You should visit amazing St Simons Island if you love animals! I was overjoyed to find different types of interesting animals in and near St Simons. My son in law once asked my daughter why our family always spent our vacations looking at animals. The answer is animals are endlessly fascinating, and important to our ecosystems…. I love them, and since I planned the trips,we traveled to see animals. [Read more…] about Visit Amazing St Simons Island if you Love Animals!
I loved my recent visit to St Simon’s Island and enjoyed the authentic southern history and charm of the place! It truly is like stepping back in time because the island does not allow buildings over four stories, so there are no big name hotels (the Supreme Court ruled that the island could keep their zoning regulations!). No big chain restaurants. Everything is small, authentic, one of a kind. It is very hard to find places like that anymore! Welcome to St Simon’s!
Captain Fendig’s Lighthouse Trolleys and Tours is the best company on the island to get the real scoop and stories. Cap is island born and bred, and he makes sure his tour guides are the real deal.
The Bloody Marsh Battle Site
The end of Spain’s designs on Georgia came on July 7, 1742, when British troops ambushed the Spanish and ended Spanish claims on the colony forever. James Oglethorpe colonized Georgia for Great Britain, but there were many disputes over the Georgia and Florida borders between Spain and Britain. The fight found the Spanish taking cover in the forest….but the outnumbered British caught them by coming across the marsh (swamp) and over 200 Spaniards died. (Want more info? Click on https://www.goldenisles.com/listing/bloody-marsh-battle-site/210/) Cap Fendig took us to the site, and like a true history buff, he had one question for us: what if the Spanish had won? My bet is that everyone would be speaking Spanish on St Simon’s, and probably the whole Eastern seaboard!
St Simon’s Island Lighthouse
There are only five remaining lighthouses in Georgia, and you guessed it, St Simon’s is one of them. It is still in operation, assisting traffic entering St Simon’s Sound. The historic site is beautiful, it houses a fascinating museum, gift shop and yes, you can climb the 129 steps to the top of the lighthouse! For more information go to www.saintsimonslighthouse.org.
Christ’s Church, Frederica
The church was built in 1820 and destroyed by Union soldiers during the Civil War. It is the 3rd oldest Episcopalian Church in the USA. The cemetery was the most fascinating part of the tour…Cap Fendig had a Union Soldier waiting for us at the entrance to the grounds, and the family histories of those buried there were riveting. Many famous Georgians have been laid to rest at Christ Church, including southern novelist Eugenia Price, who wrote the St Simons Trilogy.
One of the most interesting stories is that of Lordy King and Neptune Small. The King family owned Retreat Plantation on St Simon’s Island, and each child of the family had a companion slave with whom to grow up. Henry Lord Page King, called Lordy, had a slave, Neptune, who was only five months younger. They grew up together and all of the children and their companion slaves were taught to read and write by Anna Mathilda Page King, Lordy’s mother. It was not uncommon for slaves to accompany their owners to war, and Neptune went with Lordy when Civil War broke out. Lordy was shot and killed during the Battle of Fredericksburg, VA, in 1862, and Neptune found his body on the battlefield. He enlisted help from the officers to make a simple pine box to carry Lordy’s body, and in Richmond Neptune bought a casket and started home. The story says that Lordy’s siblings met Neptune in Savannah and they buried Lordy in a temporary grave because Union soldiers had taken St Simon’s Island for their headquarters. Neptune then went with Tip King, the youngest brother, when he went to the war, and stayed with him until the surrender. Neptune was free, but he chose to return to Savannah to disinter Lordy and take him home to be buried at Christ Church on St Simons, with his family. The King family gifted a small piece of land on their plantation to Neptune, and he took the name “Small”, apparently because he was a smallish man. He built his house, married, and raised his children there, working for the King family until he died. He was buried in the Retreat Plantation slave graveyard. Now, I am not a person to idealize the antebellum or war time South, and I’m not fond of the display of the Stars and Bars unless it is in a historical context, but I did find the story touching, that a slave who could have been free would have taken his companion home for burial. It speaks to a love or fondness for Lordy on the part of Neptune Small.
Stay tuned for more fascinating stories and blogs about St Simon’s Island and the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort where I stayed in historical and casual splendor! Casual luxury is my favorite kind!
Speaking of casual luxury, be sure and check this out:
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Are you aware there are 10 places where you can go bat-shit crazy in the Lone Star State? Particularly in the Hill Country! Yep, the state of Texas is batty about bats! Texans love watching bats emerge in the evenings and they will travel to do it. Most particularly, Texas is crazy about the Mexican Free-tailed Bat who migrates to many parts of the state beginning in March every year. These cool bats spend their winters in Mexico and summers in Texas. Sounds kind of nice, don’t you think? So, why does Texas, or anyone for that matter, care about bat populations, you want to know? Well, the answer is quite simple: bats are a very necessary part of our ecosystem. Throughout history people have viewed bats in a negative fashion, but the fact is that they are a positive force in nature and in farming, for many reasons. They eat a lot of our most detested and bothersome insects such as mosquitoes, they pollinate many plant and tree species, and even their guano (waste) can be mined and used as a very valuable fertilizer. Farmers, especially those in Texas, encourage bats to forage on their lands nightly. Mexican Free-Tailed Bats love eating moths, and moths love to eat corn, cotton, pecans and sorghum from the fields. Did you know that moths can lay 1,000 eggs? Imagine the tons of moths eaten by bats, lowering the number of these pests eating crops. Studies have found that bats save millions of dollars in pesticide costs for farmers all over the United States, and that is good for humans and the economy as well. Texas Hill Country is a bat mecca! [Read more…] about 10 Places You Can Go Bat-Shit Crazy in Texas Hill Country!
