the sofa at night. In case you blanche at the thought of cold, head south or southwest, and enjoy the beach without the teeming hordes of summer. If you’re a dazzling urbanite who gets the chills at the thought of no internet, TV, or telephones, there are many big cities you can run away to and enjoy the night life.

Bearing your individual preferences in mind, here are ten spots you can choose from for your winter getaway:

Big Sur, California

Big Sur gives you the best of both worlds; it sits among some of the most spectacular scenery around, on California’s Pacific coast. It offers climbing, biking, hiking, snowmobiling, and skiing. It’s also close enough to large urban areas to offer extensive night life opportunities, as well as fine dining. You can choose from cabins on Big Sur river or the lodge in Pfeiffer State Park, or you can choose from a variety of other lodging options.

Bear Valley, California

Everyone knows about skiing at Lake Tahoe; Bear Valley is the lesser-known place to go for a more intimate, less crowded experience. Located in the central Sierra Mountains, Bear Valley offers winter activities during the day such as skiing, cross-country skiing, sledding, snowboarding – you get the idea. At night, curl up in the living room at the Lodge, or in your room, for a romantic evening.

Yellowstone National Park

97% of Yellowstone’s visitors come during the summer, so it may seem like you have the entire 2.2 million-acre park to yourselves. Stay at Old Faithful Lodge and spend your days hiking and wildlife spotting. Enjoy the nights curled up with a hot drink in front of the fire, talking with your special someone.

Jackson, Wyoming

Located at the base of the Grand Teton Mountains, Jackson offers winter sports at its finest – skiing, sledding, snowboarding – you name it, you can do it here. Wyoming is famous for its snowfalls, so you can spend the days outdoors, and spend your nights cuddled up watching the snowfall. Jackson has a variety of choices when it comes to lodging, and restaurants for dining. Enjoy a less-crowded, snow-filled adventure with your special someone.

Bar Harbor, Maine

Bar Harbor is an historic village on Maine’s Mount Desert Island. There are tours of the harbor, cruise ship spotting, and museums galore, as well as a host of restaurants for your dining pleasure. Bike or hike in the Acadia National Park, and climb Cadillac Mountain for a challenge. Drive Maine’s picturesque coast, and return for a cozy evening at your lodgings. Bar Harbor has a multitude of places both to stay and to dine, and the shopping is part of the fun.

Lower Waterford, Vermont

Lower Waterford is a picture-perfect winter village; you will find historic old churches and a main street decked out for the holidays. You can hike in the White Mountains National Forest, snowshoe along the Connecticut River, or ski the 100-mile Kingdom Trails. Stay at the historic Rabbit Hill Inn, for the perfect romantic getaway.

Pigeon Forge and Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Yes, really. Great Smoky Mountains is one of the oldest of our national parks, and it has many sites worthy of visiting. Ski at Ober Gatlinburg, or ice skate at the lodge. Visit Dollywood, decked out with a dazzling array of winter lights. There are many chains for familiar eating, but don’t blow the local spots off; Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant is a great place to take your significant other for a really great meal. For the crafty, there is an 8-mile craft loop around Gatlinburg, populated by craftsmen in their own shops. Cabins abound, as well as other lodging, so spend your days outside, evenings enjoying the winter lights, and nights snuggled up with your someone.

La Jolla, California

Winter is a great time to visit La Jolla. The crowds are much lighter than during the summer crush and the shores are open for walking and feeding the gulls. If boating is your thing, kayak the blue water off the coast. For the urbanite, stroll the shops; there is a quirky mix of stores available for your purchasing pleasure. At night, stay in your room and watch the water, or go over to San Diego, and find a restaurant or club to suit your fancy, for dinner and drinks. Lodging is available in La Jolla, or halfway between La Jolla and Torry Pines Golf Club.

Amelia Island, Florida

Amelia Island is one of the Florida barrier islands. Located off the northeast Florida coast, Amelia Island is on the Atlantic side of the state. Winter is a great time to visit the island; summer crowds are gone, and the 13 miles of beach are available for walking. You can kayak, bike ride, or horseback, and finish off the day with a horse-drawn carriage ride. You can shop for fresh-from-the-cow seafood, find fresh fudge, or shop in unique boutiques.

Savannah, Georgia

Historic Savannah, located on the Savannah River, is full of things to do on a winter getaway. There are architectural tours, music festivals, Civil War re-enactments, art exhibits and tours of ghosts to delight your special someone. Savannah is also home to fine dining; Paula Deen’s restaurant, the Lady and Sons, is doing brisk business there, as well as a myriad of other fine restaurants. Lodging is available, from B&Bs in old historic homes to modern luxury chains.

These ten cities are all wonderful places to make a winter getaway with your special someone. They’re romantic, and offer a variety of choices to suit everyone – the outdoors snow bunny, the beach baby, the shopaholic, and the urbanite night life aficionado. Choose one of these, or find one on your own but take the time to reconnect and enjoy each other.

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Some people might consider it to be a strange hobby. But if you’ve been bitten by the travel bug, and you’re running out of interesting places to visit, you might consider heading to one of our nations abandoned towns.  These ruins are creepy, but fascinating.  If you’re an amateur photographer, you’ll find plenty to like about these places. And the best part of all, you can be virtually assured of having the place all to yourself.

