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Monticello exterior with people walking up

Visiting Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and Poplar Forest

As a nomad, I frequently detour on my travels to view the homes of writers and artist offering tours. It goes without saying when I was near the homes of Thomas Jefferson – Monticello and Poplar Forest – I stopped. As the author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson is one of the most revered writers of the United States. He’s also a genius and polymath, cultivating much knowledge and many skills. Like most founding fathers, he was also an...

Old Salem Moravian Settlement sign and fence
A yellow seashell "shell" gas station

4 Must See Roadside Attractions in North Carolina

If you’re visiting North Carolina anywhere near Winston-Salem, you’ll notice the roadside attractions – and you’ll definitely see them because they’re too big to miss. I only stayed in the area a few days, but by the end of the second, I’d spotted a theme: BIG novelty architecture objects on the side of the road. There are several that I stumbled upon and maybe more that I didn’t. Here’s what I found. 1 BIG Coffee Pot In Old Salem, the...

Rene in front of the Fort Matanzas National Monument

Visiting St. Augustine, Florida; America’s Oldest City

There’s a lot of flash in St. Augustine, Florida. There’s music playing from seaside cafes and long haired retirees driving by on trikes and bikes. There are oodles of people wearing swimsuits with subtle coverups, and the scent of suntan oil wafts on the breeze. Local shops sell brightly colored swimwear and kitschy souvenirs that say things like “Life is better at the beach,” while children are chased by their parents as they cross the brick-lined streets. It’s loud, busy,...

Boone Farm Plantation allee with live oaks

3 Unique Charleston Plantations Worth Visiting

South Carolina isn’t as known for its Charleston Plantations as it should be. Most people know about its historic colonial architecture, coastal seafood, and the old southern way of life. Still, it should also be known for its preservation of history through a series of stunning plantations. While I was in the area for more than a month, I visited three unique plantations that preserve important pre-civil war history. While plantations are representations of our grim past with enslavement, they’re...

Flower stand in a truck in Bluffton, Georgia

The Best of Savannah: 21 Things to See and Do

There are so many more things to do in Savannah than touring the squares and searching for ghosts, but those are two great choices. I spent six weeks in the city and explored many great places and spaces that make the region so spectacular. There are plenty of activities, day trips, tours and places to eat that will leave you happy, and I’ve highlighted some of my favorites. If you’re planning a weekend trip or longer, you won’t want to...

O'Connor house fireplace and painting of young Flannery

Flannery O’Connor in Savannah: House Tour

The life of Flannery O’Connor in Savannah was poignant and undoubtedly shaped her for the writing that would make her famous. I toured the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home in Savannah, and what I learned helped me better understand the writer, the era and how she became a southern gothic novelist. Touring houses in the Savannah squares is one of the best activities many tourists participate in when visiting the city. It’s even better when it’s one where someone famous lived....

Thin trees in a swamp with green moss at their base.

5 Unique Reasons Congaree National Park is Worth Visiting

Synchronistic Fireflies and Champion Trees are two reasons to visit Congaree National Park. Plus, Congaree is among the least visited parks, making it blissfully uncrowded. I’ve been to 25+ national parks and there are essentially two types: those people go to and those they don’t. Some parks are filled with amenities, trails and things to do and see, and other parks quietly exist to protect rare and spectacular environments. Congaree is one of the latter. It protects the largest intact...

Boat next to Beaufort marsh

Exploring the Low-Country Charm of Beaufort, South Carolina

Beaufort, South Carolina, is known for its low-country charm, antebellum architecture, and quite a bit of Hollywood credit. It’s a little-known but wildly charming low-country community. On the coastline between Charleston and Savannah, Beaufort is worth visiting because it’s the quieter, lesser-known cousin of the two more famous cities, which is probably what brought Hollywood calling so many times. It has all the charm, Spanish moss and coastal character as those other great cities, but none of the bustle or...

Mount Pleasant Shem Creek

Shrimping on Shem Creek near Charleston

Mount Pleasant Shem Creek is known for its shrimp boats and seafood restaurants, so that is where I went just east of Charleston on the central coast to learn about Charleston’s shrimping history and try my hand at catching a few myself. I booked a tour with a local who promised to walk a group of us through the evolution of the shrimping industry in Shem Creek. To do that, we had to go back a few hundred years. Where...