The 6 best places to hike in Wisconsin are beautiful! Are you under the impression that Wisconsin is a frozen tundra or is flat and only focused on bicycle trails? Have you wondered where you can go for some great hiking that rivals other areas of the country? If so, this post is for you!
As an idea for a post, I thought this one would be easy. Great hiking trails in Wisconsin? There are plenty! The problem came down to narrowing it down into a neat little list that I could easily share with everyone!
With 47 state parks, 72 counties with their own great parks, and over 2500 miles of hiking trails, including two National Trails – the Ice Age Scenic Trail and the North Country Scenic Trail, this one was a lot more difficult than I imagined!
So, to help me organize my thoughts, I decided to focus on trails in some of the main geographic formations of Wisconsin, the Driftless Area, the Kettle Moraines, Door County Peninsula, Apostle Islands, and the Upper Highlands.
Most of the Wisconsin landscape was formed by huge glaciers. The Driftless Area, shared by Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa, is a region left untouched by glaciers, leaving a rugged terrain formed by major rivers, like the Mississippi, and flooding from melting glaciers.
At the eastern edge of this area lies one of my favorite State Parks and hiking areas, Devil’s Lake.
Devil’s Lake State Park is the largest state park in Wisconsin and one of the oldest. Its 500-foot quartzite bluffs are part of the Baraboo Range and includes a 360 acre lake, a mixed conifer-deciduous forest, unique rock formations, effigy mounds, and a deep gorge known as Parfrey’s Glen.
The area is an unexpected natural wonder and an outdoor paradise of the Midwest.
There are 41 miles of hiking trails in the park, including the Ice Age Trail, and the best ones are listed here.
The best trail to hike is a loop made up of West Bluff Trail, Balanced Rock Trail, East Bluff Trail and Devil’s Doorway plus a bit of walking through the parking lots and concession area, for a total of about 4.5 miles.
The trail consists of stone steps, rock formations, scenic views, bluff edges, woods, cliffs, and boardwalks.
Going up the bluff at Balanced Rock Trail is easier, in my opinion, than going down. You can start at the South Shore or the North Shore, but either way, I’d go counter-clockwise. There is a steep climb with rock steps and switchbacks, but well worth the views!
When you get to the top, head right along the East Bluff Trail to the Devil’s Doorway side trail before double-backing and continuing on along the cliff. You could also descend down via the Potholes Trail if you’re short on time.
You’ll have to drive down the road a bit to Parfreys Glen, a 1.5 out-and-back trail through a scenic gorge at the eastern end of the park. Powerful floods have changed the glen and the official trail now ends at the gorge. Hikers can continue on by navigating a stream and rough stone to the waterfall.
Wyalusing State Park, also residing in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, sits 500 feet above where the waters of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers meet and is one of Wisconsin’s oldest parks. The park consists of campsites with views and even a canoe/kayaking trail.
It has over 14 miles of hiking trails, and the best are listed here.
Bluff Trail to Old Immigrant Trail
This 3-mile trail starts at some scenic outlooks, winds down through a couple staircases/ladders to Treasure Cave, and then 
follows the ridge along the Wisconsin River bluff to the other side of the campground.
You can also connect to the Old Wagon Road Trail (1 mile) which takes a path through the woods out to the park road in order to make a loop.
Sugar Maple Trail
This 2.5 mile loop through the woods includes a self-guided nature trail with informational signs. A short side trail leads to Pictured Rock Cave with a wet-weather waterfall.
Sentinel Ridge Trail
This 1.5 mile trail follows the ridge above the Mississippi River side of the park in between the Old Immigrant Trail and the Sugar Maple Trail. You will either need to go out and back or follow the park road back to your starting point.
There are some steep areas and great views along this trail, along with Indian mounds.
Kettle Moraine is a large area of lakes, kettles, serpentine ridges, and canonical hills in Eastern Wisconsin formed by receding glaciers and offering many outdoor recreation opportunities. It includes a State Forest and is divided into a Northern Unit with 14 trailheads and a Southern Unit with 17 trailheads.
The best of over 145 miles of trails in this area are listed here.
Ice Age Trail to Lapham Peak
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is more than 1,000 miles in 30 counties across Wisconsin. It starts at Interstate State Park, following the edge of the last continental glacier in Wisconsin to Lake Michigan.
