States – Page 24 – Wandering Dawgs

Florida Vacation without the RV

July 9, 2018June 21, 2026Posted in Florida, Road Trip, Tourist AttractionsTagged Blizzard Beach, Butter Beer, Disney Springs, family vacation, Flagler Beach, Harry Potter, Islands of Adventure, Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, theme park, Universal Studios16 Comments

For the first time in many years we took a vacation without our RV. Instead, motels and a condo were our home for the week.

We decided to break up our trip to Orlando and spend a night near a beach to take a drive along A1A. Flagler Beach sounded like a perfect place. It’s a small beach town on the Atlantic Ocean that still has that old Florida feeling. Driving down A1A the Atlantic Ocean is on one side of the road and beach houses and locally owned restaurants are on the other. Heaven! After a walk on the fishing pier we ate fish sandwiches with an ocean view at the Funky Pelican next to the pier.

20180623Flagler-Beach-(7) — Flagler Beach Fishing Pier

Our home for the rest of the week was a condo in a resort in Lake Buena Vista. We enjoyed the screened porch with a view of the fountain and pond.

20180630Vistana-(6) — Our home for the week

We had the condo to ourselves for the first three nights. We celebrated my birthday at Bongo’s, a Cuban restaurant at Disney Springs.

20180624Bongos-Beths-Birthday-(10) — We started off with a mojito at the bar at Bongo’s

20180624Bongos-Beths-Birthday-(5) — Birthday Dinner at Bongo’s at Disney Springs

On Wednesday we picked up our two oldest grandchildren at the airport. After a long travel day they enjoyed a dip in one of the pools.

20180627Vistana-Oeen-and-Annabelle-(3) — Pool at the resort

Going to Universal Studios to see the Harry Potter attractions was at the top of their wish list so the next morning we got up early to be at the park as soon as it opened.

Universal is made up of two separate theme parks with Harry Potter attractions in both parks. We purchased the park hopper tickets so we could ride the Hogwarts Express train between the parks. The train ride was fun and when we disembarked we were in The Islands of Adventure Park in Hogsmeade. We cooled off with a Butter Beer before riding any more rides.

The kids loved the two Harry Potter thrill rides. Henry liked the Escape from Gringotts. Our 14 year old grandson said the Forbidden Journey was his favorite. Our granddaughter liked them both. I’m not a fan of thrill rides. The train was more my style.

After our epic day at Universal we took it easy the next day. While it rained all afternoon we played some games and enjoyed hanging out with our grandkids.

One evening the kids enjoyed the pool while I enjoyed the evening sky.

On our last day we put on our bathing suits and went to Blizzard Beach, one of the Disney water parks. We were able to enjoy a few rides before the afternoon thunderstorm came through. Just as predicted, at 1:00 the lightening was so close they closed all the rides.

20180630Blizzard-Beach-(3) — The Summit Plummet at Disney’s Blizard Beach is on the right where the flags are.

One thing that is almost guaranteed if you travel to Orlando in late June is the daily thunderstorms. The only day we didn’t get rained on was the day we went to Universal. How lucky was that?

What a great week making memories with our two oldest grandkids!

June in the Butterfly Garden

June 27, 2018June 21, 2026Posted in Birds, Butterflies, Flowers, Georgia, Nature, PhotographyTagged backyard, Butterfly Garden, garden, Georgia birding, Wandering Wednesday18 Comments

My butterfly garden is full of colorful blooms and the butterflies are starting to take notice.

20180620Butterfly-(11) — Butterfly on Mexican Sunflower

20180605Garden-(3) — Monarch on Milkweed

20180620Butterfly-(16) — Mexican Sunflower

The birds continue to come by daily.

20180604Bunting-in-rocks-(9) — Male Painted Bunting

20180603Garden-(17)-Tufted-Titmouse — Tufted Titmouse

20180613Garden-(3) — Ruby Throated Hummingbird

20180612Cardinal-(7) — The cardinals search for dropped seeds on the ground beneath the bird feeder

Happy Summer!

