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Olympic National Park
Tag Archive | beach
Henderson Park Inn
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La Jolla
California
If you are looking for a beautiful seaside resort for a vacation getaway, look no further than La Jolla, California. This little town north of San Diego is located on seven miles of gorgeous Pacific Ocean coastline.
La Jolla Beach
La Jolla Cove
The name La Jolla actually comes from the Spanish words “La Joya” which means “the jewel”. Once you see this area – you will understand how it earned this name. There are gorgeous ocean views at every turn. Luxury shops, waterfront restaurants, boutique hotels, art galleries, and parks are located steps away from beautiful blue waters and breathtaking sea cliffs.
My husband and I recently visited La Jolla after a vacation that included Palm Springs and Temecula. San Diego and La Jolla were the last stops on this California trip and all are within easy driving distances. We stayed at a little boutique hotel in La Jolla (Pantai Inn) just steps away from the coastline and in walking distance of shopping and restaurants. It was a perfect location!
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The La Jolla Walking Trail was located right in front of our hotel property. This paved walkway runs from the La Jolla Shores Beach to the La Jolla Cove. It is favored by locals and tourists alike and is enjoyed by joggers, dog walkers, families, bikers and casual walkers – like us! We walked this trail several times and enjoyed the grassy parks, the spectacular ocean views, the hidden beaches, the rocky shores, and the sandstone cliffs. We encountered numerous sea birds and sea lions along the way. One of the most popular spots along the trail is the La Jolla Cove. This is a very scenic, ecologically protected beach for swimming, snorkeling, and diving. If you keep following the trail past La Jolla Cove, you end up at the La Jolla Sea Cave. This is a very unique, natural formation with heavy surf, crashing waves, and clear ocean water. This is also a popular area for divers and kayakers.
La Jolla Cove
Sea Cave
sea gull
La Jolla Trail
One of our La Jolla excursions was to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. This park is located north of San Diego between La Jolla and Del Mar, along the rugged Pacific Ocean coastline. There are miles of hiking trails, odd-shaped pine trees, sandstone canyons, sea cliffs, ocean views, wide beaches, and championship golf courses. The park’s namesake, the Torrey pine, is the rarest native pine tree and is an endangered species that grows only in this park. You may recognize its familiar, wind-blown, asymmetrical shape.
If you like outdoor adventure, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is definitely the place to visit near La Jolla. Just lace up your shoes, pack your sunscreen and water, and bring your camera! The hiking trails are all well-maintained and are well-marked. Some are easy, some are more difficult. There is plenty of parking and a ranger station to visit for info before heading out on the trailheads. All of the trails provide breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean from high vantage points. A couple of trails have beach access and will lead you to the cliff-lined, sandy beaches. Other trails are lined with huge sandstone structures, pine trees, succulents, and beautiful wild-flowers. I will never forget the picturesque views we encountered on the trails here.
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At the end of these busy days of exploring, we were always extremely hungry and ready for a great meal. We found restaurants very close to our hotel – most in walking distance. The first night we dined at 910 Restaurant and had a most exceptional meal! We sat on the patio and had cocktails and one of the best culinary dishes I have ever had. The next night, we ate at the Crab Catcher and had a great ocean-view table that looked over the Sea Cave. We drank local California wine and dined on fresh seafood – delicious!
short rib ravioli
lobster salad
chocolate pistachio dessert
crab louis salad
spaghetti & clams
fish filet
key lime pie
chocolate torte
Great views, great adventures, and great food – what is not to like? La Jolla, you were truly a “jewel” to me! I enjoyed every moment – even the extremely smelly sea lions.
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Food for thought – Dr. Seuss, Theodor Seuss Geisel, lived in La Jolla. I wonder if the strangely shaped, wind-blown Torrey pine trees were an inspiration for some of his crazy, whimsical, cartoon trees? There are reports that his Lorax tree was actually inspired by this tree we walked by in Scripps Park at La Jolla Cove. Who knew?!