Cahawba, Alabama

If you’ve never heard of Cahawba, you’re not alone.  The town used to be the capital of the state of Alabama though, from 1820 to 1826.  It suffered from such a chronic flooding problem, however, that it was eventually abandoned.

In the years since, it was briefly used as a Confederate prison camp, housing captured Union soldiers. But since then, has been largely left to slowly fade away.

Virginia City, Nevada

A real piece of Wild West history.  This was once a gold rush town, and it slowly died when the gold dried up.  In its heyday though, it was one of the most rough and tumble towns in the American West. It once served as the home of Calamity Jane and other notable historic figures.  Not much of it remains these days, but it’s well worth a visit.

Ashcroft, Colorado

Located not far from the famous skiing town of Aspen, Ashcroft was once a thriving mining town and later, plans were made to turn the area into a ski resort.  When those plans fell through, the ski resort was located in Aspen, and Ashcroft was quietly forgotten.  There are less than a dozen buildings still standing, but the beauty of it is that you can get in a great skiing vacation and check out a glorious abandoned site at the same time.  That’s win-win.

Kennecott, Alaska

This was another mining town, situated in a remote corner of Alaska.  The rich vein of copper supported the town, but when the mine was depleted, the town was just too far off the beaten path to survive on its own, and it quietly died.  The harsh winters haven’t been kind to the place in the intervening years, but if you go during the summer, you’ll find accessing it fairly easy, and will get some unforgettable photographs for your effort.

Dogpatch USA

Located near Marble Falls, Arkansas, this was originally built as a theme park, modeled after the comic strip “Lil’ Abner.  As it turns out, “Lil’ Abner” wasn’t really a great basis for a theme park, and after struggling for a few years, the place quietly went out of business.  Many of the buildings are still there, however, and it makes for an intriguing place to pay a visit to.

Lynch, Kentucky

This is the only town on the list that actually isn’t quite abandoned.  An old coal mining town, it still plays home to a few hundred people, but is filled with eerie abandoned buildings that haven’t seen use in decades.  A strange, and strangely unsettling place to visit.

Honestly, these are some of the most intriguing places in America.  These destinations aren’t for everyone, but if any of them grab your attention, you definitely won’t be disappointed.  A series of truly unique travel destinations.

The post Road Trip: Five Abandoned Places to Consider Visiting appeared first on Love is all colors.

Do you love to travel?  The fun and adventure of exploring a place you’ve never been before?  If you do, then odds are good that you’ve already run into a problem that many travelers encounter.  Lots of other people love traveling too, and too often, you wind up going to a place that thousands, or even tens of thousands of other people are also interested in.

That can be fine to a point, but sometimes, you just want to get away from it all.  To spend time exploring those hidden gems all across the country that aren’t swamped with other adventurers.  You’re in luck!  Below, you’ll find a splendid collection of out of the way travel destinations that will keep you enthralled for many trips to come.  Enjoy!

The Riverwalk (San Antonio, Tx)

San Antonio is a lovely city, but it’s not typically very high on most people’s “must visit” travel destinations lists. That’s good news for you, because the Riverwalk in San Antonio is absolutely spectacular.  You can easily turn this into a long weekend, or even a week-long exploration.  A fun, festive city, and an unexpected treasure.

Hocking Hills State Park (Ohio)

If you love exploring state parks, but don’t feel like fighting massive crowds, put Hocking Hills on your short list of places to visit. Filled with beautiful, sweeping vistas, trails, rock bridges, and encompassing more than 2300 acres, you’ll find a lot to like here.  If you’re a fan of camping, you can do that, and still have access to flushing toilets and hot showers.  If that’s a bit too rustic for you, there are a number of rental cabins also available.

Gates of the Arctic (Alaska)

Another hidden gem of a national park, this one in Alaska. This adventure is definitely not for the faint of heart.  There are no trails or cozy cabins here.  If you don’t have some decent survival skills out the gate, then you’re not going to want to attempt this adventure.  If you’ve got the right stuff, however, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and well worth your time.

Jacksonville, Oregon

This is one of those quaint, artist-towns that’s well worth a visit. Plenty of antique shops, restaurants, local art talent and music to enjoy.  Once you pay this place a visit, you’ll definitely want to come back again and again.

Floyd, Virginia

Another fun, quirky little town, this one has a reputation as being one of the places where the hippie subculture still thrives. You’ll find plenty of local artisans and musicians here, along with a fine assortment of shops, eateries, and other hidden vistas to explore.

San Juan Islands (Washington State)

Sitting not far off the coast of Washington state, the San Juan islands are a popular destination for anybody who’s interested in marine life. Specifically, if you’ve never seen Orcas in the wild, this is the travel destination for you.  One sighting and you’ll be hooked, and want to come back again and again.

Portland, Maine

You’d never know this was one of the largest cities in Maine. The cobblestone streets give the place a decidedly Old World feel, and the Old Port waterfront is not to be missed.  Unless you’re used to bitterly cold weather, don’t go during the latter third of the year, but otherwise, it’s absolutely divine!

There are dozens of other similar hidden destinations scattered all across the country, but these will certainly keep your travel itch scratched for months to come!

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