Linked to Ingrid’s Wandering Wednesday – Flowers

Wandering Wednesday – Water

June 20, 2018June 16, 2026Posted in Birds, Georgia, NatureTagged Live Laugh RV, Photo Inspiration, salt water tidal creek, Wandering Wednesday, water16 Comments

I have lived within a few miles of the Atlantic Ocean for most of my life. A dock connects our back yard to a tidal creek.

At low tide, there’s just a trickle of water in the creek.

20180619Creek-(6) — Georgia Tidal Creek at low tide

During the low tide, wading birds walk along the creek bed searching for food.

Roseate Spoonbill in Georgia salt water tidal creek — Roseate Spoonbill

Tri Colored Heron finds a snack in a Georgia creek

Juvenile Little Blue Heron — Searching for a treat in the tidal creek

When the tide is high, it’s a different world.

20180615Creek-(2) — When the tide is high enough, we can hop in the boat and go for a ride

At the mouth of the creek we enter a river and explore the coastal waters.

20180503Boat-Ride-(1) — Boat ride in Georgia waters near Tybee Island

20160603Boat-Ride-(8) — Uninhabited Georgia Barrier Island only reachable by boat

And during the summer, when the tide is just right, we can catch fresh blue crabs for supper.

Nothing better than catching, cooking, and eating Georgia Blue Crabs

This post was inspired by Ingrid’s Wandering Wednesday.

Favorite Alaska and Canada Wildlife Photos

June 13, 2018Posted in Alaska, British Columbia, Road Trip, RVing, WildlifeTagged Bald Eagle, black bear, Grizzly, Humpback Whale, Live Laugh RV, moose, Orca, Photo Inspiration, Puffins, Stellar Sea Lions43 Comments

Five years ago this week we were on the road to Alaska from Georgia. Once we crossed the border into Canada, I spent every day looking for wildlife. There were many “WOW” wildlife sightings in both Canada and Alaska.

I’ve been thinking about posting some of my favorite wildlife photos from the trip and today I finally got the boost I needed to put it all together. When my friend Ingrid at Live, Laugh RV posted that the theme for her very first Wednesday photo inspiration was wildlife, I immediately started going though the thousands of photos from the trip.

If you would like to participate or see other posts inspired by Ingrid, click on over to Ingrid’s post Wandering Wednesday.

Here are just a few of my favorite wildlife photos from our Canada and Alaska adventure.

Elk in loop 63 — Elk near our campsite in Jasper National Park, Alberta

Bear in British Columbia — Soon after entering British Columbia we were in Mount Robson Park and saw this grizzly beside the road

Black Bear eating Dandelions — Bear in British Columbia

A small herd with calves — Bison herd with calves near Liard River Hotsprings in British Columbia

20130709Day-55Tek-to-Kantishna-(337) — Moose in Denali National Park, Alaska

Stellar Sea Lions on day trip to Juneau — Stellar Sea Lions on wildlife cruise from Haines to Juneau, Alaska

Whale Tail — Humpback Whale on wildlife cruise from Haines to Juneau, Alaska

Two Sea Otters Valdez — Sea Otters on Columbia Glacier cruise from Valdez, Alaska

Pod of Orcas with calf on Columbia Glacier cruise from Valdez, Alaska

He was looking at me — Eagle at Deep Creek Beach, Alaska

Pair of Eagles on Columbia Glacier Cruise from Valdez, Alaska

Puffins on the Columbia Glacier Cruise from Valdez, Alaska

Mosley’s Wiregrass Junction

June 1, 2018Posted in Georgia, Nature, Road Trip, Tourist Attractions, WildlifeTagged Animal Exit, Camel, Mosley's Wiregrass Junction, roadside attractions20 Comments

When was the last time you were driving down the interstate in the state of Georgia and saw a camel or a buffalo?

The first time we saw a buffalo from the interstate as we were traveling east on I-16 towards home we knew we were going to have to stop. Ever since then Moseley’s Wiregrass Junction has become a favorite stopping place when we are traveling along that route.

Usually we just watch the animals from the parking lot but the last time we were there we opted to pay the $2 per person fee to see them up close. We also bought a bag of animal food before going through the gate to see animals.