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Published: September 15th 2018
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Today, our little area of the Triad, NC is experiencing some inland rain and high winds as a result of Hurricane Florence, which is currently making landfall on our coast. We are thinking about our family members there, whom we just visited for a quick family beach getaway two weeks ago as a farewell to a great summer. Before news of the hurricane hit, we were enjoying our time at Hammocks Beach State Park, downtown Swansboro and Fort Macon, NC with my great-aunt, great-uncle and second cousins.
We took our time getting down there, leaving early on Friday morning. One of the most endearing things about my family is the fact that we love to make the journey just as important and exciting as the destination. We got up very early on Friday, ate breakfast at a sweet barbecue restaurant right in town, and then hit the road. One of our favorite places to stop is around Saxapahaw, NC. This is a tiny little arts town with a grand ballroom where we’ve seen many musicians play throughout the years. Above the ballroom they have a little coffee shop, so we all fueled up with some caffeine and muffins before heading
on down the road. Along the way to the beach, we stopped at Sunni Skies ice cream parlor and enjoyed some of their many flavors, found a local park to let the kids stretch their legs and run around, and even took a tour of the Mount Olive Pickle Factory in Goldsboro, NC. We also saw the World’s Largest Frying Pan near Rose Hill, NC.
Once we finally arrived at the beach, we settled into our lodging. In the years past, we have always stayed with my extended family at their home. However this year, there were a few more of us than usual. We had both children in tow for the first time, and my brother and sister were each bringing their new spouses. So, my parents opted to stay with my great-aunt and uncle and us kids rented an Airbnb. This was our first time booking a stay through the website, and we really enjoyed the accommodations we found. We ended up staying at a local beach home that was about 10 minutes from the ocean. It was a part of a developed neighborhood, but the backyard was around five acres and included goats and chickens! My
children adored waking up each morning and collecting eggs, then feeding the goats crackers that the host had left for us.
On our first day there, the weather was overcast. We enjoyed going to a few of the local thrift stores and finding some treasures, though the kids quickly tired of that excursion. So, my husband and I broke away from the group and took them to the local library instead, where they were able to see some of the new displays and read a few books before both taking a nap. That afternoon, we walked around downtown Swansboro. This is a historic district that has many gift and specialty shops. It was a little cooler thanks to the earlier rain, so it made for a very enjoyable time together. That evening, we enjoyed pizza as a family around my great-aunt'ss oversized dining room table.
On Sunday morning, we got up and made it a point to get to the water today. We had enjoyed the shopping and sightseeing of the day prior, but we had come to put our toes in the sand and feel the salt spray in our hair. So, we decided to ride the ferry to nearby Hammocks Beach State Park. It was a little misty on the ride over, but once we got to the beach, we couldn’t believe how serene, empty and spotless it was. The community has an ordinance against leaving any trash on the island. We had to take all trash with us, as there weren’t even any trash cans available. As soon as we got there, we headed to the snack shop for crackers and ice cream for the kids. It was a great way to fill them up before we started exploring. Once that was finished, we enjoyed combing the immaculate shore for unique seashells, splashing in the ocean and just spending time together looking at the water.
In the fast-paced hustle and bustle of this world, it was nice to just enjoy nature and be together. It reminded me of when my husband and I were first married. We took a one-year anniversary trip to visit extended family in Spain and spent two days in
Barcelona. While there, we took in the Picasso Museum, the beaches and several local parks. It was the ideal way to step outside of our comfort zone, leave the worries and stresses of home behind and just immerse ourselves in a world of relaxation and intrigue. Though this was a touch less exotic, it was equally rejuvenating and a great way to step back and away from the chaos that day-to-day life can bring.
That evening, we made another trip to the shore, but this time we headed a little farther south to Fort Macon, NC. We have toured the historical fort in the past and it is a fascinating place full of significance and meaning, but this time we just parked in the parking lot and used its boardwalk to lead us down to the beach. This part of the beach was a little less populated than most, so it was a nice spot to spread out a blanket, have a little dinnertime picnic and take in the sunset before going back to the house and packing up to head home the next day.
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