Orange Beach
Alabama
When was the last time you went on a relaxing beach vacation? Maybe it is about time to plan that next excursion! How about a visit to Orange Beach where the Southern hospitality is as warm as the sun?
David (my husband) and I recently visited Orange Beach – my third visit and his first. I was born and raised in Mississippi and love returning to my roots in the deep South. You gotta love a place where several times a day you are addressed as “honey,” “sweetie,” “sugar,” and told “bless your heart” in a friendly Southern drawl. Doors are held open for you, strangers strike up conversations, grits are a staple, and butter is served at every meal (whether you request it or not).
sea oats
sunset on the ocean
Orange Beach is located on the Alabama coast between Mobile and Pensacola, just down the highway from Gulf Shores. These beautiful beaches were a well-kept secret for many years but now more and more people, developers, and businesses have discovered this great little vacation spot. I guess it was just too difficult to keep Orange Beach’s 32 miles of pristine white-sand beaches and turquoise waters hidden for too long. The soft white sand that makes up the beaches here looks and feels like powdered sugar. (It is made up of quartz grains that washed down from the Appalachian Mountains hundreds of thousands of years ago.) These beaches are absolutely gorgeous and are now considered some of the best in the United States.
beach selfie
white sand beach
On our most recent visit this February, David and I spent one morning at the Alabama Point East State Park. This park was located at the Perdido Pass Bridge and had plenty of free parking, picnic areas, restrooms, etc. What attracted us was the 6,000 feet of wide, white beaches and four boardwalks that led you over the sand dunes and sea oats and out onto the beaches. The sand, clear water, and unspoiled natural beauty of this area was breathtaking. One could spend hours or days here – loved it!
Orange Beach
a morning walk
Another big perk about visiting Orange Beach is the wide variety of delicious food at your door step. Every season, there is some fresh catch-of-the-day being served! Choose from shrimp, crabs, oysters, grouper, flounder, or snapper just to name a few. Here are some of the places I have dined at in the past and enjoyed: Cotton’s Restaurant is well-known for steaks and fresh seafood. It is located on the main drag in an old 1950’s wood-paneled, former beach house and has water views. Cobalt is located under the Perdido Bay Bridge with great views of the bay. They have tasty seafood dishes and are well-known for their creative happy hour drinks. Enjoy a meal or cocktail on their expansive patio located near boat slips for those coming by sea. There are some great sunset views here in the evening. Cosmos is one of my favorite restaurants in this area. It is located a little off the beaten path and not near the beach, but is well worth the drive. Cosmos is an art-filled restaurant with outside bar, gift shop, live music and serves fancy Southern fare in a casual setting. Lambert’s, just a short drive to Foley, is another area restaurant popular with locals and tourists alike. I can best describe it as “Cracker Barrel on steroids”. Lambert’s serves down-home Southern vittles with a flair. Fresh, hot baked rolls are thrown to your table from passing carts (or in Southern speak – rolls are “throwed” at ya!). Fried okra is spooned onto your paper towel and servers pass by your table serving up black-eyed peas, fried potatoes & onions, macaroni & tomatoes, and boiled cabbage as your side dishes. Other servers pass by with buckets of sorghum molasses and apple butter for your rolls. It is a meal and entertainment all in one! Another Broken Egg and Brick and Spoon are both local, casual chains and are a “must do” for breakfast or brunch. They have wonderful service and top notch egg dishes, biscuits and gravy, French toast, beignets, and many other dishes with a Southern or Cajun-Creole fare. Both had delicious brunch drinks including Mimosas, Bellinis and Bloody Marys….yum!
fried green tomatoes & shrimp salad
fish tacos
fried shrimp
crab claws
Orange Beach can appeal to old and young, couples or families. There seems to be something here for everyone to enjoy. There are several hiking trails, bird-watching areas and state parks in the area for those who want to get close to Mother Nature. There are dolphin tours, deep sea fishing charters, golf courses, biking trails and boat rentals. Families with children can spend time at the water parks, miniature golf courses, and adventure parks. You can’t throw a shoe and not hit a T-shirt shop, beachwear boutique or souvenir shop for those who love shopping!
