Where to Find the Clearest Water Within Driving Distance of Atlanta
If you’ve spent any time around here, you already know I have a slight beach obsession. Okay, maybe more than slight. I have written about beaches close to Atlanta, quiet Florida beach towns, hidden beaches, 30A, Sarasota, Key West and probably enough sand at this point that Google has figured out exactly where my happy place is. But there is one thing I will absolutely drive a little farther for: clear water. You know the kind. The water where you can stand waist deep and still see your feet. Where the kids can put on a mask and spend an hour looking for fish. Where the Gulf turns from pale…
Best Fall Mountain Getaways in Georgia & North Carolina: Festivals, Waterfalls and Small-Town Charm
There is a point every summer in Georgia when I am just done. Done with the humidity, done with sweating while walking from the house to the car, and definitely done with getting into a vehicle that feels like it has been preheating at 425 degrees. Then we get that first cool morning and suddenly I want coffee on a porch, a cabin in the mountains and absolutely nowhere I have to be. After our recent weekend in Ellijay, I may have entered my mountain era. We rented a cabin right on the river, hiked 7.3 miles, watched lightning bugs at night and basically let our nine year old and…
Georgia’s Hidden Islands: A Different Kind of Beach Vacation
It hit me after our weekend in Ellijay that Georgia really is spoiled. One weekend we’re hiking seven miles through the mountains, watching lightning bugs dance through the trees after dark. A few hours in the opposite direction, we’re hopping on a ferry to an island with wild horses, untouched beaches, and hardly another soul in sight. We really don’t have to travel far to find somewhere that feels completely different. I’ve written a lot about beaches over the past year because, let’s be honest, I love them. Give me soft sand, salty air, and a sunset over the water, and I’m one happy mama. But lately I’ve realized I’m…
Secret Beaches Within 8 Hours of Atlanta (That Most People Skip)
Everybody knows Destin. Everybody knows Panama City Beach. And if you’ve ever tried to visit either one during summer, you know exactly why I started looking elsewhere. Don’t get me wrong—there’s a reason those beaches are popular. They’re beautiful. But over the years, I’ve realized my favorite beach memories haven’t happened at the places with the biggest crowds. They’ve happened where my son could spend hours chasing ghost crabs instead of waiting in line for ice cream, where my dogs could nap on the porch after a long walk, and where the loudest sound was usually the waves rolling onto shore. Living in Atlanta gives us an incredible advantage. Within…
Georgia’s Mountain Towns: The Perfect Escape When You Need a Break From the Beach
If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you know I love a good beach trip. Give me white sand, a colorful sunset, and the sound of waves rolling in, and I’m perfectly content. Living in Georgia means we’re lucky enough to have some incredible beach destinations within driving distance, and I certainly take advantage of that whenever I can. But every once in a while, I need a completely different kind of getaway. This past weekend, we packed up the car, loaded the dogs, and headed north to Ellijay for a few days in the mountains. Our cabin sat right on the river, and within about an…
Relaxed Florida Beach Towns That Still Feel Like Old Florida
Somewhere along the way, beach vacations started feeling a little… exhausting. Packed beaches. Two hour dinner waits. Traffic backed up for miles. Resort fees that cost more than groceries for a week. Somewhere between the rooftop DJs and influencer photo lines, a lot of us started craving something slower again. That is exactly why our family keeps gravitating toward the quieter beach towns lately. Not boring. Not sleepy in a bad way. Just slower. The kind of places where kids still ride bikes, you can actually hear the ocean, and dinner does not require a six week reservation window. If your idea of the perfect summer trip sounds more like…
Is Seaside, Florida Worth the Hype? A Mom’s Guide to 30A in 2026
If you have spent any time looking into Florida beach vacations, chances are Seaside has popped up more than once. Between the pastel cottages, bike-lined streets, white sand beaches, and those perfectly curated little corners that seem made for Instagram, it is hard to ignore. It almost feels too picture-perfect, which makes sense considering Seaside was one of the filming locations for The Truman Show. But let’s be honest. Pretty pictures only tell part of the story. The real question is whether Seaside, Florida is actually worth the hype, especially if you are traveling with kids, carrying beach bags, and trying to balance “relaxing” with keeping everyone entertained. After looking…
Sarasota Beaches Breakdown: Anna Maria, Lido Key, Siesta Key, and Venice Beach
If you’re looking into Sarasota beaches, let me just say this upfront… they are not all created equal. Some are soft, slow, family-perfect days.Some are “walk around and explore” beaches.And one is basically a treasure hunt for shark teeth. We’ve been leaning into slower travel lately, less chaos, more experience, and Sarasota kept coming up. So I went down the rabbit hole, and here’s the real breakdown of Anna Maria Island, Lido Key, Siesta Key, and Venice Beach. What you’ll love, what you might skip, and which one actually fits your vibe. Photo Credit Anna Maria Island: The Slow Down Beach If I had to describe Anna Maria in one…
Key West with a Kid: What We Loved, What We’d Skip, and What I’d Do Differently Next Time
If you’ve been following along, you know we had to pivot our spring break plans this year. What started as one trip turned into Key West, Florida, and honestly, it ended up being one of those trips you don’t forget. Not perfect. Not cheap. But full of memories. And isn’t that kind of the goal? key west with a kid Day 1: Late Arrival and a Slow Start We got in late Friday and kept it simple. Dinner at our resort, Margaritaville Beach House Key West, and I will say this, the food was surprisingly good. After a travel day, that is all you really need. We spent a little…
Best Beaches in the South for Spring Break (That Still Feel Relaxed)
Spring break has a way of sneaking up on you. One minute you are packing lunches and signing school forms, and the next you are staring at flight prices wondering how everything got so expensive. This year we actually had to pivot our plans. We were originally headed to Mexico, but after some safety concerns and last minute changes, we decided to stay closer to home. And honestly, it ended up feeling right. Sometimes the detour becomes the better story. If you are looking for spring break destinations in the South that still feel relaxed and manageable, these are the ones I keep coming back to. Image Credit 1. Key…
