Year: 2021

Going Deep Into the Earth at Shenandoah Caverns

While it is easy to say that all caves have a long history (they're obviously formed over hundreds of thousands or millions of years even), for most their known history is quite short by perspective- most caves we've been to have only been discovered in the last hundred years or so. Shenandoah Caverns is no different.

This one was discovered by two boys in 1884 while they were playing in a quarry on their farm's property which was being used for the creation of a nearby train line. They discovered cool air coming out of a hole in the ground and, in true 1800's fashion, simply grabbed some rope and candles and lowered themselves into the cave below to explore. 

The boys and their friends would explore the cave more over the years, and in 1922 one of the investors of the train line purchased the land from the family, opened the cave to tourism, and the rest, they say, is history.

I visited this cave in 2021, just one year shy of their 100-year anniversary of opening to the public, and share a bit more of what you can expect when visiting this massive cavern beneath the Earth! 

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5 Hilton Head Breweries to Grab a Local Craft Beer

Whenever we travel, we always make it our mission to hit as many breweries as we can at our destination. Hilton Head, South Carolina, was no different. During our weekend stay, we hit up five Hilton Head breweries and wanted to share a bit about what they're like in this one!

But before we dive into things, we need to step back and toss in a caveat- the island of Hilton Head only has two breweries (and, during our visit, only one was operating as a proper “taproom”- the other only offered cans).

The bulk of the breweries are, in fact, located in and around Bluffton and Ridgeland, SC, and can be reached in roughly 30 minutes depending on which part of the island you are staying on (they make for a great rainy day activity if you need to kill some time).

While we hope that more breweries will open on the island proper in the future, for now, we simply have to note that if you wish to visit most of the ones featured below, you'll have to do so via car as opposed to accessing via the vast bike trail system on the island (so please drive responsibly).

Onward to the breweries!

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When Visiting Harpers Ferry, Be Sure to Hike Maryland Heights

John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), is often considered to be a defining moment that led to the start of the Civil War.

Brown led an uprising on October 16-18th, 1859 as a means to start an armed slave revolt across the south. Although this attempt can be said to have failed, leading to his execution shortly thereafter, the widely publicized nature of this uprising is often said to have directly influenced events that followed- ultimately leading to the Civil War and the ending of slavery.

Today, Harpers Ferry is a National Historical Park and the history of John Brown's uprising is preserved for all to see. 

But beyond visiting for the history, Harpers Ferry itself is simply a gorgeous town located on the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers and is also at the dividing point between three states (Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia). So as much as you should be visiting this one for its history, you'll also want to explore here for the scenery too!

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Get the Most Out of Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park

I've heard the glories of Skyline Drive at Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, for years. Angie's family would visit as a family vacation more or less every year and she knew the park inside and out. But I had never had the chance to visit this one until only recently.

While I knew a fair bit of what to expect when touring this park, there are a number of things you need to know before you go well beyond bracing yourself for the park's entrance fee ($30 per car during my visit in 2021)!

In this one, I wanted to share a few of my favorite tips to help you get the most out of your visit.

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