sunset view at Cobalt
My favorite memories from here are the days just spent on the beach with no plans other than reading a good book. My “happy place” has always been sitting in a beach chair with an umbrella over my head and my toes buried in the sand. I can sit for hours listening to the sea breezes and the crashing waves on the shoreline. I love walking up and down the beach searching for the perfect shell and laughing when a rogue wave tries to knock me down. I always enjoy seeing the pelicans flying low over the waves and watching the speedy little shore birds looking for their next meal in the surf. In my opinion, days just don’t get much better than this. 🙂
Hope to see you on the beach soon. The “Redneck Riviera” awaits!
beach time!
sea bird
turquoise waters
Orange beach
sand dunes
Amelia Island, Florida
Elizabeth Pointe Lodge
the beach at sunset
A few years (and several hairstyles ago!) David and I took a great little summer vacation to Amelia Island, Florida. I had not heard much about Amelia Island prior to our trip but wanted to get away from the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Keys since we had already visited these areas. We wanted something new and different this time. So we flew into Jacksonville, rented a car, and began our adventure.
Amelia Island is an Atlantic coast barrier island on the northeastern corner of Florida, very close to the southeastern Georgia border. It is the perfect place for anyone wanting luxury resorts, golf courses, sandy beaches, shell collecting and small crowds. It is also very rich in history and has been under Spanish, French and British rule at one time or another.
birds on the beach
Elizabeth Pointe Lodge
Happy Hour
beach view of the lodge
We stayed at the wonderful Elizabeth Pointe Lodge located right on the beach. Our room was perfect and we kept the windows open every night and enjoyed the calming sounds of the ocean. The owners David and Susan (coincidence, right?!) had a wonderful staff and we had 24/7 room service available. We enjoyed fantastic breakfast buffets every morning and a Happy Hour every evening with wines, cheese & fruit trays, and heavy appetizers. Drinks and snacks were always available throughout the day. The owners and manager were always available for a chat, to give suggestions for restaurants or activities, or to book reservations for dining or excursions. One of the best things about Elizabeth Pointe Lodge (besides being adults only) was the gorgeous private beach and the complimentary chairs and umbrellas – all just steps away from our room. You gotta love a hassle-free vacation!
historic downtown church
Amelia Island Light
The drive into town from the lodge only took a few minutes and there were so many things to see on the way. We actually began our first day at the Amelia Island Museum to understand more about this area and the history. We explored Fernandina Beach’s historic district and found neat little artisan shops, boutiques, and bistros. We drove to the Amelia Island Light which is the oldest existing lighthouse in the state of Florida (built in 1838). David and I noticed there were no chain restaurants and we enjoyed trying several of the small local eateries – many that served fresh seafood that came off fishing boats from the harbor that very day. We had some wonderful food!
at David’s Restaurant
crab cake salad
shrimp poboy
oyster poboy
We dined on fresh seafood at Brett’s Waterway Cafe (at the main harbor) where you board the fishing boats or sightseeing cruises. Manatees were spotted here regularly, but we were not lucky enough to see one this day. We had a wonderful lunch at Joe’s 2nd Street Bistro another day after shopping in some of the little downtown shops. One of my favorite meals was a dinner at Espana Restaurant & Tapas where we sat at the bar and drank some fruity sangria and ate some very unusual and wonderful seafood-inspired tapas. We ate fresh crab cakes another night at Lulu’s, a New Orleans inspired restaurant located in a cozy old coach house. On our final night, we dined at David’s Restaurant (yet another David!) and had some of the best cucumber and basil martinis ever. They served a fantastic baked brie with homemade bread (in a little wooden chest) with pesto and oil & vinegar for dipping….Yummy! Every meal we ate was fresh, delicious, reasonably priced and was indicative of the local fare.
