Family Vacations to North Carolina:
For years and years and years, every summer my family vacationed in North Carolina. It all stared way back in 1988 when we were still just a family of 6. My family started renting a beach house on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina at a place called Emerald Isle. It was pure heaven!!! Back then it was not too well known, and not very crowded. Pretty perfect! Each year, our crowd got bigger and it made it that much more fun. For the past few years we've gone to the Outer Banks. It's about three hours closer. (Still a 10 hour drive, but that's better than 13! Ha!!) With everyone grown up and having families of their own, the shorter trip is better for all the kids. These days just my family alone fills up the house and it's not an every year thing anymore. Last year, though we did return to the OBX where my sister was married! So it was an exciting time and certainly a trip to remember!
Caribbean Cruising:
I've been on lots of cruises. I started going on cruises the summer after college. They were affordable on my measly catholic school teacher salary (especially when you go during hurricane season!) and lots of fun. Ironically, my favorite days cruising are the super relaxing days at sea! It's really hard to beat a beautiful day, laying out on the top deck, looking out and seeing nothing but beautiful, blue water. But I've done lots of awesome excursions too! Swam with dolphins, para-sailed, swam with sea otters, zip-lined in Belize. Even took a Mexican cooking class (where the margs flowed like water!). Such awesome stuff!! Actually one of my best vacations was when I went on the Mexican Rivera cruise out of Cali! We broke the bank that trip!! Went out to California a few days before the ship set sail! Stayed in West Hollywood and toured Hollywood Blvd in a red convertible, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Disneyland...the whole nine!! So fun!!
High above Labadee!
These days, thanks mostly to home ownership, I don't travel often! My summers are spent on the Postage Stamp Patio, at my sisters' pools or on the beach. And that's ok. Because each days a blast regardless...and I'm not working! HA!
My big event each summer now is mainly the Kenny Chesney concert. A day of tailgating, country music, and good people! Read more about my Summer Love, A.K.A. Kenny Chesney here!
Make it a good Monday! And don't forget to link up your Summer Memories with us below. No blog? No problem...share a fun pic and blurb from a summer gone by on your IG and FB pages!!
I love cruising, too! We might have done the same excursion in Mexico. We made salsa, drank margaritas and learned how to salsa dance. Our best friends were on that cruise with us and we had THE BEST time!!
ReplyDeleteAny day that involves margaritas and salsa dancing is a good day in my book! Thanks for stopping by the blog!
DeleteWhat a great post! Your summers in North Carolina must have been so much fun - we live relatively close to the Outer Banks but have only been down there for day trips.
ReplyDeleteWe love it! Thanks for stopping by the blog!!
DeleteYour huge family vacation in the Carolinas sounds like the ones I used to take with my husband's family in Old Orchard Beach. The house was bursting at the seams but we had such a great time.
ReplyDeleteOld Orchid Beach sounds like a place I need to go to...
DeleteAny time spent with family is always fun. Thanks for stopping by the blog!!
I LOVE that first picture! Your family looks amazing in that picture - I love all the outfits!
ReplyDeletethanks Lana!
DeleteI've never been on a cruise, but it sounds so fun!! Para-sailing!! So cool. :)
ReplyDeleteOh Erin! You definitely have to try cruising at least once!! Highly recommend!!
DeleteI want to go cruising, but hubby is dead set against it! Darn him! Family vacations are so fun, I love doing them, but now that my extended family has gotten so big, it's so much harder to coordinate!
ReplyDelete