The trail covers some of Wisconsin’s most scenic areas, including the Kettle Moraine area. One of the best sections is the hike to Lapham Peak.
This 2.8-mile trail is a moderate loop through woods and grassy areas. It starts at the entrance of the Kettle Moraine State Forest – Laphma Peak Unit and includes an observation tower at Lapham Peak. You can connect up to the Kettle View Trail to make the loop.
Also in the Kettle Moraine Forest, don’t miss the 3.4 mile out-and-back Bald Bluff Trail, the Emma Carlin Trails (watch out for mountain bikes!), Scuppernong Trail, and the Parnell Tower Trail. All worthy for a stop!
The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is made up of 21 islands and 12 miles of coastal mainland on the shores of Lake Superior. It includes cliffs, sea caves, rock formations, beaches, light houses, and many hiking trails.
Seeing all of the features of the islands requires a boat tour, and some of the 50 miles of hiking trails are only accessible via boat. The best trails are listed here.
Meyers Beach Sea Cave Trail (aka Lakeshore Trail)
This 4.6-mile out-and-back trail follows the shoreline of Lake Superior and offers spectacular views of the lake and the sea caves below. It starts with a boardwalk at Meyer’s Beach and includes edge and wooded sections.
Island Hikes
Take the ferry over to Madeline Island and hike Big Bay State Park, then check out the trails and camping at Stockton Island, hike the Overlook Trail and see the Hole in the Wall on Oak Island, and wander among 250-year-old trees and view sea caves on Sand Island.
As you leave the Apostle Islands, head over to Lost Creek Falls, one of Wisconsin’s best waterfall hiking trails. It’s a 2.2-mile out and back trail through lush woods to a beautiful waterfall. To access the trail from Cornucopia, take County Road C South to Trail Drive (on the right) to the parking area.
Peninsula State Park is located in the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin, which lies between Lake Michigan and Green Bay. The park includes high bluffs and sandy beaches with 8 miles of shoreline on Green Bay.
The Eagle Bluff Trail is a 2-mile loop along the shoreline and through woods with stunning views and some beach access. You walk along the water with 100 foot bluffs and a some caves. You can extend your hike by taking Minnehaha to Lone Pine to Sentinel to make a 4.25 mile loop.
The park is filled with miles 30 miles of hiking and bicycle trails which make for easy hiking throughout the rest of the park and shoreline.
These are just five of the top hiking areas of Wisconsin. I’m sure if you ask 10 people who love Wisconsin, you will get a different list! There are just that many great trails and scenic areas! If you’re going to hike these areas, it’s a good idea to bring mosquito and tick repellent (Deep Woods Off is my favorite), plenty of water, and a Wisconsin State Park pass.
However, I do think that these hikes do a great job at representing the diverse geography of Wisconsin. It’s a beautiful state with a lot to offer. Many of these hiking trails are open in the winter for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. So, don’t be afraid to come any time of year to check them out!
If you are thinking of planning a road trip to or in Wisconsin, or looking for recommendations on where to stay, eat, or other activities while exploring this wonderful area, we can help! Just let us know at Roadtrippers R Us!
Thanks for reading!
Kristi, aka The Trippy Tripster!
A visit to the Gruene Historic District is an absolute MUST when visiting New Braunfels. It is a quaint area with entertainment, shopping, and eating, and what’s better than that? On my visit to New Braunfels I so enjoyed my visit to Gruene with Judy from In New Braunfels. Here is how I heard the story: in the 1840s a German named Ernst Gruene (pronounced Green) decided to immigrate to start a new life. His fiance was not too crazy about the idea and refused to go. Ernst saw a young woman hanging laundry while walking through his village in Germany, and asked her to marry him and move to America. She said yes. And so they came to New Braunfels in 1845, bought land downriver from the settlement, and ended up building a family, a town, a prosperous cotton business, and his wife, Antoinette, undoubtedly ruled the roost.
While visiting the town I really enjoyed seeing photos of the family. Gruene’s history and historic buildings are a lovely place to wander. There is the Gruene Mansion (now an Inn), the Gruene Dance Hall where music is still played every night and Texans can dance to their heart’s content, a general store, more homes, inns, etc. The district is on the national historic register, and everything is kept up beautifully. Right on the river, one can eat, do wine tasting, shop, and dance. Gruene is a very German, but also very Texan, town. I loved it and can’t wait to go back when I have plenty of leisure time to spend the entire day there. Definitely weekend worthy, folks!
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Stroll through Downtown New Braunfels! On a recent visit to New Braunfels, Texas, between San Antonio and Austin, I took a Saturday morning stroll with Jan Kingsbury of SPASS Walking Tours. Jan has lived in New Braunfels for most of her life, and knows the city very well indeed! I was fascinated by the history and color of the town. Let’s start our walk at the Farmers Market, open every Saturday!
I hope you will visit New Braunfels soon and discover its German, and Texan, charm for yourself!
Thank you to IN NEW BRAUNFELS FOR HOSTING ME!
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