at the harbor
on Capt. Dave’s cruise
We booked two excursions while on Amelia Island and they became the highlights of our trip. The first was a boat ride on Amelia Cruises with Captain Pajama Dave. This Capt. Dave was exactly what his name promised! He was a big ole red-bearded guy who wore funny printed pajama bottoms and had an over-the-top personality to match. He told jokes, stories, and was the perfect source of information regarding the history, sights, and wildlife in this area. We sailed from the harbor at Amelia Island up the Cumberland River and off the coast of Georgia to the beautiful Cumberland Island.
shrimp boat
Pippi Longstocking House
snowy egret
We saw the house where Pippi Longstocking was filmed. We sailed past Fort Clinch and had a great view of this well-preserved Civil War fort, complete with a sea wall and cannons. We sailed west of Cumberland Island and saw dolphins, sea birds, and wild horses on shore. We glimpsed the historic Greyfield Inn, mansions, campsites, and the place where John Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette had their secluded wedding next to a pig farm. It was a most interesting and very enjoyable day with smooth sailing the entire way.
Fort Clinch, the old Civil War fort
a herd of wild horses on Cumberland Island
The second excursion that we enjoyed was a segway tour. Ecomotion Segway Tours of Jacksonville had a wonderful tour of Ft. George Island and Kingsley Plantation that turned out to be such a fun day and a unique way to explore the island off the beaten path. We joined a couple of other families and had a group segway lesson learning how to operate, steer, and stop our vehicles on a practice field with traffic cones. (I almost flunked out and got placed at the back of the line with someone to watch over me!) Anyone who knows me well, knows that I have issues with balance. Unfortunately for me, riding a segway is all about balance and I am lucky that I did not end up in the ocean, a swamp or a ditch! When all was said and done – I must say that I did quite well. 🙂
David on his segway
our segways
These segways were specialized vehicles with huge all-terrain tires that certainly came in handy later when we traversed the roots, logs, rocks, sandy hills, and “jungle” type trails we explored. We wore ear pieces under our helmets and our leader was miked to communicate with us. He was most informative and relayed interesting facts about the area and the history of the island as we rode along. He also pointed out local plants and wildlife we came across on the trail. We rode single file through dense forests and dodged Spanish moss hanging from branches. We saw tortoises, butterflies, gorgeous flowers, sea birds and spiders. We came across a baby tortoise crossing our trail. We stopped and watched a gopher tortoise furiously burrowing into the sand. We ventured to Kingsley Plantation where we rode past the slave quarters, each formed by hand and decorated with sea shells. We took a break off the segways to explore the plantation house, the surrounding buildings, barn, gardens, and the waterfront where porpoises were playing close to shore. I highly suggest this tour for anyone, any age. It was a remarkable experience and I am still alive to tell about it! Yay!!
Kingsley Plantation house
Nearing the end of our trip, we explored some of the luxury resorts on the island. We had drinks at the Ritz and booked a massage at the Amelia Island Plantation. The resort hotels and golf courses here were gorgeous and covered lots of prime real estate. All the resorts had private beach property, large pools, playgrounds, bars & restaurants, etc. and were more family oriented. The landscaping and lush floral plant life in this resort area was a sight to behold and everything was meticulously cared for. It was all very beautiful and very expensive!
a couple’s massage
golf course
beach at the Ritz
We spent most mornings in the ocean, had a late lunch in town, then spent the afternoons exploring. The sunsets were beautiful and we spent several evening on the beach (photos below). There was so much to do and I am certain we only scratched the surface of all this area had to offer. You could do as little or as much as you want to do here and have a great time.
This was a most enjoyable trip and I highly recommend visiting Amelia Island for anyone who enjoys the beach, ocean views, quaint restaurants & shops, and a bit of history. We could have found much more to do and more places to explore if we had had more time. We just may have to go back one day…..
sea oats on the beach
Susan
David
Southern Savvy 